Chapter 533: I Like That Kind of Person

A day of taut tension followed the skirmish.

However, no further provocations or localized conflicts occurred.

North Korea claimed via Korean Central Television that South Korea initiated the attack, fiercely condemning Yoon Chang-ho’s government.

In rebuttal, the Yoon Chang-ho government released footage from the incident.

The video captured the warning shots fired after multiple announcements.

It was a unilateral violation of North Korea’s territorial waters, a clear breach of the armistice agreement.

Yet, not everyone could be on the same page.

The following day, a progressive news outlet was the first to question overreacting, publishing a negative article.

However, the prevailing opinion was that the South Korean military responded well.

As time passed, the military order of one Jindo dog was downgraded to two, easing the once-volatile tension.

“At least it’s a relief that things didn’t escalate into something bigger,” I muttered.

I set down the newspaper I had been reading and picked up my coffee cup.

What could be Kimg Jong-il’s purpose for such actions?

Was this his last gasp? Or merely a ritualistic provocation to show off to the hardliners?

Various thoughts swirled in my mind.

Before I could take a sip of my now-cold coffee, the door opened, and Manager Ma walked in.

“Boss, Manager Jang has contacted us.”

That was a welcome sound. I took the phone Manager Ma handed over.

“Manager Jang, this is Kim Mu-hyeok. What on earth was the provocation in the West Sea? What were they thinking?”

— It was not Chairman Kim Jong-il’s doing. It was entirely the military hardliners acting on their own.

“And you expect me to believe that?”

My voice had risen naturally. But Jang Seong-taek stood his ground, speaking firmly.

— It’s true. The authority of Kim Jong-il has significantly weakened. This recent border blockade from China appears to have triggered it.

“Even so, you’re saying the military acted without Kim Jong-il’s orders? Do they really believe they can survive after that? He’s been watching the military movements since the coup attempt! Is this just a show for appearances?”

— I’ve had those thoughts too. But all the generals involved in this incident have been arrested. The atmosphere in Pyongyang is tense. It wouldn’t be surprising if anything happened at any time.

Could the military really carry out such provocations without Kim Jong-il’s direction?

Unless Kim Jong-il was performing a play for purging his ranks…

That’s a clear sign of how much his ruling power has diminished.

“Is Manager Jang safe?”

— Yes. For now, he is safe. I received orders for the arrests of those generals; I personally moved the Security Bureau to capture them.

“Still, be cautious. The moment anything happens to you, our plan will be finished before it even starts.”

Right now, Jang Seong-taek’s safety was paramount. If he fell from power or was captured, the plan would fail before it ever began.

— Understood. Ah, it seems we can soon bring Chairman Kim Jong-il to the special residence.

“That’s good to hear. The mercenaries are also training in Vladivostok. If everything proceeds as planned, we shouldn’t face any issues. By the way, did you manage to deliver the funds?”

I had sent ten million dollars to Jang Seong-taek via a smuggling route when I was in Vladivostok.

— Yes. Thanks to that, I can breathe easier now.

“That’s good to know. Prepare to smuggle in troops without any hindrance using that money.”

— Understood. I’ll reach out again. This was a quick call, after all.

Jang Seong-taek ended the call first.

I handed the disconnected phone back to Manager Ma, saying,

“Phew, it seems it wasn’t Kim Jong-il who made the move himself.”

“Really? Is that even possible in North Korea?”

“According to Manager Jang. He claims to have arrested all the generals involved. Who knows how far this situation will escalate? Well, the more internal chaos, the more it should help Jang Seong-taek consolidate power.”

If not Jang Seong-taek, then a coup within the military could place a different faction in power, potentially ruining everything.

So, it would be great if this opportunity allows Jang Seong-taek to leave a strong impression on people.

“By the way, have you set up lunch with Chairman Yoo?”

“Yes, I called him to the Myeong-dong Hotel.”

I nodded and stood up.

“I instructed them to bring someone from the entertainment side too, right?”

