The Parachute Hire is Too Competent Chapter 61 : Blackmail (3)

Blackmail (3)

Inside the taxi returning to the office after the eting with Evening Star.

Choi Hyena spoke cautiously.

"Division director-nim, about the Next Planet tropolitan zone. You haven't really explained it to , so I don't fully understand. You do have a concrete plan, right?"

"Of course......"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"There isn't any."

"Then what made you so confident to speak that way...?"

"Who, do you think, is actually funding Evening Star? I can guarantee it isn't the chairman-nim. If it were him, he would have either openly helped or completely hidden his involvent."

"Hmm... It does seem to be soone related to the chairman-nim. It definitely didn't feel like a typical investor."

I nodded.

If it were soone purely invested for profit, they would have already contacted us by now.

To be strict, such a person probably wouldn't have even considered investing in Nonsan in the first place—what's there to gain?

And after investing, they would have raised the prices of the accommodations.

It's common sense for investors to pursue greater returns.

There must be a reason for behavior that defies common sense.

Also, considering how incredibly early the investnt timing was, it's highly likely that this person is an acquaintance of the chairman-nim.

I don't know exactly how close they are, though.

"The mysterious investor is planning more investnts, but is holding off on making a decision. If they were only going to buy a few accommodations in Nonsan and be done with it, there's no need for them to care about ."

"That's true......"

"The essence of investnt is to accept a certain amount of risk, calculating how much profit can be gained in return. But humans can't always calculate everything rationally. What I'm after is exactly that irrationality."

"How is that possible?"

"You make it impossible for them to predict the upside. What I'm saying is, what I'm about to do will far exceed your expectations. So if you want to monopolize the fruits that co out of it, act now. Don't worry about the risks."

"Oh!"

"We often call that irrationality a 'dream'."

"So that's why you talked about making Nonsan into the city of Next Planet, and later expanding it to the tropolitan zone. You threw down the gauntlet—without a concrete plan at all. Wow... You really have that conman charm, division director-nim."

"A conman... That's harsh."

Choi Hyena gave a thumbs up.

"If you don't like being called a conman, should I compare you to one of Korea's greatest entrepreneurs? The one who said he'd build ships and got investnts from England without even having a shipyard. 'Hey, have you ever done it?'"

The mont I heard that, I felt a chill. Sweat was streaming down my back, even though the taxi's air-conditioner was blasting cold air.

How could she compare soone like to a person who contributed so much to the nation's economic revival?

"Let's just stick with 'conman'."

"Why? I really believe you'll beco soone like that. You're already making the impossible possible."

It feels good when soone believes in you, but when it goes this far, it becos a real burden.

Still, it makes want to work even harder.

We arrived at Next Planet. Hyena and I went straight to the Operations Division.

Division director Oh Kang-il and his right-hand man, facility Managent Team leader Kim Woo-young, ca to the eting.

Division director Oh Kang-il feels different to deal with compared to the chairman-nim. His serious deanor makes feel like I should always act with gravity myself.

"I want to make a sweeping change to the children's zone."

"In what way?"

"I want to clear out the landscaping area in the center completely, and turn it into an open-air cafeteria."

"But that—!"

Before I could even finish my sentence, team leader Kim Woo-young reacted sharply.

But Division director Oh motioned with his hand for him to stop.

Team leader Kim murmured under his breath.

"Do you have any idea how much trouble division director-nim went through to maintain that... He's really attached to it..."

I expected this.

That's why I hadn't wanted to propose this idea.

Division director Oh spoke in his resonant voice.

"You be quiet. Listen to what division director-nim has to say. Just carry on with your work."

My hands are sweating... That pressure. Honestly, sotis it's easier when the chairman-nim just yells.

"It's because the space is being used inefficiently."

"So you an that our landscaping is actually doing harm?"

"In that particular zone, given Next Planet's current situation, yes."

Suddenly, Choi Hyena whipped her head towards , her lips moving soundlessly in surprise.

We agreed not to just toss out proposals like this.

I'd also intended to lay things out gradually and gently, but maybe I was flustered by division director Oh's pressure—words started slipping out on their own.

I guess I do have a habit of launching straight into things.

Team leader Kim Woo-young snapped again.

"I've really appreciated your recent efforts, division director-nim. But today I'm disappointed. This is belittling our whole division..."

"That's enough. Let's hear more."

"I'll provide a detailed explanation and plan. The main reason for removing the landscaping is that children have no interest in it."

"Are only children coming? Don't their parents—"

"Just listen, I said."

"Sorry, I spoke out of turn."

Maybe because the atmosphere was so tense, Hyena had her eyes closed already.

My heart was pounding too.

There's a lot I need to accomplish ahead.

But the reality is, nothing can be done without help from the Operations Division.

Can I persuade them, or not? My future depends on that. So giving up is not an option.

"Since you ntioned parents, let's start from there. One of our objectives is to preserve the stamina of parents of preschool children."

"And what's the reason for that?"

"If you want preschoolers to visit Next Planet twice, three tis, and even when they're adults, you have to help them create good mories here."

"And what does that have to do with the parents' stamina?"

"When kids co to a the park, they run around excitedly. But the parents who chase after them—?"

I explained again about Next Planet's geographical constraints.

Even just traveling here already drains a significant amount of parents' stamina.

"I get that. We need to provide rest spaces to parents of preschoolers. But couldn't the rest spaces be arranged elsewhere?"

"No. We need to clear out every bit of space in the center."

Maybe I got overexcited, because my voice grew louder. Strangely, division director Oh looked more startled than annoyed.

The children's zone, like the others, is made up of winding paths forming a half-circle.

The difference is, in this area, the attractions are laid out along the outer curve.

