The Cop Is Too Strong [EN]: Chapter 182

< #182. Hwang Jang-soo's Revenge (3) >

Mr. Go had been offered a team leader position at the company but declined, choosing a field assignment instead.

And he was the top performer who had helped Chairman Baek reach this level over the past 10 years.

Promotions in the company depended on performance and skill.

Tap.

Mr. Go was in immediate danger of being slammed to the floor, but he flipped in mid-air, landing on his feet. Arching his back, he wrapped his legs around the assailant’s arm.

Creak-

‘How is he so tough?!’

An ordinary bone would have been crushed, but the assailant’s arm was as strong as steel, making the attack useless.

The assailant’s grip on the knife hand was unyielding.

He released the knife and snatched another from the air, swinging it at the assailant’s side.

He was hanging upside down from the assailant’s arm.

The assailant quickly lowered his hand to protect his side with his forearm. Mr. Go sneered at this predictable move.

‘As if his forearm is made of steel.’

Clang, clang-

The blade scraped against metal. The sensation was strange. He was wearing some kind of protective gear. Mr. Go swung twice more before pulling his shoulder back to stab.

A slightly larger motion than a simple swing, and that was his mistake.

Bang!

The assailant’s fist struck his exposed side. The motion wasn’t large, and the force wasn’t fully exerted, but his organs still rattled.

Crack-

His ribs felt broken. But Mr. Go didn’t groan and tried to attack again.

The assailant lifted the arm Mr. Go was hanging from and slammed him down.

Wham!!

He twisted his body before hitting the floor, but his left shoulder, side, and pelvis absorbed a massive impact.

“Ugh.”

His grip on Mr. Go’s wrist loosened. Enduring the pain, Mr. Go rolled to the side to avoid the next attack.

Or, he tried to roll.

His left arm and leg were temporarily numb, and he couldn’t move them. The monster raised a huge fist in front of his eyes.

Bang, bang, bang!!

Mr. Go, struck directly by the iron fist, lost consciousness, his face a ruin.

*

The assailant, Shin Hae-soo, wiped the blood from his face and approached Mr. Go.

“Are you from the company… are you dead?”

He was still breathing. His pulse was still there. He had fainted from the pain.

Hae-soo stepped over the body and opened the elegant, antique door at the end of the corridor, a door that radiated nobility.

Creak-

A middle-aged man stood tall in the center of the dark dojo [a hall for martial arts]. He held a sharp, gleaming sword in his left hand.

He turned his head, looked at Hae-soo, and asked.

“Did you come alone?”

When Hae-soo remained silent, he turned completely around, glanced at the doorway behind Hae-soo, and looked away.

‘Impossible.’

It was impossible to break through this fortress with force alone. Even a gun wouldn’t work. He might get a few, but he would be caught.

Swish-

The middle-aged man, Chairman Baek, held the sword with both hands and spoke again.

“Who sent you?”

Hae-soo wrapped bandages around his fist and looked down at him.

“The King of Hell.”

Shhh-!

As if expecting that answer, Chairman Baek immediately raised the sword and stepped forward, striking down.

Hae-soo was within the sword’s reach. He was really trying to cut him.

Hae-soo, facing him, was just as determined. He wasn’t afraid of the sword; he charged forward.

Thwack!

The blade touched his shoulder, tearing through the anti-stab suit and digging in. But it wasn’t deep. Hae-soo reached Chairman Baek and rammed into him.

Thud-!

Chairman Baek, hit by Hae-soo like a speeding train, flew through the air.

Crash!

He flew several meters, crashed into the wall, and fell, his protective gear askew.

Thud thud thud-

The impact was too much for a middle-aged man with graying hair. But Hae-soo gave him no respite, immediately running to him and climbing on top of him.

He raised his fist.

Before punching, he made eye contact.

“You…”

Chairman Baek saw the emotion in Hae-soo’s movements. This wasn’t a simple contract killer.

The way he broke in was different. Instead of sneaking in and targeting him alone, he openly came in and destroyed everything.

Mr. Go wasn’t coming; he must have been defeated.

He wasn’t a contract killer sent by a rival, but someone with a personal grudge.

“Do you think killing me will solve everything?”

Hae-soo answered without hesitation.

“Yeah.”

Bang, bang!

Chairman Baek’s face was crushed. The skull of an old man is weaker and easier to break. His face was unrecognizable.

Crack!!

With the last blow, Hae-soo’s fist broke through the dojo’s wooden floor.

Chairman Baek, with his extraordinary mental fortitude, was still conscious, his eyes rolling, looking at Hae-soo’s fist stuck next to him.

If that fist had hit his face, it would have been shattered.

