Episode 1. Prologue.
God.
He had never believed in such things to begin with.
Miracles.
Rather than wasting time begging for them, he had lived desperately, ruthless in his pursuit of every last penny.
A cold-blooded corporate raider, devoid of blood or tears.
A sociopath who stopped at nothing to make money.
People called him these names instead of his own, Gang Jihun.
It had been a brutal, obsessive life, but not once had he regretted living this way.
No—he had lived too fiercely to even have time for regret.
Yet God had delivered a cruel punishment upon him, who had lived only thirty-nine years.
“Hoo, hoo.”
He had once been a byword for terror among corporations, but now he lay in a hospital bed, unable to so much as lift a fingertip, staring at the ceiling as he waited for death.
*If only I had visited the hospital when my head felt like it was splitting apart a few days ago.*
But it was too late for regrets.
They had equipped the luxury hospital room with every cutting-edge device to prolong his life, but the doctors and nurses who came and went all knew the truth.
That there was no hope of survival.
Lying still, his entire life flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.
He had never once lived his days in idle waste, yet now, he felt as though he had let something slip through his fingers.
If he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have been driven into such a corner.
*So this is my punishment. As if salvation could ever be possible for someone like me.*
Gang Jihun let go of his attachment to life.
He had possessed such a fierce tenacity for survival, yet he now knew that it was all over.
Suddenly, the most exhilarating moment of his life came to mind.
The moment he had taken revenge on his uncle by marriage, who had stolen his parents’ company and driven them to their deaths.
**
Samjeong Group.
“Jihun.”
“What is it? Are you scared?”
“This is illegal. You investigated the executives behind their backs, threatened them, bribed them, and had them leak Samjeong Group’s confidential information. This is a violation of the law. If I report you to the prosecution right now, you’ll rot in prison for at least ten years.”
“Is that so? I don’t know anything about it. Do you have any proof that I did it?”
“How dare you play ignorant? You may deceive the heavens, but you cannot deceive me.”
Gang Deoksul slammed his palm on the desk and roared.
Even so, Gang Jihun did not flinch in the slightest. He placed both hands on the desk, meeting him head-on and pressing him relentlessly.
“If you’re so confident, file a lawsuit. I’m ready whenever.”
When Gang Jihun sneered, Gang Deoksul swallowed dryly and faltered.
Gang Jihun removed his hands from the desk, ran them through his hair, and issued a cold warning.
“If the interest and principal payments are delayed, I’ll have you declared bankrupt. You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this day. Work hard. Work hard! If you borrowed money, show some sincerity in paying it back.”
“J-Jihun.”
Gang Deoksul reached out and grabbed Gang Jihun’s sleeve.
“Let go.”
Gang Jihun roughly shook him off, turned, and left the chairman’s office.
**
*Exactly six months after that, Samjeong Group was declared bankrupt. My uncle by marriage was indicted on charges of fraud and embezzlement, fell ill while serving his sentence, and died not long after his release. Good riddance.*
Gang Jihun had ruined his Uncle Gang Deoksul’s entire family and driven Gang Deoksul to his death, yet he never once regretted it.
The reason Gang Jihun had become so obsessed with money, taking all manner of scorn, had been solely to take revenge on Gang Deoksul.
The emotion that washed over him after his revenge was emptiness.
And now, as punishment for all the sins he had committed, he faced death.
*I wish this tedious life would end already. I’m sick and tired of lying here like this, unable to do anything.*
Having achieved revenge, the goal of his life, Gang Jihun felt somewhat unburdened.
That evening.
Gang Jihun heard God calling for him.
And quietly, he brought his life—lived desperately for revenge—to a close.