Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: Chemical Genius
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The fire inspector looked at the explosion site and spoke up.
"But you know, if just 100cc can produce that much explosive power..."
The police observer was amazed.
"This explosive force is insane, right?"
The fire inspector's face turned pale.
"Then, if those chemicals being transported by truck yesterday had all gone off..."
"How many people were around there yesterday?"
The police observer's expression also hardened.
"We haven't tallied it up, but it was right in the middle of Seoul with tons of buildings..."
Cold sweat broke out on both of them. Fortunately, there had been no explosion last night. That's why they could talk about it somewhat casually now.
"If that had blown, this company would've been finished."
"You think it'd just be the company? The president here, the development team lead, and half the executives and key developers would've gone straight to prison."
This time, President Baek Seon-cheol and the development team lead's faces turned pale.
Baek Seon-cheol made an excuse.
"No, we had no idea it could explode..."
The police observer asked.
"Even the guy passing by yesterday knew. How come you didn't?"
"That's what I don't get either. Who the hell was that passerby?"
Once the Gangnam Jackal case and the Nakgwi Pirates case wrapped up, the joint investigation headquarters was set to close down.
But then incidents like the drone crash explosion happened afterward. The joint task force took those on too and resolved them smoothly.
The government decided to keep the joint task force running a bit longer and assigned them the Baekhansuryeo cosmetics raw materials explosion case as well.
The people in the joint task force all had their original duties.
They'd been juggling their regular work with task force duties, so they weren't thrilled about this new situation.
The joint task force leader asked.
"So, the guy who noticed the cosmetics raw materials could explode and warned everyone was Na Gang-in?"
A police executive replied.
"Yes. There was a traffic accident right in front of the drama wrap party he was at, so they could respond immediately."
"Sure, that could be a coincidence. But how did Na Gang-in know that mixing those raw materials would turn them into a bomb?"
"One of our officers went to meet Na Gang-in and ask. They should be talking right now."
The detective met Na Gang-in at a café and gave an awkward smile.
"We keep having to meet like this."
"Yeah. This incident was just a simple contact accident and vehicle maintenance failure, so I didn't expect a joint task force detective."
"Well, it's a bomb-making case, so here we are again... Hold on."
The detective looked flustered as he asked.
"How did you know the accident was caused by maintenance failure?"
"I saw the underside of the vehicle at the scene. It was obviously neglected."
"How can you tell just by looking once...? Ah, that's not the point right now. I came because I have some questions."
"Go ahead."
"VTX-13 is a cosmetics raw material developed by Baekhansuryeo. They have only one factory producing it, and only they know the exact formula."
"Makes sense."
"So how did an outsider like you know that mixing it with other substances turns it into a powerful bomb?"
The 2082 model Combat Support AI, Jeon Ji-in, explained.
Na Gang-in covered for her.
"I'm a bit interested in chemistry."
"Pardon? Chemistry?"
"I don't know the formula for VTX-13, but I found papers with the chemical structure of its key components. Reading those, it hit me. Ah, if this mixes wrong with other chemicals, it'll blow. And it'll blow big."
The joint task force leader asked the police executive at the meeting.
"He figured it out from papers because he's into chemistry? Come on, does that mean the chemists at that cosmetics company are idiots? And all the other company labs are blind?"
"Na Gang-in said he got lucky and just realized it."
"Luck? You think that's something luck explains?"
Someone from the intelligence agency spoke up.
"This has way too much explosive power. If terrorists got hold of it, things could get really bad."
The police executive said.
"VTX-13 has an incredibly complex chemical structure, and without the formula, no one can make it."
An official from the Ministry of the Interior suggested.
"Shouldn't we at least stop it from being used in cosmetics first?"
"I'm not sure. It's extremely stable when made into cosmetics."
"But the raw material is dangerous!"
"Nitroglycerin is used in medicine too. Do we ban raw materials that become stable in the final product?"
"Why do we have to use it?"
"The cosmetics with that ingredient are selling like crazy lately. Massive exports too."
"Ah..."
The joint task force leader said.
"Whether they stop sales or not isn't our call. Let's just investigate the traffic accident and whether the cosmetics company managed their hazardous materials properly. That's our job."
"What about Na Gang-in?"
The task force leader sighed.
"Do we have any grounds or justification to investigate Na Gang-in?"
"No. He just warned people at the scene to save them when the accident happened right in front of the party."
"Let's just ask if he knows anything else. We can't go after someone who deserves a commendation."
"Ah! Should we prepare a commendation?"
The task force leader snapped irritably.
"Do we want to spread rumors that the cosmetics material is bomb-grade? How the hell would we give a commendation when we have to keep the info under wraps?!"
In the Baekhansuryeo cosmetics company's conference room, an employee reported.
"We asked an external expert firm to predict the damage if our chemical transport truck exploded, giving them only the explosive power data."
President Baek Seon-cheol asked.
"Cut to the chase. How many casualties?"
"Minimum 300 dead. Up to 3,000 if surrounding buildings take severe damage."
Baek Seon-cheol jumped in shock.
"What?! That many casualties?"
