13.The Three Gangs Gather

The night deepened as the restaurant's lights spilled onto the street. Lee Tae entered, with Huang Niu trailing behind. Inside, Ding Qing was already seated, spooning soup into his mouth.

"Oh, man, come try this fresh seaweed soup," he said. "Perfect for sobering up and easing your troubles." Ding Qing indeed had some woes—he had boldly promised to pick up a girl at the bar, but ended up empty-handed, without even a shred of success.

The restaurant was empty except for them. Ding Qing smirked. "Why? Thinking about hitting on the receptionist?"

"I sent her home," Lee Tae said curtly, sitting across from him. "You think I'm like you, pestering every girl you see?"

"I'm just providing emotional support," Ding Qing quipped, belching contentedly before snapping his fingers. "Let's have a smoke."

The warm soup had helped them clear their heads, and after a few puffs of their cigarettes, Ding Qing finally asked, "So, what's your plan, man? Did you call the boss?"

Hierarchy was a big deal in South Korea, and typically, neither Ding Qing nor Lee Tae should have direct contact with the head of the Bukda Gang. But the boss also had the surname Ding and, as a Chinese expatriate, shared some distant connections with Ding Qing, allowing him more freedom to get in touch. The Bukda Gang was a national organization in Korea, with most of its key members being overseas Chinese. Without that identity, it was tough to get close to the upper ranks. Thanks to the system-generated overseas Chinese identity, Lee Tae was able to step into his role as an undercover agent.

"It's too late. The old man must be asleep," Ding Qing said. "And I don't think this is about that incident from before."

"I agree," said Lee Tae. The Jaehyung Gang was also a national organization, and Seok Dong-chul, the head of Jaehyung, wouldn't show up just because of some minor issue. The market in Yeosu wasn't that big, mainly acting as a transit hub for goods.

Ding Qing seemed to think the same, frowning in thought. "Could it be about the port?"

"Possibly." Lee Tae drummed his fingers on the table, producing a rhythmic, crisp sound. "If it was just about a piece of territory in Yeosu, there's no way he'd show up in person."

Yeosu was a city with about 300,000 residents, not primarily industrial, so the revenue from controlling its territory wasn't significant. When considering all factors, the port was the most logical reason.

Ding Qing's expression darkened. "If the Jaehyung Gang brings in a lot of people, we won't be able to hold them off with the manpower we have here."

Lee Tae's thoughts ran deeper. In the movie New World, the Jaehyung Gang, Empire Gang, and Bukda Gang eventually merged to form the Geumgang Group. But right now, these three factions were still at odds. What would bring them together?

"Hey, don't zone out," Ding Qing waved a hand in front of his face, but before he could say more, his phone rang. "It's the boss." He stood up, answering the call, "Yes, boss… Understood… Got it." After hanging up, he frowned even more deeply. "The boss is coming too."

Lee Tae's expression shifted. Something significant was about to happen. "Any news about the Empire Gang?" he asked urgently.

"Those old-timers? Didn't we already drive them out?" Ding Qing said dismissively. "What are you even asking?"

"Just answer the question," said Lee Tae, a bit irritated. "Did you even graduate elementary school?"

"Damn it, I'm a middle school graduate!" Ding Qing snapped back.

"Fine, Mr. Scholar," Lee Tae retorted, his mind racing. If Seok Dong-chul of the Jaehyung Gang and Mr. Ding of the Bukda Gang were both coming, and if Zhang Shouji from the Empire Gang was also making an appearance, then it was clear. Damn, was the Geumgang Group about to form this quickly? It didn't make sense. Lee Tae glanced at Ding Qing across the table. Could it be that this guy only started to rise after joining the Geumgang Group, rather than during his time in the Bukda Gang?

"What's with that look?" Ding Qing teased, "I like women, not men."

Gross, thought Lee Tae. Aren't you the one who's always questionable?

"No news on the Empire Gang," Ding Qing said, yawning. "Hey, I'm telling you, that gang doesn't matter at all."

"Anyway, the boss will be here tomorrow. We'll see then."

"Alright, let's leave it at that," said Lee Tae as he lazily got up.

"Hey, how about a hotel room?" Ding Qing's eyes lit up with a sly grin. "A batch of Russian beauties just arrived. Amazing, right?"

"No thanks," Lee Tae waved him off. He'd already had his fun earlier and wasn't interested in more. "I'm going to pick up Yarin."

Ding Qing was stunned, then his face lit up with envy. "Damn, you're really going through with that steamy affair with the lady doctor? Does she have a sister? An aunt would do too."

"Shut it," said Lee Tae, giving him a look filled with a mix of pity and disdain. "You'd better just pay for it."

"Pay for it?" Ding Qing's eyelid twitched, then he realized what was said and jumped up in anger. "You brat, how can you say that to your big brother? That's just rude."

"What's the point of being handsome? Can you eat it?" he continued, sulking.

"Of course," Lee Tae replied swiftly, waving as he walked out. "Being handsome can absolutely feed you."

"That brat," Ding Qing grumbled, almost losing his mind. Was he blind when he took this guy in? This little brother didn't act like a little brother at all, constantly driving him crazy. And the worst part was, there were no other underlings around for him to vent his frustrations on. With a long sigh, Ding Qing muttered to himself, "Fine, I'll just have to call over a few more Russian beauties to release some steam, or I'll end up with internal injuries."