Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Royal Family 16-3
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Bae Hyun-mo smirked confidently as he watched Seo Ji-hyeok's hand reaching toward his blade.
The moment Ji-hyeok grabbed the blade, the game would be over.
Because he'd yank it back at the exact same instant.
Ji-hyeok's fingers would be severed clean off, or at the very least left in tatters.
And if that pain made him flinch even for a split second, that would be the end.
- Shiiik!
Bae Hyun-mo poured more strength into his left hand, thrusting the blade forward.
But that was the moment.
Ji-hyeok smiled.
He should have been panicking, terrified—but instead, he locked eyes with Bae and grinned.
'What? What's going on?'
And...
- Shweeeek!
The last thing Bae Hyun-mo felt was a rush of wind from behind him.
Then a crashing echo in his ears... followed by a blinding flash, and sudden darkness.
The pain hit after that.
"Keugh!"
Thrown to the ground like a discarded tissue, Bae tumbled and sprawled out, not even knowing what had happened to him.
All he knew was the skull-splitting agony that tore a scream from him involuntarily.
Then a low, gravelly voice rumbled in his ear.
"You fucking bastard. Who the hell do you think you're messing with?"
It was Jang Woo.
He stood before the fallen Bae, growling.
"Phew. You made it."
Ji-hyeok let out a long sigh and stepped up beside Jang Woo, draping an arm over his shoulder.
Jang Woo turned to look at him.
But...
"I told you to wait!"
He bellowed, and Ji-hyeok yanked his arm back, plugging his ears.
"Ah, that guy. What a voice..."
"Is that guy more important than your hand?"
Jang Woo jerked his eyes toward Eun-seok, who was still standing there in a daze.
Resentment underlay the shout.
No one knew better than Jang Woo why Ji-hyeok had entered Taesung Manor.
But everyone has their fragile side.
For Jang Woo, it was family.
Ji-hyeok was his one and only family.
So he understood Ji-hyeok entering Taesung Manor, but it still hurt.
And now, seeing Ji-hyeok willing to sacrifice his hand for Eun-seok had set him off.
Understanding that better than anyone, Ji-hyeok gazed steadily at Jang Woo.
"Jang Woo. I've told you a thousand times. Blood doesn't make family. You're my only one."
"Damn... Do that one more time, and I won't hold back."
As Jang Woo's face softened a bit, Ji-hyeok gave his shoulder a pat.
"You head out now. No good if anyone spots you."
"Got it. Call me. You better!"
"Yeah."
Ji-hyeok waved, and Jang Woo dashed back the way he'd come.
Once his figure vanished into the darkness, Ji-hyeok turned and approached Bae Hyun-mo, who lay rigid as a log, trembling uncontrollably.
Bae was in convulsive shock from the brain trauma, his body unresponsive.
His eyes were open, but he was unconscious. Left like this, he could die in the worst case.
Ji-hyeok looked down at him for a moment, then knelt to check his breathing. He loosened the man's collar, tilted his head to clear the airway, and supported his neck.
A short while later, Bae's breathing steadied, and consciousness flickered back.
Confirming Bae coming to, Ji-hyeok stood and moved to his feet.
And...
- Slash! Slash!
Without a moment's hesitation, he severed both Achilles tendons.
"Kuaaaaaah!"
Bae's scream came only after consciousness fully returned.
But Ji-hyeok turned and approached Bae's upper body, raising the blade once more.
- Slash! Slash!
This time, it was the tendons in both arms.
Now Bae Hyun-mo would never use his own limbs for anything again.
Not even to take his own life.
"You're out of that promise. On second thought, your real punishment is watching it happen with your own eyes."
"Kill me! You fucking Chosunjing bastard. Ki... Keuk!"
Ji-hyeok listened to Bae's ravings, then lightly snapped a kick into his jaw.
The casual strike crushed it with a sickening crunch.
Now he couldn't even scream.
"Th... thongue..."
It was then that Eun-seok, slumped and watching the whole thing, finally opened his mouth.
Ji-hyeok walked slowly over to him.
"You okay?"
"Keuk..."
Eh!
Ji-hyeok inwardly flinched at the sight of Eun-seok suddenly bursting into tears.
'This dependency's getting way too intense.'
Of course, he'd half-expected it and kept him close anyway.
He'd anticipated the fear of violence morphing into dependence.
But this level was a problem.
However, Eun-seok's next words shifted Ji-hyeok's thinking a little.
"Fuck... He was my first family... I was scared you'd die!"
Damn...
What Eun-seok had just said was identical to Jang Woo's words moments ago.
