Chapter 646: Chapter 646: There’s No Way It Can’t Be Done
Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.
This was home to Princeton University, one of the prestigious institutions representing America, alongside Harvard, Yale, and Stanford.
"Hey, Jaykan!"
A young Asian man walking through the Princeton campus turned at the familiar voice.
"Oh, Michael."
The Asian man, known as Jaykan, Hong Seok-geun, waved enthusiastically at the Black man who called out to him.
Michael came closer and casually threw an arm around Hong Seok-geun's shoulders.
"What are you up to?"
"Classes just wrapped up, so I'm heading back to the dorm. "
"Seriously, what do Asians do for fun? School, dorm, school, dorm… Don't you ever want to enjoy your youth?"
Michael grimaced at Hong Seok-geun's answer and playfully shoved his fist out.
Hong Seok-geun met Michael's fist with his own, chuckling.
"There's nothing special going on, you know?"
"Come on, there's a party tonight. Mary has specifically requested you to join us!"
"Mary?"
Hong Seok-geun tilted his head, recalling a classmate's face. He was curious why she called for him since they had hardly interacted.
"We don't really talk, so why… ?"
"Why are you so clueless? Mary totally likes you, dude. Just look at how she looks at you!"
"Me? Mary?"
Puzzled, Hong Seok-geun repeated, and Michael, visibly frustrated, pounded his chest dramatically.
"Forget it. Just come to the party. You'll see what I mean!"
"Uh… Where's it happening?"
"Where else would it be? You know, a typical spot for a party around here. Mary has rented out the club for the night. We just need to show up. "
Nodding, Hong Seok-geun glanced at his outfit, then chuckled awkwardly.
"Alright, I'm in. I should head back to the dorm and change first."
"Great! Get ready, and let's meet in front of the dorm in an hour."
Michael waved and walked off while Hong Seok-geun hurried back to the dorm.
After spotting Hong Seok-geun enter the dorm from a distance, Michael scanned the area.
He pulled out his phone and made a call.
"I've lured the target to the club. Yes. I'll deliver him in an hour."
Finishing the call, Michael crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.
His focus remained glued to the dorm entrance.
An hour later.
Freshly showered and looking sharp, Hong Seok-geun stepped out of the dorm.
"Michael!"
Michael looked up from his phone in front of the dorm.
Seeing Hong Seok-geun all dressed up, he whistled and gave a thumbs-up.
"Is that really you, Jaykan? I had no idea you could clean up so well!"
At Michael's praise, Hong Seok-geun scratched his head awkwardly.
He felt grateful for Michael, who always looked out for him despite his struggles to fit in at university.
"Alright, let's roll. Tonight, we forget about studying and live it up. I'm going to show you how to party in Princeton!"
Following Michael, Hong Seok-geun stepped into a club for the first time in Princeton.
Loud music made his ears throb, and his classmates, who usually dressed dowdily for study, were decked out in dazzling outfits.
Some friends danced on stage, while others were swaying to the rhythm with liquor bottles in hand.
"What do you think? Isn't it amazing?"
Hong Seok-geun nodded almost in a daze.
He had been dedicated to studying since childhood.
Starting from kindergarten all the way through high school, his life revolved around academics. That's how he got into Princeton University.
But unlike his friends who enjoyed nightlife, he only focused on studying in college as well.
For him, this electrifying party was a first.
"Hey, Mary!"
Michael led Hong Seok-geun through the crowd toward Mary, the host of the party, waving his hand.
Spotting them, Mary turned from her conversation with friends.
"Michael! Oh, Jaykan! You made it!"
She greeted them warmly, standing up to hug Michael first and then Hong Seok-geun.
"I told Michael, but I honestly didn't expect you to come. I heard you weren't into these things."
"Uh… yeah…"
Feeling a bit out of place in this new environment, Hong Seok-geun stuttered more than usual, but Mary found it endearing and burst out laughing.
"I'm so glad you chose my party for your first experience, Jaykan!"
