After witnessing with my own eyes the former Taeseong Construction executives getting completely humiliated, the homeroom teacher acted exceedingly polite.
I brought my hands together and bowed at the waist.
“Hello. My name is Cha Jung-hyuk, and I’ll be assigned to your class this year.”
“Mmph mmph mmph?”
That was all he could manage to say.
Well, he was still tied up with a rope and gagged.
To ensure a smooth conversation without any pathetic excuses, I decided to gloss over this small problem.
“I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Your notoriety truly precedes you, doesn’t it?
Isn’t he called the most rotten water in U-Gwang Private School?
‘So this is the very man who’s rumored to discriminate by family, readily resorts to corporal punishment, and unleashes verbal abuse at the drop of a hat—the Tyrant of U-Gwang.’
They say his attitude flips like a coin depending on the size of the money slipped into his pocket.
Was my gesture really that insufficient?
“I’m truly sorry to have to conduct this private interview under such circumstances.”
And I meant it.
After all, I haven’t even enrolled yet, so why am I meeting my homeroom teacher here at Cheonggye Mountain in the dead of night?
“You say you were furious because my ‘gesture’ was lacking?”
I looked over at Yoo Jong-tae.
“How much did you put in the envelope?”
“Three million won.”
“So you’re a man of big ambitions, I see.”
Back in those days, a minister’s monthly salary was 250,000 won, and the prime minister made 350,000.
No wonder I couldn’t help but snort.
“How much did he ask for?”
“Three of the big bills. Thirty million won.”
“That’s the price of two apartments in Gangnam.”
Riding the Gangnam development boom, Apgujeong’s Hyeonmu Apartment was going for 12 million for the small units, and Daechi-dong’s Cheonma Apartment was at 13 million.
Seriously, is that what you try to squeeze out of an elementary school freshman?
No matter if I’m the grandson of a chaebol family, do I look like a mark to you?
Naturally, I got curious.
“Bribes and favors come as a set, right? If you’re taking money under the table, you’re expected to do something in return.”
So I looked into it!
I flipped through the documents Yoo Jong-tae had prepared.
“They say my second uncle forced you in as my homeroom teacher?”
“Mmph?”
“Taeseong Distribution’s president, Cha Ki-jun, I mean.”
“Mmph!”
Just seeing his eyes dart around, I could tell.
Schemes blooming amid the exchange of bribes!
Back when I made the front page of the newspaper, what did my second uncle say to me under the guise of congratulations?
–Congratulations. I suppose I’ll have to personally prepare a special entrance gift for my dear nephew? You can look forward to it.
I had to wonder what kind of “gift” he had in mind.
I pulled out a document with the homeroom teacher’s name and held it right in front of his face.
It listed the dirty laundry of him and his family in vivid detail.
“Should I help your whole family bow together in jail?”
Shake shake shake shake!
His body, which had been twitching to flee, snapped upright into a perfectly rigid posture.
“Did they tell you to report my every move?”
The homeroom teacher nodded his head madly like a broken bobblehead.
“Or did they ask you to break my spirit thoroughly?”
Nod nod nod nod!
“No special orders to nitpick and make my life miserable, though?”
Shake shake shake shake!
That seemed about enough for the information I wanted.
And enough for a solid warning, too.
“I won’t say much else. I trust you can handle yourself with common sense?”
The homeroom teacher expressed with his whole body that I could absolutely count on him.
In other words, my school life was about to get a lot easier.
“I’m truly glad to be spending the next six years with someone so communicative. I look forward to it, Teacher.”
“Mmmph?”
“Oh, are you planning to say goodbye after just one year, when you tried to pocket the price of two Gangnam apartments? That won’t do, Teacher.”
I found myself flashing my eyes at him.
“Mmmmph!”
“Ah, so you’re saying you’ll follow my wishes without question or complaint?”
Nod nod nod nod!
As expected, the answer was no surprise.
I stuffed the thick envelope into the teacher’s jacket pocket.
“Then I’ll be counting on you from here on.”
I brought my hands together and gave another deep bow.
