Chapter 88

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Butterfly effect.

It means small changes cause major events.

I sometimes think like that.

How many futures have I changed with this ability?

Could things I thought about lightly and passed over have caused tremendous changes?

Financial markets are like that too.

Though they seem trivial, those small cracks later trigger major financial crises.

People just didn’t know at the time.

Then where does this intuition that brought change to my life come from?

Once becoming suddenly curious, I searched various things on the internet.

Among them, what I found most interesting was human evolution theory.

A theory that if humanity evolves, we might be able to use superpowers only seen in novels or movies.

Of course, nothing scientifically proven, and it was highly likely just someone’s delusion.

But for me personally experiencing that evolution, it wasn’t something to just laugh off.

But there was one more theory that was very interesting and seemed quite feasible. It wasn’t someone’s delusion floating on the internet, but a place that actually established a company and was developing all night for humanity’s evolution.

Exactly Close AI where our company bought 45% stakes.

“The company policy here too. Looking at internal documents, they say AI development’s ultimate goal is exactly for humanity’s evolution.”

“AI development is humanity’s evolution?”

“Yes. Didn’t Tusk who was major shareholder here also say such things? That in the future if you embed AI chips in the brain, AI will do all the learning for us.”

It was a very controversial statement.

But his thinking was similar to Close AI’s goal.

Realizing perfect evolution through AI development.

Honestly it wasn’t a future that hit home.

Because looking at current AI levels, even everyday conversation is impossible.

“Still, someday everyday conversation will be possible. And documents will be reviewed for us, summaries made, and an era will come with real-time translation into all languages, right?”

“Yes. Someday it’ll come. But to reach that level, I think we need to wait at least 30 years. Haha.”

“I actually still get goosebumps from Tusk’s statement last time. Embedding AI chips in the brain!”

“Don’t worry. It absolutely won’t come out before we die.”

Small talk ended there.

The reason Close AI came up was actually for different reasons.

“After you purchased stakes, President, since you didn’t take particular action, that side seems puzzled too. And they also seem anxious.”

That side probably thinks I’m doing something behind the scenes.

But I couldn’t pay attention there because of Tisla and Faceweb.

An incident burst at Tisla once, and after that full-scale competition with Faceweb started so I couldn’t pay attention there at all.

But both Tisla and conflict with Faceweb ended more anticlimactically than expected.

Faceweb is currently receiving massive criticism, and in the rush of countless withdrawals, those numbers were flocking entirely to our PicPic.

“Faceweb keeps putting out explanations somehow, but there doesn’t seem to be any particular countermeasure. Above all, their chairman Marcus Berg is scheduled to be summoned for a hearing so he seems distracted only by that.”

This information leak incident had considerable seriousness.

Since hundreds of millions of members’ information leaked, naturally public opinion had to flip.

Thanks to that, our PicPic avoided the pouring offensive, and conversely was actively promoting with marketing costs I gave the company saying our PicPic is exactly the safest and most trustworthy SNS.

“Anyway, Close AI side says they’ll fly directly to Korea to meet you, President.”

I didn’t intend to stop them coming directly.

I was also curious who’s running the company.

“Yes. Please coordinate the schedule well. Other agenda items?”

“I brought a matter that’ll become a big issue soon. As you know, President, didn’t a ruling recently come out from the Supreme Court for Japanese companies to compensate 100 million won each to comfort women victims?”

Though the Japanese colonial period ended, scars still remain here and there.

Among them, comfort women were also major victims.

So the Supreme Court issued a ruling for Japanese companies at the center of comfort women exploitation to compensate damages, but the Japanese government strongly opposed.

Saying why drag out again an incident already settled between governments long ago.

“Korea and Japan have clashed occasionally, but this time the matter seems a bit different. They say the Japanese government is seriously planning retaliation.”

“Exactly how are they retaliating?”

“They probably won’t touch tourism. Because the tourism rate from our country to Japan is considerable. Then they need to target other vulnerabilities, probably semiconductors.”

Photoresist, fluorine polyimide, and high-purity hydrogen fluoride.

These three items are very important in semiconductors.

The problem is Japan controls over 80% of these three items.

Also, our country’s semiconductor companies were getting nearly 90% of those three items from Japan.

In other words, they’re the best weapon Japan can wield against us.

Plus isn’t our country transforming semiconductors including Kangsung Electronics into the main force?

