Max-Level Son of a Chaebol Family - Chapter 90

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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90. Eyes Wide Open!

 

The Taeseong Family Patient Support Event held in a corner of Taeseong Hospital Lobby.

 

Instead of standing on a high platform, I simply held a megaphone close to my mouth and read the donation certificates clearly.

 

“…Therefore, we present this certificate. Sponsor Cha Jeong-hyeok and all Taeseong Group executives.”

 

“Thank you! Hehehe.”

 

“Congratulations. Here’s a flower bouquet.”

 

“Thank you, hyung. Yay, I’m so happy! Mother, Father! Look at this, I got an award and a flower bouquet too!”

 

Every time I handed over the donation certificates I read aloud, the kids in patient gowns smiled as brightly as flowers.

 

Even with IV drips attached, they couldn’t contain their rising excitement and would hop around, or shake their bottoms and dance on the spot.

 

Even in patient gowns, kids were still kids.

 

“Oh my, well done! Well done!”

 

“That’s right, that’s right! Wahahahaha!”

 

“Looking at how well you dance, you’ll get better soon! Hohoho!”

 

Every time that happened, not only the Taeseong Family gathered here but even the Wookwang people burst into thunderous applause and cheers.

 

It was confusing whether this was a charity event, a donation ceremony, or a children’s talent show.

 

But whatever it was didn’t matter because everyone looked so happy.

 

That was enough.

 

“Hyung, thank you. Really, really, really, thank you so much!”

 

No matter how young, no matter how sick, they know what they need to know.

 

They would also know that this donation had lessened their family’s burden.

 

That’s why that little one, small as a chestnut, was getting teary-eyed saying thank you.

 

“When I get all better later, I’ll definitely pay you back. Really! So it’s a promise~”

 

I’m someone who doesn’t believe in pinky promises.

 

But how could I reject the heart attached to that small hand with an IV drip?

 

“Promise.”

 

Click! Click! Click! Click!

 

Clap clap clap clap clap clap!

 

That’s how I handed out donation certificates twenty-five times.

 

It was repetitive work, but it wasn’t tiring at all.

 

Because the children’s laughter soon became my joy.

 

“Young Master Jeong-hyeok, you’re truly admirable. Just look at him reading the donation certificate. He’s an exceptionally bright young man, Chairman.”

 

“Hahaha, of course! He’s got Taeseong blood in him, so at eight years old he should be at least that capable!”

 

“That’s right. Young Master seems to take after you a lot, Chairman.”

 

“Of course he does! It’s like looking at myself as a child, you know? From his face to his build, he’s my spitting image. Hahaha!”

 

Secretary Kim and Grandfather, sitting in the front row bench, applauded so enthusiastically that their palms must have been stinging.

 

Father leaned slightly toward Mother sitting beside him and whispered in her ear.

 

The Grim Reaper tactfully amplified Father’s whisper so it could be heard clearly.

 

“Honestly, doesn’t our Jeong-hyeok take after me more than his father?”

 

Mother covered her mouth with her hand and laughed, but,

 

“I’m not joking. I’m asking seriously. Me or Father?”

 

There wasn’t a trace of humor on Father’s face.

 

“Is this really something to get so serious about?”

 

Mother’s eyes curved like crescents as she whispered softly in Father’s ear.

 

“Of course he takes after Senior Agent more. Whose son is he, after all?”

 

“I knew it, right? Honestly, our Father’s stubbornness is really… there’s no stopping him.”

 

Only then did Father fail to hide his pleased smile.

 

The Grim Reaper, unable to watch anymore, shook his head back and forth.

 

Click! Click! Click! Click!

 

The camera flashes going off noisily weren’t just from the media and broadcasting stations.

 

“Young Master, smile! That’s it! Perfect!”

 

Yoo Jong-tae was even lying down on the hospital lobby floor to capture every possible angle.

 

Each time, the instant camera Father had given him went click! click! with its flash.

 

“Wow, what a handsome young master from such a fine family! Little miss, smile too! Hey, where’s the flower bouquet?”

 

“Here it is! Our little miss was a bit late because she was picking out the prettiest roses!”

 

A Taeseong Group bodyguard quickly handed over the flower bouquet.

 

Kim Gap-yong’s daughter smiled brightly as she hugged the bouquet to her chest.

 

“Thank you. It’s so beautiful. Mmm, it smells wonderful too. It’s absolutely perfect.”

 

It was a happy smile.

 

Kim Gap-yong, his wife, and even the colleagues who had worked at Taeseong Chemical all had such bright expressions that they kept smiling happily.

 

‘This is nice.’

 

And so my first event, held in a corner of Taeseong Hospital, ended with laughter.

 

Since we were all gathered together, we spread newspapers on the hospital floor and sat down to eat lunch boxes with warm tea.

 

After cleanly finishing the cleanup, we said goodbye and parted ways – it was that kind of small event.

