Gate Of Seoul - Chapter 4

[Gate of Seoul Episode 4]

 

Six years after the incident, he made a living day by day simply with what he was best at, the gun. However, this was not as profitable as he thought it would be.

 

As more people live by killing, the pay was often shorter than expected, and because it is illegal, there are many cases where the client doesn’t want to pay for it. He was even threatened or scammed for criminal activity. Of course, he got his revenge in those cases.

 

No matter how hard it became to live in that world, killing people was still very dangerous.

 

As a result, there were times when he could earn 2 million at a time, if he killed a lot of people, or, if he killed only one person, he could not receive more than 100,000 won.

 

‘I didn’t want to live like this.’

 

He thought again of the balance and the money left.

 

After giving up on complicated thoughts, Seok-min laid on the mattress. Ten minutes later, he opened his eyes again and opened his cell phone. He used a folder phone, unlike other humans these days.

 

He texted someone, threw his phone next to his pillow, and closed his eyes again.

 

Ten days later, Seok-min left the house and went outside.

 

Ten days ago, Choi Yong-min was the one who sent him a message. He is a detective at the Suwon Provincial Police Agency, and he also played the role of an “introducer” who laid a “bridge” to employers that wanted a solver like Seok-min.

 

The reason why Seok-min left home that day was that he was contacted by Choi Yong-min.

 

“Oh, you’re here.”

 

Choi Yong-min, who was drinking beer with french fries at the bar named “The Road,” said without turning his head. He drank nonchalantly even though it was his working hours.

 

“It’s still working hours, but seeing you drink alcohol, the future of the Korean police is bright.”

 

He spoke slowly and sarcastically, which caused Choi Yong-min’s eyebrows to go up and down slightly, with no other response.

 

“The military does security work anyway. Gyeonggi-do has long since dropped martial law. There’s very little we can do. At most, drinking a beer.”

 

Seok-min naturally sat next to him.

 

It wasn’t long before the bartender approached.

 

“The cheapest one. 300ml.”

 

The bartender’s impression was crushed by those words. Of course, Yong-min’s impression was also wrinkled.

 

“I’m the boss, drink anything.”

 

“Well, isn’t that a low-quality craft beer?”

 

“Hmph.”

 

Yong-min tilted his cup.

 

“It’s hard to find a decent beer these days, but I’m proud of it.”

 

Seok-min turned his attention to Yong-min’s words, though he already knew it. He heard that the beer made by Yong-min was the best around there. It was just half a joke.

 

“So, can civil servants do business?”

 

Yong-min smirked at the words.

 

“Well, the salary of a civil servant is too low. It’s hard to get by with 2 million per month. No matter how much I save, the electricity bill is over 300 thousand per month. There’s gas and everything. Whew, I have two daughters….”

 

It seemed like this would lead to Yong-min’s endless grieving, so Seok-min quickly changed the topic.

 

“Let’s get to the point. You said you don’t have a job these days, but the request came in after 10 days.”

 

‘I almost died of starvation while waiting.’ Thinking so, he wisely decided to just shut up. Yong-min sighed and shook his head.

 

“It’s not good these days. I don’t have work. Most of the people other than you don’t have to earn much, so they just take guns and settle their own grudges. These days, it’s not like a contract murder, it’s about hiring a bodyguard to protect you from monsters and people who hold against you malice. But you don’t do that, do you?”

 

Yong-min paused for a moment, then turned his head back and snapped his fingers. At his signal, the bartender turned on the music. It was a song long out of fashion.

 

As Yong-min raised his hand, the bartender frowned and raised the volume. Then he took his earplugs out of nowhere, put them on, and prepared a beer.

 

Yong-min closed his eyes as if to savor music and hummed a song after seeing the bartender’s unsatisfactory behavior. Then he opened his eyes and suddenly started talking.

 

“It’s true that you’ve got a job, but strangely, the employer wants you to do it. I mean you in person.”

 

Seok-min frowned at his words.

 

“…does the employer know me?”

 

“Is there any other pervert other than you who uses a VSS and works alone?”

 

He rolled his eyes and thought for a moment. Surely he was the only one who used a Vintorez. At least among the people he knows.

 

“Anyway, there’s an employer who needs you, and it’s easy.”

 

‘Easy task?’ Seok-min laughed inwardly.

 

Nothing was as easy and difficult as killing someone.

 

“Who’s the target?”

 

Beer was placed in front of Seok-min. After taking a few sips, Seok-min took out a notebook and pen from his sleeves.

 

“There are only 30 middle-aged men and women who have never had any practical experience.”

 

“30 people?”

 

He frowned. After drinking all the beer, Yong-min took out his cigarette and lit it with a lighter.

 

“Exactly 30 guards guard munitions, and they smuggle munitions on a large scale. North Korean-made automatic rifles, grenades, RPG-7s, and heavy machine guns are included. Their quantity is about 100 tons and the purpose is to destroy them.”

 

Seok-min frowned when he remembered Sang-deok’s incident from last time.

 

“It looks like they are trying to organize a militia…”

 

“It sounds like a decent organization at that size. What is the name of the organization?”

 

“I can’t tell you.”

 

“Then I refuse. I mean, you know…”

 

“Ten million in advance, twenty million after.”

