As evening approached, a few dozen meters away from the streetball court where the Yoshido team was currently training, a group of three gangsters led by Taek Jung stood waiting.
Ming You approached them with his plan and began to act. "Taek Jung, how about we have a little fun at the expense of this team?" Ming You pointed at the Yoshido team.
"Heh, I don't think you've heard of something called shame," Taek Jung replied, calming his laughter. "I'm not against it; it actually sounds fun. What do you need?"
"I'd say it's more for your benefit; you need to remind someone about their debts, right?" Ming You said with a sly smile.
"You're right, but we would have done that without your reminder. So what exactly do you need?" Taek Jung asked again.
"I need to stage a scene in front of my team to present myself as the captain who takes responsibility for the team and their debts. You just need to remind them of their debts and say that you'll let them go if the team submits to me. I'll also provide additional information about each player to intimidate them better."
The gangsters laughed at his shamelessness. "You're quite the egotist, Ming You, but what about the debts? Are you ready to pay them off for this little act?" Taek Jung continued to be surprised by Ming You's audacity and asked questions.
"I'll handle their debts, and even more, I'll earn much more than their debts, so what do you say? Deal?" Ming You confidently declared.
"We might agree to the act, but you handle the debts yourself. If you can't manage, I think you know what will happen," Taek Jung warned him.
"No problem." Ming You and Taek Jung shook hands.
After Ming You shared all the information about his players, including their addresses, parents, and so on, the Yoshido team had just finished their streetball practice. The guys, tired but full of enthusiasm, were about to head home when they were stopped by two gangsters. One of them, with a dragon tattoo on his forearm, stepped closer, his voice low and threatening.
"Hey, guys, do you know who owes what?" he said, surveying the team with disdain.
The team exchanged glances. They had no idea what was going on, but the tension in the air was palpable.
"We don't owe anything," Haru Lin replied, his voice trembling with fear.
The gangsters smirked. The second one, with a buzz cut, added, "You don't understand who you're talking to. You have debts, and we're here to collect."
"Let us pass, or we'll call the police!" Jung Ho exclaimed.
"Hey, Jung Ho, you can certainly call, but I think you'll say goodbye to your parents, and we'll have to make them pay your debts. No one wants their family to know about your business here, right?" one of the gangsters sneered.
"Where did you…" Jung Ho was in shock and hadn't even finished his question when Ming You stepped out of the shadows. He looked confident as always, and his presence immediately changed the atmosphere.
"Guys," he said, addressing the team, "don't worry, I'll help you with the debts."
"How are you going to do that?" one of the players asked, still not believing what was happening.
Ming You turned to the gangsters. "How much do they owe?" he asked, as if it were just a regular deal.
The gangsters exchanged glances, and one of them replied, "Each of them owes five thousand. This isn't a joke, kid."
"Five thousand won? That's not a problem," Ming You smirked.
"Haha, five thousand dollars, kid," replied the gangster with the tattoo, shocking the entire team. Ming You also pretended to be shocked.
"What if I help them pay off their debts? What do you want in return?" Ming You innocently asked.
The gangsters looked at each other, and their leader, Taek Jung, who had been watching from a distance, stepped closer.
"We want them to fully submit to you," he said, his voice full of confidence, though it was hard for him to hide his amusement at Ming You's shamelessness. "It's a beneficial deal for everyone."
Ming You nodded, understanding that this game was just beginning.
"Okay," he said, "then we'll make a deal. But first, I need to talk to the team."
The team gathered around Ming You and began to listen to his plan.
"Listen," he started, "we'll use our debts as a means of control. If we win in streetball, they won't be able to do anything to us. We'll play with bets and earn money."
"But what if we lose?" asked Lu Shen, his voice filled with concern.
"We won't lose," Ming You replied confidently. "We have a strategy. We'll manipulate our opponents, making them think we have no chance, and then we'll beat them."
The team looked at him with skepticism, but at the same time, excitement began to build. Ming You continued, "We'll practice here, at the abandoned court. The organizers will watch our games, and if we win, they'll clear our debts, and we might even earn some extra. If we lose—no big deal, we can always bounce back as long as we're alive."
After discussing, the team agreed to the plan. Ming You, feeling confident, headed over to the gangsters with his team.
"Agreed," he said. "We'll submit to you; my team submits to me, but only if you let us play with bets."
Taek Jung, who shook Ming You's hand, nodded, and the deal was made.
The next day, the Yoshido team gathered at the abandoned court to discuss their next steps. Ming You stood at the center, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"So, guys," he began, "we'll prepare for the next game. I suspect our opponents might be quite strong. We need to try to exploit their weaknesses."
"How will we do that?" asked the former team captain, Jung Ho, who was starting to doubt Ming You's plans.
"We'll play in their style," Ming You replied. "They, like most teams here, are used to a physical game, but we'll use speed and agility. I'll devise a few strategies to help us outsmart them."
The team listened intently, and Ming You continued, "We'll pretend to be weak, and then suddenly strike. This will throw them off, and they won't be able to predict our moves."
"And what if they figure out our plan?" asked Haru Lin.
"They won't," Ming You answered confidently. "I'll keep an eye on their actions and adapt. The key is confidence."
Meanwhile, the gangsters returned to their boss, Tae Hwan, who listened to their report.
"This Ming You is quite the trickster," he said, his voice filled with respect. "He's fooled you like children, and now we're dependent on him."
"But that's not so bad," Taek Jung replied. "He's bringing us money."
Tae Hwan smirked. "Yes, but we need to be careful. If he becomes too powerful, he might take everything from us."
"What should we do then?" asked another gangster.
"We'll watch and study his game," said Tae Hwan. "But as long as he brings us profit, we'll support him. Let him play as long as he can."
Returning to the Yoshido team, Ming You gathered them for their final practice before the game. He knew that for them, not only money was at stake, but also their reputation.
"Guys," he began, feigning encouragement, "we need to show that we're stronger than ever. This game is our chance to prove we can be champions."
The team nodded, and Ming You felt their trust in him growing.
"We'll do this," he declared, filled with determination and confidence in his plans against his own team. "And we'll do it for the win."