Mining And Construction Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 198

Geumsan Hotel, VIP room.

Taesu poured himself another shot of strong liquor.

Several empty bottles already littered the table.

The liquor tasted especially bitter tonight.

Kim Gwang-rok entered the room.

“That Japanese guy we caught at Incheon Port.”

Following Han Il-gwon led them to a secret meeting at Incheon Port.

Kim Gwang-rok discreetly snatched the man Taesu pointed out.

“He seems to know you well? He was terrified.”

And why wouldn’t he be?

Did Taesu ever expect to see him again at Incheon Port?

“He’s a technical advisor dispatched from Nippon Steel a few years ago. I met him when I was in charge of building the Pohang steel mill.”

Ushiroda Takeshi.

He was a scoundrel who took advantage of Park Tae-jong’s situation, who needed to complete the steel mill as soon as possible.

After Taesu caught him on his weakness, he changed his attitude and actively cooperated with the construction of the steel mill.

“At the time, he impersonated the Japanese government and was involved in job placement scams, illegal immigration, and smuggling.”

Not only that, but he was also involved in crimes through various other routes.

Once Pohang Steel was completed, everyone assumed he had returned to Japan.

“I didn’t know he was still doing that kind of thing in Korea.”

“That bastard is a coward.”

Kim Gwang-rok started by throwing a punch, and few wouldn’t be scared.

Especially since that guy had been involved in so many bad things, he was very attached to his life.

“The young master of Cheongil and that Japanese guy were trading drugs behind the scenes. And it wasn’t just a one-time thing.”

Taesu had no idea that Han Il-gwon had been doing this behind his back for so long.

‘I just thought he was hanging out with a few gangs and throwing his weight around.’

He was so focused on growing Cheongil Group that he didn’t pay attention to what Han Il-gwon was doing behind the scenes.

It would be more accurate to say that when he first took over Cheongil Group, it was too much for him, and later he just found it annoying.

Kim Gwang-rok poured liquor into his glass and drank.

“Judging by the fact that he’s bringing in drugs, he probably has connections with the Japanese Yakuza [Japanese organized crime syndicate].”

“Probably. The Yakuza are now trying to come out of the shadows and into the light, hiding behind the facade of a corporation.”

Han Cheong-ho was involved in helping the Yakuza take root in Korea.

Han Il-gwon, in the meantime, had his eyes on something else.

“To think that Cheongil has been backing Japanese companies for so long.”

“Han Cheong-ho is a deeply rooted pro-Japanese. He probably has a lot of connections in Japan.”

“It’s not just ‘quite a few connections.’ Listening to what that Japanese guy was saying, it’s almost at the level of a traitor.”

“Wasn’t Han Cheong-ho the one who volunteered to handle the aftermath of Park Jeong-hwan? He probably has connections not only with Japanese companies but also with the Japanese government.”

Clack.

Taesu put down his glass.

“Kim Jong-pyo is in charge of the Korea-Japan continental shelf agreement. The route connecting Kim Jong-pyo, Han Cheong-ho, and Park Jeong-hwan. Han Il-gwon is trying to exploit that.”

Kim Gwang-rok sighed.

“Taesu, what are you going to do?”

“What do you mean, what am I going to do? That’s none of my business. It’s not like the contact route will fall apart just because I step in.”

Taesu said firmly.

Kim Gwang-rok nodded, hiding a slightly disappointed expression.

“Yeah, you’re right. That’s something the government should handle.”

Were Kim Gwang-rok and Park Tae-jong not soldiers of the same patriotic lineage?

A type of person who throws themselves into worrying about the country.

However, now that he was the head of security for the Taeyang Group, he was also aware that he was no longer a soldier.

Kim Gwang-rok said.

“But it’s a different story when that piece of trash puts a hit on your life. Don’t you think?”

That’s right.

Han Il-gwon had asked those guys to kill Taesu.

“He even tried to turn you into a drug addict by using a woman.”

That was the conversation between Han Il-gwon and Ushiroda.

Ushiroda obediently confessed everything in front of Kim Gwang-rok.

