Chapter 1037: Civil War (3)

After wrapping up the meeting in Myeong-dong and taking care of a few more things, I headed to Gangnam.

It was well past midnight by the time I attended the farewell gathering with the Shanghai New Media Inc. and the AMOSE staff, who had spent the past twelve weeks managing I.O.A. Even so, everyone welcomed me warmly. I clinked glasses with them, promising we would meet again soon, easing the sadness of saying goodbye.

Then, early the next morning, I arrived at the office at 6:30 a.m. and began reviewing the news articles ahead of my final battle with HK Entertainment.

[HK Entertainment: The Source of the Drug Epidemic Corrupting the Entertainment Industry.]

[Alex Jang: Didn't Hesitate to Offer Drugs Even to Teenager Hoobaes.]

[It's Time to Eradicate the Rampant Drug Problem in the Entertainment Industry.]

[HK Entertainment: "We Have More Than 500 Employees and Artists. It's Only the Actions of a Few!"]

[HK Entertainment President Pi Sang-Deuk: "We Will Deal Harshly with Drug Offenders. The Search Warrant Against the Company Was an Overreach by Prosecutors Eager to Make a Name for Themselves."]

The list that came out of HK Entertainment led to the arrest of forty drug offenders. Twenty were entertainers, while the other twenty were executives and employees of HK Entertainment. As a result, the public had begun to see HK Entertainment as nothing more than a den of drugs.

The first strike against HK Entertainment had been a huge success, but I had no intention of letting up until the company finally collapsed. If I missed this chance, there was no telling when another opportunity like this would come around.

Before that, though, there was something else I had to take care of.

Click.

At exactly seven in the morning, the I.O.A members filed into the meeting room with slightly puffy faces. The only exception was Ling Ling, who looked completely refreshed. Since her voice was her livelihood, she took better care of her body than anyone else.

"Mr. Jung! Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, I slept fine, Ling Ling. Still, keep your voice down in the morning. You'll strain your throat."

Ling Ling pointed at the scarf wrapped around her neck. "Don't worry. I'm really taking good care of it."

One by one, the rest of the I.O.A members entered the meeting room. What caught my eye was Song Mi-Hee, the oldest member, standing by the entrance and making sure everyone was accounted for.

"Where's Eun-Seo? Why don't I see her? Oh, there she is. Girls, whenever we move together, make sure no one's been left behind, okay?"

Song Mi-Hee had spent ten years as a trainee, so she understood agency life better than anyone. On top of that, being the oldest, she had naturally taken on the role of the group's mother. Only after confirming that every member had come inside did Song Mi-Hee take her seat with the Division 4 talent agents.

Wang Long and Sasuke also arrived after leaving the Chinese and Japanese staff back at the accommodations.

After exchanging brief greetings, I calmly explained why I had gathered everyone here. "An article will be published soon saying that Alex Jang tried to give you marijuana cookies yesterday."

The meeting room immediately filled with uneasy murmurs. For girls who had only just reached their late teens, it was a horrifying thing to hear.

Just then, Wang Lina, Alex's relative, turned deathly pale. "Then... the gift Alex oppa texted me about yesterday... Was it cookies with drugs in them?"

"Yes."

"That... that can't be..."

Wang Lina staggered. She nearly fell out of her chair, but Do Ran-Hee, who had been standing behind her, reached out to catch her. Fortunately, Song Mi-Hee and Ling Ling, who were seated beside her, caught hold of Wang Lina first, so she wasn't hurt.

With tears welling in her eyes, Wang Lina apologized to everyone. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... It almost happened because of me..."

The stunned I.O.A members had no idea what to say.

At that moment, Song Mi-Hee gently comforted her. "What are you apologizing for? You didn't do it, and you didn't tell anyone to do it! None of this is your fault!"

As soon as Song Mi-Hee firmly drew the line, Ling Ling quickly chimed in. "Exactly, Lina unnie. The talent agent unnies and oppas already stopped everything anyway. Why are you apologizing for something that never even happened?"

