Still, I Will Live As The Son-In-Law Of A Conglomerate [EN]: Chapter 209

209. 59th. New Game (4)

I chuckled, watching Jang Yong-jae’s face flush.

“Reminds me of when you were playing executive a few years back. Remember the Australian mine development?”

Jang Yong-jae’s expression twisted, but I kept grinning and running my mouth.

“I heard you got rejected when you brought that painting to meet Jane Leonhart?”

“How did you know that?”

“That’s not the point. If you’d thought about it from her perspective even once, you wouldn’t have given her a gift like that. A father pushing his daughter on a swing, really.”

‘Back then, him giving Jane Leonhart that kind of painting was the dumbest thing he could’ve done, haha.’

Jang Yong-jae, who thinks the world revolves around him, must have 착각 [chakkak – delusion] that Jane Leonhart, comforted by his sympathy, would be touched by him. I smirked, watching Jang Yong-jae’s face turn even redder than before.

“Thanks to you, our family easily gleaned the leftovers. We’ll be starting Australian mine development soon… We’re starting the overseas resource development that you wanted to do first, brother-in-law?”

“What’s the point of digging up a few mines? It’s not nearly enough to revive the half-collapsed Haedong Group, is it?”

The current raw material prices are at rock bottom, enough for Jang Yong-jae to sneer. But I gave him a nonchalant look.

“Well… what do you think will happen when China grows?”

“China?”

“China is growing at a terrifying rate even now. It might be a painful memory for you, little brother-in-law, and little sister-in-law, but the most common thing ordinary Americans use after the IT bubble burst is Chinese products, haha.”

“You son of a bitch…!”

Jang Yong-jae, raising his voice and getting up from his chair, gritted his teeth and sat back down when people started staring.

“So, what’s your point?”

“Haven’t you thought about how much iron ore China will suck up in the process of its development? You graduated from economics, you should have a rough idea of the size, right?”

“No, way…?”

He’s an economics major, so his brain seems to be working fast. I grinned, watching Jang Yong-jae’s eyes widen in an instant.

“Now you know? That iron ore prices will keep rising. Well, the more demand there is, the higher the price will go, haha.”

“How much higher can it go…”

Jang Yong-jae tried to regain his composure, but the way he trailed off suggests he couldn’t shake off his anxiety. I spread both hands wide.

“It’s about $30 per ton now, but it’ll go up at least three or four times?”

“At least three or four times?”

I said three or four times because I was worried he’d be shocked, but iron ore soared to around $180 per ton in the early 2010s. I smirked, watching Jang Yong-jae’s eyes widen.

“How many companies in the world have major iron mines, with secured reserves and profitability? China is sucking up raw materials like crazy, how can the market price not rise?”

‘The surge in mineral prices was due to collusion among the major mining companies.’

There are only a handful of resource development companies on the planet that possess large-scale, high-quality iron mines that are easy to export. One of them is Haedong Corporation, which I inherited.

This time, I, Haedong Group, and Korea will be part of that cartel. I grinned at Jang Yong-jae, who was gritting his teeth, took a sip of coffee, and took a breath.

“Besides iron ore, we also develop copper, nickel, coal, zinc, and rare earth elements… But we’re not just developing mines. The exploration of the Myanmar gas field, which we acquired during the Daeju Group crisis, is also over. Successfully, haha.”

The Myanmar gas field, which was taken from Daeju Group, successfully completed exploratory drilling in January ’99, not long after it came into Haedong Corporation’s hands. Why?

[If you can’t drill vertically, you can drill diagonally, right?]

It was like ‘Columbus’ egg,’ [a solution that seems simple in retrospect] but I knew that diagonal drilling was more advantageous for the Myanmar gas field than vertical drilling.

Thanks to this, the Myanmar gas field successfully completed exploratory drilling five years earlier than originally planned. We also drastically reduced drilling costs and collected all of India’s shares before drilling, so the resource development division of Haedong Corporation’s trading sector treated me like a hero or a monster.

