Translator - Zofu
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It took twenty years to climb from the very bottom to the very top. But unlike the difficult climb, the fall was truly just a moment.
Someone living a shit life had to do whatever it took to succeed. Normal methods couldn't change a hellish existence. So I fell into the path of crime.
Took down the cocky ones, got rid of the useless ones. I brushed aside those backstabbing bastards who'd betray you like some weaselly little shits. I lived by Cheol-yong hyungnim's code. But in the end, my life was also one of being discarded by someone.
But unlike Cheol-yong hyungnim, I survived. By pathetically begging for my life.
Though I survived, my body was ruined. I had to lose five fingers and an ankle. And with the hundred million they threw at me, I lived like a wreck for a year. No, I acted like one.
I didn't give up. I held on, repeating to myself that a gentleman's revenge is never too late, even after ten years.
For a year, I watched for an opportunity. I acted the part of a man whose life was thoroughly destroyed, someone who pathetically begged for his miserable life.
Even now, it's the same. Sitting in a park with a soju bottle in my one good hand, sitting like an empty shell.
Though I can't confirm exactly because of the distance, there's still someone tailing me.
A year has passed, but I'm growing tired of this unrelenting surveillance. I spent all the money I had to maintain this wrecked facade.
While worrying about what to do next and letting my guard down, I felt the watcher disappear.
"Where'd he go?"
My mind was consumed by the suddenly vanished watcher. And even after an hour, I felt no other gaze upon me. My heart raced madly at the thought of finally being free from surveillance.
"Stay calm. It's not certain yet."
Thinking that, I quietly rose from my spot. Dragging my limping leg, I headed home.
Days passed. It was certain—the watcher was gone. Finally, the opportunity had come.
I waited a bit more. Then, on a quiet dawn, I put on inconspicuous clothes and headed toward my destination.
After struggling for thirty minutes, I arrived. I climbed the stairs of an old, worn-down building to the second floor.
As I climbed the stairs, I sensed something off. The door that should've been closed was slightly ajar.
I hurriedly opened the door and went inside. There, I saw a bear-like bulky man holding a large bag.
The room was dark, so I couldn't see clearly, but the bulk and the blurry silhouette were familiar. A man's name flashed through my mind, and I spoke it.
"Park Hyung-jun?"
The man whose name I'd called flinched as he looked my way and spoke.
"...Taeyang hyungnim?"
"What are you doing here? No, more importantly, Park Hyung-jun, how did you know about this place?"
At my question, Park Hyung-jun looked around my vicinity, flustered for a moment. Then, seeming relieved to confirm no one else was there, he replied nervously.
"Ha... I've been cleaning up your mess for over ten years, hyungnim. You might not know, but Do-gyun hyungnim ordered me to keep watching you."
A name I didn't want to hear. Hearing the name of the bastard who betrayed me made it hard to control my emotions.
But the situation wasn't good. There was nothing to gain from pissing him off with my crippled body. Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to hold back my anger and spoke.
"That Kim Do-gyun bastard ordered this?"
"Heh-heh. If Do-gyun hyungnim had ordered it, would he have sent me? I deliberately didn't report this place. I've been waiting a whole year to take it all for myself."
His words made it seem I'd avoided the worst-case scenario. But it would be hard to beat him with this crippled body. I needed a plan.
I looked around.
The room was filled with artifacts collected from all over the world. Nothing suitable to use as a weapon was visible.
I looked at him again. It was obvious he was openly ignoring me. It was like an attitude of "try something if you dare."
I had no weapons either.
"I know why hyungnim came, but I've already taken everything. Just stay quiet and make a living peddling what's left here."
"...You."
I bit my lip and glared at him. Despair washed over me at the fact that I could do nothing.
The bastard packed the remaining money, grabbed his bag, and tried to pass by me.
I aimed for the neck of the off-guard bastard and attacked. But Park Hyung-jun easily dodged as if he'd expected it, and kicked me in the stomach.
I was sent flying into a display stand. Objects fell from the impact and battered my body.
"Ugh."
