A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 457

Final Battle (3)

The weather wasn’t as chilly as it had been. Sometimes, a faint warmth lingered in the breeze.

The reign of heavy, padded coats that had dominated the streets was slowly ending.

People’s outerwear was becoming lighter.

Basking in the bright sunlight, Jun-hoo walked down the streets of Sinchon.

Because it was the weekend, the streets buzzed with life, filled with young people.

Whether standing or walking, everyone was talking and laughing.

Exciting new dance music pulsed from store speakers, practically begging you to dance.

Jun-hoo walked slowly for about ten minutes.

The story cafe, their meeting place, was a little removed from the downtown bustle.

He’d picked a secluded spot.

*Should I consider him thorough when it comes to work?*

Ding-dong!

With the chime of the bell, Jun-hoo entered the cafe.

The cafe was small, with only about five tables. The rich scent of roasting coffee filled the air.

Because the space was limited, there was no need to search around.

Jun-hoo sat by the window.

Across from him, a man already occupied a seat. The man was large and broad-shouldered, like a bear.

He looked to be in his forties.

His large sunglasses, worn even in winter, were striking.

Jun-hoo didn’t know the man’s first or last name.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, sir.”

When Jun-hoo greeted him, the man responded in kind.

“Let’s order drinks first. We have a long story to discuss.”

“I’ll have a warm latte.”

“I’ll have the same.”

The man rose from his seat.

Jun-hoo offered to pay, but the man insisted. He walked to the checkout counter.

The man paid in cash.

“You’re younger than I expected.”

“I’m a bit older than I look. I just have a youthful appearance.”

“Indeed, these days, older people look younger than younger people. Except for me, perhaps.”

The man’s words were a blend of jest and seriousness.

However, perhaps because he was a professional, he didn’t pry into Jun-hoo’s personal life.

Silence followed the small talk.

Vibration.

Just then, the vibrating pager buzzed.

Jun-hoo retrieved the coffees and returned to the table.

*Did he figure things out properly?*

Jun-hoo was half expecting and half worried.

The man was, in fact…

A private investigator he’d had difficulty finding, and today he would hear the results of his request.

Jun-hoo placed the coffee on the table and sat down.

He took a sip.

The man mirrored Jun-hoo’s actions.

“Shall we get down to business?”

The man rubbed his hands together.

It was impossible to read the man’s eyes behind the sunglasses.

“First, I investigated the person you requested. He’s a doctor and a psychopath, an evil person who secretly kills patients.”

Jun-hoo nodded in agreement.

“So, did you find the information I wanted?”

“It was a struggle, but I found it.”

Jun-hoo sighed in relief.

That was right.

Jun-hoo had asked the private investigator to find Si-ho’s contact information and address.

Si-ho might seek revenge against Ah-young or his parents at any time.

Then…

Wasn’t a preemptive strike the best strategy?

Attack the enemy before they attack you.

He’d hesitated to make the request because of the negative image of private investigation agencies, but this wasn’t the time to be picky.

“I don’t usually make suggestions like this…”

The man trailed off, watching Jun-hoo’s reaction.

“If you’re thinking of doing ‘something’ to ‘that guy,’ you can add a request to our side.”

“By ‘something,’ you mean *that*.”

“Yes, that’s it.”

Jun-hoo and the man exchanged veiled words.

“The cost may be significant, but we’ll handle the job reliably.”

“Why are you making a suggestion you don’t normally make?”

Jun-hoo asked, taking another sip of coffee. He detected a strange emotion in the man’s voice.

“This guy… While digging into his personal details…”

The man took a document envelope from his bag and tapped it.

“I came to hate him. He deserves to die. How could a doctor play with and kill patients like that?”

The man revealed his emotions for the first time.

That emotion was anger.

“There’s no need for the client to get their hands dirty. If you do the job poorly, you might get into trouble.”

Now the man spoke of Jun-hoo’s potential murder as a foregone conclusion.

Jun-hoo guessed that the man saw him as a guardian of a patient who had died at Si-ho’s hands.

From Jun-hoo’s perspective, it was a misunderstanding that he had nothing to lose.

“How about it? Would you like to place an additional request with us?”

“No. I have to handle this matter myself.”

“It won’t be easy.”

“Is anything easy in this world?”

Jun-hoo shrugged with a smile.

The man stroked his chin for a moment, then nodded.

“Okay. But if you change your mind, contact us anytime.”

The man handed over the document envelope, and Jun-hoo handed over an envelope containing cash.

The exchange was complete.

“Then, I wish you good luck.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

With farewells exchanged, the man left the cafe without hesitation.

Jun-hoo remained seated, looking at the brown document envelope on the table.

Inside this envelope…

Si-ho’s personal information.

Jun-hoo tilted the envelope and scanned the contents.

