Chapter 9

The lobby looked no different from any other building. A guard post sat on the left, elevators on the right. People in suits and casual clothes bustled in and out, chatting on phones or heading for the elevators in a hurry.

Nowhere on the information board was Haetsal Capital listed. But the closer they got to the elevators, the stronger the faint scent of Beast-Blooded became. Beomjin noticed it clearly, though Uwan and Jinyoung didn’t seem to catch it.

“Third floor. Let’s take this elevator.”

They stepped inside as the doors opened. They wrinkled their noses too, catching the faint trace. But that didn’t mean everyone here belonged to Haetsal Capital. A little caution would be enough.

They exited on the third floor, following the hall until Haetsal Capital appeared in bold lettering. A bright sign, backlit with clean lighting, hung next to a glass door.

“Ah… I smell blood,” Beomjin muttered, five steps away.

“What is it?” Uwan asked.

“The air feels wrong. There’s already blood inside.”

The word “blood” made both Uwan and Jinyoung inhale sharply. Jinyoung’s sensitive nose twitched.

“…It’s safe to go in, right?”

“With a Tiger and a Bear here, who’s going to pick a fight? And we’re not here to borrow money or start trouble. We just need to ask about the victim. Let’s not make this messy.”

“Fair enough.”

Beomjin steadied his breath and stepped forward. The glass door opened, releasing the scent of perfume. A receptionist greeted them with a friendly smile.

“Hello. How can I help you?”

“We’re from the Special Beast Investigation Unit. Could we meet the person in charge? It’s regarding Moon Sajun.”

“Ah… just a moment.”

She made a call, and soon a middle-aged woman emerged from the inner office. Gray-streaked hair, wine-colored suit, and a grim expression she didn’t bother hiding.

“I’m Chu Nayoung, head manager of Haetsal Capital. You said you’re from the Unit?”

Her voice was low and firm, without a trace of tremor. Heavy perfume tried to mask her natural scent, but it bled through anyway—a sharp, biting aroma.

A Lynx.

Beomjin’s breath caught. Bitter memories of Lynxes resurfaced, but he forced a crooked smile. From their looks, Uwan and Jinyoung hadn’t realized what she was.

“I’m Baek Beomjin, consultant to the Unit. We came regarding Moon Sajun. Could we speak for a moment?”

At the name, wrinkles deepened around Nayoung’s eyes. She shook her head sharply.

“No. Manager Moon isn’t in today. Come another time.”

“Moon Sajun died two nights ago. That’s why we came.”

Her face darkened. The hostility pouring off her grew sharper.

“You’re saying Team Manager Moon is dead?”

“Would you like to see the photos? This won’t take long.”

“Then there’s nothing left to say. Leave.”

She turned her back with obvious displeasure.

As expected—so Lynx-like. Crotchety, rabid-dog temper, and once she set her mind, she never backed down. Seeing it again almost made Beomjin laugh.

“Guess she doesn’t want us to find out the blood smell inside, even if someone has to die for it.”

He said it loudly, not caring if Nayoung or her staff heard. As Uwan feared, Nayoung stormed back down the hall, striding up until she stood nose-to-nose with Beomjin. Though shorter by ten centimeters, she didn’t yield an inch.

“You’re fearless, aren’t you? Think being born a Tiger puts the whole world under your feet? You’re too young to know how wide the world really is. Want to find out today?”

Her tone was soft, almost sweet, but her eyes gleamed like she’d stick a knife in his ribs.

Beomjin only smiled. Behind it, his feral nature surfaced, teeth bared like a Tiger’s growl. Nayoung froze.

“You’re the one who looks fearless. If you’ve never been bitten by a Tiger, then don’t posture—get on your knees, lady.”

“You bastard! Everyone out!!”

She swung at him, aiming a slap, but her hand cut only air. She lashed out wildly, drunk on rage, but her strikes landed nowhere. At her cry, employees poured out from both ends of the hall. Dressed in suits, they carried box cutters and small hammers, waving them menacingly.

“Oh, would you look at this? They actually want to fight us?”

Jinyoung’s voice rang with genuine disbelief. She dragged Uwan behind her, like a child abandoned on a battlefield, and kicked aside the nearest attacker. A charging man flew upward, gravity defied.

“Don’t underestimate her! She’s a Bear!”

The shout made the other employees falter.

“What? First time seeing a Bear?”

Jinyoung grabbed the man who’d spoken, lifting him with one hand. He swung his weapon desperately, but it was useless. She hurled him behind the reception desk, smashing the decorative lights.

Meanwhile, Beomjin was a whirlwind. He slammed Nayoung into the floor by the collar, then tore through the others, swift and precise. Knives and hammers couldn’t slow him down. To Beomjin, they were no more dangerous than children throwing tantrums.

“Yes! This is what I needed!”

Adrenaline surged as he clenched his fists. A knife lunged for his eye; he dodged and countered with a straight punch. His opponent, strong and solid, still crumpled as his nose shattered. Another man hesitated, knees buckling before he could flee.

