Vol 6 Ch 3

I jabbed the spoon into the half-cooked vegetable porridge and stirred it roughly. I thought I’d be fine after a few days, but my body still hadn’t recovered—felt like I had the flu. I could move around if I had to, but the fever in my throat made my whole body sluggish, like I never wanted to leave bed.

The bruises Taeha left on my neck were fading, leaving only a yellow mark—some small mercy, I suppose.

If I’d been too sick to think straight, at least it would’ve looked like a protest. But since I was clearheaded, I couldn’t help but be aware of the person wearing a Changpao standing beside me. It didn’t take long to notice that two of his fingers were gone beneath the sharp-cut sleeve. The bandages made it obvious—Min Ling was making a statement.

“Honestly,” I said, swirling the spoon again.

Min Ling, who had been tidying up near the bed, turned toward me.

“I did worry a little about what might’ve happened to you, but seeing that… well, it doesn’t exactly make me happy.”

He looked down at his missing ring and pinky fingers.

“I feel the same,” he said. “If you were going to run, you should’ve done it properly.”

“Not so easy, running from Big Brother Kwon.”

“I put my life on the line. But you, Joo Hawon, you don’t seem to have had the same resolve.”

“…Why did you give me that video?”

“That video? Wasn’t it you who provided it?”

Even hearing the screech of the industrial park’s machinery again after so long didn’t make me feel nostalgic. And I had no memory of providing any such thing.

“I don’t get it. If you saved Kwon Taeha from my father, why didn’t you take your freedom and leave? Why stay and be treated like this?”

“I don’t yearn for freedom. Out there, danger lurks everywhere. I’d rather stay inside a rich, safe fence.”

“You can say that looking like this? Do two fingers make it better? If you’re right, then yeah, maybe it was a cheap price.”

“What are you talking about? You’re the one who did this to me, Joo Hawon.”

The way he asked, like it should be obvious—as if I just forgot what I’d done—almost made me question myself.

“I… cut them off…?”

Where did I leave the bugged pen?

“You knew I was the one relaying Wikileaks, so you sent Tangbang to kidnap me. I resisted to the end, and you made me like this—what the hell are you saying?!”

Maybe I am the crazy one. His bloodshot eyes looked genuinely wronged.

“So what you’re saying is—the video of Taeha’s kidnapping wasn’t something you gave me…”

“What kind of nonsense is that?!”

“What I’m saying is, the video was already in the Wikileaks files I got. And I paid Tangbang to abduct you. So you’re the victim. Isn’t that right?”

Min Ling looked at me like I was stating the obvious. Honestly, after Aeil Kwon, maybe I should’ve applauded the guy’s acting.

You bastards.

“You already agreed on your story with Tangbang, didn’t you? Tangbang’s a mercenary who moves for money, so I get to be the villain in all this. No wonder… you gave in way too easily. I should’ve seen that. So you whined, huh? Told Taeha I chopped your fingers and threatened you, so you had no choice but to beg on your knees?”

I didn’t even bother to hide my sarcasm.

“If he believed that, then both you and your boss are morons.”

“Watch your mouth.”

“I know this whole room could be bugged and you might be recording. But I don’t even care anymore. At worst, I lie here sick for a few days. Unlike you, I’m not gonna lose any body parts.”

“The President is only letting you live because—”

“—Because of what I have, yeah. But you know, Min Ling, talking to you like this really makes it feel like we’re trapped in some imperial palace harem scheming for our lives.”

“Keep running your mouth and—”

“No, you keep it shut. Want me to take the rest of your fingers too?”

The moment I shot him that glare—what timing.

At the open door, arms crossed, stood Kwon Taeha, watching with an amused expression.

“Joo Hawon, wouldn’t it be better for your sake to just hand over Wikileaks and disappear? Why all the fuss?”

Min Ling still hadn’t realized Taeha was there.

I looked over Min Ling’s shoulder and opened my mouth to reply.

“Come to think of it, don’t you think your boss is being too harsh? I mean, making the person who cut off your fingers wait on them—don’t you think that’s just cruel?”

“I wouldn’t go so far as to call it cruel. The President’s orders are absolute, and I’m merely following them.”

“Your love for the President is quite agape, Minling. How can you go that far?”

“I know Joo Hawon could never do it. And neither could the President.”

I glanced at Minling, then turned my eyes back to Kwon Taeha.

“Did you hear that? The spokesperson for the President’s emotions said so.”

