Hoshi's POV
"Delivery for you, sir!"
I'm currently standing in front of the gate of one of Don Bumzu's large bases here in Jeju. After what happened with Bubwit, Cheol sent me here to Jeju.
But of course, it's not because he doesn't want me around anymore. Though, that could be the case too, but no! I'm here because I have a mission.
And my mission is to disguise myself as a delivery boy. Wews.
"What's that?" the guard asked me.
"I don't know what's inside, sir, but it's addressed to this place," I answered.
Which was technically true. The package really was addressed here. I just stole the job from the actual delivery guy so I could get inside this place.
He inspected the package first before finally letting me in. He also made sure I was cleared to enter. Damn, they were strict.
Actually, before reaching this gate, I had already passed through one huge gate. There was a whole process you had to go through before you could even get inside.
I had to show every piece of proof that I was really a delivery boy—from my ID to my company ID. Thank goodness I have a friend like Wonu. That guy is seriously good at forging documents.
The second gate had a similar process, but it wasn't as strict as the first one. They just inspected me to make sure I wasn't carrying any weapons or anything suspicious.
The area between the two gates was also heavily guarded. I even noticed some guards hidden in certain spots. They were probably hitters. Usually, the guards who stayed hidden were either snipers or hitters, ready to launch surprise attacks on their enemies.
"Alright, you can go in now."
After inspecting me, he finally let me through. He also gave me directions on where to deliver the package.
As soon as I entered the inner gate, I was greeted by a wideopen space with a huge mansion standing right in the middle.
I walked along the pathway leading directly to the main house. On both sides of the pathway were different areas. On the right side, when facing the mansion, was what I assumed to be the parking area. There were a lot of vehicles parked there, after all.
On the left side was a pavilion surrounded by a maze of plants that reached about knee height.
The mansion was huge, but not as big as we had expected. From what I knew, this was supposed to be one of Don Bumzu's major bases here in Jeju.
My mission was to figure out the ins and outs of this base. The problem was, I had no idea how I was going to get inside the mansion without them noticing.
I needed to find a loophole, figure out how I could get inside without being detected. Their gates were high-tech and equipped with facial recognition. The system would send the information to the security personnel inside, identifying everyone who entered and left the premises.
I continued walking toward the receiving area outside the mansion to drop off the package I was carrying.
This was a legitimate package, so I wasn't worried about getting caught. I really just got lucky with this whole delivery thing.
After the process was finished, I would have to leave the place. I had no business being there anymore, so I needed to go.
But of course, I wasn't about to settle for learning only this much about the place. I tried to observe my surroundings as I walked back toward the inner gate.
The only thing I noticed was the sheer number of guards around the area. Some were patrolling, while others remained stationed at their designated posts.
"Boss, I really need to pee. Can I use the restroom?"
I didn't actually need to pee. It was just an excuse to buy myself a little more time.
"Alright, follow me."
One of the guards agreed and motioned for me to follow him.
As we walked, I took the opportunity to observe him. Almost all of the guards wore the same uniform, and even the weapons they carried were identical. Everything about their gear was standardized.
We eventually reached a somewhat secluded area toward the back of the place. He pointed me toward a small restroom.
I simply thanked him and went inside.
Once I was inside, I pulled out the tiny device I had managed to sneak in. It was so small that it wouldn't be detected. It was a robot-style surveillance camera designed to look like an ordinary flying bug.
Actually, it came from Ji, which Cheol had given me specifically for this mission.
I released it through the small window and controlled it toward a branch of a nearby tree. It was far too small for the human eye to easily notice, so I was confident it wouldn't be spotted right away.
Once I had positioned my little fly, I walked out of the restroom and finally left the base.
The camera was connected to my extra phone and to Ji's device, so anything my little fly captured would be recorded and saved on both my extra phone and Ji's. That way, if we ever got caught, we'd already have a secured backup copy.
Riiing~
"Boss, infiltration successful. Expect my report as soon as possible."
