Ch. 60: Entering the Underworld
Yun slowly opened his eyes as the sedative he was injected with earlier wore off. Upon opening his eyes, he found himself sitting in a restraint chair in a room that was full of wooden crates and only lit by the sunlight coming through the narrow windows. As he tried to get up, he then realized that his arms, body, and legs were tied to the chair.
"Hello! Someone help me! Anyone!" Yun yelled as he struggled to break free of the rope that bound him to the chair.
"I'm afraid yelling for help will be for nothing Mr. Yun." said a voice coming from inside the room.
"Who's there? Identify yourself."
Stepping out from behind one of the boxes, Kae approached Yun.
"Kae! I'm so glad to see you. You have to free me before whoever kidnapped me..."
It was then Kae interrupted Yun by quickly pulling out a pistol and aiming it at him.
"I'm afraid I am not here to rescue you. I am here to ask you a few questions."
"K-K-Kae, p-p-p-please stop messing around. This little joke of yours is kind of getting out of hand."
"It's not a joke Yun. We intend to have a serious conversation." Seo said as he walked out from behind another nearby crate.
"Yes, specifically one regarding fake financial records and meeting late at night." Kae added.
It was then Yun started to heavily sweat out of fear and nervousness. "I-I-I have no idea on what you are talking about. Both of you know I am not the recreational type."
"Cut the crap Yun. We already have a witness account of you conversing with two unidentified men late at night regarding fake financial records. You were talking about being paid to replace the financial records with fake ones to frame Zero." Seo angrily answered.
"L-L-Look guys, I-I-I assure you I am totally innocent. Y-Y-You two must be mistaken someone else for me. You m-m-must believe me."
"Seriously Yun you are a terrible liar." Kae replied as she cocked the pistol.
"OK! OK! I'll tell you what I know!" Yun screamed in terror as he heard the pistol being cocked. "One day while I was heading towards one of the banks we do business with, some men in suits stopped me and asked me if I wanted to make an easy 1,000,000 yuan. Naturally I said yes and they told me to replace the financial records in hopes of ruining Zero's reputation."
"It didn't phase you at all that the job involved going against Zero, the one who has lead us to where we are today?" Kae asked with anger and disbelief.
"Look, as much as I respect Zero and what he has done, it is undeniable that the situation the Black Army and the Provisional Government is currently in is not good at all. As we speak, the Japanese are swatting us like flies in Korea while the Fengtian Clique are establishing dominance over all of China. It won't be a matter of time before they are at our doorstep, ready to kill us all.
"As a result, I figured I would prepare and secure myself financially before jumping ship. All I wanted was to live another day. Surely you must understand?"
"No we don't Yun." Seo answered. "What you did was selfish, cowardly, and disgraceful. When you joined the Black Army, you agreed to defend and serve it even if it cost you your life. Also by conspiring against Zero for some money, you show you have no respect for all the times Zero put his life in front of fact that you were willing to let all of the sacrifices we have all made be in vain for just 1,000,000 yuan is an insult to everyone in the Black Army and the Provisional Government."
"Look I'm sorry! My intentions were not to insult Zero, the Black Army, or the Provisional Government! I was just concerned for my survival!"
"We don't want to hear anymore of your damn apologizing! All we want to hear from you is information on who the people you made the deal with." Kae yelled with frustration.
"They didn't tell me much about themselves or who they worked for. The only thing I know is that they work for some drug traffickers. That's all I know."
"Yun, do you really think we would fall for that trick? Do you think we are that stupid?" Seo asked sarcastically.
"LOOK I'M NOT LYING! I'VE TOLD YOU EVERYTHING I KNOW!" Yun yelled as he violently struggled to free himself.
"You're really testing my patience now!" Kae yelled back. "NOW TELL US! WHO DID YOU MAKE A DEAL WITH!"
Sweat started to drip down Yun's face as he continued to maintain his ignorance.
"I know nothing else! Please you have to believe me! If I knew, I would give you an answer immediately!"
Kae then took a step back and approached Seo.
