novelraw Chapter 125 : You Seize an Opportunity When It Comes
Chapter 125 : You Seize an Opportunity When It Comes
Chapter 125: You Seize an Opportunity When It Comes
The president’s office of Daejin Ocean Shipping. I picked up the receiver.
This is the Busan Branch of Citizens Bank.
“Please connect me to Branch Manager Lee Ho-jun.”
……May I ask who I should say is calling?
“Tell him it’s Baek Min-woo. He’ll know.”
After a brief silence, Lee Ho-jun’s overly excited voice came through the receiver.
Oh my, Mr. Baek!
“It’s been a while, Branch Manager.”
I heard the rumor that you acquired Daejin Ocean Shipping. As expected, my eye for people was never wrong!
“It just happened that way. Have you been well in the meantime?”
Lee Ho-jun let out an exaggerated sigh.
Don’t even ask. From morning till now, people have been swarming in demanding their money……. I can’t catch a break at all.
“It’ll be chaotic for a while. You’ve been working hard.”
Not at all. But what brings you to call……?
“I contacted you because I need your help.”
When I went straight to the point without beating around the bush, I could clearly hear him swallow dry saliva on the other end of the line.
“One of my people, Ma Dong-jin, will bring a large number of bankbooks tomorrow morning. All the account holders’ names will be different. Please convert all the money in those accounts into cashier’s checks issued by the head office. Leave the payee section blank.”
What? J-just a moment, Mr. Baek! How much are we talking about?
“The total should be around 30 million won. That includes cash withdrawn from other banks as well.”
T-thirty million won, you say?
His voice trembled finely. Even through the receiver, I could clearly feel the shock filling him.
“Of course, it would be burdensome to process it all at once. So please split it up over three days starting tomorrow. Make arrangements with the head office in advance.”
B-but sir! In times like these, how could such a huge sum……. If the higher-ups find out, I would……
I cut him off.
“If you handle this matter properly, I can move up your return to the Seoul head office. The potential I mentioned last time, I proved it with results. I came up to Seoul and took hold of Daejin Ocean Shipping, which ranks third in the business world, didn’t I? Aren’t you curious how far I’ll grow?”
…….
“You seize an opportunity when it comes. It may never come again.”
For a long while, only his rough breathing could be heard through the receiver. Finally, a voice came out, as if he had made up his mind about everything.
……Understood, Mr. Baek. I’ll make sure everything is prepared without a hitch.
“I’ll be counting on you.”
I hung up the phone, set the receiver down, and checked the time.
“That should be enough preparation on the Busan side. It’s about time the call comes…….”
It seemed Yang Sobo’s internal cleanup was taking longer than expected.
Just then, the desk intercom rang. When I picked it up, I heard my secretary’s voice, sounding slightly tense.
President. President Cheon Sang-do is currently heading to Daedong Construction. He asked whether you would be accompanying him.
“No. Tell him to go alone. It wouldn’t look good for me to step in personally.”
Yes. I’ll relay that.
Everything was moving according to plan.
About an hour passed. Then the secretary contacted me again.
It was the unexpected news that President Kim Seong-jin of Taesan Ocean Shipping had personally come to the company to see me.
Kim Seong-jin entered the president’s office with a face stiffened solid.
“What brings you here, President?”
“……President Baek. I have something urgent to discuss.”
Instead of replying, I quietly raised my hand and gestured for him to sit. Kim Seong-jin took his seat and hesitated, as if trying to say something.
Rather than urging him with words, I simply looked at him. After a moment, he finally opened his mouth in a heavy voice.
“President Lee Jang-ho went to see Dan Tae-geon.”
He was confessing the fact that Lee Jang-ho had gone to Dan Tae-geon.
‘Just as I expected.’
I had thought that either Kim Seong-jin or Lee Jang-ho would go to Dan Tae-geon.
Still, I hadn’t expected Kim Seong-jin to come to me. That was an interesting variable.
“It seems he handed over your entire plan to Dan Tae-geon and borrowed money in return. He even suggested that I join them.”
I said nothing. I had already seen through the entire situation from the start, so I simply waited silently for his next words.
