"What method are you talking about?" Chief Choi Go-Yoon asked.

I answered, "Would it be possible to make a quick call to Lackey hyung-nim?"

"Lackey? You mean the waiter from Club JJ?"

"Yes."

Choi Go-Yoon tilted his head. "It's only about 3 o'clock. Will he even pick up? Waiters usually work the evening shift, don't they?"

"If he's been doing it for ten years, there are a lot of things he has to do early. He's probably already there."

Being a waiter was physically exhausting and often came with constant humiliation. Most people didn't even last a month before quitting. So anyone who had survived in that field for ten years was basically a manager by now.

Choi Go-Yoon nodded. "I'll try calling him first."

"And please tell him that if he shares anything they're talking about inside, we'll pay whatever he wants as a reward."

"Got it."

Choi Go-Yoon put the phone on speaker so I could hear the conversation and immediately dialed Lackey. After several rings, a hushed voice came through.

-Hyung-nim, I'm busy right now. Can we talk later?

"Busy? Wait... did you already clock in?"

-Huh? How did you know that?

It was just as I thought. Lackey the waiter was already on-site and working. Choi Go-Yoon gave me a surprised glance, then continued speaking.

"Chief Yoon Dong-Gu from Hoop, a woman in her forties, and a few guys from the Gangnam Reconstruction crew just went in. Can you confirm that?"

-I don't know who Yoon Dong-Gu is, but yeah, a guy in his thirties came in, along with Pig Mom and some Rebuild guys acting as bodyguards. But why are you asking?

'Pig Mom? She has a slender build though. Why would they call her that?'

More importantly, the fact that he used a nickname meant they knew each other.

That was when Choi Go-Yoon passed on my request to Lackey.

"Hey, could you try to listen in on what they're talking about? I'll pay you double the usual."

Lackey's voice dropped into a flat tone.

-Hyung-nim. Even if it's you, I'm dead if the Rebuild guys catch me doing that. I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear that.

The call was about to end, so I jumped in.

"Lackey hyungnim, this is Chief Jung!"

-Chief Jung... sir?

"Yes. That man in his thirties who just walked in is one of our company's talent agents. He's threatening singer Bok Seon-Ill's family to blackmail him. Please help us. We'll pay whatever you want."

-Wait... this request came from you, Mr. Jung?

"That's right."

Silence followed. I wondered if he was calculating a price. I even considered boldly offering ten million won.

Then Lackey spoke.

-A hundred thousand won.

"Sorry?"

-That's enough.

"What? That barely covers the risk."

-For you, Mr. Jung, that's more than enough. I'll call when I'm done here.

Click.

The call ended suddenly.

Choi Go-Yoon blinked in surprise. "What the hell did you do to make that money-hungry bastard settle for only a hundred thousand won? That guy will pick your pockets clean if he thinks he's got the chance."

"I couldn't say."

I only used polite speech because he was a fellow former waiter and an older man. And I had helped him out once when he got dumped by Kim Cheong-Gi's talent agent. All I did was what any decent person would have done, but the ripple effect of that moment was still playing out now.

Choi Go-Yoon looked at me like I was an anomaly. "The more I get to know you, Mr. Jung, the more I think I've never met anyone like you."

I wasn't sure how to respond, but I couldn't just sit back and do nothing. If Lackey failed, things could go seriously wrong.

"Sir, could that 'Pig Mom' Lackey mentioned be Park Hyun-Yung's nickname?"

Choi Go-Yoon, a former cop, spoke up. "I'm not sure. But... back when I was still on the force, I remember hearing the wife of the Rebuild crew's underboss was a loan shark. Her nickname was Pig Mom because of how obsessed she was with money. That's right."

'A loan shark?'

Then someone popped into my mind who might be able to help right away—Choi Eun-Tae, the so-called King of Myeongdong. If anyone could sway loan sharks anywhere in the country, it was him.

I paused the conversation and called him directly.

"Mr. Chairman, it's Yoon-Ho."

-Oh, Yoon-Ho! What's going on?

"I'd like to ask for your help with something."

Choi Eun-Tae let out a hearty laugh.

-Anything you need!

***

Inside VIP Room Number One of JJ Club, Yoon Dong-Gu from Hoop Entertainment and a woman in a form-fitting dress were deep in conversation.

The woman's name was Park So-Jung. She was Bok Seon-Ill's first love and the biological mother of Bok Ah-Yung. Now going by a new name, Park Hyun-Yung, she was living a completely different life.

These days, she was a major player in the loan shark scene near Gangnam, notorious under the alias Pig Mom. She was in a common-law relationship with Oh Dal-Sik, the Rebuild crew's underboss who practically ran Gangnam. With nothing to fear in the world and money pouring in from her loan sharking, she had invested it all into founding Club JJ, making her the de facto owner.

