Max-Level Son of a Chaebol Family - Chapter 100

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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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100. Sincerity That Shows

 

Grandfather swallowed his dry saliva.

 

A promise from the Blue House Security Chief, who was considered the second most powerful person in this country, was no different from a guarantee backed by power itself.

 

Since he had indicated his willingness to accept the request, this was a rare opportunity that had been seized.

 

“If there ever comes a time when Korea Oil Corporation needs to be transferred to the private sector, please think of Taeseong first.”

 

“Yukong?”

 

The Blue House Security Chief looked at Grandfather with curious eyes.

 

“I suppose Taeseong is eyeing Yukong since you don’t have an oil refinery company. But I doubt there will be an occasion to put Yukong on the market unless another oil crisis breaks out.”

 

“I’m aware of that.”

 

“We could give away our equity shares for free, but Gulf Oil holds 50% of the shares. Would they easily give that up?”

 

“Exactly.”

 

“So you’re saying there’s nothing you want immediately? Hahaha, good! If we ever privatize Yukong, Taeseong will be first priority!”

 

The Blue House Security Chief’s laughter grew deeper.

 

It meant he was very satisfied.

 

“Chairman Cha, I’ve long known you don’t harbor political ambitions, but I didn’t know you wouldn’t harbor business ambitions either.”

 

“What would a merchant want with political ambitions? But being a merchant, my business ambitions are quite substantial. That’s why I dare to covet Yukong.”

 

“This man is truly foolish. While others are busy forming political-business ties and lining their pockets, Taeseong is excessively upright.”

 

The Blue House Security Chief clicked his tongue softly.

 

“Remember that when a typhoon rages, reeds may bend but pine trees break. Don’t foolishly focus only on business – you need to properly utilize things like favors.”

 

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

 

“Take some of that money you pour into technique development and facility investment and use it to grease the wheels above and below. Being so rigid is why Taeseong can only grow so much.”

 

“I’ll bear that in mind.”

 

“Well, Taeseong isn’t bad since it has solid substance. What do you think it means that His Excellency hasn’t cast Taeseong aside despite your stubborn behavior? His Excellency is showing you reasonable consideration.”

 

The Blue House Security Chief subtly hinted.

 

“Business success alone isn’t everything. Just do as you did today. Then His Excellency will look upon you favorably too.”

 

He didn’t forget to offer advice.

 

“You’ll see what happens the moment Taeseong falls out of His Excellency’s favor by looking at Woo-gwang.”

 

The Blue House Security Chief’s eyes gleamed ominously.

 

“You’ll soon see what visible sincerity looks like.”

 

* * *

 

The drinking session was over.

 

Grandfather came out in front of the private room and bowed his waist.

 

“Please take care.”

 

The Blue House Security Chief left with light steps.

 

He had a thick document envelope tucked under his arm.

 

“Phew.”

 

Only after the Blue House Security Chief had completely disappeared from sight.

 

Grandfather let out a deep sigh.

 

“This is really something I shouldn’t have to do. A businessman should just do business well, so why should I be criticized for not being able to avoid political-business collusion?”

 

“What can we do? This is reality.”

 

Secretary Kim, who had been waiting in the corridor, approached.

 

“With the money for greasing palms up and down, I’d rather raise bonuses for Taeseong employees. Tsk. I’m already dying from regret over all the money being extorted in the name of political funds!”

 

“What can we do? If we don’t pay the donations, we won’t be able to do business.”

 

“Business is really hard to do!”

 

“It’s not like this started yesterday or today. You should be used to it by now.”

 

“Just as flesh hurts every time it’s torn, real money hurts every time it’s extorted. How can there be acceptance of pain?”

 

Director Go was also with Secretary Kim.

 

“Visible sincerity…”

 

Grandfather held out the car key for the truck loaded with apple boxes.

 

“Director Go, deliver this to Jangchung-dong. Discreetly. You understand?”

 

“Yes, Chairman.”

 

“Secretary Kim, you…”

 

Just then, a news anchor’s voice flowed from the television installed in the hotel Japanese restaurant room lobby.

 

-The Wookwang Chemical fire has been revealed to be arson, causing shock.

 

It was headline news.

 

Grandfather and Secretary Kim simultaneously turned their eyes to focus on the news.

 

-Let’s listen to the KCIA’s announcement.

 

Uncle Cheol-gu stepped up to the platform and made his announcement.

 

Amid the loud bursts of camera flashes, Uncle Cheol-gu was neatly dressed and brought his mouth to the microphone.

 

-The KCIA has secured decisive evidence that the Wookwang Chemical fire was caused by arson.

 

Click! Click! Click!

 

Camera flashes burst loudly.

 

-It appears this self-destructive move was made due to a power struggle within Wookwang affiliates, and we are expanding our investigation accordingly.

 

At the mention of a Wookwang power struggle, the reporters’ questions grew even louder.

