I Became a Black Market Tycoon with an Inventory - Chapter 30

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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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032-Macau
32.
I arrived at the Old Day Guard Training Center in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province.
I was scheduled to undergo four weeks of intensive bodyguard training here.
Among several options, I ultimately chose AllDayGuard.
There were several reasons why I selected AllDayGuard,
but first and foremost, they desperately needed me.
After that, we had several more phone calls,
and each time they expressed an earnest desire for me to join.
I figured it was better to work somewhere that actually needed me.
Second, they provided accommodation, so I had far fewer concerns.
Given the nature of bodyguard work, a client’s circumstances can make housing extremely unstable.
For that reason, AllDayGuard provides accommodation during operations.
Even outside of operations, they offer dormitory housing to those who want it.
The training center here is the same.
I had worried greatly about where to find a place to live,
but at least that burden was lifted for now.
The Old Day Guard Training Center consisted of one warehouse-like training building.
One dormitory building for lodging and meals.
And an outdoor training ground.
I received bodyguard training there alongside the newly hired recruits.
I called them recruits, but truthfully, I was the youngest among them.
The bodyguard training itself was similar to what I’d received in the military.
I had to constantly assess my surroundings and maintain situational awareness.
I had to observe people carefully and remain sensitive to scents, sightlines, and sounds.
Meanwhile, I had to maintain a certain distance so the client wouldn’t feel uncomfortable,
and I always had to know the escape routes.
But that wasn’t all.
We conducted extensive vehicle-based protection drills.
In modern security work, vehicle-based protection was absolutely critical.
We practiced protecting clients using vehicles, evasive driving, and pursuit driving.
I had to operate cutting-edge equipment I’d never seen in the military.
Computers were standard, along with CCTV operation, metal detectors, communication equipment, and control of mechanical or security rooms.
Even drones, thermal imaging cameras, and RF detectors.
It was unfamiliar, but I found it genuinely engaging.
The key difference from military work, however, was this:
in the military, our objective was to locate enemies and eliminate them,
whereas in bodyguard work, the client’s safety and escape took absolute priority over elimination.
Even if I could neutralize every threat in a location,
if the client got hurt in the process, that protection detail was a failure.
The entire process proved more enjoyable than expected, and I learned quickly.
.
.
“Welcome. I’m the Alpha Team leader, Bae Hyun-seok.”
“Hello. I’m Gong In-bae, newly assigned to Alpha Team.”
“Glad to have you on our team. Let’s get along well.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Shall we head over?”
Today was the day Alpha Team gathered.
It was our first meeting after completing the previous project—a protection detail—and taking three days of rest.
Team Leader Bae and I met in his office, exchanged brief greetings, and then entered the conference room together.
The conference room resembled a study café’s meeting space.
One long table, eight chairs.
One projector.
And four men were already seated in those chairs.
Team Leader Bae Hyun-seok spoke naturally as he looked at them.
“Did you rest well?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Three days off is too short.”
“You never know when you’ll get time off, so make the most of it. This is your first time here, right?”
“Yes.”
“Everyone, let’s welcome our new vice-leader, Gong In-bae, who just received his assignment. Give him a hand.”
Clap, clap, clap.
Halfhearted applause barely filled the small conference room.
The moment he introduced me as vice-leader, the way they looked at me shifted noticeably.
“Hello everyone. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Gong In-bae.”
“We can do introductions later. Let’s focus on the new project first.”
As the Team Leader spoke, the conference room lights dimmed and the projector powered on.
“Han Min-su. Third-generation heir of KL Group. You know who he is, right?”
“Damn, not him.”
“I heard someone had a rough night’s sleep.”
“Our luck just went downhill.”
“Of all people to draw.”
I’d never seen this man before, but they seemed familiar with him.
“Vice-leader, is this your first time?”
“Yes.”
“Haven’t you seen him on TV?”
“I don’t watch much TV.”
“He’s a face that pops up in the social pages occasionally. Han Min-su, third-generation heir of KL Group—think of him as someone who commits every possible misconduct a group heir can. Drunk driving is just the baseline. Violence, sexual harassment, drugs—there’s probably far more we don’t know about. And his specialty? Abusing his power.”
From the Team Leader’s brief but impactful introduction, I could immediately grasp who Han Min-su was.
Just some trash bastard with money, right?
Not even his own money—just some kid born with a silver spoon because his family had accumulated wealth. Nothing more.
“But Team Leader, doesn’t Han Min-su already have a dedicated security team?”
“He does. But they all got fired after that assault incident last time. So we hastily assembled a new team, but Han Min-su doesn’t trust them. Says he can’t rely on them.”
“So we’re protecting him instead?”
“That’s right.”
“It’s not a long-term assignment, is it? What’s the destination?”
