Codename Anastasia Novel (End) - Chapter 66

The man, who was nothing short of a disaster, had lost consciousness. If he fled now, he might be able to shake him off. If he returned to the hospital with his mother while the man was unconscious and escaped… just thinking about it made his heart pound.

Finally, he made up his mind. He put on his clothes, which were scattered on the floor, one by one. He felt sorry for Zhenya, but for now, he had to think about his own survival. The man’s intrusion was clearly outside his calculations. He didn’t know what kind of disruption that variable would cause to his plans. Moreover, he absolutely did not want to solidify the suspicion that he was colluding with the man.

The man’s injury itself was not that serious. The bleeding had simply increased due to his strenuous movements without proper treatment. So, his going into hiding wouldn’t put the man in a critical condition. Even if it was an unmanned motel, there would likely be a manager, so he would be found before he became a corpse. With that thought, he shed a sliver of his guilt.

“Why…”

It was just as he was turning away. Zhenya’s voice flowed from behind him. He flinched and turned his head. The man’s eyes were still tightly closed. He must have mumbled something unconsciously.

Thank goodness, he thought, and he could just leave with peace of mind. But his feet were stuck to the floor, unable to move. Wasn’t his compassion or conscience less than others? Moreover, it wasn’t an innocent person, but a man who had endlessly messed with him. Yet, seeing the man unnecessarily involved in trouble because of him, and even suffering injuries and ailing, made him feel conflicted.

He irritatingly shook his head. Even so, it was a worthless emotion. He couldn’t imagine what would happen after that, nor did he have the confidence. If he wasn’t going to handle it, it was better to shake it off early.

He strode towards the door. He gripped the doorknob, pulled it down, and stepped outside. At that moment, a low murmur reached his ears again.

“…Taekjoo.”

Somehow, he felt confident. The man probably had never even called his own mother with such desperation. That single unexpectedness caused a strong ripple inside Kwon Taekjoo.

His crazy heart pounded wildly, out of control. He frowned irritably. He also ruffled his innocent hair wildly. A strand of guilt arose in his shameless conscience. He wanted to ignore it and just go, but his legs wouldn’t move.

Why on earth did he have to feel guilty towards such a monster? No matter how many times he asked himself, there was no clear answer.

He stood by the door for a long time, dithering. He grabbed and released the doorknob several times. Inside him, rationality and conscience clashed fiercely. His mind became tangled in the intense tug-of-war. In a fit of anger, he threw his head back and yelled,

“Damn it, I’m going crazy!”

He closed the door. Kwon Taekjoo was now inside, not outside. Even then, the question of whether this was the right decision echoed endlessly in his mind.

He took hesitant steps towards the table. He saw the overturned first-aid kit beneath it. He rummaged through the spilled medicines and found the powdered hemostatic agent.

He picked it up and looked at the bed. Now that he had made up his mind, it would be better to deal with it quickly, but he kept hesitating. If he went onto that bed himself, he felt like his meager identity would be uprooted. It was vague, but there was no other way to explain it.

However, his hesitation didn’t last long. With Kwon Taekjoo’s weight, the mattress tilted to one side. Zhenya’s face, which he gazed at, was drenched in sweat. His breaths were ragged. He clicked his tongue lowly and generously sprinkled the hemostatic powder. Then he placed gauze over it and firmly secured it with a bandage.

Even after finishing his task, he remained in place. With his eyes quietly closed, the man seemed quite alright. No, his face had been handsome from the start. It was just his unusual gaze and physique that obscured that impression. A good-looking cake tastes good too, someone once babbled. He wanted to drag this bastard in front of that idiot and demand an explanation.

Even in the darkness, his golden-hued ivory hair glowed faintly. He stared blankly, then instinctively reached out his hand. But then he paused. He looked down at his hand with surprised eyes. He burst out laughing in disbelief.

I’m really crazy.

He couldn’t deny it now. The reason Zhenya, who should have been in Russia, came to Korea, and the reason he got shot by a stray bullet and bled, was none other than Kwon Taekjoo himself.

“…Don’t worry. You’re safe ‘for now.’ Oh, this phone? I just borrowed someone else’s for a bit.”

