An annual income of sixty billion won.
More than enough to live comfortably—more than enough to live extravagantly.
The problem was that he had only started earning that kind of money recently. Buying a new home outright still required a massive lump sum.
If he asked the Hunter Administration, they would secure whatever property he wanted. But that was a last resort.
This would be his first home purchase. He wanted to handle it himself.
And so he had been thinking it over.
How could he buy a place he liked with a limited budget?
Somewhere spacious. Somewhere his friends could stay comfortably.
That was when he remembered the real estate scam stories he'd seen on the news not long ago.
Landowners, homeowners, and brokers working together as a single fraud ring. Exploiting legal loopholes to produce victim after victim.
And the agent standing in front of him now—Lee Geum-suk—was one of them.
"Come this way! Oh my, you look so young, and you're already buying a house? So responsible and impressive!"
"Thank you. I saved up by barely sleeping."
Not exactly true, but still.
"Well done, well done. Don't worry—I'll introduce you to a fantastic property!"
"I've heard there are a lot of scams these days. It's safe, right?"
"Oh my, what are you worrying about? It's me, Lee Geum-suk! Even scammers avoid me!"
They would avoid her, sure. She was top-tier among scammers.
Lowering his voice as he followed her, Jin-hyuk spoke quietly.
"Grandpa."
"What."
"How do you even know scammers like her? Don't tell me you're involved too…?"
"Watch your mouth. Haven't you seen those everything-must-go junk shops? I've never ripped anyone off in my life."
Oh Jae-gap glanced ahead at Lee Geum-suk.
"I've had a few regulars get scammed. They reported it, filed lawsuits, but nothing got resolved. So I started digging into it myself and ended up getting acquainted with her. Then you happened to ask me to introduce you to a scammer."
He looked up at Jin-hyuk.
"Got any real estate scammers you can introduce me to?"
At first, Oh Jae-gap had thought he'd misheard.
The more he looked at Jin-hyuk, the more he realized the guy wasn't exactly normal.
Setting aside the fact that he was a Runner, his way of thinking was anything but ordinary.
Most people looking for a good deal on a house would ask to be introduced to a reputable agent.
But Jin-hyuk had asked for the worst of the worst.
His approach to problems was on a completely different level.
Ding.
The door opened.
The people inside immediately turned their eyes toward Jin-hyuk.
He recognized those looks instantly.
Predators staring at prey.
"This is the homeowner," Lee Geum-suk said brightly. "Young people are so busy these days, I didn't want to keep you waiting, so I asked them to come early. Good call, right? And this gentleman manages the property. Please, have a seat. I'll get you some iced coffee."
"Kim Cheol-woo."
"Ji Cheol-ju from Safe Friends. I've been wondering who would become the owner of such an incredible home. Today must be your lucky day! I deal with properties all the time, and you won't find another house like this!"
"Yoo Jin-hyuk. So it's really that good? That's great to hear."
Jin-hyuk smiled innocently.
Kim Cheol-woo and Ji Cheol-ju exchanged glances, their lips curling upward.
Lee Geum-suk truly had a gift for picking out prime suckers.
"Jin-hyuk, are you married?" Kim Cheol-woo asked.
"No, not yet."
"I thought so. You look very young. But I heard you're looking for a place over 120 pyeong, with a large yard too. Planning to raise a lot of dogs?"
"Not exactly. I just have a lot of friends."
"A lot of friends, huh…"
"Ah, come on, sir!"
Ji Cheol-ju cut in smoothly. Honestly, this old man talked too much.
What if the sucker backed out?
"Can't you tell just by looking at him? He's obviously popular. Guys his age throw parties at big mansions or yachts these days. It's the trend."
Jin-hyuk swallowed.
So that was the trend.
How behind the times was he?
"Well… Jin-hyuk, if you don't mind, I need to ask a few questions," Ji Cheol-ju continued. "This is a high-end property. Not just anyone can buy it. It's standard procedure."
"Of course."
"We need to verify the source of funds. What do you do for a living? Are you perhaps a Hunter? Or affiliated with a government agency?"
That was critical.
The Hunter Administration had enormous influence. If they accidentally messed with one of its members, things could get troublesome.
"I'm currently unemployed. Preparing for a job."
"Then the money…? Even at a discount, it's fifty billion won. That's no small amount. Are your parents corporate executives? Government officials?"
It happened sometimes.
The kind of wealth beyond imagination.
"My parents farm in Chungnam. As for the money…"
Jin-hyuk glanced around and lowered his voice.
