Mining And Construction Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 212

212. How is Your Father? (2)

Han Il-kwon clenched his fist.

He was furious.

‘Because of whom is my father in prison!’

He couldn’t argue like that in front of so many people.

Especially not in front of those who already admired Kang Tae-soo.

He didn’t want to admit that the great Han Cheong-ho had fallen because of Kang Tae-soo.

‘Is this bastard deliberately asking about my father to provoke me?’

He felt disgusted.

At that moment, Jang Jun-yong, the chairman of Hankyungryun [Federation of Korean Industries], intervened.

“Enough. We need to start the meeting.”

“Chairman Jang!”

“Why start a fight first? Everyone here has eyes and ears.”

Jang Jun-yong looked sternly at Han Il-kwon.

“If you’re sitting in your father’s seat, you should know how to restrain yourself. Do you think this is some neighborhood meeting?”

The other tycoons also glared at Han Il-kwon.

They were very displeased by Han Il-kwon’s words that had lumped them all together as crazy monkeys.

The silent glares put pressure on Han Il-kwon.

‘Damn it!’

Han Il-kwon had no choice but to bite his lip.

Jang Jun-yong, who had sharply rebuked Han Il-kwon, warmly gestured to Tae-soo.

Even his voice was soft and warm.

“Chairman Kang, come and sit down quickly. I heard you have a lot to say today.”

Tae-soo sat in the chair that Lee Byung-chun had pulled out for him.

Everyone took their seats.

* * *

The meeting began.

It was a year-end meeting to wrap up the year.

When all the important agenda items were finished, Tae-soo spoke.

“I have something to discuss with you all.”

“Something to discuss?”

“Everyone knows that the Taeyang Group has succeeded in developing an offshore oil field.”

As soon as the words ‘offshore oil field’ came out, everyone focused on Tae-soo.

“Since oil has been found in the southern sea off Jeju Island, we need to discuss everything from oil pipelines to the development of Jeju Island as an oil base, as well as expanding transportation routes covering Seoul and major cities.”

“Does that mean…?”

“It will be a large construction project. If we all work together, we can speed up the process, don’t you think?”

Wasn’t this a sign that he would be sharing the spoils?

The tycoons struggled to suppress their cheers.

They clenched their fists and rejoiced.

‘Finally!’

‘That’s it!’

Someone couldn’t help but ask.

“What kind of plan do you have that you’re discussing it with us?”

“Would you like to hear the plan I have in mind?”

“Of course! What is it?”

“It’s a large-scale national land development plan.”

“Oh-!”

Everyone was eager and waiting for Tae-soo to speak.

Tae-soo looked around the room.

“Would it be alright if I brought in someone to brief you on this?”

“Of course!”

“Good.”

When Tae-soo raised his hand, people who had been waiting in the hallway at the entrance of the 7th floor hall appeared.

The tycoons were surprised to see familiar faces.

“What brings former Chief of Staff Kim Jung-rim here?”

“Even the ministers of finance, construction, and commerce?”

“Other ministers are coming too.”

The people who had walked to Tae-soo’s side stood in a row.

‘Unbelievable! They’re willingly coming here and lining up like this?’

‘For former Chief of Staff Kim Jung-rim and the ministers of each department to attend a Hankyungryun meeting and give a briefing means…’

The tycoons gathered at Hankyungryun weren’t just any tycoons.

It was very rare for them to be so astonished.

That’s how impressive the people Tae-soo had brought were.

Tae-soo said.

“These are the ministers of the next cabinet who will assist the next president.”

“The next cabinet? Already?”

The Unified Subject National Conference had been held at the Jangchung Gymnasium two days ago.

The 2,549 delegates voted, with 2,465 votes in favor and 84 invalid votes.

‘President-elect Ahn Jung-woo is planning to embrace them as they are and launch a new government.’

Most of them were people who had assisted President Park Jung-hwan.

However, the tycoons nodded.

‘Ahn Jung-woo, who suddenly rose to superstardom, doesn’t have any factions.’

‘Also, he doesn’t have any high-ranking officials who have been closely cooperating with him for a long time.’

‘So he decided to keep using them.’

The tycoons’ assumptions were wrong.

They were all tied together by the Lockheed scandal.

They were the kind of people who would follow Tae-soo’s instructions even if he told them to make *meju* [fermented soybean blocks] out of red beans.

‘They’re also capable people whom Park Jung-hwan actually entrusted with work.’

Tae-soo looked at the Hankyungryun *chaebol* [conglomerate] leaders.

