The Water Snake
Whenever a big meeting wrapped up, Sapiens, Sanghae, and Won-goo would gather for drinks. Today, however, Pacific was with them as well.
"Boss. No need to worry about the rest. Everyone's had a taste of them, so we've got a good estimate. We can hold our own against Ganjeol Point."
That was Sapiens.
"Don't get complacent. A place the size of Ganjeol Point has reserves you can't see. They're only in this mess because it looks like they got ambushed this time. Next round will be different."
"You're saying Ganjeol will step in personally?"
Sanghae asked. Then he raised his hand. "I vote he stays out of it."
Everyone's eyes turned to Pacific.
"What?"
"I've done deals with Ganjeol Point a few times before, remember?"
"Sure, you freeloaded off them."
"Freeloaded, my ass. It was just business, a few times. Point is, I know a bit about Ganjeol. That bastard only fights battles he can win."
"Everyone knows that. So your answer is he won't come out?"
"Oh, he'll come out. Just not until he's thinned us out first. I mean... can we even call ourselves the Sabbath Alliance?"
At that, the three men exchanged glances, then all nodded.
"No harm in calling ourselves that."
"Right. The heads of our Sabbath Alliance. He'll want to snag a few of us before he shows his face."
"We've been getting pounded this whole time, haven't we? Three executives captured so far — All Kind among them."
"That's Dong's point, right. And with this earthquake, they may have bagged even more."
Sanghae chimed in to back him up.
"Best not to count on that until it's confirmed. Running the hope circuit too hard is a bad habit. If we made it out, odds are good they did too. Assume that. Pacific, keep going. So what's your point?"
"Ganjeol Point is loaded. They keep a spotless public image, but... they've done dirtier work than you'd think."
"Where do you find a saint in a room like this? Skip that part. So they've got deep pockets — what are they planning to do with it? Recruiting?"
"Recruiting, and hiring outside help."
"So they're pivoting that direction..."
Won-goo rubbed his chin, letting his words trail off.
"Director Gong, what? Is it serious?"
Sanghae made a show of alarm.
"War means betting your life. That's why you have to be that much more careful when you bring in outside hands. If Ganjeol Point starts throwing money around, that's that much more slack for them to push into us."
"Well, you'd have to know who they're recruiting before you plan around that, wouldn't you?"
"There've been a few names floating around. Pacific, you know about the Sajung? The Four Monks?"
"Do I ever. Those defrocked bastard monks. They're dangerous. All four of them are mages."
"According to All Kind's intel, they've been laying groundwork under Ganjeol Point lately."
"Entirely possible. They're obsessed with money. And Ganjeol cares a lot about his image — the Sajung will do genuinely filthy work as long as you pay. Perfect tools for a man like him."
"The Four Monks, huh... I'll have to look into it."
"There's something that worries me more than that."
Pacific wheeled himself closer as he spoke.
"Which is?"
"Gu-sik. Do you actually trust that bastard? I'm telling you, he doesn't change. You saw it. He couldn't even wait before getting to work on them."
"Pacific."
"...?"
"Did you see me forget I got backstabbed? That's why I brought him inside. Partly because I was short-handed, yes. But his skill is beyond question. He reads a situation well, too."
"I'm just saying, you could've cut a sharper deal."
"Fair point. Director Gong, I had my own doubts about Gu-sik too. I only agreed because you asked."
"There's a contract in writing, so that part holds. And I didn't bring Gu-sik into the shelter just because I was short-handed. Black Shelter — you can't possibly know every name on their books."
"You're thinking of the moment we clash with Ganjeol Point, aren't you, Boss?"
Won-goo nodded at Sapiens' words.
"Exactly. If I were the Black Shelter crowd, that's exactly the moment I'd strike. Isn't it the perfect window for Gu-sik to slip away? The contract might stop him from walking out, but it wouldn't stop him from taking action — say, if someone gave him a signal to strike and run."
"Hmm..."
"That's why I brought him inside. There's an old saying, isn't there? Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. Better to keep Gu-sik where I can watch him."
"Well, if that's the reasoning..."
"Look at what happened this time, too. Army and Sonjabi — those two Ganjeol executives were no pushovers. Even if Gu-sik didn't lose, they should never have been easy. And yet he won easily. I asked around the Mosquito Clan — he used some unusual technique. Something he never showed back in Black Shelter."
"So he's crude, but not stupid?"
"He's a water snake, that one. And who knows... besides Yeong Chi-soo, he might have something else hidden among his own people."
"Another psychic, like Yeong Chi-soo?"
"Can't say. But Gu-sik is no ordinary man. He doesn't just take anyone on as a slave."
"Then we'll have to trust Director Gong's judgment."
Everyone nodded along with Sanghae.
"The Boss's judgment hasn't been wrong yet."
"Exactly. Now, Sanghae."
"Yeah?"
"Keep an eye on Gu-sik. Not an obvious one — you know, casually watching as you pass by. Keep your distance, but take detailed reports."
"Keep him at arm's length while reporting everything meticulously — got it."
"See? You're quick with this stuff. Anyway, let's just watch for now. As I see it, this whole affair has given Ganjeol Point plenty to think about too."
"So even grannies get hurt sometimes, do they?"
Bohwacheon's people had come to visit the office. This time it wasn't Allium alone — Grandma Yeom-gui had come along. The old woman had a bandage wrapped around one of her fingers. Neither of them showed any particular reaction upon seeing Pacific, the newest addition to the household. Which meant they already knew he'd joined.
"Kekeke... just a scratch, you rascal."
"I take it the bait worked, then? Seeing as you came straight here?"
