Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Nguyen Seo Chun (2)
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The Group Headquarters morning meeting, held every Wednesday at nine a.m.
In this meeting where the week's sales figures were reported, the executives from Heavy Industries, Construction, and Shipbuilding & Marine always wore smiles.
June 2008. It was a global boom time for plant industries, so they had no reason to deliver negative reports as usual.
But today, a tension like shattered thin ice hung over the Ammunition Group headquarters executive meeting room.
"President Na... What's the deal with KS Industries? Did you get the report too?"
Ammunition Heavy Industries President Park Han-i quietly brought up the topic with Ammunition Construction President Na Deok-sul.
"Sigh... It's driving me crazy, senior. You know what they're saying at the site? Strategy Director Nguyen showed up like a secret royal inspector and turned everything upside down."
"Nguyen? Our Strategy Director isn't even Vietnamese. What kind of nonsense is that?"
Ammunition Shipbuilding & Marine President Seong Won-sik, who had been sitting quietly right next to them, looked exhausted and irritated just from listening, so he answered instead.
"Hey, the Director's eldest grandson disguised himself as a Vietnamese foreign worker and came in. What are you going on about?"
"Sigh, this is insane... Did the Han family have a grudge against me in a past life or something? They're all like this."
Heavy Industries President Park Han-i gnawed at his nails. He started blaming Shipbuilding & Marine President Seong Won-sik, who sat there with a sullen expression.
"But... President Seong. To be blunt, that plant project—wasn't Shipbuilding & Marine the one leading it?"
"Sigh, you bastard. So what, KS is my fault? You want me to take the blame and go hang myself in some remote mountain?"
Shipbuilding & Marine President Seong Won-sik reacted fiercely. He knew about KS Industries' existence but had always been dissatisfied with Han Hwa-gi's slush fund operations.
When the arrow of blame suddenly pointed at him, it seemed all his pent-up emotions erupted.
Heavy Industries President Park Han-i stepped back at the intense reaction.
"Ah, you're always so extreme. Heavy Industries only handled skid assembly at most. And since it's a rebar issue, it could be Construction's responsibility."
"No, senior. What are you trying to do right now? Who contracted with KS? Wasn't it Heavy Industries?"
Ammunition Construction President Na Deok-sul, who had been sitting quietly, got caught in the crossfire. He glared at his senior from entry, Heavy Industries President Park Han-i, and vented roughly.
"Who was the one jumping around making slush funds for the Chairman? Wasn't it you, Senior Park!"
"Hey, Chairman this, Chairman that—Heavy Industries just managed it... Anyway, let's avoid the typhoon a bit, okay?"
Their whispered conversation was about to escalate into a shouting match.
Just before it did, the staff member with an in-ear piece at the meeting room entrance received a message and spoke into the mic.
"Director Seo Myung-hee and Finance Headquarters Director Han Hwa-gi are arriving now."
"Ah, shit... We're totally screwed. Properly screwed."
It seemed he heard something else in his ear. The staff member brought his right hand to the in-ear and added.
"And... Strategy Director Han Seo-jun is coming with them."
* * * *
-Bang!
The meeting room door burst open with a rough explosive sound.
As soon as she entered, Seo Taehu received perfect ninety-degree bows from the top executives of the Ammunition Group.
She didn't even nod her head, as if she saw nothing, and sat in the center seat.
Eyes colder than frost. No one could speak under that piercing gaze behind her metal-rimmed glasses.
"Tsk, you incompetents."
"......"
"Did you all get your lips sewn shut? Why isn't there even one who can speak up straight!"
Director Seo Myung-hee roared like a lion at the executives on the surface. But in reality, that roar was aimed elsewhere.
It was a declaration to Han Hwa-gi, with his rotten beggar-like expression, that she would hold him officially accountable in this official setting.
"Heavy Industries, Construction, Shipbuilding & Marine. What the hell have you three been up to in Ulsan! What? KS Industries?"
"I'm sorry, Director. Even within the affiliates, we're trying to conduct a separate audit right now..."
Ammunition Heavy Industries President Park Han-i, who had the most to be guilty about.
He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, wiped the sweat beading on his forehead, and began a clumsy excuse.
Of course, it was cut off immediately by Seo Taehu's shout before he could continue properly.
"An audit? Did you just say audit?"
"Yes? Yes! That's right!"
"The Group Headquarters Audit Team couldn't catch the embezzlement, and you think your affiliate internal audit will do something!"
The moment "Group Headquarters Audit Team" was mentioned, a shadow fell over Han Hwa-gi's face.
Because he had hidden the slush fund creation using KS Industries through his puppet, Audit Team Leader Yoo Ji-won.
Seo Myung-hee's successive shouts continued.
The involved parties just kept their eyes down like kids who didn't do their vacation homework.
They only lifted their heads again after the weathervane on this frozen pond shifted direction.
