Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 203

After a long phone call, Jo Gyu-min smiled and said,

“Yes, I look forward to working with you.”

Jo Gyu-min’s face was full of ease.

“…Ah, it’s not like that. It’s just that he’s a bit frugal. It’s not that kind of thing. Well, this is just between you and me, but actually, the person the chairman is concerned about isn’t you, but someone else. That person has a bit of a relationship with Ms. Kang Se-ah. This is absolutely confidential.”

Jo Gyu-min had his own agenda.

He figured that revealing this much wouldn’t be a problem. Even if they were shamans, no one would think of Kang Jin-ho upon hearing that. Since they heard that Kang Se-ah wasn’t related by blood, no one would think that Kang Jin-ho, who is Kang Se-ah’s sibling, is related to Hwang Jung-hoo. So, Kang Jin-ho’s family would disappear from their minds.

“Yes. Then, I look forward to working with you.”

Jo Gyu-min slowly hung up the phone and put a cigarette in his mouth.

“Why do I find this kind of work more fun?”

Jo Gyu-min had lived diligently, joined the major conglomerate Jae-kyung, and was recognized for his abilities, even making it to the secretary’s office. After Hwang Jung-hoo collapsed, things got a bit twisted, but even after that, he had been on a smooth path.

But why did he feel more excited when plotting such schemes?

‘No, that’s not it.’

Come to think of it, when you see that people who rise to the top in politics and business all have something shady about them, it might be natural that people with this kind of tendency take the fast track to promotion. Just like Jo Gyu-min himself.

He had made some calls himself, but he decided that it wasn’t good for too many things to be involved with Jae-kyung. So, he put pressure on the broadcasting side through codes [a subtle way of influencing without direct orders].

With just this, the groups including The Voice wouldn’t even dare to approach the broadcasting world, but he didn’t intend to end it there.

These days, the internet is so developed that there are many opportunities to become popular even without broadcasting.

It’s unlikely, but what if! Just what if a fancam [a fan-recorded video] goes viral and they make a chart comeback?

‘I’ll completely dismantle them.’

Jo Gyu-min had been given full authority by Hwang Jung-hoo regarding this matter. He could use power that even Director Baek Young-gi couldn’t use. Jo Gyu-min’s body was heating up.

At that moment, the intercom rang.

“Yes, this is Jo Gyu-min.”

[Director, the chairman wants to see you.]

“I’ll be right there.”

Jo Gyu-min got up from his seat and straightened his clothes.

These days, he had face-to-face reports a couple of times a week, but Hwang Jung-hoo was the one who made him nervous every time they met.

Recently, his nervousness had eased a bit, but when he saw Hwang Jung-hoo’s rage when Kang Jin-ho was attacked, he was able to tighten his nerves again.

After straightening his clothes, Jo Gyu-min cleared his throat and left the secretary’s office for the chairman’s office. He quietly knocked on the chairman’s office door, and a voice from inside told him to come in.

He opened the door and went inside, and Hwang Jung-hoo got up from his seat and sat on the sofa.

“Sit down.”

“Yes.”

As Jo Gyu-min sat down, Hwang Jung-hoo took out an ashtray and said,

“How is the work going?”

Which work was he asking about?

“If you’re asking about the entertainment industry…”

“I’ve already delegated full authority for that. Just report the results later. I’m asking if the plan to have Kang Jin-ho start a business is going well.”

“Yes, of course.”

It’s a bit unsettling, but still, Mr. Chairman.

“I’ve already gotten the person’s permission. Now, we just need to decide what to do.”

“Make it hard, make it hard. No matter how much you rack your brain, there’s no profit, just endless suffering.”

“…Then a chicken restaurant would be perfect.”

“Huh?”

“They say that’s how chicken restaurants are these days. There are so many franchises and local chicken places that sales are declining. Considering the interior costs, it’s hard to break even, and after paying labor costs, only the company makes money.”

“Only the company makes money? Then why do people start them?”

“…Actually, when people quit their jobs, there’s nothing much to do. They don’t have any special skills, and the know-how they gain from working doesn’t help much in daily life. Even if they want to start a business, they usually don’t have the capital. So, people flock to places like chicken restaurants where anyone can start with a reasonable amount of capital.”

“And knowing that, the company sucks the blood of the entrepreneurs?”

Jo Gyu-min couldn’t bring himself to answer.

Hwang Jung-hoo sighed and opened his mouth.

“Since I started Jae-kyung, I’ve been thinking about how we can all live well together. But these days, it doesn’t seem like that’s the case. Employees only see the company as a way to make money, and the company only thinks about how to suck more out of employees and consumers.”

Jo Gyu-min nodded.

More than anyone else, Hwang Jung-hoo had the right to say these words.

Jae-kyung, known as a divine workplace with tough work but no forced retirement and good benefits, was different from other companies where people had to worry about retirement after the age of thirty-five.

“Not everyone in the world is like you, Mr. Chairman.”

“…Well, I was lucky. I wouldn’t be able to do it again if I had to.”

Hwang Jung-hoo said bitterly.

“That’s why I’m expecting something from that guy. He has something different from other people. He’ll either make it a huge success or completely ruin it.”

