How a Salaryman Became an Underworld Boss

”Director Cha, I have to admit, I’m genuinely disappointed,” NIS Director Om Giyeon said the moment he entered my suite and dropped onto the sofa.

I understood exactly how he felt, but we simply hadn’t had any other choice.

”To be perfectly honest, raiding the warehouse beneath Politburo member Liu Peiqi’s country villa was completely illegal. I couldn’t drag National Intelligence Service operatives into something like that.”

”Then why did you drag FBI agents into an illegal operation?”

”We thought there were, at most, fifty gold bars in storage. Instead, we found two hundred and five. We had to get everything out before dawn, so bringing in the Americans was our only option.”

”Even so, it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.”

It was time to play my trump card and smooth over Director Om’s dissatisfaction.

”As for selling the gold... I have an important role for you to play, Director Om.”

”And what role would that be?”

”This morning, you and I...”

Director Om tilted his head in confusion.

The theft of the gold bars from Liu Peiqi’s villa was an absolute secret. There was no way they could be sold openly.

Cha Jiham certainly understood that, yet he still looked remarkably confident.

”Do you really think your plan can succeed?”

”It won’t be easy, I agree. But it’s definitely worth trying.”

”And if the deal falls through?”

”Chairman Park Yeongil promised to introduce us to someone who owns a precious metals trading company in Hong Kong.”

”Well, if Chairman Park is recommending him, then he must be trustworthy.”

Bzzz—

The phone on the table vibrated.

I glanced at the screen and saw Wei Fei’s name.

Knowing exactly why she was calling, I excused myself to Director Om and answered.

”I’m listening, Wei Fei.”

[”Director Cha, we’re fully prepared to depart. Where should we go?”]

”It’s only eight in the morning.”

[”Take that as proof of just how eager we are.”]

”Haha. Understood. As soon as I hang up, I’ll send you the meeting location.”

[”I’ll be waiting. Please send it as soon as possible.”]

Click.

After ending the call, I immediately texted Wei Fei the coordinates before turning to Director Om.

”So, shall we go meet Vice Chairman Wei Chen?”

***

Colonel Jeong Sanhak’s hideout.

Having arrived ahead of schedule, we passed the time chatting while waiting for Vice Chairman Wei Chen.

”Director Om, Saho has been driving me crazy lately. He’s been looking forward to meeting a wild female cat.”

”Haha, really?”

”By the way, are you actually going to be able to find one for him?”

”I’ve already asked the zoo to help, but... I’m afraid the two of them won’t be able to live together.”

Because of the side effects of the herbal tranquilizer, Saho’s fur had turned jet black.

As a result, everyone in my family sincerely believed he was nothing more than an ordinary stray cat.

A real wildcat, however, naturally had a spotted, striped coat.

If I brought one home, Saho’s secret would be exposed immediately, and there’d be no avoiding the commotion that followed.

That was exactly what we were discussing.

”Well, we’ll think about that later. More importantly, are you planning to fly back on Hangang Group’s private jet again?”

Director Om was obviously asking because of Saho.

”I don’t think we have much choice.”

”If you don’t want to inconvenience Hangang’s executives, why not send Saho back aboard the submarine?”

”I’d love to, but he refuses to leave my side.”

”Yeah... I suppose you’re right.”

Knock, knock, knock.

The door opened, and Team Leader Jeong Gwangseok appeared to inform us that our guests had arrived.

We stepped into the garden to greet them.

A moment later, a man in his sixties with sharp, penetrating eyes walked down the path.

He was accompanied by Director Pan Kai and Wei Fei.

The oppressive aura radiating from him told me immediately who he was.

Vice Chairman Wei Chen.

Director Om apparently reached the same conclusion and stepped forward first.

”Hello. I’m Om Giyeon, Director of the National Intelligence Service of the Republic of Korea.”

”A pleasure to meet you. I am...”

After the brief introductions, we moved into the reception room.

Seated in an armchair, Vice Chairman Wei Chen took a sip of the cold drink brought by an NIS operative before turning to Director Om.

”Does the Chinese government know that the head of South Korea’s intelligence service is in Macau?”

”If they did, there would already be an enormous uproar.”

”Then I’m very curious what made you willing to take such a risk.”

”Director Cha will explain that in detail.”

”Very well. Let’s hear it.”

Wei Chen shifted his gaze toward me.

”Director Cha, are you a professional gambler?”

Apparently, Wei Fei had already told him everything that happened yesterday at the MGM Macau casino.

”Not at all. I’m just an ordinary businessman.”

”Really? Then I’m dying to know how you managed to utterly destroy Vice President Liu.”

The answer was simple.

I had been dealt pocket aces.

Liu Shen had been dealt pocket kings.

But to strengthen my standing in Wei Chen’s eyes, I chose to make it sound a little more mysterious.

”I believe the real secret is that Liu Shen completely lost the psychological battle.”

”A psychological battle? What do you mean?”

”At the restaurant, he tried to show off in front of Wei Fei, forcing himself to spend more than five million patacas on dinner. That left him harboring intense hostility toward me. On top of that, he held what was almost an unbeatable hand—pocket kings. But...”

I deliberately paused to build suspense.

”I happened to have pocket aces, one rank higher. I exploited his emotions and, with a bit of luck, took the pot.”

”Luck is also part of skill, isn’t it?”

