Free Web Novel“How much time do you need?”
Noh Ikseon answered immediately.
“Half a month... no, one week will be enough.”
I stared at President Noh’s face as if to pierce through him.
The “Snake” avoided my gaze.
“Sigh... Then have it ready and hand it over within a week. I won’t report this to Grandfather. I’ve done enough to help you establish yourself, so why get greedy? Wouldn’t it be better if you lived within your means, huh?”
“......”
Noh Ikseon blushed but couldn’t respond.
Clicking my tongue, I added,
“Grandfather is still perfectly sound. Whatever scheming you’re doing with my uncles—he already knows. Be careful. I’m telling you out of concern. Across all times and places, dogs that bite their masters are put down. I’ll see you in a week.”
I turned around after saying my goodbyes, but President Noh didn’t react at all.
As I opened the door and stepped out, Manager Ha was, as expected, standing outside.
I flashed him a bright smile and said,
“Manager Ha, let’s go.”
“Seemed like the talk went well, Young Master.”
“Yes, thanks to you.”
After that, I visited the other presidents over the span of a week.
The Marauder—Shin Seongil.
A former strongman, he had been supported by Grandfather since childhood.
Perhaps because of that, he was the one among the Myeongdong presidents who held the deepest respect and loyalty toward Grandfather.
“Welcome, Young Master.”
From the very first meeting, his reaction was completely different from the others.
In a warm atmosphere, the handover of the books and nominee accounts was completed, and after sending Manager Ha out again, I asked about the slush fund account.
“Oh, were we instructed to return that too? Please wait a moment.”
The Marauder opened a safe hidden behind a picture frame and handed me the account book.
‘So this guy wasn’t skimming off anything on the side? Then why did he side with Cheon Sooman and Cheon Suhan in the last life?’
A question arose, but it wasn’t something I could confront him about, not with knowledge of the future.
I gave my farewell and left.
Shin Seongil followed me to the office entrance and bowed.
“Then I’ll see you next time, Young Master.”
“Mhm. Yes, next time. But President Shin, using such formal language makes me uncomfortable. You can speak more casually if you’d like.”
“Hahaha. No, if I get too casual, my dialect comes out hard and fast. People might misunderstand. I’ll stick to this level of politeness.”
“Is that so? Then do what feels comfortable.”
As I left the building, I thought to myself that I needed to keep an eye on President Shin a bit longer.
And finally, I visited Sledgehammer’s office.
Yoo Jigang—Sledgehammer.
Among the four Myeongdong presidents, he had the longest career.
Always carried a hammer in his coat.
He might be small in stature, but definitely not someone to underestimate.
Even as we walked in, he didn’t greet us—just sat in his chair and continued with his work.
Manager Ha looked displeased but didn’t intervene.
“President Yoo?”
“Wait a bit. I’ll finish what I’m doing and handle the handover. Sit down and wait.”
He didn’t even look our way as he said that.
‘This bastard, huh?’
I gave Manager Ha a look, signaling him not to interfere, and sat on the sofa.
Thirty minutes passed.
Just as my patience wore thin, Sledgehammer finally got up and approached.
“Apologies. This ledger needs to be submitted to the Chairman, so I had to tidy it up properly. Took a bit longer. You’re not upset, are you, Manager Ha, Young Master?”
Sitting at the head of the table, he said those words of “apology” as he crossed his legs and lit a cigarette.
He took a puff and continued.
“Check the books. There’s no issue, but let me know if you find anything wrong.”
His way of talking on his own terms made it hard to find a moment to get angry.
You could feel the experience behind the nickname Sledgehammer.
“Then I’ll have a look.”
As I reviewed the ledger, Yoo Jigang blew smoke and turned to Manager Ha.
“Manager Ha, I hear you’ve been working hard lately? Babysitting the Young Master and changing his diapers. That’s not really a job suited to someone of your experience. Chairman’s being harsh, huh? If it gets too tough, just send him to me. I’ll make sure he learns everything from A to Z real quick.”
“This is the Chairman’s grandson you’re talking to. Watch your mouth.”
