Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: A Reward for Proven Worth
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"W-Wait."
Johannes extended the hand holding the laptop toward Kanghyeok.
"H-Here, take it back. I'll give it back. I didn't touch a single coin inside..."
His voice was desperate, pleading.
But Kanghyeok raised the pistol, his face expressionless.
*CRACK!*
Johannes's face contorted grotesquely as the laptop fell to the ground.
"Ghk, ugh."
Trembling, Johannes lifted the hand clutching his stomach.
In the faint moonlight, his eyes, now accustomed to the dark, could see the blood on his hand.
A vivid crimson liquid, so red he wondered if human blood was always this color, coated his hand so thoroughly it didn't feel like his own.
In that moment, Johannes sensed death.
Death was coming.
An inescapable death was coming.
Kanghyeok's approaching figure was reflected in Johannes's fear-filled eyes.
"N-No."
Kanghyeok walked right up to Johannes and aimed the pistol at the center of his face.
Then, just as he always did, he pulled the trigger without hesitation.
*CRACK!*
The sound was exceptionally loud, as if heralding the end of his journey to retrieve the laptop.
Dark red blood pooled around Johannes as the back of his head hit the ground.
*Clatter.*
Kanghyeok reached out and picked up the laptop.
There were a few scratches on the surface.
Then again, it couldn't have come out unscathed.
Not after what it had been through.
But that was fine.
What mattered was the inside, not the shell.
As long as the inside was safe, the scratches could be ignored.
Having recovered what he had lost, Kanghyeok tucked the laptop under his arm and shoved a hand into his pocket.
When he pulled it out, he was holding a cigarette. Kanghyeok placed it between his lips and lit it with a Zippo lighter.
*Fwoosh!*
He exhaled.
The cigarette smoke drifted on the wind, stretching out before fading into the night sky.
Leila, who had gotten out of the car at some point, looked at the dead Johannes, then at Kanghyeok and his laptop.
Her face was as calm as Kanghyeok's, and in one hand, she held a phone with the headquarters' number displayed.
Leila pressed the call button and brought the phone to her ear.
*Click.*
It didn't take long for the call to connect.
"Situation resolved. I'll file the report by this morning."
*(Good work, Leila.)*
"It was nothing."
Leila ended the call.
Kanghyeok silently smoked his cigarette while Leila got back into the car to wait for him.
*Swoosh, swoosh.*
Other than that, only the sound of the waves filled the desolate road.
"So that's how it went?"
William, who had received the call from headquarters, raised the corners of his mouth. He was on his private jet, flying at an altitude so high the clouds were a carpet below.
William set down the glass he was drinking from and sat up straight.
*Clink.*
"Anything else of note?"
*(Leila said she will submit a report later.)*
"Send it to me as soon as it comes in."
*(Yes, sir. Does the time matter?)*
"I don't care if it's the middle of the night. Oh, and execute that other thing I mentioned."
*(Are you sure?)*
"He proved his worth. He's earned at least that much."
For the first time in a while, there was a hint of pleasure in William's voice.
*(Understood. I'll relay the message to Leila as well.)*
*Beep!*
After hanging up, he sank deep into his seat.
The plush seat seemed to embrace his body more eagerly than usual.
He let out a long breath.
His mind felt at ease.
This whole affair had been a gamble for William, too.
What if Kanghyeok had died?
What if he had been killed by a bullet from some small-time punk?
William's position would have become quite awkward.
If word ever got out to the clients, the company's image would have taken a serious hit.
To hear that a man who had retired only a year ago had been killed by a gang—even the thought of it was chilling.
But that didn't happen. Kanghyeok had succeeded in his original objective of retrieving the laptop, saving William's face in the process.
"Heh heh."
A smile playing on his lips, William picked up his glass.
The most important thing for William now was whether or not Kanghyeok would return to work.
The best outcome, of course, was Kanghyeok's reinstatement.
But even if he refused, it would be a shame, not a problem.
This wouldn't be the only opportunity.
If this time didn't work, he could aim for the next. He just had to calmly create a situation where Kanghyeok had no choice but to return.
William downed the rest of his drink in one gulp.
*Vrooom.*
Inside the car, Kanghyeok looked down at the bag.
Nestled in the black foam padding was his rifle.
A long-overdue reunion.
There was no other gun in the world that fit Kanghyeok's hands better.
But now, it was time to send it back.
Kanghyeok stared at the gun for a long time with an expression he hadn't even shown when he got his laptop back, then slowly closed his eyes and shut the case.
*Click, click.*
Then, as if casting aside any lingering attachment, he fastened the buckles on the case.
After placing the pistol in another bag as well, Kanghyeok looked up at Leila, who was behind the wheel.
"Please return these."
Leila gave a slight nod.
"Rest assured. I will. They'll be stored safely, too."
If Leila said so, it was true.
