After the Divorce, I Found a Thousand Bitcoins - Chapter 193

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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 193

“This is outright extortion. 3 percent equity? Aren’t you saying you’ll stick a permanent straw into our company’s management rights!”

Manhattan, New York, USA, Pfizer headquarters top floor meeting room.

A massive multi-vision screen was divided into dozens of split screens. The faces positioned beyond the screen were absolute power holders who controlled the global economy.

From the UK’s AstraZeneca, America’s Johnson & Jackson, to the Silicon Valley giant Apple and senior vice presidents of Alphabet, Google’s parent company.

The heads of companies at the pinnacle of global market capitalization had formed a secret video cartel against a single common enemy.

“Choi Kang-hyeon has greatly crossed the line. No matter how much he’s preempted the no man’s land of space, without tenants to move in, the orbital station is nothing but a giant scrap metal that only drains maintenance costs.”

Pfizer’s CEO Richard roughly pulled down his tie and spoke passionately.

It was right after he had returned as if chased out after receiving a one-month ultimatum from KH headquarters. Their pride was torn to shreds. They were prepared to pay any amount of money, but handing over voting shares was violence of a completely different dimension.

“We must unite. If not a single company signs the equity transfer contract, the one who becomes anxious will be Choi Kang-hyeon, who’s pouring massive space construction costs.”

The CEOs in the split screens nodded with heavy expressions at Richard’s argument.

They were predators who had reigned at the top of capitalism for decades. Those who were seasoned in using monopolistic infrastructure as a weapon for power abuse instinctively banded together when faced with the crisis of becoming victims of perfect monopoly themselves.

“I’ll go to Washington myself.”

Richard declared as if driving in the final nail.

“I’ll move the US government to pressure KH with antitrust laws. No matter how much President Edwin supports him, he won’t be able to protect Choi Kang-hyeon if we Big Pharma and Big Tech companies, the foundation of the American economy, collectively threaten to cut political funding.”

A cartel of global capital.

They ended the video conference with blind faith that their unity was the only shield that could bring down KH’s arrogant ultimatum.

But it didn’t even take a day for Richard’s confidence to be shattered to pieces.

The next morning, Oval Office, White House.

Richard was shocked to see the antitrust petition documents he had confidently presented being mercilessly pushed away by President Edwin’s fingertips.

“Mr. President! Core American companies including Pfizer are having their management rights threatened by Asian capital! You must issue an executive order to sanction KH’s space infrastructure monopoly!”

“Chairman Richard.”

Edwin slowly put down his teacup and spoke in a languid voice.

“The lobbying funds your Pfizer has spread in Washington over the past 10 years amount to roughly 500 million dollars.”

“…That’s correct. We are the most reliable supporters of American politics and economy.”

“But what can I do.”

Edwin leaned back deeply in his chair and cast a mocking gaze.

“Chairman Choi Kang-hyeon paid off NASA’s astronomical accumulated deficit of 40 billion dollars that had built up over 30 years, all in cash in just one day. Including all the costs of collecting broken American satellites scattered in orbit.”

“…!”

“You want me to sanction a legitimate business partner who cleared the US government’s largest debt over mere tenant rental complaints? Do you think I’d commit such foolish political suicide?”

Richard’s complexion turned pale as a blank sheet.

An overwhelming cash bombardment that made the political funds they had contributed in pieces over decades unable to even present their business card.

Choi Kang-hyeon had already perfectly purchased even America’s highest power with money.

“KH is merely building with their own money outside US territory, in the vacuum of space. If you don’t like the market logic.”

Edwin jerked his chin toward the office door.

“You can give up moving in. Ah, if Pfizer gives up, European pharmaceutical companies will be very pleased. Please go back now.”

Richard staggered out of the Oval Office with his legs giving out.

The political pressure card he had believed to be his strongest weapon evaporated without a trace after hitting the capital fortress that Kang Hyeon had built in advance.

Exactly two weeks had passed since KH’s ultimatum.

The global cartel was holding firm on the surface.

Not a single company had sent a letter of intent to move in to KH. A silent game of chicken. They waited for Kang Hyeon to become anxious and come first with a compromise proposal to lower rental conditions.

But instead of setting up a negotiation table, Kang Hyeon broadcast bizarre and overwhelming footage across monitors worldwide.

[Orbital One Area A Assembly Live Stream.]

The main screens of major streaming platforms worldwide, including YouTube, were simultaneously covered with pitch-black space.

Low Earth Orbit.

The massive fairing of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle opened left and right, pushing silver compressed containers into space.

And the next moment, viewers worldwide and global CEOs watching the screen doubted their eyes.

Whirrrr-!

Clang! Thunk!

As the container’s outer walls disassembled, thousands of Orbis construction robots that had been loaded inside like Tetris blocks without gaps simultaneously began operation.

Silver mechanical spiders with eight multi-joints.

Following Nereid’s perfect swarm control algorithm, they swam through the vacuum of space without an inch of error or collision, clinging to massive tungsten steel frame structures.

Bzzzzt-! Bzzt!

