Chapter 161: No Time for Daydreaming

This is no time to be spacing out.

With no gains to show for it, my wife’s extravagant gambling and illegal currency exchange have been exposed to the world. Damage control is needed… and the prosecution is the problem.

Will they quietly bury this, or launch a formal investigation, digging into my offshore slush fund details?

My wife’s gambling will fade away after some public shaming, but my carefully accumulated slush funds must remain hidden.

If the details of my offshore real estate holdings are leaked to the press, the world won’t stop at mere finger-pointing. This could escalate into a special investigation. It must be stopped, no matter what. I need to erase everything, and fast.

“Get everyone from Management Support, Planning, Strategy, Public Relations, and the Secretarial Office in here now.”

Jin Young-ki dragged his heavy feet toward the conference room.

“Report.”

The vice-chairman’s listless tone made the conference room air even heavier.

“The prosecution has its pride; they can’t dismiss this as the rash decision of a junior prosecutor. It was all over the Korean newspapers abroad, and even the domestic dailies covered it…,”

The reporter double-checked the vice-chairman’s expression and spoke cautiously.

“It seems unavoidable that she’ll be summoned as a witness regarding the overseas gambling….”

“Are you saying she needs to stand in front of the Prosecutor’s Office photo line?”

“Yes. If we control the media, they’ll indict her without detention and conclude with a fine.”

“Good. What’s the situation with the PR team?”

A man jumped up from his seat where Vice-chairman Jin’s gaze landed.

“Just stay seated. This isn’t a presentation.”

Jin Young-ki waved his hand dismissively, and the head of public relations awkwardly settled back into his chair.

“They said they’d take down the online articles, but follow-up reports are unavoidable. They’ll run a story or two. We’re still negotiating. We’ll definitely stop them.”

Jin Young-ki felt a slight sense of relief. If they could control the media, dealing with the prosecution would be easier. His wife had disgraced herself nationwide. His current urge was to throw her in jail.

“Don’t be stingy with the reporters or the editors. Give them whatever they want. Just make sure there are no more articles about the overseas gambling.”

“Yes, Vice-chairman.”

Now, for the most difficult problems to solve.

Offshore accounts and illegal currency exchange.

This won’t be easily overlooked. Because of the national crisis of overcoming the IMF, siphoning off dollars is akin to high treason. High treason warrants the extermination of the entire clan, and rumors of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office’s Central Investigation Department getting involved have already surfaced.

“Department Head Choi.”

“Yes, Vice-chairman.”

“Open an account with 500,000 dollars, give it to the prosecution… and let’s end it there.”

“Yes.”

Everyone in the meeting knew that it wouldn’t end with just that. For the vice-chairman to mention 500,000 dollars meant that someone would have to shoulder the responsibility for that amount.

They would likely get probation, a promotion of at least two ranks, and a special bonus of around ten billion won.

Everyone began to size each other up.

Jin Young-ki casually scanned the conference room and, as if muttering to himself, tossed out a remark before getting up.

“Decide among yourselves who will go on a short business trip. It’s not a long-term assignment, so no need to overthink it, got it?”

* * *

Chairman Jin frowned at Lee Hak-jae’s report.

“So, Young-ki is trying to cut his losses?”

“It seems so. The National Tax Service officials who entered Miracle’s headquarters have withdrawn like the tide. Vice-chairman Jin Young-ki contacted them urgently, I’m told.”

“The fool. You must respect the pride of public officials.”

Even though public officials follow orders, they don’t take kindly to being told to come and go at the whim of others.

Especially when they know the order comes from a large corporation, not their own superiors, which shatters their sense of professional pride.

If this happens repeatedly, it’s no different from the boy who cried wolf. Our influence over government organizations will gradually wane.

“What about the prosecution’s press conference? Was it a genuine investigation, or a favor for Miracle?”

“Initially, they moved under the vice-chairman’s instructions, but they defected. Miracle must have offered them a bigger reward.”

“Did you contact them?”

“Yes. The head of the Southern District Prosecutors’ Office seemed troubled. He said it would be difficult to simply bury it.”

After a moment of contemplation, Chairman Jin clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“He shouldn’t be meddling now that he’s retired… This is something.”

He lightly shook his head and said.

“Just tell them to keep the scope limited. It’ll be a problem if the fallout reaches Soonyang.”

“Yes, I’ll convey that. And….”

“What is it? Why the long face?”

“It seems Mayor Choi has gained some leverage through the Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office.”

“Husband Choi?”

“Yes. What should we do?”

“Leave Mayor Choi alone. It’s a family matter; they’ll sort it out themselves. Aigo. At my age, I still have to mediate children’s squabbles… Honestly.”

Chairman Jin wearily picked up the receiver.

* * *

“You all know why I’ve called you here, don’t you?”

Jin Young-ki was tense, and Jin Seo-yoon wore a sulky expression. The second son, Jin Dong-ki, simply stared at his father with a blank face.

“I’m too ashamed to even leave the house. Can’t you all keep things under control?”

“Father, it was big brother who started this. I’m about to go to jail….”

“So? You asked Choi, who’s practically a stranger, to investigate your own brother? Is that something you should do?”

Just as Jin Young-ki glared daggers at his younger sister, Chairman Jin spoke in a firm tone.

“All of you, contact everyone you know and clean this up. Settle it quietly.”

“Father, I’m not involved….”

“Enough. You’re the same. You didn’t get your hands dirty, but weren’t you hiding behind your brother? That’s why you brought Young-joon up to Seoul, isn’t it? I told you, didn’t I? Don’t let that kid set foot in Seoul until he’s made something of himself.”

