Chapter 17

Chapter 17. Glittering Parachute

Inside the Strategic Investment Operations office, the employees were busy watching each other, trying to gauge the mood.

This was because the atmosphere had shifted after Shin-woo successfully completed a solo stock investment project.

They then watched as Shin-woo, the head of Strategic Investment Operations, entered the office, barely acknowledging their greetings before heading into his private office.

Tap-tap-tap-tap—

Team 2 Leader Ji Young-sook, seated at one of the desks, sent a message to Kim Jong-soo.

【Team Leader Ji Young-sook: Team Leader Kim, can we really just sit here like this?】 【Team Leader Kim Jong-soo: Honestly, I have no idea what we should do.】

At first, Shin-woo had proposed projects to them and even held meetings.

Of course, the employees were still working on projects that had been handed down from the Strategic Investment Planning Office.

But, they had nothing to do with their direct superior, Baek Shin-woo.

No wonder rumors were spreading in other departments that the Strategic Investment Operations Office was just Shin-woo working alone.

【Team Leader Ji Young-sook: Should we go ask him to assign us some tasks now?】 【Team Leader Kim Jong-soo: Would that even work?】

The recent net profit of 3.4 billion won that Shin-woo had earned felt to them like a second-place lottery prize they missed out on right in front of their eyes.

Such results could significantly affect their performance evaluations for promotions… It was hard to face him after doubting his abilities and turning away from him.

Moreover, the investment Shin-woo succeeded in this time was essentially a test. Since it had concluded successfully, it was certain that the next project would be even larger.

If they were excluded again, their positions would become precarious.

【Team Leader Ji Young-sook: But we can’t just sit around, can we?】 【Team Leader Kim Jong-soo: I’m really losing my mind here. Who would’ve thought the director had this level of skill?】 【Team Leader Ji Young-sook: Do you think he might have completed an MBA course or something before he joined the military?】 【Team Leader Kim Jong-soo: There were rumours that he didn’t even attend college. Plus, he’s only 23 years old, meaning he must’ve gone to the military right when he turned 20.】

They tried to come up with various hypotheses to explain Shin-woo’s abilities.

But none of them fit, which only made them more frustrated.

【Team Leader Ji Young-sook: Still, don’t you think we should go and talk to him?】 【Team Leader Kim Jong-soo: And say what?】 【Team Leader Ji Young-sook: Let’s ask him to give us some tasks now, before it’s too late.】

Kim Jong-soo, who had been vigorously typing on the keyboard, exchanged glances with Ji Young-sook from across the partition.

The two, having made up their minds, stood up and walked over to Shin-woo’s office door.

Knock knock—

“…Come in.”

Kim Jong-soo and Ji Young-sook entered cautiously.

Shin-woo, who had been sitting at his desk, stopped typing and looked at the two of them.

“What can I help you with?”

Since Shin-woo had been working alone, completely excluding the Strategic Investment Operations team from all tasks since his first day, it was strange to see them visiting him all of a sudden.

Kim Jong-soo, feeling a bit awkward, exchanged glances with Ji Young-sook before stepping closer.

“…We’re really sorry for how we acted before.”

It was a sincere apology. But Shin-woo merely looked at them indifferently before responding.

“Given my background, it’s understandable you had doubts. I get it. So, did you come here just to apologize?”

“…We would like to participate in your future projects.”

The atmosphere seemed to be going smoothly.

“Is that necessary?”

“…Pardon?”

The easy flow they had expected after receiving forgiveness was just a misconception on their part.

“After working alone on this investment project, I found it a bit difficult, but not impossible. I think the operations team can keep working on their own projects as they’ve been doing.”

“…But eventually, the workload will become too much.”

“I’m aware. That’s why I plan to hire the people I need separately. Fortunately, I’ve been told there’s enough room in the personnel allocation (T/O).”

Shocked, Kim Jong-soo exchanged glances with Ji Young-sook.

