A Genius Speaks with Money

Chapter 48

Lim Man-cheol looked down at Choi Dong-ryeol in silence for a moment.

The man kneeling before him was a person who was once called Nam Jae-heon's loyal subject.

He did not know that he would come out like this, putting down all his pride and everything else.

Lim Man-cheol slowly poured soju into the glass and curled the corners of his mouth.

That smile was the smile of a predator that saw an opportunity.

"So, you will do anything?"

"Yes, Chairman. If Kim Jongseok steps forward as a witness in this National Audit, I am finished. There is no other way besides you, Chairman."

Choi Dong-ryeol's voice was filled with almost a plea beyond desperation.

Lim Man-cheol repeated those words as if savoring them.

"Hmm, anything…."He looked like he was contemplating while stroking his thick chin.

Then, he raised his glass like a person who had made a decision.

He tapped Choi Dong-ryeol's shoulder with his other hand.

"Fine. I like that attitude very much."

Choi Dong-ryeol caught his breath for a moment and lowered his head while kneeling.

"According to what you said, it is difficult to move Jeong Yu-chan directly, but at least someone like Baek Geon-yeol could stop him, right?"

"Yes, if I can just be connected to that side, I will at least be able to prevent the attendance at the National Audit."

Lim Man-cheol took out his wallet from his back pants pocket.

He took out an old business card from inside and dropped it on the table.

"Try contacting this number. He is one of my people. He is a guy who connects to Baek Geon-yeol's line. It might be hard to connect directly right away, but you will be able to open the door."

Choi Dong-ryeol's eyes widened and he picked up the business card.

Only a name and a phone number were written there.

[Baek Gi-mun. Political Affairs Special Advisor]

"This person… is he really connected to Assemblyman Baek Geon-yeol?"

"Would I ever use someone's name in vain. If you present this business card to that side, at least their ears will open. And is this guy Baek Geon-yeol's second cousin or something? Anyway, they are relatives, so keep that in mind."

Choi Dong-ryeol put the business card carefully into his jacket pocket.

His eyes came back to life again.

"Chairman, thank you so much. I will never, ever forget this grace for the rest of my life."

At those words, Lim Man-cheol filled the glass again and said.

"But Dong-ryeol, there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. What did you think I would ask for when you acted like that? Hahaha."

At those words, Choi Dong-ryeol lowered his head briefly.

In fact, Lim Man-cheol's words were correct.

He acted as if he would do anything for him because he was desperate now, but the nature of this field was to betray at any time.

However, one must do that while considering who the opponent is.

Would a giant like Lim Man-cheol just let it slide if he were to be scammed.

He would probably tell him to pay back whatever he took, properly adding interest.

When he thought about that, Choi Dong-ryeol felt a chill down his spine.

"Dong-ryeol, the glass is empty. Now stand up and pour some alcohol."

"Yes, Chairman."

Choi Dong-ryeol struggled to raise his numb legs.

He was in no position to be picky, so what was the use of having such thoughts.

I have to survive first.

He poured soju into Chairman Lim Man-cheol's glass, and the two men drained them into their mouths immediately.

Then, the Chairman raised his voice as if he were in a good mood.

"Ma'am, give us some more stew here."

"These troublesome guys. You always have to be a nuisance."

The shop owner straightened her bent back and, contrary to her words, began to boil the stew in an earthenware pot.

After a moment, the stew came out boiling deliciously.

"Wow, this is the taste. I won't be able to forget this taste even if I die. Ma'am. It is killer, killer."

"What do you mean killer. You should just eat and die."

"Hahaha."

Lim Man-cheol laughed out loud for a while, as if something were funny about the shop owner's scolding.

The owner with the rough mouth only said that and quietly went into the room at the back of the shop.

At that time, Choi Dong-ryeol brought one more bottle of soju from the refrigerator.

Tonight looked like it would be very long.

***

HJ Partners headquarters.

I went straight to the office after school today as well.

I went directly up to my office.

Soon, Choi Seo-jun visited my office as if he had been waiting.

His hands were full of documents.

"Representative, a report just came in. It says Vice President Choi Dong-ryeol met with Chairman Lim Man-cheol at a restaurant in northern Seoul."

I was rubbing my dry eyes and looked at Choi Seo-jun at the unexpected news.

"Who?"

"Chairman Lim Man-cheol of Taeseong Heavy Industries."

I made a cup of coffee mix slowly and said nothing.

Choi Seo-jun continued.

"It seems they were unable to grasp the exact contents of the conversation. There were quite a lot of people guarding outside, so our side could not break through. Moreover, it seemed as if it was not the first time the two of them had met."

"...That means it is not just a matter of a day or two."

"Yes, it seems the Chairman has been personally maintaining meetings with Vice President Choi Dong-ryeol."

I turned on my laptop and entered the company intranet.

There were photos showing Choi Dong-ryeol and Lim Man-cheol.

Choi Seo-jun also looked at them from the side and continued.

"It probably was not a simple meal meeting, right?"

"Well. Let's not judge hastily yet."

I enlarged the photo.

The resolution was somewhat low because it was a photo taken with a telephoto lens from across the street, but the expressions of the two men were strangely vivid.

In particular, looking at Choi Dong-ryeol's posture, he seemed to be in an attitude of listening carefully to Chairman Lim Man-cheol's words with his head slightly lowered.

"It seems my great-uncle has some thoughts of his own. Let's put this matter on hold for a moment."

Choi Seo-jun replied with a somewhat troubled expression at my indifferent attitude.

"Is that okay? By any chance…."

"If it is the great-uncle I know, he would not do anything that harms Taeseong."

Choi Seo-jun did not mention this matter anymore due to my firm attitude.

