You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 282

With a box of drinks in one hand and a bag full of bread in the other, Sang-gil stayed close behind Tae-shik as they approached Hanlim Corporation.

Tae-shik exchanged glances with the Team A and Team C vehicles blocking the alley at both ends.

He had confirmed that there was no back door in the villa.

He also verified with the villa owner that there was no door leading to the basement.

If they properly sealed this door, they could catch the meter reader themselves, without needing Teams A and C to get involved.

“Move aside, you.”

“Ah, yes.”

Tae-shik, feeling unnecessarily tense, vented his frustration on Sang-gil, who had done nothing wrong. He cleared his throat and knocked on the door of Hanlim Corporation.

“Is anyone there?”

There was no answer.

According to Cha Joo-han, this company called Hanlim Corporation wasn’t a real company.

He said there was a high probability that they hadn’t even registered the business and just put up a sign.

So, no one would visit Hanlim Corporation, and it would just be a place for them to hang out.

If a stranger suddenly knocked on the door, it was natural to be wary and pretend no one was there.

*Foolish bastards.*

*But you will open the door.*

“Oh dear, is no one inside? Sang-gil, should we just go to the next house since it seems no one’s here?”

“Ah, yes! Uncle. Let’s knock one more time! They might not have heard us. We have to start interior work from tomorrow, and it would be too rude if we didn’t ask for their understanding.”

“Is that so? Sigh, I was trying not to do it because I felt bad about the construction noise, but the house is a mess, really. If we just live like this, we’ll be breathing in mold with every breath,”

“Who is it?”

Before Tae-shik could finish his prepared lines, the door of Hanlim Corporation opened slightly.

As if still wary, the man who came out opened the door just enough to show his face and looked around outside.

“Hello! We’re the people who are moving into the house upstairs, and we’re going to do some interior work. It’s going to be noisy, so we came to ask for your understanding in advance.”

While Tae-shik was speaking, Sang-gil quickly scanned the man’s face.

He wasn’t the meter reader.

The meter reader was tall, but this man seemed to be barely over 170cm [approximately 5’7″].

“Construction? You’re moving into the house upstairs?”

“Ah, yes. We’re going to be neighbors now. Hahaha.”

“That’s strange? I saw the people upstairs yesterday?”

“Ah, they’re moving out today. We’re starting construction tomorrow. So, about that… we came to offer a little something in advance. Haha.”

Tae-shik handed him the juice and bread bag that Sang-gil was holding.

“Ah, there’s more, isn’t there? Where is it?”

“Uncle, you’re holding it.”

“Ah, right. This is moving-in *tteok* [rice cake, traditionally shared with new neighbors]. Hahaha.”

Tae-shik dangled the vinyl bag containing the steamed rice cake in front of the man’s eyes.

“Oh dear, you don’t have hands because of the juice and bread. Let us put them inside for you.”

“It’s okay. Just hook it on my finger here.”

“Oh dear, it keeps slipping~?”

Tae-shik pretended to slip the bag of rice cake onto his finger, and then, as if he couldn’t help it, he wedged his foot into the crack of the opened door.

“Let me put it inside for you. Oh, and I heard the water pipe is leaking upstairs? Is water leaking to the floor below?”

“It’s not leaking.”

“That’s strange. I heard there was water pooling. Can I go in and take a look? There might be mold. The company doing our construction said they would take a look at the water pipes as a service if there’s a leak. Just a quick look.”

“No, it’s okay…”

Before the man could answer, Tae-shik put the bag of rice cake on top of the items the man was holding in both hands and pushed him in with all his might.

Because his hands weren’t free, the man was suddenly pushed and fell on his butt.

And at that moment, Tae-shik and Sang-gil rushed inside.

“Hey! What are you doing!”

The man who had belatedly fallen on his butt threw away the luggage and followed them, but Tae-shik and Sang-gil had already scanned the outer space of the office.

Since he wasn’t in the common area with old sofas, he was probably in a room.

“You check that room, I’ll check this room.”

“Yes, *hyung* [older brother or respected male figure].”

“What the hell are you guys?”

The title of these guys, who he thought were uncle and nephew, changed to ‘hyung,’ and it was clear enough what was going on just from them rummaging through the office.

He didn’t know where these guys came from, but they were definitely looking for something here.

“Hey! Catch those bastards!”

At that moment, two men who seemed to be returning from their business entered the office.

The man shouted at the men with all his might, and they noticed and quickly ran towards the room.

“This bastard… no. This bastard… no.”

The room Tae-shik entered had several cots.

Tae-shik grabbed the chins of those who were sleeping soundly, seemingly unaware of the commotion outside, and checked their faces one by one.

At that moment, the guy who was covering himself with a blanket on the very end bed began to stir.

Suspiciously.

“It’s you, you bastard.”

*Got him.*

Tae-shik smiled with satisfaction and roughly pulled back the blanket.

And at the same time, the man lying inside sprang out like a bullet and began to run wildly outside.

“Sang-gil, that’s him!”

Tae-shik quickly chased after him, shouting to Sang-gil, who was searching another room.

He might not have heard him because of Tae-shik shouting and the men shouting as well, but Sang-gil, who had managed to catch the message, turned around to come out of the room.

“Who the hell are you guys, huh?”

But it might be a little late.

The men who were guarding the door surrounded Sang-gil and gradually closed in on him.

“You think I can’t get past you if you do this!”

Sang-gil took a few steps back and then charged forward.

But with a squishy sensation, he was bounced back.

It was like touching Flubber from his childhood.

Or, it was like riding a bouncy castle in the neighborhood arcade.

“Shit…”

That’s right.

