Chapter 142
Chapter 142
Episode 142. Big Corporations Are So Petty
MH Distribution had been in an uproar ever since its CEO, Shinwoo, had visited.
The biggest reaction was to the company's internal regulations regarding executive selection, which had been changed. As a result, most deputy general managers were under scrutiny from their general managers and were busy trying to read the room.
Then came the day the new employees would start after their orientation concluded.
Shinwoo boarded the elevator in the underground parking lot of MH Distribution, not the MH Group headquarters, from early that morning. Beside him were Meian, the bodyguards, and Jang Man-soo.
“The building looks clean and decent.”
“They say Baesung Distribution built it to use as their headquarters.”
Jang Man-soo let out a small chuckle at Shinwoo’s reply.
“So, you’re planning to move our headquarters here?”
“I can’t stay at MH Group headquarters forever. I’m tired of seeing the faces of those bothersome people.”
The people Shinwoo was referring to were the executives of MH Group headquarters, including Myung In-chul. He had put them in their place once before when they bothered him, but there was no guarantee such an incident wouldn’t happen again.
He figured it was better to avoid seeing them, at least, and decided to proceed with the plan he had conceived along with the acquisition of Baesung Distribution.
“Was this your plan from the start?”
“Not really. MH Distribution was a variable. I’m just taking this as an opportunity.”
“Seriously… Boss……”
Of course, the two were conversing in Swahili code, as they always did.
In the meantime, they arrived at the top floor, which housed the CEO’s office originally used by Bae Min-sun, the second daughter of Baesung Distribution.
“So, I can change this place to suit my tastes so that others can use it with me?”
“That’s right.”
“Hmm… If the total floor area is 80,000 square meters and the exclusive use rate is 62%, that’s about 15,000 pyeong.”
Jang Man-soo muttered, as if calculating in his head.
“If MH Future Security and KITE are to move in, considering future departmental expansion, we’ll need at least five floors. We’ll also need to partition your office and the others’.”
“Do we really need to? I’m fine with how it is.”
Currently, at MH Future Security, only the conference room was separate; the rest of the office had desks divided only by partitions.
“It’s inconvenient for us. We’re also bothered by people coming and going because of your CEO duties.”
“That’s why we made a separate conference room.”
Shinwoo found the usual bickering between his colleagues tiresome yet amusing. He felt a sense of loss, knowing he wouldn’t be able to see it if they were separated.
“Enough. Just separate them. We’ll make a separate door to the adjacent office, so you can come and go through there.”
“Do as you please.”
“I already am.”
With that reply, Jang Man-soo took out his tablet and began surveying the empty offices.
“I’m going down for a bit.”
“Don’t take too long!”
“We’ll see.”
“Ah! Four Best keeps contacting me, what should I do?”
“Four Best?”
Shinwoo tilted his head, genuinely unsure what it was.
“The American magazine. They’re contacting us for an interview, saying you were selected as the youngest CEO and the youngest investment entrepreneur, number one in both categories. I told you last time, but you brushed it off because you were busy.”
Shinwoo didn’t hesitate long at the question.
“Just refuse them.”
“Isn’t it okay to try? They have quite a bit of influence.”
“I’m busy. If it’s absolutely necessary, tell Lillian to handle it. I’m going down.”
Shinwoo left Mark and Lawrence beside Jang Man-soo. Then, taking only Meian with him, he boarded the elevator.
“What are you going down for?”
Meian’s question was met with a look of utter annoyance from Shinwoo.
“The orientation ceremony.”
Meian, who had never worked at a company before KITE, tilted her head.
“What’s that?”
“A very bothersome thing.”
For a large corporation like MH Distribution, the orientation ceremony wasn’t a significant issue.
However, the new employees joining this time would not all be working at the headquarters. Only about 10% would be at headquarters; the rest would be sent to provincial logistics centers after the orientation concluded.
“If it’s bothersome, can’t you just skip it?”
“That’s why I’m ending it this time.”
They arrived at the first-floor lobby and stepped out.
The KITE security guards bowed their heads slightly, and Shinwoo returned a casual nod.
He then walked straight to the auditorium. The new employees attending the orientation ceremony murmured as they saw Shinwoo.
“That guy, isn’t everything he’s wearing designer?”
“It’s that guy from the briefing session. The one who got called out by the administrative department representative for wearing fakes.”
“Ah—!”
“But was he at the orientation?”
The chattering was loud enough for Shinwoo to hear.
Shinwoo casually picked his ear with a finger and entered the auditorium through the staff entrance with Meian.
Inside, the administrative department employees had already arrived.
“Welcome, CEO.”
The first to greet him was Park Gyu-joon, the head of the administrative department. Deputy General Manager Kang Shin-bae was beside him.
Shinwoo recognized them but deliberately feigned ignorance, giving them an unfamiliar look.
“Ah, I am Park Gyu-joon, head of the administrative department. I apologize for not being able to greet you properly last time.”
“I am Kang Shin-bae, deputy general manager of the administrative department, whom you met last time.”
“I see.”
“Please wait here, and we will inform you when the time comes.”
It was a waiting room inside the auditorium. Various desserts and a coffee machine were prepared around them.
“Do you really need to prepare all this just for a few words to congratulate the new employees?”
“…Yes?”
“Let’s not do this next time.”
“Ah… Understood. We will take our leave now. Please call us if you need anything.”
Park Gyu-joon and Kang Shin-bae, who had left, had their faces contorted.
“By the way, where are the guys downstairs?”
Kang Shin-bae looked troubled by the question.
“I left them in Manager Kim’s care, but he seems to have stepped away for a moment.”
