Chapter 15
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: The Ponzi Warning
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"Enjoy your drink."
"Thank you."
Peach iced tea arrived. He picked up the drink and took his seat.
Yoo Jin-seong slipped the red plastic straw between his lips. Its signature tangy sweetness filled his mouth.
'Tasty.'
As he sipped the peach iced tea,
his gaze locked onto Kim Dong-wook. More precisely, onto Kim Dong-wook's inner thoughts, which shifted by the second.
That bitch Lee Kyung-mi is ignorant and tacky as hell.
She slaves away at the factory like a pig, raking in cash, but she's clueless about investing or how to spend it properly.
Bitches like her have a type. They only believe what they see with their own eyes. Show them profit, and they'll buy it hook, line, and sinker—even if it's fake.
Stupid bitch. Dumb bitch who loses her mind at the sight of profit. Can't even tell real gains from fake ones.
Kim Dong-wook and Lee Kyung-mi talked for about thirty minutes.
The mood was as warm and friendly as could be.
"Just invest five million won."
"That's too much money."
"If five million feels like a stretch, start with just five hundred thousand. You'll see profits in half a year, and double your principal in a year."
"Hmm, alright. I trust you, boss. I'll go with five hundred thousand."
"Wise choice. You won't regret it."
Kim Dong-wook's lips curled into a deep smile.
Five hundred thousand? Bait. Bait to hook the big fish.
What if she invests five hundred thousand and gets ten thousand in dividends every month?
Greed sprouts. She'll start resenting herself.
She'll curse her past self for only investing five hundred thousand.
She'll regret not putting in more, not tasting the full thrill with just five hundred thousand.
Regret makes eyes glaze over. Glazed eyes? Game over. She'll come crawling with bundles of cash.
Jin-seong let out a sigh.
'What a fucking scumbag.'
He now understood Kim Dong-wook's scam tactics.
'To sum up his method...'
It was a classic Ponzi scheme.
Recruit investors. -> Collect investments. -> Pay dividends from new investments. -> Promise over 10% monthly returns.
Investors start small out of caution. -> Convinced by profits, greed kicks in. -> They invest more. -> Kim Dong-wook pockets the cash and runs.
'If things go according to Kim Dong-wook's plan...'
Park Man-bok would go bankrupt.
Park Ha-yeon would suffer in poverty too.
Beyond the father-daughter duo, at least dozens more would be ruined.
'Honestly, I couldn't care less if other people crash and burn.'
He stood up.
'But I want to help Sajangnim for sure.'
He left the cafe.
In the Manbok Gym office.
"Here, have some."
Park Man-bok handed over a paper cup. It was Solomon's seal tea.
"Thank you."
Jin-seong took the cup and sipped.
Park Man-bok and Park Ha-yeon watched him intently.
"You said you had something to talk about?"
"Yes."
Jin-seong set down the cup.
"Sajangnim, have you ever heard of a Ponzi scheme?"
"Ponzi scheme? What's that? First time hearing it."
"It's a scam where they take investments, pay dividends from the pot to early birds, then bolt when the money piles up."
"......"
He explained Ponzi schemes in detail.
"Say you got suckered into one and invested a hundred thousand won. They pay you twenty thousand monthly dividends. In five months, you've recouped your principal. Half a year, twenty thousand profit. A year, a hundred forty thousand gain."
"......"
"As the profits roll in, what would you think? Happy with a hundred forty thousand after a year? Or bummed it wasn't more?"
"......"
"You'd feel bummed. What if it wasn't a hundred thousand but a hundred million? You'd make a hundred forty million, so a hundred forty thousand feels like peanuts."
"......"
"Greed takes hold. It's not too late. Invest now. Throw in that hundred million and pocket a hundred forty million a year tax-free. In the end, you scrape together pocket change, loans, even your kids' money and dump it all in."
"......"
Jin-seong kept explaining.
He broke down Ponzi schemes with various examples.
He described the ruined lives of victims.
"Today, I happened to overhear a guy named Kim Dong-wook at a cafe. He was running a textbook Ponzi on a middle-aged lady. Invest five hundred thousand, profit a hundred thousand in half a year. A million three hundred thousand in a year."
