Chapter 726: I Won’t Deny It

This situation couldn’t be completely prevented.

If it couldn’t be stopped, I might as well steer it in a direction I could control.

So, I appointed Oh Hyeon-woo as the lead investigator.

“So, Mu-hyeok, you’ve put me in charge of the investigation… Are you wanting something from me?”

As expected of Oh Hyeon-woo. He’s incredibly perceptive.

I chuckled softly before responding.

“Right. Can you help me out, Hyeon-woo?”

“Since it’s your request, I have to comply. But you know this is a matter that’s beyond my ability to downplay, right? The Blue House and the media are keeping a close watch. The moment I even try to conceal it, not just me, but even my grandfather’s reputation will be at stake…”

Oh Hyeon-woo trailed off. I understood well enough what he was worried about.

“What are you thinking? I have no intention of asking you to cover anything up. Let it all out as much as you want. Just keep Han Hyun-soo out of it.”

“Han Hyun-soo? What’s your connection to that madman?”

I couldn’t help but laugh at Oh Hyeon-woo’s shocked question.

“Haha! Well, he is insane, that’s true. Hyeon-woo, do you really think this investigation will wipe out Heaven Church completely?”

“No. If it were going to vanish, it would have disappeared when Han Seong-jin was arrested. Cults have a resilience like cockroaches; they’ll survive again this time too.”

Oh Hyeon-woo shared my perspective.

Since the cult managed to survive without their leader, they would certainly manage this time as well.

“That’s exactly why I’m saying this. It’s better to have a controllable Han Hyun-soo as their leader. He fears me, after all.”

“Hmm… Still, it’s too big of a case; it’s not something I can decide on my own.”

“I understand. What do you want me to do?”

“You need to explain directly to the President. As for the Prosecutor General, I can handle persuading him myself.”

I never expected him to say he would actually move the President.

No, more than that, Hyeon-woo seemed confident he could persuade the Prosecutor General. When did he rise to such prominence?

Even with my grandfather’s influence, his growth has been astonishing.

“The President’s determination is pretty strong. There’s probably a political reason behind it. So, he’s come down hard to divert everyone’s attention to Heaven Church.”

“Right. I’ll take care of convincing the President.”

“If you do that, it won’t be an issue to exclude Han Hyun-soo. Anyway, I didn’t know you were involved in this matter.”

There was no need to go into detail, so I decided to gloss over it.

“It just turned out that way.”

“Myeong-su knows, right?”

“He vaguely knows. I didn’t explain thoroughly. I didn’t want him to get hurt politically because of me getting involved in something like this.”

“Myeong-su is quite precious. What about me? Am I not?”

Oh Hyeon-woo grumbled, sounding a bit sulky. He’s quite a funny guy.

“You know how to take care of yourself.”

“Got it. For now, I need to move out for a search; let’s catch up later.”

I offered words of encouragement to lighten Oh Hyeon-woo’s burden.

“Thanks, Hyeon-woo. Han Hyun-soo will cooperate well enough. You’ll see.”

“What? Why would he?”

“Because he knows that’s his way to survive. He won’t physically obstruct the search with his followers either.”

“Oh, that’s reassuring to hear. Just in case, I prepared a police riot squad. You know how much backlash there is whenever we raid a cult…”

Cult leaders always send their followers to escape when they’re in danger.

When that happens, if any of the followers get hurt, the police face heavy criticism.

That’s one of the reasons why authorities find it hard to raid cults.

“Good luck. Meet up with Han Hyun-soo at least once. He might be crazy, but he’s a charming kind of insane, so you should be able to communicate with him.”

“You saying that makes me curious. I’ll get in touch later.”

After ending the call with Oh Hyeon-woo, I pondered while fiddling with my phone.

But my deliberation was brief.

I immediately dialed the private number of President Yoon Chang-ho.

Before it rang several times, the call connected.

“Mr. President, this is Kim Mu-hyeok.”

“Boss Kim.”

Yoon Chang-ho called me with a voice thick with fatigue.

“I’ve heard there’s quite a stir internationally and domestically due to this bloodshed.”

“Hah… Yes. It’s driving me insane. While domestic public opinion can be diverted to Heaven Church, the Chinese government is completely unresponsive.”

His deep sigh conveyed the weight of his struggles with China. I could imagine how much pressure Yoon Chang-ho had been under.

“It’s not Hu Jintao’s doing; it seems Jiang Zemin is taking action.”

“What?! How do you know this… Ah, you’ve got close ties with Wen Jiabao, don’t you?”

“It seems Luo Gan, the Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, is leading this incident.”

