An Ownerless Fortress
Sangmyeong Bank Myeong-dong Branch. Branch manager Kwak Hee-do clutched his head with both hands, his gaze fixed on the floor.
He'd thought Kang Myeong-seon's 150 billion investment would buy him some breathing room, but the bonds coming due soon totaled 800 billion. No matter how much they called him the Bond King, there was no way to resolve that in three days.
This time... I can't possibly cover it...
Whenever money came in, he couldn't resist dipping back into gambling, and to make matters worse, the stocks he'd invested in were heading for delisting. He couldn't let it end like this. Before the authorities caught wind and threw him behind bars, someone would surely kill him to silence the truth.
The terror of death. Time that couldn't be reversed. A clock ticking mercilessly fast. No more impossible juggling acts. Kwak Hee-do's life was slowly marching toward its end.
No, there has to be another way... If I sell a few more CDs in the next couple days...
Life never goes according to plan. The silence in the branch manager's office shattered as the phone rang. It was the bank president.
His heart plummeted, but he forced a calm voice as he answered. "This is Branch Manager Kwak Hee-do."
"Kwak, my boy."
"Yes, President."
"That Daekwang deal last time, and now the Yeonseong CDs—the numbers don't add up. Is this all legit?"
The flimsy blocks he'd stacked through brute force came crashing down. The president's sharp question made his heart pound like it would burst, sweat pouring like rain.
"I... well... There was some confusion with the maturities. I'll verify and call you back today."
"Fine. You know how tricky it gets when the numbers are off like this—we're not amateurs here."
"Yes, President. I'm sorry for the trouble."
"Get it sorted and call before you clock out."
"Understood. Good day, sir."
He'd barely patched it over and hung up, but it was only a matter of time before his schemes unraveled. He fumbled for a cigarette, but his trembling hands wouldn't stop. He banged his head in regret, but he'd gone too far to turn back now. He knew it all too well.
Speak of the devil and he shall appear. The door to the branch manager's office flew open as Manager Kim burst in.
"Branch manager! Big trouble. There's an issue with the Taeseong CDs we issued last month—they just called."
"Got it..."
"Taeseong's president called himself. He seems to think it's on you..."
"I said I got it! How many times do I have to tell you!"
Kwak Hee-do snapped far more harshly than usual. "I'll handle it on the phone... I will."
"Yes... Understood."
He called back to Manager Kim as he quietly closed the door. "Manager Kim!"
"Yes, Branch Manager."
"Sorry. I've got a lot on my mind—got a bit snappy there."
"No, no. I get it. End-of-maturity stress is killer, right?"
"Yeah..."
After his curt reply, Kwak Hee-do opened his wallet and pulled out every bill except a single ten-thousand-won note, handing it to Manager Kim. "Take it—no need to refuse."
"Sir? Why are you giving me money all of a sudden?"
"Your little girl wanted that doll, didn't she? Pick one up on your way home tonight."
"I was just saying it offhand. Really, it's fine."
"Take it... It'll ease my mind."
Manager Kim hesitated before accepting with both hands. "Yes. Thank you, sir."
"All this time... putting up with an incompetent boss like me. You've had it rough."
"Are you... going somewhere?"
"Going? Where would I go? Just talking. Get back to work."
"Yes, sir."
Kwak Hee-do's words hung heavy with meaning, like a man dangling from a cliff by one hand. He punched numbers into the calculator, but there was nothing more he could do. With a long, weary sigh, he pulled a sheet of scrap paper from his drawer and began scribbling with shaking hands.
He'd known the end was coming, but not this abruptly. Nodding to himself, his resolve hardened. He grabbed his coat and stepped out.
"Branch manager, where are you headed?"
"Oh... just some quick business. Be right back."
"Understood. Safe travels."
He pushed through the bank doors. His feet felt rooted to the spot. A hollow laugh escaped as he wondered how his life had come to this. No way forward, no turning back. He stared blankly at the Sangmyeong Bank sign for a long moment.
To think this place would be my grave...
With all his decisions made, he raised a hand for a taxi. "Where to, sir?"
"Banpo Bridge, please."
***
JK Credit Info president's office. At the same time, blissfully unaware, Kang Myeong-seon focused on her work as usual.
"Staring at all this text too long? My eyes are going fuzzy."
As she rubbed the bridge of her nose wearily and looked up, Director Seo Gwang-hun opened the door.
"Seo, perfect timing—I'm beat. Coffee?"
"Yes. Coffee with you on a sunny day like this is like medicine to me."
Human bidet that he was, Director Seo showered her with flattery without pause. He smiled outwardly, but inside, a massive question mark lingered. He still couldn't fathom why Kang Min-ho had pushed the Kwak Hee-do CDs.
Kang Myeong-seon sipped her coffee and shot him a sharp glance. "Something bothering you? You look off."
"Nothing at all. Just a restless night."
"Cut back on those credit team dinners. All that booze—gotta watch it at our age."
