Chapter 246: Investigating (1)

Yi Jae-Seok didn't know what he was even talking about. But this situation didn't seem all that strange to him. He wasn't even sure what his... 'conversation partner' wanted to hear from him, anyway. Kang Jin-Ho simply said, “Talk,” and didn't add anything else.

It wasn't as if Yi Jae-Seok was too much of a coward to ask what Kang Jin-Ho wanted to hear. No, he just didn't have the mental leeway to think that far.

Yi Jae-Seok talked about everything he knew and then talked some more. Everything from the Yeongnam Group to the truth about himself, his relationship with the group, and why he was targeting Kang Jin-Ho. He yapped on and on about every little thing, even matters that weren’t really related to this kidnapping incident. And he did that desperately—more desperately than ever before.

At the start of his 'confession,’ Yi Jae-Seok hoped what he said contained the information Kang Jin-Ho wanted to hear. However, his thoughts quickly changed the more he talked.

'No, it's too soon!'

Yi Jae-Seok ardently prayed that Kang Jin-Ho still hadn't found the information he was looking for. That was because he could guess what his fate would be like once Kang Jin-Ho had gotten what he wanted.

Yi Jae-Seok would no doubt end up in the same wretched state as his colleagues, whose bodies couldn't even be seen right now!

'Too soon! It's too soon!'

Yi Jae-Seok felt hurried and desperate. Unfortunately, he couldn't stop himself from talking. Even though he knew full well that the more he talked, his lifespan would decrease, it was still impossible to hide information or stop talking when confronted by those withdrawn, cold eyes of the monster crouching before him.

It all felt like he was gradually strangling himself with his own hands. Yi Jae-Seok found his situation as the world's most bizarre suicide. If it could even be called 'suicide,’ that was.

“Stop.”

“Kurgh...”

The word Yi Jae-Seok dreaded to hear finally came out of Kang Jin-Ho's mouth.

“That's enough.”

With that, the corners of Kang Jin-Ho's lips curled up slightly.

'What.. What have I been talking about?'

Yi Jae-Seok couldn't even guess what kind of information Kang Jin-Ho had gleaned from his confession because it felt like he wasn't consciously thinking about what things he should say by the midway point of the confession. His mouth had been moving on its own to spit out the information stored in his mind.

He couldn't even remember what he said toward the end, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that Kang Jin-Ho had already gotten what he wanted and that Yi Jae-Seok's usefulness had been exhausted.

Just like his dead colleagues...

“W-wait, I-I still know more! I really do!” Yi Jae-Seok desperately cried out.

He had to do whatever it took to prove his usefulness to Kang Jin-Ho. Otherwise, what was in store for him was too obvious to even imagine.

Unfortunately, Kang Jin-Ho didn't seem willing at all to listen any further.

“What are you so scared about?”

He even smiled in the darkness. Kang Jin-Ho’s teeth seemed to glow pure white in this chilling darkness, and Yi Jae-Seok could only shiver like a lone leaf in the winds.

“Humans can be such strange creatures.” Kang Jin-Ho slowly patted Yi Jae-Seok's cheek. “Haven't you killed many people before? So, haven’t you thought that you might end up in the same state as your victims one day? It seems humans mistakenly believe they'll remain unscathed for the rest of time, don't they? So, let me ask you something. How does it feel to have your assumption disproven by me?”

Yi Jae-Seok failed to understand it. His ears might be hearing all this, but none of the words seemed to reach his brain. However, what Kang Jin-Ho said next lodged itself firmly within Yi Jae-Seok's mind.

“No need to worry. I won't kill you.”

“...!”

Yi Jae-Seok's eyes shook powerfully.

“However, you shouldn't rejoice.” A grin floated up on Kang Jin-Ho's face.

That grin was so creepy and bone-chilling that Yi Jae-Seok wanted to squeeze his eyes shut.

“All humans have a line. As long as that line isn't crossed, people will continue to exist as humans. However, when that line is crossed, they will morph into beasts... Yes, I'm talking about that line. The line that makes an ordinary man take up a knife and stab the armed robber breaking into his house. The line drawn by the morals and regulations of human beings.” Kang Jin-Ho leaned closer and whispered into Yi Jae-Seok's ear. “And you lot have crossed that line.”

