Mining And Construction Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 128

128. For the Mess (1)

Taesu leaves the terrace and heads to the main hall.

His mind starts racing.

‘To make a proper mess, there are quite a few people I need to meet.’

How should I set the stage?

How should I corner them?

How can I tie Jeon Du-ho and Han Cheong-ho together to screw them over?

‘Chief of Security Cha Gi-beom, Jang Mal-dong and Ahn Jeong-woo, reporters from Dongbang Ilbo [a fictional newspaper], and Kim Jae-guk, the deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and anti-Jeon Du-ho forces in the army.’

These are the people Taesu needs to set the stage.

‘Who should I meet first? Should I meet Jang Mal-dong or Cha Gi-beom first? I have no connection with Kim Jae-guk…….’

Taesu’s eyes grow deeper.

He didn’t expect Jeon Du-ho to interfere and try to sabotage the Taeyang Group.

‘I thought Jeon Du-ho would still be lying low, focusing on securing more power in the military. Is he starting to show his teeth?’

He notices subtle differences from his past life.

‘It seems the timing of Jeon Du-ho’s promotion from the commander of the 1st Division to the head of the Security Command is also a bit earlier.’

And also confronting Cha Gi-beom.

‘I thought he was more cautious in my previous life, so why is he suddenly flaunting his presence so openly?’

Even taking the form of reprimanding Taesu.

It’s a show to flaunt his presence.

To clearly imprint the figure of Jeon Du-ho on other people.

‘I’ll make you regret messing with me, Jeon Du-ho.’

He said he would destroy the Taeyang Group.

He said he would take the Taeyang Group and give it to Han Cheong-ho as a wedding gift for his sister.

Jeon Du-ho, who appeared as Han Cheong-ho’s in-law, unlike in his previous life.

‘Han Cheong-ho, why did you choose Jeon Du-ho this time?’

The ages of Jeon Du-ho’s children don’t match, so to think of taking Jeon Du-ho’s younger sibling as a son-in-law.

He doesn’t think it’s cowardly to solidify connections through marriage.

But he has questions.

‘Park Jeong-hwan also has a daughter. If he marries her off to Han Il-gwon, they could have a stronger relationship than now, so why Jeon Du-ho instead of Park Jeong-hwan?’

The target and timing of marrying off his daughter are different from his previous life.

Moreover, Jeon Du-ho’s promotion and flaunting of his presence are also slightly different from his previous life.

‘Is he trying to switch from Park Jeong-hwan to Jeon Du-ho?’

There’s no way he would make the current choice otherwise.

‘Why? He’s been maintaining a strong relationship with Park Jeong-hwan until now.’

Or is there another reason?

‘Hmm, I need to check the information separately.’

Jang Mal-dong, who also works as an information merchant, is the best for this.

Jang Mal-dong is probably among the people who attended the Geumsan Hotel.

Because he would have been invited as the president of Jangsu Bank.

Taesu searched the hall to find Jang Mal-dong.

‘He’s not on the 7th floor.’

Kim Gwang-rok, who had been waiting in the hallway, followed Taesu from behind.

“Who are you looking for?”

“The president of Jangsu Bank. Have you not seen him?”

“I think he went downstairs a while ago.”

Taesu immediately heads to the stairs leading to the floor below.

Kim Gwang-rok approached Taesu and tilted his head.

“Why are you suddenly looking for the president of Jangsu Bank?”

“I have something to ask him.”

On the stairs leading to the 5th floor, Taesu spotted a familiar person.

It was Park Gyeong-hye.

Taesu instinctively stopped in his tracks.

‘I stepped in shit.’

Let’s run.

Let’s run no matter what.

It was when Taesu was about to turn around.

“Who are you?”

“I am Kim Jae-guk, the deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Choi Tae-moon, what do you think you’re doing here? Let go of the Young Lady’s hand.”

Taesu, who was about to go back up the stairs, stopped walking.

Kim Gwang-rok also stopped walking and looked down.

‘Choi Tae-moon and Kim Jae-guk?’

If it’s Choi Tae-moon, are they talking about that pseudo-pastor?

The infamous swindler who approached Park Gyeong-hye, who was in despair after losing her mother, and extorted her of her interests?

Park Gyeong-hye glared at Kim Jae-guk.

“What is this rudeness?”

“Doesn’t this person not have an invitation, Young Lady?”

“He’s my partner. He’s also a benefactor who helped my mother.”

Benefactor?

Choi Tae-min is a benefactor who helped Oh Young-soon?

‘There was no such story in my previous life?’

It was interesting.

