Beast, Blue Blood - Chapter 112

Chapter 112

The car stopped in the darkness. As a man stepped out of the vehicle, feet approached from across the way, illuminated by the bright headlights. A man, faintly visible in the light, asked the man who had just exited the car.

“The package?”

As the man approached the back of the car and opened the trunk, a large suitcase was neatly placed inside. When he opened it, Ha-yeon was lying unconscious, dressed only in underwear, as if she were a smuggled doll.

Suddenly, Ha-yeon opened her eyes. Like a flash, she grabbed the man, simultaneously reaching into his jacket and pulling out the gun he had at his waist, aiming it at his temple. It all happened in an instant.

The men surrounding them were taken aback and aimed their guns in surprise. Ha-yeon merely scanned her surroundings with her eyes. It was too bright to see clearly, but it looked like they were in the mountains.

She quietly asked.

“Where are you taking me?”

She didn’t even have time to ponder why Myung-jin had betrayed her. She had to survive. If anything happened to her, Si-woo would crumble. He wouldn’t be able to rise again.

“There’s someone who has been looking forward to meeting you for a long time.”

A familiar voice said. And then, emerging through the headlights… it was Joo-hwan.

Seeing him with his expressionless face, Ha-yeon widened her eyes.

“You….”

Joo-hwan smiled slightly.

“Sorry, lady.”

She looked at the many people appearing beside him—whom even Ha-yeon couldn’t take on alone.

‘Find me, Si-woo.’

There, Changwon-gun would be.

* * *

“Ha-yeon…?”

Ivan paused for a moment, looking at the incoming call screen. When the other party spoke, he nodded.

“Got it. I’ll do that.”

He then hung up the phone.

Standing outside the study door, Ah-eun heard everything. Her heart raced.

‘Miss… I must save you.’

In a daze, Ah-eun began walking down the hallway.

‘Haji.’

She hadn’t been able to save that child. Surely, the little one must have called for her mother until her voice went hoarse. It must have been painful and frightening. Blood began to boil in her veins. This time, she had to save Haji.

* * *

Amidst everyone’s busyness, Eugene asked Hisha.

“Hisha, where’s Martha?”

“My father is watching over her.”

He replied, indicating that she should feel reassured.

In that regard, there were hardly any individuals who could defeat Ivan. Not even Changwon-gun, for that matter. But for some reason, Eugene couldn’t relax. She couldn’t predict what Changwon-gun would do after successfully taking Ha-yeon from Si-woo.

“Hisha, go see Martha.”

“But…”

Of course, Hisha wouldn’t want to leave her behind. So Eugene took his hand.

“If anything happens to you or Martha, I can’t survive.”

Hisha looked worried about his daughter, but it seemed he still found it hard to leave Eugene. She tightened her grip on his hand.

“Everyone is here. Don’t worry.”

At those words, Hisha finally seemed to resolve himself, cupping Eugene’s face and kissing her.

“Be careful.”

Then Hisha walked toward the entrance, glancing back at Eugene one last time before stepping outside.

As Hisha disappeared, Nasiri approached.

“Director.”

He whispered something in Eugene’s ear. Upon hearing it, a light of realization sparked in Eugene’s eyes.

She addressed the group.

“Please turn on the news.”

Then she turned to Si-woo, who was standing a little way off with a programmer.

“This is it, the reason Agent Choi Myung-jin betrayed us.”

At her words, Si-woo turned his head. The news anchor on the screen was just starting to report.  

[Senator Beatrix Koch has gone missing, and police authorities have begun an investigation. She lost contact after returning home last night at 8 PM, and her family has filed a missing person report. No news has been heard about Senator Koch as of yet.]

Seeing the serious expression on Si-woo’s face, Eugene spoke.

“She was Israeli when she was human, right? Beatrix Koch.”

* * *

Koch regained consciousness.

“Hello, Koch.”

Someone was sitting in front of her.

“Who are you…?”

It was an unfamiliar face.

“Don’t worry. It’s not that you don’t recognize me; we’re strangers.”

Then Myung-jin spoke.

“You have no substance.”

After the Brotherhood incident, people thought organizations like the Brotherhood had disappeared, but they had never truly vanished. They were the embodiment of human desire itself. They had simply become more cunning and secretive.

Humans who learned from the Brotherhood incident never actually met and didn’t know of each other’s existence. No, they didn’t want to know, as if they understood that the moment their desires took shape, they would somehow be discovered.

“But Koch, whether you’re human or Luax, shadows exist. And they aren’t visible.”

Myung-jin stood up and spoke.

“On November 17th, an airstrike fell in Gaza. The conflict between Israel and Palestine is nothing new, and it’s just a boring story that will only lead to more bloodshed. But Koch, we still need to uphold our principles. We can’t attack our own side, can we?”

Koch gasped for breath.

“All the dead were Palestinians.”

“Correct.”

Myung-jin calmly acknowledged her and added.

“Until Hamas, enraged by that, attacked us again. That’s when my brother Isaac was killed.”

Then Myung-jin shrugged.

“That was inevitable. One could say the kid was born in the wrong era or met the wrong sister… Life is full of such occurrences.”

She thought similarly about Ha-yeon. She didn’t harbor any ill feelings toward her. She had a purpose as her bodyguard and enjoyed being around her; the conversations they shared were genuinely meaningful.

But Myung-jin had her own goals, which she couldn’t trade for a mere friendship.

