Chapter 41

EP 8 - The Youngest Granddaughter of a Chaebol Family (4)

The era of the Great Recession, which began with the 2008 global financial crisis.

To survive, politicians must revitalize the economy, and to revitalize the economy, they must open the coffers of the chaebols.

Bureaucrats who work on scholarships from chaebols are embedded throughout the government and political circles.

Politicians who were elected with campaign funds from chaebols and married into chaebol networks are embedded in the National Assembly.

In this intricate system, individuals are merely thin threads.

A web. Ninety-nine percent of the flies entangled in the web woven by the top 1%.

Only the spiders orchestrate the game.

However,

in a situation where a strong typhoon has overturned the entire forest, can the spider truly be called the king?

* * *

After barely sending off the restless Chae Jin-soon, I sat on the living room sofa and stared at the contract she had handed me.

Slurp. The barley tea is delicious. I tilted the teacup and slowly flipped through the contract.

They want the right to export masuk.

Why? Because in our country, owning or trading masuk is strictly prohibited except for the government and authorized agencies.

I drafted the law.

I made sure there were no loopholes by patching up the Commercial Code, and I had professional legal experts create the law, so it's incredibly thorough.

However, the Chae Mok Group has expressed a desire to do business with masuk.

Oh, this isn't a contract but a business plan.

“Hmm......”

Stable masuk supply in our country. Intermediary trade between countries for profit. Hiring security personnel for container ships. Fraudulently setting up masuk farms abroad, etc., etc.

Despite the various complex and creative ways to make money listed, their main point boils down to this:

‘Masuk is profitable. Give it to us. We will make money.’

Anyway,

if I help them start a new business, they will bring me in as a son-in-law. Then, managing the constituency, controlling the media, dealing with the prosecution, and other matters will become much easier.

The real power of chaebols isn't money,

but the people they gather with money.

It's always ironic that staunch capitalists, who worship money, know that people are more important than money.

However,

are chaebols really in the dominant position at this point?

No, no. Is it really beneficial for me to team up with a chaebol? My most important image could be damaged.

The problem is that this situation is orchestrated by Yang Pan-seok. Chae Jin-soon is someone Yang Pan-seok introduced.

What's going on here—

- Bang!

“Hey. Food.”

I quickly covered the contract. Yeo Do-yeon opened the door with her big toe in a carefree manner.

“What are you looking at?”

“Don’t you knock...?”

“Food.”

Translation: Eat.

Grinding my teeth, I glared at her, and Yeo Do-yeon nodded casually.

“Come out.”

“Help me up...”

“I ordered chicken.”

I sprang up from my seat.

*

We sat on the floor, tearing into the chicken. Thanks to Yeo Do-yeon always eating only the chicken breast, I enjoyed eating the legs.

Yeo Do-yeon used chopsticks to scrape the chicken breast and munched on it.

“You came early? You said you were going fishing.”

“Um, well......”

I decided to seek her advice on dating.

“Actually, it wasn’t fishing but a blind date.”

“What, what!?”

“The blind date was actually fishing.”

“......You’re full of it.”

Yeo Do-yeon’s eyes widened in excitement for a moment before quickly settling down.

I asked her,

“I went on a blind date, but it didn’t feel right. If I just break it off, will it hurt the matchmaker’s face?”

“Probably.”

“But, the matchmaker wouldn’t introduce me to someone thoughtlessly. So, she must be a good person. Why don’t I like her?”

“Maybe your tastes and the matchmaker’s are different?”

Hmm. Survivalism.

“From what I heard, it seems a bit different...”

“Is that so?”

“But why am I asking this to someone who has never been on a blind date, eh! Ow! Ouch! It hurts! Ow!”

She jabbed my side with her toes, but fortunately, I was wearing socks, so it didn’t hurt too much.

Yeo Do-yeon shouted,

“I’m in sports, you know!”

“You dropped out!”

“Do you know how many male sports students I’ve sold? All the kids who wanted to date came to me for introductions.”

Munch. Yeo Do-yeon chewed the chicken breast vigorously and asked,

“Is she pretty?”

“Just, a bit gloomy and gentle. Among the women I know, maybe... 3rd place?”

“Who are 1st and 2nd?”

“Hong Seon-a and Ho Jeong. They’re more cold, so they’re not my type. And the scores are close, even though the rankings differ... Anyway, 8 out of 10, with a 0.6 bonus for the droopy eyebrows and gloomy expression, making her 3rd. Considering there’s no one above 9 points among the people I know, it’s a close call.”

Yeo Do-yeon looked at me with a disdainful expression.

“...You’re a lunatic.”

