Daddy is too Strong-Chapter 295

“I just have one question. Is Supervisor Lee aware of the proposal you made?” Young-Chul asked.

At that moment, Gwang-Ho sensed a strange shift in the atmosphere.

The Hunter’s Bureau had been established eleven years ago under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety when the Fissures first appeared. Appointed by the president, Young-Chul, a former military general, had continuously been reappointed as the Bureau chief, and now, many considered his authority to rival even that of the president.

Of course, it wasn’t unusual to mention someone’s job title when talking about them, but when it came to the chief of the Hunter’s Bureau, it carried a different weight, especially in a private setting like this.

Gwang-Ho honestly replied, “This is something I’ve been pursuing independently. I plan to inform him if you accept my proposal. After all, it takes two hands to clap. Just to be clear, this isn’t a blind, unconditional investment. The plan is to oversee the management of a corporation merged with National Trading and then transfer control of National Smithy based on the results that Lee Do-Jun shows.”

Gwang-Ho didn’t know much about Do-Jun; it was just a hunch. In the business world, people often said that to become a “titan,” one needed a combination of luck, effort, and talent. However, to Gwang-Ho, aptitude was the most important factor.

Though he wasn’t certain, he felt that Do-Jun possessed that aptitude. If Do-Jun could prove himself while managing the small-scale company, Gwang-Ho intended to hand over the management rights of National Smithy to him.

“You’re saying you want to put him to the test first?” Young-Chul asked as if trying to understand something.

“I believe it’s a necessary step.”

“I think you’re gravely mistaken about something, Chairman Moon. Supervisor Lee Do-Jun is not someone you, nor I, can push around.”

Doubt turned to certainty.

Though thoroughly taken aback, Gwang-Ho’s expression didn’t falter. He merely set his teacup down and looked at Young-Chul with a calm gaze.

“Please, elaborate, Chief Jung,” he said.

“To put it simply, Supervisor Lee is far beyond what you perceive him to be. He’s not someone we have the right to test. If anything, the ones who should be on trial are you and me.”

For the first time, Gwang-Ho’s brow twitched. Young-Chul wasn’t the type of man to joke about such things. A ripple spread through his composed thoughts. Slowly, Gwang-Ho closed his eyes and then reopened them.

He asked, “May I ask what is behind all this?”

“I assumed you already knew, Chairman, but it seems I was mistaken. The true head of the Hunter’s Bureau is none other than Supervisor Lee.”

Gwang-Ho couldn’t help but chuckle in disbelief. A mere low-ranked government employee, the real leader of the Hunter’s Bureau? The idea was absurd.

“Chief Jung, I see you have a sense of humor, but I believe this isn’t the time for that.”

“I’ve only spoken the truth. Because Supervisor Lee does not participate in public activities, his presence remains hidden. Still, it is no exaggeration to say that the real power of the Hunter’s Bureau comes from him. In fact, that might even be an understatement.”

“Hahaha! So you’re saying that this man secretly holds the power to control us all but is staying in the shadows?” Gwang-Ho asked in incredulity.

He was one of the most influential figures in South Korea, arguably a living piece of its history. A single word from him could shake the country. The same went for Young-Chul. And yet, this low-ranking civil servant was supposedly capable of overwhelming their influences?

“He simply chooses to leave things be,” Young-Chul replied in a serious tone.

Gwang-Ho was no longer smiling. Leaning forward, he asked in a low voice, “What exactly makes you think that?”

“There were many factors, but the decisive one was the expedition of the Core.”

“The Core expedition? I thought the S-rank Hunters were in charge of that.”

The S-rank Hunters were the elite of the elite. Among them, the First Hunters stood at the pinnacle, forming the exclusive Behemoth Guild. Even Ae-Kyung, Gwang-Ho’s own daughter, was part of their ranks.

The Core, an unknown world, was a stage that drew worldwide attention. What business did a civil servant have there?

Young-Chul explained, “The expedition is being conducted under Supervisor Lee’s command. We simply follow the routes he designates and present the findings to the world. The official information released to the public states that the expedition has reached the seventh floor, and we are currently working on the eighth, but in truth, we already have information up to the thirteenth floor.”

Up to the thirteenth floor?

Gwang-Ho narrowed his eyes. “Don’t tell me... it was him?”

“Yes.”

It was a staggering revelation.

Young-Chul commented, “One year ago, when the Core expedition finally kicked off, South Korea’s economy skyrocketed. SG Group also benefited greatly from it. You can’t exactly call it a coincidence that SG Electronics saw a 40-trillion-won increase in sales this year compared to last.”

Gwang-Ho couldn’t deny it. After National Smithy, SG Electronics experienced the biggest revenue increase. Within the company, it was understood that this growth was less due to technological progress and more because of South Korea’s growing international reputation.

“If you truly wish to make Supervisor Lee the head of National Smithy, I will gladly assist you. However, you must first obtain his consent. That is the correct order of things.”

The entire premise of the conversation had changed.

For the first time, Gwang-Ho looked completely stunned. Young-Chul’s words were basically telling him first to report to Do-Jun himself.

“Is there even a point, then?” he muttered blankly.

If what Young-Chul said was true, then Do-Jun had no reason to care about something as trivial as the management rights of National Smithy. Now, Ae-Kyung’s words, that Do-Jun was beyond his imagination, made sense.

***

Seoul City Hall, Fissure Management Division.

The employees who had spent the morning glued to their monitors stretched their stiff bodies. They were just an hour away from their lunchtime at noon, and Cheol-Soo was facing a dilemma of monumental importance.

