章節 99: Chapter 99: I’ll Do My Best to Stop You
The Yamaguchi-gumi was a coalition of various organizations.
In its entire history, the only time leadership was passed to a son was with its first boss, Yamaguchi.
Since then, it had never been inherited by direct descendants. Instead, handing over the leadership to the head of another organization became a tradition.
Watanabe Saoru was chosen as the successor, thanks to his exceptional political skills and charisma.
He was also infamous for ruthlessly killing anyone who defied him.
It would be wise to meet. Wouldn't it be better to resolve things through conversation?
I had never met him before.
I hesitated for a moment, but I had no reason to avoid him.
"Alright, where should we meet?"
Let's meet in Myeong-dong this evening.
Was he trying to show his confidence?
His suggestion to meet in Myeong-dong, a place that could almost be considered enemy territory for him, hinted at his personality.
"Alright, let's meet at Myeong-dong Hotel at 6 PM."
Sounds good. I look forward to our meeting.
After hanging up, I turned to Manager Ma.
"Manager, I've got a meeting at Myeong-dong Hotel this evening. Prepare the area ahead of time and inform the Dong-soo faction."
"Yes, Boss."
Manager Ma quickly bowed and left the room.
Left alone, I began pondering why Watanabe had suddenly asked to meet me.
'Why now? We've never had any interactions before. Is he planning to get rid of me while he has the chance?'
I ran through various scenarios in my mind, simulating different outcomes, but nothing concrete came to mind.
That evening, I arrived at the hotel where we were supposed to meet.
Bold as ever, Watanabe had arrived early and already booked a room.
I went straight up without calling ahead, but he calmly opened the door for me.
"Welcome, Mr. Kim Mu-hyeok."
My first impression of Watanabe? He looked like a businessman.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Watanabe."
There was a sharp-looking man who seemed to be a bodyguard, but no one else was around.
"It's an honor to meet the owner of Myeong-dong like this."
As soon as we sat down, he smiled warmly and flattered me.
"I didn't expect to meet the heir to Japan's underworld."
"Haha, nothing's decided yet."
"But isn't it all but official?"
"You say you don't know much about me, but you seem well-informed. Shall we get to the point?"
I nodded, and Watanabe smiled deeply.
"We plan to enter the Korean loan market. We were going to meet with Chairman Cheon, but I heard you've already taken over most of his territory."
"The Chairman is still in good health."
Watanabe didn't argue but continued speaking with a casual expression.
"I'd prefer to move past old grievances and compete peacefully. There's no need for unnecessary bloodshed, is there?"
"That sounds like you're asking me to give up my territory. Should I take that as permission to enter Japan's loan market in return?"
"Hmm… there's not much to gain in Japan. The government has strict interest rate laws, and with the Anti-Organized Crime Law, even illegal collections are tough. But Korea is different, isn't it?"
There was a subtle hint of disdain toward the Korean government in his words.
I could understand his point, but that didn't mean I liked it.
"True, but why should I hand over the Korean market to you? It's a market I can handle alone. Would you give it up if you were in my position?"
"Hahaha!"
Watanabe laughed loudly before his expression turned cold.
"I don't mind a fight. Are you sure you can handle it? You seem to be underestimating Japan's power, or more specifically, my power. I always get what I want, whether it was a hundred years ago or now."
I smiled back.
"A hundred years ago? You're still clinging to old ghosts. Come at me anytime. I'll do my best to stop you."
Watanabe's face hardened.
Despite his calm demeanor, he was still the heir to Japan's largest crime syndicate.
"So, negotiations have broken down."
"Was there ever a chance for negotiation?"
"I thought you'd be more reasonable than Chairman Cheon, but I guess not. It was nice meeting you, though I doubt we'll be smiling the next time we meet."
I shook the hand Watanabe extended.
"We're not exactly in a position to smile, are we? Not with the relationship between Cheongpung Group and me. Still, it was a pleasure."
We shook hands with smiles on our faces, but the strength in our grips and the looks in our eyes said otherwise.
"I'll be sending you a gift soon. Look forward to it."
