"An extra reward is a pretty strong motivator," Lu Shen continued, "C'mon, guys, we can do this!"
Meanwhile, Ming You, weaving through the crowd, made his way toward Taek Jung.
"Taek Jung," Ming You began, addressing the gang leader sitting across from him, "I need to talk to you about my strategy for the game."
Taek Jung raised his eyebrows, looking at Ming You in surprise. The other gangsters also froze, listening intently.
"Something wrong?" he asked. "You look like you've got something heavy weighing on you. Don't tell me your team is ready to win and you're about to become our debtor? Heh." The other gangsters laughed along.
"Quite the opposite. I just need to stage a scene to drop out of the game without making it look like I'm betraying them," Ming You continued confidently once the laughter died down. "I want you to help me."
"With what?" one of the gangsters asked, confused. "We're about to play, and you want us to help you?"
"Yes, exactly," Ming You confirmed. "I want you to shoot me in the leg."
The noisy court seemed to fall silent. The gangsters exchanged glances, unable to believe their ears.
"Are you out of your fucking mind?!" Taek Jung exclaimed, his voice full of shock. "I know you're a lunatic, but this much?!"
"Listen," Ming You pressed on, "if I get injured, I won't be able to play. That'll let me drop out without raising suspicion."
"But dropping out by getting shot in the leg?!" Taek Jung said, still bewildered. "That's dangerous for us and for you! You could seriously hurt yourself, and we could get caught!"
"I get it, but this is the best way," Ming You replied, his voice growing firmer. "I've already thought through all the details. If I get hurt, all the attention will be on me, and the opponents will have an easier time winning—since I'm the only one without any injuries. With a bullet in my leg, I definitely won't be playing."
The gangsters exchanged glances again, and silence hung in the air. Finally, one of them, named Sung Wo, spoke up:
"I don't know, Ming You. This is really brutal. But if you're sure this is the only way..."
"I'm sure," Ming You cut him off. "Don't worry, I won't complain. But aim for the flesh—I still need the bones in my leg."
"But I have a question," Taek Jung said, leaning forward. "How do you think your team—let alone the audience—will react to this?"
"I've thought about that too. We just need to say it was a paid hit—say, two hundred million won to get me shot in the leg."
Taek Jung stared at him in disbelief.
"Then why don't we just say a spectator paid a two hundred million won to have you sit out? Why take unnecessary risks?"
"No, you don't get it. This isn't unnecessary risk—it's a precaution. You think my team won't suspect anything if I just walk up to you and ask to be taken out of the game? We need a show, Taek Jung."
"Fine," Taek Jung finally sighed. "If you're set on this, we'll back you up. But don't blame us later, got it? And maybe give us some kind of signal when you're ready?"
Ming You nodded, feeling the tension slowly leave him.
"I'll shout 'Hey, look!' when I'm standing at center court with the ball in my hands."
"Hah, alright, you madman."
…
When the game began, Ming You and his team stepped onto the court. Their opponents were already waiting, ready for battle.
"Remember," he whispered to his teammates before the start, "watch the opponents closely and exploit their weaknesses."
"We know," Jung Ho replied confidently, and the others nodded after him.
The whistle blew.
The game began. Ming You tried to appear fully focused, moving across the court, dodging balls and throws.
Then, Lu Shen from the opposite side hurled the ball toward him. Ming You caught it deftly, but his heart began pounding faster. He took a step back, as if preparing to throw from center court, and suddenly shouted:
"Hey, look!"
All eyes turned to him. At that moment, one of the gangsters sitting across from the court drew a pistol.
BANG!
A sharp gunshot rang out, and the bullet whistled through the air, grazing Ming You's leg. The hot lead only scraped the skin, leaving a shallow but painful gash on the side of his thigh. His pants tore, revealing a red streak of blood slowly seeping from the wound.
Ming You gasped sharply, clutching his leg as he collapsed to the ground.
The pain was sharp, burning—but not deep, like a red-hot wire dragged across his skin. Blood oozed lightly, just enough to darken the torn fabric. The wound throbbed, but there was no real damage—just a superficial mark that stung with every movement.
