The Scent of Blood Beneath the Smiles

Hae Su dropped her gaze away from Lee Doguk.

“Director Go is managing Hong Kong and Macau on his own.”

“Once the Philippine resort is completed soon he will have to look after that branch as well so it is too much for him to handle domestic management.”

As the National Investigation Bureau staff mentioned in the briefing Go Jewon had been focusing on overseas management for two years.

Therefore someone was needed to replace him.

Just as he had taken over the role of action leader that Go Jewon left behind when he rose to the position of Blue Cloud representative he was following the same steps this time.

“From now on CEO Lee Doguk here will take overall responsibility for domestic operations and Japan.”

“So Vice Ministers and Assemblymen…… please look after him well.”

Lee Jacheong bowed his head to the Korea Party assemblymen and vice ministers.

Following the boss’s greeting Lee Doguk also lowered his head which he had been holding stiffly.

“Since we are on the subject shall we share some progress regarding the Busan casino.”

At the topic raised by Park Dongjun the eyes of the men transformed instantly.

This was also the moment Hae Su had been waiting for.

Lest it interfere with the wiretapping she tucked the hair covering her earring behind her ear.

The Vice Minister of the MoCT who had emptied his glass opened his lips.

“At the end of this month the final announcement of the candidate site will be officially reported.”

“Well there are already many rumors asking if it is not a foregone conclusion so I do not think it will be a big topic…… but Busan will be chosen without any trouble.”

As soon as those words ended another vice minister who adjusted his glasses added more.

“Perhaps because Busan is a city attracting a lot of interest even from overseas the Chinese American and European groups that received the RFP have also submitted proposals for the supply bid.”

“The articles will say that a public contest will be held…… but this too will proceed as already designated.”

“To Cheongun and Blue Cloud.”

This meant that the decision had already been finalized.

The candidate site and the contest.

Everything was a rigged game for the Cheongun Group.

The eyebrows of Lee Jacheong who had been listening quietly arched.

“Will there be no risk for the MoCT.”

“Some media outlets might criticize us by clinging to the Special Act on Free Economic Zones.”

“Haha what citizen would complain about the government highly valuing the worth of a domestic company and helping its growth.”

“Everyone knows that Blue Cloud is contributing greatly to the tourism industry.”

Park Dongjun nodded his head as if agreeing with the vice minister.

“Vice Minister Kang is right.”

“Even if they make some noise it will quiet down soon so you have nothing to worry about.”

Hae Su spread a pleasant smile like a naive woman who knew nothing.

A hostess had to be a woman who might not be interested in such conversations but knew how to match the atmosphere.

She catered to their whims in a manner that was neither more nor less than that.

The conversations that followed were also worth listening to.

Stories like arranging meetings with Busan city council members belonging to the Korea Party and the fact that Cheongun Group had purchased all the land near the Busan casino site.

Once the conversation centered on their common interests ended they naturally split into pairs.

Someone talked about golf as a hobby and someone else chattered about the results of a health checkup they received recently.

Before long a conversation that caught Hae Su’s attention was heard.

“It is too late since I wanted to see you in person to say hello.”

“Thanks to the Chairman a matter that almost caused quite a headache was settled cleanly.”

Chairman Lee who put a piece of raw fish in his mouth chewed it crunchily and raised the corners of his mouth.

“Do not mention it.”

“It was not such a difficult task to receive words of gratitude for.”

Her gaze which had been floating in the air moved slowly following those words.

“It was just dealing with a fly like that.”

“Just say the word whenever you need.”

“If it is for Representative Park I will solve it without any problem.”

A matter that would give Park Dongjun a headache.

A matter that the Cheongun Gang stepped in to resolve cleanly.

The existence referred to as a mere fly seemed to be the deceased Jo Miyeon.

Hae Su swallowed her dry saliva and secretly gripped the fabric of her skirt.

Lee Jacheong emptied all the transparent alcohol remaining in his glass and held it out to Hae Su.

Recognizing the sign to fill the empty glass she picked up the bottle placed on the table.

As she tilted the mouth of the bottle the liquid flowed out.

“CEO Lee handled the cleanup that Director Go could not finish so there will be no problem.”

“You do not have to worry.”

