Monopolizing Fortunes (206)
Monopolizing Fortunes (206)
"There was another underworld group here before. I heard they were driven out and the place was taken over."
"How does a man of your standing, a Vice Minister of Personnel, know so much about underworld affairs?"
"Hey, you're my brother. How could I not take an interest?"
"From the other side's perspective, it wasn't fair, but gangsters don't go looking for fairness. You did well."
If Yang Su-pan had lent the power of his office to Jang Yu-seom's martial force, taking over the entire night of Beijing would not have been difficult.
They had nearly reached the Daltong Society.
"Kill all those bastards!"
"These scum know exactly where they are, and they still attack!"
"Fuck! You think we'd just sit back and take it!"
Around thirty gangsters were assaulting the Daltong Society. The Daltong Society was putting up a decent fight, but they were outnumbered and being steadily pushed back.
Amid the tangled brawlers, Wang Chil and Jo Jin-ho could be glimpsed. Throwing chairs, biting ears—it was unmistakably a gangster dogfight.
Do Tong-dal let out a long sigh.
"Look at those old men, still fighting like that at their age."
"Aren't you going to help?"
"Ah!"
After long seclusion training and dealing with matters of the martial world and the imperial palace, a gang brawl felt so unfamiliar that he had simply been watching.
'Tong-dal, you're a gangster! Don't forget that!'
Just as he was resolving not to forget his roots and about to leap into the fray, a new figure appeared.
"You little shits! How dare you attack this place!"
It was a woman. A beautiful woman, at that. Every time she lashed out with her hands and feet, another attacker dropped without fail.
Having cleared the room in an instant, the woman dusted off her hands with a few brisk pats.
"Little punks who don't know their place, getting ideas. Tsk!"
Then her eyes met Do Tong-dal's. The woman was startled, and Do Tong-dal recognized her. She had disguised herself, but she could not hide all of her original beauty.
"Ha, Strate...?"
It was Ha Su-ran, who had used a disguise instead of wearing a veil. The undisguised parts of her face flushed red. Then she fumbled in her robes, pulled out a veil, and covered her face.
The sight nearly made him burst out laughing. Suppressing his laughter with effort, Do Tong-dal approached and greeted her.
"It's been a long time."
"Pardon? Ah... Yes! I-it has been a long time. Ah! Do you know who I am? No, I mean, this veil is..."
Ha Su-ran stared flustered at Do Tong-dal, whose cheeks were twitching as he held back laughter, then let out a sigh of resignation.
"Yes. Just laugh."
"Puhahaha—!"
In the end, he burst out laughing. He did not know why Ha Su-ran was acting like a gangster here, but she had changed a great deal since he last saw her. Still, he was relieved that she did not feel like a stranger.
"Tong-dal—!"
Just as Do Tong-dal's laughter was dying down, Wang Chil and Jo Jin-ho rushed over and threw their arms around him.
"You bastard! Where have you been all this time! Do you know how worried I was! If you were alive, you should have at least sent word that you were alive!"
"Your brothers here wasted away day by day worrying about you until we were nothing but skin and bones!"
They said that, but their waistlines looked to have expanded by a good two inches compared to three years ago.
"What have you two been doing all this time? Getting beaten up by a bunch of low-rent thugs. What would you have done if Strategist Ha hadn't shown up?"
"Huh? Who's Strategist Ha... Oh? Oh my! I didn't recognize you without the veil! I was wondering who this beauty was, but of course it's Strategist Ha!"
If they had seen Ha Su-ran without her disguise, they would not have said that—they would have been struck dumb.
The two men also greeted Yang Su-pan warmly.
"But how did you come to be in such a rough spot?"
At Yang Su-pan's question, Wang Chil scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
"Two months ago, we got into a quarrel with the Cheongu Society, the group that holds the western district. We've been going back and forth with them for a few days because of it."
"If something like that happens, you should tell me. I would have settled it for you."
Wang Chil waved both hands.
"Oh, please don't say that. How could we impose such a thing on an elder who serves the nation? Gangster business is for gangsters to handle, so please, sir, just look after the welfare of the people. This is how we've always lived. Hahaha!"
"Still, he's Tong-dal's brother. How could I pretend not to know?"
Do Tong-dal spoke.
"Forget it. If Lord Yang steps in, these two will only feel more uncomfortable. Still, I can't have either of you getting hurt, so I'll call Du-sik."
Wang Chil's face lit up.
