An abandoned factory on the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province.
“Mmph, mmmph. Mmph!”
Under the flickering incandescent lights, a man tied to a chair groaned and looked around. Just then, the fluorescent lights on the ceiling turned on, and the factory suddenly became bright. Squinting from the glare, Hammer recognized a figure in the distance.
Manager Ha was walking in. Hammer struggled desperately, but he was tied in such a way that he couldn’t even move a finger. Even for Hammer, who had been through all sorts of trials in the Myeon District's Private Loan Market, his face was slowly turning pale.
Step, step.
Manager Ha arrived in front of the bound Yu Ji-kang and looked down at him with a blank expression.
“Mmph, mmph.”
Shaking his head, Hammer let out a muffled groan, trying to say something. Manager Ha opened his mouth.
“Boss Yu. What on earth were you thinking? I just can’t understand it, no matter how much I think about it. Has anything like this ever happened since I started working for the Chairman?”
“Mmph, mm… Mmph!”
Manager Ha tore off the tape covering his mouth. The moment the tape was gone, Hammer screamed.
“You bastard! Hey! Manager Ha! Do, do you really think you can get away with doing this to me? Huh?”
But his voice was trembling uncontrollably.
“Boss Yu, are you not grasping the situation?”
Belatedly, Yu Ji-kang looked around and was startled to see the men standing behind him like a folding screen.
“...Manager Ha. Le-let’s talk this out. Huh? We can resolve this with words, can’t we? Right? The Chairman and I haven’t worked together for just a year or two. Let’s talk. Huh? Manager Ha!”
Manager Ha picked up a hammer that was lying carelessly on the floor. Yu Ji-kang immediately recognized it. It was the hammer he always carried with him.
A sneer appeared on Manager Ha’s lips as he spun the hammer in his hand.
“Ah, a conversation, you say? Very well. What was it you said back then? The history and living witness of the Myeon District's Private Loan Market?”
Swish, swish.
At the sound of the hammer cutting through the air, Yu Ji-kang, his face pale, began to beg in a trembling voice.
“Manager Ha. I-I’ll hand over the bankbooks and everything. Let’s stop here. Please.”
“You were going to bring this hammer down on the Young Master's head. You didn’t really think you’d get away with something like that, did you?”
“Th-th-that was just to test the Young Master. I had no intention of actually hitting him. You don’t think I’d really do that to the Chairman’s grandson, do you? Huh? It’s true, believe me!”
“Is that so? I thought perhaps, given your age, you were in a hurry to leave this world.”
Creeak! Screech.
The closed factory door opened, and two men entered carrying a large drum. Yu Ji-kang’s complexion turned deathly pale. It was then that the smile vanished from Manager Ha’s face.
“Who ordered you?”
“Wh-what? Who ordered me? It was me, trying to test the Young Master. It’s true.”
Manager Ha glanced to the side without a word. The men approached and grabbed Hammer’s arms, which were fixed to the chair.
“Boss Yu, think carefully before you answer. Who ordered you?”
Yu Ji-kang did not answer.
Thwack!
The hammer swung without a sound and smashed down on Yu Ji-kang’s finger. With the sound of flesh being crushed, blood splattered everywhere.
“Agh! Aaaaaaaaargh!”
Yu Ji-kang thrashed about like a madman. His pinky finger was crushed, exposing the bone.
“Who ordered you?”
“Wh-who ordered….”
Thwack!
“Aaaaaaaaargh!”
This time, it was the ring finger. And then the middle finger, the index finger…. In an instant, all his fingers were a mangled mess.
The sound of Yu Ji-kang’s breathing was laced with the gurgle of blood. Manager Ha in front of him, the men holding him down, and those standing behind, all watched the breaking Yu Ji-kang with faces that were not just calm, but utterly numb.
“Boss Yu, you should at least save your right hand. This is the last time. I won’t give you another chance.”
Manager Ha reached out and lifted Yu Ji-kang’s limp head. His eyes were unfocused.
“Who gave the order?”
“……”
When there was no answer, the men, catching Manager Ha’s gaze, grabbed his other wrist. At that, Yu Ji-kang shuddered violently and snapped back to his senses.
“I-I’ll talk! I’ll talk! Please, stop….”
“Speak.”
“B-Boss Cheon Su-man… asked me to test him…. Yes, it was Cheon Su-man who asked. Cheon Su-man ordered it. It wasn’t me….”
