Chapter 14: The Calm Before the Storm

4 a.m.

Lee Jun-hyuk was already awake.

Outside the window, it was still dark.

The plantation was silent.

Only traces of last night’s festival remained.

A few sheets of paper lay on the desk.

A draft Contract with Sanchez, and information about Fernandez.

“Twenty mercenaries…”

He had to avoid a direct confrontation.

Meeting force with force would lose them the moral high ground.

Besides, this was their land.

Knock knock.

“Please come in.”

Jose entered.

“You’re up early.”

“Likewise, Jose.”

Lee Jun-hyuk smiled.

“And the men we requested last night?”

“They’re all on standby. Ten in total, including Miguel, Pablo, and Ramon.”

“Good.”

Lee Jun-hyuk stood.

“Let’s depart now.”

“Now? Where to?”

“Fernandez’s farm.”

Jose’s eyes widened.

“Before they arrive, we’ll get there first.”

Lee Jun-hyuk looked out the window.

The eastern sky was faintly brightening.

“But it’s risky. If they’re armed…”

“That’s exactly why we’re going at dawn.”

Lee Jun-hyuk met Jose’s gaze.

“We’re not going to use violence. We’re going to talk.”

“Talk?”

“Yes. A very special kind of talk.”

Thirty minutes later.

Eleven men rode horses out of the plantation.

The dawn mist was thick.

Only the sound of hooves broke the silence.

“Mr. Lee.”

Ramon rode up beside him.

“Are you sure this is safe? Fernandez is…”

“I know.”

Lee Jun-hyuk nodded.

“But sometimes a preemptive strike is the best defense.”

They had been riding for about an hour when Fernandez’s farm came into view.

As expected, it was still quiet.

There was almost no security.

“Only two guards.”

Miguel pointed.

Two guards were dozing off.

“Let’s pass quietly.”

Lee Jun-hyuk said.

“We’re visitors, not intruders.”

The group entered the farm silently.

The main house was visible.

It was the large residence where Fernandez lived.

“Wait here.”

Lee Jun-hyuk dismounted.

“I’ll go in alone.”

“That’s dangerous!”

“It’s fine.”

Lee Jun-hyuk smiled.

“If I don’t come out within ten minutes, then you come in.”

“Yes.”

He knocked on the front door.

After a while, a servant appeared.

“Who is it?”

“I’m here to see Mr. Fernandez. Lee Jun-hyuk from Santa Rosa.”

The servant’s face turned pale.

“H-He’s probably…”

“Sleeping. Please wake him. It’s important.”

“But—”

“Or may I enter myself?”

Lee Jun-hyuk’s voice was gentle but firm.

The servant hurried inside.

About five minutes later—

“What the hell is this?”

Fernandez came running out in pajamas.

His face was flushed with anger.

“Good morning, Mr. Fernandez.”

Lee Jun-hyuk greeted respectfully.

“Good morning.”

Fernandez glared.

“How dare you come uninvited at dawn!”

“Sorry for the unexpected visit.”

Lee Jun-hyuk bowed his head.

A short silence.

Fernandez glanced outside.

Ten men waited on horseback.

They were unarmed but looked tough.

“What do you want?”

His voice lowered.

“A talk.”

“Talk?”

“Yes. A quiet talk, just the two of us.”

Lee Jun-hyuk looked at Fernandez.

His eyes were calm.

He carried a composure uncharacteristic of someone who had just barged in at dawn.

“Give me five minutes.”

Fernandez gritted his teeth.

But he couldn’t refuse.

The situation was unfavorable.

“Come in.”

The drawing room was luxurious.

Spain-style furniture. Expensive paintings.

But dust had settled everywhere, proof that it hadn’t been well maintained.

“Sit.”

Fernandez motioned to a chair.

Lee Jun-hyuk sat.

“I heard you gathered mercenaries yesterday.”

He was straightforward.

Fernandez’s expression stiffened.

