Chapter 17 : Salary Negotiation – 2 (Part-1)

“Newbie. I hear you’re sharp? Try using that clever head of yours and figure this out. What’s better: starting from scratch abroad, or starting here with a managerial position? Gonna put down the gun? Ugh, you idiot. Make some sense here. If you put down the gun, what are you going to do? A professional gamer? Sounding like a major league player joining a youth team.”

“……”

“You must have figured it out in the last few days while firing that gun. You’re cut out for this, damn it. I’ve told you over and over, but you wouldn’t believe me. Now, do you believe it?”

The bastard kept insisting, repeatedly claiming that he lacked skill in shooting—exhibiting a false sense of humility about it, as if his words were a manifestation of modesty rather than a true reflection of his abilities.

But that was indeed the truth.

He was completely unaware of the extent of his own talent.

After I uncovered and recognized it, shouldn’t he at the very least express some form of gratitude towards me, perhaps by offering a bow of appreciation?

He expressed his desire to set the gun aside, to lay it down and walk away from the violence, yet the expression in his eyes was unmistakably that of a cold-blooded killer, revealing a darkness that belied his words.

Once an individual has experienced the act of taking a life, can they ever truly return to a state of normalcy, to a place where they can live without the shadows of their past?

He had already descended into the depths of the abyss, a place where escape seemed impossible and the weight of his choices loomed heavy over him.

If he still possessed his sanity, if he had any remnants of the person he once was, the obvious and logical course of action would be for him to reach out and grasp my hand without any second thoughts or doubt.

“There’s no point in leaving us and putting the gun down just to pick it up again. What’s the difference between working with people who can’t even speak your language abroad, or working with us here? Think carefully, newbie. The world is getting more insane every day. Have you seen anything like this? I didn’t even know this stuff existed until it came from Hong Kong. What kind of drug turns a person’s bones as hard as steel? This is just the beginning, and there are more bizarre things coming out in Hong Kong. Once those spread across the world, it’s going to be chaos in an instant. When that happens, we’ll really be raking in the money. Can you really put the gun down then? We’ve already surpassed the Orientals, and now, we’re the only ones pushing in Korea.”

“……”

“If you’re confident, shoot me, newbie. If you’re sure you’ll never hold a gun again for the rest of your life.”

Manager Jeong gasped, his breath coming in quick, shallow bursts as he lifted his gaze to meet Cheol-woo’s intense stare, his face showing the strain of the moment.

The muzzle of the gun trembled slightly in his unsteady grip, a visual manifestation of the internal turmoil he was experiencing.

It was evident that his resolve was faltering, wavering with each passing second as uncertainty clouded his thoughts.

If I just applied a little more pressure, it was conceivable that he might very well change allegiances, aligning himself with my interests instead.

At that precise moment, Cheol-woo’s attention was inadvertently drawn to the blue drug packet that lay discarded on the floor, an unanticipated catalyst for his sudden realization.

What in the world? It struck him with full force—why was he not making the change in allegiance that seemed so plausible?

“So, this drug came from Hong Kong? But Hong Kong is under lockdown, how did you get your hands on it?”

“Dammit. You never listen. Yeah, lockdown… lockdown Hong Kong… Wait a second. Who told you Hong Kong was under lockdown?”

“….”

That’s it.

How did this individual know that Hong Kong was currently under a state of lockdown?

The authorities in China had not only taken measures to exert control over the media channels operating within Hong Kong but had also implemented a complete shutdown of internet access, effectively rendering the lockdown a closely guarded secret.

To the outside world, most individuals simply assumed that China was engaging in its typical behavior once again, operating under its usual set of protocols and patterns.

However, it raised the question of who might have informed the newcomer about the current lockdown situation.

Could it possibly be?

“Dammit…!”

Bang!

Manager Jeong desperately reached for his phone in a frantic attempt to call for help, but Cheol-woo’s Mygun discharged first, leaving him with no chance to escape the impending danger.

A single bullet struck directly in Manager Jeong’s eye, causing him to immediately collapse to the ground in agony.

After tapping Manager Jeong’s head lightly and checking for any signs of life by feeling for his pulse, Cheol-woo finally relaxed his tense posture and allowed himself to slump down onto the floor.

“Wow. Damn. What a monster.”

