- Who's this? Isn't it Inbae?
"Jose, long time no see. Doing well?"
- This is Congo~ Just being alive means I'm doing well.
"That's a relief. How's Poapi?"
- Poapi's doing well too. Studying pretty hard. Exercising diligently too.
"Thanks for looking after her."
- At first I watched over her because you asked, but now she feels like my own kid. Anyway, what's up? You trying to come here?
"Well... I have something to ask first. Can you get bullets?"
Having received Lapei's request, I'd pondered for a moment.
Could I get bullets?
It's not like they sell them at convenience stores.
So I couldn't give Lapei a definitive answer—I just said I'd look into it.
That was the best answer I could give.
I had sold Lapei a gun, but I didn't have a normal distribution route.
That gun was simply something I'd obtained by chance from Congolese rebels.
I currently had no route to procure weapons.
I couldn't go back to the rebels and ask for bullets either.
The only person who could procure weapons was Jose, who had operated logistics in Congo.
He had procured a sniper rifle for me.
So I contacted him to ask.
If he could get them, I could take the opportunity to visit Congo and see Poapi's face while I was at it.
- What kind?
"9mm Parabellum and 5.56mm NATO rounds."
- Standard specs. I can get as much of that as you want.
"Then get them for me. I'll come pick them up."
- You're saying you'll come all the way here for just some bullets? Weren't you Korean?
"It can't be helped. It's not like you can bring them to me."
- True. Crossing borders with this stuff is the hardest part. Wait a bit. I'll look into it. You probably won't need to come all the way to Congo.
"Really?"
- It's not like bullets are manufactured here. Those bullets are bought somewhere and distributed too, so I'll look into it.
"Thanks~"
- Don't mention it. I'll be in touch.
*******
Gang Jaeho came holding a tablet with a haggard face.
"Boss, the design draft is out."
Gang Jaeho held out the tablet.
The moment I saw the tablet, I knew my choice had been right.
Inside the tablet, the Emerald Canyon was spread out.
The Emerald Canyon didn't exist anywhere, but the moment I saw it, it made me think of the Emerald Canyon.
The gaunt skeleton that had remained,
the dreary concrete structure donned an emerald nature.
It looked mystical yet noble.
"Wow~ It's so cool? You did way better than I expected?"
I was admiring the tablet when Sandro came in.
"What are you doing? What are you looking at?"
"Sandro, look at this."
Sandro's expression changed upon seeing the tablet.
"What? What is it? Is this that thing? That... that thing?"
Sandro, perhaps flustered, couldn't even speak properly.
"Yeah. The resort currently under finishing construction."
"The boss designed this?"
"That's right."
"Looking at it like this, it looks completely different, but the design came out so well?"
"I was admiring it for the same reason."
"It's so cool. We could move in just like this, right? Patrick."
"Yes, Chief."
"Contact the interior designers and prepare immediately."
"Yes, Chief."
"Gang Jaeho here not only did the design, but he's from an interior background. A total veteran. So if we give him supervisory and full authority, the completion quality will rise even more. His skills are considerable. There's nothing he can't do. CEO Gang Jaeho, you're okay with this, right?"
"If you entrust it to me, I will do my best."
"Patrick, you heard that?"
"I will take immediate action."
Gang Jaeho was overjoyed that his design had been recognized.
This was the life Gang Jaeho had wanted.
Imagining and thinking things, then seeing them become reality.
He had achieved that in the Philippines.
The young boss before him had made that happen.
"Boss, thank you so much. I will do my best."
"I'm counting on you."
CEO Gang Jaeho and Patrick went out to discuss the details, and I remained with Sandro.
"What should we name that resort?"
When I asked, Sandro answered.
"The resort name is already decided. The moment I saw it, only one thing came to mind?"
"What?"
"Emerald Resort."
"Ah~ That's so good. Why didn't I think of that?"
The moment I heard Sandro's answer, slight self-loathing came over me.
I was embarrassed at myself for thinking of something like Candy Tour.
I shouldn't volunteer to name things.
"Then let's name it Emerald Resort for now. It fits so well."
