Empire of the Ring

Chapter 46: Mafia Sergey (3)

“Lee, the Korean products are getting popular now. I’d like to pay you back because you brought me awesome products. Do you want anything?”

“Mr. Yaniv, I am a merchandiser. It’d be a lie if I don’t have any personal desires, but I don’t want to lose anything more important because of such small things.”

“If I’m correct, it sounds like you won’t care about small fish to get even bigger fish. All right, I like how you think on a large scale. I want to trade in even more quantities this time. I’ll arrange for a higher budget, so you’d make more money for an agency fee.”

“I appreciate your favor, but I already make enough money from Baku’s businesses. And also, I don’t make money from ordering Korean products, it’s my brother-in-law in Korea who’s making money for that order.”

“Hahaha...”

Youngho did not want to be related with the mafia’s money since he was not sure what Yaniv might ask for in the future. Even though they now became a little closer, he still drew the line for a casual business relationship. Moreover, he was not sure how the money would be accepted by the CIA. If it was not official, which he could not explain properly, it was better not to take it.

“I just want to share some of mine because I earned a lot from the business with you.”

“No, the agency fee was what I deserved. I worry that I might change if I get more than I deserve. Thank you for your heart though.”

“Lee, you’re impressive. All right, I get it. By the way, what do you think about drinking together today? Do you want to ‘run’ just like according to your expression?”

“I won’t reject that. Let’s ‘run’ then.”

Even though Youngho agreed, he still did not trust Yaniv fully. Mafias like him would change their attitude and act violent if something got on their nerves. Youngho prepared himself; he had brought four Turkish flip knives hidden in the mystical leather shoes.

Yesterday, Yaniv politely welcomed Youngho in a big reception room since it was their first time meeting in person.

Today, at Youngho’s request to meet informally, they met at a bungalow next to Yaniv’s mansion. They drank together near the fireplace and ate smoked salmon as a snack.

When they had finished drinking a shot each, they heard an explosion from the mansion. It did not sound like a bomb, but like a rocket fired from a portable rocket launcher.

“Mr. Sergey, is there a basement in this bungalow?”

“Y-Yes, there is.”

Sergey, who became pale after the explosion sound, was flustered. Yaniv looked surprised as well.

“It must be a terrorist. You should take your boss to the basement. I’ll go look out.”

As soon as Youngho finished his last word, he turned off the inside lights and looked outside to see what was going on.

Youngho stepped outside as he heard a second explosion, since the bungalow could become a target too. Even though he was out, he did not have a gun. He had left it in his bedroom in the mansion. A gun could not stop a rocket launcher, but it could stop nearby enemies. He went back to the bungalow and asked Sergey for a gun. Sergey gave what he had to Youngho: a former Soviet Union’s TT-33 pistol and two magazines.

Because Sergey knew that Youngho was a specially trained person, he trusted him. Youngho made sure that they stayed in the basement.

The mansion was burning brightly with flames. With two launched rocket shots, one side of the wall of the first floor was completely ripped apart. It was where Youngho drank with Yaniv last night. He felt his hair stand on one end since he would be smoked like a Turkey by now if he decided to drink in there today.

The fire was soon controlled by the automatic sprinklers. The security guards of the mansion were running in different directions afluster, and some were coming to check the bungalow. Youngho told them that Sergey and Yaniv were safe and to check for the security status of the mansion. They had to get ready for another possible attack.

From what he had seen from yesterday when Youngho drove into the mansion, there were many guard posts all around the mansion. However, it seemed that all the guards in the post must have been subdued, or else rocket launcher attacks from this close would have not been possible.

Youngho was running in the birch tree woods outside of the mansion. If someone had seen him, they would have thought that it was just a wind passing by. He was running at the speed of 80 km/h. His face was getting cold.

Youngho looked for the attackers who launched the rocket shots, thinking that they must still be nearby. Youngho did not know whether the attackers knew if Youngho was with them or not, but anyway, the rockets have killed Youngho if he had not wanted to drink in a less formal setting tonight.

After he searched for about ten minutes, he heard some people behind some bushes. It was on the hillside at a distance of 300 meters from the mansion, and it looked like a plausible place for launching the rocket shots. There were four of them. The rocket launchers were gone as if they hid them. They were looking at the mansion with night vision goggles on, giggling with each other.

Youngho went furious over their inhumanness. They were laughing even though people might have died. It was dark, but he thought he could still get them with the pistol. He unlocked the safety catch of the gun, and with the power of the leather shoes, he jumped from the ground. Youngho, who jumped at least 5 meters high, fired two shots in an instant while looking down from the air.

As soon as he landed on the ground, he fired one more and swiftly approached the attackers. With full force, he hit an attacker who was startled by unexpected shots with the side of his hand. Youngho’s wrist became sore since he had hit him with his full power.

The men who were shot groaned, bleeding from their stomach and legs. The man whom Youngho hit with the side of his hand had passed out already. Youngho fired more shots in the air at regular intervals. Then he gathered tree branches and made a big fire to let others know about Youngho’s existence. If there were any other attackers left, they might run away after seeing Youngho’s fire. Also, Youngho wanted to finish his role at that point. He did not want to be another target because he helped Yaniv’s organization.

Youngho could see many flashlights and heard footsteps approaching him. They were Yaniv’s henchmen. They were surprised to see the attackers and Youngho since Youngho had found and subdued all the attackers by himself.

After hearing what had happened from his henchmen, Yaniv thanked Youngho, patting his shoulder with a stern face. He did not say much, which meant he was uncomfortable. After ordering his men to clean up around the mansion, Yaniv took Youngho to the bungalow, saying that they could keep drinking. He was still calm even though something terrifying had just occurred within his mansion. Youngho admitted in his mind that Yaniv was a true boss and looked at him respectfully.

“Lee, I received a big favor from you tonight. If you weren’t here today, I would’ve drunk with someone else in that reception hall.”

“Well, I got lucky. All I did was to follow what I learned from the Korean Navy.”

Yaniv smiled weakly.

“I’m embarrassed to show my weaknesses in front of a guest, but what can I do? This is the reality.”

“Mr. Yaniv, it’d be same in every place. People may not carry weapons on themselves, but they always carry knives in their minds.”

“You are absolutely right.”

People here sometimes expressed their feelings outward without considering their actions. Just like today, they must have had some complaints, so they brought a rocket launcher.

“Thank you. Just like your expression, let’s ‘run’ all night long tonight.”

Tonight’s atmosphere was totally different from yesterday’s atmosphere, but they still drank hard. In fact, they wanted to drink because they could not shake off the shock from the attack. Anywhere Youngho went, it seemed that he always got into danger. From Nagorno-Karabakh, Baku, and now in a mafia’s headquarters.... He drank with a bitter heart. ‘When will my spring time finally come?’ thought Youngho.