After Yamamoto Ken led thirteen groups to simultaneously defect from Yamaguchi-gumi, they established a new organization centered in Kobe, called Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi.
Lee Yonghyeon had requested the Japanese governnt to pressure Korea, promising them he would help Japan gain Dokdo, but no answer ever ca.
“The situation on the mainland isn’t looking good.”
The tea leaves inside the cup floated up slowly.
Narrowing his eyes as he looked down at them, Lee Yonghyeon finally raised his head.
The core mbers of Cheongpunghoe, gathered in his mansion, all bowed their heads at the sight.
“The mainland can’t even keep its head straight under Wall Street’s attacks. And now Yamaguchi-gumi itself has split apart...”
Yamamoto Ken had effectively staged a coup by unilaterally declaring his withdrawal and forming a new organization. Yamaguchi-gumi had been sending n to carry out ongoing terrorist attacks against them ever since.
One of the mbers, watching Lee Yonghyeon carefully, spoke up.
“Koryeo Daily is no longer listening to us. All of our planted people have been dismissed.”
“I can’t figure out what Go Eungsu is thinking. The man who once swore loyalty to Japan.”
“Go Hosun is handling most of the actual operations now. It’s likely his idea.”
Articles about Cheongpunghoe kept pouring out from Koryeo Daily and other dia outlets.
More than half of the people gathered here had already had their nas exposed in the press. The dia had acquired a great deal of information.
Other outlets, following Koryeo Daily’s lead, began competing to publish even more sensational stories.
“There are already people who’ve cut off contact with us, right? Ungrateful beasts. Fools. We’ll survive as always.”
Lee Yonghyeon didn’t see this as particularly serious.
Cheongpunghoe had survived Korea’s liberation from Japan, had survived under military regis—it had endured everything. Korea could never destroy Cheongpunghoe.
The remnants of Japan, woven like a spiderweb, were still entrenched throughout the Republic of Korea.
“The takeover of Myeongdong isn’t going smoothly either... It was a mistake to push Bae Beomgyu too hard. Who would’ve thought that Cheon Taesan would actually bring up the ledgers? Especially when he’s already a man close to death.”
“You gave that man too much room to grow, Hoeju. He should have been eliminated long ago.”
When Lee Yonghyeon and Cheon Taesan first clashed over the loan shark market, everyone had cried for Taesan’s elimination.
But Lee Yonghyeon had held back in the end.
“Haa... I should’ve listened to you.”
Massaging the bridge of his nose as if it were giving him a headache, Lee Yonghyeon sighed.
But it was already in the past.
“It’s still not too late. Send Mr. Pyo and get rid of Cheon Taesan and Kim Muhyuk.”
Lee Yonghyeon shook his head at that suggestion.
“Watanabe has been observing the situation, looking for an opening. But he says there isn’t one.”
“Mr. Pyo can handle it, can’t he?”
None of the Cheongpunghoe mbers had ever t Mr. Pyo in person, but their faith in him was absolute.
Mr. Pyo had always eliminated those who opposed Cheongpunghoe without the slightest mistake.
His fangs could just as easily be turned on them one day. Lee Yonghyeon sneered inwardly at their foolishness but shook his head.
“Well, we can give it a try. But Cheon Taesan and Kim Muhyuk aren’t the real issue right now. The mainland is. Any good ideas?”
“We’ve already spoken to our people inside the Blue House. They’ll act as interdiaries to nd relations with Japan.”
Lee Yonghyeon and the gathered mbers spent the entire night discussing counterasures.
Yet none of them entertained even the slightest thought that Cheongpunghoe might collapse.
But contrary to their beliefs, the Korean people’s anger was imnse—and it lasted.
The IMF’s intervention had triggered old traumas from the Japanese colonial era.
The people needed soone to bla.
Conveniently, Cheongpunghoe’s na had surfaced at just the right ti. It beca perfect prey for the people, the dia, and even the governnt.
