Chapter 1515 Uncovering (5)

“...Wait, you want us to publish this? Really?”

“That’s right.”

The editor, Bae Wu-Hyeon, nodded, prompting Bak Gyu-Yeon to blink his eyes furiously.

“Uh... But? Really? This?”

“Yes, that.”

Bak Gyu-Yeon peered closely at the documents gripped in his hand. The way he saw it, this wasn’t information on a newsworthy item but more like a press release. Or a script an anchor might read during a live news broadcast.

Well, this matter is business-related, sure. Even so...

Bak Gyu-Yeon’s department didn’t cover criminal cases, so this information should have gone to someone else. However, this particular case had a sizable business-related component to it, so it made sense why he’d be asked to write an article about it this time.

After all, this case involved Korean corporations. But his issue was something else. And that would be...

“Sir, doesn’t this, you know, feel incomplete? As if you’ve left midway during your bathroom break or something. Will it be okay to report this?”

“That’s because the cops are still investigating it.”

“Huh-uh?”

Bak Gyu-Yeon perused the documents again.

News articles usually came in two flavors. The first flavor was articles being published after the case had been neatly wrapped up. The other was a constant drip feed of reports as the case progressed.

The former was good for filling up newspaper spaces, while the latter was primarily to attract readers’ attention. However, the way Bak Gyu-Yeon saw it, what he received just now wasn’t quite topical enough to fall into the second camp. Publishing the articles covering this situation wouldn’t have much of an impact with the readers unless the media houses resorted to a sustained, intense media campaign.

Bak Gyu-Yeon addressed Bae Wu-Hyeon again. “Sure, I know that entitled people doing entitled things has become a serious societal issue lately, but I don’t know if what happened this time will be enough to warrant a dedicated article from us, sir.”

“That’s not important right now. Just write up the article, Gyu-Yeon.”

Bak Gyu-Yeon furrowed his brow slightly. Judging from how script-like this information was, and how disinterested his editor was...

Yup, it is a media campaign, alright.

That meant someone had gone to the trouble of creating this and distributing it. As for who that someone was...

...The National Police Agency, is it?

The information might have come from the cops, but Bak Gyu-Yeon had a hunch that they weren’t the primary drivers in this case.

In the end, the police were an extension of the powerful ruling elite. Anyone with power and connections could manipulate and wield this force. So, the question was, who could be behind this move by the cops?

Bak Gyu-Yeon licked his lips. Yup, let’s not dig in any further.

He couldn’t afford to chase after every strange-smelling lead, especially one this trivial. He didn’t have ten spare bodies, after all!

Being able to sniff out a story, and the discernment of knowing what to chase after and what to leave alone, were two of the most important aspects of being a reporter.

Bak Gyu-Yeon grunted. “I wonder which stupid bastards tried to be cute this time?”

Bae Wu-Hyeon casually shrugged. “They probably thought their competition deserved a thorough trampling or something. But the folks being trampled must’ve decided to fight back.”

“I guess so. It’s weird, though. If the cops are being this hands-on with distributing press releases, we must be dealing with a mega corporation. But who could be behind this cafe franchise I’ve never... Huh?” Bak Gyu-Yeon’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets just then. “What the hell?!”

Bae Wu-Hyeon frowned. “What is it?”

“Seriously?! Bloody hell, MK owns this cafe franchise?”

When Bak Gyu-Yeon blurted out the initials M and K, a man idling away in the background shot up to his feet. “What was that?! Did you say MK?”

Bak Gyu-Yeon’s expression crumpled. “What the? Did you hear a bag of treats rustling or something? Why are you standing up, senior?”

“Did you just compare me to a pet dog, you brat!” Ha Gwang-Sik urgently walked over and smacked the back of Bak Gyu-Yeon’s head before snatching the documents away from the junior reporter’s grip. “Hah? What bullsh*t is he up to this time?”

“Who are you talking about, senior?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m talking about the uber-mysterious head honcho of MK!” Ha Gwang-Sik snickered. “I heard that he’s getting even richer through his cafe franchise recently. Never expected him to go through crap like this.”

“Really? Did you already know that Kang Jin-Ho dude was behind this Luogo cafe franchise?”

“Of course I did. How can I not when his goddamn face shows up every time I turn my bloody TV on?! I’m seriously fed up, man! Fed up, I tell ya!”

“Ohh~? It sounds like your favorability with the guy has gone up, senior.”

“Are you using your mouth to talk or piss and sh*t? You dumbass!”

Ha Gwang-Sik threateningly raised his hand to smack Bak Gyu-Yeon one more time before shifting his attention back to the information. “These bastards... Just how high were they when they decided to go after MK?”

