TOIGC 31

Chapter 31 …

You Need Talent to Seize an Opportunity (2)

“Treating you warmly? Nonsense, Manager Lee. It’s the absolute bare minimum respect you deserve.”

The reason Choi Cheol-min was treating Lee Seong-won with such exaggerated deference came down to a recent disaster: the mole he’d planted in the executive office had just been canned.

The cause, of course, was Cheol-min himself blabbing about the informant inside his father’s study a while back. Panic-stricken over his inability to plant a new snitch, Cheol-min had been tossed a lifeline when Lee Seong-won reached out directly. Seong-won had readily provided every detail Cheol-min craved regarding Yoongi’s moves, subtly hinting that he was willing to throw his weight behind the second son.

To Cheol-min—who had no other allies left to lean on—it was a gilded lifeline. He grabbed Seong-won’s offered hand without hesitation, and the two had been meeting regularly to exchange intel ever since. Though calling it a “mutual exchange” was a stretch; it was almost entirely Cheol-min benefiting from Seong-won’s generosity.

“Honestly, I wanted to buy you a proper meal somewhere nice, but money’s been a bit tight lately. I really am sorry about this.”

Seong-won was the Chief of Staff directly serving the Chairman of Samwoo Group. Treating a man of his stature at a run-down, dingy tavern like this felt entirely improper. One look at the shabby clothes of the working-class locals surrounding them made it clear this was just a place for common folk to get plastered on the cheap.

“Not at all. I actually enjoy places like this. Back in the day, nothing beat filling a giant bowl to the brim with raw makgeolli and knocking it back with a slice of tofu.”

Seong-won was in his late fifties. Having served Choi Gi-hyeon for decades, it had been a very long time since he’d actually set foot in a cheap tavern like this, but he spun the lie without batting an eye. It was a harmless fib he knew would never be called out, and Cheol-min took the bait completely, flashing a relieved smile.

“I really appreciate your understanding, Manager Lee. Here, let me pour you a drink.”

“Thank you. I’ll gladly accept.”

Though both of their rustic bowls were filled with the same milky rice wine, their behavior couldn’t have been more different. Cheol-min found the coarse drink unpalatable and set his bowl down after a few hesitant sips. Seong-won, on the other hand, lifted the bowl with both hands and downed it in one smooth, sweeping gulp—so eagerly that white drops of makgeolli splashed onto his thick black eyebrows and head of hair.

“Seeing you enjoy it so much puts my mind right at ease.”

Seong-won’s considerate act caused Cheol-min to lower his guard completely.

If Choi Cheol-kyu had been in his shoes, he would have instantly smelled a rat: Why would the Chief of Staff suddenly reach out right after a secretary in his office got fired? But Cheol-min, utterly isolated and desperate, leaned on Seong-won without a single shred of suspicion.

“By the way… do you have any new updates for me?”

At Cheol-min’s eager question, Seong-won popped a seasoned silkworm pupa into his mouth, chewed slowly, and nodded.

“As a matter of fact, young master Yoongi has officially begun making his moves.”

“R-really?!”

Surprised, Cheol-min pressed his chest against the round iron table, leaning far forward.

“From what I can tell, he brought up a few construction workers from the southern provinces. It looks like he’s laying the groundwork to start a build somewhere, though I haven’t been able to pinpoint the exact location or what he’s planning to construct yet.”

Cheol-min’s expression darkened into a scowl. If there was one thing he couldn’t stand, it was seeing Yoongi succeed. That kid’s success was the single biggest obstacle standing between him and the company succession.

“Hmm… Do you happen to know who he brought up?”

“I couldn’t get a concrete roster, I’m afraid. Young master Yoongi isn’t operating under the official Samwoo Group banner, after all.”

“Ah…”

“However, that doesn’t mean I sat by and did nothing.”

Cheol-min’s face lit up instantly.

“I knew I could count on you, Chief!”

Grinning one second, looking somber the next, plunging into gloom, and then beaming with joy—Cheol-min was laying every single one of his raw emotions bare in front of Seong-won.

“The address written here is young master Yoongi’s newly established office.”

“You mean the office housing his construction crew?”

“Precisely. Given all the eyes watching me, I can’t move any further than this, but I trust you’ll handle the rest brilliantly, sir.”

Cheol-min gave a series of heavy, eager nods.

“Of course! This information is only valuable if I make the right move with it. And when I succeed, it benefits you too, Chief. From here on out, you’re the only man I’m trusting.”

“Don’t worry about a thing, sir. I am entirely on your side.”

As Seong-won raised his bowl, Cheol-min blurted out an enthusiastic “Ah, let me!” and quickly filled Seong-won’s bowl to the brim with both hands.

