Chapter 25: Girl Or Puzzle

As the sound of the gunshot rang out, Chin leaped from her seat, eyes wide with shock. She stared at the screen, where a crowd had gathered around a location where a person had been shot dead. In a panic, she shouted, "Now, what have you done?"

Mark, looking at his mobile, calmly replied, "I received a message from the shooter. The shooter wasn't able to shoot properly and ended up injuring someone else. Don't worry, your person is safe and sound."

Chin returned to the sofa where she had been sitting minutes ago, still trembling. She questioned, "Who was that shooter?"

In his cold tone, Mark disclosed, "Devil provided me with that shooter. I believe that if I've assigned a shooter, they shouldn't make mistakes."

Terrified, Chin asked, "So you've joined hands with Devil? Do you know where he is?"

With a smile as he lit a cigarette, Mark answered, "Yes, I know where he is. I told you I'd find him faster than you could."

Eagerly, Chin inquired, "Tell me where he is. Why didn't you kill him?"

Mark explained in a cold manner, "Why would I kill him? He hasn't done anything bad to me. In fact, he provided me with information about who killed my dad."

Chin responded, "Then why are you getting involved in this situation when you're not interested in Devil or the map?"

Mark, looking into her eyes, revealed, "But I'm interested in you. I want to kill you."

Chin suggested a deal, "Let's make a deal. Tell me where Devil is, and I'll get my revenge. Then you can kill me."

Mark laughed, his laughter filling the room. He challenged her, "Do you think you can kill Devil that easily? I bet if I tell you where he is, you won't be able to kill him. The police belong to him, there are hundreds of guards and dogs surrounding his place, and you think you can go inside and kill him that easily. You were able to kill my dad because you found him unguarded. I bet if I were there, you wouldn't have been able to kill him."

Chin persisted, "Then help me to kill the Devil."

Mark agreed, "First, find the map. If you can find the map, I will help you in getting rid of Devil."

In an interrogating tone, Chin asked, "You said you're not interested in the map."

Mark explained, "I suddenly became very interested in getting the map. Go and find it."

Chin rose and, without saying a word, simply gave him a meaningful look before leaving his office. She rushed to a nearby hospital to verify whether Mark was telling the truth. She asked the hospital's reception about a patient injured in a gunshot, and she learned that the patient had been taken to room 127.

As she hurried toward the room, she felt a grip on her arm just above the elbow, slowing her down. When she turned, she saw Taewoo. Panting from her frantic rush, she was relieved to see him.

Taewoo, in his signature tone, asked, "What are you doing here?"

Chin explained, "Mark told me he was going to shoot you if I didn't tell him about the map. Since I didn't know, he asked the shooter to shoot you, but luckily, someone else got injured. I hope he'll be fine."

Taewoo reassured her, "The shooter missed me, not because of their mistake, but because I have eyes on everything around me. That's why I'm in NIS. There wouldn't have been any harm, but the injured person came out of nowhere."

Chin continued, "Mark knows where Devil is."

Taewoo nodded and asked, "Impressive. So what?"

Chin was determined, "So now we can have our revenge."

Taewoo, still holding Chin's elbow, cautioned, "Do you think you can kill Devil alone?"

Chin justified, "I think so, and you're with me."

Taewoo clarified, "Our motives are different. I believe killing him isn't the wisest option. He deserves punishment behind bars. To get that, we need evidence against him, and we can collect that evidence while looking for him."

Chin moved closer to him, looking into his eyes, "Then Mark promised me that if I find the map, he's going to kill Devil."

Taewoo sighed, "If that's what you want. I came here to help you because you wanted my help. But if you prefer that lawyer by your side, it's okay."

He left the hospital, leaving Chin standing there, feeling as if she had made a mistake.

Chin returned from the hospital, visibly exhausted. At her doorstep, she was greeted by Elly, who had been persistently ringing her bell. Chin, with tired eyes, greeted her, "Hi, Elly. Come inside.It's been a hectic day."

Once they were inside her apartment and Chin had taken her shoes off, she asked Elly, "Why didn't you visit me in the past few weeks?"

