A Contracted Gangster Who Has to Die to Survive - Chapter 26

While I was locked inside the small room in the warehouse, it seemed a fierce battle had taken place outside.

Choi Taejoon’s usually neat hair was disheveled, and the buttons on his shirt had been torn off. Now that I looked closer, his hands on the steering wheel bore dried bloodstains, and his lips were chapped and cracked.

“Are you hurt badly?”

“Not that.”

“Are you okay? Did you get injured anywhere?”

“Who said you could ask questions? I asked if you had something to say to me.”

I hesitated, wondering what to say, before blurting out the first thing that came to mind.

“Um… well, Executive Director Choi, you’re still incredibly handsome…?”

At my response, he let out a faint chuckle, the kind one gives when hearing a joke that isn’t particularly funny. Then, in a calm tone, he spoke again.

“I don’t care who you are, Hyun Woo Kyung.”

“…….”

“Cop, thug, Director Kang’s informant—it doesn’t matter.”

He turned his gaze toward me.

“But what I do need to know is why you want to die.”

“Ah…”

“Say it. From your own mouth. Why do you want to die?”

I had expected his usual cold, detached gaze.

“What’s your reason, Hyun Woo Kyung?”

But instead, he was looking at me with an unexpectedly warm, almost gentle expression—one that even carried a hint of sorrow.

For a brief moment, it felt like I was sitting next to someone else entirely.

Maybe it was the way the soft morning sunlight cast a glow on his face, or maybe it was just my exhausted brain playing tricks on me. I rubbed my eyes vigorously and forced myself to focus.

“Because I have to.”

“You’re not terminally ill, are you?”

“No.”

If I had known we’d have this uncomfortable conversation, I would’ve forced myself to sleep. But now, it was too late to even pretend to be asleep.

“It’s not an incurable disease?”

“No, my body is fine. Well… mostly.”

Back at the hospital, I had vaguely said it was something like a terminal condition. Maybe I should’ve just gone with the “sick and dying” story.

“I looked into your father’s debt.”

I swallowed dryly, and even the jacket draped over me felt suffocating.

If he knew about my father’s debt, that meant he might also be onto Baek’s involvement. And if he kept digging, it was only a matter of time before he uncovered my true identity.

For once, I was grateful for the green light that signaled the car to move forward.

“You’re the one expected to pay it off, aren’t you?”

“H-How did you find that out?”

“The amount is far beyond what you could ever handle alone.”

I was actually curious about that part myself.

“Do you know how much it is?”

It seemed my family’s financial situation and Baek’s scheme had lined up perfectly. Choi Taejoon continued without much suspicion.

“Two billion won.”

I choked.

“What? Cough! Two billion?!”

Was he insane? That was the amount of gambling debt?!

“Are you serious?! Two billion won?!”

How could someone rack up that much debt? What the hell had Hyun Woo Kyung’s father been doing to not only accumulate such an amount but also run away so irresponsibly?

Even for a novel, this was too much.

That was a debt so massive that an ordinary person couldn’t repay it in a lifetime. Legally, I wouldn’t have to inherit it as long as I followed the proper procedures, but the problem wasn’t the debt itself—it was where it came from.

“He seems to have gotten tangled up with some real scumbags.”

“Ha… yeah.”

That was how Baek had roped her in—by promising to clear the debt. That’s why Hyun Woo Kyung had ended up in this dangerous operation in the first place.

“But dying isn’t going to solve anything.”

Taejoon spoke with growing irritation.

“Even if you sold everything you own, you wouldn’t be able to pay off even one percent of that debt.”

Everything I own…

I knew what he meant. I instinctively looked down at my chest and stomach. My organs.

“Everything I own… Ah.”

The things inside me.

I quickly wrapped my arms around my stomach. Oh God, that’s terrifying.

But suddenly, something clicked in my head.

Yes. This could be the perfect excuse to justify why I wanted to die.

I made my voice as mournful as possible and murmured,

“At least… this.”

“This?”

“Yes. If I do this, at least my siblings will survive.”

Taejoon inhaled sharply at my words.

“Siblings?”

“Yes, I have four younger siblings.”

Did he believe me? He looked somewhat shocked but also skeptical, as if he wasn’t sure whether to trust my words or not.

