President Yoon Changho seemed to have been preparing this for far longer than I had expected.

Along with replacing the Senior Civil Affairs Secretary, he pulled out the constitutional amendment card.

[President Yoon Changho Announces Constitutional Amendment Initiative.]

President Yoon Changho announced that he would pursue constitutional reform aimed at fundamentally changing South Korea’s political structure and national governing system.

The core of the amendment proposal was changing the presidential term from the current single five-year term to a renewable four-year two-term system.

The President stated that the amendment would strengthen South Korea’s political stability and establish a foundation for maintaining consistency in long-term national policy.

President Yoon Changho explained,

“The current single-term system does not provide enough time for a president to establish and execute mid- to long-term national strategies. Through the introduction of a renewable four-year term system, presidents will be able to lead the nation with a long-term vision.”

The amendment proposal also included changes to National Assembly terms and the electoral system.

These changes were intended to establish a more efficient and accountable political system and help representatives formulate and execute policies from a longer-term perspective.

However, many discussions and negotiations would likely be necessary in order for the proposal to gain support from both the public and political circles.

Some voices expressed concern that a renewable-term system could lead to a concentration of power, while the complexity of the constitutional amendment process itself remained a major challenge.

Regarding those concerns, President Yoon Changho emphasized,

“All constitutional amendments will be drafted while fully reflecting the opinions of the people,”

adding,

“Constitutional reform is an important process that will lead South Korea toward a more advanced democracy and establish a solid foundation for future generations.”

A national referendum regarding the constitutional amendment was scheduled for the end of the year, and the President planned to focus on building nationwide consensus.

If the amendment were realized, South Korea would transition toward a more flexible and accountable political system.

“A constitutional amendment card, huh...”

I lowered the newspaper while trying to infer President Yoon Changho’s intentions.

Make noise in the east, strike in the west.

It seemed Yoon Changho intended to gather everyone’s attention around the constitutional amendment issue.

While behind the scenes, he prepared pension reform.

After the Senior Political Affairs Secretary was replaced, preparations for the prosecution’s regular personnel reshuffle had already begun.

“To only show determination now, at the end of his term.”

Whether intentional or not, the President’s actions were helping what I intended to do.

And what I intended to do would help what the President wanted as well.

I was about to call Manager Ma before stopping myself.

He was currently meeting with representatives of the original Guryong Village residents on my behalf.

* * *

A resident council office located a short distance away from Guryong Village.

Manager Ma brushed the dirt off his shoes before walking inside.

“Manager. Welcome.”

Hong Jinpyo stood waiting in front of the office with a cane in hand.

“Yes. Nice to meet you.”

Despite Manager Ma’s stiff response, Hong Jinpyo smiled warmly and said,

“Everyone’s waiting inside. Please come in.”

Manager Ma entered the office together with Hong Jinpyo.

Dozens of people were waiting inside.

From elderly people with completely white hair to young men who looked like they had only recently become adults.

Curiosity, anticipation, and caution all coexisted in their eyes.

“Alright, alright. Don’t all be so tense. He’s someone who came with a good proposal for us.”

Hong Jinpyo tried to lighten the atmosphere.

At that moment, an old man sitting on the central sofa opened his mouth.

“Union Leader Hong Jinpyo.”

“Yes, Elder.”

“I came out here because you requested it, but I’m not sure this was a good choice.”

“Huh? What do you mean by—”

Hong Jinpyo asked back in confusion, but the old man’s gaze remained fixed on Manager Ma.

“That look in his eyes. I know it all too well. Eyes without emotion. The last time I saw eyes like that was...”

“Ah, Elder. What does that matter? The important thing is the conditions he’s offering, isn’t it?”

Hong Jinpyo hurriedly interrupted and tried to gather the opinions of the others.

But everyone merely nodded.

No one spoke in the old man’s place.

Meanwhile, Manager Ma had already grasped the atmosphere.

‘That old man is the true power behind the resident council.’

After organizing his thoughts, Manager Ma walked over and sat on the sofa.

Then he met the old man’s eyes.

“I did not come here to fight. I came to present favorable conditions to the people gathered here. To all of you living here, even if you do not own the land.”

The people gathered here were not the landowners of Guryong Village.

Before Joongwon purchased land for the Guryong Village redevelopment project, there had only been around a hundred landowners.

The remaining land belonged to the state, Seoul City, and Gangnam District.

In other words, the people gathered here were individuals who could be expelled at any time.

That was why they refused to leave while insisting on their right to survive.

In truth, persuading the landowners themselves wasn’t very difficult.

Joongwon had already acquired over fifty percent of the land, while Haedong owned more than ten percent as well.

“Ah, but I do own land.”

The old man raised his hand and smiled as if he had never been wary in the first place.

But his eyes did not smile at all.

“May I ask your name?”

“No need to make it difficult. Choi Gyeongu.”

“I see.”

Manager Ma nodded while searching his memory.

Choi Gyeongu.

One of the remaining landowners whose land Joongwon had not yet secured.

Manager Ma turned toward Hong Jinpyo.

“It’s not that I intentionally hid it.”

Hong Jinpyo spoke defensively, but Manager Ma simply continued staring at him silently.

Flinching slightly, Hong Jinpyo awkwardly explained,

“The Elder said if I told you beforehand, he wouldn’t participate.”

“That’s right. I ordered him not to. Where’s the fun in meeting after already knowing everything beforehand?”

At Choi Gyeongu’s words, Manager Ma looked back at him.

But as the old man had pointed out earlier, there was no emotion whatsoever in his gaze.

“Since you’re here today, may I take it to mean you’re willing to sell the land you own?”

