The Return of the Ruined Chaebol's Third-Generation Heir - Chapter 52

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Regression of a Fallen Chaebol’s Third Generation 052
“Senior.”
After getting his call, I went to school and found Seo Min-seung sitting quietly on the bench in front of the Academic Building. I took a seat beside him.
With a dark expression, Seo Min-seung said nothing for a long while. Laughter from other students drifted across the campus, but between us, there was only heavy silence.
‘Is something troubling him? Or could it be…?’
“You’re the third generation of Seonjin Group, aren’t you?”
Ah.
He’d figured it out.
Honestly, I’d never stopped worrying about this moment. I’d resolved to tell him about my identity eventually, but I thought the time wasn’t right yet. I hadn’t expected him to find out on his own.
Just as I was wondering what he’d say, Seo Min-seung’s voice came through, calmer than I’d anticipated.
“You approached me intentionally, didn’t you?”
Seo Min-seung continued, staring straight ahead.
“I’ve thought about it a lot. And if it wasn’t intentional, nothing about meeting you or your actions would make sense. Not from the very beginning at the restaurant when you sat down at my table even though there were other seats.”
“Yes. I approached you intentionally.”
I had no intention of hiding or making excuses.
Since I’d been caught anyway, fumbling through apologies would only make things worse.
At my response, Seo Min-seung studied me quietly before opening his mouth.
“Why?”
“I saw you as a capable person, senior. I…”
“That’s what I’m asking.”
Without even letting me finish, Seo Min-seung shot up from the bench.
“Did you want to steal my technology too? Like Seonjin Motors?”
So he knew that Seonjin Motors was involved. Or rather, Jo Seong-sik must have made the proposal bluntly.
Seo Min-seung’s face twisted.
“Do you know what Seonjin Motors did to my family?”
His voice began to shake.
“It’s a company my father spent his whole life building. He started with just one small factory right after graduating college. He grew it from twenty employees to three hundred. It took over twenty years.”
Seo Min-seung clenched his fists tightly.
“It all fell apart overnight. Seonjin Motors suddenly terminated our supply contract. Without any warning. Without even explaining why properly.”
“…”
“Later we found out they gave the contract to the chairman’s brother-in-law. Twenty years of technological advancement, trust, all of it—they didn’t need any of that. They just cut us off to take care of their own family.”
His eyes were reddening.
“My father had to sell our house to pay off the debt. When that wasn’t enough, he had to ask relatives for help. A man who’d never bowed his head in his life was forced to humble himself for money.”
Seo Min-seung’s voice cracked.
“My mother started working at a restaurant. She wakes up at four in the morning and works until eleven at night. Her hands are cracked and her back is bad, but she can’t rest. She has to pay for my tuition.”
“…”
“If I lose my scholarship, I can’t even stay in school. You asked why I was always at school, remember? It’s because I don’t have money for monthly rent on a place of my own. I can’t even eat properly. That’s why I go to Mom’s restaurant every day. It’s the cheapest option.”
I listened to him without saying anything.
Seo Min-seung’s anger was justified.
I understood what the name Seonjin meant to him.
These were words he needed to pour out. Words someone had to hear.
I decided to simply accept them in silence.
Whatever I said now wouldn’t reach his ears anyway.
“It’s all because of Seonjin Motors.”
Seo Min-seung glared at me.
“And now you brazenly reach out to me too? To steal my research? With a professor backing you?”
He let out a bitter laugh.
“And now you, this chaebol heir named Seonjin, approach me and pretend to be close? Eating together, buying me coffee, pretending to care about my research?”
His voice grew louder.
“No matter what sweet words you use, I won’t be fooled. That’s how all chaebols operate. They act nice when they need you, and once they’ve drained you dry, they discard you. Just like they did to my father.”
Seo Min-seung’s fists trembled.
He looked like he was holding back the urge to strike me.
I simply watched him. There was nothing I could do but listen until his anger had run its course.
“They’re all the same. Seonjin Group, Seonjin Motors. Everyone with the Seonjin name…”
Seo Min-seung’s voice grew quieter.
After pouring out so much, it seemed his strength was fading.
“I wish you’d stop contacting me…”
“Let’s work together.”
At my words, Seo Min-seung’s mouth fell silent.
It was unexpected—he looked at me with a blank expression.
“Revenge against Seonjin Motors.”
“…What?”
“That’s the reason I approached you intentionally, senior.”
Seo Min-seung stood without speaking. His face had shifted from anger to confusion.
“Seonjin Motors tried to take what belonged to my father, and now they’re trying to take what belongs to my mother as well.”
“…”
“The main Seonjin Group and Seonjin Motors are different. Seonjin Motors was taken by a man named Kang Tae-yong, while my mother inherited what’s left of the Seonjin Group Headquarters.”
Seo Min-seung’s eyes flickered faintly.
“From your perspective, I know this sounds like a spoiled chaebol heir talking. But it’s true. I don’t want my mother’s or my own inheritance stolen by Seonjin Motors either.”
I looked directly at Seo Min-seung.
“But I don’t have the power to stop it. Not yet.”
