[You've resolved my grievance, so I'll accept your proposal. But there's something I'm curious about.]
"What would you like to know?"
[Why go to such lengths to make a contract with me? With the kind of power you possess, couldn't you simply force me to obey you?]
Of course, with Veylord's abilities, he could have simply subdued Kang Tae-pung through force without going through all this trouble.
"Naturally, that is possible. However, the original owner's request is rather earnest. Would it not be mutually beneficial to grant it?"
Although he said that, Veylord held control over Kang Chan-seong's body, so he was under no obligation to honor the request.
Yet Veylord chose not to disregard it.
Surprisingly, after witnessing Kang Chan-seong's life, he had decided to acknowledge and respect the young man's struggles.
"Besides, when you were still in your right mind, did you not care for this child? That alone is enough."
Through his own carelessness, Kang Tae-pung had lost his wealth, reputation, and even his opportunities for the future.
Nevertheless, his son, Kang Chan-seong, wanted to give his father one more chance.
'To think you'd be willing to give up your own body just to grant him that opportunity.'
At that, Kang Chan-seong sent another trembling signal from a corner of Veylord's soul, confirming his thoughts.
'I can't tell whether you're kindhearted or simply foolish. Now that you've regained your senses, don't you want your body back?'
But Kang Chan-seong neither affirmed nor denied the question.
Perhaps his life had simply been too exhausting until now.
'Very well. Rest for a while. I'll await the choice you eventually make.'
When Veylord finally returned to his original world, there was a high possibility that he would abandon Kang Chan-seong's body.
'When that happens, control of this body should naturally return to the boy.'
However, if circumstances did not permit it, Veylord was also considering taking the body with him.
And he possessed the ability to make that possible.
'I simply lack the necessary resources.'
Just then, Kang Tae-pung gazed intently at Veylord, curious about what he would be expected to do.
[So, what exactly are you planning to make me do?]
"For now, help me adapt to this world as quickly as possible."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Veylord gathered Magic Power in his index finger and thrust it into Kang Tae-pung's chest in a single motion, as though plunging it into a sponge.
[Urgh!]
"Endure it for a moment. This is merely a necessary part of the contract."
At that moment, blackness began spreading across Kang Tae-pung's body from the index finger embedded in his chest, like a virus spreading through an infected body.
Soon, his entire form was drawn into Veylord's fingertip, transforming into a simple silver ring without any distinctive patterns or features.
[What the hell is this?! Why am I sharing your… Master's vision?]
He had clearly been about to say "your," but his words suddenly faltered midway, and the term corrected itself to "Master" against his will.
"You should be addressing me as Master now."
[Urgh… M… Master… Grrgh!]
No matter how much he resisted, he could not alter the restrictions Veylord had imposed when establishing the subordination contract.
The only resistance he could manage was refusing to add the honorific equivalent of "Lord" to the title.
[You rotten… What the hell have you done to me?!]
"Now that you are subordinate to me, it is only natural that you use an appropriate form of address."
[Master… Ah, shit!]
He wanted to say something offensive, but the words simply would not come out.
[Damn it. I was once the owner of a construction company competing for a place among Korea's leading corporations, and now I'm reduced to serving someone else.]
"Are you referring to the company that Hong Jang-mi stole from you?"
[Urgh… Yeah. If that bitch hadn't drugged me, I never would've ended up like this.]
Having bound Kang Tae-pung as his servant, Veylord could now examine his memories.
And while following those memories, he discovered something connected to another set of memories he had already obtained.
It was the construction company called Taebaek, which had appeared in Executive Director Choi's memories.
"If you help me adapt to this world, I shall help you reclaim the company that was stolen from you. What do you say?"
[Are you serious?]
One of the reasons Kang Tae-pung had remained as a ghost was the company that had been taken from him against his will.
Hearing that he might recover it was almost impossible to believe.
But regardless of whether Kang Tae-pung believed him, Veylord paid little attention to such concerns and stated his intentions firmly.
"Whether you believe me is entirely up to you. However, I need that company. And to obtain it, I require your talents. That is all."
[Why?! What's so special about the company they stole from me?]
"Because I require a great deal of money and resources to return to my own world."
Only then did Kang Tae-pung understand Veylord's objective, and his tone became somewhat sarcastic.
[So you're planning to use my company to obtain those things?]
