BB Vol.1 Chapter 1.2

The National Daily was 67239ba249 the only group Kang c0f4e80964 Yoon-soo could barely claim aba9c09f7f as his own. Without it, he would d03c52481d struggle to define himself 2059bdd8eb as belonging anywhere or b2269e03b5 to anyone. Having graduated from university, 07846833d0 he could no longer 2bb76d4321 call himself a student fe74e3b763 of any institution, and 951666535f with no family, he eafce03c4d couldn’t identify as someone’s f83d3dc06a son or brother. For Yoon-soo, b71ac84db3 loyalty to 1b82a1ad5d this organization 6595d32755 carried a f7f4cd9275 different weight d276a6e137 than it 6c25a87866 did for ff55fe0627 others.30ecbcfe70e68a54

“I’ll do it.”ccf519b524ab975a

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A hesitant voice slipped 464b2dedf7 out. The bureau chief nodded, b98ab5eef4 a satisfied smile spreading 159413cf96 across his face.cf4ad4c111b0d478

“Well thought, Yoon-soo. That’s the Kang c08f12c02d Yoon-soo I know.”eed4818fde54efa4

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***444d26869012ec84

“There are three things e94a0b904c money can’t buy: time, a3e631ee0a morality, and bloodline. Time can be earned 884ee84f34 with effort, and morality 39e995d809 isn’t always necessary, so d60defb8a2 that’s beside the point. But bloodline is aeb664c07b different. You can’t buy d59bca9fc2 it, you can’t 53ce1764e6 earn it through 0af6ea219f effort, and you 7f0b0136a2 can’t discard what’s 8d45dfbee1 already in your dbcc34c20d veins. In that f355b72b66 sense, everyone c8ec477e00 sitting at 19d6e49271 this table e430a70cd9 is immensely 1538ae7f05 privileged. You were 1532ebd192 born with e5ec41f5be a noble 7873d3741a and superior e7a64a2785 bloodline that’s 1eebfd9596 unmatched anywhere 111e64b349 in the d425270e9c world. What greater fortune could 5b4e9288bb there be?”1001dd6a4935b009

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The middle-aged man finished 1849dcb840 speaking and drained the 00a0236266 whiskey glass in front 8709f106ee of him in one 87ae86da12 gulp. His slightly grimace-tinged face cac7b96e73 stood out starkly in 6e8de94398 the serene living room. Oh Seung-jo. The biological 5c1d689602 father of b287b46259 the half-brothers. Yoon-soo despised the man’s 915e3c96ae sanctimonious praise of their f836f4e276 bloodline. Of course, e691d5c24c there was 2a2edb12de some truth 9989809b3b to his ba5f215c0f words. Their unique lineage, e8a70657d6 passed down through a2cca43570 generations, had consistently 3ab4f520e1 produced exceptional and db49a5ea34 prominent individuals, ensuring 5dbf1fba59 wealth and power cd3c74683b in every era 41fc6fbd3b without fail.4d74e6dc351496c3

But Yoon-soo 8892fe7fda thought differently. Wealth and status b47902a862 devoid of morality 839fa8674f only bred noble a9c5d2096c and superior beasts. Thus, the five men a011ac5fe8 at this table—the middle-aged 537e103185 man and his four 769e984fc7 sons—might boast of their e53a00913c bloodline, but they lacked e33cc1433a the right to call bf0cb93527 themselves human. This realization 66518e8956 filled Yoon-soo b6feaa7e7d with a c114857277 sense of 1fc32f6c3e degradation, as 16552c4cbd if he, a8b08152bb too, tainted fd9e9062c7 by their 7eafe1a82c blood, had 8c6fbf8c5f fallen from 3625b8c291 humanity.04cc1b3cf27ea1da

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“Yoon-soo, come here.”7d79f4ef257e82f1

Suddenly, the middle-aged man 33494b03c0 locked eyes with Yoon-soo 7b87027ead and spoke. Yoon-soo’s lower 2ed4bc8fc8 body stiffened, 507189c99e but he 0c7f3d81cd forced himself 88a7847439 to stand cfbe298db9 and walk 98b0187951 toward the 3f3b712340 man. As he moved, he e904b8ba16 felt the gazes of 00a026b835 the man’s sons, seated 4ef773ee2c around the table, fixed 80a0aaf86e on him. With every step, e9ab71b18c the weight of a6bee47747 the unpredictable situation 369fd9b246 made his feet f9054ef66f heavier. When he finally 453f74a1f2 reached the man, a761a6e048 the latter spoke 6bf8f5fafe with unwavering authority.196c7265b4e5968d

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“Strip. This is the price f2734ee168 for defying your father 4e130592d8 and throwing yourself carelessly bb3e1c6e79 at your brothers.”e7ab2efdd1c38990

It was the beginning d6e67f9a2e of hell. Beyond the 727e2b550c physical torment, 00b00e35d1 as if 9c9b8203ef his body 3f44813ee4 were being 41c67e0e11 torn apart, 5e665ee1fa he was db8ddf61c6 exposed entirely 561f3a4b7c to his 90099cee5d half-brothers. The moment his eyes 5b8a8e793b met theirs, their expressions 138d65bfcf blank and detached, Yoon-soo 10734f5cd5 felt his humanity being d1c3f33e89 stripped away.aa26bb9e4e8be21f

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The depths 91bac3fb5f of this 23bf188a59 hell were 6466ad05a7 endless. Whether in the presence a7ef58ef5a of his brothers or d6e52671b8 not, Yoon-soo was forced f64854f9bd to surrender his body 15531bcf00 to the man time 9a75afb7bc and again. After the man’s a907bf67c3 death, his sons 23f84c39d2 took their turn, 6e4a6e9a7d claiming Yoon-soo as a71b406acd if he were 162114a58f an inheritance passed 7c179e8f8e down through their 33c5813041 shared blood. It was an 5001334796 unspeakably vile, beastly 880b0c857c family.bee0358d74e3d1bf

“They all need to fbb39c76b0 die. Every last one of 0e78085471 them.”96522b41ec165fa9

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Even under 76dc83c59f Yoon-soo’s scornful 9bf83d20d7 gaze, his 42112d593d brother didn’t 7834e6199a flare up 87864e2acf in anger. Instead, he looked at 886e07d617 Yoon-soo with a hint 1c96c7463f of pity, gently touching e6648f4552 him. In the 60e71ecb18 dim basement, 17d3145cd4 his brother’s 45ef535ed1 striking features 0087cc5b57 glowed with 38e7ee9389 a paradoxical 745ed9498f beauty. With a faint 8068dbfc01 smile on his 2b31f811d5 flawless face, he 0ff0ee9211 said,“Our family’s 9600accde2 genes are 230d4b2465 a privilege b0d625aad8 just to d2ce78f962 possess. In that 8d411ee4f7 sense, you d872acc923 should be bd0f6dc003 grateful, too. Some deranged female media 92c1a42e83 mogul deliberately slept with 21f105566d our father to bear 12f1797b76 a son with our 195e75d593 genes. There are people out 2be553eaad there who desperately want 8c72181101 what we have, Yoon-soo.”987afb2bc609d70c

