Who Is the Winner? (3)
“Ugh, ugh, ugh, sob……”
Unlike Yasuda, who was clinging to the casket and weeping, the other yakuza attending the funeral were all dressed in black suits, their heads bowed low. The death of the Umiguchi family’s heir and his son. Fearing it might be an assassination by a rival gang, they had requested a police investigation and conducted their own internal probe, but the conclusion was always the same.
[Genji’s Speeding]
Because the coroner had noted that the foot of the deceased was pressed hard against the accelerator, the funeral proceeded without any outbreak of war with outside yakuza factions.
“How……, how can you leave like this? What am I supposed to do now? He was a boy who had only just begun to pull his weight for his father……”
Yasuda, who had believed Masao was finally doing his part, had been growing fond of him ever since the deal was struck. He had felt the joy of finally being able to proudly acknowledge Masao as his successor. But before he could even fully savor that joy, his son Masao had met a tragic end. And this grief was entirely for Masao.
‘Genji, you bastard! To do something so irreversible just because your father hit you a few times……!’
Yasuda’s eyes, as he stared at his grandson’s casket, were no longer soft as they once were; they were filled with a burning, incandescent rage. ‘It’s my fault……, it’s all my fault. I raised Genji too indulgently…….’
In the end, it all turned into self-reproach, and Yasuda could do nothing but weep. It was truly a dirge rising from a field of black baby’s breath flowers. Amidst all this, there was one person laughing on the inside.
‘The timing is absolutely perfect. The heir and the grandson are both dead? In that case, I’m the only one left who can inherit the Umiguchi-gumi, aren’t I?’
As he became more deeply involved with the yakuza, Park Gi-soo had learned that one could simultaneously be a yakuza and a corporate executive. With that knowledge, the severing of the Umiguchi-gumi’s direct bloodline was a golden opportunity. Park Gi-soo smiled inwardly, imagining himself as the new boss of the Umiguchi-gumi.
‘Mitsuko wasn’t even allowed to attend the funeral in this situation. Hiroko, the last remaining blood relative, is my wife, so whether I become the boss’s husband or the boss myself, I will have achieved the greatest feat of my life……!’
Park Gi-soo was making a desperate effort to keep the laughter from bursting out. Thanks to this, his lips trembled violently and tears streamed from his eyes, which to others looked like he was genuinely grieving. Of course, Park Gi-soo felt almost no intimacy toward Masao or Genji.
‘I heard that the father was imprisoned by his younger brother and the brother was decided as the successor, but since things have turned out this way, I have to see it through to the end. It’s embarrassing, but I have no choice but to ask for a favor from that younger brother, Geun-tae, one more time.’
Park Gi-soo, thinking of his fantastic future that would soon unfold, committed the worst possible oversight. It was the fact that Ryu Geun-tae had not attended the funeral.
“Chairman, you must not collapse like this. We have all rolled through thorny paths trusting only in you, and thanks to you, we have been swimming in a honey pot. We can never watch you fall like this.”
The Chairman’s office at the Seth headquarters. Because dispersing personnel was necessary as the number of confinement locations increased, Park Gi-ho had locked his father, Park Do-chul, together with Director Kim and other board members who had opposed him, inside the Chairman’s office. He had assumed that since he had already been inaugurated as the new chairman by the board, they wouldn’t be able to come up with any clever schemes even if they were all gathered together.
Thanks to this, Park Do-chul was gradually regaining his strength due to the persistent persuasion of the directors and the fact that there were allies who still took his side even in this situation.
“I see now that I haven’t……, lived my life in vain, seeing you all…….”
Though he lacked strength, Park Do-chul’s smile showed he had clearly regained more vitality than when he was first imprisoned by Park Gi-ho. If he had looked like an eighty-year-old then, he looked more like a man in his seventies now. However, regardless of his regained strength, Park Do-chul sighed.
“I am truly grateful that you are following me to the end, but there is no way out. The board must have already pushed for Gi-ho to be chairman, and since some of the directors are on his side, we can’t even enter into a stock battle. Seth is just destined to collapse like this…….”
“No, sir. They say that even if the sky falls, there is a hole to crawl out of. Once we get out of here……”
At Director Kim’s words, Park Do-chul gave a bitter smile and naturally cut him off.
“How?”
“That is…….”
Director Kim looked around the office. Two of Park Gi-ho’s subordinates were always guarding the only door that led outside, and even if they managed to break through that door, it was obvious that there would be more subordinates waiting outside.
“If we go out through the window……”
“Are you crazy?”
At Park Do-chul’s scoff, Director Kim looked down through the office window, let out a groan, and slumped back onto the floor. Then, he began to whisper into Park Do-chul’s ear.
“Why don’t we try a frontal breakthrough?”
“Look, Director Kim. I understand your feelings, but the physical condition of a man in his sixties versus a man in his thirties is a significant gap. If we had weapons, it might be different, but there are no weapons here.”
“We could just buy time with a physical struggle……”
“That’s why I’m saying it’s difficult.”
This conversation between Park Do-chul and Director Kim was, of course, being heard by Park Gi-ho’s subordinates. They had been placed inside specifically for that reason.
“Former Chairman, it’s all useless. The door is locked from the outside too, so we can’t just leave even if we want to.”
Indeed, Park Gi-ho’s subordinate had tried to open the office door, but it hadn’t budged an inch.
“‘Former’ Chairman? You are the true Chairman of Seth! That Gi-ho brat is not the chairman!”
Director Kim raved and ranted, but Park Gi-ho’s subordinate just gave a bored expression and yawned once.
But then.
Boom—!
“Ugh!”
Suddenly, the office door swung open with tremendous force, and the subordinate standing by the door was sent flying through the air, landing face-down on the floor.
