The Conglomerate Family Became A Villain [EN]: Chapter 115

115. From Pearl Harbor (1)

An old man sat gazing out the window.

It was Arthur Morgan, Chairman of JP Morgan.

“Henri, what brings you here?”

Henri Arnault, the acting head of JP Morgan Investment Bank, bowed deeply as he replied.

“I came to see you because I have something important to tell you.”

“You have something to tell me?”

Arthur Morgan wasn’t particularly fond of visits from his close aides.

‘They only come to me when they have problems they can’t handle themselves.’

Indeed, the Victoria Corporation situation had erupted after Neil Hamilton came to see him.

“Yes, sir.”

Arthur Morgan’s gaze remained fixed outside the window.

“Go on.”

Henri Arnault straightened up at Arthur Morgan’s permission.

“Bank of America is trying to acquire shares of Victoria Corporation.”

Bank of America.

Arthur Morgan scoffed.

“Hmph, so what?”

“We currently have the right of first refusal.”

“You’re going to buy up Bank of America’s shares as well?”

“Doing so would prevent Bank of America’s encroachment.”

This meant he was willing to invest an additional $1 billion to prevent Bank of America from getting closer to or influencing Victoria Corporation.

“Does Bank of America know that we have the right of first refusal?”

“They probably do.”

“Knowing that, you’re saying you’re willing to throw another $1 billion into Victoria Corporation?”

Arthur Morgan suspected that Bank of America might be using Victoria Corporation as a tool to pressure JP Morgan.

‘Carl is more than capable of that.’

Behind Carlo Giannini’s smile hid an opportunistic and ruthless nature.

This was his usual belief.

“Chairman, I believe there’s a reason why Bank of America is continuously approaching Victoria Corporation.”

“Henri.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Are you saying you’re going to spend $1 billion without even knowing the reason?”

Henri Arnault lowered his head.

“We’re currently investigating the reason.”

“Then, why did you come to see me?”

“I want to prevent Bank of America’s encroachment with $1 billion first.”

The intention was to block the acquisition first, and then take the time to find out why Bank of America was trying to acquire Victoria Corporation.

“Henri, is $1 billion such a trivial amount to you?”

“I apologize.”

“It’s not a matter of apologizing, is it? If you can’t convince me, you can’t convince JP Morgan either.”

This meant he wouldn’t provide the money without a clear reason.

“But if we leave it as is, Bank of America will acquire 10% of Victoria Corporation’s shares.”

Arthur Morgan raised his right hand.

“Let them do it.”

“Chairman?”

“Neil also resigned because he was obsessed with that company. Do you want to follow in Neil’s footsteps?”

Arthur Morgan was treating Victoria Corporation as a troublemaker.

‘It feels like an arrow stuck in my body.’

Henri Arnault raised his head and said.

“It’s a bit strange to say this, but Victoria Corporation is a strange company.”

“A strange company?”

“That is…….”

Arthur Morgan cut him off.

“If you’re going to talk about something intangible, prepare your resignation as well.”

He expressed displeasure at Henri Arnault’s claim. Nevertheless, Henri Arnault didn’t stop his argument.

“Chairman, every time I deal with Charlie Jung, the CEO of Victoria Corporation, countless questions arise. Why would he make such a choice? No, isn’t it an absurd choice? Yet, he achieves results with that choice.”

Charlie Jung.

Arthur Morgan frowned.

‘The kid who moved Justin. Is he that great?’

He tried to downplay Jung Hyun-woo’s abilities.

“Don’t be swayed.”

“Chairman?”

“This time, let Carl do as he pleases.”

This meant he would watch Bank of America’s acquisition.

“Are you sure it’s okay to do that?”

Arthur Morgan raised his right hand.

“I’ll take responsibility if any problems arise.”

Henri Arnault bowed deeply with both hands at his sides.

“Understood.”

He retreated from Arthur Morgan’s room, thinking.

‘It seems the Chairman still doesn’t acknowledge Charlie Jung.’

* * *

“The same answer, you say?”

“Yes, sir.”

Jung Min-young loosened his tie.

“Hoo…….”

He not only let out a long sigh but also frantically scratched his head with his right hand.

Thanks to that, his well-maintained hair became disheveled.

“Is the problem serious?”

Because his reaction was so intense, his secretary couldn’t help but ask cautiously.

“I heard the name Charlie Jung came out in the news?”

“Yes, it was featured as an overseas topic.”

“But why didn’t I know about it?”

The secretary answered his question.