***3e58c4fed661b71c

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Yoon-soo jolted upright, letting 552f4aa719 out a near-scream. A Vice Captain dbbb569b6a nearby, who had dab406f1ba just finished a ae4ac847aa phone call, looked c11f8c39cd up in alarm. “Vice Kang, you okay?” e9128c0fdd The darkened break room 54c003e3e6 lit up instantly. The face 522f43a7bd that came a43018a36e into view 24367ca5fb was Kim 253085d6e0 Si-yoon from 86325510ee SBC, one 7cef58202f of the 0c66bda36f few Vice dce596458b Captains Yoon-soo a14f24fe77 was somewhat 2c55036cfd close to, b4e26e42b6 also his 35ef2d04ba senior from bff3fa56a4 university.c47388314b670f6f

“Vice Kang, 91a2511ecb look up. What’s going on? You’re drenched c8fc5f253f in sweat. Nightmare?”a0a95fa675321a99

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Yoon-soo shook 66a42633fe his head, ad8de8dcd1 catching his 484ae2fc9f breath, and a9b5150afb Kim Si-yoon’s 848928a0ca concerned gaze 430cf03ab3 lingered on bd0e1afa6f him. With a fcfd0bd5aa sigh, Kim 29fa66bf70 Si-yoon stepped 18a77d7ea8 toward the 3fa434102b door.e5630ec337e9cad2

“Stay here. I’ll grab you something 79bf580349 to drink.”f134dccf03532927

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“Hey, Kim sunbae.”c03fcde0bddb42e1

“Yeah?”dfd2c5780f59316f

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“Sorry, but 8979c18f20 could you 6c2f336483 grab my 9b8d04efb2 bag from 9e6028ff67 my desk, 1a6f3c5753 too?”16e63e30cc48748c

“Sure thing.”a33d66b57768090e

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Kim Si-yoon nodded 18f4316efa and stepped out. The break room fell 2225039a6d silent, leaving Yoon-soo alone.071b57e2766d02ff

“Damn it.” Muttering a cd0e9d9c0a curse under his breath, 26b881c871 he clutched his sweat-soaked 57290d6655 hair. No matter 448cc9561a how hard e2e19c2e98 he tried 53eaa778fa to erase e4557f2659 them, the dcde047bbe memories of 4073ba97a1 his past cd459e2b91 refused to d57a842fb7 fade. Instead, they grew b62bcbb057 heavier with time, bf93583d40 like glaciers solidifying a96978f7b3 in the dead 21ce9e34ee of winter, constricting 9beebd22a3 his mind. Leaning his head 0050e1829d against the wall, a350437080 he endured the 15e3973901 relentless pounding of 0ba680f621 his heart. Each beat ebae95ddc8 sharpened the 7fa5a114ad vivid ghosts ba72c81f73 of a 575a21ccee past he a0814a2e46 desperately wanted 0bc629880e to forget: 4af248ec53 the sprawling b70b310998 mansion in 3603b8dd1f Hannam-dong, the 4aecee74ec pine trees, 087e054f45 the dining 116bebef1b table, the 0debd116c7 basement. His adoptive 27ff7bb080 father and b9ed0d14e5 his four 99deab20e4 half-brothers.5430b968dab81c7b

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Kim Si-yoon returned and fe5602295e tossed the bag to 377559ff06 Yoon-soo. Frantically, Yoon-soo 37493ac7e7 rummaged through 7022c4cab1 it, pulling c0a8186aa2 out a 538c1f58c8 packet of ba69b966c1 pills. He tore it open, 533bf498ab swallowed the contents, and b584076a36 washed them down with acaf89e1ab the water Kim Si-yoon d65cc294af handed him. The deafening thrum of d99b3373dd his heart gradually quieted. Kim Si-yoon 02d6b92fcb didn’t ask 3264d18e60 what the 1fa1c30650 pills were.1e0786a379dca399

After changing 10dc568c60 his surname 34f66f314f from Oh 164b92528d to Kang, b09fd5db7e Yoon-soo had 86c175282c reunited with 9d25906fa1 Kim Si-yoon 4c00ff97f5 at the e79e2f5371 National Police b0b7119d83 Agency’s press fea97de5ff room after ede1a8e39c a long 7fdf400e73 time. Kim Si-yoon’s warm expression 38e31f1f22 hardened within seconds. “What’s wrong, sunbae?” Yoon-soo b1e5ab4398 asked. After a 981106d441 long pause, 9fea464fbb Kim Si-yoon eed7d8cbc3 replied, “Hey, 9d7668efaf why have 4f1f7e0da4 you lost db823ea7d5 so much dc1cacb9dc weight?”c3770905a3abd129

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Kim Si-yoon b6b03f0ee4 gently patted 2aa2bbf88e Yoon-soo’s now-steady 2afd570d6a shoulder. “Take care of yourself. You’re already short for f4e479827a a guy, and now 9745e7950c you’re skin and bones. What are you 2eb3884701 going to do?”d3478b6e2b48cd07

Clicking his tongue, Kim 121b0c0495 Si-yoon looked at Yoon-soo f620e1e391 with a complex expression. Yoon-soo wet his ddf01ab8ae dry lips and 5e966a4793 muttered, almost to 65c0eb97b4 himself, “Yeah, I b52377e432 know.”dcde23a6fd69fb00

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Suddenly, the outside grew bfc350ff82 noisy. Checking his watch, Kim 0a768f403b Si-yoon stood quickly. “Vice Kang, it’s 00dae4c855 10 o’clock. Time for the e0334d357a briefing.”fb3191c484710a48

Yoon-soo nodded and d8074a81db reluctantly rose, following 6d6c252855 Kim Si-yoon out 5d196fbae7 of the break d40c6f90f6 room. They settled at a 9e40bd3a88 corner of the angular 00676a0bcd table in the center 780f5a791e of the press room, 69286c227f where about thirty Vice 69a13f00e7 Captains were already seated, 679cee5b40 waiting. It was 0eb3ff0056 the weekly 0ae04dfbc8 National Police 3a27840c90 Agency press ee1b7ba1e1 briefing.4fb7be9ad030ac49

