The accounting situation I uncovered for Jungwon was, quite literally, a complete disaster.

I hadn’t even examined Jungwon’s ledgers in detail, yet it was obvious enough for me to notice.

There was no way the National Tax Service hadn’t noticed it too.

And yet Jungwon had been designated a model taxpayer and exempted from tax audits for three years.

On top of that, they had committed countless illegal acts while acquiring land in Guryong Village.

Numerous people filed complaints and lawsuits against them.

As a result, Jungwon employees were investigated by the police, but most of them walked away without charges.

More importantly, Choi Hyuk himself had never once been investigated by the police.

Someone who could suppress tax investigations and stop the police from conducting proper investigations.

That level of power stood behind him.

“Lee Jeongho.”

The moment the name left my mouth, Choi Hyuk flinched.

“I already know that Lee Jeongho, the chairman of the Centrist Party, has been backing you. I also know influential politicians from both the ruling and opposition parties are tied up in this.”

“......”

“But no matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t find the connection linking you to them. So I’ll ask directly.”

There was absolutely nothing connecting Choi Hyuk and Lee Jeongho.

And Choi Hyuk wasn’t competent enough to have been personally selected by Lee Jeongho based on ability alone.

“So who is it? The person using you as a frontman while orchestrating all of this.”

Despite my repeated questioning, Choi Hyuk kept his mouth shut.

Reading the fear in his eyes, I slowly rubbed my chin.

‘Just who the hell is backing him that he’s this terrified?’

I decided to pressure him harder.

“CEO Choi Hyuk. If you refuse to answer, I’ll go meet Chairman Lee Jeongho directly. And I’ll ask him too. Who it is. Once you become useless, wouldn’t it be natural for them to cut you loose? You’d be better off talking before you’re abandoned.”

Even under my pressure, Choi Hyuk still didn’t open his mouth.

That alone proved how terrified he was of the person behind him.

At this rate, simple pressure alone wouldn’t make him talk.

“CEO Choi Hyuk. I’ll protect you. What exactly are you so afraid of?”

“......Protect me?”

“No matter what happens, I will protect you. You may not know this, but I’m capable of doing that much.”

How much would a disposable pawn like Choi Hyuk know about me?

No, it was natural that he didn’t know.

I pulled out my phone, made a call, and pressed speaker.

After several rings, the other side picked up.

A voice came through the phone resting on the table.

— President Kim. Or should I call you Branch Manager Kim now?

“Chairman Lee Jeongho. It’s been a while.”

The person I called was Lee Jeongho.

The moment Choi Hyuk recognized the owner of the voice, he stiffened.

— Indeed. I’ve been disappointed you haven’t contacted me at all lately. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

“You know why. I’ve been trying not to involve myself in politics anymore. I decided that would be better for both you and Myungsoo.”

— Haha, why draw the line so firmly?

Warmth filled Lee Jeongho’s voice.

Apparently Choi Hyuk sensed it too, because his eyes kept darting between me and the phone.

“Are you serious? You really want me to get involved again?”

— My goodness. Can’t I even make a joke anymore? Why are you talking so frighteningly again?

“Let’s leave the jokes there. I contacted you because I have something to ask. Are you busy?”

— The supreme council meeting will begin soon, but I have more than enough time to speak with Branch Manager Kim.

“Do you happen to know a real estate development company called Jungwon?”

The previously easygoing voice abruptly stopped.

Since no answer came, I pressed him again.

“Chairman. Do you know Choi Hyuk, the CEO of Jungwon?”

— Choi Hyuk? Jungwon? What are you talking about?

The moment denial came back, Choi Hyuk’s eyes shook violently.

“I intend to take over Guryong Village. So if you’re involved in anything related to it, clean it up neatly. For the President’s sake, for the party’s sake, and lastly, for your own sake.”

— Ahem....... I’m not involved in anything like that, but I’ll look into it. Perhaps one of my aides knows something.

“I wonder. This conversation is under embargo. If word of this reaches anywhere else, then you’ll be the culprit. I don’t sit at the same table twice with people who stab me in the back. You know that too, don’t you?”

The moment I spoke coldly, Lee Jeongho reacted loudly instead, perhaps because his conscience pricked him.

— H-Hey now, Branch Manager Kim! What exactly do you take me for?!

