Chapter 117: Proposal of an Illicit Alliance

Chairman Joo plopped down across from Mayor Choi and began, his tone casual.

“You’re probably skipping meals with all the public duties you’re handling. Let’s have a proper meal today.”

He emphasized the word ‘meal,’ causing Mayor Choi’s expression to tighten further.

It was either a barb or a provocation, maybe both.

“A hoe-deopbap will suffice. I’m pressed for time here.”

“My goodness, how rude of me!”

Chairman Joo’s feigned innocence was unsettling. Mayor Choi abandoned all pretense.

“Chairman, with all due respect, if you have something to say to me, say it now.”

“Oh, don’t misunderstand. I simply wanted to congratulate you on your election.”

Chairman Joo waved his hands dismissively.

“Then consider yourself to have conveyed your congratulations. But abandon your plans for Sangam-dong. As my father-in-law has already stated, we will adhere strictly to the principle of excluding large corporations like Soonyang and Daehyun.”

Mayor Choi openly displayed that he had overheard their previous conversation in the next room. Yet, Chairman Joo remained unfazed.

“Not at all. It’s a good policy to revitalize struggling construction companies; we should follow it. Don’t misinterpret my intentions. I’m sincere.”

“Then I’ll take your sincerity, Chairman. Let’s postpone the meal. I should be going….”

As Mayor Choi started to rise, Chairman Joo reached out and pushed him back down.

“Come now. How can someone aspiring to do great things be so impatient? Sit for a moment.”

The words ‘great things’ caught Mayor Choi’s attention. He awkwardly settled back into his seat.

“Mayor Choi, as you may already know, living with your in-laws is no easy feat. Enduring your wife’s nagging is something all Korean men experience, but enduring the constant scrutiny of your father-in-law and mother-in-law… even your niece’s watchful eyes.”

“Chairman, there’s nothing to gain from trying to hurt my pride. With just the permit approvals in Seoul, hindering the Daehyun Group won’t be difficult.”

“My, how intimidating. Being meek at home but roaring outside—that’s the plight of men living with their in-laws. Ha-ha.”

“Chairman Joo!”

Mayor Choi’s face flushed with anger at the mocking laughter, and he shouted.

“Let me help you escape your in-laws’ shadow. Our Mayor Choi, I’ll even provide a palanquin on your road to the Blue House. How does that sound?”

Mayor Choi was speechless at Chairman Joo’s sudden proposition.

The Blue House?

Chairman Joo continued, seeing Mayor Choi’s stunned expression.

“Your father-in-law has already drawn a line. Don’t you know? He’s the kind of man who would throw stones and obstacles in your path to the Blue House, not pave it with flowers.”

Chairman Joo offered a sly smile.

“He’s the type who hesitates to give even his own kin what they deserve. Let alone a son-in-law…? He’d be the first to sabotage your success.”

“I don’t understand why you’re telling me all this, Chairman.”

Mayor Choi gathered his wits and finally spoke.

“I always invest in people, isn’t it obvious? Once this administration is over, a new era will begin. An era without this talk of democratization or dictatorship, without the dominance of the Two Kims. New figures will emerge. Perhaps the Mayor of Seoul will be at the forefront.”

“Isn’t your fourth son also in politics, Chairman? A three-term assemblyman.”

“That one’s useless. He planted his flag in our automotive factory district for his elections. In that district, he could easily win five or ten terms, but that’s his limit. He’s incapable of greater political ambition.”

Chairman Joo’s son was merely a yes-man, raising his hand in agreement. As a member of the same party, Mayor Choi knew Chairman Joo’s assessment was spot-on.

“I am affiliated with the Soonyang Group.”

“Where do politicians truly belong? They’re like wanderers. Whoever supports them, pulls them along, embraces them—that’s where their roots lie.”

“…….”

“And both the Mayor of Seoul and the President need a big heart. Big enough to embrace both Soonyang and Daehyun.”

“To simultaneously be the strength of both groups?”

Chairman Joo didn’t directly answer Mayor Choi’s question.

Instead, he smiled knowingly and changed the subject.

“May I offer you a piece of advice?”

“I’m all ears.”

“I have three wives. Two are registered, and one isn’t.”

“That’s a widely known secret. And in your generation, Chairman, having two or three concubines wasn’t anything to be ashamed of.”

“That’s my point. Things haven’t changed much. Divorcing and remarrying isn’t scandalous anymore. What’s the big deal about having two or three women registered in your family registry?”

Mayor Choi was dumbfounded. There were times when Jin Seo-yoon, relying on her family’s influence, made him shudder, but they had managed to navigate their life together.

Moreover, their three children were grown. The difficult times were behind them, and there was no reason to end their marriage.

“That’s going too far. I have no intention of divorcing my wife.”

“Who said anything about divorcing right now? Live together as long as necessary, and when the time is right, give her an opportunity. If she remains obedient, there’s no harm in continuing. In fact, from the moment you became the Mayor of Seoul, the reins are already in your hands.”

Being constantly nagged by his wife for his lack of awareness, his intuition had become his greatest asset.

He now clearly understood the path Chairman Joo was suggesting.

Without him, Jin Seo-yoon would struggle to get her hands on even a single department store, let alone the Soonyang Group.

No matter how much his wife tried to control things from behind the scenes, he was the Mayor of Seoul, and he could aspire to the presidency.

If he became president, it wouldn’t be his wife using him but him using his wife to seize Soonyang.

And there was also the implication of joining forces with the Daehyun Group.

No matter how powerful the two groups were, wasn’t it possible for a president to grant them both various favors simultaneously?

Chairman Joo’s offer of sponsorship wasn’t entirely unwelcome. His father-in-law’s disapproving face flashed in his mind, yet his heart fluttered with a sensation akin to a secret affair.

