Zip.
The body bag unzipped with a sharp rasp, revealing a corpse in a police uniform amid a wave of stench. Detective Lee wrinkled his nose in disgust as he peered inside, a curse spilling out unbidden.
"Ao— fuck—"
"You recognize them, Detective?"
"You messing with me?"
"…."
What faces? There weren't any left to recognize. Both had taken rounds to the back of the head, bullets punching clean through their faces. Bullets were designed to shred internals on exit, after all. Tiny entry wounds, massive exits—that was par for the course. The skulls had been pierced, the rounds churning through brains before bursting out, flipping red innards outward like blooming flowers.... Ugh, fuck—ugh, damn it— Detective Lee decided to erase that image from his mind right then.
"Yeah, I know these guys."
He picked up a blood-smeared name tag. Unmistakable names. Guys from the same precinct—how could he not know them? The problem was, these assholes had called in sick today and taken the patrol car out for "repairs." So why the hell were they found in uniform, heads blown open together in it?
"Fucking pricks.... I told you to keep it moderate."
Ever since the habits started at the precinct, they'd been taking clean money and dirty without discrimination. He'd warned them so many times, and last time they'd gotten busted by the sergeant for gang bribes, earning disciplinary action. This was obvious. They'd gone out for some shady cash, and shit hit the fan. Witnesses said they'd been dragging off a woman? What, some gangster's wife kidnapping gig? Sure, getting shot in Korea was rare, but idiots shoving their heads into graves like that? Inevitable they'd eat lead.
He boiled at the thought of who these crazy bastards were that killed cops, and doubly so imagining the mess from his own idiots' lack of discipline.
"Secure the CCTV footage. Contact every car parked nearby and request cooperation."
"Yes, sir."
Something felt off. Reports had flooded in about men collapsing a block away, spurting blood—then by the time units arrived, the crashed van and bodies were gone. Only faint bloodstains remained, like someone had tried wiping but given up. Looked like gang turf war, but too brutal for that... and too quiet. One side blasting away without a care, the other scrambling to cover it up. Anyway, openly shooting cops in a busy intersection? First in his detective career.
"Oh, Detective Lee. And this was found in the patrol car."
"Blue drug again?"
Detective Lee took the bag of blue powder. Made in Hong Kong, it had hit big, but Chinese authorities sealed the city, cutting exports. Yet it trickled into Korea somehow. Not mass-market yet—probably still in promo phase. National Forensic Service hadn't ID'd it; molecular structure unlike any known drug. Felt like a teaser trailer for the narcotics squad's new content. Gave him chills just thinking about it.
"I'm heading back from the scene, kid. Our guys are dead, blue drug in the car—"
◇ INCOMING TRANSMISSION ◇● LIVEFREQ: [radio] MHz | SIGNAL: 100% | ENCRYPT: [none]"Detective Lee! Emergency! Gunfight on the Western Expressway—support requests flying in, total chaos!"
— DISPATCH | PRECINCT —"What?"
A chill ran down Detective Lee's spine. Gunfight? Right in the middle of the highway? They'd been elegant with silencers earlier, and now this?
◇ INCOMING TRANSMISSION ◇● LIVEFREQ: [radio] MHz | SIGNAL: 100% | ENCRYPT: [none]"Ah, false alarm. Tanker truck explosion."
— DISPATCH | PRECINCT —"How do you mistake that for a gunfight?"
◇ INCOMING TRANSMISSION ◇● LIVEFREQ: [radio] MHz | SIGNAL: 100% | ENCRYPT: [none]"Must've been a chain reaction or something."
— DISPATCH | PRECINCT —"Hey, tell 'em I'm heading for road control support. Be there soon."
◇ INCOMING TRANSMISSION ◇● LIVEFREQ: [radio] MHz | SIGNAL: 100% | ENCRYPT: [none]"Got it... Ah? Detective Lee, they're sending you to Gwangjin-gu for support?"
— DISPATCH | PRECINCT —"What the fucking hell?!"
Irritated, Detective Lee hung up and checked. It was real. No details on what happened—just manpower short in Gwangjin-gu, so support there. Why him specifically?
"Fuck it. Let 'em discipline me."
Tsking, he floored the accelerator. He'd pretend he didn't see the text. Had to see the Western Expressway chaos with his own eyes.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇DongYang Department Store intersection.
A white delivery truck sped off, black sedan carrying Park I-sa close behind. Park confirmed the plate matched the photo from his subordinate and smirked.
"Yu Sil-jang, Jeong Gwa-jang—those fucking assholes. Scheming something shady behind my back. Tried to snag a rookie and fucked up? Jesus, these pricks. Pathetic."
Team 1 kept moving without telling execs, so he'd thought maybe hitting Oriental—but no reason to hide that. Frustrating as hell, until the truth dropped: massive op just to grab a Team 1 rookie who'd borrowed gear in Jeong's name. Absurd. He could only laugh bitterly.
"Huh. Why're you calling?"
◇ INCOMING TRANSMISSION ◇● LIVEFREQ: [phone] MHz | SIGNAL: 100% | ENCRYPT: [none]"Where are you right now, Director Park?"
— Yu Sil-jang | GeumMyeong Security —"Why ask? You're cleaning up your shit—didn't know you shat the bed so bad while I wasn't looking?"
◇ INCOMING TRANSMISSION ◇● LIVEFREQ: [phone] MHz | SIGNAL: 100% | ENCRYPT: [none]"Director Park, just pass on Min Cheol-woo's location and wash your hands of it."
