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Translator: uly
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Lee Dae-hyuk's Unexpected Orders
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Shocked, Yoon Tae-ho and Kim Mi-jin's mouths fell open at the same time.
It lasted only a moment.
Kim Mi-jin was the first of the two stunned pair to speak up.
"No way... With so much piled up on your plate, why start with donations...?"
She just couldn't understand it.
He was talking about starting his revenge, and now donations?
Yoon Tae-ho felt the same.
Lee Dae-hyuk, who had gathered him and his wife and been burning with fighting spirit, suddenly declaring he'd make donations—it was baffling.
Lee Dae-hyuk smiled faintly as he looked at the two of them and began his explanation.
"Neither my brothers nor my sister have ever donated from their own pockets. Not even once."
Lee Dae-hyuk had been scouring the internet in his spare time, gathering info on his brothers and sister—people he'd have to compete against.
The memories of this current body had zero basic information on his siblings.
He had no clue what they did for work, what positions they held, or how they lived their lives.
Surprisingly little information existed, but Lee Dae-hyuk could understand why.
'He just wanted to avoid them.'
The old Lee Dae-hyuk had done everything possible to steer clear of his brothers and sister.
He'd also desperately tried to block out memories of the abuse, consciously or not.
But in the end... he couldn't escape the nightmares.
And so... he'd chosen suicide.
But he was different.
If there were enemies he needed to get revenge on, he wouldn't run—he'd charge forward and fight.
And no matter what, he'd crush them.
Back in his Kim Geon-woo days, he'd laid every gangster in the country low at his feet.
Sure, there were fistfights along the way, but most were number games.
When gangs managing a city or region clashed over territory, you'd hit their bases or key figures first, and it was over.
Fights that dragged on brought the cops in.
And as anyone knew, the most crucial thing for winning was information.
To strike efficiently, you needed to know which restaurant the enemy boss frequented, which gym he used, or the hotel he hit up with women.
This fight with his siblings was the same.
He had to start with the smallest details to gain the upper hand.
That's why Lee Dae-hyuk had devoured everything: official interviews, blogs, rumor boards.
Anything written about his brothers and sister.
Piecing together his vague Kim Geon-woo memories with the internet intel, Lee Dae-hyuk had assembled a rough picture.
First: Lee Dae-hwan, Director at Daehan Electronics.
Second: Lee Dae-cheol, Director at Daehan Automobile.
Third: Lee Sun-ah, Director at Daehan Cosmetics.
Barely into their thirties, these royal family members had all risen to director positions, wielding sway over the fates of their respective affiliates.
And unlike typical golden spoon heirs who partied their way into cushy roles overnight, these three had earned theirs through solid achievements.
So, Lee Dae-hyuk's siblings projected flawless competence.
But there was one thing missing.
They didn't fulfill the public's fantasy of the perfect chaebol third-generation heir.
They'd never donated.
"My brothers and sister seem squeaky clean on the surface. But they've never once given back to society from their own pockets. Not even once."
Of course, not donating wasn't a crime.
Chaebols just needed to pay their taxes properly—no law said they had to donate.
But he was different.
As the illegitimate son, he needed to craft an image.
To gain an edge in the succession battle as the illegitimate youngest, he needed public opinion on his side.
Once he officially entered the fray...
They'd drag his "illegitimate" status into the open and turn it into a mudslinging match.
But if he had a track record of donations, painting him as a "good chaebol heir"?
He could claim some high ground in the court of public opinion.
He had to prepare for that now.
"I'm going to play it different from my brothers and sister. I'll give the public the chaebol third-gen fantasy they crave. I'll be the tall, handsome uncle who's spotless and cool."
"T-Tall... handsome uncle?"
Yoon Tae-ho echoed in confusion.
He still hadn't grasped Lee Dae-hyuk's intent.
But his wife, Kim Mi-jin, did.
"...Image building."
"Exactly. In the end, a tiny image can create huge variables in this fight."
Answering Kim Mi-jin, Lee Dae-hyuk continued.
"Compared to my brothers and sister, I'm the underdog. A fool who's never had a proper job. For a fool like that to win, he needs variables. Even something small like 'good chaebol heir.'"
Yoon Tae-ho and Kim Mi-jin finally understood his plan.
"You're starting the preparations now!!"
"We'll get right on it, Young Master."
Lee Dae-hyuk beamed at the two nodding eagerly to get moving.
At the same time, he gave them one last crucial instruction.
"But start anonymously. Then, around the third donation, leak my name subtly."
"...?"
The couple blinked in bewilderment, not getting it again.
Donations, but anonymous?
And then leak the name? What did that mean?
"They say good deeds aren't for bragging—they're for getting caught. If my name's out there from the start, people will call it a show. But if it leaks around the third one, the public will buy it as genuine. Maybe not感動, but at least no backlash."
Lee Dae-hyuk had the public's psychology nailed.
The masses craved gossip over admiration.
Unlike the story of saving Jung Hee-joo, if his donations hit the news right away, they'd nitpick and tarnish it somehow.