“What are you talking about?”

“I heard about twenty men.”

Lee Jun-hyuk spoke calmly.

“Are you planning to raid my farm?”

“Baseless…”

“Mr. Fernandez.”

Lee Jun-hyuk interrupted.

“There’s no time. I’ll be honest. You have two choices now.”

He held up two fingers.

“First, you go ahead with the raid as planned. But we’re ready, too. Both sides will bleed. And—”

He paused.

“You will lose even more.”

“Is this a threat?”

“I’m stating facts.”

Lee Jun-hyuk’s voice was steady.

“There’s a second option. Sell the farm. I’ll buy it at a fair price.”

Fernandez sneered.

“That old line.”

“I’ll offer $1,500.”

Silence fell.

Fernandez’s eyes wavered.

The offer was higher than expected.

“I offered Sanchez $1,000.”

“Sanchez was on the brink of foreclosure. You still have some leeway.”

Lee Jun-hyuk rested his forearm on the table.

He leaned forward.

Their eyes met.

“But things will change if it’s my business.”

“What do you mean?”

“You haven’t paid your laborers in three months, right? How long do you think they’ll keep tolerating it?”

Fernandez’s jaw trembled.

“You think they’ll just sit still?!”

“Some have already approached me.”

He wasn’t lying.

At yesterday’s festival, Fernandez’s laborers had also come, looking to Lee Jun-hyuk for support.

“What will you do if they collectively refuse to work tomorrow morning? The Sugar Harvest Season is almost here.”

Silence stretched.

The blood drained from Fernandez’s face.

Instead of anger, calculation took over.

$1,500.

Even after debts, it was a sum that remained.

“Give me some time to think…”

“Decide now.”

Lee Jun-hyuk stood.

“My offer is valid only here and now. Once I walk out that door, it’s off the table.”

He truly walked toward the door.

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

“Wait!”

Fernandez shouted.

Lee Jun-hyuk stopped and slowly turned.

“Yes?”

“$1,500. Are you sure?”

His voice cracked.

“In cash.”

“When?”

“As soon as we sign the Contract.”

Fernandez sank down.

His pride clashed with reality.

A Spanish farmer in his forties.

A man who had lived as the land’s ruler all his life.

And now, forced to bow to a young Asian.

“The laborers…”

He muttered.

“Will they really strike tomorrow?”

“I’m not the one telling them to.”

Lee Jun-hyuk said quietly.

“They’re choosing themselves. I just showed them an alternative.”

Another silence.

Outside, the sky brightened.

Birds began their early morning calls.

“Alright.”

Finally, Fernandez spoke.

“I’ll sell.”

“A wise choice.”

Lee Jun-hyuk sat again.

He took out documents prepared earlier.

A draft Contract.

Only the amount was left blank; everything else was written.

“Sign here.”

Fernandez read the Contract.

His hands trembled.

But he showed no particular emotion.

It was a clean sales agreement.

“You had this planned from the start.”

“What do you mean?”

“Sanchez and I—it’s all part of the plan, isn’t it?”

Lee Jun-hyuk shrugged.

“I just took the opportunity. Given the situation you created.”

Fernandez gave a bitter smile.

He took the pen.

Signature.

“Now it’s yours.”

The bitterness left his voice.

“Thank you. The laborers will be treated fairly after the takeover.”

“Good. That’s the way.”

Fernandez stood.

Suddenly he looked older.

Like ten years had been added overnight.

“Mr. Lee.”

He called out at the door.

“You came looking for me? You could have just waited.”

Lee Jun-hyuk turned.

“I didn’t want to see bloodshed.”

“Is that all?”

He hesitated.

“You must have had dreams once. When you first started this farm.”

Fernandez’s eyes wavered.

“I don’t know how those dreams turned out this way, but at least I wanted to give you a chance to end things with dignity.”

Silence.

Long and heavy.

“Go.”

Fernandez turned his back.

“I don’t want to see you again.”