It's possible because the rides for little kids are smaller in scale.

The interior of the half-circle is a landscaped area that people can't enter.

It's actually quite well-made. There are even dinosaur-shaped topiary bushes for the children.

It would be a sha to remove it.

But—

"To let parents rest and watch their kids, we need to build a cafeteria with parasols or shade right in the center."

I explained the plan for the preschool parade I'd develop with Park Seok-min.

The parade would be held only in this area.

For the parade to work, the first requirent is a wider route than now, and the second is a space where parents can watch their children, who are crazy about the parade, from behind.

I explained all of this.

Division director Oh crossed his arms over his chest and thought for a long ti.

Then—

"We usually put two hidden photospots in that area. What about those?"

"We'll remove all of them. Hidden photospots can be made elsewhere. Of course, I don't intend to touch the carousel area which also serves as a regular photospot."

"Isn't that a sha? You'll have to revise your plans a lot. And the parents who co to Next Planet love taking pictures at those hidden photospots—what do you think about that?"

"It always cos down to choice and focus. I feel bad about taking away the hidden photospots from parents of preschoolers, but preserving their stamina is a far greater advantage."

"That makes sense. But how exactly do you plan to fund this? You used the chairman-nim's funding, and took from our budget too, didn't you? There shouldn't be much left."

Here cos the real test.

Even getting this far has been tough, but an even bigger hurdle now stands before us.

I tried to steady myself and replied.

"I plan to secure funding by reducing the workforce of the Operations Division Custor Service Team."

- Bam!

Team leader Kim Woo-young slamd his palms on the table and stood up.

"Are you kidding right now? First you want to bulldoze the landscaping, and now you're saying you'll slash the division workforce? That's outright disrespect towards us! I really want to swear right now, but I'm barely holding it in."

I would probably have acted the sa way in his position. This ti, division director Oh didn't restrain Team leader Kim.

In that instant, I wondered if maybe what I was doing was wrong. Still, I cannot back down.

There are things I want to do, things I must do.

"The elderly workers in the the park's custor service team aren't a good fit. And there are simply too many of them. That's why I want to reduce the number. What's wrong with that? You already know—the reality is, because they have nothing to do, they end up taking over visitor rest areas just to rest themselves."

"That's not technically wrong, but what I'm saying is—it's unfair to just force the Operations Division to make all the sacrifices. The landscaping thing makes mad, but now you're talking about layoffs? How are you planning to deal with the fallout?"

Emotions were running hot.

In fact, I had orchestrated this situation. There was a reason I didn't ntion the 'Evening Star' deal at the beginning.

I purposely waited in silence for about thirty seconds.

"We're planning to sign a contract with Evening Star. Of the elderly workers in Next Planet, those suited to work in hospitality will be hired by Evening Star."

Imdiately, team leader Kim's outrage subsided. Of course—now he had a whole new issue to consider.

If I'd played the Evening Star card at the start, he would have spent ti weighing how much benefit or loss the agreent would bring to the Operations Division.

That would make it look like I'd done my utmost to be courteous.

But in fact, my intention was to first lay the groundwork as if I was going to make the Operations Division shoulder the burden, then offer them a sugar-coated deal.

I turned my attention from Team leader Kim Woo-young to division director Oh.

Winning over the real decision-maker was what mattered.

I bowed deeply and spoke with respect.

"I will do whatever must be done for the survival and future of Next Planet. Division director-nim, you once asked to resolve the elderly worker problem."

"That's right."

"So I brought the most reasonable compromise I could think of."

"A compromise, you say......"

"And there's sothing else I'd like you to know."

"What is it this ti?"

"I did not only demand sacrifices from the field staff of the Operations Division. In fact, the Business Strategy Division's office staff have already lost, and continue to lose, the most positions."

Once again, Choi Hyena looked startled.

From the way I said that, it might seem like I orchestrated the restructuring of the Marketing & PR Team, Event & Performance Team, and the Business Strategy Team.

In reality, I hadn't implented restructuring, but now was the ti to use the appearance of fairness, that even office workers had sacrificed.

That would help balance the scales.

Division director Oh's brow furrowed deeply.

I explained in detail the terms I'd negotiated with Evening Star, and what kind of cooperation I expected from the Operations Division.

"So, in the end, you're saying you'll lay off over a hundred people?"

"That's right. But if soone truly fits Next Planet, I plan to keep them employed regardless of age."

"I can't just stay mad. It's not even as if you're firing everyone right now, and you've even arranged alternative jobs for those affected."

Division director Oh was silent for a long while. All we could do was wait for him to speak.

"Team leader Kim."

"Yes, division director-nim."

"Do everything division director-nim asked."

"What? That will cause enormous problems for the Operations Division's functioning! And the landscaping... you poured your heart into it, and it's a big part of our division's identity—"

"The Operations Division's identity is important, but isn't Next Planet's survival more so? And right now, while division director-nim is talking about the future of Next Planet, should the Operations Division really only worry about its own?"

"Th... That's..."

Division director Oh looked straight at . He is definitely not the sa as the chairman-nim, but sotis, they almost seem to overlap.

"The layoffs in the Operations Division aren't sothing division director-nim decided. I'm the one making the decision. We'll proceed this way."

"Division director-nim!"

Team leader Kim shouted.

Why?

Once soone undertakes restructuring, it's hard to keep one's seat for long.

You're bound to earn people's grudges.

Of course, what I'm doing now might not technically be restructuring, but if people insist on calling it that, it's likely to stick.

"If bla must fall, I'll take it. I'm old enough to step down anyway. If, as Operations Division head, I can pave the way for the future star of Next Planet, then that's what I should do."