A Genius Speaks with Money

Chapter 89: Invitation (2)

We, riding in the armored car, ran over the road while receiving extreme protection from the front and back.

The landscape unfolding outside the car window was unfamiliar yet majestic.

The loose-colored city faded by the sunlight and the sand dunes stretching endlessly were visible far away.

The sun shone down so hotly that it seemed to heat up the city center.

Dry dust floated in the air.

I looked out the window and murmured as if in admiration.

"It is heterogeneous yet very beautiful."

At those words, Assistant Manager Moon Jong-beom forced the corners of his mouth up and chimed in.

"Th, that is right. It is like a scene from a movie. Haha."

It was very cool inside the car, but for some reason, sweat was constantly forming on Assistant Manager Moon's forehead.His eyes were full of tension like a person whose soul had already flown far away.

Chief Jeong Jin-woo, who was sitting in the passenger seat, was looking ahead without a word.

His expression was extremely indifferent.

However, he was working hard in his own way right now.

He was recording everything in his head while sharply observing the surrounding flow.

As the vehicle procession arrived in front of the accommodation prepared by the Iraqi government, hotel staff and a protocol team in military uniforms were waiting along the wide driveway.

The hotel was a unique one with a grand outer wall reminiscent of ancient Babylonian architecture and a golden dome roof harmonizing together.

When the car door opened, the first figure to appear was Samira Naji.

She was in formal attire matching a beige long jacket and dark navy pants while wearing a black hijab that looked soft.

The hijab carefully wrapped her head and flowed below her shoulders, and a luxurious pearl brooch shone elegantly.

"Welcome, Representative Lim. I am truly happy to meet you. I am Samira Naji."

As she offered greetings in fluent Korean, I smiled quietly.

"I have heard a lot about you, Ms. Naji, but this is the first time meeting you in person."

Samira opened her eyes slightly wide.

"I was in charge of interpretation during the refinery project. I did not meet you at the site then, but I have also heard news of Representative Lim from time to time."

"It is truly a pity that I could not go to the site then. It is an honor to be with such a capable person."

Samira lowered her head as if slightly embarrassed.

"Those are more words than I deserve."

"You are humble. It is a pleasure to be able to see you in person this time."

At my words, Samira smiled quietly and said.

"I will do my best so that good memories remain for the next few days."

The room where our party stayed was a luxurious suite.

Chief Jeong Jin-woo entered the room first and was scanning the walls while moving here and there.

He quietly took out a small electronic detector from his pocket.

I wondered how on earth he boarded the plane with such a thing.

However, I did not interfere with Chief Jeong, who was moving cautiously right now.

As Chief Jeong Jin-woo turned on the device, a red light began to blink along with a minute vibration.

With a sharp gaze, he delicately scanned behind the picture frames, the lighting, under the sofa, and even the window frames and curtains.

He even checked the parts where the carpet laid on the floor was subtly raised or under the glass table.

He did not look like he was moving to find something.

He moved to prove that there should be nothing.

After a while, moving to the bedroom, he even touched and pressed the decorations on the bed.

I watched that sight as if observing it.

Where else would one see such a scene?

Chief Jeong Jin-woo walked to the window and carefully examined a small hole in the corner of the ceiling above the curtains.

He covered the hole with tape.

After doing that, he turned off the device and finally opened his mouth.

"Nothing stands out. You may rest comfortably now."

I watched quietly and then spoke as if waiting for those words to end.

"That is a relief. With this level of treatment, they have given it a lot of thought."

Assistant Manager Moon Jong-beom did not seem to guess what it meant.

While looking bewildered, he merely watched the two of us while standing still.

Jeong Jin-woo made short eye contact and then exited quietly.

After he disappeared, the atmosphere inside the room regained peace.

After a while, along with the sound of a knock, Samira Naji carefully entered inside.

"Representative, there is still time until the banquet. During that time, you may rest while relieving your travel fatigue. I will be waiting nearby. If there is anything you need, please tell me at any time."

As Samira was about to go out, I stopped her.

"Wait a moment, Ms. Naji."

While wearing a low smile, I pointed somewhere for her.

That place was the parlor.

"Please sit for a moment. Let us talk while having a cup of tea."

Samira seemed a bit surprised at the unexpected suggestion, but she did not refuse.

After a while, a bowl containing dates and tea with a thick fragrance drifting around was placed on the table.

I lightly lifted the cup.

The deep reddish-brown light contained in the unique-looking cup wavered subtly.

"The tea fragrance is very deep. It has a sweet taste and, how should I put it? It relieves fatigue."

Samira explained with a smile.

"That is right. It tastes like that because it is boiled with dates and sugar. We often calm tension with a strong fragrance and sweet taste."

"That makes sense. Since the atmosphere of the country itself is always a series of tensions."

At those words, Samira stopped slightly while about to lift her cup.

My gaze was still fixed on the cup.

Samira did not fail to know the meaning of what I was saying.

She seemed to deliberate for a moment, but soon she cautiously shook her head.

"I am sorry, Representative. As long as I am part of the Prime Minister's Office, I must refrain from mentioning political issues or the internal affairs of the country. There is a line that must be kept."

