TL: I’m so sorry. I accidentally skipped the previous chapter. Instead, I translated the next one and posted it. Last week’s chapter 30 is actually chapter 31.

Please read the previous one!

Sorry for confusing you guys!!

Thankfully, the foreigner’s car was still there.

The car was easy to find because its window was broken and it was parked for a few days.

“Oh, that car? I was actually agonizing. The owner doesn’t pick up the phone… so I was about to call a tow. Do you happen to know the owner of the car?”

“No, I just need to find out something from him.”

Mr. Kwan and Mr. Jo got the foreigner’s number and tried to call.

He didn’t answer.

‘Obviously.’

They checked the car number plate.

They could find him easily if things go well.

The number started with ‘Heo’.

It meant it was a rental car.

However, they weren’t disappointed.

“I will search and contact the rental car company.”

“Yea, I will search inside of the car then.”

Mr. Kwan picked up his phone and Mr. Jo started to search inside.

‘It’s clean.’

It was going from bad to worse.

While Mr. Jo let out a sigh, Mr. Kwan approached him.

“Have you found anything?”

“It’s clean. Seriously.”

Mr. Jo shrunk his shoulders and told him that there was nothing.

“What about you?”

“I’ve called the rental car company. I found the false Korean name he used when renting the car, but I don’t know if it’s meaningful. It’s obviously a fake that is linked to his mask type artifact.”

“False Korean name… I guess he speaks Korean well.”

“Yea, the employee said his Korean was fluent. By the way, this freak is ridiculous….. Oh, you weren’t there because of Hayeong.”

Mr. Kwan continued while frowning his face and moistening at his lips.

“The foreigner only spoke English since he was caught by us. We thought it was obvious. Then the employee at the rental car company told me he spoke Korean very well. He thought the foreigner was Korean and didn’t doubt at all.”

Mr. Jo’s face got stiff.

“You didn’t have any important conversation in front of him, did you?”

Mr. Kwan tried to think if he did.

However, nothing was farther from his mind.

He shook his head.

“No, I didn’t.”

“That’s a relief.”

Mr. Jo nodded. He searched inside the car several more times to check if there were any secret devices and then came out of it.

“We should report that there is nothing.”

“This is better. We don’t need to lie this time.”

***

‘I did kill the foreigner at that time. It can’t be that the foreigner was him.’

What if the foreigner Sangki Beak killed and the abnormal status absorption skill user are the same person…

It’s going to be a mistake that he killed his target on his own.

Sangki Beak agonized for a moment and shook his head.

‘No. I killed the foreigner and then the incident happened to Hayeong Choi. A dead guy couldn’t have done something to her. At least, they are not the same person. He’s still alive.’

‘But they are definitely related. I can feel it…. Jinbum should contact me quickly.’

However, Jinbum’s answer was not what he expected.

“What the fuck are you talking about? You cleaned the dead body without checking his identity? Are you telling me to believe that right now?”

– Mr. Beak. Listen to me first…..

“Cut that shit. I’m going there now. Explain so I can understand.”

‘How hard I tried to get the clue. The fucking assholes are trying to ruin everything.’

Sangki Beak was bloodthirsty and went to Ohsung.

*

“You cleaned the dead body without checking his belongings?”

– Explain to him.

Mr. Kwan and Mr. Jo were intimidated in front of Sangki Beak who was glaring fiercely.

“Well… There were no belongings. It’s true.”

“There is no reason to fool you, Mr. Beak.”

“Oh, yea? There was nothing. Are you sure about that?”

Sangki Beak thought about the time when he caught the foreigner.

‘When I broke the window…. He was holding…’

He snapped his fingers.

“Camera.”

“Pardon?”

“Bring the camera. He had a camera. You are not going to say he didn’t have one, are you?”

– …

At that time, Jinbum was watching the situation on the screen so he didn’t know about the camera.

It was Jinbum’s first time hearing information about the camera from Sangki Beak, not from his subordinates.

However, he didn’t say anything.

Even though it was disgraceful that his subordinates hid the information, the story diverged at the moment they lied to Sangki Beak.

‘Since you lied to him, push it to the end. Bring any camera. Quick!’

Jinbum shouted to his subordinates inside his mind.

He was on Ohsung’s side, not on Sangki Beak’s.

While the chairman was silent and cheering on for his subordinates, Sangki Beak pushed Mr. Kwan and Mr. Jo.

“Hey, bring it. Are you guys staying still to die?”

Mr. Kwan and Mr. Jo sweated so much.

– Isn’t he talking about ‘that camera’? Bring it to him quickly.

Jinbum was unable to bear the sight of them anymore and tried to support them.

However, Mr. Kwan and Mr. Jo trembled and lied down flat in the end.

“I’m so sorry.”

“I’m so sorry.”

– …

Jinbum let out a sigh inside and watched them, and Sangki shouted.

“Don’t say sorry. Just bring it, bitches! Bring the camera!”

Blood splashed everywhere in the meeting room.

