Chapter 74
Translator: Dreamscribe
"Is there any damage coming our way from this incident? I heard that in Saudi Arabia, all the CEOs and executives of major companies have been arrested."
"Fortunately, it seems there’s no damage to Kangseong. We don’t have any business dealings with Saudi Arabia."
Chairman Kang Sung-ho was shocked when he heard the news.
No matter how much Saudi Arabia still operates under a royal system, he never imagined that the Crown Prince would slaughter all the royal family members for the sake of consolidating his own power.
Because of this, public opinion toward Saudi Arabia was worsening across the world.
As times evolved, the very existence of a monarchy in a country was no longer viewed positively.
"The problem is with the companies that invested in this NEOM City project. It was belatedly revealed that Abdul Hadim, who held the second-highest power after the Crown Prince, had personally siphoned off the investment funds. Though it’s still a rumor, some say that Crown Prince Salman hesitated at first but went berserk when he heard that Abdul Hadim was doing that behind his back."
As a result, only the companies that had invested money there suffered heavy losses.
Because the Saudi royal family confiscated all of Abdul Hadim’s assets and announced that they could not return the investment funds related to NEOM City.
"What did I say? I told you we should follow Kwangwoon on this. We almost lost our blood-earned money."
The executives had nothing to say.
They had repeatedly tried to convince him, saying that if they didn’t go through with it, they would forever be on bad terms with Saudi Arabia.
But Chairman Kang Sung-ho had stubbornly ignored all the executives’ advice and, in the end, did not invest, avoiding the same damage that befell other companies.
"But Chairman. Honestly, how many companies that received the investment proposal actually rejected it? Starting with the NK Group, there’s hardly any company that didn’t put money into it."
"Well, it’s good for us if our competitors lose money. But aren’t the Saudis acting like total thugs? They’re basically pretending they don’t know anything and swallowing the money."
"Yes. That’s why companies are reportedly suing, but even if they win, the chances of getting their money back are slim."
Unfortunately, the ones pulling this thug move were the richest country in the world.
And to make things worse, Saudi Arabia sent proposals back out to the companies again.
"This time, it’s an investment solicitation project directly operated by Hamud Salman. They’ve redistributed investment proposals to participate in the NEOM City development."
"What? After ripping them off like that?"
"They said they’ll consider the companies that were exploited by Abdul Hadim and offer a 10% bonus on their investment as compensation."
Hamud Salman.
A truly nasty and difficult man.
Trying to squeeze even more money out in this way.
"Those companies will probably go back in, won’t they?"
"They’ll have no choice but to accept it with gritted teeth. No company wants to be at odds with a wealthy investor."
Even so, they still had to put in money.
Even if the loss is big for now, in the long run, it may be profitable.
"......."
He carefully reviewed the investment proposal.
Honestly, there wasn’t much difference from the original one.
The NEOM City blueprint remained unchanged anyway.
‘But did Jung Jin-ho know this was going to happen?’
While everyone else jumped into the Saudi investment, only Jung Jin-ho stepped back and watched.
If Kangseong hadn’t consulted Jung Jin-ho back then, they might have blindly invested and just lost money.
And what does that mean?
It means Jung Jin-ho knew this investment was a sham.
And perhaps, he even foresaw this horrific mass purge.
"By the way, is that true? That Abdul Hadim, who was purged, had been harassing Kwangwoon?"
"Yes. Abdul Hadim’s fund took a huge loss because of Kwangwoon, and he was reportedly taking revenge for that."
Could it be that Jung Jin-ho colluded with Salman to make this happen...
No, that sounded too far-fetched.
"It’s an uncanny coincidence, to say the least."
But looking back at Jung Jin-ho’s track record, every business he’s been involved in has come with some sort of incident.
And each time, it’s Jung Jin-ho and Kwangwoon who reap massive profits from it.
At this point, it’s starting to get scary.
"Wait a moment."
Kang Sung-ho opened his phone and hovered his finger over Jung Jin-ho’s name but paused for a second.
Strangely, as Jung Jin-ho gets closer, he also feels more difficult to approach.
***
-Why do all the SNS apps feel so slow these days?
-Because your phone sucks.
-It’s not just in my head. All the SNS apps are acting up. Especially Apple, it’s the worst.
-I heard it's because they couldn’t expand their servers. Even Amazon built new data centers but couldn’t make servers, so now it’s chaos.
-Wait, is it that hard to make servers? Why aren’t they making them?
The hottest issue in the community right now was servers.
At first, no one paid much attention, but then they started to feel the slowdown firsthand in the apps and games they were using.
-It’s because of our country.
-What the hell are you talking about now?
-Wow. So many ignorant bastards here. Don’t you know the semiconductor market’s in shambles right now? TSMC had the whole foundry market, but they pissed off our country and now they’re on the brink of collapse.
-Huh? What does TSMC have to do with our country?
-Try watching the news. Kwangwoon took over the shipping sector and is blocking all ships going to TSMC, so they can’t produce semiconductors -> semiconductor supply stops -> can’t expand servers. Got it?
-So you're saying our country is controlling the global server infrastructure?