“That’s because the press release stated that it wasn’t related to our group…….”

“Did the secretary’s office circulate it to the media?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then find out who ordered it.”

At Jung Min-young’s words, the secretary lowered her head.

“I understand that Chief Hong directly ordered it.”

It seemed she had anticipated his questions and investigated in advance.

“Chief Hong?”

“That’s what a colleague in the secretary’s office said.”

Jung Min-young frowned and stood up from his seat.

“I’ll go meet Chief Hong.”

The secretary slightly lowered her head.

“Understood.”

When Jung Min-young went to find him, Chief Hong Won-ik was away from his desk.

“Where did the chief go?”

“He’s accompanying the Chairman today.”

“Father?”

“I believe he went to the Economic Association…….”

Jung Min-young waved his hand, cutting off the secretary’s words.

“It can’t be helped.”

He returned to his office, organizing his thoughts.

‘Hyun-woo achieved tremendous success in the United States, and Chief Hong hid that success? Then that means there’s a connection between the two of them.’

When Jung Min-young joined hands with Jung Hyun-woo, he thought he was in an isolated position.

‘In short, that wasn’t the case.’

If Chief Hong Won-ik was behind him, Jung Hyun-woo’s power could not be ignored.

‘Moreover, if the media’s response is true, Hyun-woo’s wealth already surpasses Father’s.’

Wealth enough to acquire the entire Daeun Group.

Jung Min-young frowned.

‘If he has that much wealth, does it even matter what happens to Daeun Group? What is Hyun-woo trying to do by using me?’

He was curious about the reason why Jung Hyun-woo had joined hands with him.

‘Surely it’s not revenge against Father, is it?’

As soon as Jung Min-young returned to his office, the secretary stood up from her seat and said.

“Executive Director, there was a phone call.”

“A phone call?”

The secretary quietly handed him a note.

Handing him a note instead of answering meant she was trying to hide the identity of the caller.

“Hmm?”

Jung Min-young tore the note and went inside. Then, he immediately made a call.

Beep. Beep.

“This is the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs.”

The person who had called him was his father-in-law, Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs.

“Father-in-law, it’s me.”

“Ah, it was you. I called, but you weren’t at your desk.”

“I went to see Father for a moment.”

“I see.”

Jung Min-young lowered his voice and asked.

“I was worried that there might be something urgent, so I called.”

“Well, there’s something I’m curious about, so I called you.”

“Father-in-law, if there’s anything you need, I’ll go to the Blue House [the executive office and official residence of the South Korean president].”

Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, said.

“Hmm. The Blue House is out of the question. Let’s meet at Bukak [an area in Seoul, often associated with clandestine meetings].”

Jung Min-young bowed deeply, even though he couldn’t see him.

“Understood. Then I’ll head over there.”

Two hours later.

A safe house in the southwest of Bukak Mountain.

Only those in power in the Blue House could use this place.

Clunk.

It was the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, Heo Moon-young, who put down his glass.

“I heard there was intelligence from the National Security Planning Agency [NIS; South Korea’s primary intelligence agency].”

The National Security Planning Agency, their predecessor was the Central Intelligence Agency, which caused the December 12th Incident [a military coup in 1979].

Even though the name had changed, the National Security Planning Agency was always at the center of power.

“From the National Security Planning Agency?”

If the National Security Planning Agency was involved, it was no ordinary incident.

‘Is the Blue House targeting the Daeun Group?’

It was when he frowned.

“There was talk in Imun-dong.”

“Imun-dong is…….”

The part of the National Security Planning Agency that handles domestic and counter-espionage affairs is in Namsan, and the Namsan that people often refer to when they say they’ve been taken to Namsan is the official residence for domestic and counter-espionage affairs.

On the other hand, those in charge of overseas intelligence had an official residence in Imun-dong.

Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, mentioning Imun-dong meant it was an overseas matter, not a domestic one.

“It’s about the matter that Daeun Group covered up last time.”

Jung Min-young knew very well what matter Daeun Group had covered up.

“You’re talking about Charlie Jung.”

Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, nodded.

“You knew about it too?”

“That is…….”

Jung Min-young trailed off and took out a business card. The business card he took out was the one Jung Hyun-woo had given him.

Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, took the business card and slowly nodded.

“Charlie Jung, CEO of Victoria Corporation. It was real.”

Jung Min-young lowered his head and said.

“I only found out about it recently.”

“During the last incident?”

“It was later than that.”

Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, frowned.

“Then, you’re saying you weren’t involved in the last incident?”

