Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Setback
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“The Chairman is waiting for you in a private room.”
The place we arrived at was a traditional Korean restaurant inside the hotel.
Just as I thought, this wasn't going to be a simple lunch meeting.
The first thing I saw were company executives gathered in small groups, talking on their phones.
“Come in.”
On the table where Chairman Jin was seated, a full spread of food had already been laid out.
As if he'd been waiting, he picked up his spoon the moment I appeared and began to eat his porridge without another word.
“Did something happen?”
“Nothing happened. I just wanted to have lunch with you.”
Despite his indifferent tone, his eyes were smiling.
A look of considerable satisfaction.
I could easily guess the reason, and in situations like this, it's best to wait for him to bring up the main topic.
“I've finished reviewing the report. To be honest, it exceeded my expectations.”
The real conversation began around the time we finished our meal.
I took a sip of water, careful not to show any reaction, when he suddenly tossed a joke my way.
“Watching that video, I suddenly had the urge to find the guys who hit you over the head with a bottle.”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“Under the circumstances, shouldn't we give them a reward? In a way, we have them to thank for your sudden change of heart.”
“Secretary Kim already gave them their reward, so you don't need to worry. The envelope she handed them looked pretty thick.”
Chairman Jin smiled at my attempt to match the mood.
Was he surprised by his own reaction?
He cleared his throat, deliberately changing his expression.
“Ahem. Anyway, I've given the research institute a generous bonus. They worked hard, so they deserve to be compensated.”
“That's a relief. So, did you call me here to give me a reward as well?”
For a moment, Chairman Jin stared at me as if I were absurd.
But his eyes still held a hint of amusement.
In that moment, I felt an urge to push things a little further.
“Technically, Father, you shouldn't be giving me a bonus. You should be paying me a technology licensing fee.”
“What fee?”
“A royalty. Since this isn't a technology developed by Thales, you should naturally pay me a royalty.”
“Are you serious?”
He sounded like he was questioning me, but his expression was gentle.
As if he was enjoying this candid conversation with me—no, with Hyun-seung—perhaps for the first time.
The funny thing was, it wasn't just him. I also felt like I was mending my estranged relationship with my father.
“Of course, I'm serious. I'm actually running a little low on cash these days.”
The look of disbelief didn't leave his face.
Just as I began to wonder if I'd gone too far, he cut through the last thread of awkwardness between us.
“Tsk, looks like I'll have to sell my new yacht before I even get to use it. They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I wonder why you had to take after me in that regard.”
“You'd just get criticized for riding around on a yacht in times like these.”
“Is that something you should be saying?”
“It's advice born from experience.”
At the string of jokes, Chairman Jin let out a hearty laugh.
Was she surprised? Over on the side, Secretary Kim, who had been glancing our way, had a look of utter shock on her face.
“Anyway, I'll consider the royalty issue. And actually, this is why I wanted to see you.”
His expression suddenly changed as he handed me a stack of papers.
Request for Mass Production Confirmation.
That was the title on the first page.
“You've already submitted this to the Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting?”
“The army has been breathing down our necks about this. Since the final tests were done anyway, I hurried things along. And just as I expected, they're holding a meeting today, just one day after the documents were submitted.”
Chairman Jin looked as though he'd just had a rather rare experience.
I was just as surprised.
Normally, it takes at least a month to convene a meeting after a mass production request. For it to be moved up to a single day was beyond common sense.
“As soon as the meeting is over, we'll know what the production volume will be.”
“How? Isn't it standard procedure to keep the results confidential until the report is submitted to the President?”
“Standard procedure? When do military affairs ever go by the book?”
“…”
“A friend of mine, the commander of the 7th Mobile Corps, promised to let me know the results in advance. So you know.”
His words made me realize something.
I was living in an era where power trumped the law.
In fact, given the current social climate, bending the rules like that was probably nothing special for those in power.
“The 7th Mobile Corps would be the biggest beneficiary of the armor-piercing rounds we developed. So, Father, what kind of volume are you expecting them to order?”
“I'm hoping they'll decide on the wartime stockpile as well. That would be at least 100,000 rounds.”
“So we're looking at sales of at least 200 billion won.”
“It's the operating profit that matters, not the sales. I expect we'll secure about 45 billion won in surplus funds.”
“No, for special munitions, the operating profit margin is set at 30 percent, so it'll be closer to 60 billion won.”
