After drying off the moisture from his body, Ja-kyung stood before the bathroom mirror. Scars were visible here and there across his body. Most were stab wounds from blades, and on his shoulder was a trace of a gunshot wound. He put on the oversized shirt and pants he had brought in, then wore his glasses.
The glasses had black horn-rimmed frames with a small camera attached to the temple portion, capable of recording the interior of the house and other things to transmit to Wang-han. Wearing the glasses, he took out his mobile phone and immediately called Wang-han.
As soon as the signal went through, he answered, and his voice came through the receiver. He could guess how worried he must have been after sending Ja-kyung to Korea.
[Did you arrive safely?]
"Yes. I'm at Kang Il-hyun's house right now."
[But why is there an echo?]
"Bathroom. The whole house is covered with CCTV, so I can't even talk freely."
[Good grief. What are your impressions after seeing Kang Il-hyun in person?]
Ja-kyung thought of the man who had stayed in his room until just a while ago.
"He's better looking than his photo."
[And?]
"Even more insufferable than I imagined."
[He's no ordinary guy. Be careful not to get caught.]
Ja-kyung looked down at his palms. After seeing the calluses, he raised his head and faced his reflection in the mirror. He didn't probe further at the mention of majoring in art. He didn't know if that meant he completely believed it or had other intentions, but the fact that he already suspected him meant any number of dangerous situations could arise.
"You said the inauguration ceremony is in 3 weeks?"
[Exactly 20 days remain.]
"I'll avoid crossing paths with him as much as possible until then."
In 20 days, Kang Il-hyun would be promoted from Managing Director to CEO. It was an exceptional promotion for someone so young. The client had requested to eliminate Kang Il-hyun at the inauguration ceremony. They said they wanted him to die in a place where many people gathered. When they pointed to a specific location or designated a crowded place, it usually indicated deep grudges or a nature of revenge.
Though he saw him for the first time today, recalling Kang Il-hyun's bearing, he slightly understood the feelings of the person who made the request.
"He really knows how to get under people's skin."
[Me?]
"No, there is someone."
[Ja-kyung.]
"Yeah."
Wang-han hesitated for a moment. Ja-kyung could guess what he was going to say.
[If it doesn't seem right, let's wash our hands of it even now. I'll talk to Dmitry.]
Even after sending him to Korea, he still seemed reluctant.
"Don't worry. I'll definitely resolve it and return."
He heard a small sigh through the receiver.
"Should I buy you a gift from the duty-free shop?"
[I don't need things like that, so just take good care of yourself. If anything happens, contact me immediately.]
"Yeah."
After ending the call, Ja-kyung checked his attire once more and came outside. He deliberately moved without being conscious of the CCTV installed in the room. He opened his travel bag, took out the clothes he brought and organized them, then climbed onto the bed.
Then he opened a book. Wang-han had prepared it saying he needed to look like a model student, but since he normally couldn't stand reading, there was no way the letters would enter his eyes. After forcibly turning a few pages, he eventually repeated dozing off and waking up.
***
After passing through a long corridor, private rooms appeared here and there. Guided by an employee, the place they arrived at was a room located in the innermost part. When the sliding door opened, three men were already inside. They were directors of Haeun Group, figures who had helped Kang Hoon organize the organization and establish the company. And they were also people who wanted the eldest son, Kang Tae-han, to become the successor.
"I'm a bit late. I apologize."
After offering a polite bow, Il-hyun took his seat. The three directors who had been standing awkwardly sat down and showed uncomfortable expressions toward each other. They had come because Kang Il-hyun called them, but it was certainly not a comfortable dining occasion.
Il-hyun, unconcerned by the awkward atmosphere, wiped his hands with the wet towel the employee had handed him before leaving.
"I wonder what business Managing Director Kang has in seeing us."
Kim, the most influential among the three, asked indirectly.
"It's nothing special. I just thought about how I haven't had a meal with you directors recently."
The three people exchanged secret glances. Before coming here, the three had promised each other that no matter what happened, they would never push Kang Il-hyun as successor. This was because the eldest son Kang Tae-han's maternal grandfather was a former National Assembly member, and though he had stepped down from his position, he still had influence remaining and contributed much to the company.
But Kang Il-hyun had no maternal family to support him. His mother had been sold for his father's debt and was virtually forced into marriage with Kang Hoon, and perhaps disliking that, after marrying she lived constantly immersed in alcohol until one day she left her child behind and took her own life.