“The Japanese government also knows this. They’ll definitely put a leash on us and threaten.”

It was a diplomatic war.

Countries no longer fight crudely clashing spears and swords like before.

It was trampling opponents with economic power each has.

“Then Kangsung will also take big damage. NK too.”

“Yes. We can’t know what the situation is there, but probably both companies are also in emergency mode now. Though the Japanese government hasn’t made an official announcement, seeing information circulating now, it seems soon.”

Right then.

Vibrations were occurring in my body.

Should I say my intuition also seemed to inform me that serious trouble would occur between Japan and Korea?

“Then we should also watch the Japanese market closely.”

“Yes. Should I prepare Japanese market data?”

“Yes. Please do that.”

“I’ll cooperate with the research team to make a report.”

Just when I thought we’d end the meeting.

There was one more report that came to me.

“It’s from Gwangwoon Shipping.”

“..Why is it so thick?”

“They say they made various proposals for next strategy establishment. And routes and detailed things are also written together. They’d like overall evaluation..”

The document thickness is murderous.

But since I made it this way, there’s no choice.

Should I say it’s at least better than before?

Back then, even truly trivial things were all reported to me for processing, so you couldn’t tell who was president.

But now instead of reducing that frequency, they occasionally write large strategy proposals like this to get my review.

“Looks like overtime again today.”

“Then should our employees review and summarize?”

Should I rather do that?

Rather than doing it alone, everyone doing it together—

“..?”

But light was flashing from the report Hyerin was holding.

I briefly sighed.

“No. I’ll review it directly.”

“Oh. Then I’ll prepare dinner and snacks for tonight’s overtime in advance.”

“Yes. Please.”

After Hyerin left, I opened the considerably heavy report.

“From the first page it’s chaos.”

Usually even when reports are long, I just needed to focus on the parts that shine.

But this one has light shimmering from the first page, so the game appointment I set for today will have to be postponed.

***

“They say everyone’s in extreme tension now.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Because rumors are rampant that the Japanese government will probably burst it tomorrow at the earliest.”

Semiconductor companies currently had fire dropped on their feet.

At first the stance was no way would Japan threaten with items that could have massive impact on the semiconductor market, but hearing rumors circulating now, it’s serious.

“Prime Minister Dobe must be thinking hard too. Isn’t the quantitative easing policy he unfolded claiming Dobenomics actually ending in failure? So he seems to have considerable intention to bury complaints about that with this incident.”

“Why do those bastards torment fine companies and make a fuss? They should manage their own political lives.”

“Approval ratings are originally like that.”

Just like companies use politics.

Politics also uses companies.

This matter is like that too.

“Then we should also prepare somewhat. Because if they urgently need to obtain those three items, they’ll have to use our shipping.”

“Yes. Looking at results, it’s good news for our Gwangwoon Shipping. If Japan imposes export regulations, they’ll ultimately have to bring in raw materials through other foreign companies.”

President Kim Du-young smiled.

It’s unfortunate Kangsung and NK get caught between two governments’ fight like shrimp, but thanks to that Gwangwoon Shipping can earn more money.

“So, our country? What retaliation are they planning?”

“That.. Actually we don’t have weapons to wield like Japan.”

“So we just have to take it one-sidedly?”

“Yes. Blocking tourism itself is impossible, so they seem to try utilizing public opinion as much as possible. Then tourist numbers going to Japan will decrease, and buying Japanese products will also decrease.”

The problem is compared to trade regulations Japan imposes, the intensity is very weak.

That side strikes Korea’s core industry, but actually Korea doesn’t have such weapons was big.

“Tsk. We’re making money, but for nothing I’m annoyed.”

“It is somewhat like that.”

Wasn’t it said what makes our country’s people hottest is Korea-Japan matches?

In sports too, there’s strong perception we can lose to all other countries, but must not be defeated by Japan.

Also that Korea-Japan matches inflate viewership even for unpopular sports is widely known fact.

Korea and Japan were such eternal rival relationship.

“Oh right. Did an answer come from President Jeong?”

“Yes. Actually it came this morning.”

“Really? He already reviewed all that thick thing?”

“Don’t you know? That President Jeong Jin-ho’s work processing is very fast.”

“Not just work is fast. Results are also tremendous. Who would’ve imagined our Gwangwoon Shipping would become the world’s largest shipping? All thanks to President Jeong Jin-ho.”

That’s why he has no choice but to cling to Jeong Jin-ho even more.

