Chapter 31

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However, Yonggu had made a mistake.
As soon as Yonggu had said that, Hyunwoo opened his mobile phone and called the office in Korea proudly.
Yonggu’s eyes opened wide.
But Hyunwoo had already pushed the button, and the team manager immediately picked up the phone.

Hyunwoo, what’s up? Did you arrive in Vietnam?


Yes, sir. We arrived here, but I’ve got a problem. It’s something I have to report to you by all means…

Hyunwoo was about to explain it in detail to him, but the manager interrupted, saying,

In other words, the factory there can operate if Aurum can invest about 150 million won, right?

Though he spoke in a different vein, they were still on the same page on it.
Hyunwoo replied with a bit of an unpleasant voice,
Yes, sir.


Don’t pay attention to what’s not your business. Just conclude the contract that’s certain instead of making a big deal out of this.


But, sir, this is a very important matter. Could you report to the president about it just once?


Is this the first time you’ve worked at a company? If I say no, you’re not supposed to do it. How can you mention the president?

The manager’s tone was kind of forceful. It gave the impression that he wanted to give him a good scolding but was suppressing the urge to.
Even if Hyunwoo wanted to talk more, he felt it would worsen the atmosphere between them.

Got it, sir.


Is Yonggu with you there? Let me talk to him.

Hyunwoo offered his phone to Yonggu. Grinning at Hyunwoo, Yonggu picked up the phone. As the manager’s voice was too loud, those around him could feel the atmosphere.

You see! What did I tell you?

Scolding him lightly, Yonggu talked on the phone,

Yes, sir. This is Yonggu.


Did you order him to do that?


No, sir. I told him not to care about any useless stuff, but he insisted on talking to you…


Got it. Why is that dude getting big-headed like this? If he gets praise, he should know how to be humble.


I agree with you, sir. Let me apologize for him. I’ll conclude a sure-fire contract and send you a draft contract.


Okay, let me trust you.

After the call, Yonggu once again sneered at Hyunwoo, repeating what the manager said,

How dare you call the manager even if I let you do so? Why are you getting big-headed like this? From now on, don’t initiate anything. Just follow me. Got it?


Got it.

Hyunwoo’s voice was feeble. He was thinking about driving Yonggu off the end of a cliff, but something unexpected had just happened.
But he was still in better condition compared to Na or Kwon. Na, who was on the brink of bankruptcy, and Kwon, who came to Vietnam to find himself jobless again, had desperate expressions on their faces.
However, Yonggu didn’t care about them at all. He just walked out of the factory as if he had no other business to take care of there.

What are you doing? Just follow me,
Yonggu said.
With great reluctance, Hyunwoo followed him, but hecame back to Na and Kwon to reassure them by saying,
Don’t worry! I’ll find out a way by any means. Please be patient a little more.

Na and Kwon nodded their heads, but they found themselves languid as if they could not believe Hyunwoo’s assurances.
Looking at them, Hyunwoo refreshed the determination in his heart,
I can’t let them go bankrupt like this. Let me find out a way and rise them up by all means.
Hyunwoo followed Yonggu and moved out of the factory.
Yonggu stopped by other factories to negotiate the unit price, but what occupied Hyunwoo’s mind was how to find out the way to revive N&C. He could not even think of controlling Yonggu.
Then, Yonggu made Hyunwoo come back to reality once more. While negotiating with the presidents of local factories, Yonggu pressed them to lower the unit price unreasonably on unacceptable terms. As the price difference was so big, the local presidents got enraged.

What did you say? Are you going to destruct my factory? We would get no profit at all if we supply the parts at that price,
said a president involved, shaking his head.
In Hyunwoo’s judgement, the price was too low. It was about 65% of the price of Taiwanese parts. If the local presidents make a contract on that price, it was certain that they would incur more losses the more parts they produced.
Of course, Yonggu might not be serious about that low price. It was a kind of negotiating strategy of his own. He wanted to dampen their ardor forcefully because he had a negotiating edge as the buyer.
But that was what Hyunwoo was targeting. Hyunwoo asked himself in Yonggu’s shoes,
What does he want to achieve here?
No matter how hard he tried to think about it, he got only one answer.
Yonggu wanted to make his own tangible outcome.
Then, what would be it?
The reply to that question was just one. It was for him to make a contract on the unit price that was much lower than what Hyunwoo had initially talked about. Then, the savings from reducing the unit price would be Yonggu’s own credit.
Yonggu would be very much greedy about that. Not just content with a 1~2% price reduction, he would want a much bigger credit that surpassed Hyunwoo’s. To do this, he would have to scare and control the local presidents.
Hyunwoo never interfered with Yonggu’s maneuvering. He just looked on.
The local presidents could understand Hyunwoo. No matter how much Hyunwoo and Yonggu’s ideas differed, they were on the same team. It was against common sense to ruin the negotiating strategy of the same team member.
Yonggu did much better than Hyunwoo had expected. He pressured the local presidents with reasonable arguments instead of trying to lower the unit price absurdly.

You have to understand our position, too. Though your products passed the first test, Aurum is taking a big risk now.


Still, I can’t sell parts at a loss, can I?


In return, you are guaranteed the stable supplies order, right? When the products maintain the quality on a stable basis, we’ll raise the unit price.

