Chapter 86
Flying to Heaven
December 17
Flying to Heaven is the most magnificent, luxurious, extravagant, and largest bar in the capital, located within the "Wonderland" entertainment complex.
It is open 24/7, regardless of day or night, regardless of time. It welcomes all kinds of people: from commoners who love to party, wealthy scions, to a bunch of addicts who consider 'flying' and 'shaking' on the dance floor as the truth of 'living fast,' and even those with a 'number' [1].
Everyone treats this place of debauchery—where burning money is more common than burning joss paper—as their second home. Since it is home, they can do whatever they want. As long as it is not illegal, customers can freely eat, drink, and play all night, seeking pleasure amidst the noisy disco music filled with people in debauchery... exposing their animal nature, twisting, embracing, groping, and moaning in a frenzied ecstasy.
Despite being in a dreamlike daze, their spirits, heightened by the drug-induced peak, still accurately seize every beat of the lively music.
The sound rumbles and crashes against the four walls. The sound system installed inside the walls and underground emits flexible and shifting frequencies, sometimes sounding like it is inciting those who believe "if you do not play while young, you will regret it when old." When countless multicolored lights no longer flash frantically but flicker and sway, they look like ghosts crawling—clambering over a primal mess of entwined, clinging flesh in a collective frenzy.
The frenetic melody slowly quiets down, stimulating the brains of the hedonistic devotees to... imagine climbing the stairs to heaven—that place where naked angels are flaunting lustful flesh to entice everyone to... release their wild nature.
The pleasure is about to reach its peak, and the female DJ sneers, her lips curling in contempt as she turns the volume to max. Speakers of all sizes erupt, a burst of sound that devours the minds already submerged in carnal delight.
The "animals" are just about to join the banquet of the primitive herd when they suddenly hear music like police sirens, causing everyone to startle awake, their faces turning pale.
The female DJ remains calm, pretending not to see those hurriedly pulling up dresses that have fallen to the floor. Others clumsily try to tidy their disheveled clothes—yanked open and revealing too much.
They want to flee, but the female DJ adjusts the rhythm so they realize the carnal siren is just music; the sound is still in tune, so they cannot argue. Although they want to explode with rage, they dare not get angry to avoid further humiliation.
The female DJ waits for them to let loose and dance to the background music as a way to save face before she turns to the high-class guests in the VIP room. She opens her mouth slightly with a sinister grin, responding to the mastermind's perverted joy. This guy raises his lip and lifts a glass, while the other guy half-smiles and clinks glasses, enjoying the entertainment game.
Only three people show nothing. The guy in business attire leans back, feet on the table, pops a beer cap, and gulps it down.
Through lenses brighter than his shiny gel-slicked blonde hair, he slightly opens his dark owl-like eyes to peer at the guy with neatly trimmed undercut hair sitting opposite.
The guy wears an adventure outfit similar to an action game, with jeans clinging tightly to his legs. Outside the white T-shirt is a thick grey-white windbreaker with a high collar covering his pointed chin. He is tall, but not as athletic as those at the gym; they are smooth, as if oiled.
One might wonder why he is more than capable of possessing a body more perfect than Hero's. Ignoring all trivial disparagement, he only trains his body just enough to stay strong. He often says, half-joking and half-serious, that a body just above average is more suitable for his... handsome appearance, rather than intoxicating the souls of fangirls like Hero does.
But at first glance, he appears to be just another 'common face' you might encounter anywhere. Yet, no one can forget those dove-like eyes and that pair of deep black eyebrows, shaped like machetes and as long as the eyes themselves.
His gaze is as clear as a mirror, radiating elite brilliance and a radiant spirit of righteousness. At times, it is as silent as a lake surface… shrouded in dark colors… quieter than a bottomless abyss.
Especially no matter where he is, a faint smile always hangs upon his unchanging expression: an indifference toward everything, all things, and everyone. This smile is not meant to seduce women's souls, yet it leaves girls infatuated. That smile is not an intentional provocation, yet for some reason, it turns into thorns that prick the eyes of those facing him.
He does not trim the repulsive external appearance endowed upon him by nature, nor does he care if his inherent look is mocked as a "wicked smirk." The blonde fellow casts a faint, disdainful smile at the pointed-chinned man's posture of utter nonchalance, for the latter still remains profoundly mysterious, his expression so guarded that it is impossible to guess what he is thinking.
