Chapter 388: Is That Really Yours, Vice President?

The heated excitement of the Korea-Japan World Cup has come to an end.

While the outcome was a bit different from my memory, it was a pleasantly unexpected change.

Not only did the gloomy social atmosphere caused by the IMF shift, but Jungwoo Group and Taesan Financial gained a favorable image that money couldn't buy.

A week has passed since I returned to Korea.

It's time to wake up from this dream and return to reality.

With Kim Hak-gwon's era behind us, the election to choose a new president was approaching.

Without missing a beat, the Progressive Party and the Moderate Party kicked off their primaries as soon as the World Cup concluded.

While the presidential election is undoubtedly important, I had my own tasks to handle first.

"Han Hyun-soo, you are quite interesting."

Han Hyun-soo. The third son of Han Seong-jin, the leader of Heaven Church. A person more interested in business than religion.

Muttering the information scribbled in the file, I carefully turned the pages.

To sever the ties between Dae Dong-hui and Heaven Church, h, I decided to shake Heaven Church first.

My choice was Han Hyun-soo. Since he was more interested in business than religion, we should understand each other to some extent.

"You rely more on your mother's side than your father's? Moreover, I heard Han Seong-jin and his wife don't get along well…"

There's a lot I can use here. After planning for a while, I closed the file I was looking at.

"Manager, how much longer?"

"We'll arrive in thirty minutes."

Nodding, I turned my gaze toward the window.

"I hope it's a good meeting…"

Taking in the rapidly changing scenery, I let out a small sigh.

By the time we reached the meeting place, the sun hung low in the sky.

Manager Ma opened the car door for me. As soon as my feet touched the ground, someone greeted me.

"Hello."

It was Han Hyun-soo. He was waiting for me in front of the office building with some executives.

Stepping forward alone, Han Hyun-soo extended his hand toward me.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Kim Mu-hyeok."

"I know. Of course, I do."

I gazed at the outstretched hand for a moment before shaking it lightly.

Han Hyun-soo's face, about my age, was filled with a warm smile.

"Anyone in business must know Kim Mu-hyeok, the owner of Myeon-dong. Let's get upstairs instead of chatting here."

Han Hyun-soo was extending more cordiality than I expected. I followed him with a smile; no need to fuss over formalities.

The executives followed us around like loyal puppies.

"You can go ahead and work."

"Yes, Vice President."

The executives bowed their heads in unison at the command, quietly waiting until the elevator doors closed.

I couldn't help but smile faintly at this familiar sight.

Silence filled the elevator, all because Han Hyun-soo kept his mouth shut.

To break the awkward atmosphere, I decided to speak first.

"You seem to trust your executives quite a bit."

"Oh, did it show? They're people I've known since I was a child… They guide me well."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, they've worked under my father for a long time."

"By father, you mean Han Seong-jin, right?"

As soon as Han Hyun-soo nodded, the elevator chimed, signaling our arrival.

The moment the doors opened, an unusual sight greeted me.

Young women stood on either side of the elevator, bowing their heads.

There was not a single man in sight.

What on earth is happening? Trying to smooth my furrowed brow, I followed Han Hyun-soo.

None of them lifted their heads until we entered the Vice President's office.

Except for the women who opened the door, of course.

Once the door closed, Han Hyun-soo naturally walked to the main seat and sat down.

I felt a twinge of arrogance but kept it to myself.

"How do you find the atmosphere at Hwasung?"

I stood at a distance, looking down at him.

"Doesn't it feel like family?"

"What about the people outside?"

"They're the staff. The ones who assist me as secretaries."

His words, tinged with greed, sparked a wave of disgust in me, but I hid it and walked to my seat.

I heard he didn't get along with his father, yet he acts exactly like him.

As I took my seat, the door opened and one of the secretaries came in with drinks.

The drink served was Maekhwa, a product sold under Hwasung.

"This is our pride, Maekhwa."

Maekhwa was a beverage produced by a company under Heaven Church.

Because of this, it was a product boycotted among Protestant and Catholic believers.

Drinking this would get you labeled as a heretic.

