The Genius Grandson Of The Cash King Becomes A Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 172

#172

One hundred million.

It was the first time I’d heard of a bed costing that much.

The uncomfortable bed in the private jet had been replaced with a new one.

Hästens, a Swedish luxury bed brand with a 150-year history.

During the six-month production period, every process is meticulously done by master craftsmen.

The power of machines was not involved.

The hundred-million-dollar bed provided a pleasant and restful sleep on the plane, like waking up in a forest filled with phytoncides [organic compounds emitted by plants, often associated with health benefits].

Waking up in the new bed, Jeong-hoon thought, “It’s definitely different… but 100 million, hmm.”

He stretched and got up, heading to the shower room.

He relaxed his body in the warm water, waking up his still-slumbering mind.

He put on a white bathrobe and came out.

A knock on the door.

“Chairman, we will be landing in 10 minutes.”

“Okay.”

He dried himself and changed into a neat, luxury suit.

After putting on his Patek Philippe watch that was on the table, he opened the door and went outside.

As he sat down and fastened his seatbelt, the flight attendant placed a laptop in front of Jeong-hoon for browsing news articles.

He checked the situation in Korea via satellite internet.

‘Star Group Embraces Yahoo.’

As expected, the media was busy singing Star’s praises.

Star’s lackluster business performance and numerous failures had vanished.

Star Group, having embraced Yahoo, had become a vast empire that conquered Silicon Valley in the United States.

‘Just with that one thing……’

Jeong-hoon was dumbfounded.

He had Apple, Tesla, Mobileye, and Facebook, which wasn’t making money yet, all in his pocket.

Companies that were scooping up money—no, gold—with excavators were filling his pockets……

“Good for them.”

He muttered to himself, one corner of his mouth raised.

Jeong-hoon looked out the window and smiled contentedly.

Like this plane slowly descending towards the ground, the day Star Group would crash was not far off.

The plane stopped on the ground with a rattling sound.

Jeong-hoon called the flight attendant.

She quickly ran over with a friendly, capitalist smile.

Jeong-hoon took out an envelope from his pocket.

“Thank you for your hard work bringing our information over all this time.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“Do you think lies will work?”

“……”

“If you take this envelope and leave now, I can turn a blind eye. Otherwise, you have to be prepared for prison.”

“……I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need to be sorry. Rather, I’m grateful. Thanks to you, I was able to deceive them well. Heh.”

Jeong-hoon handed her the envelope and got off the plane.

The information she saw and heard by Jeong-hoon’s side was 100 percent reliable.

Star had stopped suspecting him because of what she had passed on to Star Group.

Thinking about it again, she has nothing to be sorry for.

Rather, I should be thankful.

Thanks to her, I made a lot of money.

Not 100 billion won [Korean currency].

But 100 billion dollars.

He came out of the airport and got into the car prepared by the company.

As expected, Secretary Cha Young-mi did not come out.

She extremely dislikes outdoor activities.

But she is skilled.

Actually, she is a bit of a burdensome character even if she comes out.

“I will take you home.”

Jeong-hoon’s car headed to Seongbuk-dong, bathed in the morning sunlight.

“Jeong-hoon!”

As soon as he opened the door, Da-hye ran over and hugged him tightly.

The house was filled with the savory smell of soybean paste stew [a traditional Korean stew made with fermented soybean paste].

Jeong-hoon hoped it wasn’t.

He remembered last night’s mistake.

The terrifying fear that was coming.

Jeong-hoon’s tongue trembled with fear at the unfamiliar, chilling sensation.

It was because of a word that popped out while talking to Da-hye.

‘I want to eat soybean paste stew.’

He was talking about the spicy and savory stew that Mrs. Go Seong made.

‘Damn it, I said it without thinking.’

She grabbed his hand and took him to the kitchen.

He became a pig being dragged to the slaughterhouse.

A moment when he couldn’t even scream.

Jeong-hoon had to taste all the delicacies prepared by Da-hye.

He couldn’t leave a single bite of the tasteless food and the bizarre soybean paste stew with spam that Da-hye had prepared herself.

Jeong-hoon emptied all the food neatly.

He praised his firm will, which never backed down, biting his lip until it bled.

Jeong-hoon was certain.

Her delicate hands are better suited for a pen than a knife.

***

Star Group Chairman’s office.

Lee Seok’s shoulders were full of strength after acquiring Yahoo.

The pressure on performance that had been weighing him down had disappeared all at once.

‘Conquering Yahoo.’

He snatched the company that Microsoft was aiming for.

A victory won by fighting Shinwha’s Yoon Jeong-hoon.

He had conquered the internet empire with an amount that that guy could not offer.

He had become the great conquering monarch of the Korean economy.

Lee Seok, who was by the window, went to his desk and sat down.

He took out his fountain pen and read the approval documents for the first time in a while.

He didn’t usually read them well.

But today was the day he wanted to properly show the dignity of the chairman.

As he read through the documents, a word that bothered him came into view.

“Free? Messenger?…… What is this?”

It was a proposal to develop a messenger app that could be used to talk on smartphones for free.

