Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Royal Family 8-5
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After parting ways with An Chi-hyeon, Seo Ji-hyeok returned to the twentieth floor of Taesung Card, only to be greeted by the backs of a crowd of people.
Whispers and murmurs...
The employees surrounding the glass conference room where Dong-hwi was inside exchanged serious glances and engaged in hushed conversations. Their voices blended into a loud buzz.
For a split second, Ji-hyeok had a bad feeling that Dong-hwi had stirred up trouble, but the crowd blocked his view of the room.
"Excuse me. Pardon me."
Pushing through the crowd, he finally got a look inside the glass conference room.
And in that instant, he understood exactly why everyone was gathered and murmuring.
Current Liabilities: Code 251 - 25,258,845,210 (3,175,250 not posted) Code 254 – 3,458,200 (duplicate entry) Retained Earnings: Code 355 – 72,269,000 (omitted) Non-Operating Income: Code 904 – 658,244,000 (omitted) Labor Costs: Code 540........ Expenses: Code 518...........
The entire white glass wall was covered in text and numbers.
It was like a math lecture where six sheets of A4 paper worth of explanations had been scribbled across the blackboard—every surface except the door was densely packed with writing and figures.
Not satisfied with that, Dong-hwi was now crouched down, scribbling even on the floor space.
Ji-hyeok couldn't help but chuckle at the sight as he opened the conference room door and stepped inside.
"What are you doing?"
"Yeah, these guys won't show up when I call them. And even if they do, they can't give proper answers. So I'm kindly writing it out for them."
"Homework?"
"Yep. Now, to fix this, those idiots will have to kiss their homes goodbye for a week. That's why I'm ignoring their calls—they're pissing people off."
From Dong-hwi's words, Ji-hyeok could piece together what had happened while he was gone.
Dong-hwi must have summoned the employees responsible for answering questions, but they'd been uncooperative, probably shrugging it off like "try and make us."
And that had poked the bear that was Dong-hwi.
"What happens if they submit the audit report like this?"
"Someone's definitely getting fired. They messed up expense processing and overpaid taxes. When we should be minimizing them, they threw away blind money. Even idiots have limits. That's what they're staring at now—that's why they're frozen stiff."
So that's why the murmuring.
Glancing back at the faces outside the glass, Ji-hyeok now understood their expressions.
A mix of bewilderment, panic, shame, and anger.
But then—
"What the hell is going on here?"
A roar echoed all the way to the back of the conference room.
Instantly, everyone peering into the room spun around and bowed their heads toward the man who appeared at the door.
It was Kang Jun-woo, the president of Taesung Card, flanked by a gaggle of executives.
'The mid-boss makes his entrance.'
Even in his sixties, Kang Jun-woo maintained a sturdy build.
Tall and clearly dedicated to exercise, his body looked solid.
Kang Jun-woo glared at the bowing employees before striding toward the conference room with heavy steps.
He stopped in front of it and crooked a finger at Ji-hyeok.
"Hey! You, come out here."
Ji-hyeok stepped out of the conference room with a blank expression and stood before Kang Jun-woo.
That was the moment.
—Swish!
Kang Jun-woo's palm flew toward Ji-hyeok's cheek.
Watching the incoming slap, Ji-hyeok suddenly thought back to his encounter with Kang Young-min earlier. He'd wondered if it was bad upbringing, but now it seemed more like a family trait.
'The answer will come when I meet Vice Chairman Kang Heon.'
With that thought, Ji-hyeok easily dodged the slap.
"Ugh, shit!"
Just like his son moments ago, Kang Jun-woo whiffed and stumbled, spitting out a curse laced with irritation.
"Oh, dodging, are you? Stand straight! Don't move!"
What the...
Utterly absurd. Ji-hyeok decided to humor him and stay still for now.
Kang Jun-woo grabbed Ji-hyeok's left wrist and collar, burrowing deep into his guard for an ippon seoi-nage throw.
His form was far from anything to brag about.
The result...
"Hrah! Huh?"
Kang Jun-woo's voice dripped with confusion.
He'd thought it was a perfect throw, but instead, he was the one kneeling before Ji-hyeok—back turned to him, no less.
This was actually the most basic way to counter an ippon seoi-nage.
By slightly angling your body toward the opponent's entry and pulling down on the hand gripping your collar, you ended up just like this.
No throw—just the attacker on their knees, arms raised.
The employees watching head-on struggled to keep straight faces.
The executives had probably eaten a few of those throws themselves.
The older ones managed okay, but the younger staff had often been on the receiving end if they slipped up.
So naturally, they'd all assumed Ji-hyeok would be sprawled on the floor the moment Kang Jun-woo grabbed his collar.
But what was this?
Kang Jun-woo, who'd charged in aggressively, was meekly kneeling before him.
It was cathartic in one way, but they also dreaded the tantrum he'd throw once he got up.
But then—
As Ji-hyeok twisted his body a bit more, a scream burst from Kang Jun-woo's mouth.
"Aaaagh! Let go! Let go, you bastard!"
Ji-hyeok released Kang Jun-woo's arm and took a step back.
Kang Jun-woo shot to his feet and clutched his right elbow.
"Ah, fuck... ah... my arm... arm..."
"President, are you okay?"
