The Genius Grandson Of The Cash King Becomes A Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 42

#042

Chairman Cheon Sang-soo, already seething from the morning’s events, tightened his grip on the golf club.

– Thwack

He swung, the club connecting with the security chief’s backside as the man lay prone on the floor.

“Lift your rear. You’ll break your back.”

– Thwack

Another dull thud echoed.

“I’m sorry, Chairman.”

“Was it Yoon Jeong-hoon who blocked the parking lot entrance with that van?”

“Yes, sir.”

“An acquaintance just left it there until I arrived, is that it?”

– Thwack

“Consider yourself lucky there’s no ashtray handy today.”

“Thank you, Chairman.”

“Get out.”

The security chief, clutching his bruised buttocks, scrambled out of the chairman’s office.

Chairman Cheon Sang-soo wiped the sweat from his brow and slumped onto the sofa.

“Hoo, why did he come?” he asked, looking at his son.

At times like this, an immediate answer was crucial.

Otherwise, a sharp reprimand was sure to follow.

Cheon Jin-hyeok, still struggling to understand Yoon Jeong-hoon’s motives, felt a surge of anxiety.

In his haste, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

“He’s someone who likes media attention. He just seems to want to be in the spotlight.”

Cheon Sang-soo’s face contorted in displeasure.

“You underestimate your opponents and only see the surface. That’s why you were beaten last time. Look deeper. That Yoon Jeong-hoon is no ordinary man. It’s like he’s hiding ten snakes within him.”

“Ah, I understand.”

Cheon Jin-hyeok, intimidated by his father’s harsh expression, visibly shrank.

“There’s definitely something more to this.”

“I’ll investigate.”

“Investigate thoroughly. I keep getting hung up on that phrase: ‘Option contract due to hacking.’ I hope he doesn’t know something about that?”

“It’s just a guess, Father. There’s absolutely no evidence.”

“Yes, I trust your skills. But what on earth made him appear so confident?”

He wore a questioning look.

“It’s a bluff, Father. He may be confident in front of reporters, but he’ll kneel and beg before you. Please withdraw the contract. I think he’ll contact you soon, won’t he?”

“Really? Hyeon Jeong-ok’s grandson kneeling before me? Just thinking about it makes me happy. Hahaha!”

‘Hoo, that’s a relief.’

Cheon Jin-hyeok felt a wave of relief wash over him as he heard his father’s laughter.

“Then, I’ll get going. I’ll double-check everything.”

“Alright, go ahead.”

Cheon Jin-hyeok left the chairman’s office and headed to the computer room.

After entering the password, a hidden door slid open.

The ten or so people inside were glued to their monitors, completely absorbed in their work.

“Any unusual activity?”

“None, sir.”

“The malicious code planted in BHC Securities is still undetected, right?”

“Yes, sir. They haven’t noticed anything at all. It’s well hidden.”

“Ah, and what happened with the TaeSan Electronics stock manipulation from last time?”

“We made about 10 billion won with a 500% profit.”

“You didn’t take much.”

“Yes, sir. We’ll start a 100 billion won operation soon.”

“Alright. Upload the plan as soon as it’s ready.”

“Yes, sir.”

Sitting down, Cheon Jin-hyeok began to ponder.

Although he hadn’t voiced it to his father, he also harbored doubts.

‘Fulfilling the contract through hacking…’

Like his father, that phrase bothered him.

So, he meticulously checked the malicious files again.

But everything seemed to be in order.

Yoon Jeong-hoon’s confident demeanor flashed through his mind again.

It was too confident to be just a bluff.

‘What on earth is he planning?’

Only unanswered questions swirled in his head.

***

“Here it is, Elder,” Man-ho said, handing Hyeon Jeong-ok the unfolded newspaper. She looked worried.

“Why did Jeong-hoon go and provoke Cheon Sang-soo?”

“I’m not sure either, Elder. He’s usually very thoughtful.”

“He is thoughtful, but… I’m worried he might be too hasty.”

