The Country Life Diary of a Gangster's Secretary - c60

This chapter is paid for by Nemuru!

Perhaps it was thanks to ignoring the speed limit and traffic signals while flooring the accelerator. Ihyeok was able to arrive at Hyeseong’s neighborhood quite quickly. He next encountered Dohyun who was sweating profusely and nearly on the verge of tears.

 

“CEO! Hyeseong isn’t answering his phone. I haven’t reported it to the police yet as you instructed…”

 

Upon spotting Ihyeok, Dohyun relayed the current situation with a somewhat relieved expression.

 

Thanks to Ihyeok hinting to Dohyun not to notify the police yet, Dohyun had been running around in every direction asking the local residents if they had seen Hyeseong until Ihyeok arrived.  

 

“Do you know if Hyeseong went to meet someone?”

 

“No. He had been going out to the city often lately saying he knew someone there, but I don’t know exactly who it was. But it seems clear he came from the city to the neighborhood. Hyeseong’s wallet was at the bus stop.”

 

Dohyun took out a slightly worn black leather wallet he had put in his pocket. Ihyeok’s brow furrowed instantly. 

 

It was the wallet he had gifted Hyeseong for his birthday a few years ago. But now, with dried blood on the corners, it only hinted at an unsettling situation.  

 

Ihyeok let out a big sigh, his heart filled with unease.

 

“It won’t be a simple robbery. If so, they wouldn’t have just left the wallet. If they targeted the moment Hyeseong walked from the bus stop to his house, there’s a high probability it was a planned crime. If they even kidnapped him, it could be someone holding a grudge.”

 

Ihyeok was narrowing down the investigative net as much as possible, using know-how from having been involved in the underworld.

 

“Hyeseong hasn’t had any issues lately, right?”

 

“Well, actually about that…”

 

At Ihyeok’s words, Dohyun’s face darkened in an instant. Not missing that brief moment, Ihyeok began interrogating him.

 

“Park Dohyun, now’s not the time for that. If you’re hiding something you know, I don’t know what I might do to you too right now.”

 

At Ihyeok’s words, Dohyun hastily opened his mouth. 

 

“Actually, a few weeks ago when I went to the mart with Hyeseong, something happened.”

 

Dohyun briefly relayed the incident of first encountering Kim Doo-sung that day.

 

“Kim Doo-sung?”

 

Ihyeok furrowed his brow at the somehow familiar name.

 

“And I just found out from asking around the neighborhood. Apparently that gangster guy came looking for Hyeseong in this neighborhood some time ago. He caused a ruckus demanding to see Hyeseong but Hyeseong happened to show up and resolved it for the time being. From what I hear, he asked them not to spread rumors.”

 

As Ihyeok recalled for a moment, his eyes widened slightly. If it was Kim Doo-sung, he was the Baek Dae Pa gang thug who was with Hyeseong when they first met 6 years ago. When Baek Dae Pa was swallowed up by Seohyeon, that connection ended there.

 

“Could it be…”

 

Ihyeok quickly took out his cell phone and called Han Deok-soo. 

 

“Yes, hyung.”

 

“Didn’t you mention before that Hyeseong did something with Seohyeon Industries?”

 

“What? Ah, yes. That’s right. But about that…” 

 

“It’s urgent so don’t stall.”

 

“Hye- Hyeseong hyung told me not to say anything! But a few days ago, he called and asked me to find out the direct number for the CEO of Seohyeon Industries. So I told him.”

 

Ihyeok hurriedly hung up on Deok-soo and searched through his contacts. Dohyun was nervously watching the situation unfold beside him.

 

Finding the number, Ihyeok called without hesitation. The person on the other end was Ahn Gi-baek of Seohyeon.

 

“This is Kwon Ihyeok.”

 

Ihyeok’s voice lowered at once.

 

“Long time no see my foot, let me ask you one thing.”

 

Dohyun swallowed hard and anxiously bit his nails. His head ached trying to figure out how the situation was unfolding and if Hyeseong was safe.

 

“So you’re saying Hyeseong took down Kim Doo-sung? Give me that bastard’s home address.”

 

As Ihyeok listened to Ahn Gi-baek’s words for a while, his face grew even more grim. More than the situation, Dohyun felt even more terrified by Ihyeok’s ominous demeanor. It seemed like he might really send someone to their grave at this rate. 

 

Surprisingly, Ahn Gi-baek readily provided Kim Doo-sung’s number and home address. It was possible behavior now that he was no longer one of his people. Having determined the destination, Ihyeok quickly got back in the car. Dohyun joined him.

 

“Is, is Hyeseong at that person’s house?”

 

“…”

 

Dohyun carefully asked, not fully understanding the situation, but Ihyeok didn’t answer. Like a beast chasing a single prey, he was only looking ahead right now.

 

His hands gripping the steering wheel tightened on their own.

 

Putting together the series of events, it seemed Hyeseong got entangled with Kim Doo-sung again for some reason, and in order to resolve that issue, he thought he needed to completely crush Kim Doo-sung. So he brought Seohyeon into it.

 

In the first place, he’s not a kid who reaches out half-heartedly to solve something. It must have been the same this time too. If Kim Doo-sung took Hyeseong for a reason like revenge, it could explain this whole situation.

