Chapter 60: Reward Liquor

The eyes of the ministers who entered this room were all fixed on Father.

Sharp and piercing as blades, their gazes swept him from head to toe.

They seemed to be gauging how Father would take responsibility for his bold declaration just now—“I will prove my innocence not with excuses, but with results.”

Father spoke calmly.

“I will show you directly why the same subway line plan had to be drawn even without resorting to bribery or corruption. In truth, there is no word more necessary here than ‘competence.’”

At Father’s brazen answer, the President raised one eyebrow.

The ministers, watching, glared at Father with eyes full of reproach.

Thanks to this, the already pale face of Mayor Koo, who had been terrified, turned even darker.

“Competence?”

“Anyone with a proper head on their shoulders would have no choice but to draft a similar map for Subway Line 2.”

At Father’s audacity, not only the Chief Presidential Secretary but the ministers of each department drew in their breaths.

But Father paid it no mind.

He raised one hand.

“If, for example, Your Excellency had to draft a subway line plan right here and now, these would be the conditions.”

Father folded his fingers one by one as he spoke.

“Around 40 subway stations, a budget of about 180 billion won, a construction period of approximately five years, a total length of 48 to 49 kilometers, connecting Gangnam and Gangbuk, and passing through key facilities in the city center.”

He shrugged his shoulders.

“To meet all these demanding conditions, you have no choice but to create the most efficient route possible.”

“Map.”

At a flick of the President’s hand, the Chief Presidential Secretary quickly picked up the subway map from the floor and laid it neatly on the table.

Taeseong’s submission—the line drawn in red marker—returned to its rightful place.

“Remove that one.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

The Chief Presidential Secretary quickly cleared away the crude map the president of WooKwang Construction had drawn.

The wrinkled map was immediately stuffed into the metal trash can.

“Hm.”

The President stared silently at the two maps spread out on the table.

Unlike Mayor Koo’s subway map drawn in pencil, the one drawn in red marker had words written at several points.

It listed the city’s key facilities, even prioritizing them.

“Mayor Koo.”

“Yes, Your Excellency!”

He was called by title, not name.

It meant to answer in his official capacity.

The President’s intention was clear.

—Cross-verification of information.

Sweat beaded on Mayor Koo’s brow.

The President was not setting aside his suspicions.

—Bribery and improper solicitation.

Mayor Koo had to clarify this without fail.

The current administration had seized power through a military coup and was thus vulnerable in legitimacy.

That was why, under the guise of clean and upright governance, they had touted popular policies like compensation for national heroes, restoration of lost cultural assets, and the eradication of corruption.

So while they might turn a blind eye to backroom collusion between politics and business, any corruption exposed in plain sight would not be tolerated.

Not even Mayor Koo, the President’s closest ally as Mayor of Seoul, could escape that snare.

“Your reason for making the proposal.”

“I simply wondered if there might be a better idea, or how capable the construction company was. I wanted to test them. With nearly 200 billion won in state resources being poured into a major five-year project, I thought it best to be thorough in the planning stage.”

Mayor Koo’s words came faster and faster.

“To be honest, I brought up the proposal half as a joke, thinking I should put the contractor in their place right from the start. But unbelievably, this fellow drew up the Subway Line 2 route in just 30 minutes…!”

“The conclusion.”

“I swear I have never taken a bribe or improper request. Also, I kept the Line 2 subway map on my person at all times and took utmost care with security—”

“That’s enough.”

The President cut Mayor Koo off with a simple raise of his hand.

He lifted his chin toward Father.

“Continue. Prove it.”

“If I got greedy, Taeseong would have to shoulder all the costs and responsibilities until completion. If I tried to scheme, it would only lead to embezzlement and shoddy work. Given those conditions, that plan was the best possible.”

The President leaned back against the sofa.

He meant for Father to go on.

“The reason you added the caveat of ‘those conditions’?”

“If we could extend the budget and construction period a bit, it would be more efficient to add one subway station that Mayor Koo missed.”

The President glanced down at the subway map, and Mayor Koo flinched.

Apparently, he’d been quite proud of his subway plan, thinking it was the very best, only to be shocked at how similar it was to Father’s.

“What? A subway station I missed?”

“I’m referring to Gangnam Seoul Express Bus Terminal.”

Mayor Koo Jae-cheol had drawn up plans to build a comprehensive bus terminal in Banpo-dong to ease downtown congestion and develop Gangnam.

He’d completed it in a temporary structure, forcibly relocating the express bus lines scattered across Seoul Station and Dongdaemun Station.

That was only a year ago.

“Ah…!”

Mayor Koo slapped his forehead.

“That’s right! I completely forgot about that!”

This was a historically known mistake by Mayor Koo.

It was why the Gangnam Express Bus Terminal Station was the first to be added to Line 3.

“To have forgotten such a critical transportation hub linking Seoul to the provinces! This is a truly inexcusable blunder! Your Excellency, I sincerely apologize! I have no excuse.”

If Seoul Station and Cheongnyangni Station are considered railway terminals, then Yongsan Intercity Bus Terminal and Gangnam Seoul Express Bus Terminal are the main intercity and express bus terminals.

This was supposed to be one of the major transportation gateways connecting Seoul to Gyeongsang, Gangwon, and Jeolla provinces.

“If we could add it to the Line 2 route even now—!”

“Mayor, as I said earlier, given the current budget and schedule, it’s practically impossible.”

“Ah…! Of course. Taeseong would have to take on all the responsibility and cost.”

