Chương 282: Chapter 282: The Right Person for the Job
Days passed after arriving in the UK. Thanks to the warning issued, calm days followed.
"Boss, I've arranged a meeting with the chairman of The Sun."
It was unsettling that someone who was said to be hard to negotiate with requested a meeting first.
Setting down my coffee cup at Philip's report, I asked,
"Any idea why they suddenly changed their mind?"
"I don't know. They contacted us yesterday, saying they'd like to meet tonight."
"Do you think they've caught on that we're digging into the executives?"
"I doubt it. They'd need MI6 to notice us."
I smiled slightly at Philip's confident response and took a bite of the toast in front of me.
After finishing a simple breakfast, I headed to my office with Philip.
"Meeting tonight, huh? Who gives a day's notice for a meeting? Is this the custom in the UK?"
"Not at all. They probably think they have the upper hand."
"Having the upper hand…"
I pondered Philip's words while tapping my fingers on the table.
After a moment of contemplation, I gathered my thoughts and spoke.
"You've gathered all the information on The Sun chairman's surroundings, right?"
"Yes, I have."
"Good. Then please relay the location of tonight's meeting to Manager Ma. Instruct the other mercenaries to stand by around the chairman's family."
"Boss, that…!"
I raised my hand to stop Philip's protest. I understood his concerns well.
"It's just a precaution. I don't want to take unnecessary risks either. Still, if they're acting like that, I see no reason to treat them with kindness. If you don't like it, just say so. I can assign someone else."
A few days prior, I had been quite impressed with the work done by a man named Alex.
If Philip genuinely disliked it, changing the person responsible would suffice.
Recognizing the implication behind my words, Philip quickly replied, lowering his head.
"No, I'll do it as you say."
"Philip, I know you're giving me this advice for my sake. However, if I wanted to be manipulated by them, I wouldn't have come to London myself. So, send a team that can follow my orders exactly when I give them. Do you understand?"
"Understood."
"Then schedule the meeting and let me know the location."
Philip stood up, bowing his head as he exited the room.
As he left, I couldn't help but think of his not-so-pleased expression.
"That guy is overly cautious."
"He has been in management for a long time. We brought him in to manage the branch, but he seems ill-suited for this kind of work."
Nodding at Manager Ma's response, I continued tapping my fingers on the table.
In the quiet office, the only sound was the soft tap of my fingers on the table.
'Alex seemed perfectly suited for this kind of task.'
Stopping my fingers from tapping, I said,
"Have Alex come in."
"Yes, Boss."
A short while later, Alex stepped into the office, bowing politely to greet me.
"Did you call for me, Boss?"
"Have a seat."
I handed a cup of black tea to Alex, who took a spot on my left.
"Enjoy the tea."
"Thank you."
I observed Alex as he slowly sipped his tea.
Unlike the cold, stern face he had shown that day, he appeared quite warm now.
"Alex, may I ask why you left MI6 to join Black Bear?"
"Ah…"
Alex hurriedly set the cup down, awkwardly smiling. He seemed hesitant to answer.
"Thinking back, you were even a trainer for agents. I'm curious why someone like you would join a private military organization."
"Honestly, it's all about the money."
"Money?"
"Yes. Black Bear offered a high salary, claiming it represented the true value of my skills. There are other reasons, of course, but that's the main one."
I chuckled at his blunt honesty; it ultimately came down to money.
"Exactly. It always boils down to money in the end."
"…"
"Alright. I'll ensure you receive better treatment. Do you happen to know anything about Philip?"
"The branch manager?"
"Yes. Did you meet him in Black Bear, or have you known him beforehand?"
I waited as Alex took a moment to gather his thoughts. He eventually spoke.
"I had heard of him, but I only got to know him properly upon coming to Black Bear. I was an on-field agent while Philip was in command from headquarters. So, we barely had any overlap. We also joined at completely different times. Still, he was a well-regarded agent at headquarters among the field operatives."
