Chapter 8: Do You Finally Understand How Terrifying the World Can Be?
Near Sillim Station, there was a charcoal-grilled meat restaurant.
“Dae-woon! Over here, you rascal!”
A man in a black shirt sitting in the corner waved enthusiastically.
“Sang-cheol hyung! How many years has it been? How have you been?”
“How many years indeed! It’s been almost four years. You left all of a sudden saying you were going to catch tuna, and I haven’t seen you since.”
Cha Sang-cheol.
He was like an older brother who grew up with me in the nursery during my childhood. Among the tough and violent older brothers in the nursery, he was truly one of the few decent people.
After he went on an ocean fishing ship, we lost contact, but until then, we had been in regular touch.
“By the way, have you become more handsome? You used to have a fierce look and were full of hostility, but now it’s the complete opposite.”
“You should try sailing on a tuna ship for four years, then you’ll understand. If it doesn’t change you, that would be strange.”
“Haha. Even if I were beaten to death, I couldn’t handle being on a ship. I’m naturally prone to seasickness. Anyway, let’s have some real soju for the first time in a while. Hey, Ahjumma! Bring us three servings of pork belly and a bottle of soju. Make it fresh!”
With that, Sang-cheol hyung and I caught up over soju glasses, reminiscing about old times we hadn’t shared in years.
“Ah… back in the day, this soju used to be so bitter, but I guess I’ve aged. Now, it tastes sweet.”
“Don’t lie. I know you’ve been drinking since middle school.”
“Haha… really? Hey! Back then, I didn’t even know the taste of alcohol, I just drank recklessly to act tough. Kekeke. Did I ever tell you about the time Young-tak got so drunk and wet himself?”
Even after four years, Sang-cheol hyung was still a chatterbox.
But thanks to his talent in storytelling, we were able to enjoy a pleasant evening without any awkwardness after a long time.
“Did you get what I asked you to?”
“Oh, goodness. Let me get my head straight. I almost forgot the most important thing. Wait a moment.”
Sang-cheol hyung took out a file from his bag and handed it to me.
“That guy you wanted me to look into, he’s quite a shady character, I must say. Seems like all there is about him are rumors and gossip. You’ll find all the related information in this file.”
“Wow! Thanks, hyung. They weren’t lying when they said you’re a skilled private investigator.”
Currently, Sang-cheol hyung’s profession was a private investigator.
He had initially aimed to become a police officer, but after getting into a fight while helping a friend during a drunken brawl, he ended up being sentenced to imprisonment, and naturally, his dream of becoming a policeman was shattered.
However, with his positive attitude, Sang-cheol hyung decided to pursue a career as a private investigator, reasoning that it was similar, and he was said to be quite respected in the industry.
“A skilled investigator huh… It’s always chasing after cheating spouses and taking pictures from behind. Anyway, why did you want information on that guy?”
Since Sang-cheol hyung was also from the same nursery, I filled him in on what had happened at the Sapling Nursery.
“What? You met such a scumbag? He dared to say such things to the kids and the nursery director?”
With a grim expression, Sang-cheol hyung’s demeanor shifted as he unbuttoned one of his shirt’s buttons and roughly emptied his glass.
“What did you find out?”
“He’s trash. And not even recyclable, just straight-up trash. He’s known in the industry as the leader of a pretty famous real estate speculation organization.”
“Can you elaborate?”
“Among his illegal activities, using someone else’s identity for tax evasion purposes is just the tip of the iceberg. He’s also involved in illegal transactions of development rights, illegal construction in restricted development areas, violation of special laws in development restricted areas, rental fraud and more. Just think of any bad deeds you can do in this field, and he’s probably done them all. He’s likely acquired the nursery property illegally to get agricultural land acquisition qualifications.”
“If the information you provided is accurate, it’s a big deal… Can we get him punished with this information?”
“Sure, but damn, the law is so messed up. Real estate speculation gets you nothing more than a slap on the wrist with a few hundred thousand won in fines. Even if he makes a profit of 50 million won from illegal pre-sale rights, the fine he’ll end up paying only around 300. And this guy… he has connections in high places, maybe even with members of parliament. Getting him to court… Honestly, it won’t be easy. Ugh, this sucks.”
