Chapter 202

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“Candidate. Are you alright?”

Filled with adrenaline and barely having escaped the danger zone, Trent finally started to regain his senses.

He didn’t know what had happened there, or what he was thinking when he stretched out his arm and screamed.

Even though he clearly heard several more gunshots and saw bodyguards fall from them, he didn’t stop raising his arm high and shouting.

“My left ear has been numb since earlier. What happened?”

“That… it seems the bullet grazed your left ear.”

“Grazed?”

“Yes. If the angle had been slightly off…”

As the security chief said, if the angle had been slightly different, the bullet would have gone straight through Trent’s head.

“…”

Trent felt shivers running through his whole body.

Cold sweat flowed from that breathtaking dizziness.

“The shooter? Was he caught?”

“We haven’t received word yet.”

“…”

The tension released, and Trent felt all strength drain from his body.

“Candidate, I’m really sorry to say this, but… when you were shot earlier, seizing that opportunity without missing it was incredible quick thinking.”

“…”

“Today’s news will be broadcast worldwide, and the candidate’s action of showing determination despite being shot will become a big topic. For a while, all news will be talking about the candidate.”

“That’s right. It’s only fitting to praise the candidate who didn’t lose courage even in front of gunfire. The Republican Party will also put out articles saying the candidate deserves to be a world leader. Perhaps, just perhaps, this could be the opportunity to surpass Hillis’s approval.”

“…”

Trent, who was receiving emergency treatment, didn’t respond at all.

Rather, wasn’t he trembling all over?

“C-Candidate?”

“Matthew.”

“A-Yes.”

“You saw it too, didn’t you? Those bastards… those bastards shot at me.”

“What?”

His key aide Matthew could feel it.

That Trent was completely terrified right now.

Wasn’t he the one who had raised his arm high and screamed after being shot?

Yet the moment he got in the vehicle, he was shaking all over with a pale face.

“Those bastards… those bastards tried to kill me.”

“Candidate. What do you mean, those bastards?”

“Gwangwoon. Gwangwoon tried to kill me.”

Gwangwoon?

The aides looked at each other in confusion.

“But there’s no way Gwangwoon would do that. Why would they…”

“You all just told me, didn’t you? That this incident will make the whole world cover me. That I might surpass Hillis’s approval. Exactly as Gwangwoon wanted.”

“…!”

The aides couldn’t believe it.

Even so, would Gwangwoon really do something this crazy?

“Aiden told me. That Gwangwoon wouldn’t speak directly but act. And that when the time came, I would naturally recognize the signal.”

“Even if it’s Gwangwoon, would they really do something this insane? If the shooter really moved under Gwangwoon’s orders, how would they handle the consequences if he made a mistake?”

“Those bastards must have gambled too.”

Or they trusted the shooter’s skill.

The other party is Gwangwoon.

There’s no way they made a mistake.

As always.

“Didn’t things turn out exactly as they wanted? The moment today’s breaking news goes out, all stocks related to me will hit the ceiling, right? Wasn’t Gwangwoon buying up my themed stocks even before today’s incident?”

That was true.

Gwangwoon steadfastly bought Trent themed stocks despite everyone’s mockery.

And perfectly on cue, today the incident of Trent being sniped occurred.

Too blatant to call coincidence, wasn’t it?

“So those Gwangwoon crazy bastards really did!”

“Candidate. This matter absolutely cannot be let go.”

“That’s right. How dare they snipe at someone who will be the next President! Even if it was a strategy for approval, didn’t they wound the candidate like this? Above all, if the aim had been off, the candidate’s life…”

Trent shook his head.

“It’ll be useless. Do you think those bastards left evidence?”

“Forces are being dispatched to catch the sniper right now. If we catch him, all the truth will be revealed.”

“Do you not know how Japan’s former Prime Minister died? A shooter was caught then too, but not a single connection to Gwangwoon could be found.”

“Candidate. Please leave this matter to us. We will definitely find out who’s behind it.”

Trent thought it was a pipe dream.

These were madmen who devised a way to snipe a former President in broad daylight to raise approval.

Would such people do things sloppily?

Just like Japan, they definitely wouldn’t find anything.

“…”

Trent touched his ear after the emergency treatment was done.

Suddenly, he recalled the warning Aiden had left.

Something about how it’s useless to try tricks against Gwangwoon.

This wound somehow felt like their warning.

***

“No. Isn’t this really crazy?”

Curses burst out of my mouth.

“How can someone snipe a presidential candidate in broad daylight?”

“A country where everyone is equal before guns. that’s America. But even I was quite shocked by this incident. No matter how many people in America dislike Trent, I didn’t know they’d try to resolve it with guns.”

It wasn’t just me and our employees who were shocked.

Currently, the whole world was the same.

Since it was a country that had experienced the unprecedented situation of a presidential assassination attempt, they were taking this matter very seriously.

“What happened to the sniper?”

“He was killed during the exchange of fire. The first shot apparently missed President Trent, and he fired several more times after that. Bodyguards were injured, and there were casualties among supporters at the rally.”

It was truly heartbreaking.

Because of one insane person, innocent people died.

“But why did he do it? Honestly, Hillis was leading this election, right?”

“At first, everyone speculated that, like the previous election, the shooter acted to eliminate variables to prevent the tragedy of Trent being elected despite having fewer votes. But apparently upon investigation, it’s different from what was thought.”

Thomas, a 20-year-old young man who sniped Trent.

He resisted the forces that came and was killed, and an investigation immediately began.

Everyone assumed he was a mentally ill person who was a Democratic Party member and deeply immersed in politics, but it turned out to be the complete opposite.

