Ch.130Miho 1

# The Promised Day

All veteran hunters of Ilshim gathered in Ansan.

For one reason only.

To catch the one who had sprayed the mysterious drug, Angel Tips, across the Korean peninsula.

Everyone disguised as ordinary citizens and infiltrated a Chinese restaurant.

Some as customers, others as delivery workers waiting for food.

At the center of this staged setup was Ichun Lee, a gangster from Suwon.

Trying desperately to control his trembling body, he waited for the target they had arranged to meet.

“…”

It was now 2 PM, the appointed time.

However…

No matter how long they waited, there was no sign of the supplier.

Not a single customer entered the Chinese restaurant.

Jeoksa anxiously watched the empty space through the CCTV.

She was so tired of waiting that she craved a cigarette.

But she resisted the urge, nibbling on her fingers instead.

Suddenly, her gnawing canines came to an abrupt halt.

“Team leader, this is delivery. The delivery worker speaking.”

The operative disguised as a delivery worker sent a signal.

He reported in a calm voice:

“Target approaching.”

At that signal, everyone waiting in the kitchen held their breath.

They stared intently at the CCTV as a man entered the store.

Baggy jeans.

A worn-out t-shirt with a carelessly thrown-on hiking jacket.

And black sunglasses covering his eyes.

Seeing this appearance, the Suwon gangster nodded toward the CCTV.

A signal confirming this was indeed the target.

South Korea’s finest operatives gripped their daggers, watching as the man approached the counter.

Their eyes were fierce, ready to pounce at any moment.

“…”

The man stopped in front of the counter clerk.

Then he stood still, taking no action for a moment.

“What’s going on? Did he notice something?”

Sangmun muttered with a serious expression.

Jeoksa raised her hand, ready to give the signal.

“If he notices and tries to run, we’ll take him down immediately.”

The man stared blankly at the menu board.

Then, as if something didn’t sit right with him, he tilted his head.

Jeoksa’s hand prepared to point at the man.

In that moment, only silence filled the restaurant.

“…”

The man raised his finger.

And finally…

He spoke.

“Can I get the small sweet and sour pork to go?”

Jeoksa’s brow furrowed at these unexpected words.

She wasn’t the only one.

The Suwon gangster also looked confused by the man’s strange question.

“What’s that about?”

“It seems to be a code in case he was discovered.”

“So he’s suspicious of the situation right now?”

“It… appears so.”

Jeoksa took a deep breath.

Then, as if having made a decision, she lowered her hand.

“Grab him now.”

Subordinates in Hawaiian shirts simultaneously exited through the back door of the store.

Then slowly, very discreetly, they approached the entrance.

“Yes, we can package the small sweet and sour pork.”

“Then please give me one small sweet and sour pork and two jajangmyeon to go. And pour the sauce on, please.”

“Pour it on…?”

The clerk muttered, glancing at the shadows of the men visible through the glass.

The target asked back, puzzled:

“Why…? Is it not okay to pour—”

He couldn’t finish his question.

The store door was smashed open before he could complete his sentence.

The moment he turned his head at the loud noise,

He was already seized by the veteran hunters and slammed to the ground.

“Got him!”

His sunglasses were completely shattered in the process.

He couldn’t say a word through the overwhelming pain.

Seeing this, Jeoksa and Sangmun rushed out from the kitchen.

They looked down at the target pathetically pinned to the floor with fierce eyes.

“Finally we meet. The problematic drug dealer.”

The man trembled in fear at the sight of her red eyes.

He stammered as he looked up at Jeoksa:

“W-why are you doing this to me?”

“Quite the actor, aren’t you? Does Countess teach acting as well?”

She pressed her sharp heel into the target’s back.

The pressure made her black skirt tighten.

The man screamed in agony from the pain.

The gangster rose to his feet at the sound.

Then carefully approached the target.

But…

“W-wait a moment…”

As he got closer to the target, the gangster’s expression grew increasingly serious.

After getting a clear look at the target’s face, he shook his head in disbelief.

“This… this isn’t him!”

“What?”

Upon hearing the gangster’s words, all the Ilshim hunters’ expressions twisted.

Especially Jeoksa’s.

She quickly grabbed the target by the collar.

The forcibly lifted man wore an utterly wronged expression.

His face was already covered in tears and snot.

“I-I’m sorry… I won’t ask for the sauce… please spare me…”

With the sunglasses removed, the face of a completely ordinary man in his twenties was revealed.

“Who are you?”

“I-I don’t know… Someone just told me if I dressed like this and went into the store… he’d pay for my lunch…”

We’ve been played.

The bastard anticipated our ambush and sent a decoy first.

“Search the entire area immediately! He must still be nearby!”

“Yes, sister!”

Men in suits poured out of the kitchen.

Seeing this, the fake target’s pants became wet.

“I won’t ask for sauce next time… I’ll definitely eat it dry. Please…”

Jeoksa heaved a deep sigh.

Then slowly lowered the man to the floor.

“Do you remember the face of the person who offered to pay for your lunch?”

“No… he was wearing a mask…”

An expected answer.

Jeoksa clicked her tongue and looked toward the gangster.

Overwhelmed by her gaze, Ichun immediately bowed his head.

But bowing alone wasn’t enough to calm Jeoksa’s anger.

She spoke to him with fierce eyes:

“Well, we failed to catch him…”

“I-I’m so sorry… I don’t know how the information leaked…”

“It’s okay. It’s not like you were the one who reported it.”

“Of course not! How could I ever betray Ilshim!”

The man trembled as he lay prostrate on the floor.

Seeing this, the fake target also respectfully knelt down.

“So you’re of no use to me now?”

“What…?”

Jeoksa’s resolute voice.

The gangster looked up with a startled face at her tone.

The woman’s face he beheld was both beautiful and deadly.

“If you’re useless, you should die.”

Jeoksa called for Sangmun.

Then whispered to him quietly:

“Kill all the family members on the list.”

“N-no! I know more! Please!”

The man grabbed Jeoksa’s leg.

Clinging to her black stockings, he shouted desperately:

“I know where he frequently goes! If you ambush him there, you’ll surely find him!”

“Why are you only telling me this now?”

“I thought today’s meeting was certain, so we could catch him easily. I swear…”

The man muttered in an exhausted, hoarse voice.

Satisfied with his desperate appearance, Jeoksa coldly kicked him away.

“Tell me. Where is it?”

“It’s…”

“—.”

“He says it’s Yongin International Village.”

Jeoksa, sitting in the Ilshim headquarters café, spoke with a tired expression.

Anna, Jisoo, and I were seated at the table with her.

“International Village all of a sudden…?”

Anna furrowed her brow and asked.

In contrast, Jisoo and I just listened quietly.

“Yes, I know it’s strange. Even I was dumbfounded when I heard it at the scene.”

“Where exactly is this International Village?”

I stepped in to answer Anna’s question, as she wasn’t familiar with Korean geography.

“It’s a tourist attraction in Yongin.”

Though it’s hard to call it a tourist attraction anymore.

After the gates opened, refugees from Japan settled there.

On one side, there are Japanese traditional houses and festivals.

On the other, Korean traditional houses and various events.

“It’s a popular place where you can enjoy the cultures of both countries simultaneously.”

I confidently perked up my fox ears.

Jisoo calmly listened while gently playing with my ears like kneaded dough.

“But I heard there are many red-light districts now, so it’s dangerous to go alone.”

“Don’t worry about that. Ilshim manages many establishments there.”

Jeoksa nibbled on her fingers instead of smoking.

Then she stared at her finger with teeth marks.

“They say he always enjoys women and alcohol there after his deals. Spending the money he’s made from selling drugs.”

“But would he go there knowing Ilshim is after him? He’d probably go into hiding again.”

Anna grabbed one of my ears.

She spoke while fondling it along with Jisoo.

“We don’t know yet. Apparently, he kept going to the International Village even after fighting with the group targeting his drugs.”

“He’s insane.”

“You’re one to talk.”

Jeoksa said that and stood up.

Then she squeezed in between the two women holding my ears and started touching my cheeks.

“Um… do you all have time for this?”

I mumbled as my cheeks were being stretched.

The women responded one after another:

“It feels good to touch.”

“I agree.”

“It’s… calming somehow…”

Feeling the atmosphere getting strange, I shook my head vigorously.

Thanks to that, I managed to shake off all the annoying hands.

“So, what’s the plan now?”

“We need to infiltrate the International Village.”

Jeoksa said firmly with her arms crossed.

She already looked tired at the thought of another infiltration.

“You should sit this one out.”

Anna firmly told Jeoksa.

She glared at the white-haired woman, seemingly offended.

“Why should I?”

“Your face is already well-known. It’s better if I go, since I’m not as recognized.”

“Seriously? You want to ‘infiltrate’ with your face?”

Jeoksa looked Anna up and down incredulously.

White hair, white eyes, fair skin.

She’s definitely not the type advantageous for infiltration.

I can certainly sympathize with that point.

Even when she disguised herself with black hair at the supermarket before, she stood out terribly due to her model-like figure.

“What if we disguise ourselves?”

Jisoo raised her hand, watching the two carefully.

Both rankers turned to look at her.

Beautiful long brown hair.

Warm golden eyes.

And a moderately beautiful figure with a kind impression.

Just standing next to her gives off the aura of a drama’s female lead.

“…”

The two were frustrated but had to admit it this time.

While they might have the edge in looks, Jisoo’s aura was much more approachable.

Seeing them unexpectedly agree, I also felt encouraged.

This is my chance to be helpful to both of them.

“Yeah, I’ll do it too!”

I stood up proudly and exclaimed.

But both rankers shouted simultaneously:

“Not you!”

“Why…? I’m confident I can do it…”

Their shouting startled me.

My fox ears drooped in surprise.

“That’s…”

Having reacted angrily without thinking, the two rankers hesitated, trying to find a suitable reason.

“You still have Park Shinae’s mark. What if she suddenly gives you an order?”

Jeoksa tried to persuade me with a somewhat plausible reason.

Anna nodded vigorously in agreement.

“I can resist with Angelic Hand! And all the Countess members who knew my face are dead!”

Except for Misha, of course.

She’s peacefully sleeping in the hospital.

“Yes, and having more people infiltrating means we can gather more information, right?”

“This isn’t child’s play. Even professionals struggle with this…”

Jeoksa shook her head with her arms crossed.

I looked at her with displeasure.

How long are they going to just accept help without letting me contribute…

I carefully approached her.

And gently massaged her shoulder.

“I want to be helpful too…”

“What if something happens to you like before?”

I widened my eyes.

With fox-like elongated pupils, I boldly declared to her:

“I bear a lot of responsibility for this situation. This is my chance to correct how my abilities are being misused!”

Her red eyes wavered at those words.

But she soon composed herself and firmly said:

“Still…”

“I used to work as a server at a bar! I’m really skilled at it!”

I jumped up and grabbed a café tray.

Then I pretended to move the tray skillfully like a server.

Jisoo chuckled at my persistent efforts.

“Haa… fine, but…”

Jeoksa finally heaved a deep sigh.

She narrowed her eyes and said to me:

“You’ll have to wear the establishment’s uniform.”