It wasn't a drink I would readily offer to a guest.

Whether he was provoking me or if he genuinely acted this way, I would need to observe more.

I lifted the glass and casually took a sip of the drink.

After finishing it and placing the empty glass down, I sensed Han Hyun-soo observing me with a strange expression.

"Maekhwa doesn't suit my taste."

"Yet you finished it all."

"Given the goodwill in serving, how much could I leave behind? Even if it doesn't suit my palate, I have to drink it."

As I joked, Han Hyun-soo burst into hearty laughter.

"You're quite the amusing person, Mr. Kim."

Han Hyun-soo also emptied his glass of Maekhwa in one go before putting it down.

"We've exchanged pleasantries to this extent. Why did you ask to meet me today? It's an honor for our group to have the owner of Myeong-dong visit us, given we don't even rank among the chaebols. I don't know how to handle this."

While his words flattered me, they contained no real respect.

Just seeing him mentioning Myeong-dong repeatedly gave it away.

"What would a money player want from a business like ours? I've come seeking investment."

"Ha ha, seeking to invest with us? Did you perhaps come to the wrong place? Hwasung has an abundance of funds."

Hwasung had no reason to seek out investments, of course.

Despite having many subsidiaries, they had never faced financial pressure.

Countless believers offered donations, and many of the devout worked in the subsidiaries without pay.

"Well, is that really yours, Vice President?"

"What did you say?"

"I meant it should rightfully belong to Han Seong-jin's successor. So it's hard to say it belongs to you, Vice President."

"…"

I casually tossed out a bombshell. Han Hyun-soo's gaze became fierce.

"Unlike my brothers, I've shown talent for business which has allowed me to manage the company, but… will I truly remain in that position after Han Seong-jin passes?"

In an instant, the chilly atmosphere filled the Vice President's office.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I heard you have no interest in the successor position at Heaven Church."

"Who told you that I have no interest?"

"Aren't you?"

"…"

"If I was wrong, I'll take my leave now."

Judging by the materials I received, he seemed to have no interest in religion at all.

However, regardless of his claims, Hwasung Group could only remain under Heaven Church's influence.

No, to be precise, Hwasung Group itself should be viewed as a small Heaven Church, since most of its staff were followers.

After staring at me in silence for a long time, Han Hyun-soo shook his head.

"What exactly is the intention behind your words?"

"I want Heaven Church to falter."

Sometimes, displaying my cards first works better on a suspicious person.

Without hesitation, I revealed my hand.

"…What?"

Han Hyun-soo replied in disbelief, his face showing an unmistakable sense of bewilderment.

"I mean it literally. I hope that Heaven Church falters. I have plans to push you aside and complicate the line of succession."

"Heh…"

Despite the fatigue, the reason to meet people lay here. There are aspects you can only learn through face-to-face interactions.

Han Hyun-soo is a greedy person.

I chose the third son, Han Hyun-soo, for two reasons.

His greed and his relationship with his mother, Kim Geon-ja.

Han Hyun-soo maintained a good relationship with his mother, Kim Geon-ja, who wielded significant influence in Heaven Church.

That should provide a good chance of victory.

No matter how much Han Seong-jin was revered as a living messiah within Heaven Church.

Factions and power struggles exist even within the Catholic Church that has run for thousands of years.

So, could there be no faction struggles within a religion born in Korea? It hasn't been long, just a few decades.

Even if the believers themselves didn't, those core forces around Han Seong-jin are likely unaware.

They shared a symbiotic relationship, dividing their interests. While it sounded harmonious, the moment one side faltered, fierce conflict erupted.

My plan today was to shake Han Hyun-soo to sever that seemingly stable relationship.

If not, I'd have to find another way, but that would be a hassle.

"I have no intention of deceiving you. There's no need to complicate things. I've shown you my honest intentions, so now show me your choice, Vice President."

I leaned back against the plush leather sofa.

Crossing my legs and folding my arms, I stared at him intently. Though Han Hyun-soo sat in the main seat, the initiative had shifted into my hands.

After keeping his mouth shut for a while, Han Hyun-soo let out a dry chuckle.

