A significant number of people showed interest in me.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that every single attendee at the banquet approached me in an attempt to establish a connection.
In my past life, their reactions had been the same—at first.
But when Taewoo Group fell into crisis, not a single one of them answered my calls.
That was why I never considered them colleagues or friends.
This was a predator's den, where everyone was either hunting or being hunted.
I greeted each person, scanning for potential prey.
Once a brief lull in conversation arose, I made the first move.
"Good evening. I heard your company has officially rebranded as CL Group this year. It's a great name—not just for the Korean market but also for global expansion."
"Oh, I wouldn't know much about that. The elders in my family made the decision after much deliberation. But I appreciate your kind words."
The man I approached was Go Young-jun, a third-generation heir to CL Group.
Despite being a fellow third-generation chaebol, he was much older than me—already in his forties.
CL Group had an exceptionally long history, so it was only natural that its third-generation heirs were older.
"I'd love to stay in touch more often. I'm still young and inexperienced, so I could really use the guidance of a seasoned senior like you."
"Haha, I don't know if I'm qualified to give advice, but feel free to reach out anytime."
"Please, speak comfortably. I'm temporarily based in Changwon, but once I return to Seoul, I'll visit often."
A smile spread across Go Young-jun's face.
Unlike heirs from other conglomerates, CL Group's members carried themselves with an air of aristocracy, believing themselves to be descendants of noble families.
And what was the defining trait of a noble household?
Primogeniture.
In both the past and future, CL Group had never been plagued by succession disputes or internal power struggles.
The heirs followed the elders' decisions without question.
Even the collateral branches were appeased with lucrative subsidiaries, eliminating the risk of rebellion.
Go Young-jun was no exception.
He was not the firstborn, so he had already given up any hope of succession.
So why did I approach him?
To fan the flames.
I wanted to plant the idea that he was capable of leading the company.
And I was fully prepared to back him—because that was the surest way to ignite a succession war.
When a corporate power struggle erupts, weaknesses appear.
And when weaknesses appear, I can swoop in and snatch up CL Group's most valuable subsidiaries for myself.
"Good evening. I'm Kim Min-jae."
I continued hunting for prey.
Out of the top 30 conglomerates, I had set my sights on five as my targets.
Most notably, I focused on Hyundai Group and Hyeonjin Group, where chaotic succession battles were about to unfold.
Had I ever spoken this much in my life?
No matter how much water I drank, my mouth remained parched.
But I wasn't struggling at all.
If anything, I was having fun.
If hunting ever became exhausting, then it simply meant I wasn't cut out to be a hunter.
After a hectic Saturday, I headed back down to Changwon.
I had managed to rest a little on the train, but the sheer amount of alcohol I had consumed at the banquet left my body feeling sluggish.
But there was no time to rest.
Dragging my exhausted body along, I made my way to the largest hotel suite in Changwon.
"Welcome, sir!"
"You're alone, Captain Kang?"
"The others are out working. Besides, it's not exactly beneficial for them to recognize your face, is it?"
Captain Kang truly had a sharp sense about him.
And his skills were just as impressive as his instincts.
"We've got something."
"Already? The operation only started yesterday. Don't tell me something happened last night?"
"Factory manager Seo Woo-tae and the accountant Han Ji-hye met up last night. Right here, in this very hotel."
"Wait, don't tell me you chose this hotel as our command post because you expected this to happen?"
"No, that was just a lucky coincidence. They walked straight into our den on their own."
Well, considering the limited number of quality hotels in Changwon, it wasn't all that surprising.
Still, Seo Woo-tae's luck was horrendously bad.
Walking into a tiger's den all on his own?
"So, what kind of evidence did you get? Just because they stayed at the same hotel doesn't necessarily prove anything."
"We bribed the hotel staff to obtain proof. It cost us a bit, but it was worth it."
"You did well. As I've always said, if money can solve a problem, then use money. It's the easiest and most effective way."
Captain Kang pulled out the evidence.
Considering the short amount of time, the variety of evidence he had gathered was impressive.
"Wiretaps, photos… don't tell me you even recorded a video?"
"We used equipment previously employed by Military Intelligence Command. But since the data was obtained illegally, it may not be admissible in court."
"That's fine. Our 'Mad Dog' team will handle the legal evidence. This, on the other hand, serves an entirely different purpose."
"And that purpose is…?"
"Sowing discord."
Ah! His wife had to be included too. So… a love square?
"You're planning to turn the two accountants against each other, aren't you?"
"Not just them. Seo Woo-tae as well. Once that happens, they'll start bringing me internal documents on their own."
"Understood. I'll collect the rest of the evidence as quickly as possible."
***
To successfully execute the divide-and-conquer strategy, I needed dirt on the other accountant, Joo Young-mi, as well.
But Captain Kang had already secured incriminating evidence on both Seo Woo-tae and Joo Young-mi—in less than a day.
"We've got footage of Seo Woo-tae entering Joo Young-mi's officetel."
"Wait… don't tell me Seo Woo-tae was the one who arranged that place for her?"
"The officetel's rent was being paid by the Changwon Parts Factory."
"So he's using company funds—not even his own money—to pay his mistress's rent?"
The more I learned, the more astonishing this man became.
Yesterday, it was Han Ji-hye. Today, it's Joo Young-mi.
