How a Salaryman Became an Underworld Boss

Bzz—

I was taking a break, playfully bickering with Saho, when my phone suddenly vibrated.

Picking up the phone lying by the head of the bed and checking the caller ID, I was genuinely surprised.

It was Wei Fei.

The reason for her call was obvious enough, so I hurriedly answered.

”Miss Wei Fei, were you able to find out where Director Go Yeongjun is hiding?”

[”Not exactly where he’s hiding, but I found out where he is right now and what he’s doing.”]

”Already?”

[”There are nearly thirty thousand members of our organization operating in Macau.”]

I couldn’t help being astonished.

Macau was roughly the size of Seoul’s Songpa District and had a population of around six hundred thousand.

If thirty thousand of those people—five percent of the entire population—were members of the Triad, how could anyone not be shocked?

”I had no idea the Triad had so many people here.”

[”We used to have even more, but the Ministry of Public Security’s relentless crackdowns have thinned our ranks considerably. Director Go Yeongjun is currently having dinner with a disgusting man at the MGM Macau hotel’s restaurant.”]

A disgusting man? Who could that be?

”Have you confirmed that it’s really Director Go Yeongjun?”

[”I sent you his photo in a message. Take a look.”]

I immediately opened the picture Wei Fei had sent.

Director Go Yeongjun had always been a rather handsome man, standing 178 centimeters tall and weighing about seventy-five kilograms.

But the man in the photograph was a genuine giant, weighing well over a hundred kilograms, with an extremely bloated face.

On top of that, he had grown both a mustache and a beard, making him look like a completely different person.

”Miss Wei Fei, are you certain the man in the photo is Director Go?”

[”I recorded his conversation with that disgusting man. Listen to it, then call me back.”]

Click.

Apparently offended, Wei Fei unilaterally ended the call.

”She pouts like a child.”

Bzz—

As I muttered to myself, my phone vibrated again.

I opened the video.

On the screen, the man presumed to be Director Go Yeongjun was having dinner with a Chinese man who looked to be just under thirty years old.

Unfortunately, they spoke exclusively in Chinese, so I couldn’t understand a single word.

Deciding to ask Seo Donghun, the leader of Team One, who was fluent in Chinese, for help, I picked up Saho and headed downstairs.

Fortunately, Chief Secretary Kang Inhan was already downstairs talking with Lee Hyeonsol, the leader of the debt recovery department, and Jeong Gwangseok, the head of the security team.

”Director, has something happened?” Kang Inhan asked as he stood up from the sofa.

Instead of answering, I handed my phone to Jeong Gwangseok and instructed,

”Team Leader Jeong, prepare everything so we can watch this video. Team Leader Lee, please bring Team Leader Seo.”

A short while later, Lee Hyeonsol returned with Seo Donghun.

By then, Jeong Gwangseok had already finished setting everything up.

”Wei Fei sent this video. It shows someone who looks like Director Go Yeongjun having dinner with a Chinese man. Team Leader Seo, please translate their conversation.”

”Yes, I’ll take care of it.”

”Team Leader Jeong, play it.”

The moment Jeong Gwangseok pressed play, footage of the dinner appeared on the television.

Watching the screen, Kang Inhan tilted his head in confusion.

”Director Cha, are you saying that man is Director Go Yeongjun?”

”I had my doubts too, but Wei Fei insists it’s him.”

At that moment, their conversation began playing clearly through the speakers.

[”Director Go, do you think it’s already safe enough for you to show yourself in public?”]

[”Just to be safe, I gained a full thirty kilograms and even underwent plastic surgery. The chances of anyone recognizing me are zero.”]

[”As always, you’ve thought of everything.”]

[”Ha ha. I’ll take that as a compliment.”]

Just then, Kang Inhan seemed to remember something important and turned to Lee Hyeonsol.

”Do you still have that voice recording of Director Go we obtained before he fled to China?”

”One moment. I’ll get it.”

