Chapter 154 – Higher, Even Higher – Part 7

Chapter 154 – Higher, Even Higher – Part 7

Chairman Lee, who had been looking at Woojin’s move with a strange expression, raised his head.

There were a total of three stones on the Go board.

Shin Woojin’s small point in the upper right, Choi Seongyeong 9-dan’s star point in the upper left.

And finally, the stone placed right in the center.

It was an unexpected move, but not overly surprising.

It was like the playfulness of a child who had just started learning Go.

“That’s right, it’s more fun with a wager. What do you think?”

When Chairman Lee asked Choi Seongyeong for his opinion, he regained his composure and smiled.

“That sounds fun.”

When I first started acting, I used to play Go at a Go club, and those feelings seemed to be rekindled anew.

But his opponent is too young.

No, it seemed he wouldn’t be a match, which was a pity.

There’s a handicap game called “Ira” where you give a few points if there’s a big skill difference, but even a novice would start with the top-right, top-left, or bottom-left corners, not in the exact center like that.

In fact, a stone in the center could backfire later and lead to a difficult situation.

Whether he knew it or not, his expression remained calm.

This guy played with his eyes closed?

Chairman Lee must have been completely smitten and enchanted by him after seeing that.

Choi Seongyeong had no doubt he would lose from the moment he entered Chairman Lee’s Residence.

It was still the same now.

He truly had no confidence in beating such a young lad.

Choi Seongyeong 9-dan placed a stone right next to Woojin’s, as if to accommodate him.

Click.

Chairman Lee smiled faintly at the sight and said,

“Good. We’ll play best two out of three.

So, what kind of wager should we make today?”

“How about we wager whatever we want, as the Chairman suggested last time?”

Chairman Lee chuckled and turned his gaze back to the Go Board.

Choi Seongyeong was accommodating, and Shin Woojin could be thinking of some trick.

Looking at it positively, it could be a ploy to shake Choi Seongyeong 9-dan with a completely different move and create an opportunity.

However, given the opponent, such a shallow trick wouldn’t work.

So, there was nothing to hold back in the wager.

“You go first.”

Click.

Woojin made his move and spoke.

“I’d appreciate it if you could adjust the rights offering to 10% instead of 7% this time.”

Chairman Lee’s eyes widened slightly as he stroked his chin and looked at Woojin.

It was an unexpected statement.

Come to think of it, the last time, and this wager, brought up similar topics.

All of it was to give strength to his granddaughter, Hyerim.

“I’m curious about the reason.”

“As I told you before, Young Lady Lee Hyerim is now someone who will become Brain Food’s shadow.

It’s because if Young Lady Hyerim becomes a sturdier old tree, Brain Food will also be able to grow healthy branches in its cool shade.”

Chairman Lee’s face, as he looked at Woojin, changed to one of considerable Ira.

Even in a game of Go, he thinks about the prosperity of his business.

And his thoughts only gave his granddaughter Hyerim a little more power; there was no harm in it at all.

It was just a matter of opening up a few more opportunities for his granddaughter.

Clack.

Clack.

As Choi Seongyeong placed a Go Stone, Woojin likewise placed a black stone.

It was a typical situation where Choi Seongyeong was accommodating him as if teaching Go.

Choi Seongyeong 9-dan’s white stone was placed again.

Thud.

“Hahaha! Good. Brain Food isn’t listed yet, Ira, is it?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I’d like to become a Major Shareholder of Brain Food as well.”

Woojin’s expression was calm at Chairman Lee’s words, but Lee Hyerim was surprised.

Even when Woojin mentioned 10% instead of 7%, she had forced herself to calm her surprised heart.

But her Grandfather’s words were even more shocking.

Her Grandfather saying he wanted to be a Major Shareholder implied that he intended to get involved in Brain Food and control it.

Even if his stake wasn’t much, her Grandfather was someone who could do that and more.

Didn’t he say it before?

To raise it well and make it his own.

“Excellent.”

“Hahaha! I like your boldness. Alright. Focus, Bora.”

Woojin picked up a black stone and briefly looked up at Choi Seongyeong, 9th dan.

“Mr. Choi Seongyeong, 9th dan, how about one hour for time, and 30 candles for reading ahead?

I need to be up by 9 o’clock.”

Woojin cut the time for the rules of the match in half when he spoke.

Choi Seongyeong was dumbfounded again, but he didn’t lose his smile.

It just felt like a child’s bravado.

Choi Seongyeong nodded leisurely.

“Alright.”

What is 30 candles for reading ahead?

Even 10 candles would be more than enough.

He just needed to make Woojin realize what an honor it was to play against him, and then collect the allowance Chairman Lee was giving him.

Click.

As Choi Seongyeong placed a stone, countless moves mixed with black and white stones transparently appeared and disappeared in Woojin’s eyes.

It was Reading Ahead.

Then Woojin’s attitude suddenly changed.

He had heard the answer he wanted from Chairman Lee.

Woojin, who was about to place a stone in the center, suddenly shifted his move to the bottom-left star point.

Click.

Again, around that single point, black and white stones appeared and disappeared transparently, spreading out as if in a wave.

Choi Seongyeong, on the other hand, involuntarily gasped.

Woojin’s move was like retreating and running away from a battlefield.

He couldn’t hide his disappointment on his face.

He was disappointed in himself for playing Go with this guy; it was the Righteous Path.

It’s not a joke, what in the world is he doing? It makes no sense.

At that moment, Woojin’s voice flowed into Choi Seongyeong, 9th-dan’s ear.

