Chapter 231 – Kidnapping

In the morning, the Ferrari that had left returned once again to Korea University.

“Why aren’t you answering the phone? It’s making me anxious.”

Worried that his sister wasn’t picking up, Shin Kyung-min had come to meet her at the time she usually finished classes.

“I told you to call me when you’re done, but there’s no response.”

Could something have really happened?

With a concerned expression, he headed toward the lecture hall where his sister might be, when-

“Hm?”

In the distance, he saw a crowd of students gathered.

“What’s going on?”

Seeing an ambulance and police cars, it was clear something had happened.

“What’s the matter?”

“They’re saying it’s a murder.”

“Apparently, someone died.”

“They say it’s a student from our school?”

Hearing the murmurs, Shin Kyung-min’s heart pounded heavily.

‘N-No way!’

But fortunately, the deceased wasn’t his sister.

“They say it’s a senior from the law department. Apparently from a well-known legal family…”

“Really? How awful…”

“He studied so hard…”

“You never know with life, really.”

From the whispers, he could tell it wasn’t his sister.

‘Phew, thank goodness.’

As he sighed in relief, a student came into Shin Kyung-min’s view.

‘That’s the girl who was with Hye-ri…’

It was a classmate from Hye-ri’s department.

“Excuse me, you’re in the same department as Hye-ri, right?”

“Ah! Sh-Shin Kyung-min Hunter? I mean, Hye-ri’s brother?”

Realizing she had spoken informally, she covered her mouth.

“That’s right. I’m Hye-ri’s brother. I can’t get in touch with her, so do you know where she is?”

“Ah, well…”

The classmate hesitated before explaining the situation.

She had introduced Hye-ri to a male student from the law department and left them to have a meal together, but later, this incident had occurred.

“So, you’re saying the male student who died was with Hye-ri…?”

“Yes…”

“And Hye-ri? Where is she?”

“I’m looking for her too…”

“Damn it!”

Hye-ri was in danger.

If she was with the male student when he was killed, the culprit wouldn’t have left her alone.

Urgency flashed across Shin Kyung-min’s face.

‘I have to find the culprit.’

Just as he was about to cross the police line and barge into the crime scene-

Bzzz- Bzzz-

A call came in.

Looking at the caller ID, it was the very sister he had been searching for.

“Hey! How could you call only now? I was so worried!”

Out of concern, he scolded her, but deep down, he felt relieved and glad.

However, that relief was short-lived.

“You’ll have to keep worrying.”

Hearing a man’s voice, Shin Kyung-min’s face hardened like stone.

“Who-who are you?”

“Did you forget my voice already just because we’re on the phone?”

“…Seo Jin-cheol?”

“That’s right, you bastard.”

“Why do you have my sister’s phone… N-No way…?”

“Yeah. I kidnapped your sister.”

As his worst fears became reality, Shin Kyung-min was at a loss for words.

With a trembling voice, he managed to speak.

“D-Did you kill the male student too?”

“Male student? Ah… you mean the guy who was with her when I kidnapped her. He was in the way, so I killed him.”

“…”

“That’s not all, you know. I killed your sister too.”

At those thunderous words, Shin Kyung-min’s eyes and mouth widened in shock.

“Pfft, just kidding. I haven’t killed her yet. How could I easily kill such a pretty girl?”

“You… If you lay a finger on my sister…”

“You’ll kill me? Heh heh. How are you going to kill me when you don’t even know where I am?”

“…”

“Don’t act tough, you bastard. Do you still think you’re above me? In times like this, you should be begging for forgiveness. Got it?”

Perhaps agreeing with the logic, Shin Kyung-min pleaded in a serious tone.

“I’m sorry. I was wrong, so please let my sister go. I’m begging you.”

“Why does it sound like you’re giving me an order? This won’t do. Maybe I should pluck out this girl’s eyeball right now…”

“N-No, if it sounded like that, I’m sorry! I was completely wrong. I’m sincerely begging you, please spare my sister.”

“Alright, I’ll spare her. But is it okay if I make her filthy like a rag? Heh heh…”

“Please! Please don’t touch my sister. I was wrong about everything in the past!”

Shin Kyung-min desperately pleaded.

It was the only thing he could do.

