CH121 | VOC

“Whoa, is this a house?”

A massive wall, over three meters high, stretched endlessly, and the main gate, guarded by six security guards, looked incredibly sturdy.

“So this is the chairman of Haixin Group’s house.”

I had arrived at the chairman’s residence for our meeting.

Even before meeting him, the sheer grandeur of the house made me feel humble.

“I was bragging about being the richest man in Korea not long ago, but this is on a whole different level.”

I stared at the mansion in awe and then shrugged.

“I’ll buy one myself later. How much can a house cost? I’m a 7 trillion won man.”

I approached the security guards with a confident expression.

“What is your business here?” a guard asked politely.

I smiled. “Hello, I’m Park Sol, here for a meeting with the chairman.”

“Please wait a moment.”

The guard checked his documents and then nodded. “Confirmed.”

The gate opened silently, revealing a breathtaking view.

“Is this a garden?”

The garden, filled with expensive-looking trees and rocks, was more like a small forest.

And at the edge of the forest stood a magnificent four-story building, a harmonious blend of Chinese and Western architecture.

It was the kind of mansion you only saw in movies.

It was my dream house.

“Wow, this is beautiful. I’ll have to remember this for later.”

The guard, used to seeing people’s reactions, simply gestured for me to follow him. “This way, please.”

“Welcome, I’m Wang Qian of Haixin Group.”

The chairman, whom I finally met after various formalities, was completely different from what I had imagined.

Since he avoided media exposure, I hadn’t been able to find any photos of him and had vaguely imagined an old man. But he looked barely over 50.

I bowed my head. “Hello, I’m Park Sol of Chunha Trading.”

“Haha, your Chinese is excellent.”

“I had to learn. I can’t do business in China without speaking Chinese. I studied hard.”

He smiled. “Wise words. Many Koreans rely on Joseonjok interpreters and don’t bother learning Chinese. Business is all about communication. Relying on someone else’s interpretation is foolish. You’re a remarkable man, CEO Park.”

Language barriers were indeed the biggest reason for Korean businesses failing in China.

The nuances of language were important, regardless of the language.

The same words could be interpreted differently depending on the context and the listener. Expecting an accurate translation through an interpreter was wishful thinking.

“Thank you, my efforts have paid off.”

“I’ve kept you waiting too long. Please have a seat. Butler Oh, prepare lunch.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

Young women in elegant attire brought in dishes under Butler Oh’s direction, filling the table.

I had never seen a real butler or maids before.

This was the life I had always dreamed of, surrounded by beautiful maids and a butler attending to my every need.

“I asked them to prepare a special meal, but I’m not sure if it suits your taste.”

“I love Chinese food.”

He smiled. “That’s good to hear. I also asked them to prepare some Korean dishes like kimchi, just in case. Now, let’s eat.”

We enjoyed the meal, discussing current events and exchanging opinions in a friendly atmosphere, but I didn’t let my guard down.

‘This is too good to be true.’

I was an insignificant figure compared to Chairman Wang, and yet, he had invited me to his house and was treating me like royalty. It made me even more wary.

Showing off one’s wealth and power was a basic tactic of intimidation.

I maintained a casual demeanor and continued the conversation.

“Haha, I was surprised by your 500 billion won donation. Didn’t you feel bad spending that much money?”

“Of course, I was tempted. But a businessman who hesitates to spend money is not a true businessman. Money is meant to circulate.”

“Wise words. By the way, CEO Park…”

He smiled. “Why do you think I asked to see you?”

‘Here it comes.’

I put on a nonchalant expression. “I’ve thought about it, but I can’t figure it out. We have no connection, and my businesses aren’t something a large corporation like yours would be interested in. I’d be grateful if you could enlighten me.”

He smiled and said, “You know what my company does, right?”

“Of course. Haixin is the largest electronics manufacturer in China.”

“Technically, we’re not the largest.”

He held up two fingers. “We’re a close second.”

“I see.”

“And I can’t stand being second. I have to be number one. I want to take down the current leader.”

He was talking about Huai Group, the largest conglomerate in China.

Haixin Group and Huai Group were rivals, dominating the Chinese electronics market and competing in the global market.

“I’ve been aggressive in my business, trying to become number one.”

His face hardened. “But there have been some unsettling developments recently.”

“Unsettling developments…?”

