Somehow, he didn't feel good about it.
"Let's go to the Pyeongtaek factory."
As if to prove something, Cheon Jung-myeong, sitting in the back seat with his legs crossed, had a noticeably different look in his eyes compared to before.
"In any case, in Korea, we have to adjust gasoline to around 20,000 won per liter, diesel and gas prices as well. That way, even those who can't afford it can take buses or trains according to their means. They should be thankful for that."
Cheon Jung-myeong's nonsensical talk didn't bother me much, as it wasn't the first time.
However, I couldn't shake off the eerie glint in his eyes that I glimpsed in the rearview mirror.
"All these people driving their cars are taking away valuable time from those who need to do important things on the road. This precious time."
Cheon Jung-myeong, who had been staring outside the window, rolled his eyes again in the direction of the rearview mirror.
It seemed as if he felt that Sung Chang-wook couldn't see him.
Perhaps it was due to his arrogant attitude of not treating employees as human beings, or maybe he attributed it to his nasty temperament, thinking that even if Sung Chang-wook noticed that look, what could he do about it?
"God damn it, traffic jam!"
Despite spending three years studying abroad in the United States, his English, which was far from fluent, was always on the tip of his tongue.
Maybe that's why Cheon Jung-myeong always displayed nervous reactions regarding Sung Chang-wook's academic background.
"Look at America. The wealthy people live lavishly in Las Vegas, while the poor ones live in slums. That's the essence of capitalism. It's supposed to be like that, but somehow the world has turned upside down."
"It's gone. That's the situation in our country right now."
As Cheon Jung-myeong spoke, he threw an incomprehensible and eerie look at Sung Chang-wook's back of the head while he took hold of the steering wheel once again.
Money was the problem.
Sung Chang-wook attended a university that he could afford with three fingers.
But money was still an issue.
He managed to cover the tuition with a combination of scholarships and part-time jobs.
However, he had to work even harder with part-time jobs to cover living expenses and medical bills, and in the end, he could only graduate after serving in the military for six years.
He was in a special operations unit of the navy, known to those who are in the know.
He extended his mandatory service for two more years, serving for a total of four years. Thanks to this, he was able to pay for his mother's medical bills and graduate from college without any debt.
Because of his mediocre academic performance, lack of a substantial resume, and complicated family background, it was difficult for him to aim for large corporations.
"With your keen eye and distribution skills, you'd better start differently. Learn from it. Build your network. It's a hundred times better than just aimlessly going for a mid-sized company."
A professor who called Sung Chang-wook before graduation recommended him for the position of a secretary to Cheon Jung-myeong, the third generation of a top-ranked conglomerate, Ji-gyeong Group.
"As a special staff officer for six years? Are you sure the military was right for you? Your tastes are strange."
Following the professor's advice, Sung Chang-wook had an interview, and the next day, he began his role as a personal secretary.
"It's a position I introduced, so endure it for at least a year, no matter how hard it may be. That way, I can send you off to other juniors. Can you promise me that?"
With a grateful heart, he endured the year, but during that time, Sung Chang-wook felt more like a dog than a personal secretary.
Done.
"Why are you so stiff? Huh? At least when you serve a paying master, you should follow the basics of being respectful and attentive! Got it? You inadequate brat!"
Thanks to Cheon Jung-myeong, who was infamous for his dirty deeds even on the ground, he had witnessed all sorts of despicable appearances.
One year had passed. That hellish year.
It was after he had been to the frozen storage facility in Incheon.
"I'll quit."
"Oh really? After I allowed it, you want to leave too?"
When Sung Chang-wook said he would quit, Cheon Jung-myeong's reaction was displayed without even taking a breath.
"Fine. Just stay for one more week. Until I find someone else. Why can't you even do that?"
"Understood."
He endured one year by looking at the face of the professor who recommended him, so there was nothing difficult about enduring just one more week.
"But why do you want to quit? Who's offering more? Huh? A stiff guy like you?"
What was the point of mentioning that the past year was harder than his military service?
If it weren't for the tormenting time there, he would have already knocked out this dog-like secretary, or at least he would have thrown a punch long ago.
After such an incident, Cheon Jung-myeong called Sung Chang-wook for two days.
And then, without any prior notice, he demanded that they go to Pyeongtaek's cosmetics factory, and now they were in front of the factory.
As they turned the curve and entered the factory premises, a security guard came running.
