Beast, Blue Blood - Chapter 113

Chapter 113

“But there was a greater enemy.”

“…?”  

Although it wasn’t surprising that there was another enemy, Ha-yeon looked at Lee Seong with curiosity.  

“Do you know what it feels like to have the world beneath your feet?”  

He suddenly asked.  

“Sorry, but I know what humility is.”  

Ha-yeon scoffed, but Lee Seong seemed unconcerned by her words.  

“It’s a confidence that you know to your core—that you can do anything if you just set your mind to it, a confidence filled with spirit. I only realized after many years that this is the lazy satisfaction unique to vampires. If vampires had the diligence and sincerity of humans, they wouldn’t have failed to dominate the world by now.”  

He then shrugged slightly.  

“I had to make quite an effort to overcome the inherent laziness of my kind.”  

Lee Seong didn’t refer to vampires by the modern name “Luax.” It was as if he had no interest in labels assigned by outsiders.  

Just that alone revealed how arrogant he was.  

“Since I lived enjoying life in various ways, I had no real complaints, but I started to get a bit tired of eating and partying. So, I chased wars and even served as an advisor to those in power, but it ultimately led to one conclusion: I had to build a business in my own name.”  

He chuckled.  

“Thanks to Si-woo, there were limitations on what I could do, but I found enjoyment in bringing down those who thought they were something special, so it suited me more than I expected.”  

That seemed likely.  

“Over the years in business, I’ve also realized something: the sheep are not my enemies.”  

He then smiled, his eyes filled with laughter.  

“The real enemies are the wolves from other packs.”  

At that moment, Lee Seong seemed like a different person from what the records suggested.  

According to the records, the one who killed Eop-ji was, of course, a problematic human to begin with, but the act of murder that day seemed impulsive and driven by excitement. Yet now, Lee Seong appeared remarkably calm. It was almost as if he was stepping back from the entire situation.  

Six hundred years is a long time, and one would think it would be difficult for a person to change, but she just vaguely assumed Lee Seong was still the same troubled individual from the records.  

However, if you dissect the statement; the sheep are not enemies,’ it ultimately means that sheep are just sheep—nothing but food.  

Once you drive away the wolves that protect the sheep, catching the sheep is no problem at all.  

At that moment, Lee Seong turned around.  

“She’s been rambling.”  

Just then, the door behind him opened, and someone entered.

* * *

“Father.”  

Hisha descended the stairs, relieved to see Ivan holding Martha. But since he seemed to be preparing to go out, he asked. 

“Where are you going?”  

“No.”  

His answer was like that, but he was dressed in an overcoat suitable for going out.  

Hisha looked around the quiet house and asked.  

“What about Mother?”  

“I’m trying to reach her.”  

That meant she wasn’t reachable, yet Ivan appeared surprisingly calm.  

“Alex isn’t reachable either.”  

“What about the other clan members?”

Hisha, receiving Martha from Ivan as he tried to reach out to him, asked.

“What’s wrong?”

Ivan shook his head slightly.  

“About half of them are unreachable. Especially those from MCTC—completely out of contact.”  

Hisha felt the seriousness of the situation. It was hard to dismiss the fact that all those capable of mobilizing force were unreachable as mere coincidence.  

“Could it be the work of Lancenum”  

“There’s a possibility…”  

Just then, Ivan suddenly looked up and gazed out the window. The tranquil green sea of trees lay before them as usual.  

Suddenly, Ivan turned.

“Come here.”  

“What?”  

Hisha asked, confused, but Ivan immediately pushed him toward the elevator.  

“Right now.”  

Then they took the elevator down to the basement.  

“Father, this is the panic room…”  

Whether Hisha finished his sentence or not, Ivan opened the entrance to the panic room and shoved him inside.  

“Go in.”  

“But, Father…!”  

As Hisha protested and turned back, Ivan spoke.

“It’s not just because you’re my son. They might try to take you to create a virus. The same goes for Martha.”  

Hisha, not understanding the situation at all, looked at Martha in his arms.  

Only then did he realize that Eugene had intentionally sent him to a house with a panic room. To protect them, to keep Martha and himself safe from being used in virus creation.  

Though it was called a panic room, it was more like a bunker. It could withstand a nuclear strike overhead.  

Hisha looked back at Ivan.

“But a hybrid can’t create a virus.”  

After four years of research, the conclusion was ‘impossible.’ It was all mere speculation and rumors, akin to legends about an immortal elixir existing somewhere.  

Ivan shook his head slightly.  

“What matters isn’t whether it’s possible. The problem is believing it will happen.”  

Then Ivan closed the entrance to the panic room.  

“Father…!”  

As Hisha shouted, he disappeared beyond the door.  

As soon as the door shut, the presence of people approached faster than expected. Armed individuals surged in like a black wave, surrounding Ivan with their guns.  

