Chapter 342
Chapter 342
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Chapter 342 - 만족감
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Translator: crow
Chapter 342: Satisfaction
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Through the recent incident, I confirmed one fact.
The Presidential Security Service—and Jang Dong-yoon himself—was keeping tabs on me.
Moving under that kind of scrutiny was no good.
I felt the need to create a "major incident" for Jang Dong-yoon's benefit.
'Best to gift him something big in Yongseong so he won't have time to worry about me, right?'
The gift I had in mind for Dong-yoon was simple.
"Have a taste of His Excellency Lee Seong-jun's will."
I'd left the will with the Presidential Secretariat, but it hadn't been made public.
So what choice did I have?
I'd have to leak it myself.
This time, the anonymous mail was headed to Germany.
I sent an anonymous package to Bild titled "Lee Seong-jun's Will."
I'd chosen Germany over an English-speaking country for a straightforward reason.
"English-speaking countries have tight surveillance these days."
So, Germany it was.
It didn't take long for Bild to make waves worldwide with their scoop.
"The will of the dead Korean president? Why in Germany?"
Bild drew global attention and then read out Lee Seong-jun's will.
"The democratic system must be preserved for the future of the Republic of Korea. Anyone who violates this cannot be my successor, nor do they deserve to be."
Lee Seong-jun's will was about an hour long, but the core message was this:
An exhortation to uphold the democratic system.
To that end, he'd even made the dangerous declaration that violators could not be his successor.
Naturally, this didn't make the news back home.
But Korea's eternal rival, the United States, wasn't about to stay quiet.
Washington was the type to gleefully lap up sewage if it meant striking a blow at the Korean regime.
Anglo-American media republished Bild's article, amplifying it through megaphones until Koreans heard about Lee Seong-jun's will.
Koreans were skeptical of Bild's report.
"His Excellency the dictator wasn't that sincere about democracy. This is Western scheming to shake Korea."
The regime's propaganda was plausible enough, and Lee Seong-jun's past actions didn't align with the will.
If he'd truly championed democracy, he wouldn't have ruled the country that way.
Still, some believed Bild's claims.
"The dictator had a final pang of conscience."
"His Excellency the wise ruler must have urged a system for the common people out of concern for the Republic's future."
Those who believed the will was real used it as a rallying cry against Jang Dong-yoon's regime.
"Jang Dong-yoon, stripped of His Excellency's successor qualification—step down immediately! Step down!"
"The Jang Dong-yoon regime has lost its last shred of legitimacy. The criminal regime, tainted by fraudulent elections—get out!"
Once again, protests erupted like wildfires across Korea.
'When crises like this keep repeating, the regime's stability naturally weakens.'
No power looked as vulnerable as one under constant challenge.
I watched the chaos unfold with delight, keeping a low profile in the shadows.
'Jang Dong-yoon won't have bandwidth to worry about me for a while.'
Seizing the moment when scrutiny eased, I reorganized my group and solidified my power base.
Then, one day amid the political turmoil, a massive incident broke in Pyongyang.
"Deputy Director, sir. Big trouble."
I was puzzled by the call from the Domestic Intelligence Director.
"What major incident hits at this hour?"
The Domestic Intelligence Director's response exceeded my expectations.
"It's a coup. A military revolt has broken out in Pyongyang."
"What? A coup?"
Someone had beaten me to launching a coup?
I dropped the phone and rushed to Geumsu Mountain.
Along the way to Geumsu Mountain, troops were out in force, maintaining strict security.
"Deputy Director, sir, you've arrived?"
"Yes. What's the situation?"
I asked the Domestic Intelligence Director, who had the fastest intel.
"I don't have all the details, but it seems hardliners in the Army launched the plot using 'His Excellency's will' as their justification."
"Is that so?"
I started making calls right away.
"Connect me to the Capital Defense Commander."
Moments later, Capital Defense Commander Lee Han-yeol came on the line.
"Hello, Commander. This is ANSP Deputy Director Bae Seong-jun. What's the situation?"
The Commander's answer was shocking.
"A revolt has broken out. Right now, the Corrections Division's tanks are rolling toward Yongseong."
Tanks heading for the presidential residence?
What kind of absurd nonsense was this?
"Can you guarantee the presidential residence's defense?"
"The critical moment has passed. We detected the coup signs and locked down the military bases."
Jang Dong-yoon and the Capital Defense Command's response was shrewd.
They hadn't stopped the coup entirely, but they'd slashed the coup forces' size, giving them a solid chance of victory.
"Anything we can do from Geumsu Mountain?"