Jin Dong-ki subtly tried to interject, implying he hadn’t caused any trouble, but all he received was a harsh rebuke.

“It’s generally known that second sons are selfish and cunning, but you take it too far. Step up when needed and draw a clear line when you need to step back. If you act slyly, you’ll end up getting much more back than you give.”

At the blatant scolding, Jin Dong-ki avoided his father’s gaze.

“Aren’t you going to answer? You too, put all your effort into quelling this situation!”

“Yes, I understand.”

Overwhelmed by Chairman Jin’s booming voice, he involuntarily shouted his reply.

“I’m afraid to read the newspapers or watch the news. Make sure nothing else comes out. If Soonyang’s name is still mentioned in the media after three days, be prepared for the consequences. Mobilize all the executives, if you have to, and shut it down.”

Chairman Jin’s piercing gaze turned to his daughter.

“Tell Mayor Choi to stop too. He may think he’s your last resort, but if you’re going to grab something, grab a thick rope, not a thin string. What use is that?”

“……”

“Even his own party is uncomfortable with him. How can he focus on politics when his mind is elsewhere? He has no future.”

When Jin Seo-yoon didn’t give a clear answer, Chairman Jin’s eyes narrowed.

“If you don’t stop him, I will. Should I let the entire nation know how much money he pocketed from Daehyun Group?”

“N-No, I’ll take care of it today.”

Having received confirmation from all three children, he let out a long sigh.

He knew these kinds of incidents would continue, but once the restructuring of the subsidiaries was complete, he intended to truly disengage.

Chairman Jin began his final words of instruction to his children.

“Listen carefully to what I’m about to say. There’s a reason why I entrusted the department store and hotels to Seo-yoon.”

Jin Seo-yoon’s eyes sparkled with interest as she perked up her ears.

“When I started Soonyang, my only thought was ‘Serving the Nation Through Industry.’ I believed it was a natural duty for companies to produce goods and sell them. Even ordinary items were precious back then, something we couldn’t even afford to use.”

It was a righteous beginning, but things were completely different now. Chairman Jin hadn’t forgotten his mindset from back then, even if he didn’t adhere to it anymore.

“Hotels and department stores are just means of making money. They don’t align with ‘Serving the Nation Through Industry.’ That’s why I gave them to you. But you couldn’t even hold onto them for a year and lost everything. Was it because Seo-yoon is stupid?”

Chairman Jin shook his head.

“Don’t think Soonyang is invincible. Outside, there are packs of wolves just waiting for a chance to pounce on us. They’ll attack the moment they see even a tiny crack. A single mistake can lead to irreversible regret.”

Perhaps thinking this was his final request, he continued with unusual emotion.

“And the same goes for Soonyang Automobile and Miracle. The IMF broke down the nation’s defenses. I had to protect Soonyang, so I handed them over for practically nothing. Otherwise, the problems would have started overseas and eventually shaken the headquarters.”

Chairman Jin looked at his two sons and continued.

“You two need to bring back the automobile company. Now that Soonyang Automobile has merged with Ajin Automobile, it’s more than twice the size. It won’t be easy, but you must get it back.”

Jin Dong-ki, who had been listening silently, finally spoke. With Woosung Group gone, the merged automobile company was the only one that could compete with Daehyun.

He, too, secretly harbored ambitions.

“Did you perhaps have another agreement with CEO Oh Se-hyun?”

“Agreement? About what?”

“That you would eventually hand it back over, or something like that….”

“No.”

Jin Dong-ki’s facial muscles twitched at the short answer. Regardless of what his father said, it was practically given away for free.

“Don’t underestimate him. Don’t delude yourself into thinking he’ll hand over the company if you just give him a lot of money. He’s someone who climbed into the ranks of the business world in just a few years.”

Chairman Jin looked at Jin Dong-ki as he spoke.

“You meet with Oh Se-hyun often because of the acquisition of Woosung Shipbuilding, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Use that opportunity. Figure out what he wants. That’s the priority.”

“Understood.”

Chairman Jin gave his final words to his two sons.

“You’ll never get it back if you think of yourselves as emperors. You need to become a pack of wolves to reclaim it. You need the patience to wait for even the tiniest opening, and the strength to sever the leash in one swift move when the opportunity arises.”

* * *

“Have you been well? Is your health alright?”

“This brat will be the death of me. Take it easy on me.”

“Well, I’m just doing my best to survive. Haha.”

“I told your uncles to handle things today. Don’t make things bigger than they need to be. Soonyang could get hurt.”

I had guessed as much when my grandfather summoned me. Now that they were moving to the cleanup phase, he wouldn’t forget to give me his instructions.

“I’m relieved. I don’t have the resources to do more anyway.”

“Good. In return, I’ll give you a gift. I’ve spoken to a few people, so the Incheon Airport duty-free shop permit won’t be a problem. And the downtown Seoul duty-free shop as well.”

“Thank you, Grandfather.”

“The permits would have been approved anyway. Among the applicants, there’s no one as qualified as us. I just added a little extra push.”

“That extra push was desperately needed. I was worried the prosecution might investigate my aunt. I was afraid that would be a negative factor.”

“Good. I’m glad it helped. Anyway, this must have been a good learning experience for you… How was it?”

“For now, things have gone according to plan. My goal was to prevent this kind of thing from happening again.”

“So? Have you achieved your goal? Do you think your uncle will stop trying to undermine you?”

“Yes. I used the weapon you gave me effectively.”

“The weapon I gave you? What’s that?”

“The 17% stake in Soonyang Group held by the automobile company.”

“What…?”

“Telling Uncle Dong-ki that I would throw that to the wolves worked like a charm.”

My grandfather blinked for a moment, processing my words, then burst into hearty laughter.