Mining And Construction Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 228

Mining Tycoon and Construction Conglomerate – Episode 228

228. Beneath the Sun (2)

Chris Rockefeller smirked.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

“Why are you so sure I can’t keep my promise?”

“Because my will shall become the will of Rockefeller. And I won’t allow it.”

“The next head of the family hasn’t been decided yet. And I am a Rockefeller too.”

Ellis’s eyes were resolute.

She had never outwardly displayed the ambition and spirit she held within.

Good mind, excellent insight, strong will, sharp discernment, etc.

Despite being the most outstanding among her siblings, she had lived with her head bowed.

“Ellis, you’ve developed such presumptuous eyes. My mother didn’t raise you that way.”

At Chris’s mention of their mother, Ellis flinched slightly.

Chris’s mother came from a powerful family that controlled the world with its base in British finance.

In the past, the current Rockefeller head, who was losing in the succession battle, received her support and was able to surpass his siblings and finally become the head of the family.

Since then, no matter how many women the Rockefeller head had, she had maintained her position as the first wife and controlled the Rockefeller family.

Everyone barely breathed in her presence.

-Kneel, you impudent thing!

Chris’s mother’s method was to crush those who could become Chris’s rivals early on.

Ellis, who was only five years old, was no exception.

-From this moment on, you will not leave the basement for three days. I will not allow you a single drop of food or water.

-Grandmother, I was wrong. Please forgive me just once. I will never talk back to Chris *oppa* [older brother] again.

-Shut up.

Slap.

-Who said I am your mother? I didn’t give birth to such a wretch like you. If you call me mother one more time, you will be whipped.

-Madam, please have mercy just once…….

-What are you all doing? Drag this girl out of here right now!

Ellis was often subjected to abuse disguised as education.

She had to endure such harsh times for 15 years.

The years she lived with the ambition for the next head of the family and the venom of revenge in her heart were too long.

“Ellis, don’t reveal ambitions you can’t handle. I don’t forgive those who defy me.”

“I will definitely become the head of Rockefeller. No matter what it takes.”

“What can you possibly do?”

Chris was amused.

“You have nothing. No maternal family or siblings to join the succession battle, no friends or allies, and not even vassals who have sworn loyalty.”

Among the 23 siblings, only 7 have strong maternal families.

Chris only needs to worry about those 7.

“A fight requires a certain level of parity to be tense.”

“I told you, I can give you something that *oppa* [older brother] can never give to Kang Tae-soo.”

“Enough with the nonsense.”

Chris immediately wraps up the situation.

Tae-soo, who had been silent until now, opened his mouth.

“Then let’s begin. Please present the conditions to recruit me.”

“Here? In front of these people? Are you kidding me?”

Not only the famous figures from the political and business world gathered at the Blue House banquet [the presidential residence in South Korea], but also the ambassadors from various countries were all stunned and looked at Tae-soo.

Tae-soo shrugged nonchalantly.

“Didn’t the young lady Ellis say she would pay ten times whatever was promised? Was that all a lie?”

“It’s not like we’re at an auction. How absurd.”

“If you’re scared, then die. Why did you take the time to fly all the way to Korea on a private jet?”

“Well, to develop the offshore oil fields in Korea…….”

“That’s exactly it. And I have the development rights to those offshore oil fields. Do we need to say anything more?”

“…No need. Fine.”

Ellis clenched her fist tightly.

“Before I present my conditions, I have a question to ask first.”

“Very well.”

“Why do you think Chris *oppa* [older brother] set aside his busy schedule and rushed to Korea?”

“Obviously, to become the next head of Rockefeller.”

*To think someone knows that…….*

“Chris *oppa* [older brother] received the Kuwait oil fields and a European oil refining company as a maternal family gift as soon as he was born. He doesn’t need the Korean offshore oil fields. He has already met all the conditions for the next head of the family.”

Chris is the only one among the 23 children of the Rockefeller head who has met all three conditions.

