Chapter 127

<The Season That Couldn’t Be Sent (2)>

Moon Seok-il held a white envelope in his hand.

Judging by the silhouette under the fluorescent light, it was definitely a cassette tape.

It wasn’t hard to guess what it was.

‘Someone planted in Daejeong must’ve found something.’

It must’ve been when Moon Seok-il visited after returning from Seoul. I heard he even investigated and recruited the client.

Since the general picture was clear, I thought it’d be better to hear the details later. The content was pretty obvious anyway.

In that case, I should check the other matter first.

Jin Hyuk got straight to the point.

“Did Mr. Hong Ki-jun ask for something?”

Hmph-.

Moon Seok-il let out a hollow laugh.

Not only did that grim reaper-like figure show up, but this kid acts like he’s sitting inside people’s heads. That’s why you can’t talk nonsense in front of Jin Hyuk.

“Yeah. He gave me instructions, but you’re the only one I can ask for advice.”

I experienced it during our first meeting and have acknowledged it since, but this kid is something special. Actually, I was going to ask Yang Gang-wook but ended up coming to Jin Hyuk. No matter how clever he is, it’s not something I could’ve asked Yang Gang-wook, who’s walking the straight path.

Jin Hyuk waited for Moon Seok-il to explain further.

This uncle is good at organizing his thoughts, but it takes time to get there. It’s frustrating, but you can’t just poop with your pants on. Respecting Moon Seok-il’s routine, I waited.

Moon Seok-il, who had been frowning and tapping his temple with his index finger, finally spoke.

“It seems they’re planning to significantly increase the number of S members. They’re all young now, but if recruitment slows down, there could be gaps later. Plus, there’s quite a bit of demand from wealthy individuals and politicians.”

Jin Hyuk silently nodded.

It seemed like he could see what Hong Ki-jun had been up to during the time they hadn’t met. He must’ve started building relationships with political and business figures. More about recruiting them than influencing their actions.

But he couldn’t just meet anyone indiscriminately. He must’ve targeted those with connections to Daejeong and disguised skilled intelligence agents as SSS recruits to start the operation.

‘Mr. Hong Ki-jun probably doesn’t have good feelings toward Daejeong either.’

He almost took that drug-addicted guy as a son-in-law.

His desire to screw them over isn’t much different from Jin Hyuk’s.

Anyway.

“You’re not asking for my approval, so what kind of advice do you need?”

“A way to proceed secretly. The reason he spoke to me directly, bypassing Manager Min, is that S has many secrets.”

“Isn’t it already known as a security company?”

“The VIP service is confidential. The client pool itself is narrow.”

Ah, I see.

It’s a different concept from the commercial security service that recruits and trains martial artists, so it’s understandable.

Moon Seok-il picked up a candy from the desk and twitched his eyebrow. It was a large candy coated with sugar, Jin Hyuk’s favorite sweet.

Jin Hyuk held out his hand, palm up. You could just eat it, why keep asking for permission?

Tsk tsk-.

Rolling the candy in his mouth, Moon Seok-il continued.

“He said he entrusted the S members to you. So, he said you’d take responsibility and give your opinion if I asked you about difficult matters.”

“Ah-.”

He must’ve been paid in dollars for that.

I’ve never seen those dollars, but I’ve been receiving payment records via registered mail every month. It’s a considerable amount.

“If there’s enough funding to secure personnel, the more, the better. They’re practically private soldiers.”

Why wouldn’t Jin Hyuk understand Hong Ki-jun’s feelings?

In a past life, Jin Hyuk saved the president of Sain Machinery twice from being attacked by striking union members. Even though there were bodyguards, they were no match for the union’s iron pipes and fierce resistance. There were restrictions on using force due to various circumstances, but it was also because their skills weren’t up to par.

If Jin Hyuk hadn’t subdued the radical union members, someone’s head would’ve been smashed. It was possible because Jin Hyuk was still young, having just been assigned to Seoul.

Moon Seok-il nodded, chewing on the candy.

