Goblin Library - Chapter 218

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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 218.

On the grassy expanse beside the Lake at the Village, dining tables had been arranged.
Those dining there were people who had purchased land and invested in this Village, and they were the Village’s residents.
Since all the investors were residents, I had no need to travel to the City to meet them.
By arranging an evening meal at the time they returned from work and came Home, the investors would naturally gather.
Moreover, while the upscale Hotels in the City were pleasant enough, a view like this was difficult to find anywhere in this country outside the Rural Area.
While everyone was enjoying the food and drinks I had prepared, savoring the moment, I rose from my seat with a smile.
At that, Mahmoud placed small speakers on each table.
Once the speakers were in place, I picked up my phone, brought it to my mouth, and spoke.
『Since there are many of you gathered here, I’ll project my voice this way. Can you hear me well?』
My voice came through the small speakers to the assembled guests. As they looked toward me, I smiled and continued.
『The fact that no one is complaining about the volume suggests everyone can hear me clearly. I’ve gathered you investors today because there is something important I need to tell you.』
I paused briefly, then looked across the crowd and resumed.
『Some of you may already know this… but a new business venture modeled after our Village has emerged.』
At my gesture, Management Office staff brought forward documents and distributed them to the guests.
One guest who received and read the documents spoke up.
『I did receive reports that landscaping work was underway there… but is this a bad thing?』
『If what the Company President said is true, they’re planning to build a village like this one….』
『More affluent neighborhoods would be good. Then we should buy property there too, shouldn’t we?』
Watching the people discuss how they might profit from this, I opened my mouth.
『It seems you should consider the immediate losses before thinking of future gains.』
『Immediate losses?』
I addressed the Chinese investors, who reacted sensitively to the word “losses.”
『The reason land prices here continue to rise is because there is no other residential area in this country with such beautiful scenery. However, if other options emerge, the rising land prices will stagnate, and they may even decline.』
At my words, the investors’ faces grew tense.
『Land prices will fall?』
『The difference between having no alternatives and having them… there’s no need for further explanation, is there?』
『But we have the Lake here.』
『They may not have a Lake, but they have a forest instead. And since land prices there are cheaper than here, their sales prices will be lower too.』
The investors’ expressions grew even more serious at my words.
『And….』
I continued, observing their reactions.
『I have shared profits with all of you.』
『What do you mean?』
『All of you who invested early in this project have reaped substantial gains.』
『Haven’t I also gained considerable profits?』
『That’s true. But I could have reduced your profits and secured even greater gains for myself.』
As the people tilted their heads in confusion, Lee Gang-hun smiled and spoke.
“Land.”
“Land?”
“If I didn’t want to share profits with all of you and wanted to make enormous gains for myself alone, I would have purchased a significant portion of this land beforehand. But I didn’t do that. Instead, I enabled all of you to purchase land and profit from it. Of course, after the land values rose to a certain degree, I did purchase some land as well. I needed to construct commercial buildings and public roads for people to traverse. However, I…”
Lee Gang-hun looked at the people and continued.
“I purchased land from all of you. In other words, I didn’t diminish your profits—I actually shared profits with you.”
Having spoken, Lee Gang-hun smiled and went on.
“Among those who sold me land, is there anyone who sold it at a lower price than what they paid?”
“Of course not.”
“There’s no way there is.”
As the people shook their heads, Lee Gang-hun nodded and spoke.
“To those who sold me land at discounted prices for the construction of public roads, I would like to express my gratitude on this occasion.”
After Lee Gang-hun bowed to several people, they nodded in acknowledgment.
Though they had sold at lower prices, they truly had no choice. The scattered plots were difficult for building houses, and if left alone, they would be hard to sell at fair value later.
Moreover, since the land was being purchased for road construction, refusing to sell would have been awkward. Without public roads, if buildings were packed densely together, it could actually become inconvenient for them as well.
So they had sold the land to Lee Gang-hun at slightly reduced prices. Of course, they still sold it for more than what they had paid.
“But look at the owner of the land being developed now. Shamelessly, a single company owns all of that land. They refuse to share profits with all of you and are consumed entirely by greed to prosper alone.”
Those who understood what Lee Gang-hun meant exchanged glances and frowned.
“I see. To monopolize such vast land…”
“Exactly. To do that and then pocket everything once the land develops?”
“This person has no conscience. No conscience at all.”
“Ha! To attempt such a massive project alone? How utterly shameless.”
As the people openly expressed their displeasure, Lee Gang-hun smiled.
This was precisely why Lee Gang-hun had not monopolized the profits.
“So then, what should we do now?”
At Lee Gang-hun’s question, one man spoke up.
“It’s simple. We just don’t issue the construction permit.”
This man was a high-ranking official in the country. If he intervened, the construction permit would never be issued.
By finding various pretexts, he could continuously delay the process. And this country was already notorious for being slow in issuing such permits.
The bureaucrats were lazy, after all.
It was a simple yet certain solution.