“Wh-what!”
The remaining guard shouted in panic toward the hallway, but the only response was a fist from Police Superintendent Seo In-pyo.
“The mold of the people. You son of a bitch.”
With the sound of a nose breaking, the guard’s eyes rolled back and he fainted on the spot. Superintendent Seo In-pyo, who had entered the room, checked on Park Do-chul and spoke politely.
“Chairman. I’m glad you’re safe.”
“I don’t think I’m the chairman anymore……?”
It was a seasoned tactic to extract information from Superintendent Seo. The Superintendent noticed this, but he played along with Park Do-chul’s intent. That had been his goal from the start, anyway.
“Your son, Park Gi-ho, is currently being transported to the detention center. An arrest warrant was issued because he committed too many crimes. He will likely find it difficult to return to the outside world.”
“Haha……, in the end……, he couldn’t stop it all?”
Superintendent Seo In-pyo nodded.
“That is correct.”
Park Do-chul asked what he was truly curious about, looking at the Superintendent who nodded calmly.
“I’ll give you 100 million won. Is Gi-soo really the one behind this incident?”
It was an insight worthy of a man who had built a major conglomerate on his own. However, Superintendent Seo shook his head.
“I am just a police officer who catches criminals when a report comes in.”
“So even 100 million won can’t uncover the truth……. Hahaha……, in the twilight of my life, I’ve finally become a target myself. Just as I used to target others…….”
Loyal directors gathered around Park Do-chul as he gave a bitter smile.
“Chairman, you must not collapse like this. Seth will not fall. We can rebuild it from now on.”
“That’s right. We will return to our original intentions and serve you, Chairman.”
Encouraged by the directors’ loyalty, Park Do-chul seemed to find a bit of strength and stood up.
“Yes, let’s get out of here first. We need to convene the board of directors again…….”
Watching Park Do-chul walk out, Superintendent Seo In-pyo looked a bit regretful.
‘Park Do-chul will eventually find out that YK was behind the Seth Samgang incident, but I was ordered not to say anything, so there’s nothing I can do.’
Indeed, before long, Park Do-chul would likely deduce that the mastermind behind this incident was YK Department Store. After all, Seth Samgang had suddenly become a subsidiary of YK Department Store. However, he would never be able to know about Yoon-gi. Not until Yoon-gi stepped out onto the front lines of the business world.
“I’m sorry.”
Masao’s house, now without Masao. There, Yoon-gi was bowing his head toward Mitsuko.
“If I had accepted the request that day, things might not have progressed this way……. I have committed a truly grave sin against Mr. Watanabe. I am sorry.”
Hearing this, Mitsuko initially looked at Yoon-gi with resentment, but soon she sighed with a hollow and sad expression.
“Honestly, I did resent you.”
Yoon-gi just kept his head bowed.
“But……, if you think about it, it was something that was bound to happen. I told him for over ten years not to hit the child like that, but he never changed. It probably would have happened eventually anyway…….”
Yoon-gi clicked his tongue at the fact that Masao’s violence toward his son had easily exceeded ten years.
‘He might not have been a butcher, but he was certainly on that level.’
Just as Yoon-gi was clicking his tongue inwardly, Mitsuko’s eyes turned vicious.
“I have……, more resentment toward my father than toward you.”
“Resentment toward your father?”
Mitsuko nodded.
“Yes. I……, I…….”
Tears poured from Mitsuko’s eyes.
“I couldn’t go to my husband’s funeral……, nor my son’s funeral……, no……, I couldn’t go to either of their funerals. I was his wife, and I was his mother……, but my father told me never to come……, and even sent people to lock me inside the house…….”
The confinement and surveillance had only been lifted after the funeral ended. That was why Mitsuko was able to meet Yoon-gi like this now.
“That must be absolutely heartbreaking. Phew.”
At Yoon-gi’s words, Mitsuko gritted her teeth and bowed her waist while still kneeling before him.
“Please help me.”
“Pardon? I’m not sure what you mean by that……”
Yoon-gi had a rough idea, but he intentionally waited for Mitsuko to speak.
“He told me. He said the current deal is only possible if the arms trade continues. He said that the moment the arms trade falls through, everything is over. That means if the arms trade is stopped, wouldn’t it be a huge blow to my father?”
“A mere interruption wouldn’t be enough to deal a blow. After all, the arms trade was being conducted in exchange for helping my acquaintance’s business. It would likely just end with me not helping my acquaintance’s business anymore.”
“What do I have to do to deal him a blow?”
“There is a way to have the arms trade discovered by the authorities. However, this method carries a high risk on this side.”
“Please help me!”
Mitsuko bowed her waist again.
“Hmm…….”
At Yoon-gi’s lukewarm reaction, Mitsuko looked up, showing her tear-filled face.
“If you are sorry to me, if you feel guilty, please help me. I’m sorry to your acquaintance, but please, I beg you to resolve the grudge of this pitiful woman who has lived her whole life being mistreated by her family!”
At the sight of Mitsuko crying silently while screaming in agony, Yoon-gi sighed and, contrary to his inner thoughts, nodded with a bitter expression.
“If you are that sincere, I will help you. I can find business partners elsewhere. However, to proceed with this, I need your help, Ms. Mitsuko.”
“I will do anything if I can help! If you want me to kill my father with my own hands, I will do that too!”
In Mitsuko’s expression as she ground her teeth, the rage of a woman who had been abused by her family her entire life was burning brightly. The experience of abuse she had been suppressing through the happiness of having a family. As soon as that family disappeared, Mitsuko’s anger was erupting like a volcano. Yoon-gi, who had been watching her quietly, opened his mouth.
“Can you provide false insider testimony?”