How a Salaryman Became an Underworld Boss

”When did you get back from the States, Commissioner Choi?”

As if trying to chase away his fatigue, Commissioner General Choi Dongyeong of the National Police Agency emptied his cup of coffee in one gulp before answering Chairman Yoon Jongu’s question.

”Last night.”

”You must still be exhausted from the flight, not to mention the jet lag. Wouldn’t it have been better to rest for a day or two?”

”I wish I could have. Unfortunately, something came up that couldn’t wait.”

”And what might that be? Let’s hear it.”

”What I’m about to tell you must remain absolutely confidential.”

”Secretary Song, check outside and then come back.”

”Yes, Chairman.”

As if he had read Yoon Jongu’s mind, Chief Secretary Song Dosok answered briefly, opened the office door, and stepped outside. Quite some time passed before he returned.

”Chairman, it’s clear. I’ve taken every precaution. Not even a mouse could slip through.”

”Excellent work. Now then, Commissioner Choi, go ahead.”

Choi Dongyeong instinctively glanced around before lowering his voice.

”I know why the FBI failed to capture Chen Zhihui alive.”

”What? And why was that?”

”The National Intelligence Service and our police secretly extracted him.”

”What?!”

Everyone present, myself included, was struck speechless.

The Korean police and intelligence service had secretly concealed Chen Zhihui. That was practically a crime in itself.

As though he had anticipated our reaction, the commissioner didn’t even blink.

”When you hear why we did it, you’ll understand.”

”Fine. We’re listening.”

”We obtained the Triad’s top-secret archives. They contain detailed maps of their bases and the structure of their intelligence network spread across the entire world. The value of those records is beyond measure.”

Only then did I fully understand the game Commissioner Choi Dongyeong and NIS Director Om Giyeon had been playing.

Chen Zhihui was the Triad’s second-in-command.

That meant he possessed an enormous amount of internal classified information.

If the FBI had captured him first, all the secret intelligence our police had gathered would have instantly lost its value.

Fearing exactly that, the police and the intelligence service had taken an insane risk and snatched him away right under the Americans’ noses.

To confirm my suspicion, I cautiously asked Commissioner Choi about it.

”Your deduction is absolutely correct, Director Cha.”

”I see. Where is he now?”

”He’s aboard a vessel in the Pacific Ocean that was prepared by our intelligence operatives.”

”Isn’t there a chance the American intelligence agencies will discover he was taken?”

”It’s been almost sixty hours since we moved him, and they still haven’t noticed anything.”

”That’s good to hear.”

”Director Cha, what do you think we should do with that bastard?”

I thought for a moment before replying.

”I think the decision should depend on how much information we can squeeze out of him.”

”His son, Chen Shao, already copied all the classified files from his computer.”

That meant whatever Chen Zhihui knew personally probably wouldn’t differ much from what we already had.

Before I could say anything else, Chairman Park Yeongil spoke first.

”Commissioner Choi, if there’s nothing left to get from the little bastard, is there any reason to keep him alive?”

”What does everyone else think?”

”I agree with Chairman Park,” Yoon Jongu said.

”I do as well...”

Even the stern Kang Inhan shared the same opinion.

But I saw things differently.

”I think keeping him alive isn’t such a bad idea.”

”Why?”

”He’s locked in a vicious struggle with his rival, Wei Chen, for control of the Triad. If we dump Chen Zhihui into the Pacific, Wei Chen will take over the entire organization without lifting a finger.”

”And why is that a problem?”

”If Wei Chen succeeds without resistance, he’ll preserve and even strengthen the Triad’s existing power.”

Only then did Choi Dongyeong grasp what I truly meant.

To weaken the Triad, Cha Jiham intended to force Chen Zhihui and Wei Chen into an endless struggle for supremacy.

And for that to happen, Chen Zhihui absolutely had to stay alive.

I asked the commissioner directly what he thought.

”You’re right, Director Cha. But there’s one essential condition.”

”What is it?”

”Chen Zhihui must never learn who actually saved him.”

”Why hide it?”

”Imagine the FBI eventually catches him anyway. What happens if he breaks under interrogation and admits the Korean police and intelligence service helped him?”

Just imagining the possibility made Choi Dongyeong shudder.