"Boss, the Hold'em Pop shop in Sinyeong-dong got raided."
"Yeah?"
Having heard the report, Daehun nodded as if he had expected it.
"That old man's a bit too greedy, yeah?"
"Seems like it."
"We're just running that tiny thing to feed the boys, and they won't even leave us alone."
"What should we do? Open another shop somewhere else?"
"You think if we open a shop they won't raid it? They'll raid it one hundred percent. Honestly, can we trust the cops?"
"We cannot, Boss."
"When we snitched on Geumho Pa's shop and asked them to raid it, did they? They didn't even raid it. After bitching at them countless times, they went through the motions and came back saying no violations. That was it. That's the exact level of the cops here. Dogs of Geumho Pa. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Then what do we do now?"
"It's not like this was unexpected. I was just testing the waters to see how they'd react. Anyway, we know for sure they're not friendly toward us."
"That's for sure, Boss. Then why don't you just leave Gunsan for good? Quite a few guys would follow if you moved."
"Geunsu. You know the saying, 'There is no paradise where you run away to'?"
"What does that mean?"
"It means if we run away somewhere else without solving this problem, we won't be happy."
"Can't we just stick together wherever we are?"
"For now, we have to hold out here as long as we can."
"As long as we're in Gunsan, Geumho Pa will keep tackling us. Will you be okay with that?"
"I can't just let it slide. We took a hit, so we have to land one too."
"Should I have the boys stand by?"
"What for. Don't get the boys hurt. We pay taxes too, so let's try getting some help from the police."
"Even if we snitch to the police, they won't raid them anyway, will they?"
"Those are the Gunsan cops. If we report it as drugs to the Metropolitan Investigation Unit, wouldn't it be different? They go in for drugs, but it's an illegal gambling den? You think the police will sit still? And it's the Met Unit, at that."
"That seems like a good method."
********
Republic of Korea, Gunsan.
The penthouse suite of the Gunsan Tourist Hotel in front of Eunpa Reservoir.
Yoon Gihwan, boss of Geumho Pa, rose slowly, stuck a cigarette in his mouth, and stood before a large window.
Click. Thwick. Fshhh.
Lighting the cigarette with an old-looking Zippo lighter, he looked out the window.
Through the window, Eunpa Reservoir glittered with ripples in the sunlight, and beside it, he could see people jogging, walking, and on dates moving about.
Yoon Gihwan liked this scenery.
He liked that the world visible through this window looked peaceful.
It was like a painting.
A world completely different from the one Yoon Gihwan lived in.
In the world seen through the window, there were no people bleeding, no one stabbed with knives, no one being sunk into the sea in a drum barrel with cement.
Only ordinary daily life existed.
Exercising, walking dogs, going on dates with girlfriends.
He insisted on this Gunsan Tourist Hotel because he liked that scenery.
There were many places with better facilities than here, but Yoon Gihwan never left this place.
Because of this window.
Knock, knock.
"Come in."
The door opened and Secretary I Hyeonseung entered.
The secretary immediately gave Yoon Gihwan a respectful bow at ninety degrees upon entering.
"Did you sleep well through the night?"
"Well, what reason would I have not to? I slept fine. But what brings Director I here personally from the morning?"
"There was something I needed to report urgently, so I came unavoidably."
"What is it?"
"The gambling den in Soryong-dong was raided."
"What? Soryong-dong? Raided? What was Chief Gim doing?"
"Well... They bypassed the Gunsan Police Station and came in directly from the Met Unit. Chief Gim found out later and tried to take emergency measures, but the Met Unit had already arrested everyone and seized all evidence at the scene, so there was nothing he could do."
Yoon Gihwan took out another cigarette and put it in his mouth.
As soon as the cigarette was in his mouth, the secretary lit it for him.
"How much is the damage?"
"Well... Only about five hundred million won was seized at the scene. Because of the raid, this month will be a bit difficult."
"It'll be tough for a while. Not just because of what was seized, but it'll take time to set up and prepare a new gambling den."
"That's correct."
"Ah~ Soryong-dong was just perfect, the location and size were ideal. Where are we going to find another gambling den like that?"
"I will take care of it quickly."
"Send Chief Gim a bag. He's probably getting a lot of pressure from above. They'll ask what he was doing while a gambling den that size was operating. I'm pissed he couldn't cover for us, but he's someone we have to keep around anyway. You take care of them at times like this if you want them to last."
"Understood. Should I send a single?"
