章 296: Chapter 296: Don’t Worry About Money
I casually continued my conversation with Murdoch, tilting my wine glass.
"The internet news is going to be the mainstream now. Sales of printed newspapers will gradually decline."
"Hmm… Even if the internet develops, can it really happen like that?"
Murdoch expressed skepticism towards my statement. Was News Corporation late in publishing its online newspapers?
If Murdoch was thinking this way, the chances of falling behind other media companies were high.
Well, that explained why he was lagging behind other media groups.
"The world is changing rapidly."
"I know. But the internet is still too slow. How much faster can it really get?"
Unlike Korea, the U.S. still had a relatively low internet penetration rate.
No, it wasn't just the penetration rate; the speed was far behind Korea as well.
Still, the era was changing quickly, and if we couldn't adapt, we'd inevitably get left behind.
Moreover, Apple's iPod was released earlier than expected. I felt like I had hinted at this during my meeting with Jobs.
So, smartphones might also arrive sooner than anticipated.
There was a higher chance the world would change even more drastically than I had known.
To avoid being left behind, one had to adapt quickly and stay ahead in this rapidly changing era.
"Being smaller means we need to seek change faster than others. How long will you endure the mockery of being a tabloid?"
People called Murdoch 'the emperor of media' to his face, but behind his back, they derided him as just another purveyor of fake news.
Murdoch likely knew that too. For some reason, his face looked slightly darkened.
Seeing him frown with a shadowed expression, I spoke again.
"I'm sorry for poking at your sore spot, but it can't be helped."
Of course, Murdoch didn't only own a newspaper.
He also owned a significant movie studio named 20th Century Fox, among other media-related companies.
However, the power he wielded mainly came from his newspapers, not the entertainment side.
Even as a tabloid, its high sales were enough to sway public opinion.
Different from other progressive daily newspapers, his was one of the few conservative dailies.
If it was hard to dominate the media scene with just the newspaper, it was time to actively utilize his other assets.
"The media is just the start. We need to leverage movies and dramas as well. If we want to contend with Time Warner, we need to grow even larger. Build an empire that befits a true media emperor."
"It's a simple yet difficult task. It'll take a lot of money. Plus, we'll have to deal with the old foxes in Washington and those greedy monsters on Wall Street."
Politicians in the U.S. knew how to utilize the media properly.
Unlike Korea, they enjoyed a higher degree of freedom, and newspapers tended to support either the Democratic or Republican Party based on the owner's views.
"Currently, the Republican Party is in power, and the President's approval ratings are higher than any president in history. It'll be tougher than ever to rise in these times."
"That's true, but…"
Murdoch wasn't a fool, so he knew it was a good time.
However, I already understood that he lacked the funds to acquire both media and film companies.
Instead of directly addressing that point, I decided to speak vaguely. I slowly swirled my wine glass and smiled.
"Do you know who stands before you, Chairman? Don't worry about money. Just decide where to make acquisitions. We can invest through a rights issue method."
"Hmm…"
"As I've said before, if you don't betray us first, I have no intention of interfering with your management rights. James, who is responsible for Dream High, feels the same. You know who the Vice President of Black Bear is, right?"
Chairman Murdoch nodded.
If he had done some digging into my background, he likely knew most of what I had disclosed, aside from a few hidden details.
"Trust me. If you don't betray me first, I will never betray my people."
I stopped my hand and extended my wine glass towards Chairman Murdoch.
"So please don't worry and just focus on making News Corporation the best media group in America. No, the world."
"Thank you."
Perhaps recalling a rosy future, joy quickly blossomed on Murdoch's face.
'His son's life is hanging in the balance, yet he lets greed blind him from seeing the truth.'
Well, if the eldest son died, there was always the second son. Murdoch was probably thinking along those lines.
"Now, let's have one last drink."
Nodding his head, Murdoch raised his wine glass and lightly clinked it against mine.
