English Translation
As morning dawned and the warm sunlight poured in, Lee Tae and Ding Qing finished inspecting three arcade halls, both looking quite satisfied. Even though it was still early, about half the machines were occupied by eager players.
"Hey, how about expanding the place?" Ding Qing suggested excitedly.
"Have you asked about the electronic parts yet?" Lee Tae inquired.
"It's in progress, man. These things take time," Ding Qing replied.
Lee Tae shook his head. "Don't you think our arcades are a bit monotonous?"
"Maybe, but everyone seems to be having a great time," Ding Qing said, scratching himself absentmindedly.
"Would you only ride one horse forever?" Lee Tae retorted.
"You mean changing out the game boards?" Ding Qing quickly caught on. The most crucial part of an arcade machine is its game board. Although acquiring a large batch of electronic parts would take time, getting a smaller set of boards wasn't as challenging. They could reach out to a company across the sea in Fuzhou.
"Times are changing, and if we don't keep innovating, we won't be able to stay ahead," said Lee Tae. Entertainment is rooted deep in human nature; people seek fun regardless of the economy. Arcades were not a one-time deal. In the world Lee Tae came from, every major mall had an arcade. Getting a batch of game boards and finding someone to crack them would be a good start to set up a future arcade factory. If it weren't for the lack of funds, he'd already be thinking of starting a game company. After all, it was the year 2000; that legendary gaming company should already exist, right? A company that once made the richest person in China—how could he miss that opportunity?
"Alright, I'll get a batch of boards ordered," said Ding Qing, his tone serious.
As they spoke, they headed to the manager's office. "Boss, Director Kim is here to see you," one of the underlings informed them.
Inside the office sat a man in his fifties with neatly combed hair, flanked by two men in black suits.
"Oh, Director Kim, long time no see!" Ding Qing greeted, hurrying forward. "Why didn't you let us know you were coming? I could've arranged a nice massage for you!"
But Director Kim was having none of it, his face stern. "Mr. Ding, who gave you the authority to pick a fight with the Empire Gang? Don't you realize we're in a truce with them right now?"
Ding Qing chuckled. "But we're at peace now, aren't we? We didn't keep going after them."
"You—!" Director Kim slammed his hand on the table. "You damn brat."
Before he could say another word, Lee Tae stepped forward, grabbing him by the hair and slamming his head onto the desk. With a single strike, blood trickled down Kim's face. As soon as Lee Tae moved, Zhang Qian wasted no time, taking down the two men in black with two swift strikes. Hearing the commotion, the underlings outside immediately rushed into the office.
"Damn," muttered Lee Tae, smashing Kim's head into the desk a few more times before tossing him to the floor. "Who the hell do you think you are, coming to my turf and acting tough?"
Ding Qing coughed lightly. "Hey, this is Director Kim from our organization," he said, trying to play it off. "Director Kim, are you alright? Did you trip? Maybe you're getting too old to stand firmly?"
Since his "little brother" had already struck, Ding Qing didn't bother holding back, throwing in some mocking remarks. "You're in the Bukda Gang, but you're speaking up for the Empire Gang? Why don't you go join
"You punk—" Director Kim cursed, attempting to stand, but before he could, Lee Tae kicked him back down.
"Did you say something?" challenged Lee Tae, his voice cold.
Director Kim finally seemed shaken, realizing this young man was deadly serious. Hastily, he stammered, "I—I'm a director, a director!"
In the Bukda Gang hierarchy, a director was a senior position, much higher than that of Ding Qing or Lee Tae.
"Get out," said Lee Tae, letting go of Kim and watching as the old man clutched his bleeding forehead, stumbling out of the room. These old-timers leaned too heavily on past achievements, acting all high and mighty. It was laughable.
Ding Qing frowned. "I'll let Mr. Ding know about this. That bastard probably took bribes from the Empire Gang."
"Don't worry about him," said Lee Tae dismissively. Gang life wasn't about politeness or compromise. Even if they all wore the Bukda Gang banner, there would still be inner struggles. If the Bukda Gang were a united force, they would have already taken control of South Korea's underworld. If anyone here in Yeosu dared cross him, he'd make sure they paid for it. As for his undercover identity and the mysterious commands from the system, Lee Tae hardly cared; nothing was more important than enjoying life.
Ding Qing shrugged as he put his phone down. "You really are something, man. The boss said we're both joining this afternoon's meeting."
"Let's eat first," said Lee Tae, loosening his tie and taking a deep breath before instructing Zhang Qian, "Tell Yellow Ox to come back. You're all coming with me this afternoon."
Ding Qing raised his eyebrows. He could tell exactly what his "little brother" was thinking. Knocking down a powerless director wasn't enough to flip the table, was it?
"Hey, hey," Ding Qing said, pulling Lee Tae aside. "Come on, man, I'll even call you big bro if you want. What are you planning?"
"Let's not cause a scene. Making money is the priority," he pleaded earnestly. "I'll explain everything to Mr. Ding. It'll be fine."
But Lee Tae wasn't interested in his advice. South Korea was notoriously insular and thought of itself as the center of the world. When Chinese immigrants first arrived, life wasn't easy; most were forced into the underworld. Ding Qing, having grown up with these stories, was naturally traditional in his thinking.