The Chairman's Fury
The very top of Lee Do Group.
An old man was seething with rage.
“So what are you going to do about it!!”
His face flushed crimson, he roared and swept his gaze across the room, but everyone could only avert their eyes in panic.
That pathetic display finally snapped the old man’s patience.
“I!”
BOOM!
“Asked you a question—!”
BOOM—!
The living symbol of Korean industry.
Distribution, logistics, appliances, electronics, construction, telecommunications, semiconductors, automobiles……
Undisputed number one in every sector, the undisputed leader of Korea’s business world.
Chairman Lee Sang-byuk of Lee Do Group.
That was the old man’s identity.
“Hey, are you deaf? Got no mouth? Why aren’t you answering! Are you trying to make this old man’s blood pressure explode? Hey, Distribution— is that really what happened?”
“We’re sorry!”
“You, Materials!”
“We’re sorry!!”
“Stop apologizing and start explaining! Talk!!”
CRASH—!!
“Number one” written, but read as “Lee Do.”
That single phrase laid bare Chairman Lee Sang-byuk’s obsession with being first.
Everything had to be the best. If it wasn’t the best, it was worthless trash.
Industry leader, profit leader, value leader.
Even employee salaries had to be number one. If another company offered even one won more, salaries were raised immediately.
One day, Lee Do Group’s cafeteria ranked second on a TV variety show. That alone might have been tolerable, but the real problem was that Chairman Lee Sang-byuk saw it.
He hurled the spoon he had been holding and issued orders on the spot. The cafeteria was completely overhauled that very day, and the manager in charge was demoted, of course.
That was how fanatical Chairman Lee Sang-byuk’s obsession with being number one truly was.
Which was exactly why he could not accept this situation.
Losing the magic stone processing bid and finishing second.
“This is Korea. My, Lee Do’s, territory! And we got pushed to second place by those Kirin brats? Fine. You people really are trying to kill me with high blood pressure and dump me in a hospital. There’s no other explanation.”
““We’re sorry!!””
“Sorry! Sorry!! From now on, anyone who says ‘sorry’ gets their head cut off!!”
“……”
“Haa…… Vice Chairman, you speak. Go on, explain this mess to me.”
At those words, Lee Young-bin, Vice Chairman of Lee Do Group and Lee Sang-byuk’s eldest son, raised his head. Knowing full well that his father despised both excuses and apologies, he cut straight to the point.
“It’s because of the magic stones.”
“Magic stones?”
“The fact that we failed to secure a significant supply of magic stones was the decisive factor.”
Magic stones were the nation’s primary energy source, so by law the government held a monopoly on them. The current system allocated those collected stones to corporations through a bidding process.
However.
“Currently, the Kirin Group operates the largest guild in Korea. From the government’s perspective, which must secure enormous quantities of magic stones every year, they have no choice but to be mindful of Kirin, their biggest supplier.”
“Furthermore, the Kirin Group maintains an extremely close cooperative relationship with the current administration. Not only with magic stones, but also monster subjugation, securing research materials, and even clearing specific gates—they’ve been blatantly accommodating the government’s needs.”
“Objectively speaking, it benefits the government to side with Kirin rather than us.”
They chose the side that offered greater benefits.
It seemed simple and rational at first glance.
But that was only if one remained ignorant of the hidden circumstances.
—BOOM!!
“That’s complete nonsense! You’re telling me we lost because of that pathetic excuse? Are you kidding me!”
In this country called Korea, Lee Do’s existence was truly overwhelming.
Otherwise, why would people openly call it the “Republic of Lee Do”? Even the government had long since passed the point of finding them burdensome.
How on earth were they supposed to rein in that dinosaur?
Lee Sang-byuk occupied a position where he could wield absolute power if he so desired, yet surprisingly, he had voluntarily relinquished what was his.
Rather than flaunting his pride or superiority, he wanted to maintain the number-one spot for as long as possible and continue growing.