 

However, Uncle Cheol-gu seemed determined to only deliver what he needed to say instead of taking questions.

 

-We are confirming whether the Wookwang presidents were accomplices. We will conduct intensive investigations into the extent of their involvement in the arson.

 

-Given the many casualties from this tragedy, the KCIA promises the people that we will conduct an investigation free from external pressure and reveal a more definitive truth.

 

Uncle Cheol-gu bowed his head and stepped down from the platform.

 

Grandfather chuckled softly.

 

“That fellow will be decorating the headlines of all kinds of newspapers by tomorrow. He’s going to be a star, isn’t he? His comments were very good.”

 

“That fellow is the one who brought the Wookwang Construction Bribery Ledger to Taeseong.”

 

“Good for him. With achievements like this, he won’t be pushed out anywhere while receiving glares. Though it’s unfortunate for Wookwang.”

 

Grandfather’s smile turned bitter.

 

“Now that the Wookwang Chemical arson has been announced through such a public press conference, there’s no backing out now. Tomorrow’s newspaper articles will be plastered with Wookwang news.”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“The fall is a predetermined result, and now it’s just a matter of how far the destruction will go. It seems they’ve already decided to tear us apart…”

 

Grandfather closed his mouth and fell into thought for a moment.

 

“Chairman, shall we head home now?”

 

“No. I’m thinking of continuing to drink tonight.”

 

“A celebratory drink, then.”

 

“It’s a request for advice consultation. Secretary Kim, do you have time?”

 

“…Of course.”

 

* * *

 

As soon as Grandfather sat down, he downed his drink first.

 

“Honestly speaking. I never even thought that the big shot helping Taeseong would advise us to set our sights on Yukong. Yukong? It’s too big for Taeseong to swallow.”

 

“Even at the cheapest estimate, we’d need to pay at least 400 million dollars to swallow it.”

 

“Exactly. How many of Taeseong’s affiliated companies would we have to sell to be able to eat up Yukong?”

 

Grandfather laughed.

 

“It’s like saying an ant will devour a dinosaur. Even if Yukong came on the market, I wonder if there’s even a company in the Republic of Korea that could buy it.”

 

“Do you think so?”

 

“Of course. Even with foreign loans, I don’t know if we could swallow it. No, there wouldn’t be any sucker willing to lend 400 million dollars in the first place.”

 

Grandfather’s laughter grew deeper.

 

“Thanks to that, we were able to avoid the Blue House Security Chief’s suspicion and surveillance while only incurring a debt. Tell the big shot who helped Taeseong that I’m grateful once again.”

 

“Yes, Chairman.”

 

“Secretary Kim, tell me honestly. Was hastily handing over Taeseong Chemical to Wooguang also part of that big shot’s plan?”

 

Secretary Kim couldn’t answer.

 

“He’s the one who tipped you off to use the Wookwang Construction Bribery Ledger to grill the Blue House Security Chief and Chief Secretary, right?”

 

Secretary Kim silently tilted the wine bottle to fill the drinking glass.

 

His silence became the answer.

 

“He’s definitely one step ahead of me. I realized that painfully today. How did he come up with the scheme to send the bribery ledger as a present?”

 

“But you also reached the same conclusion, Chairman.”

 

“The decision to remove the Army Security Command Chief and KCIA Director from the list?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Even in that, I was one step behind. I was busy agonizing over whether to hand over the Political Enemy Purge List that only had small fry left, calling it a present. I was conflicted about which of the two to put before the sword of purging.”

 

Grandfather downed his drink in one gulp.

 

“When I couldn’t choose either and was hesitating, he found a clever way out – avoiding touching dangerous figures while only incurring enough debt to secure Taeseong’s future from this country’s number two man.”

 

Grandfather admired quietly.

 

“What incredible skill this is. If someone like this had taken charge of Taeseong’s leadership, Taeseong might have long ago become the Republic of Korea’s number one company.”

 

“Chairman!”

 

“I’m saying this because without that big shot supporting Taeseong from behind, our Taeseong would have suffered the same fate as Wooguang.”

 

This was why Grandfather kept downing drinks one after another.

 

“When Taeseong is in trouble, how many forces would step up as shields to protect us? Even after Wookwang Chemical exploded, Woo-gwang got away with just a public apology, but if you think about what would happen if a fire broke out at Taeseong Chemical…”

 

Grandfather shuddered with his whole body.

 

“It would have been terrible. From the moment I was summoned to the Blue House, Taeseong’s downfall would have been predetermined.”

 

“Chairman.”

 

“Why do you think the names of the Blue House Security Chief and Chief Secretary weren’t in the Wookwang Construction Bribery Ledger? Since Woo-gwang, the group chairman, was feeding them generously himself, his younger brother had no opening to target them and gave up from the start.”

 

“That must have been the case.”

