Chapter 262

Late at night, when all the other members and the manager had fallen asleep, I received a call from Choi Jeokhyeon. I slipped out of the dorm and got into his car. As he drove toward where Dalli was, I sat in the passenger seat, quietly gazing out the window.

“…….”

After sitting like that for a while, I sighed heavily and turned my head toward the guy in the driver’s seat.

‘…Annoying.’

Choi Jeokhyeon was staring straight ahead with the same expression as always. He hadn’t said anything to me, but I could just sense that he had something to say. We had already gone over the general plan, so there shouldn’t be any need for further discussion. I had no idea why he was giving off such a vibe that made me nervous.

“Why.”

I couldn’t stand it anymore and spoke first. Choi Jeokhyeon initially feigned indifference, acting as if nothing was wrong, but when I kept staring at him, he finally opened up.

“…It’s just, I don’t understand why you’re going out of your way to take such a risk.”

“Are you complaining?”

I was planning to use Dalli to pose a direct threat to Lim Seunghoon. Since this was clearly illegal, the police would naturally launch an investigation, and if Dalli mentioned my name in the process, there was a high chance that things would go south.

‘Choi Jeokhyeon must be worried about that.’

That was something I had already considered, so it wasn’t as if I didn’t understand what he was saying. Narrowing my eyes, I replied.

“It’s funny how someone who knows that still went and beat someone up like that.”

At that, Choi Jeokhyeon let his long eyelashes flutter as he smiled with his eyes and replied, “I only told them to rough him up just enough to instill some fear”. His shameless attitude was exasperating, and as I shook my head, he continued.

“I can bury the news articles, and I can make sure you get released without issues due to a lack of evidence in the police investigation. But the problem is, you’re a celebrity who’s constantly under public scrutiny. Even just having your name mentioned during the investigation will cause a huge scandal. Are you sure you’re okay with that?”

As I listened to him speak, I started to wonder if this was really okay. Wasn’t he acting like he was sure he could get away with beating someone up and burying them without any problems? The way he was so certain about it made me instinctively think, ‘ What do you even see the law and justice as? ‘. But then, I recalled something Choi Jeokhyeon had once said to me and could only let out a self-mocking laugh.

“It’s because the law, the police, and justice couldn’t stop them until the end. Because, until the moment I had to take matters into my own hands, everything you believed in on my behalf didn’t protect you.”

Wasn’t I the one who had been hit in the back of the head by the justice I had once believed in so deeply? In the end, I had abandoned it and was now on my way to commit the very act my past self had despised. I belatedly realized that criticizing Choi Jeokhyeon would only make me look foolish in the face of my own hypocrisy.

‘If proper sanctions had been imposed on Kang Hyukwoo’s illegal business and the gangsters cooperating with him, wouldn’t Seo Yuseong have been spared from being murdered by those bastards?’

But Choi Jeokhyeon, who lacked the ability to deeply understand the thoughts and emotions I was harboring, simply continued the conversation without much reaction, even after seeing me chuckle.

“Using someone to harm Lim Seunghoon or Kang Hyukwoo and then making sure that person, the perpetrator, ends up committing suicide without leaving any evidence … You already know that’s the method with the least consequences. If both the victim and the perpetrator are dead, the investigation can never be properly carried out.”

“And just how do you plan on finding this perpetrator ? Are you still thinking of using a debt-ridden father like you mentioned before? In exchange for guaranteeing his family a comfortable life, he kills someone and hangs himself without leaving a trace? Do you really think that’s what I want?”

“…I know you don’t like dragging in unrelated people, but realistically, that’s the safest method. Ideally, we could make them take their own lives, like that journalist last time. Or, if the law actually handed down a punishment severe enough for you, the victim, to feel at ease. Because you’d be satisfied with just that much.”

“…….”

“But that’s not how it works in reality. People like Kang Hyukwoo and Lim Seunghoon prioritize their own survival above all else, so no matter what happens to them, they would never choose death on their own. And it’s not like the law will hand down a punishment that truly fits their crimes either. In the end, you’ll have to resort to physical violence to get the ending you desire, and you understand that, which is why you’re trying to use Dalli. I’m just suggesting an option to reduce that risk, because your safety is my first priority.”