"Perfect timing. Hey, Strategy Director. Why don't you say something."
"Me?"
Flames ignited in the eyes of Han Hwa-gi, Finance Headquarters Director, who had been silent.
Granting speaking rights in a Group Headquarters meeting was synonymous with openly backing his nephew.
"You played secret inspector over this KS matter, didn't you? You caught what the Group Headquarters Audit Team missed."
"That's true. I actually worked pretty hard this time. Ran around on foot, you know."
"Spare us the boasting! Anyway, spill everything you saw and felt on-site. I want to hear what you'll say."
* * * *
In Seoul, I was the Strategy Director, but in Ulsan, I was Nguyen.
My position within the Group was so precarious that I had to impersonate a Vietnamese foreign worker.
All I had was Han family blood and a hollow Strategy Director title. No proper organization, no talent, no budget.
For me, who had compiled all the evidence on KS Industries, there were only two options.
① Process it officially through the Group Headquarters Audit Team.
② Report the problem directly to Seo Taehu.
In any organization, the standard way to resolve issues is ① over ②.
It's not just because of the formal label. Bypassing the reporting chain is a minus in itself.
In a normal situation, I would have chosen ①. If I hadn't known how things turned out before the regression, that is.
'...The amount siphoned through KS Industries this way is estimated at over 20 billion won just last year.'
My grandmother seemed lost in thought as she listened to my report. She didn't show the expected fury.
Instead, she calmly and coldly reviewed the materials I brought, over and over.
This was the first time I touched anything related to the Ammunition Group. It wasn't just a simple whistleblowing.
What my grandmother, who had to select the next Chairman after regency ended, wanted.
Through this incident, Seo Taehu clearly wanted to see if I had the qualities of a Chairman.
'KS Industries. I've never heard of it from the Group Headquarters Audit Team?'
'The leader there is a rat. That's why I didn't tell the Audit Team from the start.'
I called Audit Team Leader Yoo Ji-won, Uncle's man, a rat. Hearing this, Grandmother looked genuinely surprised, unlike before.
'Telling a rat where the fish market is? He'd just offer it up to the cat on a platter.'
'Huh... You already knew? That Yoo Ji-won is whose man?'
I shrugged and tossed out a nonchalant response as if it were obvious.
'With so few cards in my hand, I had to avoid bad bets, so I found out.'
Common sense says I shouldn't know. Unless I'd been royally screwed before the regression and analyzed in prison why we failed.
And the implication of that retort was clear.
'You knew KS was Uncle's slush fund laundry, didn't you?'
'I've known since back when you were a hopeless punk with no promise.'
Before the regression, this slush fund helped Uncle seize Group control.
From Grandmother's position, considering the family council's influence, she had to turn a blind eye despite knowing.
After her response, Seo Taehu scanned me up and down like appraising a useful item.
'You have the basics. Just the basic qualities.'
'Harsh evaluation. If you're going to use me, why not use me more?'
'What nonsense. I admit you've changed lately, Seo-jun, but you're still woefully lacking.'
Grandmother snorted, arms crossed. She still seemed uneasy.
In that case... I need to show her something bigger.
'I'll give our stingy Grandmother a chance to swing big.'
Her eyes widened with interest as she looked up at me. Before Grandmother could speak, I continued.
'The Wednesday Group Headquarters morning meeting. Let me attend.'
'Is my grandson's liver swelling up? Can you even handle it?'
Handle it? Of course.
The attendees at the Group Headquarters morning meeting are all familiar faces.
Back when I was a puppet, they were too busy laughing at my clumsy dance.
But now it's different.
'Just roll out a cheap mat for me. Then... I'll show that Chairman quality in front of the audience.'
* * * *
All eyes in the meeting room focused on me in an instant. Construction's Na Deok-sul, Heavy Industries' Park Han-i, Shipbuilding & Marine's Seong Won-sik.
Familiar faces, all of them.
And these three, before the regression, went to prison together for embezzlement a few years later. Discarded by Uncle like dogs and pigs.
"Nice to meet you. Strategy Director Han Seo-jun."
I wanted to expose the connection between KS Industries and Uncle right here. It could even be a way to exclude Uncle from the succession.
"......"
But this was a dead-end method.
Grandmother watched me silently. She already knew Uncle was using KS Industries as a slush fund outlet.
And Seo Taehu, the lady of the Ammunition Group, didn't want this leaking outside.
A chaebol Finance Headquarters Director running a money laundering machine? The prosecution and tax office, with their keen noses, would make a fuss.
"Secret inspector play. Did it well. Working on-site as a foreign laborer, I saw a lot."
The Chairman qualities Grandmother wanted.
Not just business skills. A person in a high position must consider how the interests below move. With a broad perspective.
Eyes that pierce the essence of the target. People call it... insight, discernment.
"Total mess. Complete chaos. Construction, Heavy Industries, Shipbuilding & Marine—all three companies."