Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Royal Family 7-1
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Special Division had undergone some changes.
To begin with, personnel had been added to fit the organizational structure of a division. The remaining space in the office, which had been largely neglected with only four people using it, was starting to fill up.
Of course, even the smallest division would normally have at least a hundred people, but only twelve had been added to Special Division.
However, this wasn't the company's doing—it was Executive Director Oh Tae-hyung's demand.
He had said they would add people little by little as needed.
As a result, the current additions were mostly accounting and support staff.
Beyond that, the most visible change was the addition of a room for Oh Tae-hyung.
According to executive treatment regulations, an executive director was entitled to a private office, so that's how it happened.
But in truth, that room was less Oh Tae-hyung's office and more a conference room where he called in Ji-hyeok and Han Ji-young.
Such were the changes in the organization, and after a few noisy days, it was one evening on the way home from work.
- Ziiing...
Why was that?
Sometimes it happened.
Times when you hadn't even taken the phone out of your pocket, but you just had a feeling it was bad news.
And this was one of those times.
With that hunch, Ji-hyeok pulled out his phone and immediately pressed it to his ear upon seeing the name on the screen.
"Yeah, it's me."
"Hyung, I think we found it."
"Where?"
"Dongdaemun."
"I'm heading there now. Send the address."
"Got it."
"Just you come out."
"But hyung, there are some kids who want to see you..."
"Get your head straight. If my name's coming out of their mouths, that's proof you're doing something wrong."
"You're right. My mistake. I'll snap out of it, hyung. Sending the address now."
Jang Woo's personality had its strengths: he didn't hold grudges.
If he thought he was wrong to the end, he'd concede with ridiculous ease.
After hanging up with Jang Woo, Ji-hyeok waited a moment, and the address arrived.
Then he drove to the location.
"Hyung!"
Ji-hyeok gave a slight smile at Jang Woo, who was waving happily.
As he approached, Jang Woo pulled him into a tight hug.
"Gross. Let go."
"No way. It's been over two months. I missed you like crazy."
"Alright, let's see how our Jang Woo's changed."
Ji-hyeok pushed him back from his embrace and examined his face from all angles.
Jang Woo turned his head this way and that, as if showing off every detail.
How much could a guy change in two months?
But Ji-hyeok looked him over as if determined to spot every difference.
The most noticeable change was his outfit.
A high-end suit accentuated Jang Woo's broad shoulders at a glance.
"Looking pretty boss-like now, huh?"
"For real? Heh heh heh."
"Yeah. But where are we?"
"A building slated for redevelopment. Snagged it while taking over Dongdaemun."
"Good job. This size should work fine."
"Yeah, they say it's worth about 40 billion won? But I don't know what to do with it. Split it among the kids?"
"Do whatever you want. Figure out your style that way. Whether generosity is right, stinginess is right, or somewhere in between. Experiment. It'll sharpen your eye for people. That'll be your real asset later."
"Got it. I'll give it a shot."
Ji-hyeok patted Jang Woo's shoulder and stepped back.
"Where is he?"
"In that room over there. Let's go, hyung."
Jang Woo led the way down a dark hallway to its end.
At a shop with a small sign reading "Seyoung Laundry Service," Jang Woo flung open the door.
Inside the empty office, a nervous man pacing around greeted Ji-hyeok and Jang Woo.
"This guy's the one who paid tribute to the Dongdaemun crew. He had a lock on sauna towel supplies in the area. Figured it was worth asking, and he knew."
The man looked terrified just seeing Jang Woo.
Ji-hyeok figured it showed what Jang Woo had been like while taking over Dongdaemun.
'He's doing well.'
The basic quality Jang Woo needed was fear.
You had to instill overwhelming force that no one would dare challenge.
Fear alone couldn't rule, of course.
But without it at the foundation, the organization would get dragged into needless fights.
Instilling fear prevented such challenges.
In that sense, the man's reaction to Jang Woo, now in control of Dongdaemun, meant he'd buttoned up the first step right.
- Drrrk!
Ji-hyeok picked up two chairs rolling on the floor and set them upright.
"Come over here and sit."
"Y-yes... yes, sir."
The man hurried to the chair at Ji-hyeok's words, clamping his knees together.
"Two hanja characters inside a round circle. What'd it say?"
"S-Sangcheon."
"You sure?"
"Yes. Definitely... sure. It wasn't a tattoo... uh, what was it... a brand! Yeah, like a brand burned into his skin. So I remember clearly."
"Now tell me. Who?"
"The owner of Geumsusa, a Japanese restaurant on the first floor of Daeyeon Market."
Ji-hyeok glanced back, and Jang Woo nodded.
Meaning he knew the place...
Then Ji-hyeok stood up.
"Th-then I'll..."
"Take it."
Jang Woo handed over a white envelope, but the man shook his head vigorously.
"N-no, sir. I'm fine. You even let me keep working..."
"Take it. But if even one word about this leaks out, I'll carve you up for that amount."
"Never. I swear, not a word."
