Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: First Investment Pitch
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It was a novel feeling.
This was the first time in his life anyone had ever solicited an investment from him.
Until now, he'd been the one initiating contact with others, distributing acquisition funds appropriately, which allowed him to take over the American pharmaceutical company Selig, and domestically, Starlight followed by Future Distribution.
"Thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Seo Kyung-hwan, CEO of the small company called Nasal Systems."
"Is that so?"
"Also, my child is in the same class as your daughter."
The reason for emphasizing that point.
It was a message akin to asking for them to get along well from here on out.
This is just great...
I've gone and caused another misunderstanding.
"...Not my daughter, my little sister."
"Pardon?"
"My little sister. And I'm only 32, so please speak comfortably."
"Hahaha, th-that's a bit disconcerting."
He recalled something from just three hours earlier.
One of the kids had greeted him, but stared at him like he was some fifties uncle. Sure, his face might look a bit rough, but he was still a vigorous guy in his early thirties.
To think that he'd be called not "mister," but "sir."
Kids from good families don't casually throw around "mister." That word has a subtle gaslighting vibe to it.
So when they see an older man, they mostly say "sir."
"Sir" refers to someone advanced in age, but it's also a respectful way to address someone worthy of esteem.
Even after being told to speak casually, this was a public setting, not a private one.
CEO Seo Kyung-hwan maintained his polite demeanor.
"So, what is the reason for wanting to meet me?"
He hated long-winded introductions.
What was most important to a businessman?
Money, naturally.
And to make that money, time was essential.
A famous investor from the past world had once said:
[Money can be earned anytime, but time cannot be turned back.]
This meeting was between one person seeking investment and another aiming to profit from providing it.
In other words, Seo Kyung-hwan and himself.
"Truth be told, I already know we're at our limit. But since it feels like the results are just a little further away if we push the project a bit more, that's why I requested this meeting."
Nasal Systems...
He'd heard their annual revenue exceeded 50 billion won.
Jin Seol-hwa had advised that applying Nasal Systems atop Future Distribution could yield significant synergies.
However, there was a problem.
The purpose for drones desired worldwide right now was different.
"The drones CEO Seo envisions are meant to benefit humanity, right?"
"...Yes."
"Wars large and small are breaking out all over the world right now. As you know, the drones each country wants focus more on superior lethality than benefiting humans."
"I'm aware of that too."
There were two main types of drones.
Those that benefit humanity.
And those that harm it.
They could be subdivided into complexities, of course.
"According to info from other domestic industries, you're linked with the Ministry of National Defense. What would you make in tandem with them? Like Turkey or Israel, military-use drones, right? Gotta survive first, after all."
"......"
The uses for drones were endless.
They excelled in complex environments where human missions were difficult.
Based fundamentally on AI, they aligned well with the business direction he envisioned for DJ Group.
Businesses were booming in various countries even now.
In the US: Amazon, UPS, Wing, etc.
Numerous companies were actively pursuing drone delivery projects.
They'd succeeded in commercializing drone deliveries in select regions certified by the FAA. Small packages could be delivered quickly within limited distances.
China was no different.
Alibaba, dubbed the e-commerce giant, along with JD.com, were aggressively pushing drone deliveries. They'd long implemented systems delivering parcels via drones to rural and suburban areas.
Was it due to such effects?
They classified regulatory easing and infrastructure as national industries, accelerating development even further.
'Neighboring Japan and the UK are doing it too.'
Japan was particularly serious about it.
No real difference from Korea.
To address aging populations and logistics labor shortages, they'd introduced drone deliveries.
Finishing his thoughts, he voiced his curiosity.
"CEO Seo must already know, but Ilsung and Daeyoung have shown immense interest in future AI ventures and drones. Even without me, couldn't you just approach them for collaboration?"
"Th-that's..."
Did he have some dilemma?
CEO Seo Kyung-hwan let out a deep sigh with a frustrated expression and muttered softly.
"They demanded 51% of the shares."
"!"
What? 51% shares?
That was basically saying they'd swallow the company whole!
No wonder Nasal Systems, called the golden egg of domestic firms, was thirsty for investment. Valuing such a company's future wouldn't end at just hundreds of billions.
The strategic planning office with the chairman's close aides wouldn't be ignorant of that fact either.
'First time I'm jealous of a web novel protagonist...'
After reading Kang So-yeon's novel, he'd checked out some modern fantasy.
Watching the protagonist triumph endlessly with future knowledge had made him so envious.
If he'd had knowledge like that, he wouldn't be wrestling with dilemmas like this.
"How much was the investment?"
"280 billion won."
"......"
This was straight-up robbery?
Demanding 51% for 280 billion was textbook power abuse!
