Chapter 335

It was a clear autumn morning with a refreshing chill lingering in the air. Leaving the children still deep in slumber, Do-Jun got out of bed and made his way to the living room. Pulling back the curtains on the balcony, he welcomed the morning sunlight, then cracked open the window to let in some fresh air.

A pomegranate tree, firmly planted in a balcony pot, bore ripe fruit. Two sparrows chirped excitedly as they fluttered closer, eager to peck at the pomegranates. Sitting beside the pot, a garden shovel stood guard, determined to protect the fruit.

—Shoo! Get away! I said, ‘Go away’!

Eeeek!

This belongs to Byeol!

Do-Jun chuckled at the sight, picking up a few grains of rice and placing them in his palm. As he stepped onto the balcony and extended his hand, the sparrows fluttered over and pecked at the rice, quickly filling their bellies. Once satisfied, they circled around Do-Jun in a brief display of gratitude before flying away.

“You’ve got it rough,” he said to the garden shovel.

—How did my life end up like this...?

Just then, Byeol emerged from the bedroom, rubbing her sleepy eyes. Still half-asleep, she waddled toward the balcony. Her drowsiness vanished the moment she spotted the plump, ripe pomegranates hanging from the tree’s outstretched branches, and she lit up with delight.

“Daddy!”

“Good morning, sweetie.”

“Can I eat the pomegwanets now?”

“Mhm. They’re ripe. Go ahead.”

“Gwempa and Gwemma can have some too, wight?”

Do-Jun smiled and nodded.

It was Sunday, so Byeol had a day off from daycare. It was a good day to visit Gwang-Ho, which she had been doing every two to three weeks.

***

Byeol excitedly pulled out her favorite squirrel pajama set. By now, it had almost become her go-to outfit for outings. The most eye-catching feature was the large, fluffy squirrel tail attached to the back.

She stuffed three pomegranates into the front pocket of her pajamas. She had picked four earlier, but had already eaten one herself.

“Okie, see you, Daddy!”

“Byeol, don’t forget to take the garden shovel with you.” Do-Jun reminded.

“Oh yeah!”

Apophis had no words. Once a fearsome demon sword, it was now merely a garden shovel—nothing more, nothing less. The only remarkable feature left was its ability to teleport.

“Let’s go, shovel!” Byeol said.

—See you later, I guess...

Do-Jun waved the two off as they vanished.

***

SG Group, with over twenty publicly listed subsidiaries, was undeniably a dominant force in South Korea. Moon Ji-Hyuk had always admired his father, Gwang-Ho, the man who built SG Group from the ground up. A living legend, Gwang-Ho was a man of discipline, rarely displaying warmth, even toward his own children. Yet, the scene unfolding before him suggested something different.

“Das when the little piggy said, ‘Come into my house,’” said a little girl.

“

Hahaha

! My granddaughter can read so well! She’s a genius! A prodigy!” Gwang-Ho laughed heartily.

Ji-Hyuk’s lips trembled. It was something he had never seen in his entire life. When he visited his father’s home, he found a young child sitting there. But the real shock was how his father was treating that child. Gwang-Ho, the man who didn’t even notice his own son’s presence, was grinning from ear to ear, his face full of pure joy.

Granddaughter?

Ji-Hyuk racked his brain. His father had no such granddaughter, at least none that he knew of.

He loudly cleared his throat and announced his arrival. Only then did Gwang-Ho turn toward him, startled. With a slight cough, he quickly reverted to his usual composed and dignified demeanor.

“You’re here,” he said to his son.

“Yes, sir.”

“Come sit.”

Ji-Hyuk bowed respectfully before taking a seat across from his father. His gaze drifted toward the child, who appeared to be about two years old. The only noticeable feature was that she was incredibly adorable.

Then, Gwang-Ho’s sharp gaze locked onto him. Why was he looking at him like that? Had he done something wrong?

“You’re here earlier than you said you’d be,” Gwang-Ho commented.

“Yes. I came straight here after the board meeting.”

“A vice chairman should know better than to be so quick to leave a meeting.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, sir. I’m sorry,” Ji-Hyuk said.

Gwang-Ho let out a sigh, as if disappointed.

“Now, Byeol, do you want to go play with Grandma?” With that, he lifted Byeol from his lap and gently placed her onto the plush carpet.

Realizing the adults were about to have a serious conversation, Byeol gave a small nod before scampering over to Jung-Sook. Hand in hand, the two made their way toward the garden.

“Father... that child... Did I just hear you calling her your granddaughter?” Ji-Hyuk asked, his expression slightly stiff.

It was only natural to bring it up. The term granddaughter implied blood ties.

Noticing this, Gwang-Ho softly said while peeling a pomegranate, “Ah, you wouldn’t know. She is the daughter of Supervisor Lee.”

Ji-Hyuk furrowed his brow and asked, “By Supervisor Lee, do you mean Lee Do-Jun?”

“Yes. She likes to visit every now and then, and I take care of her.”

Even within SG Group’s inner circle, only a select few knew about Do-Jun. Ji-Hyuk didn’t know the full details, but one thing was certain: his father had taken a great interest in this man. And today’s meeting had everything to do with him.

“Gwemma, look! There are so many flowers! Even yellow ones!” Byeol exclaimed.

“Oh my, you’re right, Byeol! Those are chrysanthemums.”

“Daddy has these at home too!”

“Does he now?”

“Yup!”

Ji-Hyuk remained silent as he glanced at the little girl playing in the garden.

He said, “To be frank, sir, I believe you are paying far too much attention to that man. No matter how powerful he is, there are many like him. Even Ae-Kyung herself is an S-rank Hunter.”

