"I don't work for anyone. I only work for myself," David said, shaking his head. He puffed on his cigarette, confident he could act faster than Wesker if it came to a fight.
Wesker wasn't here to kill. He was digging for information. "Brian said you're working for Umbrella too, but I don't recall any mission involving you."
"Umbrella isn't just Spencer's show. Why's that surprising? Do you know how many big drug companies are out there?" David asked, seizing the moment.
"You're working for Triad?" Wesker's eyes narrowed, piecing things together.
"No, Wesker, we can team up. It's risky to put all your eggs in one basket. Even American lawyers moonlight at firms. What do you say?"
David didn't trust Wesker, but using him for now made sense.
"You? What makes you think you're worth partnering with?" Wesker's tone was sharp. Partnerships needed balance, not one side getting screwed.
David smirked. "Others might not know, but I know plenty of secrets. I deal in information. Want a freebie? You're just Spencer's creation. Dig into the Wesker Project if you want answers. Now get off my car before I make you."
He grabbed a steel rod and bent it with his bare hands.
Wesker's eyes flickered. * He knows too much. * "Hmph, I'll look into it," he said, hiding his unease.
* He's rattled. Good. * David's words had hit a nerve. Wesker had his suspicions, and now doubt gnawed at him.
After Wesker left, David met with clients, growing his business. Making money in America was easy if you had guts. * Even ghosts take maternity leave if you're bold enough. *
Meanwhile, Jill received a file from Chief Brian. It was a training opportunity for her, Barry, and other cops. She scanned it, confused. "What about David? Isn't he going?"
Barry, puffing a cigar, shrugged. "He's too busy making money. No time for this. Besides, he's doing good work. The city's cleaner lately. No more lowlife scum running around."
Jill's brow furrowed. Even honest Barry was praising David? That was rare. Her curiosity about him grew. * What's his deal? *
"What do you think of David?" she asked.
Barry grinned. "A true crook. But he's got brains."
Across town, Wesker dug into Umbrella's secrets, hunting for the Wesker Project. Spencer had buried it deep, but Wesker was a pro at uncovering dirt. He wasn't as book-smart as William, but he was sharp across fields. Following faint leads, he found something.
The truth hit hard. He was a pawn. * That's why I climbed Umbrella's ranks so fast. * The Wesker Project handpicked gifted kids, trained them, and injected them with a virus strain. Survivors gained perks but served Spencer. * I'm just his tool. *
"Spencer, you're dead," Wesker growled, fists clenched.
At a bustling bar, David sent off a client from Mexico's jungles. Spotting Wesker approaching, he said, "Let's talk in my office."
Cindy, ponytail swinging, stayed quiet. She handled the bar's finances, learning fast. * Stick with the winner. * Pleasing David kept her loyal.
In the office, David lit a cigarette. "You're here, so you found the project. What's your move?"
"How do we work together?" Wesker cut to the chase.
"You've got dirt on overseas dealers, right? Let's smuggle and make cash. I'll sell you intel, but it's not cheap. Umbrella's still strong, but it's slipping. Our goal is money, any way we can get it. Cash fuels everything."
David laid out his plan. Going solo was slow. Teaming up sped things up.
Wesker nodded, convinced. "You're not scared of the CIA sniffing around?"
"Bribe them. They'll look away."
David wasn't worried. By the time the CIA cared, he'd be too big to touch. Small fry like him were everywhere. The feds couldn't keep up.
"What do you want?" Wesker asked, sensing more.
"Set up a meeting with William. He's got talent. Could be useful."
David's real target was William's G-virus. * And his wife. She's a stunner. Perfect for some fun. *
"Fine. Here's to a good deal," Wesker said.
He was cunning, a born schemer. He saw the upside of joining forces. Money would split fairly. Alone, they were weak. Together, they had a shot.
"Great. Let's drink," David said, his smile wide. This was part of his plan. Through Wesker, he'd reach William. Then, by dropping hints about Marcus's old betrayal, he'd blackmail and intimidate his way to everything he wanted.
The next week, David schemed, with Wesker's help. The two villains clicked, plotting fast. Wesker hunted for business contacts, reliable partners. Having a sharp guy like him made David's work smoother.
* Will Wesker stab me in the back? Doesn't matter. * David just needed time to grow stronger. Once he turned his points into power, Wesker wouldn't be a threat. * I'll crush these so-called villains one by one. Unless they play nice. *
—
[System: Story System]
[Notice: Time's up. Entering a new story.]
A chime echoed. David vanished.
He reappeared in a meeting room, head spinning. Information flooded his mind.
[System: Story System]
[World: New World]
[Identity: Bukha Faction, Third-in-Command]
[Task: Survive until the new chairman election ends]
[Warning: Hide your special Player status. No detection reveals it, but each story hints that killing special Players grants extra points. You may kill Players to steal points. Complete three tasks to unlock a class change.]
David's face twisted. * New World? The Korean movie? It's got that Infernal Affairs edge, but its own style. Not bad. *
The meeting room's screen went dark. As third-in-command of the Bukha Faction, David sat at the table. Goldmoon's key players argued loudly.
"The chairman's arrested. There's a traitor!" an elder snapped, stirring tension.
David knew Goldmoon blended three factions: Guwon, Jaebum, and Bukha. They laundered dirty money. Bukha ran legit businesses. The task seemed simple, but with the chairman election nearing, danger lurked. * One slip, and I'm dead. *
Players likely backed their own chairman candidates. * The system's screwing me. Extra points for killing special Players? I'm a target. *
The table erupted in shouts about the traitor. Leaked files caused the chairman's arrest. "It's decided," Elder Dong-hyun said. "Jae-sung and David will find the mole. Everyone, stay sharp. No mercy for traitors."
Dong-hyun was cozying up to Jung-chung, the Jaebum Faction's likely next chairman. Jung-chung had been groomed for years, ideal for the group's shift to legitimacy.
"No issue. We'll handle it," Jae-sung said, taking the job.
As the meeting ended, Jaebum Faction's Joong-gu glared coldly. * He'll kill if he gets a chance. *
Later, Jung-chung pulled David and Jae-sung aside. "I'm heading overseas for business. Find the traitor. I'll bring gifts when I'm back."
Jung-chung was warm, treating them like family. False memories settled in David's mind. He lit a cigarette. "Remember eight years ago?"
Jung-chung laughed. "How could I forget? We were just street rats."
"Only brothers can be trusted. Not those Seoul cops, right?" David said, blowing a smoke ring.
Jae-sung's face stiffened. * Something's wrong. *
"Yeah," Jae-sung mumbled.
Alone in the room, David pressed. "I heard Seoul police have a 'New World' plan. They want a puppet chairman. If the chairman's gone, their moles take over. One of us is a mole. Guess who?"
The air grew thick. Jung-chung's face darkened. "Don't joke. We're brothers!"
Jung-chung slammed the table, laughing it off. "You jerk! Why say that?"
Jae-sung sweated. "Yeah, brothers."
* Jae-sung's the mole. * David knew but held back. "The police see us as pawns. Brothers are all we trust, right? Mole or not, I trust you both. I'm out. Got a date with a cute teacher from that Go club you like, Jung-chung. Gonna have fun with her tonight."