The men had accumulated a considerable layer of fat throughout their bodies.

“Who sent you? Huh?”

The men drove Sang-gil back into the room like herding a pheasant, asking threateningly.

Sang-gil looked around.

It seemed impossible to get past the huge wall created by that fat, and since the window behind him was wide open, jumping out that way seemed like the best option.

Those guys wouldn’t be able to pass through the window because of the fat layer they created to protect their bodies.

No, the only one who can pass through that window is me, Choi Sang-gil, who has become almost a skeleton due to a tough diet these days!

“Uwaaaa!”

Sang-gil threw himself out the window.

Meanwhile, the meter reader, despite his large size, quickly darted out of the Hanlim Corporation office.

The door was open, but the men were guarding the door as if to prevent Tae-shik from leaving.

“This is so much fun?”

Tae-shik, who was confronting the two men blocking the door, checked the direction the meter reader was running away in beyond them and quickly shouted into the microphone connected to the radio.

“He’s going towards Team A! Stop him!”

“Damn it, who the hell are these guys?”

“You can tell just by seeing us chase that guy.”

“…Ah, those guys?”

Tae-shik, who was watching them exchange incomprehensible words, clenched his fists tightly.

Even if he fought 2 against 1 here, no, with the coalition of guys who were passed out over there already dealing with Sang-gil and coming this way… would it be 1 against 5?

Still, he was confident he could win.

He might be in a miserable situation where he was being used by Cha Joo-han, but could these guys, who were fundamentally fighters from the start, be an obstacle to Jang Tae-shik!

“Come on, you bastard.”

He acted as if he had the virtue of conceding the first move to the opponent… but unlike his words, Tae-shik rushed forward and kicked the guy blocking the door with a low kick.

“Ugh! Ack! Shiiiiit!”

Right in the man’s precious spot.

“I let you off easy this time because I don’t have time.”

Tae-shik stepped on the man writhing on the floor after being kicked in his precious part and ran out the door, reciting like a real man.

If he later requested a 1-on-1 duel with him, he had no intention of avoiding it.

If the situation allowed, it could have been now, but unfortunately, the meter reader was the priority.

“Catch that bastard!”

Tae-shik pointed at the meter reader running like crazy and shouted.

Team A and Team C had already blocked the alley at both ends by placing their cars horizontally.

With a human’s weak body that would go straight to heaven if hit by a car, there was no way he could push away the high-end mid-size sedan (worth 15 million won [approximately $12,000 USD], by the way) that Cha Joo-han had bought with 200 million won [approximately $160,000 USD].

Tae-shik, who was holding onto the Hanlim Corporation door, slammed the door shut when the able-bodied men tried to come out.

*Thud, thud!*

The sound of the guys hitting the door and falling back could be heard outside.

Tae-shik inserted several crowbars that he had prepared in advance into the doorknob to prevent the door from opening, and then began to sprint madly towards the meter reader.

“Hey, you son of a bitch! Just give up, you stupid bastard!”

Kang Min-jae, who had gotten out of the car after hearing Tae-shik’s radio message, hurriedly ran towards the meter reader.

Kang Min-jae was running towards him with a murderous intent in front, and a thug was running towards him with an intent to beat him up in the back.

He was truly a rat in a trap.

There was a way to dodge and run away if Kang Min-jae tried to catch him, but the vehicle waiting in front was moving ominously as if to block that path as well.

“Team C, tighten from behind!”

In the meantime, Tae-shik, who had quickly narrowed the gap with the meter reader, shouted into the radio.

Then, the Team C vehicle ran fiercely and stuck close behind the meter reader.

“Give up, you bastard!”

At the same time, Tae-shik threw himself at the guy.

“Ugh!”

And the meter reader, who was pinned by Tae-shik, let out a groan of pain.

Something seemed to have snapped, but it must have been his imagination, right?

“Damn, you idiot. You can’t escape from Jesus Christ’s palm no matter how hard you try.”

Tae-shik pinned the meter reader to the ground and tied his arms.

Kang Min-jae, who had arrived in front of them, took out duct tape from the glove compartment and handed it to Tae-shik.

Then, Tae-shik taped the meter reader’s mouth shut.

He had tied his wrists and ankles tightly with the knotting method he had learned in the military, so there was no worry of it coming undone.

“Attorney Kang! Let’s get this bastard in the car! Those guys will be out soon.”

The front door of Hanlim Corporation had been rattling since earlier, and the atmosphere was unusual.

Tae-shik showed off his superhuman strength and lifted the large meter reader as he was.

And he put the guy in the back seat of the Team A vehicle and got in himself.

“Start quickly! Start!”

Tae-shik urged Oh Yang-hoon by kicking the driver’s seat.

Oh Yang-hoon, who was once known as a gentleman on the road and a best driver, broke his long-held beliefs and began to speed through the alley, ignoring the one-way sign.

“But what about Sang-gil?”

“I don’t know, didn’t he come out?”

“He didn’t? Isn’t Sang-gil caught?”

Kang Min-jae, who was sitting in the passenger seat, took out duct tape from the glove compartment and handed it to Tae-shik.

Then, Tae-shik taped the meter reader’s mouth shut and replied.

“Eh, no way.”

“Still. What if Sang-gil is in danger! Sang-gil, Sang-gil, are you okay?”

Kang Min-jae shouted urgently into the radio.

Then, after a brief crackling sound, a hopeful message was heard.

-I am safe, over! But ugh, I think I’ll be a little late… Go ahead, over…

“He seems fine if he’s joking around. Step on it, Mr. Secretary!”

They deliberately ignored Sang-gil’s groaning voice.