Urban Vagabond: Reload

I already knew Shin Kangheon had come up from downstairs.

I could’ve hidden or avoided him if I wanted to, but I didn’t. It wouldn’t have meant much anyway.

This might actually be for the best.

Rather than persuasion, it would be easier for Shin Kangheon to accept it if I showed him evidence directly.

But even so, if he still couldn’t accept it in the end......

I spoke to Shin Kangheon—who still had that cold expression—like it was nothing.

“You were awake? I checked that you were asleep before I moved.”

“......I learned the Turtle-Breathing Art and some other useful stuff at the Martial Alliance.”

“So you suspected me from the start. As a friend, that stings a little.”

“You’re saying that after you got me drunk on purpose to make me pass out?”

Shin Kangheon strode up and snatched the photo from my hand.

A photo from the day he left the orphanage, taken with his uncle.

It was also the only photo the two of them had together.

Staring at it for a moment, Shin Kangheon noticed the red seal stamped on the back.

“......This is what you called Red Worm, right? Explain what it is.”

“A mercenary organization that’s famous worldwide.”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“It’s not well-known in Korea yet.”

It would still take a few more years before Red Worm became famous all over the world.

I explained what I knew about them, without holding anything back.

“They’re the kind of bastards who mainly commit war crimes—assassinations, civilian massacres, kidnappings. A criminal group so proud of themselves they literally call themselves bugs.”

“.......”

Shin Kangheon’s expression twisted by the second.

The fact that the seal of an organization that disgusting was stamped on the back of the only photo he had with his uncle felt like a bad omen.

I saw his reaction—and kept going anyway.

“And that seal is known to be something Red Worm stamps on their targets.”

That was what people had testified to the media after being kidnapped by Red Worm and barely escaping, years from now.

Of course, in the future I knew, Shin Kangheon was never kidnapped or killed by Red Worm.

It wasn’t kidnapping. They were trying to recruit him. Because Red Worm isn’t just some mercenary organization.......

They were an organization the Heavenly Demon Cult used like extra limbs.

It was something revealed after the day the Heavenly Demon Cult declared its domination over the world—when Red Worm carried out one dirty operation and terrorist attack after another.

The puzzle pieces in my head started clicking into place.

Shin Junhyun was either a mercenary in Red Worm, or at least someone cooperating with them. And it might even connect to the Heavenly Demon Cult.

If I tracked the record of the dozen-plus years Shin Junhyun spent overseas in detail, I could find out for sure.

While listening, Shin Kangheon bristled and snapped back.

“Isn’t everything you’re saying still just speculation? A stamp can look similar to anything, and this isn’t even solid evidence.”

“What if I have solid evidence?”

I snatched the photo back from Shin Kangheon’s hand. His reactions were slower than usual, so I took it right out from under his nose.

“Hey! Give that back right now—!”

I lightly fed internal energy into the photo.

The Red Worm seal heated up red-hot and began giving off the stench of blood.

“Red Worm seals are treated with spellcraft so that if you pour energy into them, they start smelling like blood.”

“......!”

He didn’t need to put his nose up close to know.

From the moment I fed internal energy into it, the smell of blood filled the room.

With undeniable proof in hand, I drove the truth into Shin Kangheon with cruel clarity.

“The smuggling ledger that Black Heaven Society had—Shin Junhyun’s name was on it. I thought it could be someone with the same name, so I checked. It was your uncle.”

I calmly told him what had happened during the Black Heaven Society smuggling bust.

“At first, I was planning to investigate whether he was connected to Black Heaven Society. But he was bigger than I thought. Your uncle—no, I don’t even know if Shin Junhyun is really your uncle anymore.”

“.......”

Shin Kangheon didn’t say a word. He just glared at the photo of himself with his uncle.

But I could tell.

His emotions were surging, like he could explode at any second.

When it comes to family, logic doesn’t persuade you.

It wouldn’t have been strange if he swung that fist—white-knuckled so hard it looked like it might turn pale—right at me.

SSSSSS......

A faint killing intent rose off Shin Kangheon’s body.

It was so fierce it made the hair on my entire body stand up, and I prepared for the worst.

If Shin Kangheon decided to cover up his uncle’s crimes—if he chose to protect his only family, even if that person only meant to use him—

Then I can’t be friends with you anymore.

I desperately hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

Unlike our previous life, where we had to kill each other, I wanted to keep being friends with Shin Kangheon in this life.

SQUEEZE.......

But at the same time, I stayed ready to fight at any moment.

If Shin Kangheon came at me for real, putting him down would take my full strength too.

That was when—

GRIT!

Shin Kangheon suddenly did something completely unexpected.

He turned and slammed his forehead into the wall.

KWAANG—!

It hit hard enough to make the wall tremble. The spot where he’d headbutted actually caved in.

“......What are you doing?”

“Fuuuuuuuh.......”

His forehead was swelling red as he let out a long breath.

Apparently it hurt a lot—he grabbed his forehead and complained.

“I’m not sober enough. This is the fastest way to get my head straight.”

“You really are a crazy bastard.......”

“Wow, hearing that from you makes me snap awake.”

Shin Kangheon was back to his usual grin.

I let out an inward sigh of relief and asked,

“So what’s the conclusion?”

Shin Kangheon put the photo back into the frame and hung it where it was.

There were all kinds of emotions in the way he stared at it—but there was no hesitation left.

“You said to find out directly, right? That’s what I’m doing from now on.”

