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Translator: uly
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Forged Promise and Vengeance
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Kim Hak-su's tone was laced with suspicion and wariness.
His sudden appearance at that location was odd enough, and on top of that, he knew Jeong Hee-ju's name despite it clearly being their first meeting.
Kim Hak-su fixed Lee Dae-hyuk with a sharp gaze, as if urging him for an answer.
Lee Dae-hyuk, meeting his eyes, furrowed his brow slightly and spoke.
"It's unpleasant to help and then be met with suspicion. But… I can see why you'd feel that way, so I'll answer."
"...."
"I received a favor from Jeong Hee-ju's late father. When I heard he had passed, I kept my promise and secretly protected her from afar."
Even as he said it, Lee Dae-hyuk thought it sounded like a lame excuse.
But right now, what was needed wasn't the truth—it was a 'story' that fit the situation.
Jeong Hee-ju then spoke up, sounding baffled.
"…Protection? Wait, a promise? What do you mean?"
"Her father… foresaw something like this happening. That's why he asked me to protect you. And so, I've repaid his kindness, and fortunately, I was able to prevent disaster."
"...."
Jeong Hee-ju and Kim Hak-su's eyes widened at Lee Dae-hyuk's explanation.
He was saying Jeong Min-jun had made such arrangements right before his murder?
Meanwhile, Lee Dae-hyuk glanced back and forth at the two, who stood speechless with mouths agape, and inwardly apologized to them sincerely.
Why?
Because the claim that he'd received a favor from Jeong Min-jun was a lie.
Back when he was Kim Geon-u, Jeong Min-jun had been his senior, but the current Lee Dae-hyuk had never met the man.
But there was no helping it.
Even if he explained that he'd regressed and heard the time and place of this incident from the future Jeong Hee-ju, who would believe him?
And from Jeong Hee-ju and Kim Hak-su's perspective, there was no way to verify it with the deceased Jeong Min-jun anyway—a perfect, risk-free lie.
Yet Kim Hak-su couldn't shake off his doubts so easily.
'Grateful as I am that he saved her, it doesn't add up. If he was guarding her from close range like he says, how did we not notice?'
If what Lee Dae-hyuk said was true, he should have been spotted by him or his men.
No matter how much he racked his memory, he hadn't seen Lee Dae-hyuk or any other guards.
Moreover, Lee Dae-hyuk had appeared at the exact right moment, as if he'd anticipated the ambush.
But.
"...."
With Jeong Min-jun brought into it, what more could he ask?
For now, Kim Hak-su pretended to accept it.
"…I asked an unnecessary question. Sorry."
"No need for apologies. It's natural you'd be suspicious from your position… I understand."
Lee Dae-hyuk waved off Kim Hak-su, then turned his gaze to Jeong Hee-ju.
"Your father was a good man. The kind who'd save a total stranger out of a sense of justice."
Lee Dae-hyuk lied without so much as twitching an eyebrow.
An unavoidable lie—no, a comfort.
A comfort for Jeong Hee-ju, who must have been harboring doubts and pain about her father.
Did that comfort land?
Jeong Hee-ju's expression softened a bit as she replied.
"At least to me… my father was a great man."
She seemed relieved, as if she'd made some decision.
Seeing her brighter face, Lee Dae-hyuk felt reassured.
She'd be able to survive on her own strength for the time being.
His role here was done.
"Then, I'll be going."
Lee Dae-hyuk nodded to Jeong Hee-ju and Kim Hak-su, then turned to leave.
Now was the time for a clean exit.
When Jeong Hee-ju, having overcome her grief to some degree, fully resolved to become the matriarch, he'd appear before her again.
'First, I need to put her in my debt.'
After that, bringing her on board as an ally would be much easier.
He needed her capital, but more than that, the connections and underground economic intel she'd gain would become powerful weapons for him going forward.
Step, step—!
Though Lee Dae-hyuk left the scene, Jeong Hee-ju couldn't tear her eyes from his retreating back for a long while.
She knew better than to think nothing of him, even if she'd lived an ordinary life.
But even as her life savior, he didn't strike her as some prince who'd appeared out of nowhere.
From her father's death to the hostage drama.
She'd learned enough that the world wasn't a fairy tale—it was a thriller.
Yet, strangely, her heart was racing.
'Get a grip. This isn't the time to get distracted by a guy.'
Jeong Hee-ju assessed her situation clearly.
With her father's killer now targeting her too, an ordinary life was out of the question.
There was only one way to protect herself.
"…Uncle Hak-su. I want revenge."
"...!!"
Revenge.
Kim Hak-su's eyes widened at the unexpected words.
"I thought at first the ones who killed my father were just robbers. But tonight, I realized… There's a real culprit behind these people, isn't there?"
Kim Hak-su had no ready answer to Jeong Hee-ju's follow-up question.
But his expression had already said it all.
"...."
Tremble—
Her shoulders shook.
But now was the time to stay calm, not give in to anger.
Barely suppressing her rage, Jeong Hee-ju spoke.
"Is there… a way for me to take over my father's role?"
"What?!!! "
Kim Hak-su's jaw dropped.
Truthfully, it was absurd.
How could an ordinary person take the helm of an organization—an underworld loan shark syndicate?
But for Jeong Min-jun's revenge, and for her safety, becoming the Eulsa faction's boss was the safest and most effective path.
At least for now.
"...."
After a moment of silence and thought, Kim Hak-su made his decision.