“Ultimately, that’s just a choice made with only me in mind. No matter the risk I have to bear, I have no intention of dragging innocent people into this. That’s the minimum standard I’ve set for myself to make sure I don’t stray too far in the wrong direction. And as for the police investigation, don’t worry. I have a solid plan. I have no intention of turning Han Seungbeom into a criminal.”

“…If it doesn’t cause any problems, I have no reason to oppose it. I don’t want to hurt you again by doing something you dislike.”

When I said that I had no intention of turning Han Seungbeom into a criminal, Choi Jeokhyeon gave roundabout response, as if he was satisfied with that. But soon after, while staring at the road, he murmured, “ Why is Dalli acceptable, but not anyone else? Is it because that stalker tried to kill someone and was involved with Kang Hyukwoo and Lim Seunghoon, the people you resent? … I don’t really get it. To me, they all seem the same”. Then, almost to himself, he added, “Does categorizing people like that really help your mental health?”

At those words, I was momentarily at a loss for words, opening my mouth only to close it again before turning my gaze away. I knew he had merely muttered it out of genuine curiosity. Yet, for some reason, his words struck a nerve.

“…….”

…It was probably because, in the end, the fact that I was committing an illegal act didn’t change. Yet, I was judging the severity of someone’s crimes based on my own subjective standards and easing my guilt by convincing myself that I hadn’t involved any innocent people, as if that alone justified my actions.

***

After a long drive, Choi Jeokhyeon brought me to a remote factory where there were no people in sight.

“No one besides me will know that you came here today. I had all the employees clear out. I’ve taken measures to make sure my employees don’t talk carelessly, so they won’t leak any information. But just in case, you should be extra careful.”

“… Employees, my foot.”

Could those who abduct people alive and beat them really be considered employees of the respectable company he ran? Every time Choi Jeokhyeon called them ‘ employees ‘, I couldn’t help but question it.

Letting out a deep sigh, I followed his lead inside. The first thing that caught my eye was Dalli, bound to a chair with his limbs tied and a cloth covering his face. A quick look at his condition told me his wounds had healed considerably, as quite some time had passed since Choi Jeokhyeon had shown me the photos.

Unlike the photos, the Dalli I saw in person was completely limp, showing no signs of resistance whatsoever. He probably didn’t even have the strength left to tremble anymore.

‘I should tell Choi Jeokhyeon to leave. If his face is seen, things will get unnecessarily complicated.’

Having thought so, I immediately gestured for Choi Jeokhyeon to leave, but he simply stood beside me with a nonchalant expression. It was only when I raised my fist that he finally flashed a bright smile and walked away at an unhurried pace.

Once his figure was completely out of sight, I slowly approached Dalli and removed the cloth from his face.

The sudden light made Dalli keep his eyes tightly shut for a long while. When he finally saw my face, he mumbled in disbelief.

“…Han Seungbeom?”

“Are you feeling a bit more clearheaded?”

“This is impossible. How are you still alive!”

Ignoring Dalli’s outburst, I picked up his phone from a nearby table and checked the most recent number in his call log.

‘…Just as I suspected, Dalli was still acting under Kang Hyukwoo’s orders.’

As expected, it was Kang Hyukwoo’s number.

I pressed it and showed it to Dalli.

“This person is Director Kang Hyukwoo, right? The one who ordered you to kill me.”

At that, Dalli flinched as if I’d struck a nerve, his shoulders trembling. He whimpered and tried to pull himself away from me. Then, as he struggled, the chair he was tied to tipped over, sending him crashing to the floor. With his face pressed grotesquely against the ground, he began to scream.

“You’re the one who did something wrong first! Because of you, my family…….”

I put my index finger to my lips and let out a quiet “Shh”, signaling him to lower his voice. Then, in a deliberately affectionate tone, I whispered to him.

