"Why? Why are those bastards attacking all of a sudden! And in the small hours at that!!"

The Jangchung-dong mansion. Chairman Go Jaeyong's raised voice, full of rage, went ringing through the whole house. An uproar had broken out in DM Group's owning family.

The three big rating agencies had bombed them indiscriminately and without warning!

"We have not…… established that yet."

Han Gwangsu, the chief of the secretariat, had been on the point of leaving for the family home in Daegu when Chairman Go Jaeyong's summons brought him in. His face had gone white, and he ducked his head over and over.

"Young Jang! Don't you know anything?"

The sparks flew at the son-in-law, Jang Jonghun.

"……." Jang Jonghun knew nothing and so had nothing else to say.

How would I know! You old man!!

Jang Jonghun is every bit as close to going mad and jumping out of his skin.

He had still not worked off his temper over the needling his hyungnim Go Seonghun had given him right after lunch. And then out of nowhere the rating agencies' air raid had poured oil on it as well.

And not one of them but several. The world's three big rating agencies had touched DM Group's affiliates as though by arrangement.

"Chairman."

Han Gwangsu spoke carefully.

"What has been confirmed so far is that the credit outlooks for Dongmyeong Construction and Dongmyeong Distribution have been adjusted to negative as well, one after the other. DMC Entertainment and Dongmyeong Media too……"

"And you call that a report!"

Bang!

Chairman Go Jaeyong's fist came down on the table. The teacup standing there jumped with a clunk and slid sideways.

He had thought it would stop at DMC alone. In a few minutes the ripples had reached the other affiliates too. The whole Dongmyeong Group share price had sunk to near the limit-down for the first time in years.

Not one way of answering it comes to mind. The affiliates' officers and staff have all gone home to keep the holiday.

"The reason! I am asking what the reason is!"

"The reason…