He couldn’t understand it. The world did not revolve solely around physical strength. Those with brute power meant little in the face of true authority, the kind that remained unseen but dictated everything. And SG Group was that authority. Not only did they have wealth beyond measure, but they also had complete control over the current national administration. What was there to fear?

“And now you’re considering handing over control of the company? Even for you, sir, this is excessive. It’s not just any subsidiary—we’re talking about the entirety of National Trading.”

National Trading was one of Gwang-Ho’s most valuable assets, alongside the Hunter’s Bureau. As the backbone of the Hunter industry, National Trading played a central role in SG Group’s long-term strategy, serving as a key pillar during the transition to a holding company system following financial reforms.

“You’re not wrong,” Gwang-Ho admitted.

“Then why—”

“Of course, it wouldn’t make even the slightest sense for me to give up a part of the massive conglomerate I’ve built over my entire life to someone just because they’ve got some brute strength. My question is, Ji-Hyuk, do I look like a fool who would do that?”

Ji-Hyuk closed his mouth.

This was the same man who had led SG Group through the IMF crisis, not only surviving but also generating record-breaking profits while other companies collapsed. He wasn’t the type to give up anything just for the sake of gaining power. There had to be a reason.

“Then... who exactly is this Lee Do-Jun?”

“Call him Supervisor Lee Do-Jun. He is a man who holds power beyond our control.”

“Sir, even you cannot control him...?”

Was this the same man who could shape an entire administration at his whim? The same man who had, not long ago, created the sitting president?

“If there was a fish you were dying to catch but just couldn’t, what would you do? The fish is strong and full of nutrients, making all your effort worthwhile,” Gwang-Ho asked.

“Then I’d change my approach. If a fishing rod doesn’t work, I’ll throw in some chum and then a net.”

“And if that still doesn’t work? Would you give up?”

“No. If we leave it alone, someone else might claim it.”

“Then if you can’t catch it, at the very least, you must swim in the same direction. That way, when the opportunity arises, you’ll be ready.”

“Sir... it sounds as if you’re saying that we must align ourselves with this Supervisor Lee and move according to his direction.”

Gwang-Ho nodded.

Seeing that, Ji-Hyuk took a deep breath.

This was a man who had always led from the front, a man who despised the idea of following anyone. Yet here he was, suggesting they align themselves with someone else.

“Sir... that man...”

“Supervisor Lee.” Gwang-Ho corrected him again.

“If Supervisor Lee is such an extraordinary figure, why are the other corporations not acting on it like we’re trying to?”

“Because they don’t know. Just as you were ignorant until recently. Do you think they would sit idly by if they understood?”

Fair enough

, Ji-Hyuk thought.

Even he had only recently learned about Do-Jun. He, who prided himself on being among the first to hear any crucial information or news, had been completely in the dark about Do-Jun. The other corporations had no chance of knowing. Still, something didn’t sit right.

“Sir, running a company isn’t just about power. Does he even have the qualities of a leader? If he is only physically strong, then I can’t understand why you are considering this.”

At Ji-Hyuk’s question, Gwang-Ho recalled something Do-Jun had said.

“I have no intention of leaving civil service, not now, not ever. There’s no reason for me to take a leadership role when professional executives are already in place, nor do I have any desire to become an entrepreneur.”

“Supervisor Lee has no desire to run a company. But if he ever sets a direction, we must follow. One day, when I step down, one of you three will inherit this company. If you start preparing then, it will be too late. It’s best to establish a relationship now,” he said.

One of three...

Ji-Hyuk realized then that he still hadn’t earned full trust.

Gwang-Ho sipped his tea before adding, “And make no mistake—Supervisor Lee’s strength is not merely S-rank. If it were, I wouldn’t care in the slightest.”

From outside, Byeol’s voice could be heard asking, “Gwempa will like this, wight? Yeah?”

A wide grin spread across Gwang-Ho’s face.

“Sir...?”

“Ahem.” He coughed awkwardly. “And playing with Byeol? That is simply a means to earn his goodwill. I’m telling you this now to avoid any misunderstandings. Don’t go spreading nonsense.”

Was that smile also a façade?

Ji-Hyuk thought carefully. If earning Do-Jun’s favor could shape the future of SG Group, then perhaps fully controlling Do‑Jun would secure his claim to succession?

Ji-Hyuk said carefully, “Sir. Regarding National Trading... may I give it a shot with Supervisor Lee?”

“It’s already been settled. He’s made himself clear on the matter.”

“I can make it work. Please give me a shot.”

***

After a short beep, Ji-Hyuk slid his smartphone back into his pocket. Of course, he had no real intention of giving away National Trading. But something unsettled him.

If National Trading were to be handed over, it would still require approval through a shareholder meeting. Even if Gwang-Ho supported the merger, it would be pointless if the Hunter’s Bureau opposed it.

Was the Hunter’s Bureau Chief also planning to let go of National Trading?

Ji-Hyuk had long envisioned merging National Trading with SG Trading. Both companies were weighed down by their numerous subsidiaries, making integration difficult, but he had been laying the groundwork for years. His original plan had been to wait until he fully secured his position as successor before moving forward.

It might happen sooner than expected

, he thought

.

Given Gwang-Ho’s attitude, securing Do-Jun’s allegiance would practically guarantee the inheritance of SG Group. The chairman had said “one of three.”

As the oldest son among five brothers and one sister, Ji-Hyuk understood that if he didn’t take action now, he could very well lose his chance in the succession race. With renewed determination, he picked up his pace.