Chapter 93

Chapter 93 – Big Brother’s Raid #4

The police couldn’t work properly due to the numerous hostages being trapped . Furthermore, most captors only asked for money or a means of escape . However, the person in the building declared that he would kill all the hostages if Phantom wasn’t brought here .

“Damn…!”

After completing a call with the police commissioner, the commando leader spat out words of frustration . No matter how he thought about it, the opponent was from a terrorist organization with a grudge against Phantom .

About 30 minutes ago, a commando strike team was dispatched after hearing the news story that an armed villain was holding hostages in the middle of the city . The leader of the commandos thought that the other person was just a gangster with a gun, and that they would be able to easily overpower him .

Therefore, the 1st squadron consisting of 12 people entered the building . The commandos were a group that went through high intensity training . They were above ordinary soldiers in terms of combat skills, and all of them had exceptional skills . When it came to suppressing terrorism, they were confident that they wouldn’t fall behind the special forces of other countries .

However, the commandos leader soon realized that his judgement was wrong .

“I’m sorry Chief-nim . The opponent installed booby traps in the building and completely blocked all access routes . He has a M60 machine gun . ”

The commandos leader felt dizzy at the report from his deputy .

“What about the damage to us?”

“Two people slightly wounded… Four people severely wounded… Fortunately, there were no casualties . ”

“How can you say that?”

“… . I’m really sorry . ”

The number of enemies was at most three . However, 6 of the 12 people had come back with injuries?

“The nation’s largest counterterrorism force…”

The deputy started making excuses .

“It is a structure that is difficult to break into, due to the narrow passages inside . Furthermore, the opponent isn’t a mere terrorist . The machine gun was aimed precisely at areas where there was no protective clothing . Furthermore, there aren’t just machine guns, but rifles and shotguns…”

“Stop your excuses . Prepare a second team to strike . Why isn’t Detective Cho Kang-suk coming!”

There were only two people who could get in touch with Phantom . One of them was being held inside the building . Then somebody blocking the scene cried out loudly .

“Detective Cho Kang-suk has arrived!”

The commandos leader looked at the place where the voice was heard . The person he had been waiting for rushed in .

“I’m sorry . I am late . ”

Detective Cho Kang-suk was accompanied by Investigator Joo Hyun-ho . He was a criminal profiler and came along for negotiations with the criminal .

Joo Hyun-ho asked the deputy .

“There isn’t much time left until the killer kills the first hostage?”

“Yes, that’s right . There is 10 minutes and 20 seconds left . ”

“I understand . You should try to contact Phantom, and I will buy as much time as possible by trying to communicate with the criminal . ”

The commandos leader nodded favourably at Joo Hyun-ho’s words .

“So can you contact Phantom?”

“I am trying . He seems to be in a place with no radio waves . ”

“Hu… I don’t know why innocent civilians need to get involved in the power struggle between criminals . Anyway, Investigator Joo Hyun-ho should buy as much time as possible . There will soon be a second attempt to penetrate . ”

Kang-suk’s face turned pale .

“I heard that there are 30 hostages . If you try to break through with force, won’t they be harmed?”

“It is a shame for me as well . However, we are bound by the rule to not negotiate with terrorists . There needs to be some sacrifices . ”

Kang-suk’s face distorted .

They should think of the people’s lives as the top priority . However, the hostages were treated like obstacles in the way of catching a terrorist .

The commandos leader noticed Kang-suk’s atmosphere and tried to appease him .

“In the first place, I think that people who work in a place like the karaoke bars are wrong . ”

It was counterproductive . In the end, Cho Kang-suk’s anger exploded .

“The police isn’t here to kill terrorists, but to protect the people!”

The face of the commandos leader turned red . Cho Kang-suk was obviously right . However, he would be broken if he was too upright . In order to live in this world, sometimes a moderate compromise was needed .

Cho Kang-suk realized that he had shouted at someone higher than him and bowed his head,

“… . I’m sorry . I am a little agitated . ”

“No . It is too cruel for a man like you to live in this world . Anyway, please try to reach Phantom as soon as possible . ”

“I understand . ”

Kang-suk wanted to go inside and save the hostages if he could, but he couldn’t do that .

