How a Salaryman Became an Underworld Boss

Toward evening.

Following behind Chairman Park Yeongil, I entered the estate grounds. In the garden, Cha Hyeonji and Saho were happily playing together.

Against the backdrop of the crimson-tinted evening sky, the scene was so enchanting that it looked as though it had come straight out of a painter’s masterpiece.

The moment Saho spotted me, as always, he came charging over at full speed and leaped directly into my arms.

Cha Hyeonji, who had been running a short distance behind the cat, respectfully bowed to Chairman Park Yeongil.

”Good evening, Chairman. Have you been well?”

”Very well, of course. But why have you been visiting me so rarely?”

Since Cha Hyeonji was my younger sister, Chairman Park had spoken to her casually from the very first time they met.

And Hyeonji herself considered such an informal manner from an elderly man to be perfectly natural.

”I’m very sorry. I’ve been so busy with my midterm exams that I haven’t even had a chance to lift my head.”

”I see. That’s certainly a respectable reason. I was thinking of grilling some premium marbled beef over at the pavilion. You don’t mind, do you?”

At that very moment, something completely unexpected happened.

The instant Saho heard the word ”beef,” he completely lost his mind with excitement and launched himself straight at Chairman Park Yeongil.

The old man had never expected such an attack. He let out a startled cry and fell flat onto the garden lawn.

”Oh!”

Alarmed, we rushed toward the fallen Chairman. Meanwhile, the culprit behind the entire commotion realized what he had done and had already fled to hide some distance away.

We carefully helped Chairman Park Yeongil to his feet, supported him as we escorted him to the pavilion, and seated him on a bench. I anxiously asked,

”Chairman, are you hurt? Are you all right?”

”I’m fine. I was simply startled.”

”Thank goodness.”

While I was breathing a sigh of relief, Saho quietly crawled over, flattened himself against the ground, and adorably stretched out at Chairman Park Yeongil’s feet.

The old man gently stroked the cat’s head, forgiving him without the slightest trace of resentment.

Unfortunately, I had absolutely no intention of letting the little rascal off so easily.

Showing no mercy whatsoever, I gave Saho a solid smack on the back of the head.

Smack!

”You foolish cat! Do you have any idea how old the Chairman is?”

...

”You’d better behave properly next time!”

Saho obediently nodded his head up and down, making it clear that he understood the lesson.

After the commotion finally settled down, Chairman Park quietly said,

”Director Cha, there’s still some time before dinner. Shall we take a little walk?”

We followed Chairman Park Yeongil as he leisurely strolled through the most secluded corners of his enormous garden. Following his silent lead, we eventually reached the perimeter fence, where I noticed a small, neatly built gate.

”Huh? Since when was there a gate here?”

While I wondered to myself, Chairman Park walked directly toward it. Hyeonji and I exchanged confused glances before quietly following behind him.

The moment the old man gave a slight nod, Chief Secretary Kang Inhan immediately stepped forward and politely opened the gate.

Chairman Park Yeongil turned toward me, smiled at my thoroughly bewildered expression, and said,

”That house belongs to me as well.”

”Oh... I see.”

”Then let’s go inside and have a look.”

The moment we stepped through the gate, we found ourselves inside another beautiful, meticulously maintained garden.

It was somewhat smaller than Chairman Park’s own garden, but it was maintained to absolute perfection—not a single weed could be seen.

Perhaps the only distinctive feature was the fairly spacious vegetable garden off to one side.

Beyond the garden stood a mansion every bit as large as Chairman Park Yeongil’s own residence.

Unable to suppress my curiosity any longer, I finally asked,

”Chairman... who lives here now?”

”Let’s go inside first. I’ll explain everything there.”

Leaving behind that intriguing answer, Chairman Park headed toward the mansion’s entrance.

The moment I stepped inside, I felt a strange sense of emptiness.

Nearly all of the furniture, including the sofas, had been carefully covered with protective plastic sheets.

Chief Secretary Kang Inhan approached one of the sofas and neatly removed its cover, releasing the unmistakable scent of expensive, finely crafted leather into the air.

Chairman Park took the seat of honor, while Hyeonji, Secretary Kang, and I sat beside him.

Looking around the spacious living room with obvious satisfaction, Chairman Park asked his trusted aide,

”Secretary Kang, when did you say the renovation would be finished?”

”The workers are currently completing the final touches. At the latest, everything will be fully finished by tomorrow evening.”

”Excellent.”

Chairman Park Yeongil nodded with satisfaction before turning his sharp gaze toward me.

”Director Cha, do you remember what I promised you last winter?”

Of course I remembered.

Chairman Park had firmly promised that if I successfully completed my internship at Hangang Group and became a full-time employee, he would give me a home large enough for my entire family to live together comfortably.

