Next Level
EP 9.


After that, I started searching every corner of the warehouse, following Min Yoongi's instructions.

He seemed quite accustomed to this situation, handling the items in the warehouse with skill. Kim Seokjin didn't really step forward either. I, too, was unfamiliar with everything, so I followed along silently.

From the sand, several more corpses emerged, their legs, arms, and wrists. They were so decomposed that it was hard to believe they were corpses. They were as pale and lifeless as frozen models. My eyes, already accustomed to this, were astonished.


민윤기
Those sacks will be burned last, and the icebox will probably be a bit heavy. It would be good if Seokjin and I could carry it.


김석진
okay.


김석진
Hoseok and Namjoon, search those people's bodies to see if anything comes out, and Yeoju and Jungkook, look into the office that we missed earlier.


김석진
Jimin and Taehyung, search this warehouse more to see if there's anything we missed. We'll take care of the icebox.


김남준
yes.

Everyone nodded. Without a word, they each began to carry out their assigned tasks.


민윤기
Hey, hold onto this by the end and be careful not to spill it. If you drop it, everything inside will leak out and you'll be in big trouble...


김석진
okay.


김석진
Can you go to that corner?


민윤기
Yes, it's spacious and easy to handle.

The two men carried the icebox and headed to a secluded corner of the warehouse.


Chorus-


김석진
eww...


민윤기
You've collected a lot.

What emerged from the icebox were none other than "organs." Iceboxes are used to preserve freshness and prevent spoilage. Blood-soaked ice and red objects poured out onto the floor.


김석진
Should I burn all of this too?


민윤기
It's wet so I don't think it'll catch fire easily...


민윤기
Let's just roughly chop it up. Just making it unusable is enough. The executives will come and take care of the cleanup.


김석진
Oh, I see. We don't have to clean it up.


민윤기
Then I'll get the knife. It's right over there.

widely-


민윤기
...brother?


김석진
...Yoongi.

Seokjin grabbed Yoongi's wrist as he turned to face the other side.

Seokjin hesitated for a moment, then grabbed Yoongi's hand, which was trembling strangely. Unexpectedly, Yoongi asked, "Why?" Soon, Seokjin spoke in a worried voice.


김석진
Earlier... that guy said something about Jungkook.


김석진
What happened? What did you say?


민윤기
...a moment ago...?


민윤기
ah,






"Jeon Jungkook, that bastard..."

"He's a criminal. He beat up a person and went to jail."


민윤기
...!!

...Jeon Jungkook? A person?

"...What do you think? Isn't it quite interesting?"


민윤기
...


민윤기
Shit...



민윤기
...I'm not sure if it's true or not.


민윤기
I need to hear Jeon Jungkook's story to get an idea, but there's no way he'll tell me anything in the current atmosphere.


김석진
...you hit a person?


민윤기
...

Yoongi answered in silence. Seokjin also seemed to have become more thoughtful and remained silent after that.

What on earth happened to Jeon Jungkook and this organization, and how did they become so entangled in each other?


"Yoon Ki-hyung."


민윤기
Huh, huh?


전정국
There's something strange in the office, and I was wondering if you knew anything about it.


민윤기
Ah... Okay. I'll go.


전정국
...

Did he act too surprised by Jungkook's sudden, silent approach? Jungkook looked at Yoongi's back as he walked away awkwardly with dry eyes and asked.


전정국
brother.


민윤기
uh?


전정국
Didn't that new X say something earlier?





민윤기
...what...?


전정국
When we caught that new X at our training ground earlier, you didn't say anything?


민윤기
ah...

Yoongi was troubled. Should he pretend not to know this or not?

If I pretend not to know, that would be uncomfortable in its own way, and if I say so, there's no way to know what Jeon Jungkook will say or how he will react. And I don't even know if the story that Jeon Jungkook is a criminal is certain or not.


민윤기
...

While Yoongi was hesitating and biting his lip, Jungkook, who seemed to have noticed, snickered and spoke first. He spoke in a calm voice, as if he had expected it.


전정국
You mentioned it.


민윤기
...Jungkook,


전정국
What did you say?


전정국
Did you know I hit people?