A Contracted Gangster Who Has to Die to Survive - Chapter 116

Inside the detention center’s visitation room, Choi Taejoon barely suppressed his irritation as he fixed his gaze beyond the glass partition.

“Why are you so late?

“A-Ah, I think he’ll be here soon.”

Seo, the team leader who had accompanied him, checked the time with an anxious expression as he responded.

Outwardly, Taejoon maintained his usual indifferent expression—‘Choi Taejoon’s face’—but inside, he felt as if he were burning up, his insides charred black from the heat.

Just a few hours ago, the lingering image from the bed haunted him.

Hyun Wookyung’s face nestled in his embrace, her softly smiling lips, and the way her cheeks flushed with embarrassment—she was like a delicate wildflower. But the reason he hadn’t plucked that wildflower wasn’t entirely his fault.

By the time he started regretting not turning off his phone, Wookyung’s phone also began ringing loudly.

“What’s going on?”

From the other end of the call, Seo’s urgent voice burst out.

“T-The lotus field is on fire.”

The lotus field referred to the annex near Dumulmeori, where Manager Gwak had been hidden.

“What about Manager Gwak?”

Seo’s voice was grave as he answered.

“He’s dead.”

Taejoon pressed his fingers against his eyelids in the visitation room.

Gwak’s death would inevitably have some impact on the upcoming trial, but it wasn’t a major factor. Even so, Kang Jaewook must have acted out of a vengeful desire to eliminate a traitor.

“Executive Director, Kang Jaewook is here.”

At Seo’s call, Taejoon turned his gaze toward the door opening beyond the glass. Dressed in a prison uniform, Kang Jaewook stepped into the visitation room.

“Well, well, what a surprise. Executive Director Choi came all the way to a place like this.”

Jaewook slurred his words, his lips twisting into a sneer of mockery.

Shortly after the arson, Taejoon had received a text message.

No Caller ID

“You’re next. You and Hyun Wookyung.”

It was Kang Jaewook himself who had lured Taejoon here, yet he was feigning innocence.

“The lotus seeds were out of season, so I sent over some firewood to help with your empty house. Did you come here to thank me for that?”

He openly admitted to ordering the arson. His mocking tone and demeanor showed he had no intention of hiding it. When Taejoon remained silent, Jaewook leaned in, his face filled with venom.

“Come on. You wouldn’t have come all this way without something to say.”

“Vice Chairman Gil’s murder, two cases of vehicular assault, the attempted murder in Jeju, Manager Kim’s murder, and now arson. Getting bolder, aren’t you? Does that mean you admit you’re a cornered rat?”

Taejoon had no desire to beat around the bush either. Jaewook smirked crookedly and shook his head.

“That’s quite a list. And you think I did all of it? Why don’t you go ahead and accuse me of killing your parents too, Taejoon?”

“Why did you do it in Jeju?”

Jaewook tilted his head slightly, as if he didn’t understand the question.

“What do you mean, why?”

Then, he suddenly burst out laughing.

With an amused chuckle, he started laughing loudly, as if he found it hilarious.

“Is it really that shocking that someone else out there wants you dead too, Taejoon?”

From his expression, it seemed he didn’t know that the incident in Jeju had targeted Hyun Wookyung rather than Taejoon.

He appeared convinced that both the hired assassin he had sent and the actual perpetrator had been after Taejoon.

Still chuckling, Jaewook waved his hand dismissively.

“I don’t know what I might do now that I’ve got nothing to lose. If you want to keep Wookyung alive, you should stop here and back off.”

“So Jeju wasn’t your doing, then?”

“Jeju? What the fuck—what kind of bullshit are you on about?”

Jaewook’s smirk disappeared as his face contorted in annoyance. He didn’t seem to be feigning ignorance—he truly had no idea.

Meanwhile, in the courtroom where Jaewook’s trial was ongoing, an undercover organization member disguised as an audience member was secretly recording and transmitting footage.

Watching Jaewook throw a fit in his prison uniform, unable to control his temper, Seo clicked his tongue and muttered quietly.

“That crazy bastard…”

Taejoon was staring intently at the tablet screen with a serious expression when Attorney Kim spoke up quietly.

“It looks like things are wrapping up. At minimum, twenty years.”

There was no way Taejoon would listen to Jaewook’s plea to let things slide.

Now that even Manager Gwak had been murdered, Taejoon was determined to push Jaewook to the brink with everything he had.

“Didn’t he request a non-custodial indictment or bail?”

“Both are unlikely. The police have been cracking down on illegal gambling dens, including hold’em pubs, and they want to keep him locked up. Besides, the police haven’t been able to get any major wins against Taesung until now. And even if he somehow gets out, once the murder-for-hire charge is added, it won’t be just twenty years—he might never see the outside world again.”

Kang Jaewook’s reputation, ironically, was one of the very things dragging him down.

As a notorious gang leader, he had immediately drawn intense media scrutiny.

The court, wary of public backlash, wouldn’t be able to release him easily.

“What about the Jeju incident?”

Seo answered.

“It’s clear that even he doesn’t know who ordered the murder. We searched through his accounts, house, lodgings, and storage thoroughly, but we couldn’t find a single piece of evidence pointing to the mastermind.”

Even the payment had been flawlessly laundered, leaving not a single trace. It was impossible to determine where the money had come from.

“Keep looking. Don’t give up. And Team Leader Seo, what about Han Youngsoon?”

