VDN Ch 70

Seo-oh was more focused than ever as he carefully read the post. Then, he opened a notepad and summarized the main points he had seen earlier:

1. Eel (especially the tail) – the best
2. Hanwoo (Korean beef)
3. Cucumber

Next, Seo-oh opened his budget app. How much was left for living expenses this month? After checking his bank balance, Seo-oh added more notes.

1. Eel (especially the tail) – the best. It might be possible with part-time earnings or scholarships. However, it has many bones, so he should check with Hyung if he likes it.
2. Hanwoo – Possible with part-time earnings or scholarships. Slightly more expensive than eel. Hyung might need to eat a little due to the cost. There’s also an option to buy it from the market and cook it at home.
3. Cucumber – The cheapest option.

Seo-oh had a busy night, so he decided to try making pickled lettuce today. However, after reading that lettuce can cause drowsiness, he realized it might not have been the best choice. Although he wanted to try all the recommended foods, their limited budget made it impossible. Eel and Hanwoo were out of the question. Cucumber seemed like the best option. Seo-oh was lost in his phone, forgetting about tutoring preparations.

***

When Nam-woon arrived at the office, he gathered the office members.

“Why, young master?”

Deok-chil, who had been lazily flipping through TV channels on the couch, sat up and asked curiously. Nam-woon held out his phone.

“We received our first request from a client. Lately, we haven’t had much work. If we handle this well, we could receive a nice success fee. Look at this location. Can you find out where it is?”

Nam-woon pointed to a place in Gangnam.

Deok-chil, who had been reading the conversation on the phone, suddenly stiffened. Without a word, he passed the phone to Yong-deuk, who was standing behind him. Nam-woon looked puzzled and asked,

Why that reaction?

“…….”

Their reactions were strange. Deok-chil fidgeted nervously, Yong-deuk avoided eye contact, and Jang-mi pretended to be on his phone. They were clearly hiding something. Yong-deuk, who handed the phone back to Nam-woon, spoke in his usual stern tone.

“Who did you receive the request from?”

“Well, it’s from a crazy guy who owns a restaurant. Apparently, Park Chun-gil ran off with his money. So, do you know where it is?”

“We’re not sure either.”

“…Is that so?”

He replied and glanced at the employees, who suddenly looked down at their cell phones as if they had an urgent call. After looking at them suspiciously, Nam-woon said he had an appointment and would be back in a few minutes and closed the office door.

Then, with loud steps, he noisily descended the stairs, only to quietly tiptoe back up. Then he pressed his ear against the office door. From beyond the door, Deok-chil’s voice could be heard.

“Hyung Yong-deuk, about that message earlier. Do you think the young master knows something about the trait drugs?”

“I don’t think so.”

Yong-deuk replied quickly.

“But what if Park Chun-gil’s search makes the young master interested in the Chairman’s business? What if he asks to be involved too?”

At that moment, something hit Nam-woon’s feet with a thud. It was a delivery box placed in front of the office.

At the same time, the voices from inside stopped, and Jang-mi’s voice asked, “What are we having for dinner tonight?” Deok-chil replied, “How about kimchi?”

Damn, they noticed.

Nam-woon stayed in place for a while, but as the pointless conversation continued, he discreetly placed his phone’s voice recorder in the door crack and stepped outside. Soon, Deok-chil approached the window, stretched his neck out, and looked outside. He saw Nam-woon riding away on his bicycle.

“It looks like he’s gone?”

Only then did Jang-mi, now relieved, raise his voice towards Yong-deuk.

“You said before! If the young master ever gets involved in the drug business, the Chairman will definitely use him as a disposable pawn, and he will be sent straight to jail!!”

“That’s right. But the young master now is different from back then… Anyway, he won’t get involved in that matter.”

“What? What do you mean? That’s different from what you said before. I’ve kept it a secret from the young master based on your words.”

Deok-chil suggested from the side.

“Then can we tell him? Since he’s no longer interested in these matters, it should be okay.”

“Even the Chairman hasn’t told him, so why should we?”

“That’s true, but the chairman hasn’t said anything because he thinks the young master wouldn’t be of any help. Even if we just give him a little hint……It makes me uncomfortable that only we know!”

“We shouldn’t say anything. It’s better if the young master doesn’t know at all.’”

Deok-chil blinked at those words.

“Why?”

Yong-deuk turned his head without answering, his gaze locked on the desk where Kwon Seo-oh used to sit.

After retrieving his phone and listening to Yong-deuk’s conversation, Nam-woon rode his bicycle straight to the Umpyeong Center. When he showed Park Chun-gil’s conversation to the Umpyeong staff, they responded with a surprised “Huh?”

“This looks like Pera.”

“Pera?”

“Yes, a club in Gangnam. Don’t you know it? You used to secretly go to clubs often when you met with Su-in.”