“Right, I’ve been informed. But no matter how much I think about it, I can’t make sense of it. What could Jiang Zemin gain by pressuring us?”

“This is merely my speculation…”

As I hesitated to elaborate, Yoon Chang-ho urged me on.

“Boss Kim, hurry up and tell me.”

“It seems they’re trying to tame Korea.”

“Tame us?”

“Yes. China and Korea are inextricably linked. And North Korea is even more so. But right now, North Korea is aligning itself with Korea, engaging in various business ventures and collaborating on oil and gas pipeline projects. If this continues, China’s influence within the Korean Peninsula will vanish entirely. Jiang Zemin seems determined to take this opportunity to tame Korea.”

“I’ve received reports about that, but it’s still disgusting. To think they would try to subjugate us over such small matters. How contemptible…”

There was a hint of displeasure in Yoon Chang-ho’s voice; however, having broached the topic, I couldn’t just stop.

“That’s how the Chinese Communist Party operates. Both Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao think of China as the center of the world, believing everything should be under their control. The more Korea progresses, the tighter they will squeeze the Korean government.”

“So what do we do now?”

“Well… I’m currently looking for a way. But I can’t be sure. The bloodshed in Gangnam is merely an excuse. Regardless, such events were bound to occur. Various political reasons, such as the Seven Islands, North Korean development, and relations with Russia, are all interconnected.”

“You mean to say you can’t do anything even if you step in?”

Yoon Chang-ho murmured, sounding disheartened.

It seemed he held at least some expectation from me.

“Of course, I have no intention of leaving it to chance. But I cannot make any guarantees. Even if I fend off this attack, they might just find another excuse to target us later. No, they definitely will.”

“Hah. Still, we’ve got to find a way. We can’t just roll over and take this.”

“What about sending the Joseonjok back to China?”

“That’ll never happen. Our citizens were harmed. If we can’t punish those responsible, that would make us an abnormal nation.”

Yoon Chang-ho replied firmly. His words reassured me, and I nodded in satisfaction.

“Understood. I’ll take the lead on that matter to find a solution.”

“Thanks. If you step in, it’ll help lighten my load a bit.”

I didn’t call to receive gratitude, yet here I was, receiving it unexpectedly.

I cleared my throat softly and moved on to the main topic.

“The reason I’m calling today isn’t just about that, it’s regarding Heaven Church.”

“Heaven Church? Why are you involved in that…”

“I’d appreciate it if you could exclude Han Hyun-soo from this investigation.”

Yoon Chang-ho didn’t readily agree to my request.

“Boss Kim, we need to place the entire burden on Heaven Church; how can we exclude its leader?”

“Heaven Church won’t disappear. It will likely just move underground and may even oppose official power altogether.”

“That’ll be the day Heaven Church vanishes.”

Yoon Chang-ho replied decisively. While a firm stance is good, this time it wasn’t appropriate.

“Still, I hope you’ll consider excluding Han Hyun-soo. It’s better for someone who can be controlled to hold the reins of Heaven Church.”

‘…Are you involved in this incident?’

“I believe I bear some degree of responsibility for this. I’m the one who saved Han Hyun-soo and sent him back to Korea.”

Yoon Chang-ho sighed deeply over the receiver, seeming flustered.

“I didn’t expect things to escalate this far. I didn’t foresee those madmen calling the Joseonjok to kill Han Hyun-soo. I also didn’t imagine they’d act so recklessly. However, I won’t evade responsibility. That’s why I’m trying to settle this mess now.”

It was a story I could’ve kept hidden. But I was honest with Yoon Chang-ho.

After all, I viewed him as a partner.

After hearing everything, Yoon Chang-ho let out a heavy sigh.

“I had a feeling. If something like this happened in Korea, it would invariably connect back to you, Boss Kim.”

I responded with a bitter smile rather than words. Well, there was some truth to that.

“Let me ask you one thing. Is it true that you didn’t foresee a bloodbath in Gangnam?”

“I had some inklings. I knew about the Joseonjok’s involvement, but I didn’t expect them to be mad enough to use guns.”

It truly was unexpected that innocent civilians would get hurt.

Who would have thought Kim Min-woo would recruit real lunatics who wouldn’t even smarten up for tomorrow?

“So, the Southeast Asian organization that blocked the Joseonjok was mobilized by you?”

“The mercenaries were there to protect Han Hyun-soo. It seems he called for separate reinforcements.”

Even if I didn’t hide it, I couldn’t reveal all the truths.

I couldn’t let the Heavenly Group get dragged into this.

