CH40 | MCT

Three-Cushion Shot in One Go (2)

In the grand home of Myeong-dong’s financial mogul, Jang Mal-dong—

The stern-looking seventy-year-old elder sat on a silk cushion, fanning himself leisurely.

"Kang Tae-soo is here?"

Jang Mal-dong nodded slowly as he continued fanning.

"Ah, of course. A real man wouldn’t waste time when presented with such a golden opportunity."

He glanced at the man in hanbok standing beside him.

At the mere mention of Tae-soo’s arrival, the man’s eyes lit up with interest.

Seeing this, Jang Mal-dong let out a satisfied chuckle and gave a slight nod.

"Let that lunatic in. I’m eager to hear his response to my letter."

A moment later, the door slid open with a distinct thud.

Tae-soo stepped inside and smiled at Jang Mal-dong.

"It’s been a while, sir. First of all, congratulations on establishing your bank."

"Bah, no need for formalities. Come in and sit—oh, you already have."

Tae-soo had already plopped himself onto the floor without hesitation.

His confidence and bold demeanor were just as unshakable as ever.

"Thanks to your generous gift, my work has been much smoother. I sincerely appreciate it, sir."

The 10,000 pyeong (approximately 33,000 square meters) of land in Daechi-dong.

And the temporary loan of Song Jin-gu.

Tae-soo bowed respectfully.

Jang Mal-dong turned his head sharply.

"Tch. Consider it repayment for saving my neck."

Tae-soo had tipped him off about Choi Moo-ryong’s plans to establish a bank.

Realizing there had been a leak within his ranks, Jang Mal-dong had swiftly purged those responsible in a bloody cleansing.

Now, he chuckled heartily.

"I hear you’re leaving for the Middle East soon. That’s why I rushed to send it. Did you receive it well?"

"You mean this?"

Tae-soo pulled a document from his inner pocket.

It was the very one Jang Mal-dong had sent.

With a sharp thud, Tae-soo placed it on the low wooden table.

"You sent something strange."

His tone was indifferent.

"What’s the rush? Do you think I’m going to stay in the Middle East forever?"

"Why does everyone treat me like I’ll be gone for a decade?"

"Why won’t anyone believe me when I say I’ll be back soon?"

Jang Mal-dong chuckled, fanning himself.

"Even Samwon Construction ran away with its tail between its legs. This isn't a job that can be wrapped up overnight."

"Your information is impressively quick."

"I am, after all, a merchant of information. But tell me, how did you manage to sway Park Jung-hwan? That man isn’t easy to handle. What did you dangle in front of him to make him fold so easily? Quite the impressive feat."

Tae-soo smirked.

"I must’ve been too naïve. If I had known things would get this noisy, I would’ve flown straight from Pohang to the Middle East."

"Ha! Don’t joke."

"I’m not joking."

He was dead serious.

Everyone had been acting as if he were heading off to exile.

Jang Mal-dong's sharp eyes scrutinized Tae-soo.

"First, let’s get to the response to my letter," Jang Mal-dong said.

Tae-soo reached out and tapped the document on the table.

"I respectfully decline."

Jang Mal-dong had sent a letter not just to Tae-soo, but to his parents.

It was a marriage proposal.

Tae-soo raised an eyebrow.

"What exactly is this all about?"

Jang Mal-dong grinned.

"It says it all, doesn’t it?"

"Do I look illiterate? I’m asking about your intentions, sir."

"You really don’t know? It’s about forming a good bond."

"A good bond, huh? Fine. Let’s form an alliance. That’s exactly what I wanted as well."

Jang Mal-dong clapped his hands excitedly.

"That’s the spirit! And what better way to seal an alliance than through marriage? That’s how it’s been done since ancient times. Don’t you agree?"

Tae-soo let out a dry chuckle.

"That’s a bit much. Let’s keep it just an alliance. Marriage is a serious, life-changing matter. Isn’t this all too sudden?"

Jang Mal-dong smiled, though there was a hint of discomfort in his expression.

"Do you think I want to rush this? It’s because your departure for the Middle East came up so suddenly."

"Well, I do plan to return soon, but even so, this is a bit excessive."

Tae-soo shook his head.

"If you’re in such a hurry, why not marry her off to some other suitable family?"

Jang Mal-dong’s expression hardened.

"Not interested. If it’s not you, then there’s no need to send a marriage proposal at all."

His voice softened, turning persuasive.

