Chapter 521: Chapter 521: Busy, Yet Unsettled
Hu Jintao didn't answer immediately.
He merely fiddled with his whiskey glass, lost in thought, while Wen Jiabao observed his friend subtly.
Meanwhile, Bo Xilai seemed unaware of Hao Xun's presence and turned to me with a question.
"Mr. Kim Mu-hyeok, is it true that Hao Xun is the adopted son of Prime Minister Wen Jiabao… and also part of the Black Society?"
"That's correct. He's the Vice Chairman of the Black Dragon Society, which is affiliated with the Black Society."
"We have to manage our slush fund. But do you really think it's wise to entrust that to the Black Society? It will surely become a weakness later on," Bo Xilai expressed his concern.
His worries, at first glance, seemed valid. But this is China.
"Well, you see, the Black Dragon Society operates differently from other Black Society organizations. I've worked extensively with him. Of course, they aren't only engaged in legal activities… But which country thrives solely on lawful enterprises? The very act of managing your slush fund is illegal by definition."
Bo Xilai fell silent, contemplating.
In truth, whether laundering dirty money through the Black Society or foreign financial institutions made little difference.
Ultimately, the key is how effectively it is managed and how quickly it can be returned to its rightful owner.
"I can only think of Hao Xun who meets the criteria: someone knowledgeable about the entertainment business, well-connected with Korea, and trustworthy. No one else comes to mind."
"He seems to have made a good impression on you," Bo Xilai commented.
"Yes. We've collaborated on various projects. He does good work and quietly fulfills his responsibilities. Someone like him is worth trusting and working alongside."
"A man who earns praise from Mr. Kim Mu-hyeok… I'm curious to see what he's like."
Bo Xilai turned to Wen Jiabao and spoke,
"Premier, would you be kind enough to introduce me to him? I'd like to meet him in person."
"Understood. I'll arrange a meeting soon," Wen Jiabao replied.
"I'll be looking forward to it," Bo Xilai said.
Meanwhile, Hu Jintao seemed to have completed his internal deliberation, putting down his glass to address Wen Jiabao.
"Wen Jiabao?"
"Yes, Chairman," Wen Jiabao responded.
"Can we trust Hao Xun?"
"…He won't betray us."
"If trouble arises, you'll be responsible. Only then can I assign this task to you, got it?"
Wen Jiabao hesitated. The weight of responsibility felt heavy on his shoulders.
However, he quickly seemed to organize his thoughts, responding firmly.
"Yes. I'll take responsibility."
"Good. Then let's assign this task to him. The details…"
Perhaps Wen Jiabao's acceptance pleased Hu Jintao, as he smiled warmly before turning his gaze to me.
"Mr. Kim, can you manage this task?"
"I have to deal with issues in North Korea and some obligations to Russia, so I'm busy. However, I'll ask for an expert from Korea to arrange things with Vice Chairman Hao Xun," I assured.
"Hmm. You think that's acceptable? This task is also to prevent Jiang Zemin's rise to power," Hu Jintao said, slightly furrowing his brow.
"It's fine. They're reliable individuals, and for now, there's nothing major that needs to be started. The immediate plan is to import Korean dramas and films for theatrical release in China, while simultaneously building theaters here."
"Theaters? Will they be profitable?"
"Not just ordinary theaters. They're called 'multiplexes,' combining shopping malls and cinemas into one complex business. We'll establish this in various locations across China. Once we do, competitors will take a long time to catch up."
In Korea, cinemas consisting only of screening rooms were slowly declining in favor of the emerging multiplex trend.
In my previous life, Wanda Group began constructing the largest multiplexes in China, aiming to become the world's biggest multiplex group by the early 2010s.
This time, however, I planned to propose the idea, not Wanda Group.
"A complex business model might encourage shoppers to drop by the theater. The reverse could also happen, of course."
"Yes, exactly. I bet Wang Jianlin shifted his focus to entertainment out of the desire to increase the value of their real estate. Investing in a complex project brings various benefits and aligns with the profit margin," I reasoned.
