10. A fool himself
No way...
How much does he love Go that he’d go this far? I’d thought it was impossible, but here he is, actually debuting. Isn’t the Chairman of Koryo Group taking this a bit too lightly?
“But Aunt, aren’t you busy with work?”
—I am busy. But can I refuse when the old man calls?
“Well... no, I guess not.”
—Even Min-ji, who’s been out at sea, is on her way back. I don’t know what’s going on.
That psycho sister, who was all excited about playing pirate on an aircraft carrier, is heading to Pyongyang too. But can she even get here on time? It’s pretty far.
"Got it. I’ll head to Pyongyang as well."
—Alright. Poor you, having such a capricious grandfather.
“What do you mean? I actually don’t mind at all.”
—Oh?
“I get to see you, Aunt.”
—...
She went silent for a moment.
Did that work?
—Honestly... you say the sweetest things. Yes, thinking about it that way, I’m happy too. I get to see my nephew.
Though I couldn’t see her, I could sense a faint smile on her face. A spur-of-the-moment comment, but it seemed to work well.
“I need to make Aunt mine completely if I’m going to survive.”
“See you in Pyongyang, Aunt.”
—Yes. Take care on your way. I’ll see you then.
With that, the call ended.
“...So, we’re going to Pyongyang?”
“Yeah. My grandfather is apparently aiming to become a professional Go player.”
“Wow. Is it because of that Go board you mentioned? The one haunted by a spirit?”
“Yeah.”
The Go board inhabited by Master Han Gyeong-young. When he saw me, he was practically desperate to play.
It seems he’s latched onto my grandfather and is tempting him. Grandfather, who’s already passionate about Go, must have easily succumbed.
“I thought he might just gather amateurs or pros for occasional matches, but going pro... really?”
Will he actually succeed?
I don’t doubt it. It’s been 50 years since Master Han Gyeong-young, and all the records are still there. With his talent, I’m sure he can catch up.
“Is he going to end up winning international tournaments or something?”
The most comical outcome would be Go Yeong-man completely dedicating himself to Go, abandoning his responsibilities in the group and passing control to one of the vice presidents.
“If that happens, it’d be perfect material for a drama that runs on dopamine alone.”
A trashy morning drama would get cursed out if it had a storyline like that....
“Reality always surpasses drama.”
Who knows what’ll actually happen?
“You mentioned a drug deal at midnight?”
“Yes.”
“Put a hold on it.”
“What? Why? It’s happening at Prestige anyway.”
“It’s just a gut feeling. When all the direct bloodline is gathered, you can’t let your guard down even for a second.”
The collateral line members are like toys you can play with however you like, but the direct bloodline is on a different level.
All my power to kill Jeon Seong-hyeon, to assault my collateral-line aunt Min Ji-ah, and even to make the chief prosecutor of Incheon kneel before me—all of that comes from being part of the direct bloodline.
But the rest of the direct bloodline? They have the advantage of that same powerful bloodline, plus personal wealth and immense strength.
Add Chairman Go Yeong-man to that, and there’s nothing more to say.
The whole direct bloodline gathering in one place and me being distracted with other things would be a serious misstep.
“Don’t expect any reports tomorrow. Just keep things smooth and pause everything else.”
“Understood. I’ll relay that immediately.”
Soo-ah conveyed my orders.
There’s a chance the other side might throw a fit. They’re the kind who insisted on choosing the time and place themselves, so it wouldn’t be surprising if they act up.
This could become a hassle.
“I really need to find people who can take charge without my direct oversight.”
I need people who can handle things independently, without waiting on my orders for everything. Now that Soo-ah’s been officially made a manager at Prestige, maybe I should set up a dedicated office for her to manage things on my behalf.
“That’s what a manager is supposed to do, after all.”
Back when Han Gyeong-baek was Go Muyeol’s closest ally, he had a dedicated office.
That office was dismantled when he was practically forced out.
Now it’s time to set it up again, with Im Soo-ah at the center.
“I’ve seen Militaris headquarters, so maybe it’s time to check out Prestige’s HQ? I might even run into our heroine.”
It’s been about two months since she started her training. By now, she should be showing some refinement.
She should have shed that cheap look that hid her beauty.
+++
“What?”