I paused to collect myself and continued.
“So I’m gathering that power. By bringing together capable people. That’s why I need you, senior, and that’s why I approached you intentionally.”
Seo Min-seung stared at me without speaking, a complex emotion crossing his face—neither anger nor confusion.
“However, I wasn’t trying to steal what you have, as you might think. I’m sorry I couldn’t be honest from the start.”
“…Revenge.”
Seo Min-seung shook his head slowly.
“I’m not interested in that, and I’m not interested in chaebol squabbles either, so…”
“You want revenge too, senior.”
At my words, Seo Min-seung’s eyes wavered.
In my past life, once Seo Min-seung had gained a certain level of skill and power, he openly rejected Seonjin Motors. He ignored their advances and refused to cooperate with any company that dealt with them.
“It’s just that you lack the power.”
I stood up and faced Seo Min-seung.
“I will become that power for you.”
“…”
“An opportunity to do whatever you want while taking revenge on Seonjin Motors. That’s what I’m offering.”
Seo Min-seung looked at me for a long moment before speaking.
“Both you and I lack power, don’t we? No matter how much of a chaebol heir you are, you’ve only just turned twenty.”
“I’ll show you.”
I opened my bag and pulled out the documents I’d been looking at in the office earlier.
Investigation materials on Jo Seong-sik.
I placed them on the bench and looked at Seo Min-seung.
“We’ll have to deal with Jo Seong-sik first.”
Seo Min-seung’s eyes moved to the documents.
“If you read through them, everything will make sense.”
I took a step back.
“Read them and contact me. I’ll be waiting.”
I bowed my head in respect. I’d done all I could. The rest was up to Seo Min-seung’s choice.

* * *
The next day.
Korea University Department of Industrial Engineering Research Lab.
Seo Min-seung hadn’t slept a wink the previous night.
He’d read the documents Kang Seon-woo gave him from beginning to end, again and again. His advisor Jo Seong-sik’s corporate collusion, research fund embezzlement, a history of pilfering students’ technologies.
Everything was laid bare.
‘I did my research under this kind of person.’
A bitter laugh escaped him.
Seo Min-seung stuffed the documents into his bag and stood up.
With a determined expression, he opened the research lab door and stepped out. He walked down the hallway and stopped in front of Jo Seong-sik’s office.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
Jo Seong-sik’s voice came from inside.
Seo Min-seung took a deep breath and opened the door.
“Oh, yes. Min-seung.”
Jo Seong-sik looked up from his desk with a pleased expression.
“Sit down.”
Seo Min-seung took a seat on the sofa.
Jo Seong-sik removed his glasses and set them on his desk, then asked with a bright face.
“So, did you bring me an answer about my proposal?”
“Yes.”
Seo Min-seung nodded, and Jo Seong-sik’s face lit up.
“Good thinking. A truly wise choice. There’s really no better offer for you than this…”
“Professor, I’m going to quit school.”
“What?”
Jo Seong-sik’s expression changed instantly, expecting acceptance. The smile vanished from his face, replaced by a look of confusion and shock.
“What are you talking about…?”
“When I think about it, I think I was being too greedy.”
Seo Min-seung continued calmly.
“My family situation isn’t good, and I should be out there earning money however I can, but I was clinging to this instead.”
Seo Min-seung’s choice was to reject both my proposal and Jo Seong-sik’s.
He didn’t want to be swayed by either side.
He didn’t want to fall into the hands of a chaebol, nor did he want to hand over his technology to a shameless professor.
It would be better to abandon everything and start fresh.
“I should give up now and focus on earning money quickly. Thank you for everything.”
“Hey, Seo Min-seung!”
Jo Seong-sik shot up from his seat.
“Do you realize how disrespectful this is?”
“I apologize.”
Seo Min-seung stood and bowed his head.
He now knew what Jo Seong-sik was thinking, what kind of person he was.
“Thank you again for everything.”
Seo Min-seung bowed once more and opened the lab door.
“Seo Min-seung! You little…!”
Jo Seong-sik’s shout followed him from behind, but Seo Min-seung didn’t look back.
He closed the door and walked down the hallway.
His heart pounded, but his mind felt strangely relieved.
‘It’s over now.’
Back at his desk, Seo Min-seung began gathering his things one by one.
Papers piled on the desk, research notes, personal belongings.
The things he’d accumulated over the years weren’t as much as he’d thought. One small box would be enough.
‘Now all that’s left…’
He had to give Kang Seon-woo an answer.
Seo Min-seung sat blankly for a moment, then pulled out his phone.
He scrolled through his contacts and found a familiar name.
[Kang Seon-woo]
He stared at the name for a moment, then started typing a message.
[I’m grateful for the offer, but accepting it…]
“Senior.”
Just then, the lab door opened and his junior entered. Seo Min-seung stopped typing and looked up.
“Senior, is it true that you’re leaving the lab?”
“Huh?”
“The professor said so.”
“…He told you already?”
Seo Min-seung gave a wry smile.
“Yeah. I’m planning to leave now.”
“Why?”
