The Chaebol Returns To The Presidency 1967 [EN]: Chapter 185

185. Revenge is Subtle

Huo Guo shook his head exaggeratedly, vehemently denying the accusation.

“How could that be? Absolutely not.”

“What about the article concerning the central government sending an epidemiological investigation team to the Guizhou Province area six months before the Hong Kong flu outbreak?”

“…….”

The Secretary-General presented a local newspaper he had obtained from an unknown source.

Huo Guo averted his gaze.

“Ahem, ahem!”

“What about the Chinese Communist Party leadership’s countermeasures meeting immediately after the Hong Kong flu was reported?”

“…….”

“Director Huo Guo, both you and the Chinese authorities have officially denied suspicions about the outbreak’s origin. Aren’t you deliberately concealing information?”

“Concealing? Mr. Secretary-General, China didn’t intend for any of this to happen. We didn’t know it was a new type of virus, so you should take that into consideration!”

“Taking that into consideration is a measure that follows admitting guilt. China should first admit its fault and seek forgiveness from the international community, which has suffered hundreds of thousands of deaths and astronomical economic losses. Only then can you expect the consideration you desire.”

“…….”

The Secretary-General’s words were like daggers, each one piercing Huo Guo.

*

WHO Secretary-General’s office.

Director Huo Guo, who was thought to have returned after the board meeting, visited the Secretary-General’s office.

“The board meeting is over. Is there anything else you need?”

“I have something urgent to discuss.”

“Please, speak.”

“The position of Secretary-General is honorary, but wouldn’t it be even better to live comfortably in your old age as a reward for your hard work?”

“…….”

He took out a photo from his pocket.

“You’re going to Hong Kong next week, right?”

“Yes, but…”

“China is preparing this as a gift. We plan to give it to you in Hong Kong.”

It was a photo of about a hundred small gold bars in a bag.

“What is this?”

“It’s a small gift China has prepared.”

“…….”

“Well, Switzerland has strict customs inspections, so it’s impossible to bring in gold bars, but Hong Kong can bring them in anytime if you want. Gold bars are small and have no source markings, so there are no repercussions, hahaha.”

“…….”

*

After Director Huo Guo left, the Secretary-General immediately called the President of South Korea.

The President was startled.

– Are you saying they tried to bribe you with gold bars?

“Yes, Your Excellency. It was a request not to hold China accountable. Since intimidation didn’t work, they’re resorting to bribery.”

– Those gangster-like bastards!

“I refused firmly, but it seems the Chinese authorities are involved, so they will persistently harass me.”

– Hmm, I’m worried about your safety. Do you have enough security guards?

“I have a driver and bodyguard who drives the official car to and from work. Two bodyguards accompany me on overseas trips.”

– That’s inadequate. Be careful. There’s no telling what those guys might do.

“I will be careful.”

*

Hong Kong International Airport.

The WHO Secretary-General finished his work at the Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection and boarded the plane with his bodyguards.

He had rejected Director Huo Guo’s persistent requests to meet him in Hong Kong, but he had taken full precautions for security because he sensed people were watching him.

Fortunately, it ended without incident, and the Secretary-General felt relieved.

He encouraged the two bodyguards.

“You’ve worked hard. You haven’t been able to sleep properly.”

“It’s nothing. I’m glad we completed the schedule safely.”

“Now, get some rest. I’ll keep watch here.”

“Then I’ll trust you, Mr. Secretary-General, and get some sleep, hahaha.”

Shoo-shoo-shoo~

The plane took off, spewing flames.

Shoo-

The plane soared into the sky, leaving behind the dazzling night view of Hong Kong.

He asked a flight attendant for a glass of wine, took a sip, and was about to close his eyes when—

Bang!

With an explosion, a plane engine was suddenly engulfed in red flames.

The plane shook violently.

“Aah!”

Pow!

The plane’s wing broke off, and the completely destabilized fuselage spun and plummeted.

Shoosh-

Passengers were thrown out of the broken plane windows.

The inside of the aircraft was a scene of chaos, with passengers and luggage rolling around in a jumble.

“Ugh!”

The plane, engulfed in flames, crashed into the sea and exploded into pieces.

*

Breaking news appeared on domestic TV.

– A plane bound for Geneva that took off from Hong Kong crashed due to an unexplained explosion!

– All 150 passengers presumed dead. WHO Secretary-General Kim Won-young missing.

The President sat motionless for a while after hearing the news. His eyes were moist.

“Ah, Secretary Kim….”

He felt immense responsibility and sorrow because he had recommended him to the WHO and he had been targeted for trying to hold China accountable for the pandemic.

*

Presidential Office.

The Director of the National Intelligence Service reported.

“We are conducting a search for bodies in the accident area, but so far, we have only recovered 18 bodies. Secretary Kim’s body has not yet been found.”

“Hmm….”

The President sighed deeply.

To kill 150 innocent passengers in an attempt to assassinate one person… he was speechless with disbelief.

After a moment of silence, the President asked,

“Has the cause of the accident been determined?”

“The black box has not been recovered, so we cannot know the exact cause of the accident, but we are reporting it as an engine fire explosion.”

“So, why did a perfectly good engine explode?”

The President was agitated.

“We are investigating various possibilities, including engine failure and bird strikes.”

“Hong Kong is influenced by China, isn’t it?”

“Yes. Ahead of Hong Kong’s return (1997), China launched a massive campaign to communize Hong Kong, placing pro-China figures in politics, administration, and law enforcement.”

“The chances are high that this investigation will end vaguely, right?”