“I’ve been planning a rough development plan with these people. Now we need to discuss the specifics.”

The eyes of the *chaebol* leaders flickered.

‘He’s already planned the national land development with them?’

A national land development plan that brings in current ministers and former presidential chiefs of staff.

At this point, Tae-soo’s words about discussing the specifics sounded different.

‘It’s about distributing vested interests.’

‘It’s something that should only be done in the presidential reception room.’

‘How should we take this? If President-elect Ahn Jung-woo finds out about this…’

The *chaebol* leaders looked at Tae-soo with tense expressions.

But for some reason, Tae-soo was looking at the entrance to the 7th floor hall.

“What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”

“One person hasn’t arrived yet.”

“Who? Is there someone else who needs to come?”

Everyone was looking at the entrance to the 7th floor hall.

Finally, the person Tae-soo had been waiting for appeared.

“I’m a little late.”

The man greeted them with a smile and a wave.

“Even President-elect Ahn Jung-woo?”

The tycoons looked back and forth between Ahn Jung-woo and Tae-soo.

Ahn Jung-woo, who had greeted Tae-soo warmly, looked around.

“I came to make an impression.”

Make an impression?

Who was he trying to impress by coming all the way here?

The *chaebol* leaders were the kind of people who would run at the president’s beck and call.

They were afraid of getting on Ahn Jung-woo’s bad side, so they all straightened their clothes.

Ahn Jung-woo patted Tae-soo on the shoulder.

“Let’s start.”

“Good.”

Tae-soo looked around.

“Now, let’s begin the detailed discussion.”

A national land development plan to be heard with President-elect Ahn Jung-woo, who is scheduled to be the next president.

It was a plan that involved the ministers of each department.

The *chaebol* leaders, who were members of Hankyungryun, realized.

‘I never knew that President-elect Ahn Jung-woo and Kang Tae-soo were so close.’

‘He’s been discussing it with the next cabinet.’

Jang Jun-yong was half out of his mind, as if he couldn’t believe the current situation.

The shock was even greater because he thought he knew Tae-soo very well.

‘Chairman Kang has been pushing Ahn Jung-woo as the next president, so that’s one thing. But he even brought the ministers of each department and former Chief of Staff Kim Jung-rim? When did he win them over? No, how?’

He couldn’t even guess.

‘He brought together ministers that I couldn’t even handle…’

In his embarrassment, Jang Jun-yong rubbed his face.

Tae-soo turned to Jang Jun-yong.

“Chairman Jang.”

“Huh? Oh? Yes.”

“Would it be alright if we used the VIP room?”

The place Tae-soo was pointing to was the VIP room inside the 7th floor hall.

It was the very place that President Park Jung-hwan used to use.

Jang Jun-yong looked back and forth between the VIP room, Tae-soo, and Ahn Jung-woo.

“Ah, of course. Please, go into the VIP room.”

“Thank you. Then we’ll go in.”

Tae-soo led the way, followed by Ahn Jung-woo, Kim Jung-rim, and the ministers of each department.

Park Cheol-wan, the president of Taeyang Construction, was carrying a large rolled-up map and a box of documents containing the development plan.

Thump.

The door to the VIP room, which Park Jung-hwan had often used, closed.

A moment later, the door opened slightly and Park Cheol-wan showed his face.

“Chairman Jang Jun-yong of Geumsan Group, Chairman Lee Byung-chun of Samcheong Group, Chairman Koo Ja-gyeom of Lucky Seven Group, and Chairman Kim Dong-jo of Daehan Oil Refining, please come inside.”

It was exactly as it had been when Park Jung-hwan was alive.

* * *

The VIP room that Tae-soo was occupying.

The *chaebol* leaders who were called inside came out with cheerful faces.

‘It’s been three hours already.’

‘I wish they would call me too.’

The Hankyungryun meeting had ended a long time ago.

But the *chaebol* leaders couldn’t leave easily.

It was because they were hoping that some of the spoils would fall to them.

‘I’m thirsty.’

‘I’m getting impatient.’

Before long, the meal was cleared from the 7th floor hall, and refreshments and drinks were prepared.

Music was also played to make the waiting time less boring.

But everyone’s attention was focused solely on the VIP room.

“Hahaha, don’t worry. I’ll take full responsibility for the construction.”

“Thank you so much for giving me this great opportunity. You definitely won’t be disappointed.”

“If there’s anything like this again, please call me anytime.”

Another group of *chaebol* leaders came out of the VIP room.

This time, too, they couldn’t hide the satisfied smiles on their faces.

