» The Youngest Son of Sunyang
Reborn Rich - Chapter 271
[271] Snake's Head 4
"Why? Because it looks like something I'm doing behind Mother's back?"
Jin Younggi chuckled, looking at Chun Sangpil's stiff expression.
"My dear man... Do you not know who I am? I am the eldest son of the one you served. Sunyang's eldest son. Do I look like a scoundrel who would simply snatch away his mother's assets?"
"Ah, no, sir. It's just that it's so sudden..."
"You know the situation, don't you? One of our family's prodigals is on the verge of causing a major incident. I'm just trying to sort things out before that happens. Of course, Mother knows too. I arranged the chartered flight myself."
"However, this is a matter of gift tax. Before converting it to your Vice Chairman's real name, the other children must be informed. Otherwise, inheritance issues will arise later..."
"Oh, you've misunderstood. I'm not suggesting converting it to my name. We're converting it from a borrowed-name account managed by you to a borrowed-name account managed by the group. You don't need to worry about gift tax or inheritance issues."
Chun Sangpil knew that this family member was trying to seize the only power he possessed.
Even without Jin Dojun's proposal, he couldn't allow his leverage to be taken from him in this situation. He might be able to retreat gracefully, but he absolutely had to avoid being discarded.
"Understood. Then I will prepare for the name change and come back to see you."
"Yes. Please see to it."
As Chun Sangpil rose, Vice Chairman Jin Younggi raised a hand to stop him.
"Wait a moment."
Vice Chairman Jin Younggi pressed the intercom.
"Come in."
As if they had been waiting, two young men entered and bowed their heads.
"Move with these men. They're sharp secretarial staff. Take them with you; have them run errands and do the dirty work. Things are urgent; shouldn't we have an extra pair of hands?"
It was too blatant.
Wasn't this just a declaration that he'd be under 24-hour surveillance?
Chun Sangpil finally exploded.
"Vice Chairman. What exactly do you think you're doing?"
"What?"
"Do I look like an idiot who would clean up after Mrs. Lee while being monitored?"
"What nonsense are you talking about? Surveillance?!"
They had already seen through each other's true intentions. There was no point in pretending ignorance and going on and on; it would only be a waste of breath.
"I manage the shares held under borrowed names. If your family's prodigal causes trouble, resolve it yourselves. Once things are cleanly sorted out and Mrs. Lee returns, I will then arrange the name change for the borrowed-name accounts. I will do as you or anyone else wishes. Before that, it's out of the question."
At Chun Sangpil's resolute words, Vice Chairman Jin Younggi stroked his chin.
"Well, holding those shares certainly gives you a big mouth, doesn't it? Heh heh."
Jin Younggi, leaving Chun Sangpil standing, picked up the receiver.
"Ah, Chief Prosecutor. It's me. Let me ask you something."
At the mention of "Chief Prosecutor," Chun Sangpil's heart sank. It was clear that things were spiraling toward the worst-case scenario he had predicted, just as Jin Dojun had said.
"If a foundation employee secretly disposes of foundation assets... Yes, that's right. It turns out he embezzled hundreds of billions of won. He's got quite the nerve, doesn't he? What? Life imprisonment? We don't need to go that far, but 15 years should be fine, right?"
Is he revealing his true intentions like this?
How is it that these bastards from this family never deviate from predictions?
Then again, that's also Sunyang's power.
They don't need to use methods no one can predict. They use methods everyone can predict, but there's no way to counter them.
Pushed by overwhelming power, anyone would be helpless. If things continued like this, he would become the thief who sold off expensive artworks.
Just as he recalled the only one who had made an unpredictable proposal—that bastard—Jin Younggi's warning, having just ended his call, reached his ears.
"Listen here! Chun Sangpil. Listen closely. From now on, follow the script I've written. Then you'll be released within three years. When you get out after serving your sentence, just keep a low profile and live quietly. I'll take responsibility for your livelihood, so don't worry."
"Do you think that will work? Jin Dojun has a secret contract personally signed by your mother. That's the most conclusive evidence."
"You haven't seen my script yet, have you? It features over a dozen extras. All of them are foundation employees. They will testify. What if they testify that *you* were the one who cunningly sweet-talked an octogenarian woman, ignorant of the ways of the world, into selling off paintings, and that you were solely responsible for all foundation matters?"
It would be even more ridiculous to insist that a grandmother with failing eyesight meticulously read a contract written in English. Moreover, given that he was her closest and most trusted aide, it wouldn't be awkward to claim that the matriarch of Sunyang merely signed the contract he presented without properly verifying it.
Jin Younggi's composure wasn't a bluff. It was a plausible—no, a definite—scenario.
"This isn't all. The stage setup is good too. We're currently digging through every detail of your past. If you've lived a life without a speck of dust, you can rest easy. Ah... no. I'm even thinking of fabricating a past for you. You'll likely see a news article before you get a prosecutor's summons, won't you? They usually call that a scandal, or a dirty rumor. Should I even create an illegitimate child for you?"
Seeing Chun Sangpil turn pale, Jin Younggi flashed a triumphant smile.
"Take those men and quickly go do as you're told. I promise you! Three years."
At Vice Chairman Jin Younggi's gesture, the two young men led a slumped Chun Sangpil out.
Jin Younggi was almost grateful to Jin Dojun. Thanks to him, he was essentially securing the precious shares his mother had squirreled away.
His only problem was that he was devouring it all himself, without sharing with his younger brothers.
* * *
"Did you hear all that?"
"Yes. I don't know if you're doing this with full awareness, but you are now an enemy of our family."
Vice Chairman Jin Donggi's face was flushed, as if he had already had a few drinks.
