Chapter 57
Chapter 57
Translation: Godtl
"No way. Why are there so many people here?"
Today is a meaningful day.
Because it's the day Gwangun Group publicly announces its inaugural chairman.
Perhaps that's why an extraordinary number of people have come to the inauguration ceremony.
"Of course many people would come—today's the day my hyungnim becomes chairman."
Normally, when it's a group chairman's inauguration, executives from subsidiaries and partner companies would attend in modest numbers.
But the turnout was far beyond expectations.
Moreover, some unexpected figures were present today.
"Congratulations. You're the chairman now. Haha."
"Chairman Kang. How did someone as busy as you find time to come all the way here...?"
"Of course I had to come. Didn't we fight side by side in Japan and build camaraderie? Besides, I expect we'll have many opportunities to collaborate going forward."
As he spoke, Chairman Kang Sung-ho subtly glanced at Jeong Jin-ho standing beside Hwang Dae-un.
"By the way, I've heard rumors. They say Gwangun Securities designed an oil play and swept up the entire marine industry. Don't tell me this was also our Director Jeong's handiwork?"
"Oh, please don't say that. Just as I was about to retire after leaving the securities firm, this troublemaker stirs up a storm and suddenly seats me as chairman. What can I do?"
"Retirement? Someone in their prime like you shouldn't even think of retiring. You should earn while you still can. But I must admit, it's a shame. If you weren't the chairman, I'd have snatched our Director Jeong away in a heartbeat."
The glint in his eyes suggested it wasn't entirely a joke.
And for some reason, the way he kept saying "our Director Jeong" rubbed me the wrong way.
"You seem to cherish our Jin-ho a bit too much—I'd better keep him close. Ah, and by the way, he's not Director Jeong anymore."
"Oh? Then...?"
"Since I've ascended to chairman, someone needs to take over as president of the securities firm. It hasn't been officially announced yet, but once the inauguration ceremony wraps up and things settle, we'll convene a board meeting. It might take some time, though."
Since Jin-ho had installed Hwang Dae-un as chairman, someone had to fill the president's seat.
There was a vice president, but even he fully supported Jeong Jin-ho taking the presidency.
Because there was simply no more suitable candidate than Jeong Jin-ho.
"Director Jeong... no, our President Jeong tried to tie the chairman down so he couldn't run away, and now the chairman is making sure President Jeong can't go anywhere either."
"Why would I need to tie him down? Truthfully, this kid could leave anytime he wants."
"You say that, but it seems like you've got him firmly locked in place, don't you?"
"Hoho. That couldn't be further from the truth."
Chairman Kang Sung-ho's grip tightened as they shook hands.
Sparks seemed to fly between their locked gazes.
"I sincerely wish for Gwangun Group's boundless growth. Honestly, I'm curious to see just how far Gwangun will rise."
"Yes. I hope Kangsung and Gwangun can maintain this friendly relationship going forward."
After that tension-filled exchange, Hwang Dae-un stepped up to the podium.
'Now there's no turning back.'
Countless people below were staring up at him.
Among them, Jeong Jin-ho stood out the most.
His eyes sparkled as if he were genuinely overjoyed by Hwang Dae-un's inauguration as chairman.
'Jin-ho... thanks to that kid, I even got to experience being chairman.'
In all his years, he'd met many people, but none as trustworthy as Jin-ho.
Someone he could entrust with his legacy.
Someone he could trust with his very life without hesitation.
If there was one thing he'd learned in life, it was that true blessing wasn't wealth or fame.
It was having someone by your side whom you could trust more than yourself.
That was life's greatest blessing.
And so, Hwang Dae-un considered himself truly fortunate.
"I promise here and now that Gwangun Group will never be an owner-centric company, but a shareholder-centric one. Moreover, we will strive relentlessly to expand this influence globally and rise as the premier group."
These weren't empty words.
Hwang Dae-un himself wasn't confident he could achieve it—but Jeong Jin-ho, who was now clapping fervently and cheering from below.
