The Conglomerate Family Became A Villain [EN]: Chapter 233

233 The Runaway Train (4)

Goldman Sachs.

They had never dominated America like JP Morgan or become a financial institution representing America like Bank of America.

But Wall Street called them the smartest investors.

It meant they were investors who didn’t ignore small risks, weren’t tempted by big profits, and always made stable returns.

It was because of one man that Goldman Sachs turned its attention to the yen.

“For the reasons I mentioned earlier, the rise of the yen can be said to be abnormal.”

His passionate speech raised question marks in the minds of Goldman Sachs’ five executives.

“Everyone on Wall Street knows that the rise of the yen is abnormal. Why are you emphasizing that fact to us?”

Water turns to ice when the temperature drops.

The executive who asked the question thought that what he was saying was not much different from this simple truth.

The man asked the executive in return.

“Why aren’t you moving even though you know everything?”

The executive steepled his fingers at his question.

“We will move. However…….”

“Is it not the right time yet?”

“That’s right.”

The man raised his voice again.

“The time when everyone knows is not the time. Do you still not understand? That’s why Goldman Sachs can’t surpass JP Morgan!”

Some executives frowned at his outburst.

“That’s too much.”

“We’re doing well enough.”

The man turned his gaze to the executives who frowned.

“If you want to keep going back and forth between second and third place like now, you can keep doing what you’re doing. But if you want to be number one… if you want to take first place even just once, you can’t move like them.”

You can’t be number one by doing what everyone else does.

There wasn’t an investor on Wall Street who didn’t know this.

However, putting this into practice was difficult. Occasionally, adventurous investors would embark on risky investments with these words, but most of them faced bankruptcy as a result.

“So, according to you, we can be number one?”

The man answered, pounding his chest.

“You can be number one. You can become number one. There is no definite answer like that. Wall Street isn’t that kind of place. However, if you keep doing what you’re doing now, you’ll never be number one. I came to this position to tell you that.”

Goldman Sachs executives nodded and said.

“I understand what you mean.”

“We’ve heard your story well.”

“Go back and wait for our answer.”

Goldman Sachs’ executives were more calm, composed, and conservative than the rumors suggested.

The man sighed briefly and left the conference room. As he came outside, a middle-aged man approached and extended his hand.

“You seem to have done well.”

The middle-aged man who extended his hand was Dan Morning, the chief dealer at Goldman Sachs.

“Dan, it’s hopeless.”

Dan Morning said in a bright voice.

“No. You did okay.”

“Didn’t you hear my presentation?”

“If your presentation was clumsy, the elders would have all come out.”

The fact that the conservative Goldman Sachs executives listened to the end meant it was a success.

“Ha……. Is that so?”

“That’s right.”

The man talking to Dan Morning was Damon Furman, a key figure at Terra.

‘I must move Goldman Sachs.’

His gun was still aimed at Victoria Corporation.

* * *

“Charlie, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

The woman smiling brightly was Ann, not Sarah.

“Ann seems to have become more sophisticated?”

“It’s a new item from the department store.”

Ann lightly turned around in place.

“Isn’t Black Friday not far away?”

Black Friday was still more than a month away.

“I just bought it without waiting for the sale.”

In fact, with Ann’s financial resources, there was no problem even if she bought luxury goods.

The strange thing was Jung Hyun-woo and Sarah.

Despite being among the richest people in the United States, their consumption was extremely low.

“Where’s Sarah?”

“San Francisco.”

“Ah, on a business trip…….”

“She went with Robert.”

She flew to San Francisco with Robert. Then there was only one reason.

‘It’s because of Bank of America.’

Whether it was a contract or an important project meeting, the target was likely to be Bank of America.

“Is it because of Bank of America?”

Ann shook her head at his question.

“No.”

Jung Hyun-woo immediately clicked his tongue inwardly when he was wrong.

‘Tsk, I must have been in Korea for too long.’

If he hadn’t been in Korea for too long, it was because he had been too immersed in the Victoria Fund.

Either way, he felt like he was half a step away from Victoria Corporation’s business.

“Then why did she go to San Francisco?”

Ann spun around, straightened her clothes, and answered.

“Western regional banks have requested a new service agreement.”

This meant that small and medium-sized banks and securities companies scattered throughout the western region wanted Victoria Corporation’s services.

“A new business, then.”

“It’s good news for the company.”

Jung Hyun-woo shrugged his shoulders and said.

“But why didn’t I know?”

“Because you were on the plane.”

As of 1986, it was not possible to use satellite phones on airplanes.

‘So that’s why people were so enthusiastic when satellite phones first appeared.’

Jung Hyun-woo made a gesture that he understood and entered the office.

As soon as he sat down in his chair, people with approval documents appeared.

“President, the approval…….”

Jung Hyun-woo said, raising his right hand.

“Leave the approval documents to Luna.”

Originally, the documents had to be approved through Luna. Nevertheless, the reason they brought the documents directly to the president’s office was to get approval first.

“President, these are important documents.”

The development team leaders and deputy heads of the business division were standing with the documents.

