Chapter 77: The Lucky Protagonist

President Shim smiled gently.

"Yes, since the young master said you don't need to worry about the hospital bills, you can focus on your daughter's treatment with peace of mind."

"Ah...!"

Chief Kim looked at me with eyes that trembled as if in an earthquake.

"C-Can I really just accept this? There are so many others who worked hard, not just me, I mean... I..."

Kim Gap-yong's voice was shaking.

"The young master... I mean, me... this kind of luck... ah..."

He couldn't even finish his words.

Kim Gap-yong wiped the corners of his eyes with his fingers.

"It's... I'm sorry, and embarrassed, and thankful, and also..."

Even as he was delighted at the mention of support for the hospital bills, he was worried about how it would look, and he seemed afraid it might be rescinded—a complex tangle of emotions showed on his face.

"I can't believe it. How could something like this happen to me... I'm not anyone special, and I don't deserve this kind of luck..."

A tremor began to mix into his voice.

I gave him a bright smile.

"Does luck ever come to you based on what you deserve?"

Honestly, that's something you could argue about with King Yeomra in the afterlife. As for me, I lived a wretched life in my previous existence, falsely accused of betraying my country.

'If you'd saved people and died, King Yeomra would have surely looked after you in the underworld. But isn't it better to enjoy happiness with your family while you're alive?'

If there's a small stroke of luck I can give to help your happiness, then I'll do whatever I can.

This is what money is for, right?

"They say luck doesn't come by just waiting for it, but that it comes inevitably to those who live diligently. Chief Kim, didn't you say you worked harder than anyone for Taeseong?"

President Shim nodded.

The people watching us from afar nodded as well.

Many had a [10 Days] or an orange arrow sparkling above their heads.

"So please keep working hard for Taeseong from now on, too. Thank you. I really mean it."

He had worked hard for Taeseong, and risked his life bravely for his colleagues.

Even if those events hadn't happened yet, it didn't matter.

I knew it, the grim reaper knew it, and heaven knew it.

"Come with me to Taeseong Hospital tomorrow. I've already spoken to the director."

"H-Hospital?"

President Shim patted Chief Kim's shoulder, who looked half out of his mind.

"It's just to say thank you. The young master isn't asking for much."

"Y-Yes! Thank you! Thank you so much, young master!"

"Just as you worked hard at Taeseong Chemicals, I hope you'll do the same at Taeseong Construction. This young master here is the son of the Taeseong Construction president."

"I'll work really hard at Taeseong Construction, even harder than now! I'll give it my all! Thank you so much, young master!"

Chief Kim shouted in a formal stance.

Though his voice was trembling with emotion, there wasn't a hint of shame in his vow.

The people gathered around, those with [10 Days] sparkling above their heads, ran up to him with extra joy.

"Congratulations, Chief!"

"Now all that's left is for your daughter to recover!"

"See? I told you that heaven knows how hard you work!"

"The hardships are over, now happiness begins! Congratulations, really!"

They laughed brightly, tousled Kim Gap-yong's hair, hung their arms around his neck, clapped, and patted him on the back.

Kim Gap-yong smiled widely and welcomed his colleagues' touch.

'Good people. They truly celebrate their colleague's luck.'

In the back alley world, if someone found fortune, the first thing you'd do was sharpen your knife.

A sudden windfall was treated as a threat to your own safety.

That made life there desolate, harsh, sorrowful, and grim.

'There's no way I can just stand by, is there?'

No, I can't.

I have no choice but to open my coin purse!

I pulled out five 100,000-won cashier's checks.

"President Shim, these are people working hard for Taeseong on the very first day of the new year. Please use this to buy plenty of makgeolli and snacks."

With 500,000 won, maybe beef was a stretch, but with makgeolli and snacks, everyone could eat and drink their fill.

In these days, jjajangmyeon was only 300 won!

"Taeseong Chemical family, since it's the first day of the new year, let's have a modest company dinner today!"

President Shim shouted at the top of his lungs.

The employees of Taeseong Chemical responded instantly at the mention of a company dinner.

Those returning to work craned their necks and looked this way.

"For all the hardworking factory family members, right here, Young Master Jeong-hyuk, the youngest grandson of Chairman Cha, will treat everyone!"

"Wow!"

"He's the son of the president of Taeseong Construction! Everyone, eat and drink your fill of makgeolli and snacks, and let's work hard!"

"Makgeolli!"

The entire factory let out a cheer that shook the place.

"Samgyeopsal!"

"Pajeon!"

"Banquet noodles!"

"What about soju?"

Oh dear, that won't do.

I opened my coin purse again.

I had no choice but to pour out all my bills and coins.

"Let's not be stingy when it comes to food. Add samgyeopsal, pajeon, banquet noodles, jokbal, and fried chicken! Soju, beer, and cider too!"

I gathered up all the bills and coins from my purse and offered them with both hands.

"If it's still not enough..."

"As if it wouldn't be enough! Young master, please, keep your money."

President Shim declined the money I held out.

Instead, he took out his own wallet from his suit's inside pocket.

"Even if it's not enough, I'll cover the rest myself. If the family of Taeseong Chemical are going to eat and drink, who should open their wallet if not the president? Hahaha."

It was a wonderful smile.

President Shim, the employees of Taeseong Chemical, Chief Kim, his colleagues—all of them.

A smile like sunlight, matching the words hope and happiness.

I could see myself smiling just as widely in President Shim's eyes.

***

Tables were lined up in the factory yard, and a makgeolli party was held.

The laughter of Taeseong Chemical employees didn't stop.

The boisterous atmosphere truly felt like a New Year's holiday.