“Really? That much?”
“We raised the added value in the materials, so it's definitely possible. Anyway, if we combine that 60 billion with our existing retained earnings, we'll be able to develop weapons on our own in the future.”
I said that last part to test his reaction.
I needed to see how he'd respond to gauge whether I could proceed with my future plans.
If he balked at the idea, new weapon development would be off the table for a while. But if he was receptive, I'd have the chance to introduce a series of world-changing weapons.
“With that kind of capital, self-funded development is certainly possible. Why, do you have something planned?”
Fortunately, Chairman Jin's attitude was positive.
No, he even went so far as to ask my intentions.
This was a huge leap forward compared to before.
“First, a precision-guided…”
Bzzzt!
Just as I was about to speak, the phone of a group executive nearby vibrated.
Seeing Chairman Jin's gaze snap towards him, I guessed it was the call with the results of the mass production meeting.
“It's Lieutenant General Kim Tae-ik, Chairman.”
“The meeting must be over. What are you waiting for? Answer it.”
At his urging, the executive quickly pressed the call button.
In an instant, all eyes were on him.
Chairman Jin seemed just as tense, repeatedly moistening his throat with water.
“What?”
A look of bewilderment crossed the executive's face as he listened to the call.
As if sensing something ominous, Chairman Jin's eyes narrowed.
“What is it?”
“The... the production volume... has been drastically reduced...”
The terrified executive hesitated to answer.
Just as I was getting so frustrated I felt like I couldn't breathe, Chairman Jin suddenly made a call.
“Hello, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”
The call went on for some time.
Chairman Jin's expression shifted throughout the conversation, but by the end, his face had turned almost black with rage.
“Damn it!”
“Bad news?”
“It's not just bad news, this is…”
“How bad is it?”
“The wartime stockpile order we were hoping for is off the table. They said they'll only take 7,000 rounds a year for the next five years.”
Seven thousand rounds a year is a purely symbolic number.
No, forget that—we won't even recoup our development costs.
After rushing us like that, I wonder why they suddenly changed their tune.
“What's the reason?”
“They claim it's because the budget was cut due to the worst economic crisis, but no fool would believe that.”
“Are you saying there's another reason?”
“There have been rumors circulating for a while. That the army might concede this year's budget to the navy to protect the budget for next year's large-scale force enhancement project. I never thought it would happen, but it looks like we're the ones getting burned.”
“How big is the army's project scheduled for next year?”
“Two trillion won. It's not a common scale.”
Suddenly, the full picture of this situation formed in my mind.
A 200 billion won project versus a 2 trillion won project.
Just how big would the difference in kickbacks be?
In the end, the excuse of sacrificing the small for the great was just bullshit. The old geezers at the Joint Chiefs of Staff simply protected the project that would line their pockets a little more.
“How much were we scheduled to give them?”
“What?”
Chairman Jin flinched at my blunt question.
He stared at me for a long moment for some reason, then gave a hollow smile.
“You're quite something. To grasp the heart of the matter in such a short time.”
“It's because I know the generals of this country all too well. Anyway, how much were you going to give them?”
“I never promised anything. Why would I pay a kickback on a project we started purely with our own capital?”
If that was true, then that was the reason.
From their perspective, there was no need to protect a project that offered them nothing.
So, what now?
If it had truly been a choice for the advancement of the military, that would be one thing.
But I couldn't let them abandon something I'd created by defying history, all for the sake of lining the pockets of some old coots in the back room.
“Don't look like that. You did your best.”
“…”
“I know it's disappointing, but you need to shake it off quickly for your own mental health. If you want to last long in this business.”
I was momentarily taken aback by Chairman Jin's attempt to console me.
His composure, even after hearing such terrible news, was equally surprising.
But I wasn't wallowing in disappointment.
I was simply looking for a way to solve this unexpected variable.
No, the solution had always existed; I was just looking for the first step to put it into action.
“I'm not disappointed. Because there's no way we'll take a loss on this.”
“No loss? Don't you realize the order volume has been cut by ninety percent?”
“Of course I do. But what if there's someone willing to buy even more than the army?”
“…”
Chairman Jin's eyes widened.
He shot me a look demanding a more detailed explanation, but there were too many eyes and ears here to answer.
“In that regard, there's one thing I need you to do, Father.”