"It seems our little friend here doesn't want to fully cooperate with us. Perhaps we should resort to using more "persuasive" methods to make him cooperate. Don't you agree Seo?"
Seo nodded his head in agreement. He then whistled, resulting in two uniformed Zero Division officers to appear in front of them.
"Retrieve the equipment we brought with us if you don't mind." he ordered.
The two officers saluted and immediately walked away.
"E-e-equipment! W-w-what exactly do you mean by that?" Yun stuttered as his whole body trembled in fear.
When the officers returned, one was pushing a cart while the other was carrying a leather medical bag. The officer pushing the cart placed it a few feet away from where Yun was sitting.
Meanwhile the other officer placed the leather medical bag on the cart and opened it. He then pulled out a syringe, a glass vial of clear liquid and carefully placed them adjacent to the bag.
Once they were done setting everything up, both officers were then dismissed by Seo.
Kae then walked up to the cart and removed the cork from the glass vial. She then grabbed the syringe, inserted the needle into the vial, and pulled the plunger upward. This caused caused some of the clear liquid in the vial to be drawn into the barrel of the syringe.
"What's in that vial?" Yun asked as he continued to sweat uncontrollably.
"A drug that will convince you to tell us the truth." Kae answered as she brought the filled syringe closer to Yun. "This stuff has an infamous reputation. When injected into the human body, it immediately stimulates pain receptors all over the body. People injected with this stuff who were able to speak afterwards stated they felt that their entire body was being burned."
"This is insane and illegal! Article IX Section III of the Black Army's Charter states "No member of the Black Army shall be subjected to any forms of inhumane treatment when being interrogated!" Yun yelled.
"We know Yun. However due to the serious nature of this issue and our limited amount of time to remedy it, we've decided to make an exception." Kae replied.
"You won't get away with this you bitch! Word of this will get out one way or another! You and everyone else here will be finished!"
"Well it's a good thing I am willing to take my chances then." she replied.
"Kae then called Seo over and instructed him to tightened the head restraint connected to the chair. He tightened the belt connected to the head restraint around Yun's forehead, preventing him from moving his head.
"Please I beg of you! I've told you everything I know! Please stop this!" Yun screamed as he tried to fight the head restraint. "You won't find anything more even if you inject me with that stuff!"
"We'll see about that." Kae said as she brought the needle of the syringe closer to Yun's neck.
As the needle got closer, Yun could feel his heart beating faster and his breathing rate increase. His body also started to spasm uncontrollably due to the fear of what was about to come. When he felt the needle putting some pressure on the skin of his neck, Yun's heart started to beat so fast that it felt like it was about to explode.
"ALL RIGHT I'LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING I KNOW! JUST GET THAT DAMN THING AWAY FROM ME!" Yun screamed at the top of his lungs.
Kae immediately stopped putting pressure on the syringe and withdrew it. She then waited for Yun to catch his breath before asking him again about the drug traffickers he was working with.
"The two men said they worked for the Qian Trading Syndicate! I absolutely swear that's everything I know! I beg of you, please believe me!" explained Yun as he started to weep.
"Now that wasn't so hard was it Yun?" Kae sarcastically asked. "Things would've been much easier for you if you had told us everything in the beginning."
"Look you don't understand what these guys can do! These are not your everyday drug traffickers and street thugs. They are expertly trained killers who can make anyone they want disappear without a trace." Yun replied. "Interfere with them and you might as well mark yourself for death."
"Yun, you really think we will be phased by such a threat?" Seo asked. "We marked ourselves for death when we all volunteered to be part of the Black Army. The fact that a someone such as yourself is so frightened by the concept of death that it causes you to betray us shows me you should not be a member."
"You're right Seo, I shouldn't be a member! I will happily resign from my position and offer my full cooperation to you! Just please protect me from the Syndicate!"
"You don't have to worry about the Syndicate coming after you. We need you alive so you can help clear Zero's name to the Provisional Government. The Zero Division has already set up a safe location to detain you." explained Kae.
"Thank you! You have my eternal gratitude!"
"But before we move you to safety, there is one thing I would like to do."
