Kapitel 438: Chapter 438: I Don’t Think I’ll Need This Anymore
I responded to Hamilton's question with a deep smile.
"No matter how much I analyze the information, I just can't make sense of it. Kim Mu-hyeok gains absolutely nothing from this situation. I already know you're someone who never makes a move without profit."
"Well, there are times when I act even if I take a loss. For instance, when helping the U.S. I think you've misunderstood something."
As I countered calmly, Hamilton furrowed his brow.
"Don't play word games with me. The White House is in an uproar because of this. The cordial relations between Russia and Western European countries since the collapse of the Soviet Union might return to a state of tension."
"It's a commission issue, as the Russian government announced. Negotiations over fees failed, so they halted the supply."
"Listen, Mr. Kim. After you spoke with Medvedev, he called a cabinet meeting. Are you saying this is just a coincidence?"
My expression hardened without me realizing it. How much does he know?
He knows I talked with Medvedev.
This means they either have an informant in the Kremlin, or…
"Are you tapping my phone?"
"That's impossible. How could we tap someone whose place is covered in anti-bugging devices even more advanced than the Blue House?"
"…"
Hamilton continued sarcastically.
"Not just the U.S., but the UK, France, and every government aware of this situation knows you're involved. This could negatively impact your business. We need to know, even if it's just to help you."
Claiming it's to help me while trying to exploit the situation for information. I couldn't help but laugh inwardly.
More importantly, the fact that various governments know… It's certain there's either a rat in the Kremlin or Valente has influenced the governments.
"You're right, Ambassador. There's no benefit for me. You seem to think I'm involved because of my call with Medvedev, but that's not the case at all. He called to ask my opinion as Gazprom's second-largest shareholder, and I just told him to go ahead."
"Mr. Kim."
He called my name softly, but I ignored it and continued.
"Isn't Western Europe currently dependent on Russian energy?"
"What are you…"
"The U.S. probably isn't too happy about that."
At a loss for words, Hamilton bit his lip hard.
I thought I'd be tense meeting the U.S. Ambassador, but this guy's motives are transparent.
"Don't act coy. Before asking me what's going on, shouldn't you first look for what the U.S. stands to gain from this situation? No, you've already figured it out, haven't you?"
Hamilton looked at me quizzically, as if asking what I meant.
"The supply will resume in two days. Shouldn't you do something before then?"
"The supply halt lasts until tomorrow?"
Instead of answering, I shrugged my shoulders.
"Three days…"
"Russia can't indefinitely halt the supply. They've just put on a show. It's a message saying, 'We can do this anytime.' Now, Ambassador, what should you do?"
Despite my blatant hint, he still seemed lost in thought.
I wonder if they put him here as a figurehead, or if he's just being cautious.
Since the answer was already out there, I decided to give him a small hint.
"Ambassador, there's no need to worry at all. Iraq. If you relay that to Washington, they'll understand. Time is running out."
I said while lightly tapping my wristwatch. Hamilton, following my gaze to the watch, let out a small gasp.
"…Now I see why Washington is so concerned about you."
Instead of answering, I just smiled.
"I'll take my leave first."
Hamilton stood up, and I followed suit.
"It was nice meeting you, Ambassador Hamilton."
"Likewise."
After shaking hands, Hamilton quickly left.
Manager Ma, who entered with my coat, asked,
"Did the conversation go well?"
"More or less."
"While you were dining, Patrick called. He wants to meet tomorrow morning."
I nodded slowly as I started walking.
"Tell him to come to Pyeongchang-dong tomorrow morning."
"Understood."
As I stepped out of the Myeong-dong Hotel, the cold winter wind hit my face.
The next day, Patrick visited me with the face of a defeated man.
"Haha, looks like you've been through quite an ordeal? Your face is a mess."
"…"
Patrick bit his lip hard.
I picked up the coffee cup in front of me, savoring its aroma. The coffee smells especially good today.
"So, what's the reason you wanted to meet me?"
"At this shareholders' meeting, I'll support you, Mr. Kim Mu-hyeok."
