Dispatch Assignment
Meanwhile, in Yukiko's bedroom.
It was just before dawn, so the room wasn't that dark.
Jae-han lay on the bed and slowly woke up from his sleep.
“Ugh… my head…”
A hangover headache had left Jae-han with a furrowed brow as he opened his eyes.
He turned onto his side without thinking.
But the woman who had been lying beside him until moments ago was nowhere to be seen.
“Huh…? What? Where did Yukiko go…?”
Jae-han blinked in confusion, then sat up.
The clinking sound coming from beyond the closed door made him leave the bedroom.
“Huh? Yukiko…?”
“Ah, you’re awake? Sorry. The sound was a bit loud, wasn’t it?”
“It wasn’t the sound that woke me. But what are you doing over there?”
Jae-han stared blankly at Yukiko, who was holding a cup, and she answered while opening the fridge door.
“I was thirsty, so I came out for a moment to drink some water.”
“Ah… I see. You came out to get water.”
“Why? Did you think I’d gone somewhere because I wasn’t next to you when you woke up?”
“It wasn’t that I was surprised… I just wondered where you’d gone.”
Yukiko sipped the water from her cup while looking at Jae-han.
“Jae-han-ssi, are you okay? You seemed to be drinking quite a bit earlier.”
“Huh? My head was a little sore just a moment ago, but now it’s fine.”
At that moment, Yukiko suddenly furrowed her brows slightly and set the cup on the table.
“Why? Are you in pain somewhere?”
“Well… it’s nothing. Maybe because I got carried away a little too vigorously for the first time in a while, my waist hurts.”
“Is it that bad? Should I massage it for you…?”
Yukiko kept her brows furrowed and stayed silent. The look on her face seemed far more pained than it would have been from just a night of passion.
But a moment later she exhaled, forced a smile toward Jae-han as if nothing were wrong, and said, “No. I’m feeling better now. Don’t worry.”
She took Jae-han, who still looked worried, back into the bedroom.
A few days later, Monday arrived.
Jae-hyeok entered the office after arriving at work.
*It looks like an ordinary company from the outside. In reality, it’s a massive syndicate.*
The scenery visible through the windows could easily pass for any normal corporation. The employees moving about appeared ordinary, and the tasks they performed showed no difference from those in the legitimate hotel industry.
“Park Jae-hyeok, Manager. Director Kim Gang-sin would like to see you for a meeting.”
One of the female employees called out to him.
Jae-hyeok followed her, and she led him down to the basement.
Deep beneath the hotel, the criminal enterprises of Gangryonghoe were in full swing.
Normally one might expect a sinister atmosphere when thinking of gangsters, but not only Crown Hotel but every other business subsidiary operated their illicit activities underground.
*Those who fully participate in Gangryonghoe’s operations pretend to hold meetings with team leaders, deputy directors, and board members at set intervals to conduct their criminal business. The rest simply act like ordinary employees.*
Recalling his past-life experience, Jae-hyeok followed the woman through the basement corridors.
After a while the woman stopped in front of a door and knocked.
“Director Kim. I’ve brought Park Jae-hyeok, Manager.”
“Come in.”
The woman opened the door. Kim Gang-sin, seated on a single sofa, greeted Jae-hyeok.
On his left sat Woo Sang-gyu and Pi Jin-cheol.
Gang-sin gestured to the empty sofa on his right.
“Manager Park, sit here. Manager Song, go out and take care of your business.”
“Yes, Director.”
After Manager Song left and closed the door, Gang-sin turned to the three of them.
“You three have been with us for more than two months now. How are you settling in?”
As he spoke he studied the three of them with a gentle gaze.
In that look there was an unspoken warning: answer incorrectly and the consequences would be unpleasant.
Jae-hyeok, Jin-cheol, and Sang-gyu sensed the atmosphere and answered appropriately.
“It’s fine.”
“I can manage.”
“I can manage too.”
Saying you can’t endure it or that you’re dissatisfied would bring disadvantages—not only to the person themselves but to anyone connected to them.
Originally, since this wasn’t a normal company but a vast syndicate, such things were hardly unusual.
Jae-hyeok had personally witnessed the aftermath for the man who had once declared he would leave the organization.
