Chapter 95 – Lotto First Place Prize Lawsuit

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

As soon as he walked up the stairs of the subway exit, a large building looking well over 20 stories came into view.

When Geum Nae-yeong looked at his phone screen and confirmed that he had found the exact location, he nodded lightly.

And without delay, he stepped inside the building.

The entrance was a mechanical access gate.

A red X mark was clearly lit on the entrance gate.

It was a structure that could not be entered without an access card.

“How can I help you?”

The entrance guidance staff member spoke to Geum Nae-yeong, who had stopped in front of the machine.

Geum Nae-yeong turned his head slightly with his typical expressionless face and replied.

“I came to see the chairman. Chairman Choe Seung-jo.”

The moment the chairman’s name came out, the employee flinched and quickly scanned Geum Nae-yeong from head to toe.

Neatly arranged hair, a handsome face, a well-fitting suit, and clean, polished shoes.

A shiny attorney badge on his lapel. A black briefcase in one hand.

He was an attorney who came for business, clear at a glance.

“Ah… Then did you make a prior appointment with the chairman?”

“No. However, I came for an urgent legal matter. It is a discussion about approximately 50 lawsuits related to employment contracts.”

His tone was precise, and judging by his speaking attitude, he seemed to have come for a very important task.

The employee immediately gestured to another employee.

A call was made to the secretary’s office, and after a brief reply, the sound of the phone hanging up was heard.

“He says you may come up.”

Beep. Whir—

The access card was scanned, and the transparent glass door opened smoothly.

As Geum Nae-yeong walked inward, the employees behind him began to whisper in low voices.

“But… I feel like I’ve seen that person somewhere before…?”

“That’s an attorney badge, right? He’s an attorney, but he’s incredibly handsome. I should have found out what his name is.”

“Hey, what difference would it make if you found out?”

Contrary to the conversation of the employees who saw Geum Nae-yeong, the atmosphere in the chairman’s office, which used the entire 22nd floor, was flowing coldly.

Chairman Choe Seung-jo raised his eyebrows upon seeing Geum Nae-yeong, who had appeared out of nowhere.

“Huh? Who did you say? Weren’t you the Kim & Chang attorney coming for advisory this time?”

Geum Nae-yeong cut off the chairman’s words immediately.

“No. I am Attorney Geum Nae-yeong of Law Office Teum. May I sit down first?”

At Geum Nae-yeong’s unexpectedly business-like attitude, the chairman hesitated for a moment and then gestured for him to take a seat.

“Uh… uh… right. Then sit there for now.”

Then, he also came to sit in the middle of the sofa and crossed his legs naturally.

“Right. What brings you here? I thought… the attorney I called had arrived.”

As soon as he sat down, Geum Nae-yeong began speaking directly without any unnecessary preamble.

“Do you happen to know Mr. Park Cheol-woo?”

A wrinkle formed on the chairman’s forehead.

“Park Cheol-woo…? Who is that? Is it the name of a company president? An affiliate?”

Geum Nae-yeong quietly took a document out of his bag and slid it across the table in front of the chairman.

On the cover, ‘Employment Contract’ was written.

“As expected, you do not remember. If you are a chairman representing everything about the company, it would be good to remember the names of your employees.

Even if the human resources team signed the employment contract on your behalf.”

“Huh? What are you talking about? An employee’s name? And what is this employment contract?”

“A management crisis is brought about by minor things. Since you cannot even memorize the names of about 1,200 employees…

You would naturally not know who is in what position either.”

“What…?? Management crisis?”

“With just a little look, the systemic risk of JN Com is at a significant level.

Since you do not know who is in what position and who the employees are, wouldn’t the management fail to notice leaking money and embezzled money at all?”

At the sudden sermon, or rather, the managerial attack, the chairman stared with wide eyes.

“What are you? Who are you to suddenly…”

“As I said, I am Attorney Geum Nae-yeong of Law Office Teum.”

Geum Nae-yeong stated his name flatly and pushed the employment contract in front of the chairman again.

“Since you first said ‘I do not know Mr. Park Cheol-woo,’ I will substitute his introduction with this employment contract.”

Geum Nae-yeong’s expression did not change in the slightest.

