Chapter 226: Will He Faint?

“Director Cha, there’s something I need to tell you,” Agent Hong Jongsu said as he downloaded the data from Minister Peng Yuxiang’s laptop.

“Go ahead.”

“I added up the personal funds belonging to Chairman Xi Jinping that Minister Peng was managing, and they come to about six and a half billion dollars.”

“Isn’t that an enormous amount?”

“No. Rumor has it that his slush funds are astronomical.”

“Maybe the rumors were simply exaggerated?”

At that moment, Director Nevers joined the conversation as though he had something to add.

“Director Cha, Chairman Xi receives enormous commissions by interfering in projects that the Chinese government has already carried out or is planning to launch.”

“Hmm... So the rumors going around are true?”

“We’re convinced they are. Why don’t you contact Director Om?”

Minister Peng Yuxiang didn’t know that we had cracked the password to his laptop. So if we told National Intelligence Service Director Om Giyeon about it directly, the situation could become hopelessly tangled. After thinking briefly about how to resolve the problem, I called NIS Director Om Giyeon. On the screen, I could see him check the number, step into a corner, and press the answer button.

[Director Cha, what is it?]

“Agent Hong Jongsu added up the secret funds belonging to Chairman Xi Jinping that Minister Peng Yuxiang was managing.”

I gave NIS Director Om Giyeon a detailed account of our conversation with Agent Hong Jongsu and Director Nevers.

“...They say Chairman Xi’s hidden assets are astronomical.”

[Are you saying that someone besides Minister Peng is managing his slush funds?]

“That’s how I interpreted it, but we need to determine the exact situation.”

***

Click.

After ending the call, NIS Director Om Giyeon returned to his seat. The moment he did, Minister Peng Yuxiang asked him curiously,

“Director Om, you suddenly look as gloomy as a storm cloud. Did something happen?”

NIS Director Om Giyeon had deliberately put on a grim expression to verify the information he had received from Cha Jiham. Fortunately, Minister Peng Yuxiang took the bait. Since he couldn’t reveal the truth, he had to come up with another excuse.

“It seems Chairman Xi Jinping has given up and abandoned his attempts to arrest you, Minister Peng. He has lifted martial law in Dandong, Shenyang, and Dalian.”

“But isn’t that excellent news?”

NIS Director Om Giyeon shook his head and answered Minister Peng’s question.

“If I were Chairman Xi, I would arrest you even if I had to chase you to the ends of the earth.”

“Why do you think that?”

“You were managing his slush funds, weren’t you?”

“Hmm...”

Minister Peng Yuxiang hesitated thoughtfully, as though considering something important. Fortunately, his contemplation didn’t last long.

“There’s something I haven’t told you, Director Om.”

“And what would that be? Please tell me.”

“Chairman Xi has around eighty billion dollars in personal funds in total, and I was only managing six and a half billion.”

Cha Jiham’s words were confirmed that very instant.

“Do you know who manages the rest of the money?”

“His personal secretary, Deng Zhuan.”

“Ah, I see.”

NIS Director Om Giyeon nodded in understanding.

“Director Om, when will I get my laptop back?”

At that very moment, Agent Hong Jongsu was finishing downloading the files from Minister Peng’s laptop. It was unfortunate that he couldn’t answer the question honestly.

“Our agents returning from Dandong are bringing it with them now. Please wait about an hour.”

“Understood.”

“While we’re waiting for the laptop, how about having lunch?”

After lunch, Agent Hong Jongsu brought Minister Peng Yuxiang his briefcase. NIS Director Om Giyeon and the others deliberately left the room to give him complete freedom of action. Without wasting any time, Peng began transferring Chairman Xi Jinping’s personal funds to other accounts. About thirty minutes later, after completing all the transactions, he closed the laptop.

Seeing this through the surveillance monitor, NIS Director Om Giyeon and the others entered the interrogation room. Minister Peng Yuxiang waited until they had taken their seats on the sofa before calmly beginning the conversation.

“Director Om, thank you very much for accommodating me.”

“There’s no need to thank me.”