"Umm, yeah. Thanks for the invitation…"
"Come on, have a seat here. Since I'm the host today, you just need to follow my lead. It's not hard, right?"
"Sure, I'll do that."
Mary gestured for Hong Seok-geun to sit next to her, glancing at Michael and giving him a look.
Michael picked up on her cue and said, "Jaykan, I'll go say hi to some other friends."
Once Michael left, Mary sat down and patted the empty chair beside her.
Naturally, Hong Seok-geun took the spot next to her as she poured champagne into glasses on the table.
"Come on, Jaykan, you need to unwind sometimes. Are you just going to study and go back home? This university is all about connections. Networking comes first, then grades. If you only focus on studying and don't make friends like the others, you'll regret it later, trust me!"
Unlike Hong Seok-geun, who felt awkward, the other friends seemed comfortable in socializing at such events.
As he reminisced about his overly studious past, Mary poured herself some champagne and lifted her glass.
"To Jaykan's first party!"
Wrapped up in the atmosphere, Hong Seok-geun instinctively clinked his glass with hers.
Amidst the attention, he gulped down the full glass of champagne.
His first party experience was delightful, and the night wore on.
* * *
I headed to a traditional Korean restaurant near the Capitol to meet Hong Jin-woo.
Following the manager's guidance, I arrived at the reserved room.
When the door opened, Hong Jin-woo, who had arrived first, was waiting for me.
"Nice to meet you, Representative Hong Jin-woo."
As I greeted him, he stood up with a friendly smile.
"Pleasure to meet you too. I've heard a lot about you, CEO Kim Mu-hyeok."
He extended his hand first. I shook his hand, donning a business smile.
"Likewise, I've heard plenty about you, Representative."
"We shouldn't stand and talk. Let's sit down first."
After a brief handshake, we sat across from each other.
As if he had prepped beforehand, the table was already set with food.
Until someone called in, nobody would be coming through the door.
While this place was frequented by national legislators, it wasn't exactly ideal for secretive discussions.
It was often bustling with journalists keeping an eye on the national assembly members.
He chose this place for our meeting when I had proposed a get-together. It meant he didn't want anything too covert.
"I know you're a busy man, CEO Kim Mu-hyeok. I hear your name even more often than President Yoon Chang-ho. The more I get to know you, the more interesting you seem!"
"I'm just an ordinary person."
"Such humility. The parties of the two main parties have more than two-thirds of the seats in the National Assembly thanks to you. Or perhaps, to be more precise, even the President is wary of you!"
I raised an eyebrow slightly, glancing at him.
Maybe because he was the head of the So-Hong faction, he directly dove into the main topic without the usual political niceties.
It's easier without any pretense to gauge impressions, but how will he tidy this up afterward?
Since he had decided to bypass formalities, I would also throw in my straight shots.
"Did you just say they are wary of me? You're mistaken. President Yoon Chang-ho and I are partners. What I wish to accomplish doesn't conflict with the national interest, so President Yoon doesn't oppose it either. If the President wanted, he could easily cast me aside like a piece of trash!"
Hong Jin-woo nodded in understanding.
"I also believe that what CEO Kim is doing does not pose any threats to the national interest. But we do refer to someone like you as an unofficial power behind the throne. The people elected President Yoon Chang-ho and the members of the National Assembly from the Moderate and Progressive parties. If you secretly pull all the strings without the public knowing, can we correctly label them as the representatives of the people? Wouldn't it be more accurate to call them your representatives instead?"
Is this how it feels when a blade is laced with venom? Hong Jin-woo's words were as sharp as his gaze.
He didn't stop and continued his point.
"If you had used regular means, I might have considered nurturing a good relationship with you. However, long term, a person like you is of no benefit to the country. You are someone who needs to disappear."
I silently listened, realizing he could be quite dismissive.
I wiped the smile off my face in response to his over the line comments.
Maybe it was due to the abrupt change in atmosphere that Hong Jin-woo stopped speaking.
"Who decides that? Who decides that I need to disappear?"
