Dictator From Outer Space

Chapter 25: Tensions in the South China Sea

Chapter 25:  Tensions in the South China Sea

The Silla Energy Battery Factory in the Seongnam Industrial Complex was crowded with people.

Today, the pre-produced Black Metal Batteries were ready to be shipped out.

Normally, a new product launch would be accompanied by various events and celebrations, but there seemed to be only workers here.

Hwang Seon-yeong, who had worked overtime at the factory until the very end, was summoned by Yu Ji-ha.

“Ugh. Mr. CEO, this may sound cliché, but you really went through a lot.”

She rested her head on his shoulder, as if on the verge of tears.

It wasn’t unfounded, as she had taken charge of adjusting most of the process lines designed by Yu Ji-ha.

As a result, she hadn’t been able to go home properly for the past few months.

Yu Ji-ha handed her a thick envelope.

Her eyes widened as she peeked at the opening of the envelope.

“Wow, amazing!”

“You’ve worked hard all this time. As promised, you won’t have to come in for the next two weeks, so rest well.”

“Thank youuu! I guess I’ll go buy some books.”

As she hurriedly left, a large black sedan arrived at the factory, as if to replace her.

The person who stepped out of the back seat was Shin Ju-ho, the honorary chairman of Hansung Group.

He sighed as he looked at Arma.

“Why did you send Ha-yoon away?”

“She’s my secretary. It’s not that kind of relationship, so please don’t speculate.”

“Of course, it’s your business, but can I say something out of concern?”

“I’m listening.”

He motioned for them to follow him to a secluded place and firmly tapped his cane on the ground.

“Do you know why people like us keep only loyal subordinates? It’s to avoid unnecessary gossip. There are a lot of people out there who dislike us. We don’t need to give them any reason to attack us.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

They were bound to create a force that didn’t require such consideration.

Of course, it wasn’t for personal desires or pleasures.

Chairman Shin Ju-ho frowned at their response.

“Well, I guess it’s not my concern. That aside, are those the batteries coming to us?”

“Yes. Including the samples, there will be a little over 30,000 units. We’ll start full-scale production within two weeks.”

“Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this day? I couldn’t even sleep properly last night.”

“Well, you don’t have to go that far…”

“No, look at this. Can you see this?”

He took out his smartphone from his pocket.

“I replaced the battery you gave me a week ago. Even after doing everything, it still has 18% left. This is… a revolution.”

That revolution would soon be incorporated into Hansung Electronics’ flagship smartphone.

Chairman Shin Ju-ho trembled, holding his cane.

“The world’s first black metal battery being installed in Orion. Can you already imagine the ad slogans? It will be a long time before those Apple guys come up with something like this, huh? Haha.”

He didn’t mention that he had rejected Apple’s proposal.

Chairman Shin looked around and whispered, “How much did you get from Japan?”

“What are you talking about… I didn’t get any money.”

“This brat… I also have some connections with Gaindenren. They said they plan to invest over 2 trillion yen. Is that true?”

Actually, it was over 3 trillion yen over five years.

Since Japan had completely lost black metal, they had no choice but to rely on South Korea.

The United States refused to supply black metal, and they couldn’t even strike a deal with Russia.

Australia and other countries were in a state of uncertainty without concrete plans, so South Korea was the only place where they could quickly supply batteries.

Of course, not all of the investment funds were used, and some were Hanju’s share.

Considering the commission as well, it was an astronomical amount.

“I’ll leave that to your imagination.”

“You’re quite peculiar. I heard you drive that car every day. You even eat your meals at the company cafeteria.”

“It’s just for convenience. I don’t have any extraordinary beliefs. By the way, Chairman.”

“Shall I guess? Is it the right time for me to fulfill the request you mentioned before?”

“Yes, it is. Please withdraw completely from the drone project that Hansung Inotech is pursuing.”

“Drone? Was there such a thing?”

Chairman Shin called his secretary and had a conversation with him, then nodded.

