A Contracted Gangster Who Has to Die to Survive - Chapter 70

Scenes following those kinds of lines were always brutal. Grabbing hair, slapping faces, that was how it always played out.

Yeah, that was the Alcohol Swab version of Choi Taejoon.

The memory of his ferocity sent a tremor through Woo Kyung’s clenched jaw.

“Woo Kyung.”

He couldn’t even open his eyes as he gave a small nod.

“Look at me.”

“Y-Yes! My eyes are open. I’m looking. You’re right in front of me. Haha….”

He only said his eyes were open, but in reality, they were still tightly shut.

A low sigh filled the room.

Expecting his hair to be yanked, Woo Kyung braced himself.

But instead of the rough grip he anticipated, Choi Taejoon’s hand moved gently, sliding through his hair and smoothing it down.

Then, in a voice as cold as ice, Choi Taejoon said,

“We’re done. Get out.”

“Huh?”

“Director Kim.”

Without another word, Choi Taejoon gestured for Director Kim, who had been waiting by the door, to enter.

“Everything has been handled as per your instructions. You won’t be bothered anymore.”

“Get out.”

That could mean leaving the hospital room.

Or, it could mean packing up and leaving his house altogether.

“We’re done.”

That could mean he was washing his hands of the whole situation.

Or, it could mean he understood exactly what Woo Kyung had said.

Everything about Choi Taejoon’s reaction was unclear.

Except for one thing—

He was definitely upset.

As Woo Kyung bid farewell and stepped out of the room, Choi Taejoon never once looked at him.

He treated him like he wasn’t even there.

That confirmed it.

“Hey, Woo Kyung! Come here.”

The head of security grabbed him the moment he stepped out of the room.

“Team Leader?”

He gave Woo Kyung a few hearty pats on the back as if to cheer him up, then released him.

“Take care of yourself.”

The man was still in a cast, wearing a neck brace and using crutches.

“I’m quitting this job. I was waiting to see you before I left.”

Wait, what?

So it was true—the whole thing about him losing his job if something happened to Choi Taejoon wasn’t just a joke.

Now that Woo Kyung thought about it, this was the same man who had let him into the hospital room before, ignoring Director Kim’s orders.

Even when everyone else had been hostile, the head of security had been unexpectedly kind.

Glancing around quickly, the man lowered his voice.

“Director Kim told you to handle this, right?”

“Ah… yeah.”

“Maybe ‘who’ did it doesn’t even matter.”

“Huh?”

“The person who wants someone dead has already been decided.”

Kang Jae-wook’s face immediately came to mind.

Seeing the flicker of recognition in Woo Kyung’s expression, the team leader let out a dry chuckle.

“What can you possibly do to get rid of him? That’s why I’m telling you—get out while you can. There’s nothing good waiting for you here. I’m saying this because I see you like a nephew or something.”

“Team Leader…”

“Don’t stay by the executive director’s side for too long. He’s a dangerous man.”

Woo Kyung frowned.

Why was he being so kind all of a sudden?

The answer came quicker than expected.

“Uncle! There you are. Oh, Woo Kyung, you’re here too?”

Uncle?

Woo Kyung looked between Minsu and the security team leader.

They did look alike.

Wow.

They were family?

“Executive Director is looking for you! Hurry.”

“Yeah? Alright, alright.”

Straightening his loosened collar, the security team leader grabbed his crutches.

Before leaving, he turned back and smiled faintly.

Then, with one last pat on both Minsu’s and Woo Kyung’s backs, he walked away.

“…You two were family?”

Now it made sense.

This was probably his way of showing gratitude for Woo Kyung saving Minsu at the abandoned warehouse by the beach.

And just like the security team leader had warned, things began to unfold exactly as expected.

Back home, Woo Kyung rolled around on his bed.

What the hell was he thinking, saying he was leaving?

Where was he supposed to go?

No money, no place to stay.

Did he really expect Choi Taejoon to stop him?

“Ugh, why am I like this?”

Also, why was Choi Taejoon sulking?

Hugging his pillow, Woo Kyung shook his head.

Nope. He wasn’t leaving.

Absolutely not.

Where else would he ever live in a house this nice again?

Was this possession, or was he just losing his mind?

His thoughts wavered back and forth like a seesaw.

A soft, fragrant bed.

A state-of-the-art air purifier running 24/7.

High-quality meals.

And then… Choi Taejoon.

“…….”

If he left, he’d never see him again.

Would they really become nothing more than strangers?

Only then did he finally understand what Choi Taejoon had meant earlier.

“Is that all?”

The question meant: Was the only reason you stayed in this house to find a way to die?

Woo Kyung fell into deep thought.

Was that really all there was?

A comfortable environment and the idea that Choi Taejoon was his only gateway back to the real world—was that truly it?

What if the house had been small and filthy, with no hope of ever being killed?

