Chapter 122
Chapter 122. Poison Demon and the Chocolate Factory (1)
[A Few Months Ago]
I went to my parents' house.
Mother was making Bungeoppang mix and red bean paste, and it seemed she was a little short on hands, so she'd asked me to come.
"I should have helped you more often. I'm sorry."
"What are you talking about. Mom caught a cold and couldn't work for a few days, that's all."
"You're fully recovered now, right?"
"Of course. You think I'd spread a cold virus to the customers?"
"……"
"Oh! Look at those eyes! No. I'm really all better."
When I narrowed my eyes at her, Mother said something to me.
We finished the work, and I went to the living room.
Bo-reum was watching a movie.
Oompa loompa—.
Small actors wearing brightly colored overalls with pointed hair sticking up at the back were dancing and singing.
"Kim Bo-reum! Mom and your brother are working, and you have no intention of helping."
"Oh, brother, you're here?"
"I've been here for a while!"
"Yeah, don't care."
"I'm confiscating the card again."
"Brother, your shoulders are stiff. I'll loosen them up."
Bo-reum jumped up and kneaded my shoulders.
‘This little one is playing me.’
"What's that? You're watching some strange movie."
Kim Bo-reum looked at me as if I'd said something utterly ignorant.
"You don't know this masterpiece? It's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."
"Chocolate?"
An interesting word had come up.
I sat down next to Bo-reum.
Oompa— loompa—.
The movie was hard for me to follow, but it was worth watching in its own way, with all sorts of visually sweet things filling the screen.
In particular,
I was drawn to the small actors.
Subordinates who helped the protagonist ‘Wonka’, automatically churned out sweet things one after another.
"I'd love to have subordinates like that."
"They're not subordinates. More like a mutually beneficial partnership."
"I need subordinates."
"Then just hire some people."
I shook my head.
"The red bean paste and the mix are classified. What if the secret recipe gets leaked?"
"You could just have them sign a non-disclosure agreement or something."
I wagged my index finger.
"In this day and age, what good does something like that do?"
"Oh, give me a break."
The movie ended.
"Hmm. That was good."
"You actually enjoyed it. Since when do you sit through a whole movie."
"The protagonist's name is cool. Wonka."
"It's Willy Wonka!"
"The king of chocolate, I suppose."
"I said Willy Wonka!"
Leaving Bo-reum, who was getting worked up over something trivial, I stood and stretched out long.
"Hmm."
Between the Bungeoppang business I already had going, and the chocolate business I was about to start—
I needed a lot of hands.
Someone who would absolutely never leak a secret, and do hard labor for me without complaint.
A subordinate like that.
……For free.
***
[France Black Market]
Click— click!
"Chief Han! Was this operation a collaboration between Korea and France?"
"Ah…… Yes."
Camera flashes and journalist interviews directed at Chief Han continued without pause.
"It seems like close cooperation was involved—was the diplomatic dispute between the two countries all a cover to conceal this operation?"
"Ha ha. I don't really know much about politics."
"But weren't only 2 Koreans found? Isn't it a little strange that Chief Han personally got involved for just 2 people?"
"……"
When Chief Han struggled to respond, Pyeon Jae-yeong immediately cut in.
He declared in a firm voice.
"Whether it's 2 people or 1—the Republic of Korea does not abandon its citizens. That the Republic of Korea, and I, Pyeon Jae-yeong, protect our citizens no matter where they are—isn't that something worthy of praise right now?"
It was a statement that flowed like water.
Seemingly satisfied with her own words, Pyeon Jae-yeong turned to Chief Han and winked.
Chief Han couldn't help but smirk.
From the beginning, Pyeon Jae-yeong had not been on good terms with her, or with her father, Minister Han Seung-pyo.
Before the Golden Tower appeared, Pyeon Jae-yeong had relentlessly pressed her father at parliamentary audits.
She herself had been summoned and made to endure humiliation too.
But after the Golden Tower manifested, Pyeon Jae-yeong had suddenly started acting friendly.
So overly warm and familiar it gave her goosebumps.
And not long ago.
Pyeon Jae-yeong had come at the two of them again, like someone ready to devour them.
Having become Minister of Justice, he had personally directed arrests and detentions.
Yet now…….
