Sledgehammer of Fortune
Leaving Oh Seong-deok behind in the house, Min-ho stepped out onto the main street. He glanced around, quickening his pace.
A short while later, he arrived at a hardware store that had nothing to do with debt collection. As he pushed open the door, an old man wearing reading glasses and perusing a newspaper greeted him in a gravelly voice.
"Come on in. Just tell me what you need."
"Yes, sir. Do you have a sledgehammer here?"
"Did you say sledgehammer, young man?"
"Yeah, the heavy iron one for demolition."
Something about Min-ho's demeanor felt off, so the hardware store owner removed his thick glasses, tilting his head and scrutinizing him closely. It was broad daylight, and a sharp-dressed twenty-something in a crisp suit hunting for a sledgehammer first thing in the morning? That was a first.
With narrowed eyes, the owner asked, "You don't look like you're from around here."
"No, sir. Just in town for some business."
"From the looks of your suit, you're no construction worker... Mind if I ask why a guy in a getup like that needs a sledgehammer?"
"Nothing shady. Just got a job that needs doing."
Min-ho's vague answer was enough to fuel the owner's suspicions. His expression hardened. To Min-ho, it was a simple task. To the owner, it screamed trouble. Shaking his head firmly, he made it clear: no sale.
"Nah, beat it. No deal."
"Sir, there's a sledgehammer right there."
"I said no. If you need one that bad, go buy it somewhere else. Do whatever."
"I'm not asking for it free. Why won't you sell it?"
"No more talk. I'm busy—now scram."
The owner picked up his newspaper again, shutting down the conversation. This was an era without the internet, and Min-ho wasn't familiar with the neighborhood. Finding another store meant asking around, wasting precious time. If they dawdled here and Oh Seong-deok got canned, the whole plan would crumble.
Reading the owner's face, Min-ho stayed calm and pivoted to persuasion.
"Sir, you don't think I'm up to no good with this, do you?"
"What else am I supposed to think? Young guy like you, dressed to the nines, asking for a sledgehammer bright and early."
"It's not like that."
"Then explain it so this old fool can understand."
"I start work this afternoon, so I stopped by my uncle's place. He said the flower bed's in the way, so I'm clearing it out."
The owner still wasn't buying it. Staring hard at Min-ho, he said, "You look like a good kid, but these days are so chaotic. I don't want to sell something and end up with a headache if trouble follows."
"Of course. If I caused any mess with this, you'd be the one stuck dealing with the cops. I get it."
"Exactly. I got burned once before—cut me some slack, kid."
Min-ho understood, but time was ticking. He pulled out another option.
"How about this, then?"
Eyeing the store's wares, Min-ho proposed, "Lend me that bolt cutter, the scale, and the sledgehammer for an hour. I'll leave a 50,000-won deposit as collateral. Bring 'em back on time, and I'll pay you 30,000 won extra. Sound fair?"
"Smart thinking. That works—no risk for me, cheaper than buying for you."
"Here's the cash. I'll use 'em quick and bring 'em right back."
"Hustle now, and get 'em back soon."
"Thank you, sir."
***
Meanwhile, oblivious Oh Seong-deok sat frozen in the debtor's house, squirming like he was on pins and needles, his posture and expression equally miserable.
What's that kid up to, running off alone? Being stuck here with this guy is awkward enough...
The deputy had dealt with Sopansik plenty in the past—no picnic there either. Min-ho's solo jaunt gnawed at him, so he prodded casually.
"Hey, JK guy."
"Yes?"
"Where'd that friend of yours go?"
"Beats me."
"Cut the crap. You think money falls from the sky if we just sit here?"
"Tell him when he gets back. I don't know what he's doing either."
The pointless exchange fizzled into silence. Then, heavy footsteps echoed up the stairs—Min-ho returning.
Relieved, Oh Seong-deok hurried to the door.
"Deputy Oh, could you get the door?"
"Yeah, hold on."
Opening it, Oh Seong-deok recoiled in shock. In Min-ho's left hand swung a sledgehammer; his right gripped a scale and bolt cutter.
This was beyond imagining. He stumbled back involuntarily.
No way... he's gonna... with that... take out this guy...
To make matters worse, Min-ho wore a faint smile. Anyone in Oh Seong-deok's shoes would think the same. That grin only poured fuel on the flames of misunderstanding.
Shaking his head, Oh Seong-deok tried to talk him down calmly.
"Kid, what the hell is this?"
"Only way to collect the debt."
"Okay, okay, I get you're pissed. Just put it down first."
"It's not what you think."
Min-ho knew exactly what Oh Seong-deok was picturing. He answered truthfully, but the deputy, already flustered, read malice into it. His face drained of color.
