novelraw Chapter 122 : “Why Don’t You Make a Bet with Me”
Chapter 122 : “Why Don’t You Make a Bet with Me”
Chapter 122: “Why Don’t You Make a Bet with Me”
All the noise in the conference room died down. Even the gazes of the other presidents who had been shouting in desperation all turned at once toward Lee Gyeong-cheol.
Instead of answering, Lee Gyeong-cheol lifted his teacup and savored the aroma. His eyes, sunken deep, stared straight through me. That gaze seemed to be asking a silent question—just how much do you know?
After a long silence, he set the teacup down and opened his mouth in a low voice.
“I received word through a Japanese source. They said the United States conveyed to the government that if the account freeze is not lifted, they will halt economic aid.”
“Is that true? Chairman.”
The other presidents asked urgently, but instead of answering, he turned his question toward Jung Joo-hyuk.
“President Jung, isn’t that something you’re aware of as well?”
“I did hear something through the U.S. military side. But…….”
Jung Joo-hyuk trailed off, and his gaze turned toward me. That look was razor-sharp.
“Even the Americans aren’t certain. President Baek, how can you be so sure?”
The questioning gazes of everyone present poured back onto me. I didn’t avoid them. Instead, I responded calmly.
“I simply read the flow.”
“The flow?”
“Have none of you thought the newspaper editorials over the past few days have been strange? The first thing the military government did was control the press. With a gag in their mouths, they’re all acting as if they coordinated beforehand, placing the blame for the currency reform on General Yoo Shin-hyeok. They’re framing this not as a failure of government policy, but as the result of one man’s unilateral decision.”
I paused briefly to catch my breath. After checking the expressions of the other presidents, I continued.
“This is a clear case of cutting off the tail. And the reason one cuts off the tail is because there’s external pressure to resolve this situation as quickly as possible.”
“There’s only one place capable of applying that kind of pressure to this country right now.”
Lee Gyeong-cheol picked up my words. I nodded slightly.
“Yes. That’s right. The United States. Lobbying is legal in the U.S. Various interest groups have lobbied the American government.”
“Do you really think the U.S. government would move over mere lobbying?”
“Yes. Because there’s justification now. All it needs is a push from behind. The U.S. government is displeased as well by a currency reform carried out without their consent.”
I stopped speaking for a moment and looked around at the presidents gathered in the room.
“Changes are being detected within the government as well. The hardline military officers who led the currency reform are stepping back, and economic bureaucrats in charge of practical affairs are going in and out of the Blue House every day. What do you think they’re discussing? Aren’t they devising strategies to loosen the completely clogged flow of money? All of these currents point in one single direction—lifting it.”
At my logically structured reasoning, silence once again settled over the conference room. Then, Lee Jang-ho broke it with a scoff.
“Hah, figures. Writing a novel after reading a few newspaper scraps. How dare you try to mislead us with information that hasn’t even been verified?”
“You there, young man. This isn’t a place for us to listen to your plausible wordplay.”
President Kim Seong-jin also chimed in to back him up.
This was really getting on my nerves. It was time to properly trample the two of them who kept nitpicking at every turn.
Everyone gathered here was both a collaborator and a competitor. If I let those two interfere like this, the others would start to look down on me as well.
“If you find my words so hard to believe, then why don’t you make a bet with me.”
I stood up from my seat and looked straight at Kim Seong-jin and Lee Jang-ho.
At my sudden proposal, the faces of the two men stiffened.
“If I’m wrong, I’ll hand over everything of Daejin Cement to the two of you, right here.”
“What did you say……?”
“But if what I say turns out to be right…….”
I deliberately let the moment linger, drawing every gaze in the conference room toward me. Only after everyone’s eyes were fixed on me did I curl up just one corner of my mouth and speak.
“Then the two of you will hand over everything you have in Taesan Cement and Dongbang Cement to me.”
In an instant, an icy silence flowed through the conference room.
Kim Seong-jin let out a hollow laugh, as if only then realizing how absurd it was.
“Ha……! You’re telling us to put Taesan Cement and Dongbang Cement on the line just for one debt-ridden Daejin Cement?”
