After the Divorce, I Found a Thousand Bitcoins - Chapter 172

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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 172

-Gas discharge valve fully opened. Magma chamber internal pressure is dropping below critical point!

The radio transmission echoing through the control tent was broadcast live to the entire world.

The massive expansion pressure that had been trapped beneath Mount Baekdu for decades.

It began rushing out violently through the artificial outlet that KH Group had drilled.

Seismic wave graphs and surface uplift data displayed on one side of the screen.

The red numbers that had been soaring madly broke their climb, then drew a gentle downward curve.

It was an unmistakable signal of stabilization for anyone to see.

“…It’s over.”

Seoul Station Concourse. A citizen who had been watching the large electronic display with bated breath muttered like a sigh.

That single phrase became the spark.

“Waaaaaaaah-!”

Explosive cheers erupted from the crowd filling the plaza.

Some collapsed to the ground shedding tears of relief, others embraced strangers and celebrated.

Gangnam High-rise District, inside cars stuck in rush hour traffic, classrooms and restaurants.

It was the moment when the fear of annihilation that had heavily pressed down on all of South Korea evaporated instantly.

It wasn’t only Korea that was celebrating.

Major global media outlets simultaneously interrupted regular programming to feature live footage from Mount Baekdu.

[This is not simply civil engineering work. It’s no different from disarming a boiling nuclear bomb’s detonator while examining it under a microscope.]

A geological authority appearing on US CNN News spoke passionately with an excited face.

[How did they drill through extreme hydrothermal deposits exceeding 120 degrees Celsius? It would have been impossible without large-scale cooling solutions and AI robots.]

He pointed at the massive excavation equipment on screen.

[Most amazing is KH Group’s capital mobilization power – acquiring and deploying that equipment in the right places within just days. It was an overwhelming speed operation that no government in the world could have achieved.]

Britain’s BBC and Japan’s NHK poured out similar coverage.

Experts unanimously expressed shock at KH Group’s extraordinary technological capabilities and capital power.

A single corporation had surpassed national administrative capacity to physically control a natural disaster.

The world now began recognizing KH Group not as mere massive capital, but as a symbol of supranational power.

Base camp near Mount Baekdu Caldera.

While the world was caught up in a frenzy of celebration, the atmosphere at the site remained cold and heavy.

Kang Hyeon sat in a folding chair in the control tent, not taking his eyes off the monitor.

“Pressure readings have entered the normal range perfectly. There will be no further expansion.”

Dr. David reported in a voice tinged with fatigue.

His face showed a mixture of achievement and extreme relief.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Kang Hyeon answered briefly while setting down his teacup.

“The objective has been achieved. There’s no longer any reason for large-scale personnel to remain at this dangerous site.”

His instructions were decisive.

“Leave only the automated control facilities and communication networks around the borehole. All excavation equipment and drilling crews are to withdraw completely.”

“Yes, Chairman. I’ll order the dismantling work immediately.”

Soon busy movement began outside the tent.

The massive chunks of metal that had completed their mission shut down their engines, were disassembled, and loaded onto trailers.

Hundreds of workers and security personnel began descending the mountain like a receding tide.

But Kang Hyeon still did not board the helicopter.

The empty base camp after everyone had left.

Inside the control tent, only Kang Hyeon, David, and a few essential control personnel remained, monitoring the data.

“Chairman. You may return to Seoul now. The system has stabilized.”

David cautiously suggested, but Kang Hyeon shook his head.

“I’ll remain here until the residual gas discharge is completely finished.”

Thoroughness that maintained vigilance until the very end.

He had no intention of moving until he confirmed with his own eyes that not even a single spark of catastrophe remained.

Several more hours passed into the afternoon.

An unfamiliar engine sound reached the entrance of the silent base camp.

It wasn’t KH vehicles that had crossed the Military Demarcation Line.

Three black Hongqi sedans that had come up the northern road stopped in front of the tent.

The vehicles bore Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs license plates.

“They’re Chinese officials.”

Receiving the report, Kang Hyeon slowly rose from his seat.

A middle-aged man in a refined coat entered the tent.

His entourage lined up behind him at a respectful distance.

