How a Salaryman Became an Underworld Boss

Early in the morning, I called Kwak Cheolhun over to discuss what might happen next.

”Kwak Cheolhun, you need to head to Zurich with the CIA agents.”

”Why? Can’t I go with you, Director Cha?”

”We still have some unfinished business here, so we’ll be leaving a little later.”

”Well, I suppose it can’t be helped, then.”

”Now I’ll tell you the real reason I called you here.”

”Please, tell me.”

Unable to contain his impatience, Kwak Cheolhun leaned toward me and urged me to continue.

”Branch Chief Harrison will persistently question you about Commander Kwak.”

”Should I exercise my right to remain silent when it comes to questions about my father?”

”If you answer like that, Branch Chief Harrison will immediately become suspicious of you.”

”Then how should I answer?”

”Answer truthfully when he asks general questions about Commander Kwak. However, if he asks where he is or whether you’re in contact with him, say you don’t know.”

”I understand what you mean.”

At that moment, operative Hong Jongsu, apparently having something to add, joined the conversation.

”Delete Commander Kwak’s number and your entire call history from your phone.”

”I’ll do that, but what if my father calls me first?”

”Ask Commander Kwak not to call you until he arrives in our country.”

”All right. By the way, won’t Branch Chief Harrison try to check the contents of my laptop?”

”Of course he will. If he asks you to hand over the laptop, give it to him willingly.”

”Won’t that cause problems later?”

Deep anxiety could be heard in Kwak Cheolhun’s voice.

To reassure him, operative Hong Jongsu answered with complete confidence.

”The top-secret data on your hard drive was erased using a secure deletion program. So even if that old man from the CIA searches your laptop, he won’t be able to recover those materials.”

After listening to our warnings, Kwak Cheolhun went upstairs to pack his belongings.

I glanced after him and called NIS Director Om Giyeon.

The moment the call connected, his impatient voice came through the phone.

[Director Cha, what was the result of your meeting with Senior Colonel No?]

I had met Senior Colonel No Gwangcheol here yesterday evening.

So there had been more than enough time to report the outcome of the meeting to NIS Director Om Giyeon.

Nevertheless, the reason I had not reported anything until now was that his subordinates had yet to decide whether they would defect.

Fortunately, Senior Colonel No Gwangcheol had called an hour ago to inform me that his subordinates had also decided to defect to our country.

That was why I was only now calling NIS Director Om Giyeon.

”If luck is on our side, it looks like we’ll be able to bring Senior Colonel No and his men over to our country.”

[Phew...]

NIS Director Om Giyeon’s deep sigh of relief came clearly through the phone.

He must have been just as worried as I was.

”There’s something else I’d like to tell you.”

[Go ahead.]

”We can’t put Kwak Cheolhun and the North Korean Reconnaissance General Bureau operatives on the same plane.”

I explained to NIS Director Om Giyeon why I had entrusted Kwak Cheolhun to the CIA and then made my request.

”...Commander Kwak must not call Kwak Cheolhun under any circumstances.”

[I’ll make sure Commander Kwak understands that clearly.]

After exchanging a few more words with NIS Director Om Giyeon, I ended the call.

The moment I did, Chief Secretary Kang Inhan addressed me.

”Director, how long do you plan to keep Commander Kwak’s defection to our country hidden from the Americans?”

”Director Om will handle that himself. So, shall we go have breakfast?”

While we were resting after breakfast, Branch Chief Harrison came to see us.

Something was wrong. Unlike usual, his expression was extremely gloomy.

After waiting for him to sit down, I asked curiously,

”You don’t look well. May I ask why?”

”Well... I reported the destruction of Manuel’s gang to Director Griffin, and he tore me to shreds.”

I immediately understood the situation.

The CIA and Switzerland’s Federal Intelligence Service had achieved a joint success by taking down Manuel’s gang.

