CH62 | MCT

Preparing to Hunt Cheongil (4)

Tae-soo spoke.

"Let’s give some weight to the rumor that Jangsu Bank is buying up Western oil company stocks."

"You're not actually suggesting we buy those stocks, are you?"

"Why not? Let’s go all in. Make it big. We need to put out a scent so strong that Choi Mu-ryong won’t be able to resist."

Jang Mal-dong snapped his head around.

"At this rate, a war is bound to break out in the Middle East soon. Less than six months, tops."

A man who smuggled weapons into the region would have to be a fool not to sense the coming storm.

Jang Mal-dong could even pinpoint the timing with surprising accuracy.

That meant the tension behind the scenes was growing razor-sharp.

"Once the war starts, Western oil companies will take the biggest hit. Are you telling me to climb aboard a sinking ship just to take down Choi Mu-ryong?"

"Of course not. If you know the ship is going down, you just jump off before it sets sail."

"Hahaha!"

Jang Mal-dong let out a booming laugh.

Now that was a clever idea.

"Alright! Let’s go all-in on oil stocks. Their prices have been climbing non-stop anyway. Might as well put my idle money to work and rake in some short-term profits."

"Exactly."

Jang Mal-dong pointed at Han-soo.

"But why does that brat need to go all the way to the U.S. to set up an investment firm? Wouldn’t spreading rumors be enough to lure in Choi Mu-ryong?"

Tae-soo answered for him.

"If we’re going to deceive him, we have to do it properly. Han-soo will establish a U.S.-based investment firm and then propose an investment deal with Jangsu Bank."

"Why go through all that trouble? Our bank already has plenty of capital—"

"You're not planning to bring in the cash from your Middle Eastern arms deals directly, are you?"

"Aha! Money laundering!"

Now Jang Mal-dong finally understood why Tae-soo had introduced Han-soo to him.

And why he had gone through the effort of setting up a foreign investment company.

Tae-soo leaned in.

"Does Choi Mu-ryong know that you’re involved in the arms trade?"

"He doesn’t know."

"That paranoid bastard is probably tearing his hair out, trying to figure out Jangsu Bank’s capital."

"Exactly. That insolent rat keeps sending his spies to snoop through my pockets."

He had even crawled dangerously close once before.

During the 8.3 Private Loan Freeze, Jang Mal-dong had torn his house apart, rooting out every last rat that had snuck in.

Back then, I was convinced Choi Mu-ryong had stolen my financial records.

Seeing those rats scurry out only confirmed his suspicions.

But recently, he had come to a different realization.

Turns out, Choi Mu-ryong had another way of pulling the strings on those high-ranking elites and wealthy bastards.

It wasn’t Jang Mal-dong’s stolen data that had helped Choi Mu-ryong survive the financial freeze.

He had weathered the storm another way.

Not with promissory notes, but with ledgers.

By leveraging people's dirty secrets, he had clawed his money back.

The loan contracts might have turned into worthless scraps of paper, but those whose skeletons he held had no choice but to pay up.

Still, the tip Tae-soo had given him—that Choi Mu-ryong was setting up a bank—had proved useful.

Thanks to Tae-soo, Jang Mal-dong had managed to purge all the rats lurking in his ranks.

And in doing so, he had unraveled Choi Mu-ryong’s schemes.

That bastard was desperate to peek into my vaults, counting the coins in another man's pocket.

But there was one thing Choi Mu-ryong could never have imagined.

That Jang Mal-dong was secretly an arms dealer.

That he had built massive weapons factories overseas and had been smuggling arms all along.

"Be honest, sir. You ran an underground loan business all this time just to hide the money you made as an arms dealer, didn’t you?"

"I can’t fool you, can I?"

"And now that you've stepped into the banking world, you need a new front. That’s why you’re cleaning up your image, isn’t it?"

"That’s right. And while we’re on the subject, I was also thinking—wouldn’t it be nice if a smart young man like you became my daughter’s husband?"

"Not happening."

