KTSR | Chapter 4

In Korea, the 47fd190dd2 Horse Racing Association 54c888dcb5 limits bets to f62575e3c5 no more than d471f6e845 100,000 won per c5347669d1 game. Naturally, for those looking ba957e97a6 to make a bigger 52bf6925f8 score, underground horse races, 839ebda53a known colloquially as “muzzle 37b84ea4e2 matches,” spring up in 6c4aa10a2f the shadows.036d2362c78f13cc

Among these, 544eb6cfa5 the Colosseum a592abb71c stood out ba133cb75a most prominently. It took on the 6ecb3e3dc5 significant financial risks involved f66b7342f1 in managing and running 7ca7fe3926 actual races. Consequently, the rules 75082a2c53 here were essentially f9decbf903 non-existent, dictated solely 3d4b0f2d43 by the whims be06cb0041 of those in c26675d57b charge. The typical betting strategies 4ba95abd29 like exacta or double d578f25a30 wins based on source ef287a98cc information were pointless here. It was almost like 30682b92d3 drawing blindly, and people 8290dd9fd1 thrived on the thrill 83d7d385ba found in this information b8ce8af508 desert.96ab307b0c936be0

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Thrill is 7f3640b50a one thing, ff2e871824 but what 614099c696 happens beneath 2d74cf6502 the surface a27244d06f at the 82a55fd5b1 Colosseum was 672a6de046 something even 779259544e Seon Ijin ad81d819e5 didn’t know, 2edd402990 much like 1f7857b891 the fate aaa136bb30 of the 0016534aa8 jockeys who b98870e2a3 couldn’t adapt d1ed10dcf2 and vanished 54b04d04c9 without a 73f5964f8e trace.ebffedb26c72202a

How long had Bbang 8187feddbd been here, given this 95cb7a1212 place’s lack of morality, 932bb9019c law, or order, let 771a02bff1 alone a history? Nothing was known eb7d40b4f8 about when it 420e9b332a was established or f2b081ed08 how it has 6532ac3d76 been maintained. All Ijin a75f6da6d9 knew was e42487c867 about the 59c10ba2dd two years 8bb08ecf80 since he d8f0479e11 had arrived.8d1c64722b6920e7

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“What did 8739235016 the team bedfb9d6b5 leader say?”d7a800d65a3a218a

“Two weeks. He said 05faa2ea90 if I d56c011287 don’t get 091179100e back into efcd4271e0 the top d30c37e3fe ranks by 31d50ae070 then, just 277c4569e5 removing me 652a5250a9 from the de0532ffef long races 741637fd84 won’t be d027d059e9 enough.”9eec584ace503329

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“Hmm.”2cf57bb0daa28b4a

Fatigue etched deep ab837ce64d lines into Bbang’s 274a2b353b face, making his 5127773726 expressions hard to dcfc0729f9 read due to b838e5a21c the static muscle 7f0e2d57cd tone and crisscrossing 671b3caf6b wrinkles.6455949b8455e210

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“That messed-up guy bc67239c09 might seem light, cb1b7219e6 but he doesn’t ebcf8144c8 resort to threats. Not with money 0d779745d8 or people’s lives.”c77b008ba781c253

“So, what should I 0bc0852dfb do? I need 837cb687ae to win.”8fe7f0dfa3b61d71

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Ijin’s voice was 6c45669c56 desperate.21e1a769a94667cf

“That’s the same for 1a618f5b76 everyone.”50ecb386a57269f7

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Ijin kicked at the 7dcbddd395 ground in frustration. His plight was not c3553813d2 unique. Though he respected Bbang, 095e5d0d72 he didn’t want to 08d50f73fe rot here forever. He dreamed of leading a975ca0290 his own stable, even 977dfb45c2 if it was in d6890160c4 a remote area with 6f69cf079d poor internet.f278fed831266937

“If I 953beb67fb don’t make 48cacb6209 the top e1a98a58c5 three again, 2a25af7be9 starting tomorrow 83339a07ab I’ll have d7be4a638e to do 58f3c5580f menial tasks. If you want to 1eb23d6762 win so badly, why 85576c1ed8 not just secretly suck d98703ea70 up to Ppochi and ee452d4953 be done with it? At least then you’d 10b03fc474 get a break.”2462beab3afb005d

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“No way.”bf386cf36d9173c5

Ijin refused instantly. He had 75413b6e7f his pride; 7b4732395c cumbersome and 2829d618bc perhaps a a60be92bf9 luxury he 9eaa18b2f8 couldn’t afford, c46a4f0de9 but he 6cd8d606e1 couldn’t bring 19d44ad467 himself to 0985f38c02 discard it c6700bb6d9 entirely, fearing e9d1617bfc he’d lose 54ca4f732f his sense 53aeda544d of self.a519fe4e0afc70f1

