The man named Aquino walked in with an extremely gloomy expression.

His face was clearly filled with displeasure, as if everything in the world was both offensive and mocking. As he kicked open the wooden door of the mansion and stepped inside, he immediately raised his voice:

“Hiding like a cowardly rat, only capable of taking money and running away, yet holed up in a luxurious mansion like this? Who’s this damn bastard here, is it that guy Shima?”

“Calm down, Aquino. If you keep making such a ruckus, the rat we’re after will manage to flee yet again.”

The one speaking slowly from behind Aquino was Ilay. Aquino glanced at Ilay with displeasure but said nothing further, only muttered under his breath and scanned the room before finally locking eyes with Alain, who was seated in the living room.

“Oh, Alain! Heard you’ve found that rat. Good job; he’s very pleased.”

“Ah, is that so? Thanks for the good news.”

Alain smiled and raised a hand in response.

‘Ah, I see. So this guy Aquino is the only one directly in contact with the client.’

Jeong Taeui thought to himself as he sat with his back turned to the door, then reluctantly turned around. At that exact moment, his eyes met with Ilay’s, who had just entered. Ilay looked at him with a blank expression, revealing no emotion whatsoever, causing Jeong Taeui to immediately avert his gaze from Ilay and turn to Aquino next. He was a thin European man with black hair and deep, dark eyes.

Aquino looked at Jeong Taeui, his face twisted like a ghost, then let out a bizarre laugh.

“Is it this guy? The genius codebreaker they talk about? The perverted bastard who likes to kill people while ejaculating during sex?”

“…….”

Jeong Taeui didn’t know what to say, he merely pressed his lips together lightly. But that didn’t sit well with Aquino. He kicked the sofa where Taeui was sitting and shouted loudly:

“You bastard, how dare you glare at me like that!”

But just then, Alain intervened:

“At first, I was wondering who would come to supervise, turns out it’s you and Rick, huh? Aquino and Rick?”

“Supervise what? We came here to help you because we figured you couldn’t handle it yourself. So, has this guy finished decoding yet?”

“No, he hasn’t even started yet.”

As soon as Alain finished speaking, before he could add anything, Aquino grabbed Jeong Taeui by the collar and yanked him up abruptly. Observing the man at close range, Jeong Taeui thought Aquino seemed even gloomier than before. Aquino leaned in close, his eyes stabbing straight into Taeui’s as if to pierce through him, then laughed with a distorted, terrifying grin.

“Tsk, that face really looks pathetic.”

‘Well, of course, I’d look pathetic. How could I not?’

Jeong Taeui thought to himself, feeling even more disheartened by his situation.

And just at that moment, Aquino suddenly swung his hand in a strong slap across Taeui’s face.

Still being held by the collar, Jeong Taeui took the unexpected hit full on. He felt dizzy, as though he could see stars flying before his eyes for a moment.

“So you’re the bastard who signed the contract, took tens of millions of dollars, started decoding, and then ran away with the code halfway through, huh? Useless bastard――.”

When Aquino raised his fist again, Alain quickly stepped in to stop him.

“Hey, that’s enough. If it goes on like this and our ‘genius codebreaker’ goes crazy and takes a reckless gamble*, then what should we do?”

(*배 째라고: literally means “Cut open the stomach”, but it should be understood figuratively as “Take a reckless risk” or “Go all in.”)

Alain spoke in a mocking tone, with a faint smile. Aquino glared at him as if unwilling to agree, then snorted, releasing Jeong Taeui’s collar with a shove. Jeong Taeui staggered back a few steps, clutching his face, and muttered painfully: “Ouch……. So skinny, yet the punch still hurts like hell.”

While using his tongue to check inside his mouth for any cuts, Jeong Taeui unintentionally locked eyes with Ilay. Ilay was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, staring at him without moving an inch. The lack of expression on Ilay’s face made Jeong Taeui’s chest involuntarily chill for a moment.

‘Ah, this guy doesn’t say it out loud, but clearly, he’s very annoyed inside.’

Taeui thought to himself, clicking his tongue softly. But before he could do anything, Aquino turned to Alain and asked:

“So where’s this bastard’s stuff?!”

