CH 77.1

Kang Chan kept his mouth shut about the fact that the ‘Unicorn’ project was going to be announced until the end. He was going to observe until he had found out who disclosed Lanok’s golf club schedule, and if he couldn’t, then at least until a crucial moment happened or the announcement date was finalized. The fact that there could be a terrorist attack if word got out about its announcement had also been in his mind.

“When our employees that went to train at the military academy[1] return next week, I’m thinking of bolstering Lanok’s security immediately,” Kim Tae-Jin told Kang Chan.

“The President seems to be thinking of observing the political situation for now, just like how he became convinced through the one-on-one talk with Ambassador Lanok,” Kim Hyung-Jung added.

It was already 2 am. They couldn’t find a good solution in the end, but Kim Tae-Jin and Kim Hyung-Jung looked like they had become much more relieved.

“You must be tired. You should rest,” Kim Tae-Jin told Kang Chan.

“Please go on ahead. I’ll smoke another cigarette first.”

“Why? I can wait and give you a ride before going home.”

“You don’t have to do that. You can head home first. I have to get rid of the cigarette smell before I go home.”

Kim Tae-Jin smiled as if saying he understood Kang Chan’s situation, then left with Kim Hyung-Jung.

Going home was the most comfortable thing for Kang Chan. However, if he went home at this hour, then he’d be disturbing Kang Dae-Kyung and Yoo Hye-Sook’s sleep. Kang Chan held his phone and thought for a moment, then pressed Oh Gwang-Taek’s number.

After the call rang three times or so…

- Kang Chan!

His voice sounded livelier than ever.

“Where are you?”

- The Namsan Hotel.

“Did you slather that place with honey?”

- Where are you? I’ll come over.

Kang Chan decided to go to the hotel instead because it would be extremely difficult to explain where he was and he didn’t want Oh Gwang-Taek to go near his house. Since it was so early in the morning, he arrived at the hotel within five minutes. Its atmosphere was clearly different during the day, seeing as how every table in the lobby currently had lit candles on them.

“Hyung-nim!” Joo Chul-Bum, who was near the club’s front door, ran over and bowed deeply. “Gwang-Taek hyung-nim is in the club. I’ll accompany you there.”

“Tell him to come up. It’s noisy there.”

“Understood. Please have a seat.”

On the stairs that led down to the club and near the lobby, gangsters that Kang Chan hadn’t seen before were staring at him while glancing at him.

When Joo Chul-Bum went down to the club, Kang Chan sat in the lobby. Since he had already drunk coffee before coming here, he ordered a simple cup of green tea instead.

A moment later, Oh Gwang-Taek came up the club’s stairs with two middle-aged men.

Kang Chan got up from his spot out of courtesy.

“This is Kwon Deuk-Mo hyung-nim, whom I served in the past, and this is An Kang-Min hyung-nim. Hyung-nim, this is Kang Chan, the person I’ve been telling you about,” said Oh Gwang-Taek.

Both of them looked like they were around forty, but their eyes were fierce.

“It’s nice to meet you,” said Kwon Deuk-Mo.

Kang Chan shook the hand that Kwon Deuk-Mo held out.

“I’m An Kang-Min.”

Kang Chan also shook An Kang-Min’s hand without bowing his head[2]. While people were glancing at them, they sat down.

The three ordered cold water.

“Park Ki-Bum of the parking lot gang, the Woo Ak-Sang gang, and even the Shin Yeon-Dong kids this time. Although we can’t help but fight with knives amongst ourselves and get injured, It’ll be troublesome if you keep acting like this with the government behind your back.” An Kang-Min frowned.

Kang Chan didn’t order the government to step in, but he couldn’t say that since the situation made it look like he did.

“The Chinese and Japanese gangs are no joke. The Japanese fuckers in particular basically throw money to gangsters, so now all our youngsters are quitting and going over to Japan. From now on, if any gangster tries to mess with you, tell us or Gwang-Taek first. We’ll take care of them,” An Kang-Min continued.