"However, Choi Dong-ryeol seems to be quite desperate. Seeing as he even meets the Chairman of Taeseong Heavy Industries."

As I muttered while looking at the photo, Choi Seo-jun continued his words.

"Because at Daehan, they will pin everything on Vice President Choi Dong-ryeol."

"President Nam Jae-heon is also quite a character. Why can he not think of taking responsibility for the things he committed."

I turned off the photo I was looking at and spoke.

"For them, Assemblyman Jeong Yu-chan's appearance will not be very welcome. The same goes for the National Audit. So in the end, their intention is to pin everything on Choi Dong-ryeol."

Choi Seo-jun nodded.

"In the current situation, the fact that Assemblyman Jeong Yu-chan is calling former Center Leader Kim Jongseok as a witness means that the wrongdoings of Daehan Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering will be revealed nakedly. Furthermore, if you think about Assemblyman Jeong Yu-chan's characteristic direct-hitting style…. He is coming out with a sword in plain sight."

"So they will try to stop Assemblyman Jeong Yu-chan."

Choi Seo-jun's expression hardened in an instant at my words.

"Assemblyman Jeong Yu-chan? Physical access would be easy, but would he listen?"

"Pressure from behind the scenes or touching people around him. There are many methods."

"I see. I did not think of that. Perhaps meeting Chairman Lim Man-cheol this time was also to ask for help with that matter."

"Maybe so. We cannot be certain, though. A person of my great-uncle's level would have many acquaintances among political figures."

I put down the coffee cup and lightly tapped the surface of the desk with my fingers.

It was a habit that came out whenever I was thinking about something.

"If Assemblyman Jeong Yu-chan changes his mind, Mr. Kim Jongseok will also lose his place to stand."

Choi Seo-jun said while catching his breath briefly.

"Maybe someone is already moving. They might be digging up Assemblyman Jeong Yu-chan's weaknesses, or they would be knocking on his surroundings. What should we do now, Representative?"

I gave a smile to Choi Seo-jun, who asked with a serious expression.

"We just have to do our work. Anyway, the people who can shake Assemblyman Jeong Yu-chan are limited. For example, someone like the opposition party representative?"

"If it is the opposition party representative…. are you talking about Assemblyman Baek Geon-yeol?"

I nodded.

"Because they would not be able to move the President. They will probably use a move on Baek Geon-yeol."

"Then is this not a big problem?"

I leaned my back against the chair again and fell into thought for a moment.

My eyes were directed out the window.

"Maybe it is not a big problem but a big opportunity for us."

"An opportunity?"

I chuckled.

"Is it not too obvious. If Assemblyman Baek Geon-yeol moves, the board we want will actually open."

Choi Seo-jun narrowed his eyes and looked at me.

"How are you planning to do it?"

"Right now, Assemblyman Jeong Yu-chan has drawn his sword from the front. Those who are afraid of being hit by that sword will hurry to snatch the hilt. In that hurry, a mistake will happen. Should I call it a kind of gap?"

Choi Seo-jun had an expression as if he did not understand the increasingly incomprehensible explanation.

I opened a new window on the laptop screen.

I wrote the name Baek Geon-yeol there.

"I should call Chief Jeong Jin-woo."

After a moment, someone knocked on the office door three times at regular intervals.

Soon, a middle-aged man dressed neatly in a black suit quietly entered the office.

He was Jeong Jin-woo, who was in charge of the Information Analysis Department at HJ Partners.

Because of his expression that did not reveal emotions well and his personality of speaking little, he was a person called by the nickname Ghost within the company.

"Did you call, Representative."

I stood up from my seat and greeted him warmly.

"You are working hard, Chief. How has work been lately?"

"It is manageable."

I smiled at the dry answer.

"I am glad. If there is anything uncomfortable, please be sure to tell me. I will improve it as much as possible."

"Thank you."

He was a person whose expression did not change to the point where it was hard to distinguish whether he was sincere or not.

But his work handling was flawless and perfect.

Because I knew that, he was also a person I had personally scouted.

Jeong Jin-woo was a former intelligence agency member with excellent information analysis and risk detection skills.

That was why he was working as the Information Analysis Chief here as well.

"Chief, please look into Assemblyman Baek Geon-yeol, the opposition party representative. Please do this unofficially, not through official routes. In particular, please figure out his schedule, private fund flows, and the movement of people entering and leaving his office and home. Also, please track his meetings with figures outside of political circles over the past three months."

Jeong Jin-woo nodded with an expressionless face.

"Is there anyone in particular you have in mind among the people he contacts?"

"I think Vice President Choi Dong-ryeol will contact him."

"...It is to pressure Assemblyman Jeong Yu-chan."

Jeong Jin-woo immediately grasped what intention I was speaking with, even without a separate explanation.

"There will probably be no way to approach him directly right now. So they will try something. A gap will open then. We must find that gap."

Jeong Jin-woo took out a notepad from his jacket and took brief notes.

"I will report to you immediately as soon as it is confirmed."

Choi Seo-jun threw a question to Jeong Jin-woo, as if he were curious about something.

"Chief Jeong Jin-woo, how do you figure out the internal trends of the assemblyman's office?"

Jeong Jin-woo replied concisely.

"It is classified."

"...What?!"

Choi Seo-jun was flustered for a moment, perhaps because it was an unexpected answer.

But I even laughed out loud, as if it were very funny.

"Hahaha. As expected of Chief Jeong Jin-woo. I leave this matter in your hands as well. Thank you."

Jeong Jin-woo stood up, bowed his head without a word, and left the office.

Silence flowed for a moment.

Then, Choi Seo-jun said a word.

"Representative, isn't Chief Jeong teasing me?"

At those words, I raised both hands and pretended not to know.