Chapter 41
I was currently dealing with four tasks at the same time.
1. Logging the hill where the F-class dungeon was sealed.
2. Expanding Jonathan Investments.
3. Establishing a new investment company worth fifteen billion dollars on the British Isle of Man.
4. Finding that bastard, the First Evil, and my last knight Kim Cheong-Soo.
The manuscript I had finished proofreading on the plane back to Korea was the second one that I had prepared to expand Jonathan Investments.
"The negotiations had gone well, but ANC and Blue Rock are concerned that the Financial Supervisory Commission won't approve, and we are worried about that, too," Jonathan said.
"I have a few things to tell you, so let's start there," I said while taking out my laptop.
I felt Jonathan staring at me, and Jonathan noticed a difference in my tone as I had always used formal and polite language when I spoke to him.
"Now, look at this first."
I opened the manuscript and handed him my laptop. Jonathan's blank face slowly brightened and then he turned and stared at me.
I was bemused. "What are you doing? Look at the monitor."
Then, Jonathan turned his head from my face to my laptop.
"What is this?" Jonathan asked.
"It is shameful that ANC and Blue Rock had mentioned the approval of the Financial Supervisory Commission. They are basically saying that it was sheer luck that you hit the jackpot," I said.
"It's not me, it's you, Sun. So…this is…umm…a manuscript. Did you write it?" He questioned.
I sidestepped his question. "Let's have a look before we talk."
Jonathan showed great interest and began to read over the manuscript. His scrolling slowed down as he read, and looked back and forth at me and the manuscript several times.
"This is an investment manual, not an autobiography. How can a thirteen-year-old think of this? Okay, you could have predicted the trend and monopolized the position because I don't know how a genius's brain works. But your analysis of Predictive Modeling…damn…You don't have a degree, do you?" Johnathan asked.
There was no point in replying and Jonathan immediately answered his own question.
"You were planning on revenge. Whoa, this is something. Everyone will be blown away by this, and no one will talk shit about us, Sun!"
Jonathan could have over exaggerated things, but everything was about the results. I applied theories I remembered from my past life that had not yet been published by the actual authors to explain our investment strategy to clients. That was why it looked so plausible. I had downgraded the investment method from the realm of God to the realm of genius investors.
I pointed at the monitor. "Look, I'm not the author, and I left the preface empty. So put your story from childhood until now there, including why you became a manager and how you got into Wall Street."
Swoosh. Swoosh.
As expected, Jonathan shook his head roughly at my words, which was a clear refusal.
"Do you know the Asian concept of Yin and Yang?" I asked.
"Yes, to some extent," Jonathan replied.
I explained, "There can't be only one Yin or Yang since both should exist to create a harmony for things to work. I'm saying that you and I should work together like that."
"I wish you would step out of the shadows, but I guess it won't happen," he responded.
"Yes, that argument is over for today. Don't think that you're stealing my credit because you're just doing something that I can't," I added.
He retorted, "Until you become an adult."
"Yes, so enjoy it while you can, and don't regret it later. I'm sure the moment will come when I have to get it back," I said.
I had grown apart from my childhood friends when I studied abroad in England for several years and worked as a manager in New York. Since then, I only had colleagues, and it was the same when I had become an Awakened.
Friendship could never exist between the Awakened, and it was the same for Jonathan and I. Back then, our relationship was all business, so we shared profits and points, not friendship. I had thought that would remain the same in this life, but the current Jonathan was different from the one in my memories. His nature right now didn't belong in Wall Street as he was emotional and gentle.
When he asked me to become friends, apart from business partners, I thought that I could afford this luxury just once….
Jonathan had returned to New York with the manuscript yesterday, and it was quiet compared to when he arrived in Korea. It was because the political and business figures who welcomed him were at the inauguration ceremony of the new president. The news that he left the country was briefly covered in the daily newspaper the next day.
That morning, my email inbox was piling up with pictures of Bobbys from New York, and there were greeting emails from Carl and Jane's staff and the progress report from Gillian who had returned to England. However, the news I had been waiting for the most was delayed.
Seon-Hu: Hey, Mr. Choi. Is there still a long way to go?
Mr.Choi: Oh, I'm sorry. It snowed last week. When will you be able to visit the site? We shaved it very cleanly, and you'll be satisfied.
Seon-Hu: I'll leave right now.
I drove a car I had rented under Jeon-il's name. During this period, the traffic cops were more interested in cash than checking a driver's license, so I was fine as long as I avoided big accidents.
As Mr. Choi had said, the hill had turned into a big hideous blob. Since the mountains around it were all green and covered with trees, the hill caught my eyes. It was a relief that the three-story village hall had been completed first.
I passed the new building as I drove into an alleyway. I saw Mr. Choi waiting for me at the base of the hill.
"I like it. I'll send you the rest of the payment by tomorrow," I said while looking up at the bare hill.
