Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Taking the Gambling Den
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The boss of the Great Bear Gang, Do Daewoong, rubbed his shiny bald head and yawned.
“Haaah! I’m dying here. I’m cut out for fieldwork.”
“Hehe, Big Brother. Isn’t this good too?”
“Good? Dealing with these whiners is killing me.”
Shff shff shff! Clink clink clink!
The irregular sounds of shuffling cards and rolling coins echoed from all directions.
Listening to that for half a day straight was enough to drive anyone mad.
“Isn’t this fieldwork in its own way?”
His subordinate grinned.
Do Daewoong smacked the back of the subordinate’s head with a smack and scowled.
“Fieldwork my ass. Fieldwork means strutting through the streets with the crew. Checking on the shops, collecting protection money, sorting out problems, giving those Crimson Seven bastards a smackdown! And getting treated like kings by the merchants!”
“Big Brother, isn’t that just playing around?”
“Kid. That’s the spice of gang life. You wanna spend forever here, constantly on edge wondering when these gambling zombies will snap and pull a knife for the pot? Never seeing the sun all day?”
“Hehe, when you put it that way, yeah. But doesn’t it feel good watching all this money roll in?”
“Damn it, good my foot! Heroes play in the sunlight.”
A crack appeared on the subordinate’s face.
‘...Bullshit.’
Heroes had all frozen to death in the winter cold.
He quickly changed his expression and rubbed his hands together.
“Exactly! I don’t get why you’ve been stuck in gambling dens lately, Big Brother. The other bosses are just circling the dens and red-light districts too. Don’t we need to hit the main streets?”
“...Ahem, later.”
“Why?”
“Ahem, now’s the time to build our foundation. Gotta tough it out. That’s what makes a man, right?”
“As expected of Big Brother!”
Do Daewoong averted his eyes from the subordinate’s sparkling gaze and waved him off.
“Go do your work.”
“Yes, Big Brother!”
The subordinate scampered up the stairs.
‘Rotten.’
Do Daewoong’s face soured.
Did he like being holed up in a gambling den, never seeing a ray of sunlight?
The red-light district at least had courtesans and booze to make life bearable, but here he couldn’t tell day from night, and it was crawling with madmen obsessed with cards.
‘...Damn it, of all people, why’d it have to be the Nangong Clan guy we messed with.’
Even thinking about it now was absurd.
The Nangong Clan’s Second Young Master.
Who could’ve known the sickly kid rumored to be dying would show up right in front of him?
Of all the people to try extorting, it had to be that one from the Nangong Clan.
Remembering what Yama King looked like up close still gave him chills.
Especially the faces of Nangong Hyeok and Nangong Ryong brothers—they were nightmare fuel.
He’d barely survived, crawled into this gambling den to lay low, and just as he thought he was done hiding, that Second Young Master bastard was making waves again?
‘...Just pass by, please pass by.’
All he could do was pray the typhoon would blow past quietly.
But the endless laying low was wearing him down.
He sighed bitterly when a commotion erupted from the stairs.
“...What the hell, you punk? Which gang are you from!”
Do Daewoong whipped his head around at the ear-piercing shout.
“What’s going on?”
Gambling dens usually handled disputes quietly.
It was a business, after all.
Sure, losers sometimes pulled knives and went berserk, but the staff rarely raised their voices.
Only if the other side outnumbered them or they needed to make an example.
Do Daewoong sighed deeply, then scowled and bellowed.
“What’s with the racket!”
As he raised his voice, seven subordinates in the den stood up.
Emboldened by Do Daewoong’s approach, one puffed up.
“You’re dead meat. You think you can just waltz in here? Wanna die?”
“Who is it.”
“Big Brother, check this out. Some ragged scholar’s spouting nonsense.”
“What’s he saying to cause this fuss?”
“He claims they’re managing our turf.”
“What? Which lunatic!”
Veins bulged on Do Daewoong’s bald head.
Now even crazy bastards were claiming to manage his business?
“What the hell happened to Hefei while I was briefly managing this place? Since when did Hefei turn into such a shitshow?!”
Do Daewoong planted himself in front of the stairs, straining his neck.
“...Huh?”
