CH138 | Heir

Early morning.

I was the first to receive the newspaper delivered to our house.

A shocking headline dominated the front page.

[Honorary Chairman Jang Young-joo of Hyundai Group Passes Away]

An event that could shake South Korea had finally erupted.

It was a far bigger incident than Captain Kang and I had intended, and there was no mention of my grandfather in the news.

"Haah, he ended up going first after all. Sigh… If he was going to leave like this, why did he struggle so hard to keep the group alive?"

"Grandpa, are you okay?"

He was in deep shock.

His complexion was much worse than during the accounting fraud press conference, and he sat down on the sofa for a moment to compose himself.

"Even the strongest of men cannot withstand the weight of time."

"That’s why you need to keep up with your medical checkups, Grandpa. I heard you’ve been skipping hospital visits because of work. If you do that again, I’ll personally drag you there myself."

"What’s the point of living longer if all I see is disgrace?"

My grandfather was scheduled for a prosecution investigation soon.

Just thinking about the humiliation he would suffer in front of the prosecution’s photo line made my heart ache.

"Grandpa, don’t try to face this disgrace alone. I’m old enough to handle it too."

"I’d rather die than drag my grandson into this mess."

"Then that means I’ll have to take all the blame myself. So, you have to live a long life, Grandpa."

"You brat! How can you joke at a time like this? Stop talking nonsense and start preparing for the funeral."

***

We visited Chairman Jang Young-joo’s mourning altar together.

Journalists had already swarmed the residence in Cheongun-dong, and vehicles belonging to political and business figures lined the alley.

"It seems Chairman Jang didn’t live his life in vain after all."

"Not only politicians and business executives, but even ordinary citizens are coming to pay their respects."

"Among businessmen, there are few as respected as Chairman Jang. Let’s go inside."

We entered the Cheongun-dong residence.

As soon as we arrived, the mourners instinctively stepped aside to clear a path for us.

It wasn’t because Taewoo Group was the country’s top conglomerate, but because everyone knew my grandfather had a special bond with Chairman Jang.

"You must be exhausted. Was his final journey peaceful?"

"He passed away worrying about Hyundai Group until the very end. We are ashamed of our own incompetence and cannot lift our heads."

Chairman Jang Kyung-joon of Hyundai Motor was the chief mourner.

Behind him stood several of Chairman Jang Young-joo’s children, including Jang Young-joon, chairman of Hyundai Group.

My grandfather held each of their hands and spoke with them at length, and some even shed tears.

"May he rest in peace."

"You’re here too… Sigh, I never expected to see you again under these circumstances."

"I’ve taken up too much of your time. I’ll visit you again soon."

"You’re welcome anytime."

After a brief conversation with Chairman Jang Kyung-joon, we moved aside.

Before I knew it, I found myself shaking hands and conversing with Chairman Jang Young-joon.

"I heard Taewoo Group is struggling because of the semiconductor business. I feel guilty, as if we’ve dumped a ticking bomb on you."

"Not at all. We took over knowing the difficulties, so the responsibility is ours. You don’t need to feel bad about it."

Grip.

Chairman Jang Young-jun clasped my hand with both of his hands.

I felt something rough against my palm.

"Please visit the Hyundai Group headquarters sometime. I will make sure you are well received."

"I’ll visit you soon."

I naturally used both hands to return the handshake.

It was then that I realized — the rough sensation I felt was a small note hidden in his palm.

"Over there are the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) chairmen. I'll be dining with them, so you can find a more comfortable spot to have your meal."

"I’ll see you in a little while."

My grandfather and I naturally went our separate ways.

I quietly headed to the restroom and pulled out the note Chairman Jang had given me.

[Yoon Hyun-gil and Jang Kyung-joon Contact Confirmed]

How bold of them.

Receiving a message like this at a funeral...

I flushed the toilet as if nothing had happened and walked back out.

As I returned to the mourning altar, the atmosphere had shifted.

Bodyguards in black suits were controlling access, and all the FKI chairmen, including my grandfather, were standing up from their seats.

"What’s going on?"

"You don’t know? President Putin of Russia is on his way to pay his respects."

"Wasn’t his visit to South Korea scheduled for the end of this month?"

"He moved up his schedule. The Russian government barely gave South Korea a day’s notice before he arrived."

What an incredible display of power.

Perhaps it was the confidence of leading a global superpower, but President Putin was known for his unpredictable and heavy-handed nature.

I had been informed that he was visiting South Korea — but I never expected him to move his schedule up and appear today.

"President Putin is entering."

More bodyguards flooded in, filling the room.

President Putin entered the mourning altar alongside the Russian ambassador.

He offered a slight bow in respect, then shook hands with Chairman Jang Kyung-joon and the other bereaved family members.

I stood still, watching the scene unfold in a daze.

Then, without warning, President Putin turned toward our group and approached.

"So, all of South Korea’s leading businessmen are gathered here. I hope we can continue building a strong relationship."

The interpreter swiftly translated his words.

After hearing the translation, the chairmen exchanged handshakes with Putin one by one.

Finally, Putin reached me.

He grasped my hand and — unexpectedly — gave me a slight wink.

A wink?

What the hell?

President Putin wasn’t the type to play such pranks.

It didn’t take long to figure out why.

"This is something the VIP asked me to deliver to you."

A staff member from the Russian embassy discreetly handed me an envelope.

