The Dream and Hope of Squandering Money (4)

"Wait? You mean I don't have to worry about anything?" Lee Dong-gil couldn't quite grasp the meaning behind Park Cheol-young's words. 'Is he suggesting I play the media game to cover up any issues that might arise from fast-tracking the paperwork?' However, Park Cheol-young had a completely different intention in mind.

"Mr. Mayor."

"Yes?"

"Has YK ever had a problem with corruption?"

"Well, the military usually handles everything, doesn't it? Oh, wait!" Lee Dong-gil naturally thought of the military regime. However, N, the new presidential frontrunner, had been elected on a platform of eradicating military influence. Thus, Lee Dong-gil realized that YK could no longer rely on the military's power. But that wasn't what Park Cheol-young meant.

"Think about the National Tax Service."

"Ah!"

The public institution best at sniping in South Korea. None other than the National Tax Service. During the 3-Heo incident, despite being targeted by the tax authorities, YK hadn't been caught in anything major.

"As you just reacted, YK hasn't had any real flaws when it comes to tax evasion, the most common form of corruption. Why does collusion between politics and business happen in the first place? Isn't it for tax evasion or illicit gains? But YK is a group far removed from tax evasion and illicit gains."

"I suppose... I can't deny the lack of illicit gains. Hahahaha!"

For a split second, Park Cheol-young almost looked at Lee Dong-gil with 'pity.' But his desire for success gave him an incredible ability to control his facial expressions.

"Puhuhuhut! Oh, this hurts my pride. I ended up laughing, didn't I?"

"Kekekeke, right? I thought it was funny too."

This is exactly why one must succeed in South Korea. With every single word, you can force the other person to react. Once you've made it, you don't need to pay streamers ten thousand won just to request a reaction. You just speak, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and reactions pop up everywhere.

"To reiterate, YK has survived in South Korea with a strategy quite unique compared to other companies."

"I think I know, but could you explain it specifically?"

Park Cheol-young nodded.

"Yes. Other companies formed blood ties with each other and committed corruption through political-business collusion. Unlike others who compete fairly, they monopolized profits through unfair competition. Haven't you experienced this yourself, Mr. Mayor?"

Lee Dong-gil gave a bitter smile.

"Well, that's true. I mean... I've had my fair share of fun with that, too."

Park Cheol-young didn't care at all about the fact that Lee Dong-gil had committed corruption in the past. After all, there was no benefit to be gained from calling him out on it.

"But YK is different. Not only do they rarely form blood ties with other chaebols, but they also force fair competition on others. They themselves jump into fair competition as well."

"Isn't that not the case if you think about the Shinsang Group?"

"Think about where Chairman Kang Seok-ho of the Shinsang Group is right now."

"Ah..."

"Furthermore, the Shinsang Group wasn't ruined by Chairman Kang Seok-ho, but because the previous chairman, Kang Jang-hwan, went on a rampage. Yet, seeing Chairman Kang Seok-ho take on an executive role at YK, he must have bowed his head, unlike his father."

Those with insight were somewhat aware of the background of YK's growth. They had certainly colluded with those in power, but not to kill others—they colluded so they wouldn't be killed by others. Park Cheol-young was a man of insight who saw right through this.

"Come to think of it, the Daeyoung Group wasn't crushed by opposing YK, but because the chairman got beaten to a pulp by JD while trying to naturalize in Vietnam."

"Exactly. YK just tried to survive through political-business collusion; they didn't commit corruption."

"Good, then that means I can trust YK, right?"

"Yes. Accept it unconditionally, and interpret most regulations, including local tax reduction benefits, in a way that is as pro-YK as possible. You have to accept it first."

"But won't the people around the amusement park hate it because it's noisy?"

"They'll be begging to sell their houses with money in hand to open restaurants and such; that's not something to worry about right now."

"But there are people who won't sell, right?"

At Lee Dong-gil's persistent questioning, Park Cheol-young looked puzzled.

"Mr. Mayor."

"Yes?"

"Democracy is the principle of majority rule."

"Ah, right."

Lee Dong-gil had firmly made up his mind.

Yoon-gi received countless requests ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for handshakes. The counterparts were none other than the mayors from all eight provinces of the country. The number of mayors gathered in the grand banquet hall at the YK Hotel was truly staggering. It wasn't just the mayors of metropolitan cities like Daejeon, Daegu, and Busan; mayors of ordinary cities also participated in this competition.

"Isn't it just great to receive this kind of attention?"

At Yoon-gi's words, Choi Cheol-kyu chuckled and shook his head.

"No, you're the weird one. Honestly, doesn't this kind of attention feel really burdensome?"

"Well. For some reason, I like the attention."

"Maybe it's because you've rarely received attention on the 9 o'clock news? Most chaebols appear on the 9 o'clock news the moment they get any attention."

At Choi Cheol-kyu's wise response, Yoon-gi also giggled and nodded.

"That's true, actually."

While Yoon-gi and Choi Cheol-kyu were chatting, Ryu Geun-tae stepped onto the podium.

"I would like to express my gratitude to the mayors who have gathered here today."

A thunderous sound of applause echoed through the grand banquet hall. The thunderous applause proved just how many mayors were gathered here. It would be difficult for the President to get this level of attendance even with an emergency summons. However, Yoon-gi's summons made the impossible possible.

