The Genius Grandson Of The Cash King Becomes A Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 87

#087

“Hi Mr. Yoon, are you Robert Yoon of Legend Company?”

“Yes, I am Robert Yoon. Nice to meet you.”

Jobs couldn’t help but be surprised.

He was much younger than he had expected.

‘To be the owner of an investment company that dominates California at that age… Geniuses are popping up everywhere, I can’t keep up.’

Jobs, with wide eyes, adjusted his glasses.

“Thank you for coming. Please, have a seat.”

Jeong-hoon guided Jobs to the sofa.

Lee Byeong-seok, looking extremely nervous, brought two cups of instant coffee, his hands trembling.

“Thank you.”

Lee Byeong-seok, hesitating, opened his mouth with difficulty.

“I’m sorry, but can I get your autograph…?”

Jeong-hoon frowned, but he didn’t care.

‘Is he crazy?’

He, who was usually arrogant and known for his harsh remarks, frowned deeply and said,

“I’m sorry, but I’m not here to sign autographs.”

He was visiting for business, not to give autographs.

Lee Byeong-seok looked at Jeong-hoon.

Cha Young-mi and Cheon Jin-hyeok were also staring intently at Jeong-hoon.

Their eyes desperately wanted Jobs’s autograph.

‘Damn it. They’ve all gone crazy…’

Jeong-hoon reluctantly made a request.

He decided to sacrifice for the people who worked for him.

“Jobs, I’m sorry, but could I ask you a favor? Everyone here is a genius in computer programming and security.

They’ve all gone crazy seeing you. So, please sign three autographs so they can come to their senses.”

“Hmm… I’m not a celebrity, so it’s difficult. But since you asked.”

Jobs spread his arms and surrendered.

“Thank you, Jobs.”

Lee Byeong-seok handed him a pen and paper, and he signed the paper.

He even kindly wrote their names while signing.

He gave the first paper to Lee Byeong-seok and signed the second one.

Looking at Cha Young-mi, he asked,

“What’s your name? You look so innocent.”

Her expression slightly crumpled.

“Please write Harley Quinn.”

Jobs was taken aback.

“I hope you’re not the Harley Quinn I know [a DC Comics villain].”

At that, Cha Young-mi chuckled.

When he asked Cheon Jin-hyeok his name, he replied Psycho.

“Sigh, it reminds me of those two who hacked our company last year. Psycho and Harley Quinn. They played so many pranks that it really gave me a headache.”

Hearing that, Jeong-hoon glared at Cha Young-mi.

“Young-mi, I told you not to go around playing pranks, didn’t I?”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

Cha Young-mi lowered her head.

Cheon Jin-hyeok also quickly hid his face behind the monitor.

Jobs, who didn’t understand Korean, blinked, looking clueless.

“So that’s what happened. I’m glad I signed. Otherwise, something troublesome might have happened. They’re not merciful people.”

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

“Haha, I mean it was a good thing.”

“Then let’s get down to business.”

“You need investment?”

“Yes. We don’t have enough money for research and development. iPods are popular now, but it’s still not enough. Plus, we’re in trouble because Mafia money has come in.”

“Mafia money? How did their money get in?”

“I heard they’re secretly buying shares. With their massive financial power, they might soon become the largest shareholder.”

“Is Mafia money a problem? They’re just investors, aren’t they?”

“No. They’re not investors. They’re just hunters trying to rip off the company. They’ll sell our patents everywhere. That’s their goal: to recover their investment as quickly as possible. Dozens of companies in the United States have already disappeared because of them.”

“Hmm. How much do you need?”

“At least $100 million. If possible, we need $200 million.”

“Hmm. That’s a lot of money.”

Jeong-hoon deliberately looked troubled.

‘A hundred billion, two hundred billion [Korean Won]. That man is running around because of that money. How unfortunate.’

“Is it difficult?”

Jobs asked. There was desperation in his voice.

His face clearly showed that he didn’t want to lose the company to the Mafia.

“Hmm, I need to think about it. But are you going around the world to find investors because of that money?”

“Yes. I have no choice. I have to save the company.”

Jeong-hoon nodded.

“Shall we take a walk for a moment?”

“Yes, let’s do that. Sitting here won’t bring a solution.”

Jeong-hoon took Jobs and started walking.

It took less than 20 minutes to walk to Dongdaemun Stadium [a former sports complex in Seoul].

“It’s a very old stadium. Was the 1988 Seoul Olympics held here?”

“No. That stadium is somewhere else.

This place will be demolished soon.”

“This old stadium, and the baseball stadium next to it, are both being demolished?”

“Yes.”

Jeong-hoon looked at Jobs. His eyes were sparkling.

