Dictator From Outer Space

Chapter 11: The Demonstration

Chapter 11: The Demonstration

Yu Kyung-seok’s days became hectic after he announced the new battery.

He was flooded with business proposals and requests for meetings from various parties.

But Yu Kyung-seok dismissed them all with ease.

“Our research institute is solely dedicated to research. We are not accepting any external contacts for now.”

“We can’t give you any definite answers until the demonstration event. Our priority is to validate and gain recognition on a public stage.”

“President Yu is so busy that even I have a hard time seeing him. Haha.”

Of course, he was lying.

He looked at his son affectionately as he entered the office with a laptop.

“What is it?”

“I have something to discuss regarding the black metal.”

“If it’s about that, then I’ll make time for you, even if I have to split myself in two. Please sit down.”

The tycoon sat on the sofa and placed a table between them, ready to get down to business.

The laptop contained the design blueprint for the black metal mining equipment.

“Hmm… I forgot that you have design experience as well. So this is the equipment for mining black metal underwater, right?”

“Yes. It’s called a concentrator. It was originally designed for harvesting manganese nodules, but I made some modifications. This is how we can extract black metal.”

He played a video that showed the claw-shaped device approaching the black metal.

As it did, the solid and sturdy black metal rock crumbled effortlessly.

“This black metal is truly fascinating… Anyway, with this equipment, we can mine it, right?”

“Yes. I want Silla Heavy Industries to manufacture it.”

Chairman Yu Kyung-seok watched the video over and over again, making sure he understood.

He knew that mining black metal was extremely difficult, almost impossible due to its incredible hardness.

As a result, most of the black metal remained as raw ore and had limited use.

But with this equipment, they could break it into smaller pieces and suck it up through a pump.

“It seems like we can make concentrators all over the world.”

“What about creating a new mining system that includes a complex processing plant? I’m sure there will be a huge demand for it.”

“Hmm…”

Chairman Yu Kyung-seok realized the destructive potential of this simple equipment.

There were several black metal mining sites around the world, but they were mostly ignored by countries because the metal was less valuable than scrap iron.

But now, things had changed.

“Once the demonstration is over, countries will realize that black metal is used in the new batteries.”

“And they will scramble to secure black metal mining sites.”

“And we will provide them with ships from our shipyard…”

“Silla Heavy Industries’ reputation will soar. The immediate profits may not be huge, but the future will be different.”

“…”

Chairman Yu Kyung-seok clenched and unclenched his fist, feeling a thrill that he hadn’t felt in a long time.

This felt more real than acquiring subsidiary companies through the complex ownership structure of Mirae Group.

Making a working concentrator seemed more promising than building unprofitable ships.

If the demonstration went well, getting investments would be easy.

All of this depended on the concentrator, and as far as he knew, his son was the only one who could make it.

“…Name your price.”

“First, I want a 10% stake in Silla Heavy Industries.”

Yu Kyung-seok’s face twisted for a moment.

“You know how much revenue the shipbuilding industry made last year, right? It was over 5 trillion won. It’s the backbone of the group.”

“I know. And I know how important this concentrator is even better. Father, how big do you think the global electric vehicle market is?”

“About 10 million units?”

He sounded unsure.

It seemed that he was not very familiar with smart businesses like electric vehicles, despite his prominence in the shipbuilding industry.

“It’s close to 20 million units. If you consider the cost of a battery pack for each electric vehicle, it’s about 140 trillion won.”

The scale was bigger than he expected, and Yu Kyung-seok’s eyes flickered.

“But we won’t be supplying all those batteries. All you have is the black metal near Ulleungdo.”

“Black metal batteries can also be used in smartphones. Apple and Hansung Electronics will be eager to get them. We will become the ASML of the battery industry.”

Yu Kyung-seok’s expression changed when he heard ASML, a company that had a monopoly in the semiconductor industry.

“ASML…”

“Silla Heavy Industries will be the only company in the world that can produce black metal disintegrators. The process is simple and the costs are low. I’m giving you this opportunity for a 10% stake.”

