Chapter 57: The Victor of the Strategy of Delay

Commissioner General Choi Dongyeong of the National Police Agency could easily have arranged the negotiations inside police headquarters to gain an advantage over Deputy Secretary Zhang Jinan. Instead, he had deliberately chosen to hold the meeting at the hotel where the Chinese official was staying, solely as a gesture of courtesy and hospitality.

The man, however, seemed to have no appreciation whatsoever for the Commissioner's goodwill. More than ten minutes had already passed since the appointed time, yet the distinguished guest had still not appeared in the conference room.

Noticing the prolonged wait, one of those present cautiously addressed Choi Dongyeong.

“It appears he's using a strategy of delay—in other words, deliberately making us wait.”

“Isn't that tactic usually employed when the opposing side is pressed for time or cornered?” the Commissioner asked.

“Ordinarily, yes. But it's also used to crush the opponent's spirit from the very beginning and seize the initiative.”

In other words, Zhang Jinan was trying to dominate the Korean side psychologically before the negotiations had even begun. Having immediately figured out how to shatter this cheap trick, Cha Jiham continued the conversation with the Commissioner General.

“It's time to teach this gentleman a lesson and cure him of his bad manners once and for all.”

At first, Choi Dongyeong couldn't understand Department Head Cha's reasoning at all. During yesterday's emergency meeting, Jiham had repeatedly insisted that they avoid a direct confrontation with the Chinese official. Yet now he was saying the man needed to be taught a lesson. Unsure which tune he was supposed to dance to, the Commissioner voiced the obvious question.

“Rather than a lengthy explanation, let me answer with an old saying: gentleness always overcomes brute force,” Jiham replied with a calm smile.

“Hm... I see. And how exactly are we going to make him pay for his manners?”

“When he finally decides to come in, ask him why he's late. I can practically guarantee he'll claim he received an urgent phone call from China regarding an important matter...”

Jiham laid out his entire plan for neutralizing Zhang Jinan down to the smallest detail.

“...If you respond exactly as I've suggested, he'll find himself completely cornered and caught off guard.”

“You really think he'll behave exactly as you've predicted, Department Head Cha?” the Commissioner asked skeptically.

“The probability is extremely high. And if I'm wrong, we lose nothing.”

Some time later, Deputy Secretary Zhang Jinan finally deigned to grace the conference room with his presence, followed by his entourage. Watching the newcomers closely, Jiham frowned. Something immediately struck him as odd.

Triad Vice Chairman Wei Chen was the direct superior of the gangsters the Korean police had just wiped out. Jiham had been convinced the crime boss would remain hidden and never dare show up at official negotiations. Yet contrary to all expectations, the man walked calmly and openly behind the Chinese official.

While Jiham pondered the hidden motives behind this criminal syndicate's actions, Commissioner General Choi Dongyeong addressed the visitors in Korean.

“Deputy Secretary Zhang, I am Choi Dongyeong, Commissioner General of the National Police Agency of the Republic of Korea.”

The interpreter immediately translated the greeting into Chinese. Zhang Jinan responded with the customary formalities, which the Chinese interpreter relayed back to the Korean delegation. Yet during this routine exchange of greetings, something happened that made Jiham smile inwardly.

“This is my personal assistant and secretary, Director Wu Weiliang,” Zhang Jinan announced solemnly.

At that very moment, Triad Vice Chairman Wei Chen effortlessly transformed into a perfectly respectable government official. Commissioner Choi Dongyeong, who knew the "Director's" true identity perfectly well, barely managed to suppress his laughter and politely nodded.

As soon as the lengthy introductions concluded, both sides immediately launched into a fierce psychological battle for dominance at the negotiating table.

“Deputy Secretary Zhang, I'm quite curious to know why you were twenty minutes late,” Choi Dongyeong asked with a faint smile.

“Ah, my apologies. I received an urgent government call from Beijing, so I was delayed against my will.”

The Commissioner's skin nearly crawled at hearing that answer. It matched Cha Jiham's prediction word for word.

You shameless bastard. Just wait. Now it's your turn to dance.

Feeling an overwhelming surge of fighting spirit, Choi Dongyeong continued in the most sympathetic tone imaginable.

“Judging by your rather grim expression, has something serious happened back home?”

“I won't deny it,” Zhang Jinan replied with an air of importance.

“In that case, how about we suspend our negotiations entirely until you've fully resolved your emergency?”

The Chinese official froze.

He had deliberately made the Korean delegation wait in order to rattle them and establish dominance from the outset. Yet this foolish Korean police chief had not only completely swallowed the lie but was now proposing to postpone the meeting altogether. At this point, Zhang Jinan couldn't very well admit it had all been a cheap trick. His position simply wouldn't allow it.

“Y-You're really willing to do that?” he managed to ask.

“Of course. Why don't we all enjoy lunch in peace and reconvene here at exactly one o'clock?”

