Chapter 104 : The Owner Who Made the Rules Had Changed
Chapter 104: The Owner Who Made the Rules Had Changed
I pointed out that the things that should naturally have been placed on the table were missing.
“ The corporate seal, the representative director’s official seal, and the usage seals are not here. Bring them immediately. ”
At my cold command, the executives’ faces stiffened once again.
In their eyes flickered the will for a final resistance. The one who broke the silence was Executive Director Kim. He gathered what little pride he had left, stared straight at me, and spoke.
“ ……The seals cannot be handed over to anyone without Chairman Lee Jin-seong’s permission. That has been the rule that protected this company for decades. ”
“ Rules, you say. The owner who made those rules has changed, yet you’re still spouting nonsense like someone talking in their sleep. ”
I let out a hollow chuckle and lightly jerked my chin. Reading the signal, Cheon Sang-do stepped forward as if he had been waiting. Wearing a greasy smile, he spoke boldly.
“ Heh heh, Executive Director Kim. Haven’t you figured out the situation yet? You’re saying you won’t hand over the seal to its rightful owner right now, is that it? You, of all people, should know without even opening a law book that that counts as occupational embezzlement and breach of trust. So why are you doing this? ”
As Cheon Sang-do pressured him while mixing in legal terms, Executive Director Kim flinched slightly. Cheon Sang-do didn’t miss the opening and continued.
“ If President Baek here makes up his mind, he could send every single gentleman sitting here on a nice little sightseeing trip to the police station, that’s what I’m saying. ”
I accepted Cheon Sang-do’s words and issued an order.
“ President Cheon Sang-do. Immediately seal off the first-floor lobby of this building and cut all outgoing phone lines. Until I give permission, don’t let even an ant crawl out of this building. ”
“ I figured you’d say that, so I had people waiting outside already. Cheol-min, you go down and take care of it. ”
Kang Cheol-min looked at me, and I gave a small nod. Having received permission, Kang Cheol-min ran outside.
A short while later, one of the secretaries came in, her face deathly pale.
“ E-Executive Director! Rough-looking men are blocking the main entrance and won’t let anyone out! ”
She was reporting not to me, but to Executive Director Kim. It was a total mess.
“ What is the meaning of this! ”
Executive Director Kim shouted, but instead of kindly answering, I pressed him with different words.
“ Intentionally obstructing the handover process is a clear violation of positive law. Even now, you can hand over the seals and leave with your honor intact, or you can face the judgment of the law in disgrace. The choice is yours. ”
As if they had suffered an unerasable humiliation, the executives’ shoulders trembled faintly. But they could no longer hold out.
Before law, logic, and the logic of force, their outdated pride shattered into pieces.
Executive Director Kim pressed down his trembling hand with his other hand and looked at Director Choi beside him.
“ ……Bring them. ”
Director Choi bit his lip in resentment, but in the end, he stood up and headed toward the massive safe in the corner of the president’s office.
Soon, he returned carrying a heavy paulownia-wood seal box. He couldn’t bring himself to hand it to me directly and instead set it down on the table.
Thud.
The sound echoed heavily, like a signal announcing their defeat.
I opened the seal box. Inside, the heavy jade seals containing the history and power of Daejin Association were neatly lined up.
I lifted the largest corporate seal and savored its cold texture. Then I closed the seal box again and handed it to Cheon Sang-do.
“ Please keep it for now. ”
“ Got it. ”
Finally, I looked back at the old executives, now nothing more than empty shells.
“ Our business is finished, so you may leave. After we check the financial state, if any breach of trust or embezzlement is discovered, I’ll call you again then. Starting tomorrow, don’t even think about setting foot in this building without my permission. ”
It was the final notice, a merciless sentence of exile.
As a last act of resistance, Executive Director Kim called out to me.