Four bodyguards, who were also gang members, stood guard outside the door while Park So-Jung seated across from Yoon Dong-Gu asked, "Dong-Gu, the article's up. So, what's next?"

Just then, Yoon Dong-Gu placed a bag on the table.

Thunk.

"Let's start with the down payment."

"How much is in there?"

"I brought one hundred million won."

Park So-Jung unzipped the bag. She took a deep breath as she looked inside. "Hah... Hahaha. This is my favorite smell in the whole world."

"If I can stay at Hoop, I'll keep sending you two to five million every time a little tabloid article goes out. You know how hot Bok Seon-Ill is right now."

Park So-Jung let out a cackling laugh. "You're more ruthless than I am, huh? You're gonna stick a straw in Seon-Ill oppa and keep sucking him dry?"

"Think of it as the alimony you should've gotten twenty years ago. Just take it, no strings."

"Who knew that useless bastard would ever be this helpful? Hahaha."

The two burst into laughter, clearly hitting it off. Their connection had started when Yoon Dong-Gu once made a move on one of the hostesses at Club JJ. Park So-Jung had found out he was a star composer and thought she could dig up some dirt and bleed him dry. So she cornered him for a one-on-one. Yet, to her surprise, they had gotten along well. Since then, they had been acting like siblings.

Lately, Yoon Dong-Gu had made a tempting offer. He suggested they team up and extort a large sum of money from Bok Seon-Ill.

At first, Park So-Jung hadn't paid it much attention. With her current partner being a violent gangster from the Rebuild crew, she was worried something might backfire if they messed with Bok Seon-Ill. However, the amount Yoon Dong-Gu proposed turned out to be bigger than she expected. In the end, blinded by the money, Park So-Jung became deeply involved in his scheme.

That was when a knock came at the door.

Knock knock.

"Come in."

The door opened with a soft click, and in walked Lackey the waiter and Madam Jung of Club JJ. Madam Jung had borrowed the capital to start Club JJ from Park So-Jung. So in reality, Park So-Jung was the true owner. Madam Jung had personally brought in Lackey, who had years of experience, to serve Park So-Jung directly.

As soon as they entered the room, the two bowed at a sharp ninety-degree angle.

"It's been a while, So-Jung unnie."

Park So-Jung smiled. "Yeah. Business is going well?"

"Yes, unnie."

After the brief greetings, Lackey set a tray of drinks on the table—sparkling water with ice, plum juice, rice drink, and fruit platters.

"Please enjoy, boss."

"Hey, Lackey. Why are you calling me boss? The madam's right here. She's the real boss, isn't she?"

Though Park So-Jung said it like a joke, both Madam Jung and Lackey looked visibly nervous. Not only was Pig Mom backed by the Rebuild crew's underboss, but her personality was notoriously vicious.

Seeing the two of them trembling, Park So-Jung took a sip of the sparkling water from her glass. Then, she suddenly smiled. She gestured for Madam Jung to come closer. Madam Jung approached hesitantly, her face filled with dread.

Park So-Jung silently signaled her to cup her hands together. "Mmph."

Madam Jung tightly shut her eyes and did as told. At that moment, Park So-Jung smiled sweetly and opened her mouth.

Drip.

The sparkling water, now mixed with Park So-Jung's saliva, dribbled out of her mouth and into Madam Jung's cupped hands. Madam Jung looked mortified, on the verge of tears.

Wiping her mouth, Park So-Jung snapped coldly. "Hey. Madam Jung. Didn't I tell you to have VOSS sparkling water ready? I said I won't drink anything else."

"I-I'm so sorry. We gave the ones in storage to Director Hong Ah-Yoon from HK Inc..."

"I don't give a damn if it was Hong Ah-Yoon or Hong Moon-Gyu or some damn chaebol. Bottom line, you used my stuff on another bitch?"

"That's not what I—"

At that moment, Park So-Jung picked up the glass still half-filled with sparkling water. Madam Jung flinched and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Open your eyes. What, you think I'd ruin our madam's pretty face?"

Just then, Park So-Jung hurled the glass straight at Lackey without hesitation.

Thwack!

"Ugh."

The heavy glass hit Lackey square in the forehead, and he collapsed instantly.

Thud.

"Ughhh..."

As Lackey writhed, trying to grab the fire extinguisher to stand back up, Park So-Jung clicked her tongue. "What the hell? I didn't even throw it that hard. You really dropped to the floor? Hey, Lackey. You haven't been eating lately or what? Why are you acting like such a wimp?"

"I-I'm sorry, ma'am."

"Don't lie. Whatever. Just get out there and bring me some wine. I need to rinse my mouth."

"Yes, ma'am."

