The Genius Grandson Of The Cash King Becomes A Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 92

#092

What drives people crazy more than high temperatures is the oppressive humidity.

Sweat poured down my back with the slightest movement.

Park Hyun-chul arrived at the restaurant before the appointed time.

The cool air conditioning offered a small reprieve from his irritation.

He summoned an employee.

“Hey, you! Bring me a newspaper.”

“Yes, sir.”

Despite the rude tone, the employee brought the newspaper with a polite smile.

He flipped through the pages, his brow furrowing as he scanned the economic section.

“Is that old hag losing her mind?”

An article detailed Hyun Jeong-ok’s Future Savings Bank.

‘The first savings bank to establish large-scale branches nationwide.’

The old woman’s belated entrance into the market.

Park Hyun-chul shook his head, his forehead creasing with deeper wrinkles.

With everything already going wrong, the heat only amplified his frustration.

The new president ran the country based on his own whims, ignoring all advice.

The influence of Chunjihoe [a powerful, possibly clandestine, organization], which had previously conveyed opinions and exerted influence through various channels, seemed nonexistent.

He needed to vent his rising anger.

“Hey.”

Receiving no response, he shouted again.

“Hey, are you deaf? Bring me some cold water.”

The manager rushed over, bowing deeply.

“Are these guys not working properly?”

“I apologize, Prosecutor Park.”

He slapped the manager’s head lightly.

“Do it right. Huh? Work hard if you want to keep working even in a dump like this.”

“Yes, I’m sorry.”

“What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get the water. Run, you bastard.”

“Yes, sir.”

The manager, pale as a ghost, scurried to the kitchen.

Park Hyun-chul relieved his pent-up anger by gulping down cool water and berating the manager.

After a while, Senior Judge Jo Jae-wook arrived.

“Hey, don’t you know to stand up when a judge enters? Stand up!”

“You fucking judge. Is this the time for jokes? Hyun Jeong-ok, the cash queen of Korea, has so many savings banks. What the hell is our great Chunjihoe doing, damn it?”

Park Hyun-chul tapped the table lightly, causing the water cup to tremble.

“What? They’re just savings banks. Even if you gather a bunch of nobodies and attack with numbers, it’s not even half the size of Daehan Bank.”

“Hmm, that’s true.”

“But that old woman can’t shake her old habits. A woman who used to run a private loan business is now in savings banks. We should have a decent bank like us. Savings banks, tsk tsk.”

“That’s right. Hehehe.”

They exchanged bitter smiles and began to eat.

Once the greasy food filled their stomachs, Park Hyun-chul asked.

“Is the hedge fund’s name Lonestar?”

“Yeah, Mafia funds 20, Yakuza [Japanese organized crime] 29, Chunjihoe 51. That’s the share structure. We’re leading it, so we have the largest stake.”

“Of course, it should be. What’s the plan after acquiring Daehan Bank with Lonestar?”

“Sell Daehan Bank to Shinyoung Bank for a profit.”

“What? That’s it?”

Park Hyun-chul raised his eyebrows. The simplicity of the plan fueled his irritation.

“What do you mean ‘that’s it’? We have to sell off all the profitable assets of Daehan Bank and sell only the shell—at a high price. We have to inflate its value at least tenfold. We’re currently projecting a profit of about 5 trillion won [approximately 3.7 billion USD].”

Park Hyun-chul nodded.

It was a satisfactory plan.

“Hmm, that’s right, it should be. Chunjihoe should profit twice: once when acquiring and once when selling.”

“Oh, you mentioned bringing someone today.”

At Jo Jae-wook’s question, Park Hyun-chul checked his watch.

“It’s about time. You said there was a useful pawn last time. That guy.”

“Ah, Choi Joong-cheol?”

“No, Kang Cheol-joong. When he gets here, he’ll be eager to please. He needs to believe he can earn a place in the Royal Family [a metaphor for their inner circle] to work hard.”

“Of course.”

A young man’s deep voice echoed from outside.

“Senior. It’s Cheol-joong.”

“Oh, come in.”

“Hello. I’m Kang Cheol-joong. I’ve been assigned to the Central District Prosecutors’ Office.”

