He's a Family Elder
【Han, Tae Seok-ho, executive vice president of Taeshin Trading, in car accident! Rear-ended at high speed by a fleeing car near Eumseong IC, Gyeonggi Province... Later transported to the hospital with moderate to serious injuries...】
【Tae Seok-ho, EVP of Taeshin Trading, critically injured in car crash? Hit-and-run by a speeding car at Eumseong IC... Police announced they are investigating the case...】
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In-hyuk checked the article's details on the tablet while riding in the car from Daegu back to Seoul.
"Tae Seok-ho has been hospitalized after a car accident."
At his quiet murmur, Hong Yu-geon, who was holding the steering wheel, was startled.
"What? A car accident? When I asked before if it had been handled, you answered vaguely. Were you planning to send him off in a car?"
"I just gave him a bullet to the gut. I felt so eyes on back then, so I guess those guys picked him up and staged the situation that way."
"Why didn't you ntion any of this?"
To the back seat, In-hyuk t his eyes in the rearview mirror and shrugged.
"I wasn't tailed. And it was a situation I fully anticipated."
He'd never really thought of actually killing Tae Seok-ho. Taking him out so easily just wasn't an option from the beginning.
In his previous life, Tae Seok-ho had lost the Taeshin Group after suffering revenge at In-hyuk's hands and ended up committing suicide.
Back then, In-hyuk had felt emptier than anyone. So this ti, he planned to drag him all the way down and make him suffer.
"So you're saying you deliberately made those guys move against Tae Seok-ho? But wouldn't they find that suspicious?"
"The fact that they went out of their way to take him and set up the situation ans Tae Seok-ho was worth that much to them."
He had used Tae Seok-ho as bait.
Of course, there was also a chance he could've died. That's why, if he hadn't sensed any watchful eyes, he'd planned to have soone else co in.
That's how thoroughly he had orchestrated this clash between Warborn and Redfall.
"Seriously, how many moves ahead did you see...?"
"Anyway, since he's hospitalized, let's go see him."
"Huh? Where? Wait, you an the hospital where Tae Seok-ho is? Do you even know which one?"
"I'll just ask soone who should know."
Taking out his phone, In-hyuk made a call. It didn't take long before the call went through, and a slightly surprised voice answered.
[Yes, division director.]
The other person was Baek Si-hwan, In-hyuk's secretary currently stationed at Taeshin Trading.
"I need you to check sothing. Are you available now?"
[Please go ahead.]
Through the receiver, there was the sound of soone preparing to jot sothing down.
"I sent over the research docunts needed for the RSK acquisition; crosscheck them with the existing finance data."
[I'll do that.]
After giving a few additional instructions, In-hyuk asked in an even tone,
"Oh, by the way, did you see the article about EVP Tae Seok-ho's hospitalization?"
[I just checked it as well.]
"I should probably pay him a visit, but the hospital isn't ntioned. I can't really find out through the chairman's side, either. Could you look into it?"
[The hospital... you an?]
Baek Si-hwan's words trailed off suddenly, as if he montarily stalled.
"Yes. Until just recently you were with TSS, so I thought you might be able to find out through that network."
At In-hyuk's request, Baek Si-hwan seed to hesitate for a mont before speaking.
[The location of a TSS security protectee is classified, first of all.]
"Is that a problem?"
Perhaps hearing his resolute tone, Baek Si-hwan quickly replied.
[No, I'll look into it as fast as I can and contact you. Also, when will you be back in Seoul?]
"I'm on my way now. Should be there in about an hour."
[Understood.]
As the call ended, Hong Yu-geon spoke up from his silence.
"Is Baek Si-hwan really going to tell you?"
"He's dying to be in my good graces, so he'll try sothing."
"And if he can't figure it out?"
He was asking whether Baek Si-hwan might not be connected with the people who saved Tae Seok-ho.
"Either the ones who saved Tae Seok-ho and Baek Si-hwan are closely tied, or their internal lines are so divided he can't get that information."
This was because he'd checked Lee Jae-jun's finger tattoo on site.
The owner of those watchful eyes was likely waiting or watching over Tae Seok-ho.
But until In-hyuk handled Lee Jae-jun, there had been no movent from their side.
That signaled they were bystanders, and saving Tae Seok-ho ant he still had value for them.
"This is complicated... Did you get what's going on?"
Feeling a headache coming on, Hong Yu-geon frowned and shot a glance at Van Hester.
But Van Hester, apparently without a care, was still munching on the potato chips bought at the rest stop earlier.
Crunch, crunch—
"... Why?"
"Never mind. Anyway, the boss thinks Baek Si-hwan will get the hospital info, right?"
"For now."
Bzzz—
Not long after, a ssage arrived.
* * *
VIP room, △△ Hospital on the outskirts of Gangnam District, Seoul.
On the bed there lay Tae Seok-ho. Soon after, his wife Choi Tae-eun, who'd received the news late, rushed in.
"A sudden accident! What happened? Are you alright?"
"... Sothing ca up. Anyway, I said you didn't need to co."
"How could I not co? Are you really okay? You even had surgery, didn't you?"
"It wasn't anything serious."
Maintaining a stern expression, Tae Seok-ho shifted his gaze to his tablet.
Choi Tae-eun, glancing at the entrance, quietly asked,
"By the way... where did Deputy Chief Lee and the others go? There are people here I've never seen before."
There wasn't a single familiar face present.
While exchanging nods with a young woman on the sofa, Choi Tae-eun hid her anxiety.
Prompted, Tae Seok-ho sighed after so hesitation.
"They had to leave for certain reasons. Those are newly recruited."
