I Became a Black Market Tycoon with an Inventory - Chapter 77

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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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077-New Business
77.
Incheon International Airport, first floor arrival hall.
Countless eyes converged on a single point.
Where people were looking, over a hundred individuals in formal suits were exiting the arrival hall.
And among them, Sandro wore an expression of leisure and composure.
Meanwhile.
The moment Sandro Group’s people entered the airport, those guarding the airport crumpled their expressions in disbelief.
“He really came.”
“It wasn’t a lie after all.”
“The godfather of the Philippines is really looking for a partner?”
“I need to report this right away.”
Not only police but informants from Seoul’s major criminal organizations confirmed the arrival of the Philippine godfather and began making calls in all directions.
They made phone calls, sent text messages, and transmitted photographs.
In the meantime, Sandro Group’s people boarded prepared vehicles and departed to somewhere.
It was the moment when the rumor about the Philippine godfather—dismissed as mere speculation—became reality.
******
“Hello. I’m Seo Dae-hun.”
A quiet Korean restaurant in Gangnam.
A low-slung traditional Korean-style building that seemed incongruous with Gangnam’s character, and a meticulously maintained garden.
The private access route immediately revealed this was a place frequented by high-ranking government officials.
At Seo Dae-hun’s respectful greeting, the police official’s expression became satisfied.
A nationwide gangster who unified Jeolla Province.
And a boss at that.
The fact that this boss was treating them with such deference felt quite pleasant.
However, he concealed such feelings and maintained the highest possible posture.
“Good to meet you.”
“I’m honored to meet you, sir.”
Moon Gang-su, a graduate of the Police Academy, had brought along the head of the Investigation Division of Seoul Metropolitan Police—the person with the highest rank within his connections.
He was the most senior person Moon Gang-su could reach.
A senior from his school days with whom he’d maintained considerable rapport.
Though the senior had refused several times,
Moon Gang-su’s persistent pleading finally secured this meeting.
“Anyway, what’s the reason you wanted to meet?”
“The food here is quite excellent. Shall we discuss while we eat?”
“I’d prefer to hear it before eating. If it’s an uncomfortable matter, the food won’t go down, will it?”
“It’s a matter that will benefit you as well, sir.”
“Whether it benefits me or not, I won’t know until I hear it. What is it?”
“We’re planning to expand into Seoul.”
“Into Seoul? Why Seoul? Could it be related to selecting a partner from the Philippines?”
“That’s correct. We should seize this opportunity as well.”
“It won’t be easy. There are many organizations eyeing this from all directions.”
“We’re aware. But surely we can’t just sit idle when the prize is this substantial?”
“If that’s your reasoning, then you don’t need my help or permission, do you? It doesn’t benefit me.”
“What I’m asking for comes after that.”
“After that?”
“Soon, Seoul will be drenched in blood.”
“We’re preparing for that as well.”
“Then please—do nothing and simply wait.”
“What?”
“If we try to stop those rushing in to fight, we’ll only end up fighting again later. On a much larger scale. So if you leave it to us, we’ll handle the conflict quietly among ourselves and settle everything cleanly.”
“Hah. The attempt was admirable. But can you actually pull it off?”
“We have to make it work. Whether Moon Gang-su mentioned it or not, the territories we manage remain remarkably peaceful. Criminal organizations belong in the shadows, not in the light. We’ll handle everything discreetly so it doesn’t draw attention.”
“That’s reassuring to hear, but this isn’t some backwater village in Jeolla Province. This is Seoul. Can you really manage Seoul?”
“We’ll make it possible. We’ll settle things in the least visible places possible. Finishing quickly and cleanly would be convenient for you as well, wouldn’t it?”
“Well, that’s true.”
“And once it’s settled, the ones we need to apprehend will be neatly packaged for you. All you need to do is make the arrests.”
“Ha ha ha ha. You expect me to believe that? Does the Dae-hoon Faction have that kind of capability?”
“We’ve made extensive preparations. Once the Dae-hoon Faction establishes itself in Seoul and grows, we won’t forget your kindness.”
The Investigation Chief paused to gather his thoughts.
