novelraw Chapter 97 : It Was Time to Take Off the Military Uniform and Put On a Suit
Chapter 97 : It Was Time to Take Off the Military Uniform and Put On a Suit
Chapter 97: It Was Time to Take Off the Military Uniform and Put On a Suit
I carefully examined Kwon Do-hyeong.
His unfocused eyes, his wrinkled military uniform that had clearly not been properly cared for, and the pistol lying carelessly on the table all spoke volumes about his current state.
It was impossible to tell how many days and nights he had drowned himself in alcohol, but the stale stench of liquor mixed with a suffocating smell of despair wafted from his body.
Kwon Do-hyeong’s bloodshot eyes glared straight at me.
“Are you mocking me right now?”
His voice was harsh and cracked, thick with drunkenness and rage.
Instead of answering, I filled the empty soju glass sitting in front of him. The liquor sloshed as it rose, resembling his dangerously unstable life.
As I looked at his twisted expression, I muttered inwardly.
‘In my previous life, Kwon Do-hyeong was even more miserable than this.’
In my previous life, he had been a complete outsider within the military, nothing more than dead weight. He took immense pride in being a graduate of the Korea Military Academy, yet time and again he was pushed out of the core power line and crushed at the threshold of promotion.
His ambition had been enormous, but the walls of reality were high. In the end, he crossed a forbidden line. To gain promotion, to acquire greater power, he began offering bribes to those above him.
Kwon Do-hyeong was meticulous. He recorded every bribe he delivered—details, dates, locations, even the conversations exchanged—all carefully written down in a ledger.
Someday, he had planned to use that ledger as a weapon, cut down those who had scorned him, and climb even higher.
But that blade ended up cutting its owner before it could ever be swung at an enemy.
‘And the one who seized that blade and pointed it at his throat was me.’
Back when I was Jeong Tae-soo’s loyal dog, I acted on his orders and obtained Kwon Do-hyeong’s secret ledger.
At the very moment the bastard was about to draw his blade in a decisive gamble, Jeong Tae-soo used that ledger to completely choke the life out of Kwon Do-hyeong.
That was how his ambition was crushed.
Though he did manage to wear a National Assemblyman’s badge, he was forced to live his entire life beneath Jeong Tae-soo’s shadow, parroting his words like a mindless voting machine.
With his own will completely castrated, he survived by accepting whatever scraps his master threw his way—a truly miserable existence.
‘But was he really incompetent?’
No. Though he played the role of Jeong Tae-soo’s voting machine, he shone far more brightly in politics than he ever had as a soldier.
In the National Assembly, where daily brawls never ceased, he moved back and forth between factions, mediating and manipulating the political landscape exactly as Jeong Tae-soo desired.
His true calling was not being a soldier, but a political schemer. Not a politician chasing ideals, but one who fully understood the nature of power.
After refilling the glass, I met his gaze directly and spoke.
“Major, there are now two paths before you.”
“……Paths?”
“The first path is to give up everything as you are and fade into obscurity. You’ll be remembered as a once-promising soldier, then die quietly, soaked in alcohol. No one will remember you.”
At those chillingly cruel words, his shoulders flinched. I continued without concern.
“And there is a second path.”
I paused briefly, watching his reaction. His eyes trembled faintly as he waited for my words.
I could see his desperation, like a man grasping at his last lifeline.
“Soon, there will be a movement within the revolutionary forces to form a political party. A military regime can’t rule a nation with guns forever. A party meant to transfer power to civilian rule.”
“…And what does that have to do with me?”
Kwon Do-hyeong swallowed dryly and replied curtly. But his response came half a beat late. He was thinking hard.
“I will make you a core founding member. Not a token name for appearances, but a true founding contributor of the party.”
At my audacious proposal, Kwon Do-hyeong was momentarily speechless. He stared at me as if I were insane, then let out a sneer.
“You? A punk who only survives under Yang Sobo’s protection dares to say that? What exactly do you think you can do!”
“Major, politics runs on justification, organization, and money. The justification will be covered by the grand slogan of completing the revolutionary task. The organization will be filled by soldiers loyal to His Excellency. But what about the money?”
I stared straight into his eyes, as if piercing through him. Kwon Do-hyeong’s lips twitched, but no words came out.
“Politics requires money. Vast amounts of it. Party funds, campaign funds, organizational management funds—it’s like pouring water into a bottomless pit. Who do you think can provide that money? Clean money alone will never suffice. In the end, someone has to get their hands dirty and control the flow of that black money.”
I lifted the soju glass to my lips. After draining it completely, I continued.
“The recent stock market turmoil and the currency reform were all part of creating that political fund. You had your suspicions too, didn’t you?”
Kwon Do-hyeong couldn’t respond. His silence was an affirmation. Someone with a hunger for power like his would have already figured it out.
“In the end, money creates power. If the board were already firmly set, it would be hard to break in. That’s why now—before anything has even begun—is the perfect time.”
I slowly leaned closer. Only when I was close enough to hear his breathing did I lower my voice so only he could hear.
“I will provide the political funds you’ll need when you enter politics.”
“……”
A hollow sound leaked from between his slackened lips. His bloodshot eyes shook as if an earthquake had struck.
“And not just the funds. I’ll provide the necessary connections and the mind to design the entire board. I’ll give you new wings to replace the ones you’ve lost. This is a chance to take off your military uniform and climb to a higher place. Not as a stray dog circling the outskirts, but as a tiger roaring from the heart of power.”
Kwon Do-hyeong said nothing. Deep distrust, caution, and uncontrollable ambition were tangled together in his eyes.
