/

Chapter 53




The Genius Grandson of the Loan King - Chapter 53 (53/840)
< I intend to create an empire of gold. >
#53
I intend to create an empire of gold.
“You scare me, Muhyeok.”
These words hit him hard.
The Jo Hyun-gu family, directly involved in the incident at Hyunseong, fell into the abyss.
That wasn't all. Everyone even slightly related to the incident was made to retire from judo.
Whether by having the prosecution investigate and detain them for corruption, or by threatening them if that didn't work.
“You scare me...”
He trailed off, staring at Hyunseong's face.
Despite the fear in his words, Hyunseong didn't avoid his gaze at all.
“Joo called. He said the atmosphere in the judo club is a mess. Senior Chan-seong will have to live as a cripple for the rest of his life, the coach was arrested by the police for taking money to influence the selection of national team members, and the coach resigned to take responsibility.”
At that moment, Hyunseong's mother opened the door and brought in some fruit.
“Here, Muhyeok.”
He got up and took the plate.
“Are you staying for dinner?”
“No. I’m going out to eat with my grandmother tonight.”
“Really? That’s a shame. I was going to make something delicious for you. Have fun.”
His mother left the room and closed the door.
Hyunseong, who had been silent for a moment, found it hard to start speaking again.
“Say what you have to say.”
“...Did you really have to go that far?”
Ugh... I’m getting annoyed.
“Hey, Park Hyunseong. I’m not in the right state of mind right now. Listen carefully, this is the last time. I won’t be the one to look for you after today.”
He paused, taking a deep breath, and stared directly into Hyunseong's eyes.
“Did you think I would find those people and resolve it with words? Do you really think what I did was too much? You say you’re scared, but of what? Afraid I might do the same to you if things go wrong? I’m living a life where I get hurt if I don’t do it. I thought you knew that.”
“...”
“Even with many people around, it’s a life where you can never stop doubting. The path I’m walking is a fucking one. I’m always afraid of who might stab me in the back. That’s why I asked you guys. You were the friends who were always by my side even when I had nothing.”
“Muhyeok.”
“I’m going to Seoul tomorrow. You can come with me to help with my work, or you can stay in Busan and live a different life. It’s up to you.”
He got up from his seat.
Before opening the door, he turned to look at Hyunseong one last time.
“I know you’re having a hard time. I know, but I don’t have the energy to care about it right now. I’m scared too. I’d like it if you came to Seoul with me tomorrow. I’m going. Take care.”
He opened the door and left.
Hyunseong didn’t say a word the whole time.
The next day.
After finishing my preparations to go to Seoul and stepping out of the room, I saw that my grandmother had prepared a table full of food.
“Call the person outside in too. I haven’t treated my grandson properly. Suddenly.”
I smiled and called Manager Ma, who was waiting outside.
Manager Ma, sitting at the table with me, looked uncomfortable.
My grandmother kept pushing side dishes towards Manager Ma with a smile.
“Please take good care of my son. He’s a bit immature, so it might be tough, but please protect him.”
“I will.”
“I feel reassured. Knowing that such a person is by Muhyeok’s side.”
Manager Ma showed an awkward smile at the praise.
Even as we left the Busan house, Hyunseong didn’t show up.
It seemed time to let go. I turned my head from the window, which I had been staring out of.
“Manager, it’s going to get really busy once we get there. I’ve already told Grandfather I’ll do a good job, and I need to look into my parents’ case too.”
“I understand.”
“Please assign some people to the Cheonsu area. I’m asking you secretly. Also, when can I visit Cheonsu?”
“I’ll set up a schedule as soon as we arrive.”
“Please set it up as soon as possible.”
“Understood.”
The car carrying me gradually moved away from Busan.
As the familiar scenery passed by and faded away, I let go of the things I had been carrying in my heart one by one.
After finishing breakfast, I entered the study with Grandfather.
“I have something to say.”
Grandfather nodded and looked at me.
“I want to review the loan-related documents that are currently out.”
“All of them?”
“Yes, I need to understand exactly how Grandfather’s business is running to decide what to clean up and what to carry forward.”
“Clean up? It sounds like you’re planning to recover the money lent to large corporations too?”
“Yes. It will depend on what was used as collateral, but I will focus on the possibility of recovery.”
Seeing a slight smile on Grandfather’s lips, I felt more confident.
“I don’t know what criteria you used to lend money to companies. There might have been other deals besides what was visible, but from now on, we will have to rely on documents.”
“People who borrowed money from me might try to default?”
“Yes, I think there’s a possibility.”
Chairman Cheon’s laughter filled the study.
After laughing for a while, Chairman Cheon suddenly stopped and spoke.
“Do you know about the 8.3 Loan Freeze?”
“Yes, I heard about it from Chairman Song.”
“Right. Do you know what it was like back then? The military government, with its harsh policies, cracked down on loan sharks to save companies. The state gave the people’s savings to the companies.”
Chairman Cheon’s eyes turned cold.
“In an era when banks had no money, when companies wanted to borrow but had no money to lend, even famous company presidents came to me with interest rates over 50%. But the government only converted the loans to low-interest ones for the amounts they could trace. I had lent out over 300 billion won at that time.”
The total money supply in the 1970s was around 500 billion won. This meant he had over 300 billion won in cash at that time.
