Chapter 374: As Always, Victory Awaits

The Korean economy, which had been thrown into chaos by the foreign exchange crisis, was trying to recover under the management of the IMF.

However, the collapse of the IT bubble shattered the KOSDAQ market, and the ensuing credit card defaults dealt a lethal blow.

While the foreign exchange crisis struck hard at the government and corporations, the credit card failures hit the citizens directly.

Numerous people fell into credit delinquency, and the financial sector would be struggling with bad debt for a long time to come.

It was a misfortune for many, but a new opportunity for Taesan Financial.

“We’ve already formed a dedicated team to tackle the situation.”

Of course, Ha Myung-hoon hadn’t been informed of every detail.

He only hinted that the reckless issuance of credit cards seemed problematic and suggested it might be wise to halt new issues and start managing the existing ones.

Yet, with just that small hint, Ha Myung-hoon promptly brought out the correct answers.

“Well done. You can leave that to the staff, and focus on the flow of funds concerning Choi Seon-man, Chairman.”

“Yes, Boss.”

I had sensed it before, but he truly was a sharp-minded individual. I smiled with satisfaction.

“I’ve heard you’ve been visiting your grandfather’s grave every weekend lately.”

“······.”

“That must be tough.”

“Not at all. If I can fulfill my duties even this way, I’ll continue to visit Chairman until I die.”

I expected such a response, but hearing it directly struck a chord with me. What a steadfast person he was.

After a brief silence, he cautiously opened his mouth.

“Boss, Chairman Cheon always sought compromise.”

I nodded.

“I know. Grandfather gained strength by giving the other party what they wanted.”

“Yes, exactly. By giving them what they desired, you stood to gain even greater benefits. Of course, if a compromise wasn’t possible, you wouldn’t shy away from a power struggle either.”

I read between the lines of Ha Myung-hoon’s words. He had watched me closely for a long time yet sometimes harbored excessive concern.

I could tell just by the gentle way he spoke.

“You want to say that I should reach a compromise whenever possible, don’t you?”

“······Yes.”

“My grandfather and I are different. He was solely focused on money, tightly gripping the loan shark market. He gained tremendous power from this but only acquired wealth. What was the outcome?”

His brows furrowed at the uncomfortable subject. I still remembered the tears he shed when grandfather passed away.

“You saw it for yourself. The children fought each other for even a penny, and power-hungry individuals exploited that struggle.”

“······.”

I noticed Ha Myung-hoon biting his lip. He was surely solemn, understanding what my words implied.

“We cannot separate wealth from power. I must possess both to be safe. That way, no one can threaten my wealth, my people, or my life. To achieve that, there can be no one in Korea with more power than I have. I’ve been pursuing this goal relentlessly until now.”

“But······.”

“You’ve seen everything I’ve accomplished so far. I will win as always. There’s no need to worry too much. This will be the last time, after all.”

I flashed a bright smile at him. Only then did Ha Myung-hoon finally nod in response.

“Please, have a drink.”

I lifted the whiskey bottle and offered it to him.

Ha Myung-hoon silently held out his hands, and I filled his glass to the brim.

“This reflects my feelings towards you, Chairman.”

“Thank you, Boss.”

Starting with the cheerful clinking of our glasses, we reminisced about grandfather all night long while raising our drinks.

* * *

A man visited Choi Seon-man’s residence in Yeonhui-dong.

He bowed his head to Choi Seon-man, who was playing Go alone.

“It’s been a while, Mr. President.”

“Seo Jae-hoon, isn’t it? Come in. Has it been five years?”

“Yes, Mr. President.”

“Don’t just stand there, take a seat first.”

Immediately granted permission from Choi Seon-man, Seo Jae-hoon sat down on the prepared cushion.

“How’s Seo Yong-geon? Any progress? He’s not the type to collapse easily.”

“He hasn’t regained consciousness yet.”

“Tsk······. What happened to such a big player in the business world?”

Choi Seon-man sighed, clicking his tongue. Yet, there was no sign of regret on his face.

He merely expressed his compassion with words. Seo Jae-hoon was well aware of that.

After all, he had also acted in jest. While he mourned Seo Yong-geon’s collapse, it was an act for show.

He felt no empathy or sorrow for his father.