Amid the dark stairwell entrance stood a young man in opulent black robes.
Even in the shadows, his face was strikingly clear.
A face and expression impossible to forget.
‘...W-Why the hell is this guy here?’
Do Daewoong’s jaw dropped.
His mind went blank as his body reacted.
Tremble tremble.
“It’s you?”
Do Daewoong’s legs nearly gave out at the sight of Nangong Hyeok standing with hands behind his back, smiling faintly.
“You little shit! How dare you talk like that to your elder! Should I spin you till you’re dizzy and grind you in a mortar?!”
Do Daewoong froze stiff and stopped his subordinate.
“...Enough.”
“Big Brother! This kid needs to learn some respect. He says he’s the Nangong Clan’s Second Young Master. They came ready for war. The guys behind him are dressed like Nangong warriors, packing axes and maces.”
“D-Don’t.”
“No, why? His head looks just like those Crimson Seven—”
“I said stop, you idiot!”
Smack!
“Gahk!”
Do Daewoong smashed the back of his subordinate’s head with full force.
The subordinate face-planted and jerked his head up.
The Great Bear Gang members who’d rushed over gawked at Do Daewoong’s sudden outburst, eyes wide.
“B-Big Brother? Why, what’s going on?! What are those—”
“Those?!”
Do Daewoong glared wildly and stomped the fallen subordinate.
“You idiot! Die! Die! Die!”
“G-Guhk!”
“Who the hell gave you the right to yap like that! Wanna get your eyes gouged out for decoration?! Don’t you recognize Nangong Clan warriors? You live in Hefei and don’t know the Second Young Master’s face?!”
The Great Bear Gang members stared wide-eyed at Nangong Hyeok smirking up front and the Thunder Dragon Squad standing crookedly behind.
Nangong Hyeok waved offhandedly with a friendly smile.
“They might not know. No need to beat them.”
“To not recognize Young Master Nangong Hyeok! They deserve to die, they do!”
“Enough, enough. You went too far.”
What the hell is he saying!
When you stomped me, my head was embedded in the wall!
Do Daewoong’s lips quivered.
“...Y-Yes.”
Nangong Hyeok lightly patted Do Daewoong’s shoulder.
Do Daewoong shuddered, then forced a broad grin.
“B-But Second Young Master. What brings you here so suddenly... with your warriors too, hehe.”
Rubbing his hands furiously, Do Daewoong broke into a cold sweat.
Nangong Hyeok, hands behind back and smiling faintly, scanned the gambling den.
The gamblers, alerted by the commotion, eyed Nangong Hyeok and the Thunder Dragon Squad warily.
Gamblers meeting Nangong Hyeok’s gaze gulped dryly.
“U-Ugh!”
“G-Gotta close up shop...”
“R-Run...”
Warriors of the righteous Nangong Clan.
The rising star Nangong Hyeok himself.
To gamblers, it was like facing the Grim Reaper.
As everyone froze, Nangong Hyeok waved casually.
“Ah, keep gambling, folks. Keep at it.”
“...Pardon?”
“I highly recommend hobbies. Go on, play.”
...As if they’d keep going.
Do Daewoong fidgeted behind him.
“Y-Young Master... D-Does this mean you’re taking over?”
Nangong Hyeok spun around to face Do Daewoong.
Do Daewoong flinched and shrank back, but Nangong Hyeok draped an arm around him.
The persistent smile on his lips only heightened the menace.
“You were managing this place?”
“Y-Yes, that’s right.”
“Then this’ll be easy.”
“...What?”
“Hand it over.”
“...Pardon?”
“I’ll manage it from now on.”
A cross-shaped scar on Do Daewoong’s bald head throbbed prominently.
‘This bastard shows up out of nowhere to steal my livelihood?’
Close enough to feel each other’s breath.
No matter how skilled the punk was, his guts weren’t steel!
One stab with the dagger in his bosom, twist, and he’d croak without a scream.
Just thrust...
“Help out a bit.”
Nangong Hyeok now held the dagger from Do Daewoong’s bosom.
Do Daewoong jolted in shock at the instant transfer, but the astonishment turned to horror.
Twing!
The dagger bent like taffy, then with a dull metallic clang, shot off.
