How a Salaryman Became an Underworld Boss

Rest area.

After we got out of the minibus and waited for a little while, the car carrying Vice Chairman Wei Chen arrived.

As though he were in a great hurry, he flung open the door and jumped out before the car had even come to a complete stop, then rushed over to us in an instant and asked:

“Department Chief Cha, what the hell is going on?”

“I’ll explain the whole situation in the car on the way to Dandong.”

“Let’s do that.”

Vice Chairman Wei Chen climbed into the minibus with quick, nimble movements.

Naturally, Director Pan Kai got in right behind him.

As soon as everyone had taken their seats, Agent Choi Seonghun, who was behind the wheel, smoothly pressed down on the accelerator.

As if he had been waiting for the minibus to merge onto the expressway, NIS Director Om Giyeon impatiently addressed me:

“Department Chief Cha, now tell us what happened.”

After briefly considering my answer, I said to Director Om Giyeon:

“There’s bad news and good news. Which would you like to hear first?”

“Let’s start with the bad news.”

“The problem is, we’re going to have to abduct Minister Peng Yuxiang.”

“Whaaat?!”

Everyone inside the minibus froze in shock.

Who wouldn’t be surprised if they were suddenly told they had to abduct Minister Peng Yuxiang out of nowhere?

“According to Vice Chairman Tang, Minister Peng left on a business trip to Dandong, and that threw the entire plan into disarray.”

“Can’t Chinese special forces be sent to Dandong to abduct Minister Peng?”

“He didn’t say so outright, but it seems circumstances won’t allow it.”

“Circumstances won’t allow it? What does that mean?”

‘What a fate I have, having to protect even Vice Chairman Tang Guochang.’

“Within the next two or three days, Chinese special forces need to destroy the railways, freight trains, and cargo ships connecting North Korea and Russia, as well as key facilities at North Korea’s Port of Rajin and Russia’s Port of Vladivostok.”

“Whaaat?! They’re going to destroy the Port of Vladivostok too?”

“Chairman Xi personally ordered them to smash it.”

NIS Director Om Giyeon seemed to understand why Chairman Xi Jinping had gone to such an extreme.

For a long time, China had treated North Korea like its own vassal state.

Because of that, it had tightened and loosened the screws on its economy as it saw fit, controlling the North Korean regime.

Kim Jonghun, however, deeply resented China interfering in every aspect of his country’s internal affairs.

Then, amid those tensions, Russia invaded Ukraine.

Contrary to widespread expectations that the war would end within a week, Russia became bogged down in fierce fighting.

To secure victory, Russia needed North Korean weapons and soldiers.

With their interests aligned, the two countries had recently been drawing closer at a rapid pace.

Enraged by such unilateral behavior, Chairman Xi Jinping had gone so far as to order the destruction of the Port of Vladivostok as well.

“So Chinese special forces are going to attack the warships and submarines docked at the Port of Vladivostok too?”

“Chairman Xi Jinping has a lot of grievances against Russia.”

In other words, the warships and submarines stationed in Vladivostok would also be targeted.

“That’s what I thought. But why do I get the feeling this is taking an extremely dangerous turn?”

“I completely agree with you, Director.”

“All right, I understand the gist of it. Now let’s hear the good news.”

“Vice Chairman Tang has a second cousin once removed...”

I honestly relayed the contents of my conversations with Vice Chairman Tang Guochang and Director Tang Chao.

“...We agreed to have dinner with Director Tang Chao.”

“Can Director Tang Chao be trusted?”

People really did think alike.

The question I had asked Vice Chairman Tang Guochang myself now came from the lips of NIS Director Om Giyeon.

“Vice Chairman Tang assured me that he can be trusted.”

“So we’ll have to abduct Minister Peng Yuxiang with Director Tang Chao’s help?”

“That’s what Vice Chairman Tang said, but I haven’t asked Director Tang Chao about it yet.”

“Do we really have any reason to bend over backward to abduct Minister Peng?”

