Chapter 34
Translator - Zofu
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Politicians were attacking me, convinced of their victory.
They believed that condemning me for monopolizing the mask and epidemic prevention supply chain would sway public opinion in their favor.
What they hadn't anticipated, however, was that I held in my hands a secret ledger documenting their corruption and bribery.
As Cheongseong absorbed Seoul and Incheon, the ledger containing traces of backroom deals with collaborating politicians had come into my possession.
And I fully anticipated the chaos they would face once that corruption was exposed to the press.
"Well, shall we begin?"
I said to Park Wan-yong.
Park Wan-yong nodded and continued.
"I've already handed the materials over to the press. It'll blow up this afternoon."
I smiled at Park Wan-yong's report.
"Then let's see how the old fools react."
Within hours, major media outlets began simultaneously exposing political corruption.
Various newspapers and broadcasters covered the case extensively, as if they'd landed an exclusive scoop.
[Politicians Cornered by Prostitution Allegations!]
[Lawmakers Embezzle Epidemic Prevention Budget! What is the Reality of This National Betrayal?]
[Where Did the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Budget Go?]
This exposure sparked not mere political suspicion but national outrage. Public interest in me evaporated at breakneck speed.
By nightfall, news programs began featuring the issue as special reports. Every major broadcaster ran continuous coverage on the theme of "Lawmakers' Epidemic Prevention Budget Corruption."
Simultaneously, social media and comment sections filled up in an instant with fury and mockery.
As the situation grew dire in the late afternoon, several lawmakers hastily held emergency press conferences at the National Assembly. They claimed innocence and denied the allegations, but public trust had already hit rock bottom, and their words no longer carried any weight.
Lawmaker Kim Jeong-hoon was the first to appear at the press conference.
He stood before the microphone with a tense expression.
"People of Korea!! You know this is all lies!!! I have never engaged in corruption!!"
But his words were immediately countered by reporters' questions.
"Lawmaker, according to the disclosed materials, there's evidence you received lobbying from a specific company. How do you explain this?"
Kim Jeong-hoon's face turned pale. After a brief silence, he stammered a reply.
"That... that's not true at all. I..."
His words were cut off right there. He seemed unable to find anything more to say.
The other lawmakers were in similar situations. Lawmaker Park Min-soo also wore a troubled expression as he claimed innocence under questioning from reporters.
"People of Korea, I am innocent."
But his statement immediately became a target of mockery online.
The public's reaction was far colder and more resolute than the politicians had expected.
That evening, news broadcasts repeatedly aired footage of the lawmakers' press conferences, and the politicians became objects of ridicule and condemnation.
On social media, the hashtag 'Politician Show' instantly began trending, and online communities rapidly shared even their past corruption allegations.
Now the public's attention had completely turned away.
**
The various lawmakers implicated in the corruption scandal gathered in one place.
Television screens continuously blared reports with their faces at the center of the corruption, and they were now backed into a corner.
"This is absurd!"
Lawmaker Kim Jeong-hoon shouted with a stiff expression.
"How can we just sit here when some nobody is acting so insolent?"
The other lawmakers nodded, but no one could offer a clear solution.
"So what do you propose we do?"
Lawmaker Park Min-soo asked, looking at Kim Jeong-hoon with weary eyes.
"Didn't you hear what his messenger said? He's threatening to release even more serious corruption to the press than what's already come out."
Kim Jeong-hoon shouted, kicking his chair.
"So are we supposed to just sit here and take it?"
Park Min-soo sighed and retorted.
"Ah, so what do you want to do? You got some brilliant plan?"
At his words, Kim Jeong-hoon's face flushed red.
"What the hell! Park Min-soo, are you speaking informally to me? You little punk!"
"Yeah, I spoke informally. What difference does it make if we just sit here whining?"
Park Min-soo shot back roughly.
Kim Jeong-hoon leaped up and advanced toward Park Min-soo.
"You little bastard! How dare you!"
The atmosphere instantly reached a boiling point. Just then, the National Assembly Speaker slowly rose from his seat and intervened.
"Enough!"
The Speaker's heavy voice echoed through the conference room. The two fighting lawmakers finally shut their mouths and sat down.
The Speaker looked at them in turn and shook his head.
"What do you think you'll accomplish by fighting among ourselves? What's done cannot be undone. What matters now is putting our heads together to figure out how to manage this crisis."