"When will you proceed with additional construction…?" Mr. Choi mumbled.
"That's a much bigger scale. I'll put your firm on the list, but there's a high chance that you won't be selected," I responded.
"Oh…Is that so…" His body drooped down.
"By the way, have you seen a rock? It looks like an eagle's beak and is about ten meters wide. You would have noticed because of its unique features," I said.
Mr. Choi asked me to wait and ran to the workers, then came back with a middle-aged laborer. Fortunately, I didn't need to search the entire hill. We drove up to the hill with Mr. Choi's truck, then moved based on the laborer's memories. While the dirt under our feet tended to crumble, we still made much faster progress than when I was in the forest full of thorn bushes.
Suddenly, I saw the rock even before the laborer pointed at it. It must have popped out after all the weeds and trees were blown away. It was just as I remembered. I couldn't forget it since the thoughts I had while passing under that rock were still as clear as if they had happened yesterday.
Wouldn't there be a chance to run away if I break that rock? But can I even break it with my ability? Shit…If I had managed to rest, I could've outrun these officers…No…if my Strength was increased instead of my Sense…
The memories of me being dragged to the dungeon under the military guard easily came back to me. I first sent Mr. Choi and the laborer back to the site, then I started to mentally draw a map of the camp the military had made by using the rock as the landmark.
The entrance of the dungeon was about two hundred meters northeast, and the point that could unseal the dungeon would be somewhere in the area. I began to walk faster as my whole body became energized like I had swallowed a bunch of pills. Then, I started running.
The spots where the dirt would collapse on the ground caught my eyes even before I stepped on them. It reminded me that I had been an Awakened, even if it was incomparable to the powerful intuition I had back then.
Within an instant, I ran up a steep two hundred yards and looked around. The dungeon must have been somewhere near there. All I needed to do was get within a radius of the entrance like how the Awakened used to accidentally discover dungeons. Then, it would naturally reveal itself.
I wandered around and found a spot where a spark of light flickered momentarily. The light disappeared as quickly as the speed it flashed. Then, a notification message popped up in the center of the light.
[You have completed the quest 'Like the Deep Sea'.]
And another message followed!
[You have achieved the trait 'Explorer'.]
That was not the end!
[Congratulations. You are the first to discover a dungeon.]
Another notification followed!
[You have gained a 'challenger box' as a reward.]
It was neither bronze, silver or gold, or even a platinum or a diamond box. A box appeared that glowed in a tantalizing way as if it was screaming at me to open it as soon as possible. I felt my heart thump and reached my hand into the rays of light to open the box.
Chapter 42
Please! I want the First Evil's skill! Please!
The first challenger box gave me the chance to go back in time, and the second one offered me the skills of the Number Six of the Eight Virtues. I didn't care which of the Eight Virtues' skills I received since each of their skills was the best of best.
[You have opened the challenger box.]
What will come out from the third box?! Light from the box poured out at once.
Cling -
[You have obtained the insignia 'Revival'.]
It was too bright, but I could see the light clearly, and it had gathered instead of spreading, then landed on my chest. The ray of light was connecting me to the opened box, and I took off my jacket and shirt as soon as the light vanished. My urgency got in the way, causing me to rip my shirt and pop out the buttons. However, I had no time to even worry about it. When I lowered my head, I could see something slightly above the middle of my chest.
It was just a tattoo a bit bigger than my thumbnail, but I was overjoyed that I had received an insignia from a challenger box. While lower class boxes from bronze to gold gave out insignias, it was rare to see them from platinum, diamond and master boxes.
The insignia!
Moreover, it was so precious that it couldn't be valued since it came out from the challenger box. I had never heard of one that merited a challenger box, and it was even called 'Revival'! I could guess its effect without checking the information on the status window! Well, but I should still check it out.
[Revival (Insignia)
Effect: One time only, it will revive the dead.
Class: S]
"Yes…"
The insignias were also special because anyone could bear them, including the Awakened and ordinary civilians! People could trade it in the market due to its unique nature, and the prices they fetched were great. In other words, I could save one person I wanted.
I was deeply moved because of the past hardships I experienced. I had hunted in dungeons thousands of times, lost massive quarts of blood, and waited for a cruelly long time to even see the challenger box. I didn't feel victimized for easily acquiring the insignia this time. Instead, my joy soured because I was thinking of my parents when the insignia popped out of the challenger box.
[Would you like to unseal the dungeon?]
I refused because the Awakened currently didn't exist, and the military authorities were not ready yet. Opening the dungeon could endanger the villagers' lives despite the fact that it was only F-class. Just as there was an infinitesimal possibility that my paper companies would be revealed, there was also a tiny chance that monsters could've crawled out of the opened dungeon. The higher the dungeon class, the more the risk existed.
I took out a three hundred foot long fishing line that I bought on the way here, divided it up into four sections, and marked them with a pen. Then, I took out my cell phone. I breathed in deeply to calm my excitement.
