Former Mastermind To Chaebol Son-in-Law

Chapter 23

Quite Detailed?

Taeshin Asset Management, CEO's office.

The CEO, Tae Ju-ha, was meeting with the head of the Equity Management Department, Chu In-ho.

"This... you're saying this was planned by Team 3 leader Kang In-hyuk?"

Right now, she was holding the business proposal that Kang In-hyuk had submitted to Chu In-ho not long ago, targeting corporate clients.

It wasn't something roughly put together.

In particular, the direction of the planning was detailed—something difficult to grasp without significant hands-on experience.

The risk assessments were meticulous, and the countermeasures were clear.

It was not work that someone new to the field could produce.

That's why it was hard for her to believe that Kang In-hyuk really wrote it.

"It's true. You really hadn't heard anything, CEO?"

"Not at all."

Though they lived in the same house every day, they had only met face-to-face a handful of times.

On top of that, for some reason, In-hyuk always got home later than she did, making it difficult for them to run into each other.

"Anyway, after reviewing it, I think the merits of the proposal aren't bad. For Taeshin Asset Management to grow further, expanding our field is necessary."

"But the issue is the clients. Corporations are entirely different from individuals in both field and scale."

"Everything, from basic SWOT analysis to operating profit and risk management, requires extremely professional capability. Not to mention, the capital required is substantial."

Tae Ju-ha nodded, evidently in agreement.

"And yet, you like the contents of the proposal, director?"

"To be honest, yes. However... It will be difficult for headquarters, upper office affiliates, and internal executives to approve."

Within Taeshin Asset Management, there were many who looked unfavorably on the newly appointed CEO Tae Ju-ha.

Plus, it wasn't as if only Tae Gun-seung and Tae Seok-hyun had supporters in the company.

Many people followed one of the successors, Tae Seok-ho, which left Tae Ju-ha maintaining her CEO spot all alone—a floating presence.

"What do you think should be done with this, director?"

"If possible, I think it's worth pursuing. Something I didn't mention earlier—apparently, according to Team Leader Kang, a corporate client is already lined up."

"Already a client? Who would that be?"

"I haven't heard yet. He said he would organize it and report once the proposal goes ahead. I think it's hard for them to discuss unless the business area expansion is decided."

Upon hearing the explanation, Tae Ju-ha's lips quirked up.

"This could end up being just empty hype. It could become a rumor or gossip."

"Right. It's a sensitive thing in this industry. If it turns out we're poaching another company's client, it could get noisy."

"So, director, are you saying you'd like to see this plan carried out?"

The most important conclusion remained.

Of course, the direction had largely been settled in their conversation.

If Taeshin Asset Management managed to expand its business scope based on Kang In-hyuk's proposal, their internal standing would become more solid.

However, ignoring the swirling winds inside the company wasn't easy, so the worry was great.

"I'm in favor. But..."

There was still concern about pushback from the other executives.

"There's no way we can resolve this just amongst ourselves. That leaves only one thing."

"No way..."

Chu In-ho trailed off, as if he'd already guessed.

* * *

It was time to get off work.

In-hyuk waited about 15 minutes in the parking lot, then drove onto the road.

After a short while, the same cars he'd seen that morning appeared from somewhere behind him, as if they had been waiting.

'Perfect timing. There must really be someone inside watching.'

He had deliberately taken his time, yet they had tagged on at just the right moment.

But what was strange was that he hadn't felt any suspicious eyes when leaving the office.

He'd used the stairs instead of the elevator, and hadn't run into anybody.

'If that's the case...'

He continued to think as he drove.

About 30 minutes later, he arrived—not at home, but at Chairman Tae Gun-seung's residence in Seongbuk-dong.

After parking by the roadside and getting out, he noticed that the tailing cars had disappeared.

Since it was a narrow alley, they seemed to have stopped following and turned away a couple of minutes ago.

"Are they just lurking for an opportunity?"

In-hyuk closed his car door and called Go Mi-ah.

[What is it this time?]

Her voice was energetic, unlike that morning.

"Can you access Taeshin Asset Management's building CCTV?"

[Why over there?]

"I think the guys who were tailing me have connections inside."

A low hum echoed from the other end.

[That'll be hard right now. You know why—your company is also part of Taeshin Group, so they use the in-house security processor. Especially the CCTV—it operates on an in-house offline network, so external access is impossible.]

Hearing her explanation, In-hyuk tilted his head.

"I just asked you, but that was pretty detailed. Don't tell me—you've already tried accessing it?"

Unless she'd already done the research, it would be hard to know that much.

Go Mi-ah's voice dropped to a low murmur.

[Ah, that's...]

"Don't tell me... you weren't trying to access it for the wrong reasons, were you?"

[Hmph! I was just checking to see how you work! What? Got a problem with that?]

Apparently realizing it was pointless to lie, she snapped back.

Of course, surveillance wasn't the whole truth.

Go Mi-ah still hadn't given In-hyuk her full trust yet.

So, she'd tried accessing the system to see if there was anything suspicious about him.

"Anyway, you're saying access is difficult even for you?"

[If you install a program on the HQ server, it may be possible. But can you even do that?]

Taeshin Group's headquarters structure and security system were as familiar to In-hyuk as the back of his hand.

