Max-Level Son of a Chaebol Family - Chapter 81

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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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81. This Actually Works? (2)

 

I was puzzled.

 

‘The merit and karma accumulated in the Mortal World are settled in the Underworld after death to determine the next life. That’s what I thought I knew?’

 

[That’s correct. So this should be seen as a very special exception.]

 

The Grim Reaper nodded.

 

[Heaven’s net is vast and wide, sparse yet nothing escapes it.]

 

It means that heaven’s net is large and wide, and though it may seem sparse, nothing can ever escape from that net.

 

[You decided to save lives even at the cost of losses. That too is merit.]

 

The Grim Reaper said.

 

[The Great King has promised that the merit you accumulated today will soon return as a reward worth several times more.]

 

Wait. Wait a minute.

 

‘I haven’t suffered any losses yet though?’

 

No, are you saying that even the Underworld pitied me for processing Taeseong Chemical with promissory notes and handing it over?

 

How absurd.

 

‘Ha, borrowing money to invest is originally the scariest thing. How many times have I seen households go bankrupt after taking on massive debt to go all-in on coins, stocks, and real estate? You think Woo-gwang would be any different?’

 

Do I really need to explain to even the Grim Reaper that the second oil shock will hit soon?

 

Those short-term promissory notes that Woo-gwang signed, they can’t pay them back even without a fire.

 

With less than a year left until the oil shock, how could Woo-gwang get Taeseong Chemical for free?

 

‘Why do you think I dragged Wookwang Securities into this and used it as collateral?’

 

I’m planning to get not only Taeseong Chemical but also Wookwang Securities for free.

 

I guess this doesn’t count because no lives were at stake.

 

It means they see this level of scheming as legitimate competitive tactics, not evil deeds.

 

Oh ho, I get it now!

 

‘Well, using future information to set traps can’t really be considered a sin.’

 

The Grim Reaper nodded obediently.

 

[Through this incident, you have saved 23 people from their destined deaths and 166 people from their destined suffering. The Great King is extremely pleased with this.]

 

The casualties from the Taeseong Chemical fire accident.

 

The Grim Reaper was speaking about this.

 

[I don’t know how it is in the Mortal World, but in the Underworld, the value of human life is held above all else. That’s why the Great King decided to implement real-time merit settlement, which could be called a special privilege.]

 

That sounds good.

 

‘So from now on, whenever I save others, King Yama will settle my merits in real-time?’

 

[That’s right. The Great King said, ‘Saving others will be the path to saving yourself, and giving life to others will be the path to giving life to yourself.’]

 

The Grim Reaper smiled with satisfaction.

 

[So the Great King said he would give you a very special connection as a gift.]

 

A special connection.

 

[It would have been a thread of connection that you could never have reached originally. He specifically chose a connection with a big shot who could greatly help with what you’re trying to accomplish.]

 

That was enticing.

 

Connections with big shots are hard to come by.

 

Everyone wants to establish ties with influential people, but ultimately those connections happen between birds of a feather.

 

Without very special circumstances, meetings with people of higher status don’t happen easily.

 

Suddenly, the conversation I had with King Yama in the Underworld came to mind.

 

-So this luck means winning the lottery first prize whenever I buy a ticket, getting perfect scores whenever I guess on tests, getting hit by money falling from the sky while walking down the street, things like that?

 

-Hahaha, you might occasionally get such windfalls in life. But you can’t live hoping for such things every time. Life in the Mortal World isn’t like that.

 

-That’s why I’m asking.

 

-When you were under divine punishment, everything you did was constantly thwarted, right? But this time it will be the opposite.

 

-Oh!

 

-Good connections will gather, opportunities big and small will arise from them, and when luck follows at just the right time, life will become quite worth living. That is what great fortune is.

 

King Yama emphasized once more.

 

-So please form connections carefully. Fortune in the Mortal World originally stems from connections.

 

I stroked my chin.

 

‘A benefactor who brings great fortune. A big shot who could greatly help with what I’m doing in the future, and a thread of connection I could never have reached originally. Who could that be?’

 

The Grim Reaper smiled broadly.

 

[It’s a connection prepared by heaven. You’ll understand soon.]

 

The Grim Reaper disappeared like smoke.

 

“Young Master.”

 

President Sim called me.

 

What he handed me was a three-page contract.

 

‘Wow! Such an incredible golden light!’

 

When I was writing it on the typewriter earlier, it definitely wasn’t shining this brightly.

