CH72 | MCT

Discussing War Before the Minister of Defense (4)

Tae-soo spoke with confidence.

[I would like to be entrusted with the Jubail Industrial Port construction project.]

Khalid flinched.

[The Jubail Industrial Port project? That’s still in the conceptual stage—there isn’t even a concrete plan yet.]

[I’m aware. But I also know that in a few years, this project will inevitably move forward.]

In his previous life, the public bidding for the project was announced in 1975, and construction began in 1976.

The company that secured the project was Geumsan Construction, led by Jang Jun-yong.

And the one who reviewed and approved the project? The very man standing before him—Khalid, who would eventually become the King of Saudi Arabia.

Khalid frowned.

[I am the Minister of Defense. This matter is outside my jurisdiction. I cannot give you a definite answer.]

The Minister of Finance controlled the budget, and the Minister of Construction oversaw the planning and approval of projects.

Both were Khalid’s political adversaries.

No matter how much Khalid exerted his influence, those two ministers would likely work together to block him.

His expression darkened at the thought.

But Tae-soo simply smiled as if it didn’t concern him.

[The future is unpredictable. If the time comes and you find yourself in a position to help, I ask that you do so then.]

Khalid nodded heavily.

[I will assist to the best of my ability. Even if I cannot give a definitive promise now, I will not turn a blind eye to it.]

[That is more than enough.]

With that, Tae-soo had completed the task Jang Jun-yong had requested of him—securing the Saudi King’s support for the project.

While Khalid couldn’t promise anything outright, the commitment to help as much as possible was a significant first step.

Khalid tilted his head slightly.

[The construction of Jubail Industrial Port is far too massive for Taeyang Construction to handle alone…]

[That is not a concern. Geumsan Construction will be working alongside us.]

Khalid’s eyes narrowed.

[Geumsan? Are you referring to the man who floated an oil tanker filled with water into the harbor?]

Jang Jun-yong’s name was still unfamiliar in Saudi Arabia.

However, his stunt of sailing a tanker filled with water had drawn attention, making the Saudi royal court take notice.

Khalid was among those who had heard the name Geumsan Construction.

[That’s correct. In Korea, he is involved in shipbuilding, oil refining, heavy equipment, and construction.]

[Hmm…]

[Sooner or later, you will meet Jang Jun-yong in person.]

[Very well.]

Khalid nodded.

Then, Tae-soo cautiously brought up another matter.

[This is a personal request…]

[What is it? Speak freely.]

Khalid waved his hand, urging him to continue.

[I understand that, as of now, Saudi Arabia’s oil is mostly controlled by foreign oil companies, making it difficult for you to exert influence. However, if you emerge victorious in this war and successfully nationalize Saudi Arabia’s oil…]

Tae-soo’s eyes gleamed.

[I ask that you completely cut off the supply of oil to Cheongil Refinery.]

Khalid’s expression hardened. His gaze sharpened.

[Cheongil Refinery… You mean Han Cheong-ho?]

[Yes.]

Khalid clenched his jaw.

[You don’t even need to ask. I will make sure of it myself. That traitor dared to stab Rahman in the back.]

Khalid had told Tae-soo before:

I always repay my debts with interest.

Rahman is my son. Whatever he suffers, I suffer as well.

Now, Khalid was openly seething.

[He will pay dearly for his betrayal. I will return the favor many times over.]

His voice was filled with unwavering conviction.

[Not a single drop of Saudi oil will be sold to Cheongil Refinery. That, I can promise you.]

Tae-soo bowed his head slightly.

[Thank you.]

Khalid was not finished.

[If I meet with other oil-producing nations, I will ask them to do the same—never to sell oil to Cheongil Refinery.]

That was more than Tae-soo could have hoped for.

"How many oil-producing nations would dare ignore Saudi Arabia’s influence after reclaiming control over its oil?"

It was highly unlikely.

Cheongil Refinery would now have to embark on a lonely battle in search of oil.

At that moment, a servant approached Khalid and whispered something in his ear.

Khalid’s expression hardened.