“Macau.”
“Team Leader, can’t our team take on a different project? I’d rather handle something dangerous. I really can’t stand that bastard.”
“Since when did we start being picky about clients?”
“But if we’re Alpha Team, shouldn’t we at least get that consideration? We handle all the difficult jobs—surely we can skip the distasteful ones, right?”
“There’s no other available team right now. If not us, there’s no one else to take Han Min-su. Are you saying we should turn down the contract?”
“…”
“I understand how you all feel. The last incident was serious. I’ve already conveyed our concerns to Han Min-su’s side, so it should be better, right? Besides, it’s only a three-night, four-day assignment. Once we’re there, he’ll be glued to the casino anyway. We just need to escort him around. It’s not bad at all. As far as missions go, it’s quite easy. And honestly, Han Min-su isn’t even an important figure. He just needs security because he can’t move without it—no one’s even targeting him. Take it easy.”
“But we can’t just slack off on security, can we?”
“Fair point.”
Everyone seemed deeply dissatisfied with Han Min-su being the next project.
And the Team Leader skillfully soothed his disgruntled team members.
“Anyway, the next project is confirmed as Han Min-su, so keep that in mind and prepare accordingly. Departure is in a week.”
“Understood.”
As the meeting ended, the team members rushed out en masse. The Team Leader shook his head in exasperation at the sight, but he too left the conference room quietly without another word.
I was left alone in the empty conference room.
Is this really how it should be on my first day?
Aren’t we all on the same team?
A bitter laugh escaped me.
I hadn’t done anything,
and all I’d done was attend this meeting, yet I felt despised by the team.
But I couldn’t just sit in an empty conference room forever.
After organizing my documents and heading out, I found Alpha Team gathered in front of the vending machine.
All four of them, excluding the Team Leader.
“Hyun-seok, are you really going to let this slide?”
“What else can I do?”
“You have to do something. Since you keep quiet, those bastards think it’s natural, and they’re treating you however they want, aren’t they?”
“Dong-hyun, watch your words.”
“Did I say something I shouldn’t have? How long have you been grinding in Alpha Team? Of course the deputy leader position should’ve gone to you if it was vacant—why bring in someone from outside? And the guy’s only twenty-four? How does it make sense to put some punk like that as deputy leader?”
“Stop it.”
The man called Hyun-seok told him to stop, but his actions didn’t reflect it.
“Dong-hyun’s right. We need to protest this strongly. Honestly, I’m disappointed in the Team Leader too. Even if he brings someone from outside, the Team Leader should have refused. How can he just accept it like that?”
“That’s right. This is the Team Leader’s fault.”
“Twenty-four is younger than me. Honestly, I find it hard to accept you as a deputy team leader.”
“Regardless, we can’t just let this incident slide.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
“We’ll do whatever it takes. Either we drive that bastard out, or I leave.”
Listening to their conversation, I realized they were misunderstanding something about me.
They thought I was a parachute hire—someone planted from above.
They didn’t know I was only here for five months to learn.
After five months, I’d form my own team and leave.
I briefly considered whether I should explain myself.
But did I really need to explain anything to these bastards?
They jumped to their own conclusions,
so why should I be the one to clear it up?
Why should I?
Let them misunderstand if they want.
It wasn’t my concern.
.
.
.
From the next day onward, we trained according to different scenarios.
Airport security, casino security, vehicle escort operations.
Because Alpha Team had years of experience,
their movements were perfectly synchronized,
but I stood out awkwardly, unable to blend in.
“Let’s try again.”
The Team Leader spoke up.
But problems kept arising repeatedly.
It wasn’t a matter of skill—it was a matter of positioning.
Someone kept blocking my path.
.
.
Departure day.
I dressed in formal attire from morning and headed to the office.
The uniform for duty was formal wear,
and the only suit I owned was a luxury brand I’d bought years ago during a leave.
I wore that anyway.
I couldn’t exactly go without it.
When I arrived at the assembly point, my teammates were already gathered.
They all looked surprised when they saw me.
Even the Team Leader seemed taken aback.
Luxury brands really do make a difference.
We waited for the car to pick us up,
when the Team Leader quietly approached and whispered something in my ear.
“Vice Team Leader, I understand the outfit suits you well, but please wear ordinary clothes instead of designer brands when working.”
“Oh, I apologize. I didn’t know. This is all the clothing I have.”
“Let’s overlook it this time. Just do better from now on.”
The Team Leader patted my shoulder,
and just then the car arrived, so we got in and departed.
Usually when we conduct operations domestically, we drive ourselves,
but when going overseas, they sometimes provide transportation to the airport.
Hannam-dong.
One SUV and one luxury sedan entered the apartment complex.
Someone in the distance waves their hand.
