Real Man

Chapter 495:

Even without digging a grave, Yoo-hyun was already prepared to deal with the two men.

He could bury them anytime he wanted, but there was no need to rush.

It was better to find out how far the weeds were connected and cut them off cleanly in many ways.

Since the fifth round of negotiations was about a week away, he also had time to take care of the aftermath of the strike.

Yoo-hyun was sitting on the sofa in the factory manager’s office, thinking about his plans for the future.

The factory manager, Ahn Hong-gu, who was sitting across from him, laughed without knowing how little time he had left.

“As expected, things are going smoothly since someone from the group strategy room came. Isn’t that right, team leader?”

“Yes, that’s right. I didn’t expect it to be resolved so easily.”

The team leader, Lee Sung-ryul, who was sitting next to Ahn Hong-gu, nodded.

The two men, who knew that Yoo-hyun had met with the union leader, Jang Seok-joon, were sure that they were connected to the corruption of the executive, Choo Jung-hwan.

Yoo-hyun sneaked a glance at them and tried to confirm the other weeds.

“Well, it’s not that hard. But how did you let them know that the group strategy room was pressuring them?”

Ahn Hong-gu, who believed him as solid as a rock, answered right away.

“They usually pressure them with articles. Nothing is more effective than the newspaper they open in the morning.”

“Ho, these days reporters don’t accept anything easily, do they?”

“It wasn’t that hard because it was a pretty big issue.”

“That’s not easy. Don’t tell me you’re doing it, team leader?”

As Yoo-hyun went in, Lee Sung-ryul, who was looking at the factory manager’s face, nodded.

“Our team members do it. I just confirm it.”

“I thought you were only managing production, but you’re actually an all-around employee.”

“I wouldn’t have been able to shine without your support, sir.”

Lee Sung-ryul humbly said, as if he had a cautious personality.

Ahn Hong-gu also joined in.

“That’s right. Nothing would have happened without you. It’s all thanks to you coming all this way.”

“Don’t say that. But why do you seem to be only treating me with words?”

As Yoo-hyun asked with a playful expression, Ahn Hong-gu burst into an awkward laugh.

“Ha ha. Of course I can’t do that. Since you brought it up, how about a drink tonight?”

“Hey, we’re not in the same age group. I want to hang out with young friends.”

“What?”

As Yoo-hyun waved his hand, Ahn Hong-gu blinked.

He didn’t understand why he was joking after asking for a treat.

Regardless of Ahn Hong-gu’s understanding, Yoo-hyun casually asked for what he wanted.

“Please use that money for the production management team dinner. Let me join in and have some fun.”

“Why a sudden dinner…”

Lee Sung-ryul, who opened his mouth with a doubtful expression, was interrupted.

Click.

Choo Jung-hwan, the executive who had been on the phone for a long time outside, opened the door and came in.

He sat down and looked at Yoo-hyun without a word.

Yoo-hyun sensed that something had gone wrong by looking at his changed eyes.

Who was he talking to?

While Yoo-hyun was thinking about the background, Choo Jung-hwan, who had heard the situation from Lee Sung-ryul, mediated the situation.

“Factory manager, let’s do that. The production management team members have been through a lot because of the union, so they’ll appreciate it if you buy them a meal.”

“That’s true.”

“And for the morale of the employees, it would be nice if you could grace the occasion.”

Choo Jung-hwan poked Ahn Hong-gu’s side and winked.

Before Ahn Hong-gu could catch on, Yoo-hyun saw through his intention.

Are you trying to watch me?

Of course, he didn’t show it on the surface and just smiled like a nice person.

Ahn Hong-gu, who understood a beat late, looked at Yoo-hyun.

“I don’t know if an old man can go.”

“Who would stop you if you’re buying drinks? That’s fine with me.”

“Ha ha. That’s true.”

Ahn Hong-gu laughed awkwardly, feeling a strange feeling.

