I Became a Black Market Tycoon with an Inventory - Chapter 199

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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199 – An Invitation
199.
Cheongwadae, South Korea.
I had come to Cheongwadae, but
I didn’t look around nervously.
Having been here once before, it no longer seemed so remarkable.
Nothing surprising about it anymore.
“You made it.”
As I entered the Waiting Room, Hwang On-yu, who had arrived first, spoke to me.
Hwang On-yu.
No longer Team Leader.
Now he was Director.
He had been promoted.
“You called.”
I glanced at Hwang On-yu and answered curtly.
“I didn’t call you. The President requested your presence.”
Hwang On-yu was making excuses, worried about what I might say.
We proceeded directly into the Presidential Office.
“Welcome.”
President Kim Min-su rose from his seat to greet us.
Perhaps because a major crisis had been resolved, he appeared far more composed than last time.
Back then, he had seemed incredibly tense.
“And thank you. Thanks to you, we resolved a critical issue.”
The President looked at me and bowed his head slightly in gratitude.
I bowed in return.
“I’m glad I could be of help.”
“You’ve been an enormous help, truly. If this problem hadn’t been resolved… just thinking about it makes me dizzy. We might have ended up like Japan is now, I believe.”
He was absolutely right.
Japan had attacked our logistics but failed,
and I had succeeded in attacking Japan.
Our logistics never stopped, but Japan’s came to a halt.
Of course, the President didn’t know what I had done.
Hwang On-yu didn’t know either.
There was nothing good about the government knowing this.
All they needed to know was that I had established Taerim Insurance
and secured reinsurance through the Asia-Pacific Risk Consortium.
What lay beyond that—what crumbled, what battles raged—only those fighting needed to know.
If the President learned the truth, it would only become a burden.
Each of us simply had to fulfill our role in our respective positions.
.
.
.
President Kim Min-su gazed at the man before him with a lingering, penetrating stare.
The expression “honey dripping from his eyes” suited him perfectly.
It felt odd to say it, but honestly—he was charming.
Tall frame, handsome features.
It wasn’t because of his muscular build.
This man was extraordinary.
How could someone be like this?
I couldn’t comprehend it.
Gong In-bae was a type of person I’d never encountered before.
As President and a lawyer, I’d seen countless types of people.
Ambitious ones, pretentious ones, calculating ones, cowardly ones, all talk and no action.
But this man was different from all of them.
A type I’d never laid eyes on before.
My first meeting with Gong In-bae remained vivid.
Despite the President being right in front of him, he showed no nervousness or intimidation whatsoever.
Instead, he calmly presented alternatives.
He said he’d handle the dirty work himself,
and told the government to stay out of it.
The confidence was too immense to dismiss as mere bluster,
yet his gaze was far too resolute to be baseless.
The nation’s logistics were at stake.
I couldn’t simply wash my hands of it just because he said to stay out.
I had to offer support where I could.
But this man never asked for help,
never requested assistance—he simply resolved everything alone.
It was something the government would have struggled with, even with full force.
Yet Gong In-bae accomplished it.
Far more brilliantly, elegantly, and smartly than the government had anticipated.
No one was hurt, nothing was damaged.
Creating such an outcome is never easy.
And yet, he pulled it off.
What’s even more amusing is what came after.
After accomplishing something so remarkable, he said absolutely nothing.
No request for help now that the problem was solved,
no demands for benefits,
no pleas for protection,
not even asking for connections with anyone. He said nothing at all.
There wasn’t even any contact.
For Kim Min-su, letting this pass without reciprocation was unthinkable.
When one received help, one repaid it with gratitude.
That was Kim Min-su’s principle.
I instructed my Secretary to investigate this man called Gong In-bae.
Surely, examining Gong In-bae’s life would reveal something I could help with.
But then.
“Something’s odd.”
“What is?”
“He’s far too clean.”
“Clean?”
“No employment history, no credit card transactions, no economic activity whatsoever.”
“Nothing at all?”
Kim Min-su found it strange.
A man capable of such feats has no economic activity?
He said he owned an insurance company.
He said he could control Taerim Insurance.
Yet there’s no economic activity?
“There are no bank accounts, real estate, or vehicles registered under Gong In-bae’s name.”
“He could simply be a recluse.”
Kim Min-su attempted to rationalize it.