What kind of person was this? He was lying there motionless, almost like a lifeless corpse, his stillness creating an eerie atmosphere.

Then, out of nowhere, he suddenly pulled out his gun, and in that moment, he transformed into something terrifying and formidable.

His body moved explosively, as if it had been ignited by gunpowder, and the speed at which he acted surpassed even the speed of sound itself.

It was almost as if time had slowed down, and in the blink of an eye, the world around him became a blur.

Under normal circumstances, if a person were faced with such a swift and violent action, they wouldn’t even have time to react; they would find themselves dead before they even realized what had happened.

However, after enduring numerous threats over the past few days, my body had become conditioned to these high-stakes situations.

It moved almost instinctively, akin to a seasoned badminton player expertly returning an impossible smash.

Even when my eyesight couldn’t catch up with the rapid movements, my body was adept enough to react without engaging in conscious thought.

This was the way Cheol-woo understood the unfolding events, as if he had become part of a deadly dance, responding to the rhythm of danger without hesitation.

“Why are there so many people hiding things from me?”

Cheol-woo picked up the blue drug packet.

This packet was a particular specialty from Hong Kong, a place known for its myriad of unique and often outrageous products currently emerging in the market.

In fact, there was an ongoing wave of all sorts of bizarre and innovative items hailing from Hong Kong at this moment.

And now, unexpectedly, Han CEO expressed a desire to travel to that vibrant and bustling city of Hong Kong alongside him.

His mind was spinning with the implications of this.

It appeared to him that an in-depth and more substantial conversation with Han CEO was necessary.

“…?”

Then, the distinct and unsettling sound of cabinet doors being knocked echoed through the room, and Cheol-woo came to a halt, sensing that something was amiss.

What could that sound possibly be?

Tick-tick-tick— the nails of CEO Han Siyeon, which she had been anxiously chewing on due to her rising stress levels, suddenly snapped off, creating a small but audible sound.

Ah— what a complete mess— I can’t even think about going to get a new set of nails looking like this, and the frustration was nearly compelling her to let out a string of curses.

The entire route leading to the Oriental Department Store had become an impenetrable barrier, leaving no option for passage.

Every door along the way was sealed tight with no signs of being opened, and in an even more alarming turn of events, it seemed that the secret passages which had previously provided an avenue for escape were now being closely monitored and guarded by men in sharp black suits, standing watch with an air of authority.

In the midst of this chaos, Han Siyeon, after taking a moment to compose herself and adjusting her appearance in the mirror with a weary sigh, forced a smile and resolved to step out into the uncertain situation that awaited her beyond the door.

“Oh my. Aren’t you Yuara, the manager from Kimyeong Security? I should have prepared if I knew you’d visit. I’m caught off guard by this sudden appearance.”

“Just do it like usual. Why the fuss?”

Yu Manager, smirking as they looked around the empty first floor of the department store.

Is she out of her mind?

She barges in with a real gun and tells me to act like usual?

If I had set off the fire alarm earlier and evacuated the customers, we’d probably have had a flood of reports.

Dammit.

I should have kicked out the customers when Min Cheol-woo told me to.

That would have been foresight.

The absurdity of it almost made me tear up.

“Actually, I came to help because I thought Han CEO might be in some trouble.”

“In trouble? There’s no trouble here…”

“There is. Isn’t it true that Han Siyeon CEO killed our people and ran away?”

“Ah, no. Did that happen?”

“Yes. It happened. And if Han Siyeon CEO is hiding somewhere here, wouldn’t it cause a lot of trouble for you, CEO?”

Yu Manager smiled sinisterly as they pulled back the curtain of a fitting room.

Wow, could it be possible for a person’s mouth to truly stretch that wide?

She wore a bright smile, yet it conveyed an unsettling sensation.

“We check the place thoroughly every closing time, so there’s no way that would happen.”

“I’ll take care of my own mess,” I said, glaring at her.

Yu Manager’s eyes twisted.

Then, suddenly, she began to speak in a frustrated, child-like voice.

“Aah, my legs hurt. Are we just going to stand here talking?”

“I don’t think we need to talk any longer.”

“I just want to talk more with Han CEO. Will you show me the way? Or should I just find the stairs myself?”

“…Follow me.”