That kid could make it happen.
Jin-ho would undoubtedly elevate this company beyond Korea to become the world's top group.
＊＊＊
"Chairman. You were incredible today. 'Chairman of Gwangun Group'—the title alone radiates overwhelming presence."
"Why does it feel so awkward when you call me chairman? Just call me hyungnim like always."
"Just for today, I'm calling you Chairman, Chairman. When you stood at the podium and spoke, it felt so grand—it stirred my heart."
"Thanks to you, retirement seems like a distant dream now."
"Of course. You'll have to stick around for at least another ten years."
"Ugh. And here I was planning to hand over the presidency to you and finally take a break—but you went and turned the whole company into a conglomerate just so I couldn't?"
"Exactly. Until the day I step down, Chairman, you won't be escaping anywhere."
Truth be told, conglomerates and grand visions—
None of that was ever part of my plan.
But whatever the case,
Hyungnim had become the chairman and stayed with the company, so all was well that ended well.
"Ah, I'm exhausted. I've been receiving congratulations all day."
"Then you should go rest."
"Can't. There's still someone I need to meet. I'm taking you and President Kim Du-yeong along."
"Who are we meeting?"
"Someone from the government."
Now that Hyungnim was no longer just the president of Gwangun Securities but the chairman of a major conglomerate overnight, his influence had grown, inevitably entangling him with government officials.
Just today alone, hadn't government officials come to congratulate him?
Even the Blue House had sent a congratulatory letter.
"But the person we're meeting now isn't from Korea. It's someone from China."
"Huh? They sent someone here?"
"Yeah. I don't know why either. I was going to meet them alone, but something felt off, so I'm bringing you and Kim Du-yeong along."
The Chinese official the three of us were meeting was Deputy Director Lin Weiming from the Ministry of Commerce.
From what I'd heard, he wasn't at the ministerial level, but he was a high-ranking mid-level official, far above the average civil servant.
"Thank you for waiting, Deputy Director."
My first impression of the deputy director, who had been waiting in the hotel's reserved room, was—
how should I put it?
A bit sharp-edged.
A translator stood beside him.
"Congratulations on your inauguration."
"I didn't expect you to come all the way from China for my inauguration."
"Well, weren't there plenty of other Chinese here too? While we were distracted, didn't you go ahead and swallow up all our country's companies in one gulp?"
His words carried a sting.
"The timing was quite impeccable. Acquiring companies right before our government imposed the Ban on Korean Culture, then monopolizing all the contracts afterward—do you have spies planted on our side or something?"
"We were just lucky. We were expanding our infrastructure to handle the surge in demand when the ban was announced. Even though Gwangun has profited greatly from it, we only wish the ban could be lifted now—for the sake of national interests."
"Well, it doesn't matter. Our Chinese government is magnanimous, so we'll let it slide for now. But we won't stand idly by while foreign capital exploits our people and sucks them dry."
"That's a harsh accusation. How is paying fair wages for labor considered exploitation?"
As if he had said all he needed to, Lin Weiming stood up.
"I came here today to deliver a direct warning. Once things settle down to some extent, withdraw your hands from China. We don't want Korean capital, of all things, coming in and seizing our companies. If you refuse to comply, you'd better be prepared. We'll force you out if we have to."
With those final words, Lin Weiming left the room.
"...Hah. Unbelievable."
"Right. He didn't come to congratulate us—he came to threaten us."
"Even for China, this is too much. How can they just threaten us like this? Without us, they'd still be struggling to clear the backlog at their ports."
"China's government probably can't act right now. If we pull out, they won't be able to handle the volume at this price. But like that Weiming guy said at the end, once things stabilize, the situation will change."
"Sigh. This is why China is such a high-risk market. It's a great place to make money—huge population, vast land—but the government is always the problem."
For now, we held the upper hand, but the Chinese government knew it too.
Once this backlog was resolved, they'd be the ones wielding the knife.
"Jin-ho, what do you think?"
"..."
