Chapter 173

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Chapter 173

The moment Jeong Jin-ho began selecting personnel who could meet influential figures abroad on Hwang Dae-woon’s behalf, a new team was born within Gwangwoon.

“Is the composition of the Strategic Planning Team complete?”

“Yes. We’ve finished the organizational structure as per the Chairman’s orders, and all necessary personnel have been selected through a rigorous vetting process.”

John Hamilton Cline, who had served as Chief of Staff under President Aiden. The Strategic Planning Team was established with him as its cornerstone.

Their objective was to make contact with domestic and international figures, and to assist in the tasks Jeong Jin-ho intended to carry out.

If Jeong Jin-ho had laid the initial framework with John Hamilton, it was Hwang Dae-woon and the executives who had subsequently fleshed it out.

“What about the situation in Japan?”

“Within legal bounds, we’re sending political contributions according to the list President Jeong Jin-ho provided.”

“What does the Strategic Team say they’ll do?”

“They say they’ll provide solid support. First, in cooperation with the marketing department, they’ll firmly back the politicians we’re contributing to, find weaknesses in their competitors, and spread them widely through social media. Additionally, they’re preparing to swiftly remove any negative articles or content about our supported candidates that appear online.”

Elections these days couldn’t be won by simply campaigning as before. The one who wielded media power effectively would emerge victorious. In that regard, Gwangwoon possessed overwhelming strength.

“Good. All we need to do is quietly support what Jin-ho is doing from behind the scenes.”

Up until now, Jeong Jin-ho hadn’t issued detailed directives to headquarters unless there were special circumstances. That was for two reasons.

“He doesn’t want to burden me, and beyond that, he has faith that we’ll handle things well on our own.”

But they had to be careful.

“Increase the support. I mean, significantly expand the scale beyond what it is now. There must be no obstacles in what Jin-ho is doing. If something goes wrong and problems arise on Jin-ho’s end, you’d all better be prepared. You know what I’m saying?”

“Yes, sir!”

If they let their guard down and the words that headquarters was falling short lately came from Jeong Jin-ho’s mouth, that very day would be when a bloodstorm would sweep through Gwangwoon Group’s headquarters.

Their mission was to ensure that never happened.

***

“You’ve heard the report. Gwangwoon is reaching its tentacles into Japanese politics.”

“Well… nothing new there. They already killed a former Prime Minister and established the ruling party.”

“But this time it’s different. They’re putting forward ethnic Korean-Japanese politicians and attempting to completely take control of Japan’s political establishment.”

Japan was an extraordinarily conservative country. So conservative that even the way politicians were elected was conservative.

There was a saying that Japanese elections were their own league. Over long periods, local constituency support networks deepened ties with prominent families, and commercial connections further cemented them, making political dynasties possible.

Furthermore, the Japanese public kept voting for the same established politicians like machines rather than embracing new change, creating the current Japanese government.

“Under normal circumstances, those dynastic politicians would have risen to power, but this time the situation is different. Gwangwoon is using media to change the public’s thinking, uncovering corruption among inherited-power politicians and spreading it far and wide. They’re also treating the Fukushima contaminated water discharge issue with serious weight.”

Gwangwoon’s actions this time were ambitious.

They wanted to demonstrate firsthand that election outcomes could be completely overturned through media , that even in Japan, a country deeply rooted in dynastic politics, the power of media was ultimately insurmountable.

“The Fukushima contaminated water discharge may have been part of Gwangwoon’s plan all along.”

“Why?”

“They used it as a pretext to forge connections with the IAEA by funneling massive contributions. The IAEA, already brimming with discontent from the anti-nuclear trend, joined hands with Gwangwoon to establish a new base in Guyana. Beyond that, their pledge to protect Japanese waters served as a catalyst for backing Korean-Japanese politicians.”

All of this had become possible because Japan had announced its decision to discharge Fukushima’s contaminated water.

Had that not happened, Gwangwoon wouldn’t have partnered with the IAEA, nor would they have established a new nuclear headquarters in Guyana.

“If Gwangwoon gets what it wants in this election, what comes next? Having completed its test run in Japan, Gwangwoon will then target developed nations, mass-electing politicians who serve their agenda. The public, unaware that all of this was media-driven brainwashing by Gwangwoon, will vote for the candidates Gwangwoon handpicked.”

That meant starting with Japan, every developed nation would be filled with Gwangwoon’s politicians.

In other words, Gwangwoon would occupy these developed nations commercially and politically.

“But the Republicans , even though this is so serious, they’re wasting all their time trying to destroy our administration.”

Antitrust Division Head Eileen seethed with frustration. Right now, despite Gwangwoon plotting such insidious schemes, the Republican Party was pouring every ounce of energy into tearing apart the current administration.