“You must have a lot on your plate. For Il-seong Group to stand tall in Korea again, you’ve got to act. Isn’t Il-seong facing a crisis right now? Chairman Seo has collapsed.”

“······.”

“Hasn’t the flow of funds been cut off? It must be tough, right?”

“······.”

With a calm expression, Seo Jae-hoon merely looked at Choi Seon-man, offering no response.

Whether he was expecting an answer or not, Choi Seon-man continued talking.

“You’re negotiating to sell Ilseong Electronics’ semiconductor business to Toshiba, right? I heard someone went to Japan on behalf of Chairman Seo? Who was it?”

Choi Seon-man seemed eager to mention Lee Seok-min, the real power within Il-seong Group.

But he didn’t seem to think much of the man working under Chairman Seo, failing to even remember his name properly. No, he had refused to.

“······How did you know?”

“Hehe, just because this old man’s been cooped up in a room doesn’t mean I don’t know how the world goes around. I’ve heard you two couldn’t agree on the price.”

Seo Jae-hoon wasn’t quite pleased that Choi Seon-man knew about the negotiation details known only to him and Lee Seok-min’s secretary.

Yet he calmly replied without revealing any dissatisfaction.

“Business is always a process like that. There’s nothing you can do about it.”

“I can help you out.”

“······You’d help me?”

“Yes. I can talk to the Japanese government and assist you. Or I might even be able to release the loans currently held up.”

When Seo Jae-hoon hesitated to respond, Choi Seon-man raised an eyebrow.

“You don’t believe me?”

“To be honest, I’m not certain you possess that power, Mr. President. Maybe the old Mr. President had it, but not you.”

Seeing Seo Jae-hoon speak his mind even in front of him, Choi Seon-man let out a chuckle.

“Do you think I look powerless?”

“Well, the times have changed.”

Choi Seon-man nodded slightly, his wrinkled face revealing a hint of displeasure.

“True, times have changed. If it were the old days, you wouldn’t have dared to speak to me like this. Right?”

Suddenly, the atmosphere grew cold.

Choi Seon-man’s previously soft tone began to carry an imposing weight, reminiscent of the past.

“You don’t know how I got to where I am. Your father would never have acted so arrogantly in front of me.”

However, Seo Jae-hoon did not yield to Choi Seon-man’s pressure.

“The remnants of the past must remain in the past. The future must be created by our own hands.”

“Ha ha······. Ha ha ha!”

Choi Seon-man suddenly burst into loud laughter at Seo Jae-hoon’s audacious words.

Watching him laugh, Seo Jae-hoon felt a surge of murderous intent rising within himself. He disliked the way it seemed that everything was in Choi Seon-man’s control.

The desire to snap the old man’s neck tightened around him, but he managed to suppress it by clenching his fist.

Eventually, Choi Seon-man stopped laughing and stared coldly at Seo Jae-hoon. Despite his fierce glare, the curve of his lips betrayed a smile.

“Yes. That’s right. You······. You’re very different from your father.”

“······.”

“However, you’ll still need my help. You must face reality. If you grasp my hand, I could get the loans released at once. What do you say?”

It was an astonishing offer. Knowing well that no goodwill comes without strings attached, Seo Jae-hoon inquired.

“What do you want?”

“Compensation? I don’t require such a thing. I’m merely proposing we join forces against a common enemy. However, when I desire it, you’ll provide me with political funds.”

“Common enemy, you mean Mr. Kim Mu-hyeok? Are you implying tat he’s the President’s enemy?”

Choi Seon-man chuckled at Seo Jae-hoon’s aggressive question. This is why young puppies are amusing.

“You don’t even know the true nature of that man. You think he’s merely a wealthy individual. However, he’s a devil trying to seize control of South Korea for himself.”

“······.”

“Times have changed. In this capitalist world, wealth seeks to outrun power. Thanks to those foolish Americans. However, not all countries are like that.”

Choi Seon-man paused and gazed intently at Seo Jae-hoon.

“I believe South Korea should prioritize power above wealth. In the past, I would have countered your moves too. With power and wealth right in front of me. But now, Il-seong has merely become one of those ordinary chaebols. The reason I called upon you is because we share a common enemy.”

For Seo Jae-hoon, it was an entirely beneficial proposition. Yet, he felt an inexplicable resistance.