In his hazy consciousness, a familiar voice was heard. He painfully blinked his heavy eyelids open. In his slowly clearing vision, he saw Kwon Taekjoo’s back. He seemed to be on a call with someone.

He must have been unconscious for quite a long time. He couldn’t remember why he was lying there. He traced back his memories of the night. He recalled pushing Kwon Taekjoo to his limit. He had barely suppressed his surging lust while waiting for him to cling to him first. When he finally achieved what he wanted, it felt as if all the fluids in his body had evaporated in an instant.

But everything after that was unclear. He suddenly looked down at the bandage on his shoulder. He didn’t remember putting it on himself, so it must have been Kwon Taekjoo’s work.

Why hadn’t he run away? If he had only had the will, he could have easily escaped and had plenty of time left over. Yet, why was Kwon Taekjoo still here?

He reached out his hand, wondering if the man he saw was an illusion. His fingertips lightly touched his straight back. The man even turned slightly when something touched his back. Their gazes met silently. Kwon Taekjoo continued his call in that state.

“Anyway, please take care of it until the end. I’ll treat you big later. Good work.”

He quickly hung up the phone and casually tossed it over, saying he had used it for a moment. He checked the call history and saw a rather familiar number. It was Yoon Jongwoo’s phone number. To figure out what they talked about, he abruptly turned on the TV.

The TV was broadcasting the news. It seemed to be re-reporting content that had already been broadcasted last night. The topic was none other than a chase that occurred in broad daylight in the middle of Seoul.

The content did not deviate from Kwon Taekjoo’s predictions. New charges were added to the existing ones: impersonating a lawyer, attempted murder of Lee Cheoljin, obstruction of justice and destruction of public property, and injuring police officers who tried to arrest him. It seemed that every time he woke up after sleeping, the charges multiplied like cell division.

Since it was widely reported, all investigators must have been wide-eyed. If he rashly went out, he would be immediately caught. It hadn’t been confirmed yet whether the evidence sent from the photo studio had safely reached Prosecutor Seok. A moment ago, he had asked Yoon Jongwoo to go to the photo studio and also to give a hint to Prosecutor Seok. But since it wasn’t something he was doing directly, he felt equally anxious.

He had to hold out until Prosecutor Seok safely received the photos and obtained a warrant. In the unlikely event that the photos disappeared, he would have to deliver the original himself.

As he pondered complex countermeasures, a metallic noise suddenly broke the silence. He turned his head and saw Zhenya, who had already sat up, twisting his handcuffed wrists. He showed discomfort when their eyes met.

“This isn’t fun, is it?”

“If it were fun, would it be a threat? I’m thinking of threatening you a bit now. I’ll release you if you willingly comply with my words.”

“Let’s hear it first.”

He scoffed as if he found it absurd. Kwon Taekjoo made it clear that the man had no choice.

“Just say yes, no matter what. Only then will I tell you.”

“How do I know what absurd request it is?”

“It’s not a request, it’s a threat, you bastard.”

He frowned menacingly, but the man didn’t seem afraid at all. Instead, he just scoffed, as if it were ridiculous. It was a clear sneer.

“Taekjoo. Don’t you think it would be better to propose a deal than to threaten me, without repercussions later? You need to think about the future.”

He offered advice, smirking. He was clearly smiling, but it didn’t make one feel comfortable at all. It felt like the threat was backfiring. Even if the way he treated him had changed, the man himself didn’t seem to have changed.

In reality, what did it matter if it was a threat or a proposal? He only had one thing to say anyway. He shrugged and explained somewhat abstractly.

“Since it feels unfair to be scrapped like this, I’m thinking of doing some traffic control, and I need your help. So, help me out.”

“That’s your personal problem. There’s no justification for me to get involved.”

“There is justification.”

He said with certainty, slightly lifting his chin. His confident gaze went straight to Zhenya. The man tilted his head as if asking what he meant, but he could confidently assert it. His life, still intact, was proof.

“You bastard, you have to be in my good graces, don’t you?”

Zhenya’s brows furrowed without fail. But that was only for a moment; the man soon laughed heartily. He seemed to have understood what he meant perfectly.

Taking the opportunity, he took out the memory card and placed it in front of the man.

