New Employee Kim Chul-soo

Chapter 32

Ahn Jeong-gyu, after calling in Assistant Manager Cha and hearing the full story, went to see Senior Managing Director Choi.

“So that’s what happened.”

Choi Young-joon, listening to Ahn Jeong-gyu who visited his office after lunch, recalled the scene of Senior Managing Director Jeong Se-yang and Assistant Manager Shin Dong-hyun drinking in the VIP room.

“Since Assistant Manager Song Ji-cheol, who was in charge of that project, took all the blame and left the company, I thought the corruption had ended, but it seems things progressed that way.”

“You haven’t been able to grasp the exact details?”

“No. It’s difficult to grasp the situation since it’s not our team’s project.”

“If Assistant Manager Shin reports it to the Ethics Management Department, the Audit Department will investigate. If it’s truly corruption linked to the Head of Planning, he’ll have to resign.”

Choi Young-joon nodded with a satisfied expression.

Senior Managing Director Jeong Se-yang was a powerful figure in the company, aligned with President Yoo Ji-hoon.

As Ahn Jeong-gyu watched Choi Young-joon pondering who to put in Jeong’s position after his downfall, he spoke up.

“However, I think it would be best to cover this up.”

Surprised by the unexpected words, Choi Young-joon stopped smiling and tapped his fingers on the table, waiting to hear what Ahn Jeong-gyu would say.

“President Yoo Ji-hoon is a thorough person. Bringing down someone like him is not easy.”

“That’s certainly true.”

“If there’s no personal corruption by President Yoo Ji-hoon, you should nurture the sins of those around him and bring them down together.”

“You mean, overlook this incident and let it grow?”

Ahn Jeong-gyu nodded in satisfaction at Choi Young-joon’s reply.

“Yes. These kinds of things need to be used at the right time and in the right way to be most effective. Just like grapes, they taste better when they’re allowed to ripen.”

Choi Young-joon chuckled lightly at Ahn Jeong-gyu’s words.

Thinking about it, Ahn Jeong-gyu’s words weren’t entirely wrong.

However……

“Won’t the company suffer losses because of this incident?”

“It’s a decent business with a 3.5% profit margin. That’s why no one would have suspected any corruption involved in this project.”

“Hmm. Then what do you think we should do now?”

“Persuade Assistant Manager Shin Dong-hyun. It would be best to handle it as a minor misconduct case. And if you transfer him to a regional branch, this matter won’t reach the Ethics Management Department. Then, place your own person in Assistant Manager Shin Dong-hyun’s position.”

“You mean, plant a spy in the enemy camp.”

“That way, it will be easier to deliver a fatal blow.”

After finishing his conversation with Choi Young-joon, Ahn Jeong-gyu walked towards his desk, looking at Shin Dong-hyun with his head down.

It wasn’t that Ahn Jeong-gyu didn’t remember.

How much he had bragged about becoming a father in November.

If this matter reached the Audit Department, it would be dealt with ruthlessly.

No one would listen to Shin Dong-hyun’s story.

Ahn Jeong-gyu believed this was the best way for both Shin Dong-hyun and everyone else.

“Ahem…… Assistant Manager Pyo, what happened with the Vietnamese rice shipment?”

As Assistant Manager Pyo prepared the file folder, the phone in Sales Team 4 rang.

━Ring ring.

Shin Dong-hyun, who had finally made up his mind to go to the Ethics Management Department, listlessly answered the incoming call.

━Yes, this is Shin Dong-hyun from Sales Team 4.

━This is Senior Managing Director Choi Young-joon.

Shin Dong-hyun’s eyes widened at the sudden call from an executive.

━Don’t let anyone know, and come up to my office.

******

The next day, an emergency personnel order was issued, transferring Assistant Manager Shin Dong-hyun from Sales Team 4 to a regional branch.

People whispered, completely unaware of what had happened, and Kim Chul-soo also hadn’t anticipated this outcome.

A sudden transfer to a regional branch instead of an audit?

Team Leader Bae, who had just returned from his overseas business trip, was also bewildered.

He asked Assistant Manager Cha Sang-hyun, but he didn’t say anything.

The same went for Lee Jeong-seok.

“Chul-soo-ssi, thank you so much.”

Lee Jeong-seok believed that Assistant Manager Shin had received a disciplinary transfer to a regional branch because of the corruption issue.

Whenever he saw Assistant Manager Shin, the scene of the money exchange would flash in his mind, giving him a headache, but now that wouldn’t happen anymore. Since he hadn’t reported it internally, he thought this matter had been resolved perfectly.