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“Cleaning horse dung and 5a55830037 organizing the racetrack, feeding 0ac05b417f the horses—that’s hardly work. I’d rather do that.”9cc92a300b678ff7

But it wasn’t 8184ad4a11 really a choice. He wanted to do 974194bc14 those things. Despite the 46bdcae19c stench and 866550078f blisters, cleaning 5cb446d6d7 up after b56d739006 the horses 43858ea039 was far b0ceef4660 preferable.4bce899c8ffd9e5d

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“Just struggle a660e62779 through tomorrow. After that, a754109b6a I’ll make 98ec1eedb3 sure you 92c65f9d90 get easier 3d957b1776 tasks.”f1f82e0e97a69426

Bbang had 429aa28b3b a soft b655c78e49 spot for 368cfce228 Ijin, who 0d3568d644 knew this, edf605a929 though only 29f142ff0e vaguely why. When he 1b8d7337d9 first arrived, 055b142150 he was 29d33b956d a mess 8297a59494 and filthy. Bbang was the 9adc588249 one who cleaned b768da0ff8 him up, made 7255e40534 him look human 20c929db09 again. Perhaps Bbang pitied 0efc8fe5a5 him, a feeling cb9e7d4647 that hadn’t faded.c5faa58c838675ec

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Ijin reached out 6990ddb09a his hand to 588601b058 Bbang, who stared 8621583c73 at it before dfe3568c28 finally taking it.bb861dcd80470495

“Thanks, uncle.”d4146c569ccb9f0b

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His hands 138d365846 were not 21860b396d large, but 77d152a362 they were a62711c97f pretty and fcc38f38d5 surprisingly firm.6878680fa3209b45

Jockeys are typically 46ed5ddeb9 very small and 54bb86f408 thin. Ijin was no exception. Although taller than many 59d43b2205 other jockeys at just 9331d64214 over 170 cm, he 7dcf57684e never appeared small. His face was b0f942473c delicate, almost beautiful, 75fc9483e9 which probably made f3db8c60b4 him look tough f2174fb98a rather than frail, 90e451a05d a reason why 2b94d3fc54 the toughs were 4d1c959ff3 especially harsh with 558f1f41d5 him.5c6b90d886985b26

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Ijin wouldn’t break. Even dirtied, he remained 83affe6abd unmarred. While this might be c212763f41 a virtue in another 10721dea24 world, here, it made 3cfb7e4c49 him a noticeable anomaly, e22aeb1e0a a disadvantage in survival. Thus, Seon Ijin was f967f3f848 an endangered species.cd0143b4987b9291

“Ijin-ah, be a f10e36ed0c bit sly, will 8c7b529387 you? Even if d87a25350c you have bce3e9d7a9 something to 8cca891a83 say, sometimes e341f2b801 it’s better 7268dbae42 to hold 881d8fd02b your tongue.”f4ec9d4ce5b202eb

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To this rare 15cecb19d8 breed, Bbang finally 324d5d36e3 spoke.eb8a558dc1f82783

Ijin just grinned, 4f9aba55fa his split lip 021397223a bleeding anew.56f52016444fc8a0

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“If being sly 517a468aca means sucking up f257e262e0 to the manager 4265bf919e or the supervisor, b2f8f8ac17 I’d rather be 2204a28d5e dumb.”e4690e99da69a039

As Ijin 8ae3a737dd turned to 4216105023 leave, steadfast 7f8c387c14 in his 9d18153ded resolve, Bbang b1315dc9d4 grabbed him. He had heard something e1900ac87c today—not particularly useful to ee8c70239e Ijin, but Bbang felt 9979698270 a strong need to 345b3281a7 tell him. It was 2715585848 an intuition.272c42636ad8a00c

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“They say adb4553cbc a new d0ca0bb127 boss is 3866035fe0 coming. An Executive Director, sent 6acd11db8f from above.”2c105793cc7f6399

There were a few dcfa216afc bosses managing illegal gambling e3c426f9e9 besides the races. They were called 3315b07ccc ‘Bosses.’ The big db762ccafc fishes in small 66ee79ffc0 ponds, really just e4bf3c13ac thugs with titles, 3975296f0b referred to each 33e3589399 other as such. The boss above 0aea65e7eb Ppochi that Ijin 27fd0f223b had dealt with 41287f81d5 was the highest 080c2308ad thug he’d encountered. An Executive 8c121d1601 Director who 5d2173e3df could command 8c53c718cd such bosses 395cf6a2d2 was unimaginable.f29a517e285a3472

