Code 0: Infiltrasion

May 18, 2022

"Who are you?" the guard of Kang Woo Sik's villa, the head of the online gambling syndicate stopped Jae Hoon's car as it was about to enter the main gate.

Alone in the car, Jae Hoon lowered his windshield took out a gold chip with the number 888, and threw it to the guard. "I'm here to meet with the boss. He knew I was coming." Jae Hoon said later.

The guard saw the chip that Jae Hoon threw and gave him a sharp look. "Who brought you here?" said the guard.

Jae Hoon just smiled faintly and answered with a sentence that had been agreed with the broker beforehand. "The one who always wins on the third hand," said Jae Hoon still with his faint smile.

The guard stared at Jae Hoon for a few seconds making the atmosphere tense. However, in the end, the guard signaled his colleague to open the gate. Currently, Jae Hoon is in Cambodia on a mission assigned to him. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) is investigating an illegal online gambling syndicate based in Cambodia.

The syndicate is run by South Korean mobsters who exploit their citizens as forced labor. Victims are promised high-paying jobs abroad, but when they arrive what they get does not match what was promised. They were forced to work in illegal online gambling centers and tortured if they ran away.

Therefore, Jae Hoon is posing as a new investor in the online gambling business to get close to the syndicate leader, Kang Woo Sik, a former South Korean businessman who is now a fugitive.

Jae Hoon entered the luxurious villa on the outskirts by the Mekong River cautiously and tried to figure out if the surroundings could help him. However, he also did not rule out the possibility that every trip to the villa would be his last if he made a mistake.

**

"So, it's you?" the low but alert voice alerted Jae Hoon who had been watching the villa.

The man, known to be Kang Woo Sik walked into the center of the room and sat on a sofa that had been neatly arranged accompanied by several large men who then stood guard in every corner of the room.

Jae Hoon, who remained calm, also took a step toward the sofa in front of the big boss who was now a fugitive. "Na Jae Hoon, CEO of NH Tech," he replied, mentioning the name of the fake technology company created by the agents of the Surveillance and Technology team. "I came because I believe we can benefit from each other."

Woo Sik just chuckled, then put the glass filled with whiskey on the table. "Mutual benefit, huh?" Woo Sik took a few pauses to release his light laughter. "You know, a lot of people come up with that word. But only a few get out of this place safely." Woo Sik continued intimidatingly.

However, Jae Hoon who was right in front of him was not intimidated at all. He leaned his body back slightly, as if not bothered by the trivial threat. "You think I'm just like them?" said Jae Hoon casually. "I know how your business works. Online gambling needs more than just players." Jae Hoon leaned forward slightly.

"It needs systems, security, and most importantly a way to make sure the money keeps flowing without a trace." Jae Hoon continued with a lopsided smile on his face followed by raising one side of his eyebrow.

Taking another sip of his whiskey, Woo Sik frowns, intrigued by what Jae Hoon just said. "You talk as if you know everything."

Without further delay, Jae Hoon pulls out a tablet from his bag and turns on the screen. There, he displayed a simulation of the crypto transaction system he had designed earlier, which he claimed could facilitate the money laundering of their gambling platform undetected.

"Look at this," Jae Hoon handed the tablet to Woo Sik. "With the algorithm I designed, the incoming money can instantly move to several digital wallets before finally being disbursed without leaving a trace. No country borders, no regulations can stop the flow of your funds."

Woo Sik watched the screen with interest. His hands started tapping on the table, a sign that his brain was starting to work. Then, one of the big men with a scar on his forehead stepped forward and stared at the screen with suspicion.

"How do we know this isn't a trap?" the man asked sharply.

Jae Hoon takes his breath for a moment, then smiles obliquely. "Didn't I take risks?" said Jae Hoon. "I knew I wouldn't get out of here alive if I tricked you." while glancing at Woo Sik's men at a glance and returning to their main target.

"But if we work together, I can make your business grow faster than you ever imagined," continued Jae Hoon.

Woo Sik just froze. He glanced at his men and looked back at Jae Hoon.

For a moment the atmosphere became tense as if the man weighed, between accepting Jae Hoon's offer or better finishing him on the spot.

However, with his thin smile, Woo Sik raised the glass that had been placed again.

"You're brave, Na Jae Hoon. I like that." He slightly advanced the glass he had raised towards Jae Hoon. "All right, I'll give you a chance. But remember, in this world, nothing is free. You have to prove that you can be trusted," Woo Sik said in the end.

Jae Hoon grabs a glass that one guard thrusts and lifts it. "I won't let you down," he said with a sip of the drink accompanied by his faint smile.

**

After successfully gaining Kang Woo Sik's trust, Jae Hoon begins to prepare for Woo Sik's arrest. He has prepared the NIS Team sent with him, the Cambodian police have received the coordinates, and all access to the villa is already under the supervision of his team. Now there's only one last thing left, to make sure Woo Sik and his henchmen can't escape.

Just when Jae Hoon believes it's time for the arrest operation, he casually talks to Woo Sik after the deal and quietly presses the emergency button inside his jacket pocket. The button sends a signal to his team who are already on standby waiting outside.

Within seconds, the villa's communication network was cut off. There was no phone or internet signal. And all exits were automatically locked.

Woo Sik who realized something was wrong. He turned to his henchman, who was trying to contact someone via cell phone. "Boss... we lost the signal," his henchman whispered with a panicked face.

Woo Sik looked sharply at Jae Hoon. "What are you doing?"

Jae Hoon just smiled a little. He leaned back on the sofa and placed the glass of whiskey on the table. "Me? I'm just making sure you can't run anywhere."

Suddenly, a small explosion sounded from outside. A team of NIS and Cambodian police had begun the attack. Smoke grenades were thrown into the courtyard, sending the villa guards into a panic.

Woo Sik stands up angrily, pulling a gun from under his coat. But Jae Hoon is quicker. In an instant, he has a gun pointed at Woo Sik's head.

"Put the gun down," Jae Hoon said coldly. "The game is over."

Woo Sik's henchmen immediately raised their weapons, ready to fire. However, the NIS troops broke in through the main window and door.

"NA JAE HOON! FUCK YOU!" shouted Woo Sik, collapsing in front of Jae Hoon.

Jae Hoon remained calm as he kept the gun pointed at Woo Sik's forehead. He leaned over and whispered something in Woo Sik's ear. "I told you, I won't let you down."

Within minutes, Woo Sik and his entire syndicate were taken down.

***