Jung Hyun-woo knew what their position was.

‘It means these are documents that can’t be delayed past today.’

He lowered his right hand and said.

“Come in one by one from the left.”

The team leader standing on the far right was frustrated to hear his words.

But someone had to be last.

1 p.m.

Jung Hyun-woo sighed deeply and got up from his seat.

“Hoo……. It’s finally over.”

When he came outside to have lunch, the person waiting for him smiled.

“Charlie, you’re back.”

Jung Hyun-woo raised his right hand and said.

“I don’t have any gifts.”

“Isn’t the news Charlie brings a gift?”

The person smiling brightly at Jung Hyun-woo was John River, the head of the game business division.

After becoming the head of the game business division he wanted, he caused far fewer problems.

‘He’s doing what he wants to do to his heart’s content, so he doesn’t have any complaints.’

Conversely, it could be that he didn’t cause problems in order not to miss out on what he wanted to do.

“I did what I had to do as the company CEO.”

“No. I wouldn’t have even dreamed of it if it weren’t for Charlie.”

The reason John River said this was because of a meeting a few days ago.

4 days ago.

Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo.

A group of men moved among the women who had painted their expressions with flashy clothes and heavy makeup.

“Who is it?”

“Looks like a big shot?”

“A big shot?”

“The person in front?”

“I don’t know?”

Not only the women but also the long-time residents of Roppongi [a famous entertainment district in Tokyo] couldn’t tell who the main character was.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen so many bodyguards.”

“But I don’t know who’s being guarded.”

The person the men were guarding was Jung Hyun-woo. But Jung Hyun-woo was too young to be guarded, and his position was also in the back, so people thought of him as one of the bodyguards rather than the person being guarded.

“Welcome.”

Welcomed by the heavily made-up madam, they arrived at Roppongi’s finest hostess bar.

Jung Hyun-woo sighed briefly.

“Ha…….”

He had never met anyone in such a fancy place before.

‘Oh dear, Sarah will scold me if she finds out.’

Jung Hyun-woo entered the bar with the bodyguards.

“You have to come alone from here.”

At the madam’s restraint, the bodyguards’ gazes turned to Jung Hyun-woo.

“It’s okay.”

Jung Hyun-woo followed the madam down the hallway alone.

‘If I were kidnapped in a place like this, it would be big news.’

However, the third richest man in the United States was not kidnapped. He safely arrived at the private room on the second floor with the madam’s guidance.

Creak.

As the door opened to both sides, the people who were waiting for him appeared.

“Nice to meet you.”

Waiting for him inside were not beauties wearing kimonos but men wearing black suits.

‘They’re all too ordinary to be called yakuza [Japanese organized crime members].’

Jung Hyun-woo extended his hand to them with a bright expression.

“I’m sorry to have made you come all the way to Tokyo.”

The men bowed deeply.

“No. If we can meet Chairman Jung, where can’t we go?”

“Kyoto to Tokyo isn’t that far.”

Kyoto and Tokyo weren’t not far, they were just far.

“Hahaha, is that so?”

“Didn’t Chairman Jung fly half the globe?”

“That’s true.”

The people who bowed to Jung Hyun-woo were Nintendo executives who were causing a sensation in North America and Japan.

“Come on, let’s sit down and talk.”

When he smiled and told them to sit down, the Nintendo executives finally sat down.

Jung Hyun-woo looked around at them and thought.

‘They’re causing a sensation in North America and the United States, but Nintendo doesn’t yet dominate the global game industry.’

Moreover, the sales of the game industry were not comparable to those of the financial or IT industries.

Nintendo was famous for its abuse of power in the game industry, but it couldn’t stand tall in front of Jung Hyun-woo, the third richest man in the United States.

The reason they left Kyoto headquarters and came to Tokyo en masse was also because of this difference in position.

Jung Hyun-woo listened to the flirtatious laughter of the women coming from outside and clicked his tongue inwardly.

‘Tsk, tsk, anyway, the place is a bit….’

He had only told Nintendo to meet in Minato-ku [a special ward in Tokyo].

But it seemed that Nintendo had misunderstood his intentions.

“Nintendo is really good this year.”

The Nintendo executives’ faces brightened at Jung Hyun-woo’s compliment.

“It’s all thanks to the chairman.”

In fact, Jung Hyun-woo did not play a big role in Nintendo’s success.

‘Nintendo would have been a big hit even if I hadn’t intervened.’

All he did was distribute Nintendo’s games and consoles to game stores across the country a little faster.

“What about next year?”

One of the executives answered with strength in his voice.

“We are preparing more games.”

“Are they made by Nintendo?”

“Not all of them.”

Jung Hyun-woo tilted his head and asked.

“Doesn’t Nintendo produce all game packs in-house?”

Unlike the Atari 2600, Nintendo’s NES used packs instead of cartridges.

“That, that is…….”

“Game developers only make games, and Nintendo directly produces and distributes all cartridges, doesn’t it?”

Jung Hyun-woo’s voice was slightly sharp.

