InkBound posts
Posts: 1050
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CH45 | MCT
Meeting the Bedouins (4)The Bedouins exchanged puzzled glances.Even the chieftains seemed taken aback.Then, the Corino chieftain spoke up.[We’ll pass. Go to the Harkonnen tribe instead. We concede.]The Harkonnen chieftain followed suit.[We also concede. It would be best if you became Corino’s guest instead.]Tae-soo grinned and raised his voice.[Wouldn’t it be disappointing for a guest to arrive empty-handed? I bring a gift—one that will secure the future of your tribes.][Water.]The air shifted.Suddenly, everyone was listening.This war b...
CH44 | MCT
Meeting the Bedouins (3)The Bedouin warrior glared at them fiercely.He wore a turban and layered leather armor, and at his waist hung a shamshir—a curved sword known in English as a scimitar.[This is a battlefield. All outsiders must leave!]Song Chang-jun quickly translated.Tae-soo raised his voice.[We are here to dig wells! For the Bedouins!][Wells? For us? What nonsense is this?]The Bedouins’ expressions shifted.One among them could read and began deciphering the words on the fluttering banner.The more he read, the more confused he looked...
CH43 | MCT
Meeting the Bedouins (2)Tae-soo turned his head, looking for Song Jin-gu.Under the shade of a palm tree, Song Jin-gu was sprawled out, legs stretched, muttering curses nonstop."Is that the car Elder sent?""How the hell should I know?! This is my first time in the Middle East too!"Song Jin-gu snapped irritably, then suddenly froze.Realizing his mistake, he shot up from the ground and shouted,"I’ll go check! Hold on a sec!"He bolted toward the sun-scorched road, hurrying toward the approaching vehicle.The jeep slowed to ...
CH42 | MCT
Meeting the Bedouins (1)Jang Mal-dong had no choice but to answer."He used Park Tae-jong.""Is there a possibility that Park Tae-jong is the one backing him?""It's highly unlikely," Jang Mal-dong stated firmly."As Park Tae-jong moved down to Pohang, he distanced himself from Park Jung-hwan’s policy discussions. He was completely unaware of the emergency 8.3 private loan freeze measure.""Hmm... Kang Tae-soo’s backer won’t be easy to uncover."Indeed, that backer was a difficult one to track down.Th...
CH114 | Heir
The ribbon-cutting ceremony proceeded as planned.Still in a daze, I went through the motions, only grasping the situation once the white cloth covering the signboard was pulled away.[Trump Model House]That was the name of the project.At that moment, a long-buried memory surfaced in my mind.Back in the mid-90s, my grandfather had helped Trump construct a building in the U.S.. In return, he had been allowed to use the Trump brand namefor a project in Korea.He would become president in the future, but at this point in time, he was still best known...
CH113 | Heir
Inside an office in Myeong-dong.Team Leader Park pulled out a cigarette.Just a few days ago, his subordinates would have rushed to light it for him.But now, there was no one left by his side.Click! Click!Even his lighter refused to cooperate.The flint must have been worn out—no flame emerged. With the unlit cigarette still between his lips, Park slumped back into his chair, burying his head.Then—BANG!The door slammed open, and Lee Young-hanstrode into the office.“No one left to light it for you? Thought I’d lend a hand. After all, you s...
CH112 | Heir
Three months into 1999Time flew by.With countless mergers and acquisitions, Grandpa and I were so swamped with workthat we only saw each other when we finally returned home.“Taewoo Telecom seems to be sponsoring something unusual. I thought we were just funding a sports team, but I didn’t expect us to create an esports team.”“It’s far more effective than sponsoring traditional sports teams. Thanks to that, Taewoo Telecom is now leading KS Telecom by about 5% in market share.”“Well, that’s for you younger folks to handle.”Grand...
CH313 | GSI
After leaving the penthouse, Seok-won took the elevator with his aides and headed straight to the business meeting room at the Plaza Hotel, where today’s meeting was scheduled.The room, luxuriously decorated with large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Central Park and furnished with fine wooden furniture, already had Landon waiting inside, accompanied by the fund’s legal advisor.After a short wait, the Microsoft representatives arrived, guided in by McGregor, the general manager of the Plaza Hotel.Seok-won stood up and approached Bill G...
CH312 | GSI
January 6, 1997.Bill Gates, CEO of Microsoft, had cut his holiday break short and returned to the office earlier than usual. Sitting at the head of the conference table, he frowned and spoke with restrained irritation.“So you're saying Hotmail wants to postpone the meeting?”The low, clipped tone of his voice barely concealed his annoyance. It was only two days before the scheduled acquisition meeting—having it suddenly canceled at the last minute didn’t sit well with him.Patrick Ryder, Microsoft’s COO and the company’s second-in...
CH311 | GSI
Because of the snow that fell last night, Central Park was completely blanketed in white.Seok-won, seated alone and enjoying his brunch while admiring the snow-covered landscape through the expansive glass windows, put down his fork and knife and wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin.At that moment, a hotel staff member in uniform quietly approached him from the side and asked,“Shall I clear this for you?”“Yes, please.”Seok-won nodded as he placed the napkin on the table.The hotel staff brought over a serving cart and neatly clea...
