Chapter 259: Confirming Power and Laying the Groundwork

Watching the news and reading the papers, I confirmed the power of money.

Hanseong Ilbo, which I considered to be in the in-laws’ pocket, didn’t publish a single article or even mention the incident, but the other media outlets ran negative stories, though not overtly.

The news maintained a tone that demanded a thorough investigation by the prosecution, without explicitly naming Soonyang Group.

Instead, the online editions subtly hinted at Soonyang’s involvement, thus justifying the money they received.

Satisfied with the articles, I folded the newspaper when a notification popped up.

– This is Baek Jun-hyuk, chief of staff for Vice-chairman Jin Young-gi. I have something urgent to discuss, could you spare some time?

Huh?

Why is Vice-chairman Jin Young-gi suddenly reaching out?

Is he trying to threaten me?

Well, I’ll find out what he wants if I meet him.

Vice-chairman Jin Young-gi isn’t someone who beats around the bush, so there won’t be a need for a long conversation.

I went to the place Baek, the chief of staff, mentioned—a cafe a bit away from the company.

As I opened the cafe door and stepped inside, Chief of Staff Baek Jun-hyuk, who had been waiting, stood up and bowed.

“Chief of Staff Baek is contacting me directly. What’s the matter?”

“Why don’t we take a break and have a cup of tea?”

They say a dog follows its owner’s personality. I wonder how much he resembles my uncle, who can’t hide his true feelings when he’s agitated.

I leaned back in my chair, adopting the most arrogant posture I could muster—like a third-generation chaebol.

“Hey, Mr. Mailman. Just deliver the message, okay? Don’t try to act like the person who wrote it.”

“Your words are a bit harsh.”

Already, his face is turning red, bristling at my insult to his pride.

“Seriously, what a…”

He stood up abruptly, startled, and I followed suit.

“Did you think you gained the upper hand just because I came running after one text? I’m here because you’re representing my uncle. Choosing a place away from the company means you have something confidential to say, right? That’s why I’m here. I have no intention of wasting time drinking tea with you.”

Chief of Staff Baek bit his lip, managing to speak with difficulty.

“Please calm down and have a seat. I’ll convey the vice-chairman’s message directly.”

I reluctantly sat back down. He won’t dare try to test the waters again.

“Do you happen to have any information related to Vice-chairman Jin Dong-gi’s slush funds?”

He still seems to be trying to dig for more information. It’s admirable, but I have no intention of playing along.

“Just deliver the message. Asking questions is my job.”

Chief of Staff Baek let out another soft groan and spoke slowly.

“He wants the information related to Vice-chairman Jin Dong-gi.”

“Does he know exactly what it is?”

“He knows it’s evidence of slush funds.”

“What will he use that evidence for?”

“I don’t know the specifics.”

There’s no way he doesn’t know. But he probably won’t say it even if he does.

“Surely he’s not just asking for it? This is a powerful bomb that can take down his irritating younger brother in one go.”

His eyes gleamed at the mention of information that could take down Vice-chairman Jin Dong-gi.

Good. He definitely wants to get rid of his rival more than he wants to get rid of me. If Jin Dong-gi is out of the picture, the Soonyang Group chairman’s seat will practically fall into his lap.

“He says to name your price.”

Perfect. The purpose of this offer is Jin Dong-gi.

“The side that initiates the offer should show their wallet first.”

“There’s no transaction where the buyer suggests the price.”

“Haven’t you been in business long? When buying something that’s not for sale, you present a wad of cash first, don’t you know that?”

Chief of Staff Baek couldn’t say anything.

Isn’t he in a position where he can’t spend even a dime on his own?

“You’ll have to go back and check with your boss, won’t you?”

Now that I know Vice-chairman Jin Young-gi’s intentions, my business with Chief of Staff Baek is done.

I pushed back my chair and stood up.

“Just so you know, I advise you not to judge the value of the information I have based on cornering Vice-chairman Jin Dong-gi. You need to consider the value of what you can gain after cornering him when setting the price.”

Chief of Staff Baek, still with a stiff expression, gritted his teeth.

“Listen here, Jin Do-jun. Even if my side is the one in a bind, I have to say this. Show some basic respect. No one in the group besides the two vice-chairmen speaks informally to me. Keep in mind that even Jin Young-jun, the managing director and the vice-chairman’s eldest son, uses formal speech with me.”

Finally exploding, Chief of Staff Baek glared at me from his seat.

I pity my uncle for keeping someone like this as his right-hand man. He doesn’t even know the basics of keeping a smiling face until he gets what he needs.

“Ah, is that so? Then let me rephrase it politely. Tell my uncle that if he wants the information I have, the dismissal of Chief of Staff Baek Jun-hyuk is a must.”

Chief of Staff Baek’s face turned pale in an instant. He never imagined those words would come out of my mouth.

“Our family can discard a salaryman anytime if it means getting what we need. That’s why salarymen bow down to our family. Don’t you know that salarymen have to leave their guts at home to survive and come to work?”

I left the cafe, leaving Chief of Staff Baek speechless. If things go well, I might be able to take down my second uncle without getting a drop of blood on my hands.

Of course, I need to crunch the numbers and figure out which stance is more profitable.

* * *

“That’s a typical Jin Young-gi move. He can do a lot in just one year if Jin Dong-gi is out of the group.”

Chairman Lee Hak-jae nodded as if it were obvious.

“But is it possible? One year means he’d have to be sentenced to prison, but even in the worst-case scenario, he’d likely be released on probation after the third trial.”

