novelraw Chapter 67 : There’s a Saying — The More Rushed You Are, The More You Should Go Around
Chapter 67 : There’s a Saying — The More Rushed You Are, The More You Should Go Around
Chapter 67: There’s a Saying — The More Rushed You Are, The More You Should Go Around
Logistics Base Commander's residence.
Major General Lee Jin-tae was tidying his fishing gear when he paused, chewing over the contents of a phone call that had come just moments before, his brow knitting.
The voice beyond the receiver had been that of Noh Ki-tae, a senior he deeply respected.
Jin-tae, it’s me. There’s a fellow under you named Kwon Do-hyung——
After explaining the situation at length, he left one final line.
I need to check what happened.
At that moment, a report from the aide sounded from outside.
“Sir Commander. Operations Chief Major Kwon Do-hyung has arrived.”
“Tell him to come in.”
A short while later, Major Kwon Do-hyung entered the residence, standing at attention.
He was, as always, spotless in his uniform, but a nervousness he could not quite hide had been written on his face.
“Loyalty! Commander, I apologize for visiting so late at night!”
“Sit.”
Lee Jin-tae set down the fishing rod in his hand and regarded Kwon Do-hyung with cold eyes.
The moment Kwon Do-hyung took a seat, Lee asked. His voice was low, but icy.
“Major Kwon.”
“Yes, Commander.”
“Did something happen today at the Central Police Station?”
Kwon Do-hyung’s shoulders flinched for an instant.
“Ah… It was only that there had been a bit of friction with the KCIA during the process of arresting a military-related smuggling suspect. I regret omitting the reporting procedure.”
“Friction?”
Lee Jin-tae snorted. There was no warmth in that laugh.
“I heard you were on the verge of grabbing the KCIA Busan branch chief by the collar.”
“That is a misunderstanding! The KCIA acted ultra vires first——”
“Shut up!”
Lee Jin-tae’s sharp command thundered through the room. Kwon Do-hyung clamped his mouth shut and bowed his head.
“Who did you think you were using as cover to go around acting like that?”
Lee stood and stepped toward Kwon Do-hyung.
“Deputy Director Noh Ki-tae of the KCIA just called me directly. He said one of my subordinates messed with his people. You know who Noh senior is; you must have heard about him plenty.”
Noh Ki-tae. To Lee Jin-tae, he was not just a high-ranking KCIA official. He was a senior he had followed through life-and-death hardships since the Korean War — a senior who had been like heaven itself to him.
That his subordinate had committed a discourtesy against such a senior filled Lee with unbearable anger and humiliation.
“What in God’s name were you thinking, Major Kwon? Have you forgotten how important the duty you were assigned is? Your task was to manage the military supplies at Busan Port and support the revolutionary work! Instead, you were babysitting local thugs and picking fights with the KCIA. Is that what you were supposed to do?”
“I am sorry, Commander! But that matter was about President Seo Man-chul——”
“Seo Man-chul? You smeared the face of my senior — the KCIA deputy director — because of that thug boss?”
Lee snarled, seized Kwon Do-hyung by the collar, and shook him.
“One of the men you tried to arrest supposedly fulfilled a lifelong wish of Noh senior. It was a matter instructed directly, and yet you went and caused a scene?”
Kwon Do-hyung’s face drained of color. The face of Baek Min-woo, whom he had met earlier, flashed through his mind.
He finally understood the confidence that had been written on that young man’s face when he had pledged he could send Kwon to Seoul.
“You’re taking bribes behind my back? I could accept that! But you mustn’t cross the line. Your mind is rotten. I guess I trusted you too much until now.”
“Your Excellency——”
“What Excellency. Call me ‘Commander’ like I told you!”
“Commander, just one more——”
“I won’t hear excuses. Noh senior wouldn’t have lied to me.”
Lee muttered coldly, released his grip, and said,
“I will personally apologize to Noh senior and sort this out. But you… will have to take responsibility for this incident. Withdraw from all posts for a while and keep a low profile until I issue separate orders.”
