Perfect World [EN]: Chapter 436

438

“Vice Chairman Lewis, Mr. Beomsuk is right. The fierce battles between factions during the World Cup host city selection process in the past had many negative side effects.

Because the large factions unilaterally pushed for specific regions through collusion, the regions of the smaller factions, on the other hand, couldn’t obtain the World Cup host rights, and this caused severe discord between the local governments and the Federal Pro Gladiator community. So, after much deliberation, we promised to maintain neutrality by gathering the consensus of all factions. In fact, I am in a position to stop Vice Chairman Lewis’s recent actions, not to join hands with him.”

Because it was a fundamental argument, Lewis couldn’t dare to express any objection to this point. However, he had already anticipated this. He knew that Avon would use this justification, so there was no way he wouldn’t be prepared. Besides, he actually wanted the neutrality justification to become an issue.

“Of course, I am aware of that point as well. That’s why I am thoroughly complying with it.”

“Are you coming forward like this while complying?”

“But can’t I come forward as an individual? I am working as a member of the Arkan Bidding Committee at the request of my friend, Chairman Chaplin. In other words, I am only coming forward personally, and I want to say that I am not coming forward in the name of a faction.”

Beomsuk, thinking that he was indeed Vice Chairman Lewis, shook his head. He realized that Lewis had already prepared for this. However, if he backed down here, there was a high possibility that he would lose Chairman Ibrahim’s vote. It was necessary to refute and continue the conversation in a way that would benefit him.

“Vice Chairman Lewis, I fully sympathize with what you’re saying, but you are a pivotal executive of the Federal Pro Gladiator Association and lead a large faction. No matter how much you wear the Arkan Bidding Committee badge, the essence doesn’t change. Frankly, it looks like a trick to me.”

“A trick? What grounds do you have for saying that?”

“Isn’t it obvious? If this becomes a precedent, all factions will collude and plot again to select regions that suit their tastes.”

“Huhu. Isn’t that a bit of a stretch?”

“Absolutely not. Why? Because, like what you did this time, you just have to wear the bidding committee badge of the relevant region. For example, imagine Chairman Ibrahim, who is sitting here, becoming a member of our Avon Bidding Committee and actively working for Avon. Could Arkan have gained an advantage in this selection process? Your current behavior is just trying to deceive yourself and others.”

After saying that, Beomsuk immediately looked at Ibrahim and said,

“Chairman Ibrahim, I think it is a very good precedent for the Federal Pro Gladiator Association to maintain neutrality in the World Cup selection process. Thanks to this, conflicts between local communities and the pro gladiator community have decreased. Therefore, I think it is necessary to issue a stern warning to the Arkan region and Vice Chairman Lewis, who are trying to break this. And the best way to do that is for all the members of the Federal Pro Gladiator Association and the local community to join forces to help Avon this time.

Then, a precedent will be set that the Federal Pro Gladiator Association will resolutely deal with any tricks to break the will of neutrality. I dare to ask you in this place, Chairman Ibrahim, to take the lead in this matter.”

Chairman Ibrahim, who had been staring at him blankly, turned his gaze slightly towards Vice Chairman Lewis. The corners of his mouth were slightly curved.

He seemed to like Beomsuk’s remarks quite a bit. Ibrahim felt a bit uneasy at the sight and clasped his hands together, making a serious expression.

Lewis’s reaction, who was on the opposing side of Beomsuk, was very strange. Usually, he should have raised his voice and protested.

‘That old fox must have some other intention.’

If there was an intention, it was obvious. In fact, Chairman Ibrahim knew very well about the relationship between Beomsuk and Shaila. And he was well aware that she was the only child who would become Vice Chairman Lewis’s successor in the future, and at the same time, she was greatly lacking in leading a large faction.

On the other hand, Beomsuk not only jumped into the gladiator world alone and grew his team from an amateur team to a World League team in just six seasons, but also played a pivotal role in driving the Black Society, a powerful enemy force, into a state of collapse. Even if he were in his position, he would have wanted to groom Beomsuk, his son-in-law, and put him in the position of successor.

