Chapter 297: Did You Say There Was a Bombing?

After a simple immigration check, I stepped out of the airport.

“Are you seriously thinking about getting serious with Aili?”

“Huh?”

In that brief moment, I glanced back at Aili, who was chattering away with Eva, and asked Han Gyeong-yeong, curious if they had bonded.

“What’s it matter if I am? If I enjoy the time I spend with her, then I might as well think about marriage; if not, I’ll just break it off, right?”

“So you’ve thought about marriage? You’re serious then?”

“Of course. I’m at that age where it makes sense to think about it.”

I was taken aback. He never talked about things like this.

When I looked at Han Gyeong-yeong, he shrugged his shoulders.

“Weren’t you the one who said you’d live freely until your death and then donate your wealth to a foundation in my name?”

“That hasn’t changed.”

Han Gyeong-yeong often joked about donating all his wealth one day.

I wondered if I had worked him too hard, causing him to miss out on dating. It’s hard to argue with the label of a ruthless boss.

After we got into the same car, I put Aili and Eva in another car, and we headed off to take a helicopter.

“Murdoch has fully turned to our side now.”

“What’s up with that old fox?”

“I don’t know. Anyway, we shook hands, so you need to help us out a lot. It’s going to cost a pretty penny, especially with the Wall Street Journal acquisition; we need to leverage your political connections.”

“Hmm, can we really trust that old coot?”

I completely understood Han Gyeong-yeong’s hesitation.

Especially since Murdoch had previously threatened us.

Fear that’s been etched into your mind is hard to wipe away.

Besides, if we could feed his ambitions, Murdoch could be a useful tool.

“As long as our interests align, he has no reason to betray us.”

“If you say so.”

Han Gyeong-yeong didn’t press further.

“What about Leeds United?”

“Ellen has taken complete control now. We thought she was mild-mannered, but she wields that knife we handed her quite well. You know the strike has ended, right?”

I nodded slightly, and Han Gyeong-yeong continued on, impressed once more.

“It was just one day. She collected resignation letters from the club staff and decided to toss anyone who skipped training into the transfer market. If transfers don’t go through, they can forget about stepping onto the field for the duration of their contracts. If they’re not looking to retire, they’ll agree to transfer to another club.”

“Looks like Taylor’s death shattered their unity completely.”

They had relied heavily on Taylor’s influence. But once news of his death broke, it crumbled like a sandcastle.

Alex handled everything smoothly. He disguised Taylor’s death as an unfortunate accident amidst gang disputes.

My connections might raise suspicions, but without solid evidence, they couldn’t pressure me.

“Once news spread that Taylor died in a gang-related incident, a good number of club staff and players appealed to Ellen.”

I nodded to Han Gyeong-yeong’s words. It was like a dog chasing its tail. That’s exactly what it was.

“Whether they were coerced by Taylor’s threats to participate in corruption or simply got swept away by the atmosphere, they made their choices. If we start accommodating every single case, it’ll be endless.”

“I noticed Ellen was starting to waver. So, I told her firmly. It was uncomfortable because he’s Aili’s father, but it was just business.”

Since Han Gyeong-yeong could distinguish between personal and business matters, he met Aili’s father without any biases.

And he was still doing the same now, maintaining clear boundaries, causing a broad smile to emerge on my face.

“What’s with that grin? You look like you’re up to something.”

“Haha, no. I just felt lucky to be working with you.”

We arrived at the new helicopter pad as I chatted with Han Gyeong-yeong. We boarded the helicopter prepared with the guidance from the waiting Black Bear mercenaries.

“It’ll take about an hour.”

I nodded, and the helicopter took off, the noisy blades cutting through the air.

Looking down at the emerald sea below, my heart felt lighter.

About an hour later, we arrived at the island.

“Wow.”

The moment we landed, Han Gyeong-yeong let out a natural exclamation.

“Isn’t it amazing?”

