Chapter 110: Even If You Try Hard, No One Listens

“No matter how much you shout about wanting to live life to the fullest, no one’s listening. The world is full of people working their tails off just to make ends meet. Do you really want to waste your life struggling like that?”

“Isn’t it better to struggle than to do nothing but freeload?”

His sincerity in refusing the money was palpable.

“I heard Do-jun decided to give you three chances. Just how incompetent must you be for that to happen?”

“I’m just grateful for his generosity. What can I possibly say?”

Chairman Jin paused for a moment before continuing.

“Why didn’t you ask me for help earlier? With a word from me, you could have become Do-jun’s man. You threw away even that opportunity.”

“Everything you said is right, Chairman. I realized I would only hold Chief of Staff Jin Do-jun back. If he kept someone like me around, wouldn’t it just be out of pity? I want to stop being a burden.”

“Judging by how quickly you grasp the situation, you’re quite capable. Fine. I won’t cast you out. I’ll find a suitable position for you so you can continue working at the company.”

Despite the offer of leniency, Kim Yoon-suk only offered a bitter smile.

“Didn’t I just say? Please stop with the pity.”

“If I don’t want to accept your kindness, I don’t have to. Understood.”

One might expect him to offer the suggestion again out of courtesy, but Chairman Jin turned away coldly.

“Ah, right, there was something I wanted to ask you, but we got sidetracked.”

“Please, go ahead, Chairman.”

“The truck you stopped, do you think it was an accident?”

Kim Yoon-suk answered without the slightest hesitation.

“I’ve already told Chief of Staff Jin Do-jun about that.”

Chairman Jin was dumbfounded by Kim Yoon-suk’s reply. *He told my grandson, so go ask him yourself.* Is that what he meant?

He cleared his throat once and opened the hospital room door.

“That guy holds a grudge. Heh.”

* * *

The VIP room had excellent soundproofing.

I strained to hear the conversation outside, but only a low murmur seeped through.

My grandfather chuckled when he saw me and then headed back into the room.

“What did you two talk about?”

“It’s nothing for you to worry about. Honestly!”

Suddenly, grandfather stopped and lowered his voice.

“That fellow said something to you about the accident. What did he say?”

Accident, huh…

Assistant Manager Kim kept his mouth shut with Grandfather. That’s also a good attitude.

It implies that I hold the power to share confidential secrets and information, and Assistant Manager Kim himself will remain silent.

“He said he’s hesitant to be certain, so he’s being careful with his words. He mentioned the possibility it wasn’t an accident.”

“Not an accident?”

“Yes. It’s not definite, but he got the feeling that the truck was waiting for us.”

Grandfather’s brow furrowed.

“Hmm…”

“It’s just a memory. It’s not certain.”

“Alright. I’ll take care of it.”

It’s understandable he’d be reluctant to delve deeper. If it wasn’t an accident, it’s highly likely a family member was involved. I quickly spoke to dispel the awkwardness.

“More importantly, what about Assistant Manager Kim Yoon-suk? Should we just leave it at this?”

“I’ll take care of that too. I’ll see if I can make him useful. If he shows no potential, he’ll just be a nuisance by your side anyway.”

“You will, Grandfather?”

“Yes. He has one useful quality.”

“What’s that?”

“Respect. It’s the first and most important quality for a subordinate to have for their superior. That fellow respects you.”

Grandfather started walking again.

“He seems to have the necessary basics, so now he needs to learn the job. If he has no aptitude for the work, then having the basics or meeting the conditions is all for naught.”

Kim Yoon-suk is a lucky man.

Now that the Chairman of Soonyang Group has personally taken an interest in him, he’s gained an opportunity to rise quickly.

Though his body and mind will be exhausted.

* * *

Early Sunday morning, luxury sedans arrived one after another at Vice-chairman Jin Young-ki’s villa.

The occupants stepping out of the cars were all dressed for golf, but this wasn’t a golf course; it was a private villa.

As they shook hands and entered the villa, their expressions were grim, a stark contrast to the cheerful weather.

Unlike his guests, Vice-chairman Jin Young-ki greeted them with a bright smile.

“Sorry for the trouble. There are just so many prying eyes these days, you know? Haha.”

He personally shook each of their hands firmly before leading them to a spacious dining table.

As the dozen or so people filled the table, Vice-chairman Jin Young-ki picked up his spoon.

“The water here must be good because the rice tastes different. Now, let’s eat.”

They slowly ate breakfast as he began to broach the important topic.

“Have you confirmed what I asked?”

Jin Young-ki didn’t make eye contact with anyone, only looking down at his bowl, but it was clear who was meant to answer.

“We investigated Myungin University Hospital thoroughly. The surgery was successful, and they say he’s healthy enough to be discharged.”

“What kind of surgery was it?”

“It was surgery to remove a malignant brain tumor.”

The clattering of cutlery ceased at the mention of a malignant brain tumor.

Vice-chairman Jin Young-ki had many connections. He was one of the few who received the results as soon as the surgery was over. The reason he brought up the surgery again at this table was for another purpose.

“By the way, Director of the hospital.”

“Yes.”

“What are the chances of the malignant brain tumor recurring?”

The director of Soonyang Medical Center licked his lips.

“The brain is the most unpredictable area. And malignant tumors are called malignant because they always have a high chance of recurring.”

“In my father’s case, what are the chances of recurrence?”