“Yes, they said they’d bring a director from the entertainment business. However, I heard it’s a woman, not a man.”

What does that even mean? Who could possibly hold authority in a place that’s practically a den of thugs?

No, even more strangely, the thugs are just going to accept that order without question?

“What’s her name?”

“I heard it’s Kim Hyun-jung.”

“This is interesting. Many men couldn’t hold up and dropped out, so I’m curious how she managed to keep those thugs in line. I’ll find out when I meet her. Oh, and please prepare any information you have on Kim Hyun-jung. I need to look it over while we head to the Myeong-dong Hotel.”

“Yes, I’ll have it ready.”

While the North Korean issue was critical, so was proceeding with the commitments made to Hu Jintao.

The Chinese government had already upheld its side, and I needed to uphold mine as well.

I left my house in time for the appointed hour.

“Here’s the information on Director Kim Hyun-jung you asked me to prepare earlier.”

Once I got into the car, Manager Ma turned to me and handed over a folder.

I opened it up to check Director Kim Hyun-jung’s information.

Kim Hyun-jung boasted quite a flashy résumé.

She was a talented graduate of Korea University who transitioned from minor roles into this line of work.

Thanks to connections developed in showbiz, she ended up working various roles until noticed by Yoo Sung-jin, eventually joining the Heavenly Group.

And within a year, she rose to the position of director responsible for managing the entire entertainment business.

“I hear there are rumors she’s Chairman Yoo’s girlfriend?”

“That’s not confirmed.”

“I don’t care about anyone’s love life, as long as she does her job well. That’s all that matters. Plus, being a Korea University grad… She probably had a good sponsor in her youth; she wouldn’t have had to struggle.”

There are plenty of talented individuals, but most fail to shine and get left behind.

Kim Hyun-jung was one of those people.

Fortunately, it seemed she was finally able to showcase her abilities by meeting with Yoo Sung-jin, even if it was late.

I set the folder I was reading aside and smiled.

“Let’s meet her first. We can decide after that; it won’t be too late.”

Upon arriving at the Myeong-dong Hotel, we immediately headed up to the reserved restaurant.

“Welcome, Boss.”

“Is Chairman Yoo here?”

“Yes, he’s waiting inside.”

The restaurant manager, who came to greet us, led us to the innermost room.

As soon as I opened the door, Yoo Sung-jin and Kim Hyun-jung got up from their seats and bowed their heads.

“Chairman Yoo. It’s been a while.”

“Welcome, Boss.”

“Is the person next to you Director Kim Hyun-jung?”

Upon hearing her name, she slightly raised her head and spoke.

“Yes, I am Kim Hyun-jung. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Nice to meet you. Please, have a seat. Let’s talk while seated.”

At my gesture, Yoo Sung-jin and Kim Hyun-jung took their seats.

“Feel free to eat while you listen.”

I began discussing the business plans I had with Hu Jintao while we started our meal.

By the time we finished eating, all explanations were wrapped up. I set down my fork and knife, wiping my mouth.

The two of them seemed to have finished their meal as well, laying down their utensils. Yoo Sung-jin asked first.

“Boss, you mean you’re asking us to send someone to China?”

I nodded and picked up the glass of water beside me.

“That’s right. We need someone who can work there for quite some time. But… I’m worried, since the person Chairman Yoo brought is a woman, about whether she can manage in China.”

I didn’t intend to ignore Kim Hyun-jung. It was just that the issue was she had to work in China.

China is still one of those places where they dismiss women’s capabilities with tinted glasses.

So who we send is secondary; the real concern is whether Kim Hyun-jung can endure that environment.

As I quietly observed her, she answered without any issue.

“I’m fine. I’ve been subjected to such dismissal for a long time. I now know I can shatter that prejudice.”

“Is that so? Do you think you can do it?”

“Yes. As long as you assign me this, I’ll do my best to handle this matter.”

“It’s good to see such confidence.”

I tore my gaze away from Kim Hyun-jung and glanced back at Yoo Sung-jin, asking.