Seon-Hu: Where are you?
Mr. Choi: I'm about to enter the intersection. Should I go back?
Seon-Hu: Yes.
Mr. Choi: Okay, I'll turn the car right away!
Mr.Choi came back and entered the area I marked with fishing line. I watched him to see if he got any notifications. If he showed any signs of surprise, then he would be a pre-Awakened. However, they were very rare, especially in Korea.
"It seems a little over a thousand square yards. You'll need to flatten the ground to raise a building. Where are you going to put it up, though? What about the scale?"
Mr. Choi asked in a desperate tone.
"You would never have done this type of job before, so I'm not sure if you can do it…" I hesitated.
"Please tell me," he said.
I relented and responded, "The ground shouldn't be touched at all, and we have to raise a building where the walls are according to the marks on the fishing lines."
"Oh…Without a floor or basement? Ah…Umm…Okay. Why not?" he said.
"The problem is the walls. We want something as strong as reinforced concrete but it has to be at least five meters thick and high," I replied.
For a moment, Mr. Choi became silent because I was requesting something only used for the border wall.
I explained, "The next plan is to raise a double concrete wall along the perimeter of the hill. We want to use layers of wire mesh fences and install surveillance cameras to prevent access from residents. As I said, it's a large-scale construction."
"W…Why?" Mr. Choi questioned.
"Huh?" I asked him back.
"What is the point…? Is…Is it…an order from the government?" He mumbled.
I shook my head. "Then, I would've asked someone else. I don't know the details since I just do as I'm told."
"Has it been approved? It seems to be a dangerous facility," he asked.
"I suppose so, and the company is considering the relevant legislation at the moment," I answered.
He begged, "I can do anything you want, sir! If you let me do it, please just let me do it. I won't bother you at all, and I'll risk my entire life to create a masterpiece."
"Do you have any plans?" I asked.
"All I have is my friends, sir. Please listen to me. There are so many places tipping over every night. Even Daehoo and Daehyun are about to die, so how do small shops like us survive?" Mr.Choi started pouring out his words in tears.
He seemed as if he would haunt me down if I cut him off there and denied him the contract.
"I have so many good friends who would've done much better if they had been born in different times. They would've built apartments and factories even if it's not as great as Daehoo and Daehyun. I'll gather them if you help me," Mr. Choi said.
"You've done the same thing this time, right? But the next one is too big in size. I don't think subcontractors can do it," I responded.
"That's why I'm saying that I'll be the leader," he said desperately.
I replied, "You're saying that you'll come in with more people, right? Mr. Choi, what if something goes wrong during the procedure? I won't be able to deal with your blames."
"I will never blame you if you let me take the project. I will actually owe you until I die. I'm serious," he said.
"You know that big firms like Daehoo and Daehyun are crumbling like this, right?" I questioned.
"Of course!" he answered.
"I'm saying this because you are like my father, so don't get me wrong," I said gently.
"Okay," he replied.
I explained, "I know what you're thinking and how motivated you are. You said that you'll purchase your friends' firms with borrowed money, but do you know how much the interest rates are these days? You'll be bled dry, and you won't be able to hold out. If things go wrong, you'll be in billions of debt."
However, Mr. Choi didn't even blink and instead became more miserable. This was the first time I had seen such a gaze after I returned because those eyes were the same as the people who desperately jumped in for just one point or to kill a F-class monster.
This wouldn't be the last project I would fund, and constructions like this were difficult to proceed by just buying an existing construction firm. The larger the company was, the more people were involved, so it was hard to keep secrets.
But…Ugh! I must have become weak seeing that I was thinking of excuses to make him feel less downhearted. I wasn't like this before… People who reminded me of my father made me remember how he had been like a friend and a teacher to me, especially after being fired.
I suddenly remembered the family photo of Mr. Choi in his driver's seat.
"Are you sure you want to take this despite the risks?" I asked.
"I'll take responsibility," Mr .Choi replied.
"Mmm…Then, let's do this," I said.
"Huh?" His eyes widened.
"I know a foreign firm, and I'll introduce and endorse you so you can borrow as much as they're willing to lend to you," I continued.
Mr. Choi rushed in and hugged me as if he couldn't let me go, and he smelled like wet dirt. However, I couldn't push him away since he had actually begun sobbing. I felt his weight, and it reminded me of the burden he had suffered throughout his life.
Damn it.
My father hugged my mother and cried like this the day he got fired.
"Mr. Choi," I called him.
"I…I'm so…sorry," he sobbed.
"I'm not done talking yet. The foreign firm will ask for more than fifty-one percent of the share in return for the investment, and it means your management rights won't be guaranteed. It's up to you. Well, of course, that's only possible if the companies you're going to bypass the investment firm's standards," I said.
He wept, "Just giving me the opportunity alone…"
"I hope it goes well. I'd like to see your company become one of the major firms. I wish you luck, Mr. Choi," I responded.