“Didn’t you see the daughter of the Cho Myeong Bank president, all strung out on drugs? If you think you could have ended up like that…”

Kim Gwang-rok couldn’t contain his anger and gulped down the liquor straight from the bottle.

Kim Gwang-rok wiped the flowing liquor with the back of his hand.

And so, the two drank in silence.

* * *

How much had they drunk?

The empty liquor bottles were lined up, filling one corner of the table.

Taesu spoke first.

“Gwang-rok hyung [older brother/friend],”

Taesu swirled his liquor glass.

The strong smell of liquor wafted from Taesu’s breath.

“It’s annoying, so should I just kill him without considering anything?”

It was unlike Taesu to say such a thing.

Kim Gwang-rok knew that Taesu was very drunk.

As evidence, Taesu was no longer using honorifics.

“Kill? You?”

“Yeah.”

“Who?”

“You know.”

Taesu clenched and unclenched his fist.

“I can feel my patience wearing thin. I’m getting impatient.”

Kim Gwang-rok grabbed Taesu’s wrist.

“Stop drinking. You’re drunk. You’re talking nonsense.”

“Even today, when I said I was going to infiltrate Han Il-gwon’s house. I wanted to choose a simpler and easier method than robbing the safe, installing bugs, and finding the ledger.”

“What is it?”

“To kill everyone in the house while I was there. If I killed them all and burned the house down, wouldn’t that destroy the evidence? That’s what I was thinking.”

Facing that huge house, old memories flooded back, and hatred boiled over.

“Even if there’s an investigation, wouldn’t it be possible to cover it up with force? I thought of what other powerful guys do.”

It was a method that Han Il-gwon had used a lot in his past life.

Secretly commit the act and cover it up with force.

That was what Secretary Song had been doing for a long time.

The moment Taesu saw what Han Il-gwon was doing at Incheon Port, he had to grit his teeth.

“I was going to ruin him step by step in my own way, and trample on him mercilessly, right?”

“Then do that.”

“But look at what Han Il-gwon is doing.”

This was already the third attempted murder against Taesu.

“A lot of things feel trivial.”

Taesu’s eyes were cold.

“I’ve been trying to abide by the rules I set for myself until now.”

Not to kill.

Not to cross the final line.

It was to prevent himself from becoming a monster consumed by revenge.

“Even while vowing not to be picky about means and methods, I kept the rules until the end.”

If that weren’t the case, many things would be different by now.

Thousands of thoughts flashed through Taesu’s mind.

Bribing the housekeeper at Han Cheong-ho’s mansion to poison the food and water.

Putting on a mask and going in for a bloodbath.

Sprinkling gasoline all over and burning the whole house down.

Installing explosives and detonating them.

Or hiring a hitman to kill him.

There were many ways to get revenge.

“When I saw the reality of Han Il-gwon today, all my efforts felt futile. That bastard is cheating, so why can’t I?”

“So you’re going to become a criminal too?”

What’s the point of killing someone and going to jail?

That was why Taesu was drinking liquor so bitterly.

Taesu picked up the liquor bottle and looked inside.

The amber liquid sloshed around.

“Hyung, you know what? People distill to get spirits.”

Brandy, whiskey, gin, rum, vodka, tequila, aquavit, etc., all expensive liquors are distilled liquors.

When the primary fermented brew is slowly heated, alcohol, which has a lower boiling point than water, vaporizes first.

The evaporating gas is collected and cooled.

That’s how people get spirits, a high-concentration alcohol liquid.

“Liquor that has been distilled once boasts a high price tag.”

Taesu drank the liquor straight in one gulp.

“A resolute mind is like strong liquor. It’s expensive because it’s the spirit left after filtering and filtering.”

He had overthrown Han Cheong-ho and faced Han Il-gwon.

“The tough guy wins. I have to get tougher.”

“Get tougher to do what?”

Revenge.

“I won’t be able to live a proper life until then.”

“What does that mean?”

“You’ve probably never felt the anxiety of knowing when my family might be killed by that bastard.”

