Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Allies and Bait
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In front of the Jungbu Police Station in Seoul, reporters swarmed like a sea of people.
Park Cheon-ho, the leader of the Cheonho Gang and head of an international organ trafficking ring, had been arrested.
Especially noteworthy was the fact that all his arms and legs were shattered, along with several broken ribs, yet he had confessed every single one of his crimes.
He spilled the addresses of the Incheon and Yangsan factories where the organ trafficking took place.
He revealed all the illegal funds he had amassed, the money laundering schemes, and even details about Juo, the hitman who had killed his own subordinates on his orders.
Naturally, even the detectives who brought him in were utterly stunned.
To be fair, it was Lee Dae-hyuk's doing from the start.
But pulverizing every bone in Park Cheon-ho's body made one thing crystal clear.
‘This guy's completely insane.’
Fortunately, Park Cheon-ho hadn't mentioned Lee Dae-hyuk or his sponsor, Lee Dae-hwan.
He knew better than to drag their names into it if he wanted to live out his days properly, even in prison.
However, Kim Il-jung was dissatisfied with that too.
‘If Dae-hyuk's name had come up, we could've nabbed him right away. What a shame.’
His prosecutor's instincts were screaming.
Lee Dae-hyuk was dangerous.
Yet, on the flip side, he was also a useful weapon.
‘Can't decide….’
Shaking off his tangled thoughts, Kim Il-jung ruffled his hair wildly and stood up from his desk in the prosecutor's office.
‘Might as well grab some lunch.’
It was lunchtime anyway, so he figured he'd enjoy a meal and try to clear Lee Dae-hyuk from his mind.
But then.
Viiiing-!!
‘This guy's no saint either.’
The caller ID on the phone on his desk: Lee Dae-hyuk.
Seeing it, Kim Il-jung pressed his throbbing temples with both thumbs.
***
A humble eatery near the prosecutor's office.
Crunch crunch-!!!
As Kim Il-jung shoveled down braised fish and rice, he spoke up.
“How'd you do it?”
Munch munch-!!!
Lee Dae-hyuk, mid-bite with a piece of braised radish, widened his eyes.
“Do what, sir?”
“Park Cheon-ho.”
“Curious?”
Thwack-!!!
Irked by Lee Dae-hyuk's cheeky response, Kim Il-jung shot him a sharp glare.
“I could lock you up too.”
“On what charge?”
“Plenty.”
When Lee Dae-hyuk pressed directly, Kim Il-jung dodged vaguely.
Circumstantial evidence abounded, but no hard proof or witnesses.
So, there was no real way to take him down.
Unwilling to show that weakness, Kim Il-jung changed the subject with a cynical tone.
“Playing Batman or something? Vigilante justice as a hobby?”
“Not about justice, but yeah, something like that again.”
“Something like that?”
Kim Il-jung's gaze filled with questions.
He had no clue how Lee Dae-hyuk got the intel or forced the confession.
‘Not that I need to know.’
What mattered was Lee Dae-hyuk's intentions in approaching him.
“Whatever it is, I couldn't care less. But you won't get to use me.”
“No plans to use you, sir. What could I do with a regular prosecutor pulling weekend shifts?”
Kim Il-jung's current influence was minimal.
He'd cut ties with Hyunsan Group and climbed this far on his own merit.
The problem? By birth, he was an outsider in the prosecution.
Not only was he a chaebol kid turned prosecutor, but he went around preaching justice.
Worse, his targets were all chaebols.
To his fellow prosecutors, he was nothing but a thorn in the side.
Who'd like a colleague constantly stirring up headaches?
‘If he were from ordinary stock, Yoo Jae-man would've crushed him by now.’
Yoo Jae-man had tried multiple times to eliminate Kim Il-jung for meddling.
But even he couldn't touch Hyunsan Group's son, so it fizzled out.
‘In the end, he benefited from family.’
In the future, Kim Il-jung had been a nobody prosecutor.
But now.
Having met him, this oddball would live a different life.
‘If he racks up merits one by one from here, becoming prosecutor general isn't impossible.’
Lee Dae-hyuk had shifted his mindset after the Park Cheon-ho incident.
He'd initially balked at relying on public authority.
But Yoo Jae-man was tied to countless gangs.
Strengthening ties with Kim Il-jung wasn't a bad move.
“Keep racking up wins like this, and you'll build some pull, right?”
“What? Trying to bribe me?”
“Just want to build some rapport. Like before.”
“…….”
At "like before," Kim Il-jung swallowed his words.
Normally, he'd unleash a barbed retort.
But knowing Lee Dae-hyuk's painful past, he held back.
Still, Kim Il-jung wasn't some fool who'd let emotions ruin his work.
“Don't try any tricks. I'm not hurting for cash.”
“Intel, though? That's scarce, right?”
“…….”
Lee Dae-hyuk hit the nail on the head, and Kim Il-jung clammed up again.
Fine.
Time to own it.
“Alright, fine. I need intel. Essential for cleaning up human scum. But let me say it once more—the trash I'm after is…”
“Rotten chaebols.”
Lee Dae-hyuk nailed it again, earning a long stare from Kim Il-jung.
That look screamed, ‘And you’re any different?’
“You'll see from what I've done so far—and what I'll do.”
