The Butcher and the Sharp Blade
A gangster swung a metal pipe at Jaehyuk's head. Jaehyuk dodged the attack, then struck the wrist of the thug swinging a knife at him, blocking the strike before driving his fist into the man's jaw. To avoid the attacks coming from behind, he gradually backed toward the wall, evading the gangsters' assaults. Seeing this, one of the thugs shouted to his comrades.
"Corner him and beat his ass!!"
The gangsters swung their weapons at Jaehyuk, driving him back against the wall. Jaehyuk dodged or blocked their attacks, countering with punches or elbows to their vital points or kicking their legs to knock them off balance.
Then another gangster swung a knife at Jaehyuk. Jaehyuk dodged while grabbing the man's wrist with his left hand, wrapping his right arm around the thug's arm and twisting it.
"Aaaargh!!!"
The gangster whose arm was bent unnaturally outward screamed and dropped his knife. Jaehyuk snatched the fallen blade with his right hand, gripping it with the edge pointing downward.
Jaehyuk spun quickly, slicing deep into the disarmed thug's side, then stabbed his abdomen, twisted the blade as he pulled it free, and stepped back.
"Ugh...!! Kugh...!!"
"Stop whining. You're not going to die."
Even after cutting a man with a knife, Jaehyuk spoke calmly, then flipped the blade in his grip so the edge pointed upward.
The gangsters who had been charging at him with such arrogance now seemed slightly tense at the sight of him swinging the knife without hesitation. Myungwoo watched Jaehyuk with clear interest.
Hmm? No hesitation when swinging that knife? He must have experience.
An ordinary person holding a knife still wouldn't swing it at someone without hesitation the way Jaehyuk just had. But contrary to their expectations, Jaehyuk's extensive experience with blades meant he felt not even the slightest reluctance when turning one on an opponent.
"Die, you son of a bitch!!"
"Yaaaaah!!"
"Aaaargh!!"
Jaehyuk wielded the knife with dazzling skill, dropping the gangsters one by one.
They're trash that deserves to die, but... it would cause problems if I start killing people from the organization I'm about to join.
With that in mind, Jaehyuk only cut or stabbed areas that wouldn't threaten their lives, neutralizing them efficiently. Though he showed no killing intent, the sight of Jaehyuk swinging a blade at people without the slightest hesitation gradually filled the gangsters with fear, and they began backing away.
But the rest were direct subordinates of Seo Myungwoo, a high-ranking Gangryonghoe member, and their extensive real-world combat experience meant they charged Jaehyuk without fear of the knife.
Myungwoo, who had been quietly observing the fight between Jaehyuk and the gangsters, wore a faintly displeased expression.
After handling that many people, he should be exhausted and collapsing... but he's still full of energy.
He studied Jaehyuk's movements carefully.
He's mixing MMA with street fighting style quite well. On top of that, his proficiency with weapons is considerable. At this level, it's easy to see why Sehan was completely overwhelmed.
After watching Jaehyuk take down the gangsters for a while, Myungwoo ordered his subordinates.
"Enough! Everyone fall back."
At Myungwoo's command, the gangsters retreated without complaint. Jaehyuk dropped the knife to the floor and glared at Myungwoo as he approached.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Your skills are outstanding. Any interest in working under me?"
Is he finally making the offer? Originally I was supposed to fight here, lose on purpose...
Jaehyuk's original plan had been to reject Seo Myungwoo's recruitment offer, fight him, deliberately lose, and join under him a few days later. But with Ha Seongjun, the third-in-command of Gangryonghoe, present, Jaehyuk decided to change his approach.
I'll defeat Seo Myungwoo here and then face Ha Seongjun. Winning would be ideal, but even losing will leave a stronger impression than planned. That should get me access to more high-level Gangryonghoe information.
"Hey. Are you listening to me?"
"......What's the pay?"
"Annual salary of sixty million. Plus the three hundred million compensation you wanted. Oh, I'm late with introductions. I'm Seo Myungwoo, manager of the Crown Hotel Suwon Branch. To be exact, I'm with Gangryonghoe."
"Spare me the TMI. I didn't ask."
"Uh... TMI? Anyway, if you come work under me, I'll pay you well."
"Fuck off. I don't work under anyone weaker than me."
"I might lose in a fight, but I'm stronger when it comes to money, right?"
"Your fists would still be weaker."
Myungwoo took a deep breath as if restraining his irritation and spoke to Jaehyuk.
"Fine. If you beat me, I'll give you the manager position at the Crown Hotel Suwon Branch and add another hundred million to the compensation. Deal?"
Making promises he can't possibly keep...
Thinking that, Jaehyuk accepted the proposal.
"Deal."
The moment the words left his mouth, Myungwoo charged and threw a punch. Jaehyuk raised both arms to block it.
His punches are still as heavy as ever.
