#186

Uncle didn’t consider that she was once a person, someone’s daughter. He only thought of himself as precious and his own children as important.

So, to keep a promising young man, barely twenty years old, under his thumb, he didn’t hesitate to commit murder. He didn’t hesitate to collude with corrupt police and fabricate evidence to frame him for the murder.

Young Seon-jae was terrified. Even more so because he couldn’t remember anything. He was sure he couldn’t have done it, but all the evidence pointed to him.

Barely twenty, Seon-jae, who had spent his entire life working in an office since he could barely hold a pencil, finally entered university, tasted freedom for the first time, and dreamed dreams.

It was, at most, three years. Even that was less than two years if you excluded vacations and holidays. Lee Seok-doo resented the freedom that Lee Seon-jae enjoyed during that short time. He pretended not to, but he was consumed by inferiority and didn’t know what to do.

Above all, how could any owner allow a slave he had bought for a high price to leave him and fly away?

“Director Choi, Manager Kang. You guys be careful too. Our Chairman Lee Seok-doo, you know, he kills people and fabricates evidence for his own benefit. Ah, sorry. Director Choi, you were in on that, weren’t you? And Manager Kang, killing people is your job. My bad. I forgot. Sorry.”

Seon-jae said nonchalantly, raising his hand towards the two men. Kang Dae-seong looked a little flustered, but Director Choi didn’t bat an eye. Truly, he was worthy of being from the Special Forces.

“My dogshit talk was long. It was boring to listen to because you all know it, right?”

When Seon-jae apologized,

“At least you know it’s dogshit,”

Lee Seok-doo retorted.

Uncle didn’t even show a hint of remorse. He still didn’t understand why it was enough to betray him and the organization. Rather, he was angry that Seon-jae had abandoned him over such a trivial matter.

Seon-jae wasn’t going back over the past and arguing about rights and wrongs because he wanted an apology. He just wanted to tell the truth. But seeing Lee Seok-doo’s reaction, he felt like he had to get an apology.

“Aren’t you sorry, Uncle? Or, Father?”

Seon-jae asked. It was the first time in a long time that he had clearly said “Father.”

Then Lee Seok-doo picked at his ear and flicked his finger, pretending to clean out earwax. It was an extremely childish act. Seon-jae knew he was trying to provoke him, but he was provoked nonetheless.

He considered slitting that man’s throat with the razor blade he had hidden in his shirt cuff, but the odds of failure were much higher. Still, it didn’t matter. He just wanted to scare him. He wanted to let him know how much Lee Seon-jae hated him.

A sharp silence fell. The slightly relaxed atmosphere became tense again.

Then,

“Where did you get that ill-fitting suit? From that country bumpkin Yoon Ki-beom?”

Out of the blue, Man’s name came out of Lee Seok-doo’s mouth.

In that instant, Seon-jae cursed, “Fuck.” and glared at Lee Seok-doo as if to kill him.

At the sound, Director Choi and Kang Dae-seong flinched, trying to step forward, but Lee Seok-doo raised his hand to stop them.

“Don’t say that name.”

Seon-jae said very clearly.

He let him know with his voice and eyes that it was not a name he dared to utter.

Lee Seok-doo neither got angry nor laughed. Instead, like Seon-jae, he was biding his time. Director Choi and Kang Dae-seong straightened up at the same time. It seemed they had something planned.

There was no need to fight with a grand scheme. A single opportunity was enough. The moment Il-gwang took Lee Seon-jae to their side, they would have the upper hand. Once they got him in the car, there would be even fewer chances to do anything. The suit-wearing thugs behind Lee Seok-doo were not pushovers. They were Il-gwang’s top fighters, so they could just leave the aftermath to them.

“Hey, how long are you going to keep the kids standing there? Isn’t it hot?”

It was Chairman Shin Jeong-ho who ruined Lee Seok-doo’s plan.

Chairman Shin, who should have been waiting inside the luxury sedan, shouted as he emerged. With Chairman Shin’s appearance, the scales that had been leaning towards Il-gwang were balanced again.

Lee Seok-doo’s confused gaze turned to behind Seon-jae.

Shin Jeong-ho. Chairman Shin was a burly man. He was about the same height as Seon-jae, with a large build and some fat. As a gourmet who loved to eat, his face was round and oily. Unlike Uncle, who looked sharp and fierce, he was a man who looked like he had nothing to do with gangsters. In reality, he was as cruel as Uncle, if not more so.

“You guys saw an elder and didn’t even greet him? You have no manners.”

At Chairman Shin’s words, Director Choi and Kang Dae-seong inadvertently bowed their heads.