At that time, the production management team office on the first floor of Factory A was busy.

A man who passed by with a camera around his neck asked his junior who was typing on the keyboard.

“What are you doing?”

Deputy Gong Jin-han, who took his fingers off the keyboard, looked at Chief Yoon Joon-woo.

“I’m organizing the content to send to the reporter. Did you take the work photos?”

“Yeah, I did, but there’s nothing much. Just wearing work clothes and smoking during work hours?”

“Just give me that. If I change the background and mosaic it a bit, it’ll be enough to make a fuss.”

“Okay. Ha. But I don’t know what we’re doing.”

“It’s all because of that young group strategy room guy.”

Deputy Gong Jin-han suddenly said, making Chief Yoon Joon-woo blink.

“What? Why?”

“He rejected all the agendas we prepared. So I have to write another proxy article to pressure the union.”

“Damn. The work is increasing.”

Chief Yoon Joon-woo shook his head.

Then the youngest member of the team ran over and shouted.

“Today’s team dinner is mandatory. The factory manager is coming too.”

As if they had made a promise, sighs were heard from the team.

“Ugh. I’m going to eat only eye candy because of the old drunk factory manager.”

Among them, Chief Yoon Joon-woo’s sigh was the loudest.

The production management team was a team that managed the production facilities and personnel of the entire factory, and it was a direct organization of the factory manager.

They had to be involved in the strike in some way.

This meant that they could end the aftermath of the strike in one breath if they used them in reverse.

Yoo-hyun wanted to move the production management team ahead of time, so he tried to get closer to them first.

And there was someone he had to check.

That was why he came to the dinner place first without contacting Lee Sung-ryul.

Sliding.

When Yoo-hyun opened the sliding door of the restaurant, he saw the faces of the people who filled the room.

The light gray jackets, not the production uniforms, told their identity.

“Who are you?”

Behind the man who asked with a puzzled look, another man blinked.

The man who had brought the refreshments to the executive meeting room pointed his finger at Yoo-hyun.

“Huh? That, the group strategy room?”

“Gasp.”

The people who understood the situation at the same time got up from their seats.

They looked pale, as if they were very scared of Yoo-hyun.

Even the team leaders were trembling, let alone the ones below them.

Yoo-hyun said to the people who were about to bow.

“Come on, sit down. I don’t like this kind of fuss.”

“Uh, yes.”

Yoo-hyun looked around nervously at the faces of the people who sat at the table with him.

They seemed to have arrived quite a while ago, but they hadn’t even ordered yet.

He could tell what was going on and called a passing waiter.

“Excuse me, can you please bring us the Korean beef sirloin set for everyone here?”

“All of them?”

“Yes. And also one raw beef dish for each person, and two bottles of soju and beer each, please.”

“Okay. I’ll bring them to you as soon as possible.”

The waiter nodded and quickly left.

“…”

Ignoring the speechless people, Yoo-hyun took his seat.

A man who looked like he had a high rank in the team cautiously asked Yoo-hyun.

“Are you sure? That’s quite expensive.”

It was a pricey menu that would cost at least 100,000 won per person, and up to 200,000 won if they ate a lot.

Yoo-hyun scanned the eyes that were focused on him and said confidently.

“I’m buying this for you guys who worked hard day and night to calm down the strike. Why would I be stingy?”

“…”

“I wish I could give you a bonus as well. I sincerely appreciate your efforts.”

Yoo-hyun bowed his head, and the people at the tables next to him also bowed along.

“Oh, no, thank you.”

The greeting spread like a wave to the eight tables.

The people who lifted their heads couldn’t figure out what was going on.

It was too different from the atmosphere they had expected from the group strategy office staff.

But their doubts disappeared as soon as the sirloin and raw beef came out.

As soon as the alcohol came in, they relaxed.

Before long, they raised their glasses and shouted in unison.

“Cheers.”

Yoo-hyun clinked his glass and looked at the man sitting at the diagonal table.

