CH27 : Cash Cow

"One... one month... did you say?"

"Yes, one month. The Korea-US summit is next week. Even if we lose a bit on the loan amount, we need to pay more attention to the memorandum, as you suggested. You'll depart with the US advance team before the Americans change their minds."

"You're sending me as the advance team?"

It was getting more daunting by the minute.

Going with the US advance team meant going without the protection of Korean soldiers.

"Go and build whatever they tell you to, be it highways or supply ports. Didn't you single-handedly build a petrochemical plant? If it's you, you'll manage it in no time!"

Come on, if you're going to investigate, do it properly.

Who builds a factory alone?

I dismantled and reassembled an old factory. Hundreds of workers worked with me.

The words rose to my throat, but I couldn't bring myself to say them.

"A month is too short. I need to finish my current work to some extent before I can leave the country..."

"Forget it. Leave the domestic work to your subordinates. Contact me as soon as you secure the site with the advance team. We'll send troops there. The lives of our soldiers are at stake. You must do well!"

"..."

He took out a notebook and wrote down a telex number.

It was clearly the president's direct line.

"Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand."

"Good, now go and do your job. Work hard."

I was at a loss for words.

No matter how urgent the negotiations were, finishing the memorandum in a week for a Korea-US summit and sending me as the advance team in a month?

It was insane, but I couldn't say no.

If I got on the wrong side of this man, I wouldn't just fail to become a conglomerate; I wouldn't even be able to live in this country.

"I'll do my best."

I stood at attention, bowed, and left the Blue House.

"Sam-bok, I'm home."

"Chan-soo, you're back."

When I got home, Sam-bok groped my body.

He must have wanted to check if I returned safely.

"How's everyone?"

"No one's seriously injured. Don't worry."

Fortunately, the employees and old man Hwang were okay.

They said the president's secretariat people had trashed the local police station.

The newly appointed Seongsu-dong police chief would probably be in a bind if it were Daese Group.

"Chan-soo, did you really meet the president?"

"Meeting him isn't the important part. What's important is that I have to go to Vietnam in a month."

As soon as I mentioned Vietnam while talking about the Blue House, Sam-bok's eyes widened like saucers.

"What? You're being dispatched to Vietnam? Why? Can you even shoot a gun?"

"Hey! I'm not going as a soldier; I'm going to do construction. They told me to build whatever the US military orders, be it highways or supply ports."

"Co... construction? Can you even do construction?"

"... Of course... No, they told me to build it like I did the Ulsan factory."

"The Ulsan factory was just a repair job, and constructing a supply line is a completely different story. What kind of construction can you do?"

He had a point, but somehow it irked me.

I can build highways and ports, can't I?

With the right equipment and people, I can manage it in no time.

"Enough. You have to help me."

"When have I not helped?"

"Look after the company while I'm gone. Maintain our Southeast Asian clients and break into the US market too."

The fabric business is our cash cow.

It's nice to make a big score in business, but a steady stream of income is invaluable.

"What are you talking about? Are you planning to go to Vietnam alone? I have to go too."

He wants to go with me? To a war zone?

Sam-bok was really determined to follow me wherever I went.

"Hey! If both of us are gone, who will look after our company? Didn't you see those inspectors barging in? There are plenty of people eyeing our business. We have to protect not just our factory but also Hyesung."

"But... what if something happens to you if you go alone? Even if it's construction, it's still a war zone."

'You're willing to go to a war zone because of me...'

I was choked with emotion but ended up shouting.

"Am I a child? Stop talking nonsense and let's get some sleep. We have to go to Yongsan as soon as the sun rises."

"Yongsan? Why?"

"Why else? We need to get US supplies and analyze them. We have to deliver on our contract. Did you forget about the military supply contract?"

"Oh, right. The double-structure fabric. We came to Seoul to get the pellets for that."

Sam-bok seemed to come to his senses. Both of us were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of events happening simultaneously.

"Since I'm risking my life to go to Vietnam, let's make a lot of money. Get everything made of fabric: uniforms, field jackets, ponchos, socks, backpacks. We need to make samples, so get whatever you can find."

"You're really going all out."

Wow, he's catching on quickly.

"Of course. In humid Southeast Asia, double-structured nylon and polyester fabric is the best. Let's market it as Polytech."

Polyester doesn't absorb water, making it lightweight, breathable, and quick-drying.

When polyester is combined with nylon to create a double-structured fabric, it becomes what was once known as Polytech, a fabric that dominated an era.

Nylon absorbs sweat, and the surrounding polyester disperses the sweat, releasing it into the air quickly.

The only downside of Polytech fabric is its excellent breathability, which means it has poor insulation.

That's why you need a windbreaker over Polytech outdoor clothing in winter.

But in Vietnam, insulation isn't necessary.

Releasing sweat and moisture outside would make military uniforms a hit in no time.

"Polytech? Sounds fancy. Did you predict the Vietnam War and produce so much polyester?"

"The situation just fell into place."

Let's make as much money as we can.

Historically, only the Korean military uniforms were domestically produced, while the US military uniforms were all Japanese-made.

