A Gate Opened On My First Day As A Politician - Chapter 34: North Wind (5)

There’s a rhythm to politics.

Simply put, you tear into each other in front of the cameras and then shake hands while chatting in a sauna afterward.

Why?

Because if you can’t finish someone off in one blow, it will backfire.

If you’re not confident enough to cut their lifeline in one strike, the best strategy is to stay on good terms with everyone.

So, when you choose to attack someone, you must carefully calculate your strike angle.

The saying that those who control information dominate the game didn’t emerge out of nowhere. Knowing the details allows you to position yourself effectively.

In that sense…

“…”

I found Pi Chae-won the scariest of all.

—

Where does the lie end?

Where does the truth begin?

Whose game board am I standing on?

“…I understand the current situation as you’ve outlined it, Reporter Gam. I also understand what role you expect me to play.”

You’re asking me to take Cha Jae-kyun down, aren’t you?

But it’s easier said than done.

I needed more information.

“How did you and Pi Chae-won uncover all this?”

I chose my words cautiously, reviewing the situation in my mind.

“A reporter and a high schooler breaking through impenetrable security to infiltrate an underground bunker doesn’t sound very convincing.”

The more I spoke, the more unsettling it felt.

“How did you manage to bring these photos and experiment records out of a top-secret bunker…?”

The questions piled up, and soon, a shocking thought crossed my mind.

“Unless… unless you had someone on the inside helping you, this couldn’t have happened…”

The table fell silent.

“…”

“…”

“Do you have an insider?”

A long silence stretched between us.

And that silence itself was an answer.

After hesitating for some time, Reporter Gam spoke first.

“I had suspicions about the human experiments but no solid evidence. I’m not superhuman; how could I infiltrate a military facility?”

Honestly, this man seemed capable of anything, but I didn’t voice that thought.

“When I was at a loss, unable to find a way forward, Chae-won approached me first.”

“…”

“She guided me to a nearby mountain—”

“Stop.”

Pi Chae-won abruptly interrupted, springing to her feet in alarm. She scanned her surroundings like a meerkat.

“Did you hear that!?”

“It’s nearby…!”

“Damn it…!”

Reporter Gam slung his bag over his shoulder and stood up quickly.

“The agents have tracked us here!”

“What? What do you mean?”

“I have a getaway car ready. Let’s move!”

“But we came in our own car—”

“Mine’s untraceable!”

Who even is this guy?

“Let’s go!”

…And what about Pi Chae-won? Could she really see the future?

While I stood dazed, trying to process everything, I felt a tug at my sleeve.

“Sorry, but…”

“…”

“My hearing is just a little better than most…”

I turned to look at her, dumbfounded.

She didn’t foresee the rooftop door opening; she just heard it.

She didn’t foresee the helicopter crashing; she just heard it.

Still stunned, I followed her out of the lodge, confusion plain on my face.

As always, Pi Chae-won was wearing her trademark bitter smile.

—

We got into Reporter Gam’s van and headed to a Homeplus in a quiet city, settling in at a restaurant on the fourth floor.

Blending in with the crowd, we chose a secluded eatery and ordered four plates of Japanese-style pork cutlets.

When the food arrived, Pi Chae-won and I remained silent, while Hong Seon-ah ate her cutlet, her face unreadable as usual.

Reporter Gam, looking exhausted, finally broke the silence.

“So, where was I in the story?”

“You said Pi Chae-won approached you.”

“Ah, yes. Chae-won sought me out.”

He gulped down a glass of water, as if his throat were dry, before continuing.

“She called me out in the middle of the night and guided me to a nearby mountain. That’s where we found Lee Yoon-ah, collapsed.”

“…So you met an insider?”

Reporter Gam gave a bitter smile.

“Not just met.”

“Pardon?”

“I even got an interview.”

A quiet rustle followed, and someone slid into a seat at our table.

A young woman in a hoodie pulled low over her face.

She looked ordinary, except for her completely black eyes, which were anything but normal.

I nudged Hong Seon-ah’s thigh with my knee, signaling her to be ready to act if needed. She tapped me back in acknowledgment.

“…”

“…”

An unbearable silence lingered.

“…Nice to meet you.”

The woman with black eyes spoke, her voice resembling a lion or leopard attempting to mimic human speech.

“Uh… the criminal… ack! Cough! Hrk!”

Speaking like a human seemed to strain her, as she coughed violently, hacking up green phlegm.

…The table melted.

The black-eyed woman sheepishly wiped her mouth and sniffled, glancing apologetically at Reporter Gam.

Unable to watch any longer, he began explaining on her behalf.

“…This is Lee Yoon-ah, a university student from Siheung. She was taken for experiments after visiting Cheongsong Prison to see a detainee.”

“So, she’s not a former prisoner?”

Reporter Gam nodded calmly, though the claim was hard to believe.

He continued.

“Thanks to Yoon-ah’s help, we were able to continue our investigation. Chae-won also contributed a great deal. You could say the three of us have been living through a spy movie.”

“…You’re saying she’s trustworthy?”

I asked Reporter Gam, but the black-eyed woman eagerly nodded, her eyes shining brightly. She was practically vouching for herself.

…And she looked like she was about to cry, as if she’d been wrongfully accused.

