Chapter 1582. Face to Face (2)

Lee Hyeon-Su?

That name had never appeared in any of the reports Jeong Hong-Geun had received. And those reports contained in-depth investigations into MK and its organizational structure, as well as Kang Jin-Ho’s private life. So who was this now?

“Welcome, Chief Lee.”

However, Prime Minister Goh Han-Bong looked unfazed as he got up and shook Lee Hyeon-Su’s hand.

“Thank you for your warm welcome, sir, even though this is our first time meeting in person,” said Lee Hyeon-Su.

“Hahaha! Even though it might be our first face-to-face, I’ve already known about you for a while, and you’ve known about me as well. In that case, talking in person isn’t all that important, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I see! I’ve learned something valuable today, sir. Yes, you’re right.” Lee Hyeon-Su grinned brightly, then bowed politely at Jeong Hong-Geun. “Hello, Chairman Jeong. My name is Lee Hyeon-Su.”

“Oh... Yes, hello.”

Jeong Hong-Geun sounded a little uncertain while greeting back. However, that was when he noticed Goh Han-Bong behind Lee Hyeon-Su frowning deeply, prompting him to change his tone right away.

“It’s my pleasure to make your acquaintance. I’m Jeong Hong-Geun.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you from our Chairman, sir. It’s an honor.”

Jeong Hong-Geun subtly flinched when Lee Hyeon-Su mentioned his “chairman.”

“Then, shall we take our seats?”

“Yes, of course. Thank you.”

Jeong Hong-Geun furrowed his brow ever so slightly at the sight of Lee Hyeon-Su sitting down. He quickly undid his expression afterward, but that didn’t mean his puzzlement had abated.

He’s taking up the... head of the table?

Where someone sat in a meeting mattered; everything was symbolic in its own way.

Lee Hyeon-Su’s position was between Jeong Hong-Geun and Goh Han-Bong, who were facing each other. Most people would commonly think of that spot as one reserved for the most important person in the group.

However, a man with an unknown identity took up such a seat in the presence of South Korea’s Prime Minister and the Taegwang Group chairman? Something like that would’ve been unthinkable in most situations.

From the get-go, Jeong Hong-Geun knew he couldn’t occupy the head of the table in Goh Han-Bong’s presence. Even the chairman of the top corporation would have to yield such a spot to the Prime Minister.

But now, Goh Han-Bong yielded the head-of-the-table spot and chose to sit in front of Jeong Hong-Geun instead. When it was only the two of them, such a seating arrangement didn’t pose a problem, but the addition of another guest complicated the matters a bit.

Another problem to consider was that this youngster took up the spot at the head of the table without any hint of awkwardness or uncertainty. This was the kind of behavior one might expect from a person unfamiliar or inexperienced in social life, but this young man didn’t seem to be one of those people, either.

Which could only mean...!

He thinks that spot obviously belongs to him?

What a dumbfound-inducing notion that was.

That youngster wasn’t even Kang Jin-Ho. No, he was merely Kang Jin-Ho’s subordinate, yet he saw himself as more senior than South Korea’s Prime Minister and the Taegwang Group’s chairman?

Jeong Hong-Geun suppressed the unsettling feeling in the corner of his heart and fixed his expression.

Meanwhile, Lee Hyeon-Su and Goh Han-Bong continued to chat with each other.

“I must apologize for asking two of the busiest people in this country to meet me at such short notice. Please forgive me.”

“No, don’t say that, Chief Lee. I’m grateful that you’d even think of me for this kind of gathering.”

“...”

Jeong Hong-Geun stared weirdly at Goh Han-Bong. The Prime Minister’s attitude belonged to that of a junior talking to his senior, no?

What’s gotten into him?

Did he throw his pride away?

No, hold on. That makes no sense.

Indeed, that notion couldn’t be true. Just who was Goh Han-Bong? Wasn’t he a man who stood up fearlessly to the merciless dictatorship and said what needed to be said? And suffered grave consequences for his actions?

Without their pride, these former pro-democracy activists were nothing more than empty husks. Corpses. And Goh Han-Bong was one of those activists. There was no way he’d abandon his pride.

Two possibilities could explain this situation.

One, the power Lee Hyeon-Su wielded in this country was such that even someone like Goh Han-Bong had to throw his pride away. Or, Lee Hyeon-Su’s position in the hierarchy was so much higher that Goh Han-Bong had no problem being overly polite.

Whatever the case might be, the outcome was still the same.

Just what is the meaning of...

Jeong Hong-Geun stared dazedly at Goh Han-Bong.

Even though he was chatting away, Lee Hyeon-Su didn’t miss all the swift changes in Jeong Hong-Geun’s expression.

Yes, rack your brain. Exactly like that.

He held his laughter back.

