Chapter 15
Executive Director Lee Min-sik of Samdo General Construction was meeting with Executive Director Lee Min-ho of the Trading Division.
“Rumor has it that they’ve already paid Song Law Firm 500 million won.”
Executive Director Lee Min-sik knew that Executive Director Lee Min-ho was trying to corner him.
“Was that really necessary?”
“Hyung, If he was desperate enough to pay Song Law Firm 500 million won as a retainer, imagine how urgent the situation must have been.”
“Don’t call me ‘Hyung’ in a company setting.”
He’s the one who asked to be called ‘Hyung’ before.
Lee Min-sik hid his irritation.
“Understood, Executive Director.”
He decided to go along with Executive Director Lee Min-ho’s mood.
“As you know, the person who instigated Lee Jeong-seok is Lee Seon-su. The fact that something went wrong for Lee Jeong-seok is proof of that.”
Executive Director Lee Min-ho nodded.
Lee Min-sik’s words sounded convincing.
“If Song Law Firm takes the risk and accepts the lawsuit, it’s definitely going to put us at a disadvantage.”
The risk referred to becoming enemies with Samdo Group.
But sometimes, an enemy could turn into an ally if the situation called for it.
“If word spreads that even Song Law Firm has withdrawn, no other law firm will dare to take on Lee Jeong-seok’s defense.”
Everyone would know that Samdo Group had pulled some strings.
And Song Law Firm ranked 5th in the legal industry.
Any lesser firm would have to think twice.
If Song Law Firm, ranked 5th, decided to withdraw, other firms wouldn’t dare challenge them.
“I get what you’re saying.”
Executive Director Lee Min-ho considered the potential profits from securing the contract with Gazprom.
It would bring in at least Hundreds of Billions of won.
But more than that, it would significantly increase Samdo General Trading’s revenue.
In 1992, the annual revenue surpassed 10 trillion won.
In current exchange rates, that’s around 12.5 billion dollars.
If they could secure Lee Seon-su and Lee Jeong-seok’s contract, it would generate over 1.2 billion dollars in revenue annually.
That’s about a 10% growth.
Frankly, he was looking forward to it.
“But make sure it’s done right.”
“Of course. We’ve already made arrangements with the prosecution and the courts.”
“Really? Then the results should come out soon.”
“If we’re quick, in 3 months… at most, it’ll be done within 6 months.”
“Six months is too long. Get it done in 3 months.”
Lee Min-sik had anticipated this response from Lee Min-ho.
That’s why he mentioned 3 months first.
He had already planned to wrap things up within 3 months.
As soon as Prosecutor Park Hoon completed the first round of investigations, he intended to place a lien on all of Lee Jeong-seok’s assets.
Prosecutor Park Hoon would claim there were reasonable grounds to believe he was guilty.
“Do it well. If this goes wrong, I won’t be able to protect you.”
He understood what that meant.
Conversely, it also meant that if he succeeded, Executive Director Lee Min-ho would have his back.
Even if Samdo General Construction were merged into the trading division, he’d be safe.
In fact, if everything went well, he wouldn’t need much protection from Executive Director Lee Min-ho.
Because bringing in that much revenue would secure his position.
Both had different thoughts.
But for now, it was clear that Executive Director Lee Min-ho was the one holding the knife.
“Alright, I’ll get going.”
“Go ahead.”
Executive Director Lee Min-sik stood up.
Feeling good, he headed to Samdo General Construction.
***
When he arrived at Samdo General Construction, Executive Director Lee Min-sik received a memo from his secretary stating that Prosecutor Park Hoon had called.
The note instructed him to call back immediately.
Sitting down, Executive Director Lee Min-sik called Prosecutor Park Hoon.
“It’s me, Executive Director Lee Min-sik.”
Prosecutor Park Hoon apologized and informed him that Attorney Kang Mu-song had visited.
“Who? Kang Mu-song? That crazy bull, Kang Mu-song?”