“So, this is a good opportunity to gauge his potential. Prepare well.”

“Yes.”

“Oh, and…”

“Yes?”

“Take out the chicken restaurant.”

Take out the chicken restaurant? Why?

Hwang Jung-hoo smiled wryly at Jo Gyu-min, who didn’t understand.

“Didn’t I tell you to take out anything that seems like it’ll definitely succeed?”

“Y-yes, but these days, chicken restaurants can’t always succeed.”

“That might be true for anyone else, but not for Kang Jin-ho. A place that can deliver fried chicken to your doorstep within a minute can’t fail.”

“Ah…”

In Jo Gyu-min’s mind, he pictured a man running across a rooftop in the moonlight. In his hand, he held a bag of chicken.

“…Delivery won’t work then.”

“It might be a blessing for the chicken maniacs in that neighborhood, but it’s a disaster for us. For now, take out all businesses that can deliver. If you have to do that kind of business, get a promise beforehand that delivery is not allowed.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

Having narrowly avoided a sure failure, Jo Gyu-min got up from his seat with a serious face.

“Then, I’ll go back to thinking about it.”

“Do that.”

As Jo Gyu-min went out, Hwang Jung-hoo put a cigarette in his mouth.

‘Change…’

When Hwang Jung-hoo got up from his hospital bed and returned to this position, the first emotion he felt was joy more than anything else. But he couldn’t help but realize one more thing.

‘I’m done.’

It was possible to maintain Jae-kyung as it was. But Hwang Jung-hoo was too old to take on new challenges and innovate.

His passion was still as strong as a young man in his twenties. No, it was probably more than that. But when he started a new business, he didn’t have the physical strength to handle every detail himself like he used to.

He could feel his concentration waning in less than an hour when he was working.

It was different from the past when he could work for more than twelve hours once he started.

Realizing that fact, Hwang Jung-hoo had no choice but to realize that it was impossible for him to completely change Jae-kyung.

It wasn’t just about his affection for Kang Jin-ho. Kang Jin-ho was the most novel person he knew.

He wasn’t bound by the outdated rules of society, and his thinking wasn’t rigid. If Jae-kyung was to remain a decent and good company, Kang Jin-ho had to be excluded.

But Hwang Jung-hoo thought that Kang Jin-ho’s power was needed for Jae-kyung to be reborn as a company that dominated the world.

‘But…’

Hwang Jung-hoo stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and shuddered.

“But why am I so uneasy?”

He felt like something wasn’t quite right. Hwang Jung-hoo couldn’t figure out the source of this unease right now, but soon… he would soon face the reality of that unease.

“The contract?”

“Yes. The business type hasn’t been decided yet, but that’s not very important. I’d also like to hear Mr. Kang Jin-ho’s opinion.”

“I haven’t really thought about it.”

“You can think about it this time.” Jo Gyu-min smiled and handed the documents to Kang Jin-ho.

“This is a contract stating that we will support your startup funds. After six months, you can return the full amount along with the closure of the business.”

“Hmm…”

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

“Please read it.”

“Okay.”

As Kang Jin-ho began to read the documents carefully, Jo Gyu-min smiled subtly.

‘Even if it’s Mr. Kang Jin-ho, he can’t get away with this from me.’

Jo Gyu-min had spent his entire life looking at documents. On the other hand, Kang Jin-ho was practically ignorant of contracts and sales, having only taken a semester of liberal arts in business administration.

This was an opportunity to show him the bitter taste of society. Of course, the money Kang Jin-ho would lose in this matter might be a small amount, but it was important to experience a proper failure in something.

The evaluation would not be based on whether he made money in the end, but on how he operated the business.

“By the way.”

“Yes.”

Jo Gyu-min replied with a pleased smile.

“This clause here seems a bit strange.”

“…Yes?”

“You’re giving me all the initial startup funds, and then you’re asking me to return it all after six months.”

“Yes.”

“It says you’ll take into account the key money [a large sum paid upfront for a lease] for the store.”

“Yes.”

“What about the initial interior costs?”

“According to this contract, I have to recover the tens of millions of won that will go into initial interior costs through six months of operation.”

Jo Gyu-min stared blankly at Kang Jin-ho.

How does this guy know so well?

“You said it’s a franchise, so there will be initial franchise fees, and just the franchise fees and interior costs will easily exceed 100 million won. Are you saying I have to earn that money in six months and return the principal?”

The wrapping that Jo Gyu-min had so plausibly packaged was torn to shreds.

Kang Jin-ho took out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, and lit it.

After taking a deep drag, Kang Jin-ho slowly exhaled the smoke and looked at Jo Gyu-min.

“I thought Jae-kyung was a bit more ethical, but it seems like this is how you do things.”

“Ah, no, it’s not!”

“Isn’t this almost a fraudulent contract? This is too much.”

“Ah, I’m telling you, it’s not!”

“I need to talk to the chairman about this.”

“Oh no! Mr. Kang Jin-ho, please have mercy!”

Jo Gyu-min’s plan to prepare a counterattack for the first time in five years since he met Kang Jin-ho was shattered.

‘Kids these days are scary.’

Especially that kid, he’s too scary.