CH38 | MCT

Using the President to Set the Stage (6)

Tae-soo nodded.

"This is regarding administrative procedures, diplomatic processes, and special agents."

"Hmm?"

"The construction project was originally awarded to Samwon Construction. If I recklessly restart the project, it could cause issues from multiple angles. The Saudi royal family might also take issue with it."

"That makes sense."

"So, I’d like Your Excellency to send an official letter to the Saudi government. You can state that Taeyang Construction is a partner of Samwon Construction or that it has taken over Samwon's project."

Tae-soo glanced at the corporate executives in the room before continuing.

"It wouldn’t be any different if another company were taking over the project in the Middle East. Since we have no way of locating the missing executives of Samwon Construction, how could we properly proceed with a formal handover?"

"Alright, I’ll send an official letter to the Saudi government stating that Samwon Construction has been acquired by Taeyang Construction."

"Thank you."

And just like that, Taeyang Construction, with government approval, had effectively absorbed Samwon Construction.

It seemed like this was meant to be a temporary measure, but with Park Jung-hwan backing it, anything was possible.

‘This is an unexpected gain. If I play my cards right, I might be able to fully take over Samwon Construction.’

It wouldn’t be easy, but it wasn’t impossible either.

Park Jung-hwan smirked slightly.

"Does this mean the diplomatic issue is resolved as well?"

"I plan to send a large number of workers from Korea to the Middle East all at once. However, as Your Excellency knows, obtaining visas, passports, and exit permits could cause significant delays..."

By the 21st century, international travel had become much more accessible, but in the 1970s, things were different.

Leaving the country required going through strict procedures.

Park Jung-hwan nodded readily.

"If they’re heading over to get the project done, I’ll make sure things go smoothly. Chief Kim."

"Yes."

When Kim Jung-rim responded, Park Jung-hwan gave a nod.

"Take charge of handling the official documents and exit procedures yourself."

"Understood."

Park Jung-hwan then turned to Tae-soo with a smile.

"But what’s this about special agents? Why would a construction site need them?"

"We need to find the missing executives of Samwon Construction."

"It’s just a few scared men in hiding. Sending in special agents seems excessive."

Tae-soo grinned.

"The executives of Samwon Construction, sir. They’ve been missing for months with no contact. If we have no confirmation of their whereabouts, isn't it safe to assume they were captured by the Bedouins? Someone needs to extract them."

For a brief moment, Park Jung-hwan’s expression shifted.

He rubbed his eyebrows thoughtfully before speaking.

"So? What’s your plan?"

"We need to negotiate directly with the Bedouins."

"What?!"

Park Jung-hwan let out a laugh of disbelief.

"Negotiate? I sent you to resolve a diplomatic dispute, and now you're telling me you plan to start a war instead?"

Tae-soo shook his head.

"A declaration of war? Not at all."

"Then what? Dragging special agents over there—do you call that a peace negotiation?"

"Of course, my intention is to request a peaceful dialogue. However..."

There was no need to say the rest. Everyone already understood.

Do the Bedouins, known as warriors of the desert, truly love peace?

Will they hand over Samwon Construction’s executives so easily?

Then what? Should we just abandon them?

Tae-soo smirked.

"We need to find them before the Saudi royal family does—only then will Your Excellency save face."

That was true.

Whether they handed the executives over to the Saudi royal family themselves or used them as scapegoats to shift the blame, securing them first meant they held the upper hand.

"Moreover, if this mission succeeds, the media will paint the story as: 'A heroic president who dispatched special agents to rescue abducted Korean citizens abroad.'"

"A heroic president?"

"It would certainly be a major boost to your public image."

Park Jung-hwan's reputation had already taken a hit due to the Yushin Constitution and military dictatorship.

The words 'image boost' and 'heroic president' had a particularly nice ring to them.

Resting his chin on one hand, Park Jung-hwan gave Tae-soo an intrigued look.

"So you're saying you're offering me this achievement?"

"Not at all."

Tae-soo grinned.

