Chapter 64

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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As soon as they signed the contract, Enflix received approval for the paid-in capital increase and received a $3 billion infusion, then they continued the business they wanted to proceed with without hesitation.

Actually, Enflix had everything prepared.

They just lacked fuel for the rocket.

Once they filled that fuel, there was nothing to fear anymore.

Like that, they started streaming services in 130 countries at a very fast speed.

But CEO Rod had exactly one thing on his mind.

It was that according to President Jeong Jin-ho’s wishes, they had to go all-in on only ‘Strange Tales.’

However, isn’t he the benefactor who readily gave $3 billion?

Of course, while giving $3 billion, he acquired shares under shocking conditions unprecedented in other industries.

Anyway, according to the contract, Enflix had to follow that noble will.

So they concentrated all marketing on ‘Strange Tales.’

They sent actors to famous talk shows, hit communities with ads, and TV ads needless to say.

Like that, they poured massive funds so ‘Strange Tales’ was visible everywhere people’s eyes reached.

“It does feel like is this right.”

“He said don’t spare marketing costs. Our savior.”

“That’s true.”

At Enflix headquarters, there’s a special nickname for President Jeong Jin-ho.

Savior.

Because he’s the person who miraculously revived Enflix that was in bankruptcy crisis like Lazarus.

But there was no choice but to have anxiety about going all-in on just one drama.

Like that, Enflix waited anxiously.

Because even though they received a $3 billion infusion, if global expansion isn’t satisfactory, they return to square one.

“It, it burst.”

The wait didn’t take very long.

At first they thought it’s dragging a bit.

After that, subscriber numbers increased exponentially.

“No way. C-can this do this well?”

Strange Tales’ box office success was tremendous.

People subscribing just to watch exactly that one thing overflowed, and in communities being monitored worldwide, they were only talking about ‘Strange Tales.’

Also on various review rating sites, Strange Tales’ search ranking was first place, and it was receiving the highest ratings while being praised by numerous critics.

“It did receive evaluations of being fun internally..”

“No one thought it would be this successful.”

“Right. The drama’s director, the actors, even among our executives, who would have imagined it would be this successful?”

“Except one person.”

Everyone here knows who that one person is.

“How on earth did our savior know Strange Tales would do this well?”

That was the question.

President Jeong Jin-ho has never watched this drama.

Not even episode 1, let alone the trailer.

Yet he gave $3 billion and even made going all-in on this drama a contract condition.

It’s something completely incomprehensible.

“Or maybe he secretly did advance research on us?”

“Even if you do advance research, how would you know it’ll be successful? When you didn’t even directly watch the drama.”

“But there are such people among actors too. People who glance at the synopsis and scenario and know exactly whether this will be a hit work or not.”

There are occasionally actors who produce numerous hit works.

Though they acted well, ultimately story is important for hit works, right?

They precisely grasp what material will appeal to the public and pick out only hit works.

“Then does this person also have such ability?”

“How else could such investment be possible? Giving $3 billion and telling them to go all-in on only one work?”

Having an extraordinary eye for works.

Not an insider, someone with no relation to the drama side was the only one who predicted Strange Tales’ super-special box office success.

Plus there was clearly acceleration of that box office thanks to President Jeong Jin-ho concentrating marketing only on Strange Tales.

If that’s the case..

“Bring all the works scheduled to be released this year or next year. Those currently in production too.”

***

“The projected sales are a whopping $12 billion. Just this year alone. Though only a few months remain this year, $12 billion in sales is a truly tremendous level, President.”

Enflix’s growth was at a truly crazy level.

“Concentrating marketing on just one side seems to have both reduced costs and played a decisive role in box office success. At this speed, $12 billion in revenue won’t be a dream.”

“Vice President. You stayed up all night watching last time. Must be really fun.”

Last time Vice President Kang Ji-hwan came to work with haggard eyes, so I asked if he was sick somewhere. But he said he completely stayed up all night watching Strange Tales that Enflix sent before release.

“D-don’t tell me President still hasn’t watched it?”