I hoped he wouldn't forget the fear and gratitude he felt toward me.
I met his gaze and tilted my glass.
"Ah, Chairman, you know about Marvel, right?"
"Of course. I doubt anyone hasn't read comics that came from there when they were young."
"Acquire them too. With Time Warner having DC Comics, we need to acquire Marvel to balance things out. They must be under financial pressure now."
Murdoch, who was bringing the glass to his lips, paused and stared at me intently.
A look of confusion crossed his face.
"Is there really a reason to do that?"
"Just think about it: if they create movies from all those comics, the heroes of Marvel Comics would all gather in one universe. That's a scene every fan dreams of. Besides, seeing the heroes we grew up with come to life will surely excite the audience, wouldn't it?"
"Ah…"
Murdoch had the shrewd business acumen that transformed a small media company into a major player across the English-speaking world.
I bet he could accomplish a lot with just a small hint from me.
I leisurely tilted my wine glass while observing Murdoch lost deep in thought.
* * *
"Aili!"
Han Gyeong-yeong waved to Aili as he entered the clubhouse office.
"Ah…"
Aili, who was looking over documents with Ellen, rubbed her forehead and subtly gauged her father's mood.
"Ellen, it's the first day and you're already working?"
Han Gyeong-yeong shifted his gaze to Ellen, following Aili's.
However, Ellen was solely focused on the papers.
Soon, Ellen, who had been wrestling with a mountain of documents, let out a deep sigh.
"Huh… I couldn't help it. You wouldn't believe how messy this is."
"Is that so? Hmm."
"You said you'd pay off the debts, so I don't have any major financial issues, but I'm not sure if the club will run smoothly if I fire all of Ellen's people right away."
"Then just hire proper talent. It doesn't matter how much it costs. Running a team isn't much different from running a business."
As Han Gyeong-yeong spoke casually, Ellen's sighs deepened.
"Huh… The season is about to start. Who jumps in during such a time? I still don't know who to bring in…"
"The Premier League, Spain, Italy, and Germany would work too. Just bring in good people. They'll come if you double their current salary."
"…You just want to solve everything with money, huh?"
Han Gyeong-yeong shrugged at Ellen's comment.
"Most things can be solved with money. Plus, you said time was running out, didn't you?"
"Hoo…"
Ellen's deep sigh spoke for her. Shaking his head slowly, he turned his gaze out the window.
"Putting that aside, we should figure out what to do about those authors yelling outside."
"Regardless of other matters, those people will all be fired. Don't think for a second about keeping them out of loyalty."
"I have no intention of doing that."
"Stop standing there and sit down."
As Aili was listening to their conversation, she placed two cups of coffee on the table.
Han Gyeong-yeong, who subtly avoided her glaring eyes, sat down.
Ellen put down the documents and smiled at Han Gyeong-yeong.
"You said it doesn't matter how much money it takes, right? For both the transfer and operational funds?"
"Of course. However, transparent accounting is essential. We need to know where the money is going."
"That's a given. But we can't completely revamp the entire team. Let's put those under Taylor's influence on the transfer market and bring in the necessary players."
Sipping his coffee, Han Gyeong-yeong nodded.
"Do as you see fit. I don't know much about football or club management. I've entrusted it to Ellen, so take responsibility for running it. Oh, right! The player acquisitions we promised the fans also need to move forward. Which media outlets are close to Leeds United?"
"Those media outlets are also heavily influenced by Taylor, so I've arranged interviews with some new local papers. You should give an interview."
"Me?"
Taken aback by the unexpected proposal, Han Gyeong-yeong's eyes widened as he switched glances between Ellen and Aili.
"Charlie is not well-known by the public. Since you're the owner, you should handle the interview yourself."
"That was not part of the plan. I know nothing about football. I'm just going to make a fool of myself."
Han Gyeong-yeong really was a complete novice in football. He was only a figurehead as per Kim Mu-hyeok's intentions.