“Indeed, there was such a thing. It’s a small project. It has passed the first phase. Are you planning to get involved?”

“Yes.”

“You may not know, but the defense industry in Korea is limited. There are many demands and regulations that favor only small and medium-sized companies. It’s a troublesome sector with restrictions, and it’s difficult to sell overseas. It gives me a lot of headaches.”

“We’re pursuing it as a long-term project, based on technology verification.”

“Hmm…”

The elderly man’s gaze turned into that of a predator eyeing its prey with an appetite.

“Are you considering acquiring Inotech?”

“Inotech?”

“I heard you also created a corporation called Starfield. I may not know everything, but it’s clear that you’re planning to venture into space-related businesses. There is Hi-Tech as a component supplier, but its scale is too small. Inotech would be a perfect fit. What do you think?”

“Well…”

Yu Ji-ha deliberately hesitated before speaking.

“It’s not that I’m not interested, but they have been running at a deficit…”

“I’ll take care of the deficit for you, and you’ll have the opportunity to create a global defense industry company. They say black metal can be applied to tanks too, right?”

His tone revealed his eagerness to somehow get rid of the current situation.

Indeed, amidst the ongoing recession, everyone was trying to reduce deficits.

In such circumstances, if there was a potential buyer, it was like throwing bait.

“Well… even if the deficit is resolved, I still have ongoing projects to manage, so I’ll have to bear the deficit for the time being…”

As Yu Ji-ha pretended to contemplate, he became more anxious.

“For two years, I’ll cover the deficits at Hansung. However, new projects will be excluded.”

“Let’s make it three years. I found out that the armored vehicle parts supply contract extends until then.”

“Alright. Anything else?”

“This is a slightly different context… I would appreciate it if you could establish a committee to coordinate domestic battery supply.”

“Me?”

Chairman Shin was surprised for a moment, then realized the meaning and exclaimed in excitement.

“You, you little rascal! Did you think I wouldn’t understand the hidden meaning between the lines? Are you trying to pass on all the troublesome people to me, starting with your grandfather?”

“Aren’t you a respected elder in the domestic business community? It would be an honorable position for you to take as chairman in your old age.”

“I don’t have money, so what’s the use of honor? So, will you at least pay me a salary?”

“You should receive it from the people who want battery supply, not from me.”

It was a simple logic of selling water from a well to thirsty people.

“…I guess I won’t get bored in my old age. Dealing with old folks suits me better than you.”

“However, there is one company that shouldn’t be supplied.”

“Are you referring to Mirae Group? Well, they were quite excessive. It’s not right to try to snatch away even their younger sibling’s share. But if we don’t supply batteries to Mirae Motors, it will cause a lot of trouble.”

“They claim to have a shortage of supply. Or we can postpone it for a while. About three years should be enough.”

Controlling battery supply directly wouldn’t be a bad idea, but domestic companies were in such difficult situations that there was nothing to gain from them. 

Moreover, even if Chairman Shin managed the committee, it would ultimately be a formality, and Yu Ji-ha would have the final say.

In other words, it was about passing on the troublesome aspects and focusing on the substance.

Chairman Shin realized his intentions but decided to accept them. 

It might be because of his ambition to maintain his connection with the parasite-like person, someone who could shed tears and leave.

“I heard that you’ve been making moves in China lately. Have you heard any good news?”

Did it have anything to do with what Director Zhang Jiaojun of the NCC mentioned?

By now, the number of inspections should have exceeded 20 million, so they might have found someone.

But even then, it wouldn’t be possible to process it precisely.

“I’ll check.”

Listening to Yu Ji-ha’s report, Chairman Shin asked.

“Will you handle it?”

“Damn, I got it, I got it.”

“Formalize the discussions we had today and proceed with the contracts.”

“I’ll handle it from my side. By the way, how about having a drink tonight? I know a good makgeolli place, and I’ll treat you.”

He made a subtle offer, but Yu Ji-ha shook his head.

“I’m sorry, but I’m too busy to accept.”