It seemed that everything had been prepared in advance. Alain pointed to the table where some of Shima Qinwei’s belongings were placed: a few notebooks, a laptop, memory cards, and some other important items. Aquino rummaged through all of them, then gathered them into a pile and declared:

“I’m keeping these.”

“Why? They’re mine!” 

Jeong Taeui frowned in protest.

Aquino rolled his eyes, seeming both very surprised and contemptuous:

“Why, huh? A scumbag like you, running off halfway with the goods, dares to say that? Looking back, it’s truly shameless.――Oh, right, I guess you couldn’t have pulled off running away and killing someone without feeling any guilt unless you were truly thick-skinned.”

Aquino stepped closer, grabbed Jeong Taeui’s collar again, pushed his face close to his, and bared his teeth as he spoke:

“Listen carefully, you lunatic. Genius or whatever, I don’t care. Somewhere out there, you might be praised for your talent. But to me, people like you, who can’t even distinguish between children and adults, who act solely on their whims—even to the extent of killing someone—are utterly revolting. And I find it even more disgusting when someone like you dares to spout nonsense.”

“Got it? Then shut your mouth. ――Scum like you deserve to meet someone like me, to have your ass torn open and die a fitting death.”

Aquino’s words were somewhat extreme, but Jeong Taeui couldn’t deny that they partly reflected his own thoughts. Still, hearing those words directly from his opponent left him feeling aggrieved, even though he had already prepared himself mentally for this role. With no other options, he could only focus on playing his part well. 

While Aquino was gripping his collar, Jeong Taeui hurriedly raised his hands to show him, noticing that Aquino clenched his fist again, seemingly ready to punch him once more.

“Wait. Don’t hit me again. Not even with flowers. If you keep hitting, I won’t decrypt it. Absolutely won’t. You all need that thing within three days, right?”

“What?! You dare threaten me, you little piece of――.”

“I’m serious! I won’t do it! Absolutely won’t!”

Jeong Taeui shouted with a serious expression as Aquino raised his fist higher. At that moment, Ilay, who had approached unnoticed, gently patted Aquino’s arm.

“Now……. First, let’s make him work. Since the client also said he needs to have what he requires to work. We need to obtain what they want quickly so they’ll be satisfied, isn’t that right?”

“―…….”

This time, Aquino glanced at Ilay, dissatisfaction spilling from the corner of his eyes, but eventually, he slowly relaxed his clenched fists. He roughly released Jeong Taeui’s collar as if pushing him away, then kicked the chair Taeui had just been sitting on before slumping down onto the opposite chair.

“If you don’t finish decoding in three days, you’re dead meat, you bastard. Filthy scum. Look at what this contract says, you son of a bitch.”

Spewing a string of curses, Aquino pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket, scowling as he read a few lines.

“…….Must decode and submit before this date. During this time, no restricting the subject’s activities, no causing harm, and what’s this? No interfering with the subject’s sexual matters? Even, if the working environment is unsuitable, must meet requests and provide a partner as desired? This damn sex maniac is truly beyond redemption.”

‘Things are getting worse and worse.’

Jeong Taeui suppressed the urge to kill the already-deceased Shima Qinwei once more but seized the chance to speak:

“Alright, then I’ll……. cut down on the sexual activities, or whatever…….”

But immediately.

The entire living room turned oppressively strange.

Ilay and Alain merely cast him sidelong glances without a word, while Aquino looked at Taeui with an odd expression. At that moment, Taeui realized he had said something wrong, but it was too late. Aquino fixed a piercing stare on him and muttered:

“Stop talking nonsense. Wasn’t it you, the bastard who, before fleeing Geneva*, spent every day screaming for a delivery of hot young men, tearing their asses apart and tormenting them to the point of ruin?”

Aquino’s eyes narrowed, filled with suspicion, causing Jeong Taeui to feel as though his heart stopped for a moment.

‘Damn it, I didn’t expect this shameless jerk to go that far!’

“Ah……. what I mean is……. there’s no need to have them sent here……. I’ll just go out and explore a bit on my own, take care of it, and come back……. Besides, I heard there’s a red-light district nearby, isn’t there…….”

“Ahaha, right, right, that place gathers all sorts of weird folks, so if someone dies there, it’s easier to handle than calling someone over. Thanks for thinking of that, Shima.”  

