Goblin Library - Chapter 162

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 162.

Daetong Trading Company sent the products as promised. They arrived with remarkable speed—a single truckload of merchandise within just a few days.
And as agreed, there were no Chinese-made products among them. Though from different companies, everything was Korean-manufactured.
Moreover, Daetong Trading Company committed to sending even more products from the surrounding region in the near future.

As I unloaded products from the four additional trucks that had arrived, I clicked my tongue in frustration.
『What do they take us for—a garbage dump?』
『What do you mean?』
Mahmoud turned back while transferring the products loaded on the forklift to the warehouse, and I smacked my lips in irritation.
『They sent all sorts of random items along with what I ordered.』
『They sent things we didn’t order?』
『Looks like it amounts to two truckloads worth. Half of what they sent is different products.』
『Should we load them back onto the truck?』
『No need. Since it’s already here, let’s just stack it for now.』
『Understood.』
As Mahmoud spoke, he stacked the boxes to one side and asked a question.
『But how will we sell them?』
『For now, we wait. When we change product lines later, we’ll mix them in and sell them then. This isn’t a good time to be selling multiple product categories.』
『Understood.』
Having answered thus, Mahmoud surveyed the warehouse.
『Still, it feels good to see the warehouse so full.』
I nodded as I gazed around the warehouse interior.
『I’ll need to rent another warehouse.』
『Haven’t we still got time before the next shipment arrives?』
『We do, but I should prepare in advance. If we can’t find a warehouse when the goods arrive, we’ll be in trouble.』
『Understood. I’ll rent Warehouse No. 3.』
I nodded at Mahmoud’s suggestion. Warehouse No. 3 was right next door, which had many advantages.
Then I looked at the file folder.
『Let me see… so today….』
As I reviewed the products scheduled for delivery today, Mahmoud quietly mentioned something.
『Those Chinese guys are visible over there.』
『They’ve been following since this morning.』
Without lifting my head to answer, Mahmoud asked me a question.
『Did you know about it?』
『Hard not to notice. They’re following so brazenly.』
『Hmm….』
Mahmoud glanced briefly at the Chinese men outside the wire fence encircling the warehouse grounds.
The Chinese men leaning openly against the barbed wire fence, splitting their sides with laughter as they smoked, spat when Mahmoud glanced their way.
“They look like low-quality thugs.”
“Still, isn’t it better than those dressed-up guys showing up?”
Mahmoud laughed at Lee Gang-hun’s remark.
“That’s true enough.”
Not all gangs are the same. More terrifying than those brazenly announcing themselves as gang members are the ones in tailored suits with polished appearances.
At the very least, it meant they had enough rank to afford proper clothing.
“Of course, those types have their own annoying aspects. You never know what they’ll do since they lack sense.”
“That’s certainly the case.”
“You don’t think they’d actually set a fire, do you?”
“If they’re smart, they probably wouldn’t… but if they lack foresight, they might.”
Lee Gang-hun nodded at Mahmoud’s words.
The easiest form of terrorism gangs could commit against him was arson in a warehouse filled with goods.
Knowing this, Lee Gang-hun had prioritized security above all else when selecting the warehouse location.
The result was the current warehouse—one with armed security at the entrance and surveillance cameras installed throughout.
Moreover, this warehouse district housed storage facilities for many foreign companies, including Chinese ones, which would make them hesitant to set fires.
If the flames spread and destroyed other warehouses, the consequences would be severe.
“I should prepare for fire hazards. Get me some thinner boxes.”
“Thinner boxes?”
“There’s plenty of construction happening, so they must use a lot of thinner, right?”
“Right. Thinner has many uses around here.”
“Get me a lot of empty boxes.”
“Empty thinner boxes? Not actual thinner?”
“Oh, and make sure they’re imported from China. Can you find them?”
“There are plenty of those boxes coming through the scrap dealers, so I should be able to find them.”
“Then get a lot of them.”
“If you just need empty boxes, why specifically thinner boxes? And Chinese ones at that?”
“I’m going to stack them here in the warehouse.”
“Empty boxes?”
“I’m going to make it look like thinner is stacked here.”
“Thinner boxes… Ah! You’re trying to show that setting a fire here would cause chaos.”
“Exactly. No matter how stupid they are, if they see thinner boxes stacked up, they’ll think about what would happen to this area if they set a fire. If I assemble and stack empty boxes, it’ll look like a thinner warehouse.”
“So that’s why Chinese thinner boxes.”
“Right. Those gang bastards can’t read this country’s language anyway. If it’s written in Chinese, they’ll recognize what it is.”
“Understood.”
“And get one actual can of thinner too.”
“Why thinner?”
“I’ll spray some around so the smell of thinner lingers. That way they’ll think, ‘If I set a fire here, I’ll die too,’ won’t they?”
Mahmoud laughed and spoke at Lee Gang-hun’s words.
“You’re truly thorough.”
“I’m just trying to keep things from falling apart. Go return the forklift.”
“Yes.”
As Mahmoud headed off to return the forklift, I glanced toward the barbed wire fence.
I met the gaze of the Gang Members lounging against the fence, watching us with idle expressions, and walked toward them.
The Gang Members flinched at my approach, then began muttering among themselves.
I approached them with a smile and greeted them.
“Hello there.”
I spoke fluent Chinese, and the Gang Member looked at me before responding.
“You’ve got nerve coming up to us without fear.”
“When you encounter someone from a neighboring country in a foreign land so far from home, isn’t it natural to feel a sense of kinship?”
