Chapter 175: Cracks in HWS (6)

I smiled only then after confirming that the atmosphere of the employees had changed.

However, what I had been able to do up to this point was possible because I had secured all authority.

While having summoned all HWS employees to the warehouse, I spoke with Financial Director Choi Sang-gyu for a moment.

Choi Sang-gyu asked with a flustered face.

“Representative, to suddenly summon all employees... what are you planning to do?”

As the Financial Director of Taeseong Heavy Industries, it was natural that my sudden measures as the representative of HJ Partners were not understood.

I spoke slowly.

“As you also saw, Director Choi, the current reporting system is blocked and the process operation has collapsed. If production continues like this, it is only a matter of time before an accident occurs.”

Since Choi Sang-gyu had also seen it personally, it was not that he did not know.

“That is true, but....”

“That is why immediate reorganization is necessary. There is not much time right now. If we are to change the structure itself.”

Choi Sang-gyu lost his words for a moment.

The countermeasures I was talking about were, in a way, something that cost a lot of money.

It was something that could never be done without the approval of Chairman Lim Man-cheol.

Choi Sang-gyu spoke cautiously.

“Representative, I cannot judge this matter alone. The budget and the structural reorganization are parts that cannot be done easily, but it must be proceeded with after first consulting with the headquarters.”

I nodded as if I had been waiting and said.

“That is why I intend to report to the Chairman right now.”

“What? Right now?”

“We have no time to wait. There is no need to, either.”

I took out my cell phone without delay.

Choi Sang-gyu closed his mouth at my bold actions.

Being able to contact the Chairman of Taeseong Heavy Industries directly was something only I could do, not something he could do.

Lim Man-cheol’s gruff voice flowed out.

-Hey brat, what’s going on that you’re calling at this hour?

“I am sorry, Great-uncle. It is urgent.”

Lim Man-cheol asked at the word urgent.

-What is it?

“Great-uncle, I came to HWS and it is serious. The General Manager has been handling work complacently without even reporting properly all this time. It is at a point where we don’t know when an accident might break out. On top of that, he was excluding the technical staff who came from Korea.”

-What?! What kind of bastard is that.

Lim Man-cheol spoke while revealing his fiery temperament just as it was.

-So what are you going to do?

“May I fix it up a bit?”

-You? Hahaha.

Choi Sang-gyu was listening quietly beside me without even being able to breathe.

Lim Man-cheol said shortly.

-Why ask that. Just do it.

As I tried to explain, he cut me off.

-Hey, hey. Would you say something wrong. I’m sleepy. Don’t talk long. If you think it should be done, do it. I’ll take the responsibility.

Click.

Even the sound of hanging up the phone was resolute.

I shrugged my shoulders toward Choi Sang-gyu.

“The Chairman said to handle it as I see fit?”

Choi Sang-gyu, who was listening beside me, answered as if it were nothing while hiding his surprise.

“Since the Chairman said so... please do as you please.”

I said calmly.

“If we do not change it now, an accident will occur. Director Choi, I ask for your cooperation.”

Choi Sang-gyu let out a deep breath and nodded.

“Since you have even received the Chairman’s approval, do as you wish. The finance team will immediately support necessary matters.”

***

I said resolutely.

“General Manager Hamilton. I shall fire you.”

The voice that echoed to every corner of the warehouse was like a declaration.

The inside of the warehouse fell into silence in an instant.

No one dared to even make a sound of breathing.

Hamilton’s face turned deathly pale.

He barely said in a trembling voice.

“Wh-what did you just say?”

He shook his head as if hoping he had misheard.

However, there was no wavering in my gaze.

“You will know better yourself why you were dismissed.”

I took a step forward and continued speaking calmly.

“Concealing reports from the headquarters, disregarding safety regulations, systematic discrimination against technical staff, neglecting the site. There is no end to it if I list them.”

My voice listed only the facts coldbloodedly while excluding emotions.

That actually sounded sharper to the person receiving it.

“None of these are problems that can be overlooked lightly as a manager.”

Hamilton’s lips trembled.

He struggled to find some excuse.

“Th-that is a misunderstanding. I was just for the sake of the company....”

I cut him off flatly.

“You do not need to explain.”

A stir arose among the employees along with low gasps.

Because of Hamilton’s firing, some were relieved, but it was also a shocking thing.

The atmosphere froze.

I organized my thoughts internally.

In fact, if it were Korea, an immediate notice of dismissal is impossible.

It is because there are labor laws and procedures.

And the evidence collection and the notice period, all of those things would have held one back.

However, the United States was different.

If there is a valid reason, even manager-level personnel can be dismissed immediately.

Because this place was the United States, I carried out the firing immediately.

In the United States, immediate dismissal of a manager who caused a serious problem is rather like the standard.

Responsibility and authority are like two sides of a blade.

I opened my mouth right away.

“According to HR procedures, go to the office right now and pack your personal belongings.”

Even if it looked cold, Hamilton should consider it a fortune that it ended at this level.

If they fought legally, firing was a better option for him.

“Return your security card immediately. A handover is not necessary. From now on, your duties are completely over.”

The employees who had worked in the United States all knew.

What these words meant.

It was the same as the company no longer recognizing him as a person in charge, or even as a member of the organization.