“Do-Jun, should I go with jjajangmyeon or jjamppong?” he asked, waving a Chinese restaurant flyer in the air.

Do-Jun, who was checking a message on his phone, stood up and grabbed the suit jacket draped over his chair.

“You should go with jjamppong, Chief. You drank last night,” he said.

“Right? You think so too? Alright, let’s go to our usual spot. Oh, and today, Shinsok Banjum is giving out free fried dumplings. We can’t miss this chance.”

“I have a lunch appointment today, Chief. I already submitted an hour’s leave request. Please approve it.”

After putting on his suit jacket, Do-Jun gave Cheol-Soo a polite nod and left the office.

“Wait, he’s passing up free dumplings? This kind of chance doesn’t come often...”

***

Hotel Grand, located near Gangnam Station, was a five-star hotel under SG Group.

After stepping out of the taxi, Do-Jun took the elevator to the thirtieth floor. Upon arriving, he gave his name to the receptionist before entering a specially modified, grand suite, the one designed for Ae-Kyung, the CEO of Grand Hotel.

Gwang-Ho, who had been sitting at a long marble dining table, stood up, approached Do-Jun, and greeted him formally. “Thank you for taking the time to visit.”

After a quick handshake, they sat across from each other, and a course meal was served shortly after.

There was an abrupt change in the atmosphere. Gwang-Ho’s demeanor was noticeably different from before.

Do-Jun chuckled slightly. He said, “You’re free to speak formally if you wish, sir, but in front of Byeol, I’d appreciate it if you spoke as you did last time.”

Gwang-Ho gave a small nod. “I’ve heard quite a lot about you from Chief Jung Young-Chul.”

As expected. That was the likely reason for the change in attitude.

Gwang-Ho took a bite of crab wrapped in a small pumpkin leaf, while Do-Jun sipped his pre-meal tea.

“I must admit, I regret not recognizing your true stature sooner. It appears I may have been rude to you,” Gwang-Ho said to Do-Jun.

“At least from my perspective, I don’t think you’ve done anything that warrants an apology, sir. Please, relax. I don’t want this to be a stiff, formal meeting.” Do-Jun offered a reassuring smile.

Only then did Gwang-Ho finally feel at ease.

For a while, they ate in silence. The course consisted of beautifully plated Chinese dishes.

During the meal, Gwang-Ho stole a few glances at Do-Jun before finally saying, “Yesterday, during my meeting with Chief Jung, we discussed the management rights of National Smithy.”

“Oh?”

“To be frank...” Gwang-Ho proceeded to share every detail of his conversation with Young-Chul. Instead of trying to hide anything, he thought it was best to be transparent.

After listening to everything, Do-Jun let out a small chuckle. “So, what you’re saying is... you’ve taken a liking to me.”

“I apologize for trying to proceed without consulting you first.”

“No, there’s no need to apologize. If anything, I should be grateful.”

“You mean...?”

Was he implying that he was interested in participating? Gwang-Ho’s mind quickly ran through possible scenarios.

However, Do-Jun poured a cold bucket on his thoughts.

“But that’s not something I intend to do. As I mentioned yesterday, I have no plans to leave my position as a civil servant—now or in the future. As for the National Smithy matter, there’s already a professional management team in place, so I see no reason to take over. Besides, I have no aspirations to become a businessman.”

After wiping his mouth with a napkin, Do-Jun leaned back slightly.

Gwang-Ho sighed internally. He already knew that Do-Jun was not an easy man to sway, but that only made him more eager to have him on his side. If he could secure someone like Do-Jun, who could wield unimaginable influence on a global scale, then there would be nothing to fear in this world.

He doesn’t seem particularly interested in wealth. No matter what subsidiary I offer him, he won’t be tempted. What card should I play...? he thought.

“Sir, let’s just keep it simple,” Do-Jun said.

“Pardon...?”

“We should each do our best in our respective roles. You, as a businessman, and me, as a civil servant—fulfilling our responsibilities to the best of our abilities. And...” Do-Jun flashed a small smile. “If, along the way, we ever find ourselves needing each other’s help, then a little cooperation wouldn’t hurt. Much like how Chief Jung and I assist each other.”

Gwang-Ho pondered for a moment, but his deliberation didn’t last long. There was no need to hesitate. From the very start, the roles of superior and subordinate had already been established. All he had to do was follow the natural course.

With a firm nod, Gwang-Ho made his decision. He said, “I’ll focus on doing my best in my own role.”

“That’s all we need to do.”

With that, the meal concluded.

***

Back at the office, Do-Jun joined his colleagues for a casual break in the break room. They still had twenty minutes left of their lunch break. Sipping iced Americanos they bought from a nearby café, they watched the news. The latest headlines all focused on SG Group.

⌜SG Electronics has reported a 5-trillion-won increase in operating profits for the first half of this year. In response, Chairman Moon Gwang-Ho has...⌟

Hearing the number “5 trillion,” Cheol-Soo muttered absentmindedly, lost in thought. “Man... that’s insane. People like that are living in a completely different world. I doubt we’ll ever even cross paths with someone like him.”

“Didn’t you just say earlier that there’s nothing in the world you would trade those fried dumplings for?” Hyuk-Soo teased.

“Ahem, so, Do-Jun, what’d you eat today?” Cheol-Soo asked, changing the topic.

“I also had Chinese food,” Do-Jun replied nonchalantly. “It was pretty good.”

“Yeah?”

Do-Jun simply nodded, taking another sip of his iced Americano.