NOVEL NEXT Chapter 53
Chapter 53
Jang Hak-ki lay sprawled on the cell floor, staring up at the ceiling. His eyes were heavy with fatigue, and his eyelids felt like they would shut at any moment.
Sleep came pouring in like a tidal wave. Just as he was about to succumb to slumber, something jolted him awake, as if someone had splashed cold water on him.
But it wasn’t a complete awakening. The feelings of exhaustion and sleepiness still lingered. Yet he felt uncomfortably alert, as if someone had forcibly pulled him from his dreams.
‘That bastard’s fault…’
Jang Hak-ki gritted his teeth, feeling a surge of anger. That damn correctional officer had said a few things to him.
“You cannot sleep. You cannot tell anyone what happened in the ward.”
That seemed to be the gist of it.
But in reality, sleep wouldn’t come. He wanted to convey this information to someone, anyone, yet he couldn’t communicate it. He tried to speak to the night shift officer but found no words would come out. He attempted to write it down, but that too failed. Even gesturing wildly was to no avail.
Jang Hak-ki felt utterly frustrated, ensnared in that bastard’s web.
An Awakened Being, that jerk.
With his knowledge of Awakened Beings far exceeding that of ordinary folks, Jang Hak-ki concluded that the correctional officer was certainly an Awakened Being.
I’ll kill him.
He meant it. For now, he was trapped by the bastard’s ability, but the moment he managed to break free, he intended to end that correctional officer’s life. No matter how powerful an Awakened Being was, getting rid of one wouldn’t be hard at all.
The Black Card.
All he needed was to somehow acquire a single Black Card adorned with an inverted cross. It wasn’t just regular humans’ abilities that had crossed over from the other world; some insane powers had come over as well.
However, due to the major governments keeping everything under wraps for societal stability and the crazy folks hiding their identities, it remained largely undisclosed. Among them existed a clandestine assassination group known as the Black Cross.
Jang Hak-ki didn’t know their true identity exactly.
But what mattered was that whoever possessed a Black Card could kill anyone they wished.
One Card per kill.
The calculation was simple. He’d heard that one of those cards was exorbitantly expensive, but if it meant he could kill that correctional officer who had subjected him to such humiliation and pain, he would gladly pay that price.
Fuelling his desire for revenge, Jang Hak-ki burned with determination, even amidst the suffering of sleeplessness.
◈ ◈ ◈
Saturday.
“Hey, did you sleep well?”
Si-hyun burst through the ward door, entering Room 1 with a bright smile. It was clear he hadn’t slept at all, and that greeting only piqued Jang Hak-ki’s rage even more. Having bottled up his emotions for so long, Si-hyun was clearly in the mood to settle the score.
Jang Hak-ki shot a glare at Si-hyun. It was a glare filled with malice, yet his exhaustion made him look utterly drained.
“You… you punk. You’re dead. Just wait and see.”
Jang Hak-ki growled.
However, his voice came out as weak as a mosquito buzzing, more of a pitiful whisper than a warning.
Si-hyun merely chuckled, disregarding the hostility.
“Jang Hak-ki, let’s work hard at exercising today too.”
“You little…”
“I’ll see you later then.”
Waving goodbye, Si-hyun sauntered off toward the Duty Room, his steps light and carefree.
Saturdays meant he had to handle the day ward by himself without an Assistant Duty Officer. Managing visits, exercises, and meal distributions all alone made for a hectic day.
That’s why correctional officers detested working Saturdays. In contrast, Sundays were preferable since there were no visits or exercises on those days. Originally, Si-hyun also disliked working Saturdays.
But today, despite being a Saturday, he felt nothing but joy. Of course, it was all because of Jang Hak-ki.
◈ ◈ ◈
“Were you going to feel sad if there was no exercise on Saturday?”
Si-hyun smiled widely as he spoke.
Complaints had flooded in through legal channels that requiring inmates to exercise on Saturdays was excessive. Regular folks barely managed to exercise more than five times a week, so it was unreasonable to demand six from the inmates.
That was a fair point. The living standards for inmates could be adjusted to be slightly lower than those of ordinary people, but six times a week was beyond the capabilities of even the average person.
Though there was no change at present, it was possible that the Saturday exercises might be dropped eventually. Si-hyun was inclined to support that idea, but for now, he preferred having workouts.
