Free Web NovelWhen Seo Yonggeon stepped into the mourning hall, his gaze flicked toward Cheon Jiwon and Cheon Jisoo. Without a word, he offered flowers and incense.
After bowing his head for a long time, he finally lifted it and approached Jiwon.
“My deepest condolences.”
With Jiwon escorting him, he left the hall.
“President Kim, I’d like to speak with you for a moment.”
I gestured toward the reception room. From behind, Jiwon wore a self-satisfied smirk.
Still hasn’t learned a thing. I swallowed back a laugh.
“Please, this way.”
Seo gave a nod, patting Jiwon’s shoulder as he passed.
“Endure just a few more days. After the funeral, come see me.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
A loaded remark. Jiwon smiled.
From inside, Jisoo caught sight of that exchange and scowled.
“Let’s go, President Kim.”
I led Seo into the same reception room where I’d spoken earlier with Chairman Song.
“Chief Secretary, wait outside.”
When Lee Seokmin tried to follow, I stopped him. Seo glanced at him and nodded.
After Seo took his seat, I closed the door and sat opposite him.
“Thank you for coming. I didn’t expect it, not after the scene you caused yesterday.”
Now that we were alone, my voice turned sharp.
“Do you think I wanted that? Chairman Cheon insisted so stubbornly that I had no choice but to lend security for his safety. I never expected a clash.”
He raised his hands as if the matter had been forced upon him, feigning innocence.
“It isn’t the process that matters. Only the result. Wasn’t that your philosophy of management? Or is it that you flip your convictions whenever they inconvenience you?”
“...”
He didn’t answer right away, thrown off by the bite in my tone.
Were it not my grandfather’s funeral, I would never have sat across from him like this.
His smug grin, pretending to bear no fault, only sharpened my edge.
“We’re not the sort to exchange pleasantries with smiles, are we?”
“...You’re insolent. You should show respect to your elders.”
His smile faded, his face hardening with discomfort.
Respect. The word in his mouth was laughable enough to make me snort.
“Respect? Funny, I didn’t see you showing any respect to Chairman Song.”
Seo only coughed awkwardly, refusing to answer. He always deflected when cornered.
“Enough pointless talk. You said you had something to discuss.”
I loathed even sitting here with him, but I wanted to hear what he had come to say.
“What about a truce?”
“A truce?”
“Yes, a truce.”
He nodded solemnly.
So that was it.
I couldn’t help but smirk.
“We haven’t even begun... are you afraid already?”
“Afraid? Me, Seo Yonggeon?”
He scoffed, but what was absurd was the sight before me.
He’d started something and, with it spiraling out of his control, now came to beg for peace.
“From the moment you kept throwing Seo Jaehoon at me in Pyongyang, I suspected something. Then, while I was there, my grandfather’s condition suddenly worsened. Too perfect a coincidence, don’t you think?” fгeewebnovёl.com
His face didn’t flicker as he answered:
“Jaehoon went in my place, that’s all. As for overlapping schedules, the government handled that. Nothing to do with me.”
“So you’re saying President Kim Hakgwon toyed with me, then?”
“...What?”
At my provocation, a twitch crossed his brow.
“If it wasn’t you, then it must have been President Kim. Should I ask him directly?”
He hadn’t expected me to throw that name at him.
I smiled coldly at his silence, his gaze fixed sharply on me.
“Chairman Seo, my grandfather was the only restraint I had. With him gone, there is no one left who can stop me.”
It was my hesitation that had cost my grandfather his life. I would never waver again.
“Whoever interferes with me—I’ll crush them by any means.”
“You...”
“You should have prayed for my grandfather’s long life. Only then could you have stayed in your seat.”
Rage flickered across his face, but I pressed on.
“There will be no truce. Do not expect one.”
“One of us will lose everything.”
“That doesn’t matter. I have no intention of losing. Not in this fight.”
Arrogant words to his ears, but the truth in mine. I held a card he could never anticipate: Jang Daeho.
“Overconfident. This is South Korea. Abroad, perhaps your influence outweighs mine, but here—it doesn’t.”
Recovering his composure, he tried to lecture me like a child.
How laughable.
“If you’re counting on President Kim Hakgwon, don’t. In a full-scale conflict, he’ll remain neutral for his own survival.”
“...Impossible.”
His faith in his election funding was palpable.
But politicians were fickle. Even recently, he’d betrayed me.
And Kim Hakgwon had long harbored caution toward businessmen. I believed he had only used Seo to keep me in check.
When it came down to war, he would not move.
“Yes, the Blue House is powerful. But this isn’t the military dictatorship anymore. The president’s word doesn’t carry the same weight. If that’s who you’re betting on, I’m disappointed. Too petty.”
“Why go this far? Do you think winning means you can claim Ilseong?”
Claim Ilseong?
So that was his delusion—that I sought his empire.
“Ilseong? I don’t need it. I’ll tear it down, uproot it, and erase the name Ilseong from Korea altogether.”
“What? You dare dismiss Ilseong before me?”