Sang-cheol hyung, having roughly emptied his soju glass, leaned closer and spoke in a low voice.
“But there’s still a way out.”
“What is it? What’s the method?”
“By combining all the criminal charges against him, we can increase the chances of a successful prosecution. If we group together illegal speculation, lease scams, violations of real estate anonymity laws, and tax evasion, there’s no doubt that he will be sent to prison, isn’t there?”
“Then why not just do that?”
Sang-cheol hyung shook his head at my words.
“No way, you naive fool. That guy has nothing but money. He’ll probably hire a top-notch legal team right away. With money, those lawyers will either fabricate new crimes or make existing ones disappear. In reality, getting a conviction will be challenging. Damn, what a corrupt world we live in. Let’s just have a drink.”
Pouring more soju into Sang-cheol hyung’s empty glass, I asked once again.
“Is there really no way? I don’t want to settle for just a few hundred in fines.”
“There’s one way to completely shut them down, though it’s not realistic.”
“What’s that?”
“Using the media. Stir up public opinion fiercely. If that happens neither the police nor the lawyers can act recklessly. With the whole nation watching closely, who would dare to pull any tricks? But you know, it’s easier said than done… That kind of thing would need significant coverage from major media outlets. And do you think those guys would do it for free? They know that messing with the wrong lawyers could be a headache.
As I listened to Sang-cheol hyung’s words, something clicked in my mind.
“Ah, let’s stop talking about this. It’s killing the mood.”
“But still, thanks, hyung. You’ve been a tremendous help. Give me your account number. I’ll cover the consulting fees.”
At my words, Sang-cheol hyung’s expression hardened.
“This guy… What does he take me for? He used to act all tough, catching tuna like his life depended on it, and now he’s asking for consulting fees from someone who’s just paid off his debts? Besides, I owe you a favor too. Just think of it as a favor between friends, you punk.”
During the days when I was obsessed with cryptocurrency, there was a time when Sang-cheol hyung desperately asked me for a loan when my assets had grown to 100 million won. It was because his mother, whom he reunited with as an adult, had been in a major accident and needed immediate surgery. Without hesitation, I transferred 8 million won to him. Of course, he repaid the money, but Sang-cheol hyung still made it a habit to express his gratitude.
Among all his acquaintances, I was the only one who readily lent him money.
“Thanks, hyung.”
“If you’re thankful, let’s drink like this occasionally. Being a private investigator might seem cool on the surface, but it’s a damn lonely job.”
That’s how Sang-cheol hyung and I shared drinks until dawn.
***
A few days later, at a small cafe near the entrance to Hanguk University.
“Excuse me… Are you Mr. Song Dae-woon?”
“Yes, that’s me, Song Dae-woon.”
“Pleasure to meet you.”
A man with a slim build and horn-rimmed glasses handed me his business card.
[Kim Min-woo, owner of the YouTube channel ‘King Reporter Kim Min-woo’]
Kim Min-woo, aka King Reporter.
He was a former journalist turned YouTuber with 800,000 subscribers. He ran a personal channel where he uploaded investigative reports, and he was particularly famous for his YouTube channel where he exposed scammers.
“I don’t really have a business card.”
“That’s okay. Please, have a seat for now.”
As two iced Americanos were placed on the table, the conversation began earnestly.
“I carefully reviewed the contents you sent via email. I even cross-checked from various angles, and it seems like there’s enough material to work with.”
“Is that so?”
Even in the vast ocean that appears to be an endless abyss, there are paths.
These paths are called ‘sea routes’, and ships can move more safely and efficiently by following these routes.
However, in the vast sea, there’s no such thing as ‘absolute certainty.’
It’s a place where variables can arise unexpectedly.
And skilled captains, when encountering such variables, sometimes venture off the established ‘sea routes’ to explore new ones.
I took out a document file from my bag.