“Yeah. I'm watching.”
Hearing that, Lee Dae-hyuk resumed his meal.
Five minutes later.
Finishing in silence, Lee Dae-hyuk stood.
“I'll head out first.”
“Hey, I'll pay for—”
“Just the one portion, please.”
He paid exactly for his share and left the eatery.
Scraaape-!!!
“…Boss, I'll settle up too.”
Suddenly awkward, Kim Il-jung shuffled to the counter.
***
Park Cheon-ho's organization was utterly dismantled.
Most members were rounded up, and even Juo couldn't dodge prison.
A brief peace settled in.
In that calm, a small change came over Lee Dae-hyuk.
Screech-!!
“You're here, Senior.”
“Senior?”
“In the gym, aren't you my senior?”
Lee Sang-wook, who lived and trained at the gym, bowed 90 degrees to Lee Dae-hyuk.
‘Why's this kid suddenly so different?’
“Yeah… Keep at it.”
Patting the unexpectedly amiable Lee Sang-wook's shoulder, Lee Dae-hyuk stepped up to the heavy bag.
Thud-!! Thud thud thud-!!!
He pounded it with his usual skill, occasionally glancing at Lee Sang-wook doing push-ups in the corner.
Truth be told, he felt no particular fondness for the guy.
Just planned to use him as a tool to protect his loved ones.
But him getting stronger was a net gain.
Plus, averting his future as a serial gang killer was a win for Lee Sang-wook too.
He needed to grow stronger and repay the favor.
‘Yeah, get stronger. You've got a lot ahead.’
Park Cheon-ho was mere practice.
Even Haemyeon Construction's Park Jung-gi rivaled him in power.
And behind Busan's Haemyeon was Seojin Construction.
No, Seojin Group.
A little land hoarding spat with Haemyeon wouldn't bring Seojin's HQ down on him.
Still, he had to brace for physical confrontations.
That's where Lee Sang-wook could help.
Of course, the best was becoming so strong himself no help was needed.
Strong enough to topple even Seojin Group's Yoo Jae-man.
Renewing his resolve, Lee Dae-hyuk swung at the bag.
Boom-!!
***
Splash-!
The beach air carried a salty tang.
Daekuk Construction folks had come to Busan's Haeundae for a company retreat.
Employees had rented out condos en masse, reveling in the fun.
Groups drank and chatted; some strolled the shore, soaking in the leisure.
But among those drinking or relaxing, Lee Dae-hyuk was absent.
“Strange. Where'd Lee Dae-hyuk go?”
In the room with PR team members.
Joo Hyo-min, sipping a beer, asked around.
They'd arrived at the condo together, but he'd vanished.
Park Min-chan, sour-faced, replied.
“Said he had to step out for work earlier.”
“Where to?”
“Do I need to track a newbie's every move?”
Park Min-chan, who bristled at Lee Dae-hyuk's mere mention, scowled at Joo Hyo-min.
She just took another swig without retort.
Then, whispers rose among other staff.
“Maybe he scored a girl from another department?”
“Wouldn't blame 'em. Eyes on him everywhere.”
“Yeah, he's got the looks and manners. If I weren't married… whew.”
“Auntie, snap out of it and drink your beer.”
Joo Hyo-min's face crumpled hearing them.
“What's wrong, Hyo-min? Something up?”
Lim Soon-cheol, the deputy manager, approached with concern.
But she shook her head with a smile.
“No… The beer's just bitter today….”
***
At that moment.
Just as the staff guessed, Lee Dae-hyuk was with a woman.
A stunning one, in a hotel room no less.
“Hmm. Young Master, you're such a catch, but moments like this make me worry.”
Kim Mi-jin sighed, watching him review documents.
A massive 9 billion won deal.
Thorough scrutiny was essential.
But ditching the fun to pore over papers alone?
It tugged at her heart.
“People need friends, colleagues too. And rest when it's time to rest.”
“I know. But to relax easy, homework first.”
Smiling back, Lee Dae-hyuk returned to the documents.
They were land purchase contracts for the Jesong-dong area, bought under her corporation.
‘500 pyeong for 9 billion… Good price.’
Apartments in Jesong-dong then went for 6 million won per pyeong.
Houses or fields varied but traded 6 to 10 million.
With minor taxes, 18 million per pyeong for apartments or houses.
“Gave me chills. Can't keep doing this.”
Kim Mi-jin shook her head.
To her ordinary life, blowing 9 billion in days felt like her guts dropping.
But Lee Dae-hyuk stayed calm.
It was other people's money.
Lose it all? No sweat.
Besides, these "projects" were just trailers for the real war ahead.
“Good work. But what now? More chills coming.”
She waved him off at his tease.
“Any more and I'll have a heart attack. Still, I'll toughen up so I don't let you down, Young Master.”
He smiled silently.
“But since we're here, let's check the land first.”
He could've just waited post-purchase.
Curiosity about why Seojin Construction and Haemyeon eyed it drew him.
Also.
‘Time to bait the hook.’
Haemyeon must be in chaos by now.
Nearly 500 pyeong vanished suddenly—they'd be tearing hair out tracing contacts.
‘Yeah. Now, bait time.’
Grinning, Lee Dae-hyuk stood.
“Real estate tour, then seafood for dinner.”