《12 Hours After》Chapter 139: King Maker, Part I
Advertisement
Tiriri tiriri tiriri… The alarm went off. I woke up, my eyes opened, I took a shower, shaved, and dried my hair. I walked to the kitchen, but suddenly I thought I would like to eat the cheesecake. There was some chicken porridge and side dishes that Ah-young had left together yesterday when she had made chicken, but I turned around and headed straight to the dressing room. I got dressed up for work, and headed to the elevator inside the house. Pressing the down button, I waited for a moment, and soon the elevator came and opened.
Ding-dong. I got in there. And when I saw the button on the elevator, I got in trouble for a while.
'First floor or thirtieth floor?' I soon finished my worries and pressed the first floor. The elevator went down and stopped on the first floor.
The door opened, and some of the employees who saw me said. "How are you, sir?" Some others stuttered in amazement, "Hello, bo… boss." Some people greeted me calmly and neatly.
I raised my hand. "Yes, hello." After receiving their greetings, I headed to the cafe on the first floor. I usually sent a secretary to buy rather than come down like this, but I stopped by once in a while. I wanted to check that business was going well. Fortunately, the cafe was crowded even in the morning.
'With this, the offices are not going to be vacant, because their business is going well.'
There was a line at the place where the order was received. I stood in line without a word.
"Did you hear that? Section Chief Park applied for a housing subscription and got it."
"Really? Where?"
"Sungsu-dong, he can only see the tip of the Han River in the kitchen, but the premium is $300,000."
"Really? A big hit!"
"That's why he stopped nagging the employees these days."
"Really? Well, that's good, then?"
"But maybe that's why he is not really interested in things these days, and he doesn't have much enthusiasm. We are also losing strength... I'm not sure if this is good."
I thought as I listened to it, 'Who's Section Chief Park?' Our company had grown to a considerable degree and we had many section chiefs. I would find out if I looked it up.
"Mr. President!" One of the female employees, who was chatting, was surprised at me being there. The woman next to her also stepped back, covering her mouth, "Uh." She was surprised that the president of her company was lined up behind her.
I raised my hand to greet her. "Hello."
The women stepped aside for me. "We want you to make an order first, Mr. President."
"No, it's your turn now."
The two looked back. There was no one in front of them. They bent their heads and ordered what they wanted. Then it was my turn. In front of me was a young part-timer who seemed to have just graduated from high school. She didn't seem to know I was the owner of this building. Just seeing that the female employees who were older than me greeted and called me, "Mr. President," she seemed to think I was their superior.
Advertisement
"I'd like a piece of cheesecake, and a glass of white chocolate mocha Grande, please."
"Yes." After I finished my order, I stood in the cafe for a moment and waited.
Meanwhile, a handsome man with combed hair came and said hello. "I'm Kwon Hyuk-jin from the overseas investment department. I greeted you at the last welcoming party for new recruits."
"Oh, you look familiar. Are you adapting to the company?"
"Yes, boss."
But after that greeting, a woman with a strong perfume came to me and said hello, "I have seen you for the first time, Mr. President. I am Kang Soo-jung from the real investment department."
"Oh, yes..."
I was greeted constantly. Thanks to that, there were two lines in the cafe. I was a little embarrassed, but not too badly. I usually stayed in the president's office to analyze the news and trade stocks, so I had employees who hadn't even seen my face once. It wouldn't be bad to show my face like this from time to time. Shouldn't I let them know who was paying their salaries? With countless greetings, I got back on the elevator and arrived on the thirtieth-floor president's office.
"Are you here?"
"Are you here, boss?"
Two secretaries welcomed me as always. One of them would quit within a month, but I asked Secretary Seo implicitly. "How are your preparations going?"
"They are going well, boss."
I stared at him, then turned to Secretary Park. "Secretary Park."
"Yes, boss."
"Don't quit."
At my words, Secretary Park smiled and said, "Yes, boss. I don't earn as much as Secretary Seo and I can't quit."
Park was quite close to Secretary Seo, and knew that Seo had bought stocks after me with the salary he had received and become a rich man worth tens of millions of dollars.
I laughed and said jokingly, "Don't quit, even if you're richer than Seo. He's going to have a hard time starting a business. When he leaves home, he will know how valuable home is."
Secretary Park giggled at my words, and Secretary Seo slightly lowered his head.
I said, hitting him on the shoulder, "I'm kidding, man. Try hard."
Only then did Secretary Seo speak with a slight smile, "Yes, boss."
I'd known him since his school days; he had enough ability enough to go out and succeed. I believed in him. He would certainly succeed, and the four million dollars I'd decided to invest in him would come back double.
'If it doesn't work, I'll make it work.' To be honest with myself, I had the power to make something impossible to work succeed, unnoticed.
"Then do your work." I was going to go into the president's office with the cheesecake and coffee I had just bought, leaving the words behind, and said one more thing, "Ah! Secretary Seo."
"Yes, boss."
"By contacting Director Jung, tell him to check if there is a section chief who recently signed up for a housing application in Seongsu-dong. Let Director Jung go and give him a shoulder massage, and ask if he doesn't want to work because of the apartment."