“I want to build a research and development center for the future here. A very large center.”

“Research and development? That sounds great. It’s in the middle of the city, so it’s easily accessible. If it works out, it’ll be the best. Talented people don’t like moving far.”

“That’s right, Jobs.”

Jeong-hoon took out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to him.

“Take a look.”

Jobs unfolded it. A building shaped like a giant donut was drawn on it.

‘This is…’

He was taken aback. It felt like someone had drawn exactly what he had in his head.

His dream.

He had always wanted to build Apple’s headquarters like this someday.

“Wow, what is this? It’s an amazingly beautiful building. The center is… what is it?”

“It’s a park. People can walk around freely. In the building, the world’s best talents will research future technologies.”

“For a better future?”

Jeong-hoon took out his cell phone.

“I’m going to put everything inside this cell phone: Internet, games, music, and movie viewing.”

“Hahaha, really, you are…”

Jobs shook his head, looking at Jeong-hoon.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s an idea I presented to the directors last week and got rejected.”

“What? It’s a big deal that they can’t understand such a great idea. Haha.”

Jeong-hoon laughed, and Jobs gave a bitter smile.

“Well, it’ll work out eventually.”

He looked at Jeong-hoon.

His eyes were full of curiosity.

It was time to find out why he had shown him the old building.

“What do you want?”

Jobs asked.

Jeong-hoon turned his head and looked at Jobs.

The genius’s eyes were clear and pure.

He could feel the pure passion for technology and a beautiful future.

“I will acquire Apple. I want to make a cell phone with the Apple name. And the cell phone is just the beginning. Autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, smart homes—I’ll connect everything. I’m going to build an Apple empire all over the world!”

‘This is what that man was thinking?’

Jobs’s heart was pounding.

This man was trying to execute what he had only dreamed of as an idea.

He was only weighing the feasibility and dreaming, but he was already thinking of pouring money into it.

“I’m going to build a research and development center here. I don’t care how much money it takes. If I secure 50% of Apple’s shares, I will support everything you dream of.”

“What? 50 percent? I don’t even have that much.”

“I want to acquire it through a third-party allocation of new shares [issuing new shares to a specific investor].”

“That method might be possible, but existing shareholders will have to take a loss.”

“Let’s set a condition: if the stock price doesn’t exceed $10 within 10 years, I’ll give all my shares to the shareholders.”

“Does that mean?”

‘He could lose his entire investment.’

Jobs’s face was filled with bewilderment.

“It means that if I don’t make a profit within 10 years, I’ll liquidate everything and walk away penniless.”

“Really? You might not get a penny.”

“I don’t care. But if I don’t get a penny, I think I’ll be sad.”

“That’s right. It’s too much money.”

“No. It’s not because of that, it’s because I’m sad that I didn’t achieve my dream.”

‘Damn it, that young man is talking about dreams, and I’m talking about money. Jobs, how far have you fallen?’

He was ashamed. His pure passion for technology and the future had disappeared as he became a manager.

That man was dreaming of a more beautiful future than he was.

He was ashamed.

“Is 50 percent enough?”

“It should be 50 percent + 1 share. I will invest all my assets, if you want.”

Jobs didn’t answer. A long silence flowed.

He asked Jeong-hoon for his understanding and walked around Dongdaemun Stadium once.

After a while, he came back and reached out his hand to Jeong-hoon.

“I will persuade the shareholders. Everyone will follow my opinion. I want to run for the future you dream of, too.”

Jeong-hoon listened to him and corrected one word.

“The future you dream of…? It’s the future *we* dream of.”

The two men put infinite trust in each other’s hands.

***

Back in the United States, Jobs called all of Apple’s major shareholders to his office.

It was an unofficial shareholders’ meeting.

Looking at them in the office, he opened his mouth.

“We have received an acquisition offer.”

“From where?”

“Legend Company. The headquarters are in the United States, but the owner is Korean.”

“What? I’ve never heard of that company.”

The people who heard the name began to murmur.

“It’s a rapidly growing company. The condition is that they guarantee autonomous company management. At least they won’t tear the company apart and sell it off.”

“That’s a relief. But are you sure the people who invested last time are Mafia money?”

“Yes. I’m sure. It’s the company that looted my friend’s company, Sky Investment.”

At Jobs’s words, sighs flowed from the people around him.

The Mafia was targeting the company.

But the company that was acquiring his company was an American company owned by a Korean, eventually a Korean company.

For Apple, which once divided the American computer market, it was a shameful situation.

“Korean, not even Japanese. Aren’t those guys after our company’s technology?”

“No. On the contrary, they said they would fully support technology development funds.”

“We have to be able to believe that.”

