The Bribe Convoy
***
Meanwhile, in the Prime Minister's office, Prime Minister Min lost all reason upon hearing the bad news from Minister Kim Dae-geun.
He grabbed whatever was at hand and hurled it across the room, letting out a guttural roar.
"You idiot! If your tail was that long, you should've cut it off yourself!"
"I'm sorry, sir."
"How the hell do you handle everything with such incompetence? Huh?"
"I have nothing to say, even if I had ten mouths."
His face twisted in fury, he yanked off his tie. He chain-smoked one cigarette after another, but it wasn't enough to calm his rage.
He glared at his old colleague from the same region with utter contempt for a long while, then even raised his hand.
"I can't just smack you like in the old days."
"If getting beaten would solve this, I'd take it gladly."
"So, what's your take on this?"
"Senior, I've racked my brain sleepless nights trying to figure out how Chairman Kang got that information, but I have no clue."
"Not even a guess?"
"Nothing at all. I even went down to my district just in case, but no one had met anyone from Chairman Kang's side."
Minister Kim's words were the plain truth. This incident wouldn't come to light until years later by sheer coincidence, so no one except the parties involved knew about it.
It was only natural they couldn't pinpoint the source of the leak, no matter how much they tore their hair out.
Grinding out his cigarette irritably, Prime Minister Min snapped.
"What's the point of being Prime Minister? I have to watch out for the top brass, the press, and now even that old man in the back room of Seongbuk-dong?"
"I'm sorry, senior."
"Stop apologizing and come up with a damn plan!"
"We have none right now."
Prime Minister Min desperately brainstormed countermeasures himself, but in this dead-end situation, there was no viable option.
"That old man bought up the Line 7 land?"
"Yes, every single plot without exception."
"How the hell did he know to buy it? That doesn't make sense."
"No idea. I tried persuasion, but it was hopeless."
"It's not like the compensation was too low, right?"
"Even if we offered several times the amount, he wouldn't even glance at the papers before burning them. You know as well as I do—he's richer than most corporations."
There was no way forward, no retreat, no sidestepping. Prime Minister Min was on the verge of mental collapse.
Lacking even the energy to rage, he slumped into his chair and continued questioning.
"Can't we just invoke eminent domain?"
"I floated the idea, but he countered by threatening our nominations."
"Follow the law and we're dead; cooperate and we live—is that it?"
"That's the situation."
It was a dilemma with no escape. Ferocious beasts surrounded them on all sides, and only one path offered salvation.
Of course, that path's master was Kang Min-ho.
The announcement for the second mobile telecom operator selection was just two days away. Suddenly inserting JK into it would look suspicious to anyone.
Prime Minister Min pondered long and hard, but no sharp solution emerged.
"You know Chairman Choi of Seoyeong Group and I are in-laws, right?"
"Yes, senior."
"Do you have any idea how much hell I went through to hand this to Seoyeong?"
Minister Kim bowed his head low, his voice a mumble.
"I know, senior. But if we don't give Chairman Kang what he wants, we're done for."
"You think I don't know that, you fool?"
"Still... we have no other way."
"If this goes on, it'll be hearings, exile, and prison rice for us."
"To survive, there's only one option. Sorry, but we have to live too."
Preserving justification, profit, and their political lives left just one path.
Naturally, it wasn't their decision—Kang Min-ho was forcing their hand.
After much deliberation, Prime Minister Min nodded as if resolved.
"We'll do the announcement three hours after. No matter how I think about it, that's the only way."
"Wasn't it scheduled for tomorrow?"
"Where's your brain, you moron? Don't you know Chairman Kang's temper? We have to get their sign-off."
"And then what?"
"If they give, we take. JK must have a next move. We'll wait for that and decide. Make the call."
***
Kang Min-ho, who received the call from Moon Sang-oh, headed to the meeting spot with Lawyer Choi Jong-hoon.
Three sedans packed with money in their trunks followed behind.
Glancing at the side mirror, Lawyer Choi cautiously voiced his concerns with a worried expression.
