Snake Venom Ch 58

Chapter 58

On his way up the stairs, Lee Yeonwoo came across unfamiliar unit members. Even though they saw him, they allowed him to pass without much comment. It was thanks to the prior notice from Im Sehan. Lee Yeonwoo bowed politely as he passed through the midst of men as sturdy as Jung Suho.

It was clear that the second floor was where President Park primarily resided. That unique greasy smell lingered thickly in the air, making it unmistakable. The scent was so pervasive throughout that it was difficult to determine directions, but precisely because it was such a place, it had to be examined more thoroughly. As it was his first time there, Lee Yeonwoo walked with one hand deliberately pressed against the wall.

Unlike the first floor, the layout was rather complex. Passing a partition wall with a massive built-in television, he took a deep breath. The scent of President Park, mixed with that of several other people, drifted in together.

Every door to the rooms was wide open. The dressing room, with its clothes and accessories ransacked, looked as though it had been burglarized. The massive sofa, large enough for ten adults to sit with space to spare, had its cushions removed, exposing the inner stuffing. Movable furniture was in similar disarray—pushed aside, flipped over, no longer in their original positions. It meant every possible hiding spot had already been searched.

Even after this thorough search, if he hadn’t come out, could Lee Yeonwoo really find him? Could there be a secret exit that even the gatekeepers didn’t know about? That sudden doubt surfaced but was quickly pushed aside.

Lee Yeonwoo’s expression suddenly turned serious as he entered the bedroom. He took a deep breath. After a brief survey, he headed straight to the bed and slowly circled around it a few times.

“Hm?”

Tilting his head and stroking his chin, Lee Yeonwoo knelt to look under the bed. He saw nine pillars supporting the mattress. The underside was wide open, revealing nothing.

By then, Cheon Wooshin and Im Sehan entered the bedroom. Sensing their presence, Lee Yeonwoo rose to his feet, brushing himself off.

“This is really strange.”

Even though Lee Yeonwoo had discovered an absurd secret entrance under the car floor earlier that afternoon, his expression showed clear confusion as he pointed with his finger.

“It’s… here.”

His finger indicated the bed he had been circling. Apart from the mattress, there was nothing unusual, yet the smell of President Park was overwhelming. Of course, it was a spot that would naturally be saturated with his scent, but Lee Yeonwoo’s keen sense of smell could distinguish between the stale odors embedded over time and the fresh scent emitted from the skin in real time.

Im Sehan looked down at the bed with a somewhat skeptical gaze, but Cheon Wooshin slipped his hand inside his jacket.

“Is that so?”

Responding lightly, he drew and cocked his gun. Click. The loaded muzzle now casually aimed at a part of the bed. All it would take was pulling the trigger for a bullet to fire. Cheon Wooshin’s bored voice flowed out.

“Come out.”

The empty bed remained still. Aiming a gun at an unoccupied bed—it was a ridiculous sight at a glance.

“I’m going to start pressing a little now.”

Even if it was the spot indicated by bloodhound Lee Yeonwoo, could it really be here? Im Sehan, who had been ordered to find President Park and had searched this place together with them, was bewildered by the current situation.

Seeking permission from Cheon Wooshin, Im Sehan pressed on the mattress. It sunk in deeply, the springs bouncing slightly. Unless President Park was a monster capable of turning into liquid or gas, there was no way he could be in there.

He re-examined the frame and pillars that had already been checked. How could President Park possibly be hiding here? With nothing but question marks floating in his mind, Im Sehan suddenly widened his eyes. There was a strange sense of incongruity from one of the frame’s pillars—something he hadn’t paid attention to before.

“Huh.”

A helpless sigh escaped his parted lips. Im Sehan quickly stood and bowed his head to Cheon Wooshin.

“I apologize. I failed to inspect it properly.”

They had used a mirror to create the illusion that the underside was empty. A trick used in magic was applied here.

“It’s fine. You’ve found it now.”

With those words, Cheon Wooshin twitched the muzzle. That was his signal—come out now.

Meanwhile, Lee Yeonwoo glanced sideways at the dejected Im Sehan, who was blaming himself. He clearly seemed to have discovered something, but Lee Yeonwoo didn’t know what Im Sehan was apologizing for, nor why Cheon Wooshin was behaving the way he was.

“I don’t know which end is the head, so you’d better just come out.”