Although he welcomed the prospect of reclaiming his stolen company, the purpose behind Veylord's offer made him uneasy.
"Indeed. Do you have something to say about that? Of course, I have no intention of entertaining any complaints."
However, despite his misgivings, Kang Tae-pung found it difficult to suppress the desire stirring within his heart.
[No. If I can get my company back, you can use it as much as you like!]
***
Hong Jang-mi had died a painful death at the bottom of the cliff, but no one knew what had happened to her.
And as was always the case with the world, time continued to pass as usual, unaffected by the disappearance of a single person.
When Veylord returned to the small boarding-house room through the building's rooftop, Kang Tae-pung clicked his tongue.
[Master, don't tell me you've been living in a place like this?]
His tone made it clear how displeased he was with the cramped little room and its faint smell of mold.
'Indeed. This is where your son was living.'
Naturally, this had originally been Kang Chan-seong's home.
Since Veylord was still unfamiliar with the ways of this world, he could not immediately move elsewhere and had been forced to continue using it.
[Ah. Come to think of it….]
When Kang Tae-pung had been attached to the deceased Hong Jang-mi and cursing her, he had hardly been in his right mind.
[This is the place where that bitch suddenly barged in, caused a huge scene, and even stole the money he'd hidden away.]
Only then did he remember, and his tone turned awkward.
[I was too busy cursing her to death… Ahem. Anyway, so this is where my son lived.]
Upon learning that it was his son's room, a profound sense of guilt flowed through the senses they now shared.
'Which is why I'm planning to move somewhere else.'
[Move? Master, do you have some money?]
At the mention of money, Veylord drew a short line through the air with a finger imbued with Magic Power, opening a subspace.
Then he took out some cash and gold bars to show him.
'Do you think this would be enough to find a place to live?'
[That looks like roughly enough for the security deposit on a reasonably decent studio apartment. Don't you have any more, Master?]
At that, Veylord removed all the cash and gold bars he had recently acquired from the subspace and displayed them.
Soon, a small tower of bundles of yellow fifty-thousand-won banknotes and gold bars had accumulated on the floor.
'How about this?'
[With that much, you should be able to get a fairly decent officetel.]
Having once owned an entire company, Kang Tae-pung's idea of a decent officetel was difficult to gauge.
Moreover, Veylord himself had once been a lord governing a vast territory, so his sense of money was undoubtedly different from that of ordinary people.
[The problem is figuring out what to do with all this gold.]
'Does one need a special method to dispose of gold?'
[It's stolen property obtained illegally, isn't it? That means we can't convert it into cash through official channels. We'll need someone who knows the illegal ones.]
There was one person who knew plenty about illegal activities.
"I suppose I should summon Executive Director Choi."
A short while later, Veylord was sitting alone in a café in a busy district of Gangnam, sipping coffee.
'Is this "iced Americano" really the most popular drink in this country?'
[Master, why would I lie to you? I'm telling you, it's definitely the drink young people consume most often.]
He had ordered a drink popular among young people to suit his rejuvenated body, but it did not seem particularly to his taste.
'Tsk… It feels like I'm drinking nothing but bitter water. Besides, the coffee in Chan-seong's memories was sweet and came in a can.'
[That's LeXbi! Good grief, that boy did nothing but construction work. He should've at least treated himself to an Americano occasionally.]
Kang Chan-seong had lived a life in which even such a small indulgence seemed like a luxury.
Yet one of the people responsible for making his life that way was his own father, Kang Tae-pung.
'I don't think you're in any position to complain, considering you're one of the reasons his life turned out this way.'
[Ahem… Ah… Well, that's true, isn't it?]
Just then, Executive Director Choi, Choi Jung-myeong, approached them.
He was dressed elegantly and wore a pair of darkly tinted sunglasses.
"Master, did you summon me?"
"Indeed. Sit."
Choi Jung-myeong sat in the opposite chair and quickly removed his sunglasses, tucking them into his clothes.
"What would you like me to do?"
In response, Veylord lightly rolled a large suitcase that had been standing beside his chair toward him.
"Open it."
At Veylord's command, Choi Jung-myeong cautiously opened the suitcase just enough to peer inside.
"Gasp! This is!"
Inside the suitcase were one hundred golden bars, neatly arranged in rows and layers.
The moment he saw them, he immediately realized where they had come from.