He is detestable, but not as eyesore-inducing as that buzz-cut fellow with hair cropped close to the skin. That guy's pair of "caterpillar" eyebrows crawl over swollen, circular eyelids, looking as though he has gone through a long period of sleeplessness. Those wild white eyes glare at prey, making one feel at first glance that he wants to eat people without spitting out the bones.
His ferocious appearance puts others on guard, yet it even creates a sense of inferiority and phobia within himself—as if his own appearance is not cool enough. This fellow must threaten others at all costs to feel confident himself, thus he recruits a group of bearded juniors to cheer for him.
That 'Ox-head and Horse-face' gang enthusiastically repays the gratitude of 'not shaving'... by... showing off their power on their fierce faces, looking like convicts just released from prison.
The blonde fellow glances at the other party. As someone who likes to observe closely, he scrutinizes the other's military camouflage pants, cluttered with various pockets—a forced attempt to look like a battle-hardened soldier. Inside, that guy wears an icy white shirt, exuding a chilling, gloomy underworld aura. Outside, he drapes a beast-hide coat depicting a gray wolf howling in the faint moonlit night.
As someone who views evaluating life as a pleasure… he has seen countless strange fellows. Especially this ferocious fellow, who loves to be the center of attention and adores the style of wearing a mask for the whole body… this makes… his weird appearance enough to threaten all enemies.
Playing a prank on life, these three fellows couldn't care less about so-called perfect results. They ignore the enthusiastic drink service of a group of long-legged bar girls from the East and West. Even as the women stroke their bodies and slide their hands toward their groins, they icily stop the swarm of moths from crossing the limit.
The subordinates emulate their experienced boss, refusing to fly with the beautiful butterflies; the ultimate line they can cross is only pouring wine when the glass is half empty.
Especially the blonde fellow, he smiles elegantly at the blue-eyed, fair-skinned girl, pushing away the hand of the brown-skinned whore from the Land of Frost who is unbuttoning his trousers:
- Today is the most significant moment of my life, I do not want to miss a single second...
Before he finishes, a beautiful butterfly leans coquettishly against his chest:
- It is just watching the video again!
He remains as polite as if receiving an honored guest:
- Ah, um... No one is perfect, and I am no exception. I must reflect on whether I have been careless, or made mistakes to learn from for the next time...
He gently pushes the two prostitutes away and smiles:
- You see, it is almost time for the segment where Mr. JK apologizes to the national audience. Such a shocking event has never appeared in world history; the whole world is listening. If I miss it because... ah, hum... I am busy playing, we will become the world's misfits. I am a die-hard fan of the King of Media; not watching would be a lifelong regret!
The prostitutes chuckle because his rejection technique is very skillful. Prostitutes also have high and low ranks, let alone the high-class moths reserved for VIPs.
Whether from the East or the West, they are too wise to understand this is "God's will." The whore from the Land of Frost fills the beer glass in the blonde whore's hand. The 'Master' smiles in thanks.
He and the two unpleasant fellows sip together, eyes fixed on the large screen hanging above. Satellite TV was re-broadcasting the major event of the JK Corporation. Thousands of journalists had been on-site, reporting and live-streaming the scene of the JK father and son standing beside Beak. JK had solemnly greeted the national audience:
"Hello everyone, I am JK. Due to being busy with national affairs, only today do I find the time to talk about the incident at Venus Maiden Academy."
JK's voice lowered. The "King of Eloquence" tasted the flavor of humiliation for the first time, feeling confounded before the entire nation. He paused for a long while, carefully picking and weighing each word and phrase, then bowed his head to apologize:
"Sam, Rose, or Kai bore no fault in that incident. The guilty ones were those who had caused deep physical and mental harm to the victims. The image of the bodyguards was also tarnished by those acts that had incited public anger. As the leader of the corporation, I was extremely ashamed of the reprehensible behavior of my subordinates. I must take the highest responsibility for my lack of strict management. Therefore, on behalf of the corporation, I sincerely apologize to the victims and the entire country. Finally, I apologize to the audience who has always loved me and the JK Corporation!"
Beak kept his head bowed from beginning to end. The sharp-beaked fellow listened to the public's gossip, the countless voices rebuking Beak's coarse habits. People discussed how Mr. JK's decision to favor him, trust him, and appoint him as vice-captain was in itself a mistake.
The masses still adored JK, believing the boss did not tolerate his subordinates doing evil. He was not afraid of losing face in public and personally admitted his mistakes before the whole world. The King of Media was truly worthy of the title "Saint" of the Prehistoric Kingdom.
Beak inwardly sneered at those ignorant fools——who blindly worshipped the perfect personality of the one who was the most adept at wearing a "mask" in human history.