At the end of last month, I had officially become a permanent employee.

That meant I had fully earned the reward he had promised.

But even in my wildest dreams, I had never imagined he was talking about such an enormous, luxurious, unbelievably expensive mansion.

If someone still possessed even a shred of conscience, how could they possibly accept such an extravagant gift without hesitation?

”Of course I remember your promise, Chairman... but this house is simply too large for us.”

”Originally, I planned to give you a nice apartment. But because of Saho, I changed my mind. As it happened, this property came up for sale at exactly the right time. If you truly don’t like it here, just tell me, and I’ll find another place.”

”Well... at least I refused once, for the sake of my conscience.”

To be perfectly honest, compared to the enormous fortune I would eventually inherit from Chairman Park Yeongil, this mansion was merely a drop in the ocean.

”I am deeply touched by your generosity, Chairman, and sincerely grateful for such an incredible gift.”

”Ha-ha-ha!”

My answer was clearly exactly what the old man wanted to hear, and he burst into hearty, booming laughter.

Once his cheerful laughter subsided, Chief Secretary Kang Inhan spoke.

”Director Cha, this mansion has one basement level and three above-ground floors. It comes fully furnished with premium furniture and household appliances. When you move in, you’ll only need to bring your personal belongings. As for the layout, the first floor has been prepared for your grandfather and grandmother, the second floor is for your mother and Miss Cha Hyeonji, and the entire third floor has been designed exclusively for you.”

”And when will we be able to move in?”

”Since the renovation will be completed tomorrow, you may move in the day after tomorrow.”

”I understand.”

”I’ll finish all of the ownership transfer paperwork within next week.”

Legally, in order for the property to be transferred into my name, I would normally have had to pay Chairman Park Yeongil the value of the house, along with the gift tax and various related fees.

But at the moment, I simply didn’t have enough personal savings to cover such an enormous amount.

After hesitating for a moment, I explained the situation to Secretary Kang Inhan and asked how we should handle it.

”The Chairman is transferring this house to you free of charge, so you won’t be paying anything for the property itself. Naturally, the Chairman will also personally cover the gift tax.”

”May I ask what this mansion is actually worth on the market?”

”I’m afraid I can’t give you an exact figure. I can only tell you that its officially assessed value is approximately 5 billion won.”

Since luxury real estate always sold for considerably more than its assessed value, that meant the mansion was worth far more than 5 billion won.

The amount was absolutely astronomical.

The responsibility that came with such a gift was equally immense, but I ultimately decided to accept it with gratitude, considering it an advance payment for the hard work I would continue to do in the future.

”I understand. Then what taxes will I personally need to pay?”

”You’ll only be responsible for the registration tax, the local education tax, and the document processing fees. Altogether, they’ll come to approximately 180 million won. However, please keep in mind that those taxes can be paid within sixty days after the ownership transfer takes effect.”

”In that case, there won’t be any problem.”

Curious about our conversation, Cha Hyeonji suddenly interrupted.

”Big Brother... are you saying you actually have enough money to pay taxes like that?”

Chairman Park Yeongil intended to invest 8 billion dollars—roughly 11 trillion won—into purchasing shares of the Bongard Group.

Assuming the investment yielded only a thirty percent return, my fifteen percent share alone would amount to an astonishing 1.25 billion dollars.

We planned to sell our Bongard Group shares no later than next week, so I would have absolutely no difficulty paying the taxes.

However, if I told Hyeonji the entire truth, it would inevitably lead to an endless barrage of exhausting questions.

So I gave her a perfectly official explanation instead.

”I’m planning to use the two million dollars you received as compensation for your traffic accident.”

”Oh, right! I’d completely forgotten we had that money.”

I gave the now-silent Hyeonji an encouraging nod before turning back to Chairman Park Yeongil.

”Chairman, my grandparents and my mother still have no idea that we’ve been given such an incredible house. I think it’s only right that I visit them in person and tell them face to face.”

”I completely agree. That’s exactly what you should do. When are you planning to go home?”

”Next week is going to be extremely busy, so I’ll head to Gangwon Province tomorrow.”

At that moment, Cha Jiham was carefully calculating the dates while keeping in mind the upcoming visit to South Korea by Chairmen Hudson and Bongard.

”What are you planning to use [N O V E L I G H T] to get there?”

”My hometown is deep in the countryside, and public transportation is quite limited. I was planning to borrow one of Hangang Group’s company cars so I could make the trip as quickly as possible.”

”Secretary Kang, did you hear Director Cha?”

”Yes, Chairman. I’ll personally drive them to Taebaek in Gangwon Province and bring them back.”

However, I quickly and politely declined Chief Secretary Kang Inhan’s offer.

”Chairman, my family still believes I’m nothing more than an ordinary employee at Hangang Group. If Secretary Kang accompanies us, his appearance and bearing might frighten them.”