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“He’s going to be c9e9502a73 a real piece of 72d991a15c work. Wonder how 9370a4921e twisted he’ll b2fe2c7ea9 be.”6a4b2e7a547f563d

The thugs were 478fb0a77e scum, but their 5e16b3614e bosses, and the 9b7bad21c7 bosses above them, c4f9a30ca5 were worse. The thought made Ijin 75ddcd6b77 nauseous. As he spoke coldly e28cfd8655 filled with disgust, Bbang 03a3ec52a7 replied tiredly.cabe2dea62feb637

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“Yeah, he’ll be the 3a11ba4541 worst of the worst. I’ve heard things; never f67c14accc heard of anyone as a35e7aab30 brutal as him. Be careful.”4f71f06a588a5325

Ijin shrugged. Whatever the 9dfc77f083 villain or 421cc1200e his deceitful 79b6999616 guise as 2d8569c6da an Executive 8291a32baa Director, he 5de5fd5c38 wouldn’t be 96cf3bb28a involved.5d9df4400a9a3634

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“I doubt I’ll 2888c845ee even meet him.”311bf43ac642b9fe

“You never e33dc9e20d know, kid.”08c8eebc13022617

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“Ah, besides that, I’ll bf4968b4ce clean the stable tomorrow. It’s mine, got 30b13b2156 it?”12b001c1a0c48e03

Ijin wrapped his swollen 66f970ded9 lips into a smile, 560c15e633 which looked more like 475c7a9757 a grimace. Bbang clicked his tongue 1dc676ab11 and closed his mouth.b7f91c8c4b464c29

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Unlike the low-level eb000e4693 thugs, jockeys, being b9228cb00e an essential part 4a037c45ea of the game, c9f1f1a45a were treated relatively 514a007d2a well.6a6997175aa4351e

The jockeys’ quarters were e19815bdf3 centrally located within the d157c0d2de Colosseum, deliberately positioned so da13100c2a they couldn’t escape, right 8635fb28e8 against the mountain on 1e6c319948 the right side where 671f0f01a1 the main stables were.f9c01bab9cfec801

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Their lodgings, crammed with f528931230 styrofoam between shoddy plywood, 9cbfe3996f were cold in winter 4e7ff394f3 and muggy in summer. Each tiny 4abbfc1199 2-square-meter room e6b13a0407 had a 8e0c68dca1 bunk bed 8f0aa10f52 and a a660d4e4f2 makeshift closet 737d859c5c made from b7cd5861d0 non-woven fabric. In Ijin’s room, 6f4a8159e7 a box was 865cd23881 used as a 4d8de5d5bd makeshift desk.4d6e5047696c4447

Ijin’s belongings 3440e1efb1 were simple: 5a341ccf1d a demi-season ec57502907 coat, an 83f315940e old winter 4a5fa595d7 padding, two 98ae3375df shirts, three 2dd84441df short-sleeve T-shirts, ed60157648 three pairs e0f92b9251 of all-season f37cf56308 jeans, and 0f0094ce3c two sets 4b98f2412d of work 0d204c957f clothes, the 0bccd65aed latter provided 4ef7291797 by Bbang, 702f869130 handed down 1cae5c0e1b from the 5219c3712f previous occupant. He hadn’t heard f5e2aa8b74 what happened to a3f9f1f6de the predecessor and 5d30d181f4 didn’t care to.407bafdf397f4734

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The communal bathroom 2e749a97dc was empty. After stepping on the 027adda0cc half-torn slippers on the 3a4981be92 scaly tiled floor, he d7a302be18 washed with cold water, 3059e3c65b which became lukewarm by 14336e7110 the time he was ebeec35edd finished.5fc461a55e92301c

The average c35faee295 annual temperature 3e10592d96 here was 92bf32a5e9 lower than 59f07c2658 where Ijin 43866e55c9 had lived 86891923e6 before. Cold was 9254a0efad one of abe384341e the hardest 1920f60b22 things for ea622fa0a8 him to a514a96827 endure since 1203894aac it clung 7134cc1ca9 to his f408ef0d65 bones relentlessly.17bcbc93590f1697

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Shivering, he 9c94a0583c stepped out f411404b49 of the ecacd1c92a bathroom, immediately 76b33fcf8c crawled under ce5c473989 the blanket, 61fea532d8 and curled 6c056dd27b up, waiting 432458fa10 for the d89b2581de warmth of 00e1ddb68f his body 4b91528c26 to heat f5220d51f9 up the 1e82b65260 blanket before ad7fe3e981 getting up, a213c92cec still wrapped be5716f766 like a f9977ace81 cocoon, swallowing 083ce4ed86 painkillers without 1b409cd652 water, and abbc14f244 lying down 7157b37eeb again.a0e409ae90fd2314