Then, without any regrets, I turned and left.
---
Taeseong Group Headquarters, Chairman’s Office.
The brown-tube television was tuned to the morning news.
–Union protests sparked by the fire at U-Gwang Chemicals continue to intensify daily. 175 union members have occupied the company’s main office, demanding proper compensation and measures to prevent future accidents.
–U-Gwang Group has refused to comply, leading to a violent clash between protesters and police in front of headquarters.
–The police gave the union five minutes to disperse voluntarily, but the workers escalated by staging a nude protest, responding with fierce resistance.
–During the dispersal, over seventy were detained. Of those, fifty fainted, and fourteen were taken to hospital.
–The Korean Federation of Trade Unions called it “deeply regrettable,” issuing a statement: “The government must cease its suppression of labor!”
Chairman Cha turned off the TV.
The front page of the morning paper blared headlines about U-Gwang’s affiliates’ stock plummeting.
The next page covered the arrest of Kim Woo-seok, president of U-Gwang Construction; the following spread detailed Chairman Kim U-Gwang’s resignation from the group leadership.
“A pack of hyenas, frenzied by the scent of money. Everyone’s out for U-Gwang’s flesh.”
Public sentiment had turned, the media was launching daily barrages, and the government looked the other way.
U-Gwang Group was now, in every sense, a candle in the wind.
All those years of careful lobbying had gone up in smoke as the group started to sink.
“If we’d had any worse luck, Taeseong would be in the same situation now. Thinking about it again, we really were fortunate.”
Riiiing!
“Hello?”
Chairman Cha answered the phone absentmindedly—then shot to his feet like a spring.
On the other end was the chief of the Blue House security office, a man second only to the President in power.
–The luncheon at the Blue House is the day after tomorrow, right?
“Yes, that’s correct.”
–His Excellency’s expectations are high. You must be thoroughly prepared.
“I’ll do my utmost.”
–What was that thing you mentioned at the drinking party? What was it called again?
“You mean the possibility of a second oil shock?”
–Yes, that! Remember why His Excellency granted Taeseong not one, but two invitations.
The security chief’s voice dropped.
–If you want to be rewarded with a big affiliate for your services, you’d best give His Excellency the answer he wants.
In other words, if he pleased the Blue House, he’d get a U-Gwang affiliate as promised.
–You must have your eye on a particular affiliate. Speak up.
Chairman Cha hesitated to answer.
His nervous breathing hissed through the receiver, which only made the man on the other end more amused.
–Hahaha, why so tense? Both I and the chief secretary promised to help you out.
“Thank you.”
–Don’t worry, pick whatever you want. It’s a rare chance, so use your skills and seize it. Hahaha.
Clearly satisfied that Chairman Cha hadn’t taken the bait.
Once he hung up, Chairman Cha let out a sigh.
“Judging by how confidently he speaks, the Blue House must have already made up its mind.”
He slumped into his chair, rubbing his tired face.
“With U-Gwang up for grabs, the security chief, the chief secretary, the Army Security Commander, and the head of the Korean CIA will all be tearing each other apart. Taeseong’s about to get caught in the crossfire.”
He could already picture the chaos that would erupt at the Blue House luncheon.
Chairman Cha massaged his throbbing temples.
His eyes kept drifting to the ever-growing pile of reports on his desk.
All of them concerned the acquisition of U-Gwang affiliates.
“We’ve already decided to hand U-Gwang Securities and U-Gwang Chemicals over to Jung-hyuk. U-Gwang Construction is about to go bankrupt soon anyway…”
“Chairman.”
Secretary Kim, who’d been standing quietly, finally spoke.
“Master Jung-hyuk has contacted us about that, as a matter of fact.”
“Jung-hyuk?”
Without a word, Secretary Kim slid over a note with the number ‘1’ written on it.
Chairman Cha read it, and instantly crumpled the paper in his fist.
“He wants not just the shares of the promised affiliates, but full management rights as well? Not a chance!”
“Chairman.”
“Jung-hyuk is only eight years old!”
