The Genius Grandson of the Loan Shark King - Chapter 26 (26/840)
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#26
Are you working with us?
“Shut up, you bastards! Shut up!”
The two men were taken aback by the boss's reaction and turned to look at him.
Ignoring those men, the boss stood up and bowed to Manager Ha.
“Hello, Manager Ha.”
“Do you know me?”
“How many people in Myeongdong don’t know Manager Ha? I greeted you once before. But, why are you here...”
The boss, who had been looking at me and Manager Ha, wore an expression of disbelief.
Manager Ha ignored him and approached me, handing me a heavy briefcase.
“Young Master, I’ve brought it.”
Young Master.
The word from Manager Ha’s mouth drained the color from the boss’s face.
He couldn’t even make an excuse and was busy trying to read my expression.
“By the way, the atmosphere seemed strange when I came in. What happened?”
Manager Ha asked casually, his face expressionless. The boss looked pitiful.
“Well, nothing much. They came to pay off their debts and started showing some respect.”
“Hmm...”
The boss, who had been watching the situation, asked Manager Ha quietly.
“D-Do you mean this person is... perhaps the grandson of Chairman Cheon...”
His face was pleading for it not to be true, but Manager Ha nodded silently.
The boss silently pulled at his hair.
But Manager Ha didn’t care at all.
“Who is Jeon? I didn’t even know such a place existed.”
“...I work under Chairman Seok.”
“Chairman Seok?”
Manager Ha tilted his head, and the boss quickly added.
“Chairman Seok Gang-ho.”
“Seok Gang-ho, Seok Gang-ho... Ah, Seok Gang-ho.”
“Yes!”
“When did Seok become a chairman?”
“...”
The boss’s face, which was dying in real-time, was quite amusing.
“Do you know him?”
In response to my question, Manager Ha explained as if it was no big deal.
“Yes. He started as a day laborer and eventually set up a proper loan shark office.”
“Ah.”
“He’s not someone Young Master needs to worry about. But, what’s the 15 million won for?”
“Ah, I have some business with Han Kyung-yeong. I heard he owed these people money, so I’m paying it off and taking over the debt.”
At the mention of his name, Han Kyung-yeong, who had been pressed against the wall and watching the situation, jumped in surprise.
It seemed even he was afraid of Manager Ha.
I chuckled and sat back down.
“Did the money come? Bring the documents, quickly.”
The boss was only watching Manager Ha’s reaction.
But when Manager Ha stood silently behind me, the boss quietly went to the cabinet and brought out Han Kyung-yeong’s loan documents.
Without even looking at the loan documents on the table, I tore them up right there.
“Now, Han Kyung-yeong’s debt is settled, right?”
The boss, who had been staring at the shredded documents, hurriedly answered.
“Yes? Ah! Yes, yes. Of course.”
I opened the briefcase Manager Ha had brought.
Inside were neatly stacked bundles of 1 million won each.
I took out three bundles and placed them on the table.
“This is the principal.”
I took out another twelve bundles and placed them next to the first.
“This is the interest.”
“Yes, 15 million won. Thank you.”
As the boss reached for the money on the table, I stopped him. He looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“Hold on, there’s still something to settle.”
“Yes?”
I smiled brightly at him and picked up the bundles of cash.
“Let’s start by deducting 3 million won for each insult you threw at me. Bastard, son of a bitch, this guy. That’s 9 million won, right?”
I put nine bundles back into the briefcase.
Ignoring the boss’s trembling gaze following the money, I continued.
“5 million won for Manager Ha’s travel expenses.”
I put five more bundles back into the briefcase.
“1 million won left?”
He looked back and forth between me, Manager Ha, and the money.
“This is for finding the hidden Han Kyung-yeong. It’s just right.”
I put the last bundle into the briefcase.
“Is the calculation done?”
“W-What are you talking about?”
He tried to argue, stammering.
