#10 Yeongjong Island (1)
━What were you planning to do if that bastard hadn't taken the bait?
I answered Ray inwardly.
'Baek Dosan isn't on the list of people I need to save. If anything, he's on the list of ones I need to eliminate.'
Baek Dosan had never been a good guy to begin with. Before meeting Seol Rokjin, he hadn't crossed certain lines, but if you had to pick a side between black and white, he was squarely in the black—not even gray.
So keeping him alive wouldn't help much in saving the world.
Once Baek Dosan fell under Seol Rokjin's sway, the entire Korean underworld would become Seol Rokjin's domain. Eliminating him was safer than letting him live.
If he hadn't fallen for my plan, I would've gotten rid of him sooner or later, one way or another.
━And yet here you are, going to rescue him.
'If this guy sides with me, that vast underworld becomes my playground.'
Hadn't I thought about it before? I needed to operate from the shadows. Getting in good with the king of those shadows went without saying.
If things went smoothly, that is.
Geum Doctor, behind the wheel, looked utterly carefree, as if he'd forgotten the gravity of the situation. Humming a tune, no less. Not exactly inspiring confidence.
"By the way, is it really okay to just show up like this out of the blue?"
"No choice. The deal's happening today."
The plan to rush over and persuade him in person was solid given the time crunch, but it had one major flaw.
"You did say I was going, right?"
Geum Doctor's humming cut off abruptly at my question. A chill ran down my spine.
"You didn't mention that?"
Geum Doctor just flashed that shady grin. Grabbing the car door, I shouted,
"Let me out."
━Are you insane? Jumping out of a speeding car? You'd be torn to shreds.
"He won't kill me right away if I'm with you."
"That's so reassuring."
"Probably?"
No. Not reassuring at all. Did this guy even think things through? I knew he was eccentric, but this was next-level.
"You're going as my friend."
I'd never claimed a friendship with this quirky thirty-something with his bizarre fashion sense. Grimacing, I got a follow-up from Geum Doctor.
"Fine, even if he thinks you're some bullshit con artist, he won't kill you."
Oh, great.
━You should just bail here.
Even Ray, watching this mess, said as much. Yeah, why was I here? With a silent sigh, I crossed my arms and stared ahead.
But since we were already en route, I might as well give persuasion a real shot.
Something might change.
The car crossed Yeongjong Bridge and finally reached Yeongjong Island.
Yeongjong Island, home to Incheon International Airport, had always been a transportation hub. But passenger flights were rare these days. Borders had tightened since the gates appeared, and flying monsters occasionally attacked.
Apparently, some from a gate break at sea were still lingering.
Passenger planes had become relics, used only for dire necessities.
The car veered right at the airport entrance interchange, exiting the highway onto a narrow road. Ten minutes later, it stopped.
Stepping out, the salty sea wind whipped my face.
"The deal's going down at Shindo."
Shindo was a small island next to Yeongjong. Before the gates, its passenger terminal had been converted fully to cargo, handling goods from freighters and cargo planes.
And today's deal? Drugs. The nasty kind targeting awakeners. Awakeners had superior bodily purification compared to normals—enough to neutralize mana itself—so regular drugs didn't work.
Not just drugs, either. Alcohol, anesthetics—none of it stuck. Potions made surgeries rare, but when needed, they endured the pain raw or used special methods to knock them out.
Carcinogens didn't faze them either, leaving smokers thrilled.
Anyway, someone had cooked up a drug that did work on awakeners. No surprise the money rushed in.
"We'll take this."
We hadn't tipped off Baek Dosan, but Geum Doctor had prepped somewhat—a small boat waited where he pointed.
Car to boat to Shindo. Just before docking, I spotted the cluster of shadows waiting and forced a grin.
"Haha, your friends are so welcoming, Doc. Already out here to greet us?"
"This is all Dosan's turf. He'd know we're coming."
Did that mean they had to come out shoulders squared like they were gearing for war?
