Without Any Omen
The next day.
Kang Do-young, who had withdrawn from Texcellence, was summoned to KQ Distribution headquarters. There he had to face Chairman Kang Chun-gyu, whose mood had soured completely.
“I told you to focus on the new business at KQ Fabric. And what did you do? Acquire a company for five billion won?”
Word of what he had pulled at Texcellence had finally reached the chairman’s ears.
Kang Do-young stood silently before the chairman’s desk, head bowed, and answered.
“There was information that Texcellence had developed a groundbreaking new material. Expectations were high from both the defense bidding officials and RTK, the leading candidate for military uniform supply. However, there was a risk of technology leaking through our Vice President Choi Jung-mook. I simply seized that as an opportunity.”
It had been a plan he believed was thoroughly prepared.
Yet Chairman Kang Chun-gyu’s expression remained grim.
“So in your judgment, that company was worth only five billion? And what exactly happened to Vice President Choi Jung-mook?”
“He disappeared after attending a technology fair near Silicon Valley. We still haven’t located him.”
“Haah—! You slashed the price just because of that?”
The phrase the chairman habitually uttered was “fairness and integrity.” As the second-generation leader of the KQ distribution group, he had always stressed that rewards and compensation must be just.
“The company’s value had already plummeted to rock bottom because of the technology leak. Five billion was actually generous.”
“Is that so? Then where is the company you supposedly acquired now? And where is the money for it coming from?”
At that moment, Kang In-hyuk’s face flashed through Kang Do-young’s mind. The man had appeared right before President Park Sung-hoon of Texcellence could make his decision, ruining everything.
“That is…”
“Don’t tell me that five billion refers to the reserve production budget allocated for next year at KQ Fabric and the additional factory equipment funds?”
Struck at the exact point, Kang Do-young’s head dipped even lower.
“……”
Bang—!
Unable to contain himself any longer, Kang Chun-gyu slammed his fist onto the desk.
“Are you calling that kind of stunt proper management as a division head?!”
Kang Do-young could not utter a word.
“I sent you there to straighten yourself out because you were loafing around even as an executive director! What the hell are you trying to do? If you have a mouth, then explain yourself! Stop standing there like a mute who’s swallowed honey!”
Kang Do-young’s brow twitched.
“Am I doing this just to benefit myself? I had my reasons! I already secured the trading agreement with RSK. And if my plan had gone through, next year’s budget issues would have been resolved, wouldn’t they?”
Kang Chun-gyu’s voice rose even higher.
“You call that an explanation?!”
“Father! Then what exactly do you want from me? I obtained the information with great difficulty and set the board perfectly! But that bastard Kang In-hyuk showed up again and flipped the entire table… I had no other choice!”
“Kang In-hyuk? Why is that name coming out of your mouth?”
It was the name tied to the assassination attempt disguised as a car accident during the autobiography launch party. There had been no reason to hear it again since, so Kang Chun-gyu could not hide his surprise.
“Haah…! I don’t know what trick he pulled, but he dragged AMK Partners into it! Whatever they discussed, Texcellence rejected the proposal I offered.”
“Any other unusual details? No, of course not. Something like that couldn’t have come from your head. Call Section Chief An Min-ki.”
“That’s… haah…”
With another long sigh, An Min-ki, who had been waiting outside, entered with careful steps.
“Section Chief An, explain. What exactly is going on?”
An Min-ki glanced at Kang Do-young with wide eyes, silently asking for the shortest possible summary of the situation.
“About Texcellence and AMK Partners.”
“Ah, the original investor in Texcellence was a Hong Kong private equity fund called SGA. Recently, however, AMK Partners acquired SGA’s investment rights in the form of bonds. That led to a transfer of ownership over the unlisted shares, allowing them to intervene directly because of the technology leak incident.”
Kang Chun-gyu absorbed the explanation piece by piece.
“Then Kang In-hyuk was granted authority by that AMK Partners?”
“Correct. We confirmed through their channel that there were no contractual problems. Other intelligence indicates that Division Head Kang In-hyuk has taken charge of the TF headquarters directly under Taeshin Group headquarters. While reorganizing the Taeshin Spintex business, he removed most executives, including the president, and is currently conducting a sweeping overhaul of the business division.”
After the lengthy report, Kang Chun-gyu’s gaze sharpened further.
“You’ve always had sharp ears, but it seems even sharper than I thought.”
“…You flatter me.”
“Especially for someone who was stationed at the German branch until recently. Were you busy building connections everywhere while waiting to return to Korea?”
It was a rebuke, not praise.
An Min-ki, realizing it belatedly, kept silent and waited for the chairman to continue.
“So, to summarize… while Kang In-hyuk was reorganizing the Taeshin Spintex business, he used AMK Partners’ network to snatch away Division Head Kang Do-young’s rice bowl. Is that it?”
“For now, yes.”
“Hmm… I understand the situation. You may leave. Division Head Kang Do-young, do not touch any KQ Fabric business until I issue further instructions. Stand by.”
“Father!”
Despite Kang Do-young’s desperate cry, Kang Chun-gyu only glared at him with a stern face.
“If you lack ability, then make the effort! If you cause unnecessary trouble with company funds again, I will not stand by. Unless you want your name removed from my will.”
“……”
“……”
As the two men finished their greetings and prepared to leave, a knock sounded and Secretary Noh Geun-cheol rushed in.
“Chairman! You need to see this immediately!”
