Chapter 24
"Your face has really brightened up since I last saw you. It's been almost ten years since we met face-to-face like this, hasn't it?"
"Dokgo Seong."
The casino building was still under construction. The temporary office inside was packed with Dokgo Seong and the executives of his Sword Gang.
"So the great Park Bok-ja empties out her golden goose of a business for this? Turns out she's cooking up one hell of a retirement plan."
"You bastard Dokgo Seong, don't you dare lay a hand on the boss—!"
"Shut your trap, Dolsoe. Can't you see an elder's talking?"
Dolsoe lay sprawled on the floor, both arms shattered. Park Bok-ja swallowed her rage at the sight of his head being stomped underfoot.
"What's your business here?"
"Just dropped by out of envy. Why? You finally shake off your criminal past and start a new life, and now an old friend like me shows up—feeling awkward?"
His tone was that of an old pal, but the sinister undercurrent was unmistakable.
"Nice office you've got. Proper and all."
The executives lined up behind him looked ready to draw weapons at any second.
"And what's this?"
As Dokgo Seong glanced around the half-built office, he picked up a photo from the corner of a chair. Dozens of ragged kids in shabby clothes, all tangled up with a laughing Park Bok-ja.
"Oh right, your little hobby. Handing out cash to street rats and playing house."
"……!"
"The bitch who slaughtered dozens of our boys over a scrap of land and a handful of cash... Anyone'd think you were some philanthropist from these pics. Right? Huh?"
"Shut your mouth and answer the question. What the hell are you doing here...!"
Crack!
In the next instant, Dokgo Seong smashed the photo Park Bok-ja had brought onto the floor.
"Hey. Mrs. Park."
He called her name in a low, deliberate drawl and leaned in close.
"You toss a few coins at those orphanage brats, they call you their sweet auntie or whatever... and suddenly you think you're one of the good ones?"
"……!"
You and me both—we've shoveled shit our whole lives in this game without batting an eye.
Dokgo Seong leaned even closer, his gaunt, dead-eyed face inches from hers. She knew her own reflection looked no different.
"We've killed plenty, stolen plenty, and that's how we've survived."
"……."
"But now you wanna pretend it never happened? Play the saint like nothing went down? You think that's possible? Huh?"
His words stabbed like a dagger into the corner of her heart. Park Bok-ja bit her lip and shot back.
"What do you want?"
"Business as usual. You and me both."
With that, Dokgo Seong slung himself onto an empty sofa in the office.
"Sweet-talk that moneybags backing you, and let us in on the partnership. Throw our boys a bone."
"Partnership?"
"Run our kind of business from one corner of this casino—good for both sides, no?"
Park Bok-ja's face drained of color at his words.
She knew exactly what "business" Dokgo Seong meant.
"You crazy fucks. Human trafficking in the basement?"
Human trafficking. The Sword Gang's main revenue stream—and the reason Park Bok-ja's old Pingun Tavern had been pushed to the fringes.
'No drugs, no people.'
Sticking to that creed had let Pingun Tavern rule Hanseong's underworld once. But Dokgo Seong's Sword Gang had muscled them out, turning them into has-beens.
"You think I'll stand for that shit?! I'd rather...!"
"Rather what? Dance with death right here?"
At Dokgo Seong's word, his executives readied their weapons. Park Bok-ja gritted her teeth, scanning the room.
The Sword Gang ruled this district with brute force. Her ragtag crew couldn't touch them.
"Or... yeah."
He knew it too, flashing an oily grin as he added,
"That orphanage you sponsor? Send a few kids over—let 'em play target practice. Sound fun?"
"You son of a—!"
She spat curses at him, but only for a moment. Unable to finish, Park Bok-ja bowed her head, teeth clenched.
'She's starting to crunch the numbers now.'
Some things never change.
Muttering to himself, Dokgo Seong pressed on.
"Not a bad deal from your side. I'm horning in on a clean operation, so I won't get greedy..."
But then—
"...Huh."
Park Bok-ja whipped out a pistol in a flash, aiming straight at Dokgo Seong's head.
"You crazy bitch."
Bang!
A gunshot echoed through the room.
Dokgo Seong's cheek tore open—but what peeked through wasn't flesh. Artificial skin. Mechanical innards.
A cyborg body.
"Boss!"
"You psycho...!"
"Grab that bitch! Rip her limbs off right—!"
"Get out!"
As the executives seized her, Park Bok-ja bellowed. She screamed like a madwoman, teeth bared—part frenzy, part lament.
"Yeah! Like you said, I'm a killer! Spent my life buried in the gutter, doing filthy shit with filthy bastards!"
"……."
"But so what?! I got a shot now! A real chance!"
Kim Chang-un had promised her tons of support in exchange for running the casino. What caught her eye was his plan for the profits: over half funneled into an education foundation. Raise the kids scraping by in the city's underbelly right.
If it worked, tens of thousands. Maybe hundreds of thousands. A massive welfare push.
The dream she'd nursed rolling in the shadows—backed by a noble of all people.
"Earn clean money, buy the kids nice clothes, feed 'em good food! Build schools! I can do that!"
Good person. Kind grandma. Auntie, cousin, whatever.
That's how she wanted to go out. More precious than "back-alley queen" or "big shot."
Even a worn-out hag like her.
Even a gutter whore like her.
