Free Web NovelYamaguchi-gumi was an alliance of multiple organizations.
That’s why its leadership had only ever been passed down to family once—by Yamaguchi, the founding boss himself.
Since then, not once had the position been inherited by direct descendants; passing it to the boss of another organization when stepping down had become a tradition.
Watanabe Saoru was the man chosen as the successor, thanks to his exceptional political skill and charisma.
He was also infamous for brutally murdering anyone who opposed him.
― You should meet with him. Wouldn’t it be better if things could be resolved through conversation?
I had never met him before.
I thought about it for a moment, but I had no reason to refuse.
“Fine. Where shall we meet?” fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
― Let’s meet this evening in Myeongdong.
A show of confidence, perhaps?
From his suggestion to meet in Myeongdong—a place that was practically enemy territory for him—I could guess the kind of man he was.
“Then let’s meet at Myeongdong Hotel. 6 ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ p.m.”
― Understood. I look forward to a good meeting.
After hanging up, I turned to look at Chief Ma.
“Chief, I’ve arranged a meeting at Myeongdong Hotel this evening. Place people in advance and contact the Dongsu faction as well.”
“Yes, Boss.”
Chief Ma nodded immediately and left the room.
Left alone, I pondered why Watanabe had suddenly requested to meet me.
‘Why? We never had any connection before. Should I just eliminate him this time?’
I ran through several scenarios in my head, simulating different outcomes, but no clear conclusion emerged.
That evening, I arrived at the hotel where the meeting had been arranged.
Watanabe, bold as ever, had arrived first and booked a room.
I went straight up to the room without any notice, and he calmly opened the door for me.
“Welcome, Mr. Kim Muhyuk.”
Watanabe’s first impression was that of a ‘businessman.’
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Watanabe.”
There was only one man who looked like a bodyguard with a sharp expression, and no one else.
“It’s an honor to meet the man who owns Myeongdong.”
The moment I sat down, he gave me a friendly smile and flattered me.
“I didn’t expect to meet the successor of Japan’s underworld.”
“Hahaha. It hasn’t been decided yet.”
“Hasn’t the tide already turned in your favor?”
“You said you didn’t know me, but you seem to know everything. Shall we get straight to the point, then?”
I nodded, and Watanabe’s smile deepened.
“We’re planning to enter Korea’s moneylending market. I was going to meet Chairman Cheon, the owner of Myeongdong, but I heard you’ve already taken over most of it.”
“Chairman Cheon is still very much active.”
Watanabe didn’t bother to argue and continued speaking with the same nonchalant expression.
“I’d like to leave past matters behind and compete on friendly terms. There’s no need for us to fight and shed blood, is there?”
“That sounds like you’re asking me to hand over my territory. So does that mean I can enter Japan’s moneylending market as well?”
“Hmm... Japan has nothing worth taking. The government strictly regulates interest rates, and the Violent Acts Control Law makes illegal debt collection difficult. But Korea is different, isn’t it?”
The way Watanabe spoke carried a subtle disregard for the Korean government.
Not that I didn’t understand it, but it wasn’t pleasant to hear.
“True. But why should I give up the Korean market to you? It’s a market I can take for myself. If you were me, would you give it up?”
“Hahaha!”
After laughing loudly, Watanabe’s expression turned cold as he spoke.
“I don’t mind fighting, but are you sure you’re ready? I think you’re underestimating Japan’s power—underestimating me. I can’t rest until I have what I want. It was the same 100 years ago, and it’s the same now.”
I smiled in return.
“100 years ago, huh? Seems you still haven’t escaped the ghosts of the past. Come in all you want. I’ll stop you at all costs.”
Watanabe’s face grew even harsher.
He acted refined, but in the end, he was still the successor of Japan’s largest crime syndicate.
“So, negotiations have failed.”
“Was there ever room for negotiation?”
“I thought you were more reasonable than Chairman Cheon, but I was wrong. It was nice meeting you, though. Next time we meet, we won’t be smiling.”
