Sooho 13

"I didn't expect you to contact me first, Mr. Ahn."

Brian Yoon, Yoon Kyung Min looked puzzled by Ahn Soo Ho's hospitality.

"Since we're both busy, let's get straight to the point… Who from the Empire is connected?

"Director Navarros."

"Daniel Navarros?"

"Yes."

It's clear from the name of Empire Konzern that they're a corporation on a similar level to the major players in the country. In contrast to Korea where the head has half of the influence over the company, they carried out most decisions with the board of directors. Empire Konzern operated in a similar fashion wherein the board of directors determined the future of the corporation.

Daniel Navarros is the CEO of Instack Chemical.

"Arrange for a meeting."

"I can call him right now if you want."

"No. I'd like to be polite and arrange a formal meeting."

Yoon Kyung Min tried to figure out Ahn Soo Ho's real intention.

"Are you talking about a meeting in Korea?"

"Mr. Navarros isn't someone we can call over just like that."

That's what he said, but it sounded like he still expected him to come here.

"Give me ten minutes."

"Sure."

As soon as Yoon Kyung Min took his phone and went outside, Oh Joo Kyung, who was listening until now, spoke out what's on his mind.

"Are you testing the States?"

"No. I'm testing Japan."

"Japan? But Empire Konzern is… Oh."

She exclaimed in the middle of her sentence.

"They don't use the word "konzern" in the States."

"It must be true that a Japanese financial company has a good grasp of the stockholders."

"Empire Konzern is a puppet company modeled after the Empire of Japan."

In the 1980s, Japan went through an economic revival, threatening the States as the entire nation experienced an economic boom. They needed a few years of grace period before the Plaza Accord influenced the market, but Germany and Japan plunged as drastically as they rose.

The Yankees are scary bastards.

As soon as Japan and Germany revived, one side knocked down a wall and implemented unification costs while the other side burst a bubble and started a recession. What about Korea where the miracle of the Han River took place? In the 90s when Southeast Asia rose, Korea went through a currency crisis.

"That couldn't have been a coincidence."

There's no way that was a coincidence. As long as the US currency is the key currency, the States will never go down.

"Do you think the States started it?"

"It's not just you who misunderstands that the States has multiple faces."

Those faces would preach about peace and justice for a minute, and declare war the next, and at times, they would wear dark masks to hide their real identity. The States has multiple personalities one could not categorize under just one.

"They call Washington D.C. as the center of world politics because that's what the Yankees want to hear."

China and Russia always pretended like they didn't see or hear anything while staying alert for Washington D.C.'s movements.

"The Congress uses other methods aside from lobbyists to win over regions and popular sentiment with money."

"So you're saying foreign countries should also use lobbyists when they're in the States?"

"That's right. Even though it's the donations that determine the results, the Congress of the States is like the Congress of the world."

Whether it's the lower or upper chamber, meeting the Congress of the States became as difficult as paying a visit to the leader of a foreign country.

"Then what about this case?"

"It might seem like the States is leading it, but that's not the case. All they did was lent out their lobbyists and set up the playing field. They're just there to sit back and enjoy the ride, really."

"How scary."

"It is."

The States has always been like that since the 20th century. Whether it was a positive or a negative issue, they always expected the conclusion to take place in the States. The door opened a little before 10 minutes after Yoon Kyung Min made the proposal.

"Is tomorrow afternoon okay with you?"

"Tomorrow afternoon? Sure."

"Great."

He said a bunch of words in English into the phone. Yoon Kyung Min ended the call with a satisfied look on his face.

"The meeting will take place the day after tomorrow at Daesan Hotel."

"Sounds good."

"Thank you."

"I wish you the best, Mr. Yoon."

Ahn Soo Ho got up and shook hands with Yoon Kyung Min.

Oh Joo Kyung, who saw him off with a blank face, took out her phone.

"It's me. Look into Daniel Navarros."

"Navarros? Daniel Navarros of Instack Chemical?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Hm. There are quite a few rewards attached to that head of his."

Ahn Soo Ho was startled. Rewards?

"Who?

"Agnes."

"MS-?"

MS-, which they refer to as Mara Salvatrucha, is an American criminal organization from El Salvador. It was a rising criminal organization that had hostile relations with major organizations including traditional mafias, drug cartels, and the yakuza.

"After Navarros took office, rumors went around regarding a Mexican drug cartel. Since there was talk about how they produced the drugs at an Instack factory, Agnes has been looking for an opportunity."

"I don't know about yakuza, but cartels? Are you sure?"

"Since it came from the FBI, it's credible."

"Do they know such rumors are going around about them?"

"Probably not."

Ahn Soo Ho weighed his own interests.

"There's a new chief of police at the Ministry of Justice, right? Esmeralda O'Dell? I heard they're expanding into a national department that will transcend jurisdiction."

"A joint investigation headquarters."

The many judicial authorities of the States fought over jurisdiction, and they wasted too much time and effort on it. Chief Officer Esmeralda O'Dell revealed they'd become an organization that would eradicate the crimes undermining the States.

"It's the ambitious chief officer that's ransacking the company, right?"

"Did you meet with Deputy Director Eaton?"

