Chapter 77 - Lee Minseok

The dingy restaurant located in the desolated alley was not busy even on a weekend. The old woman was grumbling as she threw away a plate of stale ramen. A customer had visited in the morning but threw up his order all over the plate, soiling the ramen. 

"Can't even digest this much," she muttered under her breath. "Youngsters nowadays have no shame nor tolerance."

The bell at the door rang and a customer walked in. The old lady did not look at the new patron but merely growled. She knew who it was anyway.

"What do ya want, SD?" she asked. "Don't ya have other things to do in life?"

"Nope!" SD declared. "I live to see people getting annoyed."

""If only that was true," the old woman sighed. She turned to him and said, "He doesn't want to see anyone. How many times do I have to tell you? He's not involved with the Light anymore."

"Too bad coz he's the only one who can decipher this," SD said, taking out the documents he stole from Rihan and the Mafia. "He knows who these people are and also, how to break into Sam Cheng's system."

"He's old and tired!" the woman snapped. "He said clearly that-"

"Let him in."

A croaked voice came from upstairs. The stairway was hidden by dirty curtains so it was nearly impossible to see the opening but it was there. A tall silhouette could be seen from behind it who was shuffling up the stairs. SD smirked at the old woman and followed the shadow.

He entered a gloomy room with no windows. The bed was unkempt and there was minimal furniture. Paint was peeling off the walls and there was nothing but an old computer in one corner. A trash can lay in another corner, filled with junk like expired medicines and food. It created a strong stench in the room but SD did not care. He was immune to such things.

His eyes fell on the frail figure on the bed. The man was in his seventies, trembling as if feeling cold. His wrinkles made him look older than his age while his clothes were dirty and smelled like onions. The man peeked at SD with his large, dark eyes. For a few minutes, he studied the youth but soon began to cough violently.

SD stood there as the old man grabbed a bottle from the bedside table and gulped it down.

"Stop the drama Minseok," he said warily. "Both of us know that you're not sick."

"How would you know?" the old man wheezed. "I'm old and frail. My lungs are blackened after years of smoking and the doctors said I have cancer-"

"You never smoked in your entire life," SD stated. "And I have your doctor's report. I have your and your family's entire medical history. You guys are healthy enough to live till a hundred years old. Probably even longer. So cut the crap, and let's get down to business."

"Are you gonna make an old man work?" Minseok said in a gruff voice."You youngsters have no respect for the elderly! Rude brat! When I was your age, I-"

But SD had enough of his tantrums. He took out a fat load of cash from his pocket and threw it at Minseok.

"Is that enough?" he asked. Minseok picked up the cash and sniffed it. He counted the money and checked every note to make sure that the notes were real. 

"Medicines are expensive nowadays!" he declared out loud. "If only someone would buy them for me…"

SD threw another bundle at him. The old man sat up and happily counted the cash. "This will do for now," he said. "What do you want, SD?"

"Sam Cheng made a system based on your codes," SD stated. "I hope you remember the software you had once designed to protect the palace."

"Eh?"

Minseok thought for a while. SD was studying the old man whose deadpan eyes were beginning to come alive again. Minseok was now clenching his fists, his blood boiling over the fact that his system was now being used in the PM's mansion.

Lee Minseok was an ex-IT expert who had been employed by the late Emperor for his outstanding skills. Once upon a time, he used to oversee the entire country's technological advancement. 

He had designed the CCTV and wireless software as per the country's needs, making sure that the Emperor had complete control over it. Like the Big Brother, the Emperor was able to see what people were doing every minute. It was a highly secret project because the citizens would create an uproar if they found out but Minseok made sure that it was undetectable. 

Little did he know that it was also a curse that would haunt Minseok for the rest of his life. His system had been used for atrocities which were unimaginable even for him.

"Sam Cheng is now using your system once again to do what you had inadvertently done," SD pressed. "Aren't you worried that history might repeat itself?"

Minseok stared at his hands. The old hands were stained with the blood of millions. A system which was supposed to save people had instead wiped out so many people including his own family.

"I'm not part of the Light," he muttered. "I can't do what you are doing. You're fighting against an entire organization who are responsible for the building of the basic society. They're not hidden in the shadows but commit their crimes openly using the law as a weapon. If we try to break into Sam's software, they'll turn on us."

"But you're the only one who can help us," SD said. "Aren't you afraid that the system which created a war in the country could also be used for peace?"

"I know what you're doing is not for peace!" Minseok snapped. "You're still hellbent on revenge! Why don't you just come out in the open? The throne is awaiting the Crown Prince. You can take the spot if you find the will-"

"I have no interest in the throne," SD said loudly. "It did nothing for me then. It would do nothing for me now. It belongs to another person and I'm here to make sure that person gets it."

"Are you saying that...you'll give it to him?" Minseok asked in disgust. "That boy is not worthy to be the Emperor!"

"He's the son of the Emperor too," SD said with a sly smile. "We still haven't seen his full potential. Why are you so against his crowning?"

"We both know why!" Minseok hissed. "His mother still lives! She's abroad, biding her time to return to the country. We know what she did. Her betrayal of the Emperor was what caused the royal family to fall!"

He said every word with pure hatred. The woman who had brought down the calamity on their beloved Emperor. She was still pulling the strings from the back with Company's help. The woman would stop at nothing to get power even if it meant putting her son as a dummy Emperor on the throne.

For the past 24 years, the throne had been empty, waiting for the true heir to return. There were rumors that the Emperor had two sons, both of them who were born to compete for the throne. They were given the same name so that if one died, the other could take his place. They lived as each other's shadow until they were old enough to compete for the throne.

And in the palace, the one who won became Emperor while the loser was killed off. The body was disposed of secretly so that the public did not find out. This was done to prevent any possible threat to the throne. The boys lived  with a shared identity to preserve the tradition. A spare must always be kept.

It was the rule.

"Maybe that's the whole point," SD sighed. "To bring her here. Once she's here, the Company will also follow. The person behind her, controlling the whole thing. I'm more interested in that person."

"And you need to hack into Sam Cheng's system to create havoc," Minseok grumbled. 

"Yes."

The old man stared at SD for a while before sighing. "Why can't you just live a normal life?" he lamented. "Is this why you were saved? For revenge?"

SD stopped smiling. His smile was replaced by a cold fury which he hid away from everyone. The hatred and fire he carried around with himself was now emerging, distorting his handsome features. His eyes were sharped and there was no hint of a smile. 

Only vengeance.

"Revenge sounds very petty," he said quietly. "Justice. I live for a delayed justice. The world would not be just to anyone. We've got to create our own laws and give ourselves justice. Even if it meant destroying oneself."

There was a long silence between them. Minseok was trying to find the eight year old boy who used to be smarter and wiser beyond his years. The boy who used to ask him all sorts of questions about the world. A curious and happy boy with no malice in his heart.

Where was that boy?

"I'll try to decode the system," he finally said. "Do you have the documents I've asked for?"

SD handed him the letter and the list. Minseok took them and tucked the papers under his pillow before turning to face SD.

"I'll pray that you find peace," he said. 

"Peace, huh?" SD softly snorted. "I would like to know what that words means as well. Someday, I might."

With that, he turned away to leave.