Chapter 134 – Recruitment – Part 5

Chapter 134 – Recruitment – Part 5

“I-I said it’s fine!”

Despite the man’s shouts, Woojin pushed the wheelchair without a care.

Unlike others, Woojin didn’t just pass by everything that caught his eye.

Even when walking, he was aware of everything he saw: where a stray dog was heading, the ratio of people wearing glasses to those not wearing them on the street, and the ratio of women to men. It was the same when he ate fish cakes and hotteok a little while ago.

It was the same when he ate fish cakes and hotteok a little while ago.

He would observe the owner’s hands making the hotteok and also remember the expressions of the people around him.

It was then that a man in a wheelchair caught Woojin’s eye.

The man’s eyes kept looking everywhere.

His gaze particularly lingered on women walking alone.

Each time he fixed his gaze, the man fiddled with the wheelchair’s wheels and made many small gestures.

It was proof that he was contemplating something.

Not only that, but he kept wetting his dry lips with his tongue.

This could be interpreted differently depending on the situation, but judging by his various unconscious actions, it was evidence that he was fantasizing about something.

And as if to turn his fantasy into reality, he soon followed a child who had packed hotteok and was heading towards the crosswalk.

“That’s enough. I said, that’s enough.”

As they entered the alley, the man even raised his head to look at Woojin.

Woojin’s pushing was so relentless that the man couldn’t tell if he was being helped or being dragged along.

Woojin looked down at him, meeting his gaze.

“Sir, we live in a society where we help each other, don’t we? I have some time, so I’ll take you to your destination.”

“It’s fine. I can go by myself now.”

“Didn’t you just ask the little girl for help, saying you were weak?”

“I’m feeling a bit better now. Thank you.”

“I think I read somewhere that we should help the socially vulnerable. You seemed to be well aware of that and asked a child for help. Am I wrong?”

The man’s eyes widened slightly, and his brow furrowed a little.

“What are you talking about…”

Woojin started pushing the wheelchair again.

I told you I’m fine!

Woojin opened his mouth as if he wasn’t listening to him.

People tend to be cruel to those who seem relatively weaker than themselves. This is because they unconsciously know that those people cannot harm them. Conversely, in an equal position, the story changes. In society, they are seen as competitors or as opponents to be fought and defeated. This has been the case for a very long time, as survival is at stake. It is ingrained in our DNA.

What nonsense…

Regardless of what the man said, Woojin continued speaking.

To give a simple example, if you ask people to choose between receiving orders or giving, most will choose to give. This is because people dislike receiving orders, while the act of giving itself makes them feel superior to the other person. Understanding these things can lead to cruelty in many aspects.

Woojin stopped pushing when two paths appeared.

Before entering the alley, it was a bustling downtown, but the streetlights quietly illuminating the two paths looked eerie.

Woojin spoke.

What I just explained is a very simple explanation of your behavior, sir. I could explain it in more detail based on brain science and psychology, but you wouldn’t understand it in this situation.

Because you must be flustered.

What! What are you doing with me right now!

Woojin looked at his face as he yelled.

Is it the left?

As the man’s eyes trembled slightly, Woojin’s observational skills allowed him to make a judgment.

It’s the right.

Woojin started pushing the wheelchair again.

You crazy bastard! What are you! Help! This person is harassing a disabled person! Help me! This thug is assaulting a disabled person! Help me!

Woojin, who was pushing the wheelchair, suddenly stopped.

I’ll make you walk on two feet, sir.

As the man looked at various people as if setting a target, there was a slight tremor in his thigh.

When he looked to the right, his thigh slightly turned to the right, and when he looked to the left, it turned to the left.

And when he chased after a child carrying a hotteok, it was completely fixed without any trembling.

It was a superficial action strongly claiming lower body paralysis to the other person.

Help me… Ugh!

When Woojin lifted the handle to his shoulder height, the man fell backward.

He dragged his lower body with his hands and spoke with trembling eyes.

“Why, why are you doing this?! Why are you doing this to me…”

“Teacher, the cells that make up a human have something called homeostasis. Biologically, it’s also called homeodynamics. These homeodynamics allow cells to live with the least energy, conserve energy internally and externally, and achieve a state of equilibrium. If these cellular homeodynamics are smoothly maintained, humans unconsciously feel comfort and satisfaction.”

It’s easy to understand if you recall how your fatigue disappeared when you returned home from an exhausting day at work.

Home is shielded from the outside, reducing stress, and by only engaging in familiar, habitual actions, energy is conserved.

Habits are formed unconsciously, and because they are the most comfortable and familiar to a person, they can be said to be the best actions for maintaining homeodynamics.

These homeodynamics, which strive to maintain a balanced system, also manifest in behavior.

This includes considering stability when buying a car, insurance for contingencies, or savings and insurance for old age, and so on.

People act by considering future irregularities or risks to maintain the balanced system of homeodynamics.

But what if the things you did and predicted to gain comfort and satisfaction started to go wrong, one by one, all of them?

Woojin lifted the wheelchair.

“This is similar. When a risk of safety system collapse is detected, the brain sends a signal. To escape the danger and run.”

It might seem obvious, but if you recognize and observe it, it becomes much easier to interpret and predict people.

Their future, too, with a high probability.

