Chapter 10

Chapter 10

10. Creditor of 1.06 Trillion Won

This was just my hunch, but I doubted he was registered with the Association.

‘It’s illegal not to register as a hunter.’

In reality, quite a few hunters lived without registering, whether people knew it or not.

Why?

‘Because nobody wants to live under surveillance.’

That was why I hadn’t registered either.

Especially people who worked in the shadows, like loan sharks. They never registered.

“Boss, what’s your nickname?”

“Friend.”

“Friend?”

“Got a problem with that?”

“That’s a rare nickname.”

“Well, I suppose it is.”

For just a moment.

The loan shark’s shoulders puffed up.

If he had managed to claim ‘Friend’ as a nickname?

‘That means he awakened extremely early on.’

If he had diligently climbed the Tower, he would be at least A-Rank.

I forwarded Lee Jinho’s attachments exactly as they were to ‘Friend.’

The loan shark’s eyebrow twitched when he checked the message.

“Divine One?”

“Yes. Is there a problem?”

“That’s a rare nickname.”

“Oh, it’s nothing special. If you want it, I’ll sell it for 100 billion won.”

The loan shark gave me another look that said, ‘Well, look at you.’

“No thanks.”

But then the loan shark’s entire demeanor changed.

He now looked about nine parts businessman.

“Well? Can you collect it?”

“What S-Rank weapon did you give him?”

“I didn’t.”

“What?”

“He turned out to be a scammer. He tried to run off with my item, so the deal fell through.”

“Then the transaction is over.”

“I’m still owed the deposit.”

“Hmm. Then that’s 160 billion won.”

“Yes.”

“You said this was a trillion-won deal.”

“It is a trillion-won deal. It says 1.06 trillion right there.”

“No... technically, yes.”

For the first time, the loan shark looked flustered.

Apparently, even he had never encountered something like this.

“So you want me to collect that 160 billion by any means necessary?”

“Of course.”

“Now I understand why you came to me.”

“Can you do it?”

The loan shark grinned.

“You came to the right place. Like I said, my fee is—”

“Fifteen percent!”

“Thirty percent minimum.”

“You’ll make 24 billion won just from this job.”

The loan shark paused, then asked in a serious voice.

“Let me ask one thing. What happened to Hunter Lee Jinho?”

He didn’t seem to be asking whether the man was alive or dead.

“He’ll never show up again.”

“You sure?”

“Would a scammer come back to hand over money?”

The loan shark snickered.

“No. He wouldn’t. Not even if it killed him.”

“So?”

“Wait here.”

The loan shark pressed the intercom on the table.

Beep-

“You called, Boss?”

Two men wearing suits and leather jackets entered.

The loan shark formed a rectangle with both index fingers.

“Bring that.”

“Yes, Boss.”

Soon, the two subordinates brought over a contract.

The loan shark’s signature was already on it.

“Sign.”

“I’m going to have a lawyer look at it first.”

“Do I look like I have that much free time?”

“My time is extremely expensive.”

“And who are you?”

“The man who’s about to make you 24 billion won.”

The loan shark’s intimidating air softened.

“...Fair point.”

“Then I’ll be back.”

It didn’t take long.

There happened to be a law office in the same building.

But.

“You can’t meet our attorney without an appointment.”

The office manager told me to leave the moment he saw my face.

“I’ll pay double the consultation fee.”

“He charges one million won an hour...”

The manager narrowed his eyes and looked me up and down.

I placed a bundle of cash on the counter.

“Here’s two million won.”

“Y-You really are paying double?”

“At this point, it’s practically charity.”

“Oh my, this must be very important! You should have said so sooner! Please wait just a moment.”

This was why money was wonderful.

‘Two million won? That’s nothing!’

My hourly wage was four billion won, yet this lawyer charged a measly one million.

‘Generosity comes from a full granary.’

I was even donating to the needy for the first time in my life.

“This way, please, sir.”

The manager led me into a room where a man in glasses and a suit sat waiting.

“I’m Attorney Kim Dongho. What brings you here?”

“Please take a look at this contract. What do you think?”

The lawyer had looked like he was thinking, ‘This guy is paying two million for a consultation?’ until he saw the amount written on the contract.