A man stepped forward and stood in front of him.  

“What do you want?”  

Ivan asked, and the man smiled.  

“A revolution, Your Highness.”

* * *

When Ha-yeon saw the person who entered as the door opened, her eyes widened.  

‘Emily…!’

It was Ah-eun who had been pushed inside.  

“Miss…”  

Ah-eun’s face brightened upon seeing Ha-yeon but quickly turned ashen again. A chill ran down Ha-yeon’s spine; she had been hung up like Eop-ji, just like a trophy beneath.

“Are you an idiot?!”  

Ha-yeon yelled suddenly.  

“Why did you come here?”  

Moreover, it was Joo-hwan who had brought Ah-eun.  

Ha-yeon glared at Joo-hwan, whose face showed no particular emotion. But Joo-hwan only shrugged slightly.  

Lee Seong appeared to be thoroughly enjoying himself.  

“This friend has been giving me updates about you all along.”  

Then he looked at Ah-eun with a uniquely nostalgic expression.

“Finally, we meet, Chun Ah-eun. The patroness of my patron. You were the beginning of it all.”  

“That’s incorrect.”  

But Ah-eun replied firmly. Lee Seong seemed surprised by her response and asked.  

“Incorrect?”  

“The patron of Si-woo is not me, and you’re not Si-woo’s client either.”  

Lee Seong smiled and tilted his head slightly.  

“So what are we to each other?”  

“People who shouldn’t have met.”  

Lee Seong nodded.  

“Indeed.”  

At that moment, Ha-yeon bared her teeth.  

“Touch Ah-eun, and I will kill you without fail.”  

Lee Seong smiled sweetly.  

“I wanted to meet Chun Ah-eun, but there’s something more important.”  

* * *

“CEO”  

Jerome approached.  

“It seems that Chun Ah-eun has voluntarily gone over there.”  

He showed a picture of Joo-hwan taking Ah-eun away. Si-woo was taken aback.  

“Ah-eun?”  

“Who?”  

Peter, standing next to him, asked.  

“The housekeeper at the Ivanov residence.”  

Jerome answered, and Peter looked astonished.  

“A housekeeper? How did a housekeeper end up there?”  

“Ah-eun is my patroness.”  

Si-woo said, and Peter, puzzled, asked.  

“Isn’t your patron Captain Alex?”  

“I mean biological patroness.”  

“But why the housekeeper… No, what’s important is, why did she go there?”  

Si-woo didn’t answer with a serious expression, but there was only one reason Ah-eun would go: to save Ha-yeon.  

Just then, the phone began to ring.  

Everyone looked at Si-woo as if it were a prearranged signal. When the programmer connected the call, Si-woo spoke slowly.  

“Lee Seong.”  

[Who is this?]  

Lee Seong’s voice echoed in the space. It was slightly different from what Si-woo remembered.  

[Isn’t this my patron? Don’t worry. The lady is safe.]  

“Safe.”  

Si-woo said abruptly. Everyone looked at him quizzically, wondering what he meant. Even though they couldn’t see his face, Lee Seong seemed to ask the same.  

[Safe? What do you mean?]  

“Prototype.”  

Silence fell. Then suddenly, Lee Seong burst into laughter.  

[Right. If there’s a place in this world that can develop something called the ‘Luax Virus,’ it can only be ISLE, right?]  

“I’ll trade for both.”  

“…!”  

Everyone gasped, about to shout ‘CEO…!’ but stopped, knowing Lee Seong was listening. Over the receiver, Lee Seong seemed to smile widely.  

[Okay. Come to Sanah International Airport within 12 hours.]  

And then he hung up. Just after, Peter tried to speak, but everyone was interrupted.  

“Is it there?”  

While asking, he seemed to hope Si-woo would deny it. But Si-woo nodded.  

“It’s still a prototype, but it was being developed as a confidential project at ISLE.”  

“That dangerous item?”

“Anyway, it was something that would eventually come to light. We need to secure the position to prepare for it.”  

It was a valid point, but Peter frowned, clearly displeased.  

“But once we hand over the virus, there will be nothing left to exchange with the lady. No, do you think that bastard would let the lady go even if we gave him the virus?”  

Si-woo nodded as if he already knew.  

“But I have to go for that bastard to show up.”  

His gaze was resolute.  

“He knows that the only one who can kill me is himself.”  

* * *

Lee Seong turned around.  

“Good news. Si-woo is coming.”  

Ha-yeon tightened her brows.  

She had to find a way to escape before Si-woo arrived. She didn’t want them to meet.  

At that moment, Lee Seong’s head exploded.  

“…!”  

Ha-yeon was startled for two reasons.  

One was the literal explosion of his head, and the other was that Joo-hwan stood behind Lee Seong, expressionless, aiming a gun at him.