Ever since Park Jin-hyuk realized he possessed wealth amounting to hundreds of billions, ordinary sums of money had stopped registering for him.
The difference between one hundred million and a billion felt no more significant than the days when Yoo Jung-geol would fret over whether to buy a 1,000-won bread or a 1,500-won one.
Even so, figures in the trillions still belonged to another world for him.
As Park Jin-hyuk calmed his mind, sipping the tea in front of him, Hyun Yi-soo looked at him and spoke first.
“When I was looking for ways to acquire DS Group, I also searched for methods to resolve the tax issues that come with inheritance. As I mentioned before, since CB and BW options are currently blocked, finding a new way hasn’t been easy. But after hearing Executive Director Park Sang-hyuk’s story, I realized his side is facing the same dilemma as us.”
“The same dilemma? Are you saying their alliance with Daekwang is specifically to resolve the gift tax issue?”
“That’s right. Their goal isn’t simply to create a joint venture. By forming a new joint company, they can use methods similar to the BW strategy that was popular a decade ago. The reason this approach was difficult before was that you had to be certain your partner wouldn’t turn their back on you. It seems they’ve secured that assurance through marriage.”
“So they’ve found a way to solve the gift tax issue by gaining in-laws as wings… Found everything they needed all at once.”
“Yes. It’s just speculation, but otherwise there’s no reason to risk assigning Executive Director Park Sang-hyuk to a new venture.”
Park Jin-hyuk leaned back on the sofa at Hyun Yi-soo’s words and lit a cigarette.
He drew the smoke deep into his lungs and thought.
‘I was too naive. I underestimated Oh Seo-young’s influence. It wasn’t just about gaining the power of the in-laws by marrying into their family.’
All Park Jin-hyuk had focused on was the power struggle.
He’d thought he could devour the group as long as he expanded his influence within it, but that was a mistake.
Hyun Yi-soo spoke in a calm tone, looking at Park Jin-hyuk.
“Executive Director, you don’t need to worry so much. Didn’t I say there’s an opportunity? Even if Executive Director Park Sang-hyuk secures funds with help from elsewhere, you don’t need to be concerned. You can create your own path.”
Park Jin-hyuk exhaled a long stream of smoke.
And as he did, he realized it was time to bring up something he’d been holding in his heart, unsure how to say it until now.
“If, hypothetically, I could generate that money through investments… For example, if I injected capital into a startup and grew it to make two trillion won… would that make things easier?”
It was an issue that had been troubling Park Jin-hyuk for a while.
Every time he read about Masayoshi Son’s massive windfall from investing in Alibaba or Facebook’s early investors making astronomical profits, he wondered if he could do the same.
After hearing Hyun Yi-soo’s words, he began to think that, given the situation requiring up to two trillion, perhaps he could use his ability to see value to achieve it more easily, and so he brought it up with Hyun Yi-soo.
But Hyun Yi-soo shook his head firmly.
“There’s an easier way. There’s no need to choose the hard path.”
“That… it might not be that hard for me. Picking good companies might be easier for me than for anyone else.”
Park Jin-hyuk pondered how he could persuade Hyun Yi-soo.
He wasn’t completely confident in his ability to evaluate a company’s value yet, but he had something in mind.
He thought maybe he could figure it out if he met with the owner of a company, just as Masayoshi Son had met Jack Ma.
Just as he was about to explain this to Hyun Yi-soo, Hyun Yi-soo smiled at him and said,
“Executive Director, what’s gotten into you? Startups? Hoping for success through startup investments is like plucking a star from the sky. Even if you picked a winner by some miracle, you’d still have to wait for the company to grow—that’s not an efficient approach. How are you going to wait five or ten years? You need results within two or three years, don’t you?”
Park Jin-hyuk nodded in agreement.
“True. I don’t have that much time.”
