Free Web NovelAfter dropping Hyunseong’s father off at Seoul Station, I said goodbye to the others.
Back home, I gave Ma Seokdae his first proper directive.
“Please investigate what happened during the Korean National Judo Team trials at Korea National Sports University. Especially about Park Hyunseong—what circumstances he was facing, and whether there was any issue during the selection process. That kind of thing.”
“Understood.”
The more I saw of Ma Seokdae, the more he resembled Chief Ha.
He never asked follow-up questions—he just did the work I asked for. That kind of decisiveness was exactly to my liking.
“It might take some time, but I need you to dig deep.”
“Yes.”
He bowed and left the room.
After I heard the door shut, I pulled out my phone.
— “This is Lee Sanggeun.”
“Attorney Lee, this is Kim Muhyuk.”
— “Ah, it’s been a while, Mr. Muhyuk.”
“You’re with him, right?”
— “Yes, I’ll put him on.”
Must’ve been right beside him, because the voice on the other end soon switched to Park Dongsu’s.
— “My boy~ What’s going on? I was just about to call you.”
Hearing that familiar voice made me smile.
“I need a favor. You’re wrapping up things in Busan now, right?”
— “Of course. I’ve handled my part, and Sanggeun is taking care of the rest internally. So what’s this favor?”
“Good to hear. It’s about an old case. A murder in the Saha-gu district...”
I explained the situation with my parents and asked him to see if anyone in Busan—among the gangsters or ex-cons—had heard anything, even rumors, about it.
— “It’s not a tough ask, but it’s been so long... I’ll look into it personally.”
“Thanks. Even the tiniest info could help.”
— “No worries. Sanggeun’s handling the organization for now, so I’ll dig into this myself.”
“Then let’s meet in Seoul once Busan’s cleaned up. Wrap things up neatly before you come.”
Before he could shift topics, I hung up and sank into thought.
Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much from Dongsu, but it was still worth trying.
Was it really Cheon Sooman and Cheon Suhan who killed my parents?
It didn’t feel like something they’d hesitate to do just because she was their sister.
If they really were the ones behind it... even with Grandpa still alive, could I just let it go?
I let out a sigh without realizing it.
It was one of those heavy days.
By the time I snapped out of my thoughts, dusk had already fallen outside my window.
I had dinner with Grandpa and then moved to the study for a talk.
“You’re going to America?”
“Just for two weeks. I’ve got things to take care of over there.”
“No need to rush. You’re already doing more than enough.”
He sounded worried.
I answered with a calm smile.
“I’m not rushing. But this is something I can do myself, so I want to handle it directly.”
He nodded in understanding.
Then the topic shifted to Ma Seokdae.
“What do you think of Ma Seokdae?”
“He’s like a smaller version of the Chief.”
“Oh? Haha. Sounds like you’re pleased with him.”
He puffed up a little with pride.
“I like him, but I’m not sure if he likes me yet. Still, I think he’ll eventually become one of mine.”
“Good. That’s what matters—making them your people. People are assets. As long as you place the right people in the right spots, you’ll be fine. There’s only so much one person can do alone.”
“I know.”
As we talked, the conversation shifted toward Cheon Sooman and Cheon Suhan.
“Do you see your uncles often?”
“No, not really. I occasionally grab coffee with Jisoo noona and chat, but I don’t really meet the others. Oh, and Jiyoung calls now and then to say hi.”
“Don’t stay too distant. They’re still family. In the end, family is all that remains. Remember that.”
“...Yes, sir.”
I felt Grandpa’s eyes sweep over my face, and I did my best to control my expression.
“Your uncles aren’t bad people. Sooman, Suhan—they’re just not good at expressing themselves. I doubt they dislike you.”
That was Grandpa—the man who held a deep attachment to family.
...Does he not know?
A bitter taste crept into my mouth.
“Yes. I think so too.”
But I kept the conversation going, reassuring him with words I didn’t fully mean.
“Even if your uncles are like that, stay in touch with Jiwon, Jisoo, and Jiyoung. Your generation is the one that’ll carry things forward.”
“Understood.”
Grandpa gazed at me with a gentle smile before speaking.
“You can do anything, I’m sure of it. I believe in you.”
I could feel it—his complete trust.
The trust I’d worked to earn since my return.
“Of course. I’m Kim Muhyuk.”
I replied with feigned bravado, and he burst out laughing at my expression.
A few days later—
Just as planned, I arrived in New York.
After clearing immigration, I saw Han Kyungyeong waiting for me outside.
“Muhyuk!”
He called out loudly, and I greeted him with a smile.
“You look well-fed. Gained some weight, huh?”
“Well, what can I say? I’m living that American lifestyle.”
He glanced at Ma Seokdae, who stood silently beside me.
“Oh—this is my executive assistant. Section Chief Ma Seokdae.”
At my introduction, Seokdae gave a slight bow and then resumed surveying the area. fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm
Kyungyeong nodded back, somewhat awkwardly.
