006. The Prey and the Hunter

Kang-hyeok Lee, the Black Dragon gang's enforcer. Bounty: 525,000 dollars.

Sitting in the back seat of a luxurious black vehicle, Kang-hyeok Lee silently gazed out the window. He was on his way to the hotel where the boss of the Black Dragon gang, Tae-su Jang, was staying.

"I have to find the location of where it’s been hidden as soon as possible."

These days, gangster organizations have changed a lot. The days of living together in shabby accommodations are over. Now, they handle massive sums of money through legitimate businesses such as clubs, Bitcoin, construction, hotel management, and entertainment.

Of course, they still engage in illegal businesses. Among them, drugs remain the most lucrative, requiring minimal effort for massive profits.

Even if people called drug dealers scumbags, gangsters didn’t care as long as the money kept coming in. What’s the problem if it makes money? Others' opinions were irrelevant.

The car came to a stop in front of a luxury hotel owned by the Black Dragon gang. As Kang-hyeok got out of the car, he briefly looked at the hotel’s facade. The grandeur of the building was mirrored in his cold eyes.

Without a word, Kang-hyeok headed toward the staff-only entrance. With familiar steps, he made his way to the top floor of the hotel.

Arriving in front of the suite, he cautiously knocked with his fingers.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Come in."

The calm voice of Tae-su Jang was heard from inside the room.

When Kang-hyeok entered the room, Tae-su was lounging on an expensive leather sofa, and a cigar in his mouth.

"Greetings, boss."

Kang-hyeok bowed deeply, showing his respect.

"Kang-hyeok."

Tae-su sighed briefly as he lit his cigar, disregarding formalities.

"What about Han-su?"

Kang-hyeok didn’t hesitate at Tae-su’s question. Hesitation in front of the boss was equivalent to a mistake.

"Han-su has been killed, boss. It seems the operation—"

Tae-su raised a hand to stop him. His face remained emotionless.

"That’s not what matters right now, Kang-hyeok."

Slowly lowering his cigar, Tae-su continued speaking.

"It doesn’t matter what happens to Han-su. If that bastard's dead, it's probably for the best. He was a liability to the organization. What’s important is…”

A moment of silence filled the room. Tae-su took a long drag of his cigarette before continuing.

"The 9 million dollars Han-su was managing. And the 40 kilograms of powder."

Tae-su stared piercingly at Kang-hyeok.

"Where’s the money and the goods?"

Tension spread through Kang-hyeok’s body. It was the expected question, but he knew the consequences of not answering.

"It seems... Han-su stole them."

Tae-su glared at Kang-hyeok. His eyes remained calm, but the hidden rage was palpable.

"I already know that."

Tae-su exhaled smoke slowly.

Kang-hyeok quickly added, "The last person who spoke to him said he was negotiating something with a man living upstairs."

Tae-su flicked the cigar he was holding into the ashtray.

"Find them. Now."

As soon as Tae-su’s words ended, Kang-hyeok bowed deeply.

"Yes, I'll handle it immediately."

With heavy steps, Kang-hyeok left the room.

His task was simple: retrieve the cash and drugs, and eliminate anyone who stood in the way.

After exiting the hotel, Kang-hyeok opened the car door and quietly settled into the back seat. As soon as the door closed, the subordinate in the driver’s seat turned and asked,

"Where to, boss?"

Kang-hyeok exhaled briefly and replied,

"Eunha District, Skyview Apartments."

"Understood!"

The car smoothly pulled away.

"I have to find that guy living upstairs. No matter what it takes."

***

After sending off the police, I quietly headed to the rooftop of the apartment. Of course, after stopping by the convenience store.

“Huh?”

But I was met with an unexpected situation. The rooftop entrance was locked. Since I’d never been up there before, I hadn’t expected it to be locked.

“No problem.”

I lightly broke the lock using my thumb and index finger.

As soon as I stepped onto the rooftop, I sprinted toward my destination without hesitation.

The wind whistled sharply past my ears. The moment I pushed off the ground with all my strength, my body soared into the air.

In the split second when I thought I might stop breathing, I landed softly on the rooftop of the apartment across. It happened in the blink of an eye.

For the first time in my life, I felt free. It was as if I had been liberated from the world.

“I feel like I could fly… Or did I actually fly?”

Having lived an ordinary life for 28 years, I had no idea how to handle the overwhelming sensation. My heart pounded as if it would burst. The power coursing through my body felt like it surpassed all limits.

“Amazing. 

Absolutely incredible.”

I ran like a madman, leaping over buildings. Despite the endless sprint, my heart didn’t tire. My breathing stayed steady, and there wasn’t a hint of fatigue in my body. It was as if my limitations had disappeared, and I just kept moving forward.

What would normally take four hours by car, I covered in just thirty minutes on foot. Unlike cars, I had cut across the mountains, saving a significant amount of time.

Through Han-su’s memories, I easily found the cabin where he had stashed the drugs and cash. Thanks to that, it felt like I had already been here before.

Who would’ve known? The guy living just below me turned out to be a gangster, involved in drug trafficking.

“Gangsters really do stab people in the back.”

This was a world I’d never experienced. Maybe that’s why I couldn’t quite understand Han-su’s choices on a personal level.

