Money Keeps Piling Up No Matter How Much I Spend

Chapter 178

Translator: Dreamscribe"What? The ESG Association? That association is going to evaluate every company from now on?"

"Yes. They're essentially saying a private organization will hand down corporate evaluations however it pleases."

Private firms arbitrarily evaluating companies and assigning ratings was already rampant.

But frankly, nobody cared what they did.

They simply didn't have the weight to control companies with a single evaluation.

The ESG Association that Kwangwoon was creating, however, was on an entirely different scale.

Starting with the Association Chairman, every committee member beneath him was a person of tremendous prestige, and there was no question that their evaluations would exert enormous influence on the market.

"They say every evaluation from the Association will be published through Kwangwoon's media outlets and social media channels, exactly as is. It'll carry a very different kind of power than ratings from some ordinary private firm."

That was precisely the problem.

The media that Kwangwoon controlled.

What would happen if they used that media to give certain companies poor evaluations, then ran constant coverage about it day after day?

Brainwashing is simpler than people think.

You just keep exposing the public to the same narrative through the media.

Even if people don't believe it at first, once the message keeps coming out consistently, at some point they start to believe it.

"But the consensus right now is split fifty-fifty. There's concern that the impact could be enormous, but also the view that it won't have much effect."

"Don't be stupid. This is like Michelin. They assign stars and hand down ratings however they see fit. If someone told you a place got a high Michelin rating, you'd accept the steep prices without question, wouldn't you?"

"That's... true."

"This is exactly the same. Sure, people might think it won't matter much right now, but if Kwangwoon pushes it with the full force of their media, before long, people will look to the ESG Association's ratings before any evaluation from any government agency."

That was precisely what President Perron of France feared.

"Which means the ESG Association will become the standard by which companies are judged. Any company Kwangwoon targets will have its ratings driven straight into the ground. No matter how good a company is, no one will invest in it, and customers won't use its services either."

All because of a single offense against Kwangwoon.

"And we're supposed to just sit back and watch Kwangwoon pull this disgusting stunt?"

"......"

Some might argue that surely no one would let something like that actually change a company's image.

"That's exactly what Kwangwoon is counting on. They want everyone to let their guard down and accept the ESG Association, then before long, start wielding overwhelming influence. If we leave this alone, Kwangwoon will end up controlling every company in the world."

Perron could already see, clear as day, the blueprint Kwangwoon was drawing.

"This is just the beginning. Under the pretense of corporate evaluation, they'll put a leash on every company, and eventually try to control nations and governments too. That's Kwangwoon's scheme."

That was why the ESG Association had to be stopped from operating freely.

"Relay France's position to the ESG Association. And alert the EU to this problem as well! This isn't just our concern; this is an issue that needs to be kept in check at the national level."

"Yes sir, I'll relay the message immediately."

"Oh. And how are the negotiations with the protesters going?"

"Fortunately, the protesters' momentum has weakened considerably compared to before. We've been steadily negotiating and calming them down."

President Perron had a self-portrait he dreamed of for himself.

He wanted to be the president who brought reform to France.

That was why the thing he had touched for the sake of France's reform was pensions.

Though Perron had pushed forward with pension reform that no other politician dared to touch, the backlash was equally fierce.

Already over a million citizens had taken to the streets in protest, clashing with police forces and even resulting in bloodshed.

Still, he refused to back down.

He ignored everything the protesters screamed about.

Because he knew that given enough time, the protesters' strength would naturally fade on its own.

"I have to show them that even their provocations can't shake me. Right? And next year is the Paris Olympics. Tell them to get it passed quickly so it doesn't interfere with the Olympics. Once that happens, the protesters will feel powerless and disperse on their own."

* * *

Today, unlike usual, I was spending more time in front of the mirror.

I had been standing there, facing my reflection, rehearsing the prepared congratulatory speech over and over.

"This isn't easy."

But it was something that had to be done, and something where mistakes were not an option, so I finished my final check.

Then I headed down to where the staff were waiting, but someone else was there waiting for me.

"Hm? Hyungnim, what are you doing here?"

"Heh heh. Why do you think? I'm here so we can walk in together."

Somehow, standing side by side with hyungnim, the tension that had been building up seemed to ease just a little.

"When I think about having to give a congratulatory speech in front of all those distinguished people, I get incredibly nervous, you know?"

"Well, of course you'd be nervous. This is a celebration for the founding of the ESG Association, after all. On top of that, those people all came all the way to this distant country just to see your face."

"To see me?"

"That's right. You're the one who actually makes all the decisions at Kwangwoon. Of course they'd want to see you. Heh."

"Come on. What are you talking about? You're the one with the final say, hyungnim."

"Ha. Thanks for saying that, at least."

Just like that, hyungnim and I arrived at the banquet venue in no time.

Since we were using our own Kwangwoon Tower Banquet Hall, all it took was an elevator ride to get there.

"The Chairman and CEO Jung Jin-ho are entering."

At the announcement echoing in English, every eye in the banquet hall turned to the two of us.

I was so self-conscious that I couldn't manage my expression, but hyungnim, having attended so many of these events, looked completely at ease.

He truly looked every bit the Chairman who represented our company.

"How do you do."

"It's wonderful to finally meet you in person."

People whose names alone would be recognized by anyone in this industry gathered in one place, sending an endless stream of handshake requests my way.

I was drenched in sweat from greeting each and every one of them.

But that wasn't the highlight.

"And now, we will have the congratulatory speech from Kwangwoon Securities CEO Jung Jin-ho."

"......"

I took a deep breath behind the stage, then stepped up to the podium.

