Chapter 309: What an Absurd Name

I considered calling the chairman of the Heavenly Group, Yoo Sung-jin, to Myeong-dong, but I decided to check out how tough guys run a proper company, so I visited without notice.

Before long, I arrived at the headquarters of the Heavenly Group in Seocho-dong.

“I plan to go in quietly, so besides Manager Ma, no one else comes in. Everyone else should wait nearby.”

“Understood, Boss.”

Having a lot of security ensures safety, but if they move too conspicuously, they attract attention.

So, in Korea, the number of security personnel was reduced. It wouldn’t do to bring a whole entourage while entering the Heavenly Group headquarters.

Finishing my instructions, I stepped out of the car and looked up at the Heavenly Group headquarters.

“Isn’t it funny?”

“What?”

“That gangsters have set up right in front of the Seocho-dong plaza, where all the prosecutors and judges in Korea gather.”

I remembered how much I laughed when I heard Yoo Sung-jin had chosen a building in Seocho-dong for the Heavenly Group’s headquarters.

It clearly reflected his warlike personality.

“Let’s go in.”

The security guards at the entrance glanced at Manager Ma but did not stop us.

Even when we passed through the revolving door into the lobby, it didn’t feel like we had walked into a den of gangsters.

We reached the reception desk, which exuded an air of money.

“How can I help you?”

“I’d like to meet Chairman Yoo Sung-jin.”

“Excuse me?”

The receptionist asked again, her face a picture of shock. I smiled softly and spoke slowly.

“I’m here to see Chairman Yoo Sung-jin.”

For a moment, her composure slipped.

Without needing to say anything, her face conveyed her thoughts.

What kind of crazy person is this?

But sensing her expression had changed awkwardly, she hurried to compose herself and apologized.

“I’m sorry.”

After clearing her throat, she asked me,

“Do you have an appointment?”

“No.”

“Then unfortunately, you can’t meet him. I’m sorry.”

As Manager Ma was about to step forward, I held my hand back so only Manager Ma could see.

It felt strangely entertaining to receive such treatment after so long.

To provoke a reaction, I glanced at her name tag on her chest and said,

“Miss Seo Eun-sam? Why can’t it be done?”

She remained unflinching at the mention of her name.

Following the manual, she answered in a stiff tone.

“If you didn’t make an appointment beforehand, you can’t meet the chairman. I truly am sorry.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, it’s a matter of regulations.”

“It’s important, and I have to meet him…”

“But there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Seo Eun-sam glanced around nervously.

I followed her gaze, but no one was paying us any attention.

“I really need to see him. Please give him a call; they’ll let me through if I say I’m Kim Mu-hyeok.”

“No, I can’t. If you keep insisting, I’ll have to call security.”

Seo Eun-sam leaned closer, lowering her voice.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but this isn’t an ordinary company. There’s a scary-looking crew coming and going… I’m new here, so I’m not sure, but you should really leave. I saw someone getting dragged out not long ago. It could turn dangerous.”

Seo Eun-sam whispered to me, almost as if sharing a secret.

“Really?”

“Yes. Please go back before your senior arrives.”

I couldn’t tell if she was worried about me, or if she was worried for herself.

“Seo Eun-sam, what’s up?”

Just then, someone called for her from behind.

“Assistant…”

“I was just asking what the matter was.”

Seeing her hesitate, I decided to stop teasing her.

I turned to give instructions to contact Manager Ma.

“Assistant…”

“What’s the matter?”

When Seo Eun-sam didn’t answer, the man who arrived in front of me asked.

I shrugged, answering in a sarcastic tone.

“I mentioned I wanted to meet the chairman, but they said it couldn’t be done.”

“Excuse me?”

Unlike Seo Eun-sam, he was scanning me from head to toe.

“The chairman isn’t someone who meets just anyone. Please leave.”

“Are you talking to me?”

“Who else is here besides you? I see you’re the son of some well-to-do family, but that doesn’t give you the right to act this way. This is a proper company after all.”

