Chapter 158
Chapter 158
158.
The CEO Who's Like a Grinder
Shinwoo took Lillian's call in his office.
Lillian said she had just met Kwak Chi-young while disguised as Irene Moretti.
"He must have left thoroughly enraged."
[His face wasn't red, but I could feel how pissed off he was.]
"Be more careful. He's likely so blinded by rage that you don't know what he might do."
Given the current situation, it was clear that Kwak Chi-young was having trouble with Brilliant Group's seed funding.
Based on this, Shinwoo could anticipate a few things Kwak Chi-young might do to escape his predicament.
[He's withdrawing soon anyway. But just in case, I've informed FEROX. We weren't planning on moving separately anyway.]
"We need to make a clean exit until the very end."
[Kwak Chi-young is going to be so annoyed. Then I'll wrap things up immediately.]
"Thanks for your hard work."
After ending the call, Shinwoo opened the door to the adjacent office.
Jang Man-soo and Wen Wei were talking inside.
"...And that's why! They had an incredible variety of swords! Some were really unusual. Oh, the reason I went there was to check the types of knives that bodyguards could be targeted with..."
Honestly, it was less of a conversation and more of Wen Wei's one-sided chatter.
Of course, Jang Man-soo looked visibly displeased.
Seeing this, Shinwoo stopped in his tracks and quietly retreated, closing the door behind him.
"Phew! I almost got caught."
Shinwoo exited through the original door of the CEO's office.
Jang Jin-ho, who was working at the desk by the door, stood up at the sight.
"Are you going out? Shall I have a car ready?"
"No. I have some business with the Marketing Team."
"...The employees will be surprised. Why don't you just call the person you're looking for?"
"It's something I absolutely must go and see. Secretary Jang, please just stay here."
Jang Jin-ho's expression grew worried as he listened to Shinwoo.
"I know something like last time won't happen again... but are you really okay?"
"Secretary Jang, why do you talk as if I'm always causing trouble?"
"Do you know what the employees at the company are calling you these days?"
Shinwoo answered immediately to the question.
"Grim Reaper, right?"
"If only it were that. At least that has a human form. Lately, it's changed to 'Grinder.' They say wherever the CEO walks, everything is crushed without a trace."
At that explanation, Shinwoo's lips stretched wide to the sides in an awkward smile.
"Well, it's still better than my old nickname."
"Excuse me? Are you referring to Grim Reaper?"
"No, it's just... something like that. Anyway, I'll be back. Contact me if anything comes up."
His old nickname was LOX, and it was still Shinwoo's codename.
It stood for Liquid Oxygen Explosives, a name Lillian gave him, likening his explosive personality to a bomb.
With that, Shinwoo replied and took the elevator down.
.
.
.
At the same time.
A loud voice echoed from the MH Distribution Marketing Department office.
"Team Leader Kim Jihyo! Is this your first time working?! What do you expect me to do with marketing plans like this?"
"..."
The voice belonged to Cha Dong-man, the Head of Marketing.
He continued to yell at Kim Jihyo, the team leader for Team 2, who stood before his desk.
"Didn't you come to MH Distribution from MH Retail as an experienced hire? I thought you'd have some skill, but why is everything you do like this?!"
"...I apologize."
The project handled by Marketing Team 2 this time was the MH Courier viral marketing project.
Kim Jihyo had conducted thorough research and created a PPT presentation for video production and planning suitable for the current generation.
After apologizing, Kim Jihyo honestly didn't understand what she had done wrong. In fact, the subordinates who were uncooperative in carrying out the work were the real problem.
However, Cha Dong-man didn't stop berating her. He even threw the PPT materials she had created.
Thwack
"Are you going to keep doing this? If you're a team leader, shouldn't you handle things properly?!"
"..."
The atmosphere continued to grow hostile without any sign of stopping.
Yet, the employees watching the situation from around them felt a sense of satisfaction, contrary to the department head's mood.
"Haa! If you keep doing this, then quit—!"
Cha Dong-man was about to yell again when he had to stop abruptly due to a man entering the Marketing Department office.
"D-Department Head?"
The one who entered was Shinwoo.
Since he had previously summoned all employees above the assistant manager level, no one could fail to recognize Shinwoo's face.
"Everyone is working hard. But I heard raised voices from outside, is something going on?"
Shinwoo's sudden appearance caused all the Marketing Department employees to stand up from their seats.
Then, Shinwoo approached where Kim Jihyo was standing and picked up the PPT materials that had fallen on the floor.
"This seems to be the promotional material for MH Courier."
He mumbled and scanned the contents.
"Hmm... It seems like a pretty good plan? Is there a problem with it?"
"No, that's...!"
Cha Dong-man had only berated Kim Jihyo without pointing out any specific flaws in the plan she had drafted.
After reviewing the contents, Shinwoo recalled the treatment Kim Jihyo had received, which he had overheard in the break room previously.
"Please tell me exactly what the problem is. Department Head Cha Dong-man."
"..."
Despite being asked with his name and title emphasized, Cha Dong-man couldn't easily speak.
Shinwoo's brow furrowed as he watched him.
"If someone is truly incompetent, I won't say anything about giving them a formal warning for their work. But you can't just call something wrong without being able to pinpoint the problem, can you?"
"...I apologize..."
Cha Dong-man's voice sank to the floor.
Shinwoo then let out a long sigh and handed the materials in his hand back to Kim Jihyo.
"Ah, thank you."
