Genius Grandson Of The Loan Shark King

I let out a deep sigh and silently looked at Chairman Min.

After returning to my seat, I spoke.

“Chairman Min, over something like that...”

Chairman Min raised his head and looked at me with eyes filled with shame and resentment.

“Then what was I supposed to do in that situation?”

“I don't care about anything else, but risking the national economy because of your personal problem? How could you do something like this?”

“I can't afford to lose everything.”

Despair and fear clouded his eyes.

He seemed incapable of making a rational judgment, overwhelmed by the terror of losing everything he had built until now.

After thinking for a moment, I spoke.

“I'll help you. But I have conditions.”

“Huh? W-What conditions?”

I checked the time on my wristwatch and muttered,

“It should be about time they reacted...”

Hearing me talk to myself, Chairman Min tilted his head in confusion.

Just then, his phone started ringing.

I nodded toward it.

“Go ahead and answer it.”

“Excuse me.”

Chairman Min pressed the call button.

“Yes, this is Min Yusik speaking. Yes. Yes...”

As the conversation continued, the color gradually drained from his face.

After hanging up, he looked at me as though he'd seen a ghost.

“Mr. Kim Muhyuk. Was this your doing?”

I nodded.

Chairman Min's mouth fell open.

“I have three conditions.”

“What do you...”

Cutting him off, I continued.

“First, immediately stop pursuing the acquisition of Lehman Brothers and return to Korea. You can use the excuse that the Korean government and the Financial Services Commission refuse to approve it.”

“But they're only trying to stall. They never intended to sell in the first place.”

“Starting tomorrow, negative stories will begin flooding the American media as well. Use that as your justification and return to Korea first.”

Without waiting for his reply, I moved on to the second condition.

“Second, tell me everything about your past embezzlement. Not a single lie.”

“Th-That...”

“Lastly, from this point forward, you'll follow my instructions.”

Chairman Min hesitated before asking,

“If I do that... will you really help me?”

“Yes. I promise. But this promise cuts both ways. If you ever refuse to follow my instructions, your past will become public.”

In other words, the leash that had been held by Lehman would now be held by me.

Understanding exactly what I meant, Chairman Min let out a long sigh.

“...Understood. I don't really have a choice. I'll do as you say, Mr. Kim Muhyuk.”

“Good. Then return to Korea tomorrow. As soon as you arrive, hold a press conference and issue a negative statement regarding Lehman Brothers.”

“So quickly? Wouldn't it be better to wait a little longer?”

He sounded uneasy.

I shook my head.

“Simply say that Lehman's financial condition is worse than expected. Which is also the truth. You know that yourself, don't you?”

“I understand. What comes after that? Lehman won't just sit back and accept it.”

“Tell me everything about your past. Who's blackmailing you, and how?”

After a brief hesitation, Chairman Min finally spoke.

“...When I was the head of Lehman's Asia division, I misappropriated five billion won of company funds for personal use. My superiors overlooked it at the time, but now they're using it to blackmail me.”

So they had deliberately ignored the embezzlement from the very beginning so they could use it against him later.

How many people had they put on leashes this way?

“Who's using that information against you?”

“Lehman CEO Dick Fuld.”

“He covered it up for you?”

“Yes. When I first joined Lehman, I worked under him.”

Chairman Min briefly explained his relationship with Dick Fuld.

“I understand. I'll do everything I can to prevent it from being exposed. If Dick Fuld calls to threaten you again, make sure you record the conversation.”

“Ah, I've recorded every phone call up until now.”

“That's good. Send all of them to me.”

“Yes. Understood. But... Mr. Kim Muhyuk, can you really protect me?”

I answered with a gentle smile.

“Don't worry. I have enough power to protect you. In return, however, I expect your loyalty. From now on, consult me before making any major decisions concerning the Korea Development Bank.”

“What exactly does that mean?”

“It means doing what's best for both you and the Korean economy. I'll give you advice, and you'll act accordingly.”

Chairman Min fell silent in thought before answering.

He still looked somewhat uneasy.

“Understood. But... I don't want to do anything illegal ever again.”

“I won't ask you to.”

I stood up.

“I'll be leaving now. Return to Korea first thing tomorrow morning. After that, President Eva will contact you with further instructions.”

Chairman Min stood as well.

“Yes, understood. But...”

After a brief pause, he cautiously asked,

“May I ask you one more question?”

“Go ahead.”

“Why are you helping me?”

It was a perfectly reasonable question.

If I had truly wanted to drive Chairman Min out, there were countless ways to do it.

“Everyone has their proper use, Chairman Min. Your experience and your position are both quite valuable. I simply intend to use you where you're most useful.”

It was a cold answer, but Chairman Min seemed more convinced by my honesty than anything else.

He nodded.

“...I understand. I look forward to working with you.”

“You too. Have a good night.”

As I walked toward the door, I added one last remark.

“And remember. Everything we've discussed today must remain an absolute secret. Never tell anyone—not until the day you die. Even if it's your own family.”

“I understand.”

The door closed behind me.

Walking down the hallway, I smiled in satisfaction.

I'd just acquired another highly useful pawn.

* * *

The very next day, Chairman Min boarded a flight back to Korea.

While he was flying over the Pacific Ocean, I headed for Lehman Brothers headquarters to meet Dick Fuld.

I rode the elevator to the executive floor.

“Charlie, Chairman Dick Fuld is expecting you.”