Once Song Mi-Hee and Ling Ling stepped in, the rest of the I.O.A members quickly joined them in comforting Wang Lina. The girls who had endured twelve grueling weeks together through Project I.O.A were overcoming yet another difficult moment through the bond they had built.

Suppressing my sense of pride, I addressed them. "That's right. From now on, your talent agents will make sure to stop things like this before they ever reach you, so don't be scared. I just wanted you to remember one thing. Never casually eat something a stranger gives you. Got it?"

It was a serious issue, but I deliberately made it sound like a simple precaution.

Maybe because of that, the girls answered with noticeably lighter expressions. "Yes. Mr. Jung!"

Then I gave them one more assignment. "Also, sometime today, decide on I.O.A's leader and sub-leader, then let me know. The decision is entirely up to you."

For a moment, everyone's eyes shifted back and forth between Song Mi-Hee and Ling Ling. Song Mi-Hee, with her years of experience, kept everyone grounded and looked after them like a mother. Ling Ling, with her bright personality, naturally led the group's energy.

It already seemed obvious who would become leader and sub-leader, but I still encouraged them to think it over. If they focused on choosing their leaders today, they would be able to put what had happened behind them much more quickly.

"All right, everyone. Head down to the practice room on the second floor. No checking your phones today. And for lunch and dinner, I'll buy you whatever you want, so start thinking about it."

Ling Ling shot her hand into the air. "I want jjajangmyeon! And sweet and sour pork!"

"One dish per person."

Ling Ling stuck out her lower lip with pitiful puppy-dog eyes and looked over at Seo Hee-Joo.

Seo Hee-Joo smiled and said, "Okay. Then I'll order the sweet and sour pork."

"Alright. Then I'll get an extra-large jjajangmyeon."

The I.O.A members immediately began chatting excitedly about what they wanted to eat.

"Do tteokbokki and fried snacks count separately?"

"I guess so. Then I'll get a hot dog."

"Everyone order the large size, okay? Then we can all share!"

Before long, they were so absorbed in discussing food that they had already begun to forget the ordeal.

I said, "All right, off you go."

"Yes, Mr. Jung!"

The I.O.A members left the meeting room together, their faces bright once more.

Wang Long clicked his tongue in amazement and applauded. "The kids calm down so fast whenever you talk, Yoon-Ho."

There was a faint smell of alcohol on him.

"Aren't you supposed to leave around lunchtime? How are you going to manage in this condition?" I asked.

"I postponed my flight until tomorrow. I want to stay and watch HK Entertainment get torn apart."

"Not because of your hangover?"

Wang Long grinned. "That's part of it. But you're probably the only person on Earth who'd destroy not just the guys who tried to target a girl group, but the entire agency behind them. How could I leave without seeing that?"

"Really? Then stick around and watch. It'll all be over by the end of today."

"By the end of today? How?"

"You'll see."

I smiled confidently. After leaving Myeong-dong, I had already made preparations of my own.

***

The current time was 8:50 a.m.

The residence of President Hong Myung-Soo, the eldest son of the HK Inc. family, was located in Hannam-dong. Seated in the living room were Chairman Hong Moon-Gyu, Lady Noh Hyun-Hee, and Hong Myung-Soo.

Reporters had surrounded Hong Moon-Gyu's home, forcing the family to take refuge here instead.

At that moment, Hong Jin-Gyu began reporting what he had learned from his investigation the previous night. "It seems the Central District Prosecutors' Office received a tip that Ah-Yoon was using drugs, and from there they set their sights on HK Inc. itself."

The children of the HK Inc. family had all studied abroad, so they had each experimented with relatively mild drugs like marijuana and LSD in the past. However, after returning to Korea and beginning work at the company, they had all quit.

Hong Ah-Yoon, however, was only twenty-nine years old. It had been less than three years since she had returned from studying abroad, so there was every possibility that she was still involved with drugs.

Convinced that Hong Ah-Yoon had been using them, Hong Moon-Gyu exploded at his wife. "What have you been doing instead of looking after Ah-Yoon? Huh?"

Noh Hyun-Hee shouted back, "What do you mean what have I been doing? I've been swamped running the HK Department Store! And aren't you her parent too? Why are you only blaming me?"

