How a Salaryman Became an Underworld Boss

”Why are you wearing a suit?”

When I came downstairs dressed in a formal business suit, Mom looked at me with obvious confusion.

”Aren’t you going to the office?”

”It’s Saturday.”

”For a businessman, weekends are an unaffordable luxury.”

”I barely had time to notice, and my son has already become a grown man. I made breakfast, so eat before you leave.”

The three of us sat down at the table and started eating.

Meowy settled on the floor beside the table, happily devouring his beef.

Mom glanced at him before turning to me.

”Jiham, how much longer are we going to keep feeding Meowy this outrageously expensive beef?”

”Until he gets tired of it and refuses to eat it.”

”It looks like that little rascal ended up with a better life than ours.”

”Haha, that’s true. By the way, what are you two planning to do today?”

”I thought we’d go take a look around the university before Hyeonji graduates.”

”I’ll send the company car for you, so you can travel comfortably.”

”You shouldn’t use a company car for personal matters.”

Naturally, Mom was absolutely right.

Even so, I insisted on sending the company car solely because of the bodyguards.

If Mom and Hyeonji took the subway and buses, there would inevitably be vulnerabilities in their protection.

Of course, I could simply explain everything and tell them they were being protected, but that conversation would take far too long.

Deciding to save the detailed explanation for later, I lightly nudged my sister under the table with my foot and answered,

”You’re right, but Hyeonji uses that car sometimes too.”

”Mom, let’s just do what Big Brother says.”

Cha Hyeonji instantly caught on to what I was trying to do and immediately played along.

”But Hyeonji has nothing to do with your company.”

”Chairman Park treats her like his own granddaughter.”

”Ah, I see.”

Mom nodded in understanding, and relieved that the misunderstanding had been resolved, I continued,

”Why don’t you take Meowy with you too? He could use some fresh air.”

At that moment, the situation took an unexpected turn.

Hearing us talking about him, Meowy walked over to Mom and began rubbing affectionately against her.

She found it so adorable that she gently stroked his head.

Seeing that, Cha Hyeonji merely shook her head and said with exasperation,

”Mom, that little rascal has a dozen cunning snakes living inside him.”

”What makes you say that?”

”Because he’s unbelievably sly and calculating.”

Mom simply tilted her head in confusion as she listened to Hyeonji.

***

On my way to the office, I received a notice that Chairman Park Yeongil wanted to see me.

When I entered his office, I was greeted by a rather unexpected sight.

Chairman Yoon Jongu and Song Dosok were sitting on the sofa.

As I hesitated near the entrance, trying to assess the situation, Park Yeongil spoke first.

”I invited Chairman Yoon.”

”I see.”

I politely bowed to both Chairmen Park and Yoon before taking the empty seat.

The moment I sat down, Park Yeongil asked curiously,

”Were you able to clear up your mother’s misunderstanding?”

”Yes. She asked me to convey her sincere gratitude for your kindness.”

”Good.”

Chairman Yoon Jongu abruptly cut into the conversation.

”Director Cha, what misunderstanding was your mother talking about?”

”Chairman Park gave my mother a handbag and a pair of shoes as a welcoming gift.”

”Why would that make her suspicious?”

”Because Chairman Park didn’t tell me beforehand that he intended to give her such a gift.”

”Ah, I see,” Yoon Jongu nodded knowingly before turning toward Park Yeongil. ”All right, now tell me why you called me here.”

”Director Cho, you heard Chairman Yoon.”

”Yes, Chairman,” Cho Myeongsu answered quietly. Opening his binder, he continued, ”Our Chairman invited you here to share the results of the short-selling operation.”

”Excellent. Let’s begin with Korea Investment.”

”We used fifteen billion dollars from the fund and another fifteen billion from Chairman Park’s personal assets to short Golden Health shares. Our average selling price was one hundred fifteen dollars per share.”

”Our company also allocated the agreed thirty billion dollars. Our average short-selling price was approximately the same as Korea Investment’s,” Song Dosok reported immediately after Cho Myeongsu.

