Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: The President's Interest
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At Yoon Dong-gyun's words, Lee Myung-guk was at a loss for words for a moment.
"Land hoarding? By Dae-hyuk?"
Something felt off.
Kim Dae-min had clearly told him that Lee Dae-hyuk had used Park Jung-gi to expose the dirty secrets of the Jaesong-dong Gate and Seojin Construction to the world.
In other words, he'd landed a solid blow on their rival, Seojin.
But.
What did it mean that Lee Dae-hyuk had made 100 billion won in the process?
"Land hoarding?"
If he'd received "compensation" from the government, word would have reached his ears somehow.
But earning 100 billion quietly like this? It had to be land hoarding.
"......"
He didn't know what to say.
Should he apologize as a member of the royal family for stooping to such lowly tactics?
Or.
Praise him for making such a massive sum?
Honestly, from Lee Myung-guk's perspective, it wasn't an astonishing amount.
A single decision from a chaebol chairman could make or lose trillions for a company.
"Hmm...."
After mulling it over, Lee Myung-guk shook his head.
"This isn't the time for those thoughts."
The fact that Lee Dae-hyuk had made 100 billion wasn't the point.
"Prime Minister Yoon Dong-gyun. What matters is why this man is calling at this hour."
Composing himself, Lee Myung-guk continued.
"My grown son makes his money however he wants, and I don't interfere. But if it was illegal, you should call Dae-hyuk directly, not me."
- You're awfully bold about it?
Lee Myung-guk didn't even twitch an eyebrow at Yoon Dong-gyun's provocation.
Prime Minister Yoon Dong-gyun.
If he were a clean, upright politician, he might have felt a twinge of guilt or shame.
"But you have no room to talk about real estate issues or military service exemptions, do you, Prime Minister? Oh, and stock trading too?"
It was well-known in these circles that Yoon Dong-gyun had bought 200 pyeong of farmland for 500 million won using inside info from Seojin Group.
Later receiving 10 billion in compensation when it was taken for road construction.
Technically, it was land bought by Yoon Dong-gyun's father.
- Ha ha ha. That was my father benefiting from my position while he was alive. Just one act of filial piety. The military thing was a father's worry for his sick child. And the stocks? Same story.
Yoon Dong-gyun offered excuses in a voice laced with laughter.
Getting his son exempted—not even public service, just full exemption—for something as minor as atopic dermatitis.
Using Seojin's internal info to buy up affiliate stocks and grow his assets.
All of it, he claimed, stemmed from a father's love for his son.
Lee Myung-guk despised this hypocritical rhetoric from Yoon Dong-gyun.
Yoon Dong-gyun was a capable prime minister in his own right.
He loyally supported the president and was praised for his resourcefulness.
The problem was that he used that resourcefulness for his own self-preservation.
"He gobbles up dirty money like it's his job."
And it wasn't just Seojin.
He'd extracted "donations" of money and information from Daehan Group, Hyundai San Group, and even Kosan Group, which had split off from Hyundai San.
Daehan Group had benefited greatly from Yoon Dong-gyun as well...
But that only deepened Lee Myung-guk's disgust.
"Dae-hyuk will be here soon. No more wasting time."
He was about to meet his son.
He didn't want to sour his mood with pointless talk.
"Get to the point. Is this about telling me to raise my kid right?"
- Ha ha. Still as impatient as ever. Yes, straight to the point.
Yoon Dong-gyun paused dramatically before continuing, even as he claimed to get to it.
- The VIP is interested in your youngest son. Not right away, but he wants to meet him soon.
"......?!"
Even Lee Myung-guk couldn't hide his surprise.
The current VIP—the president—interested in his son?
"...Because of the land hoarding?"
- Unlike me, the VIP hates Seojin.
Yoon Dong-gyun slyly laid out the real issue.
As prime minister, Yoon Dong-gyun took the pro-Seojin line, opposite the president on that front.
Anti-Seojin president.
Pro-Seojin Yoon Dong-gyun.
The two men from the same Democratic Unity Party and law school alumni could have been the perfect governing duo—except for Seojin Group.
That subtle rift over Seojin had split the Blue House not along party lines, but into pro- and anti-Seojin factions.
In this context, the president's curiosity about Lee Dae-hyuk put a father in the know in a tough spot.
"Yoo Jae-man is a beast. He's become a giant dominating Korea's economy, but he still has that feral instinct."
That beast never forgave enemies.
If Lee Dae-hyuk not only pocketed 100 billion through land hoarding but crossed lines by meeting the president?
Even if it was his own son, Yoo Jae-man wouldn't stand for it.
"Those lunatics might do something crazy."
The fierce glares of Yoo Jae-man's off-the-books security detail were still fresh in his mind.
Of course, Daehan Group's security team would protect Lee Dae-hyuk with everything they had, but there was no need to invite needless danger.
"If the president wants to see him, could I come along as his father? It's been a while since I toured the Blue House."
- What, is Daehan Group afraid of Seojin? Shocking.
Prime Minister Yoon Dong-gyun, sharp as a president himself, read Lee Myung-guk's intent.
"Insufferable bastard."
Cursing Yoon inwardly, Lee Myung-guk reiterated.
"I want to see the president too, that's all...."
- Fine, understood. See you at the Blue House soon, then.
"Yes, I suppose so."
- Looking forward to it. Oh, I'll relay this conversation to the president just now. That's fine?
"Of course."
Satisfied with the response?
Laughter echoed from the phone.
- Have a good night.
Yoon Dong-gyun hung up after the farewell.
Lee Myung-guk, meanwhile, sank into deep thought.
"......"
Complicated.
He'd protect his son no matter what, but he didn't like the variables.