Elly admitted, "To be honest, Chin, I was afraid. After Alex's death, I started wondering if he was really a bad person."

Chin clarified, "No, he was a good person."

Elly was curious, "Then who killed him? Was it related to the map Taewoo was investigating him for?"

Chin denied the connection, saying, "I don't think so. Actually, I don't know, Elly. I don't want to think about it."

Elly apologized for asking so many questions, and there was a brief moment of silence. Then, Chin asked, "Elly, do you have a sister?"

Elly looked at her with her black eyes and replied, "No, Chin. I told you my parents died shortly after my birth."

Chin clarified, "No, I'm asking about an elder sister."

Elly again denied having an elder sister, saying, "I wish I had one. My life would be easier."

Chin expressed her understanding, saying, "Oh, then, sorry. I thought you might have one."

Elly gave her a sidelong glance and responded, "How could I hide a sibling from you, Chin? We've been friends for many years."

Chin explained, "No, I was just randomly thinking about it."

Meanwhile, back at Mister Mark's law firm, Mark remained in his office, apparently not leaving since Chin's departure. Miss Lewis entered his office and inquired about the case of the man who had killed his wife, which was scheduled for a court hearing the following day. She expressed hope that Mark was well-prepared for it.

Mark simply moved his head up and down, indicating that he had heard her proposal but wanted her to leave. However, before Miss Lewis could say more, Mark, in a cold voice, requested, "Can you please grab a cup of coffee for me, Miss J. Laura?"

As Miss Lewis turned to leave, she suddenly realized that Mark had called her "Laura" instead of "Miss Lewis." Mark was smiling as he commented, "Am I wrong, Miss J. Laura? I thought you liked your name, Lewis. So why did you change it?"

Miss Lewis attempted to deny the accusation, saying, "Mark, I don't know what you're talking about."

Mark, with confidence, responded, "When I ask something, I already know about it. I don't want justification; I want an explanation. You work for Taewoo. Tell me what information you've provided to him."

Miss Lewis, now more confident, admitted, "I told him everything about the murder of Miss Red, the girl who visited you a few days ago, and the location where Devil is hiding." As she mentioned that there was a gunshot.

Miss Lewis suddenly collapsed to the ground. From behind her, the same girl who had visited Mark's office a few days ago appeared and remarked, "Dogs have shorter lives than hounds."

Mark, with a disgusted expression, commented, "There was no need to kill her. Who is going to clean the floor, and what about her body?"

The girl smirked and said, "I'm disappointed. I thought you could think of a hundred ways to kill and hide a body, but you couldn't figure out how to hide a single woman's body. I'm not impressed, man. Devil will be disappointed."

Mark responded, "Why did you come here?"

The girl explained her motive, "I was thinking about why that detective was growing stronger while you were becoming weaker. I found the answer at your doorstep."

Mark, looking away, sighed, "Now you can go. I definitely don't like your presence."

The girl persisted, asking, "What about the map? Why are you suddenly interested in the map?"

Mark explained, "Awful as it sounds, money is power, and power is magnetic."

The girl added, "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Then she continued, "But then I think if Chin is incorruptible because she has the map and doesn't behave the way we do."

Mark admitted, "You were right, Taewoo is becoming stronger than me, but the reason is something else. I'm weak because I got you people by my side, who are searching for the map. That damn detective got the girl by his side who has the map."

The girl couldn't help but laugh, saying, "It's strange. You tried your best, but he got her without doing anything."

Mark acknowledged, "Chin thinks she found him, but the truth is he found her. He studied her well before looking for her."

The girl interjected, "It means he's smarter than you because you and Devil both studied her too, but he won."

Mark added, "You're right. He's clever and smarter than I am. Before I could even get my hands on the letter , he took it, read it, and then gave it to me. He discovered Chin's weaknesses from that map.He is definitely not the person he acts like."

The girl bit her lips and expressed sympathy, saying, "I feel sorry for Chin," and then burst into sharp laughter. "You all treat her like a puzzle rather than a girl, and she takes it as affection."