Chapter 334
Chapter 334
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Translator: crow
Chapter: 334
Chapter Title: Fear
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Late summer 1977 in Korea was under the Yushin regime.
That said, it was a bit iffy to compare Jang Dong-yun's Yushin directly to the original Yushin.
Jang Dong-yun's version at least left the public with some "breathing room."
It started with allowing the masses to consume the dictator as a punchline in pop culture.
In that sense, Jang Dong-yun's governing style resembled Vladimir Putin more than Xi Jinping.
*In terms of dictatorial technique alone, Jang Dong-yun gets passing marks, at least.*
Otherwise, he wouldn't have held onto power for so long in the first place.
So, what kept this Jang Dong-yun in power?
First: intelligence politics.
The five major intelligence agencies—the KCIA, Defense Security Command, Army Intelligence, National Reconnaissance Office, and Homeland Security Bureau—propped up his regime.
Second: money politics.
Jang Dong-yun colluded with the chaebols to maintain his rule.
He granted them special favors in exchange for massive political funds, which he used to buy the loyalty of bureaucrats and the military.
How do I know? Because I'm one of the people getting pocket money from Jang Dong-yun.
"Your Excellency's inner circle—anyone getting paid ranks in the top 1,000 in the Republic. You've made it, Director Bae."
Maybe because I'm at the bottom of the list, but he doesn't give much.
Third: Seongjun Middle and High School.
Its alumni formed the regime's praetorian guard, holding key positions everywhere.
Jang Dong-yun ran the country on these three pillars.
In other words, weakening those pillars would weaken him just as much.
*But that's not as easy as it sounds.*
To touch the foundations of the Jang Dong-yun regime, you'd need at least the clout of a KCIA director.
For me right now? Fat chance.
In this situation, my only strategy was to build up my own forces.
How?
The tools I could wield were money and power.
I decided to use those two to set up a long-term pawn outside the KCIA.
*First, what tool should I grab?*
Thugs.
In this era, gangsters were a handy tool.
What better way to quietly kidnap and make people disappear?
You're thinking about the evils of dictatorship, so why resort to kidnapping and disappearances?
Because as the weak one here, I can't afford to be picky about methods.
Gotta try everything I can.
Through the Public Security Investigation Office, I targeted one of Pyongyang's small violent outfits: the Jaegeon faction.
And in just one day, I had the cops drag their boss, Kim Jae-geon, to the Public Security substation in Daebang-dong.
The substation belonged to the police, but to a senior KCIA official like me, that hardly mattered.
I crossed my legs and sat in the chair the cops had brought over.
Kim Jae-geon, maybe from a day of deep conversations with water, looked anxious the moment anyone entered.
*Gang boss or not, he's nothing special.*
Truth be told, most gangsters lacked any real grit.
After crossing the line between life and death a few times, they turned meek as lambs—that was the norm.
"Kim Jae-geon."
At my call, he trembled.
"You know where you are? Daebang-dong."
The moment he heard "Daebang-dong," Kim Jae-geon started babbling endlessly that he wasn't a commie.
Yeah, sure—but you're a son of a bitch anyway.
That's why you're on my radar.
I blew out a puff of cigarette smoke.
"I know. You haven't done anything wrong."
He stopped shaking like a leaf at that.
Then he looked at my face.
"How do I know? Because I had you brought here."
Kim Jae-geon swallowed hard.
"W-Why me?"
"First, you should ask who I am."
"Wh-Who are you, sir?"
I flicked my business card at him.
He picked it up, read the title, and let out a gasp.
KCIA Public Security Chief Investigator Bae Seong-jun.
"Now you know who I am. So, do you know why I brought you here?"
He nodded like a maniac.
"I'm trying to raise a dog, but when I look around, I don't even have a mutt pup in sight."
Even at the insult, Kim Jae-geon showed no anger.
If anything, fear dropped his gaze to the floor.
"So I told the cops to fetch one. Even asked them to train it. Wonder if they did a good job."
At that, he blurted out in a panic.
"The training went great, Director!"
"Yeah? Can I trust that?"
"Yes, sir. Please trust me."
Only then did I toss my cigarette butt and stand from the chair.
"Inspector Kang!"
