The traditional Korean restaurant in Myeongdong had an old-world charm.
It was backed by Lee Young-han, known as the "lord of Myeongdong," and Captain Kang's men were discreetly stationed throughout the place to guard me.
Into this tense atmosphere stepped Kang Sugi, CEO of SG Entertainment.
He flaunted his power by arriving with a group of massive bodyguards.
The bodyguards, covered in tattoos that sprawled over their exposed arms, lumbered awkwardly as they walked, almost making me stifle a laugh at the sight.
"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Kim Min-jae of Taewoo Group."
"Oh my! To meet the crown prince of Taewoo Group like this is truly an honor. I never imagined a lowlife in charge of managing entertainers would be graced by someone so distinguished."
They say you can't spit on a smiling face, right?
Kang Sugi greeted me with a servile smile, but every word he spoke irritated me.
What he was basically saying was:
Why is a conglomerate heir meddling in the entertainment business?
It was a clear sneer aimed at me.
"Let's discuss the details inside," I said.
"Well then, this humble man will commit the rude act of dining with the crown prince of Taewoo Group."
He deliberately used an archaic, almost absurdly formal tone that no one would have used even in the Joseon era, clearly trying to get under my skin.
What was his purpose in trying to rile me up?
I figured he thought he'd benefit by upsetting me.
So I made sure to treat Kang Sugi with even more respect.
"I hope you enjoy the food. I ordered only the best dishes this place has to offer."
"If it's a meal from the crown prince of Taewoo Group, then even rice soaked in water should taste delicious, right? Which fool would complain about the side dishes?"
"Then let's start with the meal."
"Then I won't hold back—I'm going to loosen my belt properly today."
Crunch crunch! Smack smack!
Did he never learn to use utensils?
Kang Sugi was eating meat with both hands, tearing and chewing it, his lips smeared thickly with grease.
This was surely another form of power play.
Normally, anyone would put down their utensils and refuse to eat at the same table with someone behaving like this.
But I deliberately picked up the piece of meat he had grabbed with his hands using my chopsticks and put it into my mouth.
Who was messing with whom over food right now?
Before I reincarnated, I was the one who sometimes starved because I couldn't even afford instant noodles.
No matter how much he tried that stunt, I wasn't going to blink.
"Thanks to you, Crown Prince, I had a delicious meal. So, how about it? Are we going to have some fun now? I've heard the third-generation chaebols party hard—maybe I'll get to experience it myself?"
"I don't really mingle with other third-generation heirs, so I'm not sure how they party. But maybe we can start with a casual drink and talk—does that sound alright?"
"Hmm, it's a pity, but how could I say no when the Crown Prince of Taewoo Group asks?"
He was clearly trying to toy with me.
The more he did, the more curious I became.
What was his goal in doing this? And who was backing him that gave him such reckless confidence?
"I've heard that SG Entertainment is trying to poach artists from Taewoo Entertainment. Wouldn't it be better for both sides to stop now?"
"I truly haven't done anything. I was just giving advice to an artist I've been close with for a long time. If that artist wants to leave Taewoo Entertainment for SG Entertainment, what can I do? I just told them to do as they wish."
Kang Sugi downed a shot of cheongju in one gulp.
Apparently enjoying the taste, he even gave me a disgusting wink.
"Do you have any particular reason to be hostile toward Taewoo Group?"
"No way! I've never been hostile to the top group in Korea. Please understand it as just a desperate struggle to protect our little corner of the market."
"Who steals from a big supermarket claiming they're just protecting their neighborhood? That's simply theft."
"If goods roll in by themselves, who can stop them? And Crown Prince, having grown up in a greenhouse, I guess you don't know how ruthless this industry really is. This place is never an easy one. No matter how much money and power you have, a human life is still just one life, isn't it?"
Look at that. Now he's blatantly threatening me.
If he pushed further, it would be a threat against my life.
But even hearing that, I smiled.
Because I had thoroughly checked his background and confirmed he had deep ties to notorious gangs in Seoul and Honam regions.
"So it's true that gangs are still deeply involved in the entertainment business. I already know that 40% of SG Entertainment's shares are owned by gangsters."
"…It seems the rumors about Taewoo Group's intelligence capabilities being on par with the National Intelligence Service aren't false. But what will you do with that information? Are you really going to tangle with gangsters, Crown Prince? Ha ha ha!"
Kang Sugi laughed loudly, as if amused by the idea.
But judging by his laughter, it seemed he was hiding more information he hadn't revealed yet.
The gangs back SG Entertainment, but behind those gangs, there must be an even bigger force, which is why he was so brazen.
"I'm not going to get into a fight with some gangsters. But those who like and follow me might act on their own. I know that the main shareholder of SG Entertainment is the Yangji faction."
"If you mess with the Yangji faction, Taewoo Group will be completely wrecked. I hear many Chinese tourists are coming to Korea these days, so be careful."
"China, huh. So the Triads must be backing the Yangji faction."
