I finally arrived at the house in Pyeongchang-dong after a long ti.
“You’re back, Young Master.”
A familiar and welcoming face greeted .
I walked up with a broad smile.
“Chief Ha, are you sure you should be discharged already? You should’ve rested a bit more. Don’t overdo it.”
“I couldn’t just lie in bed while worrying about the Chairman, haha. I can move around just fine now. The doctor even cos to the house every three days.”
Chief Ha didn’t look perfectly healthy, but there was a soft smile on his face that I hadn’t seen before.
“Where’s Grandfather?”
“He’s in the study.”
“Mm. Is the renovation finished?”
“Yes. The Chairman seems to love the study the most—it’s where he’s spent most of his ti.”
“I should go see him first.”
I stopped in front of the study door and spoke softly.
“Grandfather, it’s Muhyuk.”
No answer.
I carefully opened the door.
He was sitting in the chair at his desk, eyes closed.
My heart sank.
“Grandfather?”
“Mm? Muhyuk, you’re here.”
Only then did he slowly open his eyes and smile at .
“If you’re tired, you should rest in your room.”
“Must’ve dozed off for a mont. Did you finish everything in Arica?”
“Yes.”
Grandfather nodded, but his expression turned sowhat forlorn.
“I have nothing left to do now.”
“Just sitting in that chair gives us all strength. Don’t say things like that.”
“Myeonghun told . Said you’re planning to create Taesan Financial Group.”
“Oh, you’ve heard? I was planning to tell you once everything was finalized.”
Grandfather looked at with a slightly troubled face.
“I’m wondering if that’s a pointless thing to do.”
“I know what you’re worried about. But I want your na to be rembered. Not just in Korea—your na will be known all over the world.”
“It could beco a weakness for you.”
“Being your grandson could never be a weakness for . I respect you, Grandfather. I can’t even begin to imagine how hard it must have been to build this much influence in the loan shark world.”
“Heh, you really know how to make an old man feel good.”
Then Grandfather suddenly coughed violently.
“Grandfather!”
“I’m fine. It happens sotis.”
I hurried closer, but he waved off and drank so water.
The coughing subsided soon, but I couldn’t hide my concern.
“It’s natural to weaken with age. But before I die, I want to see you get married.”
“I’m not thinking about marriage yet.”
“I know. That’s why I don’t nag. You’re still just friends with Hyeonji, right?”
“Yes. After entering university, we naturally grew apart. She’s too free-spirited for .”
Living like that might be what makes her happiest.
“The Song family must’ve been disappointed.”
“Haha, they didn’t say much. They probably didn’t expect anything anyway.”
“That’s true.”
He said that, but I could see the hint of regret on Grandfather’s face.
“If I ever et soone I truly like, I’ll bring her to you first. Don’t worry.”
“I trust you to handle it. Maybe it’ll be after I’m gone.”
The aura of the “Loan Shark King” who once overwheld everyone was gone. After his revenge was complete, he was just an ordinary old man with no regrets left.
“You’ll live a long life, Grandfather.”
“Of course. I need to live long enough to see my great-grandson.”
Originally, Cheon Jiwon would already be married, and Grandfather would have seen his great-grandson by now.
Because of , many things had changed.
“You should et the other cousins too. I don’t mind.”
“No. Those kids don’t even think to visit first.”
Thinking of Cheon Jiwon and Cheon Jisoo seed to irritate him; his brows furrowed as he muttered.
But I knew—if they ca to him first, he would welco them with open arms.
“Does Jiyoung visit often? I haven’t seen her in a while.”
“Yes, about once a week. But she’s always so busy... check on her when you can.”
“Yes.”
“All right, go get so rest. You must be tired from the flight.”
I wanted to talk more, but seeing how tired he looked, I decided to stay quiet.
“Yes, rest well then.”
Leaving the study, I saw Chief Ha and Chief Ma talking.
“I’ll go rest upstairs, so please continue your conversation.”
I stopped Chief Ma from following and went up to the second floor alone.
I dozed for a while in my room, then headed to a club in Gangnam after sunset to et Lee Sanggeun.
“Welco, Boss.”
