Chapter 206 - We're Worse Than Others.
Ma Gyeong-rok has two younger brothers.
The second son, Ma Gyeong-sang, is one year younger.
The third son, Ma Gyeong-su, is two years younger.
Although they fought a lot when they were kids, they never ended up embarrassing each other.
The relationship between the brothers didn't change as they grew up, not for any particular reason, but for money.
As they grew up, they understood the value of money and realized they were not only from a high class but also from a diamond cradle.
Also, the prospect of inheriting a large fortune when their father passed away.
As a result, they began to take care of their own plates, and the problem arose with the eldest son, Ma Gyeong-rok.
Normally, the position of heir falls on the eldest son, and the younger sons always lived with the possibility of living in the shadow of the older brother.
Didn't they like that position?
The brothers complained to their father, claiming it was unfair.
It made no sense for Ma Gyeong-rok, the eldest son without skills, to take over everything.
They argued that they were much more fit to lead the company and that the choice of heir should be based on ability, not tradition.
Frustrated with the situation, Ma Dae-cheol finally declared that he would choose the heir based on ability and not tradition.
That was the reason why Ma Gyeong-rok had such a tense relationship with his brothers.
"Why are you two here?"
Ma Gyeong-rok's cold gaze was met with equally sharp looks from Ma Gyeong-sang and Ma Gyeong-su.
"Why do you think? We came to congratulate you."
"Can't your brothers congratulate you?"
"We're not interested in your congratulations. Leave."
"Really, do you think we came just to congratulate you?"
"Father, no, the chairman asked us to come together."
Chairman Ma Dae-cheol gave his two sons a meaningful look.
"Stop fighting. Do you really have to fight right here?"
"..."
"We've already congratulated our brother and now we're leaving."
"That's right. Wasn't it time for you to acknowledge your brother?"
A voice resonated from behind, and as they turned their heads, they saw a middle-aged, well-dressed, elegant man entering with security guards.
It was the mayor of Seoul, Ma Dong-won.
"It's been a while, Ma Gyeong-rok. There's no need for formalities among family. Just call me uncle."
Despite his imposing appearance, Ma Dong-won, with a gentle smile, tried to lighten the tension between the brothers.
"Thank you for organizing this celebration. Did you prepare it personally?"
"I just arranged it simply."
"It's a celebration for the company's rise in the KOSPI for the first time in five years, it shouldn't be so modest."
"What does a rise in the KOSPI mean? Your father built a whole group. You shouldn't settle for this. From now on, you'll have to lead the group."
As he said this, Ma Gyeong-rok glanced defeatedly at his brothers.
With a smile bordering on mockery on his face.
"Ha, ha, ha! Is this the future heir of Ohsung Corporation? Well! To lead a group, you need this self-confidence!"
With gestures indicating his approval, Ma Dong-won slapped Ma Gyeong-rok's shoulder and looked at his younger brother.
"Brother, can we stop worrying about your eldest now?"
"We won't. After achieving such clear success, is there anything to worry about?"
"Isn't this performance beyond expectations? My brother said the goal was to be among the top 30 in the KOSDAQ."
"Yes, I didn't even think about listing on the KOSPI this way. He really did well."
Upon his father's praise, Ma Gyeong-rok smiled proudly.
"Thank you, chairman."
Since his father, who was stingy with praise, spoke like this, he felt rewarded for all the effort he had put in so far.
On the other hand, the brothers, apparently unconcerned about controlling their expressions, were showing their faces as they were.
It seemed like their father had brought them not to reconcile them, but rather to mess with them.
But Ma Dae-cheol's real intention lay elsewhere.
"Sons, envy, feel jealous, and desire to surpass your brother. That will drive you to grow stronger."
Indeed, Ma Dae-cheol had no intention of reconciling the brothers in the slightest.
He didn't even expect that.
He simply wanted to establish a foundation for growth by directly showing his eldest son's achievements and stimulating them.
That was why he brought his two sons to this place.
"Now, with the stimulation, Gyeong-sang and Gyeong-su, who have been stimulated, will strive and work hard to catch up to their brother."
But Ma Dae-cheol didn't know.
Bringing the brothers here would turn into a bigger problem than he imagined.
"Anyway, brother, wasn't it time you told us something?"
"What?"
"Brother, your nickname."
At Ma Gyeong-sang's question, Ma Gyeong-rok fell silent.
It's not that he didn't want to answer, but the three brothers were players in their twenties.
Therefore, they knew well what it meant to reveal a nickname.
"Do these guys really think... they can track me down?"
Revealing the nickname was like showing the face behind the mask.
It would give them a reason to track him down.
In this world where one could stab a knife in someone's back and leave the corpse unpunished.
"What would they want to track me for? To kill me?"
The only reason to ask for the nickname was that.
That's why he had never revealed it until now.
"My nickname, what are you going to do with it?"
"I'm just curious."
"And what's your nickname?"
"Hey, don't you know about Jangyu? You should start by telling yours."
"It's Black Scythe."
"Don't talk nonsense."
"Is it serious?"
"How can you prove it?"
"This is the perfect time to prove it."
"Ah, do you know there's a new challenge function?"
"Yes."
"I'll challenge you. Both of you must fight us. Without weapons and skills, just with bare hands. If you're really Black Scythe, can you do that?"
They had all reached level 60, and the challenge function was enabled.
He already knew what function it was, as he had used it before.
He also knew he could put a wager through a duel.
"If we win, we'll withdraw from the succession. But if you win, we'll recognize you cleanly."
"Fight both of you in a 2 against 1?"
"Yes, why? Don't you trust yourself, Black Scythe?"
Although it was an obvious provocation, Ma Gyeong-rok couldn't respond.
