Gangryonghoe's Other Business (1)
The members of the Gangryonghoe were roaming the predawn streets of Ho Chi Minh City. As they walked, Kang Taehyun—who was leading the way—made a call on his phone. Lee Jeonghan asked him, “Who are you contacting?”
“An informant I know around here. I tried him during the day but he didn’t pick up.”
A short while later the other party answered, and Taehyun spoke in Vietnamese. “Long time no see. How’ve you been?”
“I heard the news. You came to Ho Chi Minh for work, right?”
“If you heard, you should’ve answered during the day. What were you doing that you’re only picking up now?”
“Hey, I’m a busy man too, you know? The news about you guys only just reached me after making the rounds. Our boys told me a few minutes ago.”
“Anyway, I’ve got information to request, so I’m heading over. You got time?”
“Yeah. No schedule this early morning, so I’ve got plenty of time.”
“Good. See you soon then.”
Taehyun ended the call. Lee Taebum asked him, “Tran Bao?”
“Yes. It’s Tran Bao.”
One of the syndicate members asked Taehyun, “Is that informant’s name Tran Bao?”
“Yeah. Like most information brokers in this line of work, that’s not his real name.”
Taehyun dialed another number on his phone. This time he spoke in Korean. “Hey, Hyungmin. I’m sending you an address. Can you bring the van and that bag I stashed there? The olive-drab one. …Yeah. Got it. See you later.”
After Taehyun hung up, Park Jaehyuk asked him, “You seem to have a lot of connections in Vietnam.”
“I built up some networks here back when I was doing mercenary work in Southeast Asia with Taeyeol hyungnim. A few of them are even cops.”
“You were a mercenary?”
In truth, Jaehyuk had received Kang Taehyun’s profile—along with those of the other Gangryonghoe members, including Ju Taeyeol—from NIS Director Lee Yeonghwan, but he feigned ignorance. Special forces mercenary. He was second-in-command in Ju Taeyeol’s mercenary team, so he carries a lot of his trust.
“That was the case until Taeyeol hyungnim met Chairman Choi. Everyone who was under Taeyeol hyungnim, including me, ended up following Chairman Choi.”
Taehyun looked at Jeonghan. “Now that I think about it, you’re ex-special forces too, right? I heard a bit from Director Seo.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Which unit? Seventh Airborne? Thirteenth Special Mission? Seven-oh-seven? Just so you know, I’m from the Thirteenth Special Mission Brigade.”
“It was the Seven-oh-seven.”
“Whoa, you came out of a seriously hardcore outfit.”
Taehyun grinned at Jeonghan, then jerked his chin toward Jaehyuk. “But you two look awfully close. When did you guys get so tight?”
“We’ve been friends since kindergarten.”
“Ball buddies from the cradle? You two entered the organization as ball buddies? Is that friend of yours ex-military too?”
This guy sure loves to run his mouth.
Jaehyuk stayed silent for a moment. Taehyun smiled slyly at him, waiting for an answer.
“I was… a cop.”
Jeonghan looked at Jaehyuk in surprise. Taehyun’s grin froze at the revelation that Jaehyuk’s previous job had been a police officer.
“Huh? A pig? You were a fucking cop?”
Fuck… Park Jaehyuk, what the hell are you doing?!!
Jeonghan was flustered but kept his face blank as he stared at Jaehyuk. Jaehyuk’s expression, however, remained perfectly calm.
The Gangryonghoe already holds a massive amount of data on police personnel thanks to their connections with corrupt cops. Rather than a clumsy lie, it’s better to mix in a slice of truth. A lie seasoned with a little honesty is always more convincing.
Thinking that, Jaehyuk told Taehyun, “Yes. I was a cop. I graduated from the police academy, became an officer, but my pockets stayed empty. I took a request from some company president and got cut on the spot. Honestly, it was for the best.”
Taehyun stared at him with clear suspicion, pulled a cigarette pack from his pocket, and stuck one between his lips.
“Ah… Is that so?”
He lit the cigarette and smoked while glaring at Jaehyuk. Jaehyuk’s face stayed indifferent.
“The cops didn’t cut you loose as part of some… snitch operation, did they?”
“I studied my ass off, graduated from the police university as an officer, only to find out the beat cops acted like they ran the place. They dumped all the responsibility on you while covering their own asses. The higher-ups paid shit salaries, and civilians called us dog cops and gave us attitude every time they saw us. Who the hell would want to keep doing that job under those conditions? So I decided to just become a corrupt cop, take the bribes, and get kicked out clean. That’s what I did.”
Taehyun kept smoking and glaring at him, then turned his head and exhaled smoke into the empty air.
“This guy’s the same,” Jaehyuk continued. “Risking his life to protect the country as a soldier, but he got no proper treatment and was discharged as a sergeant. Honestly, that sense of duty to protect the citizens only kicks in when your stomach’s full. I wondered if those bastards at the top could really starve the people who put their lives on the line like that. So we both threw away what we were doing and came here.”