Therefore, he needed a stable market, and for the market to remain stable, competition was essential.
That was why Lee Sang-byuk had tearfully given up the guild he had so desperately wanted, and in exchange for accepting the government’s unreasonable demands, they had promised him various rights, including the magic stone processing bid.
With all that secret maneuvering in place, how must Lee Sang-byuk be feeling now?
He had been stabbed in the back.
Me, Lee Sang-byuk!!
“Last year’s presidential election was the key factor.”
“I knew it! That damn bastard!!”
“The President himself denies it, but everyone who needs to know already understands the connection between the President and the Kirin Group.”
The explanation had been long-winded, but in the end, it all came down to political-business collusion.
The all-too-common corruption where corporations provide support and politicians offer protection in return.
“There’s truth in the old saying. If you keep showing favor, people start thinking it’s their right. So Chief Choi and those Kirin brats think they can stand on equal footing with me, Lee Sang-byuk?”
“……”
“Haa…… Fine.”
In an instant, Lee Sang-byuk’s voice dropped low and cold.
Everyone flinched. That was the signal that he was truly angry.
“All of you, get out.”
He didn’t want to see their faces anymore.
At the dismissal, everyone backed out of the room. Lee Sang-byuk pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and picked up the phone.
“Tell Cheol-ong to come in.”
Then the man whom even the chairman addressed by name—the only person in the company granted that privilege—Chief of Staff Yu Cheol-ong entered the room.
The white-haired man bowed his head and walked in, then silently lit the chairman’s cigarette without a word.
“Cheol-ong, you heard everything, right?”
“Yes, I did.”
“……Looks like we’ll have to move the plan forward.”
At those words, the old man raised his head.
A sharp spark flashed in his characteristically intense eyes.
“Contact has already been made. Just give the order and our people will mark the targets.”
“Good. Spread the money around generously. No loose ends.”
“We’ve already reached every single low-level official. Local assembly members will also side with us. The official justification will be support for local governments under the banner of resolving the polarization between the capital and the provinces.”
“Handle the National Assembly that way. What about the guilds?”
“We’ve already finished discussions with the executives at H.U.N.T. They’ve given us their word that they’ll look the other way. We’ve already completed the selection process—would you like to see it?”
“No need. I know how thorough you are with your work.”
Hoo
A plume of white smoke rose.
“Those idiots outside seem to think they’ve put shackles on me, Lee Sang-byuk. Just because they blocked one measly guild. Cheol-ong, do you think that too?”
“Nonsense. Everything happens according to your will, Chairman.”
“Exactly. I gave up Lee Do’s guild because I wanted peace, and I allowed Kirin’s guild to become the best because I permitted it.”
But they repaid that goodwill with betrayal.
There was no longer any reason to wear these pathetic shackles.
Lee Sang-byuk spat out his rising fury and declared,
“As of today, Lee Do Group will have a guild.”
That single sentence would shake not only Korea but the entire global guild industry. The man Yu Cheol-ong served possessed that kind of power.
“Understood. Then I’ll dispatch personnel to each region as planned. Also, regarding the young masters……”
“What’s there to discuss? Proceed as planned. If they’ve inherited my blood, they should be able to handle a guild just fine.”
“Understood. However, Chairman.”
Yu Cheol-ong carefully spoke up.
“What about Young Master Lee Shin……”
The moment the two characters “Lee Shin” were mentioned, Lee Sang-byuk’s brow furrowed sharply.
“Don’t even bring up that good-for-nothing in front of me!”
To Lee Sang-byuk, the name Lee Shin represented a completely different kind of anger from losing the magic stone processing bid. If one measured pure intensity of rage, the frustration caused by his grandson far exceeded the bid incident.
With the bid, he at least had the confidence that he could control the outcome if he exerted his power. But this good-for-nothing grandson repeatedly slipped beyond his control.
Grind.
That worthless brat!