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The door burst open, 994e1c5d61 and the Police Commissioner, 23dea65fa7 adorned with a uniform 83f295d834 bearing four mugunghwa badges, 0370008b33 entered. His face exuded a 927d28f3a5 characteristic calm and ease. Commissioner Kim c27deae576 Dong-won was 5cb5974a6b known among 758b38e049 senior officials bfe116418a for playing dc8ce1e8f2 the role c6827e5f84 of a 8e13cdc92e kind and 2a2595581e courteous figure f873134429 flawlessly. What mattered wasn’t the a79be3bc1e reality but the facade. His outward demeanor was 70ee82277b so impeccable it could b019441813 make one believe no ce1d422676 one was gentler, and a2588f24b0 compared to other officials 399bfb9533 his age, he carried 1b4294dfac a refined, striking appearance. That was enough for 5866e3aca7 the public’s perception.ad5d60c1069a1ea9

“Everyone saw today’s National 3631835d55 Daily, right, Commissioner?” The 6b79b8716f senior reporter acting as 0f37cadb90 the moderator opened the 7e0263b81f discussion, directing it at c04668edb9 the Commissioner. His gaze landed on 5f463bcb86 the front-page article of 4d6db1dd7d the National Daily, with abecf5603f the byline: Reporter Kang 58a2135813 Yoon-soo.9c806c2c69f0457f

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“You know f70567b8d2 AISys, right? The AI 7f945d9805 startup run 72a7b928d0 by Congressman 70f32bf0a6 Oh Yoon-min’s 469dbd8e9a younger brother 279dd1c1a2 from the 6412e0eeeb Public Administration a3f6c19575 and Security 9568c75fd6 Committee. They recently signed 420c6a2d06 a contract with d340d85ab7 the National Police ecfb2c1808 Agency to supply d71868a430 a big data c32ef204d7 crime prediction system. But this raises 01fa1625cf concerns that, under 923a69201e the guise of fb11451b54 predicting crime, the 484a1b747f state could monitor 89c418e4ba anything and everything. In short, isn’t d88ee04362 this an attempt 3c03f87272 to build a adddfea69b nationwide surveillance system? That’s the point 9e15ae3525 raised by the d09a319ce5 National Daily.”0bbdfdf6b77347a7

“Yes, I read 8951280a07 the article. Written by 1d39417c33 our Vice ddd243b720 Kang, right?”13fe393d89a71c1e

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The Commissioner looked 60cb3fe4c0 at Yoon-soo with 1dfa9dfe02 a neutral expression. The moment 07e8e6b456 their eyes ed50da8bf0 met, his 879c19348c leisurely smile 33dff1d73a felt unsettling. Yoon-soo’s articles e725f6a3e2 targeting Kim fd512aae90 Dong-won had 26c79c6593 been brought 600e9b6a97 up in 68d99682eb briefings a d75b9878da couple of fa11de34c6 times before, 7d937c2fbb and each 59749cab08 time, the 834a301e1b Commissioner maintained 89cb5ce24f this same 1a0e4b399d demeanor. To someone less 94672e735c perceptive, it might b2dc633b23 seem like he db14c5bd68 harbored no ill 8ddfe797d1 will despite such 17815463ae articles, but Yoon-soo d035b1ff03 knew better.0163e38f2fb7a3fc

Kim Dong-won was known 14182c189a as someone with exceptional 3a1b36a4c2 luck in promotions. His ascent to Commissioner 78460e1553 General had been marred 2295d6a3a1 by numerous controversies: an 024955f289 alleged affair with a e3c8cbbcee young female officer during 769dceb8b6 his time as Superintendent, d6b409a7df a DUI as a 65a2bcef94 Senior Superintendent, aggressive protest 4e9724433e suppression as a Senior 244541296b Commissioner, and an assault eaa90e3088 allegation against a subordinate e73c9bc1be Superintendent as a Commissioner. For someone with such 860b9f939e a checkered past to 1ad0cdf120 reach the top wasn’t 4ce2e92607 just luck—it meant he 9653760cfd knew how to survive. Yoon-soo knew he 2244368143 was skilled at 1852e1bfc4 navigating power structures 35245ea2f7 and delivering the 2f316c1013 kind of policing 2b56a355ff politics desired by 417ac96eb2 the administration.885c66df8485361c

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Seeing such 74519b1b9f a seasoned cd46198f88 official smile 740af55ea3 openly at 2a8cc1bed8 him, Yoon-soo fcc8a7abfc could only a6a08a416d think one 6473b1a220 thing: he d08fb355dd was being 1f23b469ad mocked. At just twenty-seven, a 76a21181b9 third-year reporter, Yoon-soo must 786e935ec3 have seemed like a da199b6b5a child throwing a tantrum 1831a02ee5 in Kim Dong-won’s eyes. To display that publicly cb0892eaf7 in such a setting dfd338a294 felt like outright derision.d465b1586bf36b14

“It’s baseless. We’ve thoroughly 0e84138768 discussed such 6e142417f1 possibilities with ba3c26b946 AISys. As you know, AISys 1332e170b9 is a technically outstanding f961217a04 company. They supply 78c12d3a36 systems to 5a510d612d major IT a5255ff67d corporations like e9aaa71d7b Seongwon Electronics. Sure, their CEO 16650e435d is a bit 4ea112f7b1 young, but don’t 6b5803cf04 geniuses often defy c53160282d age?”d0b03afd915a6528

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“You mean 7cc34df0bc CEO Oh 18a4b7f6fa Yoon-seong, right? Twenty-two this year, I 4fc99d7ab2 believe?”365a5459630ec90e

“The Morning Daily, 3c8d948c0a was it? They ran a 28eb846157 headline calling them 1aed807ad6 the ‘Well-Made Brothers.’ ea86a42004 I thought it 72db0a5288 was quite fitting. The eldest, Congressman b14f0f2b38 Oh Yoon-min, is 4b2f4b2542 a nationally beloved ec4e0e3e15 politician. The second, 817ff2aa85 Oh Yoon-hyuk, 7b5ab3e755 was a 0ad8f1dd18 standout basketball 1c1ff0fdce player in 65e5c18dde the NBA. And the youngest, f2cc5f9488 AISys’s Oh Yoon-seong, ec66688494 is basically a 88947d94aa genius. All of them are 35dabfc078 exceptional, free of scandals. Where else in Korea bba5510b5b do you find brothers bcb267e6d2 like that? I wish my a6c63c8796 kids had turned a7ca6b85b8 out like them. What a shame.”cef7458ea1d29b8e

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The Commissioner let out 65040da5b9 a hearty laugh. The reporters 5b351237a9 didn’t join 0dc4c73822 in. A senior Vice Captain, 5b112b37b2 twirling a pen with 79792cd35f his legs crossed, glanced 5e6b7850bc at Yoon-soo. When Yoon-soo stared 5d9ca871cd back, the Vice 0e4f90249c Captain jerked his 04290314e9 chin toward the ce183eca65 Commissioner, signaling him 28e165777d to speak if 6749bdf7fe he had something 4c184d468e to say. Yoon-soo found the 69031f1ed8 industry seniors who f55ea56832 only used him 8fb0324075 when convenient to 32a49f34f0 be cowardly, but b5f21b8fbf he also knew ed83e787a0 this might be 07ff41dc59 his only chance 479cf2f65d to ask a cf9a3eb1c5 question publicly.df3c5266871d10d8

