Chapter 4
Three days later, I got an urgent call from Choi Il-soo. He said he had something to tell me about the Cheongseong Faction and wanted to meet. So I visited his office again.
"So? Did you find anything?"
"Well, I just learned about it at dawn today. The Cheongseong Faction guys are gathering for some kind of dinner party."
"A dinner party?"
"I heard it's for a newly opening club, and apparently it's pretty large-scale. But that's not the important part. The problem is that not just the Cheongseong boss, but all the executives are gathering too. There'll be at least a hundred people. But I figured if you want to take out the Cheongseong boss, there won't be another chance besides today, so I contacted you."
Choi Il-soo's words made me think the opportunity had come sooner than expected.
"Do you know when the Cheongseong guys are gathering today?"
"From what I heard, they're meeting around 9 PM. Are you really going to do this?"
"Of course. We'll head over to the Cheongseong side then. Get ready."
"Are you serious? There'll be at least a hundred of them?"
I smiled at Choi Il-soo, who was asking with a face that said he didn't want any part of this.
"Don't worry, just fill in the numbers from the back. I'll handle the rest."
"Ha... So we're really just trusting that lunatic and going."
At 8 PM, Il-soo's crew gathered. Twelve people split into two vehicles, each carrying an iron pipe, and set off.
We arrived at the destination before long. We parked near the club's back entrance that we'd scouted beforehand.
As soon as we got out, I ran over and knocked out the two guarding the entrance.
I spoke to the tense Choi Il-soo and his bulky men.
"Let's go."
More than twelve intimidating men, each armed with a weapon, followed behind me.
The Cheongseong boss and six executives were gathered in a VIP room inside the club, drinking with women at their sides.
They laughed and chatted, drinking the liquor the women poured for them.
"Good, Chun-sik handled this job well."
The man named Chun-sik stood up and bowed at a ninety-degree angle.
"Thank you."
"Good. Everyone should be like Chun-sik."
"Yes!"
Just as they were about to drink, someone burst through the door.
"What the hell? Who said you could just barge in?"
"Boss, we've got a big problem. We're under attack."
"What? What do you mean? Under attack?"
"Well... a group of just over ten people stormed in. The problem is there's a crazy bastard among them. He's single-handedly beating down all the guys gathered in the hall. You need to escape quickly."
At his subordinate's report, Kim Chun-sik frowned and turned to speak.
"Chairman, I think you should leave."
"Tsk. What kind of reckless fools dare storm this place? And just how badly did you manage your men that a dozen-odd punks are wiping the floor with them!"
"We apologize."
As the chairman rose, the executives around him tried to escort him out.
But the subordinate who'd come to report was kicked, flying into the wall, and a young man walked through the entrance, sweeping his gaze across the room.
"Where do you all think you're scurrying off to like little mice?"
The executives shielded the chairman from the sudden intruder. The chairman stepped forward through them and spoke.
"Which organization are you from?"
"Il-soo's crew."
"Il-soo's crew? There was an organization like that?"
"Well, it's a tiny little organization."
"This is absurd. Did you really take down our guys with just about ten people?"
"I took them all down myself."
"Impressive. You're young and capable. Ever thought about working under me?"
"I'm not the type to work under anyone."
"That's a shame. Guess I'll have to clean up a young corpse today."
As the chairman finished speaking, he reached into his jacket, pulled out a pistol, and aimed it at me.
"Interesting. Didn't think you'd be packing a gun."
"These days, you can't trust anyone, so you have to be prepared. Well then. Goodbye."
The Cheongseong boss's pistol flashed and fired.
—Bang
I watched the bullet fly toward me as if in slow motion.
I debated whether to dodge the incoming bullet. I decided to just catch it with my hand. Catching a bullet barehanded would be more terrifying than dodging it.
I caught the flying bullet. Even catching it barehanded, I wasn't hurt at all.
I held up the caught bullet and smiled at the Cheongseong boss.
Startled by the sight, he kept firing his pistol.
—Bang! Bang bang!
I felt like a superhuman from a movie. I caught every single bullet and dropped them on the floor.
"M-monster..."
It wasn't the Cheongseong boss but an executive beside him who trembled at the sight. The Cheongseong boss also collapsed backward in fear.
I walked up to the Cheongseong boss. As I approached, the Cheongseong executives all stepped aside.
In front of me, the Cheongseong boss abandoned his earlier dignity and begged for his life.
"P-please spare me. D-do you need money? I'll give you as much as you want."
