CH69 | MCT

Discussing War Before the Minister of Defense (1)

Tae-soo also greeted him politely.

[I am Kang Tae-soo from South Korea.]

[Pleasure to meet you. I am Khalid bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the fifth son of His Majesty Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the first King of Saudi Arabia, and I currently serve as the Minister of Defense.]

Khalid introduced himself.

[Rather than standing around here, why don’t we continue our conversation in the reception room?]

[That sounds good.]

Before long, they arrived at the reception room.

The room was luxuriously decorated—bold, extravagant, and grand, reflecting the homeowner's personality.

In short, everything that stood out was large, tall, thick, and expensive.

'At least he didn’t decorate every corner of the house with gold and jewels like Rahman did. That’s a relief.'

If one had to pick the most flamboyant place in this house, it would undoubtedly be Rahman’s room.

One could tell just by looking at Rahman’s office, his attire, his massive cruiser, or even his car.

Rahman was excessively extravagant.

'Now that I’m here, I can see just how lavish Rahman’s tastes really are.'

This was precisely why the Corino chieftain immediately assumed the luxurious cruise ship belonged to Rahman.

Compared to the Saudi royal family's traditional aesthetic, Rahman’s style was flashy—far too flashy.

Rahman loved grandeur and extravagance.

But since his father was the Minister of Defense, a man of immense power and wealth, his personal preferences were simply left unchecked.

[You must have had quite a journey coming all the way to Riyadh. Are you the one who recently surprised the Saudi royal family?]

Khalid examined Tae-soo with an intrigued expression.

[I heard you gave my son some advice. You told him to look at money instead of words, didn’t you?]

[Yes, I did.]

Human behavior is ultimately driven by desire.

And the most representative indicator of desire is money.

[I arranged a royal jet and a luxury limousine for your arrival. Why do you think I spent money in this way?]

Khalid’s sharp question came out of nowhere.

Now, it was clear where Rahman had learned his ways.

[As a gesture of goodwill. And as a gift. I sincerely appreciate your warm welcome.]

[You’re quite confident in your reasoning. What makes you so sure?]

[You said it yourself just now.]

He had prepared a royal jet and a luxury limousine.

[If you had intended to harm me, you would have spent money differently. Instead of sending a private jet, you might have sent a military helicopter to detain me. Instead of seating me in the back of a limousine, you could have thrown me into a car trunk.]

[Hahaha!]

Hearing Tae-soo’s words, Khalid couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

[You're a sharp one. I had my suspicions after hearing from my son, but now that I see you in person, you’re even more impressive than I expected.]

[Thank you for the generous compliment.]

Tae-soo smiled and stepped forward.

[Thanks to you, I didn’t have to endure a long journey across the desert by car.]

[Considering what you’ve taught my son, this is the least I could do. Welcome to my home.]

Though it was a formal greeting, it was spoken with sincerity.

'At last, I’ve met my target—the future King of Saudi Arabia.'

Jang Joon-yong’s ultimate objective.

The man Tae-soo had come to meet.

The one who would ultimately decide the construction of the Jubail industrial port was standing right before him.

[Come, have a seat. You’re not planning to stand there all day, are you?]

Tae-soo took the seat Khalid offered.

Across from him, Rahman had already settled in his seat.

[I'll be honest with you. In the short time I haven’t seen him, my son seems to have been influenced by you. He has taken your words to heart.]

[There is an old Eastern proverb: ‘Near ink, one becomes black’ (近墨者黑). It means that when you spend time with a friend, you take on their colors. Perhaps that’s why your son has been influenced by me.]

Khalid laughed.

[Are you saying that you consider yourself my son’s friend?]

[Yes, that’s correct. I want to be his friend.]

Tae-soo gestured toward Rahman.

[When I met him earlier, he told me something interesting.]

"Keep a poor friend, and all you’ll get are fleas and lice."

"But keep a rich friend, and even leftover rice will seem like a feast."

