Kang-hyeok Lee, Enforcer of the Black Dragon Gang. Bounty: 700 million won.
Kang-hyeok Lee sat silently in the back seat of a sleek, black luxury car, staring out the window. He was en route to the hotel where the Black Dragon organization's boss, Tae-su Jang, was staying.
I must find the hidden stash quickly, no matter what.
Gang organizations these days had changed significantly. The era of rough communal living in shabby accommodations was long gone. Now, they dealt in clubs, cryptocurrency, construction, hotels, and entertainment—legal businesses that brought in enormous profits.
Of course, illegal enterprises remained a core part of their operations. Among them, drugs stood out as a low-effort, high-reward venture.
Even if others disparaged drug dealers as scum, gangsters paid no mind. As long as money flowed in, what did it matter? Public opinion was irrelevant.
The car pulled up in front of a luxurious hotel owned by the Black Dragon organization.
Kang-hyeok strode toward the staff-only entrance with a familiarity that betrayed his frequent visits.
On the hotel's top floor, he stopped in front of a suite and knocked gently with his fingers.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Come in."
Tae-su Jang's calm voice echoed from inside.
When Kang-hyeok entered, he found Tae-su lounging in an expensive-looking leather sofa, a cigar perched between his lips.
"Hello, big brother,"
Kang-hyeok greeted respectfully, bowing deeply.
"Kang-hyeok."
Tae-su let out a brief sigh and lit the cigar he was holding.
"What's the status on Han-soo?"
Kang-hyeok responded without hesitation, having anticipated the question. Hesitation before the boss meant failure.
"Han-soo was killed, big brother. It seems the operation―"
Tae-su raised a hand, cutting him off.
"That's not what matters now, Kang-hyeok."
Slowly exhaling cigar smoke, Tae-su continued.
"I don't care what happened to Han-soo. If he's dead, it's actually a relief. He was a liability to the organization. What I care about is…"
He paused, silence filling the room. Tae-su took another long drag from his cigar before continuing.
"The $10 million Han-soo managed, and the 40 kilograms of powder. Where are they now, Kang-hyeok?"
Tension rippled through Kang-hyeok's body.
"It seems Han-soo hid them, sir."
Tae-su stared at him for a moment. His gaze was calm, but the latent fury within was palpable.
"I already know that," Tae-su said, exhaling smoke leisurely.
Kang-hyeok hurried to speak.
"The last contact we had mentioned him negotiating with a man who lived upstairs."
Tae-su flicked his cigar into a glass filled with alcohol.
"Find them. Now."
Before Tae-su finished speaking, Kang-hyeok bowed deeply.
"Yes, sir. I'll handle it immediately."
Kang-hyeok exited the suite with heavy steps. His task was clear: retrieve the cash and drugs, and eliminate anyone who got in the way.
Once outside the hotel, Kang-hyeok got into the back seat of the waiting car. As soon as the door shut, the subordinate in the driver's seat turned and asked, "Where to, boss?"
Kang-hyeok exhaled briefly before replying, "Eunha-dong, Sky Village Apartments."
"Understood!"
The car smoothly pulled away.
First, he needed to find the man upstairs—by any means necessary.
After sending the police away, Cheol-su Kim quietly headed to the rooftop of his apartment. But first, he stopped by a convenience store—an alibi was important, after all.
"Huh?"
He encountered an unexpected problem: the rooftop access door was locked. Having never been up there, he hadn't anticipated this obstacle.
"Well, it's not really a problem."
Using his thumb and forefinger, Cheol-su easily snapped the padlock open.
The moment he stepped onto the rooftop, he dashed toward his destination without hesitation. The fierce wind whistled sharply past his ears. As his feet pushed off the edge, his body soared effortlessly into the air.
In that breathless instant, Cheol-su landed softly on the rooftop of the adjacent apartment building. It all happened in the blink of an eye.
For the first time in his life, he felt an overwhelming sense of freedom, as if he had escaped the confines of the world itself.
"It feels like I'm flying… or maybe I really did fly?"
Having lived a mundane 28 years, Cheol-su didn't know how to process this exhilaration. His heart raced as if it would burst.
"This is incredible. Absolutely amazing."
Forgetting his original purpose, Cheol-su ran wildly, leaping across buildings. Despite the endless sprint, his heart showed no signs of fatigue. His breathing remained steady, his body untouched by weariness. It was as if limits no longer existed—he simply pushed forward.
What would normally take four hours by car, Cheol-su covered in just ten minutes on foot. By cutting straight across the mountains, he had significantly reduced the time.
Thanks to the memories of the man he killed, Cheol-su found the cabin where the hidden drugs and cash were stored with ease. It felt like he had been there before.
Who would've thought? The guy living right below me was not only a gangster but also a drug distributor.
"Gangsters sure know how to backstab each other. Twelve billion won, huh?"
