Chapter 22: Loyalty, Loyalty!

I handed over Kim Secretary’s business card.

“For exactly one week. I want Taeseong to protect Uncle Cheolgu thoroughly, without so much as laying a finger on him.”

That was the winner’s request in our bet.

‘Getting Uncle Cheolgu out of Central Intelligence was solved thanks to Kim Secretary’s service, but protecting him is a whole other matter.’

The Hwangcheon Road counter was still flashing above Uncle Cheolgu’s head.

It was the work of the Grim Reaper.

[4 days]

Even after getting him out of the Seobinggo torture chamber, it was still like that.

It meant the threat of death hadn’t completely disappeared yet.

‘Because of the Ukwang Construction bribery ledger, Uncle Cheolgu may not die a natural death.’

I couldn’t just pretend not to know this man!

At first, I only intended to repay the debt of Mother’s life by offering advice that could save his own, but now the situation had changed.

It was because I was negotiating using Uncle’s ledger.

‘There’s a lot of money and huge stakes on the line. Uncle Cheolgu’s active cooperation is absolutely necessary for this.’

This was an issue tangled with an internal corruption worth a whopping two billion won within the Taeseong Group.

That was also why I was helping Uncle so much, even using my business card.

This time, I was determined to make a real achievement.

“Please keep your business card. It’s too valuable to waste like this.”

Kim Secretary didn’t take back the card.

“I told you from the start it was a bribe. So it’s not too late to use it after the negotiations fall apart.”

Instead, Kim Secretary put the business card back in my pocket.

“What if President Cha runs out of patience and orders Uncle Cheolgu to be brought immediately?”

“To prevent such a disaster, I should hurry and bring the bribe even faster.”

“What if they take Uncle Cheolgu’s family hostage and start a standoff?”

“We need to block that in advance. I heard that Park Cheolgu’s mother, Mother Kang Okbun, is insisting in front of Central Intelligence that she must see her son. I’ll make sure she’s taken somewhere safe as well.”

I liked that answer.

“Please escort Grandma respectfully so she’s not startled. You mustn’t drag her off roughly like a kidnapping.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

At Kim Secretary’s signal, two Taeseong Group bodyguards quickly left.

Uncle Cheolgu seemed truly grateful.

“Mr. Park Cheolgu will also need treatment. I’ll contact Taeseong Hospital and arrange for a house call. Of course, this too is a service.”

“You’re offering too many services for a card I haven’t even paid for. Don’t tell me you’re upset about running a losing business?”

“You handed over the ledger first, Young Master. Now that we’ve started a relationship of mutual trust, I’ll trust you this time.”

A relationship of mutual trust—fostering goodwill!

At this point, Kim Secretary had fully shown loyalty to me, and it was enough to win my favor.

‘Actually, there’s a reason Kim Secretary stepped back so easily.’

It wasn’t just about looking good to me.

Unlike Ukwang, which tried to silence Uncle Cheolgu for good, Taeseong needed him to open his mouth.

Uncle Cheolgu was a tough man who didn’t speak even after being dragged off to Central Intelligence.

If he kept his mouth shut to the end?

All the important information not recorded in the ledger would be lost.

“I can wait to stick a knife in Park Cheolgu until after my negotiations with you break down, Young Master.”

That’s why the Hwangcheon Road countdown above Uncle Cheolgu’s head was still ticking.

Ukwang tries to kill, Taeseong tries to pry open his lips.

Such is the fate of a shrimp caught between the fight of whales like Ukwang and Taeseong.

“I promise. You won’t regret making this choice now.”

I extended my hand.

Kim Secretary took it.

We shook hands.

“Park Cheolgu, remember this well.”

Kim Secretary’s voice was cold.

“Who do you think you owe your life to? You should spend the rest of your days being grateful to our Jeonghyeok Young Master.”

It was a warning to properly repay the value of his life.

“That’s nothing you need to worry about. I’m not the type to squeeze kids for payback.”

But Uncle Cheolgu let out a defiant snort.

“Still, if nothing else, I shouldn’t try to skip out on a life debt. I’m not that rotten.”

