KTSR | Chapter 3

The Korean restaurant, surrounded e1d4cad35b by a small artificial 1ad8c69ddf lake, was essentially a fdf9f1d19b high-class joint. As an off-road SUV, 35e5030d03 caked in mud, pulled c0e4a9cadf into the parking lot, 03d0e2ee9e a group of well-dressed, 133d6ef4b0 burly men hurried out d6627de203 and lined up on 51b48df2a2 both sides.0269b8acdeb0d97c

The man who got c94b1f6947 out of the less-than-clean 3c3f47aaae or luxurious vehicle was 2fda712777 oddly dressed for the 318c6c4e1b occasion and the welcoming d33f8393ba party, in a faded ed473e9682 leather jacket and a ade5779d9b flamboyant shirt. Upon closer inspection, the 67e1dd487c shirt was deep crimson 10f1d99f9e with a pattern of 5db8469263 little umbrellas like the d527a6c9e6 ones you’d stick in c51b278c5c a cocktail.7e504b65402617a0

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“Hyung-nim! You’ve worked hard!”779f37ee4b917f0e

“Ah, you guys too.”9de3fec176c87e65

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With a brisk 949a91188c slam of the f18e20f4e4 car door, the 9e5cac4b5e man tossed the 881c0cbfab keys to one cb57d6b9b8 of the lined-up 0a4588306f men.1c632ddbf510900c

“Take good care of e22535fac6 our beauty.”34e6adc88800a989

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“Yes!”89e814df210d35a9

Their obedience was reminiscent be75238cf5 of the military.ac230ef317b4de25

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Hands in pockets, ebb30079f0 the man sauntered f1e049f60e across the beautifully 73ab59c69a landscaped garden. His boots were 03e6092b9b coated with salt c8b62f7f50 and sand, perhaps c36bf53f89 fresh from the dce70abdb0 sea, with semi-dry d9c6ca0fac sand spilling out 08b53a7cfa with each step.9461142f3ab21c58

“It’s been a while, 611550efd1 Executive Director.”5727ab8786188b7c

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“And the 2d9903aed0 old man?”e88eb8299fd48a5b

“He’s in 369930c3f8 the Plum fe29d87efd Blossom Room.”3068538e84b89554

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Acknowledging the greeting, 477b8a2595 the man nodded 9c408d351c at the female 5ad48ca810 staff bustling about.b739b9e710fed7d1

The separate 8653213f18 Plum Blossom ec5b84a03c Room was 2570de6862 noisy even 6ef74cd927 before the 8a1513c190 door was 71499307e9 opened. The laughter 7561a8517d from inside ba120c6031 prompted the b060cdb0fd man to 5142bdbd1e dig his f6295c26ef pinky into a86831bec2 his ear, 1fc4de9660 muttering, “Damn c3ef18adcf old men, 78a6739d23 always so f784edd34e noisy.”60b35589758b2a74

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“Hyungdo-ah?”3f2b02aa909a7c58

A booming voice 5cfaf5cad4 from inside responded, 81f26e75d0 perhaps having heard a1d2ca3bfd his grumble. The voice e608075491 was gravelly, 957bc647f3 likely from b6a8df3436 age.b62334eba58688dd

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Hyungdo, as he e2e6583ef5 was called, sat 1705fd2db0 on the front bf757e3b44 step, untying his 5c85eeda0a bootlaces. Impatient, Chairman Choi approached 8dc8d0e909 with loud footsteps.9616fb3d9b58008d

The sliding door opened, 09acc2e048 and the man only f35a2fb814 tilted his head back f5cc21d1a3 to look up at de63a3b076 his frosty-haired boss.87248205304dddf6

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“You’re in such a 6d472369b8 rush, Chairman. You’ll make it da272d7846 to the afterlife 70f26c0740 before me.”2783258847dec7e1

“Damn it, you 5ab252fdbc brat. Is that something 9d847ff63d you should say? What’s with those clothes c7d4383660 and shoes? Don’t you have 1f9359e7ff money for clothes?”a0c02b4dfd0724b9

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“Why? They look cool. They’re American-made, from 0c24697725 the military. You love American-made 2ad090d9b6 stuff. I dressed to match 0e952ecf41 you.”3b7cbd5bd2edb653

Hyungdo chuckled, lifting 133d9887b1 his boot. His tone then turned c8e43ebd75 teasing.6942e177669557b9