“If there was a political motive, that’s likely.”

“China is now facing responsibility for the pandemic and has to pay huge damages, so they assassinated the Secretary-General.”

“We have suspicions, but the reality is that we have no evidence. Your Excellency, you must avoid expressing such opinions externally. It could escalate into a diplomatic issue, Your Excellency.”

“I’m not afraid of that. I’m willing to risk war!”

The Director of the National Intelligence Service froze at the President’s blazing eyes.

*

Some time later, the Secretary-General’s body was found, and a solemn funeral was held with the President paying his respects.

The black box was recovered, but as expected, Hong Kong’s investigative authorities closed the case, citing poor maintenance.

*

Presidential Office (Rooftop Garden).

President Jung said to the President,

“Currently, there is no justification for war, and even if we win a conflict with a continent that possesses nuclear weapons, there will be no victor. Of course, the United States will also oppose it.”

“Sigh~ It breaks my heart to think that the Secretary-General died because of me.”

“I understand your grief, but you must deal with this rationally, Your Excellency. The reality is that there is no evidence that the cause of the accident was assassination. The Cold War is an invisible war.”

“Are you saying the only option is regime change?”

“Even if we remove Deng Xiaoping, China will likely not change. If Deng Xiaoping, who is a reformist, is ousted, hardliners may gain power instead.”

“So, there’s nothing we can do?”

“Instead of acting alone, Your Excellency, you must cooperate with the West. The United States certainly has a strategy to counter China and the Soviet Union, and Korea must actively intervene in this.”

“A global strategy… We should use North Korea as leverage….”

“…….”

After days of deliberation, the President drew a grand plan to change the borders of Asia.

He decided to shift from defense to offense under the US nuclear umbrella.

*

The President summoned the White House’s Asia-Pacific Security Advisor and discussed the continent’s machinations, accompanied by the Director of the National Intelligence Service.

The Security Advisor, after listening to the President’s explanation, said,

“A strategy to use North Korea with words.”

“That’s right.”

“If war can be avoided, the United States says yes. But war is definitely a no.”

“Wouldn’t a war that doesn’t harm our allies be acceptable?”

“Hmm… Can war really be controlled?”

“Isn’t that what the operation is for?”

“…….”

Thus, he obtained half-hearted consent.

*

World Cup Stadium.

A friendly match between the national teams of Korea and Italy was being held ahead of the World Cup.

The President was also watching from the VIP seats, and the announcer was broadcasting live across the country with a dispirited voice.

The crowd stood up.

“Shoot!”

“Ah~! It’s a goal. It’s a hat trick by Italy’s Veteche. Korea is trailing 5-0.”

The spectators, who filled the stands, tore at their hair and exclaimed.

“Ugh~ They scored again!”

“It was 5-0 against the Netherlands too, and now it’s 5-0 again.”

“Italy is a strong team, but the difference in skill is too great. What a disgrace if we lose every game as the host country.”

“We’re just going to be a sideshow.”

“I expected it, but the coach is going too far. The World Cup is less than two months away, and we’re on a 5-0 losing streak. The players aren’t even thinking about attacking and are just clustered in the center, without any position. What kind of soccer is this? It’s because he put an unknown, green [inexperienced] foreigner in charge.”

“That’s right. Our own [Korean coaches] are good.”

“Half of our national team are unknown players. They took out all the experienced players and filled it with young kids.”

“I heard that the veteran players didn’t listen to him, so they were excluded from the roster. That’s what it said in Sunday Seoul [a fictional South Korean newspaper].”

“Maybe that’s true. As a way to discipline the veterans. Anyway, the bus has already left [it’s too late to change things], so we can’t change the coach now. Sigh~ I guess we’ll just have to watch Pele’s game [a reference to watching a legendary player instead of a competitive match].”

“Europe and South America are one thing, but I just wish we could win one game against Nigeria.”

The TV screen zoomed in on the young coach Hiddink, who was diligently taking notes.

*

Player locker room.

The President had watched the game, but the players were dejected and slumped in their chairs after losing 5-0.

Hiddink patted the players on the back and comforted them.

“Good job! You hardly lost in the midfield. Now, all the striker has to do is score!”

The players were dissatisfied.

After spending more than half the day on weight training and running 20 km a day, they were exhausted during the afternoon tactical training.

When Hiddink took office, not only the training but also the diet changed drastically.

Beef, pork, seafood, and other meat dishes were provided in unlimited quantities every meal, along with protein supplements for health athletes.

It was a feast for players who had never eaten meat before.

The players were almost like health athletes, with their bodies full of muscles, like football players.

When the Korean coach asked why he wasn’t doing technical and tactical training, he replied,

“Korean players are almost all good with both feet. They can handle any position, left or right. And they’re fast, so they’re good at quick attacks. Technically, they’re second to none. But they’re weak in physical battles. Once the physical conditioning is done, the tactics can be mastered in two or three weeks. The countries we have to face are already determined. The analysis is already complete.”

Korea, as the host country, was in Group A with West Germany, Chile, and Nigeria.

European powerhouse West Germany and South American dark horse Chile were likely to reach the quarterfinals.

Bookmakers were classifying Korea as a weak team, predicting that they would be lucky to draw against Nigeria.

The Korean coaching staff could not understand Hiddink’s confidence.

However, they couldn’t treat him carelessly because he was the person the President had chosen.

At that moment, the FIFA Korea President appeared in the player locker room in a hurry.

“His Excellency is coming!”

The coach and players were supposed to go to the skybox to greet him, but unlike planned, he came directly to the player waiting room.