“Can we barter?”
“Barter?”
“You don’t know? Barter.”
“I know what it is. It’s just that you’re the first guy to suggest bartering here. Interesting, though.”
“Yeah? Then we can do it?”
“Let’s give it a try. But if I don’t like what you put on the table, you’ll have a hard time walking back out through that corridor.”
No wonder I’d thought there was a narrow corridor like a tunnel on the way in.
The place had been built that way on purpose.
Clever bastards.
Before I knew it, three burly men were standing beside the woman in the qipao, glaring at me.
I turned slightly, pretended to take something out from inside my coat, and placed a handgun, two magazines, and a box of fifty bullets on the table.
“Would this be enough to satisfy you?”
When she saw what I had put down, the woman in the qipao’s expression changed.
She must have expected me to take out gold or jewels, only for a firearm to appear out of nowhere.
Of course she’d be flustered.
She was probably calculating the price of this gun in her head right now.
“At least you’ll be able to walk out that door. Caihong, check the gun.”
At the woman’s words, Caihong took the gun I’d set down and examined it.
Checking whether it was some well-made toy, whether it actually worked.
Before long, Caihong nodded.
“You can fire it if you want. But this is a sample. If you want, I can get you as many as you need.”
At my words, her ice-cold expression cracked.
Even bringing a single gun into Macau was difficult.
Macau was cleaner of guns than one might think.
And this was a sample?
The woman in the qipao held out her hand to me.
“I’m Lafei.”
“Exchanging names is so tacky. Can’t we just skip that?”
“That’s true. Your name isn’t what matters. What matters is what you can bring me. But shouldn’t I at least have something to call you?”
“Mm... Candy Boy. Call me Candy Boy.”
“Candy Boy?”
“Yeah. I like sweet things.”
“It doesn’t really suit you, but if that’s what you want, I’ll call you that.”
“Thanks.”
“But how did you bring this in?”
“Heh heh. Why ask something like that? You know I’m not going to answer.”
“It’s just too fascinating. So, how many more of these can you get?”
“How many do you need?”
“Do you have rifles too, by any chance?”
“Oh~ You like stronger stuff than I expected. I do. I’ve got rifles, and I’ve got handguns too.”
“Come back here tomorrow. With the guns.”
“Hahaha. You want me to walk into the tiger’s den of my own accord? Do I look like I’d do that? How am I supposed to know what you’ll have set up here by tomorrow?”
“That’s not what I meant, but from your perspective, I can see why you’d misunderstand. Then how should we trade?”
“I’ll let you know by phone.”
I took the business card she handed me and put it away.
The one Han Minsu had given me was purple-coated,
but the one Lafei gave me was a black business card.
The colors were different,
but what was written on them was the same.
The Golden Lotus
That was probably the name of this club.
They’d even gilded the lotus, the symbol of Macau.
She took out an envelope identical to the one she had given Han Minsu and held it out to me.
“It’s the price of the handgun.”
“I think I’d need one more envelope for the price to be right.”
Honestly, I didn’t know the price of drugs, but I’d been taught not to just accept whatever was given.
It was suspicious how readily she handed it over.
And the envelope was too light.
Ugh.
“For now, the handgun and one envelope of that are about equal in value. One envelope of that is nearly ten million won.”
“Really? I misunderstood.”
Something this light was ten million won?
Drugs really were an insanely high-value-added business.
On the other hand, no matter how well you priced a handgun, it would be hard to get ten million won for it.
In countries where guns were permitted, you could buy a new gun from a shop for around 300 to 600 dollars.
No matter how Macau was a country where firearms were prohibited,
and no matter how hard it was to bring guns in,
there was no way they would ever value a handgun at ten million won.
“I’m not valuing that handgun at ten million won. Think of it as a kind of down payment. My sincerity in wanting to work well together?”
“Nice.”
“Still, since our customer wants it.”
She took out another envelope just like it and held it out in front of me.
This kept making me suspicious. Was it not ten million won, but five million?
Who just tosses out ten-million-won envelopes like this?
Suspicious.
“In exchange, let’s make sure the deal is solid.”
“Good. Then I’ll be going.”
“Wait.”
She called to me as I was about to leave.
What? What is it now?
Just in case, I took a gun out of my inventory and tucked it inside my coat.
I was ready to shoot immediately if things went south.
She handed me a box of fresh chocolate in luxurious packaging.
“I eat this sometimes, and it’s quite good. I thought it would suit Candy Boy.”
A palm-sized box of chocolates sat on the bar table.
“Thanks. I’ll enjoy it.”
I picked up the box of chocolates and left The Golden Lotus just like that.
.
.
.
“Fuck, why are you so late?”
“Dior, are you going to keep doing this?”
“If you’re like this, how am I supposed to like you even if I try?”
As soon as I arrived, Han Minsu, apparently furious, started swearing,
but the moment he saw the envelope in my hand, he snatched it and went into the room.
