Chapter 35: Treatment is Finished, Patients
Park Sang-kyu visited a luxurious hotel suite in the Gangbuk area.
The guards at the door recognized him and opened the door.
Upon entering, Park Sang-kyu went straight to the living room, bowed in front of the sofa, and spoke.
“…I have no excuses, Director.”
His demeanour here was even more formal and cautious than when he dealt with Myung In-chul.
The man seated there, with an elegantly sharp face and dressed in a golden robe, was none other than Kwak Chi-young, the director of TSF Investment’s Korean branch.
At the moment, Kwak Chi-young was watching the news on the large TV in front of him.
【…The police investigation revealed that Mr. Baek, the CEO of KITE, nearly died at the hands of unknown men following a car accident. The police’s preliminary report mentioned signs of system manipulation found in Mr. Baek’s vehicle…….】
The news continued with more updates, showing no signs of abating.
Beep―
Kwak Chi-young turned off the TV and let out a shallow sigh.
“What’s there for you to be sorry about? It’s the incompetence of those idiots who couldn’t handle the job properly.”
“…….”
After a brief silence, Kwak Chi-young sipped from his wine glass.
“So, have you figured out where those idiots have disappeared to?”
“For some reason, the tracker malfunctioned, and the last signal was detected over the East Sea before it vanished.”
“…Meaning they’ve been taken care of?”
The members of Unit 666 had tracking devices implanted in their bodies, allowing for their location to be known at all times.
“Most likely, yes. It appears they were aware of the trackers within their bodies.”
“Hmm…….”
Feeling a headache coming on, Kwak Chi-young bit his lower lip.
“We’re currently checking vessels operating near the last tracker signal. It’s highly likely they’re heading toward Vladivostok.”
“And do you expect to find anything useful there?”
“…….”
Judging by the situation, it was clear that Nam In-hwang and Moon Tae-beom had been led into a trap.
And the fact that the tracker signal had stopped meant the adversaries had been cautious in their movements.
Any attempt to trace them might only end up exposing them further.
“Is there a chance that information was leaked internally?”
“We’re investigating everyone since the plan was set in motion to rule out that possibility.”
“Could either Nam In-hwang or Moon Tae-beom have betrayed us? Or perhaps both?”
In response, Park Sang-kyu immediately fell to his knees.
Before joining MH Group, he had trained both of them as recruits.
“I don’t believe there’s any chance of betrayal from either of them!”
“And why is that?”
“If that were the case, they would have prevented the operation from beginning. And if they were indeed targeting us, they would have attacked the base as soon as one of them was compromised.”
Kwak Chi-young nodded at his words.
“Your reasoning isn’t entirely wrong. So, do you have any other theories?”
Park Sang-kyu swallowed once before answering carefully.
“Rather than an internal leak, I suspect a separate organization has its sights on Baek Shin-woo.”
“…An organization?”
“Currently, Baek Shin-woo has shown remarkable investment skills in his short tenure at MH Group. He could be an asset to certain groups with no direct affiliations.”
Hearing this, Kwak Chi-young looked at him with interest, gesturing for him to continue.
“They might have been following him to gauge his capabilities, and perhaps they intervened when they saw us making a move on him. They might have done it to gain leverage.”
“So, you’re saying they’ve dealt with Nam In-hwang and Moon Tae-beom? Any suspects in mind?”
Park Sang-kyu hesitated for a moment before replying.
“If we consider domestic possibilities… the National Intelligence Service (NIS) would be the top candidate.”
“The NIS… That’s the most plausible guess in the current scenario. Even if it’s not them, caution is certainly warranted.”
“To eliminate any risks, we’ve already relocated the safe house previously used by Nam In-hwang and Moon Tae-beom.”
Kwak Chi-young listened to the explanation and then motioned for Park Sang-kyu to stand up.
“In your opinion, what do you think of Baek Shin-woo?”
“…Could you clarify your question?”
“I mean, is he worth the trouble?”
Kwak Chi-young was well aware of the relationship between Baek Shin-woo, Im Hee-yeon, and Myung In-chul, whom Park Sang-kyu was assisting.
But now, being asked about Baek Shin-woo’s value felt as though his potential was being weighed.
“As of now, Baek Shin-woo’s actions lack a clear purpose.”
“Purpose?”
“Myung In-chul’s goal is to smoothly succeed Chairman Myung Joong-hwan and take control of MH Group.
However, Baek Shin-woo, since entering the main office with the chairman’s approval, has shown no signs of cooperation with Myung In-chul and seems to be challenging him.”
“Is he aiming to dethrone Myung In-chul and elevate his mother, Im Hee-yeon, within MH Group?”
A questioning sigh escaped from Park Sang-kyu.
“That isn’t certain either. So far, he hasn’t shown any direct contact with Im Hee-yeon while working in the Strategic Investment Operations Division.”
“No assistance from her?”
“It seems that way.”
“Oh? So, it seems he may be as capable as his mother?”
Kwak Chi-young, the director of TSF’s Korean branch, had heard about Baek Shin-woo through multiple channels, including from Park Sang-kyu.
Naturally, the recent listing of LIVIO SOFT had piqued his interest as well. MH Group had made billions in profit from the deal in a short time, and so he was intrigued.
“Purely based on results, he is said to be more impressive than Im Hee-yeon.”
“Didn’t the Strategic Investment Headquarters undergo some restructuring recently? There seem to be many unusual aspects.”
