Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Royal Family 4-1
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Ten days passed peacefully.
During that time, Seo Ji-hyeok had met with Heo Gyu-seok and Kim Su-jin once more each to wrap up the aftermath of the two hundred taxis and fifty billion won worth of home appliances.
The amusing part was Heo Gyu-seok's attitude.
I'd expected him to come at me foaming at the mouth, but surprisingly, he wasn't agitated at all.
Instead, he pestered Seo Ji-hyeok with an endless barrage of prying questions, to the point of annoyance.
"What do your parents do?"
"Where did you go to school?"
They were questions that laid his intentions bare, but Seo Ji-hyeok just brushed them off with a smile.
He might even tail me later, but for now, Heo Gyu-seok's top priority was Seyeon Group, so any fallout would come later.
And Kim Su-jin eyed him with that same sticky gaze that day too.
Of course, Seo Ji-hyeok's eyes remained as clear and detached as on the first day.
That only piqued her interest more, but he paid it no mind.
While Seo Ji-hyeok spent his time this way, the department members were busy with their own schedules.
But they weren't approaching things in any new way—they were stuck at their desks as always, churning out various proposals.
Whenever someone finished a somewhat fleshed-out plan, the four of them would gather for a meeting, and if issues arose during discussion, they'd scrap it. That routine repeated day in and day out.
Of course, Seo Ji-hyeok hadn't submitted a single proposal in all that time.
He'd only show up for meetings when called, sit in his chair, listen to the other three, and watch as they pointed out flaws, agreed on them, and tossed the plans.
The day after the two hundred taxis and fifty billion worth of appliances were delivered— that's when Seo Ji-hyeok approached Manager Oh's desk.
"Manager, there's something I'd like to discuss."
As Seo Ji-hyeok approached Manager Oh, Section Chief Bang and Assistant Manager Han, who were seated at their desks, automatically turned their heads toward him.
"Is this a report just for me? Or something the whole team can hear?"
"Either works for me."
"Then let's do it together. Everyone, gather 'round for a sec."
At Manager Oh's call, the two hurried to the round table.
As if they'd been waiting for this moment the past ten days.
And they fixed their eyes on Seo Ji-hyeok's mouth.
What Seo Ji-hyeok placed in the center of the round table was a printed newspaper article.
"This is an article from nine years ago about Taesung Chemical's Yangseon-si factory. Check this out—interesting part here. Taesung Chemical buys land in Yangseon-si to build a factory, but during the survey, they discover that neighboring Ilshin Chemical has encroached on a plot forty meters wide by two hundred meters long, with their factory already built on it."
"Mm. I remember this article too. It was pretty famous on the company intranet. As far as I recall, it just blew over, right?"
"Yes, exactly. Ilshin Chemical joined the Iljo Club two years ago and entered the big leagues, but back then, they were just a mid-tier company at best. Naturally, our company demanded restoration. But Ilshin refused. They framed it as David vs. Goliath—big corp Taesung Chemical vs. small biz Ilshin Chemical—played the media, and landed a hit on Taesung. In the end, pushed by public opinion, we wrapped it up nicely as 'co-prosperity,' and Ilshin got to keep their factory without demolition."
"Impressive."
"Yeah."
Section Chief Bang and Assistant Manager Han, who hadn't known the story, passed around the printed article, chiming in one by one.
"Okay, that was then. Hasn't the situation changed now? What happened in the end?"
To Assistant Manager Han's follow-up, Seo Ji-hyeok replied flatly.
"It's still that way."
"Shouldn't they at least pay land use fees?"
"Why would Ilshin Chemical do that? We're not even asking."
"Hmm... So, Mr. Seo, you're eyeing this land?"
"Yes."
Seo Ji-hyeok's answer to Manager Oh's question was curt.
Then Section Chief Bang, who had been tapping away at his keyboard throughout the talk, slowly spoke up.
"I just checked the current price for that land—five million won per pyeong. So, forty meters by two hundred meters makes 2,419 pyeong. That's a sale price of twelve billion nine hundred million won."
"Ilshin Chemical could cover that easily these days."
At Manager Oh's words, Section Chief Bang and Assistant Manager Han nodded in unison.
Were they thinking about racking up another twelve billion in performance after just ten days?
The two—no, all three faces, including Manager Oh's—brightened.
But then.
"May I add one more thing?"
"Of course."
"The Taesung Chemical rep at the time got demoted over this and left the company soon after. Cold-blooded, right? But anyway, order matters here."
"Order?"
