Chapter 227: Sigh, Here We Go Again

“Specialist Cha, I haven’t seen you around the office in ages!”

I had come to work last Monday, but I had been forced to leave almost immediately to attend Minister Peng Yuxiang’s interrogation.

Because of that, I hadn’t gotten a chance to run into any of my coworkers, including Specialist Woo Changhun.

“If you’d come in earlier on Monday, Specialist Woo, we would’ve seen each other.”

“What?! You came in on Monday?”

“Yes. I only met with the Department Director, and then I had to leave urgently to take care of something.”

“Ah, I see. Since this is your first time in the office in a while, how about some morning coffee?”

In the break room.

I took two cans of iced coffee from the vending machine and handed one to Specialist Woo Changhun.

He opened the can, took a sip, and asked curiously,

“Why were you gone for more than ten days? What kind of business trip did you have in China?”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you.”

Specialist Woo Changhun decided to rein in his curiosity. If Cha Jiham said he couldn’t answer, there had to be a good reason.

“If it’s difficult to talk about, I won’t ask anymore.”

“I’d appreciate that.”

“Let’s talk about something else. When should I submit my resignation?”

“KBH Investment launches next week, so the sooner, the better.”

“Why the rush?”

“You need to help Team Leader Heo Yeongjin recruit experienced employees and new hires.”

“Sorry, but I don’t want to transfer over as a rank-and-file employee.”

I realized I needed to clear up Specialist Woo Changhun’s misunderstanding.

“We’re planning to recruit Team Leader Heo as Executive Director of Human Resources at KBH Investment.”

“Don’t tell me...” Specialist Woo Changhun trailed off as if something had just dawned on him.

“It’s exactly what you’re thinking. You, Specialist Woo, will be taking the position of Head of the Human Resources Department at KBH Investment.”

“You’re entrusting such an important position to me?”

“You make it sound like you don’t want it. Am I right?”

“No! Of course not!”

“Haha, I understand.”

“Specialist Cha, thank you for thinking so highly of me.”

“Haha, come on, there’s no need to thank me.”

While we exchanged awkward chuckles, Yun Sola entered the break room.

Spotting us, she quickly walked over and sat down in an empty chair.

“Specialist Yun, when did you get back from your trip to Japan?”

“Last night. And when did you get back from your business trip to China, Specialist Cha?”

“Last weekend.”

“And you didn’t miss me at all while you were in China?”

‘Sigh, here we go again.’

“Thanks to you, I’ve come to deeply understand that I should refrain from going on business trips in the future.”

“Oh, please,” Yun Sola replied, though the corners of her lips were visibly curling upward.

After glancing at her, I turned to Specialist Woo Changhun.

“When would be a good time to have the farewell party?”

“I don’t even know anymore. So many people are resigning that I have no idea when we should hold it.”

As though she had been waiting for just that opening, Yun Sola joined the conversation.

“Specialist Woo, aren’t Specialist Cha and I the only ones resigning?”

“The Team Leader and I are leaving too.”

“Why are you two leaving?”

“Well, that’s just how things turned out.”

Bzzz.

At that moment, the phone lying on the table briefly vibrated.

I picked up my smartphone and checked the screen. There was a message from Support Team Leader Heo Yeongjin.

“Specialist Woo, the Department Director is looking for me.”

“Yeah? You’d better get going.”

The Department Director’s office.

After receiving permission to enter, I found Department Director Jeong Sunho and Support Team Leader Heo Yeongjin waiting for me.

I politely bowed to both of them and sat down on an empty sofa.

“Director Jeong, you wanted to see me?”

“I just wanted to have a cup of coffee with you, Specialist Cha. It’s been a while since we had a chance to talk.”

I didn’t believe Director Jeong Sunho for a second.

The man was notorious for constantly being busy, and there was no way he had called me here just to casually drink coffee together.

Still, I had no intention of voicing my thoughts aloud.

Just as we were about to continue the conversation, the secretary brought in enough coffee for everyone present.

After taking a sip, Director Jeong set his cup down on the table and began speaking.

