Compensation Declined
Kang In-hyuk returned to Kang Chun-gyu’s residence alongside Tae Ju-ha, his appearance still disheveled from the earlier chaos. He had considered sending her home separately, but the possibility that more of Pyo Jun-woo’s accomplices might appear forced him to keep her close.
They entered the living room to find Kang Chun-gyu seated with a stern expression, his head of security Nam Hyo-chang and chief secretary Noh Geun-cheol standing behind him.
“You’ve already been through enough today, yet you still came. Thank you. Are you injured?”
Only bodyguards stood at his side. The quiet atmosphere suggested that his wife and son, Kang Do-young, had already returned to Seoul after the event.
“Just a few stitches. Representative Tae Ju-ha said she was fine as well.”
“That’s a relief. So, one of my own bodyguards tried to kill you and Representative Tae?”
Pyo Jun-woo knelt in one corner of the room, his legs bound but nothing else. His arms had been left free.
“I can hardly believe it myself, but everything happened exactly as I described.”
Kang Chun-gyu’s gaze turned cold as he glanced at Pyo Jun-woo.
“Do you think I ordered this?”
“No.”
The answer came without a second’s hesitation. Kang Chun-gyu’s eyes widened slightly.
“Why not? My personal bodyguard was involved. That should make me the prime suspect.”
“Because the situation would be far too obvious. I won’t deny I suspected you at first. But after reviewing the footage and thinking it over at the hospital, I realized it couldn’t have been you.”
“Then whose orders do you believe he was following?”
In-hyuk merely shrugged.
“He refuses to talk, so I don’t know either.”
Kang Chun-gyu noticed Pyo Jun-woo’s twisted right arm and the pained expression on his face.
“Did you break his arm?”
“He attacked me to take the phone and SD card. I had no choice.”
“Our security personnel aren’t exactly amateurs. Have you studied martial arts?”
“Just a bit of self-taught training.”
KQ Group’s security team consisted of professional fighters, special forces veterans, and even former mercenaries from foreign firms. Tae Shin Group’s security was no different. Pyo Jun-woo had once been considered a promising boxer before being scouted by KQ. Kang Chun-gyu had already heard this from Nam Hyo-chang.
Yet In-hyuk had subdued him without a single scratch. It was difficult to believe.
“You seem to have some talent.”
“It appears so. But I assume you didn’t summon me here simply to discuss my fighting ability.”
Tae Ju-ha, watching from the side, felt her nerves tighten. Few people would speak so directly in front of Kang Chun-gyu, let alone with such calm force.
In-hyuk waited patiently for a reply.
“You haven’t reported Pyo Jun-woo to the police yet. Why?”
“Because one of your people was involved. The press is already buzzing about today’s autobiography launch. If news of this incident spread as well, it could damage KQ Group.”
“It’s hard to believe you acted purely out of concern for us…”
Kang Chun-gyu had already concluded that In-hyuk had his own agenda.
“I’m not a spokesperson for Tae Shin Group, but I had no desire to create friction between our companies over this matter.”
“…Is that truly all there is to it?”
“I also believed that even without involving the police, you wouldn’t simply cover it up. Your closest security detail acted without oversight. I assumed you would take appropriate measures.”
A hollow laugh escaped Kang Chun-gyu’s lips.
“Hah! You trust me that much after meeting me only once?”
“I trust the name KQ more than I trust you personally. For the sake of your relationship with Tae Shin Group, you wouldn’t let this slide.”
In-hyuk already knew Kang Chun-gyu’s character from his previous life. Still, he needed confirmation. He had to determine whether Kang Chun-gyu had truly tried to have Tae Ju-ha killed using Pyo Jun-woo.
So it wasn’t Kang Chun-gyu after all… That means someone else managed to turn one of KQ’s bodyguards. Could it be Jeon Hae-in?
The next suspect that came to mind was Kang Chun-gyu’s wife. If she had acted because Kang Do-young showed interest in Tae Ju-ha, it would explain everything—though it remained a stretch.
But would she really be that reckless…
Kang Chun-gyu broke the silence.
“I’d prefer to settle this matter as quietly as possible. Of course, I’ll provide appropriate compensation as well.”
“Compensation won’t be necessary. Instead, if you uncover who was behind Pyo Jun-woo without turning this into a public case, I’d appreciate being informed.”
In-hyuk had considered extracting something, but confirming how Kang Chun-gyu handled the situation took priority.
Kang Chun-gyu’s expression grew heavy.
“I can guarantee that much.”
The conversation ended there. Then In-hyuk added something Kang Chun-gyu hadn’t expected.
“Ah, if it’s not too much trouble, could I borrow a car? Preferably one that’s still in good condition. I’ll drive myself.”
Another ambush like Pyo Jun-woo’s remained a possibility.
“Understandable. Chief Nam will check and prepare one for you.”
“Thank you.”
Nam Hyo-chang, who had been standing silently, moved at once.
In-hyuk and Tae Ju-ha, who had remained silent throughout, finished their farewells and stepped outside. Once they were gone, Kang Chun-gyu turned to Noh Geun-cheol.
“Look into that young man for me.”
“How thoroughly?”
“Everything that isn’t publicly known. And do it quickly.”
Noh Geun-cheol bowed his head in understanding.
