Revenge part 2
Hours had passed since Jae-hyun was taken prisoner. His once flawless fingers now showed signs of torture, with each nail torn off. His face, battered and bruised, offered only a small glimpse of vision through swollen eyes. His arms throbbed with pain that made them feel useless, and his legs lay broken beneath him. As tears flowed down his cheeks, Jae-hyun couldn't help but wonder if his life was nearing its end, doomed to spend his final moments in this dark, oppressive warehouse.
The boss, apparently content with Jae-hyun's torment, announced it was time to conclude this grim ordeal. He called for his son to bring him his weapon. As the young man entered, he took in the horrifying scene before him – it was the first time he had ever seen such cruelty. Although fear raced through his veins, he understood that this was the business his father engaged in.
Shocking the son, his father ordered him to complete the task as his first mission. The son's heart pounded as he stared at Jae-hyun, a boy who looked to be his own age. Nerves surged through the young man as his throat became dry. He held the gun tightly, cocked it, and aimed at Jae-hyun's head. Jae-hyun closed his eyes, accepting his fate. The room was thick with tension, the sound of the gun being cocked reverberating ominously. Suddenly, the lights went out.
Confused by the unexpected darkness, the boss yelled for someone to turn the lights back on, but no one answered. Annoyed, he shouted at his gang members, questioning if they were even paying attention. He stumbled through the door to discover police officers already arresting his men. In a panic, he wondered if a traitor had tipped off the authorities. The boss slammed the door and used his cell phone for light, revealing a hidden door beneath a mat.
Snatching the gun from his son's hand, the boss hit Jae-hyun with the pistol, swearing to finish him off before escaping. He urged his son to run, and the boy hesitantly began climbing down a ladder. However, curiosity got the better of him and he glanced back, seeing his father press the gun against Jae-hyun's temple. The boss coldly whispered, "Say goodnight."
As Jae-hyun's consciousness started to fade, he caught a glimpse of a blonde woman entering the room through a vent. Then, darkness consumed him. Jae-hyun's eyes fluttered open to the unmistakable sounds of a hospital. A friendly nurse greeted him, "You've finally woken up, Jae-hyun." Drowsy, he asked, "How long have I been asleep?" "About a week," the nurse replied, to his astonishment. Jae-hyun questioned how he ended up here.
The nurse explained, "You were found by the police just in time. You're very lucky. If you need anything, just press that button." She gestured to a nearby button and left the room. As Jae-hyun rested, he pondered the mysterious woman he had seen before blacking out. The television in the room happened to be on, reporting a significant warehouse raid. "News reporter Jang Ye-won here, with an update on the recent criminal organization bust," the anchor announced. "Aside from the thugs arrested, no other members were apprehended. However, the boss of the organization, Seo-joon, was found dead before the police entered his room."
Jae-hyun's mind raced. "Wait, what? Already dead?" he thought. "There were only three of us in that room. Then suddenly Jae-hyun remembered, It must have been that blonde-haired woman. But why would she save me?" Many questions swirled in Jae-hyun's mind when he heard a knock on the door. A woman entered the room, standing at about 158 centimeters and weighing 58 kilograms, with long brown hair cascading down her back. This was Yeon-ji.
"Jae-hyun, I'm glad to see you're finally awake," Yeon-ji said, concern evident in her voice. "We were really worried about you." At that moment, Jae-hyun wondered who she meant by "we." His question was answered when a tall, semi-muscular man, standing at 172.5 centimeters with black hair, entered the hospital room. "Hello, Jae-hyun. I'm Mr. Choi, but you can call me Ji-man. It's a pleasure to finally meet you," the man said warmly.
Jae-hyun suddenly remembered that this was the man who had adopted him. With so many thoughts occupying his mind, he had completely forgotten. Stumbling over his words, Jae-hyun replied, "Hello, it's nice to meet you too, sir... Ji-man." Feeling overwhelmed, Jae-hyun didn't know how he would explain everything that had happened. He had nearly died on his very first day with his new family, and he couldn't shake the fear that they might send him back to the orphanage.
Choi Ji-man seemed to read his thoughts. "Don't worry about explaining what happened today. I'm sure you had your reasons," he said reassuringly. Jae-hyun felt a wave of gratitude wash over him. He really didn't want to explain anything. Several hours had gone by as Jae-hyun, Ji-man, and Yeon-ji spent time getting acquainted. Jae-hyun would only need to remain in the hospital for a few more days. After bidding him farewell, Ji-man and Yeon-ji got into their car and began driving back to the Choi estate.
Choi Ji-man turned to Yeon-ji, concern etched on his face. "Yeon-ji, are you certain Jae-hyun didn't recognize you?" he asked. Yeon-ji nodded confidently. "Yes, I'm sure. I altered my appearance by 75%, so I was unrecognizable. Besides, Jae-hyun was unconscious when I sneaked into the room and eliminated the boss. But take a look at these readings of his body during the torture," she added, handing over a tablet. Ji-man studied the tablet, his eyebrows furrowing in thought. "Interesting... Jae-hyun's aura is far more potent than the other test subjects we've encountered. However, it appears his body is too frail and weak to even achieve the first step," he mused.
After a brief pause, Ji-man announced his decision. "We should begin phase one of the trials with him." Yeon-ji's eyes widened in shock. "Are you serious? He's so weak; his body won't be able to handle it!" she protested. Ji-man's aura intensified, suffocating and silencing Yeon-ji's objections. "I wasn't asking you, Yeon-ji. I was telling you," he said firmly, his overwhelming presence forcing Yeon-ji into submission. Now let's go home and prepare for Jae-hyun's return.