Chapter 44: Saho, You’re Amazing

“And just what is the reason for your coming home so late?”

Hearing Cha Jiham's sharp question, Cha Hyeonji tilted her head in confusion.

She had come home at her usual time, around ten in the evening. Yet an icy chill permeated her brother's voice.

“Brother, did something happen?”

“I need to talk to you seriously, so hurry up, change your clothes, and come out.”

“What's with putting on such a serious act? Wait a second, I'll be right there.”

Soon, after changing into comfortable clothes, Cha Hyeonji came out into the living room.

Taking a seat across from him at the dining table, she asked with utmost seriousness,

“Well, spit it out.”

If he told her everything they had learned that afternoon, she would probably suffer a tremendous shock. Therefore, Jiham had already decided to conceal some details or present them in a gentler way.

“That hit-and-run accident you suffered last year...”

“They caught him?” Cha Hyeonji interrupted impatiently.

“Not yet, but we've identified the prime suspect.”

“Even the police gave up. How did you find out?”

The conversation had already started heading in the wrong direction, but there was no turning back now.

“I asked Chairman Park to help find that bastard.”

“Ah, I see. I hope it's really him!”

Because of that accident, Cha Hyeonji's treatment had cost nearly fifty million won. If Li Jiahan was truly responsible, they could recover not only the medical expenses but also compensation for emotional damages. Of course, that was assuming the bastard had money.

At that moment, something unexpected happened.

Saho, who had been lying on the table on his stomach, suddenly sprang up and ran toward the veranda.

Letting out a low growl, he jumped onto the veranda railing and leaped outside.

Watching this, Cha Hyeonji turned to her brother in confusion.

“Brother, don't you think our cat makes strange sounds?”

“Well, cats usually meow, but when they're extremely angry, they can growl.”

‘Why do I have to lie so shamelessly?’

“So Saho is angry right now?”

Suddenly, a thought pierced Jiham's mind. Had Li Jiahan—the man who had disposed of Han Jeongsu and Park Seunghun—appeared near their house? Was that why Saho, who held intense hostility toward him, had rushed outside?

However, his gloomy suspicions vanished a few seconds later. If that man had really appeared nearby, Jeong Gwangseok, who was on duty outside, would have immediately reported it.

‘Hmm... Then why did Saho suddenly run off?’

Deciding to figure out the details later, Jiham continued talking to his sister.

“It looks like it.”

“What would make him angry?”

“How would I know? Anyway, where was I?”

“You said you asked Chairman Park, and together you found out who the driver was.”

“Right! Listen carefully now. This part is important.”

“Okay, okay, hurry up and tell me.”

“To catch the person responsible, Chairman Park started searching for the eyewitnesses. But it turned out that both of them emigrated last September—one to Canada and the other to New Zealand. People were sent there, but it turned out both witnesses disappeared without a trace about three months ago, only days apart.”

“W-What? Is that true?”

Fear made Cha Hyeonji's voice tremble.

Actually, the last thing Jiham wanted was to tell her these details. But if he wanted her to stay vigilant, he had no choice.

“Yes. After a lengthy investigation, Chairman Park discovered that a Chinese national was involved in the disappearance of those two men. Furthermore, it turns out that this man was lurking around our house last Saturday night.”

...

Terrified, Cha Hyeonji lost the ability to speak and began trembling violently. Jiham gently patted her back to calm her.

“I won't let anything happen to you again. That's why I specifically asked Chairman Park to guarantee your safety.”

“...How?”

“To be honest, bodyguards have already been secretly protecting you for some time.”

“Really?!”

At last, some life returned to Cha Hyeonji's voice. Breathing a sigh of relief, Jiham adjusted himself in his seat and continued.

“You probably never noticed, but eight professional guards have been protecting you like the apple of their eye.”

“That many?”

“They said only that number could provide absolutely airtight security without the slightest gap.”

“Whew, thank goodness. But why does Chairman Park care so much about me?”

The words “Because I'm his successor” almost escaped Jiham's lips, but he stopped himself in time. His sister was already overwhelmed with anxiety, and adding that bombshell would completely derail the conversation.

“Now isn't the right time. I'll tell you someday when things are quieter.”

“Okay. But who's paying them?”

“Well, Chairman Park, obviously.”

However, they were unable to continue.

Saho, who had run outside, shot back in through the veranda window like a bullet.

Something was wrong.

Saho had a strict habit. Before coming inside, he always carefully cleaned his paws. But now muddy footprints clearly marked the living room floor.

Even stranger and more frightening, fresh blood stained his white claws.

While Jiham was still trying to understand, Saho ran up to him, bit the leg of his tracksuit pants, and began tugging insistently toward the entrance.

“Saho, what happened outside?”

Instead of answering, the wild cat only growled deeply without releasing the fabric.

Realizing that something extraordinary had happened, Jiham quickly turned to his sister.

“Just in case, go into your room and don't come out.”

As though reading his thoughts, Saho dashed to the front door, leaped up, and skillfully pressed the electronic lock button.

Descending to the first floor behind the cat, Jiham came face to face with Security Team Head Jeong Gwangseok and his men.

“Chief Cha, what happened so late at night?”

“The thing is... Saho practically dragged me outside by force.”

“Then something must have happened. We'll come with you.”

Jiham's house stood on elevated ground, and nearby was a small wooded hill.

