Chapter 61: Chapter 61

As the Chuseok holiday drew to a close, with family members heading back to their respective lives and the Sun Palace settling into a quieter atmosphere, Chairman Go Yeong-man suddenly declared,

“I think… I’ll play a game of Go.”

“...Pardon?”

The statement was so out of the blue that even his long-serving secretary momentarily looked bewildered.

Go Yeong-man gently stroked the worn Go board.

“This is what I originally wanted to do. I’ve ended up playing the role of Chairman, but… my dreams are still here.”

There was a hint of wistfulness in his eyes, along with a spark of rekindled desire, an inexplicable confidence, and a trace of hope.

The secretary, now sweating nervously, hesitantly asked,

“Surely… you’re not planning to join as a professional player?”

“Yes!”

“!!!”

Thud.

It felt as if his heart had just dropped.

What on earth… is happening?!

‘I never imagined the Go board Young Master gifted would have this much impact…!!’

No matter how sentimental, for an item to inspire someone as authoritative as Go Yeong-man to aspire to be a professional Go player was astonishing.

Of course, it was theoretically possible. After all, this was the Chairman of the Go-Ryeo Group—who could say no if he wielded his power over the Go Association?

The problem was the absurd gap between professional and amateur players. Even if he could pull some strings to enter as a professional, his actual skill level would become apparent quickly. Any seasoned player could gauge someone’s strength just by glancing at their recorded moves.

If Chairman Go Yeong-man were to become a professional…

it would lead to all sorts of trouble, potentially even to people mocking him needlessly.

“Anyway, I’ve decided, so look up the schedule for the entry test.”

“Ah, y-yes, sir.”

“And make sure they understand—no special treatment. I want to go through the process just like everyone else.”

“Uh, how will you… ah, my apologies.”

“I can do it.”

“….”

Chairman Go Yeong-man was brimming with confidence. Where on earth was that coming from?

“By the way,” he continued, settling into his chair and running his hand over the broad desk with a satisfied smile.

“I’ve been wondering what to give my grandson. Do you have any suggestions?”

“You mean Young Master Go Muyeol?”

“Yes! Who else could be my grandson besides Muyeol?”

“….”

Quite a few, actually. He just refused to acknowledge them.

‘As expected, if they weren’t born from Lady Go Na-hee, he completely disregards them….’

After a brief moment of thought, the secretary answered,

“Perhaps… gifting him some land would be fitting?”

“Land?”

“Yes. Previously—”

“Oh! Right, I recall. We were looking to purchase land for a prison.”

“Yes.”

“Ah, it all lines up. Perhaps he was also looking for land on Shin-an Island, just stumbled across it there. Otherwise, why would he go to such a remote place?”

“There are certainly many islands in Shin-an.”

“But after acquiring it, he must’ve thought that gifting it to his grandfather would bring him more benefits. Don’t you think so?”

“Well… of course, such thoughts may have crossed his mind, but I believe Young Master was sincerely thinking of you, Chairman.”

Go Yeong-man chuckled heartily.

“Of course, of course. Anyway, land is land—there’s plenty of it around, so perhaps I could just give him a piece. Or maybe…”

He trailed off, lost in thought, tapping the table lightly before speaking again.

“Order an artificial island.”

“!! A-an artificial island, sir?”

“Yes! Ordinary land isn’t worth even a single pebble on this Go board. Only an artificial island would set my mind at ease.”

“…”

This seemed… a bit extreme. Given all the prime land Chairman Go Yeong-man already owned, to say it wasn’t worth even a pebble was hard to fathom. Sure, this was the Go board of the legendary Korean grandmaster, but still…

“But, Chairman, constructing an artificial island will take considerable time. Young Master appears to need the land sooner.”

“You’re right. How long would it take to complete?”

“It depends on the specifications, but… at least eight years.”

“…”

Eight years was a long time.

“I’d rather not give him a used one… is there nowhere we can pull one from?”

“Well, if I may, there is an island we were planning to deliver to Military Tech Headquarters.”

“Really?”

“Yes, it’ll be ready within a month, with an area of 300 square kilometers. Designed for military purposes, it’s equipped with full security and defense measures, making it perfect for the young master’s requirements.”

“Hmm.”

A perfect island. However, the fact that it was earmarked for Military Tech posed an issue.

“When did Min-young request this?”

“…Thirteen years ago, Chairman.”

“Ahem.”

Thirteen years… was substantial.

