Chapter 70: Then It’s War?

“Hyung, focus on separating the corporations for now.”

“It’s taking a long time.”

“Well, splitting into dozens or hundreds of companies and then merging them back together is bound to take time. Did you entrust it to a reliable broker?”

“Who’s trustworthy in this business? Money is trust. I’m paying the companies doing the work hefty commissions.”

“Don’t skimp on it. Better to pay more in fees than deal with problems later.”

“I wasn’t going to ask, but I’m really curious. Is it because of taxes?”

“No, if taxes were the issue, I’d have set up corporations in tax havens from the start. We need to make it impossible to trace who owns the money. Even the brokers shouldn’t know what they’re doing.”

“Hmm, I think I get it.”

“We’re dispersing funds based on how they’ll be used. You need to remain a benevolent investor.”

I added, noting Han Gyeong-yeong’s seemingly complex thoughts.

“For now, your identity is only known on Wall Street, but it won’t be good if your name comes up in future investments. You should return to Korea in glory.”

“Haha, return in glory…”

“Construction for the Dream High Korea branch building has already started. By the time you come back to Korea, you’ll be able to move into the heart of Gangnam. Look forward to it.”

“I’m already excited. But you won’t tell me when that day of returning to Korea will be, right?”

“It wouldn’t be fun if you knew. Just wait. Are you getting along well with the big shots on Wall Street? Meeting with politicians too? Donating?”

I intended to make Han Gyeong-yeong an influential figure in the U.S.

I couldn’t do everything myself.

Moreover, the more I became known, the less room I had to maneuver, so it was advantageous for me to stay behind Han Gyeong-yeong.

Of course, it would be difficult to completely hide my identity.

I just hoped that the general public, not the big players, wouldn’t know.

“Oh, I’m donating to both the Democratic and Republican parties without discrimination. But is there really a need to do this with politicians?”

“The U.S. is different from our country. Lobbying is legal there, so the more you know politicians and businessmen, the more it’ll help later.”

“Okay, I’ll focus on networking for now. When are you coming to the U.S.?”

“I’ll come before the IPO.”

“Got it. Let’s talk properly then.”

I ended the call with Han Gyeong-yeong.

The yen would continue to be weak for a while. I decided to liquidate everything a month before maturity.

After that, I planned to pause foreign exchange investments until the 1997 Southeast Asian financial crisis, when I would increase capital through aggressive investments.

I felt a bit tired, probably because I woke up early for the call with Han Gyeong-yeong, but I got up to have breakfast with Grandfather.

* * *

Geukseong Construction, along with Daehyeon Construction, began work in Daechi-dong.

Park Dong-su’s forces were now entering Gangnam.

“Prepare thoroughly. We can’t show such weakness like last time, understand?”

Park Dong-su didn’t bring up the people in Busan, but angry at being helplessly pushed back by the Baekho faction, he called for the members in Busan.

“Aish~ Boss, why are you so nervous? You’ve become a coward since coming to Seoul.”

Yang Suhyeong, currently managing Busan, mocked him, but unlike usual, Park Dong-su didn’t play along.

“Suhyeong, be careful. It’s still Baek Jeong-gi. He’s not an easy opponent. Even Sa-seong hyungnim stepped back from him.”

Park Dong-su was unusually tense.

“But Boss, didn’t you say all-out war was impossible because of the recent brawl in Myeong-dong?”

“We need to be prepared in case they suddenly attack, don’t we? That’s why I called you. We need to take over the surrounding commercial districts too. Mu-hyeok said to stir things up freely without worry.”

“Tch~ That little bean has become a big shot.”

“Watch your mouth in front of others. He’s not the Mu-hyeok you knew.”

“Understood, Boss.”

“And Director Lee.”

Park Dong-su called out to Lee Sang-geun, who was reviewing something on one side.

Lee Sang-geun, who had been looking at documents, raised his head.

“Yes, Boss.”

“You don’t need to come to the site. For now, just focus on the manpower and materials going into the construction. Even though Daehyeon is the construction company, it’s Mu-hyeok’s building, so we need to do it right. He said absolutely no one should mess with the materials, you know what I mean?”

“Yes, Boss. I understand.”

Both Park Dong-su and Lee Sang-geun were recalling Manager Ma and his subordinates they had seen in Myeong-dong.

They had less than half their numbers, but their skills were terrifying.

“We shouldn’t disappoint Mu-hyeok again. At the very least, we shouldn’t be embarrassing. Remember what I said, deal with anyone who tries to mess around without mercy.”

“Yes, Boss.”

Despite Park Dong-su’s preparations, Baek Jeong-gi took no action for a while after construction began.

However, just as tensions were easing, a message came from the Baekho faction requesting a meeting.