"Yeah. Good."
We had agreed on the name, but Sandro seemed to still have something to say.
"Alex. I have something to ask regarding Emerald Canyon."
"What is it?"
"Emerald Canyon is empty during the day."
"Right?"
Both Emerald Canyon and Lumina Lake are empty during daytime.
The tour route is like that.
In the morning, groups leave for land tours, and around when those tours end, Candy Tour's exclusive tours begin.
So during the time when groups are touring in the day, there's no one at Emerald Canyon.
From when the group tours end until 16:00 when the exclusive tour guests arrive at Emerald Canyon, it is empty.
That's why guards are posted there.
In case someone comes during the day and causes harm.
"Isn't it a waste to leave it empty during the day?"
"It is a bit..."
"How about selling it as a product to travel agencies?"
"Then wouldn't it get too crowded? People come here for rest—if it's like a crowded marketplace, they'll be disappointed."
"First, I have two ideas. One is to create a tour program only for hotels rated six stars or above here, that can only be conducted through the hotel. Excluding Lumina Lake, just visiting Emerald Canyon during the day."
"That's not bad?"
"The other idea is to add Emerald Canyon to the existing tour program. But change the order. They see Emerald Canyon first. They absolutely have to leave before 16:00 no matter what."
"Hmm... then we'd have to create a completely new program. We can't just tack it onto the existing tour."
"Exactly."
It was a good idea.
They could make money using the empty Emerald Canyon,
and show Emerald Canyon to many people.
But they didn't want Emerald Canyon to be packed.
That was something they really wanted to refuse at all costs.
"Then let's start with the hotel program first. Mix it with the existing tour program to create one new product. Let's make that exclusive to us too. We'll need to adjust the hotel discount rate too, right?"
"Of course. I'll go take care of that. Ehehehe."
Seeing Sandro laughing sinisterly made me uneasy.
Even though I knew he'd definitely do well, I couldn't feel at ease.
I was looking forward to what he'd bring back this time, but I was also worried he might cause an accident.
I need to make sure he can't take a gun.
Suppressing those emotions, I spoke to Sandro.
"Sandro, thanks. I'm counting on you again this time."
********
Jose contacted me.
- It turns out there are wholesalers in the Philippines and Thailand. I'll leave you their IDs, so try contacting them.
[Thanks. I sent a small referral fee to your account.]
- I didn't tell you that to get money.
[I know. I know, but I still wanted to give it. I have a lot to be grateful to you for.]
- If you're so grateful, come visit sometime.
[Okay. I'll definitely make time to go.]
- Yeah. See you then. Take care of yourself.
[You take care of your health too.]
I left messages for the two IDs I got from Jose.
Saying I wanted to buy some bullets.
The Thai wholesaler said they don't sell bullets separately,
and the Filipino seller said he does sell them, but not retail. The minimum unit was ten thousand rounds.
Ten thousand rounds might sound like a lot,
but ten thousand rounds is two hundred boxes smaller than a palm, containing fifty rounds each.
Since it seemed like I could use them too if I bought them, I decided to buy generously.
They would be somewhat heavy, but I have an inventory, so it's fine.
Pistol rounds: 400 boxes, 20,000 rounds.
Rifle rounds: 400 boxes, 20,000 rounds.
In total, I decided to purchase 800 boxes, 40,000 rounds.
The problem was the transaction location.
Zamboanga City on Mindanao Island was the transaction location.
Zamboanga City.
The southwestern tip of Mindanao Island, a port city close to Basilan Island.
A dangerous city where rebel forces still remain, and where terror and kidnapping incidents frequently occurred in the past.
In recent years, the Philippine military and police had conducted large-scale suppression operations, so public order had improved considerably,
but it was still a place where armed groups operated.
It was also designated as a travel ban area by our country.
In short, it was an extremely dangerous place.
A place where you never know what might happen.
I moved to Cebu with Scott,
and from there took another plane to arrive at Zamboanga International Airport.
Scott's movements as he walked beside me had improved greatly.