“I’ll tell you why I called you here. Yesterday afternoon, the Chairman summoned me and told me that KBH Investment is planning to acquire Westinghouse. Then he ordered me to lead the mergers and acquisitions team. What is the Chairman really planning?”

I thought I understood Chairman Yoon Jeongu’s intentions.

He wanted to transfer Department Director Jeong Sunho to KBH Investment.

Now that I had figured out what he was planning, how could I pretend I knew nothing?

“It seems the Chairman thinks very highly of your abilities, Director.”

“And what makes you think that? Explain.”

“Director Jeong, you know that nuclear energy was added to the CF100 campaign, don’t you?”

“I do. Go on.”

“Many countries are currently pushing forward with the construction of nuclear power plants. That’s exactly why KBH Investment is trying to acquire Westinghouse, which has a strong position in nuclear power plant design.”

“But can KBH Investment really acquire Westinghouse?”

There was clear doubt in Jeong Sunho’s voice about whether such a thing was actually possible.

But I had cards of my own to play, so I wasn’t worried in the slightest.

“Westinghouse’s largest shareholder is Cameco, an investment company headquartered in Canada. Cameco itself is owned by the Royal Bank of Canada. Incidentally, the largest shareholder of the Royal Bank of Canada is Bongard Investment Group.”

“If Chairman Bongard gets involved, there won’t be any problems acquiring Westinghouse.”

“You’re absolutely right, Director. Now, let’s assume KBH Investment has already acquired Westinghouse. KBH Investment will need to form a consortium with several companies, including Hangang Engineering, and compete for nuclear power plant construction contracts. And you’ll have to lead that consortium.”

Department Director Jeong Sunho’s heart began pounding rapidly.

Winning a nuclear power plant construction project required a consortium involving numerous companies.

And in a project of such enormous scale, he {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} was being offered the crucial position of consortium leader!

Chairman Bongard and many other influential figures would be backing the consortium, so securing nuclear power plant construction contracts wouldn’t be difficult.

And naturally, all the credit would go to him.

Taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart, he continued the conversation with me.

“Director Cha, you’ll help the consortium win the nuclear power plant projects, won’t you?”

“Instead of answering, I’ll simply remind you that I’m the CEO of KBH Investment.”

“I understand what you mean. I’ll do everything I can to acquire Westinghouse.”

“You’ve made an excellent decision.”

“I need to report to the Chairman. Let’s go together.”

***

“Specialist Cha came too?” Chairman Yoon Jeongu asked Chief Secretary Song Dosok in surprise.

“It seems Director Jeong brought him along.”

“Send them in immediately.”

After receiving permission, Department Director Jeong Sunho and I entered, politely bowed to Chairman Yoon Jeongu, who was seated at the head of the table, and sat down on an empty sofa.

The moment we did, Chairman Yoon Jeongu expressed his displeasure to Director Jeong Sunho.

“Director Jeong, come on. Why are you asking Specialist Cha for help?”

“I didn’t ask him for help. I merely asked for his advice.”

“Help, advice—what’s the difference?”

“If that’s what you say, Chairman, then I have nothing to argue.”

“Ah, fine. How much longer are you going to keep me waiting?”

“I’m happy to accept your offer, Chairman.”

“Excellent decision. Put together the mergers and acquisitions team as quickly as possible and head to the United States on a business trip.”

Director Jeong Sunho tilted his head in confusion.

KBH Investment hadn’t even been officially established yet, and no employees had been hired.

How was he supposed to assemble a team and leave for a business trip to the United States under those circumstances?

He cautiously asked Chairman Yoon Jeongu what he had in mind.

“KBH Investment will receive its business registration certificate this week.”

“Ah, now I understand.”

“Recruit the team members on the condition that they transfer to KBH Investment afterward.”

“I’ll do that.”

“Director Jeong, you must be busy, so go.”

Having been told to leave, Department Director Jeong Sunho bowed to Chairman Yoon Jeongu and left the office.

