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Chapter 491: Switching Sides (5)

The moment Jin Dae-Woon declared that Jin Myung-Gyu would resign voluntarily, all of his schedule entries until March disappeared from my planner.

However, starting from his birthday on April 1st, his schedule entries remained intact.

[Everyday V12]

[Date: April 1, 2021]

-09:00 p.m: Jinseong Inc's Vice Chairman Jin Myung-Gyu's Birthday Yacht Party (Meeting Agenda: Request for celebrity guest list)

In other words, Jin Myung-Gyu would be reinstated as vice chairman after three months as Jin Dae-Woon had said.

However, Jinseong Inc would face a crisis the moment Jin Myung-Gyu threw his extravagant birthday party.

On April 7 of next year, a mini-general election would take place to fill twelve parliamentary seats. Politicians would seize the chance to attack Jun Myung-Gyu's lavish birthday celebration, positioning themselves as champions of the working class to win votes.

And as a result, Jinseong Inc would come under political scrutiny after the election. That crucial information was recorded in my planner.

[Everyday V12]

[Date: April 15, 2021]

-05:00 p.m: Emergency Meeting (Meeting Agenda: Jinseong Inc Tax Investigation. Han Ji-Yeon, Cha Tae-Hoon, Baek Se-Yoon advertising meetings urgently canceled.)

I planned to use this information to negotiate with Jin Dae-Woon.

Jin Dae-Woon looked at me and waited for an answer. "Why aren't you saying anything? Didn't you hear me tell you to step back?"

"Even if I do, do you really think this situation will be over?"

The irritated Jin Dae-Woon frowned. "What do you take me for?"

"I see you as the man who built Jinseong Inc from nothing."

"Yet you dare..."

Jin Dae-Woon's voice rose slightly in warning, but I remained calm.

I continued, "You must be aware that your eldest son's extravagant birthday parties filled with celebrities have been a public relations disaster every year."

"And why are you bringing that up now?"

"If he returns as vice chairman, he'll throw another lavish party this year. But do you really think politicians will sit by and watch in April?"

Jin Dae-Woon's eyes flashed as he instantly understood what I was implying. "Are you talking about the by-elections...?"

"Yes. It's a mini-general election with twelve seats at stake. Both ruling and opposition parties will attack Jinseong to gain public support."

Jin Dae-Woon's face hardened. Even as the chairman of Korea's 25th-largest conglomerate, he wouldn't be able to withstand a full-scale political assault.

For this reason, Jin Dae-Woon could no longer press me. Instead, he fell into deep thought.

***

After a long moment of deliberation, Jin Dae-Woon finally made his decision. "We'll extend his reflection period to at least six months... Maybe even a year."

At that instant, all of Jin Myung-Gyu's schedule entries disappeared from my planner until the end of September. I hadn't managed to remove him permanently, but he wouldn't be returning for quite some time.

'Perfect.'

I never expected the succession war to be decided in one swift move, because Jin Myung-Gyu had already built a strong support base while Jin Sung-Joon still lacked his own faction.

However, Jin Sung-Joon would now have enough time to solidify his power with the vice chairman's seat vacant for at least half a year. If things progressed like this, Jin Sung-Joon might actually have a real shot at securing his position the next time the successor battle unfolded.

For now, this was the best possible victory I could achieve.

Jin Dae-Woon observed me carefully before speaking in a low voice. "You're still young, but you have quite an eye for things."

It was half a compliment, half a warning.

I answered, "You flatter me."

"Flatter you? If you can see this much at your age, you're definitely not ordinary."

Jin Dae-Woon's gaze swept over me once more as he scrutinized me.

I made sure to keep my emotions in check, ensuring nothing was revealed.

Jin Dae-Woon said, "You pointed out something I had overlooked, so I'll make this promise again. Nothing will happen to you because of this incident."

"Understood."

Jin Dae-Woon dismissed us. "Now, both of you can see yourself out. I have to clean up this mess."

Jin Sung-Joon and I bowed politely before exiting the chairman's office.