“That’s one of your conditions, right? Tell me the rest and then I’ll decide.”

“I want 10% of the net profit from the disintegrator.”

“Does that include the concentrator too?”

“Of course. What good is a concentrator without a disintegrator?”

It wasn’t an unreasonable demand, considering the relatively low production cost based on the design.

The key point was that without the disintegrator, the black metal ecosystem wouldn’t work.

“So this is his gift to me.”

His son had a special skill to create disintegrators.

He could sell his skill or start his own company to make them.

So why was he choosing to give up control to the group?

“Maybe he knows I’m having a hard time and wants to help me…”

He felt tears in his eyes when he thought of his son’s kindness.

After all, he would inherit the whole group in about ten years, so what was wrong with giving him a boost?

He took a drag of his cigarette, trying to hide his moist eyes.

“Ahem. Instead of giving you 15% of the shares, I’ll give you 5% of the net profit for the first year. The capital management is tight, you see. From the second year on, we’ll switch to 10%.”

“That’s fine. But I want to have priority access to the supply when I need it. Of course, that should be in the contract.”

“Of course, I can do that much. But… wouldn’t it be better to merge the company you acquired personally into our group as a subsidiary?”

“Do you mean Samcheok Ocean Development?”

“Yes. Since Manager Kim has been working hard, promoting him to a director and making him part of the subsidiary seems like a good idea. It would be ideal if he stays within our reach and doesn’t get poached by others.”

It seemed that Chairman Yu wanted to provide a shield for the company that handled black metal for the next three years.

But Yu Ji-ha had a different plan.

“I want to keep that company for myself.”

“It might be better to go public and raise funds. Is there a reason?”

“I can raise funds through other means. Since it’s a company that I acquired with my skills, I want to nurture it well.”

In fact, there was another reason.

Since Alma would be overseeing the overall operations of the company in the future, there were many sensitive aspects that would cause trouble if they were exposed.

The plan to delist Silla Energy voluntarily was also based on such considerations.

There would be some drawbacks in terms of taxes and fundraising by keeping the company private, but they could afford that much.

Seeing his son’s determination, Chairman Yu nodded.

“Handle that yourself… The transfer of shares might be a bit tricky. When the black metal disintegrator is announced, the shares of Silla Heavy Industries will soar.”

“Don’t worry about the gift tax; I’ll pay it without any tricks. If there’s any extra tax, I’ll take care of that too.”

The important thing was not the money but the control over Silla Heavy Industries.

Chairman Yu asked cautiously, just in case.

“But do you have enough money?”

His son replied confidently, “Don’t I have cryptocurrency? I have a cash cow that makes around 230 million a day.”

“Uh…”

He was amazed that his son was making money in the volatile cryptocurrency market where everyone else was losing money.

He wanted to stop him, but it was hard to oppose someone who insisted on finding his own way to make a living.

He just hoped he would do it moderately and eventually move on.

“Alright. I’ll have your brother handle the paperwork and other details. Secretary.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Tell President Choi from Heavy Industries to come with the head of the design division. And bring this director too.”

The day of the demonstration came.

At 9 o’clock, journalists swarmed into the courtyard of the research institute, and dozens of black sedans filled the parking lot.

The faces of Hwang Sun-young and other employees, who were waiting politely in white lab coats, turned pale.

“Isn’t this too many people?”

“Isn’t that a CNN correspondent? Why would they come to a place like this?”

“Oh, the Prime Minister is here too…”

Not only the Prime Minister, but also the Vice Minister of Science and Technology, Navy Rear Admiral, and other guests added to the grandeur of the event.

By this point, the arrival of entrepreneurs was not a big deal.

Among them, Yu Ji-ha appeared, attracting the attention of the crowd.

The prodigal son of a chaebol stood before the public.

“First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the distinguished guests who have honored this occasion. What Silla Energy would like to present is…”

Yu Ji-ha’s voice was low and clear, easy to listen to. He briefly explained the new battery and the vehicles that used it before getting to the main point.

“We have two vehicles. We will select six lucky winners who will travel from Pangyo to Busan and back. For the rest of the distance, we will take a route around our research center as a substitute.”

