After Graduation， I Fucked All My Classmates 178

## Chapter 178 – Floundering

Jang Seon-yeong couldn’t believe the situation.
Suddenly, twelve giant corporations were canceling their contracts one after another.
She took direct action to remedy the situation.

“You can’t do this.”
“Get out of my way!”

Bang! The hotel president’s office door burst open with a violent sound.
Jang Hee-seon, Oh Se-yeong’s mother, stared at Jang Seon-yeong, who had pushed past the employee trying to stop her.

“What brings you here?”
“Hee-seon, you can’t do this to me. How can you do this? How long have we known each other!”
“…….”
“We’ve been together since elementary school!”

Jang Hee-seon stared at Jang Seon-yeong with hollow eyes before opening her mouth quietly.

“…Yes, we were. You, me, and that son of a bitch.”

Jang Seon-yeong flinched.

“Seon-yeong, after going through a divorce, I realized that human affection is useless. There’s no one to trust except blood relatives. I think you’ll understand how I feel since you’re divorced too.”
“…I know. Of course, I know. But this isn’t right. Why did you suddenly cancel the contract?”
“Hmm. Shall we say it’s because of family?”

She answered, thinking of her daughter, Oh Se-yeong, for a moment.

“What? Are you saying that turning your back on our company is for the sake of your family?”
“Yes.”
“Hey, Jang Hee-seon!”

Jang Seon-yeong grabbed Jang Hee-seon by the collar.
If it were for any other reason, she might have understood, but not for that reason, Jang Seon-yeong thought.
Because—

“We’re still related by blood, aren’t we? We’re not complete strangers. Huh? Do you have to go this far?”

Eyes filled with anger and eyes that had sunk deeply stared at each other.
After a moment of silence, Jang Hee-seon spoke quietly.

“Seon-yeong, I think you’d understand my choice if your daughter’s future was at stake.”
“…….”
“So, if you don’t have any more cards to persuade me, go back. Don’t rely on useless sentimentality. If you want to persuade me, act like a businesswoman.”

Jang Seon-yeong bit her lip tightly.
Hee-seon drawing the line like that meant she wouldn’t accept any more conversation of that kind.

Knowing well that it was useless to talk any further, Jang Seon-yeong nodded.
Then, she swept her short hair back, took a deep breath, and suppressed her emotions as she spoke.

“Brittain Hotel CEO Jang Hee-seon, this action seems to deviate too much from business ethics. Isn’t trust the foundation of business?”
“Hmm.”
“Please uphold business ethics and undo the contract cancellation. Or at least give us some time.”

Jang Hee-seon stared at Jang Seon-yeong, lost in thought with emotionless eyes.
Her dry lips moved. A little roughly.

“Where did some lowly thing learn to talk about business ethics? You 거지새끼.” (T/N: 거지새끼 is a Korean slur meaning “You beggar.”)
“!!”
“…That’s what you always said to CEOs who were worse than you, Seon-yeong.”

Jang Hee-jin pointed to one side. There, a phrase was written.

『Know thyself.』

“At this rate, you’ll be lucky to be the CEO of a small business. Or maybe a homeless debtor.”
“…….”
“If you want to demand business ethics like that, first adjust your size. Then I’ll respond to you at that level.”

Then, she straightened her clothes and turned her gaze to the documents on her desk. It meant the negotiation was over.

“Do you really have to go this far, Hee-jin…?”
“Don’t be too disappointed. I’ll still give you plenty of compensation.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about!”
“I have nothing more to say. Now, go back to your company. You don’t have time to waste here, do you?”
“…….”

Having nothing more to say, Jang Seon-yeong had no choice but to leave as if being chased out.
Emotions surged for a moment, but she held them back.

‘There are still 11 more places. I can persuade them.’

But the result was no different. Jang Seon-yeong couldn’t persuade the other 11 families either.

-I have nothing more to say, so shall we go back?

-I’m sorry. The CEO is in a very important meeting right now and cannot meet with you.

Oh Se-yeong’s mom was better than most.
The other families openly ignored her or didn’t even meet with her.
Those who had once been so friendly and flattering.

‘You bastards. Just get through this crisis. I’ll be sure to repay today’s humiliation.’

Just get through this crisis. Then, with support from KJ, she could grow back to her previous size.
Then, she could thoroughly trample on those who ignored her today.
The problem was that the company’s situation was not good right now.

‘No. The company is still sound. There’s still a considerable amount of work in hand.’

Twelve large corporations had turned their backs, but many large corporations still outsourced work to her company.
The 불안한 심리 (T/N: uneasy feeling) of entrusting work to newly established companies or mediocre small and medium-sized enterprises was giving her a chance to recover.

