[062] A World Where Villains Live 1.

“Everyone, stop! Quiet!”

The two women who had been offering me drinks, along with the two giggling beside my uncle, widened their eyes in surprise.

“What’s with the sudden outburst? Are you worried about mixing too much of the expensive liquor…?”

Even Oh Se-hyun, who seemed to have caught on to something, shouted out.

“Everyone, shut your mouths!”

Ten pairs of eyes turned to me, but my gaze was fixed on the bomb shot on the table.

I stared at the glass, beads of condensation forming on its surface, and began to piece together the scattered fragments of ideas in my mind.

The plan was full of holes, but the overall picture was promising.

The diligent worker ants would fill in the gaps.

The only problem was time; less than a week remained. Completing the picture in that time seemed daunting.

Damn it, time is always the issue.

Whenever I try to do something right, time is always tight. Is it only when I’m on the edge that my brain starts working?

What about Chairman Jin? And Chairman Joo of Daehyun Group?

Do those at the top only find breakthroughs when cornered, or do they avoid getting cornered in the first place?

“Do-jun, are you done thinking? Care to share? Do you have another hidden card up your sleeve?”

Oh Se-hyun, unable to hold back any longer, broke the silence.

“I do have a hidden card, but it’s not mine.”

I pulled out the corporate card from Hanseong Ilbo from my pocket.

“Uncle, take a break here until I secure another trump card.”

Then I turned to the ladies.

“Do you think mixing half whiskey and half beer makes a good bomb shot? It’s just alcohol, right? If you want to boost sales, just throw it away. You can bring a box of Heart Brothers 32-year-old and drink it. This card has no limit.”

“See? It’s not that boss over there, it’s this guy who’s footing the bill!”

One of the women sitting next to me said, as if to show off.

“Uncle, I have somewhere to be. Call the driver waiting outside. I’ll be borrowing your car.”

“Uh, okay.”

“I’ll contact you tomorrow. Have a good time.”

I gave my uncle a wink and left the room.

---

“Sorry for the late visit, Grandfather.”

“It’s fine. I wasn’t asleep yet. But have you been drinking?”

“Yes, but not too much.”

In his pajamas, my grandfather gave my shoulder a light pat, his expression somewhat stern.

“Come in. Let’s talk inside.”

As he headed towards the study, he called out to the kitchen.

“Young-joo, bring a strong cup of honey water.”

Once we were seated in the study, my grandfather’s gruff voice filled the room.

“How does it feel to lose a fight?”

“Do you think I’ve completely lost?”

“What else? Every move you made was countered. There’s no reviving it.”

He was someone who could make a few calls and get the decisions of the creditors and the acquisition review committee. The outcome was already decided.

“It’s not over until it’s over. There’s a saying…”

“Where did you pick up that nonsense? Tsk tsk.”

He clicked his tongue in disdain, furrowing his brow.

“Stop clinging to something that’s already over. It’s wiser to analyze your defeat and prepare for the next. A man should know when to retreat.”

“If Ajin Motors goes to Daehyun, won’t Sunyang Motors be hit hard? Are you okay with that?”

“That’s my concern. And… if it comes to it, we can withdraw.”

Withdraw?

Could he have already considered the worst-case scenario?

It can’t be. This is a man who can’t stand being anything but number one in the industry, someone who cherishes this business field.

His stern expression made it hard to read his true feelings.

“More importantly, when you lose a fight, you should learn something. Have you thought about your mistakes?”

“I knew the influence of large corporations was significant, but I hadn’t fully grasped it. It was just a vague assumption.”

“You only know how strong your opponent’s punch is when you get hit. What else?”

“I missed the right timing because I was impatient.”

“And what else?”

“I underestimated Daehyun’s thoroughness and attention to detail. I didn’t expect them to uncover the Japanese investment deal.”

“Is that all?”

“I didn’t realize their ruthlessness, that they wouldn’t hesitate to disguise Japanese investment records as Japanese capital.”

Finally, my grandfather’s stern face softened.

“Do you think you can do all that you’ve mentioned?”

“In the end, isn’t that what I have to do? If building a large corporation requires being more meticulous, ruthless, and shamelessly lying, then that’s what I’ll do.”

“Never forget that resolve, that determination.”

“Yes.”

Perhaps satisfied with my answer, a smile spread across my grandfather’s face.

“Now, tell me why you’ve come at this hour. I trust you’re not here to drunkenly ramble.”

“As I said, it’s not over yet.”

“Really? What else do you have? Did you ignore what I said? I’ve already looked into everything.”

His expression was no longer stern but curious.

“My last card is in your hands, Grandfather. I want that card.”

“Me? What do I have?”

I met his gaze directly, emphasizing each word.

“Sunyang Motors, which might be withdrawn at any moment.”

“What?”

He’s quite the character. Instead of being surprised, he merely furrowed his brow slightly, as if confirming.

I was taken aback, but I maintained a calm voice.

I pointed to the cup of honey water Young-joo had brought.

“Relieving a hangover isn’t about honey or water alone. Mixing honey and water creates a new effect. Announcing the merger of Ajin Motors and Sunyang Motors will turn the tide in an instant.”