"Yes! I'll never forget this until I die. I'm dead serious! Really…"
Mr. Choi couldn't finish his sentence because his tears didn't stop even when he looked up at the sky.
Chapter 43
I requested Mr. Choi to keep the construction strictly confidential and not to ask questions about the building until he stamped his signature on the investment proposal of the paper company. Although this could have increased his interest in buildings, the building itself was already attractive enough that it grabbed his attention.
"No matter what I say, my company is trying to construct an ugly building. It will look awkward, and journalists and local politicians will come running once it is built. Large construction firms are weak in that pressure," I said.
"Oh, yes," Mr. Choi replied.
I continued, "Since large firms co-exist with the media and local politicians, they won't be able to reject their demands."
"I know what you mean, and I'll keep that in mind," he responded.
"Of course, such a thing shouldn't happen, but our headquarters has taken the position that it would be easier to control your small company instead of hiring a big construction firm. That's what I appealed to the board of directors during the meeting," I said.
He bowed down to me. "You…You have done so much for me. I'll never let you down."
"You don't have to worry about the investment companies because they're busy with other business. Your company is just a test case they have bought to prepare for entering Korea's construction market later," I added.
Mr. Choi gulped at my sentences.
"But my company might suddenly ask you for documents detailing various aspects of your company for stockholder meetings. If you make light of money from abroad…you will pay the price, and I won't be responsible for it. They are extremely cruel," I warned him.
"Yes, I know that you're speaking out of worry. I will not forget this debt for three generations," he said as his voice trembled.
The contract had been roughly sorted out. Mr. Choi said he would guide me to a better place than a coffee shop. By his tone, I guessed that he had prepared liquor, women, and a thick envelope with money. He looked at me as if he would do anything I say.
Anyway, I refused his offer and carried on the conversation about the construction. I spoke about the fact that the firm was ready to continue building such projects in future.
"But won't there be a problem one day? I'm not trying to start an argument," Mr. Choi said.
I shrugged and said, "That's a good point, and I'm actually worried about that, too. I'm just a salaryman and do whatever my boss tells me to do, but I'm responsible for this project. If something goes seriously wrong, then I'll be fired."
"Sir," he looked at me.
"Yes," I answered.
"There's a mountain behind where I live, but no one goes up there. It's not similar to what you requested, but the mountain is also surrounded by walls, but that isn't the reason why the villagers don't go up there," he said.
"Is it a psychiatric hospital?" I questioned.
He explained, "Oh, it may work, but there are traditional roof tiles on the top of walls. Also, the road going up is blocked by a traditional gate that looks like a temple to outsiders. That's why outsiders who went up often came down in fright."
Then, Mr. Choi spoke a name I had heard of for the first time.
"Have you heard of a religious organization called the Church of the Spirit World?"
"No," I replied.
"I've never heard of such a thing before I moved into the town. No one in my neighborhood knew exactly what it was. Everyone hated even looking at the direction of the mountain, but no one filed a complaint," he continued.
"I understand because who knows what they will do," I responded.
"I don't know how to explain since I have no idea about the purpose of the building. I'll try to ask the higher-ups if they still want to proceed with the project by disguising it," I said.
"Oh, no. I only said this for your information," he stopped me hurriedly.
I nodded. "It'll be one of the many proposals, so you don't have to feel pressured. Since there will be many projects like this, the higher-ups will also need to think about such problems if they want to proceed forward. They'll choose the best solution. Thank you for the idea."
"It's not that much of an idea, and I hope it helps," he responded.
I smiled. "Would you like to go in first? I have some stuff to sort out here.".
"Okay, then I'll contact you once I start," he replied.
Mr. Choi left. The best solution to secure the dungeon would be to sign a contract with the military to raise the walls as part of the defense industry, but there were a lot of processes to proceed with that strategy. In that respect, it could've been more effective to disguise the buildings as mental hospitals or cult facilities instead of bringing other elements. They both created primal fear in people before they even approached them, especially in these times.
I looked at the table after making decisions. There were documents left behind by Mr. Choi, and I had to look them over just in case. I took out a copy of his national ID card and his family register so that I could confirm his family relations and previous home address without stalking him.
While I wanted to trust Mr. Choi, who seemed reliable, I also knew that having blind faith in people was useless.
Jonathan had been brave, and I had been cautious. We didn't criticize each other for having opposite personalities since we considered the differences as a strength. There were several conflicts between us, but our relationship didn't end.
Jonathan tended to act before thinking, then he would clean up the mess afterwards. That was how he survived as he was at advantage in battles with the Awakened when required quick, decisive action. But his imprudence also led him to face death.
All of us Awakened learned our own ways to survive at the Trial Tests. There was no right answer to it, and everyone had to undergo trial and error. Mine was to prepare for all circumstances, and I acted after calculating all the information I gathered. I learned this only after being swept away by peer pressure and facing death several times. Even though I was slower than others, I tended to receive more rewards and had higher success rates when I took the opportunity.