At the same time, Minling’s face noticeably stiffened. He couldn’t even bring himself to look back and had already begun schooling his expression. In that brief moment, Minling smoothed over his agitation and turned to Kwon Taeha with a calm, “You’re back, sir.”

A hollow breath escaped me. I didn’t know anymore. The situation was so ridiculous, I found it laughable.

Kwon Taeha tilted his head and smirked. Minling, seemingly flustered by his return at this hour, checked the time and asked,

“Your schedule…”

“You should’ve pushed a little more. There aren’t many people who can get under the main dealer’s skin.”

Kwon Taeha cut him off lightly as Minling stepped closer.

“I apologize. That wasn’t my intention.”

To Kwon Taeha, the obedient offering had always been right there. I would never have known that even a man’s voice could sound so soft if it hadn’t been for Minling. He glanced back at me and gave a slight nod. I simply moved the tray off my lap.

Once Minling left the room, Kwon Taeha stepped closer to me.

“I think the President’s mistaken. The one who gets under my skin isn’t Minling. It’s the President.”

“Well, that’s good. The only person who can scratch at my nerves is the main dealer. Subtle jabs here and there—drives people insane.”

“Surely you didn’t come all this way just to joke.”

I replied coldly. Without warning, Kwon Taeha reached out toward me. I flinched and pulled back, but the cushion behind me blocked my escape. His hand ran down my neck. As his usual warmth brushed over my skin, I looked up at him. He tilted my chin to the side with his thumb, inspecting it like he was checking for a wound.

“Bones are tougher than you’d think, aren’t they?”

He asked, pulling his hand away.

“Maybe it’s because the knife was sharpened well, but it cut cleaner than expected.”

He didn’t reply. He just walked over to the wardrobe, took out a suit, and laid it on the bed. The black suit looked no different in texture from the one he had on.

Even though he didn’t say a word, I stood from the bed and picked up the suit. At least I had showered earlier this morning—small mercies. I took off my shirt and pants in front of him. A sudden wave of dizziness hit me, but I steadied my breath and slowly buttoned the dress shirt. I pulled on the fitted pants and jacket, and just as I was about to head to the mirror, he reached out and smoothed down my hair, staring intently at my face. His fingers skimmed from my forehead down to my cheek.

“Aren’t you curious where we’re going?”

“Not particularly.”

“Guess you’re pretty pissed.”

“You’re not exactly calm either, President.”

“Right. Still trying to figure out where our main dealer stashed Wikileaks.”

As he adjusted my tie, I said,

“He might’ve tossed it.”

Just as he tightened the knot, he pressed a finger firmly to my collarbone beneath the shirt.

“And what if he did?”

“That line makes me think of lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

“Then are you the evil?”

“No, more like the forbidden fruit that turns one evil.”

Even if I really had gotten rid of Wikileaks, there was an unspoken rule that I should never admit it. Because if it’s truly gone—if he becomes certain of that—he’d turn into something monstrous and crush me completely. Like he did last night.

Once he finished adjusting my appearance, he pointed to the door, indicating I should follow. I took off the bedroom slippers and slipped into a pair of heavy leather shoes. Without checking a mirror, I left the room as he had dressed me.

The STA Fussen President’s suite on the top floor was so tightly secured that escape didn’t even seem like an option. Step one was Wagner. Step two was the guards stationed at the inner hallway doors. Step three, the elevator that only worked with a card key. It was a fortress.

Even the witch who locked Rapunzel in the tower wasn’t this thorough. Ah, but that tower didn’t have a way out from below, did it?

As the elevator descended, dizziness washed over me again.

Apparently, there were no plans to leave Fussen. The elevator stopped at the club floor—members only. I was closest to the door, so I stepped out first. He followed. It was clear we weren’t just here to eat. Still, I didn’t ask. There was only one person I could think of that I might be meeting.

Whether Kwon Taeha knew or not, he walked slightly behind me, and the expensive-looking shoes on his feet kept scraping the back of mine.

The hall was split into a restaurant and a bar, but there wasn’t a soul in sight.

The 55th floor, modeled after Germany’s Nymphenburg Palace, was like an indoor garden straight out of a royal court. The frescoes told stories of ancient myths along the massive walls, and the floral garden, perfect for a tea party, seemed tailor-made to satisfy vanity and pride. Judging by the emptiness, the place was either not yet open or privately reserved—probably one of the two.