Chairman Cha waved his hand dismissively.
“My head is spinning as it is—I don’t need you adding more nonsense.”
“I only bring it up because I believe it’s worth considering, sir.”
“How am I supposed to put an eight-year-old at the head of management? What’s the rush?”
He was firm.
“It’s ten years too soon! No, fifteen, before I’d even let him start as a junior staff member! In the meantime, let him learn the ropes under President Shim!”
“President Shim actually asked me to deliver this.”
Secretary Kim handed him a one-page report.
Though it only contained a few lines, Chairman Cha’s eyes widened as he read.
“President Shim, too, is suggesting Jung-hyuk take over management?”
He couldn’t believe it.
Shim had been the one shaking his head, saying Jung-hyuk was just eight.
And yet, after only a few days of overseeing Jung-hyuk’s business education, he’d turned completely around?
It was astounding.
“He plans to manage things by using the investment company Jung-hyuk established as a proxy?”
“Yes.”
“President Shim couldn’t handle it alone! How does he expect to manage a 30-billion-won U-Gwang Chemicals and a 12-billion-won U-Gwang Securities? Is he trying to work himself into an early grave?”
“He’s recruited twenty-eight new executives.”
Chairman Cha snorted.
“Anyone can wear a badge and call themselves an executive! They need to be capable, too!”
“It seems the former Taeseong Construction executives who were dismissed have now joined under Master Jung-hyuk.”
“What?”
Secretary Kim smiled serenely.
“A total of twenty-eight people have voluntarily pledged their loyalty to Master Jung-hyuk.”
He placed copies of employment contracts on the desk.
Chairman Cha began flipping through them at an increasing pace.
“They really are former Taeseong Construction executives…”
“Yes.”
“I had those men purged myself because even Seong-jun couldn’t handle them. And he’s picking them up? Why?”
“They’re still highly capable.”
“Have they all gone mad? Those greedy, stubborn types are signing slave contracts for nothing more than a junior manager’s salary?”
Chairman Cha pressed his throbbing temples.
“Hard to believe, even seeing it with my own eyes.”
“It just goes to show how skilled Master Jung-hyuk is.”
“They’re tough guys who’ve spent their lives in the rough construction world. You think they’d fold from a little threat or a bribe?”
Chairman Cha slammed the desk.
“Did you forget even Yun-seong couldn’t handle them and got taken for a ride? They used to launder money with slippery politicians all day! Yet you’re telling me they submitted and crawled under Jung-hyuk?”
It just didn’t make sense, no matter how he looked at it.
“No way! Not even President Shim could pull that off!”
“Yes, President Shim is a good manager, but he can’t handle roughnecks. That’s why it seems Master Jung-hyuk took charge himself.”
“Jung-hyuk is only eight years old!”
“This is the proof.”
Clink.
Secretary Kim produced a handkerchief and let two gold teeth roll out onto the desk.
“They say he pulled out two gold teeth and wrapped things up.”
“Those guys have even gone toe to toe with gangsters during forced evictions. You think two gold teeth would make them fold?”
“Oh, according to Team Leader Yoo’s report, he tied them up and threw a bit of dirt on them as well. But that’s all.”
“Ha…”
Chairman Cha gaped, mouth agape.
There was plenty he wanted to say, but he was sick of repeating himself.
“You’re saying Jung-hyuk talked them all into it with a few words?”
“He’s already proven it with results.”
Chairman Cha was left speechless by the list Secretary Kim handed him.
“Apparently, he’s been wining and dining not just bank presidents, but all sorts of corporate executives, bringing in investments.”
In just a few days, he’d already brought in a staggering amount of business.
“What do you think? Isn’t it time to let Master Jung-hyuk take the reins?”
“…That kid really has some talent.”
Chairman Cha uncrumpled the ‘1’ note he’d mangled.
His young grandson’s neat handwriting caught his eye.
Secretary Kim added quietly,
“Chairman, please read the back as well.”
“The back?”
Chairman Cha couldn’t help but leap to his feet.
Chapter 116: Gold Teeth and Slave Contracts.
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