Lee Sanggeun himself greeted at the entrance. His face had slimd down a bit since last ti, but he still looked sharp and composed.
“Let’s go inside.”
We walked to a private room, leaving only the three of us—Lee Sanggeun, Chief Ma, and .
Lee Sanggeun didn’t waste ti with pleasantries.
“Boss, I contacted you because I need your help. Sorry for the trouble.”
“It’s fine. Go ahead.”
“I plan to end everything tonight.”
I nodded.
“It might get noisy. Please hold off the police and prosecutors for a bit. Once it’s done, I’ll have those responsible turn themselves in.”
He’s definitely different from Park Dongsu.
He knew how to use properly.
“Not planning to stage a street brawl, are you?”
“I know better than to get torn apart like that. It’ll mostly be over once we take the hotel in Gangbuk. Director Han’s power cos from the elders, after all.”
There was a sharp glint in Lee Sanggeun’s eyes as he spoke.
“I wanted to let it go, for Brother Dongsu’s sake. But they keep shaking the organization. People who never wavered before are starting to have their own ideas.”
People’s greed knows no limits.
Even with territories divided, human desire always longs to take what belongs to others.
“Are you confident of winning?”
“Brother Dongsu’s influence isn’t gone yet. Many people still respect him. But ti will change that quickly. We need to cut the weeds now.”
Though his body had turned to ashes, Park Dongsu’s presence still lingered.
I signaled Chief Ma, who bowed slightly and stepped outside.
“I’ll hold them off for now. Just keep things quiet.”
“Thank you.”
Lee Sanggeun bowed again.
“I plan to remove all the troublemakers this ti. I’ll avoid killing if I can, but I intend to send at least one person to join Brother Dongsu as an example.”
“You’ll act personally?”
“Yes. I have to. Only then will people fear .”
“Don’t step too far into the open like President Park Dongsu did. It’s dangerous.”
“I know.”
Since Park Dongsu’s death, Lee Sanggeun seed to have grown harder, more resolute.
A few monts later, Chief Ma returned and whispered a report to .
I nodded and turned to Lee Sanggeun.
“The police won’t interfere for now. But finish everything within an hour and withdraw.”
“Thank you. I’ll contact you as soon as it’s over.”
Lee Sanggeun rose and bowed deeply.
I stood as well, patting his shoulder.
“President Park Dongsu was a good man, but that’s not what I expect from you. I think you understand exactly what I an.”
“Yes, Boss. Don’t worry.”
Leaving Lee Sanggeun behind, I walked out.
“What about Eva?”
“Still no contact.”
“Hmm...”
Was sothing going wrong in Hong Kong?
This had never happened since I recruited Eva.
Eva had always been the type to report back regularly—once a day at the very least, sotis every other day.
This silence was starting to worry .
“Send soone to check on her.”
“Yes, Boss.”
In the distance, I could see Lee Sanggeun’s n moving busily.
Tonight was going to be noisy.
The next morning, I got a call from Lee Sanggeun.
“Did it go well?”
— Yes, we subdued all the elders. It ended easier than I expected.
“The old bastards must have been shocked.”
— They probably never imagined we’d strike this quickly. I’ll co see you and give a proper report.
“All right. Co to Myeongdong. You know my office, right?”
— Yes, I’ll be there right away.
I was already there, having coffee, when Lee Sanggeun entered with Chief Ma.
A large piece of gauze was stuck to his cheek.
“You’re hurt?”
“Just a scratch.”
“I told you not to put yourself out front too much. What if sothing like what happened to President Park happens again?”
“I know. It was an unexpected attack, and I couldn’t react in ti. But our side suffered almost no casualties.”
“That’s good, then. Sit.”
I poured him a cup of coffee as he sat.
“Thank you.”
“Explain while you drink.”
After taking a sip, Lee Sanggeun started talking.
“They weren’t prepared at all. Thanks to that, we subdued them with minimal conflict.”
“And that wound?”
“Soone nearby suddenly pulled a knife. I got cut dodging it. My mistake for letting my guard down.”
Whether the elders had been too used to Park Dongsu’s peaceful reign or had underestimated Lee Sanggeun, the fact that he took control with little resistance was a good sign.