”Hmm. That’s a fair point. Very well. Then can you drive?”

”I used to work as a delivery rider, and I also spent quite a bit of time working as a designated driver.”

After listening to my answer, Chairman Park simply turned toward his secretary.

”Secretary Kang, make the necessary arrangements.”

”Yes, Chairman.”

”As for us, we’d better leave now so Director Cha and Miss Cha Hyeonji can take their time looking around their new home.”

Once Chairman Park Yeongil and Chief Secretary Kang Inhan departed, Cha Hyeonji turned toward me with a completely stunned expression.

”Big Brother... tell me... we’re not dreaming, are we?”

”If you’re not sure, pinch your cheek and find out.”

After casually tossing out that standard response, I tucked Saho under one arm and headed upstairs to the third floor, which now belonged entirely to me.

There was an enormous living room there—larger than our current two-bedroom apartment—and three spacious bedrooms.

After carefully examining each room, I returned to the living room.

Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, I watched the crimson sun slowly sink beyond the distant mountain ridges, leaving a brilliant trail of fire across the evening sky.

After quietly admiring the breathtaking view, I went downstairs to the second floor.

There I was greeted by a rather amusing sight.

Cha Hyeonji was enthusiastically running from room to room, recording every single corner with her phone.

”Hyeonji, what are you doing?”

”What else, Big Brother? I have to show Grandpa, Grandma, and Mom what our new house looks like!”

”Right. Good idea. Keep filming.”

I replied with feigned indifference before heading downstairs with Saho to the first floor.

I had just finished carefully inspecting the rooms downstairs when my sister came down from above.

”So? Finished with the second and third floors?”

”Yep. All that’s left is filming the garden.”

”Right. We have a garden too.”

With a playful sigh, I slowly walked outside.

***

The drive from Seoul to my hometown of Taebaek in Gangwon Province normally took around four hours.

But since today was the weekend, traffic would easily add another two hours.

I had planned to leave as early as possible to avoid the morning congestion.

Unfortunately, Saho threw an outright tantrum because he wanted to come with us, and that was why we were still stuck at home.

”Big Brother, I think Saho really wants to get out for some fresh air too. Why don’t we take him with us?”

The biggest reason I absolutely refused to bring him was because of my grandparents.

Having spent their entire lives in a remote mountain village, they would immediately recognize Saho’s true nature.

And if that happened, I’d have to spend ages explaining exactly how and why we’d ended up taking in a sacred wild animal.

Completely unaware of the cat’s true identity, Cha Hyeonji continued pleading with an innocent expression.

But I couldn’t tell her the truth, either.

”I’m sorry, Hyeonji, but Saho is staying home.”

”But why?”

Instead of answering, I picked up the resisting cat, carried him into another room, closed the door, and firmly explained the situation.

”...If your true identity is revealed, we won’t be able to keep living together under the same roof. Knowing that, do you still want to come with us?”

After hearing my explanation, Saho obediently shook his head.

Silently thanking heaven, I gently stroked his neck and added,

”I’ll do everything I can to come back before this evening. So be a good boy and guard the house.”

Once I had calmed him down, I returned to the living room, where Hyeonji immediately bombarded me with questions.

”So? Did Saho agree to stay home?”

”Yes. We came to an understanding. Let’s hurry before that little rascal changes his mind.”

After quickly getting ready, we stepped outside.

A tremendous surprise was waiting for us.

Parked by the roadside were a luxurious executive sedan and a spacious minivan.

Even more surprising, Security Team Leader Jeong Gwangseok stood beside them with seven sturdy security personnel.

The moment they saw us, every one of them bowed sharply in perfect unison before shouting at the top of their lungs,

”Good morning, Director Cha! It’s an honor to see you!”

”Team Leader Jeong... what’s all this? What’s going on?”

”We received the Chairman’s personal orders to guarantee your safety and Miss Cha Hyeonji’s safety with round-the-clock protection throughout this trip.”

”Come on. Our country has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. Besides, every member of the Chinese Triad has already been arrested. There’s really no need for security like this.”

”Director Cha, we’re simply carrying out our orders.”

Their unwavering expressions made it perfectly clear that none of my objections would change anything.

”My hometown is a tiny village where everyone knows everyone else. They’ll think something is very strange if we arrive with a convoy like this.”

”We’ve already taken that into consideration. We’ll escort you only as far as the entrance to your village. After that, we’ll wait at a safe distance.”

”Well... if that’s the case, I suppose there’s nothing I can do. Where are the car keys?”

”The Chairman felt that your driving experience might not be sufficient for such a long journey, so he personally instructed me to drive.”

”...Good grief.”

Letting out a defeated sigh, I quietly settled into the front passenger seat of the luxurious sedan.