Chapter 112 – Jail War #4

Kim Tae-sung looked at Tae-hyuk for a moment before sprinkling soy sauce over his porridge. He stirred a few times before slowly eating.

“Isn’t this the first time we’ve met? But why? I strangely feel like I’ve met you somewhere.”

Tae-hyuk was the one who put him in here. Of course, Tae-hyuk had no intention of telling that to the Bomber.

“This world is very small. Perhaps we met in passing somewhere?”

“Um… Indeed.”

Tae-hyuk scratched his chin.

TV was also available in prison. However, it didn’t mean that they could see the latest entertainment programs. Only one ‘Enlightenment’ channel was broadcasted. Most of them were documentaries and cultural programs selected by the Department of Justice’s correctional program. They could also only watch it for a certain period of time before going to bed.

In the end, the only news from the outside world were sometimes edited news on the Enlightenment channel. The man who bombed Taesung Group for revenge didn’t know the ending of his story. This was what Tae-hyuk was aiming for.

“You are a really interesting person. You are the only one crazy enough to do such a ridiculous thing to get revenge on a big company.”

Kim Tae-sung’s mouth twitched. An emotion appeared for the first time on the middle-aged man’s face. However, Kim Tae-sung wasn’t the type to come alive over such a thing.

“…I am finished eating. I will get up first.”

“I just arrived in this place, so I know some information about the outside world. You will become motivated if you listen to me.”

Kim Tae-sung, who was about to rise from his seat, looked at Tae-hyuk with a cold expression. What could possibly change his heart? He put the tray back on the table and pulled canned peaches out of his pocket.

“I ate rice and now I feel like eating fruit. Would you like one?”

“I will eat it thankfully.”

Kim Tae-sung placed the peach on Tae-hyuk’s plate with no expression. Tae-hyuk cut it in half with a spoon and said,

“Taesung Group was developing a new virus. You would be more familiar with this fact than anyone else.”

“……”

A variety of expressions crossed Kim Tae-sung’s face.

“You didn’t mean to expose it in the first place. You had to give up everything you built as a senior researcher. However, the finished virus was more of a monster than you thought.”

Tae-hyuk spoke the truth about the Taesung case.

“Then you went through a change of heart. You risked your life to expose the truth of what Taesung Group did to the media. I’m sorry but I don’t know what happened in the process; I just know the results.”

The Taesung Group realized Kim Tae-sung’s betrayal and tried to stop him by taking his family as hostages.

“But there was an unexpected event in Taesung Group. The virus used to hold them hostage had mutated. In the end, the prepared vaccine didn’t work and your family died.”

Kim Tae-sung’s hands shook. No matter how many years passed, the anger still remained in his heart.

“Yes. Correct. Thus, the Bomber was born, and I killed innocent people to get revenge for my family. In the end, this happened. I don’t know why anyone would be interested in the story where everyone was wounded and destroyed.”

“Bomber. You’re mistaken.”

“Huh?”

“It is still too early in the story. You thought you succeeded in your revenge but then you went to jail…”

Tae-hyuk stopped for a moment and looked into Kim Tae-sung’s eyes. Then the look disappeared as he started speaking again,

“…I know what happened to the Taesung Group after that.”

Kim Tae-sung nodded.

“If you know then I would like to hear it.”

For the first time, longing appeared in his voice. Tae-hyuk said with a satisfied expression,

“This is the world. It is never fair. You sinned and got stuck in here. However, not all criminals go to jail.”

“…It can’t be.”

“Yes. The data that you risked your life to get, disappeared due to the carelessness of a manager.”

“T-That…”

Kim Tae-sung had created a bomb to smash Taesung Group. However, that wasn’t enough to make a Korean conglomerate crumble.

“And Taesung Group’s president, Song Won-jin was released a little while ago. A senior researcher committed suicide, leaving a suicide note stating that he did everything on his own. In the end, the arrested Taesung Group officials only had to pay a fine. How much would that amount be?”

“……”

“200 million. That is the value of the lives of your family and the researchers.”

“…Ahhhhh!”

Kim Tae-sung suddenly screamed, causing the prisoners nearby to jump.

“Why is he doing that?”

“People become crazy after staying here a while. Leave it alone.”

Tae-hyuk whispered to Kim Tae-sung.

“Then what should you do? You can’t get out of here until you die. The executives of Taesung Group have already returned to the company like nothing happened, and the mass media didn’t report it so the interest of the public gradually disappeared. They just dimly remember that there was a crazy bomber. Is it okay to end it like this?”

“…I, what…?”

“Your revenge failed because you thought this world was just. You thought the opponent would be judged before you exposed their sins? But this is South Korea.”

“Kuhuuuok…”

“Don’t you want to take revenge for their actions? This time, don’t rely on the media and police and judge them directly.”

Kim Tae-sung bit his lip. If he could, he would’ve laughed and died on the spot rather than going to prison. However, Kim Tae-sung wasn’t stupid enough to just believe the other person.

“Is it possible?”

“Yes. To make a deal, I will show my hand first. I will tell you more tonight.”

“Huh? We are in the cells at night…”

“So then wait for me there.”

