Chapter 71
Defense Industry Bidding Expo (1)
After Se-hyun left,
The conference room felt emptier than it should have, even though only one person was gone.
“How did it go?”
“…I’m ashamed.”
“I’m not asking about mistakes.”
What’s past is past.
The mistake Geum Kang-tae made had been resolved by giving the other side a higher share.
In business, what mattered more than past errors was how you would move forward.
“We suffered a major loss, so we’ll need to make it up elsewhere. Either we gain from renegotiating with the Foundation, or increase sales enough to reach the break-even point.”
“Hmm.”
“Since the loss occurred because of me, I will make sure to resolve it properly.”
Kang-tae bowed his head.
He wasn’t just apologetic to the chairman; he was ashamed of himself as well.
His business abilities were recognized.
But because of that, he had been complacent.
To think that someone in business could fail to even understand the customer’s needs…
Even if he were fired on the spot, he couldn’t complain—but his grandfather had given him a chance, even giving up 80 percent of the profit share to the other side.
“Kang-tae.”
The chairman gently smiled and patted Kang-tae’s shoulder.
“…Yes, Grandfather.”
“Do you truly think the share we gave him is a loss?”
“….”
Of course, it was absurd to call it a loss.
According to the contract, Tae-jong was responsible for everything: distribution, marketing costs, transportation, aftercare, and all the tasks tied to the business. The other party only handled production.
Just comparing the workload made the difference huge. Considering costs too, it was an impossible contract.
In this scenario, for Tae-jong to turn a profit, supplying flags to every community in the world would still result in a loss.
“Kang-tae.”
“…Yes, Grandfather.”
“What do you think the essence of business is?”
“The essence… of business, sir?”
The essence of business?
As his grandfather often said with the gold bar analogy, business was about growing what you had and increasing its value.
Kang-tae was about to choose his answer internally when the chairman spoke first.
“Business isn’t about making money. It’s about gaining people.”
“…Excuse me?”
Kang-tae’s eyes widened as such a slogan-like statement came from the chairman.
“Don’t think about what you’ll earn. Think about what they will bring to us. That is management. Money is merely a means of value exchange.”
“….”
“Don’t dwell only on what you’ve lost—think about what Nam Se-hyun will bring to you.”
What Nam Se-hyun would bring.
It didn’t only mean the profits earned from business.
Until now, Kang-tae had only met players connected to the Foundation.
But the real customers weren’t just them.
Even if the deal was with the Foundation, the actual customers were the individual players, those who directly entered the front lines.
By being close to Se-hyun, Kang-tae would be able to experience their perspective firsthand.
Moreover, Se-hyun, with his exceptional viewpoint capable of inventing “Artifacts,” had much to teach.
“But…”
Still, Kang-tae hesitated.
He had only a business relationship with Se-hyun, and at that, in the worst form.
Even if he bowed and asked to learn, there was no guarantee Se-hyun would accept.
Yet the chairman laughed as if there were nothing to worry about.
“He has already answered. He said it would be fine to learn under him.”
“Eh?”
Already answered?
Kang-tae retraced his conversation with Se-hyun but couldn’t recall such a statement.
They had agreed on the share, shaken hands, and exchanged a casual greeting, but had said nothing more.
“Didn’t I ask him in the end? About the story of the one who lent the gold bars.”
That was true.
Before leaving, the chairman had casually asked Se-hyun about the three people who had lent gold bars, and how the person who borrowed a single bar should act.
“I know I am the one with a single gold bar.”
Unlike the two who doubled theirs, he had been preoccupied only with protecting the single bar.
No, he had even lost it—far worse than the man in the fable.
What should the one with a single gold bar do?
Nine times out of ten, the answer would be the same:
“You should have earned one more, like the other two.”
But that’s absurd.
The one with a single bar didn’t avoid earning because of laziness.
He knew his own limits.
If he tried, he would lose it all immediately.
“Do you remember what Nam Se-hyun said?”
“…He gave an answer unlike any I’ve heard before.”
It was an absurd answer.
Saying it didn’t have to end with one bar was the same as anyone else might say.
But his solution afterward was brilliant:
“If you think you can’t earn it, just leave it at the bank. At least you’d earn interest.”
Leave it at the bank… What a ridiculous answer.
Yet the chairman seemed rather satisfied.
“The one who lent the gold bar is Tae-jong, and the one who received a single bar from the Future Strategy Office is you. Then what does he mean by leaving it at the bank?”
The chairman stared at Kang-tae with deep eyes.
The grandson didn’t know yet, but he could instantly grasp the intention behind Se-hyun’s words.
The bank was merely a metaphor.
In reality, it represented entrusting ambitious and capable people with projects larger than oneself.
“Don’t be reckless. Entrust it to someone who can handle it.”
Truly the mind of a manager.
