I Became a Cyberpunk Tycoon

Refining (3)

The faces of the businessmen darkened.

If an ordinary person had said such things in front of them, they would have immediately flared up in anger and told them to stop such disgusting talk.

It was the kind of talk only communists would make. Limiting work hours, guaranteeing vacations and rights, and so on.

These were people who had devoted their entire lives to catching communists who said such things. They couldn't help but reflexively convulse at hearing the words they spewed.

But they had to grit their teeth and endure their anger.

Han Sanwoo was nodding with a satisfied expression. If he was enjoying this nonsense, they couldn't carelessly open their mouths.

"That... Is that what we have to do?"

He nodded casually. The men in suits desperately tried to read the situation.

He might have been corrupted by strange ideas.

Though he was called president, he was an incompetent person who had never done any proper work, so it wouldn't be strange if he had been deceived by clever words.

"President. Though the intention might be good, there are many difficulties in applying this to Hansan."

"General Machina and all sorts of companies will threaten our position."

But these people had known Han Sanwoo for a long time. They weren't unaware of what he liked and disliked.

Like a member of the Hansan family, Han Sanwoo was steeped in a sense of superiority.

He couldn't tolerate anyone standing above him, and he couldn't accept that there were things that didn't go his way.

"How could Hansan give up that throne?"

They might be able to control Han Sanwoo by exploiting that emotion.

But they still couldn't hide their anxiety.

Han Sanwoo had changed. He didn't sleep with women like he used to enjoy, and he did things without hesitation that he wouldn't have even imagined before.

It was uncertain whether they could persuade him with superiority and desire for control.

"It's fine. We're not the only ones doing it. A new law will be enacted soon."

"A law, you say?"

"It'll take a few months to actually be implemented, but there's no harm in doing it early."

"Ah, so it was about the law."

With those words, the tension that had filled the room melted away like snow.

"That could be."

"Well, President Han Sanwoo has handled things on a larger scale, so you're somewhat removed from practical matters."

They smiled with notably lightened expressions.

"There's no need to worry. Aren't we Hansan? If we just apply appropriate pressure, such arrogant and presumptuous legislation won't pass."

They couldn't even imagine that this Han Sanwoo was merely afraid of something like the law.

Still, the fact that he had softened enough to be mindful of others' reactions was certainly good news for the businessmen present.

Though he had gotten angry at the Hansan Foods branch manager, it wasn't particularly notable compared to the indiscriminate anger he used to display before.

If he would remain as a 'normal and incompetent' level Hansan family member like this, Hansan companies in Stella City could develop even further.

"What are you talking about? I'm planning to pass that law."

"...Pardon?"

It was an arrogant statement. Han Sanwoo didn't hold any official political position.

But everyone here knew. Just as Hansan had the power to prevent laws from passing, Han Sanwoo had the power to pass that legislation.

So they didn't bother asking 'how' it was possible. Instead, they asked why he wanted it.

"Why? We'll only suffer losses. All of Hansan Group's companies will be harmed."

The briefly warm atmosphere turned cold again.

"Everyone will suffer losses. Not just us, but all other companies too."

"This is absurd! Even if we make the law, they'll find ways to evade it somehow! In the end, Hansan will be the one taking losses!"

Han Sanwoo nodded casually, as if he had anticipated this question.

"We'll have to prevent that. You think I've been hanging around the police station just to look at women in police uniforms?"

"You can't control the police to that extent!"

They were aware of what kind of eccentric behavior he had been showing.

Han Sanwoo continued to intervene with the police by contacting the police chief to direct investigations and provide weapons.

But that wasn't enough. The police were those who bowed their heads before corporations, not those who pointed swords at corporations.

"The rest is up to you all. Gather people to form surveillance teams, mix in people from other companies besides Hansan, and establish a mutual monitoring system."

"Who would cooperate?"

"Those who don't cooperate can just take a beating one-sidedly."

It was ominous. Though Han Sanwoo's eyes were smiling, his mouth revealed fierce aggression like a predator eyeing its prey.

"Why... do we have to go that far?"

"You said it yourself. That everyone will suffer losses."

He answered with an indifferent face, as if stating the obvious fact that the ground gets wet when it rains.

"Just standing on the same ground as those disgusting bastards is unpleasant... Why should I? I'm a Hansan, aren't I?"

He laughed helplessly, as if genuinely dumbfounded.

"If we all take losses together, who will last longer? Hansan will."

The businessmen who thought there might be 'good intentions' in his mind had to realize how foolish their thinking was.

His desires hadn't disappeared. His aggression hadn't vanished.

Instead of sleeping with women and tormenting other Hansan executives, he was simply waiting for a larger and more cruel war.

Though they couldn't confirm exact information, there were rumors that he might have been involved in the shooting incident at the abandoned factory.

He might have killed someone directly. While death wasn't such a strange thing in Stella City, it becomes a problem when the city's leader enjoys murder.

"If we raise moral standards, everyone will inevitably suffer losses. Especially if there's power to enforce it."

And after enduring for so long, Hansan will ultimately win. Because Hansan has the most money, superior technology, and is the strongest.

"Such..."

It was outrageous. The businessman standing before him had to admit that he had underestimated Han Sanwoo's desires and aggression.

He wanted numerous companies to disappear. He wanted to monopolize Stella City.

He didn't want to make money together with other companies through collaboration and mutual growth. He wanted Hansan to remain alone in this city.

"They won't just stand by and take it. A war might break out."

War leaves scars. Everyone in the room, or more precisely, everyone except Han Sanwoo and his secretary, swallowed hard.

One couldn't say it was worse than those who directly participated in war and lost arms, legs, and loved ones.

But when their assets flew into thin air and their carefully gathered private soldiers were sacrificed to missiles, even Hansan employees couldn't help but find it horrifying.

"If necessary, we must."

But the warmonger standing before them nodded casually.

As if that's what he wanted.

***

I need people who listen well. People who will listen to me much better than the Hansan employees here now.

I need people who will accept my 'preparations' without any doubt, even the delusion that one mercenary could bring down all of Hansan.

Ironically, this meant I couldn't bring in good and rational people.

In their eyes, 'others' are employees of other companies. They would never see the ignorant and violent people from the slums as fellow humans.

Being good means sympathizing with the suffering of other company employees. Being rational means peacefully making money while oppressing non-humans together with other business people.

I don't need such people.

"As young master said, I'm mobilizing my entire organization to investigate Jeong Chansu."

"Good work."

I don't need people seeking personal gain either. Even if I can't eliminate them all, I need to subdue them.

I need people who are loyal not to capitalism or Hansan, but to me personally.

People who are so deeply entangled through personal ties, their weaknesses, and mutually compatible goals that they can't be separated.

"But... isn't this not a good time to reveal Hansan's power?"

"It doesn't matter. No, now is good."

If by any chance 'that alphabet' is in another company and escapes through the chaos I create, this would be the worst move. It would be like strangling my own neck with my hands.

But excluding that possibility, it's good in every way.

If I create a chaotic atmosphere, it provides justification to create an armed organization I can use personally.

If I can attribute the credit to me, Han Sanwoo personally, without incurring the hatred of ordinary people, it becomes difficult for forces outside the corporations to point their swords at me.

If traitors within Hansan and forces dissatisfied with me reveal themselves, I can buy time to deal with them before 'that alphabet' appears.

"We'll have to try."

For survival, sometimes one had to make risky choices.

-------

To support the story, you can read advance chapters @https://stellarrealm.net/series/i-became-a-cyberpunk-tycoon