Chapter71: < The Unavoidable Arrow (3) >
Even though it was a business trip, the idea of going on a long one with just the two of them was a burden for Yeonghun, considering how it would look to others.
That's why he sent Yeon-hee back to Seoul with Department Head Go, leaving only himself in Gwangju.
Aside from Yeon-hee sharply rejecting Chief Hong's offer to send Min-hee down to help Yeonghun, nothing out of the ordinary happened.
Yeonghun's days were spent simply touring famous restaurants in downtown Gwangju.
After about three days, Yeonghun suggested to Assemblyman Jo Jae-min that they meet on the outskirts of Gwangju.
The native chicken restaurant, which could only be reached by driving down a quiet country road to a place where the sign was barely visible unless you looked closely, was a spot he never would have found without the internet.
"For someone from Seoul, you're quite good at finding places like this."
"I was introduced to it by a reliable source."
Of course, that "reliable source" was a YouTuber Yeonghun had recently started following.
"I've been waiting, since I hadn't heard from you."
"Have you made up your mind?"
"Are you testing me?"
"Everything needs to be certain. You're not aiming for something as small as a bus terminal, are you?"
"Of course not."
"Our resolve is important, but so is your will, Assemblyman."
"My will?"
Assemblyman Jo Jae-min's eyes gleamed.
"Without your will, we can't help you even if we want to."
"Alright. How should I show you my will?"
"If you are elected mayor of Gunsan..."
"If I am?"
"Can you arrange for the sale of the Gunsan Shipyard?"
Assemblyman Jo's movements froze for a moment.
He slowly took a sip of water before speaking.
"It's worth over a trillion won, you know? Do you have that kind of money?"
"We have no intention of getting it for free."
"That's a relief. Hyunjin Corporation won't be the one taking it, so... Hyunjin Heavy Industries?"
"Probably."
"Probably...? That's a strange way to put it."
"One can't be too hasty in judging how things will turn out. The important thing is that we intend to revive the now-defunct Gunsan Shipyard."
Whatever the motive, it was a thrillingly attractive proposal.
"The Gunsan city council has been consistently arguing for the sale of the shipyard. They believe it's practically impossible to restart it. Isn't Mujin Heavy Industries completely ignoring the Gunsan Shipyard now that they're merging with Haeju Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering? Selling it off seems like the natural course of action in many ways."
This was the first he'd heard about Mujin Heavy Industries trying to merge with Haeju Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering.
If that was true, the situation was even better for them.
"Mujin Heavy Industries will need a lot of capital for the merger with Haeju Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering. The funds from selling the Gunsan Shipyard would be quite helpful."
"I see what you meant by the 'will' I need to show, Manager Choi. But I was already prepared for that much."
Just then, the native chicken they had ordered in advance arrived.
The chicken, slow-cooked in a massive pot, looked so delicious it made his mouth water.
Assemblyman Jo Jae-min ordered a bottle of soju, poured a glass for Yeonghun, and then received a glass from him in return.
"Let's have a toast."
"Of course."
*Clink.*
After the clear clinking of glasses, the two focused on eating the chicken without another word.
Yeonghun, feeling that his mission in Gwangju was now complete, enjoyed the native chicken with a relaxed heart.
***
Chief Kang No-sik, arriving at Incheon Airport, looked as if he had lost 10 kilograms in just a few days, his face gaunt.
As he completed immigration procedures with the expressionless face of an emotionless machine and exited the arrivals hall, someone approached him with quick steps.
"Welcome back."
This young, pretty woman was an employee he had seen a few times when she visited the president's office.
Her name was...
"I'm Kim Min-hee from the Secretarial Office. I was told to come and pick you up, Chief."
"Who sent you?"
"It was on Manager Choi's orders."
Chief Kang asked with a blank expression.
"Was he worried I might go somewhere else?"
"He said you must be tired from the long flight and that I should drive you home comfortably."
"Thank you."
In truth, Min-hee wasn't entirely sure why she was here either.
She had simply followed Yeonghun's instructions to find out when Chief Kang was arriving, check on his condition, and drive him home.
But now that she was here, she could see that Chief Kang really did look to be in very bad shape.
