A hooded figure moved through the crowd of a busy market. He slipped into a modest restaurant, ordered at the counter in broken Chinese, and found a table near the back. He had barely sat down when he felt someone watching him.
He sighed and pulled out a chair.
"Excuse me, Mr. Hanma?"
Baki looked up. The man had bright red hair and a face he recognized immediately. Wu Zhangxun, one of the guards from Tian Wai Tian. He had fought Tom Lee and Jincheol Park head-on at their first meeting. The result had been bad, but the nerve it took to try was hard to forget.
Wu Zhangxun looked genuinely excited. "I hope you remember me. I am—"
"You're the guy from Tian Wai Tian who botched the escort mission for Manager Kim," Baki said.
Wu Zhangxun scratched his cheek. "If that's how you remember me, I suppose that's fine. May I sit?"
Baki nodded.
A waiter arrived with his order. Baki thanked him in broken Chinese. Wu Zhangxun looked pleasantly surprised. "You know Chinese?"
"Picked it up while I was here," Baki said, eating.
Wu Zhangxun stared at him. "You picked up Chinese in less than a week?"
Baki kept eating. "Are you here to keep tabs on me?"
Wu Zhangxun waved both hands. "No, no. I was searching for you and the information just came up. You've become quite famous on the internet. An evil celebrity, but famous."
Baki chuckled. "That was intentional. I didn't want rats coming after me constantly. Seems like it worked."
Wu Zhangxun nodded slowly. "Though the police did cause you some trouble."
"They also tightened security and caught a few of the mercenaries after me," Baki said. "Overall, a good trade."
Wu Zhangxun shook his head with a small smile. "You're a genius."
"I know," Baki said. "Tell me something I don't know. Like why you were looking for me."
Wu Zhangxun straightened up. "Right. I was sent by Gwigwan-nim to assist you. After Pengguan-nim's death, T Group went after Tian Wai Tian like a starving animal. Our stocks are at the lowest in the organization's history and they haven't stopped. Gwigwan-nim and Taehwa-nim have joined forces to address it."
Baki raised an eyebrow. "Cho Taehwa? I didn't expect Gwigwan to work with his father's killer."
Wu Zhangxun coughed. "Taehwa-nim wanted to surrender himself, but the situation was too critical. Gwigwan-nim needed him."
Baki finished his food and set down his fork. "So how exactly can you help me?"
Wu Zhangxun smiled. "We can take you directly to the president of T Group."
Baki looked at him. "How?"
Wu Zhangxun glanced around the restaurant. "Shall we go somewhere more private?"
They walked out to a black limousine parked nearby. Inside, Wu Zhangxun continued. "You know Gwigwan-nim was a teacher at Songdo S International School. You may remember some of his students."
Baki nodded.
"One of those students received an invitation from T Group's president. President Wang wants a groom for his daughter and is holding a selection event. We can send you in with the student."
Vivi and Xiaolong's faces crossed Baki's mind for a moment. He let it pass. "That's Taehwa's idea, isn't it? Using me as a knife to cut down Tian Wai Tian's enemy."
Sweat appeared on Wu Zhangxun's forehead. "W-We—"
Baki waved it off. "It's fine. That's expected from that man's son. His father was a great man. A little too dedicated to his work, but great." He tapped Wu Zhangxun on the shoulder. "When do we go?"
Wu Zhangxun let out a quiet breath. "One week from now."
Baki stretched his arms above his head. "Guess I'm waiting another week."
---
Red Dragon Headquarters
Hou Qing stood in a dark room with his head bowed and sweat already forming on his back.
A deep voice came from the darkness. "What is it?"
"An escort request has come in, Leader."
"You woke me for something that trivial?"
Hou Qing steadied himself. "It's from T Group. They want you to lead the escort personally. They're offering seven million dollars."
Silence. Then laughter filled the room, loud and unrestrained. "Hahahaha! They want the Dragon of Heaven to serve as their guard? Tell them ten million and I'll show up. Hahaha!"
Hou Qing exhaled slowly. "Yes, Leader. I'll relay the message." He bowed and left quickly.
A massive figure stepped out of the darkness. A dragon tattoo coiled across his entire body. His face stayed in shadow. His teeth caught the dim light as he smiled. "Ah. This dragon gets to go treasure hunting after all."
---
On the outskirts of Shanghai sat a private estate that didn't appear on any public map. It belonged to T Group. The only way in was through several layers of security, and most people never got that far.
A line of cars approached the large metal gates. Guards came out and checked each vehicle, confirming invitations before waving them through. Inside one of the cars, Baki sat with his eyes closed and his head resting back. Beside him sat Jeff Logan, eldest son of the Logan Corporation and one of Cho Gwigwan's former students. He was one of the students Baki had pulled out of a kidnapping scheme not long ago.
After several checkpoints, the cars finally stopped in front of a grand staircase that led up to a building styled after traditional Chinese imperial architecture. At the top, behind a veil, a figure waited. Servants stood on either side.
The guests climbed out and arranged themselves in a loose semicircle at the base of the stairs. Guards stood behind them. Men with large herald trumpets lifted their instruments and played. The servants pulled back the veil.
Wang Wei stood at the top of the stairs, chubby and smiling, arms spread wide. "Hoho! Welcome to T Group, gentlemen."
The gesture was meant to look grand. It mostly looked like he was trying to hug the sky.
Wang Wei clasped his hands behind his back. "I'm sure you already know why I invited you, but I'll say it plainly. I'm looking for a groom for my daughter. The finest young men from the most powerful families in the world are gathered here today. You will each have the chance to meet her and show your worth. There will be banquets, tournaments, and other events during your stay. My daughter will observe. She will choose." He paused and let his eyes move across the group. "The first event is tonight. A banquet in the main hall at eight. Dress well. Behave properly. This is your first impression."
Servants moved forward and assigned each group to a manor spread across the compound. Baki's group was led to one on the eastern side, traditional architecture with clean modern interiors and enough space for everyone. While the guards swept the rooms for surveillance devices, Baki stood near the window and looked out across the compound.
Jeff came up beside him. "Baki-ssi. When will you move?"
Baki tapped his foot against the floor. "Not yet. I need him somewhere he can't run. The banquet works."
Jeff nodded. "The main hall is in the central building. There will be a lot of people. Other heirs, their guards, Wang Wei's security."
"Good," Baki said. "Crowded means he stays put. He'll be focused on the event and won't expect anything in front of that many people."
Jeff frowned slightly. "If something goes wrong, we'll all be in danger."
Baki looked at him. "I don't fail. Just make sure your men know the exit route. When things go loud, you leave first."
Jeff said nothing more. He turned and quietly gave his guards their instructions. They would need a clear path out. Once Wang Wei went down, the entire compound would lock up fast. They had to be ready to move before that happened.
Baki looked back out the window. The banquet was at eight.
He had time.