M 26
by Sorai“Agreement? What kind of agreement?”
“W-well…”
Lee Sehwa seemed to regard Ki Tae-jeong as cruel for offering a cure right after putting him in pain. Hurt, heal, and then hurt again. Of course, that was the standard for interrogation, but Lee Sehwa was never subjected to the weakest methods. However, the little thing was so terrified that even though Ki Tae-jeong always stopped at the ‘heal’ level, he would tremble whenever he saw him.
“Ahh! Brigadier General!”
Son Byeong-gyu screamed in pain as Ki Tae-jeong pressed against his kneeling tighs.
For sure… he was quite lenient toward Lee Sehwa. He liked his face, body, and, most importantly, found it more amusing to make the person cry in ways other than hitting. This was what really made people bleed. Inflicting blows severe enough to dislocate joints and break bones, yet ensuring that the wounds regenerate continuously.
The pain remained, but the area where the pain was felt looked clean when you looked at it. Even though there were definitely drops of blood on the wiped hands, the wounds were nowhere to be found when touched. The cognitive dissonance that came from it spread not only to the body but also gradually to the mind.
“What did I tell you to do well?”
“Match the atmosphere… like completely falling for a young swindler, oh, ah!”
“Yeah. I only asked Boss Son for that.”
As soon as Ki Tae-jeong took his feet off, Son Byeong-gyu fell down with tears streaming down his face. Of course, there was no intention of ending it like this. Ki Tae-jeong took the iron pipe held by his subordinate and continued.
“I told you that if you played well until the end, I would give you the land in the castle you wanted so much.”
Son Byeong-gyu’s words were cut off every time Ki Tae-jeong hit the back of his chubby hand. Son Byeong-gyu couldn’t even scream this time, instead biting into his foamy mouth. He hadn’t expected much loyalty from someone he’d bought with money. However, if he acted arbitrarily during the contract, it would be quite tiring for him. Ki Tae-jeong intended to make that clear this time.
”Feed him.”
One of the subordinates behind shoved medicine into the unconscious Son Byeong-gyu’s mouth, covering his nose and mouth. When the subordinate noticed Son Byeong-gyu gagging, he slapped him on the cheek several times. Son Byeong-gyu, who had been flapping around as if having a seizure, sobbed and fell again on the floor.
“When I sent a message saying that I would pay off Lee Sehwa’s debt, you seemed to accept it well. Why are you doing something you weren’t told to do now? Who wants to beat Lee Sehwa? Huh?”
Ki Tae-jeong moved cautiously at first. It didn’t take long for him to capture people outside the castle with whom Lieutenant Kim frequently interacted, beat them up, and figure out where the gangsters he was using as pawns were going. From the start, everything was clear and easy. This was simply a matter of the accuracy and legitimacy of the evidence, as Lieutenant Park has repeatedly stated.
Ki Tae-jeong disguised himself as a young thug operating from the bottom after deciding to make contact with Lee Sehwa, the key figure. He drew Son Byeong-gyu in after spreading rumors about a group of guys with a lot of money but a bit of a shady reputation. The suspicious guy was only moved when he learned that he could be introduced to a military official.
They brought Son Byeong-gyu to the checkpoint and offered him a ride after summoning him to the vicinity of the inspection office to facilitate identity verification. Son Byeong-gyu trembled with excitement. He already harbored ambitious aspirations. He was desperate to make connections with those in the upper classes, including military personnel. It appeared that he was wounded by the fact that he had to go through Lee Sehwa to communicate with Lieutenant Kim. In the midst of this, the military man he craved, a Brigadier General no less, proposed a secret plan to him. It put a huge weight on his shoulders and made him pledge loyalty he never thought he would.
For some reason, Son Byeong-gyu firmly believed that Ki Tae-jeong would eliminate both Lieutenant Kim and Lee Sehwa. He harbored resentment towards Lee Sehwa, and when asked for the reason, he simply said it was because he found him annoying. To Ki Tae-jeong, it seemed that Son Byeong-gyu was merely expressing his inferiority complex toward Lee Sehwa, who appeared to be weaker than others.
If Lee Sehwa had lived more meekly, indulging in self-pity, would he have been spared from Son Byeong-gyu’s resentment? Well, Ki Tae-jeong didn’t think so. If that were the case, he would probably have been even more harsh, ridiculing him as foolish and naive. To Ki Tae-jeong, Son Byeong-gyu was just a guy who had grown up that way. Pathetic. That word fit him perfectly.
Regardless, Ki Tae-jeong offered Son Byeong-gyu a bargain as a useful pawn to be used and discarded. Just follow the scenario I’ve written, he instructed. Despite the fact that it was only a script, it led them to move in the direction of working together with the people like a juvenile organization. However, this bastard couldn’t even handle it properly. He was beating up Lee Sehwa without even waiting for Ki Tae-jeong’s orders, and he was doing it while bringing up the debt that Ki Tae-jeong had already paid off.
“Brigadier, Brigadier General. Please, just listen to what I have to say…”
“Speak.”
When Ki Tae-jeong gestured arrogantly, Son Byeong-gyu awkwardly kneeled down. Making pig-like noises while looking at his now-healed body.