-Is this a new kind of national pride?
To expand servers by building data centers, you need a large amount of CPUs, GPUs, memory chips, etc.
All of these require semiconductors to be made.
In short, without semiconductors, you can’t expand servers.
That’s why numerous data centers that were near completion are now in emergency mode.
Also, servers need to be overhauled every 3 to 5 years.
Unfortunately, the timing happened to overlap for many places, leading to a global semiconductor shortage, which in turn was causing major issues for operating systems connected to those servers.
“.......”
And I was feeling it myself.
Wondering if there was something wrong with my computer, I went into the community and saw that everyone was saying the same thing.
The server lag was way worse than before, and the game itself felt totally broken.
“This time, Bluezone was planning to build a new data center to set up a large-scale cloud server in Asia, but that’s all gone sideways. They can’t expand servers because there are no semiconductors.” (TL: Bluezone = Amazon)
Bluezone was currently the most well-known cloud server system.
But even Bluezone couldn’t escape the current semiconductor supply crisis.
“On top of that, Apple also needs to replace their internal data center servers, but they can’t, so they’re just panicking. Normally, they should have replaced them two years ago, but they kept dragging it out, and now the fire’s on their feet.”
“I see.”
“......Yes, Chairman.”
Today, the employees were continuing their report while flustered by the unexpected visitor.
“So you’re saying this mess is because of us?”
“We had no intention of attacking TSMC, but by blocking the sea routes through our cooperation with Kangseong, we effectively prevented the raw materials from entering, which played a decisive role.”
“Hm.”
Hyung was listening seriously, then glanced in my direction.
Outwardly, he was trying to maintain composure, but I could clearly see his eyes were shaking.
“Everyone, please step out for a moment. I have something to discuss with the Chairman alone.”
"......Yes, Chairman."
Only after the employees left did Hyung’s usual self emerge.
“Aigoo. Jin-ho. What are we going to do? Our guild is about to shut down.”
For me and Hyung, gaming was a hugely important part of life.
We met each other through games, and we met our current guild members through them as well.
So for us, games weren’t just entertainment, they were more than that.
And now, that very game was in trouble.
“The game’s pretty old already, and the new DLC turned out really well, so suddenly a lot of new users came in. The problem is the servers can’t handle the load. And on top of that, they missed the timing to replace the servers, just like Apple did, and now accidents are already happening in Europe. Apparently, users over there haven’t been able to play for three days straight.”
Since the game we play is very global, it has servers for each continent.
With Europe down, it’s only a matter of time before the Asia servers go too.
And if that happens, Hyung and I won’t be able to play either.
“That’s the one thing we absolutely can’t let happen, right?”
The most frustrating thing in the world is wanting to play a game but not being able to log into the server. Just imagining having to go through that for several days already makes me break into a cold sweat.
“Isn’t there any way Kangseong can solve this?”
“I heard all their factories are running at full capacity. But it's still hard to completely fill TSMC’s void. You can’t just complete a factory overnight.”
And it wasn’t only the semiconductor issue.
Memory chips were also suffering from severe supply problems.
Even if one of the two was missing, expanding servers was impossible.
“AMD is doing its best to manufacture and supply new GPUs and CPUs, but the scale over there is just too small...”
Only now did I truly realize just how deeply TSMC had infiltrated our lives.
What kind of impact it would have on the world if that company stopped.
Perhaps this is why Chairman Kang Sung-ho was so determined to cut down TSMC.
If he had waited any longer, it might’ve become too late to overturn the game no matter what he did.
“But even Chairman Kang Sung-ho can’t handle all this alone. He got too greedy. At this scale, he needs a partner.”
At that moment, I felt a sudden spark at my fingertips.
“A partner?”
“Yeah. There’s NK Bionix, right? I heard their memory semiconductor tech is second-best in the world.”
Then a shiver ran down my entire body.
“Actually, NK Group has been trying to set up a meeting with us for a while now. But since they’re in direct competition with Kangseong, I kept turning them down, thinking it might cause you trouble. They’re probably going crazy too. The market is this active, yet Kangseong’s scooping up all the orders. If Chairman Kang Sung-ho just let go of a bit of his greed, I think this could be solved pretty smoothly.”
But it seems Chairman Kang Sung-ho isn’t exactly a saint either.
Just as hyung finished speaking, the phone rang.
Chairman Kang Sung-ho and NK.
It might be a bit inappropriate to connect the two...
But if things kept going this way, we’d never be able to log into the game again.
And besides, didn’t my instincts react the moment the name NK was mentioned?
“Hyung. Could you get in touch with NK for me?”
***
When meeting with Jung Jin-ho, Kang Sung-ho usually didn’t wear a stiff suit and instead dressed comfortably, but today was different.
Because it wasn’t just a one-on-one meeting with Jung Jin-ho.
“It’s been a while, Chairman.”
“Yes. I’m glad we could meet like this, at least. I’ve asked to meet you several times, but you wouldn’t make time even once.”
“Haha. I’m sorry. As you know, I’ve been extremely busy lately.”
