Precautions of a Snakepit - Chapter 26
Target asked, gesturing to Top Dog. Won shook her head. She couldn’t explain it because of the CCTV, but it didn’t seem like a problem that Jin could solve.
“I’m not like those assholes who only like you because they need you, pretty girl.”
‘I like you because I need you.’
The phrase summed up the relationship between her and Target.
In order to avoid suspicion when they approached each other, Won was pretending to like Target and he was playing along. They were like a window-dressing couple. It was a business romance out of necessity.
The question was how did Top Dog know?
If he knew, the watchers beyond the CCTV would have seen through it and they would need to change their strategy.
‘But if that is the case, we would have been separated long ago.’
Target was a marked patient in this ward, and if he escaped, the ward wouldn’t be able to handle the wrath of the K Group’s matriarch. They would be hell-bent on keeping him here until he was broken beyond repair. They will not allow anyone even remotely suspicious to approach Target. The fact that they are letting Won stay without removing her means they aren’t suspicious of her yet. The hospital doesn’t know.
‘So, how does Top Dog…. ?’
As Won stifled through the information in her head, she suddenly realized Top Dog said “they,” not “he.”
‘You even noticed Black Cat?’
Her spine tingled.
‘What the hell does that asshole know?’
How would he know something that not even the hospital, with its 24-hour surveillance, doesn’t?
She would classify Top Dog as the second most important person after Dr. Madison, but she didn’t expect to be so wary of someone who wasn’t a hospital employee.
‘Does he have some sort of extraordinary insight?’
No, she doesn’t think he is that aware. He looks more like a fighter than a schemer. No wonder the patients in the ward were unanimous in their opinion that Top Dog had stuffed a body into a barrel.
‘Is he the intuitive type?’
There are some. The kind with an almost animal-like sixth sense, sharp enough to sense an earthquake and run for cover.
Einstein once said, “The true value of a human being is determined primarily by the measure and the sense in which he has attained liberation from the self.” The most valuable thing for a human being is their intuition.
Einstein believed that it is not by any logical method that he discovers the truth, but only by intuition1 so “intuition” is being used interchangeably with “imagination” here. idk why the author did this though because einstein is referring to “imagination” in this quote. although, it is true that the theory of relativity was an “intuitive” feeling for einstein, the quote itself is abt imagination, and the intuitive images come first, and numbers and words are only a means to express them. His famous theory of relativity also comes from intuition, and he struggled to mathematically prove it.
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, also said when it came to important decisions, he trusted his intuition, not experts or books.
When it works, intuition is an unstoppable weapon.
‘If I were partnered up with Top Dog…’
The animalistic sixth sense might be the key to escaping the asylum.
Won shook her head at the thought.
‘I’m crazy. I want to work with that guy?’
Cooperation is something that is done with people you can talk to. How would she hold a conversation with a ticking time bomb? Top Dog will never do what she wants.
‘No, I have no control over him.’
If she plays nice and keeps him in line, he would probably listen to her. She might call it unfounded confidence, but it is a conclusion that came from her experience.
Somehow, she felt like this guy would give up his liver if she did something “cute” by his standards.
The question was whether Won’s ego could handle it. Besides, he wasn’t a child. He wouldn’t be satisfied with just flirting with her. She remembered the way he stared at her, greedily licking his lollipop and intently staring…
Won bit the flesh in her mouth. She deliberately avoided requests to flirt with others, but now? Even if she had to put up with it a hundred times, she didn’t want to use her body.
There were agents who specialize in seducing their clients. The beauty world is a classic tactic that transcends gender and time, but it didn’t suit Won’s aptitude for squeamishness. It requires a high level of acting, which she didn’t have.
Won’s acting skills were average, nothing more and nothing less; just basic. She used to show all her emotions on her face, but with hard work, she got to a point where it wouldn’t interfere with her mission.
Anyway, she didn’t want to do this. It was like being Top Dog’s pet.
Why would she do something she didn’t like and wasn’t good at? Unless her life depends on it, of course.
‘Unless I’m in a situation where I can’t get out of this ward on my own, I shouldn’t cling to Top Dog.’