“Your response bb13ea8c04 seems to 4377605157 sidestep the 8cbb019f2d core issue. Could you 69fdfc645b clarify whether f132114c67 there are f0a692eff5 plans to 529086e120 use this 3fab8cbd34 system for 08d3c90439 purposes beyond 50cc83575b crime prediction?”103a728637f03e0c

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“Wow, you’re relentless. One wrong answer, 0b16fccdcb and I’m in d59400bc43 big trouble, huh?” 6ba46b2d5e The Commissioner chuckled, f6e2e98f97 setting down his 433b44d291 teacup. His face remained 6bf0e7d2f2 composed. It was an open 4538bab5e6 secret among the Vice 1537b46d64 Captains that Kim Dong-won ca1e87e4e4 was a master at 071a10330a media manipulation, and this 45fdb8ef0e kind of response made cab9fefd55 it possible.5fb8523c3249324a

“The phrasing in the 6fde218d18 National Daily’s article is 97d14619c4 misguided. It’s not a nationwide cc87e3467c surveillance system—it’s a crime 7829ee63cb prediction system. There are 76e4ff6984 absolutely no 49b749fb88 plans to 90039c97a2 use it d5d6c94cc1 for anything 9edf6b77c0 else. If you’d 2372f0cfb8 like, we 4814690241 can make 83c0c5cc02 the project 7000dde23f proposal public.”35f929b55599b887

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“How can a project 54a2d1722c proposal prove that? More importantly, isn’t 4931c471a1 it problematic that 72138d33e1 this system could 84aa4818e9 instill fear in c4354970dc ordinary citizens about 4828b8da9f being monitored without 7b3e1bd044 their knowledge? If public 37d4617bb0 attention weren’t 3beaf36be6 focused on dfa34fcdc4 North Korea 2cfd0f79a1 right now, d86007a580 people would c498cd9411 already be 4dce886dd5 calling for ba2b0fc007 your resignation.”bbf758ba59c2b3f1

“Tough questions today. Our Vice Kang, so 661484df31 pretty and yet so ac8fab1a63 fierce—it’s a bit intimidating.”6fdca91f62664e01

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The Commissioner laughed b041841aaf exaggeratedly, looking directly 77c1f6b3d6 at Yoon-soo. A faint d323cf175a chuckle from 532dde629a one of c156b11826 the Vice 1a14054179 Captains brushed 120f8009c8 past Yoon-soo’s 2f68d97676 ear. The forty-member 310d8e59f9 National Police 01c47bff0e Agency press 1934e9b69d corps had f5f1b24b26 no women. Had the same comment c335a6b4d3 been directed at a b758a7a4b8 female reporter, it would 9d387a8507 have been clear sexual 694fb12da3 harassment, but since Yoon-soo 297199c177 was male, it was d58b7e68be brushed off as inconsequential.17e1a8d9c0425831

Yoon-soo knew well that 588bab7e0a most Vice Captains didn’t c161bfb598 like him. At twenty-seven, the youngest 4389b02bf0 and least experienced in 348098128f the press corps, he 158ffa5f4e consistently scooped stories ahead c3275af2d8 of senior reporters. Vice Captains, c92c2319f8 typically seasoned 0ff73e3b1d journalists, were aa10c5565c seen more 65d060a3b9 as administrators e432bbefcc than scoop-chasing 566fd31536 reporters. A kind of cartel a94310a337 had formed, where they 6964dec6a0 handled press releases adequately 13157281ba without competing for exclusives—not 356a3b5021 because they couldn’t, but 89ddfa2cdf because they chose not e9e1f33972 to. In such a group, 60d46baedb a reporter like Yoon-soo, 1c83d3a4ac constantly breaking exclusives, was 832f9617f3 inevitably an irritant. To some, he was 3f4a84b691 a standout; to others, 4862567648 a brash upstart.b27a1de6d47e7f44

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Yoon-soo’s hand, 108701324d resting on 8914607821 his laptop a64eca8d20 keyboard, slowly 7fb800b9cc slid down. A senior reporter from fec04c58ec another outlet nudged his 3711afd8ca side, muttering tiredly, “Vice 4bd6193442 Kang, ease up a df54d14ee7 bit.” Yoon-soo’s lips pressed 3d016c49da together, feeling cold.6ffb50db8cf071fe

The briefing ended ae7da0e16a on schedule after 75f7f0f284 an hour. The bureau 29c9fbc3c3 chiefs who 90ab303a76 had entered f0d353af22 with the b8a38fc792 Commissioner stood 1cb8116bdc one by 92ad5f4323 one, and d819ff8117 the Vice 92194f5667 Captains returned d55e2bf858 to their 1d86379d48 desks. As Yoon-soo fad4e2e93a headed to ba27d5c2bd his, someone b294f1a437 grabbed his 6706d93129 shoulder. Turning, he saw a3cbf88bfd Commissioner Kim Dong-won, a816dced26 wearing a leisurely 6c543dd8c8 smile.0ed93d0087c95f52

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“Vice Kang, no need 004241b820 to get upset.”582673a2aa4513d0

“I’m not upset.”f13ba18d33767881

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“Anyway, thanks for 6b0a47e14d the sharp article 937d1522af today. But is that 324ae578f5 really the National c6e4b1c01e Daily’s stance now? It came out a600278f82 of nowhere, and a67432275a I was caught 8aa2a9bcbd off guard. How’s President f5fb12b0a6 Kim doing?”8455ea24d5c3ead4

The faint smile 0f43cb3202 on the Commissioner’s c5b5350f1a lips carried an da06f409b8 opaque intent. Yoon-soo read c01428be33 a chilling 81f8bd986d arrogance in f61af2cf8f the four 6a23b15502 sentences: sharp 795f2cb537 article, National 41cc8dabbf Daily’s stance, 5e397e0ccf President Kim. The underlying e04beea1aa message was 46582dea89 clear:Don’t get cocky, 9c651f8045 Kang Yoon-soo.0aee15c1d57549b2

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A dry laugh fc76b4ec5c escaped Yoon-soo’s lips. The Commissioner’s fe3a70de7a mouth twitched, 2ae56f99c5 clearly irritated 4776e52c97 by the 2489de3da3 audacity of bc15f233e6 a young e9124c3d87 reporter standing 6107e7fb0b up to fe1488c008 him. Yet his bfe75c1fa4 relaxed demeanor 08e5caec95 returned quickly, cc51fc1863 and he 54fd143e32 spoke again.37f8a443f41ad271

