Chapter 107
Chapter 107
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: The Bomb
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Man, American stun guns really pack a punch. Taking down a big guy like that in one shot…”
“No way… that can’t be.”
“Ask Kim Sung-hee about it later. Anyway, looks like life’s tough everywhere. A grad student in a big city having to carry a stun gun just to get by…”
“Manager Yoon. This guy’s awake.”
“Ugh…”
Regaining consciousness, Michael, tied to the chair, blinked his eyes.
To him, the Korean voices were incomprehensible, so at first, he thought he was dreaming.
But.
‘It wasn’t a dream.’
Opening his eyes wide, Michael looked down upon seeing Lee Dae-hyuk and Yoon Tae-ho staring at him.
“……”
His arms and legs bound to the rickety chair with rope.
If he thrashed with all his might, he might break free.
‘But those guys won’t just sit there.’
In the end, all Michael could do was keep his mouth shut.
Confirming this, Yoon Tae-ho glanced at Lee Dae-hyuk.
“What’s this, invoking the right to remain silent or something?”
“Man, what a stubborn one.”
Lee Dae-hyuk shook his head.
What good was silence now that everything was out in the open?
‘I want to beat the crap out of him… but I’ll hold back.’
He wanted to vent his stress, but Lee Dae-hyuk decided to be a bit wiser.
‘For Steven Gibson’s sake, and to get to the tail of that secret organization, I need this guy’s testimony.’
Having sorted his thoughts, Lee Dae-hyuk began his persuasive(?) threats.
“Michael Walters. I’m not some apostle of justice out to punish evil. And you’re no psychopathic villain either. If anything, you’re a victim.”
Even as he spoke, Lee Dae-hyuk felt uncomfortable.
Michael Walters, who had betrayed the kindly Steven Gibson.
Looking at this man brought images of Oh Tae-gyu and his son Yoo Jae-man to mind.
Still.
‘I’ll hold back for now.’
Hoo!
Taking a deep breath and clenching his fist, Lee Dae-hyuk continued.
“If you turn yourself in, I’ll help you. As much as I can, to the best of my ability. And Apple—no, Steven—will help you too.”
“Steven… Gibson?”
At the mention of Steven Gibson, Michael lifted his head.
‘He hasn’t completely abandoned his conscience. Or is it just guilt?’
Lee Dae-hyuk wanted to use Psycho Metry again.
With clearer info and insights, persuading him would be easier.
But.
He pulled back the hand he had been extending.
‘This ability isn’t all-powerful.’
No, Psycho Metry might be omnipotent.
The problem was his own limits.
Contact alone floods him with one person’s info and emotions.
But no human can ‘digest’ another’s lifetime of info and emotions.
Thus, he often couldn’t find every detail, emotion, or key ‘scene.’
He’d gained some know-how for searching to an extent.
And with higher proficiency, it sometimes showed exactly what he wanted.
But like with Lou Wilson, subconscious blocks could happen again.
Stamina drain and severe headaches were issues too.
Use it when needed, but better to handle things with his own skills when possible.
Steeling himself, Lee Dae-hyuk pressed on.
“You’re a victim too, aren’t you? I’ll help with drug rehab. If you feel unsafe in the US, come to Korea. I’ll get you a job at our company.”
“What’s your company…?”
“Daehan Group. Second-largest conglomerate in Korea by market cap.”
“…….”
Michael flushed at Lee Dae-hyuk’s persuasion and offer.
He had to think of his family too, not just himself.
If he couldn’t stay in the US, immigrating to Korea wasn’t a bad option.
‘Not sure if those bastards’ influence reaches Korea, but it’d be safer than here.’
Of course, it was pathetic to cling to such shaky hope.
He was a real victim, after all.
But everything stemmed from his own choices.
Who could he blame?
And besides.
“Oh, if you refuse, I have other options. I’ll report you to the police, they’ll search your house for evidence. What do you think happens then?”
Lee Dae-hyuk’s post-persuasion threat kindly informed him there were alternatives.
“…….”
Michael couldn’t respond.
His wife and kids would learn of his crimes.
Then what?
All the happiness he’d protected by betraying Steven Gibson would shatter, and he’d be offed somewhere…
‘Assassinated—no, cleaned up.’
“Assassinated” felt too grandiose.
He’d die unnoticed.
His body dumped somewhere.
“…….”
Michael hung his head in despair.
But Lee Dae-hyuk pressed for a decision.
“Mr. Walters. Time to choose.”
Michael gritted his teeth.
‘The answer… is already clear.’
“What… do I need to do?”
To Michael’s earnest question, Lee Dae-hyuk replied.
“Turn yourself in. First, bring the evidence from the warehouse yourself.”
***
Leaving the abandoned building, Lee Dae-hyuk and Yoon Tae-ho waited across from Michael’s house on the roadside.
While Michael fetched the evidence.
In the rental car enjoying a brief rest, Yoon Tae-ho spoke up.
“Young Master.”
“Yeah?”
Gripping the rental car wheel, Yoon Tae-ho tensed.
“Did you trick me by sparing that bastard?”
“Huh? What about?”
“The evidence! You said there was no evidence, just what the detective gathered!”
“…Ah.”
“But earlier, it seemed like you knew from the start that Michael had hidden those drugs at home. How did you… No, wait, first… Hoo…”
“…….”
“Why didn’t you call the police? It could’ve been handled easily.”
‘Damn… Thought English barrier made it safe to chat casually. Sharp as hell.’
Lee Dae-hyuk hid his guilt, avoiding Yoon Tae-ho’s gaze.
