Chapter 733: So, You’re Saying All Business Has Been Halted?

After Yoon Chang-ho left with the Chief Secretary, I paused for a moment to gather my thoughts.

‘A Chinese spy among the Chief Secretaries? Things are getting more interesting than I thought.’

Just then, cheers and applause erupted from outside, signaling the President’s arrival.

“Chief Manager, let’s head out too.”

“Yes, Boss.”

I left the room and entered the convention hall.

By the time I entered, the President was already seated, and voting was underway.

I silently took my seat, closed my eyes, and organized my thoughts once again.

Once the voting concluded, a congratulatory performance followed, and the prepared events ended with the President’s closing remarks.

Finally, it was time to announce the new leadership.

There were no surprises. The pro-Yoon faction not only secured most of the top committee seats but also the position of Representative Committee Member.

As promised, Han Ji-ho’s faction was given one top committee seat, but it had no impact on the overall outcome.

Following the merger of the Moderate and Conservative Parties, the party leadership which had gone to the Conservative Party, returned to Yoon Chang-ho.

However, since Yoon Chang-ho couldn’t exert direct influence over the party, Myeong-su’s importance only grew.

Perhaps that’s why people flocked to Myeong-su, rather than the more unapproachable President.

“The ants are swarming already.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself.

After watching for a moment, I rose from my seat.

“Let’s head back. I have quite a few things to take care of.”

“Aren’t you going to meet the Secretary-General?”

At Manager Ma’s question, I shook my head while looking at Myeong-su.

“I doubt there’s anyone busier than him in Korea right now.”

The convention’s end wasn’t the end of everything.

Now, they had to elect new key party officials, and those positions were limited.

Even if the new leadership exercised most of the personnel decisions, Myeong-su would still be allocated a few key party positions.

Until the selection of key party officials was complete, Myeong-su would have to meet with people every day.

“I’ll meet him next time. I understand why I was called in today. The President must think it’s safest to ask Myeong-su for favors.”

I watched Myeong-su, who seemed to be looking around for someone, then turned and left the convention hall.

* * *

I arrived at the Myeong-dong office. I sat down and immediately ordered Manager Ma.

“Manager, bring me the list of all the Chief Secretaries and Secretaries first.”

If a Chief Secretary was a Chinese spy, it was obvious there would be collaborators among the Secretaries.

If the Chief Secretaries and Secretaries conspired to hide information, the President would be blind and deaf, forced to rely on selectively filtered information.

The Blue House was a place where the President’s trust was power.

Naturally, the power of those close to the President existed.

During the military regime, a secretary who had the President’s trust could even berate a minister.

Although the military regime had collapsed and their status had diminished, the power of the Chief Secretaries who could speak directly to the President was still strong.

That’s why Presidents tended to appoint people they trusted as Chief Secretaries.

Just the possibility of a spy among them would surely trouble Yoon Chang-ho.

“Boss, here are the documents you requested.”

Manager Ma brought over a stack of papers.

The well-organized documents contained information on the Blue House’s Chief Secretaries and Secretaries, including the Chief Secretary.

After reviewing the list, I gave my instructions.

“Monitor all these people. Start by checking those who held positions related to China, and filter out those with connections to China. Start special surveillance on them starting today. I need to know who they meet and who they talk to.”

“Should we assign them top-tier surveillance?”

“Yes. It’ll be difficult to spot them otherwise. They won’t act carelessly, nor will they leave any evidence. However, they’re still human; they’ll eventually slip up. Find that slip.”

Manager Ma bowed his head in acknowledgement and I closed the documents.

“To act as a Chinese spy while living off the nation’s taxes… Whoever it is has got some serious guts.”

If Yoon Chang-ho had to meet me outside of the Blue House, that meant there was more than one Chinese spy.

I had to filter them out as much as possible and get to the truth.

“By the way, how’s the takeover of the Heaven Church’s companies coming along?”

“I received word that the work is starting today.”

I paused for a moment, then spoke to Manager Ma.

“We’ve left it to Yun & Jang so they should handle it well right? They’re more experienced with company acquisitions than we are.”

