Chapter 80: Self-Defense

As soon as Lee Jaehyun headed towards the stairs leading up to the second floor, one of the remaining Club Guards blocked his path.

“Sorry, sir. If you haven’t reserved a Room, entry is forbidden.”

“I know, but my friend’s in one of those Rooms right now. Something urgent happened and she’s not answering her phone, so I need to go call her out.”

“That’s not allowed.”

Lee Jaehyun tried to explain his situation to the Club Guard, but the man was stubborn as a mule.

When the guard resolutely blocked him with a firm tone, Lee Jaehyun frowned slightly and spoke up.

“Look. I’m just going to bring her out with me, that’s all.”

“I said that’s not allowed.”

“Not allowed, huh…? Suddenly talking down to me, are you?”

“Hey, I’m telling you nicely—just leave while you can. Don’t make a mess here and regret coming out for a night.”

The Club Guard pushed at Lee Jaehyun’s chest as he spoke.

Lee Jaehyun let out a deliberate chuckle.

Oh Seohyun was inside, and he hadn’t fully assessed the situation yet.

He couldn’t reveal his identity as a Police Officer right away, so he tried to just slip inside—but they were being so stubborn.

It couldn’t be helped.

“You hit me first, huh?”

“If you want to argue, go argue somewhere else—”

The Club Guard started to say something and reached out, shoving Lee Jaehyun again.

Lee Jaehyun grabbed the man’s hand with his right hand, pulled it outward, and twisted.

In a blink, the Club Guard lost his balance and staggered.

Jaehyun swung his fist toward the man’s exposed side.

Thwack!

Right on the liver.

Ugh…

The Club Guard took a hit to a vital point, exhaled sharply, and collapsed on the spot.

Thud.

Jaehyun, confirming the man had gone down, dusted off his hands and straightened up.

“You could’ve just opened up and saved us both the trouble.”

Muttering to the downed Club Guard, Jaehyun headed for the stairs.

But as he started up toward the VIP Room, another thug who had been ahead of him turned around, having heard the commotion, and blocked his way.

Dark eyes—looking mean.

This time, the guy started speaking rudely from the get-go.

Well, he must’ve seen Jaehyun take down the Club Guard below—so of course.

“I’m just here to call my friend. I’ll take her and leave.”

Jaehyun shrugged and replied coolly.

Things had already come to this, so there was no need for pretense.

Now was the time to act quickly.

The Club Guard frowned, wary at Jaehyun’s relaxed reply.

“…Are you from the Tiger Gang?”

“What do you take me for? Do I look like that kind of person?”

Jaehyun said seriously.

How could anyone mistake a Police Officer for a gangster?

“You only see what you want to see, but there are some things you shouldn’t say, you punk.”

“Is this guy actually crazy?”

“I get that a lot.”

At least this one seemed to understand words.

Or so Jaehyun thought, when the Club Guard cracked his knuckles and approached.

A tall man, easily 185 centimeters, with plenty of muscle.

Wearing a suit, cracking his knuckles—he exuded a real sense of intimidation.

For an ordinary person, this would be enough to make them back down.

The Club Guard seemed to know it too; he grinned down at Jaehyun and spoke.

“You, are you a jailbird?”

“I’m not.”

So much for reasoning.

A jailbird, really.

He was a proud protector of the people.

“See, I told you. You can’t reason with punks like this.”

Jaehyun replied with that thought in mind, making the Club Guard scowl.

“Then what are you, punk?”

“I told you. I’ve got a friend inside Room 10.”

With that, Jaehyun strode right up to the gangster.

Just as the two drew close, within arm’s reach.

The Club Guard swung his fist at Jaehyun.

“Big guy.”

That’s what Jaehyun thought as the punch came his way.

Compared to the Club Guard he’d knocked out earlier, this guy was even bigger, and his fists matched.

Jaehyun stepped back, leaning his body away from the incoming punch.

Whoosh.

The fist swept past his nose; Jaehyun watched the man’s movements closely.

No wonder they’d hired him as a Club Guard—his build rivaled Park Man-seok’s.

“Can I win against him right now?”

Since returning to the past, Jaehyun had lost the body he’d painstakingly trained.

He’d managed with technique alone until now, but…

This opponent was well-versed in fighting, too.

No matter how good your technique is, it’s tough to bridge a two-class weight difference; facing off now was daunting.

But that thought lasted only a moment.

Jaehyun let out a faint chuckle.

“When did I ever worry about stuff like this before going in?”

He was a mad dog.

If there was an opponent he needed to bite, he just charged.

Since when did a mad dog stop to calculate odds before attacking?

Jaehyun saw the man coming at him again with another punch and raised his hands.

This guy’s build was on a whole different level from Jaehyun’s.

In a professional match, it would be impossible to overcome such a difference.

But… in a “professional match,” that is.

Whap.

Staring straight at the incoming fist, Jaehyun raised both hands, wrapping the man’s arm.

A movement so smooth and precise, it seemed as if he were drawing the punch in on purpose.

“Huh?”

The Club Guard, caught off guard as his arm was suddenly grabbed, looked startled—but it was already too late.