“You’d better not.”

Kim Secretary gave me a deep bow.

“Then, Young Master, as soon as the bribe is ready, I’ll return as quickly as possible.”

Kim Secretary left.

The Taeseong Group bodyguards followed.

With a groan, Uncle Cheolgu flopped onto the living room floor.

“Ow, my whole body aches. I really thought I was going to die.”

Thanks to blasting the oil boiler, his back must have been burning hot.

“Thanks, kid. I really mean it about paying back this life debt.”

“It’s fine. I just paid back my Mother’s life debt.”

You saved my Mother first, Uncle.

Without asking, without questioning, without demanding any reward.

“It’s nothing. But it’s true I nearly died and came back thanks to you. I really thought I was a goner.”

Uncle Cheolgu thumped his chest.

“I don’t know how a man like me ended up owing a life debt to a seven-year-old kid, but me, Park Cheolgu! When I make a promise, I keep it to the grave!”

Then he laughed heartily.

“Still, I just can’t figure it out, kid. What kind of trick did you pull? How’d you get me out of Central Intelligence? How could a little brat like you have any power?”

“Did you forget already? I told you—if you don’t have power, bringing in someone who does is better than reckless courage.”

“……”

Uncle Cheolgu blinked.

“If you want to hit the bullseye, where should you aim?”

“The upper part of the target?”

“Ukwang moved Central Intelligence’s higher-ups to drag you in, so on this side, the only way to get you out was to move Taeseong.”

“……”

Uncle Cheolgu gave a hollow laugh.

“Easier said than done. You think that’s possible?”

“I did it, though.”

“……”

“That’s why you’re sitting here now, isn’t it?”

“…….”

Uncle Cheolgu’s jaw dropped.

He opened and closed his mouth a few times like a goldfish, then pointed at me with a trembling finger,

“You really got me out like that?”

“Yes.”

“What does Taeseong see in you?”

“Do you really think they’d trust a seven-year-old? They trusted the documents you prepared, Uncle.”

“……!”

Uncle Cheolgu’s eyes widened.

“No, no way……!”

“So you really didn’t know I snatched it all this time?”

Uncle Cheolgu slapped his forehead.

“This is driving me crazy. Why do you have that?”

“Just know that you’re still alive because I took it.”

“……”

Uncle Cheolgu shut his mouth.

“If they found irrefutable evidence when you were dragged away, even Taeseong couldn’t have gotten you out easily.”

“Ahem!”

“It was a close call. There’s a reason they say ‘kill them all to the last man.’”

Just seeing him like this made me sigh.

“What have you been doing all this time? You didn’t even make a copy, didn’t threaten any politicians, didn’t ask the media for backup, didn’t even stick it to Ukwang properly.”

“Ahem!”

“I told you to prepare in case something happened to you. Don’t tell me you didn’t even move? Ukwang forced the demolition of Guro Shantytown and even set fire to it, I heard.”

“Ahem! I did my best to stop Ukwang too, but………”

Uncle Cheolgu scratched his head.

“Taeseong is Ukwang’s rival company, you know. That’s why I tried to go to Taeseong first!”

“And?”

“But I have no connections in Taeseong. I doubted they’d believe me easily, so I was determined to make it ironclad……”

At that moment, the small room where Mother and the Bokdeokbang uncle had gone opened with a click.

‘Argh! This was the crucial part!’

I couldn’t help but glare at the intruder.

“Ma’am, you really have an eye for good properties! You picked only the best listings! Your choices are always so excellent, really… Gasp!”

The Bokdeokbang uncle came out looking very pleased, but flinched when he saw Uncle and me.

I was glaring, and Uncle Cheolgu, built like a bear, looked downright murderous with his bruised face.

The Bokdeokbang uncle immediately said his farewells.

“I hope you’ll keep using Myeongdong’s best Bokdeokbang! Loyalty, loyalty!”

The Bokdeokbang uncle left without looking back.

Uncle Cheolgu saluted me playfully with a grin.

“Me too, loyalty, loyalty!”

“What’s with the sudden ‘loyalty’ stuff…, Oh my, Cheolgu!”