Jaehyuk evaded Myungwoo's continuous swings and drove his right fist into the opening at Myungwoo's left side. Myungwoo retreated briefly to create distance. Jaehyuk closed in again, swinging at his head.
But Myungwoo blocked with his left arm, grabbed the back of Jaehyuk's head with his left hand, pulled him forward, and tried to drive his right elbow into Jaehyuk's face.
Jaehyuk caught the elbow with his left hand while aiming his right fist at Myungwoo's left ribs, but Myungwoo caught his wrist.
The instant his wrist was seized, Jaehyuk stomped down on the top of Myungwoo's foot with his right heel and slammed his left elbow into the man's jaw.
Myungwoo staggered back, shook his head once, and glared at Jaehyuk.
"You son of a..."
Myungwoo charged again, throwing more punches. While the two men traded blows, Seongjun sat in his chair and watched their fight intently.
Huh... It looks like Myungwoo's getting pushed back...?
"Director. If that guy beats Myungwoo hyung, what will you do?"
Juntae pulled a knife from his pocket and added, "Should I slice his Achilles tendon and handle it? Or turn him into tongnamu...?"
"No. I'm going to make him my subordinate."
"You're going to take him in? He doesn't look easy to tame. Just let us deal with him."
"Juntae. Would a butcher refuse to hold a sharp knife just because he might cut his own hand?"
Seongjun stood up from his seat and added, "I'll make that sharp blade my own. First, let's see how the fight ends."
In the meantime, Jaehyuk and Myungwoo continued their battle. Myungwoo glared at Jaehyuk with blood streaming from his nose and mouth while Jaehyuk stared back, completely composed.
Is it thanks to all that fighting experience and the MMA I learned in my third year of high school? His attacks are so easy to read.
Fuck, this is humiliating in front of the guys... Who the hell is this bastard? He seems to have more fighting experience than me.
Myungwoo steadied his breathing, reset his stance, and Jaehyuk looked at him with his chin raised in open provocation. Myungwoo threw a punch, created distance, then launched a high kick at Jaehyuk's head.
Jaehyuk blocked with his left arm, caught the leg, hooked Myungwoo's opposite leg with his right foot, grabbed his collar, and slammed him to the ground.
"Kugh!"
Jaehyuk looked down at Myungwoo as he tried to rise.
"Your movements are too big. Come in like that and you're finished."
With those words, Jaehyuk kicked Myungwoo's head, knocking him out completely.
When Jaehyuk defeated Myungwoo, every gangster except Seongjun stared at him with mouths hanging open. Jaehyuk told them,
"Hey. My mood's even worse now, so make it five hundred million in compensation."
"You fucking bastard, are you seriously screwing with us!!!"
Juntae shouted at Jaehyuk while gripping his knife, but Seongjun grabbed his shoulder to stop him, walked over to Jaehyuk, and said,
"Five hundred million? Fine. I'll pay it. But there are conditions."
"What? You want to fight me too?"
"Do we really need to fight? Just come under me quietly."
Standing in front of Jaehyuk, Seongjun pointed at the unconscious Myungwoo being supported by his men and continued.
"Then I'll raise your annual salary higher than what he offered. One hundred twenty million sound good? I can promote you quickly too. You'll make even more money. You got into gambling because you wanted to earn big, right? Am I wrong?"
"......"
"This is better than living like a brute, shaking people down. You're lucky you met me. If you'd run into other bastards, you'd already be tongnamu or dog food by now."
He's really putting effort into this sales pitch.
"For guys like you who just roam the back alleys throwing punches, Gangryonghoe is a dream workplace. And you've been scouted by me, one of its top executives. So? If you listen nicely and come in..."
Suddenly Jaehyuk spun and threw a back kick at Seongjun's head. A loud crack like a gunshot echoed through the gambling den.
"Aigoo... I'm in the middle of talking..."
What the...? He blocked that without any reaction?
Seongjun had caught Jaehyuk's left foot with his left hand and was simply smiling. As if he hadn't taken any damage at all.
Seongjun released the foot and assumed a stance.
"Let's fight without weapons. If you beat me, I'll give you anything you want. But if you lose, you have to come under m...!"
Before he could finish, Jaehyuk threw a side kick. Seongjun blocked it with both arms, felt the tingling in them, and asked,
"Oh? Your kicking technique is pretty good. Did you learn taekwondo or kickbox...?!"
Before Seongjun could finish, Jaehyuk threw a punch. Seongjun easily dodged or blocked it and countered with his own.
As they traded blows, Seongjun knocked Jaehyuk's fist aside with his left hand, struck Jaehyuk's neck with the upper edge of his right hand, then grabbed the back of his head. He pulled Jaehyuk in and delivered a headbutt to his philtrum.
"Kugh!"