“I don’t really enjoy watching dramas.”

People who like games like me will understand.

Even while watching dramas, I think more about wanting to run games.

I thought it was just me, but hyung-nim was exactly the same as me.

Then suddenly I got curious.

“Vice President, do you happen to play games?”

From appearances, he looked like he wouldn’t even touch games.

“I play too. About the national folk game level?”

When it comes to national folk game, there’s only one.

“StarCraft?”

“Yes. Sometimes. I don’t dislike playing games, but work is busy and there’s no one to play with.”

Oho.

I see.

I should casually mention this to hyung-nim too.

“..?”

Vice President Kang Ji-hwan flinched seeing my sparkling eyes.

“And this is material Enflix sent to headquarters. I brought it because it seems President should look at it directly.”

It seemed Vice President came all the way here today because of this material.

“They say these are works Enflix plans to release this year or next year. Some are still in production too. Enflix said they definitely want to show President this list, then urgently ask for advice on which works would be good to focus on.”

Looking at the materials, each work’s characteristics and simple synopsis were written.

“Thanks to President picking Strange Tales and telling them to go all-in on that work, didn’t Enflix greatly succeed now?”

In a word, they’re asking me to pick which work will do well.

Even so, can I know just by looking at this..

“I can.”

When I first looked at the materials, there was no particular signal.

After skimming through the synopsis, stems spread out in all directions through my thumb.

Some works were dark red.

Others light red.

I crossed out works that appeared red.

After that too, I saw some blue then my gaze stopped at exactly one work.

“…”

Like Strange Tales, it was the only work among these various works sparkling with golden light. I circled that work several times.

“Please deliver this as is.”

Vice President checked the list quickly with eyes full of curiosity.

“..Paper Tower?”

Then he tilted his head.

Paper Tower.

It was an action heist genre about robbing a large bank.

“It’s even a Spanish drama?”

Plus Paper Tower isn’t an English drama but a Spanish drama.

Since people are used to English, when other languages appear they inevitably feel repulsed.

In other words, unless it’s tremendously more fun than other English dramas, it’s extremely hard to succeed.

Yet my intuition bestowed golden radiance on that drama.

But a heist movie, and in Spanish.

Will this really work?

***

“President. This time TSNC says they’ll completely cut off deals with us.”

“What? Why?”

“Obviously. The Dragon Sea Alliance bastards seem to have stolen them. Plus they probably don’t like that our Gwangwoon is in a very friendly relationship with Kangsung Group.”

President Kim Du-yeong’s head was aching.

Currently Gwangwoon Shipping is growing as the world’s largest shipping company.

But naturally as the body grows larger, checks inevitably come in.

And at the center was China.

“The port business somehow worked out well. But are they saying they’ll take the shipping business? What is Dragon Sea Alliance even?”

Meaning the Dragon’s Sea Alliance if you spell it out.

Chinese companies that couldn’t stand watching Gwangwoon Shipping absorb Chinese shipping work created an alliance.

Actually in a way it was a natural sequence.

Who would just nicely watch when one company monopolizes all the work?

Besides China, similar alliances were already made in Europe and elsewhere, but they didn’t exert noteworthy influence.

But Dragon Sea Alliance’s level was different.

Because through the Belt and Road Initiative project there’s plenty to gain work from the Chinese government, and currently crude oil prices soared once greatly then are gradually finding stability again.

Above all, since Chinese tycoons have lots of money and can lean on the government, even if they take a little loss immediately, they seemed to focus on reducing Gwangwoon Shipping’s influence.

“Plus the Chinese government is also gradually increasing pressure intensity.. At this rate, we’ll lose customers tremendously.”

Already Taiwan’s TSNC completely cut ties with Gwangwoon.

Because of the reason that they’re close with Kangsung that threatens their foundry business, and companies related to that also all broke up with Gwangwoon and started leaning on Dragon Sea Alliance.

The biggest problem was that those bastards are eyeing Gwangwoon’s facilities at Tianjin Port.

