Kobe Port.
Once, it had been called the gateway to Japan — a harbor that commanded imnse influence.
Even now, it still boasted one of the highest cargo volus in the world. But compared to its forr glory, its dominance had undeniably waned.
It was also where the Yamaguchi-gumi had begun.
Because of that, no matter how much ti passed, the symbolic weight of Kobe Port never faded.
Yamamoto, who had seized control of the Yamaguchi-gumi, had invested considerable effort into maintaining control over the port.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that everyone working at Kobe Port operated under the organization’s influence.
“It’s been a while since I ca here.”
Yamamoto muttered as he arrived at a warehouse owned by the Yamaguchi-gumi in a remote corner of the harbor.
This was one of the organization’s operational sites.
With the sea right in front of it, making a person disappear forever was hardly any trouble.
“You have arrived?”
Dozens of yakuza guarding the warehouse bowed deeply in loud unison.
Yamamoto accepted their greeting casually and asked,
“Takayama?”
“He’s inside.”
“Yeah? Open it.”
At Yamamoto’s command, the heavy iron doors, tightly shut, groaned loudly as they opened.
Unlike the shabby exterior, the inside was rather well furnished.
Takayama and several yakuza waiting inside sprang to their feet the mont they saw Yamamoto.
“You’ve arrived, President.”
Yamamoto gave a small nod and asked Takayama,
“Where’s the bitch?”
Takayama signaled with his eyes, and a yakuza dragged a woman forward.
She was not restrained in any way.
“You? The traitor?”
When Yamamoto asked, the woman stared back at him boldly.
“Yeah. It’s . Now kill that bastard.”
She pointed with her hand.
At the end of her finger was Han Hyunsoo.
He was tied to a chair, glaring this way.
“Mmph! Mmph!”
Han Hyunsoo shook his body violently, trying to speak.
But with his mouth tightly gagged, only muffled sounds escaped.
“Kill him? Why would I do that?”
“The promise was different! You said if I lured that bastard here, you’d kill him!”
Her eyes burned with venom as she shouted.
Yamamoto let out a dry laugh and warned coldly,
“Do you even know who I am? Are you staring at like that because you want to die before he does? This is Kobe Port. Even Japan’s Pri Minister wouldn’t speak to like that here. Looks like you’ve forgotten your place because you’re eager to die.”
Despite the threat, she did not back down.
“You said you’d kill him. That’s what I heard!”
“Who did? Who promised you that? Anyone here make a promise to this bitch?”
Yamamoto asked the yakuza with a crooked smile.
No one answered.
The woman bit her lip hard and said sharply,
“Kitamura said it. He said to bring Han Hyunsoo to Japan by any ans necessary. After that, they’d take care of it...”
“Kitamura? Who the hell is that?”
The unfamiliar na made Yamamoto frown.
Takayama leaned in and whispered,
“President, he’s the head of Heaven’s Church’s Japanese branch.”
“Religious freaks talking this easily about killing people? The world’s really going to hell.”
Yamamoto muttered in disbelief, then turned toward Han Hyunsoo.
Their eyes t.
Han Hyunsoo thrashed desperately, signaling he had sothing to say.
“Take the gag off. Looks like he’s got sothing to say.”
At Yamamoto’s order, the yakuza beside him removed the cloth from his mouth.
“You fucking bitch! You dare betray ?!”
The mont he was freed, Han Hyunsoo began spewing curses in Korean.
“You! How dare you do this to ? I dragged you up from the gutter! And you betray ? Do you know how well I treated you? I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!”
He shouted furiously, spitting venom.
The woman trembled instinctively. The fear of Han Hyunsoo had not left her; his raised voice alone was enough to terrify her.
“Ha. This bastard... starts with insults the second his mouth’s free.”
The yakuza didn’t understand Korean, but profanity needed no translation.
Yamamoto shook his head and told another subordinate,
“Looks like he still doesn’t know where he is. What are you doing? Planning to listen to him curse all day? Gag him again.”
As the subordinate moved to restrain him again, Han Hyunsoo suddenly blurted out,
“You’re the boss here? Spare ! I don’t know how much you’re getting paid, but I’ll give you ten tis that! No—one hundred tis! Just spare !”
Yamamoto raised his hand, stopping the subordinate.
“You’ve got that much money?”
Han Hyunsoo nodded frantically.
“I—I’m the leader of Heaven’s Church! The church alone has assets worth billions! How much? How much will it take to send back?”
“That would be a sha, wouldn’t it? All that money and you die without spending it.”
For a brief mont, greed flickered in Yamamoto’s eyes.
It would be easy to extort a fortune just for letting him live.
But this matter involved Kim Muhyuk.
He couldn’t afford to ruin things for money.
Suppressing his regret, Yamamoto said,
“Too bad. This isn’t about money.”
With that, he gestured to his n.
Han Hyunsoo’s mouth was gagged again.
Yamamoto turned to Takayama.
“Call them. Tell them it’s done.”
“...Won’t there be problems later?”
Instead ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ of obeying imdiately, Takayama questioned him.
Yamamoto’s gaze turned icy.
“Takayama. Since when do you question my orders? Hanging around Hiroyuki too much and now my words don’t an anything?”