 

But after Chairman Kim of Wooguang signed it, it suddenly started sparkling like this.

 

‘This actually works?’

 

This was quite fascinating.

 

I had seen notes I wrote immediately emit golden light.

 

But this was the first time I saw a contract shine with an even brighter golden light after being signed and sealed.

 

I suddenly became curious.

 

“When you were drafting the contract for the merger and acquisition between Wooguang and Taeseong Chemical earlier, did you add something?”

 

“If you mean added something… yes, there’s one thing.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“It’s something I didn’t consult with you about, Young Master, but since we were already taking a risky move, I thought we should make it more certain and added one more line.”

 

“One more line?”

 

I examined the special provisions of the contract.

 

Come to think of it, there was one more clause written in handwriting.

 

【Instead of Taeseong pressuring with demands regarding promissory note delinquency until maturity, the collateral Wookwang Securities will also be processed in lieu of reacquisition negotiation conditions.】

 

President Sim explained.

 

“I simply replaced the term ‘private loan market rules’ that you wrote with our side’s language.”

 

Could the brightness of the golden light change because of just that one word?

 

It was intriguing.

 

“Young Master, you’re still young, so you probably don’t grasp how terrifying this clause ‘the collateral Wookwang Securities will also be processed in lieu of reacquisition negotiation conditions’ really is.”

 

It hits home.

 

I secretly hid it under the statement that I would handle it according to the rules of the private loan market, while you openly wrote it out as a clause. That’s the only difference.

 

“Wooguang is a major corporation ranked 9th in the Republic of Korea’s business circles. If they funnel all the sales revenue from Wooguang’s affiliated companies into Taeseong Chemical to pay off the promissory notes, it wouldn’t be impossible. But here’s the thing.”

 

“Wooguang would put Taeseong Chemical’s promissory notes at the very bottom of their priority list, right?”

 

“Yes, given the large amount of the promissory notes, if any problems arise, there’s definitely a high chance the Blue House would intervene. Wooguang’s attitude was that there was no need to rush processing Taeseong’s promissory notes.”

 

Even if the fire at Taeseong Chemical hadn’t happened, Wooguang would have looked down on Taeseong Chemical’s short-term promissory notes and brought trouble upon themselves by sitting idle.

 

That was why I deliberately invoked the rules of the private loan market and tied them up with promissory note transactions.

 

‘The methods were different, but our goals were the same. Yet because of this one clause, the value of this contract changes?’

 

I looked down at the contract glowing brightly with golden light.

 

‘It’s better to use legal methods according to Sunny Side’s rules, if possible.’

 

Come to think of it, that seems right.

 

Legal methods have a lower probability of causing problems later compared to illegal or underhanded tactics.

 

And they can be easily recognized by others.

 

‘I learned something good.’

 

I was extremely satisfied.

 

So much so that President Sim, who had performed this task excellently, looked endearing to me.

 

“You’ve worked hard. Especially this final special provision – I really like it.”

 

I put my hands together and bowed deeply.

 

“Thank you so much for giving me such important guidance. The rules of chaebol companies. Thanks to you, I’m learning them clearly.”

 

“You’re very perceptive. To think you would understand even my hidden intentions… Taeseong’s future is truly secure.”

 

I pretended not to know and asked casually.

 

“Just in case, if my prediction turns out wrong. Weren’t you worried about being treated like a brat who conspired with Wooguang to hand over Taeseong Chemical for nothing? When that time comes, it would be difficult to prove President Sim’s sincerity toward Taeseong.”

 

“You thought I was worried about that?”

 

President Sim knelt on one knee to face me.

 

“I believe in you, Chairman. That’s why I wasn’t worried about such things.”

 

His eyes were gentle and his expression was warm.

 

“The Chairman is someone who knows well the methods that chaebol companies mainly use when devouring failing companies. Just from a few words about bringing in Wookwang Securities, he would have immediately understood my intentions.”

 

“Ah…!”

 

“Actually, what I was worried about was you, Young Master.”

 

“Me?

 

I blinked my widened eyes slowly.

 

I didn’t quite understand at first glance.

 

“If my prediction was correct, that is, when Wooguang would steadily repay the short-term promissory notes in order to acquire Taeseong Chemical.”

 

I had basically assumed that Wooguang would default on the short-term promissory notes, but President Sim was operating on the basic premise that Wooguang would steadily repay the short-term promissory notes.