“It seems Chief Hong handled it last time.”

“Hmm, Chief Hong.”

Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, knew that Hong Won-ik’s methods were good.

‘With that friend around, Chairman Jung can sleep soundly.’

While he was stroking his chin, Jung Min-young said.

“I don’t know if what you know is the same as what I know.”

Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, took his hand off his chin and said.

“Let’s try to match our stories. Tell me what you know first.”

Jung Min-young nodded slightly and began to speak.

“What I know is…….”

He explained that Jung Hyun-woo was the CEO of Victoria Corporation and had achieved great success in the United States, accumulating more wealth than the chairmen of the Samjung Group or Daehyun Group.

Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, listened to his story until the end and groaned softly.

“It’s not much different from what we’ve investigated.”

“Does the President also know about this?”

He was asking if the President knew as well.

“The President doesn’t know yet. I called you to double-check before the report goes in.”

“Isn’t this a matter for direct reporting?”

“The Director of the National Security Planning Agency was hesitant because it’s such an absurd story.”

Who could believe the story that a young man under twenty from South Korea had become an American tycoon?

Even the Director of the National Security Planning Agency couldn’t believe the facts investigated by overseas intelligence agents, so he asked Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, to double-check.

“I had a hard time believing it at first too.”

Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, nodded as if he understood.

“As I live, I see all sorts of things.”

As Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs’s glass emptied, Jung Min-young held the bottle with both hands. Then, he poured the liquor and said.

“Actually, they made the offer first.”

“They did?”

“Hyun-woo called me and said he wanted to meet Father-in-law.”

Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, groaned softly.

“Umm, your nephew is Charlie Jung, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“He’s not just a figurehead, is he?”

It was a question asking if he had only lent his name and if the real owner was someone else.

“It didn’t seem like it.”

“Then a young Korean man really became an American tycoon?”

Jung Min-young lowered his head and replied.

“It seems so.”

“Have you actually seen him?”

“I met him and talked to him during the Lunar New Year.”

“How was he?”

“He said he would push me to be the successor of the Daeun Group.”

Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, sighed briefly at his answer.

“Hoo……. It’s something to celebrate that your chances have increased, but it somehow leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.”

He believed that even if Jung Min-young became the chairman of the Daeun Group, Jung Hyun-woo would likely wield the power behind the scenes.

“I didn’t know Hyun-woo had that much power back then.”

“Hmm?”

“I just thought he was someone who gave Father good advice.”

Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, narrowed his eyes.

“Come to think of it, I heard that friend was accepted into MIT, right? [Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a prestigious university].”

“After Hyun-woo entered MIT, Father always talked about Hyun-woo.”

This meant he was a grandson who was receiving the undivided love of Chairman Jung Woo-sun.

Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, emptied his glass and said.

“America is a truly strange country.”

A country where a teenager who isn’t even twenty years old can become a tycoon.

If it weren’t for America, in what other country could such a thing happen?

“Father-in-law, would you like to meet Hyun-woo?”

A meeting between the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs and an American tycoon.

There was no reason not to meet.

“When would be good?”

“They said we could decide the date.”

“Then that means they’ll take the location.”

Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, already knew that Jung Hyun-woo was not an easy person to deal with.

‘He may only be young, but what’s inside is no different from a monster.’

Jung Min-young lowered his head and responded.

“He said he would like to meet in Hawaii.”

“Hawaii?”

“Since Hyun-woo is in Boston, I think they chose a middle ground.”

Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, sighed briefly.

“Hoo……. I think I’ll have to take a few days off.”

He had already expressed his intention to meet, but Jung Min-young wanted to confirm one more time.

“Father-in-law, would you like to meet Hyun-woo?”

“I have to meet him.”

“Thank you.”

Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, raised his voice.

“Why are you thanking me?”

“Hyun-woo said it was a request, but it felt like a task I had to solve.”

Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, thought.

‘He’s being completely pushed around in terms of power.’

He knew that Jung Hyun-woo was overwhelming Jung Min-young.

‘I have no choice but to see and judge for myself what kind of child he is.’

As Jung Min-young filled the empty glass with liquor, Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, asked.

“Are you going with me too?”

He was asking if he was going to Hawaii with him.

“If you wish, Father-in-law, I will.”

“So you weren’t originally planning to go.”

“Hyun-woo called me to New York, so I think I’ll have to go to New York.”

Heo Moon-young, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, emptied his glass and then frowned.

‘The liquor tastes bitter.’

He had no idea what kind of proposal an American tycoon who wasn’t even twenty years old would make.