Chapter 400: What Kind of Luck Is This?

Seon-man’s jaw dropped in shock.

The man who trampled countless lives in a coup to seize power.

Even after retirement, he was a former president who still wielded immense influence, thinking it had faded.

The once proud Seon-man’s gaze dimmed as he faced the truth.

He probably never imagined someone would dare to threaten him.

“Don’t cling to false hopes anymore. The influence you once had, along with all your connections, will soon vanish from power. Consider this your atonement and live like a ghost.”

I checked my watch, waiting for Seon-man’s response.

They say even a rotten fish can swim for a while, and the rich can last three years even after a fall.

Once power is grasped, it doesn’t easily slip away.

And it’s human nature not to want to let go of that power.

“Your aides will all be dismissed. Whether they are generals in the army, politicians in the National Assembly, or executives in the business world, everyone who enjoyed wealth and power from you will either be stripped of their positions or sent to prison.”

Once the limbs are severed, he will merely be an old man in a back room. He won’t be able to do anything.

After long silence, Seon-man finally spoke.

“Daigo Tadashige is dead, and Dae Dong-hui is collapsing. And nd the one who did it is you, right? Ha ha…”

A weak laugh escaped his lips.

“Was it really that easy? I can’t have misheard.”

“You heard me correctly.”

His voice trembled with reluctance and regret.

“If that event truly occurs, I’ll make a clean exit.”

What trick is this? Seon-man continued with a strangely relieved tone.

“If you can accomplish that, you could make Korea a strong nation. If you can dismantle Dae Dong-hui, that would be someomething even the U.S. or Japan couldn’t manage…”

“…”

I scrutinized his eyes, trying to discern his real thoughts.

“Nothing to see here. A soldier must retreat after losing a war. I lacked luck.”

“Luck? What kind of luck is this? You’ve underestimated and disregarded me, President. Didn’t you often call me just a moneylender? I’ve been preparing ever since before I met you. I came ready to eliminate Dae Dong-hui, Heaven Church, andand all your remaining aides. Did you think you could defeat me with mere luck?”

Honestly, our tiers were vastly different. Seon-man’s influence was limited to the country, while I could exert my influence over all of East Asia.

Moreover, I didn’t underestimate my enemies; I meticulously prepared to eliminate each one, while he came to me intoxicated by past glories without any preparation.

Sure, preparing an article through Seshin Ilbo was a smart move, but would it even be published now?

I prevented that too. With public attention focused on Heaven Church, I decided to halt all feature articles in preparation.

“No matter how good your luck is, you wouldn’t have won. Luck favors those who are prepared. That’s your limit and your downfall, President.”

“…”

“The victor was predetermined: me, who meticulously prepared, versus you, who welcomed me without any preparation.”

“You… you’re cruel, aren’t you?”

Now it’s too late for pity.

“Doesn’t anyone understand the plight of the one pushed out of battle better than you? You maintained power that way.”

“Ha ha ha.”

Seon-man let out a bitter laugh as he pondered my words.

“What can I do? Should I stop the declaration of candidacy? Or should I prevent the merger between the Moderate Party and the Progressive Party?”

Seeing him still unwilling to relinquish his influence made me smirk slightly. This old man really is tenacious.

“Don’t do anything. There’s nothing left for you to do now. Just remain still.”

“…”

“Making half-hearted moves will just tighten the noose around your neck, President. You won’t think you’ve paid all your dues, will you? I could send you back to prison at any time. If that happens, it would be chaotic, so just remember not to act.”

Unfortunately, many still supported Seon-man.

When he was arrested on charges of rebellion and sentenced to death, his supporters protested outside the courthouse.

Ultimately, the court, feeling the pressure, sentenced him to life imprisonment instead of death during the appeals process.

And he barely served any time in prison. Ultimately, he was pardoned under the pretense of national unity.

Everything unfolded like a well-rehearsed play.

The trial itself was just a formality to grant him amnesty.

“Do not make any political statements. Do not meet anyone for advice. Stay out of people’s sight. This is your final warning.”

“You don’t seem to have good feelings towards me, do you? Huh, you can’t blame me for being victimized without even experiencing it…”

“That’s just a given. I took a long detour because of you. I won’t show mercy to a loser like you. Regardless of what you do from here on out, all those who relied on your influence will vanish.”

Being half-hearted with mercy leads to future trouble. When it’s time to eliminate obstacles, it must be done decisively.

“If you still want to fight, go ahead. But I’m telling you again, I won’t back down. I’m not scared either.”

“…”

At that moment, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and checked the screen.

[Operation completed.]

That was the best line I’ve heard all day. I smiled subtly as I put the phone back.

It’s about time to wrap this up; I’ll ask a few questions and then leave.

“But President, may I ask you one question? This is purely out of curiosity.”

Seon-man looked at me with an incredulous expression. It’s peculiar for someone warning me just a moment ago to suddenly ask with a smile.

“Curiosity? Sure, go ahead.”

“Why on earth did you help Il-seong Group?””

“Il-seong Group? Why are you bringiing that up all of a sudden?”

His expression clouded with confusion.

“You must know that I’ve been putting the squeeze on Il-seong Group. If you hadn’t helpped them, they would’ve been torn to shreds by the end of this year, just a mediocre company left.”

“You see, I’ve heard about your ties to Chairman Seo Yong-geon. But if Il-sung collapses, it wouldd damage our country’s economy. That had to be prevented.”