“Well... very well.”

“Then I'll see you at the appointed time.”

Commissioner General Choi Dongyeong rose decisively, threw open the conference room door, and walked out. Realizing the moment had come, Jiham and the rest of the Korean delegation immediately followed him. Deputy Secretary Zhang and Vice Chairman Wei Chen could do nothing but silently stare in stunned disbelief at the departing Koreans.

***

“Commissioner Choi, that was magnificent!”

The moment they entered the situation room, Chairman Park Yeongil greeted them with unconcealed delight.

“I merely moved across the board like a chess piece, faithfully carrying out Department Head Cha's instructions,” Choi Dongyeong answered modestly.

“As you know perfectly well, the ability to execute orders flawlessly is also a remarkable talent,” Chairman Park replied.

“Well, when you put it that way, I can't argue.”

The Commissioner took a seat, looked toward the large screen showing the conference room, and addressed Park.

“Chairman Park, could you tell us what those two discussed after we left?”

“Zhang Jinan glared furiously at Wei Chen for several minutes before storming out of the room in a rage.”

“So it was that gangster Wei Chen who insisted on using the strategy of delay?”

“That's my conclusion as well.”

“So what will that bureaucrat do now?”

At that very moment, everyone in the room turned toward Jiham in unison. Instantly understanding their unspoken question, he answered without the slightest hesitation.

“Zhang Jinan's pride has been deeply wounded. Once the negotiations resume, he'll do everything in his power to get revenge on you, Commissioner.”

“Without a doubt. So how should I respond?”

“When the meeting resumes, he'll most likely try to provoke you deliberately and pick a fight. Our task is to eliminate that possibility before he even has the chance.”

“But how?” Choi Dongyeong leaned forward eagerly.

“When a person completely loses their composure and reason, they become incapable of following their carefully prepared plan.”

“Make him lose his reason... Could you be more specific?”

“The strategy of delay isn't China's exclusive invention. We know how to make people wait as well.”

“Ah...”

A broad smile spread across Commissioner Choi's face as he grasped the subtle brilliance of Jiham's plan.

***

Zhang Jinan was already on the verge of tearing his own hair out.

They had clearly agreed to resume negotiations at precisely one o'clock. Yet it was already well past one-thirty, and the Korean delegation still hadn't appeared.

He desperately wanted to call that police chief himself and demand to know where the hell he was, but his own lie from that morning had left him completely trapped.

Trying to calm the fire raging inside him, the official emptied an entire bottle of mineral water in one gulp before turning to the Triad Vice Chairman.

“These Korean bastards are deliberately using our own strategy of delay against us, aren't they?”

“I believe so as well,” Wei Chen replied grimly.

“So how do we crush those insects? How do we answer this?”

“I don't think we should waste our time on childish grudges and petty delays.”

“So you're suggesting I simply swallow this insult?!” Zhang Jinan roared, his fury finally boiling over.

“We'll get our revenge during the actual negotiations.”

“How?”

“These insects dared lay their hands on our country's citizens...”

Click.

At that moment, the conference room door quietly opened, and Choi Dongyeong finally appeared.

Interrupting the secret conversation between Wei Chen and Zhang Jinan mid-sentence, the Commissioner calmly walked to his seat at the head of the table and spoke with an utterly innocent expression.

“Oh, my deepest apologies, Deputy Secretary Zhang. Urgent state affairs arose unexpectedly, so I was delayed against my will.”

“And naturally, you didn't do that intentionally?” the Chinese official hissed through clenched teeth.

“Haha! Surely you don't believe that.”

“And what pressing matters required your attention?”

“With all due respect, I don't believe I'm obligated to report on my country's internal security affairs to you.”

“Ahem!”

Feeling the ground slipping out from beneath him yet again, Zhang Jinan coughed awkwardly and hurriedly changed the subject.

“Very well. Let's leave that discussion.”

“As you wish.”

“But before we proceed, I demand clarification on one extremely important matter.”

“I'm listening.”

“I am the second-highest-ranking official in the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of a great nation. The moment your side learned of my visit, Korean officials should have personally welcomed me at the airport! Isn't that the most basic requirement of common diplomatic etiquette?”

Commissioner General Choi Dongyeong had anticipated precisely this complaint and already had the perfect response prepared.

“Had you arrived in our country on an official state visit, Deputy Secretary Zhang, we would certainly have organized the grandest possible reception. However, you entered the Republic of Korea solely as a private citizen.”

“But {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} you know perfectly well the true and profound reason for my unofficial visit, Commissioner Choi!”

“Those are your personal circumstances, which are none of our concern.”

“How dare you!” Zhang Jinan finally exploded.

In complete contrast, Choi Dongyeong remained stone-faced, fully confident in both his position and the support behind him.