It was then Kae plunged the needle of the syringe she was holding into Yun's neck. She then pushed the plunger of the syringe and administered the clear liquid into Yun's body. Once the clear liquid was pushed out, she quickly pulled out the syringe.
"YOU DOUBLE CROSSING BITCH! WHY DID YOU DO THAT! I TOLD YOU EVERYTHING!" Yun screamed at the top of his lungs.
It was then Yun's heart and breathing rate skyrocketed once more. His body started to spasm so much that the restraints around his body started to dig into his flesh. Suddenly he felt burning-like feeling spreading from his neck.
"NO PLEASE! IT BURNS! IT BURNS! PLEASE I BEG OF YOU! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
Because of the mental and physical state he was in, Yun quickly lost consciousness.
"Was that really necessary Kae? Wasn't the plan to only use that stuff if he continued to resist?" Seo asked.
"That was the plan Seo. However the fact that he called me a bitch really pissed me off like never before. Perhaps this will teach him a lesson about addressing women in the future."
Seo then approached Yun's unconscious body. "Man, who would realize that a simple injection of harmless saline solution would cause a full grown man to feel imaginary pain and unconsciousness."
"Just shows you the power of the mind and perception has on the physical human body."
Kae then instructed Seo to remove the restraints from binding Yun to the chair he was in. Once his body was free, the two uniformed Zero Division officers carried Yun away while Kae and Seo began gathering up all the interrogation equipment.
8:16 PM, Black Army HQ, Shanghai International Settlement
Zero was quietly standing at the window overlooking the city of Shanghai. He could see numerous street lights illuminate cars and pedestrians passing below. The sound of ship horns could also be heard in the distance as ships continued to traverse the Huangpu River. He then looked upward and looked at the stars in the night sky.
"The universe is definitely a vast sea of things we do not know and cannot comprehend. The existence of something like geass validates my point. It still amazes me that I have adapted so quickly to this world even though I constantly worry about the well-being of Nunnally, C.C., and Kallen.
"My only shot of getting back is C.C.'s cryptic comments regarding "finding a consciousness to fulfill my role", which might involve finding someone to succeed me in leading the Black Army. If that's the case, then the only person I can think of who fulfills all the qualifications would be Kim Gu."
The sound of someone knocking on his door disrupted his train of thought. Zero then instructed the person knocking at the door to come in. The door opened and Kim Gu, carrying a briefcase in his right hand, entered the room.
"Good evening Kim. How's the situation at the Provisional Government?"
"So far not good." Kim Gu replied. "After reviewing the situation and all evidence, a majority of the members of the Provisional Government have agreed to draft an official resolution. Conditions on the resolution include the nationalization of all Black Army assets, the abolishment of the position of Chairman, and most notably the termination and banning of all relations with Zero."
"That's the rectification they proposed?" asked Zero with disbelief.
"I'm afraid so. Apparently more members each day are starting to be convinced that you are directing the Black Army, and therefore the Provisional Government, down the wrong path. They have therefore concluded that the only way the Black Army can be salvaged is by getting rid of the middle man and directly take control of it."
"How long till the resolution will be put up for a vote?"
"Fortunately since the resolution is in the drafting stage, me and my political allies can stall for more time. Of course as more members analyze the financial records and remember the reversals in China, it won't be a matter of time before there will be enough support to put the resolution up for a vote."
"I see." Zero said as he put his hand on his chin. "Hopefully we can prove my innocence before that time."
"I do hope so too."
Kim Gu then told Zero he would keep him updated on the situation before exiting the room. Once he left, Zero resumed looking out the window and staring at the stars in the sky above.
2:30 PM, December 16th, 1924, Black Army HQ
Inside the Black Army's main briefing room, Kae and the other senior members of the Zero Division were casually talking with one another as they waited for Kim Gu to arrive. Once he entered the room, everyone immediately stopped talking and focused on him. Kim Gu then instructed everyone to sit down before briefing them on the current situation.
