“I-I don’t want to! An erectile dysfunction drug? Th-that means... if I acquire it, I’d have to dig into all sorts of things, right? Besides, it’s an American company, not my responsibility...”
Seo Ji-yeon shook her head hard, insisting this was none of her business.
Tsk, tsk. I gave her a great opportunity, and she’s turning it down.
Well, she’s technically right. Seo Ji-yeon doesn’t have any grounds to interfere with an American company. Not Seo Ji-yeon personally, but her position within the organization limits her authority.
But... saying you’re responsible also means you hold the power that comes with it. If she handled this, she could secure countless future acquisitions of American companies.
‘She can’t not know that.’
Sure, it’s embarrassing, but if Seo Ji-yeon was convinced it was her responsibility, she’s the type who’d willingly endure public teasing to get it done.
So, she must’ve decided it’s better to stay here working by my side rather than get involved in the U.S.
Probably.
“Ji-yeon, what was your reasoning just now? You’re not someone who shirks responsibility. There must be more to it.”
Curious, I asked her directly.
Maybe there were complex political considerations or some carefully worded excuse behind her statement, but who cares? Why do you think I go through all this trouble to earn money and power?
Exactly for this—so I can act however I damn well please.
“Hmm... my reason? Well, I just don’t want to, for one. But mostly... it’s better for me to stay in Korea right now.”
Yeah, just as I thought.
After a brief pause, Seo Ji-yeon answered honestly. She had no reason to lie to me anyway.
“First off, the financial crisis isn’t even over yet, right? Sure, there’s the ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) whole gold-collecting campaign, but it’s far from finished. There’s still a lot I need to do here. And most importantly, my current support base is the student council. I’m not about to throw all of that away chasing immediate gains.”
“Fair enough, I get it.”
I nodded lightly. It’s nice when someone understands with just a rough explanation.
“And besides! There’s not much time left until the college entrance exams. I can’t give that up.”
“...The passion for education in Korea really is fascinating when you think about it. No matter how high your status, you still have to study hard to get into a good university.”
The trend shifts a bit in the 21st century, but back in the 20th, Korea guaranteed a sort of “equality of outcome” in education.
Plenty of chaebol chairmen had complexes about not graduating from prestigious universities. No matter how rich or powerful you were, you couldn’t just walk into Seoul National University—that was a sort of last hope for fairness.
Most people think Korea’s class rigidity started after the financial crisis... right now, we’re still in that transitional period.
‘...Ah, right.’
During the recent memorial visit, I had a realization.
No matter what, I am Yoo Ha-yeon and a member of this family.
Sure, I always knew that, but this time... I felt it with my heart.
“Ji-yeon, that gold-collecting campaign. Daehwa Group’s participating too, right?”
“Huh? Oh, if you mean exports, it’s probably being handled by the trading company.”
I see.
“Then we’ll have to dig into that. Let’s start with other groups first, though. Sort out the chaebols we’re acquiring—pick the ones with trading companies and acquire them first.”
Seo Ji-yeon tilted her head for a moment, then opened her mouth hesitantly.
“W-wait a second... You’re not saying... by ‘dig into,’ you mean someone’s skimming gold off the campaign, right?”
Mm. Sharp as ever.
“Something like that. There’s tax evasion involved and plenty of dirty dealings. Besides, even if they weren’t doing anything shady, the simple law of supply and demand makes the price of gold bound to drop.”
Normally, I wouldn’t want to get involved. Poke at filth, and it stinks. In times like these, when people are already miserable, exposing this kind of thing just makes life harder for everyone.
But this time, I had to get involved.
I’m part of Daehwa Group—like it or not, I’m part of this family.
“I can’t let Grandfather pass away with that filth on his hands.”
You have to give back what you’ve received. I’ve benefited from everything Grandfather built since the day I was born. Denying Daehwa Group would be not only foolish but shameless.
Even if it’s not entirely clean.
***
People are selfish... that’s the basic premise.
