Chapter 60

Chapter 60

Reward Drink

The gazes of the ministers who entered this room stuck on Father.

Sharp and stinging gazes like blades scanned Father from head to toe.

-I’ll prove innocence with results instead of excuses.

-I’ll directly show the reason why the same route map has to be drawn even without mobilizing bribery and corruption.

They’re gauging how to take responsibility for this gutsy remark.

Father said calmly.

“If a person with a properly attached head, they can’t help but draw the Subway Line 2 route map similarly.”

At Father’s brazen answer, one of the President’s eyebrows rose.

Mayor Gu’s complexion that was already pale blue completely changed to dark.

Not only the Blue House chief of staff but the ministers of each ministry inhaled breath.

Regardless.

Father raised one hand.

“If assuming that Your Excellency has to draw a subway route map on the spot. The conditions are as follows.”

Father said folding fingers one by one.

“About 40 or more subway stations, with a budget of about 180 billion won, construction period about 5 years, total length 48~49 km route, connecting Gangnam and Gangbuk, and has to pass important facilities of the downtown.”

Father shrugged his shoulders.

“To satisfy all these tricky conditions, one can’t help but draw the most efficient route.”

“Map.”

When the President crooked his hand, the Blue House chief of staff sitting beside quickly picked up the subway route map that fell on the floor and unfolded it neatly on the table.

The route map that Taeseong submitted, drawn with a red sign pen, returned to its place.

“Except that.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

The Blue House chief of staff quickly removed the crude map that the president of U-gwang Construction drew.

The map that was suddenly crumpled went straight into the tin trash can.

“Hmm.”

The President blankly looked down at the two maps unfolded on the table.

Unlike the Subway Line 2 route map that Mayor Gu drew with a pencil, on the route map drawn with a red sign pen, letters were written in the middle.

Marking the important facilities of the downtown even prioritizing.

“Mayor Gu.”

“Yes, Your Excellency!”

Called by position not name.

It meant to answer according to duty.

What the President wanted was clear.

-Cross-verification of information.

Mayor Gu poured cold sweat.

The President didn’t withdraw the suspicion.

-Bribery and improper solicitation.

Mayor Gu had to definitely explain this.

The current government seized power with a military coup so it’s vulnerable in legitimacy.

Therefore, they came out with words that the people would like such as compensation for national meritorious persons or restoration of lost cultural properties, eradication of corruption etc. and pretended to aim for a clean and correct government and washed the image.

So they might close eyes to collusion between politics and business going behind but won’t forgive corruption revealed in front of the eyes.

That was a trap that even Mayor Gu who is the Seoul Mayor and the President’s closest aide couldn’t avoid.

“The reason for taking out the proposal.”

“I wanted to test if there’s a better idea, how much is the construction company’s ability. Because it’s a great construction that has to pour national resources close to 200 billion for 5 years, I wanted to be careful at the planning stage.”

Mayor Gu’s words became faster and faster.

“Honestly speaking, it was a proposal taken out like a joke thinking of pressing the construction company’s nose from the start. But unbelievably this friend drew the Subway Line 2 route map in 30 minutes······!”

“Conclusion.”

“I swear I never received bribes and solicitations. Also, the Subway Line 2 route map also I always put in my bosom and did my utmost for confidentiality······.”

“Up to there.”

The President blocked Mayor Gu’s mouth by lightly raising his hand.

The President raised his chin tip toward Father.

“Continue. Prove.”

“If being greedy, Taeseong has to bear all the cost and responsibility burden until completion, if being cunning, it becomes troubled with embezzlement of construction costs and shoddy construction. So under those conditions, that was the best.”

The President leaned his back on the sofa.

It was the sound of talking more.

“The reason for attaching the proviso ‘those conditions’.”

“Because if able to increase the budget and deadline a bit more, adding one more subway station that Mayor Gu missed is a more efficient route composition.”

The President glanced down at the subway route map, and Mayor Gu was startled.

Whether he was self-praising ‘It was the best plan!’ himself because his subway plan and Father’s plan were very similar inwardly, the shock seemed quite big.

“What? A subway station I missed?”

“The Gangnam Seoul Express Bus Terminal.”

Seoul Mayor Gu Jae-cheol established a plan to construct a comprehensive bus terminal in Banpo-dong to alleviate downtown concentration and develop Gangnam.

He temporarily completed in temporary building form and forcibly transferred the express bus routes that were scattered at Seoul Station and Dongdaemun Station by bus company.

That was only 1 year ago.

“Ah······!”

Mayor Gu hit his forehead.

“Right! I forgot that!”

This was Mayor Gu’s mistake known historically.

The reason the Gangnam Express Bus Terminal Station was added first to Subway Line 3.

“To think I forgot and left out the transportation hub connecting Seoul and the provinces! This is really an unforgivable oversight! Your Excellency, really sorry! I have no face.”

If counting Seoul Station, Cheongnyangni Station etc. as the terminus of railways, the terminus of intercity buses was Yongsan Intercity Bus Terminal, and as the terminus of express buses, the Gangnam Seoul Express Bus Terminal was often counted.

This was a place that had to become one of the core gateways of Seoul transportation going to Gyeongsang-do, Gangwon-do, Jeolla-do.

“Even now if inserting there into the Subway Line 2 route map······!”

“Mayor Gu, as I said earlier, due to the realistic problem of budget and construction deadline, in the current situation that’s very difficult.”

“Ah······! That’s so. Because Taeseong has to bear all responsibility and cost burden.”

Mayor Gu stamped his feet while very regretting.

“So that’s why you pulled the Subway Line 3 and Line 4 route maps like that! If just adding a bit more budget and deadline right now, it’s a matter that resolves simply, but since that’s difficult, passing to the next plan······!”