The pain starting from my stomach made me choke for breath. And Park Hyung-jun came over and stomped on my body with his foot.
-Thud! Thud!
"You think you're still something just because I call you hyungnim? You're just a cripple who's worse than a worm now. You should just live quietly somewhere out of sight."
I defended myself with my arms as best as I could. But with my crippled body, it was impossible to block everything.
The beating that had been going on for a while stopped. And Park Hyung-jun took money out of his black bag and threw it in front of me.
"Thanks to you, I got a nice cut too. Use this to get some soup and don't go around acting tough anymore. Live quietly."
Park Hyung-jun threw the money and left without looking back.
Even after the bastard left, various emotions like helplessness and frustration washed over me as I lay there.
"Heh-heh-heh."
Laughter leaked out like a deranged person. And I couldn't hold back the rising anger in my chest.
"Fuck!!!"
I got up and started throwing things from the display stand like a madman.
"Huff... Huff."
It didn't last long before I ran out of breath. As I was trying to catch my breath, leaning my back against the display stand, something suddenly fell on my head. The object that hit my head and fell shattered as soon as it hit the floor.
As the box shattered, whatever was inside seemed to have shattered too, and broken fragments scattered everywhere.
And among the shattered objects, something shining brightly caught my eye. I stooped with my aching back and grabbed it to look.
It was a black marble about the size of a bottle cap. A bright light was coming from its center.
To get a better look at the marble, I brought it close to my eyes. I saw a glowing disk moving in an elliptical pattern. It was like a miniature galaxy. The more I looked, the more I fell into its beautiful sight.
I came to my senses. I didn't know what this was, but I knew it was no ordinary thing.
And I looked around. I wondered if there might be more things like this among the items here.
Everything here was purchased from auction houses run by the organization for money laundering. Most were nameless modern art pieces or artifacts made to look impressive.
I'd decided to sort through the things here later. The problem was that it would be difficult to handle this domestically. The moment I tried to sell it, those betraying bastards would immediately notice and likely intercept it.
I couldn't think of any way other than selling it overseas.
I held up the black marble once more.
I didn't know what principle it was made with, but it was fascinating. While I was engrossed in the object, Park Hyung-sik's voice rang out.
"I came back to get my car keys I left behind. What interesting thing do you have there?"
I saw Park Hyung-sik standing at the entrance.
'Fuck, why now...'
I felt like curses were about to spill out automatically. My luck was nonexistent, completely nonexistent.
Park Hyung-sik was blocking the entrance, so there was no way to escape. I slowly moved backward. I was thinking of jumping out the back window. Park Hyung-sik, noticing my movement, rushed at me.
"Get lost, you son of a bitch!"
"Shut up and hand it over!"
As Park Hyung-sik tried to snatch what was in my hand, I shoved the marble into my mouth. Seeing this, Park Hyung-sik swung his massive fist at my face.
I must've been hit squarely because my mind grew hazy. I clenched my teeth and tried to hold on as best as I could. But my center of gravity wavered and I sank to the ground.
And I despaired at the sensation in my mouth. It seemed the marble had shattered from Park Hyung-sik's punch. And soon, a hot burning sensation and liquid started going down my esophagus. And then I felt a heavy hand on my throat starting to choke me.
"Gurk..."
It was difficult to breathe. I tried to loosen Park Hyung-sik's hand that was choking me to survive, but the choking only intensified.
"Die!!"
My consciousness gradually faded and strength left my body.
'Ah... So this is how I die...'
And I lost consciousness.
Park Hyung-sik exhaled rough breaths and calmed his trembling hands. Looking at Geum Tae-yang dead beneath him, he spoke.
"Fuck... Why'd he have to show up today, fucking ridiculous. Tch."
He spat on Geum Tae-yang's corpse and forced his mouth open. There was nothing inside, it was clean.
"Tsk. Wasted my time."
Park Hyung-sik got up, found his car keys, and left just like that.
And Geum Tae-yang's body began to slowly turn to dust and disappear, eventually vanishing completely along with his surroundings like dust.
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