Daddy is too Strong-Chapter 294

In a grand mansion in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Gwang-Ho, the chairman of the SG group, was informed of Byeol’s visit. Without hesitation, he canceled or postponed all his appointments for the day to stay home. Although he cited “personal reasons” for his absences, no different from any other working person, those close to him knew the truth: it was all to spend as much time as possible with Byeol.

As soon as Byeol stepped into the foyer, Gwang-Ho dashed toward her, exclaiming, “Oh, my sweet granddaughter is here!”

“Gwempa!”

The personal secretary, who had escorted Do-Jun and Byeol to the house, gave a slight bow before stepping outside. From now on, it was strictly the Chairman’s private time. Before leaving, the secretary briefly looked at Do-Jun.

“Come in, come in. Thank you for making the trip,” Gwang-Ho warmly invited him. His attitude toward Do-Jun was exceptionally friendly.

With a slight smile, Do-Jun slipped on the prepared indoor slippers and followed Gwang-Ho into the spacious living room, where he sat on the plush sofa. Meanwhile, Gwang-Ho’s wife, Jung-Sook, was already preparing tea.

Byeol ran straight to the kitchen, hugging Jung-Sook.

“Oh my, our Byeol even brought snacks with her!” Jung-Sook praised her.

“Yup! I bwought lots of tasty ones! I bought them with my awowance.”

“My, how thoughtful of you!”

Gwang-Ho’s gaze naturally turned toward the kitchen. His lips curled upward into a grin so wide that it seemed his cheeks might touch the sky. Then, remembering that Do-Jun was present, he cleared his throat and quickly composed himself.

“Ahem. How have you been?” he asked Do-Jun.

“I’ve been well. And you, sir, how are things?”

“I’m just an insignificant old man. There’s no need to worry about me,” he replied casually.

But both men knew that as the chairman overseeing more than twenty subsidiaries under SG Group, Gwang-Ho’s schedule was anything but easy. Even so, he made time for Byeol, and for that, Do-Jun was genuinely grateful.

With a light clinking sound, Jung-Sook walked over, carrying tea and a tray of snacks, which were actually the pile of junk food Byeol had enthusiastically purchased from Changshin Supermarket earlier—cheap treats costing no more than a hundred or two hundred won each.

“Thank you for bringing Byeol over despite your busy schedule. You know, my husband’s been talking about this since last night,” Jung-Sook said with a laugh.

“Ahem! Ahem! My throat feels itchy all of a sudden,” Gwang-Ho interjected, clearly embarrassed.

Do-Jun chuckled quietly at the transparent display.

***

“Why did you choose to become a civil servant?”

It was a simple question, but Do-Jun quickly realized it was more of a “feeler” than genuine curiosity. Taking a moment to read the intention, he smiled faintly before responding, “To help my country.”

“Helping your country, huh? That’s admirable. But is that really the only reason?”

“It’s also a stable job.”

“True. It’s a decent job. I remember it being all over the news during the economic downturn, how so many young people were applying for government positions because it’s stable, and the pay isn’t bad either. I’d say it’s a wise choice,” Gwang-Ho said.

While his words were sincere, they weren’t particularly heartfelt.

“Thank you.”

SG Group, along with the Hunter’s Bureau, was one of the two main pillars of South Korea’s economy. Although the group had transitioned to autonomous subsidiary management and dropped the formal “Group” title, its shareholding structure stayed the same. SG Group was not truly dismantled.

To someone like Gwang-Ho, civil servants were just tiny specks of dust beneath his feet. Do-Jun understood how the chairman might view him, but he neither agreed nor objected. He simply didn’t care.

Gwang-Ho remarked, “But let me say this: in my opinion, spending your youth as a low-rank civil servant is a huge waste of life. Life is only lived once, after all. It wouldn’t hurt to aim higher.” 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

“I think you have a point, sir. After all, everyone has their own values.”

By this point, it was obvious where the conversation was headed.

The chairman of a massive conglomerate wouldn’t randomly ask such questions. It was obvious he was after something from Do-Jun: Byeol and, by extension, a marriage to Ae-Kyung. If it happened, it would naturally raise the issue of succession in SG Group.

“Aiming higher doesn’t just mean chasing money or fame. Once you reach the summit, your perspective changes. At that point, wealth and recognition follow whether you want them to or not,” Gwang-Ho explained. “Well, that’s just my advice. Think of it as an old man’s small suggestion.”

As the head of one of Korea’s top twenty business groups, he was entitled to talk about standing at the summit. No one would call him arrogant for it. In fact, it was a statement only someone like Moon Gwang-Ho could make.

“Thank you for the valuable insight,” Do-Jun replied calmly.

Was this man naive? Or was he simply lacking ambition?

Gwang-Ho couldn’t figure him out. Most people would have taken the bait, but Do-Jun’s calm demeanor stayed inscrutable. Gwang-Ho found this very strange.

Although he didn’t possess mana or any special abilities, as a seasoned veteran of countless power struggles, he had developed a sharp intuition. People unconsciously give away their thoughts through their gaze, their lips, or the way they swallow. But he couldn’t glean anything from Do-Jun’s detached attitude. In fact, talking to Do-Jun felt like standing before a veteran who was perhaps more seasoned than he was. It was amusing to feel such an air from a mere civil servant.

He remembered what Ae-Kyung had told him once. “Father, Supervisor Lee is... beyond what you could ever imagine.”

Beyond his imagination. Maybe that was true, Gwang-Ho mused briefly, before brushing off the thought with a smirk.

Should I take a gamble? He wondered.

