Chapter 88: < Protect – Episode 87 – Taken [3] >

The assumption that white men were all educated, and therefore reasonable, was a huge misunderstanding. There were countless of foolish white men. The education system in the States had more failure cases than successful ones. There were a lot of people who didn’t even graduate middle school, and even if they got a high school certificate, there were many cases where it was barely deserved.

That was why for both laborers and criminals, without proper education, it was hard for them to climb any ladder. The generation of blind loyalty to an organization was long over. Ndrangheta’s number 3, Luca had a law degree, so it was hard to imagine how he became a criminal. However, Ahn Soo Ho knew him to be someone who loved crimes so much that he couldn’t live without committing them.

In other words, he was a psychopath.

“Soo Ho?”

“Why is Ndrangheta’s number 3 in Napoli?”

“For business, of course. Then why are you here?”

“For business.”

They questioned each other while hiding their own intentions. Ahn Soo Ho continued to look around him during their conversation, and then he arrived at a conclusion.

‘A lot has changed with Camorra and Ndrangheta.’

Due to the influence of films, thinking of Italy reminded most of Cosa Nostra. However, the most influential in Italy were Camorra, Ndrangheta, and Sacra Corona. One might think the north would be free of their influence since they were in the south, but they were still under their influence whether it was Genova, Milan, or Venice.

“Did you come to Napoli to pick up that diplomat?”

“Yeah.”

“It must be because you’re both Korean. I can’t believe you found him already… You’re just as quick as I remember, Soo Ho.”

That wasn’t the case, but there was no need to clarify his misunderstanding.

“But didn’t you retire?”

“It was a request from a friend, so I couldn’t refuse.”

“That’s life. Well…okay. What’s your offer, my friend?”

Luca’s misunderstanding continued and they went into a negotiation.

It was likely that the embassy didn’t even knew that Han Kyung Il had disappeared. He didn’t know why a mafia had to kidnap a diplomat, but if he hadn’t visited today, he would have heard the sad news about his friend a few days later. If a diplomat was found near a brothel, they would have buried the truth in order to avoid humiliation.

“I’ll spare you, Luca.”

“Haha!”

Ahn Soo Ho’s condition made him laugh like crazy. His absurd remark made the other members of the organization frown. However, in contrast to them, the leader laughed loudly.

“You still have a sense of humor, I see. We’re close enough that we don’t need conditions. Let him go.”

Luca lifted his chin at his underlings. Once Han Kyung Il was freed from the chair, he plopped onto the floor. The nurses rushed in to proceed with treatment. Ahn Soo Ho glanced over at the trembling women in the corner. Luca noticed him and opened his mouth.

“Are you thinking of taking them, too?”

“Of course.”

“Tsk! That’s too bad. They’re pretty decent…”

Luca clicked his tongue out of disappointment. Their faces were smeared with makeup mixed with their tears, but beneath it was pretty decent-looking faces. Did Han Kyung Il get beat up because of them? He didn’t know his friend still had such a strong sense of justice.

‘No, that’s not it.’

It was possible that he underestimated his friend.

‘But then again, he was the most passionate one back in school.’

He just couldn’t easily accept that a friend like that turned so cold in just a few years. When they decided to leave the group, Soo Ho understood while also feeling betrayed. They didn’t know this, but Ahn Soo Ho secretly supported his friends toward success.

Without even bringing up a gambling broker, he arrived at a hotel in Napoli. They snuck through the back door to avoid being seen, and the sight of the women with makeup smeared faces and Han Kyung Il’s beat up face was no joke. They must have hit him strategically because he wasn’t injured in any major way.

Luca booked them the biggest suite room at the hotel. After leaving his friend who was in recovery, he sat across from the women who washed off their messy faces. He thought all four of them were Korean, but they weren’t. Only two were Korean and the other two were Japanese.

It was a strange combination.

“Can one of you speak up?”

“I…”

Ahn Soo Ho spoke in English, and one of the Korean’s, Yoon Eun Ji responded back in English. They were all foreign exchange students studying in London. They went to Italy for a trip following the end of their semester.

“There was a terror incident in London, Paris, Berlin, and Madrid, so our parents were very worried.”