The man snatched the envelope in a panic and backed toward the door.
But just as he turned to leave, he looked back at Jang Woo.
"Um..."
"What?"
"Just something I heard..."
"Spit it out."
"Word is, there's an order not to touch that place... I don't have any ties, so I ignored it, but they told the lower crews not to go near."
"Who? Who said that?"
"Dong-cheol, of course."
Dong-cheol meant Kim Jae-cheol, who had controlled Dongdaemun.
His nickname, Dongdaemun's Dong-cheol, was Dong-cheol.
Hearing the name, Jang Woo looked at Ji-hyeok.
Ji-hyeok nodded, and Jang Woo waved the man out.
Once his footsteps faded, Ji-hyeok spoke.
"You haven't finished checking all the Dongdaemun ledgers yet, right?"
"Yeah. The kids are on it now. The area's big, so the numbers are huge. Might take a few days."
"Hmm..."
Ji-hyeok pondered briefly...
But not for long.
"Let's go."
"Now? Isn't it too early? It's only eight."
"If it's connected to Dong-cheol, better we move first."
"True... alright, let's go."
Jang Woo, knowing the spot, took the lead.
Ji-hyeok followed, his expression slightly tense.
Geumsusa was a small sashimi restaurant.
The hall had six tables, and there were four counter seats where the chef served directly—a classic tachigui setup.
As Ji-hyeok and Jang Woo entered, a man by the entrance greeted them.
"Welcome. Sit wherever's comfortable."
There were two tables occupied.
One had a mixed pair of men and women, the other two men.
After a quick scan, Ji-hyeok slowly crossed the hall to the counter and sat.
"Welcome, sir."
A man in a white chef's uniform, prepping sashimi, bowed politely as Ji-hyeok and Jang Woo sat in front of him.
Age around fifty...
Ji-hyeok thought it was the counter guy and two chefs, but then a white-haired old man emerged from the kitchen's white curtain.
He slowly turned, passed the counter, headed to the hall, and began refilling soy sauce bottles on empty tables.
In that instant, Ji-hyeok instinctively knew this was the man he'd been searching for over the past ten years.
"What can I get you? Sea bream's fresh today."
That was when the chef smiled brightly at Ji-hyeok.
Ji-hyeok turned from the white-haired man to the chef and spoke lowly.
"Sangcheon."
"Pardon? What was that?"
"I heard you have it here. Sangcheon. Serve that."
The chef smiled faintly at the order.
But his smile brimmed with thick killing intent.
"Mind waiting a moment?"
"Of course. As long as what I ordered comes out."
"Yes. Excuse me for a bit."
The chef wiped his hands with a white towel, left the kitchen, and went to the hall.
He approached one table, bowed, and spoke cautiously.
"Sorry to interrupt your meal, but I just got word my father's passed... We're all brothers here, so we have to go together. Apologies, but we need to close now. Could you please leave? No charge for the food."
"Oh no... but we've almost finished. You sure?"
"Absolutely. Next time, I won't forget this kindness—we'll hook you up."
"Oh dear, condolences. Go be with him."
The mixed pair rose readily, gathering their things.
They'd left only the last sips, so no reason to refuse.
The two men stood without the chef even approaching.
"Such consideration... we don't know how to thank you."
"No thanks needed. We've nearly finished too. Hurry on."
"Thank you. Won't forget the service next time."
With both tables gone, the entrance man opened the glass door and raised the shutter with a rattle...
At the same moment, Ji-hyeok and Jang Woo at the counter turned their chairs to face the hall.
"Was about to call you in, but you came yourself—grateful, but how'd you know about Sangcheon?"
"Me? Know what?"
Jang Woo replied to the chef.
The chef had looked his way.
"They call you Cheongnyangni Viper, right? Or now that you've eaten Dongdaemun, Dongdaemun Viper?"
"Who the hell calls me a viper? This here's a viper. I'm an orphan—why would I tattoo 'baby-eating viper' on my head? But why were you gonna call me?"
That was when.
The white-haired man, finishing the last soy sauce bottle, turned and approached the chef.
"Step aside."
"Yes."
The white-haired man's leadership was clear from his gait alone.
Slow, but weighted.
Meaning he moved lightly despite the heft—that wasn't easy.
Standing in the center, the white-haired man looked not at Jang Woo, but Ji-hyeok.
"Can't let live someone who knows what they shouldn't. But I'll send you off painlessly, I promise. Where'd you hear about Sangcheon?"
It carried immense weight.
Most people couldn't even meet those eyes properly.
But sitting before him was Ji-hyeok.
"I'll make the same promise. I'll send you off easy. But first, answer a few questions."
- Shring...
The moment Ji-hyeok finished, the two men flanking the white-haired one reached behind their backs and drew gleaming knives.
Thinner blades than sashimi knives.
And at that instant, Jang Woo slowly stepped down from the counter stool, reaching behind his back like them.
- Shring...
In Jang Woo's forward hand were two knives.
Gripping them in both hands, Jang Woo stepped forward.
It was a powder-keg moment.