"Yes, I'll keep that in mind."
"So, how's the Min-ho situation? You guys got hammered again yesterday?"
Kang Myeong-seon couldn't even imagine the tsunami barreling toward her. She received the usual false report on Min-ho.
"The young master keeps drinking. Photos are all the same anyway, so I skipped them yesterday per his request."
"Fair enough—sticking too close would look weird... But seriously, he was doing so well, then dives into this mess? Even if he's my nephew, I just don't get it."
"Even a foot in shallow water is murky—who knows what troubles the young master's got?"
Kang Myeong-seon snorted, dismissing Director Seo's take. "Troubles? After pocketing billions in incentives from me? Money hits, and the old habits flare up. Sigh, I wanna drag him in and chew him out."
"Still, I know the young master's one in a million. He's got a plan."
Crossing her legs and exhaling a long plume of cigarette smoke, Kang Myeong-seon tilted her head. "Oh? Seo, you taking Min-ho's side now?"
"Not at all."
"Kidding. Kidding. How about haejangguk for lunch?"
"Sounds great. I booked a spot nearby knowing you'd say that. Shall we?"
Misfortune strikes when least expected. Just as they rose from their chairs, the secretary burst in, face drained of color like she'd seen a ghost.
"What? What's wrong?"
"I... President... What do we do..."
"Calm down and spit it out. It's okay—what happened?"
"Th-that Kwak Hee-do from the branch... the one who came before."
"Yeah, what about him?"
"He... he's dead..."
It was unbelievable. Unthinkable. A man who'd beamed cheerfully just days ago—dead? Of course she couldn't accept it. Kang Myeong-seon grabbed her secretary's shoulders and shook. "Say it again. I won't get mad. What did you just say?"
"Branch Manager Kwak Hee-do... he's dead..."
Coldly speaking, Kwak Hee-do's death had little direct tie to Kang Myeong-seon. Even if he was gone, Sangmyeong Bank backed it all.
"Oh? How?"
"It's not the death that's the problem..."
The secretary snatched the remote and flicked on the TV. Breaking news blared.
[Breaking news. The body of Sangmyeong Bank's Kwak Hee-do, known as the Bond King, Myeong-dong branch manager, has been found.]
[A suicide note was discovered on his desk, apologizing to all those he harmed.]
[Kwak Hee-do's death is shaking the KOSPI. He's accused of issuing fake CDs for a bond Ponzi scheme. Confirmed damages exceed 120 billion won so far.]
Kwak's death itself was irrelevant, but tainted CDs changed everything.
"Oh... my god..."
Now it clicked for Kang Myeong-seon. Her legs buckled, and she collapsed to the floor. Eyes glazed like she'd lost half her mind, she muttered the same words over and over. "150 billion... 150 billion..."
Director Seo was just as stunned, though for different reasons. Terror gripped him—not over the 150 billion, but Kang Min-ho. Kang Myeong-seon had ordered surveillance, but their clumsy tailing got exposed fast. Min-ho hadn't shown resentment toward his aunt; he'd dangled an enticing investment. Even Director Seo couldn't make sense of it. Days of pondering yielded no clues.
Now he had the answer. It was Min-ho's trap. But knowing that changed nothing—Kwak was dead.
Kang Myeong-seon, still sprawled on the floor, whimpered. "Seo... what do I do?"
Kwak Hee-do's fake CD scandal exploded across the nation. The legend closed his eyes, leaving one legend eclipsed by another.
One question lingered: Could forging CDs worth tens or hundreds of billions really be that easy? Could a mere branch manager handle over a trillion won?
Yes. And with shocking simplicity. Kwak exploited lax rules. CD paper was just commissioned from any print shop. Each bank's paper, specs, and formats differed—making verification impossible.
His Bond King reputation sealed it. The massive sums he handled, the trust built over years—no one dreamed a man of money and honor would stoop so low.
After his death, authorities tightened regulations, but it was too late—locking the barn after the horse fled.
What of Kang Myeong-seon's 150 billion? A deposit recovery lawsuit might reclaim 80%, but after five grueling years and lost opportunities, even victory would be a pyrrhic one.
Despite her title, she wailed on the floor like a child. Yet another terror loomed: her father, Chairman Kang Jin-gwang. If he learned of this, she'd lose not just her vice-chairwoman shot, but everything.
"Seo... what do I do? If Dad finds out, forget vice-chairwoman—I might lose even this..."
"I'll figure something out."
"Figure what out? This is why I told you not to bring me crap like this!"
Quick to invest when it sounded good, now she blamed Director Seo. She had no inkling she'd fallen into Min-ho's trap.
JK Credit Info's coffers lay empty. Walls stood tall, but they were mere facade—no guards to defend them. A true ownerless fortress.
Kang Min-ho held 320 billion in cash, a staggering sum. It was time to strike the staggering Kang Myeong-seon.
Without a moment's hesitation, he gave the order. "Start buying up JK Credit Info."