After a moment of silence, Ji Young-sook spoke up.

“Director, we don’t know who you plan to hire, but the members of the Operations team, including us, were all brought in with investment operations experience from within the group.”

“…And?”

Shin-woo’s response was just as emotionless as before.

Noticing the lack of reaction, Ji Young-sook continued cautiously.

“It’s a bit awkward to say this myself, but we are considered talented employees. Plus, no one else in the group is as familiar with the current work as we are.”

Other than the fact that he held the position of Strategic Investment Operations Director and was connected to the owner family, Shin-woo didn’t have any network within the company.

Naturally, finding qualified employees within the group would be difficult for him.

Ji Young-sook’s suggestion implied that, rather than hiring new people, Shin-woo should utilize the existing team.

Click, click—

Shin-woo picked up the two 8-sided dice he had left on his desk and rolled them in his left hand.

“Who said I was planning to hire from within the company?”

“…What? So, you’re planning to bring in external personnel?”

“If I can’t find the right people here, I’ll look outside.”

“But…!” Ji Young-sook almost asked Shin-woo if he even had such connections but stopped herself.

“I’ll handle my work, so you just focus on the tasks assigned to you.”

“……”

“Anything else you want to say?”

“…No.”

As the two were about to leave, Shin-woo suddenly spoke up.

“Oh, please pass on one thing to the other employees.”

Kim Jong-soo turned back with a puzzled expression.

“What do you want us to say?”

“Tell them that while climbing the ranks by aligning with the right people is inevitable in corporate life, if they don’t do it moderately, they’ll fall as far as they’ve risen.”

“…What does that mean?”

“The ones who need to understand will get it. You can go now.”

With uneasy expressions, the two left the office.

As they walked side by side, Kim Jong-soo nervously whispered to Ji Young-sook.

“Was that a warning not to follow the wrong person?”

“…I wouldn’t know.”

“I honestly have no idea what the director is thinking.”

“Yeah, me neither…”

They muttered to themselves as they returned to their desks and conveyed Shin-woo’s message to the rest of the staff.

The employees reacted with the same bewildered expressions as Kim Jong-soo and Ji Young-sook.

Ding—ding—ding—

At that moment, a notification sound rang from the computer, and a corporate announcement popped up in the bottom left corner of the screen.

“Huh? No way!”

One of the employees, who had been listening to the message, checked the notification and gasped in shock.

“What’s going on?” Searᴄh the novёlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Kim Jong-soo, the leader of Team 1, asked, and the employee pointed at their computer screen.

“Team Leader! You need to see this announcement right now!”

“What? Is it something serious?”

Kim Jong-soo and the rest of the employees quickly checked the announcement and were equally stunned.

【Personnel Announcement】 ▷ MH Group Headquarters Strategic Investment Division ‘Baek Shin-woo,’ the Director of Operations (Deputy General Manager), will assume the position of CEO of KITE Company under MH Tech as of XX/XX/2023.

. .

This meant that, while still being the Director of Strategic Investment Operations, Shin-woo was now also the CEO of KITE, a security company under MH Tech. It was such a shocking personnel change that the employees all lifted their heads over the partitions, staring at Shin-woo’s desk.

***

Mansoo Electric, Cheonggyecheon.

Jang Man-soo, who had been typing away furiously in his hidden workshop, was so surprised that he shouted aloud.

“You want me to work at your company?!”

Seated beside him was Shin-woo, who had finished his day’s work and come by after hours.

“Now that I’m also the CEO of KITE, I need to understand and manage that business too, but I can’t be in two places at once.”

“So, you’re asking me to handle the Strategic Investment Operations Office on my own, huh?”

“I’ll promote you to manager. Manager Jang Man-soo. How does that sound?”

Jang Man-soo’s face contorted as if he had just gulped down bitter ginseng tea.

“I’ve been helping you plenty already—! And I have low blood pressure! How am I supposed to show up to work in the morning?!”