While conversing about company matters, the food was set up. Il-hyun picked up a bottle containing alcohol and filled their glasses. Contrary to the three people's expectations, the conversation proceeded smoothly. When the awkward atmosphere was slightly easing along with the alcohol, someone knocked on the door.
Soon Park Tae-soo entered, and after taking his seat, he opened his bag and took out documents.
Il-hyun handed those documents to the three directors sitting in front of him.
"What is this?"
"It's a consent form regarding the safe relocation."
Director Kim's eyes read the contents of the document in order. Chairman Kang Hoon and four directors had a place where they gathered large amounts of cash and gold bars, which was money laundered from the company's slush funds and distributed. But recently the police and prosecution began to catch on and dig into it, and eventually a situation arose where they had to relocate.
He didn't understand the intention of bringing this to a meal when they already knew the contents in advance. Furthermore, on the consent form, four names were listed in order, and the very last one, Director Yoon Gyeong-hwan, hadn't even attended today.
"How could you bring this today. Director Yoon isn't even here."
For whatever reason, Yoon Gyeong-hwan had been out of contact since yesterday evening.
"Still can't reach him?"
"That's what I'm saying. What on earth is he doing running around in a situation like this."
"He's probably out whoring somewhere. Seen his habit, hasn't he."
Il-hyun, who was listening to the three people's conversation, smiled without a sound.
"Don't worry about Director Yoon's signature."
Il-hyun immediately signaled Tae-soo sitting next to him. Tae-soo took out a small box from his bag and placed it on the table. The three directors looked at the box with curious eyes. Tae-soo opened the lid, and Il-hyun put his hand inside.
"Ah!"
The faces of Kim and the other two contorted violently. What Il-hyun took out from the box was someone's finger. On the cut section of the finger, blood had crusted over.
"W-wait!"
"Director Yoon is in a state where he cannot attend, so I brought this instead."
"Surely! Surely, you!"
"Tae-soo, the ink pad."
As Park Tae-soo took out a red ink pad and opened the lid, Il-hyun rubbed the finger's fingerprint onto it. He paid no attention to the three people who had turned pale white.
"Right thumb, right?"
"Yes."
Il-hyun pressed the fingerprint next to Director Yoon's name at the very bottom of the consent form. Then he dropped the finger into the wine glass and wiped his hand with a wet towel. The three people, frozen pale, only stared at the finger that had gone into the wine glass.
Director Kim, the first to come to his senses among the three, raised his voice.
"What exactly are you trying to do here. Where do you get off playing such absurd pranks!"
Il-hyun stared straight at Director Kim. Does it look like a prank to you?
Furious at the viper-like gaze, Director Kim kicked his seat and stood up.
"I'm leaving. I'll go speak directly to the Chairman!"
Il-hyun took out the finger from the wine glass, tossed it onto the side plate, then poured the wine into his mouth. Seeing this, Director Kim's lower eyelid tremored slightly. Plunk. After setting down the glass, Il-hyun made a regretful expression.
"Director Yoon had been providing capital to the log merchants, I see."
Director Kim, who was listening, flinched. Log merchants was slang referring to organ trafficking. Il-hyun's gaze rose to meet Director Kim's pupils. Director Park and Director Choi sitting beside him had expressions showing they knew nothing, but Director Kim did not. Seeing his complex expression, he got the sense that he too had taken a share.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Fuck, old bastard. Playing innocent.
"I hope you never find out until the end. If I have to cut Director Kim's fingers too, think how painful it would be for Father. Right?"
"How rude."
While Kang Il-hyun and Director Kim confronted each other, the other two were worrying about which side to take. At the end of the standoff, Il-hyun first picked up his jacket he had removed to the side and stood up from his seat. Director Kim's clenched fists could be seen trembling violently.
Chairman Kang Hoon, while doing illegal things through back channels, had a few things he did not tolerate. One of them was buying and selling organs. Director Yoon had violated that first and had planned to establish a casino in Namhae with the funds from it.
"It would be better for the three of you to have today's meal. Let the uninvited guest take his leave."
Looking at his leisurely smiling face, Director Kim finally couldn't hold back and shouted.
"Don't think the Chairman will make you his successor just because of this! Don't even dream of it!"
Il-hyun, still smiling, offered a polite bow to the three and left the room. As the door closed, the laughter completely drained from his face. Inside the closed door, not even breathing sounds could be heard. It was obvious without looking how much those snake-like old men were calculating in their heads right now.
But because of this incident, they wouldn't be able to move rashly. There was no guarantee their fate wouldn't end up like Director Yoon's.