A Genius Speaks with Money

Chapter 47

An emergency meeting was held at the headquarters of Daehan Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering with the top management gathered.

The company was already in an uproar due to the articles posted since dawn.

Those standing at the center of it were now sitting across from each other with serious expressions.

President Nam Jae-heon, Vice President Choi Dong-ryeol, the Strategy Planning Chief, the Legal Team Leader, the PR Chief, and even the new Technology Development Team Leader.

The fact that all the key figures had assembled was literally an emergency.

The Strategy Planning Chief opened his mouth with a grim face.

"Assemblyman Jeong Yu-chan has directly announced that he will call Kim Jongseok as a witness at the National Audit. This is likely to lead to a substantial factual investigation, not just simple public opinion manipulation."

The PR Chief continued.

"As an aftermath, the top spots on the real-time search terms are all related to our company. Words like slush funds, technology leaks, and industrial spies are even circulating on social media."

Nam Jae-heon stared at the monitor in silence.Newspaper articles, broadcast headlines, and even comments described Daehan Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering as if it were about to collapse.

He shouted in a tone heavily mixed with irritation.

"This is all the result of that bastard leaking internal information!"

The Legal Team Leader cautiously intervened.

"At this point, it is difficult to see this as Kim Jongseok's movement alone. The way the information is organized exceeds the level a reporter can handle. Someone is clearly helping him."

Nam Jae-heon asked.

"...So?"

"We must find the person who planned this under the surface. That person must have moved Jeong Yu-chan."

Nam Jae-heon closed and opened his eyes quietly.

He looked like he had made a decision.

"From now on, we are in emergency response mode. This is not a problem that will end by simply catching and crushing one whistleblower. We must view this National Audit as if the entire Daehan Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering is on the chopping block."

As the situation was precarious, Nam Jae-heon's voice was even sharper.

"If it is difficult for the PR team to block public opinion, research a way to turn attention elsewhere. The Legal Team, conduct a full investigation into Kim Jongseok's associates and take measures to collect all related materials. Coordinate with the Information Security Team to conduct internal log analysis simultaneously!"

They all shouted with voices full of tension.

"Yes, President."

"And Vice President Choi."

Choi Dong-ryeol straightened his posture.

However, cold sweat ran down his spine at the words that came out of Nam Jae-heon's mouth.

"You will have to take responsibility for this matter."

"...Excuse me?"

Choi Dong-ryeol asked back with a hollow expression.

"What do you mean by that? President. You want me to take responsibility."

Nam Jae-heon stood up and walked slowly through the conference room.

His steps were heavy.

"Look at how things are going now. How the media is treating us. It seems they are anxious, thinking this is the perfect time."

He stood across from Choi Dong-ryeol and glared at him with sharp eyes.

"What have you been doing until now? What have you been doing while things grew this big. Did you notice even one thing in advance while Assemblyman Jeong Yu-chan was targeting us?"

Choi Dong-ryeol argued back for the first time, feeling it was unfair.

"We were also monitoring him continuously. Assemblyman Jeong Yu-chan is originally a figure with a strong anti-chaebol image, but he has been quiet until now."

"I gave you money until now to read those quiet movements."

Nam Jae-heon's tone became increasingly rough.

"How many years has it been since you took charge of managing political figures? Even the money poured in there was enormous. If this disaster happened, shouldn't the words that you will take responsibility come out first? If you have a minimum of conscience, that is."

Choi Dong-ryeol bowed his head at those words.

The atmosphere in the conference room froze coldly.

Nam Jae-heon walked slowly and approached near Choi Dong-ryeol.

"I am not saying I am going to fire you right now."

Choi Dong-ryeol got goosebumps at those words.

He felt regret, wondering if this was the only reward for his dog-like loyalty until now.

Contrary to his emotions, the next words Nam Jae-heon spat out were heavier.

"Grip it properly while I am giving you a chance. Persuade Assemblyman Jeong Yu-chan's side well."

Nam Jae-heon poked Choi Dong-ryeol's forehead repeatedly with his finger and said.

"I mean, settle this under your own name!"

Choi Dong-ryeol flinched.

Every time the tip of Nam Jae-heon's finger touched his forehead, his heart tightened as if it were being squeezed.

But there was something even more painful.

Something hot welled up from a corner of his chest.

He had certainly spent years moving like Nam Jae-heon's shadow, taking charge of all the cleanup.

He handled everything from political lobbying to various problems.

He did not even blink at instructions that even crossed the boundaries of common sense.

But now....

Without a single word of apology or even an attempt to understand.

He was being thrown away as if discarding a failed tool.

The gaze stinging him as the President approached Vice President Choi Dong-ryeol.

There was no trust there; it was filled only with thorough distrust and cynicism.

Nam Jae-heon poked his forehead roughly two more times with his finger.

With his head bowed, Choi Dong-ryeol bit his teeth.

"Yes, I understand. I will definitely settle this."

He expressed obedience with his mouth, but his inside was different.

His emotions were tangles of complexity.

There was fear, but disappointment and a sense of betrayal surged at the same time.

'Let's see if things go the way you want.'

Inside the conference room where a heavy silence flowed.

No one could guess Choi Dong-ryeol's complicated inner thoughts.

Coming out of the conference room, Choi Dong-ryeol just walked silently through the hallway.

His expression was frozen cold like a sheet of ice.

The employees he encountered only bowed their heads slightly with tense faces and could not even speak to him.

Standing in front of the elevator, he glanced at his wristwatch.

It was almost time to leave work.

Only then did he let out a long breath.

In his heart, he felt like throwing his resignation letter right now just like Kim Jongseok.

But he knew better than anyone.

