Chapter 80
Chapter 80
80.More Insane Than a Madman (1)
Kwak Chi-young, the Korean branch manager of TSF Investment, was in his office when he received an absurd report.
“…Cui Xun, the Chinese branch manager, is dead? That bitch?”
It was Oh Han-sung who brought him the news.
“MH Group Executive Director Im Hee-yeon was kidnapped by them, and the Snow Leopard Strike Force, directly under the Chinese police, raided their hideout north of Baoding while Cui Xun and Warren Cooper’s 666 Unit members were stationed there, killing them all.”
“The Snow Leopard Strike Force? That means the Chinese government intervened in Im Hee-yeon’s case… More than that, Cui Xun is crazy. How dare she try to get involved in the Korean project…”
“However, there are many strange things about the incident.”
Oh Han-sung handed over the documents he was holding.
Inside were the case materials obtained from the Chinese police line.
Kwak Chi-young, after reviewing the contents, began to agree with Oh Han-sung.
“Hmm… It’s definitely suspicious. Even if it’s the Snow Leopard Strike Force, the best special forces in China, they shouldn’t be able to handle Warren’s unit members without any injuries. But… Azure Feather Group?”
Kwak Chi-young’s brow furrowed.
The Azure Feather Group was a significant obstacle for TSF Investment in dominating the Chinese economy.
The fact that the name of the Azure Feather Group was written in the report of this incident was bound to be concerning.
“It seems Im Hee-yeon has a close relationship with Cheon Hye-rin, the chairman of the Azure Feather Group. Branch Manager Cui Xun seems to have touched her without knowing it. Of course, so did we.”
“…That means they’ve been secretly communicating to that extent. Should we assume that it was the Azure Feather Group, not the Snow Leopard Strike Force, that intervened?”
Even when Kwak Chi-young received the request from Myung In-chul to assassinate Im Hee-yeon and tried to carry it out, he hadn’t been able to grasp that.
“We can’t rule out that possibility. And Im Hee-yeon is currently hospitalized in a certain hospital. Moreover, this incident is likely to cause a stir in China and Korea.”
“The problem isn’t small… Come to think of it, didn’t CEO Baek Shin-woo go to China with her?”
Baek Shin-woo’s movements had been checked continuously since before the deal. However, after he crossed over to China, they had no choice but to rely on the TSF Chinese branch, so they left it to them.
“The last shared report was that they failed to track him in Qingdao. His location is still unknown.”
In that situation, Kwak Chi-young let out a hollow laugh.
“Im Hee-yeon abandoned Baek Shin-woo as soon as he was born and found him again after 23 years, right? Is that why she has no affection for him?”
“But the fact that he couldn’t be tracked is a bit suspicious. If Branch Manager Cui Xun had any sense, she should have targeted Im Hee-yeon and Baek Shin-woo at the same time.”
Especially since Baek Shin-woo was in contact with Kwak Chi-young and was in the middle of a deal. If Cui Xun was planning to take over the Korean project, that should have been her top priority.
“But she got backstabbed instead.”
“Currently, the Chinese real estate crisis through Ray Sung Group is imminent. TSF’s Chinese branch is expected to profit significantly from it, but the fact that the position of Chinese branch manager is vacant is a significant problem.”
“Originally, Lloyd Douglas from the US headquarters would have been assigned… But that guy is still missing, right?”
Lloyd Douglas. A famous lobbyist in the underworld, whose real affiliation was with TSF Investment headquarters.
However, hiding that identity, he traveled around the world, working for profit in politics and economics, until one day he suddenly disappeared.
“I heard they’re still searching after finding out that his last whereabouts were in Russia.”
“And they still haven’t found out what his last job was?”
“It seems it’s not easy because he was such a cautious person in that regard.”
“The higher-ups must be in an uproar over the next Chinese branch manager position. I wish I could eat up China as well…”
The authority to delegate the branch manager position was strictly held by the headquarters, so it wasn’t possible just by being greedy.
“If Lloyd Douglas is out, Dorothy McDaniel, the New York headquarters director, is likely to be next in line.”
“That’s probably how it will be. Sigh… If that crazy bitch comes to China, it’ll be a headache.”
Dorothy McDaniel was an apprentice of Lloyd Douglas. At the same time, she was also famous for following Lloyd Douglas like a foster father.
“I heard she’s still frantically searching for Lloyd Douglas.”
“Then she should go to Russia…”
“Rather, if she’s offered the position of Chinese branch manager because of that, she’ll come 100%.”
Currently, Dorothy McDaniel held the positions of New York headquarters director under the headquarters and also tightly controlled Washington and Boston on either side.
She was a person with strong influence and skill. Therefore, if Dorothy McDaniel came to China, she was likely to invade other areas. Using the power of China to stir up Russia…
Of course, Korea, which was within that radius, was no exception.
“Let me know immediately when you hear news from the headquarters.”
“Understood. And regarding Baek Shin-woo and Im Hee-yeon…”
“Keep checking on that too.”
Oh Han-sung bowed his head and went outside.
In China, after Shinwoo dealt with Cui Xun and the 666 Unit members at the abandoned factory, he reorganized his appearance and returned to Shanghai.
This time, he moved by taxi to avoid leaving traces like last time.
“Ugh! I’m going to die trying to move so hard.”
Shinwoo, who got out of the taxi, went straight into the electronics market building.