“Gwangwoon is exactly exploiting this. Those stupid Republican fools will spend the next two years preparing for the presidential race centered on trends, exhausting themselves trying to make our administration look foolish. Meanwhile, Gwangwoon will have free rein to do whatever it wants without any opposition.”

“So, Eileen, did you come to me just to vent?”

Eileen gazed at Aiden, whose eyes had lost all their spark, and let out a sigh of deep regret.

“I know how difficult things are for you, Mr. President. You probably couldn’t believe that even your most trusted Chief of Staff was part of Gwangwoon’s network. But you can’t give up now.”

“Give up… I don’t know. Everything I’ve ever tried against Gwangwoon , I’ve always been playing in the palm of their hand. What’s left for me to even try?”

“There’s still an opportunity. A way to stop Gwangwoon before they grow even larger.”

His ears should have perked up at those words, but Aiden simply let out a faint, bitter laugh.

“Eileen, believe me. I’ve tried so many different methods to stop Gwangwoon, but in the end, all I did was help them grow. What makes you think it’d be any different for you?”

“Please trust me this time. I’ve already drawn up a plan with people from the intelligence agencies.”

“…Are their identities confirmed?”

“Yes. Confirmed.”

Seeing the conviction in her eyes, Aiden finally felt a spark of interest.

“What’s the plan?”

“Strike at Gwangwoon’s most vulnerable point.”

“Vulnerable point?”

“The Sentinel headquarters in Turkey.”

“……”

Gwangwoon’s PMC , Sentinel. A mercenary group created under the guise of protecting shipping and corporations from pirates and criminal organizations.

Gwangwoon was this threatening precisely because of Sentinel’s existence. Their headquarters in Turkey, with bases scattered across Africa, Europe, and the Americas.

“All the countless crimes Gwangwoon has committed must be documented there.”

“Are you certain? What if they’ve erased all records?”

“There’s already an ally inside Sentinel. Due to hacking risks, they never keep digital records , everything is handwritten. That’s where we strike: seize the materials and expose them to the world. Then we can bring Gwangwoon down in one fell swoop.”

If that was true, it would be possible to expose every crime Gwangwoon had committed. And all the nations that had been unable to corner Gwangwoon for lack of evidence would band together to bring the massive corporation to its knees.

“If the President gives authorization, our teams currently on standby in Turkey can immediately move in for a raid.”

“Will the Republicans allow it?”

“The Republicans are also feeling threatened by Gwangwoon’s power. Yes, they gained power thanks to Gwangwoon, but they want to exclude them. If we move, they’ll pretend they can’t resist and open the way.”

“But what if Gwangwoon refuses to cooperate?”

“That only gives us more justification. We’ll pressure the Turkish government and force entry regardless. We’ve already prepared all the legal foundations.”

This wasn’t a plan conceived overnight.

“……”

Aiden closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them. Perhaps this really was the last chance.

“Go ahead with it. I’ll fully support you.”

“Yes, Mr. President.”

But a thought suddenly crossed his mind. If this was Gwangwoon, wouldn’t they have already prepared for everything?

***

“What did you just say?”

“The Americans formally sent us an official request for investigation, claiming our Sentinel operations are suspicious. They want to raid our Sentinel headquarters in Turkey, seize all materials, and verify there’s nothing amiss.”

The report from that morning was deflating. The Americans investigating our Sentinel?

And not even one based in the United States , they wanted to personally investigate our headquarters in Turkey? The first thought that came to mind was that this was going too far.

“What exactly did they find suspicious about us?”

“The Americans seem to find our connection to the Nigerian military junta troubling, as well as our maritime activities, particularly in Guyana.”

“Even so, they’re raiding a headquarters that is legitimately located in Turkey? The Turkish government wouldn’t be happy about this.”

“They’ve already stated they’ll cooperate with the Turkish government.”

What could he say.

He was a little angry out of a sense of injustice.

What was Sentinel’s purpose, after all? It was a security company they had voluntarily created to protect their shipping in seas overrun by pirates and criminal organizations, when no one else would.

Their sole mission was to ensure the safety of crew members and vessels. And now even that was deemed unacceptable?

“They say they’re suspicious. There’s nothing we can do about it. Please cooperate.”

“What? But this is an illegitimate investigation. We have every right to refuse.”

Would it have been better to do that instead? Right at that moment, a powerful instinct flashed through his mind.

The signal wasn’t telling him to refuse.

Quite the opposite.

“If they’re taking this approach, it means they’ve already factored in that possibility and are moving accordingly. We could end up making things harder on ourselves. We can’t let this distract Sentinel from doing its job.”

Moreover, they had been conducting purely legitimate security operations, so it didn’t matter. They hadn’t committed a single illegal act.

“Also, relay this to Sentinel: cooperate as much as possible , no, actually, have them vacate the entire office with only a few staff members remaining, letting the Americans take whatever they want. And tell the Americans we’d appreciate it if they wrapped things up as quickly as possible.”

