Genius Grandson Of The Loan Shark King

After finishing all my scheduled matters in North Korea, I returned to South Korea.

The agreement document in my hand was delivered to the Blue House through Chief Ma.

— President Kim. You’ve worked hard.

After reviewing the agreement I had sent over, Yoon Changho called me late at night.

“No, not at all. It’s all work I did for my own business.”

— That’s not true. What you’ve done benefits you, yes, but it also benefits our country. Once the oil pipeline and gas pipeline are completed, the people will be able to feel the effects directly. freeweɓnovel.cѳm

Compared to other countries, South Korea had low electricity and city gas fees.

That was because supply was handled through Korea Electric Power Corporation and the city gas corporations.

Since they supplied energy at prices lower than production costs, both public enterprises had been suffering from chronic deficits.

Once the oil pipeline and gas pipeline were completed and crude oil and natural gas could be supplied cheaply via Russia, those deficits could be reduced.

That was why Yoon Changho had called late at night to thank me for my hard work.

“I’ll accept the sentiment gratefully.”

— It’s fortunate that you’re on the same side as me. By the way, I hear you’re entering Japan tomorrow?

“Yes. I plan to discuss North Korea’s claims against Japan and the re-exploration of the Seventh Continental Shelf as well. If we’re not careful, they might try to drag things out again. I can’t trust the Japanese government. I’ve already heard that Chevron, which entered Korea this time, has been talking about re-exploring the Seventh Continental Shelf.”

— You mentioned this before. They won’t interfere, will they?

“I don’t know. For now, I plan to reach an agreement with Japan on the re-exploration as quickly as possible, then jointly assign the exploration to Russia’s Yugansk and America’s Chevron.”

— Russia and the United States, huh. Then China won’t be able to pull any nonsense.

If the United States and Russia both jumped into developing the Seventh Continental Shelf, it would become awkward for China to intervene.

“Yes. I’ll report back after finalizing the agreement in Japan.”

— I’ll speak with the embassy. If you need anything, use it freely.

“Yes, Mr. President.”

— It’s late. If you’re entering Japan tomorrow, you should get some rest. When you get back, stop by the Blue House. I’ll hang up now.

After ending the call with Yoon Changho, I left the study and went into the bedroom.

It looked like tomorrow would be another busy day.

* * *

The next day, I arrived at Haneda Airport.

With the help of the Korean ambassador to Japan, I was able to leave the airport quickly.

To think I would visit Japan again.

Memories of the hardships I’d endured there came back to me.

“Are you going straight to the Prime Minister’s Residence?”

Ambassador Han Ibong, who had been appointed as the ambassador to Japan this time, asked me.

“Yes. I plan to go straight there.”

“And the appointment has been arranged?”

I checked my wristwatch and smiled.

“There are about two hours left.”

“That’s a relief. Is there anything we can help you with?”

I shook my head.

I planned to pressure Prime Minister Koizumi and get what I wanted.

If the Korean ambassador were present, there was a high chance Koizumi would refuse my demands out of pride.

“No. I plan to meet him alone.”

Discomfort was written all over Ambassador Han Ibong’s face.

“Once the private meeting is over, I’ll share the results with you.”

When I said it as if doing him a favor, color finally returned to his face.

“Will you really do that?”

“Of course. You’re the Korean ambassador to Japan. I should tell you what was discussed.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re making too much of it. By the way, they rebuilt the Prime Minister’s Residence, didn’t they?”

“Yes. During the coup incident, the old residence was partially destroyed. We had been using another location temporarily. It hasn’t been long since the move to the new residence.”

I stopped walking and stood in front of the prepared vehicle.

“Then I’ll contact you later.”

“Yes. Please! Make sure you do.”

After shaking hands with the ambassador, I got into the car, and the vehicle carrying me soon departed.

I erased my expression and let out a sigh.

“I never thought I’d come back to Japan.”

After everything I’d been through, I’d thought I’d never want to set foot on this land again.

“It was chilling back then, wasn’t it?”

At my question, Chief Ma answered in his usual steady manner.

“I will make sure such a thing never happens again.”