His eyes narrowed.

He hadn’t expected much, but Si-ho’s residence was in Incheon.

That meant…

He could break into Si-ho’s house today without wasting any time.

Jun-hoo put the document envelope in his bag and stood up.

“Thank you for the coffee.”

“Yes, goodbye.”

The cafe employee responded indifferently.

It seemed ordinary, but it wasn’t.

Jun-hoo’s appearance usually attracted attention, especially from women.

But the cafe employee treated him like a stone statue.

Why?

The answer was at the glass cafe entrance.

Jun-hoo’s reflection was different from usual.

His nose was lowered, and his eyes were smaller.

His cheekbones were prominent.

He was using a martial art called Reverse Appearance, which alters one’s appearance by changing the facial structure.

When dealing with Si-ho, it was necessary to hide his identity.

Jun-hoo was the owner of a 2-million-subscriber Newtube [YouTube equivalent] channel and a renowned neurosurgeon.

Without changing his appearance, the probability of being recognized was extremely high.

After leaving the cafe, Jun-hoo boarded the subway.

The journey wasn’t boring as he reviewed his history with Si-ho and planned for the future.

* * *

Halfway up Mt. Jin-gap.

Two men climbed a steep mountain path.

One was a young man with smooth skin, and the other was a middle-aged man with a thick beard.

Both carried long, heavy shotguns.

The shotguns gleamed in the sunlight.

A large dog walked ahead, a black-skinned hound breed specialized in hunting. It constantly looked around and sniffed.

“I wonder if we’re destined to strike out today?”

Middle-aged man Joong-seok muttered.

“Why do you say that?”

“It’s like a jinx. There’s never any prey on days when my knees ache.”

“Teacher, really.”

The young man smiled brightly.

“You look like a handsome young master. Why did you take up such a rough job?”

Joong-seok asked what he’d been wondering for a long time.

Joong-seok had been a hunter for twenty years.

But the new hunter beside him seemed completely out of place.

In appearance and personality.

“It’s a long story. Should I just say I’m tired of the world?”

“…”

“I just want to live comfortably, hunting in the mountains.”

“So, you want to live like a hermit?”

“That’s right.”

The young man’s answer was short.

The conversation ended.

The young man was always like this: polite and kind, but never truly revealing himself.

How much time had passed?

“Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!”

The hunting dog began to bark loudly, as if trying to shake the mountain.

It seemed to have found prey.

However, Joong-seok didn’t expect much. He figured it would be a rabbit at best.

Flutter!

The hunting dog ran down the slope like an arrow, and Joong-seok leisurely followed.

But what was this?

A large object came into view.

The hunting dog hadn’t found a rabbit or squirrel, but a wild boar.

Not a cub, but an adult.

Judging by the protruding tusks, it was a male.

Annoyed by the hunting dog’s barking?

The wild boar charged.

The hunting dog spun around to avoid the attack.

But that was a mistake.

The wild boar now faced Joong-seok.

“Damn it!”

Joong-seok hurriedly loaded his shotgun and aimed at the wild boar.

Bang!

The shot echoed through the open space.

White smoke rose from the muzzle.

Had he fired in too much of a hurry? The aim was off. Only some of the lead pellets hit the wild boar.

But the wild boar continued its fierce charge.

This was a disaster.

He’d been too relaxed.

Just before the wild boar hit him, Joong-seok rolled to the side, barely avoiding the collision. Head-on, the impact would have been unimaginable.

*If my abdomen was stabbed by a tusk…*

The thought alone made his spine tingle.

“Hey! Be careful!”

Joong-seok shouted at the young man while reloading.

The wild boar was now charging at the young man.

He expected the rookie to panic, but he didn’t.

Despite it being his first encounter with a wild animal, the young man performed admirably.

Bang!

The shotgun aimed at the wild boar’s leg.

He thought the muzzle had dropped due to nervousness, but it hadn’t. After being shot in the leg, the wild boar simply sat down.

The wild boar’s skin was so thick that it wouldn’t die instantly from a shotgun blast.

Sometimes, hunters who shot wild boars properly still died from the boar’s attack.

But the young man had anticipated that and shot the wild boar’s leg.

It wasn’t a fatal wound, but by immobilizing its legs, he prevented it from being a threat.

Bang! Bang!

The muzzle spewed fire again and again.

Dozens of lead pellets pierced the wild boar’s head.

The wild boar made a dying sound, trembled, and collapsed.

The situation was over in an instant.

“Wow, you’re amazing! You don’t seem like a rookie.”

Joong-seok approached the young man and patted him on the back.

“Thank you.”

The young man smiled and continued.

“I’ve always been a master at hunting. Even humans.”

“Huh? What did you just say?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

Si-ho pretended not to know.