As soon as the elevator doors opened, his secretary guided me inside.

When the office door opened, I saw Dick Fuld standing by the window, admiring the New York skyline.

“Chairman, your guest has arrived.”

He slowly turned to face me.

“Oh, Charlie. Welcome. What brings you here?”

His tone was polite, but the pressure behind it was icy.

The fact that he skipped all pleasantries and immediately asked my purpose said everything.

“My name is Kim Muhyuk. By the way, aren't you even going to offer me a cup of coffee? That's rather stingy.”

“Are we really on laughing terms?”

When I said nothing, Dick Fuld gestured.

“Well, coffee is the least I can offer. Please, have a seat.”

We sat facing one another, and before long the secretary brought us coffee.

'Espresso... Looks like he's in quite the foul mood.'

Without saying a word, I downed the bitter espresso in a single gulp, set the cup down, looked him straight in the eye, and spoke.

“Chairman Fuld, neither of us has much time, so I'll get straight to the point. I have evidence of Lehman Brothers' accounting fraud.”

Fuld's face froze for an instant.

But he immediately denied it.

“I have no idea what you're talking about.”

“Don't bother denying it.”

I opened my briefcase and spread several documents across his desk.

“Manipulated CDO valuations, off-balance-sheet transactions, abuse of Repo 105... Every piece of evidence is right here.”

As Fuld scanned the documents, his face gradually turned pale.

“This... How did you obtain these? Is there a traitor inside the company?”

“That's not what's important. What's important is that I know. Even if you tried to fabricate evidence now, these documents alone would be enough to send you to prison for the rest of your life.”

The United States imposed extremely harsh sentences for financial crimes.

Fuld knew that better than anyone.

He swallowed hard.

Leaning back against the sofa and crossing my legs, I continued.

“And I also know that you've been blackmailing Chairman Min Yusik.”

Fuld remained silent.

Fear and anger clashed in his eyes.

Even after Lehman collapsed, he wouldn't go to prison.

Unless he had deliberately engineered the bankruptcy, even the CEO wouldn't normally be held criminally responsible under American law.

He might face endless criticism and condemnation, but not prison, which was precisely why Lehman had continued making reckless investments.

But criminal charges were another matter entirely.

Could someone who had spent his entire life among society's elite endure the humiliation of prison?

“What is it that you want?”

At last, he spoke.

I smiled.

Meeting his gaze directly, I answered,

“First, stop blackmailing Chairman Min Yusik immediately. Never use that against him again.”

Fuld bit down hard on his lip.

“Second, publicly disclose Lehman Brothers' true financial condition.”

Humiliation.

Rage.

Shock.

The mixture of emotions on his face was quite a sight.

“Lastly, from now on, you'll act according to my instructions.”

Fuld let out a mocking laugh.

“Ha! Is that all? Who exactly do you think you are—”

I cut him off coldly.

“If this information becomes public, you'll go to prison whether Lehman goes bankrupt or not.”

Fuld's face flushed crimson.

“So you came here to blackmail me?”

“No. I came to propose a deal.”

The word "deal" made him frown.

Unlike before, I deliberately softened my tone.

“If you agree to my conditions, this information will never see the light of day.”

My objective was simple.

Lehman had to collapse.

During that process, I intended to extract the maximum possible profit and establish a new financial order.

With a faint smile, I calmly declared,

“Lehman must go bankrupt.”

“What?”

Fuld shouted as though he'd just heard something impossible.

“Calm down. This isn't a threat. It could actually become an opportunity for you.”

I slowly explained.

“The stock price will collapse and become worthless paper, but I'll purchase the assets I actually want at bargain prices. The remaining toxic assets will disappear through the bankruptcy process.”

“How is that an opportunity for me?”

“I'll protect you. Just find someone else to take responsibility for everything.”

Fuld's eyes wavered.

The idea of escaping responsibility must have sounded irresistibly tempting under the circumstances.

“Can you really do that?”

“Of course. But we don't have time. You need to decide right now.”

“The government won't allow Lehman to fail. Right now public opinion...”

I interrupted him firmly.

“The Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department have already decided to let Lehman go bankrupt. Most of Wall Street's major banks have already been informed. But somehow, that information never reached you, did it?”

“Is that really true?”

“What would I gain by lying?”

Fuld fell silent.

Finally, as though making up his mind, he spoke.

“All right. What do I need to do?”

At last.

That was the answer I'd been waiting for.

Smiling with satisfaction, I replied,

“First, convene the board of directors. Disclose the company's true financial condition and announce that you'll begin preparing a bankruptcy filing. After that, every remaining step will proceed according to my instructions.”

“...Understood.”

Fuld answered weakly.

There was no reason to be cruel to a defeated opponent.

Wearing the smile of a magnanimous victor, I stood up.

“Excellent. From this point onward, everything will move very quickly. Prepare yourself.”

As I left the office, I added one final remark.

“Chairman Fuld. Your life as an investor may be over, but your life itself isn't. I'll help you make a fresh start.”

Fuld gave no reply.

As I rode the elevator down, I instructed Manager Ma.

“Make sure everything is ready so these documents can be released at any moment. No matter what Fuld decides to do, we'll be moving forward.”

“Yes, Boss. I'll prepare everything immediately.”

Lehman's downfall wasn't simply the fate of a single company.

It was a pivotal moment that could reshape the entire global financial system.

And when that new financial order emerged...

I intended to stand at its very center.