"Public emotions…?What are you talking about, Si-woo?Explain it in a way I can actually understand."
"Dong-sik, let me prepare things first.I'm not certain yet, so it's not time to explain everything to you.But if I see a real chance of success, I'll tell you immediately."
"…Si-woo, do you not trust me…?"
Dong-sik's expression fell at once.
Ah…I hadn't considered that he might take it this way.
"What are you talking about, Dong-sik?It's not that I don't trust you—it's just that the plan isn't solid yet, and I don't want to fill your head with false hope.If it starts to look feasible, you'll be the first to know.How could I not trust you?Honestly, hearing that makes me feel hurt."
"…Alright.You've always overcome every crisis like magic, Si-woo.I'll trust you.Tell me the moment you can."
"Yeah. Thanks, Dong-sik."
I felt bad toward him, but I still couldn't reveal the existence of the quantum computer.Maybe someday I could—but not yet.
Lately I'd almost forgotten, but there was always the possibility that the National Intelligence Service was still monitoring me.
I headed straight home.
***
Due to the President's recent directive to accelerate the approval process for the Elixir,the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety had been moving at full speed.
That day as well, the MFDS Commissioner reviewed an interim report on the Elixir's approval process and spoke.
"Luktic has been making quite a bit of noise lately."
The vice commissioner lowered his head slightly.
"Yes.It appears Shinjeon Pharmaceutical has begun pushing back.As you know, Commissioner… Luktic's new product is something that could completely reshape the industry."
"Is it true that the technology currently under review—tentatively named Elixir—was used in that product called Luktic Drink?"
"The likelihood seems quite high.You remember the abnormal findings from Phase 1, correct?The complete resolution of all mild chronic illnesses…Similar phenomena have been observed among consumers of Luktic Drink.Of course, unlike the Elixir, the effects appear temporary—limited to symptom relief."
"Hm. That is potentially problematic.I heard Shinjeon Group has officially submitted a complaint."
"Yes, they have.Strictly speaking, it's an issue they could exploit if they chose to."
"But the President is taking Luktic and the Elixir very seriously.Unless new instructions come directly from the residence,it would be best for us to quietly move in a way that protects Luktic."
"Understood.If the police request cooperation or data for an investigation,would it be acceptable to delay as much as possible?"
"Yes, do that.Judging from the President's reaction last time…he may very well side with Luktic in this dispute between the two companies."
"Did His Excellency really show that much interest in Luktic's technology…?"
The commissioner nodded gravely.
Then he looked back down at the interim clinical report for the Elixir in his hands.
***
At this rate, Luktic might soon be subjected to a full-scale barrage of public condemnation.
Manipulated images of alleged side effects and fabricated reviews were being uploaded one after another.
Grotesque photos showed bodies swollen grotesquely, covered in blisters—images designed to shock anyone who saw them.
Of course, we could file lawsuits for defamation and spreading false information.
But did anyone really believe that a conglomerate the size of Shinjeon Grouphadn't prepared for something like that?
They had almost certainly paid unrelated individualsto upload fake photos and false reviews.
They were waging a mudslinging war using lies and rumors,trying to drag Luktic's image straight into the gutter.
It was disturbingly similar to the negative tactics used by politicians during major election seasons.
Even if the accusations were later proven false,once a filthy image was slapped onto someone,the damage was never fully undone.
So how do politicians respond to negative campaigns?
They usually retaliate with even stronger negativity.
If the other side throws dirt and sand,you show up carrying a bucket of sewageand splash them with something far filthier.
That was exactly the kind of response I was preparing.
If they dragged us into the mud,we would grab their ankles and pull them down with us—then push them face-first into the mireuntil they were far dirtier than we ever were.
If we hit them with accusations powerful enoughwhile calmly and rationally explaining the claims against us,the public would eventually forget the minor facts surrounding Luktic Drink.
In other words—we would drown the controversy with something even louder.
