Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: No Mercy
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It was clear his wrist all the way to his elbow had snapped.
Overwhelming agony burst the blood vessels in Park Cheon-ho’s eyes.
Bloodshot eyes.
Drooling saliva.
Tears streamed from Park Cheon-ho’s eyes as he failed to endure the pain.
“Keuheheuk!”
A sob erupted from his mouth, but Lee Dae-hyuk merely gazed down at the sweat-soaked Park Cheon-ho with impassive eyes.
“I told you. I won’t kill you.”
“Keueu.”
“Want to keep going?”
Lee Dae-hyuk’s tone was soft.
But to Park Cheon-ho, that voice rang like a death sentence.
“Pl-please! Stop! Stop!! Knife!! Knife!!”
Park Cheon-ho barked the order at Juo.
But.
“…It’s over.”
Juo ignored Park Cheon-ho’s command.
Was it because he’d witnessed the pathetic sight of the master he’d sworn loyalty to?
Juo, who’d kept his mouth shut the entire time, charged at Lee Dae-hyuk after muttering those brief words.
Tadadat!!!
The Honsu karambit slashed in from all angles, vertical and horizontal.
Slash!
Slaaash!!
‘You mad bastard!!’
Kim Min-gyu reeled in shock at the sudden turn.
Lee Dae-hyuk was just as thrown off.
“……?!”
‘Damn it!’
Lee Dae-hyuk released Park Cheon-ho’s arm and rolled across the floor.
Swish!! Swiiiish!!!
He barely dodged the first strike.
Tadat!!
As he scrambled to his feet, Juo brought the reverse-gripped knife hammering down repeatedly toward Lee Dae-hyuk’s chest.
“President!!”
Kim Min-gyu cried out in alarm.
Slaaaash!!
Thwuck!!!
Flesh tore with a sickening rip, but not a drop of blood spilled from Lee Dae-hyuk’s body.
Kim Min-gyu gaped at the unexpected sight.
“The Bible?”
Lee Dae-hyuk had blocked Juo’s attack with a Bible he’d snatched up at some point.
“……!!! ”
Even Juo’s eyes, devoid of any emotion up to that point, wavered at the surprise.
The moment Juo’s gaze flickered.
Sprroing!!!
Lee Dae-hyuk, gripping the Bible impaled by the Honsu karambit, launched upward like a coiled spring.
Crack!!!
Lee Dae-hyuk smashed his forehead into the bridge of Juo’s nose.
Stagger!!!
Drip!!
Blood poured from Juo’s nostrils after the surprise blow.
Thud!
Without pause, Lee Dae-hyuk flung the Bible—still skewered with the Honsu karambit—to the floor.
“Round two starts now. I’ll go easy.”
A bladesman stripped of his knife was harmless.
It was a hard-earned lesson from countless real fights dating back to Lee Dae-hyuk’s Kim Geon-woo days.
Tadadat!!
He closed the gap with quick steps, then fired a light jab at Juo’s chin.
‘He’ll dodge something this basic.’
A simple strike any knifeman could evade.
Lee Dae-hyuk’s true target was the knee kick to follow the jab.
But.
Crack!!
Juo didn’t dodge—he ate the light jab head-on.
‘Huh?’
Flustered for a split second, Lee Dae-hyuk pressed the attack.
With fluid footwork, he seized Juo’s nape in his left hand.
Thwack!!!
His left knee, hoisted with every ounce of strength, drove into Juo’s chin.
‘This is too easy?!’
Clean hits landed one after another, yet Lee Dae-hyuk felt unease.
Normal people would’ve dropped from blows like that.
But Juo—nose and lips busted—still stood tall, face blank as if utterly numb to the pain.
That was when a mocking voice drifted from the fallen Park Cheon-ho.
“Ku-keuk! Dru-drug addict. Can’t feel pain. Heh heh heh. Tougher than you think.”
‘Immune to pain?’
As Lee Dae-hyuk processed that.
Crash!!!
Juo smashed his fist through the glass window.
Shatter!!!
He scooped up a jagged shard from the pile of broken glass scattered across the floor.
Drip drip drip!!!
Blood streamed from his clenched fist.