[That was quite a memorable statement. I intend to share better things with my wealthy friend.]

[And what exactly do you plan to share?]

[The spoils of victory.]

Khalid found Tae-soo’s confidence quite appealing.

[Victory is always a good thing.]

Of course.

Victory is sweet, while defeat is bitter.

There were things that needed to be addressed first.

Khalid casually brought up something he had been wanting to confirm with Tae-soo.

[You’ve got guts. I heard you made a bet over the road construction project. Not only did you offer to complete it without taking a single cent, but you also put a limestone mine and a cement factory on the line.]

[So you've heard about the wager?]

[Of course. Your skill in extracting oil is no joke. My son wagered 3.5 million barrels, didn’t he? Young people sure are bold these days.]

[Are you displeased?]

[Not at all. It was my son’s decision, and I can afford it, so there’s no problem.]

Khalid chuckled.

[You can covet the oil. You can even take advantage of my son a little. But you must never tarnish his honor. That, I cannot forgive.]

Honor.

It was what Khalid valued most.

As the Saudi Minister of Defense, his authority was unmistakable.

[I don’t believe that will be a problem. The construction is already nearly 60% complete.]

[Father, what he says is true. At this rate, the project will be completed in as little as three months, or at most six.]

Rahman chimed in, causing Khalid’s eyes to widen.

Rahman’s expression was bright.

It meant the project was truly progressing well.

[Then there’s no need for further concern, is there?]

[Of course not. You can trust us.]

[Good. I suppose I should place my trust in my son’s ally—or rather, his friend.]

Khalid seemed satisfied.

He felt as though the dark clouds looming over his son’s future had finally cleared.

At last, he could rest easy.

His gaze toward Tae-soo grew warmer.

[I’ll be counting on you.]

[I may not be as wealthy as your son, but I’m not so poor that I come with fleas and lice. Rather than taking advantage of him, I prefer to share in something else.]

[Ah, the spoils of victory! That, I will gladly welcome. Hahaha!]

Swindlers trick others for their own gain.

But deception was never part of the plan.

The goal was to seize victory and fully enjoy the rewards that came with it.

That was far more honorable and far more valuable.

[I like that mindset. I wish you an honorable victory, and I will make sure to reward you handsomely.]

Rahman had already gifted Tae-soo the Kaiba-AlUla Expressway.

But it seemed Khalid had something even greater in mind.

[I always repay more than what I receive. Rahman is my son. What my son receives is as good as what I receive myself.]

Khalid secretly gritted his teeth.

"Han Cheong-ho, who betrayed my son... I will make sure to repay that betrayal many times over."

Han Cheong-ho had once joined hands with Rahman, seeking a chance to turn the tables.

But in the end, he abandoned Rahman and sided with someone else.

"However, this man, Kang Tae-soo... he gives me a good feeling. He seems like he will be a true friend to my son."

The young man before him was nothing like that sly and cunning old fox.

Bold and ambitious young men were always welcome.

[This time, as Rahman’s father, I welcome my son’s friend. It’s a pleasure to meet you.]

Though the words of welcome were similar to their first meeting, the atmosphere had completely changed.

This time, Khalid was genuinely pleased to greet Tae-soo.

[You are truly welcome in my home. My son has brought an excellent friend! On such a joyous day, what can I do for you?]

[I’m just visiting a friend’s house—how could I ask for much? A good meal would be more than enough.]

Khalid burst into laughter and clapped his hands.

A servant immediately approached.

[I must treat my son’s friend to a meal! Prepare a feast at once!]

Khalid looked at Tae-soo with satisfaction.

[Rahman has found himself a smart and capable friend. Let’s continue our conversation over a meal.]

A father who approves of his son’s friend!

Naturally, this meant the dining table would be filled with the finest dishes.

A lavish feast was soon prepared.

As they ate, Rahman recounted his conversation with Tae-soo.

[Father, please take this.]

Rahman handed his father a business card.

