Chapter 70
Taejong Group (4)
Creak──
As he stepped inside, there were Chairman Geum Tae-san and Geum Kang-tae, who looked pale.
Seeing them, a smile naturally formed on Se-hyeon’s lips.
“Oh, we meet again, Mr. Geum Kang-tae.”
“Again?”
“…….”
This was probably the worst timing for him.
Glancing at his silent grandson, Chairman Geum Tae-san tilted his head in curiosity.
“Please, have a seat. Nam Se-hyeon… was it?”
“Yes, Chairman. It’s an honor to be invited.”
“The interview went well, I hear.”
Three days ago, after that ridiculous meeting with Geum Kang-tae, Se-hyeon had done an interview with Players Report, which was planning a special feature themed around an emergency assembly.
Of course, he hadn’t gone empty-handed.
Instead of just responding to their questions, he had subtly included promotion for the artifact.
And Taejong Group had taken the bait perfectly.
Even better, the chairman himself had summoned him, which was ideal.
“I’ve heard quite a bit about Taejong Group. You first collaborated with the Foundation back in ’84, right?”
“Oh? And how do you know that?”
“I had a teacher who told me many stories.”
“Is that so! Then you have a good mentor! Hahaha!”
Ignoring Geum Kang-tae, who was sweating nervously like a trapped rabbit, the conversation flowed pleasantly.
It was Se-hyeon’s first time speaking directly with Chairman Geum Tae-san, but somehow, the conversation went smoothly.
“Hahaha! Quite an interesting young man. There’s nothing you don’t know, nothing at all!”
“You flatter me.”
“Hahaha!”
“…….”
Meanwhile, as the conversation continued, Geum Kang-tae’s expression was quite telling.
It was clear what he was thinking.
He was probably just waiting for this meeting to end.
Once the chairman stepped out, he would start negotiating in earnest.
Whether it was kneeling or threatening, as long as the deal went through, that was all that mattered.
Even as he sweat nervously, his eyes betrayed a fighting spirit.
‘Even cornered, he wants to get things done, huh?’
He was a rookie, but at least his spirit deserved high marks.
“Well, enough small talk. May I see the item?”
“Certainly.”
“Hmm.”
When Se-hyeon pulled the flag from his briefcase and handed it over, the chairman’s eyes immediately sharpened.
Se-hyeon straightened his posture.
Though the conversation had gone better than expected, the elderly man before him was still very much a client.
‘Where should I start?’
Should he explain the artifact first?
No, that wouldn’t work.
Going into a long explanation about the mechanism, from weapon, stellar power, mythology, to ability manifestation, would never satisfy a businessman’s ears.
This type preferred to see the real thing.
No matter how much you talk, it can’t compare to showing it once.
Without experiencing it firsthand, they wouldn’t grasp the difference from conventional stellar weapons.
Just as Geum Kang-tae had thought.
“Here, take a look.”
“Huh?”
Se-hyeon planted the flag firmly into the floor.
“What…!”
“It’s faster to see it directly than hear about it a hundred times.”
Flash──!
“This… this is…!”
A radiant barrier of light filled the chairman’s office.
Chairman Geum Tae-san and Geum Kang-tae stood in awe, staring at the brilliance.
“The production quantity is sufficient. The problem… is I only know how to make them, not how to sell them.”
“…….”
“I hope Taejong can help, if possible.”
The chairman nudged Geum Kang-tae’s side. Though he arranged the deal, it was ultimately the responsibility of Geum Kang-tae, head of the Future Strategy Office, to see it through.
“Indeed, a revolutionary item. It’s certainly different from the weapons of Cheonji Workshop.”
Se-hyeon couldn’t help but smile.
Just three days ago, all this had been dismissed as nonsense.
And now, after kicking the deal away himself, he shamelessly came back to negotiate.
Not wanting to look weak in front of the chairman?
Se-hyeon composed himself and spoke.
“To see that at first glance… your grandson has a keen eye.”
“Is that so? I recently entrusted him with a business, and he’s adapting quite well.”
The chairman patted his grandson on the back, laughing heartily.
As Se-hyeon matched his tone appropriately, Geum Kang-tae’s stiff expression relaxed, and he began speaking smoothly.
“I like the shape resembling a war flag. Leading a team and deploying a protective barrier in emergencies. It’s perfect for a leader to equip.”
Then he spoke cautiously.
“It’s a very appealing item, and I would love to offer generous terms, but… the infrastructure after production isn’t fully ready. Assuming your side handles all production and distribution, this ratio seems reasonable.”
He scribbled calculations on a blank sheet and proposed a 5:5 ratio.
Boldly, he offered the same ratio he had rejected before.
But before Se-hyeon could respond,
“However, we can consider the artifact’s novelty as a special factor.”
Geum Kang-tae crossed out the numbers and proposed a new ratio.
“This is the best I can concede.”
“6:4?”
“Of course, Nam Se-hyeon’s side is 6. How does that sound?”