“The training location is the problem. They’re planning for about a hundred people, but we can’t bring them here and train them in the bear den.”

“A hundred people…”

Jin Hyuk propped his chin and paced the room.

Although it’s a legitimate business, it’s an organization like private soldiers that avoids exposure. They only need to provide the necessary personnel to VIP clients, so there’s no need to reveal the scale. It seemed like they intended to handle it with utmost secrecy.

‘The pen might be mightier than the sword, but the sword can kill the pen.’

Could it be a sword aimed at Daejeong’s scholars in the worst-case scenario? Of course, by that point, the system would’ve collapsed, and the country would be in ruins. Such a thing wouldn’t happen, but strategy starts with preparing for the worst.

Where would be good?

There’s also the method of creating a large underground cavity.

With the construction method used for the bear den, 100 people wouldn’t be a problem. But to accommodate all of them, the issue of lodging and meals must be solved. A single dome-shaped gym wouldn’t be enough.

Then, a piece of information from the past flashed through Jin Hyuk’s mind.

“You know about the special forces training grounds in national parks, right?”

“Of course. How do you know?”

Moon Seok-il blinked without showing any surprise.

What could you hide from this kid who knows state secrets like they’re headlines in the newspaper?

If Anheung’s missile launch site is an open secret, the special forces training grounds in national parks are closer to top-secret. Many units train in places surprisingly close to people, including ambush training in the mountains unnoticed by officials and tourists, and night infiltration training.

While such training grounds are temporary and not standardized, there are also facilities with lodging and meals. Many of these were abandoned as the mood for inter-Korean reconciliation grew.

Jin Hyuk sat back on the bed.

“There are quite a few uninhabited islands in the coastal national parks.”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

It’s no surprise that there are many islands and uninhabited ones in Korea. With three sides surrounded by sea and over 3,000附属岛屿, more than 90% are uninhabited.

Jin Hyuk let out a middle-schooler-like laugh and nodded.

No further explanation was needed.

“There’s a suitable spot nearby.”

Moon Seok-il, catching Jin Hyuk’s drift, opened his notebook.

He was about to write something but stopped and furrowed his brow. It was the expression team members made when something came to mind but couldn’t be articulated, needing detailed instructions. Jin Hyuk knew it well.

“You can get information from your old colleagues. The locations of closed training grounds. Cross-reference them with uninhabited islands not marked on tourist maps. Leave the negotiations with the agencies to Mr. Hong Ki-jun.”

Moon Seok-il’s pen danced swiftly.

It’s always easier to follow orders than to think for yourself.

Now it was time for the second matter.

Moon Seok-il took out the cassette tape from the envelope.

“It’s from Director Shin.”

Jin Hyuk silently nodded. He had already expected it.

Just as Moon Seok-il was about to press play on the mini component, there was a light knock at the door.

Knock knock-.

It was Yoo Jin.

Moon Seok-il quickly stopped, and Jin Hyuk slowly opened the door. It’s the etiquette of an older brother to open the door for his younger sister.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Hehe-.”

Yoo Jin is looking more like her mom every day.

Just the way she smiles with those sparkling eyes like stars embedded in the sky. She’s shy, twisting her body, probably because Moon Seok-il is here.

‘She must be asking for formula.’

Jin Hyuk took out the formula from the desk drawer, whether Moon Seok-il saw or not.

“Ah- say ah.”

“Ahhh-.”

If Yoo Jin’s head were bigger, she would’ve fallen backward. That’s how serious she is about formula. Carefully, Jin Hyuk scooped a spoonful and fed her. Then he took a spoonful for himself.

Now, she’s moving her mouth to melt it. Mmm-, so savory. There’s no taste like this in the world. It’s better than 100-won vending machine milk.

With white powder around her mouth, Yoo Jin chewed away, while Moon Seok-il watched with a blank expression. Hiding formula and eating it like this, these kids don’t seem lacking in anything. The kids in this house are clearly extraordinary, but they do such random things without warning.