“Commander!”
“That’s enough! This is an order.”
Faced with Lee’s firm words, Kwon Do-hyung could say nothing more; he presented a stiff salute.
“…Loyalty.”
With a humiliated expression, Kwon Do-hyung left the residence.
Left alone, Lee picked up his fishing rod again to steady his mind, but his thoughts were tangled.
‘Kwon was a useful man…’
He had known Kwon took small allowances from merchants for some time. He had accepted that as payment for hardship, and had said nothing.
But this had been enough for Noh Ki-tae to call him personally, and Lee could no longer overlook it.
‘And Noh senior went out of his way — this person Baek Min-woo… what kind of fellow is he?’
Alongside his disappointment in Kwon Do-hyung, curiosity about Baek Min-woo took root in Lee Jin-tae’s mind.
Back at Deokhwa-ru, I collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep without even having dinner.
Days of tension and fatigue seemed to hit me all at once. How deeply I slept, I could not say.
“Mr. Baek! Mr. Baek, are you there!”
A frantic voice calling my name and a harsh pounding on the door cut through the pitch-black silence.
Startled awake, I sprang up reflexively. The clock on the wall showed a little after ten at night.
I shook myself free of the sheets and opened the door. President Wang stood outside, his face white as a sheet.
“What is it, President Wang?”
“Turn on the radio right now! There’s been a catastrophe!”
“The radio?”
From President Wang’s hardened, rigid face and the late hour, I could sense what had happened without him saying more.
The moment had come.
I switched on the old radio in my room and tuned through the crackling noise.
The address was already halfway through.
…As of 0:00 on June 10, the circulation of the current “hwan” currency would be fully prohibited and a new currency unit, the “won,” would be introduced. The exchange ratio will be ten hwan to one won. All citizens, corporations, and organizations must, by June 17, deposit and report old currency and various securities and checks to designated financial institutions.
President Wang’s face paled further. His mouth opened but no sound came out.
In addition, withdrawals of deposited funds will be restricted for the time being. Individuals may only withdraw the minimum necessary for living — up to 500 of the new currency — and amounts above that will be frozen until the government takes further measures.
All remaining color drained from President Wang’s face. He still could say nothing; he raised a trembling hand to cover his mouth.
It looked as if he were holding back a scream.
This measure would not merely change the currency unit. During the period of frozen deposits, we will thoroughly root out black money and illicit wealth hidden throughout society. All funds accumulated by illegal means rather than by the rightful returns of labor will be confiscated in the name of the state and used as valuable funds for national reconstruction.
It was a declaration — an uncompromising proclamation of intent against underground economic powers, including Chinese-Chinese business capital.
Citizens. I know this measure will cause great inconvenience and confusion for a time. But without the pain of cutting out rotten flesh, new flesh cannot grow. I earnestly ask you to trust the revolutionary government and to join this historic task for the brighter future of our homeland.
After the announcement ended and the national anthem began to play, I quietly turned off the radio.
President Yang, who had been frozen in place for a while, asked in a trembling voice,
“Did the Great Man… not say anything else?”
“I don’t think even he knew. For an operation of this scale, only a handful of people would’ve been informed. Just as the announcement said, the government’s target must be the hidden capital in the Chinese merchants’ funds and the underground economy.”
A week. If all the money wasn’t deposited into banks within that time, a lifetime’s savings would turn into scraps of paper overnight. They might extend the deadline a few times, but still…
“If only 500 won can be withdrawn…”
That meant President Wang’s funds would be completely frozen in an instant.
But that wasn’t the biggest problem.
“If a large sum is deposited, the authorities will definitely start an investigation.”
“……”
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
“President, there’s an urgent message from Seoul.”
“Seoul?”
At the word “Seoul,” both President Wang and I looked at each other. The only one who could be contacting us from there now was Yang Sobo.
