***
Thirty minutes later.
Yang Kyung-min arrived at the ‘Choi’ Room Soju Bar and looked around the interior with a dumbfounded expression.
His gang members were collapsed in heaps, the doors to every room were shattered to pieces, and even the partition walls had been torn down.
The secret room connected to the room soju bar was also a shambles; the place where sexual services had been provided was completely smashed.
It was a secret prostitution establishment for VIPs that he had built through nearly a year of effort. The cost of the high-end interior alone was hundreds of millions of won, and the money he had used to bribe city officials and the police was also hundreds of millions.
“Ugh… Aaaaagh!”
Bang! Thwack!
Yang Kyung-min’s expression changed from dumbfounded to filled with rage, and he began to scream and smash everything in sight. However, doing so changed nothing.
“Which bastards were they?”
When he asked while gnashing his teeth, a mid-level boss standing beside him quickly approached and reported.
“It seems… They were the Chunseop-i Gang bastards. It seems one of the subordinates who was taken to the hospital saw their faces.”
“Phew~ Chun-seop, that son of a bitch. He kept eyeing our territory, and now he’s intentionally screwing with us?”
Yang Kyung-min breathed heavily, his face distorted. His already menacing face had transformed into something like a demon. He was so agitated that his veins stood out and the capillaries in his eyes had burst.
“Hyung-nim… let’s avoid the area for now. It seems the police will raid the place soon.”
“Fuck, you want me to be the only one who’s screwed? I can't have that. Call every single one of the kids. We’re hitting the Chunseop-i Gang right now.”
“Hyung-nim, first we should settle the situation and accurately grasp what happened—”
Thud!
“Ugh.”
Yang Kyung-min rammed his forehead into the gang member’s face. It was one of the actions he frequently took when he was angry. Then, he raised his voice and shouted.
“You son of a bitch. Can't you see we’re already screwed? Fuck, it’s obviously those bastards! If we fall, the Chunseop-i Gang will take over everything even up to Mi-hyeon-dong. You want me to just watch that happen? Mobilize everyone immediately!”
“Understood, Hyung-nim.”
The gang member quickly wiped away his nosebleed and went outside.
After looking around the room soju bar for a long time with a lingering gaze, Yang Kyung-min clenched both fists and had no choice but to turn away.
This was because the sound of sirens could be heard from far away.
<><><>
One hour later.
A certain junk shop located on the outskirts of Mi-hyeon-dong.
It had been several years since it closed due to the drop in the trading price of waste resources, but people still continuously frequented this place. Specifically, men with builds as large as mountains.
The sun had long since set, but nearly 50 gang members had gathered at the junk shop. They had gathered as many as possible, from the leadership down to the lowest-ranking members.
“When did you join?”
“Ah, yes! It’s been a week!”
“What’s with this total mobilization?”
“What’s going on?”
Several gang members were seeing faces they didn't recognize at all, and the majority of them did not know why they had been summoned.
At that moment, from deep inside the junk shop, the boss Yang Kyung-min, along with his inner circle, appeared while holding sharp, blue-tinted tools.
“Hey, hey, stand straight. Straight.”
“Won't you be quiet over there?”
The inner circle quickly lined up the gang members, and the atmosphere was instantly filled with tension.
Climbing on top of a pile of waste tires, Yang Kyung-min spoke to the 50 gang members looking up at him as if making a proclamation.
“As of this moment, we are going to hit the Chunseop-i Gang in Sang-buk-dong. Their location is currently being identified. Everyone, take your tools, divide into groups of ten, and board the vans. We must strike before those bastards can prepare, so move quick—”
Screeeech—
Screech—
“Huh?”
“What is that?”
At that moment, vans stopped in a line while shining their headlights toward the junk shop. Because of the suddenly pouring light, Yang Kyung-min and the gang members were bound to be slow in grasping the situation.
“Everyone, get out!”
Swarm—
The sound of people disembarking was heard, and unidentified assailants charged inside in an instant.
However, when they suddenly saw so many gang members, they grew flustered and hesitated for a moment.