Sung Wo stepped closer to the court, spreading his arms and announcing loudly:
"A two hundred million won request has been fulfilled. Player forty-four, will you continue the game?"
Under the cover of the other gangsters, the shooter fled the scene, stopping only at a street corner.
The audience froze. One spectator tried to call an ambulance and the police, but Taek Jung and his men stopped him, leaving the crowd in stunned silence.
The opposing team was baffled.
"Heh, thanks to some rich spectator for this little surprise," Hong Ji smirked, glancing toward the audience benches. Shi Lei protested loudly:
"You think this isn't complete fucked up?! What if they pull this on us next?!"
"Be glad their best player is practically out of the game."
"Ming You!" Jung Ho shouted, rushing toward him. "Get up, you need an ambulance!"
Lu Shen, also running over, hurled questions:
"A paid hit?! What the hell?!"
"Hey, you didn't prepare us for traps like this!" Haru Lin said, his face shocked.
Ming You, lying on the ground, closed his eyes and exaggerated his suffering. All attention was on him, and Team Yoshido, seeing his injury, began losing focus.
"Quick, call an ambulance!" Hong Ren yelled, rushing to Ming You's side.
"It's fine," he gritted out, trying to sound more pained. "Just… keep going without me..."
Lu Shen and Jung Ho carefully lifted Ming You and carried him to a bench at the back.
"At least patch him up if you won't let us call an ambulance!" Lu Shen snapped, throwing a scornful look at Taek Jung.
The gang leader just smirked, adjusting his black leather jacket.
"We're more humane than you think, but the spectator's word and money are law. If you want, pay two hundred million won, and your opponent can get injured too."
Jung Ho whirled on him, eyes narrowed in fury.
"So if I pay even more, you'd be willing to commit murder?!"
Taek Jung laughed as if hearing a naive joke.
"Hah! First, you and your team are already in debt. Second, we're not taking that kind of risk!" He glanced at Ming You. "Besides, the bullet just grazed him."
Lu Shen clenched his jaw so hard his teeth ached. Jung Ho balled his fists, nails digging into his palms—but there was nothing he could do.
Then Sung Wo approached, tossing a pack of bandages onto the bench.
"Here. Patch yourself up."
Ming You, gritting his teeth against the sharp pain, didn't even flinch as he dug his fingers into the wound. The bullet hadn't gone deep—just beneath the skin, missing the muscle. With a sharp tug, he pulled it out, feeling hot blood rush down his leg. Without wasting a second, he grabbed the bandages and tightly wrapped the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. Every movement sent a burning pain through him, but he acted precisely, as if this weren't his first bullet wound.
Sung Wo suddenly whistled toward Jung Ho and Lu Shen, shattering the heavy silence.
"What are you staring at? The game's still on!"
The team slowly dispersed to their positions, as if pushing through resistant air.
The whistle blew.
The ball was in play.
Lu Shen lunged forward, feeling fury scorch him from within. But anger was a poor advisor in basketball. The first pass was intercepted, and the asphalt froze again under the shouts of betting cries.
…
"You actually did it!" laughed Taek Jung with disbelief as they stepped aside. "You shot yourself in the leg just to get out of playing? That's some next-level of the fucking insanity!"
"It's not insanity," Ming You replied with a cold smile. "It's achieving the goal for the sake of victory. I'm crafting the image of a victim—everyone will pity me. And when the team loses, they won't be able to blame me."
"But it's also risky," remarked the thug who had shot him. "If they figure out you're manipulating them, it could backfire. Not to mention the wound in your leg and the chance of hitting bone. If not for my experience and your confidence, you might never have played again."
"Don't worry—what's done is done. And now, I have another proposal for you." Ming You flashed a cunning grin.
"You've got another crazy scheme?" asked Taek Jung.
"Not crazy, probably. We just need to stage another interesting little scene. But we'll make sure everyone thinks I only want to help the team."
Meanwhile, a real battle was unfolding on the court. Team "Yoshido" was giving it their all, but Ming You, glancing at them from the sidelines, knew their chances of success were slim. He watched as Jung Ho tried to rally his teammates.