"President!"
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?"
The executives rushed over, masking their expressions at his dramatics, while a few barked sternly at Ji-hyeok.
Watching silently, Ji-hyeok let out a smirk.
'So light... it's embarrassing.'
Who could have imagined such a sight?
The president of a Taesung Group affiliate, helming an organization with 3 trillion won in annual sales.
There's such a thing as reputation.
But nothing of Taesung's name or the president's dignity remained in Kang Jun-woo's current state.
And personally, it was even more disappointing that such a man was his great-uncle.
As Ji-hyeok eyed him pitifully, the pain seemed to subside a bit. Kang Jun-woo's face flushed redder than before as he glared.
"You... you bastard. Did you do that to Young-min? Huh?"
"Yes."
"What? 'Yes'? Are you insane? You crazy?"
"No, perfectly sane. Take a look at this. As you can see, Kang Young-min struck first."
Ji-hyeok pulled out the CCTV footage he'd copied at KM earlier.
The video played like a replay of moments ago: Kang Young-min slapping Ji-hyeok full force.
Ah...
Small sighs escaped the executives' lips. Some shook their heads involuntarily.
But Kang Jun-woo didn't even glance at the phone.
"Turn it off! Turn it off now, you bastard! Who the hell do you think you are, messing up my precious boy like that? Young-min's in the hospital now—jaw cracked, admitted! You think Vice Chairman's backing lets you pull this on me? I'll make sure you eat prison rice proper. Director Kim! Call the cops."
"Yes, President."
But then—
"KM Credit Information's Executive Director Kim Kwang-jae turns out to be President Kim Sung-jae's brother. The head of Yu-won Credit Information, handling the resale of those bonds? Kim Sung-jae's brother-in-law. Selling junk bonds to Wai Credit but prime ones to Yu-won... Isn't that interesting?"
Ji-hyeok's low voice silenced the office.
Even the raging Kang Jun-woo shut his mouth.
After an awkwardly long silence, Kang Jun-woo growled.
"You... you bastard. Get up to the president's office."
He spat the words and spun on his heel.
Then, shoving aside the executives blocking him, he bellowed.
"Out of my way!"
With that, he stormed off like a cold gale.
All eyes in the office turned to Ji-hyeok, but he just shrugged and headed back into the glass room.
"Whoa... hanging with you is seriously fun, hyung. I've audited hundreds of companies at Sun-il, but this is a first. You not heading up?"
"Why would I rush?"
"Fair. But what about lunch, hyung?"
"That a sandwich?"
"Yeah, leftover from earlier. Want me to grab one?"
"Nah, hand it over."
"Man, you brought cup ramen too."
"Oh yeah? Bring it. I'm starving."
"Sure. Hang on, I'll add water."
Dong-hwi handed Ji-hyeok the sandwich and drink before stepping out with the cup ramen.
By the time Ji-hyeok had nearly finished the sandwich, Dong-hwi returned with water poured in.
"Heh heh heh. It's chaos out there."
"Why?"
"First time seeing something like that for them. Keyboards are going nuts. Bet it's spreading through every Taesung affiliate."
Ji-hyeok smirked at Dong-hwi's words and started on the cup ramen shortly after.
Not that he was unaware eating during work hours in the office wasn't a great look.
Countless eyes were watching him from outside.
Not just watching—tracking his every move and reporting it somewhere.
That was precisely the point.
An unpredictable existence.
Situations outside expected parameters.
That's what should come to mind when they assessed him.
Nothing as ridiculous as the Monkey King in Buddha's palm.
He had zero interest in dancing within someone's predictions.
It took a full two hours for Ji-hyeok to reach the twenty-sixth floor.
He'd sensed the flurry of activity around him as he left the conference room on the twentieth, but he'd ignored it and taken the elevator up.
He knocked on the president's office door—the one Kang Se-hee and the secretary office staff had blocked just days ago—and entered.
"Pardon the intrusion."
The secretary office staff greeting him wore odd expressions.
What was with those looks?
But then—
A strange noise came from inside the president's office.
—Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
The moment he heard it, Ji-hyeok knew exactly what was happening inside.
So he strode toward the president's office without hesitation.
No one in the secretary office tried to stop him.
—Click!
Pulling down the heavy handle and opening the door revealed the scene unfolding right in front.
But Ji-hyeok first stepped inside, leaned against the closed door, and scanned the room.
The first things that caught his eye were four men sprawled face-down.
Clearly past middle age with graying hair, they trembled on their elbows, prostrated.
Kang Jun-woo stood beside them, golf club in hand.
Those thwacks from outside were these executives getting hit...
But more grating to Ji-hyeok's nerves than the nauseating sight was Kang Se-hee, lounging on the opposite sofa, leg bouncing idly.
"You, stupid, bastard,"
—Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Kang Jun-woo swung the club with every word.
"If you're gonna, eat it up, do it without, getting caught, you idiots. Move."
He nudged the executive who'd collapsed flat on his stomach with his foot and moved to the next.
"Should I look like some punk, getting pocket change, from trash like that? Straighten up!"
In a flash, he'd landed seven blows, then kicked the writhing executive's thigh.
As the man barely resumed position, his club rose again.
That was when Ji-hyeok moved.