Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Visitor
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“Congratulations, Senior Managing Director!”
The company employees, who had already heard the news, greeted me warmly right from the entrance.
Aside from CEO Yoon Sang-min and Chairman Jin, there was no higher position to climb to at Thales.
It was certainly a swift adaptation, considering the results I'd produced in less than a year.
“What are your plans after work?”
Secretary Kim's face was filled with anticipation as she asked discreetly.
She obviously wanted to suggest a celebratory dinner.
Since most of the important work was already finished, there was no reason to refuse.
“Congratulations on your promotion, Senior Managing Director!”
The dinner that followed eventually moved on to a second round.
The sound of clinking glasses filled the air, but my mind was too preoccupied for me to truly blend into the atmosphere.
“Hmm...”
No matter how much I thought about it, CEO Yoon Sang-min's words kept bothering me.
That in the end, he couldn't oppose my appointment to the Senior Managing Director position.
It was a statement that left a lingering feeling, but I couldn't quite grasp what it meant.
“Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.”
I finally stood up to clear my head.
Besides, my bladder was full from who knows how many glasses of beer.
But it seemed I wasn't the only one in a hurry. Hee-won from the research institute, who had insisted on coming, quickly followed behind me.
“Going to the restroom? I'll come with you.”
“Are you okay?”
“No, I think it's because I haven't had a drink in so long. I'm pretty drunk.”
“You should take it easy for tomorrow's sake. Anyway, why did you insist on coming? This isn't even an institute dinner.”
“Are you really asking because you don't know?”
“...What are you talking about?”
I asked, puzzled.
Instead of answering, he glanced down at my lower body as I was adjusting myself and gave a strange smile.
“The world is fair after all.”
“...”
“Don't beat yourself up over it. That's something you can't help, no matter how capable you are.”
“What kind of nonsense are you spouting all of a sudden?”
Hee-won didn't reply and quickly adjusted his pants.
*Pat!*
He then patted my shoulder once and washed his hands with a look of utter triumph.
That bastard... Ah! I'm suddenly getting really annoyed.
“Oh, by the way, you need to form a new development team starting tomorrow.”
*Thud!*
At my words, he dropped the soap he was holding.
He whipped around like lightning and grabbed my collar.
“Why again? Don't tell me you're getting revenge just because I teased you a little. I told you, you can't help what you're born with...”
“Cut the crap. The military is about to announce a new project requirement. The project itself won't start for about a year, but we need to prepare in advance to save time.”
“Shit...”
His brow furrowed deeply.
Now that's what I call satisfying. It was like getting rid of a decade's worth of indigestion.
That's right, you bastard. You don't mess with your employer.
And of all things, why pick such a sensitive topic...
“Why are you only telling me something so important now... Never mind, just give me the details.”
We moved to a secluded spot to continue our conversation.
This is what I find amazing about him.
Just moments ago, Hee-won's eyes were glazed over with drunkenness, but now they were sharp and clear as if nothing had happened.
“The military plans to launch a new project next year.”
Given the circumstances, I only relayed the key points first.
The important thing was that Hee-won's role would be bigger than ever.
He seemed to know it too, as he listened with utmost seriousness.
“The core components are the radar and control system, but just as important is the warhead's shape modification. So, you're going to have your work cut out for you.”
“When have I ever not had my work cut out for me? I think I get the gist of it. When do I need to start?”
“For now, just focus on the alloy process. I'll come to the institute tomorrow for the details, so we can talk more then.”
“Got it. By the way, can I ask you one thing?”
Hee-won, who had readily agreed, suddenly looked at me with a meaningful glint in his eyes.
From long experience, whenever he got that look, it was always followed by some trivial question.
Sure enough, after a quick glance around, a ridiculous question escaped his lips.
“What do you think of Secretary Kim?”
“What kind of nonsense is that out of the blue? I think she's a capable secretary, of course.”
“Really? You're sure you have no other feelings for her?”
“Haaah...”
I let out a sigh instead of answering.