Terrified, Madam Jung and Lackey quickly left the room.

Clack.

Once the door shut, Yoon Dong-Gu asked, "But noo-nim, you used to drink makgeolli and soju just fine. Why are you so particular about your water now? It tastes bland, and it's just expensive."

Park So-Jung snapped. "I went through hell living with that bastard Bok Seon-Ill twenty years ago. We were dirt poor, and anytime I tried to enjoy even a little luxury, he'd get all passive-aggressive about it. That damn son of a bitch. We once had a huge fight over a cheap bottle of sparkling water. Out of spite, I swore I'd only drink the most expensive stuff from then on."

"I-I see."

"Yeah."

"But noo-nim, there's something I wanted to ask."

"What is it?"

"Once the article's out, Ah-Yung will be affected too. Are you okay with that?"

Park So-Jung shot Yoon Dong-Gu a glare. "I cut ties with her ages ago. And if I hadn't gotten pregnant, my life wouldn't have gone to shit in the first place. So Ah-Yung can do her part now and show some damn filial piety, don't you think?"

"I-I see..."

"What? Do I seem heartless to you?"

"N-no, not at all."

"Pfft. Please. It's written all over your face. Still, I'm a pitiful woman, you know. I used to dream of becoming an actress. But after getting pregnant with Seon-Ill oppa's kid, I gave all that up. My life turned upside down because of those damn Boks, so why the hell would I care about her now?"

Yoon Dong-Gu swallowed nervously, realizing Park So-Jung was even more intense than he had thought.

Then Park So-Jung asked, "Hey, Dong-Gu. Since you're here anyway, wanna have a glass of wine with me? Drinking alone gets lonely."

Yoon Dong-Gu shook his head. "No, I need to head straight back to the company. Once we get the money out of Seon-Ill hyung, the reporter from Entertainment All Times agreed to take the article down."

"Tch. Fine. Go on then."

Yoon Dong-Gu gave a sheepish smile. "I'm swamped today, but once my disciplinary hearing's over, let's meet up. I'll treat you to something big."

"Okay. Oh, and I'll only ever go public as Bok Seon-Ill's ex-wife, nothing more. If you leak my name or address, you'll be dead before your time. You know how my man is, right?"

"Of course. It'll be anonymous, so don't worry."

"Good. Now get going."

Park So-Jung waved her hand, and Yoon Dong-Gu bowed and left the room.

Thud.

After the door closed, Park So-Jung checked the article on her phone.

"Seon-Ill oppa... life's pretty comfy now, huh? Well then, I'll just keep sucking you dry. Hehehe."

At that moment, the door opened again.

Click.

Madam Jung and Lackey returned with a tray of wine, glasses, and snacks.

"Put it down over there," Park So-Jung instructed.

They bowed and carefully set the glasses and snacks on the table. After placing the wine, they bowed again and turned to leave.

Just then, Lackey lost his balance and collapsed near the fire extinguisher again.

Stumble.

Park So-Jung frowned and glared at Lackey. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"You're putting on a show because I hit you earlier, aren't you?"

"N-no, not at all."

"Tch. So damn weak. Tsk tsk." Park So-Jung then turned to Madam Jung. "Madam, make sure Lackey eats properly. He's basically a manager now. If he's like this, how's the club supposed to run properly?"

"Yes, unnie."

Madam Jung gave a nod and helped support Lackey. Lackey bowed his head slightly and walked out.

At that moment, a faint smile formed on Lackey's lips as he exited the room. He had successfully retrieved the phone he had hidden behind the fire extinguisher, which had been recording the whole time.

'Pig Mom, it's your turn to get what's coming to you.'

***

Behind Club JJ, the steel door swung open, and Yoon Dong-Gu peeked his head out.

Creak.

Yoon Dong-Gu scanned the surroundings cautiously. After making sure the coast was clear, he slipped through the door and drove away.

Watching this scene were me, Choi Go-Yoon, and two others who had come after being contacted: Kang Eun-Gi and Bank President Choi Yung-Ho.

Choi Go-Yoon held up his phone. "Looks like the conversation's wrapped up."

"Should we try calling Lackey?"

"No, he might be in a tricky spot to answer. Let's give it a minute."

No sooner had Choi Go-Yoon finished speaking than a notification popped up on his phone. It was a file transfer.

[Lackey: Audio file sent.]

'An audio file?'

"Mr. Jung! I think Lackey recorded what was going on inside."

However, he pulled it off. This was beyond our expectations.

"Let's listen."

Choi Go-Yoon hit play.

Yoon Dong-Gu and the woman in her forties could be heard scheming.

-We're gonna stick a straw in Seon-Ill oppa and keep sucking him dry...