"I suppose we should put in at least three this time? Prices have gone up too much. Back in our day, one hundred million won got you a National Assembly member or minister-level official. Now you have to slip one hundred million, three hundred million to a neighborhood police chief. Fuck. I really can't keep doing this. There's nothing left."
"I will deliver it today."
"Yeah... And listen. There's no way the Met Unit found it on their own, so someone must have tipped them off... Who do you think it was?"
"We are checking now."
"Tell me. You have a hunch."
"I was thinking... it must be Daehun Pa."
"Heh heh... you're thinking the same as me? I think so too."
"They seem to hold a grudge over the Hold'em Pop shop raid last time."
"So why the fuck did he crawl out instead of eating army chow forever, causing trouble like this."
"...I'm sorry."
"Hah... Should I have buried that bastard along with him back then? This is what I get for being too soft. I couldn't kill a brat who followed me around calling me uncle. So I let him live, and he became the root of all trouble."
The secretary momentarily thought that someone so soft-hearted had killed the man he had called boss his whole life, but he did not make the mistake of speaking it aloud.
Had it left his mouth, his tongue would have been cut out, his eyes gouged, and he would have sunk into the sea off Gunsan.
"I should have taken care of him when he came back to Gunsan with a few brats in tow. I think I was too soft. Director I."
"Yes, Chairman."
"We need to take care of that bastard. Get on it immediately..."
"Yes, understood."
Secretary I Hyeonseung left only a word of acknowledgment, bowed at ninety degrees, and exited the suite.
Left alone, Yoon Gihwan looked out the window again.
Yoon Gihwan did not want to lose this scenery.
He had no intention of stepping down from the throne he had built.
Yoon Gihwan was the king of Gunsan.
With one word from Yoon Gihwan, anything was possible in Gunsan.
Though he had used somewhat despicable methods to ascend the throne, it couldn't be helped.
It wasn't something I did because I wanted to.
I did it shouldering the cross for Gunsan.
It was what everyone wanted.
Seo Munsik, who had held Gunsan until then, did not want change.
He didn't want development either.
Though it was Gunsan's largest organization, they liked playing more than making money.
They were idlers who preferred hanging out and drinking with crew members rather than doing business.
Collecting protection money from businesses, running gambling dens and liquor distribution, that's how they lived.
When they met, they drank, and gambled away their time.
Yoon Gihwan hated that.
If they moved the organization just a little, they could make enormous amounts of money.
Money was visible everywhere, yet Seo Munsik did nothing, which frustrated Yoon Gihwan.
He spoke to Seo Munsik many times, but
"Isn't this good enough?"
It wasn't just Yoon Gihwan who was frustrated.
The local power brokers and politicians were the same.
Push out street vendors, sweep away all unlicensed structures.
They wanted to redevelop, build apartments, and sell commercial units, but Seo Munsik wouldn't move.
Seo Munsik held the organization so tightly that bringing change was difficult.
"Boss, shall we clear out those street vendors?"
"Those people have to make a living too. Leave them be. They live hand to mouth. Tell them not to touch them."
So Seo Munsik was eliminated.
He joined hands with Geumho Pa, which could be called Gunsan's rival at the time, and eliminated Seo Munsik.
Though they were called rivals, Geumho Pa wasn't that large.
The reason they could eliminate Seo Munsik despite that was because Yoon Gihwan planned it and prepared everything.
After Seo Munsik died, the name was changed.
From the outside, it looked like Geumho Pa had completely absorbed Munsik Pa, but the truth was different.
In reality, Munsik Pa had merely swapped skins.
Yoon Gihwan, who became the boss of Geumho Pa, pushed Gunsan's development forward.
He acquired a shabby construction company.
He swept everything away and redeveloped.
Police, politicians, and civil servants worked hand in glove.
The police turned a blind eye, and civil servants passed all documents on a free pass.
Politicians emphasized the necessity of development and secured budgets.
Tearing people apart, crushing them, and breaking them into pieces, he had come this far.
It was the world I made that way.
It's right to eliminate in advance those who would bring cracks to my world.
.
.
.
Daehun Pa office.
"Hey. This time it was done right, yeah?"
"That's right. We hit them properly this time. Especially since it was before the tribute payment, they had cash stacked up there, and it was all seized."
"Really? I didn't know that. How can something be this sweet. It's delicious. Call the boys tonight, let's eat meat."
"Beef, Boss?"
"What beef. Eat pork. Pork is good for you."