For a moment, his eyes sparkled, and he tapped me on the shoulder.
“Okay, that's answer enough for me.”
“...”
Watching him turn away, I couldn't help but let out a small laugh.
So that was it.
The reason he'd insisted on joining someone else's company dinner.
Wait, but it would be a problem if he got involved with Secretary Kim.
“Hey!”
Flustered, I called out to him as he was walking away.
Was it a coincidence? He ran into Secretary Kim, who had just stepped out of the restaurant, and started talking to her, ignoring my call.
“Why are you out here?”
The atmosphere didn't seem playful.
Seeing him, a guy who never even talked about women, being this proactive...
“I'm screwed...”
Anyway, if things go on like this, what's going to happen to Ms. Miju, who is supposed to be his wife in the future?
No, forget Ms. Miju. What about those nephews who were as cute as bunnies?
******
“A dual-band AESA radar?”
The next day, back at the institute, I informed Hee-won about the development plan for the Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar.
“That's right. As I've emphasized to you several times, the core of the HVP defense system is a highly accurate detection radar. But building an HVP system with our military's current counter-battery radars is next to impossible. That's why I plan to replace them all with dual-band AESA radars.”
“How big is the performance difference?”
“Well... I'm not sure a comparison would even be meaningful.”
“Is it that significant? Anyway, is it really possible to develop a radar that utilizes both S-band and X-band simultaneously?”
“Of course. But did you know this? A single gallium nitride-based TR module we're going to develop costs almost as much as a used car.”
“What...? Then how much would a counter-battery radar packed with thousands of those expensive modules cost?”
“At least a hundred billion won. It could be even more, depending on the circumstances.”
“That's astounding. But with that much power output, couldn't it also be applied to Aegis destroyers?”
“Of course it could. In fact, most Aegis destroyers currently use PESA systems, and the performance gap between them and AESA is substantial in many ways. Once it's developed, people will be clamoring for it.”
“Shouldn't we be more careful about security then?”
“Right. That's why we're going to overhaul the security system before the project begins. I'm also planning to see if we can get support from the military, just in case.”
“...”
Hee-won swallowed hard and nodded.
The tension must be finally setting in.
I patted his shoulder and was about to stand up when a calendar on the desk caught my eye.
“This year is almost over.”
“You're just realizing that now? It's already December, man. And here I am, stuck with another assignment you've thrown at me.”
“There's no rush for that, so you can still enjoy the year-end atmosphere.”
“What's the deadline?”
“The element itself, around July of next year? If we finish developing the integrated circuit and TR module by November, we should be able to align it roughly with the military's project announcement.”
“Tsk, what's the point? I've still got a mountain of other assignments in development. Anyway, I'm taking a couple of days off around Christmas, so you know.”
Hee-won declared, shutting the document with a snap.
Feeling suspicious, I narrowed my eyes at him, and he started avoiding my gaze.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Are you really interested in Secretary Kim?”
“Of course I am. The problem is she's a total iron wall, but I'm going to give it a shot anyway.”
“You've only run into Secretary Kim a couple of times.”
“Does there have to be a reason for someone to fall for someone else? And haven't you ever heard of love at first sight?”
Hearing him say that, it seemed it wasn't just simple curiosity.
But it's not like I could just tell him, 'Your destined partner isn't Secretary Kim.'
“Hyun-seung. You might not get it, but if you're fated to meet someone, you'll meet them no matter what. I felt that the moment I saw Secretary Kim.”
Listening to him was something else.
But his words, that fate would bring people together eventually...
Somehow, they calmed my anxious heart a little.
Right. If his destiny is ultimately tied to Ms. Miju, then no matter how infatuated he is with Secretary Kim now, things will eventually follow their fated course.
“I don't know about that.”
“Yeah, you just pretend you don't know. Anyway, are you free today? You usually just drop off your business and leave. What's with you killing time?”
“Hardly.”
I glanced at my watch; it was already 4 p.m.
My only remaining schedule was a site inspection of the smart shell production factory, which had just begun full-scale manufacturing.
