How a Salaryman Became an Underworld Boss

Toward evening.

Following behind Chairman Park Yeongil, I entered the estate grounds. In the garden, Cha Hyeonji and Saho were happily playing together.

Against the backdrop of the crimson-tinted evening sky, the scene was so enchanting that it looked as though it had come straight out of a painter’s masterpiece.

The moment Saho spotted me, as always, he came charging over at full speed and leaped directly into my arms.

Cha Hyeonji, who had been running a short distance behind the cat, respectfully bowed to Chairman Park Yeongil.

”Good evening, Chairman. Have you been well?”

”Very well, of course. But why have you been visiting me so rarely?”

Since Cha Hyeonji was my younger sister, Chairman Park had spoken to her casually from the very first time they met.

And Hyeonji herself considered such an informal manner from an elderly man to be perfectly natural.

”I’m very sorry. I’ve been so busy with my midterm exams that I haven’t even had a chance to lift my head.”

”I see. That’s certainly a respectable reason. I was thinking of grilling some premium marbled beef over at the pavilion. You don’t mind, do you?”

At that very moment, something completely unexpected happened.

The instant Saho heard the word ”beef,” he completely lost his mind with excitement and launched himself straight at Chairman Park Yeongil.

The old man had never expected such an attack. He let out a startled cry and fell flat onto the garden lawn.

”Oh!”

Alarmed, we rushed toward the fallen Chairman. Meanwhile, the culprit behind the entire commotion realized what he had done and had already fled to hide some distance away.

We carefully helped Chairman Park Yeongil to his feet, supported him as we escorted him to the pavilion, and seated him on a bench. I anxiously asked,

”Chairman, are you hurt? Are you all right?”

”I’m fine. I was simply startled.”

”Thank goodness.”

While I was breathing a sigh of relief, Saho quietly crawled over, flattened himself against the ground, and adorably stretched out at Chairman Park Yeongil’s feet.

The old man gently stroked the cat’s head, forgiving him without the slightest trace of resentment.

Unfortunately, I had absolutely no intention of letting the little rascal off so easily.

Showing no mercy whatsoever, I gave Saho a solid smack on the back of the head.

Smack!

”You foolish cat! Do you have any idea how old the Chairman is?”

...

”You’d better behave properly next time!”

Saho obediently nodded his head up and down, making it clear that he understood the lesson.

After the commotion finally settled down, Chairman Park quietly said,

”Director Cha, there’s still some time before dinner. Shall we take a little walk?”

We followed Chairman Park Yeongil as he leisurely strolled through the most secluded corners of his enormous garden. Following his silent lead, we eventually reached the perimeter fence, where I noticed a small, neatly built gate.

”Huh? Since when was there a gate here?”

While I wondered to myself, Chairman Park walked directly toward it. Hyeonji and I exchanged confused glances before quietly following behind him.

The moment the old man gave a slight nod, Chief Secretary Kang Inhan immediately stepped forward and politely opened the gate.

Chairman Park Yeongil turned toward me, smiled at my thoroughly bewildered expression, and said,

”That house belongs to me as well.”

”Oh... I see.”

”Then let’s go inside and have a look.”

The moment we stepped through the gate, we found ourselves inside another beautiful, meticulously maintained garden.

It was somewhat smaller than Chairman Park’s own garden, but it was maintained to absolute perfection—not a single weed could be seen.

Perhaps the only distinctive feature was the fairly spacious vegetable garden off to one side.

Beyond the garden stood a mansion every bit as large as Chairman Park Yeongil’s own residence.

Unable to suppress my curiosity any longer, I finally asked,

”Chairman... who lives here now?”

”Let’s go inside first. I’ll explain everything there.”

Leaving behind that intriguing answer, Chairman Park headed toward the mansion’s entrance.

The moment I stepped inside, I felt a strange sense of emptiness.

Nearly all of the furniture, including the sofas, had been carefully covered with protective plastic sheets.

Chief Secretary Kang Inhan approached one of the sofas and neatly removed its cover, releasing the unmistakable scent of expensive, finely crafted leather into the air.

Chairman Park took the seat of honor, while Hyeonji, Secretary Kang, and I sat beside him.