Episode 155
“Hum hum hum~” Wang Jin-hee hummed as she organized her research papers.
“Everything is proceeding smoothly.”
She had initially approached Park Sol with the intention of fulfilling her father’s wishes and securing a beneficial marriage, but he had exceeded her expectations.
A successful company, shrewd business skills, and even a similar philosophy. He was the perfect ally for her succession battle.
“All I have to do now is graduate.”
Everything was prepared.
Unlike her two older brothers, who had been groomed for leadership since childhood and were constantly surrounded by people vying for their attention, she had been confined to the roles of student and daughter, constantly reminded to focus on becoming a suitable wife.
She felt like a commodity, groomed and managed to be sold off for the benefit of the family.
If she married someone chosen by her father, that person would undoubtedly bring benefits to Haixin Group. But what would she gain?
Why should she sacrifice herself for their benefit, for their Haixin Group?
No, if she had to make a sacrifice, it would be for her Haixin Group.
She had made this vow in middle school and had strived to excel in everything, academics, athletics, anything to gain recognition.
And her efforts had paid off. As she developed into the only competent child among her siblings, her father’s gaze had changed.
A successful child was a source of pride for any parent.
She sneered, “But he just saw me as a more valuable commodity to be sold off.”
A foreign-educated daughter would fetch a higher price, wouldn’t she?
That was all he saw in her.
But it didn’t matter anymore.
The dirt she had been collecting on her brothers since high school was ready to be unleashed, and her alliance with Park Sol had provided her with the power and influence she needed.
Suddenly, her phone rang.
“Hello, this is Wang Jin-hee.”
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Greetings.
She tilted her head at the distorted voice. “Who is this?”
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Have you heard of Baek In-hwi?
Her eyes widened. “Baek In-hwi?”
She knew the name. She had diligently studied economics and finance to prepare for the succession battle.
He was the rumored mastermind behind a triad’s slush fund, a mysterious figure who invested heavily in Korea. His operations were so large that even many in China were curious about his true identity, but no one had been able to uncover it.
“Why is Baek In-hwi calling me?”
Flustered by this unexpected contact, she calmly asked, “I’ve heard of him. What do you want? And how did you get my number?”
Her phone number was strictly confidential, protected by Haixin Group’s security. How had he obtained it?
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There are ways.
“Hmm, is that so? So, what’s your business?”
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Do you need any help?
His abrupt offer made her wary. “Help? What kind of help?”
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Are you interested in the successor position at Haixin Group?
She stood up abruptly, her eyes narrowing. “Who are you? Baek In-hwi? Do you know who you’re talking to?”
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Wang Jin-hee, youngest daughter of Chairman Wang of Haixin Group.
“…”
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I assure you, my intentions are not hostile. I’m calling to propose an investment.
“An investment?”
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Yes, an investment in your future value. Wouldn’t the future chairman of Haixin Group be a worthwhile investment?
“The future chairman…”
Only her close confidants and Park Sol knew about her ambition.
What made him so confident?
“You should talk to my brothers. As a woman, I have no chance of becoming the successor.”
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Investments are all about high risk, high return. Your brothers already have plenty of supporters. Our help wouldn’t make a difference. But you’re different. A helping hand in times of need is much more valuable.
“Is this a trap set by my brothers?” She couldn’t shake off her suspicion.
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I’ll end the call if you’re not interested.
“…What if I tell my father about this?”
He was incredibly bold, despite being a secretive organization.
Her father wouldn’t tolerate such a direct approach.
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Hehehe, because I’m confident. Here, take this.
“Take what…?”
A man suddenly approached her and bowed deeply. “Greetings.”
“W-who are you?” She was startled, as she wasn’t with her bodyguards on campus.
“A message from CEO Baek In-hwi.” He handed her a note.
“CEO Baek In-hwi?”
Her heart pounded as she put the phone back to her ear. “W-what is this? How did you know where I was…?”
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Take it. Contact me if you change your mind.
A shiver ran down her spine. ‘These people are serious.’
I had only given her my contact information and retreated, but I was confident she would contact me soon. She needed allies to win the succession battle. And I was offering her a powerful weapon.
“She’ll probably try to play me and Baek In-hwi against each other, using us as hidden weapons.”
I would let her think she was in control, manipulating her from behind the scenes. I would provide her with heihaizi to do her bidding, gradually building her power base.
“That should be enough insurance…”
The ideal scenario was for her to cooperate with me after becoming chairman, but I was inherently suspicious.
What if she divorced me after achieving her goal?
“I’m looking forward to next year.”
I returned to Korea and resumed my work.
Work, work, work.
That was my life. Work, drink, sleep. Repeat.
“Am I a workaholic?”
But I wasn’t unhappy.
I had no hobbies, no other interests. The thrill of making money, the sense of accomplishment from winning a cutthroat competition, was my only source of joy and motivation.
Money itself was meaningless, but I was addicted to the game.
“Any new opportunities?”
We had grown significantly during the financial crisis, but after Daehoo Group’s collapse, the restructured companies were stabilizing.
“I wish it had lasted longer.” Chaos and instability were good for my business.
As I was organizing documents, someone knocked on the door.
“Chairman, it’s Park Jong-bum.”
“Come in.”
“Are you busy?”
“Not particularly. What’s up?”
He said with a troubled expression, “We received an interesting proposal from a used car company, and I’m not sure what to make of it.”
“A used car company?”
Although I considered myself the king of the secondhand market, I had no dealings with used cars.
Unlike other used goods, which were often discarded when they broke down or became outdated, used cars were expensive, so the barrier to entry was low.
Why was the barrier to entry low for a high-value product?
Because the used car market operated differently from other businesses.
It wasn’t about manufacturing and selling, it was about distribution.
Anyone with enough money to buy a used car could enter the market. A single successful transaction could earn you a month’s salary.
And it didn’t require any special skills. All you needed was money and salesmanship.
With used clothes, for example, the profit margin was only a few won per kilogram, so you had to collect at least a ton a day to make a decent living. It required time and space, so you had to be serious about it.
With used cars, on the other hand, all you needed was enough money to buy a few cars and a place to park them. It was that simple.
And with so many small-time dealers entering the market, the price fluctuated wildly, making it impossible for a single company to dominate.
“What kind of proposal is it? Do we have any connection to the used car market?” I couldn’t think of anything.
“Have you heard about the US military downsizing?”
“Yes, I have.”
I had heard that they were planning to halve the number of US troops stationed in Korea. But what did that have to do with a used car company?
“I heard this from the used car company. When the US military withdraws from an overseas base, they sell off all their non-military equipment locally.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“They dispose of everything except for weapons and ammunition, like computers and vehicles used by the soldiers.”
My eyes gleamed. “Is that true?”
“That’s what they said.”
“Why?”
“It’s probably more cost-effective to sell it locally than to transport it back to the US.”
There were over 50,000 US troops stationed in Korea.
If they withdrew half of them, that would be 25,000 soldiers, plus their families, so about 100,000 people. All their belongings would be sold off through a used goods auction.
“100,000 people… that’s worth hundreds of billions of won.”
“Since it’s such a large amount, they’re forming a consortium. The used car companies are proposing that they handle the vehicles, and we handle everything else,” Park Jong-bum explained.
“Hmm.” It was valuable information, but I wondered if the US military was that naive. Wouldn’t it be more profitable to hold separate auctions for different items? Cars, electronics, etc.? Why bother forming a consortium?
“They said it’s not a combined auction…”
I smelled money.
The goods used by the US military were usually high quality, and the volume was massive.
“Let’s meet with them.”