2. The Traitor's End
2. The Traitor's End
Even after the war on crime, there were still organizations that survived.
Among them, Heukyeonhoe, which carries the meaning of [Black Lotus Society], was so powerful that it was considered the number one rank in Seoul.
However, Heukyeonhoe hadn't been number one from the beginning. It had expanded its influence in an instant following the activities of Park Ayoung, who appeared like a comet.
A woman worth a hundred men. Thanks to her, who possessed such immense skill that she could crush several organizations alone, Heukyeonhoe reached its golden age.
Fitting for such contributions, Park Ayoung sat in the position of Vice-chairman, right below the Chairman.
"Did you think you'd be safe after betraying me?"
"Nu-noonim! I was wrong! This was all the Chairman-nim's doing....!"
However, Kang Daein, who was the Chairman of Heukyeonhoe, did not like the spotlight being directed at her.
Feeling that the organization would completely pass over to Park Ayoung at this rate, he made up his mind to eliminate her and aimed for the moment she was most off-guard.
He enticed her most trusted subordinate. He told him that if he eliminated Park Ayoung, he would hand over the Vice-chairman position to him.
The subordinate, who was swayed like that, drove a knife into Park Ayoung's stomach.
The plan was to quietly handle it by telling the organization that Park Ayoung had been 'taken care of' by another organization that hated her.
"Bullshit! You dare target our Noonim? Boys! What are you doing! Slaughter them all!"
"Aaagh!!"
But that Park Ayoung didn't die and came back alive. Just as Kang Daein had feared, more than half of the organization members were already following Park Ayoung.
Just as ancient nobles lived and died for honor, loyalty was like life itself in the world of gangsters.
The one who betrayed that loyalty first was Kang Daein.
Naturally, an atmosphere spread within Heukyeonhoe that they should follow the Vice-chairman, Park Ayoung.
"Did you think the world would be yours if you killed me?"
"I-I'm sorry! I was wrong! That, that guy put vain desires in my head....!"
Park Ayoung, who returned alive, burned down everything Kang Daein owned overnight.
"I told you when I took the Vice-chairman position, didn't I? That if you stayed still, I'd let you keep that meaningless seat."
The faction following Kang Daein completely collapsed.
Since the boss was like that to begin with, would the subordinates be any different?
There were no people who were truly loyal to Kang Daein, and even fewer who were willing to sacrifice their lives to protect him.
"And yet you betray me. A pathetic bastard like you, at that."
What Park Ayoung hated most was betrayal. She could forgive anything else, but she could never forgive betrayal.
"Nevertheless, since you were my boss at one time, shall I give you a chance?"
At the word 'chance', Kang Daein's face brightened. He felt a sliver of possibility that he might somehow make it out of here alive.
"Take just ten kicks from me. Then I'll let both you and your family live."
"Really? You'll really forgive me if I just take ten kicks?"
Ten kicks. It was only ten.
He thought he could endure that much easily, but the people watching from the side were letting out sneers.
Kang Daein, who still hadn't come to his senses, was deeply resentful of those sneers inwardly, but it didn't matter.
As long as he could survive, Kang Daein was willing to crawl between Park Ayoung's legs.
"Instead, if you can't endure it, things will become so terrible you'll wish you were dead. Now, choose. Do you want to die peacefully, or take ten kicks?"
"Ten. I'll take the ten kicks."
Where would there be a person who wants to die? Kang Daein resolved to survive this place no matter what.
Park Ayoung, who read that thought clearly, snorted.
"Fine, ten kicks. Try your best to endure."
And then, she immediately launched a kick.
"Kuaaaak!!!!"
One hit. It was exactly one hit. With that one hit, the massive body of Kang Daein went rolling.
Because he was the boss, he had never once been in opposition to Park Ayoung. Whenever a conflict seemed likely to arise, Park Ayoung would bow her head and step back.
Because of that, he had never been hit by Park Ayoung. He had only heard plenty of rumors about what happened to the people who were hit by her.
He had heard things like skulls being shattered or leg bones being pulverized, but Kang Daein hadn't believed them at all.
"My ribs, my ribs are!!!"
But today, having been hit directly, he realized that the rumors were all true.
"He-help me. Help me!!"
He grabbed her ankle and screamed desperately. Begging for his life. But it was no use.
"Why? Do you think you can't endure it?"
If he can't endure it, he'll be sold off. Kang Daein, who knew better than anyone what being 'sold off' meant, trembled violently.