Space where sound doesn’t exist.

Only brilliant blue plasma welding flashes burst continuously.

The speed was precise and fast enough to give goosebumps.

Since oxygen wasn’t needed, there were no heavy life support devices.

No need to fear radiation exposure, no rest time needed for shift work.

The sight of thousands of mechanical spiders buzzing around in orbit created a bizarre sense of awe, as if a giant alien creature’s nest was being built.

Just 48 hours.

In only two days, the massive main framework of Area A in hexagonal honeycomb form perfectly revealed its shape in Earth’s orbit.

Seoul, South Korea, KH Headquarters VVIP Office.

Kang Hyeon was silently watching the real-time construction site on the massive screen filling the wall.

“Worldwide simultaneous viewers have surpassed 300 million.”

Ha-ryul reported while flipping through tablet data.

“Global public opinion is shocked itself. Foreign media reports are pouring in saying humanity’s space construction speed has been advanced by at least 50 years. But…”

Ha-ryul trailed off for a moment.

“There’s still no contact from global Big Pharma and Big Tech. It’s certain they’ve formed a cartel and entered collective action.”

“Leave them be.”

Kang Hyeon replied dryly while lifting his coffee cup.

“Fear needs time to ferment.”

Cartel? Alliance?

Such petty trust was bound to crumble like a sandcastle before capitalism’s essential fear.

Kang Hyeon looked at the weightless empty space being completed on the screen.

Whether you come or not, my building goes up.

This live stream wasn’t negotiation, but a silent demonstration to clearly imprint who held the leash.

The night just three days before the promised one-month grace period ended.

A fatal crack finally occurred in the global cartel’s seemingly solid barrier.

Mueller, CEO of Novartis, the pharmaceutical industry’s perpetual second place based in Basel, Switzerland, secretly flew to South Korea on a private jet.

Mueller’s appearance upon entering KH headquarters reception room was a mess.

His eyes were sunken as if he’d stayed up several nights, and the hand gripping his briefcase was trembling slightly.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Chairman Mueller.”

Kang Hyeon greeted him with cold eyes while sitting on the sofa.

As soon as Mueller met Kang Hyeon’s eyes, he hurriedly pulled out a document from his bag and pushed it onto the table.

“It’s Novartis’s 3 percent equity transfer contract! I’ve completed all board approvals!”

A hoarse voice echoed through the reception room.

There was no pride.

Only extreme fear of being left out dominated him.

“We betrayed the cartel and signed first. As promised, please give us exclusive rights to Area A’s new drug cultivation complex main infrastructure.”

Large drops of sweat fell from Mueller’s forehead.

The alliance was an illusion.

What if he held out to the end, and competitors like Pfizer or AstraZeneca secretly made contracts with KH?

The moment ultra-high purity targeted anticancer drugs and new drugs produced in space without gravity interference flooded the market, Novartis making drugs the old way on Earth would obviously go bankrupt within three years.

Being monopolized out of space infrastructure wasn’t simple profit reduction, but a death sentence erasing the company’s very survival.

That fear ultimately broke down Mueller’s rationality as the second-place player and made him offer surrender documents.

“I’ll make sure you don’t regret making the first choice.”

Kang Hyeon glanced down at Novartis’s equity transfer contract pushed onto the table.

Golden 3 percent shares that could shake management rights.

Kang Hyeon immediately called Ha-ryul.

“Ha-ryul Manager.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Release a press statement to the global press immediately.”

The corners of Kang Hyeon’s mouth curved into an arc.

“Swiss Novadis confirms exclusive 10-year occupancy of KH Orbital One Area A. Rent is 3 percent of Novadis shares.”

Upon hearing those words, Mueller let out a sigh of relief and collapsed onto the sofa.

But the real aftermath from that press release was just beginning.

[Breaking News! Swiss Novadis breaks Global Cartel, signs occupancy contract with KH Space Station!]

[Secures exclusive rights to zero-gravity drug development! Will Novadis leap to become the world’s #1 pharmaceutical company!]

Just 10 minutes after the press release was transmitted worldwide.

The solid Global Capital Cartel shattered into atomic fragments.

The fact that a traitor had emerged, and the terror of losing the overwhelming infrastructure of space to competitors, cruelly gripped the throats of CEOs worldwide.

Ring ring ring-!

Beep! Beep beep!

Hundreds of phones began screaming simultaneously, enough to paralyze operations at KH headquarters.

“What the hell is this! Novadis handed over shares first! Get my private jet ready now! I’m going to Seoul!”

“This is Richard from Pfizer! We’ll also offer 3 percent, no, 4 percent of our shares! Please hold the remaining sectors of Area A immediately!”

“This is Apple’s Senior Vice President! For the Area B Fiber Optic Factory Site, our board will send an electronic signature share transfer agreement right now! Please don’t give it to other Big Tech companies!”

Complete chaos.

They no longer negotiated for lower rent or expressed anger.

Gripped by fierce terror that being even one minute later than others would mean eternal obsolescence from the space ecosystem, they began competing to kneel and beg, offering pieces of their empires.

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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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