Chapter 24. LIVIO SOFT
The sparring between Shin-woo and the bodyguards didn’t end with just the initial six men. He provoked the remaining 22 bodyguards, who had been waiting their turn for training, to come at him all at once.
And now, 30 minutes later, every single one of them was lying flat on the ground.
“Phew―!”
Catching his breath, Shin-woo looked around. All of them were clutching their waists or necks, unable to get up.
Executive Director Yu Hyung-jin, who had been observing the scene from the side, was dumbfounded.
“……”
What he had just witnessed wasn’t merely a display of proficiency in close combat.
If he had to put it into words…
‘…A monster?’
Baek Shin-woo had narrowly dodged attacks from every direction and countered with pinpoint precision. Each hit was on a vital point, and yet Shin-woo hadn’t even used his full strength.
Had he not held back, the number of casualties might have matched the number of people currently lying on the floor.
“Stand up―!”
Startled by Shin-woo’s shout, the bodyguards flinched and stirred.
“If you’re too embarrassed to get up, you might as well stay down and submit your resignation when you go home.”
Honestly, some of the bodyguards were already contemplating quitting on the spot.
But what Shin-woo said next forced them to open their tightly shut eyes and stand up.
“However, be prepared for the word to spread that 28 of you got beaten by a single man.”
The security and bodyguard industries are filled with professionals, many of whom have personal or professional connections to the police or military.
Naturally, a few connections are enough to make acquaintances and share news quickly.
Bad rumours spread like wildfire in such a tight-knit community.
Soon, the bodyguards slowly got up and lined up in neat rows and columns.
Shin-woo took off his gloves and began pacing back and forth in front of them.
“Hey, you over there!”
Park Dae-sung, who was singled out, raised his head in shock.
“…Y-Yes? Yes! Please, speak.”
“Do you understand why you and the others lost, even when you ganged up on me?”
“…I think… our field of vision narrowed.”
Shin-woo nodded, as he had deliberately disrupted their postures whenever they tried to counter, and had purposefully attacked their flanks so they couldn’t rush in from all directions.
“You’ve got it right. So, what should you have done instead?”
“……”
“You should have found a way to create a favourable situation for yourself by any means necessary, in the shortest time possible.”
Just then, one of the bodyguards raised his hand courageously.
“Shouldn’t we prioritize securing the safety of the person we’re protecting?”
Of course, that wasn’t entirely wrong either.
“No form of security is better than neutralizing the threat. Of course, if the enemy is armed with weapons or firearms, ensuring the safety of the client should take precedence.”
Shin-woo’s explanation continued.
The bodyguards, who had been listening quietly, had no choice but to acknowledge Shin-woo’s skill, which they had just witnessed firsthand.
Having finished overseeing the training, Shin-woo noticed that Tactical Training Instructor Jung Kang-ho had arrived at some point.
“When did you get here?”
“I’ve been watching for a while. It seems your skills are as sharp as ever.”
“Shall we talk in my office?”
Shin-woo picked up his jacket from the floor and headed to his office with Jung Kang-ho.
This was the first time they were sitting down together since Shin-woo’s initial day at KITE.
Once inside, Jang Jin-ho, who had become his secretary, brought some cold water.
Taking a sip, Shin-woo glanced at Jung Kang-ho, who was sitting diagonally opposite him. Seeing Jung staring at him intently, Shin-woo spoke up.
“Are you of the same opinion as Director Yu Hyung-jin, thinking that the training is too intense?”
“Honestly, it’s not light… but it’s a necessary training for KITE right now.”
“There were complaints, I see.”
Jung sighed deeply at Shin-woo’s question.
“Unlike the Special Security Team, it’s true that the general security and bodyguard teams have been complacent, having been hired based solely on their experience.”
“But didn’t you design the training program together with Director Yu?”
“That was the best I could do with my abilities. But now we have someone more capable as our CEO, so I’m relieved.”
He spoke with genuine acknowledgment.
Shin-woo chuckled at Jung’s expression.
“I’ve reviewed all the security strategy reports you’ve submitted so far, Instructor Jung.”
“…All of them?”
Jung Kang-ho had joined KITE two years ago.
During that time, he had submitted dozens of strategic reports on managing the security and guard teams.