Oh ho.
He was willing to give 10% more than initially suggested.
Compared to Se-hyeon’s first proposal, it was clearly better.
A generous concession in exchange for forgetting the last incident?
“Hmm… I’m not entirely satisfied.”
“You mean it’s insufficient…?”
“No, not that.”
But he had no intention of accepting it.
Se-hyeon shook his head and said,
“I just feel you’re conceding too much to me.”
“Excuse me? …What do you mean?”
Seeing Geum Kang-tae’s confused face, Se-hyeon glanced at the chairman.
“You take 8:2 from the existing workshops, right? Then how does this ratio make sense?”
“Hmm? Wait. How do you… know the ratio exactly?”
Of course, thanks to your grandson.
But Se-hyeon didn’t answer the chairman’s question, continuing.
“Production scale is out. A new company, so minus points. Its weapon-like qualities are lacking, another minus. If you want a proper deal… this is the fair ratio, someone said.”
“9:1? What nonsense…”
Even the chairman looked incredulous.
At that moment, Geum Kang-tae lowered his head, looking miserable.
He could have let it slide.
Se-hyeon’s goal was a good deal, not to punish anyone.
But seeing how his attitude changed after minor pushback…
‘Some arrogance has to be taught a lesson.’
It was time to give him a proper life lesson.
“Who proposed this outrageous number?”
“The Future Strategy Office representative, sir.”
“What? That means…”
The chairman immediately turned his gaze to his grandson.
Geum Kang-tae shook his head vigorously, denying it.
“You already saw the item three days ago, didn’t you, Geum Kang-tae?”
“…….”
No escape.
The chairman crumpled the paper with the ratio.
As the grandfather’s eyes turned icy, Geum Kang-tae went pale.
“……Is this true?”
“W-well… there’s a slight misunderstanding…”
“Is it true?”
Under the sharp gaze, Geum Kang-tae tried to deflect to Se-hyeon.
“W-why bring this up now? In front of the chairman…! If you want to adjust the ratio, speak to me separately…”
“Enough.”
The low voice cut the words off.
Chairman Geum Tae-san ignored his grandson and bowed to Se-hyeon.
“Please forgive the past. It’s not that he’s ill-natured, just inexperienced. I hope you understand.”
“……Well, if you put it that way.”
With the elderly chairman bowing first, even Se-hyeon found it difficult to push further.
Thus, the grandson issue was settled, and the discussion returned to business.
Se-hyeon handed over his business proposal.
It was the same as previously shown to Geum Kang-tae, but the ratio had changed.
“7:3, huh…”
“7 on my side. I believe this is a reasonable deal.”
“…….”
Chairman Geum Tae-san glanced over the proposal and looked up.
“Why come back to us? Others must have bid as well.”
“You knew about that?”
“Of course. Even that incompetent grandson of mine can gauge such things.”
The chairman was right.
As soon as it hit the media, even before it was released, offers had already come in from various places.
From online communities of significant scale to Saint Union, which even offered extraordinary terms for distribution rights, plus Randelhoff, long-time partners, seeking to expand their domestic influence.
Compared to them, Taejong’s contact was relatively late.
Yet Se-hyeon ultimately chose Taejong Group.
The reason was simple.
Currently, Taejong Group maintained close relations with the Foundation, and even after the Apocalypse, stayed aligned with it.
‘That’s why it met a tragic end.’
It was one of the places that disappeared when Haihwan destroyed the Foundation.
As players rose up, the Foundation, barely surviving, collapsed. Taejong Group, which had supported it to the end, also vanished in retaliation.
But that outcome was not entirely Taejong Group’s fault.
‘The chairman tried multiple times to break from the Foundation; he just lacked a suitable alternative.’
From the start, Haihwan had also targeted Taejong Group.
When Taejong fell, its related businesses and subsidiaries were seized.
Thanks to this, Haihwan could start from a solid foothold on the Korean Peninsula.
If left unchecked, everything would fall into Haihwan’s hands.
Se-hyeon couldn’t allow that.
“I want to change history.”
“…Change history, you say.”
Though much was left unsaid, it wasn’t inaccurate.
The chairman likely didn’t find it strange either.
A young man wanting to write history with his own hands — that was the essence he perceived.
Soon, he made a decision and returned the proposal.
“Still, this ratio won’t do.”
“……Is that so?”
“Yes.”
Perhaps he had asked too much.
Well, Se-hyeon wasn’t here for huge profit; the ratio wasn’t that important.
The key was to recruit forces that Haihwan might claim in the future.
As he prepared to accept whatever negotiation came,
“Let’s do 8:2. That’s the condition.”
“……What?”
Caught off guard, Se-hyeon paused.
“I initially thought 7:3 was fair. But you withdrew the contract, so consider it a penalty. Upon re-contracting, we can review it again. How about that?”
“……Well, if you think so.”
Though questions remained, Se-hyeon shook the chairman’s hand.
It was an unexpectedly favorable deal.