From his position, there was nothing to lose.
After all, gangster conflicts were inevitable.
No organization could refuse five billion won dropping in annually.
The fighting itself was predictable.
The real issue was how to control it.
Seo Dae-hun was offering to handle that instead.
Let those who want to fight do so, and restrain those who need restraining.
In exchange, keep things quiet.
And even package up those to be arrested nicely.
“This feels like poison, but I can’t refuse it.”
“It’s not poison—it’s medicine. I’ll make it medicine for you.”
“Seo Dae-hun, was it?”
“Yes. Thank you for remembering.”
“I’ll be watching for now. You’d better handle this cleanly.”
“Don’t worry.”
“Now I can finally enjoy my meal in peace.”
“The attendants haven’t arrived yet. Since I’m leaving, please enjoy your meal together. I’ve arranged for the ladies to join you for a second round as well. Take your time and have a pleasant evening.”
Seo Dae-hun exchanged a subtle glance with Moon Gang-su sitting beside him.
Then, bowing respectfully once more, he carefully excused himself from the room.
As I stepped out onto the grass-covered courtyard, the tension that had made my body tremble finally began to ease.
I pulled out a cigarette and lit it.
Click.
Someone beside me lit it for me.
It was Geun-su.
“Did the conversation go well?”
“For now.”
Dae-hoon had asked the Police Officer to delay police deployment for one reason alone.
I needed to escalate the conflict.
By escalating the fighting, letting them bleed each other dry, and letting resentment fester, it would be easier for me to take over Seoul.
I also needed to plant the image that even if they fought, the police wouldn’t intervene.
No matter how much you fight, the police won’t come.
So fight freely.
Go all the way.
That was the impression I needed to create.
Only then would the fighting intensify.
The more intense the fighting, the greater the damage.
Now that recruitment was complete, all I had to do was spread rumors.
The rumor about the Philippine godfather entering had already spread everywhere.
It had become fact rather than mere rumor.
‘Several organizations are negotiating to become partners.’
‘Some organizations are thinking of going it alone.’
‘Some organizations have formed alliances with each other.’
‘Organization A is going to strike Organization B.’
These were the kinds of rumors to spread.
Organization members were already walking through bars, spreading these stories among themselves like casual jokes.
The hostesses working there, the waiters hearing those stories, would spread them far and wide.
Stories passed from mouth to mouth would become exaggerated and grow larger,
and uncertainty might arise—the fear that someone could strike their own organization.
Five hundred billion won a year.
With five hundred billion won, you could do anything.
As silence without explanation lengthens, fear grows,
and growing fear drives irrational behavior.
Rather than sitting still and waiting, they might strike first.
We would wait for that moment.
Now all we had to do was wait.
********
【Unseen Bohol, the hidden Bohol yet to be discovered】 Exhibition.
Thanks to the promotional push, the basement of the Emerald Hotel, where the exhibition opening was being held, was packed with people.
Not only business leaders from Bohol, but even the Provincial Governor of Bohol attended.
For a mere merchandise exhibition held at a hotel, it was an impressive turnout.
“Provincial Governor, thank you for attending.”
“Of course I had to come. Alex has done wonders for my reputation. I’m grateful.”
“Please, you’re too kind. It’s all because you’ve done such excellent work.”
“What have I done well? It’s thanks to people like you, the CEO, who support me.”
“You’re too generous with your praise.”
“Ah, and I was grateful for your help during the last election. It’s only now that I’m getting to greet you in person.”
“Don’t mention it. You must serve as Provincial Governor for a long time. That’s the only way Bohol will truly prosper, isn’t it?”
“Hahaha. Is that so?”
“That’s my belief.”
“By the way, the works you’re turning into merchandise are truly impressive. I saw the samples, and they were excellent.”
“Thank you. I put considerable thought into them.”
“I hope the merchandise industry thrives. When it does, our Bohol’s merchandise business will flourish even more, won’t it?”
“Exactly. That’s why I’m trying to create merchandise primarily from products manufactured here in Bohol.”
“That’s a genuinely brilliant idea. By the way, I had no idea such a space existed in the basement here.”
