For cars whose driver’s side doors weren’t open, he found a large stone, smashed the window, opened the door, and opened the trunk.
Even though he’d searched almost all the cars, not a single hair of Ian’s could be seen. Just then, Jaehyun’s eyes caught sight of the boats docked at the harbor.
“Ha, shit.”
Though he normally didn’t curse, at this moment he couldn’t hold out without doing so. Jaehyun took out his phone and checked the information he’d received from a subordinate.
Searching through all these boats would be difficult. It could be done, but it would take too long. Since he didn’t know what state Ian was in, he had to think that the later he was discovered, the more dangerous it would be.
No, perhaps…….
Imagining the worst-case scenario, he shook his head to dismiss the stray thoughts. Ian absolutely had to be alive. Otherwise, he didn’t have the confidence to handle Ganghyuk’s fury.
“Golden Canyon, Golden Canyon……”
The boat owned by Hongdo’s right-hand man had the words “Golden Canyon” printed on its side. Since it was already dark, reading the letters wasn’t easy, but Jaehyun moved without rest, quickly checking the boats.
He finally discovered one boat with “Golden Canyon” written on it. Just as he was letting out a sigh of relief, he felt a presence behind him, and then a burning pain exploded in his side.
When he turned his head, one of Gal Hongdo’s subordinates had stabbed a knife into Jaehyun’s side. Perhaps because he thought he’d finally taken down one person, the bastard grinned with a reddened face.
“Laughable.”
“Aaak!”
Jaehyun, who turned his body with the knife still embedded, jabbed both thumbs into the man’s eyes. Even as the man screamed in tremendous pain, his hands showed no mercy.
Jaehyun also wasn’t at Ganghyuk’s side as his closest confidant for nothing. Though he’d graduated from Korea University’s law school and was active as Ganghyuk’s personal lawyer and executive secretary, if he hadn’t had fighting skills or ruthlessness to begin with, he couldn’t have lasted long at Ganghyuk’s side.
After breaking the neck of the man shedding bloody tears, Jaehyun ground his teeth and pulled out the knife. After roughly binding the wound area with his necktie to stop the bleeding, he leaped up onto the boat.
The boat was quiet, but he couldn’t let his guard down. If Ian was really here, there might be someone guarding him.
Each time he walked, a tearing pain was felt from his side. He endured it, grinding his teeth. Blood had soaked through the necktie and was dripping down, but he didn’t have the leisure to properly examine the wound.
“Ian-nim!”
Jaehyun called Ian’s name as he thoroughly searched the inside of the boat. Any space where a person could fit, he unconditionally opened and checked.
Fortunately, no one appeared to interfere, but just when he was growing anxious because Ian’s form was nowhere to be seen—
“Where’s Ian?”
A rough voice flew from behind. Jaehyun, who had checked all the cabins on the boat and was now looking at the floor, turned his head in surprise.
Ganghyuk stood towering on the boat. The sight of blood dripping from his face was as brutal as a death god.
Though he hadn’t suffered a large wound like Jaehyun, Ganghyuk too bore large and small injuries all over his body. Traces that seemed to be knife cuts remained on his forearm and side.
Between the torn fabric, bloodied flesh could be glimpsed. Jaehyun looked at the place where the battle had taken place. Most of the people had already collapsed on the ground.
Sucheol was dealing with the remaining two. The wind, which would normally only carry a salty smell, carried the scent of blood.
“I checked all the cabins but he wasn’t there. I was about to check the floor area.”
There was a door that looked like a storage hold on the boat’s floor. If he wasn’t in here either, the only remaining places would be spaces like the service hatch or crawl space.
“Move aside.”
Ganghyuk pushed Jaehyun back and knelt on the floor. The storage hold was bound with chains. Seeing that it even had a padlock, it was definitely suspicious.
When he gripped the end of the chain and applied force, a grinding sound came out. The muscles in Ganghyuk’s arms swelled, but though a creaking sound came from the joint, it couldn’t be undone.
Seeing this, Jaehyun quickly found the engine room. Normally, large boats like this would definitely be equipped with a toolbox.
“Executive Director, here!”
