After the Divorce, I Found a Thousand Bitcoins - Chapter 108

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I Got Divorced and Found a Thousand Bitcoins Episode 108

Team Manager Lee Gi-cheol had originally been considering retirement.

‘I have enough retirement funds and can’t find a reason to continue working.’

After stepping back from the front lines due to health issues, he received scout offers from various places.

However, he had been declining them citing health reasons.

But his true feelings were that he judged the places that had approached him as lacking vision.

‘The passion of my youth just doesn’t come out anymore.’

He was a legendary figure who, together with former S Group Chairman Lee Geon-min, had brought Saseng to its current position.

As such, he enjoyed carrying the company’s vision on the front lines.

But the companies that made him offers didn’t show such vision.

Most were places trying to recruit him for a future only 3-4 years ahead at best.

Moreover, the authority wasn’t as strong as before either.

Even if he spoke up, everything would stop if the higher-ups blocked it, so there was no need to follow through.

In this situation, he received contact from Lee Jae-seong.

It was the first time he met with him since living as a free agent.

There was also an outsider at that meeting.

“I’m Choi Kang-hyeon from KH Group.”

KH Group.

He knew about them from what he’d heard.

He had heard news that they were recently forming a close partnership with Saseng.

Moreover, they had attacked the India Market and were even building a theme park in partnership with Incheon City domestically.

Though they lacked foundation, he thought it was a company with rapid recent growth.

‘Has that place already grown large enough to declare itself a group?’

Becoming a new group meant the affiliates had increased and the scale had grown.

Scale was directly connected to a company’s profits.

Companies classified as large corporations domestically all had to be recognized as having value of 5 trillion won or more.

He hadn’t known they had grown that rapidly.

“We would like to recruit Mr. Lee Gi-cheol to our company.”

The reason for wanting to meet was simple.

It was to make a recruitment offer.

Lee Gi-cheol thought it would be interesting after conversing with him.

Though there were areas where he was ignorant about business, perhaps because he was young, he overflowed with spirit.

That was why.

He wanted to immerse himself in that spirit and try working together.

“Please take good care of me.”

So he entered as the head of KH Group’s Future Strategy Team.

He declined the offer to come in as an executive.

He enjoyed finding future sources of income, not sitting in an executive position occupying a spot in the office.

And the first task he received was the battle for Dash’s market share.

‘If we swallow up logistics distribution, we’ll definitely get a cash cow. It’s a good way to diversify the cash flow currently concentrated in KH Capital.’

Money moves quickly in logistics distribution.

Moreover, depending on the method, various revenue streams could be devised, so it was definitely a good idea.

The problem was whether they could take Dash’s market share as is.

‘Even with government help, it would be difficult. We need to find some different method.’

What he found through that search was Life Plus.

He reported this part to Kang Hyeon, and Kang Hyeon immediately called a meeting.

And at that meeting, Kang Hyeon said:

“If we acquire Life Plus and use the stores currently spread nationwide as outposts, could we steal Dash’s market share?”

Based on the report he had submitted, he expanded the method.

And that method was very appropriate.

“The possibility increases. Above all, if we use stores located in downtown as logistics centers, we can respond faster to future robot delivery or drone delivery.”

“I have the same thoughts as the Team Manager. To make this certain, it would be good to discuss this with the government in advance.”

Han Gi-yong, who had followed him to the Future Strategy Team, said.

At those words, Kang Hyeon asked:

“Discussing with the government in advance would be about robot permits and drone flight permits, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct. Currently, the areas where drones can fly freely in South Korea are limited. If we get industrial permits for this in advance, we can process everything smoothly when introducing drone systems in the future.”

“Above all, it would be good to document what you can receive when the government says they’ll help.”

When even Lee Gi-cheol added ideas to the opinion, Kang Hyeon also agreed.

“Understood. Then I’ll meet with government officials to discuss the related matters. And the Life Plus acquisition…”

“Please leave that part to me and I’ll handle it. I have a long-standing connection with the chairman of TK Asset Management, the current owner of Life Plus, so I can proceed with discussions quickly.”

“Yes, then I hope Team Manager Lee will take command.”

“Understood.”

Having reached a conclusion, Kang Hyeon moved aggressively.

That appearance seemed like seeing Chairman Lee Geon-min in his youth.

‘That person also moved aggressively to the point of seeming somewhat reckless.’

That was why.

The reason he had ended his free agent life and joined this side.

* * *

Minister Park Do-kyeong’s eyes widened upon hearing Kang Hyeon’s story.

“You’re acquiring Life Plus?”

“Yes. Some restructuring will be necessary, but we’ll take 70 percent of the existing employees with us.”

“Hmm… If you do that, the government can breathe a sigh of relief too. Suddenly acquiring Life Plus. Are you giving up on acquiring Dash Logistics Centers?”

“No. We plan to proceed with both simultaneously.”

“What? But that would require astronomical amounts of cash.”

“Fortunately, it seems fully possible with the company’s internal funds.”

Minister Park couldn’t help but be surprised at Kang Hyeon’s answer.

‘Does KH Group have that much cash?’

Logistics centers and Life Plus acquisition.

Proceeding with both simultaneously would cost 2.5 trillion won in cash alone.

Including tax processing, it would certainly approach 3 trillion won.

Being able to handle all those costs meant they held that much cash.

“Then you’re thinking of acquiring both places and jumping into business in earnest?”

“Yes, before that, I’d like to receive one document from the government side.”

“A document?”

“This acquisition is entirely at the government’s request. So we need safeguards on our side.”

“Safeguards, you mean…?”

