After the Divorce, I Found a Thousand Bitcoins - Chapter 168

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I Got Divorced and Found a Thousand Bitcoins Episode 168

The diplomatic channels were completely blocked.

They couldn’t just waste time. A Plan B assuming the worst-case scenario was needed.

Kang Hyeon immediately called Nathan from the Ulsan Research Center via video conference.

-Boss. Is North Korea still completely unresponsive?

Nathan appeared on screen, scratching his head as he asked.

Kang Hyeon rolled up his shirt sleeves and stared at the monitor.

“The possibility of the border opening anytime soon is low.”

-Hmm, then we’ll have to postpone the drilling operation at Mount Baekdu.

“We need to prepare for the case where we can’t completely prevent the eruption. The most fatal damage would ultimately be the volcanic ash covering the sky.”

Kang Hyeon matter-of-factly hit the core issue.

The direct damage from magma would be limited to the border area between North Korea and China.

But volcanic ash would ride the air currents down, blocking sunlight across the entire Korean Peninsula and paralyzing industrial facilities.

“Is there a way to control that massive amount of volcanic ash?”

At Kang Hyeon’s question, Nathan stroked his chin.

After being lost in thought for a moment, he suddenly clapped his hands.

-Do you remember when we suppressed that forest fire?

“You mean when we used drones to create an electromagnetic field to contain the smoke?”

-That’s right! Exactly that!

As Nathan typed on his keyboard, a simulation video appeared on screen.

Past data showing hundreds of drones flying at regular intervals, forming a massive barrier.

-Volcanic ash is ultimately very fine rock particles. They become highly charged with static electricity in the atmosphere. That means they react very sensitively to electromagnetic fields.

“Containing simple smoke and blocking tens of millions of tons of volcanic ash are different scales.”

-That’s why we need overwhelming quantities.

Nathan’s finger pointed to the map on screen.

A massive defense line with dots densely packed along the Demilitarized Zone.

-We deploy tens of thousands of high-output drone squadrons above the Demilitarized Zone. And create a giant electromagnetic field net connected as one.

“You mean physically blocking the volcanic ash from moving south with a net.”

-It’s not just about blocking.

As Nathan adjusted the values on screen, the red particles in the simulation hit the drone barrier and changed direction.

The massive cloud of ash that had been heading toward southern Korea.

It was pushed by an invisible wall and rode the air currents out toward the East Sea.

-By controlling the polarity and intensity of the electromagnetic field, we can forcibly twist the movement path itself. It’s similar to changing a typhoon’s course.

“That way we could minimize the volcanic ash crossing into Korean airspace.”

-We’d dramatically reduce the damage. At minimum, we could avoid the worst-case scenario of sunlight being blocked and the robot factories in Saemangeum being paralyzed.

Kang Hyeon quietly stared at the trajectory displayed on the monitor.

A rational and efficient defensive barrier.

If they couldn’t prevent the eruption, making the damage deflect away was the best option.

“Begin preparations immediately. How long will it take?”

Kang Hyeon gave the order in a calm tone.

-To push back volcanic ash, we need to drastically increase the drones’ output and battery capacity. The electromagnetic field generation modules also need to be completely redesigned to match the scale. Normally it would take several months, but…

Nathan turned his head toward the research lab outside the screen and grinned.

-I’m not alone this time. The Astra and Orbis technical staff that you brought are scattered all over the next room.

“A combination of robotics engineers and aerospace engineers…”

-They’re world-class at drone output control and flight stability. I’ll work those geniuses around the clock to produce a perfect prototype right away.

The brains purchased with astronomical capital were creating synergy here.

Kang Hyeon nodded.

“Once the prototype is complete, send the blueprints immediately to the manufacturing plants under KH Logistics and Construction.”

Kang Hyeon picked up a pen and briefly wrote down instructions on a memo pad.

“I’ll have them stop all existing production lines and focus the entire company on drone manufacturing. We need to mass-produce tens of thousands in a short time.”

-Understood, Boss. I’ll start work right away!

Kang Hyeon gave a brief response and ended the communication.

‘If we can’t block it, we’ll deflect it.’

A massive shield combining capital and technology.

Plan B for the worst-case disaster began to take concrete shape.

Kang Hyeon calmly looked down at the calendar on his desk and calculated the next steps.

A month had passed.

Even amid North Korea’s tightly sealed silence, massive natural changes inevitably leaked to the surface.

[Abnormal expansion of Mount Baekdu’s magma chamber. A precursor to a millennium eruption?]

Major overseas science YouTube channels that had been quiet began competing to upload related videos.

Initially, they were dismissed as simple conspiracy theories aimed at getting views.

But the atmosphere completely reversed when prominent volcanologists and earthquake experts conducted interviews with major media outlets.

“The ground surface uplift rate shown by satellite data is a clear sign of eruption. North Korea’s closed attitude actually proves the severity of the situation.”

Global media outlets like The New York Times and BBC poured out articles quoting expert opinions.

When the situation surfaced, the place that reacted most sensitively was Japan across the sea.

[Mount Baekdu mega-eruption scenario. Will it trigger a chain of major earthquakes in the Japanese archipelago?]

The Japanese Cabinet convened an emergency disaster meeting.

