Mining And Construction Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 110

110. The Future Has Changed (2)

Seongbuk-dong, Daewoon Pavilion.

Inside the luxurious Korean restaurant, Han Cheong-ho of Cheongil Group and Choi Mu-ryong of Chomyung Bank sat facing each other.

Choi Mu-ryong kept his head turned, avoiding direct eye contact with Han Cheong-ho.

“Why did you call me?”

“Can’t we have a drink together after all this time?”

“What ‘we’? We’re just looking out for ourselves.”

Their relationship had soured after the collapse of Samwon Construction and the subsequent CIA [Central Intelligence Agency, a South Korean intelligence agency active until 1981] investigation that ensnared many of its affiliates.

They had drifted apart again when Cheongil Oil faced financial difficulties.

Choi Mu-ryong emptied the jade-colored porcelain cup in one gulp.

“I’ve finished my drink, so I’ll be going.”

“Sit down.”

Han Cheong-ho slammed a document onto the table.

Seeing the document, Choi Mu-ryong instinctively glanced at it.

“What’s that?”

“Daewoon Construction.”

Daewoon Construction was a construction company that Choi Mu-ryong had recently been supporting.

Choi Mu-ryong was taken aback.

“Daewoon Construction went bankrupt, didn’t it?”

“Who do you think caused that bankruptcy? I did, of course, to buy it up cheap.”

He had contacted all the bank presidents.

While pressuring the Taeyang Group using his influence with the President, he subtly applied similar tactics against Daewoon Construction.

As a result, Taeyang Group survived relatively unscathed, while Daewoon Construction went bankrupt.

‘Both of them should have gone bankrupt.’

He still felt a twinge of regret.

But he had managed to acquire Daewoon Construction wholesale at a bargain price.

Han Cheong-ho let out a sinister laugh.

“I’ve taken over Daewoon Construction.”

Then, what was this document in front of him?

Choi Mu-ryong swallowed hard and smacked his lips.

Han Cheong-ho clicked his tongue.

“You chose Daewoon Construction over Cheongil? Tsk, tsk.”

“You wouldn’t give me Cheongil Construction, so what else could I do? I had to take Daewoon Construction.”

Samwon Construction had been Choi Mu-ryong’s money-laundering channel.

There was nothing better than a construction company for funneling money to politicians and superiors.

Construction projects have many hidden expenses.

Especially in civil engineering, it’s difficult to determine the actual cost.

So, few industries are better suited for money laundering.

“But a small construction company isn’t very satisfying.”

“Knowing that, I took it away. Tsk, tsk, you’ve been drooling over it for over half a year, and you still haven’t gotten it?”

Han Cheong-ho pushed the document towards Choi Mu-ryong.

“Let’s use it as a substitute for Cheongil Construction.”

When Choi Mu-ryong had come to him asking for help to save Cheongil Oil, he had said:

-Cheongil Oil or Cheongil Construction, that is the question.

He meant that if he gave up Cheongil Construction, he would help save Cheongil Oil.

But Han Cheong-ho chose Cheongil Hotel instead of Cheongil Oil.

“Hmm, isn’t Daewoon Construction too inferior compared to Cheongil Construction?”

“Give it back if you don’t want it.”

“Hey-”

As Han Cheong-ho reached for the document, Choi Mu-ryong quickly snatched it into his arms.

“Who said I didn’t want it? Are you going to take back what you gave?”

Choi Mu-ryong asked, his eyes gleaming.

“What kind of scheme are you planning that you’re giving up Daewoon Construction?”

Han Cheong-ho doesn’t give anything away for free.

Han Cheong-ho’s eyes were deeply sunken.

He couldn’t even begin to guess what he was plotting.

* * *

Geumsan Hotel Bar.

Jang Jun-yong of Geumsan Group poured whiskey straight.

Even though there was an ice bucket, he poured the whiskey to the brim without adding any ice.

“Have another drink. Think of it as my overflowing heart.”

The three Taeyang Group executives wore strained expressions.

‘How many glasses is this? I’d like to politely decline that heart.’

‘Wow, does that guy have a separate stomach for alcohol? I should have just gone home.’

‘We’re just as burdened by drinking with the boss as you are.’

With the transformation into Taeyang Group, all employees were promoted by one rank.

Thanks to that, the three vice presidents became presidents of Taeyang Group affiliates.

They couldn’t drink any more. Their stomachs were churning.