"This was never my achievement to begin with. If special agents are deployed and the operation succeeds, isn't the credit naturally due to the one who authorized the mission in the first place?"

"Hahaha."

Park Jung-hwan burst into laughter.

"Well, now I can’t not send special agents, since the credit sounds too good to pass up. Hahaha!"

Clearly delighted, he slapped the armrest of his sofa as he laughed heartily.

"Hahaha! Resolving the Saudi royal family's issue while boosting my image with the public? That’s killing two birds with one stone! This solves my headache all at once! Hahaha!"

His laughter echoed through the room, lasting for quite some time.

Finally, he spoke with great enthusiasm.

"Fine! Take as many special agents as you need! Solve the problem in the Middle East and return victorious! I promise I won’t forget this achievement! Hahaha!"

At those last words, everyone in the room tensed up.

"Did President Park Jung-hwan just guarantee he wouldn't forget the favor?"

"Incredible. He managed to get those words out of Park Jung-hwan in just ten minutes."

"If he succeeds and returns, he won’t have to worry about anything. If Park Jung-hwan has promised something, there’s nothing he can’t accomplish."

As Park Jung-hwan reveled in satisfaction, Cha Ki-beom, the chief of security, who had been silently standing by, cautiously stepped in.

"Your Excellency, may I select the special agents for the mission?"

"Your Excellency!"

Park Tae-jong hurriedly tried to speak, but he was a step too late.

Park Jung-hwan nodded.

"Ki-beom, you take care of it."

"Understood. I’ll pick a few highly skilled men for the job."

Park Tae-jong quickly interjected.

"Your Excellency!"

"Enough. I won’t hear another word."

Park Jung-hwan raised his hand firmly, cutting off any further objections.

Left with no choice, Park Tae-jong closed his mouth and shot a glance at Tae-soo.

Tae-soo subtly shook his head.

It meant: That’s enough.

"Han Cheong-ho, Jang Jun-yong, Park Tae-jong, Park Jung-hwan, Kim Jeong-rim, and now even Cha Ki-beom… I’ve gained everything I possibly could from everyone in this room."

Tae-soo stood up and bowed at a perfect 90-degree angle.

"Then, I will take my leave."

Jang Jun-yong from Geumsan couldn't hold back a chuckle.

"Secretary Kim reported that he wasn’t an ordinary man. And indeed."

One thing was certain—his ability to maneuver situations was extraordinary.

"Winning over Park Tae-jong was one thing, but now even President Park Jung-hwan? And without flattery or bribes? Not even Han Cheong-ho or I could pull that off. Truly remarkable."

Jang Jun-yong's eyes remained locked on Tae-soo.

* * *

After the president and his entourage had departed—

Only Tae-soo and Park Tae-jong's son, Park Cheol-wan, remained in the president’s office.

In high spirits, Park Tae-jong cracked open a bottle of whiskey.

"Hahaha! To think I’d live to see Han Cheong-ho caught off guard! That was so satisfying!"

He drank merrily, his face turning red from the alcohol.

"How did you predict Han Cheong-ho would react that way? You must be a fortune-teller! Hahaha! Everything played out exactly as you foresaw."

Caught up in his excitement, Park Tae-jong raised his thumb in approval.

He was clearly tipsy, swaying slightly.

The sheer joy of the moment had led him to drink more than usual.

His normally serious and authoritative tone had also softened considerably.

"You even saw through the reason His Excellency came down to Pohang. And you anticipated that Han Cheong-ho would stir things up to get his hands on the mines. Just how did you know all that?"

Tae-soo smiled faintly and took a sip of his whiskey.

"I was just lucky."

Park Tae-jong shook his head vigorously.

The motion made his body sway unsteadily.

"No, it wasn’t luck. You told me beforehand— that you didn’t have the power to protect the mine."

Park Tae-jong clearly remembered what Tae-soo had said.

"I lack the power to protect the mine."

"People will come, using the excuse of national strategic minerals, but in reality, they’ll be after the molybdenum to make a fortune."