“What?”

“...You’re a lunatic.”

“Why, why, why.”

“You’re disgustingly specific. What would I score?”

“Do you see me as a man...?”

“I get it.”

After a moment of deep thought, Yeo Do-yeon (28, dating consultant) began to share her stories.

“A kid who fell in love at first sight broke up after two weeks,

and a kid who said he wanted to meet once more because it didn’t feel right now has three kids. Whether they’re alive or not, I don’t know. Anyway.”

Yeo Do-yeon waved a chicken bone at me instead of a finger.

“Can’t you tell after meeting someone once?”

“Should I meet them multiple times?”

“Even Zhuge Liang thought Liu Bei wasn’t right and turned him down, but he called him on the third meeting.”

“They both died badly.”

“True......”

Yeo Do-yeon and I mindlessly bit into chicken legs.

“It’s delicious.”

“You don’t usually eat chicken legs.”

“I’m not exercising anymore. It’s been 10 years since I last ate them, and they’re really delicious. Damn... Maybe it’s because they cost 1.2 million won per chicken.”

“Did you pay for it alone?”

“Whatever.”

We sprawled on the floor, watching variety shows and enjoying a leisurely evening.

“Oh, Hong Seon-a is on.”

“Where, where?”

*

I can really feel that my body has reached its limit. I feel tired and short of breath even when I’m just sitting still. It feels like someone is pricking my muscles with needles.

I decided to have an additional health checkup, which I usually do every two weeks, and the doctor told me I could die at any moment.

He advised me to reduce stress and get more sleep, but is that easy in these times?

I decided to temporarily put the foundation work on hold at the urging of friends and doctors. However, rest and recuperation are luxuries in this situation.

For the time being, I will only fulfill my duties as a politician.

I have Chae Jin-soon’s business card, but I don’t have time to meet her, so I’ve postponed it.

I placed chrysanthemums at the memorial for the families of the victims of the recent Sinan train accident.

There, I met the Minister of the Interior and Safety and requested personnel support to subdue superhuman criminals, which I resolved with a single phone call.

I visited the underground National Assembly for the first time in a long time, ate jajangmyeon, and proposed four bills.

While heading to my constituency, I took a short nap in the car.

Upon arrival, I cut the ribbon to reopen Gimhae International Airport.

I sat in the VIP section at the top of the stage for the marine monster defense system briefing announced by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, adding to the prestige of the event.

Finally, that evening, I attended the alumni meeting of Korea University.

It was a very important event where alumni support and pull each other in the Korean tradition.

They weren’t completely clueless, as they chose a moderate hotel instead of a five-star one.

This is why educated people are clever.

Actually, it wasn’t out of modesty but because the alumni meeting was the largest ever, so they chose a large and affordable venue.

In this crazy situation, we need to use our connections to find a way to survive. Many people would gather to find a straw to cling to.

It’s a very high-class job market.

I am no exception. I went there to be someone’s job and someone’s labor.

I greeted the organizers first and added a suitable, public-spirited speech. Then, I returned to my assigned seat.

Numerous requests for handshakes followed.

I took a photo with the Minister of the Interior and Safety, whom I met earlier, and greeted the Fair Trade Commission’s adjudicator, who was sitting next to me.

I cut off the mayor who lost his constituency without hesitation. I’m sorry, but I can’t meet with some executive or mediocre bureaucrat.

I’m sorry, Professor. I don’t have time to help you find a job right now. And we weren’t that close, so I’ll pass.

I gave a useful public service contract to the Chungcheong vice governor, who suddenly became a governor and needed connections.

I briefly met a chaebol heir who became the successor after all his brothers died and exchanged business cards with a prosecutor who claimed to be a close senior of Yang Il-ho.

Finally, I went to the buffet to get some food, starting with a generous serving of yuksae (raw beef).

“Hey, Representative, over there.”

Yang Il-ho, who was standing next to me, pointed to a table.

A familiar back. I quickly approached him.

“Gan Hyung, you have no sense of propriety? Really, come on...”

“Hey... I...”

“No matter what, you shouldn’t treat your wife like that! There are manners even in marriage...”

A plump, pot-bellied man was flustered. I tapped the shoulder of the person who was pressuring him from behind.

“Gang Ji.”

“Eh, what? Oh! Oh! Representative! What are you doing here, oh, right. Korea University...!”

Gang Ji, who seemed to have indigestion, patted his chest and caught his breath.

“You should have told me you were coming! I was surprised!”

“Um... Was it wrong of me?”

“This time, I’ll forgive you specially.”

Click. Swallowing dryly and tilting his head, Gang Ji smiled and stood up the person next to him.

