Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: An Unfortunate Reunion
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Chapter 36, Part 12. Who You’re Dealing With (3)
*Click.*
Kanghyeok loaded a shell into the shotgun and adjusted its sling.
He stepped over the bodies and walked down the corridor, his brow twitching as he slung the shotgun over his shoulder.
He hoped those had been the last of them.
But he could feel that they weren't.
Many people had evacuated.
That had made something else clearer: a presence, like the stench of rotting food, seeping from unseen corners.
This wasn't an aura just anyone could exude.
Only those who had killed.
Those who had no qualms about killing.
And those who enjoyed it.
“Leila.”
(Yes.)
“Can you see this location?”
(Just got a visual.)
Kanghyeok stopped walking and shifted his gaze to the corridor window.
His eyes pierced through the glass, focusing on the building across the way.
Specifically, on a scope on the rooftop, faintly reflecting the moonlight.
Leila had taken a bag and moved in the opposite direction from him.
It was a weapons bag. She hadn't told him what was inside, but he could make a good guess.
Picturing Leila on the rooftop, looking into the hospital through her sniper rifle, Kanghyeok spoke.
“Confirm the remnants.”
(They’re positioned in Buildings A and B. They’re clustered in A, and scattered in B.)
Her tone seemed to ask which one he would take.
The answer was already decided.
“I’m going to Building A.”
(Thank you.)
The moment Leila finished speaking.
(*BANG!*)
The sound of her rifle immediately followed.
Right now, one of the gang members in Building B was probably collapsing with a large hole in his head.
(*Clack, ping!*)
Leila spoke as she reloaded her sniper rifle.
(There’s one thing of note. Their movements are a bit strange.)
*BANG!*
A vicious gunshot briefly interrupted the conversation before fading away as if embarrassed. Leila’s calm voice continued.
(Their movements are erratic.)
That was probably true.
Their plan had been completely shattered.
They had no commander.
Whether they never had one to begin with or one of them had died, it was clear from their disorganized movements that they didn't have one now.
Their likely behavior patterns would fall into two categories.
Either they’d panic, or they’d turn vicious.
“I’m counting on you for Building B.”
(*BANG!*)
Leila answered by blowing off a gang member’s head with her rifle, and Kanghyeok started walking toward Building A.
There was an acrid smell in the air.
He was getting closer to where the bomb had gone off.
It was near the main entrance, and with the civilians evacuated, there was no one in sight.
(I wish you luck.)
Without replying, Kanghyeok stared down the corridor and continued walking.
*Thud.*
The silence was so profound that his footsteps seemed to echo. It was then that Kanghyeok heard a faint footstep from beyond the corner at the end of the hall.
And along with it, he felt a palpable killing intent, even though its source was hidden.
Kanghyeok quieted his steps, holding the shotgun close to his body.
The moment he carefully rounded the corner,
*Thwack!*
A hidden enemy grabbed his shotgun and shoved.
“Urrraaaaggh!”
The man used all his strength, trying to wrestle the shotgun away.
So he let him have it.
Kanghyeok threw the shotgun up over the man’s head. As the man pulled, his arms shot upward.
Kanghyeok drew his pistol from its holster, his index finger already on the trigger.
*Pop, pop-pop! Pop-pop!*
Two to the chest.
One to the head.
The rapid succession of bullets definitively ended the man’s life. At the same time, another man lunged at him, pistol raised.
*CRACK!*
Kanghyeok slammed the grip of his pistol down on the man’s wrist, then pulled his arm and kicked his ankle.
“Guh!”
As the man stumbled forward, Kanghyeok aimed at his head and pulled the trigger.
*Pop-pop!*
Immediately after, the last remaining man pressed a rifle to Kanghyeok’s head.
*THWACK! RAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!*
The sound of gunfire and the smell of gunpowder instantly filled the corridor as the deflected muzzle spat out a stream of bullets.
The rounds whizzed past his head.
“Hah!”