At Jaehyuk’s bitter outburst, Jeonghan stared at him blankly. Taehyun quietly watched the still-fuming Jaehyuk.
Wow… Park Jaehyuk’s acting is fucking good.
“……Sorry for bringing up bad memories. I didn’t know it was like that.”
Just then a van stopped in front of them. When the door opened, the Gangryonghoe members climbed aboard. As they got in, the driver turned and greeted Taehyun.
“It’s been a while, hyungnim.”
Yang Hyungmin
Gangryonghoe Syndicate Member
“Head to Tran Bao’s place.”
“Yes, hyungnim.”
Hyungmin drove off down the road. Soon they arrived at the building where the informant Tran Bao operated. One of the men who stepped out of the van carried a large olive-drab bag.
“Contact me when you’re heading back.”
“Will do. I’ll call you.”
Once Hyungmin drove the van away, they entered the building. Vietnamese gangsters armed with steel pipes, machetes, and hand axes filled the interior, but the syndicate members walked through them without flinching and continued down the hallway.
A moment later they stopped in front of a door. Taehyun spoke to the massive Vietnamese man standing guard. “I’ve come to see Tran Bao. Is he inside?”
“Ha, do you think the name Tran Bao belongs to some dog?”
The guard grabbed Taehyun’s collar with his right hand. Taehyun seized the man’s wrist with both hands, yanked it against his own chest, spun, and bent forward, twisting the arm and wrist in a vicious lock.
“Aaaargh!!!”
When the Vietnamese gangsters moved in with weapons drawn, Taehyun’s subordinates pulled Glock 17 pistols and aimed them at the crowd. Taehyun warned the gangsters, “Anyone who wants to die, step right up.”
At the murderous threat the gangsters faltered. The door opened and a man stepped out.
“Everyone back off!! He’s my guest!!”
Tran Bao
Information Broker of Vietnam’s Underworld
Tran Bao flashed a quick smile at Taehyun and apologized. “Sorry about that. These are new hires, so they didn’t know any better and acted rude.”
“It’s fine. Newbies can get overeager and make mistakes.”
“So, what information did you come to request?”
“I’m looking for a person.”
“A person, huh… Let’s go inside and talk.”
The Gangryonghoe members entered Tran Bao’s office. As soon as Taehyun sat down he handed over his phone. “His name is Shin Jaeguk. He’s one of our technicians. I heard he’s in Vietnam, but we haven’t been able to reach him for about a month.”
“You’re not expecting me to take this request for free, are you?”
“Of course not.”
Taehyun snapped his fingers. The member carrying the bag set it on the table between them.
“It’s part of what I collected while working in the Golden Triangle. It’s been cleaned, so take it without worry.”
When Tran Bao opened the bag, stacks of hundred-dollar bills appeared. He grinned and closed it again.
“Good. I’ll find him within a week at the latest. Wait for my call.”
Some time later the Gangryonghoe members moved to the hotel where their colleagues were staying. Taehyun told them, “You’ve all worked hard. Go inside and get some rest.”
“Yes!! Please go ahead!!”
Taehyun and Taebum entered the hotel. Jeonghan spoke to Jaehyuk in a low voice. “Two hours from now, the bathroom next to room 207.”
Jeonghan walked past him. Jaehyuk quietly watched his retreating back.
Two hours later Jaehyuk went to the second floor and entered the bathroom beside room 207 exactly as instructed.
“Hey, you made it.”
Jeonghan was waiting inside. Jaehyuk glanced around, then slowly closed the door.
“Any information to pass on?”
“Earlier today it looked like we were short on manpower, so I contacted my uncle. He said he’ll send people to Ho Chi Minh soon.”
“Really? That’s good to hear. Support staff will make things a lot easier.”
Jeonghan looked at Jaehyuk with worried eyes. “Jaehyuk. Those things you said to Kang Taehyun earlier… you didn’t mean them, right?”
Jaehyuk stared at him with wide eyes for a moment, then grinned. “Why? Are you scared I might actually blow the mission and turn into a real gangster?”
“To be honest, I am worried. Not everything you said was a lie, so I’m afraid this shitty reality might actually push you to become one…”
“Don’t worry. Sure, there were times I got fed up as a cop thinking, ‘Is this why I became a police officer?’ But that doesn’t mean I’m going to throw away this mission and actually quit to become a gangster.”
Jaehyuk spoke with firm confidence. “I promise. The thing you’re worried about will never happen.”
“If that’s the case, then good…”
“These days most cops get lumped together and called dog cops, but I want to show that real police still exist even among them.”
Only then did Jeonghan’s face relax into a smile. “Yeah. As long as that thought doesn’t change, that’s good.”
Jaehyuk left the bathroom first. “Let’s go in and rest. Tomorrow’s going to be busy again.”