“What? Your first assignment is the Central District Prosecutors’ Office? Wow, that’s an elite track! Did you graduate at the top of your class? You’re perfect as Hyun-chul’s successor, aren’t you?”

“Hey, don’t be rude. What does a newly appointed prosecutor know? Cheol-joong, work hard. Then, hmm, you’ll become the chief prosecutor, hahaha.”

“Yes, I will do my best, Senior.”

Kang Cheol-joong rose from his seat and bowed to his seniors, who seemed like gods to him, pledging his loyalty.

Drinks flowed freely.

Kang Cheol-joong readily accepted every drink offered.

He did his best to ingratiate himself.

“Judge Jo, so when Lonestar acquires Daehan Bank…”

“Ahem, you there.”

Jo Jae-wook coughed pointedly, glancing uncomfortably at Cheol-joong.

He pretended not to hear anything, nibbling on snacks and feigning ignorance.

“I’m sorry. I was short-sighted.”

“You have to be careful, even with the smallest things. Understand?”

“I understand. You fucking judge.”

“Shut up. You prosecutor wannabe.”

Rough words were exchanged, and the drinking party concluded.

Judge Jo Jae-wook departed first.

Kang Cheol-joong helped the staggering Park Hyun-chul to his car.

“Cheol-joong!”

“Yes, Senior. Were you friends with Yoon Jeong-hoon?”

“Not friends, but a junior one year below me.”

“I heard you were close. Now you have to choose.”

“…I’ve already chosen. I won’t associate with those without connections anymore.”

“Really? Then prove it. Can I believe you just by your word?”

“Yes, I will definitely show you, Senior.”

A driver arrived to pick up Park Hyun-chul and whisked him away.

Kang Cheol-joong watched him leave and vowed.

‘I will really show you, Senior.’

His clenched fist trembled.

***

Hyun Jeong-ok took a walk for the first time in a while.

It was a hot summer, and despite the high humidity, walking was the best exercise for her aging body.

She strolled through Daehak-ro [a vibrant street in Seoul known for its youthful atmosphere and theaters], filled with old memories.

The shade provided by the thick roadside trees offered some relief from the heat.

As she walked toward Changgyeonggung [a Joseon Dynasty palace in Seoul],

a tall man wearing a hat pulled low approached Hyun Jeong-ok.

The distance between them closed.

Hyun Jeong-ok glanced around.

No one was nearby.

Only cars passed indifferently.

She turned her head to look at the man standing beside her.

He was tall with broad shoulders.

Hyun Jeong-ok grasped his large hand tightly.

It was cold.

“You’ve been through a lot, Cheol-joong.”

“It’s nothing, Grandma.”

“Let’s go over there and have a cold coffee. How can your hands be so cold in this summer?”

“Yes.”

Inside the store, the cool air conditioning was a welcome relief.

Hyun Jeong-ok, fanning herself with her hand, looked at Cheol-joong with pity.

“I’ll send you some ginseng, so eat some. How can a man’s hands and feet be cold? Tsk. It seems to be from stress, so take care of yourself.”

“Yes. Please send me a lot. I like ginseng.”

“You rascal, you have a silver tongue.”

Hyun Jeong-ok carefully studied Cheol-joong’s expression and asked cautiously.

“How have you been lately? How are your mother and father doing?”

“Yes, my father is still unconscious, and my mother is still by his side.”

“Hmm, yes, you’ve been through a lot. Take good care of your mother. She’s living for you alone.”

“Of course. I talk to her often, even when I’m busy.”

“Yes. You’re doing well.”

Hyun Jeong-ok listened as Cheol-joong recounted recent events.

He told her about Park Hyun-chul and Jo Jae-wook’s scheming.

He informed her that Lonestar was Chunjihoe’s hedge fund and was targeting Daehan Bank.

And he told her that he had been assigned to the Central District Prosecutors’ Office.

And…

“I think I have to hit Jeong-hoon once.”

“Hmm… are they demanding a pledge of allegiance?”

“Yes, it seems to be a test. Where should I hit him?”

“Jeong-hoon handles things so cleanly that it won’t be easy.”

