Chapter 274: What Do You Think?

Wen Jiabao’s downfall was a scenario I hadn’t anticipated. I thought it was merely a matter of taming him, but it seemed Jiang Zemin had really sharpened his claws.

Once Jiang Zemin set his mind to something, escaping was nearly impossible.

If he were the leader of one of the other two factions outside of the Shanghai clique, political negotiations could have been attempted. However, Wen Jiabao was an independent player with no factional ties.

Such a person wouldn’t have anyone willing to save him.

Whether aware of my troubled thoughts or not, Jessica continued speaking.

“Our analysis suggests that they won’t kill him. I believe they’ll aim to strip him of all his assets and influence instead.”

“Does the U.S. also see Wen Jiabao’s purge as a bad image?”

“Exactly. We’re too burdened to intervene in Chinese politics. The Middle East alone is giving us enough headaches.”

The Middle East, huh? Soon enough, it’ll be a total disaster.

But given the justification of the war on terror, there was no one able to stop the current U.S. administration.

“Thanks for the update on Wen Jiabao. I really need to think about how to handle this situation.”

“I’m curious about Charlie’s choice. Please share the information you have about North Korea with me now.”

Soon after, I relayed all the information I had on North Korea to Jessica, who insisted on payment for the intel.

This included insights into Kim Jong-il’s thoughts and the mention of Russia’s SVR being behind the coup.

“…Charlie, you really are… Someone who keeps his promises.”

Jessica expressed her admiration as she gathered the information I had provided.

Thanks to the unexpectedly large amount of honest information I shared, her demeanor shifted, now serious.

“You did say that trust between individuals comes first. I made a promise to you, and I’m simply keeping it. In any case, I’ve shared everything I know. It’s the CIA’s job to compile that and reach conclusions, so I have nothing more to add.”

“I heard you’re friends with Putin, but I didn’t expect you’d also share details involving Russia. This has turned out to be more valuable information than I anticipated.”

Jessica wore a smile that didn’t leave her face, genuinely pleased.

“I shouldn’t have taken up so much of your time. We’ve settled our business, so shall we conclude this meeting?”

Nodding, Jessica stood up. As she extended her hand, she spoke again.

“I don’t think it’s a fair trade, so let me give you one final gift. You’ve heard of the British newspaper, The Sun, right?”

“The Sun? Are you talking about that tabloid?”

“That’s right. It’s embarrassing to call it a newspaper, but technically, it is one of Britain’s publications. While its reputation is questionable, it does excel in gossip columns.”

Why is she suddenly bringing up The Sun?

She mentioned a completely unrelated entity, and I looked at her, puzzled.

“They’ve got their eyes on you over there. They’ve already uncovered quite a bit about you, dispatching reporters to the U.S., Russia, Japan, and Korea to dig up more information.”

“…”

I felt like I had been hit with a surprise upon hearing that they were investigating my identity from such an unexpected angle.

“I mention this because it seems you dislike having your existence exposed to people. Did you like my gift?”

“Thank you. I really do appreciate it.”

“Then I suppose I’ll see you next time, Charlie. It feels like we’ll be seeing each other frequently.”

With a final handshake, Jessica waved goodbye and exited the study.

Watching her leave through the window, I fell into deep thought.

A short while later, Manager Ma opened the door and entered the study. He stood silently until I was ready to gather my thoughts.

“Manager.”

Once I had finished contemplating, I called Manager Ma. The first thing I needed to address was the family situation of Elder Zhang in China.

“We need to bring those people from China over. Everything is prepared, right?”

“Yes, should I proceed right away?”

Hearing Manager Ma’s response, I turned from the window.

“Go ahead and proceed. They can give up everything they have there, so just tell them to leave China immediately.”

“Understood.”

“Please communicate it to Elder Zhang properly.”

“He’s likely already aware. Although he mentioned he could live in China as the process of bringing his family to Korea dragged on, wouldn’t it be more comfortable in Korea?”

It was difficult for an elderly man who had spent his entire life in Korea to live in a foreign country. I nodded and headed to the sofa.

Fatigue washed over me as I sank deeply into the couch, pinching the bridge of my nose.