Seo lowered his head with a grim expression.

“I have no excuse. His whereabouts are still unknown.”

“You still haven’t found him….”

“I’m sorry.”

The moment Hyun Wookyung said, “I think I’m being confined at home,” Taejoon felt like the inevitable had finally arrived.

He had feigned ignorance, insisting he wasn’t keeping her locked up, but Wookyung had been right about everything.

He didn’t want her to take even a single step outside. If possible, he would have shackled her wrists and ankles to keep her in place. He wasn’t afraid of her resentment or hatred—so long as it was for her safety, he was prepared to bear the consequences.

And yet, he couldn’t bring himself to forcibly restrain her.

The reason lay entirely in Hyun Wookyung herself.

He didn’t want her to experience even a moment of unhappiness. If what she desired was the freedom to go outside, then all he had to do was protect her with everything he had.

Choi Taejoon’s house could not be allowed to feel like a prison to her.

So he had brushed off her suspicions with carefully prepared words and given her a bodyguard, allowing her some freedom.

Even though he assigned someone trustworthy to watch over her, he still felt on edge. But even Team Leader Seo hadn’t known that Han Youngsoon might be one of Kang Jaewook’s men.

The moment the order was given to separate Han Youngsoon from Wookyung and reverify his identity, he vanished without a trace.

Taejoon felt like his insides were burning.

Who the hell was after Hyun Wookyung’s life?

It felt like walking through a dense fog with no way to see ahead, an unrelenting unease pressing down on him.

He retraced every connection Wookyung had, over and over again.

Who hated her enough to want her dead? He had his suspicions, but there was no concrete evidence—no clear motive.

The people in her immediate circle were Park Hayun, Kang Jaewook, Manager Kim, Director Yoon, Team Leader Seo, Team Leader Baek, and her family.

Excluding her family, everyone else was equally suspicious.

But when narrowed down to those who had something to gain from killing her or harbored a deep grudge, the list of suspects shrank significantly.

The first person who came to mind was Manager Kim. He had already tried to send Wookyung to Kang Jaewook, intending to have her killed.

Park Hayun, despite claiming to like Wookyung, had also done disturbingly cruel things.

Then there was Team Leader Seo—his only nephew had been seriously injured because of Wookyung. Wouldn’t that make Seo resent her?

Just then, Taejoon’s phone chimed with a message notification.

Hyun Wookyung

“Executive Director, what are you doing right now? You’re busy, aren’t you?”

Taejoon waved his hand, gesturing for Attorney Kim and Team Leader Seo to step out, before calling her back.

In no time, her cheerful voice came through the receiver.

“What’s up?”

“Oh, it’s nothing special. I’m packing right now! Where’s the travel bag? Madam has already left for the day, so I can’t ask her.”

Taejoon glanced at his wristwatch before replying.

“I’m coming home today. I’ll do it. Don’t tire yourself out packing—just rest.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll pack what I can, and you can check it later. I just want to do something.”

They were planning to leave for their trip the next morning—just the two of them. It was a promise he had made, and although not everything was settled yet, the most urgent matters had been dealt with.

Besides, he had already postponed it for too long.

With Kang Jaewook’s trial underway, Wookyung had spent all this time cooped up inside, not even able to open the curtains. He couldn’t delay it any further.

“And you know, packing is fun. They say half of the joy of traveling is in the packing, and the other half is in the departure.”

Taejoon found himself unconsciously smiling as he nodded.

“Alright. If you say so, then it must be true. The suitcase is in the study pantry. Keep it light—don’t pack for me. We can buy whatever we need.”

Team Leader Seo, standing outside the office, deliberately tried not to listen to the conversation and quietly shut the door.

Not long ago, when it had been just the two of them, he had overheard something that made him question his own ears.

“I miss you too. I’ll be there soon.”

Choi Taejoon had said those words with a completely straight face.

How in the world had Hyun Wookyung managed to soften this man?

Seo shook his head, pressing his lips together.

A man who had always been cold and detached had fallen in love.

It was as if he had never loved anyone before—his entire demeanor had changed.

Not that it was a bad thing.

For so long, Choi Taejoon had been devoid of warmth, ruthless and indifferent. Seeing this side of him felt… refreshing.

After all, he couldn’t live his entire life as Executive Director Choi of Taeseong.

As Taejoon ended the call and stepped out, Seo quickly composed himself and looked at him.

“Prepare the car.”

“Are you heading out? I’ll drive you.”

“No. I’ll drive myself. I have a stop to make.”

“…Understood.”

Seo didn’t press further, but he had a feeling it was something related to Hyun Wookyung.

Still, letting Taejoon go alone felt unsettling, so he cautiously added,

“If it’s because of me, I can assign a few men to accompany you.”

“No need. This is something I need to take care of alone. If I needed someone with me, I would’ve taken you. Instead, if you have any resources to spare, put them toward finding out where Han Youngsoon is.”

“Understood, Executive Director.”

At the mention of Han Youngsoon, Seo felt his chest tighten.

That bastard.

Where the hell was he, and what was he doing?

The moment they caught him, Seo wouldn’t let him off easy.

How could he vanish so cleanly, with not a single trace to follow?

At the very least, it was a relief that he had disappeared on his own.

If he had laid a hand on Hyun Wookyung, considering how obsessed Choi Taejoon had become with her lately, Seo would’ve been the one to take the blame for recommending him in the first place.

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