Chapter 333: I’ll Contact You with Good News

After finishing my schedule in Russia, I returned to Korea. Stepping out of Incheon Airport, I took a deep breath and laughed aimlessly.

“The air in Korea smells different, doesn’t it, Manager Ma?”

“Indeed it does, Boss.”

“What a dull person you are.”

Manager Ma, ever stoic, replied briefly, yet a hint of a smile flickered on his face.

He must’ve felt more anxious abroad, what with all the things to worry about.

Manager Ma opened the car door for me. As I climbed in, the door shut securely.

From the passenger seat, Manager Ma asked,

“Shall we head to Pyeongchang-dong?”

Where should we go? I pondered for a moment before saying,

“Since I just returned, there’s probably a lot of work piled up. Let’s first go to Myeong-dong and take care of the backlog.”

“Understood. Let’s go.”

Manager Ma instructed his subordinate at the wheel, and the car smoothly set off.

Before long, we arrived at the Myeong-dong office. While I was sorting through what had happened in my absence, my phone rang.

— Boss Kim.

“Oh, did you handle Medvedev well?”

It was a call from Russia.

I set the documents aside and focused on the call with Medvedev.

— “Yes, thanks to you, it went smoothly. But the investigation into Ussoyan and Ivanov seems to be draggin on.”

“Really? Is there an issue?”

— “It seems that Mogilevich’s sudden death complicates things. With Zyuganov’s eyes on us, I’d say we should prepare to keep our heads down for about a month.”

A month felt too long. I furrowed my brow,

The dark underbelly of Russia could erupt at any time during that period.

With the death of top dog Mogilevich and the subsequent capture of Ussoyan and Ivanov, who knew what new orces might arise?

Uncertainty loomed over which factions might rise to power next.

“Is Zyuganov really burdened enough to take issue with Mogilevich’s death?”

— “There seems to be more to this than we know.”

Zyuganov openly opposing Putin could mean a significant political backlash for him.

Still, diving into the intricacies of Mogilevich’s death meant there had to be a good reason, yet for now, I had no way of knowing.

“Understood for now. However, we need to get Ussoyan out early. Otherwise, Moscow could become an actual battleground.”

— “You can’t be serious.”

“Don’t think of the mafia with normal logic. They’ll cross any line they need to.”

— “Releasing Ussoyan will definitely provoke Zyuganov to strike…”

Medvedev hesitated.

If his plan was to bring the dark world of Russia under control only to waste time now, everything would come crashing down.

“Tell Zyuganov to state his demands. There’s bound to be a reason. Offering something small in exchange for controlling Russia’s underworld will benefit Putin in the long run.”

— “Got it. I’ll do my best.”

If Ussoyan didn’t exit safely, my plans would crumble. I’d need to start over.

“Medvedev, it’s not just about trying. You must make it happen. It’s the best for both me and Putin.”

— “It’s the first time I’ve heard you speak so firmly, Boss Kim. Understood. I’ll make it happen.”

“Thank you, Medvedev.”

Only after receiving his confirmation did I finally relax my furrowed brow. But this wasn’t over.

— “And… I’ve retrieved the items from Budapest. They’re real.”

“You’ve already got them back?”

To recover goods from a secret stash of another country in just a day was impressive.

A saying about how rotten fish still looks good came to mind.

— “Yes, we have agents in Hungary. It might take time to bring everything to Russia, but we’ve recovered them for now.”

“That’s a relief. Sounds like there shouldn’t be any issues with the retrieval.”

— “All thanks to you, Boss Kim.”

Medvedev continued speaking with a smile.

— “And we’ve also got details on General Nikolaev. However, rushing in right away is tough.”

“Really?”

— “The Russian military’s influence is so great that without concrete evidence, even a summons for inquiry is impossible.”

“Is it that serious?”

— “Yes. If they arrest him without any proof, it could lead to a coup.”