“Then you should have gone back to your countries. Why did you come to Italy?”

“Well…”

“You just wanted to go on a vacation, didn’t you?”

They all went silent in response to what Ahn Soo Ho said. He clicked his tongue inside his head. If their families sent them to London for school, that meant they were fairly well off, and since they studied hard since they were little, they dreamt of a getaway in Europe.

When one of them went missing, they called the police, but they were no help. They then looked for the embassy, but they weren’t any help either. Until Han Kyung Il showed interest, that was. They couldn’t go to the Japanese embassy since it wasn’t a Japanese who went missing.

“So we followed Mr. Han from Rome to Napoli.”

“That’s crazy.”

Did he think this was some kind of a detective game? Han Kyung Il was crazy to embark on an investigation soon after his transfer, but the women who followed him to Napoli weren’t in their right minds either.

“Stop being so merciless. Ugh.”

“Mr. Han!”

“Mr. Han!”

The four women got up in response to Han Kyung Il getting up. Most people would have been jealous that he was surrounded by beautiful women, but Ahn Soo Ho just shook his head.

“What a fool.”

“I guess this isn’t a dream. I survived.”

Han Kyung Il, who looked up at Ahn Soo Ho while in pain, felt relieved and confused at the same time. He didn’t know why Ahn Soo Ho was there.

“What brings you to Italy? Moreover, how did you save me?”

“It was a coincidence.”

“Coincidence?”

“Or maybe it was inevitable.”

It might have been the Heavens saying it wasn’t time for Han Kyung Il to die yet. Ahn Soo Ho smirked at his confused-looking friend. It required a lot of time to take in the sight of the women surrounding Han Kyung Il and laughing. It was awkward once it was just the two of them, and it was Ahn Soo Ho who spoke up first.

“If you go back to the embassy like this, you’ll be fired, you know that?”

“I know. I didn’t know this would escalate so much.”

“Why did you go poking around for a missing person? Did you think mafias were just a joke? Did you think you’d be saved?”

“No, ugh!”

He screamed loudly when he tried to get up a little more. Ahn Soo Ho had to help him out.

“Thanks.”

“Whatever.”

“No, I mean it. I thought I was going to die today.”

Despite his swollen face, he could still recognize his facial expression.

“I’m mad, Soo Ho. I’m mad at you, my friends, and the world. And I’m mad at myself for dealing with so much irrationality.”

The purpose of their former group was to make the world a more beautiful place. Han Kyung Il dreamt of a just world that revolved around common sense where those who worked hard could succeed. But the society he saw all depended on those with power.

There was no justice in that world.

“You told us to get ready, but it didn’t seem like we couldn’t change the world even if we had ten to twenty years.”

“So you just got up all by yourself?”

“I was going to start by changing small things. But in the end…it was just reckless. Ugh.”

Han Kyung Il’s lip cracked as he laughed bitterly. Ahn Soo Ho felt comforted by his friend’s true thoughts. The reason why Han Kyung Il left the group was so he could actually try to put it in action.

“Do Min Shik and Sol Ji feel the same way?”

“I’m not sure. We agreed to walk our own paths, but don’t we all want the same thing?”

Ahn Soo Ho smirked again.

“You’re all fools.”

“If we were smart, we wouldn’t have dropped out of the Naval Academy, don’t you think?”

That was true. If they had surrendered to power, they would have been sucking asses on their way to success.

“So what are you going to do now?”

“I’ll have to beg.”

He caused a big accident soon after transferring. If the full story became known, it was possible that he would be punished and sent back to his own country to be expelled.

“Will begging solve it?”

“Then what else can I do?”

Even though he didn’t find the broker, he was satisfied enough that he found his friend.

“You little punk. Let me show you just how powerful I am.”

He took out his phone with a playful look on his face.

“It’s been a long time, Mr. President. How have you been?”

Han Kyung Il’s issue was resolved in no time.

There was a process, but since it was a diplomat looking for a citizen of his own country, it was right for him to be compensated. However, Han Kyung Il and the governments didn’t want this to blow up any bigger. They also had to convince the one who was kidnapped, but that wasn’t difficult. She wanted to erase the incident from her memory.

“That’s was too easy. I’m speechless.”

