Episode 187
Lee Chang-myung, an ordinary researcher at MG Research Institute, where thousands of people worked tirelessly, was unusually anxious.
“I can do this. I can do this,” he muttered, his leg bouncing nervously. He wiped the sweat from his brow and glanced at his watch. “1:30 PM.” Thirty minutes until his meeting with that man. “I would be a fool to miss this opportunity.”
He recalled the man who had visited him a week ago. A large, imposing figure who had proposed that he become an industrial spy. He had been shocked and had refused immediately. It wasn’t something an ordinary researcher like him could do.
But the man knew everything. ‘You should also consider your family. Your debt isn’t small, is it?’ He knew about his father’s failed IT investments, the loans, the debt that had crippled his family. And the man had said, ‘All you have to do is follow our instructions. Think of yourself as a pawn. Go where we tell you to go and do what we tell you to do, and you’ll receive 2 billion won. And we’ll even provide you with a new job, a fresh start, away from MG.’
He was clinging to his job at MG, having survived the brutal restructuring, but the 2 billion won offer had tempted him. ‘Think carefully. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Do you want to spend the rest of your life paying off your debts?’
After days of agonizing over the decision, he had finally accepted. And today was the day.
He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. “Chang-myung, are you okay?” a colleague asked. It was a close friend from his training class. “Y-yeah, I’m fine.”
“You look pale and sweaty.” His colleague touched his forehead. “You’re burning up!”
Perhaps it was the blood rushing to his head. His forehead was hot.
“I’m just feeling a bit under the weather.”
“You should take the rest of the day off. How can you work in this condition?”
His conscience pricked him at his friend’s concern, but it was too late to turn back now. “I-I’m fine. I’ll be fine. I don’t want to be penalized for taking time off.”
His colleague sighed. “Well, it’s true that people are being laid off for the smallest mistakes. But take care of yourself. Your health is important.”
He forced a smile. “Y-yeah, thanks.”
After his colleague left, he checked his watch. “Five minutes.” A text message arrived.
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Second research building, third floor, men’s restroom, third stall, water tank. Leave now.
“Leave now?” He hurriedly gathered his things and took a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”
“Men’s restroom… this is it.” The research buildings were large, and he rarely visited the second building, as he worked in the third building, so he had some trouble finding it. “Third stall, water tank.”
He entered the stall, locked the door, and opened the water tank. Inside, a plastic bag containing several sheets of paper and three CDs. He took out the contents, careful not to get them wet, and his eyes widened. “This is…” It was a detailed map of the security guards’ patrol routes and schedules, along with instructions on how to bypass the security systems.
As an engineer at MG, he recognized the information as genuine. “How… how did they get this…?” He could understand the patrol routes, but the information about bypassing the security system… it required expert-level knowledge of MG’s security protocols. “Is MG’s security this lax?” It was a shocking revelation for an MG employee but a godsend for an industrial spy.
“No, it’s not that MG is lax… it’s that they’re that good.” They had infiltrated a major Korean corporation’s research lab and obtained its security protocols. The thought sent shivers down his spine.
“That’s why they said just follow the instructions…” This was information only a high-ranking executive at MG would have access to. It meant there was a mole within the management. He gulped and started reading the documents, muttering, “What if I had reported this…?” A scene from a drama flashed through his mind. He reports this to his supervisor, who smiles and says, “You’re quite talkative, aren’t you? I specifically instructed you to maintain confidentiality. I have no choice. You have to die!” “They’re terrifying.” “Are they… listening to me right now? No, that’s impossible.”
But it wasn’t impossible. The listening device Jin had planted on him was transmitting his every word to a relay vehicle parked near the research lab, which then relayed it to the secret base on Mujindo Island. A text message arrived.
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Focus on memorizing the information. It would be problematic if someone entered the restroom and overheard you. It was a subtle but clear message.
‘They’re listening!’ How could they monitor him so closely?
He shook his head, trying to dispel the chilling thought, and continued reading. ‘Let’s do this. I might as well get paid since I have no way out.’
The operation was a complete success.
The information provided by Director Kim was accurate, and Lee Chang-myung, following the instructions in the documents and text messages, played his part perfectly. He couldn’t avoid being recorded by the CCTV cameras, but he fled to China immediately after the operation. MG’s research lab was in chaos, launching an internal investigation, but Director Kim was leading the investigation, so it was like asking a fox to guard the henhouse.
