Chapter 279: The Password, Finally Found

After returning to the hotel, Politburo Member Liu Peiqi sat drinking with Director Liu Haoran and his son while chatting casually.

“Do you think Vice Chairman Wei will really lend us 3 billion dollars?”

“If I were in his position, I would.”

“And why are you so sure?”

“He understands perfectly well how much authority you’ll have once you’re elected to the Standing Committee.”

“Besides, he knows our uncle is the President’s closest associate.”

“Hahaha!”

Liu Peiqi responded to Liu Haoran and his son with loud, booming laughter.

A moment later, after getting his emotions under control, he continued,

“Once I’m elected to the Standing Committee, we’ll have to reward Vice Chairman Wei generously.”

“He’ll be over the moon.”

“Still, when is Wei going to call back?”

“He’s probably calculating the profits right now.”

Brrrrr!

At that very moment, Director Liu Haoran’s phone, lying on the table, began to vibrate.

After quickly glancing at the screen, he told Liu Peiqi that Vice Chairman Wei Chen was calling.

“Don’t answer right away. We don’t want to show our weakness.”

Liu Haoran nodded and, after waiting several seconds, smoothly pressed the answer button.

“Vice Chairman Wei, have you considered my brother’s proposal?”

[Of course. I’ve decided to lend you 3 billion dollars.]

“Haha, thank you!”

[There’s no need for that. Considering the relationship between my daughter and Liu Shen, I won’t even charge you interest.]

“Really?!” Liu Haoran exclaimed, unable to hide his astonishment.

[We may become relatives, after all, so it wouldn’t be right to charge you interest.]

“I’m endlessly grateful for your generosity.”

[But in return, I have one condition.]

“What is it? Name it.”

[I’ll lend you the 3 billion dollars for only three months.]

Liu Haoran could see straight through Wei Chen’s reasoning.

The National People’s Congress, where the election to the Standing Committee would take place, was scheduled for exactly three months from now.

Wei Chen was allowing for the possibility that Liu Peiqi might fail to get elected.

That was precisely why he had shortened the loan term to three months.

Still, once they presented the diamond to President Xi Jinping, the seat on the Standing Committee would be as good as theirs.

“We accept your condition.”

[If you fail to repay the loan within the agreed period, I’ll charge penalty interest.]

“Well, do as you see fit.”

[Then it’s settled. Why don’t we meet before your appointment with Chairman Zhen?]

“I completely agree with your suggestion.”

After exchanging a few more words with Wei Chen, Liu Haoran ended the call.

The moment he did, Liu Peiqi asked curiously,

“What did you agree on with Vice Chairman Wei?”

“He’ll lend us 3 billion dollars, but...”

***

The moment Wei Chen hung up, Chairman Zhen Weiliang spoke.

“Vice Chairman Wei, why did you decide not to charge Liu interest?”

Instead of answering, Wei Chen turned toward me.

Following his lead, everyone in the room looked at me.

I had anticipated this reaction and prepared an answer in advance.

“Politburo Member Liu is already going to vastly overpay Chairman Zhen for the diamond. Taking that into account, I asked Vice Chairman Wei not to pile interest on top of it.”

“So you still have at least some sympathy left for him?”

“I won’t deny it.”

“Director Cha, you turn out to be an unexpectedly softhearted man,” Zhen Weiliang remarked.

We had already taken a considerable fortune from Liu Peiqi.

That was precisely why I had asked Wei Chen not to charge him interest.

Naturally, Chairman Zhen Weiliang, unaware of all the details, assumed I was simply showing mercy.

“To some extent, yes.”

“I see. But will that bastard Liu be able to repay the loan?”

“He isn’t destined to secure a seat on the Standing Committee, so he won’t be able to repay it.”

“And what are you planning to do?”

“We’ll simply confiscate the cryptocurrency and the real estate his brother provides as collateral.”

“But aren’t the Reconnaissance General Bureau operatives planning to take his cryptocurrency?”

Major General Lee Cheolseung and his men had devoted all their efforts to cracking Liu Peiqi’s crypto wallet, but so far they had made no significant progress.

“I’m rather skeptical about their chances.”

“I understand. Well, since we managed to sell the diamond so successfully, let’s celebrate with a drink!”

“Hahaha! Excellent suggestion!” Vice Chairman Wei Chen was the first to respond enthusiastically.

***

“Mmm...”

Struggling to open my eyes, I felt around for the phone on the bedside table.

The screen showed that it was already past 8:30 in the morning.

“I went to bed around eleven, which means I slept for more than nine and a half hours.”

Normally, that would have been more than enough to recover, but my body still felt as heavy as lead.

I got out of bed, changed into comfortable clothes, and went into the living room. Chief Secretary Kang Inhan, Director Lee Menghong, and Team Leader Seo Donghun were already sitting on the sofa.

After exchanging brief morning greetings with them, I took the main armchair.

“Director Cha, how are you feeling?”

Last night, Chairman Zhen Weiliang had drunk strong Chinese liquor with an alcohol content of over 40 percent as though it were plain water.

To keep up with him, we had also drunk far faster than usual.

As a result, barely an hour after the drinking session began, everyone had been completely wasted.

Knowing that, Chief Secretary Kang Inhan asked me with a concerned expression.

“My stomach is protesting, but it’s bearable. How about you, Chief Kang?”

“I’m hardened by strong liquor, so I’m perfectly fine.”

“Haha, impressive. What about you, Director Lee and Team Leader Seo?”

“I’m fine too, just like Chief Kang...”

Director Lee Menghong and Team Leader Seo Donghun confirmed that they were feeling all right.

“Glad to hear it.”

