Chapter 168

< The Last Festival (6) >

*

A schemer can’t rest.

Resting is out of the question. Making sure things go according to plan is the priority.

After returning from the restroom, Hong Ki-jun moistened his throat with lukewarm water and picked up the phone.

“Ah, Vice Minister Jeong? This is Hong Ki-jun. Let’s release the Seonggu Bridge article the day after tomorrow and start the construction. Yes. Alright.”

He had secured promises—or rather, vows—to make the news as sensational as possible.

They called themselves the ‘New Boss Faction.’

The same group that Moon Seok-il and Jang Jin-nam had turned into mincemeat at a rural nightclub after passing through a teahouse.

‘These guys dare to barge into my friend’s company?’

A week ago, there was a report that some members from Seoul had gone to an industrial complex to stage a show of force but ended up getting beaten up by Yang Gang-wook and Myeong Hyeon-woo. They probably pieced together the puzzle of General and Taeyang Army to find their way there, but they couldn’t have imagined that a monster like Yang Gang-wook would be waiting.

He thought of dismissing it as a minor clash.

If they knew Sein Group was behind it, they’d back off on their own. No matter how much of a gang they were, they were nothing but a speck of dust in front of a giant conglomerate.

– So scared, I can’t even pee, man!

But when a friend called during lunch, whining, Hong Ki-jun couldn’t just stay silent. There were two things scarier than gangsters to the vice chairman of Sein Group: his wife, Yoo Se-ra, and… the other one.

– It’s your employee’s mess, so take responsibility, man!

That whiny friend of mine.

Everyone’s working for their own families, yet he treats them like they’re from another company and tries to pass the buck.

Heh heh-, the cute sophistry made him laugh.

‘Damn it…’

Hong Ki-jun’s lips curled into a pleased smile as he looked out the window at the bustling street.

Two days.

In two days, the New Boss Faction will disappear without a trace.

***

[Taaang-!]

True to its reputation.

It’s not just about hearing the starting gun; it’s like being connected to the device that fires it.

Wooaaah-!

Anyone who’s seen Jin-hyeok’s start would think the same.

Huff huff-!

The hot, dry air made breathing a bit uncomfortable, but it wasn’t tiring at all.

Not that he was holding back.

Saving energy in a big national competition would just be arrogance.

It felt like he could pour out more, but it just wouldn’t come. Not that his current ability was lacking compared to other athletes, but it was frustrating, like something was just out of reach.

Almost there, almost there.

Clearly, there was more, but it was like a booger cleverly dodging his finger.

‘Ah, damn it.’

Should I try like Sang-ki?

“Su, Su-jeong-.”

Ah, I can’t do it.

Jin-hyeok clenched his mouth and pushed his chest forward to break the finish line tape.

[Taang-.]

Doo-ba-ba-ba-bak-.

The sound of the gun announcing the winner’s birth was followed by the arrival of runners from other lanes.

The gap was significant, but in terms of time, it was less than a second difference—truly impressive sprinters.

Clap clap clap-.

Half-hearted applause erupted here and there.

Pooong-! Jja-jja-jak-.

Suddenly, fireworks went off in the stadium.

Prepared by none other than Sein, the official sponsor.

They said they only prepared two shots, to be fired only when a Korean record was set.

– “That’s 3 million won per shot, you know?”

Yoo Se-ra’s round eyes bragging about it came to mind, and Jin-hyeok shook his head with a smile.

The image of a bright, mischievous face overlapped.

***

「10.40 Middle School Boys 100m Korean Record」

Shin Jong-hyeon, who had been dozing off in the record keeper’s seat, sprang up like a startled colt upon checking the scoreboard.

“Ahhh-. Why is there no data?”

With electronic records in place, there was no rush. Record keepers only need to focus on preserving records. But the strangeness of the record kept Shin Jong-hyeon from sitting still.

After turning his desk into a mess, he finally gave up and called the office.

“Get me Park Hyo-geun from the competition department, quick!”

The fireworks announcing the new record had passed, and the announcement followed. But Shin Jong-hyeon wasn’t listening. He was tracking the record holder with his eyes, waiting for the person on the other end of the line. Someone who could quench his burning chest like a rain in this heat.