“What, we’re not living in Joseon-era anymore. 'Young Master' is respectful enough—what more do you want? That’s for loyalists like you to worry about, Manager Ha. Don’t try that with me. I’ve paid my dues in this world.”
When the conversation with Manager Ha fizzled, he turned to me while I was still going through the books.
“Young Master, can you even understand what you’re looking at? Or are you just stalling? Why not hand it to Manager Ha already? Do you even know what you’re seeing?”
His words kept jabbing like thorns.
“Wait.”
Suppressing my irritation, I kept checking the ledger.
There was nothing unusual.
That in itself was unsettling. All of the Myeongdong presidents had spotless books.
But right now, the urgent matter was the account.
I smiled and said,
“There are no issues in the ledger. Now, the accounts, please.”
“Accounts? What accounts?”
“The nominee accounts you manage.”
“Huh? You want those? Why should I give them to you?”
“The Chairman instructed me to retrieve them.”
Yoo Jigang frowned and blew smoke directly at my face.
“So just because you say ‘the Chairman told me to,’ I’m supposed to hand them over? Tell the Chairman to come himself. Isn’t that what makes sense? He’s the one who entrusted them to me—shouldn’t he be the one to take them back? Don’t you agree, Young Master?”
Then Manager Ha’s voice came cold and sharp.
“Are you serious, President Yoo?”
Yoo Jigang answered with a crooked smile.
“Why would I joke after eating a good meal? Of course I’m serious. Why?”
“......”
Manager Ha looked like he was about to get up in anger.
I raised a hand to stop him.
He turned to me with eyes burning with rage.
“Manager Ha, please step outside for a moment.”
“Young Master!”
“Just for a moment. Let’s resolve this with words. Go cool off.”
“Sigh... Understood.”
Before leaving, Manager Ha shot one more glare at Yoo Jigang and exited.
“President Yoo. That’s enough playing around. Hand over the accounts. Including the slush fund account the Chairman secretly entrusted to you.”
“Oh? So you know about the slush fund too? Looks like the Chairman’s really raising you properly. So what? Doesn’t change anything. Tell him to come himself. Then I’ll hand it over.”
“President!”
“Why are you yelling and throwing a tantrum? Hey! When you were still in diapers, I was wiping the Chairman’s shit while dodging scary National Security agents here in Myeongdong. You’re not someone who gets to give me orders. Be grateful I’m even calling you Young Master. The only person I take orders from is the Chairman!”
You’re literally name-dropping the Chairman right now. Hypocrisy much?
“Even President Cheon Sooman and President Cheon Suhan don’t order me around. And you? A brat with milk still on your lips, dares to scream at me?”
Yoo Jigang pressed his cigarette into the ashtray and pulled ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ out his hammer, placing it on the table with a clunk.
“This hammer is Myeongdong’s history. A living witness of the loan shark market. Don’t get cocky in front of me, you brat.”
“Hah... so you really want to take this to the end, huh?”
“Hahaha. The end? Don’t delude yourself into thinking you’re my equal just because you’re the Chairman’s blood. You want us all to die together? Just say the word—I’ll tell the Chairman myself.”
What kind of confidence is this?
A thousand thoughts rushed through my head.
This attitude was far too bold.
Even if he had climbed onto the backs of Sooman and Suhan, he shouldn’t be in a position to rebel against Grandfather like this.
‘There must be something I don’t know.’
I could fight back, but decided to take a step back for now.
“President Yoo. I’ll come again tomorrow. But if it’s like this again, I won’t stay quiet.”
“Hah! That’s what you call a threat? Let me show you what a real threat is!”
With a savage expression, Yoo Jigang grabbed his hammer and swung it down.
The dark, heavy hammer came down toward my head.
I didn’t flinch. I stared him down.
The hammer stopped just before it hit me.
Yoo Jigang chuckled and withdrew it.
“You’ve got guts, being the Chairman’s blood and all. Better eyes than the other two presidents. Get lost. Tell the Chairman to come in person. Then this ends peacefully.”
Without a word, I stood up.
He slumped back down and picked up his pack of cigarettes.
I reached out and grabbed the cigarette he had pulled out.
