1440 - Chapter 46

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 46
Detective Kang buried his face in the steering wheel. He seemed to be holding back tears. Yeon-su watched his broad shoulders for a moment, then spoke.
“It’s not your fault, Detective. It’s Lee Gyeong-jin and those Baek Family bastards.”
Detective Kang lifted his head with reddened eyes at Yeon-su’s words.
“So we can stop all of this now, right? If you just do what I’m asking…….”
Yeon-su shook his head. Detective Kang stared at him as if betrayed.
“Why? Why won’t you do it? Why?! Don’t tell me this is about money?”
Detective Kang spoke unfiltered, his emotions running too high for reason. Yeon-su explained carefully.
“I’m not saying I won’t do it—I’m saying I can’t do it right now. And it’s absolutely not about money. Just as I can read the Baek Family’s energy, they can read mine. Moving now would be premature.”
“Then what about the rest of my team in the meantime?”
Yeon-su asked his permission and opened the car door. He unfolded the fan he’d been carrying and placed its end at the feet of the elderly woman sitting in the back seat.
44
The old woman looked at her grandson for a moment, then stretched her feet and stepped onto the fan.
Moving carefully, Yeon-su swung the fan and tapped his own shoulder several times before folding the substantial fan closed with a snap. He adjusted his clothes and pressed down firmly on his shoulder once more with his hand. Grandmother settled comfortably into her new dwelling.
“I’ll perform a proper Ritual for the Dead for you soon. And I’ll give your team members Protection Talismans—have them carry these no matter what excuse you use.”
“And?”
Yeon-su pulled out his mobile phone and showed several photographs as he continued. Detective Kang’s eyes widened in astonishment at what he saw.
“It’ll be soon. Not much time left, so just pretend to stop the investigation and wait.”
“You’re really sure you can give me this information?”
Detective Kang asked incredulously, taking the phone from Yeon-su and enlarging the photographs.
Shortly after, the two men continued their conversation as they got out of the car and walked toward the nearby Gukbap Restaurant.
The restaurant, mostly filled with detectives, was also where Yeon-su and Detective Kang had first met.
“I could use a glass of makgeolli right about now.”
Yeon-su said this as he tucked his fan into his bag. The detective nodded.
Yeon-su reached to sling his bag over his left shoulder as usual, then switched it to his right. Seeing this, Detective Kang had a vague idea what Yeon-su had done with the fan.
“Of course I can give you the information. But I have a condition too.”
“A condition? What is it?”
Screech—metallic scraping. The construction noise blared all the way to the restaurant. It seemed work was only progressing in the next block. Walking along that road, the two men discussed their plans going forward.
Because of the construction, the sidewalk had narrowed. Yeon-su followed behind Detective Kang.
“It’s about timing. When I provide that information is something I’ll decide—”
Boom!
Crash-crash-crash-crack!
A deafening roar cut through before Yeon-su could finish. The sound echoed from overhead and drew steadily closer. Yeon-su’s head snapped up instinctively. In that same instant, Detective Kang’s sturdy hand shoved hard against his chest. Simultaneously, a slender hand from behind grabbed Yeon-su’s left shoulder and yanked with all its strength.
“Yeon-su!”
“……!”
Steel rebar from the Construction Site was collapsing toward Yeon-su’s body.
***
Oh Sang-hyeong, manager of the Private Detective Agency, received a call from the Hospital and drove in a panic. The message was that Yeon-su had been badly injured and admitted.
The reason Oh Sang-hyeong’s number, not family, was listed as the emergency contact was obvious. He didn’t want to burden his biological mother, and he didn’t consider anyone else family.
He couldn’t quite remember how he’d made it to the Hospital. Even in such urgency, he cursed at himself—humans were so aggravating and inefficient, having to obey traffic laws.
After barely managing to park through the haze of panic, Sang-hyeong entered the Hospital and only stopped his frantic pace when a nurse scolded him for running.
