Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Royal Family 18-3
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Seo Ji-hyeok and Jang Woo met again a week after Ji-hyeok's trip to Ego.
The two reunited in Cheongnyangni after a long time, sitting face-to-face in a small chicken joint dotted with their shared memories.
"It's just the same as always."
Ji-hyeok sat at the worn table, gazing around as he lost himself in nostalgia.
Then Jang Woo, sitting across from him and wiping the table with a napkin, spoke up.
"Yeah, but this area's been greenlit for redevelopment, so it'll be gone soon."
"That's a shame."
"Tell me about it."
As the two reminisced about the past, two glasses of beer and a plate of freshly fried whole chicken arrived in front of them.
- Clink!
They lightly tapped their glasses, wetting their lips, then simultaneously grabbed a drumstick and tore into it without a word.
They didn't speak again until they'd devoured the drumsticks and drained half of what remained in their beers.
"The organization's grown a lot, huh?"
"Yeah, just my direct subordinates number three hundred now. Honestly, there are times I don't know what to do with it all."
"I'll lay out my thoughts first. I want to bring you to my side now. There's no reason for you to keep walking that path."
"I get that, but... it's a waste too. I've already purged all the dirty players, and there's no friction with the cops. Like you said, as long as we steer clear of drugs, it's not a bad setup."
"Sure, but that's only temporary. It looks fine now because you've got a tight grip on things, but eventually someone will screw up, and someone else will dip into drugs."
"Yeah, you're right. That's bound to happen."
Jang Woo nodded in agreement at Ji-hyeok's words.
- Clink!
They clinked glasses again and finished off the rest of their beers.
Then, in unison, they popped a piece of chicken radish into their mouths and crunched down.
"Use this chance to sort out who comes with you and who gets cut loose. Set up a way for those who want to stay in that world to make a living, then you get out."
"Got it. I'll do that. Handing over Cheongnyangni and Dongdaemun's clubs and buildings, plus the Mapo hotels, should be plenty."
"Good. Just keep one club."
As they discussed Jang Woo's future like that, they also reminisced about old times.
That night, Ji-hyeok drank a bit more than usual.
The time Seo Ji-hyeok arrived at Taesungwon was two in the morning.
After sending the designated driver off, he walked toward the cart station and suddenly halted at the sight of someone's shadow.
It was Gong Seung-yeon.
"No way you've been waiting for me?"
"Yeah."
"You could've waited at home. I told you to call when I got here."
"Just felt like it."
Gong Seung-yeon, leaning her chin on the steering wheel in the cart's driver's seat, looked a little tired.
"You drank, huh?"
"Yeah. You too, by the looks of it?"
"Just a bit of beer."
"Wanna walk?"
"Sure."
Gong Seung-yeon stepped out of the cart, and they began strolling slowly.
Ji-hyeok matched her pace.
"Is it true?"
"What's that?"
"That Dad tried to kill you."
"Yeah."
"...So it really happened."
Whether she didn't want to believe it or just needed confirmation...
It was hard to tell from Gong Seung-yeon's voice.
Maybe both.
"Can you forgive our dad?"
"I've already forgotten. I've taken all the compensation I was due."
"Easy for you to say. I can't wrap my head around it..."
"Are you asking me how you should feel right now?"
"I don't know. I just wanted to talk to you."
After that, they walked in silence for a while.
Gong Seung-yeon's voice came again only when they were nearly at Taesung Hall.
"I hate it here."
"You're old enough to run away if you want."
"That's exactly what I'm planning. It's draining seeing Mom so worn out, hearing Dad's voice after he got kicked out. Everyone just staring at the money... I'm leaving Taesungwon tomorrow. That's why I wanted to talk to you tonight."
Ji-hyeok turned at the pathos in Gong Seung-yeon's voice.
"Don't try to guilt me. If you have something to say, just say it."
"It's not like that. I just..."
"Hey, you hate Taesungwon? That jacket you're wearing alone costs more than a college grad's first-month salary. Don't get me started on the 'modest' car you drive around in. Hell, the watch on your wrist is worth most office workers' annual pay. And yet you pull in four million a year doing whatever you want. What was that? You hate Taesungwon? Hate people who chase money? Wearing those clothes, driving that car, and saying that? Come on. At least everyone else owns their desires. What's your excuse? What gives you the right to judge the rest of the family?"
Gong Seung-yeon looked startled at Ji-hyeok's icy tone.
But she couldn't grab him as he turned and walked off.
And she stood blankly in front of Taesung Hall for a long while.
"Hit him! Yeah! Left side! Fuck, I said left, you bastard!"
It was your typical underground boiler room in an office building.
A three-meter-wide corridor stretched out, lined with long pipes and countless valves attached along them.
In the center of that long hallway, two men—tops off—were pummeling each other.
- Thwack! Smack! Crack!
Each time a fist slammed into bare flesh, a bone-chilling boom echoed through the basement.
And every time blood sprayed, the onlookers on both sides grew even more frenzied and excited.
Just as the excitement peaked...
"Gah!"
The fight ended with a punch from the man in blue pants landing in his opponent's right side.
