CH40 - Collection

The atmosphere shifted abruptly as Attorney Kang began to tremble.

"Attorney Kang, what are you doing? Why are you kneeling in front of this guy?"

"Shut up, you blockhead."

Attorney Kang yelled at Chairman Joo as if he was about to devour him.

As expected from someone who was once part of the prosecution, he quickly grasped the situation.

"What... what? Blockhead?"

"President Woo, do you think I would be in cahoots with a blockhead like him? I had no idea about this and got deceived by Chairman Joo."

Kneeling, Attorney Kang glanced at my expression, then slowly began to back away.

A bat-like creature. Sharp-witted indeed.

"Hey, Chairman Joo. You have exactly one day. Prepare accordingly."

"Prepare what... what are you talking about?"

Chairman Joo, who had been watching the retreating lawyer in a daze, answered absentmindedly.

"What do you think? Show some sincerity. Enough to satisfy me."

I made a money gesture with my fingers and waved it in front of Chairman Joo's eyes.

Chairman Joo, faced with the bizarre turn of events, could only blush and couldn't muster any curses.

"Hey! You seem to be misunderstanding something, but I have JPA behind me. Even the Blue House steps aside for them. It means I have a high chance of securing US military supply contracts. Be careful who you mess with."

Indeed a blockhead. He doesn't even understand the situation.

I could thoroughly fleece him without worrying about any backlash.

"JPA? Ah, Japan Procurement Agency! No wonder... The Blue House mentioned keeping an eye on you. Got a straw somewhere?"

JPA had made several promises of comprehensive technology transfer to Korean companies. Up until the 1980s, the industry heavily relied on JPA, to the point where localizing technology meant parting ways with JPA.

"A fertilizer factory you can't even imagine! Even the president wouldn't dare cross me. Fertilizer is a national key industry!"

Not wrong.

In this era, fertilizer was as crucial as food.

In the 1960s, even among college graduates, only those with the highest credentials could enter the advanced industry.

"My goodness, a fertilizer factory? Do you even know what fertilizer is? Can you distinguish between nitrogen fertilizer and ammonium sulfate fertilizer?"

"This brat, showing off. Japanese advanced companies have agreed to transfer technology through me! Technicians are just underlings to command."

"Do you know what the great fertilizer's raw material is, and who supplies it in Korea?"

The basic raw material for fertilizer is naphtha.

Caprolactam, a byproduct of making nylon, is ammonium sulfate fertilizer.

Simply put, when Daese Chemical handles naphtha, fertilizer is automatically produced.

Instead of selling the byproducts as fertilizer, they were used for processing Vento catalysts.

"What nonsense are you spouting? JPA's technology is advanced. A punk like you couldn't possibly imitate it!"

"Enough. You have one day. If you don't know, go ask around."

I turned around briskly.

Talking to a fool was a waste of time.

Sam-bok quickly handed out a business card with contact details.

If he had even a bit of brains, or at least one person around him who understood the world, he would come to me with a bag of money.

There was a lot to do.

I had to visit the Japanese embassy in Korea and notify the JPA representative.

And above all, there were many subcontractors to take care of today.

***

Sam-bok and I moved busily.

Before hitting Samo, I had to gather my allies.

We visited four subcontractors and finally arrived at Shinshin Synthetics.

"Open the door. It's Woo Chan-soo."

"Gasp, President Woo."

I knocked on the guardroom.

"Won't you even open the door for me now?"

"The president ordered us not to open the door if Daese came..."

"Even if there's no transaction, I have something to discuss with the president. I won't cause any trouble for the staff."

Eventually, the factory gate opened at my words.

Not long ago, I was a benefactor and the best customer to them.

"Where do you think you're going? This is my factory."

"I have no business with a traitor. Manager Lee, start."

Hearing I had arrived, the president of Shinshin Synthetics rushed out, but I didn't even glance at him.

There was no need to argue with a traitor.

"Yes, sir."

Sam-bok grabbed a megaphone and climbed onto the car.

"Attention, all employees of Shinshin Synthetics. Today, you have an opportunity."