That's what Watanabe said before we parted.
On the way home, his words kept echoing in my mind.
'A gift, huh.'
I had no idea what he was planning, but an uneasy feeling crept over me.
"Manager, send Black Bear Team 1 to Busan immediately. Once we've finished selecting new domestic personnel, send them back. I'm getting a bad feeling about this."
If he were to target someone close to me, Grandma would be the easiest target.
"Won't this inconvenience her?"
"I'll call her. It can't be helped until this is over, even if it's uncomfortable."
"Understood. I'll make sure to minimize the inconvenience while we finish selecting the domestic team."
"Alright."
I stared out the window, trying to calm my restless thoughts.
The red light of the traffic signal blurred into the night.
* * *
Supreme Prosecutors' Office
Chairman Park Dae-ho sat in a chair, looking noticeably gaunt as he spoke with his lawyer.
"What's the situation out there?"
"Like wolves, domestic conglomerates and even foreign private equity firms are circling, waiting to pick apart Jungwoo Group. The government is also deeply considering the matter."
"Have you contacted the Blue House?"
"Yes, but the Secretary's Office hasn't given a clear response."
Park Dae-ho let out a deep sigh, as if the ground beneath him had collapsed.
"What about the bail application?"
"We submitted it, but it's unlikely to be approved. The prosecution's stance is firmer than expected."
Park Dae-ho couldn't understand how things had spiraled so far out of his control.
When the new government came into power, he had no doubt his future would be smooth sailing.
"I have to get out of here if I'm going to stop anything. Have you spoken with the presiding judge?"
"He's refused to meet."
Just then, Oh Hyeon-woo entered the room.
"Nice to see you, Chairman Park. It's time to begin your investigation."
Oh Hyeon-woo walked briskly to the chair, placing his laptop and a stack of documents in front of Park.
The lawyer looked at the pile with a stunned expression.
"I see you've applied for bail, but it's unlikely to be approved."
"Look here, Prosecutor Oh—"
"Go ahead, Senior."
"Can't you ask the Supreme Court Judge to show some leniency? If Chairman Park stays in here, Jungwoo Group will fall apart."
"What power does a retired judge have? I know Chairman Park was the one who built Jungwoo Group, but he's also the one who tore it down. The more we investigate, the more we find."
With a calm face, Oh Hyeon-woo slid the pile of documents toward the lawyer.
The lawyer's face turned pale as he skimmed through the papers.
"It's not just the prosecution. The National Tax Service and Financial Supervisory Service are also involved. You hid things well, but the experts eventually found everything. Even if you liquidate all your stocks and real estate, it won't be enough."
Seeing the lawyer's reaction, Park's hands began to tremble.
Oh Hyeon-woo smiled slightly.
"Chairman, even God can't save you now. It's easier if you just give up."
That evening, Oh Hyeon-woo stood in front of a crowd of reporters gathered outside the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.
"I'm Prosecutor Oh Hyeon-woo from the Central Investigation Department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office."
Reporters quickly raised their hands.
"This is Lee Ha-na from Hanbit News. Besides the accounting fraud and illegal loans, are there any other charges?"
"The investigation is still ongoing."
"What's going to happen to Jungwoo Group?"
"I'm a prosecutor. My job is to investigate crimes and ensure they face the judgment of the law. The economic aspects are not my concern."
Another reporter raised their hand.
"There are rumors that the Blue House is influencing this investigation."
"The prosecution is an independent entity. We don't make decisions based on political factors. That's all for now."
"Wait, Prosecutor!"
Ignoring the reporters' shouts, Oh Hyeon-woo walked away.
After the prosecution's announcement, pressure mounted on the government from all sides, both domestic and international.
Newspapers and news outlets ran endless stories speculating on how Korea's economy would crumble if Jungwoo Group collapsed, stoking public anxiety.
Future Investments and major U.S. private equity firms, which had previously expressed interest in acquiring Jungwoo, began to take a wait-and-see approach, signaling their hesitation.
