The Third Force, Daeyoung (2)

"Damn it all!" Choi Heedu walked down the corridors of the Blue House, cursing under his breath as he emerged from JD's office.

"Why, what brings you here?" Hearing a voice suddenly call out, Choi Heedu reflexively turned his head.

"Oh, Senior..." As N approached, Choi Heedu instinctively raised his hand to his brow in a salute.

"Cut it out. How long has it been since I was discharged? Why are you still saluting?"

"Well, even so..."

"Enough, enough. Anyway, what brings you here?"

"I had something to report to the President... but what about you, Senior?"

"Ah, I have some documents to hand over to the Chief of Staff. It’s been a while, though—shall we grab a cup of tea?"

"Yes, I would like that."

The two moved to a high-end teahouse near the Blue House and began to talk.

"So, what’s the matter? Your expression earlier was quite something."

At N's words, Choi Heedu bit his lip and let out a sigh through his nose.

"I didn't expect the President to put the brakes on my work to this extent."

"Why?"

N wore an expression of genuine ignorance. Because of this, Choi Heedu let his guard down and revealed his inner thoughts.

"You know about the cases involving Daeyoung Group, right? I’ve been helping them out, but have you heard the news?"

"Ah, that? I know. I heard they lost everything in the first trial. Plus, it didn't even make the news. Wait, were you the one helping them?"

"Yes. Chairman Kim has always treated me well, so I wanted to help him out this time, but... sigh..."

"What did JD say?"

N was, after all, JD's contemporary. If N had called him "the President" in this situation, Choi Heedu would have snapped to attention, but because he called him "JD," Choi Heedu felt a sense of camaraderie.

"He asked me if I really needed to concern myself with such things. He said the judges would make the right decisions on their own..."

"That just means he ordered them to do it that way, doesn't it?"

"Exactly. Phew... I don't know how I'm supposed to face Chairman Kim now."

"It seems the chaebols have properly greased JD's palms."

"I suppose so..."

Choi Heedu had thought the chaebols' financial power had reached its limit, but he was disheartened to realize they still had plenty of room to maneuver.

"Shall I help you?"

"Pardon?"

At N's words, Choi Heedu's face brightened instantly.

"It would be hard for me alone, or you alone, to handle this, but if we join forces, the story might change. Honestly, don't you think JD has been acting too unilaterally lately?"

Choi Heedu nodded without hesitation. Because lately, JD had been purging his close aides left and right. Even though he was favored by JD, he felt uneasy because two of the "Three Heos" had been purged, and the Chief of Staff had mentioned that even JSD wasn't the same as he used to be. Today's reaction from JD was enough to make Choi Heedu anxious in many ways.

"Did you feel this way too, Senior?"

At Choi Heedu's words, which compressed a variety of past experiences, N shook his head.

"Is that not it?"

"No, it's not past tense—it's present continuous. I've been re-appointed by JD for now, but I never know when ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he'll cast me aside again. I still feel like I'm walking on thin ice."

N's words were enough to reassure Choi Heedu. Criticizing JD was a truly dangerous thing to do. But if the person across from him harbored the same dissatisfaction, he could feel at ease. Furthermore, N was one of the people who had been heavily pressured by JD, which made Choi Heedu trust him even more.

"Hey, Heedu."

As N switched to informal speech to draw out intimacy, Choi Heedu looked at N with a more familiar gaze.

"Yes, Senior."

"How long are we going to live walking on eggshells?"

For a moment, Choi Heedu looked horrified.

"Senior, by that, you don't mean...?"

Suddenly, N flicked Choi Heedu on the forehead. A man in his 50s flicking a man of similar age. But thanks to this action, Choi Heedu couldn't let his thoughts go in an overly serious direction.

"Are you crazy? That's not what I mean. I'm saying we should claim our own rights, too. At the very least, we should be able to win this trial. Do you want to lose this one?"

"That's not it, but..."

"Exactly. So, I'll help you with this. Next time I need something, you help me. We're just balancing the situation so JD isn't the only one profiting."

"Hmm... if it's just that much..."

With the Director of the ANSP watching with eagle eyes, there was no one who could openly oppose JD. But if ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it wasn't opposition, but rather just grabbing a fair share for themselves, the story was a little different. Thus, Choi Heedu regained his composure and asked N one question.

"Come to think of it, what is YK's stance?"

"Hmm?"

"YK's stance. Between Daeyoung and the other chaebols, who does YK want to win?"

