I Became a Black Market Tycoon with an Inventory - Chapter 63

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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063-Rebel Forces
63.
“Since you’ve come all the way to South Korea, why not rest here a few more days?”
“No, thank you. The construction project is in its final stages—I need to check on the site.”
“I have to review the competition submissions too.”
“Do you have any idea how much GoGo Casino is raking in daily? This is no time for leisurely talk.”
I’d spent three days in absolute revelry.
As if determined to drain every bottle of alcohol in Mokpo.
I’d indulged in every dish the city had to offer, playing without restraint.
After all that merrymaking, it was time for everyone to return to their respective positions.
Jang Yun-mi’s Seoul team departed first,
and Sandro and his organization headed back to the Philippines.
During this process, I’d suggested that Nam Yong-woo, Kang Jae-ho, and Lim Yu-na—all Korean nationals—stay a bit longer since they were already here, but they insisted they had too much work waiting and needed to return.
They too boarded a chartered flight with Sandro and headed to the Philippines.
I remained behind.
There was nothing left to settle, but I simply wanted to stay a little longer.
Perhaps I wanted to wander a bit more?
I sat across from Dae-hun, nursing a cup of coffee.
“Thank you for everything. Thanks to you, we gave my father a proper send-off.”
“Of course I had to. I haven’t had a chance to go wild like that in ages. It was a blast.”
“Sandro mentioned inviting you to the Philippines next time?”
“Yeah, he said the same thing to me. I need to find the time to go. We’ll have to really let loose over there.”
The thought of the Dae-hoon Faction and Sandro Group running amok in the Philippines gave me a headache,
but at the same time, I found myself looking forward to it.
“By the way, you must have spent a fortune. Let me cover it.”
“That’s not necessary, Young Boss.”
Dae-hun lightly refused my offer.
Still, I wanted to give him the money.
He must have spent an enormous amount.
I’d heard that Dae-hun had covered everything—the funeral expenses, all the food and entertainment over those three days, even the accommodations for everyone.
Having him shoulder all those costs alone must have been a burden.
“Don’t call me Young Boss. Besides, I have plenty of money. You’ve got dependents to support. So just take it.”
“You crazy bastard. Do you have any idea how much GoGo Casino pulls in daily?”
“GoGo Casino? I’ve heard it does well, but I don’t know the exact numbers.”
“These days, GoGo Casino’s daily net profit exceeds a billion won.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. So don’t worry about money. Plus, our organization has grown, and the revenue from our business operations is substantial. How could I not do this much for a friend?”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. Anyway, I’m glad I could help you out.”
“Then I’ll gratefully accept.”
“How long are you planning to stay here?”
“I’m not sure. I just want to be here for a while.”
“Stay as long as you need. I’ll see you often. Should I have Geun-su keep you company?”
“No, thanks. I’d rather be alone for now.”
“Alright. Do as you wish. Just let me know if you need anything.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
I didn’t return to the Philippines.
With my phone turned off, I savored my solitude.
I wandered into random restaurants and ate,
sat in cafes with beautiful views and sipped coffee,
and spent long stretches gazing blankly at the sea.
Here, I was neither Alex nor Inbae.
I was simply one ordinary person among many.
Just an unemployed wanderer passing the days.
I loved that title—unemployed.
I wanted to hide within it.
I wanted to disappear into this sea of people.
Yet I knew I had to return to the Philippines.
Because the people I’d chosen to live alongside were waiting there.
.
.
.
“Try calling him again.”
“The call won’t go through.”
“Where the hell did he go? He said to have it done in ten days. Where is this bastard?”
Simon paced anxiously with a well-prepared presentation, searching for Alex.
He couldn’t find him anywhere.
He kept calling Alex, waiting endlessly.
*******
“Sorry. I wasn’t able to reach out, was I?”
“What happened? Do you know how hard I looked for you?”
“I’m sorry, sorry. Something came up.”
“What could possibly make you unreachable for this long?”
Simon asked irritably.
“My father passed away.”
Simon’s eyes widened in shock.