 

* * *

 

‘How could that modest event become such a spectacular headline?’

 

I couldn’t help but feel bewildered.

 

I’d heard the saying about waking up to find yourself a star, but I never imagined that small event would decorate the front page of newspapers in such grand fashion.

 

【Why did the Taeseong Group Chairman and all subsidiary executives gather at Taeseong Hospital? Taeseong Family Patient Support!】

 

【An eight-year-old organizer? For friends of the same age! Taeseong is one family!】

 

【America is amazed, China is shocked, and Japan jumped to its feet! The charity event of the century held at a hospital in the Republic of Korea!】

 

【Why did the Blue House call the Taeseong Group head to offer hearty praise?】

 

I could even see article titles that looked like they belonged on 21st-century YouTube thumbnails.

 

‘Wait, not just the front page, but the politics, economics, society, and even culture sections?’

 

The photos and headlines were all huge.

 

They really covered it extensively.

 

‘Wow, how can every newspaper company plaster everything with Taeseong, Taeseong, Taeseong! All in Taeseong’s name?’

 

They even ran all sorts of interviews and columns.

 

So the more I read, the more I couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief.

 

‘They can promote that small, insignificant event to this extent?’

 

At this point, I truly realized the power of chaebol families in this era.

 

What clearer evidence could there be that they could exercise this level of influence over the media when they set their minds to it?

 

‘On the other hand, the news about the Wookwang Hospital Joint Memorial Hall, which should have naturally received much more attention than Taeseong Hospital’s small event, was buried with small coverage.’

 

The size varied slightly by newspaper company, but they were all commonly placed small in the corner of the society section.

 

【Mourners continued to visit the joint memorial altar set up at Wookwang Hospital.】

 

【Social figures and politicians from all walks of life finished paying their respects and departed.】

 

【Wookwang Chemical victims laid to rest in tearful funeral ceremony.】

 

The intention was clear.

 

It was to cover up Wookwang’s shame.

 

‘They say Wookwang has a tight grip on the media.’

 

Even newspapers with strong Wookwang influence were pushing Taeseong Hospital’s event on the front page, so newspapers with strong Taeseong influence went without saying.

 

Articles came out one after another detailing how Father had taken care of the families of victims from the Wookwang Chemical fire accident.

 

‘Secretary Kim’s handiwork.’

 

I was wondering why there were so many newspapers piled up today, including ones we don’t usually receive, when suddenly—

 

“Oh my, our Jeong-hyeok is on the front page of the newspaper?”

 

Mother looked at the newspaper and couldn’t hide her smile from early morning.

 

From the kitchen, the landlady grandmother peeked her head out while holding a ladle and smiled.

 

“I was so surprised when I received the newspaper at dawn! I was so excited. I told Cheol-gu to buy one from every newspaper company!”

 

“You did well.”

 

Mother immediately picked up scissors and started cutting out the article.

 

Even the landlady grandmother, who was preparing breakfast, turned off the gas and joined in the newspaper scrapbooking.

 

“Oh my, this should be hung in a picture frame.”

 

“It would be good to hang it on that wall over there. Jeong-hyeok’s mother, I’ll hammer in the nail.”

 

“Grandmother, Mother. I think you can stop now. Honestly, this isn’t really something to make such a fuss about…”

 

Thud.

 

“Jeong-hyeok, you just work on this.”

 

It was a mountain of dried anchovies, a bamboo basket of bean sprouts, and bundles of garlic.

 

This was the price for speaking the truth.

 

“…”

 

Ring ring!

 

How fortunately timed for the telephone to ring! I’m saved!

 

“Hello?”

 

-It’s Uncle. You came out really well in the photo, didn’t you? Hahaha, ever think about becoming a celebrity? You look great, our nephew! Should we go eat jajangmyeon together next time? Hahaha!

 

Ring ring!

 

-I saw the newspapers. Congratulations. I heard you’re building a big new Taeseong Hospital in Gangnam under our nephew’s name?

 

“Second Uncle, did you forget that you can’t ask questions until you finish answering the question you owe me?”

 

-Congratulations. I suppose Uncle (Elder) should personally take care of our nephew’s entrance gift, right? You can look forward to it.

 

Ring ring!

 

-Cha Jeong-hyeok! Why didn’t you wear the clothes Aunt picked out for you? Your coat fur has no shine! Come to the department store. Aunt will pick out a few more coats for you. Oh, and tell Mother to get a massage.

 

It was absolute chaos.

 

Ring ring!

 

“Senior Agent, they say Cha Jeong-hyeok was on the news too? Oh my, I didn’t see it.”

 

Landlady Grandmother, who had been hanging a picture frame, jumped down from the chair.

 

“There’s a video recording machine here too, right? Can’t we record the news?”

 

“I don’t know since I haven’t tried. There should be something there. Should we try it this time?”

