Chapter 106

Chapter 106: Pieces of the Puzzle #3

It took no more than three days for Tae-hyuk to become famous among the Korean inmates . Today, he was drinking coffee with a prisoner who was as thin as an anchovy while listening to a hidden story of Blue Dragon .

“Saturday is the day when you should be most careful . The guards’ nerves are tight since they are on duty on the weekend . ”

“I see . Please tell me more about the nature of the guards . ”

“I understand . Guard Kim Chang-su… Ah, he is the smiling one who always smooths back his balding hair .

“I know who he is . ”

“He is particularly sensitive about the hygiene inside the cell, so it is good to be careful about cleanliness when he is on duty . ”

“Hoh . Really?”

No information was too trivial . As Tae-hyuk showed interest, Anchovy became more excited and started telling more stories . He heard a married guard talking on the phone, etc . He told Tae-hyuk all sorts of trivial matters regarding the prison guards .

After hearing all of Anchovy’s stories, Tae-hyuk made a simple evaluation .

“I’d prefer a bit more detail . ”

“Don’t you like it? Still, can I have some settlement?”

Anchovy smiled and rubbed his palms together . Tae-hyuk pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket .

“Oh, isn’t this foreign tobacco?”

Most of the cigarettes circulating Blue Dragon Prison were paper cigarettes, which were made with thin paper and domestic tobacco . There was no taste and the cigarette was so compressed that it felt like one was sucking poison . However, the volume was small so not much could be smuggled . It became harder to get, so other methods were used to increase the quantity .

The cigarettes would be mixed with tea leaves at the kiosks . At the beginning of admission, the ratio was 1:1 . However, as smuggling became harder, the ratio of tobacco decreased . Recently, they were able to produce 10 cigarettes from one . Of course, it didn’t have any taste, but it was better than nothing .

After a long time, it was possible to smoke a cigarette .

“Do you smoke that fake cigarette? It is like putting steak into a blender and turning it into porridge . Like dog food . ”

Despite his words, Anchovy reached out towards Tae-hyuk’s cigarette . Tae-hyuk hit the back of Anchovy’s hand .

“I can’t you one pack just on your previous stories . ”

“Sheesh…”

He slowly pulled out a cigarette from the pack and placed it in Anchovy’s hand . Joy filled Anchovy’s eyes as the cigarettes piled up on his palm . In the end, seven cigarettes were given to Anchovy . He brought a cigarette to his nose and sniffed .

He pulled a battery from his pocket . In the prison, matches and lighters were forbidden . They had to use a battery in order to light a fire .

“It is necessary to use tricks to light a fire . ”

Anchovy extended the spring of a ballpoint pen and connected it to the anode of the battery . It started to generate heat . He carefully brought the end of the cigarette to the spring and sucked in several times . Smoke rose and the cigarette caught on fire .

“Hah… That is fantastic . Cheol-su . Can’t you give me one more?”

“If you tell me a fun story then I will give you a lot . ”

“……”

Anchovy groaned because he had run out of things .

Tae-hyuk realized that the fish had started to bite the bait .

‘In the beginning, I would give a pack for minor things . However, I’ve gradually reduced the amount to 10 cigarettes for most stories . Then what will happen?’

The answer was to tell a secret story that couldn’t be told to outsiders . Even if they felt reluctant at first, they couldn’t endure the sweet temptation of foreign cigarettes .

“Don’t worry . I’ll won’t tell anyone else what you told me . ”

These words ended the indecision . Anchovy started to tell an even more secret story .

“…These days, the attitude of those Japanese bastards seem strange . They seem to be hiding something . They are always confident because they have connections to Japan’s Yakuza and they smoke too much . So, there are a lot of people who look at them badly… It exploded a few days ago and an incident occurred . ”

The trigger was trivial .

A Japanese prisoner eating in the dining room was accidentally hit by the plate of a Korean . As a result, the kimchi soup covered the clothes of the prisoner .

“…Rather than apologizing, he provoked the Japanese bastard by saying that his clothes were beautifully dyed red like blood . In the end, other people gathered to fight . However, it was all the Koreans who ended up in solitary confinement . ”

Tae-hyuk’s eyes shone . It felt like he had found a piece of the puzzle . Japanese criminals were associated with the Yakuza, and the guards gave them privileges .

‘If I find one more piece, I think I will complete something big . ’

First, he decided to be satisfied with this much .

“But the person who was taken was the leader of the Koreans, Shin Chang-ho . In the end, he couldn’t bear it and is preparing for war with those Japanese bastards . ”

War…!

