From the mont I left the Chinese embassy in Korea until we arrived in Pyeongchang-dong, I didn’t say a single word.
Since starting my new life, this was the first ti I had faced such a difficult problem.
Perhaps because so many things had changed due to my interference, unexpected events kept occurring.
‘And in the end, it’s co to this.’
But no matter how much I thought about it, sothing felt strange.
Even if it looked like I had been dragged into a political struggle among Chinese politicians, the scale of the matter felt far too large.
Even if they disliked and wanted to drive out of China, it wouldn’t normally escalate to sothing like this.
Especially considering the attention of the entire world, not to ntion the diplomatic friction with Korea.
My head was a ss, but I had no choice except to move forward while setting those tangled thoughts aside.
After all, I had already completed every preparation I could make.
‘...What should I do about Yoo Seongjin?’
The mont I accepted Jiang Zemin’s demands to save Yoo Seongjin, I would be forced to keep dancing to his tune forever.
“Boss. We’ve arrived.”
Lost in thought, I didn’t realize we had reached Pyeongchang-dong.
Chief Ma opened the rear door for . The mont I stepped outside, he held an umbrella over my head.
Only then did I hear the sound of raindrops falling on the thin fabric.
“I didn’t even realize it was raining.”
“Let’s go inside first. The weather has gotten quite chilly.”
As soon as I entered the house, I headed straight to the study.
After taking off my coat, I asked Chief Ma to bring a cup of hot coffee and sat down on the sofa.
On the table lay the docunt envelope the Chinese ambassador had handed .
‘What exactly could be inside this envelope?’
I picked up the envelope and loosened the thread sealing the entrance.
Inside was paper.
No—what filled it were the charges ant to trap Yoo Seongjin.
As I read through the evidence, my face gradually hardened.
“...There’s absolutely no way out of this.”
Now I understood why Jiang Zemin had handed this to .
It was a warning not to do anything ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) foolish.
Shanghai was the place where Hu Jintao’s influence was weakest.
Just from the na Shanghai faction alone, it was clear that this was the region where Jiang Zemin’s influence was strongest.
In other words, no one but Jiang Zemin could bury this.
And Hu Jintao had no reason to step in for Yoo Seongjin instead of Hao Xun.
“Boss.”
Chief Ma placed the coffee down and waited for my instructions.
I handed him the paper I was holding.
“You should read it too, Chief.”
While Chief Ma reviewed the contents, I thought about the options available to .
‘Should I abandon Yoo Seongjin, join hands with Hu Jintao, and bring Jiang Zemin down?’
No matter how I thought about it, that was impossible.
The Shanghai faction was a faction that depended entirely on Jiang Zemin personally.
Attacking Jiang Zemin directly would not be a good strategy.
The Shanghai faction would have no choice but to defend their leader with their lives.
Even in my previous life, Hu Jintao didn’t attack Jiang Zemin directly.
Instead, he removed Jiang Zemin’s successors one by one, forcing negotiations.
Neither Hu Jintao nor Jiang Zemin possessed the absolute authority Deng Xiaoping once had, so they had no choice but to act cautiously.
‘Or should I join hands with Jiang Zemin?’
It was the best thod.
But I didn’t want to do it.
I had no desire to join hands with soone who had pulled such tricks against .
“Boss.”
At that mont Chief Ma called out to . I ca out of my thoughts and looked at him.
“What do you think? Do you see any way to save Chairman Yoo Seongjin?”
“We must abandon Yoo Seongjin.”
Chief Ma said firmly.
Abandon him.
“Abandon him...”
It was a rational judgnt.
Yoo Seongjin was soone who could be replaced.
Of course he was soone within my circle, but his importance was not as high as Han Kyungyeong or Eva.
“The mont you respond to Chairman Jiang’s demands this ti, soone else will try to shake you in the sa way again. This ti it’s Yoo Seongjin, but next ti they might use soone who is truly precious to you.”
The concern Chief Ma pointed out was exactly the sa as mine.
Making a concession was not difficult.
But the mont they believed this thod worked, they would use it again.
And that would be no different from putting a leash around my own neck.
“I have never abandoned anyone who entered my circle. So why are you telling to abandon him?”
“Boss, I know better than anyone how much you take care of your people. But Yoo Seongjin himself would not want you to save him.”