[It seems the traitor’s right-hand man has fallen into my hands.]

He turned to Tae-soo.

[Han Cheong-ho’s secretary was captured while delivering bundles of cash to the Minister of Finance’s residence.]

[So, he’s already in Saudi Arabia? He moves faster than I expected.]

Tae-soo quickly deduced what had happened.

It seemed that Jang Jun-yong’s provocation had worked.

Han Cheong-ho, desperate and on edge, had begun throwing money around, and now his secretary had been caught in the act.

Khalid smirked coldly.

[My men apprehended him as he was leaving the Minister’s house. The foreigner was acting suspiciously, and my men mistook him for a spy.]

[Where is he now?]

[Tied up in the basement of my home.]

[And what do you intend to do with him?]

Khalid’s gaze turned sharp.

[He is the hand of the traitor Han Cheong-ho. We caught him red-handed, sneaking in and out of the Finance Minister’s house. Do you really think I would let such a man walk free?]

A cruel smile played on his lips.

[The Saudi desert is a fearsome place. If an outsider wanders in without knowing the way, even his body might never be found.]

It was clear—Han Cheong-ho’s secretary would not leave this place alive.

"But which secretary is it?" Tae-soo wondered. "Is it Secretary Song or Secretary Park?"

If it was Park, there was no need for further discussion.

But if it was Song, things were different.

Tae-soo lowered his head slightly and spoke in a calm, measured tone.

[May I see the prisoner first?]

Khalid studied Tae-soo in silence, trying to gauge his intentions.

But in the end, he trusted him.

[Very well. I will take you to him.]

[And if necessary, may I negotiate for his life?]

Khalid stroked his beard thoughtfully.

[Hmph… I will decide after I see him myself.]

With that, Tae-soo followed Khalid toward the underground basement.

***

SPLASH!

A bucket of water was dumped onto the unconscious prisoner.

The man tied to the chair shuddered violently as he was jolted awake.

His heavy eyelids slowly lifted.

A familiar voice greeted him.

“Are you awake now, Secretary Song?”

"N-No… You—!"

Song’s eyes widened in shock at the sight of Tae-soo.

He instinctively tried to stand, only to realize he was tightly bound to the chair.

Then, his gaze shifted to the man seated beside Tae-soo.

His pupils dilated in recognition.

"That man is… the Saudi Minister of Defense…!"

"Minister Khalid," Tae-soo confirmed with a faint smile. "So you already know him."

"Why… Why is he here? Why am I here?"

"You visited the Saudi Minister of Finance’s residence, didn’t you?"

Song flinched.

"H-How do you know that?"

Tae-soo tilted his head slightly.

"Have you forgotten how you were captured?"

The memory hit Song like a bolt of lightning.

He had gone to the Minister of Finance’s house, delivered the money, and taken a taxi back to his hotel.

Then, someone had grabbed him from behind.

A pungent smell filled his nose from a cloth pressed over his mouth, and before he could react, everything went dark.

Now, he was awake—facing none other than Minister Khalid and Tae-soo.

"I see now… The Saudi Minister of Defense was keeping an eye on his rival’s house."

It was obvious.

A foreigner loitering around the Finance Minister’s residence before slipping in and out? Of course, he had been mistaken for a spy.

But when they captured him, they discovered he was Han Cheong-ho’s secretary.

Tae-soo leaned forward slightly.

"Secretary Song, I’m sure you’re well aware of the relationship between the Finance Minister and Minister Khalid?"

Song remained silent.

"And, of course, you also know the relationship between Minister Khalid, Rahman, and Chairman Han Cheong-ho of Cheongil Refinery."

Of course, he knew.

They were sworn enemies, bound by betrayal.

A cold sweat trickled down Song’s back.

His throat felt dry.

"W-What do you plan to do with me?"

"Minister Khalid plans to take you to the desert. He intends to settle the score with Cheongil’s chairman on Rahman’s behalf."

It meant death.

"No! Why should I suffer such a fate?!"

The desert claimed countless lives each year.

Most of them were never found.

Song’s face turned deathly pale.