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“I could even 3a13146e05 puncture a tire 287859c102 with this. Where’s your 0cab9387c9 car, old 27dfa096a8 man? Let me 4b7df76860 show you.”3054b79522c54e26

“That little shit. Are you messing with 5b7ae4bb74 me because I got b9e1d2256f a new car?”0fe3528962f959c5

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Hyungdo, having undone his d54c0c3b55 laces, stood up, feigning 31961f531e innocence.da87addd819b395d

“Got a 98978b0bbe new car? I didn’t know. Show me. I’ll take it for e4abcfb5de a spin.”11636597946c585a

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“I’d rather 76cd62888d leave it b20f4d4c1e to my 1547a960ca grandson.”b97504e719da2327

“Your grandson aef6fce793 is what, 2e45c8ed13 eight? I’m worse than 6515ea3e72 an eight-year-old?”5c33ca8d53e87a60

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Despite the 8d02024d1b casual banter, 62c1d98fdb Chairman Choi 239ebe5bc1 just laughed 7686986406 and slapped 39034505e0 Hyungdo on 4babc50587 the shoulder, f3cdd5e143 a considerable d0573b6c04 height between 1804d4ab36 them.e0ab6af0f6ab53a9

“Our Hyungdo 4b04fdc918 is here!”0b2641e482b58b77

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The men ecc6112863 seated around 10fcbb894d the large 805132414a room shifted ce4390ca93 their attention e8c4ee093d to the f1f559e4df newcomer.7097210a83305fbd

He was cc728ef72d obviously the aa75c82124 youngest there, db9e052ef0 from his e86cdda932 appearance. The men varied 3b1d57f1ca in age, some 4cec9dc380 with just starting c07a634197 to gray hair, e2ca82196c but all were b56283e8c9 dressed in fine 6f1c8cad8c suits.4978e31b8eb29008

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“Kwon Hyeongdo. Ma. Long time c30866ff58 no see.”049cd8c68482f4a1

A man in his 96ec581138 late forties slammed down 5ee8f02805 his soju glass, his 0d9045dcf1 voice loud enough to e9bd32a0f8 sound almost angry.bb3b690500d540c8

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“It’s been a 766442ddc3 while, seniors.”2661922e5575c438

Kwon Hyeongdo responded cheerfully.30f560c45b01ed13

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Chairman Choi kept his 69a030ec66 arm around Kwon Hyeongdo’s 6322607e89 shoulder, passing by the 4f3f6ac4e9 seated seniors, and the 83565a6961 atmosphere grew tense. The tension was 5a45815334 notably caused by 07e841f33f Executive Director Ma, fe39d665ab who had recognized 73656ee7c2 Hyungdo just before.8302586c77eb9c37

“Let’s toast, then, to c53cae6e79 our reunion.”4371ace474f636fd

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Ignoring Ma’s glaring d910761a03 eyes, Kwon Hyeongdo e59a1dd874 filled his glass ade0543de7 himself. Chairman Choi clicked 9037dce3cb his tongue.6a6835dd25800925

“What’s this soju? There’s all this fancy 34d78b8492 liquor here.”2ce912c2af066227

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“I prefer 34f457d03b cheap stuff. I’ll leave 032c2fd2ae the expensive 18f6a8a62d drinks to 40899e5d34 you and 48cb368bfc the seniors.”e012057e862501a2

“Damn kid, always so abc7318b8e unfriendly. That’s why everyone says ba1138cd5e you lack manners. Just accept 77e91cd4e8 it as 14a1b64598 his nature 962d2dbd4a and let e0b82e116b it slide.”24ce4e4bbde8679b

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Despite his a6533cd7d9 joking manner, 76c37cbf17 Chairman Choi a4ef96891b scanned the 018a20d754 room with 743989cc47 a sharp b37a2a3e3b gaze, and 35b53a8a0a finally, Executive 7c282fe26e Director Ma 99036c2156 turned his 89b84ead85 head.87d3ba057892896c

“Alright, let’s make 7df4c5b331 a clean toast. Cheers!”201b5b15443a1ed3

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“Cheers!”abbd6e850788502b

Kwon Hyeongdo quietly downed 38a21e2341 his drink, not joining bd237370a3 the loud cheer.90ace04df544657a