"Don't tell me… these are from the factories…."
"Indeed. They are the ones I removed from those factories. I wish to convert them into cash. Can you arrange that?"
At the question, Choi Jung-myeong thought for a moment before answering.
"It's possible, but… it can't be done through legitimate channels. The gold would be traced immediately, and they might even identify you, Master."
Veylord had already obtained that information through his discussion with Kang Tae-pung.
That was not the answer he wanted.
"That is precisely why I summoned you. I do not care if the process is illegal. I am ordering you to convert it into cash."
Having received his orders, Choi Jung-myeong cautiously asked another question.
"In that case, the commission will be at least thirty percent higher than the usual rate. Would that be acceptable?"
At that moment, Veylord fell silent.
During that brief pause, he consulted Kang Tae-pung to determine whether Choi Jung-myeong's claim was true.
Just as Choi Jung-myeong began to find the strange silence suspicious, Veylord spoke, quietly releasing an imposing pressure.
"Listen, Choi Jung-myeong. Has returning from the brink of death given you foolish ideas? Can this not be done for twenty percent? Or are you simply incapable of arranging even that?"
A lack of ability.
And an attempt to deceive someone he regarded as a godlike being.
At that instant, strength began draining from Choi Jung-myeong's body.
If this continued, he might revert to his previous state… No, he might become a mindless zombie.
Choi Jung-myeong's shoulders jerked violently at the sound of his name, and he bowed his head, his face turning deathly pale.
"I-I'm sorry! Please spare me!"
Despite being surrounded by people, he apologized and bowed without the slightest hesitation.
A few customers glanced in their direction, but they soon returned to their business as though such incidents were nothing unusual.
Looking down at the back of Choi Jung-myeong's bowed head, Veylord spoke a single sentence.
"There will not be a next time. Remember that."
Only then did Choi Jung-myeong feel strength returning to his body.
Trembling violently, he expressed his gratitude with all his might.
"Yes, Master! Thank you for sparing my life!"
"How noisy. Close your mouth and raise your head. I still have matters to discuss."
"Yes, sir!"
With Choi Jung-myeong properly disciplined once more, Veylord gazed out the window for a moment before speaking.
"Also, it seems someone has been watching you lately. Are you aware of that?"
At those words, Choi Jung-myeong abruptly raised his head and began looking around outside the window Veylord had been watching.
"S-someone watching me?! Come to think of it, I've felt someone staring at me several times recently."
After becoming a Ghoul, he had acquired senses that surpassed those of ordinary humans, along with another entirely different sense.
It was a premonition, sometimes called a sixth sense, that allowed him to physically perceive hostility and malicious intent directed toward him.
"It seems you are adapting to your transformed body more quickly than expected. Apparently, Park Sang-sik, whom you used to serve, has assigned someone to watch you."
Veylord had already attached a ghost to Choi Jung-myeong when he met Park Sang-sik the day after the factories were destroyed.
"How did you know that?"
At his bewildered question, Veylord merely gave a faint chuckle.
"I have already learned everything about him. Therefore, do not entertain any unnecessary ambitions. Simply follow my orders."
"Yes, Master!"
At that moment, Veylord fell silent once again before opening his mouth.
"And if you absolutely cannot find a buyer for the gold, go to Hwanggeum-dong in Daegu and look for Old Man Hwang."
At the mention of Old Man Hwang, Choi Jung-myeong searched his memories, as though something had occurred to him.
"Old… Man Hwang? Old Man Hwang…! Ah! That legendary dollar dealer! Do you know him personally?"
"That old man does not know me. However, there is a certain connection between us. If he is suspicious, give him my number."
Choi Jung-myeong nodded at the instruction.
"Understood, Master."
"And one more thing."
"Please tell me."
At that moment, a faint ghostly chill appeared in Veylord's eyes.
"Your Taebaek Gang swallowed Taepung Construction and dealt with its owner, Kang Tae-pung. On whose orders did you do that?"
As he asked the question, the warm spring air rapidly grew cold.
Having previously extracted and examined Choi Jung-myeong's memories, Veylord already knew that Taebaek Construction had originally been Taepung Construction.
The problem was that Choi Jung-myeong himself had merely been following Park Sang-sik's orders.
"I don't know the exact details either. I was simply acting on Park Sang-sik's instructions."
