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Chapter 35
“Minister Han, first of all, what is the current status of our ma-stone holdings?”
President Lee Daesu immediately steered Minister Han Myungjin’s mind away from his guilt before he could dwell on it.
At the president’s question, Minister Han finally snapped out of it and responded as prepared.
“China, purchasing under aliases, holds 40% of the world’s ma-stone supply. India has 20%, the United States 17%, and the European Union 13%.”
Those present couldn’t help but let out sighs at Han Myungjin’s words.
“China bought 10% of it under aliases?”
“Yes. They purchased that much under aliases. Had they been able to buy through official channels, there wouldn’t have been any supply left at all.”
At Han Myungjin’s words, President Lee Daesu let out a deep sigh.
International politics is ruthlessly sharp, like a blade.
Since China announced that Jin was fake, ma-stone prices were bound to skyrocket, and the actions of the four major ma-stone producing countries were predictable.
“They will surely designate it as a national strategic resource and block exports.”
Nodding in agreement, Lee Daesu responded to the economic chief at the Blue House.
“Exactly. Because they’ve sold so much here and there, there won’t even be enough left for emergency domestic support. At least China absorbing that extra 10% gives a slight margin…”
Trailing off, Lee Daesu was answered by the Minister of Strategy and Finance.
“The Chinese president wouldn’t sell it to us unless he was crazy. Just holding onto it makes money automatically.”
Adding to the bleak reality, the Minister of Foreign Affairs spoke.
“It would be fortunate if they just sat on it. Temporarily, China now holds 40% of the world’s ma-stone supply. Even briefly, they control the ma-stone market. For countries other than India, the U.S., and the EU, China is absolutely dominant. They may sell a little to friendly nations like Russia or North Korea, but for countries like ours or Japan…”
Trailing off, unwilling to continue, the Foreign Minister left the grim implication unsaid. Lee Daesu answered for him with a deep sigh.
“They’ll just act like tyrants because they can.”
The Foreign Minister nodded with a mournful expression.
“Japan has strong lobbying power in the U.S. political sphere, so they might get some support. But our country can hardly expect U.S. aid. The U.S. is too busy being self-sufficient; there’s no capacity to help anyone besides Japan.”
Lee Daesu asked him,
“What if we take a slightly pro-China stance to extract at least a little support from the U.S.? China is constantly eyeing Taiwan, and if we leverage that, it might make the U.S. nervous.”
The Foreign Minister replied,
“If the U.S. had leeway, that intimidation might work. But currently, the world, excluding China, is on alert. Doing that would only provoke the U.S., making it worse than doing nothing. It’s better to promise to fully support the U.S. against China’s threat to Taiwan and secure at least a minimal amount of ma-stone.”
“Hmm… but that’s…”
Lee Daesu hesitated, and the Foreign Minister continued knowingly.
“Yes. At least for up to six months, we’d have to endure China’s wrath—a country far scarier than the U.S. The moment we choose that route, trade with China would essentially collapse.”
“Haah…”
Lee Daesu let out a sigh, and at that moment, a junior secretary quietly raised his hand.
Normally, a mere junior secretary asking to speak in such a high-level meeting would be unthinkable, and he knew it. His hand trembled nervously.
As the president, prime minister, ministers, and vice ministers all turned to look at him, he shook like a gazelle in front of lions.
The Chief Secretary hurriedly tried to stop him, but President Lee raised his hand to let him speak.
“He wouldn’t request the floor without a reason. There must be a way to help in this situation. Let’s hear him out.”
Given the president himself granted him permission, and with all the top officials staring, the junior secretary swallowed hard and spoke.
“My brother, who works in the Yeouido stock market, just contacted me. His company holds 5% of the ma-stone supply.”
The eyes of those present widened at the junior secretary’s words.
“5… 5%? Of the world’s ma-stone supply?”
The economic chief couldn’t believe it. The secretary showed a message from his brother on his smartphone.