“Please, sit down, Manager.”

I shared the information I’d heard from Jessica as I glanced at him sitting down.

“It seems Wen Jiabao has completely fallen from grace. Jiang Zemin has drawn his sword.”

“Jiang Zemin?”

Manager Ma’s expression turned stiff as he processed everything I had said.

“What do you think? Is there a chance for him to be rescued?”

I weighed the two choices in my hands, but the scales tipped to equilibrium.

“If Wen Jiabao is someone the Boss desperately needs, then he should be saved. But if not, there’s really no reason to go to such lengths.”

Someone essential for me… As I remained silent, Manager Ma continued speaking.

“There are plenty of alternative political figures in China. People who would be favorable if they establish ties with the Boss. In fact, there are others who carry more weight than Wen Jiabao.”

No nationality loves money more than the Chinese. The phrase ‘the dignity of the continent’ reflects just how massive the scale of their illicit wealth accumulation is.

However, it’s challenging to truly win their hearts with money alone. Even if a connection is made, few can be easily trusted.

Hu Jintao? Even as President, he struggles to escape Jiang Zemin’s shadow, and compared to Jiang Zemin’s influence, his is lacking.

Xi Jinping? He’s still practically a rookie without much political weight.

That’s precisely why Wen Jiabao was the chosen figure. He was one of the few politicians who survived amidst the purges labeled as a war against corruption even after retirement.

Yet, he too was a politician, just as much a Chinese citizen. My and Han Gyeong-yeong’s existence fanned the flames of his political ambitions.

In the end, my choice awakened Wen Jiabao’s ambition.

“You’ve received contact from the other side as well?”

“Yes. The Shanghai clique has been the most proactive, and I’ve also heard from the Taizidang and, of course, the Communist Youth League.”

“Hmm…”

“It seems they want to leverage James Han’s reputation for their benefit.”

“That seems likely, doesn’t it?”

One of the primary factors that boosted Wen Jiabao’s prominence was Han Gyeong-yeong.

James Han’s investment in Shanghai ultimately became the catalyst for foreign investments in a previously stagnant Shanghai.

China’s vast population, cheap labor, and immense land offered a treasure trove of opportunities for multinational corporations.

However, despite its high value, the lack of stability made investors and companies hesitant to dive in.

In such a scenario, James Han and Dream High Investment, both with a perfect track record on Wall Street, making investments in Shanghai made a significant impact.

That investment triggered a surge of other multinational corporations flocking to Shanghai.

“To abandon Wen Jiabao and ally with someone else again…”

My meeting with Jessica left me with another dilemma.

* * *

At that same moment, Kim Mu-hyeok was meeting with Jesica.

In the banquet hall of the Hilton Hotel, located in the heart of Seoul, the chairmen of major companies steering Korea’s economy were gradually gathering.

After the IMF crisis, many members of Hanjong had been replaced.

Corporations that were previously ranked among the top 30 were crumbling, making way for new forces to take their place.

Thanks to this, Hanjong now had plenty of fresh faces compared to before.

As the banquet hall door opened, Seo Yong-geon, chairman of the Il-seong Group, stepped inside.

The gazes of the business chairmen, who were chatting in small clusters, turned toward him.

Seemingly enjoying the attention, Chairman Seo strolled leisurely toward the center of the banquet hall.

He greeted the newly appointed chairman of Hanjong, Moon Seong-hak.

“Chairman Moon, it’s been a while.”

Moon Seong-hak nodded and shook his hand.

“You’ve been well, Chairman Seo?”

“Well, you know, same old, same old.”

“Is that so?”

A faint smirk flitted across Moon Seong-hak’s face at Chairman Seo’s relaxed response.

Chairman Seo caught that look and his expression suddenly stiffened.

“There are rumors circulating that Il-seong’s funds have been tightly blocked lately, but seeing you here, I suppose that was just gossip. After all, who is Seo Yong-geon? The person who rose to that position through ability, stepping over his older brother? There’s no way that could be true!”

It felt like Moon Seong-hak was purposely trying to provoke Chairman Seo. Noticing that, Chairman Seo glared at him fiercely.

