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Chapter 19 - Blue Shangri-La .2 Matías

"Welcome, gentlemen." Kwon Taekjoo's body stiffened at the grand reception, his skin prickling.

Perhaps they had mistaken him for a VIP instead of a wanted figure.

"We were informed that you hadn't eaten on the yacht, so we prepared a meal for you. Please allow us to escort you."

A man who appeared to be their manager stepped forward and led them alone the dock. They followed him down the wooden platform, where the shallow, clear water gently lapped on either side of their path.

The water was so transparent that the white sand, corals, sea urchins, star fish, and small fish on the bottom were clearly visible.

As they approached deeper waters, a sea turtle glided peacefully beneath the dock, recreating a scene so vivid and surreal it felt like something from a computer-generated animation.

Though Kwon Taekjoo wanted to relax and enjoy the scene, his eyes remained alert, scanning his surroundings. Though the dense trees, a white building came into view. Given its size and appearance of the staff, it seemed to be some kind of tourist lodging.

"What is this place, a resort?"

"I heard it was a villa,"

Zhenya responded indifferently

Kwon Taekjoo laughed incredulously. A villa with nearly 100 rooms on such a huge plot of land? What was wrong with Zhenya and the people he associated with? Did they have a habit of building palace-like villas on remote islands?

As an ordinary person, Kwon Taekjoo struggled to understand the logic behind such a place.

"Rich kids,"

He muttered, shaking his head.

They soon reached the end of the dock, where a large pergola provided shade from the sun. It was open on all sides, with long, billowing fabrics fluttered endlessly in the sea breeze.

Below, a large table was laden with an extravagant spread of dishes. For a simple breakfast, the sheer amount of food was excessive. Both in size and variety.

"Sit."

"A simple toast and coffee would've been enough for breakfast. What the hell is all this? My stomach feels full just looking at it."

It was clear they wouldn't be able to finish all that food, and most of it would likely go to waste. Kwon Taekjoo gave a disapproving look as he pulled out a random chair, which happened to offer a perfect view of the sea.

Every time the white curtain of the pergola parted; a floor of blue hues filled Kwon Taekjoo's sight. The distant waters were a deep indigo, but those near the shore shimmered with light jade reflections.

Kwon Taekjoo stared at the breathtaking view, clicking his tongue.

"I don't know who owns this place, but… whoever it is, they've got it all to themselves. I don't like it."

"What wrong. Taekjoo? Do you want it?"

"Why do you keep asking if I want things? Both this place and your precious Ajinoki Island are isolated and deserted. I'd feel suffocated living on either Island and probably go insane if I got stuck on one of them, even for just a year."

Taekjoo replied.

Zhenya's gaze shifted immediately at Kwon Taekjoo's response. His expression remained unchanged, but the way he silently sipped his water seemed a little deflated.

It seemed Kwon Taekjoo had struck a nerve by criticizing the Island that Zhenya had decorated himself and considered it a paradise.

"Hey, the mango is really sweet try it."

Kwon Taekjoo slid the plate of mango slices towards Zhenya, who merely glanced at it from the corner of his eye, refusing to move his hands. Of course, he didn't want to. For a man his size, he had the emotional maturity of a child.

If Kwon Taekjoo intended to convince Zhenya to return to Korea, he would have to coax him gently, but right now Zhenya was being difficult.

"I promise, it's really sweet."

Kwon Taekjoo took a bite of a piece and offered it to Zhenya. Zhenya gave him a critical look but eventually gave in and took a bite.

"Well? It's good, right?"

"Mh."

Zhenya nodded with an unamused expression, then elegantly poured himself some black tea. He took a sip, savoring the taste for a moment before frowning and setting the cup down as he wiped his mouth. Perhaps the tea didn't meet his standards.

Spoiled Brat. Eat and drink whatever they give you.

Kwon Taekjoo shot him a reprimanding look before stuffing an entire piece of bread into his mouth. Just then, he felt the presence of someone behind him.

Turning around, he saw a man walking across the deck towards them, surrounded by bustling circle of security guards. Was this the owner of this luxurious Island?

"….how convenient,"

Zhenya muttered, clearly irritated by the man's sudden appearance.

Kwon Taekjoo kept his eyes on the approaching figure and asked,

"Who is he?"

"I already told you,Taekjoo, you don't need to know who he is."

"Well, it looks like we're about to meet him anyway. What's the point in keeping it a secret?"

The man caught their inquisitive stares and responded with a broad smile, his lips curving into a grin before his eyes followed suit. In Kwon Taekjoo's experience, nine out of ten people who smiled like that were dishonest.

