Chapter 15 : I Will Compensate You So That You Won’t Regret It (Part-1)

Dongyang Department Store

As the grim scene unfolded with body bags being transported continuously up and down the emergency stairwell, the air heavy with tension and sorrow, CEO Han Sirin let out a deep sigh, a mixture of frustration and concern, as she made her way toward the secluded area at the back of the president’s office.

With a sense of reverence, Han lightly brushed her hand over the emblem of the Dongyang Department Store, its logo symbolizing not just a business, but a cornerstone of the community.

She focused her attention on the character “洋,” applying a gentle pressure as she pushed it, a symbolic gesture that perhaps represented her desire to instill change and hope in these trying times.

With a dull clunk that echoed through the room, the wall began to rotate slowly, accompanied by a soft yet pervasive whirring sound that suggested a hidden mechanism at work.

As the wall continued to turn, an unexpected narrow space emerged, revealing a chaotic jumble of tangled communication wires that snaked across one another in an intricate web.

With an abrupt motion, Han removed the small peach-colored earbud from her ear and discarded it carelessly, letting it fall to the ground.

“What the hell is going on? You said if I just did what you told me, everything would be fine! You ruined it all!”

CEO Han Siyeon, adorning a headset on one ear, offered a silent smile that was tinged with bitterness.

She had previously indicated that if Han Sirin adhered to her guidance in real-time, there was a potential opportunity to convince Min Cheol-woo.

However, that hope had proven to be fruitless.

Persuasion? What a laughable notion.

That bastard Min Cheol-woo had remained completely unmoved throughout the entire encounter.

“I thought he’d bite if we dangled the chance to get out of Korea. I guess not. Does he have another route besides us?”

“Of course not. There’s no way. But we acted like we were hiding something, so maybe he got suspicious and bailed!”

It was an offer, but a crucially incomplete one.

“Let’s do a job in Hong Kong” — that was the pitch, but they didn’t tell him anything about the current situation there or what the job actually was.

So essentially, they provided him with no information whatsoever regarding the matter at hand.

Her sister ought to have thoroughly and clearly laid out the details surrounding the situation in Hong Kong, as well as what the job specifically involved, using the earpiece for effective communication; however, she delivered a very incomplete and halfhearted explanation instead.

The best Han Sirin could do was vaguely say, “It’s a bit unstable over there.”

“What the hell is going on? How am I supposed to make an offer if I don’t even know what’s happening? What do you expect me to do?”

“If I tell you, you’ll die. It’s a classified leak.”

“I know that. You think I’m stupid? Like I’d blabber company secrets to an outsider? If you had just clued me in, I could’ve hidden the critical parts and glossed over the rest. But I know nothing, so I couldn’t explain anything.
And if I made up some complete lie, we’d be screwed the moment it got found out later.”

Not knowing anything, she found herself unable to manipulate Min Cheol-woo with a believable deception.

If it had been an ordinary person, a few charming words might have sufficed to sway them.

However, Min Cheol-woo was far from being that straightforward.

He was already grappling with the complexities of Geummyeong Group — barely managing to keep afloat while working as a hired gun.

If he found out he’d been lied to and turned into an enemy of Oriental, could they handle the blowback?

Considering the potential fallout, he was not someone they could risk fooling with sweet talk.

“This secret — it’s off-limits to you, too.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“The moment you hear about Hong Kong, you either come along to Hong Kong or you die. Those are the only two options.”

Han Sirin’s expression turned to one of utter emptiness and disbelief.

In the wake of the lockdown, the conditions and developments occurring within Hong Kong had been shrouded in a veil of strict confidentiality, rendering much of the information inaccessible to outsiders.

However, Han Siyeon had managed to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the circumstances by observing the traffic of vessels entering and leaving the area, piecing together insights from these movements.

Consequently, Han Sirin had made the assumption that an individual holding a high-ranking position, such as a CEO within the various subsidiaries of Oriental, would logically possess the necessary access to that critical information.

Yet, to her dismay, she discovered that she was mistaken in this assumption.

Turns out, it was classified information that even CEO Han Siyeon wasn’t supposed to know.

“You think HQ told me to acquire that building without knowing it was owned by Geummyeong Group?”

“They probably told you to walk into a trap and die.”

“Yeah. Exactly. But why do you think they’d suddenly take down a CEO who was running her shipping line just fine?”

