Chapter 316: Wild Plan

Chairman Yoon Jongu’s train of thought was as clear to me as day.

He was counting on driving up the price of gold using KBH Investment alone, without involving Bongard Investment Group.

But I had a completely different opinion on that.

“With the resources available to KBH Investment, we won’t be able to push the price of gold up to one million dollars.”

KBH Investment’s registered capital was fifty billion dollars.

Some of it had been spent when the company was established, but the lion’s share of the funds remained untouched.

Chairman Yoon Jongu believed that if we poured in all the remaining capital, pushing the price up to one million dollars would be easy.

He asked Cha Jiham what he thought of his idea.

“Last week, gold already made a temporary jump of about five percent.”

“That’s right! It did!”

Chairman Yoon Jongu slapped his knee as though he had only just remembered.

“Wait a minute... Chief Cha, was that your doing?”

“Strictly speaking, it was something Chairman Bongard and I did together.”

“I knew it! And what happened after that? Tell me.”

“At the time, we poured in fifty billion dollars, but we only managed to raise the price by five percent.”

“You’re saying that pushing the price all the way to one million dollars will require far more money than I thought?”

“Exactly, Chairman Yoon. This time, we need to raise the price by more than thirteen and a half percent, so KBH Investment alone won’t be able to achieve the target return.”

“Hmm...”

Chairman Yoon Jongu faltered, took off his glasses, placed them on the table, and sank into thought.

I sat quietly across from him, giving him time to think it through.

After a while, he finally finished thinking, put his glasses back on, and spoke.

“Chief Cha, exactly how much do we need to pour in to raise the price of gold by more than thirteen and a half percent?”

“I haven’t run the exact calculations yet, but we’ll need at least one hundred and fifty billion dollars.”

“In that case, how about Bongard Investment Group putting in one hundred billion, while KBH Investment covers the remaining amount?”

At that moment, Chairman Park Yeongil brazenly cut into the conversation, making it clear that he had something to say as well.

“Wouldn’t it be better to do this instead? Chairman Yoon and I put up fifty billion dollars, Bongard Investment Group puts up fifty billion, and KBH Investment takes care of the rest.”

“Is there any point in wasting our breath?”

“Ha-ha-ha! I knew it. Chief Cha, what are you standing there for?”

I immediately saw through Chairman Park Yeongil’s intentions.

He was demanding that I contact Chairman Bongard at once and inform him of the agreement Chairman Yoon and I had reached.

As it happened, there was something I needed to discuss with him as well, so I called Bongard without delay.

After several rings, a cheerful voice came through the phone.

[Chief Cha! How did your business trip to the Philippines go?]

“Thanks to your good wishes, Chairman Bongard, everything went very well.”

[Glad to hear it. But I doubt you called just to ask after my health. Get to the point.]

Still, dumping everything on him right from the start would have been careless.

“I’m calling to ask how much profit you managed to lock in when we invested in gold futures.”

[We invested fifty billion dollars and made two and a half billion in profit.]

“So the return was around five percent?”

[Around five percent, you say...]

Chairman Bongard drew out the words ambiguously, evidently having already caught my hint.

After a pause, genuine curiosity entered his voice.

[What asset should I invest in this time?]

“As before, we’ll be working with gold futures.”

[I see. What’s the target return and time frame?]

“The investment period will be about three to four days, and we’re aiming for a return of around fifteen percent.”

[Ha-ha-ha!]

Making a fifteen-percent profit in just three or four days was no easy task.

That was precisely why Chairman Bongard burst into such genuine laughter.

I waited a little for him to finish laughing, then continued listening.

[Chief Cha, what exactly do you want me to do?]

“As you know, Politburo member Liu Peiqi and Deputy Secretary Zhang Jinan are locked in a desperate struggle for a seat on the Standing Committee. Chairman Zhen Weiliang is selling them six tons of gold...”

I explained in detail the role Chairman Bongard was supposed to play.

“...The moment gold futures break through one million dollars, sell immediately.”

[Why exactly did you choose one million dollars as the target price?]