He had a large face and a naive impression, and a camera around his neck. He was Yoon Joon Woo, the manager of the camera department.

It was when Yoo-hyun was bonding with the production management team members at the restaurant.

The dinner time had passed quite a bit, but An Hong Gu, the factory manager, didn’t care.

He was pondering over what Chu Jung Hwan, the executive director, had said a while ago.

-Manager Han is a person of interest in the group strategy office. It would be good to have some leverage over him in case of emergency.

He was curious why his attitude changed after receiving a phone call, but Chu Jung Hwan was not a person who would talk nonsense.

An Hong Gu, who was seriously thinking, asked Lee Sung Ryeol, the team leader.

“How do we get some leverage over him? He’s a young and hot-blooded guy, so taking him to a room and sticking a woman to him would be perfect, but I have a feeling he won’t fall for it.”

“Judging by how he said he wanted to have fun with the young people earlier, I don’t think he’ll go with us.”

“Ah. Right. Anyway, we just need to stick a woman to him. Just get ready.”

An Hong Gu clapped his hands and blabbered his low-level plan.

It was then.

Beep.

Lee Sung Ryeol checked the message on his phone and his face turned thoughtful.

“Uh, sir, Manager Han is at the dinner place right now.”

“What? What are you talking about? He said he would go with us, didn’t he?”

“Well…”

“Damn it. Let’s go and talk on the way.”

An Hong Gu got up from his seat, grabbed his jacket, and left.

Lee Sung Ryeol followed him and picked up his phone to figure out the situation.

An hour was just enough time to eat and have fun.

The production management team members, whose faces were flushed red, proved that fact.

They had already emptied two plates of sirloin steak and their stomachs were full. Empty bottles of liquor were scattered on the floor.

They laughed out loud in the completely changed atmosphere, unlike their usual selves who had to wait for the factory manager with only chopsticks in their mouths for an hour.

Among them, Yun Junwoo, the section chief who laughed the loudest, bowed in front of Yoo-hyun.

He seemed quite drunk, his tongue twisted.

“I thought you were very cold at first, but I totally misjudged you, misjudged. I admit my mistake.”

“You saw it right. I just can’t stand up to those old bastards.”

“Hahaha. You’re really funny.”

Yoo-hyun looked at Yun Junwoo, the section chief who was holding his stomach and laughing, and wondered.

‘Why was he digging into the factory manager’s past?’

Using the master key to access the Hansung Precision System, Yoo-hyun had confirmed the traces left by Yun Junwoo, the section chief.

He was also collecting data using his assigned authority, just like Yoo-hyun.

He had investigated quite deeply, so there was a high possibility that he knew the truth.

Since it was a variable that could affect the situation, Yoo-hyun decided to observe him carefully.

It was then.

Sliding.

The sliding door opened and Ahn Honggu, the factory manager, appeared.

A young female employee was with him.

At that moment, Yoo-hyun’s mind spun.

‘He’s doing a lot of things.’

He hid his inner thoughts and pretended to be surprised.

“Huh? Manager Ahn.”

“Why is Hyoju here…?”

Yun Junwoo, the section chief, blinked his eyes among the people who got up.

He was surprised to see the production management secretary who was on vacation.

His exaggerated reaction contrasted with the very dark expression of the woman.

For a moment, Yoo-hyun’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Yun Junwoo, the section chief.

‘Could it be?’

He had some guesses, but it was not a situation to confirm them right now.

Yoo-hyun first sorted out the situation.

“Why did you come so late? We’re already done with the first round. Let’s go to the second round.”

“What? Already?”

“Everyone was hungry for beef. You should have come sooner. Come on, everyone, get up.”

As Yoo-hyun got up, the production management team members didn’t know what to do.

They felt a bit relieved, but they also felt anxious as they saw the crumpled expression of Ahn Honggu, the factory manager.

But there were some exceptions among them.