The Mayor of Seoul did not look well at all.

“Welcome, Mayor. This is the first time we’ve met somewhere this relaxed.”

Oh Changhoon merely nodded without saying much.

“Please, have a seat.”

Meanwhile, I kept a smile on my face as I guided him over.

“I called you here because I wanted to talk comfortably. These days, there are too many eyes watching us, aren’t there?”

Oh Changhoon had been excluded from the prosecution’s investigation.

After being handed over to the prosecutors, Ha Eunbin repeatedly insisted that everything had been done entirely on her own initiative and had nothing to do with Oh Changhoon. That was thanks to the month-long “education” she had received.

The prosecution also had no desire to expand the investigation to Oh Changhoon himself.

Still, even if he was not under investigation, public opinion and media scrutiny were far from kind.

Several high-ranking Seoul City officials had already been arrested in disgrace.

“Isn’t all of this because of you, President Kim?”

Oh Changhoon spoke as though blaming me.

I shrugged.

“A guilty conscience makes people jumpy. I don’t understand why you’re reacting like this. I simply handed the truth over to the prosecutors. Did I tell anyone to accept bribes? Or accept entertainment favors?”

“......”

“I understand you’re cornered, but don’t try to pin the blame on me. If anything, I’m the one helping you.”

There was no grand reason I had spared Oh Changhoon.

It was simply because the Mayor of Seoul stepping down over corruption would never be good for Myungsoo.

The Mayor of Busan was already being investigated over this incident.

Otherwise, I would have swept Oh Changhoon up in it too.

“I’m not trying to blame you, President Kim. It’s just...”

Oh Changhoon knew that too. He had probably blurted it out in frustration.

His spirit visibly deflated as he muttered quietly.

“Once this term as Mayor of Seoul ends, I’ll probably have to leave politics.”

Even if Oh Changhoon bore no legal responsibility, his political career was effectively over.

A man who had won the Seoul mayoral election and had been mentioned as a leading presidential candidate was now falling apart.

Instead of comforting him, I filled a glass with ice, poured whiskey into it, and slid it over.

“Have a drink first.”

Oh Changhoon nodded weakly and drank the liquor I handed him.

“I didn’t call you here for anything complicated. I wanted to clean up the remaining business. Byun Heebong and Lee Jongseong are both dead. Recover the redevelopment rights for Guryong Village and hand them over to the company I designate.”

Oh Changhoon stared at me silently.

“The land owned by Joongwon Development in Guryong Village has already been transferred and registered under that company’s name. On top of that, the land Haedong held has also been transferred over. Once Seoul City, Gangnam District, and the government sell the land they hold to us, that company will take care of acquiring the rest.”

Oh Changhoon drained the rest of his whiskey in one go.

As he toyed with the glass, he finally spoke.

“......Inside city hall, the opinion supporting public redevelopment over private redevelopment is gaining more strength.” 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

“I heard.”

Because of this scandal, the dominant opinion now was that the Guryong Village redevelopment should be turned into a public project.

“That means there isn’t enough justification to just hand it over blindly. The citizens are watching with both eyes wide open.”

“So you’re saying you won’t keep your promise?”

I swirled the whiskey in my hand as I asked.

Oh Changhoon hurriedly shook his head.

“If you give me justification, I’ll do it. Just give me enough justification to push it through as private redevelopment.”

“That part’s easy enough. Within a few days, the Gangnam District Council will pass the private redevelopment proposal. They’ll officially request it from Seoul City afterward. Then the Ministry of Land will publicly support the proposal.”

Oh Changhoon didn’t know it, but I had already finished preparing everything.

“Seoul citizens won’t like the idea of public redevelopment in the very center of Gangnam. The media will steer public opinion toward private redevelopment as well.”

“That should be enough.”

“The Guryong Village Residents’ Association has already agreed to sign an agreement with us. We’ll assist with relocation too.”