Jang Hak-ki’s expression was, of course, far from pleasant as he was dragged into forced exercise. He wanted nothing more than to collapse and sleep, but with exhaustion weighing on him, he had no chance of finding rest, yet here he was, forced into unwanted physical labor.
“Stand straight.”
Jang Hak-ki immediately clicked into position.
“At ease.”
Next, he took the at-ease stance.
“Stand. Stand. Stand. Stand….”
“You, you little bastard….”
Jang Hak-ki spat curses out.
Every time Si-hyun spoke, Jang Hak-ki was made to stand and ease. It was a scene reminiscent of fresh recruits being disciplined on a training ground.
When would the infamous Jang Hak-ki ever follow such orders and move under someone’s command? The embarrassment of this situation was driving him mad.
“Sit down.”
With a mix of drowsiness and rage on his face, Jang Hak-ki complied.
“Stand up.”
Jang Hak-ki glared at Si-hyun as he stood again.
“Sit down. Stand up. Sit down. Stand up. Sit down. Stand up.”
“Ugh….”
The ongoing humiliation had him nearly going insane.
“By the looks of it, you could last a day at least, huh? Though a day is far too short, right? Let’s see how well you endure this. Fifty laps of duck-walking.”
Jang Hak-ki began waddling around the indoor track, doing the duck walk.
◈ ◈ ◈
Sunday.
Jang Hak-ki’s face was completely haggard. His eyes were glazed over.
The constant drowsiness made his eyelids feel heavy, yet just as they were about to close, it felt as if someone slapped him across the face, jolting them back open.
It wasn’t just a weary mind; his body felt like utter mush. Every muscle was crying out in agony. If it were merely sleep deprivation, he could have endured a week. But the combination of physical exhaustion multiplied his suffering exponentially.
The Insomnia Demon visited him repeatedly, leaving him unable to gather his thoughts.
“Did you sleep well, Jang Hak-ki? You look a tad better; the color in your face is coming back.”
Si-hyun teased, continuing.
“Guess the night shift folks don’t care, huh? Well, it’s your own fault. Acting like that makes you wish for a sight like this.”
Being flagged as a suspicious individual among the correctional officers, Si-hyun rarely saw Jang Hak-ki face-to-face. That had turned into a double-edged sword for Hak-ki.
If any officer had caught sight of his sorry state, they would have contacted medical administration. Though such a call wouldn’t lead to any mercy for Jang Hak-ki.
“What… what do you want… I want to sleep… let me sleep….”
Jang Hak-ki spoke in a weak voice.
“What I want? That you rehabilitate and start living properly from now on.”
“I’ll live properly… I promise….”
“I know all the lies politicians tell without batting an eye. You expect me to believe that?”
“I swear….”
“I don’t believe you.”
“You… you bastard. Believe me… no, just wait until Monday….”
Monday would bring a visit. Although he couldn’t convey what that damn correctional officer had done, surely some action would be taken regarding his state.
Si-hyun could clearly see the thoughts flowing through Jang Hak-ki’s mind, smirking faintly.
“Do you want to go to the hospital?”
“….”
“Why wait until Monday? I can contact medical administration right now. Go ahead and enjoy a little time in the hospital. You’ll probably want to come back here before long.”
◈ ◈ ◈
Si-hyun’s words weren’t lies. He indeed contacted medical administration, claiming that Jang Hak-ki looked a bit unwell.
The medical staff on duty rushed up as soon as they received the call.
It was an amusing sight. An ordinary inmate would never get such treatment. But the medical staff, having recognized Jang Hak-ki’s severe insomnia, took immediate action and he was swiftly transported to the hospital.
Si-hyun realized anew how efficient public servants could be depending on the situation.
“Seems like you’re too sleepy to think straight, huh?”
Si-hyun muttered. Though his words came out nonchalantly, he had anticipated this situation.
Jang Hak-ki might be making some assumptions of his own. Perhaps he was speculating that Si-hyun’s abilities wouldn’t work once he was outside prison, which could be a glimmer of hope. Desperate individuals often clung to even the tiniest bit of hope.
But when that slender hope turned out to be nothing more than an illusion, they’d be engulfed in despair. That was precisely the point Si-hyun aimed for. It also connected to the final stages of his plan.
Originally intending to send him to the hospital around Monday, he accelerated it due to Jang Hak-ki’s condition.
Staying in prison, he’d never perceive it. But outside, he could allow himself to hope… only to realize how that hope was nothing but a bubble, leading to multiple layers of despair destined to rain down upon Jang Hak-ki. It would be utterly crushing.