After saying this, he passed me and walked over to Seo Eun-sam.

“Hey, Seo Eun-sam. What did I tell you about dealing with strange people? I said to call for security when they show up, remember? When are you going to get your act together?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Sorry isn’t enough!”

“…”

He said it loud enough for everyone to hear.

I frowned. How could he talk like that in front of the person involved?

“Manager, please contact him to come down here.”

As he continued scolding Seo Eun-sam, I ordered Manager Ma.

Taking a step back, Manager Ma pulled out his phone.

“Don’t have a mouth? Why can’t you speak? Oh, this is frustrating. This is why I don’t treat local university graduates like people!”

“I’m sorry.”

His words grew increasingly heated. I observed silently, eager to see how far he would go.

“You’ve got potential! But why are you so foolish?”

“…”

“Look up.”

At his command, Seo Eun-sam lifted her head, tears glistening in her eyes.

The man sighed deeply at the sight of her teary face before turning away from her.

“You’re going to cry just because I scolded you? This is all for your own good.”

He subtly placed a hand on her shoulder, rubbing it gently. Her face turned pale.

“So let’s be better. I know you’re going through tough times. Don’t you recognize that? Still, you are the face of the Heavenly Group. You’re the first person people look for when entering the company; you need to do well, understand?”

“Yes…”

He didn’t know it, but the shame was evident on Seo Eun-sam’s face as she bit her lip tightly.

“Are you still standing around? If you don’t leave, I’ll call security. Why aren’t you doing your job?”

As he rushed Seo Eun-sam, she trembled as she clutched the phone.

“What’s the matter? Can’t you pick up the phone?”

“N-no, I’ll call now.”

At that moment, as Seo Eun-sam picked up the receiver, she spoke up.

“Don’t call.”

“What…?”

Surprised by her abrupt plea, Seo Eun-sam froze, still holding the phone.

“And you, will you keep your hands to yourself?”

“Are you talking to me?”

The man behind me asked in disbelief.

“Yeah, you. What’s your name…?”

I glanced at the nametag on the man.

“Kim Ji-won? What an absurd name.”

“What?”

“Whatever. Just put your hand away quickly.”

Kim Ji-won stammered.

“W-what are you talking about?”

The moment I confirmed his name, I thought of Cheon Ji-won.

He had mentioned being addicted to gambling.

At the thought of Cheon Ji-won’s downfall, a smile spread across my face involuntarily.

Seeing my smile, Kim Ji-won might have thought he had been insulted, as his face flushed red.

“What are you doing? If a strange person comes in, what did I tell you to do? Call for security!”

Kim Ji-won shouted, shoving her and reaching for the phone himself.

The security guards quickly gathered at the reception desk.

“What seems to be the issue, Assistant Kim?”

Though they were called security, to me, they looked just like thugs.

But they were unfamiliar faces—probably low-level thugs.

“This man is causing a disturbance. Please throw him out.”

Only then did the security guards check me and Manager Ma.

The guards, looking indifferent, noticed Manager Ma standing behind me and flinched.

“I’m sorry, but what’s going on?”

“No, this lunatic says he came to meet the chairman without an appointment. When I told him he couldn’t, he suddenly started causing a scene.”

Kim Ji-won slandered me to cover his own actions.

It was the same act. His overbearing attitude made me chuckle.

“You said you came to meet the chairman?”

“That’s right.”

“Assistant Kim, please be quiet. I’m not talking to you, am I?”

It was something not suitable for a security guard to say to an assistant—but not here.

But Kim Ji-won immediately fell silent.

“Please answer. You said you came to meet the chairman?”

“Yes.”

“Did you have an appointment?”

“No, I came without one.”

The guard suddenly adopted a courteous tone, differing from how he had treated Kim Ji-won.

“I’m sorry. Then please schedule an appointment and visit again. I hope you will leave now.”