"Just like you predicted, those after the mine have shown themselves— and for the exact reason you warned me about."

Park Tae-jong nodded firmly.

"You’re incredibly sharp. You must have anticipated this when you asked His Excellency to guarantee the mining rights in advance. You knew Han Cheong-ho would make his move. I just realized it now, hahaha."

It was as if he had just cleared a decade-old blockage in his chest.

After all, today, he had finally seen his long-time rival utterly humiliated.

"Hahaha! That bastard Han Cheong-ho came after your mine but ended up getting fleeced instead. No one’s ever stripped him of anything so effortlessly before."

Hearing this, Park Tae-jong’s son, Park Cheol-wan, widened his eyes in surprise.

"Did that really happen?"

"Oh, absolutely. Han Cheong-ho, with his eyes wide open, couldn’t say a single word back. He had to hand over a ton of heavy equipment— and personally load it onto a Geumsan Shipping vessel. Hahaha, serves him right!"

"What? How is that even possible?"

"His Excellency made it clear. Han Cheong-ho wouldn’t dare defy a direct order—he’s too afraid of falling out of favor. That’s why he keeps paying massive sums as tribute."

Park Tae-jong was utterly delighted.

Over the years, he had clashed with Han Cheong-ho countless times.

"Cheol-wan, do you know about seesaws?"

"Seesaws? You mean the ones in playgrounds?"

"That’s right. A seesaw with both sides in the air—once one side touches the ground, it’s over."

"Huh? Why are we suddenly talking about seesaws?"

Thrown off by the abrupt shift in conversation, Park Cheol-wan looked confused.

But no further explanation was given.

Instead, Park Tae-jong turned to Tae-soo and gave him a knowing smile.

"I’m just curious— how this guy plans to bring the seesaw to its final stop."

"······?"

Tae-soo silently tilted his whiskey glass.

The strong liquor burned bitterly down his throat.

"Han Cheong-ho… Now that I see it, he has a particularly close relationship with Presidential Secretary Kim Jeong-rim. He’s practically tamed him to the point where calling Han Cheong-ho’s lapdog wouldn’t be an exaggeration."

In the 1970s, Tae-soo didn’t know exactly how deep or far Han Cheong-ho’s connections extended.

Their timelines simply didn’t match up—Tae-soo had joined Cheongil Group as a secretary too late to witness those dealings firsthand.

"Kim Jeong-rim fell out of President Park Jung-hwan’s favor by the end of 1978. That’s how he faded into the shadows of history… Hmm."

That’s why Tae-soo was unfamiliar with him.

By the time Tae-soo was fully active in the group, Kim Jeong-rim had already lost his power.

"In other words, until late 1978, he was a man who wielded immense authority."

It made sense why Han Cheong-ho was investing so much effort into keeping him close.

"What kind of connection does Han Cheong-ho have with Kim Jeong-rim? How deep does it run? How far does it reach?"

Tae-soo was curious.

When he first joined Cheongil Group in 1978, information was heavily restricted for a rookie secretary.

It wasn’t until the mid-80s, after rising through the ranks, that he gained access to significant intel—by then, Han Cheong-ho was dead, and Han Il-kwon had taken over as the chairman.

"Even then, Han Cheong-ho’s black ledger never made its way to me. The only one who truly knows everything is probably Han Il-kwon."

But that didn’t matter.

Tae-soo didn’t need that kind of information to devour Cheongil Group whole.

"The parasites who cling to wealth and power are always the first to turn their backs the moment the feast is over."

Tae-soo had dealt with countless such people.

He chuckled.

"Cha Ki-beom never took a side in the end. He kept his mouth shut. Whose man is he? If he doesn’t belong to Cheongil or Geumsan, could he be tied to yet another corporation?"

Knowing where Cha Ki-beom’s loyalty lay was crucial.

"He personally stepped up to select the special agents. If he’s an enemy, he’ll slip an assassin among them. But if he’s on our side…"

Tae-soo’s smile deepened with intrigue.

"Now, this is getting interesting."


TL/n -

Should I continue updating this novel?