บท 121: Chapter 121: A Distinct Difference from Mr. Park
After a long absence, I finally arrived at the house in Pyeongchang-dong.
"Welcome, Young Master," came a warm greeting.
A familiar face greeted me with a smile.
I approached, my face lighting up with joy.
"Chief, you're already discharged? You should rest a bit longer. Don't push yourself too hard!"
"How can I just lie around when the Chairman is worried? Haha! I can move around just fine now. The doctor comes to check on me every three days too," he said cheerfully.
Chief Ha's complexion wasn't the best, but a gentle smile played on his face, something I hadn't seen in a long time.
"What about Grandfather?"
"He's in the study."
"Hmm, was the repair completed?"
"Yes, it seems like the study is his favorite place, especially since he has spent a long time there."
"I should pay him a visit then."
I arrived at the study door and spoke softly
"Grandfather, it's Mu-hyeok."
There was no response.
I cautiously opened the door.
There sat my grandfather, eyes closed, on his desk chair.
My heart dropped.
"Grandfather?"
"Hmm? Is that you, Mu-hyeok?"
He slowly opened his eyes and smiled at me.
"If you're tired, you should go lie down."
"I must have dozed off. Did you finish everything in the U.S.?"
"Yes."
Grandfather nodded, but a look of sadness crossed his face.
"Now I have nothing left to do."
"Just by sitting there, you provide us with great strength. Please don't say that."
"Myung-hoon told me he plans to create the Taesan Financial Group."
"Oh, you heard? I was going to tell you once it was finalized."
My grandfather looked at me with a troubled expression.
"I fear it may be a reckless endeavor."
"I understand your concerns, but I want to leave behind your name. One day, the world, no, the whole nation will know your name, Grandfather."
"But it could be a weakness for you."
"How could being your grandson be a weakness? I respect you deeply. I can't even begin to imagine how hard it must have been to gain such influence in the loan market."
"Haha, an old man is just happy to hear such things."
Just then, my grandfather began to cough violently.
"Grandfather."
"I'm fine. This happens sometimes."
I rushed over in alarm, but he waved me off and took a sip of water.
The coughing eventually subsided, but I couldn't hide my worry.
"It's natural to weaken as we age, but I want to see you get married before I pass."
"I haven't thought about marriage yet."
"I know it all too well. You're keeping quiet because you don't want to worry me. Didn't you say you and Hyun-ji were like siblings?"
"Yes, but after entering university, we drifted apart. She's too free-spirited, and it just doesn't suit me."
Living that way is probably the happiest for her.
"I bet Song-ga is regretting it."
"Haha, she didn't say anything. I doubt she was expecting much."
"That's true."
Despite saying that, I could see the disappointment on my grandfather's face.
"If I meet a girl I truly like, I'll bring her to you first. Don't worry too much."
"Of course you'll know what to do. Just make sure not to do it after I'm gone."
My grandfather, once the king of the loan shark market, seemed less imposing now. After the revenge, he appeared more like an ordinary old man with no more desires.
"You'll live a long time, won't you?"
"Of course. I want to see my great-grandchild before I pass."
In an ideal world, Cheon Ji-won would have been married already, giving him a great-grandchild.
A lot had changed because of me.
"You should call the other cousins to meet. I'm fine by myself."
"No need. Those who don't think to look for me aren't worth it anyway."
My grandfather frowned as he muttered about Ji-young and Ji-soo, perhaps feeling angered at their neglect
"But I knew he would be pretended to be welcoming if they came to visit first."
"Ji-young visits often, right? It's been ages since I saw her too."
"Yes, she comes about once a week. I wonder what could keep her so busy… You should check it out."
"Sure."
"Alright, I'll let you rest. You must be tired after your trip."
I wanted to talk to my grandfather a bit more, but he seemed tired, so I quickly fell silent.
"Yes, please take care of yourself."
Upon stepping out of the study, I noticed Chief Ha and Manager Ma deep in conversation.
"I'm going to rest for a bit, so you two continue your talk."
I waved Manager Ma, who tried to follow me, to stay behind, and went up to the second floor alone.
After a quick nap in my room, I headed to a club in Gangnam to meet Lee Sang-geun as the sun began to set.
"Welcome, Sir."
From the entrance, I was greeted by Lee Sang-geun himself. Though he looked a bit thinner, it was good to see him looking well-groomed.