"Thank you everyone for coming. As you already know we are currently investigating all leads and trails that will lead back to the people who have framed Zero for embezzlement. A few days ago, Kae and Seo managed to detain and interrogate our first suspect, Mr. Yun Tae-min, Co-Director of the Financial Records Department, who was seen by Roh making a deal to fabricate the financial records."
Grabbing a photo of Yun from off a nearby table covered with photos, documents, and record books, Kim Gu hung the photo on the large wall behind him.
"Ms. Kae, would you please explain what Mr. Yun confessed during his interrogation?"
Kae silently nodded her head in approval and rose out of her seat in order to address everyone else in the room.
"Yun revealed during his interrogation that the people he was meeting with late at night and making deals with were from the Qian Trading Syndicate."
"The Qian Trading Syndicate? They sound awfully familiar." Jeong replied.
"Well they should. The Qian Trading Syndicate, or the Syndicate for short, is one of the most notorious and powerful gangs operating in and around Shanghai. From the deepest depths of the Shanghai underworld, they control numerous drug production facilities, vast networks of smuggling routes all over East Asia, and numerous gambling institutions." Park answered.
"Additionally they deal with money laundering, prostitution, and extortion also. They are also extremely quick and ruthless when dealing with those who get in their way. Even the Green Gang, which is considered the most powerful gang in Shanghai, is hesitant to cross paths with the Syndicate." Kae added.
"But why would some Chinese gangsters have any interest in framing Zero with false financial records?" Roh asked.
"There are many reasons why they would want to see Zero gone." Seo answered. "Don't forget it was Zero who gave the order to attack opium and morphine dealers and smuggling routes, something that would definitely hurt the Syndicate's profits."
"We also should consider that the Syndicate wasn't acting alone." Kim Gu added. "There is a high possibility that Japan is behind this and is simply using the Syndicate to carry out it's bidding."
"It wouldn't surprise me the least. Japan has been known to use third party actors to do their work in order to avoid suspicion." said Jeong. "They probably figured that since they can't defeat Zero themselves, they might as well convince the Korean people to turn on him."
"Of course everything we are so far saying is merely speculation and conjecture." Park added. "The Provisional Government will not be convinced until we direct evidence or testimony showing the Syndicate and possibly the Japanese are the ones behind this mess."
"Which is why for the past few days I have ordered numerous Zero Division soldiers to go undercover and find out as much information they could about the Syndicate." Kim Gu replied.
He then grabbed another photo, this one depicting a bald, bearded, heavy-looking Chinese man, off the table and hung it next to the photo of Yun.
"According to the intel we have received the past few days, the Syndicate is led by it's original founder, Qian Liu. Apparently he used to be a member of the Green Gang. However, due to tense relations with the higher ups and disputes over profit distribution, Qian and his supporters broke away and formed the Syndicate.
"Naturally this caused a civil war to erupt within the gang. Qian, who supposedly formed alliances with several other minor gangs, managed to fight them to a stalemate, which ultimately resulted in the Syndicate and the Green Gang signing a non-aggression pact. Even though there is overall peace between the two, small skirmishes erupt once in a while. Because of this, Qian has made sure all his men are well trained to the point that locals view them as battle hardened killing machines."
"In other words you're saying the Syndicate and this Mr. Qian fellow isn't your everyday drug dealer and street gang right?" Seo asked.
"That is correct Seo." Kae answered. "Which means we cannot afford any mistakes or errors in our next move."
"So what is our next move then? I mean if these guys are truly operating from the deepest depths of the Shanghai underworld, how do we even know where to start?" Roh asked.
"Because we have a map." Kim Gu answered.
He then hung a large map on the wall next to the photos of Yun and Qian. The map was covered in multiple red dots connected by various lines, forming a large web than spanned the entire city.
"What you see here is a map of all the known major drug trafficking points and routes. To determine where the Syndicate was operating from, I decided to have the Zero Division investigate and trail numerous drug dealers on the streets and at the ports, specifically those located in areas where Syndicate rumors were the highest. After trailing numerous dealers all over the city, we managed to find out that all of them always went to several drug distribution centers. The Zero Division then trailed all the drug deliveries coming into these distribution centers, only to discover they all came from one location."