“Perhaps he has a plan?”

“Didn’t he tell you anything?”

“Not at all. If he has a plan, he never tells me. He says security is important… Our young master has many secrets.”

“Secrets? More like he’s highly capable.”

“Yes, Elder. Young master’s abilities are outstanding. Very much so.”

Hyeon Jeong-ok was intensely curious about what Jeong-hoon was up to.

But even if she asked, he wouldn’t tell her, which was frustrating.

She briefly considered secretly following him, but dismissed the idea, fearing she might inadvertently interfere.

On one hand, she was worried about him.

She was anxious that he might become a target by being too exposed.

She was sure Cheon Sang-soo and his people were sharpening their knives after the last redevelopment incident.

She anticipated a difficult battle ahead, unlike their previous easy victory.

She hoped that her grandson wouldn’t be discouraged even if he failed.

“Hey, you keep a close watch on him. Comfort him well, even if he fails.”

“I understand, Elder. But he rarely fails… From the bet for the top student in school to the redevelopment project, his win rate is one hundred percent.”

Man-ho praised Jeong-hoon, hoping to reassure the anxious Hyeon Jeong-ok.

“Oh, right, about the investment competition that young master mentioned…”

“Yes. How is that going?”

“He’s currently in 5th place.”

“What? 5th place… That fellow unnecessarily raised the stakes by putting his position on the line. You go and bring Jeong-hoon here.”

“Ah, I understand.”

***

“You called for me, Grandma?”

“Sit there. How are the results of the securities firm investment competition?”

“I’m currently in 5th place.”

Hyeon Jeong-ok looked shocked.

“You bet the president’s position on 1st place. What are you going to do?”

Her eyes were filled with anxiety.

“You don’t have to worry, Grandma. I’ll definitely win.”

Hyeon Jeong-ok couldn’t believe her grandson’s confident words.

“Executive Director Choi Jun-ki, who is in 1st place, has 98% return, and you have 15%, a difference of over 70%.”

“…That’s bigger than I thought. I have a game-changer.”

Jeong-hoon answered nonchalantly, but Hyeon Jeong-ok’s worries didn’t subside.

“A game-changer? What is it? Or should Grandma teach you something?”

“It’s okay, Grandma.”

“It’s not an easy situation… Hoo.”

Her long sigh reached Jeong-hoon’s ears.

“Don’t you believe me? Grandma, trust me.”

“Yes, yes, I should trust my grandson.”

Hyeon Jeong-ok shook her head.

“Ah, Grandma, I need some money.”

“What? How much?”

“A lot, a lot.”

“It’s okay, tell me.”

“About 10 billion won [approximately $7.5 million USD].”

Hyeon Jeong-ok looked at Jeong-hoon with a curious expression.

“What are you suddenly going to use 10 billion won for?”

Jeong-hoon thought that his grandmother, who didn’t even blink at the mention of 10 billion won, was indeed the Cash King.

“I’m going to invest it.”

“Invest… What rate of return are you expecting?”

“100% in 6 months.”

Jeong-hoon lowered the rate of return, knowing that she wouldn’t believe him if he said 1000%.

“100%? That won’t be easy.”

Hyeon Jeong-ok smiled.

“Lend it to me. I’ll use it for 6 months and return it.”

“Do you have any collateral?”

“Of course.”

In Hyeon Jeong-ok’s mind, the land in Yeongi-gun [a county in South Korea] came to mind.

“Then let’s do this. Win 1st place in the investment competition you’re currently in. Then I’ll give you 10 billion won as a gift. But if you fail, I’ll sell the land in Yeongi-gun. How about it? Will you try?”

Jeong-hoon felt sorry for his grandmother, who didn’t quite trust her grandson.

‘I’ve already secured 1st place….’

He felt he needed to try harder to earn his grandmother’s trust.

Jeong-hoon felt he shouldn’t have accepted his grandmother’s offer so readily.

It was a bet with unfavorable conditions for him.