"Wh... what's going on?"

"Any employee of Shinshin Synthetics can apply to Daese Industries today."

"Huh? Daese Industries is hiring?"

Known for high salaries, the announcement that our company was hiring attracted people from all directions.

"That's a lie! Daese Industries is on the brink of bankruptcy. They're about to be swallowed by Samo."

The president of Shinshin Synthetics tried to disrupt us loudly.

Just what I wanted.

I had no intention of hiring just anyone.

"I didn't say we would hire everyone, but give the opportunity to apply. We will thoroughly check if you are honest, skilled, diligent, and most importantly, if you have the desire to become rich. Just today!!!!"

"... the desire to become rich?"

The employees of Shinshin Synthetics felt a strange exhilaration at Sam-bok's words.

I would take only the capable employees and valuable equipment from here. There's no point in acquiring the factory and its debts just for revenge.

Why give the president of Shinshin Synthetics a chance to recover?

I'll make sure he self-destructs with just the factory shell.

I won't let a traitor live well.

"As of today, all orders to Shinshin Synthetics will be immediately stopped, and they will no longer be able to do business in this field. Employees will have to find their own way to survive."

"What nonsense is this? Who's pressuring whom? Our customer is Samo. Samo will provide the orders."

"You are free to believe the president of Shinshin Synthetics or Daese. Just remember one thing. The consequences are your responsibility! The opportunity is just for today!"

Employees began to murmur at Sam-bok's words.

"What do we need to do to be hired?"

Someone shouted. The eyes of a few employees sparkled at the sound.

It was the look I liked.

Greed, until it turns into avarice, is a driving force for people to progress.

"Be useful to Daese. Whether through skills, diligence, or whatever."

With that, I left Shinshin.

"Don't be fooled! Don't be fooled. Daese Industries will soon go bankrupt. Go back to work! Now."

The president of Shinshin Synthetics shouted and the managers tried to herd the employees like chickens, but the murmuring didn't stop.

People would swarm before nightfall.

"Sam-bok, have we visited all?"

"Yes, Yeongwang Synthetics in Masan didn't betray us."

"Thankfully, one place remained loyal."

I was relieved that I didn't have to go to Masan.

"Yes. We'll have a gap in supply immediately, but with one place left, it's not the worst."

"We won't have a gap. We'll have plenty of workers from tomorrow."

"Workers are one thing, but we need equipment too."

"We'll have equipment soon. And it will be fully set up."

"What are you talking about? Where's the equipment?"

"Didn't Hongyang Textile, Dongnam Fiber, and Hansung Textile go bankrupt? Are you going to leave them be? They brought in a lot of Karl Mayer machines."

We talked about various things overnight.

"!!! Right. We can take them."

"If the President laid out the mat for us, we should graciously accept it."

"Right!"

"Let's go to the Industrial Bank. Everything must be seized by the bank."

If they were members of the association, they would have maxed out their loans, and the bank would cheer if I took over such insolvent companies.

The bank manager might make a call to the Blue House to check if it's okay, but that wouldn't be a problem either.

"Let's go!"

"Let's go! Hahaha!"

Sam-bok excitedly stepped on the accelerator.

****

At the same time, in the president's office of Samo Textiles.

"What... what did you say? Japan is giving up the Polytech patent?"

"Yes, the Japanese embassy contacted us directly."

"Why is the Japanese embassy involved in this?"

The Samo president pressed his secretary, who was flustered.

"They... they accused us of not informing them that Polytech would be supplied to the US military. They said if they had known, they wouldn't have dealt with Samo in the first place."

"What... what?"

"They made a fuss, saying it could harm US-Japan relations and decided to cancel all the discussions we've had."

"... ridiculous..."

Chairman Joo was speechless.

The Japanese embassy directly mentioning US-Japan relations?

Could it be that Woo's talk of treason wasn't just a bluff?

"That's not all. The JPA representative said they would stop negotiating the fertilizer plant."

"What do you mean? The fertilizer plant construction is a national project. The president himself is overseeing it."