"Is that all?"
If that's it, I'd be disappointed… I put down the cup and crossed my legs. Patrick hastily added,
"After the shareholders' meeting, I'd like to exchange the shares I own with the Yahoo shares you hold."
"Yahoo? You're asking for triple the premium."
"The current stock prices of Ilsung affiliates aren't normal, are they? Plus, it's time to end the chicken game in semiconductors."
Thanks to his activities on Wall Street, Patrick could read the trends.
As he said, the U.S. government had started to intervene in the semiconductor market's chicken game.
The winner of the nearly year-long chicken game was Jungwoo Electronics.
After all, they had overtaken Ilsung Electronics to become number one in the memory semiconductor market.
"Alright. Let's do that."
I had bought the Yahoo stocks when NASDAQ collapsed.
With Google hot on Yahoo's heels, it was about time to clear them out.
Since Yahoo, unable to change, would slowly crumble, getting rid of it now would actually be profitable.
"I'll call James for you."
I pressed the call button beside me, and Manager Ma came in.
"Manager, please call Gyeong-yeong."
A moment later, Manager Ma brought in Han Gyeong-yeong. As soon as he entered, Han Gyeong-yeong pretended to be surprised at seeing Patrick.
"Oh my, Vice President Patrick, you look terrible. I should prepare some health supplements for you."
Smiling slightly at Han Gyeong-yeong's sly remark, I said,
"Enough joking around. We're going to exchange the Yahoo shares held by Dream High with the shares Cha has been entrusted with. Even if we can't make an immediate contract, can you at least draft a memorandum of understanding?"
"An MOU? That's possible without a lawyer."
"Take him and draft that first. Decide when to make the exchange."
Although it has no legal effect, drafting an MOU would prevent any backtracking.
Understanding my intentions, Han Gyeong-yeong spoke to Patrick,
"Let's go to Dream High's Korean branch. We'll sign the MOU there and have a drink together. We may have started as adversaries, but couldn't we develop a good relationship?"
As expected, Han Gyeong-yeong knew exactly what I wanted.
If we become friendly with this guy, we might eventually be able to approach Valente's real owner.
After quietly observing the two, I pulled out a folder from the drawer.
"Patrick, take this. I don't think I'll need it anymore."
I tossed the folder in front of Patrick.
Patrick opened the folder with a puzzled look, and photos spilled out.
"Wha- What is this!"
Patrick raised his voice after checking the photos.
The photos captured his wife and daughter playing together.
It took quite some effort to find them, given how well they were hidden. About thirty minutes, wasn't it?
"I don't need these anymore, so you don't have to worry so much. If you hadn't brought the answer I wanted today… Well, I'll leave that to your imagination."
Having said my piece, I gave Han Gyeong-yeong a look.
"Come on, Vice President Patrick. Let's go. I'll show you the real Korea today."
Patrick, who had been fixated on the photos I handed over, finally came to his senses.
After glancing at my face once, he put the photos back in the folder with trembling hands and stood up to follow Han Gyeong-yeong.
Before Patrick left, I asked one last question.
"Oh, by the way, have you heard from Seo Jae-hoon?"
"No, I haven't had any contact at all."
I nodded slightly, and Han Gyeong-yeong quickly led Patrick out of the study.
After they left the study, I got up and walked towards the window.
A moment later, the parking lot gate opened, and two cars started leaving Pyeongchang-dong.
They were the cars carrying Han Gyeong-yeong and Patrick.
"How should I use that guy…"
It had been a while since I caught a tail of Valente. Would Valente's owner really leave that guy alone?
A dog that not only got bitten by me but also had its weakness exposed.
Even after the cars disappeared from view, my worries only deepened.
* * *
"We've arrived."
Patrick, who had been closing his eyes in the back, opened them.
"Ugh…"
Patrick was so drunk he could barely speak.
As if this was routine, the man spoke casually,
"Then I'll be going now."
The man sitting in the driver's seat greeted and got out of the car.
But Patrick didn't get out for a while.