Kim Chul-soo smiled at Lee Jeong-seok’s bright smile.

“You’re welcome.”

“This is all thanks to you, Chul-soo-ssi. I wouldn’t have been able to bear it without you.”

“I should help my colleagues when they’re struggling.”

“I’ll never forget what happened this time.”

“No, don’t say that between colleagues. We should support each other when we can, protect each other when we can, and help each other when we can.”

A graduate of a mediocre school with a degree in practical music.

He had wondered how someone like that could survive in a general trading company, but now, in Lee Jeong-seok’s eyes, Kim Chul-soo seemed so impressive that he felt like bowing his head.

Just listening to his words made him feel like he could survive somehow in this harsh world.

Lee Jeong-seok nodded and answered sincerely.

“I hope the day will come when I can be of help to you, Chul-soo-ssi.”

Meanwhile, Ahn Jeong-gyu, who had come up for a smoke with Assistant Manager Pyo due to the stifling atmosphere in the office, saw Kim Chul-soo talking with Lee Jeong-seok.

As Assistant Manager Pyo was about to call Kim Chul-soo, Ahn Jeong-gyu stopped him.

“Leave him alone with his colleague.”

“Yes, Team Leader-nim.”

“Let’s continue our conversation, shall we?”

At Ahn Jeong-gyu’s words, Pyo Il-soo’s eyes widened, wondering what he wanted to talk about.

“Are you seeing anyone?”

“Huh?”

“You can’t fool my intuition. Who is it?”

Looking at the flustered Pyo Il-soo, Ahn Jeong-gyu thought.

‘Chul-soo, that guy. Could he have been involved in this matter?’

******

As July arrived, the sales team began reviewing projects for the second half of the year.

It was time to re-examine the plans established in the second half of last year and decide whether to proceed or halt them based on changes in the international situation.

If the special business plan was a one-time event, this was a battle that took place in the team every half-year.

“Saudi Arabia’s GSFMO has announced that they will not import wheat starting this year.”

GSFMO was the company that monopolized all wheat and barley imported into Saudi Arabia.

Ahn Jeong-gyu asked in response to Lee Jun-hak’s report.

“What’s the reason?”

“Since the 1990s, Saudi Arabia has been using the money earned from selling oil for irrigation agriculture, and now they’re producing enough wheat to feed their own people and have surplus.”

“So, that means we need to find new markets.”

One of the performance goals that Sales Team 5 had to achieve was to trade 500,000 tons of grain within a year.

If they achieved this goal, next year’s target would be set even higher.

For the sake of next year, they had to address this issue.

“However, with the current global wheat surplus, it’s difficult to close deals without lowering the unit price. If we lower the unit price, the margin we get could become negative. We might be able to increase the trading volume, but it will eat into our sales performance.”

“Well, this is a problem.”

Several proposals were made, but none of them were to Ahn Jeong-gyu’s liking.

Kim Chul-soo, who had been quietly listening and taking notes throughout the meeting, glanced at his team members.

They would meet this year’s target, but if this deal fell through, they would have to find new clients to meet next year’s target, which was no easy task.

Ahn Jeong-gyu, noticing Kim Chul-soo subtly observing everyone, called his name.

“Kim Chul-soo.”

“Yes, Team Leader-nim.”

“Speak up if you have something to say.”

Pyo Il-soo and Lee Jun-hak looked at Kim Chul-soo.

“Um…… what about the Philippines?”

“The Philippines?”

“It’s already saturated. There’s no room to break in.”

Lee Jun-hak shook his head, and Pyo Il-soo nodded in agreement.

However, Ahn Jeong-gyu just stared at Kim Chul-soo and thought.

‘That guy is assisting both Il-soo and Jun-hak with their work, so he should know that exporting wheat to the Philippines is difficult. Why would he bring it up? How many snakes has this guy swallowed?’

“Why the Philippines?”

Lee Jun-hak and Pyo Il-soo looked at Ahn Jeong-gyu.

“The wheat imported from Saudi Arabia is APWW (Australian Premium White Wheat), with a protein content of over 10%, mainly used for noodles, and relatively expensive.”

“So?”

“I thought about the most popular folk sport in the Philippines.”

Lee Jun-hak and Pyo Il-soo said simultaneously.

“Sabong (Cockfighting)?”

“Yes. The amount of chicken feed consumed annually for Sabong in the Philippines is 300,000 tons. The main ingredients of that feed are barley and wheat.”