How many opportunities had he given him just because he was the eldest grandson?
Lee Shin was the first and only grandchild Lee Sang-byuk had ever held in his arms, and from a young age the boy had resembled him so closely that he had showered him with exceptional affection.
He had given him everything he could enjoy and made sure he could have anything he wanted.
Yet in the end, it had all led to drugs, womanizing, and brawling……
Lee Shin had ultimately disappointed him.
What more could he do? How much longer was he supposed to tolerate this?
The fact that Lee Sang-byuk hadn’t taken back everything he had given was already proof of tremendous patience.
While Lee Sang-byuk ground his teeth in frustration, Yu Cheol-ong cautiously continued.
“Still, wouldn’t it be better to give everyone an equal opportunity?”
“I said enough! Why do you keep taking that brat’s side?”
“Because…… you care about him, Chairman.”
“!!”
Care about him.
Having his true feelings exposed, Lee Sang-byuk froze for a moment, then looked at Yu Cheol-ong with a slightly calmer expression.
“You know me too well.”
“My apologies.”
“Enough. Stop talking about him. This is company business. How could I entrust it to that good-for-nothing?”
Then, as if remembering something, Lee Sang-byuk asked,
“He’s still under house arrest, right?”
“If you mean Young Master Lee Shin, the Vice Chairman has him confined to the house as ordered.”
“Good. Make sure not a single word about this matter reaches his ears. Even when hunting a rabbit, a lion uses its full strength. Don’t give him any unnecessary excuses to get involved. You understand what I’m saying?”
“I’ll keep it in mind.”
“You may leave.”
Yu Cheol-ong bowed and exited the room.
When the door closed and silence settled over the chairman’s office, Lee Sang-byuk let out the sigh he had been holding back behind his anger.
“Haa…… You stupid boy……”
Reflected in the window, he searched for someone in his own image.
* * *
In the heart of the city lined with skyscrapers.
The gazes of people hurrying along the street all converged on one spot.
“……Whoa, look at that guy.”
“Pfft, what the hell is that?”
“He’s going out looking like that? Confidence level: maximum.”
Toe-exposing slippers.
Bright blue tracksuit pants.
A wrinkled shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbows.
Hair that looked like it had been hit by a bomb.
He looked like someone who had dived straight into a laundry basket without washing and pulled out whatever he grabbed.
But the moment people’s eyes traveled from that shabby appearance up to his face, everyone let out an involuntary gasp, as if on cue.
“Ah……!”
“Gasp!!”
“In…… sane……”
Someone once said that the finishing touch of fashion is the face.
The man before them proved it. Slippers? Tracksuit? Wrinkled shirt?
Who cared?
His face was ridiculous! His charm was exploding!
Amidst the commotion, a few sharp-eyed individuals tilted their heads while looking at the man.
“But he looks familiar somehow.”
“He resembles someone. Is he a celebrity?”
The murmuring grew louder. As if brainstorming, people tossed out guesses one after another until they finally arrived at the answer.
“Isn’t that Lee Shin?”
“Huh? Wait, seriously!! I think it is?!”
That was right. Lee Shin.
They hadn’t recognized him because they were used to seeing him only in suits worth as much as an entire house. Seeing him in such cheap-looking (?) and approachable (?) casual clothes had thrown them off.
Or perhaps that somewhat country-bumpkin appearance had simply been confusing.
Anyway, Lee Shin paid no attention to the growing noise around him. Instead, he looked around like a country bumpkin and let out exclamations of wonder.
“Ooh……!!”
Company names that should have started with H or L had been replaced by names from inside a game, and he could barely contain his excitement.
The streets, familiar yet unfamiliar, brought Lee Shin a strange sense of delight.
And now, as he came to a stop—
Among all those names, he finally found the one he had been searching for.
“Here it is! Lee Do Group.”
The tallest building in this concrete forest, the one closest to the sky.
Lee Do Group.
That was Lee Shin’s destination.