“Gan Hyung, meet him. Representative Han Seung-moon, who saved our family.”

The pot-bellied man subtly smiled and winked at Gang Ji.

“Just, praise him. I came to see Representative Han too. Thank you...! Nice to meet you.”

He smiled at me and handed me his business card.

“Ha! S...! I am Chief Inspector Gan Gyeong-su of the Special Investigation Department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. I’ve heard a lot about you from the elders, but it’s late for me to meet you. I’m sorry.”

“Elders...?”

“Yang Pan-seok is my father-in-law.”

The reason I became a representative was because

Yang Pan-seok’s son-in-law indicted the opposing candidate under the Political Funds Act.

“Oh, t, then, I, I, the election...!”

“Ah! Yes!”

“I, the Political Funds Act, t, that person...?”

“Yes!”

I smiled as much as I could and offered a handshake with both hands.

“Oh! I should have come to see you earlier, but I was too busy.”

“Oh, what are you saying! I should have come to see you first, but I’m seeing you now.”

“I should have greeted you earlier. I’m not a good person. I’m Han Seung-moon. It’s really nice to meet you, Inspector Gan!”

“Oh... Taking a photo with you would make our son happy! If it’s not too much trouble, can we take a photo...”

“A! Yes! Of course!”

He’s the top ace of the special investigation department, someone I never met even when I was a legislative assistant.

He’s a Grim Reaper who sends politicians and chaebols to hell, so I can’t treat him casually.

But, if I must, he’s on my side.

The middle-aged and young men stuck together and took a selfie, and Gang Ji, watching them, said,

“...What, do you two know each other? And Gan Hyung, your father-in-law is Representative Yang?”

“Hey!”

“No, you shouldn’t keep it a secret from me! We’ve shared so many drinks!”

“Imagine being in the special investigation department with a father-in-law who’s a representative!”

That’s right. Working in a department that investigates and prosecutes chaebols and politicians, having a father-in-law who’s a representative.

Such information should only be known by a select few; if it’s openly revealed, it could be counterproductive.

“Eh, um. Join us...?”

“A, yes! Please do.”

*

Yang Il-ho, a fresh-faced graduate of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, politely poured drinks for Inspector Gan. I asked him,

“Are you currently in the I-neung Investigation Department?”

“A, yes! Lately, superhumans have been causing a lot of trouble...”

As a chief of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, he is at the level of a prosecutor-general in a local prosecutor's office. Representative Yang Pan-seok has really done a great job.

“Our father-in-law, he, Representative, keeps urging me to treat you to a meal...”

“Oh, I should treat you. And you must be busy with your work.”

“Oh! Do you think I don’t know about Apgujeong?”

I and Inspector Gan polished each other’s faces with small talk. Gang Ji clicked his tongue and interjected.

“This is something I often see in dramas. A corrupt politician and—”

“Shut up! What’s your problem with talking!”

“Gan Hyung! I, I, Representative, and, um? Apgujeong and the Shinbundang Line, um? We, um? Shot guns and caught monsters, um? We did all that!”

“You’re making up nonsense...”

Gang Ji laughed mischievously and asked me,

“Representative, how is Chae Won doing?”

Thanks to knowing that Chae Won has good hearing, I was able to take her in.

She’s my intern secretary.

I answered calmly,

“A, yes. She’s helping with various things. Recently, she’s been taking care of the children with the orphanage staff—”

Tap. Tap.

Someone lightly touched my shoulder.

“Hey, honey......”

At the sound of that gloomy voice, I turned around in shock. Chae Jin-soon was smiling sadly and pulling on my shoulder.

“I remember you applied for an after-meeting...”

“...Ah, Manager Chae.”

“Why haven’t you contacted me...?”

Meeting Yang Pan-seok’s son-in-law and a woman introduced by Yang Pan-seok on the same day and at the same place.

What a coincidence. This is.

I stuck out my tongue in embarrassment.

“You didn’t dislike me, did you...?”

“I’m sorry. I’ve been busy...”

“It’s, it’s okay! I have a lot of time!”

Yang Pan-seok. Chae Mok Group. Chae Jin-soon. No matter who orchestrated this, it seems they don’t intend to let me go easily.

Chae Jin-soon carefully smiled and asked for understanding from Gang Ji and Inspector Gan.

“Excuse me, but can I have a moment with Representative Han in a quiet place...”

“A! Yes! Please take him!”

I pretended to give in, grabbed her hand that was pulling me, and threw in a small jab.

“The world is really small.”

Chae Jin-soon smiled sadly.

“I can’t do without Seung-moon...”

It was you.