The sardonic smile turned into unvented rage; Beak had to endure the humiliation and bow his head like a dog with its tail between its legs, begging for the forgiveness of the victims and the public. He had even less courage to express dissatisfaction upon hearing JK's next words:
"Every mistake will be punished, and no one is an exception. From now on, Beak is stripped of his position as vice-captain of the bodyguard team. He is demoted to an ordinary employee, and his salary for one year is docked to compensate for his mistakes."
Resentment flared in his bloodshot eyes as he hated his replacement.
"From today…"
The media tycoon turned to the left, and all attention focused on the blonde man who looked as elegant as a gentleman. He walked calmly from behind the wings of the stage, a friendly smile etched on the corners of his mouth as he greeted the audience, standing one step behind JK and Hero:
"The Thuong Tung will serve as the vice-captain of the bodyguard team!"
Hero excitedly embraced The Thuong Tung's shoulders, congratulating his "real friend" on joining the corporation. The crowd below the stage warmly welcomed the new vice-captain.
The prostitutes and the group of VIP guests watch this scene; they light paper fireworks one after another, cheering passionately to congratulate Thuong Tung.
The blonde fellow laughs and expresses his thanks. That smugness is deeply hidden beneath a serene demeanor, just as it was when he… transformed his joy into profound sympathy, patting the shoulder of the man who had just lost everything to encourage his spirit.
The calm man watched the shallow man struggle to control his emotions. That pointed beak-like face was wrinkled, the twitching tendons around his jaw gripped tight, yet they could hardly stop the tremors of rage. A dog that dared not bite, and lacked the liver to even bark, so he attempted to smile, though it looked more like a grimace:
"Congratulations! I may no longer have the chance to correct my own mistakes, but my personal pride has no right to be compared to the reputation of the corporation and the image of the bodyguard team. I hope you can salvage everything I have destroyed!"
Thuong Tung lightly patted Beak's arm:
"People are not saints; anyone can make a mistake. What matters is standing up from where you fell!"
JK heard the conversation reach a crucial point. The boss saw his subordinate's eyes redden with emotion, and the "Saint" immediately began preaching morality:
"Beak's sins are hard to forgive, but no one is perfect. Without flaws, one is no longer human; I, too, am full of flaws. But we beat the ones who run, not those who return [2], so I hope the victims and everyone will give Beak a chance to redeem himself. Only then are we truly human, because only humans possess the power of tolerance!"
Every "human" admired the King who seized… the reputation-salvaging opportunity. He also utilized his eloquence to push those in the know into a situation where they had to grant the perpetrator a chance at atonement—unless they wanted to be seen as fucking non-humans in a world where the beastly part overwhelmed the human part.
The entire audience and the whole country applauded loudly to respond to… the plea… from the bottom of the Prehistoric Saint's heart. Beak sobbed and whimpered, bowing in gratitude. JK sternly reprimanded Beak, who remained absolutely submissive, listening and waiting for his master to announce the personnel changes:
"Those bodyguards whose speech and conduct were inappropriate during the incident will be replaced across the board by employees from Thuong Tung's company. As for those without fault, like Nguy Hoang, they will retain their original positions. I am increasing the wages for all personnel who intervened in the school scuffle."
Everyone was thoroughly convinced by this seemingly clear-cut system of rewards and punishments. Nguy Hoang secretly felt regret for not stepping in that day out of fear of being implicated, yet he still happily congratulated those who received the rewards and welcomed his new teammates. The apology and power transition ceremony ended successfully; JK and his subordinates thanked the audience and bid them farewell.
Thuong Tung sees this scene and gestures for his subordinates to turn off the TV. Company employees compete to congratulate the director, and those two unpleasant fellows also clink glasses with Thuong Tung. The blonde man waves his hand, ordering the group of prostitutes, who are like beautiful butterflies, to leave the room. After the prostitutes leave, the buzz-cut fellow finally speaks up about the cooperation, but his tone and language are extremely vulgar. Thuong Tung frowns, his face souring as he speaks:
- Tsk, how many times have I told you, a man must be polite to succeed in life…
The flat-topped man smiles nonchalantly:
- That depends on who the object is. - The buzz-cut shrugs - For those who need "culture," I am naturally polite. But for the guy I've been hanging out with since the days we both wore pants with holes in the butt and bathed in the rain, I don't need that fake socializing.
