章 266: Chapter 266: I Don’t Like This Kind of Thing
If you've ruined someone else's life, you can't really complain if your own gets messed up too, right? Isn't that what you signed up for?"
······.
The man who had been answering well until just now fell silent, hesitating to speak.
"Are you scared? You've spent your life bullying and taking away from others, yet you're frightened by this?"
They were only strong against the weak and weak against the strong. Cowardly thugs, barely above lowly ruffians.
It made me sick to think that these scum bore the name of my brother Dong-soo. Anger surged within me.
I felt a sense of accountability for not tending to domestic affairs while pursuing larger matters, which only fueled my frustration.
Was my trust in Yoo Sung-jin misplaced, or was it my fault for believing in thugs? I raked a hand through my hair in annoyance.
Was wanting Dong-soo as an ally just my own selfish wish?
"You're nothing but third-rate punks who can't even be called gangsters. I can't even accept the fact that you wear the name Dong-soo faction. I won't kill you, but…"
I cast a cold gaze at those kneeling in front of me.
Among them, only Jeong Min-woo looked genuinely scared. He must have overheard my conversation with Chairman Yoo Sung-jin on the way here.
But the rest still seemed to cling to the name Dong-soo faction, oblivious or just without a thought in their heads—their eyes still glimmered.
"I'll make sure you'll never get the chance to steal from others again."
The punishment for these scoundrels was something I intended to leave in Yoo Sung-jin's hands.
"Is there anyone here who can explain why Min-woo had to ask for money from his mother?"
······.
Even those who had been mocking in the market now zipped their lips. I sighed and called out to Jeong Min-woo.
"Jeong Min-woo."
"······Yes?"
"You're part of the Dong-soo faction, right? Money gets sent back to the lodgings regularly. So why did you do that to your aunt? Were you planning to gamble?"
Jeong Min-woo hesitated, still not giving a proper answer.
"······Hyung, it's, uh…"
"If what you say is just an excuse, spare me. Only speak if you're ready for the consequences when your lies are uncovered later."
······.
Jeong Min-woo shut his mouth again at my warning. How had that kid, who had clung to me calling me Hyung, ended up in this state?
A memory of his younger self flashed in my mind, and unconsciously, I called his name loudly.
"Jeong Min-woo!"
He flinched at my shout, but still held his tongue.
"Talk."
"Hyung…"
His eyes were brimming with tears as he stole glances at the other thugs around him.
"So you aren't scared of me, but terrified of your 'brothers'? Fine. If you want to know who's in charge, I'll show you. Cut that guy's hamstring."
The face of the man pointed out in response to my order turned ashen.
Manager Ma's subordinates shot a glance to one of their own, and those who received the signal advanced together.
"Don't come! Stop!"
The man, pale as a ghost, struggled desperately, but the thugs overpowered him and sliced through the tendon of one leg without breaking a sweat.
"Aaaaaah!"
The anguished scream of the man echoed through the warehouse, but I only kept my eyes on Jeong Min-woo.
Inside the warehouse, aside from the man's screams, not even a breath could be heard.
"Jeong Min-woo?"
"Uh? Yes, Hyung."
"Still not ready to talk? If that's the case…"
"No, Hyung. I'll tell you everything. Just…"
Thugs like these didn't respond unless they were forced to. He nodded slightly and pointed subtly at the injured man.
"Just patch that guy up quickly and toss him aside. As long as he doesn't die, it's fine."
"Yes, Boss."
I ordered my subordinates to drag the bleeding man to a corner and treat him.
Jeong Min-woo looked at the injured man and me alternately with a frightened expression.
"Now, speak up."
"Gambling is just a little game we play among ourselves. It's been a while since money came to the lodgings. That's why we take turns gathering money, but besides my mom, none of us has any money to pull together. So…"
"Hold on. You mean to say money hasn't made it to the lodgings?"
"Yes. It hasn't come for quite some time."
Just because it was a branch of the Heavenly Group didn't mean they would all have wealth. Yet the main office in Seoul was typically generous with funds for any lacking areas.
