Chapter 19: The Four Bosses of Myeong-dong’s Loan Shark Market

The fist flew straight as an arrow.

I twisted my head to dodge the punch, then threw a merciless jab at his face.

The guy who took the hit to his nose staggered backward.

In that moment, two onlookers rushed in simultaneously.

Ignoring them, I closed the distance with the one called Hyeon-woo, grabbed his collar and unleashed a flurry of punches.

Thwack! Thwack!

As he stumbled, the other two caught him in a panic.

“You fucking bastard!”

They cursed and charged at me with renewed fury.

I threw an uppercut at the jaw of the guy on my left. Blood sprayed from his mouth.

The one rushing in from the right stupidly tried to kick.

I threw a short, sharp punch to his throat.

“Gak! Kuh… Huk”

The guy clutched his neck, wheezing and gasping for air like he was about to pass out.

“…Want some more?”

The whole situation was over in just a few minutes.

“Ji-soo?”

At the sound of his name, Cheon Ji-soo finally snapped out of it and looked at me, trembling.

“Look, I’ll say this one last time. We’re both uncomfortable, right? So let’s not get involved with each other. And stop playing gangster with these losers. It’s embarrassing. What are you doing? Isn’t it time to quit this thug life? You’re in your late twenties now. Get your act together, please.”

Cheon Ji-soo stood there like a mute who’d swallowed honey, unable to utter a word.

I clicked my tongue, disgusted by how pathetic he looked.

“Sigh… This is really the last time. If this happens again, cousin or not, I won’t let it slide. Got it?”

The three who had rushed at me were now sprawled on the floor or slumped down, groaning. I addressed them:

“You guys too. Don’t you feel pathetic following a loser like him around, kissing his ass for free drinks? Have some self-respect.”

I picked up the coat I’d taken off and turned to leave.

On my way out, I made sure to give Ji-soo one last piece of advice:

“You clean this mess up. That’s your specialty, right? Make sure I don’t get any annoying calls about this. If I do, we’ll be meeting again.”

Leaving Cheon Ji-soo behind, unable to make a peep, I walked out of the place.

Outside the building, Myeong-su and three others were waiting.

“Hey! Mu-hyeok! You okay?”

“What? Let’s just go.”

“Huh? Oh, you’re not hurt?”

“We just talked.”

I nodded to the seniors.

“Well, we’ll be going now, seniors.”

Myeong-su and I walked to where we’d parked the car.

The night streets of March were still cold.

* * *

“That guy’s living with the old man, right? Learning the ropes under Chief Ha?”

“Yes, boss.”

“Huh… Suddenly, I can’t figure out what the old man’s thinking.”

Cheon Su-man frowned and leaned back on the sofa, looking displeased.

The secretary reporting to him glanced sideways, trying to gauge the mood.

“Chief Ha is personally taking him to meetings with big corporations, introducing him to their top brass. If rumors start spreading that he might be the heir…”

Suddenly, a loud voice boomed through Cheon Su-man’s office.

“What? Heir? What heir? My eldest son is right here, alive and well. Who would dare say such a thing!”

“…I’m sorry.”

“This is really pissing me off.”

Cheon Su-man took out his frustration on the hapless secretary.

“What’s Su-han up to these days?”

“From what we know, he’s working on Assemblyman Kim’s affairs.”

“Any idea what exactly?”

“Well, it seems…”

“Sigh… If it’s Assemblyman Kim’s business, it can’t be easy. Look into that a bit more. What about the Myeong-dong Four?”

“They haven’t made contact with Kim Mu-hyeok yet. I think they’l meet soon, though. Should I look into it?”

Cheon Su-man scratched the back of his head irritably.

“I’ll handle that myself. You just dig into Su-han and Kim Mu-hyeok’s backgrounds, and eep tabs on the old man.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Get out.”

Once the secretary left, Cheon Su-man, now alone, flipped through his notebook.

“Let’s see, where’s that snake’s number… Ah, here it is.”

Cheon Su-man dialed the number.

– “This is Noh Ik-seon.””

“Hey, No. It’s Cheon from Myeong-dong. You free? I was hoping we could meet today.”

– “Today, sir?”

“Yeah, I thought it’d be nice to get all the Myeong-dong folks together for a drink. You’re free, right?”

– “Hmm, alright.”

“Great, I’ll call the others. Let’s meet at the usual place.”

– “Yes, Mr. Cheon.”

After hanging up, Cheon Su-man continued flipping through his notebook and dialed another number.

A few hours later, at a bar in Myeong-dong

Four men were waiting for Cheon Su-man.

“Hey! Bandit Cheon, any idea why he called us here?”

“I don’t know either. You don’t know either, hyung?”

“Yeah, why’d he call us again? Hammer hyung, you don’t know anything?”

“Nope. He’ll tell us when he gets here, I suppose. Let’s wait.”