‘I’ve put out the immediate fire. So now I’m going to counterattack. I’m going to revive and regain my old status.’

She had received confirmation from the KJ Honorary Chairman about who was responsible for causing this mess.
In fact, there was no need to confirm separately.
Just looking at who benefited the most from this situation would give you the answer.
So, after reorganizing her ranks, Jang Seon-yeong immediately responded to Taebaek Distribution.

『If Taebaek Distribution, which advocates complete automation, seizes the market, many people will become unemployed. Our QuickQuick Delivery promises to maintain the existing labor-friendly system….』

Jang Seon-yeong immediately started a media campaign. She accurately pinpointed the strengths and weaknesses of Taebaek Distribution, creating a sense of unease among the public.

“Come to think of it, if it becomes automated, won’t we all become unemployed?”
“Shit, then what are we going to live on now?”

The effect was better than expected.
Whether it was restaurants or workplaces, places where people gathered were noisy with the topic, and they generally showed a negative reaction to automation.

“No matter what, it’s still too early for automation.”
“My child is still in elementary school. I can’t be unemployed yet.”
“For once, that bitch is saying something right.”

Thanks to this, Jang Seon-yeong was able to hold on to her company’s workers who were trying to quit and move to other delivery companies.
The social atmosphere also expressed skepticism about the fully automated system and began to view Taebaek Distribution negatively.

『Our QuickQuick Delivery will unconditionally maintain a labor-friendly approach….』

Jang Seon-yeong continued to emphasize that she was on the opposite line from Taebaek Distribution.
Taebaek Distribution absolutely does not need people, but QuickQuick Delivery absolutely needs people.

‘Good. If the situation continues like this, customers will come back to us.’

However, Jang Seon-yeong’s hope did not last long.

『…This is the 9 o’clock news. The misdeeds of QuickQuick Delivery, which have been kept quiet until now, are being exposed one by one.』

Even if they now claim to be people-friendly and change their behavior, it did not cover up the heinous acts that they had been committing for years.
People remembered all the evil deeds of QuickQuick Delivery.

『They don’t treat employees like people and exploit them relentlessly, and if they can’t do their job, they even pass the buck.』

They clearly remembered how QuickQuick Delivery had treated them.
And as the company’s powerful authority weakened, they began to open their mouths one by one and appeal to public opinion and the media about past events.
The media saw this as an opportunity to make money and relentlessly tore at her and her weakened company.

『…It has been confirmed that they received illegal work through lobbying and even drew up unfair contracts with subcontractors.』

The areas that had been festering for a long time were bursting one by one.
Still, she somehow managed to give money to the media and use people to endure, but suddenly a video was exposed on the mass media, and the controversy reached its peak.

『What you are seeing now is a video of the QuickQuick Delivery CEO’s abuse of power.』

The video contained a scene of Jang Seon-yeong slapping Team Leader Lee in the face and beating him with her bag.

-ㄷㄷㄷ She’s really beating him like a dog
-Is that a human being?
-If I were him, I would have gotten angry and beat him back before quitting the company

The public’s opinion cooled down at the inhumane behavior and poured out words of criticism.
Immediately, Jang Seon-yeong denied the incident, claiming that it was unfounded and mentioning the possibility of CCTV footage manipulation.

However, due to the karma of her past misdeeds, her claims lost their power.
No matter how much she emphasized that she was a ‘labor-friendly company’ in good words, people no longer believed her.

And at that moment, a heavy blow came in.

“What? The prosecution investigation is being reopened…?”

Jang Seon-yeong dropped the smartphone she was holding to the floor.
She received a call that the investigation into her, which had been temporarily suspended, was being reactivated.
Even this time, they were directly mentioning not only tax evasion but also breach of trust and embezzlement.

Tremble, tremble.

Jang Seon-yeong picked up the smartphone that had fallen on the floor and called the KJ Chairman.

“Chairman. What’s going on? You said you’d help me wrap this up.”

But the answer she received was cold.

“I blocked it once because I thought of your mother, but I can’t do it twice. You’re all grown up now, so take care of yourself.”
“Uncle. You’re telling me to take care of myself…. Are you cutting me off now? I’m your niece. Seon-yeong. Mi-kyung’s daughter, Seon-yeong.”
“Does it matter now if you’re Mi-kyung’s daughter or not? How many years have you been rolling around in this industry? Tsk tsk. If you want my help, save that company yourself. Don’t even call me until then.”

Click, the phone was cut off, and Jang Seon-yeong stood blankly with a shocked face.

“…Did my uncle abandon me?”

Why? Why?
She couldn’t understand. Weren’t they family? Family related by blood.
Too shocked by the incident, she stood there blankly when her secretary came in and reported with a knock.