I stood in front of the cabin and scanned the surroundings. It was quiet. No one was around.

I opened the door and stepped inside, the darkness gradually giving way to reveal the interior. I quickly found the light switch and flipped it on.

That’s when I saw the neatly stacked boxes.

Among them, the one that stood out the most was an apple box. It practically gleamed at me, like something out of a movie.

“When it’s an apple box, it’s always full of cash.”

I opened the box. As expected, it was filled to the brim with cash.

“100 dollar bills, were made just for this purpose, huh? Light, but perfect for holding large amounts of secret funds. One, two, three…”

There were a total of ten apple boxes. No matter how strong I was, I didn’t have enough hands to carry all ten at once.

“It’d be easier to move them by car, but that would leave traces.”

I decided it was safer to use my strength rather than a car.

“I’ll move two boxes a day.”

After hiding two of the apple boxes in a secure place, I returned home.

Of course, I wasn’t stupid enough to hide a large amount of cash where I lived.

“Shower, shower. Let’s take a shower first.”

As I let the warm water wash over me, I began to think about my next steps.

‘How can I safely use all this cash?’

I planned to use the cash to make purchases, then deposit the leftover money into my account.

“This is the first time in my life I’ve ever held this much money…”

My heart was pounding. All of a sudden, I had a rush of ideas for things I wanted to buy.

“Calm down, Cheol-su Kim. Now I get why people go crazy over money.”

It was a feeling I couldn’t even have imagined when my salary was such an insufficient amount.

Just as I finished my shower and was about to go to bed, I heard something rustling near the front door.

I opened my ears to make sure.

[Here it is.]

[What are you waiting for? Hurry up and unlock the door.]

No way…

My worst fears were becoming reality. Before long, the sound of the front door being forced open hit my ears.

‘They’re this bold?’

Before I had time to react, men in black suits stormed into the house without hesitation. Their heavy steps and clear intentions were unmistakable.

I walked out to the living room, taking a breath as I fixed my gaze on the man standing at the front of the group.

He had a buzzcut and a solid build. His face was calm, but his eyes were filled with a murderous intent, as if he was ready to explode with just one word.

“You must be the guy living upstairs. The one who was dealing with Han-su.”

A cold voice echoed through the air. I didn’t recognize the voice, but figuring out who he was wasn’t hard.

Kang-hyeok Lee, the Black Dragon gang’s enforcer.

‘Wearing shoes indoors, really…’

Thanks to Han-su’s memories, I already knew plenty about him—his background, his personality, and how he would likely deal with me.

“Where’s the stuff?”

Kang-hyeok asked.

I wanted to tell him to take off his shoes first, but this wasn’t the time. The air had grown hostile the moment they stepped inside.

“The stuff?” I asked, pretending to be indifferent.

“Don’t make this harder than it needs to be. Just tell me where it is, and I’ll let you live.”

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about…”

I feigned ignorance to the end. No matter how threatening he was, it didn’t matter to me now.

“As far as I know, you made a deal with Han-su.”

“No, I just saw the notice in the elevator and stopped by. That’s when I got the call. I don’t even know that guy’s name.”

I only told him what had actually happened. Of course, I left out the part where I killed him and absorbed his memories.

Kang-hyeok sighed deeply.

“If that’s the choice you’ve made, then so be it.”

He motioned toward me with his head. One of his men immediately pulled a hood over my head.

‘Kidnapping? In this apartment?’

I couldn’t believe what was happening. It felt like something out of a drama. A ridiculous thought flashed through my mind.

“If you scream, you’re getting a knife in your gut. Got it?”

A stranger’s voice spoke as I felt something sharp against my abdomen.

‘No need to confirm that…’

I hadn’t planned to make any noise in the first place. I had limits on my actions here.

I was dragged somewhere by the gangsters. Inside the car, the silence was heavy. I couldn’t see anything, but I could feel the distance growing as we drove farther away. We traveled for quite some time.

When the car finally stopped, rough hands yanked me out. The moment I stepped out of the car, a cold breeze enveloped my body.

A fishy smell wafted into my nose. It felt like an old warehouse or factory. I faintly caught the sounds of creaking metal and the scent of machine oil.

‘A deserted place, just what I wanted.’

Someone tugged at my arm, leading me down a staircase. After descending for a while, I felt dampness and coldness against my skin. The ground beneath me was concrete, and the cold air brushed my body.

Thunk.

The hood was removed. The scene before me revealed a dark, narrow space, a basement warehouse. Rusty metal shelves lined the walls. Dust had gathered everywhere, and puddles of unknown liquid dotted the floor.

“If you’re smart, you’ll tell us where the stuff is. Otherwise, things are going to get very painful.”

A man I had never seen before spoke. He was massive, with a butcher’s apron draped over his enormous frame, like something out of a meat shop.

“Feels like a scene from a movie.”

“What?”

The man stared at me, then suddenly dropped the hammer he was holding and picked up a pair of pliers.

It seemed he’d had a change of heart.

“Feeling cocky, huh?”

‘That’s my line.’

“I’ll start by pulling out your nails, one by one.”

“Can you even do that?”

By then, my hands were already free.