"This guy takes money without doing anything each time. If life is tough, you should work harder and put in more effort. You are also like him. If you don't learn to lower your head like you are now, you'll end up like that when you're old."
Cheon Jung-myeong spat out rough words as he looked at the factory's security guard.
Click.
Without even giving a glance to the security guard who opened the door for him, Cheon Jung-myeong walked towards the production facility.
Today was truly a strange day.
It was clearly Monday.
However, the factory seemed idle.
Sung Chang-wook quickly scanned the surroundings.
Forklifts that should be busy were parked in corners, and there were no signs of tired employees moving back and forth.
"Hey, you! Can't you even open the door when you quit?"
Squeak.
To make it even more unbelievable, Cheon Jung-myeong, the youngest successor of Ji-gyeong Group, was opening the factory door with his own hands.
"Hurry up, aren't you coming?"
Sung Chang-wook followed Cheon Jung-myeong and entered the factory.
Even in a factory half the size of a soccer field, there were no employees in sight.
"Go and turn on the lights."
Cheon Jung-myeong said nonchalantly as if he knew about this situation.
He decided to turn on the lights in the factory first and then make a judgment.
As he walked towards five large electric switches that could be raised up and down, there was nothing immediately suspicious.
But then again...
There are times when you just have a strange feeling.
Feeling something amiss, Sung Chang-wook slowly turned his head towards the entrance of the factory.
The sunlight that slipped through the slightly opened factory door barely reached Cheon Jung-myeong right in front of Sung Chang-wook.
"What are you doing? Can't you turn on the lights?"
A sinister glint flashed in Cheon Jung-myeong's eyes, visible as the sunlight shone on his darkened face.
I had seen that kind of gaze before.
It was the gaze of those who had sworn to kill someone.
"Turn on the lights."
Even with Cheon Jung-myeong's repeated commands, Sung Chang-wook did not move.
What was he trusting to act like that?
They were alone.
But it wasn't just the numbers.
Even if a dozen of Cheon Jung-myeong's gang members showed up, Sung Chang-wook wouldn't be able to handle them.
After enduring the past year quietly, did Sung Chang-wook suddenly appear foolish or naive?
"Are you playing around even when I tell you to turn on the lights?"
Sung Chang-wook quickly scanned the surroundings and took a quiet breath.
He had heard rumors that no one who quit had a good ending.
He heard that they would be dealt with somehow, and there were whispers of gangsters being involved.
And then it happened.
As the sunlight filtered through the narrow opening of the door, hefty figures were entering the factory.
"Hey, you! Are you so scared of turning on the lights?"
Everyone has a breaking point, and the circumstances vary for each person. In Sung Chang-wook's case...
It was like that when he was cornered.
Perhaps his time in the special forces unit had strengthened that aspect of his personality.
Here we go.
If you're going to play dirty, be prepared to receive the same.
Sung Chang-wook smirked and reached out his hand towards the switch.
Then, he grabbed the switch to turn on the lights.
Zzziiiiing!
However, at that moment, a shocking and agonizing sensation engulfed Sung Chang-wook in an instant.
"Ugh..."
His hand seemed glued to the switch, refusing to let go.
Zzziiiiing! Zzziiiiiiiiing!
A burning smell, like singeing eyebrows and fine hairs, filled his nostrils as sparks sputtered and disappeared before his eyes.
"The bastard... Where did he come up with this trick? Huh?"
"Ughhh!"
Sung Chang-wook twisted his body with all his strength.
"That punk, there! Hey, what are you doing? Get rid of it quickly! He's from the special forces unit!"
"It's because of the electric shock, my body is twisting like a squid on the grill."
"Ughhh...!"
"Phew, scary! Phew, that son of a bitch is really playing it scary."
Everything was heard.
Even amid the searing pain that engulfed his entire body, Sung Chang-wook overheard the conversation between Cheon Jung-myeong and his gang members.
The pain stabbed sharply in his ears.
"Ughhh..."
He never asked for fairness.
He just tried his best to live according to his efforts.
It's not a crime to die like this just because he couldn't make a living with the wages of a small company due to his father's absence and his mother being in the hospital.
"Ughhh..."
The painful moments from the special forces unit passed through Sung Chang-wook's mind like slow-motion images.
He tried so hard to live like that!
Even though he was born into a poor family, he just wanted to live comfortably according to his efforts!
"Ughhh..."
To see his poor mother, whom you treated like a bug, smile, he endured that dreadful military service for six years, and lived like a dog for the past year!
"Ughhhhhhh!"
