Mining And Construction Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 189

189. A Lavish Birthday Party (2)

Tae-soo looked at Ellis Rockefeller with interest.

‘Ellis Rockefeller. A name shrouded in mystery, yet always buzzing with rumors. They called her the Iron Mask.’

In his past life, she was a woman who stood out in the Rockefeller family, an oil tycoon lineage, by making a name for herself in the construction business.

He never thought he’d meet such a woman like this.

‘I never even saw her face properly in my past life. Now that I see her, she’s quite the beauty.’

People who saw her, regardless of nationality, age, or gender, would unanimously call her beautiful.

She was not only beautiful but also skilled at growing her wealth.

‘I heard she increased her personal assets to a whopping 120 trillion [Korean currency, roughly equivalent to $90 billion USD] with the money she was allocated?’

Most of the Rockefeller family’s wealth is tied up in foundations.

This measure was taken to prevent incompetent family members from sitting in key positions and squandering the wealth.

Tae-soo knew the Rockefeller family’s situation well.

‘They verify their abilities by seeing how much they increase their personal assets and what kind of results they achieve.’

When Rockefeller family members come of age, they receive seed money and are tested for their business acumen.

It is Rockefeller’s test and the family’s tradition.

The head of Rockefeller, who will lead the family, is not determined by bloody infighting.

As befitting a capitalist conglomerate, it is determined by a money fight.

‘Rockefeller wanted someone capable to lead the family.’

Now an adult, Ellis also stood on the test stand.

That’s why she didn’t refuse the Saudi prince’s invitation and came out.

It is also the reason why she is interested in the South Korean offshore oil field.

She wanted to become the head of Rockefeller.

‘Aiming for the next head position and insisting on remaining unmarried, even though she knew that not having a spouse would disqualify her.’

For that reason, she ultimately failed to become the head of the Rockefeller family.

Everyone used to point fingers at her.

Saying how ugly she must be that no man would come forward to marry her, even with all that money.

After seeing her, he knew that those were all just rumors.

‘There was also a rumor that she lived as a spinster her whole life because there was no man who caught her eye.’

The woman before him had every right to have high standards.

Tae-soo nodded.

[Good. This will be an important conversation; shall we move to another place?]

Tae-soo roughly wiped his dripping hair with a towel.

He had a bath towel wrapped around his waist.

[It would be a great discourtesy to have a conversation in this state on our first meeting.]

[I don’t mind.]

Wasn’t Ellis revealing her current appearance to embarrass Tae-soo?

It was to gain a slight advantage in the important negotiation.

‘If your attire is shabby, you tend to feel subconsciously intimidated.’

Since ancient times, why have nobles adorned themselves with all sorts of jewels and fashions?

It is to flaunt the difference in wealth and power that is revealed from the outside.

Now, Tae-soo, who revealed his bare body, and Ellis, who was heavily armed with a suit and jewelry, were dramatically contrasted.

Ellis looked at her wristwatch and said.

[I’ll give you 10 minutes. If you don’t pique my interest, it’s over.]

‘Also, if you receive a sudden time limit, you will become anxious, thinking that you have to persuade the other person quickly.’

That was what Ellis was aiming for.

But Tae-soo didn’t care.

[10 minutes is enough.]

Tae-soo readily accepted.

Ellis, who appreciated Tae-soo’s confidence, smiled as if satisfied.

[I look forward to an interesting story. I hate wasting time on useless things.]

She was like a member of the arrogant Rockefeller family, who held the world’s oil in their hands.

How could Tae-soo not know why she was acting like this?

‘Trying to gain an advantage in negotiations is the most basic thing. She’s using an effective method.’

But Tae-soo was not one to be broken by such bluster.

How many years has he been in negotiations, and how many difficult negotiations has he been through?

Tae-soo is a man who is more familiar with negotiating with companies than with politicians.

‘I don’t know about later, but the current Ellis is not the Iron Mask, but just a fledgling who has just started a business.’

Tae-soo smiled gently.

Ellis looked at Tae-soo with strange eyes.

‘I cheered because he was at the rooftop swimming pool, but this man doesn’t seem intimidated at all, even though he looks like a wet mouse.’

It is an understatement to call him a wet mouse.

The man’s well-built body, dripping with water, was so sexy that Ellis was rather embarrassed.

Her eyes were drawn to Tae-soo’s well-built body.

What a disgrace it would be if she blushed.

Ellis tried to manage her expression.

On the other hand, Tae-soo was unconcerned and nonchalant.

[We came all the way to Saudi Arabia; let’s not waste 10 minutes on unnecessary mind games. Making satisfactory results in 10 minutes—isn’t that what Rockefeller is all about?]

Tae-soo leisurely sat on the sun bed.

[Please, sit down.]

Tae-soo held out his hand and offered Ellis a seat on the opposite sun bed.

Ellis stared at Tae-soo and the sun bed.

‘I was planning to break his spirit from the start. But he’s so relaxed.’

He is a man who is soft on the outside but has a firm and strong core.

Ellis’s eyes sparkled.

She sat down on the sun bed that Tae-soo had offered without a word.

Tae-soo said.

[We have discovered an offshore oil field in the South Korean continental shelf.]

[You mean the place where the president declared sovereignty first. Is it confirmed that there is oil?]

Park Jung-hwan failed to discover oil in Block 7 [a designated area for oil exploration].

However, when explored with 21st-century advanced technology, experts confidently asserted that there are at least 60 billion barrels, up to 100 billion barrels of oil and natural gas buried there.

[That’s why we want to borrow Rockefeller’s technology.]

[Rockefeller’s technology won’t bring oil out of an oil field that doesn’t exist.]

[There is oil. It’s just that there’s no way to prove it at this moment.]

Because he couldn’t say that China and Japan were mining marine resources right next door in the 21st century.

