Chapter 234: The Weight of a Legacy

I stroked the leather cover of the notebook. How many people would appear, and where were they now?

It had been over twenty years, so many would no longer be among the living, and many others would have retired from the front lines, their influence completely gone.

My head was in a whirl, trying to figure out how to reorganize these records and how to use them, when Grandfather spoke.

“I want you to understand the sentiment behind my giving you this. These are my dark secrets, ones I’ve shown to no one. The ones who will own my company, the ones who will take the money, the ones who will seize the land, are many, but you are the one who will inherit all my shameful secrets. Even if, by some chance, you fail to become the owner of Soonyang… this will be the sign that you are the only successor to this Jin Yang-cheol.”

It was a cheesy thing to say, but I would never hear such genuine words again.

“I will make sure your name, Grandfather, becomes something that will never be erased, something eternal.”

Cheesy words came out of my mouth too.

Why were words expressing genuine feelings so childish? I thought of more sophisticated and weighty vocabulary, but these were the only words that came out.

Grandfather and I couldn’t make eye contact for a moment.

The slight flush on my cheeks wasn’t because of the heater turned up high.

“Ahem, well then… Manage the people whose names are on that notebook well. Your uncles will be the ones spending money for immediate gains, like during the last presidential election, or the general election coming up this spring.”

“Oh, I almost forgot. I also gave two billion won to my second uncle during the last presidential election.”

“I know. That’s exactly how it’s done. Just add to it when it’s being done on a group level.”

“Then these people on the list are separate… ?”

“Yes. Make sure to give to them regularly, whether there’s something specific or not. Think of it as paying insurance premiums. And you should also observe people carefully and add those who you think will become significant figures to that list. Always invest with the long term in mind.”

“Isn’t long-term investment what I do best? I can bury something for ten years without batting an eye.”

“There you go again… showing off never ends with you! Ha ha.”

Grandfather playfully hit the back of my head.

“I don’t need to tell you anything special about the accounts. The names and contact information of the people in charge at the respective banks are there, so they’ll handle everything you need. There’s only one thing you need to be careful about. Find someone trustworthy to withdraw money from the bank. Once that person withdraws the money, entrust its delivery to Woo Byung-joon. He’s done it a few times, so he’ll do a good job.”

“You mean be careful not to reveal myself when withdrawing and delivering the money, right?”

“Right. What was his name? The guy who risked his life and got hit by that truck for us?”

“Are you talking about Assistant Manager Kim Yoon-suk?”

“That’s him. Lee Hak-jae told me. He might not have a brilliant mind, but he has a steadfast heart. He seems perfect for withdrawing money. It’s not a job that requires brains, but it needs someone sturdy and tight-lipped.”

“He doesn’t seem to be greedy for money either, so he’d be suitable.”

“What? Not greedy for money?”

“Yes. He saved our lives back then and refused even a large sum of money.”

Grandfather frowned.

“Who in this world isn’t greedy for money? He must have a greater greed than money, that’s why. Anyway, don’t trust him too much and always be wary.”

I was surprised once again.

He didn’t even trust the benefactor who saved his life. He distrusted people even more than I did, who had tasted death by trusting someone.

But I had to remember that this was precisely what had built Soonyang to what it was today.

“Shall we get up? I’m worried the owner here might have frozen to death outside.”

When I escorted Grandfather outside, the owner was standing there, shivering, his lips turned blue.

* * *

Back home, I opened the ledger.

I started reviewing it from the most recent entries, working backward from the 80s.

The more I looked into it, the more I marveled at Grandfather’s meticulousness.

I understood the actions of the economics professors who would appear on TV at every opportunity, frothing at the mouth with pro-business statements.

I also knew why the country’s largest labor union remained silent specifically towards Soonyang Group, and why Soonyang executives always received not guilty verdicts or suspended sentences when they went to the high court.

I understood why what Soonyang Group wanted to hide never appeared in the news, and why social elders and intellectual groups wouldn’t even utter the name Soonyang.

I meticulously reviewed the amounts and frequencies of the money being delivered to them, and I also checked the accounts Grandfather had given me.

The surprising thing was the domestic accounts.

It was understandable for foreign accounts since our country’s reach wouldn’t extend there, but how had these nominee accounts, containing anywhere from hundreds of millions to billions of won, not been discovered until now?

No matter how much I thought about it, there was only one conclusion.

The banks knew, and the relevant government agencies knew, but they were simply turning a blind eye and excluding them from investigations—there was no other explanation.

The reason Grandfather wanted me to keep using these accounts was precisely because of that. These accounts were, in essence, my personal secret safe, the safest in the world.

By the time I finished reviewing the ledger and the accounts, it was already bright outside.

I picked up the phone and called Kim Yoon-suk.

Despite the early hour, he rushed over.

I handed him three bankbooks.

“Go to these three places as soon as the banks open and withdraw one hundred million won from each. The seals are included, and the contact person and passwords are noted down.”

“Yes. Is there anything else you need me to do?”

“Observe the 담당자’s expression closely. Also, pay close attention to the bank tellers’ actions when you withdraw the money.”

“Yes. What should I do with the money once I withdraw it?”

“Bring it home. I’m going to get some sleep.”

“Understood. Then please rest.”

It was a suspicious instruction, one that warranted questions, yet Kim Yoon-suk bowed his head and left without a single query.

I woke up to the sound of the doorbell, it was almost noon.

“Did you rest well?”

“Yes, I slept like a log. Is the work done?”

Instead of answering, Assistant Manager Kim pointed to three Boston bags he had brought.