“Pfft, should I have made this a video call? I should’ve seen the great Shin Kyung-min on his knees begging.”

“If that’s what you want, I’ll do it. I’ll do anything. Just please send my sister back safely. After all, the one you’re after is me, right? Leave my innocent sister out of this and let’s settle it between us…”

“Ah, this is picture-perfect. You’re trying to figure out the location by suggesting a one-on-one talk, then call your hunter buddies for a rescue operation, and I, the fool who trusted you, get betrayed again. Hah! So predictable!”

“N-No, that’s not my intention at all…”

“Bullshit. I have no intention of meeting you, not even a shred.”

“What? Then why…?”

“I’m going to kill your sister to get my revenge. I called to inform you. Oh, and of course, I won’t kill her cleanly. Like I said, I’ll thoroughly defile her before killing her. Pfft, hahaha!”

“You son of a-!”

The call ended.

He didn’t even get the chance to find his sister or curse him out properly.

“Damn it, you bastard!!!”

Shin Kyung-min’s rage-filled shout startled the nearby students.

* * *

“Pfft, hahaha!”

After ending the call, Seo Jin-cheol laughed as if he couldn’t contain his amusement.

“Man, to think a day like this would come. A day to get revenge on Shin Kyung-min. Ah, this is exhilarating!”

Unlike Seo Jin-cheol, who was laughing hysterically alone in the abandoned factory, Shin Hye-ri couldn’t laugh.

Her life was like a flickering candle in the wind, ready to be snuffed out at any moment.

“Heh heh. Shin Hye-ri, was it?”

As Seo Jin-cheol cast a lecherous gaze at her, Shin Hye-ri flinched, her shoulders trembling.

“Honestly, during that call, you were hoping, weren’t you? That Shin Kyung-min would come save you.”

“…”

“But what can you do? Looks like your brother can’t make it.”

“…What do you want?”

“What do I want? I just want revenge on Shin Kyung-min. And you’re the perfect tool for that revenge.”

“My brother wouldn’t even blink if I disappeared.”

“Hey, don’t lie so obviously. Do you think I’ll believe that and let you go? Even a kindergartner wouldn’t fall for that.”

“…”

“Didn’t you hear the call earlier? Do you know how much Kyung-min begged? Pleading so desperately to let his sister go.”

“I’ll beg too. Please untie this.”

Shin Hye-ri pointed to the rope binding her body.

“Wait a bit. I’ll untie you soon. It’s no fun to enjoy myself with you all tied up like this.”

“…What are you planning to do to me?”

“Hm? Didn’t you hear earlier? I said I’d make you filthy like a rag and then kill you.”

“…”

Hearing him say it so casually, it could sound like a joke, but Shin Hye-ri knew better.

It wasn’t a throwaway comment.

Judging by how he committed murder and kidnapping without hesitation, the man before her was more than capable of such acts.

“Just once… Can’t you spare me just once? I’m begging you.”

“No.”

Despite her heartfelt plea, she was coldly rejected.

“If I don’t have you, I can’t get revenge on Shin Kyung-min.”

“Do you really have to get revenge?”

“Yeah. Do you know how much I suffered in prison because of that bastard? I have to make him pay several times over. Want me to tell you how I’ll get my revenge?”

Excited by the thought of revenge, Seo Jin-cheol spoke eagerly.

“See that camera over there? I’m going to record a video of your rape with it. Then, I’ll cut off your limbs like an insect, and finally, I’ll slit your throat to kill you.”

“…”

“I’ll end it quickly without too much pain, so don’t worry too much. I’ve killed plenty of people in dungeons, after all.”

“…”

Shin Hye-ri realized.

The man before her was truly a psycho obsessed with revenge.

And no amount of persuasion or appeal would work on someone like him.

Drip, drip. Tears streamed down her face.

There was no hope.

Only despair clouded her vision.

“Please don’t do this. Sob… I don’t want to die.”

Finally breaking down in tears and appealing to his emotions, she knew it was her last desperate attempt.

And she also knew that this desperate attempt wouldn’t work.

“Tearful tactic? Heh heh, if you’re going to cry, save it for later when we’re having fun together. It’ll look more pitiful and better that way.”

