Phone Express (2)
The door of the moving truck clanged open.
Jang Cheon was riding in the passenger seat.
"Hey, you bastard, get down here!"
Didi looked up at Jang Cheon and bellowed. In the next instant, his eyes caught the sword hilt peeking from Jang Cheon's knee.
Instinctively, Didi whipped out his sword.
But Jang Cheon had already leaped from the truck.
Whoosh.
A single streak of wind sliced through the air.
Didi's subordinates nearby hadn't even grasped what was happening.
Jang Cheon brushed past Didi.
The next moment—
Screeech.
A red line traced from Didi's forehead, down his nose, to his chin.
Splurt!
Blood erupted from his face as Didi toppled backward.
Before the two lackeys near Didi could react, Jang Cheon's sword was already carving through their flesh.
Splatter. Splatter.
The clumsily standing men spewed blood and collapsed.
Jang Cheon's form blurred, soaring through the air like a skip across the waves. He hurtled toward another group of underlings by the door, some ten meters away.
Whoosh! Slash! Whoosh!
Three white sword trails flashed consecutively in the darkness.
The three men at the door didn't even draw their blades before crumpling. It had all happened in the blink of an eye.
The moving truck's driver's door swung open, and Phone stepped out. He opened the rear door, and the four-man team disembarked.
"We'll start with the exterior cleanup."
"Okay."
Jang Cheon slowly pushed open the warehouse door and stepped inside.
A dozen backs faced him, and beyond them came Tae Jin-gu's voice.
"Hey! Found that truck driver yet? Drag him in here! Blocking the damn door? I'll snap his neck!"
The first to turn at the creaking door was a burly man with a massive axe at his side.
The men in the back startled at the sight of Jang Cheon entering, his sword dripping blood.
"Gah!"
Before the man could fully exhale his gasp, Jang Cheon's blade had slit his throat.
Splurt.
Jang Cheon immediately thrust into the back of the man beside him, repeatedly.
Stab! Stab! Stab!
The three men with pierced hearts hadn't even hit the ground before Jang Cheon swung toward the opponents on the other side. One slash felled two men simultaneously as they twisted and fell.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Slash! Slash!
Jang Cheon struck and stabbed with the swiftest, most efficient methods to kill. His movements were so fast they resembled fast-forwarded footage.
The dozen or so men lined up there became corpses in an instant. Most hadn't even swung their swords once. They died without knowing who or how they'd been slain.
Jang Cheon showed no mercy whatsoever.
While they all fell, all Tae Jin-gu managed was a stuttering "Wha? Wha? Wha? Wha?" from his gaping mouth.
Tae Jin-gu blinked rapidly. It felt like a dream.
But the thick stench of blood snapped him back to reality, and he screamed furiously.
"You cruel bastard! Why go this far?"
"Why? Weren't you all gathered here to kill me?"
Tae Jin-gu fell silent for a moment.
"You can kill me, but I can't?"
Tae Jin-gu gritted his teeth. He couldn't wrap his head around how to handle this.
Fight? Beg? Shit! What do I do?
The afterimage of Jang Cheon's movements lingered. He couldn't imitate it even in his wildest dreams.
As Jang Cheon strode toward him, Tae Jin-gu flung himself flat on the ground.
"Spare me, please!"
He chose begging. He couldn't muster the strength to fight even if he wanted to.
Head pressed to the floor, trembling, his mind fixated on one thought.
First, survive. Somehow live on and get revenge. Survive, survive!
No response came, so Tae Jin-gu cautiously lifted his head.
Jang Cheon was right in front of him.
"Your phone."
"Pardon?"
"Hand over your phone."
"Ah, yes."
Tae Jin-gu hurriedly pulled out his phone and gave it to Jang Cheon.
"Unlock the pattern first."
"Yes. Senior!"
"Senior?"
"Didn't you say you passed the BST first? Senior!"
Tae Jin-gu forced a grin and unlocked it before handing it back.
Jang Cheon scanned the contacts and recent calls. Helpfully, each name had their position in parentheses—likely to avoid mix-ups with so many people.
While Jang Cheon examined the phone, Tae Jin-gu pondered seriously.
Ambush him now? Nah?
A surprise attack while he was distracted might work. But the failed restroom ambush gnawed at him.
As he wavered, Jang Cheon selected a contact and handed it back. Park Ho (Seoul Branch Leader).
"Call him. Say you need to meet right now."
"Why this guy?"
"Call. If you want to live."
Jang Cheon offered no lengthy explanations or threats. That made it all the more terrifying.
He had to follow orders for now. Stalling might create an opening.
"Keep your promise."
Tae Jin-gu cleared his throat and dialed.
"Yes, this is Tae Jin-gu from the Gangnam Branch. Sorry to call so late. I need to see you right away. No, it has to be in person. It's important. The furniture factory? Yes, I'll be waiting."
He hung up and looked at Jang Cheon.
"I did as you said..."
Before he could beg for his life, Jang Cheon's sword whistled through the air.
Slash. Thwack.
Tae Jin-gu's neck split open, and he toppled backward.
If only he'd spat some parting curse about his vile, cruel life.
Tae Jin-gu tried to glare resentfully one last time before death.
But it was futile.
Jang Cheon didn't even glance at him.
* * *
A large sedan sped down a dark road.
In the back seat sat Park Ho, head of Guwolmun's Seoul Branch.
"This bastard's gotten too big for his britches."
Im Black, at the wheel, vented his frustration.