Kim Gu then pointed at a single dot on the map where all the lines converged at.
"Hold on, is that the Fenghuang Casino?" asked Jeong with disbelief. "Pretty noticeable place for an organization that claims to hide in the deepest depths of the underworld."
"Doesn't surprise me at all." Park replied. "Like I said before, the Syndicate is known to control numerous gambling institutions. Also by basing itself in such a location, the Syndicate would be able to operate fully in the heart of the city without stepping out of the shadows."
"Precisely what I was thinking Park." Kim Gu replied. "If the Fenghuang Casino is truly the base of operations for the Syndicate, then there's a good chance we can find Qian along with any evidence that could vindicate Zero."
"I'm guessing you want us to infiltrate the casino then?" Kae asked.
"Correct. With the assistance of Dietrich and his team of financial experts, counterfeiters, and propagandists, we were able to create a fake gang called the Samjok-o." explained Kim Gu as he hung up a picture of the gang's symbol, which consisted of a crow with three legs. "Posing as member of this gang, along with utilizing the communication channels we have already established with double agents operating in the criminal underworld, I was able to arrange a meeting with the heads of the Fenghuang Casino."
"So what exactly is our job?" asked Park.
"Your job will be to pose as senior representatives of the Samjok-o and meet with the heads of the Fenghuang Casino. They believe you are there to negotiate a drug shipment. When you are inside, look for Qian or any evidence showing he was the one who gave the order to manipulate the financial records. Ronan and the R&D Team have equipment for you to use to assist you in your mission. Is that clear?"
Kae, followed by the other senior members of the Zero Division, immediately stood up and saluted him.
"Sir,yes sir!" they all announced simultaneously.
"Excellent. Your mission will commence in one week. I recommend you prepare yourself for any potential problems that come our way. Remember, while this isn't big as some of our previous battles and operations, the future of Zero's legacy, along with the fate of the entire Black Army is depending on this mission." Kim Gu replied before he adjourned the briefing.
7:55 PM, December 23rd, 1924, Fenghuang Casino, French Concession
The Fenghuang Casino was located inside a large, multistoried building that overlooked the busy, congested streets of the city. The building was covered in numerous lightbulbs that periodically lit on and off, making it look like the entire casino was twinkling. On the side of the building was a giant, bright electric sign saying "FENGHUANG CASINO".
Down below, several luxury cars and limousines could be seen separating from the busy traffic and heading towards a large parking lot adjacent to the casino. As the vehicles parked, numerous men and women, dressed in expensive suits and dresses, could be seen exiting their cars and entering the casino.
Exiting one of the limousines were Kae, Seo, Park, Jeong, and Roh. Kae wore a red silk cheongsam and had her hair tied up in a bun while the others wore suits and ties. Additionally Seo and Park were both holding two large briefcases at their sides.
"Alright, is everyone ready?" Kae asked.
Seo, Park, Jeong, and Roh nodded their heads in response.
All of them then walked towards the casino's main entrance, which was directly under the large electric sign of the casino's name. A doorman standing near the main entrance opened the door for them and welcomed them to the casino.
Once inside, all five of them were amazed at what they saw. The main lobby had a Chinese theme to it for it consisted of numerous golden statues and paintings of the Fenghuang, or Chinese phoenix, lining the walls, lights decorated to look like Chinese lanterns, and floor carpeting depicting various Chinese designs. Many gamblers, dressed as if they were going to a classical concert, could also be seen being assisted at the reception desks or simply passing through the lobby.
"Man, how much did this place cost to construct?" Roh asked as he was dazzled by the luxurious nature of the main lobby.
"More than what we could expect to make in an entire lifetime." Seo replied as he too was captivated.
"Guys, remember we are on a mission." Kae whispered to both Roh and Seo.
Their conversation was then cut short when an usher approached them.
"Hello. Welcome to the Fenghuang Casino. Is there anything I can help you with?" the usher asked.
"Indeed there is." Park replied as he stepped forward and leaned towards the usher.