Allowing an outsider into the group was no small matter. After all, who would willingly let a stranger interfere in their family’s matters? The backlash would be severe. However, Gwang-Ho had the authority to handle it if he chose to.

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from the second floor. Byeol and Jung-Sook were descending the stairs. Byeol paused briefly to observe the silent exchange between Do-Jun and Gwang-Ho before rushing over to Do-Jun.

“Did you have fun?” Do-Jun asked her.

“Yup! There were so many Pororong toys upstairs, even Bear!”

Gwang-Ho’s expression softened once more, and the proud-grandfather gleam returned to his eyes.

Clearing his throat loudly, he addressed Do-Jun. “Let me ask you one thing.”

“Of course, sir. Anything.”

“Do you have any intention of quitting your job as a civil servant?”

“I do not, sir.”

“I see.”

That was enough of an answer.

Glancing at his watch, Gwang-Ho stood up. “I have someone to meet shortly, so I’ll take my leave. Stay as long as you’d like.”

“We’ll head out as well.”

Though Gwang-Ho offered to call his driver, Do-Jun politely declined the offer, saying it wasn’t necessary.

***

A black sedan cruised through Eulji-ro, eventually stopping in front of the towering Hunter’s Bureau building, a skyscraper that loomed over the city. The sedan pulled into the parking lot, and Gwang-Ho got out, guided by his secretary. They entered the building and took the elevator up to the eighth floor.

This was an unofficial visit. Originally, Gwang-Ho planned to visit a subsidiary to offer encouragement, but he postponed that trip to make this impromptu visit to the Hunter’s Bureau.

“Welcome, sir.” The Chief Secretary opened the door to the Chief’s office and offered a polite bow.

Gwang-Ho had called unexpectedly to set up this meeting with Young-Chul. Normally, an appointment with the Chief needed prior coordination, but because of the visitor's importance, Young-Chul was happy to accommodate him.

“It’s been a while, Chairman Moon,” Young-Chul greeted.

“Apologies for such an abrupt call.”

“It’s no trouble. I had no pressing matters scheduled.”

This was their first meeting since the last shareholder meeting. As always, the conversation began with light exchanges about recent events. It was Young-Chul who shifted the discussion to the main topic.

“So, what brings you here today?” he asked.

Gwang-Ho took a deep breath. Was he really making the right move? Various thoughts swirled in his mind. He knew the question he was about to ask might be met with incredulity or even accusations of madness.

The two titans looked at each other.

After a brief silence, Gwang-Ho finally spoke with effort. “I would like to make a request, if possible.”

“A request?”

“It’s regarding a merger of National Trading.”

Young-Chul’s brows furrowed. What was this sudden talk about a merger?

“A merger?” He repeated.

“Not immediately, of course,” Gwang-Ho replied.

“Please, tell me more, Chairman.”

“I’m considering mentoring someone, though the decision isn’t final yet.”

Raising someone and merging with National Trading. The combination of these two topics intrigued Young-Chul. He leaned back into the sofa, closing his eyes briefly.

“You’re referring to the management rights of National Smithy?” he asked.

“Correct.”

National Trading was the parent company of National Smithy.

Gwang-Ho’s proposal essentially involved nurturing someone through the creation of a small company, which he planned to grow quickly and then merge with National Trading. By acquiring a majority stake in this smaller firm, the person would indirectly gain a substantial share in National Smithy after the merger.

It was a classic playbook: manipulating accounting and market value to determine the merger ratio.

“And may I ask why?” Young-Chul asked.

The Hunter’s Bureau was the majority shareholder of National Trading, with Gwang-Ho also holding a significant stake. Although the Bureau’s share was larger, the ultimate decision depended on public justification. Approval or rejection at the shareholder meeting relied on how the rationale was presented.

“As I mentioned, I want to nurture this individual. That’s all there is to it,” Gwang-Ho replied.

“Chairman Moon, I don’t even know who this person is. It’s surprising enough that you’ve come here to discuss the management succession of National Smithy.”

National Smithy was Korea’s largest artifact manufacturer, known for its high-quality S-grade suits and weapons. As Korea’s prominence grew following its Core expeditions, the company expanded rapidly, becoming an absolute gold mine.

Currently, its management was under the de facto control of the Hunter’s Bureau, led by Young-Chul. Could such a thriving company be entrusted to someone merely because Gwang-Ho wanted to “mentor” them?

“I understand that it’s a significant request,” Gwang-Ho responded.

“Let’s hear it, then. Who is this person you want to nurture?” Young-Chul asked with curiosity.

How should he respond?

Gwang-Ho deliberated for a moment before answering, “He... is a civil servant.”

“A civil servant?”

“Yes. He currently works at Seoul City Hall.”

Hmm...? Young-Chul had a sudden inkling.

“I understand your confusion, Chief Jung. I was just as surprised. The situation is complicated, but after meeting him today, I suddenly felt this urge to bet on him.”

Young-Chul sipped his tea. For some reason, his hand holding the teacup trembled slightly.

“I want to elevate him to a prominent position. Admittedly, there’s some personal interest at stake, but I believe he’s worth the risk.”

“Chairman Moon.”

“Yes?”

“You’re saying this individual... is a civil servant from Seoul City Hall?”

“Correct.”

“And... his name?”

Gwang-Ho cleared his throat and straightened up. “Lee Do-Jun. You might find this surprising. I totally get your point, Chief, but—”

“Raise him?” Young-Chul interrupted him.

“Yes. I would like to—” But Gwang-Ho was interrupted once again.

“We? Raise him?”

It was at this moment that Gwang-Ho realized the conversation was taking an unexpected turn.