"Yes, Director!"
A police brass hurried in and bowed deeply.
"I talked with Kim Jae-geon here, and he seems to understand commands. Good work on the overnight shift, Inspector Kang."
I gave a glance, and my aide handed over an envelope of cash to Inspector Kang.
"Use that for your team's drinks."
"Thank you, Director."
"Alright, Jae-geon heads out today."
I walked off with hands behind my back, then turned to Kim Jae-geon.
"Kim Jae-geon. In two days, one of my staff will come for you. If you're not there, you'll end up a corpse."
"Y-Yes, sir."
"Director, safe travels."
I left the substation amid police bows.
Two days later, my staffer went to the Jaegeon faction's HQ and brought Jae-geon to my safehouse.
I beckoned the overwhelmed Jae-geon into the lavish interior.
"Take off your shoes."
"S-Sorry."
He was so tense he hadn't even thought to remove them.
"Sit there."
"Yes."
I seated Kim Jae-geon and poured him a glass of cognac.
"Drink up first."
"Thank you, Director."
I waited for him to empty the glass.
Tense as he was, it took him ages to finish.
As he cautiously set it down, I poured another.
"One more."
"Yes."
After two glasses, his face flushed a bit, and the tension eased from his voice.
"So, how's KCIA booze taste?"
"I-I'm not sure."
An honest answer, un-gangster-like.
"Isn't the answer supposed to be 'tastes great'?"
"I-It was delicious."
"Good. Now that you've had fine liquor, let's talk business."
"Y-Yes."
"You know the KCIA handles state affairs, right, President Kim?"
I upgraded his title since we'd be partners now.
He caught on quick.
"Yes, I know."
"But sometimes, in state affairs, there are things even a government agency can't touch directly. What then?"
I poured into my own glass and continued.
"That's when you outsource."
"Yes."
"What happened a few days ago? Just think of it as a hiccup in the contracting process. Water under the bridge."
What was he gonna do if he didn't get it?
I held the power.
"Not holding it against you at all."
"Good. Truth is, if the talk hadn't gone well, I'd have had to dispose of you too. Lucky for both of us, right?"
At that, Kim Jae-geon froze solid again.
A powerholder who treats lives like flies.
That was the impression I wanted to implant in him.
Why craft that image?
Simple reason.
He had to fear me down to his instincts before he'd even dream of betrayal.
Cheaper and more efficient than wasting extra time and money on a thug.
"Answer."
He forced a grin.
"Y-Yes, exactly."
"Good."
I pulled a document from my briefcase and handed it to Kim Jae-geon.
His hands started shaking again the moment he took it.
The file listed not just his family, but his hidden mistress and kid's details too.
"Oops. Gave you the wrong papers."
I snatched it back from his trembling hands and handed over another.
"Read this carefully."
It was a subcontractor agreement.
More psychological leash than real contract.
Kim Jae-geon shook as he finally started reading.
"All done?"
"N-Need a bit more time."
"Why so shaky? Who's gonna eat you?"
While he read, I put on some ASMR for him.
"Oh, that kid from the student protest we dragged in. Corpse disposal's a hassle—might as well grind him up for chicken feed."
"Got it."
Of course, a scripted act with Section Chief Oh.
Hearing that, Kim Jae-geon handed the papers back without hesitation.
"All read?"
"Yes."
"Fingerprints, then."
With shaking hand, he stamped the document.
"Now you're family, President Kim. Hit me up if you need anything tough."
"Y-Yes."
Of course, he wouldn't ask easily.
I'd shown him enough how dangerous and burdensome I was.
Pyongyang gangster boss Kim Jae-geon thus became my pawn.
After he left, Section Chief Oh spoke up.
"Director."
"Listening."
"Why use a small fry like that? Wouldn't grabbing a bigger outfit be better?"
Fair point.
But big outfits had politicians behind them.
Flash my KCIA Public Security Chief title, and I could take down most named pols—but flexing like that would expose my shadow roots to the light.
Might as well do nothing.
That's why I picked a small one like Jaegeon faction.
"For now, this size is perfect."
Section Chief Oh nodded at my explanation.
"True, better to keep it quiet, like you say."
We sipped the remaining cognac and discussed next moves.