After watching him go, Chairman Yoon Jeongu addressed me in a gentle voice.

“Did Department Head Peng Yuxiang accept the offer to flee to the United States?”

“Yes. He left for the United States yesterday afternoon.”

“What was the decisive reason he accepted the American government’s offer?”

“They offered him financial compensation for the information he possessed.”

“And how much did the U.S. government offer him?”

“I don’t know the exact amount, but I doubt they’ll pay him very much.”

“And he decided to flee to America despite such a small reward?”

I decided to satisfy Chairman Yoon Jeongu’s curiosity.

“Department Head Peng was managing Chairman Xi Jinping’s secret funds.”

“Is that true?”

“Yes. However, the secret fund he managed amounted to only about 6.5 billion dollars, less than one might expect.”

“Strange. There’s no way his slush fund could be that small...”

“You’re right, Chairman. In reality, he had around 80 billion dollars in secret funds, but most of it was managed by his personal secretary.”

“I see. Go on.”

“Director Hayden suggested that Department Head Peng take the slush funds in exchange for the data stored on his laptop.”

At that moment, Chief Secretary Song Dosok joined the conversation with a question.

“Specialist Cha, what did our country pay Department Head Peng in exchange for the information?”

“We downloaded the data from his laptop, so we didn’t pay a single won.”

“I see. Was there any information concerning our country among the data on his laptop?”

“The National Intelligence Service is currently analyzing the data, so I can’t say either way.”

“And how much data do they have to analyze?”

“There were 75 gigabytes of information stored on his laptop.”

A single A4 page holds approximately 15 kilobytes of text.

That meant 75 gigabytes amounted to approximately 5,250,000 A4 pages.

“That’s an incredible amount.”

“I agree, Chief Song.”

“By the way, how much did you receive for handing Department Head Peng over to the United States?”

“We received 10 billion dollars for handing him over along with the laptop.”

“You managed to get that much?!” Chief Secretary Song Dosok asked in astonishment, clearly not expecting such a sum.

“I actually think 10 billion dollars was too little.”

“Why?”

“Department Head Peng’s laptop contained the personal information of major MSS spies operating around the world.”

The U.S. government would demand concessions from the relevant countries in exchange for providing them with the list of spies.

If the value of all those concessions were added together, it would far exceed 10 billion dollars.

That was why Cha Jiham felt somewhat regretful.

“You should’ve asked for more!”

“Director Griffin and Director Nevers kept pretending to be poor and pleading poverty, so I had to settle for 10 billion dollars.”

“The almighty United States is short on money?”

“Because of the incident involving China, the U.S. government spent around 19 billion dollars.”

“Where did the other 9 billion go?”

“China’s naval base in Dalian was destroyed through the joint efforts of the Triad and Delta Force. As a token of gratitude, the U.S. government paid the Triad 20 billion dollars in compensation. In addition, Chief Secretary Kang Inhan sold the video recording of Politburo member Liu Peiqi’s interrogation for 5 billion dollars. And finally, to win Vice Chairman Tang Guochang’s favor, the U.S. government presented him with a gift of 2 billion dollars.”

“Hmm... I see.”

I decided it was time to wrap up the subject of China and tried to change the topic.

“Chairman, regarding my mother opening her restaurant, we need to purchase one of Hangang Group’s company residences. When would be a good time to sign the contract?”

“Since we’re talking about it now, why don’t we draw up the contract today?”

Bzzz.

And at that exact moment, the phone in my pants pocket vibrated.

I pulled out my smartphone and checked the screen. NIS Director Om Giyeon was calling.

After apologizing to Chairman Yoon Jeongu, I answered the call.

“Director Om, I’m listening.”

[Director Cha, can you come to the safe house right now?]

“Can you tell me why?”

[Commander Kwak Taesu says he has something he needs to discuss with you.]

“Understood. I’ll leave immediately.”

Click.

After hanging up, I apologized to Chairman Yoon Jeongu.

“I’m sorry, but it looks like we’ll have to postpone the purchase of the Hangang Group residence until another time.”