Mayor Koo stamped his feet in regret.

“That’s why you planned Lines 3 and 4 the way you did! It could all be solved easily by just adding a little more to the budget and timeline now, but since that’s not possible, it’ll have to wait for the next plan…!”

The President spoke up.

“Good.”

He snapped his fingers.

The Blue House Security Chief, who had been blocking Father, lowered his arm.

He pointed to the sofa with his chin.

“Sit.”

That was the proximity to the President that Father’s answer had won him.

It was the lowest seat in the room, but the other ministers were still standing against the wall.

“……!”

The ministers, and even the Chief Presidential Secretary, stared at Father in shock.

Only Mayor Koo suppressed a smile, twitching his lips in joy.

Step, step, step, thump.

Father walked calmly and sat in the seat he was given.

The President stubbed his cigarette out in the ashtray and spoke.

“Finance Ministry, Construction Ministry, Seoul City.”

“Yes!”

“A plan including these opinions. On my desk by next Monday.”

“Yes, understood.”

The faces of the named ministers and Mayor Koo darkened at the order to finish in only three days.

The President pulled out another cigarette.

The Chief Presidential Secretary hurried to offer a lighter, but the Blue House Security Chief, who had darted over, smacked his hand away.

“Don’t butt in. Got it?”

The Security Chief glared with already fierce eyes.

The Chief Presidential Secretary quietly set his lighter on the table.

The Security Chief finally lit the President’s cigarette with his silver Zippo, then stepped back with a satisfied smile.

“The reason you left that out.”

Alright! Predicted Question 2 was starting!

Another major national project Taeseong Construction could easily win with just one word from the absolute ruler!

Let’s aim for that this time!

“Though the Gangnam Seoul Express Bus Terminal opened just a year ago, the surge in express bus passengers means Seoul can’t handle all the traffic. Expansion work is unavoidable.”

Father spoke quietly.

“If construction is scheduled there soon, the situation becomes extremely complex. The roads are already crowded with express buses going both ways, and if the terminal expansion and Line 2 construction are carried out at once, what do you think will happen?”

“Hm.”

“Road workers, underground construction crews, expressway passengers and merchants—all would be crowded together. If you also consider the heavy machinery and supplies that need to be brought in, the risk of an accident is very high. That’s why I left it out.”

Tap tap.

The President flicked his ash.

“Solution.”

“There are two ways. Either we abandon including it in the Line 2 route, or we postpone the Gangnam Seoul Express Bus Terminal expansion.”

“Rejected.”

The Gangnam Seoul Express Bus Terminal is already too over capacity to delay the expansion.

And with passenger numbers so high, removing it from Line 2 due to construction complexity would defeat the original goal of relieving city traffic and serving public convenience.

“If we push forward?”

“If we consolidate construction scheduling, manpower mobilization, heavy machinery deployment, and storage space into a single contractor, it can be managed.”

“Good.”

The President nodded.

The Security Chief, who had been standing behind him, reacted instantly.

He brought over an empty glass and set it in front of Father.

Pour.

The Security Chief personally poured Royal Salute into the glass.

“Drink. This is liquor bestowed by His Excellency.”

“Thank you.”

Father respectfully picked up the glass with both hands and drained it in one shot.

This only made the expressions of the Chief Presidential Secretary and the ministers standing by the wall even stranger.

Only Mayor Koo smiled with pride.

“Mayor Koo. Extend the Line 2 construction.”

“Yes, Your Excellency. To include the Gangnam Seoul Express Bus Terminal, correct?”

“Give this friend the terminal expansion job as well.”

“Yes, I will.”

“Include the terminal commercial building construction.”

“Yes, understood.”

Alright! That’s it!

“No need to go to competitive bidding.”

“Then I’ll proceed with a sole bid. What do you think of awarding it by private contract?”

“Handle it as you see fit.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

Mayor Koo’s smile deepened.

The President’s word was law.

‘The Gangnam Express Bus Terminal expansion and the terminal commercial building construction are now secured!’

Jackpot!

No wonder the note I wrote seemed to shine with golden light!

But the President didn’t stop there.

“Subway construction. Is there any need to delay?”

He meant to bring the Line 2 construction start date forward.

That meant that, no matter what WooKwang Construction did, the Line 2 project was ours at Taeseong!

The subway project was confirmed by the President himself.

Even Mayor Koo, the one with decision and oversight authority, couldn’t change that.

“Finance Ministry, Construction Ministry, Commerce Ministry, Seoul City.”

“Yes!”

This time, the Ministry of Commerce was added to the list.

“Include this point as well. On my desk by next Tuesday.”

“Yes, understood.”

The deadline was only one day longer—four days in total.

With so little time, the Commerce Minister joined the ranks of those whose faces turned ashen.

Mayor Koo, who had been smiling, now looked resigned, his hearty laugh turning hollow.

What choice did they have? Orders from above were absolute.

“Your Excellency, when would you like construction to begin?”

“Immediately. Before the year is out.”

Such impatience!

How many days left in the year?

I couldn’t help but grin in satisfaction.

‘What will happen when this comes up at our New Year’s family gathering?’

No doubt, the family will be very interested.

After all, Father not only negotiated directly with the President to win two major national projects, but also secured the long-contested Line 2 subway construction that Grandfather had been struggling for.

But the President still wasn’t done.

“I heard you were invited to Saudi Arabia as a state guest of the royal family?”

The business the President had for Father, having summoned him personally, was only just beginning.

It was also the last predicted question on my list.