Once public outrage lost its focus,we'd regain room to negotiate with the governmentand quietly neutralize Shinjeon Group's complaint.
But to make that happen,we first needed to uncover a fatal weakness of Shinjeon Group.
Something morally repulsive and filthy enoughto ignite public fury instantly.
Ideally, I wanted to expose their history of covering up industrial accidents.
But they had erased every trace so thoroughlythat even court cases had been rendered meaningless.
No evidence would remain.
I approached the quantum computerand began communicating with it through the terminal.
[Input: Shinjeon Group, a major conglomerate, is attacking our company.I want to dig up information about them—especially their weaknesses.Can you infiltrate Shinjeon Group's main servers and search their data?]
[System Message:
[Input: Yes.And be sure to route through multiple proxies in case any tracing occurs.]
[System Message: Understood.
A few seconds later, a new message appeared.
[System Message: Multiple useful data sets have been collected.Shall I forward them—after multi-layer proxy routing—to your desktop?]
[Input: Yes, please.]
[System Message: Acknowledged.]
The computational power of the quantum computer was, as always, terrifying.
A corporate intranet of a major conglomeratehad been breached in the blink of an eye,and its vast data combed through in mere seconds.
Moments later, my desktop filled with countless documents and files.
I began reviewing them one by one.
Yet there wasn't much that could instantly ignite public outrage.
Regulatory violations.Circumstantial evidence of illegal maneuvers during the chairman's succession.Things that could be annoying—or even damaging—in court.
But nothing with the immediate, explosive impact I needed.
Perhaps such devastating material wasn't stored on internal servers at all.
Maybe it was locked away in a physical safe—paper documents, USB drives.
Or maybe it had already been destroyed.
If so, the only way forward would be finding an internal whistleblower.
But how?
As I pondered this, one folder caught my eye.
[Executives with Potential for Recruitment]
…What?
I double-clicked it.
Inside were meeting minutes, internal messenger logs, email records, personnel files,and directives from the chairman.
All of them shared one common name:
Kang Joo-tae.
According to the personnel file,his position was CTO (Chief Technology Officer).
He was the executive overseeing R&D at Shinjeon Pharmaceutical.
Not only that—he had previously served as an executive at Shinjeon Chemical,one of the group's two core subsidiaries.
In other words,he was one of the most critical figures in Shinjeon Group's research operations.
Someone like that couldn't possibly be recruitable.
So why had the quantum computer compiled all this information?
I read through the files more carefully.
And only after slowly digesting them did I understand.
Recently, during a management meeting,CTO Kang Joo-tae had opposed the all-out assault on Luktic—directly in front of Chairman Ji Heon-cheol.
When Ji Heon-cheol ordered an attack using any means necessary,Kang had voiced his principles.
He argued that crushing a startupthat had developed technology capable of revolutionizing medicinewas not the right thing to do.
Ji Heon-cheol reportedly snapped back,saying they could simply steal the technology and use it themselves.
…What a piece of trash.
In any case, Kang Joo-tae was clearly an unusual man.
To rise to CTO in a conglomerate as ruthless as Shinjeon Groupand still hold such principles—
And to speak up directly to Ji Heon-cheol, notorious for his vicious temperament—
Further documents showed that after this incident,Kang had fallen out of favor.
Soon after, Ji Heon-cheol ordered his staffto prepare a list of candidates for the next CTO.
Kang seemed to sense what was coming.
In subsequent internal messages and emails,he occasionally mentioned that he might soon be leaving the company.
That was the situation, according to the data.
Still—
Even if he were pushed out,would someone who had devoted his entire career to Shinjeon Groupreally betray it?
I asked the quantum computer.
[System Message: Based on analysis of his work history and internal communications,he appears to be a person driven by genuine ideals—a desire to develop innovative pharmaceutical technologythat can truly help people.]
I see.
That made sense.
Only someone with convictions that strongcould have confronted the chairman like that.
[Input: So you judged that someone with such idealswould be highly likely to join Luktic,a company with technology capable of saving countless lives?]