‘What should I do? I’ve been completely tricked by Vice Chairman Lewis. I thought the vice chairman was planning this too sloppily.’

The trap that Vice Chairman Lewis had set was very clever. No matter what choice he made, he would lose.

Beomsuk’s abilities were worrisome, but in the gladiator world, he was just known as a fledgling third force. He hadn’t formed many personal connections, and he hadn’t expressed any particular ambitions.

This could be seen in the fact that Ervin, a member of his faction, was the chairman of the Avon Pro Gladiator Association. Normally, Beomsuk should have seized the Avon region in his hands under the pretext of owning the World League team, God’s Knights.

But if he won the right to host the World Cup finals in Avon today, things would be different. The fact that he had shattered the ambitions of Arkan, which was receiving the full support of the Lewis faction, meant that he had that much capability. Gladiator officials would look at him with a different perspective.

If he were to gain the backing of the Lewis faction’s organization in the future, his power would become so great that it would threaten their Ibrahim faction.

But if he supported Arkan out of concern for this, he would have another headache. It would be taken for granted that Beomsuk, a fledgling, would lose to the great power of the Lewis faction, but that was never the case for him.

Since Vice Chairman Lewis had created the justification that the Federal Pro Gladiator Association’s will for neutrality was being broken, it was necessary to counter this. But if he sided with Arkan here, there was a high possibility that the gladiator world would understand this as a signal that he had succumbed to Vice Chairman Lewis. Also, Avon was, in any case, a region of their faction. Sacrificing them to side with Vice Chairman Lewis would make the situation even more difficult.

Ibrahim, who had sighed deeply, looked at Vice Chairman Lewis and Beomsuk alternately and said,

“I’ve heard both of your arguments. But what can I do? I’ve already decided to support another region this time in order to faithfully maintain the will of neutrality. So, everyone, please be aware of this and go back. I feel tired for some reason, so I’ll have to retire for the evening.”

At those words, Vice Chairman Lewis quickly got up from his seat. He had already figured out that Chairman Ibrahim would make this decision. But he didn’t erase the smile from his lips.

He knew very well that he could only win in the end. If Chairman Ibrahim supported another region now, it would have to go to a third vote.

Then, only the top two teams would be left to compete, so in the end, Chairman Ibrahim could not choose between Avon and Arkan. In other words, his decision this time was like a temporary, ineffective measure.

“Yes, I understand. Then, please rest comfortably.”

As Chairman Ibrahim hurriedly left his seat, Beomsuk got up with an awkward expression. In terms of justification, the chairman should have taken a stronger stance, but he was showing a lukewarm reaction, so it was strange.

This was the same for the other Ibrahim faction members at the table. It was right for them to help Ervin, who was a member of their faction, as Vice Chairman Lewis was coming forward like that, but they were dissatisfied because they didn’t show any particular reaction.

No matter how much Chairman Ibrahim expressed his will for neutrality and decided to support another city, this was no different from bowing his head halfway to Vice Chairman Lewis.

“Geez. What’s going on? Originally, Chairman Ibrahim should have moved…”

As Beomsuk grumbled and returned to where Simon and Ervin were, a small vibration occurred in his arms. So, he immediately took out his electronic notebook and hurriedly left the banquet hall. It was Margaret’s call.

Standing in the deserted hallway, he turned on the hologram screen and started talking.

“Yes, Margaret. Did you find out where Ms. Angela is?”

Unexpectedly, he was asking about Ms. Angela’s whereabouts. He didn’t want to even think about her because he was resentful that she had an affair with another man and went on a honeymoon, but in any case, he couldn’t persuade Theresa without her cooperation. It was a matter of 600 million krang [currency], so it was better to pretend not to know now.

– Yes, I’m still looking for her.

“What do you mean? You’re still looking? I told you to mobilize MR Security’s manpower as much as possible to find her.”

– Yes, I’m doing that, but her whereabouts are unknown. I don’t know where Ms. Angela’s car is, and there are no credit card payment details.

At those words, Beomsuk tilted his head. If she had gone on a trip, she would have had to stay somewhere and buy food. The fact that there were no credit card payment details for more than a week didn’t make sense.

