Chapter 84
Chapter 84
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Dice Game (1)
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Guangzhou, IT Industrial Complex.
A full week past the deadline for repairing the semiconductor factory equipment he'd promised Seo Yun-ji.
Former President Lee Taek-gyu had no choice but to endure humiliation in front of a girl young enough to be his niece.
"Hey, Mr. Lee Taek-gyu. Remember saluting me two months ago?"
"I... remember. I do."
"You do remember, after all? I thought you had the brain of a tadpole with how you handle things. Guess that's not entirely true?"
The semiconductor factory wouldn't be fully operational for another month. And so, he was stuck bearing full responsibility.
"......"
He looked like he'd been force-fed honey and gone mute.
Seo Yun-ji narrowed her eyes and began prodding former President Lee Taek-gyu's belly with her baton, right in front of dozens of Chinese on-site workers.
"You told me it was a sure win back then, didn't you? Said we'd definitely triumph. So how the hell is a maggot who can't even meet a deadline supposed to win anything?"
The utterly humiliating poke in his lower belly. All former President Lee Taek-gyu could do, eyes squeezed shut, was beat her up in his imagination.
'That flat-headed bitch, I'd crush her skull! Shave her bald with clippers and dump her in the sea off Incheon—dream come true!'
But fantasies stayed in the head, of course.
Former President Lee Taek-gyu clenched his hands behind his back into fists. Forcing a smile against the baton still jabbing his gut, he opened his mouth.
"Well... the repairs are done, but the local contractor's demanding more for the installation."
"Ha! Are you a total idiot? A guy with a gut like Namsan Mountain can't even handle that?"
Seo Yun-ji raised her hand to summon her secretary from the back.
After signing a few times with her fountain pen, she handed something like a promissory note to former President Lee Taek-gyu.
"A promissory note. Tell the local crew: pay 100% if they meet the deadline, half otherwise."
"Ah... Th-thank you, President!"
He bowed at a perfect right angle, hand extended. But no note landed on his empty palms.
Tilting his head in confusion, former President Lee Taek-gyu slowly looked up.
What touched both his cheeks next wasn't painful at all—but utterly humiliating.
"Do your best, okay?"
"......"
"No answer?"
Seo Yun-ji fanned the promissory note back and forth across his face like a slap.
The not-yet-dry fountain pen ink left faint marks on former President Lee Taek-gyu's cheeks.
In front of all the dozens of subordinates gathered there.
"I'll... give it my all, President."
* * * *
Crash!
"Goddamn it! That crazy psycho bitch!"
Back at the hotel after work, former President Lee Taek-gyu kicked a chair aside and grabbed his swollen ankle, picking a fight with himself.
"Argh! Fucking piece of shit! Ngh... hurts like hell!"
"Whoa, big bro. Calm down. You think Seo Yun-ji's your average nutjob? That woman's devoured her husband and his mistress whole."
Baek Deok-gyu massaged the beet-red face of former President Lee Taek-gyu.
As an SA-Cheolhwa Tekwin rep, part of his job was keeping former President Lee Taek-gyu from quitting in a rage before the work was done.
So Baek Deok-gyu cracked open a beer from the hotel fridge and handed it to his sales target.
"Just sell it all, sell it. Hang in there a bit longer, yeah?"
"Fuck, my life's cursed bad. I'd love to quit right now. Bonus if I could smack Seo Yun-ji too."
Baek Deok-gyu's eyes went wide at the quitting threat.
That would mean kissing goodbye to the balance of what Seo Yun-ji had promised him.
Knowing former President Lee Taek-gyu's fiery temper, he hurriedly laid on the sweet talk.
"Whoa, big bro! But you've got luck with money. You squeezed that note out of her, didn't ya?"
A single white promissory note on the table.
Exactly double the amount owed to the local Chinese installers—and the main reason former President Lee Taek-gyu had delayed the schedule on purpose.
"Half of that's 3 billion won in your pocket. Quit after you cash in, not before."
"Sigh, yeah, you're right..."
A cloud of cigarette smoke bloomed in the room.
Maybe from the notoriously strong Chinese smokes? Former President Lee Taek-gyu blinked hazily, head spinning a bit.
Sharp-eyed Baek Deok-gyu seized the moment.
"Big bro, don't mope like this. Let's hit the tables downstairs for a round."
"Slots won't pay out. No fun anymore."
"Heh, not slots. You know... that one."
Baek Deok-gyu rubbed his palms together suggestively.
