Chapter 29: We’ll Have a Time to Gather Again Soon

The three men each had different expressions.

Kang Cheol-min looked back and forth between the bundle of cash in front of him and my face, as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Ha-ha, my goodness! Are you saying all this money is mine? Wow, we really made it big this time! I’ll serve you faithfully from now on!”

True to his personality, he looked ready to dance with joy as he hugged the bundle of cash.

Even for someone like him, who had made his living as a broker on the streets of Myeong-dong, this seemed to be the first time he’d ever received such a large sum.

Meanwhile, Yoon Ji-seong adjusted his glasses and calmly stared at the bundle in front of him.

Though his face gave little away, the faint trembling at his fingertips and the subtle twitch of his lips betrayed the turmoil stirring inside him.

“……Are you really giving us this much money?”

It seemed he was less shocked by the amount itself and more by my ability and boldness in handing over such a sum without hesitation.

Lastly, Ma Dong-jin simply looked down silently at the money in front of him.

There was almost no change in his expression, but in the slightly deepened gaze, I could sense a swirl of emotions crossing his mind.

He seemed to be thinking not about the money, but about me—the man who had led this operation to success and kept his promises.

After a moment, he quietly packed the bundle into his bag and bowed deeply toward me.

Watching their differing reactions, I spoke softly.

“You’ve all worked hard. I hope this money serves as a small token of gratitude for your efforts.”

The once-gentle atmosphere froze instantly with my next words.

“I knew from the start that you three had been reporting my every move to Master Yang.”

Their faces turned pale.

The joy that had overwhelmed Kang Cheol-min moments earlier vanished without a trace, and Yoon Ji-seong pretended to adjust his glasses again, unable to hide his panic.

Only Ma Dong-jin remained motionless, silently staring at me.

These three had originally been Yang Sobo’s men.

Under his orders, they were tasked to both assist and keep an eye on me.

But I wanted to make these capable men mine—my sword and shield, loyal only to me.

“After working with you all this time, I’ve realized I want us to continue together. Your abilities and dedication have been a great help to me. However……”

Letting my words trail off, I slowly looked each of them in the eye. My gaze was cold and firm.

“If you plan to keep sending reports about me to Master Yang, then our relationship ends here. Choose. Will you remain his watchers, or will you become Baek Min-woo’s men?”

A heavy silence fell over the office.

The three exchanged nervous glances, none daring to speak first.

It was Kang Cheol-min who broke the silence, wiping the sweat from his brow as he stammered out an excuse.

“Well… we—we were just following the master’s orders. There was no other intent, really. Honestly, after working with you, I was deeply impressed. Seeing you set up and pull off something this huge—I truly came to respect you.”

Next was Yoon Ji-seong. Adjusting his glasses again, he spoke in a calm but trembling voice.

“I feel the same. At first, I was skeptical, to be honest. But as I watched everything unfold, I was struck by your insight and decisiveness. I did report to the master, yes, but that was simply my assigned duty. Now, I want to properly work under you.”

Finally, Ma Dong-jin opened his mouth.

Though his expression hardly changed, his voice was heavier and more serious than ever.

“I owe the master a great debt. His orders are not something I can easily defy. But while working with you, I’ve seen a different kind of potential. If you’re willing to take me in, I’ll follow only your commands from now on. This is my oath.”

I met each of their eyes in turn, trying to read their sincerity. I couldn’t completely trust their words.

But what mattered more than their true intentions was that I had been given the chance to make them mine.

“Good. I’ll speak with Master Yang myself. From today on, you’re no longer watchers—you’re Baek Min-woo’s men.”

The three bowed deeply.

Kang Cheol-min let out a breath of relief, Yoon Ji-seong regained his composure, and Ma Dong-jin remained expressionless as ever.

Their reactions differed, but the important part was the same—they all bowed to me.

“Take a rest until I call you again. We’ll have a time to gather again soon.”

“Yes.”

“Everyone except Ma Dong-jin, step out.”