I could meet Han Hyun-soo and handle it myself, but I had no desire to see him anymore.

So I handed the list of companies to be acquired over to Yun & Jang.

With the work done, now was the time to reap the rewards.

* * *

Yun & Jang’s partner lawyer, Min Seong-ho, arrived at the Heaven Church’s main faction with senior lawyers.

“Hello, I am Min Seong-ho.”

“I am Han Hyun-soo.”

The two shook hands and sat down.

“Here’s the list of companies you will be transferring.”

Han Hyun-soo received the list from Min Seong-ho and began to read it.

His face changed with each passing moment as he scanned the list.

Soon his face turned beet red and he slammed the documents down on the table.

“Isn’t this too much? You’re asking us to hand over all of our most profitable assets. Are you trying to bankrupt us?”

Despite Han Hyun-soo’s outburst, Min Seong-ho replied in a monotonous voice, like a machine.

“We are simply fulfilling our mandate and following procedures. We do not know, nor do we wish to know, the details. Simply follow the contract.”

“…Look, Attorney Min Seong-ho, was it? If we hand all of this over, our group will be reduced to a mid-sized company.”

“The VIP has ordered us to acquire everything. There is nothing we can do. We are simply conveying the VIP’s wishes.”

Min Seong-ho didn’t even blink at Han Hyun-soo’s lament.

He began taking out other documents from his bag.

“Here are the acquisition contracts. Please review and sign them.”

Han Hyun-soo frowned at the ten-plus pages of the contract.

“Contact Kim Mu-hyeok, please.”

Han Hyun-soo spoke to the mercenary captain standing behind him, but he didn’t react.

“What are you doing? I told you to contact him.”

“They said there’s no need to contact him anymore. Sign the contract as agreed.”

“What?”

Han Hyun-soo blinked stupidly, and the mercenary captain curled his lips into a sneer.

Han Hyun-soo shrunk back from the sneer that surfaced on the mercenary’s cruel face.

“Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not your subordinate. I was simply ordered from above to guard you for this mission. Our mission is to guard you, and to make sure you sign that contract. Now that everything is over, it’s time for us to return.”

“How about you don’t do that, and work for me instead? We seem to get along pretty well.”

“Enough nonsense. Let’s just get this over with. There was also an order to kill you if you didn’t keep your promise, but I don’t want to go that far. So let’s finish this cleanly and then go our separate ways.”

Han Hyun-soo flinched at the mercenary captain’s cold words.

“I will! I’m going to do it. I just wanted to talk first…”

“Enough already. With how much we’ve helped you, you’d have nothing to say even if you had to hand over all of your assets. You should be dead already.”

“I know! Stop talking.”

Han Hyun-soo snapped back irritably, and the mercenary captain shrugged before speaking.

“Then sign quickly.”

At the mercenary captain’s threat, Han Hyun-soo started reviewing the acquisition contracts.

After spending a long time reviewing the acquisition contracts, Han Hyun-soo sighed deeply and spoke.

“I will sign after another review with a lawyer. By the way, why are the acquirer’s names all different?”

“There’s no need for you to know that. Just sign now. The price isn’t unfair, is it?”

Han Hyun-soo hesitated and Min Seong-ho said in a firm voice.

“Would our Yun & Jang play such a trick? There’s no room for mistakes in matters related to the VIP. So trust us and sign. As soon as you sign, the money will be wired to you. We were instructed to finish everything today. If we go back like this, we cannot guarantee your safety, Han Hyun-soo. If that’s okay with you, then I’ll get up.”

“What?! Are you threatening me? I am Han Hyun-soo, Han Hyun-soo!”

“Yes, we know, Mr. Han Hyun-soo. Please sign.”

Han Hyun-soo roared, but Min Seong-ho didn’t react, simply placing a fountain pen in front of him.

“Please sign.”

Han Hyun-soo looked around, but no one was on his side.

The mercenary captain looked down at him with apathetic eyes, and Min Seong-ho pressured him with sharp eyes.

Behind Min Seong-ho, the senior lawyers stood smiling.

Han Hyun-soo had no choice but to sign the acquisition contracts.