 

“What does it mean that he kept his chairman position and didn’t even give up his subsidiaries after causing such a major accident?”

 

“It means he had protection from the Blue House Security Chief and Chief Secretary.”

 

“If a fire had broken out at Taeseong Chemical, I probably would have lost my chairman position, and likely would have been stripped of my private assets too. Half would have been offered to His Excellency, and the other half would have gone to establishing a foundation to handle the accident.”

 

Grandfather downed his bitter drink.

 

“Is that all? Taking advantage of my resignation, Woo-gwang would have schemed to swallow up Taeseong whole. He could have easily snatched away Taeseong Chemical with his bare mouth.”

 

Thud!

 

“He would have definitely split Taeseong in half over the chairman position. He would have made my children fight each other and separated Taeseong Construction and Taeseong Chemical into independent companies.”

 

It was exactly as written in the Taeseong Group Report.

 

In the past, everything had unfolded exactly as Grandfather had predicted.

 

“Would we be lucky if it ended there? Some of my children might have died. If Woo-gwang had been determined to offer Taeseong as prey to those above…”

 

Grandfather quickly shook his head to dispel the ominous thoughts.

 

“If I hadn’t made the bold decision to hand over Taeseong Chemical to Wookwang, if I hadn’t obtained the Wookwang Construction Bribery Ledger, if he hadn’t called in the big shots from the Underground Finance World to attract investment…”

 

Grandfather rubbed his face with his hands.

 

“If Wookwang, who controls the media, is getting beaten up this badly… how much would our Taeseong be torn apart?”

 

“Chairman, Taeseong isn’t that incompetent either.”

 

“This isn’t a matter of competence or incompetence. The problem is that Taeseong doesn’t have anyone as skilled at political maneuvering as Woo-gwang. That’s also Taeseong’s limitation.”

 

Thud!

 

“The First Son is just too nice, the Second Son has a small capacity, and the Third Son isn’t cunning enough. Even I lack political skills and got scolded by the Blue House Security Chief, so who am I to criticize anyone’s shortcomings?”

 

That’s why he was sighing.

 

“So I can’t help but express gratitude to that skilled big shot who helps Taeseong like rain during a drought.”

 

“It is the Chairman’s blessing.”

 

“Why would he help Taeseong?”

 

Grandfather fell into deep thought, staring blankly at his drinking glass.

 

“Why would he help Taeseong for no reason? Without wanting anything, without even making demands. Is this even possible? Even if I had saved that man’s life, I don’t think I would have helped so devotedly.”

 

Secretary Kim had an expression like he had much to say.

 

But he couldn’t let out a single word and swallowed it down.

 

“If one receives a favor, one should naturally repay it. But this debt keeps piling up, making my heart heavy.”

 

Secretary Kim took out a piece of paper from his jacket and held it out to Grandfather.

 

“What’s this? Are you telling me to write another thank-you letter?”

 

“This favor is too great to brush off with a thank-you letter. So this time, I think you should write a written agreement.”

 

“A written agreement?”

 

Grandfather’s eyes widened.

 

Regardless of his reaction.

 

Secretary Kim took out his Montblanc fountain pen and placed it in Grandfather’s hand.

 

“That sincerity you just expressed, write it down yourself.”

 

“What?”

 

“That person trusts documents more than words, visible sincerity more than anything.”

 

“Wait, Secretary Kim. Whose side are you on?”

 

“All of this is the path for Taeseong. You’ll understand in time. Why I’m doing this.”

 

Secretary Kim smiled meaningfully.

 

“In my opinion, that person will soon come to you with this document to claim his rightful due.”

 

“What?”

 

“All of this is the Chairman’s blessing, and Taeseong’s blessing. So don’t worry and just write it.”

 

Secretary Kim tapped the paper with his fingertips.

 

“Yukong and Wookwang’s affiliated companies including Taeseong Chemical are about to fall into Taeseong’s hands one after another like an ant swallowing a dinosaur, and he’s not the type to just sit back and let others steal his rice bowl.”

 

As expected, it was a written agreement that burst with brilliant golden light.

 

* * *

 

I cut off the Vision Sharing with the Grim Reaper.

 

“It seems I can’t hide it any longer.”

 

I fiddled with Grandfather’s written agreement in my coin purse.

 

“To secure Taeseong Chemical for Mother’s share and Yukong for my share, I’ll have to negotiate directly with Grandfather.”

 

I grinned wickedly.

 

“Actually, this works out well.”

 

Even during my days in Sillim-dong Ant Hell, I wasn’t the type to sit quietly in a trap waiting for prey to fall in.

 

By nature, I’m the type who’s only satisfied when I personally lead the groundwork for schemes I devise, and I only feel relieved when I personally overturn schemes others have made.

 

“From now on, I can run wild with Grandfather backing me up, right?”

 

Sounds good?

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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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