“Representative. This seems like.. You should go get advice?”

“Ugh. Does everyone have no ideas?”

“We also wracked our brains, but don’t see a breakthrough.”

“Whew. I’m going to bother that busy person again.”

He doesn’t want to blame the executives.

Because Kim Du-yeong also didn’t see a sharp solution.

Only then did he understand the hearts of old Shu state officials who ran to Zhuge Liang whenever something happened.

***

“I heard the Enflix business burst into super success this time? Heh. As expected, Midas touch, Midas touch.”

President Kim Du-yeong was laughing heartily while filling my glass with alcohol, but his face was actually crying.

“President. Is something wrong?”

“…”

President silently downed alcohol repeatedly.

“I know President Jeong is very busy. So I know it’s shameless every time.. But save me once. This time too I urgently need President Jeong’s advice.”

He even burst out in frustration lamenting what’s happening to Gwangwoon Shipping now.

“So.. A place called Dragon Sea Alliance is threatening our business?”

“Right! These bastards even use public security to investigate daily catching trumped-up charges and trying to attach all kinds of crimes! The tycoons in Dragon Sea Alliance seem to be spreading tremendous money to the government. Asking them to mess up our Gwangwoon.”

It was expected checks.

The problem was the intensity of those checks was severe.

They absorbed all major customers on Taiwan’s side including TSNC, and even stole customers from other countries related to that.

“I even hear talk that those bastards colluded to entangle me in various crimes so the Chinese government will arrest me.”

Naturally he’ll receive protection since he’s a Republic of Korea citizen, but not any other country but China, so unexpected things could sufficiently happen.

“What do they want?”

“Tianjin Port. They’re making this fuss telling me to hand that over now. But I absolutely can’t give that. What chaos did we go through to build and purchase those facilities!”

Right then.

KWAANG!

“!?”

For a moment a roar loud enough to tear my eardrums shook both ears.

I was so surprised I thought maybe an explosion accident happened somewhere..

“President Jeong? Why, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“Didn’t you just hear that?”

“Huh? Hear what?”

Fortunately it wasn’t an explosion from this restaurant.

Seeing President’s reaction, it seemed like a sound only I could hear.

“…”

I downed my glass to calm my confused head.

What on earth was that just now?

“They’re not just going to take Tianjin Port away, right?”

“Well, they’re saying give it up and scram for a reasonable price. But no matter how high the price, Tianjin Port is a facility that becomes core in the China line. Telling us to hand it over means they’ll eat that entire line. Our loss is tremendous.”

Once more something powerful enough to hurt my body hit me and passed by.

Then I realized.

That my intuition is giving a warning about Tianjin Port right now.

But I can’t know what this warning is for.

Is it doing this because if I don’t hand it over like this, our business could be greatly affected?

“That’s why I came to seek advice like this. I can’t just give up Tianjin Port, right?”

“..President.”

“Yeah. Just say it. I’ll do whatever President Jeong tells me.”

“Let’s just give away all the Tianjin Port facilities?”

“..What?”

President Kim Du-yeong asked me once more as if doubting his ears.

“Hand over Tianjin Port?”

“Yes. They say they’ll buy it at a reasonable price.”

“B-but thinking about the future value there, it’s a place absolutely unsellable at that price.”

“Give it anyway. They say you avoid shit not because you’re scared but because it’s dirty.”

“Don’t tell me.. President Jeong. Are you doing this to protect me?”

President Kim Du-yeong’s face changed to a tearful expression as if he’d cry immediately if touched.

The hand holding the glass was trembling.

“How much did we wring from the Chinese government from shipping to port business? Just think of it as tearing one off as service.”

“B-but.. President Jeong put in so much effort to get that. This is all because I’m incompetent..! Just give me to the Chinese government instead, President Jeong! I’ll sacrifice myself!”

“I said it’s okay.”

“No. Who am I that President Jeong protects me!”

“President is such an important person to our group. Would that facility matter?”

“P-President Jeong!”

President Kim Du-yeong’s face was already a mess of tears.