I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 127

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

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Chapter 127
After Peter and Grace left, Mark and I were alone in the office, surrounded by emptiness.
I quickly searched for the digital camera.
I was still using the digital camera Father had given me, always reminding me to stay in touch.
“Mark, let’s capture this historic moment and post it on FaceNote.”
“Do I get to be in it?”
“You’re out.”
“So you’re just photographing the empty office?”
“Yep.”
I snapped a photo of the office—it looked like a place we’d just moved into. Then I glanced around.
“Sung-guk, what are you looking for?”
“Maybe we should hang a sign that says ‘FaceNote’….”
That’s when I spotted several black markers nearby.
I grabbed one and tossed it to Mark.
Mark caught it instinctively with one hand, then looked at me in surprise.
“Sung-guk, you should warn me before throwing things! But what am I supposed to do with this marker?”
I pulled out a black marker and stared at the clean white wall before us.
“Let’s write ‘FaceNote’ on this wall.”
“Us?”
“Yeah!”
I nodded naturally.
“Sung-guk, my handwriting is terrible. My notes are already a mess, and you want me to write on this wall? Plus, we’re renting this place. We’ll have to restore everything when we leave.”
“We can worry about that later.”
Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck me.
I set down the marker and quickly photographed the empty office wall with the camera.
“Sung-guk, what exactly are you trying to do?”
“Mark, let’s throw a party.”
“A party?”
“Yeah! I’m going to spend some money today!”
“Sung-guk, what kind of scheme are you cooking up now?”
“We post photos of the empty office and this blank wall, call for volunteers to complete the FaceNote sign with graffiti art, and throw an opening party. Unlimited pizza and beer. Though I’ll stick with milk, of course….”
“That’s actually a great idea.”
[Of course it is—I’m Jeon Sung-guk, after all.]
I hurried to the computer and posted the announcement.
– February 14th, 2004.
As I finished writing that, I realized today was Valentine’s Day.
“Mark, did you know today is Valentine’s Day?”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“Right, it doesn’t matter to us… but will people actually show up?”
“Sung-guk, even though it seems like everyone’s in love, there are plenty of people spending the day alone like us. FaceNote is perfect for people like that.”
[Mark, you’re really doing this now?]
I finished uploading the photos and announcement.
– February 14th, 2004. FaceNote’s office opening celebration party! We’re also looking for people to decorate this white wall with some amazing graffiti!
Today, pizza and beer are unlimited. Of course, I’ll be drinking milk alone and looking forlorn.
Comments started flooding in immediately.
– Sung-guk, you’re opening on Valentine’s Day? Isn’t that screaming single vibes?
– Mark can be alone, but you can’t be.
Dennis’s comment came next.
– I’m on a date with Michelle, and she was just crying at some restaurant bar. Free pizza, right?
I quickly replied to Dennis’s comment.
– Nothing’s free in this world, Dennis.
– Michelle knows a graffiti artist who lives nearby. Isn’t this worth some free pizza?
– And unlimited beer!!!!
* * *
The fifteen-square-meter studio was packed wall-to-wall with people.
Everyone had pizza in their mouths and beer in their hands, dancing to the music pouring from someone’s speaker.
I stood holding milk in one hand, gazing at the wall with an enchanted expression.
FACE NOTE filled the entire wall with spectacular graffiti.
Mark, Dennis, and Michelle stared at the wall, beers in hand.
“Sung-guk, this is what you wanted, right?”
“Yeah. It’s perfect!”
“Sung-guk, are you really hiring people this time?”
Dennis asked.
“Yeah, I’m looking for one programmer.”
“So you’re really starting a company.”
“Of course. Tell people to send their resumes to Mark’s email!”
“Got it!”
We raised our voices to be heard over the music.
Michelle laughed and dragged Dennis away.
“With such a great atmosphere, are you all just going to stare at the wall? Dennis and I are going to dance.”
“Sung-guk, go find yourself a partner too.”
“I’m a minor!”
“Mark, you find a partner too.”
“I’ve given up.”
“You two are both really stubborn.”
Dennis laughed as Michelle pulled him away.
The exhilarating music. Couples dancing to the beat, beer in hand.
Standing between them, watching the wall—Mark and I.
Mark and I locked eyes.
“Sung-guk, I’ve decided. I won’t date until I succeed.”
[Mark, it’s not that you won’t—it’s that you can’t.]
Mark looked at me and let out a quiet laugh.
“Sung-guk, were you just cursing me out with your eyes?”
[Mark’s really starting to read my expressions now, isn’t he?]
I took a slow sip of milk.
“Mark, I’m not going to date anyone until I’ve achieved success.”
“Sung-guk, you’re not choosing not to—you literally can’t. You’re still a minor.”
Mark grinned at me with innocent delight.
“Mark, how about we make a toast to that?”
“Sounds good!”
We clinked my glass of milk against his beer bottle.
* * *
On the plane to San Francisco.
I was carefully studying the Venture Conference Hall brochure.
Over a hundred companies were promoting themselves within its pages.
Mark, glancing at the brochure beside me, clicked his tongue.
“Sung-guk, with so many companies launching… do you think we can really succeed? I’m suddenly getting scared.”
[Yeah, don’t worry. We’re going to make it.]
But I couldn’t say that aloud.
“Mark, we have a product that Bill Gates and several Private Equity Funds are after. That alone is already half the battle won.”
“I suppose you’re right….”
Mark’s already pale face was turning even whiter.
“Mark, stop worrying and just see what other people are doing to change the future.”
“Uh… there are some interesting ones. There’s Google—it’s a search engine. But if search engines really take off, doesn’t that mean Big Brother’s world is coming? Everything we search gets recorded, and whoever controls that information controls the world, right?”
