Chương 378: Chapter 378: Can You Do This Much?
A day had passed, but the governor of the Industrial Bank had yet to make an appearance.
"So Baek Seong-jin also doesn't know who ordered it?"
Eva entered wearily to report. Her face involuntarily hardened.
"Governor Heo isn't from Mofia. They say he parachuted in as governor and doesn't have a good relationship with the Mofia."
"That's possible. But no matter how you look at it, he's still the governor of a national bank, right? Does he really approve something without consulting the bureaucrats? Even if he did approve it, wouldn't the Mofia contacts have reached out to us before any loans went out?"
"…I'm sorry. I must have been too complacent. I relied too much on the Mofia."
She had questioned things, but the guilt in Eva's voice made my heart uneasy.
"Eva, I'm not blaming you."
"I know. I know… Still."
"So what's the reason we weren't informed and the loans went out immediately?"
"Governor Heo excluded the Mofia and approved the loans through his direct subordinates and staff. The Mofia executives only found out afterward, and by then, they said it would be too difficult to recall the loans. There's enough justification for it, after all."
No matter how precarious the situation, Il-seong Group was still among the top five companies in Korea.
Moreover, if even a single credit card company collapsed, it would trigger a chain reaction, so there were plenty of reasons to push those loans through.
"I understand. Don't be too hard on yourself."
"I won't make this mistake again."
"It's okay. I was also careless. I put too much trust in Kim Hak-gwon."
"It wasn't President Kim Hak-gwon's orders."
"I think so too. But then who could it be… Governor Heo may have accepted a bribe from Il-seong, or there could be another reason altogether."
Honestly, I hoped it was anything but the latter. If he had indeed taken a bribe from Il-seong and pushed those loans through, at least that would settle my mind.
Now, waiting for Manager Ma to catch Governor Heo was our only option.
"For now, you should go back and start investigating Il-seong Group. I think we should consider a hostile takeover as well."
"Okay, Boss."
Eva stood up and grabbed the doorknob to leave the study.
"Eva."
I called out to her just before she could leave. She turned back to look at me.
"You've done well so far. So don't be too hard on yourself. I believe in you."
Eva hesitated for a moment, then responded, her eyes glistening faintly with moisture.
"Can I continue to count on your trust?"
"Of course, Boss. Please trust me."
Only then did Eva smile brightly and open the door to leave.
But as I continued to worry about her, I thought about whether I should engage in more conversation, only to shake my head.
It wouldn't be a good atmosphere when Manager Ma brought in Heo Geun-yong, so it was better to send her off now.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Then I checked the materials on Heaven Church laid out before me, waiting for Manager Ma.
The more I researched, the more fascinating it seemed.
Although it was a religion with a Korean as its leader, it was more well-known abroad than in Korea.
It was also known for having congregants hold joint wedding ceremonies in special, unique ways.
Once the church designated a spouse, the members accepted it without hesitation.
Last year, they even rented the entire UN headquarters to hold joint wedding ceremonies in front of thousands, inviting UN representatives from various countries and leaders from other religions.
'Renting the entire UN headquarters?'
This demonstrated the influence of Heaven Church and how one fact often revealed a wealth of information.
Thanks to the donations from numerous congregants and income from businesses, the church lobbied effectively in both domestic and international political realms, wielding significant influence in Korea, the U.S., and Japan.
Both traditional Catholicism and Protestantism condemned them as heretics.
It's just ridiculous. Has there ever been only one or two monsters wearing the mask of religion up until now?
"Religion is merely religion, after all."
At any rate, Han Seong-jin might be an impressive figure, but his family was a mess.
All three sons were nothing but unruly bastards, and even their spouses were a spectacle.
I found an opportunity for leverage in their inability to decide on a successor.
As Myung-hoon mentioned, getting entangled with a religion would not be good.
But what if I could shake up their succession structures and redirect their focus elsewhere?
If I could further divide that religious organization into multiple factions?
Eliminating the threat would be a certainty.