* * *
The view of Myeongdong spread out in a single glance beyond the window.
I was staring at countless glass windows, glinting harshly under the sunlight.
“Hey! Boss!”
Park Dongsu waved as he walked into the office. Lee Sanggeun followed behind him, bowing to .
“Welco.”
“It’s been a while.”
With a bold grin, Park Dongsu sat to my left, next to Lee Sanggeun.
Soon after, Kim Hosik and Noh Ikseon ca in.
“Boss, it’s been a while.”
They too bowed before sitting beside Dongsu and Sanggeun.
Finally, Oliver, the team leader of the Black Bear elite team newly arrived in Korea, entered.
“Chief Ma, take a seat too.”
“Yes.”
Ma Chief sat next to Oliver.
With that, every bit of manpower I could move within Korea had now gathered here.
“It’s ti to wrap this up properly.”
Ti to settle everything.
“First, Dongsu’s group will eliminate Watanabe Saoru. We already know the location. Use every man you can spare. Make sure he doesn’t get out alive.”
Dongsu’s group had been assigned to wipe out Watanabe Saoru and his Yakuza.
“Whether you kill him on the spot for Yang Soohyeong’s revenge or bring him back alive, I’ll leave to your judgnt, President Park.”
“Understood.”
Next, I turned to the Myeongdong faction.
“Keep tightening Rush & Money’s noose as you’ve been doing. Once Watanabe disappears, they won’t hold out much longer.”
Loan sharks couldn’t survive with bad debts piling up. A 20% interest rate was already considered the absolute limit for staying in business. Every veteran loan shark agreed on that.
Going beyond that ant there was no reason to stay in the lending business.
“The yen’s value keeps dropping. They must already be suffering heavy losses from the exchange rate.”
That was one of the benefits we’d gained from attacking Japan.
Even if they tried to repatriate their funds back to Japan, the won had risen, and the yen had fallen—they were bound to take massive losses.
“Once this is over, we won’t need to ddle much further. Just continue as you’ve been doing in your own territories.”
“Yes, Boss.”
Finally, the main target: Lee Yonghyeon’s mansion—the heart of Cheongpunghoe.
I would personally go in with Black Bear’s elite team and Ma Chief’s n.
“The first team already deployed here, along with the Korea branch mbers, will handle guarding Grandfather and Grandmother. Oliver’s team and Ma Chief’s team will handle the assault.”
“Understood.”
“Don’t use the smuggled firearms unless it’s absolutely necessary. This is Korea—just having guns is a huge problem here.”
“Don’t worry. Compared to Kosovo, this place is heaven. It’s my first ti in Korea, but it’s a great country.”
Oliver’s face was bright, clearly liking Korea.
“Still, don’t let your guard down. Make sure it’s done cleanly.”
“Don’t worry. For a soldier, carelessness equals death. Everyone on my team knows that. Even if gun possession is illegal here, we have no idea what kind of weapons the other side might have.”
Just as Oliver said, no one knew what preparations might be waiting inside Lee Yonghyeon’s mansion.
But Oliver’s team were veterans of countless battles. I had no choice but to trust them.
“I trust your judgnt, Oliver.”
Oliver gave a sharp salute with a grin.
“This will be an all-out operation. Mobilize everything. Since your team will be split into an entry unit and a cover unit, you won’t have enough n. Chief Ma, you’ll handle whatever gaps there are.”
“Yes, Boss.”
Not long ago, I had received all remaining personnel from Ha Chief.
Now guarded by Black Bear, he’d handed them over, saying he didn’t need them anymore, and had been sticking by Grandfather’s side except when he was asleep.
“Unless we eliminate Cheongpunghoe, they’ll ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) keep clashing with us at every turn. This is the perfect chance to cut them off for good. I have my personal grudges, but more importantly, this is essential for our business. Give it your all.”
I had no intention of stopping with rely wiping out Cheongpunghoe.