Woojin threw the wheelchair as it was. No, as soon as he made a gesture to throw it, the man sprang up and started running.

“Damn it!”

Woojin watched the man’s back for a moment, then began to follow him.

Since ancient times, humans have chosen to belong to groups rather than be alone.

This was because productivity was higher in groups, and they were safer within a group.

So where is he going now?

It could be where his group is, or where he feels safe.

Woojin followed him at a distance, letting his figure almost disappear, and opened a satellite map on his cellphone.

It felt as if an hour had passed like that.

The man climbing the stairs of the multi-family townhouse was breathing heavily.

“Gasp, gasp, that crazy bastard…”

He breathed heavily, his legs giving out, as he trudged up the stairs.

Fortunately, being familiar with the area, he was able to shake him off.

Having reached the third floor, he walked towards his own apartment in the middle of the hallway.

He paid no attention to the person walking towards him from the opposite direction.

The light was broken, so only a silhouette was visible, but the attire was different from what he’d expect from that crazy guy.

He didn’t see the tie and pin that the crazy guy was wearing, nor the white color of a dress shirt.

He thought it was the office worker who lived two doors down.

“Damn it, I told them to fix the light.”

He then entered the house after pressing the password.

At that moment.

A foot came through the gap of the closing door.

It was none other than Woojin, wearing a suit inside out.

Woojin spoke through the door crack.

“Sir, if it were me, I would have reported it a long time ago. Do you have a reason not to report it?”

The man’s eyes widened as if they would tear.

“This crazy bastard…”

He tried to close the door with force, but it wouldn’t shut, blocked by Woojin’s foot.

Instead, Woojin pulled the door, and he, who was holding it firmly, was dragged outside.

No.

Woojin pushed him inside and entered the foyer with him.

And closed the door.

Bang!

He, who had landed on his backside, quickly stood up and headed to the kitchen.

He soon held out a knife to Woojin, who had entered the living room.

“What?! You bastard! Who are you?! What’s your objective?!”

Woojin calmly looked around and loosened his tie.

“My objective is clear. To hand over criminals to the Detective so they can earn achievements, and then hand the case over to the Prosecutor to help them gain more recognition.”

The man clutched the knife tighter.

From the way he was talking, he didn’t seem to be a Detective. And he knew something.

Then there was only one choice.

“You’re not getting out of here alive.”

The man immediately swung the knife at Woojin.

Suddenly,

The tie Woojin was holding wrapped around his wrist.

Thud!

With a dull sound, the fluorescent light reflected in his fallen eyes, and his pupils constricted.

At the same time, his face crumpled.

This was because Woojin’s tie had wrapped around his neck like a noose.

His hand reached for the fallen knife again.

But Woojin’s foot nudged the knife, making it impossible to grab.

Woojin, with the tie around his neck, began dragging him around like a cart.

He dragged him from the Living Room to the Kitchen and Bathroom.

“I had a hunch it wasn’t the Candle criminal.”

Because the plan was specific, and there was no hesitation in his actions.

Woojin dragged the choking man into the bedroom.

He kicked the trash can next to the Computer, and tissues spilled out.

The man didn’t have rhinitis, nor did he show any cold symptoms.

They hadn’t found any such medicine in the house either.

“You’re healthy.”

Woojin pulled on his tie, pressing down on him every time he tried to move.

“Gasp! Sa, save me, ugh!”

Woojin’s gaze turned to the wooden headboard.

A butterfly pin, like one little girls would have, lay there.

Woojin’s expression was calm, but the hand gripping the tie was tightening.

* * *

Chief Kim, who had met Lee Hyerim, couldn’t lift his head in front of Lee Yohwan.

“You bastard! What have you been doing all this time!? Huh!? What were you doing while someone was messing with the shares!?”

Lee Yohwan, much younger than him, was cursing at him, but he couldn’t say a word.

Because Lee Yohwan was a blood relative of the Shinhwa Group, and he was just a contract executive.

Managing Director Kim opened his mouth.

“We’re currently investigating it through back channels, but there’s a lot of mingling of hands…”

Lee Yohwan slammed the table as if to break it.

“Damn it! Is that what you mean!?”

“I’m sorry. I’ll quickly…”

Lee Yohwan bowed his head deeply and sighed as if the ground would collapse.

It was clear that Lee Siyoung had tampered with it by offering extra money.

And right after he came in here…

“That damn bitch…”

In a way, all of this could have been planned.

Lee Yohwan took another deep breath, as if trying to calm down.

There’s a saying: ‘Keep your head cool, and your heart warm.’

Soon, Lee Yohwan lifted his head and spoke coldly.

“So, there are 1.5 million shares remaining under nominee accounts, and 1 million shares under my real name, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct. How about we quickly recover the 1.5 million nominee shares first?”

“Transfer 1.5 million shares under a borrowed name and 500,000 shares under my real name to Hyerim.”

Chief Kim’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Are you deaf?”

At this moment, Lee Hyerim was the only person he could rely on.

If Hyerim, who could help him, held the shares, then the National Assembly Members and the higher-ups in the Prosecution would meet with Hyerim.

The shares Hyerim held would positively change their minds.

The time he was imprisoned was also a factor.

The more time passed, the more disadvantageous it would be for him.

“Transfer them to Hyerim immediately! Immediately!”