“Kang Seulgi…”

Kai flipped through the files in his hand once again before tossing the stack of papers aside. He didn’t want to make any assumptions yet about the quality of the woman’s character, but he wasn’t stupid enough to dismiss her abilities.

One thing was true though: Kai held Seulgi at a higher standing than Irene. In fact, he even found Lucas more trustworthy than Irene on an intuitive level. While the former was a bit reckless and prone to chasing deals that would decorate the glittery appearance of his company, the latter was completely unreadable despite her textbook methodologies. At least Kai could talk to Lucas without playing mind games; Irene was an enigma that always kept him on his toes. Dumbing it down even further, it made her a threat—those who didn’t allow an observation of their tactics were the ones who eventually called checkmate. And Kai wasn’t fond of people with too many secrets. A personal issue going way back.

He mulled over the contents of what he had just seen before pressing a button to summon his left hand. A knock sounded at the door and Loey entered after hearing Kai’s invitation.

“I thought you’d forgotten about me these days. You’ve been taking D.O. around everywhere.”

Kai lit a cigarette. “You’re technically still on probation for sending Chen to do that sweep in Yongsan when I specifically told you to let the police hunt the broker down.”

“But you never know what he’d spill. He’s a sly little weasel if I’ve ever seen one.”

“I told you. The police don’t know about us, and they probably don’t care enough to uproot an entire network of underground workings. Everything we do is legal on the surface.”

Loey scratched his head. “At least he’s gone. They’ve already settled it as a suicide.”

“Good luck on your part, because if we had to send our best capo to jail again, I was going to shoot you myself.” Kai tapped his cigarette on the ashtray. “But that’s not why I called you.”

“Okay, I was just starting to wonder if you were reprimanding me twice, because that’s not you at all.”

“Loey. Please.”

“Alright, alright.” Loey clasped his hands in front of his body. “I’m listening.”

Kai tapped on the uneven stack of papers he’d previously been looking at. “Your opinion on this matter.”

Loey carefully stepped forward to take the files and scanned through them quickly, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Kai watched him with observant eyes. Despite the air of lightheartedness around his underboss, Kai knew that Loey was equally as capable of planning strategy and handling logistical affairs as D.O. was. It didn’t come as a surprise when Loey smirked and tapped the stack against an open palm.

“You sure you don’t want D.O’s opinion on this? You won’t particularly like what I’m about to suggest.”

“The shock factor is precisely what I need. It’ll certainly give me an edge in what I want to do.”

Loey put down the papers. “I think you need to tag team this one.”

“As was planned.”

“But not with Irene anymore.”

Kai raised an eyebrow, although not due to any particular new discovery. “Continue.”

“Ah, so you just wanted me to affirm what you wanted to do.”

“I didn’t ask you to guess my plans.”

Loey held up his hands. “I didn’t.” He put them back down. “I’m sure you know Irene has visited Lucas.”

“Ah, the kidnapping.” Kai remembered getting a report about that. “If that’s the case, I’d assume a collaboration with Lucas would be out of the question.”

“On the contrary,” Loey countered. “That man isn’t calculating every possibility and the hundreds of implications behind each one. If you tell him you want to join forces, he’ll acquiesce, like the weasel he is.”

Loey wasn’t wrong. While Lucas was closer to Irene in terms of history, Kai had the upper hand in providing him with what he needed. More than the weapons needed to pick off enemies and rats, drug trade needed a physical location for deals; estate was going to be much more appealing than instruments in that case. Humming quietly, Kai signalled for Loey to bring back the papers.

“I’ll take your words into consideration. But there’s something else I need you to do.”

Loey leaned back onto the wall. “Call it and I’ll give.”

“While I call Lucas, send some associates to get Irene. Sixteen should do.” He leaned forward, a thought occurring to him last minute. “Oh, and let them know that I won’t require them to pay reparations if she accidentally ends up dead. I’m sure Lucas and I can handle instruments if it comes to it.”

Loey nodded, understanding Kai’s intentions. No Irene meant uprooting one problem in this complicated equation they had yet to solve. Lucas could be dealt with afterwards. “Got it.”