It was fairly obvious what Jeong Hong-Geun must be thinking about. He most likely couldn’t comprehend Goh Han-Bong’s current attitude.

He couldn’t be faulted, though, because Goh Han-Bong wouldn’t have behaved this way in any other situation. The reason for that was simple enough.

Goh Han-Bong must’ve spotted the opportunity to improve the relationship between the Korean government and the Martial Assembly, which had become strained to the breaking point thanks to the Kim Myeong-Chan incident. Lee Hyeon-Su calling first should have been seen as a gesture of reconciliation, after all.

Goh Han-Bong knew that if he could mend the relationship between the two sides now, it’d be seen as a massive accomplishment, even if it couldn’t be advertised to the public.

He was too wily to be clueless about what Lee Hyeon-Su wanted. A politician like him was not much different from a cunning demon, after all; even subtle hints or nuances in words should be enough for him to figure out instantly what he needed to do.

...And that was precisely why Goh Han-Bong behaved even more obsequiously than usual today. All the while sending subtle hints to Lee Hyeon-Su here and there!

“How is Chairman Kang doing these days? Has he been well?”

“Yes, sir. He’s always doing well. Thanks to that, though, it’s been rather stressful for me.”

“Hahaha. Indeed, indeed. But that’s part of the job description, isn’t it?”

“Things must be tough for you as well, Prime Minister.”

“Uh-huh. You shouldn’t bring that up carelessly, Chief Lee. Or things might get troublesome. As for me, I’m happy with my job. Very much so!”

“I didn’t know you were from Chungcheong Province, sir.”

“Kuh-hum!” Goh Han-Bong fake-coughed as if his secret got exposed just then.[1]

Lee Hyeon-Su grinned deeply. “My apologies for cracking dumb jokes when I know you don’t have all the time in the world. Let me get to the point, then. I’ve asked to speak to you both today because there are a... few things I’d like to discuss with you.”

“When you say a few things...?”

“Our chairman seems interested in the idea of fostering a working relationship with Taegwang.”

“Ah, I see!” Goh Han-Bong replied with a bright expression. “It sounds like he’s made a major decision, then. But it’s great news, isn’t it? For us and for the country, of course.”

“Yes, I agree. It’s just that, mm...” Lee Hyeon-Su briefly stopped talking. “...He seems more or less decided on this matter, but if we’re doing this, don’t you agree that we should do it properly?”

“Yes, I agree. Knowing someone is good, but it’s pointless if you do nothing with this knowledge, now is it?”

Jeong Hong-Geun could only listen in silence, his lips tightly clamped shut.

The news of Kang Jin-Ho changing his mind was what he wanted to hear the most, yes, but the weirdness of this situation didn’t allow him to revel in his happiness just yet.

“As I’ve said before...” Lee Hyeon-Su grinned deeply again. “I was wondering if it’s possible to work together with Taegwang on a few business ventures. Of course, these ventures will greatly benefit Taegwang as well.”

Goh Han-Bong opened his eyes wider. “Oh! Business ventures, you say! If you don’t mind me asking, what kind of...”

“We wanted to enter the Japanese market, you see? We’ve been kicking this idea around for a while, but... The time might be right for us to turn it into reality. We’ve discussed the matter with your predecessor, so I was wondering if you’ve been brought up to speed yet.”

Goh Han-Bong nodded. “Of course. I’m aware.”

“That makes this discussion so much easier, then.” Lee Hyeon-Su smiled like a salesman. “We were thinking of combining forces with Taegwang to enter the Japanese market. But there are a few hurdles to clear, so we might need your assistance soon, Prime Minister. Can we count on you, sir?”

“Huhuhuh! The government won’t oppose our local company’s desire to expand to overseas markets. In fact, we’ll go out of our way to help you.”

“The thing is, this isn’t a simple expansion of our business interests, you see?”

Goh Han-Bong’s expression stiffened slightly. “Is this the... will of Chairman Kang?”

“Yes. You could even say it’s our long-cherished wish.”

“Then we shall assist you unreservedly, Chief Lee,” said Goh Han-Bong, his voice firm. “It’ll be our honor to help you in any shape or form. What my predecessor has done was deeply embarrassing for us, so if we can improve our image in the Chairman’s mind, wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing?”

Lee Hyeon-Su smirked softly. “You don’t need to worry about that, actually. Our Chairman knows how to keep personal business separate from official business, you see? Your predecessor is just that, your predecessor. You’re you, Prime Minister.”

“If that’s true, I have nothing more to ask for.”

Jeong Hong-Geun could barely keep up with this conversation. Everything seemed to be moving as fast and chaotically as a storm right now. Worse still, the tidbits of the conversation he could catch sounded like bombshells of their own.

What the hell? How can these two discuss such matters as if they are merely shooting the breeze?