“I was actually wondering who put Kim Seonggeun in the detention center and it was CEO Lee.”

The moment she heard the name Kim Seonggeun her composure cracked.

She flinched without realizing it.

“……!”

By the time she snapped back to her senses it was already too late.

The mouth of the bottle she was tilting missed the glass and it ended up looking like she was pouring alcohol over Lee Jacheong.

Startled by her mistake Hae Su hurried to put the bottle down.

“I, I am sorr……!”

The moment she tried to bow her head.

Slap!

She was hit on the cheek by Lee Jacheong who swung his arm violently.

Hae Su who ended up collapsing from the strong force while sitting in her place lost her mind for a moment with her ears ringing.

The face that had been smiling politely until a moment ago had transformed.

“Has this crazy b*tch lost her mind.”

His eyes were full of murderous intent.

The sound of the slap was so loud that the manager standing outside the door came into the room which had instantly become like a sheet of thin ice.

Lee Jacheong who frowned deeply shook his wet hand.

“F*ck it is all soaked.”

Only then did Hae Su barely raise her fallen body.

She felt several pairs of eyes pouring over her.

‘Do not stand out too much and just keep your seat quietly.’

It was a place where not even a single mistake was allowed.

It was obvious what would happen.

Hae Su tightly clenched the hand that was pressing against the floor.

“Take her out.”

At that moment the person who spoke to Manager Nam was Lee Doguk.

As soon as those words fell the manager approached with quick steps and supported Hae Su.

She thought she should not leave this place but there was no way to stay.

In the end Hae Su walked along the long corridor with Manager Nam.

‘It was not such a difficult task to receive words of gratitude for.’

‘It was just dealing with a fly like that.’

They were ruffians who felt no guilt even after killing someone.

The kind of people who could not possibly have a conscience.

Otherwise they could not have laughed while pretending to be polite while having such a conversation.

The more she thought about it the more disgusting it felt.

Feeling a sense of nausea Hae Su raised her hand to cover her mouth.

She could not tell if it was because she had been hit hard on the cheek or because she had seen their ugly bare faces.

When her body flinched from the churning stomach Manager Nam looked at her with wide eyes.

“Hey are you okay.”

Hae Su shook her head and pushed away the hand supporting her.

“……The, the restroom for a moment.”

She headed straight to the restroom due to the unbearable nausea.

The door was pushed back with a loud clattering sound.

Hae Su sat down and gripped the toilet retching repeatedly.

The churning stomach did not calm down easily.

She tightly closed her bloodshot eyes.

Hae Su who stroked her burning throat with her hand stood up while leaning against the partition.

Pressing her trembling lips with the back of her hand she stopped in front of the mirror.

She caught her breath and slowly closed and opened her eyes.

When she turned on the faucet a cool stream of water poured into the sink.

Just as she was about to reach out her hand while leaning on the counter Hae Su faced her own face in the mirror.

A pain she had forgotten due to the sudden nausea arose.

Her eyebrows contorted at the sight of her red swollen cheek and the fishy taste of blood lingering in her mouth.

Since she had been hit with a force strong enough to make her body collapse it was bound to show.

Hae Su who curled her fingers together bit her red lips hard.

Even if she had never done it before she had seen and learned so she could imitate it well.

As the Madam said she could not deceive them with a mediocre appearance so she paid more attention to not missing any action or gaze.

Thanks to that they did not doubt her identity.

However.

‘Thanks to the Chairman a matter that almost caused quite a headache was settled cleanly.’

The moment she heard their conversation she had been shaken without realizing it.

But this made it clear.

That the mastermind who caused Jo Miyeon to die was Park Dongjun.

And…….

‘CEO Lee handled the cleanup that Director Go could not finish so there will be no problem.’

‘I was actually wondering who put Kim Seonggeun in the detention center and it was CEO Lee.’

That Lee Doguk might be involved in this matter to some extent.

His name did not appear on the meeting list today.

It was Lee Jacheong who brought such a man and he introduced him by saying he would take overall charge of the Busan casino business at this gathering.

A person who receives Lee Jacheong’s trust.

“Lee, Doguk.”

He was the closest aide.

TL Note: RFP stands for Request For Proposal.