Naturally, each report was thick with content.
“It’s necessary to go through them for the sake of KITE’s future.”
“You seem different from what I remember.”
The Shin-woo in Jung’s memory was someone who would appear alone and aggressively take down enemies. Although his character hadn’t changed much, seeing him act thoughtfully as a CEO was unexpected.
“I had to change. By the way… your leg… it hasn’t fully healed, has it?”
“They said the nerve damage was too severe for full recovery. But I’m grateful to still be alive. I couldn’t properly thank you back then… but I’m really grateful now.”
With those words, Jung Kang-ho, still seated on the sofa, bowed deeply.
“It was my mission after all.”
“No matter if it was your mission, it was almost an impossible rescue operation. Honestly, I thought the CEO had gone mad at the time.”
The kidnappers were members of North Korea’s worst special forces unit, known as Unit 8402, composed of the best of the best, armed with combat experience and skills.
“I won’t deny it was a crazy thing to do.”
“I couldn’t ask back then due to the circumstances, but… did you leave the place under unfavourable conditions?”
Jung Kang-ho used to be a colonel in the Capital Defense Command.
Among all the people he encountered throughout his long military career, no one possessed combat instincts and skills as sharp as Baek Shin-woo’s.
Naturally, the military wouldn’t have let someone like Shin-woo leave so easily. Even if his unit had been disbanded for some reason, they would have reassigned him to another unit to keep him on board.
“I just left because it was time for me to do so.”
“Did your commanding officer stand by idly?”
“He tried to dissuade me. But what can you do? I insisted on leaving. Although, I did have a lot of papers to sign.”
Confidentiality agreements, temporary travel bans, non-disclosure agreements for intelligence agencies, and many others…
There were mountains of security documents designed to prevent the leakage of information due to the numerous special operations carried out by UAD.
“That must have been quite the headache.”
“It was a bit annoying, to be honest, being summoned by the commander every other day after submitting my discharge papers.”
“It’s no wonder they tried to stop you. Losing someone with your record would be a big loss for the Ministry of National Defense. But, what does it mean for you to be the Chairman’s descendant? From what I know, members of such units aren’t supposed to have any family ties.”
The Capital Defense Command had once formed a team similar to UAD, so Jung Kang-ho was roughly aware of the qualifications required for unit members.
“Well…”
Shin-woo briefly explained how he came to meet his biological mother, Im Hee-yeon, after his discharge.
Of course, he didn’t mention anything related to Unit 666.
Jung Kang-ho’s head nodded sympathetically as he listened to the complicated story, showing a look of pity.
“You’ve been through a lot of complex situations.”
“Well— it’s not too bad. I went from being a complete orphan to becoming the child of a conglomerate family.”
“I understand the intricacies of the owner family’s situation. Even though you might not be easily swayed, you still need to be cautious.”
He was referring to the Special Security Teams assigned to each member of the owner family. These teams operated independently within KITE but were known for being willing to handle any dangerous task without hesitation. There were plenty of rumours about them within KITE. As a lifesaver, Jung Kang-ho sincerely hoped Shin-woo wouldn’t end up in a dire situation.
“Thank you for your concern.”
***
Several days later…
Myung Un-seok, Director of the Strategic Investment Planning Office at MH Group, arrived in Silicon Valley with Team Leader Na Jung-hyun and the security personnel.
【LIVIO SOFT】
The company’s name was displayed in front of a three-story building.
Myung Un-seok had come here to ensure that he could turn around the declining performance, a situation made urgent by Baek Shin-woo’s influence.
Upon entering, Team Leader Na Jung-hyun approached the reception desk. After mentioning the appointment, a woman walked out from inside, her high heels clicking on the floor.
Click-clack— Click-clack—
A blonde Caucasian woman with shoulder-length hair and green eyes, wearing a tight gray striped two-piece skirt suit over a red shirt, walked up and spoke in English.
“Hello, you must be Director Myung Un-seok and Team Leader Na Jung-hyun from MH Group, correct?”
Myung Un-seok stared at her for a moment, momentarily lost, before responding.
“…Ah! Yes, I am Myung Un-seok, Director of Strategic Investment Planning at MH Group.”