“A portion of the night shift allowance is not being paid.”

“…What? Allowance?”

Rustle.

The chairman picked up the employment contract.

Although he read only a few lines, the corners of his mouth immediately rose.

“No, what is this all about…? Did you come all the way here to ask for money for an employee who contracted separately with an agency?

Ha… How absurd. That is for the agency to handle, it has nothing to do with me.”

Geum Nae-yeong countered immediately.

“It has to do with you. Overall responsibility. That is the reason why the representative receives the highest salary.”

“…What did you say?”

Geum Nae-yeong was about to continue his next words, but suddenly, he stared intently at Chairman Choe Seung-jo’s face and threw out a question.

“By the way… excuse me, but are you over 90 years old?”

“What?? What kind of crazy talk is that! Where do I look 90? I haven’t even reached my 60s yet!”

Chairman Choe Seung-jo had a particularly old face.

When the chairman burst into anger at the age attack, Geum Nae-yeong pulled out a notebook and checked a list.

[Standards for Responding with Informal Language in Rude Situations Ver. 3]

☑ If the opponent is an elderly person aged 90 or older: Even if the opponent speaks informally, respond in formal language by default.

(Applicable up to the ‘haera’ style.)

After reading the notebook again, Geum Nae-yeong nodded.

“So… how much wasn’t paid that you sent an attorney from the morning? Let’s hear the story of this guy named Park Cheol-woo.”

Geum Nae-yeong spread the documents precisely.

“During night duty, the allowance for two hours is not being paid. For six months.”

Hearing those words, the chairman stared blankly at Geum Nae-yeong for a moment, and then suddenly leaned back, bursting into laughter.

“Halhalhalhalhal! No, you hired an attorney just because two hours of money weren’t paid? You have money to buy an attorney, but you whine about not being paid that little bit? Huh?”

Mockery was mixed in the chairman’s words.

Geum Nae-yeong was not shaken in the slightest.

“Hmm… It is not whining, but to summarize, the failure to perform the obligation to pay wages and the unpaid wages themselves are the problems.

And this is a matter that will soon expand into a legal dispute.”

The chairman was flustered by the sudden informal language.

“Uh… uh… so what… you mean you are making this fuss after receiving a retainer fee from that Park Cheol-woo guy?”

Geum Nae-yeong set the paper down on the table precisely.

“My current proposal is similar to a pre-litigation settlement. In other words, I am proposing that you actively review paying the unpaid wages to Mr. Park Cheol-woo for the six months.”

The chairman burst into an absurd laugh as if he found it ridiculous.

“Haha… So you are threatening me with one plaintiff right now?”

Geum Nae-yeong replied.

“Right now, I am temporarily representing one plaintiff, but after I leave this room, the number of plaintiffs will increase.

There is a possibility it will become 100, or even 500. If I make Cha Ra-ri do it, it seems she could easily gather about 500 people.”

“…What…? Who is Cha Ra-ri…? And five hundred…?”

Chairman Choe Seung-jo seemed quite flustered by Geum Nae-yeong’s tone, which mixed informal language and formal language, and the situation.

However, as if that reaction was not strange at all, Geum Nae-yeong continued his explanation very naturally.

“Since Park Cheol-woo is not the only one who didn’t receive his salary, I am talking about the possibility of other employees filing lawsuits for unpaid wages.”

“What did you say…?”

The chairman was momentarily flustered. However, he had long experienced all sorts of hardships in the industry.

He soon straightened his back and puffed out his chest with a confident attitude.

“Hmph. Do you think you’re the only attorney? Go ahead and try it legally. I will also immediately hire a top-tier law firm.”

Geum Nae-yeong stood up.

“Yes, do so. Whomever you hire, I will win anyway. I just gave you an ‘opportunity’ now.”

Geum Nae-yeong added one more sentence, pronouncing each word clearly.

“And… according to the decision you just made, approximately 50 procedures, including civil and criminal lawsuits, complaints, and petitions, will proceed simultaneously.”

“Wh… what… co-complaints? Petitions?”

“If you thought that wage arrears ‘end by just giving the money,’ that is a big mistake. If you broke the law, it is only natural to receive criminal punishment.”

