Chapter 138
Chapter 138
138.
Accidental Undercover Mission (1)
Jang Man-soo's voice exploded from the receiver.
[Rick and Hector are together?!]
[Chief! Is what you're saying true? Rick and Hector are in Yemen?]
Lillian's voice could be heard alongside his.
Shinwoo, having finished his explanation, was startled and quickly pulled the receiver away from his ear.
"Hey, you're hurting my ears. Anyway, it seems like it. But Kwak Chi-young went to Asmara. Is that a coincidence?"
[Kwak Chi-young went to scout Rick and Hector? With that guy's personality, Rick might crush his head with his fist.]
Kwak Chi-young seemed polite, but every word he uttered was laced with barbs and thorns. He had a way of subtly provoking people… and Rick instinctively hated that kind of talk.
"Well, first we need to confirm if it's really them. According to Amber, Hector is questionable, but using a sniper rifle isn't that common, and a guy as big as Rick isn't exactly ordinary either. Especially with the heavy weapons."
[What do we do? Should we go straight to Eritrea?]
"Isn't it difficult to scout there with LEUCO?"
After a moment of thought, Jang Man-soo sighed and explained.
[I already tried, but it's difficult because the internet penetration rate isn't high there. Besides, an information broker there is likely to use a dedicated Dark web browser using satellites instead of a regular public line.]
"If I move, I'm bound to attract Kwak Chi-young's attention."
Dorothy, now the head of TSF's China branch, was even in Korea. Soon, Kwak Chi-young might come too, so there would be more eyes watching.
Lillian, who was on the call with him, stepped in.
[Or should I go?]
"If they really went to that Traces place there, there might be someone watching. Let's see what happens after Kwak Chi-young arrives."
[What if those two-man mercenary Hounds are really Rick and Hector, and they unknowingly took Kwak Chi-young's hand?]
"There's no way they wouldn't recognize a 666 Unit member. Well, I'm a little worried about Rick. But if Hector's by his side, he'll control him somehow."
Then Lillian seemed to remember something and spoke up.
[That's right! Come to think of it, Hector originally said he was going to join KDB around this year.]
"The Belarusian KDB?"
She was referring to an intelligence organization like South Korea's NIS.
Hector was originally a Korean-Russian who, after becoming an adult, belonged to the Russian special forces Spetsnaz and also worked for the foreign intelligence service SVR.
Then, for some reason, he left Russia and lived as a freelance mercenary.
[He said he'd be with KDB for about five years starting this year. I met him when I was with the CIA and that's what I heard.]
"Really? Man-soo, can you check with KDB? If we can get even just the information on new recruits, we can be more certain."
[I'll check. But you don't know the exact timing?]
Jang Man-soo asked Lillian over the receiver.
[I don't know that much.]
[If you don't even know the approximate time, that means we have to keep searching until the end of the year.]
[Then do it~!]
[Hey, just because you're not doing it!]
[Oh, you! Talking back to your older sister? You wanna die?]
Thump, thump—
Loud noises began to be heard. Shinwoo could guess from that alone that the two had started fighting again.
"Seriously… those guys never have a quiet day."
He ended the call.
In the meantime, the car arrived near the MH Distribution headquarters in Songpa-gu.
"Secretary Jang, I'm asking just in case… the employees aren't out here because I said I was visiting today, are they?"
"...They probably are."
At the same time, Shinwoo let out a long sigh.
"Tell them all to go inside right away. I'm just going to quietly look around and go back."
"...Yes? But they've probably been waiting for quite a while. At least greet them before you go in."
"No, it's fine. Just tell them that my visit today has been canceled."
Jang Jin-ho was embarrassed but had no choice but to answer.
"Yes? But……."
"I can get inside with the headquarters access card, right?"
"It's possible because it's synchronized with the MH Future Security security system. But why are you telling me to say it's canceled……."
"I'm going to go alone. Everyone else, please wait in the car."
"...Yes?!"
Everyone looked at Shinwoo in surprise.
"It'll just attract attention if we all go together. I'm just going to quietly look around inside to see how things are working. Anyway, the guards are from KITE, so they'll recognize my face, so there won't be any problems."
"Are you going undercover?"
"Honestly, I don't know how things are going inside because of the overall employment succession. If I want to see it as it is, it's better to go alone."
Shinwoo had no intention of doing things half-heartedly just because it was a courtesy visit.
"Even so… won't there be misunderstandings?"
"Just do as I say. So everyone, please wait quietly in the car. Especially Meian. Don't pop out unnecessarily."
"Aww……."
It was obvious that she was trying to follow him secretly.
"Drop me off over there, and park in the public parking lot or nearby and wait."
"Understood."
Mark Freeman, who was driving, pulled over to the side of the road and dropped Shinwoo off.
"I'll say it again, absolutely do not follow me. If Meian follows me, she'll be immediately repatriated to China."
"...Tch."
The car left as soon as the back door closed.
Shinwoo, who was alone for the first time in a while, stretched out on the sidewalk.
"Ahhh—! It's refreshing."
It was because he had hardly any time to himself since becoming the CEO of MH Future Security and having the special security team by his side.
Especially since he was swamped with work and couldn't be free, his frustration grew day by day.
Shinwoo took in the refreshing(?) air and walked towards the building with the sign MH Distribution. There were quite a few people going in and out of the building.
As he entered the first floor of the building, he made eye contact with a security guard who was on security duty.
Perhaps because he looked like an outsider, the guard immediately approached Shinwoo.
"What brings you here……."
The security guard, who was momentarily unsure, was startled and tried to bow from the waist, but Shinwoo immediately raised his hand to stop him.