Watanabe Saoru extended his hand.
“We were never going to have a friendly relationship. Especially not if you know my ties with Cheongpunghoe. But yes, it was a pleasure.”
We smiled as we shook hands, but both of us tightened our grip as our eyes locked.
“I’ll be sending you a little gift soon. Look forward to it.”
That’s what Watanabe said before we parted.
Even on my way home, his words lingered in my mind.
‘A gift, huh.’
I had no idea what he was planning, but I had a bad feeling.
“Chief, send Black Bear Team 1 straight down to Busan. Once the domestic recruitment is complete, bring them back. I don’t feel comfortable.”
If anyone close to me were to be attacked, the easiest target would be Grandma.
“Won’t it be uncomfortable for Grandmother?”
“I’ll call her. It might be inconvenient, but there’s no choice until this matter is settled.”
“Understood. I’ll tell the domestic team to finish selection quickly so it won’t inconvenience her for long.”
“Good.”
I stared out the window, trying to calm my uneasy mind.
The red glow of a traffic light flickered in the darkness.
* * *
Supreme Prosecutors’ Office.
Chairman Park Daeho sat in his chair, looking significantly thinner, speaking with his lawyer.
“How’s the situation looking?”
“Domestic conglomerates and even foreign private equity funds are swarming like wolves to tear Joongwoo Group apart. The government is seriously considering its options.”
“Have you contacted the Blue House?”
“Yes. I called the secretariat, but we received no proper response.”
Park Daeho let out a deep sigh, as if the ground beneath him would collapse.
“And the bail application?”
“We submitted it, but the chances of approval are slim. The prosecutors are taking a much stronger stance than expected.”
Chairman Park Daeho couldn’t understand how things had turned out this way.
He had believed, with no doubt, that his future would remain bright after the new government came in.
“I need to get out to stop anything from happening. Did you meet with the presiding judge?”
“They refused to meet.”
At that moment, the door opened, and Oh Hyunwoo entered.
“Good to see you, Chairman Park Daeho. Let’s begin the investigation.”
Striding in, Oh Hyunwoo sat across from Chairman Park, placing a laptop and a stack of documents on the table.
The lawyer stared at the documents in shock.
“I saw you applied for bail. It’ll be difficult.”
“Come on, Prosecutor Oh—”
“Speak, sir.”
“Can’t you ask the Supreme Court Justice to show some leniency? If Chairman Park is kept here, Joongwoo Group will fall apart.”
“What power does a retired justice have? I know Chairman Park built Joongwoo Group, but he’s also the one who destroyed it. The more we investigate, the worse it gets.”
Oh Hyunwoo calmly pushed the stack of documents toward the lawyer.
The lawyer’s face turned pale as he skimmed through them.
“The prosecutors, National Tax Service, and Financial Supervisory Service have all been mobilized. It took experts a lot of effort to uncover this. Even if you liquidate all of Chairman Park’s stocks and properties, it won’t be enough.”
Chairman Park’s hands began trembling as he looked at his lawyer’s face.
Oh Hyunwoo smiled faintly.
“Chairman, not even God can save you now. It’s easier if you give up.”
That evening, in front of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, Oh Hyunwoo spoke to the press.
“I am Prosecutor Oh Hyunwoo of the Central Investigation Department.”
Reporters raised their hands.
“Lee Hana from Hanbit News. I heard there are other charges beyond accounting fraud and illegal loans?”
“The investigation is still ongoing.”
“What will happen to Joongwoo Group?”
“I am a prosecutor. My job is to investigate crimes and bring them to justice. Economic matters aren’t my concern.”
Another reporter raised his hand.
“There are rumors the Blue House pressured you regarding this case.”
“The prosecution is an independent organization. We do not make political judgments. That’s all for now.”
“Wait, Prosecutor!”
Ignoring their shouts, Oh Hyunwoo left.
