Do You Accept Barters?

"Do you accept barters?"

"Barter?"

"You don't know what it is? Trading goods."

"Of course I know. But you're the first person to suggest a barter here. It's actually quite amusing."

"Is that so? Then we have a deal?"

"Let's give it a try. But if I don't like what you bring out, you might find it difficult to walk back down that hallway."

No wonder that narrow hallway looked like a tunnel when I came in. It was designed with this in mind. Cunning bastards.

Before I knew it, three burly men stood beside the woman in the chi-pao, glaring at me.

I turned my body, pretending to reach into my coat, and pulled a pistol, two magazines, and a box of fifty rounds from my Inventory.

"Will this do?"

The moment I set the items down, the woman's expression shifted. She had probably expected gold or jewels, not a firearm. It was a natural reaction. She was likely calculating the value of the gun in her head.

"Well, at least you'll be able to walk out that door. Kai Hong, check the gun."

At her command, Kai Hong stepped forward, picked up the gun, and inspected it. He was checking to see if it was a well-made toy or if it actually functioned. Soon, he nodded.

"You can test-fire it if you want. But this is just a sample. I can get you as many as you want."

My words shattered her icy composure. Smuggling even a single gun into Macau was incredibly difficult; the city was surprisingly clean when it came to firearms. And yet, I was calling this a mere sample.

The woman in the chi-pao extended her hand.

"I'm La Fei."

"Do we really need to introduce ourselves? Can we just skip the pleasantries?"

"True, names aren't important. What you can bring me is what matters. But I still need something to call you."

"Hmm... Candy Boy. Call me Candy Boy."

"Candy Boy?"

"Yeah. I have a sweet tooth."

"It doesn't really suit you, but if that's what you want, I'll call you that."

"Thanks."

"But how did you smuggle this in?"

"Heh, why ask? You already know I won't answer that."

"Just curious. So, how many more of these can you get?"

"How many do you need?"

"Do you have rifles too?"

"Oh, you like the heavy stuff. Yes, I have rifles, and I have pistols."

"Can you come back here tomorrow? With the guns."

"Haha. Walk straight into the tiger's den? Do I look stupid? How do I know you won't set a trap for me tomorrow?"

"I wouldn't do that, but I understand your suspicion. Then how should we do this?"

"I'll let you know over the phone."

I took the business card she handed me. The one Han Minsu had given me was coated in purple, but La Fei's was black. The color was different, but the text was the same.

It was likely the name of this club. They had taken Macau's symbol, the lotus, and wrapped it in gold.

She reached out and handed me a bag identical to the one Han Minsu had given me.

"Payment for the pistol."

"I think I need one more bag to make it a fair price."

To be honest, I didn't know the exact street value of drugs, but I had learned never to just accept the first offer. Besides, the bag felt far too light, which made me suspicious.

"Actually, one bag is the right price for a pistol. That bag is worth almost ten million won."

"Really? My mistake then."

Ten million won for something so light? Drugs really are a high-margin business.

On the other hand, it was hard to get ten million won for a pistol, no matter how well you sold it. In countries where firearms were legal, you could buy a brand-new gun at a shop for three to six hundred dollars. Even though Macau banned firearms and smuggling them in was difficult, they would never value a single pistol at ten million won.

"I'm not saying the pistol itself is worth ten million won. Think of it as a down payment. A gesture of goodwill for our future partnership?"

"Sounds good."

"But since my customer wants it..."

She pulled out another identical bag and slid it toward me.

This only made me more suspicious. Is this really worth ten million, or is it actually five million? Who just hands over ten million won like nothing? It's highly suspicious.

"But let's make sure our future deals are clean."

"Fine. I'll be off then."

"Wait."

She called out to me just as I was about to leave. What now?

Just in case, I pulled a gun from my Inventory and slipped it into my inner pocket, ready to shoot at a moment's notice.

Instead, she handed me a beautifully packaged box of luxury chocolates.

"I eat these sometimes, and they're quite good. I thought they'd suit Candy Boy."

A palm-sized chocolate box sat on the bar counter.

"Thanks. I'll enjoy them."

I picked up the box and left The Golden Lotus.

"Why the fuck did you take so long?"

"Are you really going to keep acting like this?"

"If you keep this up, how am I supposed to treat you right?"

As soon as I arrived, Han Minsu, who seemed absolutely furious, began swearing at me. But the moment he saw the bag in my hand, he snatched it and vanished into his room.

After that, the difficulty of our security detail plummeted. Han Minsu and Kang Yeeun didn't take a single step out of their hotel room.

