Chapter 53: I Plan to Create an Empire of Gold

Mu-hyeok, I'm scared of you."

Those words hit me hard.

Jo Hyun-gu's family, directly involved in Hyeon-seong's affairs, had fallen into ruin.

And that wasn't all. Everyone even slightly connected to this incident was forced to retire from the judo world.

Whether by moving prosecutors to dig into corruption and make arrests, or resorting to threats if that didn't work.

"Scared…"

I trailed off, watching Hyeon-seong's face intently.

Despite his words, Hyeon-seong didn't avoid my gaze at all.

"I got a call from the captain. He says the judo team's atmosphere is a mess. Senior Chanseong will be disabled for life, the coach got arrested by the police for taking bribes to influence national team selection, and the manager quit to take responsibility."

Just then, Hyeon-seong's mother opened the door, carrying fruit.

"Here's some persimmon, Mu-hyeok."

I got up and took the plate from her.

"Will you stay for dinner?"

"No, I promised to eat out with Grandma tonight."

"Oh, that's too bad. I was going to cook something nice for you. Have fun, okay?"

His mother left the room, closing the door behind her.

The brief interruption seemed to have left Hyeon-seong at a loss for words.

"If you have something to say, say it all."

"…Did you really have to go that far?"

Sigh… This is annoying.

"Look, Park Hyeonseong, I'm not in my right mind right now. This is the last time, so listen carefully. After today, I won't be the one seeking you out."

I paused for a moment, looking Hyeon-seong straight in the eye.

"Did you think I'd politely ask those people to back off? Do you honestly believe what I did was too much? You say you're scared – of what? That I might do the same to you? I live a life where I have to do such things or risk being on the receiving end. I thought you knew that."

"…"

"Even with people around me, I can't help but always be suspicious. The path I'm walking now is that kind of shitty road. I have to be afraid, not knowing when someone might stab me in the back. That's why I asked you guys. Because you were my friends even when I had nothing."

"Mu-hyeok…"

"I'm going to Seoul tomorrow. Either come with me to Seoul and help me with my work, or stay buried here in Busan and live a different life. It's your choice."

I stood up.

Grabbing the doorknob, I turned back to look at Hyeon-seong one last time before opening it.

"I know it's hard for you. I know, but I don't have the energy to worry about that right now. I'm scared too. I'd like it if you came to Seoul with me tomorrow. I'm leaving. Take care."

With that, I opened the door and left.

Hyeon-seong remained silent until the end.

The next day

After finishing my preparations to go to Seoul, I came out of my room to find Grandma had prepared a table full of food.

"Call in the person waiting outside too. I couldn't properly host my grandson's caretaker. Hurry now."

Chuckling, I called Manager Ma who was waiting outside.

Sitting at the table with me, Manager Ma seemed uncomfortable, sitting stiffly.

Grandma kept pushing side dishes towards Manager Ma with a smile.

"Please take good care of my boy. He's immature, so it'll be tough, but please watch over him."

"I understand."

"That's reassuring. Having someone like you by Mu-hyeok's side."

Manager Ma gave an awkward smile, seemingly unused to the praise.

Even as we left the Busan house and set out, Hyeon-seong didn't show up.

It seemed time to let go of any lingering attachment. I had been staring out the window, but now I turned my head.

"Manager, things are going to get really busy once we get up there. I told Grandfather I'd do it properly, and we need to look into my parents' case too."

"Understood."

"Please have someone keep an eye on Cheon Su-man, without Grandfather knowing. And when can I meet with Cheon Su-han?"

"I'll set up a schedule as soon as we arrive."

"Please make it as soon as possible."

"Yes, sir."

The car carrying me moved further and further away from Busan.

With each familiar scene that passed by and faded into the distance, I let go of one thing after another in my heart.

After finishing breakfast, I entered the study with Grandfather.

"I have something to say."

Grandfather nodded, watching me intently.

"I'd like to check the documents related to our current outstanding loans."

"All of them?"

"Yes. I need to know exactly how your business is running so I can settle what needs to be settled and carry on with what we need to keep."

"Settle what needs to be settled? Sounds like you're thinking of calling in loans from major companies too."

"Yes. Depending on what was used as collateral, I'll focus on the possibility of recovery."

Seeing Chairman Cheon's lips curl into a slight smile, I spoke with even more confidence.

"I don't know what you looked at when you gave loans to these companies. There were probably other deals beyond what's on paper, but now we're entering an era where we can only trust the documents."

"Are you saying the people who borrowed money from me might try to default?"

"Yes, I think there's a possibility of that."

Chairman Cheon's laughter filled the study.

After laughing for a while, Chairman Cheon suddenly stopped and spoke.

"Have you heard of the 1983 Private Loan Freeze?"

"Yes, I heard about it from Chairman Song."

"Right. Do you know what it was like back then? The fierce military regime crushed private moneylenders, saying they were saving businesses. The state essentially gave the people's pocket money to companies."

Chairman Cheon's eyes gleamed coldly.

"It was an era when banks had no money, when companies wanted to borrow but couldn't. How desperate do you think those big-shot company chairmen were to come to me for loans with over 50% annual interest? But then the government converted only the amounts with declared sources into low-interest loans. At that time, I had lent out over 30 billion won."

In the 1970s, the total money supply was around 500 billion won. Yet he was saying he already had over 30 billion in cash at that time.

"I poured bribes generously to the military regime. The head of the Central Intelligence, the Prime Minister, politicians – with 30 billion about to go up in smoke, what wouldn't I have done?"

