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Chapter 23 – Let’s see if they’re no match.
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Let’s see if he really is a match.
Im Kang-min was startled at the suggestion of taking the villa.
“Me? Take the villa?”
“Yes. If the monk doesn’t like the temple, he should leave.”
Chairman Lee Hwan-geon was dumbfounded.
“Haha. Isn’t that saying meant for another situation?”
“Whatever the case, I’m not living in this villa anymore, so there’s no reason to keep facing you, Chairman. Let’s go.”
As Lee Seon-su really started to leave, Chairman Lee Hwan-geon spoke urgently.
“Are you really leaving like this?”
“Yes. I am.”
Considering how far he had gone to come here, it was clear that the one who regretted the situation was Chairman Lee Hwan-geon.
Chairman Lee had clearly intended to assert his dominance and take control.
There was no intention to let himself be dragged along by him.
“If you leave like this, the approval for the negotiation plan will take more time.”
Honestly, it would not be good if the approval for the negotiation plan were delayed.
It had already been reported to the Russian government that negotiations with the South Korean government were complete, and only approval was pending.
Once approved, the deal would be formally announced, and Ambassador Petrov would sign the agreement.
However, if the approval was delayed, the Russian government could reconsider.
This was a matter that needed to be resolved quickly.
Chairman Lee Hwan-geon was well aware of this.
“Then we’ll renegotiate with another country. Russia isn’t the only one borrowing money from Korea.”
“Are you really planning to do that?”
This time, he did not answer.
He got into the car brought by the security team.
But they could not drive off immediately.
Chairman Lee Hwan-geon’s car and the security vehicles he had brought were blocking the way.
Im Kang-min picked up his radio.
“Clear the path.”
The car carrying the Super Guard personnel moved forward.
Bang!
It simply rammed into the blocking car, pushing it aside.
There was now enough space for one car to pass through.
However, the security guards from the Samdo Group stood in the way.
“Boss, what should we do?”
Running people over with the car wasn’t an option.
With the police watching, it was even more out of the question.
“Let’s just walk.”
“Understood.”
They got out of the car.
Im Kang-min and the Super Guard security team formed a protective circle around him.
“From now on, anyone blocking the boss’s way will get two weeks of hospital rest, guaranteed.”
Im Kang-min took the lead.
His imposing presence was overwhelming, to the point where the Samdo Group’s security guards didn’t dare to stop him.
At that moment, Chairman Lee Hwan-geon’s voice was heard.
“I surrender. I apologize for coming to meet you in such a way.”
Chairman Lee had intended to show Lee Seon-su the raw power of his authority first.
He wanted to demonstrate that no matter how much Lee ran or struggled, he was powerless against the might of Samdo Group and himself.
But the Super Guard security team had derailed his plan from the start.
Moreover, Lee Seon-su acted as if he would never back down.
If he let him go like this, he knew they might never meet again.
“Could I have a moment of your time? Just enough for a cup of tea. I won’t ask for more.”
It seemed unlikely that they could leave easily.
And Chairman Lee had already apologized.
This created some conditions for dialogue.
He turned around.
“You’ll need to compensate for the damages.”
“Compensate?”
“My men were injured. The car was damaged as well.”
Chairman Lee was once again dumbfounded.
No one among the Super Guard team was seriously injured.
In fact, the Samdo Group’s security guards had sustained more injuries.
And the damage to the car was due to them clearing the path.
It wasn’t Samdo Group’s responsibility.
But they had to do as Lee Seon-su demanded to initiate a conversation.
“Fine. I’ll compensate adequately.”
“How much will you compensate?”
“I’ll handle it fairly.”
“Letting the offender decide the compensation? That’s not how it works.”
He was starting to get annoyed.
Chairman Lee didn’t want to waste any more energy on this matter.
He needed to focus on talking to Lee.
“All injured personnel will receive full medical coverage, and each will get 20 million won in compensation. I’ll replace the damaged car with a new one.”
There were nine members of the Super Guard team, including Im Kang-min.
“That’s rather stingy for the chairman of the top-ranked company in Korea.”
“Are you provoking me?”
“I wouldn’t say no to that.”
