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Chapter 10: Drawing the Future
Chapter 10: Drawing the Future
Chapter 10: Drawing the Future
Chairman Yu Kyung-seok arrived at the headquarters of Silla Group around 9 o’clock.
His face looked so exhausted that he seemed ready to collapse at any moment.
“Call all the executives from the battery-related subsidiaries to the conference room.”
“Yes, sir.”
The secretary quickly complied, and the executives began to gather one by one.
Yu Ji-ha also showed up.
His father’s gaze was incredibly warm as he looked at him.
It wasn’t just because he was his son.
Ever since Director Lee Han-jong made the announcement, the two of them had been busy testing the new battery.
They even drove on the highway in the middle of the night with his wife in the back seat, taking turns behind the wheel.
As a result, they were confident that the new battery was real.
How it was made would be a problem for later.
What mattered now was how to respond.
Chairman Yu turned on the stock channel and saw Silla Energy’s stock price soaring.
“That’s a very impressive graph, isn’t it?”
The executives who had been criticizing Yu Ji-ha all this time couldn’t meet his eyes.
“I think it will break 8,000 won before lunch.”
“Finally, a stock that benefits from the abolition of the upper and lower limits.”
“The related stocks are also rising. It seems like we’ll see a circuit breaker after a long time.”
“We should have bought some in advance… Haha, what a shame.”
“Um… Chairman, is the battery really real?”
Chairman Yu nodded.
“I personally confirmed it last night. I saw the data and conducted actual tests. The product is reliable.”
“Oh… Congratulations!”
“You’ve achieved something great at Silla Energy!”
“To be precise, our Director Yu, no, President Yu did it.”
Everyone glanced at Yu Ji-ha, but he didn’t seem to care about their changing attitudes.
“Chairman, I will take full responsibility for the battery from now on.”
He wanted to handle it alone?
The executives looked at Chairman Yu with various expressions, and he nodded firmly.
“This is not just your problem alone. Since we sent the data to Japan, we have to secure it. China and the United States will also show interest.”
“That’s right. If the battery is real, various proposals will come from government agencies. Let us handle them.”
“We should also deal with matters such as raw material supply and factory construction at the group level.”
Everyone expressed their opinions one by one, but Yu Ji-ha stubbornly maintained his stance.
“I started this, so I’ll take charge. If someone else interferes, it will only create chaos.”
“Hmm…”
The executives looked at the chairman with pity or disappointment, and he slowly spoke up.
“Do you have the confidence?”
“Chairman!”
“It’s impossible for one person to handle this.”
“That’s right. Let us be your advisors.”
The executives murmured, but Chairman Yu only looked at his son.
He never imagined that the idea they discussed over dinner not long ago would turn out like this.
It meant that his son had anticipated this situation since then.
‘Did he really learn that knowledge in his dreams?’
He would have dismissed it as nonsense and ignored it if it weren’t for his son.
But he proved it himself.
Silla Energy’s stock price reached a new high in just a few hours, and the media was flooded with articles.
Every single one of them praised the remarkable achievement, assuming that the battery was real.
…But let’s get one thing clear here.
“I heard that the battery uses black metal as the main ingredient. I vaguely heard that it’s extremely difficult to mine. Will there be a stable supply?”
“Why don’t we call Manager Kim?”
“Why him all of a sudden?”
“He’s probably mining black metal on a ship right now, I suppose.”
Chairman Yu, unimpressed by his son’s confident attitude, called Kim Dohyeong.
After a moment, he heard the sound of strong wind and Kim’s panting voice.
—Uh, uh… This is Kim Dohyeong, Chairman.
“Yeah, where are you now? My son said you’re on a ship?”
-I’m, I’m near Samcheok, in the open sea. I never expected the winter wind to be this, this cold…
Near Samcheok?
Yu Ji-ha briefly explained to his father and the executives, who looked at him with curiosity.
One of the executives muttered in disappointment.
“So we’ve secured exclusive mining rights for black metal around Ulleungdo for three years… Haha, that means we won’t have any chance to intervene.”
Indeed.
They had planned everything before they acted.