"No, that's just deaths. Injuries were too numerous to calculate..."
Cold sweat beaded on Baek Seon-cheol's forehead.
"They weren't kidding when they said we'd all go to prison if it blew. That wasn't hyperbole."
The executives tensed up.
"If 3,000 really died, everyone in this room would be in cuffs."
"Even 300 deaths, same deal."
"At that point, no lawyer, no matter how good..."
"Forget good lawyers—even powerful ones wouldn't touch us. We'd be public enemies."
Baek Seon-cheol waved his hand.
"Give the full report as planned."
The employee explained why the casualties would be so high.
"The problem was the accident's location—smack in the middle of Seoul. Because..."
The more they heard, the more chills ran down the executives' spines.
After the meeting ended, only President Baek Seon-cheol and his chief of staff remained in the room.
Baek Seon-cheol sat quietly for a moment, then picked up his phone.
"I guess... I should apologize?"
"You have to."
Na Gang-in's phone rang.
Na Gang-in usually ignored unknown numbers. But he recognized this one.
AI Jeon Ji-in said.
Na Gang-in answered.
"Hello."
- Hello. This is Baek Seon-cheol, president of Baekhansuryeo.
"I know. I called you last time."
- I'm sorry. We did the experiment, and you were right. Once those two substances mixed enough, it exploded.
"Yeah. I heard you ran the test."
- You really do know the police well.
If that truck had exploded then, Baekhansuryeo would've gone under, and President Baek Seon-cheol would've rotted in prison for at least ten years. Death or life imprisonment weren't out of the question.
Na Gang-in was the one who'd prevented that disaster.
- If it's alright, I'd like to come see you with our Chief Choi.
"No need. Just manage your chemicals properly from now on. You know what happens if VTX-13 mixes with other stuff."
- Of course.
"Talk later."
Na Gang-in hung up.
Baekhansuryeo President Baek Seon-cheol stared at the ended call and let out a deep sigh.
"Whew. Chief Park."
The chief of staff replied.
"Yes, sir."
"Look into him a bit."
The chief of staff pulled up a file on his tablet PC.
"I already did."
"Oh? Which lab is he from? University professor?"
"Civilian."
"Huh?"
"There was a drama wrap party near the accident scene. He was with them, so it was easy to find out who he is."
"Wait. Drama wrap party? Why was a chemist there?"
"His name is Na Gang-in. Martial arts director for the drama Blue Sky. Also for the movie Sunny Day."
"Martial arts director? Not an explosives expert? Wait, maybe special forces like UDT. They'd know bombs."
"Sir, VTX-13 wasn't originally an explosive..."
"Right. Go on."
"When Na Gang-in did martial arts direction for a CF, he even sang the CM song."
"Singer too?"
"Yes. I contacted the composer, and they said Na Gang-in recently released a song."
The chief of staff played "Walking Again Today." Baek Seon-cheol had heard it in his car.
"Ah, this song. Hmm... So, martial arts director? Singer?"
"From what I found, both."
The investigation was so rushed that was the limit of what the chief could dig up.
Baek Seon-cheol tapped the table and asked.
"No idea where he studied chemistry or explosives?"
"No papers published in Korea under Na Gang-in."
"Studied abroad?"
"No one we talked to knows his past..."
Baek Seon-cheol thought for a moment, then said.
"Hmm... Could we use this song in our CF?"
"I'll call the PR team lead."
The PR team lead and staffer Baek Mi-so entered together.
Baek Mi-so was Baek Seon-cheol's daughter.
Baek Mi-so said.
"We're prepping an ad for our new sports cosmetics line, Speed Shield. About to submit for approval."
"I know. How far along?"
"Production company selected, three storyboards ready. Model and BGM not decided."
That product contained VTX-13 too.
"Low-budget ad, right?"
"Yes. Skipping broadcast TV, focusing on cable and online."
"Use this music, and get production moving."
Baek Mi-so asked.
"Why go this far? Plenty of ways to show thanks, like compensation..."
Baek Seon-cheol gestured. The PR team lead bowed and left. Only Baek Mi-so and the chief remained.
Baek Seon-cheol said.
"Chief Park, explain to Mi-so."
"Yes, sir."
The chief of staff displayed files on the large monitor in the president's office.
"All the info Na Gang-in could access on our VTX-13 was public stuff like the chemical structure. Yet he figured out it'd become a powerful bomb when mixed with NG-3."
"I heard."
"Our own lab that created VTX-13 didn't know."
"But NG-3 isn't ours. How could we test every possible mix with other companies' stuff?"
"We knew the formula and ran tons of tests. Na Gang-in figured it out just from the structure. That's impressive."
Baek Mi-so asked.
"Hold on. So you're saying he's a chemistry genius?"
"The president and I judge so."
"Then using his song in our CF is..."
Baek Seon-cheol answered.
"Company saved, us out of prison—all thanks to Na Gang-in. We can't just wipe our mouths and walk away. This is the least we can do in return. And."
Baek Seon-cheol grinned.
"Build a good impression, get friendly, then scout that chemistry genius to our company at the right time. Mi-so, you handle this."