Free Web Novel“Is this the place?”
I drove straight to the location Manager Ha had given me.
A shabby inn in Bulgwang-dong.
As soon as I opened the door and stepped inside, the unique musty smell of an old inn hit me.
When I made my presence known, an old man peeked his head out from a small side door near the entrance.
“Looking for a room?”
“No. I’m looking for someone. Is there a man staying here named Han Kyungyeong?”
The innkeeper looked me up and down and grumbled.
“What are you... a detective?”
“Excuse me?”
“No one writes their real name in the guest log at a place like this. How would I know his name?”
“I’m not a detective. He looks like he’s in his late twenties. Is there anyone who’s been staying long-term?”
“Hmph... maybe it’s just my old age, but my memory’s fuzzy.”
I took a ten-thousand-won bill out of my wallet and placed it on the counter.
“Does that help jog your memory?”
“Oh, right. There is a young guy staying here long-term. Don’t know his name, though. Let’s see... what room...”
The indifferent innkeeper changed his tune immediately, flipping through the guestbook with interest.
“Room 302. Go on up.”
Then he snatched the bill off the counter and shut the small door with a thud.
“Room 302, huh...”
As I headed up the stairs, I saw a young man coming down.
Our eyes met.
In an instant, the man froze—then turned and bolted up the stairs.
“Excuse me! Mr. Han Kyungyeong!”
I called out hastily, but there was no reply.
He sprinted all the way up to the rooftop without a break. I chased after him.
When I opened the rooftop door, Han Kyungyeong was standing there, looking around frantically from the edge. I couldn’t help but laugh.
So this was the same Han Kyungyeong who was once called the black-haired foreigner and made the entire Korean stock market tremble? Unbelievable.
“I’m not here to collect money. I just want to talk, Mr. Han Kyungyeong.”
Only then did Han Kyungyeong stiffly turn his head to look at me.
“You’re really not a debt collector?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Damn! You could’ve said that earlier. Made me run for nothing. Ha!”
He slumped to the ground, looking up at me, as if the tension had finally drained from him.
“Let’s sit and talk. I’m tired. So tired. But... who are you?”
“I’m Kim Muhyuk. You’re Mr. Han Kyungyeong, right? The stock guy?”
“Oh! Yeah, that’s me... but...”
“Good. I came to the right place. Let’s work together.”
What kind of lunatic is this?
That was the look on his face.
I mean, it’d be weird not to be flustered if some random young guy just barged into your hideout and said, ‘Let’s work together.’
“I’m not a scammer.”
“Then what are you... part of some operation team? I don’t do that kind of thing. No matter how desperate I am for money, there are lines I won’t cross.”
I held back a laugh.
Then what about all those poor souls you dragged into that mess, ending up exploring the Han River?
I didn’t need someone nice.
I needed someone who could read the market. Someone who could put aside greed.
Most importantly, someone who would carry out any order I gave without hesitation.
That’s why I had come to find Han Kyungyeong.
“I’m not here for any of that. Anyway, get up. You haven’t eaten, right? Let’s talk over a meal. What do you like? Korean beef? Sashimi? Just say the word.”
At the mention of food, Han Kyungyeong’s face lit up.
Eventually, as if he’d never collapsed to the ground, he jumped up and urged me forward.
“It’s been a while since I had some Korean beef. What are you waiting for? Let’s go already!”
I left the inn with Han Kyungyeong.
“Hop in. I’ll take you to a place that serves excellent Korean beef.”
“Ooh, a Grandeur! Are you some chaebol heir?”
He looked around the parked car and got into the passenger seat. I started the car slowly.
“Where are we going? There’s a great Korean beef place I know in Yeouido. Let’s head there.”
“Hahaha. I know a great spot in Myeongdong. Let me treat you there.”
The moment I mentioned Myeongdong, the color drained from his face.
“M-Myeongdong?”
“Yes. Is that a problem?”
“Didn’t you say... you’re not here to collect debt?”
“I’m not. But I am in the private lending business. Don’t worry. If you’re with me in Myeongdong, no one will lay a hand on you.”
Still, unease remained etched on his face.
I smiled like it was nothing and made a bold declaration.
“Seriously, don’t worry. If I were here to collect, I wouldn’t have come alone.”
“Haa... okay. Let’s go.”
He said the words, but it was clear he had given up. He let out a long sigh, looking pale.
* * *
We arrived at a Korean beef restaurant in Myeongdong.
After getting out of the car and seeing him glance around nervously, I led him inside.
We were guided to a quiet room, placed our order, and began talking.