Tae-hyuk bit the other half of the peach. His tongue enjoyed the sweet taste of the sugar.

That night, Kim Tae-sung opened his mouth and looked at the other person. Kim Cheol-su entered the cell dressed in the clothes of a guard.

@

‘This is a long-term use.’

Kim Tae-sung promised to cooperate with Tae-hyuk in return for breaking him out and help in getting revenge on Taesung Group.

‘He can make a big bomb that blows up buildings.’

The four bombs he left behind had been very useful in the past few months. But could he supplement it? It was enough with the crime skills.

Tae-hyuk looked at the note given to him by Kim Tae-sung. It contained the ingredients needed to make a bomb. Kim Tae-sung promised that he could create a significant explosion in the prison with these things.

Tae-hyuk was aware of his skills more than anyone else.

‘It will be busy tonight.’

Tae-hyuk checked on Yoo Cheol-ho’s state, who was completely asleep, and entered the tunnel. He didn’t forget to take the keys hidden by the entrance. He had snatched it away from a new guard a few days ago. The guard would be suffering after knowing he lost it.

After leaving the cell, Tae-hyuk grasped the position of the guards with Spying. He had a lot to do tonight. First, he had to collect the bomb materials and then steal the faces of the remaining guards for a full-scale war.

Up to now, Tae-hyuk could imitate the faces of five guards. It was impossible to completely disguise as them. The guards walked around when they weren’t working, so something could go wrong if he accidentally ran into them.

A greater variation of disguises was needed to ensure his safety. He would double the number tonight.

Tae-hyuk changed his clothing with Counterfeit and disappeared into the darkness.

@

Four days have passed since the meals had first changed. The complaints of the prisoners became severe enough to pop.

It was currently the fun exercise time. Exercise time was for only 60 minutes a day, and was a very precious time for the prisoners. It was the only chance for them to experience the cool air and move their bodies freely.

As usual, people with similar minds gathered together to play badminton or basketball. However, they hadn’t been able to eat a proper meal for days. The only inmates jumping around were the foreigners.

The South Korean inmates huddled in a corner and swore at the guards.

“Does this make sense? We are the only ones being starved.”

“That guard over there is about to throw his food away. Can’t he sprinkle some leftovers on my rice?”

“Wow, those evil bastards. Isn’t this too much?”

“I was sniffing around the kitchen and discovered a guard eating. Fuck… I thought all the corn was gone.”

“…I will get those bastards fired as soon as I am out of here.”

“When are you going to finish? Take me as well. I just extended…”

The bloody conversation was over.

Normally, the anger towards the guards would’ve already subsided. But since yesterday, the behaviour of the guards became especially bad. The warden had issued an order a few days ago not to agitate the nerves of the prisoners, yet some crazy guards still continued their tyranny.

Shin Chang-ho looked at the agitated prisoners with serious eyes from a corner of the playground. His bodyguard said,

“Hyung-nim. Cheol-su was right. The guards are acting ridiculous and the complaints of the prisoners are skyrocketing.”

Shin Chang-ho muttered with a groan. It felt more like a war with the prison guards instead of the Japanese.

“There really might be a war, but it still lacks the fire. Three days… We just need to wait three days.”

The guards were armed with stun guns and gas guns. If Shin Chang-ho made a mistake here, then he would be punished with solitary confinement. But no matter how angry the prisoners were, they wouldn’t explode without a trigger.

Please keep quiet…

Shin Chang-ho closed his eyes and begged. However, the fires of war broke out from a very small place.

@

It was time for dinner, and the menu was once again the same old porridge. Now it was too exhausting to even complain.

“Fuck, again? Then I should eat the one I was saving.”

Prisoner 974 pulled out the sausage he had been hiding. It was the precious emergency food he got from the store. He started to peel it in order to eat it.

But with perfect timing, one of the guards struck his arm. The sausage fell and rolled on the ground. Number 947’s eyes widened.

“M-My sausage!”

Fortunately, the skin area was touching the ground so he could still eat it if he cut a little bit off.

“Ah, I’m sorry. The precious sausage is gone.”

The guard laughed and stepped on 974’s hand that was stretching to pick up the sausage.

“Kuaaack!”

974 screamed as his hand and sausage were stepped on at the same time.

“Ah, sorry… I wasn’t expecting you to pick it up to eat. Well. I think you can still eat it if you clean it well. Haha!”

In the end, 974 couldn’t endure it anymore and exploded.

“Fucking bastard!”

Bam!

He punched the guard who stepped on his fingers. Then the watching guards ran over with their rods.

“You over there! What are you doing now? Put him in solitary!”

“Ah? Solitary? I don’t care about that anymore! Just let me kill this bastard!”

Number 974 slapped at one of the guard’s rods. It struck the face of the prisoner sitting next to him. In the end, the inmates nearby joined in the fight.

“Kill them!”

“Aaaaack!”

“Fuuuuuckers!”

Even the guards who ran over to stop them got involved in the struggle. In the end, the war between prisoners and guards started with one sausage.

The guard who stepped on the sausage had a nosebleed. However, he smiled and licked his lips. The guard muttered in a small voice,

“—As planned.”