I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 381

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 381
Lee Hyun-hee stared at me with a shocked expression.
“CEO… Is Kim Jong-il really dead?”
Of course, the one who was even more surprised was Dennis Oh, standing beside me.
After all, I had posted the message without consulting him first.
At Lee Hyun-hee’s question, the Company Cafeteria fell silent.
Everyone’s eyes were fixed on me, waiting for my answer.
I calmly picked up my tray and spoke.
“Yes… Barack called me directly this morning. He said Kim Jong-il, the Chairman of the National Defense Commission, died of a heart attack while traveling by train today.”
* * *
Cheong Wa Dae.
The Chief Secretary was sweating profusely as he tried to connect the hotline with the United States, but the connection kept failing.
Only an automated English message stating that the connection was currently unavailable came through the phone line.
“What are these bastards doing right now! They leak this crucial information to some corporate executive, but we can’t even get through?! What do they take the South Korean government for!”
The Chief Secretary angrily hurled the receiver onto his desk.
Cheong Wa Dae was in complete chaos because of a single post Jeon Sung-guk had uploaded to FaceNote.
At that moment, a secretary approached with an urgent expression.
“Director, the VIP is asking for you.”
“Is there anything else?”
“He’s asking why he had to find out about this through social media. He seems quite angry. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Unification, and the Ministry of Defense are all in complete uproar.”
“Jeon Sung-guk… just date some Hollywood actress. Why post something like this and cause such a fuss!”
“Director, you should go see him right away.”
“I need something to say before I go!”
The Chief Secretary took out his frustration on the secretary for no reason.
* * *
The VIP quietly sipped his coffee, reading and rereading the post Jeon Sung-guk had uploaded.
– Kim Jong-il, Chairman of North Korea’s National Defense Commission, died of a heart attack on a train while traveling. What preparations is our government making amid North Korea’s opaque succession structure and power struggles?
“What preparations is our government making, Chief Secretary?”
The Chief Secretary opened his mouth, visibly flustered.
“It could be fake news. We’re currently trying to connect through the U.S. hotline, but the connection isn’t going through. North Korean issues are one of the most sensitive matters the U.S. responds to, so there’s no reason the connection would fail like this.”
“In other words… isn’t it possible that the U.S. is now bypassing Cheong Wa Dae and using this young punk as their hotline instead?”
“That, that is…”
The Chief Secretary couldn’t provide a proper answer to that either.
He hoped the VIP’s prediction was wrong, but it was a possibility that couldn’t be ruled out.
“When does the emergency meeting start?”
“They’re gathering urgently now, so it should start within two hours at the latest.”
“Have CEO Jeon Sung-guk attend this meeting as well.”
“The young man may have simply posted rumors circulating on the internet as if they were fact. It might be best to wait for contact from the U.S. side before making a judgment, just in case.”
“What if it’s real?”
“That is…”
VIP deliberately set his coffee cup down on the table with an audible clink.
“If this is real, then I’ll be humiliated again! Get Jeon Sung-guk here immediately!”
“Yes, sir!”
* * *
Dennis Oh looked at me with concern etched across his face.
“CEO, don’t you think you’ve acted a bit too hastily?”
“What’s the probability of misinformation when it’s reached the level of the American President, Dennis Oh?”
“Nearly zero, I’d say.”
“Then Kim Jong-il’s death is almost certainly confirmed.”
[It’s 100% confirmed, Dennis Oh. I already know of Kim Jong-il’s death….]
“I’m genuinely curious about how much preparation the South Korean government is undertaking. Kim Jong-il’s death in North Korea is directly tied to South Korea’s national security.”
I scooped rice onto my tray and filled Dennis Oh’s empty plate generously as well.
“Dennis Oh, eat well. Today is going to be an exhausting day for you.”
Just then, murmurs rippled through the Company Cafeteria.
Behind me, I heard repeated greetings of “Hello!”
I could sense who had arrived, and I had a feeling they were looking for me.
“CEO Jeon Sung-guk.”
A familiar voice.