“Seok-doo, you need to train your kids properly. What is that? Look at the way they greet people. Tsk.”

“Shin Jeong-ho.”

Uncle called Chairman Shin’s name in a low voice.

“Don’t interfere.”

He advised in a gentle voice.

“Can you handle Lee Seon-jae? You have a lot of weaknesses. The moment those weaknesses are exposed, you’ll end up like me. Even if you don’t have enough people, you shouldn’t be taking in a traitor. I knew you had no business ethics, but I didn’t know you had that little. This isn’t just a problem between you and me. Organizations all over the country are watching.”

“Let them watch. I was already thinking about broadcasting it live. I should have brought some broadcasting guys. How great would it be to let the whole country know that you’re a murderer. Actually, I bet he’s not the only one you’ve killed. Isn’t that right?”

Chairman Shin was the only one who laughed at his joke that wasn’t a joke.

Thanks to Chairman Shin, the atmosphere became even more tense.

“Please stop, Chairman.”

Seon-jae stopped him.

“Why, is it not fun?”

“Yes, it’s not.”

“You’re prickly, aren’t you? You must have worked with that bastard for a long time. You’re too uptight. You need to have some leeway.”

Chairman Shin said this, cracking his knuckles. The joints popped.

“Seok-doo, what do you want to do? Want to stretch a little after a long time?”

Chairman Shin extended his right hand to the side, and Chairman Shin’s secretary, who looked like a model student, handed him a sharp sashimi knife.

It was amazing. A man in his early 60s, sitting in the chairman’s seat, a man who looked like he wouldn’t even lift a finger, was holding a sashimi knife himself. It was the spirit of an active member.

The moment Chairman Shin grabbed the knife, everyone’s eyes flashed with murderous intent. Without exception, everyone checked their equipment or got ready to fight. Director Choi and Kang Dae-seong, who were at the front, were the same, and the Incheon guys were even gleefully giggling.

Only Lee Seon-jae was standing there empty-handed. His only equipment was a razor blade hidden in his shirt cuff.

I’m the only one at a disadvantage.

Looking at Chairman Shin with a troubled gaze, Chairman Shin tilted his head back as if to say, “You stay out of it.”

“Seon-jae.”

Lee Seok-doo called his name.

It was a rather affectionate voice.

“You’re going to regret it. Come back under me while I’m being nice. Otherwise, you’re going to bitterly regret what happened today.”

He was being so affectionate that it sounded like a love confession.

“No, thank you.”

Seon-jae refused firmly.

Lee Seok-doo asked again, and Seon-jae gave him the same answer again. Then Lee Seok-doo turned his back without hesitation.

“Let’s go. It’s hot.”

He said, walking ahead.

Director Choi and Kang Dae-seong were flustered. Not to mention the Il-gwang thugs who were standing in line like candy.

They were staring as if they couldn’t believe that their boss had turned his back first.

“Hurry!”

But at Lee Seok-doo’s roar, Director Choi and Kang Dae-seong followed, saying, “Yes, Chairman!” Following that, there was some slight murmuring, but the others began to leave the scene like a receding tide. In less than a minute, they all disappeared in vans and cars.

Chairman Shin smacked his lips with a somewhat disappointed expression.

“It ended too easily for him. What do you think?”

He asked Seon-jae.

“He’s originally a cowardly person.”

Seon-jae replied.

“I know that. But that bastard always has something up his sleeve.”

“I know.”

“Do you know what it is?”

“No. I have to find out from now on.”

“You’re confident, aren’t you? Okay. Let’s do that. I’ll look into it too.”

Chairman Shin said this, returning the knife to his secretary. Seeing him hand the handle, not the blade, to the secretary, Seon-jae thought that he must care for his secretary quite a bit.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Then, Chairman Shin patted Seon-jae’s shoulder.

He was the one who had worked hard since dawn, but he was comforting Seon-jae.

You’ve worked hard.

It was a phrase that Lee Seok-doo had never said in his life.

He was a strange man. Seon-jae knew very well that he was definitely not a good person. But Chairman Shin had the power to move people’s hearts. Unlike Lee Seok-doo, he was the type who didn’t hold back on praise, so maybe that was why.

Seon-jae, who had gone through all sorts of hardships in this world and had heard all the best compliments he could hear, felt ridiculous that he was being shaken by the mere words “You’ve worked hard.” He wondered if he was that starved for affection.

“But where did you really get that suit?”

Chairman Shin was genuinely curious.

“I borrowed it from the laundromat.”

“The laundromat?”

Seeing Chairman Shin raise his eyebrows, Seon-jae laughed.

“Let’s go. It’s hot.”

