“Hahaha!”
Chairman Han ultimately burst into loud laughter.
The resounding echo filled the room, making Raon feel a slight tremor in his body.
However, Raon still didn’t know whether Chairman Han liked this answer or not.
There was no guarantee that the outcome would match his expectations.
Raon watched Chairman Han, who was gradually stopping his laughter, feeling inwardly tense.
Soon, his mouth opened again.
“You don’t hesitate to use very radical words. I didn’t realize your presence was this strong; it seems I was completely mistaken.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
Raon knew that was a polite way of calling him crazy, but he replied shamelessly.
Chairman Han’s eyes darkened.
“The current VIP is not a bad person, actually. If it weren’t for him, this country would have headed toward a worse disaster. I know that much.”
Chairman Han’s face became quite serious, as if lost in contemplation.
Although Raon had not directly experienced that period, it was constantly mentioned in the novel, and he had a faint recollection of the real Han Raon’s memories, so he generally knew about it.
“But people change easily. And once they taste power, it’s hard for them to step down voluntarily. It’s not that he’s a bad person. Everyone is like that.”
Chairman Han muttered softly and stared silently out the window.
The well-maintained garden was covered with green grass.
And the sight of a small fountain shooting out cool water was quite spectacular.
“This place, too, was completely ruined by the aftermath of the Gate until recently. It’s now being used advantageously as a hiding place because it’s known to the public that the restoration is still incomplete.”
“I see.”
“Many people died. Truly many died. If something like that happens again, no one will be able to endure it this time.”
“…”
As expected, Chairman Han was insightful.
Just as he said, if the Black Gate couldn’t be suppressed, the world would be destroyed.
That time would truly be the end of humanity.
“Can you truly change the world?”
Chairman Han turned his head and asked.
Raon nodded without hesitation.
“Yes.”
After all, only he, who knew the future, could do it. Whether he succeeded or failed.
But perhaps sensing something from Raon, Chairman Han blinked briefly.
“And you don’t resemble that Han Myunghoon fellow.”
“Pardon?”
“You resemble my father, the first Chairman.”
“…!”
Only then did the portrait of the first Chairman come into Raon’s sight.
The painting had been hanging behind Chairman Han the entire time.
Although he couldn’t show it, Raon was inwardly tense and hadn’t noticed it until now.
Slightly bluish hair and eyebrows.
A face with a more angular and distinct features than Han Myunghoon.
Indeed, just as Chairman Han said, Han Raon’s face resembled the first Chairman’s appearance more than Han Myunghoon’s.
“Since you resemble my father, I suppose I should trust your words once.”
“Do you mean…”
“Yes, go ahead and do as you wish. I will help you with everything in my power.”
“…!”
It was the most perfect answer.
Raon unconsciously shot up from his seat and bowed his head toward Chairman Han.
“Thank you, Chairman!”
It seemed Chairman Han had briefly been reminded of his father, the first Chairman, while looking at Raon just now.
In any case, thanks to that, he was able to secure the Chairman’s help, which was a very good thing.
Raon raised his head and smiled with satisfaction.
Han Chanmyeong looked down intently at the car leaving the mansion.
The completely tinted car smoothly crossed the garden.
Han Chanmyeong did not take his eyes off the window until the car’s residual image was entirely gone.
“Chairman.”
“Yes, Seungwon.”
Secretary Hwang cautiously approached.
He stood behind Han Chanmyeong and reported with his head bowed.
“Young Master Raon just left the mansion.”
“Mm, I saw him.”
Han Chanmyeong nodded and turned his head.
And he stared intently at Secretary Hwang.
“What about the thing I asked you to look into?”
“Yes, well…”
Secretary Hwang offered the tablet he was holding.
Han Chanmyeong took it, put on his thick magnifying glasses, and began to read the text carefully.
Secretary Hwang added an explanation by his side.
“As a result of our investigation, signs that a pharmaceutical company, one of Hanmyung’s subsidiaries, is involved in most of the Guiding medication currently supplied to the military have been detected.”
“That fellow, finally…”
Han Chanmyeong put down the tablet and frowned.
And he clicked his tongue, thinking of someone.
Hanmyung had countless subsidiaries, and the pharmaceutical company was the one with the poorest performance and was thus the weakest.