Alain burst out laughing and responded, while Jeong Taeui merely shrugged lightly, trying his best to appear natural. Although still harboring plenty of doubts, Aquino only muttered: “A madman, just like a dog can’t give up eating its own filth”, before turning his gaze elsewhere.

‘The situation seems to have settled down for now.’

With that, Jeong Taeui let out a sigh of relief, but at the same time, a feeling of bitterness crept into his heart, leaving him melancholic. He lowered his head in sadness, and at that moment, Ilay, leaning against the wall, opened his mouth to speak: “Alright.”

“As previously agreed, whatever you want will be granted. However, since you have a history of running away, no matter where you go or what you do, one of us will always accompany you. And remember, within three days, you must complete the task. If not――well, I don’t think I need to spell out the consequences. I’m sure you’re already aware.”

After summarizing the situation briefly to dispel the heavy atmosphere, he glanced at Jeong Taeui as if seeking his input. Taeui nodded and replied: “Understood.”

Aquino, still glaring at Taeui with a rather unfriendly expression, said nothing further, while Alain continued smiling brightly and clapped his hands. “Good, then first, let’s eat! I’ve invited a top chef in the area to prepare the meal, guaranteed to satisfy you!” With that said, Alain stood up and led the way to the dining room. Aquino checked his watch and muttered: “I need to step out to make a few calls”, before leaving the room.

Watching Aquino’s figure disappear with a phone in hand, Jeong Taeui relaxed his shoulders a little and sighed.

It was said that only Aquino knew the true identity of the client who had commissioned Shima Qinwei to decipher the code and that he was the sole person who maintained regular contact with them. Rumor further had it that Aquino used to work for an intelligence agency of some principality, but he had long abandoned that job and now merely acted as an intermediary for information exchange.

The moment Aquino vanished from the room, Jeong Taeui gently patted his chest and exhaled deeply. ‘Everything will probably be alright.’ He reassured himself, though he still felt more tension than he anticipated. Imitating a real person (or someone who once existed) was an entirely different challenge. ‘One slip of the tongue, and I’ll be exposed.’ He thought and sighed again.

Suddenly, a hand came from behind, catching him off guard. Those familiar, pale hands grabbed his chin and lifted it up. In front of him was the cold face of Ilay, scrutinizing him closely. 

Ilay stared at the left side of Jeong Taeui’s face for a while before muttering, “It’s bruised.” His clicking tongue was icy and grim.

“It’s nothing serious……. But hey, that guy has taken all of Shima Qinwei’s stuff, is it really okay? What if there’s something in there that could expose us? Like a photo of Shima himself, or……. what if the code has already been cracked?” 

Taeui, feeling embarrassed, brushed off Ilay’s hand and raised the concern that had been gnawing at him. While Ilay, still fixated on his face without glancing away even for a moment, finally responded indifferently.

“The code hasn’t been cracked yet. If it had been deciphered and the lock opened, we’d know immediately. But for now, the code remains strong.”

Among the few things that guy took away, if there’s anything noteworthy, it’s probably the laptop. But even the laptop, Shima Qinwei—with his suspicious and cunning nature—had set a password on it, so no one knows what’s inside.

Alain, who had already walked ahead into the dining room, unexpectedly popped his head out as if he heard everything, and then added:

“It’s possible to crack the laptop’s password, right?”

“Impossible to solve, impossible to solve. I tried all night yesterday. Although I’m not as skilled as Shima Qinwei, I do have some experience in codebreaking. Yet, whatever this password is set up with, it’s completely unbreakable. With this level of difficulty, unless the person who set the password appears themselves, no one will be able to crack it for at least the next three days.”

It was only after Alain nodded in admiration and said: “As expected, a password created by the decoding genius Shima Qinwei”, that Jeong Taeui felt somewhat reassured.

‘Because, after all, Shima Qinwei is already dead, so he can’t come back—if he does, I’d gladly give up my place immediately—and if it takes more than three days to break the password, then within this remaining time, surely nothing will happen.’

“But Aquino is a very sharp individual in many aspects, so you should be careful.”