“What will you do if you collapse from overwork? You should ease up a bit. When you try to carry too much, you’ll inevitably stumble.”
“I’m fine. I exercise hard every day. Especially my lower body.”
“.......”
The power struggle began the moment they met.
In the past, Daekwang Group had been Kangseong Group’s greatest rival. But now, it was slowly shifting to NK Bionix.
Because Bionix’s main business was semiconductors.
“If I had known this would happen, I should’ve brought our chairman instead. I thought NK Group would send another executive.”
“No. I have ears too. I know who the real powerhouse behind Kwangwoon is these days, CEO Jung Jin-ho.”
Jung Jin-ho.
A man who suddenly appeared at Kwangwoon Securities one day, set a legendary profit record, and played the biggest role in transforming Kwangwoon into a group.
NK Group Chairman Oh Kyung-wook had already completed a full background check on both Kwangwoon and Jung Jin-ho.
So he also knew well that the current Kwangwoon Group was centered around Jung Jin-ho and the securities firm he led.
“So, CEO Jung. What’s the reason you arranged this meeting?”
“Because the world’s in chaos right now due to the server issues. Demand for semiconductors is high, but supply is nowhere to be found.”
Supercycle.
It was that time, the golden era of the semiconductor market.
Countless places were expanding their servers, and the timing for server replacements had also aligned.
“I’d like to see this resolved quickly.”
“CEO Jung. You know Kangseong and NK are competitors, right?”
“Yes.”
“Yet you’re asking us to cooperate?”
"Would that not work?"
Originally, he hadn’t intended to drink at a meeting like this, but Kang Sung-ho downed his glass in one go.
Frankly speaking, while they were calling it cooperation, what it really meant was that Kangseong would have to share some of its work with Bionix.
“It’s good that the two companies are competing, but I want to see our domestic companies do well. So instead of blindly fighting, shouldn’t we cooperate when it’s time to cooperate? Especially during times like these.”
“.......”
“So I hope the two of you can talk things through and resolve this promptly. I don’t think my being here will help, so I’ll excuse myself. I’m really counting on you, Chairman.”
And just like that, Jung Jin-ho arranged the meeting and then quietly slipped out.
“.......”
An awkward silence followed.
Kang Sung-ho drank alone, while Oh Kyung-wook’s mind was spinning with all kinds of thoughts.
What is this, some kind of blind date?
He just set them up and walked out like that?
If Jung Jin-ho had stayed, at least some conversation might have flowed, but now that bridge was gone.
Would greedy Kang Sung-ho really share his work?
“If we hand over some of our orders, how much volume do you think you could handle?”
“......?”
Oh Kyung-wook doubted his ears for a moment.
“Wait. Are you seriously thinking of giving us some?”
“You just heard it yourself. CEO Jung said he hopes this can be resolved quickly.”
“Well, that’s... just his opinion. Is Kangseong really going to give work to us? To NK?”
“Yes. Honestly, we’re about to burst right now.”
Ever since isolating TSMC, Kangseong Electronics had been enjoying an unprecedented boom.
The problem was, too many orders were coming in, so many that they simply couldn’t handle it all.
“But isn’t this something that will naturally resolve itself with time?”
“That’s true. It might take some time, but in the end, we’ll manage to process everything somehow.”
“And yet you’re still saying you’ll give us some of the work?”
“CEO Jung already said it. He wants Korean companies to succeed.”
“But isn’t that just something people say?”
“Yes. It may sound like just words to you, Chairman. But to me, it wasn’t.”
In truth, Chairman Kang Sung-ho had felt a chill down his spine earlier when he looked at Jung Jin-ho.
He’d never seen Jung Jin-ho speak so firmly before.
It was as if this was something that absolutely had to be done. Even knowing they were competitors, he still went ahead and arranged this meeting.
If Kang Sung-ho were to derail this meeting for the sake of his own or his company’s greed, he couldn’t even begin to imagine what the consequences would be.
All the goodwill they had painstakingly built could collapse in an instant.
“We’ll send over our team to discuss the details. If our two companies cooperate, I believe we can resolve the memory volume issue very quickly. I’ll take it up internally as well, so please prepare on NK’s side too.”
“Ah, y-yes. Of course.”
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
Left alone, Oh Kyung-wook sat there dumbfounded.
He never imagined Kangseong would willingly give up a golden chance at total monopoly.
Even if they were overwhelmed and about to burst, it was ultimately a problem that would sort itself out over time.
And yet they still said they’d share the workload...
“Is it because of Jung Jin-ho?”
Even if only for a brief moment, Oh Kyung-wook had seen it.
The way Kang Sung-ho treated Jung Jin-ho.
They spoke casually, like they were close, but there was something else, something in Kang Sung-ho’s eyes that looked like fear.
Even if the Kwangwoon Group had shown explosive growth recently...
For the mighty chairman of Kangseong Group to fear that young man?
“Does he have some kind of dirt on him?”
If not, this whole situation made no sense.
It was as if Jung Jin-ho had a leash tied around Kang Sung-ho’s neck.
“.......”
The problem was, it now felt like that leash was slowly being looped around Oh Kyung-wook’s neck too.