The Unbelievable Speed
"Huh?" Gorbachev momentarily thought he had misheard. Generally, AIDS patients were placed under management the moment they were discovered, so if a patient had been found among his close aides, he would have known. Even if it were a family member of an aide, he would have been informed. Yet, he had never received a report that any of Slava’s relatives were AIDS patients.
"I apologize, General Secretary. My relative was terrified of being quarantined, so they used their own money to confirm their diagnosis privately."
"Good heavens..." Gorbachev sighed repeatedly, as if he found the whole situation absurd. Of all people, for such a thing to happen in the circle of his own aide.
"I’m sorry. I’m so sorry..." Slava could do nothing but bow his head.
"So, what do you want me to do about it?" At Gorbachev’s sharp, chiding remark, Slava carefully explained his request.
"Please allow my relative to participate in YK Pharmaceutical’s clinical trials immediately."
In an instant, Gorbachev’s brow furrowed deeply. "Are you insane? That drug hasn't even undergone full-scale animal testing yet. Even if it shows clear efficacy in internal experiments, the gap between that and human application is enormous. On top of that, you want me to authorize the administration of a drug that hasn't even been tested on humans?"
Under normal circumstances, one would give up here. But Slava was desperate.
"I beg you. My relative’s condition is critical; they will die soon anyway. If that is the case, please let them pin their hopes on a drug that at least has a possibility."
"I’m telling you, that 'possibility' is likely less than one percent..."
"I don't care. Rather than just dying in the freezing cold, I would rather they die having at least tasted vodka."
"Haa..." Gorbachev let out a deep sigh, his head beginning to ache.
"No matter the result, I will never hold any complaints. Furthermore, immediately after the results are out, I will go to the Gulag."
"Ugh!" If it had been anyone else who didn't listen, he would have had the patient shot and sent Slava to the Gulag regardless of any clinical trials. But, at the end of the day, Gorbachev was human too.
A sterile room. It goes without saying, but Yoon-gi didn't know much about AIDS. All he knew was that it was a "disease where immunity is lacking" and that it was "easily transmitted through real-time contact between blood and blood." That was why the only thing Yoon-gi had prepared at Gorbachev’s request was a sterile room.
"Thank you so much. I will never forget this grace."
At Gorbachev’s words, Yoon-gi wore a somewhat worried expression. "To be honest, it’s not difficult to provide this, but I cannot guarantee the effectiveness of the drug. I’m not sure if it will be okay."
As a result of the analysis using the Vibrator, there was no "negative reaction" between Slava’s relative, Irina, and the drug currently in development. That meant the drug itself was unlikely to pose a significant risk to Irina’s health. However, since inference and actual application were entirely different matters, he was worried in many ways.
"I thank you as well. Irina is a niece I truly cherish... I couldn't just watch her die. I am truly sorry..."
Slava was a Soviet man in his mid-50s. Irina, on the other hand, was a Soviet woman in her early 30s. She was a woman with silver hair flowing down to her neck. She must have been beautiful when she was healthy, but because her body had become extremely frail due to AIDS, her skin was cracked in places, she was so thin that her bones were visible, and her eyes lacked any strength.
"How did she catch it?" At Gorbachev’s question, Slava shook his head.
"I... I don't know. I’m sorry."
"Sigh... in a way, is that to be expected..."
Nowadays, there were research results suggesting that the incubation period for AIDS could be as long as 10 years, but in the 80s, it was difficult to know this fact due to a lack of statistical data.
'I remember that AIDS is basically most likely to be transmitted when an AIDS patient’s blood enters a wound...' Yoon-gi began to ponder why Irina might have contracted AIDS.
"Is Irina’s profession that of a doctor or a nurse?"
"Pardon? No. She worked as a lifeguard at a swimming pool."
"For how long?"
"Ever since she turned 20."
"Has she ever experienced any difficult events in her life?"
Slava shook his head. "How could that be? No matter what, Irina is my niece. It is impossible for someone to touch her like that."
At Slava’s words, Yoon-gi could make one guess. 'Did she get infected through saliva-to-saliva contact while performing CPR as a lifeguard? If they both had wounds in their mouths, it would have been even easier to transmit. Well, that’s just a guess, though.'
In fact, AIDS was not easily transmitted through saliva. Immediately, an AIDS patient’s blood contained 1,000 to 100,000 viruses per mL, and even up to 10 million in the early stages of infection. However, bodily fluids contained at most 5 or fewer per mL. The possibility that Irina was infected through simple CPR was quite low.
'There is a possibility she performed CPR on an AIDS patient while having a wound herself, but simple sexual intercourse is also a possibility, isn't it?'
In the end, no matter how much he inferred, it was impossible to find the correct answer. Because as long as the incubation period of AIDS could exceed 10 years, there was no way to find out what had happened in the meantime.
However, there was one thing that needed to be made certain.
"General Secretary, how are AIDS patients currently being managed?"
"All patients are being recorded and quarantined."
Certainly, a method only possible in the Soviet Union. 'Even ordinary people are in a situation where rations are ambiguous because of the meteorite, so for those quarantined, especially AIDS patients, I can imagine the situation.'
As of the 80s, AIDS patients were never viewed in a good light. Even in the 2010s, there were people who wouldn't even breathe in the same space if they heard someone was an AIDS patient, so how much worse would it be in the 80s? Some might argue that wasn't the case because some top stars were popular despite being AIDS patients, but for an ordinary person, it was the reality of the world that it wouldn't be strange to be stoned.
