Mining And Construction Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 37

37. Using the President to Set the Stage (5)

Kim Jung-rim quickly interjected when Park Tae-jong objected.

It was to fulfill Han Cheong-ho’s wishes.

“What are you saying? Remember when we were building schools and roads? Let’s trust him this once. We can help with the support little by little. Isn’t that what ‘many hands make light work’ means?”

‘That’s right, good job! Many hands make light work! That’s a great saying!’

Tae-soo deliberately wore a troubled expression on the outside, but inside, he was laughing with joy.

‘The smell of money is getting stronger! At this rate, I can really fleece Han Cheong-ho properly.’

At that moment, Han Cheong-ho also nodded.

“Since he’s volunteering, we should send him first. If it seems like it’s not working out, we can discuss it again then, right?”

Park Jung-hwan turned to Jang Joon-yong.

“What do you think, Chairman Jang?”

“I agree that he’s quite capable. Seeing his skills in Pohang, I think so even more.”

He meant, how did you win Park Tae-jong over like that?

He directly confirmed that Tae-soo was even more skilled than what he had heard from his secretary.

“If support is needed, we can just provide it.”

Jang Joon-yong wore a rather intrigued expression.

As the situation was being settled like this, Cha Ki-beom, who had been quietly listening from the side, added a word.

“Since all these prominent figures are recommending him, shouldn’t we give him a chance?”

Finally, Park Jung-hwan said to Tae-soo.

“Would you like to take on the Middle East project?”

“Are you all promising support?”

“Hahaha, we’ll give you that support. I’ll ask again. Will you take on the Middle East project?”

“Yes, I will.”

Tae-soo nodded confidently.

Wasn’t this a stage set using the President?

If he didn’t take a proper cut, it would be a regret for eternity.

‘I drew the blueprint, and Park Tae-jong stirred up the wind. The President, his aides, and the conglomerate chairman participated to complete this big stage. There’s no way I can’t eat this and give it to someone else.’

Even right now, the smell of money is wafting so strongly.

Tae-soo was so crazy about the smell that he was going insane.

‘So, is it time to collect now?’

Tae-soo looked around, his eyes gleaming.

He made eye contact with Han Cheong-ho.

Park Jung-hwan laughed loudly and looked at Tae-soo.

“Good, what do you need?”

“First, I would like to receive support from Cheongil Heavy Industries, including 40 excavators, 30 dump trucks, 25 ready-mix concrete trucks, 30 bulldozers, water well and exploration drills, core drills, crushers, and the like.”

“What?”

Han Cheong-ho jumped up from his seat like a spring.

He was so surprised that his hands were trembling.

“Is this bastard trying to fleece me completely?”

He was even grinding his teeth in front of His Excellency Park Jung-hwan.

Park Jung-hwan frowned at Han Cheong-ho.

“Sit down. Don’t raise your voice in front of me.”

“Y-Your Excellency! Listen to what this guy is saying. Heavy equipment isn’t cheap, and it’s a matter of…”

Tae-soo quickly continued.

“I will buy all of this on installment. So please, sell it all to me, right now.”

“What?”

Han Cheong-ho contorted his face.

Park Tae-jong laughed loudly.

“Hahaha, he’s not asking for it for free, he’s asking to buy it on installment, and you’re going to refuse that too? Hahaha.”

Han Cheong-ho glared fiercely at Park Tae-jong.

Han Cheong-ho’s gaze turned back to Tae-soo, and Tae-soo smiled mischievously.

He even shrugged his shoulders.

“Then what should I do? Even if the Bedouin [nomadic Arab people] fight stops, the completion date is so tight. The road we’re building isn’t a farm road or an orchard path outside the village. The equipment has to be good to finish on time, right?”

Park Jung-hwan laughed loudly.

“Hahaha, that’s right. If you’re going to the Middle East, you should be prepared to finish the construction before the deadline.”

Park Jung-hwan was very pleased with Tae-soo’s words.

That’s why.