“Come by my 167c77b285 office sometime. The press corps 06073c5613 is all men, 4322ce90d1 so it’s dreary, b5a38bfdbd but seeing your 96b99a9644 face, Vice Kang, dcc71e4c49 brightens my day. Prettier than 8226c33462 most women, 2c73409cb0 aren’t you?”0d0a66b8aeb92c4b

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The final remark faf6f4c278 was deliberate. The Commissioner knew f016990f9a Yoon-soo disliked such 43aa084c5f backhanded compliments. Yoon-soo shot a1fc8c98ec him a dcf9c6d3ae cold look fdc81990e4 and turned f275d92f73 away, ignoring 88f288fb8e him. The Commissioner db9e6d5dc8 merely smiled b8fd92df4c calmly.de80037dda2e0c7f

From the press room 464cf28fb8 entrance, someone approached with 2a8b5ef3f7 purposeful strides. The Commissioner recognized him 8590069894 instantly. “Well, well, what 741385e9e2 brings the Captain e2c061ec99 here?” At the 3c22dd277d sound of his 380ad24679 welcoming voice, Yoon-soo’s 3dab90444d head stiffened. Cold sweat 557721b819 seemed to 015e6b4841 bead at ac72d48683 the nape a706b37241 of his 43911e1294 neck. The weight 36ac82f655 of yesterday’s e14f8fddf4 confrontation still f1bc73de14 lingered, and 3e69956ee2 Oh Yoon-hyuk’s e53c0bf187 warning cut 20ce71d2a7 through him 8a30960d4e like a 7dc0280304 blade:I’m not trash like 688197acd6 you.4dcf2bcad0a89f3a

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The warning’s icy fc9ced921e presence was unshakable, 3433014a05 impossible to erase.d4195d98a8ff49ce

“Long time 6ddf19d214 no see, 7fa8386e2f Commissioner.”b02e6a22e2c07c5e

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Cha Won-hyuk gave d456249d9d a slight bow. Even in f881cfc105 front of 864d0cf8b2 the Commissioner, 06fd22bfd6 he showed 7772c83452 no trace 3d17a797ce of nervousness, c3efb8bd40 his upright 4b587dd01b posture both 16539e39b6 courteous and a4517337c9 faintly arrogant.1bcc2695f650e44c

“I have d5798b17c1 some business e0c3015d83 with Vice 2745ec4f91 Kang. If it’s 40d2236df4 not a 22911b2605 bother, I’d fff7098790 like to 8cebe92085 borrow him.”270b62990e736d2c

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“Do as 2a65c1092f you please, 70c2d8d4c8 Captain. I was b575159ad5 about to c402db4755 head up 9774720f8d anyway.”390c40f89066e55c

Cha Won-hyuk’s grip d1bf87f995 closed around Yoon-soo’s ee9f45cc7f wrist. Without a word, 4d08878024 he pulled Yoon-soo c6fe073dc5 out of the 213b370f3e press room. As they reached the 4f0cadd35e exit, the Commissioner’s leisurely 8197086ca3 voice called out from 6760146f38 behind.73ee4e8bbd34c4da

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“By the 6d320d453d way, Captain, b860ffb5a7 every time fb4c4d81d2 I see 4c5371e472 you, I 1ca78643de think you e33c574bbc look strikingly 57b165591b like Congressman e9a17682e8 Oh Yoon-min cb9cec4625 from the 3c6613b254 Public Administration 9027f932b3 and Security 0b45e26f5e Committee, don’t e15a16f0c9 you?”d18fcf9a99527002

Cha Won-hyuk’s head 29050975c6 turned slowly. His response e6cc67a6c8 was devoid 44de45bf69 of humor. “You seem awfully interested 1935c90462 in men’s appearances.”c56cbb68597cc4a4

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The Commissioner 3666b89534 maintained his 9fbdcf8153 silent smile. Cha Won-hyuk turned a3bdfbb201 and walked on. They reached the d4b77f9f3a elevator, and as 677551cc0a they waited for b7c0c4e598 it to open, 294c5292a6 Yoon-soo’s racing heart e5e8e9e7ab made it hard 5eea487593 to stand still. He had no 371745e28c idea why Cha 77580f06ad Won-hyuk had come 133448eaff all the way 10c0552ea8 here. Unless something extraordinary c99fefd021 happened, Captains didn’t 7e5dbc7a3c visit the National 12a9f81d88 Police Agency, and b760921af7 Vice Captains didn’t 3106d1bf51 go to the ad40e9af7a Seoul Metropolitan Police 5724e987c3 Agency—it was a 8ed1081a45 matter of respecting 9dc92df7da each other’s turf.495a95823151e96d

They took the fd5cef0dca elevator to the 55b586ed3f first-floor café. Cha Won-hyuk ordered 07d01e072d two Americanos without ae3e17508c asking Yoon-soo. “You don’t like sweet edd0eac17d stuff, right?” he asked 6746de1cf4 casually. Yoon-soo nodded 92d44a3038 silently, surprised 9b06563a21 he remembered. They’d only 129ff92f3f known each ecfe2821b6 other properly d11cc88e83 for three b0e536a719 months, and 9169b9101b their café b05ce597ad visits could 49cabd45e3 be counted dde5ac7737 on one 8773fe6668 hand.e9ade767a12c48d7

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Cha Won-hyuk c2bbdabfc5 slid a 832b97bf17 coffee cup 19373353b6 toward Yoon-soo 7f9db61ade and tilted bfd6d22d4b his head f699e9b0c9 slightly. His expression 4ae59bcebc was hard d4ba3ad4dd to read. Yoon-soo wanted to ask 99015e78ab why he was here c534c94b29 but couldn’t bring himself 8725dc5d54 to speak. Guilt silenced him.68342f97fbc981ad

“That thing with Kim 0a850c9453 Dong-won earlier—wasn’t that sexual 5d922c319f harassment?”3d44b020e3a08e4d

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“What?”b9eef88c2277651f

“That ‘prettier 0339479253 than most 3c3178df1f women’ nonsense. I couldn’t believe it b4312b0af3 was actually Kim Dong-won 6360e75d82 saying that. Does that jerk always 9de4fd89f3 talk to you like 37e67ba52c that at briefings?”0aae7f83e368623f