“They say they will raise the company’s stock price to over $10 through active technology development. If they fail, they said they would return all the investment to the shareholders here.”

The eyes of everyone in Jobs’s office sparkled.

‘$10 in 10 years?’

It was a long time, but everyone thought it was impossible.

The current stock price is about $0.5.

If it goes as he says, the stock will rise 20 times, and if it doesn’t, they will receive more shares than they have.

Unless they go bankrupt, there is nothing to lose.

After diligently tapping on their calculators, they positively accepted the acquisition offer.

“But can they handle our research and development costs? I’m sure they can’t. Let’s wait a little longer. A good investor may appear soon.”

“Their will to acquire is certain. And they have a lot of money. They don’t just own Legend Company.”

Jobs didn’t say that the owner of Shinwha Group and Legend Company was the same.

Jeong-hoon had asked in advance.

“And they already have 10 percent of the shares. If we oppose it, they said they will not hesitate to do a hostile M&A [Mergers and Acquisitions]. They also threatened that research and development costs could be drastically reduced.”

“Hmm.”

“I also oppose it.”

The representative of Terra Investment, who holds 15 percent of the shares, opened his mouth.

“Why?”

“It’s a matter of pride. I can’t hand over an American company to a small country in the East. Absolutely impossible.”

Some people gestured in agreement with his claim.

The trend would not change even if they opposed it.

But he thought it was good to make it clear.

That way, there would be no back talk later.

“There is no American company that can save Apple. If there is, I would also agree. But the important thing is that I won’t be in that company. If you guys oppose it, I’ll go to Korea alone. That’s my decision now.”

“No, if you leave, what about the projects that are currently in progress?”

“Well, someone else will do it.”

Everyone clicked their tongues.

‘How did he sweet-talk that stubborn guy?’

If he had decided, the conclusion was set.

They had no choice but to follow.

That man eventually nodded.

“Okay, then raise your hand if you agree.”

Everyone raised their hands in favor of the acquisition.

“Thank you. You all won’t regret it. In my feeling, the stock will rise 10 times, 100 times or more with that person. He doesn’t want to buy our company. He wants to build an empire with us.”

At Jobs’s words, everyone responded with applause.

After the meeting, everyone left the room, and Jobs called Jeong-hoon.

“We will now carry out a third-party allocation of new shares.”

“Thank you, Jobs. Thanks to you, things went smoothly.”

“I told everyone about the conversation we had that day. So they agreed. Of course, the financial part was the most important.”

“Hahaha, well, there’s no helping it. I look forward to working with you in the future, Jobs.”

“I’m the one who should say that. I’m going to spend a lot of money on research and development. Hahaha.”

“Yes, spend as much as you want.”

Jeong-hoon hung up the phone and blinked.

He was in a daze.

Apple becomes his company?

It was too unrealistic.

“Are you okay, CEO?”

Lee Byeong-seok asked.

“Yes, I’m okay. We’re acquiring Apple.”

“What? Really?”

This time, he seemed to believe it.

Well, he had seen Jobs with his own eyes, so he couldn’t help but believe it.

“Yes, it will become the one and only affiliate of our Legend Company.”

“Wow, congratulations! Really! I can’t believe I’m working for a company that acquired Apple.”

The people at Legend Company spared no praise.

Jeong-hoon came home and explained the Apple acquisition to his grandmother.

His grandmother and Uncle Man-ho congratulated him.

But they just thought Jeong-hoon had bought a mediocre American computer company.

***

Hanho Group Chairman Han Pan-soo went to Park Hyun-cheol’s house because of the upcoming Cheonji Association leader election.

Park Hyun-cheol, Deputy Chief Prosecutor, the eldest son of an elite legal family representing Korea.

His father was also the leader of the Cheonji Association at one time.

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Park Hyun-cheol is also eyeing the Cheonji Association, but his priority now is to become the Prosecutor General.

His power was needed.

“How have you been?”

“I’ve been good. I heard you got a good hit from Yoon Jeong-hoon.”

Han Pan-soo looked surprised.

“Ahem, I’m offended. How far have you planted people?”

“Haha, I’m sorry if you were offended. When I’m in my position, information pours in. If you have any questions, just ask me one and I’ll teach you.”

“I don’t have any.”

Han Pan-soo still didn’t hide his displeasure.

“By the way, I heard that the company you were trying to acquire through Sky Investment failed this time.”

“I heard so. When I see the way those Mafia bastards handle things, I get frustrated. If we did it, we would have taken care of it in an instant, hehehe.”

“There are plenty of good companies, so you can buy another one.”

“That’s right. By the way, what’s the matter today?”

Park Hyun-cheol looked at Han Pan-soo with a bitter smile.