Chapter 109: Jail War #1
This newbie, what the hell did he want?
Shin Chang-ho's eyes narrowed as he looked at the person before him. Until now, Shin Chang-ho just saw Kim Cheol-su as a weird newbie. However, he became a presence that couldn't be ignored as soon as the name Shin Seo-yeon emerged from his mouth.
She was the only family that Shin Chang-ho, an orphan, had. Once Shin Chang-ho left the orphanage, he didn't get a job and roamed the back alleyways to play. Then he was scouted by high-ranking members of Gallery who saw his unique strength and stamina, thus becoming a member. And 10 years later, the person from the back alleyways became a chief in the huge organization.
But things had turned out strangely. He wanted to live like a human, but then he ended up going to jail instead of the boss. Before entering the prison, Shin Chang-ho said to his sister,
"Just wait seven years."
Then she replied with a smile,
“I've already waited 10 years, seven more isn't too long."
“Once I return, I will be a high-ranking official of the organization. Then let's get married."
"……"
Shin Chang-ho confessed his longing of 20 years. She waited for a moment before tearfully nodding. It was a little too late, but he had the confidence to make her happy. But the next day, she didn't contact him after returning home.
At first, he thought she was just sorting out her mind. However, she didn't contact him for a week. Shin Chang-ho felt irritated and desperately wanted to find her. However, the only thing he could do was order his men outside to look for her. Everything would be over if he broke out now.
Time constantly passed by. One month… Half a year… Then three years.
He couldn't find her despite searching the whole country. She had been waiting for Shin Chang-ho all her life, but now Shin Chang-ho was the one in the position of waiting. There was a saying that a person didn't realize how important something was until it was gone. Shin Chang-ho realized that it was true.
In a situation where he had halfway given up, her name emerged from the mouth of a newcomer. Shin Chang-ho's fingertips started shaking, and he whispered in a small voice so that his bodyguards couldn't hear.
"…If you find her then I can give you my life."
Tae-hyuk laughed and said,
“The Brown Bear of Gallery has a pure love story."
“If it is a lie then it will be hard for you to stay here."
Tae-hyuk shrugged.
“Don’t worry. I definitely know her whereabouts."
Shin Chang-ho made gestures for his bodyguards to withdraw. Of course, he didn't 100% trust the other person. However, he was desperate enough to grab a rotten line.
“Then let's hear the story in detail."
Tae-hyuk opened his mouth after a pause that was long enough for rice to cook.
"Sooner or later, a war will break out in here. I want to cooperate with you."
"What do you mean? You will tell me where my sister is if we work together?”
"That's right. Of course, it doesn't mean that you will be my subordinate. You will be treated as an equal partner.
Then Shin Chang-ho's lips twitched.
"…So what benefit can you get from this?"
"I just want you to do some simple things for me. There is someone I have a personal grudge against. There is information I won't be able to get by myself."
“Personal grudge? Who is it?"
"…Park Sung-yul."
Shin Chang-ho licked his lips. The name of a man he knew emerged from the mouth of the newbie.
“That gloomy guy. What do you want from him?"
"I will tell you once we become a little closer."
"Hrmm…"
Shin Chang-ho groaned as he started to think, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"…You are hiding something. However, it is difficult to reject your proposal. If you confirm one thing, I will accept it."
Shin Chang-ho had an unbelievable authoritative aura after being stuck in prison for three years. He slowly approached the other person and whispered in his ear.
“Prove that you aren't a spy planted by a cop, and I will listen to your proposal."
Tae-hyuk smiled, pulled out a notebook and handed it to Shin Chang-ho.
“What?”
“Read it."
Shin Chang-ho accepted Tae-hyuk's notebook and started reading the contents without saying anything. There was no need to.
Shin Chang-ho stared at the other person like he was spellbound. Something huge was written in the notebook.
“I know a lot that will help with the war."
"…A-Are the words written here true?"
Shin Chang-ho couldn't believe his eyes. His voice was shaking with excitement. It was natural that he reacted in such a way. The contents of the notebook were huge.
There was information on the businesses entering and leaving Blue Dragon Prison, the shift table with the working hours of the guards, and the route they took to get here. In addition, there were numerous secret documents about the Blue Dragon Prison filling the small notebook. If this was known to be in the hands of criminals, some of the heads of the people in charge would fly away.
"You know that I am gathering information here. Of course, I didn't start just two weeks ago."
The notebook contained information that was collected inside and outside the dungeon. But he was giving something this important to Shin Chang-ho? Just to help him stalk Park Sung-yul?
Shin Chang-ho gulped.
"…I understand. I don't believe that you are a spy. But I want to ask what you are going to do with this? Are you planning an escape?"
“I told you. It is still a secret."
Shin Chang-ho slowly nodded.
