The sun had set, casting a shadow over the landscape, and the dense forests stretched on both sides, enveloping everything in a thick blanket of dark green. The air felt heavy, as though I had stepped into a world I didn't quite recognize.
"Everything's here," my uncle remarked as the driver stepped out of the car. He opened the door, and I followed him as we both stepped outside, gazing at the building that stood before us.
"Ugh, I'm getting old. I feel exhausted just from this," my uncle muttered, stretching his back. "Guess it's official. I'm over 40, so I can't call myself young anymore."
I turned to him after a long pause, my eyes still fixed on the building. "Uncle..."
"Yes?"
"Is this the Asia branch building?"
"Yep, it's just one building. Simple, right?"
"But what about the sleek structures and grand arena in that brochure?" I asked, skeptical.
"Oh, that's the Americas headquarters," he explained. "Our facilities are the least glamorous, but they're perfect for strength training."
I raised an eyebrow. "That's... pretty misleading, isn't it?"
"Well, no one was fooled by that brochure anyway."
His words made sense. I would've ended up here no matter what, dragged along by my uncle. But still, the building before me was a far cry from what I had imagined. It looked like a crumbling schoolhouse, perched in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by an overgrown wilderness. There were cracks in the walls, peeling paint, and rust clinging to the pipes. The entire place seemed like it was on the brink of collapsing.
"How many people work here?" I asked, still processing what I was seeing.
"Let's see," my uncle began, counting on his fingers, "One general manager, two vice ministers, a prison superintendent... so, six instructors, 96 subordinates, and a guard. In total, 110 people."
I stared at him, trying to wrap my head around it. "How do 110 people fit in here?"
"Simple. Have you ever seen how many people can squeeze into a compact car?"
I shot him a confused look. "But where do they eat and sleep?"
I pointed at the building with a baffled expression, but the driver, already carrying my uncle's luggage, walked past us and entered. The rusty hinges creaked eerily as the door opened, and for a moment, it felt like something—or someone—might jump out.
My uncle chuckled at my expression, but his tone shifted, growing a bit more serious.
"Underground. Seven floors down, with a total area of 2,000 pyeong. There's no problem fitting 100 people in that space."
I looked at him, trying to make sense of it. Seven basement floors seemed excessive for 100 people, but I wasn't sure if I should ask more questions. "What kind of 2,000-pyeong basement is on an island this small?"
"That's why I chose this island," he said with a grin. "Did you think we just picked some random spot?"
He continued walking, but I stood for a moment, eyeing his back, unsure whether to follow. Before I could decide, he stopped and turned around, placing a hand on my head, ruffling my hair as if to drive home some point.
"Don't die," he said lightly.
"Wait, what?" I asked, taken aback.
"This isn't a place where the law works as it should. The weak have no recourse, and if a few people die, it might just go unnoticed."
He paused, letting his words sink in. I stood there, silent, then let out a small, forced laugh.
"Uncle, that's a bit too much... What if you had warned me before dragging me into a place like this?"
"Even if I had, I think you would have ended up here regardless," he said with a chuckle.
I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Guess I'll just have to trust my instincts and try to survive. Don't forget to collect the bodies."
"Ha, well, it's not completely lawless," my uncle replied, a glimmer of humor still in his voice.
"Just be careful," I said, half-joking, half-serious.
He grinned. "There's no harm in being careful."
Turning back around, he continued into the building. I followed closely behind, shaking my head in disbelief.
---
Inside the building, things took an unexpected turn. The offices, meeting rooms, gymnasium, and even the dormitories were all in the basement. However, my uncle didn't seem intent on heading down. I was puzzled until I noticed a young man stepping out from one of the nearby rooms.
"Hey!" the young man greeted, looking at me with a curious expression. He hesitated for a moment before straightening his posture when he saw my uncle.
"Busy?" my uncle asked.
"No, just about to head out for a smoke," the young man replied, then paused. "Do you need something?"
"Take him downstairs," my uncle said, pointing at me. "Show him Kiyomi's room and help him settle in with the others."
The young man didn't seem thrilled but nodded and led the way without protest. He scratched his ear and waved us through the decaying door, which creaked ominously as it opened. I followed him inside, still trying to make sense of everything.
Once we entered, I found myself inside an old, almost dilapidated elevator. It looked like something out of a forgotten school building, but to my surprise, it moved with the smoothness of a well-maintained machine.
"How do they manage to make everything look so old yet still function perfectly?" I muttered under my breath.
The young man glanced at me, his expression thoughtful. He looked like he could be in his mid-20s, with fair skin and a slight build. He wasn't fully Chinese—there was something about him that suggested a mix of heritage.
"Tou Ching In," he introduced himself, tapping his chest with his index finger.
"Jeong Tae-eui," I replied, noting how his name had a bit of a different ring to it. I didn't bother correcting him.
"You're new, right? Transferred from another branch?" he asked.
"No, just joined."
He raised an eyebrow. "Ah, makes sense. Not many people come here without a background from somewhere else."
I stayed silent, unsure of what to say. He seemed to have a habit of probing into people's pasts.
"Are you from the European branch?" he asked, his tone casual but curious.
"No," I answered, keeping it vague.
"Thought so," he said with a smirk. "The European guys are always... interesting. We've got a joint training with them coming up next month. Just a heads-up—if anyone stands out too much, we might need to bury a couple of them. Our branches stick together."
It sounded like a joke, but the way he said it made it clear it wasn't. My uncle had already warned me to be cautious, and now it seemed like the place was as dangerous as it looked.
When we finally arrived at the fifth basement floor, I couldn't help but feel surprised. The hallway was immaculate, with thick carpet muffling our footsteps. This was a far cry from the building above.
"You're surprised, huh?" the young man asked, noticing my reaction. "You were probably thinking this place was a dark, damp dungeon full of rats, right?"
I shrugged. "Something like that."
"Yeah, most people think that. But it's not like that here. These are the in-house rooms. Not BOQ like the military," he explained.
As we walked down the long hallway, I noticed the quiet murmur of people practicing in the nearby rooms. There was an air of focus here, a stark contrast to the chaos I had expected. The place might be dilapidated above ground, but below, it was a well-oiled machine.
It was clear that survival here meant adapting quickly—and I was going to have to do exactly that.