Taesu subtly collected the presidents’ glasses and placed them in front of him.

“A black knight [someone who takes the blame or drinks for another] is okay, right? I’ll volunteer for a one-on-one deathmatch.”

“Huh? Good, good. Today, I’ll definitely beat Chairman Kang. Hahaha.”

The three presidents were finally free from Jang Jun-yong’s relentless hospitality.

Their eyes were filled with gratitude for Taesu.

He was on a different level from the Saudi prince who had passed out on the table after one glass of whiskey.

‘Is alcohol tolerance a basic virtue for conglomerate leaders?’

‘Indeed, alcohol-fueled socializing is the flower of sales.’

‘Trust blossoms in the exchange of drinks.’

As the three Taeyang Group presidents were making their escape, Geumsan’s Secretary Kim appeared at the entrance.

Rahman’s bodyguards hurriedly took Rahman down to his hotel room.

Secretary Kim rolled up his sleeves and laughed heartily.

“Let’s go all out until no one can walk out on two feet today. I request a 2-on-1 team match.”

Hearing that, the three Taeyang Group presidents fled the Geumsan Hotel even faster.

They vowed never to set foot in that hotel bar again.

As the three Taeyang Group presidents disappeared, Jang Jun-yong shook his whiskey glass and laughed.

“You had some cute guys with you.”

“Is it okay?”

“I may have a bad eye for talent, but I can tell that those guys are decent people.”

Jang Jun-yong had been thoroughly humiliated by Lee Mun-bok.

The reason he had deliberately poured alcohol into the three Taeyang Group executives was different.

“Alcohol is truly amazing. When you’re drunk, you can’t hide your true nature.”

It’s not that you become a dog when you’re drunk.

It’s just that the dog was wearing a human mask all along.

“Are you satisfied with confirming the true nature of my subordinates?”

“That’s why I’m envying you for having such decent guys. I should have force-fed Lee Mun-bok alcohol a long time ago and looked into his heart!”

He praised him for working hard.

He praised him for being capable.

He told him to go home and rest because he was tired.

“I cherished him so much, and all I got in return was betrayal. It’s a day that makes me want to drink.”

Jang Jun-yong quickly poured himself whiskey.

Taesu silently refilled his glass.

“Thanks to you, we’re getting through this without much damage.”

He gritted his teeth when he thought about the humiliation he suffered in front of Rahman.

“If you hadn’t taken down Lee Mun-bok, I would have grabbed that bastard by the collar and slapped him.”

Saudi prince or not, if Jang Jun-yong lost his temper, a dogfight would break out.

“Han Cheong-ho must have been up to something, right?”

“I don’t know about that…”

Unlike his words, Taesu was certain.

Jang Jun-yong chewed on the dried squid, imagining it was Han Cheong-ho.

“How many times has Han Cheong-ho backstabbed me? Just thinking about that bastard makes me grind my teeth.”

“How many… times?”

“Didn’t you know? How many people in this industry haven’t been played by that bastard’s tricks?”

Jang Jun-yong began to count on his fingers.

“I’ve been tricked by Han Cheong-ho’s schemes for the fifth time already. Three of those times, I was really driven to the brink of bankruptcy. Today is nothing.”

He had been tricked a lot.

“Park Tae-jong was even chased out to Pohang because of Han Cheong-ho. He said he was annoyed by him hanging around the President. He sent him to build a steel mill and made sure he couldn’t get involved in politics.”

“He took charge of the steel mill for the President’s long-cherished project, didn’t he?”

“Out of sight, out of power.”

There’s a reason why they used to exile and send political enemies back to their hometowns.

If you can’t attract attention by hanging around in front of the king, you can’t get any attention at all.

That’s how far you get from power.

“Do you think Park Tae-jong’s seat is still left next to the President?”

There was a reason why Park Tae-jong gritted his teeth when he saw Han Cheong-ho.

“Lucky Seven and Samcheong were close even before they started their businesses. So close that they even became in-laws. But those guys turned their backs on each other. Who do you think was responsible?”

“Didn’t they fall out because of business?”

“Do you think people who were partners would fall out just because of business?”

“Then is it because of Han Cheong-ho?”

Jang Jun-yong smiled meaningfully and drank his whiskey.

“Samcheong even went to the brink of having its foundation shaken because of Han Cheong-ho.”

“Surely not…”

“Yes. Was it about ten years ago? The saccharin smuggling incident.”