“I lavishly bribed the military government. The head of the Central Intelligence Agency, the Prime Minister, politicians. With 300 billion won at stake, what wouldn’t I have done?”
“Yes, I can imagine.”
“The company presidents and CEOs who knew me promised to pay back. But some of them acted tough and said they couldn’t pay. Do you know what I did?”
“I heard you managed to get the money back somehow.”
A cold smile appeared on Grandfather’s lips.
“Yes, if I couldn’t get the money, I would tear the company apart. I would offer the same business to other company presidents and lend them all the money. I would set fire to their factories and threaten their families. After that, no one in Korea dared to default on my money.”
The confident look on Grandfather’s face showed a man who had ruled the Myeongdong area for decades.
But I knew.
Once the IMF crisis hit and Grandfather suddenly collapsed, all those words would be just old talk.
A fear greater than the terror of the Loan King, the fear that their companies could go bankrupt at any time, would be deeply ingrained in their minds.
“The world is changing. It was the same during the real-name financial system. No one can predict how things will change. I think we need to adapt to these changes.”
“Change...”
“If we don’t prepare in advance, we might be swept away by the changes. I want to ride the wave of change and build a greater empire. When I take the seat you’re in, I want to create an empire of gold that no one can touch.”
Chairman Cheon narrowed his eyes and looked at me.
I met his gaze with a confident look.
After a while,
“Is Myunho outside?”
The waiting Secretary Ha opened the door and bowed.
“Did you call me, Chairman?”
“Show Muhyeok all the loan documents you manage.”
“All of them?”
“Yes, all of them. I’ll deal with the ones I have separately later. Start with the ones you manage.”
“Understood.”
Grandfather looked at me as if to say, “Is this what you wanted?”
I smiled and nodded.
“Let’s see what you mean by change.”
“I won’t disappoint you.”
The door to the study closed behind me.
Manager Ma, waiting outside the study, bowed slightly.
“About the visit?”
“It’s set for tomorrow afternoon.”
I nodded.
“Let’s go to my room.”
The real preparation starts now.
* * *
“The world has changed. My body isn’t what it used to be.”
“You’re still in good health, Chairman.”
In the study where Kim Muhyeok had left, Chairman Cheon and Secretary Ha were talking.
“See how Muhyeok handles things. Let him do as he wishes as much as possible. Only give advice when you think he’s gone too far.”
“Understood.”
Chairman Cheon’s distant gaze returned.
“When are Joo and Jisu coming?”
“Master Joo will arrive tomorrow. Miss Jisu will come next week.”
“I need to give them what they deserve.”
“I’ll prepare it.”
“When will Suhan be released? Can he be out before the end of the year?”
“It’s difficult this year, but he has promised to be pardoned on the 8.15 special amnesty next year.”
Chairman Cheon clicked his tongue.
Though his youngest son’s actions were unsatisfactory, it had been a long time since he had seen him.
“It’s too late. Try to get him out this year. Spend as much money as needed. As soon as he’s out, make him sign the divorce papers.”
“Understood.”
After Secretary Ha bowed and left, a small smile appeared on Chairman Cheon’s lips.
“An empire of gold... It sounds good.”
* * *
I was waiting in the lawyer’s meeting room for Cheonsu.
Cheonsu, who entered the meeting room with a bright expression, saw my face and his smile disappeared.
“What are you doing here? Why are you visiting me?”
I got up and smiled.
“What’s so strange about a nephew visiting his uncle? Sit down first.”
“Enough. I’ll get sick just looking at your face. Guard, I’m done.”
But the guard didn’t respond to Cheonsu’s words.
Feeling something was off, Cheonsu looked back and forth between the guard and me with a nervous expression.
I sat down first and gestured for him to do the same.
“Sit down. If you don’t want to lose everything you have now.”
“Huh, you already act like the successor. I’m disappointed.”
Cheonsu glared at the guard and sat down.
The guard, who had received my gaze, left the room, leaving only three of us in the meeting room.
Cheonsu glanced at Manager Ma standing behind me and looked at me with his arms crossed.
“What do you want?”
“Why do you keep being hostile towards me? What have I done wrong to you? I don’t understand.”
“Huh, the fact that you entered this family is a mistake. Just stay quietly in Busan. Why did you come and cause trouble in the family?”
“Did you know I was in Busan? Even Grandfather didn’t know.”
Cheonsu’s eyes wavered for a moment, but I didn’t miss it.
“What are you talking about? Father told me, so I knew.”
“Is that so? It could be.”
Cheonsu glanced at my face, which was leaning back in the chair, with suspicion.
It’s so obvious what you’re thinking.
I couldn’t hide my sneer.
“But Uncle, are you really going to keep lying? Just cleaning up after Big Uncle?”
“What? This brat, really!”
Cheonsu jumped up from his seat.
Manager Ma, standing behind me, took a step forward.
“What’s this brat? Don’t you have any manners?”
“Sit down, Mr. Cheonsu.”
Cheonsu shouted in a fit of rage, but Manager Ma didn’t budge.
Cheonsu’s voice gradually became smaller, intimidated by Manager Ma’s imposing presence.
“Sit down, Uncle.”
Cheonsu’s eyebrows twitched, but he sat down again.
“Did you come here to turn my stomach inside out? Damn, why did you come here to cause trouble?”
“I heard some strange stories about my parents’ death. Do you want to hear them?”
< I intend to create an empire of gold. > End