As expected, Seo Jin-cheol showed no emotion, not even batting an eye.

He simply set up the camera, preparing to film for his revenge.

“Shall we get started for real now?”

Seo Jin-cheol approached with lustful eyes.

Even compared to all the women he had been with, Shin Hye-ri’s beauty was so striking that it erased their faces from his memory.

As a stranger’s hand touched her shoulder, Shin Hye-ri tightly shut her eyes.

‘Ah, really, like this…’

It was an utterly hopeless situation.

‘I couldn’t even tell Hunter Min Do-jun that I liked him…’

In this moment of crisis, why did Hunter Min Do-jun come to mind instead of her brother, Shin Kyung-min?

Had she subconsciously trusted and relied on Min Do-jun more than Shin Kyung-min?

Was it because he had saved her once before?

Perhaps, but there was no time to dwell on such thoughts now.

‘Please… Please, someone help me…!’

At that very moment-

Clang-!

Seo Jin-cheol, who had been about to undress her, flinched and looked up.

‘What was that sound?’

On alert, he moved toward the direction of the noise.

If someone had stumbled upon the abandoned factory and witnessed this, it would be a disaster.

‘I can’t get caught until I finish everything and escape overseas.’

If there was a rat, he had to find and kill it now.

As Seo Jin-cheol disappeared to investigate, Shin Hye-ri let out a sigh of relief.

“Phew…”

“Are you okay?”

“Eep!”

Shin Hye-ri’s eyes widened at the sound of a third person’s voice.

Suddenly, Min Do-jun appeared out of thin air.

Thankfully, he covered her mouth just in time, or she would have screamed.

“Calm down, Hye-ri. I’m here to save you.”

“Hunter Min Do-jun…”

As Shin Hye-ri spoke in a tearful voice, Min Do-jun placed a finger to his lips.

“Shh. Save the thanks for later. First, we need to handle the situation…”

Min Do-jun spoke in a serious tone.

“Can you do as I instruct?”

* * *

“Damn it. What was that sound? Did a cat come by or something?”

Seo Jin-cheol returned empty-handed after scouting for any witnesses.

“Anyway, since I’ve confirmed no one’s here…”

His gaze turned back to Shin Hye-ri.

‘Heh heh heh.’

Seeing a beautiful woman in a state of fear made him feel a surge of power.

“Sorry for the interruption. Shall we get started for real now…?”

“Why do you hate my brother so much?”

At Shin Hye-ri’s question, Seo Jin-cheol smirked.

“Stalling for time? Heh heh, fine. I’ll play along. We’ve got plenty of time.”

Seo Jin-cheol answered her question.

“Ten years ago, I had something planned, and that bastard Shin Kyung-min sold me out to the police. That traitor.”

“You’re still holding onto something from so long ago?”

“Do I look that petty to you? I wasn’t completely against forgiving him, you know. But seeing how pissed off I am now, I guess I was wrong about that.”

“My brother must have reflected a lot on this incident. Can’t you forgive him now?”

“Forgive?”

Seo Jin-cheol sneered and scoffed.

“That will never happen.”

“Even if my brother sincerely apologizes first?”

“Of course. Things have come this far-do you think you could resolve it if you were in my shoes? Do you think we could reconcile?”

“Even so, you might join hands for business purposes in the future. If there’s a common goal or something…”

“That won’t happen, I’m telling you. Unless it’s for revenge on that bastard, I’ll never join hands with him. I swear it.”

“Then…”

“Enough. Are you bursting with questions because you’re about to be done for? Why are you suddenly so talkative?”

“I’m curious.”

“Then ask your questions while we have a physical conversation. I’ll answer with all my heart. Heh heh.”

As the excited Seo Jin-cheol grabbed Shin Hye-ri’s collar, at that very moment-

Crack-

Seo Jin-cheol’s arm twisted like a pretzel and was torn off.

“Argh, aaaaah! M-My arm!”

While Seo Jin-cheol clutched his shoulder in agony, Shin Hye-ri stood up and threw his severed arm to the ground.

Seo Jin-cheol, stunned by the unbelievable strength, momentarily forgot his pain and gaped.

The figure he thought was Shin Hye-ri was transforming into Min Do-jun.