The corner of the President’s mouth rose.

“Good.”

The President crooked his finger.

Then the Blue House security chief lowered the arm that was blocking Father.

The Blue House security chief pointed at the sofa with his chin tip.

“Sit.”

That was the distance with the President that Father’s answer obtained.

It was only the lowest seat in the room, but the other ministers were standing stuck to the wall now.

“······!”

Not only the ministers but even the Blue House chief of staff looked at Father with surprised eyes.

Only Mayor Gu was an expression of enduring joy while twitching the corner of his mouth.

Step, step, step, plop.

Father walked obediently and sat on the permitted seat.

The President said while rubbing out the cigarette butt in the ashtray.

“Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Construction, Seoul City.”

“Yes!”

“A plan including this opinion. On my desk by next Monday.”

“Yes, understood.”

At the sound of finishing within just three days, the complexions of the called ministers and Mayor Gu darkened.

The President took out a new cigarette and bit it.

The Blue House chief of staff hurriedly took out a lighter, but the Blue House security chief who ran over before knowing roughly hit that hand.

“Don’t act up. Huh?”

The Blue House security chief opened his already fierce eyes wide.

The Blue House chief of staff quietly put down the lighter he was holding on the table.

The Blue House security chief lit the President’s cigarette with a silver Zippo lighter and only then smiled satisfactorily and stepped back behind the President and stood.

“The reason for deliberately omitting here.”

Good! Expected question 2 started!

Another national project of Taeseong Construction that can be easily won with one word of the absolute power holder!

This time let’s aim for that!

“1 year ago the Gangnam Seoul Express Bus Terminal opened but as a result of express bus users exploding, the current Seoul’s express bus traffic volume is also not all digesting. Expansion construction can’t be avoided.”

Father said quietly.

“If assuming it’s a place where construction is scheduled soon, the situation becomes very complicated. How will it be if on the already complicated road where up and down express buses come and go, terminal expansion construction of course even Subway Line 2 construction proceeds all at once?”

“Hmm.”

“Road construction workers and underground civil engineering construction workers of course passengers using the highway and merchants will all gather at once. Naturally, if considering stuffing the heavy equipment that has to be mobilized and necessary facilities and material loading, the possibility of safety accidents occurring is very high. So I deliberately omitted.”

Tap tap.

The President shook off the cigarette ash.

“Solution method.”

“To resolve simply, choose one of two. Give up including in the Subway Line 2 route, or postpone the Gangnam Seoul Express Bus Terminal expansion construction.”

“Rejected.”

The Gangnam Seoul Express Bus Terminal is already a situation where terminal expansion construction can’t be postponed due to current user oversaturation.

Also, with users overflowing like this, if excluding from Subway Line 2 for the reason that construction is complicated, the original goal of alleviating downtown traffic volume and satisfying citizens’ transportation convenience can’t be achieved.

“If forcibly?”

“If giving work to one construction company so that construction schedule and worker mobilization, heavy equipment placement and loading space securing etc. can be adjusted, it becomes possible.”

“Good.”

The President nodded.

Then the Blue House security chief standing behind the President immediately reacted.

He brought an empty drink glass and put it down in front of Father.

Trickle.

The Blue House security chief personally poured Royal Salute.

“Drink. It’s the drink that His Excellency bestows.”

“Thank you.”

Father politely raised the drink glass with both hands and downed it in one gulp.

The more so, the expressions of the Blue House chief of staff and the ministers standing on the wall became more peculiar.

Only Mayor Gu smiled contentedly.

“Mayor Gu. Extend the Subway Line 2 construction.”

“Yes, Your Excellency. Including up to the Gangnam Seoul Express Bus Terminal, right?”

“Also give the terminal expansion construction to this friend.”

“Yes, I’ll do so.”

“Including terminal commercial building construction.”

“Yes. Understood.”

Good! Exactly that!

“No need to even go to competitive bidding.”

“Then I’ll decide as sole bidding. How about proceeding with a private contract?”

“Do as you like.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

Mayor Gu’s smile became thicker.

With one word of the President, it was smooth.

‘Gangnam Express Bus Terminal expansion construction and even terminal commercial building construction confirmed!’

Jackpot!

Not for nothing that the note I wrote shone with golden light!

The President didn’t stop there.

“Subway construction. Is there a need to drag time more?”

It means to advance the start date of the Subway Line 2 construction.

That word is the sound that no matter what method U-gwang Construction uses, the Subway Line 2 construction is our Taeseong’s share!

It was the subway construction that the President confirmed.

This can’t be changed even if Mayor Gu who is the decision maker and the responsible person for management and supervision steps forward.

“Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Construction, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Seoul City.”

“Yes!”

This time the President’s call added the Ministry of Commerce and Industry one more.

“Reflect this opinion too. On my desk by next Tuesday.”

“Yes, understood.”

The report submission deadline only increased by just one day.

In a situation where there’s only total four days of time, the Minister of Commerce and Industry was also included in the list of ministers whose complexions died black.

Mayor Gu who was smiling only changed the hearty laugh to a hollow laugh as if already resigned.

What can I do. If told to do from above, have to do.

“Your Excellency, then from when would it be good to start the construction?”

“Immediately. So as not to pass this year.”

So hasty!

How many days are left until the new year!

To the extent that a satisfying laugh came out naturally.

‘If this talk comes out at the new year meal place where the whole family gathers this time, how will it become?’

I don’t know, but the family’s interest will be very great.

Because Father negotiated with the President and won two more thick national projects, and even confirmed the Subway Line 2 construction that Grandfather held onto and exerted effort all along.

But the President didn’t stop there.

“Invited as a state guest of the Saudi royal family?”

It was the President’s real purpose for calling Father.

It was also the last expected question that I counted.