It was one of the neglected subsidiaries, and thus one he had completely forgotten about after leaving it in the care of his son, Han Myunghoon.
“It seems the person who issued the order is CEO Han Myunghoon, but the one who carried it out is likely below him.”
“It would be Juon, that fellow.”
“…Yes.”
Secretary Hwang briefly nodded, watching Han Chanmyeong’s reaction.
A look of worry was cast over Han Chanmyeong’s face.
“The investigation into the drug’s components is finished, I presume?”
“It is not finished yet, but we have a general idea. They tried to cleverly hide it, but it is much more dangerous than the drugs they previously made. Dangerous enough to potentially risk the lives of Espers.”
Guiding medication had the effect of lowering Espers’ contamination levels, similar to a Guide’s guiding.
However, just as the grade and abilities of individual Espers differ, Guiding medication must also adhere to certain ingredients and prescribed amounts depending on the grade.
But the Guiding medication recently being produced by the pharmaceutical company managed by Han Myunghoon is slightly exceeding that amount.
Moreover, the parts that severely exceed the prescribed amount are intentionally hidden from the labels.
“Especially the medication created for S-class Espers, the ingredient that provides the Guiding effect has been excessively increased. The contamination level temporarily improves noticeably, but long-term use can cause significant problems.”
“Are they going to make them go on a rampage?”
“Since the contamination level is not actually lowered, they won’t immediately go on a rampage, but the drug that provides the Guiding effect is like a powerful narcotic. No matter how strong the Esper, if that toxin accumulates in their body, they can suffer from various hallucinations, auditory hallucinations, and mental instability.”
“They will turn all the Espers into madmen.”
“…That is correct.”
The fact that his son and grandson were creating and distributing such a drug to the military left Han Chanmyeong speechless.
His finger tapped lightly on the protruding windowsill.
“The distributed drugs likely cannot be recovered, and it will be difficult to stop the production of those drugs for now.”
“I apologize, Chairman.”
If he were to step forward and impose sanctions, he would have to show himself on the front line again.
Before, the board of directors was split in half, supporting Han Chanmyeong and his son Han Myunghoon respectively, but the current configuration would be considerably different.
Therefore, even though he knew they were tampering with the Guiding medication, he couldn’t step forward rashly now.
“As soon as the component investigation is completely finished, deliver this to that child.”
“By ‘that child’…”
“The child who just visited here.”
Han Chanmyeong’s eyes briefly turned towards the window again.
Although there was no one there now, Han Chanmyeong did not take his eyes off the place where the car had been for a long time.
‘The world will change greatly soon, Chanmyeong. So, shouldn’t we prepare for that time.’
His father’s soft voice still sounded in his ears.
The hand that gently stroked young Han Chanmyeong’s hair, and the gaze that was upright and firm.
He had an excellent eye for foresight but was always a man who lived for others.
The image of Han Raon, who had the exact same face and gaze as him, remained strongly in his mind. But it wasn’t just because their faces were similar.
“Father also said that the world would change greatly.”
Of course, the times then and now were very different.
What his father talked about was that Korea would greatly develop, overcoming poverty and adversity during a chaotic period.
At that time, people were struggling just to make a living.
But ironically, the context of what the two men intended to say was similar.
Due to the Gates, Korea had become desolate again, just like then, and many people had died.
And now, things were gradually trying to return to normal.
In the peaceful era that would soon arrive, old men in the back like himself would no longer be necessary.
And the same went for those who were only eager to satisfy their own greed.
“Understood, Chairman.”
Secretary Hwang, who bowed his head, left the room.
Silence filled the room again.
“You’re finally back, Team Leader!”
“Wow, Team Leader!”
“Team Leader!”
After meeting Chairman Han, Raon’s work surprisingly proceeded smoothly.
The military, who had been trying not to give back the command authority on the grounds that he couldn’t extract significant information from K, immediately returned the command authority to Raon.
Moreover, Siwoo’s disciplinary action was also canceled.
The rumor was that he was an old man in the back who had retired from the front line, but the influence of the Group’s head was still much greater than that of the CEO.
Raon smiled brightly at the team members who enthusiastically welcomed him.