“It’s unbelievable.”

It was no wonder he was astonished. We bought this uninhabited island at a steep price through the Greek government.

Then, we transformed it into a paradise for my people.

Han Gyeong-yeong, of course, was glowing with excitement, and Eva and Aili were also wide-eyed as they took in the surroundings.

“Welcome!”

At that moment, a man limped over. As he approached, he bowed his head in greeting.

“I’m John, the team leader responsible for security here.”

“Ah, I’ve heard about you.”

It was a polite greeting, but my gaze remained fixed on his injured leg.

Noticing my eyes, John smiled. Perhaps accustomed to it, he casually shifted his focus.

“I was targeted in a bombing in Afghanistan. After that, Eric sent me here to take charge of security. Thanks to that, I’m living in what feels like heaven.”

A bombing? At his words, I snapped to attention and looked at John’s face.

“You were in Afghanistan?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Let’s go inside for now. Assign someone to guide those two, and John, come with me. I need to ask you something.”

“Understood.”

John raised his hand to call over a mercenary. He pointed politely toward Eva as the men hastily approached.

“Please show the ladies around here and ensure their comfort.”

“Yes, sir!”

The two men bowed stiffly.

“We’ll guide you.”

One of the mercenaries spoke to Eva and Aili. Eva looked at me, seeking my approval.

After I gave a small nod, she linked arms with Aili and began to move with the mercenaries.

After confirming they had disappeared from view, I spoke to John.

“Let’s head inside too.”

The mansion, located not far from the helicopter landing area, consisted of four buildings.

We passed the central fountain and entered the largest mansion.

“I’m just going to take a quick look around the house for a bit.”

The moment we entered, Han Gyeong-yeong quickly made his way to check out the house.

“Where’s my office? Let’s go there.”

“This way, please.”

I followed John into the inner office.

The office resembled my study back in Pyeongchang-dong, built according to my special request.

“You did a great job.”

A satisfied smile spread across my face at the almost identical space.’

“Have a seat. I’ve got some questions for you.”

John took a seat at my request. Once he was settled, I began to speak.

“Did you say there was a bombing?”

“Yes, I was originally in charge of supplies for the U.S. military. But while moving to supply the base, we were hit by a suicide bombing.”

“Were there any casualties?”

“······.”

John hesitated to answer immediately, but soon he opened up.

“Three soldiers were killed.”

“······What about their bodies?”

“Fortunately, we recovered them all. The company provided ample compensation to their families.”

I had previously mentioned reinforcing benefits for the mercenaries.’

But no matter how much compensation is provided, deep sorrow remains for the families of the deceased.’

“No matter the compensation, can a life truly be compared to money? It’s tragic.”

“A war zone is a place where one can die at any moment. We always keep that in mind and work accordingly.”

John’s face bore a bittersweet smile as he spoke. Just like he said, mercenaries earn their pay with their lives on the line.

To change the heavy atmosphere, I subtly shifted to a different topic.

“What’s the situation in Afghanistan?”

“It’s such a vast territory, we’ve bombarded most major cities with significant firepower and captured them all.”

“I’m aware of that. I want to hear the on-ground stories, not what the news reports.”

“We’ve captured the major cities, but bombers and guerrillas are rampant throughout. We also discovered bin Laden’s hideout, but by the time, he had already fled. The U.S. Department of Defense must be quite disappointed about that.”

“So, bin Laden got away.”

As expected. Although the war started earlier this time, they still couldn’t catch bin Laden again.

Whether it was intentional or a genuine mistake, I had no way of knowing.’

“Moreover, they missed all major figures in the Taliban as well. It looks like it will turn into a long war. The U.S. Department of Defense expects as much.”‘

Even if the future had twisted, the main theme remains unchanged.’

Ultimately, the neoconservative plan to expand the battlefield to Iraq was set in motion.’

