Rust - Chapter 48



Only Krnovel

RUST-48

Entrance to the Charlotte Hotel.

The hotel was built on a hill, so the entrance to the hotel was quite beautiful, with a small forest and garden. A little way from the hotel, there was a group of men huddled together. Director Kim frowned.

“Hey. Are those kids Lee Ki-young’s kids?”

“It looks like that.”

“If the chews have eaten my words, I have to go in in front of me.”

As soon as Director Kim got out of the car, he shouted.

“Who’s in charge here? What kind of kid is that!”

Team leader Ahn came forward.

Swish!

As soon as he came out, Director Kim slapped Team Leader Ahn and kicked him in the stomach. Team Leader Ahn, who had been half-sitting down, groaned softly and got up. Just as Director Kim was about to slap him again, he saw the youngest trembling in the corner.

“Hey, shit- you little shit. Didn’t I tell you to get out? Did Lee Ki-young tell you not to? What’s your name?”

“No. It’s Andong-gu.”

Director Kim turned his head and looked at the information officer. The information officer nodded.

“Is that you? You ignored my words, saying you didn’t receive orders from headquarters.”

“yes.”

“Ah- this kid, for real.”

Director Kim barely managed to hold back from changing his slap to a punch, and let out a deep sigh.

“So why didn’t you go in?”

“See for yourself.”

Team Leader Ahn walked up the hill with Director Kim. The Charlotte Hotel was visible a little way away. The first and second floors were blocked off as if they were covered with iron plates.

Upon closer inspection, it was as if the floor had been lifted up like a drawbridge, blocking off the first and second floors. Since the floor had been lifted, it was like a castle moat, with the floor completely open. You couldn’t go in even if you wanted to, and you couldn’t come out even if you wanted to.

“That’s… what the fuck… that bitch was planning this.”

I had no choice but to admit it. What kind of war were they preparing for? It looked like they were preparing for the second season of the Imjin War or the second Korean War.

“Yes. Lee Ki-young… Director Lee went in there? How many people went in there?”

“A little less than 170 people.”

“What about the rest of the kids?”

“Less than 80 people.”

Tsk-

Director Kim clicked his tongue. If everyone had gone in, there would have been some leeway, but if there were 170 people, well, based on the information received from the Charlotte headquarters, the number of yakuza who came to Busan was around 40~50, and since the ones in Anga had decreased by 1~2 people, it would have been about 10 people less.

Then the remaining number would be around 40, and there would be hotel security, so maybe 80 at most? Lee Ki-young said that there were about 170 people, so the number would be twice that, but it wasn’t an easy situation.

Since they were on the defensive side, I thought they could easily block twice as many attacks if they used the hotel terrain. There was also the possibility that they could use Lee Ki-young and the kids, who were lacking in equipment, to their advantage. Even if Lee Ki-young himself was capable, the kids he brought with him were lacking in basics and equipment.

Director Kim glanced at Team Leader Ahn and the Lee Ki-young family members who were watching him closely. He started swearing. Baseball bats, iron pipes, rebar, hammers, motorcycle chains, fire axes. Red gloves. Looking at them made my head spin.

At least half of the guys were wearing body armor. Even the guys with guns didn’t have holsters, they were tucked into the front or back of their belts, and even then, they were police-issue .38 caliber revolvers that looked to be over 30 or 40 years old.

Should we call these guys from the same company, the same security? Director Kim’s face naturally grimaced.

“Huh- So how long has it been since you came here?”

“It’s been about 10 to 15 minutes. I was trying to finish cleaning up outside and go in, when the floor started to rise like a drawbridge···.”

“Okay. I have eyes too.”

Director Kim ordered the information officer to proceed as planned. Almost half of Director Kim’s direct staff headed underground, heavily armed.

Director Kim displayed a map of the surrounding area on his phone and called Team Leader Ahn.

“Team Leader Ahn, come here and look at the map. This way, and that way. Lastly, deploy the kids in these three places, and if there are any kids running away, attack their lower bodies and prevent them from moving. Contact me right away.”

“yes.”

“Okay, then let’s wait.”

======

======

The manager inspected the staff he had brought into the hotel.

The extensions are a mess. They don’t look unified, and they don’t look like they’ll ever be unified. And most of the kids here are kids who were preparing to be the commander. The kids that Team Leader Ahn pushed into the hotel were either kids with other thoughts, or friends of the guy who had those thoughts, or they were skilled commanders who had already been the commanders several times.

