The Regressed Vault Keeper Took It All

Chapter 11: I Must Quietly Secure Only the Substance

The secret gisaeng house, Unhwajeong, was nestled deep within Gahoe-dong.

In Cheongun Room, located in the most hidden basement of Unhwajeong, the air was thick with cigarette smoke, the pungent stench of whiskey, and the low voices of men debating the course of power.

The moment the door opened and Jeong Tae-soo stepped inside, the atmosphere subtly shifted.

“Deputy Director, you’ve finally arrived! I thought my neck would grow long waiting.”

Major Yoo Sang-yeol took Jeong Tae-soo’s coat and hung it on the wall, his usual banter lightening the mood.

“Don’t even start. Cleaning up the bottom never ends. Those vagrants are nothing but a headache.”

Jeong Tae-soo pressed his brow as if exhausted.

“Still, thanks to your hard work, we get to live in comfort like this, don’t we! Come now, you must ease your fatigue.”

Captain Jang Gi-mun chuckled good-naturedly as he poured a full glass of liquor and offered it to him.

“You rascal. Trying to kill a man right from the start?”

Jeong Tae-soo smirked faintly as he accepted the glass.

“To think the great Deputy Director Jeong would whine over something so little. That doesn’t suit you.”

Kim Yeong-hwan added with a subtle smile.

“A distinguished guest will be here soon, so why don’t we begin.”

Captain Bae Seok-ho, a burly man, urged him on.

In the end, Jeong Tae-soo drained the glass in one go.

Grimacing from the strong burn of alcohol, he soothed his stomach with slices of blanched abalone that had been served as snacks.

“Has that eel of a bastard calmed down yet?”

Bae Seok-ho cautiously asked as he refilled Jeong Tae-soo’s empty glass.

They had all ridden on the stock manipulation led by Lee Seong-gyu, amassing a considerable slush fund.

Jeong Tae-soo chewed and swallowed the abalone in his mouth before clicking his tongue and shaking his head.

“Calmed down? He’s more arrogant than ever. Look at him, strutting around with nothing but Manager Kang behind him. Anyone would think he’s already been handed the next Director’s seat.”

His voice carried open displeasure and contempt.

Aside from being a graduate of the Military Academy, Lee Seong-gyu had nothing to show, yet he strutted about under the General Director’s favor.

It grated on Jeong Tae-soo’s nerves.

“That fellow was already a master at stealing other people’s credit back in our cadet days. Isn’t Chief Choi the one handling all the actual work?”

“Exactly. Chief Choi does everything, but he takes all the glory… That fool doesn’t know his place.”

Yoo Sang-yeol and Kim Yeong-hwan clicked their tongues, cursing Lee Seong-gyu back and forth.

“Well, thanks to him, our pockets are fatter, aren’t they? Let’s not hate him too much. He’s still useful.”

Jang Gi-mun gave his comrades a meaningful smile, his eyes gleaming.

At that look, the others cleared their throats quietly.

The satisfaction of their secret success lingered in the room.

“By the way, who on earth were the ones that suddenly dumped KEPCO stock? I nearly had a heart attack then.”

Yoo Sang-yeol shook his head, still shuddering at the thought.

That unexpected wave of mass selling had nearly ruined the operation.

“It couldn’t have been that bastard Lee Seong-gyu… Another group must’ve intervened. Deputy Director, do you have any idea who it might be?”

Bae Seok-ho asked, his tone filled with expectation.

If anyone knew, it would be Jeong Tae-soo.

Jeong Tae-soo stayed silent for a moment.

After gathering his thoughts, he finally spoke.

“Well… I’m not certain yet, but I have a few suspects. Soon enough, the outline will reveal itself.”

His eyes gleamed coldly.

But then, quickly masking his emotions, he raised his glass.

“In any case, we got out clean and secured as much as we aimed for. That’s all that matters. Tonight, let’s enjoy ourselves.”

“Heheheh… That eel bastard must be feeling sick by now. He probably burned through quite a sum trying to defend the stock price. Once he realizes part of it ended up in our pockets, his gut will churn.”

Jang Gi-mun let out a sly laugh, lifting his glass.

Just then, without even a knock, the heavy door swung open.

A chill swept through the room.

The lively chatter instantly fell silent.

The man who entered was Brigadier General Lee Do-hyeon, commander of the Counterintelligence Corps.

He was both Jeong Tae-soo’s rival and occasional partner, a man with whom he would sometimes clasp hands and at other times cross blades on their climb toward power.

All four men, except Jeong Tae-soo, shot to their feet.

“Loyalty!”

The soldiers saluted, and Kim Yeong-hwan bowed deeply.

General Lee Do-hyeon swept his cold gaze over them before locking eyes with Jeong Tae-soo.

Though brief, it was as if an invisible contest of strength and probing played out between them.

“Everyone looks like they’re having fun.”

Still fixing his gaze, Lee Do-hyeon spoke in a low voice.

Yoo Sang-yeol hurriedly stepped forward, taking his coat with flattery.

“General, we’ve been waiting for you. Please, this way…”

Following Yoo Sang-yeol’s guidance, Lee Do-hyeon sat at the head seat opposite Jeong Tae-soo.

