The Reality of Business

Adam remained silent, his eyes fixed on Kim as the weight of the situation settled in. The busy restaurant background faded for a moment as both men focused on their conversation.

Kim immediately picked up on Adam's hesitation. His eyes widened in disbelief as he spoke, his voice carrying a hint of frustration and genuine concern.

"This is a huge disadvantage for us, Adam! Without manpower and proper infrastructure, how do you expect us to compete with Green Refinery?" Kim asked sharply, his tone rising with the urgency of the challenge.

His question was not merely an inquiry but a challenge to the very foundation of Adam's plan.

Hearing Kim's concern, Adam quickly realized that he could not afford to let his only potential CEO feel discouraged.

He needed Kim on his side if he hoped to turn his risky idea into a successful venture. In a calm voice that belied the storm inside him, Adam replied, "Don't worry, Mr. Kim. I have plenty of money."

Kim shook his head slowly, clearly unimpressed by the simple statement. "Adam, you're not understanding the situation. Money isn't everything. We need manpower, and more importantly, we need proper equipment—especially in the crude oil industry."

His words were measured but firm, and he stressed that the oil business required more than just cash—it needed skilled workers, modern machines, and a well-laid plan for extraction and processing.

At that moment, Kim suddenly stopped mid-sentence. His eyes sharpened as he looked directly at Adam, as if trying to read his mind. "Wait… don't tell me you haven't even arranged for basic equipment to extract the crude oil?" he asked, a note of disbelief in his voice.

Adam smirked slightly. He could see where Kim's mind was going, and he decided to play along for a moment to keep the conversation moving. He knew that if Kim lost faith now, the entire deal would collapse.

Kim continued in a serious tone, "If that's the case, then we have only two options—either we acquire the necessary equipment from Green Refinery, which is practically impossible, or we import them from abroad. Both options require massive funding and government approval, which is next to impossible." His words hung heavy in the air as he laid out the grim alternatives. The challenge seemed insurmountable.

But instead of looking discouraged, Adam simply smiled—a smile that was both confident and reassuring. "No, Mr. Kim. I've already set up all the necessary equipment." His tone was steady, almost casual, as if he were telling a simple fact rather than making a bold claim.

Kim's eyes widened in shock. "You did?!" he exclaimed, unable to hide his surprise.

Adam nodded, his expression serious though a small flicker of guilt passed through him. Internally, he felt a twinge of guilt for bending the truth, but he knew he could not let Kim lose faith in this venture.

If Kim believed in the foundation of the business, he would stay committed, and that was worth any short-term dishonesty.

Kim sighed deeply and leaned back in his chair, covering his mouth with his hand as he pondered the situation. After a few moments of silence, his voice dropped to a low, thoughtful tone.

"So, that means we only have two major problems left. First, gathering manpower. Second, starting operations without attracting Green Refinery's attention. Because the moment they notice us, they'll try to crush us. And right now, we don't have any legal backing connections to support our company."

Adam listened carefully, processing every word as if they were pieces of a difficult puzzle.

His mind raced with possible solutions, and he knew that before anything else, he needed to establish the refinery on his own land.

But the pressing question was: how could he do that without drawing attention from powerful competitors like Green Refinery?

Before Adam could even formulate a strategy in his head, Kim suddenly asked, "By the way, Adam… have you even named your company yet?" The question caught Adam off guard. He had been so caught up in planning and promising that he had not given much thought to a name.

For several long seconds, Adam remained silent, his mind scrambling to come up with an answer. Finally, with a reluctant sigh, he said, "I want to name it Fire Corporation." His voice was quiet, and he almost sounded unsure of himself.

Kim chuckled, shaking his head slowly as if amused by the youthful audacity of the name. "That sounds like something a kid would come up with… but I like it." He extended his hand toward Adam, grinning broadly. "Well then, tell me, Mr. Founder of Fire Corporation, how much are you planning to pay your CEO?"

At these words, Adam felt a surge of excitement and relief. He knew that winning Kim over was a crucial step in turning his dangerous idea into a reality. With a firm handshake, Adam replied, "Mr. Kim, I want to make a deal with you. Until our company becomes a unicorn startup, I will pay you an annual salary of 2 million dollars." His voice was steady and confident, as if the figure was the most natural thing in the world.