“Executive Director, the table is already set before you—the rice is cooked and served in your bowl. All you need to do is pick up your spoon and take a bite. If you do that, a group with eighty trillion in annual revenue will be yours. Sure, the one trillion you need up front might feel like a burden, but if you think about it, with one trillion you can take ownership of tens or even hundreds of trillions. There’s no better deal. I think I’ve found the way, so trust me. I’ll put DS Group in your hands.”
Seeing Hyun Yi-soo speak so confidently reassured Park Jin-hyuk.
If Park Sang-hyuk had Oh Seo-young as his “wings,” then he had Hyun Yi-soo as his own.
Without losing his smile, Hyun Yi-soo gestured to Kim Jin.
It seemed that Hyun Yi-soo and the other team leaders had long been looking for a way to get funds into Park Jin-hyuk’s hands.
And that solution appeared to be in the document envelope Kim Jin had prepared.
Kim Jin carefully took the papers from the envelope and handed them to Hyun Yi-soo, who spread them out on the reception table in front of the sofa and said,
“I’ll just show you the big picture. First, if you can secure 500 billion, then one trillion, then two trillion—it won’t be a problem. This is the path I envision.”
Hyun Yi-soo pointed to the documents and smiled at Park Jin-hyuk.
*****
As Park Jin-hyuk walked ahead, he kept glancing back, clearly uncomfortable with the people following him.
They were keeping a set distance, but even that didn’t sit well with him. Frowning, he muttered to Kim Jun-woo at his side.
“What’s with those guys? Why are they following me around looking so menacing?”
“They’re from the head office’s security team, assigned to you, sir.”
“Security team? To protect me?”
“Yes. From now on, I’ve been ordered to report all your schedules and movements to HQ. And I’ve also been told to share every detail of your itinerary with them.”
“That’s a joke. Since when have they cared about me? What a hassle. Who told you to do that?”
“Secretary Hwang gave the order personally.”
“Secretary Hwang? Now this is getting annoying.”
Park Jin-hyuk glanced back discreetly.
Burly men in suits were following at a distance behind him and Kim Jun-woo.
With their short hair and broad shoulders, they were anything but inconspicuous.
“Don’t you feel embarrassed, Secretary Kim? I’m mortified. What is this?”
People passing by kept glancing over at Park Jin-hyuk.
He felt his face flush from the attention, as if people were trying to figure out which important figure was passing through.
“You’ll have to get used to it. This is just the beginning. Before long, dozens of people will be moving with you. You’d better start adjusting to having four shadows follow you around now. And it’s a sign that you’ve become important to the Chairman as well, so don’t take it the wrong way. Honestly, it was weirder when I was the only one following you around.”
“Man, sometimes I wonder if you’re some kind of robot, Secretary Kim.”
Looking at Secretary Kim, who never showed his likes or dislikes, Park Jin-hyuk thought he seemed almost emotionless.
But that’s precisely what made him useful to have around.
Right now, what Park Jin-hyuk needed wasn’t someone with a warm heart, but someone as cold and rational as possible.
Park Jin-hyuk looked around and then turned back toward where the car was parked.
“Aren’t we going inside?”
“What would be the point? Should I introduce myself as the guy getting transferred here next year? Or say I was just curious about the factory after my reassignment? If I do that, I’ll just disturb the people working there, and I’ll look odd myself… Just seeing it from the outside is enough. Let’s go to the next factory.”
Park Jin-hyuk said this with a laugh.
At the moment, Park Jin-hyuk and his group were touring the various DS Pharmaceutical factories.
Including affiliate plants, they’d been at it for over a week and still hadn’t finished.
“It’s getting late, sir. We should head back. If we’re any later, we’ll hit rush hour and you might end up having dinner at a rest stop again like last time.”
“Then let’s go even later. Besides, I don’t mind eating dinner at a rest stop—actually, I kind of like it. Having udon there last time reminded me of the old days.”
During his Yoo Jung-geol days, he’d often missed meals while visiting business partners, grabbing a quick bite at a highway rest area.
For him, the rest stop’s udon was a nostalgic reminder of bygone days.
It was a pleasant experience, reviving memories that were slowly fading.