"You...!"

Before long, it had turned into a full-blown marital argument, but Hong Myung-Soo simply sipped his tea as though it had nothing to do with him.

Watching him, Hong Jin-Gyu suppressed the anger boiling inside.

'You hypocritical bastard. Once I take over HK Inc., you're finished.'

To outsiders, Hong Myung-Soo had the best reputation among Hong Moon-Gyu's children because of his refined and dignified image. However, Hong Jin-Gyu knew better than anyone that Hong Myung-Soo was the cruelest member of the family.

When Hong Jin-Gyu had been only three years old, he had touched one of Hong Myung-Soo's belongings. In response, Hong Myung-Soo had swung a baseball bat and broken his arm.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Ding dong.

One of the household staff checked the monitor connected to the front door before speaking cautiously. "The youngest young lady is here."

Hong Moon-Gyu brightened. "Let her in!"

Hong Jin-Gyu hurriedly interrupted. "Father! If reporters find out Ah-Yoon is with us, the entire HK Inc. could end up under investigation."

After a moment's hesitation, Hong Moon-Gyu sighed. "...All right. I'll call and tell her to go back."

Just then, Hong Myung-Soo set down his teacup and spoke calmly. "There's no need. Let her come in. The reporters won't expect our entire family to be gathered here."

Hong Jin-Gyu immediately flared up. "Hyung! What are you talking about? Didn't you hear what I just said?"

"I heard you. But we should hear Ah-Yoon's side of the story too."

"What's there to hear? She's obviously just going to deny everything!"

Ignoring Hong Jin-Gyu completely, Hong Myung-Soo nodded toward the housekeeper. "Please open the door."

"Yes, sir."

Click.

As the door opened, Hong Jin-Gyu sat back down with an expression of obvious displeasure.

Bang!

The front door flew open, and Hong Ah-Yoon rushed inside, her makeup hastily applied and uneven.

"What the hell? Were you all hiding here while avoiding me? Were you just waiting to watch my life get ruined?"

As Hong Ah-Yoon shouted at the top of her lungs, Hong Moon-Gyu and Noh Hyun-Hee looked somewhat guilty. "Ah-Yoon, it's not that..."

Then Hong Myung-Soo spoke in a low, composed voice. "Calm down first and sit."

"Oppa! Do I look like I can calm down right now?"

Hong Myung-Soo fixed her with a cold stare. "Sit down. Didn't you hear me?"

Faced with the intimidating presence of her eldest brother, who was seventeen years older than her, Hong Ah-Yoon shrank back slightly and took her seat.

Thud.

"...I'm sitting."

Getting straight to the point, Hong Myung-Soo asked, "Did you use drugs?"

"No. The last time I touched anything was marijuana in the U.S. three years ago."

"Then why are there rumors saying you've been using drugs?"

"How should I know?"

Hong Myung-Soo nodded once before turning his gaze to Hong Jin-Gyu. "Jin-Gyu. Where did you hear that she'd been using drugs?"

Hong Jin-Gyu hated Hong Myung-Soo for interfering with his plans, but he kept it off his face as he answered. "The Central District Prosecutors' Office."

"Who told you?"

"Would it change anything if I told you?"

"I need to know exactly who. If necessary, I'll speak to the chief prosecutor and have it buried."

"I don't know who started the rumor. But the investigation's being led by Seo Jae-Ill, the Central District Prosecutors' Office's mad dog, and Yoon Doo-Cheol, their bulldog. How are you supposed to stop that? They already hauled in the third and fourth siblings."

Hong Myung-Soo frowned. "If it's Seo Jae-Ill... then it won't be easy."

For the first time, Hong Myung-Soo looked genuinely troubled. A moment later, he let out a long sigh.

"All right. I'll call in every contact I have inside the prosecution."

"Really, oppa?"

"Yes. So you should leave for Japan for a while..."

At that moment, the television, which had been left on to monitor the news, switched to footage of a five-story office building in Samseong-dong that housed HK Distribution.

"Why are there reporters standing over there?"

Just then, an MBS reporter raised a microphone and began delivering breaking news.

