Chapter 55

Chapter 55

An Opportunity That Can’t Be Missed

The underworld messenger approached smoothly following behind President Kim of U-gwang Construction.

Bang.

Then the door of the Seoul City Hall mayor’s office opened.

The person that Mayor Gu personally brought out was Father.

Mayor Gu burst into a hearty laugh with a very satisfied expression.

“Thanks to you, the conception regarding Subway Line 3 and Line 4 seems to be firmly grasped.”

Mayor Gu lightly patted Father’s shoulder.

“As expected, conversation exchanged with a person whose will communicates is enjoyable. If it weren’t for the district chief meeting, I would have exchanged a deeper conversation with you. This turned out regrettably. Let’s promise next time.”

“Yes.”

“That confident and calm attitude of yours is really to my liking. How much more trust am I trying to give here?”

Mayor Gu smiled contentedly.

“The Subway Line 2 construction bidding materials, you’ll have to prepare properly and submit.”

“Of course.”

“I have no intention of leaving a blemish on the career. So you’ll have to submit the materials paying more attention. My heart tilting toward Taeseong and overlooking and pushing Taeseong even though the construction bidding documents were written sloppily are strictly different.”

“Yes, Taeseong won’t overlook anything carelessly so you don’t need to worry about that.”

“Good! Exactly those words I wanted to hear! Go back carefully.”

“Then I’ll go.”

Father politely greeted.

President Kim of U-gwang Construction and Secretary Choi stopped their steps seeing that appearance.

President Kim of U-gwang Construction crumpled his expression a lot.

“Before construction, meeting the decision maker and trying to lobby. That’s collusion between politics and business.”

But the answer came from Mayor Gu’s mouth, not Father’s.

“Collusion between politics and business? Then why did you come looking for me?”

It was a sharp sound.

“I also have ears that hear, and eyes that see. It seems you’re roasting city councilors and district councilors as well as city hall officials and trying to interfere in my matters over every little thing. I don’t see that very well. That’s exactly collusion between politics and business, what is this collusion between politics and business?”

“Mayor Gu, there seems to be a bit of misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding? Then it’s the sound that I’m picking on uselessly without knowing X. This is really absurd.”

Mayor Gu walked without looking back.

Father also walked in the opposite direction and disappeared long ago.

President Kim of U-gwang Construction quickly followed behind Mayor Gu.

“Mayor, please make a bit of time. I have something to say regarding the Subway Line 2 construction.”

“Did you leave time with me? I’m scheduled to be very busy so I wish you’d go back now.”

“It’s an important matter. A charming proposal that you’ll definitely think it was good to make time······.”

“That’s so. Just in time, if it’s a proposal, I also had something to do. Fairly.”

“Yes?”

“The district chief meeting will take more than 30 minutes until it ends. Since it’s year-end, it seems it will take more than an hour.”

“Yes, I’ll wait.”

“In the meantime, draw the Subway Line 2 route map or something.”

When Mayor Gu gestured, the aide immediately handed over the Seoul City map.

President Kim of U-gwang Construction opened his eyes wide.

“Suddenly what is this? Drawing the Subway Line 2 route map?”

“I decided to change the Subway Line 2 route map. Since U-gwang is one of the most promising construction company candidates, I’m trying to give an opportunity to present opinions regarding the subway plan.”

Mayor Gu smiled annoyingly.

“Draw the subway route that U-gwang is dreaming somewhere. Just mark about 40 stations.”

“How can one draw a subway route map within one hour?”

“No need to think difficultly. If done well, bonus points, even if not, there won’t be a disadvantage.”

“Now Mayor Gu is making not a difficult demand but a nonsense demand!”

President Kim of U-gwang Construction’s face that was crumpled a lot didn’t unfold.

“40 stations? Then how much more is there to consider? The construction cost also has to be all borne by U-gwang, such an irresponsible demand······.”

“Why, can’t do it? No confidence? Taeseong did it within 30 minutes. U-gwang seems hard?”

“······Yes?”

President Kim of U-gwang Construction was startled and asked back.

“Just now what did you say? What did Taeseong do how?”

“Taeseong drew the Subway Line 2 route map and came within 30 minutes. Even Hyunmu did it, but only U-gwang is coming out saying they can’t.”

