Seo Seung-hyun received the call while inside a limousine heading towards Pohang. It was a call from the department head in charge of the Pohang workshop.
[Seoran’s Executive Director Kwon is here to see you.]
He felt like he had heard the same words last week…
“But I’m not in Seoul.”
[Yes,he’s in the Pohang workshop.]
The driver made a sharp turn at Uijeongbu Interchange.
Seo Seung-hyun leaned his body against the right doorframe and fixed his gaze on the window to the left. Beyond the dark-tinted glass, he saw the purple-tinged sky and a gentle mountain range blending into the horizon.
After a brief silence, he spoke again.
“Mr. Kwon is there right now?”
[Yes, he arrived a little while ago.]
“How did he know about it?”
[Well…]
The department head trailed off.
“Did he come alone?”
[He brought one secretary with him.]
“Why did he come?”
[He said he wanted to meet the CEO in person.]
“So, Executive Director Kwon from Seoran Group personally traveled all the way to Pohang to see me.”
His sarcastic remark was almost like talking to himself.
It wasn’t an entirely unexpected outcome.
Seoran Group held a 30% market share in the global commercial aircraft industry. Half of the aircrafts operating in domestic airports, including military airports, were Seoran products. Naturally, the relationship between airlines and Seoran Group went beyond mere business dealings and was built on solid trust. The company made substantial investments in airport facilities every year, forging close ties with airport authorities. The tireless efforts of the sales team, handshakes between executives, revolving investments, and stock swaps had cultivated decades-long friendship.
If a private jet suddenly landed at Gimpo Airport, it was only natural for the news to reach Kwon Shin-woo’s ears.
[…What should we do, CEO? Should we send him back?]
“Hahaha. Send him back? Seoran’s Mr. Kwon?”
With a perfectly crafted smile on his face, the Alpha mixed laughter with a playful expression. The department head, who was familiar with his personality, remained silent on the other end of the line.
[But what should we do about this? Executive Director Kwon Shin-woo, the man of all men, is waiting…]
Seo Seung-hyun kept his gaze fixed on the empty road outside the dimmed car window and muttered to himself.
“There’s traffic.”
[I’ll let them know!]
The department head quickly responded, catching on to the situation.
“And I’m not sure if the mixed coffee will suit Executive Director Kwon’s taste.”
[I’ll provide the coffee as well!]
Instead of replying, Seo Seung-hyun smiled slyly.
That ended the call.
Glancing briefly at the call log on his smartphone’s screen, Seo Seung-hyun lifted his smiling face and spoke to the driver.
“Driver Kang, let’s speed up a bit. We have a guest waiting at the workshop.”
The diligent driver, despite being in his twilight years, responded just as politely by gently pressing the accelerator.
Exiting the outer ring road and leaving behind the mountainous area scattered with golf clubs, the limousine raced along the empty national highway between desolate winter mountains and abandoned fields. The sporadic streetlights and the headlights of the limousine were the only sources of light.
After three consecutive left turns on narrow and rugged dirt roads, the limousine carrying him arrived at a vacant lot littered with rusted iron and abandoned machinery, forklifts, and tow trucks. Exactly 27 minutes had passed since the end of the call. In a corner of the shabby lot, an imposing limousine, out of place in such surroundings, was already parked. As if understanding Seo Seung-hyun’s thoughts, the driver skillfully maneuvered the vehicle to snugly align the front bumper with the adjacent limousine and applied the brakes.
Squeeeak.
The four robust ZR-class 20-inch tires scraped against the dry pavement, shaking the tranquil lot.
As soon as the car stopped, Seo Seung-hyun opened the door himself and stepped out.
In a corner of the lot, three large containers were stacked on top of each other. A dim light emitted from the tangled ends of frozen wires hanging from the rusted container walls.
His high-quality shoes stepped firmly on the uneven ground, treading through the mixture of soil and scrap metal.
The container door creaked open.
The department head, wearing worn-out jeans, thick boots reaching up to the calves, and a jacket adorned with faux rabbit fur, emerged.
“CEO!”
He anxiously rolled on the ground, bumping his back against the floor, and deeply bowed before Seo Seung-hyun. Seo Seung-hyun extended his hand.
“We agreed that we wouldn’t do this anymore.”
“Well, yes, but… Anyway, please come inside.”
The department head glanced up and rolled his eyes discreetly.
“Did you not bring Manager Park with you?”
“Manager Park?”
“Yes. The one who went to Shanghai with you this time…”
“Oh, that lanky tomato.”
Seo Seung-hyun retorted indifferently and walked past the department head, entering the container.
Inside the shabby container, the scent of metal, concrete, electricity, and strong cheap coffee lingered.
Seo Seung-hyun straightened his back and looked around inside the container.
A makeshift wall was erected at one end of the container, piled with scrap metal and old newspapers. Adjacent to it was a flimsy aluminum door panel swaying loosely.
“For now, I had him placed in the executive office. I don’t know how much he knows, but we can’t let him see the inner workshop…”
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