“Vice Chairman Wei promised Politburo member Liu a five-percent discount off the LBMA quotation. In that case, he’ll have to scrape together 5.7 billion dollars.”

[So if the gold is sold to Deputy Secretary Zhang instead, the size of the discount and the final transaction amount could change?]

“I won’t deny that.”

[I understand the gist of it. But tell me, do we really have to limit ourselves strictly to an investment of fifty billion dollars?]

There was unmistakable regret in Bongard’s voice as he asked.

I needed to encourage him.

“If Chairman Zhen sells the gold to Deputy Secretary Zhang, the amount we invest could increase substantially.”

[I sincerely hope our investment amount increases severalfold.]

“I’ll do everything I can to make that happen.”

[All right, now let’s move on to something else.]

At present, the only unresolved matter between Chairman Bongard and me was the gold futures.

However, he unexpectedly made it clear that there was more.

“Is there something else you need from me?”

[What about the purchase of Westinghouse?]

“Ah! That’s right, it completely slipped my mind. What stage are the negotiations at now?”

[I personally participated in the bidding and drove the purchase price down to seven billion dollars.]

“Didn’t Cameco, Westinghouse’s largest shareholder, object?”

[Naturally, they went up in arms. So in the end, our company simply arranged to buy Cameco itself.]

Honestly, when Chairman Bongard had first mentioned his intention to acquire Westinghouse for seven billion dollars, I had been somewhat skeptical.

After all, Cameco had stubbornly held out until the very end, demanding ten billion.

But as it turned out, Bongard Investment Group had its own plan—to acquire Cameco itself.

And if they bought Cameco, then the sale of Westinghouse would essentially become an internal transaction.

“I never thought there was such an elegant way around it.”

[The important thing is that now you know.]

“Ha-ha, of course. By the way, did President Douglas give his approval?”

[We met last night, and I managed to talk him into it.]

“You’ve done an enormous amount of work.”

[Chief Cha, you seem to be forgetting that our company is the second-largest shareholder of KBH Investment.]

In other words, Chairman Bongard was merely fulfilling his duty as a shareholder.

The moment I ended the call after exchanging a few more words with him, Chairman Yoon Jongu immediately stared at me with eyes burning with curiosity.

“Chief Cha, come on, tell me. What were you and Bongard talking about?”

***

At the same time.

The Liu brothers—Politburo member Liu Peiqi and Liu Haoran—were having a conversation in an extremely oppressive atmosphere.

“Brother, well? How did it go?”

Last night, Politburo member Liu Peiqi had secretly met with Deng Zhiping, the Chairman’s personal secretary, and cautiously asked to borrow five billion dollars, claiming that he urgently needed cash.

However, Deng Zhiping politely refused, saying that he did not have that kind of money.

At the same time, he hinted that perhaps it would be better to ask Chairman Xi Jinping directly for a loan.

Caught off guard by the suggestion, Liu Peiqi decided to back off and take some time to think.

He recounted the entire conversation to Director Liu Haoran without concealing anything.

“...What do you think about Secretary Deng’s suggestion?”

“I’m absolutely against it.”

“And why is that?” A sharp edge slipped into Liu Peiqi’s voice.

But Liu Haoran was not intimidated in the slightest, absolutely certain that he was right.

“The Chairman knows perfectly well that you borrowed money to purchase fourteen tons of gold.”

“Oh, come on. Why would he?”

“Secretary Deng is the Chairman’s right-hand man. Do you really think he didn’t report it?”

“Hmm... Now that I think about it, you’re right.”

“And what kind of attitude do you think the Chairman will have if you come to him with your hand out again, this time asking for money to buy another six tons of gold?”

Liu Peiqi shuddered at the mere thought.

“Brother, should I keep going, or is that enough?”

“...No need. I understand,” Liu Peiqi replied in a dejected voice.

Seeing his brother so depressed, Liu Haoran decided to cheer him up.

“There’s a way to get our hands on those six tons of gold without asking the Chairman for money.”

“How?”

“It’s very simple. We take it.”

Chairman Zhen Weiliang was undoubtedly hiding those six tons of gold somewhere secure.