Chairman Yu was very satisfied with his son’s meticulous actions.
“Good. Then give it a try. But if you can’t handle it, the group will step in immediately, understood?”
“There won’t be any such incidents.”
We’ll see about that.
They discussed detailed plans for the future in the conference room.
It mainly focused on investments and factory construction.
At that moment, Chairman Yu received a phone call.
He checked the caller ID and put his finger to his lips.
“It’s from the Prime Minister’s office. Yes, I’ll take it. Oh, Prime Minister, what can I do for you?”
“Ah… We are 100% confident, but it would be better to have more people validate it.”
“Alright, I’ll arrange a schedule as soon as possible. Yes.”
The conversation ended, and he looked at Yu Ji-ha, exhaling a long sigh.
“The government is requesting a demonstration. They plan to invite not only domestic broadcasters but also foreign media and companies.”
“This matter has become quite serious…”
“I’m not sure if I can handle it…”
The executives were nervous, but Yu Ji-ha calmly nodded his head.
“Let’s run a complete battery cell with no room for doubt. How about next Monday?”
“Give it a try and let me know.”
The Prime Minister’s office agreed, and Chairman Yu dismissed the executives.
He was left alone in the conference room.
He lit a cigarette and took a sip of water.
“Hmm… The last time I felt this tense was when we separated the subsidiaries 15 years ago. Ji-ha, can I trust you?”
“You can trust me and leave it to me. But there’s something you should do, Father.”
“What is it?”
“I acquired shares of Silla Energy. Worth 200 billion.”
“That’s right. Ah… The problem is how the Financial Supervisory Service will assess it.”
Originally, Silla Holdings held a 35% stake in Silla Energy, while Yu Ji-ha held 7%.
However, with the acquisition of shares for 200 billion, the structure changed completely.
Under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t be a problem, but with the announcement of the new battery, the stock price soared, resulting in significant gains for Yu Ji-ha.
Was it a transaction or a succession?
“First, I need to talk to the legal team about this.”
“Since the Financial Supervisory Service is cautious, they won’t make a big fuss.”
“Anyway, I’ll look into it. You focus on the new battery.”
“Understood.”
Chairman Yu stood up and patted his son’s shoulder.
“Father.”
“Hehe, I’m just doing it because I want to. When did that troublemaker become like this…”
“If you look at it strictly, isn’t this also a trouble?”
The wealthy man chuckled.
“You can create as many of these troubles as you want. Since we won’t be able to enter for a while, I’ll call your mother.”
“Of course.”
As they stepped outside through the main entrance of the headquarters, journalists who had been waiting rushed towards them.
Yu Ji-ha calmly responded to them and headed to the Silla Energy building.
…
Silla Energy’s remaining employees gathered in the warehouse after receiving Yu Ji-ha’s call.
“I understand that you were all shocked by the news last night. In short, the new battery is real, and the company will undergo significant changes from now on.”
It was evident from their expressions that they found it hard to believe.
Some quietly expressed concerns about how they would cope if this turned out to be a failure.
It was strange to believe that the rogue Yu Ji-ha and a research lab with minimal R&D costs had developed something like this.
When all the employees were staring at him, he made a shocking statement.
“Starting today, Silla Energy will transition into battery production mode. The roadmap is already set, and if you check your work management tools, you will find individual instructions. Just follow them.”
“There are no executives right now… and there won’t be in the future. I will personally handle all approvals electronically. Departmental meetings will be reduced to once a week, and you will report the results to me. If there’s nothing to report, there’s no need for a meeting.”
The employees felt dizzy from the relentless statements.
It went beyond radical changes.
If the CEO personally gave work instructions to individuals, what purpose would directors and managers serve?
“It seems like they’re planning to eliminate job titles later…”
Someone murmured, and everyone turned to look at them.
Yu Ji-ha heard that comment too but didn’t bother to refute it.
They would come to realize the efficiency of receiving instructions from artificial intelligence.
Working in this manner would suppress creativity and individuality, but that wasn’t very important.
At most, it was a matter of why such an approach was necessary for battery production.
