Chapter 133 : I Told You to Relax Your Expression
I Told You to Relax Your Expression
About 500 meters west of Velbyte Technology, on the mid-slope of a mountain.
There, Li Weicheng, a WID-level 2 agent, was inspecting the weapons with his subordinates.
Click—click—
"This is KIRIN. Beta transmission."
Li Weicheng's request through the radio was answered.
Crackle—
[This is BETA ONE.]
"Report the situation."
"We finished setting the traps three minutes ago. Also, Kang In-hyuk and Tae Ju-ha just arrived. They're checking the surroundings."
It was the voice of Ruben, who had previously tried to kill Tae Ju-ha along with Li Weicheng.
He had now infiltrated within Velbyte Technology.
"Anything unusual so far?"
[The infiltration team has finished deployment, and there's nothing unusual yet.]
"Then be careful so that no bugs get caught in the trap."
[Roger.]
With this answer, Li Weicheng looked through a military telescope set up to the side.
He could see people moving inside the grounds of Velbyte Technology beyond the round lens. However, most of the view was blocked by a two-story building, so he could barely see.
He spotted Kang In-hyuk and Tae Ju-ha passing by.
"It would have been better if things had been like this."
He recalled Tae Ju-ha, whom he couldn't deal with in Russia. And given this field of view and location, the 500-meter distance was still within his sniping range.
Of course, he would have to precisely determine the spot where Tae Ju-ha would stop for a moment...
Besides, the assassination order against Tae Ju-ha had been withdrawn, so there was no reason to target her.
"... Huh?"
Suddenly startled, he took his eye off the lens and looked around. He felt a sharp gaze coming from somewhere.
The others, who had been checking their weapons, looked around in alarm.
"What's that? I swear someone was staring at us."
He murmured and scanned around.
But all he could see was a mountain made of red rocks and patches of greenery.
"Pick four people and split into two patrol teams. If you encounter any witnesses, handle it as cleanly as possible."
As if they had already assigned roles, four agents, equipped only with pistols, went out on patrol.
Oliver, a grade 4 agent and Ruben's subordinate, slowly approached him.
"Is there a problem?"
"I feel like there's someone nearby. Or maybe I'm just being sensitive."
Li Weicheng kept silent, waiting for the patrolling agents to return.
. . .
At the same time,
In-hyuk turned his head, sensing a strangely familiar gaze from behind, before facing forward again.
"... Is it those guys?"
"Excuse me?"
Tae Ju-ha, who was beside him, asked after hearing his muttering.
"No, it's fine. Let's keep looking around."
The source of the gaze wasn't nearby.
At least 300 meters away, in the direction of the red rock mountain at the northeastern part of the grounds.
'As expected, those guys didn't miss the opportunity and showed up.'
Just then, a message arrived from Mi-ah.
【Red Witch: There are six people different from the initial list. Two of them are identified, and I found the other four in the Sedona Airport arrivals record. But their identities are different from the updated staff list.】
Photos and materials were attached.
In-hyuk glanced over four pictures, having separated briefly from Tae Ju-ha. Among the staff he'd checked around earlier, some faces came to mind.
"If they've already infiltrated... it must be about the bombs, right?"
Their movement was more serious than he had expected.
In-hyuk, a little surprised inside, sent a message somewhere.
"I think we're ready, so let's head back now."
"Did you check everything you needed?"
They had looked around Velbyte Technology's office as well.
Tae Ju-ha wore a satisfied expression, having talked business with Mark Campbell.
"I think that's enough."
"Then, are we going back to the hotel?"
"I think we should. If we rest, we can come again tomorrow."
Together, In-hyuk and Tae Ju-ha moved by car. The hotel was about five minutes away.
Before long, they arrived at the hotel lobby, which consisted of private villas.
"Ju-ha!"
A voice called Tae Ju-ha from one side of the lobby.
It was Tae Su-jin, executive vice president of Taeshin Department Store and the eldest granddaughter of chairman Tae Gun-seung.
Next to her was her husband, Ha Do-kyung.
"Unni! You came early?"
"I came as soon as work was done. How have you been?"
The two seemed delighted and greeted each other by holding hands.
Standing quietly, In-hyuk briefly nodded to Ha Do-kyung, who was standing beside Tae Su-jin.
"How have you been, brother-in-law? Well, judging by how your business succeeded and we're all here, you must have been fine, right?"
Tae Su-jin greeted In-hyuk as well.
But since they weren't close enough to speak informally, he responded formally.
"Yes. I've been fine."
"That's good. If it's still before lunch, how about joining us? I know a nice restaurant nearby."
With the question, In-hyuk met Tae Ju-ha's gaze.
"If you're okay with it, let's go together."
"You're fine with it?"
"Sure."
The four of them, along with their security guards, went to the restaurant.
After finding seats and ordering food, Tae Su-jin struck up another conversation.
"I sent a floral arrangement when you became MP division director. Are you taking care of it well?"
When he set up the new office on the sixth floor, he had seen various floral wreaths sent from here and there.
Honestly, In-hyuk hadn't cared, so he hadn't bothered to check who sent what.
"Floral arrangement...?"
"You didn't know?"
"The staff are probably taking care of it."