How could they possibly seize the shipment under those circumstances?

Liu Peiqi voiced his doubts to Liu Haoran.

“I’m not suggesting that we rob Chairman Zhen himself.”

“Don’t tell me...”

Liu Haoran understood perfectly well why Liu Peiqi left the sentence unfinished.

“Exactly what you’re thinking.”

“All right. Tell me your plan.”

“First, we tell Chairman Zhen that we’re giving up on buying the six tons...”

Liu Peiqi got goosebumps at those words.

If Liu Haoran’s scheme went off without a hitch, they would obtain the coveted six tons of gold.

And if things went particularly well, they might even manage to grab more.

While Liu Peiqi shook his head in amazement at the sheer audacity of the idea, the explanation came to an end.

“...That way, we kill two birds with one stone.”

“But will this plan work?”

“If we think through every detail, the chances of success are extremely high.”

“A perfect plan, you say... Should we entrust the dirty work to the Triad?”

“Brother, you remember who Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui is, don’t you?”

“Damn it! It completely slipped my mind. Then who should we use?”

“Why not entrust it to Public Security Bureau Chief Pu Zhenghua? He’s your loyal man.”

“That’s right! How could I have forgotten about him!” Liu Peiqi slapped his knee, appreciating the brilliance of the idea.

“I’ll handle seizing the gold. You, Brother, focus exclusively on state affairs.”

Liu Peiqi nodded in agreement and dialed Chairman Zhen Weiliang’s number.

After several rings, his irritated voice came through the phone.

[Politburo member Liu, what is it this time?]

“I’m calling to offer my sincere apologies, Chairman Zhen.”

[Could it be...]

Liu Peiqi had spent more than thirty-five years surviving in a political snake pit filled with conspiracies and secret wars.

So he immediately understood why Zhen Weiliang had faltered.

“I’ve run myself ragged trying to secure the funds, but in the end I still couldn’t raise the amount I need.”

[I see... That is quite unfortunate.]

“I’m kicking myself over it too, but what good does that do if I don’t have the money?”

[So, are you giving up on your grand dream?]

“Haah...” Liu Peiqi deliberately let out a heavy sigh, lowering the other man’s guard.

[Politburo member Liu, I assure you, your time will still come.]

“Thank you for the consolation. By the way, who are you planning to sell the gold to now?”

[You know perfectly well yourself.]

Everything up to this point had merely been the appetizer.

Now came the interesting part.

Refreshing Liu Haoran’s instructions in his mind, Liu Peiqi continued his conversation with Zhen Weiliang.

“Chairman Zhen, I have one request to make of you.”

[I’m listening.]

“When you sell the gold to Deputy Secretary Zhang Jinan, skin him alive.”

[I’ll do everything in my power to satisfy your request.]

“Ha-ha-ha! Much obliged.”

[No need for thanks. By the way, I’ve just heard some news that’s sure to put you in a good mood. Would you like to hear it?]

“I’m all ears.”

[Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui, Deputy Secretary Zhang’s brother-in-law... has died.]

“Wha-a-at?!”

Liu Peiqi roared so loudly that he nearly tore his throat from genuine astonishment.

He shouted so loudly that Liu Haoran, sitting across from him, actually jumped in his seat.

[I was stunned myself when I heard.]

“Chairman Zhen, is that information reliable? Is Chen Zhihui really dead?”

[The information came directly from a high-ranking official in the Philippine government.]

“So it’s true... And how did he die?”

[I was only informed of his death. I don’t know the details.]

“Understood. All right, then we’ll speak again later.”

Click.

The moment Liu Peiqi hung up, Liu Haoran immediately bombarded him with questions.

“Do you think Zhen Weiliang is lying?”

“That depends on who this Philippine government official is.”

“You mean it could be disinformation?”

“It certainly looks that way.”

“And how do you think Deputy Secretary Zhang will react when rumors of Chen Zhihui’s death reach him?”

“Ha-ha-ha-ha!”

Liu Peiqi’s thunderous, booming laughter said more than any words could.