***

The moment we stepped outside, Jin Sung-Joon turned to me apologetically. "I'm sorry. I tried to keep your involvement hidden, but Father already knew everything."

"How did he find out?"

"There were people among my supposed allies who were actually working for him."

Jin Sung-Joon sighed upon realizing how lacking his own network was. That was why he had already begun recruiting his own loyal people through Yeo Jin-Soo. Even among chaebols, the succession war was a ruthless game that required even deceiving one's own father.

Just then, I noticed a flicker of disappointment in his expression. "Don't dwell on it too much. This outcome is more than satisfactory, isn't it?"

"...You're right. If my brother is gone for a year or even just six months, I'll have enough time to expand my faction."

Jin Sung-Joon seemed relieved, but I shook my head. "Why are you acting like it's over already? The real battle hasn't even begun yet."

"Pardon me?"

"Did you forget about the Sejin Resort acquisition?"

A month from now, Jinseong Hotels & Resorts will acquire Sejin Resort. And in doing so, a massive accounting fraud would come to light to shake the entire nation.

The information I had told Jin Ah-Ram was still recorded in my planner.

[Everyday V12]

[Date: January 13, 2021]

-03:00 p.m: Entire Actor Division Meeting (Meeting Agenda: Discovery of accounting fraud in Sejin Resort acquisition. Cha Tae-Hoon's advertising fee unpaid.)

Jin Sung-Joon's eyes widened in shock as he realized what I meant. "You mean... all of this with Vice Chairman Jin Myung-Gyu was just the beginning?"

'Hah. The guy really is a genius.'

"Of course. There was no way to win everything in one move. That's why I gave Miss Ah-Ram the information. Now that we've removed one major obstacle, the next attack will be even easier."

"...I had no idea you were thinking that far ahead."

Unlike before, this time Jin Myung-Gyu wouldn't be around to protect Jin Myung-Hee when the fraud was exposed. That meant Jin Myung-Hee would likely lose her position and leave an empty seat.

I intended to fill that seat with Jin Ah-Ram. That way, we could secure a stronger foothold in the next successor battle.

Jin Sung-Joon suddenly examined me with the same scrutinizing look his father had given me earlier as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

I asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Jin Sung-Joon quickly masked his surprise. "O-oh, it's nothing. "I'll talk to Ah-Ram and start preparing right away."

"Sounds good."

I then directed Jin Sung-Joon's attention to another issue that still hadn't disappeared from my planner.

[Everyday V12]

[Date: April 15, 2021]

-05:00 p.m: Emergency Meeting (Meeting Agenda: Jinseong Inc Tax Investigation. Han Ji-Yeon, Cha Tae-Hoon, Baek Se-Yoon advertising meetings urgently canceled.)

I added, "And you should also prepare for the tax investigation. Even without Vice Chairman Jin Myung-Gyu's birthday scandal, the damage from this incident is too severe to avoid it completely."

"Hmm. Considering the amount of material Mr. Park provided, that would be the best course of action."

"Then I'll take my leave. I have some loose ends to tie up as well."

Now, I had to call Seo Jae-Ill and the reporters to smooth things over.

Since Jin Dae-Woon had stepped in to contain the situation, things would quiet down for now. However, I was certain that things wouldn't go exactly as he planned with the succession war now officially underway.

The train had already left the station, speeding forward with no brakes.

***

After Jin Sung-Joon and Jung Yoon-Ho left, Jin Dae-Woon leaned back on his sofa and frowned deeply.

Across from him sat Legal Director Go Woo-Sik and identical twins in their early 40s, one with glasses, the other without.

The twins stood tall at 185 cm, and they looked so similar that they could only be differentiated by their glasses. The one wearing glasses was Chief Secretary Seok Han-Joong, and the one without the glasses was Seok Han-Ill, the chief of Security Team 1.

Jin Dae-Woon narrowed his eyes and spoke. "Director Go, brief me on the situation."