“Hahaha. Yeah, I wonder about that myself, senior. It’s all a bit weird, isn’t it?”

Ha Gwang-Sik smirked. “They sure stirred up a hornet’s nest, didn’t they?”

Not many reporters out there knew more about MK than Ha Gwang-Sik at this stage. He had been digging into MK’s background even before the company began trading, after all.

That was why he knew that MK was one of those organizations in this country that should never be provoked. A company with an unknown but powerful backer—that was Ha Gwang-Sik’s view on MK.

Bak Gyu-Yeon curiously spoke, “I figured that the whole incident with the former Prime Minister had soured the relationship between MK and our government’s higher-ups, but I guess that wasn’t the case, senior.”

“That’s what people in power do, Gyu-Yeon. They can bicker and become mortal enemies, but if benefits are on the line, they will revert to being best of buddies in no time at all. You could say that is their way of life.”

Ha Gwang-Sik’s face was filled with a villainous smirk just then.

“We should pity the idiots who dared to provoke MK without knowing a damn thing. Who do you think they are, though?”

“It’s obviously MK’s competitor, senior.”

“Wowsers, how could I have not thought of that? Thanks for all your brilliant insight, you brat.”

Bak Gyu-Yeon chuckled. “Oww, come on now. You know there are far too many cafe franchises to count these days. Corporations, both big and medium-sized, have jumped into this market if they can’t think of better things to do. With how saturated the market is, how am I supposed to guess who the idiot is? It’s not like you’d sink a ton of money doing this, anyway.”

“So, you’re saying it could be anyone.”

“Yup. That’s basically it.”

Ha Gwang-Sik nodded, then handed the information back to Bak Gyu-Yeon. “Here. Have fun writing up the piece, then.”

“Eh? Aren’t you interested, senior?”

“You think I’m that desperate?”

“That’s weird. Didn’t you pick through trash just to get info on MK not too long ago?”

Ha Gwang-Sik subtly furrowed his brow. “Listen here, you brat! I’m trying to dig up dirt on those bastards! But this time, they are being attacked unfairly, okay?”

“Kuh~euh! I didn’t think you’d be this righteous, senior. I’m so proud of you.”

“Can it, you brat!” Ha Gwang-Sik yelled in irritation, then spun around on his heels.

Bae Wu-Hyeon chuckled wryly when Ha Gwang-Sik stormed out of the office and asked Bak Gyu-Yeon. “What’s gotten into that idiot?”

“He always overreacts like that whenever MK’s involved. You know, like... Eh, that feeling you get when you run into a story you are not supposed to touch.”

“What...? Isn’t that something all reporters get over with three years into their jobs? Why is that idiot still acting like a greenhorn after all these years?”

“You know my senior has this, eh, pure side to him.”

“Really now? If he’s so pure, why did his wife run out on him?”

“...Please refrain from saying that out loud when he’s around, sir.”

“Don’t worry, I would never.”

While listening to his editor’s jokey reply, Bak Gyu-Yeon glanced at the exit.

“...Dang it.”

He got up from his creaky chair and followed Ha Gwang-Sik outside.

Bae Wu-Hyeon smirked at this sight. “Why don’t you two get a room or something? Gee whiz.”

***

Click!

Ha Gwang-Sik mouthed a cigarette and began puffing away. After exhaling a large puff of smoke, he tutted.

“Tsk...!”

It felt like a lump was stuck in his throat.

“Those bastards... Really now...”

While Ha Gwang-Sik mumbled away, Bak Gyu-Yeon walked up to him and mouthed a cigarette of his own.

“Senior, you should stop doing this. Seriously now.”

“Stop what?”

“If you want to chase after this story, then do it. Or just drop it completely. But you’re doing neither of those, just being wishy-washy about it.”

Han Gwang-Sik scowled deeply. “Look, man. I know what I’m doing, okay?”

“No, you don’t know what you’re doing, and that’s why you’re dithering about like this. Be honest with me, senior. You’re no longer as motivated as before, are you?”

“...”

When Ha Gwang-Sik couldn’t say a thing back to him, Bak Gyu-Yeon began smirking deeply.

“I knew it. Yup. Why aren’t I surprised? You probably thought that Kang Jin-Ho was some kinda shady villain with lots and lots of skeletons in his closet, didn’t you? But then, you realized how close that guy got to becoming the administration’s sacrificial pawn. And then, he’s now getting punted around by some random idiots. That’s why you feel pretty weird right now.”

“Why don’t you write a damn novel, you brat?”

“Oh? Am I wrong? What’s the truth, then?”