“Because you found out something you weren’t supposed to. Right before I hit the highway to leave Seoul, HQ gave me the order.
Keep your mouth shut and die at Geummyeong Group’s hands,
or go to Hong Kong and deliver results.
Pick one. So I turned the car around and came here.”

“Oh, for f*ck’s sake.”

Han Sirin grasped the nape of her neck with a sense of frustration and disbelief.

Initially, she had presumed that her sister had engaged in reckless behavior that resulted in her being thrown under the bus — but as it turned out, the reality was far simpler and more troubling;

All it took was obtaining an incorrect piece of intelligence, a mere slip in information.

And now, to add to her mounting anxiety, if she were to hear about the situation unfolding in Hong Kong, she would find herself in an equally precarious position, caught in the same unfortunate predicament as her sister.

The longstanding curiosity that had driven CEO Han Sirin to seek out information regarding the Hong Kong situation evaporated without a trace at that moment.

When faced with the dilemma between receiving knowledge that could lead to her downfall and embracing the sweet relief of ignorance for the sake of self-preservation, she gravitated toward the notion of remaining oblivious to the unfolding events.

She concluded that ignorance might just allow her to avoid the impending chaos.

“Then why didn’t you negotiate with him yourself? Why drag me into it?”

“Hey. We were literally shooting at each other just three days ago.
If I’d shown up in person, don’t you think he would’ve shot me on sight, knowing his personality?
The only reason he held back was because you were the one talking to him.
It’s fine that it didn’t work out this time.
The important thing is that Min Cheol-woo now knows we’re a possible escape route out of Korea.
When time passes and the noose tightens, no matter how good he is with a gun, can he really hold out forever?
Once he’s out of bullets, he’s done for.
At that point, no matter how suspicious he is, he’ll have no choice but to come to us.”

Now that she reflected on it, it truly did make sense.

There was absolutely no need to hasten her actions, and certainly no requirement to divulge any sensitive information merely to persuade him.

Time was favoring their interests.

Eventually, Min Cheol-woo would find himself in a position of desperation, returning to her with an earnest request to travel to Hong Kong.

Good.

That arrangement was absolutely satisfactory.

And if he and her sister decided to journey to Hong Kong and never return? Even more advantageous.

If they were to achieve success and come back, she would acquire two buildings at no cost whatsoever.

What kind of opportunity was that? It was essentially a no-risk investment.

A dozen deceased security guards?

Pfft.

Not even a real loss.

Muttering to herself, Han Sirin started grinning.

[“Ma’am, something strange is happening outside.”]

“Switch the feed.”

Hearing the faint sounds of the radio signal, Han Sirin promptly picked up the control device that was within reach and activated the screen, bringing it to life.

The exterior CCTV camera feed revealed ominous black vehicles rolling to a stop, and several individuals clad in tailored black suits swiftly pouring out of these cars.

In an instant, the entire vicinity — encompassing the front entrance, the rear access point, and even the vast parking lot — became inundated with men dressed in formal suits, moving with purpose.

Who on earth were these individuals?

They were systematically stopping every customer exiting the department store, scrutinizing their faces intently.

If they encountered anyone whose face was not clearly visible, they took immediate and decisive action to physically halt that person, ensuring a thorough check was conducted.

Eventually, a luxurious high-end sedan came to a smooth stop, and a woman wearing dark sunglasses emerged from the vehicle with an air of authority.

Han Sirin felt her breath momentarily catch in her throat.

It was none other than Chief Yu — heavily armed and accompanied by a group of employees brandishing assault rifles — confidently striding through the front entrance with an undeniable presence.

“Shit! Hide again! Get back in there!”

Panicked, Han Sirin hit the fire alarm and shoved her sister into the hidden room.

Things were going completely off the rails.

They had sealed off every possible escape route — a clear sign they knew CEO Han Siyeon was inside.

Hidden room or not, they were bound to tear the place apart to check.

It was only a matter of time before they found it.

“Fuuuck, seriously…!”

Choking back tears, Han Sirin snatched up her phone.

Company hospital, private room.

Director Park, barely stuffed into a business suit, was foaming at the mouth, gasping like he was about to boil over.

How many ribs were broken again?

Four?

If it hadn’t been for the bulletproof vest, he would’ve been a mangled corpse.

If the Team 1 sniper hadn’t covered him, Min Cheol-woo would’ve been dead for sure.

“Hey, hey. That guy in Team 1. The sniper. What was his name again?”

“Uh… I’ll find out.”

“Find out and tell him to transfer to Team 2. Give him my business card, too.”

“Yes, Director.”