He called Attorney Kang Mu-song, who recklessly pursued lawsuits against Samdo Group, a “Crazy Bull.”
He never stops until he’s dead.
“Why did the crazy bull show up? He shouldn’t have the capacity to take on another case!”
Samdo Group had been suppressing Kang Mu-song’s influence.
Anyone even remotely associated with Attorney Kang Mu-song faced disadvantages.
Whether family or friends.
They made sure no money could flow to Kang Mu-song.
No matter how crazy he was, without money, he’d eventually tire out and fall apart.
“And you just let that happen?!”
Without realizing, Executive Director Lee Min-sik raised his voice.
He was furious that Lee Jeong-seok had left for Singapore and that they’d settled for a written statement.
“Listen here, Prosecutor Park! I paid you and hosted you so you could do a good job. And now you’re messing things up like this? Do you really want to quit being a prosecutor?”
He didn’t have the power to strip him of his title, but he could certainly get him demoted to a provincial office.
All he had to do was mess with his performance evaluation.
“Can’t do anything, you say? Are you an idiot? How did you even become a prosecutor!”
Hearing that there was nothing more they could do made him angrier.
As long as Kang Mu-song was involved, issuing a warrant or placing Lee Jeong-seok on an international wanted list was impossible.
There wasn’t enough concrete evidence to prove his guilt.
“Don’t tell me we have to wait until Lee Jeong-seok comes back!”
Who knows when he’ll be back.
He’d promised Executive Director Lee Min-ho to wrap it up within 3 months.
If he couldn’t keep that promise, he’d be demoted to a subsidiary as soon as the construction division was absorbed by the trading division.
“Then go after that punk Lee Seon-su! Don’t you know who he is? He’s the one who stole the business with Lee Jeong-seok! He’s an accomplice, damn it. An accomplice! Yes!”
Desperation gives birth to ideas, they say.
With Lee Jeong-seok gone, Executive Director Lee Min-sik naturally thought of Lee Seon-su.
“If you go after Lee Seon-su, Lee Jeong-seok will have no choice but to come back. That’s right, he’s actually the mastermind. Get him, now!”
Bang!
Executive Director Lee Min-sik slammed the phone down as if he were about to break it.
“No one knows how to do their job right.”
For some reason, Executive Director Lee Min-sik was becoming more and more anxious.
***
“Damn it! How am I supposed know anything? Just throw me a name and say it’s Lee Jeong-seok.”
Prosecutor Park Hoon was frustrated.
“Chief Clerk.”
“Yes, Prosecutor.”
“There’s someone named Lee Seon-su who’s connected to Lee Jeong-seok.”
“Yes.”
“Find him and send a summons for questioning.”
The clerk who heard Prosecutor Park Hoon’s words looked troubled.
“Under what charges…”
“Did you not hear me just now? He’s being summoned for questioning on suspicion of being an accomplice with Lee Jeong-seok!”
The clerk hadn’t been on the call, so of course, he hadn’t heard.
But he couldn’t complain.
“Yes, sir.”
After answering, the clerk felt at a loss.
He had to send a summons with just the name “Lee Seon-su.”
The clerk began searching through records.
It took some time.
Eventually, he managed to track down Lee Seon-su, who had been on the same flight as Lee Jeong-seok when he arrived.
He sent out the summons 3 days after the call between Executive Director Lee Min-sik and Prosecutor Park Hoon.
Since it was sent by registered mail, it would arrive on the 5th day.
Of course, that’s assuming Lee Seon-su was at home.
* * *
“Uh… Prosecutor….”
“What is it?”
“The summons for Lee Seon-su couldn’t be delivered.”
“Then make sure it gets delivered. Stake out in front of his house or find out where he is and deliver it in person. Got it?”
“Well…”
“What? Can’t do it? Should I go myself? Do you want to review and approve all these documents, Chief Clerk?”