“No, ah! Why isn’t the call going throu…eh?”

“What? Did you contact Phantom?”

“It seems like it . ”

Although it wasn’t a phone call, Phantom had sent him a text message . Joo Hyun-ho and the commandos leader gathered around Kang-suk .

“…The culprit is a killer sent by the Triads, and there is only one person . ”

“Haha… A single person did all this?”

Kang-suk ignored the commandos leader and continued to read Phantom’s message .

“He has already killed 10 hostages . There is a danger that they will all be wiped out if you try to forcefully enter . ”

“……”

The gathered people groaned . If all the hostages were killed then it meant the hostage taker would die . So why did he kill the hostages so easily? They were appalled when they imagined what was going on inside the building .

“Breaching is forbidden . I am currently attempting contact . Oh, that is the end of the message . ”

The face of the commandos leader turned red after hearing the message . It meant that if left to the commandos, the hostages would die so don’t interfere . Then he suddenly realized something .

“Wait . That meant the Phantom is inside there now . ”

“…It seems like it . ”

“Damn . Does this makes sense? The blockade is so tight that not even a single ant can get in . How did he get in there?!”

The gathered people gulped and looked at the building where the hostages were being held . Inside was the terrorist and the hostages…

And Phantom .

@

Tae-hyuk turned off his smartphone and muttered,

“I’m sorry but I am listening to this conversation . ”

He had wiretapped the police and grasped their movements perfectly . Originally, he needed expensive frequency detection equipment, a solar panel that supported 24 hour power, and a remote control device in order to bug them .

However, Tae-hyuk had something better than a wiretapping device . Everybody carried their phones around with them everywhere . He installed a Chinese hacking tool that Moonlight Flower put in the smartphones of Cho Kang-suk, the commandos leader, and the police commissioner .

He could listen to their conversations in real time and see the contents of their phones . Of course, there were security programs, but they couldn’t stop the hacking tools that cost tens of thousands of dollars .

Tae-hyuk licked his lips .

“The only downside is the short shelf-life… Should I use this opportunity to learn cracking?”

Anyway, sooner or later, he would have to visit China in order to deal with the Triads . It would be nice if he could meet their hackers and learn their skills .

Tae-hyuk analyzed the opponent by combining the information that the police had with his own . The conclusion that emerged was that he had absolutely no chance of winning in a frontal confrontation . Even if he had the crime skills, he would die if he was shot .

“Of course, I’m not an idiot to straight up fight a killer like in an action movie . ”

Tae-hyuk picked a suitable room and entered . He looked at the things that were present .

“Laptop, camera, microphone, lights . Perfect . ”

If he had this equipment, then Internet broadcasting could be done anywhere . Karaoke machines were installed in all rooms . They were LAN connected for song data updates . The karaoke machines could be operated from the main counter . It meant he could broadcast a live video into the room of the killer .

Tae-hyuk connected the LAN connected laptop to the control unit at the counter and muttered,

“I won’t be able to receive any balloons . Isn’t this Phantom’s Internet debut?”

@

Big Brother checked the time and spoke to the hostages .

“It is the promised execution time . Who should I kill?”

Then one of the hostages spoke in a quivering voice . It was the unfortunate schoolgirl who was caught at the convenience store with her younger sister, Min Soo-young .

“Y-You’ve already killed 10 people . Is that still not enough?”

“Moths flying into the fire isn’t an execution . Yes . I’ll kill you first . ”

Min Soo-young’s face turned white .

“S-Spare me… I’ll do whatever you want . ”

Then Big Brother laughed .

“Really? I think your little sister is here with you . I’ll let you live if you shoot her in the head . How about it?”

Soo-young’s sister , Soo-yeon, who was two years younger than her, called out in a quivering voice .

“U-Unni… I-I don’t want to die… Huh? U-Unni…”

The two people grabbed each other’s hands and stared into the other’s eyes . Even if it meant living, she couldn’t kill her sister . In the end, Soo-young spoke with determined eyes .