”Good. Director Cho, have we received the results from the Bongard and Gomez investment groups?”

”As a precaution against unforeseen circumstances, they opened their short positions through third-party proxies.”

”Hmm...”

Chairman Yoon Jongu thoughtfully tapped the sofa’s armrest with his fingers.

I understood perfectly well what was worrying him.

He was concerned that the short positions in Golden Health had been opened in the company’s name rather than by private investors.

As I was considering how to ease his concerns, he stopped tapping and looked directly at me.

”Director Cha, you know exactly what I’m worried about, don’t you?”

”Of course.”

”So what should we do?”

”If it weren’t for us, the U.S. government would never have dared move against the Triad’s American branches. We acted because we knew everything in advance. Even if legal complications arise, the heads of the Bongard and Gomez groups will back us up.”

”Shouldn’t we ask them in advance?”

”I’ll take care of it.”

”Fine. Let’s move on. Director Cho, where did Golden Health close today?”

”It posted a slight gain. Trading closed at one hundred eighteen dollars.”

Chairman Yoon Jongu raised his eyebrows in surprise.

They had dumped short positions equal to thirty percent of Golden Health’s total market capitalization onto the market.

Investors could clearly see selling volumes of that magnitude, so by every rule of the market the share price should have fallen.

Instead, contrary to all logic, it had actually risen slightly.

Without hesitation, he asked Cho Myeongsu whether the reason for the increase had been identified.

”I found it strange as well, so I contacted Chief Secretary Louis Williams. It turns out Golden Health’s management deliberately released several positive news stories to the press in order to support the stock price.”

”Hmm, I see. And what kind of return are we targeting?”

”Director Cha believes sixty to seventy percent is the optimal target.”

Every person in the room immediately looked at me.

Knowing exactly what they were expecting, I began speaking without delay.

”Since the Chinese Triad took control of Golden Health, the company’s value has risen by nearly three hundred percent. But once the stock starts falling, the avalanche won’t be stopped.”

”Wouldn’t it make more sense to aim for an even higher return?”

”The target return is only a guideline.”

In other words, depending on how events unfolded, the final numbers could change dramatically.

”So what do we need to do to maximize our profits?”

”The simplest and most effective method is for the heads of the Bongard and Gomez groups to spread the necessary rumors throughout the market themselves.”

Bzzz!

At that moment, the phone lying on the table vibrated powerfully.

A quick glance at the screen showed the caller was FBI Director Glenn Nevers.

Already guessing why he was calling, I answered immediately.

”I’m listening, Director Nevers.”

”[Director Cha, we’ve confirmed that Zhang Silin is a Chinese citizen who permanently resides in Macau.]”

”Are you absolutely certain?”

”[Yes, but...]”

I immediately understood why Director Nevers had hesitated.

”My acquaintance insists he was swindled by a Korean man named Jeong Sanhak.”

”[So you believe Jeong Sanhak and Zhang Silin are the same person?]”

”Exactly. Director Nevers, could you send me Zhang Silin’s file?”

”[I’ll send it as soon as we hang up.]”

”I’m sincerely grateful for the FBI’s continued support.”

”[Come now. That’s nothing compared to everything you’ve done for us.]”

”Haha, you’re making me embarrassed.”

”[By the way, could you tell me more about this Jeong Sanhak?]”

”According to the restaurant owner who was victimized, the man runs a front trading company in Macau. He’s around forty years old and approximately one hundred seventy-five centimeters tall.”

I told the FBI Director everything I had learned from Jang Seokcho without leaving anything out.

”...One more thing. His way of speaking was very different from that of ordinary people.”

”[Do you mean he spoke with a regional dialect?]”

”I thought so too and asked Mr. Jang about it, but he insists the scammer spoke perfectly standard Korean.”

”[I see. Is it possible he’s simply using someone else’s identity?]”

”That’s our leading theory.”

”[If we can obtain his photograph, we’ll identify his real identity very quickly.]”