Lee Hyeonsol hurried into one of the bedrooms, returned with a flash drive, plugged it into the television, and started the audio recording.

[”Chairman Park, thank you sincerely for investing such an enormous amount in our company.”]

[”I invested because I recognized K&J Bio’s growth potential, not because of Director Go...”]

Halfway through the recording, something unexpected happened.

Saho walked over to the television, bared his fangs, and let out a threatening growl.

”Grrrr...”

The reason behind the wildcat’s reaction was obvious.

”So the voice in the video and the voice in this recording belong to the same person?”

Saho nodded firmly.

Once Saho had confirmed it, there was no room left for doubt.

”Team Leader Jeong, stop the recording.”

As soon as Jeong Gwangseok pressed the stop button, Lee Hyeonsol looked at me curiously.

”Director, I’m dying to know why you’re so certain that’s Director Go Yeongjun.”

”A wild forest cat’s hearing is more than five times sharper than a human’s. On top of that, Saho is a sacred, intelligent animal, so his hearing is at least ten times sharper still. If Saho recognized him as Director Go, continuing to doubt it would just be a waste of time.”

”Ah... now I understand.”

Leaving Lee Hyeonsol nodding in agreement, I dialed Wei Fei’s number.

After several rings, her slightly sulky voice answered.

[”Director Cha, did you watch the video?”]

”I just finished. Have you had dinner yet?”

[”Are you asking me out on a date?”]

The resentment in Wei Fei’s voice vanished in an instant, replaced by her usual flirtatious tone.

”I won’t deny it.”

[”Fine. Come to my hotel.”]

A hotel right away...?

But I had no intention of agreeing to her original plan.

”How about we meet at the restaurant in the MGM Macau hotel instead? What do you think?”

[”Do we really have to eat there?”] she replied, unable to hide her displeasure.

”Miss Wei Fei, you already know perfectly well why I want to have dinner there.”

[”Sigh... Fine. Meet me there in thirty minutes.”]

”Ha ha. It’s a date. See you soon.”

Click.

The moment I hung up, Kang Inhan spoke.

”We’ll accompany you, Director.”

”And what if Director Go Yeongjun recognizes you, Secretary Kang? What then?”

Unable to answer, Kang Inhan fell silent.

”Secretary Kang, stay here and cover us in case something unexpected happens. Team Leader Lee will come with me.”

”But even in the worst-case scenario, you should at least bring bodyguards.”

”Wei Fei will probably bring an entire procession of her own guards. If anything happens, we’ll just use them.”

”Even so, I can’t relax. Please take at least minimal protection.”

***

MGM Macau Hotel Restaurant.

I arrived a little earlier than the appointed time.

The maître d’ immediately greeted me politely.

”Welcome, sir. Do you have a preferred table?”

”I think the one by the window will do nicely.”

After taking my seat, I admired the night view while occasionally glancing toward the table across the room.

Director Go Yeongjun was happily chatting over dinner with the same Chinese man, who appeared to be around twenty-eight years old.

Why does Wei Fei hate that guy so much?

As I pondered the question, the restaurant doors opened, and Wei Fei walked in.

Elegantly dressed, she immediately attracted the attention of nearly everyone present.

Completely accustomed to being the center of attention, she confidently made her way toward my table.

I stood up to greet her.

Then something happened that I never expected.

The young Chinese man at the neighboring table suddenly jumped to his feet and casually called out to her.

Unfortunately, they spoke in Chinese, so I couldn’t understand what they were saying.

How do they know each other?

A couple of minutes later, after finishing her greetings with him, she finally sat down across from me.

A charming smile rested on her face, but her words betrayed an entirely different mood.

”This is exactly why I didn’t want to have dinner here.”

”Who is he, to make you dislike him so much?”

Wei Fei puffed out her cheeks and sighed.

”Sigh... His name is Liu Shen. He’s the son of the owner of the MGM Macau hotel. We attended the same university, and he was my upperclassman...”

To summarize her story, Liu Shen had been hopelessly pursuing her ever since their university days.

