By Zephyria 
Despite her middle age, she had a tremendous physique. Even sitting in a chair, she had a large build and height reminiscent of Zhang Fei or Guan Yu from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and her entire body was full of rock-like muscles. Her neck was as thick as a waist, and her fists were like rocks. A naturally strong person whose blade would break even if cut with a knife. She seemed capable of winning a tug-of-war against four bulls.
However, what aroused even more wariness than her size was the overwhelming presence that clearly distinguished her from ordinary people. Just like Gyeongjeong’s Chairman Kwon Jung-il, President Hwang was not an ordinary person either. Her eyes and demeanor were filled with extraordinary ruthlessness, and the indelible smell of blood lingered.
In the first place, clumsy people in this industry die or get hurt before long. It was not easy to survive until old age and rise to a high position. President Hwang was a victor in the cruel battlefield outside the boundaries of the law, and a powerful figure in the underworld who would continue the same endless struggle until she died.
She glared at Tae-hwon, who was entering side by side with Kwon Rae-i, and instructed her aide.
“Liquor.”
“Yes, President.”
The aide quickly set up scotch in front of President Hwang. There were three glasses. After the aide finished preparing, she closed the door and left, and only then did President Hwang beckon them with a nod.
“Sit down.”
Kwon Rae-i pulled out Tae-hwon’s chair first. Perhaps because he had become accustomed to being cared for while living as a patient, Tae-hwon naturally accepted his escort and sat down in the chair. Seeing Kwon Rae-i taking care of Tae-hwon like an aide, President Hwang’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“A dazed bastard…”
She scolded Kwon Rae-i in a reproachful tone. She seemed displeased.
“They say Woo Tae-hwon has everything, but what kind of guts do you have to crawl back in here?”
“I won’t beat around the bush.”
Kwon Rae-i, holding a glass of liquor, emptied it in one gulp and immediately got to the point.
“We’re going to cut off Gyeongjeong’s head.”
“Who says so?”
“As you can see, it’s what Tae-hwon and I want.”
Kwon Rae-i had a faint smile and was laughing comfortably. The gesture of tapping the glass was also carefree. As if he had returned to his parents’ home.
“Who would give Jeun to such a whim? You should be grateful to me just for letting you out in one piece. I called you here today just to see the face of a soon-to-be-dead bastard.”
President Hwang picked up the scotch bottle and filled Kwon Rae-i’s empty glass to the brim. The liquor overflowed the glass and soaked the table.
“It’s ancestral rites liquor. When you go back, make sure to eat the offerings.”
Saying that, President Hwang seemed to be planning to kick Kwon Rae-i out. If it was revenge, that was it. Even if President Hwang didn’t bother to take action, Gyeongjeong would take care of it. Without having to dirty her hands or give instructions, Kwon Rae-i and Woo Tae-hwon would be taken care of on their own.
‘Yeah, we’re the ones losing out.’
They were the ones who were desperate.
They were also the ones who were on the defensive.
Tae-hwon calmly watched Kwon Rae-i, who received the glass of liquor and emptied it in one gulp. He still seemed relaxed and carefree. He said he had a plan, but he had no idea what he was thinking. Unable to control the burning inside, Tae-hwon grabbed the glass and drank it all at once.
He had never felt so frustrated with his amnesiac self. The fact that he was a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment, a burden that threatened Kwon Rae-i’s safety, and a useless invalid became more and more resentful as the days went by.
At that moment, Kwon Rae-i pulled his chair back and opened his mouth.
“Ancestral rites liquor? Isn’t it a banquet liquor?”
He leaned back comfortably, provoking and staring at President Hwang, who was like a general. His blue eyes were unwavering and calm. He was clear and certain, as if he already knew the answer.
“In the first place, if it weren’t for Tae-hwon, my father wouldn’t have died. Woo Tae-hwon is the one who provided the perfect opportunity to shake the empty throne of Gyeongjeong. I brought someone who is Jeun’s benefactor, but how long are you going to sulk alone, President Hwang?”
“Benefactor? Who’s the benefactor?”
“Woo Tae-hwon. The one here.”
Kwon Rae-i gestured to Tae-hwon. Tae-hwon frowned and looked back at Kwon Rae-i. What was Kwon Rae-i going to say again…?
