After the Divorce, I Found a Thousand Bitcoins - Chapter 179

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

I Got Divorced and Found a Thousand Bitcoins Episode 179

Beijing Shunyi International Airport.

Kang Hyeon’s private jet came to a smooth stop on the runway.

As he descended the stairs, an endless red carpet stretched out before his eyes.

It was state guest-level treatment.

The airport interior was completely controlled, with not even an ant in sight.

Dozens of black Hongqi sedans and heavily armed security escort vehicles filled the runway.

“Welcome, Chairman Choi.”

Liu Wei, who had come to greet him, bowed deeply at the waist.

“The Chairman has taken special care. Your safety and convenience will be handled exclusively by the National Security Bureau’s elite agents.”

“This is excessive hospitality.”

Kang Hyeon answered plainly while surveying the escort procession.

It was exaggerated protocol.

They had assigned head-of-state level security to a mere businessman.

As Kang Hyeon got into the back seat of the vehicle, he quietly ran calculations in his head.

‘What is Zhao Qian’s intention?’

This wasn’t simple repayment for opening China’s breathing room through the Mount Baekdu incident.

Overwhelming hospitality sometimes acts as the most powerful pressure.

The old fox’s true intention to show off his power and control, and suppress the initiative before sitting at the negotiation table.

A cold and dry arc formed at the corner of Kang Hyeon’s mouth.

The private meeting with Chairman Zhao Qian was scheduled for dinner with a banquet.

Kang Hyeon first headed to the accommodation prepared by the Chinese side.

A special suite room at Beijing State Guest House Zhongnanhai.

“Please rest comfortably, Chairman. If you need anything, please let us know anytime.”

Liu Wei left a respectful greeting and exited the room.

As the heavy door closed, Kang Hyeon was left alone in the vast space.

The room’s facilities were the epitome of luxury.

Walls decorated with golden silk and antiques from the Ming Dynasty.

It was a luxurious space that easily surpassed any 7-star hotel penthouse.

However, instead of throwing himself onto the plush sofa, Kang Hyeon stood blankly in the middle of the room.

‘It’s quiet.’

The highest courtesy. Perfect safety.

But ultimately, it was the middle of a predator’s den.

Kang Hyeon took off his coat, hung it on a chair, and loosened his tie slightly.

Then he slowly drew up the intuition from deep within his mind.

Whoosh.

A transparent veil lifted, revealing a familiar view.

The room’s scenery was overlaid with strange colors.

Kang Hyeon’s cold eyes slowly swept through the empty room.

Flash, flash.

Murky and unpleasant blue lights flickered wherever his gaze touched.

Inside the ornate chandelier on the ceiling.

The edges of the antique landscape painting hanging on the wall.

And even in the marble decoration crevices and ventilation ducts by the bedside.

‘As expected.’

He could tell without having to go closer and examine them.

What those blue lights meant.

Miniature listening devices and optical lenses.

In this gorgeous cage prepared for a state guest, dozens of eyes and ears were lurking dampily.

The pretext of providing the highest level of security.

Behind it lay the National Security Bureau’s blatant control to monitor Kang Hyeon’s every move.

It was a very duplicitous and suffocating situation where hospitality and surveillance were intricately mixed.

Kang Hyeon didn’t bother to find and destroy the listening devices or cause a commotion.

As he withdrew his ability, the room returned to being a peaceful and luxurious suite.

“Please bring me a cup of tea.”

Kang Hyeon muttered dryly toward the air.

Someone outside the door would be listening anyway.

He didn’t look for blind spots of surveillance cameras, but sat cross-legged on the most central sofa as if showing off.

‘Go ahead and spy all you want.’

There was no tension or displeasure.

Rather, the fact that the other party was so thoroughly wary of him sharpened Kang Hyeon’s cold rationality even more.

The dinner meeting with Zhao Qian that wasn’t far off.

Kang Hyeon’s eyes sank coldly as they silently stared at the empty teacup on the table.

Zhongnanhai, Beijing.

The heart of China’s supreme power and a massive closed room.

Red bricks and golden tiles were heavily sunken in the thick darkness.

The vehicle carrying Kang Hyeon passed through the strictly controlled area.

The place he arrived at with guidance was a top-class banquet hall completely blocked from outside view.

Heavy wooden doors opened silently.

Under the splendid chandelier, a huge round table.

At its head seat sat China’s number one, Chairman Zhao Qian.

“Welcome, Chairman Choi.”

Zhao Qian slowly rose from his seat and showed a good-natured smile.

His face was like that of a benevolent grandfather welcoming his grandson after a long time.

But the moment Kang Hyeon stepped into the banquet hall.

Whoosh.

Intense and bizarre colors bloomed over Kang Hyeon’s retina.

It wasn’t bright red light or murky blue light.

An eerie and deep black that seemed to absorb all light.

Black light emanating from Zhao Qian’s large frame was stretching out in all directions like snakes.

Terrible waves flowing along the banquet hall floor, strangling the entire space as if to suffocate it.

‘It’s black light.’

Kang Hyeon’s cold eyes sank slightly.

In the past, it was exactly the same color he had seen when first encountering Harvey Goldwin, the former US President.

It was the omen of destruction that had driven the nation to ruin and dragged the world economy into a quagmire.

The old predator before him was wearing a good-natured smile, but his essence was different.