”You think that’s possible?”

”[Never underestimate the capabilities of American intelligence agencies.]”

At that moment, an idea suddenly occurred to me.

”I understand. If we’re lucky, we may be able to obtain a photograph of this Jeong Sanhak.”

”[How?]”

”There’s a Scorpion Gang in South Korea that’s closely connected to him.”

”[Ah, now I understand. As soon as you obtain the photograph, send it to me immediately.]”

”I will. By the way, how are preparations for the operation against the Triad’s American branches progressing?”

”[Right now we’re conducting the final operational review together with the Gomez crime family and our military forces.]”

”I have complete confidence in the professionalism of everyone involved.”

”[Hahaha, thank you for your kind words.]”

I deliberately flattered Director Nevers because I had a very specific objective in mind.

”There’s something else I need to tell you.”

”[There’s no need. I already know everything.]”

”...How?”

”[Chairman Gomez personally informed me that you’ve opened substantial short positions against Golden Health.]”

”And here I was worrying for nothing.”

”[Without Korea Investment’s timely assistance, we never would have succeeded in wiping out the Triad along with its entire drug trafficking network. Considering everything you’ve done, we’ll simply overlook it this time.]”

”Thank you for your understanding. I also sincerely hope you’ll capture Triad Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui alive.”

”[Naturally. We must take him alive.]”

Director Nevers’ voice was filled with absolute confidence.

After exchanging a few more routine remarks, I ended the call.

As soon as I put down my phone, Chairman Yoon Jongu immediately asked,

”What did the FBI Director say?”

”He already knows about our short positions from Chairman Gomez and promised they’ll overlook them this time.”

”Phew... Thank goodness. By the way, who exactly is this Jeong Sanhak?”

”My mother worked at a restaurant in the center of Taebaek for nearly twenty years.”

I told Chairman Yoon everything my mother and restaurant owner Jang Seokcho had told me, without leaving anything out.

”...That’s why I intend to completely eliminate this gang of card sharks.”

”I sympathize with poor Mr. Jang, but is it really worth going this far?”

”It’s obvious Mr. Jang isn’t the only victim this fraud syndicate has swindled.”

”That’s true.”

”That’s exactly why I brought it up. I’ll need to make a business trip to Macau very soon.”

”But why can’t you simply leave the job of eliminating those criminals to Secretary Kang?”

Chairman Yoon Jongu’s question clearly revealed that he didn’t want me going to Macau.

Naturally, I already had more than enough convincing arguments prepared, so I wasn’t worried in the slightest.

”Chairman Yoon, surely you remember K&J Bio, the company that caused Korea Investment enormous losses?”

”How could I forget those scoundrels?”

”We’ve received intelligence that the company’s fugitive former CEO, Go Yeongjun, is currently hiding in Macau.”

”Hmm. So you’re going there to capture him personally?”

”Exactly, Chairman Yoon.”

”In that case, go. It would be wonderful if you could catch that bastard and recover all of our frozen money.”

”I’ll do everything in my power.”

With those words, I turned toward Kang Inhan.

”Secretary Kang, do you think any of the arrested Scorpion Gang members might have a photograph of Jeong Sanhak?”

”Almost certainly.”

”We need to obtain that photograph. Can you arrange it?”

”I’ll find a way. But can they really identify him from a single photograph?”

”If the FBI says they can, I’m inclined to trust their capabilities.”

Ding!

At that moment, my phone chimed.

It appeared Director Nevers had already sent Zhang Silin’s file.

Quickly navigating through the menu, I forwarded the email to Kang Inhan before continuing,

”Secretary Kang, I’ve just forwarded everything on Zhang Silin to you. Send it to Team Leader Lee Hyeonsol, who’s currently coordinating our operational team in Macau.”

”Yes, understood.”

After giving his brief acknowledgment, Kang Inhan hurried out of the office.

Chairman Yoon Jongu watched him leave thoughtfully before quietly murmuring, almost to himself,

”It looks like things are about to get very turbulent in Macau.”