"That's good, Tiger. Very good."
After the call, I went back to flying my little bug around the mansion, hoping it would catch something interesting.
At least I'd have some juicy gossip to tell them later.
_____________________________________________________________________
Cheol's POV
"Yey! I win again!" Dino happily cheered, doing a little happy dance. It's not that I'm bad at this. I just let him win. Pout. But he's already won seven times in a row.
I think it's time.
Smirk.
The two of us were in the game room, playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. He had asked me to play with him, and since Jun and Wonu were both busy with the mission I had assigned them, I was the one he ended up pestering.
I had a mountain of paperwork waiting for me, but none of it was that urgent, so why not? Of course, I couldn't say no to him either.
Another bonding time with my babiie.
"Dadda, let's play again!" he said excitedly, flashing me the biggest smile.
I've noticed that Dino is actually really good at speaking English, but he still struggles with Tagalog. Our subscription to Coco Marvin was definitely worth it. I think it's time we subscribe to Going Bulinggit too so he can master his Tagalog.
We played again, but this time, I won.
The first time he played this game, Wonu was his opponent. That guy was way too competitive and went all out, which made Dino cry. And when Dino starts crying, he's incredibly hard to calm down.
So we learned our lesson. We have to let Dino win first so he doesn't throw a tantrum.
"Sad I lose, Dadda," he said with a pout. His lower lip was practically dragging on the floor.
"Dadda, again, please."
I could see how determined he was to win again.
That's the right attitude, son. Keep fighting. Never give up.
I caught sight of Wonu and Gyu entering the game room. Looks like his search had been successful.
I had complete trust in all of them and knew they would carry out their missions properly. I also knew that they would never betray me.
We might not be related by blood, but we treated each other like real brothers. Still, the respect and awareness that I was their boss never disappeared.
"Boss, my mission is done. I found him," he reported to me.
"Good," I said, giving him a pat on the shoulder.
"Dadda, let's play again," Dino said to me.
"Sorry, son, we can't anymore. Dadda has work to do again," I explained to him. "But if you still want to play, Kuya Gyu can play with you instead." I gestured toward Gyu.
Gyu nodded at me and sat down beside Dino. I handed him the console I was holding.
"Okay, Dadda. Let's play, Kuya Gyu," Dino invited him.
Wonu and I left the two of them there and headed to my office so we could discuss the matter privately.
*In Cheol's office
I sat down in my swivel chair while Wonu took the seat across from me.
It wasn't like his mission was top secret or anything that required us to discuss it inside my office. I just didn't want Dino to hear us. I didn't want his perception of the person who saved him to change.
"I ran a background check on him, Boss, and this is what I found out," he said seriously as he handed me a folder.
The folder contained photos and documents about his identity.
"Boss, I found out that his name is Yoon Jeonghan. He's 23 years old. I couldn't find any information about his parents or where they live. He's an orphan, and he was adopted by the owner of the club. They were the ones who raised him from a young age."
He spoke while I looked through the pictures he had gathered.
A few photos caught my attention. Jeonghan was with different men in them, mostly wearing a white mask whenever he was with them.
He looked wealthy, and definitely not like someone ordinary.
Even before Wonu told me anything, I already had a pretty good idea of what kind of work he was involved in.
"He's a prostitute, Boss. But his customers are VIPs only. Politicians, high-class people, and often mafia heads."
I simply nodded. I wasn't judgmental toward people who chose this kind of work. I knew how difficult life could be, so I couldn't blame them.
"But he's not on duty every day. He only works on weekends, along with his three other coworkers. From what I observed, I never saw him leave the club when closing time came. And during my investigation, I found out that they actually live on the club's premises. To be exact, they live in the house behind the club."
Well, at least he had a job and they were provided with a place to live. It seemed like the owner treated them well. He appeared to be in decent condition.
But not everything that looks white is truly pure white.
I have a bad feeling about this. There's something he's hiding.
