"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, his head spinning. Information flooded his mind.
```
[System: Story System]
[World: New World]
[Identity: Third-in-Command, Jaebum Clan]
[Goal: Survive until the new Goldmoon Chairman election ends]
[Condition: Do not let Players discover your special Player identity. Detection skills cannot identify you, but each round, a hint will reveal that killing a special Player grants extra points. You may kill Players to steal their points. Complete three tasks to unlock job advancement]
```
David's head spun as the system's words sank in. He stood in a sleek conference room, his mind flooded with new memories. * This world feels too real * he thought, rubbing his temples.
The movie *New World* was a Korean crime drama, a gritty take on undercover cops and gang loyalty, like a darker *Infernal Affairs*. Now, he was part of it, third-in-command of the Jaebum Clan, a key player in the Goldmoon Group.
The conference room buzzed with tension. Goldmoon, a crime syndicate masking itself as a corporation, was made up of three factions: Jaebum Clan, Jaeheon Clan, and Imperial Sun Faction. David's Jaebum Clan, led by Jung Chung, handled legitimate businesses, cleaning the group's dirty money.
Jaeheon Clan, led by Lee Joong-gu under the current chairman, Seok Dong-chool, ran the violent underworld deals. Imperial Sun Faction, led by elder Zhang Su-ki, was a powerless group of old-guard loyalists, irrelevant to the power struggle.
At the long table, Goldmoon's leaders argued loudly. "The chairman's arrest proves we have a traitor!" barked Zhang Su-ki, his face red with anger.
David stayed quiet, scanning the room. * The system's hint about extra points for killing me makes me a target * he thought. His task was to survive until the new chairman was elected, but Players, other people sent by the Story System, were likely here, plotting to rig the election for their own gain.
David's role as third-in-command under Jung Chung in Jaebum Clan gave him influence but also danger. Jung was the top candidate to replace Seok Dong-chool, thanks to his clean business dealings and charm.
Meanwhile, Lee Joong-gu, Jaeheon Clan's ruthless second-in-command, was a long shot for chairman, too brutal and impulsive to win the group's trust.
The meeting dragged on, voices rising over who the traitor could be. Zhang Su-ki finally slammed his fist on the table. "Lee Ja-sung and David, you two will root out the mole in Goldmoon. Find them, and make sure they don't leave alive."
David nodded, catching Lee Ja-sung's eye. Ja-sung, Jung's loyal deputy in Jaebum Clan, agreed without hesitation. "We'll handle it," he said, his voice steady.
But David knew the truth from the movie: Ja-sung was an undercover cop, feeding secrets to the police. * He's the mole, but I can't expose him yet * David thought. Revealing Ja-sung now would ruin his own cover as a special Player.
As the meeting broke up, Lee Joong-gu shot a menacing glare around the room, his eyes promising violence. * That guy's trouble * David thought, watching him storm out.
Jung stayed behind, clapping David and Ja-sung on the shoulders. "I'm heading overseas for a deal. You two take care of the traitor hunt. I'll bring back gifts," he said with a grin.
David lit a cigarette, the smoke curling as fake memories of his life in Jaebum Clan settled in. "Remember eight years ago?" he asked, leaning back.
Jung laughed, his guard down. "How could I forget? We were just street punks back then."
"Only brothers can be trusted," David said, blowing a smoke ring. "Not those Seoul cops. Right?" He watched Ja-sung closely.
Ja-sung's face tightened, but he nodded. "Yeah, brothers."
David leaned forward, lowering his voice. "I got a tip. Seoul police are running something called New World. They want a puppet chairman they can control. They've got undercovers everywhere. One of us three might be a cop. Guess who?" * Let's see how they react * he thought.
Jung's smile faded. "Don't joke like that, David. We're brothers."
Ja-sung's jaw clenched, sweat beading on his forehead. "Yeah, brothers," he muttered.
David knew Ja-sung was the cop, but he played it cool. "The police treat us like pawns. I trust you both, no matter what. Brothers stick together." He stood, crushing his cigarette. "I'm off. There's this hot teacher at the Go club Jung likes. I'm gonna fuck her tonight."
Jung chuckled, shaking his head, while Ja-sung stayed silent.
David left the room, his mind racing. * Ja-sung's nervous, but Jung-chung trusts me. I need to play this smart, root out the Players, and stay alive * he thought. The election was coming, and with it, more danger. His survival depended on outwitting everyone, cops, criminals, and Players alike.