Seong-ho Kim listened to Chung-seop Jo's account and sank into thought for a moment.

Having rushed to where Seong-ho Kim was the instant he left Seongjungwon, Chung-seop Jo studied Seong-ho Kim's expression and spoke up cautiously.

"What do you think he meant?"

"The Chairman didn't say anything else in particular?"

Chung-seop Jo cast his mind back over his conversation with Tak-hyeon Lee and shook his head.

"He didn't say anything more after that. Do you suppose he was joking?"

"The Chairman isn't the sort of man who jokes."

"Then you're saying he genuinely told me to acquire Ilhyeon Securities...?"

No matter how Chung-seop Jo turned it over in his mind, he couldn't make sense of it.

Recent troubles notwithstanding, Ilhyeon Securities had long held the position of number one in the industry. That a firm like his own—established such a short time ago—might acquire such a place was something he had never so much as dreamed of. And the fact that the acquisition would be a counter-proposal made it even harder to comprehend.

"Couldn't it be a test...? He must have done it to gauge what kind of person I am. Isn't that right?"

Having asked Seong-ho Kim whether his reading was correct, Chung-seop Jo went on in a voice full of conviction.

"He threw it out to see how badly I want to acquire Ilhyeon Fire and Marine. And to find out how cooperative I'd be with Ilhyeon after acquiring it. That's it, isn't it?"

Certain his interpretation could not be wrong, Chung-seop Jo waited for Seong-ho Kim's answer.

But Seong-ho Kim's answer differed from what Chung-seop Jo expected.

"There's some truth to the intentions you've described, but that isn't all of it."

"Then he really... the Chairman really intends to sell me Ilhyeon Securities?"

"Yes. I think the odds are high. No—I'm certain of it."

Chung-seop Jo stared at Seong-ho Kim with a look of disbelief and could not utter a word.

Seeing Chung-seop Jo's reaction, Seong-ho Kim smiled and spoke.

"There's no need to be so shocked. It isn't anything to be shocked about."

"Not shocking? A…