Chapter 24
Translator - Zofu
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I look down at the pink-haired woman suddenly begging for her life. She's trembling all over in fear.
"Begging for your life?"
"Y-yes..."
She answers in a trembling voice.
"What exactly do you mean by that? Explain it so I can understand."
"Th-that is... if I tell the truth... y-you'll spare me, right...?"
Go Ha-rang clasps her hands together, pleading desperately.
"Fine, so hurry up and talk. I'm starting to get annoyed."
"I'm a journalist, and I heard there was some good information this time, so... I-I guess I came to do some undercover reporting? Ah... hahaha..."
She tries to force a laugh, but her voice is laced with terror.
"A journalist? What journalist investigates violent organizations? Did you get shot in the head or something?"
"I'm sorry!"
At my words, she presses her face to the floor again.
I fall into thought for a moment before asking,
"Hmm, so what exactly are you here to investigate?"
"Well... I heard you gather young, pretty women here to... do something."
"Who told you that?"
"Th-there's this... prostitute in Gangnam, Seoul. I met her during a previous investigation. She told me."
Go Ha-rang stutters out her answer.
"What's that woman's name?"
"Th-that is... well..."
She rolls her eyes, trying to avoid answering.
I speak as if my patience is reaching its limit.
"Stop rolling your eyes and tell the truth."
Go Ha-rang speaks up hurriedly.
"K-Kim Ji-soo. Her name is Kim Ji-soo."
I look back at An Juri.
"Contact them and have them bring in a woman named Kim Ji-soo who works at a place in Gangnam, Seoul."
At my words, An Juri picks up her phone and makes a call.
"Ah! And that woman... she said she was asked a favor by a detective named Kim Yu-hyeon!"
"Kim Yu-hyeon?"
"Yes! And I didn't know it was a place like this! Please, spare me!"
"Fine, so lower your voice. You're being too loud."
She immediately shuts her mouth and curls in on herself.
In the now-quiet atmosphere, I turn over the name "Detective Kim Yu-hyeon" that she mentioned. A name I hadn't heard in a long time. Before I came back to the past, he was a detective who'd doggedly pursued me, determined to catch me. Hearing his name in such an unexpected situation was... interesting.
"So, if you heard anything more from this Kim Ji-soo woman, keep talking."
"Well... that detective Kim Yu-hyeon asked that woman to look into the Cheongseong side for him. That's when I heard about them gathering women... I was curious and, well..."
Her voice grows smaller and smaller. I snort at Go Ha-rang's words and ask,
"Huh? So you came here yourself, just because you were curious?"
"Yes..."
She answers in a deflated voice. I watch her, the corners of my mouth lifting.
"It's quite different from what you imagined, isn't it?"
Go Ha-rang nods with a terrified expression.
"Yes, I had no idea it was a place like this... I just wanted to investigate a little and leave... I never thought it would turn out like this..."
I look Go Ha-rang over again. She's shaking with fear, but even in that fear, I can see a hint of curiosity. Is this the nature of being a journalist, or is she just stupid?
I think for a moment. If I let her go like this, what she saw here will definitely leak to the outside.
"You said you came here after hearing that women were being gathered here?"
Go Ha-rang hesitates for a moment, then nods.
"Yes... that's right."
I approach her slowly and say,
"Your curiosity is what caused the problem. This isn't the simple world you imagine. Here, even small mistakes come with a heavy price."
Go Ha-rang shrinks at my words. As I get right up in front of her, her heart beats faster and faster.
"Th-then... what will happen to me now? Am I... am I really going to die?"
Go Ha-rang asks desperately. I look directly into her eyes and speak.
"You're lucky. Those tits of yours saved your life."
Go Ha-rang tenses at those words. She tries to cover her large breasts with an anxious look in her eyes, but they're too big and only her nipples are hidden.
As I'm enjoying the sight, An Juri approaches me.
"Tae-yang, they caught the woman named Kim Ji-soo. What should we do?"
I think for a moment, then answer calmly,
"First, deal with the women, then have her brought here."
An Juri nods.
"Got it. And I'm sorry... If I'd done my job properly, this wouldn't have happened."
I read her expression and speak softly,
"Don't worry about it. This is nothing serious."
An Juri's face is still pinched with guilt, but she seems to gain strength from my words and soon regains her smile.
Not long after, the door opens and the organization members drag in the woman named Kim Ji-soo.