“Understood. Sleep well.”
Jaehyuk stepped out, and soon Jeonghan followed, returning to his own room.
The next day Jaehyuk and Sanggyu walked the streets of Ho Chi Minh City with Kang Hoon. While strolling through the city, Jaehyuk asked, “Is it really okay to be doing this?”
“Doing what?”
“We’re supposed to be looking for Shin Jaeguk, yet we’re slacking off like this…”
“It’s no fun if it’s all work. Sometimes you have to come out and enjoy yourself. Besides, you two need to understand what kind of business we run in Southeast Asia.”
The three arrived at a certain building.
“This is one of our business sites.”
Kang Hoon asked Jaehyuk and Sanggyu, “Do either of you like watching martial arts or action movies?”
“I don’t dislike them.”
“I like them.”
At Sanggyu’s answer Kang Hoon smiled. “What about raw, unfiltered action? The kind with no rules whatsoever.”
“Raw… unfiltered…?”
“Yeah. You don’t like that?”
“Not particularly… I don’t dislike it, but…”
“Then let’s go in. This hyung will show you a good experience.”
Kang Hoon led them inside the building and down a flight of stairs to a door. Two Vietnamese guards holding machetes blocked their path.
“Do you have identification?”
Kang Hoon rummaged in his pocket and produced a golden badge. The guards examined it, then looked at Jaehyuk and Sanggyu. Kang Hoon spoke to them in fluent Vietnamese. “They’re my subordinates. Just let them through.”
“Yes. Excuse us.”
The guards apologized with proper respect and opened the door.
“Let’s go in.”
Before their eyes stood a cage. Inside it, two men wearing nothing but shorts were fighting. One had already lost an eye; blood streamed from the empty socket as he staggered. His opponent was in no better shape—his nose and left ear had been torn away, and a chunk of flesh was missing from his thigh, exposing raw muscle while blood poured down his leg.
Yet the spectators packed around the cage cheered wildly, clearly enjoying the brutal spectacle.
“What the… is this…?”
Sanggyu, who had expected something like a UFC match, asked in a daze. Kang Hoon grinned.
“Raw, unfiltered action. No rules at all. They fight until one of them dies.”
“Until one of them… dies…?”
“That’s right. Since ancient times, watching people who aren’t me bet their lives has been excellent entertainment. As long as the blood doesn’t splatter on me, of course. Nowadays they’ve banned it all for ridiculous reasons like ethics, but human nature doesn’t change easily. Deep down, most people still crave this kind of show. You know the Colosseum in Rome? Think of this as its modern version.”
An illegal fighting arena… I’d heard the Gangryonghoe ran places like this, but seeing it in person is a first.
Jaehyuk asked Kang Hoon, “You don’t run this domestically?”
“Why? Interested?”
“…A little.”
“We’re planning to start operating it back home soon. You can look forward to it.”
Look forward to it my ass.
While Jaehyuk watched, the fighter with the missing eye charged, tackled his opponent to the ground, and began raining down blows. The man underneath fought back, mercilessly hammering the ribs of the one on top. The two traded vicious strikes until the bottom fighter suddenly grabbed the other’s thigh with both hands and tore into it with his nails. The attack ripped flesh; bright red blood poured down the leg.
The man on top faltered. In that instant the fighter underneath surged upward, wrapped his arms around him, and sank his teeth into his neck.
“That’s it!! That’s it!!!”
“Kill him like that!!!”
“Oh my money!!”
“Fuck, is that guy brain-dead?! Why the hell is he just taking it?!”
The crowd roared. Eventually the fighter whose neck had been bitten had his carotid torn open. Blood gushed from the wound as he died.
Was it the guilt of murder? The victor, still on the bottom, seemed to panic. He panted with the bloody chunk of flesh still in his mouth. Several burly Vietnamese men who appeared to be staff entered the cage. Two of them dragged the panting survivor away while the others hauled the corpse out by the legs.
“See? They fight until one dies.”
Kang Hoon spoke as casually as if he were watching an ordinary UFC match. Jaehyuk swallowed his revulsion and asked for more information. “Are the fighters just civilians?”
“It varies. Some are kidnapped civilians, others are family or associates of organizations that lost to us in wars. There are North Korean defectors too.”
“North Korean defectors?”
“You know Vietnam and North Korea are pretty tight, right? That’s why North Korean State Security agents sometimes wait in Vietnam to catch defectors. We cooperate with the Vietnamese police and those agents. We hide the defectors in exchange for using them in this business.”
Then, as if something had just occurred to him, Kang Hoon told Sanggyu and Jaehyuk, “Besides the fighting arenas, this place offers some really good services. Want to check them out together?”
“What kind of services?”
“You’ll see when we get there.”
Kang Hoon’s expression turned eerily lewd. Jaehyuk fought down a fresh wave of nausea and followed behind him with Sanggyu.