The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 322

‘Sell my name. To anyone, anywhere, if they challenge our headquarters or research lab. Say I ordered it. Don’t bother fighting back or making excuses. Got it?’

‘Yes, sir!’

‘That’s what superiors are for. If there’s a fight to be had, I’ll do it.’

His old team leader habits were still there.

Well, it’s not a bad habit, so I guess the Chairman will understand.

‘I should send out a company-wide email. Superiors are shields. If you’re cornered, sell the head of headquarters.’

‘That’s good.’

Seeing Min Yongrak grinning, I realized our reunion was real.

*

After the meeting, I headed to the Strategic Planning Department with Min Yongrak.

As a department that oversees headquarters operations and assists the head of headquarters, it was located closest to the head of headquarters’ office.

I approached Department Head Kim Ido, who was sitting at the head of the table, and said,

‘Have your dinner tonight, and put the expenses on my tab. Please pass this on to the other departments as well.’

Kim Ido, gripping the armrest of his chair, awkwardly stood up and asked,

‘Isn’t Steve going with us? I was just about to ask about the menu.’

‘It’s uncomfortable for you when I’m there. I can’t attend dinners for a while.’

Be comfortable, be comfortable. You can badmouth your superiors while having dinner.

Ah? Jinhyuk, who had turned away, turned back to look at Kim Ido as the thought struck him.

‘Department heads should have dinner among themselves. Don’t join the department members’ dinners. I’ll check on it.’

Seeing the youngest employee’s eyes curving like a crescent moon at the end of the partition, it seemed like a good instruction.

*

‘Don’t hold the elevator when you leave work. And don’t see me off either.’

It was the first day, so there were many things to instruct.

Still, I decided to fix things one by one, step by step.

If I changed too many things at once, it could cause problems.

Generally, SSS employees working in companies were trained to provide security services to the companies. However, elite agents stayed in places with high security levels, like the research lab. And they were the ones who knew the VIP list even before Jinhyuk joined the company.

As the elevator opened and Jinhyuk appeared in the first-floor lobby, a senior agent quickly approached him.

‘We need to see your accommodation.’

‘Yes. This way…’

The agent turned away from the main entrance and led him to the emergency exit in the corner of the lobby.

There were stairs when the emergency exit was opened.

Following the agent, they walked about 20 meters down the underground passage to another elevator.

‘P, B1, B2, B3’

There were only four buttons.

‘Penthouse?’

It wasn’t hard to guess what P meant.

Woo-woo-woong-.

As the elevator started to move, the agent explained.

‘If you go to the third basement floor, there’s a parking lot passage that connects to the training facility. Jin Seon-gyu also parks his car there and moves to the training facility. I’ll guide you there separately.’

‘Yes, thank you.’

It took a little over a minute to reach the top of the 27-story building.

The first thing that caught my eye was a building far away at the end of the rooftop, boasting an ivory exterior with a smooth marble texture.

‘The Chairman prepared that place for you.’

‘It’s big for a rooftop room…’

That’s just a house?

‘That building is the pilot lounge. Your place is this way.’

Following the agent’s hand, Jinhyuk’s jaw dropped as he turned his gaze to the left.

‘What kind of rooftop room is this…’

A two-story mansion that couldn’t be seen at a glance from left to right was on the rooftop of the building.

Since the building had a large floor area, it was understandable that the rooftop was vast, but in the center, there was a helicopter landing pad, and a quadron [a type of four-rotor helicopter] was sitting quietly.

Around it, there were lawns and a small pond, and in the pond, koi carp were swimming leisurely.

‘Why put fish that you can’t even eat?’

Still, Janggun would like it.

The water was clean and there was no current, so short-legged Janggun would easily hunt, wouldn’t he?

What’s even more amazing is the interior of the house.

‘How many square feet is this? Do you happen to know?’

‘I’m not an expert, but I know the floor area is about 150 pyeong [approximately 5,340 square feet].’

‘Is there a reason for it to be this big?’

Jinhyuk closed his eyes and scratched the edge of his eyebrow.

It was because fatigue was rushing in from the unexpected shock.

‘It has sports facilities, a theater, and entertainment facilities. I heard it’s meant for you to invite your family and friends.’

‘You should have told me in advance…’

‘Our agents know it’s the Chairman’s only hobby.’

He must be talking about surprise shows.

At the agent’s words, I nodded involuntarily.

Since Hong Gijun took special care of SSS and put effort into looking after the agents, they would know. It was also basic for SSS to identify key figures due to the nature of their work.

‘No, I don’t even cook at home, so what is all this for-.’