“Who would have thought those lunatics would go that far. Fortunately, thanks to Russia’s help, we managed to get out safely.”

I briefly recalled the incident that had occurred in Japan.

The attack launched by the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office to arrest us—or rather, to kill us—had been a serious shock even to me.

Thankfully, with the help of mercenaries, we were able to evacuate to the Russian embassy and contact the Kremlin.

Russia responded to my request immediately by mobilizing its military to pressure Japan, and in the end, all those involved were arrested, bringing the matter to a close.

That was when I resolved to overturn Japan. I used every method at my disposal and eventually dragged Japan into a quagmire.

As a result, a coup that had never occurred in the original history took place, and the Prime Minister’s Residence was partially destroyed. It was a massive incident I could never erase from my mind.

“Boss. We’ll be arriving shortly.”

At Chief Ma’s words, I snapped out of my thoughts. After passing the inspection by the Metropolitan Police Department’s residence security unit guarding the Prime Minister’s Residence, we were allowed inside.

“They built it well.”

The newly constructed Prime Minister’s Residence was a low, horizontally long building that contrasted sharply with the surrounding high-rises.

After briefly looking around, I headed straight into the main building.

From the lobby onward, I could see civil servants bustling about. It was completely different from the atmosphere of the Blue House.

“President Kim Muhyuk?”

A man approached me.

“Yes. That’s me. Who might you be?”

“Hello. I’m Secretary Hashimoto. The Prime Minister has spoken of you often.”

He wasn’t the secretary I’d seen before.

“Ah, I see.”

“I’ll escort you. The Prime Minister is still working, so I apologize, but you’ll have to wait for a bit.”

“I arrived early, after all.”

I followed him into an elevator and went up to the fifth floor.

When we stepped out, another man was waiting for me.

“President Kim Muhyuk. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Ah, Chief Cabinet Secretary.”

It was Hosoda Hiroyuki, the Chief Cabinet Secretary and the second-in-command of the Koizumi cabinet.

“Why don’t we go to my office and talk until the Prime Minister finishes his work?”

At that, Secretary Hashimoto spoke with a troubled expression.

“This wasn’t on the schedule, Chief Cabinet Secretary.”

Secretary Hiroyuki scoffed at him.

“That’s right, it wasn’t scheduled. And since I’m saying I’ll meet him, are you going to stop me?”

“......I’ll inform the Prime Minister about this.”

“That’s my concern, not yours.”

“.......”

“Then off you go.”

After sending a sharp look toward the secretary, Secretary Hiroyuki turned his gaze to me.

As if his stiff demeanor until just now had been a lie, he smiled and spoke.

“If President Kim Muhyuk doesn’t mind, I’d be happy to keep you company.”

I had no reason to refuse.

“Sure. I have about an hour to spare, so that’s fortunate.”

“Then let’s go to my office.”

After signaling to the fidgeting secretary, I followed behind Secretary Hiroyuki with Chief Ma.

Once inside, Secretary Hiroyuki asked the accompanying secretary to bring tea, then looked at me with a smile.

“So I finally get to meet the much-talked-about President Kim Muhyuk.”

“Is that so? It seems you know quite a bit about me.”

“How many politicians do you think don’t know President Kim Muhyuk? Whether they like you or not.”

There was something peculiar about his tone. Given everything I’d done, I simply smiled and nodded.

“Well, I did turn Japan upside down. There’s no way they wouldn’t know.”

“I was planning to contact you separately at some point. You see, I’ve been selected as the head of the second-largest faction within the Liberal Democratic Party.”

“Is that so? Congratulations.”

I raised my eyebrows as if hearing it for the first time, though in truth I already knew.

Japan’s ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party, contained multiple factions even within itself.

Having ruled for decades, it was practically like an opposition party within the ruling party, with fierce power struggles between factions.

When the shadow figures in Japan who had been manipulating Cheongpunghoe disappeared, the largest faction within the LDP collapsed on its own.

Unlike in my previous life, there was no transfer of power to the opposition. Instead, the LDP split into two dominant factions: Koizumi’s faction and the Hiroyuki faction sitting before me.