It was the card of an arms dealer, the one Tae-soo had given him.

[This man supplies weapons to Egypt and Syria. My friend, Kang Tae-soo, came to me and gave it to me.]

[You did?]

Khalid looked at Tae-soo with renewed interest.

Rahman then explained the details.

When he mentioned that war was likely to break out within six months to a year, Khalid’s expression darkened.

[Hmm... We must hurry and strengthen our preparations.]

Rahman then asked—

[Father, what do you plan to do?]
[We must begin large-scale preparations for war immediately.]

Khalid replied firmly.

[First, I will report this to His Majesty, my elder brother, and then convene a cabinet meeting to secure military funding and procure war supplies on a massive scale. We will also need to issue a military draft order.]

[But will the Ministers of Construction and Finance just sit back and allow that?]

[This concerns the Saudi Kingdom being engulfed in war. No matter their ambitions, even they wouldn’t engage in power struggles in the face of war. I trust my brothers.]

But that was unlikely.

Those very ministers would likely use the war to increase their own influence and strengthen their voices.

For politicians, power struggles and jockeying for position intensify the most during times of upheaval.

Rahman bit his lip but said nothing.

Khalid had no interest in political battles with his brothers.

"I think I now understand why Rahman was exiled to the western cities. Khalid still hasn’t made up his mind."

At this rate, Rahman could be pushed out of the political arena again at any moment.

He was like a flickering candle in the wind.

"Khalid must become Rahman’s shield. To win decisively in this political struggle and secure his position as the next king, he needs to make firm decisions."

Only if Khalid firmly seizes power can Rahman survive.

And Rahman must establish deep roots within the Saudi royal family to become a reliable pillar of support for Tae-soo.

Breaking the silence, Tae-soo finally spoke.

[May I offer a bold suggestion?]

Both Khalid and Rahman turned to look at him.

Tae-soo wiped his mouth with a napkin before speaking.

[You must not prepare for war on such a large scale.]

[Why?]

[If you do, it will only heighten tensions, prolonging the standoff and turning the conflict into a drawn-out war. The longer it drags on, the more money it will bleed from your coffers without yielding any real results. The damage will be too great.]

[Then what do you propose? Surely you're not saying we should just sit back and do nothing.]

[We must use strategy.]

In truth, Tae-soo already knew how this war would end.

Despite being a war, it would be over in just three weeks with relatively minimal losses.

That knowledge gave him confidence.

Confidence to steer the situation in the most advantageous direction.

[Crisis is just another word for opportunity. Are you really going to waste this golden opportunity, Khalid?]

[Opportunity? Are you saying this war is a gift from the heavens?]

Khalid, the Saudi Minister of Defense, narrowed his eyes.

[If war breaks out, the people of Saudi Arabia will bleed. Our land will be devastated. And yet, you call this crisis an opportunity?]

Most of Saudi Arabia was already desert, so "devastation" was a relative term.

But Tae-soo didn’t nitpick over such details.

Instead, he addressed the heart of the matter.

[If war is inevitable, shouldn’t the focus be on how to win and what can be gained from victory?]

Tae-soo placed the napkin back on the table.

[Do you truly believe this war can be avoided? Do you think Egyptian President Sadat will abandon his intentions?]

As the Saudi Minister of Defense, Khalid knew President Sadat well.

That made Tae-soo’s words hit deep.

[Sadat… he will start this war, without a doubt. He is not one to abandon his ambitions.]

Khalid finally acknowledged the truth.

This war was likely unstoppable.

If Sadat were the kind of man to abandon his ambitions, things would never have escalated to this point.

[You said it yourself—if war is inevitable, we must focus on how to win and what can be gained. In your view, what do you think I stand to gain?]

Tae-soo raised three fingers.

[I will tell you about the three wars you must win, Khalid. And I will tell you how to win them.]

A strategy.

This was the plan Tae-soo had mentioned earlier.

[And once you understand that, you will naturally see what you stand to gain.]