There's no harm in dominating the US military uniform market.

There will definitely be a butterfly effect, but we can't let fear stop us. I don't care what happens to Japanese companies.

"Just thinking about it is exciting, but isn't the country asking you to do construction? Shouldn't we start by finding subcontractors?"

"Subcontractors? We should establish a construction company."

Plans got messed up, but since we're doing this, we need a construction company.

I was planning to create a construction company before the Middle East construction boom anyway.

"Again... another project? Daese Chemical alone has drained our coffers."

"Don't worry, it won't cost much. The US will supply materials for free and lend construction equipment for free. We just need to show up."

"What? How is that possible? Is the US military doing charity?"

"Charity? We're going as subcontractors. Imagine how much it would cost to bring American workers to Vietnam. Would you want to work in a war zone if you were American?"

"..."

While it's an opportunity for us, it's just construction labour for American workers, with not-so-high wages, away from their families in a Southeast Asian country, and risking their lives.

"You're going to such a place, Chan-soo?"

Thinking about it, maybe I shouldn't go.

"If I survive, it'll be a jackpot. The basic salary will be 400 dollars. I'll be back in a year, so keep the company running."

"A salary of 400 dollars? Really?"

That was more than seven times the average worker's pay.

With various allowances, working for a year could earn me almost ten years' worth of salary, so skilled workers were lining up to go to Vietnam.

"Yes, as I said. If subcontracting pays that much, imagine how big the US military supply market is. Let's start gathering US military gear tomorrow. For now, let's sleep."

"I'm too anxious to sleep. Will you come back alive?"

"Isn't that something to say when I leave in a month?"

"Hey! Is this the time for jokes?"

"Just sleep."

I pushed him with my heel and wrapped him in a blanket like a caterpillar.

He squirmed but soon fell asleep.

Too anxious to sleep, my foot.

'Damn, I planned to hit the jackpot with military uniforms and aim for the Middle East construction boom... but now it's construction in Vietnam.'

I couldn't sleep either.

My mind was as clear as the sparkling stars outside. The tension from the Blue House hadn't dissipated yet.

It felt both promising and uncertain, but I had to do it right now that things had come to this.

'Come to think of it, wasn't the logistics base construction originally a jackpot project for Hyeonsan Construction? It was probably Cam Ranh Port. Can I do it?'

Unlike supplying US military uniforms, jumping into construction would have a huge butterfly effect.

Hyeonsan Construction recovered from losses in the US-led Thai highway project by hitting it big with Cam Ranh Port.

"Is Cam Ranh a bit too much?"

If I snatched the Cam Ranh Port project, Hyeonsan Construction might collapse.

I wasn't the type to worry about others, but there was no need to block Hyeonsan Construction's path.

If the butterfly effect caused Hyeonsan Construction to miss the Cam Ranh Port project, I could take it.

'Excluding Cam Ranh, there's Saigon, Da Nang... What was the other one? Ah, Qui Nhơn!'

My past life's experience with plant projects in Southeast Asia was a big help.

Qui Nhơn Port in Vietnam, developed as a US military logistics port, grew into one of Southeast Asia's top four ports in the 21st century.

"Yes, Qui Nhơn is good."

Originally, Hanshin Trading hit it big there.

Since they went bankrupt during the Lehman crisis in the 21st century, it wouldn't matter if they went under now.

Besides, the family that owned the company was notorious for their arrogance.

There was no reason to worry about the butterfly effect.

Once I organized my thoughts, sleep finally overtook me.

The next day,

"I brought all the US military gear you mentioned."

Sam-bok, sweating profusely, dumped all sorts of items from the car trunk.

He had disappeared early in the morning and returned before lunch.

This guy was definitely Korean.

Main backpacks, auxiliary backpacks, mess kits, individual tents, blankets, sleeping bags, combat uniforms, ponchos, ammo belts, combat boots, undershirts, underwear, socks, combat caps, spoons, toiletries—everything except guns and grenades.

"Wow, you really found a lot."

"When I went to the area next to the US base in Yongsan, they were selling a lot, whether genuine or fake. I picked the best ones I could find."

"We need to focus on uniforms, backpacks, ponchos, and socks."

"Yes, as you said, it seems feasible if we make them with Polytech fabric. But can we actually deliver them? Even if we can't bring American goods, Japanese goods are better in quality and price."

"Hey! It's not just feasible; it'll be overwhelming. With double-structured fabric, the quality is assured, and the sewing labor is cheap, so we'll be competitive."

At its peak, Japan sold up to 250,000 military uniforms annually.

I was going to take over that entire market.

"Sure, sure. Confidence is good for a boss. But dreams and reality are always different. Even if you say Daese Industrial's uniforms surpass Japanese quality, would the Americans take it seriously?"

"..."

He wasn't wrong.

Should I use Van Flint to make a proper evaluation when I first pitch the military supply?

No, relying on connections every time something happens will only make me dependent on them.

In other words, I'll be hooked. What should I do?

"How about presenting a bait product along with it?"

"Bait?"

Sam-bok said something peculiar.