Unlike Koizumi, whose position was already firmly established, Hiroyuki expanded his faction by absorbing forces opposing Koizumi.

Using that power, he rose to become Chief Cabinet Secretary, the second-in-command of the Koizumi cabinet. He was clearly ambitious.

Abe Shinzo, who would originally have led the largest faction, had already become a political non-entity.

“Haha. Thank you. It was only possible thanks to President Kim Muhyuk dancing the blade properly.”

“What did I really do? It was Prime Minister Koizumi who made the decisions.”

Secretary Hiroyuki gave a strange smile.

“Well, he has many strengths, but decisiveness isn’t one of them, is it? I had heard that President Kim Muhyuk played a major role. Was that wrong?”

The coup occurring outside the plan had surprised even me, but in the end, things had unfolded exactly as I intended.

“Well, it was all for my own benefit. I didn’t do it for Japan.”

“I know. Still, it’s a fact that it brought major changes to Japan’s political landscape.”

He was strangely deferential.

Talking in circles without revealing one’s true intentions wasn’t my style—unless there was a need for it.

“Do you have something you want to ask of me?”

Instead of answering, Hiroyuki smiled and lifted his teacup.

“Have a drink first. It’s brewed from good tea leaves.”

I followed his suggestion and took a sip.

“It’s good. Now, please get to the point.”

I hated wasting time.

As I set the teacup down, he spoke as if he had no choice.

“I have a relationship with Han Sungjin of Korea.”

“Han Sungjin?”

Han Sungjin. Han Sungjin......

Who was that again?

“The man who founded Heaven’s Church.”

“Ah.”

“Please help secure his release.”

“......Do I even have the authority to do that? If someone committed a crime, they should pay for it.”

“He’s not that kind of person.”

So Heaven’s Church’s main base really was in Japan. This was one hell of a fanatic.

“If it’s President Kim Muhyuk, I believe you can get him out quietly, whether through bail or a suspension of sentence.”

“Hasn’t the position of cult leader already passed to the third son, Han Hyunsoo?”

“Han Hyunsoo is not fit for that position.”

It seemed he was denying the legitimacy of Han Hyunsoo, who had taken over as the new leader.

“I understand that it was President Kim Muhyuk who brought him down. Is that not so?”

I nodded. He already seemed to know everything, so there was no reason to deny it.

“He tried to stab me in the back. It’s true I had him locked up together with Han Hyunsoo. If he hadn’t been guilty, I wouldn’t have been able to put him there in the first place.”

“Please get him out.”

“Is there a reason I should?”

“If he’s released, I intend to bring him to Japan so he can spend the rest of his life here. At his age, prison is no place to be.”

“It might be possible if I force it, but I don’t know. I don’t particularly want to. There’s no reason for me to.”

“You must do it.”

For the first time, the eyes of Hiroyuki—who had been smiling the entire time—glinted ominously.

This was exactly why you shouldn’t deal with people who fall into cults.

“I told you there’s no reason for me to do that. Why should I personally get someone out who tried to stab me in the back, with no benefit to myself?”

“If you [N O V E L I G H T] want to proceed with the re-exploration of the Seventh Continental Shelf, then release him. Otherwise, I intend to oppose it.”

What the hell was this lunatic saying?

“Prime Minister Koizumi and President Yoon Changho have already reached an agreement. Are you saying you’ll overturn that?”

“I have that much power. I may not be able to block it completely, but I can obstruct it enough to cause long-term trouble.”

“Chief Cabinet Secretary. Are you threatening me right now? Why reveal your ties to Heaven’s Church to me? Are you asking me to get the media to dig into it?”

If that happened, even Hiroyuki wouldn’t be able to escape easily.

A politician entangled with a cult. There was no better gossip than that.

“There are many who share my views. It won’t end just because I disappear.”

This was pointless.

There were really this many lunatics like him in the Japanese Diet?

“Ha......”

I pressed my fingers to my forehead and let out a deep sigh. I began to wonder why I had even come to Japan.

At that moment, the office door burst open.

“Hiroyuki, what are you doing right now? Why are you meeting my guest?”

Koizumi entered with a rigid expression, opening the door forcefully.