“Why pull it out if you don’t even have the guts to swing it?”
I bared my teeth in a smile as his expression froze.
“You think I’ll be scared just because you pretend to swing it? Cut the crap. If you want to live, have the accounts ready by tomorrow.”
When I opened my palm, the crushed cigarette crumbled before his eyes.
I turned my body.
“See you tomorrow. Let’s see if you still act like that then.”
Just before closing the door, I added that line.
Manager Ha and Sledgehammer’s lackeys were facing each other.
Relieved to see I was unharmed, Manager Ha spoke.
“Is the conversation finished?”
“We agreed I’d return tomorrow. Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
We walked past the lackeys and out of the office.
While driving, Manager Ha asked if anything had happened.
“Hmm. We did have a bit of a scuffle. He tried to hit me with a hammer.”
Screeeeech!
The car came to a screeching halt.
Startled by the sudden braking, I saw Manager Ha turn from the driver’s seat and look back at me.
“What did you say?”
“Calm down. We’re in the middle of the road.”
Of course, honking and curses started erupting from behind us.
“Are you hurt?”
“He stopped right before it hit me. Anyway, let’s go.”
“Yes.”
The car started moving again.
Soon, we arrived at the Pyeongchang-dong house and went straight to the study to report to Grandfather.
“What?”
“He said the Chairman should come in person.”
“......Hahaha. That’s amusing. And?”
“He tried to hit the Young Master with a hammer.” ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
“What?”
Chairman Cheon looked at me, shocked by Manager Ha’s words.
“He stopped before it hit me. I’m not hurt. Nothing to worry about.”
“Truly, you’re unharmed?”
“Yes.”
Chairman Cheon, who was usually stern in the study, now showed the worried expression of a grandfather.
“Sigh... That bastard Jigang, what’s he thinking?”
He muttered to himself.
“Myeonghun, what do you think his deal is?”
“I don’t understand it either. I heard he competed with you when he first came into Myeongdong. But ever since I started working with you, he’s never acted that way... Today, something was off. It felt like he was trying to provoke us on purpose.”
“Really? So it was like that. Then what are you planning to do?”
I answered under my grandfather’s gaze.
“I told him I’d come back tomorrow and that he should have the accounts ready.”
“Is that so? Are you confident? You could get hurt.”
“This is something you entrusted to me. I have to do it. I can do it.”
Chairman Cheon smiled with satisfaction at my words.
For a while, the only sound in the study was the tapping of his fingers on the desk.
After some thought, he spoke to Manager Ha.
“Myeonghun.”
“Yes.”
“You handle this matter personally.”
“Personally, sir?”
“Yes.”
“Understood.”
“You’ll be able to retrieve everything by tomorrow?”
“Yes, Chairman.”
“And there’s one more slush fund account aside from the nominee accounts. Retrieve that one too.”
“Yes.”
Even though he mentioned a slush fund account I didn’t know existed, Manager Ha responded without a hint of surprise.
“Handle it quickly and cleanly. You decide how to deal with him. Make sure no problems arise.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
After giving a bow, Manager Ha left the room.
Once he was gone, my grandfather looked at me with concern.
“You rascal. You don’t need to take on dangerous tasks just to earn my recognition. I told you to learn the business, not to throw yourself into the thick of it.”
“You can’t be in the loan shark world without facing tough or dangerous tasks. You went through it all too. I can do it.”
“That’s what underlings are for. You don’t need to follow the same path I did. I’ll make sure you can work comfortably, so don’t overdo it.”
It was a completely different attitude from the past life, where I had to crawl up from the bottom.
“You know I didn’t grow up gently either. If I can’t even handle one man like that, how can I be worthy of succeeding you?”
“Hahaha. You brat.”
Chairman Cheon laughed for a while, then suddenly became serious.
“Let Manager Ha handle this case. Watch how he deals with it—and learn. Understood?”
“Yes.”
That ended our conversation.
The next day.
Manager Ha brought all the accounts.
“He gave them up without a fight?”
“Yes.”
Didn’t seem like the kind of man who would...?
< Are You Serious, President Yoo? > End.