Pyeon Jae-yeong was approaching again, as if he'd give away his liver and lungs if asked.
‘Do you really think I'd trust you after all that?’
It was laughable.
Come to think of it…….
Every time Pyeon Jae-yeong acted warm and familiar, it was always connected to Ghost, the Nameless Hero.
Whether it was the Golden Tower or this Korean rescue operation now.
‘Every time he puts his hand to something, Pyeon Jae-yeong starts acting friendly.’
Like magic.
Yes.
Perhaps the interview right now was not solely for her own comeback.
‘The Nameless Hero must also be trying to indirectly signal his return.’
It felt wrong to claim this glory alone.
Chief Han smiled softly.
"Chief Han! Chief Han!"
"Ah, in place of the tired Chief Han, I, Pyeon Jae-yeong, will give the interview—"
"Hey, you there, come out here!"
"There? You said 'there'?! I'm Pyeon Jae-yeong, Minister of Justice of the Republic of Korea!"
Chief Han wanted to escape the relentless interview requests.
But cameras that had broken through the police cordon were pressing right up to the tip of her chin, burning with enthusiasm.
The journalists' questions kept coming.
"Chief Han, it seems your role in this operation was immense. Was there anyone else who helped?"
"There were 2 people."
"Who were they?"
"One of them is me, Pyeon Jae-yeong—"
"Not that."
Chief Han pushed Pyeon Jae-yeong, who had cut in again, to the side.
She stretched out her hand.
"First, over there—my brave junior colleague."
Chief Han pointed to Im Ye-rin, who was attending to the freed women.
As the cameras turned to Im Ye-rin, she was startled, then smiled bashfully and gave a shy little wave with one hand.
A great wave of applause followed.
"And the other person?"
"That would be……. Hmm?"
"What's wrong?"
Chief Han tilted her head, gazing at Killian's estate some distance away.
The estate was already ablaze, yet not a single fire truck had come.
More than that, despite all the gunfire that had taken place, not one of Killian's men was left alive.
Every one of them was a corpse, packed into body bags.
On top of that,
……Pfft!
From somewhere far and out of sight came the sound of a suppressed gunshot.
Having gone through special forces and the National Intelligence Service.
With ears as sharp as a master's, she could distinguish the sound of a suppressed gunshot.
‘Why did they suddenly switch to suppressors?’
The situation had already been wrapped up.
Sharpening her gaze, French riot unit soldiers slipped out quietly from the direction where the suppressed shots had been heard.
Their movements were strange too.
A brisk, urgent stride—as if hurrying to flee.
Not just that, earlier she had noticed members of the riot unit entering Killian's burning estate carrying bags.
Yet those same soldiers coming out now had no bags to be seen.
‘They left the bags inside the estate!’
Up until just moments ago, this had been an active shooting scene—and access had suddenly been permitted for these reporters.
The swarming cameras were all aimed only at her, and the riot unit had clearly used that opening to carry out some kind of work.
"Chief Han! What's wrong? Why did you suddenly stop speaking?!"
Reporters thrust cameras and microphones at her.
Chief Han felt her pores prickle with an ominous premonition.
"Don't tell me—!"
At that moment!
Kwa-ang—!
A blinding flash tore through the darkness.
The roar that followed sounded not like thunder, but like the building of Killian's estate itself letting out a scream.
Concrete cracked and shards of glass scattered like a storm, slashing through the sky—
it was as though the earth itself shook and collapsed.
"……!"
The reporters, driven by instinct, crouched and flinched, and—Wa-reureur—!
The building crumpled without even the chance to resist, caving in helplessly.
Dust and flames rose in a swirling blend all around.
"No, no……!"
Chief Han trembled and slowly began walking toward the building.
"It's dangerous!"
Suddenly acting as though her mind had snapped, reporters grabbed hold of Chief Han.
"No! No! Noooo—!"
Chief Han began to cry out in a great wail.
The reporters grabbed her body, but they could not stop her feet. They were dragged along with her.
"Chief Han! What's come over you? And what on earth was that explosion?!"
"O-over there……!"
She raised a trembling hand and pointed at the building that had become rubble.
"He's over there…… He's there……"
"Who are you talking about?!"
The cameras turned back to her.
Chief Han screamed so loudly the world could hear.
"The Nameless Hero is in that building!!"