[Rockefeller’s technology is needed to turn highly probable information into solid facts and to turn estimated resources into producible commodities.]

[It’s a Wildcat. It’s the first drilling in an area where oil has never been discovered.]

Wildcat was a word that referred to high-risk venture businesses in the United States until the oil industry emerged.

Since then, when oil was discovered in the United States, it has been used as a term to drill for previously unknown oil fields when exploring for oil.

[Wildcat is a task that takes a lot of time and money. Moreover, the probability of success is very low.]

That’s why Park Jung-hwan gave up Block 7.

But Tae-soo can’t give up.

‘I know for sure that there is oil, but they don’t.’

That’s why other people can’t easily come forward because the probability of success is low and the risk is high.

Ellis rubbed her temple with her fingertip.

[Wildcat, huh. This is a difficult task for me, who has just started a business, to pursue…]

Tae-soo said firmly.

[It’s not your business; it’s my business.]

Tae-soo drew a clear line.

Rockefeller should not covet Tae-yang Group’s oil extraction.

[Rockefeller doesn’t need to take risks. I’ll take on that risk.]

Ellis’s eyes widened.

Tae-soo’s confident face was imprinted in her eyes.

[You don’t want to take risks, and I don’t want Rockefeller to get involved in my business. There is a good compromise that will satisfy both of us.]

Tae-soo held up one finger.

[100 million dollars. I’ll buy Rockefeller’s offshore oil field technology.]

100 million dollars is not a small amount of money.

It’s enough money to acquire several companies.

There are more than one or two companies that are having difficulties due to a lack of capital, even though they have a bright future.

Didn’t the oil shock [a period of significant oil price increases in the 1970s] turn the world economy upside down?

[You can use that money to start the business you want. Prove your ability and climb up.]

Tae-soo’s offer sounded sweet.

It also coincided with what Ellis wanted.

Ellis smiled as she changed her crossed legs.

[Rockefeller’s technology is too good to sell for $100 million.]

[There are other companies that can provide the technology, even if it’s not Rockefeller.]

[But Rockefeller’s technology is unique.]

[Are you confident that no one in Rockefeller will accept my offer?]

[……]

[Shall we bet?]

Ellis, who was speechless, closed her mouth.

How could she be confident?

She is willing to bet on the same outcome as Tae-soo.

‘There will definitely be someone who will offer to provide the technology. They’ll come running like a pack of dogs, saying they’ll put a spoon on a new oil field [Korean idiom for getting in on a profitable venture].’

She can be sure of this, not just confident.

Ellis clenched her fist.

She was impatient, and Tae-soo was relaxed.

[I’m giving you a chance right now.]

Tae-soo’s words sounded so sweet.

But Tae-soo was in a similar situation, feeling the sweetness.

‘Look at the strong smell of money.’

He was on the verge of suffocating from the enchanting smell of money emanating from Ellis.

The more Tae-soo spoke, the more Ellis was tempted.

The dizzyingly seductive smell of money made him feel elated like a drug.

The increasingly strong smell of money gave Tae-soo confidence.

-This is going to work!

-All that’s left is to make a fortune!

Tae-soo reached out his hand first.

[You have to seize the opportunity when it comes. 100 million dollars. Isn’t that enough for initial business funds?]

Ellis stared at Tae-soo’s hand.

[You won’t regret it.]

Ellis smiled.

[Your eloquence is really amazing.]

[You flatter me.]

[I was a little dazed. I almost fell for it because I wanted to hold your hand right away.]

[Then hold it. What are you hesitating for?]

When Tae-soo smiled, Ellis turned her head away.

[Put on some clothes first.]

[It’s almost been 10 minutes. Aren’t you going to take my hand?]

[It’s enough to shake hands when the negotiation is over.]

She jumped up from the sun bed.

[I can’t do this important talk haphazardly. Let’s go down to the room.]

[Room?]

[Come to my room. If you have any documents prepared, I’d like to see them too. I’ll prepare the paper, pen, table, and chairs.]

Ellis cleared her throat.

[B, but make sure you’re properly dressed. Coming to my room in that state is quite…]

Ellis frowned slightly, looking very troubled.

It wasn’t that she was showing a dislike like looking at a pervert, but somehow…

‘Is she embarrassed? That Iron Mask woman?’

Her confident, cold expression and demeanor were unwavering.

Even her voice was calm.

But the nape of Ellis’s neck, which she unconsciously stroked, was very red.

The same was true of her ears.

It was strange that he hadn’t noticed it until now.

[I didn’t know you were conscious of your attire.]

[Back then, I thought it would be over in 10 minutes, and now…]

[Now?]

[…I wanted to have a proper conversation with you about business. It seems like it will be a story that will take more than 10 minutes to finish.]

It was a very satisfactory answer.

Tae-soo got up from his seat and began to put on his shirt.

Ellis quickly turned her back.

[Mr. Kang Tae-soo, I heard that you have achieved great success in business at a young age. I heard you came all the way here with just a small mine?]

It seems she had done a background check on Tae-soo before meeting him.

[I heard that the mine was only 100,000 won in Korean currency. In dollars… ha, it doesn’t make sense.]

It was a garbage mine at an absurd price.

But what makes even less sense are Tae-soo’s achievements that have been pouring out since then.

[How did you succeed so much in just 3 years with such a mine?]

She closed the background check report on Tae-soo as soon as she saw it.

Because there were a series of unbelievable things written on it, even if it was a bluff.

[If you were born into the Rockefeller family, the next head position would have been yours unconditionally.]

[Fortunately, I was not born into the Rockefeller family.]

So there will be no chance of me becoming your competitor.

He drew a line like that, but Ellis’s reaction was unexpected.

[I heard that you have excelled in the construction industry?]