Ha Gwang-Sik unhappily puffed away at his cigarette. He then groaned loudly to exhale all the smoke shoved deep into his lungs. “What are you trying to imply here? You think Kang Jin-Ho is a good guy or something?”

“Haiiigooo~! Senior, do you think we’re inside a movie? No one in this world is good or bad like that. Everyone’s equally guilty of something.”

“...”

“You know as well as I do that life is not black-and-white. Yes, I’m pretty sure Kang Jin-Ho isn’t a nice guy. But does that automatically make him a bad guy? No.”

“You’re being naïve yourself,” Ha Gwang-Sik curtly replied. “A man who enjoys unchecked power is bound to get corrupted by it, you know?”

“But he seems pretty well checked to me, though? Have you forgotten that he got dragged to jail over some trumped-up charges not too long ago? If Kang Jin-Ho wanted to, he could’ve raised one hell of a stink over it, you know? It’s just that the interest in that story died down way too quickly, which is kinda weird if you think about it.”

“It didn’t die down naturally, okay? They simply buried it. That’s all.”

Ha Gwang-Sik chuckled helplessly. If Kang Jin-Ho really was a nice, cuddly man, he couldn’t have become the boss of a corporation that powerful.

It simply means he won in the power struggle against Kim Myeong-Chan.

Ha Gwang-Sik obviously had no way of knowing how such a thing could even happen.

No matter how capable Kang Jin-Ho was, he was merely an “owner” of a random company. Meanwhile, Kim Myeong-Chan was the Prime Minister of the country, a man who held real power to shake up South Korea if he wanted to. Worse still, he wasn’t some voiceless puppet either, but an actual mover in politics trusted by the most powerful man in this country.

The business world could shake up the political world, but if the politicians came after the corporations in earnest, no one could possibly win against them. If money could always trump political power, business leaders wouldn’t often be stuck in jail cells, idly spending their time learning how to knit. And they certainly wouldn’t ride around in wheelchairs as their new favorite means of travel.

Didn’t the boss of South Korea’s largest conglomerate get released from prison recently, too?

If the politician with the most power in the current administration was prepared to risk everything to bury someone, no businessmen or women would be able to survive the onslaught. Yet not only did Kang Jin-Ho do that, but he even flipped the situation on its head and shoved Kim Myeong-Chan into the deepest pit of hell instead.

Wasn’t that a case of truth triumphing over injustice?

Don’t make me laugh.

Being a reporter had taught Ha Gwang-Sik many things, and one of them was how powerless truth can be. If the truth had that much power, humanity wouldn’t be in this mess right now.

“I’ll be honest,” said Ha Gwang-Sik. “Even now, I’ve no clue what or who that punk is.”

“...”

“Yeah, I get that he’s someone incredible. And that there’s definitely a rotten smell to him. But I just can’t figure him out. And that’s what’s driving me nuts.”

“Wooow. You’ve turned into a proper fanboy, senior,” Bak Gyu-Yeon replied with a helpless chuckle.

“Hey! Go back inside if all you wanna do is get on my nerves. I’m already irritated as it is.”

“Senior...” Bak Gyu-Yeon grinned weirdly. “How about this idea?”

“What idea?”

“Let’s go talk to him. Kang Jin-Ho, I mean.”

“...Say what?”

Bak Gyu-Yeon shrugged. “You said you just couldn’t figure him out, didn’t you? Back when we first ran into him, we had no idea what was what. That’s why we didn’t know who we were dealing with.”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

“So, things should be different now. Use your instincts to figure him out as he stands before you.”

“How am I supposed to do that?”

“Hah? Looks like you’re slipping, senior. We received a bunch of information for an article, no? In that case, I’m pretty sure MK is only happy to provide their own statement regarding the matter. We could request an interview with their top representative since we’d be writing articles regarding this situation.”

“...!”

“MK wouldn’t have a reason to refuse.”

“Hang on, this and that aren’t the same, though.”

“How are we supposed to interview the owner of a huge company like MK unless we seize this opportunity? The way I see it, they are probably planning to get as much mileage out of this situation as possible. Before that happens, and Kang Jin-Ho becomes too busy to do interviews, let’s request for one right away.”

“...”

“I’m serious, senior. Okay?”

Ha Gwang-Sik nodded slightly. “Fine. Let’s do it.”

“Alright! Leave it to me, then.”

Bak Gyu-Yeon headed back to the office while cheerfully whistling away. But that scene only made Ha Gwang-Sik groan under his breath.

Kang Jin-Ho, eh...?

What kind of thoughts and emotions would cross his mind while facing Kang Jin-Ho? Ha Gwang-Sik couldn’t help but become curious.