It’s actually a fascinating subject. Game theory proves it in many ways, and its applications are everywhere.
What struck me most was a study showing that people who frequently hear “human nature is selfish” tend to behave more selfishly.
Knowledge can be poison. From an existentialist perspective, human nature isn’t inherently fixed, but the concept of “human nature” influences people’s actions.
“That’s why the gold-collecting campaign has to be ‘successful.’ It’s about national trust.”
“Honestly... this is shocking.”
Seo Ji-yeon muttered helplessly after her subordinates dug up all the dirty details about the campaign.
I already knew, of course, but a surprising number of conglomerates were involved in shady practices.
[Internal Audit Report on the Gold-Collecting Campaign]
Daehwa Trading, Ilsan Trading, Mirae Trading, Hyunseon Trading...
Even at a glance, the list was long.
And naturally, Daehwa Group had a hand in it. If they hadn’t, Seo Ji-yeon wouldn’t have been able to dig up dirt so easily.
“Fortunately, thanks to me, we’re not in a position where a bit of pocket money makes a difference. So Daehwa Group didn’t outright embezzle donations or aggressively evade taxes... but they didn’t stop their employees from skimming either. Since the audit report already exists, the higher-ups must’ve known and just covered it up. Criticism is unavoidable.”
Tsk.
I clicked my tongue. Foolish.
Regardless of their motives... trust in the state matters.
The gold-collecting campaign was nothing short of a miracle. It was the product of 20th-century nationalism and East Asian collectivism working in harmony.
Sure, 21st-century cynics call 20th-century nationalism and collectivism foolish, but it worked. Even with all this embezzlement, the campaign significantly helped restore Korea’s credit.
The problem is, the Korea I’ll be living in isn’t that 20th-century Korea full of earnest, self-sacrificing people. It’s a Korea full of smart, self-interested people who don’t want to sacrifice anymore.
What’s the point of getting through this crisis if people later say, “We sacrificed, and evil conglomerates like Daehwa Group took all the benefits.”
That would be a problem.
And the worst part? It might actually be true.
“So... what are you going to do? Just bury it?”
“Even if we bury it, it’ll still show. And like I said, this was a corporate mistake. Covering it up won’t help them either.”
The gold collected was supposed to go into the Bank of Korea’s foreign reserves. Companies selling it off mid-process undermined its usefulness.
And it hurt them too—thanks to supply and demand, gold prices plummeted.
I wondered why they did something so stupid... but now I get it.
Companies aren’t dumb. Unless it’s a matter that decides their very survival, big corporations usually make rational decisions.
But this isn’t a normal situation. Dozens of groups are on the brink of collapse; some have already vanished into history.
People and companies alike thrash wildly when they’re desperate not to die. Waiting even a few months to sell gold at a proper price was too much for them.
Tok, tok.
‘What should I do...’
The simplest method is to use public opinion and the enormous money behind “Yoo Ha-yeon” to make a stand. Grandfather isn’t Yoo Jin-seok; he won’t get petty over something a low-level staffer (even if the reality’s more complicated) did. He’d obviously protect me.
Daehwa Group could profit while stabbing other chaebols in the back. The retaliation afterward would be manageable—pretty solid choice overall.
But... that would plant seeds of doubt in the nation.
‘If I just spent a bit more money and effort...’
I tapped the table, quietly observing the rising desire inside me.
Yeah. This is a perfect chance to tick off something from my bucket list.
“The gold’s too precious to waste. I’ll buy it.”
“...How much?”
“About 200 tons?”
“...Excuse me?”
“Think about it. Isn’t it simple? People can’t sell the gold at a fair price, and they’re forced to hand it over to big corporations because no one can absorb that volume.”
“W-well, yes...”
“Then I’ll just buy it all.”
“...”
We live in an age where you can’t trust people’s goodwill. Pity, isn’t it?
But you can trust gold.
‘I’m going to build a huge, golden room.’
I wanted to see that blinding shimmer of pure gold.