“It’s my pleasure to meet you, Chairman Choi Kang-hyeon. I am Liu Wei, State Councilor of the Chinese State Council.”

The man greeted him in fluent Korean and politely extended his hand.

Kang Hyeon shook his hand without changing expression.

“I didn’t expect you to come personally to such a remote place.”

“When meeting a hero of humanity, what does location matter?”

Liu Wei continued with a gentle smile.

“Chairman Zhao Qian asked me to convey his special gratitude. Without your decisive action, the Three Northeastern Provinces would have been buried under terrible volcanic ash.”

“I merely protected the capital and markets I needed to safeguard.”

Kang Hyeon drew a clear line matter-of-factly.

A clean answer that blocked political rhetoric or exaggerated meaning.

A very subtle gleam appeared in Liu Wei’s eyes.

“Of course. Thanks to that thorough rationality, we all survived.”

Liu Wei took out a red sealed envelope from his coat pocket and offered it.

“The Chairman would like to invite you to Beijing. Once all matters are concluded, let’s share tea in a quiet place.”

An official invitation from a head of state.

It was a massive political message recognizing KH Group not as a mere corporation, but as an equal negotiating partner.

Kang Hyeon took the envelope and nodded lightly.

“I’ll consider it if my schedule permits.”

A dry answer that was neither positive nor negative.

Liu Wei inwardly clicked his tongue at Kang Hyeon’s attitude of not yielding control even before a great nation’s invitation.

He added no further words, bowed respectfully, and left the tent.

Immediately after the Chinese officials departed.

David finished his final data analysis and approached Kang Hyeon.

“Chairman. The magma chamber’s activity has completely subsided to normal annual levels. Seismic indicators are also at zero.”

His voice no longer held even a trace of doubt.

“Mount Baekdu has fallen into deep sleep again.”

It was a definitive declaration.

Instead of answering, Kang Hyeon stepped outside the tent.

The sky over Mount Baekdu as the sun set was strangely mixed with red and blue hues.

Kang Hyeon thrust his hands into his coat pockets and took in the massive mountain range with his eyes.

Then he concentrated his consciousness and slowly drew up his intuitive senses.

The terrible and violent vision he had seen days ago in his penthouse bedroom.

The pure color of death that had swallowed the entire Korean Peninsula and covered the sky.

Hwaaek.

His ability opened and his vision became transparent.

“…”

A faint sense of relief spread through Kang Hyeon’s eyes.

The massive black haze that had enveloped the mountain range had evaporated without a trace.

No ominous colors or signs of death were visible.

Only the natural tranquil energy that nature possessed flowed gently along the mountain ridges.

He had perfectly twisted the trajectory of destruction he had witnessed with his own hands.

“Hah.”

Kang Hyeon opened his tightly sealed lips and let out a long breath.

Only then did the tension in his taut back muscles slowly release.

A sense of relief, as if a massive boulder that had been weighing heavily on his shoulders had finally lifted.

“Let’s go back.”

Kang Hyeon turned around and gave a dry instruction.

“To Seoul.”

As if waiting for this moment, the propellers of the private helicopter began rotating roughly.

The helicopter carrying Kang Hyeon landed on the helipad atop KH Group Headquarters.

As he opened the door and stepped out, a massive commotion was already waiting for him.

From the building lobby to the outer roads, hundreds of domestic and foreign reporters had set up camp.

The return of the hero who had prevented humanity’s worst disaster.

Every camera and microphone in the world was focused intently on just one person’s lips.

Kang Hyeon headed straight to the 1st Floor Auditorium Briefing Room without even having time to wash away his fatigue.

On the podium where camera flashes poured down like rain.

He lightly adjusted the microphone position and opened his mouth calmly.

“The magma chamber expansion pressure beneath Mount Baekdu has been completely controlled.”

There were no exaggerated rhetoric or emotional reflections.

A dry and clear briefing that conveyed only the results.

“Gas emissions have currently entered a stabilization phase. Seismic wave indicators have also returned to normal annual levels. There is no risk of eruption for the time being.”

Brief gasps echoed through the hall along with the sound of keyboards clicking like rainfall.

As soon as the briefing ended, hands shot up urgently from various places seeking to ask questions.