But unlike him, Yoon Tae-ho’s voice held genuine worry over irritation.
He thought a simple fix had blown up big.
Of course.
‘Oops… Sorry about that.’
Lee Dae-hyuk knew Yoon Tae-ho’s feelings, so he wasn’t upset.
Who’d feel bad under that affectionate, worried gaze?
Instead, he wanted to clear the misunderstanding.
‘With a bit of white lie.’
“I just guessed he might have drugs at home. But would the police believe a hunch?”
“…….”
“To nab that secret organization’s tail, we needed evidence. Same for reporting Michael. The detective’s info was all I had—no hard proof in my hands.”
“…….”
Lee Dae-hyuk, in the passenger seat, held up empty hands.
“Honestly, I considered his kids a bit, but that wasn’t everything. I’m no pushover.”
Yoon Tae-ho smacked his lips as Lee Dae-hyuk finished.
“Whew. Everything’s so complicated. Chaebol life—no, Young Master, shouldn’t you live easier now?”
“I’m not the chaebol. Dad is. Though I plan to be soon. Haha.”
“Sigh…”
Yoon Tae-ho had no retort to Lee Dae-hyuk’s cheeky response.
As Lee Dae-hyuk said, he could become one with his own power.
If he just ‘stayed alive’ till then.
‘Whew. Got it. I’ll stick with you… to the end.’
Yoon Tae-ho sighed inwardly but resolved firmly.
But.
‘Hmm…’
Lee Dae-hyuk focused more on the warehouse where Michael had entered, visible outside, than Yoon Tae-ho.
He’d come out with evidence soon.
‘Gotta move fast…’
Once Michael emerged, straight to the police with evidence.
‘Better line up a lawyer first.’
Even for turning himself in, he’d need one.
‘Bodyguards too?’
If word got out Michael turned himself in, the secret group would act.
He needed protection.
‘If he’s a witness not a perp, witness protection program.’
As Lee Dae-hyuk racked his brain.
Unfortunately, his hunch was spot on.
The secret organization moved.
KABOOOM-!!!
“……!!”
“Young Master!!”
***
The man was a former mercenary, a pro EOD bomb tech active in Iraq and other hotspots.
Fellow soldiers and friends called him a “lion of justice” or “hero.”
He’d saved countless lives defusing private bombs and mines.
But.
They knew nothing of his dark, filthy inner self.
For reasons unknown, he’d been addicted to dangerous gambles since childhood.
The gamble of life and death.
More precisely, addicted to the thrill of that split-second where fate hung.
Even defusing bombs was for that rush.
Then one day.
The bomb tech, husband, and father realized.
‘I wanted to see death.’
‘I was truly insane.’
At that epiphany.
The organization made an offer.
They’d pay handsomely to deliver death to their targets.
Absurd as it was, he accepted.
It was the life he truly craved.
Thus, the bomb tech became a terrorist.
Life was fun ever since.
He crafted perfect, efficient IEDs, gifting clean deaths to the organization’s marks.
And now.
Burning the warehouse with that guy inside.
‘Finally, number 100.’
A monumental, satisfying milestone—did it bring fulfillment?
From the rooftop across from the warehouse-visible building.
The man impassively pressed the detonator button.
KABOOOM-!!!!
The warehouse erupted in flames with the blast.
Then.
KABOOOM-!!!
Another explosion shattered the target’s house.
‘Tch!’
His first mistake soured his mouth.
The desk bomb under the target’s was calibrated for the warehouse only.
Probably oil drums or flammables inside.
But calculations must be precise.
Target plus wife and kids.
‘103 now…’
“Feels off.”
Muttering, the man headed for the rooftop door.
***
WHOOSH-!
BOOM-BOOM-!!!
“……!”
Leaping from the rental car, Lee Dae-hyuk couldn’t believe his eyes.
But blinking didn’t change the scene.
Michael’s warehouse and house, both engulfed in flames.
‘Definitely… a bomb.’
The unnatural timing screamed it.
‘Fuck! Never saw this coming.’
Lee Dae-hyuk was devastated.
Such an organization would monitor Michael or have contingencies for betrayal.
But planting bombs in a residential area? Unimaginable.
“…….”
Useless guilt bloomed in his chest.
Michael aside, his innocent wife and kids died because of him.
“…….”
Lee Dae-hyuk clamped his mouth shut.
Yoon Tae-ho approached, gaze sympathetic.
The man had changed beyond recognition, but his kind heart remained.
The Lee Dae-hyuk he knew would feel some guilt.
“Young Master. Don’t waste emotions on this.”
“……?!”
“The real bad guys aren’t you trying to save him—they’re the ones doing this shit. No guilt. Just rage.”
Yoon Tae-ho was right.
Not pointless guilt now—rage.
To catch the tails of those bastards who bombed women and kids.
WEE-OO-WEE-OO-!
Someone reported it?
Sirens wailed as fire trucks rushed in.
Police cars followed.
Onlookers glanced their way.
Yoon Tae-ho said.
“Stay and we’ll face police questions.”
No issue with questions.
But time waste unavoidable.
They needed to conserve time, plan responses.
Bombers killing in Silicon Valley heart.
No telling what they’d do to him or Steven Gibson.
“Let’s get out of here fast.”
“Yes. To the hotel.”
Lee Dae-hyuk shook his head at Yoon Tae-ho’s reply.
“Not the hotel.”
“Then where?”
Yoon Tae-ho’s question drew a fierce glint in Lee Dae-hyuk’s eyes.
“We’re going to meet the detective.”