Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Royal Family 3-2
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Seo Ji-hyeok kept his eyes fixed on Manager Oh's mouth.
He needed to observe a bit more, but so far, Manager Oh hadn't disappointed.
In fact, he was inspiring a desire to bring the man into his own camp.
Of course, not right away.
But it wouldn't be long before he revealed his true identity.
After all, he hadn't joined Taesung just to play nice and clock in at the office.
That said, the timing might come sooner than he planned.
It all depended on Chairman Taesung's age.
The man didn't have much time left, and that impatience could accelerate everything.
Either way, his cover blowing was just a matter of time.
That's why he needed someone like Manager Oh.
To go on the rampage, he required a solid foundation.
And that was precisely why Ji-hyeok was watching him so closely.
Thud, thud...
Manager Oh lightly tapped the table, his expression a touch grave.
"Assistant Manager Han."
"Yes, Manager."
"I'm well aware of your abilities, which is why I feel so secure having you on the team. Working with a capable subordinate is a tremendous stroke of luck for a department head. That said, you've been a bit disappointing these past few days. I understand why, of course—the current situation must be confusing. But taking that stress out on others doesn't look good."
"That's not... No, I'm sorry. I made a mistake."
"Yes, it was your mistake, Assistant Manager Han. And as long as I'm head of this department, we operate on mutual respect and proper honorifics. Keep that in mind."
"Yes. I will."
Han Ji-young bowed her head at Manager Oh's words.
Her expression didn't scream sincerity, but on the surface, she seemed to accept his rebuke.
But this much was predictable.
What Ji-hyeok really wanted to see was how Manager Oh handled the next part.
Would he play it safe and call both of them at fault?
That was the real question.
"Alright, let's get back to business. Mr. Seo Ji-hyeok. Tea, was it?"
Okay.
Ji-hyeok gave a slight nod.
In a situation like this, the easiest way to resolve things was to blame both sides equally—scold Han Ji-young and himself alike.
But Manager Oh had clearly drawn a line: this was Han Ji-young's fault.
Ji-hyeok nodded not because the man had taken his side.
He would have rated him the same even if Oh had chewed him out and defended Han Ji-young.
What he wanted wasn't fence-sitting; it was whether the man had principles.
Having peered a little deeper into Manager Oh's character, Ji-hyeok smiled faintly and spoke up.
"Please take a look at this first."
What Ji-hyeok pulled from his bag was a single sheet of paper in a clear file folder.
He handed it over deliberately flipped, so Section Chief Bang, seated between him and Manager Oh, couldn't see it.
Skipping over the section chief, Manager Oh took the file and flipped the blank back to reveal the front.
"This... this is... Mr. Seo Ji-hyeok. What is this? Two hundred deluxe KN5 taxi models? At thirty-five million won each?"
"Yes."
At Manager Oh's words, Han Ji-young and Bang Mu-seok both jolted upright in shock, craning their necks to peer at the order form he was holding.
"Hmm... Let me ask one thing first, Mr. Seo Ji-hyeok. Our company doesn't manufacture cars. You know that, right?"
"Yes, I'm well aware. But there's Taesung Trading, isn't there? Isn't that what they do? Procuring goods for those who need them. Taesung Trading can buy the vehicles from Hyundai Motor and deliver them to us."
"Ah..."
"That's why I priced them at thirty-five million. Trading needs their cut, and so do we. From what I checked, the deluxe KN5 taxi model goes for eighteen point five million per unit. For a two-hundred-unit contract, I expect we can negotiate down to about seventeen point eight million each. And..."
As Ji-hyeok reached into his pocket for his phone, all three faces turned toward him in unison, etched with bewilderment...
But then—
*Ding! Tok! Ding!*
The three phones chimed with message alerts simultaneously. They hesitated before picking them up.
And once again, their expressions filled with astonishment.
Ji-hyeok had just uploaded the order form to their group chat.
"This is..."
"Exactly as it says. Rich Trading Co., Ltd. wants to buy fifty billion won worth of TVs, refrigerators, air conditioners, and such from Taesung Electronics. They said we can pick whatever items we want. Apparently, it's for donating to vulnerable social groups."
The three stared at their screens, speechless for a long moment.
It was too unbelievable...
Especially since Ji-hyeok had only been with the company for three days, which muddled their minds even more.
The silence stretched on for a bit...
Manager Oh was the first to recover and speak.
"Mr. Seo Ji-hyeok. Are these clients... personal connections of yours?"
"Do I have to answer that?"
