The Genius Grandson of the Loan King - Chapter 17 (17/840)
< I want to learn what you do. >
#17
I want to learn what you do.
"Have you looked into the Mi-sook incident? Is there anything suspicious?"
Chairman Cheon, who had been looking out the window, suddenly asked.
It was unexpectedly raining, making both outside and inside the study dark.
In the dim darkness, Secretary Ha's voice was heard.
"The records are not properly preserved."
"No matter how I think about it, it's strange."
Chairman Cheon muttered in a grave voice.
It was a voice close to lamentation. But in the room where only the sound of rain could be heard, his voice sounded particularly loud.
"It doesn't make sense that I didn't hear about my daughter's death. Someone must have been involved."
"I'll continue to investigate."
"路路路路路路Was it the first or second son?"
The face of Chairman Cheon, who asked the question, looked pained.
"We don't know anything yet. I've sent someone to Busan. I've instructed them to meet the police who investigated the case and conduct a background check."
"I am the sinner. I am the sinner."
"Chairman路路路路路路."
"To think that my daughter could be sold for some fleeting glory, to think that a child who was told it was good, good, could be sold路路路路路路."
"路路路路路路."
Raindrops slid down the window, reflecting Chairman Cheon's face.
"Find out the truth. If it's unjust, it must be resolved. I want to catch the culprit before I die. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
The butterfly effect can extend to an unknown extent.
Chairman Cheon began to have doubts about his daughter, Cheon Mi-sook's death.
Something that did not happen in Kim Mu-hyuk's past life was about to happen.
* * *
After arriving in Seoul, Myeong-su and Hyun-seong were dropped off at the house Myeong-su had found.
I headed to the house in Pyeongchang-dong where my grandfather lived.
After putting my luggage in my room and coming down, my grandfather said as if he had been waiting.
"Let's go to the study."
"Huh?"
"Why? We need to decide the prize for the bet, don't we? Such talks should be held in the study. Treat me as a business partner there, not as your grandfather."
"路路路路路路Yes."
In the past, I first entered this place after graduating from university.
I entered my grandfather's study with a strange feeling.
The study was exactly the same as I remembered.
Chairman Cheon, who had taken his seat, spoke.
"Alright! Now, tell me what the prize for the bet will be."
Chairman Cheon looked at me with interest.
"I want to learn what you do."
"Do you know what I do before saying that?"
His sharp eyes scrutinized my expression.
"I don't know the details, but I know it gives great power."
"Great power? What will you do with that power?"
"I'll tell you later."
I had thought a lot about it.
What should I receive?
Money? People?
In the end, I thought the best thing was to pretend to learn from my grandfather while actually manipulating him to do my bidding.
"Is that all you want as the prize for the bet? Is that really enough? You could get something bigger."
"Too much is as bad as too little. I think it's more helpful to learn how to earn money and gain power on my own."
Chairman Cheon's expression showed satisfaction.
"Heh, that's true. Secretary Ha! Are you outside?"
Secretary Ha, who had been waiting outside, opened the door and came in.
"Yes, Chairman. Did you call me?"
"Mu-hyuk wants to learn the business. What do you think?"
"It's too early, isn't it? He can start after graduating from university."
"True, but he wants this as the prize for the bet."
Secretary Ha looked at me with renewed interest.
Grandfather, stroking his chin, gave instructions.
"Teach him a little at a time when you have time. I planned to start him from the bottom after graduation, but since he wants this as a prize, start with what you do. Understand?"
"Yes, Chairman."
"Go out. I need to talk more with Mu-hyuk."
"Yes."
Secretary Ha bowed and left.
Grandfather glanced at me.
"Is this okay?"
"Yes, thank you."
"But why did you apply to law school? Were you planning to take the bar exam?"
"No. I went to law school to build connections. I considered business administration, but for now, law school alumni seem to have more influence."
"Hmm, aren't you wasting your previous studies?"
"I don't plan to become a judge or prosecutor even if I pass the bar exam, and I don't want to study to become a lawyer."
"Heh heh heh."
I smiled at Chairman Cheon, who laughed heartily.
"Still, be diligent in your school life. The time to build connections and do other things won't come again."
"Yes, I'll try to balance my time and learn as much as I can."
Grandfather, nodding in satisfaction, thought for a moment and continued.
"Still, you need a car. Not a luxury car right now, but I'll give you a Grandeur to use for school. Do you have a driver's license?"
"Yes."
"You're well-prepared. You got your license while studying and did everything you needed to. Heh heh heh."
I had quite a long conversation with my grandfather in the study.
When I came out, Secretary Ha was waiting.
"Master, let's go to your room. I'll explain what you need to do."
"Yes."
I went up to my room with Secretary Ha.
As soon as the door closed, Secretary Ha got straight to the point without sitting down.
"Do you know exactly what Chairman does?"
"Not in detail."
Of course, I knew, but I pretended not to.
"Chairman's business is loaning. Some call it usury or money play. But the people he meets directly are only the CEOs of major domestic companies."
"Ah路路路路路路."
In the past, I started from the bottom after graduating from university.
During the IMF crisis, when loan companies were popping up everywhere, I started from the bottom and learned the business.
But this time, I can start by dealing with major companies.
"Generally, I meet with the lower-level staff to coordinate, and the Chairman meets with the CEOs of major companies to lend money. You will learn the pre-coordination process I do. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
Secretary Ha nodded and explained further.
"There's a lot to learn, such as how to read ledgers, collateral, and related laws. It's not an easy job. Since it involves large sums of money, the collateral must be solid."