“Director Cha, why don’t we order something light for breakfast to settle your stomach?”

“I completely agree.”

Team Leader Seo Donghun used the landline to order room service.

The moment he hung up, Chief Secretary Kang Inhan addressed me.

“I spoke with Major General Lee Cheolseung a little earlier. He said they analyzed the video recording you sent.”

“Really? And what were the results?”

“They managed to determine the account number and password for the secret fund. However, the password for that account didn’t match the password for the crypto wallet.”

“That’s a shame.”

“I completely agree, Director Cha.”

Ding-dong.

At that moment, the doorbell rang.

Team Leader Seo Donghun looked through the peephole, quickly returned, and reported that Vice Chairman Wei Chen and Director Pan Kai had arrived.

A moment later, he showed the guests inside.

After sitting down on an empty sofa, Wei Chen addressed me with a slightly embarrassed expression.

“Director Cha, we came to have breakfast with you.”

“Perfect timing. We just ordered a light breakfast from room service.”

“I was planning to eat something light as well, so that works out perfectly.”

Team Leader Seo Donghun quietly rose from the sofa to order additional portions.

Watching him leave, Wei Chen continued,

“Director Cha, did you manage to find out the password to Liu Peiqi’s crypto wallet?”

“We haven’t found the wallet password yet, but we did determine the account number and password for his secret fund.”

“Hmm...”

Wei Chen drew out the sound thoughtfully.

I immediately understood what he was thinking.

He was undoubtedly considering taking Liu Peiqi’s secret funds for himself.

To confirm my suspicion, I cautiously asked him about it.

“Director Cha, you’re right. Is there any good way to do it?”

“When Liu Peiqi transferred the 3-billion-dollar deposit for the diamond, he took a security card out of his briefcase. Without that card, we won’t be able to confiscate his secret funds.”

“What if we kidnap him and take the card?”

“Kidnapping him in broad daylight would be like jumping into a fire with an armful of dry firewood.”

“That’s true... I suppose you’re right.”

Brrrrr!

At that moment, the phone lying on the table began to vibrate.

Deputy Director Jo Ilcheol’s name appeared on the screen.

Excusing myself to Wei Chen, I quickly answered the call.

“Deputy Director Jo, Chief Kang has already brought me up to speed.”

[I’m calling with new information, Director Cha.]

“Really? I’m very interested.”

[Hahahahaha!]

Deputy Director Jo Ilcheol suddenly burst into loud laughter.

Not understanding the reason for his delight, I silently waited for him to continue.

A couple of seconds later, he stopped laughing and said,

[We managed to figure out the password to Liu Peiqi’s crypto wallet!]

“How?”

[There’s a moment in the video of his previous kidnapping where he enters the password to his crypto wallet. After carefully analyzing the movements of his fingers, we determined that the password was “......”. And the password for his secret-fund account in yesterday’s video was “ryupeichi56789”.]

“Are you saying the missing part of the password was ‘ryupeichi’?”

[Exactly, Director Cha! Incidentally, ryupeichi is Liu Peiqi’s name in Latin letters.]

“Ah, I see. My sincere congratulations!”

[It’s all thanks to you, Director Cha.]

There was some truth to his words, but I had no intention of taking all the credit.

“All I did was send you the video.”

[If you hadn’t sent it, we never would have figured it out.]

“If you put it that way, there’s nothing more I can say.”

[I’m going to transfer all of Liu Peiqi’s cryptocurrency right now.]

If the cryptocurrency was transferred right now, it could interfere with my plans.

“Deputy Director Jo, I don’t think there’s any need to rush the cryptocurrency transfer.”

[Is there a reason?]

“Liu Peiqi is currently short of the money he needs to buy the diamond.”

I explained in detail to Jo Ilcheol what was scheduled to happen today.

“...If he opens his crypto wallet before he borrows the money, it could create an extremely awkward situation.”

[Well, then it can’t be helped.]

“Thank you for accommodating me. I’ll send you a message when it’s time to transfer the cryptocurrency.”

After discussing a few more details with Jo Ilcheol, I ended the call.

As though he had been waiting for that exact moment, Wei Chen immediately scooted closer to me.

“Director Cha, who were you just talking to?”

Since I had spoken to Jo Ilcheol in Korean, Wei Chen had not understood a single word.

“That was Deputy Director Jo. They finally figured out the password to the crypto wallet.”

“Hooray!!”

Wei Chen and Director Pan Kai practically leaped off the sofa in delight.

My colleagues and I watched their exuberant reaction with smiles. Noticing our gazes, the two awkwardly sat back down.

“Vice Chairman Wei, aren’t you curious how they figured out the password?”

“Of course! I’m dying to know!”

“Haha. It’s simple. During his previous interrogation...”

I told Wei Chen everything about my conversation with Jo Ilcheol without holding anything back.

“...I promised to send Deputy Director Jo a message. So, Director Pan, keep an eye on the situation and let me know when everything is ready.”

“Director Cha, why don’t you come to the meeting with Liu Peiqi with us?”

“I’d be happy to, but there’s a risk of running into Vice President Liu Shen.”

“Ah! I completely forgot about that bastard.”

At that moment, Wei Chen cut into the conversation as though he had suddenly remembered something important.

“Director Cha, but if Deputy Director Jo takes the cryptocurrency, won’t I be left without collateral?”

“You can take all the hotels and real estate belonging to Director Liu Haoran as collateral.”

“Ah, right! That’ll work. I wonder how Liu Peiqi will react when he discovers that his cryptocurrency has been stolen?”

“There’s no doubt about it. He’ll be foaming at the mouth with rage.”

“Hahaha!”

Wei Chen burst into loud laughter, savoring the mere thought of it.