Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: TrueDetective
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: 15. From Here On, It's Brutal (1)
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"Didn't kill him?"
The moment Lion Rep heard those words, his face twisted in irritation.
"What the hell? If it wasn't you, Sa Rep, then who the fuck did this shit?"
"I'm a Demonic Cultist, not a goddamn murderer."
"Being a Demonic Cultist is suspicious enough. You're not trying to play word games about not getting your own hands dirty, are you?"
"Let me be straight with you."
Turning to face Lion Rep, Saibi continued in a calm tone.
"It's true there was a bit of a standoff between me and those Zhongnan Sect kids last dawn. But I didn't kill them. I sent them back alive for sure, and I never imagined they'd turn up dead in a public place like this."
"If it wasn't you, Sa Rep, then why'd you make those kids stream all night?"
Saibi blinked, as if he hadn't expected that question.
"You noticed that far?"
"You kidding? You drag me out for drinks and bets until U-Live ends. Then perfectly timed, those kids stream all night and stay stuck with you till morning. Only thing I can think is you used me. Dragging the kids in—probably to avoid any rumors, right? With alibis solid till dawn."
"I see. I was careless. But you know as well as I do, Lion Rep—if I'd really meant to kill, you wouldn't have noticed."
"......"
Lion Rep just glared at Saibi without a word.
'He buys it, but the suspicion lingers.'
Saibi tilted his head slightly and asked,
"You're pretty pissed, huh? You know that Zhongnan Sect kid?"
"I'm pissed you dragged me into your shit."
Lion Rep spat the words like they tasted bad, then ran a hand through his bangs to cool off.
"Even if it wasn't murder, you still used me."
"I'll apologize for that. But you don't like empty words, do you?"
"I'll take my apology another way. But if it turns out you used me for murder... no mercy."
"I didn't murder anyone......"
"That kid held a grudge against you. The one you were chasing."
Even at those words, Saibi's expression didn't change a bit.
"I won't deny it... but this one's got nothing to do with me. Why they got killed there... hell, we gotta confirm it was murder first."
"Not murder? Suicide?"
Lion Rep snorted like it was the dumbest thing he'd heard.
"I saw the body. Pics spread all over SNS since it was dumped publicly. Neck cut clean as hell. One slice with a real sword, that's what did it."
"I'm just saying keep all possibilities open."
"......"
Lion Rep stared into Saibi's eyes for a moment.
Saibi met his red Demonic Eyes without flinching.
"...We'll call it here for now. But if it comes out it was you, Sa Rep, later on."
Saibi gave a small smile, lowered his stance, and bowed.
"I'll offer my neck."
"Your life's too cheap. Not worth taking."
With that, Lion Rep vanished from the rooftop, his form flickering out of sight.
* * *
I'd watched the news to the end, but there wasn't much info.
Discovery spot: outdoor stage at Han River Park.
No head found yet, fingerprints all ruined.
SNS was flooded with what looked like on-site pics taken from afar—couldn't confirm if real.
'Stage......'
My hand trembled around the phone.
Couldn't stop shaking since earlier.
Shin Tae-eul was dead......
Died in the exact outfit from fanmeeting day—means he never made it back to the hideout after.
What the hell happened to him these past few weeks?
No way to know now.
'That day, at the restaurant.'
If Shin Tae-eul hadn't come to me, would I still be clueless, just doing manager work?
Why'd he decide to tell me everything?
Why show up at the fanmeeting that day?
Knowing he could end up like this.
Knowing damn well it could go down this way.
'I can't forgive the rep......'
Not content with exploiting Uchi's desperation.
If he really killed Shin Tae-eul timed to our stream...
Just pulling the members out of Kichi wasn't enough.
'Why display Shin Tae-eul's body on a stage?'
No upside to provoking us more for the rep.
A warning?
Warning about what?
"Take down all the photos."
Snapping out of it, Jaha blurted it like he was possessed.
"You... you okay?"
"I'm fine. My head's still attached."
Didn't look fine at all.
Jaha seemed calm on the surface.
But no way his head was straight inside.
"The photos gotta come down. They'll turn into a joke like this. I can't look at that shit."
Hadn't thought that far.
Maybe from past pics circulating online.
Jaha could guess the crap they'd spew about the body pics online.
Too many elements ripe for scandal.
But the Heavenly Demon shrugged it off indifferently.
"How?"
"Ask the rep to take 'em down. He'll do it."
"You planning to advertise to the rep you clocked them as Zhongnan Sect? High chance that fucker killed the Zhongnan punk."
"What're you talking about? No way the rep did it."
Even after recognizing the body as Shin Tae-eul.
Even realizing everything we'd heard could be true.
Jaha still couldn't let go of faith in the rep—showed he wasn't thinking straight.
No helping it.
"Could be not Shin Tae-eul."
"Hmm?"
The Heavenly Demon shot me a look like what bullshit is this, but I pressed on steadily.
"No need to decapitate if dumping in public. Head missing screams hiding identity. Someone might've faked it to make it look like Shin Tae-eul's dead."
"Who?"
"Someone who knew he wore the pink tracksuit that day, and about the missing parts on the body."
Saw focus return a bit to Jaha's eyes.