Kim Ji-soo's face is full of terror, and she doesn't seem to have the strength to resist. Her appearance is neater and more decent than I expected, but her makeup is smeared messily.
I approach her slowly, asking with cold eyes,
"You know Detective Kim Yu-hyeon, right? Tell me exactly what Kim Yu-hyeon asked you to do, and everything you've found out so far."
Kim Ji-soo, terrified out of her wits, nods and answers,
"Y-yes, I understand. I'll tell you everything. Please, just spare me."
She begins her story in a trembling voice.
"Detective Kim Yu-hyeon... asked me to look for any small weaknesses he could exploit among the low-ranking members of the Cheongseong. I refused at first, but he threatened me, so I had no choice! Ah, I didn't find anything, though! The organization members absolutely wouldn't open their mouths!"
After listening carefully to her words, I tilt my head. There's nothing particularly suspicious about what she's saying, but it doesn't hurt to be cautious.
"What kind of threat? And how did you know that women were being gathered here?"
Kim Ji-soo hesitates for a moment before answering,
"That detective found out I'd touched drugs and threatened me with that. And I found out about women being gathered here by chance."
I mull over her words for a moment. I wonder what Kim Yu-hyeon is trying to find out through her. And he wouldn't have asked just her to investigate the Cheongseong. There are definitely more people involved.
"So you're saying you didn't find anything? And did you tell Kim Yu-hyeon's side about women being gathered here?"
"N-no. I didn't tell them. I thought it was dangerous, so I kept my mouth shut."
Although Kim Ji-soo didn't know anything, the fact that I learned Kim Yu-hyeon is investigating the Cheongseong is enough.
I look down at her and speak in a threatening voice,
"I'll let you walk out of here alive today. In exchange, you have to keep your mouth shut about everything you know. If you break that, you'll know what happens without me having to say it."
Kim Ji-soo, terrified out of her wits, nods.
"Yes, I won't tell anyone. I promise."
"Good. And there's something you need to do for me."
"Wh-what is it?"
Kim Ji-soo asks cautiously.
"I'll contact you about that later."
"Ah, I understand."
I look at her and point to the door. Kim Ji-soo finally catches her breath and quickly walks toward the door. Just as she's about to open it and leave, I call out to her again.
"And keep in touch with Kim Yu-hyeon. Find out what he wants and report to me immediately."
Kim Ji-soo hears my final words, nods once more, and leaves. Now only my women and Go Ha-rang remain in the hall.
At the sound of my approaching footsteps, Go Ha-rang can't hide her anxiety and struggles to avoid my gaze.
"So, what should I do with you now?"
"Please... just spare me. I really didn't know anything. I just came to investigate."
Her voice trembles, her eyes fixed on the floor. As her body shakes, her large tits shake and jiggle along with it. I watch the sight with interest.
"Even if you didn't find out anything, there's no reason to let you go now. But..."
I stop speaking and gauge Go Ha-rang's reaction. She squeezes her eyes shut, waiting for what comes next.
"These tits of yours are useful."
I grab her breast and grope it roughly.
"Haah..."
"How about it? Do you want to live badly enough to offer up this lewd body of yours?"
"I-I want to live."
"Good. Juri. Take this bitch to the house."
The car is filled with tension. Go Ha-rang stares out the window, trying to hide her anxious expression, but her trembling doesn't easily subside. The car cuts through the darkness, moving quickly, and I take out my smartphone while groping her large breasts.
After a few rings, the other person answers.
"It's me. Look into someone for me. Everything, down to their family relations."
"[Who should I investigate?]"
"Kim Yu-hyeon. He should be working in the detective division. Find out everything about him. Family, past records, current situation—leave nothing out."
"[Understood. I'll handle it right away.]"
I end the call, and An Juri carefully speaks up.
"What should we do about that detective? Should I contact the higher-ups to apply pressure?"
I fall into thought for a moment, then shake my head.
"No, leave him be. I haven't had much to do lately besides fucking women, so having some light entertainment to enjoy isn't bad."
"If you say so. Got it."
I study her expression and add softly,
"More importantly, cheer up. You're being gloomy over nothing."
An Juri hesitates at my words for a moment, then bows her head.
"Sorry for making you worry. But... will the plan proceed as scheduled?"
"Yeah. There's nothing that'll cause legal problems anyway, so just keep doing what we're doing."
"Then I'll let them know that's the case."
As if to reassure her, I lightly wrap my arm around her shoulder.