Jang Kyung-soo, who was preparing for the deal (or ambush), scowled at the sudden news.
He clenched his huge left fist, visibly expressing his anger.
“They canceled the deal?”
Read 𝓁at𝙚st chapters at ƒrēewebnovel.com Only.
“Not exactly; they just want to postpone it. They said something came up tonight.”
“The nerve of these untrustworthy people! The deal’s just hours away, and they want to delay?”
He had made all the preparations for this transaction, calling in personnel from various regions, and even pulling guards from his drug factory and other businesses.
All of this costs money, and it was for tonight’s deal, but now they’re postponing it at the last minute? This is beyond inconvenient.
“...Could they have figured something out? Any signs of a leak?”
“We haven’t detected anything yet.”
“Just because we haven’t found anything doesn’t mean there’s nothing.”
“Could it be because of Koryo Group?”
“Koryo Group?”
Why was that name suddenly brought up?
As Jang Kyung-soo frowned, his subordinate quickly explained.
“We suspect the trading partner is an organization in Shanghai. Recently, Koryo Group has been applying an unbelievable amount of pressure. Rumor has it a war might break out. If that happens...”
“The logistics from that side could be cut off.”
“There’s information that an artificial island from Koryo Militaris left Tianjin recently and is heading to Incheon.”
“...So they’re laying low because of Koryo Group?”
“It seems that way for now. Smuggling ships have been turning back since the artificial island moved in. It’s possible some of the shipments were meant for us....”
“Damn it.”
Jang Kyung-soo clenched and unclenched his fist as he collapsed into his chair.
Even with 200,000 police officers and thousands of gang members under his command, he couldn’t afford to touch Koryo Group.
The moment he did, his entire power base would crumble.
“Are they really from Shanghai?”
“We’ve been following your instructions to investigate, and there are several leads. There are conflicting fragments of information, but that’s normal. The most likely guess is Shanghai.”
Jang Kyung-soo tapped his fist against the desk.
“For now, ask them for a reason. And if they can’t give a proper explanation....”
“....”
He paused for a moment. If he was just going to rob them anyway, did asking even matter?
‘It does matter.’
“Tell them to lower the price. That way, they won’t suspect anything.”
“Yes, boss.”
+++
“Talk about discounts. The price stays fixed. Instead, tell them they can choose the date and location of the next deal. And no more updates until I’m on the plane to Incheon.”
“Yes, Master.”
Late that evening, I arrived in Pyongyang. This was my third visit—first when I was first possessed, and then again for Chuseok.
The Kumsusan Palace of the Sun still stood with its imposing grandeur, enough to make me feel a little overwhelmed.
“Welcome, young master.”
Following the servants’ guidance, I stepped inside.
The palace was as opulent as ever, though some things had changed.
“...Go stones?”
Some of the various artworks decorating the palace had been replaced. It wasn’t just a small change either—many of the new pieces were noticeably different.
And they were all related to Go.
But can these even be called artworks?
If you consider them just huge Go stones or boards on display, that’s really all they are.
“Well, well.”
It seemed like the Go fever had truly taken hold.
I paid my respects to Grandfather. He welcomed me with a booming laugh and, rejuvenated as he seemed, embraced me.
Being hugged by a man is never pleasant... but this is the Chairman of Koryo Group, so I have no choice.
“Thanks to you, my grandson, I feel so alive these days!”
“Is it really that wonderful, Grandfather?”
“Of course! It’s more than wonderful!”
Then hand over one quintillion won, please.
“Do you know what my original dream was?”
“Uh... no, Grandfather.”
“To become a professional Go player.”
“....”
Really?
“This is my true dream. The goal of my life!”
“And it’s happening tomorrow.”
Grandfather chuckled as he stroked the Go board. The bloodstains of the master still hadn’t been wiped clean from it.
“Until now... I couldn’t do it. You see, Go is both the fairest and the most brutal game.”
He tapped his forehead with his index finger.
“If your mind can’t keep up, no amount of effort will help. Go is the game where the difference between a master and an amateur is most pronounced. And the winner carries immense honor.”
Then, Grandfather declared:
“Now, I will rise to the top.”
“....”
“Bwahahaha!!!”
Grandfather... You're making a great deal of noise....