Only way now: reassure him somehow.
"Then... where's the real Shin Tae-eul?"
"...Even if alive, won't hear from him awhile."
"Why?"
If it really...
Really wasn't him.
Circumstantially, highest odds the body-faker was Shin Tae-eul himself.
Safest move when death's knocking? Die first.
But that'd mean he killed someone else to fake his death.
No point stressing Jaha's head more.
"It's dangerous here. Even if not him, someone's dead. He'll know to lay low."
"Oh...... But the photos still gotta come down."
Clear as day: wipe the body pics off the net, and Jaha'd snap back to normal.
"I'll talk to the rep, get 'em down."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Going now. You rest, Jaha."
Saw him nod meekly, then dragged the Heavenly Demon out of the dorm.
Soon as we stepped out, the Heavenly Demon blocked my path.
"You really think that?"
"What?"
"What you told the Huashan punk."
"...That it might not be Shin Tae-eul?"
The Heavenly Demon nodded faintly, and I went quiet a sec.
Said it to calm Jaha, but it wasn't zero chance.
But...
"Assume it is Shin Tae-eul for now."
"Why?"
"If he faked it, we gotta act fooled."
The Heavenly Demon cracked a faint smile, pleased with my answer.
"So what's next?"
"Thinking."
"Not really planning to go beg the rep, right?"
"I am. Photos gotta come down."
He furrowed his brow.
"For real? Thought you'd play smarter than that."
"Heavenly Demon."
I fought to stay even and said,
"To you, it's just some bug dead. Not to me. But I don't expect sympathy from you, or wanna snap over something you can't get. So......"
Paused to steady my voice, then,
"Can you... just shut up a sec?"
Tried not showing emotion in front of him.
Wasn't as easy as planned.
Figured he'd mock or scorn my weakness.
And seeing that'd shatter how I'd treated him till now.
The disconnect hit hard since seeing Shin Tae-eul's body.
To the Heavenly Demon, his death's just some side character dying on screen—nothing more, nothing less.
Probably same if I died.
But the Heavenly Demon looked at me like he had no clue what I meant.
"Why assume this seat can't understand?"
"Huh?"
No mockery, no scorn—just flat.
"This seat's lost comrades too. Bawled my eyes out ugly at first."
"...You, Heavenly Demon?"
"What, Heavenly Demon can't cry?"
"......"
"Even a Heavenly Demon's human in the end. Difference? Get numb to death quicker. So don't half-ass imitating this seat in front of me. Pathetic sight."
"...Yes."
"Yes" was all I could manage.
He eyed me, shook his head, clucked his tongue.
"Tch. Don't go to the rep."
"Huh? You get it now?"
"Scared you'll fuck up looking like that."
Like what.
You bawled too.
"I'll handle the rep."
"You?"
"That punk'd fake his own death if I said so. He'll do this seat's favor no questions."
Clear it'd go faster with him demanding than me begging.
Still, I'd thought to meet the rep myself first.
Maybe to check if it really was Shin Tae-eul, really him who killed.
Like he said, not smart.
Can't show our full hand.
Now it's life-or-death for real.
"...Got it. Please handle it."
"Fine."
He waved lazily at me, then headed rooftop-ward.
Guess the rep wasn't home.
Watched him go up a bit, then pulled out my phone and dialed.
-Wow, proactive, So-i?
Never thought I'd call this guy for help so soon.
-Calling right after I gave you the number? Guess there's still hope?
Lion Rep picked up playful as ever, but his voice was lower than on set.
"You said call if something came up."
-Something already did, huh?
"How far can you help?"
-Sounds urgent. Not like you, So-i.
"Yeah. Situation's dire."
-What do you need? Spit it out. Only thing I can't do is lick my own elbow.
"Then......"
I whispered,
"Kill our rep for me."
Silence over the line.
His voice came back after a beat, edged with anger.
-So-i... I don't like being tested. Especially not with murder talk.
I twisted my lips into a smirk.
"You're... not trustworthy, Rep."
Another long silence.
-...Ahh. Yeah. Shouldn't have answered.
Right.
Anyone clueless would've missed this murder request as a "test."
Stunned, brush it off as joke, banter back—that fits Lion Rep's vibe.
He straight-up knew something went down between me and the rep.
-My bad...... Got so pissed, lost control.
"Yeah. Mistake. You and Sa Rep really got nothing?"
-Even if I say no now, doubt you'd buy it.
"I'll believe you."
-For real?
"Bet on it. You win, you get it."
-Bet?
Felt like his breathing hitched at "bet."
-...And if I lose?
"You tell everything you know about our rep."
No answer for a bit, like pondering.
-Fine. Bet's what?
"I......"
Wetting my dry lips, I said,
"I'll bet Saibi Rep kills me within half a year."
Next instant, weird noise from the receiver.
Took no time realizing it was laughter.
Lion Rep spat with total conviction.
-I bet Sa Rep won't kill you, So-i. No matter what. Ever. Any situation!
No clue why Lion Rep was so dead certain then.
But I knew I'd get what I wanted.
"Bet's on then."
-Yes, bet's on.
Ding-dong.
-But... what was that sound just now?
I smiled brightly and said,
"Your door unlocking, Rep."