A sports car is roaring as if it’s screaming.
The man sitting in the driver’s seat looked as if he had lost his mind. His pupils had lost focus, and both his hands gripping the steering wheel were covered in dark red bloodstains, as if he were wearing red gloves.
“I killed him, no, I didn’t, I didn’t―!”
Like the early symptoms of schizophrenia, he repeated to himself, fighting with his own thoughts. In Jang Haesuk’s mind, the events that had just occurred at the grand mansion in Pyeongchang-dong replayed.
His father, who had been bedridden, had come back to life.
The same father the family doctor had said was nearing death and had told them to prepare for his passing.
However, he had been waiting for him in the mansion in good health. Without realizing it, he had grabbed a golf club at the sight of his father’s cold, bug-like stare. But then.
“Dear―!”
The sudden appearance of his aunt and the executives made him feel as if he had woken up from a dream. His hazy mind, clouded by drugs and alcohol, became clear, and reality set in. His uncle was shattered and lifeless on the floor.
His uncle’s eyes, wide with shock, were staring up at the ceiling. Reality turned into a nightmare once again.
He had fled the mansion and started the sports car as if he were running away.
“Hahahaha.”
Jang Haesuk laughed maniacally.
The people guarding the mansion were the ones. They were the ones trying to drag him down from the throne of the Jeongil Group. In the old days, they would have been conspirators trying to overthrow the legitimate heir of a royal family.
Despite committing murder, he felt no guilt. He had learned that it was only right to eliminate any dog that dared to challenge the master’s position.
Screech.
The sports car left skid marks as it stopped in front of the Jeongil Group headquarters, as if it had been in a traffic accident.
Without even thinking of turning off the engine, Jang Haesuk jumped out of the car and entered the headquarters.
The security guards, who were keeping the late-night lobby, tried to stop the blood-covered man. But they quickly recognized Jang Haesuk and bowed their heads hurriedly.
“Don’t let anyone in.”
“Pardon? Yes, sir!”
The initially questioning guard bowed again after seeing Jang Haesuk’s piercing glare.
It wasn’t just because of his eyes. They had noticed the bloodstains covering his clothes and hands.
Riding the executive elevator, Jang Haesuk arrived at the chairman’s office and roughly opened the door, heading straight for the seat where his father always sat.
“Whoo.”
He let out a long sigh and was about to brush his face with his long fingers when he noticed the dried blood on his palm and hesitated. It was then.
He heard commotion coming from outside the building. Despite the chairman’s office being on the top floor and having soundproof glass, the noise was loud enough to be heard.
Jang Haesuk stood up and moved towards the glass wall.
He saw the dazzling lights and sirens of police cars and numerous police officers. Even the prosecution seemed to have arrived, with several black vans and swarms of agents.
The security guards tried to stop them, but it was futile. No matter what the boss’s orders were, they weren’t foolish enough to challenge the authorities.
Soon, a swarm of agents burst into the chairman’s office. Leading them was none other than Prosecutor Lee Howon.
“Mr. Jang Haesuk, you are under arrest for the murder of Jeongil Foods CEO Kim Mincheol, as well as…”
Before Prosecutor Lee Howon could finish his sentence, Jang Haesuk’s eyes flashed, and he punched Lee Howon in the face.
“Hyung, are you okay?”
Fortunately, the scene was cut in one take. It was proof that it had met the director’s approval.
However, the actor playing Lee Howon, Son Hwawon, still had a bright red cheek. His punch had been so powerful that it had surprised the staff watching.
“Whew, I felt like I was hit by a hammer. Youngguk, I noticed this back when we were at the action school, but if you weren’t an actor, you would definitely be a martial artist. I’m not trying to tease you, but how do you hit someone so easily?”
“It sounds like you’re teasing.”
“No, really. This is my first time doing action scenes in a movie. Even though I trained for a month at the action school, I still hesitate when hitting my opponent. No matter how much we’ve rehearsed, I’m afraid that if I make a mistake or my opponent makes a mistake, it could lead to an accident.”
“I guess it’s a matter of experience.”
“Oh, come on. This is your first proper action scene too, right? It’s completely different from when you were in ‘Confession of a Priest.’”
Youngguk felt awkward, not knowing how to respond. In fact, in action movies, the actors’ experience greatly contributes to the film’s realism.
There’s an old saying that those who have tasted something know its flavor better. It was the same here.
Those who frequently shoot action movies tend to lose their hesitation and fear. Although, all this experience had come from his past roles as gangsters.
“Youngguk, you’re not really going to stab with that prop in the final scene, are you?”
Suddenly, Son Hwawon asked with a worried look.
It seemed that his intention to cut the action scenes in one take to consider Son Hwawon had backfired.
He knew that being too gentle in action scenes could actually be more dangerous.
“Should I stab you deeply?”
“What?!”
When he joked, Son Hwawon was startled and opened his eyes wide.
“I’m kidding. It’s a prop pen, so the tip retracts when you press it. Don’t worry. I’ll stab you nicely.”