The other person was bigger than he thought. Just before, Shin Chang-ho thought he was a spy planted by the police, but the chances of that being true was low, now that this information was given to him. Shin Chang-ho could do anything in Blue Dragon Prison is he had the information in the notebook. It would be a tremendous help in the war against the Japanese inmates.
“This much information, why are you giving it to me?"
“I gave you only 30%."
“At the very least, there should've been a relationship between us in the beginning."
Tae-hyuk just smiled instead of answering. Based on his memories, he would imprisoned here four years later. The man in front of him should've been released four years later. Nevertheless, Tae-hyuk knew Shin Chang-ho because he caused an incident and a few years were added to his sentence.
“Then for now, tell me how I can help you."
Shin Chang-ho was Tae-hyuk's mentor. Tae-hyuk wouldn't have survived 10 years in this place if it wasn't for him. Tae-hyuk looked at Shin Chang-ho like he was seeing a friend after a long time.
"H-How great. Did you think of this all by yourself?"
Shin Chang-ho exclaimed with wide eyes. Kim Cheol-su didn't just have information, his ability to plot and intimidate the enemy was enormous as well.
Tae-hyuk smiled.
'I learned everything from you. Brown Bear.'
“I boast the best connections in the prison, so this should be enough."
Shin Chang-ho said in a trembling voice. He was someone scouted by a high-ranking executive of Gallery.
“But Newbie, if you get out then come work with me. If you join 'Gallery' then you won't have a job anywhere."
“Thanks for the offer, but I can't. I have already made an appointment with another place."
Tae-hyuk had promised to go to university with An Eun-young.
“Haha, I see."
Shin Chang-ho said with a dissatisfied expression. If the newbie entered the gang, then Gallery would get someone huge. However, Shin Chang-ho wasn't like the hero of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Bei, who visited someone's home three times just to recruit them.
Anyway, there were many opportunities in the future.
“Then I’ll get started this evening."
“Please do so."
After Tae-hyuk left, Shin Chang-ho convened his loyal men and gave them a few simple commands. One of Shin Chang-ho's men was called a human copier. He used to make forged artwork out in society.
Shin Chang-ho gave some instructions to the human copier.
"I understand Hyung-nim. I just need to go to Park Sung-yul's room and draw everything I see?"
"Yes. In the evening, some kids will keep an eye on Park Sung-yul. During that time, you will look around Park Sung-yul's room."
"I will handle it. Please leave it to me."
The human copier nodded as he received Shin Chang-ho's command.
At dinner time, the cell doors opened and the prisoners headed to the dining room to eat. Park Sung-yul could feel someone's eyes on him.
"Why are people staring at me today?"
He was a person who didn't have any close friendships and stayed by himself reading books or writing things in his notebook.
"…Is there something on my clothes?"
Park Sung-yul never imagined that he would be the Brown Bear's target and started to eat at the place where he normally sat. Then a few oversized people came up to him with their plates.
“Is it okay to sit here?"
The big people were gangsters.
Park Sung-yul looked at the people before him with a puzzled expression. Even though the dining room didn't set them apart, there was a certain area for the gangsters. Naturally, the gangsters occupied the best place, but why were they sitting next to a serial killer like himself?
Something was strange. However, Park Sung-yul was alone and there were several people in front of him. He couldn't politely refuse.
“Sit down.”
Then three or four oversized people sat around Park Sung-yul. It seemed as though they were threatening him not to escape. He calmly placed rice in his mouth. As Park Sung-yul enjoyed his meal, the human copier quietly entered his room as Shin Chang-ho ordered.
“Now, I shall start working."
The human copier searched Park Sung-yul's room and found a few sketchbooks. There were many images and poems that couldn't be identified. He didn't have a lot of time, but he could make copies of more than half of the present items.
The human copier put all of Park Sung-yul's things in their original position with a satisfied expression and headed to Shin Chang-ho's room.
“Heheh, Hyung-nim. Here it is."
After confirming the goods, Shin Chang-ho slowly nodded.
“You went through a lot of trouble."
The human copier acted politely towards him. After a few years, Shin Chang-ho would be a high-ranking official of Gallery. Acting like this wasn't a loss for him.
"It is nothing. Please call me again if you need anything."
"Yes."
After the human copier left, Shin Chang-ho started to look in more detail.
There were some paintings that looked like the scribbles of elementary school students, as well as some mumblings.
"…Why does the newcomer want these things?"
Shin Chang-ho never dreamt that they would be codes pointing to the places where Park Sung-yul had hidden the bodies of his victims. However, he had received the payment for this in advance. Park Sung-yul delivered the puzzles as promised to the newcomer.
"Thank you Brown Bear. There are people waiting for this."
That evening, the newcomer wrote a letter to someone.