PAHO 72

Even after hearing Gil Useong’s explanation, Na Taebeom looked even more clueless. To prevent outsiders from infiltrating during the reception, the entrance in the basement was made with double and triple layers, making it impossible for internal noise to leak out unless a bomb went off. So how could Nam Gyeonhwa, who should have been waiting outside, have noticed the situation inside and willingly approached?

“So where did he go.”

“He went outside the premises.”

“He’s not here? Why?”

“I did not confirm the reason for that.”

“Ah, I was going to praise him for a job well done.”

Na Taebeom, who had crushed the empty water bottle, tried to get up but staggered. Gil Useong helped him sit back down on the sofa, then straightened up as he confirmed a group of people approaching with heavy footsteps.

“I am First Lieutenant Park Mingyu, platoon leader of the Army Infantry Division, who accompanied the Chairman of the National Defense Committee, Choi Seokdae, on special duty today.”

Leaning back on the sofa and massaging his head, Na Taebeom narrowed his brow and looked up at Park Mingyu. It was the face that had been next to Choi Seokdae the entire time, starting from the parking lot. Park Mingyu, who had been silently looking at Na Taebeom, opened his mouth.

“I apologize for this discourtesy.”

“Discourtesy? Don’t you think this mess is too severe to just brush it off as a discourtesy?”

Na Taebeom gestured with his eyes to the messy hall around them. A large air purifier had even been brought in because of the musty smell of urine from people who couldn’t get out in time.

“Let’s put that aside for now, did you plan this together, to drug the drink you were going to give me?”

“Absolutely not. We were only instructed to handle external security regarding prostitution within Nakdo. We thought the drugs were recreational items prepared by this side.”

“Ha, that’s ridiculous. It’s not like I’m some kind of pharmacy. Isn’t it enough that I lent you the place to party, why would I supply drugs.”

“Understood. I apologize.”

Park Mingyu, who had bowed his head, suddenly looked around at the people surrounding the sofa. At the gaze that was checking each and every face, Na Taebeom tilted his head.

“Who are you looking for?”

“……Earlier, that, person who is the superintendent’s bodyguard, where did he go.”

“Why are you suddenly looking for my bodyguard.”

Despite the sharp retort, Park Mingyu could not easily open his mouth. There’s something going on. Just as Na Taebeom was about to ask again, he saw several people in white clothes coming down the stairs carrying a large first-aid kit and a stretcher. They were the medical team dispatched from the medical center.

“This may be uncomfortable, but we need to draw some blood.”

The doctor, after checking his complexion, quickly conducted a few tests. Not even a few minutes later, the orange sponge inserted between the test kits turned green. It was a sign that drugs had been detected in his system. The doctor immediately mixed several drugs into the IV solution. Na Taebeom, looking at the IV bag, said.

“How long will this take.”

“You need to be on it for at least four hours. You should refrain from moving as much as possible during that time.”

“Don’t put the needle in for a moment.”

Na Taebeom, having made the doctor step back, got up from the sofa. He staggered for a moment, but quickly stood straight and looked directly at Park Mingyu.

“I asked you why you were looking for my bodyguard. Do you happen to know each other?”

“That is not the case. I was just curious about the bodyguard’s condition.”

“Why are you curious about his condition?”

“Chairman Choi Seokdae used some excessive language and behavior toward that bodyguard. That’s what caused the disturbance to escalate.”

“I don’t like it when you beat around the bush, so speak plainly. What was the excessive language and behavior? What did he do that you’re worried about his condition when you say you don’t know him?”

Park Mingyu took a deep breath. After silently smacking his lips, he finally opened his mouth.

“…He used unpleasant verbal abuse toward that bodyguard, specifically, the word fle, shlight.”

At those words, Na Taebeom couldn’t believe his ears. Frowning, he tilted his head with a bewildered expression.

“I didn’t mishear you just now, did I? Fle, what?”

“……It is exactly as you heard.”

A scene vaguely flashed through his mind. Amid the dizziness of colorful blotches, someone was surrounded by a group, struggling and screaming. Na Taebeom, who ran a hand through his hair due to the unpleasantness that rose up from his spine as if he had been covered in filth, glared at Park Mingyu.

“Choi Seokdae. Where did he go.”

At the fierce tone that matched his bloodshot eyes, Park Mingyu swallowed dryly. Gil Useong, who was watching the silent Park Mingyu, stepped forward.

“Chairman Choi Seokdae was moved to the lounge next to the hall. It has not been confirmed whether he has regained consciousness.”

At those words, Na Taebeom pushed Park Mingyu aside as if shoving him away and walked toward the door. The soldiers guarding the door flinched and stepped back when they saw Na Taebeom approaching with a sharp look on his face, and Park Mingyu following him. Na Taebeom, who had stormed into the lounge, grabbed Choi Seokdae, who was sitting on a cot fiddling with his cell phone, and dragged him off the bed.

“Su, Su, Superintendent Na.”

The terrified Choi Seokdae stuttered. Na Taebeom, clenching his teeth, threw a punch at his face without hesitation. Even though the punch carried less force than usual, his cheekbone quickly swelled up and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Pushed against the wall by the barrage of violence, Choi Seokdae gasped for breath and pleaded.

“Ho, how can you do this! I, I’m a VIP! Is this how you treat a VIP—!”

“A VIP? The person who drugged me?”

“Superintendent Na, fi, first, please calm down. I’ll explain everything!”

Na Taebeom, who bared his teeth and smiled menacingly, suddenly threw a punch. Choi Seokdae, who had curled up his body and covered his head, saw the glass frame behind him crack with a loud sound and his face turned pale white.