The saccharin smuggling incident.

May 24, 1966.

Samcheong Group’s affiliate, Korea Fertilizer Industry, colluded with Japan’s Mitsui to bring in about 55 tons of saccharin disguised as construction materials and tried to sell it, but the smuggling was exposed.

As a result, Korea Fertilizer Industry and Daeguk University were donated to the state.

Also, feeling responsible, the chairman stepped down from his position.

“Han Cheong-ho incited a newspaper reporter to broadcast it extensively. The world was turned upside down. So, no matter how much Samcheong tried, there was no way to fix it.”

The Cheongil Group’s secret documents only recorded that such an incident had occurred.

There wasn’t a single word about Han Cheong-ho being involved.

“Han Cheong-ho didn’t stop there. He stirred up discord between Samcheong’s eldest and second sons, and urged them to oust their father, asking who would sit in the next chairman’s seat. The war of the princes broke out.”

The Samcheong Group’s war of the princes.

At the end of 1969, the second son sent a letter to Park Jeong-hwan saying that his father should be ousted from the chairman’s seat.

Park Jeong-hwan considered this to be a betrayal and did not accept it. Later, when Chairman Lee found out about this, he completely kicked out the second son.

In the meantime, suspicions arose that the eldest son was deeply involved in this incident, and as a result, the third son became the successor.

“In Samcheong’s case, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The third son was much smarter than the eldest and second sons.”

He knew.

How could Taesu not know how the third son was raising Samcheong?

Samcheong was the company that had been competing for the longest time to make Cheongil the number one conglomerate in Korea.

But he didn’t know that Samcheong’s war of the princes was deeply involved with Han Cheong-ho.

‘Even the Cheongil Group’s secret information documents didn’t say that Han Cheong-ho was involved. It was just left as information like an old newspaper article.’

Perhaps all of that is written in the secret ledger that only Han Il-kwon has?

“Didn’t you meet Samcheong’s third son at the Geumsan Shipbuilding & Heavy Industries banquet last time?”

“I don’t think so. I don’t think I saw him.”

“Really? Samcheong’s successor came to me directly and asked about you.”

Did that happen?

“I went back right after meeting the President, so I didn’t have time to greet anyone.”

“That’s a shame. I heard you were the most popular that day.”

Jang Jun-yong smiled as he raised his whiskey glass.

“Why else would my daughter ask me about you?”

The flower of Geumsan.

Jang Jun-yong’s only daughter is called Geumsan’s precious jewel.

It was a flower on a cliff that Han Il-kwon coveted so much but couldn’t reach.

“Even the President’s daughter asked about you…”

That’s enough!

As soon as Park Kyung-hye’s name came up, Taesu quickly emptied his whiskey glass and poured a new drink.

“Tell me more about Han Cheong-ho. How is he still intact even after causing so much trouble?”

Just from what he’s said so far, he’s touched Geumsan, Pohang, and Samcheong in a row.

If these three joined forces, would Han Cheong-ho be able to do anything?

But Jang Jun-yong shook his head.

“Don’t you know that there are no eternal friends or enemies in this industry?”

Jang Jun-yong’s smile was bitter.

“Gains and losses, sleeping in the same boat while being enemies, strategic alliances. These are all part and parcel of doing business.”

There is no compassion in business.

You have to chase after what is profitable, and you can’t succeed by chasing after emotions.

“We are like fishing boats setting sail in a storm. We have to struggle to catch fish while not being swept away by the waves of the regime.”

The power of conglomerates is not as strong as it is in the 21st century.

It is a time when the military dictatorship regime seizes all power.

“Compared to Han Cheong-ho, who has the President’s ear, the President seems a little wary of other conglomerates.”

“Why?”

“Can’t you see? How can we win in the competition for the President’s favor against a sycophant who licks his boots?”

Taesu drank his whiskey in silence.

Jang Jun-yong looked at Taesu as if it was something new.

“But that Han Cheong-ho has been repeatedly outmaneuvered by a greenhorn like you. To me, that’s the more amazing thing.”

That’s why Jang Jun-yong values Taesu so highly.

It’s also why Park Jeong-hwan recognizes Taesu.

“Han Cheong-ho is a bigger figure than you think. In another sense, he’s a monster.”

Jang Jun-yong’s eyes sank deeply.

“He’s bold and ruthless. He doesn’t care about the means if necessary. Be careful.”

Jang Jun-yong’s eyes were filled with worry.