“You’re saying Yoo Seongjin wouldn’t want that?”
I murmured blankly, and Chief Ma nodded.
“The Yoo Seongjin I know would choose to walk to his own death if he believed he was causing trouble for you rather than helping you.”
Though he was now the chairman of Cheonha Group, Yoo Seongjin had originally been a typical gangster who had sworn loyalty to Park Dongsu.
He was soone I had chosen myself.
But even I didn’t know how far his loyalty toward would go.
In truth, I had never tried to find out.
Most of Cheonha Group’s affairs were left entirely to Chief Ma to handle.
“I see.”
Hearing Chief Ma’s words oddly cleared my head.
As he said, giving up would make things easier.
But giving up out of fear was not my style.
“I’ll contact Hao Xun and arrange a eting with Hu Jintao.”
“Boss, you cannot enter China yourself.”
Chief Ma urgently stopped .
Naturally, going to China right now would be madness.
Which ant I had to use another thod.
“I’ll invite them to Russia.”
“That would take several months.”
“There’s no choice. This is sothing that must be discussed face to face. I’ll handle the arrangents with the Russian side myself.”
Save Yoo Seongjin.
And suppress Jiang Zemin’s faction.
To do that, I needed a clear response from Hu Jintao.
“If he refuses the eting, then we abandon Hu Jintao.”
I made my decision firmly.
And if that happened—
Then I would create China’s next chairman with my own hands.
“I’ll deliver the ssage.”
“More importantly...”
eting Hu Jintao would take months at the earliest.
For now, I had to think of a way to help Yoo Seongjin imdiately.
“It wouldn’t be possible to send in Black Bear and extract him, would it?”
“It is possible. But if that happens, you will never again be able to live in the open.”
I had only said it half-jokingly and had no intention of actually doing it.
Maybe in the Middle East or Africa—but sending rcenaries into China to rescue soone was absurd.
“I thought so. I just said it out of frustration, Chief. Don’t worry about it.”
The trap Jiang Zemin had prepared was far too strong.
He knew my thods and my way of doing things far too well.
That was why there was no escape.
“First, we need to et Yoo Seongjin and find out what he wants...”
“I’ll tell them to keep trying to arrange contact.”
“Alright. Let’s get so rest for now and talk again tomorrow. I’m exhausted.”
Noticing the fatigue on my face, Chief Ma imdiately excused himself.
Left alone, I absentmindedly looked out the window.
Outside, a heavy downpour was falling.
* * *
Yoo Seongjin did not open his mouth despite Xu Xin’s continued persuasion.
To shake him, Xu Xin even arranged two etings with Kim Hyeonjeong.
But both of them remained silent.
Then an order finally ca down to allow a eting with a lawyer.
“Chairman Yoo Seongjin. My na is Lee Hyeongi. I ca from Korea.”
Though the eting with the lawyer was supposed to be confidential, the Shanghai Public Security Bureau had no intention of leaving them alone.
Xu Xin and several officers watched from behind a one-way mirror, and CCTV caras recorded everything.
Yoo Seongjin glanced briefly at the mirror before speaking.
“You ca from Korea?”
“Don’t worry. I also have a Chinese lawyer’s license.”
Yoo Seongjin said nothing and simply nodded.
“I have co here on behalf of your legal counsel.”
“Which law firm are you with in Korea?”
“I’m a partner lawyer at Yoon & Jang Law Firm.”
At the na Yoon & Jang, Yoo Seongjin’s expression subtly changed.
Yoon & Jang was a law firm with deep ties to the boss.
In other words, this lawyer had been sent by him.
“I see. Is there a way to save ?”
At Yoo Seongjin’s question, lawyer Lee Hyeongi glanced sideways toward the mirror and frowned.
“...With the evidence and witnesses prepared by the Public Security Bureau, a guilty verdict is certain.”
“I didn’t do it. Those are fabricated charges.”
“I know. But the biggest problem is that there’s no way to prove it.”
Both Yoo Seongjin and lawyer Lee knew the truth.
The evidence had been fabricated.
“Did the Public Security Bureau offer a plea deal?”
Yoo Seongjin hesitated briefly before nodding.
“Can you tell what they demanded?”
