CH25 | MCT

Molybdenum Price Surge (1)

“Are you really going to leave behind your loyal employees, the mine, and the factory? Where will you go?”

The mine owner answered firmly.

“I have to go. I heard that the business has been taken over by a good person, so it's time for me to leave.”

“Let's work together. Just like we always have.”

“Together? Like before? Does that even make sense?”

The mine owner asked back as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Tae-soo smiled and nodded.

“That’s why I asked you to wait for just three days. Now, where do you think you’re going?”

“······.”

“I was so worried you might leave that I rushed over here. Can’t you see the sweat on my face?”

“······.”

Han-soo, standing beside him, also nodded.

“Let’s do this. My brother left me here to make sure you wouldn’t leave, you know.”

“This is… well…”

The mine owner turned his head slightly, unsure of what to say.

“How can I stay here after all that’s happened? I ran the business into the ground and nearly left my employees out on the streets.”

“Was the problem really with the limestone mine and cement factory? You were just unlucky.”

“I was the one who decided to develop the gold mine. I should take responsibility for that.”

“Then take responsibility.”

“······?”

“Take responsibility for the employees who trusted and followed you. Don’t abandon them—see it through to the end.”

Tae-soo grinned.

“I want the limestone mine and cement factory to keep running smoothly, just like they are now. And for that, we need you. Let’s work together.”

One of the employees standing nearby nodded in agreement.

Having already spoken with Tae-soo in advance, he looked happy to actively persuade the mine owner.

“If it weren’t for you, this company wouldn’t have grown the way it has. If you leave, our employees will scatter everywhere. Boss, let’s keep going together.”

“You…”

The other employees also nodded.

“That’s right, boss. Why do you think we’ve been waiting all this time?”

“If we weren’t planning to stay with you, we would’ve started looking for jobs at other mines long ago.”

“If you leave, what happens to us?”

Seeing the employees who had shared both hardships and joys with him for over ten years, the mine owner was overcome with emotion as memories of the past flooded back.

And it wasn’t just him—his employees felt the same way.

“Boss, you paid for my mother’s surgery. If we let you go like this, she’ll cry.”

“When my truck overturned while delivering cement, who carried me on their back and ran to the hospital? If it weren’t for you, I would’ve lost my leg.”

“When my house caught fire, you and all the employees rushed over and carried water buckets until dawn. I’ll never forget that, not even on my deathbed. If you leave, I’m leaving too.”

With each word from his employees, the mine owner felt his chest tighten with emotion.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he nodded, gently patting each employee’s shoulder while reminiscing about those moments.

One by one, the employees clung to his sleeve, shaking their heads.

They didn’t want him to leave. They wanted him to stay.

Tae-soo turned to the mine owner and said,

“They say we call each other family because we share the same meals. Whether you’re the boss or not, titles don’t matter when we sit down to eat together.”

Those words struck the mine owner’s heart like an arrow.

‘That’s right. I eat with my people. Does it really matter if I’m not the boss?’

Truthfully, he didn’t want to leave either.

He had built this mine from the ground up, enduring countless hardships.

And the factory—he had poured his sweat and soul into it.

He wanted to work alongside his loyal employees for just a little longer.

Tae-soo grasped the mine owner’s hand firmly.

“We’re still young and inexperienced. We desperately need your wisdom and expertise. Let’s do this together.”

There was sincerity in Tae-soo’s voice.

The mine owner sighed.

He couldn’t resist them.

‘To think they would hold on to someone like me… I’m truly grateful.’

Tears gathered at the corners of his wrinkled eyes.

Then, as if rehearsed, the employees all shouted in unison.

“Boss, let’s keep eating at the same table from now on!”

“That’s right! Food just wouldn’t taste the same without you.”

“Even the new owner is trying to keep you here. You can’t just walk away like this.”

Unable to hold back any longer, the mine owner started to sob.

Even as he wiped his eyes roughly with his sleeve, the tears wouldn’t stop.

Damn this bond.

The mine had been sold. The factory was gone. Their livelihoods had been on the brink.

And yet, not a single one of them blamed their foolish boss.

Who was he to deserve such loyalty?

Watching this, Tae-soo made up his mind.

‘There’s so much to do. I don’t have enough hands to help. But if I can get the mine owner on my side, he’ll be a trustworthy partner. He’s a good man. He’s competent. He’s perfect.’

Tae-soo had spent enough time suffering at the hands of loan sharks.

No one understood better than Tae-soo just how terrifying and despair-inducing this situation was.

He didn’t want to see the mine owner crumble like this.

“How about this?”

All eyes turned to Tae-soo.

“I’d like to appoint you as the general manager of the mine and factory. Your salary will be performance-based. The harder you work, the more you’ll earn.”

Murmurs spread through the crowd.

The employees and the mine owner exchanged glances.

Tae-soo continued.

“If you manage to pay off the amount I invested, I’ll return the limestone mine and cement factory to you. What do you think?”

No matter the circumstances, he couldn’t just hand it over for nothing.

After all, he had exchanged 20 million won with Jang Mal-dong to acquire these businesses.

‘If he works hard with the determination to repay the debt and reclaim the mine and factory, the results will naturally follow. By the time he’s paid it off, he’ll probably want to stay on as the president of one of our subsidiaries.’

That could be decided later.

For now, it was enough to have the mine and factory running smoothly under dedicated management.

It was a true win-win proposal for both sides.

The mine owner’s mouth fell open in shock.

“You… You’re saying you’ll return the mine and factory?”