“If we don’t abduct him, Vice Chairman Tang won’t be able to carry out the coup.”

“Didn’t Vice Chairman Tang say that he had regained Chairman Xi’s trust?”

“There’s a high probability that their relationship has only been patched up temporarily.”

“Hmm...”

NIS Director Om Giyeon trailed off and sank into thought.

Fortunately, he didn’t deliberate for long.

“Department Chief Cha, we’d be happy to abduct Minister Peng ourselves, but we’re desperately short on agents.”

“I’m against the NIS handling this alone as well.”

“You want to involve the CIA and FBI in the abduction?”

“I have no intention of involving the CIA or FBI.”

NIS Director Om Giyeon seemed to have figured out Cha Jiham’s plan.

He clearly believed Jiham intended to use Korea Investment personnel to abduct Minister Peng Yuxiang.

Wanting to test his guess, he asked directly.

“Your guess is only thirty percent correct, Director.”

“And what makes up the other seventy percent?”

“To abduct Minister Peng, we need to combine the forces of our company, the NIS, and the Triad.”

“...Ours too?”

Vice Chairman Wei Chen pointed at himself in surprise, clearly not expecting that turn of events.

“Employees from our company and NIS agents will abduct Minister Peng. The Triad will be needed for support afterward.”

“We can provide that kind of support without any trouble, but...”

Vice Chairman Wei Chen’s hesitant tone contained an unspoken question: why drag the Triad into the abduction of Minister Peng Yuxiang at all?

“Vice Chairman Wei, why do you think Director Griffin is so eager to take Minister Peng Yuxiang to the United States?”

“I assume it’s because he possesses an enormous amount of top-secret information from within China’s Ministry of State Security.”

“You’re absolutely right. Let’s say we abduct him. There’s no way in the world Director Griffin is getting him until he pays us an appropriate price.”

Vice Chairman Wei Chen instantly understood what kind of ‘price’ Cha Jiham was talking about.

He was hinting that they should demand permission to increase the volume of drugs supplied to the United States in exchange for handing over Minister Peng Yuxiang.

“Department Chief Cha, will Director Griffin really agree to your terms?”

“The probability that drugs will completely disappear from the United States is zero. That’s exactly why Director Nevers wants the FBI to bring them under control.”

“Many criminal organizations supply drugs to the United States. If we increase our volume on top of that, America will be flooded with them. Would the United States really accept that?”

“FBI control over drugs means systematically wiping out the criminal gangs supplying them. So the total volume of drugs entering the country will remain about the same or even decrease.”

“Ah, now I understand what you mean. We will actively assist in the abduction of Minister Peng.”

“Ha-ha. Excellent decision.”

At that moment, NIS Director Om Giyeon, who was eager to hear the details, cut into the conversation.

“Department Chief Cha, how exactly are we going to abduct Minister Peng?”

“We’ll develop the operation after meeting Director Tang Chao.”

“Should I go to the meeting with you?”

“I’ll question Director Tang myself. You wait outside.”

“Agreed. I’ll be waiting for good news.”

“Department Chief Cha, can’t I come too?”

Vice Chairman Wei Chen also tried to subtly attach himself to the operation.

***

Restaurant at the Dandong Palace Hotel.

The moment I opened the door and stepped inside, the manager greeted me courteously, as though he had been waiting for nothing else.

“Department Chief Cha Jiham, welcome! Your guest is waiting in the VIP room.”

“He’s already here?”

“Yes. He arrived thirty minutes ago.”

I had arranged to meet Director Tang Chao at six in the evening.

Thinking it would be rude to be late, I had arrived ten minutes early.

But for some reason, he had shown up a full forty minutes before the agreed time.

“I see.”

“I’ll escort you to the VIP room. Please follow me.”

When I entered the VIP room behind the manager, a man in his fifties abruptly rose from his seat.

After confirming that he was Director Tang Chao, I greeted him politely.

“Director Tang, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Cha Jiham, a Department Chief at Korea Investment.”