She thought Si-woo would somehow save Ha-yeon. Even if he couldn’t, it would still be divine providence, just like when her family died.

“But Koch.”

In an instant, Myung-jin’s expression changed.

“That doesn’t mean you can live comfortably. So many people died because of your poor judgment. Yet you escaped, as if by a miracle, thanks to your powerful colleagues.”

Koch narrowed her eyes.

“So in the end, you want revenge.”

Myung-jin smiled, unable to contain herself.

“Do you think it’s that simple?”

She stood up and shoved the gun barrel into her mouth.

“Koch. I’m going to nail you to a cross. I’ll show everyone what happens when filthy vampire bastards mess with humans.”

Koch’s face finally showed signs of tension, as if she realized this human in front of her was serious.

* * *

Ha-yeon gradually regained consciousness. As she opened her blurry eyes, she noticed her head drooping and could see her own feet standing.

Her mind was hazy, but suddenly she snapped to attention and looked up. The space was empty, and without windows, everything was painted white, leaving no indication of time or place.

In front of her was a person sitting in a chair.

For a moment, Ha-yeon doubted her own eyes. The man sitting casually on a plush leather sofa, legs crossed, was dressed like a scholar from the Joseon Dynasty. He wore a traditional hat, a robe, and a traditional overcoat, and even the shoes were perfect.

The man asked.

“Are you awake?”

Ha-yeon realized her neck was uncomfortable and looked up. A chain hanging from the ceiling was wrapped around her neck like a noose, and her wrists were tied behind her back.

In the meantime, the man, with familiar yet crimson wine-like eyes, looked at her and smiled.

“Allow me to introduce myself. I am…”

“Changwon-gun Lee Seong.”

Ha-yeon blurted it out as if she had been waiting for him to speak, and the wine-colored eyes glimmered with interest.

“You know me.”

“I read the annals.”

At her words, Lee Seong shrugged.

“Ah, that. I considered killing the historian, but honestly, it wasn’t that important. It’s not something you’ve never heard before. In that sense, I’m not Changwon-gun, but a historical figure.”

He smiled and added.

“It’s been inferred.”

Ha-yeon merely scoffed. In response, Lee Seong clasped his hands together.

“I also know about you, miss. Rather, the twenty-one people killed by your housemaid were sent by me.”

“Why am I not surprised?”

Ha-yeon retorted.

“What’s there to brag about for someone who couldn’t even touch Emily?”

“A proud and beautiful princess… Si-woo’s tastes have changed.”

His tone in referring to Si-woo sounded like a friend, which made Ha-yeon feel uneasy.

Lee Seong shrugged.

“It was surprising to discover that Chun Ah-eun had such power.”

But the following words were shocking.

“Si-woo seems to care a lot for you and your cousin. But I thought he would be more shocked if a girl died than if a boy did. He’s a softie when it comes to women.”

Ha-yeon couldn’t hide her disbelief.

“What kind of psychopath is that?”

“Rather, let’s say I was destined to be a vampire. Even when I was human, I always wondered: why is killing wrong? We raise sheep to get their wool and milk. But when we suddenly crave meat, don’t we eat one of them?”

“The chosen sheep just had bad luck; it wasn’t because it was good or evil.”

Ha-yeon replied.

Just as Lee Seong was about to continue, Ha-yeon interjected.

“And regarding the issue of eating that sheep, humans aren’t necessarily good or evil either.”

Ha-yeon scoffed.

“Do you think I’ve only heard that kind of twisted logic once or twice? Just say you killed because you wanted to. Don’t bring in strange arguments.”

She looked straight at him and spat.

“You’re just a bastard.”

Then she gestured upwards and laughed mockingly.

“What is this? A memorial for hanging a sheep by its eaves?”

Lee Seong narrowed his eyes.

“His tastes have certainly changed.”

He then stood up, clasping his hands behind his back and strolling toward her.

“When we arrive at the destination, the ‘slaughterer’ will be waiting. He’ll slice you into pieces to make tracking impossible. Ideally, it’s best if you’re alive, but I learned from the incident thirteen years ago that keeping someone in one piece is risky.”

He shrugged.

“You will disappear, just like the Little Mermaid turning into bubbles.”

Ha-yeon focused her gaze and spoke.

“In a world where everyone can become a vampire, you’re no longer special.”

“That’s wrong. It’s not a world where everyone can become a vampire; it’s a world where I choose who becomes a vampire.”

Lee Seong smiled arrogantly.

“Humans will crawl to me on their knees and beg at my feet.”

The anticipation alone made his face light up with pleasure.

“Did you do all this just for power?”

“Just for power?”

Lee Seong responded, astonished that Ha-yeon would say such a thing.

“Power is everything.”

“If you wanted to be a king, you could have easily done that. You were the son of a king.”

As the child of a king, he wouldn’t have been affected by the discriminatory practices against children, meaning he could have become king if there were no ‘competitors.’ And for Lee Seong, as a vampire, eliminating competitors wouldn’t have been difficult.

However, Lee Seong shrugged.

“I wouldn’t want to be the king of Joseon. There were too many restrictions, after all. Once I became this way, I hid for a while and left Joseon early. Si-woo was so intent on finding me.”

He chuckled.

“I thought that madman would die soon, but after a while, he disappeared and then came back. That was when he met your father. Thanks to that, I had to live without showing myself for a long time.”

It seemed that the reason Lee Seong had kept a low profile was because of Si-woo.

“But there was a greater enemy.”