"There are likely civilian collaborators involved in the coup. Investigate that angle."
"Understood."
I hung up.
Immediately, the phone rang furiously.
"Operations Deputy Director Bae Seong-jun speaking."
"Bae, it's me."
It was ANSP Director Kim Dae-gyu.
"Director. Have you heard about the coup?"
"I just got word from the Secretariat. They say the danger has passed?"
"That's the Capital Defense Command's line."
"Anyway, with a problem like this, throw yourself into resolving it. It had to happen when the 1st and 2nd Deputy Directors are out of Pyongyang—there's no one else but you."
"Don't worry."
I went to the bathroom and splashed water on my face.
My reflection in the faintly stained mirror looked chillingly calm.
In truth, the moment I heard about the coup, I'd started calculating how to exploit it.
The answer was clear.
Become Jang Dong-yoon's mad hunting dog and tear apart all his enemies.
If his trust was the reward, it was a deal worth making.
"Request support from Military Intelligence first."
I issued orders to my subordinates and made more calls.
Less than 30 minutes later, they returned with a list.
"Deputy Director, sir. We have the list."
Suspects linked to the coup.
The intel came from Military Intelligence's call records.
"Anti-Communist Investigations."
"Yes, Deputy Director."
"Mobilize the police to round up everyone on this list. If the Anti-Communist Bureau's cells are full, use military units and holding facilities."
"Understood."
"Domestic Security Bureau."
"Yes, Deputy Director."
"Prepare scenarios thoroughly linking the suspects to domestic subversives."
It was brutal, but to rack up results, it had to be thorough.
Whether guilty or not, demonstrating the ability to uproot the regime's enemies in one go would make Jang Dong-yoon trust and use me.
"Understood."
After sending out my subordinates, I sank into my chair.
The coup was decided in just one hour and thirty minutes.
The rebels got within 1.5 km of the Yongseong presidential residence, but that was their limit.
Blocked by Provost Marshal vehicles, they were soon surrounded by the rushing Chungjeong Units.
The game was over there.
No one cared whether the rebels had surrendered yet.
Not even me.
What mattered to me was the scenario the Domestic Security Bureau chief would bring.
The next morning, the all-nighter Domestic Security Bureau delivered the "internal rebellion conspiracy scenario."
"Kim Kyung-jung internal rebellion plot?"
"Yes, Deputy Director."
The scenario claimed that Kim Kyung-jung, a prominent opposition leader, had contacted the coup forces in advance and agreed to become head of state in exchange for their support. It was plausible enough.
They'd even fabricated airtight circumstantial evidence.
"This guy's Kim Kyung-jung's secretary."
Domestic Security Bureau created evidence of the secretary's contacts with the coup forces.
"With bank cooperation, we made a slush fund account. We've got docs showing funds funneled to the coup side through it."
"Contacts and funding covered. What about the rewards for accomplices?"
"We'll align the statements and tidy that up."
True to their reputation as masters of fabrication, Domestic Security didn't half-ass it.
"Alright, we'll go with this scenario."
I took the prepared scenario to the ANSP Director.
Kim Dae-gyu lit up at the sight.
"Bae, you handled this impeccably. His Excellency will be pleased."
"You're too kind."
The Director took my report to Yongseong.
Less than an hour later, my office phone rang.
"Deputy Director Bae Seong-jun?"
The voice was very familiar.
"Yes, Your Excellency the President."
"I liked how you handled this. Good work—keep it up."
"Thank you, Your Excellency."
The supreme leader's satisfaction brought a massive reward.
"Congratulations, Deputy Director Bae."
"What do you mean?"
"His Excellency issued you a presidential commendation. What do you think that means?"
Promotion to Vice Minister.
No—shouldn't it make me full Deputy Director, not acting?
Vice Minister?
Kim Dae-gyu saw my confusion and explained.
"His Excellency felt someone he can trust needs to take a key post after this. That's why you're the new 2nd Deputy Director."
An outrageous promotion.
A blatant breach of personnel norms.
But this was no ordinary time.
Post-coup chaos.
The merit of swiftly and cleanly resolving that chaos couldn't be compared to peacetime achievements.
I checked the appointment letter with mixed feelings.
Of course, the Deputy Director title came with "acting" attached.
But I'd become one of the ANSP's top-ranking executives all the same.
I realized I'd reached the doorstep of my plan.
At the same time, my instincts warned me.
That Jang Dong-yoon elevating me this high wasn't entirely good.
Clutching the appointment letter, I bowed to ANSP Director Kim Dae-gyu.