‘This is why money is power.’

Money is status, honor, and rank.

“Hmm, there aren’t any toxic clauses. But this is... Friends Capital?”

“Is that a problem?”

“That man is extremely dangerous, so be careful. If you want, I can even notarize it for you.”

“How much is the notarization fee?”

“On the house.”

It seemed to mean he wanted to see me again in the future.

‘Nothing good ever comes from seeing a lawyer often.’

Still, I accepted the business card he handed me.

“By the way, do lawyers normally charge around a million won for consultations?”

“I’m rather expensive.”

I see.

“So can you get someone acquitted of murder too?”

I had paid two million won for an hour, and not even ten minutes had passed yet.

‘I should ask everything I’m curious about.’

Attorney Kim Dongho laughed.

“What? Murder? Hahahaha!”

“Hahahaha.”

Kim Dongho pushed up his glasses, turning the lenses opaque.

“Two billion.”

* * *

Friends Capital office.

“Boss. Why are you doing such a huge deal with a guy like that?”

“A guy like that?”

“Yes.”

“What does he look like to you?”

“Hmm... Just some nouveau riche?”

“Based on what? Because he’s young and dressed like a slob?”

“Yes.”

“What did he look like when you first saw him?”

“Just some broke bastard.”

“Exactly. Yesterday that broke bastard became nouveau riche. So what will he be tomorrow?”

The subordinate scratched his temple.

“Good question.”

“What’s your Hunven nickname?”

“‘Lucky Charm.’”

“What did you try to register at first?”

“‘Lottery.’”

“Then why is it Lucky Charm?”

“Because Lottery was already taken.”

“That’s the point.”

“Ah...!”

The subordinate gasped.

Only then did he understand.

The true meaning of a ‘rare nickname.’

A chill ran down his spine.

‘If I’m not careful!’

His head could come off before he even realized it.

The thought made him unconsciously rub his neck.

“What’s rule number one in this business?”

“Uh... Money weighs more than your life?”

“Never judge someone by appearances!”

“Sorry, Boss. But didn’t you say you could tell just by looking at someone’s face whether they were here to borrow money?”

“Not everyone can do that.”

“Ah...”

“The real ones.”

The loan shark bit down on a cigar.

His gold ring gleamed.

“Don’t look the part.”

Even the loan shark, ‘Friend,’ had no idea.

Why the more he tried to picture Choi Hyunwoo, the more the man blurred like an afterimage.

‘Even when he first opened the door and walked in.’

If Choi Hyunwoo hadn’t called out, ‘Boss,’ first, he might not have noticed him.

He was definitely no ordinary man.

* * *

‘Damn it, what a waste of money.’

I’d spent two million won without really doing anything.

‘I handed it over like I was being generous.’

Now that it was over, I regretted it.

Maybe all lawyers were scammers.

Bang.

“I’m back.”

“What did Attorney Kim say?”

“No toxic clauses.”

“Of course. He’s the one who reviewed that contract.”

“You two aren’t colluding, are you?”

But there was only one law office in this area.

“Then what? Want to go somewhere else?”

“No, it’s fine.”

It didn’t look particularly strange to me either.

“Attorney Kim is fair, if nothing else. He won’t stab his own client in the back.”

“I see.”

“But you should still be careful. He knows the law. That doesn’t mean he’s a good person.”

That sounded similar to what Attorney Kim had said.

“So how are you going to collect the money?”

“First, Hunter Lee Jinho’s assets will be inherited by his son.”

The loan shark spoke as though he already knew Hunter Lee Jinho was dead.

More importantly.

‘He already found out the man has a son?’

This loan shark really was the real deal.

“And then?”

“Let him inherit it.”

“What?”

“The moment he spends even one won of the inherited assets, he inherits the debt too.”

“What if he doesn’t spend any of it?”

“He won’t be able to resist. The son took out a loan to buy a place in Seoul. And now a young guy suddenly inherits tens of billions overnight. Think he can stop himself from spending?”

He couldn’t.

I knew that better than anyone.

Absolutely no chance.

“What if he inherits without knowing about the debt?”

“That excuse won’t work. That’s the law. And even if it did.”

The loan shark exhaled cigar smoke and grinned.

“I’d collect anyway.”