Chapter 109
Who Did He Make a Deal With
Im Deok-chang was in his office, furious at the message he had just received.
"You lost them? I told you to deal with it no matter what!"
The call had come from WID Level 2 agent Li Weicheng, who was currently in Vladivostok, Russia. His voice came back over the line.
[...... I'll accept any punishment.]
Im Deok-chang let out a long sigh as he listened to his uncomplaining answer. He knew very well that the man would never make excuses.
"Just explain exactly. What happened? How did you lose them?"
[It's like this......]
Li Weicheng explained that Kang In-hyuk's side noticed they were being tailed and fled, leading to a car crash and bloodstains found at the end of the Amur Bay bridge.
Im Deok-chang let out a low hum.
"Are you sure Kang In-hyuk and Tae Ju-ha aren't dead?"
[The blood found was confirmed to be that of Shikai, who was in charge of A2.]
While the report continued, another voice overlapped from the other end, as if someone was telling him new information. Then Li Weicheng spoke up urgently.
[I just received a search report. There was a stolen vehicle in a nearby area. It's presumed Kang In-hyuk used that to escape together with Tae Ju-ha.]
"Have you checked the CCTV?"
[There's almost no CCTV installed on that road or the surrounding outskirts.]
An uneasy silence followed.
"What about monitoring at nearby airports and ports?"
[I've already posted all available agents.]
"How many are still left, excluding the missing agents?"
Each agent originally had their assigned location.
Since they'd hurriedly pulled people for this operation, those who couldn't be kept longer had to return to their posts after this ambiguous ending.
[Including myself, five remain.]
Out of an original twelve, three were missing and four had returned.
"Do you think you can find them?"
[Well, if they went into the sea, even if Kang In-hyuk survived, Tae Ju-ha may not be in good condition. We're searching local hospitals as well.]
It wasn't a guarantee.
Im Deok-chang pursed his lips and continued.
"It's going to be hard to supplement our manpower for now. So, find them and deal with Tae Ju-ha before she makes it back to Korea. Report the situation every two hours."
[... Understood.]
Once the call ended, Im Deok-chang tucked his phone into his inside pocket and called over his subordinate, Choi Dong-hoon.
"Are there any agents on outside lines who can operate out of Deputy General Manager Two's sight? The kind the people above wouldn't look for—real dirty ones."
"There are a few."
"Then narrow it down to about ten, and post them at the airports—Incheon, Gimpo, Busan. And at Donghae port."
Choi Dong-hoon asked worriedly.
"After the incident at Section One, the director will be keeping a close watch."
He was referring to the time overseas agents had acted without authorization.
The person behind it still hadn't been revealed, so Section Chief Choo Jae-min was left taking the blame.
Of course, Im Deok-chang wasn't free from scrutiny himself.
The records he left while investigating the situation in Hong Kong almost got him directly warned by Director Jin Jong-man, too.
"But what else can we do, just stand by? It's not like Hannya will send us reinforcements."
The news must have already reached Hannya, who oversees the WID agents.
Failing the mission officially after this humiliation would put Im Deok-chang's position in jeopardy.
"Didn't Chairman Baek's side provide support?"
"Would they be any different than us? That whole mess started when they randomly took out Daemyung, and that got a warning from Hannya—so I had no choice but to get involved."
It was six of one, half a dozen of the other.
Im Deok-chang let out a sigh and muttered to himself.
"We split up a perfectly healthy Organization just for greed, and now this is the price... When you need people the most, you end up shorthanded."
He was referring to the Aoshika incident.
Three years ago, when the current leader clashed with the original, Nomen, the in-fighting became a real war.
Agents under them split, fought, killed each other, and died.
The number loyal to Nomen was significant, so even though the current leader seized the top seat, the Organization suffered so much that the damage was impossible to ignore.
"I'll pick out the agents as fast as I can and mobilize them."
"Go ahead."
After Choi Dong-hoon left, Im Deok-chang, now alone, knew he had to call W&W Group Chairman Baek Ji-woong and report the situation.
He hesitated, knowing full well that the conversation would not be pleasant.
* * *
【Shootout at Amur Bay Bridge, Vladivostok, Russia! Vehicle crashes off the bridge... The passengers identified as Mr. K and Ms. T, a married couple of Korea's T Group, reportedly went missing while on a business trip abroad after being attacked...】
【Another attack on Taeshin Group Division Director Kang In-hyuk? The Russian side released an initial statement saying he was caught up in a shootout during his business trip to Vladivostok. Considering he's received several death threats in the past, it's assumed this is another attempt... Meanwhile, he was confirmed to be in the car with his wife and boss, Taeshin Asset Management CEO Tae Ju-ha...】
【KQ Group illegitimate child Kang In-hyuk, gone missing on Taeshin Group's overseas business? After several previous attacks, Division Director Kang In-hyuk was shot at and then his car crashed off a bridge in Vladivostok... KQ Group has yet to release any statement on the situation...】
.
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Several days after the incident, these articles suddenly began appearing.
Tae Seok-ho of Taeshin Group read the news and hurriedly knocked and entered the chairman's office.
"Father!"
At the shout, Tae Gun-seung, who was sitting on the sofa, turned a frosty gaze toward him.
"This is the office."
Tae Seok-ho sighed briefly before continuing.