The way the man raised both arms in a gesture of joy made him seem cheerful on one hand but like a fraud on the other.

Kwon Taekjoo studied the man closely. His hair, skin, eyes, and lashes were dark, typical if Hispanics, and he appeared to be in his mid-thirties. His hair, almost reaching his neck, was naturally combed to one side.

He wore an open shirt over a sleeveless polo, paired with white pants and sneakers. Although his appearance seemed casual at first glance, he was far from ordinary.

"Friends, I see you arrived before me."

The man approached them without hesitation, placing his hands on the table as a strong scent of cologne filled the air. Zhenya remained indifferent, continuing his meal as usual. The man, undeterred by Zhenya's lack of interest, focused his attention to Kwon Taekjoo.

His flattering expression was already irritating, but suddenly, he winked at Kwon Taekjoo. Kwon Taekjoo frowned.

"Who the hell is this guy?"

He tightened his grip on the knife in his hand. The man let out a booming laugh at Kwon Taekjoo's sudden, brash reaction.

"Friend, let's not draw weapons at our first meeting. My family's motto is to avoid fighting in the mornings, you see, it only makes the day unnecessarily long."

He said, extending a hand in greeting.

Kwon Taekjoo stared at the outstretched hand with displeasure. Undeterred, the man shook his own hand enthusiastically as if trying to break down Kwon Taekjoo's guard.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Matías Pérez."

"Matías Pérez?"

Kwon Taekjoo tilted his head at the man's name. For some reason, the name sounded horribly familiar, though he was certain they had never met before.

"Ah, I see my father's reputation has reached even your country. You're Korean, right?"

"Who's your father?"

Kwon Taekjoo ignored the mans

question and gave him a suspicious look. Matías Pérez noticed the sharp glint in Kwon Taekjoo's eyes and smiled.

"Antonio Pérez."

"Antonio pérez… Matías…"

Kwon Taekjoo muttered the names under his breath, trying to recall where he had heard them before. Suddenly, he sprang up from his seat, grabbing Zhenya by the collar.

Zhenya looked at him in surprise. Matías seemed equally startled.

"You bastard! Are you doing drugs."

"Of course not. I have no interest in drugs. That's for weak-minded fools."

"Then why the hell do you know this guy"

Zhenya raised an eyebrow at Kwon Taekjoo's sudden outburst and glanced over at Matías Pérez. Matías merely shrugged. As if clueless about what was going on. Zhenya took a moment to recall their conversation, then smiled in satisfaction.

"Because they want our weapons. To protect their old cartel, they'll need the most modern, powerful arms."

"…is that really all?"

Zhenya shot Kwon Taekjoo a deliberately disappointing look. Reluctantly, Kwon Taekjoo released his tight grip on Zhenya's collar, still not fully convinced by his explanation. He continued to breathe heavily, unable to calm down, and shot a skeptical glance at Zhenya.

In Kwon Taekjoo's defense, 'Antonino Pérez' was the top drug lord in Mexico. His cartel had amassed immense wealth through drug production and distribution over the years, leaving behind a trail of influential groups, illegal commissions, kidnappings, and even murders.

For this reason, the Mexican government had made countless efforts to stop his growing threat but all their attempts were futile, as the cartel always stayed one step ahead by acquiring more powerful weapons thanks to their enormous financial power.

Apparently, Zhenya had offered weapons to Pérez's cartel in exchange for his and Kwon Taekjoo's safety. It was obvious how and where those weapons would be used, and Kwon Taekjoo couldn't rest easy knowing that.

"Damn it, you crazy bastard! What the hell did you do this time?"

"Why are you mad at me, Taekjoo? I just made a deal, like I always do."

Kwon Taekjoo was left speechless by Zhenya's carefree response. He had always known Zhenya was an arms dealer and had never expected him to change his ways just because of their close relationship. But the thought of Zhenya perpetuating injustice in his name was unacceptable, even if, for Zhenya, it was just business as usual.

"Who asked you to make such a stupid deal? I made it clear I didn't want your help or interference in my affairs."

"Who says I have to listen to every word you say?"

"What..?"

"Don't you know by now how I operate? I've made countless deals to get what I want. The only difference this time is that I wanted you, Taekjoo."

Kwon Taekjoo's head. Throbbed, and felt a heavy weight pressing against his chest. He had set out to comfort a cyber-terrorist threat only to end up fueling another international crime.

And to think, he had been happy to see Zhenya, completely oblivious to the negotiations that had gone on behind the scenes.

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