Ahn Jeong-gyu’s eyes suddenly sparkled, and Lee Jun-hak and Pyo Il-soo straightened up in their chairs.

Ahn Jeong-gyu looked back and forth between Lee Jun-hak and Pyo Il-soo and said.

“Chickens love protein feed. The more protein feed they eat, the bigger they get and the more aggressive they become. If it’s APWW with high protein content, feed companies might import it, right?”

Lee Jun-hak nodded.

“Filipino feed companies haven’t imported Australian premium wheat before. If chickens fed with feed made from APWW perform well in Sabong competitions!”

Pyo Il-soo chimed in.

“Everyone will want to feed their chickens with APWW feed. Ha! Our Chul-soo is a genius today!”

Lee Jun-hak immediately opened his diary.

“Then I’ll contact the feed companies in the Philippines.”

“No.”

Everyone looked at Ahn Jeong-gyu with puzzled expressions.

Ahn Jeong-gyu looked at Lee Jun-hak and slowly said.

“Assistant Manager Lee Jun-hak, can you continue to follow up on this project next year?”

We are enemies from now on

To survive in a company, you need to possess at least one of three skills:

Observation, flattery, and competence.

The Kim Chul-soo of the past, who lacked observation, flattery, and competence, wouldn’t have thought much of this situation.

But now, it felt like a strong ultimatum.

Will you be on my side?

Or will you be on Park Joon-hyung’s side?

Lee Jun-hak, seemingly aware of this, hardened his expression and couldn’t speak easily.

Assistant Manager Pyo Il-soo should have acted as a buffer, but he was just watching Ahn Jeong-gyu’s reaction.

Ahn Jeong-gyu was a person who treated his own people very well, but once they became enemies, he would ruthlessly eliminate them.

He often used these extreme situations to force hesitant people to make a choice.

A choice that would benefit him.

A situation where it was difficult for a new employee like Kim Chul-soo to intervene.

“It’s not yet confirmed. While I’m on the team, I want to do my best. If a situation arises where I can’t follow up, I’ll do my best to hand it over.”

Lee Jun-hak finally spoke, and he chose the best words for this situation.

Kim Chul-soo sighed inwardly, and Ahn Jeong-gyu replied as if nothing had happened.

“Is that so? Then you should do it.”

“Oh, come on, Team Leader-nim. You could have just said that.”

As Pyo Il-soo spoke, trying to ease the tension, Ahn Jeong-gyu said with a sullen expression.

“I had to make it clear. Well, it wasn’t the answer I wanted to hear, but……”

Kim Chul-soo could sense that Ahn Jeong-gyu wanted to make Lee Jun-hak his own person.

When he became an executive, having someone like Lee Jun-hak supporting him would be very reassuring.

“But just in case, work on this project with Chul-soo.”

At Ahn Jeong-gyu’s words, Lee Jun-hak nodded as if it were natural.

“Yes, Team Leader-nim. Only someone like Chul-soo can cover my work.”

As Lee Jun-hak nodded without resistance, Ahn Jeong-gyu smirked and looked at Kim Chul-soo.

Competence. He was the best among the new employees he had met so far.

He couldn’t figure out what this guy was hiding.

He was definitely hiding something.

And he was a hard worker.

He had been coming to the office every weekend for four months, handling all the incoming calls.

He was also very quick-witted, handling tasks in the desired direction without needing separate instructions.

Thanks to him, he now had free weekends and was being treated like a king at home.

And it was cute that this talented guy didn’t show off.

He was also surprisingly good at flattery.

He would secretly take care of things whenever there was a family event.

No matter what he did, he always made room for him, the team leader, to intervene.

He never forgot to say, “Thanks to the team,” or “Thanks to you, Team Leader-nim.”

And the shocking Park Joon-hyung spy incident.

A thousand new employees joined the group every year, and Chairman Choi Kyung-hoon remembered Kim Chul-soo’s name.

Ahn Jeong-gyu had never seen a new employee like this before.

He had never even heard rumors of one.

“Okay. Then let’s proceed. You too, Chul-soo, stay sharp.”

“Yes! Don’t worry. I’ll do my best to help Assistant Manager Lee and prevent any harm to the team.”

There wasn’t a hint of dissatisfaction in his eyes, as if he was wondering why he wasn’t in charge of his own idea.

He couldn’t be such a great actor, so it must be sincere, but that was also suspicious.

‘Jun-hak, do you think I’m in your way? There’s someone even scarier behind you.’