– Uh, Manager Shin? What’s up?

“The middle school finals record seems off. What’s the high school 100m Korean record?”

– Let me see…

A moment later.

Shin Jong-hyeon slumped into his chair with a dazed expression.

In his hand was a note with the high school record and Son Jin-hyeok’s middle school record.

“Ahhh-, so it was him.”

So that’s the kid Manager Jang Yeon-bae from the support department was talking about.

Three years ago in Daegu, he saw a monster. If he hadn’t switched events, he would’ve seen him in middle school. He thought he had switched events since he hadn’t seen him for two years, but here he was.

“Ah-, what a waste. He’s too tall… Baseball, basketball, soccer… He’s too tall.”

Recruitment for popular sports usually happens in elementary school. They need time for basic training.

But there are exceptions where middle or high school students get scouted.

‘He’s incredibly fast.’

Can’t you just keep doing track?

On the day a middle schooler broke the high school record, why were all the reporters flocking to the VIP seats?

Some days, neither the weather nor the people are on your side.

Like when you get caught in a sudden rain on your way to a blind date, soaking your new suit, or when your date is so beautiful it makes you feel even shabbier…

For track enthusiast Shin Jong-hyeon, today was one of those days. The second time since the blind date.

***

‘Today, even darkness won’t help you.’

The sun will rise soon.

The eastern sky was already turning blue with dawn.

On the streets, where the night was forgotten, it was hard to find anyone walking soberly.

Jeong Sang-tae chewed gum as he looked up at the sign of a large nightclub in Apgujeong.

‘Big, so big.’

He had never been here before. He had no interest in nightlife.

He used to wonder what kind of people frequented such places, what drew them in.

‘Is it good?’

Now, he had no desire to know.

He hated noise and headaches. Even the thumping music from passing cars gave him a headache.

Truly, the crowd. As closing time approached, the youth who had partied all night flowed out like a receding tide.

He had studied the blueprints in advance, even considering possible illegal modifications, and had a complete understanding of the internal structure.

He pressed the call button on the security phone and waited briefly before hearing a voice.

– “Going?”

“Going.”

That was all. The call with Moon Seok-il, who was hiding in the shadows near the New Boss Faction building disguised as a legitimate construction company, ended there.

“Don’t kill them.”

Spitting out his gum and stuffing his hands in his pockets, Jeong Sang-tae strode forward, followed silently by SSS agents. Black shadows surging in like the tide where the ebb had receded.

‘Did they say it would be in tomorrow’s morning paper?’

Not about the New Boss Faction, but about the bridge construction.

The New Boss Faction would be treated like a virus, erased without a trace. If they failed to eradicate the virus, the country would be in chaos.

‘It must mean we have to succeed.’

Some would suffer fractures or worse, some would turn themselves in.

There was no escape.

Entering the hall on the basement level, Jeong Sang-tae called out to a young man in a waiter’s uniform who was cleaning.

“Hey, pig. Tell the other pigs to gather.”

Huh? Damn it-.

The young pig tore off his name tag and threw it on the ground in frustration, his face twisted in disbelief.

– “Uncle Sang-tae, you’re strong. Instead of grappling or fighting with force, just extending your arm is threatening enough. Relax and throw your punches accurately and quickly. Keep your eyes on the target. Think of it as launching a guided missile.”

It was during sparring with Jin-hyeok.

He already knew this. But there’s a difference between a sports commentator talking and a pro athlete demonstrating each move.

Quick but light, Jeong Sang-tae threw a punch.

Thud-!

– “If you want to kill, why bother fighting hard? Just gouge their eyes or break their neck. If you just want to subdue, go for the jaw, right? Who can stand straight when their jaw’s rattling?”

The waiter collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.

‘You owe your life to Jin-hyeok.’

He had heard that Son Jin-hyeok’s security clearance and decision-making authority were higher than Moon Seok-il’s. It wasn’t surprising. Jeong Sang-tae himself was already living in such a strange world.