"Hmm…"
If Philip was incompetent, Eric wouldn't have appointed him as the branch manager of such an important branch in the UK.
However, this task demanded a leader experienced in fieldwork rather than management.
"We might undertake a somewhat dangerous mission this time. Will you be able to execute my orders even if Philip hesitates?"
"Are you suggesting to ignore the chain of command?"
"That's for you to decide, Alex."
I shrugged nonchalantly, and Alex's expression hardened.
Yet, after regaining control, he replied firmly,
"If it's an order, I'll comply."
His hesitation was short, and so was his response.
"Refreshing to hear. Manager Ma will provide you with the details. You're dismissed."
Alex stood, bowed, and left the room.
"Manager, please contact Eric."
"Understood."
Manager Ma took out his phone and dialed. Moments later, I could hear Eric's voice through the receiver.
"Boss, you're connected."
Taking the phone, I greeted him warmly.
"Eric, how are you?"
― Hahaha. I'm busier than I can handle. Our mercenary team is heavily involved in the Afghan war, and the U.S. military has even entrusted us with supply lines.
Black Bear's success has marked the beginning of other PMCs emerging.
The U.S. market is firmly under Black Bear's control, yet major PMCs are also forming in places like the UK and France.
However, in terms of both quantity and quality of mercenaries, none could match Black Bear yet.
With superior numbers and skills, plus their location in the U.S., the military entrusted most operations to Black Bear.
"You're doing well."
― Thank you. The results are finally showing because of the trust you placed in me.
"I've always believed in you, Eric. Just don't overdo it. This war won't end anytime soon."
My laugh was lighthearted, but there was sincerity in Eric's words.
I genuinely responded to him, all while worrying about his well-being.
If the majority of Black Bear's personnel had been deployed in war for an extended period, they might be quite worn out.
― We've already captured the capital and secured most regions. There are rumors in Washington politics about declaring victory soon.
"Don't underestimate the Taliban. They won't crumble easily. They're not a group that can be fought with logic."
― Hmm… Understood.
Eric was also not one to easily trust.
The U.S. military had decimated Afghanistan with overwhelming firepower. So, they'd naturally be overflowing with confidence.
"Don't let your guard down, Eric. That's enough worrying for now; shall we get to the point? I called about Philip."
― Branch Manager Philip? Did he make some sort of mistake with you, Boss?
Philip was far too cautious to make a mistake. I chuckled softly.
"Not at all. I simply don't think he's suitable for the UK schedule at this time. He's too focused on stability."
― …Is that so?
"Yes. Therefore, I'd like Alex, our field agent, to take charge of this task."
― You mean Alex? While he's exceptional as a field agent, I've heard he can be rather reckless.
Eric was well aware of the tendencies of the people he had personally brought on board to Black Bear.
I supplemented his concerns with further explanation.
"This task is perfect for someone like him. I'm not saying to cut Philip off; just delegate command of this particular mission to Alex. Do you understand what I mean?"
― Understood. If that's your decision, I will proceed accordingly. I'll contact Philip.
"Tell him to hand over mission command to Alex before lunch today. And instruct him to support from the back. Just that."
― Yes, Boss.
After hearing Eric's response, I hung up the phone and handed it back to Manager Ma before rising from my seat.
"This mission will be led by Alex. Let's see how it goes with the chairman of The Sun tonight."
"Yes, I will convey that."
As I left my office and stepped outside, I found Han Gyeong-yeong shaking his coffee cup and smiling.
"What's keeping you busy since morning? Want a cup of coffee?"
His playful behavior made me involuntarily smile as I headed toward the living room sofa.
Once seated, I asked Han Gyeong-yeong, who poured me a warm cup of coffee.
"You seem in good spirits. Is the negotiation going well?"
"It's the final negotiation today. I expect Chairman Son to attend as well. I've only heard stories about him; it'll be the first time we meet. I'm looking forward to it."