CH41 | MCT
Three-Cushion Shot in One Go (3)Jang Mal-dong’s mind worked quickly.He clicked his abacus beads and smacked his lips."It’s exactly the kind of front I need, but..."He let out a groan.Clearly, he was torn. But at the same time, he didn’t seem to dislike the idea entirely."If you’re not interested, just forget it.""Let me think it over. What’s the rush? I need to do some calculations too, don’t I?""You’re the same man who wanted to rush a wedding in three days. And now setting up a simple company is such ...
CH40 | MCT
Three-Cushion Shot in One Go (2)In the grand home of Myeong-dong’s financial mogul, Jang Mal-dong—The stern-looking seventy-year-old elder sat on a silk cushion, fanning himself leisurely."Kang Tae-soo is here?"Jang Mal-dong nodded slowly as he continued fanning."Ah, of course. A real man wouldn’t waste time when presented with such a golden opportunity."He glanced at the man in hanbok standing beside him.At the mere mention of Tae-soo’s arrival, the man’s eyes lit up with interest.Seeing this, Jang Mal-dong let out a ...
CH39 | MCT
Three-Cushion Shot in One Go (1)Han Cheong-ho's study door was firmly shut.Standing outside, Secretary Song clenched his eyes shut.The sounds of objects breaking continued to pour out from beyond the door.Crash!Bang! Thud!Clatter!After a while, silence finally settled over the study."Come in."Carefully, Secretary Song opened the door and stepped inside.As expected, the study was a complete mess.Han Cheong-ho handed the golf club he had been holding to Secretary Song."Replace everything in here.""Understood.""What...
CH111 | Heir
A small bar in Namcheon-dong, Busan.There, I was sharing drinks with theCommissioner of the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency."Thank you for accepting my request.""Of course, I had to. You took care of my son—returning the favor is the least I could do. Besides, cracking down on gangsters is part of the police’s duty. Even if you hadn’t asked, I was already planning to go after them soon."CommissionerLee Kyung-sikhad two children.His eldest daughter was an excellent student and never caused trouble, but his eldest son had n...
CH110 | Heir
TheMyeong-dongprivate loan market had always been underground.However, if they registered as loan companies, their operations would become legal.Of course, they would have to pay taxes, but in return, they could expand beyondMyeong-dongand extend their reach to all of South Korea."Are you saying we should go legit?""Enter the third-tier financial sector. If Japanese loan companies are making their move, there’s no reason you shouldn’t do the same.""I refuse. The moment we enter the third-tier financial sector, the govern...
CH109 | Heir
The last day of 1998The chaotic year of 1998, overshadowed by the national financial crisis, was finally coming to an end today.All subsidiaries of Taewoo Group had already held their year-end closing ceremonies, and even the planning office staff had left early for the day."Director, you should head home early as well. I’m about to leave myself.""This is the first time I’ve seen you leave work on time, Executive Director.""I must be giving you a hard time, aren’t I?""Not at all. It’s an honor to work under y...
CH310 | GSI
Eunma Apartment in Daechi-dong, Gangnam, Seoul.Located in one of the wealthiest areas in Gangnam, the third floor of this apartment shopping complex housed the headquarters of Hanbo Group.People were often shocked to learn that the headquarters of a major conglomerate—recently bumped up four spots in the corporate rankings to 14th place—was not in a gleaming high-rise but rather occupying a single floor of an apartment complex.In fact, this was the part that confused new hires the most when they first reported for work at Hanbo Group.It was...
CH309 | GSI
Completely blindsided by Seok-won’s gesture, not only Trevor but even Landon, seated beside him, wore a stunned expression.Landon was about to speak up, but upon seeing Seok-won’s calm and composed demeanor as he faced Trevor, he realized this wasn’t some impulsive whim. Quietly, he closed his mouth.Trevor, still visibly in shock, leaned forward slightly, as if to make sure he had heard correctly.“You’re saying… if I write the amount we need on that check, you’ll invest it?”“That’s right.”Seok-won nodded slightly, his smil...
CH308 | GSI
Swoooosh.Hot water streamed from the showerhead, cascading down over his firm muscles.Broad shoulders, a trim waist, and sharply defined abs — everything about him was sculpted to perfection.It wasn’t the kind of bulked-up physique you get from simply building muscle for show. His body had perfect balance, the kind that reminded one of a statue crafted by a renowned artist — beautiful in its symmetry and detail.On top of that, his sharp features and chiseled jawline could rival any Hollywood actor.With a face like a modern-day David, Seok...
CH84 | DI
Next is the facility tour.“This is the lab.”As the door opened, a dazzling white world greeted us. In a space reminiscent of a sterile room, researchers in white coats were bustling about.On the experiment table were neatly arranged pipettes, test tubes, and various chemicals, and the researchers were engrossed in data analysis in front of monitors.However, once again, no one looked at the strangers.I mingled among the people and closely examined the lab equipment.I looked for a device that resembled a black printer, but it was not there....
