Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Middle Schooler Yoo Ha-yeon (4)
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Seeing Si-hyeon showing reluctance about the Hollywood business trip, I grinned.
"Then do you want to stay in Russia for another half year?"
"...Still, America is better than Russia. I'll go."
Pat pat. I patted Si-hyeon's shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry too much since I'm going too."
"Sigh, promotions really are tough. On top of handling the existing workload, now I have to escort the young lady too."
The secretary general let out a light sigh.
I lightly ignored her cheeky remark and rummaged through the coat she'd taken off.
Hmm.
"By the way, no souvenirs or anything?"
"Ah, souvenirs... There are quite a few, actually. They're in my bag."
-Rustle.
Lee Si-hyeon pulled out various items from her bag and tossed me a film roll.
"This one's a personal gift for now."
I glanced at the film and nodded.
"Oh, you scored a rare film."
Si-hyeon smiled proudly.
"Right?"
"The Odessa Steps sequence from Battleship Potemkin... right?"
"Yes. It's an early print, so it's pretty valuable, but I got it cheap. I figured you'd like it."
Soviet films stand in stark contrast to Hollywood ones. They made art films too, but unlike American movies driven by capitalist logic, Soviet films were fundamentally propaganda pieces.
And thanks to being a superpower that once dominated the world, their film industry developed independently. The montage technique is a prime example.
-'I don't know what expression to make in a moment like this...'
Instead of replying, Just smile when you hear that line, they say, Stay expressionless—I'll edit the context around it. It's the ruthless technique of materialist filmmakers.
The pinnacle of that montage is the Odessa Steps sequence. Watching it, even the most ruthless capitalist naturally feels a surging desire to overthrow Tsarist Russia and save its people.
A brilliant brainwashing tool.
Of course, the ideology it promotes is deeply problematic, but the technique itself is artistic, so film enthusiasts watched it on the sly. Naturally, I watched it too...
Even Hollywood knew about it already. It was made in the 1920s, after all—there's no way they wouldn't know by now...
Still, it's a bit sad.
Why doesn't future knowledge work for art?
"Hmm... Guess I just don't have any talent for movies."
"What, you gonna shoot one yourself?"
"Yeah. As a club activity."
Si-hyeon blinked. Wondering what nonsense I was spouting.
"Nah, the kids weren't into solving math problems. Not even one got excited when I introduced Fermat's Last Theorem, which is about to be proven soon."
I know the proof process roughly, but I'm not shameless enough to steal it. The first proof is next year, and the full one in 1995—not that far off.
Anyway, I just gave a general overview... and the kids drifted away.
"Ugh... Young lady, don't tell me you were solving math problems in front of the kids? No wonder you have no friends."
Si-hyeon shuddered, hugging her shoulders and stepping back, openly scolding me.
"...It was just to find someone useful. I'm not that oblivious. And I skipped the tough proof details..."
"Don't people usually bond over hobbies or something?"
"Honestly, math is a hobby. I'm more interested in economics—making money."
What do math, history, and music have in common? If you don't treat them as hobbies, you starve. So math must be a hobby. Probably.
"...You don't make any sense."
Si-hyeon shook her head.
-Thud.
"Here, take this. The real gift from Russia."
A towering stack of documents.
I beamed at the blood and sweat the Soviets had piled up over the years.
"Whoa! Haha, these are Soviet companies, right?"
"Yes, yes. I shopped for the ones you picked, one by one."
As I happily flipped through the delivered companies, Si-hyeon stared at me intently before taking off her jacket.
'What? Flirting?'
Unfortunately, no. Beneath her tight tank top, a faint white scar was etched on her skin.
A scar.
"...Did it hurt?"
"Hah, it's a badge of honor. Security's not great there."
I traced Si-hyeon's firm eleven-pack abs, examining the scar. It was small enough to miss from afar, but as an abdominal wound, it must have nearly been fatal.
...Hmm.
I'm a bit sorry.
"I'll send someone else next time."
"No, I'll go. I'm somewhat used to it now, and I made some local connections, which helped. Anyone else would have it worse."
