Free Web NovelI knew The Sun was Murdoch’s property. But people said he had withdrawn from the tabloid entirely while expanding into bigger ventures.
“Surprised to see me?”
“A little.”
It was something I hadn’t expected at all. I didn’t let it show, °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° though. Instead, I glanced at Manager Ma.
Catching my meaning, he bowed slightly and slipped out.
“Let’s sit. The food here is unlike typical English cuisine—it’s actually good, I assure you.”
I followed Murdoch to a window-side table, the glass wall giving a clear view of London’s night skyline.
“Beautiful, isn’t it? I love this spot.”
“It is. I never knew a place like this existed.”
“If you like it, Mr. Kim, I’m pleased. Now, a glass of wine?”
With a chuckle, Murdoch gestured to the sommelier, who poured us both wine.
As he swirled the glass and savored the aroma, I copied him.
“Well? I chose this for tonight’s important guest.”
“It’s good. I don’t know much about wine, but I can tell this is excellent.”
I took a sip, the rich grape flavor lingering in my mouth.
When I set the glass down, Manager Ma returned and whispered,
“I’ve relayed it to Alex.”
I nodded. With his report complete, he took his place behind me again. frёewebηovel.cѳm
“Forgive me. My trip to England has me distracted, what with negotiating a football club acquisition.”
“Oh? Planning to acquire a club?”
“Yes, just taking interest for now.”
“That’s splendid. In England, football is life itself.”
He must have been a football fan—his smile this time was genuine.
Soon the food he’d preordered was served.
“Let’s talk while we eat.”
Though he’d called it English food, what sat before me was no different from French cuisine.
By the time dessert—black tea—arrived, we had passed the time with football chatter. The mood was loose enough. It was time for the real subject.
“Chairman Murdoch. I’d like you to stop the coverage.”
“Mmm. The fragrance of this tea is delightful.”
He ignored my words, inhaling the aroma. I waited.
“I truly love black tea. You can’t find this taste in America. So whenever I’m in England, I make sure to drink it here.”
He kept drifting, but I wasn’t about to.
I cut in again, voice firm.
“I want the reporting about me stopped. There’s no reason for you and me to be at odds.”
Lifting my own cup, I looked straight into his eyes.
“I came here to meet The Sun’s chairman. But I didn’t expect the head of News Corporation himself. Should I take it the coverage is by your order?”
His stare didn’t flinch. Cold, snake-like eyes met mine.
Only silence lingered between us as we sipped our tea.
Murdoch was the first to speak.
“Do you know how I rose to this seat? People say it was luck. Others say I built it by selling out others’ weaknesses. But I disagree.”
Setting his cup down, he spoke with exaggerated gestures.
“I simply set principles and kept them. I always placed the people’s right to know above outside pressure. Even when politicians, corporations, and even the British royal family applied pressure, I published the stories. That’s the first reason I’m here today.”
Emperor of media, my ass. Sitting in front of me was a self-deluded fool drunk on his own lies.
Murdoch had seized Australia’s press and bent its politics to his will.
And now he claimed it was for the people’s right to know? I clicked my tongue inwardly.
“The second reason is that I know what stories make money. The first big scoop at The Sun was James Han. He was an anomaly that suddenly appeared. But during that coverage, someone tipped me off—James was just a front, and behind him was the real power. Digging further, I heard of a name already whispered in Washington circles.”
All the while he never stopped gauging my expression.
Was he fishing for crumbs of information? Trying to shake me? I stayed blank, sipping tea as he talked.
“So I dug deeper. Even with my U.S. political connections, it was like fog surrounded your trail, Mr. Kim. Information warped and obscured.”
“...”
“That only intrigued me more. So when I heard you’d come to England, I rushed here.”
I smiled at his words.
“And seeing me in person?”
“You look like any ordinary youth. Yet somehow you’ve amassed immense wealth, and not only in the light—you wield influence in the shadows too. Curious indeed.”
His reporters were better than expected. Or maybe it was his gossip-fueled networks.
“You seem to know quite a bit. Whereas I know little about you. So will you stop your coverage?”
“My answer is no. I only came to see your face. The reporting will continue. And soon, it’ll go to print. I can already hear the circulation climbing.”
His playful finger wag was nauseating. I wanted to spit in his smug face.
I sighed lightly and called over my shoulder,
“Manager.”
“Yes.”
