Capítulo 651: Chapter 651: Three Requests
If you asked the people of Korea to choose between a chaebol and the president, most would probably pick the chaebol, don't you think?
Sure, if they have grand aspirations, they might dream of being a politician and becoming president, but otherwise, they'd likely want to be a chaebol, living in luxury.
It's said that flowers don't bloom for ten days and power doesn't endure for ten years, but in our country, presidents often have a rather unfortunate fate.
On the other hand, even through the harsh military regimes and civil governments, chaebols have enjoyed the kind of power that rivals kings in their own little kingdoms.
It's in the business world where power remains intact and flowers don't wither.
"Was I wrong in my assumption?"
"That's not the whole truth, but you're correct about one of the reasons."
"I see you also have some ambitions of your own."
My small praise seemed to be taken as sarcastic, as Hong Jin-woo's expression tightened a bit.
"However, wealth and power can't go hand in hand. The public won't allow that. You'll have to choose one or the other."
"Hoseok Construction isn't quite a chaebol-sized company, is it?"
Well, it does feel a bit embarrassing to call it a chaebol.
That said, Hoseok Construction was far from a small company. In fact, sometimes companies like Hoseok can be better than many big corporations.
As a private company, they had no need to worry about shareholders' opinions, and most construction projects in Honam were managed by Hoseok Construction.
It's not that major construction firms in Seoul had no desire to build apartments in Honam; even if they did, they couldn't be sure to outdo the regional giants like Hoseok Construction.
"It's a private company. I transferred all my shares to my brother. What makes you think you can take it?"
Taking control of a private company is a tough battle.
Most shares of Hoseok Construction belong to Hong Jin-woo's father, Chairman Hong Jung-pil.
Chairman Hong's decisions ultimately determine the next chairman's fate.
Being over eighty years old, he would naturally prioritize the firstborn's succession. Even if that firstborn is a useless slacker.
Hong Jin-woo might seem more capable in some ways, but what can you do? That's how his father's heart lies.
Knowing this, Hong Jin-woo seemed to feign a clean break. Once the inheritance is settled, he'd lose everything.
Maybe he's setting himself up as a potential competitor to ultimately bring down Hoseok Construction?
"Power can accomplish anything."
Power can indeed do anything, it seemed tinged with an eerie chill.
Now I catch a glimpse of this person's true nature.
"I'm done asking questions."
"So, will you save my son now?"
Don't even think about it. I shook my head.
"While you're in politics, I'll make three requests of you. If you promise to grant them, I'll lend a hand to save your son."
"Three requests…"
"As long as you're not against me, I won't interfere with whatever politics you pursue. Just don't oppose me or attack me directly. I have enough on my plate without wasting time on petty issues."
I was taking this irritating route to stomp on anyone who might stand in my way someday.
He read the obvious annoyance in my tone and nodded, then asked.
"When will you make these requests?"
"That's uncertain. I might not ever make them. Who knows if you'll find yourself in a position to fulfill my requests? But if I do ask, you must comply without question."
Stuck on my vague terms, Hong Jin-woo hesitated for a long moment before finally speaking.
"Am I allowed to refuse a request?"
I thought he was wrestling with a big decision. He should speak reasonably.
I couldn't help but chuckle, and feeling embarrassed, Hong Jin-woo's face turned bright red.
"Representative, we are negotiating. I'm offering to help you solve a pressing issue by looking at your future; do you really think I can just walk away from it?"
"How can I agree to something I don't even know about?"
"I have no way of knowing this either. It might conflict with my beliefs. Still, you have to comply. Isn't it urgent for you? You decide whether to accept this deal or walk away. I'm just suggesting it—the choice is yours. But, ultimately, you bear the responsibility."
"…Alright, let's do it that way."
Ultimately, he chose the path of saving his son.
Nodding, I sent a glance to Manager Ma, and he picked up the phone, calling someone.
A moment later, once the call connected, Manager Ma placed the phone down before me.
I pressed the speaker button so everyone could hear and said.
"Jessica. It's Charlie. We're on speaker mode, and Congressman Hong Jin-woo is here with us."
— Charlie!
"I reached out because of the Hong Seok-geun case."
— I was waiting for your call, Charlie. It's becoming hard to contain. I think the media is about to break this story soon; even higher-ups are aware of it now.
Hearing Jessica's reply, color drained from Hong Jin-woo's face.
If this news reached the media, it would spell the end of Hong Jin-woo's political career.
No, his political life aside, it would completely end Hong Seok-geun's life.
"No…"
Hong Jin-woo was about to say something, but I raised my hand to stop him.
"Jessica, can we cover this up?"
— … Charlie, do you realize how dangerous that request is? It's like asking me to lay my life on the line.
"In return, I'll grant you one request, no matter what it is. I always keep my promises; you know this, Jessica, don't you?"
— What's motivating you to go this far? Is Congressman Hong Jin-woo that important to you?
I glanced at Hong Jin-woo, whose complexion had turned as pale as paper.
"I'll determine whether he's important or not through observation. First, I need to keep him alive to make a judgment."
— Hah. Even if it's Charlie's request, covering this up won't be easy. If it were a simple drug case, we could manage, but this is linked to Al-Qaeda's funding. I can't simply brush this aside on my own authority.
Listening further would only lead to the same repeated arguments. I cut her off.
"Jessica, that's why I'm making this 'request.' When have you seen me asking for favors instead of negotiating? I've always conducted business this way. I understand how unreasonable this request is—that's precisely why I'm asking."
— Hmm. Charlie, this is really…
"What's the issue? This hasn't been made public yet, and among the higher-ups, the only person who knows is your superior, isn't it? Given this situation, covering it up should be very feasible. The link to Al-Qaeda isn't solidified yet either."