“I’ll do that.”

Kang Chan answered in such a way because Japan could be acting like that due to the ‘Unicorn’ project. Oh Gwang-Taek glanced at Kang Chan with eyes that wondered, ‘Why are you being so obedient?’

“Is there anything that’s irritating you right now?”

“I’ll discuss it with Gwang-Taek if something happens.”

The conversation ended with An Kang-Min nodding.

The two gangsters stood up. Kang Chang and Oh Gwang-Taek did as well.

“Kang Chan,” Kwon Deuk-Mo called Kang Chan with a gruff voice. “You could say that I’m the actual boss of Honam[3], and Kang-Min here is the actual boss of Gyeongsang-do[4]. Seoul has become Gwang-Taek’s world now. We’ve placed our bets on you to show the other gangs that we support you. Even if we fight amongst ourselves, let’s not bow our heads down to the money of the Japanese or Chinese.”

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He spoke as if gangsters were protecting the country, making Kang Chan smirk.

“Attend the event next week with Gwang-Taek. Rather than just hearing about you, it would be best for you to show your face to the other gangsters at least once. That way, the other gangsters won’t cause you trouble by ignorantly picking fights with you,” Kwon Deuk-Mo continued.

“I’ll do that.” Kang Chan answered.

“Please be safe on your way home, hyung-nim,” Oh Gwang-Taek said, then bowed his head.

Thud.

Kang Chan ploppled down on the chair.

“Did something happen?” Oh Gwang-Taek asked.

“About what?” Kang Chan couldn’t understand Oh Gwang-Taek’s question.

“Not only me, but gangsters around the level of those hyung-nims have a lot of connections with the prosecution, the court of law, and more, yet I was told that they pulled out and said not to even bring this issue up. Do you have the President’s support or something?”

“That’s bullshit.”

Oh Gwang-Taek feebly laughed, seemingly dumbfounded that Kang Chan chastised him.

“Let’s go down to the club and have a drink,” Oh Gwang-Taek offered.

“No thanks. That place is too loud.”

“Really? Let’s just go out, then.”

“To where?”

“There’s a good place that sells soju across the street.”

Kang Chan was tired, but he didn’t feel like he could sleep.

“Hey! You should also drink alcohol that a gangster buys you,” Oh Gwang-Taek continued.

Kang Chan nodded, then got up. When they went out through the main entrance, the two employees at the front door bowed their heads low enough to be at the same level as their waists.

“We’re going to my aunt’s place[5] so you guys stay here,” Oh Gwang-Taek ordered.

Kang Chan liked that Oh Gwang-Taek stopped his subordinates from following them.

There was a convenience store to the left of the hotel, and beside it was a shabby store with ‘Tented Street Stall’[6] written crudely. This place only operated at night, so it was nowhere to be found during the day.

They opened the door and headed inside, and a chubby old woman welcomed Oh Gwang-Taek. “It’s been a while. What took you so long to come back?”

They sat down at a table and ordered soju, beer, and a couple of drinking snacks. While Oh Gwang-Taek was making a bomb shot, the old woman urgently brought over a few side dishes for them.

“I’ve been going to this store since I was a kid,” Oh Gwang-Taek confessed even though Kang Chan didn’t ask. Oh Gwang-Taek then said, “Let’s drink.”

The two of them emptied their cups in one gulp.

“Here.” Oh Gwang-Taek handed over the second cup to Kang Chan.

“This is our first time drinking alcohol together, you son of a bitch,” Oh Gwang-Taek commented.

What’s he saying?

He was clearly joking, so Kang Chan just smiled softly. He immediately frowned right after, though, because the injury on his left arm was throbbing. Yoo Hyun-Woo didn’t say much, but he did tell Kang Chan not to drink alcohol.

Tsk!