How did Choi Tae-moon become the benefactor of the First Lady?

Kim Jae-guk glared at Choi Tae-moon.

“I heard you’re doing strange things using the Young Lady? If you’re going to do pseudo-religious activities, do it alone. If you’re going to scam, do it alone. But you can’t drag the Young Lady into it.”

Park Gyeong-hye stood in front of Kim Jae-guk.

“It’s none of your business who I do what with. It’s not a strange activity either. You know why my father doesn’t say anything.”

Park Gyeong-hye raised her chin.

“Please arrange a flight to Tokyo. I need to go find my mother’s inheritance.”

As soon as those words were spoken, Choi Tae-moon’s eyes flashed.

That joyful look was greedy.

Taesu recognized it at once.

‘Choi Tae-moon’s goal is the First Lady’s inheritance.’

Otherwise, there’s no way that man’s eyes would turn so greedy.

“Did you just see that? That guy’s eyes changed. It seems like it’s not something to bring out carelessly.”

“That can’t be. You must have seen it wrong.”

Park Gyeong-hye was adamant.

“You know better than anyone that my mother secretly searched for her benefactor after returning from Japan.”

“Of course. I took on that mission and searched Japan and Korea.”

Kim Jae-guk glared at Choi Tae-moon and said.

“So I can be sure. Choi Tae-moon, that man has never been to Japan. He’s deceiving the Young Lady. That man is a henchman who frequents Han Cheong-ho’s house.”

For a while, the argument between Kim Jae-guk and Park Gyeong-hye continued.

Kim Jae-guk tried to stop her, but Park Gyeong-hye was adamant.

“Don’t stop me. I’m determined to fulfill my mother’s last request.”

Park Gyeong-hye left.

Taesu looked down from the stairs and pondered for a moment.

‘I knew it from Jang Mal-dong, but it feels different seeing it in person. Choi Tae-moon and Kim Jae-guk.’

Even at Cheongil Group, they were only seen as information.

‘Kim Jae-guk was furious about Choi Tae-moon using Park Gyeong-hye. I heard that even when he reported it to Park Jeong-hwan, it was always ignored.’

It was when Taesu had just joined Cheongil, so he doesn’t know the details.

‘Kim Jae-guk, the person First Lady Oh Young-soon trusted the most, and the person Oh Young-soon’s family is pushing.’

He also had a connection with Park Jeong-hwan, but the roots of the connection were more deeply intertwined with Oh Young-soon’s family.

If Park Jeong-hwan’s connection was stronger, Kim Jae-guk would be the head of the Central Intelligence Agency now, not Shin Ji-soo.

Moreover, wasn’t Shin Ji-soo Kim Jae-guk’s subordinate in the military?

‘Let’s summarize the situation I just heard.’

1. After returning from Tokyo, Oh Young-soon looked for her benefactor.

2. Oh Young-soon told her daughter about her benefactor and had Kim Jae-guk search Japan and Korea.

3. Choi Tae-moon is aiming for the item that is Oh Young-soon’s keepsake.

4. Han Cheong-ho and Choi Tae-moon are conspiring, and Choi Tae-moon is insisting that he is the benefactor.

5. Park Gyeong-hye is trying to hand over her mother’s keepsake to her benefactor.

6. If this continues, Oh Young-soon’s keepsake will be handed over to Han Cheong-ho through Choi Tae-moon’s hands.

The puzzle pieces are falling into place in his head one by one.

The conclusion has been reached.

‘Is Han Cheong-ho trying to take out Oh Young-soon’s keepsake by disguising Choi Tae-moon as the benefactor?’

If so, I can’t just stand by and watch.

Taesu signaled to Kim Gwang-rok.

Kim Gwang-rok immediately recognized it, nodded, and went up the stairs.

‘Good.’

Taesu went down the stairs.

Deliberately making noise with his footsteps.

Thump, thump.

Kim Jae-guk looks up the stairs.

He made eye contact with Taesu.

“Who are you?”

“I am Kang Taesu from Taeyang Group.”

Kim Jae-guk scrutinizes Taesu.

He is clearly trying to figure out if he heard the conversation with Park Gyeong-hye.

Taesu subtly took out a silver lighter with the Blue House [the South Korean president’s official residence] mark on it.

Kim Jae-guk’s eyes widened as he recognized the silver lighter.

“This is the President’s……!”

“You recognize it.”

Taesu put the lighter back in his pocket.

Kim Jae-guk’s eyes sink deeply.

“It’s not something to bring out carelessly, why are you showing it to me?”

The look in his eyes changes.

It was an eye filled with curiosity and admiration.