When I was a manager, I refrained from investing in long-term positions, but when I lived to survive, I became a different person.
The survival skills had kept me alive after completing the Trial Tests. However, I remembered Jonathan's advice that if I gave my all to everything I did, I wouldn't be able to overcome things when they go wrong. He told me to coordinate my tasks based on prioritization.
Well, I had grown up since Jonathan left, and I could bother the Eight Evils and the Eight Virtues because I had followed my strict rules. However, Jonathan seemed right for this occasion, as I didn't have to complicate things.
My father finally came home drunk, and he passed out. Mother prepared a place for him to sleep in the living room, and went into her bedroom after waiting for him to fall asleep. Soon, the lights in her bedroom turned dark, and it was the moment I had waited for.
"Father, are you asleep?"
I only heard snores instead of answers, so I sat beside my father. In the past, he became a grocery store owner. I was still used to the old Father on the bench of his store. He had passed away when the gate opened in Seoul.
We couldn't even recover his body since I was dragged into the army while Mother was lying unconscious in a makeshift hospital. We were notified of his death by only a single document, and getting that message was only possible in that hectic time because I had become an Awakened.
We held his funeral with no graves or ashes, and I cried so much while hugging the passbook he had given me when I was a student. I blamed myself and the military. I understood their situation, but my father wouldn't have died if they hadn't detained me. I didn't return to the army after the funeral. Instead, I went to a foreign private guild that had consistently offered me a position a few times in the past. I secured Mother's safety by working for them, and that's how I started working for them.
Of course, history was changing, and such things would never happen again. However, that wasn't a valid reason to not transfer insignia over to Father. He had lived a healthy life until now, but I didn't know what would happen to him in the future. When Il-pung Department Store and Seong-su bridge collapsed, was that something we could prevent? What about the typhoon in 2003? There could be natural catastrophes and accidents that no one could predict tomorrow.
It was sad that I only had one insignia. I looked in the direction of Mother's bedroom and turned to my father again. There was a sense that only the Awakened could feel and use, called the Sixth Sense.
[Would you like to transfer the ownership of the Revival insignia?]
"Yes."
The system asked me again.
[Would you like to transfer the ownership of the Revival insignia?]
The system seemed to be confused because the insignia was from a challenger box, especially when I had to go into the dungeon alone. Well, I didn't expect the system to understand such a thing.
Chapter 44
The next morning, my family had a small incident as my mother found a small tattoo on my father's chest after he washed up. Of course, he said that he didn't know anything about it and called his colleagues who drank with him to piece together what happened the night before. Mother almost burst into tears, saying that father was cheating on her, and I didn't know what to do.
After my father managed to go to work, I tried my best to console her. We headed to Myeong-dong for lunch, and her mood got better as we walked arm in arm in the crowds even though we didn't talk much. I even bought her a butterfly patterned red hairpin when she stopped at a street seller selling accessories. I said that I had some pocket money saved, and she said while touching the hairpin, "Thanks, son. I'll treasure it. Hanging out with you reminds me of the old days because we haven't had much time together since you got into middle school. We always spent time together until last year, right?"
"Do you feel better now?" I asked.
She replied, "Don't say anything. It's so embarrassing that I can't even talk about it."
"Well…Father can make a mistake. Just let it slide once," I responded.
"How could he choose that ugly thing for a permanent tattoo?" She frowned.
I said helplessly, "It's a tiny one and no one can really see it. It won't be noticed at work."
"Your father is respected by others at work, but he's such a cheapskate. That's why he chose such a tiny one even when he was drunk."
Then, my mother suddenly laughed as if she remembered the insignia on father.
"Do you know, son? Tattoos are pretty expensive. Oh well, no. You shouldn't know that," she said.
I must have laughed imagining the price of a Revival insignia. Mother seemed to be surprised to see me smile.
"Ah~ It's so nice to be out with my son," she smiled.
"How's your work at the curtain shop?" I questioned.
She answered, "I'm just fooling around with nearby housewives. Your father is always late and you are off playing on your own, so I need that time."
"Let me know if it gets tiring," I said.
She looked at me and started laughing. "Why? Are you going to feed me?"
"I'm serious," I responded.
"I have no idea how I gave birth to such a great son. I'll never go through it again," she said.
"..."
"Son."
"Yes."
She looked at me and smiled. "You don't need to worry about it. Your father has a stable job and works hard. Oh, do you know the company he works for? It's called Jeon-il."
"Why would I not know it? It's where Father works," I replied.
"It's the best in our country, and if not, we could always open a grocery store."
Mother looked up at me with her arms folded.
"You've grown…a lot. Oh yes, son!" she suddenly said.
"Yes?"
"Did you make lots of friends at Bible school?" she questioned.
I answered easily, "Yes."
