Yoo Jonghyuk's side quest #22: Ultimate Sacrifice. [part 4]

Kim Dokja listened to the frantic drumming of his heartbeats which isolated any other sound inside his eardrums. He was nervous, and that's why his hands were sweating so much when he had gripped the gun. Though we can't blame the lad because it was his first time holding a firearm.

But the fact that Kim Dokja could manage to divide his focus and wander his mind even in a situation like this, it's really a wonder. Honestly, this can be considered a talent itself. One should never underestimate the ability of a reader to daydream while still keeping an eye out.

Out of the corner of his eyes, the teen had sneaked a few inquisitive glances at the mysterious man. There was still something Kim Dokja couldn't wrap his head around clearly. And that is, for example...

Why? What are his motives? If hatred or revenge weren't his objectives, then why going through such lengths to go after a difficult target such as the patriarch of the Kim family?

Truth to be said, Kim Sungwoo was indeed a pretty scummy individual. However, that still won't explain why Jun would do all of this if he wasn't a paid hitman or some stupid samaritan. But to the teen's dismay, the man had already denied the first possibility and as for the second one... it was simply too far fetched, even he doesn't believe it.

Jun stood beside him, patiently waiting for the teen to take action. However, after a few minutes of complete stillness, even the ever-smiling demon had enough of Kim Dokja's reluctance.

"Why do you hesitate?"

Jun locked one arm around the teen's graceful waist and pulled him closer. His bulky chest touched the young man's back as he wrapped both hands around the gun. Moreover, with someone giving him guidance, Kim Dokja's grip looked less amateurish.

Jun's index finger laid on top of the trigger as he proceeded to angle the gun properly towards their target. He was ready to pull the trigger at any given moment. However, instead of doing that, Jun inquired about something odd and unexpected.

"Do you want a countdown?"

"... What?"

Kim Dokja's heart trembled. The meaning of his question was clear as day. Everything was going too fastpaced for his likings, he wasn't nor mentally or physically prepared for this. He wasn't like Jun who's able to show total disregard about life and downgrade it to some strands of wild grass he could easily trample on.

Seeing the indecision reflected in the teen's eyes, Jun let out a hollow laugh as he shook his head. After all, a novice is still a novice, and they always need the mentors' supervision.

"I'll start counting from now."

"10... 9..."

With Jun's deep voice resounding behind him, Kim Dokja's hands began to tremble even more as the man continued to countdown. At a certain point, the teen even tried to struggle free but failed because of the physical disparity between their respective strengths.

Kim Dokja was having second thoughts. He couldn't help but silently weep inside. Out of all people, why it was Jun who collaborated with him, now he's stuck with a psychopath.

He could only watch as Kim Sungwoo desperately tried to crawl away towards the only other exit that leaded outside, the window. The teen began biting his lower lip in frustration. Was this really the only answer?

"6... 5..."

And then, he heard that same bone-chilling chuckle again, resounding just right above his ears. Kim Dokja did not want to do this anymore. And because Jun was appositely slowing his pace down, each number felt like an eternity to both the Kims.

"4... 3... 2-"

Bang!

Nevertheless, Jun didn't wait for the countdown to finish.

"...!"

The shot had wounded Kim Sungwoo's left ankle, but the man had gritted his teeth and made no noise when the hit had landed on his flesh. He ignored the pain and kept dragging his body forward whilst leaving a gory-looking trail of blood behind.

"B- But it hadn't reached 0-" Kim Dokja couldn't help blurting out with a trembling voice.

"Did he also wait for you to be ready when he did those things to you?"

That question managed to silence the dumbfounded teen who wanted to argue back.

Kim Dokja's struggles became even fiercer. He wanted to yank the firearm away from his hands, but Jun didn't allow it and pressed the trigger for the second time.

"Gh- Ahh!"

But this time Kim Sungwoo couldn't hold back the scream as the bullet pierced through his right arm. Leaving him to deal with his two new incapacitated limbs and the aftershock of the bullets inside his body. However, he still persisted forward until he reached the wall. While holding onto the rim of the window just a few inches away from him. Freedom at least. He felt ecstatic but his feelings were quickly shot down, literally.

Bang!

Kim Sungwoo's looked in disbelief as his eyes rolled back, leaving only a crimson flower blooming through his chest. He was dead. The man who used to toy with other people's life and death was the one being played by karma today. The ragged middle-aged man's breathing slowed down until nothing was left. And his last feeling before death had been an eerie chilling sensation sinking deep into his bones.

Kim Dokja weakly slumped down on the floor. The teen was horrified of what just had happened. He was holding his breath in both fear and disbelief as he stared at the stiff corpse which had already begun collecting a scarlet puddle underneath the wound. The reddish liquid seemed to surround Kim Dokja's entire body when he began staring at his shaking hands as if they were covered with countless bloodstains.

He just killed a man.

He was a criminal now.

He was really a criminal now!

"I- I didn't..." Kim Dokja grabbed his head with both hands as he tried to suppress the sound of those countless voices calling him a murderer just like his mother. He could see a crowd of malicious strangers whispering amongst themselves while pointing fingers at him. Kim Dokja felt suffocated, as if invisible pair of hands were clutching his heart and punching his lungs, leaving him choking and greedily gasping for air.

"... No! I- I'm not!" Deny them.

I told you, he is just like his mother.

"No!" Deny...

He is also a murderer.

"No!" Deny! Deny! Deny!

The more he thought about it, the more oppressed he felt inside. His lips quivered as he kept shaking his head in refusal. Every breath he took in seemed to mercilessly stab his lungs.