The KQ Group mansion in Pyeongchang-dong, Seoul, exuded a cold, marble-like atmosphere. Jeon Hae-in, the lady of the house, stormed through the living room with a flushed face and entered the study—entirely at odds with the house’s icy mood.
She rounded on Lee Jeong-tae, deputy head of the second security team, who had followed her inside.
“You couldn’t even finish off one worthless woman and got caught instead?! How exactly do you do your job, Team Leader Lee?”
Lee Jeong-tae answered carefully, his expression grim.
“…My apologies.”
Her anger lasted only a moment. Jeon Hae-in quickly regained her composure, befitting her position.
“So what went wrong? You said everything was in place! Why did it all fall apart?”
“It seems the device Pyo Jun-woo planted in the vehicle malfunctioned, causing the accident to happen earlier than planned.”
“And the dashcam footage? Don’t tell me that was another mistake.”
She had already received word that Pyo Jun-woo had been captured by Kang In-hyuk and dragged before Kang Chun-gyu. Without the memory card, there would have been no evidence left behind at all.
“Something about that footage feels off. Pyo Jun-woo wouldn’t have left any trace beyond the malware. He’s not the type to make such basic errors.”
The mansion was KQ territory. Even if CCTV or witnesses existed, the compromised security team could have handled it. Yet the problem had erupted in the one place they should have been safest.
“Are you saying footage that was never recorded suddenly appeared?”
“…I’m sorry. I’ll investigate further.”
Jeon Hae-in let out a long sigh.
“What about Pyo Jun-woo? How do we deal with him?”
“Pyo Jun-woo himself doesn’t know you gave the order, so there’s no risk of your name being mentioned.”
“You’re certain?”
“You’re familiar with our chain of command.”
Lee Jeong-tae had originally belonged to KQ Group’s security division before approaching Jeon Hae-in. Through him, she had formed a connection with the mysterious organization standing behind him—an entity whose name she didn’t even know.
She kept him close because they executed any order without hesitation or regard for method.
“Even the lowest ranks carry out commands without knowing who’s giving them?”
“That’s correct. Pyo Jun-woo doesn’t even know who I am.”
At the same time, it meant she had no idea how deeply this organization had infiltrated KQ Group. That fact unsettled her, yet she needed their capabilities enough to continue using them.
“Still, stay alert just in case.”
“I’ll make sure there’s nothing to worry about.”
“Ah, and you said Kang In-hyuk was the one who caused all this?”
The information had come from the security staff at the Hanam residence through Lee Jeong-tae.
“If it concerns Kang In-hyuk, the Chairman has already ordered Secretary Noh to look into him as well.”
“His curiosity must have been piqued.”
“It seems so.”
“By the way… any progress on that matter?”
“As I mentioned before, the orphanage records were destroyed in a fire. We’re currently tracking down the staff to compile a list. We’re checking every lead as it comes in, but nothing has turned up yet.”
Jeon Hae-in’s brow furrowed deeply.
“Haa—! I should have dealt with Yoo Ji-young sooner…”
“She was living in the United States at the time. From what we could gather, she deliberately went into hiding.”
Yoo Ji-young was the woman Kang Chun-gyu had kept as a mistress thirty-four years ago. She had given birth to his child in Korea, a fact that only came to light later. With Kang Do-young no longer the sole blood heir to KQ Group, Jeon Hae-in had moved to eliminate every potential threat to her son’s position.
“They’re trying to steal the KQ Group that rightfully belongs to my son.”
“However, the fact that nothing has surfaced in over thirty years suggests the person either doesn’t know their own lineage, has already passed away, or may not even be in Korea.”
Lee Jeong-tae offered the most probable scenarios based on their investigation.
Jeon Hae-in had considered those possibilities herself.
“I won’t tolerate even the slightest risk.”
“I understand completely. Given the Chairman’s decision, it would be wise to proceed with caution.”
She had another reason for hunting Yoo Ji-young’s child so relentlessly. Kang Chun-gyu had no intention of passing the chairmanship to Kang Do-young due to his lack of ability. That decision had been recorded in a will he left behind. Upon discovering its contents, Jeon Hae-in had reached out to the mysterious organization that had extended a hand to her.
“I want that person found as quickly as possible, just in case.”
“We’re doing everything we can.”
“If you can’t even manage that… Still, I suppose I can’t meet them until everything is finished?”
Nearly a year had passed since the deal began. In all that time, Jeon Hae-in had never learned the identity of the person who had sent Lee Jeong-tae to her. She had considered using her own people to investigate, but anyone capable of infiltrating KQ Group so deeply would likely notice, so she had held back.
“Becoming the owner of KQ Group is the minimum requirement.”
“Just how powerful are they to attach such an absurd condition…”
“You’ve already received considerable benefits, haven’t you?”
It was true. Aside from the recent failure, Lee Jeong-tae had secured business opportunities, expanded her shareholdings, and helped her build a separate faction within KQ—all within a single year. Thanks to him, she had even uncovered the existence of Kang Chun-gyu’s outrageous will.
“I won’t press you further for now, but this incident was disappointing. If something like this happens again, it won’t be you who has to explain—it’ll be whoever’s above you.”
“…I’ll pass that along.”
Lee Jeong-tae left the study. Once the door closed, the calm that had settled over Jeon Hae-in’s face twisted once more.