"Ha ha ha! It's just a formality. You've already received a basic questionnaire."
Ellen called over Aili who sat beside her.
"Aili, help him prepare for the interview."
"Yes, Boss."
"Now let's call in the employees one by one and get their resignations sorted. With the materials you provided, we'd be able to resolve any strikes or issues."
"Oh, and about the sponsors. Korean companies will be involved. The contracts with major sponsors expire this year, right?"
Ellen tilted her head while sorting through documents.
"That's true, but… Korea?"
"The companies associated with us will serve as the club's main and secondary sponsors. Of course, they'll pay more than other companies."
Ellen, who was about to get up, sat back down. With a serious expression, he clasped his hands under his chin and turned to Han Gyeong-yeong.
"The current main sponsor has been supporting us since the days of the Championship. To cut them off abruptly…"
"Ellen, this is non-negotiable."
Cutting off Ellen's sentimental words, Han Gyeong-yeong recalled Kim Mu-hyeok's words.
'In a few years, companies famous worldwide will pay huge sums just to get their names on Premier League top teams' uniforms. We have to get the Jungwoo Group's brand and the companies related to us on those uniforms no matter what.'
Since it was Kim Mu-hyeok's directive, this ws an issue that could not be compromised.
"This is from Charlie. I can compromise on other matters, but not this one."
"Hah…"
Ellen let out a deep sigh. But she soon seemed to regain her composure and nodded slowly.
"Understood. I'll speak to them properly."
"Yes, please do. Now, shall we get up?"
Han Gyeong-yeong stood up first, followed by Ellen and Aili, who gathered their documents.
"It's going to be noisy for a while."
Han Gyeong-yeong led the way, with Ellen and Aili following as they headed to the conference room.
* * *
After a long conversation with Murdoch, I sent him away.
"Keep an eye on Murdoch's actions for a while."
"Yes, Boss."
"By the way, how about Taylor?"
"Alex has taken charge. He's responsible for everything, from gathering the gang to disguising accidents."
With one person in charge, it was far easier to handle the job than if multiple people were involved.
I thought Alex's handling of the situation was impressive, but I didn't expect him to have such foresight.
He turned out to be more useful than expected.
"It seems like he's been active on-site for a long time. I like how he tries to get things done after giving directives."
"It seems so."
"What's the timeline?"
"He said he'd wrap it up within a week."
A week? That's not bad; I can wait.
"What about the security for Ellen's family?"
"We sent a security team along with one boss."
"We won't be overtaken by the gang, so that should suffice."
The main reason I came to the UK was to ensure that The Sun wouldn't publish any articles about me.
Having dealt with that headache, it was now time to prepare to leave the UK.
"Get ready for us to leave for Greece next week. I plan to take a week's rest there."
"Yes, understood."
I was looking forward to visiting the Greek island that had been completed for a while without being able to visit.
"Get out. I need to rest now."
After Ma's manager bowed his head and exited the room, I picked up my phone.
― Boss!
Eva welcomed me cheerfully on the line.
"Busy?"
― No, nothing much. Il-sung is oddly quiet..
"Then finish up and come to the UK. Let's head to Greece together and rest for a week."
― Oh! Are we finally going?
Eva's voice was filled with excitement.
"Yeah. We'll leave next week, so make sure to come over. Or you can go straight to Greece."
― Okay. I'll sort through my schedule and let you know.
"Everything okay?"
― What big issues could there be? Ah! I just need to finish organizing the hierarchy of the Daehyeon Group. So, I'm helping out with stock arrangements over there. But that's not urgent.
"Got it. Then I'll see you next week."
After ending the call with Eva, I leaned back against the sofa and closed my eyes.
Realizing I was quite exhausted from the long run without a proper rest, I let out a breath.
I wasn't the only one; my people must be feeling the same way.
The thought of spending time together made me unconsciously smile.
As time passed, I left the UK and boarded my private plane, arriving in Greece.
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