"We have to win!" Jung Ho shouted, waving his arms. "We can't let them take our money!"
"Yeah, we'll kick their asses!" Lu Shen and the others chimed in, but their voices lacked conviction.
Ming You couldn't suppress a smirk as he watched the scene.
"Heh. Their efforts are pointless."
At that moment, he limped exaggeratedly closer to the thugs and continued the discussion.
"Here's how we'll do it—after the team loses, one of you will announce that the captain's debt has doubled."
"That'll look way too suspicious," Taek Jung objected. "If we say the debt's increased, they might suspect something's up."
"No," Ming You countered. "That's exactly what we need. They have to think it's standard practice. And then, when they're panicking, I'll step in and say I'll take their debts on myself."
"But you're not actually planning to pay them off, right?" asked the shooter, narrowing his eyes.
"Of course not," Ming You replied, his eyes glinting with greed. "I just need them to believe I'm saving them. In reality, all the profit stays with me."
"That's seriously immoral," Taek Jung muttered, but his tone betrayed interest. "I want to see how this plays out."
"It'll work," Ming You declared confidently. "And we all win. I get the team under my control, and you get your money."
When the game resumed, Ming You returned to the bench, pretending to suffer as if the bullet had torn straight through his leg rather than just grazing the skin. He couldn't help but notice Team Yoshido losing their nerve. Every miss, every stumble only ratcheted up the tension.
"We can't lose," Jung Ho whispered as his team fumbled another pass. "This is our last chance!"
Team Yoshido nodded desperately, trying to summon the will to fight.
On the other side of the court, the opposing team, led by Shi Lei and Hong Ji, looked poised and aggressive. Shi Lei, tall and powerful, was already showcasing his skills, driving confidently toward the basket.
"Out of the way, runt!" Shi Lei barked as he blew past Haru Lin. "This is a walk in the park!"
"Don't let him through!" Hong Ren shouted, but his voice was too weak to stop the opponent.
Shi Lei took the shot, and the ball sailed smoothly into the hoop.
"7-2, our lead!" Hong Ji sneered, winking at his teammates. "This is just the start of their debt spiral, heh!"
Team Yoshido, feeling the pressure, tried to regroup. Haru Lin grabbed the ball and charged forward, attempting to weave past the defenders.
"You won't break me, bastard!" he yelled, setting up for a shot.
But his attempt was effortlessly blocked by Hong Ji.
"Thought it'd be that easy?" Hong Ji taunted.
"You think we'll just roll over?!" Haru shot back, scrambling for another attempt.
Yet his next dribble met another block. He crashed down, his already bruised knee—thanks to Ming You's "training"—slamming against the asphalt.
"Haru, you okay?!" Lu Shen yelled, rushing to him. "Get up!"
"I'm fine…" He struggled to his feet, but it was clear he couldn't play at full strength anymore.
Meanwhile, Shi Lei seized the ball again and bulldozed through the shaky, uncertain defense. He scored another easy layup.
"Hahaha!" He laughed, raising his arms. "Where's your defense? Or was Ming You the only one who could play here?"
Team Yoshido was in disarray. Lu Shen, sensing the situation turning critical, tried to rally them.
"Focus, guys!" he shouted. "We can do this if we work together!"
"And what do you think we're doing, idiot?!" Hong Ren snapped, though his voice wavered. He knew their chances were slipping away by the second.
At that moment, Lu Shen grabbed the ball and finally decided to take matters into his own hands. He forced his way past the defenders, but Shi Lei once again stood in his path.
"You're not getting through," said Shi Lei, stretching his arms out to block the shot.
"Damn you!" shouted Lu as he threw the ball, but his attempt was stopped. The ball bounced to the side, and Hong Ren rushed after it.
"I got it!" he yelled, running toward the ball, but at that moment, his foot twisted, and he fell onto the asphalt, clutching his ankle.
"Damn it!" cursed Hong Ren, his face contorted in pain. "I can't go on!"
"Hong, get up!" Lu Shen shouted, but it was too late.