"You're not lying, right?" She asked again.
It was true, but I couldn't introduce them to her since they were all foreigners.
"Bring them home sometime with Seong-Ho," she said.
I forced a smile and nodded.
As I've said before, Seong-Ho was an imaginary friend that only existed in my brain. I needed my dungeons to be like that, something that existed only for me but didn't endanger the world. I decided to disguise the dungeon on the hill as a psychiatric ward. A religious cult seemed better at keeping secrets and people away, but the consequences would be serious if problems arose.
I didn't have to worry too much in the past. Back then, to civilians, dungeons were not much different from Chernobyl, so I just had to post a sign that said a dungeon had appeared. Then, everyone would run away before the Awakened and soldiers appeared.
However, things were different now. I had to plan to build a mental hospital, then establish a relevant corporation, and hire a person as a puppet administrator. I also had to consider the villagers' safety under construction codes that would pass inspections.
However, walls were a must even if the enclosed area was smaller since we had to keep monsters inside. As a result, I gave up on the walls that were supposed to surround the hill, and the wall circling the facility was modified to be as tall as possible. As for the puppet administrator…
The puppet administrator had to own a medical physician's license, and the individual's family was supposed to not have any knowledge that would make them doubt the corporation's property. I could go through the broker to make the list, but I couldn't trust any of them.
Frankly speaking, I didn't trust anyone but a few because betrayal was routine when money was involved. Those who seemed harmless always sold someone out for a few hundred thousand won, and they often risked their lives for that.
It was the same here, and there were things I needed to handle in secret. I was dealing with tasks related to dungeons by myself, and I had kept files on the involved parties in case an issue came up.
Mr. Choi of Il-ju Construction was the same, and so was the alcoholic in front of me. He was a man full of traces of having wasted his life, and he smelled of alcohol at noon.
"So, how much is it?" he asked.
"I'll pay you a million won a month," I replied.
"That's too cheap for someone with a doctor's license. Don't you think so?" He questioned.
I answered, "Can't I speak directly to Dr. Yang? I'd like to talk to him face to face."
"Ah fuck. You can just talk to me because I'm his son. That old man can't even talk or act on his own. I'd be glad if he didn't poop everywhere. Anyway, four million is too little. Fuck, no," he said.
I responded, "Mr. Yang In-Ho, we've just met for the first time, and we're in the middle of a deal."
"You're too young to talk like that to me. How much can you give me?" he asked peevishly.
"Stop talking to me like that."
I didn't even need to raise my voice.
He frowned as if he had misheard me, but he discovered something in my gaze. His eyes shook, and the air froze for a moment. We looked at each other for one second, and he drank water with a look of annoyance. Then, he looked at me again while wiping his mouth with his dirty sleeves.
He grumbled, "I'm just asking you to pay for the old man's diapers."
"I'll give you five million. If you keep talking, then no deal will be made," I responded.
"Five is not enough!" he yelled at me.
I knew this would happen. As soon as he shouted, I grabbed him by the collar and pulled him toward me. His ugly face was right in front of me. I didn't care about his odor, but he should not look at me as if I was someone intimidated by his blustering. I didn't care if he saw me as a gang member or I was doing something for them as long as he didn't look for me again after today. Well, he wouldn't even be able to find me anyway.
I squeezed his neck with my fist by the collar while the other hand was pulling the back of his head. His face quickly turned pale as the cafe owner just blinked at us from the counter. I let him go and pushed him back. He bumped into an old couch, then coughed as he touched his neck. I waved at the owner to say that everything was fine.
"H..ack… hack hack…"
He was still sitting on the couch even though he had been handled roughly. He seemed to be used to this treatment as this was appropriate for dealing with someone who was a coward.
An old doctor with dementia and a worthless son. They were the only members left of the family because the doctor's wife had passed away a while ago, and the son didn't get married even though he was turning fifty. It was difficult to find such people again.
"W…when will you…give me the five million?"
He asked after he got back some air while avoiding my gaze.
I replied, "I'll pay you immediately from tomorrow until Dr. Yang's death. So, it'd be better for you to spend some on your father's health care instead of wasting it all on your alcohol. You will want the money for a long time."
"Well, that's up to me…" he mumbled.
"Whatever, that's up to you. I won't see you again after today. If we ever meet again, then Mr.Yang In-Ho," I said.
He was looking at my hand on the table.
"It won't be for a good reason," I continued.
I took out a pen from my pocket and threw it at him.
"Write down what I say. Make sure you prepare both yours and Dr. Yang's. Twenty copies of the family register, twenty copies of identity card with citizen registration number, twenty certificates of seal impression, registered seal impressions, twenty ID photos, twenty copies of driver license, bankbooks, passports, and…"
He didn't know why he also had to prepare for his documentation.
A week later, a local daily newspaper featured a small article.