Kang Hyeon pointed to an economic newspaper reporter in the front row.

“I understand that the expenses KH Group bore to resolve this crisis were astronomical.”

The reporter swallowed dryly as he posed his question.

“Some are concerned that KH’s cash liquidity will suffer serious damage. Wasn’t this too much of a sacrifice from a corporate standpoint?”

It was a sharp but realistic question.

Kang Hyeon didn’t avoid his gaze and looked straight into the reporter’s eyes.

“It’s true that there were massive expenditures.”

Kang Hyeon took a sip of water and continued his answer.

“But what’s important is that we successfully completed our mission perfectly.”

Equipment costs exceeding trillions of won and mercenary-level labor costs.

Looking at just the short-term financial statements, it was close to madness.

“If Mount Baekdu had erupted, KH Group’s space launch pad and robot factories worth tens of trillions of won being built in Korea would have all turned to ash.”

Kang Hyeon’s heavy voice dominated the hall.

“That’s not all. The nation’s industrial infrastructure would collapse and the market would disappear. Money only has value when markets exist.”

“…”

“I didn’t make a sacrifice. I simply paid the most certain cost to protect the market I had invested in.”

Perfect and cold calculation as an entrepreneur.

Faced with that logical sophistry, the reporters fell silent like mutes who had eaten honey.

Kang Hyeon lightly tapped the podium with his finger.

“KH Group will continue to make South Korea the center of our global business.”

Kang Hyeon drove the point home with a firm tone.

“An outpost for future industries where capital and technology converge. From here, we will expand to the world.”

Kang Hyeon gave a light bow as if he wouldn’t take any more questions.

Behind his back as he descended from the podium, relentless camera flashes erupted once more.

After finishing the briefing, Kang Hyeon returned to his top-floor office.

He loosened his tie and leaned back on the sofa.

The physical fatigue accumulated over several days finally hit him heavily.

“You’ve worked hard, Chairman. The media response is perfect.”

Ha-ryul reported while flipping through his tablet.

“Not only domestically, but KH-related stocks are soaring in overseas markets as well. The short-term expenditures will be recovered overnight.”

Kang Hyeon lightly raised his hand to signal his understanding.

Capital that overcomes disaster always gains explosive trust.

Buzz- Buzz-

Just then, the secure smartphone on his desk rang briefly.

Kang Hyeon’s brow furrowed as he checked the caller ID.

It was Congressman Edwin, a leading Democratic Party presidential candidate from the United States.

“The situation is all over, but your call is a bit late.”

Kang Hyeon pressed the call button and offered a dry greeting.

-Haha. It wouldn’t be polite to call too early to someone who just extinguished hellfire with his bare hands.

Edwin’s relaxed laughter came through the receiver.

-You really worked hard, Mr. Choi. American media is talking about nothing but you. Thanks to that, our camp across the Pacific has become very reassured.

“You’re not calling just to exchange pleasantries.”

Kang Hyeon took a sip of his cold coffee.

“The presidential race has begun in earnest, so you must need my face soon.”

Edwin’s laughter subsided, and a serious voice followed.

-Exactly. The situation is getting very complicated. The Republican Party’s opposition is also quite serious.

“…”

-I’d like to meet with you in Washington soon. Your capital and insight are desperately needed at this point.

Edwin’s polite proposal.

The massive electoral game to seize America’s next power was opening again.

Kang Hyeon quietly stared at the calendar, gauging the dates.

With the Mount Baekdu crisis, he had completely seized control of the domestic and Asian situation.

He had received invitations from Chinese leadership, and his solidarity with the Korean government was stronger than ever.

Now it was time to enter Washington, the heart of world power, and shake things up.

“Understood.”

Kang Hyeon answered quietly but firmly.

“I’ll arrange my schedule and head to Washington. Have everything prepared.”

-I’ll be waiting, Mr. Choi.

The call ended.

Kang Hyeon put down his smartphone and looked out through the wide glass window.

Over Seoul’s peaceful scenery, the fierce political arena of Washington that lay ahead seemed to overlap.

‘The wildfire has been extinguished.’

Kang Hyeon slowly rose from his seat.

It was time to return to his main business.

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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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