* * *
Once he firmed his resolve, everything moved like clockwork. Ray Jun started by making contact with Ma Zhuihui.
–……What? You want me to agree to transfer your shares?
He’d gone to the trouble of finding his personal number and calling, but what came back was a voice that sounded dumbfounded.
Ray Jun looked down at Hong Kong’s night view and spoke slowly.
“I know about the deal at Tuen Mun Port.”
–……What? Who are you?
“Monday at 2 AM, you unloaded containers at Tuen Mun Port. You paid with casino chips right there on the spot. Originally you were planning to deal in cash, but it seems the broker accepted chips too?”
–Wh-what nonsense! You’re trying to blackmail me, but even if you do……!
“Aha, really? Seems like you’re having some confusion in your memory, so check your email. I sent you a photo.”
Ray Jun turned around. Then Sua, who was sitting on the sofa tapping on her laptop, playfully gave him a thumbs up. It was a signal that she’d pressed the send button.
For a moment, only rough breathing flowed from beyond the phone. He seemed to have checked the photo. The photo that captured not only Ma Zhuihui dealing directly with smugglers, but even the scene of him offering casino chips instead of cash.
Ma Zhuihui muttered in dismay.
–H-how did you…… get this…….
The method was simple. Thanks to Xie Wei, he already knew the location and the incident, so all that remained was catching them in the act. All they had to do was plant someone at Tuen Mun Port and they were bound to catch them eventually.
Ray Jun turned back to the window and spoke calmly.
“Ma Zhuihui, I’m someone who values keeping promises.”
–…….
“But unfortunately, CEO Li doesn’t seem to have any intention of doing so. So I’d like you to give me leverage to make him keep his promise.”
Li Yong, CEO of Sovereign Resort and Ray Jun’s biological father, wouldn’t hand over his shares obediently. Of course, the contract was favorable to him, but reality was different. If Li Yong dragged things out under the pretext of legal review, it could easily waste several years.
To prevent such a situation, Ray Jun judged that he needed to solidify his position within Sovereign. Ma Zhuihui was the first piece to move on the blueprint he was drawing.
“There’s going to be an interim board meeting, right? Vote in favor of my proposal there. Then I’ll bury this matter.”
–……I’ll consider it positively.
“Yes, you should. I’ll send you the details by email.”
Ray Jun hung up without listening to what came next. He turned away from the night view and walked over to Sua.
“Thanks for helping.”
“Not at all. It was totally fun, like filming a spy movie! Next time something like this happens, let me do it again.”
Sua’s eyes sparkled as she handed over the laptop. Ray Jun took it and gathered his bag.
“I will. I’ll contact you later then.”
“Huh? You’re leaving? Already?”
“Yeah.”
“When you came all this way? Since you’re here, hang out a bit before you go.”
Sua got up from the sofa and blocked Ray Jun’s path. However, Ray Jun gently declined.
“Sorry. I’m busy with work. I also have someone I need to meet tonight.”
“Well, I guess you would be busy……. Then you really came all the way to Hong Kong just to make one phone call?”
“Mm, there’s no suitable space in Macau.”
Security and surveillance were becoming more meticulous the more time passed. That’s why Gemma advised him to leave Macau as soon as possible, but Ray Jun had no intention of doing so yet. There was one guy who needed him specifically, and the information and connections he’d gained from working as a dealer were proving more useful than expected. This Ma Zhuihui matter too was a card he wouldn’t have obtained if he hadn’t infiltrated Sovereign Resort and worked there directly.
“Can’t be helped. Come visit again later, Ray.”
Sua flopped back onto the sofa as she said goodbye. Just before Ray Jun left the room, he asked as if suddenly remembering.
“How are things with your roommate? You haven’t fought, have you?”
“Why would we fight?”
“I saw online that people fight a lot. Because they don’t clean well, or leave the dishes, stuff like that. Especially you, Ray, your personality is fucking annoying.”
“Me?”
Ray Jun retorted as if snorting. But thinking back, he and Xie Wei really had never fought even once. Not because they deliberately held back, but because there was nothing to clash over.
“We have no problems at all. We get along really well with each other.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Of course.”
