abcnovels
Chapter 70
Chapter 70
Chapter 70
[Translator – Prøks]
[Proofreader – Gun]
Chapter 70: Family (1)
After acquiring the skill, the first thing he did was to meet with his family, fulfilling his promise to Chairman Kim to have a meal with them.
It was also a chance to catch up, as they had returned to Korea during the winter break.
“It’s been a while, Mother,”
He said, greeting his mother, Choi Yeonok.
“I’ve heard about all your hard work. Are you feeling better? Is your body okay?”
She asked, her tone both gentle and caring as she held his hand.
“Yes, I’m fine. All healed.”
“You’ve grown so much. My son has become a real man.”
Behind Choi Yeonok, two familiar faces stepped forward: Kim Hyungsuk and Kim Naye.
‘Kim Hyungsuk and Kim Naye.’
They were siblings of Kim Minwoo, born to the same mother and father, a rarity in a family where wealth and power often created complications.
Kim Hyungsuk was the second son, groomed to be the heir to the company.
He had successfully awakened his abilities at a young age and had a solid academic record, now studying at a prestigious university in the United States.
As the expected successor, he was diligent, competent, and had a good head for business.
Kim Naye was the youngest, only six years old, known for her cuteness and tendency to shower everyone with affection.
Among the siblings, she was the one who could effortlessly melt anyone’s heart, especially her father’s.
The bond between them was genuine, since he had inherited Kim Minwoo’s memories after the body switch.
“Big brother!”
Naye said with a wide grin.
“Hey, Naye. Long time no see. How have you been?”
He replied, picking her up as she stretched her arms out for a hug.
“Give me a piggyback ride.”
She said, giggling as he hoisted her onto his shoulders.
Despite Kim Minwoo’s wild and reckless reputation, he always had a soft spot for his little sister.
She wasn’t a threat, nor did she evoke any of the jealousy or rivalry that might exist between siblings.
Chairman Kim walked over, pretending to be hurt.
“My daughter, you can’t even see your dad anymore?”
“Hehe, Daddy, I see you,”
“Ahem!”
Chairman Kim couldn’t hide his grin.
His youngest daughter had him wrapped around her little finger.
Given her cuteness and the fact that she was the baby of the family, it was understandable.
Minwoo turned to his brother, Hyungsuk, and exchanged greetings.
“How’s the U.S.? You managing okay?”
“Yeah, it’s not bad. Food’s a bit greasy, but other than that, it’s all good. I heard you’re doing really well these days.”
“Well, I’m getting there. Still a long way to go.”
“Wow, that’s a shock. I heard from Dad that you’d changed, but hearing you be humble is… wow,”
Hyungsuk said, looking at him as if he were an alien.
It was quite a change from the old Kim Minwoo, who had a notorious reputation for being brash and arrogant.
The stories about his transformation had reached the United States, but seeing it firsthand was another thing altogether.
Such a combination shouldn’t even be possible, but he was actually being humble.
In the past, Kim Minwoo would glare with eyes that seemed capable of killing, but now he was having a conversation like it was no big deal.
Was it because reaching S-rank had softened him?
It was clear that he’d changed a lot.
“Shall we go in? The food’s getting cold.”
“Alright.”
Chairman Kim led Choi Yeonok to the dining table, which was packed with a huge spread of food.
“Why so much? We won’t even be able to finish it all.”
“It’s rare for the whole family to gather. Take your seats, everyone.”
“Food!”
Naye exclaimed, plopping down next to Kim Minwoo.
“My dear, eat as much as you like.”
“Okay!”
Naye started piling bulgogi on top of her rice, almost making a little mountain.
This kid had quite the appetite, more so than any of the Kim family.
[PR/N: Bulgogi is a kr bbq dish.]
“Didn’t I tell you to eat your vegetables first?”
Choi Yeonok said, placing a few pieces of vegetables onto her plate.
Naye looked horrified.
