NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7
Incheon. Chinatown.
Before the Daejeon Incident, it was originally a tourist spot where people gathered throughout the year from all over the country.
However, post-Daejeon, the atmosphere of Chinatown changed 180 degrees.
In the immediate chaos after the incident, with a high percentage of foreigners and the proximity to a port, Chinatown quickly turned into a hub of crime.
The street that once attracted tourists from all over the country now drew in criminals from the Northeast Asia region instead.
The massive Harlem-like area formed around the old Chinatown grew deep and large to the point that even the government couldn’t intervene.
Of course, everyone knows there were collusions between organized crime groups and figures in politics and business throughout this process.
Thus, as we arrive in the present, the South Korean government has virtually given up on Chinatown.
They realized that poking around would only be like stirring a hornet’s nest, so they simply erected a fence and guaranteed that criminals wouldn’t come out.
And now.
A law enforcement officer who has an extreme aversion to criminals, along with their team, stepped foot at the boundary of Chinatown.
“Wow, the atmosphere seems really tense…”
On the main road leading into the town, makeshift buildings resembling checkpoints were set up. Nearby, vicious members of organized crime sat as guards, closely watching every outsider who entered.
“Chinatown is a cradle for criminals. They generally don’t want to go out, so conversely, their vigilance towards outsiders is heightened. You’d better get used to it quickly.”
“It seems you’re familiar with this, Director. Did you visit here for work before?”
At Lee Ha-yeon’s question, Kwon Tae-ho hesitated for a moment before shaking his head.
“Not really. The public authority and Chinatown are fundamentally inviolable. I just… had personal connections that brought me here occasionally.”
“Is that so…”
For such an ambiguous answer, Lee Ha-yeon could only nod back ambiguously. Yoo Seol approached Kwon Tae-ho and asked.
“By the way, Director, we came here without any plan, but how are we supposed to find the person who passed on superpowers to the suspect in this vast Chinatown? Are we going to visit a detective agency or something?”
“It’s similar. I have a contact who knows the ins and outs personally. He’s well-connected and is well aware of internal affairs in Chinatown, so he should be able to answer our questions.”
Upon hearing this, Yoo Seol’s expression questioned the situation.
Kwon Tae-ho fundamentally loathed criminals. And if he had a connection to an information broker in Chinatown, they’d likely be involved in some form of crime.
But he has a personal connection with an information broker?
Yoo Seol was perplexed both by the fact that Kwon Tae-ho had a criminal acquaintance and that he would willingly seek help from such a person.
“May I ask what kind of connection that is?”
“It’s… a rather tough connection. Just know that much.”
Without a substantial answer, Kwon Tae-ho proceeded deeper into Chinatown.
-Squeak.
Eventually, they arrived at a Chinese goods store located on the second floor above an alley, filled with a myriad of trivial items.
The dust piled up here and there suggested that it was not a popular stop for customers. Kwon Tae-ho strode between the narrow shelves and shouted at the counter.
“Mei-ran!”
“……………………Yes! I’m coming out now!”
A cheerful voice echoed from the dark corridor behind the counter shortly after.
A moment later, a striking woman sprinted down the hallway.
Her long, bright red hair flowed down to her waist, and she wore a form-fitting black cheongsam. Over it, she casually threw on a thick leather jacket.
Each step she took made the hairpin and jewelry on her head jingle loudly, giving her a flamboyant impression. With a hearty voice, she called out to the three of them.
“Welcome! This is Mei-ran’s general store where we sell everything from women’s sewing kits to Qinglong weapons! Feel free to look around-”
However, the moment she laid eyes on Kwon Tae-ho, the light-heartedness and cheerfulness flowing from her vanished in an instant.
“It’s been a while, Mei-ran.”
“…………Kwon Tae-ho.”
A subdued voice.
Yet she did not dislike the person before her. A faint smile soon surfaced on her previously subdued expression.
“…Indeed. It has truly been a long time.”
Her voice carried a sense of nostalgia and longing.
At the sudden shift in atmosphere, Lee Ha-yeon exchanged glances between the two and gasped in surprise.
Just moments ago, Kwon Tae-ho had implied that he had a tough connection with the information broker.
“…Uh, Director, is this person your ex-girlfriend-”
“Ha-yeon, be mindful of the time and place.”
As Yoo Seol intervened, Ha-yeon quickly closed her mouth, but that hardly mattered; the two people who had reunited after a long time were still fully focused on each other.
“Has it been three years? What brings you back to this side of town after ignoring it since Master passed away? Did you come for work?”
“Yeah, I want to ask for your help regarding a case I’m handling.”
“If you’re asking for my help, it must be a pretty big deal, huh?”