I looked around the house and clicked my tongue.

The cafeteria was so good that I could solve all my meals, from breakfast to lunch, dinner, late-night snacks, and even snacks. If I thought positively, it was the best welfare, but if I looked at it with a twisted eye, it could be seen as a message to work until you die.

Anyway.

‘It’s bigger than my house.’

They wouldn’t ask me to pay rent, would they?

Would they deduct it from my salary?

***

The Chairman’s office was mainly attended by older presidents.

‘There are evaluations among the employees that we’ve appointed someone who is too young and has little social experience.’

‘I guess our executives think so too. How unpleasant would it be to have someone almost twenty years younger than them sitting in the Chairman’s seat?’

‘No, that’s absolutely not what I meant.’

Hong Gijun blocked the complaints of the executives and employees at the source.

There were some executives who mentioned the sense of deprivation among other young employees, but age attacks were immediately regarded as attacks on Hong Gijun and were countered.

‘The appointment of the Ethics Committee Chairman as well…’

‘It’s an idea that a young person who hasn’t been tainted by society will be more neutral in value judgments. Since he’s young, we can expect a considerable amount of recognition. Anyway, isn’t the Ethics Committee Chairman a position that everyone avoided?’

It was an unrewarding position where you had to say unpleasant things, so they didn’t want to have it, but they didn’t want to see a newcomer wearing the armband.

Even though he had tried to cut them out, there were still many executives who hadn’t broken their habits.

‘I will distribute positions to my daughter and son in the same way. Is there a problem?’

‘Still, the head of the Future Strategy Division is not a blood relative of the Chairman…’

‘Try saying that in front of the Honorary Chairman. Ask why he handed over the Chairman’s position to his son-in-law, who is not a blood relative.’

‘Ah, I misspoke.’

‘Everyone.’

Hong Gijun, who had been responding calmly all along, lowered his voice even more.

‘I’m still young. I don’t know if I’ll be here for another twenty years or thirty years. But seeing what you’re doing, it seems like I’ll have to stay in this position until I die.’

Only forty-four years old.

In his previous life, Hong Gijun was healthy even past seventy and held the Chairman’s position until the end.

The presidents, with their mouths shut, let out silent sighs through their nostrils.

If they didn’t understand that it meant he would be a lifelong dictator, it would be better to quit now than to be fired later. However, they couldn’t easily give up the salary and benefits that were incomparable to any other company.

‘There’s something I’ve been feeling sorry about while watching many of my seniors.’

The presidents’ attention was focused as if asking what he meant.

‘Whenever a new face comes, you always try to check, appease, and pick a fight. Wouldn’t it be better to devise a collaboration that creates synergy? There are some of you here who tried to suppress me when I first joined the company.’

At the words spoken with a smile, Yoo Jun-sik, the CEO of the electronics company, shrank his neck.

However, Hong Gijun shook his head with a smile, as if he wasn’t pointing at him.

‘Why are you trying to check a new president who is like your grandson? Do you know what that person will do in the future? If I were you, I would ride on the back of that young person. Don’t get upset by the fact that a much younger person is standing shoulder to shoulder with you, and pour that energy into productive and constructive things. And I will order the ethics reporting channel to be further activated, so please take good care of your internal discipline. The older you get, the more likely you are to make unintentional mistakes, aren’t you?’

Since Son Jinhyuk became the Ethics Committee Chairman, it meant that they should take good care of their own lives. Sexual misconduct, embezzlement of public funds, verbal abuse, profanity, etc. There were many cases where they could be fired in an instant.

*

Everyone left, and only Hong Gijun and Yoo Jun-sik remained.

‘Brother-in-law. Can I ask you something?’

‘Please do.’

Hong Gijun’s right-hand man, the CEO who runs the group’s main business.

Yoo Jun-sik was on a path to success that he could not have dreamed of under the Yoo Myung-sun system, and if it weren’t for the engineers Hong Gijun had brought in.

He had no intention of opposing Hong Gijun’s policy.

‘I have no complaints about his skills, which I can see for myself. After all, it’s an investment for the future, and I can see it as giving him practical management training.’

‘But you mean why I gave him such a high position, right?’

‘Exactly.’

‘Even the owners of groups much smaller than ours start as employees at first. At least with a bachelor’s or master’s degree.’

‘Isn’t it because those guys have many shortcomings, so they should go to college or graduate school to learn more? Or maybe they need a spec [a resume or qualification] to avoid public criticism.’

‘Ah, if you put it that way, it makes sense, but I don’t think we should talk like we’re having a debate.’