He was a Republican Party member, and the trigger for this sniping was said to be mental issues combined with wanting to escape anonymity and gain fame.

“So he wasn’t acting under anyone’s orders?”

“It’s still early in the investigation so that hasn’t been revealed yet, but from what’s coming out, it was a solo act.”

Sniping a presidential candidate just to gain fame.

What a terrifying country.

Should I be grateful that our country doesn’t allow gun permits?

Since most men have been to the military, if everyone had guns, wouldn’t they all be capable of sniping from 200 meters away?

“But President, you know the Trent themed stocks we bought?”

“Yes. What happened?”

“Prices are rising tremendously right now. They had been hitting rock bottom, and some were on the verge of delisting, so prices are shooting through the roof.”

At first tens of trillions of won, then hundreds of trillions of won were poured into world stock markets.

Not just America.

Hundreds of trillions of won were spread across the world as they bought up all sectors that would benefit if Trent became President.

Now all of those were rising together.

“…”

But I didn’t feel great about it.

The reason those stocks rose was because of this shooting, wasn’t it?

So a heavy heart was weighing on me.

“But will this lead to a reversal?”

“The Republican Party is pushing hard right now, but the decisive thing was Trent’s behavior after being shot. Despite bleeding profusely, didn’t he go out shouting ‘Make America Great Again!’?”

That performance was still showing whenever you turned on the TV.

It had left that strong of an impression.

“Is this really going to make Trent President?”

“We need to watch more. Of course, he definitely seized an opportunity with this incident.”

“But for him to really get elected, there’s still a lot of time until the election, and if Trent runs his mouth again…”

The employees continued debating whether Trent would get elected from this opportunity or not.

But no matter what they said, I just listened comfortably.

Because I already knew.

Who would become the next President.

***

The meeting room had a very solemn atmosphere.

Or rather, it was suffocating.

“Give me the report.”

At the heavy voice of Hwang Dae-woon sitting at the head, one executive cautiously spoke.

“After a week of detailed investigation by the FBI and US Congress, the conclusion is that the person named Thomas acted alone.”

“No one was behind it?”

“Yes. They searched through phone to computer and conducted forensics, but it only solidified that it was Thomas’s solo crime. He had mental issues normally, and above all had a strong desire for fame.”

“And Trent happened to come to his region for a rally?”

“Correct. He thought if he sniped Trent, who could be called the center of controversy, he could gain tremendous fame.”

Hwang Dae-woon let out a short sigh of relief.

But was it right to feel relieved?

“However, Chairman, the Republican side was investigating whether this incident has any connection to our Gwangwoon.”

“…!”

“But no matter how much they investigated, nothing that could connect to our side came out.”

“So they’re suspecting us right now?”

“Yes. But as I said, there’s no evidence.”

There was enough reason to suspect.

When everyone abandoned Trent themed stocks.

Only Gwangwoon gathered them up.

And not just a little. they showed enthusiasm pouring hundreds of trillions across the world.

And then this incident broke out.

Unless you’re a fool, you can’t help but suspect.

“…”

Chairman Hwang recalled the conversation he had with Jeong Jin-ho at the samgyeopsal restaurant.

Back then, Jin-ho never explained why he was scraping up Trent themed stocks.

He just said to trust him.

So Chairman Hwang didn’t pry further and deliberately changed the subject.

Because he thought there must be a good reason.

‘But was this the reason?’

What if Jin-ho knew about this in advance?

No. Beyond knowing. what if he had been planning it?

So he deliberately didn’t say anything.

Partly to prevent word from leaking out, and also because if he had told the truth, Hwang Dae-woon wouldn’t have let this happen.

No matter how much he cherishes him as a brother, this is about sniping a US presidential candidate.

How could he not try to stop it?

“Perhaps he didn’t want to involve the Chairman. So that President Jeong Jin-ho alone would bear that blood.”

At those words, Hwang Dae-woon furrowed his brow.

“Who’s spouting such bullshit?”

“…What?”

“Are you saying our Jin-ho is connected to such terrible things?”

“B-But Chairman. Given the timing, the probability that President Jeong Jin-ho is involved is very high…”

“Shut up!”

The executives were startled by Hwang Dae-woon’s shout and lowered their heads.

“What’s said in the day is heard by birds, and what’s said at night is heard by mice. What we’re discussing now could cause needless misunderstanding if it leaks outside. And I don’t think Jin-ho is connected to this incident. Do you understand what I mean?”

Even if Jeong Jin-ho was involved in this Trent sniper incident, they must deny it to the end.

So they couldn’t even open their mouths.

This incident has nothing to do with President Jeong Jin-ho!

“Control the media properly too. Same with social media and communities. Delete all posts that try to exaggerate this incident, and if anyone makes an issue of it, sue them for spreading false information. So it never comes up again.”

“Yes sir!”

“If you understand, everyone get out and do your work.”

As the executives all filed out, Hwang Dae-woon, left alone, finally let out a trembling breath.

“…”

He stared blankly at the photo of Trent bleeding with his hand raised high.

What that behavior in such a terrible situation meant was obvious.

It wasn’t simply quick thinking.

Trent already knew something like this would happen.

In other words, Trent was moving according to a meticulously written script.

Did that mean there was a plan between Jin-ho and Trent?

“…”

Hwang Dae-woon fully understood why Jin-ho hadn’t told him about this in advance.

In case things went wrong, he must have wanted to protect Hwang Dae-woon and take all the blame himself.

He was certainly that kind of person.

But Hwang Dae-woon also wanted to share some of that heavy burden.

End