“No! I don’t want it! I only want meat! Big brother!” she cried, clutching onto Kim Minwoo’s arm with surprising strength.
It was quite shocking for a six-year-old to have this much grip.
‘Maybe she’s been turning all that meat into muscle?’
He thought to himself, bemused by her iron grip.
The look of desperation in her eyes was enough to soften him.
“Mother, let’s let her enjoy herself today. It’s a special occasion, right?”
“Yesterday she ate four whole plates of beef ribs by herself.”
Four plates?
Kim Minwoo was taken aback.
He knew she had a big appetite, but four plates of beef ribs was overkill.
“Eat your vegetables/”
“No! Big brother!”
“I said, eat your vegetables.”
“…No.”
“Just a little bit, okay?”
“Dad!”
Chairman Kim turned his head away.
“Sorry, kiddo,”
It was clear he didn’t want to get in trouble with Choi Yeonok.
The sight of Naye reluctantly eating her vegetables was both amusing and pitiful.
Even though Chairman Kim felt bad for her, he knew that letting her overindulge wasn’t the best idea.
A four-plate binge was too much, even for her.
With the family settled at the table, Choi Yeonok asked Chairman Kim about work.
“How’s the company these days?”
“Company? We’re doing so well it’s almost problematic. All thanks to our son, of course.”
Chairman Kim replied proudly.
“The appliance market, we’ve finally surpassed Dorim. Even our premium versions are selling like hotcakes. All other divisions are doing great, too. The equipment market share has increased by more than 20% over the past month.”
“Yeah, my friends are happy, too. The stock price has shot up.”
Chairman Kim smiled widely, nodding.
The stock price had been steadily declining due to Dorim’s competition, but since Kim Minwoo’s return from the A+ gate, it jumped a massive 8% overnight.
Considering the size of the company, such a jump was nearly unheard of.
The influx of foreign investments was also noteworthy, indicating that people had high expectations for him.
Choi Yeonok then turned to Kim Minwoo and asked.
“Minwoo, have you ever considered working at the company?”
“Not at all. Give it to Hyungsuk.”
Both Kim Hyungsuk and Choi Yeonok looked surprised.
“Really? You didn’t use to be like this.”
“Just because someone’s a talented awakened doesn’t mean they’d do well in business, I’m busy enough as it is with my current work. I’m focused on being an awakened, while Hyungsuk can focus on running the company. It seems like a perfect division of roles, doesn’t it?”
Division of labor exists for a reason.
Given Kim Hyungsuk’s competence, he was a perfectly suitable heir.
[Translator – Prøks]
[Proofreader – Gun]
‘It’s not a particularly hostile relationship.’
It wasn’t like there was any animosity between the brothers, just that the older one used to feel inferior to the younger.
Now that Kim Minwoo had gained confidence in his role as an awakened, there was no longer any reason to compete with his brother for the family business.
To him, it didn’t matter whether his father was Chairman Kim or if it was passed to Kim Hyungsuk—it was all in the family.
After finishing the meal, Kim Minwoo accompanied his father to the study.
“Father.”
“Yes?”
“These days, a lot of people are showing interest in investing in our guild. They’re practically throwing money at us.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Of course, I’d like to give the business to Ilsung, but with the guild gaining attention and the public watching closely, I can’t just hand out favors, can I?”
“Of course not.”
“I mean, I need to buy skill books, feed and clothe my guild members, and make sure they’re all taken care of.”
“Absolutely.”
Chairman Kim nodded, though there was a hint of discomfort in his expression.
He knew this would eventually lead to figures in the billions, if not trillions of won.
But not investing was not an option either.
Money Talks.
The guild might be small, with just three members, but its future potential was enormous, with international prospects on the horizon.
Besides, the upcoming gate tournaments could prove highly lucrative, especially if the guild made a name for itself.
‘There is a high possibility that they will perform well in the gate battles.”
Chairman Kim’s expression grew serious.
Gates were generally divided into three categories: random gates, hidden gates, and designated gates.