Maybe because his head felt clearer, suspicious things his uncle had done—things he’d ignored because it was “family”—started surfacing one after another.

And once he recognized them, letting it slide didn’t fit Shin Kangheon’s personality.

“Either way, he’s my only family, right? I’m going to confirm it with my own eyes. And if he really is involved in something bad......”

Shin Kangheon slowly stepped on the broken door lock lying on the floor.

CRUNCH— the door lock shattered into pieces.

“Even if someone’s gonna beat him down, I’ll be the one to do it. That’s my conclusion.”

That answer hit exactly right.

*****

As soon as the sun came up, Shin Kangheon changed into the Martial Alliance uniform.

Before digging into his uncle, he said he was going to find the White Tiger Unit commander and ask about his parents.

We ate breakfast and left the house together.

I patted Shin Kangheon’s shoulder—his face tense—and joked.

“If you’re scared, want me to go with you?”

“Get lost, you crazy bastard!”

WHOOOM—!

A fist strong enough to shatter stone cut through empty air, missing its target—because I’d predicted it and dodged.

Shin Kangheon smacked his lips like it was a shame, then pounded his chest a few times.

“I’m Shin Kangheon the lunatic! Even if I get labeled a troublemaker at the Martial Alliance and kicked out, I’m going to hear everything I’m curious about.”

“When you’re done, come to < cafe Naru >. Let’s make a real plan.”

“Feels like we’re acting as a crew again for the first time in a while. Is Kim Bokja coming too?”

“If we leave her out, she’ll be the most hurt.”

Shin Kangheon chuckled and held out his fist.

I smirked and held mine out too.

TUK.

We bumped fists lightly, then separated.

I watched Shin Kangheon’s back for a moment, then started moving too.

I need to gather more information in my own way.

Investigating Shin Junhyun was partly for Shin Kangheon’s sake, but it was also a chance to get critical information tied to the Heavenly Demon Cult.

At this point in time, there’s almost no information about Red Worm in Korea. Even Hwang Suksu didn’t seem to know much when I called earlier.

Hwang Suksu was an excellent information broker, but what he gathered through The Dark Den was limited to inside Korea. A mercenary organization operating overseas wasn’t even in his sphere of interest.

If anything, it was more likely that a corporate-style sect that did business overseas would know—rather than the Eight Great Sects, maybe one of the Five Great Unorthodox Sects......

“......That bastard would know.”

As one thought led to another, a face surfaced in my mind.

A figure in the unorthodox faction who would definitely know plenty about Red Worm.

“And I’ve got something to collect from him anyway.”

I called a taxi immediately.

*****

A little after the start of the workday.

After getting out in front of a high-rise building in Gangnam, I went straight to the information desk staff and asked.

“I’m here to see Director Do Juwon.”

“Do you have an appointment scheduled in advance.......”

“No. But if you tell him I’m here, he’ll see me.”

“Um, I’m sorry, but if you don’t have a prior appointment, it will be difficult to meet the director.”

Seeing the staff member look wary like they were dealing with a nuisance, I pulled something out from inside my jacket and showed it.

The Elysium Casino VIP pass I’d received on Jeju Island.

“Would this still not work?”

They weren’t just some random staffer standing there—once they saw the VIP pass, their expression turned serious. Lowering their voice, they asked,

“Who should I tell him is here?”

“If you tell him it’s a debt collector, he’ll understand.”

“......Please wait a moment. I’ll guide you shortly.”

In less than five minutes, I was escorted to a reception room high up in the building.

I sat on the sofa, looking around the room as I waited.

A moment later, someone opened the door and walked in.

“You said you wanted to see me?”

It was a man with an intellectual look—neat shirt, hair slicked back with pomade.

His pale skin and bloodless complexion made him seem like some indoor specialist who barely ever saw sunlight, and his relaxed movements carried a sense of refinement.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Do Juwon.”

He looked pretty different from when I’d seen him on Jeju Island, but......

That decadent atmosphere—like looking at a vampire—was still there.

I let out a small laugh as I looked at him.

“Feels like I’m seeing you for the third time already. Was it just empty talk when you said we should grab a meal last time?”

“Me? Haha. Are you sure you don’t have me confused with someone else?”

I shook my head at his coy act—even though he obviously knew everything.

“Let’s not waste time. You and I already know each other’s identities.”

“Well. I have no idea what you’re talking about......”

“I’ll be blunt. Hand over my ten billion won right now. Before I spread it all over the neighborhood that Blood Tiger Gang’s headquarters is here.”

Do Juwon smiled quietly.

But a faint killing intent seeped out of his whole body.

At the same time, his smile twisted to one side, and the version of him I knew finally showed itself.

“That’s an absurd threat. You don’t seem to understand just how much damage we took because of you......”

With killing intent surging, I took a step back to calm him down.

I wasn’t here to fight today.

“If you don’t have the money, then give me the information I want. I’m willing to deduct some of your debt for that.”

“......You’ve lost your mind.”

At his dumbfounded reaction, I crossed my legs and said,

“People tell me that a lot. But it’s not something I expected to hear from a Blood Tiger Gang executive.”

After glaring at me for a moment, Do Juwon stopped pretending and sat across from me. He roughly loosened his tie and asked,

“I’m so stunned I at least want to hear this. Why did you come looking for me?”

“You’ve got someone you know in Red Worm, right? All the related information and that person’s contact. And...... I want to borrow you for a bit.”

“What?”

At the completely unexpected demand, Do Juwon—Blood Tiger Gang’s Fifth Tiger—furrowed his brow.