Would he still have wanted to stay?

Lost in his spiraling thoughts, he grabbed his head and repeatedly bumped his forehead against the pillow.

He told himself he wasn’t leaving immediately. He could sleep on it and think things through later.

At some point, he must have dozed off.

“Wake up….”

A voice slipped into his ears, piercing through the haze of sleep. It wasn’t a kind tone, but it was unmistakably familiar.

“Mr. Woo Kyung. It’s time for revenge.”

His eyes shot open at the word revenge, jolting him awake.

“What? Revenge?”

The moment the words left his lips, a gloved hand slipped under his arms.

Before he could react to the sudden chill running down his spine, he was yanked off the bed and tossed onto the floor.

“Ahhh!”

He barely managed to catch himself on his knees and hands before his head could hit the ground.

Groaning at the sharp pain in his knees, he quickly scanned the room.

“What… what the hell? Where am I?”

Had he been dragged somewhere while he was asleep?

But no—the bed he had fallen asleep on was still there. The rug beneath him was the same.

This was still his room in Choi Taejoon’s house.

“Mr. Woo Kyung. There’s no time.”

The voice, polite yet chillingly low, made the hairs on his arms stand on end.

“Director Kim? Is that you?”

The room was too dark to make out his face, but Woo Kyung knew that voice anywhere.

“Yes, it’s me.”

“Ha… You scared me. What are you doing here at this hour?”

His immediate confirmation only fueled Woo Kyung’s mix of curiosity and fear.

He knew Director Kim didn’t like him, but waking someone up like this?

And suddenly talking about revenge?

“Executive Director’s orders. As of now, you are to leave his house.”

For a moment, Woo Kyung wondered if he had misheard.

“Leave?”

“Yes.”

Director Kim’s answer was short and firm.

“Wait, h-hold on a second. So you’re saying…”

Technically, Woo Kyung had said it himself.

If he wasn’t going to be killed, he’d pack his things and leave.

“But… you’re actually kicking me out? Just like that?”

No matter how much he thought about it, this was ridiculous.

It wasn’t as if they were on such terrible terms that he’d be thrown out just for saying it.

He had half a mind to argue, but he bit his lip instead.

Actually, now that he thought about it, the way Choi Taejoon had treated him before didn’t quite match his usual nature.

The Alcohol Swab version of him wouldn’t hesitate to do something like this.

If someone said they were leaving, he wouldn’t waste a second getting rid of them.

Or, alternatively, he’d slap a chain around their ankle and lock them in a basement.

“And one more thing.”

Woo Kyung lifted his head, looking up at Director Kim.

The darkness swallowed most of his face, making it impossible to read his expression.

“There’s something you need to take care of.”

“…….”

“Ah. But first, you have a choice to make.”

What choice?

Woo Kyung silently waited for him to continue.

“Are you going to follow me quietly, or should I use force?”

Director Kim nudged a small travel bag with his foot.

The implication was clear—if Woo Kyung resisted, he’d be shoved inside and dragged away.

Pressing a finger against his lips, Woo Kyung quickly nodded.

“I-I’ll be quiet. Shh. See? No noise. Haha… Isn’t that bag a little too small?”

Director Kim let out an amused scoff.

“You’ve made a wise decision. Walking on your own is better, isn’t it?”

He handed the travel bag to Woo Kyung. It was already packed, heavy with belongings.

There was no way he would fit inside, but clearly, someone had gathered what little he owned.

They must have been told to get rid of him fast.

The moment Woo Kyung saw the car waiting for him, confusion set in again.

The vehicle wasn’t parked in the underground garage.

Instead, Director Kim led him through a back exit, the kind only maintenance workers used.

After walking for some time, they stopped near a garbage collection site.

A worn-down van was parked next to a trash truck.

It had no license plate.

It was a burner car.

And behind the wheel, sitting eerily still, was Minsu.

“Minsu? What are you doing here?”

Even after hearing his name, Minsu didn’t react.

He remained frozen in the driver’s seat, staring straight ahead without even blinking.

Woo Kyung’s stomach twisted.

“Get in, Mr. Woo Kyung.”

Director Kim shoved him into the backseat and slid in beside him, sitting uncomfortably close.

“Drive.”

“Yes.”

The van, which looked ready for a scrapyard, groaned to life and started moving.

As the rattling ride settled into a rhythm, Woo Kyung turned his head to look at Director Kim.

He wasn’t wearing his usual suit.

Instead, he was dressed entirely in black—dark slacks, a plain black T-shirt, and leather gloves.

Without his usual formal attire, he looked years younger.

Was this really the same Director Kim?

“…Where are we going?”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

A few minutes later, the van pulled up in front of a familiar place.

Woo Kyung had been there before—back when he was tangled up with the Forsythia Organization.

It was a bar deeply connected to Taesung Industries.