— All evidence and testimonies are pointing towards Mr. Hong. If this goes to court, a guilty verdict is guaranteed.
As Jessica confirmed a guilty verdict it was evident that Hong Jin-woo was growing increasingly anxious.
Her words about a guaranteed guilty verdict must have shaken his confidence.
"Is there really no way out of this? What do you want?"
— … Are you serious about fulfilling any request? How could I possibly know what to ask?
"Have I ever lied?"
— You're sincere about this, Charlie. Alright, can I contact you later? I need to speak with my superiors. I doubt there'll be much backlash against your request, considering who you are, but it might turn out to be larger than you expect.
"How long will it take?"
— I'll get back to you within 30 minutes.
With that, I ended my call with Jessica.
"What's your prediction on how this will turn out?"
As soon as I hung up, Hong Jin-woo asked.
"First, let's wait and see what happens. I said I'd grant any request, so it'll be hard for them to just overlook it."
"… Is that really the case?"
In disbelief, Hong Jin-woo seemed unconvinced and asked.
"Is it really possible for Chairman Kim to grant any request? That the Department of Homeland Security would cover up such an event?"
Of course he couldn't believe it. It was already somewhat agreed upon.
In everyday circumstances, it would have been absurd, but since Jessica had already laid some groundwork with the higher-ups, this operation was feasible.
If it wasn't, then it would have been hard, no matter how influential I was.
"The hardest area of politics for me has been foreign relations. Everyone's too keen on bargaining for their nation's interests. Do you think the Department of Homeland Security would simply take the helpline from Chairman Kim?"
When I fell silent, Hong Jin-woo kept pressing for answers. It was evident he was quite agitated.
"Saying that you'd grant any request holds more weight than you realize. It's no different than a blank check. They have no reason to turn it down if they can take advantage of me."
"… How could that happen?"
Hong Jin-woo's question hinted at an underlying fear.
It's perfectly natural to react this way when witnessing a situation that's hard to fathom.
"Money, information, and various special connections have intertwined to create this situation. Of course, I can't make such requests repeatedly. Keep in mind that both I and the Department of Homeland Security bear a significant burden. If you're a politician with extensive experience, you're bound to know that this isn't a common occurrence, especially in the U.S."
"I understand."
"Good. Know that I'm aware it may be a stretch. And never even consider refusing my request later on. You may hide it, but you can't completely erase the facts."
After issuing my last warning that the initiative was mine, I awaited Jessica's contact.
Hong Jin-woo seemed to withhold comments to collect his thoughts.
Suddenly, the ringtone from my phone shattered the tense silence.
Hong Jin-woo quickly focused his gaze on my phone.
I lifted my phone, placing it to my ear.
— Charlie, it's Jessica.
"What's the update? What are they saying up high?"
— The situation has become a bit complicated.
I narrowed my brow.
Hadn't we covered everything by now? Why was it suddenly complicated?
"What do you mean? How is it complicated now?"
Unable to hear Jessica's voice, Hong Jin-woo reacted to each of my words.
— The DEA has intervened, demanding that this matter is handed over to them.
"What the… "
— Upon investigation, this drug seems to be cocaine smuggled in from Mexico. I think they want to catch the cartel using this smuggling route.
I glanced at Hong Jin-woo. It was clear they were trying to tighten the net around him by bringing drugs into the picture, but this could get troublesome.
"How did it spiral out of control like this?"
If the DEA started being unreasonable, there would be no escape.
Despite being a law enforcement agency, they were famous for launching operations without warrants, and would take drastic measures.
— Ah… I'm sorry.
"So, what does that imply?"
— How about helping the DEA with their investigation?
"Help the DEA?"
— Yes. Could you act as a link to the Mexican drug cartel?
You must be kidding. My voice unconsciously rose at the absurdity.
"You want me to take on that dangerous task?"
There's no criminal organization more dangerous than a drug cartel.
Especially the Mexican drug cartels had enormous influence, even capable of controlling the government and causing havoc.
"I don't want to get entangled with the Mexican drug cartels."
At the mention of the Mexican drug cartel, Hong Jin-woo's eyes widened.
I'd rather back out of this deal than get mixed up with them.
— Charlie, just calm down. It's not about getting directly involved with them.
"But didn't you just say I should be their link? What exactly do you need from me?"
— I don't have all the details yet. However, it's not going to be that dangerous. We wouldn't let you get caught up in something risky.
"If I refuse, what happens next?"
— We might be able to cover up the Al-Qaeda case, but regarding drugs, that's out of our hands.
"Ah…"
If I refused, it would surely mean this news would break, and Hong Seok-geun would end up in prison—what a tangled web we weave.
Setting my phone down for a moment, I sighed deeply, causing Hong Jin-woo to jump and ask.
"Is everything falling apart?"
"For now, I think we can cover up the Al-Qaeda connection."
Hong Jin-woo perked up and asked.
"Is that truly the case?"
I nodded, but we weren't out of the woods just yet.
"However, the situation has become complicated. The DEA insists the case must be handed over to them."
"What happens when that occurs?"
"The DEA isn't a body that can be bribed. Just a drug possession charge could put him behind bars for years."
The spark of hope that returned to Hong Jin-woo's face faded back to pallor.
He opened his mouth as if preparing to speak, but I prioritized wrapping up my conversation with Jessica.
Raising my hand for silence, I picked up my phone again.
"Wrap this up for me. If the DEA makes excessive demands, do everything you can to help them. But above all, my safety comes first. Make sure they understand I won't get involved directly with the drug cartel."
— Of course. We wouldn't let Charlie take unnecessary risks. No matter who it is, they can't disregard us.
Jessica's gentle words made me smirk involuntarily.
What nonsense. They'd toss you aside without a second thought if you ever became useless.
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