The Nintendo executives realized what intention was contained in his question.

‘They seem to be dissatisfied with our game pack production.’

‘It’s troublesome. If Victoria Corporation raises the issue of monopoly in the North American market, friction will be inevitable.’

Nintendo was making huge profits by exclusively producing game packs used in the NES.

Earlier this year, John River had expressed dissatisfaction with Nintendo’s deal.

One of the Nintendo executives asked cautiously.

“Does Victoria Corporation want to produce the packs sold in the North American market itself?”

He thought that Victoria Corporation and Jung Hyun-woo were aiming for the North American market.

‘It’s not good to go to court over this.’

Jung Hyun-woo shook his head at his question.

“I’m not thinking that far. However, if unfair contracts continue, I may consider various options.”

The executive who asked the question earlier asked again.

“Which part are you referring to when you say an unfair contract?”

Victoria Corporation had various contracts with Nintendo, including game production and distribution, as well as NES import and supply.

“I heard the production fee is excessive.”

The executives’ faces darkened at his words.

“Is what the chairman wants is to lower the fee?”

Jung Hyun-woo looked around at the Nintendo executives and raised his voice.

“Victoria Corporation has taken care of various aspects of Nintendo’s entry into North America. Then, isn’t it natural to receive different treatment from other manufacturers?”

What he mentioned was the third-party preferential policy.

The Nintendo executives breathed a sigh of relief inside after hearing his words.

‘They’re not saying they’re going to make the packs.’

‘That’s a relief.’

The highest-ranking executive among those who came up from Kyoto to Tokyo put both hands on his knees and said.

“We will consider the preferential policy.”

Jung Hyun-woo frowned at his answer.

“It’s going to be difficult if it ends with consideration.”

Nintendo knew that Jung Hyun-woo could buy Nintendo with just a portion of the funds he had invested in Japan. They thought they had to somehow match the mood of the giant named Jung Hyun-woo.

“I understand. We will present a preferential policy.”

Only after hearing his confirmation did Jung Hyun-woo unfold his narrowed brow.

“As much as Nintendo cares about us, we will also care about Nintendo and the NES.”

In fact, many of the Nintendo executives did not understand Jung Hyun-woo’s words. The reason was that Jung Hyun-woo was speaking in English.

Those who did not understand his English had no choice but to infer the atmosphere of the conversation through the expressions and tones of the executives who were speaking in English.

“We look forward to working with you next year as well.”

The highest-ranking executive raised his voice, and the other executives followed suit and bowed their heads.

“We look forward to working with you next year as well.”

Jung Hyun-woo smiled brightly and said.

“Come on, come on, there’s no need to be so polite.”

As he straightened his shoulders, the highest-ranking executive clapped his hands.

“Bring it in.”

Creak.

The door to the private room opened to the left and right, revealing various luxury dishes.

Jung Hyun-woo could tell that Nintendo had spent quite a bit of money.

‘It seems like they spent a lot more than renting a hotel suite.’

After all the dishes came out, this time women playing instruments entered.

“Does Nintendo want anything from us?”

The Nintendo executives bowed their heads at Jung Hyun-woo’s question.

“How could we want anything from the chairman? We just hope that you will continue to look favorably on our company in the future.”

“Is that so?”

“We consider it an honor to be able to work with Victoria Corporation.”

They were high-handed when negotiating with the game business division, but they could not be high-handed in front of Jung Hyun-woo.

This was the result of the combination of Victoria Corporation’s growth and Jung Hyun-woo’s investment in Japan.

‘Chairman Jung is a big shot who even Chairman Kajima of the Kajima Group bows to.’

‘It means we’re not someone we can deal with.’

Nintendo was making a name for itself in the game industry, but even within Japan, it was not comparable to the Kajima Group.

“What about after the NES?”

The Nintendo executive paused at Jung Hyun-woo’s casually asked question.

“After the NES…….”

“Isn’t Nintendo developing a next-generation game console?”

Jung Hyun-woo already knew about the next-generation game console that Nintendo would develop in the future.

‘Nintendo’s next-generation game console, the SNES, will be born with the destiny to become a legend.’

SNES was a word referring to Super Famicom [Super Family Computer, the Japanese name for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System].

Nintendo unified the game industry with the Famicom [Family Computer, the Japanese name for the Nintendo Entertainment System] and then became an overwhelming powerhouse with the Super Famicom.

‘At least until 1995, it’s Nintendo’s world.’

Since it was 1986 now, it meant that it would be Nintendo’s world for about 10 years to come.

“We are only thinking about the concept of the next-generation console.”

Jung Hyun-woo smiled softly and said.

“If there are any difficulties in the development process, you can contact our company. We also manufacture computers.”

A Victoria Corporation affiliate that manufactures computers.

The Nintendo executives knew that the company Jung Hyun-woo was talking about was Dell Computer.

‘Does that mean they could develop the next-generation game console themselves if necessary?’

‘They’re putting pressure on us again.’

They had no choice but to pay attention to every word Jung Hyun-woo said.