In the end, Ji-hyeok let out a chuckle.
But his hand moved too.
- Thunk!
Like hammering a nail, Ji-hyeok's fist came down lightly on Eun-seok's head.
"Ow!"
"Fuck's a bad word."
"Th... thi..."
"Get up."
Ji-hyeok held out his hand. Eun-seok wiped his tears and grabbed it, standing.
At that instant—snap! Every light in Taesung Manor flicked on.
And guards came rushing from all directions.
For the first time since that first dinner, the entire family gathered in the grand dining hall.
That initial meal had been far from pleasant, but this was suffocatingly heavy.
"The secretary office will handle what happened at Taesung Manor today. Jin-young, muzzle the staff. Got it?"
"Yes, Father. But explain? Why did Section Chief Bae..."
"No need for you to know. Just keep their mouths shut."
As Kang Wook spoke with Kang Jin-young, Ji-hyeok's gaze slowly swept over everyone seated at the table.
Starting with the culprit behind it all, Gong Kap-su, and next to him Kang Seon-young's husband Yeo Seong-min, then one by one...
Having scanned them all, Ji-hyeok's eyes settled back on Gong Kap-su's face.
Gong averted his gaze slyly, sensing it.
"Father, someone died in our home. Police came to Taesung Manor and took the body. We deserve to know."
With Jin-young silenced, Kang Seon-young picked up.
But Kang Wook's response was the same.
"I said no need. Hey, Lawyer Yeo."
"Yes, Father-in-law."
Yeo Seong-min bowed deeply at the call.
"Secretary office will contact your firm. Handle it without bothering her."
"Yes, Father-in-law. No headaches for the executive director. I'll manage it quietly. No worries."
"One more time: everyone watch your mouths. Got it?"
"Yes."
"Only the eldest couple stays. Everyone else, out."
Less a family meeting than a one-sided decree from Kang Wook. Everyone rose and left the dining hall.
Last remaining: Chairman Kang Wook, Ji-hyeok, Kang Jin-young, and her husband Gong Kap-su.
Ji-hyeok confirmed the door closed after they left, then pulled out his phone and played the recording.
A thick voice emanated from the speaker.
"Really?"
"Would I joke about something like this?"
"So... you're saying you'll kill that guy?"
"Yes. I'll handle it cleanly."
"And in return, you push my older brother."
"That's right. Party leader for now."
"After speaker of the assembly, isn't retirement the norm?"
"Politics has no set path. If the people want it, he steps up."
"Hmm... but if it fails..."
"It'll go smoothly to the end. Think of your son. That position was always meant for Team Leader Gong Sa-woo, wasn't it?"
A long silence followed.
Then, after a while,
"Fine. Handle that guy, and you get what you want."
"I need Executive Director Kang Jin-young's promise."
"Hey, Director Shim. You don't trust me? If I'm involved, my wife can't back out. You know better. We can talk details after success. Still don't get it?"
This time, Shim Sang-chul's hesitation dragged on.
And after some time...
"All right, Chairman. You know this is all recorded, right?"
"Of course. No backing out now, so just handle it well."
"Understood. We're in the same boat now."
"Yeah. Get it done right. If it fails, we're all dead."
"Don't worry. It won't."
The recording ended there.
The moment playback finished and Ji-hyeok pocketed his phone...
- Smack!
Kang Jin-young shot up from her chair and slapped Gong Kap-su across the face.
"H-Honey."
"How... how far were you going to drag me down? Huh?"
"Honey, it wasn't for me. Our son..."
"Shut up! You dare speak my son's name with that filthy mouth? Get out! Out!"
"Hon...ey."
"I said out!"
Jin-young's roar echoed through the grand hall.
As Gong Kap-su scrambled to rise before her towering fury...
"Hold on."
Gong froze at Ji-hyeok's voice.
And...
- Thud!
A blue book dropped with a smack before Kang Jin-young and Gong Kap-su.
In that split second, Ji-hyeok locked eyes with them both.
'No. These are eyes seeing it for the first time.'
"Hideous. Get rid of it."
The response came from Chairman Kang Wook instead.
He scowled at the bloodstained blue book.
Ji-hyeok pocketed it again while watching Kang Wook, then nodded at Gong Kap-su, who fled the dining hall like a chased rat.
With Gong gone, Kang Jin-young—shaking violently toward the door—slumped back into her chair.
"Divorce. Now."
Kang Jin-young had never once defied her father's words.
But this time, she nodded in place of a reply.
Kang Wook's gaze shifted to Ji-hyeok.