“That contains the reason I’m being chased. I want you to hand it over to the prosecutor in charge of the case. It probably won’t be easy. The police will be swarming everywhere by now. They might even have received shoot-to-kill orders. Even if the Republic of Korea seems timid, it gets aggressive when its livelihood is threatened. That’s why I need your help even more. I’ll draw attention, so you deliver it in the meantime.”

His tone of request was quite serious. Zhenya had a reluctant expression. Kwon Taekjoo’s plan couldn’t even guarantee his own safety. He pleaded again to Zhenya, who asked if that was the only way.

“That’s the original, so you absolutely have to deliver it. No matter how much I think about it, there’s no other way in this situation. I can’t trust anyone else but you, monster, so I’m asking you.”

When he said he trusted him with it, there was nothing more to say. He wasn’t entirely unaware of Kwon Taekjoo’s predicament or the circumstances.

He willingly took the memory card in his hand. Then he gently shook it, protesting.

“Isn’t it a principle to pay a mercenary?”

Kwon Taekjoo scoffed, as if he had fully expected that response.

“Of course. If this job is completed successfully, I’ll consider you commendable. Taming a guy like you seems quite fun.”

“Who’s taming whom?”

He frowned as if he had heard something bizarre. Kwon Taekjoo added a polite explanation.

“You’re going to follow me wherever I go anyway. I’m sick of running now. To give up on that, I’ll have to compromise with reality to some extent. So, I, myself, will stay with you. It might be hard to be overjoyed right away, but I’ll make you human.”

For a moment, Zhenya’s face went blank. He looked as if he’d been hit in the back of the head.

Kwon Taekjoo was clearly reflected in his blue eyes. He was rarely smiling at him, but he didn’t seem to be spouting nonsense. Even so, it couldn’t be definitively said that it was Kwon Taekjoo’s true feelings. At best, it was a lesser evil chosen at a dead end.

He leaned back and crooked a finger at Kwon Taekjoo.

“Your credit rating is zero, so I need collateral first, customer.”

He was truly a businessman. He climbed onto the bed as the man demanded. Soon, they were close enough to touch. Zhenya, who had been quietly observing Kwon Taekjoo, suddenly clasped the back of his neck. Immediately after, their lips met somewhat roughly.

Zhenya explored Kwon Taekjoo’s lips, even frowning bitterly. There was something inexplicably tender about it. Compared to his desperate movements, the act of gently tasting and releasing his upper lip was quite careful. He watched the unfamiliar sight of the man, then slowly closed his eyes. His entire body was drawn in by a strong force. His heart, unbelievably, began to pound again. Once he was smitten, there was no turning back.

***

National Intelligence Service headquarters went into emergency mode. It was after evidence of Kwon Taekjoo infiltrating a hospital was discovered. The car chase in the city made it impossible to avoid intense media scrutiny. With traffic paralyzed and even civilian casualties, the news that the fugitive had been lost led to a torrent of accusations about the incompetence of public authority.

Furthermore, Lee Cheoljin , who had been detained as a suspect in a public security case and was awaiting trial, was mysteriously poisoned to death, making things even more chaotic both inside and out. This was why Kwon Taekjoo absolutely had to be caught. Someone had to take responsibility for this incident.

Given the severity of the situation, Director Im, who had been hospitalized, also came to headquarters. Since last night, he hadn’t even gone home, receiving situation reports by the minute. Kwon Taekjoo’s whereabouts were a complete mystery. All available means were being mobilized, searching for him like a fine-tooth comb, but no trace had been found.

It wasn’t that there was absolutely no progress. Unexpectedly, it was thanks to the appearance of Psikh Bogdanov. For some reason, he had even helped Kwon Taekjoo escape. If they could ambush them while they were together, the accusation of colluding with the man would become a foregone conclusion. Perhaps Kwon Taekjoo might already have met his end at the man’s hands.

Although there had been some commotion, everything was going according to plan. Once they got their hands on the sacrifice to complete the grand scheme, it would truly be smooth sailing. The only catch was that they didn’t have much time.

Just then, a knock echoed, and an employee entered the office. He had been assigned the task of tracking Yoon Jongwoo’s cell phone usage in real-time. The First Deputy Director, unable to hide his impatience, asked what was happening.