"You're not the sort to toy with the Number Society on a whim — that's why I came. Go on, then. Lay it out."
"If you keep treating me like a subcontractor, we're going to have a problem."
"Kekeke... not letting anything slide for free, are you."
Yeom-gui glanced back, and Allium produced a single sheet of paper and set it down.
"Where have I seen this before?"
"Kim Yang-cheon."
"Ah. The Seal Kim Yang-cheon was carrying."
"You have it?"
"I do. Why?"
"Did you know Kim Yang-cheon was being sponsored by Cheon?"
"Cheon has a terrible eye for people. He was a complete street thug."
"Even men like that have their uses."
As he said it, Won-goo signaled to Dan-shin with a gesture. Bring out some tea.
"I didn't know they sponsored fishing grounds too."
"The fishing grounds are all tied to Cheon, every last one."
The moment he heard it, a tangle of thoughts flashed through Won-goo's mind — but he let none of it show.
"Who Cheon chooses to sponsor is none of my business. So why pull this out? Looking to deal with it?"
"That's right. Kim Yang-cheon's Seal. You haven't properly identified it yet, have you?"
"I've bought intel from a few places, but every one of them was a dud. This is why buying information is such a pain — there's far too much garbage out there."
"Judging the garbage is a skill of its own."
"In any case, I can't settle for being told just this much. A Seal branded into the sole of a foot. It might take time, but figuring out its purpose won't be difficult."
"Kekeke. It won't be easy at all, I'd wager?"
"Difficult is fine. You know, from where I stand, Cheon seems awfully stingy. Or else just conscienceless."
"If I'd been the one to bring you into Cheon, I'd have given you a proper scolding for that remark just now."
"Even if you had, you wouldn't have scolded me."
"..."
"..."
Yeom-gui and Won-goo stared each other down without so much as a twitch. Yeom-gui, as always, wore a faint smile at the corners of her mouth; Won-goo's face remained utterly blank.
"Spare me the small talk. Put the real goods on the table. Surely you didn't come here thinking I'd accept just this. That young lady put me in a foul mood last time, remember? Don't make me relive it. Let's do this cleanly."
"Before that — are you certain?"
"How many times are you going to ask me that? Is the Number Society so important to you after all?"
"..."
"..."
Silence fell again. But Won-goo didn't waver in the slightest.
"Well... if you're wrong, we'll simply respond accordingly."
"I'm certain. So it's your side that needs to put something proper on the table. We're all busy people here, aren't we?"
"First — the Seal Kim Yang-cheon held is related to revival."
"Revival? As in coming back from the dead?"
"That's right."
"Then it's not just good — it's an outstanding Seal, isn't it?"
"It is. That's why Kim Yang-cheon drained every last coin from his hidden stash to buy it."
"Bought it? Not obtained it — bought it, you say?"
"Yes. As far as we've uncovered, he bought it. The Seal Collectors. You know of them?"
"I do. Never seen one myself. Oh... so they don't just collect Seals — they sell them too?"
A nod. Yeom-gui inclined her head slowly.
"Hmm... could internal strife have driven Kim Yang-cheon to buy it?"
"That's exactly what happened."
"Then he used the Seal's power when he crushed that uprising."
Yeom-gui cackled again — because her counterpart was fitting the puzzle pieces together beautifully, precisely as she'd anticipated.
"Why did you think that?"
"Well... a nonsense ability like revival is never granted more than a handful of times. When you killed me, I didn't come back. Meaning it had already been spent. But then... why has not a single whisper of anything like this ever leaked out? Was every scrap of intel I've been gathering this whole time a con?"
"Kekeke... that would be because there are many Seals that look remarkably similar to this one."
"Oh? That's the reason?"
"Yes. It's why even we struggled to pin down its true nature."
"Hmm... hold on. Was cutting off your hand also because of that?"
"That has nothing to do with it. In any case — be careful around the Seal Collectors. Kim Yang-cheon's Seal is in your hands now."
"Why should that make me careful... hm?"
Won-goo stopped mid-sentence. He tilted his head for a moment, then let out a dry laugh.
"So that's their business model? Well, I suppose a Seal isn't a consumable."
"Exactly. They're the sort who figured out a vicious way to survive in an upside-down world."
"Vicious, sure... but this world overflows with worse. It's almost refreshing. Sell the Seals, then reclaim them. Which means... am I right to assume they hold one or more copies of this revival Seal of Kim Yang-cheon's?"
"Why do you think so?"
"I've heard of the Seal Collectors too — they were the talk of this region once. Looking at the incidents they stirred up, I got a pretty clear read on them."
"...?"
"They're obsessed with Seals. Men like that, selling them off? One — they're confident they can take them back. Two — they have plenty to spare."
"..."
This time, Yeom-gui did not laugh.
"I always assumed Seals were precious, but I suppose not, judging by them. You said there were seven of them? That actually explains why such a small group struts around so boldly. If you're certain you'll come back to life, you can afford a reckless march."
"There were ten. Then they were cut down to seven."
The words slipped out of Yeom-gui flatly — but Won-goo did not let them pass.
"You even know their history? Don't tell me Cheon sponsored them too. Or the Number Society?"
"That has no bearing on the present."
"Then let's nail down one thing for certain. All of them hold Seals tied to this revival ability — correct?"
"Pretending to know everything and then asking me to confirm it — why?"
"Because a near-certain guess and a fact are two different things."
"Correct. All of them."
"How is that even possible? At least seven copies of the same Seal? Don't tell me they have some kind of duplication ability?"
"..."
"Shit. So that ability actually exists? What the hell."