So this director was at ease. He didn’t have to think about anything else and just thought about winning. The means and methods were for the survivors to evaluate. For the defeated, the means, methods, and even the scapegoat would be meaningless.

Then let’s shake off our foolishness.

“Director Yoo, this is Director Lee Ki-young.”

[Okay, it’s been a while, Chief. Are you in Busan now?]

Director Yoo had an ominous feeling about something.

“Yes. It’s Busan.”

[You must be very busy, what’s going on?]

“I and the children I was taking care of are planning to resign from the company starting today, so I am contacting you one last time to say goodbye.”

You went down to Busan and said you’d quit your job there? Are you saying you’re going to hold the knife upside down? Is that why you had such an ominous feeling?

[Hey, Lee Ki-young. Do you know what you’re talking about?]

“Yes, but I had no other choice.”

[You- What are you doing? What’s the problem? Is it because of money? Charlotte? Crystal? Where are you? Lee Ki-young didn’t see it that way, but are you saying you’re going to stab me and the company in the back because of money?]

As his voice reached the end, unable to control his anger, he let out a cracking sound. It was the same raspy voice that Director Yoo had heard when he was on site.

“···Yes. It’s because of money. Money. Director Yoo. The kids I’m taking care of haven’t received their paychecks for two months. Today is payday, but on my way down to Busan, they said that none of the kids had received their paychecks, even though it might be their last. Today marks the third month without a paycheck, and they haven’t paid the kids’ salaries, saying that they’re on probation.”

Director Yoo forced himself to swallow the words, “What nonsense are you talking about?” Does the company have no money? No people, no money? You have to lie to some extent. Why is this punk talking nonsense when he’s about to be kicked out?

[Really? Okay, Director Lee, you’re going to die anyway… So tell me the truth. Is that true?]

“That’s right. Why would I lie when I’m going to die anyway? And don’t you know? The kids I’m bringing with me are too weak to fight properly. They’re not even properly armed, and Director Kim told me to just drag them into the hotel. He told me to just kill them all by taking them in and killing them… What can I do? Even if I die, I can’t just throw in the kids who trusted me and followed me, right? I can’t save them all, but I have to save the ones I can, right?”

Director Yoo sighed at the words of the director. But right now, he had to do something to fix it.

[Director Lee. If that’s what happened at the company, I’ll check and handle it myself… It’s not too late, so I’ll pretend I didn’t hear about your resignation.]

“Thank you for your kind words, but I have already entered the hotel. I just wanted to say goodbye to you for the last time, so please do not worry about it.”

After a moment of silence, Director Yoo said.

[Yeah. Is that so? You know what it means to quit your job, right?]

“Of course. Stay healthy.”

The phone was disconnected. Director Yoo’s nerves were also cut off. Director Yoo shouted into the intercom.

“Tell Executive Director Choi to come right now. And call Director Kim. Tell him to cancel all operations he’s doing and come up.”

I had an ominous feeling. The feeling I had when I was ambushed in an Iraqi city, in the Afghan highlands. The ominous feeling I had when I received the call from this director.

[Director Yoo, I can’t contact Director Kim. The signal is going through, but no, it seems like the signal is being blocked. Jamming is likely.]

Didn’t the Charlotte headquarters know? They even installed a jamming device. Director Yoo’s breathing began to quicken. His normal pupils opened wide. Director Yoo’s normally healthy hands trembled, clenching and releasing fists in an attempt to calm himself down.

The moment the door opened and Executive Director Choi came in, the Colt Python in Director Yoo’s hand, which he had just pulled out, fired.

bang!

There was a single gunshot, and a bullet passed through both Vice President Choi’s left earlobe and earlobes. A tremendous rapid fire.

Ugh.

Executive Director Choi reacted only after a bullet passed by his ear. If he had passed just a little to the side, he would have been hit in the face with a bullet. Cold sweat began to pour down like rain due to extreme tension and fear.

Director Yoo, who had been glaring at Executive Director Choi with his three hundred eyes, signaled for him to sit down by clicking his gun. Executive Director Choi took out a handkerchief, placed it on his wounded ear to stop the bleeding, and sat down on the sofa.

“Director Choi. You have to answer me straight. You won’t do it twice.”

