Chapter 27
Hyungoh recalled what he’d heard from Herick about the mansion’s surroundings. According to him, there was only one way out of the Gostin Family’s estate. The rest was surrounded by dense forest, and the meticulous Federico had turned the entire woods into a maze, making it nearly impossible to leave that way.
So was Jake trying to leave through that one route? Jake flung open the passenger door. When Hyungoh stood frozen with caution, Jake commanded in a threatening voice:
“Get in.”
Hyungoh quickly scanned the garage. The area was empty—team members probably hadn’t arrived yet. The only vehicle was a mid-sized SUV that appeared to be Jake’s.
Hyungoh carefully examined the ceiling. There was a CCTV camera in the left corner. That must be one of the cameras Jake disabled. Hyungoh breathed shallowly, then suddenly stopped. Is he really going to kill me this time? Maybe planning to bury me alive?
I can’t die so pathetically like this.
He’d only taken one step back. But Jake must have misunderstood it as an attempt to flee, because he strode over and grabbed Hyungoh roughly. That’s how Hyungoh was forcibly shoved into the passenger seat.
Jake started the car aggressively. Hyungoh’s head hit the window hard, and he debated whether to fasten his seatbelt in this situation. Where the hell is he taking me?
Has Jake still not been punished for yesterday’s incident? He looks fine. Hyungoh stealthily observed Jake’s expression. He didn’t seem to have been drinking either. If anything, he was quieter than usual.
No, that’s what makes it scarier.
He’s unusually calm. Hyungoh subtly placed his hand on the door handle. In the distance, people who looked like security guards were standing in front of the main gate. Should I call out to them for help? I need to let Herick or Michael know about this.
At that moment, Jake pulled out a pistol hidden at his waist and pointed it at Hyungoh’s temple.
“Lower your head.”
The gun barrel touched his skin. The cold sensation couldn’t have been more chilling. It felt like all his brain functions had momentarily stopped.
Hyungoh slowly raised his hands. The gun barrel pressed firmly against Hyungoh’s temple. Hyungoh flinched and trembled before lowering himself. The dark floor mat greeted him. Damn it. Hyungoh squeezed his eyes shut. Like this, he couldn’t call for help or figure out which way they were going.
Jake’s car didn’t slow down. It seemed they’d passed through the front gate smoothly. Hyungoh’s heart pounded wildly. What now? What should I do?
“You killed me twice.”
Jake’s voice came out low and dark.
“You suddenly showed up, easily took my place, and shook everything I believed in.”
Hyungoh couldn’t respond. Rather than making feeble excuses that would only provoke him further, it was better to stay quiet. Stay calm, I have to stay calm. Hyungoh gripped his collar tightly with trembling hands.
“I know guys like you very well. You live for the thrill of tormenting others, don’t you? Coveting what belongs to others, taking it away, corrupting it…”
Whew. Jake exhaled a breath laced with resentment. His breathing gradually grew heavier.
“Right. You’re just like that bastard. Getting off on corrupting the pure. Fucking bastard. As expected, all Asians can’t be trusted. It’s so disgusting it makes me want to vomit.”
Hyungoh felt dizzy. To be honest, he was letting Jake’s words go in one ear and out the other. Surely he won’t actually shoot. Ah, surely not. But with Jake, it might be possible. Wasn’t he the kind of man who was more driven by emotion than anyone else?
How much time had passed? It felt like a good two or three hours. Just as his legs were completely losing feeling from staying bent down, the car stopped abruptly.
Hyungoh gasped, startled. Why are we stopping? What now? Hyungoh gradually turned his head to gauge Jake’s reaction.
“What are you to Michael?”
Jake asked, eyes flashing.
“Tell me. What are you to Michael?”
Hyungoh swallowed hard. Even his breathing was trembling now.
“I’m nothing…”
“If you give a boring answer, you’ll immediately have a hole in your head.”
“…”
“You’re the one who hurt Michael, you know?”
When did I? Though he felt wronged, pleasing Jake was the priority right now, so he slowly nodded.
“Your existence only harms him. I can’t just stand by and watch Michael be destroyed any further.”
After saying that, Jake got out of the car. With the loud slam of the car door, Hyungoh finally looked outside and felt his head spin.
What is this place?
In front of him stood a dilapidated house on the verge of collapse. Was this a forest? Or a village? How much time had passed for the sky to already be dark? The tall trees surrounding the area made it even more unsettling.
Jake yanked open the passenger door and dragged Hyungoh out. Since feeling hadn’t fully returned to his legs, Hyungoh collapsed to the ground. Jake grabbed him by the collar and dragged him inside the house. Actually, it looked more like a warehouse than a house.
The cool air naturally gave him goosebumps. Jake’s footsteps and the sound of Hyungoh’s body being dragged across the floor echoed throughout the empty space.
“J-Jake, wait a second…”
Hyungoh desperately racked his brain. The reason for coming to this place, where there wasn’t a trace of human presence, was obvious. He’s going to kill me. He wants to kill me and bury me where no one can find me. Yes, destroying the evidence. That’s it.
At this rate, I’m really going to die without anyone knowing. How can I escape this? Unable to properly control his body because of Jake’s iron grip on his collar, Hyungoh urgently tapped Jake’s hand.
“Calm down, Jake. What are you trying to do?”
