The Genius Grandson Of The Cash King Becomes A Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 119

#119

“Team Leader Kwak, Team Leader Kwak… I know you’re not dead. Get up now.”

“Nimi [a Korean slang expression, similar to ‘damn’].”

“You won’t die from injuries like that. Don’t get caught and tortured, get up.”

A calm voice flowed from Kwak Hyun-soo’s earpiece.

Kwak Hyun-soo muttered, hearing Pope’s voice.

“Damn it, I could have joined my comrades today.”

Kwak Hyun-soo wanted to deny that he was alive.

“Can you move?”

“Pope? Just leave me alone now.”

Kwak Hyun-soo’s long sigh seemed devoid of any will to live.

“Rest in Korea [a euphemism for dying].”

“I want to stop.”

“You have to take revenge. I found a clue.”

“Don’t lie.”

“This time it’s real. I found the person who leaked the operation information that day.”

“Who is it?”

“If you buy me a cup of coffee at Rose Cafe in front of the base, I’ll tell you. Cheon Yang there makes really good coffee.”

-Pfft

At his absurd words, Kwak Hyun-soo laughed, dumbfounded.

He looked at the sky.

It was nothing but pitch-black darkness.

He felt like himself: lost and without a place to go.

Countless sparkling stars poured down.

The faces of his dead comrades appeared.

“I have to take revenge before I go.”

“Hoo, this is the last time. I’ll never be fooled again.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Where should I go?”

Kwak Hyun-soo injected morphine into his thigh and then applied a tourniquet.

He felt the humid African wind on his face.

‘Let’s live again. I have to kill that bastard before I go.’

He felt alive.

A poem he had heard before came to mind.

“The wind is rising.”

“I must try to live.”

Pope replied.

***

-Pfft

Cha Young-hoon found it funny.

‘The wind is rising. I must try to live.’

He hadn’t imagined that Paul Valéry’s poem would come from his mouth at the crossroads of life and death.

‘I must try to live.’

The last words lingered in his ears.

Selling out a secret operation resulted in the massacre of a dozen people.

The one who sold out his comrades, the one who sold innocent lives for money, must be punished.

The last operation where only Team Leader Kwak Hyun-soo returned alive.

There were more than one or two suspicious circumstances.

Young-hoon secretly investigated using his abilities.

And he came to an unbelievable conclusion.

It was clear that General Cheon Seong-han had leaked the operation details that day.

‘I have to believe it.’

From then on, Cha Young-hoon put all the information he had gathered—Cheon Seong-han’s corruption data—on a USB drive.

He was going to give it to Team Leader Kwak.

He gave him a hint about Cheon Yang at Rose Cafe, but he probably didn’t catch on.

Young-hoon turned on the webcam to leave his first greeting to Kwak Hyun-soo, whom he had only heard through his voice.

“Hello, Team Leader Kwak. I’m Pope, responsible for your life.”

At that moment, the door to the computer room opened.

“Come in.”

“Is this where you work?”

“Yeah.”

‘A strange woman and… Cheon Seong-han?’

Cha Young-hoon thought he had to hide.

Thinking they would be back soon, he turned off the monitor and hid under the desk.

They came to Cha Young-hoon’s desk.

“Haa, here?”

“Can’t I?”

“No… I’m embarrassed.”

Of all places, they started doing something they shouldn’t be doing on his desk.

‘Nimi [Damn it]. A loner is experiencing all sorts of things… Damn it, the desk is going to collapse.’

Hiding under the desk, Cha Young-hoon covered his ears and waited for them to leave.

After a while, they left the room, and Cha Young-hoon looked at the mess on his desk.

A sigh and a curse came out involuntarily.

“Haa, nimireal [a stronger version of ‘nimi’].”

He was going to clean up quickly and leave.

Team Leader Ji, whom he had only heard through his voice, was urging him to come out.

He said he would buy Korean beef ribs as a thank you for saving his life in the last operation.

That was reason enough to reveal his identity.

Today, the legendary intelligence officer, Pope’s handsome face, will be revealed.

As he was about to clean up his desk, his spine tingled.

“How long have you been here?”

Cheon Seong-han was standing behind him.

“I didn’t see anything.”

“So you did see something… Young-hoon, I’m sorry. I had no choice either.”

Cheon Seong-han’s two hands strongly strangled Cha Young-hoon’s neck.