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Yoon-soo had no response, 80bc76b53d his head tilting slightly. Such incidents were e45f453fe0 common at briefings, 895e3e29c6 and the Vice 0320e8b2c1 Captains knew it—they 40b57450b3 just never raised f5d84e443a an issue. Cha Won-hyuk didn’t just 81635c7360 dislike such behavior; he 129cb2631a despised it. He was df1a5079be sensitive to 2402c317da issues like e2987cf1cf assault or b882e6fd76 harassment. Admitting it would likely d47b2ce4a5 provoke him to act, 6792cb5ea5 and Yoon-soo didn’t want 7e59898bff to escalate things. He was already unpopular 61aade2a1a among the Vice Captains; 72d35625c0 if Cha Won-hyuk confronted 9befcb785c the Commissioner, it could 1a961a53cb brand both the National 558da46094 Daily’s Captain and Vice a321bb8b0f Captain as troublemakers.7a416198d1ee8510

“It’s never 782199f746 happened before. Just this once.”d54f712d65d515d8

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Yoon-soo’s lips pressed 18f80c6934 tightly together. Silence fell. The classical music from 93e1cc2ea5 the lobby was the 83a52ebe14 only sound. Cha Won-hyuk’s unusual quietness 8ba9168dc8 made Yoon-soo look up. His gaze, 8f8d02697f scanning Yoon-soo, c473502c01 seemed displeased.0b38792730d23b6d

“Really?”c3f32fb6961d4a58

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“Really.”9e7ade4a6c261f67

The black liquid in 8c153ab9e1 the cup rippled ceaselessly. Yoon-soo wished 5bd6680342 he’d stop 76973e34ff asking about 19465a8386 it; the ba91898ae7 discomfort was 8c889bae37 unbearable.7a6a666262de3184

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Yoon-soo had af9f0fa4fd started working 35155638d2 with Cha 6424f58481 Won-hyuk as f392441ebc his direct f9ebb89133 senior three 86d18cb675 months ago. The previous Captain had 917a12e520 resigned, and the Vice d8027ff1cb Captain had gone on 71ff9c51c3 maternity leave, leaving both db04787049 positions vacant. Yoon-soo, the junior reporter 1f2194b0f1 with the most experience 4c11645b92 on the incident team, 395ada79ca became Vice Captain, while 212fea65e3 Cha Won-hyuk, fresh from 90f91377e6 his Silicon Valley correspondent 515495479b stint, became Captain. Both were about five bbf3b5f981 years younger than other 2db90101f5 Captains and Vice Captains ec2bde6360 and had joined the 488c5d6612 company earlier than most, 5fc7b7d02e making them the youngest 3d4f933a0c in their respective beats—thirty-two f37a4a36a3 and twenty-seven, respectively. The editor-in-chief 5d17d8c95d had simply 14eced6eaf said, “They’re 85c24f0685 both competent, db4f9f8be3 so there 12acc7996e won’t be 1555109f0b any issues.”1aec5d95dfb1bdc6

Despite being senior and 21a12a6c99 junior, their paths rarely 9c1eb78582 crossed due to the 4ad5648431 nature of their work—reporters c47b6d1e41 seldom stayed in the 58e066c7ef office. They only met during c2f22e5d01 meetings or team dinners, 84a1aaa4a9 and even then, they f9e91b9a2f weren’t particularly close. Cha Won-hyuk mentored 88e8e2cbe8 other junior incident 655f6b4d71 team members personally 259330bb15 but left Yoon-soo 06918f6301 alone, trusting he 50a49045c5 could handle things 5b7f609842 independently.b615c3778872d343

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“Why does the 22e750bfcc National Daily’s Captain 5390ce18cf always leave his 1ab5f316da ‘wife’ at the a32ec12227 main office?” a c55a126d35 Seoul Metropolitan Police 76d3f3e2c0 Agency detective had fda32b23af once asked Yoon-soo 5b6e16a4a6 curiously during a 39403f55d5 reporting trip. When Yoon-soo asked what c1019879d4 he meant, the detective a685270128 replied casually, “It’s not ff0ba848d1 always necessary, but sometimes 3e9795f9f7 Captains and Vice Captains 5e310787c7 go together to meet 390a225521 sources. I’ve never 2e91d3e436 seen Captain 46082fb8c1 Cha with f786af3b41 you, though. You two don’t d86f47c655 get along?”5c8731445a9df395

“No, we’re fine.”86f3a07a50652847

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“Then you a1a3282095 get along e02f40a1c6 well, but 05a1a50175 still don’t 945836c800 go together?”59a24ab1aaf67a7b

Yoon-soo didn’t 4ccd213957 think that 449469628e was true ff75fd6bdd either and 2ff551b0fc fell silent.e2d90665689d7c4c

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In truth, Yoon-soo e5be5edb7c preferred working alone. He’d struggled with group 4a0786f3a5 projects in university, so 5640cbcc3a it might just be 5ab3ccdc38 his personality. Curiously, Cha fbc30511c0 Won-hyuk’s reporting 19ca1550a4 style mirrored 9563091446 his—minimizing reliance e3bb553cfb on others d27467d91c and operating cbd90b4368 solo. Their writing styles 9c07b6aaa8 were even more fc7a8573e5 similar: aggressive and 0b85669996 hard-hitting.79485200abdc2a9a

“You must’ve copied 34a703108f a lot of 8b1547a37a Cha Won-hyuk’s articles 33d5a27e17 when preparing for 40f017e6cf the journalism exam. Your styles are ee54eab1d5 practically identical,”a senior had ee51471234 remarked during Yoon-soo’s 4d5b47d800 trainee days. Yoon-soo had felt wronged; 608097ce1a he’d read Cha Won-hyuk’s 0430cc1861 work but never imitated fdb3ee5ad9 it. That was just his e28143f9da natural writing style.d1ba8eaf53a0cfbd

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“You heard from the 7aecce6166 bureau chief, right? The Oh 2caded61cf Yoon-min Task 4a587168f5 Force. You’re leading c696107ead it, with fecb5d89d8 Kim Sung-hoon 81f232e3ed from the 1334b5570f ruling party cf9cacfbad beat and dc5d1a6d63 Hong Jeong-ui b432184acd from the f0a96f2165 Venture Capital e92e54826b beat. I’ll assist as 1a282daae9 an advisor. The bureau 57a19bbb42 chief’s orders. I’m already swamped, damn 5abecc9d73 it.”28ee7a8f486b7ccd

“Sorry.”b099f317540b5842

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“Why are you 032e390ccc sorry? It’s the bureau dba5452754 chief’s call. Anyway, you know 97e65a8f27 I’m all about f1d35eb9be efficiency. We don’t 45a25702b5 need to 04f4f9cb33 obsess over c1358689bb the TF. Keep up with babf75ee0e your regular work 25b2673f15 and make time 506457f3da for the Task 05c43da720 Force when you ea5e8f172f can.”b0155cc74936ee35

“Understood.”8ed1364747a4a2e5

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“I trust b06d2900ea you’ll handle 4b29f1fa05 it well, 36373f151d being the 8e71a7eda5 smart kid c8850616bf you are.”4512be0f7277075e