Standing in front of the cabin, Cheol-su scanned the surroundings. It was eerily quiet, with no signs of life.
As he opened the door, the dimly lit interior slowly came into view. He quickly found the light switch and turned it on, revealing neatly stacked apple crates that gleamed as if from a movie scene.
"Apple crates mean cash. Cash belongs in apple crates—it's a classic."
Opening one, he found it filled to the brim with cash, just as he expected.
"Five thousand won bills, huh? They're probably made for stashing money. One, two, three…"
There were ten crates in total. Even with his extraordinary strength, moving them all at once was impossible. Using a car would leave traces, and that was out of the question.
"Guess I'll have to make multiple trips. Let's get it over with."
Over the course of two hours, Cheol-su relocated all ten crates to a safe location.
"Phew, time for a shower."
Soaking in warm water, he pondered his next steps.
"How do I safely use such a massive amount of cash?"
Just the cash alone amounted to $10 million. With the drugs included, the total was unimaginable.
"This is the first time I've ever held such a fortune…"
His heart pounded. Thoughts of splurging wildly began to flood his mind.
"Calm down, Cheol-su Kim."
For the first time, he understood why people went mad over money.
In the past, when his salary barely covered his needs, such indulgences had seemed like a distant dream. Now, the idea of living without constraints was intoxicating.
"This isn't a feeling just anyone can experience."
Just as he was about to lie down after his shower, Cheol-su heard a rustling noise near the front door.
What could that be at this hour?
Focusing, he listened carefully.
[He's here.]
[What are you waiting for? Open the door.]
'Could it be…?'
His ominous premonition came true as the sound of the front door being forced open echoed through the apartment.
'They're being this bold?'
Before he could react, men in black suits barged into the house without hesitation. Cheol-su, now in the living room, took a deep breath and faced the man at the front of the group.
With a shaved head and solid build, the man's cold, murderous gaze seemed ready to explode at any moment.
"So you're the guy who made a deal with Han-soo."
A chilling voice cut through the tense air. Though unfamiliar, Cheol-su instantly knew who it was.
Kang-hyeok Lee.
The Black Dragon Gang's enforcer.
'Entering with shoes on? How rude.'
Memories of all the times Han-soo had encountered Kang-hyeok flashed through his mind, giving him a clear picture of the man's tactics, personality, and likely actions.
"Where's the stash?" Kang-hyeok demanded.
Cheol-su wanted to tell him to take off his shoes but refrained—this wasn't the right time.
"The stash?"
Cheol-su feigned ignorance.
"Don't make this harder. Tell me where it is, and I'll let you live."
"I'm not sure what you're talking about…"
Cheol-su played dumb to the end. To him, gangsters were no longer a threat.
"I heard you made a deal with Han-soo. Care to explain?"
"No, I just responded to a threatening note posted in the elevator. That's when I happened to receive a call. I don't even know the guy's name."
He stuck to the truth, carefully omitting the part where he killed Han-soo.
Kang-hyeok sighed deeply.
"If that's your choice, so be it."
With those words, Kang-hyeok signaled his men, and one of them quickly pulled a hood over Cheol-su's head.
'Kidnapping me? In an apartment building?'
Before he could process what was happening, Kang-hyeok continued.
"Of course, you'd be in on it with Han-soo. And since he's gone, you probably planned to keep it all for yourself. Am I right?"
What was unfolding felt surreal, like something out of a drama. Cheol-su found it absurd.
"If you scream, you'll get a knife in your back. Got it?"
A sharp object pressed against his back, emphasizing the threat.
'No need to remind me.'
Cheol-su had no intention of making noise. He was still figuring out his next move.
Dragged into a car, he sat in silence as it drove toward an unknown destination. The journey was quiet, the city lights fading into the distance.
When the car finally stopped, rough hands yanked him out. The chill of the ground seeped into his feet, and the faint smell of machine oil suggested they were in an old warehouse or factory.
'An isolated place—just what I needed.'
A firm grip on his arm guided him down a set of stairs. As they descended, the air grew colder and more humid, and the concrete floor felt damp beneath his feet.
Thunk.
The hood was removed, revealing a dimly lit underground storage room. Rusty metal shelves lined the walls, covered in dust. Puddles of unidentifiable liquid dotted the floor.
"You'd better tell us where the stash is. If not, it'll get very painful for you."
The unfamiliar man speaking had a hulking build and wore a large, white, waterproof apron reminiscent of a butcher's.
"Feels like I'm in a movie,"
Cheol-su quipped.
"What?"
The man stared at him for a moment, then set down the hammer he was holding and picked up a pair of pliers. It seemed he'd had a change of heart.
"This guy's acting like he's on a stroll," the man sneered.
I could say the same about you.
Cheol-su grinned back at him.
"Smiling, huh? Let's start by pulling out your nails."
"Think you can manage that?"
Cheol-su's hands were already free.