At the top was an exercise area with workout equipment, where Jiham often trained. Apparently, meticulous Saho used the hill as his secret spot.

Following the wild cat, they climbed halfway up the slope, where an utterly unexpected sight awaited them.

A man lay face down and motionless among the dense bushes shrouded in darkness.

Upon seeing the body, Jeong Gwangseok immediately extended his arm to block Jiham.

“Chief Cha, please wait here just in case.”

Leaving those words behind, the security chief and his men hurried over to the man. Turning on their phone flashlights, they began examining him. Jiham and Saho silently watched from a distance.

A moment later, Jeong Gwangseok suddenly turned around and called out urgently.

“Chief Cha, you need to see this immediately!”

Sensing something was wrong, Jiham quickly approached.

“Chief Jeong, what is it?”

“U-Um... This guy is Li Jiahan.”

“...What?!”

Jiham's shocked cry echoed through the night.

“Fortunately, he's alive. He's simply unconscious. Judging from the torn scratches on his temple and the blood, Saho definitely knocked him out.”

Jiham refused to understand what was happening. Without counting the tail, Saho's body length was only about sixty-five centimeters. He was only slightly larger than an ordinary house cat. How could such a small animal knock out a grown man over one meter seventy tall?

He cautiously voiced his doubts.

“All felines possess incredibly powerful forelegs. If a beast like that puts its entire body weight behind a strike, knocking out a person isn't difficult. Besides, don't forget that Saho is a sacred, intelligent animal.”

“Well... when you put it that way, you're right. But how did that bastard end up here in the first place?”

“From here, your house is visible like it's in the palm of your hand.”

“That's true, but it's still quite a distance.”

“He had a powerful night vision device with him. Look over here.”

Where the guard pointed, an optical device lay on the ground. That meant only one thing—Li Jiahan had stationed himself on the hill specifically to observe Jiham's house.

“Are you planning to hand him over to the police?”

“Absolutely not,” Jeong Gwangseok answered firmly.

“And what will you do with him?”

“We'll bring him to our office, to the gym on the third basement level, and personally interrogate him there.”

“Go ahead. I'll return home, calm my sister down, and then come after you.”

***

“Brother, what happened?” Cha Hyeonji asked anxiously the moment he stepped inside.

‘I wonder how she'd react if she learned that Saho single-handedly took down Li Jiahan?’

“Well, Saho found someone unconscious outside.”

“Ooooh! Saho, you're amazing!”

Squatting down, Cha Hyeonji affectionately rubbed the cat's head. But within seconds, praise turned into a stern scolding.

“Now march over and wash your paws!”

Hearing her strict tone, the wild cat bolted toward the bathroom, and Jiham took a bottle of water from the refrigerator to wet his dry throat.

“Brother, what happened to the man who fainted?”

Jiham knew full well what kind of chaos the truth would cause. It was the perfect time for a life-saving lie.

“Your guards examined him. Fortunately, he'll live. But just to be safe, they decided to take him to the hospital.”

“Yeah, that sounds right.”

“Because of that, I suppose I'll have to go to the hospital too.”

“Why do you need to?”

Jiham had anticipated this question and already prepared a flawless answer.

“Well, Saho found him first. And cats don't talk, you know. Besides, I was there when they discovered the poor guy.”

“Well... I suppose that makes sense.”

“If you go outside, the guards will have to rearrange everything, so try to stay home.”

“Of course. I have no intention of wandering around in the middle of the night.”

“Good. I'll be back soon.”

After finishing his preparations, Jiham and Saho descended to the first floor, where Chief Secretary Kang Inhan was already waiting near the entrance.

“Secretary Kang, what are you doing here so late?”

“Chief Jeong informed me. I'll drive you to the company office.”

The moment Kang Inhan courteously opened the car door, Saho immediately jumped inside first. Once everyone had taken their seats, the driver smoothly stepped on the accelerator.

While stroking Saho's head, Kang Inhan asked quietly,

“I wonder how Saho managed to sense Li Jiahan from such a great distance?”

“Wild leopard cats possess phenomenal senses of smell and can detect a target's scent from up to a kilometer away. And since Saho once consumed that unique herbal tranquilizer, his senses are undoubtedly far superior to those of ordinary members of his species.”

“Ah, I see,” Kang Inhan nodded in understanding, as though everything had become perfectly clear.

“Did Chief Jeong report Li Jiahan's condition to you?”

“He regained consciousness while being transported to the gym. However, the subject is spouting nonsense and claims that someone threw a rock at him.”

Unlike ordinary leopard cats, aside from the white spots behind his ears, Saho's fur was completely anthracite black. It was nearly impossible to distinguish his silhouette in the deep darkness. That was why Li Jiahan still believed he had been struck in the head by a flying stone.

“Li Jiahan lost consciousness from a precise strike from Saho's forepaw.”

“Incredible. Still, why hasn't this man harmed Miss Cha Hyeonji yet?”

That question had been troubling Jiham as well. After being discharged from the hospital in November of last year, Cha Hyeonji had gone to recover in her hometown of Taebaek in Gangwon Province. The place was sparsely populated, and if Li Jiahan had truly wanted revenge, he would have had every opportunity.

But for some unknown reason, the Chinese man had merely continued watching her.

“I want to know that myself. I think we'll beat the truth out of him during the interrogation.”

“Undoubtedly. But then why was he monitoring your house?”