Emerald Resort
The transfer was almost over.
Not only the guests, but tourists and even Bohol residents came to see the exhibition, to the point that it was proceeding with great success.
An art exhibition hitting it big in Bohol had never happened before, so it was a rare sight.
Those surprised by the exhibition were not the tourists.
Rather, the Bohol residents were more greatly surprised.
A place they saw every day and lived with as part of their routine was unfolding completely anew before their eyes.
Through designs they had never imagined,
Through colors they had never imagined.
From the tourists' perspective, unfamiliarity was piled upon unfamiliarity,
But for the Bohol residents, it was a matter of familiarity approaching as unfamiliarity and newness.
So the locals' reactions were hotter than those of the tourists.
They were enthusiastic, asking if there had been such a place in Bohol.
“Ms. Yuna, are you going to end the exhibition like this?”
“Huh? If I don’t end it like this, then what?”
One day as the exhibition was ending, Anna asked Lim Yuna.
“It’s a shame. We set a magnificent table, but we haven’t even finished eating yet, and we have to clear it away.”
“Huh? I don’t really understand.”
“Haha. I suppose so. I’ll explain it simply so listen well. How many pieces are all the goods this time?”
“Fifty-four pieces.”
“You’ll make those into goods now, right?”
“Yes. Of course. That’s why we held the competition.”
“Then what about the originals? You must have already made files for the works to be merchandised, right?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“You only need the files to make goods. What are you going to do with the originals?”
“I suppose we’ll just store the originals?”
“Exactly. That’s such a waste.”
“Then?”
“Let’s put them up for auction.”
“Huh? Auction?”
“Yeah. We just need to get consent from the original artists. We can say we’ll use all the money from the auction for Bohol tourism funds or Bohol children’s support funds.”
“Oh?! That sounds like a good idea.”
“Then get the artists’ consent for me.”
“Yes. Understood. It should be possible soon.”
“Tell them that ten percent of the auction price will be donated in the original artist’s name. We should do at least that much for them to agree.”
“Yes. It’s a good deed, so everyone will gladly agree.”
“Then I’m counting on you~”
After Lim Yuna left, Anna picked up the phone and called the employee in charge of money laundering.
“There’s going to be an auction. Prepare.”
“We just need to purchase at high prices, right?”
“Yeah. Purchase at high prices through the paper company.”
“Yes.”
“And create a foundation.”
“Will you route it through a foundation?”
“Yeah. Let’s have the foundation conduct the auction. That way no problems will arise.”
“Yes. I’ll proceed immediately.”
Anna didn’t want to miss a good opportunity to launder money through paintings.
For Anna, everything in sight had become material for money laundering.
Paintings were the most basic of the basics for money laundering.
Buying valueless paintings at exorbitant prices while receiving a portion of the sum back as payback, and so on.
Selling among connoisseurs and buying to drive up prices,
Or raising prices through several exhibitions and then taking out loans using the artworks as collateral.
If the entity conducting the auction was a foundation, things became even easier.
A foundation operating for public benefit could receive various tax benefits as well as sponsorships and donations.
Money laundering through a foundation was also a method in the manual.
The basic method of money laundering was donating illegal money in cash and then purchasing goods from that company or business in that form.
For example, if someone operating an illegal gambling den had a lot of money they couldn’t document, they donated all of it.
The foundation would place massive orders with, do consulting for, or give orders to the business that the man owned or that existed in name only.
The foundation took a certain fee, and the gambling den man was able to hold clean money in his hands.
On top of that, including Candy Tour, normal businesses could receive enormous tax benefits by making donations to the foundation.
Of course audits came, but making the paperwork so no one could suspect was what Anna did best.
Doing business in the foundation’s name allowed one to receive truly many benefits.
She couldn’t even guess how much money could be laundered in that process.
It was truly thrilling.
Decisively, the value of the competition would rise.
They were already set to receive contract deposits and royalties from being selected for goods, but having their own work sell at a high price was another matter.
On top of that, they were told that ten percent of the amount would be donated in their name.
Giving cash would be best for the artists, but they weren’t a real charity.
That ten percent was just a number for show and meant nothing.
But, for next year’s competition, more people.
More famous artists would participate.
This auction would make the competition’s name value rise several times over.
Anna loved this environment so much.
Laundering money through paintings, hiding it through a foundation.
And in doing so, the foundation’s value rose.
Casino, coins, paintings, foundation, gold mine.
Looking around everywhere, a virtuous cycle structure where money could be laundered was being created all over.
She was truly happy.
*******
Edward was looking at the completed laboratory.
Between the spacious farms, a building constructed with a light steel frame structure had appeared.
The first floor was built as a research institute, the second floor as Edward’s accommodation.
The laboratory was completed faster than expected.
They said it was Alex’s consideration to start with research first even if production facilities were built later.
For Edward, who had wanted to start research quickly, it was a very fortunate turn of events.
If he could only avoid seeing the people he had seen in the office on the first day, he felt like he could do anything.
Opening the door and going inside, he saw a neatly organized laboratory.