"Think about it. Just close your eyes and take the leap. She’s a breathtaking beauty, talented in every way, and she’ll be bringing all of my fortune along with her. Now, doesn’t that sound tempting?"

Jang Mal-dong let out a sly laugh.

‘This brat is the only one who catches my eye. No one else even comes close. The moment he lays eyes on my daughter, he’ll fall for her instantly. Heh heh heh.’

He leisurely fanned himself, his sharp, snake-like eyes scrutinizing Tae-soo with unwavering intensity.

"No need. It’s not like I can live off a pretty face. I’ll find my own woman, thank you."

Jang Mal-dong clicked his tongue.

"Stubborn as ever. But before you refuse outright, let me ask you one thing—just how far do you intend to climb, starting from the bottom?"

The answer was obvious.

Beyond Cheongil Group. To the top of South Korea.

And in the future, he would make Cheongil Group exactly that.

"Why do you ask?"

"If you were simply satisfied with mining and making a decent living, I wouldn’t have bothered sending a marriage proposal in the first place. But that’s not the case, is it?"

Jang Mal-dong grinned wickedly.

"You’re aiming beyond Cheongil Group—you want to stand at the very top of this country. Am I wrong?"

He chuckled.

"Don’t think you can fool my eyes. Watching your every move, I can see exactly who your real target is. Do you really think I wouldn’t know?"

‘Trying to probe me? Should I test how much he actually knows?’

Tae-soo smirked.

"Are you assuming this because of my molybdenum supply deals?"

"Your actions speak for themselves. When you piece together past information, the path ahead becomes clear."

"And what do you see at the end of that path?"

"Ambition."

‘So, he doesn’t fully know yet. Makes sense. He has no idea why I hold a grudge against Han Cheong-ho.’

Tae-soo chuckled.

‘If even Jang Mal-dong is still in the dark, then Han Cheong-ho, who’s already a step behind in gathering intel, must be utterly clueless.’

He hoped Han Cheong-ho would remain lost.

That he would continue to doubt, to investigate, to struggle, to suffer.

Jang Mal-dong leaned forward.

"Why don’t you see that we could be your shade, your protection?"

"No need. Who gets married just to gain their in-laws’ shadow?"

Tae-soo’s voice was firm.

"I knew from the start that my path would be a treacherous one. If there’s no shade, I’ll simply create my own."

Jang Mal-dong fell silent.

For a moment, Jang Mal-dong was at a loss for words.

Because Tae-soo was already doing exactly that.

Jang Mal-dong nodded slowly.

"Yes, you certainly have a knack for creating your own shade. But how long do you think you can keep borrowing someone else’s?"

He narrowed his eyes and smirked.

"Why take the hard road? There's no need to struggle when the path can be easy. You only need to set your sights on one goal."

Tae-soo saw right through him.

‘He wants to use me as a front for his schemes. Does he really think I’m some naive pawn?’

Jang Mal-dong had always operated in the shadows.

But ever since establishing his bank and stepping into the public eye, restrictions had begun closing in on him.

‘His hidden empire is at risk of being exposed. No wonder he’s getting desperate.’

It was obvious—he wanted to launder his name, his money, and his businesses through Tae-soo.

‘I have my own path to follow. I don't have time to clean up someone else’s mess. Time to shake things up.’

If this was how Jang Mal-dong wanted to play, so be it.

A mischievous grin spread across Tae-soo’s face.

"Elder, let me share my thoughts on marriage and my future plans. I think you'll find them interesting."

"Good! Let’s hear it!" Jang Mal-dong leaned in, clearly pleased.

Tae-soo began.

"First, to gain your support, I’ll jump into marriage without hesitation, no questions asked."

"Exactly!"

"Of course, there will be no love, no loyalty between us. Now, how do you expect me to treat your precious daughter?"

"Naturally, you must cherish and adore her!"

Tae-soo’s smirk deepened.

"No. I’ll beat her, use her, exploit her, discard her, break her, torment her, take my anger out on her, abandon her, imprison her, humiliate her, and spit the worst words imaginable at her."

"······."

Jang Mal-dong's jaw dropped.

Tae-soo’s voice remained unwavering.

"Meanwhile, I’ll indulge in women, enjoy every pleasure, waste the wealth you give me, and recklessly expand my empire. I’ll make full use of my in-laws' shadow. Doesn’t that sound like a great plan?"

"······."

"But I have leverage, don’t I? With your support, I’ll be happy, and your precious daughter will be just as thrilled to have me as her husband. Wouldn’t you agree?"