[System Message: Correct.Especially given his current disillusionment with his companyand the likelihood of imminent dismissal,the probability is significantly higher.He has devoted decades of loyalty to the corporation and the owner family,yet now faces termination for a single act of dissent.]
[Input: Thanks for the thorough analysis.But one thing puzzles me.How did someone so principled rise to such a high position in Shinjeon Group?From what I know, it's not an organization that rewards people like him.]
**[System Message: Based on available data, my inference is as follows:
CTO Kang Joo-tae consistently demonstrated exceptional competence and results, beyond dispute.
The previous chairman, Ji Seok-myeong, was known for his integrity.Kang was appointed as a technical director during his tenure.
Because his role was primarily technical, he had limited exposure to the group's illegal practicesand little reason to oppose management decisions.Thus, he remained under the radar of the current chairman—until now.]**
That explained it.
Still, even if I wanted to recruit Kang Joo-tae,I had no idea how to approach him.
And even if he joined us,there was no guarantee he knew any fatal secrets.
The quantum computer itself had concludedthat his technical role limited exposure to the group's illegal activities.
As I was thinking this through,my phone suddenly vibrated.
An unknown number.
Since starting the business,ignoring unfamiliar calls had become impossible.
I answered.
"Hello?"
[Are you CEO Hyun Si-woo of Luktic?]
"Yes, this is Hyun Si-woo."
The next words nearly made my heart stop.
[This is Kang Joo-tae, CTO of Shinjeon Pharmaceutical.I have something urgent I'd like to discuss with you.Would you be able to spare some time?]
Speak of the tiger, and the tiger appears.
I had been talking about him moments ago—and now he was calling me himself.
Keeping my composure,I pretended ignorance of his situation.
"CTO of Shinjeon Pharmaceutical…?What is it you wish to tell me?Is this a message from Chairman Ji Heon-cheol?"
[…No. It's not. CEO Hyun, there's something I want to ask you first.]
"Something you want to ask me?"
[Why are you developing such extraordinary technology?And what do you intend to do with it?]
A sudden, unexpected question.
I paused, recalling the values the quantum computer had attributed to him.
I answered honestly—just as I always had.
"…I began this research to treat my father,who was left unconscious after a severe industrial accident.All the technology I've developed,I want to use it to help people suffering from serious illnesses like him."
[I see.But you must know better than anyonethat Luktic's technology is unparalleled on a global scale.If you exploited that monopoly, you could amass unimaginable wealth.People would line up to buy your drugseven if you priced each dose at tens or hundreds of millions of won.Do you truly have no such desire?After all the hardship you endured to develop this technology,isn't claiming pure altruism a lie?]
It was true that we were making profits.
But I had never thought,With technology like this, I should squeeze out astronomical wealth.
I had spent years caring for a fathersentenced to death by disease.
I knew better than anyonethe despair and desperation of patients and their families.
I had no desire to exploit that pain for obscene profits.
And besides—the technology itself came almost directly from the Akashic Records.There was no massive R&D cost to recoup.
"I cared for a father who was effectively given a death sentence.Because of that, I understand the hearts of patients and their families better than most.Even if it means sacrificing some profit,I don't want to extort desperate people."
[...]
"And if making huge money were my goal,I wouldn't be selling Luktic Cream at just 20,000 won per unit.As you said, demand would exist even at far higher prices."
In truth, that pricing had originally been a mass-market strategy.
But as long as the meaning got across, that was enough.
[…CEO Hyun Si-woo.]
"Yes."
[Can I truly believe that you want to use your technologyto help people in pain?]
"I mentioned my father for a reason.I wouldn't disgrace his name by lying.I'm not that unfilial of a son."
[…Then, for the last time in my life, I will trust a corporate leader.CEO Hyun—would it be possible to meet you in person soon?]
"Soon?May I ask why?"
[I currently possess a set of materials that I believe you will desperately need.I would like to hand them to you personally.]