After the prosecution’s announcement, pressure on the government mounted both domestically and internationally.
Every newspaper and news outlet released scenarios of what would happen to Korea’s economy if Joongwoo Group collapsed, spreading panic.
Future Investment and major U.S. private equity funds signaled withdrawal of acquisition interest, taking a wait-and-see approach.
After Eva’s public tender offer pushed Joongwoo’s stocks up, sell orders flooded in, hitting the lower limit daily and fueling fear.
The Kim Hakgwon administration could delay no longer.
“Grant all of Han Kyungyeong’s demands.”
The Chief of Staff and senior aides expressed concern, but the president was resolute.
“He promised restructuring and consolidation, not selling off subsidiaries piecemeal. If we wait longer, things will spiral out of control.”
“What about Future Investment?”
Finance Minister Lee Seonggyu frowned.
“Are you a spokesperson for Future Investment, or are you this nation’s minister?”
“It’s for your sake, sir.”
“For my sake? What have you people done in this crisis?”
“Sir!”
Kim Hakgwon shook his head firmly.
“There will be no reversal of this decision. Start preparations to hand over Joongwoo Group entirely.”
“There will be accusations of favoritism, sir.”
“Favoritism? Go ask that Eva woman from Future Investment if she’s willing to acquire under the same terms Han Kyungyeong offered. She was the first to back out after the accounting fraud was announced!”
Kim Hakgwon’s voice rose in anger, and Lee Seonggyu lowered his head.
“Understood, sir.”
“Listen carefully, all of you. You work for the government. Know your place. My patience has limits.”
After dismissing everyone, President Kim Hakgwon turned to his Chief of Staff.
“Any updates on Kim Muhyuk?”
“It started when Kim Muhyuk paid off Han Kyungyeong’s debt while he was in Korea.”
“Debt?”
“Yes. Han Kyungyeong borrowed money from private lenders to trade stocks, lost everything, and Kim Muhyuk paid it off. They became close after that.”
Kim Hakgwon frowned in disbelief.
“A man drowning in loan shark debt suddenly moves massive sums in the U.S.? You expect me to believe that?”
“The NIS director will report in person tomorrow.”
“...Something’s not right. There’s something about Kim Muhyuk. Definitely.”
Kim Hakgwon stared into the air.
Like dust slowly settling in a beam of light, a sense of unease quietly but unmistakably grew in his heart.
* * *
“The government contacted me. They’ll accept all my terms.”
“Well done. Make sure to accommodate their requests as much as possible so they don’t feel cornered.”
Han Kyungyeong looked at me thoughtfully.
“For the government to have to beg an investor like me... this country must be in serious trouble. In a way, you’re a patriot.”
“Me?”
“You might deny it, but your actions say otherwise.”
I chuckled at Han Kyungyeong’s words.
“You could see it that way. But I didn’t choose Joongwoo out of patriotism. Just wait and see.”
“What about the acquisition funds? You’ll bring them from the U.S. branch?”
“If Eva were acquiring, maybe. But we can’t use tax haven money for this. Bring in $20 billion from the U.S. branch first.”
“Twenty billion dollars?!”
Han Kyungyeong’s eyes widened in shock.
“It could be more. Even after debt write-offs, there’s still a lot to repay. Most will come from restructuring and consolidation, but we can’t ignore the cost of delisting requirements.”
“Do we really need to delist?”
“We’re not doing everything legally, and there’s no reason to run a public company when we don’t need money.”
Eventually, Han Kyungyeong nodded.
“Oh! Once this is settled, set up a meeting with Wall Street people in the U.S.”
“Wall Street?”
He looked at me questioningly.
I shrugged.
“There’s an opportunity to make money. I want to see if they’re willing to join in. Dreamhigh will be driving this time—let’s see if they want in.”
“Why share?”
“Because I can’t eat it all alone.”
“Where?”
I gave him a cold smile.
“Japan.”
< I Will Stop Him at All Costs. > End
