Prologue: The Price of Genius
The Grand Auditorium of the Blue House.
I stood tall on the stage.
Beside me, the presenter read aloud the text of the award certificate.
"For successfully completing the following research and greatly contributing to the advancement of South Korea's scientific prowess, this award is presented to Project Team GT of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute. President of the Republic of Korea, Kim Hoon."
The President, standing right in front of me, spoke directly to me.
"Senior Researcher Ji Hyunwoo, you've worked hard."
"Thank you, Mr. President."
Clap, clap, clap, clap!
As the ceremony concluded and I was about to leave, a staff member called me over.
He held out a document.
"Please sign here."
"What is this?"
"It's a pledge stating that the technology in question belongs entirely to the state, and that you will not claim any rights to it hereafter."
Entirely belonging to the state...
Of course, that was technically correct.
I was a researcher affiliated with a state institution. Whether the research was completed through my sole efforts or not, the rights belonged to the state.
But still.
"I already signed a pledge when the team was formed."
"Ah, this is just to be safe. It's standard procedure, so just sign it."
Hmm.
It was incredibly overbearing. As if they expected me to claim the rights to this technology later.
This doesn't feel right.
But there was nothing I could do. I quietly picked up the pen.
Yet, the staff member kept rubbing it in until the very end, treating me like someone who was hesitating over money.
"Don't worry. The promised reward of one hundred million won will be deposited today. That detail is probably written in there too, so read it over and sign."
Several months passed.
I was still leading Project Team GT, continuing our research.
This was an essential technology to utilize the previously developed Nuclear Fusion Energy Propulsion technology more stably.
Specifically, the Plasma Control System.
"We need to deepen our understanding of plasma dynamics," I said. "For now, let's focus on observing the inductance response through plasma characterization."
"Yes, Team Leader."
"Next, we need to improve the controllability of the plasma system, so let's use a feedback control loop."
"Oh, I see it now!"
"The stability has improved a bit."
"Wow! How did you do that so easily? You're a real genius, Team Leader!"
Our research was progressing day by day.
Suddenly, a researcher rushed in, panting heavily.
"Team Leader! Have you seen this?"
"What is it?"
"Our Nuclear Fusion Energy Propulsion technology! I think it's been leaked!"
"What?!"
I checked the news article he handed me.
It reported that a researcher from another team in our institute, along with the government official in charge, had sold several technologies to China in exchange for billions of won. Although the two were eventually caught, the technology had already been transferred.
"Damn it!"
The researcher's surname mentioned in the article was unusual, so I immediately knew who it was. The problem was that he had access to our team's research results.
If so, he must have taken the Nuclear Fusion Energy Propulsion technology as well.
"No! Do you have any idea how hard we worked to develop that?!"
I hurriedly called the director.
"Director, have you heard the news?"
—You mean about the technology leak?
"Yes. Is it true? Is our nuclear fusion technology included in that?"
—It seems so.
"Damn it!"
It seemed that rude government official had acted as the broker. The researcher must have colluded with him to steal the research results.
Why on earth did this happen?!
The reason was obvious: simple personal greed. But that wasn't the root cause.
The country itself is the problem.
The leaders of this country had no interest in science and technology. The budget cuts to research were already at an absurd level.
The punishment for criminals who leaked technology was laughably weak. And to top it off, they barely rewarded the researchers who actually developed the technology in the first place.
But...
Even so, there was nothing I could do in this situation.
"Sigh..."
"Team Leader, aren't you going home?"
"Ah, you guys go ahead. I still have some work left to finish."
After sending the staff home, I continued my research late into the night. A sense of urgency kept gnawing at me.
Damn it!
The Nuclear Fusion Energy Propulsion technology that had been leaked to China was a critical technology that could become the core of the future space industry. And now, China had it.
There was no telling how this would alter the future of this country and the fate of the people living on this land. It was a truly dire situation.
However, if there is still hope...
It lay in the Plasma Control System I was researching right now. This system was required to stably apply the Nuclear Fusion Energy Propulsion technology.
If I could finish this research quickly and secure the patents, we might be able to mitigate the damage to some extent.
But this isn't something that can be done overnight.
My mind raced.
"Damn it... How did things end up like this?"
In fact, I had received scout offers from the United States multiple times with incredibly generous terms. But I had turned them down every time.
Because...
This technology was directly linked to the future of the nation. Moreover, because I loved the country where I was born and raised, I believed I should research and use this technology for my own country.
If I knew it would be leaked to another country this easily, I should have just gone to the US.
If I had, I would have been guaranteed tens of billions of won, not a measly one hundred million. If the research went well, I could have earned hundreds of billions.
Damn it, damn it!
Of course, I wasn't thinking this because I regretted the money. I was just frustrated.
Frustrated by the reality of this slowly declining country. Frustrated by this situation that I couldn't change with my own strength.
"If only I had enough money, I could have funded the research myself and controlled the results."
But that was nothing more than a wild fantasy.
The only thing I can do right now is this.
I had to complete the Plasma Control System before China did, no matter what.
To do that, I powered up the plasma generator.
Whirrrr—
As I operated the control panel, the current flowed smoothly, and the plasma wavelength began to climb rapidly.
Whirrrrr—
The data collected by the sensors was fairly stable.
"Good, if it just keeps going like this..."
Encouraged, I pushed it a bit further.
Whirrrrrrrr—!
Suddenly, the rotational speed of the plasma began to spike exponentially.
"Huh? Why is it doing this all of a sudden?"
Panicking, I pulled the circuit breaker.
Clack.
But the plasma was spinning at an even more terrifying speed than before.
Whirrrrrrrrrrrr—!!!!
Before I could even process my panic—
"No...!"
In an instant, the energy condensed into a single point.
Hum.
And exploded.
BOOM—!!!!
I was completely engulfed by the blast.
Is this how I die?
Just as that thought crossed my mind—
Swerve.
It felt as if the entire world was spinning violently. As if it were warping and breaking apart.
Ugh!
By the time things stabilized, I was already in a different place.
A pitch-black space. The pain I should have felt was completely gone.
What on earth...?
As I stood there bewildered, I suddenly realized there was something in front of me.
It was something unimaginably, colossally massive. I could barely see past what seemed to be its toes.
And then, it moved.
Rumble.
It stared down at me.
...!
In that instant, I froze. It was so immense and grand that I couldn't even begin to comprehend it as a living being, let alone define what it was.
Then, the entity spoke, its voice echoing directly in my mind.
—A bug, here?
It murmured to itself.
—Ho. You haven't lost your mind even after facing me. A curious little bug.
But amidst all this, I resolved to survive. If I wasn't dead yet, that is.
As I gritted my teeth and endured—
—That will...
After a brief silence, the unknown entity murmured again.
—Very well. Intriguing. I shall give you a gift.
I felt the entity move something massive. What I assumed to be its finger.
Flick.
Then, a series of sounds began to ring out.
Acquired Access Authority to the Divine Library: Science & Technology (EX)!
The system, adjusted to your status, is now active!
Regressing to the past!
"Huh?!"
My vision blurred once again.