“...!” Yi Jae-Seok couldn't say anything. What could he even say in this kind of situation, anyway?

“In this world, some lines should never be crossed. However, you dared to do just that. And now, you'll learn the consequences of your actions.”

Kang Jin-Ho's voice remained as composed as before. However, why did it feel like the wavelength of that composed voice was distorting the further it went on? The soundwave was clearly getting unstable, almost enough to be visible to the naked eye.

Toward the end, Kang Jin-Ho's voice resembled the whisper of a devil moaning inside the abyss. That was how creepy, coarse, and chilling his voice became as it tore into Yi Jae-Seok's psyche.

Kang Jin-Ho continued, “Deliver this message. Tell them that I'm coming for them soon. Tell them that I'll personally show them the consequences of provoking me. As for you, you will grow to regret that you survived tonight's event because you'll see me again later on, and that encounter won't end like this one.”

He was a beast. A wounded beast growling away menacingly right next to Yi Jae-Seok's ear! A beast with no reasoning left—a beast that only existed to tear apart and destroy those responsible for wounding it, that was Kang Jin-Ho!

“Watch closely as this Yeongnam Group you have mentioned crumbles to nothingness. When that happens, you shall meet me again. I promise you that. And then, you shall learn what is the most gruesome death imaginable in this world. Look forward to it.” Kang Jin-Ho lightly patted Yi Jae-Seok on the cheek. Then, with a grin on his face, he stood up straight. “Don't forget. I will see you again later.”

Kang Jin-Ho turned around and leisurely headed toward the factory's exit.

Yi Jae-Seok watched the monster walk away before dazedly raising his hand toward Kang Jin-Ho's back. However, that hand shook about weakly like a flailing limb of a child before faltering back to his side.

“I will see you again later.”

Those words repeatedly echoed inside Yi Jae-Seok's head.

“Urgh. Euh...”

Terror and despair completely dyed Yi Jae-Seok's expression. That was the kind of face no human could possibly make. He shielded his face with both hands and curled up into a shivering ball as the howlings of a frightened animal exploded from his mouth.

***

Bang!

Kang Jin-Ho yanked the twisted metal door off the factory's exit and emerged outside. The first thing he did was light up a cigarette.

Click...

The cigarette's tip burned in the night air, faintly illuminating Kang Jin-Ho's face.

“Fuu-woo...”

He sucked in a deep drag of the cigarette smoke before letting go, and then he looked up at the night sky.

'Feels strange...'

At the start of this situation, his reasoning had almost completely abandoned him. His rage had reached the extremes, and all he wanted to do was to destroy everything in this world. However, his racing heart calmed down while his thoughts became colder as time went on.

Someone once said that at the height of one's anger, one's mind would become as crystal-clear as a pristine lake. It seemed that was true. If that weren’t it, then maybe he was simply relieved to discover the absolute worst he had feared didn't come to pass.

Kang Jin-Ho couldn't accurately figure out which one of the two was responsible for his state of mind. However, one thing was for certain: the Yeongnam Group had done something they should have never done, and it was time for them to pay the price.

“Come out.” Kang Jin-Ho's quiet voice echoed, forcing the person hiding behind a tree in the corner to quickly reveal herself.

She stuttered fearfully. “I-I wasn't trying to hide from you.”

“Come over here.”

Lee Hyeon-Ju rapidly made her way toward him without saying anything else.

Kang Jin-Ho stared straight at her. “How did you know I'd be here?”

“T-that is...”

“Were you tailing me?”

“N-no! Definitely not!” Lee Hyeon-Ju desperately waved her hands in denial. “I did not tail you. C-Chief Jo! He gave me a call!”

“...You mean, Chief Jo Gyu-Min?”

“Yes, him! Chief Jo told me the coordinates of this place!”

Kang Jin-Ho cocked an eyebrow and stared, prompting Lee Hyeon-Ju to explain urgently, “H-he said I must come here! He said there's some kind of an event that we must take care of! I'm telling you the truth!”