After they loaded his luggage into the pre-parked car and set off, Chief Kang, leaning back in the rear seat, asked.
"How are things at the company?"
"Have you heard the news that operations at the Heilongjiang coking coal mine have been suspended?"
"What?"
As Chief Kang furrowed his brow and asked again, Min-hee, while focusing on her driving, calmly explained what she knew.
After hearing the explanation, Chief Kang was lost in thought for a moment before asking again.
"And Manager Choi?"
"I believe he was on a business trip in Gwangju regarding the Bongseon-dong apartment project rights and came back up today. He'll be in the office tomorrow."
"Is there any reason Manager Choi had to go there himself?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know? Or you can't say?"
"I'm sorry."
Chief Kang was inwardly baffled by Min-hee's firm response.
He couldn't help but be flabbergasted that a mere employee from the Secretarial Office was speaking as if he, the Chief of the Planning and Coordination Office, had no need to know a manager's schedule.
"What a mess. You're telling me to ask him myself, is that it?"
"I'm sorry."
"Stop by my house, then head to the office."
"What? Are you planning to go to work? Manager Choi said you'd be resting today..."
"Is Manager Choi my superior?"
"I'm sorry. That's not what I meant."
Chief Kang fell silent, lost in thought.
Whatever Manager Choi had been doing in Gwangju, he felt his own task was already set.
He felt that if he didn't immerse himself in work, he wouldn't be able to control his explosive anger.
And since a problem had just erupted at the company, there was no reason to stay home.
If he stayed alone in his silent house, he was sure to make a pathetic scene.
***
The next morning, as Yeonghun arrived at work and was about to report to President Song Eun-chae about his Gwangju trip, Chief Kang No-sik came up to the Secretarial Office.
The moment he saw Yeonghun, he asked to speak with him for a moment and led him to a quiet place.
"Did you have a good vacation?"
"I did. It was the most dynamic vacation of my life. I felt like I'd dug down to the very bottom of my existence."
In this day and age, with more people wanting to live alone, some might think divorce is no big deal, but for those who don't share that view, it comes as a great failure in life.
The mental shock is sometimes so great that people reflect on their lives, identify their problems, and even change their personalities.
Divorce is an even greater shock, especially when there are children involved and the more affection one has for them.
That is why the character *sal* (煞), meaning hex, is attached to it.
The Gojinsal, the Hex of Loneliness, while not a matter of life and death, inflicts enough pain on a person to warrant the name "hex."
He could well imagine what a huge shock this incident must have been for Chief Kang No-sik, who had lived his life meticulously planning everything with great sensitivity.
However, he hadn't sent Min-hee because he was worried the chief might make a mistake while driving due to the emotional shock.
"Regarding that matter, I'd like to offer my condolences."
"That's hilarious. You sent that young lady to the airport because you were worried President Im Ji-eun would be looking for me, didn't you?"
"I thought that might be a possibility."
"Someone from President Im's side was at the airport, but they turned right around after seeing your secretary."
As expected, President Im Ji-eun's people must have been trying to track down Chief Kang after he suddenly became unreachable.
"I see."
"I came to the office yesterday and confirmed a few things."
"Is it about the coking coal matter?"
"Yes."
"Then is it about Senior Managing Director Cha?"
A strange light appeared in Chief Kang's eyes.
"You knew?"
"No. I just suspected it might be Senior Managing Director Cha. Both myself and the President... we just couldn't bring it up. What did you find?"
He met Yeonghun's gaze for a moment without speaking.
Then, he lowered his voice and said.
"Manager Choi, now that it's come to this, let's speak frankly."
"Go on."
"Is it true you really don't have any connections?"
The "connections" Chief Kang was referring to were clearly things like school or regional ties.
Yeonghun wondered if telling the truth here would be advantageous in persuading him.
He knew that sometimes, you get better results by telling people what they want to believe, what they want to hear.
"I'm not entirely without connections. I have a close acquaintance at Shinyoung Bank. But it's not the kind of blood relation to a Chaebol family that you're thinking of, Chief. And is that really important right now?"
"It is important. When Hyunjin Corporation is like a candle in the wind, shouldn't I know who my fellow passenger on this ship is?"
"A candle in the wind... Your perspective is quite different from mine."