I slowly nodded as if understanding.

"I know. That is why I am asking quietly like this."

I said while putting down the cup.

"You do not particularly have to say it in words."

At those words, Samira lost her speech for a moment.

It felt as if I were reading her inner thoughts.

"I do not intend to take up much of your time. I was just curious about how the Prime Minister is doing these days."

Samira seemed to deliberate for a moment, but soon she said with a short smile.

"It seems the Representative already knows even without specifically asking."

She slowly stood up from her seat.

"Then, please excuse me for a moment. I will greet you again after finishing the banquet preparations."

I only nodded without standing up from my seat.

As she quietly closed the door and went out, the room was filled again with a silence as quiet as the desert.

In that silence, I closed my eyes and took a sip as if savoring the tea fragrance.

***

The suite room door closed quietly.

Samira Naji, who walked out, quietly let out a breath.

The short conversation shared with Hyunjun was neither more nor less than a simple greeting.

However, the weight hidden in those few words shook her inner self and passed by, regardless of the effort she put in to not get entangled.

She had not even walked a few steps along the corridor when a man wearing a black suit quietly appeared.

On his shoulder, a badge of the security team directly under the Iraqi Prime Minister's Office was shining.

He raised his arm and blocked Samira's path, saying in a voice where sufficient intimidation could be felt.

"What did you talk about inside the room just now?"

Formal politeness was nowhere to be found.

Blatant check and intimidation were fully contained.

Samira took a breath slowly and answered without even making eye contact.

"I just served him a cup of tea."

"Tell me exactly what words you shared!"

She finally raised her head and looked directly at the man's face.

Her gaze was so firm that not a hint of wavering could be found.

"Do you not know. I merely performed my duty."

The security agent glared at her while knitting one eyebrow.

However, Samira did not care and did not avoid his eyes.

She was very calm.

"I did not say anything that could cause unnecessary misunderstanding for the Representative. He also knows well what kind of person I am and to what extent I can speak."

The security agent glared at her for a while and then turned his head away after a heavy silence.

"The Prime Minister's Office will precisely review all your reports until this visit is over. Keep that in mind."

He disappeared without a word.

The corridor became quiet again.

Samira took a quiet breath, straightened her back, and slowly walked to prepare for the next schedule.

Not any agitation could be found in her back view.

Only the end of the hijab she wore that day quietly swayed in the desert air.

***

As Samira Naji closed the door and went out quietly, I finally let out a sigh.

As if waiting for that moment, Chief Jeong Jin-woo raised his fingertip with an expressionless face and pointed toward the inside of the room.

It looked like a sign to come there.

I nodded and entered the room he pointed to.

Chief Jeong took out the notebook he always carried.

After writing something down, he held it out to me.

I read the words written in the notebook and slowly pulled up the corners of my mouth.

[Eavesdropping devices are installed in all places. However, I have intentionally obscured the view of only this space. All the words you say from now on can be detected. Please be careful.]

I nodded without any words.

Beside me, Assistant Manager Moon Jong-beom was frozen with a completely pale face.

As if he were a person who stepped into a minefield with his own feet, he fussed about while unable to place his gaze anywhere.

Seeing that, I playfully shrugged my shoulders and slowly laid my body on the bed.

"Maybe because it is a luxurious hotel, the bed is quite fluffy."

My voice was the same as usual.

I was not a person who just found out about the eavesdropping, but like a guest who came on a trip.

Chief Jeong Jin-woo raised one eyebrow minutely and then opened the notebook again to quickly write another sentence.

After tearing the paper, he held it out to Assistant Manager Moon.

[The moment they realize that we noticed. It changes from simple monitoring to a threat. Act as usual. Never be shaken.]

Assistant Manager Moon read that paper and bit his lips tight.

The tips of his fingers became drenched with moisture, but he nodded and began to forcibly steady his breath.

"Ah, ha, haha. It is, really, goo, d."

Regardless of the words Moon Jong-beom spat out while struggling, I and Chief Jeong shook our heads at each other.

Chief Jeong took back the memo he gave to Moon Jong-beom and quietly took out a small lighter from his inner pocket.

The paper became ash in an instant as the flame wavered and fell.

He took it straight to the bathroom and carefully flicked it into the toilet.

After the sound of water echoed shortly, the scene was filled with silence again.

Looking at Assistant Manager Moon, who was sitting in a formal posture in the living room while holding his breath from tension, Chief Jeong clicked his tongue shortly.

After tapping Assistant Manager Moon's shoulder a couple of times, he pressed the remote control.

On the screen, an animation that children like flowed out.

"It was more interesting than I thought."

Chief Jeong sat comfortably on the sofa and gazed at the screen.

Moon Jong-beom looked at the video flowing from the television and then glanced at Jeong Jin-woo.

The content he saw at the movie theater with his daughter a few months ago flowed out on the screen.

'Surely the content was....'

When a queen with the power to freeze eyes disconnected from the world, her younger sister set off to return the frozen kingdom.

Jeong Jin-woo suddenly hummed while listening to the song flowing from the screen.

"Let it gooo~! Let it gooo~! No more overtime~!"