The next morning, Gawin headed straight to Chairman Li Ming's office.
Li Ming slowly set down his teacup. The delicate aroma of oolong tea lingered lazily in the air. When he saw the Thai director step inside with a thick folder in hand, he offered a faint, warm smile.
"Gawin… Is the matter so urgent that you had to come see me in person?" Li Ming greeted, the corners of his mouth curving slightly.
Gawin bowed politely before placing the folder on the desk. "Chairman, this is an important proposal that requires your direct approval before the merger begins in a few days."
He met the Chairman's eyes and continued with a firm voice, "After the due diligence review, we found that the land and power infrastructure assets of KCC have been undervalued as depreciated assets. I believe we should retain these assets to serve as the base for the Hydrogen Project. It would be far more beneficial."
Li Ming raised an eyebrow. "So you want to separate the land and power infrastructure from KCC before the merger with CLS?"
"Correct," Gawin replied promptly. "I need that land as the foundation for the electrolysis plant. If we don't secure it before the merger, retrieving it later will be complicated by legal issues, which could delay the project by several years. The longer the delay, the higher the costs and we risk being overtaken by competitors in the hydrogen energy market."
He paused, then added with clear intent, "And the faster we move, the better it is for CK Group."
Li Ming picked up the folder and flipped through it slowly. "Pulling out core assets like this could lower the overall merger value. The board and VCC might use this as ammunition against me."
Gawin opened his tablet and displayed a detailed comparison chart. "If we have to build an entirely new power system, it will cost us approximately 50 million dollars and take nearly a year for permits. But if we utilize KCC's existing infrastructure, we can save up to 45 million dollars and accelerate the project significantly. The sooner we launch, the greater our first-mover advantage in a market that still has very few competitors."
Li Ming studied the charts with interest, then looked up at the CEO. "How long do you think it will take to complete?"
"No later than the end of this year," Gawin answered confidently, raising two fingers with a small gesture. "At worst, by mid-next year."
He smiled. "But you don't need to worry, sir. I already have a backup plan. Once the Hydrogen Project succeeds, we can expand it across other industries within CK Group. Being both the producer and user of hydrogen energy will give us significantly lower costs than any other sector, generating enormous profits for the company."
Li Ming nodded slowly, his smile widening. "Hmm… That's quite an interesting concept."
He leaned back in his chair. "Very well. I'll review your proposal as quickly as possible."
Gawin bowed respectfully. "Thank you, sir."
As soon as the door closed behind Gawin, the gentle smile on Li Ming's face vanished completely. What remained was a deep, unfathomable gaze like the dark depths of the ocean.
He picked up the phone and dialed a direct line.
"Ah… about the proposal you gave me the other day," Li Ming said calmly, his eyes flicking toward the closed door. "I've made my decision."
A cold, cunning smile slowly spread across the old chairman's face.
"Let's begin the plan as you outlined… It's time to get rid of those parasites once and for all."