“I understand. I might call you again if needed.”‘

John bowed his head and left, soon followed by Han Gyeong-yeong returning.’

“Did you finish your talk?”‘

“Yeah. Did you take a good look around? What do you think of the place?”‘

Han Gyeong-yeong plopped down on the sofa, impressed, and opened his mouth to speak.’

“It’s like a palace. A house embracing the Mediterranean? I wish I could live here forever. Now I finally understand why you poured so much money into this place.”‘

“It’s both our vacation spot and a bunker.”‘

“So there’s a basement bunker?”‘

“Yeah. It’s sturdy enough to withstand a nuclear blast. I’m also stocking up enough food and water to last five years as emergency supplies.”‘

As I spoke proudly, Han Gyeong-yeong smiled.’

“That’s impressive. I’ll have to check it out later. What did you talk about with that guy John?”‘

“I asked him about the Afghanistan war.”‘

“He said they’ve taken every major city. It’s like a celebratory mood for the victory of America.”‘

All media, regardless of their political stance, were boasting of the U.S. military’s strength daily.’

Instead of responding to that, I asked about something else.’

“What about oil?”‘

“We’re still buying it, just like you said. But Afghanistan has nothing to do with oil.”‘

“They’re going to declare war on Iraq soon. It could be anywhere from six months to a year. By then, we should be able to make a substantial profit.”‘

“Really? It’s not like there’s no profit to be made now.”‘

The oil prices that plunged due to the terrorist attacks on the U.S. mainland were gradually starting to rise again.’

It signaled the beginning of an era of high oil prices that wouldn’t come again.’

“You know this oil deal is part of a long-term plan, right?”‘

“Of course. You mentioned it’s a plan to stretch from at least five to a maximum of ten years. Jungwoo Chemical is expanding its oil storage facilities too.”‘

The oil traded in the U.S. or Europe was futures trading.’

However, oil produced in the Middle East was always spot trading. Storage facilities for holding the physical oil were essential.’

“You’re doing well. Let’s proceed as planned.”‘

At that moment, the office door opened, and Eva peeked in.’

“Boss, are you working again while on vacation?”‘

I couldn’t blame Eva for calling me a workaholic. I stood up with a smile.’

“Have you seen everything?”‘

“I think one day wouldn’t be enough to see it all. This place is incredible, Boss. Even better than I expected.”‘

“I’m glad you like it. We’ll be heading out soon. Let’s go, Hyung.”‘

I lightly patted Han Gyeong-yeong’s shoulder. We stepped outside toward the beach situated within the mansion.’

“Wow, it’s really beautiful.”‘

It was Aili’s voice, and Han Gyeong-yeong smoothly approached her side.’

“How is it? Pretty nice, right?”‘

“Yep, it’s fantastic. I can’t believe a place like this exists.”‘

“Then let’s forget about work today and have some fun.”‘

As soon as Han Gyeong-yeong finished speaking, Eva and Aili darted into the changing rooms to switch into their swimsuits.’

I couldn’t help but notice how close they’d become, a perfect match in every sense.’

“Let’s change too.”‘

Before long, the sunset began to paint the sky.

The emerald waters sparkled in the twilight, creating a dreamy atmosphere.’

After a non-stop rush since returning, it was finally time to rest my weary body and mind.

* * *

“Father! Father!”‘

Ignoring the doctors’ attempts to stop him, Song Chan-woo rushed over to Song Young-ju.’

The loud beeping of machines and the frantic voices of doctors filled the ward.’

One of the medical staff was performing CPR on Chairman Song Young-ju.

Yet, the chairman’s heart, which had stopped, would not return to life.’

“······He’s deceased.”‘

The head doctor at Korea University Hospital spoke to Song Chan-woo with a somber face as he sent away all other medical staff.’

With a hollow expression, Song Chan-woo tightly gripped his father’s hand, feeling it grow cold.

It was the moment when a great star in Korea’s business world began to dim.