After a brief farewell, I left the institute. Secretary Yang, who was waiting by the door, quickly opened the car door for me.
“Ah, let's go after I have a quick smoke.”
“Yes, sir. I'll wait here then.”
Leaving Secretary Yang to close the door, I looked for a quiet place.
The entire institute complex was a no-smoking zone, so I had to go completely outside.
The spot I finally found was a secluded outdoor smoking area the institute had set up for smokers.
*Huuup...*
As I took a deep drag, the lit-up institute building came into view.
It wasn't small by any means, but it felt somewhat lacking for a place that was birthing the nation's future technologies.
Especially considering the increasing number of future research projects, the thought that an expansion was inevitable crossed my mind.
'Looks like I'll have to prioritize investing the profits from the smart shells into the institute. I wonder how much it will be...'
The demand from our own military hadn't been finalized yet, so I couldn't factor that into my calculations for now.
In that case, it's faster to calculate my share from the confirmed export amount. The total export scale is 1.5 billion dollars, so about 200 million dollars should fall to the institute.
'Well, that's more than enough to expand the institute... But it's been a while since I asked Chairman Lee Ki-ho to introduce me to the person in charge of the Brown Bear Project. Why haven't I heard anything yet?'
My thoughts suddenly drifted to that topic.
Following the armor-piercing rounds, the development of the smart shells was successfully completed.
With this, the preparatory stage for building the HVP-based defense system was also finished.
The problem is that building the HVP system and proposing other military reinforcement projects is only possible after the AESA is developed, and its completion is still a year away.
In other words, I could easily end up wasting that entire year.
'Damn it, if only I could get involved in the Brown Bear Project at a time like this... Should I try contacting them again?'
The reason I'm so fixated on the Brown Bear Project is to prevent redundant investments.
The period when our country bought technology from Russia to develop the Hyunmoo ballistic missile was precisely when the Brown Bear Project was underway.
But there's no need to buy technology from Russia that I already possess.
"Hmm..."
It's possible they've already bought it.
Russia first tested the Iskander's performance around 1996.
And the Hyunmoo, which inherited that technology, had its unofficial test around mid-1999, so a deal might have already been made.
However, I can't overlook the fact that history has been distorted because of me.
Meaning, there's no harm in trying.
“If they haven't bought the technology yet, then with that money, they could...”
“Senior Managing Director Jin Hyun-seung?”
As I was deep in thought, I heard someone call my name.
I turned instinctively and saw a man, who looked to be in his mid-fifties, approaching me with a smile.
“Who are you?”
Feeling uneasy, I scanned my surroundings.
Were they with him? Not too far away, I noticed several men in suits keeping watch.
*Slide.*
I subtly slipped my hand into my pocket, searching for my phone.
Just as I was about to press Secretary Yang's speed dial using only the feel of my fingers, Secretary Yang, who had been waiting over there, rushed over.
"Senior Managing Director!"
Secretary Yang quickly stepped in front of me, eyeing the men in the distance warily.
At that, the man in his fifties gave an awkward smile as if to clear up a misunderstanding and took a business card from his pocket.
"Oh, my apologies if I startled you. I am Im Hyo-sik, the First Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service.”
“...”
At first, I had no idea what was happening.
Then, a thought occurred to me—the request I had made to Chairman Lee Ki-ho, the very person I was just complaining about for not contacting me.
The fact that I had asked to meet the final decision-maker for the second Brown Bear Project.
“Why is the National Intelligence Service looking for me?”
“Didn't you tell Chairman Lee Ki-ho you wanted to meet me?”
My guess was correct.
My god!
But why did the Deputy Director of the NIS show up in response to that request?
Could he be the final decision-maker for the Brown Bear Project?
“Chairman Lee Ki-ho was quite insistent. I was wondering who could make a man like him so anxious, and I must admit, I was surprised to hear it was you, Mr. Jin Hyun-seung. If you have the time, I'd like to hear what you have to say.”
“...”