Thinking of his mother, Sung Chang-wook twisted his body with all his might.
Then, he pulled his hand away as if it were a lie.
Tap! Tap! Tap-tap-tap!
As Sung Chang-wook pulled his hand away, sparks sputtered around him.
"Heuk. Heuk. Heuk. Heuk."
Struggling to straighten his trembling body, Sung Chang-wook endured fiercely.
"Y-you, you, you bastard! Look at me! You're acting like this! I knew you would do this!"
Even in his bent-over position, Sung Chang-wook raised his head towards Cheon Jung-myeong, who was yelling at him.
"Smash his head quickly!"
In response to Cheon Jung-myeong's shout, one of the burly men approached with a long iron pipe.
"Hey, stench! What's the use of resisting when you're just going to get blackened and burnt?"
The cursing man swung the iron pipe like an ax.
Swish!
Sung Chang-wook raised his left arm, which had already turned dark red from trying to grab the flying iron pipe with his armpit.
However, his severely burned left arm didn't respond properly anymore.
Boom! Crash! Sizzle! Sizzle!
"Ughhhhh!"
Instead, it was evident that the iron pipe that passed by Sung Chang-wook's arm had hit the switch.
The burly man who swung the iron pipe seemed to be going crazy, shaking his body.
Oh well, whether it's hell or the afterlife, let's go together!
Beside the burly man, Sung Chang-wook forcibly straightened his tilting body.
"Kill him! I said kill him! Kill him!"
Rumble.
All the men around Cheon Jung-myeong rushed in.
Swish! Boom!
Sung Chang-wook's head was struck.
Swish! Boom! Swish! Boom!
This time, his shoulders and abdomen were hit.
Isn't it just like dying?
A Navy Special Forces' special agent?
Swish! Boom!
Once again, the iron pipe struck Sung Chang-wook's abdomen.
He had been waiting for this moment!
Swish! Ouch!
Sung Chang-wook bent down, hugging the iron pipe tightly against his waist, and then reached out his left hand toward the burly man still writhing from the electric shock.
Zzziiiiii-.
"Aaaahhh-!"
A scream erupted from the burly man's mouth as the iron pipe was electrified.
Zzt! Zzzzt!
Enduring the excruciating pain coursing through his body once more, Sung Chang-wook grabbed the throat of another guy standing nearby.
"Aaaah-!"
The guy whose throat was grabbed screamed first, and
"Argh!"
The other guy trying to pull him away was also electrocuted, convulsing in pain.
Whoosh!
Sung Chang-wook used the opening to throw himself backward.
Thud!
Then, with that thrown momentum, he reached out and grabbed Cheon Jung-myeong's ankle.
"Euaah! Let go! Let go! Release me!"
Swish! Thump! Swish! Thump! Swish! Thump!
The iron pipe fell haphazardly, and he couldn't even tell where it struck.
Whether from the intense burning of his body or the head injury, he couldn't feel the pain, and blood didn't immediately pour out.
This damn bastard, at the very least, we should go to hell together.
"At least there shouldn't be discrimination based on whether one has money or not, right? Let's settle this there. Okay?
I'll tear you apart and kill you!"
"Waaaaah! Waaaaah!"
Cheon Jung-myeong let out a scream filled with resentment, but his voice sounded strange.
His throat seemed to be burning from the inside.
"Aaaah! Help me! Quickly!"
Sung Chang-wook pulled Cheon Jung-myeong's ankle like a demon.
Thud! Thud!
Despite having a knife stuck in his thigh and lower back, Sung Chang-wook kept pulling.
Together, they'll die, this damn bastard!
"Waaaaah! Waaaaah!"
Thud! Thud!
The moment when the knife was stabbed into Sung Chang-wook's side again,
Crack.
Sung Chang-wook, electrocuted and trembling, tightly gripped the body of one of the gangsters with his foot.
Zzt! Zzziiiiiiing!
"Aaaahhhhh-!"
It was when Cheon Jung-myeong's scream pierced his ears.
In front of Sung Chang-wook, everything turned black.
Thump.
Finally, his head fell onto the cold factory floor.
His body trembled, and in this hazy world, he saw the faint image of his mother at the hospital.
Even if it was a hallucination, he was comforted to see his mother in his final moments.
Why did it have to turn out like this?
What did I do so wrong?
I just lived my life as best as I could, didn't I?
No tears streamed down, as if everything had been consumed by fire.
That was the end of it.
Sung Chang-wook's head hit the floor.