“That’s right. But I’d rather discuss that not with you, but with the person standing behind you.”

Choi Gyeongu made it clear that he wanted to meet Kim Muhyuk.

Manager Ma answered honestly without hiding anything.

“That is not something I can decide on my own. The authority I possess concerns only the treatment of the resident council.”

“Fine. That’s exactly why I’m sitting here listening. Go ahead and let’s hear it.”

Manager Ma relayed the conditions instructed by Kim Muhyuk.

“Along with relocation support funds, we will construct rental apartment housing in Gyeonggi Province and provide permanent lease agreements. In addition...”

The conditions were nothing short of unprecedented.

Every time Manager Ma added another condition, the people surrounding the sofa gasped in admiration.

But the old man reacted differently.

“The conditions are too good. Which makes them even harder to believe.”

At Choi Gyeongu’s cold response, the others, who had been admiring the proposal in a daze, snapped back to reality and quickly nodded.

“We do not want noise to arise around this project. That is why we are offering these conditions. However...”

Unlike Manager Ma’s blunt voice, a chilling light lingered in his eyes.

“If you reject these conditions, we will use other methods.”

“I’d like to hear what those methods are.”

“...”

Manager Ma simply stared at the old man without saying another word.

At that moment, Hong Jinpyo stepped in to shift the atmosphere.

“No one else would ever offer conditions like this. Even Joongwon only promised relocation support funds, didn’t they?”

As Hong Jinpyo tried to persuade the old man further, several people suddenly flooded into the room.

The moment he saw them, Hong Jinpyo’s face hardened.

They were the leadership figures of the Federation of Urban Poor Tenants.

“Ah, I invited them. Shouldn’t we hear their opinions too?” 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

A smile spread across the old man’s lips.

* * *

At the same time Manager Ma was meeting with the Guryong Village Resident Council,

I visited Seoul City Hall to meet the Mayor of Seoul.

The moment I entered City Hall, I could feel people’s gazes.

Leaving those glances behind me, I headed up to the mayor’s office.

“Welcome, President Kim.”

Public relations staff came out holding cameras and took photos of Oh Changhoon and me shaking hands.

Once the PR staff left, Oh Changhoon erased the smile from his face and spoke.

“What’s your business? Why did you come to see me this publicly?”

He made no effort to hide his displeasure.

“This time, Dreamhigh established a real estate development company for the Guryong Village redevelopment project. I came to seek Seoul City’s cooperation.”

“That’s the explanation for public relations purposes. I mean your real purpose.”

Smiling, I placed an envelope on the table.

“This is what you requested. By the way, where’s your chief secretary? Is he absent?”

“I sent him away on a business trip for another matter.”

I nodded and slid the envelope toward Oh Changhoon.

Opening it, he silently examined the photographs inside.

The hand holding the photos trembled violently.

“With more time, we could investigate in greater detail, but I think this should be sufficient. Ah, and I recommend checking the USB later.”

Putting down the photographs, Oh Changhoon picked up the USB and asked,

“What is this?”

“Definitive evidence.”

The USB contained footage of Ha Eunbin lying in bed with her lover.

“......”

“We were unable to determine what kind of relationship she has with Lee Jongseong.”

What Oh Changhoon wanted was information connecting Ha Eunbin and Lee Jongseong.

But before uncovering that, we found Ha Eunbin’s lover first.

We bought out the hotel Ha Eunbin frequently used with her lover and installed cameras in the room beforehand.

Thanks to that, we were able to record their actions and create hard evidence rather than mere suspicion.

Staring at the USB, Oh Changhoon spoke with a trembling voice.

“That no longer matters.”

“Then what will you do now?”

Oh Changhoon shut his eyes tightly.

Previously, I had told Oh Changhoon to abandon Ha Eunbin.

“You need to abandon Ha Eunbin.”

“......”

“For your own sake, Mr. Mayor. And for your political career as well.”

I intended to dig into Ha Eunbin first in order to catch Lee Jongseong.

That was why I had exerted influence during this personnel reshuffle to place Oh Hyunwoo as deputy chief prosecutor in the Special Investigations Division.

“Cut every connection between Ha Eunbin and yourself. That’s the only way you survive.”

“And if I refuse?”

“I respect your choice, Mr. Mayor. However, you alone will bear the consequences that follow. No one will stand on your side.”

After thinking for a moment, Oh Changhoon finally spoke.

“Please give me one month.”

“Fine. We won’t begin immediately, so I can give you that much time. Cleanly wrap things up. Ah, and don’t choose something foolish like hiding Manager Ha. He’s an important person.”

As I spoke with the corners of my lips raised, Oh Changhoon let out a low groan.

You’re already acting like it’s over.

The real matter hasn’t even begun yet.

“And also, I’d like Seoul City to hand over the land it owns. That’s the reason I’m helping you, after all.”

“That’s...”

I raised my hand to stop him.

“Don’t say no. I have no intention of tolerating someone trying to stick their spoon into this project.”

“But redevelopment projects should be led by Seoul City.”

“As long as we follow the standards set by Seoul City, isn’t that enough? Or are you hoping for a share of the profits?”

I looked at Oh Changhoon with cold eyes.

He coughed awkwardly before answering.

“That’s not it.”

“Then you’ll hand it over, right?”

“I’ll review it.”

“I hope you make the correct choice.”

I stood up immediately.

Before leaving, I didn’t forget to offer one final piece of friendly advice.

“Watch the USB alone. It’s far too vulgar to play in a place like this.”

Reading the mockery hanging from my lips, Oh Changhoon bit down hard on his own.