“You’re bland. Let’s go. Let’s go to Seoul and sign the contract first.”

At the word “bland,” he immediately thought of Man.

“Let’s do that.”

Seon-jae replied with a smirk.

Chairman Shin had kept his promise, so now it was Seon-jae’s turn to keep his promise.

He ended up walking into that place that he never wanted to set foot in again. There was no regret. the man was safe, and Jeong Jae-jin was safe. The Helper wasn’t exposed either. That was all that mattered.

Seon-jae found it amazing that he had someone precious to him. It was hard to believe that it was only two months ago that he didn’t care what happened to anyone.

He hadn’t even cared about the safety of Jeong Jae-jin and the Helper, who had risked their lives to help him. It goes without saying that he just wanted to die too.

But somehow, he had come to care for them.

No, he never cared for them. Hadn’t he always been suspicious?

He had even killed Jeong Jae-jin and the Helper several times in his mind this morning. And then he was talking about caring and being precious.

It was because the fight had ended so easily, almost absurdly, even though he had come here risking his life, that his mind had become relaxed. So he was sitting there interpreting things in a way that was good for him.

You selfish bastard.

Seon-jae smiled bitterly.

Seon-jae got into Chairman Shin’s luxury sedan with him. They sat side by side in the back seat and toasted.

“Let’s do well.”

“Yes. I look forward to working with you.”

They toasted. Then, they downed the strong liquor in one go. The liquor was so sweet and delicious that he almost laughed.

“Have another drink.”

Chairman Shin poured whiskey into the empty glass. Seon-jae emptied it in one gulp this time as well, and then poured liquor for Chairman Shin. Chairman Shin also drank it in one breath, as if to show off.

“It’s been a long time since I drank at this hour.Chairman Shin said, letting out a “Kyaa” of admiration.

At his words, he looked at his watch. It was only 7 a.m. now. Only two and a half hours had passed since 4:30 a.m., when he had met Man. Only two and a half hours. But it felt like an eternity.

The alcohol relaxed his tense body, making him feel languid. Chairman Shin, who had been talking to Seon-jae about various things, leaned back in his seat and snored softly, as if nothing had happened.

Seon-jae also sank into his seat.

He sighed deeply.

Too easy.

It was too easy.

As Chairman Shin said, Lee Seok-doo was always a scheming man. He was not the type to voluntarily step down without holding something substantial.

He had said he would look into it, but if Helper and Jeong Jae-jin hadn’t been able to find the information yet, it wouldn’t be easy for Lee Seon-jae or Chairman Shin to find it either.

He didn’t like it. But he was too tired to think about anything right now. He wanted to catch his breath, even for a moment. He knew that the contract with Chairman Shin would be another shackle, but he hoped it would be a different kind of shackle than Lee Seok-doo.

No. What are you expecting from a gangster?

Seon-jae was cynical.

He didn’t regret it, but he thought this whole happening should never have happened.

“We will take you by helicopter.”

Chairman Shin’s secretary said, looking back.

He turned his eyes to the outside and saw a wide open space.

It wasn’t a proper helicopter landing pad. Chairman Shin and his secretary must have worked hard since dawn to have Lee Seon-jae all to themselves. The fact that he was worth it was new to him.

Chairman Shin, awakened by the noisy sound of the helicopter, yawned loudly.

“This is all good, but it’s fucking loud. You’re not afraid of heights, are you?”

“No, I’m not.”

“That’s good. It’s quite scary, even though it looks like this. I’m used to it now, but the first time I rode it, I almost pissed my pants.”

Chairman Shin joked and laughed to himself again.

He thought Secretary Kim, who had to listen to that uninteresting joke every day, must be having a hard time.

Seon-jae boarded the helicopter with Chairman Shin, two Aides, and the secretary. They were called Aides, but they were fixers. The atmosphere was too gentle for them to be gangsters, so everyone was fooled by their titles, but like Secretary Kim, they were properly trained. Chairman Shin himself was a North Korean operative, so that said it all.

The helicopter quickly took off and turned. The wind was strong. Even with headphones on, it was so loud that his head was ringing. A wide reservoir appeared below, and soon his view was filled with mountains and fields.

man would be down there too. He would be hiding somewhere around Gimje with Kim Bae-dal.

He wanted to meet the man soon. He would quickly finish the contract or whatever and go out to meet him. He smiled, thinking of the man smiling brightly at him.

Seon-jae only thought of Man.

Yoon Ki-beom, Shim Kang-woo. It didn’t matter what he was called.

Thinking only of the person he loved, he erased the fact that he had just stepped back into the world of illegality.

187 – Chapter Title Without Number