“What is it?”
“These articles exploded out of nowhere, without any warning signs?”
“From what I’ve gathered, the Board of Audit and Inspection, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, and the prosecution had been conducting quiet investigations. The media caught the scent and broke the story.”
“How did the media know?”
“There were tips for quite some time. However, even they could not identify the anonymous informant. Looking at the situation, it appears someone coordinated everything from the middle.”
Otherwise, as Kang Chun-gyu had just questioned, it would have been impossible for all of this to erupt simultaneously.
“It looks like someone is trying to completely crush the Republic of Korea military and RSK. The government won’t sit still for this.”
“The fact that three separate agencies managed to investigate this far without any prior coordination suggests they only learned of each other’s efforts recently.”
A matter that would cause an uproar if exposed by a single agency had detonated from three directions at once. And from one company, the scandal had branched out like roots, entangling military officials as well.
“Those organizations never share such information. Moreover, with defense corruption, the stakes are huge, so they would have tried to investigate as quietly as possible.”
“In any case, other companies supplying defense items, including RSK, will find it difficult to avoid blanket investigations. There is already talk of postponing the bids.”
At that moment, Kang Do-young spun around and approached Kang Chun-gyu urgently.
“This must be that bastard’s doing!”
“Who are you talking about? Surely not Kang In-hyuk?”
“Everything started the moment he interfered with the Texcellence matter! Besides, if the technology leak at Texcellence is resolved now, whether we collaborate or merge with Taeshin Spintex, we won’t need to worry about RSK at all.”
“Didn’t you say Vice President Choi Jung-mook disappeared?”
“That’s…”
While the conversation continued, Noh Geun-cheol, who had stepped slightly aside, cautiously interjected.
“By any chance… are you referring to Vice President Choi Jung-mook of Texcellence?”
“Why?”
In response to Kang Chun-gyu’s question, Noh Geun-cheol showed another article on the tablet.
“It appeared in local news this morning. A Korean man was found shot to death in the eastern mountains near San Jose, California. The identity is listed as Choi, vice president of a domestic textile manufacturing company.”
“Hoo—! Chief Noh, look into this as well.”
The situation had suddenly turned favorable for Texcellence.
“See! It’s too suspicious! This must be Kang In-hyuk’s handiwork too!”
“Are you saying Kang In-hyuk killed Choi Jung-mook?”
“I heard he visited that side recently. Father, you saw the article about him nearly dying there, didn’t you?”
Coincidentally, it was exactly as Kang Do-young claimed.
But before accepting that hypothesis, a major obstacle remained.
“If what you say is true… our attempt to enter the defense business through RSK, Vice President Choi Jung-mook of Texcellence stealing technology and heading to Silicon Valley, and even the investigation and exposure of RSK’s defense corruption. You’re saying Kang In-hyuk orchestrated all of it… Do you honestly believe that is within his capability?”
“That’s…”
The Board of Audit and Inspection, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, and the prosecution that had launched this investigation would have begun moving at least a month ago. That meant they had known about the situations involving KQ Group, Texcellence, and RSK since then at the latest.
If he possessed that level of control, he could have resolved the matter without creating such a spectacle.
“Even you find it strange, don’t you? So stop making baseless speculations and go back!”
Unable to find anything more to say, Kang Do-young had no choice but to leave with An Min-ki.
Once the door closed, Kang Chun-gyu gave Noh Geun-cheol more detailed instructions.
.
.
.
At the same time.
In-hyuk was checking his phone inside the Taeshin Mulsan TF headquarters office.
Hong Yu-geon, who had been scanning the articles that had begun appearing earlier, turned to look at him.
“This is your handiwork too, right, boss?”
He had seen the defense corruption exposé on RSK.
But In-hyuk merely tilted his head.
“What is?”
“The sudden noise around RSK.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“When did the Board of Audit or the Defense Acquisition Program Administration start moving? The prosecution too. And why did that Hong Kong SGA fund suddenly hand its investment rights in Texcellence over to AMK Partners?”
“They no longer needed it. And AMK Partners happened to hold the bonds.”
“Don’t you think it fits together too perfectly to be called coincidence?”
In-hyuk shrugged lightly and smiled.
“If it flows in our favor, that’s all that matters.”
“Tsk—! So you still can’t fully trust us yet?”
“Take it as me protecting you. Knowing too much can get you hurt. More importantly… it looks like they’ll start moving soon as well.”
Though he had muttered it quietly, Hong Yu-geon understood at once.
“Warborn?”
After the recent visit to Texcellence, their presence had vanished.
“They seem to have reached a decision, so I need to prepare too.”
“The ‘fighting poison with poison’ plan you mentioned? What exactly are you planning?”
He had been frustrated yesterday as well when In-hyuk refused to explain.
“Exactly what it sounds like. Because of it, things will get noisy soon enough.”
“Again with the cryptic answers…”
Still unable to grasp the meaning, Hong Yu-geon could only sigh.
In the meantime, In-hyuk checked Ghost Link on his phone.
PPO23 : RSK President Lee Hyun-gun’s slush fund account frozen and arrest completed.
BAI12 : No trace found of Refiber Works in connection with the Texcellence technology leak.
DAPA03 : Arrest of all military officials connected to RSK completed.
BG894 : Unidentified foreigner. Purchased one PSG1 and six Glock 17s. Video attached.
REDFALL : Target point confirmation completed.