Lee Gang-hun glanced subtly at the Chinese men. They all wore expressions of deep contemplation.
The Chinese men likely knew through their information networks that Kim Ki-chun, an executive of Wonline International, was handling this project.
Since Lee Gang-hun had begun his business, the Chinese had been monitoring Korean operations.
But they hadn’t realized it conflicted with their own interests, so they had left it alone.
Yet hearing this explanation… wasn’t this person quite the villain?
They were seriously contemplating how to deal with him.
Observing these people, Lee Gang-hun opened his mouth.
“We—or rather, the investors present here—have two choices.”
At Lee Gang-hun’s words, the people looked toward him.
“What do you mean by that?”
“The first option is to continuously obstruct their business operations. We don’t have to grant permits, and we can prevent them from obtaining materials. And…”
Lee Gang-hun observed the Chinese men.
“Just as foreign goods don’t enter this country, you gentlemen could apply pressure on Korea. Then they’ll have no choice but to halt their business.”
“Simple enough.”
“A single phone call would suffice.”
“Now that I think about it, doesn’t Mr. O conduct business with that company?”
“Indeed. But I never expected them to attempt stealing my profits like this.”
Wang Ju-myung spoke up, listening to the Chinese men’s murmurs.
“You mentioned two options, didn’t you? What’s the second one?”
At Wang Ju-myung’s question, Lee Gang-hun nodded and replied.
“The first method I described earlier was about protecting our interests and punishing the opposition.”
“The second one isn’t like that?”
“The second method increases our profits… while allowing the other party to gain as well.”
“Increase our profits? How?”
Lee Gang-hun pointed toward the village, addressing the people whose eyes gleamed with curiosity, interest, and greed.
“Our village is still developing. I believe that within a year, it will reach the optimal size I envisioned.”
“A year? That quickly?”
“The foundation work is already underway, and materials are being manufactured in Korea. Buildings only need assembly once materials arrive here, so they’ll be completed quickly once sales begin. Homes built after a year won’t have the same excellent views. That’s why it’s one year.”
Moreover, this country didn’t receive excessive rainfall.
Therefore, construction rarely halted due to rain.
“So our profit window is also one year. Of course, we could earn more by buying and selling homes here, but we wouldn’t abandon such a wonderful village for mere money, would we?”
The people nodded in agreement.
They had come here seeking to live in a pleasant environment. Their families had also grown fond of the lake.
Moreover, by the time the village was completed, the landscaping would improve further, making the scenery even more beautiful.
“So… we should target a new opportunity…”
Lee Gang-hun picked up a photograph of the land Kim Ki-chun had purchased from among the papers on the table.
“This location.”
“But that Korean company already bought that land and is under construction there.”
“Right. If we move in now, we won’t see much profit, would we?”
“And for us to profit, we need to own land, but that company has already purchased all of it.”
Lee Gang-hun laughed at their words.
“Just do as you mentioned earlier—prevent them from building.”
“That’s all it takes?”
“Exactly. They bought the land to build homes, but if they can’t build, they’ll naturally reach out to you. No matter how much money they have, without administrative approval, they can do nothing.”
“Ah! So we should join hands at that moment?”
“When they propose selling you a portion—not necessarily all—of the land, you purchase it. Of course, the cheaper the land price and the more land they sell, the better.”
“Ah!”
The people exchanged glances. The proposal made sense.
“I see.”
“And there’s one more advantage.”
“Another advantage?”
“Within a year, green forests will rise where this barren land appears in the photograph. So you won’t be purchasing village plots surrounded by wasteland—you’ll be surrounded by forests.”
Lee Gang-hun continued, addressing the assembled men.
“So all you need do is delay this company’s construction work and wait out that year.”
Smiles bloomed across their faces at Lee Gang-hun’s words. Then Wang Ju-myung spoke.
“But… we’ll profit from this, won’t we? What profit do you gain? Does that company buy your prefabricated buildings to construct homes?”
“That won’t happen. They’ll bring whatever they need—prefabricated or otherwise—and build it themselves.”
“Then you gain nothing?”
“I won’t see direct financial profit, but you gentlemen will reap considerable gains. And I intend to continue doing business in this country. I’ll keep working and thinking for your benefit going forward, so please consider this advice as my way of saying I look forward to our continued partnership.”
At Lee Gang-hun’s words, Wang Ju-myung regarded him, then smiled and glanced around at the others.
“You are our brother. If you weren’t our brother—protecting our interests and ensuring our profits—then who could possibly be?”
“Exactly. If someone who cares for us like this isn’t our brother, then who is?”
The men seemed genuinely moved by his willingness to forgo profit for their sake.
In truth, Lee Gang-hun had sacrificed profit in this venture. If Kim Ki-chun later joined hands with these men, there would be no prefabricated building contracts flowing to him—no financial benefit.
So Lee Gang-hun would see no monetary gain, just as he’d stated. But profit wasn’t solely measured in money.
Kim Ki-chun’s loss was itself a gain for Lee Gang-hun.
And Lee Gang-hun had already profited handsomely by selling the land to Kim Ki-chun at sixty times its original price.
If one bought land worth a hundred won per pyeong and sold it at sixty times that price, the profit would be fifty-nine thousand won per pyeong.
And if the resold land amounted to ten thousand pyeong, twenty thousand pyeong…
The profits became vastly greater.

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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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