“Well, that… Not long ago, I received a call from Lieutenant Park. He asked me to look through Lee Sehwa’s contract and think about what I can do to intervene… In fact, Lieutenant Park came to my office and helped me.”
“And?”
“And, just yesterday, Lieutenant Kim… I mean, Kim Seok-cheol, contacted me… That is, he relayed instructions similar to yours!”
“Similar instructions?”
“Yes, urgently last night, he contacted me and said that he, gulp, will pay off all Lee Sehwa’s debts and let him quit. However, I can’t let him go just like that. Find any issues in the contract and keep him down… Well, so, cough, I thought there might be something going on.”
“He told you not to let Lee Sehwa go? Lieutenant Kim?”
“Yes, yes. There have been only a handful of times that he had contacted me directly, and since he said so much, I felt like it would be helpful to the Brigadier General if I put this into action quickly…”
Ki Tae-jeong rubbed his chin. It was natural for Kim Seok-cheol to be concerned about Lee Sehwa’s future problems. He was the most crucial accomplice and, in the end, he would be left as the black sheep. However, it was a bit strange that he gave specific instructions, especially to clear the debt so extensively.
“What exactly did Lieutenant Kim say?”
“Normally, guests pay through the house, and we take a commission and pay the players, and if there’s money to be made along the way, we take more. But Kim Seok-cheol refused to go through so many people and instead gave the money directly to Lee Sehwa. From Kim Seok-cheol’s point of view, he probably didn’t want to leave any traces.”
“Ah, so that’s why he was talking about the commission fee earlier?”
“Yes, that’s right… But I do have some informal documents from Kim Seok-cheol. Although it wasn’t his signature, anyway, it indicates that he gave this amount to Lee Sehwa… So, that’s why the commission isn’t a problem.”
“But he found a corner to quibble about it, so you should use that as an excuse?”
“Yes, yes. Kim Seok-cheol said exactly that.”
“What did Lieutenant Park help you with? Did he say the same thing?”
“Oh, no… Lieutenant Park pointed out the security issues. Since it didn’t say anything about security compliance… I can’t leave the house until this is resolved…”
“Hmm.”
Ki Tae-jeong held the iron pipe and bent down awkwardly. Judging from his actions, people would think he was like a gangster in the neighborhood.
“I’m suddenly curious. So, our Boss Son, is he planning to force Lee Sehwa to cough up all that money?”
“Yes? Oh, no. If rumors spread, other kids’ morale will only get worse… I was just trying to scold him. That’s all, really.”
“How much was it?”
“Yes?”
“How much did you charge Lee Sehwa the fee?”
Son Byeong-gyu’s face, which had been desperately denying it, brightened for an instant. It seemed like Ki Tae-jeong would give the money instead.
“After removing all the messy details, it was 37.8 million.”
37.8 million was an amount calculated only up to this week, and the fact that interest was added every day was completely hidden. Son Byeong-gyu was quick-witted when it came to matters involving money. He knew it was profitable to take what he could when the opportunity presented itself.
“37.8 million.”
“Yes, sir. I was just planning to take that amount.”
When asked the other day how much debt was left, Lee Sehwa said 200 million was enough. He mentioned that settling that amount, including selling the car, pawning the watch, and paying the interest, would be sufficient. He had calculated the amount with the plan to leave in a few months. But how could Lee Sehwa accumulate such money by partnering with Kim Seok-cheol, and exchanging drugs several times?
“37.8 million…”
Lee Sehwa was probably confused. It seemed like he didn’t know, but Ki Tae-jeong saw it that way.
Lee Sehwa was especially sensitive to the topic of sex, or more specifically, prostitution. He reacted defensively and emotionally to questions about selling his body. Despite knowing what he wanted to say and how he had overcome various obstacles, he would always use the excuse that he was not a prostitute when asked. It seemed rehearsed as if he had practiced his response. He seemed to have been deeply immersed in this topic for a long time. Even though he spoke as if he were having a casual conversation about getting some rest in bed, Lee Sehwa’s eyes would be in disarray.
The stories Ki Tae-jeong had heard from the people in the House before meeting Lee Sehwa were similar. Questions like, “Isn’t he a prostitute?” ridicule suggesting he sold his body and drugs, and mockery about how long he could continue without dealing. It was a clear indication of how people around him viewed Lee Sehwa, revealing an underlying desire to ruin him.
Lee Sehwa used his courage to say that he would not live according to the curses of others, but he ended up repaying his debt by sleeping with Ki Tae-jeong. That too in the form of making a clumsy bet and then allowing it without realizing it.
While he was outside for a moment to check where Kim Seok-cheol might have hidden the finished product, Ki Tae-jeong took the time to spy on Lee Sehwa’s movements. Perhaps because they used cameras that were used in the military, even the sounds were captured vividly. Lee Sehwa was thrilled and happy with the food and toys Ki Tae-jeong had sent him. However, he would occasionally make a face that seemed to question what he was doing in this place as if he couldn’t understand himself. Or forgive himself for feeling comfortable in this place.