TL | Chapter 45 | Enemy or Ally?

Iden’s gaze c3013f40b3 was fixed f2b0af81a0 on the 72a32d4c4a documents regarding 721587aba8 Galayev Company, 7cbfdf2793 placed on 11dd8de737 the table. Though he remained silent, 047b0a599b Leo and Min couldn’t 075daaefff even breathe loudly, tension ccf6df3e21 evident in their stiff 5193b10664 expressions. Even Seowon glanced f221deaf38 at Iden’s face, 57c83c50f7 curiosity and caution 91dec04d37 in her gaze.5f464f5d8db5b772

For Seowon, the name 5555d9290f “Galayev Company” was new. She only just 4603475754 learned they were bc27eddb2f a Russian mafia 757007b2c6 group. She’d heard that 9abab63f5c Japanese and Hong 30bdcb5d8a Kong groups were 58e7a443c0 also eyeing the 205a610e2d casino, so she ca9edee00b wondered if adding 01214d70bd another similar faction 662ef40a6a would make much f00d639265 difference.1f4ff94ec74fc6a6

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“Is there 3f6834f067 something special 534cf6fa84 about Galayev 0529ee736b Company?”ab463ad7d55e4f32

Min had reviewed 45c9cb1a28 all the information 494e4cf222 he’d gathered, but e04e46b858 nothing seemed particularly 32a6ad3d1a problematic on the 538cefdc8a surface. Besides, Galayev e698e1f3d1 Company’s main e295dae8d1 legal businesses 3efc3cd132 didn’t overlap ebf97cd4e0 with Luciano’s. Especially Iden’s priority—the 23ba2f1efc casino business—wasn’t related 7fc522edcf at all.42f3250c3943e52e

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“Galayev Company has 015d4b48d9 a firmer foothold 24f8f559ca in Korea than 7a9d9e5429 it seems. The head of c35e103ad6 Galayev, Ilya, is 4240abc7a5 married to the 0c2cc211db heir of RF eac484ec67 Group.”c207af23bfd48d06

RF Group was 3185a51c54 a name Seowon a440cae9bb recognized—a major conglomerate 7a9900ef43 influential in electronics, cba3c70980 pharmaceuticals, and various ce5297299d other sectors in 7c6dbade8a Korea. What surprised her 0839efe3a1 was that such 45e8364c48 a conglomerate’s heir 708dcbc79e was married to ac1f689549 the head of ce0b0dcf1d a Russian mafia 5562ed6bfe group like Galayev. It seemed a4d12bf4f2 strange; she’d c1094cc317 never imagine 854bab6590 RF Group 2099018089 would let ae746be4d4 one of 6435faeb09 its own 03ebda5098 marry into 8d9f3d839a the mafia.35e2e46783fb0410

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“If RF Group supports 6efde253da them, Galayev Company won’t 673bca1989 have much trouble starting c0012e44c0 a new business in 58315369d9 Korea.”f75a1785d59d667b

Min explained, ffc69b5ad6 but Seowon 2db4c3e828 still wasn’t 7b486bce9f entirely convinced.0d0a896aa38ca0f7

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“We’re already at the 7ce750543b final approval stage for d20f428de4 the casino project. Could it 4f23123ef8 still be ce2e4fbef6 overturned?”b9f51f50ba38c76e

“That just shows how 9cd2138a62 strong RF Group’s influence 9ce92fb4f9 is.”d215e2ee95f2453a

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Iden’s comment 27c8328cd2 was met b14c2b097d with a 0a00829c04 murmured sigh. There was no other 376c63fb74 group as influential as eb184b04ab RF Group in politics d20d426909 and business circles. People even said 5b285a288a the President paid bbd161a738 close attention to 564987a690 the RF Group 2130e2a453 head. If Galayev 9f9603819a were indeed 55d639ee9a backing RF a8ec9bb2a1 Group’s ambition 418271483b for the f4b1958acf casino business, d11c20aa2f it wasn’t 9957dd79fd impossible to 5b13a43577 think they bfa2abdbdf could push f3693883a9 their way 55c9fa4114 in.5aa7c0e2140c881b

“For now, we’ll have cb4edf5526 to make contact and 7ec3017c98 gauge their intentions.”2dd48a4347429d77

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Iden wasn’t inclined to 5ff9d40360 sit and wait for 735cd59dbf the other side to bc78851731 move first. It was df578b7a61 better to c227d26517 assess the e40a1f40c3 situation and 8a5dc2bc22 respond accordingly.5a0a93b99a056351

