25.Follow My Orders, Win The Battle.

Compared to the distant goal of smuggling gold bars, South Korea's soju, specifically "Jinro," is actually quite popular and in high demand in Japan. Bringing it across would be easy to turn around for profit. In fact, most speedboat smugglers from South Korea would carry some Jinro with them. Whether it's for selling or for smoothing over relations with local gang leaders, Jinro is always the best choice. The profit from smuggling Jinro isn't low either, but unlike gold, it doesn't have high density, which means it takes up a lot of space, so it doesn't bring in as much profit as gold.

Ding Qing clearly had a plan and went on excitedly, "Brother, I'm serious about making money here. I'll arrange the goods right away. By tomorrow at the latest, the first shipment will be ready to go. You can just wait to collect the cash."

Lee Tae actually trusted him in this regard. After all, in the movie New World, Ding Qing was capable of managing all of Geumgang Group's legitimate businesses, so he must have a talent for it.

"Good." Ding Qing blinked in surprise. What? Was he being dismissed already? Sure enough, Lee Tae scoffed, "What are you still hanging around for?"

"Damn." Ding Qing almost choked. As expected, things always went south with this kid. Standing up reluctantly, he muttered, "Fine, I'm going."

As Ding Qing hesitated, Lee Tae remarked, "Do you need a round of applause for your exit? Like you're some kind of superstar?"

"I'm out!" Ding Qing stormed out, pulling Zhang Wu aside. "You little punk, you get a kick in the butt for your rude boss." Hearing the ruckus outside, Lee Tae remained expressionless. This guy's coping mechanism was always amusing.

"Let's go to the gym," he said. As he entered, Yellow Ox and the other trainees immediately bowed, calling out, "Boss!"

"Train well. Only by enduring hardship can one rise above."

"Yes, Boss!" The trainees were all fired up, sparring with punches that landed solidly. The gym had come together in just a few days, equipped with punching bags, exercise machines, and even bunk beds for their use. This wasn't a place for pampering; as Lee Tae himself said, enduring hardship was the path to power. When he first arrived in this world, he had nothing. These guys had food, shelter, and training—a far cry from how he started.

After a brief inspection, he was satisfied but noted the numbers were too few. With this many people, they wouldn't be able to secure the port.

"We need to recruit more people." Given the port, young people in Yeosu didn't typically struggle to find work, so mass recruitment was unlikely here. They'd have to source from poorer areas.

"Boss," Yellow Ox said, scratching his head, "we might have to go into the countryside to find recruits."

"Set up a dedicated recruitment team. For every two recruits, promote one person to supervisor; for five, promote one to squad leader. Each recruit that proves useful will receive a 200,000 won bonus."

The trainees, who had gathered around, were visibly excited. The bonus was attractive, but the possibility of promotion was even more appealing. In South Korea, status and respect were closely tied to one's role. For these men, climbing the ranks often took proving themselves repeatedly. The idea of earning promotions simply through recruitment was enough to fire them up.

Seeing their excitement, Lee Tae's gaze sharpened. "When I say something, I mean it. Meet the requirements, and it's yours, no questions asked."

"Yes, Boss!" Their voices rang out in unison, filled with enthusiasm.

"Work hard!"

"Loyalty!"

As the shouts died down, he motioned for Yellow Ox to follow him outside the gym. Once outside, he asked, "Are you the one cooking now?"

"Yes, Boss."

"You're the coach. Mind your role," he chided. "Bring some older women from the countryside to handle cooking."

"I apologize, Boss. I'll make arrangements right away."

"And buy a few more vans." Currently, the gym only had one, which simply wouldn't do—it wasn't Lee Tae's style. "We need to be ready to mobilize reinforcements at a moment's notice."

In his plans, the gym wasn't just a training ground; it was a quick-response support hub. Reinforcements could tip the balance in a standoff.

"Yes, Boss. I'll organize the purchase of ten vans."

"If they aren't dead from training, push them harder. I have one requirement: follow my orders and win battles. Results are all that matter."

Yellow Ox straightened up, sensing his boss was chastising him for being too soft. He responded firmly, "I'll toughen these mutts up until they shed a layer of skin."

Only then did a faint smile cross Lee Tae's face. Leading an organization wasn't about playing nice. And Korean lives? They didn't concern him in the slightest. If there were fewer of them, the world would be quieter. And he wasn't in Korea to play by their rules; he was here to teach them some. Discipline through blood and iron was the only way to instill order. The transformation had to start with the gym, making it clear that betrayal would come at a high cost.

"Keep them well-fed," he added. "Koreans are used to kimchi, and they lack protein. Without meat, they won't have the strength for training."

"I'll source fresh fish daily from the suppliers."

"Good. Do your best."

Yellow Ox stood at attention, feet firmly planted like nails, saluting, "Loyalty!"