”With his looks and financial status, why not accept his advances?”

”Are you joking right now?”

Wei Fei’s voice immediately grew sharp, clearly offended by the question.

”Ha ha. Of course. Just kidding.”

”I hope we won’t talk about that person again.”

Just then, a waiter approached to take our order, but before he reached our table, Liu Shen beckoned him over with an authoritative gesture.

After giving us an appraising look, he quickly said something to the waiter.

A minute later, the waiter finally came over and bowed deeply.

”Dear guests, Vice President Liu Shen has already selected your dishes and informed us that he’ll be paying for your meal.”

”Please tell Vice President Liu that we respectfully decline his generosity.”

As expected, Wei Fei rejected Liu Shen’s offer without hesitation.

I, however, had a different idea.

”Waiter, can we change the dishes Vice President Liu ordered for us?”

”Yes, certainly.”

”In that case, bring us the signature steaks from your premium menu, along with the most expensive wine this restaurant has.”

”...Excuse me?”

I understood perfectly why the waiter had frozen.

”Is there a problem? Vice President Liu is paying, isn’t he?”

”That’s true, sir, but our most expensive vintage wine costs five million patacas.”

”I thought Vice President Liu was an exceptionally generous man. Was I mistaken?”

”I... I’m sorry, sir. Please give me one moment.”

The waiter hurried over to Liu Shen to explain the situation.

Moments later, an enraged Liu Shen shot to his feet, stormed over to us, and openly picked a fight.

”Hey, you! Five million patacas for a bottle of wine? Are you out of your damn mind?”

”So your outburst means the wine is too expensive for you to afford. Am I understanding that correctly?”

”Do you really need to ask something so obvious?”

”Very well. Then I’ll pay for dinner myself, so Vice President Liu can return to his seat.”

”Hah! You’ve got absolutely nothing, yet you’ve got quite the attitude, you penniless loser.”

Ignoring his mocking sneer, I calmly pulled out my wallet and took out my bank card.

”Waiter, if you have any doubts, you may charge the full price of the wine to this card right now.”

”What the hell are you doing?!” Liu Shen exploded.

”You were the one who just called me a penniless loser.”

”...”

”Do you have any other business with us?”

”Waiter! Bring the order immediately! I’ll pay for everything myself, got it?!” Liu Shen barked before spinning around and marching back to his table.

The moment he left, Wei Fei asked worriedly,

”Director Cha, that man has an awful and dangerous personality. Are you sure everything will be alright?”

Actually, I possess a truly broken ability to curse people. If Vice President Liu Shen tries anything against me, I’ll simply make him suffer the consequences.

Naturally, I couldn’t tell her the truth about my extraordinary power.

”I was under the impression that the Triad had the entire underworld of Macau firmly under its control. Was I mistaken?”

”So you’re hinting that I should protect you from him?”

”As always, you understand me perfectly. Shall we enjoy an excellent free dinner?”

”Were you really planning to pay for that wine yourself?”

I have a fortune worth eighty-two billion dollars spread across my accounts—over one hundred and ten trillion won. Buying a bottle of wine worth a billion won would be easier for me than buying a pack of chewing gum.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t openly flaunt my wealth.

”If a man wants to earn points with a beauty like you, he has to know how to make a grand gesture.”

”Hah. That sounds exactly like something a professional gigolo would say.”

”Ha ha ha. Does it?”

As we traded playful barbs and smiles, Liu Shen and Director Go Yeongjun appeared to have finished dinner and stood up.

Vice President Liu shot me one last murderous glare before heading toward the cashier.

Bzz—

A few minutes later, my phone vibrated with a message from Lee Hyeonsol, who was waiting outside the restaurant.

[I’m starting to tail Director Go.]

[Let’s hope we finally find his hideout this time.]

As soon as I sent my reply and set my phone back on the table, Wei Fei asked,

”Don’t you need to arrange surveillance on Director Go?”

”My people are already following him.”

”Ah...”