Kanghyeok glared at the man and thrust his pistol’s muzzle upward into his chin like an uppercut.
*Pop-pop!*
The man’s eyes rolled back as blood and matter erupted from the top of his head. Kanghyeok wiped the blood spatter from his face with his sleeve and reached for the shotgun on the floor.
Just then.
“Stop!”
A firm voice, laced with fear.
Kanghyeok moved only his eyes, looking toward the source of the sound, and saw three people at the end of the corridor.
Two were Nobody’s men, and one was a civilian.
And, goddammit, one of them was a familiar face.
‘Yohan?’
Kanghyeok’s eyes widened as he stared at Yohan, who was being held hostage. Yohan stared back at him with a similar expression.
‘Why of all places…’
The answer to his question came quickly.
It was in Yohan’s eyes—filled with fear, yet tinged with sorrow.
To bring his mother’s body to the hospital.
That had to be the only reason Yohan was here.
*Grit.*
Kanghyeok’s nose twitched as he clenched his teeth.
‘Poor bastard.’
Yohan’s feelings seeped into his heart like ink dropped on water.
Was it simply because he was a pitiful kid?
No.
It wasn’t for such a trivial reason.
It was because he had experienced the same thing.
In this incident, both Yohan and Kanghyeok had lost someone precious to them.
A short, suffocating silence passed.
The two men holding Yohan hostage watched Kanghyeok in breathless tension, noticing that his eyes were fixed on the boy.
‘Do they know each other?’
If so, this was a good thing.
A personal connection increased the hostage’s value.
This kid had been wandering near the explosion site while everyone else was evacuating.
That’s why they had taken him hostage. It was a golden opportunity sent from the heavens.
*Click!*
One of the men pressed the muzzle of his gun firmly against Yohan’s temple and raised his voice at Kanghyeok.
“Push the shotgun away. Now!”
Just then.
“Close your eyes.”
Kanghyeok spoke in a low, raspy voice.
Yohan trembled and squeezed his eyes shut.
In the darkness of his vision, it felt as if the Grim Reaper, scythe in hand, was approaching.
It felt like death was breathing down his neck.
He didn’t think Kanghyeok would save him.
They weren’t that close.
And Yohan knew his own worth.
He was definitely not someone for whom Kanghyeok would risk his life in a situation like this.
*Pop-pop!*
A gunshot, loud enough to stop Yohan’s thoughts, rang out.
When the startled Yohan opened his eyes, the gang member’s arm around his neck was loosening, and in the distance, he could see Kanghyeok holding a gun.
“Son of a bitch!”
The panicked gang member charged toward Kanghyeok to get within the pistol’s effective range.
Simultaneously, Kanghyeok’s eyes and the muzzle of his gun moved.
He aimed at the man with only his pistol hand, and,
*Pop-pop!*
Blood spurted from between the gang member’s neck and chest. His face contorted, and the gun fell from his hand.
*Pop-pop!*
The second bullet, fired from a proper stance, pierced him squarely in the forehead.
Kanghyeok lowered his pistol and shifted his gaze to Yohan.
Yohan, who had been curled up with his hands over his ears, looked back at Kanghyeok, trembling.
No words were exchanged in the heavy silence.
Overwhelmed by the corpses strewn about, the crushing atmosphere, and the first-hand display of Kanghyeok’s skill, Yohan couldn’t open his mouth.
He had so many questions.
Why did you save me?
Why are you here?
But Kanghyeok, as always, just stared at Yohan with an emotionless face, and Yohan could find no answers in his expression.
But he did notice one thing.
The look in Kanghyeok’s eyes was somehow different.
His face appeared indifferent, but he knew that wasn't the truth.
*Thud.*
Kanghyeok began to move, and Yohan flinched instinctively.
Kanghyeok put a hand on Yohan’s shoulder and spoke into his comms.
“Civilian secured. Evacuating to a safe location.”
(A civilian, sir?)
Leila, who had been clearing out gang members on the other side, spoke with a questioning tone and turned her scope toward Kanghyeok.