“ Listen here, young president…… ”
“ You still haven’t come to your senses. Am I your subordinate? You dare look down on me just because I’m young. If Chairman Lee Jin-seong’s son were sitting in this seat, would you have acted the same way? ”
“ …… ”
“ Go back and wait for your punishment. ”
At my icy words, the executives could say nothing more. Like people who had lost their souls, they staggered out of the president’s office.
“ Take all the secretaries with you on your way out. ”
I had no intention of leaving behind their hands and feet. I drove out the executives, leaving only the occupying force. Then I asked Cheon Sang-do.
“ How many days will it take? ”
“ At least four days, no matter what. ”
“ Hmm…… Then for now, please at least take care of the overdue wages first. ”
“ That’ll only take a day. ”
“ I’d appreciate it. If we want to keep the employees, we have to resolve the unpaid wages first. ”
Cheon Sang-do nodded as if it were obvious. Having experience using people himself, he quickly grasped what I meant.
“ Ask for anything you need. ”
“ We chased out all the secretaries too, so who are you planning to get help from? ”
“ Vacancies naturally get filled by other people. I’m thinking of meeting the mid-level managers. Would you like to come along? ”
Waving his hand, Cheon Sang-do tapped the ledgers and stacks of documents in front of him.
“ I’m the type who finds looking at these more fun. ”
“ Alright. Then I’ll leave it to you. In that case, Mr. Yoon Ji-seong, let’s go together. We need to separate the gems from the stones. ”
I got up, left the president’s office, and went down the stairs toward the third floor. The air on the lower floor was clearly different from that of the fourth floor.
Instead of stifled silence, anxious whispers and restless movements filled the space. The appearance of a new owner could be hope to them, or it could be despair.
I stopped in the center of the office. At my appearance, all noise stopped as if it were a lie. Dozens of eyes turned toward me at once.
Meeting their gazes one by one, I spoke to the assistant manager-level employee closest to me.
“ Production Department, Management Department, Sales Department, General Affairs Department. Inform each department head to come to the third-floor conference room immediately. ”
The employee seemed to hesitate for a moment, but at Yoon Ji-seong’s glance behind me, he hurriedly bowed and scattered.
I entered the conference room with Yoon Ji-seong. The room was old but spacious enough, and through the wide-open windows, the bustling street of Taepyeong-ro came into full view.
Yoon Ji-seong neatly lined up four file folders in front of the seat where I would sit. They contained everything he had organized overnight about the four department heads.
I sat down and opened the first folder.
Production Department Head Choi Cheol-gyu. A self-made figure who had risen from a menial laborer to department head. His file was densely filled with information about his pride in technology and the thick trust he had earned from on-site workers.
‘ A field commander, huh. This kind of person values loyalty and justification more than money. ’
Next was Management Department Head Yoon Sang-hyeon. An elite from a prestigious university. A strategist who knew every secret of the company. His record revealed ambition and opportunism at the same time.
‘ This one needs power. If I give him what he wants to hold, he’ll become a blade more useful than anyone else. ’
As I flipped through the files, the conference room door opened and four men walked in.
The first to catch my eye was Department Head Choi Cheol-gyu, with his rough impression. Arms crossed, he stared at me with undisguised wariness.
Beside him stood Department Head Yoon Sang-hyeon, coolly analyzing the situation from behind his glasses.
Department Head Kim Jin-su from Sales wore his characteristic sly smile, but his eyes shone sharply as if measuring me.
Lastly, Department Head Park Won-bae from General Affairs, with his taciturn impression, simply stood there silently observing everything.
Smiling, I spoke softly.
“ Please, have a seat. ”
At my words, the four of them sat down simultaneously, as if on cue.
Even after they sat, my gaze remained on the documents. Only the sound of turning pages split the heavy silence.
After a little time passed, I closed the files and slowly raised my head.
“ Nice to meet you. As of today, I am Baek Min-woo, the new owner of Daejin Association. ”
Without waiting for their greetings, I continued right away.