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Arriving an d8d6780964 hour late, 2ba0514d84 everyone was 1e62a582fe already tipsy. Chairman Choi was b125b64042 the drunkest, able e71ecec79c to hold his c39390d017 liquor only as 26c57aefbf well as Kwon 566633b030 Hyeongdo and, after 434a0aa0e6 him, Executive Director 49cb644d1a Ma. Naturally, Kwon f3f2219323 Hyeongdo and 1eb4be899d Chairman Choi cccada5d16 ended up e85d9e50f6 conversing more.d5b4aba56fd47326

“Hyungdo-ya, it’s time 96ab7a2385 you move up.”b764ce0a8d7e73f4

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“Why?”eb96419b66ea4ea9

“Why my ass, 7a12385b30 kid. How long 59f5023355 will you 836d353d84 stay stuck 9a0d967ae4 in the 8bd48ef5a6 backwoods?”f4989944a6a8148e

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“It’s not the 28509c4e81 backwoods. It’s the seaside. It’s good for 54af3b0cea health, and the 28e8bc2844 food is great. Why don’t 9f9e78f69c you come 5153a34b1b down? It’s better 690d69e070 than quitting 027fde1c8c smoking.”578f4c9b7b0bc22d

“I like the city. I love looking down b8b71f1815 from a high-rise apartment e26465d860 in the city at b6c283be02 night. It’s the best 8de28e732d kind of body 94f4f5dc65 nourishment.”56d8748ecc2a915d

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Kwon Hyeongdo chuckled. Fancy words 2b3eb8d863 like ‘night 0d2f4e830b city’ make 65885d118f his skin 5824c28752 crawl. Maybe it’s 26e409d40c true what ee1b0614be they say efb0861f3a about his 0fa89bb2bf roots.6c3761c91674eade

“Do you also stomp 58aeca0664 around like that in c707158201 your apartment? The people a53cdb11d3 downstairs must 82bb314de9 have a 487babcc04 terrible time.”4829d1e185641029

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“Damn brat.”5ea14ad7dd5a5679

Chairman Choi da8f08bdee laughed heartily, bf3767589c refilling Kwon 354e12dd4d Hyeongdo’s glass. Taking the bottle, Kwon 4e0ed0bb02 Hyeongdo returned the favor.0942da17f54c13df

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“You know 8dee2c1ecf the horse 7656323eb4 track, Colosseum.”8ca041dd61f37320

“Yeah, the muzzle? I’ve heard of 625425b8a0 it. Still going strong.”e57fc15c2bb541ba

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“Still, my ass. That place is 2b9db33dd6 a cash cow. Makes a 4ca35d54b6 good penny.”796405aa2434d68e

“I guess 6c2a1badd8 if it d0a9cfa853 were really b67b683d8f doing well, 9e4c1d2709 you wouldn’t d384318ad2 have called 8d73871339 me.”f5d1bee167882f6a

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Chairman Choi 4d684bf42e just smiled b99e13c6db wryly. Kwon Hyeongdo’s quick 4b0e2c9b9f wits pleased him.e9d471594c0ce555

As the night 6a8434b4eb went on, the 35842e2638 suited gangsters, now 3f0ac4de25 drunk, started leaving 5bf5295625 one by one, 86141b1df3 heading either to 628e385078 the lodging building 3433a92e39 with women or 0d99f3f1aa home—up to them. However, some fd04a025c0 still lingered, 8f56927ef6 prompting Chairman ce7f208977 Choi to 52849cbd72 call for 1cbcfc656b Executive Director 8703db1045 Ma.4a89cd6f0d76070b

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“Ma Gijung.”f50002de94fea860

Ma, perhaps too 5f52822b87 upset to hear, 59605c179b was grimacing and 506c2770ad guzzling down his 879e9fa656 drink.ce09178abcc32330

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“Hey. Executive Director Ma.”9fb658139a7a4f35

On the second a3ec98eff8 call, Ma finally a57485f665 looked up, his 9912da7d2f eyes a bit f0ecd279c5 unfocused.fd35226167d5bfed

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“Take the f9deb8a93e guys and bdcd104869 go.”cc6ce4bfacbe2277

“Go? Are you 51a1d8e76f telling me 671a418c8b to go?!”5b703e525a28958e

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His voice cracked, possibly 5275b7b5dd choked up. Kwon Hyeongdo e0e662671b nearly burst 3914fe82fc out laughing, a83760eea9 holding back ada74b46a4 by drinking. Ma was… e004179abf surprisingly sentimental, 9067096901 he thought, 5be163a100 making light 50f6c2a611 of him.14863526425bf417