「A mental hospital is established in Hwa-seong
A neuropsychiatric hospital specializing in patients without family or friends, who suffer from mental disorders, is under a process of establishment. It will be wider than a million square feet and has a total of five floors. It can take in up to two hundred patients and will provide inpatient care for those with neuroticism and mental disorders.
Dr. Yang, the director of the New Hope Medical Foundation, has said that the hospital will be closed to the public, but the hospital treatment system will allow patients to receive treatment step by step based on their symptoms.
Since 1992, it's become necessary to establish more psychiatric wards due to an increase in the number of patients who do not have enough medical facilities to go to as these hospitals are not profitable, but it has been delayed as some medical communities have been opposed to the idea.
The medical professionals who are against the plan of the establishment are concerned that psychiatric wards would become asylums…」
Chapter 45
It was now the month of May in the year 1998 and the office was very quiet. All I could hear was Jamie sharpening her pencil loudly. She continued reporting on the purchases of commercial buildings, factory sites, construction companies, apartment complexes, hotels and resorts while marking important areas with her pencil. Jeon-il had bought a number of bargain-basement properties from major companies.
"The current profit is only from rent, but we are confident that Korea will overcome the IMF crisis and the properties we've gathered so far will give Ethan's clients astronomical profits," Jamie said.
No one else could want Korea to repay the IMF loans as much as Jamie did. She had gained the authority to impact the country's political and business field at a young age. She now realized the power Daehoo had in Korea after acquiring the group, and it was natural that she wouldn't let it go. She seemed willing to even risk her life to keep it.
Jamie's clothes were now getting shorter and gaudier. Her dress today was so short that it barely covered her thighs and showed her cleavage even without bending down. Also, she "accidentally" touched my legs as she crossed her own. It looked like she wanted to have a private relationship with me.
When our eyes met, she pretended to demurely avoid my gaze, and she thought that seducing a young Asian guy would be a piece of cake. I just laughed silently.
I asked, "The group accounts should be pretty empty, right?".
Jamie must have been waiting for me to speak.
"Our competitors think that we're giving up some items, but the reality is different. Ethan, you're right. The piggy bank is quite empty, so we should only focus on achieving some desirable items from now on," Jamie admitted.
"What do you want the most?" I questioned.
"Korea is having a huge bargain sale that will never come again. Golden opportunities are everywhere, so it's hard to choose one. But if I still have to make a decision…"
Jamie's eyes were filled with a strange glint.
"Ilsung Electronics' semiconductor business, Xia Motors, and Daehyun Motors. If I can, I'd like to take over more than them, but these three are the minimum," she said.
I asked, "Who are you consulting with?".
"The East Asian Economic Research Institute. It's a reliable place, and I'm planning to buy a consulting firm…Is there a problem?" She questioned.
Not at all. I shook my head, and Jamie continued.
"The consultant said Ilsung Electronics' semiconductors have a high potential for success in the future. On the contrary, she said Daehyun Electronics' semiconductors will fail and damage their group to the core."
"You must have researched a lot. How's work?" I asked.
She smiled. "Korea is a paradise."
Then, she came up with a proposal to merge Daeho, Daehyun and Xia Motors.
"You've already contacted the three groups. What was the result?" I questioned.
I could guess her answer by looking at her eyes full of greed. She must have put effort into it but had failed. It was inevitable.
"There's no way to get the core businesses. Ilsung and Daehyun have complicated their shared systems, and my accounting advisors all start by shaking their heads whenever they hear about them. Well, of course. Ethan, how interested are your clients in the Korean market?"
Jamie was proposing to shake Ilsung and Daehyun like we had Daehoo.
I replied, "I know what you're thinking, but we should put it off for now."
"This chance will never come again. Can't you convince your clients? You'll regret once this country overcomes the IMF crisis," she responded.
"They've already invested twenty-five billion dollars," I responded.
She answered in a wheedling tone, "I need that much more."
Twenty-five billion shouldn't be an amount that she could throw out that easily.
"..."
"You know that the limits for foreign stock ownership have been lifted," she continued.
"Is that why you're after Daehyun and Ilsung? Jamie, the Korean government won't let Daehyun, Ilsung and Daehoo merge into one group, and they will bombard us with heavy fire when they see us try. They're already using public funds to bail out Daehyun and Ilsung," I said.
"But it's the IMF, Ethan," she responded.
I looked into her eyes. "Yes, it's fucking IMF. Do I need to explain again?"
"..."
"Merging three major conglomerates is a greater threat than the IMF crisis to not only the government but also to the civilians. In addition, all three owned by a foreign firm? That'll be much more serious," I said.
"I'm confused. Don't you have to speak for your clients?" She frowned.
I replied, "I'm saying that we should maintain our current relationship with the government."
Jamie must have thought that Daehoo had collapsed under our lobby, but that was wrong. All I did was speed things up, and the factors that led to Daehoo's ruin had already existed. In Korea, conglomerates like Daehoo couldn't be attacked unless they fell by themselves since they would unify under an external threat.