“I’m just saying it in case. Of course I trust you. But I don’t trust the people around you. So don’t tell anyone. If there’s anything that needs cleaning up, handle it personally. I’ll contact you again later.”

Without waiting for a response, I immediately hung up.

Then I picked up the phone, slid it back into my pocket, and smiled.

“You heard him, right? He says he doesn’t know anything. Do you understand now? You’re the card they can discard at any moment, CEO Choi.”

“W-Who are you? What the hell do you even do?”

Choi Hyuk stammered so badly he unconsciously slipped into informal speech.

“Well. The fact that you don’t know who I am is itself proof you’re a disposable piece. So talk. Then I’ll protect you.”

Unlike before, Choi Hyuk now visibly looked conflicted.

Apparently that single phone call had made it obvious that while I treated Lee Jeongho casually, Lee Jeongho himself was wary of me.

“Lee Myungsoo and I are childhood friends. You know who truly holds power in the Centrist Party, don’t you? So just tell me honestly. It’ll be better for you too.”

Rolling his eyes nervously, Choi Hyuk cautiously asked,

“......How exactly are you going to protect me?”

“What are you so afraid of?”

“If I say that name, I might end up floating in the Han River as a corpse the very next day.”

“That won’t happen.”

Even after my firm answer, Choi Hyuk trembled and breathed heavily.

“The moment I met you today, that person probably already found out. Which means......”

“Don’t be afraid. Nobody can touch me. So speak.”

I smiled leisurely.

Choi Hyuk hesitated for a long time.

I didn’t rush him and simply waited.

Manager Ma refilled the teacup before me with warm tea.

By the time the tea inside the luxurious cup had gone cold, Choi Hyuk finally opened his mouth carefully.

* * *

After receiving Kim Muhyuk’s call, Lee Jeongho stared blankly down at the phone in his hand.

“How the hell did he find out?”

Once Kim Muhyuk caught the scent of something, it was impossible to bury it quietly.

At that moment, his chief secretary knocked and spoke.

“Chairman. It’s time for the supreme council meeting. You should leave soon.”

Lee Jeongho didn’t answer.

The secretary’s words weren’t even registering.

When no reply came from inside, the chief secretary cautiously opened the door and entered.

“Chairman?”

Only after being called three times did Lee Jeongho finally turn his head.

“Is something wrong?”

“Ah, did you call me?”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Hoo.......”

Lee Jeongho tried to speak about his worries but replaced the words with a deep sigh.

“What exactly happened?”

“No. It’s nothing. Let’s move.”

Lee Jeongho slowly forced himself up and headed toward the supreme council meeting room.

Everyone had already gathered there and was waiting for him.

They all stood and greeted him.

Lee Jeongho halfheartedly accepted their greetings before sitting in the center seat at the table.

The public supreme council meeting began, and discussions continued over various matters.

Only after a long time did the public session finally end.

Once all the reporters had left, Lee Myungsoo asked the Lee Jeongho sitting beside him,

“Chairman, is something wrong? You don’t look well.”

Suddenly, irritation surged inside Lee Jeongho as he glared at Lee Myungsoo.

‘This bastard is the problem!’

Because of this brat trying to stand above his head with Kim Muhyuk backing him!

Lee Myungsoo flinched at the hostile gaze.

‘What’s wrong with this crazy old man now? Is he finally losing it?’

The two men concealed their vicious inner thoughts and continued smiling while talking.

“It’s nothing. I’m just not feeling well.”

“That’s good to hear. I was worried perhaps something troubling had happened.”

“Haha. No. Let’s continue the meeting.”

Once their exchange ended, the real supreme council meeting began.

Lee Jeongho might as well have been a sack of barley sitting there uselessly.

Everything concluded exactly according to Lee Myungsoo’s wishes.

As soon as the meeting ended, Lee Jeongho was the first to leave the room.

“Supreme Council Member Cheon Suin. Do you happen to know what’s going on?”

Watching Lee Jeongho’s retreating figure, Lee Myungsoo asked Cheon Suin, who was close to the party chairman.

“I’ve no idea either. He’s been strange all day.”

“Please follow him and find out. Something definitely seems wrong.”

Cheon Suin nodded and left the meeting room after Lee Jeongho.

Remaining behind in the still-noisy conference room, Lee Myungsoo’s eyes sharpened.

Back in the chairman’s office, Lee Jeongho nervously fiddled with his phone.

“Should I tell him? Or not?”