“In elderly patients, it has always recurred in over 50% of cases. The reason the probability isn’t higher is because… they often die of old age before the recurrence.”

Among the people at the table, no one failed to grasp why Vice-chairman Jin and the hospital director were having this conversation.

They were talking about how the founder of Soonyang, Chairman Jin Yang-cheol, had little time left to live.

“Director, you’ll need to keep a close eye on him. Chairman, you must live a long life.”

“Yes, I will do my best.”

Jin Young-ki looked up at this response.

“Director, is the secret to your health eating small portions? Have you finished already?”

“Yes? Ah….”

The hospital director put down his spoon and stood up from the table. His face was contorted, but what could he do?

He was just responsible for the opening of the prepared show, so it was natural for him to leave the stage before the main performance began.

As the hospital director disappeared, Vice-chairman Jin Young-ki fiddled with his chopsticks and spoke.

“The presidents of our Soonyang subsidiaries all know the significance of the Joseon Grain Warehouse Museum in Gunsan, right?”

The subsidiary presidents exchanged glances and nodded.

“Recently, our chairman even took his grandson there. It’s all my inadequacy.”

Even sighs could be heard at the once-quiet table. Everyone could guess who the grandson Jin Young-ki mentioned was and understood the implications.

Another successor had appeared.

The tense standoff between the two sons was breaking, splitting into three factions.

“The chairman’s passing could be any day now… and yet the group is shrouded in even thicker fog. This is happening when our business conditions are already deteriorating.”

The CEOs of the subsidiaries were starting to feel uneasy about today’s breakfast invitation. It seemed they were about to hear something they shouldn’t.

“The reason I’ve gathered you all here is because I want to clear away this thick fog and make the uncertain future a little clearer.”

“Um, Vice-chairman. If you’re talking about the succession plans, we simply follow the Chairman’s wishes.”

Those were the words of the most timid person. If this meeting were to leak, he would incur the wrath of Chairman Jin.

“I am going to talk about the succession plans.”

Jin Young-ki glared at the frightened president, his voice gaining strength.

“A mere twenty-one-year-old child could inherit one-third, perhaps half, or even the entirety of the group. All because of an old man’s misguided affection. Isn’t it only natural to discuss these risks with the board of presidents?”

“Vice-chairman. We are not in a position to discuss the overall group… not being core affiliates….”

“Each subsidiary has different sales and scales, but don’t they have something in common? Every subsidiary holds shares in other companies within the group. Your companies also hold a significant amount of stock in other companies, don’t they? Isn’t that right, President of Soonyang Electronics?”

Subsidiaries hold shares in each other. This magic that allows Chairman Jin Yang-cheol to control the entire group with just 1.65% of the total shares is called cross-shareholding.

“The CEO is the head of the company’s management. The final approval on official company documents rests with the CEO. Legally, there is no Chairman or Vice-chairman. Isn’t that correct?”

“Practical authority is more important than the law. Don’t you receive the Chairman’s approval on confidential documents?”

The president of Soonyang Electronics waved his hand dismissively, but Vice-chairman Jin Young-ki simply smiled.

“Shall I make you truly feel that authority you possess?”

The vice-chairman nodded to a man standing near the table.

The man took out file folders and began handing them to each of the subsidiary presidents.

“Those documents detail the current shareholdings of the companies you oversee.”

This was information they already knew well, even without being told. But the documents contained more than just the stock status. These documents were contracts.

“All you need to do is affix your company’s official seal. Then, all the shares held by your company will be gathered under Soonyang Precision Machinery. Soonyang Precision Machinery will buy them all.”

Naturally, the largest shareholder of Soonyang Precision Machinery is Vice-chairman Jin Young-ki. It’s a non-listed company and not particularly large.

“What do you think? Selling company assets is within the authority of the CEO. Do you now feel the power you possess?”

The breakfast they had barely touched felt like it was getting stuck in their throats. The air conditioning was constantly blowing out cold air, yet some presidents were even breaking out in cold sweats.

What if all the group shares held by the dozen or so subsidiaries gathered here were consolidated into one place?

Everyone’s mind raced, but no one clearly understood how the complex ownership structure would change. However, they knew that Soonyang Precision Machinery would gain enough power to shake the group to its core.

“Vice, Vice-chairman. Signing these contracts would be an overreach of authority. Even if we had three or four heads, they wouldn’t be enough.”

It wasn’t just because he was the president of a non-core subsidiary. Even the president of Soonyang Electronics, the flagship company, would say the same thing.

As the presidents’ trembling gazes fixed on Vice-chairman Jin Young-ki’s face, he burst into laughter.

“Haha, oh my. Why are you looking at me like that already? I’m just showing you the power you hold. I’m not saying to hand it over right now. When that kid, with his blood still wet behind the ears, tries to play chairman and threatens to break up the group and take it with him, that’s when you use the legitimate power you have. Do you understand?”

Everyone sighed in relief, patting their chests. The insane act of rebelling against the Chairman, who ruled with his eyes wide open, became a matter for the future.

“Because I spoke for so long, the stew and soup have gotten cold. We’ll prepare them again, so please enjoy your meal before you leave.”

Jin Young-ki quickly got up and left the table before anyone could say anything.

The burden of worry was now theirs. If their contemplation dragged on, he would simply force their decision with carrots and sticks.

“Subsidiary presidents are no different from running horses.”