“A call came in on Yoon Jongwoo’s phone a moment ago.” 

“The caller, did you identify them?” 

“Yes. It’s a line registered under a Russian named Yevgeny Vissarionovich Bogdanov.” 

“Originating from where?” 

“Confirmed to be near Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province.” 

“Good.”

The First Deputy Director clenched his fist. Director Im also nodded readily. It was time to finish what they had started. The ingredients were sufficiently prepared; all that remained was to mix them well.

He addressed the employee, who was politely waiting for further instructions.

“Immediately send a cooperation letter to the local police station. And have our elite agents on standby for deployment.” 

“How will we manage the scene?” 

“I’ll command it.”

The employee who heard the order looked puzzled. Usually, managers or executives received situation reports and gave orders from the control room, not directly going to the scene to command operations. Of course, considering that Director Im was a former agent, it wasn’t an entirely unreasonable request. Still, he checked again, wondering if he had heard wrong.

“You’re going yourself?” 

“I have to. One way or another, he was my person; shouldn’t I be the one to gather him up?” 

“Then I’ll go too.”

Even the First Deputy Director, who had been listening, stepped forward. It was unusual, but given the exceptional circumstances, he let it pass.

“I will prepare as you commanded.” 

“Before that, one more thing. Support Team’s Yoon Jongwoo, has he come to work?” 

“No. Not yet.” 

“Have you been to his house?” 

“Yes. He was spotted leaving early this morning.”

Director Im rubbed his lower jaw, lost in thought for a moment. Immediately after receiving contact from Kwon Taekjoo, Yoon Jongwoo had disappeared. He must have received some instructions. Having spent no short amount of time together, he knew Kwon Taekjoo well. He wasn’t the kind of person to end things so meekly, even if he was caught. He would have prepared some scheme to get back at the person who had screwed him over. The fact that he had visited Lee Cheoljin  before going into hiding also weighed on his mind.

“Then find out where Yoon Jongwoo is too, and hold onto him until I say it’s okay.” 

“Understood.”

The employee who received the order bowed respectfully and exited. Until his presence faded into the distance, there was no conversation between the two remaining men. Director Im only spoke once the sound of his footsteps had completely vanished.

“Now we must put an end to this.” 

“If this matter concludes successfully, it will all be thanks to you. I won’t forget it.”

At the premature flattery, Director Im merely smiled silently. He then rose from his seat and opened a locked drawer. Inside lay a disassembled rifle. He took out the parts and quickly assembled them. He raised the instantly completed rifle into the air. His gaze, fixed on the sight, was merely blind.

“You definitely sent it yesterday, right?”

Yoon Jongwoo held onto the front door, which he was about to close, asking for confirmation repeatedly. He didn’t know how many times he had asked the same question. His unexpected visit had ruined his plan of sleeping in. He had only left an emergency contact number at the photo studio, so he had no idea how they knew his home address. He pulled the door, exasperated.

“Oh, I told you! Most photos are sent out by the day before holidays. There’s no way I’d specially set aside the photos that man entrusted to me, even if he asked?” 

“Then, sir, please tell me which courier service you used. Doesn’t it usually arrive in one day?” 

“I use Cheollima Courier. And for the delivery date, you shouldn’t ask me, but check directly with the courier company. Are you satisfied now?”

The photo studio owner pushed Yoon Jongwoo, saying, “You can go now.” The front door slammed shut harshly in his face. He hadn’t managed to get the tracking number. He considered ringing the doorbell once more out of lingering regret, but he felt sure they might actually call the police if he did. Helplessly, he shuffled away.

Walking out into the alley, he pulled out his cell phone. There had been no additional contact from Kwon Taekjoo. He had heard news of him on the evening news. Unable to sleep due to shock, he had received his call. As per his instructions, he hadn’t come to work today. Now, if Kwon Taekjoo was truly caught, Yoon Jongwoo himself would be undeniably an accomplice.

A long sigh escaped him naturally. Having come this far, there was nothing he could do. He could only do his part and simply pray that everything would turn out well.

He connected to the internet and searched for Cheollima Courier. Without a tracking number, he couldn’t check the delivery status. Reluctantly, he called the main number. It took a long time to connect with a consultant.