Chapter 64: |
Jung Ju-ho arrived at the Blue House. His hair had become fuller, and his face was glistening, indicating that he was doing well.
If he got a promotion, Jung Ju-ho would have a lot of power and influence.
Maybe his hair would become even fuller?
It seemed like a series of congratulations were in order.
“I heard everything from Da-hyun. The guy you brought last time betrayed you, right? Don’t be too hurt. Betrayal is common in this business.”
“I don’t think much about it.”
“Well, you never seem to bat an eye, no matter what happens. I guess we’re alike in that sense.”
He mentioned that he had been betrayed over ten times before, but he was surprisingly worried about something trivial.
After talking for a while, Jung Ju-ho looked around cautiously and leaned toward me.
“I have a gift for you.”
“Gift? If it’s a gift from you, of course, I shouldn’t refuse. I warmly welcome it. But what is it?”
“Do you know the Big Bang series? I received a set from the Sacred Guild and want to donate it to the National Security Agency.”
“Really? I wanted one too, so thank you. It’s a big gift. Is that why you wanted to give it to me in person? Haha, as expected, there’s no one else who thinks of me. Huh? But were you always like this? I thought you would just casually toss it to me.”
“Oh, about that…”
I was about to say that I called him because Cheon Myeong-guk told me to, but suddenly, he shivered as if he had been shocked.
“Did Director Cheon call me over?”
“How did you know?”
It was like a scene from a drama.
The expression on Jung Ju-ho’s face, which had been full of vitality, turned pitch black in an instant.
“Damn it, I’ve been tricked! I should have refused when they asked me to come to the Blue House, saying I had a stomachache from the start.”
“What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?”
“I don’t know. I’m going. If Director Cheon asks, tell him I had a sudden relapse and went to the hospital…”
However, Jung Ju-ho wasn’t able to follow through his words with actions. Because Director Cheon Myeong-guk had entered through the only door.
It was like he had been listening outside and entered with perfect timing.
Cheon Myeong-guk approached us with a bright smile, as if he had just met a close friend.
“Welcome, Director Jung.”
“Haha, it’s an honor to be called. But, Director, I suddenly had a relapse of a chronic illness, and I think I should go back.”
“Oh, is it that serious?”
Worry crossed Cheon Myeong-guk’s face. At this moment, Jung Ju-ho seemed taken aback.
“Well, not to that extent.”
“If you’re not feeling well, you should see a doctor right away. I’ll contact the president’s personal physician.”
“Oh, no, that’s not necessary. Just going to the local hospital will do the trick. The doctor there is a real expert. He’s the kind of guy who can go from saying hello to diagnosis to prescription in thirty seconds. I really want to go to that hospital right now.”
Jung Ju-ho was struggling to get out of this situation by any means.
I wondered if I should give him a recovery potion.
Could he really be refusing a promotion?
No way, right? Being the director of a newly established department would be an honorable position for him.
As Director, he could see me often, which would be great.
However, considering Jung Ju-ho’s attitude, it was true that he had little ambition for power.
Nevertheless, it’s true that he loved the National Security Agency. But even without ambition, he still had too little greed.
Watching the determined Jung Ju-ho, Cheon Myeong-guk smiled.
“Don’t refuse the President’s favor. I hope you’ll get a diagnosis from the chief physician before leaving.”
“My condition wasn’t great, but it’s okay now.”
“Is that so? That’s good.”
“Yes?”
In my opinion, Jung Ju-ho fell for Cheon Myeong-guk’s bait.
“The President is looking for Director Jung.”
“What do you mean by looking for me?”
“He wants to have a meal together.”
“……”
It’s not easy for a director of an agency to reject the President’s invitation to a meal.
Nonetheless, Jung Ju-ho’s face showed resignation.
“Let’s go.”
“Ah, I understand.”
Jung Ju-ho followed behind Cheon Myeong-guk, his shoulders slumped as if being led to a slaughterhouse.
I observed that scene for a moment and then followed slowly.