Go Woo-Sik opened his tablet and reported, "As of now, the only way to protect Mr. Jin is for his Chief Secretary Choi Hyung-Woon and all the secretary team leads to take the fall in his place. However, the files Team Lead Park Hee-Joon took contain highly sensitive information."

Jin Dae-Woon's expression twisted. "I thought most of those files were encrypted."

"Even the unencrypted 10% is damaging enough..."

Jin Dae-Woon sighed heavily. "So you're saying I have to sacrifice all of Myung-Gyu's top strategists in one move?"

"Yes. Also, the secretaries in charge of handling the slush funds will need to take responsibility as well."

Earlier, Jin Dae-Woon had acted nonchalant in front of Jin Sung-Joon and Jung Yoon-Ho. However, the damage was immense in reality. Losing the slush fund managers was one thing, but losing the entire secretary office was a devastating blow.

Choi Hyung-Woon and the other secretary team leads weren't just staff, but they were hand-picked prodigies personally placed by Jin Dae-Woon himself. They were the ones who had allowed Jin Myung-Gyu to maintain his vice chairman position and keep Jinseong Inc running.

And now, all of them were about to be wiped out in one move.

Jin Dae-Woon let out another sigh and turned to Seok Han-Joong. "How long will it take to restore things to the way they were?"

"At least a year, sir."

"A whole year... Damn it."

Frustrated, Jin Dae-Woon gave his order. "If we leave the seat empty for too long, others will start eyeing it. Fill in the gaps by the end of March next year. If any of them aren't up to standard, replace them right away."

"Understood."

To be honest, Jin Dae-Woon was still shaken by everything that had happened. While his two sons had their flaws, they were still superior compared to others in their generation.

Jin Myung-Gyu wasn't the brightest, but he had decisiveness and ruthlessness. With the right people around him, he could operate efficiently. On the other hand, Jin Sung-Joon was highly intelligent but lacked the cutthroat decisiveness needed to lead a conglomerate.

That was why Jin Dae-Woon had intentionally pitted them against each other, hoping that Jin Sung-Joon would develop a sharper edge. His plan had been for them to fight for succession in another 4 to 5 years, not now. After all, neither Jin Sung-Joon nor Jin Ah-Ram had built strong enough factions yet.

But now, Jin Sung-Joon had caught Jin Myung-Gyu off guard by executing a perfect ambush with unexpected help. Jin Dae-Woon was pleased with Jin Sung-Joon's success. But the man who had helped him was a problem.

'Jung Yoon-Ho.'

That young man was throwing off all of his carefully laid plans. And the way he stared him down without even blinking made Jin Dae-Woon anxious. The more Jin Dae-Woon thought about him, the more intrigued and wary he became.

For now, he shook off the thought and turned back to Seok Han-Joong. "You said his name was Jung Yoon-Ho, right?"

"Yes."

"Dig into his background. If I'm not careful, Jinseong could end up in someone else's hands."

Seok Han-Joong looked stunned. "Isn't that an overestimation? Jinseong, one of the most powerful conglomerates in Korea, being taken over by a mere talent agent?"

"No. That twenty-seven-year-old flipped the entire board I set up. And on top of that, Ah-Ram is interested in him, isn't she?"

"Yes... but..."

Jin Dae-Woon's eyes darkened. "What do you think would happen... if that guy became my son-in-law?"

"...You can't be serious."

"Sung-Joon and Ah-Ram are close and they have been looking out for each other until now. But among my children, the smartest, most ambitious, and the most ruthless one when necessary is Ah-Ram. Now, imagine if Ah-Ram gained Jung Yoon-Ho as her wings."

At that moment, everyone in the chairman's office swallowed dryly. Even the mighty Jin Dae-Woon would struggle if Jung Yoon-Ho and Jin Ah-Ram joined forces.

Sensing their unease, Jin Dae-Woon spoke again with a firm warning. "I did say that one of my sons will inherit the company. That remains true. But I have no intention of stepping down before I die. Remember that!"

It was true that Jin Dae-Woon was using the succession war to strengthen his sons. However, his real goal was to make sure they never had the chance to push him aside as an old man. As long as they were fighting, he would have plenty of opportunities to intervene and maintain his influence. In the midst of their battle, they would be too distracted to conspire against him.

