When President Yong-gyun Shin took his instructions and left the conference room, Jeong-cheol Choi came in.

"How did it go?"

At Seong-ho Kim's question, Jeong-cheol Choi told him what had happened while he was talking with Yong-gyun Shin.

"There was a beating while Driver Jang was filling up at a gas station."

"His condition?"

"Thanks to the police being called in good time, he's still breathing."

"And Driver Seong hesitated?"

"Yes. At the last moment Driver Seong couldn't bring the hammer down."

Jeong-cheol Choi answered, and looked at Seong-ho Kim with wondering eyes.

Jeong-cheol Choi had known there would be a beating.

Because he knew as well that Mun-jong Lee had given the instruction and that his secretary Tae-hun Park was carrying it out.

But everything after that had come about exactly as Seong-ho Kim said.

It was Seong-ho Kim who had made Ju-cheol Seong falter as he went to finish it, and his instruction that had the police called in time.

Jeong-cheol Choi looked at Seong-ho Kim as though it were a wonder — he had shaped the situation the way a man guides water — and went on with his report.

"Thanks to the police acting at just the right moment, Driver Jang reached the hospital soon enough and is being treated now."

"And what is Driver Seong doing?"

"He left the scene and went straight to where Vice-Chairman Mun-jong Lee is."

"He'll take another beating, then."

Jeong-cheol Choi watched Seong-ho Kim shake his head and asked carefully,

"So is it over with this?"

"Over?"

Seong-ho Kim, who had been shaking his head, let out a short laugh and looked up at Jeong-cheol Choi.

"Chief Secretary Choi, you have a long way to go before you know Mun-jong Lee."

At that, Jeong-cheol Choi's eyes went round and he asked,

"Surely you don't mean he'll try again?"

"Of course he will."

"You mean until he succeeds?"

"Yes."

Seong-ho Kim twisted up the corner of his mouth and nodded.

"Because that's the kind of man Mun-jong Lee is."

"Even though the man's… in the hospital now?"

Jeong-cheol Choi couldn't believe…