The frontman flicked his cigarette to the ground and crushed it the moment we touched shore.
Baek Dosan.
Baek Dosan resembled a black panther. Black hair, black eyes, bronze skin tanned by the sun.
The kind of guy radiating yakuza aura from a noir flick. His sleek black suit clung to his perfectly honed body like a second skin.
Dress shirt, tie—the flashy style that might draw sneers looked perfect on him.
Like a grim reaper.
"I told you not to come."
"When have I ever done exactly what you say?"
Geum Doctor replied smoothly. Impressive, given my shaking hands.
"And you brought some useless baggage."
Baek Dosan's sharp gaze swept my face. No room for flinching here. I lifted my chin boldly.
"Hello."
"Jesus."
Baek Dosan let out a scoffing laugh, like the absurdity amused him. Fair enough. Dragging some scruffy nobody to a major deal?
But hey.
I'm a particularly capable scruffy nobody.
With his type, actions spoke louder than words. Flap your gums too much, and he'd cut your tongue out.
"You should postpone or scrap today's deal."
"Why the hell would I?"
"Info's leaked."
"Oh? Now that's interesting. Leaked, huh."
Baek Dosan's lips twisted. His eyes gleamed like he might rip me apart any second.
━Whoa, this guy's dangerous.
His killing intent soaked my back in cold sweat.
"Got proof?"
Someone gulped—Geum Doctor. He waved it off.
"Ignore me and keep talking."
Damn, he killed the tension. Still, it eased mine a bit. Legs crossed, I said,
"Sure. There's a traitor in your midst."
A vein creased Baek Dosan's brow.
"Hah."
Snarling through gritted teeth,
"What bullshit is—"
"That guy's the traitor."
Before he could explode, I jabbed a finger at one man. A spotted thug from Seol Rokjin's crew, nicknamed Wangseobang for the huge mole on his nose.
"What? No way, boss! Why would I...!"
"That one's the traitor?"
Hard to believe after years as family. No choice—time to plant the seed.
"Pathetic, but love makes fools. New girlfriend got nosy about his work, so he blabbed. Details piled up."
Wangseobang—Kim Hongdeok—went pale at my words.
"Started small, right? Patrol schedules, VIP lists at related spots. But after the first leak? Blackmail: 'What if boss finds out?'"
That's how Kim Hongdeok sank into the mire. P.S., the seductress was Seol Rokjin's plant with a Charm talent, groomed for this.
Naive Kim Hongdeok never stood a chance.
━How'd you know all that?
'Guy spills his sob story every time he drinks. Heard it five hundred times at least.'
Suddenly, Kim Hongdeok dropped to his knees.
"S-sorry, boss! M-my head must've gone bad!"
Baek Dosan barked a hollow laugh.
"You're done."
Believe me now? I shot him a challenging look. Brow furrowed, he said,
"Thought my doc brought a fake, but you're the real deal."
Muttering, he turned to his men.
"Boys, bury him."
"Yes, boss!"
"B-boss, please! Just this once!"
Kim Hongdeok's cushy life under Seol Rokjin ended here. Ignoring his pleas, Baek Dosan eyed me.
"You. Talk with me."
Finally, game on. As I stepped forward with him,
"Doc, where you going?"
Geum Doctor, trying to slip away, got dragged along.
They led us to a container at some fishing spot. The stench of sea fish stung, but no complaints.
At Baek Dosan's gesture, a subordinate hauled out plastic chairs and a table.
"Out."
The man bowed and left. Just us three now.
"Real precog, huh."
Baek Dosan chuckled.
"Or a damn good con man."
Doubt lingered. Precogs weren't common.
"Whatever. You saved our asses today—we owe you. So spill. What 'would've' happened?"
Board set.
Now to steer it my way.
I placed my hand on the table.
"Assemblyman Seol Rokjin shows up here today."
Baek Dosan's eyes turned icy, pinning me.
"He's gunning for you, Mr. Baek Dosan."