Kang Jin-Ho silently stared into her eyes before slowly nodding away. He agreed that a 'cleaner' would be necessary to deal with the aftermath. The debut release occurred at N-ov3l=B(j)n.

If someone stumbled upon the gruesome sight inside the factory during the day, that could lead to a series of concerning events. And Lee Hyeon-Ju's people might be more suitable to mop such a mess up than Jaegyeong.

'However, that means...'

Kang Jin-Ho's expression hardened slightly. Choosing this route meant he would have to coordinate with the Martial Assembly, the group Lee Hyeon-Ju was affiliated with. Since he had never entertained the idea of working together with that group before, the prospect of doing so now was leaving a sour taste in his mouth.

'...Does he want me to use them?'

Then again, Jo Gyu-Min would have thought about that, too. Even so, he still sent Lee Hyeon-Ju here. That could only mean he had determined that the best way to deal with this situation was to join hands with the Martial Assembly.

When Kang Jin-Ho continued to stare at her without saying anything, Lee Hyeon-Ju involuntarily gripped her thigh hard. She was scared.

The more she talked to Kang Jin-Ho, the more monstrous he seemed in her eyes. At this point, her first encounter with Kang Jin-Ho seemed like it had ended on a good note. Hadn’t he turned the Fallen into a wretched state reminiscent of an insect before killing him? And hadn’t he just turned the Yeongnam Group's infamous 'cleaning crew' into blotches of blood?

In that case, Lee Hyeon-Ju should be grateful for walking away with her life intact, even after being at odds with a man like him.

However, she still would love dearly not to stand face-to-face with Kang Jin-Ho in this fashion. Honestly, she was worried about getting a heart attack if she had to stare at Kang Jin-Ho's face any longer!

“W-we can definitely take care of this mess, Mister Kang Jin-Ho.” Lee Hyeon-Ju decided to break the uncomfortable silence.

“Take care of it, you say?” Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head a little.

“Yes. We're experts at these sorts of things, you see? We can mop everything up before the civilians learn about what happened here. We know someone within the upper echelons of the Korean police force, so we can also prevent unnecessary rumors from spreading.”

Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded again. He couldn't see a reason to refuse if the other party offered to help without expecting anything in return. It wasn't as if he were joining hands with the Martial Assembly, anyway. “...In that case, I'll leave it to you.”

“Y-yes! Don't you worry!” Lee Hyeon-Ju cried out involuntarily, then hurriedly covered her mouth in shock.

Kang Jin-Ho stared weirdly at Lee Hyeon-Ju before saying, “Can you ascertain that the ones inside the factory really belong to the Yeongnam Group?”

“I'm sorry? Oh, uh... I haven't been inside to check, so...”

“I left someone inside.”

“H-he's still alive?!”

“What do you think?” Kang Jin-Ho coldly smiled.

Lee Hyeon-Ju shuddered as goosebumps broke out on her skin.

'Yup, I've gone mad!'

She cursed herself for feeling even a second of goodwill toward this madman. Kang Jin-Ho was definitely crazy, albeit in a different meaning than all the other crazies she had run into so far!

“Yes, he's alive. For now,” said Kang Jin-Ho.

“...For now?”

“Yes. So, go and make sure. And if that man really is a part of the Yeongnam Group, bring me all the information you have on them.”

Lee Hyeon-Ju didn't bother asking what Kang Jin-Ho was willing to pay for such information. It was plainly obvious to her, after all. If the payment for the Yeongnam Group's destruction were some information on them, then well... Nothing would be a better compensation than that.

“...What do you want us to do with that survivor?” Lee Hyeon-Ju cautiously asked.

Kang Jin-Ho's reply sounded unconcerned. “Let him go.”

“Let him go? Really?”

“That's right. We'll see each other soon enough, anyway.” Kang Jin-Ho shrugged his shoulders, then turned around to leisurely walk toward the nearby highway.

Lee Hyeon-Ju watched him walk away as intense confusion washed over her.

'Am I... doing the right thing here?'

Although she had finally created the chance to join hands with Kang Jin-Ho, Lee Hyeon-Ju couldn't help but hesitate about this. Maybe.. It felt like she had just shaken hands with a terrifying devil.

And that possibility sent a wave of chill through her heart.