Flowers Are Bait

Chapter 220:

“It’s a perfect day for taking lives,” remarked the gardener who had dirt under his fingernails as he opened the common work case that had been issued to everyone.

“We’ve been messing around with dirt for quite some time.”

Kwon Hee-joon’s voice, somehow relaxed and nonchalant, flowed through the earpiece. Inside the case, a sniper rifle was disassembled and neatly arranged. The man began assembling it piece by piece, the cold metal clicking and clacking, producing a familiar sound. He placed the completed rifle on a bipod and extended the barrel outward.

The core of this sniper mission wasn’t the shooting but rather the infiltration. The man who had been undercover as a gardener for the past few years, waiting for this one opportunity, had finally received his mission.

“Let’s humbly cut just one of their lifelines.”

The overview was simple: assassinate the wife of the Pakistani embassy ambassador. Her main occupation was smuggling, and her family had a long history of amassing wealth through illicit trade.

She wielded influence in making Pakistan the most drug-addicted nation. Currently, she plays a crucial role in maintaining the unending flow of money as a key customer of the Kwon family.

The Future Society charity auction was merely a gathering for appearances, and the charity auction was nothing more than a façade from the start. Kwon Hee-joon wanted to buy the trust of his fellow conspirators with gold.

He wanted to demonstrate to the sturdy partners of the Kwon family that something as powerful as their reign could be easily shattered. For that, he had spent several years infiltrating this place.

“It’s about time they realized that even the Kwon family’s front yard is no longer safe.”

Even as Kwon Hee-joon’s chilling laughter echoed in his ears, the gardener didn’t flinch. Eventually, the man took a slow breath, focusing through the scope.

People started to arrive at the venue.

***

The guests who gracefully took their seats at the elegantly arranged table all exuded refinement. Lee-yeon, watching the garden slowly fill up from a distance, had unknowingly tidied up her makeshift lunchbox on the ground.

Suddenly, as if the expansive sunlight that had been streaming in disappeared and was replaced by an unexpected shadow, a rustling sound was heard. When she turned her head, she saw a figure filling the wide-open window like a painting.

He brushed the leaves off his head and stood in the sunlight.

“What…! How did you… here?”

As Lee-yeon abruptly stood up, her chair scraped loudly. She nervously glanced around, fearing that someone might have seen her.

“Do you prefer the office or your bedroom?”

“What?”

He asked, holding onto the window frame, his tone casual.

Kwon Chae-woo, who usually had a different attire in the morning and at night, was currently wearing a neat suit. He appeared relaxed when the sun was up but turned into a man immersed in all sorts of filthy substances at night.

He stared at her with a strange intensity.

“I plan to confine you from now on.”

“What?”

The man who had been frowning and blushing whenever he saw her for the past few days now scrutinized Lee-yeon with an air of indifference. Nevertheless, there was something more intense than mere vigilance between the two of them. Lee-yeon, who had become accustomed to his unilateral actions, casually replied.

“Please explain without beating around the bush.”

“Don’t go outside until the auction is completely over.”

“Why?”

The man tilted his head slightly and looked at her. He seemed to be contemplating whether to speak or not.

“It’s going to get a bit noisy.”

At this, Lee-yeon’s expression immediately stiffened. Could it be that she became highly sensitive not only to noise but also to something else?

Since seeing the s*x party and the pool, or rather, the aquarium, Lee-yeon had given up trying to assess the Kwon family by her standards, and Kwon Chae-woo’s warnings had always been accurate.

Suddenly, a light shiver ran down her spine. In this place, it was best to keep a low profile as much as possible.

“All right. I don’t have much to do today anyway. I’ll tidy up the office and stay in my room.”

Lee-yeon replied obediently, and for a moment, Kwon Chae-woo didn’t react. He stood silently and then reached out to wipe the corner of her mouth.

She frowned slightly due to the sudden touch and the sunlight streaming in. “I’ll be back.”

With a soft voice, a bony knuckle floated above Lee-yeon’s hand. She quickly spread her palm, and simultaneously, trembling flower petals rained down on her. With her widened eyes, she quickly cupped both hands.

“You seem to treasure even what falls on the ground, so I thought I’d pick them up.”

When Lee-yeon stared at him stiffly, Kwon Chae-woo turned abruptly. His retreating back left a strange impression on her.

Because of the chilly wind blowing in, all the flower petals she had held in her hands flew away and fell to the ground. The sight of them scattered on the ground looked eerily red, like drops of blood.

Lee-yeon stared helplessly at her empty hands.