"...Pardon? ...Dong-wook? ...You mean my friend Kim Dong-wook?"
Confusion flickered in Park Man-bok's eyes.
"Not sure if he's a friend. Anyway, twenty percent monthly dividends? Two hundred forty percent yearly? Come on, that's ridiculous. Laughable."
The father and daughter's faces hardened.
"Looked like Kim Dong-wook was scamming hundreds with a Ponzi. Luring them with fake profits before vanishing."
"......"
"Be careful, Sajangnim. Anyone promising big dividends on investments? Suspect them first. Bank interest is under two percent yearly—twenty percent monthly? Absurd."
It's malice disguised as kindness.
A scam. Pure scam.
Never trust it.
"I'll head out to train now."
"Sure, have a good session."
Jin-seong left the office. Park Ha-yeon glanced around and followed.
Park Man-bok remained alone.
"Kim Dong-wook might be a scammer..."
Park Man-bok had received the exact same pitch from his friend Kim Dong-wook.
"Scamming dozens at minimum..."
Truth be told, Park Man-bok had trusted Kim Dong-wook implicitly.
Believed he'd bring real gains, no doubt.
Planned to invest his entire three million won fortune on that faith.
That faith cracked.
"Gotta look into it."
Park Man-bok grabbed his phone and called his lifelong buddy.
"Hey, Min-seok, long time. Sorry, but I need a favor. You know Kim Dong-wook? Yeah, that's him. Army buddy. Dig into his background for me."
His buddy ran a private investigation firm.
"Thanks, man. I'll explain later when we meet. Yeah, yeah, let's grab drinks soon. My treat—good meat."
Jin-seong went to check his weight.
"Excuse me."
Park Ha-yeon had followed him.
A few days ago, Park Ha-yeon's favorability hit sixty.
For some reason, it hadn't budged a single point since.
"That Kim Dong-wook guy... you think he's a scammer?"
"Yeah, a thousand percent in my book."
"...Honestly, he seemed shady to me too."
"A background check before investing will clear things up."
"Thanks for the advice. If he is a scammer, I'll make it up to you."
Park Ha-yeon bowed her head.
Pig, thanks.
Dad saying he'd invest three million had me worried...
Should ask Uncle Min-seok to check him out.
The conversation with Park Ha-yeon ended.
'I've done all I can.'
Explained Ponzi schemes. Told them Kim Dong-wook was a scammer.
'Nothing more I can do.'
The choice was Park Man-bok's. All he could do now was wait for the outcome.
'Hope it turns out well.'
He wanted things to work out.
He stepped on the scale.
Jin-seong was thrilled.
'Just one kilogram shy of eighty.'
Lose 1.1 more kilos, and the tens digit flips from 8 to 7.
'A little more push. The goal's right there.'
He burned with resolve.
I can do it. I will lose it. Four days at most.
"Huff... huff... Feels like I'm dying..."
He achieved Achievement 37. Received 45 points as reward.
Jin-seong headed to the bathroom. Downed a Handsome Potion.
Four doses total.
He stood before the sink mirror. Scrutinized his face closely.
'A bit... just a tiny bit... maybe 0.1% handsomer?'
Lie. Truth was, he couldn't tell. No clue if he looked better.
'Keep at it steadily... someday no one will call me ugly.'
A modest hope bloomed.
He wanted Park Ha-yeon to stop calling him Pig.
Wanted Choi Ah-young to quit mocking his looks.
Wanted his mom to say, "My son's so handsome."
Anywhere, hearing "What a fine young man" would be a dream come true.
The next afternoon.
Park Man-bok got a call from his closest buddy.
-Man-bok, dug up dirt on that bastard Kim Dong-wook.
"Already?"
Surprising.
Less than twenty-four hours, and the investigation was done?!
-The guy's so dirty, no real digging needed. Turns out he's a four-time scam convict.
"......"
-Did time for Ponzi fraud. Got out recently and back at it.
"......"
Park Man-bok was speechless. Hit hard.
His buddy continued.
-Total piece of shit. Worst of the worst.
"......"
-Reported him to the cops. He'll be locked up soon.
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