Even to Sua’s mischievous question, Ray Jun lifted his chin and answered confidently. He’d never confirmed it, but Xie Wei surely thought the same way.
“There’s a saying. If a relationship is too comfortable, it means someone is putting up with things.”
“That’s true. I’ve put up with my roommate a few times too.”
“Ha, yeah right.”
Seemingly losing interest when the provocation didn’t work at all, Sua waved her hand dismissively.
“Safe travels. Give my regards to that poor roommate of yours.”
“Why is my roommate poor?”
“You’re asking because you don’t know?”
It wasn’t that he didn’t know—the premise itself was wrong. The cause making Xie Wei miserable wasn’t him but the Baeksa Faction.
But there was no need to explain everything. Ray Jun headed back to the entrance.
“I’ll be going then. Have a good night.”
“You too.”
With that bland farewell, he left the room.
Ray Jun passed through the hotel corridor carpeted in red with light and quick steps. Though it was late, he still had things left to do.
* * *
After arriving on the last ferry from Hong Kong to Macau, Ray Jun headed to the pier parking lot instead of going to the dormitory.
In a corner of the desolate parking lot sat a single black van. It was a car he’d occasionally seen in Sovereign Resort’s employee parking lot.
So this is the car Xie Wei sometimes rode in.
Ray Jun approached the driver’s side with a crooked sneer on his lips and knocked on the window.
Clunk.
The driver’s door opened and a man with a scowl on his face got out of the van. It was Ju Xiang.
“Who the hell are you to order me around?”
“I’m sorry, Ju sunbae. But it’s a difficult conversation to have at the casino.”
“Haa……. Do you even know me? We’re in different departments and different cohorts, so what could you possibly have to talk about that you’d call someone out?”
Though speaking roughly, Ju Xiang was subtly observing Ray Jun. Seeing how he jumped out right away at just one message asking for some time, it seemed he was so anxious about having so much to hide that he was nervous someone might have caught his tail somewhere. Not knowing that something bigger than what that stupid head of his was worrying about would happen.
“Please understand, Ju sunbae. Or should I call you Ju Sangho-ssi?”
“……What are you saying?”
Ju Xiang’s complexion instantly hardened. That expression under the streetlight was fierce enough to bring to mind a yaksha.
“Why? Isn’t it better to call you by your real name?”
“You bastard!”
He raised his hand high. It was unclear whether he actually intended to hit him or was just trying to scare him. Either way, it wasn’t an important issue.
Ray Jun caught Ju Xiang’s wrist and twisted his arm as is.
“Urk!”
Ju Xiang, who had been confident in his strength befitting his gangster background, widened his eyes in surprise at Ray Jun’s physical force.
Of course Ju Xiang knew about this guy. Kang Siwon’s roommate who shared the same dormitory. And the ace dealer popular with both staff and customers.
But why was this guy who seemed like he’d been born under a chandelier suddenly giving off the scent of their kind?
“Kuk.”
Ray Jun released his arm with a tossing motion. Ju Xiang glared at him while clutching his throbbing shoulder.
“……What are you?”
“You don’t need to know that. I heard you submitted your resignation to Sovereign?”
He knew that Ju Xiang had submitted his resignation first, and that Xie Wei had also submitted his resignation a day later. And the two people’s resignation dates were the same. That situation, which might be natural for them, really bothered Ray Jun.
“Did you write Ju Xiang or Ju Sangho on your resignation? Does Sovereign know your real name?”
“What does that have to do with you? Are you blackmailing me right now?”
It was the second time he’d heard that today, so it was stale. Ray Jun leisurely received Ju Xiang’s gaze that looked like it wanted to kill him.
“Yeah, it’s good that we communicate well. That’s right. I’m trying to blackmail you right now.”
“Fuck……. What do you want?”
“Xie Wei.”
“What?”
“I want information about Xie Wei.”
Digging into Ju Xiang’s background wasn’t very difficult. Since he’d been active in Singapore for a while, there were relatively many channels open to collect information.
But Xie Wei was different. Because he was Korean with no connection to Ray Jun whatsoever, digging into his background wasn’t easy. Of course, if he poured in time and manpower to investigate step by step, he could get the results he wanted, but Ray Jun’s shallow patience didn’t allow for that.