However, the sudden measures might have made the employees feel oppressed.
So, they needed to offer appropriate incentives.
“Starting from January next year, we will increase the salary of every employee by 10 million won. If you follow the instructions faithfully for a year and achieve your goals, we will increase it by another 10 million won the following year.”
The employees were speechless.
“Wow…”
“Our salaries will be among the top in the industry, then?”
Silla Energy’s salaries were relatively low compared to similar companies.
It was natural since they had almost no performance.
So, the fact that they were increasing salaries implied significant improvements in the future.
“Is the new battery real?”
“That doesn’t make sense. How did we make something that even Japan couldn’t?”
“We shouldn’t have sold our stocks…”
“That’s enough. Let’s focus on our work.”
Yu Ji-ha returned to his office and called Arma.
“What’s the status of stock holdings?”
[We have secured a total of 75% when combined with the 7% friendly stake from 100 individuals.]
“Voluntary delisting seems difficult.”
Their goal was to separate Silla Energy from the group and turn it into an independent company.
However, even if they engaged in a public stock acquisition, it seemed hard to secure up to 95%.
Arma proposed a solution.
[The pension fund realizes profits through program trading, so if we understand their algorithm, we can buy stocks. The remaining stakes are held by Future Motors and Hanseong Group. If we propose the battery idea, they might participate in the public acquisition.]
“Han Sung-yoon from Han Sung Securities will never sell.”
They couldn’t get a hold of him, and he wouldn’t sell stocks that could potentially become gold mines.
[We can create a case of sudden acceleration in automobiles and eliminate her.]
“Although we won’t hesitate to use any means necessary, we can’t go around killing people just because they won’t release their stocks. Let’s keep an eye on the situation as the stock prices fluctuate.”
[Yes.]
Alternatively, we can reveal our intentions and then turn the tables on them.
While she might not be interested in the new battery, the management of Hanseong Group may have a different stance.
“By the way, do you have any hard feelings for Shin Ha-yoon? You mentioned killing her twice.”
[Personal feelings…]
There was no continuation of the sentence even after a few seconds.
There was probably a clause in the Codex that prohibited lying to the Master.
Yu Ji-ha smiled mischievously and looked at the roadmap.
“We have a demonstration next week. I hope you can assist the researchers in building the vehicle.”
“Is that all I have to do?”
“I’ll take care of everything else.”
“Phew… That’s a relief. It was really hard for me to step forward in front of others.”
“But isn’t this a big deal? From now on, you’ll have to do a lot of presentations on my behalf.”
“Don’t say that. I did ask you to do it, but this will be the last time.”
Director Lee Han-jong nodded eagerly.
In truth, what was even harder for him was adapting to the sudden 180-degree change in his disciple.
Could he have met a transcendent being in his dream and changed completely?
He felt polite, friendly, and as if they had gone back to their university days.
‘Hehe, how happy he was when he solved the orbit equation of the 9th planet…’
Originally, Yu Ji-ha’s major was in algorithms, and he had a great interest in space.
Although he seemed to have lost interest in that area due to amnesia, it wasn’t a big issue at the moment.
Because his disciple had returned.
Anyway, after the announcement of the new battery, the Silla Energy Research Institute underwent significant changes.
First, they blocked the phone lines, which was Yu Ji-ha’s consideration for them to focus only on research.
Security was also strengthened, and a contracted security company took charge of the surveillance.
This measure was taken because people started wandering around the research institute without any apparent reason.
However, if there was one thing that hadn’t changed, it was the workload.
–Well, I guess I’ll have to work overtime for a while… Is that okay?
–We haven’t even had a proper shower. Can we go home for a bit and rest?
–After this project is completed, we will provide a bonus of 5 million won each and a 2-week vacation.
–Hey, you guys, go to the nearby store and buy some bath supplies. From today on, this place is our home.
–Well, sis, as long as we have books, anywhere can be home.
In truth, the employees, led by Hwang Seon-young, didn’t have any major complaints even without such rewards.
It was because they finally felt the satisfaction of their work.
It was much better to be engrossed in work than to constantly worry about getting fired.