The rough hands slowly lifted him, struggling, into the air.

***

Ji Hyun-bok was sitting at Rose Cafe in front of the base, waiting for him to come.

He had definitely said he would come.

It had been an hour past the appointment time, but he hadn’t arrived.

It was the day to repay Pope for saving his life in the last operation.

Finally, he gets to see that unlucky bastard’s face.

He’s just a fellow non-commissioned officer, but he bosses people around.

He even bosses around officers.

He did save his life, but he acted so high and mighty…

‘Just you wait, I’ll give you a proper dressing down, considering you’re late.’

Ji Hyun-bok smiled faintly.

He was planning to give the guy who only works on computers a good workout.

He was unknowingly excited at the thought of meeting the man who had saved his and his unit’s lives several times.

The phone rang.

“Yes, General.”

Ji Hyun-bok rushed to the computer room at Cheon Seong-han’s sudden call.

A familiar officer was lying on the floor with a cold face.

A man he had seen a few times, clearly a subordinate officer Cheon Seong-han cherished.

“Handle this friend as a suicide.”

“Yes?”

Cheon Seong-han left without saying another word.

Ji Hyun-bok put the body in a military duffel bag and then cleaned the floor.

A USB drive was plugged into the computer and running.

But the monitor was turned off.

When he turned on the monitor, the webcam was pointing at him.

It was recording.

‘What is this? Everything was recorded?’

He saved the file and watched it from the middle.

The man and woman howled like beasts.

He frowned at their dirty movements.

The unfortunate death that Cheon Seong-han personally handled shortly after the act was recorded as it was.

‘I might need it someday.’

He stuck the USB drive plugged into the computer deep into his pocket.

***

Sitting in a chair with his eyes closed, Jung-hoon thought about the time he worked at a credit information company before his regression.

Department Head Ji Hyun-bok, who was always prickly, gave him a chance.

“Jung-hoon, bring me the bad debts you chose from the ones you brought last time.”

“Here they are.”

After looking at the documents for a while, he smiled at Jung-hoon.

“If you buy me a plate of flounder… I’ll give you good information.”

“Hmm… how about half a plate?”

“You used to buy me one right away until recently. There’s one unrecoverable debt among the ones you brought. Do you know which one it is?”

Jung-hoon thought and thought again and answered him.

“Is it Kukdong Construction…?”

“Correct! Why?”

“It seemed like they really went bankrupt. There didn’t seem to be any company funds siphoned off separately either.”

“Yeah, that company had a good reputation. The president also had a good reputation. Well, it’s not like everything goes well just because you work hard.”

Jung-hoon nodded at his words.

“But why did you choose it?”

“Because there were a lot of terms I didn’t know. If I ask Department Head Ji, you’ll teach me everything. And I get to drink with you, hehehe.”

Ji Hyun-bok looked at Yoon Jung-hoon with admiration.

In just six months, he had accumulated as much legal knowledge related to debt collection as he had.

‘He’s a genius.’

He thought he was hiding his abilities.

Ji Hyun-bok was worried about Jung-hoon’s rapid growth and the colleagues who were jealous of him.

“Hey, take it slow. You’re still young.”

He told him to slow down a bit.

“Yes, sir. But I also want to earn 300 million won quickly like you, Department Head.”

“Really? Then buy me a plate of flounder. Then I’ll tell you the secret today.”

“Yes, sir.”

Jung-hoon looked at Ji Hyun-bok.

The company’s ace.

He was the one who whipped him so fiercely at first.

He hadn’t thought he would get along so well with him.

Jung-hoon drank with him that day too and talked about this and that.

Of course, the secret was postponed to the next opportunity.

The 300 million won annual salary Ji Department Head paid for the drinks.

Neither of them has anyone at home to go to.

They can go in slowly.

Jung-hoon and Department Head Ji Hyun-bok always hung out until late at night.

Jung-hoon shook his head violently and broke free from the memories of the past.

Now he has to solve it.

Ji Hyun-bok, who always acted cocky but pulled him along, does not exist.

Only the eyes of a viper, watching for his weaknesses, exist.

Jung-hoon picked up the phone.

“Ji Hyun-bok? This is Yoon Jung-hoon.”

After hanging up the phone, Jung-hoon called Kwak Hyun-soo.

And also Cha Young-mi.