Seeing him heading toward the main entrance with Yohan, she let out a small sigh.
(I need you to handle the evacuation.)
Leila couldn’t respond immediately.
She remembered William’s specific order to keep a close watch on Kanghyeok.
This was a combat situation.
It was an opportunity to observe whatever special something Kanghyeok might possess.
A moment of silence passed before Leila spoke.
“Understood. I’ll meet you at the main entrance.”
(Thank you.)
Leila began to disassemble her sniper rifle, placing the parts one by one into her bag.
She wasn’t ignoring William’s command.
The judgment of the operative on the ground took precedence over directives and orders.
And she judged that evacuating Yohan, to whom Kanghyeok had shown an unusually emotional response, was the right call rather than leaving him in a dangerous area like the hospital.
(Leila.)
“Yes.”
(Thanks.)
Leila’s hand, which was packing the bag, paused for a moment at Kanghyeok’s words.
“Don’t mention it.”
Then, with a faint smile playing on one corner of her lips, she resumed her task.
Kanghyeok and Leila met at the main entrance around the same time.
“I didn’t expect you to come yourself…”
Leila said in front of the hospital, her face showing that she hadn’t anticipated this. Kanghyeok handed her his car keys.
“There are still some of them left.”
Leila glanced toward the hospital and replied.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Just give me the location. I’ll handle the cleanup.”
“Building B is clear. The remnants are gathered in a room at the far left end of the second floor of Building A. Twelve men in total.”
“Weapons?”
“Rifles and pistols.”
Kanghyeok looked toward the location Leila had indicated, then gave Yohan a gentle push on the back.
As two people who had suffered the same wound, there was something he wanted to say.
“Chino.”
But Kanghyeok turned his back on Yohan and walked toward the hospital.
He had a job to do now.
*Beep-beep!*
As the car doors unlocked, Leila guided Yohan into the passenger seat.
*Thump.*
Through the closed car window, Yohan watched Kanghyeok’s receding figure for a long time.
*Vrrrrooom!*
Inside the car, as the engine rumbled to life with a heavy sound, Leila spoke to Yohan.
“What is it?”
Yohan stared at the hospital and said softly.
“I didn’t get to say thank you.”
Leila gave a bitter smile and opened her mouth.
“Tell him yourself later. And were you very scared?”
The fear still hadn’t completely subsided. Yohan nodded, trembling.
“You’re safe now. I guarantee it.”
Yohan rubbed his eyes and shifted his gaze to Leila as she started to drive.
“Something you want to say?”
Leila asked, feeling his gaze. Yohan hesitated, unable to speak.
*VROOOOM!*
The engine roar of a sports car he had never been in before, the seat that enveloped his body, and Leila, dressed in the same kind of suit as Kanghyeok—it all created an intimidating atmosphere.
But he had too many questions, so Yohan finally managed to ask one.
“Who are you?”
Leila kept her eyes fixed on the road ahead and replied.
“You don’t need to know.”
A heavy silence fell, her tone suggesting he shouldn’t speak again. But then Yohan asked another question.
“Is Chino someone like you?”
Kanghyeok, who was ignored by everyone, was treated with respect by someone as impressive as Leila, and he had single-handedly fought the gang members everyone feared.
Yohan had seen his share of gang shootouts on the streets.
But he had never once seen someone like Kanghyeok take down multiple gang members all by himself.
The sports car and the suit.
The people who handled guns with such expertise.
The Kanghyeok he thought he knew now felt like a stranger from another world.
“Chino?”
“Kanghyeok…”
Hearing no malice in his voice, Leila looked at Yohan with an expression of disbelief.
“Do you even know what that means?”
“…No.”
He had only called him that because everyone else did, without knowing its meaning.
Worried that he might have committed some great offense, Yohan shrank back. Leila let out a breath through her nose, a smile touching her lips.
“Call him Kanghyeok. He’s not someone who should be called Chino.”