Chapter 163 - God of Crime (4)

Pajijijik!

Electricity flashed every time he moved his body. If he wasn’t wearing rubber clothing then it would be transferred away from him.

“I-Intruder, i-intruder!”

The pierrots holding clubs or knives rushed over.

‘After a long time, Sixth Sense!’

Then he felt like he had eyes in the back of his head. Tae-hyuk turned and fired the taser gun. It wasn’t a weapon with bullets, so he didn’t trigger Shooting Spree. However, the pierrots were even worse than the Nuclear Bomb members at fighting. They were also crazy, making it was easy to deal with them.

He didn’t need to enter the radius of the opponent’s attack. He had achieved stability and the opponents couldn’t hit Tae-hyuk’s body.

‘It is like a minor version of the bullet lines.’

“Hieeeeek!”

Tae-hyuk twisted his body and attacked the pierrots.

Kkikikikik!

As if it received a signal, the machine arm protruded from the bag on his back and struck the abdomen of a pierrot.

“Kuheok!”

The person was a half-zombie due to the Psychotropic Incense, but it was an ordinary human scream.

“I can’t control the strength because it is on my back. Well, this much seems fine? I have to move without killing as much as possible…”

Then a pierrot aimed a club at his back. Tae-hyuk avoided the opponent and aimed the taser gun at him.

Pajijik, pajijik!

“Hukakakakak!”

The pierrot collapsed as the high-voltage current coursed through his body. Five pierrots went down and only one remained standing.

“Only one pierrot left! Are you going to shout?”

The opponent’s eyes were still blazing. Usually in this situation, a person would step back to maintain their posture. However, the pierrot was determined to fight despite being the last person. It was to fulfill his order to defend this place.

Tae-hyuk clicked his tongue.

“Even though you only have weapons from the iron age…”

The scarier thing was that their power could be increased infinitely through the Psychotropic Incense. It was a strange thing that this didn’t happen in his previous life.

The reason was that Phantom helped in the Bomber’s revenge.

It was clear. Tae-hyuk had been framed for killing Mister Park and was sent to prison. And the Psychotropic Incense made by the Yakuza was ridiculously dangerous. It was something that he couldn’t allow to be released in South Korea.

But as a result, a more dangerous monster was born, and Seo Ha-ran was its offering. So…

“…I have to stop it. Since I have the memories of my previous life, I am the only one who can prevent it.”

Tae-hyuk bit his lip and looked at the remaining pierrot in the hallway. The pierrot’s bloodshot eyes flashed. This was a typical symptom of Psychotropic Incense addiction. Either way, this one remaining pierrot wouldn’t be able to stop him from entering the underground laboratory.

He gripped the iron pipe securely.

“—The drg has turned you into a mad dog.”

His use of the Machina and taser guns was minimal. There was still the Clown left. He needed to leave some power to deal with the Clown. The pierrot asked hesitantly and with poor articulation.

“You, identity, what?”

“Hyu~ there was someone who could speak? Does the effect of the Psychotropic Incense differ depending on your constitution?”

“…You, can’t, go.”

The pierrot held an iron pipe in both hands and moved in front of Tae-hyuk. But Tae-hyuk couldn’t feel the will to protect something. The pierrot was just like an animated puppet that received a command.

It felt like Tae-hyuk was looking at himself from his previous life. He was a temporary worker at a security company and was dispatched to a large corporation. He chose it because it made money, not because it excited him. The pay was just enough for living expenses. He had to believe that he could live a better life if he worked hard. And the result…

“Sheesh. I remembered something bad.”

Tae-hyuk said before smiling. He had smashed that future with his own hands. Now he only needed to take down the Clown and save his sister, and it would all be over. His previous life couldn’t be reached anymore…

Ha-ran’s dream would come true.

He adjusted his iron pipe. The pierrot picked up an iron pipe rolling across the ground. It was added to his original one and now he was holding two pipes.

“I, two. You, one. I, won…all.”

“Ah? Is that so?”

Tae-hyuk bent down and swung the iron pipe at the opponent’s leg.

“K-Kuwak!”

The pierrot lost his balance and fell down.

“One more shot!”

He used the gap to hit the head, making the pierrot faint. Tae-hyuk dusted off his hands and muttered,

“…This is the end of the tiresome pierrots.”

Then he suddenly crouched down on the ground. He said to the unconscious pierrot,

“You asked who I was? I am Seo Ha-ran’s brother, Seo Tae-hyuk. Well. This is the end.”

Tae-hyuk got up. He looked at the firmly closed door in front of him.

The Clown was in there.

@

The underground laboratory had a somber atmosphere.

There was a huge flask with an unknown purpose that was installed in the middle of the room. A bright red plasma was shining inside it.

Tae-hyuk recalled something similar to it. It was definitely a new technology at the Children’s Science Museum. His parents had taken him to see it with Ha-ran and Tae-min. It was one of the few memories from his younger days.