The junior approached with a worried expression.
“And honestly, the professor was really angry. I’ve never seen him that mad before.”
At another time, he would have been afraid, but now that he was leaving anyway, he wasn’t worried about such things.
There was no need to be cautious under Jo Seong-sik anymore.
“And also…”
The junior hesitated, as if struggling to say the next part.
“He said to tell you to leave all your research notes and materials behind.”
“What?”
“He said that’s lab property, not something you did alone…”
Seo Min-seung couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
He’d thought just leaving would be enough, but Jo Seong-sik’s greed didn’t stop there.
He was trying to stab him in the back as he left.
“He said if you don’t leave them, he can even take it to prosecution…that’s what he told me to tell you.”
The junior looked apologetic.
“Anyway, I’ve delivered the message, senior.”
With that, the junior went to his seat and grabbed his bag.
Moments later, the sound of the lab door closing was heard.
Seo Min-seung stood in a daze.
‘In the end…’
Jo Seong-sik wouldn’t give up.
Even if he quit, he’d torment him to the very end.
Using the research materials as leverage, using threats of prosecution, he’d squeeze him however he could.
‘I couldn’t do it alone.’
He’d thought escaping would be the end.
But the opponent wasn’t so easily evaded.
Without power, you couldn’t even escape.
Seo Min-seung picked up his phone again.
He turned on the screen and deleted the message he’d started to write earlier.
Then he began typing again.
[Let’s meet. I’ll be waiting at that bench.]
Seo Min-seung grabbed his bag and left the lab.
As he walked down the hallway, the words Seon-woo had spoken the night before came back to him.
‘An opportunity to do whatever you want while taking revenge on Seonjin Motors. That’s what I’m offering.’
Honestly, it was still hard to believe.
But now, he had no other choice. Alone, he couldn’t defeat Jo Seong-sik or Seonjin Motors.
‘I need power.’
Seo Min-seung finished that thought and began walking. Toward a person who could give him that power.

* * *
“He’s an even worse person than the investigation showed.”
The bench in front of the Academic Building.
I came here after receiving Seo Min-seung’s call.
And I heard from him about what happened that day.
How he’d tried to reject both proposals and leave cleanly.
Jo Seong-sik’s response to that.
The threat about the research materials, the mention of prosecution.
Jo Seong-sik was worse than what the documents said.
“In any case, if you’re looking for me, you must have changed your mind, right?”
“…No, I’m still leaving school.”
Seo Min-seung shook his head.
“I thought about it all night after hearing what you said, and I could only think about how greedy I was being. What good is a doctorate when my family situation is like this?”
I studied Seo Min-seung quietly.
I couldn’t find a trace of lingering attachment in his eyes.
They were the eyes of someone who had truly given up.
“But.”
Seo Min-seung continued.
“Jo Seong-sik won’t let me go easily even if I leave. Or rather, precisely, he won’t let my thesis go.”
He looked directly at me.
“I’ll sell that thesis to you. In exchange, you get rid of Jo Seong-sik.”
It seemed Seo Min-seung was still under a significant misunderstanding about me.
“I don’t need your thesis, senior.”
“What?”
“As I said, I didn’t approach you because I coveted your research.”
At my words, Seo Min-seung looked flustered. It seemed he’d taken my words last night as merely a plausible cover story.
“Let’s change the terms of the deal.”
I looked directly at Seo Min-seung as I spoke.
“I’ll deal with Jo Seong-sik. In exchange, the price is Seo Min-seung himself.”
“…”
“Whether you choose to keep studying or go out and earn money—that’s your choice, and I won’t interfere.”
I paused to collect myself before continuing.
“However, whatever choice you make from now on must be for my sake.”
Seo Min-seung stared at me blankly.
He clearly didn’t understand.
“And I will support you in doing what you want.”
“What you really want is…”
“Yes. Revenge against Seonjin Motors. And rebuilding the Seonjin Group.”
I spoke firmly.
“That’s why I need you in this plan.”
Seo Min-seung stared at me silently, as if searching for sincerity in my words or trying to find a trap.
I didn’t avoid his gaze.
A long silence stretched between us.
“If you end up being no different from Jo Seong-sik or Seonjin Motors.”
Seo Min-seung slowly spoke.
“What do I do?”
At that question, I let out a laugh.
“Then you leave. Don’t overthink it.”
“You’d just let me leave?”
“If that’s your choice, there’s nothing I can do about it.”
I meant it.
It wouldn’t work to force him to stay.
Without sincerity, nothing lasts.
If Seo Min-seung wanted to leave, he could. That would be my failure in earning his trust.
At my words, Seo Min-seung seemed to think for a moment, lowering his head.
How much time passed?
Seo Min-seung looked up.
“Okay.”
It was a brief answer.
“I’ll trust you once.”
The words I’d been waiting for came from Seo Min-seung’s lips.
I smiled brightly and nodded.
“Good.”
I stood up and extended my hand to Seo Min-seung.
“Then let’s deal with Jo Seong-sik first.”
Seo Min-seung looked at my hand for a moment, then slowly clasped it.

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