“What? Why are there so many of them?”
“What happened?”
“What! You guys! Where do you think you’re crawling into!”
“Uh? Hyung-nim, those bastards are from the Chunseop-i Gang?”
“What?”
In the sudden situation, both sides had no choice but to fall into confusion.
The Chunseop-i Gang was surprised because too many of the Yangkkaengi Gang were gathered, and the Yangkkaengi Gang was surprised because the Chunseop-i Gang had suddenly invaded first.
However, that soon turned into rage.
“You sons of bitches! You smash our place of business first and then have the nerve to stage a surprise attack?”
When Yang Kyung-min stepped forward and grew fuming mad first, Park Chun-seop, the boss of the invading Chunseop-i Gang, stepped forward and shouted.
“Don't talk nonsense! You guys are the ones who invaded first! You smashed our gambling den to pieces!”
“You crazy bastard! Why would we smash your gambling den? Where do you think you’re lying, you son of a bitch!?”
When the dumbfounded Yang Kyung-min shouted with the veins in his neck bulging, Park Chun-seop also did not back down.
“Yangkkaengi, you fucking bastard. You’ve grown a bit lately and now you can't see anything, can you?”
“You lunatic. You were just a snot-nosed brat, and now that you’ve gathered a few ignorant bastards, you think you’re some kind of mob boss?”
“What, you bastard? Do you really want to try me?”
“Come at me, you bastard! Are you even able to hold a knife when you’re trembling like a coward?”
However, they only ran their mouths, and the standoff grew long.
Both men talked as if they would invade immediately, but neither side stepped forward hastily.
Since both sides had filled their numbers and were armed with tools, if a war broke out, one of them would inevitably suffer a fatal blow. It was a situation where they might even have to give up their lives.
Since they were pointing blades at each other, it was common in such situations for both sides to merely trade insults and then withdraw. However, today was different.
“You sons of bitches! Die!”
Whish— Thud!
“Ugh!”
Suddenly, a dagger flew from the Chunseop-i Gang’s side and was accurately embedded in Yang Kyung-min’s shoulder.
“What the hell! Who threw that!?”
Park Chun-seop was dumbfounded and shouted at his gang members, but it was already too late. This time, someone from the Yangkkaengi Gang’s side threw a baseball bat.
Thwack!
“Guegh!”
The baseball bat accurately struck the back of Park Chun-seop’s head.
“They threw a knife at our boss! Kill them!”
“You dare throw a baseball bat at the boss? Trample them all!”
“Die, you bastards!”
“Take them all out!”
In the end, the war between the two organizations reached an irreversible point. The bosses of both sides tried their best to stop it, but they were already in a state of hitting and receiving. The milk had already been spilled.
“Ah! Fuck! Yangkkaengi, you son of a bitch! Since it’s come to this, I’ll be the one to kill you.”
“Don't talk shit. Stop bluffing. Come here, you bastard! I’m going to crack your head open.”
The moment the two bosses were about to collide.
Snap! Snap!
“Uh!? What? I can't see, fuck!”
“Hey! Be careful over there!”
“You’re all dead, you sons of bitches!”
Suddenly, the van headlights were turned off and the lights of the junk shop went out.
Rattle—
At that moment, the junk shop door was closed, and the interior began to turn into a literal chaotic mess. Iron pipes and baseball bats were swung in all directions, and sashimi knives flashed here and there.
“Gack!”
“Aaaaagh!”
Screams poured out from everywhere, and the fierce fight continued.
When about 15 minutes had elapsed, both sides were already in a state of annihilation.
Among the gang members collapsed on the ground and trembling, Yang Kyung-min stood alone with a knife in one hand. He was clutching his stomach with one hand, perhaps having been stabbed in the abdomen, and blood was streaming down as if he had been hit in the head with an iron pipe.
“Ah… fuck… ugh… ah! You sons of bitches… why did this happen… why~!”
Yang Kyung-min screamed out as if in a struggle.