“My… my dad’s a gangster! I was visiting him when I saw them loading prisoners onto trucks. Cough! The soldiers took me away…!”

Her cracked and ragged voice was almost painful to hear.

“It’s unfair! I… I’m really…!”

Now she was sniffling, on the verge of tears.

Pi Chae-won patted the experiment subject with black eyes on the back as the latter wiped away her yellow tears with a tissue.

“It’s okay, you don’t need to say any more,” Reporter Gam said with a sympathetic look.

“But, sir…! I really…”

“Yes, yes…”

The black-eyed woman seemed like she wanted to say something to me, but her frustration overwhelmed her, and she broke down in sobs.

But how was I supposed to know if this woman was a criminal or not?

“She’s not a criminal.”

Noticing my doubtful expression, Pi Chae-won gave a sad smile while patting the black-eyed woman’s back. The woman wiped her tears again and raised her head.

“Are you… the Assemblyman?”

‘Thud.’

Her head exploded.

Lee Yoon-ah’s headless body crumpled to the floor.

In a daze, I wiped the blood splattered near my eyes. Everyone recoiled in horror.

‘Bang!’

Only then did the gunshot ring out. The window had already been shattered.

It was a sniper.

—

The police arrived to take control of the scene.

I didn’t need to worry about the minor issues for now.

There were bigger concerns at hand.

“Well, are you going to be a soldier, a police officer, and then maybe a congressman too?”

“Flattering words.”

I was riding in a police car with Colonel Jang, who was dressed as a patrol officer.

This was the same group of NIS agents who had posed as soldiers to surround the underground parliament.

“Chief Jang of the Counter-Terrorism Security Bureau,” he introduced himself, squinting and smiling faintly.

I stared indifferently out the window.

“The road looks familiar.”

“We’re heading to the martial law headquarters.”

“Did Vice Minister Cha summon me? I was planning to visit him anyway.”

Chief Jang looked thoroughly exhausted. I asked him casually, “You look like you haven’t been sleeping well.”

“Well, yes. Some of your friends caused a bit of trouble…”

“They’re more like acquaintances,” I deflected, cutting ties quickly, but Chief Jang only smiled wordlessly.

At the end of the hill, the martial law headquarters came into view.

—

The familiar scent of yulmu tea wafted through the air.

“Ah, you’re here,” Cha Jae-kyun greeted, handing me a cup of yulmu tea.

“It’s been a while, Vice Minister Cha.”

“Good to see you again,” he replied with a calm smile.

“I imagine you’re quite shocked.”

I leaned back on the plush sofa, and he sat across from me, sipping his tea.

I decided to cut straight to the point.

“You conducted human experiments on criminals to create a superpowered task force. During the final cleanup process, the test subjects escaped, which led to martial law. Am I right?”

Cha Jae-kyun’s response was clear and concise.

“Yes.”

Interpretation: I’m openly admitting to it, so you’re either on my side now, or you’ll remain silent forever.

As my expression hardened, Cha Jae-kyun chuckled and took another sip of tea.

“You know, secondhand smoke is more dangerous than smoking itself.”

The sudden mention of cigarettes threw me off, and I responded reflexively.

“…Are you talking about secondhand smoke?”

“A smoker has a filter, but the person next to them inhales the poison directly.”

He tilted his wrinkled eyes and gave a bitter smile.

“That’s why I’m fine, but my wife died. At twenty-nine.”

“…Ah.”

“Despite being a so-called successful soldier, I smoked at home without a care. It would’ve been strange if she hadn’t gotten cancer. She didn’t die of cancer—she died because of me.”

For the first time, Cha Jae-kyun’s voice carried a hint of emotion.

In a softened tone, he began to recount his story.

“After her funeral, I came home to a crying two-year-old daughter. Holding that little bundle, I cried for a long time too.”

Cha Jae-kyun took out a wallet from his inner pocket.

“That’s why, for thirty years, I’ve lived only for my daughter. She grew up graceful and proper, even under a father who killed her mother. I’m very grateful.”

He pulled out a photo from the wallet and, with an unusually warm demeanor, showed it to me across the desk. He even pointed at the figures in the photo one by one.

“This here is my daughter, Jae-hee. Next to her is our lawyer, Mr. Song. Those two little dogs below are my granddaughters.”

“…”

“The one in the stroller is Soo-min, and the one clinging to her dad’s leg is Soo-jung. Aren’t they cute?”

Cha Jae-kyun laughed without any pretense.

“On the first day of the incident, I cleaned up their corpses.”

Still smiling, he tucked the photo back into his wallet and returned it to his inner pocket.

He leaned back into the sofa, crossed his legs, and placed his interlocked hands on his knee. With a somewhat lighter expression, he smiled calmly, almost as if he felt relieved.

In a low voice, he said to me, “You once asked me before, Assemblyman—what is my goal?”

I unconsciously repeated the answer he had given me back then.

“…The extermination of monsters.”

Cha Jae-kyun nodded.

“I’ve told you time and time again.”

A soldier truer to his role than any other spoke.

“I am a soldier, and everything I do ultimately involves killing. In that sense, I believe I’m a competent soldier.”

He smiled.

“I won’t go into detail.”

“…”

“The fewest people, and the greatest number of monsters, will die.”

The old revenant smiled broadly.

“No one in this land loves their country more than I do.”