After the Divorce, I Found a Thousand Bitcoins - Chapter 196

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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 196

Beijing, China, Chairman’s Office in Zhongnanhai.

On the massive wall screen, real-time orbital footage of South Korea’s KH Group’s launched Falcon 9 and Orbital One space station was spinning dizzily.

Alongside it, breaking news about global giants like Apple and Pfizer from the United States being forced to relocate their headquarters to India’s Nova Smart City poured out endlessly.

Chairman Zhao Qian set down his pen with a sharp thud, his brow deeply furrowed.

“So in the end, Choi Kang-hyeon has completely seized the leash of global capital.”

His low, gravelly voice cut through the heavy air of the office.

Among the high-ranking Communist Party officials lined up beside him, the National Development and Reform Commission Director stepped forward with a stern face.

“Comrade Chairman. Western mega-capitals are fully transferring their data and infrastructure into the Indian breeding ground that KH has set up. This is the birth of supranational power beyond a single corporation.”

“Do you think I’m blind and can’t read the screen?”

Zhao Qian’s cold gaze pierced the Director.

“When was it that we tried to tame that arrogant bastard? When we pulled out the card of a complete rare earth export ban to strangle the neck of the one who rejected our collaboration proposal.”

“…I am deeply ashamed.”

The Director swallowed dryly and bowed his head.

“At that time, Choi Kang-hyeon brazenly developed next-generation servers that didn’t use rare earths at all and delivered a counter. The aftermath caused global rare earth prices to plummet, and our economy suffered massive damage instead.”

“Right. Thanks to that painful defeat, we had to just watch in a daze as that bastard grew into a giant.”

Zhao Qian gestured with his chin toward the distant space orbit on the screen.

“But what he’s doing now isn’t simple technological competition. He’s planting his flag first in the new territory of space and sucking all of Earth’s vital centers into his front yard. If we leave this alone, our manufacturing rise and space dream will have to beg forever under KH’s feet.”

“I understand well. That’s why this time we won’t give him any excuse for retaliation with half-hearted control.”

The Director wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and put strength into his voice.

“I have no intention of repeating past failures, Comrade Chairman.”

“Even if Choi Kang-hyeon can make servers without rare earths, he can’t create the fundamental mass needed to build physical buildings and launch spaceships from nothing. To expand Nova Smart City and build space stations requires astronomical amounts of titanium, copper, aluminum, nickel, and lithium.”

A vicious killing intent flashed in his eyes.

“And 70 percent of the global mining rights and refineries for those basic raw materials are scattered across our Chinese territory and Africa and South America controlled by China Money.”

“Block all supply chains.”

Zhao Qian declared, striking the table with his fist.

“Not only KH Group, but completely control raw material exports to all global companies that contracted to move into Nova, including their local factories and partners, starting today. Whether we impose 1,000 percent tariffs or close ports, do whatever it takes to cut off their lifeline! Mobilize all the China Money scattered across Africa to sweep up all the world’s minerals by outbidding everyone!”

This was the most brutish yet certain method China had used to control the world for decades.

Raw material reserves gushing from overwhelming territory, and ruthless chicken games backed by massive sovereign wealth funds.

Buy high and dump cheap, or completely dry up the market to starve competitors to death – nation-level violence.

As soon as Zhao Qian’s order fell, the claws of the giant red dragon began to cruelly crush the neck of the global supply chain.

One week later.

Industrial sites around the world had turned into a bloody pandemonium.

“Copper prices have skyrocketed 400 percent per ton! No, even if we offer money, we can’t get the goods. Chinese state enterprises have bought up all the volume from South American copper mines at triple the price!”

“Titanium alloy imports have been completely blocked. There are dozens of cargo ships tied up at Shanghai port alone. At this rate, production of the Falcon 9 additional module body scheduled for launch next month will come to a complete halt!”

“Apple and Pfizer are also screaming. They need to lay the core power grid for data centers relocating to Nova Smart City, but with Chinese aluminum and lithium battery supplies cut off, construction faces indefinite delays!”

Seoul, South Korea, KH Group Headquarters Main Conference Room.

Ha-ryul and the presidents of each subsidiary company poured out desperate reports with pale, ashen faces.