”If you put it that way, I can’t argue.”

”Still, how did Vice President Liu end up with such horrific injuries?”

Because I’d cursed him.

Naturally, there was no point telling the truth.

He wouldn’t believe it anyway, and I certainly wasn’t obligated to explain myself.

”It’s hard to say. Perhaps losing that much money caused him to completely lose control.”

”So you’re saying he rushed for the exit in a fit of rage, tripped, and ended up injuring himself that badly?”

”I honestly can’t think of any other explanation.”

”Hmm. I see.”

”By the way, have you heard how severe his injuries actually are?”

”Hahahaha!”

Wei Chen suddenly burst into genuine, hearty laughter.

Unable to understand why he was laughing, the rest of us simply stared at him.

Noticing our puzzled expressions, he composed himself and explained.

”I laughed because I’ve hated that brat for a long time.”

”Hated him?”

”Our country is governed by the Politburo of the Communist Party’s Central Committee—a group of twenty-five people. Liu Shen’s uncle, Liu Peiqi, is one of those twenty-five Politburo members. Relying on his uncle’s influence, that little parasite chased after Wei Fei like a bloodhound.”

There was a good chance Liu Shen already suspected whose daughter Wei Fei really was.

Curious, I asked Wei Chen about it.

”He believed I was nothing more than a businessman who owned several hotels in Macau.”

”I see.”

”Now let me answer your question, Director Cha. That little bastard somehow lost every single one of his teeth.”

”What?!”

Everyone present—including me—put on expressions of utter shock.

Naturally, I already knew Liu Shen had lost all his teeth.

After all, I was the one who had wished exactly that upon him.

But pretending to be surprised was the safest course of action.

The others, meanwhile, were genuinely stunned.

”I see you’re surprised as well.”

”But is it even possible to lose every tooth just from falling?”

That remained a mystery even to Wei Chen.

Even if someone fell face-first onto bare concrete, knocking out every single tooth would be practically impossible.

Not to mention that the casino floor was carpeted.

And above all, Liu Shen wasn’t some frail ninety-year-old man.

He was a healthy young adult.

Yet the impossible had happened.

His mouth had been left completely toothless.

”The doctors unanimously say it’s some kind of abnormal phenomenon.”

”I can imagine.”

”Anyway, enough about that unlucky fool.”

Wei Chen’s words clearly signaled that it was time to get down to business.

Hehe. That’s exactly what I was waiting for.

”I agree. The reason I suggested meeting here is because this place has a very special significance.”

”A special significance?”

”Before I explain what kind of place this is, let me tell you why Director Om Giyeon secretly came to Macau.”

”I’m listening.”

Intrigued, Wei Chen leaned forward.

”As you know, our country is currently under an armistice with North Korea.”

”Didn’t the War to Resist America and Aid Korea already end?”

”A peace treaty was never signed, so technically we’re still at war.”

”Fine. The details aren’t important.”

”Very well. North Korea’s primary intelligence agency is the Reconnaissance General Bureau. We received intelligence that its second-highest-ranking official, Deputy Director Jo Ilcheol, had secretly arrived in Macau. The CIA and the FBI also learned of his visit.”

Wei Chen finally seemed to grasp where this was headed.

Director Om Giyeon had personally flown to Macau, risking everything, in order to capture Jo Ilcheol before the American intelligence agencies did and bring him back to Seoul.

Wanting to confirm his guess, he looked directly at Cha Jiham.

”You’re exactly right.”

”I thought so. Please continue.”

”We kept Jo Ilcheol under surveillance from the moment he arrived and discovered that he was staying here. Incidentally, this mansion serves as a Reconnaissance General Bureau safe house.”

”Why would North Korea need a safe house here?”

”One of Jo Ilcheol’s subordinates, Colonel Jeong Sanhak, operated a front company called Korea Trading from this location. Through it, North Korea smuggled and sold drugs and weapons.”

”Those bastards!” Wei Chen cursed sincerely.

Having expected that reaction, I calmly continued.

”We launched an operation to capture Jo Ilcheol, but an unexpected complication arose.”

”What kind of complication?”

”Director Qin Hao, Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui’s right-hand man, happened to be here with them. We couldn’t allow him to remain free, so we took him as well.”

I briefly explained how Jo Ilcheol and Qin Hao had been captured, omitting the unnecessary details.

Naturally, I said nothing whatsoever about Saho’s exploits.

”...During the interrogation of Jo Ilcheol and Colonel Jeong, we discovered that Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui was preparing a monstrous conspiracy.”

”A conspiracy? What kind of conspiracy?”

”He was planning a coup d’état.”

”That son of a bitch!”

Wei Chen exploded like a keg of gunpowder.

Understanding exactly how he felt, I silently waited for his anger to subside.

A few minutes later, after calming down somewhat, he asked in a much heavier voice,

”Director Cha... Do you have proof that the bastard was planning a coup?”

I pulled a flash drive from my pocket and held it up.

”This flash drive contains Director Qin Hao’s complete interrogation. Would you like to watch the recording first, and then we can continue?”

”That would take too long. Just tell me what you got out of him.”

Being everyone’s universal source of answers is exhausting...

I sighed inwardly before continuing.

”Chen Zhihui concluded that his own faction was weaker than yours, Vice Chairman Wei, and therefore...”