Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: Why Chaebols Operate Money-Draining Pro Sports Teams
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The reason chaebols run professional sports teams that gobble up cash.
It all boils down to promotion and image laundering, doesn't it?
They slap their company names on pro sports teams for advertising.
And through fair, square sports matches, they imprint a "clean corporate image" on the public.
But in reality, these companies pull off all sorts of dirty tricks far removed from fair play.
'Anything to squeeze out a little more profit—stealing talent and intel from rival groups.'
Take Seojin Group, for example.
Not content with scheming filthy deals, they even commit murder.
'Behind the scenes, they stoop to the lowest lows, then up front, they play squeaky clean through their pro sports teams. Disgusting.'
Invincible, fair, victorious Seojin!!!
Stuff like that.
'It's embarrassing just thinking about it.'
Lee Dae-hyuk's cheeks flushed slightly as he continued.
"Basketball, soccer, volleyball, baseball—running pro teams in ball sports like those requires a ton of manpower and capital. It's impossible with the personnel I have right now. And it'd take way too much time."
Besides, there was no real need to run such teams anyway.
Daehan Group was already handling those ball sport teams.
He could take them over once he became chairman.
Having finished his explanation, Lee Dae-hyuk looked at Kim Mi-jin.
"......"
Hoo—
Finally persuaded, Kim Mi-jin let out a sigh.
"Got it. I'll get things moving while you're in the States."
Working in Daehan Group's chairman secretariat, Kim Mi-jin had naturally built connections across various fields.
She had plenty of contacts in broadcasting and sports circles too.
With her network and Punch's funding, she was confident she could pull off a mixed martial arts league without much trouble.
"Sorry for putting you through all this."
"Just make sure you handle your business in America."
"Yes. Of course—for your sake too, Noona, I'll make it a success."
Lee Dae-hyuk smiled in response.
But at that moment, he had no way of knowing.
About the other crisis awaiting him in America.
***
After his meeting with Kim Mi-jin.
Lee Dae-hyuk was now meeting the person who would provide him the most help going forward.
Jung Hee-joo, Kim Il-jung, Kim Jae-woon, Kim Min-gyu, and Lee Sang-wook—they were all valuable assets to him.
However.
None of them could give him the weapon called "information."
Even the info Jung Hee-joo had on debtors was limited in scope.
In contrast, the information held by the person before him was near-infinite.
Looking at Eve seated across the table, Lee Dae-hyuk said.
"I've heard a lot about you."
Lee Dae-hyuk extended his right hand to Eve.
To use psychometry.
But.
"Sorry. I have OCD."
Eve shook her head.
"...Ah, my apologies."
When she politely refused the handshake, Lee Dae-hyuk withdrew his hand.
Seeing that, Eve waved it off.
"No need to apologize. I'm grateful you understand."
Eve's tone was quite gentle.
From her perspective, it was only natural.
Lee Dae-hyuk was a member and a client.
First meeting, so she had to be as courteous as possible.
Refusing the handshake upfront... well, that was a separate issue.
"It's surreal meeting someone as impressive as you in person. Should I get an autograph?"
Eve joked lightly.
But her eyes sharply scanned Lee Dae-hyuk.
She had steadily gathered intel on him over time.
He'd taken down Wolfgang and squeezed 100 billion won out of Seojin Construction.
He'd accomplished the impossible.
Then, out of nowhere, Lee Dae-hyuk had come to her directly.
The man she'd gone from curious about to admiring.
Gazing at him with a mix of wariness and curiosity, Eve asked with an intrigued expression.
"Anyway, what brings a busy man like you here all of a sudden? Need some information?"
"Not information. I need a person."
"A person?"
Eve tilted her head.
"We don't find people for you. We're not a detective agency."
Lee Dae-hyuk gave a wry smile at her response.
"I don't need you to find someone. The person I need is you, Manager."
"Me?"
Eve burst into laughter at Lee Dae-hyuk's reply.
"You're more fun than I expected. But I'm not cheap. You couldn't afford me even with all of Daehan Group."
Eve instantly grasped what he meant.
This man wanted not her, but "White Storm."
"We don't form friendly ties with specific individuals. We sell information fairly to all."
For merchants selling information, trust with members was paramount.
Favoring one member could breed issues.
If someone bought info on that favored member, trust problems arise.
For instance, if she sold fake info to protect a friend?
'Business over.'
Eve sneered as she wrapped it up.
"So let's keep it to business between us."
"Ah, I think there's a misunderstanding..."
Lee Dae-hyuk flashed a meaningful smile and revealed his true intent.
"I misspoke. Let me correct that. I need someone to buy the information I have."
"Pardon?"
Eve's eyes widened at the completely unexpected words from Lee Dae-hyuk.
"You're selling information, not buying?"
"Well, sure, I'll buy when I need to."
Lee Dae-hyuk paused, silently watching Eve.
He was gauging her reaction, letting the tension build.
'Too bad.'
In that moment, glancing at her right hand, Lee Dae-hyuk felt a twinge of regret.
Psychometry would have made reading her a breeze.
He could've fine-tuned his offer to her desires and made her a business partner more easily.
But the handshake was refused.
Now, he'd have to convince her with his own skills alone.
'She could be my most crucial asset.'
Eve was someone even he hadn't known in his past life.
'Yu Jae-man probably doesn't know about her either.'
Which meant.
This woman could be the wildcard to flip the scales at a pivotal moment.
She could be the key to massively aiding his revenge.