“That’s Choi Secretary over there. We can stop right in front of him.”
The car pulled up in front of Choi Secretary, and we all got out to wait for the client.
As we exited, Choi Secretary came running toward the Team Leader.
“Team Leader Bae, thank you for your hard work.”
“Not at all. You’re always the one working hard, Choi Secretary.”
“Please take good care of our director.”
“Pardon?”
“I wish I could go with you, but there’s something urgent I need to handle at the company. It’s nothing much, but please grab a meal while you’re out.”
Choi Secretary pulled an envelope from his pocket and discreetly slipped it into Team Leader Bae’s pocket.
The flustered Team Leader looked at Choi Secretary with an exasperated expression.
Choi Secretary avoided that look and picked up his phone to take a call.
“Yes. Director. You’ve come down? Yes, yes, I’m right out front.”
“The director is coming out.”
At Choi Secretary’s words, we immediately shifted into professional mode.
We opened the waiting car door and remained vigilant for any potential threats in the vicinity.
Shortly after, the apartment’s main entrance opened and Director Han Min-su emerged.
A pristinely fair complexion, radiant with elegance.
A bright, carefree expression—as if never having experienced hardship.
Perfectly groomed hair, a face bearing a gentle smile.
Cotton pants and a cardigan stylishly coordinated.
Upon stepping out, she greeted us warmly.
“Nice to see you~”
“We’ll escort you.”
As the Team Leader began escorting her, our eyes met.
“Ooh~~ Dior!!”
“Wow~~ there are bodyguards wearing Dior these days.”
“That’s fun. You ride in here.”
The original arrangement was for only the Team Leader to ride in the sedan, with the rest of us in the SUV,
I found myself climbing into the sedan as well.
The moment we pulled away, Han Min-su spoke up.
“Let’s swing by Sangam-dong on the way. Someone wants to come to Macau with me—Kang Ye-eun, you know her, right? The one from that weekend drama series. We’ve gotten pretty close lately, and she asked if she could tag along.”
He said this ridiculous thing with a bright, carefree smile.
He’d insisted on a tight schedule because he hated waiting at the airport for hours, yet now he wanted to detour to Sangam-dong.
He was asking us to stop in Sangam-dong on the way.
We had two hours until the flight departed.
But stopping in Sangam-dong would be cutting it dangerously close.
Still, I couldn’t say no here.
I couldn’t object.
The Team Leader quickly radioed the lead vehicle.
“We have an additional stop. Additional stop—we’re making a detour through Sangam-dong. Given the tight departure window, please proceed with maximum speed.”
Before the Team Leader even finished his transmission, the car lurched forward.
The Team Leader’s face was already etched with worry.
Ah, so this is what they mean by abuse of power.
Abuse of power delivered with such a genuinely bright expression.
His face seemed to ask: Why would this even be a problem?
Such utterly malice-free abuse of power.
In Han Min-su’s world, this was simply normal.
He lived in a world where all you had to do was speak.
How? Why should Han Min-su worry about the details?
That was the job of people who got paid to work—to figure it out and make it happen.
It wasn’t Han Min-su’s concern how it got done.
You just stopped by Sangam-dong on the way and picked someone up.
Then you got on the plane.
“What’s the problem? We’re going that way anyway, so what’s the difference?”
“Understood. We’ll move as quickly as possible.”
Just because you’re heading west doesn’t mean every route is on the way.
“By the way, I don’t think I’ve seen your face before, sir.”
“I was assigned today for the first time.”
“Your family must be doing well. To wear something like this? And you still look pretty young?”
“No, sir.”
“What do you mean ‘no’? Your family isn’t doing well? Or you’re not young?”
“…”
“Why aren’t you answering? Do you want me to tell you how much I have at home? I’m not even curious about that. It’s just small talk.”
“…”
“Why are you being so stiff? I’m trying to get closer to you. I like you, that’s why. Why are you putting up such a wall? You never know—you might end up being my personal guard.”
This bastard was saying things I didn’t want to imagine.
“Director, the road ahead is congested. We’ll need to take a detour. The car may shake quite a bit.”
“Ugh, I hate it when the car shakes.”
Only then do I grip the car’s handle and close my eyes.
Despite being a Maybach, the vehicle is speeding and swerving so violently that it rocks with each movement.
I’m bracing myself in my seat, inadvertently making the car shake even more.
Kang Ye-eun’s home—reached after running several red lights.
“Honey, I’m here. Come on down.”
“Got it.”
But five minutes pass, then ten, and she shows no sign of coming out.
The Team Leader gently urges me.
“Director. We really need to depart now. The flight window is extremely tight.”
“Why isn’t she coming out?”
“Hello? What? Why are you taking so long? What? The puppy won’t let go? Put it down and come on. We’re going to miss the flight.”
