I Became a Scoundrel of a Chaebol Family - Chapter 9

When I went down to the first floor with Soo-ah, I found Ah-ram fully prepared.

Han Kyung-baek looked as sharp as ever, and there was a woman I vaguely recognized.  

A woman with black hair tied in a ponytail and a cold expression on her face.  

Her beauty was unforgettable, even from just a single glance.

‘She’s the NIS spy, no doubt.’

Even though she was smiling brightly in front of me like a flight attendant, her true identity was a National Intelligence Service agent who was sent to infiltrate. 

I didn’t know exactly what her mission was, but I was sure her true feelings didn’t match that pleasant expression.

‘She was one of the candidates I sent away, so why bother sending her back?’

The three stood up from the couch and bowed as soon as they saw me.

“Good morning, sir.”

“And the one beside you?”

“Ah, this is Seo Eun-mi, who will be assisting Im Soo-ah as we discussed yesterday.”

“… I’m Seo Eun-mi, sir.”

“I already know. We met yesterday.”

“She may not fully meet your expectations, sir, but among those remaining, she’s the most capable.”

It seemed like, with the recent reshuffle, there weren’t many people left to assign to me.

‘Or could it be… Is Han Kyung-baek with the NIS too?’

Out of suspicion, I checked Han Kyung-baek’s profile.

[Han Kyung-baek]  

Age: 41  

Affiliation: Go-ryeo Prestige  

Race: Human  

Level: 119  

Strength: 118  

Willpower: 131  

Tech: 102  

Leadership: 110  

Charm: 76  

<Attributes>  

Ambition, Calm, Loyalty, Smoking Addiction, Impotent  

Nothing particularly stood out. 

He didn’t seem like someone who would be working as a spy for the NIS or any other agency. 

If anything was noteworthy, it was that his stats were a bit on the low side.

By absolute standards, of course, he was incredibly competent. 

But for someone holding the title of ‘Chief Secretary’ serving directly under an owner of the family, he seemed relatively young and slightly underqualified.

Then again, that might explain why he had been assigned to a troublemaker like Go Mu-yeol.

‘But, impotent? Really?’

That was unexpected and somewhat unfortunate. 

I hadn’t thought the seemingly flawless chief secretary would have that sort of issue.

“Alright. If there’s no one else, we’ll have to make do. From today, assist Soo-ah and do your best.”

“Yes, sir. I will do my utmost not to disappoint you.”

Seo Eun-mi flashed a bright smile as she bowed.

She really was stunning. No doubt.

I wonder how she would react if I made a move? 

Yesterday when I grabbed her butt, she didn’t show any reaction.

But what if I took it all the way? 

Would she still stay quiet, even as an NIS spy?

“I’m Im Soo-ah. Looking forward to working with you, Eun-mi.”

“… Yes. Looking forward to it as well.”

As the two women exchanged greetings, Han Kyung-baek bowed again, and Seo Ah-ram followed his lead, awkwardly bowing as well.

“Well then, sir, we’ll be heading back now.”

“W-we’ll be on our way.”

“Alright. Go ahead.”

“Yes. Stay well.”

With that, they both left. 

Now, in this huge house, only Im Soo-ah, Seo Eun-mi (or Ha Eun-young), and I remained.

‘A police officer and an NIS agent… This is just great.’

Im Soo-ah was a corrupt cop, so I wasn’t worried about her, but Seo Eun-mi—this woman lied about her name and infiltrated as a spy, no less. 

To top it off, she had the trait ‘Patriotism,’ meaning it would be hard to corrupt her or turn her to my side with bribes.

‘How should I handle her?’

“So, Master, what should I do now?” 

“Before that, did your job situation get sorted?”

“Oh yes. After this morning’s personnel transfer, I’m officially assigned to serve you. My entire team as well.”

“Wow. That was quick.”

Coming from the pre-possession version of South Korea, this didn’t make any sense to me. 

The police were often referred to as the ‘people’s protectors,’ forming an entire team just to guard some chaebol’s third-generation heir with no official position?

It showed how deeply corrupt the public authority in this world was.

“….”

And as expected, I noticed Seo Eun-mi’s face twitch ever so slightly. 

The ‘Patriotism’ trait must have been reacting. 

The blatant corruption, the misuse of public power—this would surely bother her deeply.

‘But there’s not much she can do about it.’

As the story progressed, South Korea became increasingly corrupt. 

In fact, it was not just South Korea—it was the entire world, sinking into stagnation and decay. 

If the player chose to pursue a ‘justice’ route, things might change, but otherwise, the corruption deepened without end, until democracy itself collapsed and an authoritarian rule, albeit under a different name, took over again.

‘It’s hell, to put it simply… But that’s none of my business.’

I had no intention of going against the tide of history. 

My only concern was swapping out the ones at the top. 

If someone was going to reign, why shouldn’t it be me? 

After all, I’d gone through all this trouble to get here.

In that context, I mentally reviewed what still needed to be done.

1. 1. Hire a secretary  

2. 2. Secure the female protagonist  

3. 3. Kill the male protagonist  

4. 4. Secure the development and manufacturing facilities for RK-99  

Tasks 1 and 2 were already resolved.

Now, what’s left were 3 and 4.

I could start developing RK-99 immediately if I wanted to. 

The problem was protecting it. 

As soon as I announced its development, forces from all sides—including within the Go-ryeo Group—would start coming after me. 

So, it was better to secure some military power before taking any steps. 