“CEO, I’ve compiled and summarized the current situation as you requested.”
“…Report.”
“First of all, we avoided 영업 정지 (T/N: business suspension), but the company’s image has been bad recently, so losses are increasing rapidly, and we continue to lose our sales network. Delivery drivers are also leaving quickly. They’re all going to Taebaek Distribution.”
“What about the stock…?”
“The internal information hasn’t leaked yet, so we’ve avoided a sharp drop…. But it’s still -7%.”
“Ha, hahaha.”

Laughter came out.
A hollow laugh.
She immediately understood the KJ Chairman’s actions.

‘He decided it wasn’t profitable and abandoned me.’

It was something her uncle could definitely do.

“…Get out.”
“Yes?”
“Get out!”
“Yes, yes!”

After the secretary left, Jang Seon-yeong struggled a few times and barely found the smartphone in her hand and called Team Leader Lee.

‘I have to 정리 (T/N: organize/settle things). Settle. The company is already ruined.’

The stock was already on the verge of collapse.
It was obvious without even looking. The chart was leaking.
She had been watching and learning about stocks since elementary school, so she could tell what the current situation was just by looking at it.

‘Maybe all the other families are taking out their capital, the 개 같은 녀석들 (T/N: dog-like bastards).’

There was no other way now.

“Yes, CEO. This is Team Leader Lee.”
“How’s the prosecution doing?”
“Ah, that’s….”

Then she heard a foreign language.
She listened carefully and heard foreign languages and music.
It was strange. It wasn’t like foreigners were coming to the prosecution for investigation in groups, and there was no reason why fluent foreign languages would be heard, not just one but several.

“Min-joon, where are you now?”
“…….”
“You’re not at the prosecution, are you?”
“Hahahahaha. You’re as sharp as ever, Aunt.”

She had a bad feeling.

“You’re abroad now. So, the CCTV footage….”
“Yeah, you 씨발년 (T/N: bitch). I did it.”
“!!”
“Did you think I’d be loyal to you until the end, wagging my tail like a dog to you, who’s completely 망한 (T/N: ruined)?” 좆까 (T/N: Fuck off)!”

What was that…. Jang Seon-yeong was dumbfounded by the shocking fact.

“How could you do this to me…. How much did I cherish and take care of you all this time….”
“You took such good care of me that you slapped your nephew in the face even if he didn’t do his job well?”
“That’s because I was thinking of you….”
“씨발 (T/N: Fuck)! Don’t even say that! Just thinking about the times I was slapped by you makes me want to tear you apart and kill you!”
“!!”

Jang Seon-yeong couldn’t say anything, feeling like she had been hit with a hammer.

Of course, she herself admitted that it was 과격하다 (T/N: extreme).
It was intentional.
She herself had learned by being hit like that.
People don’t make the same mistakes if they have strong memories.

‘That’s why I did it.’

But it seemed like the method didn’t work. She thought her nephew understood her intentions because he had been obedient all along.
He had been 착했고 (T/N: kind) since he was young, and he was especially good at following her words.

“But why are you abroad now… Could it be….”

Jang Seon-yeong trembled, feeling a spine-chilling 불안 (T/N: unease).

“Ah. You’re right. I’m going to take your 비자금 (T/N: slush fund), so get ready to be investigated by the prosecution.
“!!”
“Oh, and by the way, I’ve already passed on all the information about the money I can’t steal to the prosecution, you know?”
“What…?”
“So, you probably won’t be able to leave Korea now. So, get ready for the investigation and prison life. Let’s see if we can see each other later. Well, I don’t know if I’ll ever see a 거지 (T/N: beggar) again.”

What was he talking about?
He passed all the information to the prosecution?
He was running away with the 비자금 (T/N: slush fund)?
Jang Seon-yeong, who had been listening to the story blankly for a while, was bid farewell by Team Leader Lee.

“Well, I’m going to go play with the money you’ve earned. Thank you for earning money for me all my life, Aunt.”
“Where are you! Come back right now?! Hey, Lee Min-joon….”

The phone had already been cut off. Jang Seon-yeong shed bitter tears and trembled with the smartphone in her hand.
In fact, she could have given him that money.
She thought she wouldn’t mind giving her 친언니 자식 (T/N: 친언니 자식 means “sister’s child,” emphasizing the close familial bond) about 20%.

In the first place, she had deliberately entrusted the 명의 (T/N: title) and management to her nephew, telling him to take it.
It was a 퇴직금 (T/N: severance pay) concept that she put in there every time he did a good job.

She was planning to give it to him as a surprise gift later.
But before she could tell him the truth, her nephew had already stabbed her in the back and left.

‘Even though we’re related by 피가 섞인 사이 (T/N: blood), he’s doing this to me, his aunt…? Just for slapping him a little?’