***
The main guest at the dinner with the president was Jung Ju-ho. I quietly had my meal, while Cheon Myeong-guk listened, occasionally responding or offering supportive words to Jung Ju-ho.
The more this happened, the more Jung Ju-ho’s complexion seemed to fade.
“Having a talent like Director Jung Ju-ho in South Korea is a great blessing.”
“No, no. I still have a long way to go. Seriously, there are many more talented people in South Korea than me. Especially Director Yeom Ki-chul of the Foreign Cooperation Agency. He has outstanding character and exceptional execution skills…”
“I heard it from Director Cheon here. He said he coordinated with everyone in the three agencies to showcase their capabilities in the operation to eliminate villains. They say that only Director Jung Ju-ho possesses the level of organizational control and flexibility that’s beyond comparison.”
“That sounds like an exaggerated claim.”
“No, it’s not. In reality, Director Jung Ju-ho has achieved substantial results while leading the National Security Agency, overshadowing the other two agencies.”
It’s a strange scene. The person involved was desperately trying to deny the praise, while those around were busy heaping it on.
But was he really so averse to promotion? Although the Jung Ju-ho I had known didn’t seem ambitious, he wasn’t one to let an opportunity slip through his fingers.
For some reason, he was struggling desperately, but the President and Director Cheon Myeong-guk’s encirclement was closing in.
Now, Cheon Myeong-guk threw a curveball.
“It was Director Jung Ju-ho who appointed Choi Jun-ho as a member of National Security Agency.”
“That was not me; it was Jung Da-hyun.”
Jung Ju-ho tried to pass the ball to Jung Da-hyun in less than a second, but…
“Is that true?” the President asked, and after considering the situation, I nodded.
“Yes.”
“Accepting subordinates’ advice is also a leader’s virtue. You seem to have it all.”
Finally, the President said with a sigh.
“A new department will be established this time. I would like Director Jung to take the leading position.”
“…Why me?”
Hadn’t the reasons already been said earlier?
The President, who seemed not to entertain such thoughts, explained patiently.
“This position will be very important in the future, as it must confront the power of the growing large guilds. At times, it needs to counter them, and at times, it needs to cooperate with them. Only Director Jung Ju-ho, who led the three agencies in a competitive relationship without losing, is suitable for this position, in my opinion.”
“……”
“Will you accept it?”
He was completely cornered. Now, in front of Jung Ju-ho, there were two choices.
[Accept] or [Accept].
He might be a president who laughed every day, but watching him dribble someone like Jung Ju-ho, it was not for nothing that he was called a 9th-degree political master.
Then Jung Ju-ho’s final act unfolded.
“Then Choi Jun-ho! Choi Jun-ho! I think the intention of the Transcendent is important.”
Me? Why suddenly me?
“When a new agency is established, won’t there be a lot of work to do in cooperation with Transcendent Choi Jun-ho? But if Transcendent Choi Jun-ho is uncomfortable, it would be difficult for me to accept it. So if Transcendent Choi Jun-ho’s answer is positive, I will accept it too!”
Come to think of it, if a new agency was established, I would have to meet with them a lot.
I gazed at Jung Ju-ho’s earnest eyes.
Was he asking me to say nice words?
Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t said anything since the meal started.
I wondered if he was lonely these days because I wasn’t around. It seemed unnecessary to request compliments, especially considering the circumstances.
“Of course, I’ll be delighted to work with Director Jung Ju-ho again. I am confident that he will lead the new agency much better than what the President thinks.”
“……”
I said what he wanted to hear. Why did he look like he had lost his country?
The president smiled happily.
“Since Transcendent Choi Jun-ho is fine with it, then there should be no more disagreement. I will rely on you in the future. Now, I will call you Commissioner Jung instead of Director Jung.”
“I look forward to working with you, Commissioner Jung Ju-ho.”
“Thank you. I will do my best.”
In response to Cheon Myeong-guk’s greeting, Jung Ju-ho clenched his teeth..
I also offered my congratulations to Jung Ju-ho.
“I’ll see you often in the future.”