“What do you think? Do you respect me even more now?”

“Yeah, yeah. Good for you. You should have told me earlier that you had this ability.”

Han Kyung Il, who arrived at the airport in Milan with Ahn Soo Ho, just laughed. His problem was resolved with just one phone call.

“What are you doing going around out there?”

“I can’t really say…just watch over me.”

He told his friends to be ready, but he didn’t explain the details of his vision. He wanted to give Han Kyung Il a new objective. Han Kyung Il had also heard that he was close to the Korean president and that he had met the Chinese premier. He had heard that he was succeeding abroad, but he didn’t know he had this much power.

‘That’s embarrassing.’

Han Kyung Il was embarrassed that he talked about reality and whatnot in front of him at their last meeting. He must have thought he was pathetic. He wanted to hide in a hole. Han Kyung Il, who was beaten up badly by the mafia, got up without much trouble. He did receive expensive treatment, but it was mainly the magic.

The victims including Yoon Eun Ji rested in a safe place for the time being. For that reason, they had to hire a guard, so he called one of the veteran mercenaries who was active in Europe.

“Director Ahn!”

As soon as he landed at the airport in Milan, someone was there to greet him. It was probably someone who was sent by Daesan Group’s Milan headquarters.

“Let me escort you to your residence.”

Since Milan was a city of fashion, there were many fashionistas everywhere. Kim Na Hee was residing in a place that wasn’t too far from the city center. She had a place in most fashion cities where she could come and go.

Business was all about connections. Especially in the fashion world, a person couldn’t say a word if he or she didn’t know the right people. Kim Na Hee was the only Korean who had the golden ticket to fashion week. Kim Na Hee, who came out to greet him, looked wasted away.

Ahn Soo Ho hugged her without a word.

“This is Diplomat Han Kyung Il, who’ll be helping me out.”

“Hello.”

“Hello.”

After the short greeting, Han Kyung Il was sent upstairs. No matter how powerful the magic was, it was hard for his injuries to be treated in just a few days.

“Wine? Whiskey?”

“Just water.”

He waved his hand at her offer of beverages.

“Did you hear the results of the trial?”

“Yeah. Ten years for murder is not that bad.”

At the trial that took place yesterday, Han Chae Kyung was sentenced to 10 years in jail. The attorney appealed right away, but since both the prosecution and court made the sentence, the chances of a reduced sentence were low.

“I heard from Dae Chan that politics is involved, so it’s hard to pull her out as innocent. Do you think the same way?”

“It’s not impossible. But it’ll take a lot of work.”

“I’ll pay as much as it takes.”

Ahn Soo Ho shook his head.

“Money is a secondary issue, Na Hee.”

“Then?”

“You’ll have to give up fame and reputation that you built until now.”

“Are you saying I have to give up my brand?”

“Pretty much.”

Kim Na Hee knitted her brows. She was having a dilemma. She wasn’t so sure if that could really make a person innocent.

“If that’s what it’ll take, I’ll do it.”

“Is Han Chae Kyung that precious to you?”

“I raised her as if she was my own daughter.”

“What about your husband? Will he consent?”

“Ha!”

She laughed at Ahn Soo Ho’s question.

“I’m the one who made this company succeed! Who is he to say anything about my decision.”

“Okay, calm down. I understand.”

It seemed as though a divorce suit was coming their way. They were only a lovey-dovey couple a long time ago. Kim Na Hee was probably always guilty for not having a child, and since she made their in-laws a lot of money, they couldn’t really say anything to her. That might be what caused his emotional explosion.

‘Love isn’t forever.’

But when they got married, they probably couldn’t live without each other.

“What are you going to do now?”

“What do you think? I have to start building our army.”

The reason why Yoon Eun Ji and the other 3 girls came to Italy was because they were aspiring fashion designers. So their last destination was Milan. Ahn Soo Ho’s way from the airport to his residence was full of city vibes. There were fashionistas as well as streets that were picture-worthy.

Milano collection

It was already the middle of October, but in the city of fashion, it was finally spring and summer.

“I have a good excuse, too.”

Roberto Aquilan would rush over if it was about human trafficking.

“And I have a capable informant.”

< Protect – Episode 87 – Taken [3] > The end.

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