"I don't foresee any major issues, young master, but we should prepare for any slim chance of mishap."
"Meaning, if our tail gets tracked?"
"Yes. Sorry to bring it up before we start."
"That's exactly why I'm going myself."
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
Confirming the trailing vehicles once more, Kang Min-ho smiled and explained.
"If Grandfather makes a move and rumors spread later? What if they catch evidence?"
"Assuming we acquire Daehan Telecom, it could trigger a national assembly probe, prosecution investigation, or worst-case, imprisonment."
"If it's me who gets caught?"
"That must never happen. I won't even mention it—sorry."
Lawyer Choi's worry wasn't unfounded. A slip by either the giver or receiver could trigger it easily.
Kang Min-ho pulled out his notepad, rechecked the plan, and replied.
"To the outside world, I'm still that wastrel causing trouble. If it leaks, I just cut off my own tail."
"So... this is solely your plan, young master?"
"Yes. And it won't come to that. Don't worry."
"Understood. The restaurant ahead is the spot."
After parking, Kang Min-ho grabbed a black briefcase and stepped out.
"Keep the cars here and wait until I come out."
"Shouldn't I accompany you?"
"No need. Proceed with what I mentioned."
"Got it."
Meanwhile, inside the restaurant, the editorial directors of Seyoung Shinmun, Minkuk Ilbo, and Dongyoung Ilbo were already waiting.
They firmly believed from the Seongbuk-dong call that Chairman Kang himself was coming.
When the door opened, in walked not Kang Jin-gwang, not Kang Du-seong, not even Kang Myeong-seon, but a fresh-faced young man they'd never seen.
The three, who had stood assuming it was the chairman, sat back down.
Seyoung Shinmun's Editorial Director Han Gil-seong asked in his signature arrogant tone.
"Hey, when's the chairman arriving?"
"The chairman isn't coming."
"You're not messing with us? Even so, summoning us and sending a kid is too much."
"I'm here personally to relay the chairman's message. Pleased to meet you. I'm Kang Min-ho, grandson of Chairman Kang Jin-gwang."
Upon Kang Min-ho's introduction, the swaggering trio jolted upright, adjusting their postures in surprise.
No matter how young Kang Min-ho was, he was Chairman Kang's grandson—they couldn't treat him lightly.
"Ah, yes, of course, the chairman's grandson."
"Grandfather had a scheduling conflict and couldn't make it. He asked me to convey his regrets."
"Sure, naturally. He's a busy man. No problem. You must be tired from the trip—sit, sit."
Treating the king's envoy with utmost courtesy was only right.
Editorial Director Han Gil-seong used his chopsticks, slick with sauce, to pile meat onto Kang Min-ho's plate.
"Tough trip, huh? Here, have a drink."
"Time is short, so straight to business."
Kang Min-ho placed the newspaper on the table. The front page boldly featured the Daehan Telecom acquisition story, as expected.
These were top pen-wielders, but they couldn't grasp its full implications.
"Who do you think will win the mobile telecom operator selection?"
"How much do you know, young sir?"
"Everything. Speak freely."
"Alright, then. You know the prime minister and Seoyeong are in-laws, right? Obvious whose side he'll take."
The three editorial directors dropped a bombshell none had imagined.
"The selection announcement is tomorrow, but the schedule's changed—expect it today."
Han Gil-seong stared at the wall calendar, his face full of question marks, then shook his head.
"Sounds like a misunderstanding. The official date is tomorrow, no doubt."
Kang Min-ho smiled faintly and dropped a loaded remark.
"Is it, really?"
These three controlled Korea's top media outlets, with the fastest intel. They couldn't ignore Kang Min-ho's words.
The small room, buzzing moments ago, fell silent save for the ticking clock.
Exactly one minute later, the waiting secretaries burst in.
Han Gil-seong snapped irritably.
"We have a guest— what rudeness is this?"
"Sorry. Breaking news just dropped."
"What news?"