It was Jeon Jae-hyung, Chairman of the Samjeon Group.
I quickly turned around and greeted the Chairman.
“Chairman, are you dining at the Company Cafeteria today?”
“It seems I have something to discuss with you today, CEO Jeon.”
“I’m quite hungry. Shall we talk over a meal?”
“Let’s do that.”
Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung picked up a tray.
He occasionally ate at the Company Cafeteria for promotional photos to be published in company newsletters and media, so he was familiar with how things worked.
The Chairman and I headed toward an empty table with our filled trays.
His secretaries had already prepared and reserved the surrounding area.
Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung glanced briefly at Dennis Oh, who continued to follow me. He seemed curious about who he was.
“This is Dennis Oh, an FBI agent. He’ll be accompanying me today.”
At the mention of the FBI, the Chairman’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Whether my earlier post was true had essentially been confirmed by Dennis Oh’s presence.
“CEO Jeon, I don’t need to ask you about the veracity of this matter.”
“If I’m wrong, then the American President received false information.”
Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung nodded slightly and began eating his rice.
Dennis Oh and I also ate slowly.
“I don’t see Jeon Tae-guk today.”
“He has external commitments….”
The Chairman and I exchanged a few inconsequential remarks.
With the facts already confirmed, Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung was carefully choosing his next question.
And finally.
“CEO Jeon, what do you think the United States wants?”
“Hmm… Chairman, that’s quite an abstract question.”
I pretended not to know, even though I did.
What Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung wanted to know was obvious.
It would be about what impact Kim Jong-il’s death would have on South Korea’s economy, and what stance the United States would take in controlling that impact.
“CEO Jeon, I’m not in the mood for guessing games. Let me ask you directly. Do you think the United States will allow war to break out in North Korea?”
The word “war” came from Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung’s lips.
Since the secretaries had cleared everyone from the area, only I, Dennis Oh, and a few secretaries heard the word “war.”
If the employees of Samjeon Group had heard it, they would all have been quite tense.
I slowly spooned some miso soup into my mouth.
[Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung, war won’t happen….]
I already knew the outcome.
And what the United States wanted as well.
But there was no reason or justification to simply tell Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung about this.
“Sir, Barack learned about Kim Jong-il’s death today as well. They’ll discuss this issue from multiple angles with various departments and staff members. Of course, they’ll run war scenario predictions too. But I don’t think all those scenarios will come out today.”
Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung nodded with a heavy expression.
“You’re right.”
That was when it happened.
I saw Secretary Kim Mi-so rushing into the Company Cafeteria.
She looked slightly tense, unlike usual.
Secretary Kim Mi-so spotted me and Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung, straightened her clothes, and approached with quick steps.
“Sir, there’s been a call from Cheong Wa Dae. They’re asking you to come by 2 PM. They say two secretaries are on their way to pick you up now.”
“Hmm….”
I pretended to ponder slightly while spooning rice.
And I looked at Secretary Kim Mi-so.
“Secretary Kim, what was my original schedule for this afternoon?”
“There’s a mid-progress report meeting on TikTok development.”
“Roughly what time will that meeting end?”
“Well….”
Secretary Kim Mi-so knew my meeting style well.
Sometimes if a problem was resolved immediately, I’d end the meeting in just ten minutes after it started, but if a problem wasn’t resolved, I’d continue the meeting for hours. Still, I always finished before quitting time.
“Tell the secretaries coming here now that I can go to Cheong Wa Dae after the meeting ends.”
“Yes, understood.”
* * *
The TikTok meeting started as scheduled.
Sam began explaining the current development status of TikTok.
“At the last meeting, there was a capacity issue, so I researched the phone specifications that will be released in the latter half of next year when TikTok launches.”
That was when it happened.
The conference room door burst open, and two men who appeared to be secretaries from Cheong Wa Dae entered.
[Did they not even knock?]
I stood with my arms crossed, observing them.
Upon seeing me, they hurried over.
“CEO Jeon Sung-guk, the VIP is looking for you.”
“I said I could go after the meeting ends. And I never said I was leaving.”