Realizing his behavior had been excessive, he felt embarrassed.
“When someone as reliable as you goes silent, there’s always a reason. Did the funeral go well?”
“Yes, thanks to you. So, should we look at the materials you prepared?”
Simon showed him the materials.
That file contained detailed information on four of the Philippines’ major rebel forces.
And I spent considerable time explaining it all.
“So. Abu Sayyaf, Bangsamoro Liberation Front (BLF), New People’s Army (NPA). And then there’s your Damaya, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Abu Sayyaf in first place, BLF in second, NPA in third. Damaya. You’re dead last.”
“I’d prefer if you called us a rebel force that pursues peace and humanitarianism.”
“A rebel talking about peace? You should’ve just founded an NGO or joined the UN instead.”
“… Still, we try to be as peaceful as possible…”
“Peacefully kill people?”
“That’s not what I mean. It’s to create peace.”
“This is exactly why I hate rebels. They form these organizations out of pure greed, but their excuses sound so damn noble. Anyway. So the first and second place groups are both Islamic-based, right? Why are you fighting each other? If you two joined forces, wouldn’t you control the rebel movement in seconds?”
“Well, Abu Sayyaf in first place and the Bangsamoro Liberation Front (BLF) in second place pursue completely different ideologies.”
“How so?”
“Abu Sayyaf is basically the Philippine branch of radical Islamism. Their goal isn’t just the Philippines. They want to establish Islamic states across the entire world. Naturally, they receive substantial support from other Islamic nations, and their weapons are cutting-edge.”
“Holy shit. Islamic franchise?”
“Yeah. Exactly. That’s why they get massive support from headquarters. Lots of money, lots of weapons, and the largest personnel count. But on the flip side, the Philippine government hates Abu Sayyaf the most. Abu Sayyaf wants the Philippine government to collapse and an Islamic government to take its place.”
“I see. So it’s not just expanding Islamic influence—they actually want to overthrow the government and establish an Islamic nation? These kids are operating on a blockbuster scale?”
“That’s why they use extremely violent and extreme methods to achieve it. Whenever there’s terrorism or kidnapping in the Philippines, you can pretty much assume Abu Sayyaf did it.”
“Now that’s a true rebel force. If you’re going to be a rebel, you might as well go that far. So what about the Bangsamoro Liberation Front (BLF)?”
“The BLF is a coalition of Muslims living in southern Philippines. Their main goal is to secure political autonomy from the Philippine government. Essentially, their ultimate objective is to establish their own territory. Naturally, they want to maintain good relations with the Philippine government. The government has to approve it, after all. So they’re trying to negotiate with the government and make themselves appear legitimate.”
“Ah. So they’re demanding a separate autonomous region from the Philippines while still being obedient?”
“Exactly.”
“What’s the relationship between the two?”
“Between them? They can barely stand each other. Abu Sayyaf calls the BLF traitors. They say the BLF begs for victories that should be won through blood. Conversely, the BLF despises Abu Sayyaf’s extreme actions because they undermine peace and breed distrust from the Philippine government and the international community.”
“Interesting. So these comparable groups are fighting over ideology.”
“They hurl insults like they’re ready to devour each other, but they don’t actually fight.”
“Really? That’s a shame. What about the New People’s Army (NPA)?”
“They’re a communist guerrilla organization operating mainly in the Philippine highlands and rural areas. They argue for revolution while opposing wealth inequality.”
“Communists? Revolution? Are they trying to start a Cultural Revolution or something?”
“Cultural Revolution? What’s that?”
“It’s a movement where they destroy with their own hands what they created with their own hands. How large is their operation?”
“We estimate their numbers at around 1,000 or so. And it seems they’re secretly receiving support from communist nations.”
I gathered information about the rebel forces from Simon.
To summarize.
Abu Sayyaf.
Rebel force number one. The Philippine branch of a global Islamization movement. Sponsored by headquarters.
Their goal is to overthrow the Philippine government and establish an Islamic nation.
Extreme and violent.