“N-No, President. I was just worried sothing might happen to you...”
“Shut up and call. Tell them Han Hyunsoo’s already gone to see the Dragon King. Got it?”
Takayama nodded quickly, pulled out his phone, and turned slightly away.
“Where are you going? Do it here.”
“Pardon?”
“One more word of doubt and I’ll really kill you. Call in front of . Put it on speaker.”
“....”
“What? Sothing I shouldn’t hear?”
“N-No.”
Takayama hurriedly dialed.
The line connected.
— This is Hiroyuki.
“Yes. Chief Cabinet Secretary. This is Takayama.”
— ......
Silence.
“I’m reporting that the task you ordered has been handled. He should be swimming with the fish by now. You won’t see him again.”
— ......
Even after hearing that Han Hyunsoo was dead, Hiroyuki gave no response.
Used to this, Takayama continued without reaction.
“Please keep your promise. We carried out your ‘request,’ after all.”
— I told you not to contact first.
“It was important, so I took the liberty. My apologies.”
— I keep my promises. So don’t worry. Just wait. The world will change soon.
“Yes. Thank you. I’ll await your call.”
The line disconnected without farewell.
“Arrogant bastard.”
Yamamoto muttered.
“Did you really build a proper connection? He doesn’t even treat you like a person.”
“It’s always like this on the phone. In person, he’s completely different.”
Yamamoto looked at Takayama with clear dissatisfaction, then turned away.
He checked his watch.
“He should be here soon...”
He was waiting for Kim Muhyuk.
* * *
We arrived at Kobe Port.
The salty air hit my nose the mont I stepped out of the car, reminding of Busan. To , it wasn’t much different from Busan Port.
The warehouse Yamamoto had ntioned was not a place just anyone could enter.
“Where is Yamamoto?”
I asked the yakuza guarding the entrance.
“He’s inside.”
They quickly opened the door.
I entered with Manager Ma and Kim Seonggyeong.
Inside, Yamamoto and Takayama were waiting.
The mont the door opened, every gaze shifted toward .
“Yamamoto-san, I didn’t expect we’d et again so soon.”
“Haha. I feel the sa. It’s good to see you again.”
Only then did I shift my gaze to the woman standing beside him.
Yamamoto introduced her imdiately.
“She’s Han Hyunsoo’s secretary. The traitor who handed over her master.”
I didn’t recognize her.
When I t Han Hyunsoo before he beca the leader, his secretary had been a man.
Did he replace people after taking over Heaven’s Church?
But she seed to know who I was.
“What’s your na?”
“Seo Jinju.”
Seo.
Not a surna I’m fond of.
No particular reason. Just unpleasant mories.
“Alright, Seo Jinju. As soone who believed in Heaven’s Church, is it acceptable to betray your leader like this?”
“......”
“What’s your reason? I need to know before I decide what to do. I’d like to spare you. But if I let you go, word that Han Hyunsoo is alive will reach them, won’t it?”
She looked straight at without answering.
There was poison in her eyes.
She spoke slowly.
“You don’t have to spare . Just kill Han Hyunsoo with .”
I shook my head.
“You’re proposing a trade? Your life for his? The value of sothing depends on who’s judging it. Human lives are no different. I haven’t decided whether to kill or spare Han Hyunsoo yet. I have no intention of killing him in exchange for you.”
She bit her lip and glared at .
I simply smiled.
I dislike people who don’t know their place.
But soone who stakes her life and still dares to glare like that? I don’t hate that.
“Tell . Why should I kill Han Hyunsoo for you? I’ll listen and decide.”
After hesitating, she began speaking.
It was a long story.
In short, her entire family had died because of Heaven’s Church.
She herself had lived as Han Hyunsoo’s plaything.
To achieve revenge soday, she had played her role perfectly, deceiving him while pretending to obey.
Then one day, she received contact from Japan. If she brought Han Hyunsoo to Japan, they would pay her a large sum.
She didn’t want money. She demanded that Han Hyunsoo be killed.
Just like she demanded of .
I couldn’t understand.
“Who forced you to believe in Heaven’s Church?”
“......”
“It sounds like soone held a knife to your throat and made you join. Didn’t you and your family choose it yourselves? It’s unfortunate, sure. But that’s not a reason for to help you get revenge.”
If she wanted revenge, she should have taken it herself.
She had risked her life — but her resolve had been lacking.
Did she think killing soone could ever be clean?
“Fine. I’ll spare you. But you’ll have to stay here until everything’s over.”
I lost interest and turned away.
“No! No! Just kill instead!”
She lunged forward wildly but didn’t reach .
Manager Ma grabbed her easily.
“Kill him! Kill Han Hyunsoo! Kill him!”
Yamamoto spoke quietly.
“Seems she’s still afraid of Han Hyunsoo.”
I turned toward him.
When our eyes t, Han Hyunsoo — absurdly — looked almost relieved.
As Manager Ma struck Seo Jinju’s neck and knocked her unconscious, I walked over to Han Hyunsoo.
He was bound tightly with rope and tape.
A sigh escaped .
“Han Hyunsoo. Are you really this much of an idiot?”
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