"I… can't promise anything right now. But no matter what comes, I swear I'll stake my life to help you."
Resolve overflowed in Kim Hak-su's expression and voice.
Did his sincerity touch her?
For the first time, Jeong Hee-ju, who had been wary of him throughout, smiled at him.
"Please take care of me from now on."
Until she became the boss and avenged her father.
Her unspoken words hung in the air as her eyes gleamed fiercely.
***
Lee Dae-hyuk's house.
Having wrapped up his meeting with Jeong Hee-ju and returned home, Lee Dae-hyuk stripped off his shirt and was doing push-ups.
"Urgh—! Urghhh—!"
A groan escaped his lips with every rep.
And.
Creak—! Creak—!
The friction of bone grinding against bone rang clearly in his ears.
'Ugh. Is… is this really a human body?'
At twenty-six, he should be at the peak of his physical prime.
Yet Lee Dae-hyuk's body was frailer than it had been right before dying as Kim Geon-u.
"Eek, ugh…."
'I need to learn something.'
Thud—!
Having powered through a hundred push-ups on grit and spite alone, Lee Dae-hyuk collapsed to the floor.
Staring at the ceiling, he fell deep into thought.
'Maybe I should learn martial arts?'
Back as Kim Geon-u, he'd only ever gained experience through countless real fights. He'd never properly trained in anything even once.
Innate toughness and athleticism.
And years of brutally honed street sense—that's all it took for him to reach the top.
But the current Lee Dae-hyuk was different.
Of course, his bizarre 'psychometry' ability would be a fine weapon.
Still, thinking of the war with Yoo Jae-man ahead, he at least needed a body he could defend himself with.
His street sense remained, so even if it took time, he had to rebuild his physique and regain his Kim Geon-u-era prowess.
The problem was.
'I can't learn from just anyone. If I'm starting, I need to do it right.'
In the end, he needed a proper master.
'....'
After pondering for a bit, Lee Dae-hyuk shot to his feet.
'Ah, I was overlooking the obvious.'
Fortunately, Yoon Tae-ho had an excellent friend.
A former WFC middleweight champion and legendary trainer of countless champs.
'Alright. Let's go.'
Lee Dae-hyuk got up from the floor and headed to the living room.
.
.
.
In the living room, Yoon Tae-ho waited with a sullen expression.
Creak—!
Ignoring Yoon Tae-ho entirely, Lee Dae-hyuk went straight to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water.
Gulp, gulp—!
As he chugged it, Yoon Tae-ho's voice came.
"I've told the staff to keep quiet. But it'll leak eventually."
Thud—!
Setting the water bottle on the table, Lee Dae-hyuk stared at Yoon Tae-ho.
Reading his worried gaze, Lee Dae-hyuk spoke.
"Are you that concerned?"
"I know from your explanation that she's someone we need."
Lee Dae-hyuk's explanation had been simple.
Jeong Hee-ju would provide him with intel and capital going forward.
So even at great risk, she had to be saved now.
"Was my explanation insufficient?"
"You must have your reasons. But I am worried. That woman is…."
'The daughter of a mob boss, isn't she?'
Yoon Tae-ho had looked into Jeong Hee-ju himself.
He had access to police intel networks too.
The daughter of the legendary fist Jeong Min-jun, who'd died recently.
If word got out that he'd saved her, it'd cause problems.
"Even if my guards keep their mouths shut, it'll leak from the police side. We need to take measures before that."
Unlike the worried Yoon Tae-ho, Lee Dae-hyuk's expression was calm.
Jeong Hee-ju was just a regular office worker now.
No matter who her father was, that fact wouldn't change.
And there was a simple way to resolve this.
"What you're worried about can be solved very simply, Manager."
"…You already have a plan?"
Lee Dae-hyuk nodded at Yoon Tae-ho's question.
"We leak it to the press first."
"Pardon?"
Yoon Tae-ho's eyes widened.
Leak it first?
Not grasping Lee Dae-hyuk's intent, Yoon Tae-ho blinked.
Then Lee Dae-hyuk explained.
"In cases like this, hiding it turns it into a rumor; announcing it makes it a heartwarming tale. So let's just put it out there ourselves first."
Hearing this, Yoon Tae-ho finally understood.
Since it would come out anyway, beat it to the punch and spin it in their favor.
"How about this for a headline: 'Chaebol Scion Resolves Midnight Hostage Crisis.'"
Yoon Tae-ho nodded unconsciously as he spoke.
"There is… that method."
If it came out later that he'd saved Jeong Hee-ju, all sorts of wild rumors would follow.
But announcing it openly to the press like this?
It wouldn't be shady gossip—it'd be a wholesome good deed.
Seeing Yoon Tae-ho convinced, Lee Dae-hyuk replied calmly.
"It's all about timing with the media, after all."
In truth, using the media this way was something he'd learned from Yoo Jae-man.
- The public prefers packaged stories over the truth.
- And the pens that craft those stories belong to the journalists.
Yoo Jae-man had said you had to seize control of the narrative.
That way, you could turn the 'story' into a weapon for yourself.
And if you released that prettily wrapped package to the world before the journalists did?
Just like the media-savvy Yoo Jae-man, it would work in his favor.
'I learned more than I thought.'
Taking a sip of water, Lee Dae-hyuk scratched his chin with an awkward smile.
Enemy of enemies though he was, hadn't he picked up stock trading, media handling, and more from Yoo Jae-man?
'Everything I learned from you. I'll use it to take you down.'
Boss, Become a Chaebol