“I’ve organized our conditions and brought them.”

Kang Hyeon handed over the documents.

It was one A4 sheet, but it contained everything KH Group wanted.

“Hmm… These aren’t unreasonable demands, but I find it difficult to give a definitive answer regarding the robot and drone parts.”

Robots entering the field was something the government was also approaching cautiously at present.

Of course, the President had made remarks about the flow of the times regarding this, but taking responsibility was quite difficult.

Drones were the same.

Having drones flying around downtown required discussion with the Military.

Therefore, it was a part where Minister Park couldn’t give an immediate definitive answer.

“As you know, Minister, robots entering logistics sites and drones doing delivery is an unchangeable flow going forward.”

“I know. But we can’t ignore the voices of labor unions and the field either…”

“Yes, I understand. But if you don’t give us a clear answer on this part, it will be difficult for us to step forward in this matter.”

“Hmm… Would it be difficult even if we accept all the other conditions?”

“Yes, all the conditions written here are essential conditions.”

Kang Hyeon took a strong stance.

In fact, this logistics distribution business was something they had entered into at the government’s request.

Therefore, if they wouldn’t accept these conditions, there was no reason to jump in.

Minister Park, knowing this as well, soon nodded his head.

“Understood. I’ll discuss this matter with the President.”

“Yes, then we’ll finish all our preparations and wait for an answer.”

The meeting with Minister Park concluded like that.

* * *

While South Korea was in an uproar over Dashi.

Overseas, filming of The Founding of the Great Korean Empire was proceeding smoothly.

Returning to his office, Kang Hyeon read a report from KH Entertainment after a long time and received briefings on related matters.

[Currently, filming of The Founding of the Great Korean Empire is about 40% complete. Filming is proceeding smoothly with no particular issues to report.

The Seongsu-dong pop-up store is also bustling with visitors every day. The highest daily visitor count exceeded 30,000, with an average of 15,000 visitors.

Good reviews continue online as well.

At the same time, The Founding of the Great Korean Empire’s original novel and webtoon have also ranked in the upper tiers (5th and 3rd place respectively).]

The content in the report was brief, but he thought that was actually fortunate.

‘If there’s something to report to me separately, it means there’s a problem with filming.’

No news is good news, as they say.

He thought it was best to only receive regular reports.

‘The India side is also proceeding normally.’

The road construction and nickel mining in India were also proceeding normally.

Especially for nickel mining, the first sale was scheduled to take place soon.

‘Everything is proceeding normally.’

With all current projects proceeding smoothly, Kang Hyeon decided he could focus a bit more on logistics distribution.

Just then, Minister Park contacted him as well.

-Chairman Choi, do you have a moment to talk?

“Yes, please speak freely.”

-We discussed the related agenda at today’s Blue House regular meeting. And we’ve finally decided to accept all the conditions you mentioned.

“Will you be documenting this?”

-Yes, but it’s classified. It would be problematic if it became known that the government is partnering with a specific company on such a project.

“I understand. Only a very few people within the group will know about this matter.”

-Phew… Alright. Then let’s begin the documentation process.

“Yes.”

The government side had also given the okay sign.

This meant one thing.

‘The government sees our KH Group as a strategic partner.’

Being able to deal directly with the government was a very significant advantage.

It would certainly be a big plus for future business in South Korea.

“This isn’t the time for that.”

Kang Hyeon immediately picked up the internal phone and contacted Team Manager Lee Gi-cheol.

“Team Manager Lee, let’s meet right now.”

It was time to seriously enter the logistics distribution business.

* * *

Life Plus employees had been sighing naturally lately.

“Sigh… To think the shelves would be this empty…”

Looking at the empty shelves brought sighs, and what worried them was their own jobs.

“Unnie, are we really going to be laid off like this?”

“There’s no way around it… The company has already gone bankrupt and no acquirer has appeared.”

At Kim Hyeon-ju’s words, who had worked at Life Plus for 10 years, Park Jin-ju, now in her 8th year, teared up.

“My eldest is now a college student. If I quit work, it’ll be hard to pay tuition…”

“It’s okay. We can find another job.”

“Where can we find a job this good in this recession?”

“Sigh… Who doesn’t know that? But we can’t just keep talking about dying.”

“I know… me too…”

As the two women’s worries deepened, their colleague Han Hye-jin approached.

“Unnie! Unnie! Did you hear that news?”

“What news?”

“An acquirer for Life Plus has appeared!”

“An acquirer?! What are you talking about?”

“It’s on the news! The news!”

On the smartphone she handed over, there was a news article.

[Life Plus’s relief pitcher steps up? KH Group enters acquisition discussions with TK Asset Management!]

Kim Hyeon-ju’s eyes widened as she read the article.

“KH Group? Where is that again?”

“You know, the place that rescued all those victims during the Yeongjong Island jeonse fraud incident!”

“KH Construction? Oh my, come to think of it, the name is the same?”

“That place recently declared itself a group and now they’ve stepped up to acquire Life Plus!”

“Oh my, really?”

“Is it true? Oh my, it really is!”

They were delighted by the news that KH Group had stepped up as an acquirer.

It wasn’t just them.

“Did you hear? KH Group might acquire Life Plus.”

“KH Group is the place that rescued ordinary people during the Yeongjong Island jeonse fraud incident, right?”

“Looks like they’re moving for ordinary people again this time.”

“If they acquire us, we might be able to breathe a sigh of relief, right?”

“That’s really great!”

At Life Plus locations nationwide, talk began pouring out about the suddenly appeared white knight, KH Group.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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