CH83 | DI
Standing in front of the Theranos headquarters, I unconsciously tilted my head back to take in the building. A modern, sleek exterior. I couldn’t help but let out a bitter smile. ‘They sure are clever about things like this.’ This building had been used by Facebook just three years ago. Of course, Holmes had been fully aware of that when she moved Theranos’s base here. It was a calculated move, meant to evoke the association that “Theranos is the next Facebooks.” ‘You’d think no one would fall for something so obvious… but the...
CH82 | DI
Epicura Headquarters. In the conference room, a CNBC broadcast was playing. — Whitmer’s actions defy common sense. At this point, his immediate dismissal is certainly an option!—No way, not without a successor lined up. But with how things are going, it might actually be better to leave the leadership vacant than to have a crazy CEO like him at the helm! —Still, Whitmer has been considered a stable figure until now. What could possibly be driving him to make such absurd moves all of a sudden? —Desperation. He’s likely lashing out as...
CH81 | DI
<Who would have thought lobsters had middle fingers too?>On the 29th, just a week before the emergency shareholders’ meeting proposed by Shark Capital’s Dex Slater, Epicura forced the sale of Harbor Lobster.Ignoring the earnest pleas of shareholders to wait just one more week, the sale was pushed through unilaterally.Amidst criticism pouring in that CEO Whitmer’s autocratic tendencies had been laid bare…“The public opinion is on our side,” muttered the person reading through the newspaper article with a bitter smile.He was a PM at S...
CH80 | DI
After the 13D disclosure, Shark Capital officially requested a meeting with Epicura’s CEO, Whitmer. Whitmer wanted the advisor Goldman to be present, which led Pierce and me to board a plane to Florida once again. “I’m Dex Slater.” “I’m Clarence Whitmer.” “I’m Dave Pierce.” While the three exchanged greetings, I quietly stood behind them. Naturally, as a low-ranking employee, I had no need to introduce myself, but well, that made it easier to observe. ‘He looks surprisingly calm.’ It was my first time seeing Slater in pe...
CH79 | DI
After the conference call with Epicura ended, there was a man who angrily threw his phone and erupted in rage. It was none other than the portfolio manager (PM) of Capital Research Group. “Shit, is this bastard out of his mind?” Capital Research Group held a whopping 15.42% stake in Epicura. Just four months ago, it was only 9%, but they had increased it in anticipation of a real estate spin-off. However, CEO Whitmer was firmly opposed to the idea. Today, they had mobilized five major shareholders in favor of the spin-off to exert pressure,...
CH78 | DI
If Pierce tried to get rid of me, I had to get rid of him first. It wouldn’t be easy to eliminate the MD boasting the department’s top performance and a potential future executive. But, it wasn’t impossible either. “I don’t really want to waste unnecessary time on this…But if there’s an obstacle in my path, whatever it is, I must remove it.” As I was pondering this, Pierce smirked. “I don’t believe you, but the plan itself isn’t bad.” This meant he wasn’t foolish enough to believe my bluff, but he also didn’t plan to...
CH38 | MCT
Using the President to Set the Stage (6)Tae-soo nodded."This is regarding administrative procedures, diplomatic processes, and special agents.""Hmm?""The construction project was originally awarded to Samwon Construction. If I recklessly restart the project, it could cause issues from multiple angles. The Saudi royal family might also take issue with it.""That makes sense.""So, I’d like Your Excellency to send an official letter to the Saudi government. You can state that Taeyang Construction is a partner o...
CH37 | MCT
Using the President to Set the Stage (5)As Park Tae-jong opposed the idea, Kim Jeong-rim quickly intervened.It was to help fulfill Han Cheong-ho's wishes."What are you saying right now? Think back to when we were building the school and roads. Let’s put our trust in him just this once. If support is needed, we can all pitch in little by little. Isn’t that whatsipsi-ilban(十匙一飯) is all about?”‘That’s right! Well said!Sipsi-ilban!That’s a great expression!’Tae-soo outwardly made a deliberately troubled expression, but...
CH36 | MCT
Using the President to Set the Stage (4)Park Jung-hwan turned to Han Cheong-ho."Chairman Han, Cheongil will have to step up this time."Han Cheong-ho quickly protested."Your Excellency, this is unfair. Samwon Construction took on the overseas project, and I merely used my connections to help them secure the bid with good intentions. As you know, Cheongil is already facing significant difficulties because of this matter."He continued."Samwon Construction irresponsibly abandoned the project, and now Cheongil Refinery is taking ...
CH35 | MCT
Using the President to Set the Stage (3)Beside Jang Joon-yong stood Kim Hwan, the chief secretary.Kim Hwan glanced at Tae-soo with a subtle smile before leaning in to whisper something to Jang Joon-yong.Jang Joon-yong shifted his gaze toward Tae-soo and raised a hand.“Well, well, look who we have here! I’d expect you to be in Gangwon-do, yet here you are. Ha-ha-ha! In any case, good to see you.”“How do you do? This is our first meeting. My name is Kang Tae-soo.”“I’m Jang Joon-yong of Geumsan.”“It’s an honor to meet you. I re...