“As far as I know, the assets of Daejin Cement are comparable to the combined assets of those two companies. The debts are similar as well. There are some fines and additional levies, but…… if I lose, I’ll make up the difference in cash.”
The presidents other than the two of them folded their arms, enjoying the situation as if an interesting spectacle had appeared.
Kim Seong-jin and Lee Jang-ho exchanged looks, then shook their heads.
“That’s nonsense. We can’t put our companies on the line over something like this.”
“That’s right! Stop spouting rubbish. How could such a major matter be decided over something so trivial?”
Trying to slip away, were they? I tilted my head conspicuously and subtly raised my voice.
With all the presidents of the major conglomerates gathered in one place, now was the perfect timing. I intended to make everyone here a witness.
“Didn’t you say that a young punk was trying to mislead the people here with unverified nonsense?”
I pressed them calmly, but firmly.
“If you believe that so strongly, then this is a golden opportunity to take Daejin Cement without spending a single won. Or is it that you lack confidence?”
At my provocation, Kim Seong-jin finally couldn’t hold back and turned his head toward Lee Gyeong-cheol.
“Chairman! Are you really going to just let him keep jumping around like a mudskipper like that?!”
“President Kim. Weren’t you the one who provoked him first?”
Lee Gyeong-cheol shot back coldly.
“Everyone here knows that President Kim has been coveting Daejin Cement. Is there anyone here who doesn’t know you planned to take it over at a bargain price after the government seized it?”
Several presidents nodded, agreeing with Lee Gyeong-cheol’s words.
“The opportunity has come. Everyone here will serve as witnesses, so why don’t you give it a try?”
“Th-that is…….”
Kim Seong-jin looked momentarily speechless, his lips moving soundlessly. But Lee Jang-ho was different.
“Fine, you brat! If we’re putting companies on the line……!”
“President Lee! Have you lost your mind?!”
Kim Seong-jin urgently tried to stop him.
“You’re putting the company on the line over something like this? Is Dongbang Cement such a joke of a company?!”
Lee Jang-ho ground his teeth and glared at me. Kim Seong-jin was the one trying to stop him, yet for some reason he was glaring at me instead. I didn’t back down either and met his eyes head-on.
Just as the atmosphere was growing increasingly grave, Lee Gyeong-cheol stepped in to mediate.
“President Baek. Shall we stop the battle of wills here?”
“I made the bet proposal sincerely.”
“I’ll take that to mean you’re that confident.”
With Lee Gyeong-cheol’s mediation, the meeting—briefly entering a lull—naturally shifted its initiative into my hands.
“At the latest, within two weeks, part of the account freeze will definitely be lifted. As long as the use of funds is clearly defined, you’ll be able to use the money tied up in the banks.”
At my confident declaration, a faint glimmer crossed the faces of the presidents who had been filled with despair. They let out deep sighs of relief.
But I immediately poured cold water on that hope.
“However, the banks won’t be normalized right away. You should assume that new loans will be impossible for the time being.”
Jung Joo-hyuk picked up my words. There was even a hint of amusement in his voice.
“Once the account freeze is lifted, everyone will rush to withdraw their money. Bank vaults will be emptied in an instant.”
“That’s right. The government can’t just recklessly print money. The aftereffects of the currency reform will last quite a while. Loans will be blocked, and the introduction of U.S. loans will be delayed. In the meantime, can the companies here endure?”
The presidents focused on my words with stiff faces. Only then did they grasp the true seriousness of the situation.
“With the Myeong-dong private lending market paralyzed, how do you plan to secure funds? Excluding Chairman Lee Gyeong-cheol, who has the most cash on hand, I understand that the rest of you don’t have much liquid cash outside what’s tied up in banks.”
Then as now, businessmen didn’t run businesses with their own money.
They focused solely on expanding operations, pulling together every available and unavailable cent to grow their enterprises, while remaining indifferent to crisis management.
Among those present, only Lee Gyeong-cheol of First Trading Corporation had prepared thoroughly, leaving him in the best condition, but even he would have to halt all planned projects if loans were cut off.
“Who doesn’t know that? Everyone knows it. What are you trying to accomplish by restating the obvious?”