He familiarly passed through the complex alleys and arrived in front of Yaguza Weisuan’s office. Then, he noticed men with bandages on their necks, arms, and legs.
They were Weisuan’s subordinates who had been beaten by Shinwoo.
They made eye contact with Shinwoo and felt a terrifying atmosphere along with the memory of being beaten. It hadn’t even been 24 hours since the battle with the 666 Unit, so the murderous intent was still lingering.
“Either guide me or get out of the way.”
With that grumble, the men split to the left and right.
Soon, Shinwoo found the secret passage like last time and was able to enter Weisuan’s office.
Weisuan, who was sitting inside, frowned when he saw Shinwoo. He also read Shinwoo’s unusual atmosphere.
“…You look quite fierce. What happened?”
“I just took care of some trash. So, are you willing to accept my request?”
Weisuan hesitated and then clicked his tongue.
“Tsk. How did you know Liwen and Huwan would betray me?”
“Do you tell people your trade secrets when they ask?”
“…I asked something unnecessary. So, the request is to find a man with the same tattoo as you, named Wen Wei, like you said last time?”
“How much do you estimate?”
At that question, Weisuan held up a piece of paper with the information Shinwoo had given him.
【Wen Wei】
【Nationality: Chinese, Age: 24, Height: Approximately 180cm】
【Handsome face】
【Eye tattoo on the left arm, The ordeal is not over】
Below the content was a drawing of an eye in black, with a thin hexagonal black star engraved in the pupil.
“I wish his name was at least unique. The Chinese population is over 1.42 billion. How many men with the name Wen Wei do you think there are, narrowed down to the age of 24?”
“Not a few. That’s why I’m asking you.”
“Even if I estimate conservatively, there could be hundreds of thousands.”
In Korea alone, thousands of people are registered with the same name each year. So, narrowing it down from a population of 1.4 billion was bound to be difficult.
“So, you’re saying you can’t do it? I thought you were thorough in your deals.”
Weisuan’s expression twisted at Shinwoo’s threatening question.
“Who said I can’t do it? I’m just saying, do you have any other clues? At least his school or where he lives!”
In Triad Eye, when comrades talked about each other’s past, it was all about the situation and abstract content. They never mentioned specific place names, so it was difficult.
Honestly, he might not have been able to meet Lillian if it hadn’t been for Jang Man-soo mentioning Livio Soft.
“If I knew that, I would have found him myself. Instead, I can make a composite sketch for you, so I’ll hand it over soon.”
Jang Man-soo was creating a program and working on sketches of Wen Wei and other comrades.
“Haa… Not even a photo, but a composite sketch. You’re really a pain in the ass customer.”
“Please do it as soon as possible. Oh, if there’s a conflict after finding him, tell him the content written in the tattoo. Then he won’t die at least.”
Shinwoo said that and was about to turn around. But at that moment, something flew in, and he quickly swung his hand and snatched it.
It was a familiar type of Handaxe.
“…Should I take this as an intention to kill me because you don’t want to accept the request?”
The person who threw the Handaxe was Weisuan’s adopted daughter, Meian, who had fought in the park.
At the same time, Weisuan couldn’t help but have a troubled expression.
“Oh, no way. She’s just playing around because she was a little upset that you ditched her last time.”
“Playing around? Is playing around in this neighborhood about cutting off people’s heads?”
The blade of the Handaxe was so sharp that it seemed like it would cut even if it just touched the skin.
“Ehey—! You caught it just fine.”
“That’s just the result. Is that what you think too?”
Shinwoo made eye contact with Meian, who was standing by the office door in the same posture as when she threw the Handaxe.
“Wow… You really caught it. So, you weren’t just lucky yesterday?”
“Does this look like luck to you?”
Yaksa Meian’s temper was no different now than it was in the past. It was clear that she had come back to challenge him again because she still thought she had lost the last fight.
She was a woman with such a tenacious competitive spirit like a leech.
“I knew it! I wasn’t wrong.”
“So what? Are you going to hit me properly with the axe this time?”
Shinwoo had deliberately missed when they fought in the park. And now, with the sharp tension from the battle with the 666 Unit members not yet subsided, he could easily kill her.
As a result, the air in the office became even heavier.
At the same time, Weisuan, who was at the desk, seemed to have caught a dangerous signal and hurriedly blocked Shinwoo’s path.
“Ehey! LOX—! That’s enough!”
“Should I put up with it? Your daughter started it first.”
“You know our organization’s situation, right? What am I supposed to do if something happens to Meian too!”
Weisuan had ousted Liwen and Huwan, who were his most cherished younger brothers. Naturally, with the disappearance of the two mainstays, the organization’s connections were bound to loosen.
In the midst of that, Meian’s existence was important to control the branching-out members of the organization.
“That’s your problem.”
“CEO Baek Shin-woo! Are you really going to do this?”
Weisuan had investigated Shinwoo separately just in case and found out his identity, but he hadn’t mentioned it on purpose because it was investigating a client.
But now, he had no choice but to threaten him in order to stop Shinwoo.
“Did you think anything would change just because you found out my name?”
Shinwoo didn’t budge. Rather, he expected that Weisuan would find out about him before long.
He gripped the Handaxe again and lifted it up threateningly.
At that moment, Meian gave a deep smile and shouted loudly.
“Marry me!”
Clang—