Adjusting the Gangster Male Lead’s Intensity [Novel] Chapter 11

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 11

Chapter Title: For Adjusting the Intensity of the Yakuza Male Lead

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‘What the hell is this? What’s the White Blossom Gang, and I-ryeong Cha’s the action captain? And their boss?’

Yi-hae Baek gaped like an idiot amid the bewildering situation, but her face soon drained of color.

I-ryeong Cha was a spy.

Which meant she was most likely either someone from a hostile faction gunning for I-heum Seo or a righteous figure tied to the police.

But if she were police, she wouldn’t have felt a murderous urge the moment she saw Yi-hae Baek, so scratch that.

‘Conclusion: she’s a spy from a hostile faction.’

And during her time spying, I-ryeong Cha had also witnessed Yi-hae Baek’s bizarre antics.

‘...In simple terms, she realized her failure might have been influenced by me?’

Damn it! Pretty lady, that’s not it!

Why hadn’t she thought of this sooner? She’d only worried about getting marked as the next target by the spy if she failed the sub-quest, not that she might catch the spy’s attention during the quest itself.

‘Letting a spy like I-ryeong Cha slip away in the first place? Does that even make sense? If they hadn’t let her go, there’s no way their boss would even know I exist!’

Are these yakuza pacifists or something?! Or do they just not have the skills to catch her?!

Yi-hae Baek was raging inwardly when she suddenly paused and glanced at her status window.

The still-red status window hovered persistently in midair.

“Action captain, seriously? She’s so pure and pretty, but an action captain... Sis, isn’t that gap moe a bit too much?”

If this were just a scene in a game, she’d be like, “Mmm, delicious! Yum yum!” while fanning herself.

But Yi-hae Baek desperately craved a cigarette she didn’t even smoke.

‘Maybe I should peek outside first and see what’s going on? Since Do-gyeom Seo and Yeol Seo got their rewards, they must know about this situation.’

Yi-hae Baek cautiously rose from the bed. The moment she cracked open the door and peeked out, she spotted black hair and screamed.

“Kyaaah!”

“...”

She realized it was Do-gyeom Seo standing there only after she’d already yelled.

But what could she do about it now?

“What!? Pumpkin, what’s wrong?!”

As she locked eyes with the expressionless Do-gyeom Seo staring at her, a clamor erupted and several people came rushing up the stairs.

Leading them was I-heum Seo, blood pouring from his side.

“What’s going on?”

He was clearly bleeding, yet his voice was perfectly calm.

Yi-hae Baek flapped her mouth at I-heum Seo’s question before blurting out the truth in her panic.

“It’s just...! Things seemed noisy outside, so I came out, and Do-gyeom Seo was right there, so I got startled.”

“Do-gyeom Seo? You vanished all of a sudden, so why are you at Yi-hae Baek’s door... You little shit, don’t tell me.”

I-heum Seo’s face darkened menacingly as he eyed his son with suspicion.

Even in his near-death state, he exuded a murderous aura like he could easily kill someone. Naturally, the target was his own son.

Yi-hae Baek flinched just watching from the side, but Do-gyeom Seo remained utterly nonchalant.

“I was just standing there.”

“Loitering outside a girl’s room late at night isn’t proper.”

“Sorry.”

This guy hadn’t even realized her gender, yet he instinctively knew it was wrong.

Yi-hae Baek ground her teeth, glaring murderously as if debating whether to smack him upside the head.

“Aigoo, Boss! The bleeding hasn’t fully stopped, so why are you running around like this?! You won’t even go to the hospital! You’re gonna get yourself in real trouble!”

O Seo-bang, who always stuck by I-heum Seo’s side assisting him, came huffing up the stairs in a panic.

His massive frame made the first-aid kit in his hands look comically small, like a toy box.

“Uncle, you’re hurt?”

Only then did Yi-hae Baek properly grasp the situation, bowing at the waist to peer at I-heum Seo’s side with a shocked face.

She didn’t even notice I-heum Seo and Do-gyeom Seo both flinching.

“Yeah, Pumpkin. You screamed and startled Daddy into moving. If the wound reopens, it’s on you, got it?”

Yeol Seo grumbled as he shoved Yi-hae Baek’s face away. For his short stature, he had surprisingly large hands.

“Hey, even when someone’s worried, you complain!”

“The best way you can help is by not making us worry, you damn pumpkin.”

She had nothing to say to that.

Truth be told, she hadn’t expected even I-heum Seo, let alone Yeol Seo, to come running at her scream.

Yi-hae Baek briefly wondered if this was the moment to feel touched.

Even in the chaos, O Seo-bang steadily instructed I-heum Seo to remove his shirt for disinfection.

Yi-hae Baek had assumed they’d head to a bedroom or downstairs for treatment, so she screamed again at the sight of I-heum Seo casually stripping off his top.

“Uncle! You’re the rudest one here!”

“...?”

“Don’t think those innocent eyes and heaving chest will save you! Why are you baring your torso in front of a naive girl?!”

If you’re gonna strip, at least go all the way top to bottom!

She couldn’t voice the last part, instead covering her eyes with both hands and scolding him like a banshee.

“Boss, put your shirt back on. Before the young lady chews you out more. Heh.”

“...Don’t laugh, O Seo-bang. Or I’ll rip your... ”

“Rip?”

Yi-hae Baek tilted her head at I-heum Seo’s uncharacteristic pause mid-sentence.

As he fastened his collar, his face twisted into a scowl.

“...Shut your mouth before I force it.”

“Pfft!”

How could O Seo-bang laugh at such a chilling expression?

Her heart must have leaped out of her ribcage. Unless she was too oblivious to sense I-heum Seo’s increasingly icy aura.

As they turned to head downstairs, Yi-hae Baek hurriedly grabbed the hem of I-heum Seo’s shirt.

“Uncle!”

I-heum Seo glanced back at her.

“...You’re okay, right? You’re not gonna die, are you?”

From the looks of things, the situation seemed mostly resolved.

The status window showed I-ryeong Cha had gotten away, but still, anxiety gnawed at her, prompting the question.

He’d rushed over out of worry for her but clearly had no intention of explaining the details.

I-heum Seo’s large hand rested atop her head.

“Yeah. Don’t worry. Go to sleep.”

It was a fleeting pat.

His first skinship ever made her eyes widen round, but those around them were even more shocked.

Clatter!

O Seo-bang dropped the first-aid kit in astonishment, while Yeol Seo rubbed his eyes furiously, wondering if he was seeing things.

“Okay. Goodnight, Uncle.”

For a split second, it seemed like he smiled. Probably her imagination.

Staring dazedly at I-heum Seo and O Seo-bang’s retreating figures, as if entranced, Yi-hae Baek heard Yeol Seo huffing.

“I really hate you.”

So this was the reward for -100 affinity.

She scratched her head at Yeol Seo’s scowl, more wrinkled than usual, as he stormed off in a huff.

‘He’s jealous, huh.’

Cute little guy.

Of course, -level affinity wasn’t cute at all, but whatever.