However.
"Dae-min."
Moments later, having decided, Lee Myung-guk spoke.
"Yes, Chairman."
Hearing the chairman call his name suddenly, Kim Dae-min responded gravely.
Not as a friend or family, but as his boss.
Lee Myung-guk felt a small sense of pride watching Kim Dae-min bow his head slightly.
Yes. With a man like this by my side, we can overcome anything.
"You'll need to watch over our Dae-hyuk a bit more closely. The kid's still too wild."
"Understood."
Kim Dae-min asked no further questions.
There must be a reason for the chairman's troubled expression.
It was his role to erase that look.
He'd pour everything into carrying out orders out of the chairman's sight.
As Kim Dae-min steeled himself.
Viiiing!!!
He pulled out his phone at the vibration and checked the message.
"The Young Master has arrived."
Staff notifying him of Lee Dae-hyuk's arrival.
At that.
"Bring Dae-hyuk in."
Lee Myung-guk's expression softened a touch as he spoke.
***
"Your father supports you."
As soon as Lee Dae-hyuk sat across from him, Lee Myung-guk shared his true feelings.
But Lee Dae-hyuk couldn't smile.
"What's going on?"
His father's face was stiff, contrary to his words.
"But I can't understand why you had to make money that way."
He brought up the land hoarding.
"I thought it was the most efficient method."
Lee Dae-hyuk accepted it straightforwardly, without reaction.
Seeing his son's response, Lee Myung-guk continued.
"You're about to become famous now. That means more enemies too."
"Seojin Group was our enemy anyway, wasn't it?"
Lee Dae-hyuk kept his composure despite his father's concerns.
There were uneasy points, sure.
Even if Yoon Tae-ho had kept mouths shut.
From the Busan fight to hunting Wolfgang.
He'd been living an action blockbuster.
He knew his father's eyes and ears were among the security detail.
Fortunately, no grilling on his fights.
Yoon Tae-ho must have succeeded in silencing them.
Emboldened, Lee Dae-hyuk pressed his point more firmly.
"If they're enemies, we crush them. If we don't stomp them, they'll stomp us."
"Stomp us...? You think Daehan will get stomped by Seojin?"
"Yes. We're weaker than Seojin right now. That's why we started this attack. Like guerrilla warfare."
Saying this in front of Lee Myung-guk was awkward.
But for Lee Dae-hyuk, who knew the future, it was undeniable.
"......"
Lee Dae-hyuk stared boldly at Lee Myung-guk, without a hint of hesitation.
Lee Myung-guk liked the confidence in his son's eyes.
Truth be told, land hoarding wasn't just about having money.
It wasn't simply buying land and holding; it was a psychological game demanding sharp judgment.
Unless someone fed you info beforehand like with Yoon Dong-gyun.
Even a chaebol patriarch would struggle to profit from land hoarding without that.
Yet Lee Dae-hyuk had won.
That pleased Lee Myung-guk.
But as a father, he worried.
Was his son turning into a money-crazed monster?
"You said you want to be Daehan Group chairman?"
"Yes."
"This seat isn't for greed-driven monsters."
Was this what they called grandmotherly worry?
Lee Myung-guk knew his son wasn't that kind of monster.
Still, it needed saying now.
"From this seat, you can earn trillions. But if a man whose only goal is money takes it, the group is doomed."
Lee Dae-hyuk guessed his father's concern.
Those chasing immediate gains made only shortsighted decisions.
"To claim this seat, you must see beyond money. No greed-maddened man should chair Daehan—or any group."
To that lesson, Lee Dae-hyuk replied.
"Money wasn't my goal. Seojin was. I just needed war funds."
"War funds?"
"War or business, you need money."
"Didn't think to ask your father for help?"
At the retort, Lee Dae-hyuk's eyes gleamed as he nodded.
"For things I can handle with my own strength, I didn't want to rely on you, Father."
"......"
Lee Myung-guk nearly smiled at the answer.
His youngest had grown so impressively.
"Alright. Enough on the money."
He understood his son's heart now.
Time for other matters.
"Dae-hyuk."
"Yes."
"I hear you're gathering people. How do you explain that?"
Just before Lee Dae-hyuk entered the study, Lee Myung-guk had gotten a brief from Kim Dae-min.
And even before, rough intel from the security team.
But since it was his son's domain, he'd held off asking.
Lee Dae-hyuk closed and opened his eyes briefly.
He felt a short relief.
Lee Myung-guk knew he was gathering people, but not about fighting organ traffickers or capturing a Russian special forces killer with them.
"Good."
If he knew that, his father wouldn't stay quiet.
He might put him under 24/7 surveillance via Kim Dae-min's men or ship him abroad to study.
Whew.
Exhaling in relief, Lee Dae-hyuk shared what's inside.
"To protect myself."
"Protect?"
"There are too many monsters in this world. To guard this one body, I need preparations."
"......"
Lee Myung-guk, knowing exactly which monsters Lee Dae-hyuk meant, apologized with silence.
His own wife and children must seem like monsters to Dae-hyuk.
But Lee Dae-hyuk's inner thoughts differed.
He had to face even fiercer monsters ahead.
The Daehan successor battle was mere warm-up for the real game.
Still.
"I'll promise one thing."
"What?"
"I'll never cross the line first."
Lee Myung-guk's heart raced at the declaration.
He didn't know what had happened in between.
But Lee Dae-hyuk had clearly changed.
"You've grown bold. You think you can beat those monsters you mentioned while staying on the right side of the line?"
To Lee Myung-guk's question, Lee Dae-hyuk answered without hesitation.
"Yes."
Boss, Become a Chaebol