Retaliation

At that moment, Jo Hyeokjun was in the detached building, admiring his newly acquired collection.
This collection, which had arrived by ship, consisted of works by an artist who had died young, leaving behind few pieces.

“The day will come when these things finally bring me some joy.”

Jo Hyeokjun always looked forward to the moments when the works he chose were re-evaluated.
It was because he felt like a pioneer who had discovered an unknown light in the darkness.
Even if the artist of the work was already dead.

“I like the colors.”

Connoisseurship or whatever, aren’t all paintings the same?
It’s all just money, anyway.
With that thought, Jo Hyeokjun leisurely walked through the spacious detached building.

Thud-thud-thud!

“Chairman!”
“Tsk, what’s with all the commotion.”

Jo Hyeokjun lightly rebuked the butler who had run into the detached building.
However, the butler, who rarely did so, once again spoke to Chairman Jo in an urgent voice.

“I apologize, but this is something you must check immediately.”
“Speak.”

No matter how critical, the butler, as usual, first sought Chairman Jo’s permission, then bowed deeply before standing up straight again.
It was a behavior ingrained in him for decades.

“They say the prosecution has raided the headquarters.”
“What?”

Jo Hyeokjun reflexively turned around.
Words that made no sense had just entered his ears.
To make matters worse, his son was still unable to return to Korea.
Was that all?
He had been humiliated by that bastard in this very detached building. And what about the slush fund?
His head was already full of throbbing problems.
That’s why he had sought out the detached building to find even a little bit of peace.

“What kind of nonsense is that! How dare those prosecutor bastards raid my company!”

How dare they.
To Jo Hyeokjun, that was an impossible premise from the start.

“I apologize. I was unable to find out the reason immediately. However, seeing that a warrant has been issued, it seems a problem has arisen.”

If his experienced butler, who had served him for many years, couldn’t find out, there was only one reason.
It was because a person was involved who could only be reached if Jo Hyeokjun himself made a move.

“Hoo.”

He let out a sigh and stretched out his hand.
The butler took an old cell phone from his inner pocket and placed it on Jo Hyeokjun’s rough palm.
After moving his hand a few times, he brought the phone to his ear.

Ring, ring, ring.

The monotonous ringing continued endlessly.
Had it been nearly a minute?
Just as the butler was about to reach out to take the phone back, a voice came from the other end.

[What can I do for you in the midst of your busy schedule?]

Jo Hyeokjun waved his hand at the butler and moved his lips, trembling with anger.

“It’s me. Jo Hyeokjun.”
[Yes, I know.]
“A person who knows dares to do such a thing? The prosecution has come to my company with a warrant. Explain.”

It was an incomparably arrogant tone.
It was the specific way of speaking Jo Hyeokjun used when crushing his opponents.
However, Nam Eunsuk on the other end of the line answered calmly, without any agitation.

[The Republic of Korea is a country governed by the rule of law, Chairman. If there are wrongdoings and crimes, it is only natural to be punished, is it not? Furthermore, that is our prosecution’s mission and calling.]
“Hah. Since when were you such a great man who practices such grand beliefs? What about all the times you were fattened up by me?”

Jo Hyeokjun let out a dry laugh and continued.

“Do you think you can touch me and get away with it?”
[I will get away with it. Unlike you, Chairman.]
“…What?”

In Nam Eunsuk’s calm voice, Jo Hyeokjun sensed a clear conviction whose source he could not fathom.

[I will become the hero of this era that the people desire, the one who eradicates corrupt chaebols, and the next Minister of Justice.]

A sneer was attached to the end of Nam Eunsuk’s low voice.
At this point, Jo Hyeokjun became curious.
The reason why Nam Eunsuk, who had been feeding off him until recently, had suddenly changed so drastically.

“What’s the reason for your sudden change of heart?”
[Why are you acting like this, Chairman? You brought this upon yourself.]

Jo Hyeokjun thought Nam Eunsuk was spouting incomprehensible words.
But if Jo Hyeokjun had voiced all his thoughts, he would not have enjoyed even half of his current wealth.
He retorted, just as calmly.

“It sounds like you’re saying the reason lies with me?”
[I already know that you, Chairman Jo, tried to use the ledger to bring me down.]

‘How does Nam Eunsuk know about that ledger?’

That was a matter being handled quietly at the company level, within Jo Hyeokjun’s own line, by manipulating a few junior prosecutors.

[It is not in my nature to sit back and let myself be cut down. If you want to protect yourself, isn’t it only natural to bite first?]

Nam Eunsuk added a final remark and hung up first.

[Still, for old times’ sake, I will save you the best spot in the ‘place’ you’ll be staying soon.]

Jo Hyeokjun looked at the disconnected screen and laughed heartily.

“Hahaha! This bastard coveted a position he didn’t deserve, and now he’s really gone mad.”
“…Are you alright, Chairman?”
“It’s fine.”

Jo Hyeokjun waved his hand with a single word.
He searched for a number once more and made another call.

“It’s me. …I thought you’d already know, but you’re fast. Then let’s proceed as planned.”

After finishing the short call, Jo Hyeokjun handed the phone to his butler.

“Gather all the boys now and send them to Pyeongtaek.”
“Understood.”
“Tell them to bring everything from the warehouse too.”
“Yes, Chairman.”

Thump.

Jo Hyeokjun slammed his cane on the floor.

“Someone will be coming to the house soon. Do as it says on what they bring, and dispose of what they bring. You do it yourself, butler.”
“Yes, I will do so.”

He slowly stroked the frame of the painting he had been peacefully admiring just a moment ago and added.

“Even if they didn’t know what consequences follow from messing with me in this country, what can be done about what’s already happened.”