"Give as good as you get. First, Manager Oh, you need full authority delegated on this from Chemical. Just talk to the vice chairman."
"Mm, makes sense. Then what?"
"Next, media play. Taesung Chemical's struggling with factory land shortages. But Ilshin Chemical shamelessly stole someone else's property and feels no remorse. Paint them as an ungrateful rogue company."
Manager Oh's face grew a bit grave at Seo Ji-hyeok's words.
Section Chief Bang looked like it was only natural, while Assistant Manager Han's eyes sparkled.
"Do we really need to go that far?"
And as expected, Manager Oh followed up.
"Yes. The Chemical rep got demoted and retired shortly after. He took the blame for not countering preemptively—specifically, for failing to block Ilshin Chemical's media play."
"Hmm... I see..."
"We're not claiming the land first. Ilshin has to offer it back for this to go smoothly."
This time, all three nodded together at Seo Ji-hyeok's words.
They were too deep in the issue to see the bigger picture, but if someone stepped back and watched, they'd be floored.
Here was Seo Ji-hyeok dictating direction and methods to a manager, section chief, and assistant manager.
Yet the three were taking it in stride.
"So, Mr. Seo, what price do you have in mind for this land?"
Assistant Manager Han asked, eyes gleaming.
Seo Ji-hyeok smiled faintly.
"That depends on you three, doesn't it?"
"Huh? Why us?"
"I've got other work to do."
"What?"
Assistant Manager Han's eyes widened in shock, her voice rising, and Manager Oh and Section Chief Bang looked just as stunned.
What kind of absurd situation was this?
But Seo Ji-hyeok turned to Manager Oh and spoke again.
"Manager, please allow personal activities. One week. It's for company business, but I'll report details later. If not, just mark me absent—no issue."
Depending on how you heard it, it wasn't bold—it was provocative.
A company is an organization, right?
Organizations have structure, and structure means organic linkage.
Thus, individuals don't exist in an organization.
You can't have a dot detached from the organic links.
Yet here Seo Ji-hyeok was, talking about personal action.
Personal activities...
Even Manager Oh, the epitome of composure, couldn't hide his surprise at the sheer audacity.
"Hmm, Mr. Seo, that's tricky. Normally, annual leave would be best here, but you can't use it right now. And using leave for company work? I can't approve that by my standards. Absenteeism is even less acceptable."
Then.
"Manager, please let me work with Mr. Seo on this."
Seo Ji-hyeok hadn't seen that coming.
Assistant Manager Han had raised her hand to request permission from Manager Oh.
"You, Assistant Manager Han?"
"Yes. I'm his senior in the department, after all."
"True, but..."
It was a bit unexpected for Seo Ji-hyeok.
Not that he hadn't expected someone to step up—he'd thought it would be Section Chief Bang.
But he kept quiet and watched for now.
Didn't matter who it was.
A beat late, Section Chief Bang's face crumpled slightly, and he grumbled.
"Manager, how about I go with Mr. Seo?"
"You, Section Chief Bang?"
"Yes. Might be easier working with another guy."
"Section Chief Bang, we don't discuss gender in business."
Well, now.
Seo Ji-hyeok stifled a chuckle as Section Chief Bang and Assistant Manager Han bickered.
They had no idea what he was actually planning.
Yet here they were, like moths to a flame, desperate to shadow his every move.
How could he not laugh?
The spat went on briefly, but Manager Oh tapped the conference table lightly to silence them.
"Assistant Manager Han will do it. Guidance for new hire Mr. Seo should come from his senior. Understood, Mr. Seo?"
"Yes, fully. We'll proceed that way."
"Good. Section Chief Bang, you and I will handle the Ilshin Chemical side. Draft a simple project outline for the vice chairman report."
"Yes, Manager."
And the meeting ended.
Assistant Manager Han grabbed her laptop from her desk and approached Seo Ji-hyeok's.
"Mr. Seo, tea time?"
"Sure."
"Manager, mind if we step out?"
"Go ahead."
With Manager Oh's ready approval, Assistant Manager Han strode out of the office, a step ahead of Seo Ji-hyeok.
They ended up in the underground parking garage.
"Too many eyes and ears around the office."
With that as explanation, she got Seo Ji-hyeok into her car and drove two blocks to a coffee shop.
They sat across from each other, iced Americanos and espressos in front of them respectively.
"Mr. Seo, personal question okay?"
"Shoot."
"Mr. Seo, who the hell are you?"
Straight for the throat, huh?
But Seo Ji-hyeok didn't flinch. He just took the straw from his iced Americano and slurped down the coffee.