Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: The Final Card
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‘Jeong Hyeok-su, that stupid bastard….’
Moments ago, Park Jung-ki had followed Lee Dae-hyuk out and received a call from his underlings.
The report was that Jeong Hyeok-su and his crew had gone to jump Lee Dae-hyuk but got beaten instead.
“That guy pulls idiotic stunts like that sometimes out of excessive loyalty. Let me apologize on his behalf.”
“Apologize? After this, you’ll just stab me in the back again, right? That’s your gang’s specialty, isn’t it?”
Lee Dae-hyuk’s mockery, born from his intimate knowledge of how thugs operated, flushed Park Jung-ki’s face red.
Rage boiled up inside him, but he had to hold it back no matter what.
“I’ll go up to 300 billion. So let’s call it quits here.”
Park Jung-ki shifted the topic from Jeong Hyeok-su to the deal.
300 billion—the maximum he could scrape together.
He’d have to dip into company funds, but what choice did he have?
If he skimped on a few bucks and the redevelopment project fell apart…
‘I could end up dead.’
Life was worth more than money, obviously.
He had to survive, even if it cost hundreds of billions.
“I’ll throw in some shares too. Three percent. That should net you another 100 billion in two years.”
On top of that, Park Jung-ki played another card.
He’d cede some of his own stake.
“Let’s go from enemies to allies. It’ll be more comfortable for both of us.”
Lee Dae-hyuk barely suppressed a laugh at the proposal.
“I’m neither your enemy nor your ally. You talk like that only when you’re on equal footing.”
He held their leash.
Why bother with enemies or allies?
“Stop wasting time. If you want my land, prepare 1,000 billion and get in touch.”
Lee Dae-hyuk turned away.
Step, step—!!
Park Jung-ki glared at the receding figure, his face turning crimson.
In the end, the final persuasion had failed.
‘Damn it! Where the hell did this guy come from?’
He was already irritated by Kim Jin-taek and Min Seung-su, but the redevelopment project had been sailing smoothly.
At this rate, he could snag hundreds of billions and the title of Busan’s top construction firm without a hitch…
‘This lunatic’s about to ruin everything.’
Park Jung-ki scratched his head furiously.
No helping it.
If persuasion failed, he’d have to kill him.
‘Not with my own power.’
Park Jung-ki assessed the situation coldly.
How could he, of all people, dare kill the youngest son of the Daehan Group?
But that man could do it.
Step, step, step—!!
Park Jung-ki’s eyes turned icy as he recalled his last card.
***
Was it because he’d just clashed with Kim Jin-taek’s gang?
The sharp edge of his emotions softened at the sight of people scattered throughout the pension grounds.
Drunk and laughing boisterously, they felt utterly peaceful.
‘Lucky them.’
Lee Dae-hyuk quietly watched the flushed faces sipping their drinks.
Ordinary folks living peaceful lives.
Even with all the money in the world, he wouldn’t know true happiness until his revenge was complete.
Even after revenge, he might never experience something as trivial as happiness.
But what could he do?
He had a mission he absolutely had to fulfill.
Happiness would have to wait as homework for after that mission.
“Where’d you go?”
Joo Hyo-min’s voice suddenly came from behind him.
“Oh, Ms. Joo.”
Lee Dae-hyuk turned to see Joo Hyo-min, holding canned beers in both hands, her face sullen.
“Where were you?”
“Sorry. A relative was nearby, so I stepped out to say hello.”
Joo Hyo-min shot him a look at his excuse.
“You’re terrible at lying. Newbies shouldn’t lie to their superiors, you know?”
“Ah… Was it that obvious? I’ll practice.”
Joo Hyo-min furrowed her brow at his response.
“Not funny.”
“…….”
“I won’t pry anymore. You wouldn’t answer anyway.”
Lee Dae-hyuk kept silent at her words.
Telling her he’d met “customers” to sell 90 billion worth of hoarded land for 1,000 billion would sound even more like a lie.
As he stayed quiet, Joo Hyo-min held out one of the canned beers.
“Let’s go get some air.”
.
.
.
Splash—!! Crash—!!
Listening to the waves, Joo Hyo-min stretched.
The hangover washed away with the tide.
Lee Dae-hyuk, meanwhile, felt puzzled.
‘She’s got something to say….’
As if reading his mind, Joo Hyo-min chuckled softly.
“Don’t look so tense. I just wanted to talk about something I’m curious about.”
“Go ahead.”
She stopped and asked in a serious tone.
“You’re quitting the company… right?”
Lee Dae-hyuk paused at her question.
Probably.
This sharp woman had picked up on the subtle shift in his demeanor.
He hadn’t slacked on work or done anything obvious otherwise.
But she’d noticed.
“How did you know?”
“You seem relieved. Like you’ve finished your homework? It shows. And…”
Joo Hyo-min trailed off briefly.
She couldn’t quite put it into words, but the closer she got to him, the more she sensed he was different from them.
Most office workers lived to get by.
An ordinary life.
But Lee Dae-hyuk seemed far from ordinary.
He aimed for something higher.
‘Because he’s a chaebol heir? No, that’s not it.’
She’d met plenty of parachute hires at Daehan Construction—rich kids dropped in.