"We're representatives of the Samjok-o. Your superiors are expecting us." he whispered into the usher's ear.
The usher's eyes immediately widened upon hearing who they were and excused himself. He slowly walked to one of the receptionists and relayed the information to them. The receptionist proceeded to pick up the phone sitting on his desk and turned the rotary dial a few times.
After talking for about two minutes on the phone, the receptionist told the usher the instructions he received. The usher immediately nodded his head and went back to Park.
"I'm sorry about the wait sir. Please follow me if you don't mind."
Park, followed by Kae, Seo, Roh, and Jeong, followed the usher through the lobby and reached a large, ornate staircase. The staircase was roped off and guarded by two large men in suits.
"Before we proceed further, we need to check if you are in possession of any "dangerous" objects." the usher instructed.
One of the guards proceeded to pat down Park, Seo, Roh, and Jeong to make sure they weren't carrying any weapons. The guard also inspected the contents of the two briefcases Seo and Park were carrying. Upon opening each one, the guard only saw numerous bundles of money.
As the guard patted down Kae, his hand approached her inner thigh. She immediately jolted backwards slightly upon realizing where his hand was being placed.
"Excuse me, but don't you have any manners when it comes to treating a lady?" she responded with disgust.
"I'm sorry miss, but protocol dictates that we need to keep the everyone safe and..." the guarded responded.
"Look, I understand you want to keep everyone safe. That's why I have no problem patting down most of my body. However the area you were about to touch seems to be beyond what protocol dictates. If I had to guess, your action was less about safety and more about perverted thoughts in your head."
"Miss, I apologize for that was never my intention. I'm just doing my job."
"You know, I have connections to some powerful people who could make your life a living hell. I'm sure they won't be happy about hearing one of their friends was felt up by a perverted stranger. So I suggest you let me through and we can forget this whole little incident happened."
The guard, fearing Kae's threatening words and figuring a young, seemingly delicate woman such as her wouldn't be much of a threat, decided to let Kae through.
Once everyone was patted down and the briefcases were checked, the guard standing by the stairs unhooked the rope and allowed them through. The usher then proceeded to lead them up the stairs.
"Miss, I'm sorry that you felt violated. I hope this doesn't strain any relations between the Samjok-o and my superiors." said the usher.
"Fortunately the business at hand is more important, so I won't let an incident such as this ruin our relationship." Kae replied.
The usher then continued to lead them up the stairs.
"Hey, pretty clever to put up that act. I thought we would be busted back there." Seo quietly whispered into Kae's ear.
"Even if I wasn't on a mission, my reaction wouldn't have been any much different." she whispered back.
As they reached the second floor, the Zero Division was immediately amazed by what they saw. The whole entire second floor was one large room, lit up by numerous Chinese-style chandeliers, consisting of numerous tables to play poker, roulette, and blackjack. Crowds of gamblers could be seen sitting at each of the tables, pushing large stacks of chips towards the center of gaming table as the dealer prepared to deal out the cards or spin the roulette wheel.
The sound of roulette wheels spinning, poker players making calls, and dealers announcing the numbers the roulette ball stopped on could be heard as they continued following the usher through the gaming hall. Meanwhile people on the floor above that overlooked the gaming room could be seen sitting at tables, socializing with one another as they drank alcohol and smoked cigarettes. An extremely large, ornate crystal chandelier also hung high above the center of the gaming hall.
It was then they approached what appeared to be the entrance to a VIP section. The usher told the bouncer standing in front of the entranceway to let them pass. The bouncer immediately stepped to the side to allow the usher and his guests through.
The VIP section was similar to the rest of the casino, except the room was much smaller, the games being played had much higher payouts, and had a bar that served the finest wine, cocktails, and whiskey. One could tell the VIP guests possessed lots of money just by looking at the fine tuxedos and shining jewelry worn by them. Because the room was small and almost everyone was smoking, a small haze of smoke could be seen hovering above.
Walking up to one of the players at the poker tables, the usher whispered into the poker player's ear. The poker player, adjusting his spectacles and putting down his cards, quickly excused himself from his game, got up from his chair, and walked towards Kae, Park, Roh, Seo, and Jeong.