“Nine people have died. If we keep delaying, more could die.”
“Why should I care if those people live or die? They don’t concern you.”
“I may not care, but I can’t let a murderer run rampant. Once I learned of the suspect’s existence, I’m obligated to arrest him and put him in prison.”
Kwon Tae-ho’s resolute answer brought a lonely smile to Mei-ran’s face.
It seemed that the acquaintance he had met after three years hadn’t changed at all.
Or rather, the part where he shows no mercy to criminals had perhaps intensified.
“So? What information do you want?”
“Recently, a serial killing targeting crime offenders from the returns has been happening in the metropolitan area…”
Kwon Tae-ho conveyed the general outlines of the investigation and the information he needed from Mei-ran.
“…So, I want you to check if there’s an individual or organization in Chinatown capable of passing superpowers to others like an avatar ability. And if anyone has received that ability from them.”
“…”
“…Mei-ran? Hey, are you listening?”
Despite Kwon Tae-ho’s question, Mei-ran stood with her arms crossed, lost in thought. After a moment of contemplation, she chuckled softly and said to Kwon Tae-ho with an incredulous expression.
“It seems like the person you’re looking for is currently in Chinatown.”
“What?”
“A man about 180 cm tall. He wields two swords as weapons and possesses power on par with level S…”
Kwon Tae-ho recalled the characteristics of the suspect he had described. Again, he affirmed in his mind that Mei-ran’s guess seemed quite accurate.
“…You know that there are several Chinese gangs operating in Chinatown, right? Among them, there’s a faction called ‘Cheonho-bang,’ and a senior member was just chopped up by some crazy guy yesterday.”
“Could it be a feud between organizations?”
To Kwon Tae-ho’s question, Mei-ran shook her head.
“No organization is admitting to it. And that’s probably true. None of the gangs in Chinatown would want to start an all-out war with Cheonho-bang.”
“Is Cheonho-bang that strong of an organization?”
“They are. Within Chinatown, their power is comparable to others, but Cheonho-bang is one of the three major powers in mainland China. If you value your life, you wouldn’t dare get involved.”
“So, the one who chopped up the Cheonho-bang member is an outsider who doesn’t know the situation in Chinatown?”
“Exactly. And the description from the witness bears similarities to what you just mentioned about the suspect. A middle-aged East Asian male, about 180 cm tall. Wields two swords. So what do you think? Sound familiar?”
It does sound familiar, but that alone isn’t enough to conclude they are the same person. The characteristics of physique and weaponry can overlap quite easily.
“…Do you know more about him?”
“Only the sequence of events so far. Do you know why that crazy guy chopped up the Cheonho-bang member? It was said he did it to protect a waitress who was being harassed at a bar. Sounds like some old Hong Kong movie plot, right?”
“Did he know that worker beforehand?”
“Well, only by asking the worker would we find out, right?”
“Where is that worker?”
At Kwon Tae-ho’s question, Mei-ran stared at him intently, as if to say he should already have figured that out himself.
From her expression, Kwon Tae-ho could guess the current whereabouts of the worker.
“Don’t tell me…?”
“Yeah. Cheonho-bang has been frantically looking for the culprit. The waitress was taken away long ago. She’s probably being tortured now to spill anything she knows about the suspect.”
“….”
“That suspect is really stupid. What good is this shallow sense of justice if you only save her at that moment? Thanks to him, she’s just feeling embarrassed and probably getting tortured, kidnapped for being helpful. Talk about unnecessary meddling getting someone into trouble.”
“…So, did Cheonho-bang get any information from that woman about the suspect?”
To Kwon Tae-ho’s question, Mei-ran shook her head.
The incident occurred last night, and Cheonho-bang took the woman this morning.
“That was a few hours ago, so judging by the lack of significant movements afterward… it could be one of two things.”
Either the woman is keeping her mouth shut despite the torture.
Or she genuinely has no connections to the suspect.
“…In this situation, we can’t tell if that man is our suspect or not.”
Yoo Seol frowned, appearing doubtful, and Mei-ran chuckled heartily.
“You said the suspect gained superpowers here, right? In that case, we can start our investigation from that angle. Even though Chinatown sells all sorts of things, very few people trade superpowers as products.”
“That’s a blessing in disguise. Director, let’s request that from Mei-ran for now—”
Yoo Seol swallowed her words, noticing that Kwon Tae-ho seemed to be deep in thought with a serious expression.
“Director…?”
Feeling something, Lee Ha-yeon also tilted her head. Kwon Tae-ho remained silent.
“Wait a minute. You’re not thinking…”
The first person to sense something ominous was Mei-ran. Although she hadn’t seen Kwon Tae-ho in years, she knew well how he tended to operate.
