Ch.99Chapter 99. Let’s Get Hit, You Bastard (1)

“Hm……”

Looking at the photos scrolling across the screen one by one, the superior officer smiled contentedly.

“What are you doing? Looking at your son’s photos again?”

“Ah. Juliane.”

Just then, the rooftop door swung open and her junior colleague appeared.

She was a cute junior colleague whose enthusiasm was so abundant it bordered on excessive.

“Why did you come to work? You should be at home taking care of your child.”

“That child goes to school too……”

Annoyed by the seemingly sarcastic tone, Juliane leaned against the railing and rested her chin on her hand.

It was a well-known fact throughout the Justice Department that Juliane was dedicated to her surveillance mission.

But only her superior knew that it wasn’t simply about the mission—she was genuinely becoming part of that family.

“I heard the child is skipping to 7th grade? Congratulations.”

“H-how did you know that?”

“I have my ways.”

“……”

These days, she submitted reports directly, so her superior shouldn’t have had time to look through them.

Perhaps he had other sources of information.

Juliane felt somewhat offended, thinking he didn’t trust her.

“Thank you. For the congratulations. But honestly, I’ve been feeling conflicted lately.”

“Why? Did you two fight?”

“No. We get along well……”

“Then are your parents against it?”

“No. My parents seem to have accepted it in their own way……”

“Then what is it?”

“If I get married, won’t I have to quit the Justice Department?”

“……”

I thought it was some serious problem.

Deflated, her superior sighed and turned his head.

“Why would you quit? No need for that.”

“But it feels wrong. A surveillance agent pretending to date her target and then marrying him? It’s like a psychiatrist gaslighting a mental patient into a relationship. Isn’t this against professional ethics?”

“……”

He was dumbfounded.

He didn’t even have the energy to argue about how that wasn’t an appropriate comparison.

The problem was that she was too upright, excessively so.

“Just say the marriage is also part of the cover. Submit a report saying you need to monitor him more closely through marriage.”

“Oh?”

“Then live happily ever after until one of you dies, then divorce and end the surveillance mission.”

“Are you some kind of genius?”

“……”

The superior couldn’t help but slap his forehead.

When she first joined, she was undoubtedly sharp and intelligent.

He wondered when she had become so clueless.

“Ah. How many more children should we have? Would Cuss dislike having siblings? No, she might be prickly at first but would probably grow to love them…!”

“Good grief.”

What a mess.

She had completely turned into a doting parent.

Where had the charismatic new investigator who used to take down criminals gone?

The superior could only shake his head.

“And about that matter… It’s almost ready. Now I’m just looking for the right time to blow it open.”

“Ah. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“……”

Juliane pouted her lips as she looked at her superior who was deliberately pretending not to hear, acting as if he didn’t understand.

When he clearly knew exactly what she meant.

“You could still join in and get a substantial cut if you want?”

“I still have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Pfft. You think I’m going to fail.”

It was the opposite.

If it was Juliane, she would undoubtedly succeed brilliantly.

With her perfectionist tendencies and thorough preparation, she would push through regardless of whether the opponent was the federal government or the Navy.

That’s the kind of person Juliane was.

Rather than joining the winning side, it was more like whichever side Juliane joined gained the advantage.

Even when she complained that things were really going wrong this time, she always managed to resolve issues well.

If she was showing this much confidence, her preparations must be exceptional.

“Well, something like that.”

But no one could predict the aftermath of that victory.

In the worst case, if the federal government sided with the Navy…

Many people would be swept away.

Even if Juliane ultimately won, it would drag on for a considerable time.

Even if that man Jinsoo finally cleared his name after a grueling battle, everyone around him would be scarred.

He couldn’t afford to be one of those scars.

He had too many responsibilities to jump in for the sake of honor alone.

“I’m sorry about that.”

“No, there’s nothing to be sorry about……”

“All I can offer is a couple of pieces of advice.”

“What are they?”

“The mental preparation of the person involved is crucial. Train him properly. Or better yet, send him far away on a trip when it breaks. Hmm. The latter might be better.”

“Why? There are many legal procedures that can’t proceed without the person involved.”

“Legal procedures can be handled slowly. But what if the person’s mental state collapses and they want to stop? It’s better to isolate them from the world.”

“Ah……”

That made sense.

All kinds of strange attacks would come in.

Even for someone like Jinsoo who had endured life in a labor camp, it would certainly be a painful experience.

She didn’t want to see Jinsoo like that.

It seemed right to follow her superior’s advice.

“By the way, what kind of advice was that just now? You said you had no idea what I was planning.”

“Be quiet, you brat.”

“Yes……”

Even after receiving a light knock on the head, Juliane stood silently beside her superior for a long time, looking up at the sky.