“Die, bastard!!”

A hammer crashed against the back of Beomjin’s skull. A burly man charged like a bull, sending him stumbling. He flew backward, smashing through a locked office door.

Inside was a mess of bloodstains, as if a fight had already taken place. Tables lined both sides, littered with blades crusted dark red. At the far end sat a man tied to a chair, head slumped, unconscious.

The blood scent—this was its source. Beomjin couldn’t tell if the man was alive, but first, he had to deal with the rampaging Ox in front of him.

The Ox straddled him, pounding down wildly. But before long, a hammer blow from below struck his eye, and he toppled. Another lackey was dragged down by his collar. Using him as a springboard, Beomjin leapt up and swung his fists in the air.

“Now I’m warmed up. Got a sweat going. Who’s next?!”

Beomjin roared, voice booming like thunder. The remaining thugs faltered, realizing too late what would happen if the fight continued. Even those who had believed their numbers and weapons could win now saw the truth: when it ended, only the Tiger would still be standing.

“…That’s it? Come on, more!”

His shout of disappointment brought the brawl to an end. The survivors dropped their weapons and surrendered.

Passing the corner where Nayoung sat glaring like a trapped beast, Beomjin entered the smashed office. He checked the unconscious man’s face. Thankfully, he was still breathing. His injuries were lighter than expected. His shirt was torn, showing a few shallow scars, and his bound hands bore split, bruised nails.

Beomjin untied him and patted his cheek lightly.

“Hey. Wake up.”

Only a faint groan escaped.

“He doesn’t look good,” Uwan muttered.

“He’s not a Beast-Blooded,” Beomjin added.

“We’ll need to take him to a hospital.”

Jinyoung hoisted the man onto her back.

“Take him together. I’ll handle things here.”

“You sure?”

“No problem. But they laid hands on a civilian. That’s not something I’ll let slide.”

Beomjin bared his teeth at Nayoung.

“They’ve broken the Gyeokjang Treaty. I’ll notify HQ myself. But for you to even know that treaty… you’re not a consultant just in name, are you?” Uwan said, still impressed.

Gyeokjang Treaty – An internal law among Beast-Blooded: If a Beast-Blooded harms a non-Beast-Blooded, the punishment is increased.

Once more, Beomjin’s knowledge left Uwan amazed.

Uwan and Jinyoung left with the injured man, while Beomjin remained behind at Haetsal Capital.

The reception area was in ruins. Beomjin moved into Nayoung’s office. Though her pride hadn’t broken, her tone was at least less defiant than before.

The man who’d been tied up was Choi Gyusang, late thirties, a delivery driver. He and his sister had borrowed money from Haetsal Capital but failed to repay. After threats piled up, he had been dragged in as an example.

“Let’s leave his case to HQ. For now, let’s talk about Moon Sajun. Was he the type to earn grudges?”

Beomjin questioned Nayoung, who slumped in her chair.

“This is a loan office. We earn grudges every single day. From the moment someone can’t repay, we’ve already bought their resentment.”

“And beating people bloody—does that sound like ‘grudges just happen’ to you?”

“That’s because they didn’t pay. If you don’t want that, you should’ve kept up with payments!”

Nayoung’s veins bulged as she shouted.

“Then tell me this: anything Moon Sajun said recently? Anything odd?”

“Why should I?”

“Because we need to catch whoever killed your employee.”

“What’s that got to do with me? If it’s a woman, he’d lend money without thinking. Staff like him were useless anyway.”

“He was at work two nights ago, wasn’t he?”

“Of course not. Said he had a meeting with some couple that day. Didn’t even show his face.”

“A couple?”

Beomjin’s ears pricked.

“Who? When? Were they Beast-Blooded?”

“You think I’m his secretary? I don’t know who he met or when. If you’re curious, go find out yourself!”

Getting cheeky, huh?

Beomjin rose from the sofa and slammed her desk.

Bang!

The monitor, piles of papers, calendar, and office supplies toppled and scattered.

“Why don’t you answer nicely? Talking is the only reason I’m being patient.”

Nayoung glared, but her chin trembled.

“I’ll need to see who he was dealing with.”

“You can’t. Those records aren’t for you.”

“Then should I bring back a warrant and tear this place apart? Or will you let me see just his files?”

Nayoung groaned.

“Trash… using the weak as leverage.”

Muttering curses, she called an employee. A moment later, they returned with Moon Sajun’s ledger, which Nayoung tossed onto the desk.

“There. Now get out, and don’t come back.”

Beomjin flipped through the documents as he left. Employees cleaning the wrecked lobby and hall stared at him, but he ignored them. He was used to walking in the midst of hostility.

The ledger contained names, phone numbers, addresses, ID numbers, and loan amounts.

Scanning the list, Beomjin found the same names repeated over and over—Kim Sanghyun and Choi Huiseon. Both shared the same address, borrowing multiple times under separate names, even on the same day.

He couldn’t be certain they were a married couple, but it was a lead worth pursuing.