The Facade of Power

Following the guidance of Manager Nam the women entered Myeongilgak in a single file.

Inside the quiet traditional house was a well-maintained garden.

In contrast to the calm and elegant atmosphere personnel stationed for this meeting stood throughout the grounds.

Judging by their appearance they were likely members of the Cheongun Gang.

‘This is the list of attendees for today.’

Even as she walked slowly Hae Su ruminated on the list she had obtained from the Korea Party informant.

Vice ministers from the MoCT were also attending.

Since their department was the MoCT she guessed that discussions regarding the casino business would take place.

According to the National Investigation Bureau’s findings Blue Cloud was moving to expand its business into Busan domestically and into the Philippines and Japan internationally.

Since rumors about a locals-only casino in Busan had been circulating for three years she might hear about it today if things went well.

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

Confirming those circumstances was the top priority.

And if possible though it was separate from the mission she wanted to confirm if the person who caused her mother Jo Miyeon’s death was indeed Park Dongjun of the Korea Party.

Hae Su fiddled with her earlobe as if adjusting her earring.

Inside the pea-sized pearl was a device that could wiretap the conversation.

The sound of a sliding door echoed.

The women who had walked along the long corridor entered the wide-open sliding door.

Manager Nam who had lined up the women in a large room left with the manager of Myeongilgak.

The women stood still like dolls arranged in a row.

They remained silent and motionless without any word or action.

There was no way to even check the time.

One second felt like one minute and one minute felt like ten.

How much time had passed.

The firmly closed sliding door opened wide again and middle-aged men in suits entered.

Since she had already familiarized herself with their faces from photographs they did not feel like strangers.

Hae Su hurriedly dropped her gaze from them.

“Why did you call so many today.”

“I prepared a variety since I did not know the tastes of our Vice Ministers. I tried to pay extra attention since it is our first time hosting you but I am not sure if you will like it.”

“Who does not know that Chairman Lee has excellent taste.”

According to Madam Song whenever there was a meeting Lee Jacheong chose the hostesses personally.

Everyone standing here had been selected by him.

Now to remain here they had to be chosen by the other men.

Fortunately Hae Su was called second by Lee Jacheong.

Manager Nam who had followed them back into the room bowed deeply like a folding chair.

“Then please have a good time!”

The women who were not chosen followed him out of the room.

Before long employees of Myeongilgak came in and filled the table.

Jae Woong was not seen among the employees moving in perfect order.

It seemed that entering this far was too difficult for him.

Still everything was going smoothly so far.

Being seated next to Lee Jacheong brought her closer to Park Dongjun.

It was a position where the voices of the two men would be captured more clearly than anyone else’s.

When a man took off his jacket and held a glass a bottle was tilted next to him.

As he stood up with the filled glass the women tilted their bottles to fill the others’ glasses.

“Now let us start with a toast.”

The men sitting dignifiedly raised their glasses.

They swallowed the alcohol as easily as water without their expressions changing at all.

“Ah! Come to think of it our CEO Lee has not arrived yet.”

Hae Su pressed her lips together at the mention of CEO Lee.

The meeting list shown by the team leader only included those currently sitting here.

It seemed that the person called CEO Lee was joining suddenly.

It was then.

The sliding door that had been shut tight as if it would not open again parted to both sides.

A tall man entered the room from beyond the door and bowed politely.

“I apologize for being late.”

A low mid-range voice dominated the space.

Hae Su’s gaze reached him a moment later.

The body that had been leaning forward straightened and the face of the man caught in the light became clear.

“Apologize for what a businessman can have urgent calls. Come and sit CEO Lee.”

“Yes.”

The moment she saw that face she was shaken.

‘Do you want to live?’

It was that man from a long time ago.

Their eyes definitely met.

However the man sat in his place with an expression that showed no change even after their gazes locked.

Her pupils which had been following him dropped downward.

It was not a situation where they could recognize each other but he truly seemed not to recognize her.

It was a cold gaze as if he were looking at a stranger he had never met before.

“……”

Well even if it was an important moment that changed her life it might have been nothing to him.

It was only a few minutes they had met six years ago.

Yes it was natural that he did not remember.

It was better this way.

If she had met someone who recognized her she might have lost her composure.

The risk of her identity being discovered would have increased too.

“Now that CEO Lee is here we should have another drink!”

One executive led the atmosphere with a hearty laugh.

Lee Jacheong tilted his head toward the woman sitting to his left.

The quick-witted woman immediately moved her seat to take the spot next to Lee Doguk.

Hae Su shifted her gaze from glancing at him and looked at Lee Jacheong.

Like the other women she poured alcohol politely with a soft smile on her lips.

As the frequency of tilting the glasses increased the voices of the men present grew louder.

Drunk on the alcohol and the atmosphere they continued their conversation endlessly.

It was not a productive conversation.

It was either trivial gossip or lewd talk that was embarrassing to hear.

It made her doubt if this was truly an important meeting.

However even in the midst of that Lee Doguk whom she checked occasionally showed no sign of wavering.

The more she saw him the more she wondered what kind of man he was.

Everyone called him CEO Lee but his name was not registered as an official executive in Cheongun Group or Blue Cloud.

He was a person with nothing known publicly other than being an action leader for the Cheongun Gang.

But the man was clean in a way that did not match his title.

No trace of lowliness could be found in his smooth skin without a single scar his gaze his expression or even his gestures.

The slightly furrowed brow as he swallowed the bitter alcohol and the lips that smiled at the men’s lame jokes.

He was truly beautiful.

A question pierced Hae Su’s ears as she was listing her impressions of him in her head.

“Ah is CEO Lee not married yet?”

Attention shifted to him at that moment.

“Yes. I am still alone.”

“With such a handsome face I bet women flock to you.”

With his tall height and good build he was someone who would stand out anywhere.

At those words Lee Jacheong wrinkled his nose and shook his head.

“This fellow…… he lives only for work. It is not fun at all to watch him.”

“A young man should not live like that!”

An assemblyman from the Korea Party said in a loud voice as if he were disappointed.

A Cheongun Group executive sitting opposite him defended Lee Doguk.

“Still our CEO Lee does an amazing job. He even personally handled the work for Sogol which was a headache for Yeocheon City and demolished it quickly.”

Hae Su’s pupils reacted to the familiar name.

“Ah…… so that great person was CEO Lee Doguk?”

There was always a clear purpose for people visiting that place.

The reason he had visited Sogol was for the demolition.

Perhaps the day she met him was the day he achieved that great result.

“He has gone through a lot of trouble behind the scenes.”

With that one sentence from Lee Jacheong she could realize what role he had played in the organization.

A loyal dog who would not refuse anything for the sake of the organization.

That was Lee Doguk.

The gaze Lee Jacheong used to look at him was pure trust.

It was a gaze of unwavering belief.

“So for this Busan casino matter I intend to give CEO Lee some power. He will officially take the CEO position soon.”

Only then did Hae Su move her gaze to look at Lee Doguk.

It was a timing where looking at him would not seem strange.

“Is it okay since Director Go is there?”

It was a reference to Go Jewon the representative director of Blue Cloud.