But since he’s someone doing many things, in a way that minimally interferes, he’s sending reports quarterly.

“Let’s see.”

What President Kim Du-young needed to see was one thing.

Exactly what President Jeong Jin-ho checked.

No matter what great ideas and proposals they made and sent, if Jeong Jin-ho doesn’t check it, it’s automatic disposal.

So no matter how precious, he didn’t even glance that way.

“Pacific route, especially East Asia section ship operation efficiency needs rechecking.. Some cargo congestion delay possibility shows, so for risk management dimension flexibly adjust Japan major port call schedule. Also some routes temporarily redirect toward Central/South America or Europe..”

President Kim Du-young muttering to himself while examining the report hesitated.

“Why?”

“Director Yang. Did you read this?”

“No. Not yet.”

“Then just read the route-related part.”

Director Yang quickly skimmed the report as instructed.

“..Huh?”

There Director Yang also noticed the heterogeneity President Kim Du-young felt.

“This.. Isn’t simple route change.”

“Right. Director Yang sees it too?”

“Yes. These are change items with clear intention. Centered on Japan at that.”

If non-experts saw this, they probably wouldn’t feel much from this report.

Looked at simply, it’s adjusting schedules and opening routes.

But looked through veteran eyes like these two, it was different.

Operation efficiency recheck, excuse of congestion delay possibility and risk management dimension to adjust port call schedule, plus massive route changes.

At a glance it doesn’t seem special, but examining those complexly tangled routes and relationships, this was intentionally delaying ships going to Japan.

“If goods aren’t delivered by deadline we must pay penalty fees, but if we follow this proposal, it seems we can arrive meeting the deadline maximum without violating contract terms.”

Usually when making shipping contracts, they set deadlines generously.

So usually they design to all arrive inside the deadline.

But going like this, they can barely meet the deadline.

“Not just one ship, if dozens of ships going to Japan all go in meeting almost close to the deadline..”

“Their logistics will break down?”

“Yes. Initially it won’t show much, but in just a few weeks logistics chaos will obviously break out. Goods that should come won’t come, and goods that should go also won’t be processed quickly.”

Cargo routes are more complex than expected.

If operating ships exceeds hundreds, it naturally becomes complex.

Also since they don’t stay in just one country but must move to other countries too, if you twist routes wrong, time gets delayed very long.

“But how does President Jeong Jin-ho grasp all these routes like this? If we just adjust by these dates and times, it really fits amazingly perfectly.”

“I told you repeatedly. That President Jeong is more expert than us. Really a ghost. Sometimes
watching, doesn’t he seem otherworldly?”

With this one report, you could tell what Jeong Jin-ho is suggesting now.

His target was Japan.

Did he get angry that the Japanese government dared try to shake the semiconductor empire he lovingly built, or is patriotism burning that he can’t lose to Japan?

“Whatever the reason, given President Jeong’s personality, this is just the start.”

Always like that.

If there was someone blocking Jeong Jin-ho’s path, he mercilessly trampled that opponent whoever they were.

Probably ordinary people won’t believe it.

That companies that suddenly burst or went straight to bankruptcy in recent years are all related to Jeong Jin-ho.

“B-but this isn’t facing an individual company, it’s facing mighty Japan’s government?”

President Kim Du-young’s heart also pounded.

Didn’t Faceweb that was doing well touch PicPic and end up in funeral procession?

But this wasn’t war between two companies.

“President Jeong will fight on behalf of our country’s people. We should cheer.”

“Rather than cheering, shouldn’t we stop him..?”

No. Already too late.

As soon as they uploaded the report, such content came back.

What would that mean?

That Jeong Jin-ho already made the plan.

“Probably separately instructing us while moving busily on the financial side too? May have already taken all positions. Besides that, if it’s President Jeong, he’ll have prepared something we can’t even think of.”

Probably the Japanese government doesn’t dream of knowing.

They’ll already be intoxicated with victory before even starting the fight.

Because they know well that just threatening with those three items means winning.

But from under their feet, one giant storm was quietly being conceived.

“Cherry blossom ending..”

“What?”

“Cherry blossom ending project. Doesn’t the ring sound okay?”

Director Yang reluctantly burst out laughing.

Actually he wanted to call it not project but something more feeling-alive.

Operation name ‘Cherry Blossom Ending’.

Complexly entangled gears were already moving one by one per that operation.