That if he made even a slight mistake now, he would be the one to die.

If this incident grew larger, Nam Jae-heon would never protect Choi Dong-ryeol.

No, it was not that he would not protect him; he would make him a scapegoat.

Had he not already shown it through his actions and words?

The sensation of the finger poking his forehead was still vivid.

"Son of a bitch."

After spitting out his emotions, Choi Dong-ryeol regained his reason after taking several deep breaths.

The moment Kim Jongseok stands at the National Audit.

Everything is finished.

The elevator doors opened.

He opened his mouth toward the Chief Secretary's staff.

"Who do you think is the person who holds real power within the opposition party?"

At the sudden question, the secretary replied, even stuttering.

"Would it not be, be Assemblyman Baek Geon-yeol. I heard that these days, everything passes with just one word from him."

"Is that so? Then put in a contact saying that I want to meet him."

"...Yes?"

The secretary hesitated as if flustered.

"Ri, right now?"

"Do I look like I am free to you right now?"

"Um.... Vice President. Assemblyman Baek is famous for never taking unofficial schedules...."

"I know that too, you punk. So you try to do something about it. Do I have to tell you every single thing like that?"

His voice was full of anger at the end.

The secretary bowed his head and hurriedly took out his phone.

Choi Dong-ryeol looked at the employee who was flustered and did not know what to do, thinking that those who graduated from prestigious universities in Korea are all useless, while arriving at the underground parking lot.

When he got off the elevator, a pre-prepared vehicle was waiting in front of him.

Before getting into the car, he shouted while pointing his finger at the secretary.

"You handle what I told you. Got it?"

"Yes, I understand."

Getting into the car, Choi Dong-ryeol muttered to himself.

"Idiot bastard."

No one reacted to his words.

It was familiar because such things happened often.

The car squeezed into a narrow alley in the old city center of Seoul.

A shabby sign and a rundown shop that did not suit a luxury sedan.

[Kim Ok-ja’s Rice Set]

At first glance, it was an ordinary rice set restaurant where nearby office workers would drop by to have a bottle of soju.

However, Choi Dong-ryeol took a short breath when he saw that door.

Then he straightened his clothes.

After checking the surroundings, he opened the old shop door.

The door made a loud noise as it creaked.

The inside was mixed with cigarette smoke and the smell of soybean paste stew.

Someone was already in a corner seat.

"You came?"

The man with a husky voice picked up a soju bottle and poured it into a glass.

After draining it in one gulp, he even added a sound of satisfaction.

Aah.

Chairman Lim Man-cheol of Taeseong Heavy Industries.

Although it was an honorary position, as Chairman Lim Man-seok's younger brother, he was a powerful figure who was still active until now.

Choi Dong-ryeol's fierce face from a moment ago disappeared, and he laughed broadly with a good-natured smile.

"Oh my. Chairman, I am late. I am sorry."

"Forget it. That can happen while working. Just sit down quickly. My arm is falling off."

Choi Dong-ryeol quickly picked up the soju bottle and poured it into the empty glass, then poured into his own glass as well.

The glass cups clinked against each other, and the two men drained the alcohol deliciously into their mouths.

"Our owner's skills are still alive. Taste the stew. You won't find this taste anywhere else."

"You are right. Thanks to the Chairman, I am truly treating my palate."

"Listen to this guy. Gulp. It tastes good."

The two men repeatedly drank soju with the stew like that.

While those pleasant sounds were exchanged, Chairman Lim Man-cheol's eyes keenly pierced the opponent.

"Dong-ryeol, is that bastard Nam Jae-heon bothering you?"

At that one word, Choi Dong-ryeol was either drunk or truly touched.

Tears burst out.

He roughly wiped the rising tears with his suit sleeve and brought out the words inside him.

"Truly, I cannot keep up with you, Chairman. It seems that bastard Nam Jae-heon plans to use me as a sacrifice this time."

"Is that so?"

Choi Dong-ryeol babbled on with a red face.

Lim Man-cheol listened to every single word without missing any while pouring him a drink.

"Dong-ryeol, you are going through a lot of trouble. I also don't like how stiff that bastard Nam Jae-heon is."

Lim Man-cheol struck Choi Dong-ryeol's shoulder hard several times with his thick palm.

Choi Dong-ryeol felt like his brain was shaking, but he felt his heart easing a little at the thought of being comforted.

"If I knew it would be like this, I should have asked you sooner, Chairman."

Choi Dong-ryeol bowed his head deeply while emptying his glass.

Already drunk to the limit, he even had sweat on his forehead.

Lim Man-cheol slowly took a spoonful of stew and put it in his mouth.

After roughly wiping what spilled with his hand, he asked.

"So, what is the reason you asked to meet me? Speak quickly. Before my heart changes."

"As expected of our Chairman."

Choi Dong-ryeol straightened his back and brought up the main point.

"Jeong Yu-chan will not listen even if I touch him. But there is a person who can move him. It is Assemblyman Baek Geon-yeol."

Lim Man-cheol's expression hardened at once.

"Ha. It has been a long time since I heard that name."

"I beg you, Chairman. Please help me. If you help me this time, I will do anything."

Choi Dong-ryeol sat down abruptly in front of Chairman Lim Man-cheol as if he were desperate.

Then he knelt down and clung to Chairman Lim's pant leg.

"As you know, Baek Geon-yeol and I... you know we are not on good terms, right?"

"Of course. How could I not know. But even so, I have no way to even contact him. Please, if you just let me meet him, I will do anything."

Lim Man-cheol's expression changed strangely at Vice President Choi Dong-ryeol's desperate plea.

"...That you will do anything. That truly hits the spot."