“Contact Alex.”
“Yes, Boss.”
While he stepped away, I laced my fingers and leaned toward Murdoch.
“Murdoch. I don’t care how you climbed your way up. I’m only asking you to stop digging into me. Run whatever articles I permit—but beyond that...”
I let my words trail, fixing him with a chilling stare.
“And beyond that?”
“Well, I’ll leave it to your imagination.”
At that, Murdoch burst out laughing.
“You’re amusing, Mr. Kim. Do you really think threats work on me? On Rupert Murdoch?”
His confidence had grounds. With newspapers and networks in the U.S., U.K., and Australia, he could sway global opinion at will.
“Who knows? Time will tell if this was a threat.”
Even American politicians bent before Murdoch. He’d even played a decisive role in Bush’s election.
“Threats don’t work on me. If I order it, every article we’ve gathered will be printed. Your whole life, detail by detail, in black and white.” freewёbnoνel.com
“Sure. But do you think what you’ve gathered is everything? You don’t honestly believe you’ve uncovered it all, do you?”
He couldn’t possibly have uncovered everything so quickly. He’d only skimmed the surface.
Yes, it would restrict my movements if published—but I could always sink deeper into the shadows.
“Today I ask politely. Next time, I may not.”
I waved to a waiter and ordered strong whiskey.
The server soon brought it.
“This suits my taste. Wine’s too mild for me.”
I pushed aside the wine Murdoch had so proudly chosen, filling an on-the-rocks glass and a neat shot.
“What will you have? American-style on the rocks, or British-style straight?”
A forced choice, laden with metaphor. Murdoch understood well enough.
He picked up the neat glass and said smoothly,
“I like it strong.”
Straight, then. Strong taste.
“Same as me. Good. If that’s what you want.”
I poured myself neat as well, lifted my glass toward him.
“Then let’s take it there’s nothing left to negotiate.”
I downed the burning liquor in one go, savoring the sharp heat in my throat.
As I set my glass down, Manager Ma returned—carrying an envelope.
“Boss.”
I took it, opened it, checked the contents.
Inside were several photos.
I spread them on the table and slid them toward Murdoch.
“A gift. Your grandson’s very handsome—takes after you.”
The photos showed Charles Murdoch, Lachlan Murdoch’s eldest son, playing with friends.
Murdoch’s face stiffened noticeably. For the first time tonight, I saw his mask crack.
I smirked, saying lightly,
“I didn’t come prepared today.”
“...Mr. Kim.”
We’d quickly traced Murdoch’s family tree and found Lachlan’s household here in England. Time had been short, so all we managed was some distant shots of Charles. Still, even that much was pressure enough.
“Next time, I’ll bring a bigger gift.”
I stood from the table. He liked it strong, did he? Then I’d treat him accordingly.
“If so much as a single letter of my name hits print, something very entertaining will happen.”
Murdoch’s eyes flicked between his grandson’s smiling face and mine. His lips finally moved, trembling with anger.
“How dare you stoop to this—”
His jowls quivered, his voice shook with fury.
“Shame. I hadn’t expected our first meeting to be like this.”
“Mr. Kim, I’ll bring every ounce of my power to ruin you—”
I cut him off.
“Stop. Another word and it’s truly over.”
“...”
“I’m not like the people you’ve faced before. I act. I don’t stop at words. Every word carries weight. Your past opponents probably tried to bind you within the law.”
“I’ve been threatened by mafias. I didn’t yield to them either. And now just a—”
Rupert Murdoch was close to British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
He had bought his way into England by acquiring his first paper, then gradually dominated its press.
He had used his outlets to smear and topple politicians.
From Australia to Britain, he had grown into a kingmaker.
But he trusted his power too much.
“Just a...? Murdoch, the world now is beyond surprise. When terror strikes in the heart of America, who blinks at a car accident somewhere else?”
“Ha! Try me.”
So he thought it was just talk. Then I’d make the warning real.
“Tell Alex, one of them as planned—”
“Yes, Boss.”
Manager Ma left again. I drained the whiskey on the rocks I’d poured earlier.
My smile and Murdoch’s murderous glare crossed in the air.
Before Manager Ma returned, Murdoch’s phone rang.
“Answer it.”
I gestured. He still glared at me, spitting out,
“I don’t take calls during business.”
The composure was gone from his tone now.
“Answer. It’ll be important.”
