Chapter 75: < Protect – Episode 74 – Fan Meeting [1] >
By the time his lecture or promotional speech ended, the internet went into pandemonium.
- This heir is bada.s.s!
- CEO Ahn is basically ridiculing everyone else!
- You can’t buy justice with money! The freedom and justice group should speak up!
- Here goes another controversy! What’s the possibility of a Korean Sherlock Holmes?
- Is an intelligence agency equal to PMC? It’s all being hidden!
Ahn Soo Ho was a very unique case in Korean society where modesty was key. The words he spat out and the behavior he exhibited made quite the impact. The call center that he mentioned went into pandemonium. It was a relief that they were prepared beforehand.
Hosoo Entertainment quickly made their announcement.
Since this was a private event, they made it clear that this had nothing to do with the company, but a few civilian groups started to protest about how he should be kicked out of the inspection group. But on the other hand, many were supporting him. “The reason why Korea has whistle-blowers is because there’s no system to protect them! That’s why CEO Ahn’s proposal and the reward is very rational!” That was what they were saying.
While people were arguing whether it was legal or illegal, the first one to respond was the Blue House. The spokesperson expressed his stance in a short manner. “As long as it’s not illegal, a country can’t interfere with how one uses their money!” They made Ahn Soo Ho’s behavior as an act of donation.
The Blue House’s announcement led to a controversy.
People of the legal world such as the police, prosecutors, and judges, thought his behavior was an obstruction of justice. But once the Blue House spoke up, there were many who shut their mouths. Most couldn’t help but to mind what those in power think.
“What a mess.”
Ahn Soo Ho questioned Logan’s bitter laugh as he put down the newspaper. Since when could he read Korean newspapers? It was more likely that it was an English newspaper.
“Does the foreign press know?”
“They have more interest in you after BRICS. What if our past gets out, too?”
“What if it does? I’m not embarra.s.sed by my past. Are you, Logan?”
“No, but you know how people can be.”
It was obvious that they wouldn’t respond well to the fact that they used to butcher people.
“What about Kosino?”
“He got back to work.”
Alexa preferred information itself while Kosino liked to dig in deep with a goal in mind.
“We can start as soon as Chief Superintendent gets his position.”
“You can’t just go off and do your own thing though.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Since it was the lawyers who were controlling the inspectors, they wouldn’t just sit back and watch Yoon Chul running about.
“Soo Ho.”
One of his underlings called Ahn Soo Ho’s name.
He was at an abandoned factory near Seoul. It was so empty that they could have shot their guns without anyone noticing. There were only a few regions that succeeded in starting a new town business. If they just started building apartments and factories without doing anything else then they were bound to fail.
A few people with their faces covered with a bandana were seated in chairs and waited for Ahn Soo Ho. They were obviously kidnapped. Their suits were all crinkled and ripped, but they looked expensive. When Ahn Soo Ho made a gesture with his chin, their bandanas were taken off. Their mouths were gagged so they couldn’t scream, but their faces looked terrified.
“I’m sorry. It’s unfortunate that we have to put you in such an unpleasant situation.”
The men in suits had black hair, red hair, and blonde hair.
“My name is Ahn Soo Ho.”
“Gasp!”
They all gasped through their gags. Ahn Soo Ho was currently a well-known individual in Korea, but they were surprised for a different reason. That was because they didn’t remember him as the CEO of Hosoo Entertainment.
“Do you have an idea why you’ve been invited here?”
They were bankers or at least people related to banks.
They were a part of financial inst.i.tutions that had both Korean and foreign banks and ranged across types of financial inst.i.tutions. They weren’t at the very top, but they were high enough to be able to peek into the movements of all organizations. It might be hard to believe, but most big banks were related to the black market one way or another.
“I won’t waste your time with useless explanations. Please deliver this message to the ones who work for you.”
Most of the ones pretending to be Korean were foreigners with fake ident.i.ties and nationalities. In the case of China, they selected the most loyal agents to go to Korea, and j.a.pan targeted Koreans living in j.a.pan or Koreans who were studying there.
Being Korean didn’t change anything.
Trying to bribe people for additionally hidden profits were just the basics. Bringing foreign companies to Korea with the use of a global business bait and appointing foreigner CEOs by using their business experience as an excuse all became routine. People always complain that it was hard to run a business in Korea, but there was no country more lenient than Korea.
“Know when to stop.”
What was more unfortunate was that there were many traitors who were actually Korean but benefited from foreign funding. These kidnapped men needed to learn a lesson.
“Do you understand?”
“It doesn’t matter. We can’t take out the funds right away even if we wanted.”
No matter how flexible the Chinese Communist Party was, they probably wouldn’t cover for someone who leaked private information. Corruption was seen as being just as bad as illegal drugs in China. So it was very contradicting that the Chinese premier had an outstanding slash fund and committed corruption. However, that was how it was in China.
The strong could do whatever they want.
He heard the phone rang, so he checked the caller and then picked up.
“Alexa?”
“Ms. Kim got something.”
“What is it?”
“Extramarital children. It’s being released right now.”
What Kim Soo Jung found out about the chairman of the National a.s.sembly was a love child. Having an extramarital child wasn’t illegal. No one was punished for it in the past either. And in a man-centered world, it wasn’t all that surprising.
- Two faces on a famous politician! #extramaritalchild #lovechild #adultery
- Having concubines were common back in the day!
- That’s right! My grandfather did it, too!
- In the newspapers from the 60s, he promised to fire those with concubines! What is this?
- He still lives in the Joseon era. Ptui!