But suddenly hiring mercenaries and gearing up would only raise suspicion—’What’s that guy up to?’ everyone would wonder.

It was best to move forward under some plausible justification.

‘Luckily, my company is Go-ryeo Entertainment. I can start by bringing in some celebrities or trainees and claim I’m building security for them. Slowly, I can begin to arm myself that way.’

It wouldn’t be a perfect cover, but it would be far better than acting without any reason at all. 

Plus, the wild image built by Go Mu-yeol over time gave me some leeway to overdo things.

‘Wait, let’s keep this simple. I can cheaply buy trainees, load them up with cyberware, debut some as idols, and keep others as personal bodyguards.’

I’d use mercenaries only briefly, and eventually, the trainees from Go-ryeo Entertainment would become the core of my security force. 

So, the next step is…

“How many people are on your team? Was it 15 yesterday?”

“There are 30 total, including myself.”

“That’s a lot. There’s one criminal I need dealt with. I’ll send you the details. Just send half your team to either capture him or take care of him.”

“… Take care of him? He’s a criminal, right?”

Since the male protagonist’s backstory involved being a thug in Incheon’s backstreets, yeah, he was a criminal.

“Yeah. Just make sure there’s no fallout. Report it properly so there aren’t any problems later.”

“If we report it, there might be interference. It could obstruct your plans, Master.”

“Doesn’t matter. As long as you deal with him, I don’t care.”

“Understood.”

After I gave her the male protagonist’s details, Im Soo-ah immediately picked up the phone to issue the orders.

“And Seo Eun-mi?”

“Yes, sir?”

“My company is technically an entertainment agency, but right now we don’t have a single celebrity.”

We did until yesterday, but he was a male actor, so I got rid of him. 

We had to pay about 300 million won in damages, but that was manageable.

“Look into buying some actors, idols, or trainees from other agencies. Call around and find out.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Oh.”

I stopped Seo Eun-mi just as she was about to move.

“Make sure they’re young women.”

“….”

“Pretty and sexy—they need to have marketability.”  

“… I-I understand. Young and… Pretty women.”  

With a slightly reluctant expression, Seo Eun-mi forced a smile and left the room. 

I watched her swaying backside as she walked out, then picked up my phone. 

My soul’s true partner, not Han Kyung-baek this time, but rather Go Ha-yeon, my half-sister—the same woman I’d encountered at the Geumsusan Sun Palace yesterday. 

Since we were family, I already had her contact information.

— “Well, well, who do we have here? Did the sun rise in the west today? You actually called.”

“I didn’t think you’d answer. Thanks, sister.”  

— “How could I not answer? It’s not every day I see a name I wouldn’t expect on my screen.”

Her sultry, mocking voice hit my ears through the phone, bringing back memories of her face and figure from yesterday. 

That image alone was enough to make me… Well, react.  

‘Damn! She’s my sister, for crying out loud.’  

… But wait. She was Go Mu-yeol’s sister, not mine, right? 

That crude logic crept into my mind.

— “So, what do you want? We’re not exactly on speaking terms for casual chats.”

I glanced at the clock on the wall. 

10:39 a.m. 

Still plenty of time before lunch. 

Even more before dinner.

“How about we grab a meal together? You know, as family. My treat.”  

— “What?”

On the other end, I heard her burst into a sharp laugh. 

I guessed it really was strange to ask her to a meal. 

After laughing for a good while, her voice dropped in pitch.

— “Alright, what’s your angle? Are you trying to drug me or something?”

“A guy like me? What kind of schemes could I possibly have? I just want to grow the company that was handed down to me, that’s all.”  

— “The company? Oh, right… That entertainment business or whatever they gave you, huh? So, is that why you called me? You want me to get your little lackeys on TV?”

Go Ha-yeon.  

Eventually, she became a key figure within Go-ryeo Group, taking a high position in Go-ryeo Card. 

But before that, she already wielded considerable influence in Korea’s broadcasting and advertising industry.  

Think one-person media is all the rage these days?  

Sure, but even they live or die by advertising.

— “So they want to be on TV? No big deal, why call me about it? You think I’m paying attention to the likes of you to the point where I’d block you?”

“I wouldn’t dare think that. It’s just that, as someone who carries the Go-ryeo Group name, I thought it’d be a bit unbecoming to make a move without at least giving you a heads-up.”  

— “Wow… You’ve changed since yesterday. Did you take something? You’re throwing me off.”

“Think of it as me reflecting on my past mistakes. I guess yesterday’s events shook me up a bit.”  

— Hmm…

I could hear a thoughtful hum from the other side of the line. 

It appeared she was having a hard time adjusting to the sudden change in my demeanor. 

Not that I was some great or capable person, but Go Mu-yeol had clearly been a bit of an idiot.  

— “Alright. My sweet little brother wants to turn over a new leaf and get some work done, huh? As your big sister, I should help you out. So, what do you need?”

“Just let Go-ryeo Entertainment’ fully use the name and influence of ‘Go-ryeo Group.’ That’s all I ask.”  

— “Wow! What a roundabout way to tell me not to interfere and stay out of the way. Fine, do what you want. But if your little minions make it big, their ads come to me first. No complaints, right?”*  

“Of course, no problem.”  

I wasn’t planning on making money through ads anyway. 

Raising celebrities was just a side project.

— “Oh. And don’t bother with dinner. I’m hanging up.”

She didn’t even wait for me to say goodbye before cutting the call. 

It was a pretty rude move, but considering Go Mu-yeol’s past behavior, I was lucky she even bothered to respond.