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Babak 70: Keluarga (1)
Setelah memperoleh keterampilan tersebut, hal pertama yang dia lakukan adalah bertemu dengan keluarganya, memenuhi janjinya kepada Pimpinan Kim untuk makan bersama mereka.
Ini juga merupakan kesempatan untuk mengejar ketinggalan, karena mereka kembali ke Korea selama liburan musim dingin.
“Sudah lama tidak bertemu, Bu.”
Ucapnya sambil menyapa ibunya, Choi Yeonok.
“Saya telah mendengar tentang semua kerja keras Anda. Apakah kamu merasa lebih baik? Apakah tubuhmu baik-baik saja?”
Dia bertanya, nadanya lembut dan penuh perhatian saat dia memegang tangannya.
“Ya saya baik-baik saja. Semua sembuh.”
“Kamu telah berkembang pesat. Putraku telah menjadi pria sejati.”
Di belakang Choi Yeonok, dua wajah familiar melangkah maju: Kim Hyungsuk dan Kim Naye.
‘Kim Hyungsuk dan Kim Naye.’
Mereka adalah saudara kandung Kim Minwoo, lahir dari ibu dan ayah yang sama, hal yang jarang terjadi dalam keluarga di mana kekayaan dan kekuasaan sering kali menimbulkan komplikasi.
Kim Hyungsuk adalah putra kedua, yang dipersiapkan untuk menjadi pewaris perusahaan.
Ia berhasil membangkitkan kemampuannya di usia muda dan memiliki prestasi akademis yang solid, kini kuliah di universitas bergengsi di Amerika Serikat.
Sebagai penerus yang diharapkan, dia rajin, kompeten, dan memiliki pemikiran bisnis yang baik.
Kim Naye adalah yang termuda, baru berusia enam tahun, dikenal karena kelucuannya dan kecenderungannya untuk menghujani semua orang dengan kasih sayang.
Di antara saudara-saudaranya, dialah yang dengan mudah bisa meluluhkan hati siapa pun, terutama hati ayahnya.
Ikatan di antara mereka asli, karena dia mewarisi ingatan Kim Minwoo setelah pergantian tubuh.
“Kakak laki-laki!”
ucap Naye sambil nyengir lebar.
“Hei, Naye. Lama tak jumpa. Bagaimana kabarmu?”
Dia menjawab, mengangkatnya saat dia mengulurkan tangannya untuk pelukan.
“Beri aku tumpangan.”
Dia berkata, terkikik saat dia mengangkatnya ke bahunya.
Terlepas dari reputasi Kim Minwoo yang liar dan ceroboh, dia selalu memiliki titik lemah pada adik perempuannya.
Dia bukan ancaman, dia juga tidak membangkitkan kecemburuan atau persaingan yang mungkin terjadi di antara saudara kandung.
Ketua Kim berjalan mendekat, berpura-pura terluka.
“Putriku, kamu bahkan tidak bisa melihat ayahmu lagi?”
“Hehe, Ayah, aku melihatmu,”
“Ehem!”
Ketua Kim tidak bisa menyembunyikan senyumnya.
Putri bungsunya melingkarkannya di jari kelingkingnya.
Mengingat kelucuannya dan fakta bahwa dia adalah bayi dalam keluarga, hal itu dapat dimengerti.
Minwoo menoleh ke kakaknya, Hyungsuk, dan bertukar salam.
“Bagaimana kabar Amerika? Anda mengaturnya dengan baik?”
“Ya, itu tidak buruk. Makanannya agak berminyak, tapi selain itu, semuanya enak. Kudengar kamu melakukannya dengan sangat baik akhir-akhir ini.”
“Yah, aku akan ke sana. Perjalanan masih panjang.”
“Wah, itu mengejutkan. Aku mendengar dari Ayah bahwa kamu telah berubah, tetapi mendengar kamu bersikap rendah hati adalah… wow.”
Kata Hyungsuk sambil menatapnya seolah dia alien.
Itu adalah perubahan yang cukup besar dari Kim Minwoo yang lama, yang memiliki reputasi terkenal sebagai orang yang kurang ajar dan sombong.
Kisah-kisah tentang transformasinya telah sampai ke Amerika Serikat, namun melihatnya secara langsung adalah hal yang berbeda.
Kombinasi seperti itu seharusnya tidak mungkin terjadi, tapi dia sebenarnya bersikap rendah hati.
Di masa lalu, Kim Minwoo akan melotot dengan mata yang sepertinya mampu membunuh, tapi sekarang dia melakukan percakapan seolah itu bukan masalah besar.
Apakah karena mencapai peringkat S telah melunakkannya?
Jelas sekali bahwa dia telah banyak berubah.
“Bagaimana kalau kita masuk? Makanannya menjadi dingin.”
“Baiklah.”
Ketua Kim membawa Choi Yeonok ke meja makan, yang penuh dengan banyak makanan.
“Kenapa sangat banyak? Kami bahkan tidak akan bisa menyelesaikan semuanya.”
“Jarang sekali seluruh keluarga berkumpul. Silakan duduk, semuanya.”
“Makanan!”
seru Naye sambil duduk di samping Kim Minwoo.
“Sayangku, makanlah sebanyak yang kamu mau.”
“Oke!”
Naye mulai menumpuk bulgogi di atas nasinya, hampir membuat gunung kecil.
[PR/N: Bulgogi adalah hidangan kr bbq.]
Anak ini memiliki nafsu makan yang cukup tinggi, melebihi anggota keluarga Kim mana pun.
“Bukankah aku sudah bilang padamu untuk makan sayurmu dulu?”
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.
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Prøks]
[Proofreader – Gun]
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‘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.
Mungkin ini adalah kesempatan terakhir Ilsung untuk mendapatkan saham yang signifikan sebelum seluruh dunia mengetahui nilai guild tersebut.
Pimpinan Kim tahu bahwa begitu pemain global memasuki dunia bisnis, bahkan putranya pun akan kesulitan menolak tawaran mereka.
Sudah waktunya meyakinkan dewan direksi untuk mendukung investasi ini.
Dengan tekad bulat, dia menjalankan rencananya.
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