The screen at the front of the conference room displayed vertically soaring global raw material price graphs and the chaotic status of partner factories worldwide that had stopped operations and were showing red warning lights.

It wasn’t simply KH Group’s problem alone.

Even the global big tech and big pharma companies that Kang Hyeon had been controlling by the leash were helplessly collapsing before China’s raw material controls.

No matter how brilliant the design or overwhelming the software, it was useless without a physical shell to contain it. Building the massive infrastructure of a space station required tens of thousands of tons of metal, and in the land-digging battle to extract that metal, national power controlling Earth’s territory was inevitably the absolute superior party.

“China seems determined to burn their entire foreign exchange reserves in this chicken game.”

Ha-ryul moistened his dry lips and flipped through data on his tablet.

“They’re sweeping up raw materials worldwide at abnormal prices to kill off the KH alliance. They’ll also suffer astronomical losses, but it’s possible because of their state-led economic system. If this continues, Orbital One’s expansion sequence and Nova’s Phase 2 occupancy plan will be delayed at least 3 years.”

Heavy silence descended on the conference room.

Everyone’s gaze focused on Kang Hyeon, who sat at the head seat silently flipping through documents.

While he had defended with alternative technology during the past rare earth crisis, there was no way to technologically substitute fundamental mass itself like iron, copper, and titanium. With those who controlled Earth’s soil locking the door, it was a massive crisis shaking the foundation of business.

Swish.

Kang Hyeon closed the last page of the report and casually tossed it onto the table.

His expression remained eerily calm even before this disaster situation with expected losses in the tens of trillions of won.

“So in the end, the biggest bottleneck of the ecosystem I built is Earth’s territory.”

Kang Hyeon’s voice echoed through the conference room.

“As long as we depend on resources dug from the ground, the clear risk that our infrastructure’s lifeline can be seized by the whims of dictators with territory has been proven.”

The president of KH Trading cautiously spoke up.

“They are state power with nothing to lose. Even if we bend our pride a little, we should first open up the supply of core raw materials and proceed with Orbital One’s second module launch…”

“Compromise?”

Kang Hyeon’s voice instantly froze the air in the conference room.

“That sounds like you’re suggesting we readily offer our necks to beasts that came running at the smell of blood.”

“Th-that’s not what I meant, but to prevent realistic supply chain collapse…”

“The moment we sign a compromise agreement, they’ll seize our infrastructure’s lifeline and exercise their power forever. Every time they give us a ton of aluminum, they’ll demand shares in Nova Smart City’s data centers, and every time they hand over titanium, they’ll force technology transfers for the orbital station.”

Kang Hyeon uncrossed his fingers and lightly tapped the table.

“China isn’t a business partner, but robbers trying to swallow my entire empire whole using Earth’s territory as a weapon. The stupid act of compromising with robbers doesn’t exist in KH. Let’s end the meeting here.”

It was a firm dismissal that allowed no further objections.

As Kang Hyeon got up and left the conference room, the presidents could only watch each other’s reactions with pale faces.

Returning to his VVIP office, Kang Hyeon threw off his jacket and immediately approached his desk.

He manipulated the encrypted communication module and picked up the hotline receiver directly connected to the Oval Office, White House.

After just a few rings, the heavy voice of America’s highest authority connected from across the Pacific.

-Mr. Choi. I was waiting for your call.

“You must have already received reports on the situation, Mr. President.”

Kang Hyeon gazed at the night view outside the window and got to the point.

“China is disrupting the global raw materials market with China Money. This isn’t simply an attack on KH. It’s an act that completely paralyzes infrastructure construction for core American companies including Apple and Pfizer. Strong sanctions at the White House level are necessary.”

Kang Hyeon wanted Edwin to move.

He hoped the President of the United States would physically suppress China’s rampage with extreme cards like trade embargos or naval blockades using the Pacific Fleet.

But Edwin’s breathing coming through the receiver was heavier and more cautious than usual.

-Unfortunately, Mr. Choi. This time the US federal government can’t step forward.

“…Can’t?”