I sighed involuntarily. Is it true that a lifelong liar can’t speak the truth until the end?

“President, let’s be honest now. The national economy? What relevance does that have to you? If you hadn’t helped Il-sung, we might have met on good terms, so I’m curious about that.”

I saw his lips twitching, but I continued speaking.

“I also know you supported Chairman Seo Yong-geon of Il-seong Group during your presideency. That was understandable since he helped you with slush funds. But this time, why help Il-sung without anything inn return? I really can’t fathom your reasoning.”

“Is that really that important?”

“No. What does it matter now? If you don’t want to answer, you don’t have to.”

We can’t turn back the clock now. It was just a question based on pure curiosity.

Seon-man didn’t seem inclined to answer. I nodded slightly and casually dropped a small bomb.

“I hear Daigo Tadashige is dead.”

“What? Tell me more.”

I had no intention of easing his curiosity by elaborating.

“Find out for yourself tomorrow. I warned you, the next time we meet, one of us must die.”

With those words, I stood up. There was nothing more to discuss.

“I’ll take my leave now.”

I bowed my head slightly in farewell. When I lifted my gaze, Seon-man’s astonished face was visible.

“Hey, Kim. Boss.”

Seon-man called out to me in surprise, but I turned my back.

As I reached for the doorknob to leave, Jang Min-hyuk reached out as if to grab my shoulder.

I roughly swatted his hand away and warned him in a cold voice as I turned to see his startled expression.

“Don’t reach for me carelessly from behind.”

His expression hardened at my chilling gaze.

Without waiting for a response, I opened the door and stepped out.

As I retraced my steps alone, I ran into Han Hee-ja.

She spotted me and greeted me with a warm smile.

“Are you leaving already?”

I bowed slightly in greeting, watching her.

No need to draw lines with someone completely oblivious.

“Yes. I’m done here.”

“You are Kim Mu-hyeok, right? I wonder wht kind of conversation the young man must have had with my husband, who is on the brink of death?”

Her direct question caught even me off guard.

She lightly touched my shoulder and continued casually.

“Ho ho, next time let’s have a serious talk. It’s too late today. Is that alright?”

I answered while watching her cover her mouth with her hands.

“…Yes. Please contact me if the opportunity arises. I’ll take my leave now.”

This type seems like a tiring entanglement. I hastily left before Han Hee-ja could hold me back.

As I exited, Manager Ma rushed towards me.

“Boss.”

“Let’s head out first.”

With a tired expression, Manager Ma opened the rear door for me.

As soon as I got into the car, I closed my eyes and let out a sigh.

I sensed Manager Ma turning in the passenger seat.

I opened my eyes and smiled at him.

I spoke to him, clearly curious.

“He summoned me without any preparation. Seon-man’s mistake was thinking of me as just a moneylender with a bit of cash. He underestimated my power and believed that I would bend if he exerted force. Well, that made it easy.”

Seon-man was also making the same mistaken assumption that individuals in power often do.

As I briefly shared what had transpired inside, Manager Ma finally smiled softly.

“First, pull back the people assigned to Seon-man’s family.”

“Is that okay? We can’t predict what those people will do, can we?”

That wasn’t an incorrect statement. But those people no longer even had the strength to pull a stunt, so I shook my head slightly.

“They can’t be that foolish. With their hands and feet severed and Daigo Tadashige dead, they will know the army won’t budge. But just in case, I’ll meet Kim Hak-gwon tomorrow and dismiss all high-ranking officials tied to them.”

“Understood. Then I’ll contact everyone to start preparing what we discussed.”

“Please do. I’m tired and need some rest.”

I acted unconcerned, but the tension was real.

I was able to subdue him more easily than expected. I must not let my guard down.

Closing my eyes to organize my dizzying thoughts, I fell asleep quickly.

* * *

The terror that occurred in Japan was announced in Korea by the morning.

A mass murder incident involving the heads of giant Yakuza organizations across the nation.

But that was purely a story across the sea—a mere gossip.

In Korea, even more shocking news came to light.

Murders and sexual crimes committed by Heaven Church were exclusively reported by Goryeo Daily.

The special feature article, occupying three pages, was written by a former Seshin Ilbo journalist and took the form of whistleblowing.

An article that incited public outrage was penned by a reporter from the Seshin Ilbo, disclosing their insider knowledge.

It wasn’t just any murder; it involved Han Seong-jin, the president of Heaven Church, and his eldest son, Han Hyun-jin.

Moreover, the fact that several police officers were injured while capturing Han Hyun-jin stirred a growing public resentment against Heaven Church.

“But Prosecutor Jeong Tae-hoon did handle the situation well.”

“He seems to be capable.”

“It seems his background led him to less prestigious roles. But he definitely possesses resolve. Even though I told him he could use firearms, I didn’t expect him to actually use them.”

Using firearms in Korea isn’t a common occurrence.

Due to painful memories of police and soldiers firing upon their own citizens, even with sufficient justification, problems tend to arise.

But Jeong Tae-hoon faithfully carried out my orders.

“I think it would be appropriate to press on. His background is a concern, but that can be resolved by allying with Oh Hyeon-woo’s faction.”

Upon arriving at the Blue House, I closed the newspaper I had been reading.

I passed through the main gate and arrived at the main building housing the president’s office.

As I opened the office door, I found Kim Hak-gwon sitting alone, looking anxious.

“You… what the hell are you doing?”

That was Kim Hak-gwon’s first question upon seeing me.