The familiar Korean language he’s hearing in an unfamiliar situation was unbelievably calm and even tinged with amusement. Lee Young-jin’s body stiffened. The moment he heard that voice, the hairs all over his body rose and a terrifying sensation ran up his spine as if an ice pick had pierced him.
“The safe.”
The voice whispered softly again.
“Open it.”
Lee Young-jin’s fingertips twitched once briefly. Cold sweat welled up from his back and ran down his spine.
There were dozens of contingency scenarios and hundreds of training sessions. However, none of those simulations were like this. It’s like having your target right in front of you and an unknown enemy putting a gun to the back of your head.
The muzzle hit the back of his head and pressed harder. Lee Young-jin felt the pain. He felt it more intensely and terrifying than the pain of him weakly biting his lower lip.
“Can’t you hear my voice?”
Again, the quiet voice urged him violently.
The gap between the stable voice and the cold mass of metal pressing down the back of his head was unreal.
Lee Young-jin’s low, irregular breathing mixed with the vibration of the computer engine and the sound of a strange man behind his back rubbing the trigger with the tip of his index finger.
[Lee Young-jin?]
“Ah…”
Lee Young-jin let out a very small, faint voice.
Park Eun-young, who knew nothing, urged him through the earphones.
[Young-jin. Do you need more time to open the door?]
“How much more time should I give?”
At the same time, the voice behind him urged.
Suddenly, a large hard hand covered his ear. The fingers dug inside and pulled the earphones. It landed on the transparent back of his hand, which had hardened like stone, then rolled to the side and disappeared under the desk. A sense of disconnection and loss weighed heavily on Lee Young-jin’s shoulders.
Lee Young-jin inhaled deeply, as if his ribs were about to spread as both lungs swelled.
“…if you promise not to kill.”
“What?”
“If you promise not to kill, I will open it.”
“Don’t worry. I will spare your life.”
“No, I meant my comrades in there. Both of them.”
Lee Young-jin spoke again. It was probably the quickest reply he had ever given.
A small hesitant sound came from behind him.
“Then can I kill you?”
Tak, again the sound of fingernails tapping against the metal trigger.
“Me too…spare me.”
Lee Young-jin barely moved his tongue as if it had sprouted thorns and answered.
Ji Jung-hoon and Park Eun-young in the monitor were close to each other and exchanging short hand signals. They turned their bodies in a perfect motion that was urgent but not shaken at all. And eight shadows on the monitor right next to it aimed their rifles at the door.
The tension reached its peak.
Lee Young-jin’s shriveled shoulders began to tremble as if they’d been hit by a north wind. His hardened body shrunk more and more and became small as if it was about to disappear. Then he heard a soft laugh behind his back.
“Alright.”
At the same time as that sentence, Lee Young-jin’s hand moved. Unlike his dazed mind, his hands were agile. His slender fingers ran across the keyboard.
A few seconds. In the monitor, the shadows entangled with each other. A silent commotion ensued. Shadows rushed over Ji Jung-hoon’s huge body. Someone fell. Park Eun-young took out a pistol. Faster than that, three or four guns were pointed at her.
A notification floated over the software window.
[Approved by the top manager. Lock released.]
A red flourescent light flickered on the surface of the round vault door made of 60cm thick lead and reinforced aluminum. In the next moment, the thick stick handle automatically pulled forward and slowly turned slightly to the right. There was no sound. It was like a fake documentary, or a scene from a black and white silent film.
“Nice job, kid.”
A voice that didn’t hide its joyous expression praised Lee Young-jin.
Lee Young-jin had goosebumps on his back.
Before his eyes, his comrades were being subdued by the enemies. Ji Jung-hoon knelt on the floor and fell face down. Park Eun-young struggled with her cheek pressed to the floor. Someone turned the doorknob and opened the vault door. The heavy door opened gently. Dozens of feet stampeded into the safe. And, superimposed on those steps, the sound of rough footsteps resonated throughout the apartment.
The door opened as if it was broken through.
At the same time as the gun’s muzzle landed on the back of Lee Young-jin’s head, a hard hand clad in military gloves pressed his head against the desk. The other hand pulled back the unresisting arms roughly. Plastic handcuffs were placed on the immobilized wrists. A black cloth then covered his face.
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