"I see."
I nodded, sitting on the bed.
Actually, I was thinking, "He's standing so straight without leaning on anything."
"Chairman doesn't often accept stock as collateral. Stocks are too volatile. If he does, it's for important shares or to gain control. For example, the Daehyun stock he received three years ago路路路路路路."
I looked at Secretary Ha's face with renewed interest. I had never seen him talk this much.
I pretended to listen intently.
"The CEOs deal with other companies, such as small and medium-sized enterprises and general self-employed people. They usually handle business in Myeongdong."
I tried to listen as much as possible to the basic information Secretary Ha was giving.
"Besides the two of us, there are four other Myeongdong members. The Chairman is also one of them. He has helped former employees who worked hard from the bottom to become independent and lend money. You need to know all this."
I know. Those four Myeongdong members, Cheon Su-man and Cheon Su-han, were the ones who teamed up against me.
"Viper, Twin Blades, Hammer, and Bandit. These four are experienced loan sharks in Myeongdong, so they won't be easy to deal with."
I smiled slightly at Secretary Ha, who looked a bit worried.
"Don't worry. If I have to face them eventually, it's better to do it sooner."
"You're a good one."
The loan market is a dirty place.
People do anything to get money.
Even gangsters would step back from some of the ruthless people.
Chairman Cheon is a legendary figure who survived in this world and reached his current position.
Many loan sharks are not gangsters but act like them.
'Well, I've already died once, so what's the worst that can happen?'
Money is power, and in the loan market, Chairman Cheon is a majestic dragon. But when the dragon ascends, the Warring States period will begin.
In this life, I plan to settle everything before the Warring States period begins.
"Let's go to the next meeting together. Still, I hope you enjoy your school life and take it slowly."
"Yes. I'm good at having fun. I'll go out with friends and do everything, so don't worry."
Secretary Ha smiled faintly, bowed, and left.
I lay on the bed and organized my thoughts.
'First, I need to win my grandfather's favor and slowly take control of the four major Myeongdong organizations.'
And then, the next step is set.
I sharpened my knife, thinking of the faces of Cheon Su-man and Cheon Su-han.
'Uncles, be prepared. I will definitely repay you for the past life.'
That was the end of my first night in Seoul.
The next day.
I drove the car my grandfather gave me to Myeong-su's house.
Myeong-su, who had rented a house near the university, planned to live there and attend school.
Hyun-seong planned to live in the dormitory and come here on weekends, but with the physical education program, it might be hard to come up.
I pressed the doorbell at Myeong-su's house.
"Who is it?"
"It's me."
Myeong-su opened the door and greeted me.
"What? You're early?"
"Yeah. I drove here."
I twirled the car keys on my finger.
"Wow! Did you already buy a car?"
"Grandfather gave it to me to drive. It's good. I'll pick you up when you go to school."
"Wow! That's my friend Kim Mu-hyuk! Hey, come in quickly. Hyun-seong and I were about to eat ramen."
The smell of ramen greeted me as I entered the house.
"Are you here?"
Hyun-seong, who was cooking ramen in the kitchen, greeted me casually.
I sat on the floor, and Hyun-seong put the pot of ramen on the floor.
"Wow, how many did you cook? Why so many?"
"Six."
Hyun-seong, who has been exercising, talks less and less.
"What? Six? Hyun-seong and I will eat them all. We have leftover rice from yesterday, so let's eat that later. Let's eat the ramen first."
Starting with Myeong-su, the three of us, all in our twenties, inhaled the ramen without a single word.
"Hyun-seong, bring the rice cooker."
"Yeah."
The noodles were gone in five minutes, and Hyun-seong brought the rice cooker.
He poured the rice into the pot. The rice was too much compared to the remaining broth, making it thick like porridge.
Another round of voracious eating began.
I was the first to raise my hand.
"I can't eat anymore."
The other two were too busy eating to notice.
Hyun-seong, who is on the sports team and has a big build, eats a lot, but what about Myeong-su?
"Where does all the food go in you?"
"I don't know. I don't gain weight. Don't talk to me while I'm eating."
Jealous brat路路路路路路
After finishing the meal, we lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling, without even thinking about cleaning up.
Myeong-su spoke first.
"Did you call your grandmother?"
"Yeah. What about you?"
"We did it yesterday. I almost went crazy from my mother's nagging. She didn't even take a breath and just kept talking."
"I did too."
I sighed.
"I already miss my grandmother's cooking."
"At least you can eat decent meals at your grandfather's house. I have to eat ramen or buy food. Hyun-seong and I went to a nearby restaurant yesterday, and it was so bland it ruined my appetite."
"You need to adapt."
"The future looks bleak."
"When are you moving into the dormitory?"
I asked Hyun-seong.
Hyun-seong tilted his head and said.
"Next week."
"Will you have time to come up?"
"I'll see."
"Come up often and meet on weekends. If you let me know in advance, I won't make separate plans, so call Myeong-su."
Hyun-seong nodded without a word.
"Did you buy pagers?"
"Go out and buy them today. Hyun-seong, you too? Mu-hyuk has one."
"Yeah."
"Where?"
"Apgujeong? Let's go."
"Why go all the way to Apgujeong to buy pagers?"
"We'll go to look around as well. Do you want to come?"
I shook my head.
"I have other plans today. More importantly, about the meeting today."
"Yeah, what is it?"
I looked at Myeong-su and Hyun-seong in turn.
"It's really important."
"What is it?"
"Um."
They will play important roles in my future plans, even if not all of them.