The white van was slowly maneuvering its way out of the expansive department store parking lot, carefully navigating through the rows of parked vehicles and avoiding any potential obstructions as it turned onto the main thoroughfare.
Yuri, gripping the hilt of a long, gleaming sword, paused for a moment, taking a deep breath to steady herself, attempting to quell the frantic beating of her heart that echoed loudly in her chest,
A rhythm of anxiety and anticipation that threatened to overwhelm her senses.
A lifeless body.
Yet another body.
Her younger brother had, once again, created another body.
“Ah, no. Did you really have to kill that person just now? Huh?”
“If I didn’t kill them, what else was I supposed to do? They were from Team 2.”
“You didn’t even know that before you shot. What if they weren’t? What if they were just civilians?”
“I didn’t think that far ahead.”
“Hey! You shot without thinking!?”
“From the way they were dressed and the way they were loitering around the truck, I thought they were the ones chasing us, so I shot. If I’d tried talking to them to confirm and they turned out to be the ones hunting us, it would have been a direct confrontation. I’m not confident in a one-on-many fight. My life and your sister’s are the most important to me. I’m not gambling with that. I don’t regret shooting first.”
“….”
Yuri found herself utterly speechless, grappling with an overwhelming sense of confusion and disbelief.
Although it was undeniably logical, considering the circumstances and the fact that it had ultimately preserved their lives, there was an inherent absurdity in the reality of the situation they were forced to endure.
A wave of melancholy washed over her as she contemplated the profound changes her brother had undergone over time, which left her feeling both saddened and reflective.
While the outcome remained uncertain, he took the decisive action of pulling the trigger.
He shot because it represented the option that offered a greater likelihood of survival for them in that dire moment.
It was simple and clear, but accepting it was another matter.
“I can’t do that…”
“I’m not forcing you. Once we leave Korea, I’ll change my identity and live peacefully. I won’t have to kill anyone else.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Looking at his sister, who was on the verge of tears, Cheol-woo responded with an understanding expression.
Even though he found that shooting was an activity that he seemed to excel at, it was not something that brought him joy or fulfillment.
After they managed to leave Korea behind and successfully evade the relentless pursuit from the Geummyung Group, he envisioned a future where he could finally set aside his weapon and embrace a life of tranquility.
Unless an extraordinary cataclysm occurred—such as the sky collapsing down upon him or the ground beneath him splitting apart—he was confident that his carefully crafted plan would remain intact and unaltered.
“What’s with the sword?”
“I couldn’t resist when I saw a sword shop on the first floor…”
Yuri casually drew the blade from its sheath, effortlessly revealing the exquisite Damascus pattern that adorned the metal,
Characterized by its distinct and intricate wavy design that seemed to dance in the light.
Cheol-woo, who had little experience or familiarity with swords, found himself unable to fully grasp the blade’s practical functionality, yet he could not deny that it was possessively beautiful, captivating in its craftsmanship and artistry.
Although he struggled to comprehend what Yuri meant by the phrase “couldn’t resist,”
It was clear that for anyone with an appreciation for swords, the allure of such a striking design would be nearly irresistible.
Before them lay an impressive array of four swords: two elegant longswords that boasted impressive lengths and curves, and two shorter swords that measured approximately half the length of their longer counterparts, which sparked Cheol-woo’s curiosity.
He began to wonder if these shorter blades fit the category of what they referred to as a wakizashi in traditional Japanese swordsmanship, a term he had vaguely encountered before.
For Cheol-woo, however, the practicality of pocket knives or multi-purpose knives seemed to eclipse the aesthetic appeal of these decorative swords,
As he considered their functionality in everyday life to be far more useful than these ornate weapons.
But since they’d taken over a vault with over 100 million won in cash, he figured he could afford the expenditure as a way to manage stress.
“It looks like we’re being followed.”
“What? Again?”
As they were about to enter the West Beltway, Cheol-woo checked the side mirror and frowned.
There couldn’t be any more places where a tracking device could be attached, and didn’t they EMP all their equipment?
So why were they still being followed? Then he remembered the guys loitering around the truck earlier and realized, Ah—
The license plate had been exposed.
After shaking this off, they’d probably have to change cars.
“Where should we lose them… Hey?!”
Before Yuri could finish her sentence, Cheol-woo pulled out a pistol and fired a series of shots through the window.