"Did you find out anything else?" I asked, sounding a little bored. This was just ordinary information. I needed something more…
"That's all I found out about him. But I had a bad feeling about the club, so I also ran a background check on the owners and investigated the club's operations."
Looks like Wonu and I were thinking the same thing.
Interesting.
Smirk.
"And it was bad. So bad."
I leaned forward over my desk, resting my elbows on the table as I intertwined my fingers.
I looked at him with interest.
"So, what did you find out?"
He straightened up in his seat as well.
I laughed to myself.
There's something satisfying about digging into someone else's dirty secrets. It's honestly interesting.
Let's unmask these shitters.
"Son Yejin, or 'Mommy' as they call her, and Lee Byunghun, or 'Daddy.' They're the ones who built and own The Luxe Den Club. If you look at the club's operations from the outside, everything seems fine. But deep down, it's not.
"Most of the employees apply willingly and are prepared to work as prostitutes. These are the employees who entertain ordinary customers, regulars, walk-ins, and the dancers who perform on stage. But—"
"Wait, willingly? You mean there are employees who aren't willing?" I frowned. "Elaborate," I told him, wanting him to explain further.
"Yes. There are some who aren't willing. I found out that Son Yejin and Lee Byunghun go to different orphanages in Seoul and even outside the city. They adopt orphaned omega children who have no relatives looking for them. The children they adopt are then distributed to different locations where the club has bases. And at such a young age, they force them into prostitution."
I slammed my hand against the table.
"CHILDREN?! FUCKING HELL. THESE FUCKERS ARE CHILD TRAFFICKERS."
Just thinking about what those children must have gone through at their hands made my blood boil. I have a child of my own, so I've always had a soft spot for kids like Dino.
What Wonu had said earlier about Yoon Jeonghan suddenly sank in.
"Does that mean Jeonghan is also a victim of child trafficking?"
"You hit the nail on the head, Boss," Wonu answered.
"Anything else?"
He continued with his report.
_____________________________________________________________________
Third Person POV
After learning everything Wonu had uncovered about Hannie, Cheol found it difficult to decide what he should do next. The club still owed him a debt, after all. Their payment had been delayed for several months, and when they finally paid, the amount was still incomplete.
"Boss, what's the plan?" Wonu asked him.
He didn't answer right away. Even he didn't know what he should do.
"Are you sure about the information you gathered?" Cheol asked, seeking confirmation.
He still couldn't believe that behind Hannie's beautiful face was something so dark. He had guessed that Hannie might be found at the club, but he never expected his actual job or the kind of person he really was.
"Of course I'm sure, Boss. I'm 100% certain. When have I ever given you information that wasn't accurate? I always tell you right away whenever I'm not sure about something!" Wonu replied with a long, slightly sassy answer.
Cheol was one of the familiar faces at The Luxe Den Club. They often came here whenever they had some free time away from their dark line of work.
Because he frequented the club, its dirty dealings were no secret to him or his group. In fact, that was how the club ended up owing Cheol money in the first place.
The club's activities were nothing new to him, but that didn't mean he supported what they were doing. What he never expected, however, was that the club's operations were actually this horrifying.
He had never interfered with the club's affairs before because they had never done anything to wrong him. But now, it seemed like that had changed.
Aside from the debt they still hadn't paid, they were also keeping the very person his son had been looking for.
And whatever would make his son happy, he would give him.
"One more thing, Boss. It looks like Don Bumzu might also be a backer of the club. I'm not completely sure about this information, but it wouldn't be surprising. The club is huge, so it's strange that the police haven't looked into it yet—unless they have someone backing them. Or maybe they only made that connection recently."
After Wonu said that, an idea immediately came to Cheol.
This will be a win-win situation.
He could get what he wanted while the police could finally carry out a major operation against the club.
The police had been keeping an eye on the place for quite some time. One reason was because Cheol was often seen around there. Another was the rumors circulating that the club was also involved in selling illegal drugs.