Only then did he grasp CEO Seo Kyung-hwan's true dilemma. Receiving the investment wasn't the issue. The real problem was handing the company over to outsiders upon accepting it.
'Once they take it over, they'll target profitable sectors first.'
It clashed with the founder's conviction in building Nasal Systems to benefit humanity. All ongoing projects would be scrapped and replaced.
Looking at Ilsung and Daeyoung's consistent business strategies, his guess was spot on.
"Hmm..."
He was torn.
Should he step back for now?
Messing up could pit him against top-tier Korean chaebols.
He didn't want to make enemies when he needed to adapt to this country.
Throwing money around—his specialty—could easily bring Nasal Systems under his control. Of course, even then, he'd keep Seo Kyung-hwan as the manager.
He'd done the same with Future Distribution, appointing a veteran in the field as CEO.
Once DJ Group launched, he planned to seat expert CEOs in each subsidiary and let auto-hunting run smoothly.
Starlight was a hobby pick since he loved games anyway.
"Let's do this."
"Please speak."
"Give me a week. It's too tangled with funding issues and complications to decide now."
"......"
"But I promise you this much."
His eyes, locked in conversation, held not a flicker of doubt—utterly resolute.
"Even if I invest in Nasal Systems, I'll keep you, CEO Seo, in charge of operations."
"!"
"No lie. Trust is paramount in these investments."
"Really?"
"Yes. Other matters might need watching, but you can put a seal on what I just said."
He planned to consult the three women he lived with.
Two heads are better than one, after all.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Jin Seol-young was assigned to class 1-2.
Her homeroom teacher was a woman who evoked the image of a career woman.
Seol-young, on the shorter side, got seated in the middle.
Glancing around, she spotted a friend with a gloomy expression.
"Did you forget your textbook by any chance?"
"Uh, yeah?"
The girl next to her was named Seo Su-ji.
She'd heard from Seol-hwa unnie that her dad was in the drone business.
How she knew? Not just the girl next to her, but front, back, across the room—she'd sussed out all the family backgrounds.
In short, she'd sorted friends worth making from those not.
The peer called Seo Su-ji.
A shy girl with short bobbed hair dotted in freckles.
Her voice so soft, you had to keep ears wide open to catch it.
Such a Su-ji, upon realizing she'd forgotten her textbook and hearing the offer to share, fidgeted with two fingers.
"Th-thank you..."
"Hehe, no need to thank me— this is nothing between friends."
Thus, the two girls pushed their desks together, shoulders brushing as they smiled at each other.
Despite little time passed, they seemed quite close already.
When the teacher suddenly tossed a question from the blackboard explanation,
Jin Seol-young whispered the answer to flustered Su-ji.
"Thanks."
"No need for thanks. I think of us as friends, Su-ji."
"...Really?"
"Yeah. Honestly, I've never made a friend before."
Even before getting sick, she'd played alone.
After getting sick, she'd lived in hospital rooms.
Thus, Seol-young deeply realized how precious someone who saw her at eye level truly was.
Learning Seol-young's story, Su-ji's bright eyes welled up with chicken-poop-sized tears.
Not expecting tears,
Jin Seol-young could only look flustered.
"D-don't cry."
"Waaahhh!"
"Ah, no..."
She'd just opened up happily about having a friend to confide in, sharing her past—only for it to backfire.
"Sniff, was it really tough?"
At her friend's lisping slip, Seol-young couldn't help but giggle.
Her face resembled Do-jun uncle so much.
"Heehee, heehee!"
"Hing, why laugh?"
"You look just like my favorite Do-jun uncle."
"Do-joon un-cle?"
"Yeah. The most precious person in the world. You resemble that uncle."
Not about handsome or ugly looks.
A true bond where hearts could open fully.
Seol-young wanted that with Su-ji.
Afterward, they ate lunch chatting amiably,
And focused through afternoon classes to finish smoothly.
Ding-dong-dang!
With the end-of-day bell, the two girls shouldered bags and walked side by side.
"What about the pop quiz?"
"Pop quiz?"
Seol-young heard of it for the first time.
"Yeah. I heard from a senior— to objectively assess new students' skills, there's a sudden pop quiz. It's super hard, so everyone's on alert."
"Really?"
"Yeah! Really tough."
Even before entering Daehan Middle School,
Seol-young had finished all middle school curriculum and was studying high school material, so no worries.
How hard she'd worked to impress friends.
Despite the doctor's concerns, she'd cut sleep to study.
Thanks to that, no exam fears,
But.
"Um..."
"Yeah?"
Su-ji, face beet red, glanced around before quietly asking.
"If it's okay... wanna study together at my house?"