This man was also an extremely dangerous element who would think nothing of the world burning if it served his purpose.

“You must have had a hard journey coming such a long way.”

Zhao Qian extended his hand to offer Kang Hyeon a seat.

Kang Hyeon left only a light nod and took a seat across from the table where black light was rippling.

No awe or tension could be found anywhere on his face.

“I wanted to express deep gratitude on behalf of China’s 1.4 billion people for preventing the disaster at Mount Baekdu.”

Zhao Qian opened his mouth while lightly lifting a glass of premium Maotai.

“The industrial facilities in the Manchuria region being safe was entirely thanks to your decision.”

“I merely protected my investments.”

Kang Hyeon replied while holding his teacup.

“It wasn’t for China, but a thorough calculation to prevent Taiwan and South Korea’s logistics infrastructure from being covered in volcanic ash.”

A dry answer that cut through diplomatic rhetoric with one stroke.

The brows of Chinese officials including Liu Wei, who were lined up beside Zhao Qian, furrowed in unison.

It was excessively arrogant language for a mere businessman to utter before a nation’s chairman.

“Haha. I like your honesty. Just as the rumors said.”

But Zhao Qian burst into hearty laughter and emptied his glass.

He set the empty glass down on the table and slowly steered the conversation toward the main topic.

“Chairman Choi. I was deeply impressed by the overwhelming capabilities KH Group has demonstrated.”

Zhao Qian’s eyes lost their mirth and gleamed sharply.

“The Smart City in India and the space base in the United States. Such unstoppable expansion. But the real center of Asia is here in mainland China, isn’t it.”

“….”

“I want KH Group to make a full-scale entry into China as well.”

A heavy silence settled over the table.

“China has achieved world-class AI technology, big data, and aerospace prowess. If our excellent robotics companies form joint ventures with KH, that synergy will dominate the world.”

A sweet and massive proposal.

But Kang Hyeon set down his teacup and inwardly sneered coldly.

‘What a thief’s mentality.’

His purpose was as clear as day.

This was the same man who had deployed armed forces to Nereid in the past to steal liquid cooling technology.

When forcible abduction failed, he was now attempting legal theft using the massive domestic market as bait.

Kang Hyeon didn’t dismiss China’s technological capabilities either.

The surveillance AI trained on facial recognition data from 1.4 billion people and their independent space station technology were world-class.

But that was merely technology rotting in a thoroughly controlled well.

China extremely controlled the external transfer of core technologies under the pretext of national security.

Conversely, foreign companies wanting to enter China had to establish mandatory 50-50 joint venture corporations with local companies.

Servers had to be located in mainland China, and source codes had to be transparently disclosed to the National Security Bureau – vicious poison clauses.

Ultimately, it was a blatant scheme to suck out only the technology and then kick out the empty shell.

“The proposal is attractive, but.”

Kang Hyeon placed his clasped hands on the table and spoke calmly.

“The conditions don’t match.”

“Conditions, you say. What kind of resource support do you want? Free land lease? Or tax exemption?”

“I’m not talking about such petty change.”

Kang Hyeon’s resolute voice rang coldly through the vast banquet hall.

“For KH Group to execute investment in mainland China, the Chinese government must completely withdraw the closed-off technology control policies it currently maintains.”

Instantly, the air in the banquet hall froze.

Liu Wei gasped, and the faces of the secretaries standing behind turned pale.

It was an insane demand to deny China’s system itself and tear up the laws.

“The mandatory joint venture clauses, data server localization laws, and source code submission obligations.”

Kang Hyeon stared directly at Zhao Qian with unwavering eyes.

“Until all those malicious shackles are severed, not a single byte of KH’s capital and technology will cross China’s borders.”

“…Chairman Choi.”

The smile finally completely disappeared from Zhao Qian’s face.

His thick voice rumbled low like scraping the floor.

“That is a matter involving national security and sovereignty. It sounds like arrogant talk asking to change the Republic’s laws for the entry of a single company.”

“I’m talking about business.”

Kang Hyeon leaned back against his chair and replied dryly.

Even before the intimidating presence of the supreme power holder emanating killing intent, his attitude showed not a trace of being cowed.

“Keeping the door closed while demanding someone hand over their wallet isn’t business – it’s robbery.”

“What, what did you say!”

One Chinese official who couldn’t stand it anymore stepped forward with a flushed face.

“How dare you speak such nonsense before Chairman! Do you know where you are to dare utter such arrogant words!”

An agitated outcry rang out, but Kang Hyeon didn’t even glance at that official.

He continued his cold and sharp direct words while staring only at Zhao Qian before him.

“The US Administration completely abolished civilian space regulations according to my demands. India also handed over exclusive authority over the Smart City power grid.”

“….”

“This is the global standard. If you want to attract capital, set up a proper stage for it.”

Kang Hyeon lightly tapped the table with his finger.

“Whether to control and let technology rot in a well, or open the doors and ride on the global infrastructure KH has laid out. The choice is yours, Chairman.”

There was no compromise.

The arrogance of a capitalist trying to bring even the pinnacle of a vast continent to its knees under his rules.

The dense black aura emanating from Zhao Qian’s body surged fiercely toward Kang Hyeon, but Kang Hyeon’s cool rationality didn’t waver even a bit before that enormous dark curtain.

Inside the banquet hall lay a tense thin ice where not even breathing could be heard.

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