Won held off on recruiting him.
‘He’s not exactly trustworthy.’
She hasn’t even vetted Black Cat yet. It is too dangerous to expand her ranks. It was better to have a small, but trustworthy team.
‘… Let’s keep an eye on him, just in case.’
Trustworthy or not.
Won glanced back and Top Dog was already gone.
***
“I don’t know what’s wrong with No.1.”
The guard watching the CCTV scratched his head. The nurse who was also monitoring chimed in.
“He’s been fine up until now, so why is he suddenly… worried about being sent to the CR?”
“I think No.1 has a crush on Lee Won. The other day, he grabbed her wrist, pulled her on top of him, and was put in the isolation room for two hours.”
The senior nurse sipped his soy milk and added.
“Men are attracted to Lee Won like fruit flies. Isn’t she all tied up with ‘one,’ ‘two,’ and ‘three?’ She’s at the top in appearance, too.”
“That’s the new girl’s problem. She’s running around with that face and guys are losing their minds.”
“It’s always the woman’s fault. You have to clap your hands to make a sound. That’s why you’re not popular, asshole.”
“Mr. Choi, the fact is that violence is violence. Mr. Kim, you won’t be able to go to work the next day.”
The nurses and guards giggled as they exchanged perverted words. Due to the nature of the closed ward, the guards were all men and there were quite a few nurses, so the conversation was male-dominated.
The female nurses pretended not to hear and went about their business. If they listened, it would be unpleasant, so they learned to ignore it. There were exceptions, though. One of the female nurses was glaring at Won on the screen.
“Is that really…”
The female nurse turned her attention to another screen and looked for No. 1.
As always, he had the best couch in the main hall to himself and was a laid-back beast. Strong and beautiful, a noble beast no human would dare to cross. Even the way his upper body leaned against the armrests and watched the world around him was impressive, like something out of a picture. Her heart pounded in her chest.
The female nurse was in ecstasy, indulging in the man on the monitor. She could watch her favorite man’s every move 24 hours a day. Could there be a better job?
While she was definitely set on No. 1, it was no small pleasure to catch glimpses of No. 2 and No. 3, the rarely seen handsome men, as they went about their daily routines. However, one person has been muddying the waters lately.
A woman named Lee Won.
She appeared in the ward overnight, giving room to this guy and that guy.
The nurse only needed a glance to assume that Won was the type of girl who goes out of her way to look pretty while pretending she was ugly. When the nurse went through her belongings, she saw how many cosmetics she had and lost count of the number of plastic containers in her room. She also saw her hair up close and personal the other day, and it looked like it was glued on. She washed her hair and brushed it hard, but it was all fake.
There’s no guarantee that the doll-like face on the screen is hers. She didn’t know if it was natural or not because she may have had surgery somewhere. The same goes for her breasts, maybe she purposely made them that size to be flattering…
Well, that’s just the way it is and the nurse would have to live with it. She wouldn’t care as long as Won didn’t touch No. 1, but if she continued to focus on him like she is now…
The paper in the female nurse’s hand crumpled into a ball.
At the same time, Dr. Madison was humming to himself as he spread out four papers on his desk.
“Coke is good. If you like it, have another. If you have another, you’ll get another stomachache. If you get an upset stomach, you’ll get a shot.”
His white-gloved fingers hovered over the four papers alternatively in time to the tune.
The first, labeled [3], contained the face of Target. The second document, labeled [1], had the face of Top Dog. The third document [2], had the face of Black Cat.
Finally, the fourth document, labeled [0], was blank.
“Shots hurt. If it hurts, take a pill. Let me guess, Dr. Chuck Chuck.”
His fingers scurried back and forth between [3], [1], [2], and [0] in that order, then slowed down.
“Ding, dong, ding, dong.”
Seeing where his fingers stopped, Dr. Madison playfully announced.
“You have been chosen as a ‘scapegoat.’”
Holding the papers up between his thumb and forefinger for better visibility, he turned to the person sitting across from him.
“What do you think? Do you like it?”
omg rereading this again and knowing the ending has so many puzzle pieces put together i love this story
anywhoser pls drop a dollar or two at my Kofi
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