If the man had suspected Jaehyun might be a Police Officer, he shouldn’t have swung so carelessly.

Police Officers always learn Judo as a basic skill.

If your opponent grabs your arm, what do you expect will happen?

Jaehyun twisted, bringing his back to the man’s stomach.

Whoosh.

With both hands, he pulled the man’s arm forward, using the direction of the punch.

And then—

Bang!

The big Club Guard slammed into the club’s floor, a loud thud echoing down the hall.

“Guhhh…”

Judo is a martial art that uses the opponent’s strength against them.

So—the stronger the opponent, the harder the impact when the technique lands.

He charged in without thinking, and it was only natural that he’d go down in one move.

He might not be dead, but he’d be lying there for a while.

“Looks like I need to work out more.”

Jaehyun rotated his sore shoulder in circles, muttering.

If these guys attacked all at once, even Jaehyun would be in trouble.

He’d have to start training again in advance.

Thinking that, he glanced down at the unconscious Club Guard, then shifted his gaze down the hallway.

The MDs watched Jaehyun carefully.

He spotted a familiar face among them and pointed.

“You there.”

“Me? Uh, me?!”

“Yeah, you, Pigeon.”

The MD who had taken Oh Seohyun—Pigeon—awkwardly met Jaehyun’s eyes.

Jaehyun approached him and continued.

“The woman you took earlier. Where is she?”

“Uh…”

Pigeon rolled his eyes as he stalled for time in response to Jaehyun’s question.

Watching him obviously rack his brains, Jaehyun smirked.

“The last Room, the VIP Room, right?”

“How did you—… Gasp!!!”

He clapped a hand over his mouth, but it was too obvious.

He’d said the guest was a VVIP, and it wasn’t like there were a bunch of Room 10s in a place like this.

The VIP Room location was obvious.

Just in case, Jaehyun had asked to confirm.

And now that the man had let it slip, Jaehyun was sure his hunch was right.

“I’ll be back soon.”

He hoped it wasn’t too late.

He trusted Detective Oh, but at a crime scene, unpredictable variables could always arise.

Jaehyun strode straight down the hallway to the very end.

He soon stood in front of a door marked with Golden Room in gold lettering.

Without hesitation, he opened the door wide.

***

The place was a mess of empty bottles, and melted ice from the Ice Bucket was trickling everywhere.

Detective Oh sat on a ‘ㄷ’-shaped sofa, staring at Jaehyun with wide, startled eyes.

Jaehyun turned his gaze to the man standing beside her and spoke.

“Park Man-seok.”

Park Man-seok looked at Jaehyun, as if incredulous.

A few more Club Guards and MDs had come in after, apparently to restrain Jaehyun, but—

Perhaps they’d noticed the Club Guards lying on the way, for when Jaehyun glanced over his shoulder, they froze, unable to approach.

“What’s that supposed to be?”

But as no one answered, Park Man-seok’s expression turned sour.

It was only one sentence, but Jaehyun could tell how Park Man-seok viewed his own status.

King.

He believed himself to be the King.

That he stood in absolute superiority, that Lee Jaehyun was nothing at all.

It was natural.

How could a mere individual go up against a whole corporation?

Park Man-seok glared at Jaehyun and questioned him.

“Hey, who the hell are you?”

“Didn’t you hear? I’m asking who you are, you bastard.”

Despite Park Man-seok asking again, Jaehyun simply scanned the situation silently, not answering.

Jaehyun’s gaze was fixed beyond Park Man-seok.

Detective Oh.

Her safety came first; judging by her appearance and expression, she seemed all right.

But—

“That…”

As Jaehyun checked on Detective Oh, he noticed her wrist and his eyebrows twitched.

Had someone grabbed her rough?

Detective Oh’s wrist was red and bruised.

“Ha, bastard. You really make answering expensive, huh? I asked who you are, is that—”

Jaehyun looked at Park Man-seok and spoke.

“That.”

“Oh, finally opening your mouth.”

“Was it you who did that?”

Jaehyun pointed at Detective Oh’s wrist.

At his words, Park Man-seok let out a long sigh.

“Ha. Why do people keep coming here to hassle an honest man?”

Saying that, Park Man-seok took off his watch and tossed it aside.

Just when he was about to do something, these crazy people barged in, so of course he’d be in a foul mood.

Park Man-seok glared at Jaehyun as if ready to strike at any moment.

“Keep exercising your right to remain silent if you want. I’m already pissed off. Let’s see how long you keep your mouth shut…!”

Park Man-seok swung his fist at Jaehyun.

Unlike before, Jaehyun didn’t dodge, and took the punch head-on, staggering back a step.

Crack.

Blood trickled from his split lip.

Jaehyun wiped the blood away with his thumb and spoke.

“You hit first…”

“You bastard.”

Realizing Jaehyun hadn’t dodged on purpose, Park Man-seok’s face hardened.

Watching him, Jaehyun smirked and continued.

“Now it’s self-defense, isn’t it?”

A mad glint shone in Jaehyun’s eyes as he spoke.