TIN 8

The goods coming across the sea all pass through the hands of the 4HAE Group. Even the behind-the-scenes manipulations that have not yet been openly revealed would be well-known to those who are well-informed about that side’s news. For that reason, Theo, who is standing in front of me, must also be aware of the manipulations.

“‘Even a country’…Does he have any self-awareness?”

Theo let out a hollow laugh for a moment, as if finding it unbelievable. It seemed like he was asking if I understood how nonsensical that reason was. Since he was an annoyingly intuitive guy, simple excuses couldn’t dispel his doubts.

“What the hell is Joo Do-hwa doing here? Did he come to buy a doll or something?”

“Doll?”

The one who asked was Lingling. Theo waved his hand dismissively, as if it was nothing.

“There’s a rumor that people play with dolls. It’s just a rumor.”

Dolls, huh. I’ve never seen him playing with anything like that, even when he was young.

“Anyway, just tell me how things turned out. The boss isn’t going to let it slide, right?”

“What’s there to turn out? I messed up and got beaten up.”

“What about Wang Wei’s medical bills?”

In a world where even the basics of living were difficult to solve, hospitals had long since become a luxury. Someone like Wang Wei wouldn’t even bother with a quack doctor, and just stitching up a gashed head would surely drain my entire year’s living expenses.

“I guess I’ll have to pay it off with my body.”

Maybe I should sell an organ. No, even that wouldn’t be enough to cover the Alpha’s treatment.

“The boss said he’d just pass it off and sell me to some old pervert who likes rags.”

Theo’s face cracked slightly at my calm tone. Didn’t I tell him not to make a fuss? This wasn’t the first time, but why did he make such an unpleasant expression?

“So, you’ll just obediently do as they say?”

It seemed he had expected me to rebel somehow. “Surely not,” his gaze seemed to question. There was only one answer I could give to that.

“What choice do I have? I know I don’t have any.”

“…Fine, just do the entertaining work along with the rest of us.”

I deliberately spoke of it as an unimportant matter. When Theo instinctively buttoned up his collar, I discreetly curled up the corner of my mouth.

“If it bothers you that much, why don’t you just buy me yourself?”

To be honest, I had no intention of meekly complying with what the boss ordered. I might end up a cripple if I had to entertain four customers at a time, and if I was sold to some twisted old man, I’d have to accept having my limbs cut off. I still had reasons not to give up on life.

“Don’t make such a fuss, Theo.”

I’ll have to escape at night.

It was a good thing the job was easy. It seems I can no longer stay here. I’ll have to live a life on the run, but I’m confident in my ability to escape. As for my face, well, I can just scar it up and be done with it. It wouldn’t be bad to even shatter my nose bone this time.

“Come here first.”

It was Lingling who tried to mediate between us. Leaving the deeply troubled Theo behind, Lingling gently pulled me again.

The face I saw in the bathroom mirror was worse than I’d thought. My cheek and eyelid were swollen, my left eye had burst blood vessels, and dark bruises were blotched across my whole face. At least the tears that came naturally were not mixed with blood.

Lingling didn’t say a word as she tended to my injuries. She must’ve realized there wasn’t any comfort she could offer, nor anything she could do to change the situation.

I swallowed a small sigh. Lingling’s affection was excessively pure and caring, unlike Theo’s. While I could be firm with Theo, I couldn’t bring myself to be so with Lingling.

“Come to me later tonight. I’ll put some ointment on it.”

“You have ointment?”

Why would Lingling have such a luxury item? I asked out of curiosity, and she gave a soft smile, her lips tinged a bit pink.

“I asked the boss to buy it for me.”

The boss never hit Lingling, so she wouldn’t have needed ointment. But she asked for it anyway…perhaps it was for situations like this.

Somehow, I’ve noticed that the staff occasionally have bandages or the like. I’d thought they’d just been lucky to have met kind customers, but it turned out Lingling was the one providing them.

“Lingling, you…”

I slowly began, carefully selecting my words. It was obvious to me how Lingling had managed to obtain the ointment, what she had given the boss in return, and what kind of time she had spent doing so.