He barely moved to the front of the junk shop office before collapsing while leaning against a waste tire, as if he had no more strength. No matter how much he thought about it, the situation was somehow strange.
He felt a strong sense that someone had manipulated both organizations.
Right then, two human figures were faintly visible in the darkness. As his vision gradually blurred, Yang Kyung-min strained his eyes and stared straight ahead.
There, two men wearing masks and hoods were approaching with expressionless faces.
“What are you guys… cough! Ha! Hah… what are you…”
The two were looking down at him without a word.
Then, before his consciousness faded, one man pushed back his hood and lowered his mask. He then slowly leaned his body toward him.
It was a face he had seen somewhere.
Where had he seen it?
Then he suddenly realized who it was.
“You, you are!! That bitch’s…”
“Yang Kyung-min. Think of it as having had bad luck. You shouldn't have met a woman like that. In the end, you meet such a hollow end.”
“You… you surely… you guys…”
Yang Kyung-min spoke with a hollow expression, his voice trailing off.
The man continued speaking calmly.
“That’s right. We are the ones who trashed both places of business. We are the ones who threw the knife and the baseball bat at the two of you. We are the ones who broke the lights and closed the door.”
At that, Yang Kyung-min’s pupils trembled violently.
As he realized he had been deceived, rage and a sense of futility rushed in simultaneously.
“You… you sons of bitches… why… to this extent…”
“I told you. You shouldn't have met that bitch. You were unlucky. So, you should have lived a good life. You son of a bitch.”
“Ah… ah! Fuck… I’m sorry… I said I’m sorry! Fuck… so please, take me to a hospital…”
Clatter.
The knife he was holding fell to the floor.
The man, standing up again, put his mask back on and pulled his hood back over his head, then leisurely exited the junk shop.
<><><>
Having handled the task cleanly, Woo Do-hwa and I quickly passed through a pre-scouted alleyway, leaving the sound of police sirens behind us.
By the time we exited the alleyway and the sirens could no longer be heard, we got into a car parked under an elevated road.
This was the extent of my calculation.
“But is it okay to only take revenge on that guy? What about your wife? Shouldn't half the revenge be taken on your wife?”
Woo Do-hwa, sitting in the passenger seat, asked suggestively.
I started the engine and replied while slowly stepping on the accelerator.
“It’s still early. I shouldn't take revenge in such a hollow way. I’m going to tighten the noose around that bitch’s neck very slowly, little by little. She’ll come to know how terrifying the fear of one’s breath gradually being choked is. When this incident comes out in the news, she’ll probably be trembling somewhere. Though it’ll only be for a short while, of course.”
I spoke while shrugging my shoulders.
At my words, Woo Do-hwa shook his head as if he didn't understand.
It was a natural thing. He is living his current life, while I am living a regressed life.
“My revenge hasn't even started yet.”
I muttered in a low voice.
Because there are still eight affair partners left.
Right then.
Ting!
[You have punished a target of revenge. The required conditions have been met, and your Awakening Stage has increased.]
[Awakening Stage]
Stage 2
[Awakening Abilities]
Taste of Regression (Active): You can return to 2 minutes ago. Possible once per day. As the stage increases, the amount of time you can go back to the past increases, and the cycle shortens.
Mental Control (Active): You can control the mind of an opponent. Possible twice per day. It may fail depending on the opponent's willpower, and as the stage increases, the success rate rises and the duration lengthens.
Physical Enhancement (Passive)(2): The physical body becomes stronger, and motor skills and reflexes are heightened. As the stage increases, the abilities also improve.
Cognitive Enhancement (Passive)(2): Thinking ability, judgment, memory, and quick-wittedness become better. As the stage increases, the abilities also improve.
The Taste of Regression ability increased from 1 minute to 2 minutes, and the Mental Control ability increased from once per day to twice per day. And the number 2 was attached to both Passive abilities.
All right!
I have advanced by one stage.
Suddenly, my field of vision while driving widened a bit more, and the route to move home began to be inputted into my head. It was truly a mysterious experience.