His father's sudden declaration blindsided Jung Ho-young.
"Study abroad? Just like that? Why should I? You promised that once I got into college, I could do whatever I wanted!"
"And 'whatever you wanted' turned out to be manipulating prosecution investigators for personal matters?"
"What's wrong with that? I was just using people who work under you!"
"You little brat—!"
Smack!
Jung Ho-young's cheek turned red.
His father had never laid a hand on him before, which made the shock even greater.
Tears welled up in his eyes, spilling down his face, but he was too stunned to make a sound. His mother quickly pulled him into an embrace.
"Why are you hitting the child?!"
"Do you even know what he did? It's a good thing I stopped this before it got worse. If this had escalated any further, I could've lost my head! I was this close to being forced into early retirement as a chief prosecutor and setting up a damn law firm instead!"
"Ho-young? No, that can't be. He's such a good boy—he wouldn't do something like that."
"No more arguments. He's flying to the U.S. today. The tickets are already booked. Take him to the airport—now!"
Jung Shin-su tossed a plane ticket onto the table.
Jung Ho-young couldn't believe how forceful his father was being.
"Dad… Did I really do something so terrible? All I wanted was to punish someone making illegal money. How is that wrong?"
"You should've chosen your target more carefully."
"But you're a chief prosecutor! What's so special about Chun Min-jung that we have to back off?"
"The person who just took down the deputy chief prosecutor is supporting her. So, from now on, stay the hell away from her. Even if you run into her by chance, pretend you don't know her and walk away."
Jung Ho-young clenched his fists.
Was he really being forced out of the country because of some nobody?
Leaving Korea was one thing—but what truly crushed him was the way his father was now looking at him.
For the first time in his life, Jung Shin-su regarded his son with disappointment. No, worse—contempt.
"…Fine, I'll go. But just give me one more day. I need time to pack my things and say goodbye to my friends."
"Yes, let him have at least that much time to prepare himself."
"Fine. I'll reschedule your flight for tomorrow. Get ready. And buy whatever you need."
Jung Shin-su pressed a thick wad of cash into his son's hand.
He didn't say it out loud, but this wasn't easy for him either.
However, if he wanted to climb even higher, he needed that golden lifeline.
And securing it meant sending his son away.
***
A bar in Hongdae
Jung Ho-young had rented out the entire place, drinking heavily with more than twenty friends.
"Listen up, guys! I'm flying to the U.S. tomorrow, and who knows when I'll be back? All because of one crazy bitch! I shouldn't have to go through this bullshit!"
"Who is she? Just say the name—we'll take care of her."
Jung Ho-young's crowd was rough.
Back in high school, he had thrown money around recklessly, attracting leeches who stuck close, drawn by the scent of easy cash.
"You mean it? If you really take care of her, this money is all yours."
"Damn, this has got to be at least two million won."
"Forget the money. A friend's in trouble—of course, we'll help him out."
Unlike Jung Ho-young, these guys had nothing to lose.
Few of them were in college. Most spent their days as low-level thugs, barely scraping by.
"Her name is Chun Min-jung. Her address is…"
Just as he was about to reveal it—
Screech!
The door to the bar swung open.
"Hey, old man! We rented out this place tonight. No business today, so go somewhere else."
"Yeah, get lost already!"
Jung Ho-young's rowdy friends shouted aggressively.
For guys in their early twenties, they put on a pretty intimidating front.
But to the man who had just walked in, they looked nothing more than adorable.
Having served in the military since the days of the authoritarian regime, Captain Kang saw their bravado as nothing but child's play.
"Seeing kids like you makes me miss the Samcheong Reeducation Camp."
"You too, sir? Seriously, kids these days have no damn manners."
One by one, Captain Kang's men filed into the bar behind him.
All of them were ex-special forces, now working at Kang's private security firm, where they trained daily under real combat conditions.
"Take them all down—except for the one in the center."
"Been a while since I got some exercise."
"Just don't go too hard on them. They're only kids."
Jung Ho-young had twenty men on his side.
Captain Kang's crew? Only ten.
At first glance, it seemed like the numbers weren't in their favor. Physically, they weren't that different in size either.
But there was a vast, insurmountable gap—between those who had faced real combat and those who hadn't.
Thud!—"Uwek!"
Captain Kang's men struck with precise blows, targeting vital points.
Within moments, more than half of Jung Ho-young's friends were writhing on the floor.
The remaining ones—who had been so full of bravado just moments ago—were now kneeling, hands clasped together in desperate pleas.
"That's it? I thought they were just rude, but turns out they have no endurance either."
"Exactly, sir. Thought I'd get a proper warm-up, but this just ruined my appetite."
Captain Kang stepped over the fallen bodies, closing the distance to Jung Ho-young.
The moment their eyes met, a shiver ran down Ho-young's spine.
Like a mouse facing a tiger, his body began to tremble.
"W-why are you doing this?! My father is a prosecutor! A chief prosecutor!"
"I know. But for someone of his rank, he sure doesn't seem to keep his promises. He clearly said he'd have you on a plane to the U.S. by today."
"Who the hell do you think you are to tell me where I can or can't go?!"
Surprisingly, Jung Ho-young didn't completely crumble.