The sky that was pitch black with acrid smoke, even though it was daytime.

***

Ring ring ring…

“Hmm?”

It was an unknown number.

As soon as Jake confirmed the sender’s number wasn’t registered, he hung up without hesitation.

Since his father was a senator, many people tried to approach his family.

Cutting off the possibility of contact with such people was the most certain and safe method.

Ding

“What now……”

This time it was a text message.

Usually people gave up after a failed call.

This person was quite persistent.

Jake decided to check the message content before blocking the number completely.

-This is Cuss’s father. If you’re Jake Prime, contact this number as soon as you see this message.

“Ugh.”

This was an unexpected complication.

Cuss’s father contacting me? Why?

“Why else……”

It must be because of what happened in the supply room that day.

When the door opened, I was holding Cuss, trying to protect her from gunfire.

The terrifying expression on Cuss’s father’s face at that moment…

I thought I might die from his piercing gaze alone.

That burly man looked like he could tear someone like me in half in ten seconds.

‘Should I tell my father?’

Jake briefly considered asking for his father’s help, but…

‘No. That’s absolutely not an option.’

He shook his head.

He couldn’t bother his father with the trivial trouble he’d gotten himself into.

Even if the man looked like a child molester and murderer, judging people by their appearance was wrong.

He might actually be calling to thank me for protecting Cuss.

‘Alright. Let’s make contact.’

He couldn’t just keep avoiding it pathetically.

It was my fault for being alone with Cuss in a confined space, creating grounds for misunderstanding.

Besides, there was something I needed to ask Cuss’s father directly.

Seriously and properly.

It was an issue that needed to be discussed face to face.

Having finally made up his mind, Jake made the call.

The other side picked up almost immediately.

“Mr. Cuss’s father. This is Jake Prime.”

“You little shit. Where the hell are you right now?”

“……”

Ah. I’m screwed.

Jake froze in place as soon as he heard the menacing voice.

.

.

.

Although I felt a bit irritated hearing his youthful voice, I think I managed to speak calmly in the end.

I’m Cuss’s father, and I want to discuss something important.

Would you be available today?

Let’s meet in person.

After speaking reasonably, we managed to set up an appointment for 4 PM today.

“When is Jake coming?”

“……”

And now I was sitting in a restaurant with Cuss clinging to my side.

I had planned to leave her at home with some excuse, but somehow she sensed what was happening and insisted on coming…

I was about to tie her limbs with cable ties and leave, but she threatened to tell others about the wound still on her neck, so I had no choice but to bring her along.

I’m about to talk about you, how am I supposed to do that with you right here…

Damn it. This is frustrating. So frustrating.

“Where’s Juliane today?”

“She said she’s working late. Must have something to do.”

“Hmm… I see.”

Contrary to my original plan, I decided not to bring Ms. Juliane.

Jake has had contact with Cuss’s tentacles.

There’s a high possibility he’s noticed a significant part of Cuss’s secret.

I needed to question him about that today, and those weren’t things I could easily discuss in front of Ms. Juliane.

“Then I wish Jake would never come either.”

“Why?”

“Just because. I want to stay like this. Forever.”

“……”

Cuss hugged my arm and nuzzled her head against my shoulder.

She had always clung to me saying she was cold, but it seemed to have gotten worse recently.

Constantly trying to get piggyback rides.

Clinging to my arm.

Or begging for kisses.

I was worried that the child might be too dependent on me, but according to her homeroom teacher, that didn’t seem to be the case.

There was no need to worry too much, as the frequency of her causing trouble had decreased significantly.

I thought she might have achieved some mental growth recently.

From about a three-year-old level to maybe an eight-year-old?

That was tremendous progress.

“What are you doing?”

“Huh?”

I wondered what Cuss was doing when she touched my other hand.

She was placing it against her chest.

“Just thought Jinsoo looked upset. You like touching my chest, so…”

“……”

If someone overheard, they might misunderstand this as pedophilia.

It’s not like I enjoy touching her.

It’s become such a daily routine that I feel anxious if I don’t touch her for even a day, so I have no choice.

I wish she wouldn’t say things that could be misunderstood.

Ding…

Just then, the door swung open with the sound of a bell.

I hastily withdrew my hand that had been kneading over her bra and stared at the door.

The person I had been anxiously waiting for.

Jake Prime was entering with a sullen expression.

This kid. Arriving exactly on time.

Isn’t it basic social etiquette to arrive 10 minutes before the appointment time?

Tsk tsk.

“Huh?”

But…

There was a man following behind him.

It couldn’t be his father.

And I knew he didn’t have any older brothers.

Jake approached us nervously, trembling, accompanied by that man.

“Who’s that behind you?”

“M-my lawyer.”

“……”

Wow, this cowardly bastard.