Double-Edged Sword 3
“V-Vice Chairman, please wait!”
Despite the startled gazes of Jin Young-ki and a dozen executives, the young staff member from the secretary’s office burst into the room, unfazed. He quickly grabbed the remote and turned on the large TV mounted on one wall of the conference room.
“We are currently investigating the regular overseas gambling trips of several high-profile individuals and have already secured concrete evidence. Given the involvement of major corporations and violations of foreign exchange laws, an investigation into the implicated companies is inevitable.”
“What is this?”
“It’s a special press conference that just started at the Southern District Prosecutor’s Office. It’s related to this article.”
The staff member pointed to the morning newspaper on the conference table.
“We are particularly focused on the fact that this gambling took place not in the usual destinations like Macau or the Philippines, but in the U.S. and Morocco. While Macau and the Philippines were disguised as package tours, the individuals involved in Las Vegas and Morocco acted independently, with gambling amounts estimated in the billions.”
As reporters’ questions poured in, the name “Soonyang” kept coming up. Each mention made Jin Young-ki’s face turn redder until he finally snatched the remote from the staff member and hurled it at the TV.
“Get all those articles off the internet and stop that broadcast immediately. Fire that bastard! If the news doesn’t report this as a mistake by tomorrow, you’re all fired. Got it? Now move!”
The people in the conference room vanished like lightning, more relieved to escape than worried about the burden they now carried.
“Damn you, Oh Se-hyun…!”
Left alone, Jin Young-ki fumed for a while before pulling out his phone.
“Mobilize the Central Prosecutor’s Office and the National Tax Service today. Raid Miracle and strip Oh Se-hyun down to his underwear! Do it.”
There’s no turning back now.
His wife wouldn’t be jailed or sentenced just for gambling. Even if perfect evidence emerged, he calculated that a fine would suffice since it was a first offense.
But if the National Tax Service started digging, it wouldn’t end easily.
No matter what, he would be the ultimate victor in this battle.
“Lee Kang-sik! You idiot…! Have you lost your mind?”
Thud—!
Lee Kang-sik gritted his teeth to suppress a scream, clutching his shin.
The deputy chief prosecutor of the Southern District didn’t stop kicking his shin.
“What the hell were you doing? You couldn’t even manage one kid and caused this mess? Do you want me to lose my job and miss my promotion?”
As the deputy’s wrath poured over him, the head of the Financial Investigation Department closed his eyes and sighed deeply.
“I’m sorry, Deputy Chief.”
“How are you going to fix this mess? Soonyang’s legal team will swarm in, and I bet more than ten of them are former prosecutors.”
The deputy chief prosecutor waved his nameplate, its mother-of-pearl inlay glinting ominously.
“Lee Kang-sik!”
“Yes, Deputy Chief.”
“Do you know how long the former chief served?”
“Eight months.”
“Right, just eight months out of the two years mandated by law. Everyone knows it was because the Soonyang chairman raised hell. And now a mere prosecutor has tangled with their eldest daughter-in-law? How many do you think will lose their jobs because of you? Including you!”
”…”
Lee Kang-sik kept his head down, saying nothing. He had expected this scolding, but hearing it made his mouth taste bitter.
The entire prosecution trembling before a mere businessman…
“The chief prosecutor was summoned to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office. Because of you, you fool!”
When the deputy chief smacked the back of his head, Lee Kang-sik finally looked up.
“We’ve secured the accounts and matched Park Hye-young’s travel records. A Korean media outlet has promised to obtain the Las Vegas CCTV footage. That woman can’t escape. We can tie this to Soonyang Group’s illegal foreign exchange transactions. Trust me.”
“Are you not going to lower your eyes?”
The deputy chief shouted at Lee Kang-sik, who was staring back defiantly.
“Why are you doing this? Is it because we lack evidence to arrest those people? Once they sit in a wheelchair, it’s over. Don’t you know you’re just giving them a free pass? Are you going to ruin the foreign exchange case over some woman’s gambling?”
Evidence of a conglomerate’s illegal activities should be collected and held until the right moment. Only when public opinion is loud enough can a real sentence be secured. They’ll be released on probation or pardoned anyway.
That’s the extent of the prosecution’s role.
“I’m sorry. I’ll take responsibility. You can end this as the reckless act of a single prosecutor blinded by a sense of justice.”
Lee Kang-sik pulled an envelope from his pocket. It was his resignation letter.
“You damn fool…! Trying to keep your pride to the end?”
The deputy chief glared at Lee Kang-sik with disdain.
“You know what happens to a righteous prosecutor who gets kicked out? If you saved the country in a past life, maybe you’ll get a seat in the National Assembly. Otherwise, you’ll end up as a local divorce lawyer. You’re not the type to save the country, so you’ll end up as a local lawyer.”
Lee Kang-sik wanted to shout back at the deputy chief who belittled him.
“In a year, you’ll envy me.”
“Prosecutor Lee Kang-sik has taken the lead.”
“Yeah, I thought the department head would step up. He’s done enough prosecuting, and with kids to support, it seemed perfect.”
“Is there an age limit on ambition? It’s probably someone who needs money.”
I was surprised too, and a bit disappointed. If Department Head Bae had stepped up, it would have painted a more substantial picture.
“So, what will your uncle do now?”