“Sheesh~ Every time those two bosses pull this crap, how can we enjoy it? Why do they keep torturing us?”

Just then, the door opened and Cheon Su-man walked in.

“Oh, all four of you are here. It’s been a while.”

The four quickly stood up and bowed to Cheon Su-man.

“Yes, Mr. Cheon. It has been a while.”

“Well, let’s sit down and talk.”

Only after Cheon Su-man took the head seat did the four sit down.

“Let’s have a drink first. We’ll talk after we’ve had one each. Then we’ll call some girls and really get this party started. How’s that sound?”

“Yes.”

They all picked up their glasses and downed them in one shot.

“Whew! It feels good to drink together after so long.”

Hammer, who had been eyeing Cheon Su-man, took the initiative and asked:

“So, what’s this about, boss? Calling all four of us like this.”

“Come on, Yu. Are we the kind of people who need a reason to meet? Why so formal?”

“Well, we might meet one-on-one occasionally, but getting all of us together like this only happens once or twice a year, doesn’t it?”

Cheon Su-man scratched his chin.

Everyone seemed to agree, their eyes fixed on Cheon Su-man.

“Sheesh~ I can’t get anything past our Myeong-dong bosses. Fine, I called you here because I have something to say.”

“Go ahead.”

After another shot of liquor, Cheon Su-man spoke:

“You all know about that kid who’s moved into the Chairman’s house recently, right?”

“You mean the Chairman’s grandson?”

“Grandson my ass. Anyway, I hear this kid’s been following Chief Ha around, learning the ropes. But don’t you think it’s weird? With me clearly here, won’t strange rumors start flying?”

“Rumors?”

The bosses exchanged glances.

Cheon Su-man watched their busy eyes with a relaxed expression.

“Look, honestly, the Chairman doesn’t have much time left. As the eldest son, shouldn’t I be more involved? It’s not right for some random kid to come in and cloud the Chairman’s judgment, is it?”

Suddenly, Mad Dog Shin Seong-il, who had been listening, burst out angrily:

“Mr. Cheon, watch your words! How can you say the Chairman doesn’t have much time left? He’s still in good health!”

Cheon Su-man frowned at Shin Seong-il.

“It’s just a figure of speech!”

“Still, he’s your father, isn’t he? I don’t think it’s right to talk like that.”

Cheon Su-man inwardly clicked his tongue.

‘This dumb bear…’

He put on a fake smile and shrugged.

“Sigh… I’m sorry for the slip of the tongue. Anyway, Shin, don’t you think we need to remove anything that might block the Chairman’s eyes and ears, for his own good?”

“Hmm…”

No one answered.

Twin Blades was the first to speak up.

“Are you sure he’s the grandson?”

“According to my father, it’s certain. Apparently, he’s the son of Mi-suk, who was the youngest.”

“If it’s certain… We don’t really have grounds to intervene, do we? It’s a family matter. Even if we wanted to help, what could we do?”

Twin Blades Kim Ho-sik

He was an elite who graduated from Yeonsung University. However, due to debt, he had no choice but to start working under Chairman Cheon. With his brilliant mind, he quickly rose to the position of boss.

It was a pretty sharp observation, but Cheon Su-man chuckled at Kim Ho-sik’s words.

“Hah~ Kim, I mean Ho-sik, this isn’t a family squabble. Do you think I’m doing this because I’m afraid of some young punk? I’m worried my father might make a wrong decision.”

None of the four believed Cheon Su-man’s words.

“Anyway, Chief Ha will be bringing that kid to see you all soon. When he does, don’t just bow down to him because he’s the Chairman’s blood. Test him. You can do that much, right? You’ve all been under the Chairman for at least 10 years.”

Twin Blades Kim Ho-sik

Mad Dog Shin Seong-il

Hammer Yu Ji-gang

Viper No Ik-seonn

All four were lost in thought.

Shin Seong-il, who finished thinking first, spoke up:

“I can’t test or question the Chairman’s decisions. I’ll just listen to what Chief Ha has to say and decide.”

Cheon Su-man nodded, as if he hadn’t expected Shin Seong-il’s support anyway.

“Alright, Shin, you do that. What about the rest of you?”

“I’ll test him, Mr. Cheon. It’s your request, and honestly, it’s ridiculous to take orders from some young punk. This business isn’t a walk in the park, right?”

Hammer Yu Ji-gang, the oldest, kicked things off and looked at Twin Blades and Viper. Kim Ho-sik and Noh Ik-seon nodded in agreementt.

“I agree with Hammer hyung. What would a 20-year-old kid know about this business? We’ll show respect since he’s the Chairman’s grandson, but we should test him when it comes to work. What do you think, Ho-sik?”