“······.”

Executive Director Choi’s expression was mysterious. It was a mixture of humiliation, anger, fear, and anxiety. Sam Baek-an, not paying attention to Executive Director Choi’s expression, glared at him.

“Director Lee. Did Director Lee Ki-young touch the rice bowls of the children under him?”

“I touched it.”

“why?”

“Sudden request from Yeouido···”

Pak-

The ashtray hit Executive Director Choi’s temple. Executive Director Choi banged his head on the sofa table for a moment.

Bam!

Colt Python stuck in Executive Director Choi’s snout.

“Director Choi. Yeouido is managed by the company. If you personally requested something from your kid in Yeouido, that means you requested something from Yeouido. Why did you touch the children’s rice bowls when you requested something you needed? What do you use the salary and dividends for?”

Kkieeee

The trigger made a sound that sounded like it was about to be pulled.

미친년이다. 알고 있었지만, 이년은 진짜배기 미친년이었다. 최 전무 자신도 칼로 사람 좀 썰어본 새끼였지만, 같은 지붕에 있는 사람을 그것도 같은 임원진인데도 그냥 죽여버리는 짓은 하지 않았다. 아니 그런 생각 자체를 하지 않았다. 못하는 게 당연하지 않은가? 근데 이년은 지금 그러려고 했다.

Dying. So futilely? Sam Baek-an looks at Executive Director Choi like that.

[Director Yoo. I tried several times, but none of the employees who went down to Busan, including Director Kim, were able to get through. What should I do?]

Director Yoo quietly looked down at Executive Director Choi without taking out the Colt Python that he had stuck in his mouth. That brief moment felt like an eternity to Executive Director Choi. How long had it been? Director Yoo’s lips trembled.

“Executive Director Choi. This is your last chance. Get on a helicopter and go down to Busan, save our children, and bring them out. If Director Kim dies, you, Executive Director Choi, will die too. Understood?”

Executive Director Choi nodded with the barrel of the gun in his mouth.

“Okay. Let’s talk about the rest when I get back from Busan.”

As the gun that had been thrust in violently came out of his mouth, Executive Director Choi coughed softly. Blood-mixed saliva flowed out.

“Go and see.”

Executive Director Choi staggered to his feet and headed outside. His face, which was filled with shame, anger, fear, and revenge, was hidden in shadow.

======

======

The hotel infiltration team of 24 quietly advanced. The emergency exit lock was easily opened with a master key taken from the Charlotte headquarters personnel. The interior of the emergency exit had a bleak feel with exposed concrete and white emergency lights.

[Tch? Eeeeek. Operation commencement? Eeeeek]

[Eeeing-eeeeing- Hara···eeeeing]

Because it was deep underground, the radio was not good. Even if the radio was cut off, we could still proceed as planned. The target was the president’s office. Since we had the floor plan of the building, there was no problem getting there.

“Shield forward. Begin scanning.”

Four men with bulletproof shields headed to the front. The staff member next to them began scanning with a heat-sensing device the size of two square plastic bottles. Beep. The left and right sides were navy and blue. That meant there was no heat source.

There was a slight yellow and orange aura in front. It meant that someone had just been here. The scan soldier raised his right arm, clenching his fist. The line that had been moving silently suddenly stopped in place.

“Wow, the Seonggol is different. Different. The equipment is different, the colors are different, and the training is different. It’s cool. Cool.”

“Who are you? Come out!”

“This is another idiot. If you were going to tell me who it is, would you tell me in secret?”

The manager was complaining.

An employee who recognized the director’s voice shouted.

“Chief Lee? Why are you here? No way? Is this a betrayal?”

“When you are a fucking, you and my baby are shoveled.”

The screen, which had yellow patches, gradually turned red. Red lumps were pouring down.

“It’s the front! They’re coming from the front!”

The hotel infiltration team, centered around the leader who had his shield fixed on the ground, waited for their target. After a while, people came out around the corner.

Huhhhhh

Whoa whoa

Kwaaaaah

Those whose eyes had rolled back rushed at us with weapons and blunt objects.

“What the fuck is this?”

“What the F···”

“Shoot!”

“These kids have gone blind.”

“Shut up and shoot!”

Doo doo doo doo doo doo

Bang bang bang ta bang

Deep underground, gunshots permeated the exposed concrete walls.