Even if he was skilled, he didn't have the confidence to win under such unfavorable conditions without weapons or skills.
"Well, I lied a little. I'm not Black Scythe. Is that okay now?"
"Well then. What kind of Black Scythe are you?"
"Why are you lying so easily?"
"What?"
When bad words came out, Ma Gyeong-rok's expression turned grim.
The brothers, on their part, exchanged cold looks between them.
"What the hell are they doing?" someone exclaimed.
Watching the situation without intervening, Ma Dae-cheol couldn't help but get angry.
"You two! Are you here to fight, to duel, or to talk nonsense about being struck by lightning? Did you come to fight among brothers?"
"Yes, we said we didn't want to come."
"But still, our father insisted on taking us all the way."
"What, what? These guys!"
Although the president was upset, the brothers didn't bat an eyelash.
In the past, they might have been cautious because of the uncertainty about the heir, but wasn't it different now?
Ma Gyeong-rok had demonstrated his outstanding performance, and the situation was already decided regarding the heir.
"Honestly, I don't understand why they brought us here."
"If they're going to say outdated words like 'learn from your brother', we'll leave."
"These sons of...!"
"Guys, what kind of nonsense are you saying to your father?"
Although Ma Dong-won tried to intervene to stop them, he couldn't change their stubborn minds.
"Ma Gyeong-rok, be careful on the way back. Don't be too arrogant just because you've reached Round 13."
"What?"
"Remember that if you hold your head so high, you'll stumble upon a stone at some point."
The brothers left, leaving inappropriate comments behind.
"Calling those sons of... your sons? Oh, damn."
"Brother, are you okay?"
Ma Dong-won supported Ma Gyeong-rok and called Ryu Min, who was standing silently.
"What are you doing? Support your father without hesitation!"
"Oh, yes."
Ma Gyeong-rok supported his father, but his expression seemed absent somewhere.
And it wasn't for any reason other than he was pondering over his brothers' words.
"Be careful on the way back? Stumble upon a stone?"
Anyone could see those were inappropriate comments and threats.
"These idiots. Instead of congratulating, they tell me such nonsense? Who do they think they are?"
Snap.
Although they were brothers who shared the same blood, they didn't have pleasant memories between them.
"More useless than the others."
After receiving murder threats, Ma Gyeong-rok felt throbbing in his temples.
Lately, Ma Gyeong-rok was under a lot of stress.
Perhaps that's why?
Ma Gyeong-rok had a thought he shouldn't have had.
"Should I eliminate those guys before they try something against me?"
It wasn't a threat he wanted to make.
If they were capable of planning their own death, then they had to survive to secure the heir position.
Only then could they have a chance to come back.
"So far, I thought I would fail my father's mission. I didn't expect the company to grow this much. I might even die during one of the rounds."
But now the situation was different.
"I'm not going to wait here to die in the Other World. Surely they're feeling a desperate urgency, not knowing how long they'll survive."
So they left those sincere threats and went away.
Truly, they were determined to kill their brother.
But they didn't know someone else was reading those thoughts.
-----------------------
"Ah, why is the atmosphere so tense?"
Ryu Min, who had arrived at the company after receiving Ma Gyeong-rok's invitation, couldn't pretend he didn't know anything.
After all, he had witnessed the dispute between Ma Gyeong-rok and his brothers.
So he's using transparency to approach and read thoughts.
"Isn't it all wonderful being a chaebol?"
Property disputes among conglomerate heirs are such a common cliché in dramas that it would be disappointing if they didn't appear.
"Who would want to fight for succession within the family when their lives are in danger?"
No, rather, it may be because of the idea that since they don't know when they'll die, they must seize the opportunity before it's too late.
"It seems the president has no intention of changing the successor."
He already has Ma Gyeong-rok in mind as the next successor.
It made perfect sense.
Given his eldest son's success beyond KOSPI's expectations, how could he not be satisfied?
"And meanwhile, it seems he's calling for provocation so the other brothers give up, but it seems to have had the opposite effect."
I read the thoughts of the brothers who parted ways with the advice to be careful on the way back.
They really wanted to kill Ma Gyeong-rok.
If they come back, they could gather and plan some crime in detail.
"And Ma Gyeong-rok believes he should preemptively attack before being attacked."
Brothers willing to kill each other.
Not even the most troublesome families have such a tense situation.
"Wait a moment. Could this be an opportunity for me?"
If I handle this situation well, couldn't I completely separate Ma Gyeong-rok and Christine?
If that happens, I could fully turn Christine into my own person.
"I've already confirmed Ma Gyeong-rok's feelings towards Black Scythe. There's no way they can get close."
Although they've been together for mutual convenience until now, it's time to cut ties.
There are no higher points to ascend to anymore.
"The company is in the same situation too. We passed the review for listing, but that's it. As we go on, players decrease, and by the end of round 15, everything falls apart."
It was the right time to sell.
"But as the main shareholder, I can't sell."
If he sells all the shares he has in this situation, he could gain huge profits.
But Ma Gyeong-rok shouldn't know.
"Even if I sell now, it will be like blatantly provoking Ma Gyeong-rok."
Just a little though.
It would be good to sell around 3% of the owned shares.
So even if the company crashes later on, they couldn't think the prophet betrayed them.
"I'll have to call Russell immediately. Let him liquidate all the shares I have."
And another person.
"Christine."
He should call her and take advantage of this situation.
"I should also call Seo Arin. She can help organize my thoughts."
Ryu Min, who had been watching the situation while slightly raising the corners of his lips, deactivated invisibility from afar.
And he approached Ma Gyeong-rok naturally, with a cheerful expression as if he hadn't witnessed the earlier events.
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