Club Upheaval (1)
"...Of course, SGC wouldn't hand over their agents' personal info just like that. You're right.
Being a foreign company, they're extra sensitive about that stuff. Yeah, exactly. One of the two is someone I know personally, though.
I'll have a word with her. You know it, PD Eom—we're huge fans of our It Girls. Yeah, I'll get back to you."
Park Gwang-cheol hung up and turned to Hwa-ran.
"That bastard PD Eom is totally fired up now?"
"That's 'cause you haven't seen him. If he weren't Murim, he'd have gone straight for contact already."
"He bombed hard last time, so he's gotta nail it this round."
Park Gwang-cheol got it.
He wanted Lee Yeon in the company somehow himself. But Queen was even more stunning... Both Queen and Lee Yeon had looks anyone in broadcasting would kill for.
Especially if they were planning a Murim-related show—no need to say more.
The old him would've clung to Queen like he did with Lee Yeon, insisting she join the company.
But he wasn't that guy anymore. He felt bad for Hwa-ran, and he'd learned the hard way lately how terrifying martial artists could be.
Above all, Queen had this untouchable dignity that made it hard to even try.
"This is a good chance for Lee Yeon-ssi to come work with us. Last time with PD Eom, there were all those bad breaks and bad luck. This feels like the perfect timing to blow up properly."
"You mean that seriously?"
"What do you think?"
"Lee Yeon."
"Of course I do. You think I'm joking?"
"Yeah."
"What?"
"It sounds like a joke."
Hwa-ran was dead serious. Park Gwang-cheol matched her tone.
"You've never properly pitched it to her, have you?"
Park Gwang-cheol flinched for a second. Come to think of it, he'd never made a formal offer.
"From the start, it was all playboy crap on your part. Even if it got real later, that's not how she'd take it.
Who jumps into a life-changing decision in a setup like that? Especially someone who's never even dreamed of being an idol. Even if she was desperate, she'd hesitate."
Park Gwang-cheol felt Hwa-ran's words hit deep. She continued calmly.
"Lay out the plans—how you'll train her, how you'll build her up.
Give her a clear vision. And cover the what-ifs if it flops."
"You're right. I'll make a proper pitch to Lee Yeon-ssi soon."
Hwa-ran smiled at Park Gwang-cheol's softened gaze, unable to hide his emotion.
"Your woman's pretty cool, huh?"
"Way too good for me."
"Then you're cool too. If I were that cool woman, I'd have picked a cool guy."
Park Gwang-cheol had a sudden thought.
Life changes in an instant. One decision. One meeting can flip everything.
Around the same time, another life-altering meeting was taking place.
U Myeong-hwan looked up absentmindedly—and someone stood before him.
He jolted in shock. No one was supposed to be there.
That meant someone had infiltrated the most heavily guarded spot in Dae Jeong San Jang—the lord's chamber—and he hadn't noticed until they were right in front of him.
U Myeong-hwan instinctively surged his inner energy to subdue the intruder.
But he held back the strike. Before he could, he recognized the eyes pinning him down.
"Master?"
It was his master, Baek Sang-du. He'd looked so young he hadn't recognized him at first.
Confirming it, U Myeong-hwan shot to his feet and prostrated himself.
"Your unworthy disciple greets you, Master."
True to form, his master was a master. How many in the jianghu could slip into the Dae Jeong San Jang lord's room this easily?
"You've aged a lot."
At Baek Sang-du's words, U Myeong-hwan looked up.
"You've grown so young it's hard to recognize you, Master."
"You mean monster?"
"No, never."
U Myeong-hwan bowed his head again. He knew how cruel his master was. Sparing him was the only humanity he'd ever shown.
"What do you need?"
Hesitation was pointless. The moment he'd called Baek Sang-du, he'd crossed the river he shouldn't have.
"Kill the Korea Murim Alliance Leader."
That was U Myeong-hwan's solution to this crisis.
Bury the Yang Do-hwa incident under something bigger.
If the Alliance Leader died, all eyes would turn there.
He'd considered killing An Bae-su too. But that would put Dae Jeong San Jang squarely in the suspect spotlight. Even if they wriggled out, Gangnam-il-mun would wage a media war, leaving them cornered. The Leader would rampage to destroy him anyway.
So, kill the Leader.
Murim would plunge into chaos, buying time to pick a new one. Solve the An Bae-su mess in the interim.
Killing the Korea Murim Alliance Leader didn't faze Baek Sang-du at all.
"Just prepare to keep your end."
"But make it look completely unrelated to us."
"How?"
"I trust you'll handle it well."
"Cheeky for someone begging."
"Actually, one more request."
"What?"
Irritation flickered across Baek Sang-du's face, but U Myeong-hwan pressed on.
"Kill Jang Cheon too."
He wanted to off Gangnam-il-mun's Seo Tak-hyeon too, but killing the Leader and him together would finger Dae Jeong San Jang.