Taking the CIA and FIS’s respective contributions into account, I had divided the proceeds Manuel earned from drug trafficking seventy percent to Switzerland and thirty percent to the United States.

It was entirely predictable that Director Griffin would be furious after receiving such a report from Branch Chief Harrison.

To confirm my guess, I cautiously asked him about it.

”You’re absolutely right, Director Cha.”

Deciding that Branch Chief Harrison needed his spirits lifted, I immediately called Director Griffin.

After several rings, his gruff voice came through.

[Director Cha, it’s the middle of the night here.]

”I know perfectly well that you’re awake.”

[It seems you’ve already received Branch Chief Harrison’s report. What do you want to say to me?]

”I want to tell you not to get greedy over pocket change.”

[Ha-ha! Six billion dollars is pocket change to you?!]

A total of thirty billion dollars had been confiscated from Manuel.

Of that amount, seventy percent—twenty-one billion dollars—went to Switzerland, while thirty percent—nine billion dollars—went to the United States.

If Switzerland and the United States had split everything equally, each would have received fifteen billion dollars.

That was why Director Griffin believed he had lost six billion dollars, and I needed to change his miserly way of thinking.

”I mean it’s pocket change compared to the money Branch Chief Harrison has already brought you and will continue to bring you in the future.”

[I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about, Director Cha.]

”From Gabriel’s hidden assets, the United States received twenty-four billion dollars in cash and seven billion dollars in bonds. From Antonio’s assets, you received thirty billion dollars in cash and three billion dollars in bonds. On top of that, you received ten and a half billion dollars from Jourdain’s hidden assets.”

I paused to catch my breath before continuing.

”And finally, you received nine billion dollars from Manuel’s savings. Altogether, that’s seventy-three and a half billion dollars in cash and ten billion dollars in bonds. Branch Chief Harrison secured such an enormous sum for you, so saying that it isn’t enough would be illogical, to put it mildly.”

[I never said it wasn’t enough. I only reprimanded Branch Chief Harrison because he failed to secure the six billion dollars that should have gone to our country.]

I was genuinely grateful to Director Griffin for giving me the perfect opening to strike back, because I had been waiting for exactly the right moment to bring this up.

With my fighting spirit at its peak, I continued arguing.

”I asked Director Jean-Philippe to take down Manuel’s gang. However, Branch Chief Harrison led his agents into a joint operation with the FIS without obtaining my permission.”

[And why exactly would Branch Chief Harrison need your permission, Director Cha?]

”Operational command authority over CIA agents in the field belongs to me.”

[Ahem! Ahem!]

Director Griffin responded with nothing but a few coughs, clearly unable to come up with an argument.

Ignoring that, I pressed my attack.

”Branch Chief Harrison disobeyed my instructions and earned nine billion dollars for the United States. Despite the dangerous circumstances, not one of his subordinates suffered so much as a scratch. Instead of praising him for flawlessly taking down Manuel’s gang, you’re scolding him because he failed to squeeze out another six billion dollars?”

[...I do feel embarrassed about that.]

Director Griffin answered in a subdued voice, clearly feeling guilty.

It was time to drive the point home and firmly restore Branch Chief Harrison’s standing.

”Aren’t you curious why Branch Chief Harrison hurriedly sent Antonio and Jourdain to the United States?”

[...Of course I’m curious.]

”The laptops belonging to those two contain information on the gangs that bought drugs from them. Branch Chief Harrison quickly sent them to the United States precisely because he intends to eliminate those organizations as soon as possible.”

[Ah, is that so?]

”If you clean up those gangs in cooperation with the FBI, you’ll be able to get your hands on an enormous amount of spoils.”

[Ha-ha-ha!]

Only then did Director Griffin’s displeasure seem to disappear, and he laughed in satisfaction.

I waited for his laughter to die down before continuing.

”Generously reward Branch Chief Harrison and the agents working in the field.”

[Of course! That’s exactly what I should do.]