Cheon Wooshin recited those indifferent words, implying he wouldn’t feel sorry even if he accidentally killed the person. His downcast eyes revealed a sense of weariness, as if even speaking was a waste of time.

“I’ll count to three. One.”

Bang!

The upper right corner of the mattress exploded. Without a silencer, the gunshot rang loud enough to rattle the eardrums. Lee Yeonwoo reflexively covered his ears, eyes wide. Not because of the sound—but because Cheon Wooshin had fired immediately after saying he would count. That impulsive action startled him.

Wasn’t he supposed to count to three? What kind of strange counting method is that?

“Two.”

Bang!

This time it was the opposite corner. Leaving just one final chance, Cheon Wooshin leapt onto the mattress. Kneeling on one knee, the center of the bed sank under his weight.

“Now I’ll fire five shots at the same spot.”

Just as he placed his finger on the trigger with that final, polite warning, a shout burst from below.

“Fuck! I’ll come out! I said I’ll come out!”

Im Sehan covered his forehead with a hand while Lee Yeonwoo covered his mouth in astonishment. He had pointed it out because of the scent, but he hadn’t been confident. So he really was there? Just where had he been hiding?

Cheon Wooshin turned to look—toward Lee Yeonwoo. As soon as those black eyes landed on him, Lee Yeonwoo had a strange feeling of being targeted and a sudden realization dawned. His wide eyes blinked once, and he hesitantly moved his lips.

“Sha…”

One of Cheon Wooshin’s eyebrows arched. He looked as though he were listening intently, prompting Lee Yeonwoo to blurt out the rest.

“Shabu-shabu.”

“……”

“With extra beef…!”

Then Cheon Wooshin’s eyes relaxed ever so slightly. That seemed to be the correct answer. Lee Yeonwoo bit down a ticklish smile and turned his head.

Descending from the bed, Cheon Wooshin kicked the frame as if to prompt it. With a series of clattering sounds, a part of the wall—one that didn’t even look remotely like a hidden entrance—fell to the floor. From within, a thick arm extended and braced itself on the ground. A disheveled President Park crawled out, limbs sluggish. It was the pitiful entrance of a defeated man.

Cheon Wooshin gave him no time to stand. The moment President Park stuck his head out, Cheon Wooshin grabbed him by the hair.

“Argh!”

Even while dragging a grown man, Cheon Wooshin showed no signs of struggle. As if hauling a heavy bag, he gripped President Park’s hair with both hands and strode toward the reception room. President Park, robbed of the chance to even stand properly, was dragged, tumbling and sliding all the way. It was a pitiful sight. Cheon Wooshin cast a sidelong glance.

“Sehan, go find something we can use to tie him up.”

“Yes.”

Im Sehan replied and quickly left the room. Cheon Wooshin’s gaze shifted to Lee Yeonwoo.

“Lee Yeonwoo-ssi…”

He seemed to be pondering something, falling into a short silence. At that moment, President Park attempted to fight back. But it was useless. Cheon Wooshin easily subdued him with a few punches to the face.

“Is there a particular spot you’d like me to punish more?”

Lee Yeonwoo understood the question but hesitated to answer. Cheon Wooshin smiled faintly. It carried a chilling implication—that he would grant any request.

Truly, it felt like having a dependable older brother. That thought made Lee Yeonwoo glance down at his chest. His heart was pounding with abnormal intensity. He gave a small cough and rubbed his chest, hoping it might calm his racing heart.

Ironically, it was President Park who responded to Cheon Wooshin’s words. His bulging, furious eyes locked onto Lee Yeonwoo. As though blaming him for everything, his gaze burned with resentment.

“You… you fucking…”

The muttered curse was a prelude to some cruel revenge he could not currently fulfill. But Lee Yeonwoo wasn’t afraid. Facing President Park’s venomous glare, he felt rather deflated.

The only person President Park had left to blame was someone he used to treat as less than a bug. For someone like him, the greatest revenge was to show no emotion at all.

Lee Yeonwoo’s firm and clear eyes passed over President Park and landed on Cheon Wooshin. As if President Park were invisible. As if he were just another object to glance past. It wasn’t even a deliberate act to irritate him. To Lee Yeonwoo, President Park had become something even less than meaningless.

“No. It’s okay.”

This was already enough of a reward. Lee Yeonwoo, who had protected himself even in Sodom, had no resentment left for President Park, who was now destined only for downfall.