The Genius Grandson Of The Cash King Becomes A Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 181

#181

‘Is this even a plausible outcome?’

In truth, even Jung-hoon couldn’t believe the documents that On Jeong-sik had shown him.

Absolutely not.

He shook his head as soon as he saw the documents he presented.

‘It’s not a scam, is it?’

‘No. Absolutely not. Even I can’t believe it.’

It was a result that even On Jeong-sik couldn’t fully believe.

Fibrosis.

A new drug that can treat fibrosis, where bodily tissues harden.

Vascular fibrosis, muscle fibrosis, liver fibrosis, and pulmonary fibrosis.

Even Jung-hoon, who knew nothing about medicine, could intuitively sense how amazing the drug was.

Of course, if it works properly.

He went to Shinhwa Pharmaceuticals and checked the data.

He didn’t understand everything, but he listened as attentively as possible to the researchers’ explanations.

It was really true.

Finally, he received a report on the Phase 3 clinical trial results from the head of Shinhwa Hospital.

There, he saw patients who had been saved thanks to the new drug.

The child he had seen the day he met Director Shim Young-soo.

Park Do-young was also there.

He had been given a terminal diagnosis with only six months to live due to pulmonary fibrosis.

But thanks to the new drug, he had recovered to near-normal.

‘A miracle.’

He heard a concerning worry from the head of Shinhwa Hospital.

It was a report that the number of pulmonary fibrosis patients had recently surged.

It wasn’t his concern, but he said that there was a serious problem somewhere.

He suspected that there was a major issue with a substance that people commonly use.

Jung-hoon pondered.

Should he share the information he knew?

He hoped that children like Do-young wouldn’t appear again.

But he shouldn’t get involved in such incidents.

There was no benefit to it.

But the happy smiles of the child’s parents didn’t disappear from his mind.

And looking at the hospital director’s eyes, he seemed determined to find out at any cost.

‘Sigh, I didn’t want to get involved in this kind of thing.’

Jung-hoon gave him a hint.

‘Look into air fresheners. I have a feeling it might be that.’

Five years later, South Korea would be turned upside down because of toilet air fresheners.

The toxic substances contained in the air fresheners would kill thousands of people and cause irreversible damage to tens of thousands of people.

Coincidentally, the drug made by Shinhwa Pharmaceuticals could prevent future sacrifices.

Anyway, now that he had seen with his own eyes the people who had been saved by the new drug at Shinhwa Hospital, he couldn’t deny it.

They had released press releases to the media and were about to hold a press conference soon.

Since yesterday, Shinhwa Pharmaceuticals’ stock had been hitting the upper limit [the highest price a stock can reach in a day] for five consecutive days.

‘Five days? It feels like it could hit the upper limit for 50 days.’

The longest record was 40 consecutive days at the upper limit.

Shinhwa Pharmaceuticals was definitely on track to exceed 50 days.

He was having pleasant fantasies.

“Chairman, please depart.”

Cha Young-mi’s voice popped out from the intercom.

‘I feel like I’ve become Cha Young-mi’s avatar.’

He was displeased.

He couldn’t just let it pass.

Just as he was about to correct his chief of staff’s habits.

Cha Young-mi, who changed her tone to a soft voice, said.

“Ahem, ahem. It’s time to depart. Chairman!”

“Ahem, yes.”

On Jeong-sik was waiting in front of the door.

Sweat was beading on his massive face.

“Do you have a cold?”

Jung-hoon distanced himself from On Jeong-sik and asked, covering his mouth.

“Ah, no. I’m just nervous. I have social anxiety.”

“Pardon?”

He couldn’t believe his ears.

It was funny to see a giant who could chew up about ten people trembling.

As he opened the door to the auditorium, flashes started to burst.

On Jeong-sik squeezed his eyes shut and followed Jung-hoon closely.

The president of Shinhwa Pharmaceuticals finished his presentation in a trembling voice.

Questions poured in from the reporters.

All the same content.

“Is it true?”

The answer was simple.

“It’s true. Even we find it hard to believe.”

“How does the new drug work?”

At the reporter’s question, On Jeong-sik’s eyes sparkled as he stood up.

He displayed the prepared presentation materials on the screen.

His eyes were full of energy.

In an instant, the press conference hall became an academic conference.

No one understood his serious and professional presentation.

The terms he used were unfamiliar, never heard before, and difficult to understand.

As the reporters’ heads began to nod due to gravity, Jung-hoon couldn’t stay still.

“Ahem, ahem, I enjoyed President On Jeong-sik’s presentation.”

“No, no. There’s still a lot left, Chairman.”

Jung-hoon glared at him and gave him a look.

The faces of the reporters, half-soulless, came into his sight as he excitedly presented.

He didn’t have much tact, but thankfully, he grasped the situation.

Jung-hoon gave the final remarks.