I smiled, looking at the list of stolen technologies. “This is good. Worth every penny.”
“You’re amazing, sir,” Park Jong-bum said, bowing his head respectfully. “As long as Director Kim is there, we can use him again and again.”
“Maybe once or twice more. He won’t be able to keep his position if there are too many leaks, even if he blames it on someone else. Unless he wants to continue, of course.”
Would he be satisfied with a one-time payment of 2 billion won, having tasted the forbidden fruit? A hyena that had tasted blood wouldn’t stop hunting. And he had the safety net of Daehoo Electronics. I smirked. “That would be even better.”
Clean, laundered cash was safe from an accounting perspective, but it was also difficult to trace if it disappeared.
I could have him transferred to Daehoo Electronics, have my men investigate him, and recover the money he had hidden. He was just a pawn in my game.
“Anyway, MG’s technology is definitely superior to Daehoo’s.”
After Daehoo Group’s collapse, Daehoo Electronics, struggling to survive, had drastically reduced its R&D budget, shutting down less profitable research projects. They couldn’t afford to invest in long-term research when they were on the brink of bankruptcy.
I had increased their R&D budget after the acquisition, but catching up to the leading companies in the fast-paced electronics industry wasn’t easy.
The technologies stolen by Lee Chang-myung, although not everything MG had, would significantly reduce the gap between Daehoo and MG.
“MG spent billions developing these technologies, and they just handed them to us. Hehehe.” I handed the CDs to Park Jong-bum. “Give these to Director Kim Yong-tae and tell him to develop similar, but slightly different, technologies. It’s standard practice in the industry.”
He smirked. “Of course, sharing is caring.”
“And for Haixin Group… well, we can’t give them everything, can we? They’re our competitor, even if they’re family. Create a downgraded version. They’ll be grateful even for that.”
Haixin Group was doing well in the Chinese market, thanks to government support and its focus on low-cost products, but its technology was inferior to Saseong, MG, and even Daehoo Electronics. This would be enough to boost Wang Jin-hee’s position within the company.
“Yes, sir.”
After Park Jong-bum left, I called Wang Jin-hee.
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Hello?
“It’s Baek In-hwi.”
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Oh, you’re calling me first? What a surprise. What is it?
“About your new project, acquiring technology from Saseong or MG. What’s your budget?”
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Do you have a lead? she asked excitedly.
“I need to know your budget first.”
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I have 100 million yuan allocated, about 10 billion won, but I can ask my father for more if there’s a possibility.
I smiled. “Can you secure about 30 billion won?”
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30 billion won? That’s a bit difficult, but I’ll try if you’re confident you can get the technology.
“Confident, you say? Hehehe…” I chuckled in a low voice. “What if I already have it?”
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…What?
“MG is still trying to cover it up, but I’ve already acquired it. Mostly home appliance technologies.”
She was silent for a moment and then said, her voice laced with disbelief, – You’re joking, right? I asked you just a few weeks ago, and you already…
I enjoyed her surprise. “It wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t that difficult either. The goods are ready. How much can Haixin offer? It’s worth hundreds of billions of won.”
I could almost hear her calculating. – How about 20 billion won? It would be a great help to me, so consider it a favor. 20 billion won?
Even though I had promised to help her, I wasn’t going to give it away for free. Baek In-hwi wasn’t her husband and partner, Park Sol, but a business associate. “I’m willing to help, but I can’t lose money. I need to at least recover my costs. 30 billion won.”
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Please, just this once…
I interrupted her. “No, business is business. 30 billion won is already a bargain. If you expect me to just hand it over to you like a mother bird feeding her chicks, you’re mistaken. I haven’t even recovered my investment yet. If you continue like this, I might have to reconsider our relationship.”
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…
She sighed. – Fine, I was just trying to negotiate. I’ll talk to my father. 30 billion won, you said?
I smiled. “That’s more like it. And you’ll have to hire the engineer who helped us and provide them with protection.”
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Of course, that’s a given. Who would cooperate with us otherwise?
“Good. I’ll have my men deliver the technology then. It was a good deal.”
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Thank you. I didn’t expect this to be resolved so quickly. By the way, CEO Baek…
“Yes?”
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How powerful is your organization? Is there anything you can’t do?
I smirked. “I don’t know. I haven’t failed yet.”