Chapter 90: The Image of Power

“Sounds plausible? The reporters are already asking. What are we going to say when we release the press materials?”

“We’ll sign a contract with the best image consulting firm. Experts will create something that fits those initials perfectly.”

“What? A consultant?”

“Yes. They’ll be the company responsible for managing our company’s external image. And they’ll also handle image making for Chairman Song and the heads of our subsidiaries.”

“Image making? What’s with all the buzzwords? Are we running an acting agency now? Raising celebrities?”

“The 21st century will be an era where image dictates success. A company’s image directly impacts its sales. Anyway! Don’t worry about it today and just enjoy yourself. Isn’t it a good day?”

On TV, President Jo Dae-ho’s inauguration speech ended, and introductions of the heads of each subsidiary followed.

It was almost time for the reception to begin.

“Uncle, you need to make an appearance. Aren’t you the de facto ruler of this group?”

“What about you? Aren’t you going to greet people?”

“I don’t want to get caught up in annoying things. I saw some of my uncles were here. I’ll pass.”

He wanted to avoid the uncomfortable stares they would give him. Today was a special day, wasn’t it?

He left Ajin’s, no… HW Group’s headquarters.

The building still had the name ‘Ajin’ on it, but that would soon change.

It was a day for celebration, but also a day to offer appropriate flattery. He couldn’t forget his grandfather, who loved to take credit.

Throughout history, many have died giving honest advice, but no one has ever died from flattery, right?

“Chief, where to?”

Assistant Manager Kim Yoon-suk opened the car door.

“Let’s go to the Chairman’s residence.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Oh, and on the way, if there’s a convenience store, please buy me a bottle of Jinro soju.”

“Soju? You don’t usually drink much…”

“I should have a drink on a day like today.”

He felt overwhelmed with emotion and pride, wanting to drink and get drunk, but this was just the first step, so he would limit himself to one drink today.

Celebrate lightly, succeed abundantly.

* * *

“Huh? Why are you here already? The banquet should be in full swing by now.”

He opened the study door and entered to find his grandfather watching the news. Ajin Group’s second founding ceremony was quite the news story. It was playing non-stop.

“Thanks to you, Grandfather, I’ve become the owner of Ajin Group. How could I enjoy it alone? I came to share a celebratory drink with you.”

He took a bottle of soju out of the black plastic bag.

“What’s this? Why bring liquor from a failed company on such an auspicious occasion?”

His grandfather frowned when he saw the red label of the Jinro soju bottle.

“Isn’t this a drink with 70 years of history? Even Chairman Jang Hak-yeop, the founder of Jinro, probably didn’t expect a single soju brand to last 70 years. And although the company failed, this product still sells, doesn’t it? Jinro soju will never disappear.”

“A product that won’t disappear even if the owner changes… I like that. Haha. Good, pour me a glass.”

Could he have sensed my underlying message, that Jinro soju was the future of Soonyang? Ah, it’s a little different. Since I inherited the bloodline, the owner isn’t exactly changing, is he?

“Congratulations, my grandson. Well done. All I had when I was your age were a few gold trinkets, but you’ve grasped at twenty what I only obtained after forty.”

“That’s because you didn’t have a grandfather who gifted you a vast ranch when you were ten like I did. Thank you. It’s all thanks to you, Grandfather.”

His grandfather shook his head.

“No. Among the grandsons of South Korean chaebols, there are plenty of kids who owned multi-million-won ranches at ten. Those guys are now in their twenties and thirties. Many have squandered what they received, but you’re the only one who has multiplied it a thousandfold, ten thousandfold. What you have now isn’t just because you had a good grandfather. You built it with your own strength. You can be proud. Haha.”

His grandfather filled his glass with soju and gently clinked it against mine.

We both downed our drinks in one go.

“I used to drink this so much, but it doesn’t taste the same anymore.”

I felt the same way. How much soju and pork belly had I consumed? But the taste was different. I couldn’t even remember the thrill of the first shot of soju.

My grandfather and I stared silently at the red soju label, lost in reminiscence for a brief moment.

It was a somewhat comical scene. An old man and a young guy sharing the same colored memories.

Awakening from his reverie, his grandfather spoke first.

“How’s Dae-ah Construction progressing?”

“Negotiations with the bank are proceeding smoothly with some concessions, and the working-level staff are calculating the specific amounts. And we are in the process of recovering the money President Kang Mu-sung embezzled as it’s discovered.”

“The prosecution is doing good work.”

“We compensated them generously for their efforts.”

His grandfather studied his expression.

“But it seems President Kang is refusing to hand over the proceeds from the stock sale.”

“Yes. He remains steadfast even when threatened with the arrest of his children and grandchildren for embezzlement of public funds. Money… it’s truly frightening.”

Seeing his exasperated look, his grandfather said sternly.

“No. That’s the wrong way to think about it.”

“Yes?”

“Those stock sale proceeds are President Kang’s last weapon. He’s judged that it’s not the right time to wield it yet. Since he can only wield it once, he’ll do it at the most crucial moment.”

Here, ‘wielding’ meant giving up even the stock sale proceeds.

“Surely not? President Kang shouldn’t have any opportunities left…?”

“If his entire family is arrested and convicted, the stock proceeds will likely be seized as fines, right?”

“That’s right. So how could he have any opportunities left?”

“Because you won’t get your hands on that money either. It’ll go to the national treasury.”

He still didn’t understand his grandfather’s intention.