"They said negotiating with Daese Chemical is a priority. They need Daese Chemical to supply the raw materials for JPA to build the fertilizer plant."

"What nonsense is this? What raw materials does Daese Chemical provide!"

"They said the naphtha exclusively supplied by Daese Chemical is the raw material for the fertilizer."

"What... what is this? How did things turn out this way?"

His head was spinning, but his body felt trapped in a snare, unable to move.

"Chairman, you must not cross paths with President Woo. We've heard he started a large-scale timber business in Vietnam. He's making tens of thousands of dollars every time a ship arrives."

"What? Tens of thousands of dollars per ship?"

Finally, Chairman Park understood why the president had let go of his hand.

Although the secretary continued to report, nothing registered in his mind except the word "treason."

"Did that young punk manage all that with naphtha, timber, and Polytech?"

"Chairman, we have less than six hours left until today ends. If you want to meet President Woo, you must hurry."

It was already past 6 PM.

"What are you doing? Pack! Quickly!"

"Pa... pack what?"

"What else? A money bag. Empty the safe. Hurry!"

"Oh!"

Chairman Joo hurriedly grabbed the money bag prepared by his secretary and ran to the parking lot.

"To Daese Industries. Quick!"

"Yes, sir!"

***

Daese Industries office.

"Please, spare me, President Woo."

"That's not up to me. Do you think a stolen patent is just an ordinary patent? There's also the crime of bribing officials."

I wondered when Chairman Joo would arrive, and he came rushing in as soon as the sunset.

Seeing me, he knelt on the office floor, showing he had grasped the reality.

Unlike in the morning, I responded politely.

"I will accept the punishment. Just please don't charge me with treason. Please, spare my life."

Chairman Joo offered a money bag.

What a shameless bastard.

"What's this?"

"It's a token of my sincerity. I filled it to the brim..."

"Are you joking? Give this paltry sum to your grandson."

I nudged the money bag with my foot.

No matter how full, it was just five hundred-won bills.

Do you think you can settle this matter with such a petty sum?

Impossible. This situation has forced me closer to the Blue House, which I tried to avoid.

"Of course, I understand it won't satisfy you at once. I'll arrange for a delivery every month."

"Delivery? Well, well."

"If the amount is insufficient, I'll send two bags a month..."

"Why would a man of your stature say such things? Do you mean to continue your business here?"

"Of... of course. I need to earn money to make offerings..."

"You told me to surrender and leave the country, but you want to keep doing business here? That's low."

"..."

Chairman Joo's face turned pale at my words.

"What kind of double standard is this? No, Manager Lee, report to the Blue House. Let's charge him with treason."

"Yes, sir."

"Uh, no, President Woo. Please no."

Chairman Joo urgently grabbed my pant leg.

That's it, act desperately.

It was clear that JPA, his backer, had withdrawn.

I had sent copies of the documents to the Japanese embassy, so it was expected.

"Please spare me. How can I make it right? I'll do anything."

"You must hand over Samo Textiles. And resign as chairman of the association. Ah, without Samo Textiles, you're no longer a member anyway."

I had to make the loyal president of Yeongwang Synthetics in Masan the new chairman.

"Samo... Samo Textiles is a company I've nurtured for over 10 years. How can I..."

"Nurtured? What? You imported all the raw materials and sold low-quality goods expensively in the domestic market. That's not nurturing a company. You just tried to live well by yourself."

"Ugh..."

He couldn't even respond to my pointed remarks.

"I'll grow the company well, so you just play golf at Samo CC for the rest of your life. Don't even think about stepping into this industry again. If you do, I'll cut off your ankles immediately!"

"Gasp!"

Pretending to chop off his ankle with a hatchet, Chairman Joo shrieked. Such childish threats actually worked in the 1960s.

"Let's go, Chairman Joo. I told the bank president to delay his departure and wait."

"Oh... yes... yes... Manager Lee."

Sam-bok supported Chairman Joo, almost carrying him out of the office.

"Oh, I haven't even had dinner yet, but I'm full."

Collecting is a tough job.

But it sure makes you feel full.