I hang up with a click, speaking as if for everyone’s benefit.
“The girl’s too soft-hearted. This is going to be a problem.”
Moments later, Kang Ye-eun emerges, struggling and grunting as she lugs a suitcase that looks larger than herself.
So celebrities really are different.
She’s definitely beautiful.
We immediately take the suitcase and load it into the trunk.
Once we confirm both passengers are aboard, we depart immediately.
We’ve mounted a light bar on top of the security vehicle.
It’s illegal, but there’s no choice.
Thinking the company will cover the fine anyway.
“Step on it.”
We arrive at the airport.
Moving straight to the check-in counter, we barely make the cutoff time.
Everyone else is breathing hard,
but only Han Min-su and Kang Ye-eun remain composed.
They’re chuckling away.
Do these bastards actually enjoy this?
We were genuinely terrified.
Missing that flight would’ve been catastrophic.
That’s why we drove like absolute maniacs to catch it.
So next time, they’ll assume this is the baseline, won’t they?
They’ll think two hours is plenty to swing by Sangam-dong and still make it to Incheon?
They’ll think we can shave even more time off?
My head’s already starting to pound.
But there’s an even more troublesome issue waiting.
Aboard the flight to Macau.
We gather briefly for an emergency briefing on security formations.
One-person protection and two-person protection operate under entirely different protocols.
Until now, we’ve only trained for one-person protection—guarding Han Min-su alone—
In the end, I had two people to protect.
I’d already taken money from Han Min-su, so I couldn’t just ignore Kang Ye-eun.
I hastily revised the route and schedule on the plane.
We arrived at Macau Airport.
A car was waiting for us at the hotel.
Before getting in, I did a quick inspection of the vehicle and headed to the hotel.
Unlike us, who were completely exhausted, Han Min-su and Kang Ye-eun headed straight to the casino, fresh as daisies.
Maybe it’s because they eat well as chaebol—their stamina is incredible.
We paired up in twos and quietly maintained security around Han Min-su and Kang Ye-eun.
Checking if there were any suspicious people nearby.
Checking if there were any threatening objects.
We remained in constant vigilance and observation.
Jung Dong-hyun, my partner, didn’t say a word to me, apparently displeased with my presence.
He simply kept watch over Han Min-su and the surrounding people in silence.
I had nothing to say either, so I maintained silence as well.
Whether Han Min-su knew of our efforts or not,
he grew increasingly irritated as he continued losing money.
“Damn it, what’s wrong with this? I keep losing.”
“Shouldn’t I win at least once with this kind of luck?”
“Damn it, nothing’s working. Screw it, I’m done. I’m done.”
Despite his words, his hands kept tapping the table, asking for more cards.
“Hey, Dior, go exchange this for chips.”
“Damn it, go exchange this too.”
“Are you running out of money?”
We rotated in two-hour shifts, rested, and resumed duty.
It wasn’t physically demanding work, but it was more exhausting than expected.
I had to constantly observe and assess my surroundings.
In my case, since this was my first shift,
I didn’t have the experience to know what deserved more attention
and what could be overlooked, making it even more difficult.
As our shift was ending and we prepared for the next rotation,
“Damn it, nothing’s working.”
Han Min-su crumpled the card.
“Oppa, I’m tired.”
“Should we stop for today?”
“Yeah, let’s rest today.”
“I’m calling it a day. Let’s head up.”
“Principal is moving.”
“No anomalies in route. Proceed directly to the room.”
“Copy that.”
We radioed that Han Min-su was on the move, and the standby team monitoring the channel confirmed the route was clear before instructing us to head straight to the suite.
As Han Min-su exited the Casino, he slipped me a piece of paper that resembled a business card.
It was coated in a shimmering violet finish.
Puzzled, I glanced at Han Min-su.
“Go to the address written there, and they’ll hand you an envelope. Just pick it up and bring it back.”
I caught Jung Dong-hyun’s eye briefly.
He gave a subtle nod.
I accepted the note and headed toward the address listed on it.
It was a Club not far from the Hotel.
When I tried to enter, the guards blocked my way.
I told them I was there to collect something and showed them the note Han Min-su had given me. They let me through.
They even escorted me inside.
Past the dance floor where crowds writhed to the music,
I descended into the Underground, where several private rooms lined the corridor.
Beyond them stretched a narrow passage barely wide enough for one person,
which opened into another Bar.
Countless bottles of liquor were displayed on the shelves,
and before them sat a woman in a cheongsam.
She examined the note in my hand, then handed me a paper envelope.
Her gaze immediately shifted away from me.
Our business was concluded.
Or so she thought.
“Is it possible to buy more?”
“If you have the money.”
“What about a trade?”
“Can we do a barter exchange?”

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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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