Former President Lee Taek-gyu exhaled a deep puff of gray smoke and shook his head.
"Fuck, lose to a bitch already, now cards too? Jang Hui-bin and Yang Gong-ju—neither's working for me."
"Not cards—dice!"
"Dice...?"
Finally, former President Lee Taek-gyu pretended to mull it over.
He grabbed whiskey from the cabinet and sipped, playing thoughtful—until Baek Deok-gyu's next words made him drop the act.
"Hell yeah! Like I said last time. There's this rich sucker... and a hot piece of ass tagging along."
* * * *
That same time, Seoul.
Ammunition Group headquarters glowed like daylight under the full moon, lights blazing late into the night.
Not just the lower-floor staff—this went for the top execs' offices near the penthouse too.
"Ugh, what's with all this work? It's killing me."
"You always act busy, but you can't handle this?"
Deputy Director Kim Won-cheol raised both palms in surrender before the stack of documents.
Vice President Yang Taek-su, sitting beside him, smirked and teased lightly.
"Hey, acting busy? Laying out flower petals for the Chairman's path is hard work."
"Enough. Let's review the group restructuring plan that's come up for approval."
Flip—the sound of pages turning as work resumed.
But the balding chief of staff had picked the wrong day; he was already wiped out. Kim Won-cheol slumped face-first onto the desk.
The fluorescent light glinted off his shiny bald forehead like a mirror—then a groan escaped his lips.
"Wonder what the Chairman's up to now? At the casino with Aide Yoo Se-na... damn, jealous. So jealous."
"What? Kim Won-cheol, seriously. Why would the Chairman go to a casino?"
Vice President Yang Taek-su grabbed his lapels and hauled the desk-flopped Kim Won-cheol upright.
He didn't seem to care about Kim Won-cheol choking from the carotid pressure.
"Gah, gah. Let... go, please."
"I've watched the Chairman closely since he was young—he's no gambler. Must be something business-related."
"That's what I thought too. Proper guy who hates gambling and all. But then I saw..."
Kim Won-cheol yanked off his tangled tie.
He recalled the Chairman suddenly showing up with something rattling in a paper cup not long ago.
That smile as he suggested a light wager over dinner.
But... he hadn't realized then. That innocent grin was like a viper licking its chops before prey.
"He's insanely good."
"Learned... cards?"
"No, no. Not cards. Dice or something. No idea where he picked it up."
Rattle—Kim Won-cheol opened a desk drawer and pulled out a larger paper cup.
Along with three dice inside, marked 1 through 6.
"Dice. One die's fine, but three? He's killer at it. I challenged him once—lost my underwear."
* * * *
"Welcome. Thank you for gracing us again today."
The casino waiter bowed as he approached me. Masked, I silently opened my wallet and slipped him a few crisp greenbacks as a tip.
I'd spent every waking hour of the past week in this hotel basement casino, save eating and sleeping. Same for Aide Yoo Se-na.
The waiter led us straight to the dice room. Once alone in the large space, I finally spoke.
"Today. Former President Lee Taek-gyu will show."
The overseas intel network out of Ammunition Group HQ. Their first mission: lure former President Lee Taek-gyu here.
I smoothed my palm over the green felt tablecloth and continued.
"The new intel team's capabilities exceeded expectations. Dragging the target here in just a week."
"The Chairman's talents are impressive in their own way too. Teaching me this in a mere week..."
"Half credit to Aide Yoo Se-na's talent."
Aide Yoo Se-na in her cute bunny mask and form-fitting glamorous dress.
She covered the cup's rim with her hand, shook it three times hard and five short, then dumped the dice onto the table.
Clatter!
Her movements flowed like a butterfly. Our eyes went to the three dice.
"5, 4, 6. Total 15. Even solo, Aide Yoo Se-na could handle it."
"What are you saying? I can hit it once or twice, but not consistently. Anyway..."
Aide Yoo Se-na brushed her hair back, a bit shy.
She scooped the dice back into the cup and stepped closer to me.
"Where on earth did the Chairman learn this?"
"A very long time ago... in another world. That's all I'll say."
Another world.
Prison walls, where I'd picked up this hustle from all sorts of weirdos. Who'd have thought I'd use dice tricks there for real.
"Well, no one dreams they'll come back."
Three dice in my palm. Gripping tight, I felt their texture and spoke to the tilting-head Aide Yoo Se-na.
"Alright... let's get started. Time for the Ammunition Group's mark to arrive."