Power Play
Friday had arrived, and Choi Moon-ho naturally avoided moving with Kim Namhu or Shin Yong-geom.
He drove his foreign sports car toward a private destination in Gyeonggi Province.
Kim Namhu and Shin Yong-geom took another vehicle.
Shin Yong-geom trailed a respectable used foreign car, at least presenting himself as a senior.
“Are they really that different from The Queen?”
“They are.”
Kim Namhu answered with the information he already knew blended into educated guesses.
“Only a handful of guests will show up there. Maybe twenty tops. Korea doesn’t have that many women who carry that much money and power. They pulled three hosts from famous host bars in Seoul. That means at least sixty hosts will be there.”
Kim Namhu answered the questions with lightning speed.
He had done this countless times in his previous life.
Asking himself the questions and answering them.
That method had unlocked countless secrets for his host career.
Shin Yong-geom listened and replied, “If that’s the case, even more hosts will fail to secure a single woman. Insane. Completely insane. It’s money pouring out.”
Just attending this party would net more than a full weekend of work at The Queen.
The women hosting the party were willing to pay every host, whether they chose them or not.
Shin Yong-geom could not understand such extravagance.
“With women who can afford to throw such parties, who knows how wild they’ll get if you refuse them. So relax. Just treat it as being on the sidelines if you don’t get chosen.”
“Agreed. You’re right.”
Kim Namhu and Shin Yong-geom arrived at the address Lee Sang-soo had provided.
The moment they reached the hidden mountain road, a sprawling luxury villa appeared like a fortress tucked away in the wilderness.
Waiting briefly, Choi Moon-ho showed up as well, along with hosts rumored to have made a name for themselves at other bars.
They were escorted to the enormous banquet hall on one side of the villa.
The hosts lined up in a single file.
Standing there felt like meat on display in a butcher shop.
Once the hosts finished their preparations, a door opened on one side of the hall. Women dressed from head to toe in designer brands poured in, chattering among themselves.
They pretended to bond, but their eyes darted constantly, scanning the hosts.
With so many hosts present, the clear upper ranks and lower ranks would emerge, and each woman would be sizing up who could give her the best return.
“It’s going to be tough.”
Kim Namhu had planned to slip through the cracks here and pocket only the cash.
Yet the animal-like gleam in the women’s eyes suggested it would not be that easy.
The instinct to read men was terrifyingly developed in women.
An unattractive man would detect the cheap perfume no matter how expensive the suit. A truly strong man would recognize him even in cheap clothes.
Naturally, a strong man could choose any woman he wanted, so he would sleep with anyone at all. Women, however, had to carefully select the seed of a strong man. That was why women’s perception of men surpassed men’s own.
Even if Kim Namhu hid his presence perfectly, the sharpest thorns would eventually pierce through his pockets. After settling into The Queen, his aura had already revived.
The awkward university student of his past life had become a proper host.
The instinct that had once made him the nation’s top host had clearly registered with many of these women.
A chill ran down Kim Namhu’s spine at the realization that several women here looked old enough to be his mothers, though none like the sexy mature woman resembling Jang Sun-young.
They were not older in appearance; they were older in money and management. They showed every wrinkle of their years.
And the richer and more powerful these women were, the more likely they were to push aside the younger ones and choose Kim Namhu.
“This might require strategy.”
Kim Namhu scanned the women quickly.
As a host, reading the quality of a client was crucial for survival.
Turning an odd client into a regular would not simply mean hard work; it could end his entire host career.
“I don’t even want regulars. Just kill some time with a decent woman and leave.”
His eyes fell on a woman who looked wealthy enough to possess money and power.
That was his target.
And such a woman appeared instantly.
The woman at the center of the group was easy to spot.
He roughly divided the crowd into three.
The first group appeared to be women from government ministries.
Older, unattractive women fawned over one particular auntie.
Kim Namhu had seen that woman in newspapers several times.
She was a cabinet minister.
“Pass on that group.”
These women had only studied and seized power. Their looks were poor, their greed excessive.
If even one beautiful woman entered, they would isolate her and force her out. This was no place for a beautiful woman to survive.
The second group consisted of chaebol women who had funded the party.
Chaebol families usually assessed the face and height of their daughters-in-law during marriage for beauty improvement, so their offspring often ranked above average in appearance.
“But even here, it won’t be easy.”
Kim Namhu knew exactly how filthy and dirty chaebol women could become.
Especially in this era when women could also claim the throne.
A woman from a wealthy family would resort to every dirty tactic just to secure one spot.
Han Ki-ju and Ha Ji-yeon were from wealthy homes, but compared to these chaebol women they were angels.
The last group belonged to female politicians.
Korean politics demanded age to win votes, so this gathering had many older women.
“Um… but something’s odd.”
Kim Namhu noticed something peculiar amid the female politicians.
A young woman radiated an eerie aura.
She said nothing, yet every other female politician kept glancing at her.
“Who is she?”
She sat among the female politicians but did not mix with them.
Although she did not mingle, the politicians gave her special treatment and kept their distance.
A presence so faint that only someone of Kim Namhu’s caliber would notice it.
In fact, every other host was scanning the women, yet none paid attention to the young one.
Choi Moon-ho watched the chaebol women with arrogant charm.
Shin Yong-geom stared blankly at nothing.
The other hosts searched for women matching their own goals, but none looked at the young woman in the politicians’ group.
No one paid her any mind until Kim Namhu did.
The young woman suddenly sensed his gaze.
She looked straight at him.
Their eyes met.
The woman offered a faint smile.
She had not expected a man to dare acknowledge her.
Kim Namhu smiled back.
“She seems interested in me.”
For a woman of her level, spending one night or drinking together would be perfectly acceptable.
Much more enjoyable than playing with an auntie whose age showed on her face.
The woman approached Kim Namhu.
As she moved, every other woman in the hall turned their attention to her.
The women from government ministries.
The chaebol women.
The female politicians.
All focused on her.
“What is this? She sits at the top of all these women at her age?”
Kim Namhu recalled every newspaper and news article he remembered, but none mentioned a young woman possessing such wealth and power.
The woman spoke to Kim Namhu.
“How interesting.”
“If you play with me, the time will be even more enjoyable.”
“Indeed it is.”
The woman extended her hand.
Kim Namhu took it without hesitation.
If any other woman had been eyeing Kim Namhu for more power and wealth, she would have immediately claimed him.
But none did.
Kim Namhu had become hers at that moment.
“What’s your name?”
“Kim Namhu.”
“A good name. I’m Jo Ye-rin.”
A name he had never heard before.
Kim Namhu had intended to play lightly with Jo Ye-rin only for this party and then depart.
Yet the woman’s identity was becoming increasingly fascinating.
Choi Moon-ho, beside him, wore a smug expression.
He must have believed Kim Namhu had chosen a foolish woman with no money or power.
He also knew every woman here favored Jo Ye-rin, but he never imagined she possessed such wealth and influence.
“At best, she might be the daughter of some famous politician.”
Choi Moon-ho thought so.
Shin Yong-geom envied Kim Namhu for having chosen a young, pretty woman among many.