*In this atmosphere, one wrong answer means the situation afterward is as clear as the back of your hand.*
“Anyway, I called you here to assign your departments.”
Gang-sin passed each of them a sheet of paper.
The three unfolded the papers and scanned the text.
“Your assigned department.”
*It’s the Crown Hotel Security Team…*
While Jae-hyeok read the paper, he asked Gang-sin, “We don’t do field work? Managing the houses, drugs, logs, that sort of thing…?”
“The security team handles everything related to security, not just standing guard. That includes all the tasks you mentioned.”
Jin-cheol, still reading his own sheet, asked, “Does everything related to security include drug management, logs, and house operations?”
“Of course. Distinguishing genuine drugs from fakes and delivering the best product to customers is security. Checking who is secretly removing logs or kernels is security. Watching for suspicious activity around the houses is security too.”
“There are more things to do than I expected.”
“Exactly. That’s why the security team is such an important position—one that offers a wide variety of experiences.”
Gang-sin continued, “You will be dispatched to the Suwon branch starting the day after tomorrow to assist Director Ha Seong-jun. There’s a shortage of personnel to manage the business companies there right now.”
*Ha Seong-jun… meeting him again like this.*
Jae-hyeok had once caused chaos in the illegal gambling hall that belonged to Ha Seong-jun’s territory in order to infiltrate Gangryonghoe.
Originally he had planned to deliberately lose to Seong-jun and enter his organization, but Ha Seong-jun—third in Gangryonghoe’s hierarchy—had suddenly appeared. To gain his attention, Jae-hyeok had used his real combat skills to overwhelm and defeat him.
Jae-hyeok read the paper again and asked, “It says we’ll return to Seoul in two months. Is that correct?”
“Yes. You’ll work in Suwon for two months and then return to Seoul. It might run a little late, but when you come back all three of you will be promoted to deputy manager.”
“I understand.”
“Then go out and take care of your business.”
The three stood and left the room.
At that moment Jin-cheol suddenly asked Jae-hyeok, “But why did you pick a fight with Director Ha Seong-jun in Suwon?”
“If I explain it’ll be a long story…”
“It’s fine if it’s long. Tell me.”
“I went to the house to play poker and got scammed. I beat the boss. And that boss was under Director Ha Seong-jun.”
“Then after that you fought with Director Ha Seong-jun?”
“Yeah. After I knocked out Director Ha Seong-jun I fought the representative. It felt really good.”
Sang-gyu, who had been listening quietly, asked worriedly, “But will it be okay? You broke Director Ha Seong-jun’s pride like that… Do you think he’ll have a good opinion of you now?”
“Well… I’m a little worried about that.”
Although he said it, Jae-hyeok wasn’t actually concerned.
*Subordinates like Im Gam-hoon or Ha Seong-jun rarely hold grudges against people Ha Seong-jun himself recognizes. It should be fine.*
The executives of Crown Hotel were loyal to Ha Seong-jun, so they followed whatever he said.
Therefore Jae-hyeok was confident that Ha Seong-jun, who recognized him as one of his own, would not harm him lightly.
*It was a bit rude, but he’s a straightforward guy. If I apologize and adjust the rhythm, it should be resolved quickly.*
At that moment someone noticed Jae-hyeok and said, “Manager Park. Go to room three with Manager Pi and Manager Woo to help carry some things.”
“I understand.”
“Before you enter the room, make sure to wear a gas mask. If you go in without one, you’ll be in trouble.”
“Yes.”
*They’re doing drug transportation work.*
The three moved to the room.
While performing various small tasks in the basement, Jae-hyeok secretly collected information about the criminal enterprises unfolding at Crown Hotel.
That night at the villa where Jae-hyeok was staying, he had gathered every piece of information he had written and was simply organizing it on his laptop.
All the information he had heard or seen from his past life until now.
In addition, he added the details Jeong Seung-gyu had provided and was compiling information that could tighten the throats of the cartels connected to Gangryonghoe.
Jae-hyeok’s fingers flew across the laptop keyboard.
The screen was filled with various photos and dense blocks of text.
*If there were perfect evidence to back these up, it would be even better… Otherwise I risk attacking with incomplete information and getting hit in return. That’s why I haven’t spread these yet.*
Jae-hyeok scrolled through the file listing people connected to Cha Jin-yeong.