For someone to mention a coup so nonchalantly meant Nikolaev’s influence was greater than I’d thought.

The term hit me hard; almost shockingly.

“…A coup?”

— “Ha ha, don’t worry. Once we have solid evidence, we’ll cut him off. By then, we’ll also learn where the remaining nuclear weapons have gone. You want to find out if Kim Jong-il has gained access to nuclear arms, right?”

“Yes, exactly.”

With America on high alert, news that the lunatic had weapons could plunge all of East Asia into chaos.

— “We’ll keep investigating.”

“Understood. I’ll be waiting.”

If there’s any progress in negotiations with the U.S., keep me posted, and if there’s any hiccup, let me know straight away.

“I’ll contact you with good news.”

Just then, I heard a knock at the door, and before I could permit entry, Manager Ma entered with a serious expression.

I looked at Manager Ma with confusion before whispering to Medvedev.

“I’ll call you back. Something urgent just came up.”

— “Alright then. I’ll count on you, Boss Kim.”

As I hung up and set my phone down, Manager Ma stepped closer and spoke.

“Boss.”

Manager Ma’s voice was stiff.

“What’s wrong? Is something up?”

“There’s something strange about Il-seong Group’s movements.”

“Il-seong?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me more. What’s happening?”

From the seriousness in his voice, it sounded like Seo Yong-geon had done something.

Il-seong Group shouldn’t have many options left.

Whatever they planned wouldn’t affect me now.

“I heard an ambulance went to Chairman Seo Yong-geon’s house yesterday.”

“An ambulance? And?”

“Since then, access to the VIP room at Il-seong Hospital has been heavily restricted. Patients there have either requested to leave or been transferred to Korea University Hospital… It seems something has happened to Chairman Seo Yong-geon.”

Most of the patients hospitalized in the VIP room had ties to major political and economic figures.

If they were being forced out at such a pace, something had definitely gone wrong with Seo Yong-geon’s health.

From what I remember, Chairman Seo Yong-geon should’ve been in great health for another decade.

Even if the future had changed, it was hard to believe he would collapse suddenly.

As that thought crossed my mind, Seo Jae-hoon’s grinning face came to mind.

“If there’s certainty that something has happened to Chairman Seo Yong-geon, find out whether he’s dead or alive, and keep track of Il-seong Group’s movements. It’s critical.”

Manager Ma nodded sternly and left, but I couldn’t focus on the documents anymore.

Eventually, I put down the papers and rose to sit on the sofa.

I sank into the cushions, closing my eyes. Soon, a flurry of thoughts rushed through my mind.

‘Has Chairman Seo Yong-geon collapsed at such a time? What changed?’

A throbbing pain pulsed in my head.

Chairman Seo Yong-geon was a man who couldn’t fall like this.

I had to witness the downfall of Il-seong Group, which was everything to him, with my own eyes. He’d feel that pain in every fiber of his being.

Yet, it was just a fraction of the torment my grandfather must have felt.

‘Can the future change so drastically?’

The future I knew was shifting bit by bit. Certainly, my involvement was reshaping the major events, but I never imagined the little things would change as well.

“Haa…”

I let out a deep sigh and shook my head. Anyway, the die was cast.

‘Get a grip, Kim Mu-hyeok. Don’t weaken. And on’t regret it.’

I had already seized so much. If the future changed, I would lead that future.

With my resolve strengthened, I picked up my phone and dialed Eva.

Before the ringing tone faded, Eva answered.

— “Boss, it’s been a while. You’re back in Korea?”

“Eva, you need to come to Myeong-dong right now.”

— “Myeong-dong? What’s going on?”

“Just come in. We’ll talk once you’re here.”

— “Okay, Boss.”

Eva quickly picked up on the urgency in my voice.

I finished the call with Eva and then pressed the bell to summon Manager Ma.

Manager Ma entered after opening the door and sat down at my gesture.

“Did you have them investigate?”