"When were we ever family? No, family never truly existed in our household anyway. Isn't this a house where you're treated as an elder or a mere servant based on who holds how many shares?"
"Even so, did you really have to do that to an old grandmother?"
My second eldest uncle poured liquor into a glass on the table.
Even if there was no affection, he was too calm, despite his own mother facing imprisonment. This meant he had already made all his countermeasures...
"By any chance, Grandmother... did she board the plane?"
"She should have taken off by now, I think?"
"I see. You're quick."
"No matter how much you struggle, this is as far as you go. You can't do anything about Grandmother."
"Thank you, second eldest uncle."
As I bowed my head, my second eldest uncle put down the liquor glass in his hand.
"What do you mean?"
"I didn't think Grandmother would actually go to prison. She is, after all, the great royal matriarch of Sunyang, isn't she? My goal was only this far: for Grandmother never to set foot on Korean soil again. To live her life only breathing, unable to do anything. Since you accelerated that... by now, she's probably sobbing on the plane, feeling as though she's been exiled."
Jin Donggi picked up the glass he had put down and drained it in one gulp.
"You're truly merciless. And extremely realistic."
"I know what's realistic."
"Since you got what you wanted, stop bringing trouble to Sunyang Group."
"It's already too late. And if I stop, Grandmother will immediately return, won't she?"
"What? Too late? What have you done?"
"The person I just had dinner with is the sniper. He's received live ammunition, so he will fire."
"You merciless bastard..."
I said to him, as he picked up his glass again.
"Think back carefully for a moment. Who inflicted the most merciless acts on me and my family? Consider what Grandmother did to my mother, and what she did to me. If I am merciless, Grandmother was malevolent."
"I suppose I was foolish to have even a sliver of hope that this could end amicably. Fine. Let's do it. This time, my brothers and I will join hands to stop what you've started. Just as you think of your mother, we must think of ours, mustn't we? Before this year ends, we will ensure your grandmother returns home."
I too emptied the glass placed before me.
"Think carefully. She is merely a grandmother who causes all sorts of trouble because she hates Grandfather and our family. It wouldn't be bad for her to simply breathe and live out the rest of her life abroad."
"Still, she is our mother. We can't do that."
I bowed my head to him, who was smiling as he spoke to me.
"I'll take my leave first. Because I imagine you'll be busy now."
"Let's leave together. I don't have time to relax either." ranoBЕS
My second eldest uncle patted my shoulder and led the way out.
* * *
It would take at least two days for the opposition party to release the information I gave them. They aren't fools. At the very least, they would use someone connected to the New York Consulate General to verify the facts.
During that time, my uncles would make calls here and there, but it would be a misaligned cog. The difference between smuggling cultural assets and selling artworks bought me a little time.
What was important was Chun Sangpil's decision within those two days.
However, judging by my uncle's actions today, he seemed to have already contacted Chun Sangpil. They would have demanded a scapegoat for Grandmother, but what they truly wanted was the borrowed-name shares. They would want to quickly move the shares before anything happened.
There are two ways to handle things quickly.
To let things flow smoothly and naturally.
To mobilize all means to ensure no obstructions.
Usually, "all means" implies something abnormal. I waited for Chun Sangpil to escape my uncle's abnormal pressure and come running to me.
Because the conditions I offered weren't just a simple escape route, but a dream Eldorado.
And I didn't have to wait long.
- Director Jin. Can I trust that promise you made me?
Calling in the middle of the night, he wanted an immediate answer.
"Do you trust my word? First, I will escort you to a safe place. The borrowed-name shares, of course, can be transferred to me after you collect the payout."
Silence fell for a moment. He was trying to grasp the true meaning of my words.
- I might just take the payout and not transfer the shares. Let me put it another way. Do you trust me?
"You've forgotten something. I am also a member of the Sunyang family. Do you think I'd let someone who ran off with my money get away with it? Unless they have two lives, that is."
Silence again.
When he opened his mouth again, words I hadn't expected came out.
- It seems my life has already been put up as collateral. Please get me out of this.
* * *
"So, you mean he's under surveillance."
"Yes. Vice Chairman Jin Younggi assigned two men. They started monitoring him from the moment they met at the company. Lawyer Chun Sangpil left the company and went straight home, but they're monitoring his movements at the apartment entrance."
Managing Director Woo Byungjun's expression wasn't particularly serious.
Only two men. He probably thought it would be easy to extract someone since it was merely surveillance, not imprisonment.
"Should I just bring Lawyer Chun?"
"No. It would be better to take care of the entire family."
"Then I'll send them to a Southeast Asian resort for now."
"Do that. Ah, bring Lawyer Chun to my officetel in Yeouido. There's still unfinished business to discuss."
"Understood. Please give him a heads-up beforehand so he's not startled. I'll depart now."
After Managing Director Woo Byungjun left, I picked up the phone.
"Lawyer Chun Sangpil."
- Yes. What happened?
"Our people have just departed. Just take your ID and passport. Cut up your cards and smash your cell phone. You will only be moving yourselves."
- What? Uh, going where...?
"Your family will be escorted to a Southeast Asian resort. Let me tell you again, don't bother packing luggage or valuables. You will, quite literally, disappear. Just come out as you are."
- B-but still... I should at least take some money...
"Lawyer Chun Sangpil."
- Yes.
I cut off his stammering words.
"You are about to acquire a colossal sum of 1 trillion won. I don't know how much your assets are, Lawyer, but do you truly wish to cling to them? Compared to 1 trillion won, they are merely a few 10,000 won bills. I will prepare the necessary expenses, so just come out as you are."
- Ah, yes.
After ending the call, I hurried to Yeouido in advance.