However, with his ribs feeling broken from just one hit, he couldn't imagine what would happen if he took all ten.
'Ah, this bitch. She had no intention of letting me live from the start.'
Even though he knew he had to endure for the sake of his family, Kang Daein was terrified.
Like a herbivore trembling before a predator.
He soon declared his surrender in despair.
"Truly pathetic until the very end."
She succeeded in taking control of the organization, but there was still the matter of cleaning up the surroundings.
Park Ayoung intended to track down every single member of the faction that followed Kang Daein and begin the purge.
"But Chairman-nim. How did you survive?"
"That's right. I was certain that you had passed away."
In the midst of this, Park Ayoung's people were curious about how she had survived.
Even after searching through every hospital in Seoul, they couldn't find a trace of Ayoung.
They had even thought that perhaps, just as Kang Daein said, Ayoung had been taken out by another organization.
"My manura saved me."
"..... Chairman-nim?"
"Are you perhaps alright?"
While they were seriously expecting an answer, everyone laughed upon hearing the words that came out of Ayoung's mouth.
A manura. What did that mean? Of course, there were more than one or two people who had been enchanted by Ayoung's beautiful looks and wooed her.
But Ayoung had never once accepted their advances. Not a single person.
And yet, a manura. The organization members thought Ayoung was speaking in riddles because she didn't want to tell them.
"He seems to study a bit. Seeing as he attends Hankuk University."
However, before long, they realized that Ayoung's words were by no means a joke.
She pulled out the student ID she had taken from Kim San's house and peered at it.
A man who, despite his dopey-looking face, had a stubbornness that had to be acknowledged.
"Was it for real? Your manura, Chairman-nim!"
"Just how on earth did you two meet!"
"Everyone, calm down! How dare you act so rashly in front of the Chairman-nim!"
Ayoung curled the corners of her mouth. She had intended to die quietly, but she planned to hold that man, who had insisted on saving her, responsible.
If he saved her of his own accord, shouldn't he stay with her until the end?
'That wouldn't be a coincidence, but destiny.'
Yes, everything was a destiny decided by God. Therefore, Ayoung intended to make that man hers.
"Prepare a car. At a level that isn't too burdensome, if possible."
Now that things were somewhat settled, Ayoung intended to go see him.
'Since I told him we'd see each other again, he probably hasn't forgotten.'
She was curious what kind of expression he would make when he saw her if she went to the school.
She had been thinking about Kim San constantly since that day. He probably thought she had lost consciousness, but Ayoung had never lost consciousness for even a single moment.
Not even her parents had nursed her with such sincerity. Everyone only saw her as a monster.
But that man's meticulous touch was different.
For some reason, Ayoung felt a sense of comfort from that touch as he carefully tended to her.
She hated the touch of others and was extremely reluctant to let anyone close, but Kim San's hand was the exception.
That was why she was looking forward to meeting him again very much.
She had even planned to start with a light greeting when they met and then lead him to a cafe.
"..... Is he being close with another girl in the meantime?"
But the moment she saw the pretty girl next to him, Ayoung's thoughts changed.
She could never forgive anyone trying to lay a hand on what was hers.
Lee Hayoon was shouting something, but I couldn't really remember what she said.
I was dragged away by the woman just like that and put into a car.
I resisted once in the middle of it, but it was no use. I had felt it before, but this woman's strength was incredible.
"Uh, excuse me...."
"Park Ayoung."
"Yes?"
"My name. It's Park Ayoung."
I was curious about her, but isn't that not the important thing right now?
After entering a fairly luxurious cafe and not saying anything for several minutes, those were the first words she finally spoke.
While being flustered by the fact that a single cup of coffee on the menu cost tens of thousands of won, I kept trying to stay calm.
They say even if you're dragged into a tiger's den, you can survive if you just keep your wits about you. So let's keep a sharp mind for now.
I wasn't kidnapped. I intended to speak up boldly and say I had to leave for my part-time job, but.
"Who is that woman?"
Upon hearing the next words Park Ayoung spoke, my mind went completely blank.
"What does that matter right now?"
"It matters."
I didn't understand why Hayoon was suddenly being mentioned. But as if that didn't matter at all, Park Ayoung's next words flustered me even more.
"Because I have no intention of sharing what's mine with anyone else."
".... Pardon?"
What's hers. What on earth does that mean!