There are countless reasons why Chris smells like money [is so wealthy].

“The fact that I hold an important card remains unchanged. Enough to make you fly all the way to Korea.”

“To prevent me from meeting the conditions to become the next head of the family. That’s all *oppa’s* [older brother’s] purpose is.”

“I know.”

Ellis’s eyes blazed with anger.

-Betrayal.

It was a word that hurt her as much as she trusted Tae-soo.

But she understands Tae-soo.

She would have done the same.

“Chris, what can you promise me?”

“I will block the Japanese and Chinese governments, who are clearly eyeing the Korean offshore oil fields.”

“That’s not much of a condition.”

*That has already been taken care of.*

The Lockheed Gate [a bribery scandal involving Lockheed Martin] that turned Japan upside down was just the beginning.

Also, knowing that the Tiananmen Square incident [a series of protests and demonstrations in China in 1989] will soon occur in China, there is no way Tae-soo would miss it.

“I will lower the export tariff rate to the United States.”

“By how much?”

“About 5% from the normal tariff rate.”

“For all items exported from Korea. Is that possible?”

“…That would only be possible if I become the head of Rockefeller. As of now, I can only promise it for the Taeyang Group.”

*This is tempting.*

I confirmed that this is the limit that the Rockefeller head must step in.

‘Even Chris’s power is limited when it comes to matters that require U.S. lawmakers to change the law.’

This means that if only Taeyang Group is granted special tariff reductions, it is possible to move the related agencies.

This is also not an easy task.

It is only possible with the help of Chris’s maternal family, who controls the world’s finances.

‘He is definitely offering conditions that Ellis cannot offer.’

Interesting.

But Tae-soo was not easily swayed.

“Anything else?”

“You’re a greedy one. How about this? Don’t you need a bank?”

Across the globe, the separation of banking and commerce is a fundamental principle.

Is there any company that operates without borrowing money from banks?

That’s why large companies often use unconventional methods.

Just like Tae-soo or the Rockefeller head.

“A bank, you say. How many can you give me?”

“Does the number matter?”

“10 headquarters in American banks. Is that possible?”

“10 headquarters? Let’s do 2. No more.”

Tae-soo already has many banks.

It’s hard to even compare to Chris’s maternal family, but he wields absolute influence in Korea.

He controls as many as 11 commercial banks, and Jang Mal-dong is the chairman of the Korea Federation of Banks.

“To think that someone in business doesn’t covet banks. Are you brave, or just bad at calculating?”

“Anything else? Like real estate, for example.”

“American iron ore, Chinese tin, Russian rare earths. Would three types of mines be enough?”

“Three mines?”

“No, about 20?”

The scale is different.

It’s easy to suffocate from the deepening smell of money [increasing wealth being offered].

‘He has more cards than I thought.’

Tae-soo asked.

“What about stocks?”

“Stocks? What kind of stocks do you want?”

“Rockefeller Foundation stocks.”

“Hahaha, that’s not going to happen. Do you think I’m crazy enough to hand over Rockefeller’s stocks? Ask for a few oil refining companies instead. I might consider that.”

I’ve seen enough.

Tae-soo had a satisfied expression, while Ellis radiated an icy aura.

“What do you think of Chris *oppa’s* [older brother’s] conditions?”

“If I had to give my thoughts, it would be, ‘It’s more manageable than I thought?’”

*I must have misheard.*

These are conditions that Ellis could never offer, even if she died and came back to life.

Tae-soo raised his hand first.

“I’ve already made my decision.”

“Listen to my conditions before you decide. Don’t regret missing a good opportunity later.”

“Chris, I reject the conditions you have presented because they are not satisfactory.”

It was an unexpected situation.

Ellis felt her head go blank.

On the other hand, Chris’s eyebrows twitched.

“If you come out like this, I won’t be very happy. I treated you with such sincerity.”

“That’s a shame. Shall we go then?”

Tae-soo, who was not at all sorry, held out his hand to Ellis.

