Mugak Wang sat at the heavy wooden counter of a Chinatown bar. He downed one glass of amber liquid after another without stopping to breathe. His mind kept drifting back to the day Kitae Kim tore through the Dark Crocodile Society.
He felt a deep sense of shame that he could not shake off. He still could not understand how a single man had defeated the person he called father. The memory of that loss burned in his throat like the cheap alcohol.
"Damn it!"
CRASH!
He slammed his empty glass onto the counter with enough force to shatter the thick base. Tiny shards of glass flew in every direction and embedded themselves into the wood. Mugak stared at his bleeding palm with a vacant expression.
A tall man sat down on the stool next to him without saying a word. Ryu adjusted his sleeves and looked toward the shelves of bottles. Mugak turned his head and his face twisted with sudden fury.
"Look who is here. Your face really ruins the taste of this drink."
Ryu remained calm and did not look at Mugak directly. He signaled the bartender for a clean glass and spoke in a steady voice.
"Mugak, you are not the only one frustrated about the situation. We should focus on the present. Though I am not sure if you Chinese understand that concept."
Mugak let out a mocking smirk and leaned back against the counter. He wiped the blood from his hand onto his pants.
"I do not expect a Hongkonger who lived under colonial rule for over a century to lecture me."
Ryu did not answer the insult with words. Instead, his hand reached out for a full bottle of liquor sitting between them. He gripped the neck of the bottle and prepared to pour the entire thing over Mugak's head.
A pale hand suddenly clamped down on Ryu's wrist and pinned it to the bar. The movement was so fast that neither man saw it coming. Yujae stood behind them with his usual fox-like smile.
"Don't do that. There is no need for us to fight amongst ourselves."
Ryu pulled his hand away and straightened his jacket. He looked at the newcomer with narrowed eyes.
"Yujae Seon..."
Mugak stood up instantly and glared at Yujae. He looked like he wanted to jump over the counter and start a brawl.
"You bastard! You dare to show your face here? Where was this courage when the bastard son of Gapryong Kim attacked the supreme leader?"
Yujae did not lose his smile even for a second. He pulled out a chair and sat down between the two angry men.
"Didn't you get knocked out cold during that fight?"
Mugak gritted his teeth and looked away because he had no comeback. He knew Yujae was right about his humiliating defeat.
"I have devised a plan. It is one that could change everything for us."
Mugak's eyes widened and he leaned in closer. The anger in his expression replaced by a sudden spark of curiosity.
"A... plan?"
Yujae's smile deepened as he watched their reactions. He looked like a gambler who knew he held the winning hand.
"Do you know why we lost that day?"
Mugak shook his head slowly. He had spent weeks wondering why their defenses had crumbled so easily.
"It is because we were not prepared."
Mugak slammed his fist onto the bar again. He looked like he had finally found the answer he was looking for.
"Yes! That is right! If we were prepared there is no way we would have lost! There is no way he would have lost to that bastard son of Gapryong!"
He stood up and began to pace around the small space of the bar. His breathing became heavy as his excitement grew.
"That cowardly bastard attacked the supreme leader in his bath! That is absurdly cowardly!"
Yujae nodded along to the statement. He knew the truth was more complicated, but he needed Mugak on his side.
"Tell me. What do we have to do?"
Yujae leaned forward and lowered his voice. He looked at both men to make sure they were paying attention.
"Do you know who is our biggest obstacle to victory?"
Mugak looked confused by the question. He scratched his head and frowned.
"Is it not Kitae Kim himself?"
Yujae shook his head and tapped his finger against the wood.
"If it was only Kitae, the supreme leader would have already gathered all our forces to surround him. He cannot do that because of the Speed Circle."
He paused to let the words sink in.
"The supreme leader knows that if we concentrate all our forces on one man, the Speed Circle will attack our weakened areas. To deal with Kitae, we must first eliminate the Speed Circle."
Ryu finally spoke up after being silent for several minutes. He looked at Yujae with a sharp and suspicious gaze.
"You are talking a lot. What is the actual plan?"
Yujae turned to him and his smile became even wider.
"I have found the hideout of the Speed Circle."
Ryu's eyes widened and his posture stiffened. This was the information they had been searching for for years.
"The hideout?"
Yujae nodded and stood up from his seat.
"Yes. Now is our chance. We can take them out with minimal casualties if we strike by surprise."
Mugak and Ryu both nodded in agreement. They looked ready for blood.
---
Daniel sat on the floor of his cell and watched the shadows move on the wall. He waited for any sign of the commotion Yujae had mentioned.
A faint noise echoed from the distance. It sounded like a low hum at first, but it grew into the sound of hundreds of boots hitting the floor.
Shouts erupted from the main hallway of the fortress. Large groups of men ran past Daniel's cell without looking inside. They were all armed and moving toward the main exit.
He knew this was the moment he had been waiting for. He pulled the heavy iron key from his pocket and slid it into the lock.
CLICK!
The mechanism turned smoothly and the heavy door swung open. Daniel stepped out into the hallway and blended into the crowd of moving men. No one noticed him in the middle of the chaos.