Meeting Viper’s gaze, Twin Blades spoke:

“He might be smart, given that he entered Korea University’s Law School at the top of his class, but this isn’t just about brains. You all know how much I struggled after entering this field with a college degree, right? Getting beaten by Mad Dog hyung, cursed at by Viper hyung, with Hammer hyung consoling me… That’s how I got here.”

His words made the other bosses reminisce about old times.

“We don’t have to blindly follow him just because he’s the Chairman’s grandson. We follow Mr. Cheon because he’s been through the wringer in this business.”

Except for Shin Seong-il, the other bosses all agreed, smiling.

Seeing things go his way, Cheon Su-man clapped his hands, looking satisfied.

“Hahaha! As expected, you guys are the Chairman’s loyal men. My father sure knows how to pick ’em. I need to show my nephew that this business isn’t a cakewalk. Come on, let’s stop with this boring talk and drink!”

Their drinking session continued for a long time.

* * *

I’ve been going around with Chief Ha, meeting various people.

As I quickly absorbed what he taught me, Chief Ha couldn’t hide his surprise.

“You’re a quick learner, young master.”

“Hahaha, it’s because you explain things so well, Chief Ha.”

I laughed it off, but Chief Ha shook his head.

“No, this is innate talent. The ability to see through the flow of money, and to find the hidden picture in documents… These aren’t skills that can be learned so quickly just from someone else’s explanations. You need to realize it yourself. It took both presidents quite a while to master these.”

Of course. They learned from you for years. It’d be strange if they couldn’t do it.

Ignoring Chief Ha’s praise, I followed him into grandfather’s study.

Grandfather, who had been sitting alone at his desk reviewing documents, looked up.

“How was the work? Was it manageable?”

“Yes, I’m enjoying learning.”

Grandfather turned his gaze to Chief Ha.

Without being asked, Chief Ha started reporting:

“He’s a natural. When I teach him one thing, he grasps two or three things I haven’t even explained. He’s already mastered reading documents and understanding cash flow.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Chief Ha wasn’t the type to make a fuss or say things that weren’t true.

Grandfather, who knew this better than anyone, looked me over with interest.

“Then… think you can handle the Myeong-dong business? What do you think?”

Chief Ha glanced at me with a slightly worried expression.

“Hmm… Isn’t it too early? The Myeong-dong bosses aren’t pushovers… Will they acknowledge the young master?”

“Do we need their acknowledgment? I’m the one assigning the task.”

“Still…”

I smoothly interjected into their conversation.

“I’ll give it a try. If we have to face them eventually, isn’t it better to do it sooner? Even if I get my head cracked and bleed, there’s something to gain, isn’t there?”

“Young master!”

Chief Ha looked at me in surprise.

Grandfather waved his hand to stop Chief Ha and stared at my face for a while.

“Are you confident?”

“I’m always confident.”

Grandfather smiled, lifting the corner of his mouth crookedly.

“Oh? Those guys aren’t pushovers. Even your uncles can’t deal with them easily. Can you handle them?”

Grandfather asked, as if testing me.

I met his gaze with challenging eyes.

“If once isn’t enough, I’ll try twice. If twice isn’t enough, I’ll try thrice… I’ll keep at it until I succeed.”

At that, Chairman Cheon threw his head back and started laughing.

Chief Ha couldn’t hide his surprised expression at this sight.

“Hahaha! You’re making my twilight years interesting. Alright, go ahead and give it a shot. If it gets tough, just say so anytime.”

“Even if it’s tough, I won’t say anything. I’ll bring you good news.”

At my words, grandfather quickly stopped laughing and turned to Chief Ha with a question:

“Who should we start with?”

“Let’s start with Shin. After all, he’s the most loyal to you, Chairman.”

“Hmm…”

After pondering for a moment, Chairman Cheon quickly made up his mind and turned to me with an expectant look.

“No, that would be boring. Start with Ho-sik. He’s the smartest one, so send him first.”

“But Kim…”

Chief Ha looked at me and grandfather with a worried face.

But grandfather waved his hand dismissively.

“Send him to Twin Blades first for the handover. Transfer the ledger management rights and all the borrowed-name accounts they manage to Mu-hyeok.”

“Understood.”

“Mu-hyeok, you can go now.”

“Yes.”

* * *

As soon as Kim Mu-hyeok left the study, Charman Cheon’s expression changed.

“I hear my eldest met with the bosses?”

“Yes.”

Chairman Cheon’s already hardened face twisted even more.

“Tsk tsk, is he already scared?”

“We couldn’t figure out what they talked about, but the meeting definitely happened.”

At Chief Ha’s words, he pressed his fingers to his temples as if he had a headache.

After a moment, Chairman Cheon spoke with a sigh:

“Sigh… For now, take Mu-hyeok to Twin Blades first. You watch over him. Make sure he doesn’t overdo it, understand?”

“Yes, Chairman.”

A few days later

Kim Mu-hyeok headed to Twin Blads Kim Ho-sik’s office in Myeong-dong with Chief Ha.