Chương 385: Chapter 385: I Don’t Know Who You Are
In the eyes of Daigo Tadashige, observing me, there was a hint of interest.
Though I didn't openly show it, I was just as keen to study him.
'He looks like he could snap my neck at any moment…'
Daigo Tadashige appeared frail enough to lean on a cane.
He was small in stature, and age had etched deep wrinkles into his face.
Yet, his eyes burned with life.
"Why are you so wary?"
Noticing my scrutinizing gaze, Daigo Tadashige spoke up first.
"Isn't it odd not to be suspicious? If a stranger knows both you and Han Gyeong-yeong so well, anyone would be on guard."
I glanced around before responding nonchalantly.
"Besides, as soon as you entered, everyone else in the restaurant vanished without a trace. Should I really take that as coincidence?"
As Han Gyeong-yeong left the restaurant, one by one, the other patrons slipped away too.
It was definitely not a coincidence.
Either Li's influence was greater than I expected, or he had deliberately filled this area with his people from the start. It had to be one or the other.
"Heh, but I feel a bit sad about how on guard you are. I just wished to meet the successor of Cheon Tae-san, whose legacy I havly heard about briefly."
An unexpected name made my body stiffen involuntarily.
Had Li ever met this guy?
"Do you know my grandfather?"
"In my youth, I met him several times, along with Godama Yoshio. Is it alright if I speak freely? After all, you and I share a connection through your grandfather."
"… Let's go with that."
For him to ask to speak informally meant he saw me as an inferior. But that wasn't what mattered right now.
This was an opportunity to learn more about my grandfather.
Others might brush it off, but knowing about him was significant to me.
"Let's have some tea and talk."
Daigo Tadashige raised his hand and called for someone.
"Bring two cups of warm tea."
"Yes, Chairman."
Chairman… He had to know how much I disliked the Dae Dong-hui, yet he showed no io intention of hiding it.
"Where did we leave off?"
"You mentioned a brief relationship with my grandfather."
"Yes, yes. I first met the Chairman of Cheon Tae-san in Korea—was it 196 1964…?"
Daigo Tadashige paused, rifling through his memory.
"Oh, now I remember. It was when I visited Korea with Godama Yoshio for the first time. I was young back then."
Feigning ignorance toward Godama Yoshio, I asked.
"Who is Godama Yoshio?"
"You don't know him?"
"Should I know him? I don't recognize the name."
Seeing Daigo Tadashige frown, apparently displeased, I couldn't help but stifle a chuckle inside.
Before I even understood what the Dae Dong-hui was, I had never ev even heard their names.
It was ridiculous to think I, not a Korean, should know of a Japanese person, especially one who died decades ago.
It was an arrogant assumption. They might venerate him, but to me, he represented a reviled lineage.
"I don't care about others, but it's essential to know your family's wealth largely came from the funds that man lent to your grandfather. So you should be aware of him, shouldn't you?"
"…"
What kind of nonsense was this? My expression hardened before I realized it.
Daigo Tadashige seized the moment and pressed on with even sharper digs.
"Are you saying your grandfather conquered Korea's loan shark market by sheer will?"
"I believe he started from scratch. After Japan's defeat, he amassed capital by buying up the abandoned properties that Japanese left behind."
"Ha! Where do you think the funding to seize all those properties came from? You're talking about hundreds, even thousands of them!"
It required a staggering amount of money to take over the loan shark market.
My grandfather had never disclosed the source of those funds.
Could Li's claims be true? I listened quietly to his words without offering any response.
"That money was lent to him by Godama Yoshio. The Chairman of Cheon Tae-san turned that into grwealth. Even he wasn't expecting it; he simply lent it out because he was charmed by the vigor of a young man and then forgot all about it."
A man who seemed to be Daigo Tadashige's secretary entered, holding two cups and a teapot.
After placing the cups in front of us, the secretary poured warm tea into each cup.
The well-mannered secretary gave a slight bow before retreating.
Daigo Tadashige lifted his teacup and continued.
"By the time I returned to Korea with that young man, he had already established himself as a major player in the Korean loan shark market. That was when I met him for the first time, on this visit to foster diplomatic ties between Japan and Korea."
My grandfather had never mentioned anything like this to me.
Neither in this life nor in the last.
"Is that so? I had no idea."
"Back then, you see, there was Chairman Seo of Il-seong Group, Chairman Song of Daehyeon, and Chairman Cheon of Myeong-dong… They all got along well, helping each other out. Of course, it was the same with Japan."
"What are you trying to say?"
"Why exactly are you so hostile toward Japan and the Il-seong Group? That's why I'm curious about you."
So he wasn't here due to my rendezvous with Koizumi.
I feigned ignorance and retorted.
"Why should I tell you about that?"
"You'll gratify this old man's curiosity. Then I'll present you with a gift. How about it? Will you share that with me?"
A gift…? What could it be?
He wasn't one to engage in idle chit-chat; I decided to speak calmly.
"Do you know about a group called the Cheongpung Group?"
Daigo Tadashige nodded slightly in agreement.
Of course, he would know. They were descendants of pro-Japanese collaborators.
"I had a dispute with them. You likely already know this. Anyway, after I defeated them, I discovered the Yakuza were behind it all. So I confronted them too."
Daigo Tadashige sighed softly but seemed intrigued.
Reading his intent to prompt me, I continued speaking.
"And then, my people were attacked by the Japanese Yakuza. So I retaliated. They provoked me first, so I simply returned the favor. The same goes for Il-seong. There are no ulterior motives here."