A moment later, the back door opened and Patrick struggled to get out of the car.
As he staggered towards the elevator, Patrick suddenly received a strong impact and collapsed.
"Ah, this bastard is late as hell."
The man who had struck Patrick's head with a club muttered.
As soon as Patrick fell, a car stopped in front of the man.
Two men who got out of the car lifted Patrick up.
"Load him in the trunk for now. Let's go."
"Yes, Director."
Following the man's instructions, the two loaded Patrick straight into the trunk.
The car carrying Patrick quickly left the underground parking lot and headed towards the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province.
"Director Jung, why so late?"
A man approached Director Jung, who had arrived at a secluded mountain lodge, and asked.
"You think I wanted to be late?"
The man called Director Jung hit the trunk hard as he continued,
"This bastard came so fucking late, that's why we're late."
"You didn't kill him, right?"
"Come on, it's not like this is my first time. I hit him just enough not to kill him."
Director Jung said with a smirk.
"Well, our Director Jung's skills are unmatched. You didn't leave any trail, right?"
"Of course. We took a roundabout way."
"Well done. Now hand him over to me, and you go have a drink with your men."
The man pulled out a thick envelope from his jacket and handed it to Director Jung.
After receiving the envelope and checking its contents, the corners of his mouth turned up involuntarily.
"Oh my, Manager Han! Thank you as always!"
"Just don't say anything if you can't be nice. Have fun without causing trouble."
Shaking his head at Director Jung, who was saluting awkwardly, Manager Han spoke to the men standing like statues,
"Take him to the basement."
The trunk opened.
Patrick, carried by the men to the basement, was still unconscious.
"I'll be going then."
"Alright. Drink moderately today, and take tomorrow off."
"Yes, sir!"
Director Jung got in the car with his subordinates and left the lodge.
After confirming this, Manager Han took out his phone from his pocket and made a call somewhere.
"Vice Chairman. This is Han Ji-ho."
― Yes.
"We've brought him to the basement."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line.
"What should we do?"
― I'll come down later.
"Understood. Then I'll keep him alive until then."
After ending the call, Han Ji-ho looked towards the basement and clicked his tongue.
"Tsk, why did that person have to upset the Vice Chairman…"
* * *
"What…?"
I raised my head abruptly at Manager Ma's report.
I must have unconsciously gripped the newspaper I was holding, as it crumpled.
"Patrick has disappeared."
"…Patrick disappeared? The shareholders' meeting is tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"Didn't you keep an eye on him?"
"You told us not to monitor him closely, so we just watched from afar. We confirmed that he entered his home after parting with President Han yesterday."
"Are you sure he entered his home?"
Manager Ma bowed his head and answered,
"We got confirmation from the employee who drove him to the underground parking lot. He said Patrick was so out of it that he just parked the car and returned to the store."
"Our employee?"
"No, it was an employee provided by the bar. They said it's routine to just drop off drunk people at the underground parking lot."
Well, if it had been one of our people, they wouldn't have just returned.
After a moment of contemplation, I gave an order.
"Wake up Gyeong-yeong and bring him here."
Some time passed, and Han Gyeong-yeong arrived.
Han Gyeong-yeong, who had been sleeping at the Myeong-dong Hotel before coming to Pyeongchang-dong, still smelled of alcohol.
Han Gyeong-yeong, still looking half-asleep, asked,
"What's going on?"
"That's what I'd like to know. How hard did you go yesterday?"
As he sat down, Manager Ma brought him some honey water.
After downing it in one go, Han Gyeong-yeong gathered his wits and answered,
"We got along well. So I went a bit hard for old times' sake. But what do you mean he disappeared?"
"Didn't you notice anything yesterday?"
"Not at all. We just talked about Wall Street and built a friendship. Nothing important was discussed. There's no reason for him to disappear…"
Han Gyeong-yeong muttered, puzzled.
A face flashed through my mind.
'Surely, he's not that crazy?'
Seo Jae-hoon. That madman with eyes that betrayed no emotion suddenly came to mind.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein