Mining And Construction Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 113

113. The Great Counterfeit Bill Operation (2)

Han Cheong-ho’s study.

Han Cheong-ho frowned as he read the telegram.

It meant a great deal.

“Damn it!”

Nothing was working out.

How much had he poured into this?

“It’s a complete mess!”

Nothing was going his way.

“No, I have to go to Saudi myself.”

He couldn’t give up on the Jubail Industrial Port construction bid, no matter what.

He had to stop Khalid from becoming the Saudi King at all costs.

* * *

Taesu said,

[Khalid, be honest. What do you want me to do at Fahd’s house? Just deliver a bribe and gauge his feelings?]

After a long pause, Khalid opened his mouth.

[I want to investigate Fahd’s house.]

He suspected a connection to the assassin.

He wanted to search the house for evidence.

There might be evidence left that hadn’t been disposed of yet.

[But Fahd’s house boasts ironclad security. Besides, there’s no justifiable reason to investigate. So, you…]

[Do you think I, as a guest, can just rummage through Fahd’s house?]

Absolutely not.

Khalid sighed softly.

[Then, are we left with no choice but to drop this?]

[That’s also a good option.]

Taesu spoke quietly as Khalid’s face darkened.

[I can create a reason to investigate Fahd’s house.]

[What is it?]

[Before that, I want to ask you one more thing.]

Taesu looked straight at Khalid.

[If it turns out that Fahd is related to the assassin, what will you do?]

[Hmm.]

Khalid pondered for a long time.

Then, he finally opened his mouth.

[To be honest, I don’t intend to kill my brother. I’ll just confiscate his assets, strip him of his position, and exile him.]

He knew it.

[I don’t want the fact that I committed patricide [killing one’s father] to seize the throne to leak abroad. That would be too shameful and ugly. I wouldn’t be able to show my face in the international community.]

Face.

That was what Khalid valued most.

He didn’t want the Saudi royal family’s reputation to be tarnished.

If he could cover it up, he would.

[I heard that Fahd calls in counterfeit bill experts to examine each dollar one by one.]

He had information from Secretary Song.

Secretary Song shuddered at the thought of the Minister of Finance, but it was very good information.

[I’ll mix counterfeit bills into the bribe.]

[Counterfeit bills?]

[Wouldn’t that be a good reason to confiscate his assets, strip him of his position, and exile him?]

A very good idea.

That would be a suitable reason.

Khalid nodded.

[If he’s innocent and not involved, it would be good to end it as a misunderstanding.]

[Good.]

[But there’s one problem.]

[What is it?]

Taesu looked troubled.

[Where are we going to get counterfeit bills right now?]

[I’ll take care of that. Saudi Arabia is overflowing with counterfeit bills anyway.]

[…….]

[We have a lot of dollars from selling oil. So, quite a few counterfeit bills come in as well. Sorting them out is a job in itself.]

The problem was easily solved.

Very good.

[There are top-quality counterfeit bills. Most counterfeit bill experts can’t catch them. Some of them say they feel something is off, but they’re made so meticulously that they can’t pinpoint them as counterfeit.]

He had heard that dollars were originally easy to counterfeit.

The Korea Minting, Security Printing & ID Card Operating Corp. was renowned in this field.

[Even the counterfeit bill experts were confused and argued among themselves before barely identifying them as counterfeit. I’ll give you those.]

Nothing could be better.

[Where did you get such counterfeit bills?]

[The border guards caught some guys trying to cross the border with counterfeit bills.]

Fantastic!

[The guys trying to circulate counterfeit bills are rampant, so it’s a real headache. It’s gotten to the point where there’s a saying that counterfeit bill experts are a promising profession these days.]

That meant a skilled guy had made the counterfeit bills.

They were made so well that even Khalid, the Minister of Defense, had taken an interest.

[How many counterfeit bills should we prepare?]

[Let’s mix them in appropriately.]

[So, how many bills?]

[Roughly. You figure it out.]

[……?]

The Korean’s all-purpose word, ‘appropriately!’

Since he was already going for it, he might as well go all the way.

[You’ll need to give him more money than Han Cheong-ho to even set foot in his house. I heard Han Cheong-ho prepared dollars in a travel trunk.]

[Then we’ll prepare three trunks, no, five.]

He was rich.

As expected of Saudi royalty overflowing with oil money!

He was generous, which he liked.

[Very good.]

Taesu and Khalid smiled at the same time.

[Are you sure about this?]

[I think it’ll be fine if you promise me just one thing.]

[What do you want me to do?]

[Call the police.]

Khalid was taken aback.

Police at the house of the Saudi Minister of Finance.

[Are you out of your mind?]

[I’m perfectly fine.]

Taesu subtly pointed at Khalid.

[Just send them as your trusted men. Use this opportunity to show your power. There’s no more certain way to crush your political rivals.]

It was tempting.

[Police, prosecutors, military police, provost marshal [military police officer], bodyguards, National Intelligence Service. Anything is fine. They need to raid him all at once.]

[All at once? You mean armed?]

[I heard Fahd’s mansion boasts ironclad security. You need to show your power properly this time, so that others will fear you. That way, things will be easier for you in the future.]

Khalid was very pleased.

[I like it very much.]

As Taesu had confidently predicted, he would gain several advantages from this.

1. He would get a reason to investigate.

2. He would win the power struggle for the throne.

3. He would clearly show everyone Khalid’s power.

Khalid liked the bold young man in front of him very much.

His son had made a good friend.

[You know you’re going to the Minister of Finance’s house with counterfeit bills as a bribe, right?]

[I know very well.]

[Isn’t it dangerous?]

[Then, should I not go?]

[…….]

Taesu grinned.

[Trust me. But you have to compensate me handsomely for the risk.]

[Don’t worry about that.]

Ah, that intoxicating smell of money.

It was even better than before.

The next Saudi king seemed determined to take care of him.

[Whenever you’re ready, we’ll deploy.]

Taesu’s confident answer.

Khalid also grinned.

[Good, then I’ll go with you too.]

[With your body? Aren’t you overdoing it?]

[This little injury is nothing. I’m not dead yet.]

Khalid moved his left arm, which had been operated on.

He didn’t even flinch, even though it must have hurt.

[This is about the deaths of my brother and brother, not anyone else. I’ll settle it for sure.]

Khalid was determined.

* * *

A few days later, Taesu appeared in front of Fahd’s house, the Saudi Minister of Finance.

There were five travel trunks filled with dollars.

[Oh my, how much is all this? Come in! Come in quickly!]

Fahd ran out barefoot and hugged the travel trunks.

After a simple security check, Taesu was invited into Fahd’s reception room.

Fahd couldn’t hide his grin as he looked at the dollar bags.

[You’re very generous! Very cool!]

It wasn’t Taesu who was generous, but Khalid.

Fahd immediately called in a counterfeit bill expert.

As expected, he was openly going to verify the authenticity of the bills in front of Taesu.

It was an impolite act that Secretary Song remembered as a very unpleasant experience.

But Taesu didn’t care.

‘I know better than anyone that counterfeit bills are mixed in.’

There was no need to worry about whether counterfeit bills were mixed in.

Taesu comfortably sipped his tea.

[Let’s talk while the work is being done. That’s why you came all the way here, right?]

[Sure, let’s do that.]

Taesu had to sit face to face with Fahd until the examination was over.

[You came to bid on the Jubail Industrial Port construction?]

[Yes.]

[You’ve come to the right place. I’m the one with the ultimate power to decide on the Jubail Industrial Port construction bid, you know?]

The Saudi Minister of Construction was caught up in the recent assassination attempt on the King and died.

The Minister of Industry also died, as well as several others who were scheduled to be selected for the bid.

All Fahd’s eyes could see in the dollars were greed and joy.

‘He’s crazy about money.’

He saw everything in the world as money, he was crazy about money, and his spending was extravagant.

Fahd, as assessed by the world, was a man who was always followed by the modifier ‘money’.

That’s why everyone teased him, calling him ‘the Minister of Finance sent by heaven’, ‘it’s his calling!’

He was one of the most corrupt officials in Saudi Arabia, known for his love of bribes.

[You’re too late. You know the bidding deadline is less than a week away, right? Other competitors have visited my house several times.]

That was probably true.

‘It’s a bit late to be handing out bribes.’

It wasn’t like Taesu didn’t know.

But if he hadn’t been asked by Khalid, he wouldn’t have brought bribes to this house in the first place.

[So, bring more bags. The Jubail Industrial Port construction is a 1 billion dollar project. Considering that, your sincerity is a bit lacking, don’t you think?]

Fahd was being even more greedy.

[Just five travel trunks filled with dollars? Who’s going to be satisfied with that?]

Wasn’t he the one who ran out barefoot at the sound of a bribe?

Yet he was complaining that the money he brought was too little.

Fahd knew.

If someone was willing to offer this money as a bribe, they would offer more if he pushed them.

[Take this and double it. How about it? Then I’d be willing to use my influence in the Jubail Industrial Port bid. Then the construction will definitely fall to you. I guarantee it.]

Fahd looked at Taesu with greedy eyes.

[I’m the Minister of Finance. Is there anything I can’t do with my power? Don’t worry and prepare more money bags. We’ll talk about the details of our construction then.]

An open demand for bribes!

[You say this amount of money is not enough. You’re very greedy.]

[Don’t you have money?]

[I do.]

[Then what’s the problem?]

Taesu had no problem.

Fahd was the problem.

[As much as you want.]

He was willing to give him counterfeit bills.

At Taesu’s answer, Fahd’s mouth stretched from ear to ear.

He liked it so much that he even wiped the drool from his mouth with the back of his hand.

Taesu glanced at his watch.

‘It’s time for the appointment.’

The time was slowly approaching.

Taesu got up from his seat.

[I’ve delivered it properly, so I should be going.]

[Sit down. How long does it take to appraise the bills?]

Fahd grabbed Taesu’s arm and wouldn’t let go.

Taesu knew how to get rid of someone who clung to him like a leech.

[Hmm, I’ll be in trouble if I’m late for my appointment and break the contract.]

[Trouble, what kind of…]

[I mean I’ll be in trouble preparing the money bags.]

Ah, that wouldn’t do.

The hand holding Taesu’s arm loosened.

Taesu seized the opportunity to drive a wedge.

[Fahd, think about it.]

[What?]

[Is there anyone who brings counterfeit bills as a bribe?]

[…….]

Fahd was speechless for a moment.

[The reason for giving a bribe is to curry favor and ask for a favor, but if you bring counterfeit bills, you’ll only get on their bad side, right?]

[That’s right.]

[Would you bother to bring a bribe that’s worse than not giving one at all?]

[That’s true.]

[We decided to talk again next time with the money bags in front of us, so is there any reason for me to stay any longer?]

[…No.]

Taesu bowed.

[I’ll be going now. See you next time.]

[…Goodbye.]

Fahd was completely swept away by Taesu’s pace.

Taesu came out of Fahd’s house.

As soon as Taesu safely came out of Fahd’s house, Khalid nodded.

[Then let’s begin.]

Armed soldiers raided Fahd’s mansion.