“Combining Shwe and Shwe Phyu [two areas within the Myanmar gas field], the recoverable years are said to be 30 years. When commercial production starts, we will supply it to Korea Gas Corporation and Sichuan Province, China. We will also invest in pipelines to China to secure shares and dividends. Ah! We’ve also decided to develop other gas fields, haha.”

“How much revenue can you get from that gas field?”

“You’ll see when you watch, hehe.”

Knowing that the Myanmar gas field generates about 400 billion won [approximately $300 million USD] in operating profit annually as of the 2010s, I took a sip of coffee with a relaxed smile.

‘I need to rile him up a bit more.’

After taking a sip of coffee, I patiently continued to dig into Jang Yong-jae’s insides. To make him spit out what I wanted on his own.

“That’s not all. Haedong Oil, which Haedong Corporation owns 100 percent, is also doing energy development. You know that it was your uncle’s company, but we acquired Taehyun Oil and are growing it even more, right?”

“Ah, that company that earns more from buying and selling oil than from refining it?”

If it’s a chaebol [large South Korean conglomerate] group affiliate, it’s more respectable to have a lot of profit from its main business. Isn’t he a chaebol who looks down on corporate money games?

In that respect, Jang Yong-jae’s sarcasm was enough to scratch my insides. If I were still supporting Haedong Oil only with crude oil trading.

“That’s how it’s been until recently. Crude oil prices were plummeting and have only just started to rebound. But what a pity?”

I paused for a moment and ridiculed Jang Yong-jae, then told him about Haedong Oil’s future projects.

“Haedong Oil will soon secure 30 percent of the shares in the Sakhalin 1 and 2 oil fields. We will also start developing the Irkutsk gas field, which we acquired during the sale of Hanko Group.”

“Sakhalin oil field and Irkutsk gas field?”

I smirked, watching Jang Yong-jae’s eyes, full of disbelief.

“Don’t be surprised. We postponed receiving money from Russia, and their dignitaries gave it to us as a gift to keep their loyalty, hehe.”

Even during the foreign exchange crisis in my previous life, Shinseong, Taehyun, and GK Group’s Russian corporations postponed collecting money from local customers.

This time, thanks to my investment, we were able to handle it more comfortably, so Russian customers didn’t even look at the Japanese companies that ran away and only gave Korean companies a thumbs up.

Of course.

In this life, Haedong Group also joined that group, but it wasn’t just because we held back on receiving money that we obtained the shares of that golden oil field and even received permission to develop the gas field.

‘The biggest thing was that Haedong Motors started building a Russian factory before the spin-off.’

Haedong Group also postponed receiving money. On top of that, they even built a factory with a capacity of 500,000 units per year and created tens of thousands of jobs, so how great would that be?

In my previous life, I acquired the lucrative Sakhalin oil field that this country missed due to incorrect document translation, and I was able to fully develop the Irkutsk gas field that was transferred to Gazprom. Standard Capital’s investment in Russia also helped a lot.

“Besides that, the Russian political and business circles are making such a fuss to join hands with our Haedong? They want to bring our money and technology into their resource development, hehe.”

After subtly leaking the financial power of Haedong Group, Standard Capital, and Haedong Heavy Industries Group, a blood relative of Haedong Group, to the Russian political and business circles, Haedong Corporation’s St. Petersburg corporation was flooded with love calls. Above all…

“The new president, Putin, is also laying out good conditions through Chief of Staff Medvedev. No Korean company will be able to follow us in the Russian resource development market?”

Even after telling him that the Russian resource development market was in our hands, he didn’t say what I wanted on his own. I gave him an even bigger blow.

“There’s one more thing! We’re planning to explore the Guyana offshore oil field in partnership with ExxonMobil. ExxonMobil estimates it to be about 7 billion barrels? Hehe.”