When we went to Seoul together last time, he kept getting in the way beside me, so I taught him.
How to do bodyguard work.
How to protect without overlapping with the client's movement path.
I made him memorize it and repeated the training.
As expected, the Seoul National University-style learning method.
The effect is quick.
We got off at the airport and rented a car.
Having Scott around is good for these things.
As a local, he takes care of everything.
He rents the car on his own and drives.
Huh? Come to think of it, I'm Filipino too? Alex.
We arrived at the appointed place.
Find the weapons at reception, sleep one night, and go back tomorrow. That was all.
It was simple.
I had Scott go to the reception and told him to bring anything that had come for Candyboy.
Scott went to the reception and said something, and a male staff member checked something before gesturing for him to follow.
I watched that scene, then quietly followed them.
The hotel staff member opened the back door and went out.
Naturally, he had to go outside.
40,000 bullets.
The volume isn't enormous, but the weight is considerable.
Around 500kg.
Even divided into several pieces, it's a weight that's hard to carry.
It would be hard to hand over at the reception.
Handing it over car to car would be the right way.
The hotel staff member kindly guided Scott.
He went to a van in the corner of the parking lot and opened the middle sliding door.
Scott leaned in to check if it was the right goods.
That sight was amusing.
Scott wouldn't know even if he saw it.
I hadn't told him what the goods were.
I just told him to pick up the goods from reception.
It was at that moment.
The hotel staff member struck Scott's head with a blunt object.
Scott collapsed like a toppling tower,
and the staff member loaded Scott straight into the van, then drove off somewhere.
I quickly started my car and followed that vehicle.
Quietly and covertly, without being noticed.
I'd trained a lot in driving during bodyguard training, and it was helping at a time like this.
The car gradually headed to the outskirts of the city.
I had no choice but to gradually widen the distance between cars.
There were no cars on the road.
If I followed too close, they would inevitably notice.
Even while following the car, I couldn't grasp what the hell this situation was.
I just came to buy some bullets.
I was just being careful and sent Scott instead of going myself.
I couldn't understand why they took down Scott and kidnapped him.
Right now, the only thing to do was rescue Scott no matter what.
I just needed to focus on that.
Fortunately, they didn't seem to have any intention of killing Scott.
If they wanted to kill him, they would have done it there.
The fact that they went through the trouble of knocking him out and kidnapping him meant they had business with him.
They probably kidnapped him thinking they could squeeze out more money.
.
.
.
After driving for over 30 minutes, the place they arrived at was an abandoned factory on the outskirts of Zamboanga.
As the hotel staff's car entered, men came out from inside the factory, opened the car door, and took Scott inside.
These bastards looked very practiced, as if this wasn't their first or second time.
And the fact that people came out of the factory without any signal meant there was someone watching from inside.
I had to be careful.
I parked my car nearby and circled around to enter from the back.
I glanced inside the factory through a window on the opposite side.
About a dozen men were standing, and Scott was collapsed in front of them.
And a man who appeared to be the boss was sitting in a chair watching them.
When the boss nodded, someone brought water in a basin and poured it on Scott.
Scott barely regained consciousness.
"Uuugh."
"Are you coming to?"
Even then, Scott kept looking around, seemingly unable to properly grasp the situation.
"Where is this? Who are you guys."
"You don't need to know that. Why do you need bullets? I'd understand if you were buying guns with them. What are you planning to do with so many bullets without even having guns?"
"What? Bullets? What bullets?"
When Scott spoke with a straight face, the boss was slightly flustered.
"What is this bastard. An actor? Did you regress as an actor? I almost got fooled. Such fucking method acting."
"I really don't understand this situation."
"Ooh. Great acting. If you don't understand, we'll make you understand. Boys."
Before the boss's words even finished, the men standing behind surrounded Scott.
The moment they were about to assault Scott.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Gunshots heard from somewhere.
When I checked what had happened,
three men were already bleeding and collapsed on the floor.
Seeing that, everyone hid somewhere in surprise.
The boss hid too.
"Wh-... who. Who is it?? Which bastard~"
"It's me. You son of a bitch."