“How much debt do you owe?”
“Why?”
His tone turned a bit curt—probably because I’d dragged him to Myeongdong.
I kept a smile on my face.
“Mr. Han Kyungyeong, I want us to have a good relationship. I have no intention of harming you. Don’t you think the fact I tracked you down in hiding, where even loan sharks couldn’t, says something?”
“...”
“How much do you owe?”
“...Three million won.”
Three million won...
To think he’d been hiding out like this over just three million won. Ridiculous.
“Three million?”
“Yes. That’s what I borrowed, but with interest...”
The meat we ordered arrived.
The conversation paused while the staff cooked the meat for us.
“Let’s eat first. We’ll talk after.”
The smell of grilled meat had his full attention.
We ate for about thirty minutes.
We even ordered soybean paste stew with rice, and after we finished everything, we sat back down to talk again.
“Is three million the total amount you owe?”
“Yes.”
“And the interest?”
“...Eight hundred.”
“Eight hundred, huh. Compound interest?”
“I thought I could pay it back quickly when I borrowed it. But... I didn’t expect the stocks to turn into toilet paper. Ha... haha...”
Now that he was full, he seemed to have cooled down a bit. He gave an awkward laugh.
“I’ll take care of that loan for you. Work with me. That Grandeur outside? I’ll get you something way better. How does that sound?”
At that, Han Kyungyeong’s expression hardened.
He looked like he’d just seen something he shouldn’t have.
Then, in a trembling voice, he spoke.
“Are you... are you an angel? Do you have wings on your back or something? Or are you a scammer?”
I blanked out for a second at the unexpected question—then burst out laughing.
“Hahaha. Wow, you’re a funny guy.”
He kept looking at me, his face half suspicious, half hopeful.
“Come on, right? A total stranger shows up, buys me a meal, and offers to pay my debt and work with me? It’s either an angel or a con artist. What else could it be?”
“Let’s go. Where did you borrow the money from? Myeongdong office, right?”
As I stood up and spoke, he looked even more flustered, fidgeting nervously.
“W-What? Where are we going?”
“The office where you borrowed the money. We need to settle it. You can’t work while constantly in hiding.”
“...”
I added as I watched him hesitate.
“Trust me and get up. We’re going to pay the debt. Just hold your head high.”
“Y-You’re really going to pay it off?”
“Yes. On the condition that you work with me.”
“...What if I just run off?”
I let out a short laugh.
“You can run if you want. But... I’m probably scarier than the loan sharks you borrowed from. If you’re anywhere in Korea, I’ll find you.”
He swallowed hard.
“What would I have to do?”
“What you’re good at. Stocks.”
“Huh?”
“Let’s go first. We can talk the details later. After we pay the debt.”
He still looked like he didn’t fully believe me, but dazed as he was, he followed me and stood up.
He trailed after me slowly.
By the time we stepped out of the restaurant, the sun was nearly setting.
“Where is it? Lead the way.”
I looked back and spoke. Reluctantly, he began walking ahead.
But...
He was walking too slowly.
“Are you walking to your death? Let’s go. The sun’s setting. At this rate, we’ll get there tomorrow morning.”
About ten minutes passed.
Han Kyungyeong came to a stop in front of an old building.
A loan office without even a signboard, only the words Loan Consultation written on a third-floor window.
“This the place?”
“...Yeah.”
“Let’s go up.”
Leaving him hesitating behind, I confidently walked up the stairs.
Following behind me, Han Kyungyeong wore the look of a cow being led to slaughter.
“Y-You’re sure this is okay, right?”
I ignored the nervous voice trailing from behind.
On the third floor, there wasn’t a single indicator that this was a loan office. If you didn’t know, you’d never guess.
Without hesitation, I opened the door and walked in.
Inside were two tattooed men and a man who looked like the boss with a sly face.
As soon as they saw Han Kyungyeong walk in behind me, the two men stood up from their seats.
“What the hell? This bastard came crawling in on his own?”
Han Kyungyeong flinched at the words.
“Cut it out! There’s a guest here. What do you think you’re doing?”
At the boss’s words, the two men sat back down.
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“Who’s the guy with you?”
“The one here to pay the debt.”
At that, the boss got up and walked over to the sofa.
Sitting down, he turned to the two guys and barked out,
“Idiots. Get up. We’ve got a guest and you’re hogging the seats?”
The two men stood up and moved to stand behind the boss.
I sat down on the sofa with Han Kyungyeong.
“So, dear customer. Did you bring the money?”
