You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 389

You’ve Been Defended – Episode 389

‘Why are they letting me go?’

A surprised Gang-chi glanced back at the police station, wondering to himself.

He was on the wanted list, and even though he had actively participated in the interrogation, he’d expected to be held in custody for further investigation.

‘Is this the influence of Hwang Young-chan and Woo-shin?’

Everything was unfolding exactly as Hwang Young-chan had predicted.

Hwang Young-chan had assured him that even with a warrant out for his arrest, his cooperation with the police would secure his release.

And here he was, breathing fresh air not long after being arrested.

Meanwhile, Park Jin-sung, who had been apprehended even earlier, was still stuck in jail for some reason.

“Fuck it, who cares.”

A pleased smile spread across Gang-chi’s face as he began contemplating how to spend his day.

Now that the warrant was lifted, he planned to head back to the club.

He’d abstain from drugs, just in case he had to take a drug test during the investigation, but he fully intended to drink himself into oblivion.

And then, he needed to meet that important client his underling had mentioned – the one looking for “candy, sticks, and meat” [euphemisms for drugs and prostitutes].

“Should I hit the sauna first?”

He hadn’t had a proper wash while in police custody, leaving him feeling grimy.

Gang-chi started walking towards the main street, scanning for a taxi.

He planned to stop by a sauna near his place, then go home to sleep it off and start his activities later in the evening.

“Oh, a taxi! Taxi!”

Gang-chi waved his hand enthusiastically at an approaching taxi.

The taxi driver acknowledged him and quickly pulled over.

It was a deluxe taxi, but he wasn’t in a position to be choosy.

“Please take me to Nonhyeon-dong.”

“Yes, sir. Seeing you come out of the police station, you must have been caught up in something troublesome?”

“Yeah, a little. I’d appreciate a quiet ride, if you don’t mind.”

“Yes, sir. I understand.”

The blasting air conditioning and comfortable ride began to soothe his tired body.

Gang-chi, who had been gazing out the window, slowly closed his eyes.

It would take a while to get to Nonhyeon-dong from here, so he figured he could catch a quick nap.

“…Ugh, I feel a bit better.”

The short nap had a surprisingly refreshing effect.

He felt as if he’d slept for hours.

Gang-chi rubbed his eyes and looked outside.

Darkness had already fallen.

…Darkness?

“Driver, what time is it?”

Gang-chi asked, but the driver didn’t respond.

Gang-chi then realized something was terribly wrong and looked around.

The taxi was traveling through an unfamiliar area.

A deserted highway.

It was nothing like the scenery he should be seeing on the way from Gangnam Police Station to Nonhyeon-dong.

Gang-chi reached into his pocket to check his cell phone.

But it was gone.

“Driver, where are you going?”

Gang-chi asked, his voice sharp.

But the driver remained silent.

At this point, he was certain it was a kidnapping.

The driver, who had been so polite when he first got in, was now driving like a robot without saying a word, and they were heading to a remote location instead of his destination, with the sun already set – it all pointed to one thing.

“Did Hwang Young-chan tell you to do this? You fucking old geezer. Stop the car! I said stop the car!”

“Let’s just go quietly. You know you can’t resist.”

“Why can’t I?”

Gang-chi tried to open the locked door and jump out.

But at that moment, the driver accelerated sharply, making it impossible to jump.

“Goddammit! I did everything you told me to do, so why are you doing this, you fucking bastards!”

Gang-chi screamed, tearing at his hair in frustration.

Then, a small man emerged from under the front seat.

“What the fuck!”

How long had he been hiding there?

From the beginning? Or did he sneak in while he was asleep?

He didn’t know, but the small man knelt on the seat and reached over the back, grabbing Gang-chi by the collar.

“Ugh, let go! Let go, you bastard!”

“If you had just acted with some sense, this wouldn’t have happened in the first place.”

And then he stuck a needle into Gang-chi’s neck.

Gang-chi groaned in pain, but as soon as the small man released his collar, he slumped back into the seat and lost consciousness.

“Now we can go quietly. Let’s hurry. Everyone’s waiting.”

“Yes, sir.”

The car carrying Gang-chi arrived in front of an abandoned factory.

Men in black suits were patrolling the perimeter with lanterns, and as soon as the taxi arrived, they converged on the vehicle.

When the small man got out of the passenger seat, they exchanged nods of recognition, and immediately opened the back door where Gang-chi was slumped.

Gang-chi fell sideways and rolled onto the floor.

But even then, he remained unconscious.

“The chief and the director are here. Wake him up quickly.”

“We need to tie him up before we wake him. Where are the chief and the director?”

“They’re having a cup of tea over there. A lawyer named Cha Joo-han is with them.”

“I got screwed over by Cha Joo-han so many times, and now the day has come when we’re on the same side.”

“Tell me about it. Anyway, hurry up.”

At the words of the man in the black suit, the small man picked up Gang-chi.

He carried him inside the abandoned factory, tied his arms tightly to the armrests, secured his legs to the chair legs, and taped his mouth shut with duct tape.

“Should we wake him up now?”

The small man asked, taking a needle out of his pocket.

When the man in the black suit nodded, he stuck the needle into a vial, drew the liquid into the syringe, and injected it into Gang-chi’s neck.