“Were there any particular issues?”

“No. The 담당자 you mentioned were all branch managers. I just waited in the branch manager’s office with a cup of tea, and they handled everything.”

“Weren’t they surprised?”

“Two of them didn’t say anything, but one did ask, subtly, if the 담당자 had changed.”

“And what did you say?”

“Just in case, I didn’t say anything and just glared at him. He immediately apologized for his rudeness and bowed.”

He had improved a lot.

It’s important to clearly establish who’s in charge and to avoid unnecessary talk.

“Good job.”

I opened the bag’s zipper and glanced at the stacks of cash, observing Kim’s expression.

No one is an exception to temptation. To see if he’d waver would show what kind of person he was.

I had only given him a bankbook containing hundreds of millions. He probably knew it too, the fact that he could take a fortune whenever he wanted.

But his eyes remained calm, unchanged. Whether he had no thoughts at all, or whether he desired something greater than money as Grandfather had said, there was no way to know.

I handed him one of the bags.

“Take this and use it.”

“Yes?”

Only then did his gaze waver. It wasn’t because of the money. It was probably because he didn’t know why I was suddenly offering such a large sum.

“Use it where it’s needed. You don’t need to keep receipts, so just spread it around in cash.”

Kim Yoon-suk, understanding what I meant, looked troubled.

“Chief of staff, this is too much.”

“Too much?”

“…Yes.”

His voice trailed off, noticing the change in my tone.

“If you give one million won to each person, that’s a hundred people. Don’t you have at least a hundred people you’ve cultivated so far? It wouldn’t be enough even if it were more!”

Speaking with a deliberately stern voice as if scolding him, he quickly replied.

“Ah, the unit was different. I thought you meant to give ten thousand won to each person.”

Considering the salaries of the lower-level staff in the Group’s Planning Department, Secretarial Office, Strategy Planning Department, and security team, it was understandable that Kim thought of ten thousand won.

“Then let’s raise the unit from now on. No… there’s no need for that, I’ll leave the judgment to you, Assistant Manager Kim. Distribute it as you see fit.”

“Understood. Frankly, one million won is too much. So….”

I raised my hand and stopped him from speaking.

“I said I’m leaving it to you. You don’t need to explain everything.”

“Ah, yes.”

Kim took the bag.

“Oh, and there’s something I need to tell you. Your cousins have been visiting Chairman Jin’s hospital room since this morning.”

“All of them together?”

“No. They’re coming separately.”

“Check it out. They must be contacting him beforehand.”

“Yes. I’ll check and let you know.”

After Kim left, I threw the remaining two bags into a corner. I planned to give them to Executive Director Woo Byung-joon later. If he spread it around, two hundred million won should be enough for him to handle.

Just then, the phone rang.

“Yeah, hyung.”

— Do-jun, you knew Grandfather was hospitalized, right?

Sang-joon hyung’s voice trembled. He must have been surprised.

“Ah, sorry. I haven’t been able to contact you.”

— No. It’s because I don’t contact Grandfather often. Father said visitations are allowed. If you have time, let’s go together. Honestly, I’m still a bit intimidated by Grandfather. The thought of going alone makes me feel lost.

Among our family, Sang-joon hyung was the grandson Grandfather disliked the most. He got a little better after becoming an adult, but standing before Grandfather alone wouldn’t be easy.

“Sure. I was planning to visit today anyway. Let’s go together.”

A sigh of relief could be heard clearly.

— Whew, that’s a relief. When are you going?

“I need to check my schedule. How about you, hyung?”

— I’ll be in the recording studio, so anytime is fine.

“Then I’ll go to the recording studio. I can also see where you work. Is that okay?”

— Of course, it’s okay with me. But won’t it be a hassle for you?

“No. It’s just a quick stop on the way to the hospital. Don’t worry about it.”

— Alright. Then I’ll see you later.

I hung up and went back to sleep.

* * *

I woke up to Kim’s call. He informed me that the cousins would be swarming in the afternoon and that no one would be there in the evening.

Right, they’ll be out playing at night. Since they all know that not even a single share of stock will drop, they don’t need to show any belated filial piety, do they?

On the way to the hospital, I stopped by Sang-joon hyung’s studio.

Since investing in this company, I’d only looked at the reports; this was my first visit. As the documents indicated, it hadn’t achieved great success yet. I thought they were just scraping by, but the building told a different story.

It was located in a decent-looking building, and dozens of die-hard fans were camped out in front.

Did this company have a star-level idol?

I only looked at the numbers, so I had no interest in celebrities, making it difficult to grasp the reality.

“Chief of staff, should I go and escort him?”

The escort team asked cautiously. They seemed concerned about the people camped out at the entrance.

“It’s alright. I’m here to see how my brother works, so just wait in the parking lot.”

This was a mistake.

A few high school girls spotted me getting out of the top-of-the-line foreign car and came running over.

“Oppa! Are you signed here too? A trainee?”

“Hey! Didn’t you see the car? What trainee drives a car like that?”

“Isn’t that car more expensive than a van? Wait a minute! More importantly, haven’t I seen this oppa somewhere before? I think I saw him on TV…?”

Ignoring the noisy kids, I entered the building. Thankfully, I was wearing a suit. The security guards in the lobby were only stopping the fans, so I got in without any trouble.

I called Sang-joon hyung from the lobby, but frustratingly, it just rang without being answered.

I tried calling again several times, but it was the same. Just as I was about to send a text, I spotted Sang-joon hyung walking out surrounded by a group of women.