In the manager's office of the arcade, Lee Tae and Ding Qing were puffing away, their conversation shifting from playful barbs to brotherly camaraderie in no time.
"An alliance? Not just a partnership?" Lee Tae confirmed, knowing the time commitment between the two was vastly different.
"An alliance." Ding Qing blew out a long ring of smoke. "From now on, we're no longer the Bukda Gang."
"The Geumgang Group." Lee Tae's right eyebrow twitched slightly. The day had finally arrived, filling him with a strange sense of witnessing history. Though he'd adapted to this world, hearing about the formation of the Geumgang Group still stirred up mixed emotions. In the movie New World, he only remembered a handful of characters—Ding Qing, Lee Ja-seong, and Chief Kang. Now, he'd taken Ja-seong's place, the Geumgang Group was forming, and soon enough, Chief Kang would probably be reaching out to him.
Lee Tae looked up at the ceiling, a hint of ruthlessness in his gaze. A pawn? Let's see how this game plays out.
"Hey, kid, zoning out again?" Ding Qing teased. "Lay off the dramas with that lady doctor at night. You're too young to be spacing out already. Try some sea dog supplements—might do wonders for your energy."
"Has anyone told you you're overly nosy?" Lee Tae replied, feigning annoyance. "For a grown man, you're really chatty."
"Oh, for heaven's sake!" Ding Qing groaned. This little brother was getting a bit too cocky lately. Being brazen in front of the Director was one thing, but he was his big brother, for crying out loud! "I'm so 'thrilled' to have you as a little brother. Really, my ancestors must have blessed me. Come the Qingming Festival, I'll burn extra paper money for them."
"Good to see some filial piety," Lee Tae joked back.
"Oh, I'll give you filial piety!" Ding Qing finally snapped, storming out to kick a random bystander before coming back in with a satisfied grin. "Don't say your big brother didn't look out for you," he said smugly. "I'm a section chief now, and you're moving up too—a promotion to department head."
"Hmm." Though it was technically a promotion, Lee Tae wasn't particularly impressed.
"What's the plan?" Now that the Geumgang Group was forming, the course ahead would likely follow the movie's plot to dominate the nation. Recalling what the woman in the room had said, he asked, "Are we taking the port?"
Ding Qing looked startled, his expression as if he'd just eaten something unpleasant, and stared at Lee Tae. How did his little brother know about this? Guessed it? Was it possible the lady doctor was helping him think sharper?
"Kid, how did you know?"
"Two old men come all this way to form an alliance—not just for secrecy, right?" Lee Tae replied with irritation. "With Yeosu Port so close to the East, ideal for ferrying large shipments, even a fool could guess."
Ding Qing muttered grudgingly, "These brawlers are starting to think now. What's the world coming to?"
Lee Tae smirked quietly. Knowing the future had its perks.
"How many men is the company sending?" Yeosu Port is one of the largest ports in southern Korea, with 18 berths and a shoreline of 4,203 meters, just over a hundred nautical miles from Japan. Countless gangs relied on it for their livelihood—smuggling, human trafficking, drugs, and weapons. There were likely thousands of people around the port. With their current manpower, they were outmatched.
"None," Ding Qing shrugged. "The company said we've been in Yeosu the longest, so we're to prove our skills. If we succeed, the port's ours; if not, they'll send in more men."
Lee Tae eyed him. "So this was your proposal to the company, wasn't it?"
"Now you're talking like my brother." Ding Qing grinned. "Besides, they didn't specify when we had to take it. No need to fight over everything; sometimes you just need to talk."
"Having a brother like you, my ancestors really did bless me." Lee Tae hadn't expected his brother's ambition to be this big—trying to seize an entire port with just a few men.
"Brother," Ding Qing put on a serious face, his usual mischievous tone gone. "The company's just starting out; it's our chance to stand out. Taking control of the port will give us a stronger voice. By then, we'll be executive directors."
In a Korean company structure, directors held high ranks, but without actual power, it meant nothing. The gang operated on the principle of "might makes right"—with men and territory, even a department head could outrank a powerless director.
"First, let's hire some people." Since Ding Qing was taking on the mission, Lee Tae saw no reason to object. With money on hand, recruiting some men seemed like a reasonable start.
"Let's divide and conquer," Ding Qing suggested. "You handle the muscle; I'll approach the other groups around the port. We should be able to pull some people over."
Not everyone at the port was willing to fight to the death; gathering one group to fight another was common. With Ding Qing's silver tongue, he'd likely be able to rally a few.
Lee Tae thought it over, knowing that Ah-Chi would soon report in. Between his trusted bodyguards and Ding Qing's network, they had a solid start. He then instructed, "You handle the alliance talks and keep our business running smoothly."
Their conversation almost made it seem like Lee Tae was the big brother, and Ding Qing nodded along eagerly. "I'll head to the Yanbian region in a few days to bring more people over."
"You got connections?"
"Of course. Who do you think I am?" Ding Qing said smugly. "I'll connect you with Mian Zhenghe—he's well-respected in Yanbian."