"What? Deputy General Manager Lee Jae-jun? He was soone you treasured."
"He insisted on quitting. What was I supposed to do? Let's not talk about that—why don't you go handle your own work?"
But the unease didn't fade.
This was because Reina Blackwood had assured him there'd be no issue handling Lee Jae-jun and the security guards.
"Still, how can I leave you like this?"
"It's not like there's no one to watch over ."
"Seung-hyun will be here soon."
She ant their son, Tae Seung-hyun, director of planning at Taeshin Construction.
Tae Seok-ho's head throbbed slightly. Just then, a knock ca at the door.
Thinking it was his son, Tae Seok-ho turned his head—his face instantly hardened.
"How did you get here...?"
Standing at the door was In-hyuk.
"I heard you were admitted after a car accident. Still, you're a family elder, so it seed right to co pay my respects."
With a bow, In-hyuk also nodded slightly to Choi Tae-eun, then glanced at the young woman by the sofa before letting his gaze settle on Baek Si-hwan.
Baek Si-hwan had been the one to notify him when he found out which hospital Tae Seok-ho was in.
'So they did know each other? Or at least had so kind of recognition between them.'
For a split second, a chill crossed his face.
anwhile, Tae Seok-ho, radiating unease, addressed In-hyuk.
"Didn't expect you to visit, right after my wife."
"As you know, the TF division is prepping for a major personnel reshuffle. It's going to get busier; if not now, I might not get another chance to visit."
That reshuffle involved many executives and staff linked to Tae Seok-ho.
Warborn had even been hired as rcenaries to stop it, but since everything had gone off the rails, he was burning with frustration inside.
Of course, he couldn't let that show now.
"I never thought you cared so much about the company. Really, thank you..."
"Of course I do. Although, I don't see Deputy General Manager Lee Jae-jun? The article said you were injured alone... where were you heading for you to be driving yourself?"
"It was a personal affair. And frustratingly, Deputy Chief Lee quit, so let's just leave it at that."
"Ah, is that so?"
Playing innocent, In-hyuk could feel the young woman's gaze from in front of the sofa.
'Pretty blatant. Is she gauging my reaction?'
He continued,
"I wish you a speedy recovery."
"Thank you. But how did you know what hospital I was admitted to?"
He'd only inford his wife Choi Tae-eun of the location, so he was pretty surprised at In-hyuk's unexpected appearance.
"I heard through the grapevine. Honestly, you're not just anyone—news of the EVP being hospitalized by accident isn't exactly going to stay quiet."
"I prefer to keep things quiet and was planning to get discharged quietly. Looks like I've created a bit of fuss after all."
"Not at all. You're a family elder who's been hurt—of course I should co."
"You must be busy; why don't you go on. I need to rest."
"Take care, EVP."
After saying his farewells, In-hyuk left with Baek Si-hwan, glancing at the na etched on the VIP ward's glass door.
【Shinhyeon General Hospital】
In fact, before Baek Si-hwan told him the hospital, he'd debated whether to visit Tae Seok-ho.
But when he realized it was the sa place he'd found while tailing Baek Si-hwan, he decided to check it out in person.
"You didn't look too happy just now. Is sothing wrong?"
"Sorry? Oh, no, it's just that I wasn't expecting to co along on a hospital visit, so it must've startled a bit."
"I called you out because I have work to assign you at Taeshin Asset Managent."
"... Understood."
With that, In-hyuk headed toward the underground parking lot where Hong Yu-geon and Van Hester were waiting.
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anwhile, still in the VIP ward, Tae Seok-ho's face was set in stone from the shock of In-hyuk's visit.
"You should go, too. Tell Seung-hyun not to co."
"Why?"
"Just do as I say!"
Normally, Tae Seok-ho barely raised his voice. Suddenly shouting now, he startled Choi Tae-eun.
"... Did sothing happen?"
"Nothing did, so please just do what I say!"
"But you can't even move comfortably right now."
"I'm fine; there are others here."
"..."
Flustered by his rising voice, Choi Tae-eun was stunned once more.
A long sigh escaped Tae Seok-ho's lips.
"Hoo... I'm really fine, so go ho. And don't go telling everyone about my condition."
After casting a strange look at him, Choi Tae-eun collected her coat and stepped out.
In the anti, Reina Blackwood, now his secretary, smiled from where she was seated on the sofa.
"Everyone ca because they're worried. Aren't you being a bit too harsh?"
"Do you think you can talk to like that now?"
"It was Skull who killed the others. We were only trying to help."
Skull was what they called the unidentified enemy who attacked Tae Seok-ho.
"Can you really make sure Lee Jae-jun and the other security guards get treated as missing without a hitch?"
"You don't need to worry about that. Sure, the missing people might seem suspicious, but their bodies will never be found."
Tae Seok-ho's eyes turned all the more significant.
"... You an you got rid of them completely?"
"Take it in a positive sense. Anyway, we also need clues to find Skull. Did you see or hear anything before you lost consciousness?"
A few days ago, Tae Seok-ho hadn't been fully conscious when he first woke, so she hadn't asked.
"Hmm... Now that I think of it, Skull asked Lee Jae-jun if he was 'Kooou'."
"Kooou?"
"Why? Sound familiar? To what I heard, it sounded Japanese."
That was a word that had just popped into Tae Seok-ho's head.
"I see. But it's my first ti hearing it, too. I'll look into it, but at least we have sothing."
Without delay, Reina opened her tablet and sent off a ssage.
【Code USAGI: Skull knows about Kooou. Suspected code cracking of the missing device. Identity cannot be confird.】
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