CH13 | MCT

Pohang Steel: Park Tae-jong (2)

Park Tae-jong glared at Tae-soo.

“A business proposal? I wasn’t informed of any prior appointments. Did you go through the proper authorization process to enter?”

“Unfortunately, I understand that you have more pressing matters at hand right now. I’ll wait until you’re done.”

Park Tae-jong shook his head.

“I have no intention of discussing business. Just leave.”

So rigid.

Tae-soo pulled a stack of papers from his coat.

On the back of the last page, he scribbled: Kang Tae-soo, Taeyang Mining.

Then, he placed the papers firmly into Park Tae-jong’s hand.

“What is this?”

“A gift. Or, to be more precise… a leash.”

A leash? Made of paper?

Park Tae-jong furrowed his brows.

“A bribe?”

“What could I possibly have to bribe you for? The blast furnace isn’t even built yet.”

Tae-soo gestured toward the construction site.

Park Tae-jong watched him with an unreadable expression.

“I hear you’ve been having trouble with low-grade Japanese ore.”

“Hm.”

“If handling it yourself is too much of a hassle, just pass it on to the Central Intelligence Agency. That should take care of things. Well then, I’ll be going.”

Tae-soo bowed slightly and turned to leave.

Just then, he came face-to-face with an approaching Japanese man, his face red with anger.

The man scanned Tae-soo and Holjjuk from head to toe, narrowing his eyes.

“Hah! This is ridiculous! Do you let just anyone wander into this site? Park, is this how you manage security?”

His Korean was fluent, though laced with a heavy Japanese accent.

More than that—he was speaking in banmal (informal speech).

“Hey, you! Peddler! Where do you think you’re going? Stay right there! This is a matter of diplomatic importance.”

The Japanese man grabbed Tae-soo, stopping him in his tracks.

“Diplomatic importance?”

“Of course! You clearly entered without permission. Now that I’ve personally identified a risk of Japanese technology leaks, I’ll have to report this to the Korean government—thoroughly.”

Tae-soo glanced back.

Park Tae-jong looked troubled.

This man had been itching to find fault with him, and now he had the perfect excuse.

First, the site accident.

Now, an unauthorized intruder.

“You, peddler! Stand there and wait your turn!”

“And why should I?”

“If you try to run off while I’m speaking with Park here, then he’ll be the one to take full responsibility.”

Holjjuk shot Tae-soo a nervous glance.

‘We’re screwed. Should we just make a run for it?’

Tae-soo shook his head.

His expression remained confident—almost amused.

“Park, how the hell are you managing your workers? A major accident at the site? Have you forgotten that you have less than a year until completion?”

The Japanese government had promised Park Tae-jong technical support.

As part of that, Shin Nippon Steel—one of Japan’s largest steel corporations—had sent technical advisors to oversee the construction of the steel mill.

The Japanese man was none other than the dispatched technical advisor, Takeshi Ushiroda (後田武至).

“Accidents happen during work. Fortunately, the construction is progressing smoothly.”

“Smoothly? Park, an entire section of the plant just collapsed, and you call that smooth? Don’t make me laugh! I refuse to work with someone so indifferent to safety! I’m returning to Japan!”

Ushiroda wasn’t about to let go of this golden opportunity to strike.

Park Tae-jong was the closest confidant of a major political figure.

And Park’s single greatest desire?

To build the best steel mill possible.

All the developed nations had refused to transfer their steelmaking technology—except for Japan.

That left Park Tae-jong with no choice.

If he wanted this steel mill, he had to grit his teeth and put up with Ushiroda’s demands.

“When else will I get the chance to lecture a man of his power like this? Hehehe.”

Now that he had Park by the throat, Ushiroda had nothing to fear.

He reveled in nitpicking and making Park’s life difficult at every turn.

“This steel mill is bound by an agreement between Korea and Japan. Park can’t do a thing. A punching bag exists to be punched. Hehehe.”

Yes, this situation was very much to Ushiroda’s liking.

“Just look at today’s accident! This kind of incompetence would be unthinkable in Japan! You’re rotten to the core!”

“The only one rotten to the core here is you. You’re a real sight to behold.”

“…What?”

Ushiroda’s head snapped toward the voice.

Tae-soo stood there, nodding.

“So it’s you. The infamous Japanese mongrel.”

“What did you say?”

“Peddler. Wasn’t that what you called me earlier?”

“……”

Ushiroda glared at Tae-soo.

“Do you even know who you’re talking to, you insolent bastard?”

“Do I need to?”

Tae-soo casually dug a finger into his ear.

Ushiroda’s face turned red with rage.

“Listen well, you little punk. I am the technical advisor from Shin Nippon Steel, personally dispatched by the Great Japanese government—”

“So you do understand your position. Then you should have acted accordingly. Who comes to another country just to bark like a mad dog?”