The Chairman’s Chief of Staff and the Chairman’s second son—the power dynamic between the two was playing out in a completely inverted, bizarre fashion.

<Man, a back bad. bowl crave drinks knock made makgeolli me of so those two watching>

“Hang in there. It’s curfew right now.”

At Yoongi’s calm reply, Choi Deok-bae smacked his lips, floating lazily around Yoongi’s bed.

It was currently 12:20 AM. Deok-bae had just returned after spying on the tavern meeting between Lee Seong-won and Choi Cheol-min.

Currently, Chairman Choi Gi-hyeon was staying at Choi Cheol-ho’s estate. Yoongi was naturally in his room when Cheol-min came over earlier that evening, but he had requested to eat dinner in his room under the pretext of studying—a request Gi-hyeon readily granted. Still, knowing why Cheol-min had shown up was worth looking into, so Yoongi had temporarily attached Deok-bae to his uncle’s shadow.

<Anyway, He Seong-won a about and bringing canary construction even everything—about exact for guy like location of office sang set spilled that the them. up workers, you you.>

“Thanks for your hard work.”

<Aren’t all? at worried you>

Yoongi merely shrugged at Deok-bae’s question.

“Hardly. As far as I can tell, the Chief of Staff isn’t our enemy—at least not yet.”

<Not enemy? your>

“Right. Of course, if my second uncle keeps acting like a complete idiot, Chief Lee might get greedy. He might try to position himself as the master strategist operating behind the scenes, using my uncle as a puppet to pull the Chairman’s strings.”

<He Though, anything. before brains could cut definitely down has he him like long off pull regressed, something that. the thief to try you>

“Is that so?”

Whenever Yoongi talked with Deok-bae, his favorite topic was always what the “thief” had done at Samwoo Group in the original timeline. Though Deok-bae usually held back out of consideration for him, Yoongi leaned in with genuine interest the moment the thief was brought up.

<I’m any details, kid. more not spilling>

“I’ll buy three bottles of makgeolli tomorrow and hold a proper memorial service for you.”

Back in the 1970s, a minor buying alcohol or cigarettes at a local corner store raised zero red flags. The magic phrase—”I’m running an errand for my dad”—cleared every barrier. On top of that, because Yoongi had spent so much time on the streets treating workers to drinks and chatting with them while gathering intel, the local shopkeepers didn’t hesitate to sell to him.

<Hmm… That is pretty tempting.>

“Is there anything else you want to eat?”

“That’s easy enough.”

<Alright, After Chemical Cheol-kyu Cheol-kyu, Chief Choi He I’ll Lee Samwoo Seong-won Seong-won’s almost away, but completely didn’t fine. future, grandfather him. immediately. in just on ousted over passed recruit satisfied so sweet taking talk tell the to tried was work you. your>

“I doubt that’s where the story ends.”

Noticing Yoongi’s furrowed brow, Deok-bae continued his explanation.

<Desperate, But Cheol-jae, Cheol-jun Cheol-jun. Cheol-min. Choi In Meanwhile, Seong-won a after already approaching down end, eventually failed flames fourth gone had in lifeline. new secure side. siding the thief’s third to took tried uncle, with your>

“A man capable of serving as Grandfather’s Chief of Staff must have stashed away a massive fortune behind the scenes. Look at Secretary Ryu—he’s already scooping up sweet honey dropping from my plate based on the intel I give him.”

<Normally, But He Seong-won Seong-won’s a all and assets. been comfortable dark eliminate for he hidden hired his hitman offshore on retirement. seized set sights the thief things to took turn wealth. when would’ve>

“…Sounds just like the thief.”

Yoongi clicked his tongue in disgust, realizing that whether before or after regression, a person’s core nature never really changed.

“Roughly when did that happen?”

“When the thief was thirty-two. He was already cozying up to foreign investors by then. That’s also around the time your grandfather passed away. Let’s see… given the era, I guess your grandfather lived a fairly long life?”

Yoongi’s face darkened slightly at the mention of his grandfather’s eventual death, but he quickly smoothed his expression back over. There was no point in stressing over something that was still more than two decades away.

<Just But Geun-tae Ryu Seong-won Seong-won. a calculation: chooses cold, control couldn’t fiercely he is like loyal made man master, once quick realized similar the thief type. was>

“So he killed him…?”

<Yep. Eliminated and cash in move. one pocketed the threat>

Yoongi let out a bitter laugh.

<Anyway, Cheol-min If Seong-won alter around. back details game history, is it makes moved of plan? quickly regression sense smaller starting that the this time to what’s your>

Despite Deok-bae’s sincere advice, Yoongi simply shook his head.

<Why?>

“You said it yourself—Grandfather is more than capable of keeping Lee Seong-won under control. Why do you think Seong-won went out of his way to meet my second uncle?”