“Yes, Boss. I ordered all our networks to be activated for the investigation.”

“It’s likely that very few people know anything. For starters, keep an eye on Secretary Lee Seok-min’s movements. And Seo Jae-hoon as well.”

“Understood. I’ve already instructed them accordingly.”

Shall I hold off on Il-seong for now? I nodded and shifted the topic back to Russia.

“I heard they retrieved the items in Hungary.”

“Is that so? Great to hear.”

“Yes. The investigation into Nikolaev will take a bit more time, though. Contact Igor and ensure you receive updates on Russia’s movements regularly.”

“Will do.”

As I was wrapping up business related to Russia with Manager Ma, Eva arrived.

“Boss, I’m here.”

Eva waved at me cheerfully.

“You made it, Eva? Have a seat for now.”

“Got it. What’s going on? Your tone and expression seem serious.”

The moment Eva settled in, I brought up Il-seong Group.

The smile that once lit up Eva’s face quickly faded.

“…An ambulance went to Il-seong Hospital? I just met Chairman Seo Yong-geon not long ago, and he seemed perfectly healthy.”

“Really? When did you meet with Chairman Seo Yong-geon?”

“After you left for your trip, I received a call. I visited the Il-seong Group headquarters and met him one-on-one. He didn’t seem sick at all. If anything, he was quite lively.”

Calling Eva immediately after I left must have stressed him out.

“What did you talk about?”

“What do you think? He asked for assistance so that the subsidiaries could support Il-seong Electronics. He wanted me to put a good word in for him to you, which he knows won’t happen. If he’s going to keep his pride, he shouldn’t even bother contacting me.”

Shrugging her shoulders and shaking her head, Eva said.

“Is that all?”

“We talked about trivial matters, but the conclusion was always the same: help Il-seong, or he would generously reward us. You know how much I laughed that day, right?”

This confirmed that Il-seong Electronics was running dry on funds.

I couldn’t help but wonder why he’d put out such a request. This situation must have bruised Chairman Seo Yong-geon’s pride.

“Chairman Seo Yong-geon can be surprisingly endearing. How’s the shareholding situation? Can his management rights be threatened?”

“It’s tough. I’ve never seen a company fortified so well against management takeover. The actual shares aren’t substantial. But they’ve tightly intertwined the shareholding structures among subsidiaries, creating a shield against management takeovers. It’s challenging to seize control but maybe a capital increase could change things.”

As expected of Chairman Seo Yong-geon. If Eva said there were no gaps, there truly were none.

The greatest factor in management battles is the potential for capital increases, but surely, Chairman Seo Yong-geon wouldn’t gamble on that.

“That’s that, then. So there are no apparent health issues, right?”

“No, he looked healthy.”

“That’s good to know.”

I drummed my fingers on the armrest, lost in thought. Just days ago, he looked fine, yet suddenly he was hospitalized.

A foul smell was starting to swirl.

‘Surely, Seo Jae-hoon did something, right?’

If it was Seo Jae-hoon, it wouldn’t be surprising if he did something to his father.

Such rumors had circulated in the future as well.

“For now, Eva, step back from everything for a while and focus solely on Il-seong Group. Track their actions, especially if Seo Jae-hoon is maneuvering for management rights succession.”

“Understood, Boss.”

If operations for Seo Jae-hoon’s management succession were halted while problems arose for Chairman Seo Yong-geon, Il-seong Group would certainly make a move regarding management rights.

Following their trail would likely expose vulnerabilities.

“Let’s observe for now. Nothing is certain yet.”

As I continued giving her instructions, I heard a knock at the door.

Manager Ma stood up and opened it. His subordinate whispered something into his ear.

After closing the door again, Manager Ma spoke up.

“Vice President Cheon Ji-su is here. What should we do?”

“Cheon Ji-su?”

The fact that Cheon Ji-su, who hadn’t contacted me since my grandfather’s funeral, had come in person widened my eyes.