Chapter 151: So Much to Do

“Boss, I have something to report.”

After finishing the visit, we were on our way back to the Myeong-dong office.

Manager Ma quietly began to speak.

“I looked into the Zhung Lian Bang.”

“Yeah, what did you find out?”

“Taiwan has a much closer relationship between the business sector, politics, and organized crime compared to Hong Kong or Japan. You could say there are virtually no boundaries.”

“Wasn’t it supposed to be a safe place?”

I heard Taiwanese public safety was comparable to ours.

Manager Ma nodded.

“Internationally, it’s considered pretty safe. But when conflicts flare up between crime organizations, casualties are inevitable. Political factions coexisting with gangsters mean that things often get swept under the rug with little punishment.”

Once we arrived at the Myeong-dong office, I could hear the details.

“Some members have even disguised themselves as lawmakers to act as politicians.”

“I can see how that would allow drugs to be exported from Taiwan without much hassle now.”

It seemed that airport security agents colluded with the underworld to let shipments slip through.

“There’s also a deep connection with the business sector. While Taiwan doesn’t have as many chaebols as our country, most influential businessmen are tied to organized crime.”

At this point, it could be said that organized crime was essentially running Taiwan.

“Is there no public backlash?”

“They tend to be lenient when it comes to the general populace.”

“What about groups bigger than Zhung Lian Bang?”

“Zhung Lian Bang, Saaeh Bang, and Cheondo Meng are the three biggest, and they’re all somewhat equal in power.”

If they’re all about the same, then wars must be rare.

Especially split among three factions, it seems they would be hesitant to engage in conflict to avoid mutual destruction.

“If I had to classify them, it would be in the order of Zhung Lian Bang, Saaeh Bang, and Cheondo Meng. Zhung Lian Bang and Cheondo Meng don’t get along well.”

Zhung Lian Bang and Saaeh Bang were forces that had fled to Taiwan during their expulsion from the mainland China, existing since the 1950s.

In contrast, Cheondo Meng was an organization formed by members who broke away from Zhung Lian Bang.

Most fights that break out usually occur between those two groups.

“You mentioned Zhung Lian Bang handles drug distribution to our country and Japan?”

“Yes.”

“What about the other organizations? Are they just left alone?”

From the perspective of organized crime, nothing makes as much money as drugs.

Typically, conflicts between crime organizations arise mainly for drug trafficking purposes, as they fight to seize established markets.

Examples can be seen in the Colombian and Mexican drug cartels, as well as the Triads and Yakuza in Asia.

“Zhung Lian Bang is the oldest, so it has the most contacts in Japan. They secured distribution networks and given the uptick in inspections for incoming travelers and goods into Taiwan, they’ve opted to use Korea as a transit point. At the same time, they’re also selling in Korea.”

“Are they linked to Yamaguchi-gumi?”

“Zhung Lian Bang isn’t with Yamaguchi-gumi; it’s reported that they do business with Inagawakai Yakuza.”

“Then Inagawakai must be operating out of Busan. Yamaguchi-gumi isn’t active in Korea anymore.”

“Right.”

So that’s why they managed to push Yamaguchi-gumi out of Korea.

I realized I couldn’t just turn a blind eye to the drug problem.

Under Lee Sang-geun’s management, perhaps a certain level of control might be better, I started to ponder.

“Let’s see how Lee Sang-geun handles this situation before we decide what to do.”

“Okay.”

There’s an overwhelming amount of work piled up, and new issues keep cropping up.

I swallowed a sigh that was bubbling up.

“Which investments did HS make again?”

“For now, one is a game company, and the other is a search portal spun off from Il-sung’s internal venture..”

“Which ones?”

“TJ Soft and Green Dot Com.”

The year 1999 marked the peak of internet proliferation.

Despite the IMF crisis, the Kim Hak-gwon government was fervently promoting internet expansion.

To prevent accessibility delays in less populated areas, the government initiated coverage for public offices nationwide.

Korea Telecom and Hana Telecom aligned with government policies to contribute to expanding infrastructure.