“ Just a moment ago, I cut away the rotten flesh that had been parasitizing this company. ”
Perhaps because the opening statement was so shocking, the four men’s shoulders stiffened slightly. Watching their reactions, I deliberately chose insulting words to refer to the former executives.
“ I chased out all the old men on the fourth floor who were stuck in the past and doing nothing but leeching off the company. Is there anyone here who wishes to follow them out? ”
There was no answer, no reaction.
“ I’ll take that as a no. ”
I lightly tapped the file folders in front of me with my finger.
“ Looking at the materials Mr. Yoon Ji-seong organized, the four of you are the real pillars of this company. Is that correct? ”
Still, no answer came back. It would be ridiculous for them to praise themselves as pillars.
I fixed my gaze first on Production Department Head Choi Cheol-gyu.
“ First…… the core of Daejin Association, the Production Department. Department Head Choi Cheol-gyu? ”
“ Yes. ”
He answered briefly. His voice carried long-suppressed dissatisfaction and wariness.
“ Looking at your history, it’s impressive. Starting as a menial laborer and rising all the way to production department head…… ”
I paused briefly, observing his expression. He continued to wait for my next words with a stiff face.
“ As the head of production, what do you think is the most urgent problem facing this company right now? ”
“ What are you going to do about the unpaid wages? ”
He shot back without hesitation. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a question but an accusatory tone.
“ The headquarters might manage somehow, but the factories and mines are filled with workers who live day to day. If we don’t put out their immediate fire first…… ”
I cut him off.
“ You jumped straight to money. And you’re prioritizing on-site workers over headquarters staff. ”
“ Because that’s the most important issue. The on-site workers don’t care who the president is. All they need is someone who resolves the wages that feed their starving families! ”
At Choi Cheol-gyu’s rough rebuttal, I nodded. His eyes didn’t waver. He was exactly the person I was looking for.
“ The overdue wages are being handled upstairs. For now, we’ll resolve one month’s worth first, and we’ll take care of the rest in full as soon as possible. ”
At my answer, Choi Cheol-gyu’s eyes widened. For the first time, the emotion of surprise flickered in them.
“ Is that true? ”
“ Do you think I have any reason to lie to you to your face, Department Head Choi? Tomorrow morning, I plan to visit the Samcheok factory and personally pay out one month’s worth first. Come with me then. ”
At that moment, Choi Cheol-gyu sprang to his feet. Then, without the slightest hesitation, he bent his waist ninety degrees in front of me.
“ Thank you. Truly, thank you. President, you’re saving those people. ”
Choi Cheol-gyu’s personality was laid bare. He prioritized the livelihoods of the many employees who trusted and followed him over his own pride. A person like this would earn the absolute trust of those beneath him.
“ Please sit. There’s no need for thanks. Employees work, and the company pays their wages. That’s only natural. ”
The former chairman had failed to do even that, which was why things had come to this.
“ Aside from the wage issue, are there any other problems? ”
After sitting back down, Choi Cheol-gyu thought for a moment before speaking. For someone who had only paused briefly, it seemed to be something he had long considered, as his words flowed without hesitation.
“ Hmm…… We need to invest more in facilities. When we were first established, we introduced state-of-the-art German kilns, but now we’re at a level not much different from other competitors. Our company’s market share used to be close to 50%, but now it’s shrunk to 30%. That’s because we didn’t invest in facilities or care about quality. ”
“ I don’t know much about the field yet. Come with me tomorrow and explain it in detail. For now, let’s put out the urgent fire first, and then we’ll proceed with facility investment immediately. ”
At my ready promise of facility investment, Choi Cheol-gyu’s expression brightened rapidly. A light of hope appeared in his eyes.
“ And, as of today, Department Head Choi Cheol-gyu will be reassigned as Executive Managing Director in charge of production overall. I’ll grant you full authority over the operation of all factories and mines. The new production department head will be appointed based on your recommendation. ”
At my unprecedented declaration, not only Choi Cheol-gyu but everyone in the conference room widened their eyes in shock.