It would be kept in a deep underground vault within the company, a space no one could breach, where it would sleep again under perfect temperature and humidity control.
That was all.
Kanghyeok leaned his head against the back seat, glanced once at the laptop beside him, and then turned his gaze away.
He saw the old city.
The city, illuminated by the morning sun.
He saw police cars moving sluggishly, likely responding to a call, and as they passed the club, he could see people loitering around with their phones out, taking pictures.
Given the nature of the area, the investigation would likely conclude it was a gang fight.
Especially since Johannes's gang had been at war with another, the corrupt police would probably wrap up the investigation half-heartedly.
And if the police did decide to dig deeper?
The company would take care of it.
After helping him this much, they wouldn't just turn a blind eye.
Kanghyeok silently watched the streets.
He didn't know what would become of this place now.
The disappearance of one gang wouldn't bring about any drastic changes.
A trash can is still a trash can, even if you take out the biggest piece of trash.
Another gang might try to fill the void left by Johannes, or maybe a new one would emerge.
Still, one thing was certain.
Barring any unforeseen variables, this place might be a little better for a while.
With Johannes's gang, which had encouraged theft and drugs, gone, the lives of the residents here might improve, even if just by a fraction.
He even thought that perhaps a positive change could begin.
"Pfft."
Kanghyeok couldn't help but laugh, finding the thought absurd.
He knew this place wouldn't change just because one gang was gone.
Still, he honestly hoped it would at least be a little better than before.
Not for any grand reason.
It was just because this place was such a cesspool.
*'Wait, this isn't the right way.'*
They were on their way to Kanghyeok's house.
But the streets were unfamiliar, not the usual route.
"Do we have a stop to make?"
"No. Is there somewhere else you need to go?"
"You're taking the long way."
"Perhaps."
Leila shrugged once and kept her eyes on the road.
Kanghyeok looked at the back of her head and snorted.
Whatever.
She definitely had something up her sleeve, but now that he had his laptop back, he felt like he didn't care.
It wasn't so bad to take the scenic route for a change.
There was no rush anymore, after all.
Just as the gun was returning to the vault and Leila was returning to the company, Kanghyeok was just returning home.
He was going back to that god-awful place, so what did it matter if it took a little longer?
The problem nagging at Kanghyeok now was whether he could go back to living as he had before.
Rumors are a scary thing.
A gang had disappeared, and if rumors spread that it was Kanghyeok's doing, things would get pretty noisy.
If that became too tiresome, he could just leave.
"We're here."
"Thanks."
Kanghyeok got out of the SUV, which had stopped in front of his building, with only the laptop under his arm and without a second glance.
"About the suit."
Right, the suit.
As Kanghyeok was about to get back in the car to change his clothes, Leila spoke, a subtle smile on her lips.
"You probably don't have anything decent to change into right away, so please keep it on. We'll retrieve it later."
Kanghyeok watched Leila in silence.
The suit was also company property, so Leila didn't have the authority to make such a decision.
"What are you planning?"
"Nothing in particular."
"Not you. Is this William's order?"
"I'm not sure what you mean."
Kanghyeok held Leila's gaze for a long moment.
Then he let out a chuckle, a look of understanding on his face, and grabbed the car door.
*'Does he think seeing the suit will make me miss my life at the company?'*
A thought worthy of that sly old fox, William.
If that was his plan, he should have just given him the gun.
But he hadn't, which probably meant: *If you want the gun back, come back to work.*
Just then.
"There will be a small gift waiting for you when you get home."
Leila spoke before Kanghyeok closed the car door.
"A gift?"
For what?
He hadn't done anything to deserve a gift.
In fact, he was the one who had received help, so if anyone was giving a gift, it should be him.
Seeing Kanghyeok's frown and questioning look, Leila quirked one side of her mouth and gestured toward the apartment building with her chin.
"You've proven your worth, haven't you?"
The company must have decided that Kanghyeok was a necessary asset.
Even if his opponents were an untrained gang, annihilating such a large number and taking out their leader in less than twenty-four hours was something not even an active Deputy Team Leader could easily do.
Let a man like that go?
Headquarters would do anything, practically court him, to get him to rejoin.
"Please go up and get some rest. You've worked hard."
Kanghyeok looked at Leila for a moment before closing the door.
*Vrooom.*
Leila drove off, and Kanghyeok looked up at the apartment building.
The sun was about to rise.
In this apartment complex, where most residents treated night as day and no one was preparing for a morning commute, this was the quietest, most desolate time.
Kanghyeok walked toward the old apartment building, bathed in the red glow of dawn.
*Step, step.*
He climbed the stairs he climbed every day,
*Screech.*
gripped the dust-covered railing,
*Grip.*
and held the laptop tucked under his arm tightly, as if vowing never to lose it again.
And so, Kanghyeok returned to his home.
And the moment he saw his door, he couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh.