Ch.92Chapter 4. How to Conquer a Villain (5)

About 2 hours before departure on the private jet. 5 AM.

In front of the Grand Hotel in Samcheok, Gangwon Province.

“I leave it in your hands, Miss ‘Crimson’.”

“We should be the ones saying that. Hehe. Rest assured.”

Many people were gathered in the hotel lounge.

Men in black suits were bodyguards hired by October Travel, and some agents from our Syndicate were also providing security.

“We’ll escort you safely to Yangyang Airport. I hope you have a comfortable journey.”

“Hmm. If I can return safely to my country, I won’t forget this favor.”

“It’s just business, no need to talk about favors. Hehe. You won’t regret reaching out to us. Now, shall we go?”

Qiongqi gestured outside the hotel as he guided the chairman.

Five ceremonial sedans were already waiting outside the hotel, and Qiongqi personally escorted the chairman to the second vehicle.

“Madam, please come this way.”

I personally escorted Juliana.

The other Syndicate members had no idea I was the Goblin and simply thought I was an agent personally called by Qiongqi.

“Who are you?”

“At the company, they call me ‘Moby Dick’.”

I looked myself up and down in the reflection of the front glass door.

Black suit from head to toe, black shirt, and a black dolphin mask on my face.

The design clearly evoked a dolphin, and I looked suspicious to anyone who saw me.

Even my fellow Syndicate members were giving me looks that said, “Who is this guy that Qiongqi personally assigned to escort Juliana?”

“Does everyone at your company look like that?”

“For now, yes.”

“Well, fine. At least your English codename is easy to pronounce. Lead the way.”

“Yes. Would you like me to carry your luggage?”

“This… I’ll carry it myself.”

Juliana was holding a large carrier.

With its firmly locked padlock, it gave the strong impression that something valuable was hidden inside.

Could “Taejo’s genes” be in there?

I don’t know.

The Syndicate’s main objective is to protect Juliana, while personally, my best option would be to destroy or steal and burn Taejo’s genes.

“Understood. This way, please.”

I escorted Juliana with the posture of a secretary I had learned while serving executives.

She got into the car as if it was natural for me to escort her, and I sat in the driver’s seat and started the engine.

“Would you please fasten your seatbelt? We might need to drive separately to the airport if a situation arises.”

“What about the others…?”

“Chairman Faygreen said that if necessary, he would take the next international flight. He instructed that getting you on the private jet is the top priority.”

“Is that so? Hmm….”

This isn’t a lie.

There’s no need to lie to someone you’re supposed to protect as a bodyguard.

“I’ll get you safely to the airport.”

“Hey, how strong are you? You seem… a bit stronger than me.”

Perhaps she sensed the magical energy subtly emanating from me.

Juliana looked at me from the back seat with subtle eyes and smiled.

“Are you Korean? Or a foreigner from over there?”

“……”

This woman.

Why is she showing such interest in me?

Judging by her interest in powerful ability users, she’s clearly after ability users’ genes.

“Are you A-class? Or higher?”

Just as she targeted Taejo’s genes, is she now targeting mine?

‘How is she even a sub-heroine?’

She’s the type of heroine that would make unicorn-minded readers cough blood.

Probably the stupid original author tried to build up a “promiscuous heroine” for his harem, but removed her when the response wasn’t good.

-Do we call an unwrapped product new? We call it used.

-The words “used” and “heroine” cannot exist together, sir.

Someone commented like that when I was following the live updates.

The author probably realized something was “wrong” from that comment and demoted Juliana to a supporting role, but if the author had insisted on rehabilitating her, Juliana would have become a main heroine.

‘Whether she’s a heroine or not doesn’t matter to me now.’

Right now, she’s just a client, and in my eyes, she’s just one step away from being an execution target.

For example, right on the verge of being killed.

“We’ll be departing soon. Would you please fasten your seatbelt?”

“How boring. Not popular with women, are you?”

“I’m married.”

“You could do it behind your wife’s back—KYAAK!”

As soon as the car in front started moving, I stepped on the accelerator.

Vroom.

“Hey. Are you ignoring me? What if I suddenly jump out?”

“Enemies will be on us as soon as we leave Yangyang. I’ll say it three times only. Fasten your seatbelt.”

“Hmph…. I might need to jump out quickly if something happens, so what if wearing a belt causes problems?”

“Fine. If you smash your pretty face into the seat and get a nosebleed, we won’t be responsible.”

“…Tch. No fun.”

With the quiet sound of the engine, I confirmed that Juliana had fastened her seatbelt and pressed the accelerator a bit harder.

‘We’re already being watched.’

Beyond the window.

I can feel eyes directed at us.

* * *

On the rooftop of another hotel in Samcheok.

“The thieves have left the hotel. Desmond and Juliana came out. Along with multiple guards. Exact number is… End of report.”

Malttugi, a young man wearing a traditional hat and mask, put down his telescope and spoke into the radio.

[Confirmed. We’ll depart immediately.]

The sound of engines roaring came through the radio.

It sounded like car engines, or maybe motorcycle engines.

Or perhaps both.

[Malttugi. Follow us to Gangneung and monitor the situation. If something goes wrong, immediately inform the leader to cancel the operation and abandon us.]

“What? Why start with such words?”

[Just feeling anxious.]

The voice over the radio was full of confidence, but there was also a very slight tremor remaining.

[It’s not just Faygreen we’re dealing with. There’s also Yimemangryang. Especially… it seems the ‘Crimson Witch’ is with them this time.]

“That fire cat…?”

[Yes. Fortunately, according to your report, the fire cat is protecting Desmond Faygreen. They know our ultimate target isn’t Juliana but Taejo’s genes that she stole.]

“Are you saying Desmond has them?”

[It’s possible.]

“So… Juliana’s carrier is a decoy?”

[For now.]

Malttugi found it awkward to say anything more.

He didn’t want to voice his intuition as it might cause more anxiety, so he swallowed the uneasiness rising within him.

[It’s okay. If necessary, we’ll just take everything. The Crimson Witch knows we’re here, so she would have hidden Taejo’s genes in the safest place.]

“Captain Yeongno. Shouldn’t we request support from the ‘Court’ even now? Even though Hwalbindang is moving, I think it would be better to get the Court’s help for this…”

[We’ve already received help. The local authorities and ‘my unit’ all know each other. The roads are clear, and whatever we do to them will be treated as if it never happened.]

“You mean…”

[Listen carefully. This operation must end as an independent action of Hwalbindang. There must never, ever be any suggestion that we joined hands with the Court. Even if problems arise later, everything was done by us, Hwalbindang. The Court has nothing to do with it. Understand?]

“…I understand.”

[Good. I wish you luck.]

“I wish you luck too, Captain Yeongno. Um…”

Malttugi took a deep breath and carefully asked.

“After this operation, shall we go eat Korean beef near Busan?”

[Korean beef? Sounds good. If we successfully seize Taejo’s genes, it’s on me.]

“No, I’ll pay. It’s a promise. Please return safely.”

[Of course.]

Click.

The radio communication ended.

Malttugi fiddled with the radio and looked up at the sky.

“The weather….”

It was an unusually dark and gloomy gray sky for dawn.

* * *

“Haah.”

Juliana sighed openly.

The man called Moby Dick in the driver’s seat just kept driving silently, and there seemed to be no major problems until they left Samcheok.

“I wonder if I’ve been tricked?”

Juliana casually threw out the question, but Moby Dick said nothing.

Feeling annoyed, Juliana jabbed the back of the passenger seat with her knee, but the man just continued driving.

“Hey. Are you going to keep ignoring me?”

“It’s because I cannot answer that question.”

“So you can answer other questions?”

“Yes.”

“Are you married?”

“I told you I’m married.”

“Ah, right.”

A married man.

If he’s an ability user, he’s probably at most 25 years old, yet he’s already married?

“Who did you marry? An ability user? Then your child must be an ability user too?”

“No comment on that.”

“Hmm. Did you marry a normal person? Why would you do that? If you married an ability user, you’d immediately have an ability user child. Oh, are you the type who thinks ‘my child should live a normal life’?”

“…Sorry to interrupt, but the driving is about to get rough.”

Moby Dick’s voice trembled slightly.

“It seems the attackers are serious about taking you down.”

“Taking me down? What do you mean…?”

Rumble rumble.

Vibrations began to be felt.

At the same time, Moby Dick stepped hard on the accelerator.

“Going fast now.”

“Wait, why are you suddenly speeding…?”

Beyond the three-way intersection along the coastal road.

“…What is that?”

“Motorcycle gangs… would be nice, but it’s Hwalbindang. Those who said they would assassinate you.”

Dozens of motorcycles were approaching.

“…Korean traditional clothes-wearing bikers with goblin-like masks.”

Fluttering black robes, roughly driving bikes and closing the distance as they sped down the road.

“No, wait! Their bikes! On the front of their bikes!”

“Yes. I can see clearly.”

On the front of their handlebars.

“They have guns mounted.”

K2 rifles were attached to their handlebars.