However, contrary to Choi Heedu's expectations, N looked extremely puzzled.

"Why are you asking me that?"

"Pardon?"

"There's no way I would know that."

"...What? I heard you meet with YK's eldest grandson from time to time... is that not true?"

"Ah, that?"

It was tantamount to saying his movements were being tracked, but N didn't get angry and instead answered as if it were nothing.

"YK's eldest grandson is a big shot in the gaming world. So when I give gifts to my grandkids, I stop by to pick up game consoles and game packs. If you had people watching me, they would have seen me carrying bags of stuff out, right?"

For a moment, Choi Heedu realized what a blunder he had made and hurriedly bowed his head.

"Ah, no. It's not that I had people watching you, it's just something I heard..."

"Forget it, forget it. I've been through so much with JD that I'm used to it now. Well, didn't JD order you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to watch me, too?"

"I'm sorry..."

Even as he said this, Choi Heedu was inwardly grateful to JD. Because it meant the stern JD would be the one hearing complaints about N.

"Anyway, I'll meet with the judges in charge of this case and all the connections I have to make sure you win the second trial, so don't give up and proceed well. Got it?"

"Yes, I understand!"

Choi Heedu's booming reply echoed through the cafe.

The "Suspended Sentence Guard." At the Seoul High Court, a wheelchair parade of chaebol chairmen was held. This trial was a criminal case. In the case of civil lawsuits filed by Daeyoung against the chaebols, there was no reason for the chairmen to participate directly. However, because criminal trials sometimes involved lawsuits filed directly against the chairmen, this phenomenon occurred.

The "Suspended Sentence Guard," which boasted decades of history in South Korea. The sight of the chairmen getting out of cars that were quite modest compared to their usual ones, and sitting in wheelchairs dressed in hospital gowns, was more than enough for the numerous reporters to keep their shutters clicking.

'Phew, Director Choi promised me that this time would definitely be different...'

Because he had lost everything in the first trial, Kim Nam-ik was seriously considering the utility of Choi Heedu.

Choi Heedu did not tell Kim Nam-ik about N's help. Because it would dim the light on his own abilities. If N was playing Choi Heedu for a fool, wasn't Choi Heedu also using N? Politics isn't called a living organism for nothing. Everyone tries to monopolize the benefits if they can.

"The judge is entering."

The moment Kim Nam-ik confirmed the judge entering the courtroom, he felt his chances of winning had increased significantly. Because the judge in charge had a very close relationship with Daeyoung.

During the first trial, the judge in charge had no connection to Daeyoung—or rather, had connections to the opposing chaebols. He had been anxious throughout the trial, but this time? A miracle had occurred.

"The defense's evidence is dismissed."

The defendants were the other chaebols, excluding Daeyoung. The evidence presented by the other chaebols was dismissed one after another, and most of the witnesses were disallowed.

'Yes, yes. It's happening...!'

Outwardly, he kept an impassive expression, but Kim Nam-ik raised his assessment of Choi Heedu once again.

'I guess there just wasn't enough time during the first trial. At this rate, I won't have to worry.'

As Kim Nam-ik cheered inwardly, the faces of the chaebols gradually turned into expressions of having eaten excrement. They had clearly won the first trial. And not just won, but won overwhelmingly. But in the second trial, they were suffering an overwhelming defeat in the exact opposite direction. Of course, this was a trial, not a sentencing date, so there was room for change. But with the judge being so blatantly biased, the possibility of the situation changing was literally zero. Thus, the chaebols suffered a crushing defeat to Daeyoung in the second trial.

The war between the chaebols and Daeyoung was reaching its absolute limit. From Daeyoung's perspective, they needed to squeeze as much money as possible out of the chaebols before moving their base to Vietnam, and from the chaebols' perspective, they absolutely could not lose to Daeyoung.

If they had enough cash, they would have paid Daeyoung a massive penalty and ended things quietly. But since most of the chaebols had lost their cash mobilization power, a smooth settlement with Daeyoung was impossible. Their pride wouldn't allow them to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sell off subsidiaries to settle. But not settling meant the criminal trial would also work against them, and if they lost the criminal trial, there was a high possibility they would lose their influence over their groups entirely.

"The war between Daeyoung and the chaebols is truly brutal."

At the words of Choi Ki-hyun, who was sitting in the seat of honor in the study, Yoon-gi nodded.

"Chairman Kim Nam-ik is using his head well. He's contacting those who were pushed out of the succession fights to blow off the heads of his opponents."