At once, his temper snapped.
I couldn’t suppress the laugh. A fool raging without knowing his place.
“There are countless corporations greater than Ilseong worldwide. You’ve mistaken yourself for a king because you rule in this small Korean pond. I’ll show you how a frog in a well dies of thirst. Look forward to it.”
I stopped speaking. His face burned crimson with fury, taking it as the insult it was.
“Where is Cheon Sooman? Hand him over.”
So that was his real reason for coming—to sniff out Sooman’s whereabouts. Which meant even Ilseong hadn’t found him.
He’d failed and was humiliated. No wonder he was seething.
Still clinging to the inheritance laws—pathetic.
“Find him yourself. I don’t know where he is.”
“I was told Ha Myeonghun took him.”
“Chief Ha has been here since yesterday. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Seo’s bloodshot eyes bored into me, but I didn’t look away.
“If anything happens to Sooman, neither Ha Myeonghun nor you will get away with it. Don’t ignore my warning.”
“Concerned for my safety? How kind.”
“...You never yield a word, do you.”
Only now realizing?
I answered with deliberate smugness.
“Since you came to pay respects, I’ll stop here. But know this—I am not merciful to my enemies. Neither are you, Chairman, isn’t that right?”
Instead of answering, he rose.
“See that Chairman Cheon is sent off well.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
He yanked the door open and stormed out.
At the entrance to the hall, he halted before Chief Ha.
There was a glint of killing intent in Ha’s eyes.
“Chief.”
At my quiet call, Ha let it fade.
“Tch. What a man.”
Shaking his head, Seo left the funeral with Lee Seokmin in tow.
“Chief, a word.”
Once they were gone, I led Ha back into the reception room.
Seo would never retreat so easily. He needed a warning.
“Seo will likely keep eyes on you. Expect to be tailed. Ilseong could even mobilize the NIS.”
“Yes, I’ve considered that.”
“After the funeral, move only with the mercenary team. They’ll shake the tails. The rest is up to you.”
“Understood.”
Grandfather’s revenge was inevitable—but I couldn’t afford to lose Ha. freewebnøvel.coɱ
I met his eyes, speaking firmly.
“Leave no evidence. None.”
“That won’t be a problem.”
He had lived as Grandfather’s blade for decades. He wouldn’t make a rookie mistake.
“Is it time for the encoffinment?”
“Yes, I believe we must go now.”
It was the final chance to see Grandfather’s face.
Guided by the staff, all of us—the family—moved to the preparation room.
Through the glass, I saw his body.
At once, Jiyoung broke into sobs. Jisoo’s eyes grew wet.
Jiwon didn’t cry, but his hands trembled slightly.
The director began dressing Grandfather in his burial shroud.
Unable to bear watching, Jiyoung clung to me, sobbing.
I held her and stroked her back, forcing myself not to look away from Grandfather’s final image.
Behind me, Chief Ha’s shoulders trembled.
“Family members, please come inside.”
The director called us in.
Jiyoung, still crying, was led by Jisoo. Jiwon followed after.
As I moved to enter, I looked back at Ha, still standing stiffly.
“Come in too, Chief. You should see him off.”
“Thank you, young master.”
We stepped inside together.
The pungent scent of hemp cloth and chemicals filled the room.
“If you wish to say any last words to the deceased, now is the time. He can hear you.”
The director stepped back.
Jiyoung wept aloud, stroking Grandfather’s face.
Jisoo caressed his arm beneath the shroud. Jiwon simply stared at his face.
I too gazed at him, murmuring silently:
‘Grandfather... watch over me from the heavens. Together with Mother. Watch how I live. You’ll find it worth seeing.’
Beside me, Ha’s eyes shone red.
“Take his hand, Chief. See him off.”
“...Yes, young master.”
Circling to the left, opposite Jisoo, Ha carefully took Grandfather’s hand.
It was a short, but solemn farewell.
“Please step back. We’ll proceed with the final preparations.”
At the director’s words, we all withdrew a few steps.
He laid a thin sheet over Grandfather’s face and bound it tight.
The reality of the last goodbye stabbed deep into my chest.
“May the deceased rest in peace.”
With the rites complete, we bowed our heads in silence.
Returning to the hall, we received more mourners until the day’s end.
The next morning, we rose early to prepare for the send-off.
My friends—Myungsoo, Hyunseong, and others—came at dawn.
I intended to entrust them with carrying Grandfather’s coffin.
But the portrait—I would never hand that to Jiwon.
This was Grandfather’s final journey. I would carry him myself to his ancestral home.
Behind me, Chief Ha, Chief Ma, and my friends shouldered the coffin.
We stopped first at the Pyeongchang-dong mansion where Grandfather had spent most of his «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» life.
Holding the portrait, I walked through each corner, retracing his presence. Last, I lingered briefly in his study.
‘Grandfather, I’ll make this place the pinnacle of Korea. Please watch.’
Leaving the mansion, we began the procession.
The hearse set out toward Grandfather’s birthplace—his ancestral graveyard in Chungcheong Province.
