Mining And Construction Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 160

Internal Discord (5)

Cha Gi-beom reveals his greed.

Han Cheong-ho fuels it further.

“Don’t you feel it now that Chief Secretary Kim Jeong-rim is gone?”

He feels it.

Immediately, ministers and vice-ministers are watching Cha Gi-beom, careful not to offend him.

Those who used to see Cha Gi-beom as a thorn in their side are especially anxious.

“How does it feel to have pushed out Commander of the Security Command, Jeon Doo-ho?”

It feels like the world is his.

Army Chief of Staff Lee Se-hoo, who used to ignore him for not being from the military academy, calls him first.

From the First Field Army Commander to the Capital Defense Commander.

All bow their heads before Cha Gi-beom.

“Who could possibly threaten Chief Cha’s position? The Central Intelligence Agency?”

Impossible.

The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Shin Ji-soo, rushes to Cha Gi-beom at the mere sound of his phone call.

“Chief Cha, your world has arrived. And I helped you with that.”

It’s exhilarating.

He wonders if this is the taste of power.

Cha Gi-beom nodded.

“Chairman Han certainly used a lot of influence.”

Cha Gi-beom felt very pleased.

Before he knew it, the way he addressed him changed from ‘you’ to ‘Chairman Han’.

“Keep helping me like this in the future.”

“Of course.”

They exchanged drinks back and forth.

Han Cheong-ho said with a smile.

“How are the President’s senses?”

Cha Gi-beom knew why he was subtly trying to gauge Park Jeong-hwan’s state.

“What about the President? Is he still clinging to false hope?”

“Ah, no.”

Park Jeong-hwan has been repeatedly rejecting Han Cheong-ho’s requests for a meeting.

No, Cha Gi-beom has been blocking the meeting requests.

“Does it sound like you don’t trust me?”

When Cha Gi-beom frowned, Han Cheong-ho quickly refilled his glass and tried to appease him.

“You misunderstand. I meant, is it possible that the President has caught wind of our plan…?”

“Ah, that’s what you meant.”

Cha Gi-beom chuckled.

“The wall of people is scarier than you think.”

This was why Cha Gi-beom was able to monopolize power after pushing out Kim Jeong-rim.

‘Three men make a tiger’ [the power of rumor and collective misinformation] is not an empty saying.

“I’m filtering the information that reaches Park Jeong-hwan’s ears. How could he possibly know?”

Before he knew it, even the title of ‘President’ had disappeared.

“Then I’m relieved. I know that Chief Cha is not one to remain humble forever.”

Cha Gi-beom didn’t deny it.

He simply drank his wine with a satisfied expression.

“Frankly, it’s not like the President is sitting in that position because he’s a great hero, is he?”

That’s right.

“If Chief Cha hadn’t risked his life to protect the President, wouldn’t he have been removed from that position a long time ago?”

That’s also right.

Cha Gi-beom smiled contentedly and downed his drink in one gulp.

Han Cheong-ho quickly refilled his glass.

“What are you planning to do with Kang Tae-soo?”

When Han Cheong-ho asked subtly, Cha Gi-beom smiled meaningfully.

“Why? Are you upset that I took his side?”

“Of course not. Who doesn’t know that Chief Cha is deliberately indulging that little brat?”

Kang Tae-soo.

“That guy, he’s smart.”

“Too much so. Don’t you think?”

“He’s got guts, and his skills are extraordinary.”

“He’s the one who drove Han Cheong-ho this far, so he must be quite something. But still…”

Han Cheong-ho smiled wryly.

“Age isn’t just for show. He’s still just a kid. He’s no match for Chief Cha or me.”

Cha Gi-beom also smiled wryly.

“How can I compare a kid who’s just showing off, relying on his smarts, to you?”

For the first time, Cha Gi-beom offered Han Cheong-ho a drink first.

Han Cheong-ho quickly and respectfully raised his glass.

Pouring.

“You will never regret choosing me over Kang Tae-soo.”

“Of course.”

If he thought he would regret it, he wouldn’t have come to this place.

“Park Jeong-hwan may have acknowledged him, but I don’t. I won’t let that guy’s stiff knees off the hook [won’t let him get away easily].”

Park Jeong-hwan may have let him off the hook with that measly 1 billion, but I’m different.

He craved a cigarette.

Cha Gi-beom took out a cigarette from his pocket.

Han Cheong-ho quickly lit Cha Gi-beom’s cigarette.

Cha Gi-beom chuckled as he looked at the lighter in Han Cheong-ho’s hand.

“The lighter Kang Tae-soo received is something Park Jeong-hwan cherishes, something he doesn’t want to part with.”