“Chairman Han, be generous. Give him what he’s asking for.”

“Your Excellency!”

“Forget about the installment plan. Frankly, that’s not support, that’s just sales. Don’t be petty about such things, being a conglomerate.”

“Your Excellency! Such things? A small amount? This is a matter of…”

Thump.

Park Jung-hwan slammed the table with his fist.

Then he glared at Han Cheong-ho with stern eyes.

“Enough. Are you trying to face my anger before the Saudi royal family’s anger?”

Han Cheong-ho shut his mouth.

Park Jung-hwan stated firmly.

“If you don’t like it, Cheongil can finish the Middle East project within the deadline on its own.”

“Your Excellency.”

“That’s something you already refused. I won’t look after you anymore.”

This was the President’s threat.

Park Jung-hwan was already as annoyed as he could be.

Wasn’t Park Jung-hwan the one who had to deal with the Saudi royal family because Cheongil was evading responsibility?

No matter how much political funds he received from Cheongil, he couldn’t forgive them for taking his words lightly.

Tightly.

Han Cheong-ho clenched his fist.

Park Jung-hwan hammered it in.

“Listen, Chairman Han. Even Cheongil Heavy Industries. Remember who you grew thanks to. Is it harder to raise or harder to eliminate?”

Explicit threats were made.

Cheongil Electronics, Cheongil Oil, Cheongil Chemical, Cheongil Heavy Industries, Cheongil Construction, and so on.

Without the President’s protection, they couldn’t have grown this much.

‘What would happen if the President’s protection disappeared? Cheongil, which has fallen out of His Excellency’s favor, will be torn to shreds in an instant.’

Han Cheong-ho closed his eyes.

Everyone here knows that there is no other way when His Excellency comes out like this.

“I will follow Your Excellency’s words. But if the project is not completed properly by the deadline and Cheongil Oil is affected, I will recover all these losses, including interest.”

Han Cheong-ho doesn’t back down easily until the end.

Park Jung-hwan didn’t scold him further.

“Good, do that. But do you have anything to recover?”

“Cheongil will take everything that guy has. Cheongil will also inherit the molybdenum mine’s mining rights.”

Park Jung-hwan nodded, as if satisfied.

“How is it? Is this enough?”

Park Jung-hwan asked Tae-soo, and Tae-soo nodded.

“It’s good. It seems like I’m losing a bit, but I’ll accept it.”

“Losing?”

Han Cheong-ho turned his head sharply.

Han Cheong-ho didn’t say anything more, but everyone here knew.

-How much does the heavy equipment cost?

-What’s with just the 10-year mining rights to the molybdenum mine [a mine producing molybdenum, used to harden steel]?

If it wasn’t in front of Park Jung-hwan, Han Cheong-ho would probably have said these words.

Shudder.

Han Cheong-ho clenched his fist and twitched his eyes.

Watching that, people secretly nodded.

‘It feels so good! Anyway, Cheongil, who is responsible, has to support the biggest part. This is already good enough. You should be grateful.’

‘That guy is calling for a lot, calling for the limit that Cheongil can put out. His guts and calculations are exquisite.’

‘Certainly, that’s enough for Han Cheong-ho to foam at the mouth, hehehe.’

The Middle East project has a very high probability of failure due to the Bedouin fight and the tight completion deadline.

In their position, even if they succeed, nothing much will change, but if they fail, they will face merciless retaliation from the Saudi government.

‘If you think about it, it’s just a bomb with a big risk. No wonder everyone doesn’t want to take it on.’

‘It’s not too harsh of a condition for Cheongil to pass the bomb on to someone else.’

‘That’s why His Excellency is just watching.’

At that time, Tae-soo looked at Jang Joon-yong of Geumsan.

“And I would like to borrow Geumsan’s ship.”

“Geumsan’s ship?”

At the sudden request, Jang Joon-yong frowned.

His eyes were full of curiosity and wariness.