Since our clients stayed inside, we had nothing to do. Only one guard remained on standby while the rest of us rested.

We were bodyguards, not guardians or teachers. We didn't care what our clients did, nor did we interfere. Our only job was to protect their lives and safety.

"It's your first time in Macau, right? Want to go out for a bit? You have about three hours."

"Then I'll head out for a bit. Thank you."

Thanks to the Team Leader's suggestion, I was able to leave the hotel. I had been planning to talk to him about heading out for the deal anyway, so I was grateful he brought it up first.

As soon as I got outside, I contacted La Fei from a public phone and then connected with her via a messenger app.

I had been forced to show her my face, but I had no intention of giving her my real name or phone number.

Twenty rifles and thirty pistols, along with magazines and ammunition. That was the quantity La Fei wanted.

Is she planning to start a war?

The rifles were priced at 3 million won each, and the pistols at 1.5 million won each. I threw in a reasonable amount of magazines and ammo.

After using ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠some when killing Derrick and leaving some with Poapy, this transaction would leave me with about five rifles and ten pistols.

Honestly, that was still more than enough for me, so I wasn't worried about my stock running low. It wasn't like I had any use for guns in South Korea anyway.

If anything, I was glad to clear out the weapons that had been taking up space in my Inventory for so long. They had been a constant source of mild anxiety.

The payment was made in a mix of drugs and US dollars.

Twenty rifles at 3 million won each came to 60 million won. Thirty pistols at 1.5 million won each came to 45 million won.

The total was 105 million won, but we agreed to split the payment fifty-fifty between cash and drugs.

The transaction itself was simple. I just had to hide the goods and let them know the location.

I chose a quiet corner in the underground parking lot of a nearby hotel, carefully hid the bags containing the guns, took a photo, and sent it to her.

A short while later, I received a message confirming they had retrieved the goods. She told me to go to the lobby of the London Hotel and give the name "Candy Boy" to receive my bag.

I immediately took a taxi to the London Hotel.

When I gave the name "Candy Boy" at the lobby desk, they handed me a sleek briefcase.

I sat down on an empty chair in the lobby, opened the briefcase halfway, and checked the contents. Inside were stacks of US dollars and several paper bags identical to the ones I had received at The Golden Lotus.

Once I was out of sight, I quietly slipped the briefcase into my Inventory and returned to our hotel.

On the way back, I sent La Fei a message saying it was a pleasure doing business with her.

She replied that it was a great deal and hoped we could trade again in the future.

I told her to contact me whenever she needed help, successfully wrapping up our first transaction.

The morning of our departure arrived.

Even then, the two of them had not emerged from their room. The occasional room service deliveries were the only proof they were still alive.

We had to leave soon, but there was still no sign of movement from inside. Just as I was wondering if we should knock, the door opened and a hollow-eyed Han Minsu appeared.

"Let's go to the hospital. I need to get an IV drip."

"An IV? Now, sir?"

"There was a good clinic around here, but I can't remember the name... Call Secretary Choi and ask. He knows a place that does good IVs."

The faces of the Alpha Team members crumpled. We had a flight to catch, but Director Han Minsu didn't care about schedules; he only cared about doing whatever he pleased.

Of course, if we missed the flight, he would be the first one to scream at us.

Before anyone's irritation could boil over, Team Leader Bae Hyeonseok stepped forward.

"I'll look into it and escort you, sir."

Bae Hyeonseok quickly pulled out his phone, called Secretary Choi to explain the situation, and requested the details via text.

"Let's move."

We immediately brought the car to the entrance and completed our preparations. Since we were using the hotel's vehicle, we also had to explain the sudden change of plans to the hotel staff.

All of this fell on our shoulders. If Secretary Choi had been here, he would have handled it. Now I understood why he had slipped us those envelopes of cash.

"Heading to the hospital."

Macau wasn't very large, so it took barely ten minutes to reach the clinic. Secretary Choi must have pulled some strings, because Han Minsu was hooked up to an IV the moment we arrived.

Watching him lie there, fast asleep under the drip, made my blood boil. We barely had any time left before our flight.

The airport was thirty minutes away, and our flight departed in an hour.

"We'll finish the rest of the IV in the car. Let's move."

After explaining the situation to the clinic staff, we began moving him to the car with the IV still attached. The hotel drivers looked absolutely furious. We had no choice but to slip them some cash to smooth things over.

Somehow, through sheer frantic rushing, we arrived at the airport. We barely managed to scramble through check-in and board the plane.

As the plane took off, I felt all the energy drain from my body.

Unlike the exhausted security team, Han Minsu and Kang Yeeun seemed completely refreshed by the IV. They were already laughing and fooling around again.