"Real estate… sounds good. Let's proceed with that plan," Hu Jintao decided.
And with that, my suggestions came to an end.
Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao resumed their business discussion.
Bo Xilai approached me, refilling my glass while saying,
"Let's forget the past and work together well. It began with a bad connection, but it could evolve into a beneficial relationship, right?"
"Of course. Besides, you haven't had a direct confrontation with me, Bo Xilai. I hold no animosity towards you. Let's get along," I replied.
Bo Xilai and I clinked our glasses, both smiling.
Truthfully, I wasn't entirely convinced of his trustworthiness yet.
However, it could be amusing to see Bo Xilai become Chairman with Hu Jintao's backing.
Since plenty of time remained, I could afford to think it through.
* * *
The following day.
I wrapped up all my appointments in China and headed to Russia.
Upon arriving at Moscow Airport, Han Gyeong-yeong awaited me.
"Hey, Mu-hyeok!"
His friendly wave elicited a smile from me.
"I didn't expect you to come out to greet me."
"What's that supposed to mean? With the boss himself coming, wouldn't it be only right for a mere vice president like me to come out? Let's hit the road!"
Han Gyeong-yeong joked as he gestured. A vehicle he prepared was waiting in front of the airport.
We rode in the car for quite a while until we reached the house in Moscow.
As soon as we walked inside, we immediately dove into business talk.
"We're set to sign the acquisition contract for Yugansk tomorrow, right?"
"Yep. Signing is the last step. We've held off until you arrived. You're coming to watch, right?"
I nodded slightly. I had put in a massive effort for this, so I definitely wanted to see it through.
"Sure, I figured as much. But wow, I never expected we'd acquire Yukos's subsidiary. If the Kremlin hadn't swung our way, it would have naturally gone state-owned, right?"
"Probably?"
In my previous life, all subsidiaries of Yukos became state-owned.
The Yukos management sued the Russian government in both the UK and the US, but before my death, they achieved no legal success.
"Hyung, we acquired Yugansk for a bargain price in relation to its worth. Even though it wasn't a complete rip-off, it shouldn't be an issue even if they do sue us, right?"
"Ah, the higher-ups? They won't be a problem. Even if they sue us in the US or UK, do you think they can win? They'll probably be happy that we're running things instead."
Han Gyeong-yeong's response made me smile slightly. Even if a lawsuit emerged, we'd likely win, but I didn't want to engage in a meaningless fight.
Reading my thoughts, Han Gyeong-yeong continued,
"And compared to the Russians, we're far more trustworthy. Either we'll get a favorable verdict, or we'll stall the trial indefinitely. Either way, we will definitely win."
I smiled satisfactorily at Han Gyeong-yeong.
"Then it seems we have no issues with the acquisition. Good job. Once we sign the contract, enjoy your vacation. I'm giving you a month-long break."
"What? A month? Why only a month? Isn't that a bit stingy?"
I had originally intended to grant him a sabbatical, but plans had changed.
With uncertainties surrounding North Korea's situation, it would be irresponsible to offer him a long vacation.
"Only a month. I could give you more, but it's uncertain how things will pan out."
"Is it because of North Korea?"
"Yeah. Soon enough, the sanctions will be approved. We won't know how North Korea will change rapidly, and you can't just leave your post, right?"
"Ha, since you can't really take a break either, I can't really argue with you. Alright then, but can I rest on an island in Greece?"
"Sure. Have a good rest there."
Even though he complained, Han Gyeong-yeong likely realized that leisure wouldn't come easily amid this chaos.
"But what do you think will happen?"
"With North Korea?"
"Yeah. You must have some plans, right? You're not the kind of guy who would sit around doing nothing."
"Well…"
I then explained my strategy to Han Gyeong-yeong. After hearing me out, his jaw dropped.
"Is that okay? If you fail, it could turn into a huge disaster for you."
"There won't be any evidence linking me to this. We just need to manipulate the narrative to make it look like Jang Seong-taek hired the mercenaries. So don't worry."