Once the other two left, only Ma Dong-jin and I remained.

“Endure just three more days. That’s when the dollar exchange will take place.”

“Understood. But… I have to report to Zhang Wei every day. What should I do about that?”

He was volunteering information I hadn’t even asked about.

That was proof enough—Ma Dong-jin had truly switched sides.

“Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”

“Yes, understood.”

It was time to settle things directly with Yang Sobo.

Yang Sobo’s office. Outside, the sky had already sunk into deep darkness.

“What brings you here this time?”

Yang Sobo asked, setting down his teacup.

“I’ve arranged the deal with old Han. Three days from now.”

“You mean the currency exchange.”

“Yes. As promised, excluding the two hundred million won I’ll be returning to you, I plan to exchange all of my profits into dollars.”

Yang Sobo silently nodded. His expressionless face betrayed no emotion.

“Very well. Handle it as you see fit.”

“Thank you. And…”

I paused for a moment, locking eyes with him before getting to the point.

“I have one more request.”

“A request?”

“The three men you assigned to me—Kang Cheol-min, Yoon Ji-seong, and Ma Dong-jin—please give them to me fully.”

At my bold demand, Yang Sobo’s eyes widened.

A flicker of surprise crossed his face.

“What did you say?”

“I knew from the start that those three were both assisting and reporting my every move to you.”

His expression went blank again. A chilling silence filled the office.

He stared at me, as if trying to see straight through me, but I didn’t look away for even a second.

“Of course, I understand. It’s only natural you couldn’t fully trust an unknown youngster like me. But things are different now. I’ve already received their oaths of loyalty. So please, hand them over to me completely.”

Yang Sobo still said nothing, his face unreadable.

The longer his silence stretched, the thicker the tension grew.

“If you refuse, I’ll no longer work with them.”

I stated it firmly, leaving no room for doubt.

“I need men of my own. But I have no intention of keeping anyone by my side who serves another master and watches me.”

Throughout my words, I never broke eye contact with him.

I had to make my resolve clear.

If I backed down here, the oaths I’d taken from the three men would mean nothing.

At last, Yang Sobo broke the silence. His voice carried a note of disbelief.

“……Ma Dong-jin swore loyalty to you?”

“Yes. If you permit it, Teacher, I decided from now on to follow only me.”

“Heh heh……. Ha! Uahahahaha!”

Yang Sobo suddenly burst into loud laughter.

It sounded different from his usual hearty laugh — somewhere hollow, as if exhausted, but intrigued.

“How on earth did you persuade that stone-faced friend? Ma Dong-jin wouldn’t be someone who moved for money or profit alone.”

“I only showed him what I had. Anyone who watched me up close would have made the judgment for themselves.”

At my answer, Yang Sobo nodded.

“True. Even I was in awe each time I saw what you did; imagine Dong-jin who saw it with his own eyes.”

With those words he fell silent.

He stared out the window, lost in thought for a moment, then, as if decided, he called out.

“Zhang Wei!”

“You called, Master?”

“Tell the three men you attached to Mr. Baek that they no longer need to report to me. And…….”

Yang Sobo paused and glanced at me.

“Tell them I will forgive all debts they owe me if they follow this order faithfully.”

“…….”

Zhang Wei looked at me briefly, surprised.

His eyebrows twitched slightly.

“He’s already sworn loyalty to this child. Then releasing them would be the proper thing.”

“Understood, Master.”

Zhang Wei answered shortly and stepped back silently.

The door closed, and Yang Sobo looked at me again. His gaze had softened noticeably.

“Is this settled now?”

“Thank you, Teacher.”

“You won’t betray me, will you?”

There was a final-check kind of question in his voice.

“No. If you do not betray me first, Teacher, that will never happen.”

“Heh heh, then very well. You may go for now. I’ll summon you again.”

I rose, bowed politely, and left the study.

Until I stepped outside, Yang Sobo’s eyes never left me.

An old warehouse in a quiet spot on the outskirts of Myeong-dong.