There was something we needed to know about each other.

***

“Now? I understand.”

Late in the evening, Chairman Yoon Jung-hoon called him.

He didn’t know why.

There’s no reason for a non-regular employee to ask why the group chairman calls him directly.

He was told to come to the company, and he could hear loud music.

‘Is the company having a party?’

Then is his job today to be a designated driver?

Thinking this and that, he hurriedly put on his clothes and… packed his gun.

He didn’t carry it with him when he went to work at the Shinwha Group’s secretary office.

But for some reason, he felt like he should take it.

Late nights are always full of danger.

He arrived at the company in less than an hour and went up to the 20th floor where the chairman’s office was located.

As expected, he could hear loud music.

‘The chaebols [large family-owned conglomerates] even have parties at the company.’

He was about to go inside, but he stopped in front of the door.

After looking around, he moved his hand behind his waist.

The cold gun was properly in place.

He slowly opened the door and went inside.

Loud music and an empty space.

Chairman Yoon Jung-hoon was standing by the window.

Cha Young-mi and Lee Byung-seok were sitting on the sofa.

“Have you arrived?”

“Please sit down.”

At that moment, Kwak Hyun-soo opened the door and stood behind Ji Hyun-bok, who was sitting on the sofa.

‘What is this? Why is Hyun-soo behind him? This is…’

He heightened all the senses in his body.

“Ms. Cha Young-mi, let’s begin.”

Jung-hoon said as soon as he sat down.

The music stopped and the beam projector on the sofa table began to emit light.

The figure of a man smiling brightly in the darkness appeared.

The face he had never forgotten since that day came out.

“This is my younger brother, Young-hoon. Do you happen to know him?”

Cha Young-mi’s voice was moist.

“No. It’s the first time I’ve seen his face.”

“That’s a shame. My brother worked in the Intelligence Agency.”

“Hyun-bok, you were supposed to meet Pope at Rose Cafe, right?”

Kwak Hyun-soo asked.

“Yeah, that bastard got scared and didn’t show up. I was going to buy him delicious Korean beef…”

To hide his tension, Ji Hyun-bok answered more cockily than usual.

‘Why is the Pope story coming up?’

He was furious at the thought of the man who had waited for him for over an hour and ended up not showing up at the appointment.

“Cha Young-hoon died sometime between 3 and 7 PM on April 26th.”

“Really? But why are you talking about that person’s time of death?”

Ji Hyun-bok’s voice became increasingly rough.

“I communicated with him for the last time at 3 PM on the 26th. And Pope disappeared from the time I returned to the US military base in Africa on April 27th.”

Kwak Hyun-soo looked at Ji Hyun-bok.

“Don’t lie. There’s no way that man is Pope. That man was just an officer Cheon Seong-han cherished. That’s why he remains in my memory.”

“Didn’t you say you didn’t know his face?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to deceive you. I’m just worried about that man committing suicide…”

Cha Young-mi’s face turned coldly.

“Suicide? What are you talking about? Everyone knows it was an accident…”

Cha Young-mi, who stood up abruptly, shouted at Ji Hyun-bok.

“Who said my brother committed suicide? It’s a secret that only I and my family know!”

Ji Hyun-bok did not answer.

He turned his head because he didn’t have the confidence to face Cha Young-mi, who was glaring at him.

Cha Young-hoon, who was Pope, was glaring at him from the screen.

‘Team Leader Ji, is tomorrow certain?’

‘Team Leader Ji, is tomorrow certain?’

His last words were repeatedly heard in his ears.

He was the one who had saved him from death several times.

But he disguised his death and left him alone in a car in the mountains.

He had never wavered even when taking people’s lives.

A bitter smile was drawn on his face.

‘Hoo, what have I done to Pope?’

It was not a situation to be immersed in sentiment.

“It wasn’t me.”

Ji Hyun-bok shouted loudly as if proving his innocence.

And he took out a gun from his back and took Cha Young-mi hostage.

She asked him without paying any attention.

“Did you kill him?”

“No, it wasn’t me.”

“Then who the hell is it? Who killed my brother?”

Cha Young-mi was sobbing.

“…”

“Mr. Ji Hyun-bok.”

Jung-hoon said, looking at him.

“Take me hostage. It’s not right to kill the sister of the person who helped you.”

“Shut up!”