They scorned the ‘ordinary.’
Mistaking their privilege for talent.
But Lee Dae-hyuk was different.
Just look at Park Min-chan or Jin Soo-young.
‘He’s intriguing.’
“You’re a bit of a mystery. Sometimes you sound like an old uncle, but you’re great at your job.”
“…….”
“Plus, I figured a chaebol heir like you wouldn’t stick around long. You’ve done all sorts of un-ordinary things, right? Most like that don’t last.”
“I’ve done some un-ordinary stuff, yeah.”
“You know it. Still, it was fun. Kinda jealous you could be that free…”
Lee Dae-hyuk pondered his expression upon hearing an ‘ordinary’ office worker envy him.
But the answer was simple.
“Once I wrap up the Jin Soo-young ad shoot, I’ll probably have to quit.”
“I knew it.”
Joo Hyo-min felt a pang of regret.
Being around Lee Dae-hyuk made office life enjoyable.
It sparked hope, too.
That something with him might change the company—and her.
“Losing a troublemaker like you… Office life’s gonna be boring from now on.”
She trailed off, sounding wistful.
She’d grown attached, more than expected.
Lee Dae-hyuk appreciated that.
She was one of the few true colleagues he’d made at Daehan Construction.
“No need to be sad.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll stick around till the shoot. And even after I leave, you’ll find office life fun.”
“How?”
Joo Hyo-min’s question drew a grin from Lee Dae-hyuk.
“Spoilers ruin the fun.”
“You know what your one flaw is, Lee Dae-hyuk? Keeping secrets and frustrating people like this. Still… I’ll look forward to it.”
The company vibe had shifted a tad since he joined.
So, a sliver of hope wasn’t unwarranted.
“Let’s drink. Huh?”
Joo Hyo-min winced while trying to open her beer can.
The buzz?
Her fingers lacked strength.
Lee Dae-hyuk snatched her can.
“Let me get it. First…”
He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the sand off the can.
“…….”
“It’s clean.”
Click—!!
“Nice manners. Where’d you learn that?”
Joo Hyo-min took the opened can.
“From work. Had to visit places where manners matter often, so it stuck.”
“Work? Didn’t you say Daehan Construction was your first job?”
“…….”
Lee Dae-hyuk fell silent at her question.
Memories of his Kim Gun-woo days surfaced.
Managing VIPs like renowned politicians and chaebols under Yoo Jae-man.
‘Manners like that were essential back then.’
That’s why consideration came naturally now.
Of course, if it had only been that, it might’ve felt rewarding.
But mostly, it was wielding violence on others.
“…I did some really boring, meaningless work briefly.”
Utterly meaningless.
No one ended up happy; someone had to be crushed for another to rise.
Naturally, a privileged class profited from such tragedies.
And at their pinnacle stood Yoo Jae-man.
‘After revenge, I’ll do real work.’
Work that made people happy, yielding genuine smiles of fulfillment.
Even then, he planned to keep Joo Hyo-min by his side.
This clever, perceptive woman.
‘After the U.S., try other things too.’
The Daehan Group surely hid talents he didn’t know.
He had allies outside, but none inside he trusted yet.
Maybe President Nam Sung-il?
But he belonged to Lee Myung-guk, not him.
‘I need to build my own line in the group.’
Talents loyal to him, who’d elevate Daehan to the world’s top group.
‘To do that, gain experience at affiliates after the U.S.’
Like now.
Sorting his thoughts, Lee Dae-hyuk offered her the beer.
“Thanks. You cleared my head, Ms. Joo.”
“Because of me?”
“Yeah. Here’s to more good times.”
“Didn’t you say you’re quitting?”
“Even after, we’ll meet again.”
Joo Hyo-min blushed at his words.
Thump, thump—!!!
“We’ll meet again” felt loaded with meaning.
‘No way? Is this…?’
A subtle confession?
‘Why me?’
She wasn’t bad-looking, sure.
But Lee Dae-hyuk was a chaebol heir.
Plenty of women with better backgrounds and looks.
Plus.
‘An orphan….’
Her shoulders slumped as she recalled her own origins.
But then.
Splash—!! Crash—!
The moonlight?
The waves?
Such thoughts vanished.
Backgrounds and looks mattered less.
She just wanted to savor this brief freedom.
So.
Clink—!!
Toasting his can boldly, Joo Hyo-min declared.
“Alright. Let’s meet again.”
“Ah… Y-yeah. Th-thanks.”
Dumbfounded, Lee Dae-hyuk brought his can to his lips.
And that day lingered differently in their memories.
For Joo Hyo-min, a beautiful recollection.
For Lee Dae-hyuk, just the day he drank canned beer.
***
Haemyeong Construction, office.
Park Jung-ki gripped his phone at his desk.
He’d decided to make the call, but his hand trembled.
The arrow had already left the bow since the protests.
Grit—!!
Clenching his teeth, Park Jung-ki hit call.
Ring—!!!
Moments later.
Korea’s top killer answered.
Click—!!!
A husky, gravelly voice called his name.
- Park Jung-ki?
“Yeah, Wolfgang. It’s me, Park Jung-ki.”
Boss, Become a Chaebol