Not particularly pleased but unwilling to offend, he feigned enthusiasm.

[Dash] “You’ve been quiet lately, haven’t you?”

“Park Do Jun is too meticulous to get through.”

[Dash] “I’ve got something good, but I haven’t told them yet.”

“What is it?”

[Dash] “Can’t tell on an empty stomach. I’ve been starving lately.”

The world was indeed corrupt.

So leeches like Choi In Ho and Detective Kim thrived.

“It’s reliable, right?”

[Dash] “Just prepare three envelopes. Let’s have a drink too.”

“Aren’t you being too blatant?”

[Dash] “I’m always passionate inside.”

“I’ll contact Madam Hong. Meet me.”

[Dash] “Oh, that place is expensive, isn’t it?”

“We’ll get proper service. Let’s help each other out.”

[Dash] “Okay.”

With the call ended, a contented hum escaped Choi In Ho. He then sternly instructed Seon Gyu, his driver.

“Gather all the materials we’ve collected on Hae Joo at the office and prepare an article.”
After finishing the call, Choi In Ho found himself humming a tune spontaneously.

Suddenly serious, he directed Seon Gyu, who was driving.

“Once at the office, sort out all the gathered materials on Hae Joo and prepare an article.”

“Are you planning to release everything at once?”

“No, not yet. First, we need to recruit another ally. There’s no hurry for us.”

In the office, Choi In Ho covertly received funding from the editor-in-chief.

He changed his clothes meticulously, getting ready for the evening’s celebration.

A middle-aged woman, looking worn and haggard, entered a dilapidated motel in the Philippines.

She clearly wasn’t a local.

“Please, one room,” she requested in broken English.

The motel owner gave her a key, and she climbed to the second floor, constantly looking back as if someone was following her.

As her door shut, the motel owner opened a desk drawer filled with photos of wanted criminals.

“Unidentified, Korean woman… That’s her.”

He knew reporting her would bring a handsome reward. Calling the police, blue-uniformed officers quickly arrived.

The owner pointed them to her room.

“That one there.”

The officers broke into the locked room.

As they aimed their guns, the woman crumpled to the floor in fear.

“Please, save me!”

“Police. What’s your name?”

“Ba, Park Kyung Ae…”

“Are you Korean?”

“Yes.”

Kyung Ae, who had fled from Dong Jin’s house, was visibly shaken.

She had been cheated and narrowly escaped death multiple times due to hired killers.

Trembling, Kyung Ae was led to the police car.

The officers communicated over their radios and then detained her in the station.

This news also reached Dong Jin.

He arrived at the station with Do Jun, who was leaving for the Philippines tonight.

“Where should we go?”

“Over there.”

Do Jun informed the Filipino investigator that Kyung Ae was entangled in legal matters in Korea too.

Then, he finally faced her, sitting despondently on the icy floor.

Kyung Ae, seen through the bars, was in a deplorable state. Her face was scarred and pale from malnourishment.

“Do you remember me?”

“…Hmm?”

Shakily, Kyung Ae lifted her head and looked at Do Jun with difficulty.

Recognizing him, she screamed and turned away.

“Aah, no!”

“You do remember me.”

“I’m not! I’m not!”

“Think of it as your karma. You will never leave this prison, even in death.”

“Just help me once. You’re the son of President Park, right?”

“If Hae Joo were here, she would have said this.”

“Huh?”

Do Jun moved closer to the bars.

Feeling his cold, retributive presence, Kyung Ae shut her eyes tightly.

“Disappear,” he said icily.