Those trapped in confined spaces like prisons couldn’t relieve their stress or overcome their dark feelings . It wasn’t uncommon for fights to occur between prisoners or for them to riot against the guards, especially in Blue Dragon Prison, where all the terrible criminals were gathered . Tae-hyuk remembered that big and small rebellions took place every year in the 10 years he was here .

‘It is almost like an annual event . ’

“Shin Chang-ho . It was a very pleasant story . ”

Tae-hyuk handed a whole pack of cigarettes to Anchovy .

“Cheol-su, thank you . ”

“Come again if you have more interesting stories . ”

“Yep!”

Anchovy disappeared with the cigarettes like a miner who struck gold .

“Little by little, the pieces will fall . ”

In no time, his 20 packs of cigarettes had almost run out . It was time for a restock .

@

“Fuck, I’m not a goat! Why is there only grass!”

“You are on a diet . If you don’t let it then don’t eat . ”

“Ah, that’s not it . This is fine . ”

The worker in charge of the food was arguing with a big person . The big person was grumbling about the distribution of the food .

“Sheesh, he could spare a chicken leg . ”

Tae-hyuk, who was waiting for his turn, approached the worker and said,

“I need more cigarettes . ”

“Already? How bad is your habit to go through 20 packs?”

“Are you selling? Or not selling?”

“Of course, I am selling . Ohuhu . 20 packs again?’

“This time I want 40 packs . ”

“……!”

“Don’t even think about raising the price just because I am buying a lot . ”

It was natural . It was 100,000 won for one pack, which was a huge rip-off . The worker’s voice trembled .

“Then it will be four million won in total . Do you have that money?”

“Of course . ”

Tae-hyuk handed over a thick envelope under the tray . Once again, it was paid in advance . The worker’s eyes changed . It was a tremendous amount of money .

“But clearly the limit is two million won . How did you get such a large sum? Do you have a great banker?”

“That is a large sum so make sure that everything is ready . ”

“Ah, okay . Tell me if you need anything else . ”

Tae-hyuk smiled .

Cigarettes could move ordinary prisoners . It was something that he could spend money on . Right now, Tae-hyuk’s bankbook contained a huge amount of 200 million . He didn’t mind investing all of this money to gain gold bullions worth billions of won .

There were two reasons why Tae-hyuk purchased cigarettes . The cigarettes were bait to get information from prisoners . Right now, they were only miscellaneous stories . Eventually, he would get secret stories, like he did with Anchovy .

It also deepened his relationship with the worker . He didn’t try to decrease the price of the cigarettes .

Once he returned to his room after finishing the meal, 40 packs were on his bed . The next day, Tae-hyuk bought 40 packs again .

“Wahh! Thank you!”

Within five days of entering the prison, Tae-hyuk had become the worker’s largest customer .

@

“Shin Chang-ho is collecting ironware to fight against the Japanese scum . Ah right . This will really be kept a secret?”

“Of course . ”

“Thank you!”

Tae-hyuk gave two packs of cigarettes to the other person . In the meantime, there were inmates waiting for their turn . The tacit agreement was to stand at a distance where they couldn’t hear what Tae-hyuk and the other person were saying . That way, the other prisoners couldn’t hear the story that the person was telling .

The ones who received the cigarettes always said,

“It will really be kept a secret?”

“Of course . ”

Then they would cross the building with an expression like they had the whole world in their hands . Once Tae-hyuk checked the time, exercise time was almost ending .

Tae-hyuk stood up and said,

“I’m sorry but business will end here for today . If anyone else has a story then tell me at dinner . ”

Sighs were heard from some places .

“Sheesh…”

“Isn’t this too competitive?”

“Damn . It has been a few days already and I feel like I’m going to collapse!”

Tae-hyuk ignored them and approached the worker cleaning the corner of the yard . It was a person he was familiar with, thanks to seeing him for the three meals a day . He was also responsible for trading more than just cigarettes .

As Tae-hyuk approached, the worker smiled and said,

“Would you like to buy cigarettes again?”

“I need something other than cigarettes . ”

“Hrmm?”

“Sketchpad and pencil . My hobby is drawing . ”

“Hah . With that face? At any rate, you can buy it at the store . ”

“No, I need one with a spring . ”

The store inside the prison didn’t sell anything that could be a weapon . The springs on the sketchpad were made of iron, and could be used as a weapon to choke someone . Because of that, only pages were sold at the store .