Kim's eyes widened in disbelief. The figure was massive—a number that most would consider outrageous, yet it seemed to come naturally from Adam's confident claim.

"Are you serious?" Kim asked, his voice tinged with shock. "That's a massive amount!" The disbelief was clear in every word.

Adam simply smiled, a calm smile that spoke of certainty. "Didn't I tell you? I have no shortage of money." His tone was light, almost teasing, as if to dismiss any further doubts.

Kim studied Adam for a long moment, his eyes searching for any sign that this was not just a wild dream. Finally, a small smile tugged at the corners of Kim's mouth. "Alright then. If that's the case, I accept." His tone was now one of cautious optimism, mixed with the practical relief of finally finding someone who could match his expectations.

With that, Kim stood up, preparing to leave the table to handle the formalities. "I'll handle the company documentation and start looking into human resources," he declared, his voice firm and businesslike.

But just as he turned to leave, he suddenly paused. He glanced back at Adam with a questioning look. "Wait a second… you never told me where the refinery actually is." The question hung in the air, unexpected and probing.

Adam laughed nervously—a short, startled laugh. He had been avoiding that question, worried about the reaction it might provoke in Kim.

"Oh… right. I forgot to mention that," Adam said quickly. He reached for a tissue on the table and scribbled down an address along with a landline number. Sliding the note across the table, he handed it to Kim.

"Here's the location of my refinery and oil reserve. And if you need to contact me, this is my landline number."

Kim took the note, reading it carefully. After a moment of silence, he nodded. "Alright, I'll be in touch." Before leaving, Kim scribbled his own contact details on another piece of paper and handed it over to Adam.

Adam tucked the note into his pocket, watching as Kim walked out of the restaurant and into the bustling city streets. In that moment, Adam knew that the real game was about to begin. The dangerous offer he had made was just the start of a long, challenging journey in a world where money, power, and influence ruled.

Kim's departure left Adam alone with his thoughts. The conversation had been intense and eye-opening.

He had promised an enormous salary and a grand future, and he had even managed to convince Kim that he had already set up the necessary equipment for crude oil extraction—even if it wasn't entirely true.

The stakes were high, and the truth of the business world was harsher than Adam had ever imagined.

He sat back in his chair for a moment, letting the weight of Kim's words sink in. The realization was clear: to succeed, he would have to overcome not just external obstacles, but also the deep-rooted cynicism and hidden agendas of powerful competitors like Green Refinery.

The business world was a jungle, and if he wanted to survive, he would have to be smarter and tougher than ever before.

Kim's cautious optimism, his acceptance of the high salary, and his willingness to take on the challenge all gave Adam a glimmer of hope.

It meant that there was a chance—however slim—to build something new, to create a company that could one day stand up to the giants of the oil industry. But the road ahead was fraught with peril.

Money alone was not enough; trust, connections, and a robust business infrastructure were vital.

Adam thought about the challenges Kim had raised: the need for manpower, the proper equipment, and the danger of drawing unwanted attention from Green Refinery.

Each of these issues was a puzzle piece that he needed to solve before his dream could become a reality. The fact that Kim had questioned every aspect of his plan showed that he was not easily fooled.

If Kim, a true businessman with real experience, could see through his initial bravado, then Adam knew he had to work even harder to convince him of his vision.

Kim's skeptical question about the refinery's location had caught Adam off guard, but he had managed to deflect it by quickly providing an address and a contact number.

That small act, though seemingly minor, was a crucial step in building trust. It was a sign that Adam was prepared to be transparent, even if only to the extent that he felt safe.

As the conversation wound down and Kim left, Adam felt a mixture of relief and anxiety.

The agreement was a dangerous offer, one that put both his dreams and his secrets on the line. He knew that every word he had spoken, every promise he had made, was a step into an uncertain future.

Yet, within that uncertainty lay the possibility of a breakthrough—a chance to build an empire in a world ruled by oil and power.

Adam leaned back in his chair and exhaled slowly, feeling the enormity of the challenge before him. He had just taken a bold step by offering Kim a position as his first CEO with an annual salary of 2 million dollars. That offer was not just a financial commitment; it was a promise of a new beginning, a signal that he was ready to change the game.

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