Ji Hyun-bok grabbed Jung-hoon and pointed the gun at his neck.

“Why did you kill him?”

“It wasn’t me, really it wasn’t me. I was waiting for him too.”

He was sobbing.

“Hyun-bok, put the gun down. Is it all over?”

“It’s not over yet. The person who killed Pope?”

Ji Hyun-bok grabbed and tore off his necklace.

“He’s in here. I don’t know if you can catch him… There’s a huge power behind him.”

“Who the hell is it?”

“Cheon Seong-han.”

Kwak Hyun-soo bit his lip.

The man who committed murder in addition to being a double spy.

“Uaaa, Cheon Seong-han, you son of a bitch, I’m going to kill you.”

As Kwak Hyun-soo roared like a beast, a gap was created momentarily for Ji Hyun-bok, who was startled.

Jung-hoon did not miss it.

He broke away from him by hitting his solar plexus with his elbow.

The flustered man staggered backward and aimed at Jung-hoon.

“Don’t come, I didn’t know either. Really… I didn’t know either.”

Tears were already welling up in his eyes.

Ji Hyun-bok saw Cha Young-mi’s cold eyes.

The man who had been staggering backward turned around and shot at the window.

-Tang. Tang. Tang

-Thud

The glass shattered and sharp pieces poured onto the floor.

The city’s noisy sounds came in through the window.

“Haa, I didn’t know either. Sibal [another Korean slang expression, similar to ‘damn it’], Ms. Cha Young-mi, I’m sorry. Really… I…”

Ji Hyun-bok hesitated to confess what he had done while sobbing.

He made a big decision and opened his mouth.

“I didn’t kill him. I just disguised it as if he committed suicide there. I’m really sorry.”

Cha Young-mi glared at him.

Kwak Hyun-soo and Jung-hoon all looked at him.

A cold wind blew fiercely against Ji Hyun-bok’s back as he staggered backward.

“Hoo, damn it, it felt so good. I thought we could be friends… I’m sorry.”

He threw himself towards the broken window.

“No!”

Jung-hoon also threw himself.

‘At least he deserves to be forgiven once.’

He is the one who saved him in his past life.

A person who saved him in a different way from Kang Cheol-joong in the past.

Jung-hoon threw himself to catch him.

Fortunately, he was barely able to grab his ankle with his hand.

But… due to the force of gravity, the two men began to fall down again.

“Hold on tight!”

Kwak Hyun-soo shouted urgently.

He was holding Jung-hoon’s feet tightly with all his might.

Two men are hanging upside down on the wall of a 20-story building.

If it weren’t for Kwak Hyun-soo, who has superhuman strength, the two would have already reached the floor at a rapid speed.

“Hold on tight. I’m pulling you up.”

Kwak Hyun-soo’s face began to turn red.

“Young Master, why suddenly… No, how did you get there… You almost died.”

Kwak Hyun-soo wiped the sweat from his forehead.

He had a dumbfounded expression.

Ji Hyun-bok, who was bowing his head in the corner, raised his head and looked at Jung-hoon.

“Why? You could have just left me to die…”

“Because it seems like you also want to take revenge.”

“What do you mean?”

“You shed tears at the Pope story. You regret it too, right? If so, you have to punish the bastard who created that situation first. After that, I don’t care whether you receive the judgment of the law or jump off the building.”

“You wanted me to take revenge?”

Jung-hoon did not answer his words.

He remembered the beastly cry Ji Hyun-bok made one day when he was drunk.

‘If it weren’t for Seong-han, that bastard. Uaaa, if I hadn’t done that thing that bastard ordered.’

Ji Hyun-bok looked at Jung-hoon.

How did he know?

He hadn’t told anyone…

“Shall we watch this USB now?”

Cha Young-mi said, holding the USB.

Jung-hoon nodded.

Soon, Young-hoon’s face was seen on the beam projector.

“Young-hoon!”

Cha Young-mi quietly called her brother’s name.

Soon after, Cheon Seong-han and a beautiful woman appeared. When the two people’s embarrassing scene began, Kwak Hyun-soo shouted.

“Wait a minute.”

Kwak Hyun-soo looked at Jung-hoon.

“Ha In-seon… it’s definitely Ha In-seon.”

Ha In-seon, who had disappeared without a trace.

At a moment no one expected, she revealed her appearance on the white screen.