As we passed the central fountain, a doorway appeared at the end of the garden and frescoed wall. Resembling the entrance to a VIP casino room, it led from one curated cube to the next. Wagner and other guards stood at the door. The moment they saw Kwon Taeha, they slowly pushed open the thick, gilded doors.

Even though he walked in first, I hesitated with just one step. I looked down at the marble floor, where my shadow blurred, then lifted my head. The hall was blinding—three round tables, artwork on every wall, marionette-like chandeliers dangling precariously, and a golden casino table at the center. The entire setting screamed power and intimidation.

As I’d guessed, sitting at the dining table was Aeil Kwon. What I hadn’t expected was Baek Hyunseok. Kwon Taeha pulled out a chair for me but didn’t say a word. I walked over, ignoring the scraping of my heels. Sitting down in the pulled-out chair, I faced Aeil Kwon and Baek Hyunseok. Kwon Taeha sat one seat away from me and picked up his water glass. The table felt like a slowly spinning roulette.

“It’s been a while, Mr. Louis,” Aeil Kwon greeted me with a pleasant smile.

“Yes.”

My wrists were hidden beneath the shirt and suit, but it felt like I was sitting here completely exposed.

“You two took so long the food’s gone cold. Should I have it brought out again?”

The appetizers were gone. Only the main courses sat on our plates.

“Hungry?” Kwon Taeha asked.

“No,” I murmured.

I wet my throat with water and began cutting into the now-tough steak. It was lukewarm, but surprisingly not too gamey. The flavor matched this atmosphere perfectly.

“Your face looks worn out, Hawon,” Baek Hyunseok said with concern.

“Well, he was put through a lot,” Kwon Taeha replied.

Whatever that meant, Baek Hyunseok’s face turned bright red.

“So why am I here, exactly?”

I turned to Kwon Taeha. He was slicing into his own steak, thick with blood, and brought the piece to his lips with that perfectly shaped mouth of his. Like me, he didn’t seem to find the taste all that bad.

“Seems Mr. Louis has some relevance to our business, so we invited you,” Aeil Kwon answered, sipping red wine.

Surprising, coming from a man who usually preferred tea.

“Because you’re the one holding Wikileaks, Mr. Louis.”

No one looked surprised. It was clear now that casually bringing up Wikileaks didn’t matter anymore.

“But Taeha—was he rough with you? I thought at least he wouldn’t go that far.”

“You’re not exactly in a position to talk, not when you failed to manage the footage. I’ll consider the contract with the Vice President completely void.”

Aeil Kwon muttered something like “well, obviously” with a crooked smile. Only Baek Hyunseok seemed genuinely confused by what I meant.

“Not that you ever intended to honor the deal in the first place, right?”

“Well, I don’t see a need to discuss things that never happened. I also don’t feel like provoking the CEO.”

Kwon Taeha sliced another piece of steak. As he brought it to his mouth, a drop of blood splattered onto the white tablecloth and began to spread.

“So then, whose side are you on, Mr. Louis?”

“I’m not on the Vice President’s side, at the very least.”

“Joo Hawon’s on Joo Hawon’s side,” Kwon Taeha added as he poured wine into my empty glass.

“Oh, that reminds me—about what the Vice President just said earlier…”

Baek Hyunseok, battered by the cold air around the table, quickly changed the subject. I just stared at the wine being poured. The liquid level kept rising, eventually spilling over. The tablecloth, already soaked, couldn’t absorb any more. Wine began to drip onto my pants.

Kwon Taeha looked at me. I looked back.

“Should I get up?”

“Why?”

“Before I drown in wine.”

He curled his eyes and gracefully set the wine bottle down on the table.

From this point on, no one’s going to save you. No one’s going to stop me for your sake, and no one dares to try. If I can do this with a glass of wine, what do you think I’ll do with everything else?

He was deliberately letting me read him.

“You’ve got more childish sides than I expected,” I said, feigning composure.

“Mm, I can be a little mischievous.”

I unfolded a napkin and wiped the soaked fabric on my thigh. Then I picked up the still-trembling wine glass and drank half of it in one go. There was no time to savor fine wine.

Aeil Kwon was watching our little standoff with an unexpectedly cold look. He didn’t seem amused. When our eyes met, he frowned and finally continued,

“If we want to complete it within three years, we’ll have to begin the handover immediately. Either that or proceed with parallel work alongside the firm hired by Taeha’s side.”