“Okay, let’s say I make sure you die painlessly.”

“…….”

“How exactly do you plan to hand over your body to an organ trafficker?”

“I just have to… make arrangements in advance.”

“In advance?”

Today, Choi Taejoon showed no signs of letting this go easily.

“Give me the contact.”

My mind started racing.

“Oh, uh, it was in my old phone, but it got broken last time. And then you threw it away, Executive Director. I’ll have to look it up again.”

“If you’re going to lie, at least make it convincing. Do you really expect me to believe that sloppy excuse?”

I had no choice but to lie. I’m sorry. But this is the best way—for both of us.

But Choi Taejoon was relentless. He questioned me again and again, as if determined to uncover the truth.

“And besides, this is a crime.”

Hearing a crime lord lecture me on criminal activity was something I never expected.

“Well…”

“The people you’re dealing with are more organized than you think. They wouldn’t just take a phone call and make it happen so easily.”

“Then maybe you could introduce me to a broker, Executive Director.”

“Are you even listening to yourself?”

He latched onto my words like a wolf catching prey.

“And let’s say you do go through with it—your ‘painless death’ would at least require anesthesia, wouldn’t it?”

“That’s…”

That was true.

I felt like my throat had dried up. What exactly was he trying to hear from me?

“Speak.”

I woke up inside a book, and the only way to return to my world is by dying—that seems like the best option.

“Why do you have to die?”

Lying to Choi Taejoon was impossible.

With a sense of resignation, I whispered,

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

This was something I could never tell him.

He wouldn’t understand, and it wouldn’t change anything.

In most stories, revealing the truth about reincarnation or transmigration never ended well.

More often than not, it only complicated things to the point where returning to the original world became impossible—or worse, it led to death.

“I can’t tell you.”

Taejoon let out a dry laugh, as if he had expected that answer.

“Like I said before—I don’t care if you’re a cop, a thug…”

He trailed off for a moment, glancing at me.

“Or even a former idol who dreams of becoming the perfect gangster. As long as you’re you… that’s enough. But do you really have to die?”

What was this?

An unfamiliar feeling pierced through me, sharp and unshakable.

Without realizing it, I clenched my chest.

“At first, I thought you were just spouting nonsense.”

That made sense.

“Or at least, if you were crazy, you’d actually be insane.”

I wanted to just say everything and let it all out.

“Whatever you are… you’re still just Hyun Woo Kyung.”

And then, as the car slowed for a left turn, the world suddenly darkened.

A massive shadow loomed over us.

“Ah!”

In the next instant, my body was thrown sideways, the seatbelt yanking me back with force.

CRASH!

A deafening explosion of metal, glass, and impact tore through the world.

The force of the collision sent shockwaves through my body.

And as the realization sank in, Choi Taejoon’s hand clamped around mine with crushing force.

A massive dump truck had barreled into us.

Despite slamming on the brakes, our car was pushed across the road, skidding violently. The screeching tires, the smell of burning rubber, and the overwhelming force sent my body reeling as if I were plummeting into an abyss.

“Agh… ha…!”

By the time I regained consciousness, the world was upside down.

“Ugh… ah…”

Everything was dark.

Distant sirens and the muffled voices of rescuers filled the air, but they felt far away—like echoes in a void.

And I was still alive.

By some stroke of luck—or misfortune—I had no serious injuries.

But when I tried to speak, no sound came out. My throat was blocked, as if something was lodged deep inside. Every attempt to call out only resulted in choked, breathless gasps.

“Choi Taejoon.”

I whispered his name over and over, but no response came.

“Taejoon!”

The roof of the car had caved in, obstructing my view. I couldn’t see him.

“You’re there, right?”

The only thing proving his presence was the hand clutching mine—strong, warm, and alive.

“Say something.”

His grip reassured me he was still there. Still breathing.

But he was on the other side of the crushed car frame.

No matter how much I wanted to believe otherwise, the situation was grim.

Tell me it’s okay. Tell me we survived again.

Say you’re going to kill Kang Jaewook.

Scold me for calling your name without honorifics.

Come on.

You can hear me, right?

But then, I felt it.

Slowly, the warmth in his hand started to fade.

His grip was slipping.

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