Despite his assurances, the president didn’t believe Yonggu. It was difficult for him to adjust the unit price initially. If that was the case, it would be more difficult for him to change the fixed unit price later. That was the buyer’s arrogance.
If the president made the contract as Yonggu wanted, the factory would make low-quality products to meet the unit price, leading to an increase in the defective ratio and a cancellation of the contract. It was a mutual loss, after all.

I can’t do this,
the president said.
Yonggu also folded the files as if he felt that it was regrettable.

Okay, then. Let me give you some more time to think about. I’ll see you tomorrow after stopping by other factories.

Then, he stood up without any hesitation. It looked like he was determined to show that he was the man with the power.
On the other hand, the president was nervous. His expression clearly showed that he was very worried that the contract would fall through. Yonggu got all the more confident, though.

What are you doing? We have to pull off the next contract anyway.

Hyunwoo followed Yonggu to get out of the factory. The president followed them to the entrance and implored Yonggu earnestly,
Please raise the unit price a little more. At that price, our factory will go bankrupt. At least 85% of the negotiated price will save us from a loss.


The price difference is too big. I can’t yield anymore. Goodbye.

Yonggu drove straight to the other factory.
Only then did Hyunwoo ask him cautiously,
Don’t you think the unit price is too low? Even if I were the president, I couldn’t accept it.


You just stay put and watch how I’m doing it. I’ll take care of everything, so don’t stick out your tongue to ruin the contract,
Yonggu demanded.
Hyunwoo shut up instantly. Hearing Yonggu’s voice tone, he was pretty much determined.
Yongggu did the same thing in the past. Because of his overbearing attitude, the potential contractors were completely knocked out. However, not a single contract was pulled off because he put forward conditions that the presidents could not accept at all.
On the way back to the hotel, Hyunwoo asked him once more,

Are you really comfortable with this?


What?


You didn’t pull off any single contract. I wonder what will happen if we go home empty-handed without a single successful contract.


Well, that tells me apart from you! Don’t you know how I have proven my capabilities at the purchasing team? Just try to learn it from me this time.

Yonggu’s negotiating strategy made the local presidents nervous. It looked like they had had a talk among themselves and came to the hotel in droves.
Hyunwoo and Yonggu checked in a different room. As they knew Yonggu was the key figure, they only tried to please and implore him.

As you’ve come a long way down here, you had better have some entertainment. We’ll treat you with wine and treat you in a big way tonight.

However, Yonggu wouldn’t move at all. How could I break my spirit with such entertainment with so much award money at stake?

You don’t have to entertain me. So, please go back.


Don’t feel burdened. We Koreans are all talking on friendly terms, aren’t we?

Though the presidents repeatedly tried to invite him out, Yonggu rejected them.
Lowering their heads, the presidents went back.
In the meantime, Hyunwoo erased his thoughts about the unit prices. Instead, he was concerned about the N&C factory.
He could not let the factory go bankrupt like this. With some help, it could revive at anytime. With Kwon’s skill, it could rise as one of the most promising small and medium-sized companies in Vietnam. In other words, an investment would bring about a return.
When he thought that far, Hyunwoo’s eyes opened widely.
Yea, let me invest then.
Though he was not rich, he could secure 400 million won at the most if he sold his stocks, withdrew all of the money in his bank account, and got a loan by mortgaging his house.
That would be enough to make the factory be able to operate normally.
Okay, let me invest. I can be a stockholder of N&C. If that’s the case, I think I have to change my negotiating strategy.
Once he thought about investment, lots of ideas came to his mind, creating a rosy future before his eyes.
The only remaining issue was just one. It was how much stake Hyunwoo could obtain by investing in N&C. Hyunwoo would try to get as much as possible while Na would try to do the opposite.
Hummmm… I think I have to negotiate with Na.
After some hard thinking, Hyunwoo made a plan and called Na.

Can I see you right now, Mr. Na?

As soon as he answered the phone, he came to the hotel quickly.
Without beating around the bush, Hyunwoo brought up his investment idea.

Did you mention N&C stocks?
Na asked.

Yes, I did…
Hyunwoo said.

Can you transfer some of your stake to me? Then, let me invest in your company.


What? Investing?

At his sudden suggestion, Na made a puzzled expression as he thought about it.
Hyunwoo continued, with his eyes glittering,
Don’t you need 150 million won immediately? Let me invest 200 million won into your company. Instead, transfer some of your stocks to me. We can mutually survive that way, can’t we?

At that moment, Na’s eyes sparkled.
That was a terrific idea. Aside from the operating money, if Hyunwoo became a stockholder of N&C, he would try his best to make the contract successful.
Even if the factory went bankrupt, Hyunwoo would have spent 200 million in vain.
But there was a problem. As the company was on the brink of bankruptcy, its stock price had nosedived. The total market value of the company was below 60 billion dong and at risk of being delisted from the stock exchange. Was Hyunwoo aware of this?
Na wouldn’t go to the trouble of telling this to Hyunwoo because he wouldn’t let his company go bankrupt under any circumstances.
If the factory went bankrupt, he would become penniless as well because he had invested everything in it.
Na nodded his head.

Got it. Then how much do you want?