Chapter 91
Chapter 91
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Christmas Surprises
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“By tomorrow at this time, it’ll all be handled. I’ll report back then.”
Shenwoo bowed his head and left Ryu Ochang’s office.
Thud, thud, thud—!!
Once his footsteps faded away,
Ryu Ochang, now alone, muttered to himself.
“Getting Christmas presents at my old age. Heh heh heh.”
***
Christmas Day.
Lee Daehyuk had stopped by Eve’s White Storm to get a report.
“It’s all taken care of.”
“Where’s the footage?”
When Lee Daehyuk asked, Eve handed him a slip of paper.
It had a website address along with an ID and password.
“It’s on our web hard we run on the deep web. I uploaded it there, so log in and download it yourself.”
“The deep web?”
“It’s an internet site made by folks like us. Impossible for the cops to track, so it’s convenient for scammers like me.”
“Thanks for the Christmas gift.”
Lee Daehyuk gave a playful bow.
Was it because it was Christmas?
He felt more relaxed than usual.
But Eve just responded curtly, as always.
“It’s not a gift—it’s business. Two hundred million by tomorrow, in cash, please.”
Even with Eve’s icy tone, the smile on Lee Daehyuk’s lips didn’t fade.
Everything was going exactly as he wanted.
Kim Hyun-seung had been arrested, and the Gold Moon Club would be shutting down.
On top of that, with the Gold Moon CCTV footage in hand, he’d have leverage over the heirs of chaebol families and influential figures.
‘I should thank Lee Daehwan for this.’
It felt like Lee Daehwan had handed him a Christmas present.
Using this gift would let him manipulate them going forward.
But.
“This isn’t the time to celebrate. You’ve gone and tugged at the whiskers of a sleeping lion.”
Lee Daehyuk couldn’t just bask in joy at Eve’s follow-up words.
“A sleeping lion? Who’re you talking about?”
“Ryu Ochang. A former Triad executive turned villain. He’s old now, but he’s still a tiger at heart.”
“……?”
“He was the one behind Kim Hyun-seung. Though, I suppose I should thank you for that part. We uncovered some new intel during our investigation.”
Eve gave Lee Daehyuk a slight bow.
Even they didn’t have access to every piece of information in Korea.
Plus, Ryu Ochang had invested as discreetly as possible, staying out of the spotlight.
‘Even now, it’s… an unbelievable coincidence.’
Eve allowed herself a rare pleased smile.
The shrewd woman had, after accepting Lee Daehyuk’s commission, tasked White Storm’s hackers with extra work.
Namely, hacking Kim Hyun-seung’s call logs and emails.
The result? Records of multiple calls and emails between Kim Hyun-seung and Ryu Ochang.
A quick investigation later, and Eve had uncovered their connection.
In the end, she was the one who’d received the Christmas present—not Lee Daehyuk.
Without his commission, how would she have ever learned of the link between Ryu Ochang and Kim Hyun-seung?
But business was business.
Eve wiped the smile from her face and continued.
“There’s a high chance Ryu Ochang will come after you. Hole up at home for a while. Or flee the country.”
Eve’s advice was objective.
Even Lee Daehyuk couldn’t take on Ryu Ochang.
The Black Rock Society wasn’t some pushover gang for ordinary folks.
‘If Ryu Ochang had wanted it, he could’ve ruled Korea’s underworld.’
The Black Rock Society was a force even Eve feared.
But Lee Daehyuk replied in a nonchalant tone.
“I was heading overseas anyway for that investment deal. And honestly, this works out perfectly.”
“Works out? Perfectly?”
Eve was caught off guard by Lee Daehyuk’s unexpected reaction.
She was the flustered one now.
“You don’t seem to grasp the situation. Ryu Ochang is…”
“A mid-level boss in the Triads. A big shot who smuggled and trafficked weapons, drugs, high-end art—anything that made money—in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Russia. Oh, and not just weapons and drugs; he dealt in hitmen too, from what I hear.”
“……?!”
Eve was stunned.
Ryu Ochang was a figure no ordinary person could know about.
Even in Korea’s underworld, few knew his name.
So how could Lee Daehyuk—a regular guy until recently—know all this?
“…This is ridiculous. You were in this world from the start, weren’t you?”
“Just an average civilian.”
Eve shook her head at Lee Daehyuk’s answer.
“No ordinary person could know about Ryu Ochang.”
She was right.
Lee Daehyuk had only learned about him thanks to Yoo Jaeman.
He recalled a memory from his days as Kim Gunwoo.
.
.
.
Yoo Jaeman.
He’d reached the top of Korea’s economy but wasn’t satisfied.
So he turned his gaze to Korea’s underworld.
To become a true ‘king,’ he began conquering the night streets.
With Kim Gunwoo leading the charge.
Bolstered by Seo Jin Group’s capital and manpower, Kim Gunwoo fought and fought.
But one day,
A formidable opponent appeared.
Ryu Ochang.
One day, amid a turf war with Ryu Ochang’s group, the infamous Black Rock Society,
Kim Gunwoo received an invitation and went to meet him.
Others warned him it was dangerous, but he ignored them.
Tigers like Ryu Ochang valued honor above life.
Those who betrayed honor could never rise to his level.
And Kim Gunwoo was a tiger too.
He didn’t dodge the invitation and sought out Ryu Ochang.
The meeting spot was a fishing pond on the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province.
Ryu Ochang, casually alternating between spicy fish stew and soju, welcomed Kim Gunwoo.
And that day.
‘I still remember the conversation with Ryu Ochang.’