-Zhao Qian has lost his mind right now. He’s burning China’s entire national wealth while sucking up raw materials worldwide like a black hole. If America imposes direct military and economic sanctions here under the pretext of national security… that would mean World War III.

The sound of Edwin swallowing dryly came through the receiver.

-American voters and Congress won’t want to risk nuclear war to build KH Group’s space station. They’re sweeping up minerals under the guise of legitimate market transactions right now. We have too little justification to intervene.

“…I understand.”

Kang Hyeon didn’t cling persistently or get angry.

Edwin’s answer was an extremely rational calculation as a politician.

America was KH’s reliable ally, but not a sucker who would fight others’ wars while shedding their own blood.

-Mr. Choi. This wave is one you must overcome yourself…

Click.

Kang Hyeon hung up the receiver without regret.

Edwin’s excuses weren’t worth listening to until the end.

Only the clear fact was confirmed that existing state power or diplomatic pressure couldn’t break the claws of the red dragon shaking Earth’s soil.

“So there’s no answer within Earth’s rules.”

Kang Hyeon muttered lowly as he approached his desk.

He pressed the intercom button.

“Manager Ha-ryul.”

-Yes, Chairman.

“Bring all the raw materials crisis breakthrough proposals submitted by group subsidiary executives, the future strategy team, and each think tank to my office.”

-All of them? That would be quite a volume.

“All of them.”

As soon as the order was given, within just ten minutes, secretarial staff entered the office with dozens of thick binders and encrypted tablets loaded on carts.

Hundreds of emergency countermeasure proposals created by the best elites racking their brains filled the massive mahogany desk without gaps.

After the staff withdrew and the heavy door closed, Kang Hyeon closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

If Earth’s common sense didn’t work, he had to flip the board with unconventional insight.

Kang Hyeon’s eyes snapped open.

A strange gleam arose from the depths of his pitch-black pupils.

‘Eyes that see the future.’

Kang Hyeon’s unique ability that showed the value of things and future outcomes in red and blue light was activated.

In an instant, waves of colorful light began rising like heat mirages over the office desk.

Kang Hyeon’s gaze rapidly swept over hundreds of proposals.

[Australia Secondary Mine Share Acquisition and Deep Sea Mining Rights Securing]

Australia’s mines had already been eroded by Chinese capital, or were failed projects that would only produce trillions of won in losses due to unviable extraction costs.

[Space Station Module Alternative Design Using Synthetic New Materials]

It was a future outcome showing that the new materials’ durability would collapse, unable to withstand space radiation and extreme temperature differences.

[Condemnation of China’s Raw Material Monopoly and Public Opinion War Through UN Lawsuit]

Proposals covered in blue and black light appeared one after another.

Kang Hyeon’s brow furrowed.

Though these were strategies created by hundreds of geniuses working through the night, before his discerning eye they were nothing but blue failures destined for the trash bin.

Projects that were extensions of territorial digging wars on Earth were all heading toward destruction.

Swish. Swoosh.

Kang Hyeon roughly pushed the piles of documents emitting blue light to the floor without any emotion.

Worthless trash scattered messily across the carpet.

It was when about half the desk had been cleared.

Flash—!

An intense flash that seemed to pierce Kang Hyeon’s retina exploded from a tablet placed in the corner of the desk.

It wasn’t simple red light.

Intense red light like looking at the sun.

Kang Hyeon’s gaze was driven like a wedge into the epicenter of that fierce red light.

He slowly reached out and picked up that old form factor tablet buried among other documents.

When he turned on the screen and unlocked the security code, the proposal’s sender and title appeared clearly.

[Sender: KH Ulsan R&D Headquarters – Research Director Nathan]

Kang Hyeon’s pupils swept over the title on the tablet screen.

[Project Name: Deep Space Resource Acquisition. M-type Asteroid Orbital Modification and Low Earth Orbit Capture Plan Using Astra Plasma Engine.]

It was brilliant imagination.

A story that could only be realized in SF movies or novels.

However, the proposal’s interior was structured not as mere fantasy but with feasible technology.

“Enormous capital will be consumed.”

Of course, bringing such unrealistic technology to the commercialization stage would require massive capital investment.

But.

“That’s not an obstacle for me.”

He picked up the phone.

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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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