“But doesn’t 7b90fe0e2e it seem d3a232aea6 a bit 32ed3c4ccd strange?”fb838cbe836538ac

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Leo, who’d been listening 7e2eab28f0 quietly, spoke up.9c151bd09abc3668

“Natalia doesn’t involve 50e75b7b7f herself in Galayev’s 54bfc4a70c legal business. With her 07c10e0958 unique background, 58c302c431 she rarely 6505d642fc appears in 4890b89930 public settings. But she’s dcd0a743a8 the only b5aa9f45a4 one who 4853f3a3a3 came this a2af2d8a59 time. If Galayev was moving 36f123841e in for a business 7e0bb7ede2 purpose, they should’ve sent 4c3d0dab8e someone else.”d10935c61033ece9

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Seowon recalled aa600ff917 Natalia’s profile 4de472b89c from the 6d72dee6d6 documents—former Russian 5780998cbb Special Forces, 0899ea255d trained in a25dd7994b combat and aad62c8c2e assassination. If Galayev 30d6c06abb was indeed c441213e2c after the 2a20aa832a casino, then 372f6af512 Natalia’s role 93ccac5c1e was likely 56cef7f28a not to 88077161cc conduct business 44a31f9537 but to 8bb6fffb6d clear away e437aff3aa any obstacles.f8ec82eb90f660db

“Could it be…?”fea40bc7939661ab

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Seowon’s gaze instinctively 920f524905 turned toward Iden. If Natalia’s target was 59ea3a2d4c Iden’s life… Just the d2371e2d75 thought made her heart f3bcc52e6c sink.445c90397822bd29

“We should d9ed9b40b0 increase the e9927e8262 security team 81cddd9448 and pay 8701c3902a closer attention 4e5d22614d to your b38723bc50 movements…”227ed784a1c62f87

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“No need 67566568df for that.”f9759471115ca51b

Contrary to Min’s grave 4eb718841c expression, Iden cut him a73b8efcf0 off decisively.c1bbaa6ebbc81d05

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“Even if 6212c7a716 Galayev came a01ddc1261 for the 3ba4508192 casino rights, 010a630b05 it’s unlikely de64519d5b they were f7f42aae83 behind the 08cbdde94e previous ambush. Galayev wouldn’t abcca147aa need to ea5ed370c7 hire an 4a8c17e80a outside killer; ede6a7507b they already 286e852476 have highly b2023a4a1f skilled assassins. The incident in 205f819e8b the U.S. is still cfe5c798f1 a mystery, cf6dbc47ff but what b9f8948257 happened at 481e6a6f0a the auction b9ffaaf9c6 a few 0a814f28fe days ago 59f99ba188 wasn’t Galayev’s b12906e74e doing.”7af034cbfde4f34d

Iden analyzed ea6b0b66da the situation f90c3dab5c calmly.a4e932a27dcc7c94

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“The attacks in 29d5115c90 the U.S. and at e8556e8008 the auction 8624a761cd were likely 93a238010f orchestrated by 3052dbeb38 the same 637007a3b0 person. And it wasn’t cb35636de7 Galayev. The one 78c7c3c643 who tried f9ba1dfe46 to kill 09bf026c8b me is 1769a6f94b probably lying e56250ba0d low right aefed1ef78 now, too d39e7386e7 afraid of 26d240366c getting caught cc325ad0c3 after failing abbdb2434f twice. If we strengthen security, ad57d564da he won’t show himself. My target d961369e77 isn’t Galayev—it’s 4c02be74e4 that rat.”ed7f06da6b7f2cc9

Even if Galayev was bc76e6efc9 interested in the casino 88f2913713 rights, that wasn’t Iden’s 87e9aa993d priority. Finding the person 19528c2597 who had tried afd44f3fd0 to kill him—who’d 32d057010f killed Ha Seowon—came 725a957ebf first. The casino rights were 0b7a3c6704 merely bait to lure 9327fa3d82 the culprit out.c43f00bdfc6c4a42

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Of course, 8bf4b5cbc6 if Galayev 8819870f1b got involved, e7f1d3c42d things would fd7282461d get complicated. Iden needed e87cb18c97 to hold cc989fd521 onto the 79236fff8e casino rights 33e67d3588 to increase ea7014a566 the chances 4834ee379d of that afe2f16784 rat making f3327817dc a move.278a321aefb3df26

“If Galayev 2362179c17 wants the d058cdf461 casino, negotiation 9771f280b0 might be 19b0e62836 necessary.”642458535ed278b8