“I don’t know what he’s thinking.”

“Are you going? It could be dangerous.”

“It’s fine. If they were going to attack, they would have done it earlier. I’ll go.”

Although it was in the heart of enemy territory, Park Dong-su headed to the meeting place with only Yang Suhyeong.

It was a room salon managed by the Baekho faction.

As they parked the car in front of the establishment, several burly men guarding the front rushed over.

“You’ve arrived, Boss.”

After briefly accepting the greetings from these youngsters, Park Dong-su surveyed the surroundings.

Being in Gangnam’s entertainment district, it looked lively despite the late hour.

“Is Baekho hyungnim inside?”

“Yes, Boss. He said to guide you in when you arrive.”

“Let’s go, lead the way.”

Guided by a Baekho faction member, Park Dong-su and Yang Suhyeong entered the room salon.

A madam waiting inside led them to the innermost room.

“It’s here. I’ll take my leave.”

The madam, too, bowed and left before opening the door, as if her role was finished.

Yang Suhyeong took a deep breath and opened the door. Park Dong-su entered through the open door.

Baek Jeong-gi sat in the seat of honor, surrounded by the Baekho faction’s lieutenants.

They all knew each other by face, having met several times at events.

Park Dong-su walked straight to the table and bowed his head to Baek Jeong-gi.

“It’s been a while, Baekho hyungnim.”

Despite their hostile relationship, Park Dong-su greeted him respectfully as a senior, then straightened up and fixed his gaze on Baek Jeong-gi.

Seeing this, Baek Jeong-gi’s eyes sparkled as he burst into laughter.

“Hahaha, Dong-su! The little blood clot under Sa-seong has grown up a lot. Right, now you’re the boss of an organization, so I should treat you accordingly. Good to see you.”

Baek Jeong-gi gestured for him to sit on the sofa, but Park Dong-su didn’t go to sit next to the lieutenants.

“Suhyeong, chair.”

“Yes, Boss.”

It was uncomfortable, but Park Dong-su sat on the auxiliary chair Yang Suhyeong brought. It was directly facing Baek Jeong-gi.

“I’m sorry, hyungnim. I have many younger brothers I’m responsible for, so it’s difficult to share a table with the lieutenants. I’ll sit here.”

Park Dong-su had created another seat of honor, as if he already knew what Baek Jeong-gi was thinking.

The expressions of the lieutenants sitting around Baek Jeong-gi twisted.

“This bastard’s gone crazy. Hey, Park Dong-su! Do you want to die?”

One of the lieutenants on the left spat out a curse.

He was not only a Baekho faction lieutenant but also Park Dong-su’s senior.

Park Dong-su knew well that he absolutely couldn’t back down here. His expression hadn’t changed since getting out of the car earlier.

“Stay out of it when the bosses are talking. And watch your language. If you curse one more time, it’s war, got it?”

“What did you say?”

“Sit down.”

“But Chairman…”

“Didn’t you hear me? I said sit down.”

At Baek Jeong-gi’s sharp words, the fuming lieutenant sat back down.

The lieutenant glared at Park Dong-su, gnashing his teeth, but Park Dong-su paid no attention.

“Baekho hyungnim, I know all the seniors here outrank me. You called for a meeting between organizations, but if this is how it’s going to be, is there any need for further discussion? If this is your intention, I’ll take my leave.”

Baek Jeong-gi didn’t answer, just exchanging glances with Park Dong-su.

A suffocating tension enveloped the room.

Yang Suhyeong, standing behind Park Dong-su, was ready to block the door, not knowing when something might happen.

The tension that seemed about to explode disappeared in an instant as Baek Jeong-gi smiled as if nothing had happened.

“Haha, alright. Our lieutenants said they wanted to see their little brother’s face after so long, so I called you. If you’re offended, I’m sorry. Everyone, go outside.”

“Chairman…”

The lieutenants tried to dissuade him with their eyes, but Baek Jeong-gi jerked his head towards the door.

“Dong-su, why don’t you send your subordinate out too, and we’ll talk just the two of us?”

Park Dong-su also nodded to Yang Suhyeong.

After the lieutenants and Yang Suhyeong went outside, Park Dong-su got up and sat on the sofa to Baek Jeong-gi’s left.

“Excuse me, hyungnim.”

“No, it’s fine.”

Baek Jeong-gi began with a slightly smiling face.

“Dong-su, I never imagined you’d take over the unclaimed Yeongdeungpo area. You’ve found a proper sponsor, haven’t you?”

Seoul could be roughly divided into three areas.

The southwestern region including Yeongdeungpo, Gangseo, and Guro; Gangnam, the most profitable area in Seoul; and Gangbuk, which still held faded glory where the elders were settled.