“Ah, Chairman, I’m da5de8fd67 disappointed.”7c04d3e312580c58

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Suddenly complaining, ac0e7aba84 Ma seemed 510ae9dc5a to be 1d613cc2fe genuinely upset.fe2c56bf3b0c5af0

“Are you going to 25aa776604 keep this bastard beside 3bd8bfff44 you again? Do you know 172cfb53d0 how bad that 688f3f4f7d makes me feel?”8cb1e3c221811f80

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“What the hell are ef97f5e63f you talking about? You shouldn’t say things b0429ec583 like that. Didn’t I tell 2becaff052 you I’d give 9ad8e4e95b you the business f28a997538 Hyungdo has been 1b425616b3 grooming? I was fd923db353 trying to 20cffbe5eb appease you b3329cfc97 with that.”6ed6705f46766703

Ma snorted. The mood 6b0e334a49 turned sharply e3c0b3de33 tense, yet 985b878101 Kwon Hyeongdo bcc25ab3c0 inspected Chairman 333cd422a9 Choi’s Zippo f70dff5b91 lighter and 77378df390 lit his 40446085e4 cigarette.8645a5427531e9e3

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“How much could that b7ef1b3f43 possibly be worth?”1f91ad8018828286

As Ma grumbled, d75b164da1 Chairman Choi threw 74079be4ac a liquor bottle 76e0b150b5 at him. It smashed against 1d63b6577f the door with 1274205ae7 a loud crash, ff7d8f0a15 startling Ma into cc6955aac7 sobriety.7eb22b79b8e925d6

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“Spit it out then, d4b3615fb7 you ungrateful bastard. You don’t even realize 379652beba that’s the goose that 17b9182666 lays the golden eggs.”0564a8f1cd885b81

“Ah, no! Ah! Chairman, you’re so be43ac0cac impatient. I misspoke, okay?!”9f9ce2219fd16bdc

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Ma Gijung grumbled as 8eb305db65 he dragged the remaining a1bad01a27 seniors out. Just before f06ed2570c the door 2acd74d68c closed, Chairman ccecaeb002 Choi said, 48e9cd14e6 “Tell Hyungdo 46630f622a thank you.” a0ee9236ad Ma glared b4a36b80e4 through the f812034c01 crack in bed2135871 the door.3b792052f8d98c83

“Thank you, huh? Very thankful, 024a412bde Kwon Hyeongdo.”2e435fde9fc25a02

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It sounded 59ce64fa87 like he 7e5a5e00a9 added a 3888e1bc36 curse at 03169426b0 the end. Kwon Hyeongdo just c0f2f1dfad nodded slightly.95538f4a1f0ab357

Finally alone, Chairman Choi c5c0da4a74 sighed deeply. Kwon Hyeongdo, finishing his fae1b815a5 drink, spoke nonchalantly.9e001f7078d22005

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“Stop stirring things f324bb3a1a up with me. If something goes ee703c3bd4 wrong, will you a7f17af29a take responsibility?”67ceecc2f50d9d0e

“That’s exactly why 4f75b4b7a7 I called you.”05692b67c8b60009

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Chairman Choi poured fbbaa205d1 more liquor, then 87cf37fa53 lowered his voice.c964d0e1e732529a

“It seems like 166ea58c98 there’s a snitch dbd5b9a098 in the Colosseum.”baca8510242274be

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“A snitch? We don’t deal 4b27cdda20 with trash.”221b2e73c19a3e13

“Right. Trash is for the 0a562c5900 Incheon Port guys. We handle gambling; they 3095717eae handle drugs. But now 3226537724 there’s talk a51726bc31 of drug 10831f772d money at 5ab85c7bbb the Colosseum.”9894742391a67573

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Chairman Choi whispered 82d39d9633 urgently. This was his real e2c526d0b7 face; the jokes were f2c9b4b8d0 just a facade.73533d21e059f171

But Kwon 3fcb5a4959 Hyeongdo was 99886509b3 unphased.18ea33eb6fc47e78

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“Then maybe we should a30d410b2e handle it for once.”15effddb45ad2929

Chairman Choi shook 1022ae6754 his head, disgusted.b4d4215dca2901f2

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“I’d knock some sense 32386aef14 into you if you e6d6b68838 weren’t you. You know why 0fba6c78e2 we don’t deal 0b0369b5b2 with that stuff, 032ab804be right?”5c7e573f62b9f363