“It’s not that I’m scared; it’s that you have no fear. Even the martial arts director at the action school had his eye on you. You know that, right? Even to a layman like me, it’s clear you have talent.”
If given the chance, Youngguk also had a desire to shoot a proper action movie. In the past, he had always been cast in gangster roles due to his rugged looks.
There were times when he envied his co-actors. He wanted to play the hero that audiences cheered for on screen at least once. After all, wasn’t that every man’s dream?
“Scene 160, The Law is Far, but the Fist is Close!”
The final slate was clapped. The emotions of the crew on set surged. It was a complex wave of tension, excitement, and regret.
But there was no time to dwell on that. In front of him was a railing overlooking the night view of Seoul.
Jang Haesuk couldn’t remember how he had escaped to this place. Hadn’t he punched the prosecutor who had come to arrest him in the chairman’s office?
In the chaos, he had grabbed the pen on the desk and held it against the prosecutor’s neck. Then, using him as a hostage, he had barely made it to the rooftop.
A cold wind blew. Two people stood on the rooftop railing. Jang Haesuk looked at Lee Howon, whom he had taken hostage.
It was all because of this guy. The one who dared to challenge the throne that no one else could touch was this guy. If he got rid of him, nothing would happen.
Law, crime, prison.
Who cares? In this beautiful, corrupt world of Seoul’s night view, money can solve anything.
“Jang Haesuk!”
Prosecutor Lee Howon called out Jang Haesuk’s name. Jang Haesuk held Lee Howon by the neck with the pen pressed against it.
Police and prosecutors had climbed up like ants and were confronting the two, constantly communicating over their radios.
Jang Haesuk smirked as he looked at them. His eyes filled with contempt.
“When I see guys like you, I get shivers. Bugs should die when you step on them. But guys like you disgustingly keep crawling back up. Don’t you think? Let’s see if you can still talk after I put a hole in your throat.”
Jang Haesuk sneered at Lee Howon.
His eyes gleamed cruelly, as if he could plunge the pen into Lee Howon’s neck at any moment. Blood was already dripping from Lee Howon’s neck.
“If I push this pen just one centimeter deeper, it’ll burst your carotid artery. Even if they administer emergency treatment quickly, you won’t survive. How about it? Do you see the faces of your parents who were so proud of you?”
“…….”
“What now? You thought you were a dragon rising from the gutter, but you were just a loach. Do you think I’ll rot in prison if I kill you here? This is a world where money solves everything, even people. Like ants, people will swarm and talk, but after a while, they’ll forget as if nothing happened.”
The pen pressed against Lee Howon’s neck went in deeper. The blood that had been dripping now started to flow down his throat.
The police and prosecutors hesitated as they watched. They couldn’t move recklessly, fearing that Jang Haesuk would plunge the pen into Lee Howon’s carotid artery. It was then.
“You’ve lost.”
“What?”
“You think I can’t do anything to you? You think I won’t put a hole in your throat? Do as you please. Even if I go to prison, I’ll come out unscathed. People will swarm like ants attracted to sugar, then forget when the sweetness is gone?”
Lee Howon smiled coldly as he spoke to Jang Haesuk.
“Yeah, you might be right. But you’ve already lost.”
Jang Haesuk gripped the pen tighter. The blood that had been flowing steadily now entered a critical stage.
Lee Howon’s eyes were also bloodshot.
“You’ve already been disowned by Jeongil Group. After Chairman Jeong’s death, do you think the remaining executives will consider you the heir? You brutally murdered your uncle and killed innocent people. And most importantly, you can’t escape from here.”
At that moment.
Lee Howon grabbed Jang Haesuk’s hand, which was holding him hostage. Then, he started pushing backward towards the edge of the railing. Jang Haesuk lost his balance as he was suddenly pushed back.
In the process, the pen that had been pressing against Lee Howon’s neck fell to the ground. But Lee Howon didn’t stop. He continued to push Jang Haesuk backward.
“You crazy bastard!”
Jang Haesuk yelled, but Lee Howon didn’t stop smiling as he spoke.
“Let’s see if you survive the fall, your precious body.”
Those were his last words. Lee Howon pushed Jang Haesuk over the edge, into the air. Jang Haesuk’s terrified gaze met Lee Howon’s.
It’s over.
The once cruel gleam in Jang Haesuk’s eyes was now filled with fear. Who would have thought that he would fall so miserably from the top of Jeongil Group, which he had considered his throne?
It was then.
Clunk.
Lee Howon reached out and grabbed Jang Haesuk’s flailing arm. Jang Haesuk’s eyes pleaded for mercy.
“P-Please. S-Save me!”
Jang Haesuk spoke with difficulty. His desperate plea was different from his previous voice filled with arrogance and pride. He was seeking salvation.
He could hear the hurried footsteps of police and prosecutors approaching. But at that moment, Lee Howon smiled coldly. Then, he let go of Jang Haesuk’s arm.
