Three Eight-Chapter 74

"......"

Mukyeong, who was still holding the phone to his ear, turned his gaze. Minho coughed softly under his stern look but couldn't let go of his grip.

"Our plan is proceeding without any problems right now. What are you going to do by going there?"

Mukyeong ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) stopped trying to pull away abruptly. Minho seized on this hesitation.

"We're on the verge of having it all. You were the one who said let's go without making any noise. What will you do if they notice something and back out now? This isn't something we've worked on for just a day or two."

The persuasion continued in a calm tone, but Mukyeong only clicked his tongue at the cold machine sound coming from the phone.

—The call cannot be connected...

He pressed the call button again, clearly annoyed. Ring, ring, ring.

"Sung Mukyeong, are you listening?"

"I know."

So far, nothing had happened beyond Mukyeong's predictions. If things continued like this, he might achieve the results he wanted sooner. But...

"But I can't ignore it. I didn't want to get involved because I might have to take responsibility..."

Gu Hongju was an unforeseen variable. He was supposed to remain a disposable tool, but he continued to act against the calculations. Mukyeong had just watched the deviations in Hongju's path, hands clasped behind his back, uncharacteristically passive.

"Still, try."

If the calculations were wrong, then follow them as they were. Why had he made it so complicated?

To Mukyeong, who had endured and hardened his resolve up to this point, the only standard was money. With those paper bills, there was nothing he couldn't do. But this time, he wanted to make a choice without reconsideration.

"Hey, you..."

"Once everything is over, they'll both fall into my hands safely. So don't worry."

Mukyeong forcibly shook off the hand clinging to his arm.

—The call cannot be connected...

At the repeated automated message, he headed straight for the emergency exit. As he went down the stairs, instead of calling Hongju, he dialed an unsaved number. This time, the other party picked up immediately.

—Please hold... Yes, go ahead.

The previously noisy other end quieted down a bit. Mukyeong listened to the faint noise coming through the phone and spoke.

"Gu Hongju?"

—He's been separated for a moment. He seems to have been beaten quite badly. It looks serious, but they're causing a commotion about not letting him go to the hospital right now.

What was the reason for beating Gu Hongju this time? His footsteps hastened as he descended the stairs.

"Damn, what's going on? It's that bastard Gu Madam's doing, right?"

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His low voice brimmed with ferocity as it echoed in the emergency stairwell.

—Yes. I'm also trying to figure out the situation right now. That person got hurt too, whether they fought or something.

Mukyeong swallowed his curses with each breath and tousled his hair. Unlike his usual perfect composure, he was disheveled. His shirt buttons were undone, and his sleeves were rolled up unevenly.

"What is that bastard doing?"

The composed facade of 'President Mukyeong' began to crumble, revealing the real Sung Mukyeong.

—Manager Yang went to talk to him for a moment but should be back up soon.

"Ah, I'll be there shortly..."

As soon as he exited the emergency door, a cool, dry wind hit him, smelling faintly like the stale air of the House. Mukyeong exhaled shortly, frowning.

"Don't let them touch him."

—Yes, yes.

He abruptly ended the call and dashed to where he had parked his car.

Screech! He nearly crashed as he parked at the entrance of the House. The tires scraped the ground, splashing muddy melted snow. Mukyeong hastened towards the entrance of the House. Even his usually spotless shoes were now dirty.

"Stop it already!"

Loud noises were heard from upstairs as soon as he stepped on the staircase. Mukyeong, with fierce eyes, took two or three steps at a time.

"Gu Madam needs to stop the bleeding first! Let's go to the hospital!"

"That bastard, I'm going to destroy him! Let go, let go!"

His furious shouts made the corridor reverberate. Mukyeong quickly passed the desk and entered the corridor. The commotion was coming from the first room.

"Why are you trying to destroy someone who can't even keep his head straight! Ah, Manager Yang, hold him properly!"

"Try to calm down, try to calm down."

"Move, won't you move?"

The House was in chaos. Doksa and Choi were physically blocking the door to Room 1, which had no door. Behind them, Gu Madam was trying to push his way in. Manager Yang was trying to hold him back, but it was out of control. Gu Madam's shirt sleeves and hands were soaked with blood, and a towel was tied around his forearm.

"......"

Mukyeong carefully examined the cement floor stained with blood. If it was drops from Gu Madam's fingertips, the marks should have been sporadic. However, the stains on the floor were heavy and trailed long. He instantly realized who had shed so much blood.

"That crazy bastard."

Mukyeong fiercely grabbed Gu Madam's collar. The veins on his bare hands stood out.

"What, what. Ugh."

"Get lost."