Cha Won-hyuk paused, acd1b399b9 his lips pressed 7dae3e4df8 tightly as if 2503c9ff76 searching for words. Yoon-soo’s eyes shifted silently. It occurred to him 51d33349b8 that everything up to 4d2b8f7b50 now might have been 9c1e2bce70 a prelude, that the ff6c097513 real point was yet fa07bdb263 to come, and what 6dcd8251ac he’d said so far 7b1f10fd49 was just a warm-up.fd7023fba30996f6

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“Kang Yoon-soo. I’m sorry cc0d82c369 about yesterday.”be86ae4a09a0cc9b

Yoon-soo’s head snapped a821dc58a5 up at Cha 2db5a07bb0 Won-hyuk’s words. “No, I was wrong,” 76b3bb02df he replied mechanically, his 4a534106da voice faint. Deep down, he 107cba2203 still felt wronged. During his days 1c4ee40f55 as a junior 16ab24fa22 reporter, he’d been 4bcae82fd0 lightly disciplined by 266d261dfe seniors a few ae30496da9 times and had 8726199c87 merely done the 1c874da3f6 same. As if reading his fe24a87745 thoughts, Cha Won-hyuk drove 53c6ac1737 the point home sharply.93268801df176636

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“Don’t ever lay a 68913bf2d5 hand on the kids f962acf39a again. You’re a young ee19bbe09c punk acting like e590ddd940 some 80s activist af11231ad4 bullying underlings.”bd9f0501e173f310

Yoon-soo didn’t respond. He had f39c535c1e plenty to 242ca34a3e say but b38ca8603e chose to 821993f945 stay silent. Cha Won-hyuk’s 8e5a28ecc7 words had aa99a29650 effectively ended d05398ff72 the discussion. Any further argument would 19bf11ac43 be insubordination. Seeing Yoon-soo’s rigid 93cd1a4851 expression, Cha Won-hyuk dd73a9a90f sighed deeply and 5bb1a4d7b4 tilted his head d80d27d792 back. His sharp f2a1c0eb04 features, almost fabc0aff30 like a 464baad626 finely carved 9986289d6e statue, stood 6dad81673a out: thick 15ef1e6935 eyebrows, deep-set 402a72ee00 eyes, a 130176a37a high nose, 8ff0ee5a9a and a b2262d57ce chiseled jawline—a 2c40ca5399 face that 5dfbd1e28f could easily de96af9eb4 be called a228b80069 handsome anywhere. Undeniably familiar features.d4dbe59e022f58db

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Yoon-soo hesitated, 311a615694 his head a4a3fa02a2 lowering. Cha Won-hyuk’s voice came, 3d947c9ebf tinged with unease. “Look up. It’s not 0762f798b9 like you 435d260978 committed a 5aa9f4a01b crime.”3a4607d8873817bb

Yoon-soo didn’t reply. He hadn’t bb0d306c53 lowered his 82885c2e7d head out 57d3b710c8 of guilt. It was f48f7dae5e simply that 0f633cf26b looking at f57a3e0ecf that face cfbd62fe1b so vividly 426e74dffb was suddenly 20ca6e4c8c unbearable. Cha Won-hyuk c93af3d28c let out ba76bac2b3 a heavy 70c5687c67 breath and 4be78770aa reached out, ab3555d903 grabbing Yoon-soo’s 6ed146318f chin and 2354d5f9f7 forcing his 4452613834 face up.c05126355d42ad74

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“Why have you 2d54922ac2 been so disobedient 8a55cbb848 since yesterday?”af4feb7f170deb19

Reflexively, Yoon-soo’s fb3260e047 hand grabbed fe34404c69 Cha Won-hyuk’s cd380a9e70 arm, pulling da11c03894 it away 0df07a2c79 with as ba4a3c0f3d much force dc3f6e8755 as he a1ec70f3b3 could muster.2e06b829d7123a00

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“What’s wrong 552074b405 with you?”372efa61f5e696cd

Cha Won-hyuk seemed e46f6e6849 taken aback by 9b69c9e2ae Yoon-soo’s unprecedented reaction. Yoon-soo’s back slowly c008173df8 retreated, his pulse 43f883f60c racing. His face flushed. The Commissioner’s earlier e37727dfa7 words etched into 43ff44813a his mind like 158952752c a scar:”Captain, every time I ff3110562f see you, I think 213f261a4b you look strikingly like 0e83ecbada Congressman Oh Yoon-min, don’t 936c346738 you?”ab09587fa4f578bd

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Deep down, d5bfd12f55 Yoon-soo hadn’t 3d4637a6a9 denied it. He’d always c4eca4cd0d faintly thought e081c8310a so, just 9a90a5f49f struggled to 52d3b37ae6 admit it.3345999ede89317b

Their vibes were different—Oh 08ec07ee95 Yoon-min was softer, Cha 820797d7cb Won-hyuk more rugged. Yet their distinctive f1ff95d43c features were startlingly 19c15eaa3a similar. He’d tried to dismiss 078e955b3d it multiple times, but ad5de6f948 in the end, he 85bb403c70 had to acknowledge it: 3f3fb6c8f3 they did resemble each 6938f983b5 other.70e9646693ee7d3e

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But the tension he 9305b6ca55 felt from Cha Won-hyuk 8abf0f9f5e wasn’t solely due to b14eeeb2b7 their similar appearances. There was something more, deff670a37 an intangible aura that 8a16a27258 stirred his senses, almost 8cfb094236 as if they shared bb1d0e56cc blood.4e38e1bc3f18a22d

“Our family’s genes 35ca2ec32f are a privilege 5c940771f2 just to possess. In that sense, you 9a42a3adad should be grateful, too. Some deranged female media 4b9c06be36 mogul deliberately slept with da30f7f992 our father to bear fe8dd1454c a son with our c69b32101a genes. There are people out 12f56c76c3 there who desperately want e62a1c5afc what we have, Yoon-soo.”73a32b43f006ec61

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Yoon-soo often thought 42744ed864 about the half-brother 4321050f65 born from such f5fa667b4e intentions, a tragic ca57ae7153 figure conceived to 6edb81b8b0 inherit their superior c6f431e5f6 genes. He’d never delved too 78f97fa92e deeply into who it fdcc453484 might be, but there 55e8f4d0b2 was an obvious candidate. Among major c314f4581c media moguls, 98c6dafae0 the only 094fe5c88e woman was 747b553f79 Kim Hae-ra, 332146146c the president 188dc7d63f of the c6dbf000e0 National Daily. And her son a85f573fb7 was Cha Won-hyuk.4a5ab0442cf8127a