Moreover, since Busan was known as Korea's premier tourist destination, with numerous entertainment districts and hotels, they shouldn't be short on money.
But if funds weren't making it to the lodgings, where had things gone wrong?
"······Keep going."
"The protection fees we collect from market folks are all taken by the big brothers. We're just living off the money we can gather among ourselves."
"Ha, damn it. So you're extorting protection fees too?"
"Yes…"
This was a complete disaster, a total systemic failure.
It had rotted to the point I couldn't even pinpoint where the problem started. The stench of decay was overwhelming.
Jeong Min-woo, sensing my expression, hesitated but continued speaking.
"At first, my mom helped me out financially, you know? But over time, she stopped sending money. If she doesn't send any cash, I get beaten by the brothers, you see? So…"
"You crazy bastard. So you're saying you hit your mom because you're scared of getting hit? You're the real madman here."
"······I'm sorry."
I remembered the scene from the first time I stepped through the store's doorway.
The image of Jeong Min-woo with his hands raised and the aunt collapsed helplessly on the floor sprang to mind.
They looked nothing alike, yet I couldn't help but think of my grandfather the moment I saw that scene.
My grandfather, who knew of Cheon Su-man's evil deeds and yet couldn't let go of his lingering attachment… I shut my eyes tightly for a moment before opening them again.
"When did you start living as a thug?"
"Less than a year ago."
"Why? What was lacking? Didn't Aunt Song treasure you so much as her only son? Is becoming a thug all you can think of?"
"······I'm sorry."
I felt my anger rise higher at his parrot-like apologies.
"What's wrong with you? You should feel sorry for your aunt, not me. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
At that moment, while talking with Jeong Min-woo, the warehouse doors opened, and the smell of the sea wafted in.
"Boss."
I nodded at the bodyguard who stepped through the doorway. Only then did the bodyguard continue speaking.
"The people from the Busan branch have arrived."
"Let them in."
"Yes, understood."
A moment later, a group of people walked into the warehouse.
Their numbers were greater than expected, which caused the vigilance of Manager Ma's subordinates to rise.
'Look at that?'
I had definitely told Yoo Sung-jin to send the executives. Not all of this many could possibly be Dong-soo faction executives.
Were they planning some kind of show of force? It made me want to laugh at how ridiculous it was.
Everyone entered, and the door was shut. An awkward silence lingered in the warehouse for a while.
"Hello, I am Bulgo. It's been a while, Boss Kim Mu-hyeok."
Breaking the silence, a man stepped forward and spoke.
It clicked in my mind when I saw his face. I couldn't remember his name, but his face was familiar; I must have seen him a few times with Dong-soo.
"So you're Bulgo? I can't figure out why all the punks introduce themselves with nicknames. And what's with the stiff neck? Do it properly again."
Crossing my legs and wearing a sly smile, I felt the atmosphere in the warehouse turn icy in an instant.
Bulgo remained frozen, staring at me.
"What, you unhappy?"
"······Boss Kim Mu-hyeok, not in front of th younger ones."
I couldn't help but laugh at his attempt to sound authoritative while addressing me as if I'm one of the younger guys.
At the sudden burst of laughter, veins bulged on Bulgo's forehead, along with the thugs behind him.
I could see my subordinates and the bodyguards getting tense. The lingering tension in the warehouse thickened even more.
"This is entertaining, amusing even. So you're trying to keep up appearances, huh?"
"Boss Kim!"
Bulgo raised his voice at me. In that moment, the smile that had been on my face vanished.
"Did I give you permission to raise your voice? Try properly introducing yourself again, Bulgo or whatever you call yourself. If you know who I am, don't act all stiff like a fool. Well, maybe that's why you're living the thug life."
"······."
The usual me wouldn't have agitated him like this, but discovering their lives had been impacted by my absence in the market forced me to take a stand. I was angry at myself and felt bad for them.
The reaction I wanted wasn't from Bulgo but from a guy standing behind him.
"What's with the brat talking so big? Who do you think you are? Apologize to big brother Big Brother or you're gonna get it!"