"But you have a brain, do you not? Surely you made some inquiries of your own."
At those words, Choi Jung-myeong thought deeply for a moment before answering quietly.
"Actually… there was something President Park mentioned in passing once when he was drunk."
"What was it?"
His mouth apparently dry from nervousness, Choi Jung-myeong swallowed hard before continuing with a tense expression.
"Kangho Group. He said he never would've reached his current position without them. But I don't know whether that has anything to do with Taepung Construction."
In truth, all he had heard was that Kangho Group had helped Park Sang-sik.
Naturally, that was not enough to constitute evidence of anything.
But for Veylord and Kang Tae-pung, it was a clue that might reveal not only Park Sang-sik's involvement but also the identity of the person who had orchestrated everything.
"Very well. For now, concentrate on carrying out the task I assigned you."
"Yes, Master!"
Having received his orders, Choi Jung-myeong immediately rose from his seat and bowed deeply to Veylord.
Then he pulled the suitcase containing the gold bars out of the café.
The suitcase weighed nearly one hundred kilograms, but neither he nor Veylord had the slightest difficulty handling it.
If anything, the greater concern was whether the suitcase itself could withstand the weight, as strange noises came from its handle and body.
***
Having received his orders, Choi Jung-myeong immediately began searching for routes through which he could smuggle and sell the gold.
However, perhaps because gold prices had risen recently, the commissions charged by illegal dealers were far from insignificant.
The sheer quantity of gold he wanted to dispose of was another problem.
Each gold bar weighed one kilogram.
Finding someone willing to accept one hundred kilograms of gold in a single transaction was naturally difficult.
Nevertheless, he did his best and eventually located someone willing to make the deal.
The meeting place was a failed shopping mall built in a small city in Gyeonggi Province.
-CREAK!
That morning, a luxurious-looking imported car pulled up in front of the shopping mall.
The door opened, and Choi Jung-myeong stepped out wearing sunglasses.
"Tch! I never imagined sunlight would sting my eyes this much."
Although he had already experienced numerous changes to his body after becoming a Ghoul, not everything about his transformation was complete.
He was still at the stage where he needed to adapt to certain finer details and sensitive parts of his body.
"Anyway, why the hell do these Korean-Chinese bastards always set up shop in run-down buildings like this?"
Grumbling about the people he was supposed to meet, he opened the trunk and lifted a suitcase in each hand.
"Tsk. Still, I wonder whether I can trust these bastards."
In the past, he would have brought several gang members along with him.
But now, doing so would be rather troublesome.
"If that bastard President Park finds out, I'll have a real headache on my hands."
Having already decided to betray Park Sang-sik, his former boss, he had no choice but to operate alone.
"Come to think of it, maybe they couldn't follow me this far."
He had not felt the gaze of anyone following him today.
Besides, if someone had followed him all the way here, he had no intention of simply letting them get away with it.
Muttering to himself, he entered the shopping mall and found himself surrounded by buildings filled with vacant stores.
'I think we tried to take over this place once before..'
Just then, he felt piercing gazes coming from within the vacant units.
They belonged to ethnic Korean Chinese criminals who had illegally established themselves here while residing in the country without authorization.
Every one of those gazes was fixed on the two suitcases in his hands.
Although he was already aware of their greedy stares, he decided to ignore them for the moment.
'There's no point causing trouble when I've come here to make a deal.'
Since he needed to sell one hundred gold bars, he decided it would be better to pass through quietly.
After heading a little farther inside, he came upon a shabby-looking shop.
"This must be the place."
From the outside, it resembled an ordinary jewelry store.
In reality, however, it was operated by a criminal organization specializing in gold smuggling.
"Is anyone here?"
He pushed the door open and entered.
Behind the counter sat a short old man with completely white hair, reading a newspaper.
"Who is it?"
"I'm the person who arranged to sell the gold bars today."
Choi Jung-myeong bowed politely, and the old man lowered his newspaper.
"So you're the one who wanted to make a deal?"
"That's correct. I was told you could handle this quantity."
"We'll have to inspect the goods first, of course. Are they in those bags?"
"Yes. Please take a look."
Choi Jung-myeong carefully laid the suitcases, which were barely holding up under their own weight, on the floor.
-THUD!
With a heavy impact, the suitcases pressed down against the floor.