My hands were trembling so badly that for the first time, I started to regret creating the ESG Association.

* * *

The banquet was over, but that had merely been the official event.

The real event was only just beginning.

This was the moment when the figures who had each secured a seat in the ESG Association gathered informally to talk.

"That person earlier... that was him, right?"

"Yes. The one who decides everything at Kwangwoon, and the one who created this ESG Association, bringing together people who could never have gathered in one place. That was him."

The real purpose of the attendees at tonight's banquet was not to meet up and network. It was to see Jung Jin-ho, who had come to the celebration.

"I'd seen plenty of photos, but seeing him in person, how should I put it... he just looks so kind."

"That's what makes him terrifying. He has this ability to make people lower their guard. Looking at that innocent smile with no hint of scheming behind it, it actually gave me chills."

Incidents orchestrated to look like mere coincidences piled on top of one another.

Those terrible accidents.

All of them had originated from Kwangwoon.

But dig deeper, and there was a single person who had devised every plan and made every decision.

That was Jung Jin-ho.

The problem was that, on the surface, Jung Jin-ho did not look remotely like someone capable of such things.

They hadn't been able to talk at length, but even in that brief time, he came across as a genuinely pure person.

Especially when he delivered his congratulatory speech on the podium, his nervousness was painfully obvious.

"I've heard that CEO Jung Jin-ho rarely makes appearances at official events like this."

"That's right. They say it's been a very long time since his last one. So maybe he deliberately played up that image?"

"Then you're saying that smile and the nervousness during the speech were all calculated?"

"Most likely. Why did Kwangwoon create the ESG Association? Because they understand that in today's world, projecting a favorable image to the public matters more than simply having good technology or competence. And they intend to weaponize that. Didn't everyone here see CEO Jung Jin-ho today and find themselves surprised by an image quite different from what they expected?"

That much was true.

This young man was supposedly at the center of every incident Kwangwoon had engineered, yet his image was the very picture of virtue. That's what made it so jarring.

"Even we nearly forgot CEO Jung Jin-ho's true nature just now, so imagine how the general public reacts. Just look at the social media responses; people keep saying how approachable he looks. Especially since his image was already positive thanks to his consistent personal charitable donations."

Only then did they understand why, from the moment Jung Jin-ho entered, he had worn that easy, sheepish grin and displayed a slightly nervous demeanor.

From start to finish.

Every bit of it had been a calculated move.

Not just for Kwangwoon, but to plant in the public's mind the image of Jung Jin-ho as an approachable figure.

"But I've heard that the one truly pulling the strings at Kwangwoon isn't CEO Jung Jin-ho. Looking at his past, there's no way he could be......"

"Exactly. That's why people in this industry call CEO Jung Jin-ho 'God's Proxy'. And as for who this god actually is, that still hasn't been uncovered."

When Kwangwoon had risen meteorically and begun seizing control of global finance, naturally, countless agencies had dug into their background.

And the conclusion they all independently reached was the same.

There was something behind Kwangwoon.

There was no other explanation for how a company that couldn't even crack the top three securities firms in Korea, and a gaming addict who had done nothing but play games in his room, could transform overnight.

"God's Proxy......"

"In a way, it fits perfectly. We all have faith and believe in God, yet none of us has ever actually seen him."

The god who moved Kwangwoon was no different.

Even the supposedly elite intelligence agencies had investigated multiple times and failed to turn up a single clue about this figure.

"So all we need to do is focus on our roles. After all, everyone here came together for their own interests, didn't they? Because you all know that if the ESG Association is properly established, it will have a tremendous impact on every company in the world."

These were people who had spent decades in this industry, clawing their way to the very top.

So when something happened, they could see right through to the reason behind it.

That was why they understood the importance of the ESG Association.

And why each of them had rushed to submit their applications faster than anyone else, desperate to secure even a single seat.

"Going forward, our Association will work in coordination with Kwangwoon headquarters' Strategic Planning Team to evaluate companies. I believe you all already know who the first target is. It's Apple. If we can demonstrate that our influence is powerful enough to shake even Apple, every company in the world will have no choice but to watch their step around us."

That was precisely what made Apple such a perfect test subject.

If every company in the world witnessed Apple being shaken and brought to its knees by the ESG Association's evaluations, they would have no choice but to fall in line.

"However, there are already places that recognize the danger our Association poses and have begun pushing back."

Everyone already knew which country he meant.

"You're talking about France, aren't you?"

"Yes. He's been foaming at the mouth over anything Kwangwoon-related for a long time, so of course he's not looking favorably on the ESG Association either. If we get blocked there, everyone will start dismissing the ESG Association."

Perron was a politician through and through, so his Intuition was annoyingly sharp.

And as president, his power was not something they could simply ignore.

"But at the same time, that's also Perron's weakness. If we give him an opening, we can strike at any time."

"An opening......"

"What's the controversy in France right now? It's the pension reform and the Olympics. Perron desperately wants to finish the reform before the Olympics so he can restore order to a city torn apart by protests."

At that, the others grasped the meaning behind the words of Rendal, who had become the ESG Association Chairman.

"We pour more fuel on these protests?"

"Yes. Enough to set all of France ablaze."

"But how......?"

"Didn't I tell you earlier? We'll be working in coordination with the Strategic Planning Team at Kwangwoon headquarters."

"Ah."

President Perron had always harbored a strong desire to be known as the president of reform.

So they would grant him his wish, by igniting another revolution in France.

Just like 1995.

Just like the day when a great revolution by the citizens of France brought every industry to a halt, and even the president was forced to surrender.