[064] A World Where Villains Live 3.
He hurled the remote at the TV, but the screen remained unscathed. It was as if even the television was mocking him.
“Make sure I don’t see the name Sunyang in front of me from now on.”
The CEO and executives in the meeting room began to feel uneasy about the Sunyang Electronics phones in their pockets. Thankfully, they were turned off.
“Did no one know about this? Didn’t you have people watching Song Hyun-chang and Oh Se-hyun?”
“There was no unusual activity until last night.”
“Are you blind? What do you mean you didn’t see anything?”
Someone mumbled in a low voice, but all they got in return was Chairman Joo’s furious outburst.
“Do you think those three could reach such an agreement with just a few phone calls? They must have met dozens of times. What on earth are you people doing?”
After fuming for a while, Chairman Joo seemed to realize that mere anger wouldn’t solve anything and calmed himself down.
“Not knowing about their surprise attack is one thing. Now, tell me how we can recover from this.”
No one was quick to speak up.
This isn’t about buying a single item at an auction. If it were just about bidding the highest price, it would be easy.
If one trillion isn’t enough, you could bid two or three trillion.
But the bid documents clearly include a crucial section called ‘non-price factors.’
Especially for acquiring a top-tier conglomerate like Ajin Group, it’s an extension of high-level political maneuvering.
You need the backing of the Blue House, the economic ministries, and the National Assembly.
The merger of Sunyang and Ajin has a plausible justification and looks good on paper. If Daehyun swallows it up, it’s obvious that tens of thousands will lose their jobs.
The presidential election is just around the corner. How much of a burden would creating tens of thousands of unemployed people be for the ruling party’s candidate?
“Are you not only blind but also mute now? Why is no one speaking?”
Chairman Joo glanced around the conference room, looking at the downcast executives, and let out a hollow laugh.
“You have two hours from now. Find every possible way to turn this around. Mobilize everyone, even distant relatives, and start lobbying on all fronts. Apply pressure on everyone, from low-level civil servants to bank clerks.”
Chairman Joo also took out his phone and left the meeting room.
First, the Blue House!
“Father, this is unacceptable.”
“Sit down first. Would you like some tea?”
Chairman Jin looked at his eldest son, who had barged into the study shouting, with a disapproving gaze.
“Abandoning the car division? What could possibly be lacking…?”
Vice Chairman Jin Young-gi’s forehead was bulging with veins as he tried to hold back his words.
A car division that never escapes last place, a division drowning in deficits, can be discarded. But to learn about such a crucial decision for the group through TV!
He’s the eldest son of the founder and the vice chairman of the group. If he were younger, he might have no grounds to complain, but he’s already in his mid-fifties. How long must he be treated like a mere placeholder?
“There’s nothing lacking, so I threw it away. I tossed all the deficits the car division was carrying over to them and wiped the slate clean…”
“Father!”
Jin Young-gi finally exploded, unable to hold back any longer because of his father’s nonchalant words.
“How could you not give me a single hint? This is a major issue involving the restructuring of a group subsidiary, and I have to find out through TV? Is that all I am? How can I even mention my title as vice chairman without feeling ashamed?”
Chairman Jin watched his eldest son, who was raising his voice and fuming, in silence for a while.
“President Cho Dae-ho has always brought all the approval documents to me. For someone like him to directly announce such a massive deal as the Sunyang Motors merger… If I think about how he must have laughed at me while getting my approval all this time… He must have thought of me as a puppet, right?”
As his son’s voice grew louder, Chairman Jin’s expression turned colder.
If Jin Young-gi had calmed down a bit, he might have noticed the change in Chairman Jin. But once his emotions burst, they clouded his vision.
“Are you going to continue? Do you have more to say?”
“What?”
The icy voice of Chairman Jin pierced his ears, and he realized he had gone too far.
“If you’ve vented all your grievances and anger, it’s time to move on.”
”…?”
Jin Young-gi couldn’t think of what “moving on” meant.
“What is it? Is venting all you can do?”
The smirk on Chairman Jin’s face was clearly mocking. Jin Young-gi’s clenched fists trembled with anger.
“Father!”
“Enough, you fool!”
When Chairman Jin slammed the desk, Jin Young-gi’s fists slowly unclenched.
“What? You’re ashamed of your vice chairman title? And what else? A puppet?”
“Father…”
“If you’re ashamed of the Sunyang Group vice chairman title, throw it away. The title you find shameful is something the entire nation would fight over like hungry wolves. The only thing you’ve done is be born as my eldest son. It’s a title you got by luck, so you don’t know its value.”
“That’s not what I meant…”
“Not what you meant? You received the vice chairman title after turning forty. If you weren’t my son? If you had crawled up from the bottom to get that title, you wouldn’t feel ashamed for even a second. No… Do you think you could have even held a director’s title?”
Jin Young-gi couldn’t retort, but he trembled with intense humiliation.
“One thing you said is quite fitting. A puppet, there’s no better word for it.”
“This is… too much.”
“Too much? Me? Aren’t you acting like a puppet yourself? Even right now.”
Chairman Jin’s voice softened slightly, perhaps feeling a bit of pity for his devastated eldest son.