“You need to be a bit more selfish.”

If hse was going to get something, she should’ve gotten something good. Preferably something that would benefit herself, at least something tasty to eat.

“I’m already doing that.”

Lingling shrugged her shoulders as if I was talking nonsense. Selfish, when she was so caring – sometimes it’s hard to believe she’s someone who crawled her way up from the bottom.

“Your pretty face is a mess.”

Lingling said, gently tracing the area around my chin with her fingertips. Pretty, she said. You’re the one with the pretty face, I thought, though I didn’t say it aloud. She was looking at me with a sorrowful gaze.

“Are you really going to do as the boss says?”

“Why are you getting worked up too?”

It was surprising that even Lingling, who knows the workings of Oceans better than anyone, was reacting this way.

“Well, I thought someone like you, Bada, would find a way.”

Ah, so she’s learned that saying about Bada always finding a way. Her expectations of me were utterly ridiculous. What could a mere employee do?

“Theo probably thought the same, huh?”

“But I can’t go as far as cracking the boss’s head.”

“Hmm, what about…running away?”

I furrowed my brow slightly. Seeming to interpret my expression as a joke, Lingling winked her eye.

“I know, no one would be stupid enough to do that.”

Everyone knows how difficult it is to escape Oceans. Fleeing would immediately result in a warrant for my arrest, making it impossible to work elsewhere. Unless I completely changed my appearance or was under the protection of someone more powerful than Oceans.

“Anyway, you don’t have anywhere to run to, do you?”

“Well… that’s true.”

Theo had mentioned a woman with blue eyes in the outskirts. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to use this opportunity to check out his claim. Even if she’s not the one I’m looking for, getting out of the city would still be good. Of course, I’d have to go find the money I’ve saved up first.

It wasn’t too hard to steel my resolve. I never had any expectations of staying here long, I’d only attached myself to gather money and information. Finding a new informant would be daunting, but it would be safer to withdraw at this point.

There was just one regret that had newly blossomed.

“Lingling… will Joo Do-hwa come here again?”

To think this would be the place for our reunion. Should I be relieved to see him grown up, or lament not even brushing against his collar? If it’s a fleeting encounter that I won’t even remember, maybe I should just be grateful it passed by.

“Joo Do-hwa?”

Lingling tilted her head questioningly as she glanced at me. Seems the mention of someone else’s name surprised him.

“I’m not sure, customers who come once usually keep coming back…”

All goods have an expiration date, so repeat customers were common at Oceans. With the ocean as their motif, there was nothing they couldn’t obtain here. Moreover, this was the most suitable place for purchasing people.

Of course, that didn’t mean someone of Joo Do-hwa’s caliber would definitely come back. If he’s from the 4HAE, he could easily obtain whatever he wanted without needing Oceans. That’s why Lingling wasn’t entirely certain.

“But why are you so interested in a customer? Is the dominant Alpha really that different?”

Lingling chuckled nonchalantly. Though she spoke jokingly, she was clearly probing. Or maybe she was just finding it amusing.

“If you’re okay with it, you could try appealing to be picked by him. Who knows, maybe he’ll even pay for Wang Wei’s hospital bills.”

What a ridiculous idea. Not even Joo Do-hwa would go to the trouble of spending a fortune just to buy one person, even if it was me. Well, for him, that amount of money probably isn’t a big deal.

Back in the lobby, Theo was still standing in the same spot. Seeing Lingling and I emerge, he wore a serious expression. I stopped, wondering what was wrong, and he parted his lips, taking a step toward me.

“Bada, I…”

“How much?”

But Theo couldn’t finish his sentence, as someone appearing from the corridor abruptly cut him off. Turning my head, I saw Joo Do-hwa approaching, accompanied by the boss.

“How much for that one?”

“…D-Director?”

The long finger pointed directly at me. Before the flustered boss could even respond, Joo Do-hwa lazily scanned my face with his gaze. It was an oppressive look, but the smile that followed was as radiant as dazzling sunlight.

“I’ll take that one.”