“CEO Jeon Sung-guk, this is a national crisis situation. Aren’t you currently serving in the military?”
[So they’re going to leverage my military status?]
I stroked my chin thoughtfully.
“Has war broken out? I’m faithfully fulfilling my duties as an industrial service worker.”
“It’s not war, but the nation is judging this to be a situation equivalent to war. Please come with us.”
Dennis Oh, who had been observing the situation, stepped forward.
“I am Dennis Oh, an intelligence officer with the FBI. I’ve been tasked by the United States government to protect CEO Jeon Sung-guk. While CEO Jeon Sung-guk is indeed a citizen and soldier of South Korea, he has a special relationship with the United States. Please respect CEO Jeon Sung-guk’s wishes.”
[Wait, Dennis Oh. You were assigned such an important mission today?]
I regarded Dennis Oh anew.
The secretaries broke into cold sweat.
“We’ll report to the VIP first and return. In the meantime, please continue with the meeting.”
The two secretaries left the conference room.
And I proceeded with the meeting as though nothing had happened.
* * *
The Chief Secretary, having received the report, stammered before the VIP.
“Sir… it appears that CEO Jeon Sung-guk currently has an FBI agent attached to him.”
At those words, the VIP and the various department ministers murmured amongst themselves.
The VIP pressed his forehead with his finger.
“It really does seem like Kim Jong-il is dead.”
“And… it appears CEO Jeon Sung-guk said he would move to Cheong Wa Dae after the meeting.”
At those words, one minister showed discomfort.
“So some kid who just plays with SNS is telling us to wait? Chief Choi?”
“Well…”
The Chief Secretary held his tongue.
At that moment, the VIP fixed a cold gaze upon the minister who had just expressed his anger.
“Minister Park, don’t you understand the significance of what CEO Jeon Sung-guk is saying right now?”
“Mr. President… I’m not sure what you mean.”
“CEO Jeon Sung-guk is giving us time. He wrote it on SNS. He’s curious about how prepared the South Korean government is for this crisis. But what have we done so far except wait for contact from the United States?”
The VIP’s voice rose.
* * *
I finished the meeting and headed to Cheong Wa Dae with Dennis Oh.
To speak with Dennis Oh, I deliberately traveled in my own vehicle rather than the secretaries’ car.
Dennis Oh had looked curious about something since earlier.
“CEO, I have something I’m curious about.”
“Go ahead and ask.”
“Why didn’t you go straight to Cheong Wa Dae just now? I thought you should have gone there to confirm that Barack Obama’s call was real and discussed countermeasures together.”
“Hmm… I’m not a politician, you see.”
I glanced sideways at Dennis Oh.
Dennis Oh was a Korean-American. In essence, that meant he was an American.
“Dennis Oh, you understand that Barack gave me this information to use me as a hotline to the United States, don’t you?”
“Yes, sir.”
“But I have no intention of becoming America’s puppet.”
For a moment, Dennis Oh stared at me with a look of surprise.
“If I had stepped forward right then and gone to Cheong Wa Dae, the ministers and VIPs gathered there would have been swayed by my every word. And that’s exactly the role of a hotline that America wants.”
Cheong Wa Dae gradually came into view.
“But if that happened, what becomes of the South Korean government? They have thoughts of their own too, don’t they?”
“Could it be… that you gave the South Korean government time to respond to the situation?”
“….”
I said nothing.
Barack Obama had told me to become an influential person, but deep down, he wanted me to become America’s puppet.
But I had no intention of becoming anyone’s puppet.
Dennis Oh asked quietly.
“Sir, if my guess is correct… by letting Cheong Wa Dae know that I, an FBI agent, am by your side, you verified the authenticity of what you posted on SNS. And instead, you gave the Korean government time to respond to the death of Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-il. Considering everything together, would it be fair to say that you demonstrated to the American government your determination not to simply relay America’s intentions as they are?”
Instead of answering, I gave a small nod.
[Barack, I won’t be anyone’s puppet. Just as you said, I’ll become someone who can seize and wield influence in both Korea and the United States.]

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————