Perhaps my silence frustrated him, because Kim Seong-jin leaned forward and spoke urgently.
“But…… I’m different from him. I want to go together with you.”
After making that secret proposal, he furrowed his brows. His expression was filled with utter incomprehension.
“He put up his Dongbang Cement shares as collateral. He stamped a contract stating that if he failed to repay within the repayment period, those shares would revert to Dan Tae-geon.”
“How much did he borrow to put up such an enormous collateral?”
“20 million won.”
‘Putting Dongbang Cement’s management rights on the line for 20 million won…….’
I fell into thought.
‘Dan Tae-geon’s target has shifted from Daejin Ocean Shipping to Dongbang Cement. Before I could even approach him first, Lee Jang-ho came on his own, so he must have thought a windfall had rolled right into his lap.’
Dan Tae-geon had probably set a murderous interest rate. If it meant acquiring his target, he would do anything.
“Why didn’t you go along with him? At the general meeting, the two of you joined forces to attack me.”
“……At that time, my view was too short-sighted. I failed to recognize someone like you, President Baek, and was blinded only by Daejin Ocean Shipping. As a senior, let me apologize.”
“You didn’t come to me just to apologize for the past, did you?”
At my cold remark, Kim Seong-jin’s face stiffened for a moment.
He hesitated briefly, then, as if resolved, revealed his true intentions.
“It seems Dan Tae-geon told Lee Jang-ho to make me the same offer in exchange for lending him 20 million won. No, more likely that bastard Lee Jang-ho wagged his tail first. He’s more than capable of that.”
“So, did you accept the offer?”
“No! If I had, would I be here looking for you?”
Kim Seong-jin raised his voice. It seemed he had quite a lot pent up.
“That bastard Dan Tae-geon is someone you can’t deal with! That’s why I came to you. You’re the only one who can overturn this board.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“First, provide the funds. Once we overcome the crisis with that money, we swallow Dongbang Cement together.”
Kim Seong-jin’s eyes flashed as he spoke.
Split Dongbang Cement between us……. Once again, I was reminded that in this world there were no eternal allies, nor eternal enemies.
I swallowed a bitter laugh inwardly. Just a few days ago, the man who had been desperate to devour me was now proposing that we join hands, crush a rival, and divide up the corpse together.
‘There’s no one in this world you can trust.’
Yesterday’s enemy becomes today’s ally, and today’s ally becomes tomorrow’s blade.
In this ruthless and cold world, the only things worth trusting are one’s own power and meticulous calculation. I cut away the tangled branches of my thoughts and returned to reality.
“So you’re suggesting that the first- and second-ranked companies in the industry collude to devour the third.”
“That’s right. You just provide the money. I’ll take care of the rest. As far as I know, Lee Jang-ho’s shares don’t even reach 45%. I can persuade the remaining shareholders.”
It seemed he had already brought a plan with him. But his plan had a fatal flaw.
“No. I had no intention of handing over even a single share to Dan Tae-geon.”
“But they said he already stamped the contract with his seal. What do you plan to do about that?”
“It’s something that can be resolved by repaying it. There are still three months left, so let’s take our time laying out the board. For now, maintain the same relationship as before with President Lee Jang-ho.”
At my words, a blatant look of displeasure crossed his face. It seemed his pride had been wounded.
“……Are you telling me to play the role of a spy?”
“Isn’t there a saying about keeping your enemies close? I’ll set the board. President Kim just needs to dance on top of it.”
“Hmm…….”
Kim Seong-jin appeared to be deep in thought. But I had no intention of performing tricks on a board laid out by someone else.
To avoid giving him too much time to agonize, I stood up from my seat and extended my hand to Kim Seong-jin.
“I look forward to working with you from now on, President Kim.”
Kim Seong-jin stared at my hand for a moment, then clasped it with a stiff expression. It was a cold handshake—yesterday’s enemy reborn as a new ally.
“I’ll arrange ten million won for you a week from now. Since we’re in the same boat, I can’t very well send you to a loan shark. The interest will be ten percent per month. What do you say?”
“Ten percent? Really?”
As expected, his eyes widened at the unprecedented terms.