Dozens of cameras captured Yu Ji-ha as he spoke from the podium.

Every word he said was being streamed on YouTube, where more than 100,000 people were watching.

—Hurry up and get on with it.

—They’re acting like they’ve never seen an event like this before. They’re rushing it like crazy.

—Are they trying to fool us by fully charging those batteries?

—They’ll weigh them in a moment.

—But what if they rigged it?

—Give it a rest. They brought equipment from the Ministry of Science and Technology to measure it themselves. How could they rig it?

—Hey, that Windrunner looks pretty heavy. What’s its curb weight?

—Why don’t you search it online instead of asking? It’s around 2.5 tons, you idiot.

—As soon as the demonstration started, Silla Energy’s stock went up.

—Damn it, I should have bought some on Monday.

–If only we had bought some when they announced it.

“Well then, let’s proceed with weighing the Windrunner with the new battery. I would like to thank the staff from the Ministry of Science and Technology for their help.”

The staff brought a portable scale and set it up.

As the Windrunner drove over the plate, the monitor showed the number 2,215.

A murmur went through the crowd.

“So you’re saying a midsize SUV with people inside weighs 2.3 tons? That’s impossible.”

“The curb weight of the Windrunner is only 2.5 tons. We’ve reduced it by over 200 kilograms.”

“What is the battery made of, then?”

Those who knew about cars understood how hard it was to achieve weight reduction.

They also knew that electric cars had a lot of weight from the battery.

So Silla Energy had made a battery that was half the weight of other solid-state batteries and had three times the energy density.

How was that possible?

Sensing a major breakthrough, journalists quickly typed on their laptops.

Without any embargo, articles were written on-site and posted on various online portals.

—South Korea beats Japan in the next-generation battery race.

—Silla Energy makes a battery that surpasses solid-state batteries.

—Yu Ji-ha, CEO of Silla Energy, confident in leading the secondary battery market.

During the demonstration, these articles were translated and posted on Japanese news websites, sparking hundreds of comments.

The comments were mostly skeptical, dismissing it as nonsense and accusing Chosun (Korean media) of lying.

Artificial intelligence, Alma, carefully recorded all these situations.

Although the Master had not given any specific orders, there might be a time when they would be useful.

“Now, we will proceed with the actual driving. Please raise your hand if you want to be a passenger.”

About ten people volunteered, and the passengers were chosen by a random draw.

“Well then, let’s begin.”

Two vehicles with smart cams started their journey side by side.

Their entire trip would be publicly documented, without missing a single second, for 24 hours.

There were also escort vehicles, making any manipulation impossible.

—So those cars will go to Busan and then come back to the research center?

—They will make two round trips and drive around the research center until the battery runs out.

—They have multiple smart cams installed, three passengers on board, and a car following them for live streaming. How can they manipulate that?

—Anyone who really thinks they can manipulate that needs to see a psychiatrist.

—Wow, if it’s true, an electric car that can travel 2,000 kilometers on one charge will shake up Japan. They will be totally shocked.

—Japan probably already made it, right? Logically speaking, if Silla Energy made it, there’s no way other research centers couldn’t.

—That makes sense. The research budget alone is several times higher.

—Or maybe they know it’s hard to mass-produce, so they’ve kept it secret. Those Japanese guys are good at that.

—They must be watching this stream and laughing. It must be so annoying.

While viewers expressed their negative opinions, someone met Yu Ji-ha: the Prime Minister who attended the demonstration.

…

In South Korea, the role of Prime Minister has traditionally been seen as a shield for the President.

As a result, their terms usually last around a year, and their political careers are not long.

By acting as a shield against attacks from the opposition and the media, they often lose their popularity and credibility.

Most Prime Ministers have not been able to escape this fate, but the current Prime Minister, Park Hyun-goo, has been in office for four years.

This raised suspicions among the public that there might be someone else behind him, not just in the Korean political scene.

