Chapter 8: Skate Fish  

“Here we are.”  

I stepped on the gas and arrived at Gangi Milling.  

As a company located near the port, it boasts a large warehouse.  

Normally, that warehouse should be brimming with imported wheat, but it’s likely empty now.  

Sigh.  

I straightened my clothes and slowly entered the Gangi Milling building.  

“Yes, I see. But…!”  

“How’s that other company doing?”  

“No good. They’ve already announced they’re filing for bankruptcy.”  

“Are they insane? Running a business into the ground like that!”  

“They do handle soybeans too…”  

“Shut up, you! Hurry up and contact another company! We need to secure a supply chain somehow!”  

The inside of the building was chaotic, to say the least.  

Judging by how things are going, they’re in bad shape.  

I cleared my throat and stepped forward.  

“Ahem. Hello!”  

“…What’s that guy?”  

“Hey! Who let a peddler in here?”  

A man with a receding hairline well past the point of no return barked loudly, and a younger employee hurriedly approached me.  

“Uh, sir, you can’t be here right now. We’re kind of busy…”  

“I understand. It’s because of the flour, right?”  

“Y-Yes, yes. Wait, what?”  

“Let me cut to the chase. Are you interested in buying wheat?”  

“…Huh?”  

This newbie must be so busy he’s out of his mind.  

Meanwhile, the bald guy in the distance was emotional but still sharp.  

“Hey! What did you just say?”  

“I asked if you’re interested in buying wheat.”  

“Hah, haha. Who are you, exactly?”  

He gently pushed the newbie aside and stepped forward.  

The bald man, Kang Chuli , president of Gangi Milling.  

A man who built this company on his experience in a trading firm.  

And my first prey.  

“Let me introduce myself again. I’m Kang Jisung from Ribbon Corporation.”  

“Ribbon Corporation, huh.”  

Kang Chuli  took my business card and glanced around.  

His employees were quietly looking into my company, but what could they possibly find?  

After exchanging glances with his staff, Kang Chuli  spoke.  

“Looks like your business hasn’t been around long.”  

“Yes, I was doing something else before this.”  

“And what was that?”  

“I was the CEO of Spectrum.”  

“Hup!”  

“Spectrum? That company with crazy growth?”  

“The one where the CEO was rumored to be good-looking? It’s true!”  

Quite a few employees knew about Spectrum.  

Well, its growth was unprecedented in the industry.  

I can’t even count how many times its stock hit the volatility interrupt after going public.  

There were rumors of manipulation, but Spectrum’s stock is still climbing.  

That’s the kind of company it was.  

At those words, Kang Chuli  let his guard down a bit.  

Even if I have nothing to my name, a dazzling background naturally piques interest.  

“Ahem, so you’re a well-known figure?”  

“That’s all in the past. I’m out of there now. And that’s not what matters, is it?”  

“Hmm, true. So you’re selling wheat now?”  

“Something like that. Are we going to keep talking standing up?”  

When I pushed forward confidently, a flicker of surprise crossed Kang Chuli ’s face.  

It’s rare for a salesman to come in this boldly.  

Normally.  

“Don’t you need wheat?”  

“…This way, please.”  

Kang Chuli  finally led me to a meeting room inside.  

…No, it’s just a warehouse.  

Calling it a meeting room is generous—it’s just a storage space for random junk.  

If they meet clients in a place like this, I’d tear up the contract on the spot.  

At Spectrum, I’d have gathered the staff and made them clean until it was spotless.  

And after that?  

Pack your bags and get out.  

Kang Chuli , clearly aware this wasn’t ideal, kept clearing his throat.  

“Ahem, sorry about this. We’re a bit busy right now…”  

“It’s fine. A contract signed in a warehouse doesn’t make it trash.”  

“Well, yeah. Sure.”  

“Since you’re busy, let’s get to the point.”  

No more sizing each other up—it’s past time to sign a contract.  

“This is the amount of wheat I can supply.”  

Currently, the Tinyfolk’s annual wheat production spans 12 hectares. Of that, 9 hectares are consumed or stored by them.  