Did he really think of the Changwon Parts Factory as his own personal kingdom?
No—at this point, it wasn't just a delusion. The factory was his kingdom.
"We've confirmed that Seo Woo-tae has complete control over the factory's accounting."
"I just don't get it. Why the hell would someone build their own kingdom inside another company? A guy like him needs to be made an example of."
Captain Kang pressed his lips together.
He seemed even more furious at Seo Woo-tae than I was.
"I'll dig up more dirt on him."
"At this point, we're just splitting hairs. I'll secure the internal documents myself. From now on, focus entirely on the Mad Dog Team and gathering legal evidence."
"Understood."
"Also, check where Han Ji-hye is right now."
"She's currently having coffee with three members of her faction."
Captain Kang had already stationed people to keep an eye on her.
As expected from a military man, his execution was flawless.
***
Large coffee chains hadn't launched in Korea yet.
In my previous life, you could find a coffee shop on nearly every block, but for now, all that existed were modest cafés, just a step above old-fashioned dabangs.
Come to think of it... should I launch Starbucks myself?
Due to the financial crisis, Starbucks's entry into Korea had been indefinitely postponed until 1999—if I remembered correctly.
I should send someone to the U.S. for this.
With these thoughts in mind, I parked my car near the café.
Right on cue, Han Ji-hye and the three accountants walked out of the shop together.
Honk!
I gave a light tap on the horn, drawing their attention.
"Well, look who it is!"
"Oh! Manager, what brings you here?"
"I had some business nearby and thought I'd stop by. If you're heading home, I can give you a ride."
"Really? That'd be great! Thanks!"
They got into the car without hesitation.
I deliberately dropped them off one by one, leaving only Han Ji-hye in the car.
Once we were alone, I casually brought up the real topic.
"By the way, do you know if Factory Manager Seo and Joo Young-mi have been meeting privately?"
"Huh? What do you mean by that?"
"I saw them together yesterday. They seemed really close."
"That's impossible. Factory Manager Seo isn't that kind of person."
Yeah, sure he isn't.
He's already cheating with you—why wouldn't he do the same with someone else?
Oh, wait. Are you saying that because he's with you, he wouldn't cheat on anyone else?
"Just in case, I took a photo."
"What?! Oh…"
I connected my digital camera to my laptop and pulled up the photo.
It was taken with a brand-new digital camera, capable of a whopping 6-megapixel resolution—a device I had spent 40 million won to acquire.
Sure, in a few years, even cell phones would have 5-megapixel cameras, but right now, a 6-megapixel digital camera was nothing short of revolutionary.
"Photography is a hobby of mine. I don't usually take pictures of people, but I was so shocked yesterday that I pressed the shutter without thinking."
"H-How could this happen…?"
Han Ji-hye lowered her head.
Moments later, tears began rolling down her cheeks like raindrops.
Did she actually love Factory Manager Seo? No, I didn't think so.
It was probably rage—the fury of betrayal.
Or maybe… it was the humiliation of being cast aside for Joo Young-mi, someone she likely saw as inferior.
"Factory Manager Seo is really something else. I'm not sure if we can trust him to run the Changwon Parts Factory anymore."
"Are you thinking of replacing him?"
"I don't have that kind of power. But if I had solid proof, I could report it to my grandfather and make it happen."
"I'll help you! I'll dig up every bit of dirt on him and bring it to you!"
They say that when a woman seeks revenge, frost falls in the middle of summer.
That saying had never felt truer.
Han Ji-hye was consumed by vengeance—half-mad with fury.
"If you do that, I'll make sure you're protected. I'll arrange for you to work at Changwon's first factory or even the head office—somewhere with better facilities."
"Leave it to me! I'll get every document I can find!"
"But first, calm down. If you get too worked up, you'll slip up. If Factory Manager Seo senses something is off, he'll start covering his tracks."
"Hoo… hoo…"
She took deep breaths, then nodded with determination before heading home.
Watching her leave, I started planning my next move.
"One down. Now, time for the other one."
Factory Manager Seo was a meticulous man.
There was no doubt that he had assigned different tasks to Han Ji-hye and Joo Young-mi.
To obtain all the records, I needed Joo Young-mi to burn with vengeance too.
"I need to wrap this up today."
I drove towards Joo Young-mi's officetel.
***
The Next Day
By the next morning, I could see for myself just how furious Han Ji-hye and Joo Young-mi had become.
Even before lunch, Han Ji-hye came looking for me, discreetly handing me twenty document folders.
"These are the double ledgers I had. I'll gather the rest before the end of the day."
"You must have had a tough time. Once this is over, take a vacation. By the time you get back, you won't see Factory Manager Seo in Changwon anymore."
"I really hope so."
Han Ji-hye wasn't the only one out for revenge.
Not long after, Joo Young-mi also came to see me—holding a stack of folders.
"The recent pallet factory contracts were all orchestrated by Factory Manager Seo for his own profit. These documents include records of the executives involved and all the relevant details."
"These people are absolute scum. I'll make sure they're permanently removed from Tae-woo Group."
"But… will I be safe?"
"Don't worry. I'll make sure you're completely protected."
"I'm counting on you."
I handed all the documents to Captain Kang.
He then mobilized the Mad Dog Team—a squad of elite agents from the National Tax Service, police, and prosecution.