“Deputy Secretary Zhang, since you've raised the subject of etiquette, how do you explain the fact that your own Ambassador Shaofei didn't even bother meeting you at the airport?”

“......”

Zhang Jinan had absolutely no answer.

Taking advantage of the heavy silence, the Korean interpreter seated beside Jiham quietly leaned over and whispered,

“Department Head Cha, the Chinese interpreter isn't translating his superior's words accurately at all.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just now, Zhang Jinan deliberately addressed our Commissioner with a highly disrespectful second-person pronoun. But their interpreter conveniently softened it and translated it as 'Commissioner Choi.'”

“Well, couldn't that simply be dismissed as diplomatic smoothing?”

“That's the problem—it can't. Chinese doesn't have our exact distinction between respectful and disrespectful forms of 'you,' but it does have clear honorific forms of address. If that official truly respected our Commissioner's position, he should have used the polite form instead of speaking to him so contemptuously.”

At that instant, a quiet but righteous fury began boiling deep inside Jiham.

That arrogant Chinese bureaucrat had openly shown contempt for the head of the Korean police, and they were simply supposed to sit there and accept it?

“Has that bastard insulted Commissioner Choi in any other way?” Jiham asked in a restrained voice.

“Yes. Right before you arrived, he angrily called the Commissioner a filthy son of a bitch. Their interpreter cowardly softened it into 'How dare you!'”

I'd love nothing more than to walk over there right now and smash that arrogant mouth until he chokes on his own filth, Jiham thought savagely as he stared at Zhang Jinan with an icy gaze filled with genuine hatred.

Suppressing the impulse, he turned back to the interpreter.

“If that piece of trash insults the Commissioner again or uses any more degrading language, tell me immediately.”

“I understand.”

Then something happened that nobody could possibly have predicted.

Zhang Jinan, who had been sitting silently until then, suddenly sprang to his feet as though stung and hurried out of the conference room.

The Korean delegation watched him leave in bewilderment, unable to understand what had suddenly come over him.

Realizing the situation had become increasingly bizarre, Triad Vice Chairman Wei Chen hurriedly attempted to smooth things over.

“Deputy Secretary Zhang probably just needed to use the restroom.”

“Just in case, perhaps you'd like to follow him and make sure everything's all right?” Jiham suggested with a faint smile.

“Yes. I was just about to.”

With that brief reply, Wei Chen hurried into the hallway.

Recognizing that the perfect opportunity had arrived, Jiham turned to the Chinese interpreter who remained behind.

“Tell me, in your opinion, what is the foremost duty of a professional interpreter?”

“......”

Realizing he had just been caught engaging in blatantly dishonest and unprofessional conduct, the Chinese interpreter merely lowered his eyes guiltily and remained silent.

Bang!

At that very moment, the conference room door flew open with a thunderous crash, kicked from the outside.

Wei Chen burst into the room, pale as death.

Breathing heavily, he shouted,

“T-There's been an accident! Something terrible has happened!”

“We can't understand your incoherent shouting. Calm down and speak clearly,” the Commissioner said firmly.

“Deputy Secretary Zhang... He went into the restroom... and collapsed face-first onto the floor!”

“What?!”

Utterly shocked, the Korean delegation leaped to their feet and rushed after the Triad Vice Chairman toward the restroom.

Sure enough, Zhang Jinan lay unconscious on the tiled floor, blood pouring from his badly injured face.

Nearby stood two unfamiliar men who appeared to be ordinary hotel guests, both wearing expressions of complete shock and confusion.

Superintendent Hong Ingi immediately pushed through the crowd, knelt beside the official, and placed two fingers against his neck.

A few seconds later, he let out a visible sigh of relief.

“I can feel his pulse. It's strong and steady. His life doesn't appear to be in danger.”

“Well, that's fortunate at least. Call an ambulance immediately!”

“Yes, sir!”

Hong Ingi quickly pulled out his phone and dialed the emergency services.

While the Superintendent gave instructions, the Commissioner approached the stunned witnesses.

“Can either of you describe exactly how this man managed to fall?”

“We don't really understand it ourselves! He rushed into the restroom looking absolutely furious, and then suddenly—it was like he tripped over an invisible step and flew straight onto the tiles. But that's the strange part. There isn't any step here at all. The floor is completely level!”

...Exactly like last time, Jiham thought.

At this point, dismissing what was happening as mere coincidence was becoming ridiculous.

Objectively speaking, there was absolutely no visible reason for a perfectly healthy adult man to suddenly sprawl across a perfectly flat floor.

Zhang Jinan had smashed his face and lost consciousness at the exact moment Jiham had silently cursed him and wished to break his filthy mouth.

Just like the young man on the electric scooter who had inexplicably crashed.

Just like the American robbers who had suddenly collapsed to the ground.

So the unique herbal tranquilizer really does have a genuine effect... It actually materializes every curse I direct at my enemies...