"Hmm. Still, you're a woman. Even if you're fit, you're not as strong as a man..."
I tilted my head and asked.
"...No wishes or anything? You didn't show me that scar for no reason."
"Figured you'd see my bare skin often anyway, so I mentioned it early."
As if.
"Don't lie."
Si-hyeon pondered briefly before answering honestly.
"Guess you could say I got attached to the people there... They were pitiful. Seeing elite women from top universities resorting to hawking themselves..."
It was a time when professors moonlighted as taxi drivers and "Russian woman" became a euphemism for prostitute. Far worse than Korea's IMF crisis.
Si-hyeon seemed to feel a twinge of emotion witnessing the superpower's wretched fall.
"So, pity?"
"Yes. That's what it boiled down to. What... is that not okay? If you reject it, it's just cheap pity that ends there."
A hint of anxiety flickered in her eyes. What on earth does she think I am?
"No, no, it's fine. Indulging in that is a privilege of the powerful, after all."
"A privilege...?"
Exactly. Hungry people don't stay virtuous easily.
"The strong can afford to pay a premium for their conscience. It's a luxury. I was worried since you don't seem into luxuries, but this is good."
In a healthy organization, proper morality is essential. Ruthless psychopaths might excel at work... but they won't truly follow me.
I smiled brightly and praised the secretary general.
"And from my perspective, it's great. Volunteering for tough spots and a chance to snag talented people cheap. Those starving Russian friends—lure them in properly and hire them at our company."
"Ah, yes..."
"If you're doing it, go big! How about Charina, ruler of Russia's underworld?"
Si-hyeon shook her head at that, but didn't deny it verbally. We'd already acquired key Soviet firms—she was practically a queen there.
The overlord of Russia's underworld as my secretary? Perfect.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Well, Russia is Russia, and America is America.
Si-hyeon ended up following me to Hollywood.
"Who does field trips to Hollywood for 'experiential learning'..."
She sighed deeply and looked at me in my suit for the first time in a while, as if dizzy.
Maybe I was too pretty; she couldn't tear her eyes away. Ha, poor Si-hyeon. Stuck working in Russia, missing out on admiring my beauty.
My secretary general, deprived of Daeha Securities' standard uniform perks, snapped venomously.
"You're thinking something weird again. All excited about acquiring MGM, huh, young lady."
I stretched my arms wide, yawning.
Sigh.
"Yeah... Can't help it. It's a famous company. And I've liked it since way back."
Acquiring MGM was something I'd considered for a while. Back when I recruited Seon-jun oppa, seeing that roaring lion made me think so.
At Daeha Middle School, we'd watch Tom and Jerry reruns when bored, which only strengthened the idea.
"But honestly, it's tough to acquire right now. They have a ton of debt..."
"Heavens, money troubles from you? You bought Barings, what's the issue?"
"Hmm, MGM's debt would be about $1.4 billion on acquisition."
"..."
Unlike Barings, which ran fine minus Nick Leeson despite being outdated, MGM was just incompetent across the board. Even I couldn't fix that.
And it's not my expertise anyway.
Infuse cash into an underfunded bank, problem solved. But an incompetent company? Even I can't save it. It needs to fail.
"What about other studios then?"
"Oh, I'll acquire one. Just not MGM. They have another buyer."
"I heard during the investigation. Some French state bank."
"Yeah, them. Crédit Lyonnais—a big name in France—is going for MGM."
Crédit Lyonnais.
France's largest bank was eyeing MGM.
.
.
.
"Hmm, but young lady."
"Yeah?"
"Money-wise, Crédit Lyonnais still has more, fine. But you said it's not your expertise. Why would that bank..."
"Why buy a company they know nothing about?"
Who knows.
"...Yeah. Just checking. Any hidden secrets?"
Hidden secrets? Crédit Lyonnais has one, but not for this deal.
"I don't know either. Probably incompetence."
"...It's a French state enterprise. Is that okay?"
That's exactly why.
Still fine. Crédit Lyonnais will soon be dismantled and privatized anyway.
Hit the UK and Germany, spare France... Wouldn't the French feel left out?
Yeah, definitely.