“Then send over the private redevelopment proposal as soon as it’s ready. I’ll handle the rest quickly.”

Afterward, we discussed several matters related to the development project.

The conversation grew fairly deep, and once enough alcohol had gone around, Oh Changhoon asked about Ha Eunbin.

“......Is Chief Ha doing alright?”

“Haven’t you already looked into it?”

Even with his wings clipped, he was still the Mayor of Seoul.

There was no way Oh Changhoon lacked connections inside the prosecution or detention centers.

“I heard the general outline. But unlike before, stories from inside the prosecution and detention centers don’t leak outside anymore. Unless they come through the media.”

As expected of Oh Hyunwoo. He really handled things properly.

To prepare for any potential leaks from insiders, Oh Hyunwoo had tightened internal control.

That was why important information no longer leaked out like before.

“She’s healthy and doing fine. I heard she hasn’t skipped meals either. Ha Eunbin will never mention your name, so there’s no need to worry.”

“Do I look like I’m worried about that?”

“Then what? Do you still feel sympathy for Ha Eunbin?”

Oh Changhoon pressed his lips shut.

Even after being betrayed, he still pitied her.

It was a side of him that didn’t suit the Oh Changhoon I knew.

“I was sincere. I truly loved her. That’s why I trusted her and showed her everything. I never even told my wife everything.”

Politicians always carried secrets.

Having someone you could tell everything to—that was a fatal weakness for a politician.

Oh Changhoon was saying that Ha Eunbin had been his weakness.

“If she had merely taken money separately or solved complaints in exchange for favors, I could have forgiven her. But she trampled on my feelings.”

This wasn’t sympathy anymore, was it?

Murderous intent flashed in Oh Changhoon’s eyes.

“Please kill her.”

“......”

I stopped the hand that had been raising my glass and stared at him with emotionless eyes.

“Wouldn’t it be possible for someone like you, President Kim?”

“Putting aside whether it’s possible or not, what kind of answer do you think I’d give here? You know perfectly well.”

“Then at least don’t stop me from doing it myself.”

Only then did I understand why he had brought this up.

So this was his real purpose.

He intended to handle it himself and simply wanted me not to interfere.

“Well, I don’t have any reason to stop you. But are you sure you should be telling me this so openly?”

“Once she dies, you’ll assume I’m the culprit anyway, won’t you? So I thought it’d be better to speak honestly.”

“Hmm......”

Oh Changhoon seemed to have already made up his mind.

After thinking for a moment, I nodded.

“I won’t interfere. But do it after all investigations are concluded.”

Oh Changhoon nodded and tipped back his glass.

As though something suddenly occurred to him, he spoke again.

“If you had simply asked me for the Guryong Village project rights from the beginning, would things still have escalated this badly?”

“No. Joongwon Development would’ve exposed everything first. That’s why I moved before they could. I want to become the savior who rescues the wrecked Guryong Village redevelopment project, not someone rolling around in the mud.”

“I suppose so.”

Oh Changhoon’s eyes became strangely sentimental.

I had no intention of listening to pointless emotional rambling that wouldn’t help anything.

Time to wrap this up.

“Then I’ll trust you, Mayor, and send the proposal through my people. Inform your staff in advance.”

“Understood. I’ll do that.”

“Then I’ll be leaving first.”

I stood up and signaled Chief Ma with my eyes.

A moment later, the door behind the bar opened and the madam stepped inside.

“Finish the rest of your drink before you leave.”

“Thank you.”

Leaving the madam and Oh Changhoon behind, I exited the bar.

The cold dawn air wrapped around me.

“Chief Ma. Take over all the business rights in Busan that Chairman Byun owned under borrowed names too.”

“Understood, Boss.”

After hearing Chief Ma’s reply, I climbed into the car.

Warm air enveloped my body.

I stared at the fogged-up window before quietly closing my eyes.

* * *

Hong Jinpyo entered Guryong Village together with the village residents’ association.