Vice Chairman Hong Ki-jun had argued that it was better to kill and eliminate future threats, but Son Jin-hyeok had pressured Moon Seok-il. He said to just instill fear so they wouldn’t dare to crawl back.

‘Having power allows for such luxuries. Killing would be easier.’

Groooan-.

The giant fell, setting off fireworks that signaled the start of the festival.

The big guys came pouring out.

“What the hell are you doing!”

They even gave the operation a fancy name.

Inspired by the vice chairman’s words, Yang Gang-wook named it.

The Last Festival.

Like someone finding their long-lost hometown, like a beast smelling blood after a long famine. Jeong Sang-tae’s lips curled.

Licking his lips, Jeong Sang-tae muttered to himself.

“We are…”

Pulling up a chair, he unwrapped a new piece of gum and stuffed it in his mouth.

“Company men.”

Yahhh-!

Kwa-jja-jak-.

Finally, some music he liked.

Jeong Sang-tae nodded his head to the beat.

In the festival grounds filled with shouts and explosions.

***

It’s best to leave adult business to adults.

A new day had dawned, but Jin-hyeok paid no attention to the newspapers in the stadium.

‘They’ll handle it well.’

He trusted Moon Seok-il and Yang Gang-wook.

He was also aware of Hong Ki-jun’s intentions to train SSS agents.

With the pressure of the competition weighing on him, he didn’t have the mental energy to check how adult affairs were going. Only an AI could manage that.

After a light warm-up, Jin-hyeok found his friends and Lee Byeong-se.

“Teacher, are we heading back right after the morning event?”

“Uh, yeah. Jin-hyeok, you’re not resting and have to go to school, so it’s tough, right?”

“I’m fine.”

Lee Byeong-se, Yeom Byeong-taek, and Jo Seol-chan had disappeared after Jin-hyeok’s event yesterday and reappeared later. They had gone to an indoor amusement park at Jamsil Station and visited a department store.

“Ah, Teacher, I just want to go early, stretch out, and rest.”

Thanks to that, Lee Byeong-se had to play babysitter for the kids. They were middle schoolers, so they could play on their own, but thinking about the safety of country kids, it wasn’t a great idea.

His only joy was a beer with Min Yong-rak in the evening. He had high hopes for Seoul, but it was just meh.

Whether he knew the teacher’s feelings or not, Jo Seol-chan was lost in his own thoughts.

“Ah, I want to go to Wolf World again. Yeom Byeong, let’s live in Seoul.”

“It’s not Wolf, it’s Lotte, you idiot!”

“Ah, what are you talking about-. Wolf or Lotte, Byeong-taek or Yeom Byeong-!”

“It’s nothing special. I went there on a sixth-grade field trip. The air was sticky, I didn’t like it.”

Listening to his friends’ banter, Jin-hyeok licked his lips.

Lee Byeong-se had made him skip the amusement park to manage his condition, and he couldn’t go on the field trip because he was at a different school.

‘I’ll go with Yoo Jin later.’

He’d probably have to play the guardian, but that’s just how it is.

By the way, in his past life at Taeyang Elementary, they definitely went to a mountain in the town for field trips. This time, it seemed the school had money. How much would it cost to take so many people to an amusement park?

“Ahh-, those sausages were so good. I want to eat them again.”

“Hot dogs, man, hot dogs.”

“Aren’t hot dogs just flour-coated sausages fried in oil?”

“I don’t know. Maybe Seoul people eat them peeled. The way the girls dress is like hot dogs, right?”

Hehehehe-.

Jin-hyeok couldn’t help but laugh at the constant banter.

‘I’ll miss them a lot.’

He regretted the absence of Park Sang-ki, who couldn’t come.

He said it was a family gathering, but Jin-hyeok thought it was for religious reasons.

Sang-ki, that guy, was secretly a devout Christian. He didn’t know what prayers they did at church.

But the ones he missed the most were his family.

Always had, always will.

[Tap tap-.]

Someone tapped the microphone.

It meant they were about to say something important, so pay attention.

[Attention, please. The boys’ middle school 200m event will begin shortly. Participating athletes, please…]

Yeah-, let’s go.

One more run, and then I can go home.