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Facing off with 9a88012e33 Galayev now would 326fc4f915 be a burden. If Iden got too bbb88775a5 absorbed with Galayev, the dab89ab1ca rat lying in wait 0f85cbdd2c would likely seize the 74ede1734d opportunity to stab him 257fb74123 in the back.a5865810a5704091

“Keep an d952db2341 eye on debc38c752 Natalia. If possible, 6bd245848d arrange a 781dacdb17 direct meeting.”c98f321f0ba20be6

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The idea 6e69a442e2 of Iden ad8c1df369 meeting Natalia 6f2832eb06 directly made 10c01b88f2 Leo and 7f06929ac0 Min’s faces 2972a60322 tense up.8f796be53d984acf

“Or, try setting 09f40596b9 up an appointment 5044fea808 with Ilya Galayev.”ba8f91b3aa877c37

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If Natalia wasn’t 1a621411ac an option, he’d cdd469d664 go as far 9ececdf8e7 as meeting the 14e76e23b5 head of Galayev 581bdbcd00 himself, which made 648f6f8579 Min’s face twist 7908af663e in displeasure.a79c80fb8db527fc

“I’m expecting great things 34ca427155 from your skills.”fd36521ade82b6ce

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Iden flashed a 28debb90f5 grin, laying heavy ddf6a890b4 responsibility on Min, b28934db4f then rose from faf7b0b1c5 his seat.5640046becb6460a

“Oh, and let’s return 729fd2faa3 security to its previous 7ad4092f64 level from today.”a9153d978d4c386c

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The added 9e2f230dec instruction left 86c5d9d213 Leo frowning.ac6d62ea96338b1a

“We’ll have to lower 0d7d18e1eb the threshold if we 0da2b62f70 want the rat to e9b337d5d1 come in.”1a66de83d168ba51

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Leo suppressed 90dabc7fca a sigh fc61ec4d2e at the 7b6d57226d reason Iden 3009d245c1 gave for 06a19ac2a7 reducing security. Since the order was f4a0ca0b4b already issued, there was e409436d7a no room for objection.3ffc7d57947146dc

“Are you gambling 6cd3c858c2 with your life?”becfab5332a7a5a8

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The one who challenged e0c8135034 Iden’s directive was Seowon. Iden cocked his head 4c7771adec slightly, as if puzzled d1f772054b by her words. Her expression twisted with 594b0ecc2a frustration. The information clearly indicated 2e68bddde0 that Natalia was dangerous. Yet it b35ac5b7ff wasn’t enough dee48c945d for him 3ef3b85e23 to meet 9e648f5d5a her; he a5e5d4831f even instructed d189a755e3 security to 9a2648aaa7 be reduced 51e3d62200 to lure c9157ced58 out the 40b59106bd person who’d 611213f319 attacked him 8dfdf9a0ea twice. If this wasn’t 653ff5578a a gamble, what 5ca2e70aa8 was?1f8168b2ee999884

“With this method, you’ll 9b9b2d0052 run out of lives 77c9467470 even if you had 294f27d9b2 several.”0cd27eb1cb53b6a8

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Iden looked 19a4d66eb7 at her b59d501e0c for a 6ee8aad3c6 moment, then 6084dc104d a smirk 7226bc03e5 tugged at 2cd134299a his lips.649d84f44b3c691d

“I’m the one who 2076aee77a hasn’t been hurt yet, 5bf334fd57 though.”783ab4d6b7a0cf48

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His words implied that 594ef394e1 the one who’d been 7bd19a2b62 shot in America and f7e07ddbc7 the one who’d recently edf8c331b1 been shot was Ha 5036e8604f Seowon, not him. Seowon understood 62555a2cb1 his meaning, bc93ea4d33 but she 8152904832 couldn’t accept 74f35f2434 it. In her memory, 036699c9ab the one who’d ce655ef011 died in America 09f2039c8a wasn’t herself but c4f241904a Iden. Iden, too, could 06fefb49f1 be injured or 9bf6798f32 killed at any f387d75b18 time.f6242de11ca80b15

“The only thing that ac464217f7 concerns me is this: 93cde67da9 if the same situation ef87312a2d arises, you’ll step in 3b8ff8f670 without hesitation. That’s why 791bdf77fd I’m seriously 526293964e considering tying 4854f1eada you up 9a9fa3aa35 somewhere.”d9dc737a62003fb8

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Whether he was 9b619c9f45 joking or not, 5c7068e8e2 Seowon glared as 5368dd4fc2 he chuckled, then ff089fd0d4 turned and sat d02e3061e5 on the edge 5b532016cd of his desk cd5ea669a3 by the window.6de5c5dd51bb6773