Min Seong-ho thoroughly checked the contracts before making a call.

“Boss, the contract is complete.”

—Really? Tell them to wire the money right away.

“Yes, I’ll wait.”

Min Seong-ho put the contracts back into his briefcase.

A moment later, his phone vibrated briefly.

[Payment completed.]

After confirming the text message, Min Seong-ho said in an indifferent tone.

“They’ve wired the money.”

Min Seong-ho rose from his seat without any regret.

“And in exchange for not taking over the media company, the VIP has requested that you write the articles he wants. You are aware of that as well, correct?”

“I know. I know. Just go back.”

Han Hyun-soo was annoyed, and stopped using honorifics.

Min Seong-ho gave a faint smile and placed a business card on the table.

“Please contact me anytime you need anything. I will do my best to help.”

Min Seong-ho led the senior lawyers out.

The mercenary captain, who had been watching the scene, spoke.

“Then, we’ll be heading out now.”

“What? Now?”

Han Hyun-soo reacted more violently to the mercenary captain’s words about leaving than to handing over the companies.

“Now that the contract is complete, we have no reason to protect you any longer.”

“Hah…”

The mercenary captain led all the mercenaries out.

Han Hyun-soo was left alone in the office.

* * *

Several days passed.

Kim Byung-woo, Chairman of Jungwoo Group, visited Pyeongchang-dong.

“Chairman Kim Byung-woo. It’s been a while.”

I greeted him warmly in my study.

“Yes, Boss. It’s been a long time.”

After exchanging greetings, we sat down. As soon as we were seated, Kim Byung-woo started to speak with a gloomy expression.

“The reason I asked to meet today is…”

Chairman Kim Byung-woo continued to speak in a subdued tone.

After hearing his entire explanation, I couldn’t help but furrow my brow.

“So, you’re saying all business in China has been halted?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“What’s the reason?”

“They’re citing ridiculous reasons. At the factory construction sites, they’re citing violations of safety regulations and ordered construction to be halted.”

The reason Chairman Kim Byung-woo gave was absurd.

“Surely you didn’t violate safety regulations?”

“No, we applied even more stringent safety regulations than we did when constructing in Korea. We haven’t had a single accident in China, and we’ve been lobbying the higher-ups. Yet, they suddenly came in and ordered the construction to be halted.”

I pondered for a moment and called for Manager Ma.

Manager Ma opened the door to the study and entered.

“All of Jungwoo Group’s business in China has been ordered to cease operations. Find out what’s going on and contact Wen Jiabao, letting him know I want to speak with him.”

“Yes.”

Manager Ma left the study again, and I turned to Kim Byung-woo.

“What about other companies?”

“All of the other large companies, except Jungwoo Group, have no issues at all.”

“So, they only targeted Jungwoo Group.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Only the companies linked to me were being targeted.

There could be many reasons, but it seemed like a response to my warning to Li Peng.

“It seems like they want to play with me. So what are the damages to Jungwoo Group?”

“First, all exports have been blocked. Even the ships that have already arrived in China can’t unload their containers. The losses will continue to grow as the business delays continue.”

“What if you withdraw from China?”

Kim Byung-woo shook his head without a moment’s hesitation.

“China is a market with enormous potential. Withdrawing from there would decrease our growth potential.”

“Are the businesses in North Korea and Russia insufficient?”

“Maybe not immediately, but in the long run, it’s not the best choice.”

Chairman Kim Byung-woo also knew about the potential of the Chinese market.

“Have you contacted any connected officials?”

Every group had connections with high-ranking officials in China.

That was a minimum requirement to do business in China.

Without that, it was impossible to even enter the market.

“They’re all avoiding our calls. Those we did manage to reach told us never to contact them again. They only said that the orders came from the highest levels.”

The highest levels. So even the elders are on board with these sanctions.

“I will try my best to resolve this. For now, strengthen your business ties with North Korea and Russia while you wait.”

“Understood.”

After that, we continued our conversation while discussing the progress of Jungwoo Group’s projects.

Except for the business in China, everything else was smooth sailing.