Overturning a gap of over 70% wouldn’t be easy, not in an instant.

It was easy for Jeong-hoon, but an impossible gap for others.

So, he needed to pretend to hesitate a little.

“……I’m worried. If I don’t get first place, I might lose my 200,000 pyeong [approximately 160 acres]…”

After a moment of contemplation, Jeong-hoon spoke again.

“Okay. Then let’s bet Grandma’s 10 billion won and my land. I just need to get first place in the investment competition that ends next week, right? That’s too easy. I’ll keep my position as CEO and get 10 billion won. Hehehe.”

Jeong-hoon replied with a confident voice.

“Hehe, are you that confident?”

Hyeon Jeong-ok still saw it as unfounded confidence.

“Yes, but Grandma needs to trust me more.”

“Alright. Get first place. Then you can keep both your land and the money.”

He saw Hyeon Jeong-ok, still unable to believe him, wearing a skeptical expression.

He felt sorry for his grandmother, who was unnecessarily worrying about him.

‘I was going to borrow 10 billion won, but now it’s free…’

Jeong-hoon was overjoyed but couldn’t show it, which was a shame.

Hyeon Jeong-ok felt sorry for her grandson, who would soon taste bitter failure.

A 70% difference in returns was, in her common sense, impossible to overturn in just one week.

‘Grandma will sell the land and buy you a nice building in Myeongdong [a vibrant shopping district in Seoul].’

They were family, connected by blood, each deeply concerned for the other.

***

“Executive Director Choi, the results are coming out tomorrow… We should start preparing. This time, for sure…”

All the employees were looking at him.

“Ahem, yes. Let’s go to that samgyeopsal [Korean grilled pork belly] place we went to last time. It was delicious.”

Executive Director Choi Jun-ki, who was liberal with his attire and hairstyle but not so much with his spending.

The employees’ expressions darkened rapidly.

Everyone expected him to win first place.

He was currently in first place with an 89% return.

Second place was CEO Yoon Jeong-hoon with 65%.

He had outstripped the top-notch stockbrokers to take second place.

His return, which was 15% last week, had jumped to 65% in an instant.

The employees were all impressed.

Especially since he had narrowed the gap with the first place to 24% by buying rapidly rising stocks last week.

It was an amazing return.

But still, 24%.

It was impossible to overturn it by tomorrow.

“Still, samgyeopsal is a bit…”

“I can’t eat beef.”

“Ah, I understand.”

He had clearly seen him devouring beef at last year’s company dinner…

The person who would win the 100 million won prize was suggesting a samgyeopsal place right in front of them.

They had expected at least beef, if not a high-end Japanese restaurant.

The atmosphere rapidly deteriorated.

Everyone gave up on the dinner and focused on their work.

“Ahem, the office atmosphere is a bit strange.”

Everyone who saw him stood up from their seats and bowed.

“Have you arrived?”

Executive Director Choi Jun-ki approached Jeong-hoon and greeted him politely.

“Yes, everyone, please sit down. I stopped by to say hello since it’s been a while.”

Jeong-hoon turned his head and said.

“Did you decide on a place for the company dinner?”

“Yes?”

Choi Jun-ki looked at the employees.

“The current win rate is 85%, it looks like you’ll get first place.”

“It’s 89% now.”

Choi Jun-ki was sensitive to numbers.

“It went up again? That’s great. So, did you decide on a good place for the company dinner? That Japanese restaurant in front looked good, let’s go there. I’ll freeload a bit.”

“We decided on the samgyeopsal place in front. Please be sure to attend, CEO.”

“The first-place prize is 100 million won, you can’t do that. You should spend at least 300,000 won per person. If you’re too stingy, you can just not get first place.”

The employees who were watching them began to have expectations.

The CEO was speaking, so the executive director should back down.

“That’s… I can’t eat fish.”

The employees shook their heads once again upon hearing that.

They remembered Choi Jun-ki devouring natural sea bream at the last company dinner.