“You may now download the data stored on the laptop.”

“You really permit us to?”

Agent Hong Jongsu had already downloaded absolutely everything from Minister Peng’s laptop. Naturally, NIS Director Om Giyeon knew that perfectly well. Nevertheless, he asked again with an impassive expression, purely as a precaution against any unforeseen circumstances.

“Of course.”

A problem that could have turned into a complicated puzzle was resolved without the slightest difficulty.

***

Director Griffin offered Minister Peng Yuxiang an enormous reward in exchange for the information he provided. In response to the offer, Minister Peng demanded official confirmation bearing President Douglas’s personal signature. The following morning, President Douglas sent the document by diplomatic courier.

Once he had the confirmation in hand, Minister Peng finally decided to seek asylum in the United States. Director Griffin and Director Nevers wasted no time and flew with him to America aboard a private jet. The U.S. government valued the price of securing him and the data from his laptop at ten billion dollars.

NIS Director Om Giyeon and I were in the VIP lounge at Seoul Airport, arguing over how to divide the reward. Of course, our argument was quite different from an ordinary quarrel.

“Minister Peng was abducted through a joint operation between the NIS and employees of our company. So I think it would be fair to split the reward fifty-fifty.”

“The idea to abduct him was yours, Director Cha. Taking that into account, we’ll accept only three billion dollars.”

“What?! You’re valuing my idea at two billion dollars?”

“As President Cho Seokchin said, our country has received tremendous help from you, Director Cha, and will continue to receive it in the future. So don’t refuse. Just take it.”

Since I had lived in poverty in the past, I was hardly lacking in greed when it came to money. So I had absolutely no intention of rejecting NIS Director Om Giyeon’s offer. I only continued to resist because greedily snatching up the money immediately would have looked undignified.

‘I think I’ve refused enough by now.’

“...I sincerely appreciate your kindness, Director Om.”

“Come now, there’s no need for such formality. Let’s change the subject for a moment.”

“Is there something else you need from me?”

“Our country still needs to repay the three billion dollars we borrowed from you, Director Cha.”

NIS Director Om Giyeon had given three billion dollars as a gift (?) to win Vice Chairman Tang Guochang’s favor. Since the NIS didn’t have such an enormous sum readily available, I had donated those three billion dollars to the intelligence service. However, he regarded the money not as a donation, but as a debt.

“I’ve told you repeatedly, Director Om. That three billion dollars was a donation to the NIS.”

“I’m merely following the President’s instructions.”

NIS Director Om Giyeon had reported to President Cho Seokchin that he intended to demand an enormous sum from the United States in exchange for handing over Minister Peng Yuxiang. He had also said that he would use the money received from the United States to repay the three-billion-dollar debt to me. That was exactly what he was talking about now.

Since he was insisting so stubbornly, I had no reason to refuse.

“All right, then.”

“I’ll report to the President and transfer three billion dollars to you.”

“Go ahead.”

“Now that the debt is repaid, I already feel relieved.”

Bzzz—

At that moment, the phone lying on the table vibrated. Glancing at the screen, I saw that Vice Chairman Tang Guochang was calling. I had been meaning to contact him anyway, so the call came at just the right time.

After telling NIS Director Om Giyeon who was calling, I pressed the answer button.

“I was just about to contact you, Vice Chairman Tang.”

[You wanted to speak with me?]

“That’s right. Minister Peng Yuxiang has just left for the United States.”

[He went to America voluntarily?]

“That’s right, but...”

I deliberately paused to gauge what Vice Chairman Tang Guochang was thinking.

[Peng hated America with a burning passion.]

“Ah, I understand what you’re getting at.”

[What’s the secret? How did you manage to get him to the United States?]

“Director Tang Chao told me that Peng had been using MSS government funds for personal purposes.”

I explained in detail to Vice Chairman Tang Guochang why Director Peng had decided to flee to America. Nevertheless, just to be safe, I completely concealed the fact that we had obtained his laptop.

“...Disillusioned by Chairman Xi’s actions, he appropriated six and a half billion dollars from his slush funds.”

