Free Web NovelThere was a chill in Cheon Jisoo's voice. I chose my words carefully before speaking.
“You saw Cheon Jiwon's press conference, right?”
— Yeah, I saw it. That crazy bastard. I seriously don't know whether he's sane or not.
“I need you to step in.”
Cheon Jisoo laughed briefly.
— You want me to step in? Why should I?
“Because that's how you survive.”
— Funny. Even now, you're threatening me.
“Cheon Jisoo.”
— Let me ask you one thing. Did you really kill our father?
“......”
— I know. There's no evidence. But... I think you did.
Either way, it was a headache. I let out a deep sigh.
“So what are you trying to say? Do you really think I'll collapse because of something like this?”
— No. If the great Kim Muhyuk could be destroyed by something this pathetic, you would've fallen long ago.
“Cheon Jiwon is just being used. He thinks he's taking revenge on me, but there are other forces behind him. I need you to tell the truth.”
— Tell the truth?
She repeated the words in disbelief, then laughed for quite some time.
— Hah. Fine. I'll do what you want. So what do I get?
Cheon Jisoo was still Cheon Jisoo.
Even in this situation, she was thinking about how to profit from it. A truly ambitious response.
“What do you want?”
— The land in Hanam. Give it to me.
“Hanam?”
Did I own land in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province?
— Yeah. Grandfather left it to you. Around five thousand pyeong.
“Hm...”
I wasn't particularly interested in it.
If I'd ignored it, then it probably wasn't very important.
— Then I'll do everything you ask.
“You're abandoning your own family, and that's enough?”
— You hate crossing the line. If I ask for anything bigger, you'll destroy not only Cheon Jiwon, but me and my mother too. So just give me that land.
She really had frightening instincts.
“Fine. I'll first check if I still own it and transfer it afterward. But why do you need it?”
— I plan to build a mixed-use shopping complex. More precisely, a place where families can spend time together freely. There's no land like that in Seoul, but it's close enough to the city.
Suddenly, a particular shopping complex came to mind.
But if I remembered correctly, projects like that wouldn't really begin for several more years.
She sure knew how to sniff out profitable businesses.
“Alright. I'll confirm ownership and transfer it to you.”
— Thanks. So what do I need to do?
“Hold a press conference yourself. Contact Myungsoo and reserve the National Assembly press room. They'll probably free one up for you even if they have to push someone else aside...”
I carefully explained what she had to do.
— That's all?
“Yeah. I don't want to be greedy.”
After hearing my firm answer, Cheon Jisoo didn't ask further questions.
No one was better at walking the tightrope than she was.
She understood exactly where my limits were.
Then again, that's how she managed to take over the department store and distribution divisions and become independent when Ilseong Group collapsed.
“I'm counting on you.”
— Don't worry. No one knows Cheon Jiwon better than I do.
I hung up. Manager Ma approached carefully.
“Boss. It seems you've convinced Miss Cheon Jisoo... but I think it would be wise to prepare another contingency plan, just in case.”
“That sounds right. She could change her mind.”
I nodded.
“Contact Eva and check on the progress with Bear Stearns. And tell Lorenze to report on his conversation with Marx.”
Manager Ma jotted down my instructions before asking,
“What about Choi Seohyeon and Cheon Jiwon?”
I thought for a moment.
“Choi Seohyeon... It'll be difficult to remove him directly. But pressure can be applied through people around him. Find someone among his family or close associates with a weakness.”
“And Cheon Jiwon?”
“Leave him alone for now. He'll probably disappear soon. Just make sure we know exactly where he is.”
“Understood, Boss.”
If Cheon Jisoo stepped forward, she could easily dismantle Cheon Jiwon's claims.
Cheon Jiwon and I were cousins.
But Cheon Jiwon and Cheon Jisoo were brother and sister.
Blood was thicker than water.
* * *
Choi Seohyeon called an emergency meeting.
Several close lawmakers and aides gathered in his campaign office.
“Hah... Our faction really has shrunk.”
One lawmaker sighed, and everyone else wore grim expressions.
“Forget it. We're already riding the tiger. Better to see how far we can go than jump off and break our necks.”
Choi Seohyeon waved his hand and looked toward one of his aides.
The aide immediately spoke.
“Cheon Jiwon's revelations achieved the effect we wanted to some degree. But Kim Muhyuk won't sit still.”
“Exactly. That's why we're meeting. Everyone, speak freely.”
Another aide voiced his opinion.
“Candidate Choi, Kim Muhyuk is highly likely to use Cheon Jisoo. No card is better than her when it comes to countering Cheon Jiwon's claims.”
“Would Cheon Jisoo really step in?”
“Whether she does or not, it's best to prepare countermeasures in advance.”
While Choi Seohyeon pondered, another lawmaker carefully offered his thoughts.
“We need to dig deeper into the father of Cheon Jiwon and Cheon Jisoo. There may still be truths that haven't been uncovered. Even the smallest trace could turn the tide.”
Choi Seohyeon's eyes lit up.
“Good idea. Start immediately. And prepare our media response. Also, keep a close watch on how Floor Leader Lee of the Centrist Party reacts.”
The meeting continued into the evening.
The next morning.
Choi Seohyeon secretly met with a Baltiche operative.
“Candidate Choi. We've obtained information regarding the phone call between Kim Muhyuk and Cheon Jisoo.”
He spoke quietly.
Choi Seohyeon's eyes widened.
“Really? What was said?”