Even if I didn't eliminate it, I could sow the seeds of discord within their ranks.
I put down the materials and fell deep in thought.
'Han Hyeon-jin, the eldest son, and Han Hyeon-woo, the second, don't get along, while Han Hyeon-su, the youngest, cares more for business than religion…'
I spent time contemplating how to incite internal conflict.
However, even as the day wore on, I couldn't come up with a solid plan.
It seemed I would need to meet one of them first to make a decision.
While I was lost in thought, a knock on the door snapped me back to reality.
The person who walked in after I opened the door was Manager Ma.
"Ah, you were looking for me?"
"Yes, I'm bringing him here now."
I nodded slightly. Judging by how long it took, he had been hiding quite well.
"Where was he?"
"He was at a private vacation home in Gangneung."
"Was there any resistance?"
"There was a brief scuffle, but it was subdued quickly. They said he would arrive in about two hours."
I smiled faintly.
"Alright. When he gets here, bring him to me. Please have the drinks ready on time."
About two hours later, Heo Geun-yong was dragged in by his subordinates.
I had expected some injuries from that little incident, but thankfully, he bore no visible wounds on his face.
He seemed to walk with some discomfort, hinting at injuries that weren't immediately visible.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kim Mu-hyeok. This is our first eeting, right?"
"…"
"Please take a seat. You've had quite the ordeal to get here."
I sat down without waiting for Heo Geun-yong to respond.
Heo Geun-yong remained frozen in place, standing until now.
"What are you doing? I told you to sit."
I urged with a wave of my hand. Only then did Heo Geun-yong limp toward the seat.
As I filled my glass with ice, I spoke.
"You came here when Grandfather was alive, right?"
"…"
"Well, if you'd rather not say, that's fine."
I filled my own glass with whiskey and then poured it into the glass with ice, presenting it to Heo Geun-yong.
"Have a drink."
Heo Geun-yong still said nothing, simply gazing at my face.
I smiled as I raised the corners of my mouth.
"It hurts my arm. Just take it already."
Reluctantly, Heo Geun-yong lifted the glass to drink.
Watching him silently hold the drink, I slowly swirled my glass.
The only sound breaking the silence was the ice clinking against the glass.
Once the ice had melted somewhat, I took a sip of whiskey and opened my mouth.
"Our governor is engaged in quite an interesting endeavor. Apparently, he approved a loan for Il-seong Group without anyone knowing? He suddenly gave approval, then coincidentally went on vacation to Gangneung."
"…"
"And the Blue House knows nothing about it, the Mofia executives are clueless, and even the bureaucrats are in the dark… Why on earth did our Governor Heo act this way?"
Heo Geun-yong remained silent until the end.
"Have you locked your lips shut or what? Why so quiet?"
"Hey, Boss Kim."
Finally, Heo Geun-yong spoke, though his words weren't to my liking.
"What a blatant display of rudeness this is."
"Rude, you say?"
"Yes. Though this is our first meeting, your behavior is completely unacceptable. If you want to meet someone, isn't it common courtesy to contact them first, arrange an appointment, and set a schedule?"
I let out a small snort. I had never seen a rude person who critiqued the lack of courtesy in others.
"But you were unreachable. So I had no choice but to resort to physical means."
"That's kidnapping! Especially considering I'm the governor of the Industrial Bank! Are you capable of handling the consequences?"
Heo Geun-yong maintained a condescending tone, as if lecturing a subordinate.
"Just send me back. Then this matter will be forgotten."
"Sure, I will. Just clear my curiosity and I'll let you go. Can you do that much?"
"…"
"Not answering again, huh?"
I clicked my tongue softly, finishing my whiskey in a gulp.
"Governor Heo, let's have a civilized conversation, shall we?"
"I have no conversation to share with you."
"Did you receive any money from Il-seong Group? Is that why you approved it?"
I asked while observing Heo Geun-yong's reaction.
"Or did someone give you orders?"
But Heo Geun-yong's face remained impassive. Shouldn't a person answer when spoken to? Or was I simply talking to a wall?