Nicknamed for his love of black clothes, he was known as the strongest fighter in the Seoul Branch and served as Park Ho's bodyguard and right-hand man.
"He should've come to you if he had business. Calling the branch leader out like this?"
"Last time, Jin-gu came all the way to the villa, didn't he?"
The Gangnam Branch was the Seoul Branch's core, so the two met often. They were friendly, in a way.
"He should come ten, a hundred times. That punk's head's in the clouds lately. We need to knock him down a peg. Leave it to me."
"You sure you can win? That kid's full of fight."
"It's dogfighting at best. Sharp dog teeth or not, they'll just snag on tiger hide."
"If you're the tiger, what am I?"
"You're the dragon, Branch Leader. A sky-soaring one."
"Smooth talker."
"Anyway, Tae Jin-gu needs a proper thrashing."
"Let it go. He's the type who can't lose face— it'll just blow up. Good is good."
"If it's good, sure."
The car pulled up to the furniture factory.
Im Black scowled as he got out.
"Bastard's not even coming out to greet us. And what's with this truck? Crazy fuck moving house at night?"
Park Ho wasn't pleased either. If the guy wasn't coming out, his men should have.
This punk needs a lesson someday.
As they approached the factory, men in work clothes emerged carrying something. Two hauled leather body bags, followed by another with a trash bag full of bloodied items.
They were Phone's four-man team, but the pair assumed they were Tae Jin-gu's men. Their demeanor was too casual, too natural.
"What the hell? Who'd he kill?"
Im Black turned to Park Ho.
"Must've fucked up and called the branch leader to clean it up."
"That crazy bastard! Told him not to cause trouble."
They hurried inside.
Jang Cheon sat on a small chair inside the factory, reading a newspaper.
"Who the hell are you? Where's Branch Head Tae?"
To Im Black's shout, Jang Cheon replied calmly.
"Have a seat first."
Im Black and Park Ho startled. The low voice echoing through the warehouse signaled something was very wrong.
Im Black scanned the area. Aside from the cleaning men, no ambushes. Bloodstains on the floor confirmed a fight had occurred.
Park Ho sat in the chair before Jang Cheon. He trusted his own skills, and Im Black was there. If the opponent was a true master, running was pointless anyway.
"Who are you?"
"Jang Cheon."
Park Ho glanced at Im Black, who shook his head—he'd never heard the name.
"I'm Park Ho, Seoul Branch Leader of Guwolmun."
"I know. That's why I called you."
"Where's Branch Head Tae?"
"You saw him earlier."
"Earlier? When?"
Park Ho flinched. He recalled the body bags being carried out on entry.
"You son of a—!"
As Park Ho shot up, Im Black exploded forward like a bullet. His sword, poised for the moment, sliced toward Jang Cheon's heart.
Whoooosh.
Jang Cheon's blade drew a beat later.
Park Ho inwardly cheered.
That's it!
Spluuurt!
But the severed neck belonged to Im Black.
Park Ho's eyes bulged.
Black was definitely faster!
Yet Jang Cheon's later-drawn sword accelerated like a turbo boost, outpacing in an instant. It severed Im Black's throat before his blade reached Jang Cheon.
Thud.
Im Black crumpled. Dead without a parting word, his neck cleanly severed.
Park Ho's strength drained away. He never imagined Im Black, the Seoul Branch hotshot, dying so pathetically. He himself lacked confidence in a one-on-one against Im Black.
Dazed, the cleaning men came, dragged off Im Black's body—treating Park Ho like he wasn't there. A chilling, eerie sensation gripped him.
Jang Cheon spoke again.
"Sit."
Park Ho awkwardly resumed his seat. His mind raced: Don't lose nerve here, or I'm dead.
"You know what happens if you mess with us?"
Jang Cheon remained unfazed by the bravado.
"I know. From A to Z, in all varieties. Even the Amazon rainforest has its share of gangsters."
Park Ho sensed threats of Guwolmun would fall on deaf ears. A man like that wouldn't have touched them otherwise.
Who the hell is this? From Biho Gate? Or Seodo Hall? No intel on a guy like this. Or maybe a White Path punk?
Biho Gate and Seodo Hall were Guwolmun rivals in the underworld.
"No use racking your brain. You have one way to live."
"What?"
"The HT Group incident—who did it? You have one hour. Find out."
"You crazy fuck! We're not involved!"
Park Ho raised his voice, but Jang Cheon cut in.
"You didn't listen properly. I'm not saying you did it. Find out who did. Now, 59 minutes 30 seconds left."
"How the hell am I supposed to find that out?"
"A Seoul Branch Leader like you? You can manage. Even if it's just a clue or rumor."
"And if I can't?"
Jang Cheon glanced at Phone by the entrance.
"One more body might come out, so stand by."
Phone sat nearby, listening to music at low volume. Contrary to his muscular build, he enjoyed classical. Bach's melody carried his response.
"Yes, I'll keep a spot open."
Park Ho imagined it: his corpse between Tae Jin-gu and Im Black.
His mind swirled.
Pretend to call and ambush? Who can get here fastest? Contact the Gate Lord? Would he come in an hour? Too suspicious—no. Who then? Will this bastard really let me live if I find the assassination culprit? No way.
Park Ho eyed him suspiciously.
"You really gonna keep your word?"
Jang Cheon nodded, unfolding his newspaper again. As if reading his mind, he added,
"If you're calling for help, summon the one you most want dead. Now, 58 minutes 30 seconds!"
Park Ho glared murderously but pulled out his phone and began dialing.