The remaining 3 hectares will be offered to me as tribute.  

Accounting for the dimension transfer ratio, I’ll end up with about 100 square meters’ worth of wheat.  

Small.  

Too small.  

But.  

If that’s per hour?  

That’s 2,400 square meters a day, 16,800 a week.  

In weight, that’s about 13.4 tons.  

In a month, that’s 53.6 tons produced.  

And that’s not the end.  

In a month here, nearly 960 years pass in their world.  

During that time, their population will grow, and more small-to-medium villages will emerge.  

Factoring in technological advancements—  

[Based on your world’s timeline, the estimated monthly production is approximately 1,524 tons.]  

[Production is projected to increase by 295% each month.]  

1,524 tons.  

That’s equivalent to the total wheat Gangi Milling imports in a quarter.  

“Impressive, right?”  

“Indeed.”  

“Where are you getting this wheat…?”  

“That’s confidential. But I can guarantee the quality.”  

High-quality wheat with a guaranteed source.  

If they secure this supply?  

They can escape their current crisis without a doubt.  

Kang Chuli ’s eyes started to waver.  

Time to drive the wedge in.  

“President Kang, I’ll sell you my wheat at 90% of the lowest price you’re currently paying for imports.”  

Boom.  

Kang Chuli ’s pupils shook violently.  

The math is simple.  

Their biggest expense would drop by 10%.  

It sounds small as a percentage, but in the cash volumes of this industry, it’s no small sum.  

Kang Chuli  let out a slow breath, steadying his emotions with that single exhale.  

Is this the same guy who was yelling at his employees earlier?  

He’s a company president, even if it’s a small one.  

“That’s a good offer.”  

“Right?”  

“But it raises questions. How can you supply that volume at that price?”  

As expected.  

A businessman is a businessman.  

He knows the iron rule of business.  

Companies never take a loss.  

If a company agrees to a losing deal, it’s likely because they’re eyeing profit elsewhere.  

That’s how companies work.  

From that perspective, my offer is too sweet.  

Sweet enough to make them sick.  

“As I said earlier, I’m sourcing wheat through secure channels. At rock-bottom prices, practically a steal.”  

“Which company is offering that?”  

“That’s a trade secret.”  

“If you don’t tell me, we can’t do business.”  

“Well, if you knew, you could cut me out and deal directly with them.”  

“I’m a man of business ethics.”  

“You know there’s no such thing as ethics in front of money.”  

A tense tug-of-war ensued.  

But this is a playing field tilted in my favor from the start.  

“President Kang, if you don’t like this contract, you don’t have to sign it.”  

“Alright, then…”  

“But I’ll take this offer to Yuseong Milling.”  

“?!”  

“You know Gangi Milling isn’t the only one struggling with wheat supply. There are other small-scale companies too.”  

Kang Chuli  knows his competitor, Yuseong Milling, is in a similar bind.  

And he’s well aware this is a battle of endurance.  

“…You said you were Spectrum’s CEO, right? Seems you didn’t get there by chance.”  

“Nothing in this world comes for free.”  

“That’s not a compliment.”  

“I know.”  

If someone says you’re good at stringing people along, you’d better reflect if it sounds like praise.  

Still, I’ve been wielding the whip too much—it’s time for a carrot.  

“Since you’re no pushover, President Kang, I’ll let you in on something.”  

“What’s that?”  

“I don’t have a milling plant.”  

Securing wheat and milling it.  

For small quantities, a local mill could handle it.  

But building a factory to process large volumes is a different story.  

“I can’t handle that much wheat. My goal is to distribute it at a low price, so…”  

“Hmm…”  

“This is a win-win for both of us.”  

I make a profit selling wheat, and President Kang secures wheat at a low price.  

Win-win.  

Kang Chuli  shook his head after some thought.  

“Give me a bit more time to think.”  

“Fine. But not too long—I’ve got costs to consider too.”  

“I’ll keep that in mind.”  

I exchanged contact info with Kang Chuli  and returned to my car.  