If the stock sale proceeds were returned to Dae-ah Construction, President Kang and his entire family could avoid imprisonment.

But if he continued to resist, the stock sale proceeds would go to the national treasury, and his family would be imprisoned.

Anyone could see that the former was a wiser choice than the latter.

No more opportunities existed.

His grandfather smiled gently at the confusion on his face.

“You’re letting useless emotions cloud your judgment and about to throw away money. Aren’t you? You’ve forgotten the heart of a businessman.”

“Useless emotions? I don’t have any of those. I’m only thinking about the money. That money would be a tremendous help in normalizing Dae-ah Construction. Isn’t that why I’m using Grandfather’s influence to threaten and persuade President Kang?”

He rattled on, but his grandfather summarized his emotions in a single word.

“Justice.”

“Yes?”

“You’re furious because of a sense of justice. You can’t tolerate Kang, who didn’t even pay his employees’ salaries, embezzling money from a failing company and planning to live lavishly with his family someday. You’re consumed by the thought that such a man should be reduced to nothing, aren’t you?”

He had no reply and his face flushed red.

It was a strange world. The word ‘justice’ felt awkward, and being angry at injustice had become a useless emotion. Whether it was just in this family or in the world, the boundary was unclear.

“President Kang sees you as a businessman. That’s why he’s waiting, believing you’ll make another offer to squeeze out even a single penny more. Because if he holds out, you won’t get a single penny. And there’s no deal without a second offer.”

His grandfather accurately described Kang’s intentions to him.

“Isn’t it a bit funny for a businessman to judge and criticize others? What does it matter how others live or what they think? A businessman’s job is to move the money from their pockets into your own, even if it’s just a penny more.”

For a while, he couldn’t answer or respond, just sitting there blankly.

His feelings towards President Kang stemmed from past experiences. He saw his past self in the employees of Dae-ah Construction.

“Think about it. What if you offered to share the money in Kang’s pockets? How much would you need to leave him for him to accept your offer?”

“So, you’re saying I should leave him some money and let him avoid jail time?”

“If he offers half of the stock proceeds to the company, you can portray it as a sign of remorse and get him a suspended sentence, wouldn’t you say? It’s a good scenario.”

Seeing him still hesitant, he added.

“Don’t even think about anything else.”

“Other thoughts? Like what?”

“Like taking the money first and then getting revenge on Kang later. I’m telling you again, only think about the money. Unless Kang becomes a threat to you, don’t even look in his direction.”

His intuition was truly something….

“Well, whatever the case, Dae-ah Construction is in your hands now, so getting Kang’s money is just a bonus. This old man has done all he can. The choice is yours, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I understand. I will make a decision like a true businessman.”

They ended the business talk there.

His grandfather refilled their glasses, celebrating his achievements, and he expressed his gratitude, spending some time chatting pleasantly.

* * *

“Let’s go to Anyang Detention Center.”

“Yes? Why there suddenly…?”

“If I want to move money from someone else’s pocket into mine, is there any place I can’t go?”

Assistant Manager Kim Yoon-suk still looked puzzled as he gripped the steering wheel.

Was there truly no way to get the money and make that shameless man destitute?

Lost in thought, he arrived in Anyang before he knew it.

Living up to their status as the privileged class of society, they were assigned a spacious visiting room.

“How… How is the prison food treating you?”

“Considering it’s the price for looking down on a company as unheard of as Miracle, it’s tolerable.”

He still seemed to have some composure.

Was he still thinking he had a card to play, just like his grandfather said?

“My visit won’t be long, so I’ll just relay Representative Oh’s message.”

President Kang nodded slightly with his eyes closed.

“If you put all the stock proceeds you’ll receive into Dae-ah Construction, or if you simply give the stocks to the company….”

“You know what I want, so skip the beginning and just tell me the end.”

“The prosecution’s investigation will stop here, and you’ll receive a suspended sentence. In return, you’ll be offered an advisory position at Dae-ah Construction. The advisor’s salary can be very generous, provided you cooperate in the future.”

President Kang couldn’t answer easily. There was a bonus hidden in my offer.

“You’ll shed the label of a shameless man who sucked the marrow out of a dying company. The media will spin it nicely, saying it was all a misunderstanding, and you were just doing what was best for the company, which is why you’re being brought on as an advisor.”

Reputation.

As people age, they become attached to the value of their name. Even though I’m a businessman who only thinks about money, I understand the weight of the business card you carry.

The title of advisor at Dae-ah Construction wasn’t particularly prestigious, but it was better than being a convicted embezzler.

Moreover, Kang Mu-sung was a businessman.

He would realize that if he went to extremes with me, he would lose both his money and his reputation.

“Hmm… Representative Oh is meticulous. He wants to treat the money I get as company expenses? Isn’t that a bit stingy?”

The money he would receive as an advisor would all be salary.

If he kept all the stock proceeds and received a portion as salary, it wouldn’t be too bad. And wasn’t he someone who knew Dae-ah Construction’s hidden history well?

He could be useful.

“Come on, where do you find big-hearted businessmen? Even those who donate large sums of money calculate everything meticulously. Donation is just a way to show off instead of paying taxes.”

“The advisor’s salary will have to be quite high, though?”

“In return, you’ll also pay a lot in withholding tax.”

“Faithfully paying taxes is a citizen’s duty.”

Seeing his smile, only the annual salary negotiation remained.

“Then I’ll prepare the advisor appointment contract.”

As I got up from my chair, President Kang extended his hand.

“I look forward to working with you.”