“Hmm…”

“Before we forcibly remove you, please leave.”

Yoo Sung-jin must have trained these guys well; they are clearly keeping a low profile around outsiders.

Manager Ma, who had finished his phone call, whispered to me.

“They said they’d be here in ten minutes.”

Nodding at his words, I figured it was fortunate that Yoo Sung-jin wasn’t in the office.

Should I poke the bear a little more? I was curious how far Yoo Sung-jin had trained them.

“I don’t want to. I need to meet Yoo Sung-jin. I’ll be waiting.”

“…Excuse me?”

“More importantly, deal with that trash over there, whether it’s Kim Ji-won or Cheon Ji-won. I saw him blatantly sexual harassing someone in the company lobby where many people come and go… I can report this to the newspaper, you know?”

“W-what do you mean?”

All the guards’ eyes turned toward Kim Ji-won.

“That’s not true! He’s slandering me!”

Panicking, Kim Ji-won waved his hands wildly, turning away.

Then he shouted at Seo Eun-sam.

“Hey, Seo Eun-sam. Did I sexually harass you?”

He pressed Seo Eun-sam, who couldn’t say a word.

“Did I? Speak up!”

“…”

But Seo Eun-sam remained silent, her lips pressed tightly together as she looked teary-eyed, prompting the guards to question her.

“Is his claim true?”

“…”

Seo Eun-sam ultimately remained silent.

Sometimes silence speaks louder than words. This was one of those times.

The guards looked at Kim Ji-won like he was a bug.

“No, I’m telling you!”

Kim Ji-won desperately defended himself, but the guards seemed to have caught on.

With deep sighs, they turned back to face us.

“Please forget everything you saw here today, or you won’t end up in a good place.”

“I don’t want to. Why should I?”

“…This is a warning.”

“Are you trying to threaten an innocent citizen?”

I intentionally provoked them, wondering how far they would go.

Despite my ongoing taunts, they tried to remain composed, but it was clear on their faces.

“Are you some sort of thug? You look just like one.”

“Hah… damn. Some people must be deaf to their own words, you know? Relying on the burly guys behind you, did you think you could act tough? You really may end up dead.”

Finally, the guards dropped their pretense of being respectful. They had clearly held on for long enough.

“Hey! Grab him!”

As my superior ordered me, two others approached me.

“You’ll regret this…”

I smiled, completely unfazed.

Seeing my calm demeanor may have made them angrier, as their faces twisted in rage.

“You bastard, smiling?”

One of the men moved to grab my collar, but Manager Ma intercepted him.

Surprised, the man looked visibly unsettled.

“W-what?”

“Take it easy. Do you even know what you are messing with?”

“Yes, Boss.”

Manager Ma immediately broke the man’s wrist with a swift motion.

The sound of the bone snapping was clear.

“Aaaaaaah!”

“Is this guy out of his mind?”

As one man’s arm broke, the other thug cursed and lunged at Manager Ma.

But why would a low-level thug like him ever stand a chance against Manager Ma?

After casually throwing the injured man to the ground, Manager Ma swung a punch.

Wham!

It was a single, powerful blow.

Did he hit the man properly? The thug fell hard, clutching his nose as he sank to his knees.

“…You crazy bastard, you’re dead! Kim, call for help!”

“Y-yes?”

Startled by the sudden brawl, Kim Ji-won stumbled over his words.

“You idiot, call for help now!”

Unable to answer correctly, Kim Ji-won pressed the emergency button below the reception desk.

Soon, the alarm rang out loudly as dozens of men descended from upstairs. It took exactly three minutes for them to arrive.

Some headed toward the entrance to control access, while the rest surrounded me and Manager Ma.

“What’s going on?”

One man who seemed to be of higher rank frowned as he looked at the thug writhing on the lobby floor and the one kneeling in pain.

I noticed the only guard still standing reporting in whispers.

“What’s wrong? Do you know where this is, and what are you doing?”

Instead of answering, I just smiled.