 

“Please.”

 

Ihyeok knew well how far a thug could take things if his eyes spun without rhyme or reason. Thinking of Hyeseong who might be in his clutches right now made his insides twist, and he felt dizzy to the point he couldn’t think straight.

 

Ihyeok stepped on the accelerator even more.

 

* * *

 

“…Cheon Hyeseong.”

 

Ihyeok’s figure could be seen amidst the rising dust cloud. Hyeseong blinked, breathing heavily.

 

“Who the hell are you!”

 

Doo-sung shouted loudly. 

 

But in Ihyeok’s eyes, he could only see Hyeseong right now. Copious blood flowed from the cut on his forehead, covering his pale face. His lips and cheeks were all swollen from being hit so much that the wounds had burst. Dirt covered his body all over. Broken wooden planks could be seen nearby.

 

“CEO, wait a moment!”

 

Sensing something, Hyeseong shouted with all his remaining strength.  

 

But it was already too late. The thread of Ihyeok’s reason had completely snapped.

 

“CEO? You…Kwon Ihyeok?”

 

“Long time no see. You bastard.”

 

As soon as Ihyeok entered the warehouse, he swung his fist hard once. With a tremendous sound, Doo-sung’s heavy body fell straight back.

 

Cough, Doo-sung coughed hard. Along with a mouthful of blood, two or three teeth fell straight to the ground. The punch was so strong that even the sturdy Doo-sung nearly fainted.

 

“What the. How did you get here…”

 

Seeing Ihyeok approaching him, Doo-sung crawled backwards as if scared out of his wits. He felt an immense murderous aura from Ihyeok’s nonchalant face.

 

For the first time in a long while, Doo-sung felt a chill run down his spine. He almost mistook the figure walking towards him as a grim reaper rather than a person.

 

“I want to ask you the same. Why did you do this?”

 

Ihyeok picked up the knife that had fallen to the floor with a blank expression. It was the one Doo-sung had dropped earlier. At the same time, Hyeseong’s eyes grew wide. 

 

“If you wanted to die so badly, you should have told me.”

 

Ihyeok stabbed the knife straight into Doo-sung’s thigh.

 

“Aargh!”

 

Doo-sung’s agonized scream filled the warehouse.

 

“Hyeseong!”

 

Just as Hyeseong was about to call out to Ihyeok, Dohyun entered from outside the warehouse along with a familiar voice.

 

“Park Dohyun, take care of him and go straight to the hospital in my car. Take care of the person next to him too.”

 

Ihyeok spoke while focusing solely on Doo-sung. His determination not to let his prey go was very strong.

 

He mercilessly pulled out the knife stuck in Doo-sung’s leg. Blood splattered heavily on the floor, creating a gruesome sight that made even onlookers frown.

 

Only one man there remained composed.

 

Dohyun hurriedly untied the ropes binding Hyeseong’s arms and legs. He freed Pilhyun as well, then supported the two and went outside.

 

“CEO.”

 

Hyeseong stopped at the warehouse entrance, barely holding his aching stomach. 

 

“If you kill someone, I won’t ever see you again.”

 

“…That’s welcome news amidst all this. So you’ll see me if I don’t kill him?”

 

Even as he spoke, Ihyeok didn’t look at Hyeseong. 

 

Dohyun hurried his steps, put the two in the car, and headed straight to a nearby hospital. 

 

“Kwon Ihyeok, how are you here! Cheon Hyeseong definitely left Taesung…”

 

Doo-sung clutched his thigh, sweating profusely in pain.

 

“Doo-sung, you know what?”

 

The sole of Ihyeok’s shoe pressed hard on Doo-sung’s wound. He screamed bloody murder.

 

“I don’t dislike you. I’m actually grateful to you. Because thanks to you, I met Hyeseong. But.”

 

Ihyeok unperturbedly dug into Doo-sung’s wound.

 

“Why did you cross the line.”

 

There wasn’t a single curse mixed into the soft-spoken words, but Doo-sung felt more terrified than ever before. Ihyeok swung the knife he was holding once more. Doo-sung’s forehead was cut deeply and blood splattered.

 

“Aargh! Stop! Stop it!”

 

Pleading made no difference. Ihyeok threw away the knife, grabbed Doo-sung by the collar to lift him up, then began swinging his fists this time. Dull rupturing sounds continued ringing out in the small warehouse. 

 

“I, I was…cough, wrong. It’s all my fault! Cheon Hyeseong backstabbed me, that’s why!”

 

But Ihyeok’s hands didn’t stop for a single moment. Before long, Doo-sung’s head was hanging lifelessly back and his face was so pulverized you couldn’t even tell who he was anymore.

 

“So. You didn’t go berserk and commit this shit either. So you need to cooperate with me too.”

 

“What…”

 

“Since you pissed me off too, cooperate until my anger subsides.”

 

Of course I won’t kill you, with those final words Ihyeok moved his hands again ruthlessly. As he was losing consciousness, Doo-sung thought to himself.

 

I should have just stayed put when Seohyeon gouged out my eyes and cut off my fingers.

 

No, I shouldn’t have messed with Cheon Hyeseong from the start. Doo-sung swallowed his belated regret to the bone.

This chapter is paid for by Nemuru!