Jang Cheon and the Leader had no known ties. Eliminate the Leader, and take him out as a bonus.
"Jang Cheon? Rings a bell."
"Yes, you've heard of him."
U Myeong-hwan gave a quick rundown—from youngest BST passer to wiping out Gwang-sa-mun and Geom-myeong.
"Ah, right."
But he didn't know details. Back then, Baek Sang-du had left Murim for solitary training.
"All this started when Jang Cheon showed up. He has to go."
"Why not you?"
"All eyes are on the sect. And he's no easy kill anyway."
"Scared of him more than the Leader, huh."
Half-mocking, but U Myeong-hwan admitted it straight.
"Yes. I can read the Leader. Jang Cheon? No clue."
Baek Sang-du looked intrigued. If his disciple said that much, he wasn't ordinary.
No surprise—an kid soloing Gwang-sa-mun at that age. Enough to spook anyone.
"How much time?"
"Got the summons already. Not much. Here's everything on the Leader and Jang Cheon.
Current locations, past actions, Korea activities, Alliance records. All I've got."
U Myeong-hwan handed over the prepared envelope.
"Master, I'll set up lodgings..."
"No need."
Baek Sang-du took the envelope and vanished as suddenly as he'd appeared.
U Myeong-hwan sighed, relief mixed with dread. That ghostly movement alone meant his master could take them.
The problem was him.
Could he handle what came after his master kept the promise?
Slaughtering 365 innocent women...
Jang Cheon met Sato Mi, the kimono woman, on the HT Group Residence rooftop. She'd reached out wanting to see him.
"You remember me?"
"Of course."
Her immediate pitch:
"Wanna grab a drink?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"You look dangerous."
Sato Mi giggled, then asked Jang Cheon:
"That rejection was smooth. You know how to handle women, huh?"
Jang Cheon smirked. If he really knew women that well, would his crew keep misunderstanding him and Queen?
Nah, he just read people well. Especially enemies.
Right now, he wasn't seeing her as a woman. Too many times he'd done that and ended up with a bullet in the back.
"How long in the organization?"
"About twelve years? Yeah, a while."
"Your martial arts look strong. When'd you pass BST?"
"Passed, then canceled. For smooth org life, y'know?"
All info from Bishop. He asked anyway—to test her honesty. She was straight-up.
"Normal guys ask age or boyfriend first, right?"
"We're not normal."
"Fine. You won't ask, I will. Got someone you like?"
"Why?"
"To hit on you if not."
"Too bad. Sorry, but yeah, I do."
"Whose loss?"
"Yours."
Sato Mi laughed at his bluntness.
"Haha, you're fun."
Her pleasant smile turned icy.
"Jang Cheon, what game are you playing?"
"Game? What do you mean?"
"Woman's intuition. You're plotting something."
First sight of her, he'd sensed danger. This was it—women's needle-sharp instincts creating variables.
This woman—keep it up, and you die first.
Couldn't say that outright, so Jang Cheon joked:
"Confessing?"
Sato Mi burst into laughter again. Unpredictable mood swings. One thing clear: she feared no death.
She got to the point.
"Orders from above. We confirmed you poisoned the Leader.
Manage him till new orders. That's for you."
"Got it!"
Jang Cheon knew Actor had nailed his role. The guy delivered in any mess.
Sato Mi headed down.
"Next time, drink for sure."
Once gone, Jang Cheon eyed the opposite building.
"You can come out now."
Queen emerged from behind. Hwa-ran's guard duty wasn't 24/7. Off-hours, it ended.
She'd finished work, come to see him, spotted the woman, and nearly left.
But seeing Sato Mi flirt, she couldn't just go.
Jang Cheon knew she was there; she trusted he wouldn't let Sato Mi spot her. So she'd listened.
"Old me would've stormed off from pride."
"And?"
"Lee Yeon-ssi said you're trying to change. So I'm trying too. Be someone new."
Queen added apologetically:
"Lame excuse for eavesdropping, right?"
Jang Cheon grinned.
"Drink?"
"Not here. Let's hit the city. Real date for once."
Casual tone, but her voice trembled faintly—only he caught it.
That's how he knew: this took courage.
Jang Cheon called Park Gwang-cheol.
"It's me. Quick question. Best vibe club downtown? Why? Got investigating to do. Zeus? Got it."
Hung up, turned to Queen.
"Let's go."
Her eyes widened.
"Club?"
"Yeah. You ever been?"
"No. You?"
"Twice, to kill. Never for fun. Let's try tonight."
His unusual reaction flustered and thrilled her.
Then it hit her.
Change brings... change.
Good call mustering that courage.
"Let's go."
Queen beamed—her brightest, happiest smile since Korea.
Jang Cheon offered his hand. She took it—their first grip in ages.
They leaped off the roof, soaring into the night sky like birds, vanishing into the glittering city lights.