"Pardon?"
"Can't you just take the documents at face value? A 120 billion won sales pipeline. That's all that matters."
"Well, that's true, but..."
"Even if you confirm I have friends willing to drop 120 billion for me, does anything change? Just look at the facts."
"Hmm... You're right, Mr. Seo Ji-hyeok. Facts only."
Manager Oh exchanged glances with Section Chief Bang and Assistant Manager Han, who both nodded.
"I'll report this to the vice chairman tomorrow. That way, we can get more accurate info. To confirm if this is really what the company wants."
"Yes."
"Yes."
Their responses came heavy.
Ji-hyeok guessed the same thought was running through all three heads: curiosity about his true identity.
A newbie racking up 120 billion in sales on day three...
Ninety-nine percent chance they'd peg him as some mega-rich chaebol heir.
They'd be even more shocked if they knew the reality, but not yet.
"Um, Manager. Could I take half a day off tomorrow morning?"
"Half a day?"
"Yes. I need to get my certificate of expected graduation."
"Mr. Seo Ji-hyeok, weren't you a Grade 5 hire?"
"Yes, I applied as Grade 5. I finished my first semester of fourth year last summer and took a leave. But one grade got corrected, so I can graduate without returning. Of course, I've still got my thesis, but I can handle that while working."
"Hmm. Rather than speculate, I'll just ask: what's your major?"
"Korea University, Department of Political Science and Diplomacy, majoring in Political Science."
Ah...
Their faces mirrored the same reaction once more.
Seeing it, Ji-hyeok just smiled faintly.
This was the power of Korea University.
In Korea, if you didn't go to college or came from what people call a third-rate school, proving your talent required a mountain of evidence.
Founding a company and scaling it huge, creating something wildly innovative—tangible results everyone acknowledged.
And even then, you'd be labeled a "rags-to-riches" story.
But Korea University was talent incarnate.
No need to prove your genius—just dropping the name made people assume it.
Even without building or trying anything.
They'd forgive a major screw-up or two as par for the course.
That was Korea University's status in Korea.
And that's why he'd gotten in there.
'As expected...'
When they first heard the school name, their expressions were nearly identical.
But as time passed, they diverged slightly.
Manager Oh just nodded, Section Chief Bang looked pleased, and Assistant Manager Han seemed uncomfortable.
Manager Oh was a mystery, but Bang was clearly a Korea U alum.
Han definitely wasn't.
"Hmm, Political Science is quite different from our line of work."
"I picked it for the scores. I needed the Korea University title. So I kept my distance from actual studying—turned my back on it, really."
Was that too mercenary?
Manager Oh's face flickered with surprise, but he soon gave a wry smile.
"I get it. While we're on the topic, one more question—if it's too personal, feel free to skip. You mentioned no military service. Did that mean a long prep for college entrance?"
"No. I grew up in an orphanage. That's why no service. Anyway, I went through a rough patch young. Wandered a lot after middle school. Then I got my act together, passed the high school equivalency, and went straight to university. So technically, it's not the school holding me up."
Ji-hyeok's barrage of bombshells left the three reeling.
Even the ever-calm Manager Oh's face flushed.
After that, no one said much.
And so, the Special Sales Department's first team dinner fizzled out.
"Have you checked it out?"
Executive Director Kang Jin-young's office at Taesung Trading was black and white.
As if she had OCD...
She tolerated no other colors in the room.
And her personality was just as black-and-white: strong likes and dislikes.
"Yes. But aside from the initial report, nothing unusual. Seo Ji-hyeok grew up at Cheong-a Orphanage. His trail goes cold after middle school, but no criminal ties. Korea University grades are excellent—enough credits for graduation in seven semesters—and his campus rep is solid."
"So you learned nothing important."
"I'm sorry."
"I'm not interested in the kid himself. I want to know who dropped him into Taesung."
"Vice Chairman An Chi-hyeon holds that key right now. But as you know..."
"Father's thorough with his people."
"Yes. But I've planted someone close. Info will keep coming. Just wait a bit."
Tap, tap, tap.
The black pen in Kang Jin-young's hand swung like a metronome, tilting right and lightly striking the desk each time.
It made listeners fidgety, but it was her tell for deep thought.
A signal not to interrupt.
As her secretary endured the anxious rhythm, Taesung Group's Chairman Kang Wook's eldest daughter—the frontrunner to become Taesung's next queen—gazed absently at Ji-hyeok's photo.
A vague sense that she'd seen the face before, that it was familiar...