Chapter 23 – War [Way of Evil]

March 3, 2018, 7:31 AM.

A time when the sun was rising and people below were easing into a lazy weekend morning.

The area in front of the Bucheon-Incheon Alliance’s entertainment bar located in Guro-dong was a complete mess.

As men with bandages wrapped around their faces, heads, and hands groaned while clearing away broken glass and shattered table debris, one mid-size sedan and two vans came to a stop in front of the establishment.

The men cleaning all stopped their work simultaneously, straightened their posture, and looked at the cars.

And when Baek Minsik and Lee Mincheol got out of the sedan, they all bowed in unison.

“You’re here, Hyung-nim!”

But Baek Minsik did not acknowledge their greeting.

He just walked past them with a completely hardened expression, silently entering the bar.

“Hey, finish what you were doing.”

Only at Lee Mincheol’s words, who was following him, did the members straighten up and resume cleaning.

The place Baek Minsik headed to inside the bar was the VIP room.

Even though a rough cleanup had been done, glass fragments and debris from furnishings still crunched underfoot in the corridor, which was a complete mess. Baek Minsik passed through it and entered the VIP room.

“You’re here, Big Hyung-nim.”

At the greeting from the manager, who had a black eye, his suit jacket torn in several places, and the top of his white dress shirt stained red with blood, Baek Minsik’s expression hardened even more.

Baek Minsik looked at the manager for a moment, then shifted his gaze to the floor.

A large plastic sheet was spread out, and on it lay three corpses, their torsos, limbs, and heads severed.

They had tried to gather each person’s parts together as best they could, but it was impossible to know if they had been matched correctly or if the legs and arms belonged to different owners.

“……”

Seeing this, Baek Minsik clenched his fist tightly.

“Ugh……”

Lee Mincheol retched.

His face was pale as a sheet of paper as he tried his best to avoid looking at the corpses.

“Mansu.”

Baek Minsik called the manager.

“Yes, Big Hyung-nim.”

“These kids, they’re the ones who caused trouble at Clover last time, right?”

“…… Yes, that’s correct.”

“They thought they were safe here because no arrest warrant was issued, so they were just playing around, and this happened?”

“…… Yes.”

“It’s the work of the Clover guys, right?”

“Well……”

As the manager trailed off, Baek Minsik looked at him.

“Well what?”

“…… We suspect it’s the Clover guys…… but…… they were all wearing black masks…… so we couldn’t accurately identify who was who.”

“Black masks?”

“Yes, Big Hyung-nim. About four guys wearing black ma—”

Slap-!

Baek Minsik struck the manager across the cheek.

“H-Hyung-nim!”

Lee Mincheol called out to Baek Minsik in surprise.

The members cleaning outside also jumped in surprise and looked into the VIP room.

The manager, his head turned to the side, remained perfectly still.

“You damn idiot! You should have stabbed those bastards in the gut and then ripped their masks off! What? You couldn’t identify them because they were wearing black masks? Is that what you’re saying now? Damn it, those bastards were chopping three guys to pieces, and you’re telling me not a single one of you could fight back?!”

Baek Minsik shouted at the top of his lungs, even spraying spit.

The manager spoke with his head slightly bowed.

“Well…… there was one guy using a long sword…… and in just a few swings from him, everyone was cut down. It took less than 10 seconds for those guys to be chopped up.”

At the manager’s words, Baek Minsik couldn’t respond. He just stared at the manager with a mouth agape and a look full of disbelief.

Lee Mincheol asked on his behalf.

“10 seconds? Does that make any sense?”

The manager nodded while looking at Lee Mincheol.

Lee Mincheol just clicked his tongue in disbelief and shook his head.

“…… Mincheol-ah.”

Baek Minsik called Lee Mincheol.

Lee Mincheol looked at him and answered.

“Yes, Hyung-nim.”

“You said you planted some informants over there, right?”

“Yes. I planted a few guys.”

“Tell them firmly. From today, tell them to closely monitor only Lee Jeonghoon. And if Lee Jeonghoon ever moves without any separate manpower, contact us immediately.”

“Yes, understood.”

Baek Minsik shifted his gaze back to the manager.

“Mansu.”

“Yes, Big Hyung-nim.”

“Once this place is cleaned up, gather all the guys. Keep them ready to mobilize at any time. Like a 5-minute standby team. Until then, shut down all operations except for the Bodoband. No, shut down the Bodoband too.”