“A tiger serving under wolves.”
“Tiger… Thanks for the compliment.”
“Keep playing dog, and the wolves will tear you apart.”
“I don’t believe in fortune-telling.”
“Heh heh heh. How about coming under me?”
“No thanks.”
“Shame. Then let’s just talk business.”
There was regret in Ryu Ochang’s voice.
His eyes held the competitive fire and respect of rivals.
Lee Daehyuk had been puzzled at first meeting, but now he understood that gaze.
Ryu Ochang had probably seen through the man named Yoo Jaeman even then.
He’d sized up Yoo Jaeman faster than Kim Gunwoo, who served him.
That day, at that meeting,
Ryu Ochang stuck strictly to business after the initial offer.
Looking back, it was one of two things.
He’d pegged him as someone who wouldn’t accept any offer, so no point wasting breath on chit-chat.
Or…
‘Maybe he saw my future.’
That he wouldn’t last another five years.
After the meeting with Ryu Ochang, the wars ceased.
Yoo Jaeman pulled back too.
And Ryu Ochang’s Black Rock Society, perhaps tired of bloodshed, launched no counterattacks.
It was a true truce.
Then, five years later,
He was reborn as Lee Daehyuk.
.
.
.
“…….”
Lee Daehyuk, lost in the past for a moment, stroked his chin.
Things had unfolded strangely, letting him encounter Ryu Ochang far earlier than in his previous life.
‘Not a bad thing.’
To fight Yoo Jaeman, he needed more power.
For a legal battle, he’d keep building capital like now.
But for an illegal one, allying with a force like Ryu Ochang’s wouldn’t be bad.
Eve, oblivious to his plans, just stared in bewilderment.
“Ugh, whatever. Survive or die, your call.”
She’d already gone above and beyond—handing over the CCTV and warning him about Ryu Ochang.
Lee Daehyuk had no further expectations of her.
“Then, until next time.”
Pocketing the note, Lee Daehyuk rose with a smile.
Thud, thud—!!!
Watching him leave White Storm, Eve clicked her tongue.
‘Is he insane or just bold? Can’t tell.’
But soon after, when she reunited with Lee Daehyuk,
Even she would realize.
He was far more extraordinary than she’d imagined.
***
Lee Daehyuk emerged from White Storm.
And surprisingly, his next stop was… a church.
A modest two-story building topped with a towering cross.
A typical small pioneer church you could find anywhere.
Most congregants at this ‘Hye-myeong Church’ were homeless people, elderly scavengers, and runaway teens.
Despite their meager means, the church ran a welfare center funded by donations.
And right now.
Standing before Hye-myeong Church, Lee Daehyuk felt a strange emotion.
‘It’s miraculous….’
Truth be told, ‘Kim Gunwoo’s’ mother wasn’t Christian.
Yet after learning her only son was a gangster, she’d started volunteering here.
‘To bear… my sins in your place….’
Up to now, Lee Daehyuk had avoided memories of Hye-myeong Church or his mother.
Once he started, he wouldn’t be able to stop.
But at this point in time, Kim Gunwoo was still alive and well.
If he showed up…
‘They’d just call me crazy.’
He couldn’t appear before this era’s Kim Gunwoo or his mother.
Yet when he saw Hye-myeong Welfare Center on Kim Mijin’s donation list,
Lee Daehyuk felt it was fate.
‘Yeah… just up to here… just this far….’
No closer.
No matter how much he missed her.
He’d just listen to the hymns and children’s laughter from here, then go.
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare Him room…”
With piano accompaniment, the singing spilled out through the church windows, echoing everywhere.
And by some stroke of great luck.
“……!!”
Lee Daehyuk caught a glimpse of his mother’s face through the window.
‘Mother… Mother….’
She sat by the window, smiling and singing hymns with the others.
‘Really… I got a Christmas gift after all.’
Stab, stab—!!
Something pierced his pounding heart.
His eyes welled up too.
His mother, whom he’d thought he’d never see again.
Joy at seeing her shook his body, but the ache of not being able to say a word gnawed at him.
“…….”
Lee Daehyuk gazed silently at his healthy mother’s face, then…
Thud, thud, thud—!!!
Turned and walked away.
‘This is enough.’
Had seeing his mother by chance ignited his drive?
His next destination sprang to mind instantly.
***
“…Empty as hell.”
It being Christmas evening, the gym was deserted.
Chu Dong-hyun must’ve gone out to enjoy the holiday too.
He considered calling Lee Sang-wook, but two guys alone in a gym on Christmas sounded even more depressing.
“Whew….”
Changing into training clothes, Lee Daehyuk silently started pounding the heavy bag.
Thwack—! Thud—! Pow—!
The crisp impacts cleared his mind.
Thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack—!!!
Lee Daehyuk ramped up the speed, fists flying.
As his machine-gun punches hammered the bag for a while,
Suddenly.
Rattle—!!!
The gym door slid open.
Halt—!!!
‘Who at this hour?’
Lee Daehyuk froze mid-punch toward the bag.
‘…….’
Something felt off.
Normally, people greet others when entering the gym.
But no greeting—just a chilling glare.
‘No way?’
Smirking bitterly at the familiar situation(?), Lee Daehyuk turned around.
“…Hah. Fast, aren’t you.”
The感動 from seeing his mother hadn’t even faded.
And now the genre(?) had shifted.
“…….”
“Come on, on a day like today? Do we have to do this on Christmas?”
As expected, a masked man fixed him with sharp eyes.
Boss, Become a Chaebol