"Let's head inside first."
We walked further inside together.
Once we reached a reserved room, just the three of us, Manager Ma included, Lee Sang-geun wasted no time and got straight to the point.
"Sir, I've contacted you because I need some assistance. I apologize for the trouble."
"It's no problem. Please speak."
"I intend to wrap this up tonight."
I nodded in understanding.
"It might cause a commotion. Please temporarily hold off the police and prosecutors. Once all is finished, I'll have the responsible parties turn themselves in."
Unlike Park Dong-soo, he knew how to useme.
He truly was someone extraordinary.
"You're not planning to cause a brawl in the middle of the street, are you?"
"I wouldn't dare to. If that happens, we'd be torn to shreds. As long as we secure a hotel in Gangbuk, that should be most of it. In the end, it's the influence of Director Han that comes from the elders."
There was a dangerous glint in his eyes as he spoke.
"I planned to keep it quiet. I wanted to hold back for Dong-soo hyung's sake. But they keep disturbing the organization. At first, they didn't waver, but now each has their own ideas."
Human greed knows no bounds.
Despite having their own territories, they always want to take from others—that's human desire.
"Are the odds in our favor?"
"Dong-soo hyung's influence hasn't just vanished yet. He was respected, after all. There are many favorable individuals. But with his absence, that could easily change. We must snip it off before it happens."
Though he was now a handful of ashes, Park Dong-soo's remnants still ligered.
I signaled to Manager Ma behind me.
He bowed his head before slipping outside.
"I'll stall them for now. It shouldn't get too loud."
"Thank you."
Lee Sang-geun again bowed his head in gratitude.
"I plan to eliminate all obstructive individuals taking this opportunity. Though I'll try to restrain from killing, I do intend to send at least one as an example to Dong-soo hyung."
"Are you going to act yourself?"
"Yes. I need to do this personally. Only then will the others fear me."
"Just don't overexpose yourself like Park Dong-soo did. That's too danerous."
"I understand."
It seems like Lee Sang-geun has become more resolute since Park Dong-soo's demise.
Moments later, Manager Ma came back in and whispered his report.
I nodded and then told Lee Sang-geun
"For now, the police won't be showing up. But finish everything within an hour and withdraw."
"Thank you. I'll get in touch as soon as it's over."
Lee Sang-geun stood, bowing slightly.
I also got up and walked over to pat him on the shoulder.
"Though Park Dong-soo was a good man, tha's not what I expect from you, Sir. I'm sure you understand what my words mean better than anyone."
"Yes, Sir. Don't worry about it."
I left him behind and stepped outside.
"What about Eva?"
"I still haven't been able to contact her."
"Hmm…"
Things might not be going well for her in Hong Kong.
Since we brought in Eva, there had never been a day without contact—she would give updates daily or every other day without fail.
My worries were beginning to grow.
"Send someone to check on her."
"Yes, Boss."
In the distance, I could see Lee Sang-geun's subordinates hustling around busily.
It seemed tonight was going to be quite noisy.
The next day.
Early in the morning, my phone rang with a call from Lee Sang-geun.
"Did everything go well?"
— Yes, I managed to subdue all the elders. It ended up being easier than I thought.
"I bet the old geezers were pretty rattled?"
— They likely didn't expect such an immediate intrusion. I'll meet with you and report properly.
"Understood. Come to Myeong-dong. You know my office?"
— Yes. I'll head over right away.
While I waited for him to arrive, I enjoyed a cup of coffee.
"Sir."
Lee Sang-geun entered, his face adorned with a rather large bandage.
"Looks like you got hurt."
"Just a graze."
"I told you to stay back. If something serious were to happen, like with Park, what would you do?"
"I know. It was an unexpected attack, so I couldn't react in time. Fortunately, our side didn't suffer much damage."
"That's a relief. Please, take a seat."
I poured him a cup of coffee once he was seated.
"Thank you."
"Explain as you drink."
After a sip of coffee, Lee Sang-geun began to speak, looking at me.
"The opposing side was completely unprepared. Thanks to that, we were able to subdue them with minimal conflict."
"What about injuries?"
"One of their guys unexpectedly pulled a knife, and I got cut while dodging. That was my own fault for letting my guard down."
Whether they were overly comfortable with Dong-soo's peace or underestimating Lee Sang-geun, I couldn't tell, but it was good we managed with minimal losses.