“Here’s additional information. It appears to be a highly organized group involved in fraudulent lease schemes.”
Skimming through the documents, Kim Min-woo muttered in amazement.
“Wow… where did you get this information? It’s impressive. I suppose there is not much for me to do here.”
It was Sang-cheol hyung’s work.
He had thrown himself into this task, setting aside everything else in anger when he learned that the Sapling Nursery was on the verge of disappearing. The result was this document.
The guy named Ma Sung-jun turned out to be even more despicable than I had imagined.
It turned out that Ma Sung-jun was the ringleader of an organization that targeted college students and young professionals in fraudulent lease schemes.
“I hope this tip-off will be helpful to the victims who might shed tears of blood.”
“It’s truly fortunate to have someone as righteous as you, Mr. Song.”
Kim Min-woo’s eyes sparkled with determination.
“Don’t worry. I always carry a sense of duty as a journalist in my heart. I’ll make sure to expose this matter to the world and bring this scammer to justice.”
“That’s all we need. Thank you for your assistance.”
Then Kim Min-woo left, and the next day at 6 p.m.
Three videos were simultaneously uploaded to the ‘King Reporter Kim Min-woo’ YouTube channel.
[The Villa King, Master of Fraudulent Leases, Ma***. How He Preys on Youth.]
“Do you know that damage caused by fraudulent lease scams has been exploding, reaching 100 billion won per month? It’s said that behind it all is a man known as the Villa King, Ma***. His ruthless methods are…”
The next day, another video was uploaded,
[We Interviewed University Students Who were Directly Victimized by Fraudulent Leases.]
And the day after that, yet another video appeared,
[We Must Catch Ma***, the Leader of the Organization, Not Just the Pawns.]
These videos quickly became a ‘hot topic’ with skyrocketing views.
“That scammer should have all his assets seized, buried in debts and even passed on to his descendants to pay off.”
“What’s the police doing? They need to stop dragging their feet and catch these scammers quickly.”
“How can they crack down so hard on petty crimes like illegal parking, but leave landlords like that unchecked?”
“He should be sentenced to death. Murderers might kill one or two people, but people like him indirectly kill dozens of young people.”
“Why are the police just standing by when it’s clearly a case of fraud? Is it up to YouTubers to uncover this kind of thing?”
With a satisfied smile, I scrolled through each comment on the video.
“This guy really knows how to do his job well,” I remarked.
But this wasn’t the end.
The fluttering of a butterfly’s wings across the sea could turn into a typhoon on its return.
As public opinion grew fierce, the police hurriedly launched an investigation.
Politicians also began to see this issue as a way to gain support from the 2030 generation, and they quickly started to address the problem seriously, exerting pressure on the prosecution and senior police officials to escalate the case.
And in the end…
[Finally Captured: Suspect Ma***, Involved in Multi-Billions Won Fraudulent Lease Schemes, Arrested After One Month Investigation.]
[Prime Minister Kim Deok-soo: “Fraudulent Lease Offenders Will Be Pursued to the Ends of the Earth and Punished Severely.”]
[Assemblyman Choi Joon-soo: “Proposes Three Bills for Preventing Fraudulent Leasing by the Villa King, Promises Stringent Punishment for Those Involved.”]
The familiar silhouette of a man being escorted away by the police was broadcast on the news.
“Mister, do you finally realize how terrifying the world can be?”
Watching the TV, I echoed his words back to him.
It was said that all the real estate assets owned by Ma Sung-joon would either go to auction or to a trust company.
I couldn’t help but think that if I hadn’t bought the land of the nursery in advance, I would have been in big trouble.
Thanks to that, I felt like I could stretch my legs and sleep well tonight.
“I feel good. I should order some pig trotters to celebrate today.”
So, I enjoyed my own self-congratulatory party in the rundown motel room.
***
The next day. I left the motel early in the morning and took the subway headed somewhere.
After a long journey, I arrived at my destination.
[Noda-ji Real Estate Agency]
It was time for me to move out of the stuffy motel and find my own place.
A home I had only dreamed of since childhood.
