Chapter 26 (1/2)
Chapter 26 – Day 7, Alley
One billion won. I used to think about it often. When I was a high school student, I didn't have a lot at home, so I thought about the things I wanted to have.
After going to college, I had to wear the same old clothes that I had worn for many years, and realized that the things my friends enjoyed were a luxury to me. Just&h.e.l.lip; I didn't need anything. I just hoped for a little more money. At least, it used to be like that.
“Hey, do you have your bankbook?”
Yoon Sang-ah stared at me with a confused expression. “I don't understand what you are saying right now&h.e.l.lip;” She didn't know exactly, but she could roughly guess.
“Legitimate. By today. One billion won. Don't you understand?”
“This frustrating guy&h.e.l.lip;” The man, Yoon Sang-min, opened his mouth for the first time.
“It's to avoid being pursued by the law, my proposal won't be a problem. Is there any reason to refuse my terms?”
“There will be a record.”
He gave an answer right away.
“There will be an inquiry when you get a job, so it will just be seen as a dubious monthly salary.”
”So?”
“I don’t know what type of life I will live in the future, but I don’t want to do anything.”
I could hear some laughter. The other people sitting in the cafe were laughing at me.
“You can become a big person.”
”Maybe you can even run for President.” They spoke nonsense as they laughed, but I didn't bother looking at them. I just studied Yoon Sang-min.
“So legally. I want a clean one billion.”
”It's awkward. The reality is that there's no way to satisfy the condition of giving you one billion by today. If those conditions&h.e.l.lip;”
“Then I guess I have to refuse. Realistically.” I shook my head. Many eyes looked at me like I was crazy as I opened the door to the cafe.
I could hear Yoon Sang-ah from behind me. “How funny. A beggar wearing a t-s.h.i.+rt is going around like he's some big shot.”
Laughter burst out. I kept moving. One billion won. It wasn't a small amount of money. With that amount of money, I could live a life of ease. So why did I refuse now that it came into my hands?
What if it wasn't one billion, but five billion or ten billion? Maybe I would've been satisfied.
That was before entering the dungeon. I was different now. I have become physically stronger. I was a little smarter and more willing to take action.
And I would be even better in the future. I had to continue for as long as possible. Until the day when it was impossible for me to struggle any longer. The words I said to Yoo Sang-min and Yoo Sang-ah were true. I hadn't been talking nonsense.
It would be good if they 'gave' all that money to me. Then I would be able to stop along the way and smell the roses.
But not anymore. A long road stretched in front of me. I would do the things I wanted to do. I would walk the path I chose and be successful. To the me right now, one billion wasn't enough as a goal.
I walked out and left the campus. I had to wait a bit for the next step.
&
Late at night. I was walking down a street when I received a message.
-If you are alone now then you should contact me.
The call came straight away.
–H-h.e.l.lo? This is Yoon Ji-hee.
It was the number that she gave on the way to the cafe.
–Excuse me&h.e.l.lip; So the money&h.e.l.lip;
“Please give me the cell phone number.” Yoon Ji-hee swallowed her breath. The number shouldn't be repeated twice.
“Ifyou let me know, then I will protect you on the a.s.sumption that there won't be any problems with my safety in the future.”
–S-still&h.e.l.lip;
“If you do not want to die&h.e.l.lip;” I hung up and waited. Three minutes later, I received a message. I entered the phone number I received and took a breath. I closed my eyes before pressing the call b.u.t.ton. The ring tone continued for a while.
–Who is this?
I heard the voice of an elderly man. ”I called about a matter regarding one of your grandchildren. Yoon Ji-hee.”
– &h.e.l.lip; This is a number that is only used in my family. Did Ji-hee give it to you?
The old man's voice was grumpy. ”Yes. I sincerely asked Yoon Ji-hee to tell me. It is a condition to escort Yoon Ji-hee inside the dungeon.” There was a moment of silence. Then Chairman Yoon Sang-gyu spoke again.
–I made it clear to my grandchildren. No matter what the children do in there, I decided not to intervene.
The old man spoke in a feeble voice, but the weight behind his words was fierce. Was it to make the opponent shrink back from the weakness?
–So I can't give you anything. I think it is better for you to hang up.
Of course, I already knew that. Yoon Sang-ah told Yoon Ji-hee that she was acting on her own behalf, not on UZ Group's. “I’ll didn't call Chairman-nim for nothing.” I calmed the trembling in my chest and spoke. “I will protect your granddaughter. I will do my best and she will be the one who stays until the end.”
–You and Ji-hee? What is the relations.h.i.+p?
“Until yesterday, we had no affiliation.” The chairman didn't hang up. Okay. Then I would continue. “Even if you don't intervene, I don't think you have a lot of expectations for Yoon Ji-hee. I met three of your grandchildren today, but I could clearly see who would die first.” From here on, I cut to the chase and pulled the pin from the hypothetical grenade.
“But Yoon Ji-hee will survive the longest. If only one of your grandchildren is left, it will be Yoon Ji-hee.”
–Why?
“She has me.” I heard a faint laugh.
–In other words, the grandchild that has you&h.e.l.lip; Perhaps Sang-ah and Sang-min&h.e.l.lip; You are better than those children.