“I-I would rather die . Save my little sister . ”

“Hoh… This warm love between sisters, I like it . Then I will save your sister . ”

“T-Thank you . ”

“But I have one condition . The Yakuza cut their own belly to show their determination . Is it called harakiri? If you want to save your sister then shoot yourself with this . Then I will spare her . ”

Big Brother pulled a gun from his waist and threw it towards Soo-young .

“……”

Big Brother laughed happily like he was enjoying this .

Soo-young picked up the gun and stared at the demon in front of her . Could she use this to kill the opponent? That idea popped up but she shook her head . She had seen the demon fighting the hostages . There was no way she could kill him with this small handgun .

“If you make a fuss then I will blow a hole in your sister’s head, so be sure to shoot at your belly button . ”

“……”

Soo-young’s body shook like it was cold . After cram school was over, she was thirsty and went to buy some milk with her sister…

How did she end up in this situation? Everything seemed unreal . If she closed her eyes then she might be able to return to reality .

“Sob… It isn’t a dream…”

In action movies, the protagonist could survive being shot with several bullets . Could she live like that? With such hope, Soo-young aimed the muzzle of the gun at her stomach with trembling hands .

However, reality wasn’t that easy . Once the 5 . 56mm bullet was fired, a hole the size of a finger would be made where the bullet entered . It would be okay with just that . However, the bullet fired from the pistol would rotate and damage the internal organs . It also wasn’t uncommon for there to be an exit hole .

This was a tool designed to kill people in the first place . Being shot in the belly would mean unconditional death .

“P-Please…”

Please survive…

With that hope, Soo-young pulled the trigger . No, she was about to pull it .

–It seems like something interesting is happening .

The moment a man’s voice was heard out of nowhere, Soo-young stopped her finger that was about to pull the trigger . Big Brother and the hostages looked in the direction of the voice . A man in a phantom mask had appeared on the karaoke machine in the corner of the room .

“The machine was hacked . ”

–All the systems in this place are in my hands . You should surrender, rather than try to resist .

Big Brother smiled and walked over to the monitor .

“Haha! It seems like you can hear my voice . You must have installed a bug somewhere . So what can you do? Huh? Are you going to pop out of the monitor like in a horror movie?”

–I’ll show you proof that I am controlling all the systems .

At that moment, the electricity in the room turned off . The hostages shrieked as it suddenly became dark .

Big Brother had several more pistols besides what he gave to Soo-young . He fired towards the door .

Tang!

“H-Hik!”

“Trying to take advantage of the uproar to flee . Yes . Try to do it again a second time . Huhuhu . ”

The man who tried to secretly open the door and run away stumbled back into the darkness of the room . Less than 10 seconds later, the lights in the room turned on again . The monitor also turned back on .

-How is it? This is what I am capable of .

“Ridiculous . Don’t think you can deal with me by limiting my vision . The darkness won’t be able to stop me . ”

Even in the darkness, Big Brother had accurately aimed at the hostage trying to escape .

–I have a prophecy . You will die here today .

“Bullshit!”

Big Brother was provoked and fired a few bullets towards the monitor .

Smoke emerged and several pieces flew away .

“Listen carefully . Stop talking bullshit and appear in front of me right now, or I will kill one hostage every minute . Well, if other people die, then your ratings will fall to the bottom . It means I don’t have to look at you anymore . ”

Big Brother’s words were only half right . Tae-hyuk was obviously listening to his words, but it wasn’t through a bug .

‘By the way, he ruined the monitor after a little provocation . If I knew this earlier, then I would’ve only recorded three minutes . ’

Tae-hyuk smiled bitterly from where he was hiding among the hostages .

‘Anyway, the killer’s brain is equivalent to Park Sung-kwang . ’

Big Brother thought he was having a real-time conversation with Phantom, but he was wrong . Tae-hyuk had just played a pre-recorded video on the karaoke machine . He entered the room when the electricity went out . Now there were two hostages in the room with the same face . However, Big Brother was agitated and failed to notice it . Tae-hyuk had disguised himself as Kwon Joon-hyuk and hid inside .

Big Brother thought there were only helpless hostages here . He was shouting at an illusion of Phantom without knowing that an assassin had come in to kill him .