“Manager Kim Jae-min again? Did he run off out of embarrassment?”
“I will go look for him.”
“Sigh… This young punk suddenly becoming CEO……”
Park Gyu-joon glared at the waiting room door and started to head back to his office.
“Aren’t you going to watch the orientation ceremony?”
“No need. Just make sure the closing remarks are done well after the CEO finishes speaking.”
“Understood.”
.
.
.
Meanwhile, Shinwoo, inside the waiting room, was looking at his phone with an annoyed expression.
He still hadn’t heard from Hector and Rick via WAVE CHAT.
The information he’d heard through Amber about the mercenary duo, Hounds, and Kwak Chi-young’s sudden defection to Eritrea’s Asmara.
These two pieces of information connected in a significant way, deepening his contemplation.
“It’s awkward to ask Amber for the contact information of the government forces who requested the VIP retrieval operation…”
That would be asking for client information, which would put FEROX in a difficult position.
Of course, he could find out through hacking, but since information had already been exchanged once, it would leave room for suspicion.
“Are you worried?”
“…Why are you taking that out?”
Meian, who had been leaning against the vanity in the waiting room, was now swinging a Three-Section Staff in the air.
“I’m going to beat half to death anyone who picks a fight with Shinwoo.”
“Do you even know who it is?”
“…Huh? Jam-min-i?”
She spoke in broken Korean.
Even so, Shinwoo understood who she was referring to.
“You mean Kim Jae-min, right? But how did you know?”
“When Shinwoo was speaking in the auditorium last time, the people sitting there were saying that a guy named Kim Jam-min picked a fight with Shinwoo and got beaten up.”
It seemed she had overheard the whispers when the deputy general manager-level employees were gathered.
Indeed, given the commotion that had occurred in the hallway, it would be strange if the rumors didn’t spread quickly.
“So, are you planning to take out Kim Jae-min’s teeth with that Three-Section Staff?”
“Just his teeth?”
“I told you this isn’t your neighborhood. If you really want to do it, do it where people won’t see. And leave as little evidence as possible.”
Meian’s expression was more serious than ever.
“Then… is that okay?”
“As long as you don’t leave any traces, do as you please.”
Knock, knock.
Just then, the door was knocked on, and an unfamiliar female employee peeked her head in.
“…CEO. Everything is ready.”
She seemed to be an employee from the administrative department.
Shinwoo rose from his seat and proceeded to the auditorium, where a podium had been set up, just like last time.
With the heavy sound of his footsteps, the murmuring voices of the new employees quieted down, and all eyes turned to Shinwoo.
“Isn’t that the person from earlier?”
“The fake? Is that CEO Baek Shin-woo?!”
The voices of a few people could be heard.
Shinwoo arrived at the front of the podium and surveyed the faces of the new employees seated before him.
“I am Baek Shin-woo, CEO of MH Distribution and MH Future Security.”
With his greeting, the new employees’ eyes widened further.
He was the youngest CEO spoken of only in rumors. The person who entered MH Group as a parachute hire, built MH Future Security on his own, and then took over MH Distribution, was the same person they had seen at the orientation briefing session.
“Some of you may have seen my face before.”
Given the surprising situation and the previous whispers, they seemed nervous.
Shinwoo looked around again and continued speaking.
“What I’m wearing right now is ridiculously expensive, isn’t it? Perhaps I’ve been dressing too sloppily, so our MH Future Security’s Head of Operations picked these out for me. Do they suit me?”
He stepped out from behind the podium so his entire body was visible.
A short burst of laughter erupted from most of the new employees.
“Pfft—!”
“Haha!”
The atmosphere finally began to loosen up a bit.
“You all worked hard to get here. And there will be many more challenges ahead. Therefore, as your CEO, I will ensure that your path is not dark. I hope you can run that path with all your might. Congratulations on joining MH Distribution.”
Shinwoo finished his brief speech and stepped down from the podium with a bow.
Simultaneously, the new employees stared blankly for a moment before bursting into applause.
Clap, clap, clap, clap—
Behind the stage, Kim Jae-min, who was in charge of the closing, appeared. His expression suggested he had been caught after hiding somewhere.
“…Good work.”
“What are the new employees’ schedules from now on? Will they disperse to their respective departments and assignments as planned?”
“That will be the case after the employee ID cards are issued.”
Shinwoo had a question.
“Assuming those working at headquarters, are those assigned to provincial locations receiving separate travel expenses?”
“…No, they are not.”
“Immediately, in coordination with the HR and Accounting departments, let’s arrange and issue orientation briefing session fees and round-trip travel expenses for those assigned outside of headquarters. Ah, and for those recently hired as experienced professionals, too.”
“…Right now?”
“Didn’t you hear me say ‘immediately’? Did you not hear me?”
Shinwoo’s sharp question froze Kim Jae-min.
“I… I heard you.”
“What are you doing?”
“Yes? What else…?”
“You said they’d leave right after getting their employee IDs. Then you need to move quickly. Make sure it’s paid out by tomorrow at the latest.”
“Understood!”
Kim Jae-min had no choice but to leave immediately.
Meanwhile, Shinwoo noticed Meian staring intently at the retreating back of Kim Jae-min.
“Are you contemplating how to mess with him?”
“I’m wondering where to hit him so he doesn’t die.”
Her intent to actually attack him in the dead of night was evident.
Shinwoo shook his head and, with Meian, headed up to the fifth-floor conference room for their next schedule. In the meantime, the HR and Accounting departments, whom Shinwoo had just spoken to, were frantically working to calculate the round-trip travel expenses for dozens of people.