"What about Director Han or the guy they were backing?"
With a cool smile, Lee Sang-geun muttered
"He's likely somewhere in the waters off Incheon."
Lee Sang-geun was definitely different from Park Dong-soo.
He completely eliminated any potential threats that could have caused problems for him.
I nodded in agreement.
"One of the directors who managed to escape will lose a leg, while the others will lose a finger each."
"Aren't there going to be any ripples from this?"
"I have the right to speak. How can they want to stir up dissent so soon after Dong-soo hyung's death? It took a lot of effort to consolidate everything; we can't allow it to fall apart again. If dialogue is possible, I will resolve it through negotiation. But I will not shy away from addressing it with force, unlike Dong-soo hyung who sought peace in all things."
That was the answer I had been waiting for.
Finally, we had a proper weapon at our disposal.
"I intend to take this opportunity. It might get a bit loud. Even if I retire all the seniors, some foolish individuals will still remain who don't know their place."
"Don't let it get too loud. For now, all eyes are on the Cheongpung Group due to the news, but if gangsters start making a racket, the public's attention could switch to us."
"Understood, I'll handle it as quietly as possible. Some cleaning up will be necessary."
"You're being too lenient, Dong-soo hyung was good, but that's not the way things should be."
"Yes, he was a good brother…"
Thoughts of Park Dong-soo interrupted our conersation for a moment.
I soon shook off the memories and continued speaking
"I'll prevent the police from being involved. However, once everything concludes, I'll need to hand over the culpable parties."
"I'll arrange lawyers beforehand."
"If you need funds, just ask."
"No, this isn't something that can be resolved with money. Even without it, we are fine with our companies and businesses."
"Haha, I see. So you're one of those people who doesn't want money? Is the orphanage fine?"
"Thanks to you, we're doing really well without any shortages."
Lee Sang-geun's only weakness was the orphanage he grew up in.
His efforts to toughen up were all to ensure its survival, and even after passing the bar exam with good grades, he chose to become a lawyer for money.
"You don't need to worry about the orphanage. Focus on what you want to do. I trust you with it."
"Understood, Sir."
Lee Sang-geun stood and bowed once more before leaving.
"Let's go. How about grabbing a meal together?"
"Sure."
As I stepped out, a name suddenly popped into my mind.
"Oh, that person I mentioned last time… What was their name? The one who just went into the detention center?"
"Are you referring to Bae Beom-gyu?"
"Is he doing alright?"
"Of course."
I had confirmed who was being detained alongside the Cheongpung Group and asked Lee Sang-geun to keep an eye on them.
"I know they're people of significance, so it might weigh on your mind. But they're all individuals who have just lost everything they had. Handle it properly and leave them with no chance to survive or live comfortably."
"Because they're prosecutors, the members inside are even more excited. They're anxiously gnashing their teeth, waiting for their turn."
In situations like this, gangsters were quite convenient.
They effectively controlled the detention centers and prisons across the country.
If I could mobilize them, I could exact revenge without muddying my own hands.
"Make sure they don't attempt any suicides."
"It's something I'm experienced in. You don't need to worry about that."
Just the thought of Bae Beom-gyu squirming in the detention center made me chuckle.
It had been a week since I returned to Korea.
The war between Myeong-dong Capital and Rush & Money was drawing to a close.
Many Japanese loan companies had already begun to withdraw, and soon rumors of Rush & Money's retreat started circulating in Myeong-dong.
News about the Cheongpung Group, which had swallowed all issues in the Republic, was also fading, moving people's attention away.
"Have you had any luck finding Eva?"
"No, after her last trace in Hong Kong, she has disappeared. The bodyguard who was with her has also vanished."
"I have a bad feeling about this…"
Meanwhile, I was struggling with thoughts of Eva who went to Hong Kong.
I had even sent someone to search for her, but it was as if she had completely vanished into thin air.
"She knows so much about me. No matter the cost, make sure to find her. Even if it's just her body."
"Yes, Boss."
I had briefly checked my accounts, heart racing, but there was no movement of money whatsoever.
"What about the CEO of Peregrine?"
"The last person to meet him told us that he went out to meet someone but hasn't contacted anyone since."
If Eva had betrayed me, I would kill her.
But if something had happened to her, I needed to find who was responsible and eliminate them
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