“Apparently it was originally meant for a casino. Since we’re not operating one, we left it empty.”
“I’m curious about something—why doesn’t Emerald Resort operate a casino business?”
“It’s not that we don’t want to. We’d need to obtain a license from PAGCOR, but they flatly stated they have no plans to issue one. Plus, our hotel’s classification and requirements are too borderline. So for now, we’ve essentially given up on it.”
“Is that so? Hmm… I think I might be able to help with that.”
“Really? Truly?”
“It would be such a waste to leave a magnificent space like this unused, wouldn’t it? Haha.”
.
.
.
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Patrick, the Mayor of Zamboanga.”
Patrick had also come to the exhibition.
This was my first time seeing Patrick since he took office as Mayor of Zamboanga.
I had returned to Bohol after only confirming his election victory.
Patrick, whom I was seeing after several months, now looked quite the politician.
With two or three aides behind him, he looked even more like one.
“Mayor, thank you for attending.”
“Thank you for inviting me. This exhibition seems to offer much for us in Zamboanga to see and learn from.”
What invitation?
When did I ever invite you?
I simply let you do your job as mayor to the best of your ability.
I never invited you.
“Haha. I’m glad it was helpful. If you need anything, we’ll actively participate in whatever projects Zamboanga undertakes.”
“That’s wonderful to hear. Would you have a moment to talk privately?”
Patrick spoke to me while seeming conscious of his aides behind him.
In truth, aside from key stakeholders, no one knew I had poured so much money into helping him win the election.
To his aides, I was probably just a hotel CEO.
Patrick seemed bothered by those aides.
I’d have to play along with him then.
“There’s a conference room over there. Would that work for you?”
“Yes. That’s more than sufficient as long as we can talk quietly.”
We moved to the conference room.
The aides tried to follow us in, but Patrick firmly refused them.
“Wait outside. Let me discuss things with the CEO first, and once we have a general outline, we’ll go over the details then.”
“Yes···.”
Once the conference room door closed and we were completely isolated from the outside, Patrick finally bowed respectfully to me.
“CEO. I apologize for my rudeness earlier.”
“Rudeness? Sit down.”
“These aides who follow me around meddle in everything so much it’s maddening. And they’re useless at their jobs too.”
“Patrick, you’re just too good. If you judge the world by your standards, the world will seem impossibly difficult.”
“The people working here are better than those guys.”
“Why not replace them then?”
“I’ve already replaced them several times. But they’re all the same. How did you manage to build such a kingdom with these kinds of people? Even thinking about it again, it’s nothing short of miraculous.”
“You did it all. I didn’t do anything.”
“That’s not true. I only did what you told me to do.”
“No. You did well, which is why this happened. Anyway, is there a reason you wanted to meet separately?”
“Of course there is.”
“What is it?”
“Start a Construction Company.”
“A Construction Company? Ugh, I hate that idea.”
“If you start a Construction Company···”
“No. Not now. We don’t have the money right now, there are all sorts of expenses coming up, and most importantly, there’s no one to manage it.”
“You don’t need to worry about those things.”
“What?”
“I’ll handle all the minor details. We just need to buy a decent Construction Company.”
“I said we don’t have the money.”
“Our city can guarantee it, and we can take out a loan. The bank director is already in the palm of our hand—what’s there to worry about? You just need to add one more Construction Company to your portfolio.”
“But why suddenly a Construction Company?”
“Ha ha. Isn’t the party I created for this election, Akbayan ng Katarungan, headed by me? Last time, major provincial governors and mayors gathered to discuss development projects in the Mindanao region. There’s so much work to do—from infrastructure projects to housing reconstruction to tourism development. It’s a business where money doesn’t just flow; it overflows. But how could I give such projects to someone else? And if you own a Construction Company, there will be many uses for it.”
“Still, a Construction Company seems too large···”
“I’ll handle everything. So you just need to know that you’re getting a Construction Company. For the details, you can contact Ana, right?”
“Yeah. Right now, Ana is the only one who can handle that.”
“And couldn’t we make Kang Jae-ho the representative?”