— Yu Sil-jang | GeumMyeong Security —"Yu Sil-jang, you lost your fucking mind? Boss sucking and fucking you over, now no hierarchy? Fucking bitch, you've missed Min Cheol-woo all this time, didn't know shit—now we find him and you say back off? Manager's mess, director cleans up running ragged. That right?"
◇ INCOMING TRANSMISSION ◇● LIVEFREQ: [phone] MHz | SIGNAL: 100% | ENCRYPT: [none]"…."
— Yu Sil-jang | GeumMyeong Security —That fucking bitch Yu Sil-jang—no answer. Rolling stone snagging manager spot, taking Team 1 reins. Not just that—she started axing team leaders, filling with street thugs. After two years, Team 1 was all new faces except Jeong Gwa-jang and his cronies. Kim Sa-jang's tacit approval made it possible. Worse, he gave Team 1 autonomy. Exec orders to Team 1? Yu could ignore if she wanted. Hierarchy existed, but meant nothing. Team 1 grew bolder, no info sharing with other teams—like a separate company.
Calling this a chaebol subsidiary. Jesus.
Trace it back: all from Kim Sa-jang's paranoia. GeumMyeong Security now a haven for cops, NIS, Oriental—petty crooks? So he built Team 1 as royal loyalists for dirty domestic jobs. Made it secretive, toxic. Team 2: skilled fighters, info networks, overseas branches raking cash—vibrant. Team 1: mention quitting, they kidnap family, fabricate debts. Fuck—running a PMC like '90s thugs.
◇ INCOMING TRANSMISSION ◇● LIVEFREQ: [phone] MHz | SIGNAL: 100% | ENCRYPT: [none]"Jeong Gwa-jang's handling cleanup. No need for Team 2 help."
— Yu Sil-jang | GeumMyeong Security —"Oh yeah? The guy who took machine guns and hundreds of kilos of explosives? Sure, plenty sufficient."
◇ INCOMING TRANSMISSION ◇● LIVEFREQ: [phone] MHz | SIGNAL: 100% | ENCRYPT: [none]"Director Park, do you realize what you've done?"
— Yu Sil-jang | GeumMyeong Security —"Manager Yu Ara. Say that shit again. What'd you just call me?"
◇ INCOMING TRANSMISSION ◇● LIVEFREQ: [phone] MHz | SIGNAL: 100% | ENCRYPT: [none]"Sigh. You're acting irrationally, Director. Tracker on gear for Team 1? I let that slide—helped find Min Cheol-woo. But why broadcast it on open channels, spreading rumors everywhere?"
— Yu Sil-jang | GeumMyeong Security —"Why? Embarrassed your rookie backstabbed you? Team 1 elite bullshit, then pwned—word spreads to Teams 2 and 3, face hot?"
◇ INCOMING TRANSMISSION ◇● LIVEFREQ: [phone] MHz | SIGNAL: 100% | ENCRYPT: [none]"Wow... you really don't get it. Thanks to you, that bastard's off-leash news is nationwide. Reporters shoving mics everywhere—don't you know? Stick to Iraq, Afghanistan sales like always. Why air internal Team 1 shit, exposing to enemies? What if someone else snags Min Cheol-woo?"
— Yu Sil-jang | GeumMyeong Security —Whoa—whoa—this crazy bitch— Park I-sa was speechless. Insurrection? What else? Rage boiled, but with Kim Sa-jang's backing, even execs couldn't touch Yu Sil-jang.
◇ INCOMING TRANSMISSION ◇● LIVEFREQ: [phone] MHz | SIGNAL: 100% | ENCRYPT: [none]"Could've handled quietly, but now it's blown up. NIS, prosecutors on Oriental HQ. I was managing solo—now it's on you, Director. Not my problem. You started it, you fix it."
— Yu Sil-jang | GeumMyeong Security —"Hey, bitch. Watch your mouth. I started it? Your cheap thug assholes grabbing an innocent kid, debt-trapping—that's why this happened. Whip people endlessly, who feels loyal? Fine. I'll handle it. Rookie's probably debt-loaded too? Offer to pay it off—he won't flip?"
◇ INCOMING TRANSMISSION ◇● LIVEFREQ: [phone] MHz | SIGNAL: 100% | ENCRYPT: [none]"Fine by us if you bring him that way. But know this: Min Cheol-woo doesn't go to Team 2. Boss's decision. Back to Team 1 or eliminated. Those are your options—no funny business."
— Yu Sil-jang | GeumMyeong Security —What the hell was with Min Cheol-woo that they wrapped him so tight? Even from other teams in the same company? Park couldn't fathom. Secret weapon for Kim Sa-jang's ambitions? To him, Kim, Team 1—all nuts. Suspected since hiring the guy with police chief and junkies involved, but this crossed the line.
◇ INCOMING TRANSMISSION ◇● LIVEFREQ: [phone] MHz | SIGNAL: 100% | ENCRYPT: [none]"Anyway... good luck, Director. Careful—that dog's already bitten. Watch your back."
— Yu Sil-jang | GeumMyeong Security —"Already bit. Shot four of our guys outright. Underground parking, thought no eyes—went nuts. Psycho."
◇ INCOMING TRANSMISSION ◇● LIVEFREQ: [phone] MHz | SIGNAL: 100% | ENCRYPT: [none]"He only bites when no one's watching?"
— Yu Sil-jang | GeumMyeong Security —What the—? He was about to ask when the truck ahead's window rolled down. Rat-tat-tat-tat— bullets hammered the sedan peacefully cruising beside it.
"What?!"
Then whoosh—a grenade sailed through the shattered window.
Fuck, you crazy bastard!
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Read 191 more chapters ahead on NovelDex!
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