I answered with a smile, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, took a drag, and then slid the entire pack through the barbed wire fence.
The Gang Member stared at me silently before accepting the cigarettes. He pulled one out and placed it between his lips.
When he pushed the pack back through the fence, I laughed and waved my hand.
At my gesture to keep them, the Gang Member withdrew his hand and passed the cigarettes to the other Gang Members behind him.
I held my lighter up to the fence, and the Gang Member inserted his cigarette to light it.
*Ssssshhh! Whoooosh!*
After lighting his cigarette that way, the Gang Member spoke to me.
“This is our territory. If you do business here, you’ll get hurt.”
His tone had softened somewhat. The cigarettes and my respectful manner seemed to have improved his mood.
I asked him politely.
“Which Boss sent you here?”
“You don’t need to know that…”
The Gang Member casually lifted his shirt to the side. A kitchen knife in a leather sheath came into view.
“You understand what I’m saying, right?”
“Boss, I understand, but I came here to make a living too. How can I just abandon all my goods like this?”
“Isn’t your life more important than your possessions?”
“You’re absolutely right. Sigh…”
I sighed and spoke.
“How about you give me just a few more days?”
“A few days?”
“After all, you Bosses came here to make money too, right? And this construction won’t be finished in just a day or two. Some construction sites I’ve seen are projected to last at least seven years.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“Is there really a problem with me making a small profit over a seven-year construction project and then leaving? Please…”
I subtly pulled out a hundred-dollar bill and slid it through the barbed wire fence.
“Just give me a little time. I didn’t bring that much merchandise anyway, and once I sell a reasonable amount, I’ll leave.”
At my words, the Gang Member hesitated for a moment, then looked at the hundred-dollar bill.
He grasped the bill in his hand and spoke.
“I’ll talk to the others, but I can’t give you much time.”
At his words, I whispered softly.
“My number is written on the bill. If you hear any good information, give me a call. We could grab a meal together sometime.”
At Lee Gang-hun’s words, the Gang Member unfolded the banknote slightly. Upon discovering the phone number written inside, he looked at Lee Gang-hun with an impressed expression before turning away.
“Let’s go.”
“Boss, are we leaving it like this?”
“I’ll tell the Boss. Let’s go.”
At the Gang Member’s words, the other gang members glanced at Lee Gang-hun before climbing into the van and disappearing shortly after.
As Lee Gang-hun watched the van fade into the distance, he stroked his chin.
From the way they called him “Boss,” he didn’t seem to be at the very bottom of the gang hierarchy—yet he was remarkably naive.
One moment he was glaring as if ready to slash with a blade, and the next, a single cigarette had bridged the conversation.
As Lee Gang-hun watched the van disappear, Mahmoud approached.
“It seemed like you were having a conversation?”
“I told him I’d only sell this and asked for a few days’ time.”
“You believe him?”
“Believe him or not—what matters is that he left. At least today, we won’t have a fight.”
At Lee Gang-hun’s words, Mahmoud looked at him before speaking.
“Aren’t you postponing problems too much?”
“You postpone what you can. The best outcome is to keep postponing until after I return to Korea, then let it all explode.”
“Then won’t I be the one facing disaster here alone?”
“Don’t worry about that.”
“But I am worried.”
Lee Gang-hun turned and began walking toward the warehouse as he spoke.
“By that time, business here will be thriving and we’ll be earning quite a bit. We’re already doing quite well.”
“That’s true.”
“When that happens, I’ll hire more local staff.”
Lee Gang-hun looked at Mahmoud.
“Are you still in contact with your old military friends?”
“My military friends?”
“Keep in touch with those among them who are skilled but not earning well. I’ll hire them.”
At Lee Gang-hun’s words, Mahmoud looked at him for a moment before speaking.
“The friends earning well are working as mercenaries, and the friends not earning well don’t want to hurt people. I understand and support those friends.”
“Who said anything about hurting people?”
“Aren’t you currently looking for people to deal with the Chinese?”
At Mahmoud’s words, Lee Gang-hun looked at him before responding.
“Half right, half wrong.”
“What do you mean?”
“Mercenaries are armed groups meant to hurt people or protect themselves.”
“That’s true.”
“But what I want is people who can help you with deliveries and organize inventory as the business here grows. I’m not hiring them to fight.”
“But if they work with me, they’ll end up fighting the Chinese.”
“When someone breaks into our home, the head of the household has no choice but to fight. We can’t just take a beating or be robbed.”
“Is there… a difference in that?”
Whether as mercenaries or employees, fighting and clashing with the Chinese amounted to the same thing, so Mahmoud’s face showed incomprehension.
Lee Gang-hun explained it to him.
“There’s a difference. This isn’t a profession for beating people up or harming them—it’s a legitimate sales business. And once they realize you’re not to be trifled with, there won’t be any fights.”
“Well… if we don’t want to die, I suppose that’s how it would have to be.”
“Then it’s a good thing for your friends too. It’ll be a stable job until your country’s construction project is finished. And…”
Lee Gang-hun met Mahmoud’s gaze and spoke with unwavering conviction.
“I never forget a debt of gratitude.”
Mahmoud knew that already. That was precisely why he was working with Lee Gang-hun now.
“I’ll reach out to them.”
“Good.”
Lee Gang-hun went to the warehouse, locked the door, and rode in the car driven by Mahmoud as they left the warehouse grounds.

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