As long as he had the plan and necessary equipment, direct hacking into their system wouldn't be hard at all.

"I'll think about that."

[Let me know anytime you decide. If you crack the server, that's a win for me.]

After hanging up, In-hyuk headed for the front gate of the mansion. He rang the bell, and a TSS security guard came out.

Saying nothing, In-hyuk walked through the garden and entrance, and went into the living room.

Sitting on the sofa, he locked eyes with Tae Seok-hyun.

"What are you doing here?"

"... The Chairman called for me."

"Father did?"

He looked genuinely surprised.

Then, the library door opened and Song Tae-ho, Tae Gun-seung's secretary, peeked out.

"The Chairman is waiting. Please come in."

It was clear he wasn't paying any attention to Tae Seok-hyun.

Nonchalantly, In-hyuk entered the study and took a seat.

Meanwhile, Tae Gun-seung, after checking something at his desk, came over to join him on the sofa.

"I hear your team's results have been good lately."

"... I'm just glad they've turned out not too badly."

At In-hyuk's answer, Tae Gun-seung gave a wry chuckle.

"Not exactly a humble answer."

"I don't see a reason to downplay what I've done. By the way, why did you call for me?"

When he got straight to the point, Tae Gun-seung's smile widened.

"Are you impatient? Or is it uncomfortable chatting casually with your prospective grandfather-in-law?"

What was his true intention in asking that?

In-hyuk knew why he'd been called, but didn't let it show on his face.

"I'd say it's both."

"Hoho—! Are you all right after what happened at Chairman Kang's house?"

It hadn't made big news, but various stories circulated via people who were there.

Of course, Tae Gun-seung was bound to have heard.

"I'm fine."

Tae Gun-seung's expression became subtly complex at this offhand answer.

"I noticed it at our last dinner as well, but you truly have changed. Did something significant happen in your mindset?"

"Nothing in particular. Will you keep talking in circles like this?"

When he pressed for the topic again, Tae Gun-seung snorted.

He gestured to Song Tae-ho, who brought over the documents Tae Gun-seung had just checked at his desk.

"I read this. The proposal from Taeshin Asset Management to expand into delegated corporate investments and M&A."

In-hyuk recognized it as the document he'd handed to Director Chu In-ho. Of course, he had expected this situation.

Chu In-ho would have reported it to the CEO, Tae Ju-ha, and since decisions were hard amid executive factions, they had reached out to Chairman Tae Gun-seung.

"I didn't expect it to get all the way to you, chairman."

"It was sent because current Ju-ha can't handle it right now. Didn't you submit the proposal knowing that?"

Tae Gun-seung seemed to have read In-hyuk's moves quite well.

"What strength do I have to make something like that happen?"

"And yet, you wrote this proposal? Even with a quick look, there are many details only someone with considerable practical experience could include. How do you know all of this so well?"

"I studied whenever I had the time."

"Studied? You call this studying?"

Reading the proposal, Tae Gun-seung felt exactly as Ju-ha and Chu In-ho had.

Hearing such an implausible excuse from In-hyuk left him exasperated.

"It wasn't easy."

"I had no idea my grandson-in-law could be this cheeky."

"I'm not too bad at it."

A brief silence followed.

Tae Gun-seung glanced through the proposal again before continuing.

"I hear a corporate client is interested in this proposal. Who is it?"

"Wasn't that explained when you received the proposal?"

"You can't tell me, either?"

"The client won't allow it unless the deal is certain."

When In-hyuk replied seriously, Tae Gun-seung rapped the papers against his knee.

"If I can give you assurance, would you tell me?"

"Whatever you have in mind, chairman, why are you so interested in a corporate client?"

"I'm curious who recognized your capabilities first."

"No matter how nicely you phrase it, it's difficult to say right now."

When In-hyuk flatly refused, Tae Gun-seung nodded.

"Fine. Then, if the client is secured, can you at least tell me the approximate size?"

In-hyuk hesitated this time, then answered.

"What the client wants is more M&A than investment. If we calculate the value to match their desired scale... at least in the hundred-billion won range."

"Did you fix incentive conditions too?"

The most important thing in investment or M&A brokerage was profit.

No matter how massive the deal closed, if the gain was small, it hadn't much value.

"We're negotiating a 2% fee. Depending on the case, payment could be in stock."

If a company with a value of 100 billion won was bought, the profit would be 2 billion won.

The process wouldn't be easy, but, considering average corporate market caps, it'd be hard for the value not to go higher.

"I have to say, this is very concrete for something that's only had a meeting and a proposal. It's like you expected it to pass."

"Well, it's natural for anyone to be optimistic. Of course, I'd like it to go through, but however it turns out, we'll have to follow the upper office's decision."

Perhaps because of In-hyuk's bantering answer, Tae Gun-seung again let out a soft laugh.

"For you to carry this out, you might need to be in a higher position than you are now. How about joining HQ and setting up a dedicated office there? Naturally, you would take the director's seat."

It was an incredibly generous offer.

Furthermore, not as a subsidiary under an affiliate like Taeshin Asset Management, but as a division director at the headquarters, Taeshin Trading—a position equivalent to Tae Yeo-jun, director of Taeshin Electronics' overseas business.

Once more, In-hyuk hesitated, then finally opened his mouth.