Gil Useong, who urgently grabbed Na Taebeom’s arm as he tried to swing his fist again, secretly shook his head. There were many soldiers outside, and since the head of security, First Lieutenant Park Mingyu, was present, they needed to be careful. Above all, if he let Na Taebeom swing his fist for real, Choi Seokdae might die.

Fuck. Na Taebeom, who muttered a curse in annoyance, straightened up, and at that moment Park Mingyu suddenly stepped forward. After checking the corners of the room, he looked back at the soldiers standing behind and watching the situation, then opened his mouth to Na Taebeom.

“I’ve heard that illegal acts committed in Nakdo cannot be prosecuted. And that there are also considerable communication-restricted areas where frequency modulation is impossible because the facility is similar to a bomb shelter. I heard that’s why perverts with sexual disorders call this place a paradise.”

Having finished speaking, Park Mingyu turned his gaze toward Choi Seokdae, who was holding his head. Choi Seokdae, his lips twisted, suddenly pointed a finger at Park Mingyu.

“You, you son of a bitch, Park Mingyu, you son of a bitch, are you just going to stand there and watch this situation! You, I can report this to the army evaluation board and screw you over, platoon leader or whatever!”

Park Mingyu, who had been silently listening to the shouting, threw a punch at Choi Seokdae. At the sudden assault, Choi Seokdae covered his bleeding nose with both hands and collapsed. Spitting on the floor at his feet, Park Mingyu shook his hand and looked back at Na Taebeom.

“As long as you don’t kill him, I will act as if I saw nothing that happened today. So, I would appreciate it if you, Superintendent Na Taebeom, would also turn a blind eye to whatever happens today.”

The basement, where the search and situation control had been completed, was chaotic with the medical team, staff, and even the Special Operations Unit members all mixed together. Ma Jaewan, who came up to the shopping arcade entrance to catch his breath, spotted a side profile leaning against the stair railing and cautiously approached.

“Officer Nam Gyeonhwa?”

There was no response even when he called. When Ma Jaewan lightly tapped his shoulder, a startled Nam Gyeonhwa flinched and stepped back. As if he hadn’t even realized someone was approaching, his face was briefly filled with fear and wariness before it faded. Ma Jaewan pointed to himself and said.

“It’s, it’s me. Ma Jaewan from the Special Operations Division, your sparring partner this morning.”

“Ah.”

At the added introduction, Nam Gyeonhwa’s dark eyes gradually calmed down, and he then bowed his head to greet him. Ma Jaewan blinked his eyes. He seemed clearly startled, but his attitude was calm, as if he didn’t want to show it.

“Are you okay?”

“…Yes, I’m fine.”

Contrary to his calm answer, there wasn’t a single thing about him that looked fine. Ma Jaewan gestured with his eyes toward the scraped tip of his chin.

“You have a bruise on your lower jaw.”

He touched his chin as if he didn’t know. It wasn’t just the bruise on his chin. Just looking at the wrecked and broken scene here and there, it seemed like there had been a considerable physical fight, and as presumed, Nam Gyeonhwa was a mess. His hair was completely disheveled, his collar was stretched out, and his cheek and the area below his lip were also slightly swollen.

“Since the medical team is here, wouldn’t it be a good idea to have them take a look?”

“…Aren’t the people who were trapped inside a higher priority? And they’ll have to take care of the honored guests too.”

That’s true, but. After awkwardly swallowing his words, he glanced at the left hand gripping his right arm.

“Does your arm hurt?”

At those words, the left hand that had been fiddling with his right arm quickly dropped. His demeanor was nonchalant, as if nothing had happened. Was it just a habit? But for it to be a habit, he had been gripping it quite hard, as the sleeve was wrinkled. Ma Jaewan, who was gazing at his side profile, turned his head at the sound of footsteps from behind. “Officer Ma, what are you doing?” His colleagues from the Special Operations Unit waved at him. Nam Gyeonhwa, who glanced at them, opened his mouth.

“Don’t you have to go see them?”

“They’re calling me to have a cigarette. I quit smoking, so there’s nothing for me to do even if I go with them.”

Ma Jaewan, ignoring the cigarettes in his inner pocket, smiled brightly and needlessly cleared his throat.

“Um, Officer Nam, I heard you were a mercenary. Actually, I used to be a mercenary too. Not on the border, but at a private mercenary company near Gaeseong, so security was the main job, but still, I was happy to hear we were in the same line of work.”

“…You can’t even call it being a mercenary. I left as soon as I was promoted to a full member.”

“Still. I heard the border area is pretty tough. Yanggang, I think it was, they say it’s intense there because a guard post is set up. My uncle works near Yanggang, so I heard about it often.”

Just then, the sound of footsteps coming down from the entrance made both of them look up. It was Gwon Seong-a.

“Oh, Mr. Nam Gyeonhwa, you were here. I think the superintendent is looking for you right now.”

Nam Gyeonhwa stood up and lightly brushed off his backside. He gave a short nod as a greeting and, without delay, followed Gwon Seong-a. Gwon Seong-a, who glanced back at the implicitly disappointed expression, whispered to Nam Gyeonhwa.

“I showed up at a perfectly awkward moment, right?”

“…It wasn’t awkward.”

“That’s a relief, then.”

Gwon Seong-a, who smiled faintly, walked a little faster. He had naturally assumed they were going inside, but the place Gwon Seong-a was heading to was a car parked at the exit of the parking lot.

“Get in.”

At the glance indicating the passenger seat, Nam Gyeonhwa looked at him, bewildered.

“Didn’t you just say that Superintendent Na was looking for me?”

“He was, but he said to go home first. It’ll take a while for Superintendent Na, because of the, IV drip. It’s almost twelve, you don’t want to work overtime, do you?”