NOVEL NEXT Chapter 60
Chapter 60: Is That Really It?
Kyung-jin pondered upon Si-hyun’s question. If he himself became a target of assassins, that would undoubtedly be the most pressing mystery on his mind—how to escape from the hellish danger of assassination.
Si-hyun stared into Kyung-jin’s eyes, patiently waiting for an answer without pressing him.
After a moment of silence, Kyung-jin finally spoke.
“…It’s nothing special.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Well, it’s not like I can even tell you the important details anyway.”
Kyung-jin muttered as if speaking to himself. He was bound by shackles that prevented him from revealing the organization’s critical information.
For instance, if Si-hyun had asked where the Black Cross’s headquarters in Korea was, he wouldn’t even be able to utter a sound regarding that. This was why the Black Cross, despite not being a strictly organized crime syndicate, could exist secretly like a mirage, evading capture.
“There are two methods.”
Kyung-jin opened his mouth again.
“What are they?”
“First, the client gives up on the request. And just to add, if you’re thinking about asking who the client is, that’s futile. I don’t know who it is.”
Hearing Kyung-jin’s words, Si-hyun clenched his fists.
I can escape!
The client is Jang Hak-ki. Si-hyun was nearly 99% certain. He believed that within two days at most, Jang Hak-ki would raise the white flag and walk into the correctional facility on his own. If that happens, he could just make him give up on the request.
And just like that, this damn matter would end. He wanted to go see Jang Hak-ki right away. He even knew where the hospital he was in was, and that he was in a VIP room.
However, he couldn’t go visit him. It wasn’t a place just anyone could enter, and there were too many eyes watching. If he went to such a place, it would be like foolishly blabbing about his connection to Jang Hak-ki’s hospitalization.
Anyway, he had found a method. This situation could be resolved.
“By the looks on your face, you don’t seem too keen on hearing the second method, huh?”
Kyung-jin noted based on Si-hyun’s demeanor.
“No, keep going.”
It would be wise for Si-hyun to gather what information he could on the organization known as Black Cross. His feelings towards Black Cross were at an all-time low. It was only natural, as he had almost suffered a needless death without understanding what was going on. He felt a strong desire to crash into their base, break everything apart, and ensure they could never set foot in this world again.
But he didn’t have the strength for that right now. Yet, one day, when he gained strength, he would undoubtedly seek revenge for this grudge. For now, however, staying uninvolved was the best course of action. And whether for revenge or to avoid entanglement, information was necessary.
“Second, Black Cross voluntarily gives up on the request. But I’m not quite sure how often that happens.”
“Hmmm, I see.”
“Is that enough now?”
After thinking briefly about what Si-hyun might ask, Kyung-jin continued with his questions.
“How can an organization like Black Cross exist?”
“Since there are openly terrorist organizations, it’s not like there’s a law against having an assassination organization, right?”
“What I meant isn’t that. How can Awakened Beings gather like that? Even the Awakened Beings in Black Cross. Awakened Beings are valuable humans. So why would they willingly involve themselves in an assassination organization? This isn’t another realm.”
“That’s something I can’t answer.”
“How many members of the organization are operating in Korea?”
“I can’t answer that.”
“Who was the one who ordered your assassination today?”
“I can’t say.”
“….”
Can’t say any of it?
Si-hyun narrowed his eyes and looked at Kyung-jin. This uncooperative manner was an indicator that these were difficult questions to answer, perhaps? Or maybe….
‘Wait… could it be?’
Suddenly, Si-hyun recalled something. The information he had seen in the car. One phrase that had scrolled by his mind suddenly came back to him.
– Members of Black Cross cannot refuse the orders of the organization.
Si-hyun said.
“Is that so? I think I understand why you can’t answer now.”
“What do you mean?”
“It seems like there’s some kind of shackle preventing you from disclosing important information about the organization, right?”
“…Think what you want.”
Kyung-jin spoke as if Si-hyun was just rambling.
But Si-hyun noticed. He saw Kyung-jin’s pupils tremble before he spoke. And he realized why the Awakened Beings of Black Cross would commit themselves to such an assassination organization.
If it’s not voluntary but coerced, then the mystery was solved.
“It seems I won’t be able to hear any useful information from you after all.”
“…”
“Well, I still need to ask this. Are the assassins who came to kill me today all three of you?”
“Yes.”
Once again, he received a response.
“Hmm.”
That meant he didn’t need to worry about his safety at the moment.
However, he couldn’t completely relax. If they learned that their mission had failed, they might send more assassins.
In that case….
Si-hyun searched Kyung-jin’s body, which was tied up. He found and seized two mobile phones. This way, he wouldn’t be able to contact anyone.
Si-hyun untied the knot of the rope, securing it tightly to a nearby thick tree trunk. Unless someone helped him, he would never be able to escape.
Kyung-jin merely watched with a bitter expression as Si-hyun acted.
“Someone is bound to find you.”
With that, Si-hyun began examining the mobile phones he had taken. One was black, and the other was white.
Si-hyun first examined the black phone. Yet, it was also locked. Just then, he received a call on the black phone.
As he instinctively tried to check the number on the vibrating phone screen, Kyung-jin warned him.
“I seriously advise you not to answer that. Don’t even check the number. If you don’t want to die.”
“….”
Si-hyun looked at Kyung-jin.
“I know you’ve got a lot more power than I thought. And you probably already know who the client is too. But if you answer that call, you’ll be dead before you even manage to make the client give up on the request.”
Kyung-jin didn’t seem to be bluffing. After a moment of thought, Si-hyun tucked the black phone into his pocket. He planned to throw it away in a place where it wouldn’t be easily spotted later.