“Don’t worry. I’m not here to hurt you. On the contrary, I’m here to help you.”

“Call the police. No, wait, no. Not the police ……. Let me call the Director!”

“You want to call him? Sure, I’ll let you.”

My answer seemed to have completely bewildered him, as he stared up at me with his mouth agape. Watching him, I spoke again in a gentle tone.

“I told you, I’m not here to hurt you.”

Then, when I actually connected the call to Kang Hyukwoo, Dalli hesitated at first, looking at me with suspicion. But soon, he pressed his mouth against the phone’s microphone and shouted urgently.

“He-help me! Some strangers suddenly took me and harassed me. Please help me!”

“…What nonsense are you spouting? Cut the useless talk. What about Han Seungbeom?”

However, just as I had expected, Kang Hyukwoo ignored Dalli’s nonsense and immediately asked about the outcome of the task he had ordered. For a moment, Dalli seemed offended, but realizing that he wouldn’t get any help from Kang Hyukwoo unless he answered, he finally opened his mouth.

“I hit him as you ordered, I hit him just like you told me to … uh, huhhh?”

Then, as if his memory suddenly became hazy midway, he started shaking his head wildly and mumbling to himself. I watched him and smiled a little, confirming that the situation was going as I had planned.

“I don’t know, I suddenly can’t remember. I remembered just a moment ago … What was I talking about?”

As Dalli rambled in confusion, a blatant sigh flowed from the phone’s speaker. Soon after, Kang Hyukwoo’s characteristic harsh tone followed.

“Don’t lie. You’re just making up excuses because you screwed up. F**k, you can’t even do something this simple properly?”

Then, his eyes darted toward the phone, and the trembling in his breath, which had been uncontrollable just moments ago, suddenly came to a halt.

There was silence, and then a creepy voice slipped past his lips.

“…Why are you talking to me like that?”

“What?”

“Why are you talking to me like that? I did everything you asked me to. Look what I’m going through now because of it ……. You should be speaking nicely to me.”

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Translator’s Corner:

Someone in the same discord server with me accidentaly read a spoiler of this story (about Yuseong) (not from me ofc, maybe from some source somewhere) and they were in denial asking if anyone already read and if it’s true … it’s reakky funny but I feel bad for them because once you got spoiled of Seo Yuseong thing, you won’t be able to enjoy this story as it is supposed to be … that’s why I told people not to look for spoilers omg you will only regret it. I’m not saying that without basis T_T This is the kind of story that you would wish you could erase it from your memory so you can experience the feelings of reading it for the first time again. And even after you read until the end, you will love re-reading from chapter 1 because the feeling of reading it again with full understanding is totally different. I can’t stress it enough … please be kind and don’t spoil people that heavily asdfghjkl

If one day this gets a manhwa … I already pity the manhwa readers … I just know that people won’t be able to hold themselves back and already spoiled the truth about MC’s death right from Chapter 1 …. this isn’t even the cliche of secret birth and who’s the ML … sighs. Everyday I thanked myself for finding this novel before anyone else, there was no one who could spoil me. My past self, I love you …..

TALKING ABOUT SPOILERS omg … stop adding the tag that spoiled thing in NU. “Amnesia” is something that revealed after 100 chapters, and MC only realized it for sure after he reunited with Choi Jeokhyeon, and later when he found out Han Seungbeom’s laptop. “Time Loop” omg hold yourself back please … and don’t spread misinformation either … “Transmigration” I’m pretty sure we’re not transmigrate anywhere for the whole 401 chapters ??? (Guys, go read Children of The Holy Emperor. You will learn the difference). “Ruthless Protagonist” if our MC is ruthless, we won’t even have 350-ish chapters of revenge T_T Should’ve just killed KHW and LSH in Day 1, and we won’t even have this kind of old couple argument with CJH every 20 chapters ….

Like, we as readers are pretty stressed because MC isn’t ruthless asdfghjkl

Also today is the last day of February … I first picked this up in November, and now it’s already February … I suddenly got hit with existential crisis … time passed that fast …..

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