 

“What would be the reason for Taeseong to properly form an acquisition negotiation team and fight bloody battles at the table for at least several months, or at most several years? It was because they kept in mind that companies lose a lot when they lose credibility.”

 

Credibility.

 

It was a word not valued highly in the world of the Back Alleys.

 

“I thought that Wooguang wouldn’t try to devour Taeseong Chemical for free even if it meant bankrupting Wookwang Construction. That’s why I felt it was such a waste for Taeseong to suffer losses from using underhanded methods.”

 

It seemed that for chaebol companies operating in Sunny Side, the value of the word credibility carried a different weight than it did for us.

 

I had overlooked this.

 

“But after actually dealing with the people from Wooguang, I became bitter thinking that 15 billion won was an amount that could make them abandon even over 40 years of friendship and corporate credibility.”

 

15 billion won would be about 750 billion in 21st century prices.

 

In front of that kind of money, would 40 years of friendship really matter?

 

“Actually, Young Master’s bait was exceptionally good. It was enough to hook not only Chairman Kim of Wooguang, but also the Woogwang affiliates and even me. It was a bold move.”

 

President Sim gently grasped my shoulder.

 

“Fierce determination toward your goal, the guts to charge forward fearlessly and bold methods, plus sharp insight that penetrates the opponent’s intentions.”

 

President Sim smiled with great satisfaction.

 

“Excellent. Unbelievable for someone who is only eight years old. This Sim Won-cheol will protect you, Young Master.”

 

“Then the test is all over now, right?”

 

“…Did you know?”

 

“You worked hard. Having to make unreasonable moves to match the eye level of an eight-year-old child.”

 

President Sim’s pupils shook violently as if an earthquake had struck.

 

“I got completely outplayed here.”

 

“You were half-doubtful. Nevertheless, you pushed forward with the work according to my will.”

 

If I hadn’t judged him to be someone who would treat me according to my abilities, I wouldn’t have revealed my true intentions either.

 

“The fact that you proceeded with negotiations while gauging my intentions, I’ll take that to mean you have the ability to respond and support me no matter what I make you do.”

 

President Sim had interrupted the negotiations with Wooguang and rushed to me.

 

With the intention of watching what choice I would make.

 

It means he was relaxed enough to probe my mind even while being pressured by nearly forty Woogwang affiliate presidents.

 

So I had no choice but to give him bonus points.

 

‘Grandfather wouldn’t readily hand over full authority regarding Taeseong Chemical’s acquisition negotiations to someone without such capabilities. Second Uncle wouldn’t have coveted it so much either.’

 

President Sim was someone who acted evasively even in front of Second Uncle.

 

Revealing his thoughts so transparently in front of me, a mere eight-year-old, could only be seen as quite intentional.

 

Since such a man had expressed his intention to work for me, I couldn’t help but be pleased.

 

“How were you planning to cover this matter?”

 

“Since Young Master set the trap, I was thinking of doing the drive hunt. I just need to stir things up so Wooguang can’t easily repay the short-term promissory notes.”

 

Hmm?

 

“I should properly block Wooguang’s cash flow when they’re already on the verge of a cash crunch. Once promissory notes start defaulting here and there, they won’t be able to avoid a chain bankruptcy. That’s how I plan to bring Wooguang to the re-acquisition negotiation table.”

 

Somehow that sounds like something you’d hear in the back alleys…

 

Even without going that far, Wooguang will have no choice but to come to the re-acquisition negotiations before long.

 

‘Well now. I can’t tell him about the Taeseong Chemical fire, I can’t reveal that an oil shock will hit within a year, and I can’t guarantee that when that time comes, they’ll tearfully hand over not only Taeseong Chemical but even Wookwang Securities. There’s no way to explain it?’

 

Anyway, I like this aggressive attitude of not missing opportunities!

 

Knock knock knock.

 

The Wookwang Construction president opened the secretary office door with a vile smile.

 

“From the moment you signed the Taeseong Chemical merger and acquisition contract, all materials, all equipment, all assets here belong entirely to Wooguang. Would outsiders please get lost?”

 

It was Wooguang’s eviction order.

 

President Sim had an expression that said ‘Perfect timing to meet you!’

 

“Chairman Kim says he’ll issue promissory notes under Wookwang Construction’s name. Would that be alright?”

 

President Kim of Wookwang Construction’s expression crumpled badly.

 

Of course there was no way it would be okay.

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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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