The mere thought of it was horrifying.

Jang Mal-dong’s hands trembled.

"You must be out of your mind! How could you even—"

"If I'm marrying for convenience, I should milk it for all it’s worth, don’t you think? What’s the harm? It’s not like a wedding can be undone."

"You little—!"

Tae-soo’s gaze turned ice-cold.

"Is that what you really want?"

"You wouldn’t dare!"

"Which is why I said—forget marriage. Let’s form an alliance instead. Do you still feel the same way?"

"Grrr..."

"So, should we go ahead with the wedding?"

"Grrrrr!"

Jang Mal-dong was at a loss for words.

Then—

"Hahaha!"

A man dressed in traditional hanbok burst into laughter.

Jang Mal-dong whipped around, eyes wide in disbelief.

The hanbok-clad man smirked at Jang Mal-dong’s flustered expression.

"How could you still push for marriage after hearing that? Wouldn’t you agree?"

Jang Mal-dong groaned and nodded begrudgingly.

Then, for a long moment, he simply stared at Tae-soo—his eyes filled with regret.

Clicking his tongue repeatedly, he finally let out a heavy sigh.

"You're right. The marriage was my own selfish desire. Fine, let’s settle for an alliance instead. Hmph."

"Excellent."

That’s exactly what I wanted!

‘This life, I’m choosing romance over marriage. Time to fully enjoy the single life.’

Tae-soo’s grin widened—a smirk so infuriating that it made Jang Mal-dong want to slap him.

"So, Elder, what is it you truly want? What role do you need me to play?"

Jang Mal-dong pouted.

"Hmph, you already know, don’t you?"

He let out a sigh and continued.

"When I established the bank, I was forced into the public eye. The loan sharks I once disguised as legitimate financiers suddenly had nowhere to go. I can’t just turn them into bankers. So, I needed you to—"

Before Jang Mal-dong could dump the problem on him, Tae-soo cut in swiftly.

"I’ll take care of it. Simple."

"Eh?"

"I was short on manpower anyway."

Song Jin-gu had proven to be quite useful. And wasn’t Jang Mal-dong surrounded by men like him?

That was one of the main reasons Tae-soo had sought him out in the first place.

"Do you have any idea how I raised my men? You think I’d just hand them over to be your lackeys? No way! They have their own work to do."

Tae-soo smirked.

"I understand. If it were up to me, I’d take them in a heartbeat. But since you have your own plans, I won’t be greedy. Fortunately, there’s a way for both of us to get exactly what we want."

Jang Mal-dong’s ears perked up.

"Oh? And what’s that?"

Tae-soo leaned forward.

"Let’s establish a contract labor company."

"A contract labor company? What’s that?"

It was an unfamiliar term at the time.

Private firms didn’t usually handle such work—typically, it was run by the government.

But that didn’t mean Jang Mal-dong was clueless about its function.

"You know how the government employs enforcers for redevelopment projects? We turn that into a private business."

"That’s brilliant!"

Jang Mal-dong slapped his knee.

"Enforcers—our guys would be perfect for that!"

Enforcers.

They were muscle-for-hire, deployed by state or municipal agencies to aid in urban redevelopment.

As the name suggested, they were technically government-sanctioned laborers, but in reality, they often used brute force to suppress opposition—hence the nickname.

During the early stages of urban renewal in the ‘70s and ‘80s, redevelopment and demolition were government-led initiatives. Enforcers were frequently dispatched to evict illegal squatters, demolish shantytowns, and break up labor protests.

"But can we even set up a firm like that? Isn’t that usually government-controlled?"

"There’s no law granting them exclusive rights. So why not?"

The first private contract labor company in Korea wouldn’t appear until December 1986.

The shift from government-led enforcement to private firms only began in earnest after the June 29 Declaration of 1987, when the government started outsourcing redevelopment disputes to the private sector.

"So you’re saying my men would take jobs from the government and do enforcement work?"

"Why bother? You said they already have independent work. This is just for appearances. You came to me because you needed a legitimate front, didn’t you?"

"That’s true."

"If you remove the ‘thug’ part from ‘enforcer,’ all that’s left is contract labor. Assisting with construction? That’s contract labor. Handling odd jobs? Contract labor. Running errands? Still contract labor."

"Hmm..."

"It gives you the perfect excuse to take on flexible, short-term work while keeping an independent power base. Worst-case scenario, they can just lie low and wait."

Jang Mal-dong’s interest was piqued.