"At the end... before I die... I can be noble for once—!"
"Listen to this lunatic ramble on!"
Thud!
A kick sent Park Bok-ja sprawling. Dokgo Seong touched his torn face as she wailed from the floor.
"They say when death's knocking, people spout nonsense. Spot on."
He scooped up her dropped pistol and jammed it against her forehead.
"Got anything else to say?"
As Dokgo Seong moved to pull the trigger—
"Can't believe how many peddlers crammed into a half-built joint like this."
A casual voice cut in from the corner of the office. A boy in flashy clothes stepped out—the money behind this casino, Park Bok-ja's backer.
"Young master?! I told you not to come out! It's dangerous, I—!"
"Don't worry. I'm probably the safest guy here."
Kim Chang-un flashed a token from his pocket.
"No one's bold enough to mess with a noble over a single building. Right?"
"……!"
Chang-un stood before Park Bok-ja, holding the noble's insignia high.
"Lower your guns! Now—!"
At Dokgo Seong's shout, his men dropped their weapons.
A noble. Even aiming would bring the imperial guard down on them.
But only for a moment.
"Greetings."
Composing himself, Dokgo Seong bowed politely to Chang-un.
"I'm Dokgo Seong. Rolled in the muck with that hag Park Bok-ja for decades."
"Not interested in names. Why barge into someone else's business?"
"Well, first... allow me a moment."
Can't greet a highborn looking like this.
With a gesture, he had a subordinate swap out his damaged cheek.
"Straight to the point: entrust the business to my organization, not Pingun Tavern."
"Business? What do you think I'm doing here?"
"We know. A spot for top-tier VIPs to play... We'll help, young master."
Dokgo Seong kept going.
"We've got the manpower, the know-how to run it, and the 'merchandise' to satisfy VIPs. All yours."
'Merchandise.'
Chang-un's smile stiffened at the word.
"How about it? Way more profit than with that old bat..."
"Yeah. I'd rake it in with you."
But a beat later—
"Nah. Pass."
Chang-un's refusal was flat-out.
Dokgo Seong narrowed his eyes at the unexpected rebuff.
"May I... ask why?"
"Don't like it. Want another reason?"
Nobles were always like this. Zero logic.
Dokgo Seong's mind raced.
'Tch. Time to go all-in.'
Risky, but worth a poke.
He leaned in, voice dripping deference.
"Young master Kim Chang-un."
Chang-un scowled at his name.
"You know my name? Never told you."
"I've got connections. Picked up a few things. Like..."
Rumors from a long-time 'client.'
Dokgo Seong's grin deepened.
"Born to nobility, but sadly aura-less."
"……."
"That's why a fine gentleman like you hangs with lowlifes, right?"
As Park Bok-ja staggered up, Chang-un stared at Dokgo Seong, silent. No displeasure. Interest, maybe.
Dokgo Seong pressed.
"Can't share details for security, but a high-up's very interested. I can introduce you personally if you want."
"You? Introducing me to another noble?"
"Like I said, wide network."
Chang-un's expression was unreadable.
If you reject me, I'll bring my higher-ups.
Getting the hint, Chang-un stayed quiet awhile.
'You can't just boot me. Especially not some slum rat like you.'
How long did Dokgo Seong smirk inwardly?
"...Pfft."
Chang-un broke the silence first—with laughter.
"Puhahaha! Your 'patron'! 'Patron,' he says! Kuhahaha! Dokgo Seong, you retarded fuck—how are you exactly the same as ever?!"
"...Pardon?"
"Whoa, I was really holding it in! Khk, kuhahaha—!"
Chang-un cracked up like a maniac. Park Bok-ja blinked—what the hell?
"Worm from the sewer scum, who the fuck do you think you 'serve'?"
"……!"
The insult flowed easy as breath. Dokgo Seong forced a smile, brows twitching.
"My status is low, sure... but I've got skills."
"Skills? What, wiping Jo Seong-hwan's ass, you perv?"
"...Pardon?"
That fucker just—
What did he say? Jo Seong-hwan?
"H-how do you know that name...?"
"Why do you think?"
Same as in my past life.
As the cryptic words slipped from Kim Chang-un's mouth—
Boom!
The office ceiling exploded. A bodyguard dropped through from above.
Seo Tae-woong, body armored in top-grade cybernetics. In his hands, two of Park Bok-ja's assailants—crumpled into scrap.
"Sorry I'm late, young master. Hurt anywhere?"
"Nope. Thought you were in the basement—why drop from the ceiling?"
"Elevator was slow. Took the construction beams instead."
"You're insane."
The words alone made heads spin.
And right then—
-B-boss! Comms from the first-floor guys on standby.
"What's up?"
-S-some kid's blocking the exit, taking out our boys!
"One kid? Block him!"
-T-trying! We are, but...! W-wait!? Aaaagh—!
Thud.
Impact shook the floor; comms cut.
Moments later—
-Aura User!
A dying transmission from the second floor.
-An Aura User's slaughtering our—!
Click.
Dead air again.
Face paling, Dokgo Seong finally turned toward Chang-un.
Tae-woong handed him a bow. Chang-un nocked an arrow, smiling lightly.
"Trying to do some good for once, but I can't have flies buzzing around."
So, a warning. A lesson.
And a weakness on that pervert Jo Seong-hwan behind you.
"I'll wipe you and your gang out myself."