“Kang Jae-ho is skilled, but I’m not sure if he can adapt to the Philippine environment.”
“When we did the interior work at Emerald Resort last time, his charisma was incredible. If you give him the job, he’ll do well.”
“Can we really decide to buy a Construction Company just like this, sitting here?”
“You’re at a position now where that’s possible. One snap of your fingers and anything can happen.”
.
.
.
“The Young Boss really is a totem. Hehe, this is amazing.”
“What? What’s so amazing?”
Ana seemed delighted at the prospect of running both the Casino and the Construction Company simultaneously.
I couldn’t understand why she was happy when her workload would increase.
“Both of them. The Casino and the Construction Company. They’re both perfectly optimized for money laundering and creating slush funds. Other people would kill to have even one of these, but people keep bringing them to you.”
Wasn’t she worried about suddenly acquiring two massive businesses at once?
I was genuinely concerned.
“But are those two really that good?”
“Of course. They’re absolutely excellent. Want me to use the Casino as an example?”
“The Casino?”
“With a Casino, you rake in money as a basic function, and the Hotel’s rating goes up, but most importantly, money laundering becomes incredibly easy. The Casino’s secret weapon is ‘gaming revenue’—it solves everything.”
“Gaming revenue??”
“Look. Say you played at the Casino and won 4 million pesos—about 100 million won. Would the Casino hand that over in cash?”
“They wouldn’t give it in cash?”
“What if the amount was larger?”
“Huh?”
“40 million pesos—a billion won? Would they still hand that over in cash?”
“That would be problematic. The Casino needs to maintain its own cash reserves, and there’s the customer’s safety to consider when carrying that much money.”
“So the Casino converts winnings through various methods. They issue checks, create cards, provide certificates redeemable anytime at the Casino, or best of all—bank transfers.”
“Bank transfers?”
“Yes. Let me give you another scenario. Say you have 40 million pesos in illegal funds. That’s when you come to the Casino.”
“And then?”
“You convert it all to chips, play a bit, then ask for it to be deposited back into your account. Now it’s money you received from the Casino. Whether you win or lose doesn’t matter—what matters is creating a source for that money.”
“Ah, so it’s deposited under the Casino’s name, giving it a clear origin.”
“Exactly. It’s easy to verify the source. You won it at the Casino. What’s the problem?”
“That’s really clever.”
“Of course, since it’s such an obvious method, the AMLC and BSP are watching closely, but I can easily work around that level of scrutiny. So you absolutely must do this. Once it’s operational, not only does our fund scale increase, but we can handle smaller amounts directly through the Casino itself.”
“I see.”
“Should I explain the Construction Company too?”
“No, that’s fine. But is that one creative too?”
“Incredibly so. You’ve seen this before, haven’t you?”
“What?”
“Design changes.”
“Design changes?”
“For example, they’re building a road in Bohol. The construction cost is estimated at 400 million pesos—about 10 billion won. Work begins. But then bedrock appears, or the ground is too soft to build the road. So you need to change the design. And suddenly the construction costs skyrocket. Double, triple. The supervisors? They don’t pocket money directly—they just work around it and inflate the costs several times over. They extend the timeline to squeeze out more labor costs.”
“Wow, that’s really ingenious.”
“You’ve brought me two of these goldmines. So why wouldn’t I be happy?”
“But I don’t need slush funds···”
“It’s not about what you need, sir. It’s simply necessary. When you run a business, there are enormous amounts of money that can’t be recorded in the books. Until now, you’ve covered all of that from your personal funds. Not anymore. I’ll secure the money for you. Use it for that.”
“No. I···”
“Just accept what I’m giving you.”
As if I’d just acquired a toy I’d been longing for.
Like I’d finally gotten my hands on that coveted new handbag.
But the intensity of that satisfaction is rather excessive.
My eyes gleam with fervor.
Ana felt afraid for the first time.
It’s the kind of look that suggests I’d kill her if she refused to run the Casino and Construction Company.
Even if Ana is terrified, it seems she’ll have no choice but to run the Casino and Construction Company.
This is how another business venture gets added to the roster.

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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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