Yu Ji-kang kept emphasizing Boss Cheon Su-man’s name. Manager Ha stared at his face for a moment, then took a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and placed it in Yu Ji-kang’s mouth before lighting one for himself.
“Have a smoke. See how much better things are when you listen when I ask you nicely?”
Yu Ji-kang couldn’t even properly draw on the cigarette in his mouth. The cigarette, hanging in the air, trembled along with his lips.
“Where are the bankbooks?”
“In the office safe….”
“Are they all there? What about the ones the Chairman entrusted to you separately?”
“……”
“Why aren’t you speaking?”
As Manager Ha raised the hammer again, Yu Ji-kang flinched and spoke.
“Th-that’s also in the office safe….”
Manager Ha took a key from his pocket and dangled it in front of him.
“Is this the right key?”
“Uh, uh. That’s it. That’s right.”
“I’m going to the office to get them now. If there’s a problem with even one won….”
“There won’t be, there won’t be.”
With empty eyes, Yu Ji-kang nodded his head frantically, then shook it. Manager Ha threw his cigarette on the floor and stood up.
“Patch him up, more or less. Give him a cigarette if he wants one. I’ll be back, so keep a good watch.”
“Yes, Manager.”
Receiving the men’s salutes, Manager Ha left the factory.
Chairman Cheon wore an indifferent expression, as if he had expected Manager Ha to retrieve the bankbooks.
“Where is that fellow, Ji-kang?”
“For now….”
Manager Ha’s words trailed off as he looked at me. My grandfather glanced in my direction and then urged him on.
“It’s fine. Mu-hyeok should know too. About how his grandfather has survived to get this far.”
“I have him at the abandoned factory for the time being.”
“Hmm… is he badly hurt?”
“Only a few of his fingers have been turned to powder. He confessed quickly, so we stopped there.”
Surprise flickered across my face. In my past life and this one, I had never seen Manager Ha like this. Manager Ha had always been by my grandfather’s side as a secretary, and even after his death, he had acted as my secretary.
Seeing my expression, my grandfather chuckled and said.
“Heh heh heh. You’re surprised, are you?”
“N-no, sir.”
“The private loan business can’t always be solved with words. Do you have any idea how many things happened while gathering all that money? You can’t be shocked by something like this.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Manager Ha asked Chairman Cheon.
“How should we deal with him?”
“Hmm… he’s still a man who worked by my side for a long time….”
After a moment of thought, my grandfather asked me.
“Mu-hyeok, what are your thoughts? What do you think we should do?”
What was the right answer to the question my grandfather had posed? The right answer my grandfather wanted was…. After organizing my thoughts for a moment, I spoke.
“Have him retire. I believe our relationship has already been irreparably broken. If we leave him in his position, he could become a liability someday. Keeping such a person by our side… I don’t think it’s right.”
My grandfather smiled, as if pleased with the answer.
“Is that so? You think so?”
“Yes.”
After a moment of thought, Chairman Cheon spoke to Manager Ha.
“That… retire him. Leave him enough to live on, then recover all the money I gave him, and all the bonds too. And… if he resists or seems to have other ideas, handle it as you see fit.”
“Yes, I understand.”
After giving his orders, my grandfather looked at me and said.
“Mu-hyeok, you may go now. Are you doing well in school?”
“Yes. I’m also focusing on my school life.”
“Good. Even if you don’t take the bar exam, treat the people you meet at university well. At Korea University, those people will one day be the ones running this country. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Go get some rest.”
I bowed and left the study. I grabbed my car keys and left the house to go to school.
After Mu-hyeok left the study, Chairman Cheon and Manager Ha continued their conversation.
“Who was behind it?”
“It was Boss Cheon Su-man. He said he asked him to test the Young Master. The other bosses apparently agreed as well. However, it seemed a bit suspicious to say he did it solely on Boss Cheon Su-man’s word.”
“Is that right?”
“I think he got carried away, thinking he’d been with you the longest.”
“Hmm….”
“How about giving him a warning? If something were to happen to the Young Master….”
“Happen? Watch your words.”
As Chairman Cheon’s expression hardened, Manager Ha immediately bowed his head.
“I apologize. I overstepped.”
“…The Blue Wind Association might have been involved. Before you retire him, find out for sure.”
“Yes, sir. Then what should be done about the first boss?”