“Choi Seongyeong, 9th-dan, you have 10 moves left.”

–

A little less than two hours later, a quiet silence hung in the living room of Chairman Lee’s residence.

Choi Seongyeong, 9th-dan, looked down at the Go board as if he couldn’t understand.

He had lost two games in a row.

It was a system he had never seen before, and moves he couldn’t possibly comprehend came together to form a territory.

It was elegant and like reeds swaying in the wind, but it didn’t break, instead standing tall again with determination.

“How can such a way of thinking…”

He had met all the top Go prodigies and exchanged moves with them.

Undoubtedly, this was the first time he had met someone who played like this.

Chairman Lee’s expression, as he nodded and looked at the Go board, was calm, but inwardly he was quite surprised.

It seemed as if Shin Woojin was recklessly throwing out moves against Choi Seongyeong, 9th-dan, like an adventurer, but in the end, the result was favorable.

He hadn’t expected Shin Woojin to beat Choi Seongyeong from the start. He had thought it would be a truly interesting match if he could just play evenly like a reclusive master, but…

Choi Seongyeong murmured.

“Just one more game…”

Then, as if cutting off his words, Woojin stood up from his seat and bowed to Choi Seongyeong.

“It was an honor.”

And then he spoke to Chairman Lee again.

“Chairman Lee, I have an important matter.

May I leave first?”

“Oh? Yes. Go carefully. Let’s meet again sometime.”

“Then.”

Woojin bowed slightly to Lee Hyerim as well, then turned around.

Suddenly, she could see it.

Or was it a delusion?

It felt like I saw a small smile on Woojin’s lips.

The smile seemed to be saying, ‘Hyerim, you can do it.’

Woojin, who had left Chairman Lee’s Residence, checked his wristwatch.

He just left because Hyerim had to drive the car they took to Chairman Lee’s Residence.

Only 50 minutes left.

Woojin quickened his pace and displayed satellite images to check the various routes.

He then made mathematical calculations and statistics, excluding the possibility of traffic jams, and moved forward, calculating the fastest probable route.

No, he ran.

“Taxi!”

Woojin, having gotten into a taxi, quickly stated his destination.

Even as the taxi was driving, Woojin continuously calculated the time in candle units.

From the gravity affecting him based on his weight to the acceleration and resistance increasing as the car’s wheels turned.

“Driver, I would appreciate it if you could turn left up ahead.”

“There?”

“Yes. Now!”

As the taxi turned left, Woojin urgently spoke.

It was Woojin who had just checked the real-time traffic information.

“I’ll get off here.”

“Here?”

“Yes. Thank you! Good luck.”

Woojin hastily got out before even reaching the destination.

He calculated the number of nearby furniture and the population density that could hinder his movement, then entered an alley and started running.

About 10 minutes remained.

Time was pressing, and Woojin’s face even seemed somewhat illuminated.

The crosswalk with a red light was what greeted Woojin as he exited the alley.

Woojin caught his breath, preparing to cross the street.

“I might be late if I’m not careful.”

That would truly be a problem.

As the light changed from red to green, Woojin’s feet moved faster than before.

The place he arrived at was…

Bang.

His house.

Woojin, who had come into the living room, out of breath, asked Bomi, who was on the sofa,

“Has ‘Chat VS Chat’ started yet?”

“Huh?”

When Woojin mentioned the channel, Bomi quickly picked up the remote control.

Only then could Woojin let out a sigh of relief.

The program title was just being erased from the top of the TV screen.

[Chat VS Chat]

This program, featuring popular comedians, was having its first broadcast today.

Woojin had seen the preview, and trendy catchphrases had poured out of the comedians’ mouths one after another.

“I’m glad I wasn’t late.”

“Did you run all the way here to watch this, big brother? Look at your sweat. There’s a rerun, too…”

“It’s a national rule to catch the first broadcast live, you know.”

Bomi, who had her eyes fixed on Woojin, scratched her cheek.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Woojin got up from his seat and muttered with a satisfied expression,

“It’s all according to plan.”

He then picked up the intercom and looked at the screen.

– Chicken, please!

Woojin had ordered chicken on his way.

–

Meanwhile, Lee Hyerim, who had left Chairman Lee’s Residence, went to Eldest Aunt’s house.

As she entered the Living Room, her Aunt, Lee Jeongmi, glared at Lee Hyerim with her arms crossed.

“You said you have something to talk about? Are you being audacious, or do you not know your place?”

Her Uncle, who was sitting on the sofa, also spoke up.

“It’s funny for me to say this to you, Hyerim, but…”

“You stay quiet!”

At Lee Jeongmi’s words, her Husband closed his mouth as if tucking his tail.

Just then, Lee Jeonghoon, the only son of the family, walked down from the Second Floor.

“You got a 7% priority for the Rights Offering Major Shareholder? Congratulations?”

Lee Jeonghoon’s face was full of contempt mixed with a sneer.

Lee Hyerim looked at them and thought.

She thought they were a mountain to overcome, but as Woojin said, they were someone to embrace.

A small doll to hold for a moment, not a hug.

Lee Hyerim, who was receiving their sharp gazes, opened her mouth.

“Not 7%, but 10%. I received a separate answer from Grandfather.”

Their eyes widened in shock.

Lee Jeonghoon closed his eyes and gritted his teeth as if to break them.

“What on earth is Father-in-law thinking…”

“What?! 10%?! What kind of nonsensical flattery did you tell our Dad…”

Lee Hyerim opened her mouth.

“I did it because I wanted to help Aunt.”