Chapter 53

Today is the opening day of "The Vault."

As soon as Oh So-hee and Kim Da-hye got off work, they rushed to the cinema.

It was the IMAX theater where they had managed to book tickets for the opening day stage greeting, which was really difficult to secure.

The actors were only expected to stay for a few minutes, but even those few minutes were invaluable to the fans.

“Hey, do you want some popcorn? How about a cola?”

“Are you crazy? What if I need to go to the bathroom in the middle? Our Se-hoon’s scenes aren’t even that long.”

“We can’t miss them. So, shall we just go for it?”

“Go for it.”

They had managed to secure the front row seats in the IMAX theater, which were hard to come by.

Though not ideal for watching the movie, these seats offered the closest view of the stage greeting.

Finally, the movie began.

"The Vault"

From the start, the movie opened with a fiery espionage scene and the seizure of expensive contraband.

The dazzling fight scenes and action sequences passed in a flash, and the main mission of the movie was revealed.

- Rob the art gallery? No, who would benefit from robbing such a place?

- It’s not just any art gallery. It’s run by the matriarch of Ilseong Group.

Three people, each with unique skills, teamed up to rob the country’s top art gallery, filled with priceless artworks.

A former National Intelligence Service agent.

A current high-ranking Customs official.

A current deputy director of Ilseong Art Gallery.

- They say there’s a hefty slush fund?

- There’s no slush fund, but instead, the gallery is filled with artworks worth hundreds of billions or even trillions.

The three dream of robbing the highly secure vault to turn their lives around.

None of them could afford to be missing when it came to infiltrating the gallery, disposing of the stolen goods, and escaping safely.

Though they couldn’t fully trust each other, the situation where any one of them failing would mean failure for all imposed a fragile trust.

- You know, if any one of you betrays the others, all three of you will die. Don’t forget that.

Even if one of them betrayed the others, they would ultimately be dragged down with them.

Would this be the most powerful motivation to prevent betrayal?

‘Can I trust that guy?’

‘He’ll try to take everything for himself...’

‘I can’t let my guard down.’

Though they couldn’t betray each other, would they be able to make rational decisions when faced with the opportunity to take the astronomical amount of money for themselves?

That guy? Or this guy?

Even I’m wavering here.

Hiding their common conflicts and distrust, they cautiously prepared the plan to rob the gallery, wary of each other and harboring knives of betrayal.

Then, the deputy director of the art gallery (Chae Ji-hyun) recommended a new member.

- There’s a useful hitman. I want to bring him in too.

- We’re already short-handed with one-third, and now you want to split it into one-fourth? I’m against it.

- I’ll take a cut from my share. Don’t worry about the distribution.

- If that’s the case, I don’t mind. But is he trustworthy?

- Is there anyone here, other than yourself, who is trustworthy?

- That’s a good question. Deputy Director.

- I’ll manage him well. If he shows any suspicious signs, don’t hesitate to take care of him.

- Haha, you’re the least trustworthy, Deputy Director.

- He’s a good hitman, I said.

- Alright. More knives are always better.

The screen quickly changed, revealing a massive drug factory hidden in the mountains.

The setting sun on the mountain peak illuminated the hot pursuit of a Lamborghini racing down the slope.

The Lamborghini crashed through the weak warehouse door.

While the drug manufacturers were frozen in shock, the car door opened like a scissor.

The camera slowly rose from the black tire, passing over the hand lighting a cigarette.

Finally, the sharp face of Kim Chan filled the screen, and he casually put the lit cigarette in his mouth.

“Ah...!”

Weak sighs erupted from various parts of the theater.

Oh So-hee and Kim Da-hye leaned forward, as if to lick the screen.

His perfect appearance, as if he were the same person, scanned the abandoned factory with a disdainful look.

- You ragtag bunch. What kind of place is this to set up a factory?

Oh So-hee dislikes cigarettes.

But the smoke coming from Kim Chan’s mouth seemed like something she could enjoy in a trance.

Kim Chan began pouring gasoline from a canister in the passenger seat onto the car.

The camera didn’t forget to show the homemade bombs in the passenger seat and trunk in detail.

He casually tossed the lit cigarette onto the gasoline-soaked hood and turned around.

- Let’s go.

- Yes, sir.

As Kim Chan walked, the screen behind him filled with a massive explosion, and the factory burned and collapsed.

“Squeal!”

A sudden scream echoed, but Oh So-hee and Kim Da-hye had no intention of blaming anyone.

They were so impressed that they wanted to scream too. They were even grateful to the unknown audience member who provided them with a vicarious thrill.

As they got into the car, his subordinate reported to Kim Chan.

- Sir, Kim Su-jin has a job for us.

- Our Su-jin? We should take it.

The low, snickering laugh didn’t seem to fit his perfect appearance.

However, his fresh, symmetrical face forced the audience to believe in the realism.

It didn’t even give them the chance to doubt.

The thrilling chase scenes and cool action sequences kept the audience engaged, and Kim Chan’s flirtatious advances stirred their hearts.

Not just women, but men too were envious, wishing they could be like him.

As the plot unfolded, the possibility of betrayal among the three grew stronger, and the audience began to suspect the true identity of the vault.

Who would succeed in the betrayal?

Who would take the massive amount of money for themselves?

On whose side would the goddess of victory stand?

The three greedy individuals moved to turn their desire to take everything for themselves into reality, and the moment they successfully broke into the gallery...

- Good job, sir. I’ll take care of your family.

The former NIS agent was the first to draw his knife of betrayal against the high-ranking Customs official.

He calculated that once the Customs official was out of the way, the woman, Kim Su-jin, would be easy to handle.

- As Kim Su-jin said, your kid wanted to run away with him and live.

- Grr...!

- Thank you so much. I’m glad you came on your own.

To the prepared, betrayal was not scary.

Thanks to Kim Chan and his team, the Customs official could easily take down the former NIS agent.

- Is your name Kim Chan?

- Yes, Director.

- How about joining me permanently?

- No, I have principles. I plan to have about six kids with Kim Su-jin. I’ve even named them all.

The natural response elicited chuckles from various parts of the theater.

- You want Kim Su-jin? Then you should join me.

- What do you mean?

- If I split it 50-50 with Kim Su-jin, do you think she would even look at you?

- Well, that’s definitely impossible.

- I’ll take 75%, and you can have 25%. Then you can have Kim Su-jin too. We were originally going to give you about 10 billion, right?

The Customs official wanted to safely get rid of Kim Su-jin.

Taking everything alone was too risky.

So, he made what he thought was a rational choice.

He believed Kim Chan would never refuse.

What he feared was the greed Kim Su-jin harbored, which might surpass his own.

- This is the money to change your life. You can have Kim Su-jin and any other woman you want. This is the best choice for you.

The Customs official didn’t suspect the team leader who followed Kim Su-jin’s orders.

He only focused on the danger Kim Su-jin posed.

As a result...

- Then I’ll take it all. Su-jin won’t be able to move either. Right, Director?

Plop!

- Gasp... What... What is this...?

- If you’re going to betray Su-jin, might as well take more, right? Even I, who’s not very smart, understand that much.

The money, and the woman he wanted.

He would take everything for himself.

In the latter part of the movie, Kim Chan, who had devoured the two main leads, finally took over the remaining runtime.