We hopped into his car and headed toward his office in Wall Street.
Wall Street—the beating heart of not just America, but the entire global financial system.
That’s where Han Kyungyeong had set up shop.
The interior was still a bit messy when we arrived.
“Not much to see, huh? I set up the company and was just waiting for you. So, what’s ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ the plan?”
“Did you track down the people I asked you to recruit?”
“Nope. They’re not on Wall Street yet.”
Hmm... maybe they haven’t entered the scene yet?
They were future financial giants I’d intended to recruit early. But if they weren’t in the game yet, finding them would be tricky.
I didn’t have much info on them pre-fame...
I nodded and took a seat. Ma Seokdae stood behind me while Kyungyeong pulled up a chair in front.
“In that case, take it slow. Don’t make any risky investments until the capital comes in.”
“Don’t invest at all?”
I shook my head.
“That’ll make you rusty. Manage $5 million on your own—just enough to keep your instincts sharp. But don’t take risks.”
His face lit up.
No matter what he said, he wasn’t the type who could live without trading stocks.
“As for the rest, hold it where I tell you to. When I say pull it out, do it right away. Oh—and did you look into Marc Andreessen?”
“Yeah. Found him easily—there’s plenty of info on him.”
At the end of last year, he’d developed and released a web browser called Mosaic, opening a new chapter for internet browsing.
There had been some disputes with the University of Illinois, but next year, he’d leave for Silicon Valley.
That’s when he builds Netscape...
Which would later go public, kicking off the dot-com bubble.
From an IPO price of $18, the stock would shoot up to $80.
“Let’s head out tomorrow.” freēwēbηovel.c૦m
“Tomorrow?”
“Yeah. There’s a lot to do, and I’ve only got two weeks. We’ll check the incoming funds in the morning, then go.”
Kyungyeong nodded and stood.
“Let’s go. I’ll show you what real American food is. What we eat in Korea doesn’t count.”
He took me to one of the most well-known restaurants on Wall Street.
I invited Ma Seokdae to join us, but he declined and waited outside.
Once he was gone, Kyungyeong leaned in and whispered.
“That guy doesn’t say a word. With that build and deadpan face—he’s scary.”
“Be nice. If you slip up, he might come looking for you.”
I joked, and Kyungyeong’s face instantly stiffened. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Haha, don’t get so tense. I’m just messing with you.”
“You really know how to spook people sometimes. Seriously... even from our first meeting, you’ve always been strangely intimidating.”
“You’ll be fine as long as you don’t cross me. So tell me—how’s New York treating you?”
The steak that arrived mid-conversation was phenomenal. Pricey, but worth it.
“So why ‘Dreamhigh’?”
“I wanted to name it just ‘Dream’, but come on—who would’ve guessed I’d set up an investment firm on Wall Street? That name was taken. So it became Dreamhigh Investment. Has a nice ring, right?”
“Eh, I don’t care much about the name. Ownership-wise, it’s 99% me, 1% you, right?”
“...I get 1%?”
I nodded with a grin.
Hard to say if his guts were big or small.
“Think of it as compensation for your hard work. I’ll pay regular staff salaries and bonuses, but no equity. You’re the only one getting this.”
Seeing his touched expression, I got up from my seat.
“Let’s head back to the hotel for a drink and rest.”
“Okay. I’m buying this meal.”
There wasn’t a trace of the old Han Kyungyeong in the way he confidently paid.
Back at the hotel bar, we had a quick drink and collapsed.
Tomorrow’s work is tomorrow’s problem...
All I wanted was rest after the long flight.
Apparently, while I slept, Ma Seokdae had a call with Chief Ha.
By the next morning, $470 million had been deposited into the company account.
Over breakfast, Kyungyeong looked like a man who had the world in his hands.
“Holy... crap...”
“You’ll be handling even bigger money soon. Don’t get all worked up over this.”
“Till death do us part. I’ll follow you to the end. Just don’t ditch me.”
“Why would I? As long as you don’t betray me, I’ll never drop you first. Just don’t break my trust.”
After breakfast, we left for Urbana-Champaign, near Chicago, where the University of Illinois is located.
A two-hour flight took us to Chicago, and from there, we drove to the university.
Near the NCSA lab, we asked around about Andreessen.
“Marc? He’s probably in the lab.”
“Yeah, he’s always holed up in there.”
Everyone pointed us toward the research center.
As we headed that way, I saw two men walking toward us—one of them already balding.
I approached them.
“Hey! Marc Andreessen?”
He turned at the sound of his name. The young Marc Andreessen gave me a wary look.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Charlie Kim, from Korea.”
“Korea?”
He tilted his head, like he’d never heard of the place.
Seeing the young Andreessen standing there, I caught a glimpse of the balding tech pioneer he’d become.
Guess the hair loss started early...
< Dreamhigh Investment > End