Jo Hyeokjun caressed the sharp corner of the frame again and again.
A sword that cannot be tamed just needs to be broken and rendered useless, and that was how Jo Hyeokjun had gotten to where he was.

“A tattered law robe would suit that bastard’s shroud.”

We confirmed that the people from the prosecution had entered Korea Defense and returned to the office.
Then, sitting around the table, we looked at each other for a moment.
The first to speak was Lee Ilwoo.

“I just received a call from the surveillance team.”
“The team guarding Ahn Jeongho?”
“Yes. They said the three people who had been tailing Mr. Ahn Jeongho suddenly turned back. Their movements were strange, so they followed them and saw them heading straight for Gyeonggi Province.”
“Near Seoul… could it be Pyeongtaek?”
“How did you know?”
“There’s quite a bit of land there under Jo Hyeokjun’s son’s name.”

Lee Ilwoo nodded and added.

“Yes, as you said, Attorney, it was private land under the name of Chairman Jo’s son.”

Lee Ilwoo took out his phone and showed a few pictures.
Jeong Donghyeok narrowed his smooth brow and spoke.

“There are quite a few of them. What could be the reason? There must be a reason for gathering his men in one place at a time like this.”

Swoosh.

Lee Ilwoo zoomed in on the screen and pointed to a few faces.

“Here, and these two here, I’ve met them before. They’re the types to do anything for money. If these guys are involved, they may not be agent-level, but they’ll all be at least mercenaries.”

‘It seems Chairman Jo is about to do something again.’

[I have a bad feeling about this.]

I swallowed a sigh and responded to Lee Ilwoo’s words.

“Then these people must be Jo Hyeokjun’s private army.”
“Yes. I think so too.”
“Where is Mr. Ahn Jeongho’s family now? I don’t think the hotel is safe anymore.”

Lee Ilwoo put his phone back in his pocket and answered.

“With the funds you attorneys provided before, we’ve set up a few places similar to the NIS safe houses. Only I know all of their locations.”
“Good. Considering the what-ifs, that seems better.”

Jeong Donghyeok nodded in understanding.
I felt the same way. In fact, it was a good method.

“Yes, I’ve moved Mr. Ahn Jeongho’s family to another safe house that only I know of.”

Then that’s one less thing to worry about.
I nodded at that thought.
Just then, Won Youngoh, who had been unusually quiet since our return, spoke up.
He looked at me with worry all over his face.

“Attorney Cha, are you really sure you can continue with this?”

Perhaps that was the question everyone wanted to ask me but couldn’t.
And a question Won Youngoh had been putting off until now.

Swoosh.

He placed his hand on the table and turned it palm up.

“Because of the results you’ve shown so far, I’ve been watching and waiting without saying anything.”

My eyes met Won Youngoh’s, who was looking at me with concern.
As he said, the trust he had shown me so far had been a great source of strength.
So I had to answer his question.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you now or anything like that. There’s one thing I’m worried about. Jo Hyeokjun and Nam Eunsuk, they’re both too big.”

Jo Hyeokjun and Nam Eunsuk.
They were the heads representing South Korea’s capitalism and public power, respectively.
And those two were now clashing with each other because of my plan.

“No matter how skilled you are, Attorney Cha, you can’t cut off both those heads at once.”

But I answered by slowly shaking my head, conveying my resolve.

“Heads will keep growing back. I plan to keep cutting them off until they can’t grow back anymore.”
“Attorney Cha.”
“Because I can’t just stand by and watch an innocent person get into trouble. To me, that applies not only to Mr. Ahn Jeongho but also to the three of you.”
“The same goes for you, Attorney Cha.”

Hearing Won Youngoh’s firm words, the corners of my mouth went up without me realizing.
Because the concern he showed was so biased.

“I know. That’s why I chose this method. The best choice we can make right now is to make the enemies bite each other until they’re both destroyed.”
“Succeeding with infighting is a difficult task.”
“But we can achieve one clear thing. Even if a miracle happens, they won’t be as close as they were before.”

Vibrate.

Just as I was about to add more, a vibration went off.
As soon as I checked the name on the screen, I excused myself to the three of them and answered the phone.

“Just a moment. Yes, Mr. Im Suho. …What? What do you mean by that?”

The story Im Suho urgently relayed was something I should have already expected.

Late at night, Nam Eunsuk couldn’t sleep, steeped in the sense of accomplishment from finally having crushed Jo Hyeokjun.

‘Thinking he could look down on the prosecution. Thinking I’m still just a junior prosecutor.’

He laughed as he poured himself an early victory drink in his study.
Just then, a text message arrived on his phone from an unsaved number.

Vibrate.

“…What is this.”

Normally, he would have dismissed it as a prank, but the content of the message was not something he could easily ignore.
He left his study and woke up his wife sleeping in the master bedroom and his son and daughter upstairs.

“Wake up! Come out, hurry!”
“Honey, what’s wrong! What’s going on!”
“Dad, what’s this about? What time is it to be waking us up…”

Instead of answering, he grabbed the arms of his wife and children, whom he had dragged out to the yard, and asked urgently.

“Did any strange people come to the house today when I was away?”
“Huh? What’s that… Ah, I think someone said they were here for an inspection when mom was out.”
“Seoyoung, what are you talking about? Didn’t the housekeeper say the gas inspection was done a few days ago?”

At his daughter’s words, who was rubbing her eyes, his wife asked back, her face instantly awake.
Nam Eunsuk looked into the house through the large window in the yard.
In the darkness where all the lights were off, a spark flashed for a moment, like a hallucination.

“Come here! Hurry!”

He hurriedly grabbed his wife’s and children’s arms and headed behind a large tree in the yard.
It was too late to run any further.

“Everyone, get down!”

BOOM!

Just as the text message had said, his house really exploded.