Sangki Beak rubbed his bloody fists on a chair and glared at Jinbum on the monitor.

“Hey. What do you want me to do?”

The subordinates eventually told him the truth that the foreigner disappeared without a trace while they focused on Hayeong Choi.

Jinbum was speechless, but the mood seemed like it wasn’t time for him to butt in.

A huge storm was about to strike them.

– I’m very sorry.

“Fuck you. You don’t mean it.”

Sangki Beak giggled.

“Jinbum.”

– Yes, sir.

“Are you looking down on me?”

– No, sir.

“Tell me the truth. Did you know about it?”

Jinbum really didn’t know about the fact.

He could lie for his subordinates, but…

‘Then I’ll be dead.’

Besides, he already gave them a chance to cover their mistake.

Mr. Kwan and Mr. Jo just couldn’t take it.

If your subordinates fail even though you gave them a chance, sometimes, it’s time to turn your back.

– I didn’t know.

He answered firmly.

“You didn’t? Hm….”

Sangki narrowed his eyes and smiled slightly.

“Yea? Then… Pick one.”

– I’m sorry?

“Only one of them survives today. I will give you the honor to choose who you save.”

Sangki smiled brightly and pointed to Mr. Kwan and Mr. Jo who were ragged and fainted on the floor.

– Mr. Beak… Please show some mercy… I really need them. They’ll help your…

“Shut up. Do you want me to kill them all? You know begging is meaningless, right?”

‘Shit… Crazy jerk…’

Jinbum agonized while looking at Sangki’s goggling eyes.

– Please, give me… 10 minutes.

***

“I’m sorry, Mr. Park.”

Mr. Jo bit his lips tight next to Mr. Kwan who didn’t move. He bowed deeply and begged for forgiveness.

– Forget it. It’s not important at this moment… It’s no use crying over spilled milk.

Jinbum frown and inhaled his cigarette deeply.

He let out smoke and his face looked bitter.

He almost broke the newly lit cigarette while pressing it on an ashtray and stiffened his face.

‘Even though my weakness is my fault, how did he corner me this much…’

– Mr. Jo.

“Yes, sir.”

– I hope you have learned a lesson this time.

“…Yes. This is my fault. Sorry, sir.”

Jinbum turned around his body.

– Mr. Jo, do you know the strategy team members well?

“Yes. I went there a lot to cooperate with them since the previous manager, Dongsoo Choi…”

– First, you hold the strategy manager position concurrently as a temporary job until I appoint the next manager. Give a charge of your work to the assistant manager for now.

“Ok. Then, should I bring the assistant manager to the meeting?”

– You have a point. We have fewer people…

Jinbum looked around the meeting room.

When they started the countermeasure meeting the first time, there were 4 people.

The meeting became a small meeting for two after Hayeong Choi and Mr. Kwan left.

However, Jinbum couldn’t recruit anyone to meet the needs.

The new person had to be someone who Jinbum could trust to be in the meeting.

Also, Jinbum decides whether the person is trustworthy or not.

‘The assistant manager? Too soon. I can’t be sure yet.’

Jinbum gnashed his teeth.

– No, Come alone for now.

“Yes, sir.”

– By the way, we need to give back since we’ve received a lot. To him and also Sangki Beak.

Jinbum mumbled.

“In fact, we can put Sangki through enough trouble if we spread a rumor that there is an abnormal status absorption skill user. However, it’s so hard to do that while protecting Ohsung.”

– Indeed. I would’ve let the rulers know already without Ohsung. That could be safer than this.

Mr. Jo was silent for a moment and asked Jinbum who put another cigarette in his mouth.

“By the way, why on earth is Sangki Beak trying to find the foreigner?”

– He told me that the foreigner could be one of the abnormal status absorption skill user’s outside helpers.

“Oh… he thinks they are related.”

– Yea. Hm… Foreign… Foreign. That’s right.

Jinbum was lost in thought like he came up with an idea.

While Mr. Jo didn’t make any sound to not disturb him, Jinbum grimly smiled.

– I know how to fuck with both Sangki Beak and him.

“I’ll listen carefully.”

– If we disclose what we know to the rulers, Sangki Beak will suspect that we leaked inside information. Right?

“That’s right. No one knows about this information except us.”

– What if we disclose it abroad?

“…Abroad?”

– Sangki Beak said the foreigner might be from a foreign power.

“Oh…!!”

Mr. Jo finally realized.

“If we spread it abroad, he can’t figure out if we leaked it or the foreign power did it.”

– Yes. How is he going to find out? How? We can just play innocent.

“You are right, sir.”

– And that’s not only fucking with Sangki Beak. The fucking bitch is going to be chased by hunters in the whole world.

“That’s it. I’m already excited thinking about it.”

Jinbum and Mr. Jo had a wicked smile. Then they glanced at Mr. Kwan’s dead body and turned their heads.

****

– Kimin, can you come by the main house?

“Did something happen?

– Information about a skill user who has an abnormal status absorption skill is spreading abroad. Someone intends to spread the information.