Mining And Construction Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 159

Ah So-jung couldn’t help but admire him inwardly.

‘He’s a really smart man.’

A man who infers ten things from one.

A man who grasps the situation in an instant.

‘It’s good that I don’t have to explain everything in detail.’

I like that.

Ah So-jung gazed at Tae-soo.

‘So that’s why Geumsan’s precious daughter fell head over heels.’

Jang Seo-yeon is the daughter of Geumsan Group, ranked 6th in the business world.

And the youngest daughter who receives a lot of love from her father.

Wasn’t she the one who stole the hearts of many men with her noble appearance, earning the nickname ‘flower on a cliff?’

But what was the look in her eyes when she looked at Tae-soo?

Favor, goodwill, interest, admiration.

‘I don’t like it. That look in Jang Seo-yeon’s eyes.’

That’s why.

She did something unlike herself.

‘Hmm, honestly, I felt resistant when Grandpa Jang kept pushing me to get married.’

Jang Mal-dong said, nagging as if trying to brainwash her.

Praise is only good once or twice, but he kept bringing up marriage every time he saw her, so she felt resentful.

But the more she saw Tae-soo in person, the more she understood why Grandpa Jang was so anxious.

‘I want this man.’

This was the first time she felt this way.

Possessiveness, desire for ownership, even jealousy.

She didn’t know what to call that feeling.

‘I don’t want to lose him to Jang Seo-yeon.’

Ah So-jung only looked at Tae-soo intently.

So how could she properly eat her rice?

Tae-soo picked up a piece of meat and placed it in Ah So-jung’s rice bowl.

“You must be hungry, why aren’t you eating?”

“Ah……”

“Eat a lot.”

Tae-soo drank the *cheongju* [refined rice wine] that Ah So-jung poured.

Ah So-jung picked up the *cheongju* pitcher and refilled Tae-soo’s glass.

“Shall I clear the table and bring out some side dishes to go with the drinks?”

“After I see you finish eating.”

Tae-soo answered nonchalantly and put another pancake in Ah So-jung’s rice bowl.

“Your cooking skills are very good.”

Ah So-jung felt her face flush.

All the food at Daewoon Pavilion passed through her hands.

For some reason, this made her heart flutter.

Ah So-jung didn’t know what to do and sipped her *cheongju*.

“Do you drink often?”

“Not really.”

“Then drink slowly. A glass of warm wine savored is medicine, but wine drunk in haste is poison.”

Tae-soo smiled and lifted his glass to smell the aroma.

“The aroma is very good. I’m being treated well, thanks to you.”

Everything at Daewoon Pavilion is top-notch.

The wine served this time was also a top-quality traditional wine.

Ah So-jung was speechless for a moment and stared blankly at Tae-soo.

She put down her chopsticks and said.

“I’ll bring out some side dishes for drinks. Drinking with a man who knows how to drink seems better than eating.”

As she called out, the Daewoon Pavilion employees quickly cleared the table.

And a small table setting for drinks was brought in instead.

As the employee set down the table and retreated, they whispered something in Ah So-jung’s ear.

Ah So-jung filled Tae-soo’s glass and said.

“Han Cheong-ho has arrived and is coming here.”

* * *

Han Cheong-ho received the table setting for drinks and emptied his glass repeatedly with an anxious mind.

‘Cha Ki-beom.’

He is the man who has been blocking meetings with President Park Jung-hwan until now.

‘He knows how much trouble I’m in because of the rumors, but he pretends not to know.’

Not only that.

‘He also pressured Jeon Doo-ho and blocked corporate loans under the pretext of military funds.’

Thanks to that, Cheongil’s funding was cut off.

Furthermore, because Cha Ki-beom appeared at the Hankyung Federation [a major business lobby group] and exerted pressure, even the position of the next chairman of the Hankyung Federation was out of the question.

‘I know why he’s cornering me in collusion with Kang Tae-soo. I can’t help but feel resentful even though I know.’

But why was Han Cheong-ho meeting Cha Ki-beom at this hour?

It was then.

“You were here first.”

Creak.

With the sound of the door opening, Cha Ki-beom appeared.

His gaze towards Han Cheong-ho was devoid of emotion.

Han Cheong-ho swallowed hard.

“Please, sit down.”

“Is there a need for a long talk? Let’s get straight to the point.”

It was a cold attitude.

But Han Cheong-ho smiled.

He handed over a piece of paper with a polite attitude.

“This is the list of names you requested.”

“Hmm.”