“W, within thirty minutes? Both Taeseong and Hyunmu?”

Mayor Gu pressed President Kim of U-gwang Construction’s shoulder firmly.

“If no confidence, you can give up. I’ll think that’s the extent of U-gwang’s ability.”

President Kim of U-gwang Construction seems to be holding back curses tightly.

“I don’t think the thought of wanting to work together with an opponent who has no ability, no vision, no insight will come.”

“······I’ll do it. I’ll try. Have to do it somehow.”

“Good. Since you’re running enthusiastically like this, I’ll believe and wait.”

Why does Mayor Gu’s smile look so insidious.

Mayor Gu left for the conference room without looking back.

President Kim of U-gwang Construction left in the mayor’s office corridor tore at his hair.

“Damn it!”

As soon as he saw the Seoul City map that Mayor Gu handed, he spat the curse he had held back.

“How did Taeseong mark 40 stations and submit within 30 minutes? Even marking one station per minute, the time is insufficient! What kind of crazy bastard is this?”

It was an expression of being at a loss where to start and how to touch this.

The underworld messenger laughed giggle giggle.

Then he left President Kim of U-gwang Construction and disappeared smoothly somewhere.

Because for the underworld messenger, other people to examine besides President Kim of U-gwang Construction arose.

Exactly the pawns of Taeseong Chemicals that Uncle Cheol-gu selected.

* * *

The field of view sharing with the underworld messenger was cut off like that.

‘Looking at the president of U-gwang Construction’s expression, the subway route map is ruined······ Ah! Master!’

I came to my senses with a start.

I diligently moved my short legs and ran over to the master quickly.

I was curious what that golden light document that the master was holding was.

“Hello?”

I put both hands together and bowed at the navel.

“No, who is this? Isn’t it the little guest?”

“Since it’s not that I went to the pawnshop, please omit the word guest.”

“Yes, instead of little guest, what shall I call. Shall I call you Taeseong Group 3rd generation?”

The master smiled.

“From when the secretary guy followed around, I guessed, but I didn’t know it was Taeseong’s youngest grandson.”

“I’ll formally greet. I’m Cha Jeong-hyeok.”

“Yes, thanks to you I received the invitation well, and watched a good spectacle to my heart’s content. I also drank expensive alcohol well from your Grandfather. Thanks to the free alcohol, I pulled the principal of the car fuel cost.”

Anyway, if it’s free alcohol, he gets up even from sleep.

“Thanks to that, Taeseong was also able to attract investment money. Thank you.”

“What thanks. This side was also juicy, so it was a quite good transaction. If there’s a case next time too, let’s request again.”

“Sure. Players have to help each other and live.”

“Yes, in this field, players share and eat good cases.”

Our master and disciple smiled facing each other.

“If time is okay, will you drink a cup of tea with me?”

“Anyway, I’m on the way to this hotel coffee shop. Ahem!”

“I’ll take ssanghwa tea. Floating two eggs.”

“Is it showing off because you’re a rich house child? Why is the taste so high-class? Saying you’ll drink floating even two eggs. Ha!”

“Of course. Since you’re Taeseong Group 3rd generation, you can indulge in that much luxury.”

“Aigo, this somehow time······.”

Before the master checked his wristwatch, I shook the coin wallet.

“Of course I’ll buy.”

“It seems time is left generously until the appointment. Then shall I also take ssanghwa tea?”

Anyway, if it’s free, he’s a person who will drink even lye saying it’s good.

But I opened the wallet with a happy heart.

“Then I’ll float two eggs for the president too.”

“Hoho, I’ve never drunk this luxuriously in my life, I’m already looking forward to what that taste will be like.”

In the cold and hungry childhood, the grace received from the master is great.

In spring, grateful that he tailored new clothes saying it’s a new semester.

In summer, grateful that he subtly lit mosquito coils.

In autumn, grateful that he put money to buy books saying to do pretty autumn leaf bookmarks.

In winter, grateful that he roasted sweet potatoes or garaetteok on the pawnshop stove.

“But who did you come to the hotel to meet?”

“If I say, will you know?”

“Probably.”

The master seemed at a loss for words so he substituted with clearing his throat for a long time.

