"You understand precisely why I sent you."

At Tak-hyeon's words, Mun-jong pointed at Seong-ho in bewilderment.

"How— he said nothing, sat there and listened, and that means he grasped your intent precisely?"

Mun-jong looked at Seong-ho, unable to comprehend it.

"He didn't even ask how much they wanted. He listened, made no attempt at an initial adjustment of the figure, and simply killed time and came back!"

"Do you still not understand?"

Tak-hyeon regarded him with contempt.

"This is not business. It's the passing of money — and illegal political funds at that. In a conversation like that, do you truly believe he should have asked them exactly how much they needed?"

"But… only then would we know precisely what they—"

"Lunatic."

Tak-hyeon spat the word as though further discussion were pointless, and frowned.

Watching Mun-jong, a good idea came to Seong-ho.

"Chairman."

Unlike with Mun-jong, Tak-hyeon smiled at Seong-ho's voice.

"What would you say to meeting him yourself?"

"Whom? Party Leader Park?"

"No."

Seong-ho shook his head.

"There's hardly any need for you to come out for Party Leader Park."

At the implication that the man was beneath him, Tak-hyeon looked pleased.

Seong-ho spoke obliquely.

"Not Party Leader Park — the President of the party himself."

"President Lee?"

"Yes. What would you say to meeting President Sang-hoe Lee directly?"

Tak-hyeon's expression turned uncomfortable.

At that, Mun-jong rounded on Seong-ho.

"Do you not know who Sang-hoe Lee is, that you'd say such a thing? A man who studied law and carries himself like some lofty scholar, looking down on people like us as tradesmen. What would you have us discuss with a man like that?"

"That was certainly true until last time. But he'll have changed somewhat now."

"Changed?"

"Yes. Because carrying on that way cost him once already."

Seong-ho spoke calmly.

"He held that rigid posture through the last presidential election and lost to Dae-sang Kim in the end. People still say that if Dae-sang Kim had bowed his head just once to former Prime Minister Jang-pil Kim in Yeouido, he'd never have become president."

Mun-jong nodded at that,…