He stepped up to me, pointing a finger, making me raise an eyebrow. A lowly goon was saying such things to me, huh?
Bulgo looked flustered, unable to hide his surprise.
"Ha… this is ridiculous."
"You punk really trying to die, huh!"
With an icy expression, I questioned, "You think you can handle this?"
The thug drew a sashimi knife from his waistband and began to wave it around.
"What are you saying? You think this little brat can lay a finger on me? If you want to live, you'd better apologize to big brother right now!"
As the thug pulled out his knife, Manager Ma and my subordinates began to act cautiously.
There was a commotion, but I kept my eyes glued on the still unmoving Bulgo.
"So I take it this reflects the entire Busan branch's stance, huh?"
Bulgo stayed silent. So that's it then.
I couldn't help but let out a snicker while nodding my head.
"Alright then! I don't like this kind of thing."
"Would Dong-soo Hyung have handled this any differently?"
After a prolonged silence, Bulgo finally uttered Park Dong-su's name.
"What did you say?"
"I asked if even if big brother Dong-soo were here, would he have acted this way? No matter how angry he got, he wouldn't personally take this kind of disrespect in front of the younger ones, right?"
Hearing Park Dong-su's name only fueled my anger further.
"What could my brother have done? You're insolent to even mention his name in such a filthy context. Don't speak that name around here unless you want to die first."
"Boss Kim, please maintain your dignity. I'm also a branch manager responsible for a region."
Bulgo's insistence on maintaining decorum and accountability only irritated me further.
I wanted to kill Yoo Sung-jin for promoting this worm to a manager, and I was angry at myself for appointing Yoo Sung-jin as head of Heavenly Group.
"The reason the Busan branch uses Dong-soo Hyung's name is to carry on his legacy. But your actions are no better than that of a hoodlum. And you talk of dignity? Stop the nonsense and kneel if you want to live."
"What on earth are you talking about? I don't understand!"
Bulgo looked bewildered, unable to grasp why this was happening.
I chuckled in disbelief at the branch manager who didn't even realize his own faults.
Just then, the warehouse doors opened again, and another man walked in.
It was Manager Ma, who should have still been at the hospital.
After surveying the warehouse, Ma must have spotted something because he strode over and slapped the face of the thug with the knife.
The thug collapsed in a single blow, and now Manager Ma began to stomp mercilessly on him. It sounded like bones cracking.
The nearby Busan branch thugs reacted to Manager Ma's actions, but Bulgo restrained them.
After a while of beating the thug, Manager Ma stopped once he noticed the thug had ceased to thrash about.
He glared at the thugs with a cold gaze before striding past Bulgo towards me.
Manager Ma lowered his head nonchalantly as he said, "Boss, I'm sorry. I'm late."
"Aren't you supposed to be at the hospital?"
"I'm fine. I apologize for disobeying orders."
"······Are you able to move comfortably?"
"Yes, not a problem at all."
He seemed fine, but worrying about him was unavoidable since he was injured because of me.
"Understood. We can discuss this later. But how did you find me?"
"I received a call while I was heading to Busan. I wasn't informed of the specifics, just that you were here, so I came looking. What's going on? Did Chairman Yoo get involved?"
"I don't know. I'm curious myself. I came down to rest, and it turns out I've stumbled into quite a situation."
Chairman Yoo's involvement? I could only manage a bitter smile.
But Bulgo seemed frozen in place, as if he couldn't believe he had just heard those words.
"Are we all going to die?"
His fear intensified as he assessed my expression and he turned to glare at the thugs behind him.
I shook my head, clearing my mind of any thoughts of executing anyone just yet.
"Let's just talk for now."
"Yes, Boss."
Once he answered, Manager Ma took his position behind me.
It seemed that Bulgo was now more frightened of Manager Ma than of me, as he finally started to read the room.
"Bulgo, greet me one more time the right way. If you do, we might just forget the events of today. Otherwise, you better pray for a miracle."
Bulgo was still hesitating. His attempt to save face in front of the younger ones was pathetic.
"This is your last warning. Kneel."
This is the last kindness I can extend to Bulgo.
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