“I’ll set you up with flexible working hours. The domestic market closes at 3:30 PM anyway.”

“Do you not realize I’m still building the network to track those guys down? I’m already tearing my eyes out trying to build parts for that system!”

Dark circles had formed under Jang Man-soo’s eyes, a testament to his sleepless nights.

Of course, Shin-woo knew very well the kind of hard work that entailed.

“You said it would take a long time anyway since you don’t have the parts.”

“That’s why I’m trying to make them!”

“Do you really think it’s possible? Wouldn’t it be faster if I leveraged my position as CEO of KITE, which is a subsidiary of MH Tech, to acquire the technology directly?”

After all, one of the components for building the server network was developed by MH Tech.

“You’re basically telling me to go to work!”

“Exactly. And isn’t it safer than continuing to work alone here?”

“If you’re talking about the NIS (National Intelligence Service), I’ve already erased all the traces!”

“Beyond that, the 666th Unit might still be tracking you. Instead of hiding in the shadows, we’re going to make your name public. That way, they might come looking for you.”

For this plan, Shin-woo had even revealed that he was Im Hee-yeon’s son when he entered MH Group. Of course, it wouldn’t be easy for now, but if they publicized his name, it would be faster than waiting for Jang Man-soo to build the network server.

“Wouldn’t it be bad if my face became too well-known?”

“It’s better than dying unnoticed. And I’ll be the only one whose face is known. You, on the other hand, should just think of yourself as disguised as an ordinary office worker.”

“Ah― this is so annoying!”

Jang Man-soo scratched his head in frustration, his face full of complaints. Shin-woo had expected him to be this resistant to the idea.

“Can I tell them about the secret room in your hideout later?”

At that moment, Jang Man-soo’s pupils and lips quivered as if an earthquake had hit him.

“Wha-what?! Wha-what are you talking about?!”

“You really don’t know? The secret room?”

“Is this a movie reference? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Jang Man-soo stared blankly into space.

Shin-woo smiled broadly.

“You really don’t know?”

“No, I don’t!”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure I don’t know!”

“Hm~”

Jang Man-soo, now sweating profusely, made Shin-woo’s smile even wider.

. . .

A few days later. Shin-woo was already in his office early in the morning. He was checking the stock trends Jang Man-soo had suggested. However, his face soon became perplexed.

“Hmm… It feels like I’ve forgotten something important.”

No matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t remember. At the same time, an overwhelming sense of anxiety washed over him.

“…Did I miss something in my plan?”

The anxiety was so great that he couldn’t even focus on the stock information in front of him.

Then, the phone on his desk rang.

Ring-ring-ring—ring-ring-ring—

“Strategic Investment Operations Director Baek Shin-woo speaking.”

[This is the reception desk on the first floor. A man named Jang Man-soo is here to see you.]

“Ah! Understood. Tell him I’ll be down shortly.”

Jang Man-soo had arrived, having finally decided to start working. Shin-woo immediately left his office and headed downstairs.

However, as soon as he got off the elevator, he noticed people stopping in their tracks near the reception desk.

“What’s going on?”

Sensing something strange, Shin-woo stood on tiptoe to find out the reason. A wave of dread suddenly hit him like a tsunami.

“Oh no…”

The reason people were gathering was because of a man standing in front of the reception desk.

Dressed in a glaringly bright lime-green jacket, a sky-blue shirt, and burgundy pants. His shoes and tie were spotless white, as if they were carefully matched. His overly flashy fashion sense was stopping MH Group employees in their tracks on their way to work.

“I should have warned him about that…”

The culprit behind the outrageous fashion was none other than Jang Man-soo. As if that wasn’t enough, he was wearing yellow horn-rimmed sunglasses and posing like a model, casually leaning his arm on the reception desk.

Shin-woo’s head throbbed as if a grenade had just exploded right in front of him.