Wanting to rest for just a day, he continued to drink anyway.

The look in Gérard’s eyes, Lanok’s expression as he asked Kang Chan to look after Anne, and the word ‘death’ stamped in red on his old picture was putting him on edge.

It hadn’t even been twenty minutes, but they had already emptied two bottles of soju and four bottles of beer.

“You can hold your alcohol, huh?” Oh Gwang-Taek commented.

“Just order more alcohol.”

Oh Gwang-Taek brought over soju and beer himself with an expression that seemed to say that he knew Kang Chan would act like this.

“I’m going to change everything I own into cash as you suggested. Take responsibility for my wife and daughter if I get stabbed with a knife after doing this,” Oh Gwang-Taek said.

While Kang Chan might not be destined to have any of his own, he now had two daughters to protect.

As he was wordlessly drinking alcohol…

“Why are you drinking alcohol on an empty stomach? Here! Eat some of this. Are you eating these days?” Oh Gwang-Taek asked.

“I ate. Are there kids that are causing you trouble lately?”

“Who would dare to do that?”

The old woman went back to the kitchen again. She treated Oh Gwang-Taek affectionately enough for Kang Chan to think she was actually his mother.

It seemed like Oh Gwang-Taek felt Kang Chan’s stare, because he said, “There were people that wanted her restaurant’s spot in the past. She’s being nice to me out of gratitude for helping her back then. She’s also like an aunt to me since there was a time when she fed me while I was going through a hard time…”

It seemed like Oh Gwang-Taek was getting drunk.

“Do-Seok still hasn’t regained consciousness. Looking at that fucker makes my heart so heavy. I thought that I shouldn’t let the people sincerely following me get injured like that at least. I would rather get stabbed with a knife than let that happen. Would you understand if I were to say that I can’t stand to see more of my men in that condition?” Oh Gwang-Taek asked, then clanked his cup against Kang Chan’s cup and immediately downed the alcohol.

“I want to open a way for people like Chul-Bum to live and eat properly so that they won’t become like Do-Seok in the future even when I’m no longer there. I’m going to completely get rid of everything that I have, so make sure to really look into what I asked for.”

“Wouldn’t it become dangerous if an organization disappears?” Kang Chan asked.

“That’s why I’m asking you to look after my wife and daughter when the other gangsters start attacking me.”

Drunk, Oh Gwang-Taek’s eyes glinted. “Unlike the other fucking gangsters, I earned money through my business. That’s why I can confidently talk big in Gangnam at this age. The only thing that I’ve learned is to steal, which is why I’ve been leading a rough life in clubs, hotels, or casinos, but it’s hard to have a long life in this field since it’s extremely brutal.”

Kang Chan only listened.

1. This is the same military academy that was mentioned in book 4 (Sam-Gun Military Academy) but we’re just writing it as ‘military academy’ as the raws said Military Academy 3 (3사관학교) ☜

2. In Korean culture, the younger generation is supposed to bow their head as a sign of respect toward the older generation when greeting them and saying goodbye. Kang Chan didn’t bow his head because he isn’t a gangster ☜

3. Honam is a region in South Korea and can refer to multiple provinces, namely Gwangju, South Jeolla and North Jeolla ☜

4. Gyeongsang province is one of the eight provinces in South Korea and is located in the southeast part of the country ☜

5. Oh Gwang-Taek isn’t actually referring to his aunt here. In Korean culture, people could call others that aren’t actually their family members using family terms as a sign of a close relationship or as a formality. ‘Aunt’ is commonly used by customers to refer to female restaurant owners. Other family terms such as uncle, mother, father, sister (unnie), brother (hyung, hyung-nim) etc. could also be used ☜

6. The Korean word for this is 포장마차 (Pojang machua), which is a small tented restaurant on wheels or street stalls. It sells a variety of dishes and drinks, and people go there to eat and drink alcohol like soju. It can easily be found downtown or on small streets ☜