Undeterred, Juo charged Lee Dae-hyuk with that same emotionless stare.
Swish!! Swish swish!!!
The razor-sharp glass fragment whipped through the air in a frenzy of cuts.
All Lee Dae-hyuk could do was twist his upper body desperately to evade.
Even then.
“Keuk!!”
His arms were already turning red.
Instinct for vital points.
Reckless moves that ignored his own body, utterly without hesitation.
Cold precision in reading his foe’s every action.
Weaponless, Juo was undeniably formidable.
‘In Kim Geon-woo’s body, I’d have ended him quick….’
No time for regrets—Lee Dae-hyuk’s wounds multiplied under Juo’s relentless assault.
Stumble stumble!!!
He backpedaled bit by bit, but his eyes gleamed sharp.
‘Immune to pain, huh.’
Even so, overexertion had to take a toll on the body eventually.
Problem was, Lee Dae-hyuk might not last that long.
Thud!!
His back hit the cold wall.
But Juo.
“…Idiot.”
He halted his barrage on Lee Dae-hyuk and spun around.
Swish!!
The glass shard lashed out with his pivot.
Kim Min-gyu dodged the strike.
“President, let me pitch in.”
Whoosh!
He slammed a fist into Juo’s jaw.
Tadat! Swish!!!
Juo slipped the punch with a casual sidestep.
He swung the glass at Kim Min-gyu’s right arm.
“Keuk!”
A groan escaped Kim Min-gyu, but he kept coming.
‘Make an opening.’
Even if it cost him an arm, he had to create a chance for Lee Dae-hyuk to strike.
“Keueuk!!”
Blood now flowed not just from his arm but his gut too under Juo’s blade.
That was when Lee Dae-hyuk’s voice rang out.
“Good work.”
In sync, Lee Dae-hyuk—who’d circled behind Juo—sprang into motion.
Swish!
Juo whipped his glass shard back with his right hand too.
Thwap!
“?!”
Lee Dae-hyuk’s right forearm blocked Juo’s elbow, then slithered like a serpent.
Clamp!!!
It coiled around Juo’s right armpit and throat.
“This… fuck!”
Juo spat curses and tensed to break free.
Thud!
“Keuheok!”
A knee to the right flank.
Juo’s movements locked down.
Crunch!!!
“Eueuk?”
Lee Dae-hyuk yanked the right arm with his left while pasting his cheek to the back of Juo’s head.
Then squeeze!
The blood choke.
Glass shard arm pinned, carotids exposed.
“Keuk, keuee…euk!”
Blocked airway and cranial pressure forced a groan from Juo’s lips.
Pain immunity or not, he wasn’t Superman.
No air meant blackout.
Flail flail!!!
Juo thrashed wildly, but Lee Dae-hyuk hooked his ankle and toppled his base.
Miss now, and he’d never get another shot.
Finally, Lee Dae-hyuk collapsed to the floor with the writhing Juo.
Grrrind!!
More pressure—foam bubbled at Juo’s mouth, eyes rolled back.
Lee Dae-hyuk’s face twisted in pain too.
‘Just a bit more, just a bit more….’
His own stamina was hitting its limit.
‘Finish it here.’
Gritting his teeth, Lee Dae-hyuk poured more power into his arms.
In under ten seconds, Juo went slack.
Clink!!!
Fully out cold, the glass shard slipped from his hand.
Thud!!!
Only then did Lee Dae-hyuk unwrap his arm from Juo’s neck.
Boom!!!
Yoon Tae-ho burst in from behind as Lee Dae-hyuk loomed over the limp Juo.
“Young Master!!”
“All clear?”
“Yes. Sorry. I should’ve gotten here sooner….”
Yoon Tae-ho bowed his head.
Lee Dae-hyuk waved it off.
“As you can see, nothing worth worrying about.”
His voice stayed even.
To reach Yoo Jae-man, he’d have to topple far deadlier foes than these.
‘This? Just practice. Painful practice.’
Time to toughen up.
Hoo!!
Sigh spent, composure restored, Lee Dae-hyuk approached Park Cheon-ho.
Now it was time to shift from action to horror.