If you can’t even understand the situation.
I closed the briefcase, mocking him.
“Don’t you know Korean?”
“Where in the world is there such a law?”
“Are you doing business legally?”
“That’s not the point... Since you tore up the documents, you should give the money. Even if you’re the grandson of Chairman Cheon, you can’t do this.”
“I did give the money. 15 million won.”
“No...”
“Then is my calculation wrong? Tell me where.”
“That’s...”
He glanced at Manager Ha and then closed his mouth.
If you can’t even argue, why are you making a fuss?
“Mr. Boss, whose name I don’t even know. The problem isn’t the money, but your life. Aren’t you worried about what’s happened?”
I asked, genuinely curious, and the boss shut his mouth.
Even though he had been putting on a brave front, he seemed to be realizing the reality of the situation.
“Starting tomorrow, if I see you in Myeongdong, it won’t end with just words. I told you, in Myeongdong, money is king. Consider this a warning.”
I handed the briefcase to Manager Ha, who was standing behind me.
He seemed pleased with what I had done, a small smile on his face.
I stretched and stood up.
“Next time I see you, you’ll know. Take care.”
As I turned to leave, the boss knelt on the floor.
“P-Please forgive me just this once.”
“Forgive? For what? What did you do wrong?”
“I did everything wrong. Please forgive me.”
It seems he doesn’t want to retire.
“Fine. We’re not close enough for forgiveness. Let’s go, Manager Ha. Han Kyung-yeong, don’t just stand there, let’s go.”
Han Kyung-yeong slowly moved away from the wall and walked towards me.
He alternated his gaze between the kneeling loan shark and me, then hurriedly left.
“Oh, right.”
I stopped as I was about to leave, and the boss, still on the floor, looked at me with a puzzled expression.
I took out 30,000 won from my wallet and threw it on the floor.
The 10,000 won bill fluttered down in the boss’s dazed eyes.
“Calculations need to be clear. Can a loan shark deduct interest as a service?”
Outside, Manager Ha was waiting in front of the building.
“Manager Ha, I’m sorry for the trouble.”
He shook his head, slightly amused.
“Ha ha, no problem. Thanks to you, I had an interesting time.”
“I’ll talk to Han Kyung-yeong a bit and then go home. You go ahead.”
“Yes, see you later.”
Han Kyung-yeong looked bewildered as he watched me.
“Let’s have a drink first.”
“Yes? Yes.”
It seemed he was also afraid of me.
I sighed, glancing at Han Kyung-yeong, who was following me nervously.
* * *
After parting ways with me, Manager Ha returned to the loan shark office.
As Manager Ha entered, the boss, who had been smoking, quickly extinguished his cigarette and stood up.
Surprisingly, the boss spoke first.
“Manager Ha, how could this happen?”
“Hey.”
Manager Ha’s cold voice.
The boss, who had been speaking confidently, closed his mouth.
“Clear out and leave Myeongdong immediately. If not, I’ll make sure Seok Gang-ho, whether he’s a chairman or a boss, disappears from Myeongdong. Do you understand?”
“...”
“Answer.”
“...Yes, I understand.”
“I’ll send someone here tomorrow morning. If I see you, it’ll be interesting.”
With that, Manager Ha left again.
The office was quiet for a while after Manager Ha left.
The boss, who had been staring at the shredded loan documents on the floor, picked up the phone and started calling someone.
Manager Ha headed straight to Chairman Cheon’s house.
“Ha ha ha. Really, that’s what Mu-hyuk did?”
“Yes, Chairman.”
Chairman Cheon’s smile didn’t fade as he listened to the story about Kim Mu-hyuk.
“That kid, he’s just like me. Don’t you think so, Myeong-hoon?”
“Yes, he’s very much like you, Chairman.”
“Tsk. My sons... Mi-suk gave me a big gift, a big gift.”
He added a tongue-clicking at the mention of his sons, Cheon Su-man and Cheon Su-han.