"Hello there. Allow me to introduce myself." the poker player said as he slightly bowed. "My name is Zhao Ping. I am the Senior Manager of the Fenghuang Casino and it's an absolute honor to have you as our guests. Is there anything I can get you, a drink perhaps?"
"While we would love to have a drink, we are however on a tight schedule and need to get this done with as soon as possible." Park replied.
"Of course. Please, follow me to my private booth."
Zhao led them to his private booth, where they all sat down. Once they were all settled, Zhao instructed one his bodyguards to close curtain so they could have some privacy. The bodyguard followed his orders, closed the curtain, and guarded the booth.
"Now then onto business." Zhao added. "The Syndicate is quite fortunate to attract the attention of the Samjok-o. The background research we have done since you first contacted us is quite impressive. Your records clearly show you have made quite a profit distributing opium, especially in areas where we are the weakest."
"And we are fortunate to have contact for you since our normal source of opium production has been compromised." Park replied. "My superiors are therefore eager to find a new source of opium quickly. We even have brought you some money to serve as a token of our newly founded friendship. I'm sure the deal we have already sent you ahead of time will suffice?"
"Yes. I, along with Mr. Qian himself, read the deal your associates sent us and pretty interested in it. While he thought the deal would be beneficial for both our organizations, there were some things that concerned him."
"Such as?"
"The proposed share of profits. You mentioned in the proposal that if we sell you our opium, we would receive 25% of the profits you make from selling it. However, due to the fact that we don't distribute as much opium in the areas where you operate in, less opium is accessible there, meaning the price will be much higher.
"Of when you flood the area with your opium, the price will be driven down, potentially causing the price to drop in areas we already operate in. As a result Mr. Qian believes he should receive 50% of the profits in order to account for the price drop."
"My boss might consider 50% due to the emergency situation we are in. He would however need to know the condition and status the product when we receive it before making a final decision. I would hate to see us agree to such a deal when the quality of the product is much lower than our expectations when we buy it."
It was then Zhao got out of his seat and opened the curtain separating the private booth from the rest of the room.
"Very well. I gladly will show you. Please follow me." he said with a smile on his face.
Kae and the rest of the Zero Division exited the private booth and followed Zhao. He led them to the rear of the room, where a private elevator was located. Once he pressed the button next to the sliding metal gate, a humming sound could be heard as the elevator motor activated.
A "DING!" sound suddenly rang as the elevator car arrived. Zhao slid open the metal gate and allowed his guests to enter. Once they were all in, he entered the elevator car and closed the metal gate behind him.
Analyzing her external environment, Kae that there was only one button on the panel. The button was blank and it had a keyhole next to it.
"Pretty handy to have an elevator right here in the VIP section." Park said.
"Let's just say that this elevator gives me, along with the rest of the senior staff, direct access to our "off limit" facilities." Zhao replied as he pulled out a key from his pocket.
He then inserted the key into the keyhole and turned it. The elevator car immediately shook due to the motor activating before proceeding to slowly descend.
"I must say Mr. Qian was impressed when he read about your activities." Zhao said as the elevator car kept descending. "You don't realize how many times he tried expanding in the area you operate, only to be out beaten by the Green Gang or the local authorities under their pay that tightly monitor the area."
"Just shows you how good we are." Roh interjected. "We are always one step ahead of the Green Gang and their goons."
"That's good to hear. Just like you need to ensure whether or not we are a reliable supplier, we need to ensure you are a reliable customer."
Another "DING" sound rang as the elevator car came to a complete stop. Zhao then slid open the metal gate and allowed everyone to exit the elevator car. Upon exiting, Kae, Park, Seo, Roh, and Jeong were amazed by what they saw.
The room that was in front of them was filled with numerous wooden crates and of various sizes. A dozen or so workers could be seen unloading some crates from a parked truck and stacking them neatly. Once the truck was fully unloaded, the driver inside started it up and drove into a large freight elevator which proceeded to ascend upwards when a nearby worker pressed a large red button adjacent to the entrance of the freight elevator.