“There are times when you should quietly accept the advice of your elders. Can’t help it if you’re busy. You go ahead.”

“Please take care.”

As he was returning after finalizing the deal, he received news that his grandson had been involved in another accident.

More precisely, it happened yesterday at dawn.

“So that brat crashed into a police car and fled? And after drinking? Immediately remove him from his position and seize all his vehicles! What? Why should he be exempted? Tell them to throw him in juvenile detention!”

He threw his phone in anger, not caring where it landed.

Accidents caused by third and fourth generation chaebol heirs were not uncommon, but these recent ones were particularly severe.

He remembered Yu Ji-ha’s face in his pathetic state.

“If that brat were only half as responsible, I wouldn’t have to worry.”

Would his grandson, who kept causing accidents day after day like a troublemaker, ever come to his senses like Yu Ji-ha had?

…

It was unknown.

The end of the human world had arrived.

The year 2103 marked the official expansion of humanity beyond the solar system.

But no one on Earth remembered that fact.

No, they tried not to remember.

Because it was the year of the Night of Sorrow.

One night before the winter of 2103.

Startled by the meteor shower descending from the sky, the young children who were still awake witnessed the phenomenon.

Their tiny, childlike fingers pointed at the meteor shower, and their parents were astonished.

It was a sign of the impending extinction of humanity.

Over 2,000 plague-bearing creatures suddenly appeared in Earth’s atmosphere.

Compared to their size, they were ridiculously small, but they still weighed tens of thousands of tons, enough to cause havoc as they crashed into human cities.

The impact was tremendous, to the extent that it could be said that cities worldwide were engulfed in flames.

Later statistics revealed that a staggering 500 million people perished in an instant.

Humanity named that day the Night of Sorrow and engraved their hatred for the plague in their hearts.

That hatred would later become the driving force behind the formation of the United Human Federation.

“…”

Awakening from his dream, Yu Ji-ha stared into the darkness.

Although he was not from the Night of Sorrow generation, strangely enough, he remembered the events of that time.

The knowledge of events before his birth might be due to the artifact of the prophet absorbed on Mars.

“Nobody knows the correct answer, but…”

Checking the time, it was 6 a.m. 

Although Yu Ji-ha had only slept for four hours after returning from the settler ship, he felt refreshed as if he had a restful sleep.

He quickly dressed, and as he finished, Arma entered with a knock.

“Master, I have prepared breakfast for you.”

The menu for today was a variety of minced and grilled meats topped with tomato sauce. 

Both dishes could be quickly produced in the smart farms and were among the staple rations of the space forces. 

While most soldiers criticized them for being tasteless due to the Plague’s effects, Yu Ji-ha enjoyed this nostalgic dish prepared by Arma.

“There has been an incident in the Spratly Islands. A Chinese naval vessel from the South China Sea Fleet pushed back a Philippine warship and secured Black Metal.”

Arma’s voice was as soft and soothing as a lullaby.

“After a long standoff, they finally made a move.”

“The Philippines lodged strong protests and mobilized their own warships, but it doesn’t seem easy for them to stand against the Chinese forces.”

“It will be difficult for other Southeast Asian countries to intervene… and what about the United States? It has been a while since they set sail from Guam.”

“They have secured a few islands in the southern region and seem reluctant to make further moves. They may be wary of escalating tensions with China.”

China had no Black Metal in its territorial waters, forcing them to aggressively pursue it, while the United States took a relatively relaxed stance.

However, if the Spratly Islands completely fell into one side’s control, it would be difficult for naval maneuvers in the South China Sea, so they would find a way to intervene.

During that time, perhaps…

“The U.S. Navy is attempting to mount a railgun on USS Zumwalt, the lead ship of the class. We might be able to see it in action soon within the Seventh Fleet.”

“They’re planning to mount it first and evaluate its performance in actual combat. Those crazy guys.”

“The UN is planning to pressure China to obtain an official exploration license, but being a permanent member country, it won’t be easy.”