"If you keep this up, I'll have no choice but to take you down to the basement."
"What?"
"If that happens, don't expect humane treatment. My subordinates can be rather rough, you know? I heard you've experienced torture with Central Intelligence before, so you're not afraid of this, right?"
"…"
"Back then, you were young. But now you're older. Let's not push our luck. If you provide me the information I want, I'll return you safely."
My words were clearly meant as a threat, yet I smiled even more brightly.
"I don't know what you think of me, but many people misunderstand. They believe I am constrained by the public eye and that it limits my actions."
"…"
"But here's the thing. I'm not afraid of that at all. In fact, I'm trying not to care. Congratulations, Governor, it seems you're the first signal in that regard."
"You…"
As Heo Geun-yong's lips twitched, I interrupted him.
"No matter what you've heard about me, it's best to erase it from your mind. Since this is your first and last chance, I'll give you an opportunity."
I opened a drawer next to me and pulled out a file, tossing it in front of Heo Geun-yong.
"Take a look. It's been a while since you've seen your son in the U.S., right? But did you know? Your son is a drug addict."
"What?"
Heo Geun-yong's face turned pale as his eyes widened in disbelief, fumbling to open the file.
The first photo showed his son, high on drugs, staring blankly into space. That was the moment I saw Heo Geun-yong's composure shatter.
"If I call right now, your son will be arrested by the FBI. You do know that drug-related offenses are severe in the U.S., right? Back in Korea, he could navigate his way out of it being a first-time offense, but here? Not a chance. Plus, he's holding a massive quantity of drugs on him."
"…"
"By the way, I heard your daughter's getting married next month…"
I trailed off, pouring more whiskey into my glass.
"Do you think the groom's family knows about this? What if they find out that your daughter frequently visited obstetrics during her university years?"
"H-how do you know that?"
I didn't answer. I simply swirled my drink in my hand.
I could see Heo Geun-yong's face growing pale as it came into view over the rim of the glass.
"Do you still refuse to answer my questions?"
Heo Geun-yong's hands trembled slightly as he held the file.
"I mentioned this is your final chance. I won't give you a long wait. You have until I finish this drink to respond. If you don't answer by then, I'll send you down to the basement. At the same time, the news of your daughter's abortion will leak, and your son will be arrested by the FBI."
Heo Geun-yong remained silent. It seemed he had no intention of answering.
I didn't press further and emptied my drink. Then I pressed the bell next to me to summon Manager Ma.
When Manager Ma opened the door, I pointed to Heo Geun-yong.
"Take him down below and get everything he knows. Also, contact the FBI and send over any information regarding his son. I'll handle the info about the daughter and her bridegroom myself."
"Yes, Boss."
As Manager Ma raised his hand, his subordinates entered the study from behind.
"You're a rare breed in this day and age, aren't you? Dying for loyalty…"
As I grinned, Heo Geun-yong looked at me, his head lifted.
It was amusing to see him gaze at me while being dragged away by my subordinates, his interest never leaving me.
Had he seen the sincerity in my eyes? Heo Geun-yong spoke desperately.
"I'll tell you everything. P-please…"
"Too late."
"It was President Choi Seon-man's orders."
"…"
"Please… Boss Kim…"
As the name I had expected was finally spoken, I barely contained a sigh.
"Now are you ready to talk?"
Heo Geun-yong nodded vigorously.
"Let me go."
The subordinates released their grip on his arms as per my instruction.
"Come back and sit down."
Perhaps his legs had gone numb, Heo Geun-yong nearly collapsed as he hurried back to the sofa.
"For now, have a drink."
I gestured toward the glass in front of him.
Without hesitation, Heo Geun-yong downed the whiskey I had poured earlier.
A satisfied smile crept onto my face. Finally, he seemed ready for a real conversation.
I crossed my legs and looked at Heo Geun-yong.
"Why is Choi Seon-man suddenly involved with Il-seong Group's loan? Explain it to me so I can understand."
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