Other workers could be seen sitting at desks that were arranged in perfect rows. Each desk consisted of a scale with weights, brick molds of different sizes, a roll of paper, and several small opened bags. Inside the bags was a blackish-brown putty that was soft enough to be molded into any shape.
The workers at the desk were scooping the putty out of the bags and placing it into the brick mold to form perfectly shaped blackish-brown bricks. They then placed the bricks onto the scale to ensure they met the weight requirements. Bricks that weight too much or too little were taken off to have more putty removed or added while bricks that did meet the weight requirements were tightly wrapped with paper and placed to the side.
Workers passing by would pick up the wrapped up bricks and place them on a cart. When enough bricks were placed on the carts, the workers pushed them to some empty crates in the corner of the room. The bricks were then separated by size and carefully placed inside the crates one by one. The crates were then nailed shut and through the use of an airbrush and stencils had a code painted on it.
Additionally, several guards armed with weapons varying from simple pistols to large Thompson submachine guns could be seen patrolling the entire room and keeping surveillance over the workers.
"Here is where we receive shipments of dried opium resin produced at our numerous plantations in the surrounding region." Zhao explained. "The freight elevator you see leads to the main street above us, allowing us to safely deliver and unload the goods here without warranting any attention from the authorities or a rival distributor."
"So the blackish-brown putty that the workers are scooping up is dried opium resin?" Roh asked.
"Correct. The workers at the table are molding the resin into a brick shape, which is easier to store and ship. Also since opium is sold by the kilo, we ensure the bricks of resin weigh a certain amount, hence why they are balancing the bricks on the scales.
"If it passes the weight test, it is then wrapped, delivered to the packaging area, and stored in crates for future shipping. In order to ensure that the correct crates are going to the right customer, we paint a code on the crate that corresponds to the order our buyers make."
"I must say it is very interesting that you have managed to run such an efficient operation right beneath the casino." Park responded.
"Excuse me, sorry to interrupt, but our schedule is kind of tight and we really would like to finalize this agreement with Mr. Qian if you don't mind." Kae interjected.
"My you definitely are the impatient one." Zhao snidely replied. "Please follow me further."
Zhao led the group through the maze of crates that stretched from one side of the room to the other. More armed guards could be seen passing by as they traversed winding passageways formed by the crates. After a few minutes, they then reached what appeared to be a large metal door.
"Mr. Qian is right in here. Please, ladies first." Zhao said as he slightly opened the door.
Kae then stepped forward and opened the door fully. She then stepped inside, only to find the room was completely empty.
"Ok, what the hell is going..." Kae asked as she quickly turned around, only to find herself staring down the barrel of a pistol.
"It's a shame I have to do this to a wonderful woman such as yourself." Zhao asked as he continued to aim his pistol.
"Zhao, what is going on?" Park angrily asked.
"Isn't it obviously, I'm taking you guys in as my hostages."
"Let go of her now or else..."
"Or else what?" Zhao sarcastically asked as he kept his finger rested on the trigger of the pistol. "Make a move and your friend here will find her brains blasted all over the place."
Seeing that Zhao had the upper hand, Park immediately backed off and kept the rest of the Zero Division at bay. Meanwhile Zhao whistled for backup. Within a few seconds, two guards armed with Thompson submachine guns arrived and were immediately instructed to escort them into the empty room.
With the guards approaching and aiming their submachine guns at them, Park and the rest of the Zero Division joined Kae in the empty room. Once they were all inside, Zhao and the two guards entered the room and continued to corral them into a corner.
"What the hell is going on? I thought we had a deal?" an enraged Kae asked.
"Let's just say there has been a last minute change in plans." Zhao replied as he and the two guards continued to aim their guns at the cornered Zero Division.
Author's Notes: Writing this chapter went on way longer than I expected. Was going to divide it into two separate chapters, but I heard some people wanted to see longer chapters.
If anyone has any suggestions, theories, predictions, etc., please mention them for I love reading them.
I also wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays.