Chapter 137: White Knight (1)

Strategy Planning Director Han Seung-woo, who had been quietly watching the situation, opened his mouth.

“Representative, it would be best to move the creditor group first. Tara Steel's non-performing loans are out on the market, and in this current situation, we can quickly buy a portion to form a voting rights block within the creditor group.”

Choi Seo-jun followed up and said.

“That must be the reason why Chen Wei is in a hurry as well. Because if they secure just a majority of the creditor group, they can even make the court receiver their ally. If we are late, it is game over.”

I slowly turned around and looked at the two of them alternately.

“Good. Director Han, please prepare for the bond purchase through the London financial lines. You must move quietly. And for this case, speed is life.”

Han Seung-woo spoke in a calm voice.

“I have already given the instructions. By tomorrow morning, the first purchase will be possible.”

“Good. Director Choi, please organize the list of key figures in the creditor group and report it by tomorrow. We must know who is on Chen Wei’s side and who is neutral. Because we must first distinguish if we can pull them to our side.”

Choi Seo-jun answered.

“Yes, I will organize it right away.”

I caught my breath for a moment and lowered my voice.

“And we must find the weaknesses of Chen Wei Holdings. Whether it is the funding structure, political connections, or hidden stakeholders… there will definitely be something. We must prepare so that we can blow it up according to the timing we want.”

Director Han Seung-woo nodded his head and handed over the materials.

“The investigation team is already tracking the cash flow of Chen Wei Holdings. Several suspicious paper companies were caught between the UK and Hong Kong. If we catch the tail, we will be able to shake them.”

“Good. Please continue to push that, Director.”

I contemplated something and then looked at Choi Seo-jun.

“Director Choi, try to open the British political lines. What Chen Wei is aiming for is not a simple company but the core of a British strategic industry. There is plenty of room to make it a political issue.”

“I have already secured the list of members of the Conservative Party’s Industry Committee. I will contact them starting tomorrow.”

I looked around the conference room once and said,“Good. Let us try to flip the board laid out by Chairman Chen Wei.”

After the meeting ended, just past 9 PM Korean time, most of the lights in the office hallway were off.

However, my office alone was still brightly lit.

I took out my phone and searched for someone’s name.

Soon, the name Ravindra Rajan appeared on the screen.

I looked at the clock for a moment.

It was currently 5:40 PM in New Delhi, India.

It was not a bad time to make a phone call.

I caught my breath briefly and pressed the call button.

I introduced myself in English.

“Hello, Mr. Ravindra? I am Lim Hyunjun from Korea. We have met once before in the US.”

-Ah, I remember you. It is a pleasure.

Ravindra was very glad, as if he had been waiting for me.

“I apologize for the sudden contact. Are you aware of the situation regarding Tara Steel?”

A short silence flowed.

As if an unexpected topic had suddenly popped up, Ravindra’s tone of voice changed slightly.

He laughed lowly and opened his mouth.

-…Tara Steel? Of course I know. I did not expect you to mention that company.

I wore a smile and said point-blank.

“I naturally thought you would. In that case, do you also know that China’s Chen Wei Holdings is showing interest?”

-Ahem. What is it that you want to say?

It was a reaction full of wariness.

I continued speaking without minding it.

“Are you going to hand the company over to them?”

-Hahaha! You are a more interesting person than I thought. Well. Nothing has been decided yet.

“Then, how about meeting in person to talk?”

-Good. This kind of story is not something to be said simply over the phone.

A gentle smile spread across the corners of my mouth.

“I shall visit you soon.”

-Let us do that.

After the call ended, I put down the phone and let out a deep breath.

***

The next day, dawn.

A time when the sun had not even risen yet.

In the VIP passage of Incheon International Airport, the shadows of four people quickly brushed past.

Director Choi Seo-jun, Advisor Hong Jang-gun, and Senior Associate of the International Strategic Office Park Seong-hun, along with me, Representative Lim Hyunjun, were heading toward the boarding gate of the private jet owned by the group instead of the general departure hall.

This business trip was a top-secret schedule that was not known to the media or anyone inside the group.

While moving with large strides, my voice broke the silence.

“Director Choi, has all the luggage been delivered?”

“Yes. The checked baggage was moved to the private jet in advance. I also handled it so that the route is not exposed to the outside.”

Park Seong-hun, who was participating for the first time this time, was just over thirty years old.

He was a talented individual belonging to the International Strategic Office at HJ Partners who handled both Hindi and English fluently.

However, this was his first time accompanying a task of this scale.

Park Seong-hun was practically hugging his briefcase.

It was because he was extremely nervous.

Seeing that, Hong Jang-gun chuckled and asked.

“Is this your first business trip?”

“Ah, no it is not.”

“Then relax a bit.”

“I, I am fine.”

Park Seong-hun shook his head in embarrassment, but anyone could see that his stiff shoulders and awkward smile were revealing that he was nervous.

Choi Seo-jun quietly added from the side.

“Anyone is nervous at first. It will be fine once you get used to it.”

Park Seong-hun nodded his head briefly and bit his lips tightly without realizing it.

For some reason, his hands kept sweating.

I quietly watched that sight from behind and said.

“Senior Park, there is no need to be nervous.”

Park Seong-hun flinched for a moment like a surprised person, then answered with a determined look in his eyes.

“I shall keep that in mind!”

In this way, I boarded the private jet once again.

After about eight hours had passed since takeoff, the Indian subcontinent revealed its appearance through the airplane window.

Under the deep blue sky, the endlessly unfolding cities and fields shone white in the sunlight.

The aircraft slowly landed on the runway of New Delhi airport.

It was just past noon.

The stinging sunlight unique to India was dazzlingly heating the airport runway.

As if he were tired, Choi Seo-jun stood up from his seat and stretched as soon as we arrived.

They each quietly packed their bags.

The four of us moved quickly.

As this schedule was being conducted in top secret, the entry process was also handled quietly.

Unlike Korea, January in India is dry weather showing temperatures around 20 degrees even in the middle of the day.

The temperature difference was distinct.

It was not as cold air as that, but having come from a cold place, the sunlight felt unfamiliar.

Choi Seo-jun said a word while looking at the weather.

“It is cold in Korea because it is below zero, but it feels completely like spring here.”

I surveyed the surroundings without a word.

Unlike the heat felt on the runway, the airport road leading to the city center was relatively quiet.

It was thanks to the clear sky.

Hong Jang-gun took the steering wheel of the car I rode in.

Park Seong-hun sat in the passenger seat, and Choi Seo-jun was next to me.

They were each busy looking out the window and watching.

Colorful signs and night markets continued along the roadside, and people were moving energetically.

While the exotic landscape brushed past, my gaze gradually turned serious.

Perhaps because this visit was not a simple business trip, I also had many thoughts.

Before long, the car stopped in front of a luxury hotel located in the middle of the city center.

It was a five-star hotel counted among the best in New Delhi, and the grand building surrounded by white marble exterior walls and garden trees was impressive.

Above all, the Rajan Industrial Group headquarters building stood majestically right across from the hotel.

While watching the building out the window, Choi Seo-jun muttered.

“Wow, seeing it from here, it is truly overwhelming.”

I nodded my head and answered.

“The Rajan family did not ask to meet here for no reason.”

The hotel was also very luxurious, but not as much as Rajan Industrial. We left our bags roughly and moved immediately.

In the restaurant inside the hotel, there was a private room for VIPs.

When we entered, three young men and women were already taking their seats.

They were the children of Ravindra Rajan.

The first one to stand up from the seat and greet my group was the eldest son, Arav Rajan.

He was dressed in a neat suit and said with a gentle smile.

“Welcome. You have gone through a lot of trouble coming from so far away.”

As Arav first offered a greeting in fluent English, the second child, Ishani, who was beside him, waved her hand.

“It is nice to meet you again. It seems Father will be a little late because he has a schedule.”

I smiled and said.

“It has been a long time. It is like I have visited suddenly, so I am merely grateful that you are welcoming me so warmly like this.”

Ishani smiled brightly.

“Father is also looking forward to meeting you very much, Representative. Now, please sit.”

Warm tea and simple desserts came out in the VIP room.

The one who first brought up a word was indeed the eldest son, Arav.

He skillfully wore a social smile.

As if he were used to this kind of thing, he led the conversation by throwing several questions at me.

“You really went through a lot of trouble coming from Korea. The flight time must have been long. Is this your first visit to India in this kind of season?”

“Yes, it is my first time. It is good because the weather is warmer than I thought.”

After I answered, Choi Seo-jun and Hong Jang-gun also shared stories regarding the weather.

Ishani launched an offensive of questions while looking only at me.

“You left a deep impression even when we first met in the US, Representative. It is so good to meet you again.”

Her unique bright personality was revealed.

“Do you want to see around New Delhi after the schedule is over? I will guide you.”

“Thank you, but I think it will be difficult this time. I think I will have to return to Korea immediately.”

At those words, Ishani was very disappointed.

Thanks to the active conversation of the two, the table atmosphere flowed smoothly.

However, the youngest, Arjun, who was sitting at one end, was in a completely different appearance.

He did not participate in the conversation and was merely sitting blankly with his gaze in the air.

Like a borrowed sack of barley.

Park Seong-hun awkwardly watched the mood at the sight he was seeing for the first time.

The person enjoying it most leisurely was Hong Jang-gun. Arav slightly turned the topic.

“I heard from Father. That you are interested in the Tara Steel case, Representative. In fact, I have also been watching that problem quite carefully lately. They and we are also in a relative relationship. This crisis is truly regrettable.”

He was speaking fluently, but I could read his inner thoughts.

Even if one pretends to be interested in words, it implicitly reveals itself in the expression.

I observed his expression for a moment and then smiled gently.

‘He is pretending to care on the surface, but in reality, it seems he has little interest.’

Tara Steel was already a company that had collapsed after being hit directly by the European steel recession and the sharp drop in global demand.

Since it was entangled with massive debt and even labor union problems, an enormous amount of capital and time are needed for management normalization.

Furthermore, the fact that it was a company operated by a relative acted as a burden to Arav instead.

‘He must think that he might just spend money by stepping forward for no reason and not be able to even take the management rights properly.’

He could also hear talk of being cold-hearted among family.

In India's unique family community culture, if one handles the work coldly just because a relative's company fell into a crisis, it is seen as an act without blood or tears.

Especially for a family with high prestige like the Rajan family, such a gaze of public opinion could be fatal.