I was just summarizing information he already knew. He simply wanted to hear this from my own mouth.
"Ha! You do have to repay once you've been hit. That's the Samurai spirit, isn't it? I like that."
As expected, he laughed heartily. The Samurai spirit… what an amusing notion.
"Good! Just as I thought! You are just like I perceived you!"
"…"
After laughing for a while, Daigo Tadashige let his smile relax.
His amiable demeanor cloaked a serious intent in his eyes.
"Interesting. It's truly fascinating to see someone like you emerge from Korea. If you had been born in Japan, I would have considered making you my successor."
After he said that, he drained his cold tea in one go and slammed the cup down.
And just like that, the smile vanished from his face.
"But let's end it here. Why don't you leave your foolish rampages for your youth? I won't be able to let you off the hook forever."
His voice turned cold, and his gaze sharpened.
This was a demeanor befitting the leader of the Dae Dong-hui, known as Japan's ds dark shadow.
If a voice could kill, this must be how it would feel.
"What happens if I don't stop? That sounds like a threat to me."
If I withdrew now, death would be my only option. I shot back, matching his cold tone.
"I've never backed down before. If blood must be shed, then I'm ready for that too. So your flimsy threats won't work on me."
Daigo Tadashige stared me down, a murderous glint in his eyes, but I didn't flinch away.
I simply held his gaze, lifting my teacup to my lips.
The cold tea moistened my dry lips.
"I won't initiate an attack unless provoked. Even now, we are not joining in on the hedge funds targeting Japan."
"…"
"I'm too busy to care about trivial matters like this. It's not worth my time to engage with Japan. At least it isn't to me."
As I finished speaking, a smile lingered at the corner of my mouth. While I sipped my tea, Daigo Tadashige merely continued to glare at me in silence.
"You're quite an amusing friend. To dare speak to me like that; not even Chairman Cheon talked to me that way. Well, he too ended up with a less-than-pleasant conclusion."
Thoughts of my grandfather's end ignited a flare of rage within me.
He must be saying these things to provoke me. Remaining unyielding, I calmly warned him.
"Be careful with your words."
"Hehe, you're certainly fearless. Do you know who I am?"
"What of it?"
"…Alright then. I just came to reminisce about the past, let's leave it at that."
Surprisingly, Daigo Tadashige backed down first.
Continuing this way would lead to my defeat. I too decided to ease up.
"…I apologize if my actions were rude."
Daigo Tadashige waved it off casually.
"No need for that. I provoked you first. Please understand. I've become unable to contain my pride as I've aged. I misjudged you, so it's only fair that I allow you to have the last laugh."
"…"
"I'll take my leave now."
Even when lowering his tone, Daigo Tadashige couldn't mask his discomfort.
Maybe it was my dismissive remarks about Japan or perhaps I hadn't given the response he had hoped for.
"Oh, wait. I need to give you the promised gift."
"A gift? There's really no need."
"I must give it to you as promised. It may not be a grand gift, but I think you might not like it. You should stay away from Korea for a while. That'll be the best way to keep yourself safe. Don't dismiss my advice lightly. Farewell for now."
Without waiting for my response, Daigo Tadashige turned and left.
I rose to see him off, waiting until he was out of view before returning to my seat.
"Hah…"
I pulled down my tie and let out a long sigh.
Taking deep breaths to calm the murderous intent swirling inside my mind.
Manager Ma brought fresh cool water and set it in front of me.
After downing the cold water in one go, I finally felt somewhat relieved.
"What do you think of him, Manager?"
Since the bodyguards were also occupied, Manager Ma hadn't heard any of our conversation.
To shift the mood, I asked Manager Ma, who had a good eye for people, for his first impressions of Daigo Tadashige.
"I can't say for sure. He seems like a tough one to read."
I nodded slightly. I hadn't managed to grasp him well either, so it would be difficult for Manager Ma.
"He suggested I leave Korea. If I hadn't learned of his connections, I might have considered that nonsense…"
Had he forged a rather deep connection with my grandfather? If not, then there would be no reason for him to offer such advice.
This unintended meeting tangled my thoughts further.
At the same time, it solidified my resolve to have nothing to do with Dae Dong-hui or Daigo Tadashige.ge.
By afternoon, I arrived at Yokohama International Stadium with Han Gyeong-yeong for the finals.
It seemed many Koreans had shown up to support the game. I passed through them to enter the stadium.
Moving to the section where VIPs watched, the stadium had two levels.
By now, many guests had arrived, including the President of Brazil and other dignitaries.
I spotted Koizumi deep in conversation with the Brazilian president. Our eyes briefly met.
Bowing my head, I greeted him softly, and Koizumi returned a slight nod.
Scanning the room, I noticed Song Chan-hyeok and Roman having a hat in the distance.
I approached them to extend my greetings.
"Senator Song."
The two men turned their heads toward me, having been engrossed in their conversation.
"Boss Kim, it's been a while."
Song Chan-hyeok genuinely welcomed e, completely different from how things were before.
As I finished greetings with Song Chan-hyeok, Roman also welcome me warmly.
"Charlie, welcome!"
"Yes, Roman."
After exchanging pleasantries with Roman, I took my seat.
While having some light conversation with the two, the closing ceremony commenced.
Once the ceremony concluded, the players finally began to enter.
The legendary Brazilian Dream Team, boasting Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho, walked in alongside the Korean national team, who were rewriting history.
And then, in the heart of Japan, the Korean national anthem began to resonate.
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