“Most of the personnel in the Operations Division were reassigned under Myung Un-seok’s Operations Division 1. And in Baek Shin-woo’s Division 2, only Jang Man-soo, a high-school graduate, and Lillian Foster, the secretary of LIVIO SOFT’s CEO Dale Becker, joined as deputy general managers on a long-term assignment.”
Kwak Chi-young knew these details but found the unusual mix intriguing.
“What’s their connection?”
“It appears that Baek Shin-woo and Jang Man-soo became acquainted during their military service, while Lillian Foster came into contact with MH Group in a professional capacity through the recent LIVIO SOFT transaction.”
“And are there any other points of concern?”
“None. I’ve verified this several times to be sure.”
Business often relies on connections and financial resources.
However, as a former non-commissioned officer, Baek Shin-woo had neither of these.
Yet, he appeared out of nowhere, seemingly planting towering trees in a barren land.
It was a series of baffling developments.
“So, there’s little chance he could be swayed?”
“From a relationship standpoint, it seems that a choice would have to be made between Myung In-chul and Baek Shin-woo.”
“And if you had to choose right now?”
“Without a doubt, it would be Myung In-chul.”
Myung In-chul was currently the most promising successor within MH Group.
His solid foundation within the group made him a strong candidate.
Kwak Chi-young, holding his wine glass, tapped his finger as he asked the next question.
“What about three years from now, at this growth rate?”
“Well….”
In less than half a year, Baek Shin-woo had generated billions in profit.
Of course, part of that came from operations TSF Investment had been working on.
Aside from that, it was also a significant achievement to have secured Dale Becker of Livio Soft.
“Of course, the chances of Chairman Myung Joong-hwan passing the company to an illegitimate child are slim.”
“For now, yes.”
“But tell me, what’s more useful to us—the one who was meant to have it, or the one who could never have it?”
Initially, Kwak Chi-young considered Myung Seong-cheol and Myung Soo-yeon while engaging with MH Group, but their abilities fell far short of his expectations.
The fortunate development was Chairman Myung Joong-hwan bringing in his illegitimate child, Im Hee-yeon, to start checking Myung In-chul.
This, in turn, had put Myung In-chul on edge, pushing him to firmly secure his succession rights by accepting TSF Investment’s offer.
“If usefulness alone is the measure, the latter might serve us better.”
“When someone who could never have something does obtain it, they’re bound to understand its true value.”
“So, are you planning to change the cards?”
To Park Sang-kyu’s cautious question, Kwak Chi-young responded without much hesitation.
“For now, I’ll double-check, get more information on Baek Shin-woo from the higher-ups, and make a decision.
Director Park, make sure not to give anything away in front of Myung In-chul.”
“…Understood.”
***
Late at night.
At the end of a secluded mountain path in southern Gyeonggi Province was an abandoned farm complex.
After being discharged from the hospital, Shin-woo drove to this location.
Perhaps wary after their previous attempt, his pursuers did not tail him or make any moves.
After getting out of the car, he entered an old greenhouse, where a faint light leaked out.
“Mmmph― mmmph!”
“Mmph! Mmmph!”
The thick cloth was pulled back, and the sound of muffled groans filled the air.
The ones tied up were Nam In-hwang and Moon Tae-beom, whom Shin-woo had captured.
They were bound and dangling from a thick pillar running across the centre of the greenhouse.
“You’re here?”
Lillian, sitting in a chair and observing the two men, noticed Shin-woo.
“How are they?”
“They just regained consciousness without issue. Are we starting right away?”
“That’s the plan.”
Shin-woo walked slowly toward the men, exuding an intense aura.
“If you make any more noise, I won’t ask questions—I’ll kill you immediately. Do you understand?”
Before this mission, they had identified Baek Shin-woo as a former non-commissioned officer with advanced combat skills.
But the atmosphere of the man standing before them now wasn’t just someone who’d killed once or twice.
It was entirely different from the air of someone who had fought in ruins.
Simultaneously, Nam In-hwang and Moon Tae-beom stopped their muffled noises, nodding in acknowledgment.
“Good.”
Once the gags were removed, the two men quietly stared at Shin-woo.
Observing them, Shin-woo made eye contact with each in turn.
“You two… are from the Chicken Coop, aren’t you?”
At once, Nam In-hwang and Moon Tae-beom’s expressions stiffened, their eyes momentarily shaken.
The “Chicken Coop”—formally known as CELLA, a facility where Unit 666 members were trained from a young age.
Even those who graduated from CELLA were strictly forbidden from mentioning its existence.
It was practically impossible for an outsider to know about it.
“…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Feigning ignorance, Nam In-hwang replied, but Shin-woo withdrew his aura and smirked.
“Judging by what you tried to do to me, I’d guess you’re part of SHASS’s assassination unit, specializing in staging accidental deaths.”
Once again, their faces stiffened.
SHASS, short for Six Hundred And Sixty Six, was the official name of their unit.
Outsiders referred to them as Unit 666, but only members knew about CELLA.
“Why are you silent? Aren’t you going to deny it like before?”
“…….”
The two men realized that denying their identity with words wouldn’t solve anything.
From the start, their opponent fully understood their backgrounds and the nature of their organization.
They recognized that silence, rather than denial, was the best response to someone like him.
At the same time, Nam In-hwang and Moon Tae-beom exchanged glances, as if they had decided on something, and slightly pursed their lips.
“Oh, if you’re looking for the cyanide capsule hidden in your molars, don’t bother.”
As Shin-woo explained, Lillian, standing behind him, smiled brightly as she shook a small vial containing two extracted teeth like candy.
Clatter― Clatter―
“The extraction is complete. Treatment is finished, patients.”
—
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