"I… I didn’t do anything wrong!"

"But when you carried that bag of money for Chairman Han Cheong-ho, you must have known there was a risk."

Song shut his eyes tightly.

‘So this is how they cut off loose ends? Han Cheong-ho is using Kang Tae-soo to get rid of me cleanly.’

It was borrowing a knife to kill—one of Han Cheong-ho’s favorite tactics.

Song clenched his jaw and shouted desperately:

"Please spare me!"

He didn’t want to die.

He refused to end up like the driver who had met an untimely demise.

"I was only following orders! I never wanted to come here in the first place!"

He was frantic.

Among everyone here, Tae-soo was his only hope.

Khalid? Rahman? Their men? They would kill him without hesitation.

Only Tae-soo might spare him.

"I knew from the moment Han Cheong-ho ordered me to carry that money bag that this day might come… But I don’t want to die like this! Please, just this once, let me live!"

His mind flashed to the family he had left behind in Korea.

To Han Il-kwon, who once warned that he’d throw him into the Han River.

To Han Cheong-ho, who had mercilessly sent him to his doom.

Tae-soo’s voice cut through his thoughts.

"Secretary Song, do you want to live?"

"Yes! I want to live! I’ll beg if I have to!"

Tae-soo’s gaze was cold.

"Begging won’t save your life. You have to pay for it yourself."

"…Pay for it?"

Song’s head snapped up.

A glimmer of hope flickered.

"Secretary Song, you must know how to pay for your life. Prove your worth."

Song’s mind raced.

The urgency to find a way to survive before death came spurred his thoughts even faster.

‘Secretary Song, it’s been a while. I never thought we’d meet like this.’

Tae-soo knew.

He knew exactly how Song had died in his past life.

‘He knew too much of Han Cheong-ho’s secrets. That’s why Han Cheong-ho discarded him.’

Song had been Han Cheong-ho’s loyal servant for many years.

But by the time Tae-soo joined Han’s ranks, Song was already dead.

‘Secretary Song, he was the one who trained me.’

When Tae-soo had first entered Han Cheong-ho’s service, it was Song who had taught him.

That’s why Tae-soo understood who Song was and what he was capable of.

‘Secretary Song always feared Han Cheong-ho. That’s why he volunteered to train me.’

When Tae-soo was almost done with his training, Song was discarded—no longer of use.

‘The cause of death was an overdose. An unexpected death.’

But the rumors had spread that after being demoted, Song had fallen into depression.

‘It wasn’t true. He had been grateful for the demotion, not depressed.’

Song had volunteered to retire from his active role to train Tae-soo.

Because of that, Park had been promoted and became Han Cheong-ho’s chief secretary.

Park had always looked down on Tae-soo, but Song had always been proud of him.

‘It was Secretary Song who first told me about Han Cheong-ho’s dark secrets.’

It was also Song who had granted Tae-soo access to the Cheongil Group’s information room.

It was Song who constantly emphasized the importance of gathering information.

And...

‘It was also Secretary Song who hinted that I was being raised to become Han Il-gwon’s leash.’

Song had always given Tae-soo advice:

• Never show weakness to Han Il-gwon.

• Hide your true thoughts. Never reveal secrets while pretending to be friends.

• The more Han Il-gwon fears you, the longer you will survive.

• Prove your worth. Life isn’t something to beg for. You must pay the price for your own life.

Secretary Song had always cared deeply for Tae-soo.

He wanted Tae-soo to escape the clutches of Han Il-gwon and Han Cheong-ho.

That’s why he raised Tae-soo not as a mere assistant, but as a potential heir to a conglomerate.

• Someone who could replace Han Il-gwon and turn Cheongil into South Korea’s top corporation.
• Someone who could control Han Il-gwon’s leash.

Secretary Song had always introduced Tae-soo to Han Cheong-ho this way.

Tae-soo was Song’s investment to ensure his survival.

Before his death, Secretary Song had left one last piece of advice for Tae-soo:

- Never get involved in the secrets of the Han Cheong-ho family. If you do, you’ll meet the same fate I did.