“…… Understood.”

Baek Minsik’s gaze returned to the floor.

Looking at the cleanly severed cross-sections of the corpses, Baek Minsik muttered.

“If you’re going to come at me like this…… fine, I’ll give you a war. But I wonder if you know that war isn’t always about direct confrontation. Lee Jeonghoon.”

“Attacking in the early morning was a really good choice. It eliminated any chance of civilians getting involved and the police intervening.”

Siguk nodded.

He took a sip of peppermint tea, his gaze fixed on the bustling street outside the cafe, then spoke.

“It wouldn’t have mattered if there were customers. Do you think I’d swing a sword without distinguishing between thugs and customers?”

“That’s true.”

“Did you get any separate contact from the informant you planted over there?”

“I got one a little while ago. Baek Minsik told them to monitor me intensively.”

“Chairman Lee?”

“Yeah. Probably planning to hit me when I’m alone or when my guard is down.”

Siguk smirked and swallowed his peppermint tea. Lee Jeonghoon also took a sip of his coffee.

Putting down his coffee cup, Lee Jeonghoon asked Siguk.

“But why did you do that?”

“Wearing masks and raiding their place to shatter their last bit of patience was your idea, wasn’t it?”

“No, not that.”

“Then what?”

“Why did you…… finish off those three?”

The corner of Siguk’s mouth twitched upward.

Wearing a smile cold enough to be somewhat chilling, Siguk spoke.

“They were going to die anyway, I just made it happen a little sooner.”

At that answer, Lee Jeonghoon’s eyes trembled for a moment.

Siguk continued.

“Well, I also wanted to comfort Bonggil’s feelings while I was at it. The kid was happy and kept giggling.”

“…… Did they all have to die?”

“……”

“If Baek Minsik dies, the people who followed him will naturally rebel. But if we just threaten and pressure them enough to retire from this world……”

“Hey, Chairman Lee.”

Siguk’s voice was icy. A cold madness could be felt in his gaze.

Lee Jeonghoon slightly lowered his eyes.

Siguk continued.

“Our ultimate goal is a sound corporation, but the immediate reality is that we’re thugs. Right now, we have to work in the way of thugs. We have to work in the way of villains.”

“……”

“The guys who swore loyalty to Baek Minsik, the ones who probably wouldn’t have any complaints, do you really think they’ll follow you after the head they followed is dead?”

“……”

“Retire? Do you really think they’ll obediently retire just because you threaten them? Oh, now that you’re about to become the oyabun of the Southwestern District, we should just crawl away. We’ll go back to our hometowns and look for jobs. Do you think they’ll come out like that?”

“……”

Lee Jeonghoon couldn’t answer. His hand under the table was trembling slightly.

Siguk’s words continued.

“If we leave them as they are and those old Honam guys start playing games, what will you do then? If those old guys absorb them intact and start guerrilla-style raids on this establishment and that establishment, am I supposed to go around personally cutting off heads then?”

“…… My thinking was short-sighted. I’m sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about. It’s just something I always wanted to say, and I’ll take this opportunity to say it.”

“……”

“Become a little more cruel. Become a little more of a villain. That’s the only way you can protect your wife, and Nayeon. And keep your contract with me.”

“…… I’ll keep that in mind.”

Just then, Yoo Seoyoung and Nayeon entered through the cafe door.

“Relax your expression. It’s time to act like a friendly father and daughter.”

At Siguk’s words, Lee Jeonghoon turned his gaze to the cafe entrance.

“Dad! Oppa!”

Nayeon, holding a shopping bag, approached the table with a bright smile. Behind her, Yoo Seoyoung followed, smiling, with shopping bags in both hands.

Looking at them, Lee Jeonghoon smiled brightly.

That smile couldn’t be said to be entirely part of the act.

After March 3rd, all businesses operated by the Bucheon-Incheon Alliance closed their doors.

Fourteen members from Incheon and seven from Bucheon, under the control of managers Wang Mansu and Lee Mincheol respectively, waited at their lodgings.

Baek Minsik sat in the office of the entertainment bar in Gocheok-dong, receiving almost real-time updates on Lee Jeonghoon’s movements and biding his time.

A week passed like that, and finally, the opportunity came.

March 10, 2018, 10:13 PM.