'I have to win her over, no matter what.'
As Lee Dae-hyuk steeled his resolve.
"......"
Eve clamped her mouth shut, staring intently at him.
"Honestly, it's a bit insulting. Do you think you have information we don't, Mr. Lee Dae-hyuk?"
Displeasure spread across Eve's face.
She was the head of Korea's top hacker collective.
For White Storm, who prided itself on possessing all information, this man was claiming to sell them intel.
She found Lee Dae-hyuk ridiculous.
But he ignored her expression and affirmed it flatly.
"Yes."
"How dare you say that to my face... Hah...."
Was it occupational pride as an "information broker"?
Eve swallowed her anger.
She was curious about why he was so confident—what info he had.
'...Whatever it is, I have to hear it. But not right now.'
Hearing it now would just distract her.
First, she needed to resolve one issue.
"Fine. Alright, Mr. Lee Dae-hyuk."
"Yes."
"Sometimes, we value something more than information itself."
"What’s that?"
"Trust. Trust between our sources and us."
Eve's gaze sharpened.
This wasn't just a regular client meeting.
Someone like Lee Dae-hyuk offering to sell info meant there was a major reason.
She needed to hear that first and judge.
"You're not short on cash, so why sell information?"
"Does the reason matter?"
"It's crucial for building trust."
Composing herself, Eve calmly steered the conversation.
A man who'd piqued her curiosity was making an unforeseen proposal.
In such cases, it was one of two things.
'A trap. Or luck.'
Eve fell silent, staring at Lee Dae-hyuk.
A wordless urging for him to answer.
Finally, Lee Dae-hyuk revealed a sliver of his true intent.
"I have enemies. Ones I must get revenge on no matter what. But that guy has tons of enemies even without me."
It was about Yu Jae-man.
How many had he crushed?
Among them were plenty not driven by revenge, but other motives to target him.
For example...
"There are cops and prosecutors among White Storm members, right?"
"I can't disclose member information."
Eve dodged the question.
But Lee Dae-hyuk asked no more.
He already knew the answer.
A hacker group buying and selling info—White Storm.
Hackers are, strictly speaking, illegal.
Yet White Storm persisted like this?
'Obvious. High-ranking cops or prosecutors have their backs.'
And behind those high-rankers, pulling strings, was Yu Jae-man.
'And plenty of them want out from under his thumb.'
Those were Lee Dae-hyuk's targets.
If he seeded Yu Jae-man's weaknesses through White Storm in advance.
Those desperate to break free would use that "information."
Eventually, they'd become his bullets, striking Yu Jae-man in the back of the head.
"I'll sell them the information those people want."
"...Information on whom?"
At Eve's question, Lee Dae-hyuk replied.
"The king. The weaknesses of this country's true king."
"......"
Having heard Lee Dae-hyuk out, Eve unconsciously clenched her fist.
She knew who he meant by this country's king.
An omnipotent force even White Storm couldn't touch for info.
The one man they didn't sell data on, even when peddling the president's secrets.
Seojin Group's titan, Yu Jae-man.
"I get who you're talking about. But info on him..."
"Within the next ten years, that man will fall. Maybe even sooner."
"......!!"
Eve was dumbfounded by Lee Dae-hyuk's words.
It'd be easier to stage a Joseon-era coup and behead the king than topple Yu Jae-man.
Eve tried to dissuade him.
"I don't know your story, but drop the delusions. It'll be better for you."
"What if it's not a delusion?"
Lee Dae-hyuk brimmed with conviction.
He knew everything about Yu Jae-man, and with his psychometry as a regressor.
He could definitely bring him down.
"Want to bet on it?"
As if to cool the heated atmosphere, Lee Dae-hyuk joked.
But Eve couldn't respond.
"......"
Reason screamed to kick Lee Dae-hyuk out now.
But.
Damn instinct kept tempting her.
To grab him.
He'd spout nonsense about changing not just her future, but everyone's tied to White Storm.
'...Now who's deluding themselves.'
Eve squeezed her eyes shut, shaking off the distractions.
No need to decide right away.
Opening her eyes again, Eve spoke.
"Rushing to conclusions would spoil the fun, right? Let's end today's talk here."
No firm answer—just sending him off.
"Yes. Understood. See you again."
Lee Dae-hyuk rose without argument.
He'd expected no commitment here anyway.
But.
Her conflicted face made it clear she was mulling it over.
Good news would come soon enough.
Lee Dae-hyuk's steps were light as he left White Storm.
***
In the empty seat after Lee Dae-hyuk departed.
Kay approached Eve, lost in thought.
"What do you think?"
At Eve's question, Kay answered without hesitation.
"No need to agonize. Keep your distance from him."
Eve narrowed her eyes, lifting her head at his tone.
"This is worth agonizing over. Deeply."
Her voice rose slightly, and Kay stepped back, bowing his head.
"......"
Kay bowed silently.
Eve, watching him, waved it off.
"Sorry. I was sharp."
This time, Eve apologized.
She'd vented at the wrong person.
Truth was, this was her call to make.
As White Storm's leader.
'Yu Jae-man is the perfect ruler and dictator. And history's dictators usually...'
Meet tragic ends and crumble.
Who knew if Lee Dae-hyuk would rise as the next powerhouse after Yu Jae-man's fall?
"......"
After minutes of deliberation, Eve issued an order to Kay.
"From now on, 24/7. Monitor Lee Dae-hyuk."