Ilay took out a tablet and tapped on it a few times, then handed it to Jeong Taeui while walking past him. Ilay sat in the chair opposite Alain, grabbed a piece of roasted pork leg on the table, and began eating. Meanwhile, Jeong Taeui sat down next to Ilay and looked at the tablet. A text file appeared on the screen. It was a short report about observations related to Shima Qinwei.

“Take a look. This is a brief description of Shima Qinwei’s habits during his time in Geneva before he fled. Aquino has probably read it thoroughly enough to memorize it.”

Jeong Taeui glanced at Ilay, then focused on the content on the screen.

The content consisted of a few brief and concise sentences describing the daily habits of Shima Qinwei:

Shima Qinwei hardly did anything during the day. He usually woke up late and spent the entire afternoon lounging by the pool in the villa, sunbathing, taking naps, or watching movies, living lazily. At night, he would engage in sexual activities with individuals who were pre-arranged at his request. He often prioritized young and handsome men but occasionally requested women of the same age or older men by a few years.

His sexual behaviors were often violent and leaned toward sadism. Most of the victims suffered physical injuries, ranging from mild to severe. In some cases, the victims were so badly injured that they could not fully recover and had to be hospitalized for treatment.

Sometimes, instead of calling someone over, he would go out and wander around the red-light districts. On these occasions, he liked to hire multiple people at once, especially young boys, in the alleys of red-light districts, forcing them to engage in intercourse with one another in the dark alleys while he stood watching and masturbating.

Even within the mansion, he would sometimes walk around naked. Whenever he accidentally encountered someone, he seemed to become increasingly excited, even visibly aroused.

“…….Oh my god……. What a lunatic…….”

Though he understood that everyone’s preferences should be respected, Jeong Taeui couldn’t help but feel a shiver down his spine. He looked up at Ilay and Alain with a face wrinkled with despair and frustration.

“Do you want me to do things like this…….?”

“No, not necessarily exactly like that, just show something similar enough, okay?”

“But I don’t even know what this ‘similar enough’ level is supposed to be.”

No matter how much Jeong Taeui thought of the most depraved sexual acts in his life, they paled in comparison to what was described here. At this level, it was no longer just a deviation; it had crossed the boundary into outright criminality…….

“If he does those kinds of things, when does he even work?”

“Right after having intercourse. The client who hired him ensured there were sexual partners prepared for him every night because he insisted that only after satisfying his desires could he focus on his work. The truth is, once he finished, he would dive into decoding with terrifying concentration for about two hours. Thankfully, when working, he was highly sensitive, wouldn’t allow anyone near, and always locked the door. So, you don’t have to decode anything in front of Aquino or anyone else.”

Ilay glanced out the window. Aquino stood under a tree in the yard, talking on the phone. Ilay’s indifferent gaze toward Aquino evoked a feeling akin to a predator silently observing prey, prompting Jeong Taeui to quietly lower his head and continue cutting his piece of meat.

“So……. your ultimate goal is to find out the identity of this mysterious client, not to decode the cipher?”

Taeui asked, and Alain shrugged with a smile:  

“That’s Rick’s business. My job is to track down Shima Qinwei, the one who escaped from Geneva, and make him decode the cipher.”  

“…….So, is Ilay’s investigation into the client going well?”  

“Haha, of course, I don’t care. I’ve received enough money, I just need to finish my part of the job, the rest is none of my concern.”  

‘What exactly is the relationship between these people?’  

Jeong Taeui thought to himself while glancing at Ilay and licking the grease off his fingers.  

“Will this go smoothly?”  

“Definitely. We already know the client’s identity, now we just need solid evidence. So Jeong Jay must finish decoding and deliver the cipher to Aquino before the deadline.”  

“Only then can we extract the client’s identity from Aquino.” – Ilay whispered, accompanied by a faint smile. His smile resembled someone watching prey caught in a trap. Even Jeong Taeui, someone who understood perfectly what kind of person Ilay was, felt a chill run down his spine.  

‘If this guy said so, then perhaps everything is almost settled. I just need to avoid messing things up……. But can we get through this without any complications?’  

When Aquino finished his call and walked inside, Jeong Taeui sighed and muttered:  

“Just hope these three days pass peacefully.”  

***************

*Geneva: a city in Switzerland, located at the western tip of the country near the French border. It’s known for being an international hub, hosting many organizations like the United Nations and the International Red Cross.