CH116 | VOC

The small spark ignited by Assemblyman Lee An-jin quickly engulfed the entire nation.

“Wake up! Wake up! The government that treats its people like fools must wake up!”

“Who benefits from this gold collection campaign?!”

Most people hesitated to get involved in matters that didn’t directly concern them, but this time was different.

Hundreds of thousands of people had participated in the gold collection campaign, most of them donating their precious heirlooms, hoping to save the country.

They could have gotten a better price at any local gold shop, but they were swayed by the word “patriotism.” They were foolish, perhaps, but also loyal and sincere.

Despite their own financial struggles due to the economic crisis, they hoped their small contribution would help the nation.

People of all ages and genders took to the streets, and the entire country was filled with criticism of the gold collection campaign.

The public’s anger was terrifying.

And so was Lee An-jin.

“What should I do? What should I do?”

He had taken a risk, but the situation had escalated beyond his control.

Despite the trading companies’ claims that the Taegeukgi gold bar presented by Oh Jin-mo was a fake and a conspiracy, more witnesses and evidence emerged.

Some even published photos of the evidence in newspapers, searching for the original owners. There were even confessions from former employees of the shell companies. The situation was spiraling out of control.

And Lee An-jin, caught in the whirlwind, had become a national hero, the “corruption buster,” while being ostracized by his fellow Assembly members.

“What am I supposed to do…?”

He couldn’t forget the chilling warning from Assemblyman Kim Soon-jae:

“Lee An-jin, you’ve made enemies of us all. Be prepared.”

“It wasn’t my intention! I just…”

As he clutched his head in despair, his secretary knocked on the door and entered cautiously.

“Assemblyman…”

“What is it? Another interview request?”

“No, it’s… um…”

The secretary hesitated. “CEO Park Sol of Chunha Trading is here.”

Lee An-jin’s eyes widened. “What? That bastard is here? Bring him in! Now!!!”

* * *

“You bastard! You bastard!”

Lee An-jin grabbed me by the collar and shook me violently. I said calmly,

“Assemblyman, please calm down.”

“Calm down?! Because of you! Because of you!!!”

He trembled with rage.

“Oh Jin-mo! Where is that witness?! Where did you hide him?!”

Oh Jin-mo, who had winked at him in front of his office, had disappeared without a trace. And Lee An-jin had missed his last chance to explain himself to Kim Soon-jae.

And to make matters worse, Oh Jin-mo kept appearing all over the country, waving the Taegeukgi gold bar and praising Lee An-jin, so people were calling him the “Taegeukgi patriot” and blaming everything on Lee An-jin.

“Please calm down and listen to me.”

“Listen to you?! Look what happened because of you! What are you going to do about it?!”

“I don’t understand why you’re so angry.”

“Don’t understand?! You bastard! Do you know how important the party is to an Assemblyman?! Because of you, I’m being labeled a troublemaker! My political career is over!”

Being elected by the people didn’t mean you could ignore the party.

It was easy for the party to get rid of an unwanted member.

They would deny him the nomination, force him to run as an independent, and then have a powerful party member run against him in his district.

Most people voted for the party, not the individual. And if a prominent figure, like a former party leader or presidential candidate, ran against him?

It was game over.

Four years was a long time for people to remember a single Assemblyman.

Most people would be forgotten.

“I’m… I’m finished. The floor leader has it out for me. Do you know how hard I worked to get here?!”

I sighed, looking at the distraught Lee An-jin.

‘You idiot. That’s why you’re still a nobody despite being elected four times.’

He was a fool, unaware of the power he held.

He was shrewd, but he lacked a broader perspective.

It wasn’t a fitting description for a National Assembly member, but the most appropriate word for him in this situation was “petty.”

“Assemblyman, I told you this was a golden opportunity.”

“Yes! And because of that, I’m in this mess!”

“Can’t you hear it? The opportunity is approaching.”

Lee An-jin hesitated. “What are you trying to say…?”

“The public’s support. What could be more powerful for an Assemblyman?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Popularity is fleeting. Countless people have fallen from grace after being blinded by it.”

I shook my head. “Assemblyman, you’re making a big mistake.”

“A mistake?”

“Popularity is fleeting, yes. But…”

I looked him in the eye. “It’s your ability that makes it last. Think bigger.”

I unclenched his hands from my collar.