The app was also free.

It wasn’t being sold for money.

‘These crazy bastards are trying to ruin the company.’

Lee Seok frowned.

It was the moment he discovered a cancerous presence eating away at the company.

He pathologically hated free things.

He pressed the intercom and called the secretary-general in a nervous voice.

“Chairman, this is the secretary-general.”

“Come in.”

Lee Seok was holding the approval file vertically and tapping the desk.

“Explain this.”

“This is an idea from an in-house venture. They say they are creating a smartphone app that can replace the current paid text messages.”

“A free program? We pay for all the server maintenance too?”

“Well, yes, but we can generate revenue by gathering users.”

“Ha, you’re crazy.”

Lee Seok got up from his seat and hit the secretary’s head with the approval file.

Half the strength he usually used, a moderate intensity.

He, the conquering monarch who acquired Yahoo, also had great generosity.

“Do it moderately. Get your act together. This is what eats away at the company. Cut this off in your hands, got it?”

“Yes, Chairman.”

Secretary Kim Jun-hyuk bowed his head in a hurry.

Lee Seok, who was about to hit the back of his head again, showed generosity.

He threw the approval file on the desk and asked Kim Jun-hyuk in a low voice.

“Is the preparation complete?”

“Yes, it’s perfectly set up at the Yangpyeong villa. Have a good time.”

“Get out.”

A party at the Yangpyeong villa for the first time in a while.

A time to hang out all night with third-generation chaebols [family-owned conglomerate owners], celebrities, and models.

He never attends clubs or similar places because they are low-class.

A secret space where a small number of high-class people and actresses and models who are suitable for them mingle.

Before leaving for Yangpyeong, Lee Seok opened a drawer.

Few pills left of his father’s gift.

He was already physically feeling that it wasn’t good.

But he was happy.

He didn’t know why his father gave him this medicine.

But without it…… he felt like he would go crazy.

He had tried to quit several times, but failed.

His addiction only got worse.

He stuck his father’s gift deep in his pocket.

‘It’ll be alright somehow.’

He decided not to think deeply.

He left the chairman’s office, dreaming only of the happy time that was about to come.

His steps seemed light as if he was flying.

It had been a long time.

***

As soon as Jeong-hoon returned to Korea, he wanted to express his gratitude to Yahoo’s Gary and James.

If you get expensive things for free, you have to say thank you.

He instructed Cha Young-mi to make an interview appointment with reporter Lee Pan-soo at the Joongbu Ilbo.

‘How many years has it been?’

He had last seen him when Shinwha High School was Joongbu High School.

He remembered the interview he had with him in the Joongbu High School chairman’s office before meeting his grandmother in 2000.

A lot had changed in seven years.

The intercom rang.

“Chairman, reporter Lee Pan-soo has arrived.”

A moment later, Secretary Cha Young-mi brought reporter Lee Pan-soo into the room.

“Then, please talk.”

Cha Young-mi went outside.

“It’s been a while.”

“Haha, it’s been 7 years…… how should I call you? Yoon Jeong-hoon, or Chairman Yoon? It’s awkward. Anyway, how have you been…… how have you been?”

He was rambling.

Lee Pan-soo was stunned by the change in Jeong-hoon, who had changed so much in 7 years.

“I’ve been well. I heard you were promoted to editor. Congratulations, although it’s late.”

He mixed informal and formal speech, but eventually only spoke in polite honorifics.

“Thank you for caring about a small newspaper reporter.”

“No. It’s a newspaper company that has a lot of ties with me, so of course I have to pay attention to it.”

“Thank you. Then let’s start the interview. You said you wanted to promote your achievements in the United States in today’s interview, is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“Didn’t you gain anything from this visit to the United States? Rumor has it that you lost Yahoo to Star Group…… so it’s true that Chairman Yoon Jeong-hoon is also being evaluated as being past his prime.”

It was a planned failure, but he felt momentarily unpleasant at the people’s evaluation.

‘Hmm, even if it’s a planned failure……. It’s not good.’

Now is the time to reveal all the facts.

“Actually, it’s a planned failure.”

“Yes?”

“The reason I visited the United States was not because of the Yahoo acquisition.”

Lee Pan-soo’s eyes widened.

“Then what was the purpose of going to the United States?”

“Actually, there was a huge treasure hidden in Yahoo. It was to get that.”

“Treasure?”

The interview was flowing in an unexpected direction.

“Do you know Alibaba and the Forty Thieves?”

“Of course.”

“There was a treasure hidden in Yahoo by the 40 thieves. The people who had it thought it was nothing special, but.”

“What is it, Chairman Yoon?”

“It’s Alibaba.”

“No, what is the treasure that Alibaba hid in Yahoo?”

“Alibaba.”

The man couldn’t understand at all.

‘Did I call Lee Pan-soo for nothing?’

I called him thinking about the relationship I had with him when he wrote an article about a scholarship interview when I was in high school.

That article was a very small spark that allowed me to be here.

Jeong-hoon took a short sigh and began to explain.

“Since you don’t know at all, let me explain. There is a Chinese online shopping mall called ‘Alibaba’.”

“Ah, a shopping mall. People buy a lot of clothes online these days, but isn’t China still not connected to the internet?”

There was a sneer on his lips.

“No. Shanghai is as developed as Seoul. It is not the poor communist country of the past.”

“Ah, I see. I’ve only been in Joongbu City, so, hmm.”

“I have secured 40 percent of the shares of Alibaba Shopping Mall, which has the number one market share in China.”

“Ah, congratulations.”

Lee Pan-soo still didn’t get it.

“How much did you pay for it?”

“I have signed a contract to acquire it for 5 billion dollars. But I actually bought it for ten million dollars.”

Unlike Jeong-hoon, who was smiling contentedly, Lee Pan-soo couldn’t hide his hardened face.

‘No, what kind of shopping company do you buy for 5 billion dollars, more than 5 trillion won [Korean currency]? Oh, no, I bought it for 10 billion……. Tsk tsk, is money rotting?

No, I must have been scammed. Originally, they call a high price and then cut it down a lot, that’s their characteristic.’

He shook his head with his head down.

A deadly skill that makes you call 1,000 won as 1 million won, and then cut it down and buy it for 10,000 won. It was a trick that Lee Pan-soo had suffered on a recent overseas trip.

‘Poor guy.’

But he didn’t show it.

There was no need to worry about the money of the chaebol.

But Lee Pan-soo was curious.

How did this friend make money?’

“This online shopping mall will divide the world’s internet market with Amazon.”

“What?”

Lee Pan-soo’s eyes widened at Jeong-hoon’s sudden words.

What, a Chinese company is dividing the world’s commercial market?

He’s been properly scammed.

“I sincerely congratulate you on acquiring Alibaba, which divides the world’s internet market.”

It was a soulless compliment.

“Thank you.”

“So, anyway, Yahoo was not an acquisition target.”

“Yes, Yahoo is a company that wouldn’t be strange if it went bankrupt.”

Lee Pan-soo was dumbfounded.

What is this again?

“Yahoo is a company that Star Group bought for more than 30 trillion won of our money. You’re saying that company will go bankrupt?”

“Yes, it will definitely go bankrupt. They’re crazy.”

Lee Pan-soo turned his stiff head with a groan.

He finally came to a conclusion.

‘They took only the most important thing from Yahoo.’

“Chairman Yoon, you only took the most valuable thing from Yahoo, right?”

“Yes. That was the purpose of this visit to the United States. And I got more than expected.”

“If it’s more than expected?”

“I was originally planning to acquire it for 10 billion dollars, but I bought it for 10 million dollars.”

“Hahaha, congratulations.”

The Chinese people’s business tactics flashed through Lee Pan-soo’s head once again.

He remembered the jade elephant that he originally paid 30,000 won for, but they said it was 3 million won. In the end, he bought it for 300,000 won.

“Shibal…….”

A curse word popped out.

“Yes?”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I suddenly had a bad thought.”

After the interview, Lee Soo-pan got up from his seat.

“Thank you for today’s interview. Thank you for giving a small local newspaper a good opportunity.”

“No. Reporter Lee, you did a great job today.”

“Is that so? Anyway, thank you.”

He went outside to see him off.

“Ah, and I know that you are still taking care of our team leader Kang Do-hyun. I heard that you are also taking care of Cheol-joong in many ways. Thank you for taking care of my friend.”

“No. It’s my job.”

After Lee Pan-soo left, he felt relieved.

He had thought that he should give an example once.

He was looking forward to how he would write the interview article.

“Chairman, preparations for the new messenger demonstration event are complete.”

“Are you talking about the free messenger?”

“Yes. The great CEO of Shinwha Games, Lee Byeong-seok, has arrived outside.”

Cha Young-mi’s extremely respectful title was grating on his ears.

“What? Do it moderately!”

“Haha, sorry!”

I wondered if the husband who used to criticize and belittle me before becoming the president was the same person.

‘Is it someone else?’

Cha Young-mi definitely had multiple personalities.

“Come in.”

Lee Byeong-seok came in with three smartphones.

The three people sat on their smartphones, stuck their noses in their small windows, and sent messages, chatting.

***

Lee Pan-soo, who returned to the newspaper company, asked Son Kyung-young, the head of the economics department.

“Hey, that online shopping mall in China, what was it called……, hey, do you know the thieves?”

“Yes? Thieves? I don’t know.”

When Son Kyung-young didn’t understand, he rummaged through his notebook.

Taking notes is natural for a reporter.

“Let’s see…… wasn’t it the thieves…….”

Son Kyung-young also racked his brain.

He was already used to Lee Pan-soo freely spitting out words.

‘Thieves, online shopping mall, China……’

After racking his brain for a while, a faint word appeared.

‘Could it be Alibaba?’

He didn’t think so.

It was definitely not a name that Lee Pan-soo could know.

“Ah, right, Alibaba.”

“Yes? Alibaba?”

It was the moment when Son Kyung-young’s eyes, which were like buttonholes, became bigger than a 500 won coin [Korean currency].