Jun silently stared at the desperate teen, he shook his head before chopping down towards Kim Dokja's nape. The hysterical teen stilled before listlessly falling unconscious on the floor.

"The last act is about to commence."

***

Song Daehwa had walked deep into the woods to reach her final destination. And here, she was also anxiously waiting for her back-ups. Or this is what she should have done instead of rushing inside the watchtower beside the factory when she spotted a figure walking by in the distance.

She sprinted towards the entrance while armed with only a gun and her determination. Song Daehwa didn't hesitate when she had charged inside the building. Unaware of what could have awaited her after crossing that threshold.

The policewoman climbed the stairs, speeding towards the top of the tower with only a single objective in mind. Then she recklessly barged inside the last room without any beforehand preparations. Words flowed out her mouth out of habit as she subconsciously followed the standard police procedures.

"Hands up! Surrender yourself!"

And as if heaven was heeding her calls, sirens resounded in the distance while the loud barkings of the police dogs neared their location. Song Daehwa suddenly felt elated as she silently praised the communal police for doing a good job this once.

But defying common sense was Jun, who still looked unfazed as he calmly took his seat while lifting the top cover of the pc in front of him. He showed complete disregard towards the constable's shoutings. On the LCD display of the computer, a cowering teen could be seen curled up in a dark corner. However, what had startled the policewoman wasn't just this, no, what had truly frighted her heart was the profile of an angry albino hound dog bearing his teeth towards Kim Dokja's sorry figure.

"What did you do to him?!" Song Daehwa barked back at the crazed man while droplets of cold sweat mixed with anxiety traced down her smooth oval face. "Let him go you bastard!"

Jun's face darkened up as he muttered under his breath with a hint of urgency in his tone. "Stupid dog-"

He was about to abruptly stand up before something else managed to stop him. His clear eyes turned foggy as a strange electric current invaded his body. Jun was incapable to fight back and could only allow this unknown entity to wildly roam inside his system. All he could do is growl.

But unfortunately for him, his weird antics were being perceived quite differently from another's perspective. It was inevitable to be misunderstood.

"Y- You! Crazy bastard, why are you doing this?!"

He did not answer, or better, he couldn't. Jun only spared a sidelong glance towards the relentless policewoman before turning his back on her. The sun was already setting as the sky prepared to welcome another night. He looked outside for a brief moment before putting a hand on the windowsill, pushing himself forward, he jumped down.

Song Daehwa let out a series of cusses unbefitting for a police officer as she rushed towards the window ledge. She looked around, but there were no traces left of that mysterious scarred man. He had seemingly vanished away like a ghost.

Perplexed by the current events, Song Daehwa simply just stood there stunned before whipping her head around towards the exit. Right, she must save Kim Dokja!

Click.

However, someone locked the door from outside before she could do anything about it.

"&#£$%!"

She had quickly hurried towards the door and continued pressing down the rusty handle in vain. After clicking her tongue, Song Daehwa took a few steps back. She aimed her gun towards the door lock and fired, but contrary to her expectations, this technique was far from what they had depicted in movies. Not only it did not work, she even wasted a bullet.

The constable paced around the room anxiously, she then walked towards the window, and while peeking outside she made a scrunched up expression. This watchtower was higher than a ten-story building, let's not even talk about escaping, plummeting down from here could cost more than a few broken bones if not her life. Song Daehwa still couldn't fathom how on earth that man had even managed to slip away like that.

Was he some kind of superhuman? It's not even like there was anything else he could have grabbed onto to slow his fall down. This mad dog just decided to freefall from more than thirty meters of altitude, and worst of all, he even got away with it! But what's more infuriating is the fact that he even had enough galls to come back and lock her inside this damned room!

She grasped her hair while loudly puffing out in exasperation. Song Daehwa took out her phone and began walking around the room again, desperately trying to find even the slightest bit of detectable signal in the area. Once inside the woods, these digital devices were as good as dead. The constable narrowed her pretty eyes as her face turned into a frown. Was waiting for rescue really her only option available?

Just as she was about to despair, a creaking noise resounded from behind her. Her body acted out of reflex as she whipped her body around while pointing her gun towards the new guest. As she stared at the familiar-looking person who appeared by jumping on the windowsill, the Deputy Police Chief gaped her mouth in utter disbelief. Shutting her eyes, she began roughly stroking them with the back of her hand. She was doubting not only her sight but also her sanity.

"Y- Yoo Jonghyuk?? How-"

Although her stupor had been harshly interrupted by the latter's curt response, she still gave him a weirded out expression.

"Where's Kim Dokja?"

The regressor frosty aura was colder than ever as his piercing gaze swept around the room. His pitch-black pupils focused on the sole oddity inside the room, which is, apart from the obvious living one, a pc that was broadcasting someone trapped somewhere very dark. He did not hesitate as he leaped down the tower. His actions had predictably startled Song Daehwa who rushed towards the window to look outside. But to her vexation, he had, too, vanished into thin air.

Sometimes small variables are key to certain outcomes in life. And if only Yoo Jonghyuk had not been so hasty, he wouldn't have missed an important detail such as the white hound that had entered the frame right after he had left.

The black-coated man had already recognized the familiar bloody scent wafting from over there when he was still approaching this location. But all his thoughts were subconsciously leaning towards the best outcome, and this was why he had decided to first check the place where he had spotted the Deputy Police Chief.

However, when he found nothing but the prof that Kim Dokja was still suffering while trapped somewhere else, Yoo Jonghyuk resorted to another plan. His elegantly straight nose lightly twitched as he searched for that lingering scent in the air.