His eyes, still fixed on me, were sharp. This wasn’t the gaze of a loving grandfather but the chairman of Sunyang Group.

“Do you remember what you told me before? About the merger ratio.”

“Of course, I remember.”

“I want to expedite that merger.”

“Do-jun.”

“Yes.”

His gaze was somewhat gentle, but he still wore his ‘iron mask.’

“I was impressed when my grandson bought a pack of ramen with his own money, so I boiled water for him. Once you’ve eaten the ramen, you should be done. You shouldn’t demand rice to mix with the soup, should you?”

“There’s an old saying that not a single grain of rice that goes into a grandson’s mouth is wasted. I’m just a grandson asking for a bowl of rice to mix with the ramen. Is that too much?”

“You glutton, you’re being greedy.”

Why now?

Didn’t he imply that he would pass on the shares of Sunyang Group through the merger of the two car companies? He was sincere then. There’s no doubt.

Why the sudden change in attitude? Is it a change of heart? A test?

“Grandfather, greed, no matter its kind or size, can’t escape criticism. So what’s the point of being half-heartedly greedy? The world’s fingers will point at me anyway.”

There’s no need to guess Chairman Jin’s intentions. Now is the time to show my resolve.

I hope the size of my ambition and the firmness of my resolve have been conveyed…

My grandfather still wore his iron mask and spoke in a low voice.

“What do you have?”

“Sorry?”

“A merger is about combining what you have with what I have. I have Sunyang Motors, but you? Do you have Ajin Motors?”

“The merger announcement will be a chance for a turnaround. The process may be reversed, but isn’t the result the same? Eventually, Ajin Motors will be in my hands.”

“The merger I mentioned before was just a light exploration of possibilities. Didn’t you consider that I might not want the merger?”

“Turning jokes into truths and dreams into reality is the job and the negotiation, isn’t it? There’s no negotiation that can’t be compromised. If the scales are off, they need to be balanced. I’ll add more to the scale in exchange for prioritizing the merger announcement.”

“Oh? You’re coming on strong? Haha.”

Finally, he laughed.

Was he pleased with my answer?

“Alright. Let’s say the merger announcement is made before the review. There’s no guarantee that will turn the tide.”

“No, the merger announcement alone will create two powerful pressure points.”

“One is the weight of the Sunyang Group name, which is superior to Daehyun Group, right? Now the media, government, creditors, and review committee will all look at Sunyang and Daehyun, not Miracle. So what’s the other?”

“Reassurance, packaged as balance, checks, and fairness.”

“Reassurance?”

“Yes. The negative image of Miracle as a speculative investor will vanish.”

After my explanation, silence lingered for a while.

My grandfather, deep in thought, was clearly in the process of making a choice and a decision.

“Sunyang Motors holds quite a few shares in its affiliates. You know that, right?”

“Ajin Motors also holds most of the shares in the remaining eight affiliates of Ajin Group.”

“The scales don’t balance.”

“Adjusting the merger ratio can roughly balance it.”

“Unfortunately, that’s not tempting enough for me.”

Stubborn old man.

You call my ambition excessive? It doesn’t even reach your toes.

No, does he really have no intention of giving me Sunyang Motors? Or is the test not over yet?

“Take all the affiliate shares Sunyang Motors holds and put only the car company on the scale. Then I’ll be heavier.”

“Are you suggesting a spin-off of Sunyang Motors?”

“Ajin Motors, along with eight affiliates. And Sunyang Motors. A new automotive conglomerate will be born.”

“And you’ll sit in the owner’s seat?”

“Should I step aside?”

“You stubborn fool! Don’t even bother with your sweet talk. You rascal!”

I couldn’t help but smile. I didn’t mind stepping aside for Grandfather to take the seat. But if it meant my uncle would follow in my place, that was something I couldn’t tolerate.

Grandfather’s expression was filled with a longing for something more.

To successfully conclude this negotiation, I needed to figure out what that was. Perhaps it was the answer he had been seeking since the merger was first mentioned.

What does the chairman, not just my grandfather, truly desire?

Could it be…?

“Let’s start by announcing the complete spin-off of Sunyang Motors and its merger with Ajin Motors. Sunyang Motors’ stock is high because of its holdings in Sunyang affiliates. Just the announcement of the spin-off will send the stock plummeting.”

Grandfather’s eyes widened, and they sparkled even more.

“When the stock hits rock bottom, I’ll discreetly buy it up.”

“And then?”

“After acquiring and merging with Ajin Group, we’ll find reasons to cancel the spin-off. This will not only solidify Sunyang Group’s control but also allow us to absorb the entire Ajin Group.”

“But won’t that harm a lot of small investors?”

“When a big carriage moves, some ants get crushed under the wheels. We can’t avoid every single one.”

I caught the fleeting smile that danced across Grandfather’s lips.

“With the Sunyang Motors shares you buy, you’ll become one of Sunyang’s major shareholders.”

“Isn’t it an easy gift? When the stock rises, I make money without paying taxes.”

“Hahaha!”

Thud, thud, thud—

Finally, Grandfather burst into laughter, pounding the desk.

Was that approval?

“You cheeky brat! You’re already turning into quite the villain.”

Thank goodness. It was approval.