“If that were the case, he wouldn’t be listed as a shareholder of Candy Tour Seoul’s office. And he has quite a few records of traveling abroad.”
“Then perhaps he spent most of his time overseas? That would explain it, wouldn’t it?”
“Even during his time abroad, there are no credit card transactions.”
“Wouldn’t he have used cash? He was overseas, after all.”
“You need income to spend cash or use cards. There’s no trace of ticket purchases or hotel stays whatsoever.”
My Secretary’s words left me speechless.
‘There must be circumstances I’m unaware of.’
Even as I thought this, an unsettling feeling persisted.
“Are there any other records?”
“He enlisted immediately after high school graduation and was discharged as a Staff Sergeant. What’s notable is that he served in Congo for quite an extended period.”
“Deployed?”
“Yes. Those I questioned said he was rather well-known there.”
“But why did he discharge?”
“All of his team members died in Congo.”
“Oh… I see. What about the treatment of his team members?”
“They’re enshrined at the National Cemetery.”
“Look into whether we can award them posthumous medals.”
“Understood.”
Kim Min-su fell into contemplation.
Gong In-bae was a man who spoke directly with Chairman Xi of China.
He was supposedly a major figure.
Yet such a person didn’t have a single card in his own name?
No economic activity whatsoever?
It made no sense.
“It’s as if he exists but doesn’t exist at the same time.”
President Kim Min-su thought to himself.
There had to be something more to this.
Definitely something.
This wasn’t a matter that could be understood through documents alone.
I should meet him. Meet him and ask directly.
If he were fleeing because of some crime,
if he were hiding for that reason, I could help.
I could ensure he faces punishment now and lives with dignity.
It would be best for him to face judgment while I’m still president.
That’s why I summoned him.
I wanted to express my gratitude and resolve any difficulties he might be facing.
Repaying someone who had helped the nation was my duty as president.
If I couldn’t help,
at least I could lighten his burden.
.
.
.
“Is there anything you need?”
“Pardon?”
I’d barely arrived at Cheongwadae when he suddenly asked if I needed anything.
Need something?
I didn’t think there was anything in particular.
As my hesitation lingered, President Kim Min-su spoke again.
“You’ve provided such tremendous assistance that it doesn’t feel right to simply move past this. If there’s anything Gong In-bae needs, I’d like to help within my capacity.”
Hearing those words, I understood.
It was merely a courtesy.
Then I should respond courteously as well.
“No, sir. I didn’t do this to make money anyway. And it turns out maritime insurance is quite profitable. My stocks have risen considerably too. I’m actually troubled by earning so much money. Mr. President, do you have a use for money? Should I make a donation?”
“A donation?”
“Yes. I have nowhere to spend it.”
No bank transactions, yet donations?
Kim Min-su couldn’t comprehend it, but he declined nonetheless.
Government agencies couldn’t accept donations.
“Ahem. No, sir. Donations are something you should handle yourself, and the government has no reason to accept them. Rather, is there truly nothing I can assist you with? Perhaps…”
“Perhaps…”
“If there’s something inconvenient domestically that’s keeping you abroad, I can help with that to the extent of my ability.”
“Something inconvenient domestically? Fine particulate matter is somewhat bothersome, but I can tolerate that much.”
“Pardon? Fine particulate matter?”
The President seemed momentarily taken aback.
Gong In-bae paused in thought before continuing.
“Ah, I just remembered. There’s a project I’m working on with a friend called ‘K-ORIGIN’. I’d appreciate it if you could pay a bit more attention to that.”
K-ORIGIN?
Kim Min-su knew it well.
He’d learned about it during briefings.
They’d called it a social phenomenon.
When he visited the Market, he was curious about where people were gathering.
They said it was a shop selling burnt pastries and jellies.
They said it was a store opened by K-ORIGIN.
Kim Min-su had tried them too.
After one bite, he understood.
Why they were called burnt ‘devil’ jellies.
At an age when he should have been careful with blood sugar, he’d shamelessly eaten several without knowing how many.
That’s why he couldn’t forget them.
He’d visited a brief heaven.
But the person who created that K-ORIGIN was Gong In-bae?
He was utterly incomprehensible.
He seemed like a fugitive.
Yet he held Taerim Insurance, created K-ORIGIN, and speaks with the Chinese Chairman.
“Don’t worry. I’ll continue to monitor that. Is there anything else?”