"General Secretary, let’s quarantine them in one of the accommodation facilities YK is currently building."
"Pardon? Is that alright?"
Gorbachev was pleased with Yoon-gi’s suggestion, but on the other hand, he felt sorry. YK was basically a company that pursued profit, but it had been constantly making concessions to the Soviet Union.
"If Irina improves with this drug, other patients will also ask to be treated. Considering the efficiency at that time, it is effective to gather them in one place. If the perception that 'the state treats them' is created, the chances of AIDS patients hiding and spreading the virus will also decrease."
In fact, as of the 2010s, the number of AIDS patients in Russia reached 1 million. The number of AIDS patients worldwide was estimated at 40 million. As such, if welfare for AIDS patients was laid out in advance in the 80s, it was clear that re-infection of ordinary citizens could be eliminated to that extent.
From the beginning, Yoon-gi didn't intend to just make money in the Soviet Union and be done with it; he saw the Soviet Union as a partner, which made this move possible.
"Ah... I see. That might be more efficient."
Of course, Gorbachev interpreted Yoon-gi’s intentions differently.
'Well, whatever he thinks, should I just leave him to think as he pleases for now?'
While Yoon-gi was thinking for a moment, Gorbachev let out a sigh.
"Whew, anyway, I hope it works."
It was a self-monologue, but Yoon-gi and Slava felt the same way.
"Yaaawn." Lyudmila yawned lazily and checked the results of Irina’s blood test.
'Sigh, when I was young, I imagined a prince on a white horse coming to take me away, and my husband bringing me a sandwich and milk to the bed where I was sleeping when I opened my eyes in the morning.'
The reality was long hair that was matted because she hadn't washed it properly, and even if she put on makeup, there was no one to show it to, so it was just her bare face. Of course, there were other men in the lab, but they were true friends (?) who didn't look like marriage candidates from the start. Therefore, Lyudmila was scratching her side with her left hand and checking the test results with her right hand, when she opened her eyes wide.
"Eh?"
Lyudmila, who checked the results again, opened her eyes wide. Then, she even brought her left hand, which had been scratching her side, to the paper and began to check the results with both hands. The test result record was getting closer and closer to her eyes. Before long, Lyudmila began to run fiercely toward the president’s office.
"Kyaaaaaaa!"
The sight of Lyudmila running down the hallway while letting out a sharp, scream-like shout was reminiscent of a witch, so other colleagues were surprised and stuck their backs to the wall, clearing the way for Lyudmila. Both male and female colleagues alike.
And a moment later.
As soon as Lyudmila arrived at the president’s office, she forgot to even knock and burst the door open.
"President!"
However, Lee In-hae was away for a moment. Instead, the person in the president’s office was none other than Yoon-gi.
"Kyaaaaaaaaa!"
Lyudmila screamed and was startled, closing the president’s office door again. However, Lee In-hae appeared before Lyudmila, who was standing there with a puzzled expression.
"Lyudmila, what’s the matter?"
Lyudmila’s expression was one that looked like she was about to cry. Lee In-hae, who confirmed that something was held in Lyudmila’s hand, naturally grabbed Lyudmila’s wrist.
"It seems you have something to report? Come in."
"Pr, President! Wait! Wait a minute!"
However, Lee In-hae pulled Lyudmila completely into the president’s office. Then, Lyudmila quickly covered her face with both arms.
"Hmm, it seems I’m in the way. I’ll step out for a moment."
Yoon-gi realized why Lyudmila was embarrassed and naturally stepped aside. And a moment later.
"Lyudmila, is it because of the Chairman?"
Lyudmila, who had calmed down a little, carefully nodded in the space where only she and Lee In-hae were left.
"Well... I understand."
When a person meets a member of the opposite sex with outstanding looks, they instinctively try to dress themselves up. Furthermore, if they are caught in an unkempt state, they feel extremely embarrassed about that fact. It has nothing to do with Yoon-gi being a married man. Regardless of whether there is a possibility that the other person will be connected to them, Lyudmila’s current reaction is a very natural thing. Even men with potbellies instinctively suck in their breath to hide their bellies when a beauty passes by. Therefore, Lee In-hae could understand Lyudmila.
"Certainly, it would be difficult for the other men in the lab to satisfy Lyudmila’s standards."
Regardless of their job or wealth, the other men in the lab were also of the same type as Lyudmila. Of course, they couldn't possibly look like men to her.
"Lyudmila, mar..."
Lee In-hae realized she had made a mistake and hurriedly shut her mouth. Even without that, Lyudmila was already preparing to squat on the floor and rub her fingers together just because the word "mar" came out. If she had even said "riage," Lee In-hae would have had to comfort Lyudmila for about 20 minutes.
'...Should I introduce a decent man to Lyudmila? If I talk about decent men around Yoon-gi, there’s Mr. Pil-gyu, Mr. In-soo, and Mr. Min-gwan... Or other men I know? It’s a dilemma...'
With this dilemma, Lee In-hae spoke to Lyudmila again.
"Lyudmila, anyway, it’s true that you have something urgent to report, right?"
As the flow of conversation shifted toward work, Lyudmila was barely able to pull herself together.
"Ah! Yes, yes! President! Irina’s condition is improving!"