“That’s enough. I’ll take care of the first one myself. For now, keep a close eye on the movements of the Economic Planning Board. The senior secretary for economic affairs hasn’t said anything, has he? Something feels off. And proceed with organizing the accounts quickly.”
“Yes, sir. The Blue House is said to be focusing all its efforts on purging the Hana-hoe. But what should be done with the secret accounts? Should I organize those as well?”
“I’m entrusting those to Mu-hyeok, so be aware of that.”
“Understood.”
After sending Manager Ha out as well, Chairman Cheon muttered to himself, looking weary.
“What should I do with that Su-man….”
He was a man colder than anyone to others, but Chairman Cheon was also just a father, endlessly weak when it came to his own bloodline.
As I entered the lecture hall to attend class, I could feel people’s eyes on me. I really can’t get used to this.
“Mu-hyeok! Here! Over here!”
Seeing Myeong-soo waving and calling my name, a smile finally spread across my face.
“I wonder what the professor is like?”
“Who? Professor Shin?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t know. But they say all his students hold high-ranking positions in the courts and prosecutor’s offices.”
“Hmm….”
“Are you studying for the bar exam?”
“Yeah. I started studying. Phew… where is my youth going! What is this, all because of you?”
Just as Myeong-soo finished grumbling, the classroom door opened and an old man with white hair entered. He looked around at us, and the first words he uttered were….
“Do you know what Article 1, Section 1 of our country’s constitution is?”
Someone raised their hand and said.
“The Republic of Korea shall be a democratic republic.”
“Then what about Article 1, Section 2?”
“Uh… that is….”
As the student who had raised his hand scratched the back of his head, the old professor answered for him.
“The sovereignty of the Republic of Korea shall reside in the people, and all state authority shall emanate from the people.”
The air in the lecture hall grew heavy. The students stared only at the professor’s lips.
“After you graduate from university and pass the bar exam, whether you handle the law as a prosecutor, a lawyer, a judge… whatever your position may be, always keep Article 1, Section 1 and Section 2 in your hearts. A legal professional who has lost that is no legal professional at all.”
“Yes, sir!”
Perhaps thanks to the students’ vigorous voices, a smile bloomed on the professor’s face as well.
“Ho ho ho. The freshmen are always so full of energy. I apologize for starting the first class with such heavy words.”
“Not at all, sir!”
The lecture hall was filled with the students’ laughter.
“Come to think of it, the top student this year got a perfect score, right? Where are they?”
Ah! Why!
The gazes of all the students in the lecture hall turned toward me. Following their gazes, the professor’s eyes also fell upon me.
“Student Kim Mu-hyeok? Is that right?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Why did you enter the law department? What do you plan to do in the future? A prosecutor? A judge? Or perhaps a lawyer?”
The professor’s sudden question left me speechless. But I had no choice but to answer, as my classmates were waiting for my response with curious eyes.
“I haven’t thought about my career path yet. I plan to think about whether the legal profession is my path while I attend school.”
“Hoh, a peculiar one entered as the top student this year.”
The lecture hall once again erupted in a sea of laughter.
“Since it’s the first class, let’s have some simple self-introductions. It would be good for you classmates to get to know each other before the welcoming party, wouldn’t it? Alright! Since you’re already standing, let’s start with our top student.”
Everyone’s eyes, including the professor’s, turned to me again.
“Hello. I am Kim Mu-hyeok. It’s a pleasure to meet my classmates like this in our first class….”
By the time all the students had finished their introductions, the first class was over. As I was leaving the lecture hall, a few people approached and spoke to me. But none of the people I was targeting approached me.
The Korea University class of ’93 was known as the golden class. I had chosen the law department with the intention of making a few people who would later rise to key positions in the Supreme Court, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and the Ministry of Justice my own.
After exchanging a few words with the students who approached me, I was walking out of the lecture hall with Myeong-soo when someone called my name.
“Kim Mu-hyeok!”
I turned my head at the sound of my name and saw Cheon Su-man’s daughter, Cheon Ji-soo, approaching me.
“I have something to say. Do you have time?”
Myeong-soo was dumbstruck by Cheon Ji-soo’s face, and the surrounding students also glanced back and forth between my face and Cheon Ji-soo’s, whispering amongst themselves.
“What is it?”
“Let’s go somewhere quiet and talk.”
My cousin, with whom I hadn’t exchanged a single word at the last family gathering. Cheon Ji-soo was more of a vixen than anyone I knew. A nine-tailed fox who hid a blade within her beauty and smile.