“So, TJ Soft and Green Dot Com.”

I couldn’t help but smile.

For something they were worried about failing, it seemed like they had a substantial investment.

While it didn’t stand up against NeXT, which was widely recognized for its email and cafe service, Green Dot Com was on its way to becoming the number one portal site in the country. With their game ‘Blood Alliance,’ TJ Soft was expected to dominate the domestic online market.

“Sounds good. Keep an eye on them. What about Kang Mi-jin?”

“I’ve heard she works well with CEO Park. Apparently, her strong appeal was a significant factor in this investment.”

“Looks like she does a good job.”

“Though they say she struggles to mesh with the other staff members.”

“There’s not much you can do. That’s a problem Hyeon-seong has to handle. It’s been a while since we last met, I should reach out.”

I immediately took out my phone to call Hyeon-seong.

The phone rang a few times before connecting.

“Hey, Hyeon-seong. Are you busy?”

—’I’m fine.’

“Let’s grab dinner tonight.”

—’Sure. Send me the location.’

It was a quick contact to pass along the information.

As Manager Ma silently stepped out to make a reservation, I began to recount all the tasks I needed to tackle.

‘I need to assist with the formation of the new party, assist Myeong-su’s debut efforts, keep an eye on China and Russia, manage relations with the U.S., and Taiwan…’

As I counted them one by one, I realized there was an overwhelming number of tasks.

Right now, the immediate priorities were fulfilling Grandma’s request and Yoon Chang-ho’s new party formation.

‘It was supposed to be easy, just to select people and invest, but it’s getting increasingly complicated.’

The April by-election concluded with a defeat for the Conservative Party.

Despite being a mini-election with a significant number of seats available, the Progressive Party secured over 70% of the votes.

This likely reflected the approval ratings for the Kim Hak-gwon government, which had effectively dealt with the IMF crisis.

The Conservative Party experienced profound internal division.

‘Can we really make Yoon Chang-ho president?’

It was a task to change the future.

Not the future I knew, but the future I was about to create.

After a brief contemplation, I made a swift decision.

‘Let’s just give it a shot.’

As I organized my thoughts, I noticed the sun setting beyond the window.

“Boss, it’s time to go now.”

Just then, Manager Ma walked in right on cue, prompting me to shake off my thoughts and stand up.

With so many bodyguards around, it was becoming increasingly challenging to move about.

Unless we were renting out an entire restaurant, we would need to meet in secretive venues where information could be tightly controlled.

“I’ve completed the internal checks.”

“Thank you. Please have a meal outside with the bodyguards too. I’ll be talking privately with Hyeon-seong.”

As I opened the door and took my seat, it wasn’t long before Hyeon-seong arrived.

“You made it?”

“Yeah.”

Hyeon-seong shrugged off his suit jacket and took a seat.

He was now well-accustomed to wearing a suit rather than a martial arts uniform or workout attire.

“What about Mi-jin?”

“She clocked out already.”

“How’s she doing?”

“What about her?”

“How’s it like to work with her?”

“She’s fine. Works well, and comes prepared beyond my expectations.”

“Good to hear.”

As the door opened, our pre-ordered dishes were served.

“Let’s eat first.”

I uncorked the soju bottle while savoring the sashimi and seafood laid out in front of us.

“Want to have a drink?”

“Sure.”

We continued chatting over shots of soju.

“Have you decided on the companies you’ll invest in?”

“I’ve picked out two companies and already transferred the investment funds. The rest I’m still scouting for, as there’s a surprising number of places eager to get investments beyond what I anticipated.”

I nodded in response to Hyeon-seong’s words.

Both IT and venture companies were springing up like mushrooms. Business founders were actively seeking investors to secure funds.

Among the true investors like Hyeon-seong, there were also those trying to cut corners and make a quick escape after getting their KOSDAQ listings.

I tried to ignore it and asked Hyeon-seong directly.

“By the way, how did you find out about TJ Soft and Green Dot Com?”