The two men’s conversation was calm and gentle.

However, Yoo Jun-sik still seemed to have questions.

‘His skills are already widely known. You know that too, brother.’

‘That’s right. He’s so famous… Still, I wonder if corporate management is a different matter. It’s a position where you have to go through a forced march of sales, meetings, and entertainment. I’m worried about that stiff friend.’

It was a tone of genuine concern.

‘Culture is bound to change. As times change, so must the salesmen and managers. Isn’t that why my father entrusted me with the helm so that Se-in wouldn’t sink in this rapidly changing era?’

‘Yes, well… If you say so, brother-in-law… I’ll try hard to change too. But I feel like you’re not telling me something. Haha.’

Yoo Jun-sik clicked his tongue with a disappointed look.

At that sight, Hong Gijun’s eyes lit up.

‘I couldn’t let them look down on him. I didn’t want to lose him.’

Yoo Jun-sik raised his eyebrows as if asking what he meant.

‘How many guys with power and money would try to woo him? If he doesn’t have power. How many guys would approach a soft, young social newbie with a lot of money and a good physique to try to get something out of him?’

‘I’ve met him, and he didn’t seem that naive-.’

‘Yes. He’s a solid friend. But others don’t know that. They’ll only remember his shy appearance in front of the broadcasting cameras. They’ll bother him.’

‘Ah-. That makes sense too. If he’s a president, they wouldn’t think of him so easily…’

Now that he understood, Yoo Jun-sik let out a sigh as if relieving his stuffy chest.

‘Let’s get up together. The fat man is flying in from New York, so you should meet him together.’

Ah, Richard Hammond. Yoo Jun-sik shook his head and chuckled.

‘I thought I’d been through all sorts of things, but that guy is still difficult. Haha-.’

‘Haha-. It’s just hard to understand with an ordinary way of thinking. Relax a little. He’s a friend who would give you his liver and gall if you just buy him some Korean beef.’

‘Yes-. Let’s go.’

After deciding to entrust the fate of Daejeong Group and Park Woo-jung’s disposition to Jinhyuk’s will, many things happened.

If I were to record it, it wouldn’t be enough to write a book, but to summarize the key points, it was the encroachment of foreign capital on Daejeong. Investment firms that anyone who watches economic news would know by name, including RB in New York, acquired a large number of shares in Daejeong affiliates. It was also thanks to Hammond’s behind-the-scenes work, which fueled global investment firms, but small and medium-sized investment firms that had absolute faith in Hammond’s skills eventually followed the trend.

Watching Hammond’s moves, Hong Gijun had guessed Jinhyuk’s plan.

A good way to bring down a group. A method of securing a large number of shares in companies at the core of the governance structure and in blue-chip affiliates, then dumping them all at once. And a plan to pressure bond financial institutions. If huge foreign capital left, other big players, including institutions, would follow suit, and eventually, it would collapse. It was an obvious attack that even a kindergartener would know.

However, the visible fist is the most frightening, and the bigger and heavier the fist, the greater the fear.

The group, which had recklessly borrowed money to defend its shareholding rate and gain the trust of the board of directors, was eventually unable to repay it and went bankrupt. The end of a company that is not protected by the government in a country was so obvious.

Even if it wasn’t Hong Gijun’s lecture, anyone who knew the psychology of money circulating and moving with money, and had that much ability, could have easily drawn up such a plan.

However, surprisingly, Jinhyuk did not want to shake the company. It wasn’t because Hammond’s machinations were something that a task force would do.

– ‘The employees are not at fault.’

Don’t bring down the company.

Hong Gijun was reluctant to recall how much infighting and brain battles had taken place outside the ring. It wasn’t a heroic tale, and it was certainly not a pleasant memory. It also felt like he was aging ten times faster.

He lightly shook his head, and the Chairman opened the door.

Yoo Jun-sik smiled happily and grinned at his brother-in-law.

‘That American friend, are we just saying hello today?’

‘Yes. It’s not time to hold a board meeting yet.’

‘But, brother-in-law. Can I really become the Chairman of Daejeong?’

‘You will become the Chairman of the Board.’

Relieved by Hong Gijun’s broad smile, Yoo Jun-sik playfully tilted his head.

Sigh-.

‘Going from the CEO of Se-in Electronics to the CEO of Daejeong Electronics is not a promotion by anyone’s standards-.’

‘Hahaha-. That’s why you have to serve as the Chairman of the Group as well.’

Have Hong Gijun’s ally, someone who can be Hong Su-hyeok’s background, take control of Daejeong.

That was Jinhyuk’s plan.