I sneered at the Cheongseong boss begging for his life.
"I want the Cheongseong Faction itself."
"V-very well. You're the Cheongseong boss from today onward. So please, just spare my life."
"And the hidden assets?"
"That is..."
"What? You have to give that up too. Don't want to live?"
Seeing the Cheongseong boss conflicted when his life was on the line made me wonder just how much money he had. It seemed he had more hidden assets than I thought.
'Well, if he hands over all his hidden assets, he probably thinks I'll kill him anyway.'
"So are you going to hand over the hidden assets or not?"
I stepped on the Cheongseong boss's hand, crushing it to dust.
"AAARGH!! A-alright."
"Should've done that from the start. So where did you hide it?"
The Cheongseong boss told me where he'd hidden his assets, eyes fluttering open and shut.
It was suspicious how readily he gave it up. As I grew suspicious of the Cheongseong boss, a shifty-looking Cheongseong executive cut in.
"Th-that's a lie. There's even more hidden assets than that."
"Park Wan-yong!!!"
I was intrigued by the words of the man called Park Wan-yong. I kicked the noisy, screaming Cheongseong boss and knocked him out. Then I spoke to the man named Park Wan-yong.
"Is that true?"
"Yes! I was in charge of not only managing Gu Jeong-mu's assets, but also all money laundering."
"You. What's your name?"
"I'm Park Wan-yong."
"Good. Wan-yong, I'll give you one hour. Bring me every last bit of the Cheongseong boss's hidden assets."
"Gulp—Did you say one hour?"
"Why? You think that's not enough time?"
"N-no. I'll have it all taken care of within one hour."
"And you can have other ideas if you want. But what happens if I catch you?"
I threw a fork from the table right past Park Wan-yong's face. It flew right next to his face and lodged in the wall.
Park Wan-yong collapsed into his seat, trembling all over at how close he'd just come to death.
I made eye contact with him and called for Choi Il-soo, who was waiting outside.
"Il-soo."
"Yes!"
"Take the boys and go with this guy."
"Understood!"
"How long are you going to sit there? I'm starting the clock now."
At my words, he steadied his trembling legs and left with Choi Il-soo. Then I kicked the unconscious Cheongseong boss into a corner and sat in his seat.
Next to me were young women huddled against the wall, trembling. For a large organization like Cheongseong, the women they kept around weren't bad at all.
I pulled two trembling women over and put my arms around them.
"Eek!"
They screamed as they were pulled into my embrace, their strong perfume filling my senses.
"Shh. If you don't stay quiet, your heads will fly."
"Sob, please spare us."
"Don't worry. I won't kill you."
I slipped my hands into the clothes of the women I held on either side and groped their breasts. They were a good size and firm to the touch.
As I fondled the women's breasts, I spoke to the frozen Cheongseong executives.
"You all should sit down and enjoy yourselves."
The Cheongseong members who sat down at my glance remained seated, doing nothing but watching my every move.
I ignored them and decided to wait for Choi Il-soo while playing with the women at my side.
More Cheongseong members showed up midway, but the executives kept them outside, gauging my reaction.
Then Choi Il-soo and Park Wan-yong returned.
"H-here it is."
Choi Il-soo's underlings brought in large bags and set them down.
"It's 22 billion in cash and twelve 1kg gold bars. And there's another 20 billion in a Swiss numbered account."
I was surprised by the larger-than-expected amount. The Cheongseong executives in the room were also shocked that their boss had that much money.
"Good work. So we don't need the Cheongseong boss anymore?"
"N-no."
I stomped on the neck of the unconscious Cheongseong boss, killing him. Then I picked up his gun and shot two executives I'd had my eye on.
I killed them partly as an example, but also because I didn't like the look in their eyes. They had vengeful eyes rather than fearful ones.
"From now on, I'm the new Cheongseong boss. Any objections?"
"None."
"Good. And what's your name?"
"Yes. I'm Park Chun-sik."
I pointed at the dead bodies and spoke to the man named Park Chun-sik who had answered me.
"You can dispose of the bodies cleanly, right?"
"Yes, I can!"
"And Park Wan-yong, book a car and a hotel right now."
"Understood."
"The rest of you, if you don't want to die, don't do anything stupid."
"Understood."
After hearing the executives' answer, Choi Il-soo and his underlings grabbed the money bags and followed me out.
We left the club and got in the car. Park Wan-yong took the wheel, and Choi Il-soo sat in the passenger seat.
"To the hotel."
"Yes."
Park Wan-yong replied and started the car.