As you already noticed, I'm updating extremely slowly, for the simple fact that I still haven't reread every chapter, it's so boring rereading things multiple times đĽ˛, anyway it will take a while before I return with stable updates so I suggest everyone to let the story marinate a bit.
Need to pay my bills after all...
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(Monday, May 27, 2024 â 12:06 PM)
As the two walked toward the cafeteria, Zack's expression shifted. His usual laid-back demeanor faded slightly, replaced with something more serious.
"Earlier.." he started with the hands in his pockets, "I was talking with your brother and Jay."
Lil Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
Zack exhaled. "We were talking about how you use what you learn. And while we were talking about that⌠I started thinking about something."
Lil Daniel grabbed a tray as they reached the food counter, glancing at Zack. "And what exactly did you start thinking about?"
Zack picked up his plate with his eyes narrowing slightly. "The Four Major Crews."
Lil Daniel paused for a second before continuing to move. He nodded, interested. "Alright⌠keep going."
Zack grabbed some food, choosing his words carefully. "One of them, the God Dog crew. That name feels familiar."
Lil Daniel's eyes flickered with curiosity. "Familiar how?"
Zack exhaled. "I don't know yet. But I feel like I've heard it before, and not just in passing."
Lil Daniel nodded toward their table where the group was already gathered. "Then explain while we eat."
....
By the time they reached the table, the usual group was already there.
Big Daniel sat at the end, calmly eating. Across from him, Vasco and Jace were chatting about something while shoveling food into their mouths. Vin Jin and Mary had also joined them, with Vin loudly complaining about something while Mary just smirked.
Lil Daniel sat down, immediately stealing a piece of fried chicken from Big Daniel's plate.
Big Daniel side-eyed him.
Lil Daniel ignored it.
Instead, he turned to Zack, chewing as he spoke. "Alright. Explain what you mean by this 'familiarity' with God Dog."
Everyone's ears subtly perked up.
Mira, who had been sitting next to Zoe, suddenly looked at Zack with mild concern. "Are you sure you want to talk about this?"
Zack with the fork hovering over his plate, sighed.
(12:15 PM)
Zack leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table as he spoke. He briefly explained the Four Major Crews, their territories, and their influence over Seoul. The group listened, some more engaged than others.
Vasco frowned as he finished chewing. "So basically, they're all bad guys."
Big Daniel, stealing from Zack's plate mid-sentence, nodded. "Probably."
Zack sighed, ignoring his disappearing food. "Yeah, but that's not the point. The God Dog Crew⌠that name reminded me of something from when I was a kid."
Vin raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
Zack exhaled, drumming his fingers on the table. "I had a close friend back then. His name was Johan."
The moment he said the name, Mira looked up slightly with her eyes narrowing.
Zack continued in a lower voice than before. "Johan's mom⌠she got caught up in a cult. It was called Eden, and they worshipped something called the God Dog."
The group went quiet, their attention now completely locked on him.
"The leader was some priest. He used hallucinogens to brainwash people, convincing them to join. That's how he got Johan's mom to leave Christianity and convert."
Lil Daniel let out a low whistle. "That's messed up."
Zack nodded. "It got worse. Eventually, we managed to save this reporter who got captured by the cult. He called the cops, and the place got shut down."
"But Johan's momâŚ" Lil Daniel said.
Zack clenched his jaw. "She was taken to a rehabilitation center." His voice was tight. "And Johan⌠was left alone."
Silence settled over the table.
Vasco shifted slightly. "What happened to him after that?"
Zack exhaled. "He disappeared. For years. No contact, nothing. Then, out of nowhere, he showed up at a boxing competition during middle school."
Big Daniel glanced at him. "And?"
Zack scoffed, leaning back. "I was competing too. I joined because⌠I wanted to confess to Mira when I won."
Mira blinked in surprise, but Zack kept going.