One of Yang Sobo’s many secret hideouts, used for discreet business away from prying eyes.

Dust choked the air inside the warehouse, and only a small, dim bulb lit the space. In the empty center stood an old table and a few chairs — that was all.

Zhang Wei locked the door, turned, crossed his arms, and glared at the three men in turn.

His presence alone seemed to make the already barren air in the warehouse chill further.

“The Master has questions for you.”

Zhang Wei spoke. His voice rang low and threatening in the empty warehouse.

“You. Is it true you swore loyalty to Baek Min-woo?”

At Zhang Wei’s blunt question, Kang Cheol-min and Yoon Ji-seong went pale for an instant.

Only Ma Dong-jin faced Zhang Wei without flinching.

“Answer.”

Zhang Wei’s voice carried pressure.

Kang Cheol-min was the first to speak. He wiped cold sweat from his brow and hurriedly said,

“Ah, no! Mr. Zhang Wei! That’s a misunderstanding. We only—”

“A misunderstanding?”

Zhang Wei cut him off coldly.

“Baek Min-woo himself reported to the Master that he had coerced your loyalty. And you call that a misunderstanding?”

“Th-that is……”

Kang Cheol-min could not finish his sentence; his lips trembled.

This time Yoon Ji-seong adjusted his glasses and spoke cautiously.

“Mr. Zhang Wei, it is true we held a high opinion of his abilities and potential. But that does not mean we would betray our loyalty to the Master. We—”

“Shut up.”

Zhang Wei’s gaze sharpened further; now it brimmed with lethal intent.

“You were assigned to help and monitor Baek Min-woo on the Master’s orders. How dare you harbor other feelings? If that isn’t betrayal of the Master, what is?”

Under Zhang Wei’s fierce interrogation, Kang Cheol-min and Yoon Ji-seong bowed their heads and fell silent.

A suffocating silence filled the warehouse.

Then Ma Dong-jin, who had remained quiet, stepped forward.

“I did it.”

Zhang Wei’s attention snapped to his low voice.

Kang Cheol-min and Yoon Ji-seong stared at Ma Dong-jin with shocked eyes.

“I persuaded the two of them and made them swear loyalty.”

Ma Dong-jin met Zhang Wei’s gaze with steady eyes and spoke.

“Ma Dong-jin! You must be mad!”

Zhang Wei barked. His voice was savage, like a raging beast.

“How could you forget the Master’s grace and dare betray him?”

“It is not betrayal.”

Ma Dong-jin’s voice remained calm.

“I stayed by his side to repay the debt I owed the Master. In that time I saw him. He is the one who can truly fulfill the Master’s will. I chose to follow him for the Master’s sake, and for a greater cause.”

“Nonsense!”

“It is not nonsense. Didn’t you feel it too, Mr. Zhang Wei? The extraordinary ability he possesses and the breadth of his capacity. …He is the future.”

Conviction laced Ma Dong-jin’s words.

Zhang Wei was momentarily struck dumb by Ma Dong-jin’s weighty response. He knew Ma Dong-jin’s loyalty and integrity better than anyone.

If Ma Dong-jin said it like that……

Zhang Wei closed his eyes briefly to think.

When he opened them again, his gaze had softened.

“The Master instructed me to tell you.”

His voice was still hard, but the earlier murderous intent had vanished.

“If you have sworn loyalty to Baek Min-woo, you no longer need to report to the Master. And the debts you owe the Master will be forgiven for faithfully carrying out this mission.”

At Zhang Wei’s words, relief and surprise crossed Kang Cheol-min and Yoon Ji-seong’s faces. Ma Dong-jin merely bowed his head in silence.

“From now on you belong to Baek Min-woo. Move at his command. However……”

He flashed a sharp look once more before finishing.

“If any of you betray Baek Min-woo or act to displease the Master, I will personally take your lives. Remember that.”

With that cold warning, Zhang Wei turned and left the warehouse without a trace of regret.

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