“The government is cornered. A well-intentioned campaign has been tainted by corruption. And what is the opposition party doing? The ruling party’s mistakes are the opposition’s weapons. But they’re holding back.”

One of the key functions of a two-party system was mutual criticism.

They kept each other in check, preventing any one party from becoming too powerful.

It was the essence of democracy.

But the opposition party, although criticizing the government, was keeping its criticism to a minimum and implicitly cooperating with the government’s efforts to contain the scandal.

“Why?”

“…”

“I saw a photo in the newspaper. You were meeting with Floor Leader Kim Soon-jae on the day Oh Jin-mo made his exposé. It was a good photo.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“It’s obvious. He was there to silence you. With a generous offer.”

Lee An-jin glared at me. “Yes, he was. And everything went wrong because of Oh Jin-mo.”

I said, trying to calm him down, “Kim Soon-jae is a powerful figure in the opposition party. It’s not normal for him to protect the government’s corruption. But I understand, there must be some underlying reason. But…”

My eyes gleamed. “Do you think his followers feel the same way?”

“What?”

“This is the first time the ruling party has lost power since the founding of our nation. They must be furious. And now, this huge scandal has emerged. It’s a golden opportunity. They should be attacking the government relentlessly. But the party leadership is silent. Isn’t that interesting? Don’t you think there’s discontent within the party? They might be junior Assembly members under a powerful leader, but they’re still Assembly members. And this is where you come in, Assemblyman Lee. You represent their frustration.”

“What… what are you trying to say? Do you even realize what you’re saying?”

I shrugged. “I know exactly what I’m saying. I’m telling you to rebel. Attack the government, the complacent party leadership. Show them who the true opposition is, what a true Assemblyman is.”

Lee An-jin said furiously, “You’re talking as if it’s easy! Do you even know how difficult it is?!”

“It’s possible. The public’s support is strong enough to make it happen. And even if it fails, there are 20 donors who contributed to the Taegeukgi gold bar, including 10 Assembly members, six of whom are from the opposition party. They’re on your side, aren’t they? And if you add a few more Assembly members who are dissatisfied with the leadership, that’s 10. And that’s enough…”

I smirked. “…to form your own faction.”

His eyes wavered.

“Popularity is fleeting, yes. But it’s also addictive. Get the opposition party members addicted to this moment. Lead them. And before you know it, you’ll be at the center of the opposition party.”

I whispered in his ear, “As the leader of a principled new generation.”

He might be a party hopper, an obscure figure, but he was a four-term Assemblyman with 16 years of experience.

He might be flustered by the scandal, but he could still judge the feasibility of my plan.

“…It’s possible.”

“Of course it is. Look.”

I gestured towards the crowd outside his office window.

“Those are your supporters. Can’t you feel it?”

A large crowd was holding signs, criticizing the gold collection campaign and supporting Lee An-jin.

“They’re your strength. Why are you wasting it? Use it. Especially if it’s fleeting. Use it before it disappears.”

“Strength…”

“Ah, the nomination?”

I chuckled. “Don’t try to get the nomination, become the one who gives it. You have the power to make it happen.”

“Ugh…”

“What are you afraid of? The momentum is on your side. Do you think Kim Soon-jae and the party leadership will leave you alone if you stay quiet?”

He said with a hardened expression after a long silence, “You’re right.”

He had no other choice now that he had been targeted.

He had to use his popularity to increase his political influence and power. He couldn’t deny the logic of my argument.

“You’re giving me a bitter pill and then offering me a sweet treat, CEO Park.”

I smiled. “I didn’t give you the bitter pill. I only offered the sweet treat.”

“Fine, I’ll ask you one thing. What should I do next?”

“Criticize the government and the opposition party leadership. Their blood will nourish your growth.”

“How long do you think this scandal will last?”

“It’s a scandal of the century. Even if the intensity fades, the aftermath will linger for a long time. You just keep fanning the flames. I’ll provide the kindling.”

He said, after a moment of silence, “CEO Park, I have to ask you this…”

He looked up, his eyes sharp.

“Is this all your doing?”

He was still a sharp politician, despite his current predicament. He had survived the political jungle for 16 years.

“Of course not. I’m just a businessman.”

“Fine. It doesn’t matter. One last question. Even if this isn’t your doing, you’re still orchestrating it, aren’t you? What do you gain from this?”

I smiled brightly. “Would you believe me if I said, ‘To uphold justice in Korea’?”