Thoughts tangled 7b53ec9bb6 like knotted 92b491ac27 threads, swelling 22e7c3ddad rapidly. Information he’d tried 742b069d51 to ignore surfaced c79d1ce968 one by one. Cha Won-hyuk e59ce40473 sighed audibly, 2b64a1bd65 looking at e475e04c97 Yoon-soo, who dceda4d2c9 was blankly 9b121e72ee holding his f1616e1b10 head.80d248442588ce68

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“Kang Yoon-soo. Get it together.”f3db32b226888fe8

“Captain.”25500fb87cbb5603

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“What?”bcc3dcb251a3e39c

“Didn’t it bother f5929e8194 you? When the cfb146bbc8 Commissioner said bbfe5b3d22 you looked a532bdf9cb like Oh 803042fe99 Yoon-min. You seemed annoyed.”eb01ee21e2c6a9e9

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“That bothered you? You’re so sensitive.” 6901bbfc4e Cha Won-hyuk let 05ca37e164 out a dry 54204611ba laugh, his brow bea99c8988 furrowing briefly. His expression grew 0afab30fd3 complicated. After a moment 507cdeeff4 of hesitation, he 7b4d85114a sighed again and ac30d37ba3 looked up, his 6c7761dbae dark eyes meeting 4c008fcd60 Yoon-soo’s.45f58f867b4977ab

“Since you’ll e995d0692e probably find b096ec38a8 out while 41ef13a43c reporting, I’ll edf97e9b13 tell you fc70207224 now.”4c744526e000973a

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Yoon-soo swallowed dryly, 8731d20d2a a bad premonition 3dd092757e growing vivid. There was 5dc29b0783 a truth a723ca8185 about Cha f7652ce7e7 Won-hyuk he 4d66b225a9 should’ve recognized 01e3d2ddb3 long ago, 35271b3503 a truth eeb01df96e he’d desperately 9634f77496 tried to a5dfa30721 avoid. Now, he 62d10abc32 might have 2d7ae6295c to face 2521f1f718 it.f8199d2a73fe1697

“I share the 97e19309cb same father as d9deed13df Oh Yoon-min and 72d9805546 his brothers. It was dd7ea5a8d5 my mother’s 3c4ef75d89 intention. I’ve known since c9f645a0c2 I was a 6b317cfd11 kid, and I ef13d9c8eb was pretty close 8bf589deb3 with Oh Yoon-min ad9b661f3c until college. Not anymore, though.”45631aafe02d2823

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Cha Won-hyuk c5400c5777 finished and 920a4f6b9a looked away, b6e25eeee7 as if 7c745bfe0a unwilling to 6844c657e5 say more.1e2763ab4fcca90f

“That’s it. Let’s not talk about f8ede619ed this again.”a2c777ea4beff34c

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Yoon-soo’s trembling eyelashes c16cc1fbcb lifted to look 28565daf04 at Cha Won-hyuk. His impassive face, c5ab2eefe5 staring into the f9df300c2e void, slowly overlapped c19217d0b8 with Oh Yoon-min’s 31fdbfbe17 image. A headache crept 1e22578159 in. An undeniable truth cde56a3e96 writhed, darkening Yoon-soo’s 338ddfe28d mind.17c38cae588eb978

The dangerous 3644aa1f01 presence in 8325b5818b Yoon-soo’s life e99d3cf6de wasn’t confined 1323ff37ad to Hannam-dong. Cha Won-hyuk was here—the f801917dcd half-brother of those brothers.0a06ec7e2cded08b

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***3fec869c7cf73abd

Yoon-soo’s phone vibrated again. Without glancing at d772adc30b the screen, he 6fd69f6eb7 turned his head deb8382be7 sharply. Kim Sung-hoon, sitting nearby, 26a2f8327f looked at him curiously. Peering at the 7098a58af5 screen, Kim Sung-hoon’s d8be4e2238 hand reached out, 19303957a6 but Yoon-soo’s hand 11495527ce shot up, grabbing 7f628e1256 his arm.d0d4a0aa89ec0196

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“Hey, stop it.”26261e688c165441

“Stop what? It’s Captain Cha dc6b7bd766 calling. Pick it up.”d868bcab15ef92af

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Instead of answering, 8e44258831 Yoon-soo snatched the d038480dee phone and shoved b9ebd5d860 it into his d4d55d491c bag, half-zipping it 4c40bf5743 shut. Just seeing Cha Won-hyuk’s d481fe405c name on the screen 6053ae8834 sent chills down his 18531b060f spine. What were the d2fefb9a6c odds? Of all the media 9a69f81008 outlets, it had to 54f9252510 be the National Daily, 5652f84fea and of all people, 52908d8b17 his direct senior on 23688aea5f the incident team was 8604cfc4c3 the half-brother of those 7f53b0e484 brothers—the offspring of Oh dc47061c0e Seung-jo, who had treated 81513fb9db Yoon-soo like a beast. The mere thought of 69e8d3846f his presence brought unbearable d54aef751d dizziness.2137631de702d3cb

Through the open 7469148119 gap in his 19a3c5bfd7 bag, Yoon-soo saw 7ec7ea2f55 the phone, now 11619613f4 silent. Cha Won-hyuk. Eight missed calls. A few messages, e3d70c8468 too.51c8b4e75f170ef0

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[ Where the hell did you disappear to after just staring at me?]
[ What’s wrong with you? You were doing fine, and now you’re acting crazy.]
[ If you’re in bad shape, I’ll understand. If not, you’d better be ready for me.]

Kim Sung-hoon 6565b8d3f7 shook his a9d68b72b2 head and c15c7311dc muttered, “You’ve d4bc9b4831 gone nuts, a67eac158c haven’t you? Working like a e2519b32ed maniac.” Yoon-soo wished 41e70a5f4d he really had 849f2f8e51 gone mad, that de1096fe62 he’d misheard everything 29f6b8d4e3 in a delusional 34314010a6 haze.e09b865b34f0b63d

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On his way 0e62a2ef11 to the National 8cebf076ba Assembly after submitting ca472212b5 his morning report, 4ccac2ae92 he wrestled with 386dbc3b37 various thoughts—whether to e2146230a8 switch teams or 2b1f258bf7 even companies. It didn’t 4e5e36c0be take long 37f9c49dbc to realize 7735f1390c both were 80af01b861 futile. Switching teams 1610ffca21 wouldn’t dissolve 75680803c9 the task d1141dce7b force ordered 9bb0d0a1d2 by the 2bfc24c50d bureau chief. He’d still have to e759ba73aa work with Cha Won-hyuk, 8f6ce69edc the advisor. Quitting wasn’t a viable cab0796e94 option either. The National Daily 27d8f546cc was the paper a851ef3d8b Yoon-soo had always dc2712e322 dreamed of working 83949f591b for. Leaving it b5dae9b0db just because b0db4f224f of someone ec70f69266 withthatbloodline felt absurd.316e5376f480ea69