Seong-ho and Byeong-jin went into the Ministry of Finance and Economy building, over which darkness had settled.

Following the guidance of a Ministry of Finance and Economy official, Byeong-jin went into the building and said in a low voice to Seong-ho, shoulder to shoulder with him,

"Why do you suppose the Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy called us?"

"It's obvious. Doa Motors, isn't it?"

"I figured that's it too."

Byeong-jin nodded, saying he'd thought the same, and asked Seong-ho again in a low voice,

"So? Do you have a plan?"

"I came because I have one."

Unlike the tense Byeong-jin, the utterly composed Seong-ho patted Byeong-jin's shoulder with a smiling face.

"There's no need to be nervous. Because we're the ones holding the hilt."

"Are we really the ones holding the hilt?"

"We are."

A trace of a smile began to form on Seong-ho's composed face.

"Because not once since I came here have I handed the hilt over to anyone."

Hearing Seong-ho, Byeong-jin, not knowing what "since I came here" meant, only blinked for a moment.

Seeing Byeong-jin's face, Seong-ho smiled, patted his shoulder once more, and boarded the elevator.

When the elevator arrived at the 12th floor where the Deputy Prime Minister's office was located, the section chief in charge of the Deputy Prime Minister's office had come out to wait for Seong-ho in front of the elevator.

"Welcome. The Deputy Prime Minister is waiting."

Seong-ho gave a light word of thanks to the official who'd guided him this far and followed the section chief toward the office where the Deputy Prime Minister was waiting.

Knock, knock.

"Head Seong-ho Kim of the Ilhyeon Group has arrived."

"Tell him to come in."

The section chief who'd gone in first announced that Seong-ho had come, and from inside came Jang-chul Hwang's voice telling him to enter.

When the section chief gestured to Seong-ho to signal it was all right to come in, only then did Seong-ho go inside and greet Jang-chul Hwang.

"Deputy Prime Minister. I came as fast as I could—did you perhaps wait long?"

"Not at all."