CRD 16

Chapter 16

 If You’re Weak, You Get Devoured (1)

“Ugh.”

Choi Ho frowned as he looked over the documents and suddenly shouted.

“What the hell is so complicated about this?!”

Trying to sort through the documents left by Gasuk was giving him a headache as if the back of his head was going to spasm.

“This guy really plays it just as he looks. Did he do this on purpose?”

Though they were called “documents,” the work of the simple-minded Black Do guys was straightforward and intuitive.

And that was how it should be. Whether a report or something else, it should be written in a way that’s easy to understand so that communication is fast.

But every single document Gasuk wrote was full of complicated words. Judging by how he had summarized it briefly and clearly for himself, it was clear he was a smart guy.

“He twists my mind right to the end.”

Even leaving it to the stupid subordinates would have surely resulted in omissions, so he took it on himself. After one day, it felt as if his hair had doubled in gray.

Still, having survived by intuition, he “interpreted” and organized the content clearly and concisely.

“Damn it!”

Choi Ho suddenly shouted again.

“Bring Cheongpae here!”

“Yes!”

A moment later, Cheongpae entered the office.

“Did you call, Master?”

Choi Ho’s eyes gleamed with a murderous light.

“Where’s that Gasuk bastard?”

“I-I’m sorry! We’re searching all nearby areas, but we still haven’t…”

“You idiot! How can it take this long to catch that skinny little wretch?!”

“I’m sorry!”

Although they ruled over the endless back alleys, their intelligence was only decent.

Yet no one had seen Gasuk disappear without a trace.

Cheongpae wiped the sweat off his brow as he spoke.

“We asked the merchants too, but none of them have even seen anyone like Gasuk.”

“Those bastards aren’t hiding him for someone, are they?”

Though they called it “protection money,” merchants didn’t like the Black Ho gang taking more than half of their earnings. For them, the Black Ho gang wasn’t a protective shield—it was a monster that could ruin their lives at any moment.

Of course, Choi Ho knew this. He had suppressed their complaints with force and violence, but why would they see him favorably?

“We checked just in case, but it doesn’t seem like that.”

“Then where the hell did that guy disappear to?”

Cheongpae silently screamed inside. Do you think I know that?!

Choi Ho, fuming, kicked the table and said:

“What about those Gasuk thugs?”

“The testimony is the same.”

“They said they came home drunk and ended up like that?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Gasuk… no, that guy can’t even speak.”

He could write, but his hands were in such bad shape he couldn’t even form words. Even if he tried writing with his left hand, he was too out of it from the beating.

“Damn it! Nothing seems to go right! This is all because of the Ga brothers!”

“…”

“Hey, fine. Go fetch some alcohol.”

“Al-alcohol?”

“Why? Is there a problem?”

“…N-no.”

Cheongpae’s cheeks twitched.

Even as the second-in-command of the Black Ho gang, he was being sent to fetch alcohol. Wasn’t this too much?

Damn it.

With no choice, Choi Ho watched Cheongpae leave.

“Stupid bastard. All he has is greed.”

Still, his strength—beating people and handling business—was extraordinary. Compared to a smart guy, it was easier to manage someone like him.

Choi Ho sank into the large chair with a deep sigh.

Where did it all go wrong?

It had obviously started when they took in the Ga brothers, but that was too long ago to worry about.

Yes, it all began when Ga-hang got beaten.

Who would have thought the rascal hid the room’s valuables that way?

The thought made him furious again, but calming down, he began turning over his stubborn mind.

Which guy could have done this?

In his heat, he hadn’t even thought to investigate properly. By the time he realized it, the guy had become unable to speak.

It wasn’t some random guy I didn’t know.

At first, he considered that maybe a wandering swordsman had done it, but no. Those types, though they could beat someone, would do it cleanly—sever the head, not hack fingers or smash jaws to make someone mute.

Even if it was a truly evil warrior, the logic didn’t fit.

Could it be a rookie?

A rookie sneaking in, cutting off fingers and smashing jaws, then escaping?

Rushing because his subordinates might come? He left hastily after trashing them?

…Ridiculous.

Damn it! In any case, none of this makes sense!

He could just assume it was a one-sided attack out of grudge. But something kept nagging at him. Not smart, but over thirty years in the back alley life had taught him something—he could instinctively tell whether something was trivial or serious.

Choi Ho recalled Ga-hang’s schedule the day he got attacked.

Got up early, sent out the collection team, inspected the area, met the Daryong Cheolbang guys, ate together.

Even had a fancy meal on company funds.

Though it slightly annoyed him, Choi Ho ignored it and continued.