Standing in the middle of the empty living room, Jake finally released Hyungoh’s collar. Grimacing at the sensation of being choked and then released, Hyungoh coughed and clutched his neck.
There wasn’t a single piece of furniture. The wallpaper had been torn off long ago, and cobwebs hung in every corner. Hyungoh tried to stand up quickly but immediately collapsed back down. Jake pointed his gun at Hyungoh again.
“You betrayed our Family today.”
Jake pulled out a pocket knife. It was the same knife that had nearly pierced the back of Hyungoh’s head yesterday.
“You, who were always busy pretending to be so smart, had actually been planning to stab our Family in the back with someone called Taylor for a very long time. And as soon as I discovered this, you…”
Jake opened the knife sheath and made a long cut on his right arm, the one holding the gun. Blood began seeping from the thin line drawn on his forearm.
“You attacked me.”
Jake didn’t even blink, as if it didn’t hurt, and soon grinned. Hyungoh’s face turned pale at Jake’s unexpected behavior.
“What are you…”
“It’ll also turn out that you ran off with the entire Cenaline Family executive list that I’d painstakingly smuggled out.”
“That doesn’t make any sense!”
“Shut up! You’re the one who created this fucked-up situation in the first place!”
When did I ever? Hyungoh’s mouth fell open. He was dumbfounded. You’re the one who hated and tormented me as you pleased. So why is it my fault?
“I’d rather kill you, but that method would be too trivial compared to the crimes you’ve committed. Don’t you think?”
“…What are you planning to do with me?”
Jake tucked the gun back into his waistband. Instead, he strode over and kicked Hyungoh’s head.
“Argh…!”
When his head hit the floor, Hyungoh felt his consciousness slipping. Jake’s foot was still pressing down on Hyungoh’s head.
His vision spun. His head was so dizzy that even his stomach felt nauseous. At this rate, I’ll die from a concussion first. Hyungoh barely held onto his fading consciousness and glared up at Jake. Jake’s eyes had long been bloodshot.
“In this world, I’m the only one who truly cares for Michael.”
As Hyungoh stared at Jake, struggling to keep his vision from blurring, he suddenly thought of Herick. That look in his eyes—I’ve seen it in Herick too. Eyes filled with maniacal devotion.
Hyungoh smiled weakly, as if sighing. Then and now. Why do these situations keep repeating?
“Hey, Jake.”
At the unexpected unfamiliar voice, Hyungoh perked up his ears. Two unfamiliar men were coming down the stairs next to the front door with leisurely steps. Jake, who’d removed his foot from Hyungoh, looked them up and down.
“…Were you already here?”
“Yeah. It got interesting, so I ended up eavesdropping. Sorry.”
The man with slicked-back hair approached, rubbing his hands together.
“Still, you should be honest. Aren’t you the one tormenting people because of love?”
“Shut up. My emotion isn’t something like love.”
“What, what? Why are you denying it so stubbornly? Because you think you’re not worthy of loving?”
Jake frowned. Seemingly excited by his reaction, the slicked-back haired man nudged Hyungoh with his foot.
“So this is him. Too precious to just play around with.”
“Torture him or fuck him, do whatever you want. You can do both for all I care.”
All I want is for him to suffer painfully until he’s on the brink of death. Jake said as he walked toward the front door.
“Just make sure he can never walk around freely again.”
“Of course. That’s why you gifted him to me, right?”
“Right, you disgusting yellow fever bastard.”
“Could you wipe the blood off your arm before talking? The smell of greasy fat is making me queasy.”
When Jake laughed and spoke, the slicked-back haired man retorted casually. Jake’s arm had long been stained bright red with blood. Hyungoh barely managed to keep his drooping eyes focused. He vaguely heard the front door slam shut. Jake seemed to have left.
“Joy, are you really into yellow fever?”
“Stop talking nonsense and help me support this guy, Simon.”
The slicked-back haired man called Joy spoke to the man named Simon, who had his long hair tied up tightly.
“Hello, baby. You’re cute.”
Simon lifted the back of Hyungoh’s head. Joy, meeting Hyungoh’s half-lidded eyes, greeted him warmly.
Who are these people? With difficulty, Hyungoh pushed away Simon and crawled toward the wall. No, this is dangerous. I’m too dizzy. I must have hit my head badly earlier.
Simon approached lightly and effortlessly picked up Hyungoh. Looking at Hyungoh, who couldn’t control his own body as if he were a fragile piece of paper, Simon glanced at Joy and said:
“I think his head is cracked. It’s bleeding.”
“What? That Jake, touching him first!”
I can’t believe it, really! Joy grumbled.
“Give him to me. I’ll carry him.”
“He’s heavy…”
“What do you mean, heavy?”
Joy, who hurried outside, carefully folded Hyungoh into the trunk of his car. Where are they taking me now? Hyungoh weakly grabbed Joy’s sleeve as he was about to close the trunk.
“Oh my. Look at this, Simon. Isn’t he too cute?”
“Mmm.”
“With such a good complexion, he must have beautiful internal organs too.”
At Joy’s chilling words, Hyungoh smiled as if in despair. Ha. Haha.
I’m doomed.
This was his limit. He couldn’t maintain consciousness any longer. And so, after one last glimpse of Joy’s hollow eyes as he closed the trunk, Hyungoh sank into darkness.