He naturally answered in English and waited for her response.
“I’m the secretary to Dale Becker, the CEO of LIVIO SOFT.”
“Ah, I see. Your presence is so striking that I thought you might be the CEO. May I ask for your name…?”
“Let me show you to the CEO’s office.”
The blonde secretary, seemingly not having heard Myung Un-seok’s question, took the lead and walked up the stairs. Following behind, Myung Un-seok glanced at the secretary’s back with a sly smile.
‘…Not bad at all.’
Many employees could be seen walking around.
After climbing up to the third floor, they walked down a hallway to a door labelled ‘CEO’ before knocking on it.
Inside, a middle-aged man with brown hair and eyes, a solid build, and dressed in a checkered shirt and jeans, was seated.
“Thank you for coming all the way here. I’m Dale Becker, the CEO of LIVIO SOFT.”
“I’m Myung Un-seok from MH Group.”
Na Jung-hyun introduced himself.
After exchanging greetings, everyone took their seats on the sofa.
“You proposed quite a radical condition.”
Getting straight to the point without any formalities, Myung Un-seok replied with satisfaction.
“It’s basic business etiquette to offer the counterpart exactly what they need.”
“That’s the simplest yet the most difficult thing to accomplish. So, have you managed to locate the rightful owner of the base program?”
Currently, there were rumours surrounding LIVIO SOFT due to a patent infringement issue regarding their mind-mapping-based program, which serves as the company’s foundation.
The problem stemmed from an unknown individual claiming to be the original creator of the program and distributing it for free.
On the other hand, LIVIO SOFT asserted that they were the ones who developed the foundational program.
The issue escalated when other companies, who had previously used the original program, raised complaints.
“We first need a solid reason to act on our end to avoid any wasted efforts.”
Myung Un-seok took the contract that Na Jung-hyun handed over and presented it to Dale Becker.
Dale Becker carefully examined the contract and then smiled.
“20 billion won as an investment secured by 5% of non-listed shares… Isn’t this condition too harsh?”
This amount was far below the actual value of 5% of LIVIO SOFT’s shares.
“The additional option clauses attached at the end of the contract should make up for that, don’t you think?”
“Is there a definite way to fulfil those conditions?”
To finalize the investment contract under such terms, Myung Un-seok needed to find the developer of LIVIO SOFT’s foundational program and secure ownership rights.
However, despite utilizing all of their resources, LIVIO SOFT had been unable to locate the developer up until now.
“If I say there is… will that make the contract possible?”
“Honestly, it feels like we’re taking a loss, but it’s something our side has to endure.”
“Good.”
After reviewing the contents of the secondary contract, Dale Becker signed it without hesitation.
The attached contract included a termination clause in case the developer could not be found, so there were no issues.
“…So, what method did MH Group come up with? Or perhaps… are you already aware of the developer’s identity and just testing me?”
“We don’t know for certain yet. However, we did find out that the developer’s ID is ‘MANDU’ and that they are Korean.”
“We are aware of the ID ‘MANDU.’ But Korean? How did you find out that the developer is Korean?”
“We traced the individuals who used the program’s basic source code. Fortunately, we managed to have a conversation with the developer, and they mentioned residing in Korea.”
Dale Becker was visibly shocked by the explanation.
“Is that true?!”
“There’s a high probability that it is. Moreover, ‘MANDU’ is a Korean food name. Based on that, we are tracking them.”
Feeling confident about the success of this investment contract, Myung Un-seok smiled.
Then, Dale Becker hesitantly spoke up.
“I didn’t have the chance to mention it earlier, but would it be alright to add one more condition?”
“…What kind of condition?”
“Since LIVIO SOFT is on the verge of going public… the negotiation with the developer must be conducted as quickly as possible.”
“I understand what you mean.”
“So, I was wondering if my secretary could join the MH Group in the process of finding the developer.”
Dale Becker’s gaze turned to his secretary, who was standing beside him.
“Are you referring to her? Oh, I didn’t catch her name earlier.”
This was because when he had asked her name on the first floor, she had ignored him and only guided him forward.
With a confident expression, the secretary introduced herself.
“Hello. I am Dale Becker’s secretary, Lillian Foster.”
—
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