“The pleasure is mine, Department Chief Cha. Since we’ve had the honor of meeting, shall we shake hands?”

“With pleasure.”

After giving a short reply, I shook Director Tang Chao’s outstretched right hand.

Once we released our grip, he said:

“Department Chief Cha, we still have plenty of time. How about we don’t rush into dinner?”

“I completely agree with your suggestion.”

Director Tang Chao turned to the manager.

“We’ll place our order a little later.”

“As you wish. Please enjoy your time.”

The manager gave us a polite bow and left the room.

Watching him go, Director Tang Chao sat back down and spoke.

“Vice Chairman Tang told me that even if Department Chief Cha says the Earth is square, I should believe you without asking unnecessary questions.”

“Ha-ha. Vice Chairman Tang went a little too far.”

Then the situation took an unexpected turn.

Director Tang Chao leaned toward me and lowered his voice.

“I know Vice Chairman Tang is preparing a coup.”

At that very moment, I realized Director Tang Chao was testing me.

“This is the first I’ve heard of it.”

“I heard it directly from Vice Chairman Tang himself, so you have nothing to worry about.”

“May I call Vice Chairman Tang and confirm that?”

“Of course. Verify it as much as you like.”

Director Tang Chao answered confidently.

Deciding it was necessary to protect myself against the worst-case scenario, I dialed Vice Chairman Tang Guochang.

The ringing tone had barely sounded before he picked up, as though he had been waiting for my call.

[Department Chief Cha, have you met my nephew?]

“Yes, he’s sitting right across from me.”

[I told Director Tang honestly that I’m preparing a great undertaking.]

“You really do trust him deeply.”

[As I told you over the phone, Director Tang is someone I trust as much as I trust myself. Besides, in the current situation, his help is absolutely essential.]

“I understand.”

After exchanging a few more words with Vice Chairman Tang Guochang, I ended the call.

“Director Tang, I apologize for being suspicious.”

“Forget it. I’m not offended in the least. On the contrary, seeing how meticulous you are makes me trust you even more.”

“That puts my mind at ease.”

“Still... Will Vice Chairman Tang really be able to succeed?”

“As you surely know, China has endured countless periods of upheaval since ancient times. And those upheavals erupted because of the tyranny of rulers and the unbearable lives of the people.”

I deliberately paused for effect before continuing.

“Chairman Xi Jinping has gone so far as to rewrite the laws for the sake of indefinite dictatorship. Because of his ruthless enforcement of the ‘Common Prosperity concept’ and the ‘Counter-Espionage Law,’ foreign capital is flowing out of the country like water. As a result, China’s economy has fallen into an extremely severe recession. How is today’s China any different from the China of the past?”

“Hmm... When you put it that way, there really is no difference.”

“For Vice Chairman Tang to successfully carry out what he has planned, he needs the help of allies. However, the position he is currently in is far from secure.”

“What exactly do you mean? Give me an example.”

“Because of the attack on the naval base in Dalian, Vice Chairman Tang lost Chairman Xi’s trust.”

“Vice Chairman Tang assured me that he had regained Chairman Xi’s favor.”

I shook my head in disagreement and continued.

“For Vice Chairman Tang to fully regain Chairman Xi’s trust, the operation against North Korea and Russia has to succeed.”

“Ah, now I understand what you’re getting at.”

“We need to keep the possibility of the operation failing in mind and put Plan ‘B’ into motion.”

“Plan ‘B’...”

“We need to eliminate Chairman Xi’s close associates. The first target for removal is Minister Peng Yuxiang.”

“And how are we supposed to eliminate Minister Peng?”

At last, Director Tang Chao had swallowed the bait I had thrown out.

All that remained was to set the hook hard and make sure he couldn’t wriggle free.

“That’s exactly why I came to Dandong—to abduct Minister Peng Yuxiang with your help.”

“How can I help?”

“How about I call in the people who will be abducting Minister Peng together with me?”

“Excellent idea. Call them.”

Getting Director Tang Chao’s agreement turned out to be almost ridiculously easy.