The chill of it grazing his bald head drained the color from Do Daewoong’s face.
“Got it?”
Do Daewoong forced his mouth into a smile.
“Y-Yes, hehehe. I’ll serve as your hands and feet, Young Master.”
“Good. Handle the handover properly.”
“Yes!”
Nangong Hyeok patted Do Daewoong’s head.
The watching Thunder Dragon Squad shook their heads.
...And just like that, he swallowed the gambling den.
Something even back-alley vets of a decade couldn’t pull off.
And by a kid not even thirty...
“I’ll work hard. Use me like a dog, Young Master—!”
Do Daewoong wailed through tears.
He bowed his head and swallowed his resentment.
‘...Gotta bolt. Damn it, bolt and find some light.’
Tonight, he’d sneak away.
Drain the funds first...
“Hey, you come with me. Show me the way.”
“...Pardon?”
Nangong Hyeok turned to the Thunder Dragon Squad.
“Half stay and lock down the handover. The rest, follow.”
“Yes!”
The Thunder Dragon Squad grabbed Do Daewoong under the arms from both sides and dragged him after Nangong Hyeok.
Do Daewoong whimpered.
No, I need to sneak away.
“W-Where are we going? Y-Young Master! Spare me!”
“Where’s the Yama King Gang?”
“Huh? Y-Yama King Gang?”
“Yeah.”
“T-They’re real vicious ones. Mess with them wrong, and you’re in deep shit...”
“So?”
“...Never mind. Right alley up ahead.”
Do Daewoong forced a laugh and guided Nangong Hyeok to the Yama King Gang.
* * *
Crack!
Thud!
The hefty body of Yama King Gang boss Yeom Wangsu, caught in tree branches, crashed heavily to the ground.
Do Daewoong’s knees buckled as if it were him.
Yeom Wangsu’s neck twisted halfway, tongue lolling out.
“G-Guh, ugh!”
His limbs splayed in a swastika, yet he clung to life.
Tough bastard.
No, that wasn’t it.
‘...C-Crazy.’
The vicious Yama King Gang thugs drooled on their knees before the Thunder Dragon Squad.
It had taken less than half an incense stick for the gang that fought the Great Bear Gang for three years to kneel.
Done before a cup of tea could brew.
The boss who fought to the end now lay there with tongue out.
Nangong Hyeok flipped through the Yama King Branch ledger and nodded.
“No more?”
Smaaack!
“Gaaahk!”
A late responder got flattened by Tak Hyeokdong’s bear paw and passed out.
“You motherfuckers, the Young Master asks, and you don’t answer?”
Tremble tremble.
Yama King Gang warriors shuddered, then shouted in unison.
“T-That’s everything!”
“Sp-Spare us!”
“Mercy, Young Master!”
The battered Yama King Gang members, faces and limbs twisted, wailed across the courtyard.
Nangong Hyeok tossed the ledger to Tak Hyeokdong and squatted in front of Yeom Wangsu.
Yeom Wangsu reacted violently.
Having been slapped across the yard into a tree by Nangong Hyeok, the trauma lingered.
“...H-Hic! Eek, eek!”
Nangong Hyeok eyed Yeom Wangsu.
“This all?”
“H-Hic.”
“Answer.”
“Hic, y-yes.”
Nangong Hyeok smiled contentedly, sending Yeom Wangsu into hysterics.
Do Daewoong watched with terrified eyes.
‘...G-Good thing I handed it over.’
Beaten men know best.
Turning over the business before the beating was a masterstroke.
“How many left?”
Geon Cheon-hwi answered.
“The youngest and third should be wrapping up by now.”
“Yeah?”
“I’ll report.”
“Oh?”
Nangong Hyeok strolled off, hands behind back.
The Thunder Dragon Squad, having wrecked the Yama King Gang, followed with murderous aura.
Do Daewoong, overhearing, gaped.
‘...He’s cleaning up the underworld factions?’
Ha, haha, damn it.
The Nangong Clan’s Second Young Master purging Hefei’s underworld.
What kind of bullshit was this.
If it were righteous justice against evil, he’d get it, but no—the guy was claiming it for himself.
“What the fuck.”
Unbelievable shit was unfolding.