"Fuck, I didn't know that bald bastard had already made his way into my territory. Fine, here's the plan…"
After thinking about it for a long time, Cheol finally told Wonu the plan he had come up with.
After their conversation, he called Gyu and instructed him to meet someone he believed could help them—at the very club they had been talking about.
When Gyu returned to his office, Cheol immediately laid out the plan to him.
Dino had been left with his babysitter when his father called Gyu away. The little boy didn't really have much of a choice since his playmate had to work, so he ended up spending his time pestering his babysitter instead.
"Be careful. Make sure no one recognizes you," he reminded his secretary.
"Boss, are you sure he's the one you want to use to get the person you're looking for?" Gyu asked him.
"Yes. We can't be the ones to make the first move. It would be easy if we acted ourselves, but if it's true that Bumzu is one of the club's backers, he'll quickly figure out that we're behind it if we make the move ourselves," Cheol explained at length.
"And besides, this is also an opportunity for us to get on the police's good side. Just because we work in a dirty world doesn't mean everything, we do is bad. See? It's a win-win situation!" he added, further explaining his plan.
Gyu simply nodded along as he listened to Cheol's lengthy explanation.
Cheol then started typing on his phone, personally sending a message to a police officer so he could arrange a meeting with him
It didn't take long before night fell. Gyu was already inside the club, keeping himself hidden among the crowd so the enemies wouldn't spot him too easily.
As the club lights shifted from one color to another, Vernon arrived—a police officer known for his dedication to his job. His presence at the club seemed unexpected, and when Gyu finally got the chance, he approached him.
Vernon took a seat at one corner of the club, sitting in front of the bartender. When Gyu approached him, he remained standing by the bar, casually looking around the place.
"Vernon," Gyu called out to the police officer as he approached.
"I'm glad you were able to make time for us. I'm sure you already know that my Boss was the one who sent you the message. There are a few things he wants to tell you."
Vernon was surprised when Gyu approached him. He hadn't expected the Mafia leader's right-hand man himself to be sent just to deliver a message.
Gyu's reputation as the right-hand man of the Mafia boss was no joke either. But despite his surprise, Vernon decided to hear him out.
"Of course. What does your boss want?" he asked.
Cheol's group was also one of the organizations Vernon had been investigating. He wanted to put an end to all the people who acted like they ruled Seoul.
But that wasn't an easy task, especially when it came to a large organization like Cheol's. They weren't an easy group to take down. That was why some people simply preferred to work with him instead.
Once they were standing beside each other, Gyu started with a few small pieces of information.
"You already know that we're not exactly the type of people who show much concern over simple matters or interfere with police business," Gyu began.
The officer simply nodded and acted as though he was listening.
"But someone gave us information that the club has become a center for illegal activities—dealings that aren't good for anyone."
Upon hearing this, Vernon looked around to make sure no one was listening or paying attention to them.
To be extra cautious, he pulled Gyu toward a quieter part of the club where they could talk privately.
"Are you serious? What's going on here that I need to know about?" he asked once he was sure they were safe to talk.
"Yes. Would my Boss send me here if we were just messing around? We don't want to make enemies out of the police," Gyu answered.
"There are businesses being run here that aren't exactly legitimate. There are deals involving illegal substances and other illegal activities, such as illegal prostitution. My Boss wanted this information passed on to you so that you and the police can take action."
Vernon could tell from Gyu's expression that he was serious, and he could also sense just how grave the situation was.
Still, he couldn't help but wonder why a Mafia leader would willingly give this kind of information to the police.
"But why did he choose to give this information to me? Your Boss knows how much I dislike the kind of person he is," Vernon said, voicing his thoughts.
Gyu didn't answer him right away. He simply let Vernon continue asking questions because, truthfully, he didn't know what was going on in his Boss's mind either.
The only thing he knew was that his Boss wanted his son to see the person who had saved him again. As luck would have it, that person happened to be at this very club—and wasn't exactly in a good situation.