“How much?”
“Hmm... Bring me the ledger.”
One of the men picked up a ledger from the desk and handed it to the boss.
He flipped through it and said,
“Here we are.”
He opened a page and slid it across the table toward me.
I didn’t even glance at the ledger. Instead, I looked directly at the boss and smiled.
“Forget the ledger. Just give me the exact number. Don’t act like an amateur.”
Despite my rude tone, the boss’s expression didn’t change.
But the thugs behind him started to look a little nastier.
“You’ve got no manners, kid. The principal’s 300, the interest is 1,200. That makes 1,500 total. I’ll let the last 30,000 slide as a freebie~.”
From 300 to 1,500—ah, the magic of compound interest.
This was the essence of loan sharking.
“W-What kind of interest rate is that...”
Han Kyungyeong, seated next to me, tried to protest with a trembling voice.
“You don’t know compound interest, punk? Ha! If you’d run off, you should’ve just kept your mouth shut. I’ll throw your guts in a jar of fish sauce.”
Terrified by the boss’s words, Han Kyungyeong quickly closed his mouth.
“Will 1,500 do?”
“You must be loaded, young man. Yeah, bring 1,500 and I’ll rip up the paperwork. Cash only.”
“Mind if I use the phone?”
The boss pushed the landline on the table toward me.
“Anytime.”
I called Pyeongchang-dong.
— “Yes, Ha Myeonghun speaking.”
“Sir, it’s me. Could you bring 15 million won over here?”
— “Yes, where are you?”
“Where exactly are we... Hang on.”
I looked over at one of the meatheads behind the boss.
“Hey.”
The two thugs exchanged awkward glances.
“You. The one on the left.”
The guy I pointed at stared back in disbelief.
“Me?”
“Yeah, you. Tell him where we are. I’m not good at explaining directions.”
I waved the receiver at him.
His face twisted as if in pain.
“Take it. Tell him.”
Under the boss’s orders, the man had no choice but to take the receiver and explain the location to Manager Ha.
When the call ended, he glared at me like he wanted to kill me. I smiled back.
The boss gave a half-laugh and commented,
“Young man, you’ve got no fear.”
The smile on my face turned into a smirk.
“Isn’t Myeongdong ruled by cash?”
“That’s right. But your cash isn’t here yet, is it? Until it is, nothing’s guaranteed.”
“Hahahaha!”
I laughed loudly.
This loan shark wasn’t even in my memory.
He must’ve vanished quietly after the financial real-name system came into effect.
And here he was, trying to intimidate me? Hilarious.
Sure, I was killed by my uncles and the Cheongpunghoe in my past life, but I’d been around long enough as Cheon Taesan’s successor to know this world. Just because I was young, even scum like this thought they could look down on me?
“You laughing? Ha—what a fucking psycho.”
“Let’s all laugh a little. Hey, you two back there. Relax those frowns. They say smiling brings good luck, you know? You already look scary—don’t make it worse.”
The two goons flinched hard, like they couldn’t take it anymore.
The guy who had taken the call suddenly exploded.
“You crazy bastard! You got a death wish?”
“Don’t do anything you can’t handle. Just give what’s owed, take what’s offered, and we can be done here.”
“You son of a—!”
“Enough!”
The boss’s shout stopped the big guy in his °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° tracks.
“Boss!”
The thug looked back at him like he’d been wronged.
The boss, too, was now glaring at me with a menacing expression.
“Young man. Loan sharks are nastier than gangsters. You’re not poking the bear out of ignorance, are you? We’ll do whatever it takes to collect. Don’t lump us in with wannabes.”
I nodded.
“Exactly. Real loan sharks are way nastier. But the real ones don’t sit here trying to look tough with two pigs behind them like you. Just take the money and piss off.”
The boss, who had kept a steady expression until now, finally changed.
“Hoo... you really don’t get it, do you? Boys!”
“Yes, boss.”
“Teach him some manners.”
Their eyes lit up at the command.
Frightened, Han Kyungyeong bolted from my side.
I stood up from the sofa, chuckling.
And right then, the door swung open with a bang.
Even without turning around, I knew who it was—Manager Ha.
And without needing anything explained, he took in the whole situation at a glance and let out an exasperated chuckle.
The two thugs, who had been charging at me, roared threateningly.
“Who the fuck is this guy now?”
“Hey! What the fuck are you laughing at!”
The color drained from the boss’s face.
“You fucking idiots! Shut your damn mouths!”
His voice echoed through the office—urgent and pleading.
< I’ll take care of it. > End.