-And if I hadn't gotten pregnant, my life wouldn't have gone to shit in the first place. So Ah-Yung can do her part now and show some damn filial piety, don't you think?

The woman in her forties was clearly Bok Seon-Ill's ex-wife and Bok Ah-Yung's biological mother. Judging by the fact she was called 'So-Jung unnie,' it was clear she had abandoned the name Park Hyun-Yung and taken on a new one. What was truly shocking was her attitude. Not only did she have no intention of protecting her own daughter, but she saw her purely as a tool.

The call was filled with relentless and heartless remarks that made my fists tremble with rage.

Tap, tap.

Kang Eun-Gi reached from the back seat and tapped my shoulder. "Calm down, Yoon-Ho."

Beside him, Choi Yung-Ho also tried to soothe me.

Just a while ago, Choi Eun-Tae had dispatched dozens of bodyguards led by Kang Eun-Gi and Choi Yung-Ho to help as soon as I had called him. It was a precaution in case of conflict with the Rebuild gang. Thanks to their support, I managed to collect myself after a few deep breaths.

At that moment, Choi Go-Yoon's phone rang.

Buzz~

"Hey, Lackey."

-Did you get the file?

"Yeah. I really appreciate it. You did great."

-That was nothing.

I cut in and said, "Lackey hyung-nim, thank you for your help. But, about the woman in her forties who went in earlier—Ms. Park So-Jung—why hasn't she come out yet?"

-Ah, Pig Mom said she's staying back for a glass of wine. Sounds like she plans to hang around a while.

I still had more I needed to get out of her than just that recording.

"Then... could you open the back door from inside so I can come in?"

-You want to come in?

"Yes."

-Uh, well, I...

Just then, Kang Eun-Gi spoke up. "Yoon-Ho, give me your phone."

"Okay."

Kang Eun-Gi took the phone and spoke in a low voice.

"I'm here as a representative of Mr. Choi Eun-Tae, the King of Myeongdong. I guarantee nothing will happen to the person currently on this call. So please, don't worry and just open the door. Mr. Choi Yung-Ho is here with me as well."

-Mr. Choi Yung-Ho? As in, the president of Daeheung Savings Bank?

Then Choi Yung-Ho chimed in from beside me. "Lackey, you recognize my voice, right?"

-Ah, is that really you, Mr. Choi?

"Yeah. Sorry I haven't dropped by recently. But I'll help boost your sales moving forward, so do me a favor today. I've got about twenty men here. We'll handle things cleanly."

-Got it. I'll open the back door.

Click.

The call ended, and Kang Eun-Gi said, "Yoon-Ho, let's go. Time to finish this."

"Right."

Leaving Choi Go-Yoon in the car, I stepped out along with Kang Eun-Gi and Choi Yung-Ho.

Click.

At that moment, five black vans lined up behind us opened simultaneously and dozens of suited men stepped out in unison. About twenty men in suits formed ranks behind us. They were all Choi Yung-Ho's personal security details.

However, the one giving them instructions wasn't Choi Yung-Ho. It was Kang Eun-Gi.

"Line up and follow us. We'll try to avoid making a scene, so keep your voices low. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

After positioning the team, Kang Eun-Gi turned to me. "Shall we? It's time to catch Pig Mom."

"Yeah."

I stood in front of everyone and took the lead toward Club JJ's back door. Behind me followed Kang Eun-Gi, Choi Yung-Ho, and a procession of men in black suits.

Soon after, we arrived at the back entrance of Club JJ.

Creak.

The tightly shut door opened. Lackey peeked out, checking the area before stepping outside alone. It seemed like he managed to send away the guards somehow.

When Lackey saw the people lined up behind me, he sighed with relief and broke into a smile. "Mr. Jung!"

I smiled back. "Hi, Lackey hyung-nim. Just in case anything goes wrong, maybe you should wait outside."

Lackey paused to think, then shook his head. "No, I know the layout better than anyone. Besides the four Rebuild guys inside, there are six others sleeping as lookouts. I'll help. I've got to earn that hundred grand, right?"

Even with Choi Yung-Ho's assurance, what Lackey was doing took serious guts. This went way beyond what a hundred thousand won could ever buy.

I made a mental note to repay him properly one day and said, "Understood. Just stay behind me in case anything happens."

"Yes. Also, Pig Mom is in VIP Room Number One."

After pointing out the location of Bok Seon-Ill's ex-wife, Lackey took position behind me. Clenching my fist, I stepped forward, leading the group into Club JJ.

I was determined to make sure Bok Seon-Ill's ex-wife, Park So-Jung, would never again be a threat to either Bok Seon-Ill or Bok Ah-Yung.

'Ms. Park So-Jung—no, Pig Mom. After today, you're no longer going to be Ah-Yung's mother.'