Ushiroda flinched at Tae-soo’s intensity.

Tae-soo shot a glance at Park Tae-jong.

Then, he pointed at the bundle of papers still clutched in Park’s hand.

That was when Park finally looked down and took a closer look at what he was holding.

"A gift. Or, to be more precise… a leash."

"I hear you’ve been having trouble with low-grade Japanese ore."

"If handling it yourself is too much of a hassle, just pass it on to the Central Intelligence Agency."

“What’s that? Let me see.”

Ushiroda reached out his hand.

He was demanding that Park hand over the papers Tae-soo had given him.

“Park, what are you doing? Why haven’t you thrown out this insolent bastard already? No, wait—you should arrest him for attempting to steal Japanese technology—”

“Listen, Japanese man.”

Tae-soo’s voice was calm, but firm.

“You seem to be under some delusion. But don’t forget—you’re just as chained to this steel mill as anyone else.”

Park Tae-jong’s head shot up from the documents.

Tae-soo alternated between pointing at the bundle of papers and his own neck.

"Chained? A leash? A dog's leash?"

A realization dawned on Park Tae-jong’s face.

"Finally caught on, huh? A dog's leash is only useful when the owner decides to pull on it."

Tae-soo smirked.

He could have crushed this Japanese man himself, but there was a reason he was handing the opportunity over to Park.

"If you go back to Japan, what then? They’ll just send another technical advisor. The Japanese government already made that promise."

"...What?"

"It's not like you're the only technical advisor Japan has."

Ushiroda's face contorted with rage.

"Fine! Let’s see if Japan actually bothers to send another one! It was a miracle we even got this deal approved in the first place! I'm packing my bags right now!"

He shot a glance at Park Tae-jong.

'This is usually the part where he stops me.'

But for some reason, Park wasn't even looking at him. His eyes remained glued to the papers in his hands.

"Park! Are you really going to stand by and let this arrogant bastard treat me like this? I’ll be filing a formal complaint with the Korean government! And I won’t forget to mention the leak of Japanese technology either!"

With Park refusing to take his side, Ushiroda clenched his teeth in frustration.

"Fine, Park! Let’s see how you complete this steel mill without me!"

And then—

Park Tae-jong finally spoke.

He started reading from the papers, enunciating each word with deliberate care.

"Accepting kickbacks in exchange for material deliveries. Threatening labor agencies to collect commissions..."

"...What?" Ushiroda stammered. "W-What are you talking about?"

"Posing as a representative of the Japanese government to run an illegal employment racket. Hah! Even smuggling and human trafficking?"

"I-I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Even your relatives and acquaintances were in on it. You really bled this operation dry, didn’t you? You put special effort into laundering that money, too."

"Park, what the hell are you saying?"

Ushiroda's face went deathly pale.

Park Tae-jong’s brow twitched.

His glare was as sharp as a blade, slicing straight through Ushiroda.

Then—Park snapped.

He hurled the bundle of papers straight at Ushiroda’s face.

The impact sent the documents scattering everywhere, fluttering down like fallen leaves.

Plop.

A single sheet landed atop Ushiroda’s polished shoe.

He picked it up with trembling hands.

And read.

Line after line detailed every one of his dirty secrets.

And there were pages of them.

"How… how did they find all this? I covered my tracks… I buried everything!"

Ushiroda’s eyes quivered in disbelief.

"You thought keeping your name clean was enough?" Park scoffed. "They dug through your in-laws, your distant relatives, your old classmates—everyone connected to you."

"Wh-Who… who the hell did this?"

"Enough!" Park’s voice thundered. "I’m handing all of this over to the Central Intelligence Agency."

"T-The CIA? But I represent the Japanese government—!"

"They’ll handle the diplomatic fallout. That’s their job."

"Park! You can’t do this!"

Ushiroda had been nitpicking every stage of construction, meddling with unnecessary advice, abusing his authority, and relentlessly belittling and tormenting workers—deliberately stalling progress at every turn.

But now, his biggest weakness had fallen into Park Tae-jong’s hands.

"I got so carried away stepping on Park that I forgot—he’s not just some pushover. He’s a powerful figure. And he has deep ties to our government. If Japan finds out about this…?"

His family back in Japan wouldn't come out unscathed.

And neither would he.

Cold sweat trickled down Ushiroda’s back.

"Japan cannot know about this. Not now. Maybe after the steel mill is finished, but not yet."

If this came to light after the project was completed, it could be dismissed as a personal crime.

But if Japan discovered that a government-dispatched official had committed these offenses—delaying a crucial state-backed steel mill project in the process?

"They’ll claim I disgraced Japan’s honor… and punish me for it. My life will be over."

Ushiroda’s hands began to tremble uncontrollably, paralyzed with fear.