“The members of the Oseong Society [a secret military society] in the Capital Defense Command end with them.”

“Good.”

Han Cheong-ho handed over the Oseong Society membership list to Cha Ki-beom.

The list, written on only one sheet of paper, contained a total of 12 people.

The reason why Cha Ki-beom singled out only the Oseong Society members was precisely this.

“With this, the safety of the capital is guaranteed.”

“From the beginning, it doesn’t make sense for private organizations to be rampant in the military. It’s outrageous that those who should protect the capital are threatening it.”

Cha Ki-beom read the names and positions written on the paper with a fierce gaze.

Han Cheong-ho said subtly.

“What about the gangsters who were caught by the Central Intelligence Agency this time?”

“The guys that Kim Jae-guk, the Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, caught?”

The Central Intelligence Agency cracked down on the gangsters at the Gukbin Hall and obtained all the evidence of the crime.

Deputy Director Kim Jae-guk is directly interrogating the Gukbin Hall gangsters.

“Yes, those guys keep dragging my son into it, which is driving me crazy. Chief Secretary Cha, please do something about it.”

“You want me to cover up for your son?”

“Everything those guys say is slander. What does my son lack that he would hang out with those guys? He’s busy learning the company’s work.”

“You know better than anyone that Kim Jae-guk isn’t one to make up things.”

Without a bribe?

That’s how it sounded to Han Cheong-ho.

“Who would believe the words of gangsters? I think I can change the slander against the 12 members of the Oseong Society and my son.”

Cha Ki-beom folded the paper with the names of the 12 Oseong Society members and put it in his pocket.

“I will.”

An order would be issued from the Blue House [the South Korean presidential residence] to the Central Intelligence Agency.

To stop and wrap up the interrogation related to the Gukbin Hall gangsters.

Han Cheong-ho took out another piece of paper from his pocket.

“This is a list of people who gave military funds to Commander Jeon Doo-ho this time.”

“What kind of favor are you trying to ask for again?”

Even as he said that, Cha Ki-beom reached out his hand.

Han Cheong-ho raised the paper with both hands politely.

“Ha……”

Cha Ki-beom chuckled after confirming the names written on the military fund list.

“Kim Jung-rim gave money to Jeon Doo-ho? That bastard still hasn’t come to his senses.”

He found the name of Kim Jung-rim, the former Chief of Staff of the Blue House, at the top.

Cha Ki-beom smiled, twisting his lips.

“Defeated people should be silent. If they don’t know gratitude and scheme behind the scenes like this, there’s no point in letting them go unharmed.”

A dog that loses a fight should tuck its tail and run away.

Kim Jung-rim should have given up his ambition when he was kicked out of the Chief of Staff position.

Instead of lingering around Jeon Doo-ho like this.

Cha Ki-beom folded the paper and put it in his pocket.

Han Cheong-ho subtly said.

“These days, His Excellency seems to have a complicated mind because of a strange newspaper.”

“That’s not something you should be concerned about.”

“How can I not be concerned? That strange newspaper is slandering me and the First Lady.”

Cha Ki-beom laughed coldly.

“Slander?”

He emptied his glass again in one gulp and sneered.

“Only His Excellency doesn’t know that it’s not slander.”

Cha Ki-beom subtly said.

“The decisive evidence that Kang Tae-soo gave you didn’t reach His Excellency, so how would His Excellency know?”

“Hahaha, it’s all thanks to Chief Secretary Cha’s timely intervention. I’m still grateful for that.”

Han Cheong-ho had previously tried to alienate Park Jung-hwan and Tae-soo.

It was to block all bank loans and investments before Tae-soo’s group was launched.

-Kang Tae-soo received oil rights from the Saudi Arabian Minister of Defense for conveying His Excellency’s weaknesses.

-Han Cheong-ho offered Cheongil Heavy Industries to cover up His Excellency’s weaknesses due to Kang Tae-soo’s threats.

-Kang Tae-soo handed over decisive evidence that Han Cheong-ho’s words were false to Cha Ki-beom, but Park Jung-hwan never met Tae-soo.

This was what Tae-soo knew.

But Han Cheong-ho and Cha Ki-beom were saying something different.

Cha Ki-beom drank and laughed.

“You know, if Kang Tae-soo hadn’t given it to me and had passed it on to someone else, how would His Excellency have reacted?”

“What would we have done if Chief Secretary Cha hadn’t been there? You are Cheongil’s benefactor.”

Han Cheong-ho also laughed heartily as he drank.

