Empire of the Ring

"What's all the rush? You said that you wanted to start when the hotel in Almaty is completed."

Jong-il asked Youngho about the reason why he told him to find a base for the intelligence department of the autonomous state in Almaty as soon as possible.

"Just open something like a fur store or open a fake H Corporation's consortium office. Wait a minute. H Corporation will need an office there."

"Is everything alright?"

"The CIA's European chapter would welcome us if we start targeting Central Asia more aggressively."

"Okay, that's good news."

In fact, Michael, the head of the European chapter, was expecting a lot about it. Almaty was a city that was near the H Corporation's construction site at the border area between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. To supply necessary materials and external help, having an office in Almaty sounded like a good idea.

"Let's see if we can send some of our agents who finished training as H Corporation's local staff. We also need interpreters for the Korean company staff. They won't refuse our people."

"Okay, I'll sort out some agents who know well about Almaty."

Youngho called Im Min-soo and told him about his plan, and Im Min-soo loved the idea.

"We were just thinking about opening our office in Almaty, the largest city in the southeastern region of Kazakhstan. And we were going to find local interpreters anyway. If you could take care of that for us, that'll be much appreciated."

"That's great. It'll also be beneficial for us since we'll be able to support our security team that went with your survey team. I'll go ahead and find a good place for an office, and get ready for our people to work at the office as interpreters."

If Youngho could just send security guards to Almaty ahead of time, it would decrease their travel time from the autonomous state to the construction site which was about 20 days for a round trip.

"We'd be grateful if you could find an office for us. Do you have connections in Almaty too?"

"Of course, I do. I have a close friend who works at the U.S. embassy. I found a great site for my new hotel which is still being built at the moment."

"Wow, you're opening your hotel there too?"

"That's where I've been looking forward to opening a business for a long time. Almaty is Kazakhstan's largest economic city, and it has the most exchange with China. It's even called the New York of Central Asia."

"I feel relieved that Arirang Hotel will be opening there soon. I was a bit overwhelmed by the new city, to be honest."

Although H Corporation was a global company, employees still did not feel comfortable going to an unfamiliar city. Any place of the world was full of brokers who were ready to rip off foreign businesses that had no idea about local life. If they could have an ally that would take care of such local issues, the employees would be immensely thankful since they could only focus on their work.

"Well, this is what I should do as a friend and a business partner."

"You have no idea how helpful you are to us. I should spread the word to Korean corporations that they should come to the Arirang Autonomous State first when they want to make their foray into Central Asia."

If Im Min-soo would do that, Youngho would not refuse him. Any companies that wanted to start their business in Central Asia would hear that and it would be a win-win business for Youngho and them.

"The Arirang Autonomous State will be called a broker state in no time."

"Well, won't that also benefit Kazakhstan? The government won't stop the state from attracting foreign investors."

"Because of you, I'm going to hear compliments from the president again."

"Mr. Lee. Your success means more business for us, so I'll keep promoting you to our company and other companies as much as possible. Please let me know if you need anything from us."

Youngho was glad that he gained a great ally. He would be able to save his face to the Kazakh government. He was excited about what to ask for from the government as a reward for his job in attracting foreign investors.

***

Youngho left to Almaty with some Koryoin intelligence agents and his follower couple, Suh Min-seok and Kim In-hwa. In order to get to Almaty, he needed to take a domestic flight. He could take his light airplane, but he gave up that option since he would have to fill its gas tank twice along the way. Almaty was too far that it was not a good idea to go there with a light airplane.

"That's why I told you to buy a bigger airplane. I know that this country is huge but does it make sense that we can't travel on our airplane freely?"

Jong-il's complaint made Youngho wonder whether he needed to buy a small jet now. A light airplane was the safest airplane but it took a long time to travel compared to bigger airplanes. Also, it was useless if the traveling distance was too long.

"Suh Min-seok. Find a decent jet for me. A 20-seater would be perfect."

"Alright, Mr. CEO. I'll get on it as soon as possible."

"It doesn't matter if it's a used one. You can take your time."

Knowing that Suh Min-seok thought that Youngho was super wealthy, Youngho told him to get a used one.

"No, no. Suh Min-seok. Find a new one. A used one will eventually cost us more to repair it."

Not knowing Youngho's mind, Jong-il ordered differently.

"Hey! We should buy a used one for the training purpose first and then buy a new one afterward."

"I'm not going to fly on it if it's not new. I don't want to risk my life on a used jet."

The follower couple innocently began searching for jets online. It seemed that only Youngho was feeling bitter in the group. A new jet could cost him the whole money he earned from selling information to the Information Agency.

The group went to the Ritz-Carlton hotel that Youngho and Jong-il usually used in Almaty.

"Wow, is this place really in Central Asia?"

"You guys, you are underestimating Almaty."

Jong-il then began his briefing about Almaty to the young couple.

He was giving them false information because the followers' exaggerated reactions were too cute. The two were surprised to see high buildings since all they had been seeing in the autonomous state was an empty field.

The forty-story Ritz-Carlton hotel unusually had its lobby on the 31st floor, and the view from the lobby was quite amazing. The floors below the lobby were rooms for common guests, and the floors above the lobby were dedicated for long-term staying residence. It was perfect for long-term guests.