"What do you want to do?"
"Two people died."
"Seven."
"I only count mine. For now, max compensation to the families of the control room staff who lost their lives."
"And?"
"I have some questions."
Ji-hyeok's eyes turned to Kang Jin-young.
But she sat across from him, lips pressed tight, head bowed.
"All Taesung Hausys employees."
"I know."
"Bae Hyun-mo and the rest—all over ten years on the job."
"What are you getting at? That I kept them around for ten years to kill you? Is that it?"
Jin-young's retort muddled Ji-hyeok's thoughts a bit.
Bae Hyun-mo's father had spent thirty years here.
And Bae and the others had lived ordinary company man lives here for over ten years.
Without a whiff of suspicion, without doing anything suspicious.
Plus, circumstances suggested Gong Kap-su hadn't even anticipated Bae making a move.
Which meant...
Ji-hyeok nearly glanced at Chairman Kang Wook but held back.
'You, perhaps?'
What if he hadn't chosen to join Taesung?
If that revenge had turned fully on Chairman Kang Wook?
It would explain everything.
To protect himself, Kang Wook would have wanted Sangcheon close by.
He knew Sangcheon's prowess better than anyone.
'Then the reason for searching my room...'
Hand the blue book to Sangcheon, let them achieve their goal, send them back to Japan?
But no solid proof yet.
This incident confirmed two things.
One: Bae and the others couldn't have been in Taesung Manor without protection from some family member.
Two: The person who'd given the blue book to Father no longer intended to kill him.
If anything, they'd tried to find it, hand it to Sangcheon, and wrap things up.
Gong Kap-su had blown it up from there...
From that angle, the closest to culprit was Chairman Kang Wook.
Next was Kang Mi-young, who owed him the biggest debt.
But Ji-hyeok knew not to act without certainty.
If worst case, it really was Chairman Kang Wook...
He'd need a lot of preparation.
Finishing that thought, Ji-hyeok looked at Kang Jin-young.
And spoke in a low voice.
"Now it's my turn."
In response, even Chairman Kang Wook looked a touch conflicted as he spoke.
"Asking how to handle it?"
"Isn't a life paid with a life?"
Ji-hyeok's icy tone startled Kang Jin-young.
She bit her lip, then slowly turned to Kang Wook.
"Father, he's Sa-woo's dad."
"To Sa-woo, maybe. But you and I? Not a drop of blood shared. Him even less."
"Father, please..."
"Not for me to say."
Kang Wook clamped his mouth shut.
Kang Jin-young bit her lip raw, her clenched fists trembling violently for a while, before turning further to face Ji-hyeok.
But she only stared at him, lips quivering, unable to speak.
Her last shred of pride sealed her mouth.
Perhaps she hoped he'd prompt her first, but Ji-hyeok merely regarded her with impassive eyes.
A heavy silence settled over the three.
Finally, Kang Jin-young parted her lips slowly, breaking it.
"Ji... Ji-hyeok, what do I have to do?"
"What do you want to do, Aunt?"
She'd called him Ji-hyeok, so he answered as nephew to aunt.
Jin-young caught the nuance, eyes widening slightly, but still hesitated to reply.
After a moment's agonized thought, she spoke again.
"I'll... transfer half my shares."
Kang Jin-young held 16% of Taesung Inc.
Half was 8%.
Not a bad deal.
And surely her maximum offer.
But Ji-hyeok shook his head.
"So that's what you think my life is worth."
"That's not what I meant."
"Intent doesn't matter. We're settling a price. Mine's all of them. Transfer every share to me. Step away from management, focus on Taesung Foundation and lady of Taesung Manor. In return, I'll take care of Brother Sa-woo."
As Ji-hyeok finished, Kang Jin-young squeezed her eyes shut.
As if it had finally arrived...
Of course, she could hold out.
Tell him to try it.
Or haggle.
But she realized it was pointless.
Kang Wook's silence and gaze told her that.
Like watching two fighting dogs unleashed, her father's eyes now watched with interest how Ji-hyeok—clamped on her throat—would finish it.
Seeing that look, Kang Jin-young nodded at last.
"Fine. We'll do it that way. But..."
"Yes. Uncle just pays a small price."
"Thank you."
She didn't ask what "small" meant.
Instead, her voice held no energy at all.
It meant her ambitions had slipped away like sand gripped in a fist.
The next morning, just like always, Kang Wook, Ji-hyeok, and Eun-seok were about to start breakfast.
"Grandpa, I want to live here too."
Gong Sa-woo appeared in the dining room.