Chapter 350
Chapter 350
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Winner
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I sat in my chair, waiting only for the Cabinet meeting's decision.
An aide brought me coffee, but I had no desire to drink it.
"No thanks."
The meeting didn't reach a conclusion easily.
I watched the ministers gathering in small groups to discuss martial law, when suddenly I remembered one task I needed to handle.
I'd overlooked this critical matter because I'd been caught up in the tension of the situation.
'The Defense Security Command. Time to deal with them first.'
I went up to my office in the annex and summoned the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The simple reason I called him to my room instead of meeting downstairs was to maximize psychological advantage in a space where I held the initiative.
Soon, the Chairman appeared in my room, his face etched with fatigue.
"What is it, Deputy Director?"
"It's about dealing with the remnants supporting Jae In-seop from this incident."
"Jae In-seop's remnants?"
The Chairman looked perplexed.
It was because of the implication in my words—purging the military.
What general would like a military purge?
Aware of his reluctance, I added an explanation.
"Chairman, in fact, two weeks ago our intelligence report confirmed that Jae In-seop had a private meeting with the Defense Security Command chief."
"Is that so?"
This was an unvarnished fact.
It had been an ordinary friendly dinner, but I reframed it as a prelude to a coup.
"Chairman, this is just the meeting we detected. In reality, they likely met more often. Think about it—what would the Presidential Security Service chief have to discuss so frequently with the Defense Security Command chief?"
The Chairman's expression gradually shifted toward my side.
"What's your thinking, Deputy Director?"
"In my view, Defense Security Command chief Jeong Du-yeol is definitely Jae In-seop's accomplice."
I flatly branded Jeong Du-yeol as a co-conspirator.
"Hmm."
Without giving the Chairman time to think, I quickly continued.
"Of course, I could be wrong. So let's just investigate. If he's innocent after the probe, we release him."
Just investigate.
In truth, once we got him into an interrogation room, the rest was easy.
Whether through torture to extract a confession or fabricating evidence, finishing him off would be simpler than eating cold porridge.
After thirty minutes of persuasion, the Chairman agreed with me.
My idea of summoning him to my room to seize psychological control had worked.
"Understood. Then the arrest?"
"Handle that through military channels."
The investigation would inevitably fall to the KCIA, an agency free from Defense Security Command influence.
"Then we'll proceed with that."
I finished talking with the Chairman and picked up the internal line.
"How's the Cabinet meeting going?"
"It should be resolved soon."
"Good. Keep watching and call me the moment it's decided."
"Yes, Deputy Director."
I made another call.
This time, to the Domestic Security Bureau chief.
"Bureau Chief Lee."
"Yes, Deputy Director."
"Come up to my room right away."
I summoned the Domestic Security Bureau chief and the Anti-Communist Investigation Division head to my room.
They stood before me, faces tense.
"You called for us?"
"We need to investigate Jeong Du-yeol in connection with this incident."
At the name of Defense Security Command chief Jeong Du-yeol, they flinched briefly.
Taking on a military heavyweight was no small matter.
Especially a figure like the Defense Security Command chief—there was no way to investigate comfortably.
One wrong move, and you'd face a bolt from the blue.
But where was this?
Geumsusan.
Even if they walked in on their own two feet, they needed our permission to leave.
I turned my gaze to the Domestic Security Bureau chief.
"First, Security Bureau. Focus on the collusion between Jeong Du-yeol and Jae In-seop. Compile a clean scenario that they were preparing a coup. Deadline: tomorrow morning."
"Understood."
"Anti-Communist Investigation Division."
"Yes, Deputy Director."
"Beat him regardless of what Jeong Du-yeol says. Enough to break him without visible marks."
"No worries, Deputy Director."
It was an order for torture and fabrication, but my subordinates accepted it as a matter of course.
That was the nature of KCIA work.
I sent them off and called the safe house.
Safe house protocol chief Colonel Ki Myeong-su answered.
"No issues there?"
"Quiet so far."
"Good. Keep it up until tomorrow morning."
"We will."
I then checked on the hospital and other sites.
At this point, even if news of the president's condition leaked, it didn't matter, so I called openly.
After making calls for a while, I could finally relax.
Time was nearing midnight.