[Ah, so that’s what happened...]

Vice Chairman Tang Guochang’s voice sounded extremely unusual as he trailed off.

“Vice Chairman Tang, can you explain what’s going on?”

[I met Chairman Xi Jinping this morning to report on our countermeasures against Russia and North Korea. But he looked utterly devastated.]

“Are you saying he found out that Minister Peng stole his slush funds?”

[I think exactly the same thing you do, Director Cha. By the way, exactly how much money did Peng take from his secret funds?]

“As far as I know, six and a half billion dollars.”

[Is that all? His slush funds amount to only that much?]

Deep doubt could be heard in Vice Chairman Tang Guochang’s voice.

“Minister Peng managed only a portion of Chairman Xi’s secret funds. His personal secretary, Deng Zhuan, manages the main slush fund.”

[Secretary Deng Zhuan?]

“That’s what Minister Peng claims. Do you know him?”

[How could I not know him!]

“To accomplish your great goal, Vice Chairman Tang, you’ll need a great deal of money.”

[Hahahahaha!]

Vice Chairman Tang Guochang burst into booming laughter, as though he had instantly deciphered my intentions.

“Vice Chairman Tang, I don’t think I need to explain anything else, do I?”

[Haha. Of course not.]

“By the way, how is the matter I asked you about progressing?”

[You mean the visa-free policy? There will be good news very soon.]

“Chairman Xi accepted your proposal?”

[I convinced him that we need to maintain close relations with South Korea in order to break the alliance between Russia and North Korea, and he readily agreed.]

“You’ve done a tremendous amount of work.”

[Compared to the help you, Director Cha, and South Korea have given me, this is merely a drop in the ocean.]

‘It’s nice that you understand.’

“Haha. I understand.”

[Let’s discuss something else. Do you have any additional information about the destruction of Rajin Port and Vladivostok Port?]

“North Korea claimed that it had not supplied Russia with weapons or soldiers and vowed to take revenge on Ukraine.”

[That’s like trying to cover the sun with the palm of your hand.]

“Exactly.”

[And what have you heard from the Russian side?]

“FSB Director Masorin reported to President Putin that there is a high probability the United States was responsible.”

[Good grief...]

I understood perfectly well what Vice Chairman Tang Guochang was worried about. Russia’s newest nuclear submarine had sunk after being struck by a torpedo fired from an American submarine. If Russia raised the sunken submarine and investigated it, they would discover that the United States was responsible.

I needed to put his concerns to rest.

“Vice Chairman Tang, the Russian nuclear submarine sank in deep waters, so raising it is impossible with current technology. Nevertheless, as an additional precaution, it was decided to obtain a Russian-made torpedo and fire it at the sunken submarine.”

[Hmm... In that case, there shouldn’t be any problems.]

After that, we discussed several other matters with Vice Chairman Tang Guochang and ended the call.

As if he had been impatiently waiting for that very moment, Chief of Staff Lee Jihun immediately addressed me.

“Director Cha, did Chairman Xi really approve the request for a visa-free policy?”

“Yes. They’ll officially notify our country in the near future.”

“Why did he finally give in after being so stubborn?”

“It seems the reason is that China’s current situation is hardly enviable.”

“Hmm... That’s entirely possible.”

While Chief of Staff Lee Jihun nodded in understanding, NIS Director Om Giyeon joined the conversation.

“Director Cha, what do you think Vice Chairman Tang will do about Secretary Deng Zhuan?”

“He’ll need an enormous military war chest to successfully carry out his coup.”

“And how do you think Chairman Xi will react when he discovers that his slush funds have been cleaned out completely?”

“I think he’ll simply faint.”

“Hahaha!”

NIS Director Om Giyeon burst into genuine, hearty laughter. When his laughter subsided, Chief of Staff Lee Jihun joined the conversation again.

“Director Cha, now let’s go report everything to the President.”

“...What? Me too?”

Completely caught off guard by this turn of events, I pointed at myself and asked NIS Director Om Giyeon again.

“How could we go without the person who played the key role?”

“Oh, dear God.”