Ugh, I can't stand the sight of them. I really want to screw them over.

That was the only way to ensure I would never have to deal with these bastards again.

After a moment of quiet deliberation, I reached into my Inventory and pulled out one of the paper bags of drugs.

The arrival hall of Incheon International Airport.

The moment the plane touched down, Han Minsu and Kang Yeeun rushed off ahead of us. What was the rush?

The security team followed closely behind.

But it didn't take long for a drug-sniffing dog to tail Han Minsu, barking furiously. An airport police officer quickly approached him.

"Hello, airport police. We need to conduct a brief inspection in accordance with the Aviation Security Act."

"What? An inspection? Who do you think you are?"

"Sir, please cooperate. If you refuse, we will have no choice but to arrest you."

"Arrest me? Look at these bastards. Hey, what precinct are you with?"

Seeing the situation escalate, Bae Hyeonseok stepped in.

"What seems to be the problem?"

"We are trying to conduct an inspection under the Aviation Security Act, but he is refusing. In this case, we can arrest him immediately."

"Why are you inspecting him?"

"Our detection dog caught a scent and barked. We are obligated to verify."

"Will a simple search suffice?"

"Yes. If there's nothing, we'll let him go immediately."

Bae Hyeonseok walked over to Han Minsu and whispered in a voice only he could hear.

"Director, do you have anything on you that shouldn't be brought in?"

"Something I shouldn't bring in?"

Han Minsu thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"Nothing. I'm clean. All I have is this small bag."

Han Minsu held up the small bag in his hand.

"Then is it alright to show them this?"

"If that's all they need to see, show them and get it over with."

But when the bag was opened, a very familiar paper bag slid out.

The moment ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠they saw it, the faces of Han Minsu and Kang Yeeun turned deathly pale.

The airport police officer opened the paper bag, took one look inside, and immediately spoke into his radio.

"Suspect caught red-handed with narcotics. Proceeding with immediate arrest."

He immediately slapped handcuffs on Han Minsu.

"You are being arrested red-handed for violating the Narcotics Control Act. You have the right to an attorney, the right to remain silent, and you may request a review of the legality of your arrest."

The officer clearly recited the Miranda warning.

But it didn't end there. Kang Yeeun, who was standing right next to him, and our entire security team were dragged along for questioning.

In drug cases, since companions often partake together, the entire group is subjected to drug testing.

As we were being escorted, we immediately contacted Secretary Choi to inform him of the situation. The rest was up to them.

"I don't know him! We just happened ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to sit next to each other on the plane. Please let me go!"

"You don't know him?"

"Yes! I have nothing to do with him!"

"We will let you go after we run urine, hair, and blood tests. Don't worry."

Kang Yeeun kept insisting she didn't know him, that they had just met on the plane. The police simply gave her a standard, clear response: *We understand. Don't worry. Just take the tests and you can go if there's no issue.*

Among all of us, Kang Yeeun looked the most devastated.

Han Minsu had a powerful family backing him, so they would find a way to cover it up. The security team hadn't done any drugs, and we were just doing our job.

But Kang Yeeun was different. She was an actress—a rising star whose career depended entirely on public perception.

If she was caught red-handed in a drug scandal, she wouldn't just be dropped from her current drama; she would be permanently exiled from the entertainment industry.

She had to cut ties with Han Minsu, no matter what.

"I'm telling you, I don't know that bastard! It's my first time seeing him! Why did you drag me here too?"

"Can the fucking police just drag innocent people in like this? Huh?"

"What's your name? I'm going to report all of you!"

I recalled Han Minsu saying that Yeeun was too soft-hearted to even leave a puppy behind.

Yet she had no trouble abandoning Han Minsu.

They had spent the last four days glued to each other, not spending even an hour apart, but now she claimed they were complete strangers.

The girl who couldn't leave a puppy behind had cast Han Minsu aside without a second thought.

They really are a match made in heaven. I hope they have a wonderful life together.

Our team passed the rapid drug test and was allowed to leave the airport, though we received a stern warning that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠we might be called back depending on the final results.

Stepping out of the airport doors, the cold wind hit my face, snapping me back to reality.

It had been a short but incredibly intense project. It was exhausting enough to make me seriously consider resigning if every job was going to be like this.

I reached into my pocket, pulled out one of the chocolates La Fei had given me, and took a bite.

The smooth, rich flavor of the chocolate filled my mouth.

Delicious.

I offered the box to the team members beside me, but they all shook their heads.

More for me, then.

I popped another chocolate into my mouth.