“They’re determined to extract the Black Metal in the end. Considering China’s attitude, they seem unwilling to send it to Korea. Could there be a psychic involved?”

“There’s no confirmed information about that, but should we explore the possibility?”

“Hmm… that woman, Zhang Jiaojun, seems suspicious. Shall we run a simulation?”

“Master.”

“Why?”

Arma lowered her voice slightly, despite this residence being thoroughly defended. 

It seemed to have become a habit.

“There’s a possibility of you being abducted when you go abroad, of course not directly by China but through other factions.”

Yu Ji-ha wiped his lips and smirked.

“To kidnap me and kill me? They would only incur global outrage.”

“What if that faction forces you to build a high-resolution disintegrator through torture?”

“Why didn’t they kidnap me when I went to Japan?”

“The distance was too short. But if you were to travel long distances, opportunities would arise. If it were China, they could provide some terrorists and attempt hijacking. Then they would rescue you, making you indebted to them.”

It sounded like something out of a movie plot.

However, Arma never spoke without reason. 

She presented this scenario because it had a relatively high probability.

“China must have obtained railgun intelligence as well.”

“They would know that a high-resolution disintegrator can be used to produce various weapons. China is in dire need of that. Of course, batteries would be crucial too.”

“They wouldn’t want to directly provoke me and face backlash like what happened in Japan, so they would manipulate it to make it look like they had rescued me using another faction…”

“The probability is not high, but if it were to happen, they would probably target your visit to Australia.”

Yu Ji-ha had received a request from the interim government to give a presentation related to attack-class submarines.

The condition was to have the first ship constructed by Silla Heavy Industries.

They had already allowed terrorists to enter the country in advance, preparing for a hijacking attempt…

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, airport security measures became stricter worldwide, but in the case of South Korea, they were relatively lax.

Arma asked, “Shouldn’t we consider canceling?”

“Hmm… No. Let’s take this opportunity to clean things up neatly.”

“What about ignoring the hijacking for now?”

“If those bastards reveal their true colors, wipe them out. Then, investigate their backers and find out where they are connected.”

To catch a snake, one must disturb the grass.

There was no need to unnecessarily provoke danger, but in the realm where Yu Ji-ha had Arma and the Sibir Combat Support Satellite, there was no room for hesitation.

“By the way, where do you think those terrorists who will kidnap me are?”

“They are likely from the Taliban in Afghanistan. They succeeded in occupying the entire country as the United States began its withdrawal. There is a lot of intelligence indicating that China had secret contacts with them.”

Yu Ji-ha had heard a little about the Taliban.

“Fanatics were present in the United Human Federation as well. Eventually, they were all wiped out.”

When humanity gathered in Australia during the Night of Sorrow, various things happened.

Among them was the birth of a religious group that worshipped the Plague as a deity.

It didn’t make sense to Yu Ji-ha, but the world was filled with all sorts of human beliefs.

The two continued their conversation and eventually headed to work as the time approached.

On the way to work, the radio was discussing the economy.

-–Recently, Tongyeong and Geoje have been experiencing an economic boom. Silla Heavy Industries has recruited over 2,000 new workers, and the flow of applications shows no signs of stopping.

—Silla Heavy Industries reportedly received orders for more than 200 mining ships. As a result, their stock prices are skyrocketing.

—The protagonist of this amazing miracle, Yu Ji-ha! Vice Chairman Yu was unable to attend, so Chairman Yu Kyung-seok, who stated, “Instead of a pheasant, let’s have a chicken,” was invited. Chairman Yoo, hello!

—Hello.

Yu Ji-ha was surprised when a familiar voice came out of the speakers.

“Turn off the radio.”

“Wouldn’t it be okay to listen?”

“He’ll probably only boast about himself if you listen. It’s embarrassing, so turn it off.”

“But, Master, the surrounding cars are also listening to the same channel.”

Perhaps because the economy was so tough, they wanted to hear even a faint glimmer of hope.

The vehicle raced toward the Pangyo worksite.

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