“I hope that the patients suffering from this disease will recover as soon as possible.”

He sincerely wished for the quick recovery and happiness of those whose daily lives had been ruined by corporate greed.

***

Lee Pan-ho came to Jung-hoon’s room.

His face was full of anger.

Jung-hoon sat him on the sofa.

“Hoo, really… it makes my skin crawl.”

“How far have you investigated?”

“Take a look at this report.”

The report pointed to ‘Scent Sol-Sol,’ a product manufactured by Star Chemical and sold by Star Distribution, as the cause.

Many homes use it to eliminate the foul smell in the bathroom, but the toxins emitted from it attacked the lungs.

So far, hundreds of patients have been affected, and dozens are estimated to have died.

Lee Pan-ho, who was trembling with anger, opened his mouth.

“While reviewing the data I received from Mr. Kang Deuk-gu, I asked a chemist I knew through acquaintances.”

“And?”

“It was only 1 billion won [approximately $750,000 USD]. Because of what those people did to save a mere 1 billion won, dozens of people suffered.”

“Ha, these crazy bastards, I’m going to tear them limb from limb and make them into salted seafood to make kimchi [a traditional Korean side dish]! Those damned bastards!”

Lee Pan-ho flinched and cowered at Jung-hoon’s harsh expression.

It wasn’t just dozens of people.

To Jung-hoon, it was thousands of lives and tens of thousands of irreversible damages.

He couldn’t let it go.

Jung-hoon vowed to eradicate all companies with the name Star from Korea.

“The president of Star Chemical must have condoned it, right?”

“Yes. And the atmosphere seems to be connected to the chairman of Star Group.”

“What? Is the group chairman involved in a mere 1 billion won production process?”

“Yes. Star Group is a bit meticulous. To put it nicely, that’s how it is, but to put it badly, Chairman Lee Seok is very suspicious. He’s always anxious that someone might be embezzling company funds.”

“That’s good. He’s the ultimate responsible party, so he should be punished.”

“Yes, I’ll gather more evidence.”

When Lee Pan-ho said he would gather evidence, Jung-hoon wanted to stop him.

Of course, he could be punished by law.

But he didn’t want to punish him by law for taking the lives of dozens of people.

He wanted to give him a painful destruction in the way he had destroyed Cheonjihoe [likely refers to a previous event in the story].

“First, secure as much evidence and witnesses as possible. Ah, and Star Chemical must have secretly bribed or threatened those involved. Find those people.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“I think we need to pay more attention to safety in the future. I’ll assign you a bodyguard.”

Jung-hoon assigned Ji Hyun-bok to Lee Pan-ho.

He could protect Lee Pan-ho from any threat.

Even at the cost of his life.

A few days later, a call came from Ji Hyun-bok.

“Chairman, I think you should come.”

“What’s going on?”

“The president of Star Chemical has come to see you.”

“Where is he?”

“He’s at the cafe in front of the group right now.”

“I’ll go right away.”

Why is the president of Star Chemical trying to meet me?

Jung-hoon wondered and went to meet him.

He was wearing hiking clothes and carrying a bag.

Is hiking his hobby? It’s a weekday today, so what about his company?

“I’m Yoon Jung-hoon.”

“I’m Dan Ji-sung. I was the president of Star Chemical.”

“When did you quit?”

“I submitted my resignation a while ago and came out. I felt like I wouldn’t live long if I stayed there. Hehehe.”

It was a cowardly laugh.

He wanted to slap that guy’s cheek to wipe away his smile.

His hand almost went up, but he managed to hold back.

“Do you know that there are more than a few victims who have been sacrificed because of you?”

“……Yes.”

“Did you also order Choi Young-hoon, the researcher, to be eliminated?”

“No. I told the group about that, and it seems the group instructed Haesong to do it. Haesong’s fixers took care of it.”

“What do you mean you wouldn’t live long?”

“Star Group noticed that Lee Pan-ho was investigating the case. So now they’re cutting off the tail. They’re putting all the group’s corruption on me.”

“If you’re a loyal subject of the group, shouldn’t you do that much?”

“I was just a salaried president.”

No.

He was the one who turned a blind eye to the group’s corruption and took the lead in committing it.

Jung-hoon was annoyed by that mouth that retorted so spitefully without giving an inch.

“I can save you. But you have to be worth saving, right?”

“Here it is.”

He put the bag on the table.

Kwak Hyun-soo, who was next to him, opened the bag and checked the contents.

It was full of various documents and audio tapes.

“It’s Lee Seok’s slush fund status and recordings. It contains all the illegal things that Lee Seok of Star Group ordered. With that, you can definitely send Chairman Lee Seok away.”

President Dan Ji-sung had a confident expression.

“If you give me 10 billion won [approximately $7.5 million USD] and guarantee my safety, I’ll give you this data.”

“10 billion won…….”