Jaehyun, holding a wrench and spanner he’d found in the box in both hands, approached Ganghyuk and handed him the tools. The connecting rings of the chain, which had been thicker than fingers, broke one by one.
Though his palms were torn from the recoil of striking down hastily, Ganghyuk silently undid the chains. Finally, the door leading to the bottom of the hull opened.
As soon as the door opened, a damp smell came wafting out. And when he discovered the person lying there forlornly, Ganghyuk inhaled deeply enough to make his chest swell greatly.
“……Yeon Ian.”
He called Ian’s name with a trembling voice, but the figure didn’t move at all. Ganghyuk jumped down to the floor without hesitation.
Inside was completely shrouded in darkness. In the area where boxes tightly wrapped so you couldn’t tell what was inside were stacked, a musty smell emanated.
Ganghyuk’s eyes hardened sharply at the faint pheromone scent permeating within. Ian lay collapsed wearing only his underwear, his body covered in wounds everywhere. Dried bloodstains had hardened at the corners of his mouth.
Ganghyuk knelt down and lifted Ian into his arms. Moonlight seeped in, illuminating Ian’s face. His complexion as he lay with eyes closed was excessively pale.
He brought his index finger to Ian’s nose. Until he felt the delicate breath tickle his skin, Ganghyuk also waited while holding his own breath.
Only after confirming Ian was breathing did Ganghyuk stroke Ian’s cheek with his thumb. He looked even more wretched than the day he’d climbed onto the club stage.
Though he hadn’t been away from his side for long, he’d returned in ruins. His chest throbbed at the thought that it was all his fault.
“Kid.”
He was clearly breathing, yet he couldn’t open his eyes at all. Ganghyuk pressed his lips to Ian’s cool forehead.
“…I’m sorry. For coming too late.”
He’d come as quickly as possible, but seeing Ian’s condition, it felt like he was already too late, and he couldn’t breathe properly. He’d kept him by his side because he was prepared to protect him.
He was already a child exposed to danger, and Ian was too pretty to survive this world without a guardian. The atmosphere unique to dominant omegas and his captivating pheromones also made it difficult for the kid to live a smooth life.
And yet he’d experienced terrible things he shouldn’t have had to go through because of him. If only he’d dealt with Tae Minjae and Tae Nayeon long ago. If only he’d anticipated that Gal Hongdo might target Ian again.
The past time became regret that choked his throat. But there was no time to be consumed by emotion.
He had to hurry and take Ian to the hospital. Though he was breathing, he was afraid he might be seriously injured. Moreover, the bloodstains remaining at the corners of his mouth were concerning.
“Executive Director, I’ll lower the ladder.”
Right on time, Jaehyun returned with the ladder. Ganghyuk climbed the ladder while holding Ian in his arms. Jaehyun tried to help, but he refused.
As he climbed onto the boat, the sound of car engines could be heard one after another. Men in black suits poured out of the stopped cars. They were all people who followed Ganghyuk.
Ganghyuk discovered the wound on Jaehyun’s side. At a glance, the bleeding looked quite severe. Jaehyun’s complexion, already pale to begin with, was now as white as Ian’s.
“You’re injured.”
“I’m fine. I’ll take you to the hospital right away. I’ve contacted Director Kim.”
“Someone else should drive. You need emergency treatment right now too.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Jaehyun didn’t insist further at Ganghyuk’s instruction. Certainly, if he drove in this condition, it could lead to a major accident.
“Everyone move quickly!”
As they got off the boat and headed toward where the cars were gathered, Sucheol was giving loud instructions to the subordinates in Ganghyuk’s place.
The subordinates quickly distinguished between those already dead and those injured. The corpses were loaded into the van like luggage, while the injured had their arms and legs bound and were thrown evenly into car trunks.
Then Sucheol, who’d spotted Ganghyuk, came running over. Relief appeared on his face when he saw Ian hanging limply in Ganghyuk’s arms. Then, noticing that Ian’s complexion was far too poor, he asked cautiously.
“He’s not dead… is he?”
When Jaehyun cursed him fiercely with his eyes, he hunched his shoulders but couldn’t hide his anxious expression. That’s how serious Ian’s condition appeared.
“Please handle the cleanup. I need to go to the hospital right away. Jaehyun’s injured too.”