“That’s the biggest problem…”
***
The atmosphere settled, and I explained the story of the clash with the Black Hound after I discovered that League reached out their hand while chasing Heartworker.
“……”
A heavy silence enveloped the room. In the solemn atmosphere, I felt a hint of regret. Perhaps I should have caught him after all. However, the Black Hound was no pushover, so it wasn’t an easy task.
If I had Complete Immunity, the chances would have been higher. I hope the Berserker guy unlocked that Gift quickly.
“Black Hound, huh? Ha, what was it he wanted in this small country?”
“That’s how important the Big Bang Series is.”
“I heard the Big Bang series is quite impressive.”
“It seems like that technology is highly coveted by the League.”
“To the point that Black Hound even came.”
The atmosphere seemed quite serious. I felt that the League was being evaluated more seriously than I had thought, and Black Hound was even seen as a formidable villain.
“It’s probably related to Japan.”
There were stories that the League forces were causing a ruckus in Japan right now.
Since the Argos guy was getting on my nerves. Should I consider crushing the Japanese League forces?
I’d gladly take the trouble of traveling to Japan if it meant screwing him over.
But the President, who heard my words, shook his head.
“Japan might not accept it.”
“Even though they’re struggling with the League?”
The atmosphere was good throughout the visit of the Japan delegation, wasn’t it?
“They’re struggling a bit, but they can still handle it. Even if our two countries get along well, we can’t just project power directly to each other. They’ll appreciate information about the League, but nothing more.”
It should be easier to understand when one looked at it the other way around.
Would it also be a problem if a Japanese Transcendent suddenly came here to help?
I didn’t think there was a problem with that.
“I see.”
“But Japan’s perspective might be different, so we should inquire. Don’t have high expectations.”
“Understood.”
“Anyway, we can rest easy. Even that Black Hound didn’t stick around to face our Transcendent Choi Jun-ho.”
He seemed to be trying to change the mood and smiled.
“If I see him again, I’ll kill him.”
“Good. Then let’s leave the League talk at this point.”
The president changed the topic and turned his gaze to Jung Ju-ho.
“Director Jung, or rather, now Commissioner Jung has become a family member, so you need to know the truth.”
“Yes?”
“Director Cheon.”
Cheon Myeong-guk began to whisper to Jung Ju-ho.
In the meantime, I received the document that the president offered.
“Information about the Mayor of Busan.”
I started reading the document, and in the meantime, the expression of Jung Ju-ho, who received the truth from Cheon Myeong-guk, noticeably hardened.
As I examined the documents, I felt a sense of unease. The crimes related to Yoo Sung-soo were listed, but there were gaps here and there. These documents were not perfect. There was one reason my intuition was reacting.
“These documents are not the final versions, are they?”
“You’ve got it right. You could call it a framework, and we’re still in the process of sorting it out. It’ll take more time because the entire city of Busan relies on Yoo Sung-soo’s support.”
The president paused for a moment and looked at me. It seemed like he had something to say, but it wasn’t an easy matter to bring up.
When I looked to my side, Cheon Myeong-guk was sending a desperate look to the president, but the actual party involved ignored it.
“If you have something to say, please feel free to say it.”
“Sure, let’s talk comfortably. As you engage in politics, you develop a habit of refining your wording.”
The president chuckled playfully.
“If it becomes clear that Yoo Sung-soo and those around him have committed a crime… Can you kill them all?”
“Mr. President!”
Cheon Myeong-guk rarely raised his voice. Suddenly caught in the situation, Jung Ju-ho tightly closed his eyes.
Despite Cheon Myeong-guk’s restraint, the president expressed his thoughts.
“They intentionally nurtured villains for their own benefit. Not only did they use it as their political fund, but they also caused significant damage to other countries. Even if they are arrested and brought to trial, they cannot be properly punished. In the end, they’ll receive a lenient sentence, and many who have seen our way of handling things will lose faith in us.”
The president’s words hit Cheon Myeong-guk like nails, and he couldn’t argue anymore.
He turned his gaze back to me.
“Can you do it?”
“It’s a very easy task.”
“I believe you.”