Just as Chairman Seo was about to respond, the banquet hall door swung open again.

Chairman Song Young-ju appeared— the head of Daehyeon Group, a giant in the industry.

As everyone turned their attention toward him, the reaction was distinctly different from when Seo Yong-geon arrived.

Most of the corporate chairmen, including Moon Seong-hak, rushed to greet Chairman Song Young-ju.

“Oh, Chairman Song! You’ve come in person?”

“Hahaha, it’s been a while, Chairman Moon.”

“Chairman Song, it’s my first time meeting you. I’m Park Jin-seong from JS Group.”

“Oh? So you’re the famous Park Jin-seong? Pleasure to meet you, haha.”

Greeting the influx of people, Chairman Song Young-ju approached Chairman Seo.

“This man, do you not greet me even now?”

“I heard you were in the hospital.”

“Well, I’m just waiting for the day I will die. I need to go soon as my father and Cheong-ga are waiting for me.”

Chairman Song Young-ju burst into a hearty laugh and then spoke to Moon Seong-hak.

“Chairman Moon, let’s enter the conference room to begin our meeting. It seems this will be my last attendance.”

“Yes, Chairman Song.”

All the chaebol chairmen convened in the conference room connected to the banquet hall.

As Moon Seong-hak attempted to seat Chairman Song Young-ju at the head of the table, he shook his head slightly.

“No. You, Chairman Moon, should take the seat. Aren’t you the chairman of Hanjong? Today, I came to see you for the last time.”

“Still…”

“Oh, come on…”

“Understood.”

Moon Seong-hak bowed slightly toward Chairman Song and took his seat at the long table in the center.

The chairmen from various corporations arranged themselves along the table according to their ranking.

A strange atmosphere arose as the top-ranking chairman, Song Young-ju, and Seo Yong-geon of the Il-seong Group faced each other.

When everyone was seated, Moon Seong-hak began to speak.

“The reason for gathering all of you today is to discuss strategies regarding the recently passed Financial Separation Act and the Circular Investment Prevention Act.”

The conference room quickly became a buzz of chatter.

“What has everyone been doing? Isn’t Hanjong here to protect our interests? How could we not even stop something like this!”

Choi Hang-seok, chairman of Hyosan Group, raised his voice, criticizing Hanjong’s incompetence.

“No matter how much we lobby, it doesn’t seem to work. Which government is siding with us at the moment? Besides, the Moderates seem immune to seeing our money!”

As the chaebols raised their voices at one another, Chairman Song Young-ju observed them all with a look of mere amusement.

This was chaos, unlike any other. It was the leaders of the Korean economy bickering loudly at one another.

The media would love nothing more than to see this.

“Alright, calm down. Regardless, that bill has already been passed. The urgent issue is, isn’t it the Financial Separation Act? I’m sure you all have at least one insurance company or credit card company. Let’s discuss our strategies for that.”

As Moon Seong-hak tried to calm the heated chairmen, they finally began to settle down.

“Completely separating affiliated companies isn’t the issue. The real problem is the shares of those affiliated companies.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. The atmosphere quieted immediately.

Once the meeting room fell silent, Seo Yong-geon raised his hand.

“May I say something?”

All eyes turned to Seo Yong-geon.

“As always, your insights are welcome, Chairman Seo.”

Moon Seong-hak passed the floor to Seo Yong-geon.

“As Chairman Moon observed, the bill has already passed. Therefore, we must assume it will take effect. With the government and lawmakers undergoing changes, it’s going to take some time. Until then, we need unity in order to survive, right?”

“That’s right!”

Choi Hang-seok chimed in with support for Seo Yong-geon.

“Thus, I’ve prepared a solution. We can mutually exchange shares between our companies, allowing for a win-win situation. This way, we can buy time for restructuring without significant financial impact.”

The method Seo Yong-geon suggested was indeed the best option given the time constraints. However, it carried a critical flaw.

Trust in one another was essential.

At that moment, Chairman Song Young-ju, who had been quietly observing, spoke up.

“I have a better solution to propose.”

All eyes turned toward Chairman Song Young-ju.