"You are saying the same things as our board members. If you also say it, that means I'm wrong. I'll change my plans," Jamie said after thinking quickly.
"The real estate purchases are as expected. That's good," I responded.
She replied, "I'm just disappointed that I can't gobble up the rest since I'm too full."
"You'll be able to digest them around September," I answered.
Jamie's face brightened. "Are the investors planning on additional funds?"
"We must convince them," I said.
The expression on her face clearly said that I should've done it earlier.
"It's good that you are greedy but anxious at the same time if you're confident that Korea will overcome the IMF crisis. I agree with that, and I'll use this point to persuade my clients," I responded.
While the dollar ruled Korea for now, the situation would change after the IMF. The country's authority would move from the dollar to the conglomerates.
"I refused it for practical reasons, but the conglomerates in Korea would be the most delicious dishes."
Jamie nodded vehemently.
"But let's not rush through this. This country's financial crisis has just begun, and they need to be baked more. How much do we have left?" I questioned.
"A little over a billion dollars."
She handed me a summary. According to it, out of the twenty-five billion, ten billion had been spent to purchase Daehoo, and fourteen billion was used on buying real estate.
"Have you talked with the government about the delay in restructuring Daehoo?" I asked.
Jamie spoke ambiguously, "It was done on a condition that things won't start until April. Instead, twenty-five billion dollars has been…"
She was struggling to describe how Korea had laundered twenty-five billion dollars for us.
"Well, the delay is enough for the money laundering fees, and that much was necessary to make sure no issues occur in the future," I said.
"Ethan!"
She jumped and rolled her eyes, but all she could see were the paintings and workout equipment. This was perfect timing as both the ruling and opposition parties were complicit in laundering the funds for me.
"The government of this country is the one with weakness, not us," I explained.
"Well…I suppose so," she answered.
"My clients' money came through the Caymans and the Netherlands," I said.
There was nothing to hide since Jamie knew about it. The five firms that owned Jeon-il were based in those areas. It was then Jamie's face turned dark as she seemed to realize something.
"...!"
Her fox-like smile that tried to allure me disappeared instantly. Instead, she glanced at me suspiciously. Surprisingly, she was ignorant about some things. Did she just realize what she had come into?
I blandly said, "You just have to focus on your performance, Jamie. The rest is my business."
I knew that my words would make Jamie more afraid of my non-existent clients and me, but I looked straight into her eyes. She laughed, but it was awkward. At the same time, her eyes were on the corner of the room. I followed her gaze and turned away. There was a sword I had practiced swinging before she came.
The sword didn't shine, but only the peculiar vibe existed since it was a real blade. She had enjoyed looking at it, saying that the oriental culture was the best. However, she seemed to be scared now. Was she imagining being beheaded by that thing when a problem came up? With a large shadow coming through the darkness as a background?
However, she would also know that she had come too far to step out. Above all, she wouldn't want to, even if she had to risk everything.
"Why? Do you want to swing it?"
I asked as if nothing had happened. Jamie's gaze quickly returned to my face.
"No. Well, what were we talking about?" she questioned.
"Let's focus on the additional funding in September. And," I said.
"Yes," she replied.
"About special purchases. Everything went well except for the two cases that are on hold. As I've emphasized many times, special purchases should be prioritized," I continued.
"I know. I've been negotiating with them, so there'll be good news soon," she answered.
"Then, let's call it a day. I think I've heard everything I need to know."
She was about to open the door when she suddenly stopped at the doorknob. She turned around with a smile after a second.
"Did you call me?" she asked.
Of course not.
"It's late. Get home safe. And," I said.
"Yes?" Her eyes widened.
"...Nothing. Have a good night," I continued.
I phoned Jonathan after Jamie left, and he answered in a half-asleep voice.
Jonathan: Sun, the publication date has been set.
Seon-Hu: It's not about that. You have the ledgers, right?
Jonathan: Yeah, of course. Did something happen?
Seon-Hu: Nothing. Where did you store it?
Jonathan: In a safe deposit box at the Morgan Bank.
Seon-Hu: They won't lose it, then. I sent you an email three hours ago.
Jonathan: Wait a minute.
After Jonathan turned on his computer and checked my email, I heard his surprised voice from the phone.
Jonathan: You said everything was fine!
Seon-Hu: You never know what will happen.
Jonathan: Sun, what's wrong with you? …You just gave me chills. Well, it should've been prepared a long time ago. However, you need to bring in attorneys specializing in inheritance to make this official. Is that okay? You hate exposing yourself, though.
Seon-Hu: I would be dead when my identity becomes exposed. So, it doesn't matter.
Jonathan: Well, your heirs must be your parents, right?
Seon-Hu: Yes.
Jonathan: Is there something going on? Are you sure? Why are you acting like you're about to be shipped off to war? I'm so worried.