After that, the difficulty of the security job dropped geometrically.
Han Minsu and Kang Yeeun didn’t come out of the hotel room.
Since the clients stayed only in their room, we had nothing to do.
Only one person remained on standby, and the rest rested.
We bodyguards were not guardians or teachers.
We did not care what our clients did, nor did we interfere.
We merely protected their lives and safety.
“It’s your first time in Macau, right? Want to go out for a bit? You’ve got about three hours.”
“Then I’ll step out for a while.”
At the team leader’s suggestion, I was able to leave the hotel.
I had been planning to talk to the team leader about today’s deal,
so fortunately, I was grateful that he brought it up first.
As soon as I left, I called Lafei from a pay phone,
and we were able to contact each other through a messenger app.
I had no choice but to show Lafei my face,
but I didn’t want to give her even my name or phone number.
Twenty rifles and thirty handguns.
Magazines and bullets too.
That was the quantity Lafei wanted.
Was she planning to start a war?
Three million won per rifle.
One and a half million won per handgun.
I threw in magazines and bullets in reasonable amounts.
After using some when I killed Derek last time and giving some to Poapi,
once I sold these, I had about five rifles and ten handguns left.
In truth, even that was more than enough for me, so I wasn’t worried about having fewer guns.
When would I ever use a gun in Korea?
If anything, I was relieved to be able to clear out the guns that had been taking up space in my inventory for so long.
They had been bothering me more than I expected.
I received payment in drugs and dollars.
Twenty rifles at three million won each made sixty million won.
Thirty handguns at one and a half million won each made forty-five million won.
The total was 105 million won, but I agreed to receive half in dollars and half in drugs.
The transaction was simple.
All I had to do was hide the goods and let the other side know.
I cleverly hid the bag containing the guns in a corner of the underground parking lot of a nearby hotel, not our own, then took a picture and sent it.
A short while later, I received a message saying they had received it well, and that if I went to the lobby of the London Hotel and gave the name Candy Boy, they would hand me a bag.
I immediately took a taxi and headed to the London Hotel.
When I said the name Candy Boy in the lobby, they handed me a 007 briefcase.
I sat in an empty chair in the first-floor lobby, opened the briefcase halfway, and checked the contents.
Inside were bundles of dollars and several paper envelopes like the ones I had received at The Golden Lotus.
In a place with no people around, I quietly put the briefcase into my inventory and returned to the hotel.
On the way, I sent Lafei a message saying it had been a good deal.
Lafei also said it had been a good deal and that she hoped we could trade again next time.
I, too, told her to contact me whenever she needed help next time, and wrapped up our first deal nicely.
The morning of our departure.
Even until then, the two of them did not come out of the room.
The room service that occasionally went in was proof that they were still alive.
We would have to depart soon,
but there was still no word from inside the room.
Just when I was starting to think we ought to go in,
the door opened and a haggard-looking Han Minsu appeared.
“Let’s go to a hospital. I need an IV.”
“An IV? Right now?”
“There was a good hospital here, but I can’t remember where... Call Secretary Choi and ask. There’s a place good with IVs.”
We had to leave for the airport now, and yet at the request to go to the hospital for an IV, the expressions of the Alpha Team members crumpled.
There was a fixed schedule, but Director Han Minsu did whatever he wanted without caring about such things.
Of course, if things did not go according to schedule, Director Han Minsu would be the one swearing.
Team Leader Bae Hyeonseok stepped in front of the team members, whose irritation was about to burst out on their faces.
“I’ll check and escort you.”
Team Leader Bae Hyeonseok quickly took out his cell phone, called Secretary Choi, explained the matter, and arranged to receive the relevant information by text.
“We’re moving.”
We immediately brought the vehicle up to the entrance and completed preparations to move.
Since we were using a vehicle provided by the hotel, we also had to explain the situation to the hotel.
All of this fell to us.
If Secretary Choi had been here, he would have done it.
I understood why Secretary Choi had slipped us that envelope.
“We’re heading to the hospital.”
Macau itself was not large, so it took just over ten minutes to reach the hospital.
Perhaps Secretary Choi had contacted them in advance, because as soon as we arrived, he was able to receive an IV right away.
Seeing him arrive at the hospital, lie down, get an IV, and fall asleep made irritation surge up inside me.
On top of that, there was hardly any time left before departure.
It was about thirty minutes to the airport.
One hour until the plane departed.
“We’ll have him finish the remaining IV in the car. We’re moving.”
We explained the situation to the hospital and began moving to the car with the IV still inserted.
The hotel staff driving the cars looked extremely angry.
There was nothing we could do but slip them some cash.
At long last, after rushing and scrambling, we arrived at the airport.
We barely finished the procedures and managed to board the plane.
Once the plane took off, it felt as if all the strength drained from my body.
Unlike us, whose minds were completely fried,
Han Minsu and Kang Yeeun seemed to have recovered after the IV,
and they began giggling and flirting again.