In other words, they had nothing to hide. The Americans could take whatever materials they wanted.

***

“What? What did headquarters do?”

“They’ve agreed to fully open the company to the Americans. They’ve already informed the Americans to take whatever materials they need, and we’ve received orders to evacuate the entire office, leaving only a few employees to assist with the process.”

Anthony Watson shot up from his seat at the sudden news.

“Is that real? Wait , the headquarters in Turkey, that’s where all our records are, isn’t it?”

“Yes. All the non-digitized documents are stored there.”

“And they’re letting them take everything? They should have given us time to destroy the evidence first!”

“The Americans apparently worked on this in extreme secrecy. That’s why we couldn’t find out in advance. Our attention has been completely focused on China and Guyana, so…”

“That’s your excuse? If documents from the Turkish headquarters fall into their hands, the entire Gwangwoon group will cease to exist. Do you understand? Countless governments have been waiting for an opportunity to sink their teeth into our throats, and they’ll tear us apart!”

This wasn’t something to brush off. The evidence at headquarters had to be destroyed no matter what. That was precisely where all the grounds for destroying Gwangwoon were concentrated.

“If I’d known this was coming, I would have been in Turkey myself… Contact headquarters immediately! Destroy the evidence first!”

“The thing is… headquarters has ordered us not to touch a single document in the Turkish office.”

“Wh-what?”

“They said touching anything would only raise further suspicion, and ordered us to leave everything in place for them to take…”

Bam,!

Anthony Watson slammed his hand hard on the desk. Headquarters’ orders were incomprehensible. Gwangwoon was on the verge of completing its vast empire , and now they were going to give it all up?

“…No. Wait.”

Watson quickly calmed himself. This wasn’t just any company , this was Gwangwoon.

On the surface, they might appear to be doing something utterly absurd, but there was always a reason behind it later. There certainly had to be this time too. No , there *had* to be.

“You said they told us to leave only a few employees and evacuate everyone else?”

“Yes.”

“……”

That part nagged at him. Leave only a few and evacuate the rest.

“Then take volunteers for those staying behind. And have the rest clear out on their own and wait nearby, in case something happens.”

“What kind of situation would we move on?”

“That’s for them to judge. If Gwangwoon is opening the door this wide, there’s definitely something there. If you sense that signal, make your own judgment and move accordingly. Those guys have the instincts and capability for that, right?”

“Yes, sir. I’ll relay the message.”

But no matter how many times he thought about it, he couldn’t figure it out. This was Gwangwoon, and they were handing Pandora’s box directly to the Americans.

What on earth was Gwangwoon thinking?

***

When Eileen received the official document stating the U.S. would cooperate with the Turkish government to investigate Sentinel’s headquarters, she had naturally expected Gwangwoon to resist fiercely.

That was why she had already prepared entire scenarios and made every possible arrangement to forcibly seize all their materials.

“It’s just too strange.”

But Gwangwoon’s response was baffling. They replied saying they’d cooperate fully and asked that the investigation be conducted as quickly as possible.

“Could they have already removed the evidence?”

Otherwise, how could they react this way? But according to her inside source, the materials were still deep within Sentinel’s vaults, with no signs of them being moved or incinerated.

“I’ll find out what they’re up to soon enough.”

Gwangwoon seemed to be plotting something, but the people Eileen had dispatched would tear the company apart like rats in a trap.

Moreover, the inside sources who had been secretly cooperating with the U.S. government were still stationed within the company and would help extract every piece of information. There was no escape for Gwangwoon now.

No matter what sinister plan they were cooking up, they were already in a checkmate position. Finally, Eileen would be able to bring down Gwangwoon with her own hands , her long-cherished wish.

“Director!”

Just then, her secretary burst in urgently. Had they found all the documents from the heart of the enemy’s territory?

“Yes. Did things go well in Turkey? Did they find everything they wanted?”

“That… that’s…”

Instead of answering, the secretary turned on the TV in front of her.

“?”

The headline on the news channel was the first thing that caught her eye.

[Turkey Hit by Magnitude 7.8 Earthquake]

“What…?”

Eileen’s eyes widened in disbelief. An earthquake? In Turkey? Of all days?

“A 7.8 magnitude earthquake was followed by a 7.7 magnitude aftershock, and casualties have already reached 70,000.”

“What about… what about Sentinel?”

“After our people were deployed, the massive earthquake struck shortly after. The Sentinel building collapsed, and the underground facilities were completely buried. All communications have been cut off.”

“!?”

Only then did she understand why Gwangwoon had opened everything to the Americans.

They had known. That was why they had tried to bury it all underground in one go.

“Bu-but how on earth…?”

No one in the world could predict earthquakes. It was said to be a domain reserved for God alone.

But Gwangwoon had already entered that domain. The very place called the realm of the absolute.

End