Jang Yong-jae’s expression wavered at my words, but it was true.

Whether it was because I helped kick out those hook-nosed Morgan guys [derogatory term for Westerners, specifically Americans] from the sunny lands of Wall Street during the IT bubble collapse, Isaac suggested a joint exploration of the Guyana offshore oil field, which ExxonMobil had won the development rights to, and I invested Haedong Oil’s funds to acquire a 35 percent stake.

The reserves of the Guyana offshore oil field are about 7 billion barrels.

I knew the location because I had a grudge against resource development during my Shinseong Corporation days, so it was only a matter of time before we drilled a maximum of ten or so wells and extracted oil.

‘Because of me, they quickly extracted oil from the Guyana offshore oil field and sold 20 percent of the Myanmar gas field to ExxonMobil, but I still benefited. I didn’t want to be in debt either.’

The Myanmar gas field is small compared to the Guyana offshore oil field, but if I want to maintain a good relationship with Isaac and give and receive help in the future, I need to give and receive things from time to time. Even if he’s a friend.

“That’s why Haedong Construction is reclaiming the sea and cutting down mountains around the Daesan Petrochemical Complex. Haedong Oil’s goal is to refine 1 million barrels a day. We’ll also build as many crude oil storage tanks as we need.”

The large-scale expansion of the Daesan Petrochemical Complex was entrusted to Lee Myung-jin’s Haedong Construction and Haedong Heavy Industries. Aren’t they the ones who won’t let family money leak out and will carry out the construction without any flaws?

“There’s no need to talk about anything else. Petrochemicals, distribution, shipping, land logistics, e-commerce, textile materials, leisure… everything is doing well, haha.”

Jang Yong-jae, who was glaring at me with a stiff face, smirked only after I boasted about other businesses besides resource development.

“Still, there’s no company in this country like Shinseong Electronics, right? You don’t have Shinseong Electronics, do you?”

‘What a tough guy.’

It seems like he’s finally trying to spit out what I want to hear with his own mouth. I emptied my coffee and ordered a new one.

***

“That’s true. Shinseong Electronics is a company that your father-in-law has cherished more than his sons-in-law or daughter, right?”

It is true that there is no company in Korea that can replace Shinseong Electronics. I admitted what I had to admit, but only for now. I couldn’t admit it nicely.

Watching Jang Yong-jae, who was clenching his fist tightly, I continued the words I had stopped.

“But I don’t really miss it. I have Haedong Electronics, you see.”

“Haedong Electronics?”

Flames soared from Jang Yong-jae’s face, who was making an absurd expression.

“Are you comparing a mishmash of mediocre guys to Shinseong Electronics? Are you crazy?”

“I’m saying it because I’m not crazy, brother-in-law. The Eumseong and Cheongju semiconductor factories are running well thanks to Nvidia and Qualcomm’s foundry and their own image sensor production, and the computer business is also doing well because the North Koreans are good at assembling iMacs. The quality of the test production volume was also good.”

Talking about the Gaeseong Industrial Complex reminded me of the unpleasant memory of the interview.

“Come to think of it, one of your maternal relatives picked a fight with me about the Gaeseong Industrial Complex, but I’m also preparing to make something in Korea.”

“What? Aqua Wave?”

That guy knows about our product… Well, I’ve finished almost all the development and completed the registration of various patents such as trademarks and designs, so it’s not unreasonable for Jang Yong-jae to know.

“You know, hehe. Watch how it evolves. It’ll raise Haedong Electronics’ value like crazy, haha.”

The Aqua Wave, which will be released in two years, has already been developed to reduce the size and allow call functions and internet access. Jang Yong-jae shouted at me, who was smiling and teasing him.

“It’s no use, you son of a bitch! Do you think there’s a place that can follow Shinseong Electronics in memory semiconductors!”