Even Gangnam wasn’t entirely controlled by the Baekho faction alone. It was a situation where a total of three organizations were allied and sharing it.

“Well, you’re lucky too, hyungnim. Don’t you also have strong backing?”

Park Dong-su shrugged. He didn’t know much about the forces behind the Baekho faction.

But he had a rough idea that they were more powerful than Mu-hyeok.

“Mr. Park, absolutely don’t overdo it. We have justification on our side, but all-out war is absolutely not an option. I have no organization to replace you, but they still have organizations they can replace.”

Those were Mu-hyeok’s words.

“You’re not coming into Gangnam, are you?”

Baek Jeong-gi asked while pouring drinks.

Park Dong-su accepted the drink with both hands, downed it in one go, then poured a drink for Baek Jeong-gi.

“He said he’s putting up a building there. If other guys mess with a job I’ve been entrusted with, that wouldn’t be right, would it? We’ll be moving into the Daechi-dong area.”

Baek Jeong-gi also downed the drink in one go. His eyes reflected in the glass shone blue.

“Can you handle it?”

“I don’t know if I can handle it or not. But I have to do it. It’s something I must do. Hyungnim, wouldn’t it be pointless for our guys to fight each other? It would only benefit the other two organizations in Gangnam.”

“Hmm…”

“Besides, you were the one who sent people to Myeong-dong first. I don’t know the complicated circumstances, but wasn’t it the rule not to touch Myeong-dong?”

Baek Jeong-gi, pushed back on principle, couldn’t answer and just tilted his glass.

Park Dong-su smiled faintly.

“We’ll only go as far as Daechi-dong. It’s not even an area with entertainment districts, is it? Is there any need to shed blood over an area you don’t even care about, hyungnim?”

It was all true, but Baek Jeong-gi felt annoyed for no reason.

“If rumors spread that I was pushed back by you once, I can never work in this field again. You know that, right?”

“Then is it war?”

Park Dong-su spoke as if there was no room for compromise.

Baek Jeong-gi’s face twisted hideously.

“What did you say? You bastard!”

The temperature in the room seemed to drop instantly.

But there was no change in Park Dong-su’s expression.

“It doesn’t matter to me. Whatever happens from now on, don’t forget that you brought this on yourself, hyungnim. It’s war until one of us is completely wiped out. I’ll take my leave then, hyungnim.”

Park Dong-su stood up without another word.

Baek Jeong-gi panicked for the first time.

“Hey, sit down. I’m not saying we should go to war. If that was the case, would I have called you here?”

Baek Jeong-gi had no choice.

The Cheongpung Group behind him wasn’t giving any orders about this matter because of other issues.

But if he started a war on his own, it was obvious that other organizations would try to tear him apart.

“Alright, I’ll allow you just up to Daechi-dong. If you take one step further from there, it’s really war.”

Park Dong-su grinned.

“Thank you, hyungnim. Let me pour you a drink.”

After the war on crime, conflict between organizations meant mutual destruction. The two men eventually resolved this situation through agreement.

Baek Jeong-gi didn’t hold Park Dong-su responsible for the crippled Oh Jeong-gil.

Because gangsters will join hands with enemies if it’s profitable.

No one could blame them.

* * *

At a time when everyone should be fast asleep.

I was sitting on the bed in my darkened room, looking down at my phone.

That’s when the call I’d been waiting for came in.

“We’ve reached an agreement. He says he’ll allow us up to Daechi-dong.”

“Well done. There wasn’t any conflict, right?”

“If I had done my thing there, Baek Jeong-gi wouldn’t be able to show his face around. He knows that, so that’s why we went just the two of us.”

“Good work. Now, please finish the construction within the deadline without any problems. Use only the best materials. Don’t worry about construction costs.”

“Got it.”

“Then I’ll see you next time, Dong-su hyung.”

It was news that we had secured a foothold in Gangnam without conflict. Only after hanging up did I lie down comfortably on the bed.

The first time is hard, but the second and third times are easy.

Park Dong-su was fulfilling his role sufficiently well.

A few days passed, and it was Grandfather’s birthday.

Seeing Grandfather hesitating about whether to invite Cheon Ji-soo and Cheon Ji-soo, I suggested inviting them first.

They were no longer people who could be my opponents.

But still reluctant to invite them home, Grandfather gathered everyone at a hotel in Jongno.

Cheon Ji-soo was watching Grandfather’s reactions, while Cheon Ji-soo glared at me. Cheon Ji-young was acting cute beside Grandfather as usual.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve all gathered like this.”

We were the only guests since the entire place had been reserved.

“My successor is Mu-hyeok.”

As the meal was ending, Grandfather officially proclaimed me as his successor.