"It's not like he doesn't know that I'm investigating him either, so there's no way he'd give me this favor without expecting something in return," Vernon added.
Gyu smirked at Vernon's question. He really was sharp and quick to pick up on the situation. Just as people said, this guy really was a good police officer.
That was why, despite his young age, he had already become the chief of their station. It wasn't simply because he had connections, either. He had proven that he was deserving of the position he held.
"I don't need to explain my Boss's motives any further. All he wants is to make sure this place gets shut down, even if it's part of our world. This information is for everyone's benefit," Gyu said in a lengthy explanation, which was obviously not something Vernon was buying.
"Just because our line of work is dirty doesn't mean we don't care about society. I'll say it again: whatever my Boss's motives are, I don't need to explain them to you. What matters is that you've gotten information about this club. Haven't you been keeping an eye on this place for a long time anyway? There! Congratulations, you finally made some progress!"
Gyu continued with another long explanation.
Vernon simply looked at him and remained silent.
In the following minutes, Gyu handed Vernon an envelope. It contained not only money as a tip, but also details about the club's illegal operations.
"This is my Boss's way of showing his support for your work. He simply wants to make it clear that the club needs to go down as soon as possible."
Vernon looked through the contents of the envelope. Inside, he found detailed information, along with several pictures.
He began thinking about what steps he would need to take next.
"Thank you for this information, Kim Mingyu. I'll make sure it's used properly, and we'll take the necessary steps to correct the situation."
Gyu raised an eyebrow at Vernon's response.
"We? We're not going to interfere with whatever action you decide to take. We're only here to give you the information."
Vernon thought about Gyu's response.
Could this be Seungcheol's real motive? To become an ally of the police? he wondered to himself.
He shook his head at the thought and smiled.
"Dad was probably right. If you can't beat them, then just join forces with them. That way, you can help more people."
Vernon's meaningful response made Gyu smile as well. They shook hands, silently reaching an understanding.
Once their conversation was over, Gyu carefully made his way out of the club.
He carried with him the news he would bring back to his Boss—that his meeting with Vernon had gone smoothly.
_____________________________________________________________________
Side Story
Somewhere
As soon as I walked in, my eyes immediately went to Duri. I saw him drinking water. I had noticed earlier that he was thirsty, so I lifted the plant and poured some water into the tray underneath.
My mood instantly improved because he looked so cute just drinking there.
But then I suddenly thought about the person who had given him to me.
I sat in front of Duri and started talking to him.
"Duri, why is your owner like that? He's such a mood killer." Rolls eyes.
Whether he was on a mission or not, it was always the same. He was still a nuisance to me.
I thought again about what he had said during the call.
"I'm still blocked by him until now. I miss him so much."
Ugh, seriously. That guy really had nothing better to do with his life. Now he wanted to mess with mine too.
I suddenly looked at Duri, who was now smiling at me.
Smiles.
"Fine. Just because you're cute and you make me happy every day, I'll forgive the person who gave you to me."
I took my phone out of the pocket of my shorts and searched through my blocked list for his name.
When I found it, I just stared at my phone, thinking about whether I was really doing the right thing.
Maybe I'm just acting on impulse.
"I don't know if this is really the right thing to do anymore. Whatever. I can always block him again anyway," I told myself, trying to convince myself.
—Are you sure you want to unblock Cricket? Yes.
"Am I really doing the right thing, Duri?" I asked him.
Sigh.
I put my phone on silent for now so I could focus on my work. I'd been way too distracted these past few days, and my deadline was already approaching, yet I was still only at the testing stage.
I put my phone inside the drawer. It's not like I was expecting any important calls or messages anyway.
_______
POV of the phone inside the drawer HAHAHAHA just kidding.
The screen of Ji's phone lit up, and a notification flashed across it, indicating that someone had sent him a message.
From: Cricket
"Ji labs, I'll come home early so you won't miss me anymore."