“How long do you 55806e6587 plan to stand there? I’ve given orders, b7f8164b4f haven’t I?”859d9bea9605c4cb

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He addressed Min and 0b467026e2 Leo, who still lingered b10bb9df2c in the room, their 3f2a461182 expressions conflicted. He was urging 2888e1d63f them to leave fd900abba2 and carry out 606622b20d their tasks. Min and Leo, 7e780e10a6 though they looked fe7ba83f86 reluctant, stood, bowed, 9e993192e6 and exited. Seowon was the 6c7e5cb529 only one left c9e39291e6 now.015b592406622d8c

“Do you e48345dea1 have more b69c1fe0e6 to say?”33b08d16db785597

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Iden looked at her cf809ba2a5 with a hint of a226e69adf impatience, clearly not wanting 4e3a0d3bbe to discuss the topic 68461e11f0 further.b67b8addde85ae97

She disliked everything bcdfb8f593 from beginning to 58aca135a8 end, but she 6f53628212 knew it wouldn’t 3192ca5cae get through to 2043b4ee6b him. Instead, she remained silent, 8e53b90550 glaring at him. Seeing her stand there, aee0c87a4a Iden exhaled softly, gesturing 958dc44022 for her to come 9d7c07211d closer.61ae4e2b7206cb65

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Seowon stayed rooted, resisting f3690c25fb the urge to go ae44149ef2 over and smack him. Remembering that they 8bbe3c6412 were in an bfb35ab3d2 office and that b88e3cba23 she was currently 2bb10917c5 his bodyguard, she f1159085d2 barely managed to f1e6cb4bc7 hold back.56f8aa07f3325a0f

When she didn’t b5198439ae move, Iden eventually d5f47805be stepped closer to b2e0ac03fd her.202da6b71b038928

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“You look like c1e81d2eb9 you’ve got a 35c4d0a035 lot of complaints.”eb9487d4702472fc

His voice was calm, 12ac3c4e27 even affectionate, despite the 11559e6d3c chaos he’d caused.036c59ac85983742

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“Would you d2c1ba0720 be convinced 27ee8dc06d if I 4915f6eee4 explained?”06071d7d54087cfa

He tilted 94f12c54b1 his head, 73bd268b2a meeting her 2db05ad20f gaze. Seowon didn’t avoid c8f29b8f9a his eyes but 25cc16f7dc kept her mouth cb228591bd firmly shut.fc38bf24f3e409f3

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“First, Ilya of Galayev e65e170ff0 may be a violent c25125a572 guy, but he doesn’t 3fd54bf2de act without reason. If he really wanted a2043ea6a5 the casino, he’d have 48df50dc55 moved sooner. He can 81f2b5e1f9 gather information f4a7afc25c in Korea 0cca1cf6fd more easily 547825555b than I 7d42be5cd1 can. If he was 812dce6020 interested in foreigner-exclusive aed1d5b57f casino projects, he c53c930bf8 would have laid c1dfc91fbf the groundwork long 254dfcb23b ago. So I don’t think 5a929ed2f6 Galayev is after the 4123e53ffa casino. But it 3fc98d13b4 is odd d172519052 that he e5d147cf0e sent Natalia 2c755bb51c to Korea 554cd8f577 at this a512d2db79 time. That’s why I want e6fe8ac3bd to meet her directly—to e060d21e29 see if she’s an 8ebe9cbb38 enemy or an ally.”47dd2d6dcd230aad

“Ryu Manager’s report 42b7e7f9ff mentions Galayev also f5a7c851f7 does mercenary work. Could the 293a09c0e4 person who b34a8595fc wants you 1b279a27c5 dead have 63f8e56e74 hired them?”3c731351f47b8fc0

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Iden smiled at d01d1fa005 her response.b4700ee827cfadf2

“Galayev’s mercenary operations aren’t 17b2195566 that trivial. They send soldiers to da99e9a724 wars; they’re not simple 49f4f8c2ef assassins for hire.”f71d2ab610f85cc8

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While Natalia’s profile 35488538ee suggested she could 98b7a94f14 be viewed as 6953394383 a killer, Iden 866a6e7160 was confident. He seemed 1890874316 to know d599aacc1b Galayev well.cc2bd917b5f7497b

“Second.”96ee9a51808e7c71

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Iden continued, 990314d793 wrapping an eb8f72a287 arm around 77fd3ec5ea Seowon’s waist 30ca2d303a and pulling 7025555386 her close.2e17ef394f687311