“I don’t know why you need it, but if you give me money, I will sell it . ”

“I will give 200,000 won . ”

“Good enough . ”

It wasn’t a weapon like a knife or something sharp, so the worker sighed with relief . A spring was much less risky .

‘My stomach is at its limit . I need to take this out as quickly as possible . ’

He would prefer to have cutlery or glass, which would make it easier to take out the things in his belly . However, more time was needed to get things like that . Even though it was dirtier, he decided to take it out of his stomach with a pencil .

Tae-hyuk gave money to the worker who said,

“…Once you go to bed this evening, it will be there . ”

“Then I will contact you again . ”

“Of course . ”

After dinner, the sketchpad and pencil were under his bed . He put the pencil in a pencil sharpener and sharpened it by turning it . Yoo Cheol-ho, who was lying on the top bed, extended his head and said .

“Newbie . These days, you often get things delivered to this room . What are you hiding?”

“Are we lovers? What does it matter what I hide?”

“Cough . At any rate, I like you because you sleep very well during the night . Ohuhu . ”

Tae-hyuk deliberately pretended not to know that Yoo Cheol-ho was digging a tunnel every night and acted like he was deeply asleep . Yoo Cheol-ho even confirmed the state of Tae-hyuk’s pupils using a LED light that he obtained somewhere . Usually, a person wouldn’t be able to control the movement of their pupils when pretending to sleep . However, Tae-hyuk had the Counterfeit skill and it was easy enough to produce a sleeping face .

“Really? Last time you slept really well . ”

Tae-hyuk swung the hidden iron pipe at Yoo Cheol-ho’s head .

“Kuhak!”

Once again, he fell unconscious .

“Tsk tsk . Then I will start . ”

Tae-hyuk rolled his blanket and put it in his mouth . Now his screams wouldn’t leak out .

‘First, sharpen the pencil as much as possible . ’

He made a sharp awl using the pencil sharpener . Then he pulled off the spring from the sketchpad and connected it to the end of the pencil . All the preparations were finished .

‘Illegal Surgery…!’

Tae-hyuk used the crime skill . Then Tae-hyuk’s right arm moved at a tremendous speed and the pencil tip pierced his belly .

Puok!

“Kkuck…!”

There was a creepy sound and blood splattered everywhere . There was also enormous pain . The sky was spinning and he almost lost consciousness .

‘Damn, this really hurts . ’

If he had a knife then he could do it so that the important parts weren’t hurt . However, he couldn’t do such a careful operation because he was focused on not breaking the pencil lead . Blood constantly flowed from Tae-hyuk’s belly . It would be dangerous if he dragged this out for a long time .

Finish it as quickly as possible!

“Kuook…!”

Tae-hyuk clenched his teeth and slid the pencil to the other side of his belly . Then the spring at the end entered the belly sideways .

‘Now it is time to finish this!’

Tae-hyuk grabbed the end of the spring tightly and moved his hands .

Gruk!

Gruruk!

Gruuuok!

There was a strange sound as the spring inside Tae-hyuk’s belly started to gradually come out . At the same time, Tae-hyuk’s belly split apart .

Crunch!

His intestines emerged from the completely cut stomach .

“Heok… Kuheok… Heok!”

‘I-It’s a success…’

He succeeded even without anesthesia . He did it with a pencil and spring . However, the most important thing still remained . Tae-hyuk put his hand in his stomach and found the silicone pack kept near there .

“Kuoock, keeeok, kuaack!”

Muffled screams emerged from his mouth . If it wasn’t for the cloth blocking his mouth, then it wouldn’t be strange for the guards to immediately come running . However, he was able to safely retrieve what he was looking for .

Tae-hyuk’s stomach contained the Demon Revealing Mirror and silicone bag . It was the only way to bring in a mirror from the outside .

‘I can’t lose my mind here!’

Tae-hyuk manipulated the screen of the Demon Revealing Mirror with a trembling hand and used Cancel .

Kuooooong!

His ears rang . It felt like someone was drilling at his head . The intestines that emerged started to be sucked into his body . His sliced belly was restored, and the wound disappeared . In the blink of an eye, Tae-hyuk’s belly had returned to its original state .

Tae-hyuk pulled out the blanket blocking his mouth . There was blood and pain from where he bit his lip .

“Damn . I don’t want to experience that again…”

Fortunately, an anesthetic was ready for insertion, so it wasn’t as painful .

“…However, it is a success . ”

Tae-hyuk set aside the Demon Revealing Mirror and looked at the things in the silicon pack that he just took out .

In it…