“I don’t know it.”

At Nam-woon’s confident answer, Umpyeong looked at him strangely. They continued speaking after reading the rest of the conversation displayed on the phone.

“It looks like a trait drug deal. These days, they trade at that club.”

“That’s illegal, right?”

“Of course. But nowadays, such deals happen secretly in clubs at very high prices.”

“Does it work?”

“I don’t know? But I’ve never seen a positive review. Honestly, I think it’s a scam.”

A worried expression appeared on Nam-woon’s face. Based on what he’d overheard from Yong-deuk and the others, he could infer.

Chairman Seok is involved in developing trait-altering drugs.

Chairman Seok was a recessive alpha. According to the novel, he was very interested in traits and was expanding his business in that direction. The perfume shop was one part of it. It was mentioned that he was involved in some illegal activities behind the scenes, but the exact nature of those activities wasn’t specified.

Moreover, the main reason why the novel’s villain, Seok Nam-woon, was buried alive was because he tried to turn Kwon Seo-oh into an omega.

Jin Hae-geon openly told people that omega pheromones were disgusting and that smelling them would kill his d*ck. He even told Kwon Seo-oh that. Seok Nam-woon thought that the reason why Jin Hae-geon was interested in Kwon Seo-oh and not him was because of his dominant alpha trait.

From there, things went downhill. The inferiority complex that had been building up for a long time exploded. In the end, Seok Nam-woon comes up with a brilliant plan to turn Kwon Seo-oh into an Omega, and like a villain, he meets a disastrous end.

Oh, of all people, I had to be possessed by this loser and get involved in a plot that led to a buried-alive ending. I really don’t want to get entangled with trait drugs.

Nam-woon with a distraught face asked Umpyeong, who was hovering over the mouse with a frown on his face.

“Mr. Kwon Sang-moon.”

“Not yet.”

In the novel, only two villains are explicitly revealed: Chairman Seok and Seok Nam-woon. Given the circumstances, Kwon Sang-moon’s disappearance is clearly the work of a villain. Since he is the protagonist’s father, who could be involved in his disappearance? Chairman Seok? Seok Nam-woon? Or both?

Currently, the most likely suspect for Kwon Sang-moon’s disappearance is Chairman Seok. Seok Nam-woon was just a typical nuisance, irritating Kwon Seo-oh with pointless arguments. To him, Kwon Sang-moon’s disappearance was merely a way to provoke Kwon Seo-oh, nothing more. Even the ultimate fate of being buried alive was, in the end, merely a result of jealousy, with no direct connection to Kwon Sang-moon.

And under no circumstances should Seok Nam-woon be involved in Kwon Sang-moon’s disappearance, because he likes Kwon Seo-oh….

“Ah, you startled me! What!?”

The Umpyeong employees looked at Nam-woon, who suddenly started slapping his own cheek as if he were crazy.

What did I just say?

I must be out of my mind. Nam-woon corrected himself. He was close to Kwon Seo-oh. He was his dear brother.

Suddenly, he remembered something Seo-oh had said once.

“I wanted to see the face you would make.”

He understood that feeling very well. He felt the same way. He wanted to steal glances at the joyful faces of Seo-oh and Se-han as they embraced their father, Kwon Sang-moon. He also wished that Seo-oh and Se-han could meet their father and live without any worries.

Of course, it might be difficult when Jin Hae-geon appeared later.

Having sorted out his thoughts, Nam-woon commanded the Umpyeong employees.

“Clear your schedules for this Saturday night.”

“Why?”

“I’m going to look for Park Chun-gil.”

The boss of Umpyeong extended his hand. It was a demand for money first. Nam-woon took out a black plastic bag from his pocket. It was the 2 million won he had gotten back from the Umpyeong employees before. The expression on Mr. Umpyeong’s face brightened.

“Are you giving me the down payment?”

“Give this to Kwon Seo-oh. Don’t tell him I gave it to you. Just say it’s money found while looking for Kwon Sang-moon, or something like that. Make up a good story. Don’t give it to him right away, give it to him later. If you give it now, he’ll know everything.”

“…Why are you asking us to do this?”

“If he doesn’t take my money and you guys run off with it, I’ll bury you in a concrete block and dump you in the ocean, just so you know.

Then work hard. Nam-woon, after patting Mr. Umpyeong on the shoulder a few times to encourage him, slammed the door and left. An Umpyeong employee asked the boss,

“What’s going on? Are they two really dating?”

“You fucking asshole. He nodded in front of Kwon Seo-oh like he was so fucking innocent. I wish Kwon Seo-oh would punch Seok Nam-woon in the face, put a piercing in his d*ck, and beat his ass with his big palm until it bleeds, and then shove his d*ck in his ass and make him cry like crazy.”

The Umpyeong employee continued playing the card game, as if they were used to his rough words.