Revenge would be paid back tenfold.
And why end such a golden opportunity in Korea alone?
“D-Day is next Monday. Be fully prepared. Pay special attention to leaks. Don’t trust even your family lightly. Until it’s over, everything stays under strict secrecy.”
After finishing the eting at the Myeongdong office, I moved to Future Building in Daechi-dong to et with Eva.
“Boss, welco.”
When I arrived at the top floor of Future Building, Eva was buried in a mountain of paperwork.
She looked much more worn out than the last ti I’d seen her.
“Take so breaks.”
“You give the money, Baek Seongjin brings the food, but I still have to eat it myself. It’s fun, though.”
Eva stood up weakly, rubbing her furrowed brow.
I chuckled and pushed her back into her chair.
“How’s it going?”
“The debts are worse than I expected. It’s a miracle they haven’t gone bankrupt already. Compared to this, Peregrine was nothing. If this were Hong Kong, they would’ve collapsed ages ago.”
“Korea’s still a governnt-controlled financial country. It’s changing, slowly. We’re getting public funds for support, right?”
“Ha, you wouldn’t believe these old n. You know what the Chairman of the Financial Supervisory Commission said the mont he saw ?”
“What did he say?”
Eva twisted her lips, mimicking soone’s voice.
“‘Jesung Bank was the biggest bank in Korea. Does Future Investnt even have the money to acquire Jesung Bank and Foreign Exchange Bank at the sa ti?’ Wow... I was speechless.”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“That was Lee Jaeheon, right? Chairman of the Financial Supervisory Commission?”
“Yeah. Even Baek Seongjin stared at in disbelief. Anyway, we negotiated. We wrapped it up with 51% equity for 500 billion won.”
“What about the other terms?”
“The governnt will buy out the bad debts. Public funds are already in play, and they’ll inject more even after we acquire it. We’ll pay in dollars.”
It wasn’t like there were no dostic conglorates capable of acquiring Jesung Bank.
But under the pretext of preventing privatization of finance, chaebols were practically barred from owning banks.
“They even approved the rger between Foreign Exchange Bank and Jesung Bank. Not bad.”
“What about the MOU? What about the final contract?”
“The governnt’s in a hurry. They want to sign next month. Without Baek Seongjin, this would’ve been impossible.”
Thanks to MOFIA’s help, the negotiations had gone smoothly.
The Financial Supervisory Commission had even made absurd proposals, like giving Future 51% but keeping managent rights for the governnt.
Eva cursed Lee Jaeheon openly, saying he had tried to sneak in more governnt-favorable conditions even after the MOU signing.
Only after Baek Seongjin mobilized every bureaucrat and applied full pressure did they get the contract back to the original terms.
“Yoon & Jang is reviewing the contract, right?”
“Yeah, they’re amazing. They even visited Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation directly to help push things along.”
“And the bank rger?”
“Just as you said. Once they rge into a single entity, the governnt’s thrilled.”
“Leave the rger ratio to Yoon & Jang. Don’t stress too much.”
“No, it’s fun. When else will I get to close a deal this big? Once Jesung and Foreign Exchange rge, we’ll have one of the largest banks in Asia.”
She wasn’t just saying that. Even with dark circles under her eyes, Eva was smiling brightly.
“Did you co here just to talk?”
I nodded slightly.
“I’ll be unreachable for a few days. I trust you’ll manage, but if you’re unsure, wait for .”
“What’s happening?”
“I need to get rid of a bug.”
“Got it. So, what’s the new bank’s na?”
I had already thought about it.
“Taesan Bank.”
“Taesan Bank? I like it.”
Eva didn’t know, but it was a gift for my grandfather.
For a man who had spent his whole life in the shadows as a loan shark, it would an sothing special.
Revenge against Cheongpunghoe, and a bank bearing Grandfather’s na.
The gifts were all ready.
It was ti for the party.
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