"That friend is perfect. He's a fellow gangster, so there's no awkwardness. Heh heh heh..."
"I'm relieved to see you two haven't changed. Hold down the turf. I'll be right back."
"Huh? Right back?"
"Why are you so surprised? Do you not like the idea of me dipping a toe into the turf my brother has staked out?"
"No, it's not that, but you've gotten too big for the gangster life, Tong-dal."
Jo Jin-ho nodded as if agreeing with Wang Chil.
"What kind of bullshit is that! This Do Tong-dal is a gangster to the bone, in life or death! The work I'm doing now is what doesn't suit me!"
Wang Chil stared quietly at the fuming Do Tong-dal, then suddenly pulled him into a hug.
"Right, that's right. This brother of yours misunderstood you for a moment. Come back anytime. The underworld where I am is your home—where else would your home be?"
"Just don't hug me like this. I hate the smell of a bachelor... Oh? Brother, did you get a woman?"
Wang Chil was startled.
"How did you know that?"
"You don't smell like a bachelor anymore. You smell like something else. Brother Jin-ho too."
"Heh heh heh... That's how it happened. I'll introduce you later. Anyway, Strategist Ha's scent is better than mine."
Wang Chil pushed Do Tong-dal toward Ha Su-ran. It was her turn, but Ha Su-ran was squirming with embarrassment.
"Who taught you that disguise?"
"Pardon? Well... Seol-rin taught me... It's a bit awkward, isn't it?"
"If I touch it up a little, it'll be much better than it is now. But what brings you to Beijing?"
"Pardon? Ah... Well..."
Wang Chil slapped Do Tong-dal on the back.
"You fool! Why else would Strategist Ha come here if not for you! Do you really have to ask to know that!"
Ha Su-ran had heard that Do Tong-dal had stopped by the Righteous Chivalry Sect and then gone to the imperial palace, and in the end she could not hold herself back and came to Beijing.
There was no way Do Tong-dal would pass through Beijing without seeing Wang Chil and Jo Jin-ho, so she had calculated that coming here would let her meet him.
"I was actually planning to head to the Northern Unorthodox Alliance tomorrow."
"Pardon? To see me?"
He was not stupid enough to give the honest answer: 'To swindle the Makya Blade out of the old Alliance Leader.'
"Of course."
"I... I see. Then I'll go on ahead and wait for you."
"Since you're already here, we can go together."
"No. In Beijing, you should meet someone else, not me."
The 'someone else' Ha Su-ran meant was Yeon Ja-yeon.
"When will you come?"
"I'll probably arrive tomorrow."
"Yes. Then I'll see you tomorrow."
Ha Su-ran bowed her head and fled the scene as if escaping. She had jumped into a gang brawl, acted like a thug, and then run into Do Tong-dal—the embarrassment made her want to crawl into a mouse hole.
The fact that she had stayed as long as she had was already remarkable shamelessness on Ha Su-ran's part.
Yang Su-pan, Wang Chil, and Jo Jin-ho all looked at Do Tong-dal with envy.
"Why is everyone looking at me like that?"
Yang Su-pan said, 'Tong-dal must have saved the country in a past life,' and Wang Chil replied, 'At least twice, I'd say.' Jo Jin-ho nodded as well.
"Let's go already."
When Yeon Ja-yeon met Do Tong-dal, she was not overly dramatic. Her eyes glistened with tears, but she did not sob; she approached with quick steps, but she did not throw herself into his arms.
But her night was hot.
"I heard you brought twelve bottles of Grief Alone?"
'These people and their big mouths!'
Do Tong-dal and Yeon Ja-yeon spent a very long, sleepless night together. After sleeping in late, Do Tong-dal said his farewells to Yeon Ja-yeon and departed for Shanxi Province, where the Northern Unorthodox Alliance was located.
Once past Hebei Province, Shanxi Province began immediately, so it was not a great distance. On his way to Shanxi, Do Tong-dal practiced the One Step, Hundred Li Walk.
The incantation had looked simple, but there were unexpectedly many details requiring attention. In particular, if he failed to control the condensed force when his foot touched the ground, he could easily blow away something the size of a house.
On top of that, changing direction midair while flying was not as easy as he had thought.
During his trial and error, Do Tong-dal must have snapped hundreds of trees by crashing into them.
Because he was practicing the art as he traveled, his speed was slower than if he had simply run, but he still managed to arrive at the Northern Unorthodox Alliance before the day was out.