“Nothing besides that.”
Sensing he might be hiding something, Kim Min-su asked once more.
“It’s just that my mind feels uneasy.”
“Then buy me a meal.”
At Gong In-bae’s response, Kim Min-su smiled slightly.
Just a meal.
Still, having some answer put Kim Min-su’s mind at ease.
“Ha. Very well. If there’s anything you’d like to eat, I’ll treat you.”
“Should we have grilled pork belly?”
“Excellent. I’ll treat you generously.”
“But now that I think about it, we’re missing someone.”
“Pardon?”
“Wei Zhonglin helped us too. It doesn’t feel right to eat without him, does it?”
Wei Zhonglin?
Why is Wei Zhonglin coming up here?
“Pardon?”
“May I call him?”
Kim Min-su froze.
This wasn’t summoning a high school classmate from the neighborhood.
This wasn’t calling out an unemployed friend.
He was calling China’s Chairman by phone?
But the man picked up the phone.
“Brother? What are you doing?”
“Work? You? I already know you don’t do that normally, so what’s this about?”
“Come over. Let’s grab some food together.”
“President Kim Min-su is buying us pork belly.”
“Did you see Japan getting crushed this time? We should toast to that together.”
“Of course you have a stake in it, so that’s why.”
“Let’s eat together.”
“What do you mean you don’t have time? It’s only two hours by private jet.”
“Send me your private jet? Oh! You have one too?”
“Then just take it and come.”
“I’ll be sad if you don’t come.”
“Landing in Seongnam—I’m giving you three hours.”
“Okay? See you later then.”
The call ended.
The room fell silent.
No one could speak.
President Kim Min-su understood.
This man wasn’t someone who helped the nation.
He was someone who moved the nation.
.
.
.
Cheongwadae and the Foreign Ministry were thrown into absolute chaos.
It wasn’t mere pandemonium—it bordered on a disaster situation.
A secret visit.
Normally, when a nation’s Chairman visits, coordination begins at least two months in advance.
Security, protocol, lodging, schedule.
Routes according to the schedule.
Control measures according to the routes.
Contingency responses according to the control measures.
Perfect preparation is the baseline.
But those two months were compressed into three hours.
Or more precisely, two hours and fifty-eight minutes remained.
“Seongnam, clear the runway. Understood?”
“Cancel all the training sessions.”
“Police, lock down all signals from Seongnam to Hannam-dong.”
“Gangbyeon North Road is a problem? There’s no such thing as a problem. Control the entire route.”
“Protocol team. Set it up right now.”
“I don’t care. Just set everything up at the highest level for now.”
“The menu? I heard it was grilled pork belly?”
“···. Right. Grilled pork belly.”
“But why is Wei Zhonglin coming? There was no consultation about this.”
“How should we set up the agenda?”
“Is there even an agenda?”
“Contact the Chinese side first. We need to know what’s happening before we can prepare.”
.
.
.
Exactly three hours later, Seoul Airport.
Seoul Airport was in complete chaos.
All they knew was that a “top-secret guest” was arriving,
but no one would say who it actually was.
Yet everyone could figure it out.
The call sign displayed on the control screen.
CA1
An aircraft flying in from China.
And that call sign: CA1.
The call sign CA1 wouldn’t be assigned unless the Chairman was aboard.
No explanation was necessary.
I understood why it was classified as top-secret.
No one spoke of it, but everyone knew.
I burned this moment into my eyes.
Moments later.
CA1, the private jet of China’s Chairman, touched down on the runway.
The engine noise faded, and the massive fuselage came to a stop.
The aircraft door opened, and Wei Zhonglin stepped into view.
I stood waiting in front of him.
Wei Zhonglin descended the stairs, pulled me into a light embrace, and whispered in my ear.
“Is it even possible to call me out like this?”
His words were skeptical, but his expression held a hint of amusement.
As Chairman, this was an unprecedented departure from protocol.
“It’s nice to get some fresh air like this. Let’s go. To my home.”
I shrugged my shoulders as I spoke.
Wei Zhonglin let out a short laugh.
Everyone felt lighter with that single laugh.
The escort vehicles formed a massive convoy and began to move.
Through inventory, I had become a magnate of the black market.
199 – Invitation
E-book Publication
/ February 13, 2026
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/ Black Card
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/ Son Je-ho
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© Black Card, 2026
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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