Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Royal Family 15-1
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Kang Jin-young was not one to be easily startled.
Yet even she was so shocked that she couldn't utter a word, just staring at the intercom for a long moment.
It was only natural, but Taesung Trading did have a president.
The structure where she remained executive director while a separate president existed was something she herself had created.
Given the nature of Taesung Trading's business, the president had to go on frequent overseas trips.
Because its trading partners were major clients befitting the Taesung name, situations often arose where the president had to step in personally rather than delegating to staff.
Kang Jin-young hated that.
So she had promoted one of the directors who obeyed her well to the position of president.
Of course, since that president might build his own faction within the company, she made a point of dismissing and appointing a new one every two years.
This was well-known not just among domestic companies but also in the media.
That's why Kang Jin-young handled most media interviews and official domestic events.
In short, the president was for overseas trips only.
And now, Ji-hyuk had gone to see the president.
This must have come as a massive shock to everyone at Trading.
Aware of that, Kang Jin-young fell silent, unable to say anything.
It was like taking a solid uppercut to the jaw, leaving her dazed.
Not only her, but the silence from Gong Sa-woo watching her dragged on as well.
At the same time, the person as shocked as Kang Jin-young and Gong Sa-woo was Taesung Trading's president, Byeon Hyuk-su.
Kang Ji-hyuk had come looking for him.
He had skipped over Executive Director Kang Jin-young and come straight to him.
How was he supposed to interpret this?
Byeon Hyuk-su's eyes wavered fiercely.
"What brings the head of the Future Strategy Office here..."
"We're conducting a management audit of Trading from the Future Strategy Office."
"Yes, I've heard about that. Is this regarding that matter?"
Taesung Trading was a subsidiary of Taesung Group, one of Korea's top comprehensive trading companies with annual sales of 30 trillion won.
Though the concept of comprehensive trading firms had faded with the times, it was still undeniably at the forefront of imports and exports.
Byeon Hyuk-su was the president of such a company.
In the group's personnel structure, Ji-hyuk, as head of the Future Strategy Office, was typically evaluated as equivalent to an executive director at a subsidiary.
So Byeon had no real reason to fear Ji-hyuk, but who could say the world worked that way?
In Byeon Hyuk-su's memory, the image of Ji-hyuk standing beside Chairman Kang Wook in the grand auditorium that day was etched deep.
Thus, he was busy hiding his pounding heart.
He was dying to know if the man before him was a lone wolf or part of a pack,
a golden lifeline or a reckless executioner come to sever his neck.
'Damn it, one wrong move and I'll get crushed in the whale fight. Gotta watch my words.'
As Byeon Hyuk-su whipped himself internally to calm his excitement, Ji-hyuk smiled faintly at him.
"I reviewed Trading's internal meeting materials. What stood out was your comment from a year ago, saying investments concentrated in the Myanmar gas field needed to be diversified for risk management."
"Ah, that? Yes, I did say that."
"So why hasn't there been any progress on it?"
"Well..."
"Instead, one area has seen a massive increase. Imports of industrial fibers have surged. Of course, the industrial fiber market is a high-value sector growing by the day. Especially special fibers—the market growth rate is enormous."
It was a casual question from Ji-hyuk.
But sweat beaded instantly on Byeon Hyuk-su's forehead.
"Ah, yes, that's right. Carbon fiber in particular has become an essential material in modern industry. It's accelerating use in hydrogen car tanks, aircraft, shipbuilding, construction, and more. With demand on the rise, we've focused on securing stable supplies."
"I know. And I'm not saying it's a wrong decision. What I want to point out is why all the carbon fiber imports are from Japan's Toray Industries. The leading technologies are held by companies in Japan, the US, and Germany, right? I understand those three countries' firms are on par with or even superior to Toray. Even within Japan, there are two other companies with comparable tech. Why is this the case? Diversifying import sources is basic, isn't it?"
"Ah, well... We're already exploring diversification."
"And this is something to confirm with Taesung Wool, but it looks like you've been pushing volume onto them. As a result—or maybe not—their new materials R&D budget has decreased."
"That's..."
The beads of sweat on Byeon Hyuk-su's face were now dripping down steadily.
His sweat glands had burst, in common parlance.
At that moment, Ji-hyuk pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it.
"Ah, no, I'm fine. I have one too."
Byeon Hyuk-su fished out his own blue handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at the sweat on his forehead.
Ji-hyuk gave him a brief moment to catch his breath before slowly speaking.
"President, no need to be tense. I know exactly why this situation arose. I'm not here to blame you."
"Whew..."
But Byeon Hyuk-su only let out a small sigh and clamped his mouth shut.
He instinctively knew from here on it was a tightrope walk.
One wrong word could end him.
So he chose silence for now.
"I'd like to give you some backing, President."
"Backing... you say?"
"You've got one year left in your term, right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"How about you go all out for that year?"
"Go all out?"
"Yes. When you joined, the company was called Taesung Comprehensive Trading, not Taesung Trading."