After Eva Zhu's public tender offer, Jungwoo subsidiaries' stocks, which had been rising, began to plummet as a wave of sell-offs hit them, with consecutive days of hitting the lower limit, fueling panic.
The Kim Hak-gwon administration could no longer afford to delay.
"Agree to all of Han Gyeong-yeong's demands."
Although the Chief Secretary and senior secretaries expressed concerns, the President's resolve remained firm.
"If we meet her demands, she'll handle the restructuring and divestitures, but she won't break it up for sale, right? If we wait any longer, it'll be too late to control this."
"What about Future Investments?"
At this question from Finance Minister Lee Seong-kyu, the President frowned.
"Are you a spokesperson for Future Investments, or are you the Minister of Finance for this country?"
"I'm simply advising in your best interest, sir."
"For my best interest, huh? What exactly have any of you done during this whole mess?"
"Mr. President!"
Kim Hak-gwon shook his head sternly.
"I'm not changing my decision. Start the process of handing over Jungwoo Group."
"There will be accusations of favoritism, sir."
"Favoritism? Go ask Eva Zhu, or whatever her name is, if she's willing to buy it under the same conditions Han Gyeong-yeong is offering. They were the first to back out when the accounting fraud numbers were made public!"
His voice rising, President Kim Hak-gwon's anger was palpable.
Chastened, Lee Seong-kyu lowered his head.
"Understood, Mr. President."
"Listen up, all of you. You work for the government. There's a limit to how much I can tolerate."
Kim Hak-gwon's gaze swept over the senior secretaries, fury in his eyes.
After everyone left, he turned to the Chief Secretary.
"Have you found anything on Kim Mu-hyeok?"
"It seems Kim Mu-hyeok and Han Gyeong-yeon's connection began when Kim paid off Han's debt while he was still in Korea."
"Debt?"
"Yes. Han Gyeong-yeong briefly returned to Korea and lost everything in the stock market after borrowing from loan sharks. It's said Kim Mu-hyeok paid off the debt, nd that's how they became close."
Kim Hak-gwon frowned, his brow furrowing.
"So, someone who was drowning in debt in Korea suddenly becomes a major player in the U.S.? Am I supposed to believe that?"
"That's what the National Intelligence Service reported. They'll be briefing you at the Blue House tomorrow."
"…Something about Kim Mu-hyeok doesn't sit right wth me. There's something going on with that man, I'm sure of it."
Kim Hak-gwon stared into the distance.
Like dust floating in the light, a small but growing sense of unease settled in his heart.
* * *
"The government has agreed to all our conditions."
"Good job. Make sure to meet some of their demands too, so they don't feel too uncomfortable."
Han Gyeong-yeong, who had been quietly observing me, finally spoke.
"I guess things are so dire that the government has no choice but to beg someone like me. You know, in a way, you're a patriot."
"Me?"
"You may not think so, but your actions say otherwise."
I chuckled at Han Gyeong-yeong's comment.
"I suppose that's one way of looking at it. But I didn't choose Jungwoo out of patriotism. Just wait and see."
"What about the acquisition funds? You'll bring them from the U.S. corporation, right?"
"If Eva had been the one to acquire it, maybe. But we can't use money from tax havens for this. Transfer 20 billion dollars from the U.S. corporation first."
"20 billion dollars?!"
Han Gyeong-yeong's eyes widened in shock.
"It might end up being more. Even though we've reduced the debt, there's still a lot to pay off. Most of it will be covered through restructuring and divestitures, but the cost of going private can't be ignored either."
"Is going private really necessary?"
"We're not exactly running a legitimate business, so there's no reason to keep it publicly traded. It's not like we're short on money."
Eventually, Han Gyeong-yeong nodded in agreement.
"Oh, and once this is all over, set up a meeting with the Wall Street people."
"Wall Street?"
His expression was one of curiosity, as if wondering what I had in mind this time.
I shrugged.
"There's an opportunity to make money. Let's see if they're interested in joining in. Dream High will be leading this one. Let's see if they want in."
"Why share it with anyone?"
"Because I can't do it alone."
"Where is it?"
I gave Han Gyeong-yeong a cold smile.
"Japan."
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