Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Ilseong's Marriage Proposal
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Lee Byung-hak.
The moment that name was spoken aloud, the business world held its breath and the political sphere bowed its head.
Forty years ago, he had personally built the Ilseong Group from barren wasteland alongside the founding chairman. From there, it expanded into electronics, construction, finance, hotels, heavy industry, biotech, and trading.
Forty-nine affiliates. One hundred sixty-three thousand employees.
Annual sales reaching 261 trillion won. Ilseong Group had long surpassed mere domestic players to lead the global market.
But lately, the man steering Ilseong had one nagging headache.
The sudden maneuvers of the American pharma giant Selig.
And the man with deep ties to Selig: Kim Do-jun.
"Hmm..."
To run a sprawling conglomerate smoothly, information was essential. Acquiring even a single company required scrutinizing valuations, consulting investment banks or accounting firms to restructure finances.
Then hiring lawyers and legal experts to fend off potential lawsuits.
Conducting due diligence on assets, liabilities, taxes, and cash flows while weighing every risk.
By all rights, the well-prepared Ilseong should have claimed the Vigang System.
But a wildcard had emerged.
"Chairman, it's Kim Do-kyung. Mind if I come in?"
"You must be worn out from the long trip. Have a seat here first."
Executive Director Kim Do-kyung settled into the luxurious chair Lee Byung-hak indicated.
He had boarded a flight that morning and just arrived.
Their eyes met naturally.
"So, how's the Saudi situation?"
"It's unfolding just as you predicted, sir. South Energy was acquired by a man named Kim Do-jun."
"I see. So Ramzan Abdulman must be connected to Kim Do-jun somehow?"
"No, sir. It seems Selig CEO Jin Seol-hwa had prior ties to Ramzan Abdulman."
"Is that right? Interesting..."
Lee Byung-hak drummed his fingers on the desk in his office and let out a soft sigh.
"Worst-case scenario."
"Chairman, Kim Do-jun and Jin Seol-hwa pose a serious threat to Ilseong. They appear linked to high-level U.S. politics. Even Chairman Dae-young's trip to America might be their handiwork."
"The timing lines up."
"Should we pull some strings in the media and politics?"
"No need. No point making enemies right now. What about the shares?"
Kim Do-kyung produced a carefully sealed envelope from inside his jacket, treating it like top-secret intel.
Lee Byung-hak reviewed the documents, then set them down gingerly.
"Three percent of South Energy? Fair enough—not too much, not too little. So this Kim Do-jun wants two percent of Ilseong Trading in return?"
"Yes. I held off since it wasn't something to decide on the spot."
"I see. Quite the audacious fellow, that Kim Do-jun..."
"Pardon? What do you mean by that, Chairman?"
Pfft!
He let out a soft, incredulous chuckle.
What was Ilseong Trading?
It was the hub where all the liquid cash from forty-nine affiliates converged.
Demanding a stake in it was tantamount to declaring a bid for Ilseong Group's throne.
'He can't be after the chairmanship. The one destined for DJ Group's top seat is this Kim Do-jun, not Jin Seol-hwa.'
Helm two conglomerates each worth over 100 trillion in market cap simultaneously?
Impossible.
Even if feasible, the board would never approve.
Time to consider alternative motives.
'Is he testing me?'
Lee Byung-hak?
The top executive of Korea's number-one conglomerate?
He couldn't help but scoff.
It was madness for some kid in his thirties to challenge a man wielding near-absolute power in Korea.
'What a talent. I'd take him as a son-in-law in a heartbeat.'
Lee Byung-hak thirsted for capable people.
Running a behemoth required an army of them. He often mused that one genius could sustain ten thousand souls.
History proved it.
Great inventors had reshaped the lives of billions born after them.
James Watt had done it.
Einstein had sparked revolutions.
With technologies once unimaginable.
They had linked a fragmented world into one.
How monumental.
All achieved by single individuals...
"Listen."
"Yes, Chairman."
"Tell him we'll hand over two percent of Ilseong Trading."
"Ch-Chairman!?"
"Hahaha. Say it's this old man's reward for stirring life into a heart with few beats left. But of course, it can't be free. Ilseong Trading holds special symbolism."
Lee Byung-hak continued.
"How old is our Hye-ah now?"
Lee Hye-ah was the Ilseong family's pampered jewel.
Currently studying at a top overseas university.
"She turns twenty-seven this year. Surely you're not...?"
"Hahaha, has my Hye-ah grown that much already?"
"!"
"If he wants that two percent of Ilseong Trading, tell him to take Hye-ah with it. Do that, and the shares are his."
In that instant, his eyes gleamed with greed.
Play it right, and he'd snag DJ Group's next chairman as a son-in-law.