Random gates could pop up anywhere at any time.
No one knew when or where they might appear.
Hidden gates were those that could only be accessed through special means, often requiring specific conditions to be met.
But the most lucrative gates were the designated gates, assigned by the system through official tournaments.
Nations with high-ranking competitors in these tournaments were granted designated gates, and these gates were almost always of the S-rank variety.
The chairman’s thoughts wandered to Korea’s own designated gate history.
About thirty years ago, Korea’s top awakened, including Sword Saint, had fought fiercely in a gate tournament to secure the Dragon’s Tomb, one of Korea’s few S-rank gates.
However, since the semi-retirement of these top awakened, Korea hadn’t secured any new designated gates, which meant no new sources of resources and magic stones.
The United States, on the other hand, was a powerhouse in the world of awakened.
With its numerous designated gates and a near-monopoly on high-level gates, the U.S. dominated the scene.
The biannual designated gate tournaments consistently saw the U.S. emerge victorious, leading to a steady flow of new gates, resources, and opportunities.
Of course, designated gates weren’t without their risks.
Having many S-rank gates sounded great, but it also meant facing incredibly powerful monsters and potentially dangerous challenges.
If the gate isn’t cleared within a certain time, chaos ensues.
Gates start to collapse in a chain reaction, leading to utter pandemonium.
But the United States, the leading nation in terms of awakened individuals, has the strength to handle such crises.
Each S-rank gate has the power to influence the nation’s economy and strength.
This is why countries take gate tournaments so seriously.
Securing a gate can mean a huge boost in resources and prestige.
Of course, South Korea also participates in these gate tournaments, giving it their best effort.
The problem was that, despite the effort, they often fell short in the preliminary rounds.
To secure a gate, a country needs to rank in the top three, which is quite a challenge for South Korea.
However, a new variable had appeared on the scene: the ‘Money Talks’ guild.
With its members, each having the potential to represent the nation, there was a renewed hope.
Gate tournaments allowed a wide range of participants, from low-level to high-level awakened individuals.
The tournament results determined which country or group would gain control over new gates.
These gates provided valuable resources, with the first clear typically going to the winning group.
The winner would also gain a 20-year exclusive access to the gate, allowing them to control its resources.
Once the 20-year period ended, the gate would revert to national ownership.
During the 20-year period, the gate could be opened to others, but the owner could claim up to half of the profits.
However, claiming the full 50% usually deterred others from using the gate, so the standard was about 10%.
Chairman Kim had invested in the ‘Money Talks’ guild not just because it was his son’s venture, but because he saw the bigger picture: the designated gates.
If the guild could secure even one S-rank gate, the economic value could range from tens of billions to hundreds of billions of dollars.
This would significantly elevate Ilsung’s status as well.
“Would you like to buy shares in the guild?”
“Yes. It’s best to keep things within the family.”
Minwoo nodded confidently.
If they were to receive investment, it was better to give Ilsung a piece of the pie.
That way, the resources would be used within the family, benefiting everyone.
“How much are you looking for per share?”
“Three trillion won per percent, with a maximum of 20% available for sale.”
“Three trillion per percent?”
The last time Minwoo mentioned selling shares, it was five trillion won for 10%.
This new valuation was significantly higher.
But was it too much?
Absolutely not, especially after Minwoo’s A+ gate success and the addition of Seo Yerim, an SSS-rank awakened.
Chairman Kim knew that if another country, like the United States, realized the true value of the guild, they would be willing to pay much more.
An EX-rank awakened and an SSS-rank awakened in the same guild?
If they found out, they would be desperate to buy in, even copying dollars, offering much more than what Minwoo was asking now.
Perhaps this was Ilsung’s last chance to secure a significant stake before the whole world caught on to the guild’s value.
Chairman Kim knew that once global players entered the scene, even his son would struggle to turn down their offers.
It was time to convince the board of directors to back this investment.
With determination, he set his plan into motion.
[Translator – Prøks]
[Proofreader – Gun]