The cases that Prosecutor Park Hoon was handling weren’t limited to just Lee Jeong-seok’s.
“No, sir. But in that case, I’d have to go on a business trip.”
“Haah. Then go. If Lee Seon-su’s in the provinces, you have to go. Do you need permission for that?”
The clerk hesitated and made an uncomfortable expression.
“What’s the problem now?”
“Well… Lee Seon-su left on a flight to Singapore yesterday.”
“What?”
“Should I go on a business trip to Singapore?”
Prosecutor Park Hoon felt like throwing his files around.
But he held back and spoke through gritted teeth.
“You want to go and arrest him?”
“The warrant…”
“Exactly! We don’t even have a warrant, and you want to fly all the way to Singapore just to deliver a summons? And when you get to Singapore, can you even meet him? No! Can you bring him back?”
The answer was no.
That’s why the clerk was asking Prosecutor Park Hoon.
But all Prosecutor Park Hoon could do was vent his frustration.
“This is driving me crazy. How am I supposed to explain this now?”
Prosecutor Park Hoon was dreading the call he’d have to make to Executive Director Lee Min-sik.
***
I only stopped by Singapore briefly to check if Senior Lee Jeong-seok had officially taken over as CEO of Dream Company and secured his 3% stake.
I also confirmed that his wife, child, and mother would be able to join him in Singapore within a month.
The local agency and lawyers were doing an excellent job.
Of course, they’d do anything if you paid them enough.
Then, I headed to St. Petersburg.
“Sir, there was no need to book me in first class too.”
It was Director Im Kang-min.
He had personally volunteered to provide private security.
He’d even offered to cover the travel costs under the company’s budget.
I accepted his proposal.
But only for personal security.
I paid for the rest of the travel expenses myself.
We had travelled in first class together on the way to Singapore as well.
“Isn’t this part of being your personal security? Close proximity, right?”
“That’s right. But we’re on a plane. I could stay in economy class.”
The original contract only covered security within Korea.
There was no mention of international security.
“Just enjoy the Ride.”
Even if the plane was safe, Im Kang-min couldn’t let his guard down, as expected of a professional.
He discreetly observed the surroundings.
“I told you, you don’t have to.”
“It’s my duty. But, sir.”
“Yes?”
“Was there a particular reason you had to stop by Singapore?”
What’s this?
He’s hitting the nail on the head a bit too accurately.
“What do you mean, a particular reason? I was just checking on Senior Lee Jeong-seok and making sure things were going smoothly.”
“Is that so?”
“Why would you think there was a specific reason for me to stop in Singapore?”
“It’s just… you seemed to be dealing with things quite urgently in Singapore. And it didn’t seem like you were checking because you didn’t trust Representative Lee Jeong-seok.”
He read me perfectly.
“Why are you so curious? Is it normal for security personnel to be this inquisitive?”
“Not really. But I find myself curious about you, sir.”
Curious about me?
“Why?”
“You feel different from the people I’ve guarded so far. Also, I want to make a good impression on you.”
“A good impression?”
“Yes. I want you to like me, sir.”
This guy is saying some strange things.
“I already like you. You’re doing a great job.”
“I’m not just saying this.”
His gaze changed.
There was something behind it.
“Sir, do you happen to need a security guard who can double as an executive assistant?”
I couldn’t predict what he’d say next.
I was genuinely taken aback.
“Surely you’re not saying you’d do it, are you?”
“Why not me?”
“What about your company?”
“To be honest, once your contract ends, I have no other incoming requests. It’ll be over. But thanks to you, I can finally pay the overdue salaries and severance pay. I’m grateful for that.”
“So, are you asking me to hire you in advance?”
Director Im Kang-min waved his hand.
“I’m not just asking for a job. I’m more capable than you think. I could apply for a personal bodyguard position or even go overseas as a mercenary.”
This was true.
Director Im Kang-min was an Ex-Special Forces member. He had been recruited into the police force through a special selection process.