After Loey took his leave, Kai rang up Lucas, knowing the pharma boss was probably lazing around in his company office. Needless to say, he picked up the phone after three rings; the first two were probably let go just for the sake of doing so.

“I’m surprised you called me. I thought we were technically not on the greatest of terms right now.”

Kai didn’t humour him. “I wasn’t aware that such a situation existed.”

“Well…” Lucas was a bit taken aback. “Still doesn’t make me not surprised.”

“Then prepare for more, because I need to talk to you about the men going back and forth between our specializations.”

“Oh that?” A pause. “Wait, what?”

Kai sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose. “Were you not aware?”

“No, no, I was. I just…I didn’t expect you to confess it to me.”

“I’m not confessing anything.” Kai’s voice was cold. “I’m asking you to explain why there’s been abnormal movement from my men within your area of trade.”

Lucas frowned at Kai’s accusation. There was no filtering of thought as he shot back at Kai. “You’re the one who’s been stealing my men.”

“I haven’t met any of your soldiers since our joint raid.”

“Don’t lie. I’ve got a record of communications.”

Kai furrowed his eyebrows ever so slightly at Lucas’s confidence. He had nothing to hide. “I can show you mine right now and prove that nothing happened.”

Lucas paused, a slight suspicion creeping up on him. “Who would dare fabricate evidence to make it seem like you set me up?”

They both were silent before Lucas spoke again.

“She wouldn’t actually, would she? There’s no reason for her too.”

“I heard you met with her recently.”

Lucas gulped. He thought it’d be best to not tell Kai about passing over all his records to Irene. “Come on, Kai. This is all speculation. There’s gotta be someone else; we’ve got lots of enemies.”

“It’s never your enemies who stab you in the back, Lucas. No one dares lose sight of the whereabouts of blatant threats.”

“Do you think that’s why she suddenly adopted that journalist? Do you think she knows something?”

Kai clenched then unclenched his jaw, unpleased at the complications taking place. “That is something we need to find out.”

“We…” Lucas bounced his knee anxiously. “Do you have a plan?”

Kai didn’t yet, but he’d already sent something that would serve as a warning. “Potentially. We’ll see where today takes us.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll let you know once it’s done. Hang up for now, we’ll talk again.”

With that Kai hung up and immediately prepared to go meet Siwon. He was sitting in the back seat of his sedan ready to leave when D.O. rapped his knuckles on the tinted window.

“Is there something you need?”

D.O. shook his head in exasperation and tossed a device into the car through the open window. Kai glanced down to see that it was an audio recorder they paired with bugs they planted in different people’s offices—a habit Kai took on behind Lucas and Irene’s backs for personal reasons.

“Irene’s been in contact with Siwon. I think she’s been asking him to monitor you and Lucas.”

That only solidified Kai’s suspicions. “When was this?”

“Right after Lucas kidnapped her.”

Kai stared at the device before tossing it back at D.O. “Destroy it.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes.” He pulled out a gun from one of the compartments in the car and tucked it into his inner pocket. “And while you’re at it—”

A shot went off. Kai reached up to his cheek, which was still buzzing from the heat of the bullet that had sped past him into the leather seat of his car. D.O. automatically assumed a low position in front of the car and held out a gun in the direction of the shot. A second shot and the driver slumped over.

“, there’s someone behind that tree.”

Kai peered at the row of oaks and spotted a figure holding a slender rifle. Odd choice of weapon, but he wasn’t going to assume it wouldn’t be deadly. Slouching into the leg space in front of his seat, Kai texted Loey to surround the parameters with men and capture the lone wolf, alive. Within minutes of him texting and the person shooting through the windshield, there were shouts indicating Loey was in action. A small man was brought to Kai almost immediately afterwards.

Even after a thorough search, they couldn’t find any other men, so Kai tied the man up and sat him down on a chair in a dark room within the company building. From the way the assassin nervously glanced about, Kai knew that he was probably an associate who had never visited any of the comp