-We're here in front of HK Distribution's headquarters.

We've received reports that prosecutors are preparing to execute a search warrant after receiving intelligence that one of HK Distribution's executives was involved in supplying drugs.

We've also learned that HK Distribution has allegedly been managing slush funds belonging to Mrs. Noh Hyun-Hee.

Sources within the Central District Prosecutors' Office say both the Financial Crimes Investigation Division and the Fair Trade Investigation Division are also considering launching searches.

As soon as she saw the report, Noh Hyun-Hee's face turned ghostly pale. HK Distribution was the company she had used to conceal her slush funds.

"No! Anywhere but there!"

Hong Ah-Yoon's face also drained of color. HK Distribution was also the secret channel through which money had been funneled to HK Entertainment.

"Mom. What's all this about?"

"How should I know, damn it? Just shut up for a second!"

Panicking so badly that she lashed out at her own daughter, Noh Hyun-Hee immediately called Choi Ill-Rak, the president of HK Distribution.

The call was answered almost instantly.

-Ma'am, we're in serious trouble!

"I know! I can see all those reporters outside on TV!"

-No, not that. Something even worse.

"What is it?"

-Turn on the stock market channel right now. HK Distribution's stock is crashing.

"What? My white knights own most of HK Distribution's shares."

-It looks like all of your white knights are dumping their shares at once.

"What?"

Startled, Noh Hyun-Hee snatched the remote from her husband's hand and switched to the financial news channel.

[Breaking News: HK Distribution Stock in Free Fall]

[HK Inc. Stocks Plunge Across the Board]

Noh Hyun-Hee's blood pressure shot up, turning her face bright red.

"Damn it! I'll figure something out somehow. President Choi, do whatever it takes to keep the prosecutors from entering HK Distribution. Use your own body if you have to!"

-Yes, ma'am.

The moment she ended the call with Choi Ill-Rak, Noh Hyun-Hee began calling her white knights. None of them answered.

"What the hell? Why isn't anyone picking up?"

Hong Jin-Gyu fought hard to suppress the laughter threatening to escape. Instead, he put on an expression of deep concern as he spoke to Noh Hyun-Hee.

"Mom... What's going on with your white knights? Are they dumping HK Distribution's stock to save themselves?"

"Yes!"

"Then what are we going to do? We need to buy those shares back immediately."

"I know that! The problem is I can't move the money right now!"

"Then buy them through another company."

Noh Hyun-Hee narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Why? You're suggesting I use HK Chemical? Jin-Gyu, you..."

Hong Jin-Gyu quickly shook his head. "No. Of course not. You can buy them through the HK Department Store instead."

Hong Jin-Gyu knew that the moment HK Chemical's funds were mobilized, his older brother Hong Myung-Soo of HK Construction would make his move as well. Considering the enormous financial power HK Construction possessed, that absolutely could not be allowed to happen. So instead, he suggested using the HK Department Store, another company under his mother's control.

Grinding her teeth, Noh Hyun-Hee spoke. "Damn it. Even if it causes problems later, we don't have a choice."

Prepared to face legal consequences if necessary, Noh Hyun-Hee called Park Sun-Hyung, the president of HK Department Store, ordering her to buy back HK Distribution's shares.

"President Park, start buying every HK Distribution share you can get your hands on!"

-I'm... sorry, ma'am. The prosecutors just arrived here.

"What? Why are you only telling me now?"

-I've been trying to report it, but I couldn't get away...

"You idiot! Is that supposed to be an excuse?"

Noh Hyun-Hee screamed into the phone, but the president of HK Department Store could only continue apologizing.

Hong Jin-Gyu had to struggle to keep himself from laughing. After all, he—not Jung Yoon-Ho—had tipped off the prosecution about both HK Distribution and HK Department Store.

Just then, Hong Ah-Yoon, who had been watching everything unfold, shouted, "Mom! Then what do we do now? HK Entertainment will go under immediately if HK Distribution stops funding it!"

"Be quiet, you little brat! You think HK Entertainment is our biggest problem right now? The HK Department Store is about to go down!"