“I can’t help it. Instead, if I get first place, let’s go to a Japanese omakase [chef’s choice] place.”

However, the people who heard Jeong-hoon’s words clearly showed disappointment.

Long sighs came from everywhere.

But someone with a very small hope shouted.

“CEO, fighting!”

Jeong-hoon also heard that.

“That’s right, fighting. It’s not over until it’s over. Everyone knows that, right?”

“Ah, yes.”

What was over was over, and even God couldn’t easily revive something that was dying.

It was difficult to overturn without hitting the daily price ceiling twice.

“If it hits the ceiling twice, I’ll win.”

“CEO, please win.”

Assistant Manager Jang Ji-won made a fist and offered a soulless encouragement.

“Yes, of course. Let’s all eat omakase together tomorrow. Then I’ll be going.”

Jeong-hoon disappeared from the office.

“Hey, even so, samgyeopsal is a bit much.”

“That guy doesn’t spend money well.”

“Still, it’s 100 million won.”

“Who knows, maybe we’ll eat Japanese omakase.”

“Don’t say things that make sense.”

“Right, if the CEO wins, I’ll change my last name.”

“Let’s be grateful for free samgyeopsal.”

Messages mixed with slander against Choi Jun-ki and a glimmer of hope for CEO Yoon Jeong-hoon were exchanged on the company messenger.

***

“Director Hong Young-ho, I look forward to working with you.”

Vice President Kwon Young-soo, who came to his office to ask him to push him as the next CEO.

“Ahem, the results haven’t come out yet…”

Director Hong did not give a definite answer.

“In the current situation, Executive Director Choi is in first place. When I checked earlier, it was 89% and 65%. He said he would step down from the CEO position if he didn’t get first place…”

“Hmm, 65%… That’s still amazing, but why did the CEO bet his CEO position on getting first place? He created a situation he didn’t need to…”

Director Hong had a pitiful expression.

“Positions all have their owners. He must have thought it wasn’t his. Anyway, Director Hong, please help me. If Director Hong recommends me, Chairwoman Hyeon won’t say anything.”

Director Hong stared at Vice President Kwon Young-soo, who was already counting his chickens before they hatched, in disbelief.

However, there was no suitable alternative.

Everyone was reluctant to take the CEO position.

Who would want to be the captain of this sinking ship?

Director Hong thought about the 65% return once again.

Currently in second place.

He had surpassed the top-notch securities company employees at a young age to take second place.

It was inevitable that Executive Director Choi was such a monster, but it was truly a natural talent.

It was a pity.

He thought that Yoon Jeong-hoon, who had shown outstanding skills and courage, might be able to save BHC Securities.

But it was impossible to overturn it now.

A figure that could only be overturned by hitting the daily price ceiling twice.

He shook his head.

“I understand. Let’s talk after seeing the results tomorrow. I have a lot of work to catch up on.”

“Ah, yes. Then please take care of me, Director Hong.”

Hong Young-ho was processing the backlog of work and thought about CEO Yoon Jeong-hoon again.

He unnecessarily went to Heaven Securities and provoked them.

It was a series of incomprehensible events.

Even if he begged for contract termination, it was a shame, but he made the other party unpleasant, so he would inevitably have to pay 100 billion won.

“Hoo.”

A sigh came out automatically.

Looking at the clock, it was 2:30 PM.

The market would close in a little while.

While searching for real-time articles, he clicked on a noticeable piece of news.

Just looking at the title, he could see it would skyrocket.

‘Sunae Pharmaceutical’s New Drug Receives FDA Approval.’

“Successful new drug development and FDA approval… This kind of thing will basically hit the daily price ceiling. Our CEO should have bought something like this.”

It could go up at least 3-4 times.

It was a public announcement that guaranteed several daily price ceilings.

Hong Young-ho clicked his tongue as if he was disappointed.

Then he started processing the backlog of work again.

Cash King’s Genius Grandson, Becoming a Tycoon.