"Oh, yes."
Coming into the president's office, I turned on the computer while drinking coffee. The last computer in the president's office cost a few thousand dollars, but the new computer cost nearly fifty thousand dollars. It was a supercomputer set with three monitors. Of course, it was all about surfing the Internet or working on it, but I did it anyway. The information that came and went to this computer was worth a billion dollars.
Advertisement
'Especially the information that's coming in today... how much is this? I can sell it for tens of million dollars to anyone who wants to know who will be the next president.'
I recalled the Banquet of Dragons last year. The members who had a secret party on the Bukhan River would probably be very sensitive about who the next president was and what their policies would be. They would modify their group strategy according to that.
'I can't sell it, and I don't want to sell it.' I watched the time while eating cheesecake. It was 8:40. There was still about fifteen minutes left.
'Who will be...'
I once again took out the list I was investigating. 'The ruling party - Joo Sung-won; the opposition party - Han Sang-hoon, Lee Soo-won and Jung Kyung-wha; the second opposition party - Kwak Ji-won, Ahn Sang-jin.'
I had found out the deadly weaknesses of Han Sang-hoon, Lee Soo-won, and Ahn Sang-jin, one by one, using Crow. If I made up my mind, they were the ones who I could destroy. If any of these people were elected, I'd blow their chances without hesitation. They had a history of committing corruption and lying to the people.
On the other hand, there had been bad rumors about Seoul Mayor Joo Sung-won, who had an acquaintance with me, and about Jung Kyung-wha and Kwak Ji-won, but it would be strange if there was no such thing for politicians l. All of them were found to have been truly innocent by the investigation of Crow.
'I wish one of Joo Sung-won, Jung Kyung-wha, or Kwak Ji-won will be president. Then, I don't have to change the President with my own hands. Frankly speaking, changing the president with my hands is a little onerous. If the new president doesn't manage the country's affairs well, I'm responsible, too. Of course, politicians who are full of corruption and pretense should be hanged, but at least, I hope a good president will be chosen by the people's choice.'
At 8:55, an email came. As soon as I received the email, I went to 12 Months After and wrote down three of the most likely people, 'Joo Sung-won, Han Sang-hoon, Kwak Ji-won,' in the People Search. When I saw the news, it was just one news with all three names on it.
[Joo Sung-won topped the list with 40.7% of the votes, becoming the twentieth President of the Republic of Korea. Second-ranked Han Sang-hoon, 33.1%, third-ranked Kwak Ji-won, 20.1%.]
I muttered at it, "Oh, this… this is it."
In fact, it was more surprising to me that Rep. Han Sang-hoon would run for president than Joo Sung-won's election. Lee Soo-won and Jung Kyung-wha of the same party were also powerful people, but becoming a presidential candidate after defeating them, he was a politician with potential. There were a lot of crumpled corners behind him, but I thought of the actions I had to take right away seeing this result.
'I should have a closer relationship with Mayor Joo Sung-won on the grounds of those things… but I will punish Han Sang-hoon immediately. Although Han Sang-hoon fails in the upcoming presidential election, he is still in his late fifties. It is not unusual that he will have a second chance to be a presidential candidate then. I'm going to punish him here so that he can't make a full comeback.'
To punish him, I had prepared a complete scenario. The beginning would be a sexual affair with a female secretary. Disclosing that he had been filming the sex at the National Assembly office in Yeouido would give the first blow. Of course, Rep. Han Sang-hoon would not stay still. I was sure he would guard all over the place. But then, I would expose the list of Goo Soo-gil and completely destroy him. When the two were combined, it would be hard for him to stop them. Both cases had clear evidence in the first place, so it would be hard to get out of them unless he covered the eyes of the people.
'All right, then…' I picked up my cell phone and looked at the call number of Lee Won-jae, who was now the head of a listed company. He had helped me in the last incident of Tak Joon-gi, had been invested in by me and had a strong relationship with me. I phoned him.
Tiriri, tiriri. By the time the phone rang twice, he answered, "Hello, CEO Han Sang-hoon." The head of a company received a phone call faster than any secretary. Of course, he must have been surprised to see my name.
I asked him with a big smile, "CEO Lee, are you okay to run the company?"
"Yes, I'm in a good position now. What's the matter?"
"I'm trying to bury a politician..."
"Who... do you mean?"
"Rep. Han Sang-hoon, with the same name as me."
"Oh, he's... but he's one of the presidential candidates, isn't he?"
"That's why I called CEO Lee Won-jae. Will you do that for me?"
He hesitated for a moment, then told me, "Could you send me the source?"
I lifted the phone for a moment and looked at it. 'This guy…' Then I told him once more, "You have to tell me if you will do it or not. Then I'll send it to you. Are you going to make this a trial?"
When I went strong, he dropped his tail right away. "... No, I will, CEO Han. Please send me the source in my email. When should I write it?"
"As soon as possible."
"Yes, sir."