"I only came to greet Team Leader Kim Jihyo, but I've unintentionally become involved in the department's work."
"...Yes? Me... you mean?"
"You are someone I scouted and brought in, so I'm only now properly greeting you. I apologize for not having a longer conversation last time."
Kim Jihyo was startled when she made eye contact with Shinwoo.
"The CEO personally nominated me?!"
This was because it was Lillian who had met Kim Jihyo when she was working at MH Retail.
"Yes. I heard that a talented individual was working in an unsuitable place, so I brought her here. However, it seems the working environment wasn't very good."
With a voice filled with conviction, Shinwoo scanned the corners of the Marketing Department.
Most of those whose eyes briefly met his quickly lowered their heads.
"I'm fine. I'm just grateful you're paying this much attention."
"I'm also receiving a lot of help from your husband."
"Yes? My husband?"
Recently, MH Future Security had also moved into the MH Distribution building, and her husband, Na Jeong-hyun, had moved with them.
However, Kim Jihyo had decided they shouldn't reveal they were married, out of embarrassment about her poor standing at the company.
"Yes. Director Na Jeong-hyun of our MH Future Security Operations Division 1."
MH Future Security's Operations Division was considered a promising department under Shinwoo.
Hearing this, the people around them couldn't help but murmur.
"Ah... that is..."
Seeing Kim Jihyo's awkward demeanor, Shinwoo spoke as if he had made a mistake.
"Was it... a secret? If so, I apologize."
"No, it's just that I hadn't mentioned it... and it felt a bit awkward to say that my husband and I work in the same building."
"What's wrong with that? Anyway, I look forward to your continued good work. And as for Department Head Cha Dong-man..."
After finishing his greetings with Kim Jihyo, Shinwoo stared intently at Cha Dong-man.
Cha Dong-man, listening to their conversation from the side, was feeling with his entire body that something had gone terribly wrong.
"...Yes. CEO."
"If you continue to work like this, I will send you to a place that is comfortable for both body and mind. A place with beautiful mountains and clear waters, where you can calm your temper and heal."
"...Yes? Ah, no! I will do better from now on!"
Cha Dong-man exclaimed and bowed deeply.
Even so, Shinwoo didn't reply for a moment, just stared intently at the back of Cha Dong-man's head before speaking.
"I hope you will keep your word. Of course, I believe everyone else here knows that this doesn't just apply to you, Department Head Cha Dong-man."
The marketing department employees often ignored Kim Jihyo, thinking she was a parachute hire.
Since former Baeseong Corporation affiliates already occupied most of the key positions, such a situation would occur again unless everything was overhauled.
Therefore, Shinwoo had issued a warning to the employees along with Cha Dong-man. At the same time, he publicly declared Kim Jihyo as one of his people, leaving a warning message.
In the heavy, somber atmosphere, Shinwoo looked at Kim Jihyo again.
"Well then, everyone, keep up the good work. Team Leader Kim Jihyo, you too."
"Yes? Ah, thank you, CEO."
As Shinwoo left, the Marketing Department office was left in silence, as if a storm had just passed.
Then, department heads from other floors, who had belatedly heard of Shinwoo's visit, rushed over.
"CEO! What brings you here?"
"What happened?"
These were people working as deputy managers in departments like Sales and Operations.
Seeing them, Shinwoo's expression turned indifferent.
"Seeing as you're all out here during work hours, you must not be very busy."
"Yes? That's not it. It's just that the CEO has arrived...!"
As they all stammered, Shinwoo's voice became calmer.
"You should be working during this time. And you don't need to come out every time I visit."
"..."
Shinwoo shook his head and walked past them.
Just then, his phone vibrated in his pocket. It was Yoon Tae-in, the Special Warfare Commander he had met at the Defense Science Research Institute last time.
Of course, the call was made on a burner phone to avoid leaving a trace, as there was a risk of Yoon Tae-in being tracked due to the UAD leak.
"I'm receiving your call."
[Is it okay to talk now?]
"Go ahead."
Shinwoo said this and stepped into the elevator.
[We've confirmed the identities of the hackers you provided. Our internal investigation suggests they are highly likely to be the suspects.]
"It took longer than I expected to confirm."
[There was a slight delay as we cross-referenced identities and data. Also, both of them are already deceased, which made things a bit difficult.]
The Ministry of National Defense had also conducted thorough work to confirm the suspects.
"The remaining one is still unaccounted for."
[That's correct. We're continuing to search, and we'll inform you once we have results. Also, have any suspicious individuals appeared around you?]
He was concerned, assuming the UAD might have been leaked overseas.
"Nothing specific so far. And rather than me, you should prepare for when the leak is discovered later. If that data goes to a country where it's treated as a mission list, it could lead to the downfall of the current administration, not to mention diplomatic issues."
While the UAD Project's primary responsible parties were the Special Warfare Commander and the Minister of National Defense, the President was ultimately behind it.
The mission records, which they tried not to leave any trace of, could cause the downfall of many people involved, not to mention the collapse of the status of various foreign nations associated with the mission, if they were exposed.
[We are making preparations.]
"I sincerely hope there will be no problems."
Shinwoo replied and entered his office, taking a seat.
[We will do our best.]
"I'm counting on you."
After ending the call, Shinwoo confirmed that Jang Man-soo was alone in the adjacent office and went in.
At the same moment, Jang Man-soo shouted upon seeing Shinwoo.
"Captain! Something big has happened!"