He threw Gu Madam to the floor as if discarding an annoying object. Manager Yang stepped back a bit at his fierce momentum. Mukyeong roughly pushed aside Doksa and Manager Yang, who were blocking the door.

"Ha..."

Inside, Hongju was lying down. The place where the Hwatu games were held every dawn. His thin body was sprawled carelessly on a hastily spread blanket. Bloodstains were scattered around like disrupted Hwatu cards, making his neck stiffen.

"......Sir, President."

"Damn."

Mukyeong shrugged off Doksa's hand, which was trying to grab his shirt, and stepped further inside. The thin clothes were messed up with footprints and blood, and even the front was ripped open, revealing his bare chest. One of his sneakers was missing, and his bare foot, not even covered by a sock, was exposed.

He was still breathing shallowly, not dead yet. Mukyeong narrowed his eyes and closely examined Hongju's face, hidden by his hair.

"They really screwed him over."

Mukyeong irritably closed his eyes. The emotion he had to swallow was too hot. This was the worst state he had ever seen Gu Hongju's face in—burst and swollen, with a bright red bruise on his neck.

He thought Hongju lying on a Hwatu table would look quite fitting. But seeing him today, it really wasn't.

"Take him to the hospital."

His cold command fell. Doksa and Choi hesitated to look at Gu Madam's reaction as they moved.

"I'll carry him."

With Doksa's help, Choi carried Hongju on his back. Whether he had completely lost consciousness or not, his limbs dangled lifelessly. As the two men headed for the exit, they hesitated.

"Go."

"Hey. Where are you going?"

Mukyeong's and Gu Madam's voices almost overlapped. Gu Madam's glaring eyes turned towards Mukyeong.

"Go, quickly."

"Hey. Where are you going without my permission!"

Choi turned around with a troubled expression. His eyes seemed to ask, "What should I do?" Choi also had many injuries on his face.

"Ha."

Mukyeong exhaled in annoyance and strode toward the door. Manager Yang cautiously stepped back to give space at his fierce momentum. Mukyeong reached out towards Gu Madam immediately.

"Aaah!"

He grabbed the scruffy hair and pulled him down, and Gu Madam crouched down, yelling in pain.

"Is it done now? Go quickly."

"Let go! Let go of this, hey! President Mukyeong!"

"Yes, yes."

Choi and Doksa hurriedly left the House. Every step they took down the corridor, the lifeless limbs of Hongju, carried on their back, merely swung. With every movement, Mukyeong's anger surged.

"That bastard brought a knife into the House! Look at this!"

Gu Madam, in a crouched and awkward position, waved his arm. He even pushed forward the clumsily towel-wrapped wound for Mukyeong to see.

"He swung it, I wouldn't have

escaped if I hadn't dodged! That's why I gave him a beating..."

Just let him cut. You've beaten the kid and made him deaf, and now you're giving him a beating for just this scratch? Mukyeong dropped his gaze coldly. The fingertips of Gu Madam's hand were trembling as they clotted with blood.

"Gu Madam, let's settle our accounts properly. I may be pouring out the stake and opening my wallet like a fool, but I own more of Gu Hongju's share, don't I?"

Mukyeong shook Gu Madam's hair vigorously, and Gu Madam staggered, grabbing Mukyeong's thigh.

"Wait, wait. I know, I know. I really lost my mind today... It's because that bastard suddenly started making a scene."

"Why did he do that?"

He lifted the head of hair he had been pressing down on, then faced the flushed face.

"......I don't know! If I knew, I would have solved it by talking. He suddenly burst in and started ranting. I was stabbed without knowing why!"

He foamed at the mouth, insisting on his innocence. It's a joke. Would Gu Hongju have come to the House without any reason and swung a knife? The kid who diligently wrapped the scarf I gave him, came all this way in the cold wearing only a thin T-shirt?

"It's true! I'm the victim, if Choi hadn't stopped me, I really would have died. Really."

Mukyeong loosened the grip on his hair. The back of his head must have been cracked, for the hand that had grasped Gu Madam's hair was now stained red. Mukyeong wiped his hand on Gu Madam's shirt as he muttered.

"It's always such people who live long."

"What, what?"

Manager Yang, who had kept a distance and hadn't opened his mouth out of fear of sparks flying, watched. Mukyeong smirked and stared at Gu Madam.

"Today, the way you freely acted, it seems I won't sleep unless you pay the price."

Mukyeong caught Gu Madam's collar and lifted his arm into the air. Slap! He struck Gu Madam's parched cheek hard.

"Ugh!"

He straightened his crumpled body and raised his hand again. Slap! Slap! Mukyeong's hand movements slicing the air didn't stop until Gu Madam's cheek burst and blood flowed from his mouth.