“Kim Muhyuk asked Cheon Jisoo to deny Cheon Jiwon's accusations.”
Choi Seohyeon sank into thought.
“How should I use this...”
His phone suddenly rang.
It was his aide.
— Congressman! There's been a huge development. Cheon Jisoo just held a press conference.
After ending the call, Choi Seohyeon looked at the Baltiche agent.
“Do you have proof?”
“No. Unfortunately, we weren't able to record the call.”
“So there is no evidence.”
No physical proof.
Only circumstantial evidence.
If he acted recklessly, the backlash could destroy him instead.
“Fine. Contact me when you get more.”
“Yes. We were instructed to provide active support to your campaign.”
After thanking him, Choi Seohyeon hurried out of the café and climbed into his car.
“To party headquarters. Quickly.”
His car arrived, and he rushed to the party chairman's office.
“Candidate Choi.”
“Chairman, the press conference?”
“It's just beginning. Sit down.”
Choi Seohyeon sat.
On the television, Cheon Jisoo had just entered the National Assembly press room.
— I stand here today to tell the truth. My brother Cheon Jiwon's claims are false. Muhyuk...
Grinding his teeth, Choi Seohyeon glared at the television.
“So she accepted Kim Muhyuk's offer in the end.”
“What do you mean?”
“I've heard Kim Muhyuk spoke with Cheon Jisoo yesterday. He told her to hold a press conference and refute Cheon Jiwon's claims.”
“Is that true? Then we should gather the reporters immediately...”
Choi Seohyeon stopped the party chairman from reaching for the phone.
“We have no evidence. As long as Cheon Jiwon's and Cheon Jisoo's claims contradict one another, no one can turn either side into absolute truth.”
“Then what do we do? You have a plan, right?”
“We need to unify the party line first. Call an emergency assembly.”
The chairman wore a troubled expression.
“Candidate Choi, you know as well as I do. The party is already split apart. An emergency assembly won't unite anyone.”
“There are still many lawmakers staying neutral.”
“They'll support whoever wins. That's how they survive. Secure victory first. Everything else will follow naturally.”
The chairman subtly drew a line.
Realizing it, Choi Seohyeon glared at him.
The chairman avoided his gaze and awkwardly cleared his throat.
* * *
I watched Cheon Jisoo's press conference with satisfaction.
“She did even better than I expected.”
At that moment, Manager Ma rushed in.
“Boss, there's a problem.”
I frowned.
Seriously, why did new problems keep appearing?
“What happened?”
“They've postponed the decision regarding Bear Stearns' credit event until next month.”
My expression instantly hardened.
“What? How?”
“We're still gathering details, but it appears someone is blocking ISDA's decision behind the scenes.”
I let out a deep sigh and turned off the TV.
“Baltiche? Or the Fed and the U.S. government?”
After a moment's thought, I gave another order.
“Tell Lorenze to meet Marx as soon as possible.”
“Yes, Boss.”
I immediately took out my phone and called Eva.
— Boss! Are you alright?
“Yeah. I'm fine. More importantly, I heard ISDA keeps delaying the credit event?”
— Hah... I'm going crazy because of that. It really feels like someone is deliberately blocking it.
“Eva. Leak it to the press.”
She hesitated.
— Mm... Boss, if we do that, my identity might be exposed.
“If they drag this out, our whole plan will turn into a disaster. Better to force things forward.”
— You're right. Got it. I'll have the representatives coordinate interviews and prepare lawsuits.
“ISDA fears lawsuits too. The moment trust in ISDA collapses, the derivatives market dies with it.”
— I'll start immediately.
After finishing the call, I stood up.
I desperately wanted a drink.
Taking a bottle from the whiskey cabinet, I was greeted by perfect timing.
Han Kyungyeong had returned.
“Oh? Drinking again? You've been drinking a lot lately.”
I nodded and returned to my seat.
“Then let's drink together. °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° Don't sit around drinking alone like some pathetic old man.”
Han Kyungyeong threw his jacket onto the sofa and sat down.
As I poured whiskey, I asked,
“You heard about ISDA delaying things?”
“I came straight here after hearing it.”
“Who do you think is behind it?”
“No matter how powerful Baltiche is, they can't control ISDA. Honestly, only the U.S. government or the Fed could.”
ISDA, the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, handled over-the-counter derivatives.
Most OTC trades were private agreements between individuals and corporations.
Nearly all products that couldn't be traded on exchanges relied on ISDA's master agreements and annexes.
Its independence was essential.
Without it, no one would trust such inherently unstable transactions.
But no matter how independent the organization was, it couldn't ignore the influence of the United States and the Federal Reserve.
“I think so too. But I don't understand why the Fed and the government are going this far.”
If trust in ISDA collapsed, the subprime crisis would look like a gentle breeze by comparison.
Confidence in all derivatives would disappear.
The market itself would collapse.
“What should we do? Want me to step in personally?”
Han Kyungyeong raised his glass.
“Mm... no. I'll handle this myself.”
“Aren't your movements restricted because of the allegations in Korea?”
“That's only in Korea. America doesn't really care.”
“Alright. Then what about me?”
“Meet the Fed chairman one more time. I'll meet the Secretary of State.”
Han Kyungyeong took a sip and nodded.
“If they keep dragging this out, we'll detonate every derivative position we have. Not squeeze them slowly. We'll destroy the market itself.”
“Muhyuk... that's too risky, even for us.”
I set down my glass and smiled.
“You need to bring at least that much to the table.”
I could no longer afford to rely solely on moderate methods.