Thuong Tung smacks his lips:
- If it's just you and me, it doesn't matter how crudely you address me. - The blonde man sees that although his subordinates' faces are expressionless, the corners of everyone's mouths are about to curl up - You see, now it's not two people, but twenty. Even toward subordinates, you and I must maintain our image and set an example. - Not to mention… - He glances at the silent fellow - We still have a guest. To respect others is to respect oneself!
The buzz-cut man curls the corners of his mouth, flashing a meaningful smile at this buddy of his who never swears. When he was a child, the blonde fellow was always diligent and listened to adults, earning himself a "Good Boy" certificate. This stood in sharp contrast to those maverick students like him.
- Ah, I forgot, from the time you put on the red scarf until you entered the university lecture hall, you were always the legendary "neighbor's child". I'm not fucking you, so don't force that lifestyle of yours—always trembling with fear that your bright mirror might get blurred—onto me. - The buzz-cut guy sneers. - Now, you're even acting all polite by mimicking that 'King of Media's' tone! - He lifts his face and asks provocatively - Oh, comrade Good Boy and Honor Student, do you want to earn another merit certificate, or perhaps a 'Good Child' ticket?
The blonde fellow shoots an owl-like glance at the buzz cut guy, who is smirking disdainfully. He is no stranger to this provocative attitude, yet he unconsciously grips the wine glass so tightly it almost shatters, had he not timely suppressed the sudden surge of emotion… because… the filthy, repulsive shadow from the past resurfaced on the buzz cut guy's smug, provocative face. The blond-haired guy chuckles:
- You are crude, yet so thin-skinned. Forget it, I am used to it; arguing with you all day leads nowhere. Discussing cooperation—now that gets me excited.
Buzz cut guy smacks his lips:
- If you had been this straightforward from the start, we would not have wasted time for nothing!
Thuong Tung nods, clicks his tongue, and sighs: "Fine, fine, I get it, very tragic, always so talkative". Buzz cut guy urges him to immediately and consistently stick to the main topic. The blond guy then raises his hand toward the silent fellow:
- You two should get to know each other first.
The silent fellow extends his hand in front of buzz cut guy:
- Hello, I am Dang Khong. Pleased to meet you!
Buzz cut guy is caught off guard by the multi-layered name; he pauses for a few seconds, instinctively curious to know if Dang Khong means "soaring through the clouds"... or... "empty"?'
Or perhaps both, he silently guesses, frowning while looking at Dang Khong, who is waiting—expressionless, as if no matter how long the wait, he remains patient.'
That look of normalizing everything makes buzz cut guy feel that even if he does not react, Dang Khong will not mind at all. Buzz cut guy is crude, but he is not someone who always ignores the rules. At this moment, being polite is best, so he shakes Dang Khong's hand.
- I am Vo Than!
The three begin discussing the main topic. Thuong Tung opens a map, pointing to a red dot in the Northeast:
- In one week, a shipment of medicine arrives at Cloud Sea Port. This batch is extremely important; Mr. JK has entrusted Thuong Tung Company to collect the goods and transfer them to the corporation.
Vo Than nods in understanding:
- Hmm, he wants to test the capability of Thuong Tung Company.
Thuong Tung frowns:
- I am Hero's best friend, but Mr. JK only values capability; he does not accept someone just because they are an acquaintance. Thuong Tung Company must seize this unique opportunity. - He pauses, fearing they might not agree to help - If you two refuse, I am afraid it will be difficult for me to fully guarantee the safety of the shipment!
Vo Than immediately laughs like the "only an idiot would refuse" type:
- Do you think you are the only one who knows how to risk your life to fight for fame and merit? I accept the deal!
Thuong Tung laughs and pats his friend's shoulder:
- Good friend! Thank you!
Vo Than waves his hand to dismiss that kind of fake politeness. Thuong Tung shakes his head with a smile and turns to Dang Khong. The silent fellow responds calmly:
- You kindly invited us and personally gave us a grand welcome. If I refused, it would be like not giving you "face"!
Thuong Tung bursts out laughing because the other is speaking like a "textbook template," and warmly welcomes the distinguished guests to the team. The three lightly clink their glasses:
- Good luck and success!
They discuss the detailed plan for receiving, protecting, and transporting the goods to the JK Corporation. One hour later, everyone disperses.
Note
[1] Meaning: Refers to having fame and social status, but also includes elements of the underworld, such as Jianghu and gangs.
[2] Vietnamese Proverb: Expresses tolerance and forgiveness toward a repentant sinner.
"Beat the ones who run": Refers to those who commit errors but do not repent and continue to make further mistakes.
"Not those who return": Refers to those who deserve forgiveness because they recognize their mistakes and strive to improve themselves.