"Chairman. The articles that just came out... Did you authorize them?"
He was talking about the incident involving Kang In-hyuk and Tae Ju-ha.
Taeshin Group had been plagued with scandals recently, so even though they knew about this matter, they'd kept it quiet.
Waking up to these reports, Tae Seok-ho had rushed in, shocked.
Tae Gun-seung stared at him.
"Is there a problem?"
"Of course, there's a problem. The company's stock price is plunging again over this. The shareholders are up in arms."
It was an obvious consequence.
Tae Gun-seung furrowed his brow deeply.
"My niece and her husband are missing. Is worrying about the stock price really all you care about?"
He'd tried to keep some distance, but seeing Tae Seok-ho's attitude made it impossible.
Sensing the moment, Tae Seok-ho quickly spoke.
"You're only saying that now? Do you think I'm not worried? And why did those two even go to Russia in the first place? Don't you know, either?"
"...... I don't. For now, all we can do is hope Ju-ha and Kang come back safe."
Faced with such a vague answer, Tae Seok-ho sighed again.
"I feel bad for them, but what I found suggests it's a near-impossible accident to survive. They fell into the Russian sea in this weather. No other traces have been found, either."
"Stop with the pointless talk and focus on your job."
Without meaning to, Tae Seok-ho balled his fists.
Part of him wanted to seize the chairman's seat right away, but with too few shares secured, he had no choice but to bide his time.
"You keep putting Taeshin Group at risk."
"And what's so risky?"
"Kang In-hyuk may be Ju-ha's husband, but he's still from KQ Group. Whatever you hope for from such a guy, you're endangering Taeshin Group."
"Don't you realize how much Kang brings in for us?"
"And what does it matter? Right now, we can't even confirm he's alive or dead. So, we need to prioritize the group! I'll block any follow-up articles until everything calms down."
With that, Tae Seok-ho walked out. Meanwhile, Tae Gun-seung, sighing again, picked up his phone.
【HETMIT : Tae Ju-ha and Kang In-hyuk alive. Set to return to Korea soon.】
It was a message that had arrived, without a number, several days earlier.
There hadn't even been any record at the cell tower, so there was no way to trace who sent it.
But it made one thing clear: there was someone behind Kang In-hyuk.
"Kang... Who on earth did you make a deal with...?"
Tae Gun-seung had always thought it strange how Kang In-hyuk seemed to suddenly develop exceptional capabilities.
It was nearly impossible for a person to change that much overnight.
No matter how much he looked, he couldn't find the cause. So, he'd kept Kang close, giving him tasks and watching him.
That had, in short order, both shaken and revitalized Taeshin Group...
"I just hope they come back safely."
Of course, he also understood why the danger had come for the two of them.
Someone had discovered that the shares to Taeshin Group, meant to be inherited by Tae Ju-ha, would go to her.
It was simple.
The balance between Tae Seok-hyun and Tae Seok-ho had collapsed after the Taeshin Electronics incident, so using Ju-ha as figurehead was a temporary measure to maintain stability.
But it had put the two of them in mortal peril.
Regretting it belatedly, Tae Gun-seung let out another long sigh.
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After leaving the chairman's office, Tae Seok-ho entered his own office and immediately looked over at Reina Blackwood, who had followed him.
"This latest incident—are you sure it has nothing to do with your side?"
"You mean Kang In-hyuk's situation?"
"Do I sound like I'd be asking about anything else right now?"
The question had a slight edge.
Reina responded with her usual calm.
"I haven't heard anything different from the Organization."
"What about why those two went abroad?"
"Same for that."
"You're not exactly reassuring, are you? What do you people know, anyway?"
"Getting agitated won't change anything. Let's calm down."
Although Reina answered quietly, her own thoughts were just as complicated.
She'd gotten a brief update from her direct boss, Im Deok-chang, that the KIRIN team led by him had lost Kang In-hyuk and Tae Ju-ha in Vladivostok.
Because of that, a team had also been built domestically to track Heo Yu-rim, Hong Yu-geon, and Van Hester, who'd returned home without the pair.
But the three had vanished without a trace at Incheon International Airport, having anticipated someone would be watching for them.
Meanwhile, Tae Seok-ho, getting increasingly frustrated, called for a glass of cold water and gulped it down.
"Ugh... They'd better not be thinking of me as a puppet. If this keeps up, I won't just sit back quietly."
Reina, hearing his threat, thought to herself that this was becoming a bit dangerous.
But with the Organization's plans already going off track, she couldn't just hand out information on her own judgment.
"In any case, I've just been notified that, while you were seeing the chairman, 2.5% more shares have been secured. There's not much left, so let's take it as good news."
"Until when is this supposed to go on?"
For a moment, Reina radiated a chill.
"Shall I recommend to the Organization that we get rid of the chairman first? I don't know what he wrote in his will, but if we stir things up, it's not impossible."
Tae Seok-ho knew exactly what she meant.
So he gulped and stared straight at Reina.
"Are you provoking me because you think I wouldn't go that far?"
"No. Frankly, simpler is better for us. It's just that—since we have to consider your public image as executive vice president—we're being a bit cautious."
Her words were more sincere than ever.
Tae Seok-ho watched her for a moment, then snorted.
"Clearly, I'd be the one losing more, so let's stop here. But if you keep this up, things really will get difficult for you."