***
"Drink this."
The 68-million-won happiness—
I took a bottle of water from the Energy Fridge and handed it to Omar.
"Ah…… Yes."
Omar took the water from me with a blank expression.
"You're not drinking?"
"Ah…… Yes."
Only after I spoke did he start drinking.
Gulping it down like his throat was parched, Omar finished the entire bottle of water.
"Boss. Where exactly…… Are we?"
"What do you want to eat?"
"No……. I'm fine."
"There's good stuff in the fridge. Help yourself."
Omar slowly looked around at the Energy Fridge running on the Artificial Dantian as a battery, and the vast, strange cube.
My poison herb field.
The massive explosion at Killian's estate—
it had been too late to dodge, so I had brought Omar into the poison herb field.
"B-boss."
"Just think of it as something that exists. Don't ask any more than that."
There was no reason to explain to Omar.
He understood my intent and didn't ask further.
"Thank you."
"For what."
"For saving my life."
……Right.
The poison herb field was a place I had intended to keep secret to the very end.
In truth, Omar is not its first visitor.
I had already brought Chief Han and the Japanese hostesses here once before.
But I had blindfolded them so they saw nothing, and had them lose consciousness entirely upon entering and exiting the poison herb field.
So.
"Omar. You are officially its first visitor."
"Ha……. Thank you."
"Consider it an honor, you."
I sat down in the chair I'd placed inside the poison herb field.
There was only 1 chair.
Omar remained slumped on the ground, pinching his cheek.
Whether this was a dream or reality, he looked confused.
"Boss……. What happens to me now?"
His voice was trembling.
Sharp boy.
Having come to know one of my greatest secrets—it was a burden for him too.
In my experience, the tongue moves not from the mouth but from the heart.
There were ways to hold the heart, but something better was to kill and eliminate the possibility entirely.
Omar knew my coldness and cruelty.
So of course he'd be confused.
That I was confused was no different.
I folded my arms and thought carefully.
Why.
Why had I, in that moment, saved Omar while risking the exposure of my secret?
Why had I brought him here without blindfolding him, unlike with Chief Han?
……It was a choice I would never have made in my past life.
I knew Omar was loyal, quick-witted, and sharp—but that wasn't all of it.
-I've……. Used all my bullets.
That blazing look in his eyes I had seen then.
And those words.
-I'll save my little sister myself!
"Omar."
"Yes, boss."
"I have a little sister too."
"……Ah."
His dazed expression.
I burst out laughing.
Ugh! I've decided.
"Go ahead and look around. But don't touch anything."
"Yes."
"And don't just breathe in any scent either. One wrong move and you die. I'm not joking."
At my serious gaze, he gave a nod.
Omar stood and began walking slowly.
"Well then—let's find out who did it."
Who were the ones that blew up the building?
The first person who came to mind was Pyeon Jae-yeong.
‘It won't be him.’
But I quickly dismissed the suspicion.
‘Pyeon Jae-yeong isn't that kind of person. He's someone with a small liver.’
He was a coward who only bullied those weaker than himself.
There was no way he'd pull off something this dangerous while the reporters I had summoned were here in France, cameras in hand.
Besides, Pyeon Jae-yeong had no clear reason to kill and be rid of me.
-It tastes like honey!
Pyeon Jae-yeong needed me.
Of course I sensed that he didn't fully trust me—but even so, in the current situation, he lacked the motive to try to eliminate me.
In that case.
‘People who would blow up a building and destroy it even with cameras present. People with enough power to bear the consequences of doing exactly that.’
And.
-And the information I know is incredible! With that alone, even the French president could be toppled!
‘People for whom Killian's information posed a threat.’
People with a reason they absolutely had to bury it.
The answer was one.
"……High-ranking figures in the French government."
I clicked my tongue in exasperation.
‘Truly remarkable people. France really is…… a country with romance.’
Click—.
Just then, Omar, who had looked into the fridge, said to me,
"Boss, there's nothing in the fridge but Bungeoppang?"
That's why.
I said there was good stuff in it.
He closed the fridge again and asked me.
"By the way—what do we do with them?"
The place Omar pointed to.
"Hiiiiik!"
"P-please spare us!"
Having followed us through the secret passage and into the poison herb field—
10 of Killian's men were there.