Three Eight-Chapter 28

Hongju hesitated for a long moment, his shoulders tense. Finally, his chapped lips parted.

“...City Hall. The guys who used to come to play Seotda. In exchange for reduced interest, they’d give us a heads-up when there was going to be a police raid or a demolition notice. Even if something did go down, they’d take care of it quietly.”

“Who are they?”

“I don’t know their names. I don’t even remember their faces properly. They just called them Section Chief Park and Officer Kim.”

The car came to a slow stop at a red light. Mu-gyeong tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel, letting out a long breath.

“Hm. But you’d recognize them if you saw them?”

“I think so.”

Hongju turned his gaze outside. They had stopped at the same convenience store intersection where he had come with Doksu before. If he hadn’t met Mu-gyeong here that day... If he hadn’t warned him that he was being set up... If Mu-gyeong had walked in blind and gotten scammed out of his money... How would things have turned out? His debt certainly wouldn’t have shrunk the way it had now.

“If Gu Madam keeps pestering you about what we talked about, just stick to what I told you.”

“What you told me?”

Hongju rolled his eyes upward, searching his memory. Mu-gyeong nodded and pulled out a water bottle from the cup holder, handing it over. It was clearly untouched, still sealed. Hongju hesitated, gripping just the cap. This would probably be his last chance to drink before stepping back into the gambling house.

“Tell him you were too busy washing up, getting loosened up, and spreading your legs to have any kind of conversation.”

“...”

So that’s what he meant.

Hongju immediately averted his gaze, twisting off the cap. He drank in large gulps, like a man dying of thirst, and the movement of his throat caught Mu-gyeong’s gaze, lingering over the shifting muscles.

“You’d remember it better if I reminded you with your body again. Want me to?”

Hongju shook his head sharply, still holding water in his mouth. With an audible gulp, he swallowed it down and licked his lips.

“I’m good.”

At the firm refusal, Mu-gyeong chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. The car rolled forward, crossing the intersection.

As they approached familiar alleys, Hongju straightened up in his seat, sitting stiffly. He wet his lips, ran a hand over his knees, glanced out the window repeatedly—his nervousness was obvious. Mu-gyeong flicked his eyes toward him but didn’t comment.

The closer they got to the gambling house, the more pronounced Hongju’s anxiety became. But Mu-gyeong didn’t acknowledge it. He had already given instructions—act like something was going on between them, and there wouldn’t be any trouble. Someone like Gu Madam, cunning as he was, would still bow to money. That was enough. Mu-gyeong stepped on the accelerator.

“Oh, you’re here?”

Chief Yang was lounging on an old metal desk, feet propped up. His expression soured the moment he saw Hongju step in first, but as soon as Mu-gyeong followed, he quickly sat up and dropped his feet to the floor. Setting down his phone, he forced an awkward grin. The dim light from the bare bulb overhead reflected off a gold tooth as he spoke.

"You were making a fuss about showing up for work."

Mu-gyeong, hands in his pockets, walked forward with long strides. Chief Yang, still hunched awkwardly, pulled out an empty chair.

“Who? Hongju?”

Mu-gyeong stopped in front of the chair and turned his head slightly. He curled a finger at Hongju, beckoning him over. When he hesitated, Mu-gyeong grabbed his padded hood and yanked him down into the seat.

“Yeah. You’re lucky to have such a diligent employee.”

As he sat, his eyes met Chief Yang’s briefly. But Chief Yang quickly looked away, glancing toward the hallway instead. A faint bruise marred his jawline. Was that Guppping’s doing? For dealing the wrong card yesterday?

As Hongju subtly observed him, a door swung open.

“Oh, well, if it isn’t our President Mu-gyeong.”

Guppping. He greeted them with exaggerated warmth, his fake smile stretched across his face. Seated at the desk, Mu-gyeong didn’t bother turning his head fully, only tilting it slightly to acknowledge him.

“We talked just half a day ago. What’s with the warm welcome?”

“I always greet you like this! Oh, and I had your usual seat cleaned out today.”

Guppping gestured toward the back room with a broad grin. But Hongju could tell—it was a trap. Since they hadn’t managed to rob him blind last night, they were bound to try something else. Maybe they’d set up a new game. Maybe they’d call in some gangsters. Either way, Guppping wasn’t going to let it go.

“We still could’ve taken customers.”

“Oh, come on. My ex just needed the space for a bit yesterday. That room’s yours, President Mu-gyeong.”

Guppping kept bowing, all smiles, as he led Mu-gyeong toward the room. Mu-gyeong walked at a leisurely pace, hands still buried in his coat pockets.

“Fuck.”

Chief Yang gritted his teeth, and Hongju watched as the two men disappeared down the hall. The further they got, the harder it became to make out their conversation. Hongju focused, straining his ears.

“If you want, I could set up another game for you? Doksu’s out from the next round, but Chief Yang will be in.”

“You still haven’t recovered from last night’s loss?”

“Money comes and goes. Win some, lose some.”

Ah. Guppping was trying to lure Mu-gyeong into another match.

After Hongju had left last night, they must have regrouped and come up with a new strategy. They had lost once, so now they were bound to go all in. Despite his smile, Guppping’s eyes betrayed him—he was planning something.

“Then leave it at that. Forget about breaking even. If you chase after your losses, you’ll ruin yourself.”