"Don't underestimate Chairman Masayoshi. The very fact that a Korean-American has risen to such a position in Japan speaks to his exceptional abilities."
Han Gyeong-yeong nodded at my words.
"Exactly. I'm Korean-American, while Chairman Son is a Korean-Japanese. I feel a sense of kinship and want to know him better."
"Ah, so that's why you're in such good spirits."
It was only natural for Han Gyeong-yeong to feel a sense of kinship.
Aside from the difference between Japan and the U.S., they shared the commonality of achieving success outside their respective countries.
Even before my regression, Han Gyeong-yeong had succeeded without any help from me. His keen sense of economics and decisiveness made them eerily similar.
"In the end, it boils down to who spends the most. That's where we'll never fall behind Chairman Son. Besides, I have a strong backing in you, so what do I have to worry about?"
His confidence made me chuckle as I raised my coffee cup.
"With that kind of assurance, I feel a little hurt. But stay alert, bro."
"Yes, Boss. However, since it's a company you want, we will proceed with the acquisition, but… As for Intel, you're already a major shareholder. Do you really need to acquire a company without any reputation?"
It seemed understandable that without knowledge of future events, one might wonder why I was pursuing a merger. Instead of explaining, I locked eyes with him and answered,
"The times are changing rapidly. Technology is money. The fact that Chairman Son has shown interest suggests that it's a lucrative investment, whether it's not currently or will be in the near future."
"I have no idea. But since you rarely miss, I guess it's fine."
Han Gyeong-yeong shrugged in response.
It was reasonable to assume he wouldn't grasp just how important their technologies would be in the future.
Then a strange thought struck me. I recalled that Chairman Masayoshi had only shown interest in ARM after 2010; why had he suddenly decided to join the merger discussions now?
"Have you found out why Chairman Masayoshi suddenly jumped into the merger negotiations?"
"Apparently, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision. The company operates on a fundamentally vertical management structure, so all major decisions are made by Chairman Son himself. People can offer opinions, but he ultimately decides. It's a bit strange though, as no one knew about this. He flew to the UK and suddenly jumped into the negotiations. Only Chairman Son knows the reason."
I sipped my coffee, lost in thought. There were two possible explanations, but I decided to discard the one that was too absurd.
'"Then, would it mean he had been watching the activities of management?"'
Someone might have relayed Han Gyeong-yeong's movements to Chairman Son.
Either way, it wasn't a good sign. I'd need to investigate it discreetly without Han Gyeong-yeong knowing.
I set down my coffee cup and shifted the topic.
"As for the soccer club acquisition, you'll be the team owner. I'll handle the negotiations as the overall responsible party."
"Right. The British probably know little about you."
"I've already scheduled a meeting with the Leeds United chairman after meeting with The Sun chairman. Let's go together then."
"Okay. By that time, I should have signed the acquisition contract."
Shaking off crumbs from the sofa, I stood up, knowing it would be a busy day ahead.
"See you at dinner."
"Yeah, you too. Catch you later."
Leaving the still-seated Han Gyeong-yeong behind, I returned to my office.
Time slipped away as I prepared for my meeting with The Sun chairman.
Perhaps due to the gloomy weather, the night in London felt particularly chill.
With drops of rain starting to come down, it turned into a downpour by the time I arrived at the hotel, our meeting location.
Manager Ma opened the backseat door holding an umbrella for me.
However, I unexpectedly encountered a person when I arrived to meet The Sun chairman.
"Hello, Mr. Kim. I've heard a lot about you."
"Ah… I never expected to meet you here. By the way, I remember that The Sun also belongs to you."
"Haha, it just turned out that way."
He extended his hand with a cheerful smile.
"What an honor to meet the Emperor of Media in person, Chairman Murdoch."
The person extending his hand towards me was Rupert Murdoch, the chairman of News Corporation and a media giant in the English-speaking world.
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