“I’m not just giving them away. You’ll be buying them back at their proper value. It’ll take time, of course.”

Hope began to bloom in the mine owner’s heart.

The limestone mine and cement factory, which he had believed to be lost forever, were now within reach again.

The employees, too, clutched each other’s hands in joy.

Etiquette and pride be damned—

The mine owner clenched his fists and spoke up.

Swallowing his pride, he asked Tae-soo,

“Would someone like me really be welcome to stay?”

Tae-soo nodded without hesitation.

“Of course. I’d be grateful to have you.”

“I look forward to working with you, boss.”

Tears streaked down the mine owner’s face, but he shook Tae-soo’s hand with a beaming smile.

The employees watching the scene erupted into applause.

That day, Tae-soo’s approval among the workers skyrocketed.

“Our new boss is the best!”

“You’re amazing!”

“Let’s work hard together!”

“You’re handsome, too!”

The employees whistled and cheered, their excitement echoing through the air.

Even the mine owner joined in, shouting his approval toward Tae-soo.

‘I need to say one last thing to my employees—properly, for our new boss.’

The mine owner raised his voice.

“From this moment on, this man here is your boss!”

He turned to look at the employees.

“I’m no longer the owner. But I’m incredibly happy to keep working alongside my family! And it’s all thanks to our new boss!”

A wave of applause and cheers erupted from the workers.

The mine owner grasped Tae-soo’s hand and lifted it high into the air.

“Three cheers for Daeyang Tungsten! Three cheers for Daeyang Cement!”

Just as the employees were about to join in, they suddenly froze.

It hit them—since the company had changed hands, the old name was no longer appropriate.

Tae-soo chuckled and said,

“It’ll be Taeyang Tungsten and Taeyang Cement now. Just one extra stroke in the character.”

Daeyang (대양) and Taeyang (태양)—only a single stroke apart.

The mine owner and the employees burst into laughter.

“Well then, no celebration is complete without makgeolli!”

Skinny (Holjjugi) showed up with an entire jar of rice wine, and the employees erupted into cheers.

Han-soo and Tae-soo each took a full bowl of makgeolli and downed it in one go.

The mine owner shouted at the top of his lungs,

“Long live Taeyang Tungsten! Long live Taeyang Cement!”

The employees followed in unison.

“Long live Taeyang Tungsten! Long live Taeyang Cement!”

Beside them, Skinny shouted even louder,

“Long live makgeolli! Long live the welcome party! Bring us some food!”

Once again, the employees roared with laughter and echoed his words.

That night, Tae-soo treated everyone to a grand samgyeopsal feast.

***

Steel Mill President’s Office, Pohang

With the phone pressed to his ear, Park Tae-jong sprang to his feet.

"The U.S. has announced a halt in molybdenum extraction? A complete export ban? Is this true?"

He was dumbfounded.

The news had come directly from the United States.

The words coming through the receiver blurred into noise, failing to register in his mind.

By the time the call ended, he wasn't even sure how the conversation had concluded.

Regaining his senses, he realized his fountain pen had been scribbling aimlessly on a blank sheet of paper.

• Kang Tae-soo.

• Molybdenum.

• Chromoly steel.

• Steel mill construction funds.

Staring at the notes, Park muttered to himself.

"Molybdenum prices are bound to skyrocket soon, and chromoly steel prices will inevitably follow."

If chromoly steel prices soared, the steel mill would have to rush production and sell as much as possible.

With the plant’s construction funds running desperately low, anything profitable was worth pursuing.

"Unbelievable. Who would have thought we'd actually end up selling chromoly steel to secure funding?"

A confident young man’s face flashed through his mind.

"Soon, molybdenum prices will double or even triple. Chromoly steel prices will rise along with it—will you still only be producing thick steel plates then?"

"That’s why I’m making this proposal. Why not secure the necessary funding for the steel mill early by focusing on chromoly steel?"

What had he replied back then?

"If that happens, of course, we’ll shift to producing and selling specialty steel first. But I doubt it’ll ever come to that."

"It’ll be a long time before we start producing chromoly steel."

His mouth felt dry and bitter.

If he had signed the contract back then, he wouldn’t have to be the one reaching out now.

It had been less than two weeks since that young man had visited.

"Daeyoon Tungsten won’t be producing molybdenum. And there aren’t any mines in Korea that do. Should I wait and see how the price fluctuations play out?"

The United States currently dominates 87% of the global molybdenum market.

On top of that, molybdenum is a strategic mineral—it’s used everywhere, across multiple industries.

“Price fluctuations aren’t the issue anymore. The real question is: how high will the price skyrocket?”

With the U.S. suddenly withdrawing, the rest of the world would now be scrambling for the remaining 13% of the supply.

There was no doubt—the price was about to explode.

A smirk crossed Park Tae-jong’s face.

“If I don’t jump in when the money is practically waving at me, I might as well quit being a businessman.”

Back when he wore a military uniform, molybdenum prices meant nothing to him.

All that mattered was protecting his country and his people.

But now?

Now, he had to build a steel mill, turn a profit, and reinvest it back into the nation.

“Let’s move.”

Park Tae-jong made his decision.

He knew molybdenum existed within this country—there was no way he could sit back and do nothing.

"I need to ensure the steel mill is ready to produce chromoly steel as soon as possible."

Without wasting another second, he prepared to leave.

"Kang Tae-soo. Where did they say that young man is right now?"

In his hand was the note Tae-soo had left behind.

Beneath the bold letters “Tae-yang Mine – Kang Tae-soo”, a tiny, handwritten address and a rough map were scribbled.