Jang Yong-jae shouted at the top of his lungs, but I was very happy. Hasn’t he completely swallowed the bait I sprinkled now! I tried to hold back my wiggling butt and made a nonchalant expression.

“Memory semiconductors? I don’t care. Standard, where I work, will be GSMC’s sponsor. I can just cash out the dividends that will accumulate in the company while working and invest in shares when the industry is reorganized.”

“Do you think only your maternal relatives have American sponsors! We also have American sponsors, you son of a bitch!”

‘American sponsors?’

My eyes widened, and Jang Yong-jae, mistaking that for fear, laughed with a vengeance.

“It looks like you’re scared now, right? Let’s go all the way, hehe.”

Jang Yong-jae, thinking he had won, left the cafe with a smirk, but I had just grasped a clue to beat that guy.

‘What a fool, haha.’

He was so angry that he didn’t even realize what he was saying, but that was my aim. I only boasted about myself from beginning to end, so he wouldn’t even be able to think about what I wanted to dig out, and he wouldn’t even know where he went wrong.

###

“That arrogant bastard…”

Jang Yong-jae, who stormed out of the cafe, gritted his teeth at the arrogance that Lee Seong-min showed in front of him for the first time today.

Whether it’s a mine, a gas field, or an oil field, overseas resource development projects are Shinseong Corporation, and his father and his 역린 [yeokrin – Achilles’ heel]. Jang Yong-jae barely managed to hold back his fist from flying at Lee Seong-min, who was shaking Lee’s 역린 as if to pull it out.

But.

In addition to resource development, Haedong Group’s businesses were all either number one in this country or were about to become number one. Lee Seong-min didn’t boast about it with his own mouth, but GK Display, of which he is the major shareholder, is also producing touch-screen displays with the support of patents secured by Haedong Electronics, right? Shinseong Display, under Shinseong Electronics, is still struggling.

“Hoo… I guess I should be glad that at least I’m ahead in cell phones and memory semiconductors…”

He sighed, but Jang Yong-jae thought it wasn’t bad. There are no products that people need as much as cell phones and semiconductors, and those two are not two 명마 [myeongma – prized horses] leading the huge chariot called Shinseong Electronics at the forefront?

“I’ll have to run like crazy from now on.”

Whether it was to get ahead or to run away, Jang Yong-jae walked towards his car with a firm expression.

“But… why did he ask to see me?”

Sitting in the back seat, Jang Yong-jae still didn’t know why Lee Seong-min had asked to see him. He didn’t even know that he had 흘린 [heullin – revealed] the beginning of his defeat.

***

“You met Jang Yong-jae?”

“Yes. I was boasting about our company to get the story I wanted to hear, and I thought I was going to have a 단내 [dandae – sweet taste] in my mouth.”

When I compressed and 풀어놓 [pureo noh – unleashed] the 자랑 [jarang – boasting] parade of our company that I had done in front of Jang Yong-jae, Seon Hae-cheol smirked.

“There’s no one as vicious as you. Did you want to make a sick person’s insides into a 걸레짝 [geollejjak – rag]?”

“But I got what I wanted, so that’s enough. Jang Yong-jae himself doesn’t know, haha.”

“What is it?”

“Shinseong Group’s sponsor.”

“Sponsor?”

“Yes. He didn’t say it exactly, but he said it was an American sponsor.”

When I gave the answer, Seon Hae-cheol’s eyes, which had been narrowed, widened.

“Could it be…?”

Seeing Park Tae-jin’s eyes widen as well, I nodded.

“If it’s an American bastard who has a grudge against us, there’s only one guy, no, only one family. Right now…”

When I got up from my seat to confirm the facts, a piece of paper was spat out from the fax machine along with a mechanical sound. I tore off the paper where the printing had stopped, and I couldn’t close my mouth after seeing what was written on it.

“That this man was Shinseong’s sponsor…”

We received the document sent by Henry by fax, and we couldn’t close our mouths after seeing one profile picture printed on the first page.