“Hard to get a word in with you.”
“…Wh-what do you want?”
Park Cheon-ho shot back, face ashen.
His final weapon Juo was down, his crew sprawled everywhere.
Even rallying the guys running the room salons and clubs wouldn’t turn the tide now.
Lee Dae-hyuk’s ambush had been flawless.
“Not money… my life? But no real grudge against me, right?”
“True. It’s Lee Dae-hwan I hate.”
Lee Dae-hyuk pressed on with a bitter smile.
“I’m trash too, but I can’t stand guys who cross lines. So I’m cleaning house.”
“……!!! ”
Lee Dae-hyuk smirked inwardly as he glared at Park Cheon-ho.
What noble excuse? He was trash all the same.
‘Right. Trash through and through.’
Sure, he’d spared civilians and kept blood off his hands as much as possible, but that didn’t absolve his past life.
This second chance was different.
Revenge aside, he craved some redemption.
‘Selfish as it is.’
Thoughts aligned, Lee Dae-hyuk calmly cornered Park Cheon-ho.
“Pick one: intact wrists and ankles, or turn yourself in.”
“…You a real gangster?”
Park Cheon-ho tsked at the line.
“Scarier.”
Kim Min-gyu and the newly arrived Yoon Tae-ho stared at Lee Dae-hyuk with saucer eyes.
A touch sheepish under their gazes, Lee Dae-hyuk softened his tone.
“Nah, not a real gangster. But I’ve got the power to play one. Call it that.”
His words were gentle, but his icy stare screamed the truth.
No surrender? Ligaments get severed.
“…….”
Park Cheon-ho had one option.
Prison bars beat facing Lee Dae-hyuk.
Nod nod!!!
“…I’ll turn myself in.”
The words had barely left his mouth when.
Kim Min-gyu stepped forward.
“I’ll handle the rest.”
“Sure.”
He’d break whatever was left intact.
Lee Dae-hyuk nodded without fuss.
“Yeah. Cops’ll be here soon. Wrap it quick.”
“Got it.”
Park Cheon-ho yelped at Kim Min-gyu’s reply.
“Wait! Th-that’s not what you said!!”
“I’m done touching you. Min-gyu isn’t.”
Sneer in place, Lee Dae-hyuk turned to Yoon Tae-ho.
“Leave ’em to bond. We’re out.”
“Y-Yes? Right, Young Master.”
Step step!!
Yoon Tae-ho trailed Lee Dae-hyuk as he strode from the office without a backward glance.
Silent Kim Min-gyu extended a hand toward Park Cheon-ho.
“Now, let’s settle up.”
.
.
.
Crunch!!!
“Kuaaaak!!”
Something snapped amid Park Cheon-ho’s agonized scream.
Lee Dae-hyuk sighed faintly at the sound and pulled out his phone.
Beep beep!!
“Hello?”
Kim Il-jung’s listless voice came through.
“Come now.”
“Haa… Fine. Dae-hyuk.”
“Yes.”
“Let’s keep private meetups to a minimum.”
“Isn’t meeting a prosecutor on the clock riskier?”
“…Hanging up.”
Kim Il-jung cut the line.
Yoon Tae-ho ventured carefully.
“Who was that?”
“Il-jung hyungnim. Asked him to handle cleanup.”
Yoon Tae-ho sighed despite himself.
“Ties with a prosecutor dangerous right now, no? Especially a hardass like Kim Il-jung….”
“That hardass streak is why he can help me. And I’ll help him.”
Unlike Yoon Tae-ho’s fretting, Lee Dae-hyuk had Kim Il-jung pegged.
A man who’d do anything for justice.
‘Long as I’m useful, he’ll back me.’
A transaction for their versions of justice.
Enough for now.
“Hoo. Got it.”
Yoon Tae-ho dropped it and took point.
Guarding Lee Dae-hyuk’s front even now.
Stretching lightly as he followed that reliable back, Lee Dae-hyuk thought.
‘Packed night after so long.’
The nagging thorn Park Cheon-ho was gone.
Today promised peace.
A smile lit Lee Dae-hyuk’s face as he trailed Yoon Tae-ho with light steps.