Tap, tap.

It was just when Geum Nae-yeong was about to leave the chairman’s office with an unhesitating attitude.

“W-wait! How can I make a decision right away when you barge in and speak like this? Wait… did you say Attorney Geum?

First of all, since I… don’t have my wits about me right now. I will look into it and give you an answer by today.”

Geum Nae-yeong raised the corners of his mouth very slightly, and then returned to a cold expression.

“You may check. I will be correct. And the longer you delay the wage payment, the greater the loss the company will suffer.

Because if it goes to a lawsuit, delay interest on the unpaid wages will also be included.”

Taking another step, Geum Nae-yeong turned back and added one more word.

“And if you encourage Mr. Park Cheol-woo to resign or give him disadvantages because of this matter.”

“…If I do? What?”

Geum Nae-yeong’s voice was calm.

“The 50 civil, criminal, complaints, and petitions I mentioned earlier… can become 100.”

The chairman was speechless and could only roll his eyes.

“No… so has this person Park Cheol-woo actually… hired you?”

Geum Nae-yeong shook his head slowly.

“No. I am just ‘representing’ him.”

“…What do you mean just representing? What is your relationship with him?”

Geum Nae-yeong answered his question in one sentence.

“That person is someone presumed to be my father.”

“…Presumed… to be his father…?”

“Then, I will take my leave now.”

Geum Nae-yeong bowed his head lightly one last time.

Click.

After Geum Nae-yeong closed the door and left, the chairman stood blankly in the middle of the meeting room for a while.

“Wh-what… what kind of guy is that?”

He shook his head and gathered his senses a bit. Then, he immediately pulled out his cell phone and made a call to someone.

“Uh, it’s me. Attorney Jeong. Nothing else, just look up an attorney for me. Wait a minute… the business card is…”

The chairman picked up the business card placed on the table and read the name clearly.

“Geum. Nae. Yeong. It says he is an attorney of Law Office Teum.”

At that moment, a long, sigh-mixed lament flowed from the other side of the receiver.

“Sigh… Geum Nae-yeong? Oh dear… Chairman, why… Did you get hit with some lawsuit?”

The chairman raised his voice as if it was absurd.

“No, well… he suddenly barged in and said he would file 100 lawsuits just because some tiny night wages weren’t paid!

He mixed informal and formal language, and said the person who didn’t get paid is ‘presumed’ to be his dad… What kind of crazy guy is he? Is he even an attorney?”

The voice in the receiver grew darker and darker.

“Yes… that guy is indeed crazy. So… if it’s not a big deal, just do everything he demands.

If he said 100 cases with his own mouth… he is a guy who will do 200, 300, or anyway even more than that.

Not long ago, a top-tier law firm messed with him once, and he immediately retaliated, making them blow 1 billion won right away.”

The chairman lost his words and only blinked.

“What? 1 billion?”

Over the receiver, the lamentation continued almost like a murmur.

“And… even his father? Oh dear… Chairman, you really messed with the wrong guy.

Even in our firm, if that guy is the opposing attorney, we draw straws to see who will face him. Because everyone hates taking it on. So just do as he asks. If you hold out for no reason, you will just suffer more.”

“…….”

Click.

Furious, the chairman hung up the phone immediately.

“Damn it…”

The chairman stared at the phone for a moment, then suddenly pressed the button on the intercom.

“Accounting team! Tell the payroll team leader to get up here quickly! Right now!!!”

***

At that very time when Geum Nae-yeong was quietly repaying his ‘debt’ to the uncle who had wished him a recovery in the past.

On one side of the waiting room of Law Office Teum.

A young man was sitting in a corner seat, blankly staring at his phone screen. He looked like an ordinary man, but his expression was mixed with unfairness and anger.

“Bad bastard…”

The man clenched his teeth.

“You used me when you needed me, and now that things are going well, you’re going to act like you don’t know me? If you made a promise, you should keep it. Gulping down 5.1 billion alone?”

The man hesitated for a moment, and then slowly wrote on the blank space of the consultation application sheet handed to him by Cha Ra-ri.

* Consultation on Lotto First Place Winnings Lawsuit