“These are companies Mi-jin recommended, but I had already heard of TJ Soft, and I just met with representatives of Green Dot Com to make a decision.”

“Mi-jin?”

“······.”

This bear-like guy is casually mentioning a girl’s name?

I squinted at Hyeon-seong’s face suspiciously.

“What’s this about, Park Hyeon-seong?”

“I mean, while we were working together, it felt awkward to keep addressing each other formally, so she asked me not to be so formal anymore.”

“So, you said it like this?”

“······Did you know of TJ Soft and Green Dot Com?”

Is he trying to deflect questions like that?

I couldn’t help but chuckle and let it slide.

“Yeah. I thought they picked good companies.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

“Why, were you worried?”

“Not exactly, but I just wasn’t sure. If you know about them, it means they were decent picks.”

“You’re doing well. Are the employees okay?”

Hyeon-seong set his chopsticks down and replied bluntly.

“For sure, having veterans on board helps bring some structure to things. But Mi-jin seems to have a hard time blending in with the other employees.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, I’m not sure what to do about it.”

It seems like he’s somewhat fond of Kang Mi-jin?

“That’s something you should have anticipated from the very beginning when hiring Mi-jin. But how did the others find out? Didn’t you keep it under wraps?”

“On the day of a team dinner, she spilled the beans.”

“She really is honest, isn’t she?”

It takes a lot of courage to share one’s vulnerabilities first.

Especially if that vulnerability stems from a lifelong trauma.

“I’m in a bit of a quandary. I keep wondering if we can keep going like this.”

“What does Mi-jin say?”

“She seemed to think it was something she expected and doesn’t mind. It’s a bittersweet reality.”

As I poured another drink for Hyeon-seong and filled my own glass with soju, I nodded in understanding.

“Are you visiting your father?”

“I don’t go often, but I do check in occasionally and add money to his account.”

“Really?”

Hyeon-seong seemed to want to change the subject since he quickly redirected the conversation.

“TJ Soft has postponed its KOSDAQ listing for now. Initially, the plan was to go public to gather investment funds, but now that we’ve formed a stable relationship, it seems it’s being delayed a bit.”

“What about your shares?”

“I got 25% for 2 billion Won investment.”

That’s quite a solid deal.

The game had already started its service and while it wasn’t a craze yet, soon enough half of all PC cafés would be either playing Star or TJ Soft’s online game ‘Blood Alliance’.

“What about Green Dot Com?”

“There, I got 30% for 2 billion Won. I sensed they aren’t looking for more investment because of management equity. The founder, Lee Jin-hyuk, seems to be focused on expanding through mergers after giving up some of his shares to ongoing investments.”

Fair enough; the founder of Green Dot Com, Lee Jin-hyuk, had been known for ceding part of his ownership in continued investments to grow the company’s size.

Even with a lower stake, he remained a competent leader, continuing to act as the representative post-expansion.

“Well done. You really don’t have to worry about it. Looks like it’s your true calling.”

“If it weren’t for you, I might not have even started. Ten or twenty billion Won isn’t exactly pocket change when it comes to investing.”

“That’s just how it is. Many people are out there with brilliant ideas but can’t start a business due to lacking even a 100 million Won. Seek out those kinds of companies to invest in.”

Green Dot Com was essential for media control.

With portals like NeXT and Green Dot Com starting to eclipse newspapers like Goryeo Daily in influence.

We shifted gears from business talk to casual chatter.

“Oh, did you hear that Myeong-su’s dating? Supposedly, she’s an announcer.”

“Really?”

“I heard they met through an introduction recently, and he fell for her at first sight.”

“Seems like he’s got some skills. Dating an announcer, huh?”

Myeong-su was certainly more at ease with Hyeon-seong compared to me.

He never mentioned such things to me.

“Aren’t you seeing anyone?”

“Me? Not at the moment, no.”

“Why not? You should meet someone good. Grandma’s counting on you.”

“What about you? Is it Kang Mi-jin?”

“······.”

He couldn’t respond.