Jung-hoon was bothered by his smile.

“Okay. But give me just one minute. If you can endure that time, I’ll give you 10 billion won plus 1 billion more [an additional $750,000 USD].”

“What? 10 billion won and 1 billion more?”

Does this bastard think it’s a joke?

I’ll make him bleed shit.

“If it’s 1 billion won per minute, I’ll endure anything, hehehe.”

“Okay.”

Jung-hoon stood up and lifted the chair he had been sitting on high.

He slammed the chair down on his head.

-Thwack

It shattered, and blood splattered everywhere.

-Ugh

“Bite your lip hard, you son of a bitch!”

He shoved his fist into his mouth, which had been annoyingly moving since earlier.

“I want to kill you, but I’m holding back.”

-Thwack, thwack

“40 seconds left, Chairman.”

He picked up the chair again, picked up the table, and even broke the nearby flower pot.

He thought, could one minute be this long?

He gave it his all.

He saw him groaning on the floor.

“Dan Ji-sung, I’ll give you 100 million won more [approximately $75,000 USD]. All your teeth are gone, so get implants. And you son of a bitch, you’re going to use Scent Sol-Sol for the rest of your life. Got it?”

He, who was lying on the floor, nodded with difficulty.

***

Tak Mi-hyun, the rising rookie actress who is currently at her peak, visited the Star Group chairman’s office.

It was because of an advertisement.

She entered with an elegant posture and greeted him politely.

Then, she held her head high and sat on the sofa.

The short mini-skirt rolled up, revealing her white thighs.

Lee Seok’s eyes were fixed on her pure white skin.

She didn’t care.

Rather, she enjoyed it.

She crossed her legs and tapped her feet, drawing Chairman Lee Seok’s attention.

As expected, his eyes were fixed on her thin, white ankles.

‘Okay. If I take the lead, 1 billion won is the minimum.’

It was basic knowledge that if she smiled innocently at him and wagged her tail, the advertisements of the affiliates would fall like rain.

“Our actress Tak Hyun-mi has a very good advertising effect. The last advertisement she did also doubled Hyun-mi’s sales.”

Chairman Lee Seok didn’t hear the president’s words.

He couldn’t come to his senses because of her slender and white calves.

“Ahem, is that so? If it’s effective, we should use it too. Starting with Star Mart of Star Distribution, let’s expand it to other affiliate advertisements. What do you think, Ms. Hyun-mi?”

He licked his lips and swallowed.

His Adam’s apple bobbed greatly.

He intended to use the advertisement as bait.

Lee Seok himself said what the secretary should have said.

His face showed how desperate he was.

Tak Hyun-mi, who was a master of reading the room, seized the opportunity to secure the lead.

She gave an innocent smile and then made a troubled expression.

“I’m sorry, Chairman. I’m in discussions with Shinhwa Group for a group-wide advertising contract, so one affiliate is a bit…….”

“What?”

He couldn’t control his emotions for a moment.

The corners of his lips trembled.

The atmosphere sank in an instant.

Lee Seok gave an awkward smile.

“Ah, I see. Then, well, we should also discuss a group-wide advertisement.”

Lee Seok could never let this woman be taken away by Shinhwa Group.

Once was enough.

He clenched his teeth.

“Thank you, Chairman.”

Tak Hyun-mi, who had achieved her goal, stared intently at Lee Seok with an innocent face.

She gifted him with crescent eyes and a bright smile.

The intercom rang.

“Chairman, Madam.”

Before the secretary could finish speaking, Ha In-seon burst into the room.

Ha In-seon’s face hardened coldly when she saw Tak Hyun-mi.

She shouted without hesitation.

“Are you going to entrust the group’s advertisement to a cheap woman like that?”

“Mother, I’ll take care of this much myself. I think you’re interfering too much in the group’s affairs.”

Ha In-seon retorted loudly in a sharp voice.

“How can you make the face of the group a cheap actress like that? Chairman Lee Seok.”

In front of the actress, the face of the group chairman was completely crumpled.

Lee Seok couldn’t back down.

“Mother! Stop it. I’m the chairman.”

“What?”

Ha In-seon, who raised her eyebrows, approached Lee Seok.

-Slap

“How dare you talk to your mother like that?”

“What is this?”

Her face, which had been as red as a volcano about to explode, was now coldly frozen.

Ha In-seon warned in an icy voice.

“Chairman Lee Seok, if you want to stay in that position, do as I say.”

“Yes? ……I understand.”

He lowered his tail [submitted to her will].

“And now is not the time for this. An inheritance recovery claim lawsuit has been filed, now.”

“What is that?”

“It’s saying that the inheritance was wrong and asking for it to be done properly.”

“What kind of bastard is doing that?”

Lee Seok shouted roughly.

The Genius Grandson of the Cash King Becomes a Chaebol.