Next, Si-hyun checked the white phone. Confirming that it was locked as well, he placed it back in his pocket and turned to walk away, acting as if he had no more business here.
At this moment, Kyung-jin suddenly opened his mouth.
“Should I give you one more piece of advice for saving your life?”
Si-hyun turned his head.
“Go ahead.”
“If you want to live long, throw away any thoughts of revenge. Someone like me is just small fry. And the really dangerous individuals are out there.”
“I’ll keep that in mind for now.”
Si-hyun turned again.
◈ ◈ ◈
“I’m not answering it.”
A well-built man said.
He was the one who had been in the driver’s seat during the previous deal with Jang Hak-ki’s aide, Yoo Hyun-soo. Unlike before, he had taken off his sunglasses, revealing a deep scar next to his left eye.
“Is that so?”
This was a young woman known as Cheonbyeon. She lounged deeply in her chair, crossing her legs.
“Yes, shall we contact 72?”
“No, don’t waste time on trivial matters. He’s probably busy working.”
“Understood.”
“More importantly, we have an issue with Black Moon.”
“Yes.”
“Of all things, to awaken in the body of a death row inmate… it couldn’t be more troublesome.”
“….”
But the man thought that this was an awakening with causality.
Black Moon was an elite assassin within Black Cross.
He had killed countless people, gaining notoriety in the other realm. The man believed that a normal person could not awaken with someone like that’s powers. While there were exceptions among the Awakened Beings of Black Cross, many had sadistic, cruel, and twisted personalities even before awakening.
“Hmm….”
Even a skilled Cheonbyeon couldn’t easily find an answer to this dilemma. Black Moon was imprisoned for a series of murders as a death row inmate in the Seoul Detention Center.
A few days ago, while examining the facility from outside the external gate, she showed signs of deep contemplation. It wasn’t that she couldn’t break in. If she set her mind to it, she could easily barge in several times.
However, that would escalate the situation too much. Many people would die or be injured, and the facility would be destroyed. The very act of attempting such actions in a place with numerous CCTV cameras and potential witnesses wasn’t very wise. Furthermore, to interfere with a facility like the Seoul Detention Center was akin to openly declaring war on Korea.
Though she wasn’t afraid, it would undoubtedly lead to a troublesome situation.
“Excuse me, may I say something…?”
The man cautiously opened his mouth.
“Speak up.”
“Are you familiar with transfers?”
“Isn’t that moving inmates to other facilities? Why do you ask?”
“That’s correct. And I just learned today that… even death row inmates are sometimes transferred irregularly.”
The Seoul Detention Center, Daejeon Detention Center, Daegu Detention Center, Busan Detention Center, Gwangju Detention Center. Death row inmates are distributed across five major detention centers in the city.
But they aren’t confined to one place for life; they are sometimes moved to other locations.
In such cases, there isn’t a fixed period. Depending on circumstances, it can change at any time.
“Is that so? When will Black Moon be transferred?”
Cheonbyeon asked.
“Well… that’s unknown. But…”
“But what?”
“There’s a way to have a transfer facilitated.”
“Go on.”
“If they keep self-harming and demand to be moved elsewhere, they generally comply. Especially for requests from death row inmates.”
“Aha….”
Cheonbyeon smiled a grin that seemed pleasant.
“I see. That’s interesting. Then make them self-harm. Hmmm… And tell them to demand to be moved to as far away a facility as possible.”
Maybe Cheonbyeon thought that it would be better if the distance was far for an abduction during transfer.
“Understood.”
The fact that Black Moon was an Awakened Being was something only Black Cross knew. This was why he was being held in a regular detention center instead of a special ward.
Of course, losing track of a death row inmate during a transfer would be a huge incident. However, it would undoubtedly be different from attempting an abduction at the Seoul Detention Center. If planned properly, it would be entirely possible to operate without leaving any traces.
The Korean government, completely unaware of Black Moon’s identity as an Awakened Being, would find it impossible to even guess who the perpetrator was. Even if they tried to track it down, it would be futile.
“Go on out.”
Cheonbyeon seemed to be in a good mood.
◈ ◈ ◈
Si-hyun did not go home.
He felt anxious about returning to the place where he had experienced such events today.
For now, he planned to head to a jjimjilbang (Korean sauna) to get some rest and then go to work.
Even in this situation, he had to go to work. He needed to be in the correctional facility to meet Jang Hak-ki, which was necessary to resolve this matter. Moreover, he thought the correctional facility might be safer. After all, it was unlikely that assassins would infiltrate the correctional facility.
A correctional facility isn’t somewhere just anyone can enter. Also, the Daehan Correctional Facility was a high-rise prison located in the middle of a bustling area. Waiting outside the external gate and trying to act would not be easy.
If he was really anxious, it wouldn’t matter much if he ended up sleeping and eating in the correctional facility. There might be some raised eyebrows, but who cared?
As Si-hyun was walking to the jjimjilbang after getting off at the bus stop, his phone vibrated. It wasn’t his phone, though. It was the white phone he had taken from Kyung-jin. He had discarded the black phone earlier while walking past some bushes, but he still had the white one.
Si-hyun pulled out the phone and looked at the screen. The word “Sister” appeared. It was from a regular person, not someone connected to the organization. It seemed the white phone was indeed used for personal matters.
Si-hyun almost tucked the phone away again.
But then.
“Huh?”
The phone number accompanying the word “Sister” looked oddly familiar.
What is it?
Tilting his head, Si-hyun pulled out his own phone and searched the number.
He was right; it was definitely a number in his contacts.
Si-hyun’s eyes widened.
“Han I-seol…? PD Han?!”