“Well, provoke all you want. Just as you’re a businessman, I am too. Even what I offered now is excessive. Should we just handle it legally?”
What a miserly old man.
This approach wouldn’t work anymore.
“Fine.”
“That’s better. Shall we have tea at your house?”
“No, let’s go to the new house I just moved into.”
“Haha. I haven’t moved all my belongings there yet.”
“I don’t have proper tea at my house either.”
“Not even instant coffee?”
I do.
Of course, I do.
But I don’t want to give even a cup of instant coffee to someone interfering with my work.
“What about that coffee shop down there?”
“I saw it on the way. It brings back memories. Let’s go there.”
“Sure. You’re paying, right?”
“Haha. Yes, I’ll pay. Miserly as I may be, you’re no different.”
Chairman Lee moved first.
Naturally, the Samdo Group’s security team also moved, clearing the villa’s entrance.
I headed to the agreed coffee shop, escorted by the Super Guard team.
***
This isn’t a hotel, yet the chairman of Samdo Group, the top-ranking conglomerate in Korea, is sitting in a shabby coffee shop.
Of course, inside the coffee shop, there were only Chairman Lee Hwan-geon, myself, and the shop owner.
The shop owner brought two cups of coffee and was escorted out by security.
Now, the only people left in the coffee shop were Chairman Lee Hwan-geon, two security guards, myself, and Im Kang-min, making a total of five.
“It’s an expensive coffee, so drink up.”
It really was expensive coffee.
After all, they had rented out the entire coffee shop.
“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”
The taste was just like coffee from an old-style café—sweet and delightful.
I put the cup down. Chairman Lee Hwan-geon hadn’t touched his coffee.
He simply stared at me.
Then, Chairman Lee Hwan-geon spoke.
“Aren’t you curious why I came?”
“Should I be?”
“Are you going to keep provoking me?”
“This isn’t provocation. Should I genuinely be curious?”
To be honest, it was provocation.
Even if I denied it, if the other party felt provoked, then it was provocation.
“You’re bold. Even if you’ve got Russia backing you, this is Korea. In Korea, my power is something you cannot contend with.”
“You’re right. So, you’re here to flaunt your power?”
“You keep taking a twisted stance. I came here to have a constructive conversation.”
That’s ridiculous.
A person who mobilizes violence and political influence to intimidate someone comes claiming to have a “constructive conversation”?
It would be constructive only for him.
Still, I was curious.
“A constructive conversation?”
“Yes, a constructive one.”
“Let’s hear what it’s about.”
“Why don’t we collaborate on the defense industry with Samdo Group?”
I got a sense of it.
He saw the potential for profit and wanted a piece of the action.
But I didn’t think that was the only reason.
How much money does Samdo Group make in a year?
Would Chairman Lee Hwan-geon personally get involved just to join a small defense industry project?
“Is this like someone with a hundred cows trying to take the one cow owned by someone else?”
“You could see it that way. But I’m thinking of giving you ten cows in return.”
This didn’t make sense.
No one would give away their cows without reason unless they were crazy.
There had to be some other benefit.
“How would you give me ten cows?”
“Funding and connections.”
With Samdo Group’s capital and decades of established networks, there would be nothing impossible to achieve in Korea.
This made it even more suspicious.
“Let’s be honest. How much profit do you expect from a fledgling defense company to go this far?”
Chairman Lee Hwan-geon laughed.
He wondered if it would be okay to share his thoughts with Lee Seon-su.
“That’s for you to figure out. Didn’t you call yourself a businessman negotiating with governments? Then you should already know my proposal is profitable.”
It was true that it would be profitable.
But it felt like biting into a poisoned apple.
“If you’re investing funds and connections, can you guarantee I’ll retain management rights?”
Chairman Lee took it as a positive signal.
“Of course. But the name has to be Samdo.”
Keeping management rights while using the name “Samdo.”
That seemed to be the core of it.
And I doubted the management rights would truly be preserved.
The funds invested by Samdo Group would certainly become shackles.
“Are you trying to take full control of Korea?”
Chairman Lee’s eyes gleamed.
He realized Lee Seon-su had discerned his unspoken ambition.