[This guy is a typical Chinese puppet. He graduated from a Chinese university, served as a diplomat in China, and even worked as an advisor for NCC (Next China Corporation), ranked 15th in the corporate hierarchy]

Alma explained as he exchanged greetings with him.

“It seems like yesterday when you had an arrest warrant against you, but you overcame it and developed an amazing product. Congratulations indeed.”

Logically speaking, there was no reason for the Prime Minister who attended the demonstration to say anything other than congratulations.

Bringing up an unpleasant past would only make one uncomfortable and imply a request for cooperation.

“Thank you. You must be busy, so why are you here?”

“Hehe, it seems my ears are failing me, as I hear you asking me to leave quickly.”

“No, when someone who has experienced a great success calls me, I think there must be a reason.”

It wasn’t just because the other high-ranking officials or generals had already left the demonstration venue.

Since the Prime Minister attended the demonstration and received the press release, the rest would be handled by the officials in charge.

Prime Minister Park Hyun-goo felt that he had failed to shake the confidence of this handsome young man.

It seemed that the public opinion, which claimed that he had changed completely from three years ago, was true.

“Now that you mention it, let me ask you directly. Did you make the new battery with black metal?”

“Yes.”

“Surprisingly, you’re admitting it openly. I thought you would keep it as a trade secret.”

“Black metal has only emerged a few years ago. It would be reasonable to say that extensive research has been done and some progress has been made.”

“As you said, several research institutions have been studying black metal. Among them, there are quite a few that have achieved significant results. Although they are not public, I can assure you.”

“The United States, China, and Japan, I suppose.”

“Many research institutions have reached the same conclusion. It is a new material that has the potential to overturn the secondary battery market, but it cannot be used in its current state.”

“Are you saying that mass production is impossible?”

“It’s not just difficult, it’s impossible. How can you use a metal that spontaneously divides wherever it’s used? And even reproducing it is challenging.”

He was referring to the conditions required for transformation.

To process black metal, a high level of ether sensitivity was needed.

Ether sensitivity was not something that could be acquired through training; it was innate, and Yu Ji-ha had it.

Of course, even in this era, there were people with ether sensitivity, but they couldn’t control transformation to such a degree.

“In fact, our researchers have also faced difficulties in the development process.”

“I expected as much. So let me make you an offer.”

Prime Minister Park Hyun-goo smiled warmly and handed him his business card.

Rayo Research Institute.

It was an institute run by Rayo, an electric vehicle company under the NCC Group.

Although South Korea had launched several electric vehicles, they didn’t sell well due to the bias against Chinese-made cars.

But by using various promotions and offering competitive prices, they had been increasing their annual sales.

“There’s a lot to talk about regarding black metal. Since I’ve given you a hint, I’ll treat you with respect.”

“Understood. Let’s have a conversation when we have a chance.”

Prime Minister Park Hyun-goo frowned.

He thought his friend was smart enough to get his message.

Did he not understand what he was saying?

“Well, there are two conditions attached. Contact me right after the demonstration is over. In terms of black metal, Rayo’s research is far superior. Cooperating with them will be very helpful for you.”

If that was really the case, the prime minister wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to persuade him.

“Sorry, but I don’t think our research achievements are inferior to Rayo’s.”

“Oh, dear. I’m giving you advice with good intentions. Do you know how much R&D budget Rayo’s research institute spends on it every year?”

“I can guess it’s much higher than ours.”

“Then shouldn’t you handle this well? Are you going to miss such a great opportunity because of unfounded confidence?”

“I will handle it myself, Prime Minister.”

“..”

His thin lips curled slightly.

‘Why did he have to mention his position? It’s probably a sign of resentment for why high-ranking officials in Korea are seeking collaboration with Chinese companies.’

‘He seems like an ignorant fool who doesn’t even know what the current trend is.’

China had already started to exert its influence in various ways in Korea, and it was like a unstoppable wave that couldn’t be resisted.

“…I see. Well, don’t come crying to me later. I’ve given you enough chances.”

“I appreciate your concern.”

He said the words, but there was no gratitude on his face.

‘Arrogant bastard.’

Prime Minister Park Hyun-goo clenched his lips and stood up.