The chairman of the SJ Group conglomerate, Maek Ho.
The chief editor of Hanmin Ilbo, Lee Gang-hyeon.
The prosecutor general of the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office, Jang Seung-tae.
And Cheon Man-hyung, the cult leader of the pseudo-religious Gwangsaenggyo, among others.
These figures held enormous influence over Korean society.
And the person most deeply tied to all of them was Choi Gyeong-su, second-in-command of Gangryonghoe.
*There’s a high chance the evidence linking these great figures and criminal organizations like Gangryonghoe is in Choi Gyeong-su’s hands…*
But right now Jae-hyeok alone was not enough to bring Choi Gyeong-su down.
Choi Gyeong-su’s connections, power, and wealth.
His subordinates Ju Tae-yeol and Gang Tae-hyeon, along with other special-forces veterans.
And the vast criminal organization Gangryonghoe itself.
Fortunately, his relationship with the boss Gang Ji-yong wasn’t terrible.
*Right now is probably the time when his relationship with Gang Ji-yong starts to fray. If that’s the case, I can use it to…*
Jae-hyeok stared at Choi Gyeong-su’s photograph in the file.
*Break Choi Gyeong-su.*
At that moment the phone on the desk vibrated.
It was the phone Jeong Seung-gyu had given him a few days ago, instructing him to contact him.
“Hello?”
“Are you busy right now?”
“No. I just got off work. What’s up?”
“I have information for you. Come to the I-Yes Club where you came before.”
“What kind of information?”
“I’ll just say it’s information about Gangryonghoe.”
“Can’t you send it by email?”
“Online is easy to track, so it’s better to deliver it offline. Anyway, get here by nine.”
Seung-gyu hung up.
Jae-hyeok slipped the phone into his pocket and immediately left the villa.
Inside I-Yes Club, Jae-hyeok met Sebin, who was drinking a cocktail.
Her blonde hair framed a short-sleeve crop top and bright-colored long jeans, with white sneakers on her feet.
Sebin recognized him and asked in a low voice, “You came to meet Pigeon?”
“Yes.”
Sebin stood and Jae-hyeok followed her.
They arrived at the same place where he had met Seung-gyu before.
Seung-gyu’s red hair was unchanged, but he now wore a turquoise short-sleeve shirt that revealed an irezumi tattoo of a crane on both arms.
He sat on the sofa with one leg crossed, wearing loose pants and black work boots.
The atmosphere around him was nothing like the one Jae-hyeok remembered from before.
*Unlike the first time, the thug smell is strong. He reminds me of the Han-gure I saw in Japan during my past life.*
Seung-gyu waved at Jae-hyeok and asked, “How have you been?”
“What information did you give?”
Seung-gyu pointed to the document envelope on the table with his left index finger, along with the glass of liquor, and said, “Information about Choi Gyeong-su, the second-in-command of Gangryonghoe.”
*Timing is perfect.*
Jae-hyeok had been planning to bring Choi Gyeong-su down first. Information about him was essential.
“I prepared it because it seemed useful for future activities.”
“Thank you.”
Jae-hyeok sat on the sofa and thanked him.
Seung-gyu spoke with a stern expression, “As you know, Choi Gyeong-su is the one who killed your uncle.”
“I know.”
“But don’t act too hastily or emotionally.”
Seung-gyu picked up the glass on the table, sipped the liquor, and continued, “You know, revenge is said to be the most delicious when it’s cold.”
Jae-hyeok picked up the document envelope.
He opened it and carefully read the contents inside.
*Just as I expected. Choi Gyeong-su’s relationship with Gang Ji-yong is gradually fraying.*
“Since Choi Gyeong-su’s relationship with Gang Ji-yong isn’t good right now, if we use that while Gang Ji-yong still has influence, we can strike a blow at him.”
“Then there must be some opportunity that makes their relationship irreparable.”
“Yes. But I don’t know how to create that opportunity.”
Seung-gyu furrowed his brows in thought and rubbed his temples.
At that moment Jae-hyeok asked, “I have one plan. Would you like to hear it?”
“Plan?”
Jae-hyeok looked at him with eyes full of certainty that his plan would succeed.