The entire society was stirring as they analyzed the impact that crustal movement from the volcanic eruption would have on the archipelago’s fault lines.

Concerns about unavoidable natural disasters began to cast a thick shadow across all of Northeast Asia.

During the same period, the United States was also experiencing dramatic changes.

An early presidential election following former President Goldwin’s impeachment.

Democratic Congressman Edwin officially declared his presidential candidacy.

“I will rebuild America’s collapsed order and economy to be solid once again.”

Edwin rapidly emerged as the most promising and stable candidate to resolve Washington’s chaos.

Behind his powerful campaign organization stood KH Group’s astronomical capital and intelligence capabilities as solid support.

Kang Hyeon supported Edwin from behind the scenes while steadily building his political influence within the United States.

But Kang Hyeon’s real attention was still focused on the north of the Korean Peninsula.

Building Plan B in preparation for Mount Baekdu’s eruption.

Pouring KH’s massive funds into preparing technical countermeasures was currently the most critical task he had to solve.

Buzz- Buzz-

The smartphone on his office desk vibrated.

The caller was Dr. Nathan from the Ulsan Research Center.

“How is the situation?”

Kang Hyeon answered the phone and asked calmly.

-Boss. You need to come directly to Ulsan. There are limits to explaining this over video.

The voice coming through the receiver wasn’t his usual bright tone.

It was clearly hoarse and exhausted.

Kang Hyeon gave a brief response, then immediately boarded his private helicopter waiting on the rooftop.

The Nereid Undersea Data Center and Research Institute located in the waters off Ulsan.

After passing through the strict security zone, the heavy doors of the core lab opened.

“…”

Kang Hyeon’s steps stopped momentarily as he entered.

The interior of the research center, which should have been filled with cutting-edge equipment, resembled a refugee camp.

Empty energy drink cans were piled up like mountains in the corners, and the large whiteboards were densely packed with complex equations and circuit diagrams.

The appearance of the researchers busily moving between them was pitiful.

Orbis’s chief engineers and Astra’s launch vehicle technicians.

They were geniuses recognized by the world, but their disheveled hair and dark circles under their eyes clearly showed the forced march they had endured for a month.

“You’re here, Boss.”

Nathan, who had been lying on the sofa, staggered as he got up.

His condition was no different from the other researchers.

His unfocused eyes and unkempt beard spoke of his exhaustion.

“You’ve been through a lot. Any progress?”

Kang Hyeon asked plainly as he slowly looked around the lab interior.

“We’ve perfectly implemented the theoretical electromagnetic field net.”

Nathan approached the main monitor and displayed the simulation results on screen.

Tens of thousands of special drones formed a massive barrier above the Demilitarized Zone, clearly showing the trajectory of deflecting the southward-moving volcanic ash toward the East Sea.

“We’ve proven that it’s technically feasible.”

Nathan’s thin fingers tapped the keyboard.

“However, one critical problem has emerged.”

The numbers on screen suddenly flashed red as loud warning alarms sounded.

“When we increase the drones’ electromagnetic field output on a large scale to push away the volcanic ash, severe overload occurs in the internal cores and batteries.”

Kang Hyeon quietly stared at the red error window on the monitor.

It was a phenomenon where the system crashed, unable to withstand the output.

“We controlled the heat by applying Nereid’s immersion cooling. The problem is the power itself. The batteries that need to maintain strong electromagnetic fields can’t handle that output and discharge instantly.”

“What happens if they fly like this?”

“As soon as we increase output, the batteries die, and all the drones will crash from the sky like rain.”

Nathan rubbed his tired face with dry hands.

They had created a weapon to block volcanic ash, but lacked the stamina to wield that weapon.

“Is there no solution?”

Kang Hyeon asked in a calm tone.

“We need a completely new circuit design that can dramatically improve power efficiency and withstand overload.”

Nathan sighed in frustration.

“But with our current manpower, it’s beyond our capabilities. Everyone here are geniuses at robot control and aerospace structural design, but handling high-voltage batteries and micro-current control is a completely different specialized field.”

The limits of expertise they faced after dedicating themselves sleeplessly for a month.

The current team members had already reached their limits both physically and technically.

“We desperately need a battery control specialist with a fresh perspective.”

Kang Hyeon nodded silently.

No matter how much capital you pour in or time you invest, certain technological barriers can only be overcome by the right person for that field.

‘New personnel.’

Kang Hyeon quietly walked around the lab interior, looking for a breakthrough.

Calculations of time and cost raced through his mind—whether he should hunt down battery authorities in the market and recruit them again with massive money.

That’s when it happened.

Kang Hyeon’s gaze stopped at a messy makeshift desk placed in one corner of the research institute.

A spot cluttered with someone’s half-finished coffee cup, numerous blueprints, and partially assembled drone parts scattered about.

Flash.

Suddenly, familiar and intense colors bloomed across Kang Hyeon’s retina.

‘This is?’

The red light wasn’t emanating from the entire blueprint.

He couldn’t tell what was drawn on the blueprint meant.

But as his gaze focused on it, the light from the circuit began to move slowly.

The light moving along the circuit suddenly writhed and exploded into extinction when it passed through a specific section.

As if indicating this part was wrong.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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