“They told to bring them evidence of Vice Minister Hao Xun’s cris. And...”
After hearing everything Yoo Seongjin said, lawyer Lee nodded as if he had expected it.
“My client said you should do whatever you want.”
“...”
“We will defend you to the best of our ability, but if it goes to trial, a guilty verdict is certain.”
At those words Yoo Seongjin closed his eyes and let out a quiet groan before asking softly,
“What about Director Kim Hyeonjeong?”
“Another lawyer should be eting her right now.”
“Is there no way to save her?”
“For now, the evidence presented by the Public Security Bureau does not show that Director Kim Hyeonjeong was involved in drug smuggling or distribution. If she claims she had no knowledge of the drugs, we may be able to separate her from this case. The problem is tax evasion and bribery... there’s no solution for those.”
Yoo Seongjin let out a deep sigh of relief inside.
“If it’s bribery and tax evasion, couldn’t she remain free without detention?”
“In Korea, perhaps. But this is China. Still, I will try.”
Though lawyer Lee answered pessimistically, Yoo Seongjin knew better than anyone what the lawyers at Yoon & Jang were capable of.
They were lawyers who would sell their souls to the devil if necessary to produce the result their client wanted.
“Please.”
“Hmm. Chairman Yoo Seongjin, you’re quite an interesting person. You’re not quite the image I expected.”
The man who ruled Korea’s underworld lowering his head for the sake of his lover.
Lawyer Lee set aside his thoughts about Yoo Seongjin and got to the point.
“Chairman Yoo Seongjin, your situation is the biggest problem. At this rate, the sentence could go all the way to the death penalty.”
“I heard that I may do as I wish.”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
“Then please deliver my ssage.”
Yoo Seongjin spent a long ti explaining what he wanted conveyed to Kim Muhyuk.
After hearing everything, lawyer Lee asked in surprise,
“Are you certain about this?”
“Yes. Just deliver it exactly like that.”
“Understood. If that’s what you want. I will continue to visit you until the trial ends.”
“Thank you.”
Lawyer Lee stood up.
To deliver Yoo Seongjin’s ssage to Korea, he quickly left the Shanghai Public Security Bureau.
“Hey, lawyer.”
Xu Xin called out to him at the entrance.
“What is it?”
“Pass along my ssage too. At this rate Yoo Seongjin will definitely be executed.”
“...Very well.”
“Safe travels, counselor!”
Xu Xin waved cheerfully.
But for so reason, lawyer Lee felt goosebumps rise along his arms.
* * *
“Boss. They finally managed to et Yoo Seongjin.”
“Really?”
Chief Ma entered the study and reported imdiately.
Half of the week Jiang Zemin had given had already passed.
“Is Chairman Yoo alright?”
I closed my laptop, which I had been working on.
“Yes. They said there were no signs of torture.”
“That’s a relief. No matter how crazy they are, they wouldn’t go that far.”
Whatever the truth, Yoo Seongjin was outwardly a respectable businessman.
Torturing soone like him would send a ssage of fear to every businessman operating in China.
“What did Yoo Seongjin say?”
I asked about his opinion through the lawyer.
“First, the Public Security Bureau proposed a plea deal. Their target is clearly...”
The Shanghai Public Security Bureau demanded evidence proving Hao Xun’s cris and proof linking him to Hu Jintao.
“As expected. From the beginning they planned to use Hao Xun to put a leash around Hu Jintao’s neck.”
The Shanghai faction led by Jiang Zemin and the Communist Youth League led by Hu Jintao were fundantally different factions.
Jiang Zemin was the absolute boss of the Shanghai faction.
Hu Jintao, however, was rely the head of the Communist Youth League.
His personal views did not fully represent the entire faction.
If Hu Jintao had fully controlled the Youth League, the Shanghai faction would not be acting this boldly.
After all, the Youth League was the largest faction within the Chinese Communist Party.
“So what does Yoo Seongjin want to do?”
“There is a ssage he asked to deliver.”
Yoo Seongjin’s ssage to had three parts.
First—never bow to anyone in order to save him.
Second—he had already prepared candidates for the next chairman of Cheonha Group and asked that I consider them.
And the last ssage...
“He asked you to save Kim Hyeonjeong no matter what. Chief... you were right. He’s abandoning himself.”
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