We are implementing the real-name financial system.
"Hey, you're kind of scary, you know?"
An American citizen.
The core of everything I planned.
"I found where you were hiding, so how could I not know your identity? Anyway, you still have it, right?"
Han Kyung-yeong nodded.
"But why?"
"Let's wrap up our life in Korea and go to the U.S. Once we're there, we'll set up an investment company and you'll help me recruit the people I mentioned."
"Investment company? Can't we do that in Korea?"
"We need to make it look like the funds are from the U.S., which is why I need you. You can establish a branch in Korea a few years later after settling there."
"I don't get it. I don't know what you're thinking..."
Han Kyung-yeong shook his head, puzzled.
You won't understand now.
I just smiled.
"Once the company is set up, about 40 billion won will be transferred to the company account."
At this, Han Kyung-yeong spat out the water he was drinking.
Fortunately, it didn't hit my face.
"Ke, ke. F, forty billion?"
"Yep."
"Forty billion, not just four billion?"
I frowned at the wet table and added,
"With that, I'll invest in a few places I mentioned, and you can manage the rest. The U.S. stock market will be booming for a while, so as long as you don't deliberately make things difficult for me, there won't be any issues."
Han Kyung-yeong stared at my calm face, realizing I wasn't lying, and sighed deeply.
"......I can't do it. Forty billion is a lot. It's over four billion dollars. How can I handle that? I get nervous with just a hundred million."
"Don't be scared. You can do it. If you recruit the people I mentioned, they'll do their jobs well. You just need to oversee the overall flow. I can't go to the U.S., you know."
"......Why do you trust me so much?"
Han Kyung-yeong's eyes wavered as they met mine.
I shook my head calmly.
"I don't trust you; I trust my judgment in choosing you. And......are you that bold to have other thoughts?"
The reflection of my face in his eyes was smiling.
But Han Kyung-yeong shuddered as if he had seen something he shouldn't.
"Whoa, that's scary. Don't smile like that."
"Hahaha."
"Phew......forty billion......I can't even grasp how much that is."
Han Kyung-yeong shook his head a few times, as if trying to clear his thoughts, and then smiled at me.
"Okay. Should we sort this out right here?"
"No, just a few more things before you go."
"What?"
"Use the accounts you have now to set up the investment company in the U.S., and open one more account in your name."
"In my name?"
Han Kyung-yeong grumbled, not understanding what I was saying.
"I'll transfer 100 billion won to that account. Starting from the 13th, all stocks will plummet. At that time, buy all the Il Sung Group stocks that fall to the price limit. Buy them regardless of whether people are selling or not. Your buying won't affect the price, so buy all of them."
"Il Sung? But why in my name?"
"I'll need it later."
"......So something is happening on August 12th. That's why you proposed a bet to me, right?"
I smiled without answering.
Han Kyung-yeong frowned and then sighed.
"You're a con artist, but you have the makings of a great one. You're a bad guy."
"It's Il Sung. Don't worry about other stocks. Just buy Il Sung."
"That's easy. I'm looking forward to August 12th. I wonder what will happen."
Seeing Han Kyung-yeong laugh foolishly, I subtly changed the subject.
"Want to have a drink? I'll be very busy starting next week."
"Sure, why not? Let's have a drink after a long time."
Han Kyung-yeong got up from his seat, following me.
Without any idea of what would happen next.
* * *
A hotel nightclub in dark Haeundae.
Tap, tap, tap.
The sound of footsteps quickly descending the stairs and the shouts of men turned the place into chaos in an instant.
"Hey! What's going on?"
"These crazy bastards, do they know where they are? Kill them!"
Some sturdy men were fighting each other, and some people were passing through the chaos silently.
"Hey! Grab that guy!"
"Stop them!"
They ignored everyone else and entered one of the nightclub rooms.
It was Park Dong-su, Yang Su-hyung, and Lee Sang-geun.
"What's this? Dong-su?"