“Then why would you want to become my assistant?”
“Because I think it’ll be interesting.”
“Interesting?”
“Yes. You’re fighting against Samdo Group right now, aren’t you?”
“That’s right.”
“Do you know why my company went under?”
“Because of Samdo Group?”
“That’s right. So, I think it’ll be fun staying by your side. I have a feeling Samdo Group is about to take a real hit.”
It seemed that Director Im Kang-min had a grudge against Samdo Group as well.
“I won’t be paying much.”
“You’ll pay me well. I know that. You pay based on capability.”
“It shows that you have excellent analytical skills in unusual situations.”
“That same analytical skill makes me think that you stopped by Singapore on purpose. As if you wanted to make it harder for anyone to figure out your next destination.”
I was startled by that.
He hit the mark.
“You’re right. It’s easy enough for them to find out that I went to Singapore. If it’s Samdo Group, that is.”
“Exactly.”
“Good. I’ll hire you as my security guard and personal assistant.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
It seemed like he wasn’t aware, but he was quick to pick up on things. If we stayed together longer, he would likely start preparing for things I hadn’t even asked for yet.
He seemed to be loyal as well.
“But where is your final destination?”
“Russia.”
That was my last answer before I closed my eyes.
Director Im Kang-min didn’t speak again after that.
***
We arrived in St. Petersburg.
I had already informed Putin that I would be coming from Singapore.
When I handed over my passport at the immigration desk, the officer looked at it, then raised his hand.
As if on cue, the police approached us.
“Sir.”
Director Im Kang-min looked at me as if asking what to do.
“They’re police officers, so we should comply.”
“Understood.”
The officer checked my passport and then bowed his head.
“Добро пожаловать. Следите за нами. (Welcome. Please follow us.)”
“What did he say?”
“He’s welcoming us and asking us to follow him.”
Director Im Kang-min looked confused.
We followed the police out of the airport.
Once outside, I saw a familiar face.
It wasn’t Putin. It was the people who had taken me to see Putin at the hotel last time.
They bowed as soon as they saw me.
Then, they opened the door of a black sedan.
“It looks like they want us to get in. Shall we?”
“Yes, sir.”
Director Im Kang-min got into the car, looking puzzled.
The car started moving immediately.
A police car cleared the road ahead of us.
Two more security vehicles followed behind, escorting us.
“Sir, these people seem to have undergone professional training. They’re carrying guns, too.”
“You can see that?”
“Yes, this is my specialty. Is this alright? If needed, I can subdue the two in front and take their guns.”
“It’s fine.”
Despite what I said, Director Im Kang-min remained tense.
The convoy drove to a mansion on the outskirts of St. Petersburg.
The car stopped, and the door opened.
As soon as I got out, I saw Putin, smiling brightly as he welcomed me.
“Друг. Рад снова встретиться. (My friend. It’s good to see you again.)”
I smiled just as brightly.
“Я тоже рад встрече. (I’m glad to see you too.)”
Putin was the first to embrace me.
He then stepped back, put his arm around my shoulder, and guided me inside the mansion.
***
The mansion didn’t belong to Putin.
It was owned by the city of St. Petersburg, reserved for hosting important guests.
The security was impeccable.
I was told that I could use it freely during my stay.
After we had a meal together, he thanked me for keeping my promise.
I had wired 20 million dollars to a Swiss account.
After some casual conversation, I took the opportunity to tell him that I had something to discuss privately.
Putin led me to a soundproof room, ensuring no eavesdropping.
“Да, друг. Что ты хочешь сказать? (Yes, my friend. What do you want to say?)”
I felt a bit nervous.
“Как Россия выплатит долги. (How Russia can pay off its debts.)”
Putin’s eyes widened.
I needed to make him even more interested.
“Это способ приблизиться на шаг ближе к мечте друга. (It’s a way for you to take one step closer to achieving your dream.)”
Putin’s eyes sparkled.
I had piqued his interest.
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