"But before I could even think about that, Johan destroyed me." Zack clicked his tongue. "It wasn't just a loss. He humiliated me. And after the fight? He had the audacity to offer me his hand."
Jace raised an eyebrow. "That pissed you off?"
Zack's jaw tightened. "Of course, it did. He knew how much that fight meant to me, and he just-" He shook his head. "It wasn't about helping. It was like he was saying, 'You're beneath me.'"
Mira, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke. "I tried to catch up to him after that." she admitted.
Zack turned to her. "And?"
She hesitated for a moment before sighing. "I overheard him talking to someone."
Lil Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Saying what?"
Mira's expression darkened slightly. "That he had no friends."
Zack scoffed. "Yeah, well, that was his choice."
Then Mira added something else. "The guy he was talking to⌠I remember his face."
Everyone looked at her.
"I think he was the same guy you fought at the festival."
Lil Daniel and Big Daniel exchanged glances.
Vasco clenched his jaw.
"That guy�"
The atmosphere around the table shifted.
Johan. The God Dog Crew. And Gun from the festival.
Things were starting to connect.
(12:26 PM)
Lil Daniel stretched, locking his hands behind his head as he exhaled. "Damn⌠this feels like a game with a complex story."
Then, after a short pause, he grinned.
"I love it."
Zack's glare was instant.
Lil Daniel cleared his throat, quickly correcting himself. "I mean, this is the best opportunity for you, Zack."
Zack narrowed his eyes. "To do what?"
Lil Daniel continued. "To meet your long-lost friend, beat the fuck out of him, and then we can all join in on the mess with the crews."
Jace raised an eyebrow. "Why would we do that?"
Lil Daniel's smiled widely. "Because those crews? They pay 100 million won a month."
Everyone stared at him.
He leaned forward slightly with his face morphing into a unhinged smile.
"That means they're rich. And robbing them would feel so good."
Silence.
Then, in perfect synchronization, everyone shook their heads. Zack pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're actually insane." Vasco sighed. "I should've expected this."
Big Daniel just grabbed another piece of food from Lil Daniel's plate. "Tch. Of course, you're thinking about money."
Lil Daniel shrugged, completely unfazed. "What can I say? The world runs on cash."
Big Daniel wiped his mouth, setting his fork down as he looked at Zack. "Honestly? This is simple."
Zack raised an eyebrow. "How is this simple?"
Big Daniel leaned back. "You're curious, right? About Johan, about God Dog? Then go there and satisfy your curiosity."
Zack frowned slightly but didn't deny it.
Big Daniel continued. "And obviously, my brother will help."
Lil Daniel chuckled, leaning forward with a grin. "Damn right. You read my mind." He tapped his fingers on the table. "I can't lose out on that money."
Vin, who had been casually listening, stretched his arms. "Tch. I'm kinda interested, too. I wanna see if there's someone strong over there."
Vasco nodded in a serious expression. "If there are bad people there, I need to defeat them."
Meanwhile Jay didn't care. He kept eating, completely uninterested or more, he knew there was no need for him to intervene.
But everyone knew that he would help if asked.
Big Daniel clapped his hands together, making the decision final. "Alright. Zack, my brother, Vin, and Vasco, you guys will go."
Zack sighed. "Guess I don't have a choice, huh?"
Lil Daniel spoke. "Since we're already messing with gangs, how about making a crew of our own?"
The table went silent.
No one objected.
Vin suddenly sat up straight, smug as hell. "Obviously, I'll be the leader."
The second he finished his sentence Mary punched him.
Vin collapsed onto the table.
Zoe shook her head. "Big Daniel should be the leader. He's the strongest and the most mature."
Lil Daniel scoffed. "Nah. I should be the leader."
Mary, tired of the arguing, rubbed her temples. "Alright, idiots. Let's just vote."
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I was looking at the wiki in the arcs section and oh my god how much filler arcs there are, also with the progression of this fic the canon is out of the picture, but yall already know.
Haha, it's time to cook đ§đżââď¸