"You're more impressive than I expected, Mr. Kim. Our group has significant media influence, you know? Thanks to that, I know a bit about you."

Heaven Church possessed considerable media outlets both domestically and in the U.S.

"Is that so? Knowing that should make our conversation smoother."

"Suddenly appearing in Wall Street as the owner of Dream High Investment, your known fortune is among the richest in the world?"

"That's correct."

On any other day, I would've denied it, but today I answered confidently, even perhaps arrogantly.

In situations like this, it was better to show the power I held.

"But you want to help and throw Heaven Church into chaos. What's your reason? And what do I gain?"

Being the most business savvy among the three brothers, it seems he had calculated his options.

Han Hyun-soo recognized that with my help, shaking Heaven Church was not impossible.

"It's simple. I need to cut the dirty ties between Japan, Heaven Church, and the ghosts in Korea. Then, Heaven Church's money will flow into your hands, Vice President."

"…"

Han Hyun-soo appeared utterly clueless.

"Are you unsure? I expected that."

I nodded exaggeratedly, as if to say I knew it all along. I looked at him with a hint of condescension.

"You said you aren't close to the line of succession, didn't you? Turns out that is true. To not know even this is quite disappointing. Maybe my choice was wrong. I can't believe you know nothing…"

Perhaps due to the disappointment appearing on my face, Han Hyun-soo's expression hardened.

"I should have gone to find Han Hyun-jin after all."

"Mr. Kim!"

The moment Han Hyun-jin's name came up, Han Hyun-soo shouted as if in a fit.

"I know Han Hyun-jin is the likely successor. Yet, I sought you out because of your proven abilities as a businessman."

Han Hyun-soo had significantly grown Hwasung Group since the IMF crisis.

Being the youngest doesn't mean he lacked skill.

I hit the nail on the head here. I kept digging into Han Hyun-soo's complex.

"But I never realized you felt this neglected. Given you're capable, I thought if I helped you, you could at least bring Hwasung Group to my side… But there are days when even monkeys fall from trees, isn't that right? Today must be one of them."

Not at all. You're the ideal candidate.

I concealed those thoughts, pretending to look disappointed.

"I am definitely… absolutely not inferior to Han Hyun-jin. The only difference is that he was born earlier. He's just a worthless bug benefiting from my father's love and acting big in the church."

As Han Hyun-soo ground his teeth and spat those words out, I felt a rush of excitement internally.

My choice was indeed correct.

"What did you mean by the earlier remark?"

"Dirty ties with Heaven Church, Japan, and the ghosts of Korea?"

"Yes. Let's hear it. Only then can I make a decision, right?"

However, Han Hyun-soo quickly regained his composure and asked about what he didn't know. He displayed a rather cold and calculating aspect of a businessman.

I succinctly explained the connections between Dae Dong-hui, Heaven Church, andand Korea.

Of course, I omitted the name Choi Seon-man.

"Hmm… What does this have to do with Mr. Kim? It seems there's nothing to gain."

"What I gain doesn't matter. What you gain is far more crucial."

Han Hyun-soo firmly shook his head.

"No. A one-sided gain relationship will eventually break down. You must give to receive. That's the essence of business."

He spoke words I quite liked. I couldn't help but smile.

"I like that answer. What I will gain won't be visible. What's clear is that I'll walk away with something. How about it? Will you join hands with me to consume Heaven Church and Hwasung?"

For a while, Han Hyun-soo stared deeply into my eyes without speaking.

His gaze seemed intent on finding deceit within mine.

I met his gaze equally. No matter how hard he searched, he wouldn't find it.

While I didn't speak only truths, I also hadn't lied. My intention to invest in Han Hyun-soo was indeed true.

There are times when you must risk losses during investment. Now is that time.

Whether Han Hyun-soo takes control of Heaven Church and eats Hwasung or not matters none to me.

My goal is solely Choi Seon-man.

As long as I can bring chaos until Dae Dong-hui crumbles and Choi Si Seon-man becomes an old backroom caretaker, I am prepared to use any filthy means necessary.