Having never been challenged before, he quickly recovered from the initial shock of Captain Kang's intimidation.
But then—
Crunch! Snap!
Captain Kang stomped down on the shoulder of one of the fallen men—shattering it.
"Aaargh!!"
"Consider this my final courtesy to save your father's face, Jung Ho-young. From now on—live your life properly. That's the only way you and your father survive."
Jung Ho-young had no response.
He simply stared, his face drained of color.
Jung Ho-young was paralyzed with fear, unable to respond.
But that was his problem.
Snap!
Captain Kang mercilessly shattered another one of his friend's ankles.
"Aaaaaagh!"
"O-okay! I'll go to the U.S. right now! Just please, stop!"
"This time, it was your friend. Next time, it'll be you. Keep that in mind."
"I understand!"
Jung Ho-young answered immediately this time.
Thanks to that, his friend's other ankle was spared.
"Clean up here and return."
"Yes, sir!"
Captain Kang's men dragged Jung Ho-young's friends away as if they were nothing more than trash.
Watching that, Jung Ho-young was overcome with sheer terror. He bolted out of the bar, leaving his so-called friends behind, running straight home.
"That should keep him quiet for a while."
"Guys like him are smart when it comes to studying, but their memory for things like this isn't so great. He might try something again. Put someone on him."
One of Captain Kang's men discreetly followed Jung Ho-young.
From that moment on, he was destined to live under constant surveillance.
***
A few days later
Chu Min-jeong showed up at the office.
She came unannounced, requesting to meet me at the reception desk.
Fortunately, a planning team employee recognized her, so she was able to enter the Vice Chairman's office.
"Was this your doing?"
"What are you referring to?"
"Jung Ho-young sent me this letter."
Chu Min-jeong held out an envelope.
Inside was a letter, smeared with tears and blood—a desperate apology.
"Consider it part of our employee benefits. If it wasn't you, any other employee would have received the same privilege."
"But I haven't even joined the company yet."
"You can decide on joining after hearing all the benefits. I tried to tell you last time, but you left before I could explain."
"What other 'benefits' are there?"
"Taewoo Group covers full tuition for employees' families. Your younger brother is in high school, right? Not only will his high school fees be covered, but his entire university tuition as well."
Chu Min-jeong's eyes widened.
One of the biggest reasons she worked so relentlessly was to pay for her brother's education.
She hadn't been able to attend university despite her excellent grades, but she was determined to ensure her brother had the opportunity she never did.
"We also provide full medical coverage for employees' families. Your family will have priority access to all examinations at Taewoo Group's general hospital, and all medical and hospitalization expenses will be fully covered."
"So my mother can get a full check-up today?"
"Of course. If you decide to join today, a Taewoo Hospital ambulance will be dispatched to your home immediately."
University hospitals were always overcrowded.
Without personal connections, patients often had to wait months—sometimes even a year—for treatment.
Chu Min-jeong had tried to seek treatment at a university hospital before, so she knew exactly how valuable this benefit was.
"I don't understand why you're going this far to hire someone like me, who doesn't even have a college degree."
"Because we need you for a new project."
"What kind of project? Let me guess—something illegal? Well, I don't care. If you're covering my brother's tuition and my parents' medical bills, I'll do whatever it takes, even if it lands me in prison. I'll join Taewoo Group."
She was willing to sacrifice herself, much like Shim Cheong in the old Korean folktale.
I scratched the back of my head, realizing she had completely misunderstood.
"Do I really have such a bad reputation? You seriously think the Vice Chairman of Taewoo Group would personally lead an illegal project?"
"Because you're a chaebol."
"It's true that I'm a chaebol, but I have no intention of making you do anything illegal. So, you don't have to worry about going to prison. And as for your graduation project, Taewoo Group has already taken care of that issue, so there's no need to be concerned."
"If it's not for something illegal, then why are you so determined to hire me? What exactly is this project?"
It was finally time to reveal the truth.
The reason I had been so eager to bring Chu Min-jeong on board.
"A cryptocurrency project. I'm planning to create a virtual currency called Bitcoin."
"A virtual currency? You mean like in-game money?"
At this point in time, the concept of Bitcoin didn't exist yet.
If I remembered correctly, cryptocurrency wouldn't be developed until 2009.
So, it was only natural for Chu Min-jeong to compare it to game money.
"In a way, you could say it's similar to game money. But unlike game money, Bitcoin will be a virtual currency secured by a perfect encryption algorithm, ensuring trust and reliability."
"That's the first time I've heard of such a concept. Creating a digital currency through cryptography…"
Chu Min-jeong fell into deep thought.
For the first time, the walls she always put up seemed to crack, revealing a glimpse of youthful curiosity.
Maybe this was her true self.
Burdened by her parents' failed business and the harsh realities of the world, she had built an impenetrable wall around herself.
"Would you like to create this virtual currency with me?"
"I want to. I really want to!"
"We're assembling a team of cryptography and programming experts. We're recruiting everyone from military cryptography specialists to university professors in the U.S. who specialize in cryptography."
"Can someone like me really work with such amazing people?"
"Believe in yourself. As the Vice Chairman of Taewoo Group, I guarantee it."
At last, the Bitcoin project was about to begin.
For Taewoo Group to become the world's leading company, this was a necessary step.