Mother came out of the room and was startled.

“How did you get hurt like this?”

“……”

No way to say he was a Central Intelligence agent who’d just gotten out after being tortured.

No way to explain.

“Uh, well, I got beaten up by a senior at work.”

“Heavens, workplace bullying!”

It wasn’t wrong.

A senior in Central Intelligence really did beat him badly.

“By the way, how did you find our house?”

“The kid invited me…?”

Again, not a lie.

I had asked Kim Secretary to get Uncle Cheolgu out and bring him here.

Mother looked at me.

“An invitation? Out of the blue? Why? For what?”

“……Housewarming?”

“……”

Why? What? Why!

We moved, and a guest came, so it’s a housewarming, right!

When you can’t answer, it’s best to change the subject.

Growl! Gurgle!

At just the right time, a locomotive-like rumble was heard.

It was Uncle Cheolgu’s stomach.

Perfect timing! Lucky!

With his bear-like body, Uncle Cheolgu scratched his belly with an awkward smile.

“Actually, I’ve skipped five meals in a row……”

“What, five meals!?”

Mother covered her mouth in shock.

“Did your landlady throw you out without feeding you? Or did you get rejected again at a blind date for talking about spies?”

“Ahem, no, it’s just that I was stuck at work all night..!!”

“Heavens, forced overtime!”

Not a lie.

Depriving someone of sleep and food to get a confession was Central Intelligence’s specialty.

But that answer was enough to make Mother furious.

“What kind of shitty job is that? Even at year’s end, you can’t treat people like dogs! Even salt farm slaves aren’t worked like that!”

It’s strange.

People can accept low pay, no vacation, no weekends, and no set hours as ‘that’s just how jobs are.’

But say you didn’t feed them, and everyone explodes with rage.

“Good you’re here, Cheolgu! Eat six bowls to make up for your missed meals!”

Mother, brimming with a sense of duty, nearly pushed Uncle Cheolgu into the kitchen.

The Taeseong Hotel restaurant Sushi Team, busy preparing dinner, turned with puzzled faces.

Mother spoke in a voice full of wrath.

“This man was made to skip five meals in a row because his job worked him all night without feeding him!”

“……!”

The Chef Corps all stared at Uncle Cheolgu in shock.

The bear-like man, covered in red bruises, just gave a sheepish smile and scratched his head.

“Anything’s fine, is there something I could eat right away? Even some leftover rice…”

“……!”

The Taeseong Hotel restaurant Sushi Team’s head chef spoke solemnly, eyes ablaze.

“We do not serve leftover rice here. But as for sushi—anything you want!”

“Ooh!”

“Let’s start with salmon sushi?”

“Ooooo!”

With a wild shout, Uncle Cheolgu lunged in and began shoveling salmon sushi into his mouth.

Just like a grizzly hunting salmon in an Alaskan stream.

The plates emptied at a frightening speed!

Mother watched with pity in her eyes.

“That work senior must be horrible, working someone like this and beating them too?”

“……!”

The veteran Sushi Team, previously preparing food calmly, suddenly turned serious.

The fish slices on the sushi grew larger, the tempura and udon toppings more generous.

“We are always recruiting strong helpers for the Taeseong Hotel kitchen, so if you’re ever interested, contact us. We won’t starve you, we won’t beat you, and we let you sleep well!”

I whispered quietly in Uncle Cheolgu’s ear.

“See me after you finish eating.”

I slipped out a neatly folded piece of paper from under the table.

It was a page cut out of the Ukwang Construction bribery ledger.

“Cough! Gack! Hack!”

Uncle Cheolgu instantly recognized what it was.

I slid a glass of water over to him and whispered,

“Let’s take care of this before President Cha really comes at you with a knife, ready to kill you, Taeseong Group style.”

Uncle Cheolgu nodded vigorously.

The following part read:

<…So who provided it? There’s a strong suspicion, but no hard evidence yet.>

That’s why I deliberately tore out three pages and stashed them away.

‘But I already know what should go on those blank pages!’

So, is there a problem? Of course not!