Now all Si-hyun had to do was wait leisurely. He had laid no hands on Jang Hak-ki directly; thus, he wouldn’t raise any suspicion. Naturally, reviewing CCTV would reveal nothing amiss. No one could make an issue out of a few exchanged words.
There might be inquiries as to why they hadn’t caught onto Jang Hak-ki’s condition sooner, but those would fall squarely on the night shift staff who had failed to monitor him properly.
“How many days will it take?”
Si-hyun murmured.
◈ ◈ ◈
In a famous university hospital situated on the 21st floor in Seoul, Jang Hak-ki, despite his status as an inmate, was taken there. It seemed that those around him were already convinced he would receive an acquittal from the Supreme Court. Or perhaps they were treating him in preparation for such a ruling.
The correctional officer accompanying him felt a mix of fear and surprise. From the moment he entered the elevator, it felt different. Security personnel at the elevator doors eyed them sharply as if monitoring their every move. Only after confirming that he was indeed a correctional officer did they avert their gaze.
Even at the entrance to the hospital room, a security guard stood by. They could only enter once their identities were verified.
The moment he caught sight of the VIP room, the correctional officer’s eyes widened in astonishment. It was no exaggeration; it looked like a home. It appeared to be over 1,000 square feet. There was not just a patient’s bed but also a designated room for caregivers.
A kitchen was visible too. The bathroom looked lavishly spacious. A sofa, a large TV, audio equipment, computers, faxes, and printers… it was packed with all sorts of luxuries.
This was the world of the upper class.
The correctional officer felt his self-esteem plummet as he experienced an uncontrollable sense of inferiority.
“Minister!”
A tall, lean man rushed in, his expression a mix of urgency and excitement. It was Yoo Hyun-soo, Jang Hak-ki’s chief aide.
“What’s going on here?”
Seeing Jang Hak-ki’s worn visage, Yoo Hyun-soo inquired.
“Lower your voice….”
Jang Hak-ki spoke weakly, devoid of energy.
“…Yes, Minister.”
“Just stay for a moment… just a bit….”
“Understood.”
Lying on the luxury patient bed, Jang Hak-ki attempted to sleep for a while.
◈ ◈ ◈
“Ugh….”
Sleep was elusive. The hope that maybe, just maybe, once he was outside the prison he could escape that monster’s clutches had shattered.
…He felt as though he could hardly bear it any longer. Begging to be sent back to prison just to get some sleep seemed to be the only option left. It had become that difficult to manage his fatigue.
The fear that he might lose his sanity and end up begging that monster while crying was truly the worst of the worst.
But he distinctly felt an ominous premonition that such a fate awaited him. No, it wasn’t a premonition; it was a certainty. If things continued like this, he would undoubtedly break.
What to do? What to do? What to do….
The Insomnia Demon tormented him endlessly, making it impossible for him to think straight. Suddenly, his foggy mind leaped to an extreme thought.
If I kill that bastard, maybe I can sleep again?
Kill him.
…Yeah, if I kill him.
Jang Hak-ki’s thoughts had taken a drastic turn, one even Si-hyun hadn’t anticipated. If he had been stable, he wouldn’t have ventured down such a dark path.
But as his brain faltered, he spiraled toward the worst conclusion.
“Let me out….”
Yoo Hyun-soo, who had followed Jang Hak-ki for over twenty years, immediately understood what he meant.
Yoo Hyun-soo turned toward the prison officer on duty.
“Could you step out for a moment?”
“Uh? But….”
“Just for a little while. I have some matters to discuss with the Minister. Surely that’s not too much to ask?”
“Well… um….”
“Officer, please.”
Yoo Hyun-soo said with a powerful gaze. His words were a request, but his intensity was undeniably intimidating.
The correctional officer felt squeezed under the weight of that presence. Besides, dealing with anyone associated with Jang Hak-ki was inherently uncomfortable.
Eventually, the officer relented, hesitantly leaving the room.
“…Just a moment.”
“Thank you.”
The instant the door swung shut behind the officer, Yoo Hyun-soo rushed back to Jang Hak-ki.
“Speak, Minister.”
“Black Card….”
“Yes?”
Yoo Hyun-soo reflexively repeated the words. Not because he hadn’t understood but because he was taken aback by the implications.
“Black Card… Lee Si-hyun….”
Jang Hak-ki muttered under his breath once again.