It’d been a while since I’d done sales, and the passion was boiling in my chest.  

At this rate, I feel like I could sell sand in a desert.  

…Well, that might be a stretch.  

“Next up, Yuseong Milling.”  

Sorry to President Kang, but my wheat production is a bit exceptional.  

I’ve got to sell what’s left. What can I do?  

“Greetings. I’m Kang Jisung from Ribbon Corporation.”  

“Kang Jisung… that name sounds familiar…”  

“It’s a common name.”  

“Hm, alright. What brings you here?”  

I soon met Yuseong Milling’s president, Yoo Hani.  

The offer was the same as the one I made to Kang Chuli .  

“It’s a tempting offer, but I can’t give you a definite answer right away.”  

Yoo Hani didn’t sign immediately either.  

He gave a vibe of wanting to double-check.  

“Of course, you can’t expect to get a raw deal in one go.”  

They’re acting this way because they know I need to offload my wheat.  

Their intent to negotiate from a position of strength is crystal clear.  

I glanced at Yuseong Milling’s building and whistled.  

No need to rush.  

Time is on my side, after all.  

***

At Dajeong Bakery, the owner, Yoon Sungmi, frowned at the sack of flour in front of her.  

“How much did you say this is?”  

“30,000 won.”  

“It was 29,000 won last month!”  

“We’re struggling too, you know.”  

“Struggling or not, how can you raise flour prices every month? You’re not even going to lower them when things get better.”  

At first, it was because they were familiar.  

And the price was good.  

That’s why she’d been doing business with Gangi Milling.  

But with prices rising monthly, she was at her wit’s end.  

“You know we’ve been buying from you because of the low prices. How are we supposed to survive like this?”  

“Sorry, ma’am, but the war’s making it hard to get flour.”  

“What about the flour you had in stock?”  

“We’ve sold it all. Our warehouse is empty.”  

“So you’re closing soon?”  

“Close? No way. We’ll be back to normal soon. Just bear with us.”  

“Tch.”  

The Gangi Milling employee bowed repeatedly before scurrying off.  

Yeah, he ran because he knew continuing the conversation would put him at a disadvantage.  

“I can’t live like this. Ugh.”  

Flour accounts for a huge chunk of her costs.  

Selling bread at current prices leaves almost no profit.  

But raising prices by 100 or 200 won?  

A small bakery like hers would collapse in no time.  

With her kids’ weddings coming up, she needed to save a lump sum.  

But at this rate, she’d barely scrape by for living expenses.  

Raising prices wasn’t an option either, with those franchise bakeries nearby grating on her nerves.  

“Sigh.”  

“What’s with the big sigh, boss?”  

Yoon Sungmi turned at the sound of a cheerful voice.  

It was the regular who’d been coming by often lately—a genuinely nice person.  

Good-looking, good character.  

She didn’t know what he did, but running around from morning meant one of two things.  

Jobless or a businessman.  

Tch, if only he had a stable job, I’d introduce him to my kids.  

Swallowing her disappointment, Yoon Sungmi cleared her throat.  

He might not be son-in-law material, but he was great to talk to.  

“Listen to this.”  

They usually just exchanged small talk, but now they were comfortable enough to discuss heavier business matters.  

It was strange to Yoon Sungmi that she felt okay sharing these things with this regular.  

“I’ve gone and spilled everything.”  

Feeling a bit embarrassed, she waved her hand.  

Still, venting had made her feel better.  

“I feel bad, so I’ll throw in a few extra cream puffs today.”  

“No need. You said you’re barely making a profit. If I took those, I’d be a crook.”  

“Really?”  

“Of course. Hmm…”  

The regular pretended to think for a moment before speaking.  

“Boss, this is just a thought, but hear me out.”  

He spoke earnestly, from Yoon Sungmi’s perspective.  

“The milling industry’s in bad shape. The war in Ukraine’s hit even the big companies hard. You’ve seen the price hikes at that franchise, right?”  

“I have.”  

“It’ll probably keep going like that. And the rising flour prices? They’re not coming down.”  