No one can do everything alone, so management is about using money to leverage abilities.
This aligns perfectly with the chairman’s earlier lesson: business is about gaining people.
It was hard to believe that a young person had already grasped such a principle.
The chairman couldn’t help but smile.
“Go, bow, and learn. Think of it as your first time and study hard.”
“…Yes, Grandfather.”
For some reason, Kang-tae could only bow before the apparently satisfied chairman.
Two days later, Se-hyun’s workshop.
Kang-tae entered a first-floor workshop in a converted two-story house.
“This is the person who will sell our products. Give him a round of applause!”
Clap clap clap!
Se-hyun and two women welcomed him with modest applause.
“Are you the CEO Tae-jong? I’m using Tae-jong Phone; can you upgrade me to the new model?”
“I heard from Se-hyun. Thank you for taking the deal.”
The teenage-looking girl immediately held out her old phone, while the other girl politely bowed.
“….”
Kang-tae was briefly stunned by such unusual hospitality.
He was used to executives lining up in subsidiaries or branch managers fawning over him in department stores. This was completely different.
It wasn’t even like introducing a new student.
“What are you doing? He’s a VIP. At least offer him some coffee.”
Inha brought coffee mix in a paper cup with ice.
Thinking this was special treatment seemed absurd.
Still, Kang-tae hid his feelings and bowed.
“Please take care of me. I’m Geum Kang-tae.”
This wasn’t a casual visit. He remained alert under his grandfather’s instructions.
He already had prior information through the Foundation.
He compared the faces before him with the information in his head.
‘This must be Kang Jia.’
A reckless high school girl asking to change her phone on first meeting.
Though seemingly naive, she was a rare Tamer talent.
She hadn’t yet shown outstanding results, but her potential was noted in the report.
‘And this must be… Chae In-ha.’
A genius among geniuses, called a super rookie even by the Foundation.
His sword skills with explosive power were breathtaking.
There was one piece of information the Foundation overlooked…
‘No wonder she looked so striking for an ordinary person.’
She was a famous model who had collaborated with Tae-jong before.
During the launch of Tae-jong’s new air conditioner, she filmed a polar winter-themed commercial that boosted sales.
‘And Nam Se-hyun…’
Unlike the other two, there was almost no information.
Records only showed him registering as a player at UK immigration and winning a difficult appeal.
Later, he moved to Korea, established a community, and only later registered its name—an odd record.
Other than that, the Player’s Report revealed little.
‘I’ll have to check the rest myself.’
The place where he created the mysterious “Artifacts.”
Kang-tae surveyed the workshop.
Various weapons, armor, and accessories were neatly arranged.
“Are all of these Artifacts?”
“No. Those were made when In-ha did cosplay. Come here—we have something in progress.”
Se-hyun led Kang-tae to the workspace.
There were anvils, forges, hammers, tongs, and iron ingots.
The setup was largely like a traditional blacksmith’s workshop.
A question crossed Kang-tae’s mind, but he put it aside and asked Se-hyun.
“May I watch you work?”
“I was about to ask you to wait a bit due to my current project. But if you want, go ahead.”
Se-hyun put on a welding mask and resumed work.
Clang clang!
The heated weapon flared with red sparks when placed in the forge.
Se-hyun muttered something throughout the work.
Listening closely, it seemed like he was reciting a story.
This must be the “unique mythology” he mentioned.
He repeated heating and hammering the metal multiple times.
Watching him, Kang-tae’s curiosity grew.
After finishing this stage, Se-hyun placed the blade into a bucket of gold dust and removed his mask.
“Phew. Shall we talk business now?”
“….”
“Oh, don’t dwell on the past incident. You were too strict, so that’s why it happened. We’re going to work together, no need to be upset with each other, right?”
“….”
“Hehe, are you still sulking?”
Se-hyun nudged him playfully, but Kang-tae remained silent.
It wasn’t old resentment.
Recalling the past was painful, but he had moved on.
He was more ashamed for underestimating Se-hyun than angry about being tricked.
Well, he couldn’t deny being a little annoyed—but that didn’t matter now.
“…May I ask you something, Se-hyun?”
“Hmm? Sure, go ahead.”
“Are all Artifacts made this way?”
“Eh? This way…?”
Heating, hammering, and repeating it multiple times.
He meant the painstaking process of weapon crafting.
“Well… yes, that’s right?”
“What about the items for distribution? There will be many. Do you think it’s feasible?”
“Hmm… If we work hard, maybe.”
“….”
As expected.
He had no understanding of mass production or B2B business.
“Se-hyun, don’t misunderstand me. Listen carefully.”
“…Yes?”
“You can’t run a business like this.”
Kang-tae recalled his grandfather’s urging to learn with humility, but he couldn’t leave this unaddressed.
Otherwise, they couldn’t even take the first step.
Fortunately, he was an expert in this area.