Though I spoke casually, Han Gyeong-yeong observed me anxiously.
"Regular folks might not know. But those in power surely won't be oblivious to who did it. Right?"
"They'll pretentiously play dumb. And even if they know, what can they do? With the U.S., China, and Russia keeping each other in check concerning North Korea, they won't prevent what I'm planning. So, no need for concern."
"Mu-hyeok, I'm scared. Everything could vanish in an instant. I hope this stops here," Han Gyeong-yeong muttered with unease, but it was far too late to turn back now.
Much had changed because of me, and I needed to take charge.
"Don't worry. You won't lose a thing."
Those words were meant for him but also a promise to myself.
"…Alright. You're entering the Kremlin tonight, right?"
"Yeah. I'm set to meet that person alone after a while. I wonder why they chose to meet up at the Kremlin instead of the dacha. I guess I'll find out when we meet."
Afterward, I continued to tell Han Gyeong-yeong about the contingency plans in case of severe changes in North Korea. He was quick to grasp the key points without prompting.
Since he was someone who could pick up on ideas easily I wasn't overly worried.
After chatting for a while, I realized it was almost time to head to the Kremlin.
I brought only Manager Ma along as we headed to the Kremlin.
Arriving at the Kremlin Palace, I underwent a simple security check before being led to the innermost secret room.
"Oh! Mu-hyeok! Good to see you!"
The owner of the Kremlin welcomed me, and I shared a brief embrace.
"Make sure to come by more often," he said.
"Haha, I've been a bit overwhelmed. I apologize for not visiting more often," I replied.
"No, no. I know you're a busy man. Now, come, have a seat," he urged.
No sooner had I sat down than he pushed a glass of strong vodka toward me.
"Let's have a drink first," he suggested.
I accepted the glass and lightly clinked it against his.
The vodka burned my throat on the way down, warming my body swiftly.
"Thank you for facilitating the acquisition of Yugansk. It seems the U.S. won't pose significant trouble now," he noted.
"That's beneficial for my business. Without any profits, no matter how much you plead, I wouldn't have acquired it," I responded.
"Haha. If there were no profits, you wouldn't have gone through with it…"
He trailed off, topping off his glass again.
"But you can't have 100% control. You're aware of that, right?"
"Of course. I'm planning to allocate 49% to the President and individuals related to Medvedev. The chairman of Yugansk will also be someone nominated by the President. However, we will run the operations ourselves. Please ensure the Vice Chairman has the power to oversee everything while retaining the chairman title."
The President frowned at the notion of having a puppet leader put in place, but he soon nodded a reluctant agreement.
"Hmm. If it doesn't harm Russian interests, I won't make an issue of it."
"Russia's interests align with mine. So you needn't worry about that," I reassured him.
Following that, we raised our glasses once more.
Downing the potent vodka in one go, I set my glass down.
"We can discuss the Yugansk matter later. What are they saying in the U.S. regarding the North Korean nuclear issue?"
"I came here specifically regarding that matter. I've persuaded the U.S. and China on the issue," he responded.
"Hmm… What exactly are you? A politician or a businessman? You seem so ambiguous," I remarked.
"I'm a businessman. I'm diving into the North Korean issue solely for my business interests. I have no desire to enter politics at all," I clarified.
"Well, time will tell," he said mischievously, but I truly had zero intentions of pursuing politics.
Having witnessed the eventual fate of politicians, I knew very well what would come.
"Alright, tell me about it."
I took a deep breath before recounting exactly what I had said in China.
The President listened intently, drinking vodka without interruption throughout my explanation.
As I wrapped up, he set down his glass and asked,
"So you're suggesting we support the sanctions?"
"Yes, that's correct," I affirmed.
"And what gains can we expect?"
I knew I needed to provide him with good reasoning.
I played with my glass nervously before carefully speaking.
"Jang Seong-taek will instigate a coup. If that's successful, it will set President Wen Jiabao's long-held dream into motion. I'm talking about constructing gas and oil pipelines stretching from Siberia into North Korea and then further to Korea."
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