It unfolded before his eyes exactly according to the design blueprints he had discussed with CEO Kang.
But it didn’t feel too cold.
CEO Kang had said that since all the equipment had a cold feel, he had tried to make the environment warm at least.
He was strangely grateful for that thought.
Looking at the equipment, it was all new.
It was new.
He had made medicine while traveling around to many places, but new machines were a first.
Always used ones. Secondhand.
He had made medicine by forcibly making broken things work,
Working in a slapdash manner, but here it was completely different.
The raw materials he had discussed were also stored in clean condition.
Everything was perfect.
Here, he really felt he could make proper medicine.
No, he felt he couldn’t not make it.
Edward immediately put on gloves and a mask and started working.
A smile formed at the corners of his mouth inside the mask.
Adrenaline seemed to spread throughout his body.
His heart pounded.
*******
“Why are they telling me to come again?”
“Since we’ve taken Seoul, shouldn’t you come and pat the guys on the shoulder for their hard work?”
“That’s your job, not mine. I’m busy doing guide work.”
“Crazy bastard.”
It was true.
Unless there was an urgent matter, I would go out to the field and deal with customers.
Because we were short-handed.
And it wasn’t because it was something I absolutely had to do.
Rather, when I was working, everyone was uncomfortable.
The chairman coming out to drive and guide customers.
How uncomfortable must the people originally doing that work be.
Imagine you’re selling goods at a store, and the chairman who makes those goods comes out and sells them himself.
Wouldn’t a chill run down your spine?
Still, the reason I did that was simply because my mind felt at ease when I was doing it.
It felt like working as an ordinary person.
The work I usually did had too great a disconnect from the common sense I knew.
Smuggling drugs, buying and selling weapons, moving rebels, or making policies—those were affairs of a world I didn’t know.
Stories that would appear in movies or novels, not reality.
Stories with no basis in reality whatsoever.
That was why I could spout even more absurd bullshit.
The problem was that it worked well.
That was the problem.
Anyway, when I met customers in the field, I was happy.
Meeting customers who had saved money and barely made time to come here, showing them new destinations, and telling them related stories was so enjoyable.
At that time, I was truly an ordinary person.
The kind of person who looked good in a Hawaiian shirt.
Only then did I feel like someone living with both feet planted in reality.
I liked that time.
So despite the cold gazes around me, I would go out to the field and work.
But these crazy Filipinos wouldn’t even give me that time.
After rumors called Totem spread, the number of times they came looking for me increased.
No, if they gave out the work, they should do it themselves.
Why do they keep calling me.
Now they’re calling from Korea too.
Isn’t Daehun Faction business supposed to be handled by the Daehun Faction?
Why do they keep telling me to come?
Are they calling me to give the kids bonus money?
Can’t they just wire it to their accounts?
Of course, it’s nice to go.
Because I can be still.
Because I can taste the silence of a room no one enters.
Of course, there will be a work bomb waiting when I get back.
Still, I booked a flight to Korea.
I just missed having a glass of soju with Daehun, an old friend.
I thought of grilling samgyeopsal in the cold wind on the street, and having a glass of soju with it.
Well. Bonus money? Sure, I’ll give it.
The balance that had dried up to the bottom thanks to gambling-loving, kind Chinese people began to fill up rapidly.
That election had been strange.
I’m not someone who spends money recklessly.
Plus, building the factory and such this time wasn’t my money; Anna had given the money.
If it were the past, I would have done it all with my own money, but this time Anna said she would handle it herself and told me to just stay put.
Anna was grinning from ear to ear now that a gold mine had appeared.
A gold mine was the pinnacle of money laundering or something?
They say you just melt all the money and put it into the gold mine, or something like that?
I boarded the flight to Korea.
With Scott.
I said I could go alone, but this bastard Scott had insisted on following me.
Scott, riding first class for the first time, kept ordering.
Yeah, it’s free so eat up.
This bastard looked like he’d come on a trip, not to assist me.
I had wondered why he insisted on following me unconditionally—so that was it.
“Have you arrived?”
When I exited the arrivals hall, Geunsu was waiting.
“Why did you come out? I could’ve just taken a taxi.”
“Oh my. Please don’t even joke like that. If that happens, we’ll really all die.”
“I’m serious, though.”
“It’s absolutely impossible. I will escort you.”
When we left the airport, a large sedan was prepared.
Whether it was the car or the road, the ride quality was good.
In the Philippines, the car is good too, but the roads are a mess so this kind of ride quality doesn’t come out.
I leaned back deeply into the seat, burying my body as if in the comfort.
*******
“Sorry. Did you wait long?”
“You tell me to come and then make me wait—isn’t that too much?”
I had ordered the samgyeopsal I wanted to eat and was waiting.
And on a street stall in the cold wind.
It was the perfect day to grill samgyeopsal outside.
“Sorry. Sorry. The organization has grown a bit, so there’s a lot that needs my attention. It’s still early days, so there are things that need to be whipped into shape too. Sorry.”