But he didn’t show it outright.
“Why do you think that?”
“I believe there’s nothing you don’t already have, Chairman. With your existing money and connections, you’re more than sufficient. So why desire a fledgling defense company?”
This wasn’t an ordinary defense company.
It involved bringing in aircraft cruisers and vertical take-off and landing fighter jets from Russia.
Weapons that neither China nor Japan possessed.
And the technology derived from these would be applied to South Korea’s defense systems.
If he could monopolize this technology…
“It’s about planning for the future. A monopoly on technology!”
“You’re sharp. That’s right. A monopoly on future technology. With that, no government could dare to mistreat Samdo Group.”
Even now, they can’t mistreat him. But it would only get worse.
“So, what do you think? Will you share that power with me?”
For now, he might share it.
But later, I could be discarded like the other founding members of Samdo Group.
The name “Samdo” originated from the fact that the company was started by three people.
Three heads forming a single entity. Even if one head fell, the remaining two would endure until the company recovered.
But no one expected one head to cut off the other two.
“What if I refuse?”
“If I can’t have it, neither can you.”
“I never intended to have it in the first place. I must uphold business ethics.”
“Business ethics?”
“I’ve agreed to sell the products as an intermediary to the South Korean government for a fee. Using the sold goods would violate the contract.”
Chairman Lee Hwan-geon laughed.
“Haha, uphold business ethics? Even when it’s clear my future profits will be greater?”
If I had to respond in a single sentence:
“I don’t want to be called a thug.”
Chairman Lee Hwan-geon’s expression hardened.
“Are you saying that I’m a thug?”
“Aren’t you? Doing whatever it takes to get what you want. It’s admirable, really. Having the kind of power that makes people call you a thug is something to respect.”
In some ways, I’ve also acted like a thug.
I used the South Korean government to fend off Samdo Group’s attacks.
So, is it a tie since we both resorted to thuggish behaviour?
“Now that I think about it, I’m a thug too. But being called a thug by a competitor feels more like a compliment. If it comes from a client, though, that’s definitely an insult.”
“Oh? Are you complimenting me now?”
“Ultimately, yes.”
Old thug geezer.
“So, in the end, are we just two thugs using our power to fight each other?”
“As expected of you, Chairman.”
“You won’t be a match.”
“That remains to be seen.”
“The opposition party will start raising serious issues about this negotiation. Right now, they’re only questioning whether more internal discussions are needed, but…”
“So you’re saying you’re going to fan the flames properly.”
“If I can’t have it, there’s no helping it. Will Russia wait forever?”
A direct hit.
“Well, I could sell it to Japan. Or China, perhaps.”
“Do you think the South Korean government would sit idly by and let that happen?”
This sly old fox.
“The negotiation failed because the South Korean government didn’t approve it.”
“The South Korean government will claim that the negotiations are complete and that only the approval is taking time.”
Even if that’s not the case, the Russian central government has already been informed, so cancelling the negotiation isn’t an option.
Otherwise, we’d need to offer even more benefits.
“For whatever reason, if the negotiation falls through, you’ll lose favour with the South Korean government. You won’t be able to do any business in Korea anymore.”
“That’s true. I’ll have to make sure that never happens.”
Chairman Lee Hwan-geon laughed again.
“You’d better. And the way to ensure that is by accepting my proposal.”
Keep dreaming.
“I’d prefer if you didn’t assume that’s the only option.”
“Does that mean you have another plan? What is it?”
Are you crazy?
“I don’t see any reason to tell you. You might interfere.”
“What if I promise not to interfere?”
As if I believe you.
“I’m not an idiot.”
It was something I’d planned to do later, but it seemed I needed to act on it now.
“Thank you for the expensive coffee.”
“Don’t hold out cause of sheer stubbornness. I’ll be waiting.”
I stood up from my seat.
“You don’t need to wait.”
“You won’t make me wait long.”
I said not to wait.
Oh, actually, it’s fine if he does.
“You’ll hear some good news soon, Chairman.”
It felt like I was crossing a bridge I could never return from with Samdo Group.
Well, this was bound to happen sooner or later anyway.
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