Hamilton looked around.

However, there was not a single person who looked at him.

Even those who had stood by his side in the past turned their heads.

No one approached him.

No one offered a single word.

Only then did he realize that everything was over.

Hamilton bit his lip.

He turned around quietly with heavy steps.

He went out while closing the warehouse door with a bang.

I watched that appearance until the end, then turned my gaze and raised my voice toward the employees.

“For the time being, I will not place a General Manager here. In the current state, the same problem will be repeated no matter who comes.”

All the employees nodded.

It was also because they knew how rotten this organization had been.

“Instead, I will designate the person to take on the role of Interim General Manager at this very spot.”

I slowly moved my gaze.

When I placed my gaze on Maria Sanchez, who was standing among the employees, she widened her eyes as if surprised.

I called her name.

“Maria Sanchez. From now on, please take on the role of Interim General Manager.”

Maria, perhaps surprised, had her gaze wavering and wore a look of disbelief.

“I... me?”

Asking in a trembling voice, she looked around.

Most were in an accepting mood.

I asked in a calm voice.

“Is there anyone who has an objection? If there is, speak now. Do not say something else later.”

A silence flowed for a moment.

However, no one spoke.

Even those who supported Hamilton were quiet.

They also knew.

That Maria was the most suitable person.

I nodded as if satisfied and said.

“Good. Manager Maria Sanchez has tried to handle work most transparently all this time. Since you have identified the actual situation of the site more accurately than anyone else, I believe you will do well in the future. We can do without a handover, right?”

“Whaat?! Ah, yes.”

The corners of Maria’s eyes grew red bit by bit.

Emotions had welled up.

The moments she was ignored and the time she had endured flashed by like a kaleidoscope.

She answered slowly.

“I will do my best. Representative.”

I now turned my gaze to the management side for the last time.

The warehouse was full of tension.

“And for the management staff, from now on, we will proceed with the organizational structural reorganization.”

Strength was added to my voice.

“Those who have the will to remain here and be with us can perform their duties diligently in their respective positions. I believe in your abilities.”

Several people showed an appearance of being tense while swallowing.

I said after pausing for a moment.

“However, those who are judged to not be helpful to the normalization of the site because they are imbued with the existing corrupt atmosphere of monitoring employees while making a habit of evading responsibility and being negligent in their duties, please state your intention to resign voluntarily right now. The company will consider processing a severance pay at its discretion. This is the last chance. If it is not now, there is no severance pay.”

In an instant, the eyes of several managers shook greatly.

They looked at each other.

They seemed to be contemplating who would step forward first.

At that time, Mark Jennings stood up first.

Something like resignation was faintly smeared on his face.

“I think this far is right for me. I am sorry for everything.”

Following him, David Lowell also quietly lowered his head.

Bitterness was smeared in his voice.

“I shall also leave.”

Tim Logan glared at me with great strength in his eyes and then muttered as he went outside.

Anyone could see it was a curse.

Lastly, Jake Peterson, who used to follow Hamilton like a shadow, spoke in a trembling voice.

His face was pale.

“...I shall also leave.”

As four people declared their intention to resign in turn, a stir arose among the employees.

I organized calmly and said.

“Good. I thank you for your decision.”

And I said emphatically toward the remaining employees.

“From now on, this site starts completely anew. Performance, safety, and a transparent reporting system. We will take these three as our standards.”

My gaze passed by each person.

I finally spoke while clenching my fist.

“Your abilities will no longer be buried. You will be evaluated fairly, and you will be treated fairly. Let us rebuild this place together!”

Now, the HWS US branch had completely changed.

The light of the sunset began to seep bit by bit outside the warehouse.

The air that was flowing heavily before long began to sprout hope cautiously.

A wind of change had begun to blow.

The person who felt that change more than anyone else was definitely Choi Sang-gyu.

He had been watching the situation quietly from one side of the warehouse, but his expression had remained stiff all along.

It was not simply because he was surprised.

It was because he was shocked after seeing with his own eyes something unbelievable.

Since he had witnessed in real-time the appearance of organizing all those many people, the collapsed organization, and the rotten process flow while even reorganizing and overturning the structure in one go, it was understandable.

“...Is this really a possible thing?”

He let out as if muttering to himself without realizing it.

To him, who used to look at numbers at Taeseong Heavy Industries and kept the site far away, a scene like this right now was so unrealistic.

At that time, someone approached him.

It was Choi Seo-jun.

He crossed his arms and smiled while looking inside the warehouse.

It was an expression as if saying that our representative was originally such a person.

As Choi Sang-gyu looked on with a surprised expression, Choi Seo-jun spoke calmly.

“Director Choi, the representative is originally this kind of person.”

“Pardon?”

“His judgment is accurate and his execution is very fast. And if it is a necessary task, he does not hesitate.”

Watching Choi Seo-jun speaking seriously, a corner of Choi Sang-gyu’s heart felt a chill.

Until now, he had thought of me as just a third-generation chaebol of Taeseong Group and an influential figure.

However, the thing that happened before his eyes right now was not a problem at that level.

This person possessed the insight of a natural-born manager, the dominance to seize a large-scale organization in an instant, and a charisma that no one could shake.