Snake Venom Ch 23

Chapter 23

Then the assailant’s breathing grew harsher.

“W-What the hell do you think you’re doing, giving advice?! You’re just…!”

The concern was genuine, but it also served as a calculated provocation to create an opening—and it worked effectively. Lee Yeonwoo didn’t miss the signs of agitation.

Quickly spinning around, Lee Yeonwoo rammed his elbow into the attacker’s throat. With a clear line of sight, maneuvers like this were no big deal. Besides, his opponent was a scrawny junkie. Lee Yeonwoo seized the attacker’s flailing wrist and forcefully twisted the joints of his palm.

“Urgh!”

The knife slipped from the assailant’s suddenly weakened grip. Lee Yeonwoo kicked it aside, sending it clattering toward the tracks, then put distance between them. The entire exchange had taken place in the blink of an eye.

Before the staggering attacker could regain his balance, Lee Yeonwoo was already bounding down the stairs.

Just then, a station staff member was coming up. Lee Yeonwoo grabbed him and pointed behind.

“That half-blood over there—he’s a drug addict. Call 135 to report it. Not the police—make sure it’s 135.”

That was the only way he’d be sent to rehab before being arrested.

Unaware of Lee Yeonwoo’s intentions, the assailant hurled deafening curses at him. But Lee Yeonwoo knew he couldn’t be caught if it came down to a chase.

Heading for Exit 5, Lee Yeonwoo glanced down at his phone. Ah, right—there’d been a call. He quickly brought the still-active line to his ear.

“Sorry. There was a bit of commotion just now.”

– “So it seemed.”

The calm reply came from the other end, and the man remained silent until Lee Yeonwoo arrived at Exit 5 and caught his breath. He wasn’t the type to keep a call connected and say nothing without reason. As cold wind brushed his flushed face, something flashed in Lee Yeonwoo’s eyes.

“Oh, and the scent you were looking for—it wasn’t there.”

This time, he was certain. He could say it with confidence. Swelling with a strange pride, Lee Yeonwoo stood still as a black van came to a stop in front of him. The rear door opened.

– “Get in.”

A voice like a dial tone floated out from inside the vehicle. As Lee Yeonwoo stepped inside, just as expected, Cheon Wooshin was there.

Dressed in a black suit, Cheon Wooshin was simultaneously ending the call with Lee Yeonwoo while dialing another number. His neatly styled hair exposed his forehead, his smooth eyes and the upright collar wrapped around his neck immediately caught attention. Holding the phone to his ear, he spoke.

“Have you eaten?”

“Yes.”

Lee Yeonwoo gave a short reply and climbed in. As he fastened his seatbelt, Cheon Wooshin continued his call beside him.

“Secure the CCTV footage from PEO Station.”

The van’s interior was as spacious as its exterior suggested. Im Sehan was at the wheel, and another man sat in the passenger seat. He was so large that “thick” didn’t even begin to describe him, with a relatively small head and hair trimmed so short that the skin behind his ears was visible.

Like Cheon Wooshin, both men up front wore black suits. Im Sehan gave a greeting glance through the rearview mirror. Since Cheon Wooshin was still on the phone, Lee Yeonwoo nodded silently in return.

“How’s the receiver?”

At the word receiver, Lee Yeonwoo shot Cheon Wooshin a sideways glance. There had been something similar attached to the collar that President Park had given him. It was likely that the new shackle he’d be forced to wear as someone classified at a dangerous level would have one too. That realization sent a chill through him. Absentmindedly, he touched his bare neck.

While Cheon Wooshin continued his call, Lee Yeonwoo quietly gazed out the window, waiting.

“Understood. Keep watching.”

Apparently, Lee Yeonwoo wasn’t the only one waiting for the call to end. No sooner had Cheon Wooshin lowered the phone than the man in the passenger seat abruptly turned around. His sharp, direct gaze pierced straight into Lee Yeonwoo.

“Hephace—it’s known for not having any smell during production, so how did you know?”

His excited voice thundered through the car.

“You can’t even distinguish it without a urine test at minimum!”

Even though Lee Yeonwoo had already seen his exaggerated gestures, he still flinched.

“So this is what they call a beginner’s luck? I mean, finding a Hephace addict with overlapping supply routes with Snake.”

Despite wearing a short-sleeved shirt in the middle of winter, the man spoke passionately. In fact, Lee Yeonwoo had seen him before. Though they hadn’t exchanged greetings, he remembered the man’s distinct scent from that time.