Kim Jeong-hoon remained silent, still unable to contain his anger.
"But, Mr. Speaker...."
Kim Jeong-hoon tried to speak, but the Speaker raised a hand to stop him.
"That's enough."
The Speaker said firmly.
"I know how you feel. I'm angry too. But if the corruption he holds comes to light, you die, I die—we all die. We all have far more to lose."
The room fell silent. All the lawmakers understood the Speaker's words. No one could deny that fact.
Kim Jeong-hoon let out a sigh and nodded.
"I understand...."
"What matters now is managing this situation. Before he releases more to the press."
The Speaker continued.
Park Min-soo scratched his head and spoke.
"But how will we manage it?"
The Speaker thought for a moment, then replied with a slight smirk.
"First, we need to divert the public's attention elsewhere."
"Elsewhere...?"
The lawmakers tilted their heads in confusion.
The Speaker said confidently.
"Don't we usually do this well? Divert public attention with celebrity scandals or personal life issues."
At those words, some lawmakers' eyes lit up. Kim Jeong-hoon suddenly burst into laughter.
"As expected, Mr. Speaker, you're quick on the uptake even in a situation like this."
"And we need to find a way to talk to him directly. If he wants to live in Korea, he can't stay at odds with us forever."
But Kim Jeong-hoon still looked uneasy.
"But will talking to that thug even work?"
The Speaker looked at Kim Jeong-hoon as if he were pathetic.
"You still think Geum Tae-yang is just a simple thug? That's a very poor judgment. How can a lawmaker be so foolish.... Tsk tsk."
Kim Jeong-hoon lost his words and shut his mouth tight.
The Speaker looked around the room and spoke.
"What we can do is stay quiet for now. I'll handle negotiations with him. Everyone, refrain from making provocative statements to the press and try to stay out of sight as much as possible."
All the lawmakers nodded and agreed to follow the Speaker's orders.
The Speaker spoke one last time.
"And I'll say this once more: don't let your emotions get the better of you in this matter."
The Speaker left the room after his final words.
***
Late that evening, the Speaker and I sat face to face alone in a high-end room salon in Seoul's Hwajeong district.
The Speaker greeted me with a relaxed smile.
"It's good to see you. I hear you've been quite busy lately, so thank you for coming."
I stared at him and opened my mouth with a somewhat rude tone.
"Well, I am busy. But when someone as important as you calls, I can't very well refuse. So what is it you want?"
At my words, the Speaker fell silent for a moment. He stared at me, then spoke with a serious face as if trying to save face.
"I called you here to call a truce. How about we end this before both sides suffer losses?"
I scoffed at his proposal and shook my head.
"You didn't call me here empty-handed to make that offer, did you? There needs to be something you're offering."
"What do you want?"
I leaned forward slightly and spoke slowly.
"For example, legal casino business rights. How about something like that?"
His face instantly hardened. Casino business rights weren't something he could easily grant. He let out a small sigh and shook his head.
"That's too great a demand. That's too much."
I smiled and tapped my fingers.
"Then how about I release more of the materials I have? I still have plenty left."
The Speaker's face contorted for a moment. He glared at me briefly, then regained his composure and spoke.
"Heh heh.... This won't end well for you if you go down this path. If you keep going like this, you might not even survive expulsion."
I wasn't rattled by his threat in the slightest. Rather, I burst into laughter as if his words were even more amusing.
"It's too early to worry about my life. Rather, it seems you don't have many days left to survive? If the information I hold explodes, several of you will see your political careers end, you know?"
The Speaker was no longer smiling. After hearing my words, he remained silent for a while. When he looked at me again after a moment lost in thought, he seemed to have already made up his mind.
"Casino business rights might be difficult. But let's find another way. First, we'll spare no support in the business sectors you want. Wouldn't that be sufficient?"
I looked into his eyes and knew there was no need to push harder.
"Fine, let's negotiate along those lines for now. But as you know, I'm not very generous. If you break your promise, the story will change, so think carefully."
The Speaker nodded and accepted my words.
"Of course. I will keep my promise. If you don't act too hastily either, we can move forward in a good direction for both of us."
"Good. The negotiation ends here. Let's not provoke each other needlessly."
The Speaker nodded and stood up. I couldn't hide my smile as I watched him turn and leave.