Thanks to Ha Su-ran having spoken firmly on his behalf, the attitude of the Northern Unorthodox Alliance warriors he met for the first time was exceedingly courteous.
He assumed the warriors would lead him to Ha Su-ran, but the person waiting for Do Tong-dal was Hwangmi Dal.
There was even a solemn gravity in Hwangmi Dal's expression as he received Do Tong-dal.
"So you've come."
"Why are you putting on such a heavy air? The ground's going to cave in."
"Wipe that grinning face off this instant."
He seemed to be trying to display the dignity of the Northern Unorthodox Alliance's leader only now, but it was far too late for that. Still, Do Tong-dal played along.
"Is something the matter?"
"You should be the one to speak."
"We meet after a long time, and you make a man this uncomfortable. I guess I was the only one who was glad to see you."
When Do Tong-dal stood up, Hwangmi Dal was startled.
"Where are you going?"
"When a host treats a guest poorly, the guest has no reason to stay. I'll just collect my property and be on my way."
Hwangmi Dal's eyes wavered.
"P-property? What property?"
"What property could I possibly have come to collect?"
Do Tong-dal's gaze wandered around the room and settled on the left wall.
"My property is right over there."
"You... you intend to take the Makya Sword and leave?"
"Yes."
"No! Absolutely not!"
"I respected the host's right to make a guest uncomfortable. Now that the owner says he's taking his property, the tenant must also respect the landlord's rights."
As Do Tong-dal moved toward the Makya Sword, Hwangmi Dal quickly blocked his path.
"How is that yours! It's been in my hands for years!"
"You've borrowed it for so long, so you should return it with gratitude."
"No! I won't give it up!"
"Give it here."
"I won't!"
"Give it here."
"I won't!"
Just then, the door burst open and Ha Su-ran came in.
"Alliance Leader, what are you doing right now?"
Hwangmi Dal pointed at Do Tong-dal with a trembling hand.
"Th-this shameless bastard says he's taking the Makya Sword!"
"Pardon?"
Under Ha Su-ran's puzzled gaze, Do Tong-dal spoke.
"He's treating me like an unwelcome guest, so I'm leaving. And while I'm at it, I'm reclaiming my property."
"The Alliance Leader treated you like an unwelcome guest?"
"He had a terribly uncomfortable look on his face, he kept cutting me off, and there wasn't a trace of gladness... So what am I supposed to do? I have to leave a place where I'm not welcome. Sigh—!"
"How could Young Master Do not be welcome!"
When Ha Su-ran's fierce glare fixed on him, Hwangmi Dal flinched.
"Hmph! W-well, how am I supposed to treat kindly a scoundrel who's going to take you away without a word?"
"I told you everything."
"I need to hear it from that brat's own mouth."
"Then tell him to speak."
"I was about to, but then he stubbornly insisted on taking the Makya Sword... Anyway, I won't give up the Makya Sword!"
Ha Su-ran crossed her arms and snapped at Hwangmi Dal.
"You're using me as an excuse, but in reality, you're just scheming to keep the Makya Sword, aren't you?"
"Sch-scheming?"
Do Tong-dal spoke.
"For example, something like: if you want to take Strategist Ha, hand over the Makya Sword."
Hwangmi Dal's guilty expression confirmed the guess was right.
'Honestly, this old man is so easy to read.'
Ha Su-ran's expression grew fiercer.
"So you treated me like an object?"
"N-no! When did I ever...!"
"You're saying you'd sell me for the Makya Sword!"
"Th-that's not it... No matter what I say, you're going to marry Tong-dal anyway. So, well... a betrothal gift... Right! Think of it as a betrothal gift!"
"A betrothal gift is for Young Master Do to decide! Why are you deciding it, Alliance Leader!"
"If it's going to be given anyway, it'd be nice if it were something I want."
Do Tong-dal spoke.
"Fine. I'll give you the Makya Sword."
"Young Master Do!"
"Tong-dal! Do you mean that?"
"Of course, it's an exchange. But isn't the basis of any exchange an equal trade?"
"Equal trade? What's that now?"
"Do you consider the Makya Sword and Strategist Ha to be of equal value?"
Hwangmi Dal jumped up.
"How could that be! Nothing in this world can compare to our Su-ran!"
He truly meant it, and not just because Ha Su-ran was present.
"So I should exchange her for something equal to the Makya Sword."
* * *