“You deal with semiconductors, so you must know that there are only three countries that produce them: Korea, the US, and Japan. Semiconductors are essential components in electronics. And I suspect Huai Group is playing dirty.”

He gritted his teeth. “Saseong Semiconductor, our supplier, has requested a price increase.”

“A price increase…?”

“They’re asking for 50% more.”

I was shocked.

Even in the cutthroat world of capitalism, there was such a thing as business ethics.

Such a drastic price increase was a declaration of hostility.

“And it seems they haven’t made the same demand to Huai Group.”

“Do you suspect Saseong and Huai Group are colluding?”

He nodded. “Huai Group is Saseong’s local partner in China.”

Foreigners could own 100% of a private company in China, but they needed a local partner to establish a public company.

And Saseong’s partner in China was Huai Group, their biggest client and their main competitor.

It was blatant favoritism.

“I see…”

“Of course, Saseong isn’t the only semiconductor manufacturer, so we can find another supplier. But it takes time to switch suppliers. At least six months. And the losses we’ll incur during that time? The loss of market share and brand image due to the price increase will be devastating. Huai Group might become the undisputed leader.”

His voice was calm, but his anger was evident.

“It’s difficult to reclaim lost market share. So I need something to bridge the six-month gap.”

Just because China was known for its cheap labor didn’t mean Chinese companies were making easy money.

Competition was fierce, and even a 10 won difference in price could determine success or failure.

The Chinese companies’ desperation to cut costs, even on meager wages, was what had made my secondhand electronic components business so successful.

And now, the price of semiconductors, the most expensive component, was increasing by 50%, while their competitor’s price remained the same?

It was a disaster.

It could threaten the company’s future.

“That’s why I asked to see you, CEO Park.”

“Are you planning to use our secondhand components?”

He shook his head. “No, if we use those low-quality semiconductors, we’ll lose our overseas markets, let alone the second-place spot.”

I couldn’t deny that the semiconductors I distributed were low quality.

“Then what do you want? I don’t understand…”

“New. I want new semiconductors.”

“Why are you asking me for…”

“New, but slightly defective. I want defective semiconductors.”

My hair stood on end. “D-defective?”

“Defective doesn’t mean unusable. They’re just slightly less efficient. And the difference is so small that ordinary consumers won’t even notice. Let’s say a regular product is a hotel with ten rooms, and a defective product is a hotel with eight rooms. The hotel can still operate with fewer rooms, it just has a slightly lower turnover rate.”

He smiled. “And since they’re defective, the price will be lower. With those semiconductors, we can compete with Huai Group, even with Saseong’s backing.”

It was a tempting proposition for anyone in the semiconductor industry.

The problem was that everyone knew it.

But no one could do it because it was risky.

“This is different from restoring secondhand components. It’s dangerous. Saseong could accuse us of industrial espionage.”

Even Saseong knew that semiconductors with 80% efficiency were usable.

Semiconductor manufacturing was a complex process with a high defect rate.

Saseong wasn’t withholding the defective products out of spite.

Selling them would damage their image as a high-tech company and lower the price of their regular products.

They strictly controlled and monitored the defective semiconductors to prevent them from leaking out.

“I know it’s risky. That’s why I called you.”

I shook my head. “This is clearly a violation of industrial regulations.”

“High risk, high return. If you can provide me with defective semiconductors, I’ll do anything for you. I’ll pay you half the regular price for each chip.”

My heart raced.

It was incredibly risky.

My previous ventures had been walking a fine line between legality and illegality, but this was outright illegal.

And it was guaranteed to be exposed.

“This will be discovered. Not just acquiring the chips, but also using them in Haixin Group’s products. Saseong will find out. They’ll recognize their own products. Each chip has a serial number for tracking purposes. This is a guaranteed failure.”

“I’m not stupid. I won’t use them as is. I’ll remove the Saseong logo and serial numbers.”

But Saseong would still find out.

If Haixin Group suddenly became competitive after Saseong had colluded with Huai Group to cripple them, they would investigate.

Even without the markings, they could identify their chips by analyzing their structure. Even if they couldn’t trace the individual chips, they would know that someone was leaking them.

It was a matter of time.

Under normal circumstances, I would have rejected the offer and left immediately. But I hesitated.

It wasn’t about the Central Committee member’s threats or the meeting with the Politburo Standing Committee.

“Money…”

The smell of money was intoxicating.