When he opened them, a golden glow spread across the surroundings, illuminating even the faces of those watching.
"Oho?!"
Greed flashed through the old man's eyes at the unexpectedly large quantity.
And Choi Jung-myeong did not miss that look.
'Damn it. Looks like this deal is ruined too.'
He immediately realized the transaction was likely to fall through and heightened his vigilance.
'Of course. There's no way bastards like these would stay calm after seeing this much gold.'
Just then, the old man spoke.
"So you want to sell all of it?"
"That's right, but… I don't particularly like the atmosphere here."
"Heh, heh! Well, this place does have a certain atmosphere."
Meanwhile, a shadow silently approached from behind Choi Jung-myeong.
He noticed it as well, but remained still, pretending to be unaware.
-WHOOSH!
A blade sliced through the air and plunged into Choi Jung-myeong's back.
-STAB!
As the blade sank deep into his body, the old man and the figure behind him broke into bright, cruel smiles.
"How does a knife in the back feel? Why don't we consider the gold you brought payment for your life? I'm taking quite a loss on this deal, you know."
The old man smiled greedily, already convinced that he had secured the upper hand.
At that moment, members of the Korean-Chinese smuggling organization gathered around Choi Jung-myeong, surrounding and pressuring him.
But even in that situation, a mocking smile appeared on Choi Jung-myeong's lips.
'Good grief. That felt like a mosquito bite.'
Despite having a knife embedded in his back, he felt absolutely no pain.
In fact, he had deliberately remained still despite knowing someone was approaching from behind, wanting to test the body he had gained after becoming a Ghoul.
Then he slowly turned around and looked down at the bastard who had stabbed him.
"Are you finished?!"
No sooner had he asked the question than he raised his fist and brought it crashing down like a hammer.
-CRASH—!
His fist descended as though hammering a protruding nail back into place, caving in the man's head.
"Urgh!"
With a short cry, the man sprayed blood from his nose and mouth before collapsing backward, his head crushed inward.
"Kill him!!"
At the old man's brief command, the gathered Korean-Chinese gang members charged forward simultaneously.
Seeing them approach, Choi Jung-myeong rolled his neck from side to side to loosen it.
Then, rather than retreating, he stepped forward and shouted.
"Come at me, you bastards!"
As he entered combat, the muscles in his arms and hands swelled, while his fingernails elongated and transformed into sharp claws.
-SLASH—!
A light swing of his claws left a long wound across the chest of a Korean-Chinese man.
Blood immediately sprayed into the air, accompanied by fragments of flesh.
But even at that sight, the others did not stop charging.
If anything, they grew more excited and rushed at him with even greater aggression.
"Kill him!!!"
But Choi Jung-myeong was every bit as excited as they were.
At last, he had an opportunity to freely unleash strength and abilities that now surpassed even those of his prime.
He had once served as an enforcer captain within the Taebaek Gang.
But after growing older, he had become an executive director at a construction company.
It was a position anyone would envy.
Yet corporate life, in which he was constantly pressured by those above him while being challenged by those rising from below, felt as suffocating as wearing clothes that did not fit.
That was why he had longed for his younger days.
And now, power surpassing even what he had possessed back then surged through his body.
"You're the one who's going to die!"
He extended his sharpened claws toward an enemy charging at him with all his might.
-SQUELCH.
His fingers pierced the man's chest as smoothly as though he were pushing them into a perfectly baked cake.
Feeling his nails and fingers penetrate deep into the man's body, he pulled downward.
-RIIIIP!
With the sound of tearing leather, the man's body was slammed into the floor.
Blood dripped from the tips of Choi Jung-myeong's claws, along with strips of human skin.
-DRIP… DRIP….
The horrifying scene unfolded so quickly that the blood of the previously excited gangsters turned cold.
"Anyone else?!"
As the blood spreading across the floor approached their feet, the frightened men instinctively stepped backward.
At that sight, Choi Jung-myeong sneered and turned toward the old man, who had been completely overcome by terror.
"M-monster…."
"I rather like that description."
With those words, Choi Jung-myeong extended his arm forward once again.
-STAB!
A long, slender claw pierced the exact center of the old man's forehead before being withdrawn.
"Let's never meet again, even in hell."
Leaving the old man's corpse lying on the floor, Choi Jung-myeong collected his suitcases and departed.
And not a single person dared to follow him.