"Yes, I can imagine."

"The company chairmen and presidents who knew me promised to pay back on their own. But some people had the guts to say they couldn't pay. Do you know what I did then?"

"I heard you collected by any means necessary."

A cold smile appeared on Grandfather's lips.

"That's right. If I couldn't get the money, I tore the company to shreds. I proposed the same business to other company chairmen and lent them all the funds at low interest. Then I set fire to their factories and even went to threaten their families. After that, no one dared to default on my money. No one doing business in Korea."

In Grandfather's confident demeanor, I could see the man who had ruled like a king in Myeong-dong for decades.

But I knew.

Once the IMF crisis hit and Grandfather suddenly collapsed, all those words would become just old stories.

A fear greater than the fear of the loan shark Cheon Tae-san – the fear that theompany could go bankrupt at any time – would be etched into their minds.

"The world is changing. It happened with the real-name financial system too. No one can predict exactly how things will change. I think we need to change with those changes."

"Change…"

"If we don't prepare in advance, we might get swept away by that change. I want to ride that change to create an even greater empire. When I sit in that chair you're in now, I want it to be a golden empire that no one can touch."

Chairman Cheon narrowed his eyes, seeming to measure me up.

I met his gaze with eyes full of conviction.

And after who knows how long,

"Is Myung-hoon outside?"

Chief Ha, who had been waiting outside, opened the door and bowed his head.

"You called for me, Chairman?"

"Show Mu-hyeok all the loan documents you manage."

"All of them, sir?"

"Yes, all of them. I'll handle what I keep separately later. For now, start with what you manage."

"Understood."

Grandfather turned to me with a look that asked if this was enough.

I smiled and nodded.

"Well, let's see this change you speak of."

"I won't disappoint you."

The study door closed behind me.

Manager Ma, who had been waiting in front of the study, gave a small bow when he saw me.

"How about the meeting?"

"It's set for tomorrow afternoon."

I nodded slightly and said,

"Let's go up to my room."

The real preparation was about to begin.

* * *

"Times have changed. Even my body isn't what it used to be these days."

"You're still in good shape, Chairman."

Chairman Cheon and Chief Ha were talking in the study after Kim Mu-hyeok left.

"Keep an eye on how Mu-hyeok does. Let him do what he wants for the most part. Only give advice when you think he's gone too far."

"Understood."

Chairman Cheon's eyes, which had been distant as if in thought, soon returned to focus.

"When are Ji-soo and Ji-soo coming?"

"Young Master Ji-soo will be here tomorrow. Miss Ji-soo will arrive next week."

"We should give those kids something too."

"I'll prepare it."

"When can Su-han get out? Can he get out before the end of this year?"

"This year will be difficult. We've been promised a pardon during next year's August 15th special amnesty."

Chairman Cheon clicked his tongue.

Though he didn't approve of his younger son's actions, it had been ages since he'd seen his face.

"That's too late. Try to get him out this year. Money is no object. Make sure he signs the divorce papers the moment he gets out."

"I understand."

After Chief Ha bowed and left, a small smile appeared on the lips of Chairman Cheon, who was left alone.

"An empire of gold… That sounds nice."

* * *

I was waiting for Cheon Su-han in the lawyer's meeting room.

Cheon Su-han entered the meeting room with a bright expression, but the smile disappeared from his face when he saw me.

"What the hell? Why are you here to see me?"

I stood up and responded with a smile.

"Is it strange for a nephew to visit his uncle? Let's sit down first."

"Forget it. I don't want to risk indigestion looking at your face. Guard, I'm done here."

But the guard didn't respond to Cheon Su-han's words.

Feeling uneasy, Cheon Su-han looked back and forth between the guard and me.

I sat down first and gestured to him again.

"Sit down. Unless you want to lose all the privileges you're enjoying now."

"Heh, you're already acting like the heir. How disappointing."

Glaring at the guard beside him, Cheon Su-han sat down.

At my signal, the guard went outside, leaving only three people in the meeting room.

Cheon Su-han glanced at Manager Ma standing behind me, then looked at me with his arms crossed.

"What do you want?"

"Why are you being so hostile towards me? Did I do something wrong to you? I don't understand."

"Hah, your very existence in this family is wrong. Why didn't you just stay quietly buried in Busan instead of coming here and stirring up trouble?"

"Oh? You knew I was in Busan? Even Grandfather didn't know that."

I didn't miss the momentary flicker in Cheon Su-han's eyes.

"What are you talking about? Father told me, so of course I knew."

"Is that so? Well, I suppose that's possible."

Cheon Su-han glanced at my face as I leaned back casually in my chair.

He looked suspicious, as if wondering if I had found something out.

Your thoughts are so transparent.

I couldn't hide my smirk.

"But Uncle, are you going to keep living like this? Just cleaning up after Big Uncle?"

"What? You little…!"

Cheon Su-han jumped up from his seat.

Manager Ma, standing behind me, took a step forward.

"Who the hell is this guy? Don't you know how to show respect?"

"Please sit down, Mr. Cheon Su-han."

Though Cheon Su-han shouted as if throwing a tantrum, Manager Ma didn't budge an inch.

Soon, Cheon Su-han's voice grew smaller, seemingly intimidated by Manager Ma's imposing presence.

"Sit down, Uncle."

Cheon Su-han's eyebrow twitched, but he sat back down.

"Did you come here to piss me off? Damn it, why are you making a fuss all the way out here?"

"I heard some strange stories about my parents' deaths. Want to hear about it?"