Chapter 133: <Power>

Seoul Bank Association meeting.

Representatives from various banks including Nuri, Daejin, and Saehan gathered for a private meeting.

“We are out of options. We either need to come up with a similar service or share our piece of the pie.”

“If they also incorporate offline transaction system, then we are all doomed.”

“They have Coconut Pay too, on top of that? If this is applied to the online transaction system as well, how do you think the customers will react?”

“…just where did that bastard come from? Do you know what he said when I requested a meeting?” Saehan Bank’s rep took a big gulp of cold water and continued, “He said that he is busy and that I should come and visit him if I am that desperate. Who does he think he is?”

Daejin rep added, “I know! We can develop a system just as good as Coconut Pay. I already told my developers to make one.”

“Same here. My PM told me it can be done in 3 months.”

Shin Gungu watched in frustration.

3 months?

There was no way something like that could be completed in such a short time.

Daejin Bank’s rep turned to Shin Gungu and asked, “What do you think?”

Shin Gungu looked at everyone and replied, “I think you are all underestimating how complicated this technology is.”

“What? It’s IT. You just get the programmers to make it. It’s easy.”

Another rep agreed. “Exactly. You just have to pay some developers and they can make it. Why would that be hard?”

Shin Gungu took a sip of his tea and answered, “None of us have a secure and advanced technology like what Coconut Bank has. Not every system can be made easily. 3 months? Do you not remember when we first launched the new system at the Nuri Finances? It was like hell on the first day and for the 3 months after, the system froze so many times we thought it was the end of us. If you are okay with that happening again, you are welcome to try it.”

“Hmm…”

Cough.

The others looked uncomfortable at Shin Gungu’s sharp but accurate remarks.

Shin Gungu continued, “Coconut is experiencing no problems. They are carrying on so smoothly and efficiently. Over 500,000 accounts were made the first day, and how about Coconut Pay? It is so convenient.”

Daejin rep said cautiously, “Coconut Banking will never win against us though. We are the big companies around. We are already established.”

Shin Gungu laughed weakly. “The real owner of Coconut Bank is Kang Woosung. Did you all forget that he is the man who created Blue S2? Do you know how many different parts are involved in making a smartphone? This means there are countless companies that are in relationships with KND. What about the factories in Gimpo, and other businesses Kang Woosung is planning?”

Shin Gungu paused and looked at everyone in frustration. He was disappointed at the bunch. He regretted attending this meeting. It was useless.

“There is no doubt that Kang Woosung is an established business himself. If you keep your old ways of thinking, you will all lose your businesses.”

The room became tense. Shin Gungu left angrily.

***

Shin Gungu visited his sister.

“Did you meet with President Kang?”

Shin Semi nodded. “He doesn’t like our offer. He said it was worse than those from Saehan and Daejin.”

“So?”

Shin Semi couldn’t tell him everything that has happened at the party. She just added, “He is not going to accept it. He doesn’t gain anything from it.”

“And what does the pin tech department think?”

“They said something similar to his online banking that could be done in 3 months. We already have some of the relevant technologies, but Coconut Pay is different.”

“Different?”

“We will encounter security problems even if we can come up with something similar to it.”

Shin Gungu nodded for her to continue.

“Our system will be much more hackable and slower than Coconut Pay.”

Shin Gungu blinked. Just how did Kang Woosung produce such a good product? There was no way they could catch up to him.

“I wonder if Kang Woosung was planning this since he first launched his smartphone.”

“I think so, or else, there is no way he could have completed the system by now. I would say he has been working on it for a year.”

“Then I wonder what he will do next?”

Shin Semi couldn’t answer.

Shin Gungu continued seriously, “His specialty is data analysis. I wonder if he will collect the bank and Coconut Pay’s customers’ data and use it for the next project. If we don’t know, how can we ever surpass him?”

Suddenly, Shin Semi realized something.

Big data.

Are his businesses all to collect data for something even bigger in the future?

They looked at each other and nodded. They were sure of it.

However, both were wrong.

***

At a convenience store in Seoul City Hall.

Woosung, Oh Hoon, and the Prime Minister, Shin Sungmo, were each holding a can of pop and smiling. They all made a big show of paying for their drinks by using their Blue S2s.

The transactions were smooth. After a beep, a message popped up on the POS machine screen.

“10 Coconut has been awarded.”

Oh Hoon clapped and exclaimed, “Hahaha, it’s perfect! I can cash this at Bitmain or use it at the Coconut mall, right?”

Woosung smiled and replied, “That’s right!”

While they chatted, the reporters were busying filming the staged scene.

Seoul City Hall office.

After the event, the three sat down for a cup of tea.

The prime minister said to Woosung, “The President asked me to thank you again for such a great system.”

“Haha, I am flattered. I think it is great for everyone. I certainly am happy with it. It is good business.”

“This should have happened a long time ago. It will no doubt make the public’s life better. It will make Korea better.”

After Shin Sungmo’s compliment, Mayor Oh Hoon spoke, “We have implemented this system to all government buildings in Seoul already. It will now slowly be adopted by everyone else.”

“I have already gotten so many calls about it. It is proceeding very well.”

Shin Sungmo added, “If it turns out to be a success in Seoul, it will certainly work in other cities.”

“Yes, and I am planning to take it to China and America immediately. If I have these two countries, it would mean I have the world.”

Oh Hoon exclaimed, “Wow, you are amazing.”

Shin Sungmo asked Woosung, “Now that this project is going so well, we should discuss the next plan. I heard you are considering the Yongsan development project?”

Oh Hoon’s eyes sparked. He already heard this news from Woosung.

It was also discussed with Lee Sunghyun.

“It is a huge land. If we build large-scale apartments, it will surely fix the housing crisis.”

Oh Hoon looked excited.