”Now you can sleep with an easy mind.”

[Wait a moment.]

Director Griffin stopped me just as I was about to hang up.

”Is there something you want to say?”

[I received a report from Branch Chief Harrison that you’re planning to reconnoiter Kim Juchol’s house tonight. How likely is it that Kim Jonghun hid gold bars there?]

Since the source of the information was Commander Kwak, its reliability was extremely high.

However, there was always the possibility of something unexpected happening, so I needed to leave myself some room.

”I don’t think there’s any point in drawing conclusions until we see it with our own eyes.”

[That’s true... Now that I think about it, you’re right.]

”I’ll contact you once we’ve verified the facts. Talk to you later.”

Click.

The moment I hung up, Branch Chief Harrison expressed his gratitude.

”Director Cha, thank you for getting me out of that difficult situation.”

”No need to thank me. Take good care of Kwak Cheolhun and Vitor Gabriel.”

”You don’t have to worry about that. We’ll be heading out first.”

Branch Chief Harrison departed for Zurich together with Kwak Cheolhun and Vitor Gabriel.

Not long after they left, Director Jean-Philippe appeared.

After sitting down on an empty sofa, the first thing he did was apologize.

”Director Cha, I’m sorry for putting you in an awkward position.”

We had received forty-eight billion dollars in cash from Gabriel’s hidden assets.

Since forty-eight billion dollars in cash took up an enormous amount of space, we had decided to entrust it to the Swiss government.

Naturally, the Swiss government would transfer the money, minus a commission, into an account designated by me.

I had taken Director Jean-Philippe’s side precisely to save even a little on that commission.

And I needed to know whether he understood my intentions.

”Did you figure out why I took your side, Director Jean-Philippe?”

”Why wouldn’t I? I’m not an idiot.”

As expected, Director Jean-Philippe had not become the head of the FIS by winning at poker.

”Ha-ha. I see. I’ve entrusted the cash exchange negotiations to Chief Secretary Kang.”

After leaving the remaining matters to Chief Secretary Kang Inhan, I got up and went into the bedroom.

Saho immediately approached me hesitantly.

Wanting to show that I was still angry, I deliberately gave Saho a stern look.

Saho then filled his bright eyes with a pleading expression, lay down on the floor, and rolled onto his back, exposing his belly.

”Oh, you little rascal.”

The next moment, Saho sprang up from the floor and leaped into my arms.

Stroking his head, I said,

”Without my permission, you are absolutely forbidden from hunting wild animals or eating whatever you please.”

Saho nodded vigorously to show that he understood.

”You have a mission tonight.”

”Meoow?”

”You’ll infiltrate the house I point out and find where the gold bars are hidden...”

Knock, knock, knock.

At that moment, along with the knocking, the bedroom door opened and Chief Secretary Kang Inhan entered.

”Director, I’ve finished the negotiations with Director Jean-Philippe.”

I could hardly believe my ears. It hadn’t even been five minutes since I’d left.

”Already finished?”

”You already established the basic framework with Director Jean-Philippe yourself.”

”I see. And what were the results of the negotiations?”

”We agreed to exchange only the cash, and the entire forty-eight billion dollars will be transferred without any commission.”

”But we gave Senior Colonel No Gwangcheol twenty thousand dollars, didn’t we?”

”I mentioned that to Director Jean-Philippe, but he ignored it and brushed the matter aside.”

”Excellent, then.”

”As for the fifty billion dollars’ worth of diamonds, as originally promised, they’ll appraise them free of charge.”

”I understand.”

”However, Director Jean-Philippe expressed an interest in purchasing the diamonds.”

Gabriel had hidden a total of 685 diamonds.

Of those, 610 were rough diamonds.

Naturally, if the rough diamonds were cut and polished, they could be sold for a significantly higher price.

Under those circumstances, how could I possibly accept Director Jean-Philippe’s offer?

”We won’t sell the diamonds.”