Club Upheaval (3)
"Turn off the music! Kill the music!"
A thunderous voice infused with inner energy pierced through the blaring music, echoing throughout the club.
The DJ cut the sound, and the dancers froze with bewildered expressions on their faces.
Murim Alliance martial artists poured into the club in droves.
"Everyone, please leave."
Hwang Yeop, the club owner who had been checking on Lee Jung-tae and No Gae-cheol's injuries upstairs, leaped down to the first floor. He had rushed over upon hearing about the fight. He had expected their parents to show up since the two had been beaten badly.
But he never imagined they'd swarm in like this and shut down operations.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"We received a report of a vicious martial artist committing violence. Please evacuate all guests and cooperate with the Alliance investigation."
Hwang Yeop shouted in alarm.
"No, it's a misunderstanding. It was just a simple fight."
Kicking out the customers like this would cause massive losses for the club. Today's sales were one thing, but if word spread that dangerous martial artists had run wild here, customers would vanish overnight.
In a panic, Hwang Yeop scanned the martial artists for their leader.
"Who is in charge here?"
By the time he spotted Lee Heo-su—Lee Jung-tae's father—standing at the back with arms crossed, everyone inside had already been cleared out.
A few drunks jeered and hurled curses, but none dared resist the Murim Alliance martial artists to the end.
Lee Heo-su was the leader of the Murim Alliance's Gu Ryong Dan. As a division head, he wielded significant power not just within the Alliance but across Korean Murim.
Hwang Yeop swallowed his anger and asked him.
"Couldn't this have been handled quietly?"
"Quietly? How?"
Lee Heo-su's low voice dripped with fury.
Suddenly, he bellowed.
"How?!"
Startled by the roar, Hwang Yeop fell flat on his ass. The shout carried killing intent, making his body tremble and his chest tighten as if he couldn't breathe.
Releasing killing intent toward civilians was strictly forbidden by Murim Alliance law, but Lee Heo-su couldn't care less.
In the meantime, Gu Ryong Dan martial artists brought Lee Jung-tae over, supporting him. Lee Heo-su's face twisted upon seeing his son's condition.
He had heard the rough details on the way, but the injuries were worse than expected. His face was so swollen it was barely recognizable.
Lee Heo-su said to Hwang Yeop.
"Bring the bastard who hit my son right now and make him kneel before me."
"How am I supposed to do that?"
"Right, you can't, can you? Then how could you talk about handling this quietly?"
He muttered it like self-talk, but it was clearly directed at Hwang Yeop.
He advanced threateningly, squatting down in front of Hwang Yeop. Staring him down fiercely, he said in a low voice.
"Look me in the face and say it. That skipping one day of business matters more than my son getting beaten. Go on, say it."
"No, sir. I misspoke."
Hwang Yeop bowed his head. He was furious and wronged, but he had to endure.
Alliance executives weren't supposed to act so recklessly. Besides, Hwang Yeop wasn't even a martial artist. When martial artists harmed civilians, they faced far harsher penalties than usual—not just aggravated assault, but multiples of the punishment. The iron rule was that martial artists must never touch civilians.
But some civilian businesses tangled with Murim, like bars selling alcohol, due to ties with underworld liquor distributors.
If he fell afoul of Lee Heo-su, his business could crumble in an instant.
Worst case, even if he reported him to the Alliance and got him kicked out—which wouldn't be easy—would Lee Heo-su just sit idly by? With all his connections built over the years, he'd harass Hwang Yeop until he couldn't operate. That's why he'd put up with Lee Jung-tae's antics all this time.
"This happened in your club, so you're half responsible. Hurry and bring him. Once you do, I'll formally apologize to you."
"I'm sorry. Truly sorry."
Hwang Yeop bowed deeply.
Lee Heo-su naturally assumed the culprit who beat his son had fled.
Right then, a voice came from behind them.
"The one who beat your son is right here. It's not a guy—it's a girl."
Lee Heo-su whipped around in shock to see Jang Cheon and Queen standing there.
"You promised, so you'll have to apologize to her properly."
Ignoring the mention of his promise, Lee Heo-su glared wide-eyed and shouted.
"No way? You got beaten by a woman?"
Lee Jung-tae hung his head.
"You fucking idiot!"
Thwack!
Lee Heo-su mercilessly smacked the back of his son's head.
"You worthless piece of shit! Better to die than go around getting beat by a woman! Get out and drop dead!"
His face already a mess, Lee Jung-tae wailed in pain from the blows to his skull.
Martial artists rushed in to restrain Lee Heo-su.
After venting his rage, he turned to Queen.
Judging by the massive sword on her back, she was definitely a martial artist. That meant the Alliance could officially step in.
"Arrest that woman immediately!"
"Yes, sir."
As the martial artists surged forward, Queen raised her hand to halt them.
"Hold on. What crime am I being arrested for?"
"Attempted murder."
"Assault, you mean. And I'm innocent. Your son came at me first."
Unlike civilian brawls, in martial artist fights, who struck first was crucial. Civilians might end up with mutual combat charges regardless, but martial artists were different.
Initiating an attack as a martial artist implied lethal intent, making self-defense airtight.
"How do we know that's true?"
Queen pointed to the CCTV camera on the second-floor ceiling.
"Check the CCTV footage, and you'll see."
Earlier, as they climbed the stairs, Jang Cheon had pointed it out—let them attack first and make sure it was recorded.
So Queen hadn't entered the room; she'd beaten them at the entrance where the camera could capture it.
Lee Heo-su faltered inwardly but didn't show it.
"We'll investigate that. For now, come with us."
He planned to drag them in and destroy the footage later.
But before they arrived, Jang Cheon had already copied the footage with help from the young sales manager.