 

Seok-min, who was about to get up from his seat, flinched for a moment. It was a pay that went beyond the usual commissions.

 

Of course, Yong-min will also receive 10% from the introduction fee. That’s a lot of money.

 

“…Is that an easy task?”

 

“I know what you’re worried about. That kind of organization would be hard for you to handle. But who am I? Am I not a police officer who defends the justice of the Republic of Korea?”

 

He knocked on his chest.

 

“I checked out their warehouse. It’s a warehouse owned by the Heaven’s Gate Church.”

 

“The Heaven’s Gate?”

 

It was natural for Seok-min’s face to be distorted.

 

It was a heretic cult that has been developing tremendously these days. Not long ago, the self-proclaimed missionary who pushed a loudspeaker to his ears while riding a motorcycle also belonged to the church.

 

Seok-min knew that it would be quite dangerous to be associated with that Church. Even the government was a force that did not tamper with it.

 

“Why do people who say they believe in God use weapons… .”

 

“I don’t know. Anyway, there’s more to it. Do you want to hear?”

 

“…go ahead for now.”

 

“You’re not doing this alone. Exactly 2 people including you.”

 

“Two?”

 

Yong-min quickly added before Seok-min’s face could distort.

 

“Yes, I know you’re a perverted lone wolf, but listen. The other one is a professional sniper. They said he’d assist you, also he’s a man of the employer.”

 

“…Is this work for the government?”

 

Detailed information, employer-provided commission. It has never been like this before. They even hired two people.

 

Seok-min looked at Yong-min with suspicious eyes.

 

“Yeah, that’s right.”

 

Seok-min’s expression turned into a very funny one because of the word ‘government’. The bartender, who was usually expressionless, laughed every time he saw it. Seok-min distrusted the government very much.

 

“You bastards, what the hell were you thinking when you called me? Aren’t those special forces members there? Why leave people like that… .”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

He tapped the glass, and the bartender filled it with beer.

 

“Well, the government wouldn’t want to hire an independent armed group. Besides, those ‘Heaven’s Gate’ guys are fanatics among fanatics. They are difficult to deal with even for the government. Their discipline is too strong. It’s hard for the government to officially touch them, so why not hire you?”

 

Seok-min still had a face full of doubt. He didn’t want to be involved with the government as much as possible. He distrusted them because being involved with the government could reveal his illegal activities.

 

Under the current law, automation guns could not be used unless they were military or government personnel.

 

Currently, all of the weapons “officially” released to the civilian population were single-shot only, and everything was illegal except for guns fired from pistols and 12-gauge shotguns. The reason the soldiers just passed the VSS after seeing it at the checkpoint must have been because they didn’t know much about it.

 

In addition, Gyeonggi Province was the only place where civilians could have weapons.

 

Those with illegal weapons were brought to judgment by martial law.

 

His M16A1 was for military use, capable of automatic fire, and so was the VSS.

 

What if this is exposed to them while working for the government?

 

…It was just embarrassing.

 

‘No, if he knows I’m using a Vintorez and working alone, they probably already know.’

 

The pay was so attractive.

 

He didn’t have much money left now, and if he receives this quest and gets paid, he will be able to spend at least six months warmly.

 

As far as he could think, the fact that they knew about his existence and entrusted the request would mean that the investigation was already over and that they would overlook his illegal activities.

 

“What are you going to do?”

 

Yong-min asked.

 

Perhaps because of the introduction fee, he was talking more than necessary.

 

His current salary as a police officer is 2 million won. However, the introduction fee for this incident alone was 3 million won, so it wasn’t like Seok-min couldn’t understand his nervousness and impatience.

 

“Let’s do it.”

 

After answering, Seok-min thought of the remaining 9x39mm bullets. There were exactly 35 shots left.

 

‘After this job, I’ll have to find a new ammunition merchant.’

 

He remembered the card Sang-deok gave him.

 

“All right.”

 

With a satisfied smile, Yong-min took out a note from his sleeves.

 

“Tomorrow, we will meet the employer at 9 a.m., listen to the explanation, and decide how to work with the professional sniper.”

 

‘Tomorrow? It was as if he knew I would accept it…’

 

Seok-min couldn’t shake the thought, ‘I accepted it too easily, somehow I feel like I’m being manipulated.’

 

Business over, Yong-min got up from his seat after drinking the remaining beer, rubbing his cigarette into the ashtray, putting it out.

 

“Okay, let’s do it that way. Thanks to you, I am also making a decent amount of money, so eat whatever you want. I’ll contact you.”

 

“Sure.”

 

When Yong-min left, Seok-min ordered several bottles of alcohol and a pizza for a snack.

 

“Do you know how expensive a pizza is? It’s 30,000 won.”

 

“That’s exactly why I’m ordering one. Bring it.”

 

The bartender pouted and walked away to the kitchen.

 

Approximately 10 minutes later, a palm-sized pizza was placed in front of Seok-min. The cheese was not real cheese, but artificial, and the tomato sauce was applied so thin that it was barely refreshing, and there was no topping either.

 

Yong-min’s ‘The Road’ was certainly expensive. But unlike other places, he didn’t play with food, and this shabby-looking pizza was actually handmade.

 

‘How long has it been?’

 

He folded the pizza in half and stuffed it in his mouth.