- It’s not just politicians. Heirs are probably worse. I’ve already heard of so many!
- Don’t most somewhat successful celebrities have s.e.x with heirs?
- Please don’t be so explicit!
- There are many who advanced from B-cla.s.s to A-cla.s.s after getting sponsored! Look it up!
- Kim Soo Jung will probably get kicked out soon! #journalist #KoreanPulitzer #externalpressure
- Didn’t she expose the national defense corruption last time?
- Yeah! She’s the one!
- Where is she getting this stuff? She could be a private detective!
- If the entire country starts exposing internal corruption, this country could actually turn around!
- If we can really stay anonymous, it’s tempting! It’s like a lottery!
- I know this is a new era, but standing up to those in power…
- Don’t be weak! This is our only chance to change Korea!
- That’s right! Koreans! Stand up!
Paparazzis were originally known as something negative, but after Ahn Soo Ho’s proposal, they looked like positive figures that watched over those in power. No matter what people said, having more voices of criticism was a good thing.
The one that started this controversy leisurely took a trip to the broadcasting company. He dismissed those who came out to greet him and asked for the newsroom producer, Kim Soo Jung. He did that to start rumors. She tried to smile for all those who were watching, but when they whispered, she clenched her teeth.
“What are you trying to do?”
“We can’t hide our relationship forever.”
“What about our relationship?”
The strange nuance in Ahn Soo Ho’s words made those who were monitoring them feel excited. Kim Soo Jung’s face flushed up. She wasn’t embarra.s.sed but furious.
“Hey!”
“Just hear me out.”
Kim Soo Jung calmed down and then glared at Ahn Soo Ho.
“Sigh. Okay, talk.”
“This is for your safety.”
“What safety?”
They avoided people’s eyes and ears and went to a quiet place. This time, he whispered.
“Someone hired an a.s.sa.s.sin to kill you.”
“What?”
That was a lie. But without a reason like that, Kim Soo Jung would be impossible to convince.
“Make it known that you’re close to me.”
“I don’t want to use my friend’s authority.”
“If you get hurt, Chul will resent me.”
“Hm.”
She stopped talking when she heard her boyfriend’s name. No one likes their lover putting themselves in danger.
“I’m not so weak that I need protection from someone else.”
“I know.”
Until Kim Soo Jung dropped out of the Naval Academy, she was an elite. Her records required true skill and ability.
“If you know that…is it that serious?”
“Yeah.”
Kim Soo Jung thought she knew Ahn Soo Ho well, and he wasn’t the type to joke about something that was a matter of life and death.
“An a.s.sa.s.sin…Lee b.u.m Hak doesn’t act that quickly.”
“It’s not him.”
“Then?”
“Didn’t I tell you this already? There are lots of rich and crazy people in this world.”
“Crime Suspect Zero?”
“You remember.”
This crime planning group called General Ashford tend to bet on all the incidents and accidents around the world. The black market could be seen as something derived from betting and gambling.
“There’s a black market in every country.”
There was a black market, even in the h.e.l.lish country of Somalia.
“The currency that works in the black market isn’t dollars or euros. It’s not diamonds either. That’s just a token of the promise. If you don’t fulfill the conditions, a piece of metal or paper doesn’t mean anything.”
In the black market, money was just an illusion.
“Conditions?”
“You don’t have to know that much.”
Ahn Soo Ho turned on the TV.
It was a display TV, so it wasn’t possible to operate it, but his ability to hack electronics was outstanding. He set the news to the G7 Summit that took place after the BRICS Summit. They were originally going to hold it in Tokyo, but they had to relocate for terror risk reasons.
“You once asked me what I went around doing. Do you remember?”
“Yeah. I remember.”
Kim Soo Jung nodded her head.
She wanted to know where he got the money, connections, and influence that even made the president nervous and scared. There were more hidden than were exposed. Yoon Chul still trusted him anyway, but not her. The power he had wasn’t something one could acquire in a normal way.
Ahn Soo Ho looked at his watch.
There was no time difference between Seoul and Tokyo. There should have been a few hours difference, but weak countries couldn’t even control the time. That was the global trap.
“Five, four, three, two, one, boom!”
Kim Soo Jung looked at Ahn Soo Ho strangely for counting down, but then she looked at the shaking screen and got startled. The correspondent, as well as the cameraman, almost fell down. There was screaming in the midst of the smoke. Actually, the screaming wasn’t coming from the screen.
The broadcasting company was in chaos.
“This is one of the things I was doing out there.”
Kim Soo Jung’s mouth was opened wide due to her shock, but the feeling of her phone vibrating woke her up. The newsroom gave her an emergency call. Ahn Soo Ho shrugged at her. Kim Soo Jung ran off while shouting at him.
“Don’t go anywhere! Wait here!”
She looked as if she had to find out how he knew that the bomb would go off before it happened. As soon as Kim Soo Jung disappeared, Logan approached.
“Soo Ho! The hotline of every country is on fire!”
“Don’t answer.”
They believed that the world could be peaceful without him.
Didn’t they know that once Ahn Soo Ho’s retirement became official, a bunch of psychos would start pouring out? However, once they confirmed that he wouldn’t change his mind, they started a big fire, and it was way beyond any government’s expectations.
The terror had just begun.
‘You deserve to rot, you sons of b.i.t.c.hes.’
He heard the news as well as a music recording of a famous song from a nearby studio through the TV. Ahn Soo Ho started dancing with his shoulders.
‘Our love is a game of fire!’
My love was on fire!
< Protect – Episode 74 – Fan Meeting [1] > The end.