Big Brother was a term from George Orwell’s 1984, referring to a massive force that wielded power through the monopoly of information.
“Mark, FaceNote is ultimately destined to become Big Brother too.”
“What do you mean?”
Mark looked at me in surprise.
“FaceNote collects everything—personal privacy, social networks, shared interests, even relationship status and marriage history. All of a person’s information in one place. If we ever got greedy and sold information to certain politicians or groups, we could easily manipulate public opinion.”
“You’re right…. Why didn’t I think of that?”
In reality, FaceNote would face congressional hearings over exactly these kinds of issues.
[Mark, I’ll leave the congressional hearings to you.]
I patted Mark’s shoulder.
“Mark, let’s not worry too much about things that haven’t happened yet.”
“Uh… Sung-guk. Have you found any companies worth checking out?”
“Tesla—the electric car company. That’s what I’m most excited about. What about you?”
“That site I mentioned earlier that Google is developing—YouTube, where you upload videos. Doesn’t that sound interesting?”
[Mark really does have an eye for talent….]
“I’m keeping an eye on it too. Let’s go check out that booth later.”
“Okay!”
I flipped through the brochure from the Venture Conference Hall once more.
Right upon arrival, there was a presentation for Tesla, the electric vehicle company that would soon dominate the market. And even YouTube, which Google—a search engine that had begun to gain prominence a few years ago—had acquired.
I could feel the world slowly beginning to change.
* * *
The Venture Conference Hall was packed with people.
The moment I passed the information desk, I headed straight for Tesla’s business presentation hall.
“You’re going to Tesla’s business presentation, right, Sung-guk?”
“Yeah. What about you?”
“I’m not interested in electric vehicles. I’ll check out something else.”
“Got it.”
I made my way to the Auditorium where Tesla’s business presentation was being held.
[Damn, I’m late….]
The presentation had already begun.
I quietly opened the door and slipped inside.
Elon Musk stood at the podium, explaining Tesla to the audience.
[Elon, it’s been a while. Your hairline’s receded quite a bit since we last met. No worries though. I’ll make money later and get a transplant, right?]
I took a seat in the back row and listened to Elon’s presentation.
“A few years ago, when I came here with T.com, a simple payment system, I met a little kid.”
[That little kid was me, Elon.]
Elon remembered that encounter.
“I had various conversations with that friend from Korea. When I mentioned that as technology advances, the Earth is being destroyed, he said to me: wouldn’t that problem be solved if cars ran on electricity? Of course, it was just a child’s remark. I thought it was possible, but honestly, I didn’t take it very seriously.”
The people sitting in this hall didn’t seem to fully believe Elon Musk’s story either. Just like Elon back then.
Elon took a sip of water.
“It’s not like electric vehicles didn’t exist before, and it was already considered a business with no viability. But then that friend pointed to this water bottle and said something like this: this bottled water was also commercialized by someone long ago, but there was a time when people asked, ‘Why would anyone buy water?’ Back then, of course, all bottled water companies would have confirmed there was no business potential and either withdrawn or closed down. But now, we all buy water, don’t we? That’s what timing is all about.”
[Elon, you’re really using my words well.]
“That’s when I realized something. Electric vehicles that were abandoned as having no business potential were actually just waiting for the right timing. And the commercialization of electric vehicles must simultaneously present a new paradigm for driving.”
“What would that be?”
Someone in the audience asked a question.
“Don’t you all find driving tedious every time? Haven’t there been moments when you wish the car would drive itself?”
The audience’s reactions were mixed.
Some responded enthusiastically, while others got up and left, saying it was like science fiction.
But Elon Musk continued to express his vision to the very end.
“Tesla is not merely a car that runs on electricity. Of course, it’s an eco-friendly vehicle that considers the environment and the future. But what’s more important is autonomous driving.”
[Autonomous driving is coming up! That’s so like Elon….]
I gazed at Elon Musk with a satisfied expression.
The remaining audience members all showed interest in Elon’s vision.
“Once you ride in Tesla, you’ll probably be able to arrive at your destination while eating a hamburger. That’s the future of Tesla I’m presenting.”
Elon finished his speech and took a drink of water. Then he scanned the audience.
Murmurs echoed throughout the hall.
“A company nobody’s ever heard of is doing what even Mercedes and BMW couldn’t?”
“Venture firms like BMG are developing similar technology, sure. But can this person’s ideas really compete against the capital and resources of those massive corporations? That’s the real problem.”
“This guy made his fortune with T.com—he’s about to burn through all of it.”
The audience murmured among themselves, but no one stepped forward with a question.
Elon glanced at the audience, his impatience evident.
“No questions?”
“I have one.”
I raised my hand, and Elon’s gaze locked onto me instantly.
[Elon, it’s been a while.]
I offered him a subtle smile.
Elon’s lips curved upward in return, a knowing smile crossing his face.
“You there, young man—please go ahead with your question.”
“Regarding the autonomous driving system you just described—when do you think it could realistically be integrated into vehicles?”
“Exactly five years. It’ll be possible within five years.”
Elon Musk spoke with absolute conviction.

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

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