“Ice water.”

He said to the men stationed inside the abandoned factory.

They filled a large washbasin with ice cubes, added water, and immediately splashed it on Gang-chi’s face.

“Umm, ugh…”

Gang-chi, still half asleep, frowned and groaned, his sounds muffled by the duct tape.

He tried to move, but he was completely immobilized.

His limbs were tied to the chair, and no matter how much he struggled, the chair wouldn’t budge. It was as if the chair itself was bolted to the floor.

“I’ll go get the chief and the director, so keep a good watch.”

Gang-chi’s resistance intensified, but the more he fought, the more he realized his powerlessness.

Even though his thoughts were clouded with drowsiness, Gang-chi tried to assess the situation.

The “chief” they were talking about must be Go Sang-jun’s chief of staff, whom he had met once before, and the “director” was definitely Hwang Young-chan.

But he couldn’t understand why.

There was no logical reason for them to treat him this way.

Could it be that they were worried he might talk, now that he knew too much, and they were trying to eliminate a potential threat?

Gang-chi had become a key player in this whole mess, even promising Hwang Young-chan that he would be a source of funds.

But why this sudden change?

“…”

As his thoughts raced, three men in suits approached Gang-chi.

As expected, it was Hwang Young-chan and Go Sang-jun’s chief of staff.

And the other one was…

‘That’s the guy who took pictures of me and Hwang Young-chan at Wolhwajeong back then.’

At the time, he was too focused on escaping to consider their relationship, but they didn’t seem to be allies, at least not openly.

The fact that he took the pictures suggested he was trying to document Hwang Young-chan’s involvement with Gang-chi, but why was he here now?

“Take off the tape.”

The chief of staff gestured to one of the men waiting nearby.

As the duct tape was ripped off with a harsh sound, Gang-chi screamed.

“Director, why are you doing this to me? I did everything you told me to do, so why…? Just spare my life! I’ll do whatever you want.”

“You did everything I told you to do?”

Hwang Young-chan looked at Cha Joo-han with disbelief.

Cha Joo-han stared back at Gang-chi without any expression.

Gang-chi started to piece things together.

It seemed like that man was a spy, and he was claiming that Gang-chi had told the police everything?

Seeing him appear with the police back then, it seemed likely he had connections within the force.

Then that man was his target.

“I don’t know who that guy is, but did he say I told everything to the police? Director! Why would you believe him? Huh? I didn’t say anything! All I said was that Park Jin-sung was behind me!”

As Gang-chi shouted at the top of his lungs, Hwang Young-chan turned to Cha Joo-han.

Cha Joo-han replied with a hint of amusement in his voice.

“Director, you don’t need to believe a thug like that. Didn’t I show you the records?”

“Ah, I’m going crazy! I really only told the police that Park Jin-sung was behind me! Am I stupid? I had the chance to get the head of the criminal division and Woo-shin on my side, would I throw that away? Don’t believe him! Please, I beg you!”

As Gang-chi bowed his head and sobbed, Hwang Young-chan looked at the chief of staff, unsure of what to do.

The chief of staff casually picked up a chainsaw that was lying nearby.

“Well, you won’t die from losing an arm. If you still claim you’re innocent after your arm is cut off, then we’ll know you’re telling the truth. And Cha, if you lied to us… isn’t that right?”

“Why would I lie? Chief of staff, didn’t you say yourself that if I interfered this time, you would kill me? I was just trying to avoid death.”

“That’s a wise choice, Mr. Cha. What you’ve shown us so far is enough to some extent, but Gang-chi is still protesting so vehemently… Show us something.”

At the chief of staff’s words, Cha Joo-han frowned.

He didn’t understand what he was being asked to demonstrate.

As Cha Joo-han looked at the chief of staff, the chief of staff approached him and handed him the chainsaw.

“Is this your first time? Cutting off a person’s arm, I mean.”

“…I have no reason to do such a thing.”

“Consider this an opportunity. Isn’t this a chance to confirm whether the lawyer has truly become our ally? We can confirm whether the lawyer is really on our side, and we can also confirm whether Gang-chi is lying. It’s a win-win situation.”

“There’s also the possibility that he’ll continue to lie to avoid death, even after his arm is cut off.”

“We’ll deal with that then. It doesn’t matter whether Gang-chi lied or not; we can just kill him. Mr. Lawyer, you’re more soft-hearted than I thought. Is that why you were on the side of the weak?”

The chief of staff scoffed.

Cha Joo-han had no choice but to accept the chainsaw.

He turned it on as the men in black suits had instructed, and a gruesome whirring sound filled the air.

Cha Joo-han, holding the chainsaw, slowly approached Gang-chi.

Gang-chi struggled to free his arm from the armrest, but it was no use.

Seeing the approaching chainsaw, Gang-chi squeezed his eyes shut.

“I can’t do it.”

Cha Joo-han, who had brought the chainsaw right up to Gang-chi’s arm, turned it off and placed it on the floor.

The chief of staff’s face twisted in anger.

“You don’t care if you’re suspected?”

“Yeah.”

Before the chief of staff could even react to the sudden informality, Cha Joo-han continued.