He had been part of the armed group encountered in the forcibly terminated game field. Back then, wearing a mask and carrying a gun, he’d only seemed intimidating. But now that he saw the man’s bare face, his impression was much softer than expected. The thick eyebrows, paired with round eyes, gave him a gentle appearance.

“Ah, I forgot to introduce myself.”

Having composed himself, the man rubbed his thick palm over his chest and then extended a large hand toward Lee Yeonwoo.

“I’m Jung Suho. I’m like the shield of the team.”

Grinning wide enough to show all his teeth, Jung Suho was quickly mocked by Im Sehan in the driver’s seat.

“Shield, my ass. He’s just a meat shield. We use him for intimidation too. As you can see, he’s got a terrifying build.”

“Tsk, shut it. Don’t embarrass me in front of the rookie.”

“What rookie? And it’s beginner, not rookie. You really butchered that.”

“It’s all the same. Lee Yeonwoo, do you know what gao means? It’s—”

“I know. It means pride, right? And you haven’t lost any face.”

“Oh!”

Lee Yeonwoo’s tactful response delighted Jung Suho, who had already taken a liking to him for his impressive abilities. That sweet little bit of flattery instantly boosted his affection. Just as Suho’s eyes twinkled, Cheon Wooshin, who had been looking out the window, pressed down on the back of Lee Yeonwoo’s head and twisted his wrist slightly.

Even with just a small amount of pressure, the strength of his grip was clear. It didn’t hurt, but Lee Yeonwoo obediently turned his head in response to the firm touch, and there was Cheon Wooshin. Tilting his head slightly, he stared straight at Lee Yeonwoo and spoke.

“Suho, keep your eyes on the road. You know how Sehan drives.”

But the slow, low voice was clearly directed at Jung Suho.

“Yeah, dumbass. Sit straight unless you want your neck snapped. You’re practically falling backward.”

Im Sehan shoved Suho’s head toward the passenger seat in agreement with Cheon Wooshin.

Despite all the commotion, Cheon Wooshin’s hand remained on the back of Lee Yeonwoo’s head. Switching glances between that hand and the man’s brazen gaze, a single word suddenly popped into Lee Yeonwoo’s mind.

Primary guardian.

Instead of hesitating or second-guessing, Lee Yeonwoo decided to act immediately. As an employee, currying favor with the employer was a universal truth.

“Thank you for coming to pick me up, Team Leader.”

“Sure.”

The lazily drawn-out voice gave Lee Yeonwoo confidence. He leaned in slightly toward Cheon Wooshin.

“The dumplings you gave me that day were so delicious, I dreamt about them.”

Even such a honey-glazed lie barely elicited a reaction. Cheon Wooshin blandly replied,

“Should I buy more for you?”

“Yes.”

The moment he answered eagerly, Cheon Wooshin’s hand on the back of his head tousled his hair.

Lee Yeonwoo blinked, dumbstruck by the touch. It was fortunate that he’d said the right thing, but was it really okay to be treated like this?

Setting aside his confusion, the feel of fingers parting through his hair and brushing his scalp stirred up long-forgotten sensations. Aside from his grandmother, no one had ever done that to him before. Just as this unannounced memory surfaced from deep within, Lee Yeonwoo looked up. Cheon Wooshin had already withdrawn his hand and was pulling a tablet from the holder behind the front seat.

The tablet was soon passed to Lee Yeonwoo.

Several photos were displayed on the screen. Lee Yeonwoo focused on the first face.

Despite drooping eyes and deep wrinkles, the stern and emotionless face of the elderly man exuded undeniable authority. A note identified him as Yoo Jaseong, Chairman of Cheonye Group.

Cheonye Group. Even Lee Yeonwoo had heard of this major corporation. It was well-known not only for its strong performance and transparent management but also for its generous philanthropy. That’s why the name felt familiar—he’d seen it in the media.

Beneath that were side-by-side images of Yoo Jaseong’s sons: Yoo Taewoong, the eldest, and Yoo Taejoo, the second son, both of whom bore strikingly similar sharp noses and earlobes. Below them were a lab director and a deputy director from a company called The Giver Bio. The lab director, Kim Jungik, had a gentle face, while the deputy director, Cheon Sejun, had sharp, handsome features.

At the bottom was a private photo of Chairman Yoo Jaseong and Director Kim Jungik shaking hands.

But The Giver Bio… it seemed familiar. As he searched his memory, Lee Yeonwoo reached into his pocket. A folded paper box of suppressants came out. Before he could properly examine it, Cheon Wooshin’s voice came.

“That’s the company that made it.”

A chairman of a major conglomerate and a researcher from that company as victims—what on earth could be connected to all of this?