Ahn Soo Ho didn't answer, but he knew what the answer was.

"You did."

"Anyway, look into Navarros."

Oh Joo Kyung came back as soon as the call ended.

"Director. Do Kyung Ho is here."

"Really? Send him in."

A heavy-bodied gentleman came in and welcomed Ahn Soo Ho into his arms.

"Why didn't you call beforehand?"

"I'm just stopping by."

"You're really dressed up to be just stopping by."

The black suit and the white shirt he was wearing was funeral clothes. Seeing how he was trying his hardest to conceal this suggests something must have happened. Ahn Soo Ho is reminded of something.

"Did you visit Hye Jung's family without telling her?"

"Sigh. What do I have to do to be forgiven?"

In response to Do Kyung Ho's sigh, which was a combination of sneering and complaining, Ahn Soo Ho frowned.

"It's not like you did anything wrong. What did you do wrong?"

"I did."

"Hey! Get a hold of yourself, you punk. They're looking down on you because you're bowing down as if you're a sinner."

"Then what am I supposed to do? Should I use my fists? Should I threaten someone?"

Do Kyung Ho spit out words out of frustration, but after thinking about it, he wanted to take it back.

"Sorry, man. Pretend like you didn't hear that."

"You're foolish too, but I don't know why that family thinks they're so much better than you. Are they royalty or something?"

Ahn Soo Ho took his side. He didn't look like the type, but he wanted to hear slander about his wife's family. Do Kyung Ho allowed such blasphemy as long as he didn't direct them to his wife or children.

"Do you feel better?

"A bit… Nice office."

Do Kyung Ho rubbed the back of his neck out of embarrassment and proceeded to a different subject.

"No one would believe my friend is a director of Daesan Group."

"Are you going to run around and brag like a kid?"

"No way."

They were both troublemakers when they were in school. However, Ahn Soo Ho got good grades, so he got away with it, while Do Kyung Ho didn't.

"How are your brothers?"

"I was waiting for you to ask."

Contrast to him who was an only child, his friend had three brothers. The Do family has four sons. Ahn Soo Ho saw how brothers fight and thought that was the worst environment to live in. Four dirty boys in one room? The odor must be suffocating. Do Kyung Ho, Do Dae Ho, Do Min Ho, and Do In Ho. Since there's a three-year, six-year, nine-year, and twelve-year difference respectively, the oldest is thirty-seven and the youngest is twenty-five.

"That Domino punk was the funniest."

"Haha."

The third oldest, who was a prodigy since his youth became a comedian, and they regarded him as the most successful within the Do family.

"What's Mast doing?"

"It's like my field. He's running a food cart."

Mast, Do Dae Ho's nickname, was the second oldest.

"How's his business going?"

"Not bad."

That means it's neither well nor was it terrible. The only unmarried brother in the Do family is the third oldest, Do Min Ho. The youngest got married a year earlier than the oldest, but he had no choice but to rush because of a certain incident.

They would have had to have the baby before the marriage otherwise.

"There will be so many kids during the holidays."

"That's actually good. Take this opportunity to meet a woman and get married. My mom is determined."

"Mrs. Han?"

Ahn Soo Ho looked troubled.

The person who took care of him the most after his parents' divorce was Mrs. Han Hye Ja. She had a warm and plentiful impression among her connections, and she even got her real estate license while raising four sons. The only reason the head of the household could go around having fun was that Mrs. Han was very diligent and hardworking.

She's a respectable Korean woman.

"Is the youngest still in school?"

"They discharged him last year and went back to school this year."

"Seoul National University, right?"

"Yeah. He'll really succeed one day."

Even though the pregnancy was an accident, both families weren't against their marriage. Being at Seoul National University's law school was like a blank check for the adults.

"This must be the last round of the judicial examination."

"That's why he's really worried."

"Since he got his wife pregnant in one go, I'm sure he'll pass the exam in one go too."

"Are you dissing my brother right now?"

"No, I'm dissing you. You should have taught your little brother better."

No one talked about it, but Do Kyung Ho was the first one to commit a premarital pregnancy.

"Come to think of it, Mast is a honeymoon baby, isn't he?" Was he really conceived on their honeymoon?"

"Ahem!"

Do Dae Ho also had a daughter in the same year they got married.

"Look at you. You cheeky little things. This won't do. You need a beating."

"No, thanks."

"Hey! Who are you to refuse your big brother? How arrogant."

"Hey! I'm not below you!"

"Yeah, you are! I was born a month and ten days before you!"

As Ahn Soo Ho counted the days on his fingers, Do Kyung Ho looked as if he thought it was unfair.

"Kyung Ho, when you were born, I had already consumed a few liters of breast milk."

"Stop being arrogant about being born only a month before me!"

"What is this man saying? Only a month? And what happened to the ten days?"

"Hye Jung is having a hard time because I've been out the whole day."

"Hey, shut up! Whether you respect or offend your wife has nothing to do with me."

Ahn Soo Ho stopped Do Kyung Ho's whining in one go.

"You're below me."

No exceptions.

< Protect – Episode 12 – Do Kyung Ho [2] >

Chapter end