Chapter 91
Chapter 91
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Rats Eyeing the Granary (2)
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National Forensic Service.
In a sample storage room that felt more like a freezer, two forensic scientists stood dressed in pristine white coats.
They looked even more serious than usual during their other duties.
Wearing latex gloves that clung tightly to their hands, they were examining evidence related to Chairman Seo Guk-cheol's death.
"This is exactly what I'm thinking, right? The medical records are missing something weird here?"
"Obviously. There's no way this pharmacological reaction is normal. They deliberately mixed two things that are 100% contraindicated. Unless the doctor was an idiot."
Tap, tap. One of the forensic scientists drummed his fingers on the medical records clipped to a chart holder.
He pushed up his black horn-rimmed glasses that had slid down the bridge of his nose and continued.
"But would a guy who's the head of internal medicine at Cheolhwa Medical Center be an idiot? The answer's obvious. Those two bitch daughters of his."
"Kuh, looks like the stock market rumors were spot on. Man, those venomous bitches. All for that money."
"When that money's in the trillions, I guess it makes a difference. Anyway... let's wrap this up."
The two finished organizing all the related materials.
After signing off on the revealed truth and their conclusions, they tossed the documents to an intern staffer like it was nothing.
"Hey, newbie."
"Yes, Team Leader."
"Take this straight to the administrative officer at the Blue House Civil Affairs Chief's Office on the second floor. Be careful not to crease it—it's for someone important."
The intern stood frozen, staring holes through the papers with hesitation. Instead of answering, he cautiously added a question.
"Uh... the Civil Affairs Chief's Office? Don't we need approval from the boss upstairs?"
"Oh man, kid. The boss said to bypass him on this one. Because..."
The forensic scientist pointed a finger at the ceiling.
Aware of the ripple effects this signed document would cause, he smirked with amusement and opened his mouth.
"It's a direct order from way up top. From the big shot under the blue-tiled roof."
* * * *
-Crash!
The solidly shut iron front door shattered in an instant under the crowbar swing of a burly prosecution investigator.
Bursting through the cloud of dust, people stormed into the Cheolhwa Group family estate.
Dressed in leather jackets and flashing silver badges, they bellowed as they approached sisters Seo Yun-ah and Seo Yun-mi.
"Figure you know why we're here, so we'll skip that. You can invoke your right to remain silent, and as rich folks, you'll handle getting lawyers yourselves."
"What the hell are you! You crazy bastard... Let go right now!"
Slap. Seo Yun-ah, the eldest, struck the investigator's face with her designer bag.
As if it hadn't fazed him at all, the investigator nonchalantly twisted one of her arms behind her back.
"Add parricide and special assault. How about we keep it civil?"
"You bastard! You think you'll get away with this? I won't let you off!"
"Oh dear. Looks like your little sis over there has the whole situation figured out. Let's all stay calm and quiet, yeah?"
Amid the chaos, the second sister, Seo Yun-mi, maintained her haughty demeanor.
Her handcuffed wrists must have stung, as she clasped her hands tightly and looked at her sister.
"Looks like a maggot from up top latched on. That lowborn bitch Seo Yun-ji must've used her head for once."
"What? Hold on! What the hell does that mean!"
"Keep your voice down, sis."
Seo Yun-ah screamed wildly, struggling to accept their predicament.
Her sister apparently saw no point in relying on her. Seo Yun-mi approached her older sister with a blank expression and whispered.
"Just shut up, sis. I'll handle everything else."
"Huh... what?"
"It's the higher-ups pulling strings. Keep your mouth shut and stay quiet when we go."
Having said her piece to her sister,
Seo Yun-mi turned to the investigator, taking in the desolate scene of the family home that now resembled a barren field.
She was mentally calculating dozens of possible scenarios.
"What're you waiting for? Not going? Are prosecution investigators always this slow?"
"...Do all chaebol daughters act like this? Fine, let's get moving."
* * * *
-As the Cheolhwa Group inheritance war boils to the surface, the prosecution has requested arrest warrants for Presidents Seo Yun-mi and Seo Yun-ah.
-The prosecution announced it will indict them on five charges, including parricide. We go live to the scene. Reporter Choi Ye-na?
-Yes, this is Choi Ye-na reporting live from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office...
Beep. Kim Won-cheol killed the TV the moment the cute, duck-like reporter appeared.
She was his personal type, but he brushed it off like it was nothing and launched right into his report.
"Quit grinning at that reporter who looks like an idol girl group member. Time to get a real girlfriend."
"You know full well—without workload relief, I'm destined to marry the Ammunition Group."
In this chairman-dominated regime, I essentially was the Ammunition Group. Just like France's Louis XIV once said.
Until I overcame the current crisis and overhauled the group's structure entirely, I had no choice but to become a forced workaholic.