The moment the old man brought up his daughter, Tae-soo cut him off without hesitation.

"You’ve legitimized your security business, but there’s no way an arms dealer can go public. That’s why you want to launder your funds through mining and cement factories."

"That’s true, but I was serious about you marrying my daughter. You don’t have to twist my intentions—"

Here he goes again.

Once more, Tae-soo shut him down without mercy.

"That’s why I’m introducing my brother to you."

"It’s you I want as my son-in-law, not your brother—"

This old man, seriously!

"Look, I’m offering you a way to launder your money. We’re allies now, aren’t we? I’m saying I’ll clean your funds along with mine. So why don’t you stop with the nonsense and focus?"

"Tsk—"

"If you don’t want to, then forget it. But if you bring in your arms money from the Middle East as is, Park Jung-hwan is going to have a field day."

"Tsk— Why are you getting so worked up? I was just messing around. Let’s move on. But really, I appreciate you looking out for me. That’s the truth."

In the end, Jang Mal-dong raised both hands in surrender.

"Now that my brother Han-soo has established a U.S. investment firm, we’ll spread word that it’s investing in your bank. With that money, you’ll buy shares in Western oil companies."

That money was arms money.

By passing it through the U.S. investment firm, they would repackage it as investment capital.

The man in the hanbok nodded.

Jang Mal-dong followed suit.

"Alright. Let’s do it."

"Make full use of your information brokers. If we let this golden opportunity slip away, it’s going to sting."

"Understood. I’ll handle Choi Mu-ryong’s paranoia. I’ll keep him so busy chasing shadows that he won’t know what hit him."

Jang Mal-dong smirked slyly.

"Once we’ve crushed him, I’ll devour his bank whole."

"Great idea. Let’s make sure we both get a good bite."

"Of course. I’ll make sure you get your fair share, depending on your contribution."

"Then let’s put it in writing."

"Tsk— Come on, Tae-soo, just trust me already. We’re allies now. What’s with the contract?"

"At least it’s not a promissory note, right?"

"Are you serious?"

"Just messing with you. I never intended to be stingy with you in the first place."

Tae-soo grinned.

"That’s why I didn’t even charge you for the intel. We’re allies, after all."

Alliances were a wonderful thing.

I haven’t even received my oil yet, so I can’t invest a single cent into Han-soo’s firm.

Tae-soo’s oil was still tied up.

It would only arrive once the road construction was completed.

When the Middle Eastern war breaks out, Tae-soo will finally receive his oil.

That’s why I couldn’t invest in Han-soo’s U.S. investment firm.

All the profits from the molybdenum and limestone mines, as well as the cement factory, were already being spent.

On buying up land in Daechi-dong, Gangnam.

Even the revenue from the Middle Eastern limestone mines and cement factories was being used.

On paying wages to Bedouin laborers, providing food, and purchasing supplies.

On road construction, wells, and waterworks projects.

Thanks to Jang Mal-dong, I’m about to get a free share of Chomyung Bank.

It was Jang Mal-dong’s money that would be used to buy Western oil company stocks.

The money made from selling weapons in the Middle East.

With that, they would take down Choi Mu-ryong.

And after that, they would swallow Chomyung Bank together.

"Elder, let’s take over Chomyung Bank together—under the banner of our alliance."

"Good. Let’s make sure we support each other properly so we don’t regret forming this alliance."

Of course.

That was a given.

You couldn't trust people's words.

But Tae-soo trusted Jang Mal-dong’s money, which was going into Han-soo’s investment firm.

Han Cheong-il, let’s see how well you can protect Cheongil Refinery.

Oil Shock.

A global crisis-level big event where oil prices would skyrocket overnight.

No one would be able to escape it.

There's always an opportunity hidden in every crisis.

That’s why Tae-soo decided to turn the Oil Shock into an opportunity.

Turning it into a battlefield to hunt down Cheongil Refinery.

Han Cheong-ho, when the Oil Shock hits, securing oil will already cost you a fortune. If your cash flow is cut off, how will you protect Cheongil Refinery?