The sedan’s passenger side window shattered immediately, exploding into countless tiny shards that scattered in all directions with a crisp, shattering noise.
As soon as the window broke, Cheol-woo, demonstrating a sense of urgency and determination, pulled the pin from a grenade with a swift motion and hurled it inside the vehicle with precise aim.
The sedan screeched to a halt with a loud crash, the tires shrieking against the pavement as it came to an abrupt stop, causing a massive explosion that erupted within the confines of the car.
The shockwave sent several cars behind them into a chain collision, resulting in a chaotic scene of twisting metal and blaring horns, as drivers panicked and attempted to regain control.
In the blink of an eye, everything had unfolded, and Yuri’s eyes widened in disbelief as she absorbed the sudden turn of events around her.
While Yuri was stunned and momentarily frozen in shock, Cheol-woo quickly halted the car, expertly seized a rifle from behind the driver’s seat, and donned a tactical vest that was packed with magazines, preparing himself for whatever might come next.
“Put on your bulletproof vest. Wear the helmet too.”
“Hey, hey! What the hell is going on in the middle of the road?!”
“They’ll be here. They’ll follow us.”
“……”
Yuri, who had been flustered and rambling, fell silent.
The answer was already clear.
Yuri murmured as she grabbed her brother’s sleeve.
“Follow him…”
“Goddamn it. Crazy bastard. Crazy bastard…”
Amid the sound of gunfire, Director Park was almost dragged out of the car by his staff, who helped him exit the vehicle.
He couldn’t believe his eyes.
In a place crowded with passing cars and people watching, was he really just shooting a gun and throwing grenades?
This guy was completely out of his mind.
Did he think we’d cover for him, and that’s why he was acting so recklessly?
If possible, Director Park wanted to tear the bastard’s head off and figure out what the hell he was thinking.
“Shoot! Keep shooting! Don’t give him a chance to peek out! That guy is the best shooter from Team 1!”
Team 2’s staff opened fire non-stop with their submachine guns.
The windows of Min Cheol-woo’s hidden car shattered, and the tires burst, making the car sag.
As the bullets pelted the doors and the bonnet, Min Cheol-woo’s head remained hidden.
“Call for backup! Surround him from the opposite side and capture him!”
“Yes! Should we capture him alive?”
“Capture him alive if possible! Otherwise, assume he’s dead!”
“Yes!”
Director Park had missed the guy.
If they had gone in with the intention of capturing him alive from the start, they would have been wiped out.
The plan was to go in with the intention of killing him, and if they got lucky and captured him alive, great; if not, it was no big deal.
Of course, Director Park had no intention of handing him over to Team 1 even if they did capture him alive.
Bang!
“Ugh?!”
One of the staff let out a short scream as his leg gave way, and he collapsed.
As he hit the ground, more shots rang out—bang! Bang!—one hitting his chest, the other his forehead, instantly killing him.
They hadn’t seen him peek out.
The staff’s faces turned pale.
“Under the car! Shoot through the gap! Hide behind the wheel!”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Additional bullets flew, striking with precision and force, taking out the ankles of the staff members who were desperately trying to maintain their composure and position.
Director Park found himself on the verge of being physically pulled behind the car’s wheel well by his frantic staff, who were doing everything they could to protect him.
In a state of chaos, the staff scrambled to reposition themselves, but their efforts to provide covering fire were momentarily halted, leaving them vulnerable in the open.
Was it truly safe for them to remain in this precarious situation?
No, it wasn’t.
In that brief moment, Min Cheol-woo had peeked out and was already firing back.
“Return fire! Return fire!”
“Aaargh!”
Staff members fell one after another.
A staff member who tried to get up and make the guy duck down was shot in the head and fell.
A terrified staff member, hiding, was shot through the car door by rifle rounds and died instantly.
What the hell was going on?
Normally, when you hear bullets whizzing by, you’d be scared, right?
But Min Cheol-woo didn’t flinch even when the bullets were fired at him—he only responded when he was in danger, firing back to silence the enemy.
It wasn’t like he had lost his sense of fear, though; when he aimed to shoot, he lowered his body and responded precisely.
In other words, he didn’t react to bullets that missed, only to those that came dangerously close.
Was that even possible? It seemed impossible, but seeing the way he acted, it was clear that from now on, it was.