The officials—including President Lee, senior aides, ministers, and vice ministers—gathered around, staring at the phone. The secretary, trembling, handed it over.
[Brother! I hit the jackpot! Our company isn’t going bankrupt now! Our CEO is really a god of investment!] – Brother
[How much do you hold?] – Me
[I can’t say—it’s company confidential… roughly the difference in age between you and me…?] – Brother
Having read that far, the senior officials’ eyes turned to the junior secretary, who trembled and replied,
“My brother and I are five years apart…”
At his words, President Lee and everyone else gaped in disbelief.
“5% of the world’s supply…?”
Muttering in disbelief, the economic chief prompted Lee Daesu to respond.
“Even if it’s not 5% of the world supply, just 5% of Korea’s production is fine. What matters now is that, while everyone is dumping ma-stones, there is one group that actually bought some. Economic chief, find out everything about that company—how much of the global supply they control. No exceptions.”
“Yes, Mr. President!”
The economic chief, encouraged, grabbed the junior secretary and pulled him along.
What started as a small gesture of help became a major moment: the junior secretary was now taken to help investigate.
Within an hour, after making calls here and there, the economic chief discovered that Sky Investment held 5% of the world’s ma-stone supply and returned to the meeting with this vital information.
The junior secretary, praised by high-ranking officials he had barely met and personally promised a promotion by President Lee, became a legend in the Blue House.
The next day, Woo-hyun’s house
While others played it safe, Jung-hyuk had bet against the odds and hit the jackpot. He gave his employees a vacation and returned home to recover from several days of overtime.
After first telling his family about the massive success with Sky, Jung-hyuk leisurely enjoyed tea with his son, Woo-hyun, in the yard.
“Heh, this feels good.”
“Heh, yes. This must be what it feels like to be on top.”
Woo-hyun, with the gentle expression of a grandfather who has lived life, said to Jung-hyuk, who responded like a transcendent sage.
“Congratulations, CEO Cheon. Or should I now call you Chairman Cheon?”
“Congratulations should go to you, son. You’re the owner of Sky.”
Watching Woo-hyun and Jung-hyuk enjoy tea and indulge each other, Seon-hye remarked to Woo-hee, who was incredulous:
“The rich really show off together.”
Woo-hee nodded.
“Maybe if they fail, they’ll finally come to their senses.”
Ding-dong~
The doorbell rang.
“Must be the in-laws.”
It was the day Serin’s family had planned to visit Woo-hyun’s house.
“The in-laws? We still have a long way to go before I marry Sejun.”
“Your brother and Serin, remember?”
Seon-hye, speaking through the intercom after opening the door, said,
“They’re just friends. They say they’re not getting married, so what’s this about marriage?”
“If we nudge them a bit, maybe those two stiff people will get closer.”
“Can you really force romance?”
Seon-hye patted her shoulder.
“And you’d like Se-rin to become your sister-in-law. You know she’s kind, don’t you?”
“That’s true. I have nothing to argue with.”
Acknowledging this, Seon-hye smiled and went to greet Serin’s family.
Later, Woo-hyun’s living room
As Serin’s family visited, the two families paired off with people they were familiar with.
Woo-hyun paired with Serin, Woo-hee with Se-jun, and Seon-hye with Ju-yeon. The six of them gathered together.
Unlike the others, Jung-hyuk and Shin-hyuk, strangers to each other, sat facing one another in the living room due to business matters.
Jung-hyuk couldn’t believe he had grown enough to be personally summoned by a top-tier CEO overnight. He was sincerely grateful to his son, Woo-hyun, behind all this success.
“Honestly, I was shocked. I never imagined your company would hold 5% of the world’s ma-stone supply at this point.”
Shin-hyuk opened with that, and Jung-hyuk replied,
“I was just lucky.”
Hearing Jung-hyuk’s humility, Shin-hyuk continued,
“I’m not an investor, but as a businessman, I know how hard it is to invest against the current of money. In that sense, you’ve truly accomplished something remarkable.”