They were talking about expanding into Japan, and something about the government helping out was also brought up, yet these matters were passed between the two men like simple drinking snacks in a bar!

With how rapid-fire this conversation had been, Jeong Hong-Geun couldn’t figure out what kind of stance he should take.

That was when the smiling Goh Han-Bong glanced at Jeong Hong-Geun. “Chairman Jeong, what do you think?”

“I, I’m sorry? Oh, uh... I’m not quite sure what we were discussing here.”

“MK’s chairman wishes to join hands with you and expand into Japan.”

“Oh...”

Of course Jeong Hong-Geun had already heard that. But what he wanted to know were the details. Details, such as what kind of business they were looking at, and how they would expand into the Japanese market.

Who in the right mind would ask for his cooperation while withholding such important bits of information, and still expect a favorable reply?

“Isn’t it great news, Chairman?”

Jeong Hong-Geun narrowed his eyes. “How... so?”

“It’ll undoubtedly be a great opportunity for Taegwang, you see? If it were me, I’d never let this opportunity slip through my fingers. If handled right, Taegwang can become South Korea’s number one corporation.”

Goh Han-Bong wasn’t saying all this for fun. No, what he was trying to do was pass on some information to Jeong Hong-Geun under the pretext of offering his take on the matter.

So, you can’t give me the details. You need my cooperation, but it can’t be publicized? In other words...

An illegal “business venture” where the government and private businesses worked together? Jeong Hong-Geun felt a chill run down his spine.

Just what... What kind of place is MK?

The conversation between Goh Han-Bong and Lee Hyeon-Su contained enough clues for Jeong Hong-Geun to figure some things out. Between the two parties, it was clear at this point that MK held the upper hand over the government. More specifically, that youngster was in charge here, with Goh Han-Bong acting like a well-behaved puppet!

Does that mean MK is even more terrifying than I’ve imagined?

Jeong Hong-Geun desperately racked his brain to find the right things to say. But then...!

“It’s just that...” Lee Hyeon-Su picked up his cup and quenched his thirst. “Our Chairman is concerned with something that is... Shall we say, unavoidable?”

Goh Han-Bong tilted his head. “Such as?”

“Cooperation, or in this case, a joint venture, is not a simple matter, as you can imagine. It can happen only if both sides trust each other. Especially more so when we’re talking about an overseas market here. Not just any market, but Japan, no less. We obviously can’t start this venture when our relationship is still uncertain, now wouldn’t you say?”

“Yes, you have a point there.”

Lee Hyeon-Su shook his head slightly. “If I’m being honest with you, our Chairman doesn’t trust Taegwang much. Ah, please don’t misunderstand us. I’m not saying we hold animosity or anything like that toward Taegwang. It’s just that the two sides never had a chance to build trust or even form a connection until now. That’s why our Chairman is thinking of collaborating with Jaegyeong instead.”

Jeong Hong-Geun’s complexion shifted instantly at the mention of Jaegyeong.

Wait a minute. Now that I think about it...!

Didn’t Chairman Hwang Jeong-Hu defend Kang Jin-Ho like an enraged bear back then? Jeong Hong-Geun suspected something must be afoot, such as a hidden relationship between Jaegyeong and MK, so to hear Lee Hyeon-Su bring up Jaegyeong like this!

Goh Han-Bong rubbed his chin. “Mm... Jaegyeong, you say? But if I remember correctly, Jaegyeong doesn’t really have many connections in Japan...?”

“Yes, you’re right. That’s why I’ve been trying to persuade our Chairman for a while. The answer to this issue ultimately boils down to this. Will he choose trust? Or will he choose information instead?”

That was when Lee Hyeon-Su glanced at Jeong Hong-Geun and grinned.

“However, this will become a needless question as long as we resolve one thing.”

Goh Han-Bong narrowed his eyes. “One thing, you say?”

“Yes. If Chairman Jeong can build a relationship of trust with our Chairman, we won’t have to ponder this question anymore. What do you think, Chairman?”

Jeong Hong-Geun clenched his teeth just then. If he was being honest, he still hadn’t figured out what was going on here. Even so...!

Out of all the important decisions he had made throughout his life, how many times did he have all the relevant information at hand?

What he needed in moments like this was not logic, but his instincts.

“If...!” Jeong Hong-Geun sucked in a deep breath, then firmly replied, “If there’s something I must do, I’ll do it! No matter what it is!”

The corners of Lee Hyeon-Su’s lips curled up as he studied the desperation in Jeong Hong-Geun’s eyes.

Yes, that’s how a greedy little raccoon should react.

What a wonderful day this had been. Very wonderful, indeed.

1. My bad, but I couldn’t figure out what this little exchange was referring to. TLed as-is. ☜