He clearly knows the value of that silver lighter.

“I would like to have a word with you.”

“Hmm.”

“When the First Lady told you to find her benefactor, did she happen to leave these words behind?”

Taesu whispered softly in Kim Jae-guk’s ear.

“The item in the vault has disappeared. Then what will happen to the person in charge, Han Cheong-ho?”

“……!”

That’s what she wrote on the paper that was kept in Park Jeong-hwan’s secret vault in Tokyo, Japan.

‘If Oh Young-soon found her benefactor, that would have been the only clue.’

The guess turned out to be true.

His reaction caused Kim Jae-guk’s eyes to tremble slightly.

“How do you know that……!”

“What do you think of these words?”

Taesu smiled slyly.

“Isn’t there enough reason to have a conversation?”

It was an undeniable reason.

* * *

It’s fortunate that the banquet was held at the Geumsan Hotel.

Because Taesu was staying at the Geumsan Hotel.

Kim Jae-guk entered Taesu’s hotel room.

“This is…….”

“This is the room I’m staying in for a while. Please, have a seat.”

It would be difficult if someone were to eavesdrop like Taesu.

That’s why Taesu led Kim Jae-guk into the hotel room.

“I’ll get straight to the point. Where and how did you hear those words?”

“It’s not words I heard from anywhere. It’s what I wrote on the paper.”

Kim Jae-guk clenches his fist tightly.

His eyes, which had been trembling slightly since earlier, tremble even more greatly with agitation.

“That can’t be!”

Kim Jae-guk couldn’t stand it and jumped up from his seat.

He paces around the room for a while, organizing his thoughts.

Taesu left him alone until his thoughts were organized.

While boiling water and brewing tea.

Pour, pour.

He pours well-brewed tea into a teacup.

He sits in a chair, drinks tea, and looks at Kim Jae-guk.

Finally, as if he has finished making up his mind, Kim Jae-guk looks straight at Taesu.

“Choi Tae-moon brought up the same words. But I didn’t believe him.”

“That’s probably what happened. He would have brought up plausible words to deceive the Young Lady.”

It’s not for nothing that he’s called the swindler of the century.

Kim Jae-guk laughs as if he’s dumbfounded.

“I’m telling you that I don’t believe you right now.”

“You’re suspecting that Choi Tae-moon and Han Cheong-ho are working together, aren’t you? But have I been frequenting Han Cheong-ho’s house?”

Kim Jae-guk, the deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency, knows better that Han Cheong-ho grinds his teeth at Kang Taesu.

“Does it look like I’m working with Han Cheong-ho in the eyes of the deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency?”

“Hmm…….”

I would rather believe that they are enemies.

Kim Jae-guk also knows how Kang Taesu smashes the back of Han Cheong-ho’s head.

The only person who Han Cheong-ho, who used to manipulate other chaebols [large family-owned business conglomerates], can’t do anything about is Kang Taesu.

This young man in front of Kim Jae-guk.

“The reason why Han Cheong-ho is instigating the Young Lady through Choi Tae-moon, the reason why I’m stepping forward in front of you now. What do you think it’s because of?”

Kim Jae-guk looked at Taesu and spat out the words like a groan.

“Are you claiming to be the First Lady’s benefactor?”

“That’s right.”

Kim Jae-guk closed his eyes.

“The First Lady and Han Cheong-ho were together in Japan. Han Cheong-ho also saw the words that the First Lady saw at that time.”

“But I wasn’t there.”

“Are you also aiming for the same thing as Han Cheong-ho?”

Suspecting everything is also fitting for the title of deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

“I can guess what Choi Tae-moon said while talking about going to Akajingko [likely a place in Tokyo].”

Kim Jae-guk’s eyes, which are exploring Taesu, are sharp.

“Han Cheong-ho also went to Akajingko, so it’s useless to talk about the same thing about it.”

The watchful eyes scan Taesu’s every move.

“Is this time you’re going to step forward and instigate the Young Lady? In the same way, using the word benefactor, like Han Cheong-ho did.”

“I don’t want to step in front of the Young Lady, so I met you.”

Why would I want to get shit on my life?

Getting involved with Park Gyeong-hye is like stepping in shit.

“I’ll show you the evidence.”

Taesu walked over and opened a drawer.

“The list of pro-Japanese collaborators and the list of assets in the vault were originally made by Han Cheong-ho, so Choi Tae-moon will have them too. Then how about this?”

The only document Taesu is holding in his hand.

“Did Choi Tae-moon have this too?”

Kim Jae-guk was speechless with his mouth wide open.