“Chief Secretary Cha, you should recognize my contribution too. I was the one who got Kim Jung-rim removed from his position.”

“I know.”

Cha Ki-beom and Kim Jung-rim.

The Chief of the Presidential Security Service and the Chief of Staff to the President.

Han Cheong-ho, who had one foot on each side, completely switched sides as soon as Kim Jung-rim’s ship began to sink.

It was a waste of the effort he had put in, but what could he do?

‘When making important decisions, you should never consider sunk costs.’

If you regret sunk costs, you will be dragged down and ruined by those who are sinking without thinking.

‘There are no enemies or friends in politics. If you try to recover the money you’ve invested, you’re bound to fail.’

Han Cheong-ho boldly abandoned Kim Jung-rim.

And he joined hands with Cha Ki-beom.

While selling the names of Jeon Doo-ho and fellow companies.

“Move the banks to restrict Cheongil’s loans……”

“No.”

Cha Ki-beom refused firmly.

“His Excellency has also agreed to it.”

How could Han Cheong-ho not know that Cha Ki-beom was doing this with Park Jung-hwan’s backing?

But Han Cheong-ho did not complain.

Instead, he said more subtly.

“We lack the funds to build the Cheongil Hotel. If you want me to carry out Chief Secretary Cha’s orders, you need to give me some breathing room, don’t you think?”

“That’s none of my business.”

Cha Ki-beom cut him off.

“I’m telling you to carry out the promise you made to His Excellency. Don’t complain and proceed.”

It’s not working.

Han Cheong-ho knows why Cha Ki-beom is acting like this.

“Chief Secretary Cha, isn’t it enough to tame Cheongil by now?”

A series of actions that Cha Ki-beom is carrying out in collaboration with Kang Tae-soo of the Tae Yang Group.

It’s exactly the same thing that Park Jung-hwan did when he granted Han Cheong-ho’s request to tame Kang Tae-soo.

-Why is Cha Ki-beom trying to tame Han Cheong-ho?

What that means is one thing.

-Cha Ki-beom wants to use Han Cheong-ho importantly.

That was the reason why Park Jung-hwan went out of his way to try to break Tae-soo’s spirit.

If it wasn’t Tae-soo but another conglomerate that was launching, would Park Jung-hwan have acted like that?

No.

He put in the effort to break his spirit in advance and keep him by his side to use him.

Cha Ki-beom was the same.

“I’m prostrating myself before Chief Secretary Cha like this. So please be considerate.”

Cha Ki-beom slammed his glass down with a thud.

“You dare to plant a spy in the Security Service?”

That was the reason why Cha Ki-beom was treating Han Cheong-ho coldly.

“How much did you look down on me to commit such an act?”

“You’re misunderstanding.”

Han Cheong-ho was shameless.

He fills Cha Ki-beom’s empty glass with alcohol.

“I was just dangling bait in front of them. That’s how you test loyalty.”

The sweet tongue whispers like a devil.

“Is there any guarantee that someone who has been swayed by me and changed their mind won’t be swayed by someone else?”

Still, it’s infuriating.

“I separately selected those who betrayed me and willingly offered them to Chief Secretary Cha. Are there any other companies that have voluntarily paid taxes like me?”

No.

It was only Han Cheong-ho.

Han Cheong-ho acted like a tongue in Cha Ki-beom’s mouth.

There was no one who knew what Cha Ki-beom wanted better than Han Cheong-ho.

“There are many who want to plant eyes and ears in the Security Service. They can’t do it because they don’t have the ability, not because they don’t have the desire.”

The closer you are to Park Jung-hwan, the greater your power in this world.

It’s only natural that those who aim for the bodyguards who are closely attached to Park Jung-hwan will emerge.

“Thanks to me, only those who are loyal to Chief Secretary Cha have been selected this time, so now Chief Secretary Cha doesn’t have to worry about anything. You only need to look at one person.”

The only person Cha Ki-beom has to worry about now is one person.

The absolute power, Park Jung-hwan.

A strange desire flickered in Cha Ki-beom’s eyes.

‘Only one person. How long do I have to live looking only at Park Jung-hwan?’

If you’re a man, you should risk your life to take the top spot.

He covets Park Jung-hwan’s position.

“We’re almost there. Who else can keep Chief Secretary Cha in check now?”

No one.

Only Park Jung-hwan.

But is Cha Ki-beom’s life ultimately in Park Jung-hwan’s hands?

A strange longing is reflected in Cha Ki-beom’s eyes.

The monopolized power was so sweet that he couldn’t come to his senses.