“What matter did you come for? A person who shivers saying hotels are expensive whatever.”

“Did someone come wanting to come to an expensive hotel? The rich ones said to come to the hotel saying they’re acting high-class so I came inevitably.”

“Rich ones acting high-class?”

I couldn’t help but tilt my head naturally.

The master often met such people not at the hotel but at the pawnshop.

Most came crawling on their knees saying they wanted to use urgent money from that side.

“I’m thinking of establishing a bank.”

“Puhup!”

I ended up spraying the ssanghwa tea unfitting for me.

That much the master’s remark was shocking.

“Establishing a bank?”

The master was a person who rolled money in the shadows, at the pawnshop all his life.

No matter how much property there is, even if becoming a land rich by sweeping up good-location real estate.

The master never revealed his will about a bank even once.

So I couldn’t help but be this surprised.

Suddenly why?

“It became so thanks to you.”

That was a more absurd sound than the words of establishing a bank.

Too absurd so I couldn’t help but ask back.

“No, what relation do a bank and I have?”

“Didn’t you send the invitation?”

Invitation?

“Do you guess what kind of guys I met and what stories I exchanged at yesterday’s year-end night? How can this be! Eyes opening wide like lightning striking the brain.”

“You said it was exactly like that even when you opened your eyes to loans after rolling in the war?”

“Yes! To the extent that the thought that why I didn’t know this good thing until now and rolled the bottom stupidly, that the past life lived with a narrow view is regrettable came!”

The master hit his knee.

“In the words of the figures who decide the great affairs of this country, there’s a lot of information that makes money? I picked up a very good thing there!”

“What on earth did you hear?”

“Financial reform.”

The master moistened his throat with one sip of ssanghwa tea.

As expected, the voice became more secretive yet clear.

“Little kid, have you perhaps heard of the loan freeze measure?”

“Yes, the matter where the president activated the emergency order right and made loans into scrap paper in an instant.”

In front of the master, I don’t have to deliberately act like a child so it’s comfortable.

“The loan amount whose fund source was reported for one week was about 360 billion. This was an amount reaching about 80% of Korea’s total currency volume, and about 34% level of domestic credit balance.”

“······!”

“It was an extreme measure carried out to drive out the underground finance that was encroaching on the institutional finance at once, and absorb the funds of the loan market into the institutional finance. Thanks to that, the institutional finance that wasn’t solid lived, and they were able to block the banks’ bad bonds.”

“Ha······!”

“Shall I say it was a two birds with one stone move mixed with the government’s will to forcibly revive 45% of insolvent companies among the top 83 companies?”

The master looked at me with his mouth dropped open.

Then he burst into a hollow laugh.

“You really seven years old······! No, enough. Yes, your words are all correct. Without adding or subtracting, you got them all right.”

“So why the loan freeze measure? Are they implementing a 2nd loan reform again?”

“A guy with a good head has fast sense too. Yes, the sound that they’re preparing another financial regulation was circulating.”

Well. It wouldn’t be.

‘That is probably a false rumor deliberately leaked.’

Actually, just implementing one loan freeze measure, the economic and political burden that the Blue House had to shoulder was quite large.

It was the sound that even as the president, it was excessive to unfold financial reforms that greatly shake the economy consecutively.

Moreover, the period when the presidential election is scheduled for next July.

I don’t think it’s easy to throw another excess at the financial world.

“I don’t know how many thick financial regulations this military regime forcibly carried out after coming in. Currency reform and exchange rate devaluation of course, and regulations like the loan freeze measure come out in a row! Once the government draws the sword of regulation, the underground finance often gets massacred in swarms.”

But the master’s thoughts seemed different.

The voice reduced small became even more secretive than earlier.

“It seems they’ll lower regulatory measures soon to suppress real estate speculation.”

8.8 real estate regulation!

That is definitely forcibly carried out to prevent real estate speculation overheating.

“In real estate regulation, regulation of the financial sector also inevitably follows.”

The master grinned.

“So even if a bit early, we’re also thinking of establishing a bank and going out to the light. Before the regulation catches our ankles. I want to play in a bigger water.”

I blankly looked at the master without realizing.

‘Good?’

I seem to know why that document is shining with golden light.

This was a good opportunity for me too, for the master too, for Taeseong too.