"That's true."
"I imagine you have pride as a trading man."
"Naturally."
"Don't think about what comes after. Pour everything into this year. If you charge ahead without stopping, the company will reward that passion. I promise you."
Byeon Hyuk-su's eyes lit up in an instant.
This wasn't just anyone.
It was a promise from Kang Ji-hyuk, eldest grandson of Chairman Kang Wook.
And that was when it happened.
The moment he met Ji-hyuk's gaze, Byeon felt a tingling chill run from the top of his head down his spine, like electricity coursing through him.
Ji-hyuk's eyes reflected trust in him.
'Damn, what have I been missing all this time? It's what I've told my staff a thousand times. Byeon Hyuk-su, do the work. The work. Not politics.'
In that fleeting moment, Byeon Hyuk-su's eyes changed.
And Ji-hyuk sensed the shift in him.
"Find Trading's path yourselves. The Future Strategy Office will halt the management audit. Have your staff put their heads together and chart the way forward. We'll complete the audit based on that. This means I'll convey your resolve to the Chairman."
Though he played the role of a puppet president under Kang Jin-young's pressure, Byeon Hyuk-su was a trading man to his very bones.
Asia, North America, South America, Europe, Africa...
He had devoted his youth to traveling overseas until his passport fell apart.
Now at fifty-six.
Yeah, what was there to fear at this age?
After holding Ji-hyuk's gaze for a moment, he extended his hand.
And Ji-hyuk grasped Byeon Hyuk-su's outstretched hand.
"Seeing you, Head of the Future Strategy Office, I can see Taesung's future. Excellent. For you, for Taesung, I'll burn bright one last time."
"Thank you."
After shaking hands, Ji-hyuk left the president's office immediately.
Any more words would be superfluous.
He took the elevator to the first-floor lobby and pulled out his phone.
"Team Leader Gong Sa-woo, you said you were heading to Trading first—where are you?"
"........."
"What? If you're waiting for me, shouldn't you be in the lobby? Can't you distinguish public from private? Why are you in the executive director's office? Don't tell me you went to see Mom."
"........"
"Cut the nonsense. I'm heading back to the office, so quit slacking and get here quick."
Ji-hyuk hung up as if he had nothing more to hear.
His gaze then turned to Park Eun-seok, standing blankly beside him.
"And you? Why'd you come down to the first floor with me? Who's getting the car? You want me to walk to the underground parking with you?"
"Huh? That's what you said on the way up."
"That was so you'd go in with me to the president's office. Hey! Go get the car now!"
As Ji-hyuk raised his hand, Park Eun-seok flinched and dashed back to the elevator.
Of course, the first-floor lobby bustled with plenty of employees coming and going.
So Ji-hyuk's behavior might look like classic power-tripping to them, but he couldn't care less.
Problems only become problems if they arise.
But the one Ji-hyuk snapped at wasn't just anyone—it was Park Eun-seok.
And anyone who knew what Park Eun-seok meant in the Taesung household knew full well.
The family mutt, the utter wastrel...
That's why Ji-hyuk was deliberately rough with Park Eun-seok.
Until he realized his own place.
Once in the car at the first-floor entrance, Ji-hyuk pulled out his tablet and began reviewing documents.
But soon, he yelled at Park Eun-seok, who kept tilting his head while driving.
"Argh, that guy's getting on my nerves. What's with you? What are you pondering so hard with that brain of yours?"
"Can I ask something?"
"What?"
"Why didn't you go see Big Aunt? She's the real power there."
Well, now.
Looks like he wasn't completely thoughtless.
Ji-hyuk chuckled at Park Eun-seok's question before slowly replying.
"Who's the head of the company?"
"The... president, obviously."
"That's why I met President Byeon Hyuk-su."
"But Big Aunt put him in that seat."
"Yeah, that's what everyone thinks. Even President Byeon thought so himself."
"Exactly."
"How did President Byeon seem to you just now?"
Park Eun-seok paused as if thinking, then cautiously spoke.
"I'm... not sure. He seemed different going in and coming out, though..."
"You just saw a lion wake from sleep. All I did was crack open the cage door a bit. The rest is up to President Byeon."
"A lion?"
"Yeah, a lion. So what do you think you are?"
It was a light toss of a question.
But Park Eun-seok didn't say a word after that—not even after arriving at the office and sitting at his desk in Ji-hyuk's room.
And at the same time, Gong Sa-woo was in what you'd call a total mental meltdown.
He had been fired up after Ji-hyuk's call, but what threw him was his mother's words.
"Don't go. No need."
He should have said no.
No matter how much Ji-hyuk provoked him, he should have insisted on returning to the Future Strategy Office and sticking it out.
But he hadn't.
Not only that—he hadn't even stopped Kang Jin-young from going to the Future Strategy Office.
That's why he sat alone in the empty office, lost in meltdown.
Kang Jin-young arrived at the Future Strategy Office while Ji-hyuk was deep in a heated meeting with his staff in the conference room.