He gave no attention to the other four, focusing solely on Jeong Tae-soo.

“Well, Deputy Director Jeong. Did you secure the funds you said you would?”

It was the ammunition needed to check the KCIA Director and reshape the power structure.

That was the unspoken reason these two men had clasped hands.

Jeong Tae-soo set down his glass and replied calmly.

“More than we initially planned. Enough to serve our cause well.”

“Excellent.”

Lee Do-hyeon expressed brief satisfaction.

“What matters is handling it cleanly so the KCIA doesn’t catch on. Especially Major Lee Seong-gyu… That fellow’s been sticking to the Director’s side lately, fawning about. It’s not a pleasant sight.”

Though it sounded like muttering, his words seemed aimed at Jeong Tae-soo as well, since he too belonged to the KCIA.

But Jeong Tae-soo showed not a flicker of agitation.

‘Lee Do-hyeon… In the end, you’ll dance in the palm of my hand as well. Whether it’s the KCIA Director or you, you’re nothing but stepping stones for my ambition.’

His masklike expression perfectly concealed his inner thoughts.

Wearing the face of a faithful ally, he gave an order to the four men still standing.

“Sit down.”

Even with Brigadier General Lee before them, it was Jeong Tae-soo who spoke first.

The four hesitated briefly, then obeyed.

A faint furrow creased Lee Do-hyeon’s brow, but he said nothing.

Once again, the two men’s gazes clashed in midair.

Their secret meeting, veiling different ambitions and calculations, stretched from deep into the night until dawn.

---

Having granted everyone a day’s rest, I too decided to take a break.

Unlike other places, the annex of Yang Sobo’s mansion was filled with warmth.

Instead of the stench of medicine, sunlight streaming through the bright windows gently embraced the annex.

Crossing the threshold, I felt my tension ease at the peace that lingered here.

Just as it had done for the children, this place became a small refuge that let me forget reality for a while.

“Oppa, you’re here?”

Yang Yeong’s face no longer carried the same unease and wariness it had when I first came here.

Instead, there was a trace of ease.

“Yes. How’s your body?”

“Yes. Min-soo seems to be getting better too.”

My eyes naturally turned to Min-soo, who sat by the window.

He had spread old scraps of newspaper across his lap, staring intently at the pictures and drawings within.

He seemed so focused that he hadn’t even noticed me approaching.

It was different from the desperate, tenacious will to survive he had always shown—this was pure absorption in something.

The sight felt both unfamiliar and endearing.

I never thought I’d see this side of Min-soo.

“Min-soo.”

When I called his name, he jumped in surprise and hurriedly tried to hide the newspaper behind his back.

“What are you hiding from me? Do you want to learn to read?”

My question made Min-soo’s eyes widen.

Smiling, I sat down beside him and patted his head.

Neither Min-soo nor Yang Yeong could read.

On the streets, where survival was their only goal day after day, learning letters must have been nothing more than a story from another world.

“H-how did you know, hyung?”

So startled, Min-soo stammered as he asked back.

Instead of answering, I pointed to the newspaper he had tried to hide.

“I want to know what’s written in things like this, what people are talking about…”

After a moment’s hesitation, Min-soo confessed his true feelings.

“That’s why… I want to be like you, hyung. I want to help you.”

Though his words were a bit clumsy, it wasn’t hard to understand what he meant.

He wanted to be like the brother who protected him, to be someone who could help.

That pure-hearted wish made my chest ache with a sharp pang.

I stroked Min-soo’s head once more, this time making a promise with more sincerity.

“Yes, you should study. You should do everything you want. I’ll make sure you can.”

A bright smile spread across Min-soo’s face.

It was so clear and radiant that it was hard to believe it belonged to a child who had endured long years of hunger and sickness.

At that smile, I felt something within me—hardened by vengeance and ambition—soften just a little.

‘This isn’t like before, when I couldn’t protect you. This time, I’ll make sure you get to do everything you want.’

I repeated it silently to myself.

“I want to learn too.”

At that moment, Yang Yeong joined our conversation.

I looked at her and smiled.

“You should tell your grandfather that, not me.”

“I want to study with Min-soo. But I’m still not comfortable with… grandfather.”

So she still couldn’t even bring herself to call him easily.

For Yang Yeong, who had lived apart from Yang Sobo for more than ten years, Min-soo seemed far closer than blood relatives she had never even met.

Besides, Yang Sobo wasn’t exactly warm by nature either.

‘If only he could show a little affection.’

Though he cherished his granddaughter, when I recalled Yang Sobo’s wooden, puppet-like reactions, I could understand why Yang Yeong found him difficult to approach.

I nodded.

“I’ll let Master Yang know for you.”

“Thank you, oppa.”

“Don’t thank me. I’m the one who’s grateful. Min-soo’s health is improving thanks to you.”

If it weren’t for Yang Yeong, I never would have even set foot in this house.

Perhaps I would have had to circle a long way just to meet him.

Would Min-soo have endured long enough for that? Most likely not…

Stretching out on the porch, I looked up at the sky.