"I'm here to look around quietly, so please refrain from greetings."
"Yes? But……."
It was because the security guard had heard in advance that Shinwoo, who had become the CEO of MH Distribution today, would be visiting.
"It's a work order. Please tell the KITE security guards in MH Distribution not to acknowledge me even if they recognize me."
"...Understood."
Shinwoo patted the security guard on the shoulder and looked around the lobby. Then he noticed a group of young men and women in suits entering the auditorium on the first floor.
"Is there some kind of event in the company today?"
He asked the security guard from earlier.
"There's a new employee orientation briefing."
"Orientation?"
"It's a session to explain the process before the official orientation, which lasts for four nights and five days."
"Ah, thank you for letting me know."
Shinwoo nodded and went over there.
'Come to think of it, I told them to hire a lot of new and experienced employees when we changed to MH Distribution.'
It was to easily replace the stagnant water when making additional reorganizations later.
With that thought, he took a pamphlet at the entrance and entered the auditorium, where dozens of new employees were sitting huddled together, waiting for the briefing to begin.
The number of new employees was larger than he had expected. The reason was that MH Distribution not only had its headquarters but also logistics centers in each region, so a large number of regular employees were needed to handle management and operations.
"Is that person also a new employee?"
"The clothes he's wearing now… aren't they luxury brands? The watch and shoes too. How much is all that?"
Some of the new employees whispered, looking at Shinwoo's attire. As they said, Shinwoo was wearing luxurious designer suits, shoes, watches, and so on that he had bought from a department store.
Of course, the person who chose the clothes was, thankfully, Lillian, not Jang Man-soo.
'I should have worn something more ordinary.'
It was because of the opinion that he couldn't dress shabbily as the CEO.
Shinwoo ignored the words of those new employees and tried to sit in a corner seat in the back. But then, he heard a strangely familiar voice from behind.
"Hey, you're Baek Shin-woo, right?"
When his name came out, Shinwoo stopped sitting and turned his head.
Behind him stood a man in a suit with an employee ID card around his neck.
"I am Baek Shin-woo… but who are you?"
"What? You don't remember me? Younghwi High School. I was a year ahead of you, Kim Jae-min."
Younghwi High School was indeed where Shinwoo had lived in an orphanage and graduated from.
But at the time, he wasn't very interested in school life, so he didn't get close to anyone. He barely remembered his classmates, so there was no way he would remember a senior.
"...Kim Jae-min? I don't know who that is."
At that answer, Kim Jae-min let out a hollow laugh as if he was dumbfounded. At the same time, a slightly relieved expression flashed across his face.
The name Baek Shin-woo. It was the same as Baek Shin-woo of MH Future Security, who was a member of the MH Group's owner family and had become the CEO of MH Distribution this time.
Of course, he had also searched for it.
His name had been mentioned several times in the news, but the photos only showed side or back views, making it difficult to recognize his face accurately.
Today, the CEO's visit schedule had been suddenly canceled, and since the Baek Shin-woo he used to know was here in this place where the new employees were gathered, he was sure that they were just namesakes.
"You're still as stiff-necked as you used to be."
"Whatever my neck is like, what does it have to do with you?"
"What? 'You'? Aren't you here as a new employee? Can't you see this?"
Kim Jae-min pointed to the employee ID card he was wearing around his neck.
【MH Distribution Headquarters General Affairs Department】
【Assistant Manager Kim Jae-min】
He saw the department, title, and name written side by side with the photo.
"Ah, you're an assistant manager."
"As. Sis. Tant. Man. A. Ger."
"Okay, Assistant Manager. But what do you want with me?"
Kim Jae-min, who was more upset than before, frowned. And Kim Jae-min's gaze swept over Shinwoo's jacket, shirt, tie and pin, watch, cuff buttons, pants, and shoes.
"Is it a problem for the orientation manager to talk to a new employee? And what's with your clothes?"
"Is there something wrong with my clothes?"
The only flaw was that they were incomprehensibly expensive, but they were neat and the overall look wasn't bad.
Besides, the other male new employees around him were also wearing similar suits, so he didn't think there was anything wrong.
"Where did you get those clothes that scream fake? You should have bought them from a cheaper brand instead."
As he said earlier, Kim Jae-min was Shinwoo's senior from high school. And he knew that Shinwoo had been abandoned as a baby and had grown up in an orphanage.
But since Shinwoo, whom he thought would be living a rock-bottom life, was dressed in all sorts of luxury brands, he thought they were all fake.
"These are real."
"What… if those are real, do you even know how much they all cost?"
Shinwoo didn't know the prices because Lillian had chosen them and he had just swiped his card.
"I don't really know."
"You're still the same as you used to be. Anyway, don't wear those fakes. And if you want to have a proper company life in the future, start acting right. The briefing and orientation both count towards your score when your department is decided."
Kim Jae-min said that and walked away.
Shinwoo, who was watching his back, ignored him and sat down because he still didn't remember who Kim Jae-min was.
"Were those all fake?"
"I knew it… I thought it was the son of an executive who came in as a parachute hire."
"But what's going to happen to that person now? It seems like he's been targeted by the assistant manager before he even officially joined the company."
He heard the murmurs of the new employees who had been watching the situation around him. It seemed that everyone had decided to believe that because Kim Jae-min's voice was loud.
Of course, Shinwoo didn't even care and waited for the briefing to begin. And soon, a person called the head of the General Affairs Department came out and began to explain MH Distribution's corporate introduction and how the four-night, five-day orientation would proceed.
'So we'll be staying at the training center near the Gonjiam Center and doing logistics practical training.'
Shinwoo read the pamphlet he had taken earlier and focused on the briefing.