As he stepped inside, he took in the sight of lives cut off from the outside world.

Until now, Hong Jinpyo had never cared about Guryong Village.

How its people lived had never mattered to him.

Because they were residents of Guryong Village, they constantly fought against prejudice.

People branded them with stigma simply for having an address in Guryong Village.

‘I’m different from you people. I’ll never end up like you.’

But for the people of Guryong Village, the village itself was directly tied to survival.

“So this is how everyone lives.”

“Haha. Well, isn’t living the same everywhere? Still, thanks to Chairman Hong, more people have started paying attention to us. It’s helped a lot.”

“We should’ve helped much earlier.”

The reason Hong Jinpyo and various organizations had ignored Guryong Village was because of Joongwon Development’s money.

At that moment, Hong Jinpyo noticed residents gathered in small groups, sharing food and alcohol.

“Oh, Mister Kim! Come over here and have a drink!”

People’s gazes turned toward Hong Jinpyo’s group.

“Haha, you bastard. You’re already drinking? Didn’t you go to work today?”

“Jobs come and go. Why ask something like that?”

The man beside Hong Jinpyo joked around as he guided him over.

“He’s the one helping us this time. Say hello.”

“Oh? What happened to your leg? You hurt yourself?”

“Hey. I told you to watch your mouth.”

“It’s alright.”

Hong Jinpyo stopped the residents’ association official from raising his voice and smiled instead.

“I got injured when I was young. Could I have a drink too?”

“Of course! Here you go.”

The man filled a dented aluminum bowl to the brim with makgeolli and handed it over.

Hong Jinpyo accepted it and emptied it in one gulp.

“Khh. That’s good.”

“Have some side dishes too. That kimchi was made by the ajumma up there. The taste is killer.”

The man tore off a piece of kimchi with his hand and offered it to Hong Jinpyo.

Without showing the slightest discomfort, Hong Jinpyo accepted it and ate.

“Oh, this is good.”

“Haha. Right? It’s nice seeing someone eat so well.”

Everyone burst into laughter.

The loud chorus of laughter sounded strangely pleasant.

“The residents of Guryong Village will probably begin relocating around next year.”

The smiles instantly vanished from the faces of the people drinking.

Looking toward the towering expensive apartment buildings in the distance, Hong Jinpyo continued.

“Buildings like those will be built here. But that opportunity won’t come to you people.”

“We’ve still got some shame left in us. We’re not greedy enough to ask for that......”

“Not everyone here thinks the same way. Maybe the original residents do, but there are definitely outsiders who moved in later hoping to profit from it too.”

Just as Hong Jinpyo said, more and more outsiders were registering addresses there in hopes of securing redevelopment housing rights.

“We’ll help long-time residents relocate into rental apartments. The environment there will be far better than this place. For you and for your children too.”

From the outside world’s perspective, Guryong Village residents could look like greedy people making unreasonable demands, or poor people desperately in need of help.

Either way, they were people left behind by competition.

People pushed out regardless of their own will naturally gathered together and formed a village.

That was Guryong Village.

“I don’t want to fight with you. We’ll provide relocation funds and homes to live in, so help us by uniting together. No matter who redevelops this place, nobody will offer better terms than we will.”

“And if we don’t?”

“Then we won’t have much choice either. We’ll have to drag you out by force.”

“What did you say?!”

The man who had offered Hong Jinpyo a drink slammed down his aluminum bowl and glared at him.

“If conversation doesn’t work, what else can we do?”

“You’re threatening us?! This place is our livelihood!”

“I know. That’s why I’m talking with you like this. Do you think I want to say these things either? So accept the terms we’re offering. And if anyone opposes it, persuade them.”

After finishing, Hong Jinpyo once more took in the scenery of Guryong Village.

The sunset was fading into dusk.

It was that vague hour when the sun had neither fully set nor remained properly above the horizon.

But inside Guryong Village, people were already busily lighting coal briquettes for the night.