WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Arsène
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Conglomerate Heir Just Wants to Fail ◈
Chapter 13
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The performance bonuses originally planned were already at the highest level in the construction industry.
But this was twice that.
It was an unprecedented cash payout in the company’s history, and one of the largest ever in South Korea’s construction industry.
At the vice chairman’s firm command, President Jeong could say no more and bowed deeply once again.
Then the vice chairman spoke.
.
No matter how often it happened, I could never get used to an elderly person in his sixties bowing his head to me.
It was as uncomfortable as sitting on a bed of thorns.
Besides, President Jeong Geonju’s only wrongdoing toward me was working too hard and making too much money.
“Compared to what you accomplished, it’s nothing.”
“Not at all. Once this news gets out, the employees will be incredibly motivated. We’ll work even harder.”
Please don’t.
“No, no. Take it easy. You’ll ruin your health.”
Everything he touched turned into a huge success, so I really wished he would do nothing at all.
“Haha, I may not be as young as you, Vice Chairman, but I’m still in my prime! Please don’t worry.”
“...”
Were all the people at this company workaholics?
Then again, that was probably how he had made it all the way to president of a major corporation.
Meanwhile, I had become vice chairman overnight simply because I was my grandfather’s grandson...
I thought I had worked harder than anyone after leaving home, but all I had gained was the deposit for a tiny rooftop studio.
What made me vice chairman of a major corporation was not my effort, but this bloodline of mine.
It left a bitter taste in my mouth.
Silence settled over the room for a moment.
“Ah... I’m sorry! I was being thoughtless again. You meant I should slow down.”
“...What? Yes.”
Lost in thought, I had not properly heard President Jeong and answered absentmindedly.
“Understood, Vice Chairman. I’ll do as you instructed.”
Only when I saw President Jeong answer with shining eyes did I feel a little more at ease.
Now we were finally understanding each other.
As expected, nobody liked being told to work more.
Who would refuse when they were being given a generous bonus and told to take it easy?
“Yes, exactly. Anyway, that’s all Construction needs to do.”
The construction side would stay quiet for a while now.
After spending that much money, they would not even think about starting new ventures for the time being. The employees would take vacations with their bonuses and work at a relaxed pace.
Yes, that was it.
This was how you ruined a company.
With a satisfied smile, I leaned back in the soft chair.
That was one burden off my mind.
At this rate, I could gradually loosen discipline at the other affiliates too.
Perfect.
‘While I’m at it, I should tell them to offer paid leave under the pretext of a reward vacation or something.’
Everything was proceeding smoothly according to my plan.
.
President Jeong carefully closed the door to the vice chairman’s office and came out.
Outside, Lee Jinju, Chief of Staff, stood waiting with a somewhat worried expression.
“Are you all right?”
“Haha, why wouldn’t I be? He even ordered an enormous performance bonus for Construction.”
“Is that so?”
Lee Jinju seemed somewhat relieved and let out a breath.
“I think he was angry before because he was disappointed in me.”
“What? That can’t be true. You said he mentioned performance bonuses too.”
President Jeong shook his head.
“He truly is a frightening person. To rebuke my complacency in this way... I’m breaking out in a cold sweat. Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain...”
Seeing the vice chairman had naturally brought a certain phrase to President Jeong’s mind.
Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain, Shadow, Thunder.
Move swiftly as the wind.
Remain still as the forest.
Invade like fire.
Defend like a mountain.
Hide like a shadow.
Appear like thunder.
They were the six principles for commanding an army described in The Art of War.
The first four, Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain, were especially well known.
Until now, President Jeong had regarded the vice chairman as nothing more than an unpredictable eccentric and genius.
But today, it felt as though he had finally seen another side of the vice chairman.
When he had shaken up the retail industry, he had swept through it like a raging wind. At the peak of the real estate bubble, when everyone was intoxicated by greed, he had waited quietly like a forest.
Then, once the market was gripped by fear, he had aggressively launched into mergers and acquisitions like a fire consuming everything in its path.
And today, after securing the spoils, had he not ordered them to slow down so they could stand firm like a mountain and prepare for the next wave?
“Come to think of it, when he first appeared... he had hidden like a shadow, then emerged onto the management front like thunder and immediately made the bold decision to abandon the acquisition of Hwasu Heavy Industries.”
President Jeong now completely understood Chief of Staff Lee’s words that the vice chairman had flown into a rage upon receiving a report on the construction company’s fantastic results.
His own shallowness in simply being pleased that he had made so much money.
His arrogance in being intoxicated by immediate results and failing to see the next stage.
The vice chairman had been disappointed by that and reprimanding him for it.
What terrifying, profound insight.
“Truly... Chairman Kang has an extraordinary grandson.”
Lee Jinju stood awkwardly before President Jeong, who was lost in deep thought.
“Ah, how rude of me.”
“Not at all. Did he say anything else?”
“He told us to slow down. He meant we should not become drunk on our current victory, but strengthen our foundations and prepare for what comes next.”
“Ah!”
Only then did Lee Jinju’s expression brighten as well.