“I heard that Geumsan will be receiving oil from Bahrain for the first time this time, right?”

“That’s right.”

Tae-soo smiled.

“When does that ship depart?”

“The end of this month.”

“Could you move that period forward a bit?”

“The period? Why?”

Not only Jang Joon-yong of Geumsan but everyone here was puzzled.

What does the departure date of the oil tanker going to Bahrain have to do with the construction of the Saudi road?

Tae-soo smiled.

“You’re probably departing here with an empty ship, thinking of bringing back a lot of oil, right?”

“That’s right.”

Oil tankers transport in the opposite way of general cargo ships.

They depart as an empty ship, arrive, and then return fully loaded with oil.

“Chairman Jang, please help me leave for the Middle East with a lot of water and materials this time. I would appreciate it if you could stop by Saudi Arabia on the way to Bahrain and deliver the water and materials.”

“What?”

Jang Joon-yong laughed loudly, realizing Tae-soo’s intention.

“You’re going to load water and materials on our oil tanker?”

“Oh, I have to load heavy equipment too. There probably won’t be enough space on the oil tanker, right?”

“Hahaha, then we’ll have to support a barge [a flat-bottomed boat], too?”

“I would really appreciate it if you could do that.”

“Hahaha.”

Jang Joon-yong burst out laughing.

Tae-soo also laughed inwardly.

‘Chairman Jang Joon-yong of Geumsan, this method is what you’ll be using later from the Bahrain shipyard construction. I’ll use your method a little earlier.’

But it seems like it was quite a shocking proposal for Jang Joon-yong right now.

Jang Joon-yong raised his thumb.

“You have a very great mind. With that method, you can definitely shorten the construction period dramatically.”

Jang Joon-yong nodded repeatedly, very pleased.

“Moreover, oil tankers will depart with an empty ship, so it doesn’t matter if you load a lot of water. Load all the heavy equipment and materials and do construction? It’s a brilliant idea and an excellent idea.”

Park Jung-hwan was also happy to hear Tae-soo’s thoughts.

“That’s a very good idea. How is it? Chairman Jang, is it possible?”

“It’s good. I’ll lend you a few barges on the oil tanker. I’ll pay for all the oil to get there.”

Jang Joon-yong raised the corners of his mouth, looking at Han Cheong-ho.

“Compared to what Cheongil supported, what is the oil cost? I can handle that much.”

Han Cheong-ho glared fiercely at Jang Joon-yong and Tae-soo.

Tae-soo slyly added.

“Time is running out. We need to load materials and heavy equipment on the barge quickly. Can we load water into the oil tank right away?”

“Good, I’ll prepare it in advance. If you want to load water into the oil tank, you’ll have to wash it more carefully.”

Jang Joon-yong smiled at Tae-soo.

“Give me a day or two more. But I don’t know if Cheongil’s heavy equipment can get on my ship on time.”

As Jang Joon-yong mentioned it openly, Han Cheong-ho’s face changed.

His Excellency Park Jung-hwan looked at Han Cheong-ho and smiled.

“Cheongil also loads heavy equipment on the barge right away. Geumsan Shipping and Cheongil Heavy Industries are not far away, so you can load it right away. Can you do it?”

This time, it was a question with a set answer.

Han Cheong-ho closed his mouth and didn’t answer for a while.

Tae-soo secretly laughed inwardly.

‘Park Jung-hwan is openly pressuring him, so there’s no way to escape. Han Cheong-ho, your answer was already decided.’

It took a long time for Han Cheong-ho to finally answer.

“Yes, I will. I will load the heavy equipment on the ship without being late.”

“Keep in mind that you made the promise yourself.”

“I will keep it in mind, Your Excellency.”

Han Cheong-ho clenches his fist and glares at Tae-soo with venomous eyes.

‘Han Cheong-ho, you’re about to die from anger.’

Tae-soo glanced at Park Tae-jong, and Park Tae-jong laughed loudly and raised his hand.

“Then Pohang Steel will support the materials.”