A man with sharp eyes sitting in the main seat looked at Park Dong-su. A few other sturdy men beside him glared at them.
Park Dong-su sighed and glared back.
"Well......I suggested we do this calmly, didn't I?"
"Shut up and sit down. Everyone in Busan knows that you betrayed Sa-seong. Who the hell would sell the master who raised them?"
Park Dong-su chuckled at his words.
At first, such words hurt, but now they all sounded the same and were just annoying.
"Hey, kid, you're talking a lot!"
Without warning, Park Dong-su lunged at him. The big men sitting there got up to stop him.
At the same time, Lee Sang-geun and Yang Su-hyung also jumped in.
While they were dealing with the subordinates, Park Dong-su stepped on the table and ran towards the man sitting in the main seat.
"Damn kid!"
The man sitting there pulled out a switchblade from his coat and shouted.
Smack!
In the blink of an eye, Park Dong-su crossed the table and slashed the chin of the man holding the switchblade.
The man staggered and swung the switchblade.
The blade grazed Park Dong-su's arm, and blood quickly soaked his suit.
But Park Dong-su ignored it and pounced on the falling man, punching his eyes.
Smack!
With his left hand, he deflected the incoming switchblade and hit the man's face with his right hand.
He then picked up a whiskey bottle from the table and smashed it on the man's head as he staggered to the side.
Crack!
The whiskey bottle broke, and blood flowed from the man's head.
"Damn you, why didn't you listen when I talked, Mr. Man-seok? I'm in a hurry. If you had listened, we wouldn't have had to do this. I'm telling you, I'm ashamed to show my face to my brother in a place like this."
Park Dong-su threw the broken whiskey bottle and looked back.
Yang Su-hyung and Lee Sang-geun had already subdued the other men.
"Su-hyung, grab him!"
At his words, Yang Su-hyung approached and laid the dazed Im Man-seok on the table.
"Let's end this. Retire quietly. I'll make sure you can live comfortably and get a place to drink. So be satisfied with that and retire quietly. Got it?"
That day, Park Dong-su eliminated all his opposition.
He forced all the middle bosses and above to retire, ensuring no one could challenge him again.
"Well......I won't be embarrassed in front of Mu-hyuk. Right, Sang-geun?"
"Yes."
* * *
It was the evening of August 12th.
All regular broadcasts were interrupted, and the president's special address was being live-streamed.
ā At this moment, with a solemn heart, I declare the 'Presidential Emergency Financial and Economic Order on Real-Name Financial Transactions and Confidentiality' under Article 76, Paragraph 1 of the Constitution. Furthermore......
It was an unexpected and sudden announcement of the real-name financial system, something even the military regime couldn't achieve.
ā Dear citizens, we are finally implementing the real-name financial system. From now on, all financial transactions will be conducted under real names.
"Wow......"
Chairman Cheon, listening to the president's announcement in his study, let out a hollow laugh.
"Chairman......"
Ha, the secretary standing in front of him, called out with a solemn expression.
"Did you hear from the economic advisor? What about the civil affairs advisor?"
"No contact."
"Wow......I can't believe they would stab me in the back. Check it out."
While watching Ha make a call, Chairman Cheon fell into deep thought.
'How could they do this so quickly? I can't read the president's mind at all......'
After a moment, Ha, who had finished the call, spoke.
"He didn't know either."
"What nonsense. If the economic advisor didn't know, who did?"
"He said he only found out about the content of the address from the broadcast."
"What about the civil affairs advisor?"
"He's not answering the phone."
"Wow......"
Chairman Cheon sighed and suppressed his anger.
"How much have you cleaned up?"
"Fortunately, we started early, so all the accounts under Huh Mu-in's name are cleaned up. But the amount in the accounts under fake names is roughly 40 billion won."
"Smaller than I thought."
"Most of the accounts were under Huh Mu-in's name, so we could clean up most of them."
"Can you find the fake names?"
Ha, who seemed to be thinking for a moment, nodded.
"Most of the fake names are under the names of people in