The wooden ship faced an ominous fate, reflecting an impending doom. It plunged into the water almost simultaneously as they watched the motorboat rush toward its demise.
The collision loomed, mere meters away, gears grinding from the impending doom. In this moment of resignation and despair, time seemed to stretch into eternity.
Then Kwon Taek-joo gripped the steering wheel with all his might. The boat, unable to cope with the abrupt brake, shook violently. The vessel skidded through the water, tracing a graceful arc.
In theory, collision was inevitable, but Kwon Taek-joo refused to let go of the wheel.With a resounding thud, the right side of the wooden boat collided with the rear of the other boat. The impact sent both boats into a wild frenzy, sparking vividly after causing an explosion where they crashed at.
For an instant, it felt as though the entire yacht floated in mid-air.
"... Ugh?"
After the turmoil settled, Yoon Jong-woo cautiously opened his eyes. He found himself still aboard the boat, not in the cold sea. Kwon Taek-joo had managed to keep the driver's seat intact.
Smoke billowed from the damaged rear, and a sizable hole pierced the right side of the wooden boat, but they had survived. The tension that had gripped their bodies was released, and their racing hearts finally slowed.
Soon the engine sputtered to a stop. The lapping waves gently nudged the stationary boat toward the wooden vessel. The two hulls, now close, bumped intermittently, creating a rhythmic thud.
Kwon Taek-joo rose from his seat and swiftly made his way to the wooden boat. Jong-Woo Yoon, regaining his senses, fumbled to retrieve his Colt.
The ordeal was far from over.
Kwon Taek-joo climbed onto the fishing boat and lit the surroundings with a flashlight. Two figures were desperately swimming in the deep sea with nowhere to escape.
He watched their frantic struggle, then reached for a fishing net lying nearby. With a swift throw, he ensnared the fleeing figures. The more they struggled, the tighter the net entwined them.
Kwon Taek-joo observed their desperate efforts for a while before operating the hoist connected to the fishing net. A rusty metallic sound emanated from the manual hoist. It wasn't as difficult as it appeared.
"... ... ."
Glancing back, Yoon Jong-woo, who had been watching in disbelief, approached him.
He pulled the crank of the hoist with even more vigor thanKwon Taek-joo, seemingly trying to mask his shock.
Soon, Ri Cheol-jin and his accomplice clambered aboard, entangled in the fishing nets.
"Let us go, you fuckers! You bastards will die in hell-..."
"AH!" Taekjoo gave him a slap across the face.
"Haha, uu-uhm, s-sir, what do we do now?" Yoon Jong-woo wiped his sweat and looked at Kwon Taekju. Kwon Taek-joo remained silent.
He had already moved to the motorboat, frantically searching for something.
"What are you looking for?"
"What did I tell you to prepare, huh?"
"Ah, it's under the driver's seat, sir."
Kwon Taek-joo promptly flipped the driver's seat backward. Just as Yoon Jong-woo had said, there was a suitcase beneath. After unzipping it and inspecting the contents, Kwon Taek-joo gave Yoon Jong-woo his instructions.
"Contact headquarters and inform them that Ri Cheol-jin, his associates, and the USBs are all secure. Lieutenant Younghee Kim is tied up on the ferry, and the Coast Guard should have been alerted by now. Tell her to take it from there."
"Me? Alone, senior? Somehow, it sounds like I'm doing all the work..."
"Just say you don't want to?"
"What, ah senior? The boat is broken, it's n-not because I don't want to!"
"This madman has his hands full. I have a family event to attend. You're on this one."
Faced with the brink of life and death, Yoon Jong-woo was left stuttering, repeatedly saying, "Sir?" as he struggled to accept my request.The motorboat Kwon Taekju was on roared to life.
He left Yoon Jongwoo on the wooden boat with the two ensnared men and departed without a backward glance.
The motorboat boasted a powerful engine and swiftly moved away. He stared at his wet shoes in astonishment, they gradually became soaked from the seawater seeping into the wooden boat.
It was a wooden boat, with a hole...Could he really leave his comrades stranded in such a dire situation, without any guilt or hesitation?
Behind him, cries of desperation echoed. However, Kwon Taek-joo didn't pay attention to them as as the wind and waves played tricks on his ears.
He had always believed in raising his children with strict discipline. This was a wise lesson to learn from.
The boat docked in a quiet corner of the pier, facing no repercussions even for unauthorized mooring due to prior registration for a public event.
Without a second thought, he grabbed the suitcase and entered a nearby warehouse. When he emerged, he had changed into clean clothes.
Passing through the dimly lit terminal, he reached the main road, where a pre-arranged taxi awaited. They got in and headed for Busan Station.
Upon arrival, an announcement signaled the departure of the KTX bound for Seoul. Kwon Taekju descended to the platform along with the bustling crowd.
The train arrived promptly and waited as everyone entered through the nearest door, checked their seat assignment, and settled in.
It was late at night, and the compartment was hushed.
Bzzzt... bzzzt... .
Just as Taekju settled in, the phone inside his jacket pocket buzzed. It was a personal call, not business-related. As expected, it was from his mother.
After clearing his throat, he answered."Yes, Mother. I've just boarded the train. The cleanup after the event took longer than expected, so I could only catch the last train. Even if it runs without delays, I'll be arriving late at dawn, so please get some rest and eat."
His mother launched hundreds of questions, wanting to know the exact departure and arrival times, the transportation from the station to their home, and more. Given that he was a son who visited his mother maybe once or twice a year, these visits were quite rare, and the conversation ended with him finally promising to go straight home without any detours.
As soon as he ended the call, exhaustion began to set in. A sigh escaped from his lips. Around that time, the train doors closed, and it departed for Seoul. Leaning back, Taekjoo felt the train's vibrations through his still-damp hair.
In the quiet compartment, an announcement about the upcoming stop played. The space, previously abuzz with chatter, fell silent after the word "Seoul" fell. Even the overhead lights seemed to dim.
The heater's warmth had Kwon Taek-joo feeling drowsy. His eyelids, still tinged with the saltiness of seawater, grew heavy. He had nearly three hours left until his final destination. Would it be wise to catch up on some sleep?
Just as he was about to close his eyes...
Bzzzt...bzzzt...
Suddenly, his pocket vibrated. The phone he used to talk to their mother was still in his hand. Thus, the incoming call had to be work-related.
First, he tried to ignore it, trying to settle into sleep, but the phone continued to vibrate persistently. It was clear that the caller intended to keep ringing until Taekju answered.
The faintly nerve-wracking noise began to disturb fellow passengers.
"Ugh... why isn't that man picking up?" "Yeah, this generation is so disrespectful."
I rolled my eyes. Reluctantly, Taek-joo straightened up and pressed the answer button.
'Taekjoo. Where are you?'
"...What?"