He already knew it, but now he was certain. This man wasn’t a contract killer, nor was he someone from this world.

He was an avatar of revenge, consumed by anger. That’s why, despite his skills, he was a stranger. They lived in different worlds.

Hae-soo found Chairman Baek’s cell phone, took it out, and called 112 [the South Korean equivalent of 911]. After confirming the call was connected, he held the phone to Chairman Baek’s ear.

-…This is [police station name]. Hello. Please speak.

Hae-soo stared down at Chairman Baek, got up, and left.

Chairman Baek stared blankly at Hae-soo’s retreating figure before barely opening his mouth.

“Sa, sa, save me…”

***

[Underworld Kingpin, Nicknamed ‘Baekga,’ Arrested]

-Underworld kingpin, Mr. Baek ○○, has been arrested. Charges include conspiracy to murder, murder, drugs, intimidation, assault, and conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, etc.…

Because Chairman Baek’s headquarters weren’t in Gangjin City, the case was handled by detectives from other regions.

The detectives who inspected the scene grumbled.

“It’s professional work. No CCTV cameras, no black boxes, nothing. We can’t confirm what happened or who went in and out.”

“Professional my foot… They’re just gangster trash. They fought each other and covered it up. Hey, Sang-shik, have they said anything yet?”

“No, they said they were just fighting each other, as promised. They’re all in cahoots, treating the police like fools.”

“It would be better if they were fools. Keep pressuring them.”

Chairman Baek’s bodyguards remained silent, as instructed. To protect the reputation of Baekga and to find and avenge him before the police did.

***

A spacious office overlooking the city.

A middle-aged man with snow-white hair, Teacher Cheon, was looking at a potted plant.

Knock knock, creak-

The door opened as he knocked. Teacher Cheon didn’t look up.

Only one person could knock and enter without permission.

A large shadow fell over the office. A voice that sounded like it came from a cave echoed.

“Baekga has been attacked. All the ledgers have been handed over to the police.”

Teacher Cheon shook his head.

“That cowardly old man, I knew he’d be attacked. Who did it?”

“A masked assailant, one person.”

At ‘one person,’ Teacher Cheon turned his head slightly towards Manager Ma.

“One person?”

The bodyguards in Baekga’s fortress were elite, not just company employees. They were skilled, unlike ordinary gangsters.

There was also Mr. Go, Baekga’s constant companion, dispatched from the company. Mr. Go was known as a skilled fighter.

Something unusual had happened, something that suggested company involvement.

Manager Ma, reading Teacher Cheon’s expression, spoke.

“He didn’t use a gun; he fought hand-to-hand, unarmed.”

“Is that… possible?”

“It is possible.”

Teacher Cheon frowned at Manager Ma’s quick answer.

“Not you. How many company employees could break into that old man’s fortress alone and catch him?”

Manager Ma paused, thinking.

“…Less than five, but it’s hard to say for sure without weapons.”

“Five… Are there others that skilled outside the company?”

“There were two in the information network, but one died in Japan.”

“Mo Chang-gwi…”

Manager Ma nodded.

“Yes.”

“Then the other one is…”

“Yes, it’s Shin Hae-soo.”

Teacher Cheon turned to face Manager Ma.

“Find out if Baekga was attacked by Shin Hae-soo.”

“Understood.”

“Many people must be worried about Baekga’s ledger, right?”

“Yes, we’ll wrap it up by having Baekga take the blame.”

Manager Ma bowed and turned to leave when Teacher Cheon stopped him.

“And.”

Click.

“Today’s actions were a little disappointing.”

Manager Ma paused, thinking. Teacher Cheon liked it when he understood his intentions, but he hated it when he anticipated them.

He liked initiative, but he thought it was presumptuous to read his mind.

He was being blamed for anticipating Teacher Cheon’s thoughts.

Manager Ma’s expression hardened, then relaxed. He turned, bowed, and said,

“I will keep that in mind.”

Swish-

Manager Ma left, and Teacher Cheon looked at the door.

“Hmm…”

***

Daesung Hospital VIP ward.

Creak-

The door opened, and a small hand reached out.

Shin Hae-soo recoiled, but the hand was too fast.

Tap-

Only when his collar was grabbed did Hae-soo recognize the owner and widen his eyes.

“Hae-soo?”

Hae-soo smiled awkwardly, seeing Haru.

“Yeah, you’re guarding well. Nothing happened, right?”

“I’m sorry! The smell of blood was so strong…”

Hae-soo had changed and showered, but he lifted his shoulder and smelled himself.

“Ugh-”

A groan was heard. Not from Hae-soo or Haru, but someone else.

Hae-soo and Haru went to the bed.