He recalled sometimes seeing some staff watering the flowers.
With that explanation, Tae Su-jin smiled.
"You're more indifferent than I thought. People say that about you a lot, don't they?"
"I suppose I do hear it more often than not."
Tae Su-jin was Tae Seok-hyun's eldest daughter. However, for some reason, she had a different atmosphere from her ambitious parents and younger brother, Tae Yeo-jun.
Just the fact that she could have a casual chat with Tae Ju-ha proved this.
"I've heard you're doing really well lately. I heard you gave my father a real blow at the last meeting, too?"
She was referring to when her father, the CEO of Taeshin Electronics, Tae Seok-hyun, had been dismissed.
"There were some uncomfortable issues."
"If you're worried about me, don't be. Honestly, I always thought something like that would happen someday."
She responded more calmly than expected.
It also showed what she felt toward her father, Tae Seok-hyun.
"You must have been disappointed in him for a while."
"Honestly, how could I not be? Even when we were young, the way he treated Ju-ha... On the surface, he pretended to be on good terms with uncle but was always busy fighting for management rights."
In-hyuk found himself nodding subconsciously, admiring her objectivity.
Thus, the three of them chatted quietly while eating their food.
* * *
Late afternoon.
Taeshin Trading's Tae Seok-ho arrived at Sedona Airport, bringing his father Tae Gun-seung, and other family members, Choi Tae-eun and Tae Seung-hyun.
Of course, his secretary Reina Blackwood and Taeshin Security's guards were with him.
"What are the others up to?"
Tae Gun-seung's secretary, Song Tae-ho, answered right away.
"CEO Moon and division director Kang In-hyuk arrived in the morning, toured the opening site, then had lunch with Ms. Tae Su-jin's family, and are now at the hotel."
This was confirmed by the security guards assigned to each person.
"And Seok-hyun's family? Do we know when they'll arrive?"
"They are expected to arrive on an evening flight."
"Tsk—!"
Tae Gun-seung, clearly displeased, got into the vehicle with the others.
As they walked a little apart from the group, Tae Seok-ho asked Reina in a cautious voice.
"There won't be any problems with the preparation, right?"
"I've set a plan across several stages, so it will be handled securely. It might be a bit noisy, but you'll be safe, executive vice president."
Before he knew it, Tae Seok-ho sighed as he got into the back seat.
His wife, Choi Tae-eun, and son, Tae Seung-hyun, got into another car.
So inside this car, there was only Reina and guards related to her.
"Is it just one person we're dealing with?"
"If possible, I plan to make things bigger. That way, your objective will be more certain."
She was referring to other members of the Taeshin family, including Tae Seok-hyun.
After all, they, too, were heirs who could one day inherit Tae Gun-seung's fortune and become obstacles later.
"How far are you talking about?"
"How far do you want it to go, executive vice president?"
The question returned as a question.
Tae Seok-ho couldn't answer. He wondered what Reina was really thinking.
"I won't get involved in that. You handle it."
"Still, you're leaving the choice to me just because they're blood relatives?"
"Think what you want."
Shortly after, the line of vehicles entered the reserved hotel.
Upon entering, the people who had arrived earlier were waiting in the lobby of the private villa.
In the lead, Tae Gun-seung spotted In-hyuk and approached him.
"Kang, you're working hard."
Maybe he was tired after more than 20 hours of flying; his hand gripping the cane trembled slightly.
"Thank you for coming all the way here."
"Don't mention it! This is a very favorable event for Taeshin, of course I had to attend. Executive vice president Tae Seok-ho, don't you think?"
Using the title meant this was an official occasion.
Of course, Tae Seok-ho understood this and replied, a little subdued.
"Yes, chairman. You're right."
"It must be before dinner for everyone. Let's sit and eat together. Where are we supposed to eat?"
"We've prepared the hotel restaurant."
As secretary Song Tae-ho responded, the group moved. They entered a separate room set up by the hotel and sat around a long table.
Before long, steak and various other dishes arrived.
Everyone quietly began eating, following Tae Gun-seung's lead.
Of course, their secretaries sat at another table. However, the atmosphere was very poor at the table where Baek Si-hwan was sitting with Reina Blackwood.
Noticing this, Reina spoke first.
"Why don't you relax your expression? People will start staring."
Her voice was so low that the people around them couldn't hear.
But Baek Si-hwan heard it more clearly than anything else.
"This is how I always look. What's going on with the plan?"
At his question, Reina's smile deepened.
"What? You haven't heard from the chairman yet?"
"He said you'd tell me."
"Seems like the chairman lost some of his nerve after being disciplined for calling everyone together last time."
Baek Si-hwan hadn't heard about this, so his mind became crowded, his brow creasing.
"... Calling everyone together? Discipline? What are you talking about?"
"I told you to relax your expression. Besides, you have nothing to do in this plan anyway, so just keep quiet. Don't step up for no reason and ruin things."
She spoke with a very firm voice.
Baek Si-hwan wanted to stab a steak knife into her face but held back.
Bzzz— bzzz—
At that moment, Reina's phone vibrated on the table with a message.
She flashed a twisted smile at Baek Si-hwan, but her face hardened as she checked the content.