"…"
"When you began your political career, there was a group called the Cheongpung Group. Did you express such thoughts back then? That Cheongpung should be eliminated too?"
Hong Jin-woo merely bit his lip tightly, refusing to respond.
I laughed scornfully, showing my disdain.
"Isn't it funny? You couldn't even muster a word against Cheongpung, but you dare to tell me I should vanish. Do you genuinely believe Cheongpung vanished naturally? If you've done your research, surely you must know: I was the one who crushed Cheongpung! The Conservative Party too; I dismantled them as well. Did that hurt you? Or harm the public? No, the people and the Progressive Party saw gains without suffering losses from my actions."
At the time Hong Jin-woo became an assembly member, Cheongpung Group's influence was still deeply entrenched in Korea.
"Back then…"
"Back then, you were weak, and now you're strong? If you're going to make some flimsy excuses, it would be better if you stayed quiet. What power do you possess? Just a handful of supporting members at most. Nothing noticeably changed. You were perhaps unable to speak against them due to the connections between Cheongpung and Hong Seok Construction. Cheongpung was the very entity that could have ended your political career, right?"
Hong Seok Construction had risen to national prominence solely due to the backing of the military regime.
Without that, how could a company with less competitive strength compared to major firms like Daehyeon Construction or Jungwoo Construction grow?
With the military regime, Hong Seok Construction began with the Gwangju apartment project and continuously secured government contracts.
Even after the regime change and the military dictatorship's downfall, the power of Cheongpung hadn't faded.
Until I broke them down, Korea was ruled by Cheongpung.
Moreover, Hong Jin-woo, the second son of Hong Seok Construction, could not detach himself from this criticism.
"Leading the charge against Hong Seok Construction and liquidating your shares were also actions taken because they hindered your political career, right?"
"CEO Kim Mu-hyeok, please mind your manner…"
"Wasn't it you who first crossed the line? Saying someone should disappear while looking someone in the eye. Do you think I'm someone who can be cast aside by you?"
Why is this guy so hostile toward me? I cannot fathom it.
Meeting Hong Jin-woo's glare, I spoke firmly.
"Let me warn you here: don't even think about using me as bait. "
"Threatening a member of the National Assembly? Do you dare? I don't receive money from you nor do you have any significant dirt on me. CEO Kim Mu-hyeok, what do you think you could possibly do?"
That caught me off guard. A National Assembly member, and yet, he isn't hiding anything to remove a speck of dust from his past.
If he didn't dislike me before, I found him quite likable.
I must admit I was surprised. You're the first person I've met without any weaknesses. While I could pick on some minor flaws in you, I couldn't find anything substantial that would jeopardize your political life. I even respect that. For someone at your level, there must have been numerous temptations, yet you've chosen to keep your sights straight ahead without yielding to those. Your political career is commendable enough to earn applause."
"Hmm. "
Hong Jin-woo awkwardly cleared his throat at the unexpected compliment. Yet the scrutiny in his eyes was persistent; he was thorough.
"To clarify, it's not that there's no way it can be done."
"Are you planning to kill me? Like what you did to the head of Cheongpung?"
Such a simple way to dispose of someone is not an option. The moment my lips twitched, both our phones buzzed simultaneously.
"Excuse me for a moment. It's an important call."
Hong Jin-woo nodded and declined the incoming call on his side.
I retrieved my phone from my pocket. On the screen was a U.S. phone number, beginning with a 1.
"—Come on, Charlie. Please don't ask me for this favor again. I've finished the task."
"Thank you. I won't forget this favor."
While I had a brief conversation, Hong Jin-woo watched his phone as it continued to ring.
Furrowing his brow, I sensed he was torn over whether to answer or not.
"You've kept me waiting long enough. That call seems urgent; shouldn't you take it?"
After finishing my call, I spoke to him, and Hong Jin-woo shook his head, still focused on his phone.
"…No. I can call back later."
"Well, you might want to reconsider. Otherwise, you might regret it later."
Upon seeing his puzzled expression, I smiled faintly, gesturing lightly with my hand, indicating he should answer.
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