“Young-gi, I understand that you were furious when you found out through TV. But it’s already out in the media. You know it can’t be undone. So you should have thought about what will come next, what additional preparations are needed, and what real benefits Sunyang should gain from the merger. That’s what a vice chairman should do.”
Chairman Jin’s low, instructive tone was that of a father trying to teach his still-inexperienced son.
“Young-gi.”
“Yes.”
Chairman Jin approached his son, who couldn’t lift his bowed head, and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“If you do even a tenth of what others do, that seat will be yours.”
Chairman Jin pointed to the office chair.
“Don’t be hasty. Focus solely on Sunyang’s future, on growing and protecting it with all your might. That’s all you need to do.”
Watching his son, who still had his head bowed, Chairman Jin felt a sense of futility at having to console his grown son at his age.
“It was two days ago.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. That evening, Jin Do-jun was in Oh Se-hyun’s car, and soon after, Director Lee Hak-jae and President Cho Dae-ho arrived. Jin Do-jun left before the two arrived.”
President Jin Dong-gi, who oversees Sunyang Group’s heavy industries and chemical divisions, listened intently to his aides’ reports.
“So you’re saying my brother wasn’t there?”
“Yes. We confirmed he rushed to the chairman’s residence right after the TV announcement.”
“And you haven’t heard anything else?”
“There were some loud voices from the study, but we don’t know the exact details. I’m sorry.”
“No, unless we bugged the place, how could we know that? It’s fine.”
“I really wish we could plant a bug.”
“Don’t even dream about it. You know how cautious our old man is, right? Security staff check the study every three days. If we’re caught, it’s over.”
One of the aides spoke wistfully, and President Jin Dong-gi let out a dry laugh.
“It’s obvious. My brother must have whined in front of the old man. That’s all he knows how to do. Haha.”
After a round of laughter, another aide spoke cautiously.
“President, it’s clear that Oh Se-hyun proposed the merger first, but why did the chairman accept it so easily? And in just one day?”
“It might have been part of my father’s plan from the start. Oh Se-hyun started making moves since the Han Steel acquisition. Miracle might be our old man’s hidden treasure chest.”
As Jin Dong-gi slowly swiveled his chair, a puzzling question was directed at him.
“President, are you saying that Jin Do-jun, that kid, is the keeper of the chairman’s treasure chest?”
“The keeper would be Oh Se-hyun. Do-jun might just be learning the ropes from him.”
“He’s quite something. To be favored by the chairman among the third generation… that’s impressive.”
“If that kid were over thirty, he’d be a threat to me. It’s fortunate he’s the youngest, and it’s also lucky that the eldest, Young-jun, is a fool.”
Stopping his chair, Jin Dong-gi leaned closer to his desk.
“Keep an eye on Do-jun. He’s already acting as a messenger between Oh Se-hyun and our old man. He probably knew about the merger long before. In the worst-case scenario…”
President Jin Dong-gi paused, and his aides swallowed nervously.
“Could he be the successor…?”
“No, that’s definitely not it. The old man has doted on him since he was young, but he didn’t stop him from going to law school. With his grades, he could have easily topped Seoul National University’s business school. But he chose law. Why do you think that is?”
Everyone blinked, unable to answer Jin Dong-gi’s question. Even as close aides, how could they know the intricate family details?
“If you need a lawyer or prosecutor, you can just buy one. They say Do-jun doesn’t even attend school properly, right? What my father wanted was a trophy to boast about. A smart grandson who excels in studies.”
“Ah…”
“What we expect from Do-jun is just that much—a polish to make the family shine. If we intended for him to take over the group, we would have sent him to study business management. He needs to learn the industry jargon, after all.”
“Then why did they entrust him to Miracle Oh Se-hyun? If he’s just a decoration?”
“Because he’s useful. Maybe they’ve discovered a talent in him—the knack for handling money, for growing it. He might even take over the financial sector of the Sunyang Group. Sunyang Life, Sunyang Fire & Marine, Sunyang Capital, and even the card business.”
As the expressions of those around him hardened, Jin Dong-ki shook his head slightly.
“Don’t worry in advance. This battle will end in a flash, like lightning. For now, just focus on building a solid reputation without making mistakes. If you jump in recklessly, you’ll end up like Hanseong Ilbo—broke. Heh.”
Jin Dong-ki’s laughter eased the tension on the faces of his aides.
“Exactly. They haven’t even arranged the marriage yet, and they’re already tailing him?”
“They’re just getting excited over marrying into the family without knowing a thing. They don’t even realize they’re just living off ad revenue.”
“Should we let the chairman know about this?”
“If I know, do you think my father doesn’t? Leave it be.”
Jin Dong-ki lowered his voice again.
“And the stock price of Sunyang Motors is dropping, right?”
“Yes. The sharp ones are already cashing out and leaving.”
“Once it hits rock bottom, scoop it all up. There won’t be any spin-offs. My father isn’t the type to throw away something he’s nurtured. Once it stabilizes, the stock price will rise, and the group’s control will strengthen. Make sure you handle it without mistakes.”
“Yes, sir.”
As his aides stood up, Jin Dong-ki snapped his fingers.
“Oh, and arrange a dinner with President Jo Dae-ho soon. He’s leaving after all his hard work, and I want to treat him to a meal.”
Jin Dong-ki, the second son, maintained an unwavering belief that the path he was paving from the ground up was the right one.