And they were very considerate of the employees’ convenience.
They received generous meal allowances, and the break room was filled with snacks.
Despite their intense workload, everyone gained some weight and looked healthy.
Furthermore, the Silla Energy Research Institute became a hot topic in the media and on the internet.
The words “they achieved a miracle” were mentioned, so naturally, the employees felt a boost in their morale.
And so, the employees prayed and pleaded.
–Oh God, please don’t let us get laid off from this company.
–If we go outside, we’ll be unemployed. Please let us work with the CEO.
They clearly understood that the success of the Black Metal Battery wasn’t their own achievement, but rather their role in supporting Yu Ji-ha’s work.
Given the situation where a snowstorm, rather than an economic downturn, hit the Korean economy, it was a case of self-objectification.
Thanks to this, the research institute was able to focus and refine its future roadmap.
“Arma, show me the output of the Black Metal deposits.”
A maritime map appeared in the empty space of the office.
There were bright spots scattered throughout the map, which were presumed to be the locations of Black Metal deposits.
Currently, the areas secured by Yu Ji-ha were only near Ulleungdo, while most of the remaining areas were heavily polluted.
“If we announce it as Black Metal during the demonstration, it will cause a commotion…”
[In countries like the United States and Russia, there is an atmosphere of skepticism. However, once it is confirmed during the demonstration, we can proceed with securing the Black Metal deposits.]
“Even if we can’t extract it with our current technology, it’s human greed to want to secure it for now. Is there a possibility of war breaking out?”
[If we look at the interstate conflict risk index, China and Taiwan are at the highest level with 8.13. And there is Black Metal deposited in the Taiwan Strait.]
Yu Ji-ha couldn’t hide his sigh when he saw the shining spot in the Taiwan Strait.
“Of all places…”
[Furthermore, there is also a large amount of Black Metal deposited in the South China Sea. We can’t avoid conflicts no matter where we go.]
“What about speculating on the timing?”
[Regarding the timing, it is speculated to be around 27 years from now. It will be China’s 100th anniversary of its military establishment.]
“People in high positions always like to match the numbers.”
When you think about it, Yu Ji-ha was also someone in a high position.
His final rank was Lieutenant Colonel, but he stayed because he couldn’t let go of being a pilot.
The overwhelming assessment was that even if he had been promoted to Colonel, he would have remained due to his contributions to United Humanity.
“Anyway, it seems that conflict is inevitable due to the Black Metal. Let’s take advantage of that opportunity to build our influence.”
[Our primary task is to create a proper Black Metal mining line. The ships acquired by the Master are not suitable for efficient mining.]
“They are small-scale companies, so there’s not much we can do. Design mining equipment that can be made with the technology of this era. We’ll have to show it to Father.”
[Should we mobilize computing power?]
“We need to ensure that it meets international standards since we’ll be selling to other countries.”
[We’ve started gathering information… We should have the results by the end of today.]
“Good.”
Yu Ji-ha acquired Silla Heavy Industries, located in Tongyeong.
It wasn’t as prominent as other major shipbuilding companies in Korea, but it had some experience in shipbuilding and heavy equipment manufacturing.
Considering the upcoming android project, a shipbuilding company was essential.
“While it’s tempting to demand immediate delivery, that would be absurd. We need to complete the acquisition of shares.”
[According to the roadmap, Silla Hi-Tech is next. They are facing uncertainties due to the project being pursued by the Army without aligning with the Republic of Korea (ROC).]
“Hmm… Let’s proceed simultaneously with the automotive sector. It’s optimal for showcasing autonomous driving algorithms.”
[Should we revise the roadmap then?]
“Bring Silla Auto forward.”
The overall roadmap was adjusted, and Yu Ji-ha nodded in approval.
“Let’s stick to the algorithms I designed. You’ll have your debut in a few years.”
[I’m looking forward to that.]
When Arma makes its debut in the world, many things will surely change.
To accelerate that future that Yu Ji-ha envisioned, he was busy working tirelessly once again today.
After examining the completed mining equipment, he stood up.
…