Ugh, fuck, I can’t stand the sight of them.
I suddenly wanted to screw them over.
That way, I’d never get mixed up with bastards like them again.
After thinking it over carefully, I took out one of the paper envelopes containing drugs from my inventory.
.
.
.
Incheon Airport arrivals hall.
As soon as the plane landed, Han Minsu and Kang Yeeun went out first.
What were they in such a hurry for?
The security team followed behind them.
But before long, an airport detection dog chased after Han Minsu and started barking,
and airport police approached him.
“Hello. We’re the airport police. In accordance with the Aviation Security Act, we will conduct a brief inspection.”
“What? Inspection? Who says you can inspect me?”
“Sir, you can’t do this. If you refuse, we will have no choice but to arrest you by force.”
“Arrest? Look at these bastards. Hey, what division are you with?”
Team Leader Bae Hyeonseok, who had been watching the situation, stepped forward.
“What is going on?”
“We are trying to conduct an inspection in accordance with the Aviation Security Act, but he is refusing. In such a case, we can arrest him immediately.”
“Why are you trying to inspect him?”
“Our detection dog smelled something and barked. We have a duty to confirm what it is.”
“You just need to perform a simple search, correct?”
“Yes. If there’s nothing wrong, we’ll let you go immediately.”
Team Leader Bae Hyeonseok went over to Han Minsu and spoke in a small voice that no one else could hear.
“Director, do you by any chance have anything on you that you’re not allowed to bring in?”
“Something I’m not allowed to bring in?”
After thinking for a moment, Han Minsu shook his head and answered.
“No. I’m clean. The only luggage I have is this small bag.”
Han Minsu lifted the small bag in his hand.
“Then would it be all right to show them this?”
“They said they only need to see this?”
“Yes.”
“Then show them and finish this quickly.”
When the bag was opened, a familiar paper envelope came out from inside,
and the moment Han Minsu and Kang Yeeun saw that envelope, their faces turned deathly pale.
The airport police opened the paper envelope and immediately radioed in.
“Caught a suspect in possession of narcotics in the act. We will arrest him immediately.”
Then they put handcuffs on Han Minsu.
“You are under arrest in flagrante delicto on suspicion of violating the Narcotics Control Act. You have the right to appoint an attorney, the right to make a statement in your defense, and you may later request a review of the legality of your arrest or detention.”
The airport police read him his Miranda rights.
But it didn’t end there.
Kang Ye-eun, who had been beside him, and all of us who had been guarding him were dragged along and had no choice but to undergo questioning.
In drug cases, it was common for everyone in a group to have used together, so the entire party was subjected to drug testing.
As we were being moved, we immediately contacted Secretary Choi and informed him of the situation.
The rest would be handled on their end.
“I don’t know that man. All I did was sit next to him on the plane. Please let me go.”
“You’re saying he’s a stranger?”
“Yes. After we conduct urine, hair, and blood tests, we’ll let you go. Don’t worry.”
Kang Ye-eun kept insisting that she didn’t know him.
That it was her first time seeing him. That she had only met him on the plane. She said it over and over, but
the police simply gave her a clear and straightforward answer: understood. Don’t worry. You just need to take the tests and go. There’s no problem.
The person with the darkest expression among us was Kang Ye-eun.
Han Min-su had his family behind him, so they would cover for him somehow,
and as for our security team, we hadn’t done drugs, and we were the security team.
But Kang Ye-eun was different.
She was an entertainer.
A rising rookie.
Someone who lived off the public’s attention.
If she was caught up in a drug arrest, not only would she be dropped from the drama she was currently appearing in, there was a very high chance she would be completely expelled from the entertainment industry.
So no matter what, she had to draw a line between herself and Han Min-su.
“I don’t know that bastard. I’m telling you, it’s my first time seeing him. So why did you drag me here too?”
“Can the fucking police just haul in innocent people like this? Huh?”
“What’s your name? I’m reporting all of you.”
Han Min-su had said it before.
That Kang Ye-eun was too soft-hearted for her own good.
That she couldn’t even bring herself to part with a puppy.
But she parted with Han Min-su just fine.
For three nights and four days, the two of them hadn’t been apart for even an hour,
and now she was saying it was her first time seeing him.
Kang Ye-eun, who couldn’t even part with a puppy, parted with Han Min-su just fine.
They seemed like a match made in heaven.
I hope they get along well.
Our team was able to leave the airport after a simple preliminary test.
After receiving a stern warning that we could be called back depending on the results.
When I opened the airport doors and stepped out into the cold wind, my mind snapped awake.
It had been a short but impactful project.
It was such a difficult project that if every job went like this, I’d have to consider resigning.
I took out the chocolate Lafei had given me from inside my coat and ate a piece.
The soft, rich flavor of fresh chocolate filled my mouth.
Not bad.
I offered some chocolate to the team members beside me, but they all shook their heads.
More for me, then.
I put another piece of chocolate into my mouth.