Lee Jun-hyuk stepped outside.

Dawn had already broken.

Golden sunlight bathed the land.

It was the beginning of a new day.

“Mr. Lee.”

Jose came running.

“Are you alright? Is something wrong?”

“It’s over.”

Lee Jun-hyuk showed the signed Contract.

“Now we have two farms.”

The group looked surprised.

No one expected this outcome.

No violence, no threats.

Just a single conversation at dawn.

“Let’s return.”

Lee Jun-hyuk mounted his horse.

“There’s much to do.”

Sanchez and Fernandez.

Two large plantations now under their control.

***

The ride back was quiet.

Only the sound of hooves cut through the morning air.

“Mr. Lee.”

Miguel rode up beside him.

“How were you so confident Fernandez would accept?”

“I wasn’t.”

Lee Jun-hyuk looked straight ahead.

“I only judged the probability as high.”

It was true.

Every gamble has risks.

But it was a calculated risk.

Fernandez’s finances, personality, pride.

Every factor considered.

“You’re brave all the same.”

Ramon admired.

“Without shedding a drop of blood…”

“Blood was spilled.”

Lee Jun-hyuk muttered.

“Invisible blood.”

They neared the plantation.

Smoke rose in the distance.

Preparations for the morning were underway.

“Jose.”

“Yes, Mr. Lee.”

“We need to reorganize personnel today. To efficiently run three farms.”

“I’ve already been making plans.”

Jose smiled.

“Twenty years’ experience isn’t easy to beat.”

He was reliable.

Because of people like him, this was possible.

They arrived at the farm entrance.

More people than expected had gathered.

News had already spread.

“Mr. Lee!”

“He forced Fernandez to his knees?”

“Impressive!”

Cheers erupted.

Lee Jun-hyuk dismounted.

He passed through the crowd and headed to the office.

“Carlos.”

“Yes, Mr. Lee.”

“Send a telegram to Morgan & Associates Trading Co. Inform them we acquired two additional farms.”

“Understood!”

Carlos hurried off.

Closing the office door, fatigue rushed in.

His mind had been on edge since dawn.

Only now did the tension ease.

He sat in his chair.

The documents from yesterday lay as before.

Two new signed Contracts had been added.

“Three months.”

He calculated silently.

The time left until sugar prices skyrocketed.

Before then, production had to be maximized.

Three farms.

A total of 4,000 acres.

Properly managed, they could yield enormous profits.

But—

“The problem is funding.”

A significant amount went to acquisition costs.

Operating funds were tight.

Especially the wages for newly hired laborers.

“Should I ask Mr. Morgan for additional investment?”

He pondered.

He didn’t want to give up more shares.

But there was no other option.

Knock knock.

“Please come in.”

It was Zhen Hao.

“Sorry to bother you when you’re busy.”

“Not at all. What is it?”

Zhen Hao spoke cautiously.

“Do you need additional funds?”

Lee Jun-hyuk’s eyes sharpened.

“You anticipated that?”

“To operate three farms, you’ll need a lot of capital. Just in case.”

Smart as always.

“My father has an interest. Not as an investment, but as a loan.”

“What are the terms?”

“2% monthly interest. And…”

Zhen Hao smiled.

“Our exclusive purchase rights to the original sugar mill.”

Not a bad deal.

On the contrary, it was good.

Securing a stable sales channel while gaining operating funds.

“Up to $5,000 is possible.”

Zhen Hao added.

“Think it over. There’s no rush.”

After he left, Lee Jun-hyuk looked out the window.

The sun had fully risen.

The farm was bustling.

The start of a new day.

“The scale is growing faster than expected.”

Faster than anticipated.

But not a bad thing.

Opportunities don’t wait.

Suddenly, a face came to mind.

James Morgan.

Investor and mentor.

He was probably waiting for news in New York by now.

Lee Jun-hyuk was fortunate to have good news to share.

He picked up his pen.

And began drafting his report.