Hearing Jin Dae-Woon's real intentions, the subordinates were once again reminded of why Jin Dae-Woon was a legend in the business world.

Seok Han-Joong lowered his head. "Understood, sir. I will begin a thorough investigation into Jung Yoon-Ho."

As he gave the order, Jin Dae-Woon glanced at the door where Jung Yoon-Ho had just exited. He muttered with a disappointed smile, "What a waste of talent for the entertainment industry..."

No one dared to respond to Jin Dae-Woon's cryptic remark.

***

I called Seo Jae-Ill the moment I stepped out of Jinseong Inc.

However, Seo Jae-Ill sounded startled as he picked up. Apparently, all of Jin Myung-Gyu's secretaries were at the prosecution office and confessing that they were solely responsible for the scandal.

"It's Chairman Jin Dae-Woon's doing."

I briefly explained what had happened.

After a long sigh, Seo Jae-Ill responded.

-That means the higher-ups will pressure us to drop the case soon.

"Did the files contain any direct evidence against Vice Chairman Jin Myung-Gyu?"

-No. Guys like him never get their hands dirty directly.

Seo Jae-Ill sounded resigned as he said that the case would likely be buried.

However, this wasn't over. Now that the encrypted files were in the hands of the prosecution, everything depended on how desperate Jin Myung-Gyu's men became. If Jin Myung-Gyu ever found himself in a situation where survival seemed impossible, someone would crack.

And when that happened, that would be the day Jin Myung-Gyu was truly finished.

"Someone will eventually spill the encryption keys."

-Do you have any inside information?

I didn't answer directly.

"No. It's just a thought. If Executive Director Jin Sung-Joon is confirmed as the successor, don't you think someone will betray Jin Myung-Gyu?"

-You've got a point. Alright. We'll wrap up Team Lead Park's investigation for now.

Seo Jae-Ill agreed to wait patiently for the right moment as there was no point in pushing further if it only increased the number of scapegoats.

After hanging up, I called Choi So-Hye and Jang Moon-Ki.

Both were frustrated to hear the news. However, they had no choice but to revise their articles since other people had already taken the fall.

As a result, the initial reports were removed and a wave of revised articles flooded the news.

[(Breaking) Jinseong Inc's Vice Chairman Jin Myung-Gyu apologizes for personal misconduct of his secretary team and resigns out of moral responsibility.]

[(Breaking) Jinseong Inc: "All allegations are fiction."]

[(Exclusive) Jinseong Inc's Chief Secretary Choi Hyung-Woon: Embezzled ten billion won by exploiting Vice Chairman Jin Myung-Gyu's trust.]

[Ace Entertainment: "Ahn Yoo-Hyun's car broke down, and she was simply receiving help. No misunderstandings, please."]

[(Exclusive!!) Ace Entertainment's top actress, K, reportedly dating a non-celebrity with marriage in mind!]

...

For a while, netizens weren't buying Jinseong Inc's damage control. But soon enough, news of the S class celebrity's romance dominated the headlines and everyone forgot about the scandal as if it had never happened.

I chuckled as I scrolled through the entertainment section. Next time, they wouldn't be able to cover it up so easily.

Just then, a Kk Talk message popped up from Jin Ah-Ram.

[Director Jin Ah-Ram: I heard everything from my brother. Next time, it's my turn. You know that, right? I'm looking forward to it.]

Reading the message, I muttered to myself, "Let's do this."

I had no intention of dragging out this succession war.

***

It was 2:34 a.m when I came home. It was the exact time I had fallen asleep a year ago before returning to the past.

"Come to think of it... It's already been a year since the regression."

For a brief moment, a ridiculous thought crossed my mind.

'What if I fell asleep now like that night a year ago? What if this is all just a dream? Would I wake up just for a moment and then die again?'

"...No way. That's absurd."

A fantasy novel title flashed through my mind, and sent a shiver down my spine.