“Either way, now is the perfect opportunity for Jeun to step in. You don’t want to hand over Gyeongjeong to Kwon Tae-oh and Kwon Hyeon-oh, do you? If Jeun moves, we can devour Gyeongjeong. But what will you do after that?”
“…”
“You don’t have a suitable successor either, President Hwang. Before long, the organization will fall apart. That’s why you took in a brat like me and raised me so dearly, isn’t it? To have me succeed Jeun in the future.”
“…What dearly. Your glass is empty. Just get lost.”
Kwon Rae-i spun the glass in his hand like a toy and then placed it on the table with a thud.
“I’ll accept it. The succession.”
Then President Hwang’s expression changed. Her face, which had been like a fierce beast like a tiger, faltered for a moment. Tae-hwon quickly grasped the situation.
‘Successor…?’
That’s right. President Hwang had no children. She had never married. If things continued like this, Jeun’s lineage would be cut off. In that situation, President Hwang must have been thinking of Kwon Rae-i as her successor and raising him.
‘So that’s it. She was seeing Kwon Rae-i as a successor to Jeun.’
Now all the pieces fell into place.
The reason why Jeon Ho-chang’s group, who tried to stop Kwon Rae-i underground, couldn’t do anything and retreated. The reason why President Hwang bothered to call Kwon Rae-i and Woo Tae-hwon, who were about to die, to her headquarters for a meeting.
Kwon Rae-i was Jeun’s unofficial successor.
“I’ve declined every time, but this time I’ll accept the offer. I’ll take over Jeun. And after purging the brothers of Gyeongjeong, I’ll merge the two organizations into one.”
The sound of wind was heard from somewhere. His spine tingled. It was a prelude to a bloody storm. A cruel darkness that would sweep over and engulf the sleepless city. It was a prediction that the power of Gyeongjeong and Jeun, and the landscape of Korean organizations, would be completely overturned.
Like lightning striking from the end of the world, Kwon Rae-i plunged down like blue lightning and pressured President Hwang.
“If things continue like this, even if Jeun doesn’t miss the perfect opportunity and devours Gyeongjeong, the throne will be shaken in just over a dozen years. How much longer will you live, President Hwang? Do you want to see Jeun, which blooms and withers as soon as it blooms, like a ephemera?”
“…”
“President. Stop trying so hard and leave it to me. I’ll make it bloom for a long time, until the end of your natural life, and even after that.”
Kwon Rae-i added a joke, telling President Hwang to just enjoy the flower viewing. It was amazing that he was talking about flower viewing while bringing a fierce bloody storm.
The atmosphere rapidly subsided, and a long silence began after that. President Hwang’s expression slowly hardened, and she began an intense staring contest with Kwon Rae-i. The two gazes that passed back and forth were fierce and intense, as if they would tear each other apart. They were fighting a battle of truth without yielding an inch.
“…You’ll do it?”
After a long silence, President Hwang asked as if throwing it out. Kwon Rae-i replied dryly.
“Yes.”
“What about Woo Tae-hwon? What are you going to do with that troublemaker?”
“He’s my man. Do I need to explain more?”
“Hmph…”
President Hwang let out a sigh and narrowed her eyes. She glanced over Tae-hwon, who had emptied his glass, as if displeased. She had poured liquor for Kwon Rae-i, but not for Tae-hwon.
“Do you like him that much? He’s the one who killed your father and betrayed you. He may be dazed now because he hit his head, but you never know when he’ll stab you in the back.”
“I’m prepared for that.”
“Besides, you abandoned Jeun and left because of that bastard. What guarantee do I have that you won’t do it again? What if Woo Tae-hwon breaks his promise again because of that bastard?”
“That won’t happen. If only to protect Tae-hwon. Now that I’ve dragged Gyeongjeong and even Jeun into this game, if I don’t sit on the throne, not only I but Tae-hwon will be in danger, won’t he?”
“You crazy bastard. I thought Woo Tae-hwon must be the most beautiful man in the world for you to be so protective of him. I thought there might be someone with the same name as Woo Tae-hwon of Gyeongjeong.”
“He is the most beautiful man in the world. There’s no one like Tae-hwon.”
“This, this crazy bastard, moron. Ugh.”
President Hwang shook his head and glared at Kwon Rae-i as if he were looking at a hopeless fool. Only then did I realize. Even though they acted like they wanted to kill each other, he was treating Kwon Rae-i like a prodigal son who had left home, and Kwon Rae-i was treating President Hwang like his own mother.