"That's none of my business. You figure it out for yourself. Ah, the taste of the liquor is gone. Thanks for the meal. Think carefully before you act. Don't burn down the whole house chasing after a flea. Let's keep this peaceful."
Kang Sugi got up from his seat.
But his face wasn't any brighter than before.
He had shown a clear sign of being rattled when I mentioned the "Triads."
"Is Captain Kang waiting outside?"
"He's right here!"
Clack!
The space that looked like a solid wall slid open, and Captain Kang appeared.
He had been hiding in the narrow space, preparing for any unforeseen situation.
"Why do you insist on handling such troublesome matters yourself?"
"Who else would I entrust with protecting the CEO? I feel more at ease if I handle it personally."
"By the way, what do you think? Is it really true that behind SG Entertainment there's the Yangji faction, and behind them, the Chinese Triads?"
"I've been monitoring both SG Entertainment and the Yangji faction, and I did notice some suspicious activities. We confirmed that a mid-level Yangji operative has been traveling to China every month. Also, we have intel that Chinese gangsters frequently visit clubs run by the Yangji faction."
That was the moment suspicion turned into certainty.
So they were causing all this trouble relying on the Triads.
Of course, the Triads were no joke.
They reportedly generate more revenue than many large corporations, and their membership is said to exceed 500,000.
"Hmm, looks like I'll have to visit China myself."
"Let me know your schedule, and I'll send some staff ahead to China. And this time, I'll accompany you as well."
"No need to worry so much about security. China will probably be safer than Korea in this case."
"Still, I'll take all possible precautions just in case."
Captain Kang was visibly tense upon hearing the word "Triads."
But some gangsters wouldn't be able to do anything to me in China.
Because someone with far greater power and influence would be protecting me.
***
It had been a while since I last visited Shanghai.
From the airport, the bodyguards Captain Kang had sent ahead stuck close, but their numbers paled in comparison to the numerous Chinese security personnel who stepped forward to protect me.
Guided by the bodyguards, I was able to reach a hotel located in the heart of Shanghai. There, I was warmly greeted by a familiar face after a long time.
"Executive Committee Member Zheng Hongqin, it's an honor that you came out to meet me personally."
"You've come all the way to China — how could I just stand by? It's thanks to you that I was able to rise to this Executive Committee position."
Zheng Hongqin, Executive Committee Member.
He was the right-hand man of China's top leader and one of only seven people holding a seat on China's Executive Committee, the highest decision-making body.
Though China's top leadership changed two years ago, it was only in name; the former leader still held influence behind the scenes, so Zheng Hongqin's power remained immense.
"I couldn't come empty-handed, so I brought a few good gifts."
"Why would you bring all this between us? Just being able to see your face is gift enough."
In Chinese business culture, or guanxi, gifts were the glue holding relationships together.
So coming empty-handed was unthinkable, and gifts had to be chosen carefully to respect the other party's pride.
Especially for someone like Zheng Hongqin — an Executive Committee Member — the gifts had to match his status, requiring a full-on show of generosity.
"I couldn't carry all the gifts into the hotel, so I left a car fully loaded. I brought everything that seemed good, not knowing what you might prefer."
"Heh, you really are something. You could have just bought a bottle of liquor and it would have been enough."
As expected, Zheng Hongqin's lips curled upward into a smile when he heard I had brought such an abundance of gifts.
"How's business been lately? Everything going well?"
"Thanks to your attention, I've been able to post solid results. The deal with Charlotte Group helped significantly as well."
"Then may I propose a new venture that could bring more success?"
"If it's your business, I'll support it no matter what. So, what new venture are you planning to start?"
SG Enter, the Yangzi faction, and the Triad.
Honestly, none of that was all that important.
Once you start a business, those pests get naturally cleaned out.
"I'm planning to push forward with a Mongolian underground resources project actively."
"Hmm, not a bad idea. But will it make money? Mongolia has plenty of underground resources, sure, but the infrastructure is basically nonexistent. Getting started will cost a lot, and whether you can get a return on that investment is uncertain."
Zheng Hongqin didn't seem very interested.
To get his attention, it all had to come down to money.
"Taewoo Group is planning a large-scale infrastructure project in Mongolia. Naturally, this will require a significant number of Chinese workers. And for transportation, we'll have to rely on China's rail network."
"Of course. How else would Mongolia transport its resources without going through China?"
"That's why we need manpower companies and transportation companies. Part of the profits from those companies will be shared with you, sir."
Who doesn't like money?
Especially politicians, who always have plenty of outlets to spend it.
"So you're saying a portion of the shares will go to our Shanghai faction?"
"Exactly. Early on, a lot of money will go to the manpower companies, and as the project progresses, funds will flow through the transportation companies. Since this project is bigger than anything we've done before, the amount of support we can provide will also be larger."
"You're starting a new business, and you think I'll just stand by? I'll do whatever I can to help."
Nothing beats money.
I had a rule never to do financial deals with the Korean political world, but this was China — here, I could spread money without worry.