6.Recruit Some People From Yanbain

The night was deep, and there were few cars left on the road. Lee Tae and Ding Qing stood by the curb, waiting for a ride. "Damn it, we need to get ourselves a smuggled car tomorrow." Being a port city, smuggling cars was easy, and among the luxury cars on the streets, nine out of ten were smuggled. South Korea was a nation marked by both an inferiority complex and arrogance, deeply ingrained with a sense of national pride. Anything domestically produced came with a hefty price tag, and the local people ate it up. Even in the gang world, most of the bosses drove cars produced by South Korea's domestic automakers. But the Bukdaemun faction was different. The members, including Lee Tae and Ding Qing, were mostly Chinese-Koreans, which was why Chief Kang put Lee Tae in charge after Lee Ja-sung's death. Without that background, it wouldn't have been so easy for Lee Tae to integrate into Bukdaemun.

Since they were Chinese-Koreans, they didn't care about buying local products like the South Koreans did—they bought whatever they liked.

"Let's get a couple of Benzes!" Ding Qing had already made up his mind, raising two fingers. "The Japanese love that brand, and it'll make business negotiations easier."

For once, Lee Tae nodded in approval. "Not a bad idea, kid."

"Hey, cut it out, little bro," Ding Qing fumed. "I'm the big brother here, got it? Where would you be without me?"

"Whatever." The guy's overly sentimental tone made Lee Tae step away from him. He might be in the gangster world, but he wasn't about to let his orientation get twisted.

"Hey," after a brief pause, Lee Tae said, "I'm going to head up to the border in a few days and recruit some of the old tough guys."

Yanbian, on the border of North Korea, China, and Russia, was home to many ethnic Koreans. The region was a hotbed of underground activity, with plenty of tough, ruthless men living off the land and water. Recruiting those men as enforcers would be ideal. As for the South Koreans, it wasn't that Lee Tae looked down on them, but they just didn't compare. When it came to fighting, his own people were much more reliable.

"Brother, are you planning a war or something?" Ding Qing's eyes widened. The men from Yanbian were infamous for their brutal efficiency. They were often hired as hitmen to take care of tough targets, then sent back across the border when the job was done. Recruiting those kinds of people would indeed shake things up.

"If you're going to be in this world, you need to live in style," Lee Tae had a plan. Based on the timeline of the movie, Chief Kang would only contact him after he went to Seoul. For now, the Tiger faction, Empire faction, and Bukdaemun were still fighting among themselves, and far from forming any alliances. This period was perfect for building up his own power. Unlike Lee Ja-sung, who was content to be a pawn, Lee Tae intended to be the one moving the pieces. And if things didn't go his way, he was ready to flip the board.

Ding Qing looked at his little brother as if seeing him for the first time, a gleam of admiration in his eyes. "Alright, your big brother will focus on making money. I'll make sure you have enough cash to raise an army."

He pounded his chest. "Whatever you need—money, men—you'll have it. We'll live large, eating the best and living in style."

"Get in the car," Lee Tae said, shoving Ding Qing into a taxi. "Go home and get some rest."

"Hey!" Ding Qing leaned out of the window, waving. "See you tomorrow, skinny guy!"

Shaking his head, Lee Tae watched the taxi drive off. What a character, he thought.

After waiting a few more minutes, another taxi pulled up. Lee Tae got in and instructed the driver to head to the arcade. Ding Qing's operations only consisted of two mahjong parlors and three restaurants, and the income from these was minimal. The arcade, which they had taken over today, was now their biggest source of revenue. With the future of their gang expansion on the line, it was important for Lee Tae to stay proactive.

He told the taxi driver to wait outside and walked into the arcade. It was already midnight, and the number of players had halved. Inside the manager's office, Zhang Qian and a few of the gang members were playing cards. When they saw Lee Tae enter, they quickly stood up and bowed. "Boss."

Respect felt a lot better when directed at others, rather than oneself.

"How's everything?" Lee Tae asked.

"Everything's peaceful, boss," Zhang Qian replied respectfully, his usual fierceness tempered in front of Lee Tae. "No one's causing trouble, and no other gangs have come to plant flags."

Lee Tae nodded. The Empire faction didn't have the manpower to send reinforcements immediately, and it would take them a few days at least. As for the other gangs, the only ones worth worrying about in Yeosu were the Bukdaemun and Tiger factions. As long as they kept an eye on the Tiger faction, everything would be fine.

"You'll be in charge of these three places for now," Lee Tae said, looking at Zhang Qian. The man was not only a fierce fighter, but also ruthless and efficient—perfect for this line of work. With him holding things down, nothing would go wrong.

"Understood, boss."

"I'll stay here from now on." Zhang Qian, with no family and nothing but the clothes on his back, was the perfect person to stay and guard the arcade. The place had food, drinks, and a place to sleep. It was a perfect arrangement.

"Boss." A deep voice came from behind, accompanied by the sound of heavy footsteps. Turning around, Lee Tae saw a towering figure standing like a pillar, exuding a powerful presence.

"Scalper reporting for duty, boss." The man stood firmly before him. "Loyalty!"