 

Finally, even Mother, who usually doesn’t even pretend to watch television, took control of the remote!

 

The Grim Reaper grabbed his cheeks and screamed.

 

[No! My drama series!]

 

‘Hey, Guardian Spirit! Wait. Wait a minute! Why are you opening your Eyes like that at our Mother?’

 

[….]

 

‘What? Won’t lower your Eyes? Don’t turn on the television from now on?’

 

[I can’t even open my Eyes as I please….]

 

The Grim Reaper plopped down on the floor.

 

[Drama series that have passed by don’t come back….]

 

It can’t be helped.

 

Life is originally carrot and stick.

 

‘Instead, if you do what I ask well and behave nicely, I’ll buy you another television. A bigger one than that, the latest model, the most expensive and best one. How about it?’

 

The Grim Reaper’s eyes lit up.

 

[What do I need to do and how?]

 

‘Bulgwang-dong Gasoline. I need to extract some information about that bastard.’

 

[Hmm, are you curious about things like where he lives?]

 

‘Not at all.’

 

That’s Secretary Kim’s job.

 

Secretary Kim would faithfully carry out Grandfather’s orders and dig up everything from Bulgwang-dong Gasoline’s personal information to his surrounding relationships.

 

That’s the basics.

 

[Then are you telling me to tail him? Like when I tailed that cunning bastard from Woo-gwang?]

 

‘No. There’s no need for that.’

 

[Without doing that, how can you capture the decisive moment when that bastard does something dirty?]

 

‘Forget it. I’m not a police officer.’

 

Catching criminals in the act is the police’s job.

 

Besides, doesn’t Bulgwang-dong Gasoline already have many crimes under his belt?

 

‘The Wookwang Chemical fire incident.’

 

An earthquake occurred in the Grim Reaper’s pupils.

 

‘The leash that Bulgwang-dong Gasoline has on Woo-gwang. I need to find out what that is.’

 

That’s all I need.

 

Secretary Kim will fill in the rest.

 

If it weren’t for Secretary Kim, Uncle Cheol-gu wouldn’t have met Bulgwang-dong Gasoline and his thugs in the Seobinggo Water Torture Room.

 

That also means Secretary Kim caught some dirt that Uncle Cheol-gu could interrogate and handed it over.

 

‘How did Bulgwang-dong Gasoline get out of the KCIA Torture Chamber unharmed? It’s because he holds Woo-gwang’s critical weakness. I need to get that weakness.’

 

[Re-revealing Heavenly Secrets? Are you telling me to reveal heavenly secrets right now…!]

 

The Grim Reaper trembled as if struck by lightning.

 

[I can’t do that…!]

 

‘Who said anything about revealing heavenly secrets?’

 

[…Then?]

 

‘You can just use your underlings to find out.’

 

[What? Who? My underlingssss?]

 

‘How did I get the information about this house’s safe?’

 

Well, the Grim Reaper beat up an Earthbound Spirit that was attached to this mansion and extracted the information.

 

‘Did that trigger Revealing Heavenly Secrets too? No, it didn’t.’

 

[Oho!]

 

Only then did the Grim Reaper pull up the corners of his mouth.

 

[That bastard has accumulated so much karma that Vengeful Ghosts and Evil Spirits are swarming around him.]

 

The Grim Reaper clenched both fists tightly.

 

[I’ll be back.]

 

* * *

 

[Found it! Caught it! Did it!]

 

The Grim Reaper returned with dignity and confidence.

 

With his shoulders and chest puffed out, the Grim Reaper placed his hands on his hips and laughed loudly.

 

[This Death Messenger has learned about Wookwang’s leash that Bulgwang-dong Gasoline was hiding! Hahaha!]

 

Great!

 

I rubbed my palms together.

 

‘Where is it? What does it look like? What is it?’

 

[I don’t know.]

 

Is this bastard joking around right now?

 

As my eyes narrowed, the Grim Reaper smiled meaningfully.

 

[I found out who has that weakness.]

 

Oh!

 

If I just find out who has it, retrieving it separately would be no problem at all!

 

[Additionally, I also learned how Bulgwang-dong Gasoline, who was dragged to the Seobinggo Water Torture Room and couldn’t move, managed to call out Wookwang.]

 

Excellent!

 

‘So if I get my hands on this, Bulgwang-dong Gasoline would have no way to escape from the Seobinggo Water Torture Room?’

 

The threats toward Wookwang will be made by us, Taeseong, not Bulgwang-dong Gasoline.

 

Fortunately, we have the perfect talent to definitively hold a sword to Wookwang’s throat.

 

‘Secretary Kim.’

 

It’s time to use his business card.

 

For that, should I bring along a present that would lighten Secretary Kim’s workload?

 

It should probably be high-grade information that would be difficult for an ordinary human to dig up, yet would greatly reduce Secretary Kim’s work, right?

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