“As expected, the vice chairman sees not one move ahead, but ten.”
“Wouldn’t Chief Lee, who serves him so closely, know that better than anyone? Hahaha.”
.
That afternoon, cheers loud enough to lift the roof covered the entire Daeseung Construction headquarters.
A notice titled “Special Management Performance Bonus Payment Notice” had been posted on the company intranet.
At first, everyone assumed it was the usual encouragement bonus after seeing only the title.
But one by one, employees who checked the amount screamed and shot up from their chairs.
“This is crazy! Crazy!”
“Manager, is this real? Isn’t it a system error?”
“What error? It’s an official document personally approved by the vice chairman! Wow... I’m not going home today. I’m living at the office!”
Employees hugged one another and shouted. Some even slapped their own cheeks as if they could not believe it.
“The Chairman Has Gone Crazy!” Daeseung Shopping’s advertising slogan, flooded the company messenger as a heartfelt tribute from Daeseung Construction employees.
The rumor spread through the entire group and then to other companies in an instant.
The anonymously run office-worker community BlahBlah, in particular, became complete chaos.
[Daeseung Construction] A typical bonus for an assistant manager in their nth year.jpg
-Vice Chairman, thank you. I’ll bury my bones here.
Less than ten minutes after it was posted, the thread had received hundreds of comments and climbed to number one among the real-time popular posts.
The post was quickly deleted, but it became a hot topic again because of comments from employees at other Daeseung affiliates.
[Daeseung Shopping] Wow... I’m jealous... Seriously jealous...
[Daeseung Chemicals] Let’s work harder too. We’re next.
[Daeseung Heavy Industries] Our vice chairman really is a man’s man. If you win a war, you need to reward people like this to be a real leader.
[Daeseung Construction] Keep your spirits up, everyone. The vice chairman will never betray us.
Daeseung Construction’s extraordinary bonuses were objects of envy to employees at other affiliates, but they never led to feelings of deprivation.
Instead, they became a powerful motivation: if they caught the vice chairman’s eye, they too could receive such rewards.
A new principle: results must be followed by extraordinary rewards.
It was the young leader’s bold management philosophy, the complete opposite of Chairman Kang Sinsu’s policy of “austerity and sound management.”
[Economy: Daeseung Group’s record-breaking bonus feast... Market cheers “Kang Daeun Leadership,” group shares surge together]
“Why are the stock prices going up when I spent money...?!”
It was a happy, exciting day for everyone at Daeseung.
Except for one person.
.
“Well, well. There’s a saying, isn’t there? You save someone from drowning, and they demand their belongings back.”
The man seated at the head of the table made no effort to conceal his displeasure at President Jeong Geonju’s remark.
“Ahem!”
‘Well, look at this?’
President Jeong, who had deliberately thrown out the provocative words to gauge his reaction, also furrowed his brow.
Not even the slightest sense of shame.
Whose orders was this coming from?
“Haha, President Jeong, you needn’t see it that way. There are still ways we can help you, aren’t there? At least hear our proposal first.”
In the heavy atmosphere of the government complex, the vice minister of Construction and Transportation forced an awkward smile and tried to soothe President Jeong Geonju.
Across from them, sitting at the head of the table and openly displaying his displeasure, was the Minister of Construction and Transportation, known as a close aide to the current president.
In some departments where practical experience was important, a seasoned vice minister who had been through every kind of hardship often oversaw the ministry’s core work, while a close presidential aide was sent in as minister to handle political coordination.
The Ministry of Construction and Transportation was just such a place under this administration. The vice minister was a battle-hardened bureaucrat, while the minister was a politician to his bones.
President Jeong’s provocative remarks had effectively targeted the minister, but it was always the vice minister’s job to take that blade and smooth things over.
“Thanks to the major decision you recently made, President Jeong, we have been able to breathe easier as well. If not for Daeseung, the market would have fallen into uncontrollable chaos by now. On behalf of the government, let me thank you once more.”
The vice minister skillfully praised President Jeong and opened the way for conversation.
Those were not empty words.
Because Daeseung Construction had swallowed up troubled PF project sites like a market hyena, the government had been able to prevent the worst possible chain of bankruptcies.
“However... it seems there have been some complaints from other companies. Even so, Daeseung has, how should I put it... stood out quite a lot, hasn’t it?”
What finally came from the vice minister’s mouth was concern over monopoly and oligopoly.
They were grateful that Daeseung had acted as the market’s relief pitcher, but in return, it had swallowed far too much.
Competitors, civic groups, and the media were all beginning to call for restraints on Daeseung’s aggressive expansion.
President Jeong suppressed a groan inwardly.
Could this also be one of the things the vice chairman had warned against?
No, it certainly was. After all, it was none other than the vice chairman.
“So.”
The minister, who had remained silent until then, finally spoke.
Unlike the vice minister, his voice was stiff and authoritative.
With the manner of someone bestowing a favor, he continued.
“I believe Daeseung should participate in some national projects to dispel such misunderstandings. You need to show the image of a patriotic company that contributes to national development, rather than merely pursuing corporate profit.”
“A national project, you say...?”
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