Chapter 9

※?9th Chapter

xx

“Huuuuh!”

Seeing so many vulnerabilities, he was sent flying by my kick.

The bulk of the man, who was sent flying by my single kick, rolled for almost five meters and didn't get up again.

“Huh, what’s going on? He was the one who boasted about being the toughest in Gangnam….”

The tall man in a suit, after checking the condition of the bulk, glared at me with anger.

“You, brat…. I thought I could let you off because you’re a student, but you’re just not manageable.”

He took off his suit jacket and handed it to the bulk standing behind. Another bulk, who took the suit, frowned and spoke.

“Sir, are you going to handle it yourself? Let us take care of it….”

“Didn’t you see Hodeong get thrown? If he got thrown that far, you guys won’t be able to do anything. Take care of Hodeong.”

As the bulk checked the man who was thrown by my kick, the tall man approached me.

“Hey, kid! Aren’t you scared of me?”

“I might be scared if I get hit by you, but I don’t think that will happen.”

“Huh…. Impressive courage. You’re full of confidence…. and your pride seems quite strong. If someone like you joins the organization, you could become a middle boss. You’re a character I secretly desire.”

“Shut up…. and that bulk needs to be taken to the hospital quickly. I heard a bone break when I kicked him.”

At my words, the tall man gestured to the bulk and shouted.

“Don’t worry about me, take Hodeong to the hospital right away!”

The bulk loaded Hodeong into the car and left. As the car driven by his subordinates disappeared from sight, the tall man started stretching while glaring at me.

“Let me explain my situation. You know I’m part of an organization, right? Our organization is even more hierarchical than the military.”

“Hierarchical? You mean when someone in a higher position gives an order, those below must obey?”

“Yeah…. You’re smart. But why the hell do you keep talking to me informally?”

“Do I need to show you respect? You were trying to take me somewhere, weren’t you? There’s no need to be polite to someone like that….”

The tall man in the suit nodded repeatedly, seemingly agreeing with my logic.

“Oh, you’re quite a smart kid, aren’t you? You’re strangely persuasive. I like it.”

“I didn’t say it to make you like me. I’m tired from studying today. I want to go home and rest. What should I do? Should I send you to the hospital too?”

“Hahaha, you’re a cute and cheerful kid…. Let me introduce myself. I’m known as Axe in the Seongsan faction, which is very influential in Gangnam. I often take out my hatchet when I face tough opponents or when there’s a fight. That’s why the seniors gave me this nickname. Our Seongsan faction has legitimate businesses, so I’m usually called Manager Kim. If you ever want to find me, look for Manager Kim at Seongsan Construction.”

“F*ck, you’re talking nonsense. I don’t care about your hatchet or hammer. Besides, why would I ever need to find you?”

At my words, the man known as Axe or Manager Kim smiled.

“The world is wide, so you might think we won’t cross paths again. But no, the world is very small, kid. I don’t know where or how we’ll meet again, but you’re already entangled with our Seongsan faction. You’ll be seeing me often.”

“Alright, you’re right. Let me ask you something. Why are you doing this?”

“Jang Hahoon….”

Manager Kim gave a very simple answer, and I understood everything just by hearing the name.

“Jang Hahoon?”

“Yeah. You messed with the youngest son that our Seongsan faction’s chairman cherishes. In short, you’re in deep trouble.”

“So if I take you out, other kids will come after me, right?”

“You have a good grasp of the situation. But there’s one thing you’re wrong about. Other kids won’t come. Because it’s just not believable that I, a grown man, would be taken down by a kid like you….”

“It makes sense.”

“Huh…. This is really…. I have no choice.”

Manager Kim cautiously approached me.

A heavy punch grazed my head. A concise movement. And most importantly…. this guy is too fast! I barely dodged and raised my guard, then approached him. Speed with speed…!

When he threw another punch, I attacked with a time delay. I dodged his punch and aimed a punch at his jaw.

Manager Kim, anticipating my attack, pulled back his body and took a step back. I lunged forward, putting my weight into a kick.

He blocked my kick with both hands.

“Huh…. You’re a complete pro! One wrong move and I’ll be in trouble….”

At that moment, I felt that the tall man in the suit was quite skilled. It seemed he felt the same way.

“Hey, kid! Let me ask you one thing.”

“Go ahead.”

“Do you do sports? Are you a prep student for a sports university?”

“Why should I tell you that?”

“Just…. I’m curious. I’ve fought many people who do sports. But I can’t figure out what sport you do. Your stance is like boxing, but your sharp kicks aren’t kickboxing or taekwondo…. What exactly do you do?”

Suddenly, I had a question for the man known as Manager Kim.

“If you tell me, I’ll answer your question too.”

“Sure, sure!”

He readily agreed. Manager Kim…. He didn’t seem to think too much about things.

“There’s a temple called Golgulsa in Gyeongju. Have you heard of it?”

Manager Kim tilted his head.

“I’ve never heard of a temple with that name.”

“Yeah…. That’s possible. I learned a martial art called Seonmudo from a very young age. I’ve been learning boxing for about five years….”

“So Seonmudo is a kind of martial art taught at the temple, like Shaolin Temple in China?”

“Think what you will. Now answer my question.”

“Of course, I’ll answer. What do you want to know?”

“You said Seongsan faction. Are there many people with your level of skill in the organization?”

Manager Kim rolled his eyes at my question. It didn’t seem like a difficult question….

“Is it a difficult question?”

When I asked again, he waved his hand and said.

“Wait a moment….”

After thinking for about 30 seconds, he seemed to have organized his thoughts and spoke to me.

“I thought about it, and in the Seoul area, there are only five fingers worth of people who can match me. Of course, Mr. Jo Wonhee in Gangbuk is like a god to us, someone we can’t touch. Excluding him, there are about four or five people with skills similar to mine.”

“What about within the Seongsan faction?”

“Of course, no one can beat me one-on-one.”

“The organization isn’t much, is it?”

“Hey! You shouldn’t think so simply. An organization…. We have to do profitable business, take care of our members, and use our heads a lot. Just being good at fighting isn’t enough to manage and maintain an organization. Mr. Jo Wonhee, whom I respect, is also staying in Gangbuk because of this.”

I wasn’t really curious, but since he kept mentioning Mr. Jo Wonhee, I frowned and asked.

“Who exactly is Mr. Jo Wonhee?”

“I might be telling you too much, but since you want to know, I’ll tell you one thing. He is…. a former North Korean agent. Of course, his colleagues, who were branded as spies, all died.”

Manager Kim, who seemed reluctant to fight me, kept talking while maintaining a safe distance. Damn…. I want to go home and rest….

“Hey, kid! I’ve been thinking….”

“You’ve been spouting nonsense the whole time…. Why should I listen to stories about North Korean agents that I don’t care about? Just get to the point! I need to go home….”

“If we go all out, of course, it will be a big hit, but I will subdue you.”

I just smirked at Manager Kim’s words. But he continued without caring.

“But, fighting a high school student like that would damage my pride. Besides, my subordinate was taken to the hospital. What should I do? Damn, I’m not that smart, so I can’t find a good way to handle this situation.”

I looked at Manager Kim with a stunned expression. He didn’t seem to understand why I was looking at him like that.

“Thug! How did you find me? Did the Seongsan faction’s boss’s son tell you about me?”

“Of course. Jang Hahoon got information about you from his close friends at your school. So the chairman asked me directly to bring you quietly.”

“So I’ll just say I was feeling unwell and left early today. Can I go now? It’s getting late. My mom is waiting for me.”

“Hey! Kid!”

Manager Kim stopped me as I turned to leave. He was really good at being annoying. =============================※