It seemed to be a call for me. I decided to go down with President Wang.
Together, we descended to the first floor and entered the inner office.
“Yes, this is Wang Jinsheng speaking.”
It was the first time I had heard President Wang’s full name. Even though it was just a brief phone call, his expression was far from bright.
Apparently, things were chaotic on Yang Sobo’s side as well.
“Yes, yes. We’re having a headache over the same issue. Ah, yes. He’s right beside me. All right. I’ll hand the line over.”
President Wang handed me the receiver. As I took it, he silently left the room and closed the door behind him.
“Yes, this is Baek Min-woo speaking.”
– Baek. It’s me, Yang Sobo.
“Yes, sir.”
– Tell me… did you know about this beforehand?
Yang Sobo skipped the greetings and went straight to the point. That alone showed how shocked he was—and how urgent the situation had become.
“Are you referring to the currency reform, sir?”
– That’s right.
“No, sir. If even you didn’t know, how could I possibly have known?”
– ……
No sound came from the other end for quite a while. Within that silence, I could sense countless suspicions swirling through his mind.
At times like this, I had to face things head-on.
“Are you thinking I knew about it in advance because I recently converted my cash into dollars and tangible assets?”
– To be honest, yes. Don’t you think the timing is far too suspicious? You exchanged almost all your cash for dollars and assets, and on that very day, you left Seoul?
Anyone would find that suspicious. And in truth, it wasn’t entirely wrong.
“Sir, I got chills when I heard the radio just now. It’s uncanny how perfectly everything aligns. I can understand why you’d think that. But truly, I didn’t receive any information from anyone.”
It wasn’t a complete lie. I hadn’t been told anything—but I had experienced it once before.
After a long silence, Yang Sobo finally let out a low sigh and spoke again.
– Why do you think the government would do something like this?
“It’s probably just as you think, sir. The announcement claims it’s to bring hidden assets to light, but… I believe the Chinese capital, including yours, is also one of their main targets.”
– I think so too. They’ve already been pushing an anti-Chinese policy quite openly. This must be their final move—to strip us of all remaining strength.
“What do you intend to do now, sir?”
I asked carefully.
From the other end, I heard Yang Sobo let out a deep sigh—a sound filled with the weight of agony, something I’d never heard from the man who had always been calm and composed.
– I’ve already converted a good amount into gold, dollars, and yen, but I still have a considerable sum in cash stored in the vault. And if I include all the money I’ve lent out as a financier in Myeong-dong…
His voice trailed off. I closed my eyes, imagining his predicament.
Yang Sobo’s true strength lay in his vast liquidity. He had ruled over an invisible empire, lending money to countless moneylenders and businessmen across Myeong-dong.
But now, all of it was on the verge of vanishing.
If the cash wasn’t deposited immediately, it would become worthless paper. Yet, the moment he put that enormous sum in the bank, the government would trace its origins.
In the end, he might have to surrender a large portion of his fortune to the state.
Worse still were the loans he had spread out. Those debtors would no doubt use the currency reform as an excuse to refuse repayment.
There was no way—nor time—to recover that money.
The empire he had built upon Chinese capital, ruling the underground economy for decades, was now trembling to its core overnight.
– Baek. Can you come up to Seoul immediately?
“Would my going there really change anything, sir?”
I calmly countered.
“Besides, I still have matters to finish here in Busan.”
– What could be more urgent than this!
Yang Sobo finally raised his voice, but I remained composed.
“They say haste makes waste, sir. You’ve ruled this field for decades. I’m sure you’ve already prepared at least one contingency for a crisis like this.”
– ……
“You’ve been preparing for this kind of day for a long time, haven’t you? Of course, no one could have foreseen it would strike in this way.”
At my words, which seemed to pierce through his thoughts, I heard a faint intake of breath over the line.
“Sometimes, letting go cleanly of what must be abandoned is the only way to protect what truly matters.”