"You don't think so? Don't you feel anything seeing the coking coal mine operations suspended?"
"It was unexpected, I'll admit, but it's not as if a wave big enough to capsize the ship has hit us, is it?"
"This is just the first wave. The second and third will follow."
"So? Are you asking me to request that my 'background' stop Chairman Im Chang-ho?"
"No, I'm just suspicious that you might be treating this like a game, meddling in someone else's family feud only to pull out whenever you feel like it."
"Ah... so that's what you were worried about?"
He nodded at Yeonghun's smile.
"If not, that's a relief."
Chief Kang left it at that and went straight into the president's office.
A short while later, Yeonghun was summoned to the president's office.
When Yeonghun entered, President Song Eun-chae welcomed him with Chief Kang by her side.
"Did you have a good business trip?"
"Thanks to the corporate card, I ate well and had a good trip."
"I'll hear your report later, Manager Choi. Chief Kang just told me something about Senior Managing Director Cha. I thought you should hear it too."
"Understood."
Chief Kang, already aware that Yeonghun was favored by President Song, began to speak without hesitation.
“There's a man named Juchwin, a People's Representative of Heilongjiang Province. The structure is complicated, but to put it in terms we'd understand, he's basically the equivalent of a National Assemblyman. This Juchwin has deep ties with Senior Managing Director Cha Ji-yeol. He's the one who arranged the development permits and connected them with the businesses. The thing is, I'm also acquainted with this Juchwin. I contacted him when I got to the office yesterday, but he just blew up at me, told me to stop calling him about this kind of thing, and hung up.”
“Is that so?”
“If we can determine whether this Juchwin is just putting on an act or if there's a genuine problem in our communication with him, I believe we can get to the bottom of this situation.”
President Song turned her head toward Yeonghun.
“What do you think?”
“I suppose we'll find out when we meet this Juchwin.”
“Given how things are going, I doubt he'll open up easily.”
“People who are that angry often just need someone to hear them out.”
President Song nodded, then spoke with a smile.
“Alright. But Manager Choi, I'm sorry to send you on a business trip to China when you just got back from Gwangju.”
Inwardly, Yeonghun was filled with anticipation at the thought of flying on a plane for the first time in his life.
“It's no problem.”
“Chief Kang, you may leave now.”
“Understood.”
After leaving the president's office, Chief Kang No-sik let out a hollow laugh.
He had naturally assumed that if anyone were to be sent to China, it would be him. He never imagined she would send Manager Choi...
Just then, Chief Hong Seung-dae approached him.
“Did you have a good rest?”
“Rest? She’s thinking of sending Manager Choi for the steam coal deal.”
“I suppose Manager Choi is the person she trusts the most.”
“Does he even know how to speak Chinese?”
“I believe he doesn't.”
“Then what's he going to do? Persuade him with hand gestures?
“Won't he take an interpreter?”
“Hah, you think a provincial People's Representative is going to open up to some kid who brings an interpreter along?”
Chief Hong studied Chief Kang's expression, then leaned in slightly and continued.
“I think you need to make your position clear to the President.”
“You're telling me to figure out who's on my side, is that it?”
“Exactly. Why else would she send Manager Choi, who can't even speak Chinese, to China? It's because there's no one in the company she can trust.”
“Damn it... This is bullshit. I'm stopping by the Human Resources Department on my way out.”
Watching Chief Kang walk away, Chief Hong smirked.
“Poor Jun-gi.”
Less than an hour later, Yang Jun-gi of the Planning and Coordination Office was completely dumbfounded by a sudden personnel transfer notice.
Wondering what was happening, he rushed to Chief Kang No-sik, who had just returned to work after a week, only to be met with a cold reply.
“It seems you don't have the skills to be here yet, so go get some experience in India. There's a guy there named Byeon Hyeong-jae who's quite capable.”
“Ch-Chief... if I go, will I ever be able to come back?”
Jun-gi pleaded, his face on the verge of tears, but Chief Kang's response held not a shred of mercy.
“That's up to you. Now hurry up and pack. I'll give you two days off before you go, so get some rest. And if you don't want to go, leave your resignation on my desk.”
< The Unavoidable Arrow (3) > End
0 Comments