Inside was a tiny USB drive.

First the note, now a USB?

So this was what people meant when they called funerals meeting places.

Now, I finally understood.

I left the mourning altar first and headed straight to Captain Kang's office.

I couldn't hold back my curiosity about what kind of data was inside the USB President Putin had given me.

"Which PC has the security system installed?"

"PC #3 has the security system installed, and it's not connected to the internet."

I plugged the USB into PC #3 without hesitation.

Captain Kang and Dimon quietly crept behind me, peeking over my shoulder.

"Let's see what Russia has sent us, shall we? Something tells me this isn't just any ordinary data."

"I saw the news that President Putin attended Chairman Jang Young-joo's funeral. Did you two meet there by any chance?"

"We'll continue that story after we see what's inside."

I opened the USB drive and began checking the files.

There were several documents written in Russian, along with photos, audio recordings, and video files.

"Looks like it's all about Congressman Yoon Hyun-gil."

"I'd heard rumors about how powerful Russian intelligence is, but I never imagined they had this kind of dirt. Affairs... illegal election funds... Damn."

"There's even data on the aide I've been investigating. Just as I suspected — the aide took the fall for Yoon Hyun-gil’s crimes and got punished instead."

It was enough evidence to strangle Yoon Hyun-gil's political career completely.

Russia was finally repaying the favor I had earned by supporting Putin back when he was an independent lawmaker.

"What are you guys gathered around for?"

A familiar voice broke the silence.

"Boss! I'm back in Korea!"

"David? What the hell are you doing here? You're supposed to be in the States — I never called for you."

"I got a very special gift from the White House. I wanted to hand-deliver it to you as quickly as possible."

David pulled out a black briefcase — the classic spy 007 style.

Inside, the case was packed with documents...

All about Congressman Yoon Hyun-gil.

"Wait... You're telling me the White House sent this?"

"Come on, Boss. The U.S. spying on Korean politicians isn't exactly breaking news, is it? Five-term Congressmans like Yoon Hyun-gil — of course they'd keep tabs on him. The VVIP wanted you to put it to good use."

I couldn't help but laugh bitterly.

Both Russia and America had given me the same gift — without me even asking.

Two of the world's most powerful leaders had voluntarily delivered a ticking time bomb into my hands.

"Looks like Captain Kang's team won't have much to do now."

"No matter how skilled my team is, we can't compete with the CIA and FSB combined."

"This isn't just a weak point to exploit — this is a nuclear bomb that could blow Yoon Hyun-gil to hell in one shot."

But the gifts didn't stop there.

Just as we were sorting through the Russian and American files, my phone rang.

It was Ma Huateng, the CEO of Tencent.

"I received word from your legal team that the joint venture has been finalized."

[Thanks to Taewoo Group's proactive support, the deal went through smoothly. We did receive investment proposals from Europe, but their conditions were far below what Taewoo Group offered. I'm truly grateful for your generous offer.]

There was genuine gratitude in Ma Huateng's voice.

But... would he really call just to say thank you?

Something felt off.

"I'll personally oversee the joint venture by heading to China soon."

[That would be greatly appreciated. ……. Also, one of our employees will be arriving in Korea today with a contract.]

"A contract? I thought Taewoo Group's legal team was handling the paperwork?"

[There's some additional information we want to deliver separately — a small gift from the Elder for Taewoo Group.]

"I see. Thank you very much. I'll see you again soon."

As soon as the call ended, Dimon — who had been eavesdropping the whole time — couldn't hold back his excitement.

"Wow! Don't tell me... China is sending dirt on Congressman Yoon Hyun-gil too?"

"That's probably the case. If it's a gift for Taewoo Group, there's nothing else it could be."

"I've never seen three world powers voluntarily offering help at the same time. This is crazy."

"Honestly... I never expected things to unfold like this either."

Three global superpowers — the U.S., Russia, and China — were all lining up to hand me weapons on a silver platter.

I'd maintained friendly relations with their leaders, but I'd never helped them with the expectation of something in return.

Still...

Turning down a gift from the Elder would be nothing short of disrespectful.

***

"This is the Elder's gift."

A few hours later—

A Tencent employee visited me in person.

Without saying much, he handed over a heavy document envelope and quietly disappeared.

"Boss! Hurry up and open the gift box!"

"Calm down. Let's take a deep breath first... Phew!"

We returned to Captain Kang's office and carefully unsealed the envelope.

Just as we expected...

The documents were packed with damning evidence against Yoon Hyun-gil — everything from bribery to money laundering and illegal business deals with Chinese companies.

"Boss, with these files from three countries... we won't just end Yoon Hyun-gil's political career — we could destroy his entire life."

"Let's not rush things."

"What should we do first?"

"Leak the weakest piece of evidence to the press first — something that won't immediately raise alarms. That way, Yoon's camp won't see us coming."

"Got it. Should I reach out to the journalists who are close to Taewoo Group?"

"Exactly. If we plant the story through a friendly outlet, Yoon's people will naturally suspect us — but they won't have any proof."

Dimon tilted his head, confused.

"Wouldn't it be better to wait a few days? If we release the story now, it’ll get buried under the news of Chairman Jang Young-joo's death."

"That's exactly why we need to do it today."

"Huh?"

"If we don't try to maximize the story's impact, it'll send Yoon's camp a message — that we don't want to make this into a scandal... yet."

"A psychological game... I like it."