Bangsamoro Liberation Front (BLF)
Rebel force number two. Their primary objective is securing an autonomous region for Muslims within the Philippines.
Friendly with the Philippine government, and negotiation is possible.
However, Abu Sayyaf and the Bangsamoro Liberation Front are mortal enemies.
The New People’s Army is a communist faction.
They receive support from communist nations.
Once organized, it’s quite simple.
“Anyway, their ability to make money from all directions is remarkable.”
“Huh?”
“Think about it. If those bastards were really conducting Islamic revolutions or communist revolutions, would the country be this quiet? There would be daily terror attacks and chaos, right? But it’s relatively peaceful.”
“Right?”
“So they just establish a suitable position and contact headquarters like this: ‘We’ve done this much now, but maintaining it costs money—send us some funds. We’re planning this terror operation but lack activity funds. Wire it to our account.’ That’s how it works.”
“Ah…”
“Then headquarters has to send it, even if they don’t trust them. Otherwise, they’ll complain that you didn’t fund us, so our forces weakened—we’ll cause trouble.”
“That… that’s right?”
Simon answered as if something was bothering him.
“Simon, you’re not after money too, are you? You said you were about peace and humanitarianism?”
“Of course not. We’re the last bastion protecting peace within the Philippines’ unique circumstances, you might say?”
“So what’s the solution?”
“The solution?”
“Didn’t you hear me say to bring a plan for how to deal with the rebel forces?”
“Well… I did hear that…”
“This gets a 50 so far. Let’s decide after hearing the plan.”
Simon continued, flustered as if unprepared with a solution.
“Well… first, we attack the weakest New People’s Army to expand our forces, then attack the Bangsamoro Liberation Front, and finally strike Abu Sayyaf. That’s it. How about it?”
“Tower climbing? Going up from the first floor to the hundredth floor step by step? Third place, then second, then first in order? The protagonist goes to defeat the villains? And do you think that’s even possible?”
“It could work if we do it well, couldn’t it?”
“Even if you do it well, it doesn’t seem like it’ll work. If you’re confident, try it. I’ll praise you if you succeed.”
“But shouldn’t we have some firepower in hand before planning operations? Operations are based on firepower.”
Simon spoke with a hint of grievance.
“Are you asking for sponsorship? After hearing such a plan with no strategy whatsoever, do you think anyone would sponsor you?”
“What?”
“While you’re taking down third, second, and first place in order, how much damage will Damaya suffer? Can we even win? Will second and first place just wait quietly for you to attack? Won’t they prepare? And if you defeat third place, will all of their forces come under your command? If not, you’ll have to fight the Bangsamoro Liberation Front or Abu Sayyaf with barely two hundred of your own people. If that’s the case, why not fight Abu Sayyaf right now? That seems strategically superior.”
“From now on, I’ll establish detailed plans…”
“I told you to bring those detailed plans.”
“Ten days was barely enough time to gather intelligence.”
“What were you doing when you weren’t in contact? You should have been planning operations.”
“I did think about it. But I can’t help it if no good operations come to mind! And this kind of pressure won’t solve the problem anyway. Sigh… with these conditions, I need to reconsider whether to cooperate.”
“Cooperate? Who said anything about cooperating? I’m buying you. I’m using you, and you follow my orders. If you don’t like it, you can leave anytime. I gain nothing from buying and sponsoring you. I just want those rebels I can’t stand to stay quiet. If you understand, then get out.”
Simon, insulted, trembles with barely contained rage.
He looks ready to throw a punch at me again.
But somehow, he restrains himself.
The memory of him hitting me and making me vomit came rushing back.
Indeed, a fist cultivates patience.
Long history testifies to this.
There’s never been a match for a beating since ancient times.
“Sigh… You frustrating bastard. The answer’s already in the information you collected.”
“Answer?”
“First and second place don’t get along, right?”
“Yeah. They don’t.”
“Then we need to make them fight each other.”
“They’ll never fight. They just talk trash all day.”
“That’s why we need to set the stage for them to fight. Making them clash is what we’re supposed to do.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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