“Is the hoe-deopbap still not ready? Suddenly, I’m starving.”

Mayor Choi smiled brightly at Chairman Joo.

* * *

“How much have we gathered so far?”

“Well, since the development plan announcement, speculators are swarming like crazy. It’s hard to isolate just Young-joon’s holdings.”

Jin Seo-yoon’s eyes narrowed at her husband’s indifferent reply, but she took a deep breath and restrained herself. The position had changed him; after becoming the mayor of ten million citizens, the submissive demeanor he once had was gone.

Her husband had become harder to handle, but it wasn’t entirely unpleasant. It was as if he had finally become a real man.

“Aunt, the exact amount isn’t important. He complained to me, saying he initially intended to buy at double the market price, but the sudden surge forced him to pay four or five times as much. He definitely poured everything in.”

“Then if we cancel it now…?”

“The impact will be devastating. Irrecoverable.”

Her uncle, who had been listening silently, slammed his hand on the table.

“Good. Let’s drop the bomb.”

“Honey, wait. Let’s assess the overall scale first….”

“No. I have a plan. If we target Young-joon directly from the start, it’ll cause trouble for both of us.”

Huh?

What was he talking about now?

My goal is for Jin Young-jun to fall completely out of favor with his grandfather. Why change the objective?

“Honey! You need to mention Jin Young-jun directly to shed the label of being just a chaebol family’s son-in-law.”

“Of course, I will. But there’s no need to do that right away. I’ll fire the first shot elsewhere, and then when Young-joon is hit and reeling, I’ll step in for the final blow.”

This was becoming more complicated.

The man who used to be like a loyal servant, just following her orders, was now devising his own schemes.

Was this sudden change due to the title of Mayor of Seoul?

“How many years have I spent as a prosecutor? When conducting a targeted investigation, you start by hitting the periphery. If you go straight for the jugular, it invites accusations of a biased investigation. Leave this to me.”

Seeing her uncle’s overflowing confidence made her uneasy.

Did he have some other ulterior motive?

“The National Tax Service will be the gunman, and the prosecution will be the swordsman. I’ll just collect the spoils of war. Just watch.”

* * *

“…I cannot express the devastation I feel and the anger that wells up from the depths of my heart. To overcome the national crisis that is the IMF, ordinary citizens even brought out their gold rings, hidden deep within their drawers. Yet, the wealthy are buying up gold as its price rises, and they are sweeping up devalued land, stocks, and buildings as if they were on a shopping spree.”

Her uncle’s emergency press conference was being broadcast live on TV. His expression clearly conveyed the content of his statement, even before one heard it all.

His face was a mask of fury.

“This was intended to boost the construction industry and to promote culture during these difficult times so that we wouldn’t lose our strength. That is why we even released public land, which is essentially the citizens’ assets. We can no longer tolerate real estate speculation aimed at securing unjust gains.”

Her uncle placed the statement down and stared into the camera. The broadcasting company zoomed in on his face.

“The Seoul Metropolitan Government has investigated the speculation situation and confirmed significant speculative activities in Susaek-dong, Eunpyeong-gu. Furthermore, we have re-evaluated the ‘New Seoul Town Development Plan.'”

Her uncle took a sip of water. He was about to drop the final bomb.

“I will now announce the results of the re-evaluation. Among the designated areas for the ‘New Seoul Town,’ Susaek-dong in Eunpyeong-gu will be excluded. We will limit it to Sangam-dong in Mapo-gu, and the scale will also be reduced. We will strictly regulate to ensure that real estate speculators do not gain a single penny of profit.”

This meant those who had bought land in Susaek-dong would suffer significant losses. Those who bought early at low prices wouldn’t lose money, but selling would become difficult. Since it was excluded from development, potential buyers would disappear.

Now I understood why the gunman and the swordsman were mentioned.

With the Mayor of Seoul publicly expressing outrage over excessive speculation, the two investigative agencies couldn’t remain idle. With the nation struggling financially, yet some were engaging in land speculation, public opinion would force them to launch an investigation immediately.

“That man has real presence since becoming mayor.”

“He’s a former prosecutor. When he sets a target, his true colors come out.”

Oh Se-hyun even let out a short whistle, impressed by her uncle’s unexpected display.

“He’s smart. He’s catching Jin Young-jun without getting his own hands dirty. Even Chairman Jin won’t be able to hold it against him.”

“He seems to have changed so suddenly, doesn’t he?”

“Maybe this is his true self….”

“Could be?”

Oh Se-hyun grinned at me.

“That friend of yours is going to run wild now. Maybe even go on a rampage.”

“Is this his pent-up frustration from being dominated by his wife surfacing?”

“Exactly. He couldn’t voice his own thoughts, beliefs, or opinions before, but now he’s the mayor through his own efforts. Even if his wife provided support, this is still Mayor Choi’s achievement. So, he’s bound to be overflowing with confidence.”

“Things are going to be difficult now. Hehe.”

Oh Se-hyun immediately understood the meaning behind my laughter.

“There will be fights every day in that household now. Oh, by the way, your aunt has ended her hotel stay and moved back home, right?”

“Yes. They can’t even avoid the fights now.”

Before the Seoul mayoral couple’s domestic strife even began, the newlyweds’ would start first.

* * *

Hong So-young lay in bed, unable to get up.

The ₩5 billion her family had given her was halved after Mayor Choi’s announcement. She wondered how much she would be able to salvage if the prices continued to plummet.

The bigger problem was the money her family had invested. She hadn’t been told the exact amount, but she had heard that the atmosphere at home was funereal.

Her resentment and anger were directed squarely at her aunt, Jin Seo-yoon.

She believed the Mayor of Seoul was nothing more than a puppet controlled by Jin Seo-yoon.