“So, what did you do with those guys?”
“I told them to leave Myeongdong by today. If not, I’ll make sure Seok Gang-ho disappears from Myeongdong.”
“Seok Gang-ho is called a boss now?”
“Yes.”
“Ha~ Time has passed.”
“They call him Chairman among themselves.”
“What? Ha ha ha.”
Chairman Cheon’s amused expression turned cold.
“Tell Seok Gang-ho to leave Myeongdong as well. It doesn’t matter if he knows or not. I need to show that anyone who disobeys or makes a mistake in Myeongdong can’t live there. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I understand.”
Manager Ha bowed and left.
Alone, Chairman Cheon’s wrinkled face was full of smiles.
* * *
Han Kyung-yeong and I entered a nearby street stall and sat down, ordering simple snacks and a bottle of soju.
“...Who exactly are you?”
Han Kyung-yeong spoke first.
“Hmm... I’m helping my grandfather for now. My main job is being a student at Korea University.”
“...Don’t joke with me.”
“What would I gain by joking with you? I’m really a college student.”
I showed him my student ID.
After examining it for a while, Han Kyung-yeong sighed deeply.
“Ha~ It’s real. What...”
The aunt brought the snacks and a bottle of soju.
I opened the bottle and poured a drink for him.
“I don’t lie. I really want to work with you, which is why I settled your debt. Have a drink.”
He drank the soju I poured and put the glass down with a thud.
“What kind of work?”
“Do stocks.”
“Do... You’re telling me to do stocks after I ran away from debts and investments? Do you expect me to believe that?”
“Hmm... Have you ever thought about this?”
“What?”
“If I had more money, if I had the funds, I could have taken down all the manipulators...”
He flinched, as if hit by a nerve.
“I’ll lend you the funds, and you show me your skills. That’s my condition. However, when I tell you to put money in or take it out, you must follow my advice, not yours. That’s all I ask.”
“...”
I poured another drink for the conflicted Han Kyung-yeong.
I poured a drink for myself and raised my glass.
“Drink this, and we’ll work together.”
“Damn, I don’t know.”
He closed his eyes and clinked glasses with me.
He stared at the empty glass and suddenly asked.
“Let me ask one thing. What makes you trust me enough to lend me money? When did you see me?”
I didn’t answer, just smiled.
You said it in your autobiography.
If I had been given a chance in Korea...
I wouldn’t have become a hunting dog for foreign capital...
I’ll give you a chance.
But I’m not a good person.
You’ll have to become my hunting dog.
That day, Han Kyung-yeong and I had a long conversation.
We eventually agreed to be more casual with each other.
The next day.
I handed him a securities account with 100 million won and said.
“Use that to do what you want. You can lose it all. Just try it once, believing in yourself.”
“...”
“I’m not joking. Go wild in the stock market.”
I showed him my trust.
Now it was Han Kyung-yeong’s turn.
* * *
Time passed quickly.
May 1993.
In Chairman Cheon’s study, a loud voice was heard.
“What? What about Su-han?”
“...He was arrested by the prosecution.”
“No, he didn’t tell me anything...”
“He was caught while working with Representative Kim.”
“Is it about the slot machine and the gangsters?”
“Yes.”
Frowning and rubbing his forehead, Chairman Cheon spoke.
“Where? The Blue House? The President?”
“It doesn’t seem so. Despite pressure from the Chief of Civil Affairs, the Prosecutor General, and politicians, they’ve created public opinion by leaking it to the media.”
“Ha... The Supreme Prosecutor’s Office?”
“He’s a prosecutor from the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office, Strong Division. It seems the case grew while tracking the slot machine gangsters, and he’s ignoring orders from his superiors.”
The slot machine case involving 6th Republic power brokers, members of parliament, organized crime, and loan sharks had erupted.
It was exactly what Kim Mu-hyuk had been waiting for.