“I’ll contact you soon. Until then, keep your rhythm in sync with Lee Jang-ho. It’d be even better if you can find out what kind of scheme Dan Tae-geon is cooking up.”
Knowing that he couldn’t get better conditions than this in the current climate, Kim Seong-jin’s face brightened.
“Understood. I’ll do my best. You be sure to keep your promise as well.”
“I know very well that trust is life itself in this line of work. I also have another appointment, so I’ll be taking my leave now.”
“Ah, I see. I kept a busy man for too long. I’ll wait for your call.”
After seeing Kim Seong-jin out, I remained alone and drew a deep smile across my lips.
“Dongbang Cement…….”
I had never intended to share it from the start.
While they tore at each other, bled, and collapsed into ruins, I planned to swallow everything whole.
A few days later, the tightly shut door to the president’s office opened with a knock.
Ma Dong-jin’s face, which I hadn’t seen in a while, carried faint traces of fatigue, but his eyes alone were firm and unwavering.
I stood up from my seat and greeted him warmly.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“Not at all. I completed the task you gave me without incident.”
After reporting succinctly, Ma Dong-jin opened a worn leather briefcase and handed me a thick document envelope.
Inside the envelope were dozens of cashier’s checks with the payee section left perfectly blank. Ammunition that had even avoided the blade of currency reform—at this moment, the most powerful and cleanest firepower in South Korea.
“There isn’t a hair’s breadth of error.”
Smiling in satisfaction, I tucked the checks deep into a drawer. Then I picked up the intercom and called for Yoon Sang-hyeon.
“Director Yoon, please come to my office for a moment.”
The door opened almost immediately, and Yoon Sang-hyeon entered. He cast a guarded glance at Ma Dong-jin, who was standing naturally beside me.
I noticed his gaze but, unfazed, lightly patted Ma Dong-jin’s shoulder and spoke.
“This is your first time meeting him, right? There’s someone I’d like to introduce to you, Director Yoon. This is Director Ma Dong-jin. As of today, he’ll be working as the Chief Secretary.”
“……The Chief Secretary?”
For a moment, Yoon Sang-hyeon’s eyes wavered slightly. He quickly composed his expression, but I didn’t miss that fleeting disturbance.
“Yes. Didn’t I mention it before? That the Chief Secretary was already decided, and that he would come up once the Busan matter was finished. I asked you to act as interim for the secretary’s office until then.”
“Yes…….”
“When I’m away, he’ll be the one to act in my stead and serve as my eyes and ears. Director Yoon, make sure you attend to him with due respect.”
My words were not merely an introduction.
It was a clear declaration: I was handing over the blade called the Planning and Coordination Office, but fastening the leash that held its hilt to Ma Dong-jin, the Chief Secretary.
Yoon Sang-hyeon was sharp. He grasped my intention immediately and bowed deeply without a moment’s hesitation.
“Understood, President. I look forward to working with you, Director Ma.”
“I’m Ma Dong-jin.”
Ma Dong-jin responded briefly and weightily as he accepted the greeting. Enjoying the subtle tension flowing between the two, I drove the final nail in.
“All reports coming up from the Planning and Coordination Office will be delivered to me through Director Ma. In addition, all funds executed under the president’s authority are to go through Director Ma’s approval as well. The company will only run properly if the two of you work in close coordination.”
I continued with a gentle smile.
“And we’ll be changing the company name as well. I’m thinking of switching it to ‘Daehan Cement,’ so Director Yoon, please take charge of the preparations.”
“A company name change, you say?”
“Yes. Within a month, we’ll make a fresh start under the new name along with the formal inauguration ceremony. Please prepare everything without a hitch.”
“Understood.”
“You may go now.”
After dismissing Yoon Sang-hyeon, I asked Ma Dong-jin,
“What do you think?”
“He’s excessively ambitious.”
“Exactly. That’s why I chose him. Given sufficient authority and compensation, he’ll be more loyal to the company than anyone else. Keep a close eye on him.”
“Yes, President.”
With that, the final puzzle piece in my takeover of Daejin Ocean Shipping’s internal structure fell into place.