"Deputy Director, the Cabinet has approved."
"Really?"
Normally, the KCIA Deputy Director could attend Cabinet meetings as a member.
But in my current position, neither by rank nor seniority did I qualify.
"Yes, martial law just passed."
"Good."
I lightly thumped my chest with my fist.
Now things were finally falling into place.
The long night's wait had ended.
"Deputy Director, the Acting President requests you."
"Got it."
I followed the staffer to the conference room where Prime Minister Choi waited.
Upon arrival, Prime Minister Choi beckoned me.
"You wanted to see me, Acting President?"
"It's about setting up a Joint Investigation Headquarters for this incident, so I called you, Deputy Director Bae."
Joint Investigation Headquarters.
My ears perked up at the words.
Like Chun Doo-hwan in the past, this would be my stepping stone to seizing power.
"Ah."
"We discussed with the Cabinet members, and it seems either the Defense Security Command or KCIA should take the lead. What do you think, Deputy Director Bae?"
I'd already prepared for this.
"It's a military-related matter, so the Defense Security Command would be ideal."
"I see."
"But there's one problem."
"Go ahead."
"In fact, evidence has emerged linking Defense Security Command chief Jeong Du-yeol to Jae In-seop."
Bewilderment spread across Acting President Choi's face.
"So we've just coordinated with the military to arrest Jeong Du-yeol."
Acting President Choi had no real choice from the start.
A decapitated Defense Security Command, or the KCIA holding all the information.
The answer was predetermined.
And our Acting President Choi, a career bureaucrat who had risen high, wasn't lacking in insight.
"Then have KCIA establish the Joint Investigation Headquarters and take command."
"Thank you, Acting President."
"That's settled."
"Oh, one more thing."
"Go ahead."
"I'd like the Joint Investigation Headquarters to temporarily oversee all intelligence agencies."
"What do you mean?"
To monopolize information, of course.
In this intelligence-driven state called Korea, information was power.
In other words, I was essentially telling Acting President Choi I wanted to be the real top dog.
Perhaps because it was so overt, Acting President Choi showed reluctance.
"Deputy Director Bae, that might be problematic."
"Of course, it could be. It wouldn't look good."
"Exactly."
"But these are extraordinary times. We don't know where Jae In-seop's sympathizers might be hiding."
I held the position of the man who shot Jae In-seop to protect His Excellency and subdue him.
In other words, I, Bae Seong-jun, was the only one proven innocent in this country.
So, it made sense to grant me full authority.
I persuaded Acting President Choi with this logic.
"Your point has merit, but this is..."
"Acting President, you can't view this coup lightly. If the country looks unstable now, Jae In-seop's sympathizers might launch a second one anytime."
I threatened Acting President Choi with the specter of another coup.
"Deputy Director Bae, even so, that's going too far."
He had a point.
Only then did I step back.
It was exactly as I'd planned from the start.
"Then grant me just one thing."
"Go on."
"Appoint someone from KCIA as acting Defense Security Command chief."
After demanding all intelligence agencies, I settled for just the Defense Security Command.
With the demand greatly reduced, Acting President Choi stroked his chin.
"Prime Minister, we need to know what's happening in the military for KCIA to respond."
"Alright, I'll consider it."
Acting President Choi said he'd think positively about it.
'Not as easy as I'd hoped.'
But I'd laid the groundwork.
Once I took over the Defense Security Command, tying the military's hands would be only a matter of time.
Whether then or now, controlling the military meant personnel authority.
And the Defense Security Command was the agency that handled those key evaluations.
What officer in the world rose high without the Defense Security Command's favor?
I planned to use the Defense Security Command's shadow to intimidate the military brass.
It was similar to Chun Doo-hwan, but with a key difference.
I wasn't a uniformed soldier.
Thus, the martial law commander wasn't my superior, and I had no duty to obey him.
In simple terms, I could steer the investigation as I wished.
Eliminating obstacles in that process wouldn't be hard.
Once I dealt with a few, whether bureaucrats or military, they'd fear me inevitably.
'The belief that Bae Seong-jun holds real power in this country.'
Once everyone shared that belief, the takeover would be as good as done.
I sat in my office chair and lit a cigarette.
The long night thus drew to a close with my victory.