Jaehyuk let out an involuntary grunt and staggered back. Seongjun followed with a side kick to his solar plexus as he retreated. Jaehyuk crossed both arms to block it.
Seongjun looked at Jaehyuk, who was now bleeding from the nose, and spoke in clear annoyance.
"Seriously... When someone's talking, can you at least listen instead of attacking immediately?"
"Your tongue sure runs long. Do you fight with your mouth?"
"Just come under me quietly. I'm telling you I'll pay you well."
"I already said it. I don't work under anyone weaker than me."
Seongjun sighed, then his expression hardened as he glared at Jaehyuk.
"Really? Then I guess I have to win for sure."
The moment the words left his mouth, Seongjun charged and threw a punch. Jaehyuk tensed at the sudden change in atmosphere.
The mood is different now.
Seongjun's attacks had grown far more aggressive. Jaehyuk landed several strikes and occasionally tried to catch an arm for a joint lock, but Seongjun attacked the openings to prevent it.
Seongjun also tried to land strikes and joint locks, but Jaehyuk skillfully blocked or avoided them. It wasn't because of the earlier fight with Myungwoo and the gangsters. He still had plenty of stamina and hadn't taken any major damage. Yet Jaehyuk was being pushed back.
As expected... True to his former role as Gangryonghoe's action leader, his skills are outstanding. Even though he's pushing forty, his physical ability seems better than most men in their twenties.
The two men engaged in a fierce, brutal exchange. During it, Seongjun's fist landed cleanly on Jaehyuk's chin. The opposite fist immediately followed, smashing into his chin again.
"Kugh!"
Jaehyuk staggered backward, his vision blurring for a moment.
I expected to lose, but I didn't think the gap would be this wide. Still... I'll land at least one solid hit before going down!
With that thought, Jaehyuk threw a fast, powerful punch at Seongjun. But Seongjun caught it with his right hand, pulled Jaehyuk's arm with his left, and slammed his right fist into Jaehyuk's face.
Jaehyuk gritted his teeth and swung again, but Seongjun lowered his stance and easily avoided it. Then he rolled, wrapping both legs around Jaehyuk's left leg and taking him down.
Afterward, Seongjun trapped Jaehyuk's left heel under his left armpit, preparing to break the ankle.
Imanari roll...? He's executing it that cleanly?!
It was the Imanari roll into a heel hook from Brazilian jiu-jitsu. If Seongjun twisted his left arm now, Jaehyuk's ankle would shatter. But Seongjun didn't seem intent on crippling him. He stood up and extended his right hand to Jaehyuk, who was still lying on the floor.
"I won. Right?"
Seongjun smiled down at him. Jaehyuk ignored the hand, got up on his own, brushed himself off, and glared at Seongjun. Then he turned and walked out of the gambling den.
"Hey!! Where are you going?! You have to keep your promise!!"
Without looking back, Jaehyuk raised his right middle finger toward Seongjun and slammed the door shut behind him.
Seongjun could only chuckle.
"Man... Did I push him too hard and hurt his feelings?"
As he spoke, Seongjun looked at his right hand—the one that had caught Jaehyuk's punch. It was still tingling and trembling slightly from the impact.
I unconsciously put real power into that. It's been a while since I got excited like that.
Juntae checked on him.
"Director. Are you all right?"
"Ah, I'm fine. More importantly, it's been a while since I've met such a promising guy."
Seongjun shook his still-tingling right hand and flexed it a few times.
"What will you do about him? Should we chase him down and tell him to come back?"
"Hmm... Let's leave him alone for a few days. If he comes back because he wants to, we'll take him in. Forcing him will only create resentment. Besides, he seems pretty proud. Guys like that are harder to tame if you push them. We have to wait until he bows his head on his own."
"What if he doesn't come in?"
Seongjun grinned at Juntae.
"Then we'll just treat it like missing the lottery by one number and forget about it."
Meanwhile, Jaehyuk had returned to his studio apartment and was reporting to command.
"Why didn't you say you'd join immediately?"
"If I agreed right away, I'd look too easy. They might act pleased on the surface, but inside they'd be disappointed, thinking they didn't expect me to submit so quickly. They wouldn't use me for any executive roles."
Jaehyuk continued while reviewing materials on Gangryonghoe.
"If I pretend to agonize over it for a few days before agreeing, they'll definitely accept me."
"Are you sure this is all right? I heard you half-crippled both Seo Myungwoo and Kim Sehan."
"I received recognition from Ha Seongjun, so it's fine. Besides, since Seo Myungwoo won't hold any grudges against someone Ha Seongjun has acknowledged, there's no need to worry about that."
"No matter how much we leave field decisions to you undercover agents... I understand. Contact us immediately if the plan goes off track."
"Yes. Understood."
After ending the call, Jaehyuk continued studying information on Gangryonghoe and mapped out his next steps.