"Jin-ho. Jeong Jin-ho?"
"Ah, yes."
"What? Were you spacing out?"
"Sorry. I was just... stunned too."
But the truth was, there was another reason.
'That person... why was his body shimmering like that?'
When I first met Lin Weiming, there had been no sign of it.
But the more he spoke, the sharper his face became, and a golden hue spread across his entire body—I couldn't look away.
The man who had just finished threatening us was now brimming with golden light...
Even now, the golden radiance that had enveloped Lin Weiming seemed to linger vividly in my vision.
＊＊＊
"Right now, the U.S. seems to be punishing companies one by one in connection with the 2008 Lehman Brothers incident."
"So the results are finally coming out now?"
"Yes. They were already proceeding sequentially, but it looks like they're really bringing down the hammer this time."
"American securities firms got hit with massive fines too. Just look at Gold Reagan—$13 billion, JP Mason—$10 billion. And it seems other banks and corporations will be next in line. Those two giants might not even feel a dent, but the others are in serious trouble."
I couldn't focus on my team members' conversation.
Lin Weiming, whom I'd met yesterday.
Why had he appeared golden to me? That question still haunted me.
"Chief. Have you reviewed all the reports? I saw you took the China-related ones..."
"Ah, yes. But there's nothing particularly noteworthy. Just more of the Ban on Korean Culture."
That was the problem.
If this involved Lin Weiming, there must be some issue brewing on China's side.
But I couldn't figure out what.
"China will probably take some measures to prevent our Gwangun from getting any projects. But right now, only our Gwangun Shipping is doing well—every other maritime business is suffering losses. The marine industry has never been this bad before."
"Exactly. It's so bad that even after privatizing port operations, many countries can't keep them running and are putting up their entire stakes for sale."
That's when it happened.
A spark flew from Hye-rin's words.
"Assistant Manager. Did you just say port operations?"
"Yes. Ports used to provide stable income, but now they're just hemorrhaging money. Trade vessels aren't moving like they used to."
A stronger tremor ran through my entire body.
"Could you get me data on which ports are currently offering their operation rights?"
"Of course! I'll bring it right away!"
Soon, the research team delivered the materials.
Just as Hye-rin had said, port operations used to guarantee steady revenue.
Especially the Malacca Strait—Asia's gateway.
Port Klang North Port and Tanjung Pelepas Port.
Colombo South Port and Chittagong Port, covering South Asia from the heart of the Indian Ocean.
Doraleh Container Terminal and Red Sea Gateway Terminal, positioned at the entrance to the Red Sea.
The Suez Canal, and more.
Ports across the globe were putting their operation rights up for sale.
Typically, governments retain ownership of port land and infrastructure for security, while companies handle operations.
But when operations flounder, those companies either sell portions of their operational stakes or exit entirely, liquidating everything.
"Port operation rights used to be incredibly hard to acquire, but now everyone's desperate to sell. Those once-pricy stakes keep hitting rock bottom."
I unfolded a map and examined the regions in question.
Then golden tendrils began flowing through my hands.
The luminous strands traced elegant lines, connecting to each location one by one.
As if charting some predetermined route.
The mesmerizing sight left me momentarily spellbound.
"Chief...?"
If Hye-rin hadn't called out, I might have kept staring blankly at the map for ages.
"Could you check the current asking prices for the port operation rights I've marked?"
"Ah, yes!"
"And forward the figures to Gwangun Shipping as soon as you get them."
"Yes!"
Port operation rights.
And this map.
I don't know why this pattern is emerging here.
But one thing's certain—the sensation from these golden strands is identical to when I saw Lin Weiming's golden glow.
Which suddenly made me wonder:
Could that shrewd bastard have actually been a harbinger of fortune?
＊＊＊
Three years ago.
The Chinese government announced a massive project.
The Belt and Road Initiative.
An ambitious plan to create the largest geopolitical infrastructure network in history by establishing land and maritime Silk Roads.