"I made it from crypto. An older acquaintance told me to buy some a long time ago, and it skyrocketed."
"Ohhh! Is that so? You've done well for yourself at such a young age!"
Kim Cheol-woo and Ji Cheol-ju beamed.
Even Lee Geum-suk, who had been eavesdropping while making coffee, couldn't hide her grin.
A young man from the countryside with no backing, no connections, no one to step in if things went wrong.
The perfect prey.
"Alright! Coffee's here. Let's go see the house! In this business, when a good buyer appears, you have to move quickly."
"That's right! This house means a lot to me personally. If I didn't like you, I would've reconsidered selling it. But there's no need to think twice now."
The three of them burst into laughter.
Oh Jae-gap sipped his coffee quietly, looking at them with pity.
He could say it with certainty.
The worst possible misfortune had just descended upon them.
Two hours later.
Jin-hyuk's eyes were practically sparkling.
A brand-new house in Seopan-gyo. He loved it.
A wide yard. High surrounding walls that guaranteed privacy.
Perfect for his friends to live freely.
It even had a swimming pool.
He could already picture it—Kancho splashing around all day, and Momo occasionally grabbing him and dunking him under the water.
"So, shall we wrap this up?"
Lee Geum-suk slid the contract across the table.
Ji Cheol-ju and Kim Cheol-woo struggled to contain their excitement.
The contract wasn't signed yet, but it was practically a done deal.
That foolishly elated look on his face said it all.
Jin-hyuk scanned the contract slowly.
When his eyes reached a particular clause, Lee Geum-suk spoke up.
"That's what I mentioned earlier."
There was a temporary container installed on the property.
As a courtesy from Kim Cheol-woo, members of Safe Friends were temporarily residing there.
In exchange for keeping the container on-site until their work was complete, the house was being sold far below market price.
"Oh, normally we'd just tear down something like that and sell the place for over 150 billion won, right? But the owner is such a kind man," Lee Geum-suk said with a laugh.
"Of course. I owe them a lot," Ji Cheol-ju added smoothly. "Don't worry, Mr. Jin-hyuk. The work is almost finished. As soon as it's done, we'll remove the container completely."
A lie.
The container would never be removed.
They would continue causing trouble—harassment, disruptions—until Jin-hyuk got fed up and sold the house at a loss.
Sell it to someone else and leave?
Impossible.
They had run this scheme more than once.
The house's reputation was so bad that nearby agents refused to handle it.
And if someone still insisted on buying?
They would simply show them what life would be like the moment they signed.
An uncomfortable silence hung in the air as Jin-hyuk continued reviewing the document.
Scratch, scratch.
He signed.
"I've transferred both the deposit and the remaining balance. I'll move in tomorrow."
The three of them nearly ascended to heaven with joy.
They had set the deposit at twenty percent, worried he might hear rumors and try to cancel.
But this kind of eager fool?
Unbelievable.
"Since you're here, let's register your address too! We'll give you the keys right away! Hahaha!"
"Thank you."
"Oh no, we're the ones who should be thanking you."
Jin-hyuk smiled back just as brightly.
Selling something worth over 150 billion for 50 billion.
He was truly grateful.
Just as Jin-hyuk finished the remaining paperwork—
Screech!
The sharp sound of brakes echoed from the parking lot outside the real estate office.
A face appeared at the window.
Starting from his neck was a gaudy snake tattoo.
Ryu Seung-kwon, the only son of Jaewoong Construction, scowled.
"What the hell? Which lunatic parked in my spot?"
His designated space was occupied by a lone motorcycle.
Irritation simmered.
Nothing had been going right lately.
After rumors spread that he had been snubbed by the Hunter Administration, China and Japan had pulled their offers.
He had become a stray duck in the Nakdong River.
The social circles he used to hover around now mocked him like a bat flitting between branches.
Earlier today, his father had even smacked him around and told him to get his act together.
He had come out to blow off steam.
And the first thing he saw was this piece of junk.
"Bastards… Every single one of you treating me like I'm nothing!"
He didn't bother honking.
Didn't care to find the owner.
It was just some cheap motorcycle anyway.
He'd just push it aside.
Crunch!
He slammed the accelerator.
The car shot forward, plowing into the motorcycle.
It crumpled with a metallic groan, but he didn't take his foot off the gas.
If anything, he pressed harder, running it over completely.
"Ha! Wow!"
Ryu Seung-kwon laughed, exhilarated.
He'd felt suffocated, but now his chest felt clear.
And just then—
Ding.
The cheerful chime of the real estate office door opening rang out.
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T/N:
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