“I raided him once before, but there was no gain.”

“Yes, he probably has it even more thoroughly secured than last time.”

Kang Cheol-joong nodded.

“I think so too. Jeong-hoon is meticulous.”

“Yes. Ah, Jeong-hoon acquired a pharmaceutical company that was connected to the mine when he acquired the mine. Sinhwa Pharmaceuticals? It’s in Incheon, but he probably hasn’t paid much attention to it. If you search there, you might find something.”

Hyun Jeong-ok took a sip of coffee.

“It’s funny how you and I are. We’re digging up that guy’s weaknesses for that guy’s sake.”

“…Yes. It’s ironic.”

An awkward silence filled the air. Cheol-joong spoke to his grandmother.

“Grandma, I got my first salary. I’ll buy you dinner.”

“Really? I’ll have to squander your meager salary all at once. Let’s go eat Korean beef [Hanwoo, a premium and expensive type of beef].”

Kang Cheol-joong’s shoulders slumped momentarily before straightening.

“Yes, good.”

“Anyway, you and Jeong-hoon are both full of *heose* [허세 – a Korean term for bravado or showing off]. What Korean beef with that salary? Let’s go eat cold noodles.”

“No, Grandma, I’m a Level 3 civil servant.”

“So, are you richer than me?”

“That’s not it, but…”

“Buy me a bowl of cold noodles today. That’s enough!”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Hyun Jeong-ok and Cheol-joong rose from their seats.

One of Seoul’s four major cold noodle restaurants was in Jugyo-dong.

The cool and bland Pyongyang cold noodles invigorated them, exhausted from the heat.

***

August was nearing its end, with September just around the corner, and the heat wave was slowly receding.

Everyone was exhausted from the prolonged, deadly heat.

Jeong-hoon, in the president’s office of Legend Company, pondered the most efficient way to manage the group.

He concluded that he should establish a planning and coordination office in this building to oversee the Sinhwa Empire Group.

Currently, all affiliates operated autonomously.

He didn’t need to micromanage everything.

Everything was determined by performance, and performance was currently at its peak.

However, to identify targets for Sinhwa Empire Holdings, a team optimized for mergers and acquisitions was necessary.

That was the purpose of the planning and coordination office.

He considered who would be suitable as the head of the planning and coordination office.

Uncle Man-ho would be perfect, but his grandmother’s business made it impossible.

One person came to Jeong-hoon’s mind.

‘That guy.’

Hwang-seok, who possessed calm, cool analytical skills and a warm heart.

He was perfect.

He had the ability and qualifications to lead the acquisition efforts.

He decided to appoint Hwang-seok and Kang Sang-cheol as the heads of Team 1 and Team 2 of the planning and coordination office.

Team 1 would be responsible for internal group management and preparation for mergers and acquisitions.

Team 2 would handle external personnel management and support for mergers and acquisitions—in other words, entertainment.

Kang Sang-cheol was a specialist in that area.

Jeong-hoon summoned Hwang-seok and Kang Sang-cheol.

“Director Hwang-seok, if you’re willing, please take on the role of Team Leader of Planning and Coordination Office 1 of Sinhwa Empire Holdings. The position is Team Leader, but it carries more weight than the president of an affiliate.”

“It’s an honor.”

“And Director Kang Sang-cheol as Team Leader 2.”

“I will do my best.”

Jeong-hoon had initially planned to create an office for Sinhwa Empire Holdings next to Legend Company, but he changed his mind.

The core brains of Korea’s best company should be together.

He decided to place Legend Company and Sinhwa Holdings at the highest point of this building.

The 20th floor was the highest in the building.

He took the elevator up and found it vacant.

He called the management office to inquire about the rent.

“What is the rent for the rooftop floor?”

“Yes? Didn’t the madam tell you?”

‘Madam? Are there many women who own the building?’

Jeong-hoon wondered.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s the madam’s building. Ah… did she say she was going to transfer it to the young master’s name? Please check.”

The madam they were referring to was Hyun Jeong-ok, and the young master was Jeong-hoon.

‘What? Suddenly a building in Jongno [a district in Seoul]?’

Jeong-hoon could only blink.

