Chapter 62: The Will

Twice the sales revenue.

Even I couldn’t prepare that much money.

So, there’s no way someone who was just dismissed from the president’s position and has been guzzling alcohol at home would have that kind of cash.

I subtly smiled as I watched despair fill Han Kyung-sook’s eyes.

“Come find me anytime, without hesitation. If you bring something worth trading, I’m willing to make a deal.”

“You, you….”

“Ah, but if you’re just going to repeat the same thing and spout nonsense, I won’t even entertain it, so keep that in mind.”

I crushed her so she couldn’t make a peep.

So she wouldn’t covet Kangseong Foods again.

As I turned around, Han Yeri said with an incredulous look.

“How is she supposed to get twice the sales of Kangseong Foods.”

“That’s the point. Telling her not to even dream about it.”

“…Don’t bullshit, basically.”

“Yes. She should know her place.”

It’s mine now.

I can’t stand someone drooling over my property without permission.

“How’s your cheek?”

“It’s fine since it was just a graze. It’s only stinging a bit.”

“Good. If it came to it, I was going to hit her back.”

“A woman?”

“What’s the difference between man or woman. What’s important is that she hit one of our employees.”

“Jeez.”

Han Yeri grumbled, but I ignored it and approached the place where Han Kang-seong was laid to rest.

The chief mourner must have stepped out, because Han Dae-hyuk was there in his place.

After I bowed, he smiled bitterly and said.

“We meet again in a place like this, President Kang Jisung.”

“We’ll be seeing each other often from now on. I’ve gotten quite involved with the Kangseong Group.”

“Are you planning to marry Yeri or something?”

“I have no such intention.”

None at all.

Han Dae-hyuk seemed to have nothing more to say on the subject and switched topics.

“Soon, we’ll be viewing the will. You should come along, President Kang Jisung.”

“You knew?”

“Father was quite angry about it.”

Han Kyung-hoon did look pretty pissed.

Having a new successor from outside must have been more of a headache than it seemed.

“Does it not matter to you, Mr. Han Dae-hyuk?”

“It does matter. At this rate, I’ll only get the chairman position after Father passes away. So, I’m saying this.”

Han Dae-hyuk handed me his business card.

One I hadn’t received before.

“What’s the meaning of this?”

“Join forces with me.”

The world is going to hell.

There’s a son skipping over his parents to aim for the chairman position.

This is why they say raising kids diligently is useless.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes, I have no intention of waiting until I’m old to get the chairman title.”

“Your father would be very angry if he knew.”

“Parents can do anything for their children, right?”

If only he could talk properly.

I stared at his business card for a moment before politely extending it back.

“I’m sorry, but I decline.”

“You’re declining this. Are you serious?”

Han Dae-hyuk shook the card once and said.

“This is a ticket to becoming the number two in the Kangseong Group. A ticket you might never get again.”

His proposal was quite attractive.

If it had been directed at someone else, that is.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t need it.”

“Really?”

“Yes. The Kangseong Group will end up under me anyway, so there’s no reason to join hands with someone else and remain number two.”

“…Ha.”

Han Dae-hyuk said as if my words were absurd.

“No reason to remain number two. Don’t you think that’s arrogant?”

“Not at all.”

As I passed by Han Dae-hyuk, I said.

“You’ll see.”

As Han Yeri and I took a seat and were having a meal, a man approached.

“Ms. Han Yeri, and Mr. Kang Jisung.”

“Ah, Uncle Jong-seop. It’s been a while.”

Jong-seop?

There isn’t anyone in the Han family with that name, is there?

“Who are you?”

“He’s the Kangseong Group’s lawyer. You can think of him as handling all the group’s legal matters.”

At Han Yeri’s explanation, he bowed in greeting and handed over his business card.

“I’m Shin Jong-seop, working in the legal team at the Kangseong Group.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Kang Jisung.”

“Yes. Actually, I came to see you two about the will.”

I didn’t expect this topic to come up already.

He stood up and guided us inward.

“We’ve borrowed the inner conference room. Shall we head there?”

“Sure.”

In the conference room we moved to under Shin Jong-seop’s guidance, the other direct family members were already gathered.

Han Kyung-hoon, whom I met right after entering the funeral hall, and the other successor, Han Kyung-yong.

Han Kyung-sook, who was downing soju, was there too, with her children sitting neatly beside her.

‘Han Dae-hyuk is the only one left out, guarding the room.’

“You two can sit in the empty seats.”

After guiding us to suitable seats, Shin Jong-seop stood at the head.

He pulled out a thick document he had placed down earlier and took a slow breath.

Perhaps knowing that one wrong word in this will could lead to a lot of trouble, he looked quite tense.

“From now on, as per Chairman Han Kang-seong’s instructions, I will read the will.”

At his words, everyone in the conference room focused their attention.

Wondering what would be left to them, if more would be left.

Filled with expectations and worries about such things.

“First….”

Actually, there wasn’t much that was important to me.

It was their assets anyway.

How they divided it among themselves, how much they got.

It wasn’t that important to me.

‘The board I’m setting up now doesn’t account for the inheritance being distributed.’

Changes in the share structure don’t alter the nature of the companies themselves.

Since we’ve prepared strategies against the existing companies, this variable isn’t hugely important.

If there’s something I need to note here.

“To the eldest daughter of the second son, Han Yeri, 15% shares in Kangseong Hotel and 10% shares in Shinsegae Department Store are bequeathed.”

It’s important that Han Yeri has secured additional shares in Kangseong Hotel and Shinsegae Department Store, solidifying the governance structure.