There were always people sneering that small-time donors were just showboating over peanuts.
Or they'd link it to the other incident and spin ridiculous rumors.
For now, he couldn't afford even a tiny blemish.
"Wow... You thought that far ahead."
Kim Mi-jin marveled at his explanation.
Lee Dae-hyuk was no longer the pitiful twenty-six-year-old.
He was a seasoned strategist.
'How did he change so much?'
It wasn't just mental fortitude.
He could now see several moves ahead.
What on earth had happened to him in that short time?
Kim Mi-jin was dying to know what had transformed Lee Dae-hyuk, but she held back.
It was a good change, no doubt.
Better to support him now than question it.
Yoon Tae-ho felt the same.
He'd been suspicious and uneasy about the changes.
But now, he was just grateful for this living, revitalized, awesome version of Lee Dae-hyuk.
"Thank you, Young Master."
"...Huh? For what?"
"You shared your dreams and goals with us honestly."
Yoon Tae-ho's eyes welled up as he gazed at the transformed Lee Dae-hyuk.
Kim Mi-jin was on the verge of tears too.
Feeling their genuine affection, Lee Dae-hyuk issued his first order.
Now it was time to start their own battle.
"Alright, let's drop this awkward vibe and get to your assignments."
"Yes."
"Yes, Young Master."
"Manager Yoon Tae-ho, handle security as usual. And Kim Mi-jin... hmm, let's go with 'Secretary Kim.' Secretary Kim Mi-jin, set up an official foundation in my name alongside the donations."
"Got it. But, Young Master."
"Yeah."
"You forgot the most important part."
Kim Mi-jin spoke cautiously.
"What?"
In response to Lee Dae-hyuk's question, she said meaningfully,
"You need to name the foundation!!"
"Oh...!!!"
Lee Dae-hyuk's mouth dropped open slightly.
She was right.
He'd overlooked the foundation's name.
But he didn't agonize over it long—the decision came quick.
"The foundation name... let's keep it simple: 'Punch.'"
""...""
The couple gaped at Lee Dae-hyuk's naming sense.
And it wasn't admiration—it was secondhand embarrassment.
Sensing the chill, Lee Dae-hyuk asked carefully.
"...Lame?"
"Yeah. A bit."
"Just a tad, really."
Yoon Tae-ho and Kim Mi-jin answered in turn.
Truth be told, expecting naming flair from Lee Dae-hyuk was laughable.
Inside that body was Kim Geon-woo, a nationwide gang boss who'd spent his life swinging fists in back alleys.
What naming sense would a mid-forties guy who'd only ever punched have?
But this lame name had meaning.
"I like simple. And the symbolism's good, right? We've got a lot of people to punch. Starting with this foundation, we'll smash those bastards' jaws for real."
***
Meanwhile, as Lee Dae-hyuk steeled his resolve, at Daehan Electronics headquarters.
In his office reviewing documents, a sneer curled on Director Lee Dae-hwan's lips.
"That punk's coming to the office?"
"Yes."
Cha Beom-seok, the head bodyguard reporting to him, answered lowly.
Cha Beom-seok was Lee Dae-hwan's dedicated bodyguard and right-hand man.
Beyond official protection, he handled "special" tasks when needed, earning bonuses.
"President Nam Seong-il of Daehan Construction said it himself. The Chairman made an 'informal request.'"
"A request, not an order..."
Lee Dae-hwan set the document binder down on his desk after hearing the report.
The father he knew issued orders, never requests.
'Even a father bends when it's about his favorite kid's future?'
Grip—!
Lee Dae-hwan clenched his fist unconsciously, and Cha Beom-seok, who had been watching slyly, spoke up.
"...I'll investigate further and report back."
"Forget the investigation. Don't waste energy on trash like that. Instead..."
Pausing briefly, a cold sneer twisted Lee Dae-hwan's lips.
"Let's throw him a surprise party."
"Pardon?"
"He's finally crawling out of his room like the shut-in he was. We should celebrate."
His tone was mild, but a chill flashed in Lee Dae-hwan's eyes.
Reading it, Cha Beom-seok replied without a word.
"I'll wrap the party at an appropriate level and report back."
"Good. Thanks for your work."
Lee Dae-hwan picked up the binder again, and Cha Beom-seok gave a curt nod before leaving.
Alone now, Lee Dae-hwan reviewed documents while recalling his childhood memories of Lee Dae-hyuk.
The image of him trembling on all fours like a pet.
To Lee Dae-hwan, Lee Dae-hyuk had always been a plaything—an adorable pet to toy with, a perfect stress reliever.
Whenever studies wore him down or Father chewed him out.
When stress built up, he'd vent on Lee Dae-hyuk.
Even now, if not for the TFT-LCD factory expansion (that ultra-thin display tech dubbed the "second semiconductor"), he'd have toyed with him personally.
'Too bad, but can't be helped.'
He wasn't a kid anymore who could play whenever he wanted.
Lee Dae-hwan swallowed his regret and dove back into work.