Tae-soo stared directly into Chris’s eyes and said.

“We’ll have to compete in earnest from now on, so wasn’t this a good opportunity to see the other’s cards?”

“Don’t tell me…….”

“How many times have I promised? Have you forgotten everything?”

*That he would help you become the next head of Rockefeller.*

“As long as you are loyal to me, I will never betray you first. No matter how tempting a good opportunity that smells like money may be.”

He smelled the deepening smell of money [increasing wealth being offered] every time Chris offered conditions.

It was a temptation that was so dizzying, but he never had any intention of abandoning his loyalty.

“You can’t put a price on people’s hearts and sell them just because you’re doing business.”

“Thank you.”

Ellis took Tae-soo’s hand.

It was a firm hand that she didn’t want to let go of.

“I’ll make sure you don’t regret holding my hand today.”

“Very well. I’ll look forward to it.”

The two left the Blue House banquet hall hand in hand.

With everyone’s attention on them, Tae-soo and Ellis left the banquet hall.

Chris glared at them with fierce eyes, but they didn’t even care.

* * *

Taeyang Hotel Restaurant.

The place that used to be Cheongil Hotel has completed remodeling work according to Tae-soo’s orders.

The Taeyang Hotel, which is a few days away from opening, is now busy with employee training to welcome guests.

“Is the earlier incident bothering you that much?”

Tae-soo pulls Ellis’s steak plate and cuts it into small pieces for her.

He even pours wine for her and hands it to her.

“Chris *oppa* [older brother] is not a merciful person. He has a strong pride. Since I abandoned *oppa* [older brother] in front of so many people, he will never leave you alone.”

The attacks will become more severe in the future.

His mother will even step in and carry out a massive retaliation.

“Taeyang Group cannot handle Chris *oppa* [older brother] yet. The Rockefeller family is a scary place. It’s a place where all sorts of bloody power struggles take place.”

That’s why she couldn’t eat her food.

“I’m sorry. I know that you’re in trouble because of me. So I…….”

“That’s enough. Let’s eat.”

Tae-soo puts a fork with a piece of steak on it in Ellis’s hand.

But Ellis put it back on the plate.

“I have to become the head of the family no matter what. No matter what sacrifices I have to make.”

“Is it worth sacrificing your life for?”

“I want to take revenge. I have to avenge my mother and younger sibling who died in vain.”

I know from experience that revenge is like that.

Even if the end of revenge is futile, you have to run when you have to run.

If you don’t repay what you’ve been done, you’ll only burn with hatred.

It’s cheaper to return hellfire to the person in question than to burn yourself.

Tae-soo finally gained peace of mind after achieving his revenge.

I feel like I’m finally ready to be happy.

“Then let’s do it. Let’s get revenge. I’ll help you.”

Tae-soo took out a box from his pocket and handed it to her.

“Let’s get married.”

When the lid was opened, a teardrop diamond ring emitting a dazzling light revealed its beauty.

Tae-soo was now making the proposal that she was about to make at the Blue House banquet.

“You were reading my mind.”

How could Tae-soo not know?

The terrifying smell of money [intense desire for wealth] intensified from her, who was cornered.

If it’s about smelling more like money than Chris Rockefeller, it was more than predictable.

“I don’t know what the Rockefeller family is like, but I have the ability to make you the next head of the family.”

Ellis looked at the diamond ring in front of her for a long time.

“Is this decision a strategic choice or an emotional decision?”

“Does your decision change depending on my answer?”

“No, my answer will not change in any case.”

Ellis jumped up.

She quickly wiped her mouth with a napkin and held out her hand.

Tae-soo placed the diamond ring on her palm.

“So, what is your answer to my proposal?”

“Yes.”

She put the diamond ring on her finger.

It fit perfectly as if it were custom-made.

“Let’s finish the rest of our conversation in the room.”

It’s time for the Taeyang Hotel suite to welcome its first guests.