Gu In-ho, president of Hwaseong Industry, who had been quietly observing until now, finally spoke.
When he opened his mouth, everyone else fell silent. He was the de facto second-in-command of this gathering.
“Does President Baek have some kind of plan?”
“Yes. I intend to introduce you to someone who will lend money at a good interest rate.”
“What?”
“If you can’t borrow from banks, you use private loans. Are you really going to let this enormous opportunity slip away like this?”
Gu In-ho furrowed his brow as he asked,
“Dan Tae-geon has a tight grip on the money flow in Myeong-dong. So who exactly are you talking about?”
“Do you know President Cheon Sang-do?”
“You mean that President Cheon who ran Mando Securities into the ground?”
“Yes. I hear that after wrapping up Mando Securities, he’s starting moneylending again in Myeong-dong.”
At my words, people let out hollow laughs.
“So you’re saying we should borrow money from President Cheon at high interest rates? What difference is there between him and Dan Tae-geon?”
“President Cheon will take only half the interest Dan Tae-geon is charging now.”
“What did you say?”
“But only for people who come through my introduction.”
Faces stiffened. Kim Yeon-jun, president of Pungnyeon Sugar, spoke without hiding his displeasure.
“So now you’re saying you’re going to play money games with us…….”
“If you don’t need it, then don’t borrow.”
“W-what…….”
I cut him off coldly. I had no intention of catering to the presidents’ moods anymore. The desperate ones weren’t me—it was them.
At that moment, someone burst out laughing loudly.
“Hahahaha! Well, well. Looks like we took a clean hit. Isn’t that right, gentlemen?”
Jung Joo-hyuk shook his head as he spoke. His hearty laughter instantly loosened the previously tense atmosphere.
“What President Baek says isn’t wrong. Those who don’t need it don’t have to borrow. It’s not like he’s holding a knife and threatening you to take the money. President Baek, would you introduce me?”
“Of course. With President Jung’s credit, he’ll probably lend at an even lower rate.”
“Wahaha! I’d be happy if it’s cheap.”
Jung Joo-hyuk laughed heartily once more, even slapping the desk as he laughed, looking genuinely pleased.
At that sight, Gu In-ho cleared his throat lightly, clearly displeased.
“Ahem……. President Jung. Laughing all by yourself like that…….”
“Then will President Gu lend the money? If not, don’t speak up.”
“President Jung.”
“Aren’t we all struggling the same way? Money has to be made somewhere, but it’s obvious banks won’t lend. Is there any reason to let pointless pride ruin your company? I have no intention of doing that, President Gu.”
At Jung Joo-hyuk’s blunt words, Gu In-ho could say nothing more and merely bit his lip.
His realistic rebuke was enough to shake the hardened resolve of the other presidents.
The first to move was Choi Jong-hyeok, president of Seonjin Textiles. As if he had no room to save face, he bowed his head toward me with desperate eyes.
“President Baek……. Please introduce us as well, Seonjin Textiles. It’s shameless to say, but we don’t even have the money to keep the factory running next month.”
Starting with him, the other presidents began speaking up one after another.
“Please help me too! The bill maturity date is approaching, and it’s making my skin crawl.”
“Our Pungnyeon Sugar too! Please save us, President Baek!”
Once the dam broke, everyone began asking me for introductions all at once.
Amid all that, only two people remained silent to the very end. Lee Jang-ho and Kim Seong-jin.
“Yes, I’ll contact President Cheon for all of you. President Cheon also won’t be able to move until his account is unfrozen.”
“That much we can wait. And there are a few people who borrowed from that Dan Tae-geon fellow……. Will he also handle refinancing loans for repayment?”
“Yes. If you speak to President Cheon, he’ll set the interest rate based on the scale and tell you. I don’t know the details beyond that.”
“Hahaha. Just put in a good word for me. I’ve crossed paths with President Cheon here and there, but we’ve never properly exchanged greetings.”
With some breathing room now, Choi Jong-hyeok joked lightly.
“Yes, President. If it’s you, President Cheon will welcome you with open arms.”
After finishing my conversations with the other presidents, I turned my gaze to the two men who were standing stiffly with their mouths tightly shut.
“Do the two of you not need it?”