There was someone looking at the flask. He was dressed in a white coat and had funny clown makeup on his face. His height was a little bit taller than Detective Cho Kang-suk’s, but his body seemed like it was only made of bones. There was charred white hair on top of his hair. The skin around his mouth was severely distorted due to burns.

It was a terrible look. Obviously, the other places on his body wouldn’t be much different.

The Clown started stroking the flask like it was his beloved child.

“Kiik! Kiiiiiik! Kilkil.”

Something shone in the gap between his bright red lips. Tae-hyuk ignored the Clown and looked around the laboratory.

‘There is a pierrot.’

He was waiting in a corner of the laboratory, as if he was sleeping. Pierrots were standing over a chair and Seo Ha-ran was lying on top of it. Apart from being unconscious, her body seemed fine.

‘N-Noona!’

He wanted to rush over and grab her hand to get out of here, but he couldn’t do that. The pierrots nearby were holding weapons. Ha-ran could be in danger if he did anything wrong.

Tae-hyuk took the time to look inside the laboratory.

He felt something. The Clown turned his head and looked at the entrance. There was clearly nothing there, but he bowed down and greeted the air.

“Uhaha… I was so immersed in my research that I didn’t realize a guest had come. It is a shabby place but please come in.”

“……!”

He had been looking through the door with a hidden camera. How did the Clown notice? His words showed that it wasn’t just a gamble.

Tae-hyuk placed the opera mask on his face and entered. He couldn’t let it be known that his purpose was Ha-ran. He had to treat her like she was just a decoration in the laboratory.

‘I’m sorry to throw you away, but I will use you one last time Phantom.’

It was impossible to become his old self after he escaped from the influence of the Demon Revealing Mirror. However, he had spent over half a year as Phantom. He could do this type of acting quite simply.

Tae-hyuk entered the lab naturally, like it was his own home.

“Director Go Ah-tae… no, should I call you the Clown now? It seems like you are doing something very interesting.”

“…This is true. Are you wearing a strange mask?”

“It is like my trademark. That incense also won’t be able to get past this mask.”

“Ohh! No! I know who you are! Unbelievable! Kiik, kikikikik!”

The Clown suddenly started laughing. Then he began to scratch at his face. The nails dug at the burnt skin and it became bloody in an instant.

The Clown continued to laugh while harming himself. Then he said with a grin.

“You! Seo Tae-hyuk! Right?”

“……!?”

At the moment, Tae-hyuk’s heart froze. How do this madman know his identity? It was impossible even for the mafia.

“D-D-Don’t tell me! Am I wrong? You clearly have the same smell as my assistant!”

“…Smell?”

Tae-hyuk made a mistake. Even if he used the mask, he normally triggered the Disguise or Transformation skill as well. However, he was only using a minimum of his crime skills now, so he was just wearing the opera mask. Despite all of this, he didn’t think he would be discovered through smell.

Tae-hyuk glared at the opponent.

At that moment, the Demon Revealing Mirror sent him a message to tempt him.

[Your identity has been discovered. Kill the opponent to prevent it from being leaked!]

In any other circumstances, he would ignore the message; however, he could do it easily this time. As Tae-hyuk was conflicted, the Clown opened his mouth with an unconcerned expression.

“Well, well, well! A precious guest has come! I don’t have any tea to serve! What should I do, Jung Cho-gyu?”

The Clown seem to ask someone but there was no reply. He started to look around the room with a hand on his forehead. But he couldn’t find the person he was looking for.

“Where, where, where are you? Another cigarette… Kuhehe! Kuhehehehek!”

The Clown’s face distorted with a strange joy.

“Kekekekek! I am talking to you! Jung Cho-gyu, Jung Cho-gyuuuuu! I killed you! Kihehehehehe!”

Tae-hyuk gulped as he looked at the Clown’s actions.

Crazy.

That person was completely crazy.

“…Isn’t that right? Jung Cho-gyu said my research was a failure! Such a person can’t be kept alive!”

It seemed as though he was seeking agreement.

“My great research! There is no chance it will fail. I will succeeed!”

The Clown stomped his feet. It was at that moment. One of the pierrots seemed to slightly recover their minds and spoke,

“D-Director, nim… The Core Drive is really dangerous. Do something wrong… really big accident…”

“Huhhh? Huhhhhhhhh? Did you just say that I failed?”

The Clown’s face distorted with anger thrust a sharp skewer at the pierrot. Blood and flesh splashed as the person collapsed.

“K-Kuwak! Kuaaaak!”

The Clown ignored the screams as he straddled the body and repeated the actions. After less than 10 seconds, the person had died.

“Huh? My research won’t fail! My research is perfect! It is perfect!”

A creepy madness.

Tae-hyuk bit his lip.

A monster was in front of him. Just a week ago, he was a researcher who wanted to make progress in science, but an ugly monster was born due to an accident.

Tae-hyuk slowly approached the Clown.

“Clown. I know how your research will turn out.”

“What?”

“You will fail.”

The Clown was furious. He rushed towards Tae-hyuk with the iron skewer that he had just used to kill his subordinate.