SW | Chapter 15

As they entered the Civil Execution and Auction Distribution Court of the Seoul Northern District Court, the solemn atmosphere typical of institutions representing the core of public authority enveloped them.

A few people with crossbody bags were loitering in the hallway outside the courtroom. Each of them held small business cards or flyers.

Seeing the bold letters on the flyers that read “Loan Consultation,” it seemed they were loan consultants from third-party financial institutions offering high-interest loans. After all, everyone who entered this place had to pass through an X-ray machine at the entrance, so they couldn’t be suspicious individuals.

In fact, if anyone looked suspicious, it was Baek Haegyeon’s group of over ten people. Men in their thirties, all dressed in black suits, following closely behind one person.

“Boss, here it is.”

Ji Sangcheol brought the bidding envelope and handed it to Baek Haegyeon. He had been calling him “hyungnim”, but perhaps mindful of the setting, he switched to a more formal title in the courtroom. Baek Haegyeon took the envelope and wrote the bid amount in neat handwriting. It seemed he already had a figure in mind as his hand moved without hesitation.

From the corner of his eye, Guk Jiho caught a glimpse of the bid amount for the Dobong-gu neighborhood facility. The number had so many zeros and commas that it took him a moment to process. He was still trying to figure out whether it was in the billions or tens of billions when the document disappeared into the envelope.

Whether it was 3 billion or 30 billion, it seemed gangsters really did have a lot of money.

‘Please turn off your mobile phones before entering the courtroom.’

While the other gangsters stayed outside, only Baek Haegyeon and Guk Jiho entered. After submitting the bidding envelope, a tedious wait began until the bids were opened.

“When is our turn?”

Baek Haegyeon didn’t answer but gestured with his chin toward the monitor inside the courtroom.

‘Case No. 202X-TaGyeongXXXX’ 2

Bids were usually opened in the order of the number of bidders, so their turn was quite far down the list. They weren’t the only bidders; there were two.

“Will we win the bid?”

“Probably. I expect the other party submitted the minimum bid.”

“The land price is incredibly high, isn’t it?”

“It’s cheap. It’s only 30% of the appraised value.”

The property had liens and mortgages. It had been auctioned off three times before, and this was the fourth attempt. Each time it failed to sell. The price dropped by 30% of the appraised value, so the current minimum bid was set at 34% of the original appraisal.

The lienholder was the construction company that had built the structure on the land. The property owner had failed to pay, so the construction company had taken possession. It now stood as an almost completed building that now stood as an eyesore, unused.

Guk Jiho had heard about cases like this before.

Usually, properties with legal issues like this were snatched up cheaply by gangsters. They would intimidate or use violence to drive out the lienholder,  then force them to sign an agreement and take over the property at a low price. It was a classic move for gangsters to profit from auctions.

But this case was different because the lienholder was a construction company. Most construction companies had ties to gangsters, and some were even run by them. The fact that the property had been auctioned off multiple times without being touched by gangsters suggested that there was a powerful gang backing it.

Of course, the price itself was also too high for most gangsters to consider.

Guk Jiho glanced around the courtroom. Who could the other bidder be? But he couldn’t spot anyone who looked like they were part of a gang.

There were middle-aged couples, middle-aged men who looked like wealthy landlords, and among them, Baek Haegyeon and Guk Jiho themselves looked the most like gangsters.

For one, they were physically imposing and dressed in expensive suits.

Baek Haegyeon didn’t just wear expensive suits neatly, he wore them with flair. His choice of tie color, knot style, cufflinks, and how the suit fits his well-built body all contributed to the impression. He looked like a man who had achieved success early in life, someone who had spent a long time refining his taste.

“Like I said earlier, the mastermind isn’t here.”

As if reading Guk Jiho’s thoughts, Baek Haegyeon spoke casually.

“Understood.”

The tedious wait continued until the court officer announced the case number. The bidders were called, and the highest bidder and their bid amount were announced.

Baek Haegyeon’s bid was 32,600,100,001 won (3.26 billion and 100,001 won), the highest bid, while the second-highest bid was 32,600,000,000 won (3.26 billion won), a difference of just 100,001 won.

And so, the auction ended in a somewhat anticlimactic yet slightly tense manner.

A man in his thirties wearing frameless glasses stood up and quietly submitted his second-highest bid. He then approached Baek Haegyeon.

“Hello, sir.”

The man spoke very politely.

“Hello.”

“Could I have a moment of your time?”

They hadn’t even left the courtroom yet. Judging by his thin, anchovy-like build, he didn’t seem like a gangster who relied on physical strength. He looked more like a professional, perhaps a lawyer or accountant. The way he pressed his thumb with his index fingernail revealed his nervousness.

“…”

Baek Haegyeon didn’t answer immediately. He simply stared at the man who had approached him.

When Baek Haegyeon silently stared at someone, it was intimidating. It was something men instinctively understood, a lesson learned from the days of forming groups in elementary school.

Baek Haegyeon was dressed in a clean, dark navy three-piece suit with a tightly knotted tie and exuded an air of someone accustomed to using his body rather than an elite. His movements were relaxed. His observant expression added to his unique aura.

Guk Jiho tilted his head as he watched the strange scene unfold.

A man who appeared to be a lawyer facing off against a man who was a police officer but now a gangster.

“You’re the chairman of Hwando, right?”

The man asked politely, his shoulders slightly hunched. Baek Haegyeon smiled faintly.

“You recognize me.”

“Yes, of course. I’ve seen you before… It’s just that, well… I was hoping we could discuss something briefly. I’d appreciate it if you could spare some time.”

As he spoke, the man glanced at Baek Haegyeon’s expression. His narrow, straight eyes gave him a somewhat cunning impression.

“We have lunch plans with the guys. Jiho, is it okay if we’re a little late?”

It wasn’t a special appointment, just their usual lunch. Guk Jiho was unsure of Baek Haegyeon’s intentions, so he simply replied.

“Yes. I’ll wait.”

“Then, shall we talk?”

“Yes, yes. Thank you for your time.”

Baek Haegyeon followed the man, who had just taken a deep breath.

As they left the courtroom, Ji Sangcheol and the other gangsters bowed deeply at 90 degrees, saying, “Thank you for your hard work!” The lawyer-like man flinched slightly at the sight.

“There’s a cafe here in the courthouse…”

The man suggested in a hushed voice, and the two soon disappeared. As soon as they left, Ji Sangcheol approached Guk Jiho.

“Looks like everything wrapped up nicely. Did having our pretty boy with us bring us good luck at the auction?”

While the other gangsters couldn’t even speak to Guk Jiho due to hierarchy, Ji Sangcheol had no qualms about spouting nonsense. Guk Jiho ignored him, not even bothering to look his way. If he had used honorifics, Guk Jiho might have responded.

If he had spoken politely, it would have been something like, “It seems things went well with the pretty one by your side during the auction.” But since he didn’t, Guk Jiho decided to let him prattle on for now and deal with him later.

“Hey, pretty boy. Ignoring me?”

Guk Jiho turned on his phone, which he had turned off in the courtroom, and saw two missed calls.

[Cleaning Lady (2)]

“I’m stepping out for a bit.”

He immediately called back and walked out of the courtroom at a slow pace. Strangely, Ji Sangcheol and his gang didn’t follow. They must have seen the “Cleaning Lady” on the screen.

As a gangster executive, he should have had a few underlings with him, but no one followed. As he stepped onto the curb at the building entrance, the mechanical dial tone stopped, and a cheerful voice came through.

“Are there any gangster punks around you?”

Suppressing the throbbing in his temples, Guk Jiho replied.

“If there were, why would you speak so harshly, ma’am?”