After snapping at her daughter, Noh Hyun-Hee turned to her husband. "Honey. Have HK Inc. headquarters start buying HK Distribution shares."

Hong Moon-Gyu shook his head. "No. If they're attacking on this scale, then the prosecution has fully committed to taking us down. We can always buy the shares back later, so don't do anything. This is a trap—a trap! Nobody moves until we know exactly what's happening. And I'm certain Jung Yoon-Ho is behind this again."

Hong Jin-Gyu couldn't help being impressed by his father's almost animal-like instincts for immediately realizing Jung Yoon-Ho was involved. Even so, he was certain that not even his father could stop him from taking control of HK Distribution. After all, a Kk Talk message had just arrived from his chief secretary, Oh Sun-Hee.

[Oh Sun-Hee: Sir, we're buying every HK Distribution share that comes onto the market. We currently hold an 11% stake. (9:20 a.m.)]

The corners of Hong Jin-Gyu's mouth twitched upward. At this pace, they would be able to secure 25% before the end of the day.

'HK Distribution becomes my company today, Father.'

Just then, Hong Ah-Yoon looked down at her phone before shouting, "What's Jung Yoon-Ho doing this time?!"

Her shrill voice made Hong Moon-Gyu snap. "Why are you screaming again?"

"Dad! That bastard's holding a press conference about HK Entertainment!"

"Turn it on. Now!"

Hong Ah-Yoon cast the MeTube livestream from her phone to the smart TV in the living room. On the screen, Jung Yoon-Ho sat alone behind a table on a small auditorium stage. The moment Jung Yoon-Ho opened his mouth, every member of the HK Inc.'s royal family stared at the screen in stunned disbelief.

-Hoop Entertainment will be filing a lawsuit against HK Entertainment seeking damages of 50 billion won.

Hearing the unprecedented amount, Hong Moon-Gyu immediately burst into a string of curses.

"That... that... insane son of a bitch..."

***

I was currently at Hoop Entertainment, Basement Level 2 Auditorium.

Sitting alone behind the long table on stage, I looked out at the fifty reporters gathered before me and dropped my first bombshell.

"Hoop Entertainment will be filing a lawsuit against HK Entertainment seeking damages of 50 billion won."

The moment I named what would become the largest lawsuit ever between entertainment agencies, every reporter's jaw dropped.

"What?"

"Fifty billion?"

"Chief Jung, did you accidentally add an extra zero? You mean five billion, right?"

I shook my head. "No. Fifty billion is correct. Ever since HK Entertainment was founded, and from the very beginning of Project I.O.A, Director Hong Ah-Yoon and HK Entertainment have continually interfered with our work. I'm sure all of you are well aware of that. We endured it time and time again, but this latest drug attack targeting I.O.A is something we simply cannot tolerate."

When I mentioned not only the fifty-billion-won lawsuit but also the drug attack, the reporters were visibly shaken. Only the prosecutors and a handful of people knew that Alex Jang had tried to give drugs to I.O.A. It had never been made public.

"What? A drug attack?"

"What are you talking about? What happened to I.O.A?"

I pointed toward the screen behind me and pressed the remote. "Please take a look."

A photograph of Black Soul's Alex Jang handing over marijuana cookies appeared on the screen. One after another, screenshots of Alex Jang's text messages followed.

"Alex of Black Soul, who was arrested on drug charges, intended to give these marijuana cookies to Wang Lina. When I appeared, he handed them to me instead. Marijuana cookies have no distinctive smell, making them easy to mistake for ordinary cookies. If I hadn't already known the rumors surrounding Alex Jang, those young I.O.A members might have eaten them."

The stunned reporters finally snapped out of it and erupted all at once.

"He tried to feed that stuff to kids who aren't even old enough to have ID cards yet?"

"That guy's completely insane."

"How the hell was HK Entertainment managing their artists?"

Everyone immediately began condemning Alex and HK Entertainment. However, this was only the beginning of Hong Ah-Yoon's farewell event.

Because after leaving Myeong-dong last night, I had prepared a nuclear-level weapon that would make absolutely certain Hong Ah-Yoon was finished.