"When I was in the Special Forces, I did skydiving so many times. This building would be the best place to skydive from. If you guys want to try that, I'll get ready all the equipment."

Jong-il who had been enjoying the young couple's reactions was now mentioning skydiving.

"Oh, please, Jong-il. You'd be called crazy if you said you're going to jump from here."

"You are getting old and soft, man. You never even blinked back in the old days."

"What? Mr. CEO had been in the same unit that Mr. Park was in?"

Suh Min-seok's attention was entertaining Jong-il.

"You didn't know that? He was a human weapon who used to show up out of nowhere and scare the heck out of people."

"I said stop it!"

Before Agent Smith who worked at the U.S. embassy arrived in Almaty, Youngho's group finished visiting the hotel's construction site and the new office. Since Smith had already found a place for H Corporation's office already, what Youngho had to do was to look for office supplies and furniture only.

Smith's spirit was high because an American company could join Kazakhstan's power plant project because Youngho had passed the information to Smith so that he could contact higher-ups of the CIA. It seemed that Smith wanted to let other American companies join the nation's road construction project through Youngho again—because the Kazakh government had announced its business plan of the road construction to Afghanistan.

These days, intelligence agents did not fight with guns but most of them focused on businesses relating to the economy.

***

"Mr. Lee. So, I guess you were going to invite me to the Arirang Autonomous State since you wanted to see me in Almaty."

"What would you do in the autonomous state? I wouldn't be able to handle the situation if you come and shake Serbian girls' hearts before you leave."

"Do you think I'm a womanizer?"

Most womanizers would never admit what they were, and it seemed that Smith was one of them.

Youngho was talking about his hotel in Almaty with the follower couple when Smith joined the group. As a good-looking American man in his early 30s came in and hugged Youngho, the couple looked at him in curiosity.

"Hey, these are my rookie employees. They'll also visit Astana frequently from now on. I'll appreciate it if you help them a lot."

As Youngho introduced Suh Min-seok and Kim In-hwa, Smith was excited.

"Great! I always welcome a beautiful woman."

"These two are going to get married in the near future. You should keep your eyes off her."

"Aww, that's a bummer. Why would you get married so early? That's unfortunate."

The couple was dumbfounded by Smith's absurd words.

"Smith. If you act like this, I won't help you anymore."

"Okay, okay. I was only kidding."

Only then, Suh Min-seok and Kim In-hwa laughed. Smith's light character and wit could disarm even the people who met him for the first time.

"Oh, is that so? You two are elite people who used to work for a global company."

The follower couple and Smith got along so well as if they had been old friends. Since Youngho and Jong-il were above Smith in the CIA, he tried to act more polite but he acted more comfortably when he interacted with the couple.

When the couple asked how Smith got to know Youngho and Jong-il, he casually lied that the two were his training instructors when he served in the U.S. Special Forces. His intention was to brag that he was a specially trained person. It was a moment that a desk agent was turned into a human weapon. He had a talent of glamorizing himself. This was why Youngho thought that he was a womanizer.

"Ms. Kim, if you could introduce your Korean friends to me, I'll guide you around the Tian Shan mountain range. We've got the U.S. embassy's villa there and it's a beautiful place."

Youngho shook his head at Smith since he kept trying to impress Kim In-hwa.

"Smith!"

"Okay, I get it. These kinds of words are necessary to impress women."

He was a helpless womanizer.

As soon as Suh Min-seok and Kim In-hwa left, Smith lowered his voice with a coldblooded-looking face as if he had never joked before.

"I will tell you the news from America."

"I don't want to hear if I will get pulled into this just because I know about it."

"What are you afraid of, Mr. Lee? You can protect yourself."

"I have other things to take care of. If this is not about the work of the European chapter, I won't hear it."

"It's nothing special. American corporations are planning to make a large-scale investment in Kazakhstan, and it would be great if you could mediate this."

Youngho was intrigued, but he pretended that he was not interested.

"I am doing a trade business with Russia. You know how I'm connected to a mafia boss. If I do this, I'm putting my position at stake."

"They will be investing in Russia too, so you won't have to worry about that."

"Then why do you need me?"

"The leadership group at the headquarters thinks that you could confine both countries. It's not decided yet, but I was told to ask for your opinion on this. The European chapter must've been told about this already."

Michael did not mention a thing to Youngho yet, but it seemed that something had been going on behind him. Michael must have been looking for the best time to ask Youngho.

Youngho's existence in the CIA was a special case.

He was specially recruited as a field agent, and soon, he surprised everyone by becoming a successful foreign business investor in Azerbaijan, and by becoming a member of the mainstream society of the country. On the other hand, he became friends with a mafia boss in Russia and freely traveled to Russia as if it was his own country.

Youngho was a necessary member of the CIA who could find out highly classified information of the societies of Central Asia and the Caucasus region.

He had changed the CIA's leadership group's perspective about Asian agents since he was able to succeed because he was an Asian. That was why the CIA was now trying to push Youngho to get involved in this business. It was another great opportunity for Youngho as a businessman. He was ready to take the job.