Would he sell off other subsidiaries to save it?

Or would he have no choice but to give it up?

Tae-soo was curious to see which it would be.

I’ve finished discussing everything I needed with Jang Mal-dong.

He had proposed ramping up weapons production.

He had discussed the plan to take down Chomyung Bank.

He had introduced Han-soo’s investment firm.

Now, I need to take care of my business in the Middle East.

He had to finish the road construction.

And he had to introduce Jang Mal-dong to the Saudi royal family as an arms dealer.

At that moment, he needed to gently nudge things in the right direction.

I need to make sure they cut off Cheongil's oil supply.

The first to rejoice would undoubtedly be Rahman.

He must still be gritting his teeth after getting stabbed in the back by Han Cheong-ho.

And Rahman’s father?

He was the Saudi Minister of Defense, whose influence and power would skyrocket during the Middle Eastern war.

Would Rahman’s father really let Han Cheong-ho go unpunished?

Now, all that’s left is to meet Chairman Jang Jun-yong of Geumsan.

After that, it’s back to the Middle East.

A short trip home.

There’s no time to waste.

***

Meanwhile, after Tae-soo and Han-soo had left...

The man in traditional Korean attire let out a hearty laugh.

“That kid really is something else.”

Jang Mal-dong yielded his silk cushion to the man.

Then, sitting beside him, he carefully brewed tea.

“That ‘something else’ of a kid just brought in a massive deal.”

“Introducing us to the Saudi royal family? Just how powerful is the force backing that brat?”

Breaking into the Saudi royal circle was no easy feat.

It hadn’t been long since the first king had established the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Now, the country was ruled by his son.

And with such a short history, their grip on power was absolute.

“He should be too busy in the Middle East, handling someone else’s road construction project...”

The construction deadline was already tight.

A project that typically took three years was won under the condition that Samwon Construction would complete it in just two.

But because of wasted months, less than a year remained.

Even if they pushed to the absolute limit, finishing in time would be nearly impossible.

Yet, despite all that, Tae-soo somehow found time to return to Korea and set all this in motion.

“He really is extraordinary. The boldness, the meticulous planning…”

The man in traditional attire muttered in admiration.

“That’s no ordinary business skill. That’s terrifying.”

Jang Mal-dong let out a deep sigh as he placed a cup of tea before him.

“He’s becoming harder and harder to handle.”

“Of course he is.”

Tae-soo was practically toying with Jang Mal-dong at this point.

Controlling him. Playing him like a pawn.

For someone on the receiving end, it was humiliating.

It was no wonder Jang Mal-dong felt overwhelmed.

“Shall I order an increase in arms production at the factory?”

“Of course. Send the order immediately.”

“And about taking down Choi Mu-ryong…?”

“Jang Mal-dong, that’s entirely your responsibility.”

A sharp gleam flickered in the man's eyes.

“As for me, I’ll be heading to the Middle East.”

The best way to secure a foothold with the Saudi royal family was to go in person.

“I need to see for myself what kind of connections Kang Tae-soo has.”

It was exhilarating.

“It’s time for us to officially enter Saudi Arabia.”

And thanks to the highway Tae-soo had carved open, they had the perfect road to drive right in.

***

Kim Hwan, Chief Secretary of Geumsan Group

Kim Hwan was startled by the unexpected call.

“Kang Tae-soo? Are you really the Kang Tae-soo from Taeyang Mining?”

— It’s been a while. How have you been?

At first, he couldn’t believe it.

“There’s no way you’re calling from the Middle East…”

— Of course not. I’m in Korea.

“Korea? When did you arrive?”

— Yesterday. It hasn’t even been a full 24 hours yet.

That meant he had reached out immediately upon arrival.

Kim Hwan’s expression hardened.

“Is this urgent?”

— I’d like to meet with the Chairman for a moment.

“Chairman Jang?”

He had assumed it was a personal favor.

But it wasn’t.