At that moment, Cheon Suin opened the office door and walked in.

“What’s this, Supreme Council Member Cheon?! Not even knocking?”

“What exactly is going on? You couldn’t focus through the entire meeting.”

“Tch. You don’t need to know.”

“Chairman! How can you say that?!”

Cheon Suin’s voice rose.

“Supreme Council Member Cheon! What exactly do you think you’re doing?”

No matter how distracted he was, insubordination couldn’t be tolerated.

When Lee Jeongho glared fiercely at him, Cheon Suin lowered his head.

“I apologize. But we need to know what’s happening to discuss countermeasures. What exactly happened?”

After repeated urging, Lee Jeongho let out a long sigh and finally spoke.

“Well.......”

The moment he heard the full story, Cheon Suin’s face went pale.

“What?! Kim Muhyuk found out about the Guryong Village operation?”

Lee Jeongho nodded.

“But why? He never cared about it before. Why suddenly take interest in Guryong Village?”

“I don’t know either.”

“How did he find out about your connection to CEO Choi Hyuk? Were you being tailed?”

“What nonsense are you saying?! I only met Choi Hyuk once. At my publication celebration event. After that, all communication went through intermediaries.”

“Hah....... This is driving me insane. Shouldn’t we inform him? We need to discuss countermeasures with Chairman Byun.”

From Cheon Suin’s mouth came the identity of the true mastermind behind everything.

“Kim Muhyuk told me not to inform anyone.”

“So you’re really going to keep your mouth shut? We’re dead either way, so shouldn’t we at least struggle before dying?”

At Cheon Suin’s nagging, Lee Jeongho answered incredulously.

“Then why don’t you tell him yourself, Supreme Council Member Cheon? Can you handle Kim Muhyuk? Because I can’t.”

At those words, Cheon Suin immediately shut his mouth.

He feared Kim Muhyuk’s retaliation just as much.

“I think the best option is to let this pass quietly without incident. Thanks to you, my thoughts are finally sorted out. Let’s pretend we know nothing and stay still. Surely even he won’t blow this up enough to destroy the party.”

The person who had brought Lee Myungsoo into politics was Kim Muhyuk.

The person who had transformed political rookie Lee Myungsoo into a major power player was also Kim Muhyuk.

Because of that, Lee Jeongho was convinced Kim Muhyuk wouldn’t escalate a scandal so large that even Lee Myungsoo would get caught in the blast.

“Let’s wait and see. So you keep your mouth shut too.”

“Understood. But I’ll clean up things around us a little. You should do the same.”

Letting out another deep sigh, Lee Jeongho nodded.

* * *

“......That’s how it happened.”

The moment Choi Hyuk finished speaking, I unconsciously muttered a name.

“Byun Heebong.......”

That was the true mastermind behind all of this.

‘So this bastard was involved?’

The instant I heard the name, every piece fell into place.

Byun Heebong was the chairman of a construction company based in Busan.

But that title was merely his public facade.

In reality, he was a lobbyist who scattered enormous political funds throughout the political world.

Using that foundation, he secured every kind of preferential treatment and steadily climbed higher and higher.

Now I finally understood why Choi Hyuk had been so terrified.

Byun Heebong was a cold-blooded man who wouldn’t hesitate to kill people when things went wrong.

“CEO Choi Hyuk.”

When I called him softly, Choi Hyuk looked at me.

“I’ll give you two choices.”

At my subtle gesture, Manager Ma brought over several sheets of paper.

“First option. Sign these papers, take the money, and flee overseas exactly as you are.”

I handed the documents to Choi Hyuk.

His gaze reflexively dropped to them.

“Or you can reject my offer and run straight to Chairman Byun to tell him everything.”

I gave him plenty of time to examine the documents.

The papers I handed over transferred every property owned by Jungwon to me.

After reviewing them all, Choi Hyuk stared at me like I was insane.

“You’re asking me to hand all this over at this price?”

“It’s the same price Jungwon bought them for. Is there a problem?”

“No.......”

“Besides, it’s not even your money anyway, is it? Wouldn’t it be better for you to hand everything over to me and run? I’ll take responsibility for everything. So all you need to decide is whether to accept my proposal or reject it.”

The fingertips of the hand holding the pen I offered him trembled slightly.

A long time passed.

In the end, after agonizing over it, Choi Hyuk signed the contract.