Kim Won-cheol knew it too, dodging my gaze and awkwardly whistling.
"Ahem, workload relief... yeah, that's tough for now. Anyway, time for the report?"
The daily briefing kicked off without fail.
Flip. All the intel gathered from the group's eyes and ears, compiled into one.
Both the collective overview and individual details—all pointed like compass needles to a single target.
Yoon Hak-gil sat squarely at the eye of this incoming storm.
"It's crystal clear now. Yoon Hak-gil, Blue House National Security Office Director. Cutting off his head is the only way the Ammunition Group survives."
"Wouldn't it be better to move slow? He's at the pinnacle of power, after all."
"I thought the same until just now, but that cute duck-like reporter means I can't."
Kim Won-cheol tilted his head at the out-of-left-field reporter mention.
Question marks piled atop his shiny bald head, he stopped racking his brain and shot me a question.
"What're you on about?"
"Yoon Hak-gil's moving fast. Didn't Choi Ye-na just report it?"
I pointed my thumb at the blackened TV screen.
The puzzle pieces falling into place got an offhand explanation.
"The Seo family of Cheolhwa Group didn't turn into that mess overnight. No low-level investigators could pull that off."
"Ah...! You're right!"
Kim Won-cheol finally nodded.
Maybe his position was off, but his forehead sparkled under the lights with every bob.
I held back a laugh and continued.
"There must've been some deal between Seo Yun-ji and Yoon Hak-gil. Surrounding that massive hunk of meat called Cheolhwa Group."
"Yeah, makes sense. So... what's our move?"
Tick-tock. The only sound filling the silent office was the clock hands.
Even pooling our heads yielded no clever ploy—until it came from Kim Won-cheol on the sofa.
Whether it was truly clever... I'd find out later, I guess.
"The Art of War says: in times like these, target the weak link."
"Does it really say that in Sun Tzu?"
"No clue. Just pulled it out of my ass. But... seems to fit this time. Heh heh heh."
Crunch. Kim Won-cheol bit into a big old-school snack.
Three sticky, sugar-coated fingers appeared before my eyes.
"Out of Seo Yun-ji, Yoon Hak-gil, and Defense Minister Ham Pung-deok—the weakest link's gotta be our Mr. Ham, right?"
"Well, yeah. So?"
"The best way to target someone? Rope in the family first. So here's the thing."
A sudden chill hit me.
I'd cranked the office heat nice and toasty, but the uneasy cold crept up my back unabated.
"Blind date. Let's do a youth business venture or something."
Right then, Aide Yoo Se-na walked in.
Seeing her flinch just like me, I asked Kim Won-cheol—praying my uneasy hunch wasn't coming true.
"You don't mean... the minister's family—like, the girl I'm thinking of?"
"Heh heh heh. The hag witch sprinkled salt at me, but our chairman's got the cool head to hold back."
Guess I need to tell the general affairs team to stock salt in the office.
Abusing and assaulting the driver, spitting in the dedicated aide's face, snatching a sentry's rifle while blackout drunk and bolting.
She'd achieved the grand slam of scandals by her mid-20s—and she was the girl Kim Won-cheol was pushing on me.
"Defense Minister Ham's crazy only daughter. Our chairman can handle her, no sweat. Fighting!"
* * * *
Yongsan. Ministry of National Defense Minister's Residence.
Among the nation's quietest official residences, this one seemed exempt from the world's rules.
Late night. A driver with a black eye slung his age-mate girl over his shoulder and opened the front door.
"Hey! Hurry up!"
"Hoo... Got it."
Drunk off her ass, she yanked the driver's hair—not a long ride.
"You know my dad finds out, I'm dead? Then your buzzcut ass dies by my hand first!"
"You bitch...! Ham Chae-eun! What the hell are you doing!"
Just then, Defense Minister Ham Pung-deok stepped into the yard.
He'd been lost in thought with his cigarette, but the acrid fumes blowing in with his daughter scrambled his brain like poison gas.
"Oh, the nag grandpa. Long time no see."
"You lunatic bitch! I told you not to mess with the drivers under me!"
"This kid doesn't get it no matter how I beat it into him! Dumbass for real!"
"You bitch...! Still not grown up!"
It'd only been a couple years since her abusing drivers and residence guards hit the news, but she showed no signs of reform.
No hint of remorse—instead, she flipped off her father.
"Love ya."
"This isn't a joke! And where's a young girl like you boozing till late night!"
"Not a virgin. Biologically."
"Ham Chae-eun...!"
Like dismounting a donkey, Ham Chae-eun slid off the driver's back and bolted to her room.
The nagging from behind already fell on deaf ears.
All her focus was on a single text lit up on her tiny phone screen.
-[Kim Beom-ho] Set up that blind date with the handsome chaebol boy you wanted. For now... it's a secret who.