When I finished my call, I sent him an email with the file I had prepared. The email for Rep. Han Sang-hoon was a complete declaration of death as a politician. But after sending the email, there was another email for the correction news.
I saw it and thought, 'Ah, I see. If the Daewon Daily News blows it up here, Rep. Han Sang-hoon will not be a presidential candidate.' I read the correction news, thinking about it.
[The correction news: This morning, the article of Joo Sung-won who was elected the twentieth president was changed due to the involvement of the subscriber.]
I slowly read it, but there was something in it that was different from what I had expected.
"Eh?"
Advertisement
- In Serial58 Chapters
I Am Not The Main Character
Laying listlessly on his couch, Daire recalled his favorite book. "He killed them all." That cheeky author... The last book in the series rested on his lap. Completed. The characters never to rise again. "It can't be over." Closing his eyes, he whispered a prayer. A wish to set things right. (Cover Artwork is my copyrighted original. You can view the full image on my instagram @scanlonaustin)
8 368 - In Serial12 Chapters
A Serpentine Tale {Dropped}
A young serpent is born, and begins his journey to become a force greater than his world has ever seen, and perhaps beyond.NOTICE: This story has been dropped. It will stay as is, but no new additions or revisions will be made until further notice.
8 204 - In Serial60 Chapters
Dream Theater
Long casted shadows danced in the background, as a man squibbled and jotted words on yellow papers. A mere novelty, remnant and ghost that was left to age away along with the forgotten theater, a man grasped for inspiration to salvage what was left of his soul. Abandoned in the squalid room, Pxan was left hauntedly in the furthest corners of insanity that bubbled in his mind. No one would listen to his plight, denouncing him and claiming his mind was not right. Even though the world left him with nothing, turning their backs to him, he knew the books would never betray him in the same fashion. Faceless pages and books yet to be read ogled puppy eyes, ready to be penned by the madman. “Pxan! Pxan! Over here! To me!” Clamored the unpublished manuscripts. Pxan’s fingers quivered nervously, thoughts of failure flooded his mind. Wanting to surrender to the pressure. “No!” He cried. “I’ve had enough of writing.” Books with eyes all stared at him, begging for the tales to be written. Their pleaful eyes were all that Pxan needed to be moved to writing again. The man sighed and raised his pen again, stroking the first letters of inspiration that bore fruit from his mind. A maddening tale of a policeman, cultists and a violent revenge… -Currently on Hiatus while writing the second volume.The first volume is up. I will take a few days to rewrite a few chapters. Afterwards, updates will proceed as usual.Current rewrite progress 17/59 chapters rewrited. This is my first real novel, any kind of criticism or feedback is appreciated. I am looking for an editor, if someone wants to help me avoid typos please contact me. The cover is a detail of Faust in His Study by Ary Scheffer, c. 1831, watercolor and gouache on paper.
8 167 - In Serial6 Chapters
Midnight Origins: Arrival
On a lush planet known as Bhar, Verun is now the leading nation in the development of the rivaled schools of Magic and Science. Having brought forth an era of peace and prosperity for themselves through the development of Magitech, The High council was eager to spread their knowledge and beliefs to the furthest reaches of the continent, with the goal of ending senseless conflicts and prioritizing advancements in Magitech and improving the quality of life. This ambition, however, is not without opposition. Most followers side with one school or another, believing it is superior in nature. This conflict dates back to the very beginning of civilization itself, where it is believed by both sides that their gods descended from the heavens, bestowing upon them the knowledge that would bring the world into a new age. And though some took great interest in their differences, others would seek to convert each other through any means necessary. That being the case, The High council, leaders of Verun, had made the necessary preparations to handle threats and attempt diplomacy between the remaining opposers. Talented volunteers were hand chosen to be among the military, tasked with protecting the nation from both internal and external threats. And although non-biological creations have improved quality of life, they are not yet capable of replacing the military. The necessary research and development for such a thing was thought to be decades away, until Councilman Eranor encountered an anomaly in his facility…
8 79 - In Serial10 Chapters
Lonely But Homely
" A poem is a little bit of wisdom to be heard from the heart "A collections of poems to put you in thought...
8 105 - In Serial200 Chapters
Incorrect Slasher Quotes
This is for comedic purposes only.None of these quotes belong to meNone of the characters belong to me.Ships are going to include -- GhostMyers (Ghostface x Michael Myers)- Frason (Freddy Krueger x Jason Voorhees)- LeatherWarden (Leatherface x Harry Warden)Please respect this ships. I have the right to ship them.I might add more ships later.Those aren't the only slashers included. There will be others.Feel free to submit a quote in the comments! I'll credit you.You can draw these quotes, too. Just be sure to send it to me so I can see it! I'll also post those here as well.EDIT: Two ships have been added, but they're just in there slightly- Cangela (Carrie White x Angela Baker)- Kayadako (Kayako Saeki x Sadako Yamamura)BEST RANKINGS8/30/20 - #2 in whatismylife8/30/20 - #69 in halloween 😏9/8/20 - #69 in stupid 😏9/27/20 - #1 in whatismylife 😱😱😱
8 180

