Jung Hae-suk (Youngguk) thought. The premise that all humans are equal, as stated in ethics, is an illogical statement.
When the seemingly eternal military dictatorship came to an end and the wave of democracy blew in, the common people cheered. They believed their time had finally come.
Damn it.
One of the basic components of society is none other than status. Do you believe in the saying that a dragon can rise from a small stream? Don’t be ridiculous. There is no greater lie than “position makes the person.”
For example, even those who pass the bar exam and become judges are still just part of the ruled class.
The ruling class does not want a ladder. They are endlessly ruthless to those who try to climb up beneath them, creating barriers to keep them out.
Scholarship Student.
It was the barrier chosen by Jeongil Group. They made legal professionals who had passed the bar exam become servants under the name of scholarship students to protect Jeongil Group.
The modest attitude as a legal professional, equality, fairness, and a life that does not go against the common sense of all people.
Bullshit.
No matter how strong a sense of justice a legal professional may have, they are bound to be swayed before a huge pile of gold coins.
If there is someone who has no material desires, he won’t survive long in the legal profession anyway.
In a jungle-like forest where factions and politics run rampant, steadfastness does not signify diligence and sincerity but rather indecisiveness and demotion.
Loyalty.
Scholarship students become legal professionals and fulfill their duties in their respective positions. On the surface, there is no difference from other legal professionals, but their hearts are different.
They become servants solely for Jeongil Group, not as legal professionals equal to all.
They proudly wear the leash around their necks and, as time goes by, they want to make that leash even more secure.
Of course, a high-rise complex with a clear view of the Han River and a huge sports car are hardly manageable on a government salary.
However, a mutation that had never existed appeared.
“Lee Howon.”
Jung Hae-suk’s lips curled into a sneer.
It’s laughable. Did he drink lye? Suddenly, a scholarship student, no, a mere watchdog, revealed sharp teeth toward his master.
[Jeongil Group President Jung Hae-suk’s alleged involvement in prostitution and drug use.]
- According to anonymously reported materials, an individual believed to be Jeongil Group President Jung Hae-suk is seen using drugs with a syringe and violently assaulting female employees in a video. Additional reports of embezzlement and attempted murder have also surfaced, causing commotion in front of Jeongil Group’s headquarters. Jeongil Group’s stock price continues to…
The anchor on the TV reads the news. The breaking news video shows a person who looks just like Jung Hae-suk injecting drugs with a syringe and mercilessly beating a female employee.
“Damn it.”
They used the media. The prosecution must have distributed the materials to apply pressure.
Even the media, which usually bows under Jeongil Group’s name, was reporting the news as breaking news for some reason. Someone unknown to Jung Hae-suk must have intervened.
Kim Min-cheol, Lee Seok-jae, Hwang Sung-guk, Jung Ha-seong…
The names of the executives of the affiliates echo in his mind. He doesn’t know who sided with the prosecution.
But it’s certain that someone among them was helping the prosecution to expel him from Jeongil Group.
Jung Hae-suk stood up and looked at the scenery outside the window.
“Pathetic.”
Already, countless people were holding signs and protesting in front of the headquarters. It was reminiscent of a democratization demonstration.
Jung Hae-suk’s expression, looking at those ants, seemed relaxed. But his fingers holding the cigarette were slightly trembling.
The filming that started at the end of spring was now looking toward autumn. Due to circumstances, he had to take a leave of absence from school. Balancing film shooting and studies was no easy task.
Moreover, after the film shooting, a commercial shoot for Desiderio was also scheduled.
“Youngguk.”
It was while he was reading the script. The assistant director came to the waiting room. Was something wrong? He had already received instructions regarding the shooting schedule earlier.
“You should go out quickly. Your mother is here.”
“What?”
It was unexpected news. He never imagined his mother would come to the filming location. He hurriedly closed the script and went out to the set, and indeed, his mother was there.
“Mother!”
As soon as she saw him, his mother smiled brightly as if she had won the lottery and hugged him tightly.
It was evident that she had dressed up, paying attention to her appearance, knowing she would come to Seoul. Next to her was Mr. Kim from the side dish shop.
“Why did you come all of a sudden?”
“I came because I missed my son, but I hope I’m not being a nuisance. I just wanted to see your face for a moment and then go back.”
His mother didn’t properly explain why she suddenly came to Seoul.
Thankfully, Mr. Kim, who accompanied her, secretly told him that she was worried because he seemed too sensitive during an interview shoot and came up to check on him.
“Mother, I’ll book a hotel for you.”
“Hotel?”
He wanted to stay with her at the filming location, but it wasn’t possible. His mother waved her hand, saying it was fine, but he couldn’t just let her see him briefly and then leave. His grandfather also encouraged her to rest in Seoul.
“Son, you always have to take care of yourself while shooting.”
“Hey, anyone would think you’re leaving right away. I’ll go to the hotel as soon as the shoot is over. Until then, please enjoy the hotel. There’s even a swimming pool. You swim well, don’t you, mother?”