“It depends on the destructive power of that information you have, doesn’t it? If it’s airtight, Jin Dong-gi might be able to hold out for a year or two by pulling strings here and there.”

Seeing me contemplating, Chairman Lee Hak-jae hinted.

“If you could hand over that information and receive a few subsidiaries, including Soonyang Heavy Industries, you wouldn’t have to hesitate, would you?”

“Probably. But he’s not the type of person to do that, so there’s no need to propose it first.”

“Why don’t you try negotiating with Jin Dong-gi instead?”

“That would be better, wouldn’t it? It’s generally more profitable to help someone out of a tight spot and get something in return….”

Lee Hak-jae smiled knowingly as our eyes met.

“You’re quick on the uptake. You understand immediately.”

“Vice-chairman Jin Young-gi is a big help in situations like this. Heh.”

What kind of expression would Vice-chairman Jin Dong-gi make if I told him I was handing over the slush fund evidence to Jin Young-gi?

“By the way, let me ask you something.”

“Yes.”

“How on earth did you manage to silence Jin Dong-gi? Normally, at this point, he’d be claiming it’s baseless or even digging into the personal life of the prosecutor who held the press conference, painting him as a corrupt guy blinded by ambition….”

“I bought a week’s worth of time from the prosecution and the media.”

“Bought time?”

“Yes. I asked them to stay quiet for just one week. It cost me almost 10 billion won.”

“What?”

“I think 10 billion won is a cheap price to pay to silence Vice-chairman Jin Dong-gi’s mouthpiece.”

Lee Hak-jae’s mouth dropped open.

“Goodness, I’m speechless. Even Chairman Jin wasn’t that ruthless.”

“Don’t I have more cash than my grandfather?”

It wasn’t bad watching Chairman Lee Hak-jae’s dumbfounded expression.

* * *

“Wow, our nephew, who doesn’t hesitate to threaten his uncle, has graced me with a visit. Do you have some new blackmail material?”

He’s trying to appear relaxed, even though he must be feeling heavyhearted.

“Are you still planning to remove me from the board?”

“More strongly than ever!”

His unexpected answer even caught me off guard. He’s a formidable opponent.

“I’ve thought about it calmly. Why a kid like you can pull off something like this. I’ve come to only one conclusion. It’s the public perception of you as the Soonyang Group founder’s special grandson and the head of Soonyang’s financial subsidiaries. That’s your power base.”

When I see him like this, his judgment is incomparable to my first uncle’s. But this situation proves that being smart isn’t enough.

“So, your intention to remove me hasn’t changed.”

“The moment the world knows you have no power within Soonyang Group, everyone will turn their backs on you. Then, I’ll return this humiliation you’ve inflicted on me tenfold.”

“I’ve never created or possessed any slush funds.”

“Those slush funds in Labuan that you’re claiming as your own will instantly become yours. The words of the strong are the truth. The media and the prosecution, freed from Soonyang’s protection, will tear you apart.”

He looks down at me with the expression of a victor. Even if I get kicked out, it won’t necessarily be as he says, but I can’t help but feel a chill.

But as long as my two uncles are constantly vying for each other’s throats, I’ll always have a chance to escape a crisis.

“Oh dear, the thought of being kicked out of the group and pointed at as a chaebol scion who smuggles money overseas is terrifying. The world currently praises me as a handsome, intelligent, and wealthy rising star in the business world…. I’ll turn into trash in an instant.”

“You’ll realize that praise was just another form of jealousy. You’ll soon understand how vicious jealousy can be when it reveals its true face.”

I stared at my uncle for a moment before scratching my head.

“Well, if I’m going down, I’ll have to grab onto your ankle.”

“That won’t happen. You’re too weak to hold onto me until the end.”

“Then I’ll have to borrow some strength.”

“What?”

He finally looks a bit flustered.

“Someone has appeared who’s willing to buy my slush fund information at a very high price. The old saying is always right. Treasure should be in the hands of someone who has the power to protect it.”

A smile spread across my face, making my uncle’s bewilderment grow.

“I’ll have to sell it for a good price and make some money. But I’ll return the words you said earlier. Since the words of the strong are the truth, many people will tear apart my uncle who is standing alone outside of Soonyang’s protection, won’t they?”

He’s not a fool, so he immediately understood who the strong person I was talking about was.

“Did you meet my older brother?”

“Chief of Staff Baek came looking for me first. He asked what I wanted and checked the destructive power of the information.”

The word ‘first’ hit home.

Vice-chairman Jin Dong-gi’s face began to flush red. The betrayal of being backstabbed, followed by anger.

He, too, must have remembered something he had momentarily forgotten because of my grandmother.

The alliance formed to take over Soonyang Group can be easily broken by even the smallest thing.

He suddenly pressed the intercom to order coffee and didn’t say a word until he finished the entire cup. He’s calming himself down and thinking.

Just as the last aroma of the coffee faded, he opened his mouth.

“Seeing you reveal your true colors, I understand why Father thought so highly of you. You’re exceptionally good at turning competitors against each other.”

“Even though you know it’s turning against each other, you have no choice but to accept it.”

“You know it’s poison, but you want me to drink the cup?”

“Not quite poison, let’s say it’s just something harmful to your health.”

“If I call off the board meeting and leave the financial group as it is, will you hand over all the information to me?”

“Calling off the board meeting and leaving me in my position—that’s the price for not selling the information to my first uncle. If you want the information destroyed, you’ll have to make a second offer.”

“What’s that second offer?”

I adjusted my posture.

“I’d like to discuss that seriously, Uncle.”