“We’ll see if he’s just a hothead or if he has real guts. If he focuses only on covering up this press conference, it’ll show he’s got no backbone. But if he decides to attack us instead of just cleaning up, it means he’s got some nerve, doesn’t it?”
“That would also mean he’s just a hothead.”
Oh Se-hyun seemed confident about what his uncle would decide. It was a given that the National Tax Service would come after us; the only question was when.
“Tomorrow?”
“It’ll take time to prepare, so maybe tomorrow, or the day after?”
But we were wrong. Whether it was my uncle’s capability or the power of Soonyang Group, it didn’t take long to mobilize the public officials.
“Sir, the National Tax Service and the prosecution are here.”
A staff member burst in, pale as a ghost, without even knocking.
“Quick, Jin Young-ki.”
“Indeed. I didn’t expect him to act so decisively.”
“He’s just impulsive, acting without thinking. Are you seeing him in a better light just because he’s family?”
Watching Oh Se-hyun calmly sip his tea, the staff member was visibly anxious.
“Sir! This isn’t the time to be…!”
“Hey! Stop shouting. I’m not deaf.”
Oh Se-hyun put down his teacup and held up a finger.
“Will ten minutes be enough?”
“Uncle tends to talk a lot, so let’s say twenty minutes.”
“Alright.”
Oh Se-hyun picked up his phone and instructed the staff member.
“Go out and stall them. Turn off the elevators and lock the emergency stairwell doors. Make sure it takes exactly twenty minutes for the National Tax Service or the prosecution to reach this room. That’s all.”
“Yes, sir.”
The staff member, understanding what needed to be done, ran out while dialing his phone.
Oh Se-hyun checked the closed door and leisurely dialed a number.
“Vice Chairman Jin Young-ki, it’s Oh Se-hyun.”
― If you’re calling first, something urgent must have happened. Heh.
“You’re more proactive than I thought. The press conference just ended, and already…”
― Treat the public officials with respect. Don’t have your staff block them or destroy any documents.
“There’s no need for that. They’ll all withdraw in exactly twenty minutes.”
― Withdraw? Did you ask someone influential for help? Did Do-jun tell you to beg my father?
“I’m not a child… I don’t tattle. The withdrawal of the public officials from my company will be ordered by none other than you, Vice Chairman Jin Young-ki.”
― What nonsense are you spouting?
“Listen carefully. I’m going to meet Vice Chairman Jin Dong-ki now.”
― Dong-ki? Ha! Is that the best savior you could come up with?
“Don’t interrupt and listen. I’m not going empty-handed. I have a transfer contract in my hand.”
― Transfer?
“Yes. A contract to transfer all 17% of Soonyang Group shares held by Soonyang Motors.”
― What, what are you saying?
“You and Vice Chairman Jin Dong-ki are in a tug-of-war over control of the group, aren’t you? 17% might not be a decisive blow, but it will tip the balance.”
― Hey! What are you talking about?
“I just need a few subsidiaries when Vice Chairman Jin Dong-ki eventually takes over Soonyang Group.”
― Hey! Oh Se-hyun!
“Watch your language! I’m not your subordinate, so don’t call me by name so casually.”
Switching the phone to his other hand, Oh Se-hyun continued.
“Whether the Soonyang Group shares I hold remain with me or end up in Vice Chairman Jin Dong-ki’s hands will be decided by the end of this call. What will you do?”
― W-Wait!
“If a single National Tax Service official sets foot in my office, Vice Chairman Jin Dong-ki’s influence over the group will increase by 17%. Today.”
Vice Chairman Jin Young-ki was speechless.
When he was told to hand over 17% of the shares, or even discussed the merger of Soonyang Group and HW Group, he never imagined it would come back like this.
The share structure between him and his brother Jin Dong-ki was different from a group split.
The boundaries were blurred, with the companies only defined by their respective roles, not by clear ownership within the conglomerate.
For now, with Chairman Jin’s watchful eyes keeping everything in check, the siblings stick to their own domains. But once he’s gone, nothing would stop them from encroaching on each other’s territories.
In this context, owning 17% is a formidable power.
Jin Young-gi, snapping back to reality, quickly spoke up.
“Hand it over to me. Then you’ll never have to worry about the tax office or the prosecutors again. Oh, and you mentioned a few decent subsidiaries? I’ll throw in a few more. I’ll make sure you get a good price for your shares.”
“Do you take me for a fool? I’m not generous enough to give wings to someone who picks a fight and then stabs me in the back. Don’t make me repeat myself. Should I hold onto the shares, or should I hand them over to Vice Chairman Jin Dong-gi?”
Jin Young-gi’s lips felt parched.
“I hear a commotion starting. My friends at the tax office seem to be skipping the lower floors and heading straight to my office. I’ll say it again: the moment they open my door, this call ends.”
“Wait.”
Jin Young-gi squeezed his eyes shut and hung up. If it was Oh Se-hyun, he wasn’t one to bluff. If this guy took the shares, his brother would welcome him with open arms.
Jin Young-gi weakly pressed the intercom.
“Get me the head of the tax office and tell them to pull back immediately. Hurry.”
“Pull back from where…?”
“Are you seriously asking? From Miracle, of course. Miracle!”
After shouting, Jin Young-gi slumped back into his chair, utterly drained.