I could clearly see just how violently the bait I’d thrown was shaking his heart.
“It’s time to take off the military uniform and put on a suit. If you do, you’ll grasp power far greater than anything you’ve ever known. The choice is yours, Major.”
Under the dim light of the soup restaurant, we faced each other in silence for a long while.
After a prolonged pause, Kwon Do-hyeong finally spoke. His voice was lower and far more cautious than before.
“…Just who are you? Are you Yang Sobo’s hidden son or something? Or did that old man put you up to this?”
I’d heard that question so many times it was practically tiresome. I shook my head, tugging one corner of my mouth upward.
“Who I am doesn’t matter in the slightest. What matters is what I can do for you. Mr. Yang has nothing to do with this. This is entirely my own will—and my proposal to you.”
“Why are you making this offer to me?”
“To catch a tiger, you have to enter the tiger’s den. But to tame a starving wolf, you throw it food when it’s at its hungriest. Just like you are now, Major.”
Kwon Do-hyeong’s face hardened instantly. Comparing him to a starving wolf must have bruised his pride. I didn’t care.
“I’ll say it again. The choice is yours. Rot away in Busan, or step onto a much bigger stage with me.”
I filled the glass to the brim and downed it in one go. Slamming it down, I stood.
“I’m heading to Seoul tomorrow.”
I placed a small business card on the table. Kwon Do-hyeong’s gaze naturally followed it.
“That’s my office contact in Seoul. Call me once you’ve made your decision. For your information, my patience isn’t very long. If you’re late, I’ll have no choice but to support someone else. Think carefully, Major.”
There was nothing more to discuss. The dice had been cast, and all that remained was his decision.
Before leaving the soup restaurant, I turned back to him one last time.
“Oh, one more thing. Do you know why I chose you, Major?”
“…….”
“Greed. As long as that hunger for power burns in your chest, you won’t betray me.”
With that, I left the soup restaurant without hesitation.
‘The spark has been lit. Now, whether it becomes a raging inferno or fades away like smoke depends entirely on Kwon Do-hyeong.’
After leaving the restaurant, I naturally turned my steps toward the hospital.
When I opened the hospital room door, a faint scent of disinfectant greeted me, along with the gazes of two people turning toward me.
Grandmother’s complexion had noticeably improved. Even the bony back of her hand seemed to have filled out slightly.
Kang Hyeok was silently staying by her side, offering her freshly peeled apple slices.
The moment she spotted me, Grandmother’s face lit up.
“Oh my, young man! Come here quickly. Sit right here.”
She pointed to the chair beside her bed with her wrinkled hand.
I quietly nodded and sat down. Kang Hyeok stood up without a word, trying to give up his seat.
“No, it’s fine. Stay seated.”
I stopped him with a gesture.
Seeing that, Grandmother forced herself halfway upright and suddenly grabbed my hand. Though thin, the warmth of her touch was unmistakable.
“I don’t even know how to thank you. You saved this old woman’s life, and our Kang Hyeok too…. How could I ever repay such kindness?”
“Grandma, why are you crying again? The doctor told you to keep your mind at ease.”
Kang Hyeok scolded her gruffly, but his voice was filled with concern.
“I’m not crying. I’m happy, that’s why.”
After wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes, Grandmother squeezed my hand again and spoke with desperate sincerity.
“Our Kang Hyeok…. Please, take good care of our Kang Hyeok. This boy’s strong like a bear, but his heart’s soft and pure. I kept worrying how he’d survive in this harsh world. I thought I wouldn’t be able to close my eyes in peace…. But then a kind soul like you appeared from who knows where. I’m truly grateful. I can finally set my heart at ease.”
Her dialect was rough, but worry seeped through every word. Without saying anything, I lightly tapped Kang Hyeok’s shoulder. He lowered his head, clearly embarrassed.
“Grandmother, Kang Hyeok is like a younger brother to me. He’s one of my people—someone I’m responsible for.”
At my words, Kang Hyeok’s shoulders twitched. He slowly lifted his head, his eyes swirling with complex emotions.
Ignoring his gaze, I turned back to Grandmother and spoke gently.
“So don’t worry. Once your condition improves a bit more, come to Seoul. I’ll arrange for the best doctors in this country.”
I softly patted the back of her wrinkled hand.
“You need to make a full recovery and live long by Kang Hyeok’s side. You still have to see him get married, don’t you?”
Tears welled up in Grandmother’s eyes. The tears that flowed down her wrinkled cheeks were not of sorrow, but of joy and relief.
“Thank you. Truly, thank you, young man….”
Unable to continue, she sobbed softly. Kang Hyeok’s eyes reddened as well. Biting his lip tightly, he turned his head toward the window.
“I’ll be heading out now. I have to go up to Seoul tomorrow.”
I quietly left the room. Just before the door closed, I heard Grandmother’s soft voice.
“You’ll be blessed. That young man will surely be blessed….”
Kang Hyeok followed me out. Under the dim light at the end of the corridor, we stood facing each other for a moment.
“If you need anything, tell Ma Dong-jin and have him take care of it. He’ll be staying at Deokhwa Pavilion for a while.”
“Yes.”
“How much longer before you can head to Seoul?”
“They said about two more weeks should be enough. Do you want to meet the doctor?”
“No. Just call ahead. I’ll come pick you up.”
“Yes, hyung.”
I patted Kang Hyeok’s shoulder and smiled. Only then did a faint smile finally spread across his face.
“See you in Seoul.”
Leaving Kang Hyeok behind, I exited the hospital. It was the moment my long journey in Busan finally came to an end.