“No, that won’t be necessary. We wouldn’t want to impose on Mr. Kwon.”

“It’s going to be difficult without Taeha’s help. It’s not that I don’t trust Director Baek, but there’s a clear technical gap. If the job isn’t perfect, it’ll be a problem.”

“Aeil’s right. We’ll collaborate until next year, and after that, we’ll withdraw. Of course, it will still be recorded as a project completed by the Chosun Marine Company.”

“But…”

“Director Baek, don’t get too greedy.”

Kwon Taeha offered the advice in a flat tone, but it sounded threatening enough.

“Then, I’ll humbly accept your help, Mr. Kwon.”

“No need to be so polite. It’s Aeil who bought it. Your thanks should go to him.”

Maybe it was because I wasn’t fully recovered, but the wine I’d downed suddenly burned through my chest. And yet, what stuck in my head was what he’d said—he sold something to Aeil?

“No, wait. Actually, the thanks should go to Mr. Louis. Director Baek, how about showing some gratitude to our unsung hero?”

Still silent, I tried to make sense of everything unfolding. Aeil Kwon let out a sudden laugh.

“Haha, Mr. Louis, your face is completely flushed. No need to be so shy. You should be thanked.”

That grinning face made me want to throw my wine in it. Kwon Taeha’s hand brushed against my cheek. I couldn’t tell whether it was me who was burning up, or if his hand felt colder than usual. Then he pulled me into his arms and whispered into my ear.

“Aeil beat me to securing the Mega Float.”

And then, he let go of my shoulder.

“Mega Float?”

I repeated numbly. Aeil Kwon rested his chin on his hand and tapped the table with the other.

“Mr. Louis? Taeha didn’t tell you?”

“…”

“Ah~ now I feel awkward. Maybe I shouldn’t say anything. No point bringing it up if Taeha didn’t.”

“Say it. The main dealer needs to hear it.”

Those two were still smiling—like men hiding knives behind their backs. Aeil Kwon sighed, feigning reluctance.

“Put simply, it’s a livable floating structure. It could be used as an ocean resort, or housing for offshore construction workers. In the long run, it’s meant to solve water, food, and energy shortages through a regenerative, circular industry model.”

According to UN Future Reports, while the population in developed countries is declining, demand for food and water is expected to increase by over 40% by 2030 due to population growth in developing countries like China and India. The offshore plant industry now encompasses not only oil and gas drilling but also the development of various ocean-based energy resources.

STA had combined concepts of marine industry expansion—moving from coastal to deep sea and even polar waters—with solutions for resource scarcity, culminating in a long-prepared artificial island project: the “Mega Float.”

It could also serve as a military airfield, a temporary base, or an energy storage site for different nations. Some European countries were already using them to store hazardous materials away from potential terror threats. The Mega Float project had moved past its testing phase and was now practically viable. STA had designed facilities capable of housing up to 1,000 people.

Rather than inefficiently flying or shipping people and equipment out to sea for oil drilling, the idea was to create a long-term floating habitat, boosting operational efficiency. Naturally, these structures were expected to play a major role in future EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) resource development.

Aeil Kwon compared it to the film Waterworld. He said the world likely wouldn’t sink that dramatically, but if you understood the concept of artificial islands, it would make sense. The capital investment poured into the project so far exceeded 14 trillion won.

“And what exactly does the Vice President have to thank me for?”

My voice turned bitter. It felt like déjà vu from when I’d been trapped in his villa—like a student being cornered by a teacher.

“Because Taeha traded the sex video of me and you… for the Mega Float.”

That was a project STA had been preparing for years, and my cousin had given it up.

Aeil Kwon’s voice grew distant. Clink—the sound of Baek Hyunseok dropping his fork struck a discordant note across the room.

“…”

“Well, thanks to Taeha, you’ve at least been spared the fate of a porn star.”

In that moment, I looked at the man beside me as if possessed. Then, like I was losing my mind, I muttered,

“…Pull out.”

Kwon Taeha stared ahead, slowly swirling the wine in his glass.

“Pull out of that deal.”

This time, I spoke directly to Aeil Kwon.

“I’ll be your porn star, so go ahead and release the video. Just don’t barter with me behind my back.”

“I didn’t expect you to thank him, but isn’t that a little harsh on Taeha, considering the loss he took?”

No, that wasn’t the face of someone who’d suffered a loss. That was the look of a man who had offered up something enormous… in order to gain something even bigger.