<Ah!>

“There’s nothing to worry about. As long as it’s Grandfather making the moves, I understand completely.”

Yoongi closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep with a clear mind.

<Technically, I’m a grandfather, too…> Deok-bae muttered to himself, suddenly craving the jujubes tucked inside Yoongi’s pocket.

The day after Deok-bae eavesdropped on the meeting.

Inside the Chairman’s office at Samwoo Trading, Choi Gi-hyeon and Lee Seong-won were sitting down for a private conversation.

“How did it go?”

“Just as you instructed, Chairman. I met with the second young master and told him everything regarding young master Yoongi’s recent moves.”

“And his reaction?”

“He seemed entirely consumed with the desire to sabotage him.”

“Did it show on his face?”

“He couldn’t hide his emotions if his life depended on it.”

Choi Gi-hyeon’s brow furrowed tightly.

The reason he had ordered Seong-won to leak Yoongi’s movements wasn’t out of malice toward Yoongi, nor was it because he considered Cheol-min a viable heir. He simply wanted to test whether Cheol-min possessed even an ounce of competence worth inheriting shares of Samwoo Group.

‘If he had any sense, he would either swallow his pride and bow under Yoongi’s wing right now, or quietly build up his own strength like Cheol-kyu! Or at the very least, follow Cheol-jun and Cheol-jae’s lead—stay out of corporate politics and just focus on doing his own job!’

Though Gi-hyeon had abandoned all expectations for his second son long ago, Cheol-min was still his own flesh and blood. Had Cheol-min shown even a shred of decency or capability, Gi-hyeon would have willed him a small portion of shares. But the man was utterly talentless.

What was the point of graduating with a business degree from Korea University when his real-world business acumen was practically zero and his temperament was entirely unsuited for leadership? To make matters worse, he didn’t even have the humility to work under someone else.

At this rate, Cheol-min was destined to end up completely isolated within the Samwoo family. His only hope for a decent life was if Gi-hyeon handed him a generous pile of shares.

But Gi-hyeon had zero intention of doing that. The thought of Samwoo Group crumbling was something he could never tolerate.

‘Do I need to cut him loose along with the rest…?’

Although Seong-won was currently displaying absolute loyalty, Gi-hyeon knew the Chief of Staff’s true nature better than anyone. He knew the man would become uncontrollable once he passed away. Seong-won might try to manipulate Cheol-min, or worse, sell Samwoo’s corporate secrets to a rival conglomerate in exchange for a board seat.

‘To think I have to suspect even my most loyal servant…’

Feeling a familiar wave of loneliness wash over him, Gi-hyeon thought of his eldest son, Cheol-ho, and his eldest grandson, Yoongi.

Between the two, Cheol-ho might struggle, but Gi-hyeon was certain Yoongi possessed the sharp mind needed to keep the Chief of Staff firmly under his thumb.

‘Yoongi… don’t look at what I’m doing now as a betrayal. If you can’t overcome a test of this scale, you will never be able to protect Samwoo…’

When a wealthy family produces a spoiled, useless heir, parasites naturally swarm around them, eager to gobble up whatever crumbs fall off the table.

In Samwoo Group, that spoiled heir was unequivocally Choi Cheol-min. Naturally, Cheol-min used his network of bottom-feeders to do all his dirty work—just as he was doing right now.

“Boss, you haven’t been calling us out much lately. Don’t tell me you found yourself a new side piece or something?”

The speaker was a man with a buzz cut and a deep scar running down his cheek. His dingy brown sweater looked like it had at least been washed recently, as it didn’t smell too bad.

He wasn’t alone. Three other men—a mix of slick, sly faces and rough, menacing thugs—sat around the table as Cheol-min poured drinks for them at a noisy barbecue joint.

“Hey, cut it out. If I get caught again, I’m done for. I need to lay low for a while.”

“Heh, what a shame. Wrapping up a night out with you at those high-end hostesses was always the best part. Still, once you take over as heir, it’s all gonna be yours anyway, right? Just don’t forget about us when you reach the top, Boss.”

The man in the brown sweater, Oh Jung-seon, offered a wide grin. Cheol-min gave an eager, heavy nod.

“Of course! Who else would I hang out with if not you guys? Right?”

“Damn right! We don’t have half as much fun hanging out with anyone else either. Am I right, boys?”

At Jung-seon’s signal, the thugs scrambled to their feet, bowing low from the waist as they hollered in unison.

[That’s right, Boss!]

Jung-seon was the leader of a small crew that handled all sorts of shady, low-level odd jobs that normal people refused to touch. And that exact reputation was why Cheol-min had called him out tonight for the first time in months.

“Hey… how would you guys feel about working at a construction office for a bit?”