And that she won’t be swayed by the Kangseong Group anymore.

“Additionally, to Kang Jisung, president of Ribbon Corporation, 15% shares in Kangseong Foods and 4.8% shares in the Kangseong Group are bequeathed.”

Yes.

It’s important that all the shares in Kangseong Foods held by the Kangseong Group have come in.

And that I can now properly hold even a small portion of the Kangseong Group’s shares.

The Kangseong Group’s shares have even more value because they’re not something you can buy with money just because you want to.

“That concludes it. If you have any inquiries regarding the inheritance, feel free to contact our legal team at any time….”

It was around the time the talk of inheritance was wrapping up, with me as the last in line.

“Wait, waitwaitwait!”

Han Kyung-sook, who had been chugging soju straight from the bottle until now, suddenly stood up.

The looks directed at her were all filled with contempt and pity, but she paid no mind.

“Ms. Han Kyung-sook. What’s the matter.”

“Did, did you miss something?”

“What do you….”

“Why isn’t my name there. My name!”

I hadn’t paid much attention, just letting it flow by.

But now that I think about it, nothing came up about Han Kyung-sook.

Shin Jong-seop let out a short groan and flipped through the documents.

His hands were busy, but his eyes weren’t.

Like the eyes of someone who already knows the outcome.

Thanks to that, I could tell too.

‘He left her nothing.’

What Chairman Han Kang-seong left to Han Kyung-sook was just a few bucks and a few houses.

Though calling it a few bucks and a few houses— the money alone is close to 10 billion.

Compared to company shares, it’s ridiculously useless.

“Why, why….”

“Why do you think.”

Han Kyung-hoon looked at Han Kyung-sook, who couldn’t accept the situation, with pity and said.

“It means you don’t have the qualifications to run a company.”

“No, Oppa. What did I do so wrong. I did wellll.”

“Tsk tsk. It’s unseemly in front of the nephews. Attorney Shin.”

“Yes, President.”

“Nothing more to see?”

“That’s right.”

Han Kyung-hoon stood up immediately and left, as if there was no reason to stay.

Han Kyung-yong followed behind him, and Han Yeri slowly got up from her seat too.

“Let’s go, us too.”

As I followed Han Yeri up and looked back.

The remaining Han Kyung-sook just kept repeating that this couldn’t be, denying her situation.

I etched that scene deeply into my mind.

‘I mustn’t end up like that.’

No matter what, I won’t become like that.

I won’t drown my mistakes in alcohol, and even if I fall, I’ll get up and keep walking.

Absolutely.

I won’t become like that.

It was just as I was thinking that and about to leave.

“Mr. Kang Jisung.”

Attorney Shin Jong-seop stopped me as I was leaving.

“What’s the matter?”

“After the funeral ends, could you make some time? I have something to tell you separately.”

“For me?”

“Yes.”

Separately.

‘It’s not something the lawyer is saying personally.’

High chance it’s something Chairman Han Kang-seong left behind.

“All right. I’ll make time.”

After that, there was no reason to waste more time at the funeral.

I’d heard everything necessary, and had all the conversations I needed.

Allies and enemies were clear, and I could see who was siding with whom and how they’d move next.

“So, what’s our next target?”

Yuha asked as she placed coffee in front of me.

To Yuha, what to target next was more important than the share battles that were no different from political fights.

And that’s what should be important to me too.

“It’s Kangseong Construction, which President Han Kyung-yong is in charge of.”

“…Is that why you started the construction business in the US?”

“It wasn’t intentional. It just happened that way.”

It was just because the situation fit perfectly.

‘If I’d planned the board up to here intentionally, I’d be an incredible strategist.’

Yuha checked the data on Kangseong Construction and slowly stroked her chin.

“Kangseong Construction is financially solid. The share structure is firm too. It doesn’t seem like we can just acquire shares in Kangseong Construction.”

“Yeah. This time, we’re going completely by the book.”

“By the book?”

I’m saying this now, but.

Swallowing Kangseong Foods was really thanks to luck.

Because the opponent was greatly off guard.

I shouldn’t rely on such flukes.

“We have a construction division on our side too.”

“Yes.”

“We’ll grow it and devour them.”

Grow the construction division into the number one company domestically. And make the pie bigger than Kangseong Construction going forward.

Very simple.

Though not everything is as easy as saying it.

“Kangseong Construction is already number one in contractor rankings? Catching up there seems like it’ll take a long time.”

“That’s why starting overseas helps.”

Growing a construction company domestically is hard.

At best, it’s villa or mixed-use building projects, and even those are taken by mid-tier contractors.

A newly established construction company can’t squeeze in.

But us?

Thanks to starting in the landmass of New York, we can build construction experience quickly.

“Plus, we’ll build one building big, as a landmark. It’ll cost a lot of money.”

“…How much are you pouring in?”

“1 trillion?”

“You’re crazy. Where’s that kind of money!”

“We’ll earn it.”

Use the payments collected from raising the current buildings to build the biggest one.

Once we build a building rivaling the Empire State Building, it’ll show everyone how awesome our construction company is.

“After that, it’s simple. Participate in every project Kangseong Construction is in and take them all ourselves.”

“Wow, dry them out like that?”

“Yeah.”

“That sounds really easy. Just in words.”

Yuha figured it’d take at least 20 years, even conservatively.

Because buildings don’t get built overnight.

But I think differently.

“Ultimately, it’s a matter of money and time.”

The time to swallow Kangseong Construction is 5 years.

5 years is enough.