Whether that resistance was due to Choi Seon-man, the old man in front of him, or his unwillingness to acknowledge Kim Mu-hyeok, he couldn’t determne.

“What can I do? I’ll also help you with your succession plan. You won’t incur any loss in the process.”

“It’s because I wouldn’t incur a loss that I’m hesitant. It feels like a poisoned chalice. I can overcome this crisis with my abilities.”

Choi Seon-man sighed softly. Though he didn’t dislike Seo Jae-hoon’s confidence, it was simply unfortunate that he lacked the vision to view reality.

“Think about whether you want the entirety of Il-seong Group or just a name left behind, torn to shreds.”

“······.”

“You requested a loan from the Industrial Bank, didn’t you? I can ensure that loan is approved. Wouldn’t that reveal how much power I still hold? After confirming it, come find me again. You may leave now.”

Il-seong Group had requested a loan from the Industrial Bank to tackle their outstanding debts with Il-seong Card.

The government was already aware of the credit card crisis and swiftly moved to prepare measures. One of those was to inject external funds.

However, only Il-seong Card hadn’t received loan approval.

While other card companies were receiving emergency funding to extinguish the immediate flames, Il-seong Card was withering away.

Now, promising that the loan would be approved?

If that was true, it meant Choi Seon-man still had a grip on the situation.

After pondering for a moment, Seo Jae-hoon got up from his seat and slightly bowed his head.

He then exited the room where Choi Seon-man was. After Seo Jae-hoon left, a man entered through the sliding door nearby.

“Sir. Is there any reason to keep that man alive?”

“Hehe. I like his gaze.”

“But······. You know his actions haven’t been respectable, right? He would have been in prison long ago if he weren’t the heir of Il-seong Group.”

“Then he’ll need us all the more. Stop standing there and take a seat now.”

“Yes, sir.”

The man didn’t sit face to face with Choi Seon-man. Almost like a servant, he knelt at Choi Seon-man’s side.

“Hyuk-ah.”

“Did you call for me, sir?”

“Stay in touch with the comrades still in the military. You need to be ready to move at any time.”

“Yes. I’m doing just that.”

“I have limitations in movement, so you must do much of the heavy lifting.”

The man known as Hyuk nodded earnestly.

“Speaking of which, you’ve aged a lot. I can see the grey hair. How long has it been since you came under my wing?”

“It’s been 30 years, sir.”

“Back then, you and I were both young. I miss those times when we spent together in the military sometimes.”

“So do I.”

Choi Seon-man looked at Jang Min-hyuk, who was bowing his head, with a content smile.

“So, is Yoon Chang-ho making any side plans? Set up a meeting with Kim Mu-hyeok. I need to see him n person. After that, we’ll decide whether to shake hands or eliminate him.”

“Understood, sir. I will take care of it.”

Having given the order, Choi Seon-man turned his gaze back to the Go board.

With a thin smile across his face, he placed a white stone between the black ones that were gaping open.

* * *

A call came in for Yoon Chang-ho.

I set down the documents I had been reviewing and answered the phone.

“Yes, Honorable Chairman.”

― Choi Seon-man, the former president, is trying to get in touch with you.

“Oh, already? He seems to be in good shape too.”

― I merely suggested we meet, but he requested to meet you first. As expected, that guy betrayed me.

Yoon Chang-ho’s voice carried a tone of gloom.

“You already knew, didn’t you?”

― His betrayal and grasping Choi Seon-man’s hand······. Yes, you mentioned it, but I didn’t believe it. We had relied on each other for decades, even through the prosecutors’ office. Yet······.

I cut off Yoon Chang-ho’s words, which dripped with despair.

“You need to strengthen yourself. That’s the only path to seizing power. Trust no one else. Just trust me. Have I ever let you down?”

― ······.

I could hear Yoon Chang-ho’s deep sigh over the receiver.

“Don’t be weak. You have nowhere to retreat to now. Whether we dominate South Korea or not will be determined in this upcoming battle.”

― ······Understood. I’ve scheduled a meeting for after the World Cup. I was told he’s going to Japan for the finals.

“Well done.”

― Then I’ll only put my faith in you.

“Yes, Honorable Chairman.”

After hearing my affirmation, Yoon Chang-ho ended the call. Even with all his resolve, he must have felt uneasy.

“By the way, he wants to meet me?”

I muttered while staring at the phone receiver with keen interest.