“…Still, for the sake of grandfatherly dignity, bring it up with her.”

“…Understood.”

The secretary couldn’t help but shiver, recalling the likely frosty response from Vice-Chairwoman Go Min-young.

—

“Have you lost your mind?”

“….”

“The senile old fool’s at it again. Do you have any idea how much that island cost?”

“Ahem, M-Madam Vice-Chairwoman…”

“Oh, my apologies. I didn’t mean to show such a lack of decorum.”

“….”

“Absolutely not. Convey that to my father.”

“Understood, and apologies for the disturbance.”

“Instead, I’ll arrange something I already have as a gift.”

“Pardon?”

“Muyeol is scheduled to visit Military Tech next month. If he manages to persuade me then, I’d be happy to gift him something. A plot of around 50 square kilometers should be sufficient.”

The secretary promptly reported to the Chairman.

“Then it’s her gift, not mine. That wretched woman.”

“….”

“Dares to disgrace her father like this.”

“….”

“Besides, a gift is a gift. What nonsense about persuasion? As his aunt, shouldn’t she be gifting without conditions? Tsk, tsk.”

The secretary, feeling like a shrimp caught in a whale’s struggle, cautiously spoke up.

“…What would you like to do, Chairman?”

“Well, since she’s handling the island, find something else Muyeol might need.”

“…Understood.”

+++

October 5, 2076, Monday.

As the long Chuseok break ended, people gradually returned to their regular routines.

Soo-ah, my main confidante in my private circle, apparently arrived at the mansion in the early hours. She’d likely been busy compiling reports on everything that happened and organizing matters for me.

“Hey, it’s been a while. You look like you’ve put on some weight.”

“Pardon? No way! I’ve kept up my routine! I’ve actually lost weight!”

“I don’t believe it. Show me.”

“Oh, come on….”

Soo-ah took off her top and then her pants, undressing entirely in under a minute. The sight of her bare body after so long stirred a gentle arousal, sending a rush of blood through me.

‘Nothing wakes you up like a good hard-on.’

I don’t know why, but it really clears my mind. It’s like it sweeps away lingering fatigue and drowsiness.

“Ahem, reporting, sir.”

Her report, in summary, was as follows:

During the Chuseok holiday, the LUMINA team worked around the clock, completing both their debut songs and choreography. Now, all that’s left is for them to practice until it’s polished, then debut.

Real Production’s stock closed at 260,000 won on Friday. If nothing unexpected happens, it should continue rising. It’s time to start selling to gather cash.

“A total of two trillion won in cash!”

“Sell all of Real Production and short it when it dips. When it starts to climb again, keep shorting it.”

“How much?”

“Until it crashes.”

“Ah… understood.”

Let’s see if I can manage ten trillion won myself. Then I’ll buy an island, build a prison, pack it with young and wicked female inmates, add a runway, a port, and create my own military city.

Ah, time feels like it’s crawling.

“Within the Prosecutor’s Office, there’s some resistance building against Special Prosecutor Lee Na-eun.”

“Resistance?”

“Yes, even discussions of dissolving the special prosecution. Though nothing’s certain, we should keep an eye on it.”

“Dissolution is not an option. There are still plenty of studios standing.”

“….”

“Besides, she’s sexier when she’s wielding authority. Makes me want to crush her.”

“Shall I relay this through Korea Prestige?”

“No… reach out to Hyun-joo and have her publish an article: ‘As expected, corrupt forces are hindering Special Prosecutor Lee Na-eun,’ ‘The industry suffers significant harm,’ and ‘Honest citizens demand a thorough cleansing.’ Mention that standard contracts have been highlighted.”@@novelbin@@

Soo-ah nodded, jotting it down.

“Yes, I’ll relay the message.”

“By now, those sharp enough in the industry must know Go-Ryeo Group backs Korea Entertainment.”

“By now, those sharp enough in the industry must know Go-Ryeo Group backs Korea Entertainment.”

"Yes, sir.”

It would be laughable if they didn’t, considering the name "Go-Ryeo."

Bzzzzz.

Just then, my phone vibrated. Without much thought, I glanced at the screen.

- Aunt Go Min-young

“…Oh?”

It was a completely unexpected name. I answered immediately.

“Yes, Aunt. This is Muyeol. I hope you had a peaceful weekend.”

“Indeed, it was fine. But more importantly, nephew, I heard you need an island?”

“Pardon?”