“You’re not seriously considering going after that waitress, are you?”
Kwon Tae-ho did not respond. That silence was as good as an affirmation. Mei-ran’s face paled.
“…Hey, Kwon Tae-ho. Get a grip. We’re talking about Cheonho-bang here. One of the largest mafia forces in China! Sure, this is just one of their overseas branches in Chinatown, but picking a fight with them could be disastrous. You might not even get out of Chinatown alive.”
“…But what about the common civilians in danger?”
With such a succinct answer, Mei-ran felt absurd. She waved her arms in disbelief as she shot back at Kwon Tae-ho.
“How many ordinary civilians are in danger in Chinatown? And besides, this isn’t even under your jurisdiction! This isn’t your problem to care about! You’re not the police; you’re a public officer dealing with Returnees!”
“Cheonho-bang must have some Returnees of their own too, right?”
“What? Well, of course, they do—”
“Then it’s within my jurisdiction.”
It was a logic so twisted that it felt like saying if you hang earrings on your ears, you can do whatever you want with your nose.
“…Haa.”
Mei-ran gave up trying to persuade him. Kwon Tae-ho was never the type to be easily convinced; he had always been like this.
“As for the superpower matter, I’ll request an investigation. I’ll handle this matter of rescuing the waitress and hearing her statement.”
“Sure! Do as you wish! I’m such a fool for worrying about you! Go ahead and mess around until you die for all I care!”
“Don’t worry. I’ve grown much stronger since we knew each other.”
“W-who’s worried about you!”
Mei-ran retorted irritably as she strode into the back room.
Was that a signal to get lost as quickly as possible? Just as Kwon Tae-ho thought that, Mei-ran returned with a few pieces of paper in hand and thrust them in front of him.
“Here’s the information on that waitress. Her name is Liu Pei-pei, from Taiwan. And this is her home address, the address of the store she works at, and her contact number. If you go inquire about information at the store, be discreet; the Cheonho-bang guys are probably still watching.”
Despite having acted frustrated about it being none of her concern, she was surprisingly courteous with this service. As Kwon Tae-ho received the stack of paper and smiled, he said,
“Thanks, Mei-ran.”
“If you’re grateful, pay me properly after it’s all over! No discounts for friends; I’ll charge you full price!”
Mei-ran waved her hand and chased Kwon Tae-ho out. After he stepped out of the general store, Yoo Seol nudged Kwon Tae-ho with her elbow, glancing back into the store.
“You two seem to get along well? What’s your connection?”
“…Why do you care? That’s not really the important thing right now, is it?”
“If she’s the Director’s hidden lover or something, I as the aide should know about it.”
“Ugh?”
At Yoo Seol’s words, Lee Ha-yeon lit up with curiosity, staring at Kwon Tae-ho. After a moment’s pause, Kwon Tae-ho sighed deeply and replied.
“…Mei-ran was my fellow student under my master years ago. That’s all.”
“If she’s your master’s student…”
After pondering for a moment, Yoo Seol suddenly made an “ah” expression as if realizing something.
Kwon Tae-ho’s master. Though Yoo Seol didn’t know her well, she had a fragment of information.
She remembered that not long before Yoo Seol joined Kwon Tae-ho’s office, there had been an unfortunate incident leading to her passing.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pried…”
“It’s fine. It was a long time ago.”
“??”
Lee Ha-yeon, caught in between the two, was lost in the conversation. To shift the topic, Yoo Seol cleared her throat and asked.
“So, you mentioned barging directly into the largest mafia organization’s department, do you have a plan?”
“I’ll threaten one of the gang members to find out Liu Pei-pei’s location. Once I know her location, I’ll move in directly to rescue her.”
“Usually, we wouldn’t call that a plan…”
After a moment of contemplation, Yoo Seol nodded and added.
“Not a bad idea. It’s actually the simplest method.”
“Right? When you have enough power, you can make plans on the fly. Charging straight ahead is the easiest and most reliable way.”
“But even if you’re a public officer, shouldn’t you have a bit of backup for fighting and rescuing hostages all on your own?”
“So?”
“How about splitting the mission? One for diversion, one for rescue. Conveniently, we have another public officer here, right? Although they are just an apprentice.”
As she said this, Yoo Seol subtly turned her head towards Lee Ha-yeon.
“What do you think, Ha-yeon? Are you up for it?”
A sudden mission proposal.
However, there was no reason to hesitate. Lee Ha-yeon, who had been looking forward to proving herself as a public officer, took a dramatic salute gesture and shouted.
“Yes! Just leave it to me!”
Kwon Tae-ho’s office, Chinatown’s first debut.