"Arrest them!"
As the martial artists charged again, Jang Cheon pulled out his phone and snapped a photo of Queen with the club in the background.
"Kangho Daily's reporter Lee will love this."
Lee Heo-su's protruding cheek twitched. The thought of his son getting thrashed by a woman in a club making headlines was unbearable.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Her boyfriend."
Queen turned to Jang Cheon in surprise at "boyfriend"—the first time she'd heard it since they met.
"Hand over that photo!"
"Do you have the authority?"
"I do."
"I doubt it. You're not Alliance martial artists, and it's just a photo of my girlfriend."
Queen's cheeks flushed at "girlfriend" following "boyfriend." She knew it was just for the situation, but it felt good. Coming to this club tonight was the right call.
"That's not for you to decide."
"Then is it for the victim's father? Isn't the rule that anyone with a conflict of interest can't investigate?"
His face should have burned with shame, but Lee Heo-su exploded instead.
"You little shit! Do you know who I am? You wanna live as a martial artist in this land or not?"
"Are you the one who wants to end your days as a martial artist today?"
"What?"
"Using the power we martial artists entrusted to you for private revenge, oppressing fellow martial artists like this—is that acceptable?"
It was irrefutable truth, so the Gu Ryong Dan martial artists couldn't meet Jang Cheon's eyes.
Only Lee Heo-su acted shamelessly.
"You're the friend of a present offender we caught for attempted murder. We'll take you in for questioning too. Arrest him as well."
The martial artists hesitated but stepped forward. Orders were orders.
Just as they surrounded Jang Cheon and Queen—
Another group of martial artists stormed into the club. Leading the Bi Ryong Dae martial artists was Murim Alliance Leader Cheon Myeong-jin.
"The Leader is here!"
At Joo Won's shout, the Gu Ryong Dan martial artists retreated in unison, clasping hands in salute and bowing deeply.
"We greet the Leader!"
Their resounding voices shook the interior.
Lee Heo-su greeted the Leader politely before asking.
"Leader, what brings you here?"
He seemed nonchalant, but inwardly he was shocked and flustered.
"I was passing by and saw our martial artists entering. Thought there might be something I could help with, so I came in."
"It's nothing serious. Just responding to a fight between martial artists."
"And the Gu Ryong Dan leader himself shows up for 'nothing serious'?"
Cheon Myeong-jin glanced at Jang Cheon and Queen.
Jang Cheon was always a welcome sight. And today, he'd called him here—perfect chance to repay the debts piling up since they met.
He admired Queen.
As expected! Dating a peerless beauty.
As a fellow man, he wanted to boost Jang Cheon's prestige in front of her.
I came because of him—the man I trust and value most!
He wanted to declare it to everyone, but he couldn't. It wasn't what Jang Cheon wanted.
Sure enough, Jang Cheon greeted him like a stranger.
"It's an honor to meet you, Leader."
"Good to see you."
"Whether today's incident is serious or not, you can judge for yourself."
"Judge for myself? What do you mean?"
Jang Cheon took out his phone. Tucked in his front pocket to stick out just enough, it had been recording.
"No!"
Lee Heo-su lunged, but the phone was already in Cheon Myeong-jin's hands.
He hit play. It captured everything from Lee Heo-su's arrival to now—from yelling at club owner Hwang to his words toward Queen and Jang Cheon.
Cheon Myeong-jin's expression hardened as he watched.
"Mobilizing the Gu Ryong Dan for personal matters? Oppressing a civilian like this? I try to understand because it's your son, but this is too far."
"I'm sorry, Leader."
"And this is what your son did."
Queen stepped forward and played the audio on her phone. Back in the second-floor room, she'd recorded the whole conversation—just in case.
> "Slipping something in a girl's drink? Filming it too?"
> "What bitch does that? What bitch called?"
The prior talk was crude enough, but this part made Cheon Myeong-jin's face stone-cold. It wasn't just bad character—it was a crime. And Lee Jung-tae was a martial artist.
He ordered Joo Won.
"Confiscate Lee Jung-tae's phone and verify if this is true."
"Understood."
It didn't end there.
"Given the severity, transfer this division leader to headquarters immediately for special inspection. Division Leader Lee, any objections?"
"......None."
Lee Heo-su had no defense. The evidence was too clear. Under Cheon Myeong-jin's icy gaze, his vision darkened.
Son drugging a woman's drink for rape and filming it. Father mobilizing Alliance martial artists to grab the beater, even trying to arrest someone acting in clear self-defense.
Not only would he lose his Gu Ryong Dan position, but the inspection would unearth his past abuses. Plenty hidden—and all would come to light.
In the end, he'd rot in the Alliance prison with his son for a long time.
Damn it! One moment, and life's over.
Joo Won confiscated Lee Jung-tae's phone and sealed Lee Heo-su's pressure points.
Club owner Hwang Yeop bowed gratefully to Jang Cheon and Queen with a satisfied expression, then thanked Cheon Myeong-jin.
Jang Cheon looked at Queen. She nodded back at him.
She loved this style of retribution from him. Handle it legally when possible, like this. For those beyond the law, erase them from the world forever.
Cheon Myeong-jin smiled at Jang Cheon.
In the end, he realized Jang Cheon had helped him, not the other way around.
He hadn't known Lee Heo-su's true colors. Without Jang Cheon, he'd have kept using him blindly.
Thank you. I'm always in your debt.
Meanwhile, Lee Heo-su glared at his son with eyes full of resentment. Lee Jung-tae couldn't meet that gaze and bowed his head.
This is all that bastard No Gae-cheol's fault! If he hadn't brought that damn bitch...
He was the one who'd spotted Queen and dragged her to the room.
But where the hell is that punk?
He'd vanished at some point.