He called his grandmother.

“Grandma, was the building in Jongno your building?”

“Where in Jongno? I have more than one or two buildings there… Which one are you talking about?”

He was taken aback.

‘If there are more than one or two buildings in Jongno, how many are there?’

Grandma was not only a cash queen but also a real estate mogul.

“Ah, one of them is yours. It’s such a small building that I forgot. Still, if the grandson of the cash queen works in someone else’s building, people will criticize him. So, I prepared an office in my building.”

Jeong-hoon’s hand trembled.

“Yes? Really?”

Suddenly, a building worth several hundred billion won came into his possession.

Jeong-hoon went outside the building and looked up.

An old but 20-story Jongno building.

‘This building is mine.’

He still couldn’t believe it and blinked for a long time.

***

The late summer heat, still exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, persisted. Fortunately, the sweltering humidity was gradually diminishing.

Jeong-hoon visited the construction site of the Sinhwa Empire Group headquarters, being built by Sinhwa Construction.

The site workers, exhausted from the heat, were drenched in sweat.

Jeong-hoon instructed President Lee Soo-hong, who accompanied him.

“Always prioritize safety. Take every precaution to prevent industrial accidents. Safety is paramount.”

“Yes, Chairman. We are meticulously addressing that. We’ve also extended the lunch break to two hours and are providing ample rest based on the temperature.”

“You’re doing well. Please continue to do so in the future.”

“I will work hard and do my best, Chairman!”

“So, I’ve prepared a gift for you today. It will be arriving soon…”

Just then, five refrigerated trucks entered the construction site with a loud rumble.

“They’re here.”

Jeong-hoon approached a truck and opened the freezer compartment.

Cold air rushed out.

Inside, there were countless pre-made shaved ice desserts with red bean toppings [a popular summer treat in Korea, known as *patbingsu*].

“What is that, Chairman?”

“I’ve been negligent. I should have taken care of things like this from time to time. It’s shaved ice with red bean toppings. I’ve prepared one for each person.”

‘One for each person? There are thousands of people on this site right now.’

Lee Soo-hong’s eyes widened at the sheer volume.

Lee Soo-hong, momentarily speechless, regained his composure and expressed his gratitude.

“Young Master. Thank you for the treat.”

At that moment, Jeong-hoon’s phone rang.

Like the Seoul site, he distributed shaved ice with red bean toppings to all locations where Sinhwa Group’s affiliates were located, including Ulsan, Changwon, and Geoje.

The total amount exceeded 100,000 servings.

‘Chairman, I love you!’

‘Relieve your tired mind and body from the heat!’

‘Awesome, the best shaved ice with red bean toppings I’ve ever had!’

‘It was our happy shaved ice with red bean toppings day!’

‘Chairman, you’re the best!’

The Sinhwa Holdings website bulletin board was flooded with positive comments.

The phone was ringing non-stop.

Reporters, sensing a story, requested interviews.

No chairman had ever provided shaved ice with red bean toppings to all employees of the group company.

The reporters’ requests were politely declined.

The situation was already highly publicized. He didn’t want to add to it.

As he was about to leave after inspecting the site,

Lee Soo-hong hesitated and spoke.

“Chairman, I have something to report. The Sinhwa Pangyo Techno Valley permit is being delayed. It seems the public official is demanding kickbacks. They’re nitpicking every detail, and the schedule is three times longer than expected.”

“Hmm, so that’s what’s happening. I’ll have to resolve it.”

“If you intervene, it will be processed quickly.”

Speed is crucial, but other obstacles might arise at the mayor’s level.

Jeong-hoon wanted to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.

He pulled out a business card he had received.

It was a business card with two golden phoenixes engraved on it.

“If it’s the president…?”

Lee Soo-hong tilted his head, puzzled by Jeong-hoon’s words.

‘Why is the president suddenly being mentioned?’

Jeong-hoon took out his phone and dialed the number.

After a few rings, a man who sounded like a secretary answered.

When Jeong-hoon identified himself, a familiar voice was soon heard.

“Mr. President.”

Lee Soo-hong could only blink at Jeong-hoon’s words.

‘Did he mispronounce