Jin Hyuk, meeting Moon Seok-il’s eyes, asked nonchalantly.

“Want a bite?”

He doesn’t seem embarrassed. Well, it’s not illegal, but it’s not something to be proud of either. Anyway, he’s a peculiar guy.

Speechless, Moon Seok-il just shook his head. He still had candy in his mouth.

“Go play now. I’ll talk with Uncle and come down later.”

“Okay-, hehe-.”

Jin Hyuk brushed the powder off his sister’s lips.

Her eyes were dripping with something sweeter than formula.

The tape didn’t play until Yoo Jin left and Jin Hyuk finished melting and eating the formula.

***

A few days ago, in Seoul.

Whoosh-!

A morning newspaper flew into the spacious, elegantly decorated office.

Shin Sang-yeol quickly knelt and bowed his head.

“I’m sorry!”

The rough breathing of Park Woo-jung, glaring with bloodshot eyes, filled the silence.

Shin Sang-yeol rolled his eyes to glance at the newspaper.

Agricultural enterprises, Sain Group, Hong Ki-jun, and Son Kwang-yeon.

The keywords that would inevitably anger Park Woo-jung quickly formed a picture.

‘We’re screwed.’

His head dropped on its own. Just as he was sinking into despair, a voice laced with irritation made Shin Sang-yeol shrink.

“Hey, you bastard! Are you handling this because you don’t know how Baek Young-rim died?”

Baek Young-rim, Shin Sang-yeol’s predecessor. An employee Park Woo-jung always kept close and cherished. A shadowy secretary who followed him not only in the office but also in the bedroom.

Her work was flawless, and she was tight-lipped. But she knew too much about Park Woo-jung’s temper. Moreover, she had separately collected a vast amount of data. Park Woo-jung exploded upon seeing the evidence she had compiled, chronologically detailing the murder instigation of Park Yoon-young and Son Kwang-yeon.

Shin Sang-yeol still vividly remembers that day. To avoid ending up like Baek Young-rim, he needed an escape route.

“I’ll fix it somehow-.”

“Fix it, my ass! How can you mess with someone who’s teamed up with Hong Ki-jun in Korea!”

Park Woo-jung, nearing sixty, boomed with a loud voice.

The temporary ringing in Shin Sang-yeol’s ears pounded his eardrums.

“Ugh- damn it.”

As far as Park Woo-jung knew, no one had donated more to the presidential campaign fund than him. Sain Group, famous for not lobbying politicians, naturally didn’t donate a single penny. Yet, rumors were rampant that the civilian government was wary of Sain.

Enough to say that Sain was behind pushing for the real-name financial system. It’s proof of how clean Sain is.

Yoo Myung-sun must’ve gone senile. He appointed a guy with no roots as his successor, and now they’re teaming up with other rootless guys. Sain Group is a thorn in his side no matter how you look at it.

Park Woo-jung quickly took out his blood pressure medication and swallowed it.

“I’ll thoroughly investigate how and when this happened.”

Bang-!

A heavy, thick glass ashtray flew over Shin Sang-yeol’s head.

It must’ve hit the potted plant behind him, but Shin Sang-yeol didn’t dare check and just trembled on the floor.

“The strategy team will handle the investigation, so you go catch that bastard!”

“That bastard, you mean-.”

“You bastard-!”

As Park Woo-jung picked up the second ashtray, Shin Sang-yeol covered his head.

Fortunately, it didn’t fly, but he almost fainted.

Baek Young-rim died right here when her head was smashed by an ashtray.

“I’ll catch him!”

“No, forget it. I don’t want to see his face, so just let him die young. How dare he freeload off my money?”

Ah, he must mean Moon Seok-il.

Shin Sang-yeol bowed his head until his forehead touched the ground.

Park Woo-jung, roughly loosening his tie, gritted his teeth.

“I don’t even want to see your face, so get out, you idiot!”

The expulsion was almost a relief.

Shin Sang-yeol quickly raised his head, and the scenery outside the window blurred.

The rainwater flowing down the window looked like blood.