“And Director Han, the one the old n were backing?”
A cold smile spread across Lee Sanggeun’s face.
“He’s probably sowhere in the waters off Incheon.”
Lee Sanggeun was nothing like Park Dongsu.
He left no loose ends—anyone who could beco an enemy or rebel against him was eliminated completely.
I nodded.
“The seniors who moved under Director Han each paid a price—one lost a leg, the rest lost a finger.”
“No backlash from below?”
“The justification is on my side. Dongsu hyung hasn’t been gone long, and they dared stir up internal conflict. We worked too hard to unify to let it split again. I’ll resolve things peacefully where I can, but I won’t be as soft as Dongsu hyung.”
Exactly the answer I wanted.
Finally, a knife worth wielding.
“I plan to use this opportunity to clean things up. It might get noisy. Even if we retire all the old-tirs, there are still so idiots who don’t know their place.”
“Keep it quiet. For now, all eyes are on Cheongpunghoe in the news, but if gangsters start making a scene, public opinion might turn on us.”
“Yes, I’ll keep it quiet. But this cleanup is necessary.”
“Park Dongsu was too soft. That’s why he was a good man.”
“Yes... he was a good man.”
The thought of Park Dongsu briefly silenced us.
I pushed the sentint aside and continued.
“I’ll keep the police off you. But when this is over, you’ll need to hand over so people.”
“I’ve already arranged stand-ins.”
“If you need money, tell .”
“No need. This isn’t sothing money can fix. We have enough from the businesses and fronts we control.”
“Hahaha. Not every day soone refuses money from . The orphanage—everything fine?”
“Thanks to you, Boss, everyone’s living well without any shortages.”
The only weakness Lee Sanggeun had was the orphanage where he grew up.
It was why he hardened himself, why he’d chosen to beco a lawyer despite passing the bar with excellent scores—he needed money.
“Don’t worry about the orphanage. Do what you need to do. I trust you.”
“Yes, Boss.”
Lee Sanggeun stood and bowed deeply.
“Let’s go. We should eat.”
“Yes.”
As we walked out, a na popped into my head.
“Oh, what was his na again—the one we talked about last ti, the one in the detention center?”
“Do you an Bae Beomgyu?”
“He’s being taken care of, right?”
“Of course.”
I had tracked down everyone related to Cheongpunghoe, including Prosecutor Chief Bae Beomgyu, who was now in detention, and had asked Lee Sanggeun to handle it.
“They were powerful people once, so you might feel uneasy, but they’ve already lost everything. Do it properly. Make sure they can’t live or die.”
“The inmates are excited about it. They’ve been grinding their teeth, waiting for their turn.”
Gangsters were useful for this kind of thing.
They controlled almost every detention center and prison in the country.
If I could move them, I wouldn’t need to dirty my own hands—I could exact revenge piece by piece.
“Make sure they can’t commit suicide.”
“I’ve done this before. Don’t worry.”
Thinking of Bae Beomgyu rotting in detention brought a natural smile to my face.
A week had passed since I returned to Korea.
The loan shark war between Myeongdong Capital and Rush&Money was nearly over.
Most Japanese-backed loan companies were withdrawing, and rumors spread across Myeongdong that Rush&Money would soon pull out as well.
News about Cheongpunghoe, which had once consud all of Korea’s attention, was fading, and ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) public interest was shifting elsewhere.
“Still no sign of Eva?”
“No, Boss. No trace since her last appearance in Hong Kong. Even the bodyguards who were with her have disappeared.”
“I don’t like this...”
Eva was giving a headache.
I had even sent people to Hong Kong, but it was as if she had vanished into thin air.
“She knows too much about . I don’t care how much it costs—find her. Even if it’s just a corpse.”
“Yes, Boss.”
I checked her accounts just in case, but there was no suspicious movent of money.
“What about Peregrine’s CEO?”
“He’s the one who told us about her last movents. She left to et soone, and after that, he couldn’t reach her either.”
If she had betrayed , I’d kill her myself.
But if sothing had happened to her... I’d find whoever was responsible and kill them.
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