Team Yoshido was losing one player after another, and their chances of success were rapidly dwindling.
"This is just ridiculous," Hong Ji sneered, watching the scene unfold. "They can't even pull themselves together."
"Let's finish them off!" Shi Lei yelled, taking the ball again.
He easily slipped past Haru Lin and scored from the three-point line.
Whistle!
"We…" Lu Shen said in shock, his voice filled with despair.
"Lost…" Jung Ho finished for him.
Team Yoshido's defeat was inevitable. The gangsters, laughing and celebrating their victory, approached the players, who were filled with despair.
"Well, boys," said Taek Jung with a smirk. "Now you're ours forever. Your debt is forty thousand dollars. And your captain's debt is twice that. How do you plan to pay?"
"What?" Lu Shen repeated.
"Double debt for the captain? Ming You?" Jung Ho said in surprise.
The team stood with their heads bowed, realizing their dreams of victory had been shattered. At that moment, Ming You, who had been watching from the back bench, stood up and limped toward the gangsters.
"Wait!" he shouted, pretending to be distressed. "You can't enslave them!"
The gangsters burst into laughter at his words. Taek Jung leaned toward Ming You and said contemptuously:
"And who are you to tell us what to do? You've got a debt too—double, remember!"
"Yes," Ming You replied, trying to keep a serious tone. "But I can't let you take my friends. We're in this together, and I'm willing to take on their debt."
"Hahaha!" Sung Wo laughed at the theatrical display. "Seriously? You're gonna take on the whole team's debt? You're out of your mind!"
"This isn't a joke!" Ming You exclaimed, his voice feigning 'genuine' emotion. "I can't let you do this to them. I'll pay for them—just give them their freedom!"
The gangsters exchanged glances, pretending to be astonished. Taek Jung, still laughing at the sheer audacity, said:
"You really think you can pay off the debts? The whole team's debts?"
"Yes," Ming You replied, raising his hands to calm them. "I mean it from the bottom of my heart. I don't want them to suffer because of me. I'll take on their debt! And I'll pay my double too!"
"And how exactly do you plan to do that?" Taek Jung asked, his interest piqued.
"I… I just can't leave them like this," Ming You said, trying to sound convincing. "I'll work for you until it's paid off. Just give them a chance!"
The gangsters laughed even louder. One of them even slapped Ming You on the back.
"You're a funny guy, Ming You!" he said, chuckling. "But maybe you're right. We'll let them go—if you take on their debt."
"What!?" Hong Ren yelled, not understanding what was happening. "Ming You, you shouldn't do this!"
"Shut up!" Ming You snapped, looking at his teammates. "I won't let you become slaves. That's not what I want!"
The gangsters exchanged glances and finally nodded.
"Fine," Taek Jung said, his tone turning serious. "We'll let your team go. But remember—you now owe sixty thousand dollars. And if you don't pay up, we'll be back."
Taek Jung and the others turned and walked away, no longer hiding their smirks and laughter at the act.
Ming You nodded, suppressing a grin, gloating inwardly:
"My plan worked. The team is now completely under my control, and not only am I debt-free, I even made a profit, hehe. Sure, I could pay off their debts, but I've got other plans for now…"
"Thank you!" Lu Shen shouted, unable to believe the gangsters had actually let them go. "We don't know how to thank you!"
"Yeah, you're a real hero!" Haru Lin added, his eyes welling up. "We thought all was lost."
"You really are a true leader, Ming You," Jung Ho said in admiration.
"Don't mention it, guys," Ming You replied, feigning humility. "I just did what I had to. We're a team—we have to support each other."
"But now you've got a double debt," Hong Ren pointed out, his voice sympathetic. "That's not easy. You shouldn't have taken such a risk for us."
"I know," Ming You answered, his heart swelling with pride. "But I'll handle it. What matters is that you're free."
Unaware of his true intentions, the team pitied him. They thought Ming You had landed himself in a tough spot, but in reality, he had profited from their misery.
"We'll stand by you," Lu Shen said, hugging Ming You. "We're a team, and we'll get through this together—whether you damn well like it or not!"