Guppping’s footsteps came to an abrupt halt. A few steps ahead, Mu-gyeong turned sharply, his body angling to the side as he pulled his hands from his pockets. A few bills slipped out from his fingers.

“The tip I forgot to give you yesterday.”

Mu-gyeong crumpled the cash and shoved it into Guppping’s shirt pocket. Even from the back, it was clear—Guppping was trembling with rage.

“Go get me a glass of cold water, Gu Madam.”

Mu-gyeong smirked as he casually patted Guppping’s lower back with the back of his hand. Then, without another glance, he turned and strode toward the back room, his coat flaring behind him.

“Fucking crazy brat.”

Chief Yang slammed his fist onto the desk. The loud bang echoed through the room, but Mu-gyeong didn’t even look back.

Guppping stood in the hallway for a long moment before finally turning around, yanking the crumpled bills from his shirt with one hand. His face was flushed an angry red, veins bulging across his forehead. Even his lips were trembling with rage. Watching him like that, Hongju felt a quiet, bitter satisfaction.

“Shit. How the fuck do we screw him over?”

Guppping tossed the bills onto the desk, frustration boiling over. The money scattered weakly, and a stray bill even landed on Hongju’s lap. Chief Yang, sighing, gathered the cash and stacked it neatly before jerking his chin toward Hongju.

“Guppping. Don’t say that in front of him. He’ll run off and spill everything.”

Immediately, Guppping’s furious gaze snapped to Hongju.

“You little shit. What did I tell you? What happens if you run your fucking mouth, huh?”

His massive hand swung through the air, slicing toward Hongju’s face. Bracing himself for the impact, Hongju instinctively squeezed his eyes shut.

At that exact moment, a sharp voice cut through the tense hallway.

“I told you to bring me some water. What the fuck are you doing?”

Irritated and commanding, the voice made Guppping flinch. He snapped his head toward the far end of the hall. Leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, stood Mu-gyeong. His long frame cast a shadow into the room.

Did he hear them?

Guppping’s expression flickered with unease. Hongju, sensing the shift, quietly stood up.

“I’ll get it.”

He grabbed a fresh water bottle from the mini-fridge and passed the desk without a word. Guppping and Chief Yang remained silent, watching him closely.

Crossing the disorderly hallway, [N O V E L I G H T] Hongju stopped in front of Mu-gyeong. The moment he approached, Mu-gyeong pulled off his gloves. His broad, bare hands were now visible. The sight made Hongju tense up—was he going to choke him again?

Instead, Mu-gyeong wrapped an arm around his shoulders and leaned in to whisper.

“What do you think? Don’t you wish he’d just drop dead?”

His quiet chuckle sent a shiver through Hongju’s frame, the vibrations of his laughter passing through his body.

“Look at him. He’s already close. One step away from a fucking aneurysm.”

He wasn’t wrong. Guppping’s face was still twisted in rage, his complexion dark with barely contained fury.

“Killing him outright would be too boring.”

Slowly. Painfully. Mu-gyeong’s low voice barely reached Hongju’s ears before he plucked the water bottle from his grasp. Still holding him close, Mu-gyeong twisted the cap off with one hand and took several deep gulps. His throat moved with each swallow, the sound close enough for Hongju to hear distinctly. It was strange—he had already emptied an entire bottle before coming inside, yet his thirst remained.

Hongju remained motionless, trapped in Mu-gyeong’s hold, until he finally finished drinking.

“Go.”

Mu-gyeong handed him the empty bottle, then casually removed his arm and walked into the room without another word.

“...”

Holding the now weightless bottle, Hongju made his way back to the desk. Three sets of eyes burned into him, but he ignored them. Sitting down to rest wasn’t an option with them watching so intently, so he decided to start cleaning up instead.

But just as he turned, a strong grip yanked at his padded coat, pulling him backward.

“You actually fucked him, huh? Huh? And what’s with this jacket?”

“Fuck, is he trying to take control of the house’s goddamn wallet?”

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

The two men circled him, voices growing aggressive.

It was funny. They were the ones who had been so eager to sell him off before. Hongju clenched the plastic bottle in his hand.

“Why? Isn’t this exactly what Guppping wanted?”

“You little fucker, talking back again? You wouldn’t spread your legs before, but now you do just because your debt’s getting erased?”

“And if...”

Hongju hesitated.

He almost said, And if you hadn’t fucked up dealing the cards last night, this wouldn’t have happened.

But he stopped himself. Chief Yang’s one good eye was burning into him, filled with barely contained rage.

“You should’ve just paid me more, Guppping. Then I would’ve done it for you first.”

The sharp-edged remark left his mouth before he could stop himself.

Guppping’s face twisted in panic, and he immediately glanced at Chief Yang. He hadn’t known. So he really didn’t know what kind of shit Guppping got up to behind his back.

“W-what the fuck are you talking about, you little shit?”

Hongju expected a fist to come flying, but maybe because of Mu-gyeong, Guppping didn’t dare touch him. He kept up the act, barking and sputtering, but his bravado had cracks in it now.

Then, as if on cue, a new voice called out from behind them.

“Uncle, fresh deck over here!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Hongju seized the chance. He grabbed a deck of cards and quickly stood up, leaving the tension-filled table behind.

As he walked away, the lingering silence behind him felt oddly satisfying.