A Korean restaurant near the Digital Complex, where office-tel construction was in full swing.

Across from it, in an alley, three vans and one sedan sat with their lights off, holding their breath.

Baek Minsik, sitting in the back seat of the lead sedan with the window down, smoked a cigarette and silently watched the Korean restaurant.

Lee Mincheol, sitting in the passenger seat, also silently alternated his gaze between the restaurant and his watch.

After smoking the cigarette down to the filter and flicking it out the window, Baek Minsik spoke.

“Are you sure?”

Lee Mincheol turned his upper body to answer.

“Yes, I’m sure. Right now, Lee Jeonghoon and CEO Oh of Seonam Construction are having dinner alone, they say.”

“Are you sure Lee Jeonghoon came alone?”

“I’m sure.”

Baek Minsik sank back into the seat, took out another cigarette, lit it, and took a drag.

“Where are their cars parked?”

“CEO Oh came by taxi, and Lee Jeonghoon’s car is parked in the empty lot over there.”

“Alone?”

“Yes. Fortunately, there won’t be any other evidence left.”

Baek Minsik exhaled cigarette smoke. After organizing his thoughts for a moment, he spoke again.

“Tell the guys in the back to go to the lot first. Block the entrance with the cars, and make sure no one can get in.”

“Is it necessary to go that far?”

“Just in case. And if Lee Jeonghoon later comes out of the restaurant and heads that way, tell them to disperse subtly without drawing attention.”

“Yes.”

Lee Mincheol got out of the passenger seat and relayed the instructions to the operatives in the back. Soon, the three vans carefully pulled out of the alley, and Lee Mincheol watched them before getting back into the sedan’s passenger seat.

Another 30 minutes passed like that.

“Hyung-nim, they’re coming out.”

At Lee Mincheol’s words, Baek Minsik, who had his eyes slightly closed, opened them wide.

As he said, Lee Jeonghoon and CEO Oh were exchanging greetings in front of the restaurant.

After CEO Oh got into a taxi and disappeared, Lee Jeonghoon began walking alone, trudging toward the empty lot.

Baek Minsik said to Lee Mincheol.

“Tell the guys to disperse!”

“Yes, Hyung-nim.”

“Hey, start the car. Follow him slowly so he doesn’t notice.”

“Yes.”

The operative in the driver’s seat started the car. The car moved with a slightly rough sound.

Keeping some distance, the car followed Lee Jeonghoon.

A short while later, as Lee Jeonghoon entered the empty lot, the sedan stopped in front of it.

Three people got out of the car. The doors of the vans waiting nearby opened, and over twenty personnel, armed with tools, poured out.

Baek Minsik lit a cigarette.

That was the signal.

The members quickly ran into the empty lot.

Baek Minsik also headed toward the lot, smoking his cigarette.

Lee Mincheol, following behind, made eye contact with the seven members from Bucheon among the operatives. They all nodded slightly and fell back slightly from the formation.

“Hey, Lee Jeonghoon.”

With the operatives blocking the entrance, Baek Minsik stepped forward slightly and called out to Lee Jeonghoon.

In front of the large sedan, Lee Jeonghoon stood with a hardened expression, looking at Baek Minsik and the operatives.

Seeing this, Baek Minsik sneered.

“Scared? Then why did you do something like that? Did you think you could pick a fight with me like that and get away with it?”

Lee Jeonghoon did not respond to Baek Minsik’s words.

Seeing this, Baek Minsik spoke to the operatives behind him.

“First, grab him and make him kneel in front of me.”

Immediately, the operatives stepped forward. However, only the fourteen members from Incheon, led by manager Wang Mansu, stepped forward.

The seven members from Bucheon, led by Lee Mincheol, just stood quietly in the back with him.

“Huh?”

When the fifteen, including Wang Mansu, had approached within five meters of Lee Jeonghoon’s sedan, the passenger door opened and one person got out.

A man of medium height, around 170 cm, wearing a black mask and holding a single-edged long sword with a 50 cm blade and 30 cm handle.

The moment he saw that man, Wang Mansu, at the head of the group, widened his eyes.

It wasn’t just Wang Mansu who widened his eyes.

All the members who had been attacked in the early morning of March 3rd at the bar in Guro-dong recognized him and froze on the spot.

“That bastard, could it be……”

By the time Baek Minsik realized his identity, the black-masked swordsman, Siguk, moved.