“Are you sure?”

– Yes, I’ve checked several times.

“Maybe she’s using a corporate card?”

– I checked that too, but it wasn’t. Ms. Angela often uses a corporate card, but there’s no trace of it being used either. So, I looked for the corporate cards of major executives, but there was nothing strange. Something feels off, like I’m looking for a dead person.”

In an instant, Beomsuk’s eyes widened. He felt scared. He didn’t think that could be the case, but with Theresa’s nature, it was something she could have done. In the past, she had killed Rubin, Shaila’s friend, for her ambitions.

‘No, could it be that Theresa, that bitch! Her own mother!’

From Theresa’s point of view, there was a reason for that. As a result of his careful investigation, Theresa and Angela seemed to be close, but they were said to be forming an unknown power alliance.

Of course, Theresa was unilaterally subservient, so there were no immediate problems, but the potential for conflict was clearly present. It was difficult for Theresa, who had a wicked mind and ambition, to accept this humiliating relationship.

Now that she had firmly established her position as successor, and the fact that she was close to her mother, Angela, was widely known, she may have thought that it was time to take over the Angela faction and started working on it.

“Margaret, you have to find Ms. Angela.”

– But I can’t do anything more. I’ve done everything I can. Should I just report it to the police?

“Hey. If you can’t find her, how can the police find her?”

Margaret slowly nodded. A significant amount of the information she obtained came from Inspector Lexter’s hand. In other words, it meant that the police’s intelligence was already fully mobilized.

– Well, that’s true, but right now…

“Then do this.”

– How?

“Go to our training camp parking lot right now.”

– What am I supposed to do there?

“Then you’ll probably be able to meet Aaron. Tell him to ask for help from the central traffic control system’s artificial intelligence. Then you’ll be able to track Ms. Angela’s whereabouts from beginning to end.”

– Is that possible?

“It’ll cost a bit, but it’s definitely possible. So, do as I say.”

Margaret was still shaking her head. If the information from the central traffic control system was accessible, there was no way Inspector Lexter wouldn’t have found it.

– Still, it doesn’t seem likely. Inspector Lexter has already checked the central traffic control system.

“No, he didn’t. This incident happened more than a week ago, but the central traffic control system deletes video data once a week. Because it grasps all the traffic information in the world, the amount of data is enormous. I think Inspector Lexter probably looked at the information screen of the central traffic control system after the day of the incident. So, you have to check again.”

Margaret nodded as if she understood. If Beomsuk’s words were correct, she might be able to find Ms. Angela’s whereabouts easily.

Because it’s just about recovering the deleted files. It’s a bit voluminous, but if you find one standard file, you can easily find the rest. Also, with the help of the central traffic control system’s artificial intelligence, this work was unnecessary.

– Yes, I understand. Then I’ll contact you again as soon as I confirm.

“Okay, then take care.”

Beomsuk, who had cut off the communication, hurriedly walked towards the banquet hall. It was to find out what was happening to Ms. Angela. Fortunately, the culprit might be in this banquet hall.

As he entered the banquet hall, he looked around and focused his attention on a group. It was Theresa and the key members of the Angela faction. Beomsuk calmed himself down and slowly approached.

“Ah, who is this? Isn’t it Ms. Theresa?”

Theresa frowned slightly as she was eating, but soon looked at him with a bright expression.

“Mr. Beomsuk, it’s been a long time. Nice to see you.”

Beomsuk pulled out an empty chair and said,

“May I join you for a moment?”

“Hoh, of course. Please sit down.”

Theresa still had a hypocritical smile on her face. It was like facing an old friend. At this, Beomsuk’s anger boiled deep inside his heart, but he barely endured it and calmly looked at her. Getting excited in front of that sly fox was forbidden, and getting angry here would only make him look like a madman.

============================ Author’s Notes ============================

I formatted my PC today. The Korean key didn’t work and Alt was used to convert to Korean, but it didn’t work. ㅠㅠ. It seems like the keyboard is broken.

Then everyone have a nice day. I’ll see you again tomorrow.