Looking at the Yongin Nature Park alone, the benefits an amusement park brings to a city are enormous. What level would an amusement park built by YK, the nation's number one company, be at? As a result, even mayors of cities that seemed to have almost no chance participated in this competition. In any case, if they could just get noticed by Yoon-gi and YK's executives, that alone would be a huge benefit.

This determination was reflected in their eyes, and seeing that, Ryu Geun-tae felt anew that Yoon-gi was truly remarkable. 'If I went back to being 10 years old with my current intellectual capacity, could I become like this? No, even if I were born in the Chairman's position, could I do as he does? It would be difficult, I suppose.'

Choi Deok-bae hovered around Ryu Geun-tae as if reading his mind. Of course, Ryu Geun-tae couldn't see Choi Deok-bae.

'That's right.'

'It is the truth. No matter how hard I tried, I wouldn't have grown this much without my grandfather.'

'...If you just didn't say things like that, I would have respect for you in my daily life.'

'Yeah.'

At Yoon-gi's overly firm words, Choi Deok-bae pouted. But Yoon-gi, who knew better than anyone that it was an act, refocused on the podium.

"Now, our YK plans to select one location to build an amusement park. The scale will be the greatest in history compared to all zoos and amusement parks currently existing in South Korea, and the finances invested will also be at the highest level. Everyone knows how much Chairman Choi Yoon-gi's personal assets are, right?"

Every mayor looked at Yoon-gi, and Yoon-gi smiled and raised his hand toward them.

A common thought among all the mayors. Especially because of the AIDS treatment, the mayors felt this thought even more deeply. Just how much profit would be made through the new drug? Just imagining this made the mayors sigh about their own lives. Yoon-gi's life was one that even the elites serving as mayors of a region envied. That was why Yoon-gi was even more satisfied with this attention.

"As you all know, there are almost no cases where YK discards a plan once it has been decided. Therefore, if this plan is set, you can consider the amusement park as good as built. That is why I have confidently invited you all here."

Ryu Geun-tae's words continued.

"Before we make a selection, I would like to decide on one opinion through ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a vote from you all."

The projector placed in the center of the grand banquet hall created two words behind Ryu Geun-tae.

"Now, you just need to decide. A public auction means the conditions you brought will be revealed right here on the spot, and a private auction is a method where our YK collects the conditions you brought and notifies you. According to democratic principles, we intend to decide through a secret ballot now, so please come out in order and cast your votes."

As soon as Ryu Geun-tae finished speaking, a YK employee opened the lock on a large ballot box to show the mayors that there were no papers inside.

The mayors' heads began to spin rapidly. Public auction or private auction? Which of the two choices would bring political benefits to the mayors? Since they didn't win their mayoral seats by playing Hwatu, the mayors each checked their ballots according to their own optimal choices and dropped them into the ballot box.

And about 40 minutes later. Since the event was taking place alongside a meal, the mayors waited while chatting and dining, and the voting ended.

"We will now begin the vote counting."

Ryu Geun-tae took the papers out of the ballot box one by one, and each time he took one out, he revealed the front of the paper to the mayors, clearly showing what had been checked. It was a truly transparent vote. Therefore, the mayors could all accept that the private auction had won with a final ratio of 8:2.

Because there were so many application documents from the city halls, the work of summarizing the contents was being done by those below Ryu Geun-tae or Choi Cheol-kyu. Naturally, even below Ma Seok-il. Ma Seok-il was supervising as an intermediate manager, and one of the employees spoke to Ma Seok-il as if talking to himself.

"It's unexpected."

"What is?"

"That the mayors chose a private auction. For a deal this big, wouldn't a public auction be more convincing even if they lose?"

"You're naive."

"Yes?"

Ma Seok-il gave a bitter smile to the puzzled employee and continued.

"Do you like it if your salary is opened to other employees?"

"Uh... um..."

The employee was speechless in an instant.

"If humans were altruistic, it would be right to disclose all salaries, right? But humans are egoists, so you should ne~ver open up your salary. Because it looks like others are making money while playing, and you look like you're working damn hard to make money."

In fact, there are rare but existing companies where all employees' salaries were opened due to a mistake by the accounting department, leading to chaos. Surely, if everyone's salary were disclosed, one could benefit in salary negotiations or job changes, but it's a matter of clashing with realistic aspects.

"And the only one who benefits from a public auction is the one in first place."

"Is... that so?"

"Of course, you idiot. The side that loses will be cursed at by the citizens, asking 'Why didn't you put forward better conditions,' so why would they be ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠crazy enough to do a public auction?"

"Ah... that's certainly true."

"20 percent are just mayors with flower gardens spinning in their heads. They see humans too kindly. The reason human altruism looks beautiful is only because humans are egoistic. If humans were altruistic beings, the word altruism itself wouldn't have been created."

"Hmm... I'm learning a lot today as well."

"Yeah, I really like that way of understanding quickly. Did you pretend to be pure on purpose to talk to me?"

"Oh, no way."

Amidst such conversations, all the city hall application documents were summarized. Fortunately for Lee Dong-gil, Daejeon's conditions were at the top tier among the city halls. However, unfortunately, there were four other city halls that had put forward similar conditions.