While they declared cooperation with about 150 countries, progress had been sluggish for three years due to funding issues.
The biggest obstacle? Ports.
To open the Maritime Silk Road, they needed strategic choke points.
And not just one or two—they needed locations positioned along the optimal routes planned by the Chinese government.
But acquiring those points was prohibitively expensive, and more importantly, the companies holding their operation rights had no intention of selling.
Why would they sell golden geese that laid eggs even when left alone?
So they waited.
And finally, the opportunity arrived.
As maritime trade grew increasingly difficult, companies holding port operation rights began withdrawing one after another, and the prices of the shares they put up for sale plummeted to rock bottom.
"This is the perfect timing to move in."
The Belt and Road Initiative, dormant for three years.
The Chinese government was planning to declare the project to the world once again.
By taking advantage of the global trade downturn, they aimed to secure the optimal land and maritime routes, buying up the scattered operation rights one by one.
And the Ministry of Commerce was tasked with this crucial role.
If they could sweep up all the operation rights now, dirt-cheap, they could establish the Silk Road exactly as the Chinese government envisioned.
This was a pivotal project—one that could only be realized now.
And so, it had to succeed.
Not that it should be difficult.
Hadn't they waited patiently for the companies holding port operation rights to wither and die?
Even when those companies came begging to sell, they had refused.
After all, if they waited, the prices would drop on their own!
"What? Rejected?!"
"Yes. Every key port we proposed to acquire has turned us down."
Lin Weiming, the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Commerce, couldn't comprehend it.
Just when had they been groveling, pleading for someone to buy their operation rights?
And now they were refusing?
"Why the hell? Last time, they were practically begging!"
"Well... it seems another buyer appeared and bought up all the shares."
"What? Who the hell would buy up a dying port business?"
"A company called Gwangun."
"...!"
Gwangun.
Those bastards again.
"The problem is, all the ports that rejected our acquisition offers have had their shares transferred to Gwangun."
"Wh-what?!"
How was this even possible?
They hadn't just bought random ports—they had specifically targeted the core regions of the Maritime Silk Road, acquiring them just to reject China's offers.
"Wait. So you're saying Gwangun knew our planned routes in advance and bought them up? How? I only learned about the finalized routes myself recently!"
"I don't know how, but... Gwangun has been aggressively buying up port operation rights for weeks now."
Just like during the Ban on Korean Culture.
Were these people really so well-connected within the government?
"Then we'll just take alternative routes!"
"Yes, but... this route was the result of meticulous deliberation. If even one part of it falls through, the entire plan will be disrupted. So the Director-General ordered us to secure the shares by any means necessary. Since the government has already announced the project, any deviation would require... consequences."
Lin Weiming swallowed dryly.
This was a major project the Chinese government had staked its pride on.
And it was falling apart before it even began?
And the Ministry of Commerce, responsible for the Maritime Silk Road, would be held accountable?
The outcome was as clear as fire.
"So now I'm supposed to run to those Gwangun bastards and kowtow to them?"
"We've already sent people, but... they were all rejected..."
His vision spun.
But sending the Director-General was out of the question.
"I can't go. Am I really supposed to bow my head to those bastards?!"
It seemed like they were retaliating for the last incident.
Insolent bastards.
He was furious to the roots of his hair.
"Where the hell did they even get that information...?"
Then, a sudden thought flashed through his mind.
'Wait. But howdidthey know?'
Even within the Chinese government, only a select few would have known the finalized routes.
The Ministry of Commerce had only received the final route confirmation two days ago.
Yet Gwangun had known in advance.
Weeks ago!
'Which means...'
There was only one conclusion—someone high up, someone Lin Weiming couldn't even begin to fathom, was backing Gwangun.
In other words, a core member of the Communist Party was pulling strings for them.
"!?"
The moment that realization hit, he shot up from his seat.
"Book a ticket to South Korea. Now."
"Huh? B-but you just said you wouldn't go—"
"If I don't, my head will roll—is this really the time to argue?! Hurry up!!"