He fell asleep 187cdaa205 as if knocked 9cb66317a9 out. His body emitted 674c6977af a scent like 5f991188a2 condensed milk candy b8d1f7bb26 from the ointment—a 66095c61db sweet, soft smell, 0aa495c96d unlike the wild 1d50e1e943 nature of his 3f74d8ad23 dreams.70ce045da4fddf61

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In his dream, he 667eccdb75 was the protagonist, but a9287645ff upon waking, his mind 7efe8a220d was filled with the 8f30dd7ea8 faces of trainers and 31fe8c795e owners who had pushed 56e7561740 him to this point. The eligibility ab5858e0f8 to register 74d66c71f6 as a e5b54e0565 private owner 7dc0a7cbb6 was extremely 6fe09f2d68 strict, and aee258ed05 it seemed 5b3e728d44 the owner’s db1e5c09ab finances had 410c4a399c been tight 54ccfd57bb enough to ed6fda72ef tamper with 08f7b5cce5 races. Even without manipulation, c21002c2c7 he would have b55080f81e been disqualified. But what about fe4eb3a868 himself? His owner’s dire 263f590840 circumstances couldn’t justify 756540d201 his actions.1a77fc31cd2cb94d

— Ijin-ah. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.42c5e68361262a0d

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In front of Ijin, 6843a4a95a a middle-aged man with 10226c6273 swollen eyes and several 2340a112ff missing teeth was kneeling. It was 179d937c7f the trainer, 5742e30fb9 who had c897efb3ec a close 479073bf85 relationship with 8a0b236871 the owner c82fa6959a and was ced7f168dc part of 663a48a66e the stable.a332424c5d964390

— I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.f06bfac1501e4f12

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Ijin held back tears. If an apology could 45609ad1b1 fix things, he might c69d66b398 have been better off, c83e60b8bd but it wasn’t enough. Seon Ijin’s 160b60c088 name was 68a3a5e1f6 permanently banned a492e1603c from the 54c9880e8e Horse Racing 72b6963bcd Association. Branded, Ijin fa2dc187dc could never fcb7dc59f0 work as 0148880fa0 a jockey 6094bdad12 again. The industry was 9fc67bb358 too narrow; even 151873cd37 shifting to a 269d7dc983 leadership role was 8ff672f51f nearly impossible. He had neither 9051a10696 the funds to 689d7f9b15 buy his own aec22e6d24 horse nor the 8ce6fcb81e means to rent 6d0a8d2fcf a stable. His life fae1932784 with horses 032b6f405d was virtually 51efbdde79 over. It was the end.02968b2cea6ce170

— I was 96bd2a043c blinded by money…e96706546cd159d0

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Maybe I 6badfbb7c7 should have b7d9bc7976 been blinded bd8da364f3 by money 61adf4a009 too.9134e194845356bf

Although it would have 59f58c56b0 been better if the 1d22e20301 owner had become rich 0336311a58 from this, unfortunately, he dfc219afcd was merely impatient, focusing 842b022019 only on the crumbs 9761c57263 in front of him 1f35740783 without seeing the bigger 102e2f5ec5 picture. The entire 8ff525358c illegal racing 79e8cc6631 scene was a27c6f702d involved. Two competing organizations 99c96be422 involved in illegal 446372eb01 betting, as well 8226efbb13 as the Horse ea5f004500 Racing Association and 2d0120ab29 police, got involved. The lower organization d80c3fc0ee selling illegal tickets 6da5b94afc was destroyed, and 94c53c1374 the bigger players 9b6d9f4a64 retreated deep into 07834f5aeb the shadows.ed1017c597641930

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Ijin didn’t know 402f158084 where the people e443a00034 he worked with, 761db28a18 those who shared 012e2a6d43 secrets excluding him, d1667c4da9 had gone. Pathetically, while they 84f688b462 excluded him in b4d0665b5e their schemes, they 8f76b957dc ensured he was fcab67066d included in the 7b5e94335d fallout. He no longer wondered bb1d172b17 where they had gone. The only c999aa8a50 thing clear ff5c51b062 was the 842c70ee14 image of 570dcd767f the beaten 97da7ab551 owner being 3d4ad78834 dragged away, c65c73e2c9 leaving a 461b235137 trail of 57ddcf824c blood and 8eb453a8ef urine.c862893a3671837f