The clear, cloudless sky seemed to reflect my own heart.

---

After finishing my rest, I returned to the office.

When I opened the door, the three men were already there, waiting at their seats.

I immediately sensed an atmosphere quite different from before.

“Did you all rest well?”

Since my predictions and instructions had been proven uncannily accurate, it seemed they no longer had any doubts about my abilities—at least, not openly.

“It’s been a while since I had a proper drink.”

Kang Cheol-min made a drinking gesture, joking around.

“I can still taste the sweetness in my mouth. That fellow Cheol-min really can drink like a fish.”

Yoon Ji-seong teased him as he pushed his glasses up.

The taciturn Ma Dong-jin only nodded silently.

“Now, it’s time to begin again.”

Cutting off the lingering ease of our short break, I walked over to the small chalkboard propped against the wall.

Picking up a piece of chalk, I wrote a name both familiar and new.

[Korea Securities Exchange.]

Today was the day this name officially appeared before the world.

“Today, the Korea Securities Exchange is launched.”

All three pairs of eyes fixed on the board.

The privately run Seoul Securities Exchange had already been absorbed and merged into the government-run Korea Securities Exchange.

Yet in people’s minds and in the signs of the marketplace, the name Seoul Securities Exchange still lingered.

But today, the old sign would come down, and a new one would go up.

This was more than a simple name change—it carried far greater meaning.

“This is the government’s preemptive move ahead of the implementation of the Securities and Exchange Act. Their aim is to boost credibility in the market and draw in more capital.”

I added my explanation.

And today was also the day the prelude to every tragedy I remembered would begin.

“From now on, trading will officially be conducted under government control.”

“Does anything really change? The people inside are all the same.”

Kang Cheol-min replied bluntly.

Having endured every kind of hardship from the Myeong-dong over-the-counter market on up, a mere signboard probably seemed meaningless to him.

Expecting that reaction, I smiled faintly.

“Many things will change. Even if a signboard seems trivial, the trust it gives the public makes all the difference. More people will rush in with greater expectations. All under the illusion that the government is guaranteeing it.”

The government would transform the Korea Securities Exchange into a joint-stock company, presenting a rosy blueprint for market revitalization.

That expectation would soon become a storm, sweeping through the market.

Below the board, I wrote our new target.

[Buy Daegung stock (secure physical shares).]

“From now until the official implementation of the Securities and Exchange Act, we will purchase as much Daegung stock as possible. This time, we will not use deferred trading.”

Their faces grew serious again.

Their eyes carried both anticipation and unease, wondering what prediction I would reveal this time.

“Our available funds are around 48 million hwan, correct?”

At my question, Ma Dong-jin opened the ledger and replied.

“Yes. To be precise, 48,027,800 hwan.”

Forty-eight million hwan.

A much larger sum than the ten million we had started with last time, but still insufficient for moving without deferred trades.

Yet this time, deferred trading was not an option.

Physical securities were absolutely necessary.

That was the core of this plan.

“What about our projected operating expenses over the next two months?”

After a moment’s calculation, Ma Dong-jin answered.

“Since we won’t be using deferred trading, the enormous fees we paid last time will be avoided.”

He closed the ledger and continued.

“But we’ll still need to factor in standard transaction fees from bulk buying, plus costs for gathering information and managing personnel. Altogether, for two months, we can expect at least several hundred thousand hwan in operating expenses.”

Less burdensome than the last operation, but still a significant sum.

I gave a firm order.

“Set aside 500,000 hwan for operating funds. With the remaining 43 million, secure as much Daegung stock in physical form as possible.”

At my words, Kang Cheol-min questioned with a doubtful look, a trace of disappointment in his eyes.

He had tasted the intoxicating thrill of deferred trading and no doubt wanted another taste.

“Only in physical shares? Even though it’s over 40 million hwan, compared to the scale those people move on, it won’t be enough.”

“This time we won’t shake their game. No—in fact, we must never shake it.”

This manipulation of Daegung stock was no mere operation.

From what I knew of the future, behind it loomed the military regime, the KCIA, and countless others, each ready to drive a knife into one another’s backs.

At present, I was the only one who knew the full scope of this enormous power struggle.

At first, I had considered how to exploit it.

But I quickly abandoned that idea.

To step recklessly into the battle of the most powerful men in the country—who had seized power through a coup—was as good as suicide.

“….”

At the conviction in my tone and the look in my eyes, as though I knew something they didn’t, Kang Cheol-min closed his mouth without further protest.

Yoon Ji-seong and Ma Dong-jin also studied me quietly, trying to grasp my intent.

I looked at each of them in turn and continued.

Though we had ended the first plan in success, I still did not see trust in their faces.

“We must reap the maximum gains from the board they’ve set up, but we cannot allow any blood to splash onto us. We must quietly secure only the substance.”

For now, I could not reveal everything to them.

What mattered was that they followed my orders.

But in time, this too would be resolved.

As long as my plans continued to succeed, their faith would solidify.

“There isn’t much time. From this moment, begin acquiring physical Daegung shares.”

At last, the real game had begun.