Secretary Kim Jun-woo seemed puzzled, but Park Jin-hyuk patted him on the back and said,
“So don’t worry about it—let’s just go to the next factory. The sooner we finish, the sooner you can spend year-end at home, nice and warm. Isn’t that right? Wouldn’t sticking with me until the end of the year be a pain for you, too, Secretary Kim?”
Park Jin-hyuk then instructed Secretary Kim, who was behind the wheel, to skip going home and drive to DS Biologics’ newly completed Second Plant.
As they drove, Park Jin-hyuk skimmed through the documents Hyun Yi-soo had given him.
They contained five years’ worth of financial statements for the pharmaceutical subsidiaries, this year’s projections, and detailed information about their growth potential.
Peeking at Park Jin-hyuk through the rearview mirror, Kim Jun-woo spoke carefully.
“Excuse me, sir, but may I ask you a question?”
“A question? After all these months working together, I think this is the first time you’ve ever asked me anything. Go ahead, now I’m curious.”
Secretary Kim, who almost always replied with a simple “yes” or “understood,” was suddenly asking for permission to pose a question, so Park Jin-hyuk put down his papers and sat up straight.
Looking into the rearview mirror, he waited expectantly, wondering what important question might be coming.
Kim Jun-woo swallowed several times, then asked hesitantly and apologetically,
“Year-end is coming soon… Are you not planning to take any personal time?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
After living together for months, Kim Jun-woo had decided he needed to know everything about Park Jin-hyuk to serve him well, so he finally mustered the courage to ask a question he’d been holding back.
But Park Jin-hyuk didn’t seem to get it.
Kim Jun-woo considered how best to explain, then just decided to come out with it.
He figured he needed to know in advance to deal with any emergencies that might arise.
“I was just wondering if there’s a woman you’re seeing, sir. You need to tell me. That way I can prepare for any unexpected situations.”
“A woman? What woman?”
“If there’s anyone you’re dating, or even if it was just a one-night thing, please let me know. Don’t be embarrassed—just tell me so I can handle it. I don’t mind at all. I’ll take care of any women you meet.”
“Why do you keep saying ‘take care of’? What are you planning to do—bury them somewhere?”
“Is it that serious?”
Kim Jun-woo was so startled he turned in his seat to look back.
Park Jin-hyuk just laughed.
“After all these months together, you really think I have time for women? I haven’t even thought about it. I don’t have the time. Look at this—I’m reading these documents in a moving car. You really think I have time to date?”
“It’s just… I heard things before I came here.”
“Before you came? What did you hear? Ah, that I used to date a lot of women? Ha… Let’s just say I’ve turned over a new leaf, okay? Let’s drop it and stop worrying.”
“So, you really aren’t seeing anyone right now?”
“I’m not. Why? Do you want to set me up? I’m not opposed to a blind date, so if you know someone, let me know.”
“No, sir. Sorry for bringing up something pointless. We’re almost there, so I’ll pull over up ahead.”
Kim Jun-woo apologized and pulled the car to the far side of the road.
Since Park Jin-hyuk wasn’t officially assigned to DS Pharmaceuticals yet, he preferred to observe from a distance.
That’s why he parked far from the factory and walked in.
After hearing Kim Jun-woo’s question, Park Jin-hyuk just patted him on the shoulder and told him not to worry, then got out and strode ahead.
DS Biologics’ Second Plant, with its cluster of tall, tower-like buildings, was by far the largest facility they’d seen so far.
Considering DS Biologics was a subsidiary of DS Pharmaceuticals, the sheer size and scale of the plant were almost overwhelming.
To avoid being seen, Park Jin-hyuk had the security detail hang back. Kim Jun-woo hurried over at his signal.
“How much did it cost to build this place?”
“From land purchase to completion, I believe about 700 billion was invested.”
“Seven hundred billion, huh?”
Park Jin-hyuk clasped his hands behind his back and pretended to look around, while stealing a glance at the number hovering above the heart of the plant.
[5,000,000,000,000]
The plant’s value floated above it—five trillion.
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