“If you’re that busy, why did you tell me to come? We could meet after it’s all organized.”
“That’s true, but when the organization has grown this big, the boss should come and say a word.”
“What bullshit.”
“It’s not bullshit. I told you before, the kids all think of you as the boss. Me too.”
“Stop it.”
“Taking Seoul was also thanks to you. You should commend the kids.”
“You ask for money in a fancy way.”
“Keke, I have a lot of money now too. As the number of businesses grows, the units of money coming in are different.”
“Save it. Save up and put it in fixed deposits, sign up for housing subscriptions, live frugally. That’s how you get married and have kids.”
“Ah! Speaking of houses, I remembered.”
Daehun took out a card and car keys from his pocket.
“This is an apartment bought in your name. And this is the car key.”
“I don’t need it.”
“Still, even if we go under, shouldn’t one house remain? In this life, you never know when you’ll hit rock bottom. You need to prepare for old age in advance.”
“Crazy. I’m well prepared for old age. I have enough to live on until I’m three hundred, so don’t worry. Hey! Geunsu.”
“Yes, Boss.”
“You take this.”
I held out my house key and car key to Geunsu.
“I can’t. I’ll get scolded.”
“You claim to treat me like your Hyeongnim, yet you won’t listen to me and you listen to Daehun?”
“That’s not it.”
“Instead, when I come up to Seoul now and then, give me a ride in the car, show me the house, stuff like that.”
Geunsu hesitated, looking troubled.
“Why? Worried about Daehun?”
“No, that’s not it…”
“If not that, then what?”
“Hyeongnim, the apartment downstairs from yours is my house.”
“What?”
“Daehun Hyeongnim bought several units in that complex so we could live together even when we grow old.”
“Hah. Unbelievable. No matter how I look at it, that punk Daehun seems crazy. Geunsu, don’t hang out with Daehun.”
“Right? I think he’s crazy too. He really seemed crazy when he was signing those apartment contracts. But isn’t it fine if you feel good even when you’re going crazy? Let’s have a glass of soju.”
Daehun answered.
“Yeah. That’s good enough. Geunsu, you sit down too.”
“No. Shouldn’t I watch over my Hyeongnims? I’m comfortable here.”
Geunsu answered, standing as stiff as a wooden post.
“Now that I look at it, this punk Geunsu is crazy too. What kind of guy is comfortable standing there? Look at Scott—no one even told him to eat, and he’s eating on his own.”
When Geunsu looked, Scott was neatly wrapping samgyeopsal in lettuce and eating it.
Garlic and peppers, too.
Geunsu remained at his post, even while envying Scott.
“I’m not Scott, am I?”
“Geunsu. You’re the worst fighter here. So just sit and eat. We’ll protect our own bodies.”
“That’s right, Geunsu, sit down. You think we’d get beaten up and cry here?”
Right. So what if I take a few hits and cry?
There are days like that.
If someone targets us and attacks, we just have to fight.
I’m former special forces, after all.
If it comes down to one-on-one, I’m confident I won’t lose easily.
If they come with a knife?
I’ll just pull out a gun.
What’s the problem?
So let’s eat comfortably today.
Let’s eat to our hearts’ content.
******
My head feels like it’s going to split.
This is always how it is when I meet Daehun.
Scott also seems bewildered by the K-hangover.
Usually, he comes into the hotel room first thing in the morning and rattles off the schedule,
but today, though he came in, he can’t seem to do anything and just sits there blankly.
This is why I told you to drink in moderation.
I figured as much when you were chugging soju mixed with beer like crazy yesterday, saying it was delicious.
I took him out, bought him a hangover cure drink, and got started on the schedule.
Daehun, whom I met in the morning, was in no better condition.
The problem was he drank like a madman because he was in a good mood.
“I’m going to sign a peace treaty with the organizations in the Seoul metropolitan area and Busan region this afternoon. Rest until then.”
“A peace treaty?”
“Yeah. I don’t plan on expanding the organization any further than this. I did this for someone’s sake, too.”
“Really?”
“Instead, I’m going to tell them to avoid pushing drugs as much as possible, too. We shouldn’t kill our fellow countrymen to make money.”
“Yeah, good thinking.”
“You come too, as the boss of the Daehun faction.”
“Why would I go when the Daehun faction boss, Seo Daehun, is going?”
“Come on. You’re my Boss.”
“No.”
“Then just come with me. You give me strength. I’m nervous.”
“You crazy bastard. Are you going to confess your love or something?”
“I wish it were something like that. I wish I had a woman to confess to.”
“I’ll come if I can just be a spectator. It seems like it’ll be fun.”
“That’s enough.”
We headed to the banquet hall of a certain five-star hotel.
A conference of gangsters that doubled as a peace treaty, held by renting out a banquet hall.
I waddled along behind Daehun. I saw someone familiar.
Huh?
It’s Yang Jeong-won?
That Yang Jeong-won who treated me like an errand boy in high school is here.
Seeing him waddling along behind someone, just like me, it looks like that punk is a boss too.
Good to see you, punk.