The loser clutched his side, dropped to one knee, and extended a hand forward, signaling he couldn't go on.
But then...
"What're you doing, idiot? Finish him! Beat him down! Kill him!"
"Kill him!"
"Kill him!"
Amid the roaring shouts from all around, Blue Pants hesitated for a split second before smashing his fist into the kneeling man's jaw. He then mounted the fallen body and unleashed a barrage of brutal punches.
"That's it! Kill him! Kill him!"
But once the punches had gone on for a bit and the man on the floor's face was a bloody mess, a burly guy stepped in to pull them apart.
He bowed once to each side before speaking slowly.
"Thank you. That's the match for today."
"Aw, fuck. Kim, come on, keep going. It was just getting good."
The one griping at the man called Kim—the only one seated, watching the fight—was Jo Dong-yeon.
But at that moment...
"Young master! You need to head up now."
Lee Chang-gyun rushed over and whispered in his ear.
Jo Dong-yeon, his fun ruined and face twisted in annoyance, shot Lee Chang-gyun a glance but got up without complaint.
As he turned to leave, Kim hurried over and bowed.
"Did you enjoy the show?"
"Fuck that, you ruined my mood. Anyway, next time get some real fighters. These guys are shit—not like you dragged them off the street or anything."
Jo Dong-yeon grumbled as he pulled out his wallet and handed over five checks to Kim.
"Thank you. Next time, I'll line up our aces."
"Do whatever. If it's this bullshit again, I'm done coming here."
"Don't worry. You won't be disappointed. Please, head on in."
With Kim's deferential send-off, Jo Dong-yeon left the sweltering boiler room.
Once they reached the first-floor parking lot, he turned to Lee Chang-gyun.
"What is it?"
"Get in the car first. This isn't for out here."
Lee Chang-gyun was thirty-six.
He called Jo Dong-yeon "young master" and trailed him, but he had no ties to Seyeon Group.
He worked solely for Jo Dong-yeon, paid from whatever cash Jo handed out on the spot.
But Jo Dong-yeon didn't look down on him.
Because Lee Chang-gyun was the one who'd orchestrated the Daecheon Transport scheme.
Still frowning from the interrupted fight, Jo Dong-yeon spoke the moment he got in the car.
"So what?"
"Young master, Daecheon Transport has announced a rights offering."
"Rights offering? What's that? Fuck, I told you not to use hard words with me!"
"Sorry. Simply put, it's increasing the number of shares. Daecheon Transport currently has one million shares outstanding. You hold 490,000 of them."
"I know that. I've got 49%. So?"
"They're issuing ten million more shares. To take control as planned, we'll need to buy another 4.9 million."
"How much?"
"49 billion."
"What? You fucking kidding me? Where's that money coming from? And who the hell approved it? I'm the second-largest shareholder with 49%!"
"Looks like they got approvals via written and phone consents for an emergency board meeting. Did you get any mail at home?"
"Which home? Fuck, you think I've got just one or two? How should I know?"
Lee Chang-gyun let out a slight sigh at Jo Dong-yeon's outburst.
Truth be told, Lee Chang-gyun had been an ordinary salaryman at a securities firm.
But he wasn't satisfied with that life.
And as usual for the disgruntled, temptation came knocking—in the form of pump-and-dump schemes.
His job was making charts and graphs, and after a few successes, he raked in money beyond any salary or bonus.
But as with all things, if the tail's too long, it gets stepped on.
He got two years in prison, a 3 billion forfeiture, and a civil suit from his firm that left him penniless.
After prison, he returned to society but found no work he could do.
Or rather, none he wanted to do.
No securities firm—or any finance company—would hire a stock manipulator.
And he had no stomach for manual labor.
In his aimless days, his lifeline came in the form of Jo Dong-yeon.
An ignorant, money-flush, immature punk.
The effort he'd poured into meeting Jo would've cost tens of millions if tallied up.
After all that, Lee Chang-gyun now served as Jo Dong-yeon's strategist.
"So? What happens? If I don't pony up 49 billion, then what?"
As Lee Chang-gyun sighed faintly, Jo Dong-yeon's irritated voice, laced with frustration, rang out.
"If they buy up all the new shares, your 49% dilutes to 4.4%."
"What? 4.4%? You joking?"
"Young master, calm down and hear me out."
"Fuck! How can I calm down? Dad promised me the expressway if this went well. Then when he kicks it, we split shipping three ways and take the group, right? Now you're saying it's fucked?"
"It's not fucked yet, young master. I'll look into it as much as I can. But just in case, maybe you should try scraping some money together too? More backups the better, no?"
"Fuck! Where am I supposed to get that kind of cash?!"
"What about... your second brother?"
"That moron? What about him?"
"I hear he's... into drugs."
"So?"
"Pull him in for this, get the money, then report him..."
Jo Dong-yeon's eyes lit up at Lee Chang-gyun's words.
After that, their conversation shifted to hushed tones.
And it went on for quite a while.
Lee Chang-gyun arrived at Hongdae Blue Eye on Friday evening.
And he sought out Jang Woo, the registered CEO.
Without knowing that Jang Woo was the viper known as the Storm of the Night.