Wasn’t this more 남 같지 않은 (T/N: distant) than a complete stranger?
Wasn’t it almost like they were 원수지간 (T/N: enemies)?
When Jang Seon-yeong raised her head, she saw her autobiography displayed on one side.

『CEO Jang Seon-yeong’s success story! From the bottom of the distribution industry to becoming the leading company in East Asia….』

“I’m… I’m 빈털터리 (T/N: broke)? I, the success story of the distribution industry, 망했단 (T/N: ruined)…?”

Jang Seon-yeong, who had been staring blankly at the book as if she had lost her soul, screamed.

“으아아아아!”

She smashed everything in the office as she could. But the situation did not change. Nothing changed even after she went on a rampage.
It just brought up a lot of emotions and made her head ache as if it would explode.

‘Is this real? Not a nightmare?’

Bang! Bang! Bang bang bang!

‘Isn’t it? Isn’t it?’

Between 허탈함 (T/N: emptiness) and anger, Jang Seon-yeong wandered around and smashed everything she could.
But the more small wounds appeared on her hands and the faster her breathing became, the closer the cold reality came.

The room was clearly bright with lights, but it felt too dark.
She desperately tried to find a way to solve the problem, but she couldn’t see a way out.

“Ha, hahaha.”

It was when she was뼈저리게 실감할 (T/N: keenly aware) the feeling of 절망 (T/N: despair) for the first time in her life.
Woong- a small tremor occurred in the corner of the room. Jang Seon-yeong picked up the smartphone rolling on the floor.

『Yu-hwa Group Hana Mom』

꾹. (T/N: 꾸우욱 is an onomatopoeia for pressing something firmly, in this case, the call button)

The moment she saw the caller, sparks flew in her eyes. If the Yu-hwa Group hadn’t started the contract cancellation, she wouldn’t have been driven into this situation.
As if facing an enemy she couldn’t live under the same sky with, Jang Seon-yeong pressed the receive button and poured out 욕설 (T/N: curses) without restraint.

“Why! What is it! Did you call to mock me?! You 개 같은 년 (T/N: dog-like bitch)!”

「…You don’t seem to be in a good mood, so I’ll get straight to the point. There’s someone who wants to buy your company.」

“Get lost! That’s not going to happen!”

She immediately threw the smartphone, but Jang Seon-yeong, who had been panting for a while, suddenly changed her mind.

‘…Sell the company?’

If she sold it well, she could at least avoid being 빈털터리 (T/N: broke).
No, if she could get even a few hundred billion won, she might get a chance to recover.

‘I just need money. Then I can start over. I’m Jang Seon-yeong, the success story of the distribution industry.’

The company was already in a state where it couldn’t be turned back.
The image was an image, but the internal infrastructure was also not good.

47% of the delivery drivers quit and went to Taebaek.
She was supposed to receive compensation from several companies for the unilateral contract cancellation, but that would only be enough to pay off the company’s debt.

A 21st-century company is 거품 (T/N: bubble) of capitalism itself.
When it’s doing well, it’s doing endlessly well, but when it collapses, it can’t be salvaged.

‘Anyway, the structure that can make money has all 망가져 버려서 (T/N: broken down), so there’s no reason to pay off the debt. It’s better to just start over.’

Even if she didn’t start a new business, if she sold it well now and put it in her pocket, she could live comfortably for at least three or four generations without being ashamed.

Having made that decision, Jang Seon-yeong went to the meeting place. Coincidentally, the meeting place was the rooftop of QuickQuick Delivery.

‘Is the sun already setting?’

Perhaps because it was autumn and the sun was setting quickly, the whole world was already dyed in darkness. In various places, they began to turn on the lights to welcome the night.

It was like tens of thousands of fireflies hanging on a huge gray tree.

Jang Seon-yeong, who silently alternated between looking at the brilliant and 시린 (T/N: cold) night view and her company, which was completely turned off, forced a bitter smile at the footsteps coming from behind.

“CEO Jang Seon-yeong. Thank you for coming.”

Hoo. And after taking a deep breath, she turned her body.
From now on, the more she sold it well, the more 찬란 (T/N: brilliant) and 평탄 (T/N: smooth) her future would be.

So, with the intention of eliminating her arrogant attitude and matching the other person’s taste as much as possible, she raised her head.
Then, she tried to greet the other person with a pretty smile, but….

“Huh?”

In a moment of 절체절명의 위기 (T/N: desperate crisis), the only hope that came to her, who had even been 손절 (T/N: cut off) by her relatives, was a completely unexpected person.

“You, you are.”
“This is our second meeting in person, right? I’m Lee Tae-baek, the president of Taebaek Distribution.”