His mind raced, but his mouth wouldn't cooperate. Stammering, he tried to de-escalate.
"Listen to me—you saw it yourself, right? Nothing here. Bringing that won't solve shit."
"This will."
"Solve what? You think I don't know what you're planning?"
"Not what you think."
"What do you mean 'not'? Sledgehammer and bolt cutters? It's obvious!"
Min-ho's cool response made Oh Seong-deok claw at his hair, sighing deeply. He'd already jumped to conclusions; nothing Min-ho said would penetrate. Pulling rank didn't work either—Min-ho's intensity, sledgehammer in hand, was too much.
Switching tactics, Oh Seong-deok tried again.
"You worked hard to get into our company, remember? Put it down and think straight."
"If I was gonna beat or threaten him, I'd have done it bare-handed the second I walked in."
"Huh? What?"
"You think I couldn't take that old geezer without this?"
"Then why bring it?"
"Told you—I'd show you something fun. Just watch."
Min-ho slung the sledgehammer over his shoulder and strode inside. Sopansik, mid-newspaper, jolted up at the sight.
"Wh-what the...? Hey, kid, what's this all about?"
"Told you already. Here to collect."
"Y-you gonna threaten me with that?"
"If it was brute force, I'd have smashed the door with a pickaxe already. Step back."
Min-ho headed straight for the bathroom—Sopansik's worst nightmare.
No... not in there!
He was trapped in a dilemma. Admit the truth, and the secret was out. Block him blindly, and it'd look suspicious as hell. Pacing like a dog desperate to go, Sopansik finally flung his arms wide, desperately barring the way.
"Wh-why the bathroom?"
"Gotta take a piss. Need a reason? I'm gonna shit. Happy?"
"Then put that down first. Why take it in?"
"Bad constipation. It'll scare it off if you're nearby."
"No... I can't let you, not even over my dead body."
Min-ho was clearly onto something, smiling knowingly. The sledgehammer proved it. But letting him in meant exposure. Sopansik grabbed Min-ho's waist with all his might.
"No! Absolutely not!"
"Sir, you're awfully stingy with the bathroom. I'll clean the whole thing spotless after."
"It's... it's broken, see? The toilet backs up if you use it—trust me."
"I'll handle that."
To Min-ho, Sopansik's antics looked like a tantrum. Gazing down, he said, "If you're this desperate to keep me out, there must be a shrine in there or something."
"No, not that, but..."
"Keep holding on, and I might just go right here. Let go."
Can't let him in, can't hold forever—Sopansik sweated bullets, panic plain.
Oh Seong-deok, who'd tangled with him before, sensed something and gave Min-ho a nudge.
"Min-ho, go handle your business."
"Now we're syncing up."
After a heroic struggle, Min-ho entered the bathroom. Now, pinpoint the spot.
He clenched his fist lightly, tapping the walls.
Gotta find the exact location.
Tap after tap. Each thud made Sopansik's face stiffen like a condemned man hearing his sentence.
Four spots. Three rang clear and hollow. The last—by the window—thudded dull and heavy, sound muffled.
Bingo... Can't get fooled twice.
Unlike relaxed Min-ho, time ratcheted up Sopansik's anxiety. Sweat pouring, he pounded the door.
"Kid, why tap the walls? Done in there? Hurry—I gotta go bad."
Min-ho flung the door open, beaming innocently.
"Hang on. Almost done."
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Told you—here to collect."
Min-ho eyed the spot, wiped sweat on his pants, gripped the sledgehammer tight.
This swing would mean incentives for Oh Seong-deok, a throne at JK for Min-ho, and utter despair for Sopansik.
Smiling at him, Min-ho raised the hammer high and smashed down with all his might.
THUD!
A deafening boom shook the house—Sopansik's ultimate horror. His scream followed.
"Aigoo! Neighbors!! These young punks are wrecking my house! Help!"
Min-ho, knowing what lay within, didn't stop. Swings accelerated.
THUD!
"Stop! Please! Stop!!"
THUD!
"Please!!! Stop, I said!!!"
Ignoring the pleas, Min-ho hammered relentlessly. A crack formed; bricks crumbled, surrendering to the floor.
One more, and it was over. Min-ho swung full force.
CRASH!
The stubborn wall collapsed entirely. Min-ho grinned in satisfaction. As expected, over 200 gold bars gleamed neatly inside.
"Whoa, what's all this?"
"Believe me now?"
Oh Seong-deok gaped, eyes locked on the gold, jaw on the floor.
Sopansik crumpled, legs giving out, tearing at his hair.
This was the moment the full truth of the 1992 Myeongok-dong gold bar scandal that rocked Korea came to light.