9.Making Money

In the manager's office of the arcade, Lee Tae listened silently as the younger members eagerly discussed their ideas. Being locals, they naturally had a better understanding of the situation. After listening for a while, Lee Tae began to grasp the reality of things. In South Korea, aside from working dead-end jobs, joining a gang seemed to be a legitimate career option for young people.

After calculating the costs, Lee Tae said, "Let's recruit 30 people." Most gangs in Yeosu only had a few dozen members, so with 30 recruits, they would certainly become a significant force in the area. The younger members were instantly excited, responding enthusiastically, "Yes, boss!"

"Who knows about smuggling speedboats?" Lee Tae asked, turning to the group. These young men, faces flushed with excitement, were eager to rise in the ranks. Ambition was good, and they all dreamed of living the high life. They were thrilled—yesterday, their boss had led them to take over Empire's territory, and now he was looking to get involved in smuggling speedboats? That business was a goldmine. Once the channels were opened, they could be making huge profits. While none of them had direct experience, many had friends or relatives who were involved, and they quickly explained what they knew. However, they weren't sure how to establish connections with the Japanese side.

Lee Tae remained expressionless. No wonder Ding Qing hadn't ventured into this business before—just modifying a speedboat would cost tens of millions of won. It all came down to money. After dismissing the younger members, he thought for a moment before instructing Huang Niu, "Go rent a speedboat."

"Hey, skinny guy, catch this," Ding Qing suddenly appeared, tossing a Zippo lighter in an arc toward Lee Tae. "Brand name! You can trust it."

"It'll never fail to light," Ding Qing added with a smirk. Weighing the lighter in his hand, Lee Tae slipped it into his suit pocket without changing his expression. This guy—already giving out fake goods before even heading to Shanghai.

"Looks cool, right?" Ding Qing teased, pulling out another Zippo from his own pocket. "Brothers united, we can conquer anything."

"How's the business going?" asked Lee Tae.

"I made a connection with a fellow from back home," Ding Qing said casually. "We'll send our clothes over there, and they'll handle the rest."

It was the year 2000, and the South Korean government had been exporting its culture through movies and TV dramas. The clothes worn by Korean stars became the latest trend, and Korean-style fashion was in high demand on the mainland. Unlike Lee Tae, who had physically crossed into this world, Ding Qing had family ties in China. Now that he had money and manpower, he was capitalizing on those connections.

For Ding Qing, this kind of business was easy. If it were left to Lee Tae, he could still make it work, but it would take much longer—finding contacts, hiring people, and setting up distribution channels. It would be a headache. In that moment, Lee Tae realized why, in New World, after the three factions merged to form the Geumgang Group, Ding Qing was put in charge of running the legitimate businesses. It wasn't just his business acumen; his connections in China were a key factor.

Ding Qing handed out cigarettes to the three of them before asking, "So, what's the topic of discussion?"

After sending Zhang Qian and Huang Niu out of the room, Lee Tae recapped the conversation they had just had. Since Ding Qing was a key figure in the organization, there was no point in hiding things from him. Moreover, Lee Tae didn't intend to keep the speedboat smuggling operation a secret. In New World, Ding Qing and Lee Ja-sung were a perfect team—one provided the money, the other handled the muscle. Together, they rose to power in the Geumgang Group. The movie had already given the solution, so there was no need to change it.

"Wow, bro, your ambition is huge," Ding Qing said, his eyes lighting up as he looked Lee Tae up and down. "Tell me, what kind of miracle pill did you take?"

"You didn't care when I told you to grab some territory before. Now you're suddenly filled with ambition?"

Despite his carefree attitude, Ding Qing was a sharp man. Had it not been for his untimely death in the elevator brawl in New World, he would have eventually controlled the Geumgang Group.

"You're annoying," Lee Tae said impatiently. "I've figured it out, alright?"

"Damn," Ding Qing muttered, clearly not pleased. "Bro, I'm the boss here, right? Can't you at least give me a little face?"

"A boss who doesn't act like a boss, and a lackey who doesn't act like a lackey," Ding Qing joked, before grinning again. "Smuggling speedboats? No problem. I can connect with the Fujian gang in Japan."

In Japan, the Yakuza, especially the Yamaguchi-gumi, were dominant, but the Chinese weren't pushovers either. The Fujian gang in Kabukicho had taught the Yakuza some harsh lessons, forcing them to submit.

Lee Tae nodded to himself. Ding Qing was indeed valuable. Although he had little to show for it at the moment, given the right opportunity, he could rise to the top quickly.

"Bro, how do we get the boat?" Ding Qing grinned mischievously. "Fishing boats? We can deliver meals to the coast guard!"

This guy never took anything seriously. Sure, a fishing boat could cross the 200 kilometers to Fukuoka, but with its slow speed, the coast guard would catch up before long.

Lee Tae gave him a cold stare, causing Ding Qing to laugh awkwardly. "Speedboats, idiot."

"Ohhh," Ding Qing exclaimed with a laugh. "If I had that kind of money, I'd double our business."

Modifying a speedboat cost tens of millions of won. Adding in the risks of losses and sinking, it wasn't something just anyone could afford. If it weren't for the fact that Lee Tae had aggressively taken over three arcades, Ding Qing would have had to wait years before he could rise to power.