The team leaders made sure to patrol around and remind everyone to behave.

"This isn't a dinner party! Remember, we're on duty! Just a sip of makgeolli to wet your lips!"

"Chief Lee, come sit down and have a glass. The snacks are getting cold."

"Hey! Stop trying to sneak me drinks! Just eat plenty of snacks! Snacks are the best!"

"But you haven't had a single bite since earlier, running around serving snacks. Sit down, please."

"Hey! The factory line is running right now, this isn't the time to relax and have fun! Just pour me one glass. Ahem! The samgyeopsal is cooked just right."

"The pajeon is perfectly fried. The broth for the noodles is amazing."

"I know! The smell alone is killer!"

I watched the scene from the president's office of Taeseong Chemical.

I climbed onto the office chair to get a good view out the window.

'At least there are a lot fewer orange arrows than when I first came to the factory. That's a relief.'

It was a good thing I suggested transferring them to Taeseong Construction.

Even though it was the New Year's holiday, there were over a hundred people with orange arrows floating above their heads—I had been shocked.

'I wish I could get rid of the Underworld countdown above Kim Gap-yong and his colleagues, too.'

Just then, Kim Gap-yong, who was laughing and chatting with his colleagues over makgeolli in the yard, looked up at me and our eyes met.

"Young master, thank you so much! I will never forget this kindness!"

Kim Gap-yong waved both hands broadly and smiled brightly.

"May you have great fortune in the new year and always be healthy! I wish luck will always follow you, young master!"

The [10 Days] still sparkling above Kim Gap-yong's head pierced my heart.

The people sitting next to him, also with [10 Days] above their heads, looked up at me and shouted out loud.

"Thank you for the food, young master!"

"Happy New Year!"

"Helping Chief Kim was an excellent decision!"

"Come on, let's toast for the young master. For the little young master!"

As they began the toast, everyone else drinking makgeolli raised their cheap plastic cups in unison.

"Cheers!"

"For Taeseong!"

"Cheers!"

For some reason, my face felt hot.

All I had given them was a little spare cash.

I only used the New Year's celebration as an excuse to buy makgeolli and snacks.

I took out the names of the righteous ones I'd kept in my heart and wrote them down on a piece of paper.



I couldn't help but smile in satisfaction after even writing the title.

Leaning back against the armrest of the chair, I rested my chin in my hand and fell into thought.

'Could I even prevent their deaths?'

For that, I'd have to figure out the cause of this accident.

'I never saw how the Taeseong Chemical fire started.'

I couldn't tell if it was a random accident, someone's impulsive crime, or a meticulously planned scheme.

'What should I do?'

Let's consider the most important thing first.

Keep it simple.

Then the decision is easy.

'I have to sell Taeseong Chemical to Wookwang as soon as possible. For four reasons.'

First, if it's a safety accident on Taeseong's side, it'll be solved naturally as the workers withdraw.

Second, even if it was just an accident, with no people and the machinery stopped, there won't be a fire.

Third, if it was a malicious crime targeting Taeseong, with Taeseong out of the picture, there's no reason to go through with it.

Fourth, if there's a fire even then, that's an act of God beyond my control.

'Alright. Decision made!'

I turned to President Shim.

He was groaning with a mountain of paperwork piled on the desk.

When I said we were handing Taeseong over to Wookwang, he pulled out even more documents from the metal cabinet.

"President Shim, about the Taeseong Chemical acquisition we talked about earlier. We need to move that up a bit."

"Sorry?"

"Come to think of it, even three days is too long."

President Shim was stunned.

He looked like his jaw might fall off.

His hand, holding the fountain pen, was trembling.

"Is there even a way to move it up more?"

We have to.

At the time of the fire, President Shim was at the negotiation table with Wookwang's acquisition team.

I told him to finish it within three days, but the negotiations with Wookwang weren't going smoothly.

The Wookwang side kept nitpicking, so it was exhausting.

"Even if we work through the night for three days, it's hard to reduce Taeseong's losses."

"So what if we lose a bit? That's being penny wise and pound foolish."

It's better than losing people.

Better than the factory exploding.

"Taeseong Chemical was a company Chairman Cha established for his father. So, as much as possible..."

"But you already handed over all the important documents to my father."

I began ticking them off on my fingers.

"You've given over the borrowed-name stocks, the subsidiary shares owned by Taeseong Chemical, the slush fund ledgers—everything."

"There's still some left."

"Ah, but you promised to clean up and return the rest of the shares and slush fund ledgers within a week, right?"

"I'm working on that now, but to launder it cleanly enough to avoid trouble..."

"If it's money laundering, there's a perfect place for that right now."

I pointed to myself with my thumb.

"My investment company."

"Ah...!"

President Shim smacked his forehead with his palm.

"That's it!"

"Let's live simply."

"Then there's no need to struggle for a whole week to launder it."

President Shim grinned, looking visibly relieved.

Then he took a stack of papers from his desk and put them in his briefcase.

"Then, these are for you, young master..."

"Did you forget?"

Just as I expected, I pulled out the employment contract from my coin purse and waved it in front of his eyes.

"You agreed to be the front man for the investment company."

"..."

In the end, that was President Shim's job too.

"Even considering that, things are much simpler now, right?"

"That's true, but... Ahem! There's still plenty of work left. If we want to minimize Taeseong's losses at all..."

"Let's go straight to Wookwang headquarters now and negotiate directly with the Wookwang Group chairman."

That was the conclusion I'd come to, and the best solution.

"What?"

President Shim jumped as if he'd heard something outrageous.

"Wait, why is that your conclusion all of a sudden? Just a minute, young master!"