“Boss Kim, I am the President of Korea. I’ve got some grasp on the situation regarding the Heavenly Group. All significant incidents in Korea will inevitably end up in my hands.”

It’s only natural that he would have access to major events occurring in Korea.

However, that doesn’t mean he knew everything. He couldn’t afford to know all of it.

“But my answer remains the same. And it’s also in your best interest to think of it that way, Mr. President. If the true identity of the Heavenly Group comes to light, it won’t benefit you either.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Certainly not. I wouldn’t care if the Heavenly Group disappeared. However, darkness will never dissipate.”

Through the receiver, I could hear Yoon Chang-ho holding his breath.

I continued speaking without stopping.

“Since the inception of the Heavenly Group, it hasn’t truly been peaceful, has it? Although we can’t entirely curb the drug trade, the fact that Korea remains relatively safe from drugs is because the Heavenly Group hasn’t participated in smuggling. If the overwhelming presence of the Heavenly Group were to disappear, and smaller organizations started running rampant again, it would lead to more chaos. If you wish, you’re free to investigate the Heavenly Group. I’ll offer my assistance if needed.”

If I had to choose between the Heavenly Group and Yoon Chang-ho, my loyalty had to lie with Yoon Chang-ho.

However, it seemed that due to all the political games he’d played, he quickly understood what I meant.

‘…I understand what you’re getting at.’

“Thank you. Can you exclude Han Hyun-soo?”

“So that’s why you placed Oh Hyeon-woo in charge of the investigation.”

“I won’t deny it.”

“There are many eyes watching this situation. It won’t be easy for Han Hyun-soo to slip away from this.”

“We should minimize the damage to some extent. As long as he isn’t arrested, I don’t mind. Heaven Church will cooperate with the investigation.”

“Well, I can agree to that. Speaking of which, do you know where Han Hyun-jin and Han Hyeon-woo are?”

Mentioning Han Hyun-jin and Han Hyeon-woo meant he was considering letting Han Hyun-soo go.

After all, a scapegoat is still necessary.

“They’ve probably smuggled Han Hyun-soo abroad.”

“Are you saying he’s dead? This is quite troublesome. It’s problematic if there’s no one to take responsibility.”

“It might be advantageous to tie Han Seong-jin back into this and package it well.”

“Poor Han Seong-jin. What a disgrace to face at such an old age.”

“He brought it upon himself. He attempted to attack my grandfather and me alongside the Cheongpung Group.”

If those events hadn’t transpired, I wouldn’t have had to get involved with filthy cult organizations. Even as I spoke, my mouth felt bitter.

“I’ll aim to settle everything that way for now.”

“Thank you.”

“But in return, somehow keep an eye on the situation with China.”

“Understood. We’ll need to resolve this.”

As the lengthy call came to an end, I felt a pounding headache.

Ma, my manager, handed me some painkillers as I pressed my temples.

“I need to tidy things up quickly and get some rest. Please pass the documents to the Japanese reporter, Manager Ma.”

I tilted my head back and swallowed the medicine.

After gazing briefly at the spinning ceiling fan, I lowered my head again.

The table was cluttered with sheets of paper.

To sort through the mountain of work quickly and return to Korea, I needed to get moving.

* * *

As Mu-hyeok mentioned, Han Hyun-soo actively cooperated with the search.

Oh Hyeon-woo had briefed the prosecutors and investigators on the search, then sat down for tea with Han Hyun-soo.

“Mr. Han Hyun-soo.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s keep things amicable. Let’s clear out everything that needs to be cleared out this time.”

“…I understand.”

He responded surprisingly obediently, not at all fitting for a cult leader.

Oh Hyeon-woo raised an eyebrow and crossed his legs while tilting his teacup.

“I don’t like people like you.”

Oh Hyeon-woo blatantly criticized Han Hyun-soo without hiding his disdain.

Han Hyun-soo flinched, yet Oh Hyeon-woo continued speaking.

“Mu-hyeok is saying you’ll remain unharmed. But still, be prepared to face quite a bit of damage yourself. You understand?”

Han Hyun-soo nodded. Right now, he had no choice but to agree to that.

“Where are Han Hyun-jin and Han Hyeon-woo?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean by that? I’m asking nicely. You didn’t kill them, did you? Someone has to take responsibility if you want to survive, right?”

Han Hyun-soo twitched his fingers anxiously.

Han Hyun-jin and Han Hyeon-woo were still alive. But he had no intention of handing them over.

“…I really don’t know.”

“Then who else will take the brunt of the responsibility for you?”

If I put it nicely, it might come off as not understanding the situation.