Went to the Heo family, sold off the daughter and the mother, and left the father barely alive…

That part was well done. He handled field work properly. That was why Choi Ho had trusted him with the position.

Then, in the evening, two subordinates got beaten, so they went to the Moyong guys to threaten them and returned.

Choi Ho tilted his head.

Seems like nothing special.

He knew from experience that a field manager’s schedule is usually similar. Reports could omit some details, but even after reading several days, nothing stood out.

Yet one thing kept bothering him.

Beaten?

Janggu and Jangsam got thoroughly beaten by Moyong Ga’s eldest son, Moyong Bi.

Probably to make an excuse.

Even if they hadn’t been beaten, the report could easily say they were. Making an excuse this way is basic practice for pressuring debtors.

Honestly, nonsense. Beaten by a scrawny guy?

Choi Ho knew about Moyong Bi. Always drunk and lying around, once powerful in his family but now… why would he act this way?

Even a half-wit who can’t beat a ten-year-old girl beat those two? Not funny at all.

But…

Hmm.

Choi Ho stroked his chin.

Moyong Ga isn’t a family to mess with lightly.

The eldest son was weak, but the family was martial. Small, about ten members, but they had the Hwakumjo sword group and Moyong Sujeong’s martial skill was reputed even if he wasn’t head of the family.

Though the family was declining, if the Black Ho gang poured in full force, they could crush them. Numbers would compensate for skill.

Still, unlike the Heo family, they weren’t a family to openly harass.

Could it be the family deputy?

It could be.

Over a hundred silver had accumulated. The Moyong family, struggling financially, probably couldn’t pay easily.

Hmm.

He had seen Moyong Sujeong once. Though her face was partly covered, she was strikingly beautiful. If she weren’t busy, Choi Ho might even have tried to flirt and share a drink.

Seems unlikely she’d cause trouble late at night.

Choi Ho smiled.

But it’s easy to frame someone.

People can do unimaginable things when desperate. He had seen it many times.

Anyway, I’ll think about that later.

Suddenly, Choi Ho sensed something strange.

What is it?

Something was nagging him. He couldn’t pinpoint it, but there was definitely something.

Moyong… Moyong.

Janggu and Jangsam got beaten by Moyong Bi? Of course, it’s just an excuse. No reason to doubt that.

But why did that part suddenly bother him?

“Wait a minute.”

Choi Ho thought of the Ga-hang collection team member, Janggu, who had suddenly disappeared. There were two ways they were going to look for him.

He never thought Janggu ran away—he had no reason to. Probably just out drinking somewhere.

…But if he really ran away?

Choi Ho jumped up and rifled through the documents. Looking at Ga-hang’s schedule and the collection team’s testimony, his eyes widened.

“Huh?”

Why didn’t I see this before?

“Janggu didn’t go drinking?!”

Unlike other collection team members who left their posts, Janggu had stayed.

But it can’t be Janggu, right?

The chances that Moyong Sujeong ambushed him seemed twice as low as anything else. Circumstantially, he was the most suspicious, but Choi Ho couldn’t emotionally believe it.

But if he didn’t go drinking, then… if he ran away?

He might really have been the one who put Ga-hang in that state, or…

Threat of the real culprit.

Choi Ho, staring blankly at the documents, shouted.

“Hey! Get someone in here!”

“Yes, sir!”

One of the guards at the door hurried in.

“Did Jangsam from Ga-hang’s crew say anything?”

“I’ll go check again, sir!”

“You idiot! Hurry up! No, I’ll go myself…”

At that moment—

Bang!

A sound like fireworks startled Choi Ho.

“I’ll go check it myself!”

The guard ran out quickly.

Fine, that aside.

Whatever it was, seeing Jangsam himself seemed most urgent. A creeping sense of dread rose in Choi Ho.

Choi Ho opened the door to the office and flinched.

“Ahhh!”

“P-please… save us…”

“Ugh!”

Over twenty guards lay sprawled on the floor.

These weren’t just ordinary collectors, but trained men from the main hall. Some had broken limbs; others clutched their stomachs and vomited.

Beyond them, at the smashed front gate, a young man stood hunched.

In one hand, he held a long wooden club, about five feet long—one of the training maces from the outer yard.

“What are you?!”

Moyong Bi casually slung the club over his shoulder and picked his ear.

“Never mind, go fetch the hall master.”

“I’m Choi Ho, master of the Black Ho Gang!”

“Oh? Really? I thought I’d have to play a game of tag, but you found me already?”

Choi Ho, about to curse, suddenly recognized the young man’s face.

“Could it be… you’re Moyong Bi?”

Moyong Bi smiled.

“I came to collect the money.”