"You shouldn't eat beef today, Boss."
"Geunsu~ you paying?"
"Let's go with pork, Boss. Come to think of it, pork suits me better."
Geunsu, an orphanage junior, had stuck right by Daehun's side ever since Daehun returned to Gunsan.
Having been in the orphanage since childhood, Geunsu had been living on the streets of Gunsan like a petty thug.
One day, while shaking down high schoolers for money, he got caught by Daehun and was thoroughly scolded, after which he started following Daehun around.
"But why does a guy who never even went to the army tack on formal speech at the end of every sentence?"
"If I do this, won't people think I'm a special forces veteran like you, Boss?"
"Everyone around here knows you were exempted, though."
"Still, there might be some who don't know. Anyway, I like this."
"Do as you like. Anyway, let's eat meat tonight."
"Yes, Boss."
.
.
.
Gunsan Kkotdwaeji Samgyeopsal Restaurant.
The table was set with a grill, meat, and various vegetables.
Bottles of soju and beer were plentiful.
"Alright~ before we dig in properly, let's hear a few words from our big boss. Big Boss, over here."
"Hey! Just eat!"
"Come on. We're all gathered like this, so you have to say something."
Seo Daehun came out as if being half-dragged.
Slightly embarrassed, but he began to speak sincerely.
"Thank you. The only thing I can say to you is thank you. And the only thing I can promise you is that as long as the organization exists, we will always be together. I may be weak, but our organization is strong. I believe in you."
"We believe!!!"
As Daehun spoke, about twenty men sitting in the restaurant shouted loudly.
That shout lodged firmly in Daehun's heart.
That so many people followed Daehun.
He felt anew how sturdy their voices were.
Daehun felt emotional for no reason.
He added one more thing he didn't need to say.
"We are strong."
"We're strong!!"
With a shout, they emptied the drinks in their hands at once.
Daehun rarely drank to take care of his body, but today, Daehun drank.
Not to say he ate samgyeopsal.
He ate neck meat.
"Round two."
"Let's go round three too."
The company dinner that started at eight continued past midnight.
Perhaps because he was drinking for the first time in a while, Daehun got drunk.
Daehun held out his card to Geunsu.
"Geunsu. Take this and pay later."
"What about you, Boss?"
"I'll head in first. And the kids can have more fun if I leave. Let them play until the end."
"I'll escort you."
"It's fine. You have fun without me too. You've worked hard."
"Not at all. Let me take you."
"It's fine. Don't make everyone get up just because I'm leaving. I'll slip out quietly. See you tomorrow."
"Yes, Boss. Please get home safe."
"Yeah. Have fun. See you tomorrow."
Geunsu got up and quietly slipped out of the restaurant.
The cold air seemed to clear his head a little.
On his way home, a guy walking toward him from the opposite direction looked strange.
Black clothes, black hat, black mask.
Exactly the outfit of someone going to do bad deeds.
He leaned to one side of the road.
He didn't want to bump into him.
But the guy was coming his way.
Something felt ominous.
Just as he thought he should avoid him, that bastard charged in an instant.
He pulled a long sashimi knife from inside his clothes.
And with no room to dodge, the knife flew toward my heart.
I wanted to avoid it, but couldn't.
My body was sluggish.
Did I drink for nothing?
I struck the knife heading for my heart and barely changed its direction.
But I couldn't change it much.
The knife stabbed my abdomen.
When the guy tried to pull the knife lodged in my stomach, I took another step forward.
I couldn't fall back.
I couldn't give space to pull the knife.
At the same time, I struck the guy's throat.
The man who had focused all his nerves on stabbing must have only focused on pulling the knife and stabbing again, unable to properly see my attack.
Kuk. Kuk. Kuk.
The guy gurgled as if he couldn't breathe properly.
I threw a punch.
The guy couldn't block the punch and collapsed after taking several hits.
Seeing the guy fall, I also sank down.
I too had trouble breathing.
The knife lodged in my stomach was cumbersome.
But I couldn't pull it out.
I had to have it removed at the hospital.
I didn't want to call Geunsu, who was having fun, but I had no choice.
Right now, Geunsu was all I had.
My vision blurred.
Fuck, where was I stabbed.
I opened my phone and pressed Geunsu's number.
I heard Geunsu's voice.
But I had no strength.
Words wouldn't come out.
I needed to tell Geunsu to come get me, but words wouldn't come out.
I quietly closed my eyes.