Along with that man's colossal enterprises.
Above all, the ties to the world's richest crown prince and Ramzan Abdulman—priceless connections money couldn't buy.
'I can't wait to see his choice.'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The Saudi trip wrapped up without a hitch.
Ramzan Abdulman personally saw them off at the airport, his face full of regret. Jin Seol-hwa met his gaze and opened her arms wide.
"Ramzan, thank you. For granting such an unreasonable request..."
"Nonsense. If anything, I owe you one, Seol-hwa. Without you, who knows what horrors might have unfolded."
Ramzan had once owned the PMC where Jin Seol-hwa served.
He gazed at her with deep affection.
"Wishing you all the best. The crown prince and I will visit Korea soon. We'll catch up then."
Saudi's second-most powerful figure.
A royal highness whose wealth rivaled the crown prince's.
Treated as VIP anywhere on earth.
Yet with Jin Seol-hwa, he acted like an old friend.
On the flight home, she dozed off in her seat.
During her Saudi stay, she had rushed around meeting countless people.
She offered to tag along, but he insisted the boss needn't bother—leave it to the underlings. He wouldn't budge.
Gulp!
A faint pressure settled on her left shoulder.
Jin Seol-hwa's head tilted right, defying gravity.
"!"
Gasp!
Was this the legendary shoulder pillow?
Men dreamed of knee pillows from women. For women, the shoulder pillow was another way to lean on a man.
Her heart raced.
The fingers resting on her knee fidgeted uncontrollably.
Snooore~
A soft breath escaped.
She slept soundly all the way to Korea.
"Looks like celebration noodles soon."
Seo Kyung-hwan, seated across from her, winked as he spoke. I ducked my head, face burning red.
This guy and his celebration noodles...
Jin Seol-hwa wasn't for the likes of me.
A world-class elite who could have any man she wanted. For her to take a basement-dwelling loser who jerked off in the dark? Absurd.
"Celebration noodles would be too much honor. Living like this isn't so bad."
"You're the future DJ Group chairman. Marry quick and produce an heir to stabilize things. No successor is prime owner risk."
"H-Heirs? No woman like that for me."
"Hmm, it's plain as day to me..."
Tsk!
Drool trickled steadily from Jin Seol-hwa's sleeping lips.
She even murmured "Hehe~" now and then, like savoring some delicious treat.
My own age was creeping into the mid-thirties.
Biologically speaking, the prime for men—socially validated, marrying, having kids, chasing ambitions.
'Marriage? No chance.'
Hanmyeong Construction called: HQ completion ahead of schedule. Once built, DJ Group launches, and chaos ensues.
Forget marriage; dodging work overload would be victory enough.
'Marriage is off the table this lifetime!'
First things first: stack that cash.
That's why I went to Saudi.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Finally back in my cozy home, there was Seol-young in her cute character apron.
Rub rub!
"Ugh! Uncle, park the blinker first..."
Ah, that long-missed little-sister energy.
Seol-young's adorable squirms against me brought a warm smile to my face.
"Hehe~ You worked hard."
"Yeah. What's all this food?"
"Heard you and sis slaved away abroad, so I flexed my skills a bit."
Ugh!
The thought of some punk snatching Seol-young away ignited fury in my eyes.
[Hand over Seol-young to me!]
[For Seol-young, I'll dedicate my life forever.]
What nonsense!
I didn't care who the bastard was—I wanted Seol-young by my side for life.
The table groaned under a feast fit for kings.
My favorites: meat sides, japchae, donggeurangddang, grilled fish.
Enough delicacies to break legs.
"Haa, can't eat another bite."
Had I ever scarfed so much rice?
Two bowls became three.
Made me think Seol-young's cooking had leveled up.
Or maybe it really had.
Flinch!
A ominous hunch hit me.
"Seol-young."
"...Yeah?"
"You didn't get a boyfriend, right?"
"...Boyfriend?"
"N-No, just... your skills improved so much."
Before, she'd charred the donggeurangddang black.
Now? Perfectly golden.
Dream meal over.
Back to the grind.
Tasks piled sky-high.
Three days later.
The call came from the one I'd been waiting for.
Ilseong Group's head of strategic planning: Executive Director Kim Do-kyung.
The moment he met my eyes, he sighed deeply.
"We'll give you two percent of Ilseong Trading."
What? They accepted my demand?
For Ilseong Trading shares?
"...But there are conditions."
Figures.
Ilseong weren't morons to hand it over free.
'Took a shot, but they actually bit.'
The problem? Kim Do-kyung's next words blindsided me.
"In exchange for the two percent of Ilseong Trading, form a bond with Ilseong."
What?
What kind of bullshit was this?