“What swimming, how ridiculous.”
She said that, but she seemed excited at the thought of visiting a hotel for the first time in her life.
Looking at her like that made him feel like an unfilial son. He had never even shown her a common hotel in Seoul.
Luckily, after asking Bongchun hyung to take his mother to the hotel, he wondered why Mr. Kim came along.
‘Is he really going to become my stepfather?’
The sudden thought made his head complicated. But he soon shook his head.
At that moment, his grandfather approached and asked.
“Youngguk, did you intentionally not want to show her the shooting today?”
He briefly nodded with a faint smile. The reason he hurriedly sent his mother to the hotel was simple. The scene to be filmed soon was too shocking to show his mother.
Institutions follow the principle of top-down compliance. This is especially true in places requiring strict order, such as the military and police.
The prosecution is no exception. No matter how capable a prosecutor is, if pressure comes from above, they have no choice but to close the investigation.
Lee Howon clenched his teeth so hard they might break. His twitching cheeks and furrowed brow clearly showed how angry he was.
“Damn it!”
The fishing line had already been cast. He had worked hard on the bait through the media, even setting the hook. Now all that was left was to reel in the fish that had taken the bait.
But the upper echelons were pressing down on his shoulders like a wave. Demotion was already expected.
But now, there was even an inspection claiming he had conducted coercive investigations on past cases. It was a clear sign they wanted him to resign.
“Do as you’re told?”
The deputy chief prosecutor’s words still lingered in his ears. It was absurd. If he missed this opportunity, Jung Hae-suk would become untouchable.
Lee Howon turned his gaze to the TV. The anchor was delivering breaking news.
-Additional reports related to Jeongil Group President Jung Hae-suk. It has been reported that President Jung Hae-suk’s sports car is implicated in a traffic accident on the Gyeongbu Expressway a month ago. The elderly couple in the compact car were initially believed to have died instantly after crashing into the guardrail due to driver error, but an autopsy revealed they were engulfed in flames. There is a report that the person who started the fire was none other than President Jung Hae-suk. Let’s watch the video that was reported.
Some people do not welcome the idea of a Jeongil Republic. Among the ruling class, there are those who won’t overlook Jeongil Group’s arrogant attitude. The media was one of those factions.
The video on the TV was poor-quality CCTV footage, but it clearly showed a man getting out of a sports car, smoking a cigarette, and dropping the ashes onto a trail of gasoline, setting it on fire.
“I’m Jung Hae-suk, Jung Hae-suk!”
At that time, Jung Hae-suk, who was drunk and high, was pouring whiskey in a Gangnam nightlife establishment.
Hearing the news that his traffic accident video was being broadcasted as breaking news, Jung Hae-suk’s expression changed.
“Damn it.”
The presidential election was just around the corner, and public sentiment was crucial. In this situation, both the ruling and opposition parties began to criticize Jeongil Group.
Even his uncle, Kim Min-cheol, had taken the lead. Appearing on the broadcast, he revealed Jung Hae-suk’s misdeeds and gave a lengthy speech about ousting him from Jeongil Group.
“That crazy bastard!”
Leaving the drinking party, Jung Hae-suk drove straight to his mansion. Driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol was dangerous.
He caused several hit-and-run accidents along the way before finally arriving at the mansion, where an unexpected person was waiting for him.
It was his father, who should have been bedridden.
“Father?”
Despite being drunk and high, he couldn’t fail to recognize him. Chairman Wang glared at him with an angry stare. Could it be that he was conscious while bedridden?
-Did he really not think he would lose his position to such a weak son?
Suddenly, he remembered the words he had said to his father. Surely, his father wouldn’t forgive him.
His father, who had mercilessly expelled even his siblings, wouldn’t forgive him just because he was his son. If his father had ever forgiven him, he wouldn’t have beaten him when he was young.
Jung Hae-suk looked around. Fortunately, there was no one else besides his father.
His father was still standing there, glaring at him.
There was no reason to hesitate any longer. If his father remained alive, he wouldn’t be able to keep his position.
If he had known this would happen, he should have killed him while he was bedridden!
Crack!
Jung Hae-suk rushed at his father and strangled him with both hands. His father’s face, full of liver spots and wrinkles, showed a look of horror.
His father must have never imagined his son would try to kill him.
“Die, die, die!”
He shouted as he strangled his father, as if casting a curse.
Eventually, his father collapsed weakly. But Jung Hae-suk didn’t stop. He picked up a golf club from nearby and mercilessly struck his father’s head.
This man had to disappear. Only then could he rise to the top.
At that moment,
“Honey!”
Oh.
Suddenly, his aunt came running down from the upstairs, hugging his father. Behind her were other executives from the second floor.
Their faces were filled with shock. Only then did the drug and alcohol-induced stupor begin to clear.
In his hand was a bloodstained golf club, and his aunt was weeping on the living room floor, holding her brutally beaten husband.