Who benefits when things get better?  

The flour sellers.  

The middlemen.  

“Your bakery’s edge is its low prices, right? But if those keep rising, that’s tough for you.”  

Yoon Sungmi nodded, almost entranced.  

His voice had a magnetic pull.  

More importantly, his words echoed her own vague concerns.  

Listening quietly, she finally spoke.  

“So what should I do?”  

Was there a solution to this situation?  

That was the most critical question.  

And the regular, Kang Jisung, opened his mouth.  

“Boss, just humor me and listen to what I have to say.”  

*** 

The call from Kang Chuli  came a week after our last meeting.  

It was after I’d visited nearly all the bakeries on my list.  

“Oh, President Kang, it’s been a while.”  

Yes, President Kang Jisung. Everything alright?  

“Me? What could be wrong with me?”  

I was hoping you’d have some trouble.  

Grind.  

I could hear his teeth grinding over the phone.  

From his reaction, he must’ve heard the rumors.  

News travels fast.  

“We should meet and talk, shouldn’t we?”  

I’ve reserved a spot at a Japanese restaurant. Let’s meet there.  

The way he hung up abruptly showed how pissed he was.  

Well, if he heard what I’ve been up to, he probably didn’t sleep a wink.  

I slept like a baby, though.  

“Alright, let’s go.”  

The long preparation is over.  

It’s time to enter the final chapter of the flour business.  

The place Kang Chuli  chose wasn’t just any Japanese restaurant—it was a skate fish specialty restaurant.  

“Wow, that’s a bold choice.”  

I should’ve known when he said Japanese restaurant. Pathetic.  

Trying to hold onto their pride until the end.  

Guided by a staff member, I entered the private room and found an unexpected guest.  

“Oh, President Yoo Hani is here too.”  

“He’s a relevant party, so I invited him. Have a seat.”  

“Sure thing.”  

I sat across from Kang Chuli .  

None of us touched our chopsticks, just staring at each other.  

Kang Chuli  broke the silence first.  

“Why did you do it?”  

“Cutting to the chase like that, I don’t know what you mean.”  

“I heard what you said to the bakery owners!”  

Kang Chuli  slammed his fist on the table.  

His clenched fist looked ready to smash it to pieces.  

Meanwhile, Yoo Hani sat quietly, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t angry.  

“You told them to cut ties with us, didn’t you?”  

“I didn’t say it like that, but I gave similar advice.”  

What I told the bakery owners wasn’t a big deal.  

Just to try a different supplier for a few months.  

“You’re wrecking our business. What’s your game?”  

“Wrecking? That’s a bit dramatic.”  

I filled an empty glass with liquor and continued.  

“If your companies go under, I’d have nowhere to sell my wheat. Why would I wreck your business?”  

“Then what’s your reason?”  

“Favor.”  

I picked up a piece of skate fish.  

Dipping it lightly in chojang sauce, I popped it in my mouth.  

The chewy texture was followed by a sharp ammonia tang hitting my nose, but that’s the charm of skate fish.  

As I casually chewed, Kang Chuli ’s brow furrowed.  

“You eat skate fish well.”  

“It’s alright. Not my favorite, though.”  

“You seem to enjoy it for someone who doesn’t like it.”  

“That’s sales. You eat whatever the other person’s eating.”  

If you refuse to eat fish roe soup because you don’t like it and lose a contract, how do you recover from that?  

“What I did with the bakery owners is the same thing.”  

“Telling them to switch suppliers is for favor?”  

“Yes. Giving the advice they need at the right moment—nothing builds favor faster.”  

I just gave them the advice they needed when they needed it.  

Sure, it hurt their businesses, but still.  

“Don’t you think you should do the same?”  

“What do you mean?”  

“You should eat skate fish for your customers.”  

Do what your customers want.  

For sales.  

“What your customers want is flour at the old prices. And to do that, what do you need?”  

To sell flour at a low price, you need high-quality flour at a low cost.  

Which I have.  

“Don’t you need wheat?”  

Now, I’m the one in control.  

Not just in control—super in control.