"Second mobile telecom operator awarded to Seoyeong Group."
The scheduled date was tomorrow. Just as Kang Min-ho predicted, it was advanced by a full day.
As it became reality, their gazes and postures shifted. They politely set down their cigarettes.
Han Gil-seong, incredulous, asked Kang Min-ho again.
"How did you...?"
"More importantly, there's something bigger."
Kang Min-ho turned, nodded to the secretaries, who quietly exited and shut the door.
Now was his moment.
"To the point: JK will take Daehan Telecom."
To Han Gil-seong, it was absurd. Once selected, it couldn't be overturned.
"No take-backs. Even the prime minister's father couldn't stop it."
"The prime minister's grandfather can't, but my grandfather, Chairman Kang Jin-gwang, can. If it were impossible, I wouldn't be here."
Kang Min-ho opened his briefcase, revealing it to Han Gil-seong: 100 million won, a huge sum, but not enough to tempt them.
"What do you expect with this?"
"As you know, the prime minister and Seoyeong Group are in-laws."
"Everyone knows that."
"Someone's bleeding into deep waters. When the sharks swarm, no one escapes."
Catching on, the three exchanged glances and smirked slyly.
"The prime minister and Seoyeong are bleeding, so we sharks should bite—is that it?"
"Yes. That's Chairman Kang Jin-gwang's will."
Choi Chang-yeon, sitting beside, eyed the 100-million-won bag with disdain and sneered.
"Chairman Kang seems to have aged. In his prime, it'd be different."
He'd cooperate, but the amount irked him.
Kang Min-ho wouldn't miss the jab. Fixing Choi with a steely gaze, he said.
"That sounded quite insulting. Did I mishear?"
"No... I didn't mean it that way."
"Meal's over. I'll see you out."
"But all this fine food..."
Instead of replying, Kang Min-ho opened the door, smiling at the three: come out, no more words.
They rose and followed him out, whispering furiously.
"Choi, see that look? Just like young Chairman Kang. I flinched when he stared at you."
"Hope my loose tongue didn't screw us. Let's see."
"No idea what he brought, but don't piss off Chairman Kang for nothing. Play nice."
Outside, they had no clue about the oddly parked cars.
"What's this?"
"I'll show you."
Kang Min-ho nodded, and the three trunks popped open simultaneously, stuffed with money bags.
Now they knew what he wanted, no words needed. Chairman Kang's scale dwarfed the norm; their jaws dropped.
Kang Min-ho approached quietly, like a guard.
"Editorial Director Choi, chance to retract your words."
"Oh, that? Yeah... you misunderstood. No way I'd mean that. Of course not."
Kang Min-ho smiled and nodded, broaching it.
"Link the prime minister's in-law ties to Seoyeong and Daehan Telecom. Ignite the fire. That's all you three need to do. Can you?"
"No need to ask twice. But if we fail...?"
"Do your part right, and failure's impossible."
"Then we're off to write the pieces. Wait— we drank; can't drive. Problem."
Chaettegi's basics included home delivery.
Kang Min-ho anticipated the question.
"Bags and cars are yours. We'll deliver safely home."
"Perfect."
"Time's short. Hurry."
"Don't worry; we'll relay to the chairman."
"Yes. Safe travels."
The editorial directors grinned ear-to-ear, departing with their loaded cars.
Kang Min-ho nodded; Lawyer Choi emerged from hiding.
"Why go that far?"
"Just in case."
"Photos good?"
"Need to develop for details, but sufficient. Your face isn't in any."
"Well done. They're off happily, clueless about the leash. Good work. Let's go."
"Yes."
Arrogant old editorial directors they were, but their skills were solid.
[Suspicions over second mobile telecom selection: Prime Minister Min Pil-muk's in-law ties to Seoyeong Group...]
[Handing a public corporation to in-laws: Dark shadows of Korea...]
Prey in sight, the well-paid sharks bared teeth and tore in.
Back home, Kang Min-ho lounged on the sofa, smiling at the news.