The action Kim Nam-ik was currently taking for victory in the third trial. It was intervening in the succession fights of the opposing chaebols. If Kim Nam-ik wins? The central figures of the opposing chaebols who were deeply involved in this matter would all be purged. If that happens? The person who had been pushed out of the succession fight until now could sit in the chairman's seat. Kim Nam-ik saw through this and was pouring all his efforts into recruiting the alienated members of the opposing chaebols.

"As always, people are willing to let the group suffer if they can sit in the leader's chair."

Choi Ki-hyun, who thought of his second son, Choi Cheol-min, smacked his lips bitterly. Because Choi Cheol-min, too, would have sat in the chairman's seat even if it meant Samwoo would go bankrupt.

"That's right. So the chaebols are also pouring their full efforts into paying attention to the alienated people again, and they're scraping together every penny they have to sprinkle it on the judiciary."

"That's the only method they have left, I suppose. But, Yoon-gi."

"Yes, Grandfather."

Choi Ki-hyun asked the biggest question he had recently.

"Why are you trying to help the chaebols?"

"Are you not pleased with it?"

At his grandson's counter-question, Choi Ki-hyun carefully nodded.

"If you leave them alone, it's an opportunity for the chaebols to collapse one after another, so honestly, I don't understand why you'd help them."

Yoon-gi smiled at the question, which was perfectly reasonable.

"Even if the chaebols are 'sons of bitches,' they are 'our sons of bitches.'"

"Hmm?"

Yoon-gi continued his explanation to Choi Ki-hyun, who didn't understand.

"If Chairman Kim Nam-ik wins this lawsuit, he will cash out all the money and siphon it off to secret accounts and accounts in Vietnam."

"Ah, that's right. You told me Chairman Kim Nam-ik was thinking about Vietnam."

"In short, it means South Korea's wealth will be leaked to Vietnam. I don't want that kind of ending."

"Hoho..."

Choi Ki-hyun let out an exclamation as if he were convinced, then immediately asked another question.

"But, if Chairman Kim wins and the chaebols collapse, wouldn't that be more profitable for us, YK?"

Yoon-gi shook his head.

"That would be true if YK had the capacity to absorb all the chaebols."

"Hmm..."

"If companies collapse in droves, the... ah, no, no. Anyway, YK doesn't have the capacity to absorb them even if other companies go under. An excessive number of subsidiaries relative to talent only gives a company indigestion. I don't like the chaebols, but the other companies are a necessary evil for YK. We will gradually take control as time passes, but they shouldn't collapse right now."

Yoon-gi almost mentioned the IMF, but he managed to change his explanation to something else just in time.

"Hmm, then winning the third trial will ultimately be the chaebols, right? Because that's the best way to help them. And you letting Daeyoung win the second trial was also to create a dramatic situation?"

Daeyoung's victory in the second trial. This was all something Yoon-gi had orchestrated. However, Yoon-gi did not answer Choi Ki-hyun's words and just smiled playfully.

The third trial: Daeyoung's victory. Surprisingly, the winner of the third trial was not the chaebols, but Daeyoung. And Chairman Kim Nam-ik, having won, immediately went to find Choi Heedu, offering words of gratitude along with a massive amount of cash.

It was certainly a massive amount, but one without any burden. Because Daeyoung had not participated in the chaebol war.

"Oh my, what is all this..."

Choi Heedu spoke like a neighborly aunt, but his mouth was stretched from ear to ear.

"Director, you deserve to receive this. Thank you so much. Once we receive all the damages, I will give you this much more."

Choi Heedu's mouth stretched even wider; if he opened it any further, one might wonder if it would reach 180 degrees.

"Would you like to have a drink today?"

At Kim Nam-ik's words, Choi Heedu nodded.

"That would be great. Did you bring Chivas Regal?"

"No. Today, I will treat you to a high-class yojung (traditional Korean banquet house)."

At Kim Nam-ik's words, Choi Heedu's mouth stretched even further.

"Hahahaha! I don't know what to do with myself."

Thinking he must thank N, Choi Heedu prepared to follow Kim Nam-ik. But just then, the phone in Choi Heedu's office rang.

"Ah, I'll just take this and head out."

"Yes, I will wait."

In a heartwarming atmosphere, Choi Heedu picked up the receiver.

"Uh, why?"

At Choi Heedu's response, a very urgent voice flowed from the other side of the line, delivering a staggering fact.

"What? Daeyoung has been designated as a target for insolvent company management?!"