“Do you think Director Kim Hyun-jung can manage well in China?”

“Yes. I trust her. I’ve entrusted all entertainment-related affairs to Director Kim Hyun-jung. Besides, she has great connections in showbiz, which will help her a lot with the tasks in China.”

“If Chairman Yoo thinks so, then let’s proceed.”

After finishing the meal, we discussed the matters regarding China while enjoying dessert.

Kim Hyun-jung spoke her mind candidly in front of me, and I focused intently on what she had to say.

She pinpointed the vision for the Chinese entertainment industry accurately.

She spoke with details that matched exactly with the future I had in mind.

Since there was no way Kim Hyun-jung had returned from the past, I could only conclude that she was indeed exceptionally competent.

“Chairman Yoo.”

“Yes, Boss.”

“This could be an opportunity for the Heavenly Group as well. Establishing a joint venture in China could yield significant profits for us.”

We’re not just creating a joint venture with China.

It involves high-ranking officials from the Chinese Communist Party.

“Even if Director Kim Hyun-jung goes directly to China, you need to oversee this matter, Chairman Yoo. There shouldn’t be any obstacles in moving forward with this. After all, it’s something those in power in the Chinese Communist Party want. So just contact Hao Xun to proceed.”

“Yes. I’ll take care of that.”

As I finished speaking, I stood and prepared to leave.

“Director Kim Hyun-jung, it was a pleasure to meet you today.”

Both Yoo Sung-jin and Kim Hyun-jung stood up together. I could sense a peculiar brightness in Kim Hyun-jung’s expression.

She seems to have quite the ambition.

“Yes. It was an honor to finally meet you, Boss.”

“If this endeavor succeeds, there will be good fortunes ahead. Then, let’s plan to meet again.”

I watched as the two of them bowed their heads to greet me before slowly exiting the room.

“Was everything going well?”

Manager Ma asked as I got into the car. I smiled faintly.

“She has some backbone. She spoke her mind openly in front of me, and answered every question directly. It’s clear she’s someone Chairman Yoo can trust. Whether she can hold her own in China is still uncertain though.”

“I take it you liked her then? At first, weren’t you a bit surprised?”

“I like that kind of person. If she’s capable, does her gender really matter? Whether it’s a woman or a man, what matters to me is ability; it’s the same as for you, Manager Ma.”

As I joked, Manager Ma smiled—the kind of smile I rarely saw from him.

As Manager Ma signaled, the car began to move.

I gazed out at the rapidly changing scenery, lost in thought.

Yoo Sung-jin is someone who will follow through when I ask, so there shouldn’t be a big issue.

But whether JC Entertainment will take on this task depends on our meeting.

If they are businesspeople, they would naturally accept this offer, so it shouldn’t be that big of a problem.

If they refuse, I wouldn’t be out of options, either.

“Boss. The person you mentioned to report upon entering Korea has arrived. It’s Andy Rubin. He’s currently meeting with the executives at Ilseong Electronics headquarters.”

I was momentarily startled out of my daze.

“Andy Rubin has entered Korea?”

“Yes. He arrived this morning.”

“Perfect timing. Let’s head to Ilseong Electronics headquarters right away.”

We made a quick U-turn and drove toward Ilseong Electronics headquarters, located in Pyeongchang-dong.

I stepped out of the car and headed straight inside with Manager Ma.

“Kim Mu-hyeok, President.”

Chairman Lee Taek-ki was waiting for me in the lobby.

“Chairman Lee Taek-ki, it’s a pleasure to see you.”

“Allow me to escort you.”

Chairman Lee Taek-ki led me onto the elevator.

As we pressed the button for the 38th floor, where the chairman’s office was located, I asked.

“Chairman, I heard that an American developer named Andy Rubin has come to Ilseong Electronics?”

“Yes. I was informed that CEO Hong Seok-hyun is meeting him personally.”

“Is that so? Then let’s head that way.”

“Why is that…?”

Surprised by his question, I raised one eyebrow.

“I’m planning to meet with Andy Rubin.”