He clenched his trembling fists and steadied himself. Then, following directions, he headed up to the ward where Yeon-su was admitted.
Two ribs had cracked, and he’d struck his head severely. During the incident, a nail that flew loose had nearly pierced his eye. The doctor said it was only a matter of inches from blindness.
As Sang-hyeong listened to the doctor’s explanation, he examined the long wound along Yeon-su’s temple. Just looking at it made his heart clench at how close to the vital area it was.
After the medical staff left, Sang-hyeong slowly sank into the guardian’s chair.
Yeon-su hadn’t woken yet. The doctor said it was likely from the severe head trauma, and they’d have to wait until Yeon-su regained consciousness on his own.
“Sigh…….”
Sang-hyeong exhaled a long breath and pulled out his mobile phone to contact Deok-woo. Since he’d called immediately after receiving the Hospital’s call, Deok-woo should be on his way.
Sure enough, a message had arrived while he was heading to the ward.
「Deok-woo: He’s dead?? After all that commotion he caused, the bastard finally bit it???」
Despite the words, Sang-hyeong knew Deok-woo was worried enough to drop everything and rush over.
Sang-hyeong typed a reply while thinking about who, if anyone, could escape from the wheel of Samsara that turned endlessly.
「No, he’s not dead. Don’t worry, drive carefully. When you get here we’ll need to set up protection—there’s a lot of malice clinging to the young master.」
And it was exactly as he said. To Sang-hyeong’s eyes, thick malevolence surrounded Yeon-su’s body.
It clung to every inch of his skin like tar, seeping and sticking. Sang-hyeong swept it away with his rough hands. Then he sighed once more, a deep sound.
“This is your chance, Young Master. You can’t die. You’ve made it all the way to twenty-four. It’s almost a new year. So…….”
Sang-hyeong muttered words of unclear meaning as he again swept away the gathering malice with his hands. Then as now, all he could offer was this kind of secondary help—and that frustrated him.
After Deok-woo arrived, Yeon-su’s eyes soon opened.
When the doctor explained that both ribs had cracked and he’d need to stay admitted to monitor for concussion aftereffects, Yeon-su refused. Deok-woo glared at him as if ready to grab him by the collar.
The doctor, saying such talk wouldn’t come without painkillers, intimidated the patient before leaving the ward.
Yeon-su laughed hollowly, wondering how ridiculous he must look in this doctor’s eyes.
“Could you help me sit up a bit?”
At Yeon-su’s gesture, Oh Sang-hyeong adjusted the angle of the bed. Yeon-su sank deeper into the mattress, watching his own wrist as the painkiller dripped in.
“I let my guard down. Had no idea my brother could slice flesh like that.”
“You and that mouth of yours—honestly!”
Deok-woo patted his own chest sharply as if exasperated, then glanced over his shoulder. Noticing Grandmother wasn’t there, Yeon-su closed his eyes.
“Is Detective Kang all right?”
“Yes. He was here a while ago but left. Detective Kang’s fine apart from a few scrapes.”
At Oh Sang-hyeong’s answer, Yeon-su smiled.
“He has a powerful Ancestor Spirit attached to him now.”
“……That’s true.”
Yeon-su’s eyes opened at Oh Sang-hyeong’s reply—the way he answered as if he’d actually seen the spirit himself.
“Hmm?”
“Well, it’s just his face looks like that sort of person. Detective Kang, I mean.”
As Oh Sang-hyeong hedged, Yeon-su nodded in agreement. True enough—he was more sluggish and dazed than usual, though that was likely the painkillers and sedatives dulling his nerves.
Deok-woo had seized Yeon-su’s hand and was scrawling something furiously across his skin. Not a fan; these were Protection Talismans inscribed directly onto his body.
He marked the character for “protection” densely across each palm, sole of each foot, and the Dantian point, then produced a talisman he’d been carrying and burned it.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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