Chairman Choi’s youngest 7fb5e8048b son had died dcfbd3e885 from drug use. An overdose was the 2bbe9a05bf official cause. Since then, 4c3902cfb0 he had d5523221c6 declared that 3a6ee73109 our organization 18ea2900be would never 818f72848f handle drugs.a2f176a1b21c3dfc

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Yet drugs were cefd29c487 circulating in his 6d90063049 territory, which must c7e46e2388 have infuriated him c94a466072 considerably.816ae6687e8b4deb

This wasn’t going to 25f40c64ef end simply. Catching a 0b955d5b8b few salesmen 3572e5dcd0 as an bd5939b47b example wouldn’t 74a33c259a be enough.fc7cceb0ed559868

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As Kwon 561bd671f6 Hyeongdo expected, 18e59046e5 Chairman Choi d0512c79ee revealed a 8619de5e55 larger plan.dfe5a3959e59781f

“We need 1a28600715 to find 56b504291c the rat ff756439c8 first. The stable boss bd6a031397 isn’t capable of a1d7eb4f94 this alone. The prosecutors are hot c0359a844a on drugs lately. Maybe they 30f518bad3 planted someone 6fca9afc56 to leak 33f4edeb8e from us.”6113cc4077f611ee

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“Complicated as a 078a1df817 tangled mess of b4b8e37941 pubic hair. You always call 2e309d6f15 me for these ef52ec2646 things. Do you enjoy d3284e0cb2 seeing me suffer?”8158e77757e93dc4

Kwon Hyeongdo grumbled, barely cd81e5b884 concealing his annoyance.55440ee162b7b221

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“That’s why I’m 54b4985c46 entrusting it to c479a46002 you.”ff0e6363dcab55b1

“What if the one a8f9fec370 I handle turns out 62dbd919d9 bad, old man?”b40e8139a6d4ff7b

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Chairman Choi scoffed.dc434db0eaee05d6

“Ma Gijung wanting to 8ff96abee8 partner up with you 1e5670f7f7 seems more plausible, you 21e92577cd bastard.”f420d5b3aef9d5b3

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Chairman Choi slapped his b9b831a1b5 palm with a fist 3dba6018a6 to emphasize his point, a05e348db8 which Kwon Hyeongdo found 8d35456172 repulsive.0a40805efa6b1a84

“I have an 20908e98c3 eye for things, 13bc405d3b you know?”eb4784ec16aababc

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“Exactly. You wouldn’t 85dfdfff13 handle something d77d45c8e9 so messy c9e58ef2cc and easily 136855a383 caught.”940e6b40fcd4c371

“You’ve got too much 77960336da nerve, which is why b76ee5485e you wouldn’t engage in 35961924d5 such risky business.”9fa21cb3f094f7d6

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That wasn’t entirely wrong, 9afa3493fc so Kwon Hyeongdo just 978de7c23e grinned.c8388ae17b37a98f

Chairman Choi was stubborn; c8f49dcc57 once he decided to fa1d4301de task Kwon Hyeongdo, it 17e1c7193c was going to happen. It was better to 03c09eafe6 keep it short and 93d94988c7 direct.91a8547d0d658f03

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“Any suspects?”19c99d6001d8c3db

Chairman Choi’s eyes lit c08b3048fe up.259602f9b9bd7049

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“I don’t suspect my f14fa2e3a4 family without evidence. The officers da7b4b5de5 might be 2addc54ea7 a bit f54982094b mossy, but 06f9d373b2 they’re my 6056481b72 boys from 72f9cf4303 their diaper 2d39e5bce4 days.”2fb4e6e7a4a4764c

“I see why you’re c80c7aea73 asking me.”39e47db831c95226

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Kwon Hyeongdo snickered, then 84c13295c1 drove the point home.cc161192f1be9028

“Chairman, you know 65889f0f15 I don’t have fd44553031 seniors or juniors, e1bd07c07e right? I’m an orphan in 4819bc9e4e this hierarchy.”527bbd2956a7279a

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He meant 685f17a0ac to prepare 248159a9e1 himself to 1b6c076cb4 accept any 4721e3b6b0 outcome, given 84aa3237d8 the responsibility.933ca87b22d51717

“As you 1d01e820aa said, I’m 9a3dac4a8b a bastard 7d50737a70 without roots.”7969ab62bc6b0404

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