Park Jeong-hwan’s lighter.

He gave the lighter to Kang Tae-soo, but not to Cha Gi-beom.

Park Jeong-hwan cherished it so much that he kept it for years.

“I never thought Park Jeong-hwan would put it in Kang Tae-soo’s hands, not even Jeon Doo-ho’s.”

It was a symbol of Park Jeong-hwan’s favor.

Cha Gi-beom used to feel pride every time he took out the lighter from his pocket.

But Park Jeong-hwan took the lighter from him without hesitation and gave it to Kang Tae-soo.

He gritted his teeth in anger.

“I don’t want to see that arrogant brat running around like a loose cannon anymore.”

It was jealousy.

It was a sense of crisis.

The more Tae-soo was recognized by Park Jeong-hwan, the more twisted Cha Gi-beom’s heart became.

‘I’ve risked my life and devoted my loyalty, but what’s so great about that guy?’

His disappointment in Park Jeong-hwan turned into resentment.

And that resentment was now turning into greed.

“Hoo-”

He exhaled cigarette smoke and fell into reminiscence.

“Park Jeong-hwan said, ‘Once you get your hands on it, you can’t quit: cigarettes and power.'”

Cha Gi-beom has also tasted the power, so what can he do?

Power is not something to be shared, even between parents and children, so what can he do?

“Park Jeong-hwan has been doing it for 10 years; he should step down now.”

Cha Gi-beom stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray.

The cigarette, barely half-smoked, was brutally crushed.

“It would taste great if Chief Cha sat in the President’s office and smoked a cigarette with that lighter.”

“I should do that.”

The drinking party continued with laughter.

* * *

Tae-soo drank in silence.

While pouring the liquor, Ahn So-jeong glared at the next room with a fierce look.

The thin paper door seemed to be pierced by her gaze.

-After Park Jeong-hwan, it’s Kang Tae-soo’s turn. I won’t drag him down gently. I’ll crush him mercilessly.

-Hahaha, I’m looking forward to that.

Angered, she put down the liquor bottle and tried to get up.

But Tae-soo grabbed her wrist.

Tae-soo quietly shook his head.

They shouldn’t open the paper door first after hearing noises from the next room.

‘Being caught would do more harm than good.’

Since they overheard important information, he had no intention of giving up the advantage of that information.

‘Kindness for kindness, malice for malice, betrayal for betrayal. I’ll just repay more than I received.’

After all, wasn’t it a relationship tied together by mutual interests from the beginning?

Betrayal is commonplace in this world.

Tae-soo wasn’t one to get excited about something like this.

‘I can finally end my long 고민 [worry/trouble]. I actually feel relieved.’

-What should be done with Cha Gi-beom?

That was the question that made Tae-soo 고민 [worry/trouble].

‘Jeon Doo-ho directly confronted me, but Cha Gi-beom helped me several times.’

Tae-soo often 고민 [worried] about Cha Gi-beom’s treatment.

Wasn’t the 거사 [operation/undertaking] targeting Park Jeong-hwan and Jeon Doo-ho?

It was natural that Cha Gi-beom, Park Jeong-hwan’s 충복 [loyal servant], would be involved.

Should he take separate measures to safely extract him?

Or should he stand by and watch, even if Cha Gi-beom gets involved?

Or should he actively eliminate Cha Gi-beom, citing his actions in his past life, etc.

‘It was all useless 고민 [worrying].’

He remembered when he first met Cha Gi-beom in the president’s office of Pohang Steel.

Park Tae-jong, Jang Joon-yong, and Tae-soo sat on one side, and Kim Jeong-rim and Han Cheong-ho sat across from them.

In the center seat was Park Jeong-hwan, and behind him stood Cha Gi-beom.

‘I’ve always wondered. Which side is Cha Gi-beom really on?’

He had doubts from the moment they readily agreed to send special agents to Saudi Arabia.

Since then, he had been kind to Tae-soo, but mostly only when Cha Gi-beom’s interests were the same.

He didn’t actively demand anything from Tae-soo, nor did he take any opposing actions.

‘Cha Gi-beom, who was standing behind Park Jeong-hwan, simply chose to sit in the 상석 [seat of honor] instead of Park Jeong-hwan. And promised Han Cheong-ho the position on Cha Gi-beom’s right.’

It’s better because the result is clean.

‘He had ulterior motives. He wasn’t satisfied with watching the relationship between Han Cheong-ho and me and manipulating things from behind Park Jeong-hwan?’

Cha Gi-beom was already blinded by power.

In his past life, he never let go of his loyalty to Park Jeong-hwan.