That’s why Taesu hired over 100 bodyguards.

Even for a chaebol [family-owned conglomerate] family, it was an excessive number.

“They patrol and inspect the car and the surroundings of the workplace every day, and they don’t let their guard down with 24-hour shifts.”

That was the job of the Taeyang Group bodyguards.

They guarded not only Taesu but also the executives.

It was to prevent terrorism and attacks that could come at any time.

“I can’t even meet a woman or visit my parents in peace.”

For fear that they might become the target of that bastard.

That’s also why he had to evacuate his family overseas.

“I feel like I’ve put a leash on myself because I don’t want to lose them to that bastard again. It’s really frustrating.”

In his past life, his family had all died.

He didn’t want to experience that again.

That became Taesu’s shackle.

Kim Gwang-rok slammed the liquor bottle on the table.

“What are you afraid of? Just ignore it and live your life.”

The grudges of his family and Taesu’s grudges were still burning blue, heating his chest.

But how could he ignore that?

It weighed on his chest from time to time, and when he fell asleep, the events at Cheongil Hospital appeared as nightmares in his dreams.

Kim Gwang-rok confidently declared.

“As long as we’re by your side, no one will be able to threaten you.”

Kim Gwang-rok patted Taesu’s shoulder.

“If you lose yourself, you’ll lose everything. You have a lot to protect now.”

Why wouldn’t Taesu know that?

To protect the things he couldn’t afford to lose, Taesu had stubbornly adhered to his own rules.

It’s just that it felt trivial.

He wanted to get rid of Han Il-gwon more comfortably, easily, fiercely, and quickly.

“Taesu, let me ask you one thing. Are you happy these days?”

“Happy? What’s that?”

Before he knew it, this life was also running towards success and revenge rather than happiness.

Hoping for peace and happiness felt like a luxury.

For Taesu, only the mission to protect his family and friends remained.

How long has it been since he sent them far away overseas because it was dangerous and couldn’t see their faces?

All Taesu had left were allies and enemies.

In the end, all that was left was work.

“Life is short. These are precious days to waste on nonsense. It’s not enough time to live happily.”

Did I have that kind of leeway?

Taesu closed his eyes.

“Yeah, these are precious times to waste on nonsense. I was wrong, hyung.”

Taesu opened his eyes.

A cold and strong light, so much that it felt like madness, poured out.

“I need to get Han Il-gwon out of my life as soon as possible.”

Taesu clenched his fist.

“It wasn’t something to go slowly. It’s all here now. It doesn’t matter if the preparations aren’t complete.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to force the plan forward.”

“How?”

“With power.”

“Power?”

Kim Gwang-rok was puzzled.

It was because he couldn’t understand Taesu’s words.

Cheongil’s ranking in the business world was 13th, and Taeyang Group’s was 163rd.

President Park Jeong-hwan, who had wielded absolute power, was dead.

Kim Jong-pyo, the acting president who succeeded him, was someone they had clashed with.

That’s why Kim Gwang-rok couldn’t help but ask.

“What power?”

“If my power is not enough, I’ll borrow someone else’s power. I have to throw my weight around.”

An answer came back that still had question marks floating around.

Taesu poured the liquor into his mouth in one gulp.

“It’s not my style, but it’s the fastest way.”

Taesu put his hand on Kim Gwang-rok’s shoulder.

“Thanks to you, hyung, I’ve regained my composure. Just killing him because my patience is wearing thin is too merciful. I wouldn’t be satisfied. I probably would have regretted it later.”

“Huh?”

“Since I’m all in on revenge anyway, I don’t have the leeway to turn my eyes to anything else.”

“…….”

“I realized that I’m not in a position to be picky about this and that. It’s thanks to you, hyung. Thank you.”

“…….”

That’s not it.

Kim Gwang-rok opened and closed his mouth and said.

“Well, anyway, it’s good that you’ve cheered up, Taesu.”

Taesu’s eyes shone coldly.

“Hyung, call Song Chang-jun. There’s something I need to do right away.”

That night, a telegram was sent to the United States.

* * *