Those who were waiting their turn were drooling as they watched.

‘Chairman Choi isn’t the kind of person to be so happy about something small.’

‘And what about Chairman Oh? What kind of vested interests did he get that he’s so happy?’

‘There should be some left for me too.’

They waited as close to the VIP room as possible.

Even while drinking their drinks, their eyes kept going to the VIP room.

On the other hand, there was someone drinking alone in a corner.

It was Han Il-kwon.

‘Damn it!’

Normally, he would have stormed out of there long ago.

But he couldn’t do that today.

It was because of Ahn Jung-woo.

-You’re Han Il-kwon, the son of Han Cheong-ho. I’ve heard about you.

He had scanned Han Il-kwon carefully with a meaningful look.

-I have something to say to you regarding your father. I’ll see you later.

How could he leave after hearing those words?

‘Given my father’s personality, he wouldn’t have been at odds with Ahn Jung-woo. He wouldn’t have said those words if he didn’t have a connection with my father.’

A politician who gained enthusiastic popularity and was elected as the next president in the midst of digging into the Korea-Japan continental shelf treaty after Park Jung-hwan’s death.

That was all Han Il-kwon knew about Ahn Jung-woo.

‘There isn’t a politician who hasn’t taken my father’s money. Ahn Jung-woo must have received help from my father when he was an unknown politician.’

Otherwise, why would he say such meaningful words?

So he couldn’t help but have expectations.

‘My father said he was promised a special pardon to commemorate the inauguration of the president.’

He had to confirm it.

When else would he have the chance to meet Ahn Jung-woo again?

So Han Il-kwon stubbornly stayed in his seat, despite the glares.

‘But Kang Tae-soo is a problem.’

He was a thorn in his side.

Every time they met, he got on his nerves.

‘Ahn Jung-woo hasn’t forgotten my father. Once my father gets out of prison, what can a guy like you do?’

He had to settle things for sure today.

If you want to get someone who’s already in prison out, the fastest way is to go through someone in power.

* * *

Click.

The door to the VIP room closed.

The last group of *chaebol* leaders also came out with smiles on their faces.

Han Il-kwon was left alone in the 7th floor hall of the Geumsan Hotel.

“Hmm? You haven’t left yet?”

“We thought we were the last ones.”

The expressions of the *chaebols* looking at Han Il-kwon were strange.

Han Il-kwon slammed his glass down.

“What are you looking at?”

The *chaebols* frowned at his fierce gaze.

They had achieved what they wanted, so they had no regrets.

They left the 7th floor hall without looking back.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Thank you for your efforts.”

The ministers of each department and former Chief of Staff Kim Jung-rim came out of the VIP room.

Tae-soo and Ahn Jung-woo were the only ones left in the VIP room.

Han Il-kwon couldn’t stand it and strode over to the VIP room and threw it open.

Tae-soo and Ahn Jung-woo were leisurely drinking.

“President-elect, I’d like to take some of your time.”

Han Il-kwon turned to Tae-soo and said.

“Kang Tae-soo, you can leave.”

“How rude. In every way. Who told you to come in here?”

Ahn Jung-woo was very displeased.

“Leave.”

“President-elect, you clearly promised me earlier that you would see me later. It will only take a moment. I’ll just confirm something and leave.”

“…Alright.”

Han Il-kwon asked.

“You said earlier that you had something you wanted to say to me, right?”

“I did.”

“And it was related to my father?”

“Yes.”

That’s it!

Han Il-kwon’s face brightened.

“I knew you wouldn’t abandon your sense of duty. When will you release him?”

“Release him?”

“The special pardon. Didn’t you promise to take my father out with a special pardon to commemorate your inauguration as president?”

“Did I?”

Ahn Jung-woo’s answer was strange.

The more he said, the paler Han Il-kwon’s face became.

“Does the President-elect mean to pretend not to know my father either?”

“Did your father say that?”

“If not, why did you say those words? As if you had been listening to my story for a long time…”

“Ah, you misunderstood.”

Ahn Jung-woo said firmly.

“It’s not Chairman Han, it’s Chairman Kang here. He’s the one who told me about you.”

Kang Tae-soo?

Han Il-kwon’s head turned sharply towards Tae-soo.

Han Il-kwon had a look on his face like he had eaten shit.

“Then what you meant by having something to say related to my father was…”

“Cheongil Construction.”

Ahn Jung-woo tilted his head.

“Your father borrowed a lot of government money. He has to pay it all back.”

It was like a bolt from the blue.