But listening to him talk to Han Cheong-ho, it seems he won’t choose loyalty this time.

‘Now that Cha Gi-beom has decided to be hostile to me, I’ll have to respond in kind.’

Now that he’s made up his mind, he naturally feels relieved.

But it seems that Ahn So-jeong doesn’t feel the same way.

She was biting her pretty lips and clenching her fists tightly.

It seemed that her beautifully manicured long nails were already digging into her skin.

‘She’s going to hurt herself.’

Tae-soo silently unfolded her clenched fingers one by one and pulled her biting lips away.

Ahn So-jeong looked at Tae-soo with a surprised expression.

Clunk.

Tae-soo placed a porcelain 술잔 [alcohol cup] in her hand.

It was the 술 [alcohol] that she had poured for Tae-soo earlier.

Ahn So-jeong looked back and forth between Tae-soo and the 술잔 [alcohol cup] for a moment.

She drank the 술 [alcohol] in one gulp.

Clack.

She snatched the 술병 [alcohol bottle] from Tae-soo’s hand and put it back on the table.

Ahn So-jeong approached Tae-soo on her knees.

She carefully covered Tae-soo’s ears with both hands.

They were cold hands.

“Don’t listen,” she whispered softly in Tae-soo’s ear.

“Let’s drink as much as we want together. I want to drink properly today too.”

Tae-soo looked up at Ahn So-jeong.

She was smiling bitterly.

Her bitten lips were particularly red.

* * *

The night was deep.

Cha Gi-beom and Han Cheong-ho, as well as the people clearing away the 술상 [table setting for alcohol], had all left.

The 국빈관 [state guest house] room where Tae-soo and Ahn So-jeong were sitting was utterly silent.

Clink.

Without 안주 [food to eat while drinking], without conversation.

Ahn So-jeong quietly filled the empty 술잔 [alcohol cup].

-I won’t bother you. Think about it enough. It’s an important matter.

That’s because she said this first.

She kept filling Tae-soo’s 술잔 [alcohol cup] next to him and drank 술 [alcohol] at Tae-soo’s pace.

Thanks to that, Tae-soo was able to concentrate on his thoughts.

Suddenly, Tae-soo put down his 술잔 [alcohol cup].

“Are you okay? You seem very drunk.”

“A little. But I’m okay.”

In fact, Ahn So-jeong was very drunk.

That’s because it was too much for her to keep up with Tae-soo’s 주량 [alcohol tolerance].

Only then did Tae-soo realize that.

“You don’t have to push yourself so hard.”

“We decided to drink together, as much as we want, properly.”

“Let’s drink moderately.”

He hadn’t thought about Ahn So-jeong because his mind was complicated with other things.

Tae-soo took the 술잔 [alcohol cup] from Ahn So-jeong’s hand.

She stared blankly at Tae-soo.

Now that she was drunk, she finally had the courage.

“You’re not in a good mood, are you?”

Tae-soo looked up at Ahn So-jeong.

She had a very somber expression on her face.

“I set up this meeting because I thought you wouldn’t believe me.”

“You did well.”

Seeing is believing.

If she had suddenly reported that Cha Gi-beom had joined hands with Han Cheong-ho, most people wouldn’t have believed it.

-There’s no way!

-What’s the evidence? Witnesses?

-Starting with slander out of the blue. How vicious.

That’s usually the reaction to betrayal.

Since there was a good opportunity, Ahn So-jeong deliberately brought Tae-soo here.

It was meant for him to see and hear for himself and make a judgment.

That’s much more effective than persuasion.

“But seeing that look on your face, I think I did something unnecessary.”

“What’s my expression like?”

“You have a very complicated and scary expression on your face. Like you’re going to kill Cha Gi-beom and Han Cheong-ho.”

He had thought about that.

Because he was 고민 [worrying] about how to proceed with the 거사 [operation/undertaking] more effectively.

Many people will probably die and get hurt.

But he couldn’t be so honest about it.

“I didn’t know you would be so distressed that you would drink 술 [alcohol] for this long. The wound of betrayal is painful for everyone. I was careless.”

Tae-soo chuckled.

“Betrayal?”

배신 (Baeshin) [Betrayal].

It means turning one’s back on 신의 [trust/faith].

“I didn’t believe him in the first place.”

So can it be called betrayal?

“If I had believed Cha Gi-beom, I would have offered him an alliance.”

Like he did to Rahman Jang Joon-yong and Ahn Jeong-woo.

But Tae-soo did not offer Cha Gi-beom an alliance.

‘I already knew that Cha Gi-beom hadn’t given the evidence to Park Jeong-hwan.’