Reset Life with Infinite Talents - Chapter 143
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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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Infinite Talent Reset Life Episode 143
“I’m sorry.”
Stanford University’s Student Startup Support Department.
“Registration is impossible without the supervising professor’s signature.”
“B-but they already used up all their slots and said it’s difficult!”
Despite the warm spring weather, a female student named Paula, wearing a gray hood pulled deep over her head, stamps her feet anxiously.
“How about aiming for next semester then?”
“I’m graduating this year though…”
“Oh dear…”
Then there’s nothing that can be done.
Student startup support is ultimately a program for current students.
To receive this support, she would need to extend her semester or enroll in graduate school.
“Then how about this.”
Stanford has a program that connects students with companies.
Although the startup item becomes subordinate to the company, Stanford’s exclusive law firm steps in to handle negotiations regarding intellectual property shares and royalties on their behalf.
Students can get hired by the company as soon as they graduate, and companies can expand their product range – it’s a win-win for both sides.
The companies are also vetted by Stanford.
“…I’ll think about it.”
“This is the best we can offer, so please think it over carefully.”
“Goodbye…”
With her head hung low, she exits the building and looks up at the sky.
Her Hispanic brown skin is revealed.
A scarf wraps around her neck despite the mild weather.
“Sigh.”
‘There’s no way companies would want this.’
A product needed by only a tiny fraction of America’s 300 million population.
Even then, it would need to be produced in various colors, inevitably raising production costs.
Her supervising professor had pointed out these problems and refused to sign.
It wasn’t that there were no slots available, but that he wouldn’t sign because the product lacked marketability.
Her classmates also pointed fingers at her, telling her not to waste precious slots on useless endeavors.
“Do I have to get a part-time job after all…”
But this wouldn’t go as planned either.
Having already failed at job hunting several times, she couldn’t help but be pessimistic.
‘There’s no way they’d hire someone with such a major flaw like me…’
“Phew. I need to cut down on living expenses first.”
Her tight living expenses barely covered one meal a day.
She couldn’t ask for more money from her parents, who were already struggling to provide even this support.
‘After graduation, I’ll have to pay back student loans too…’
How long would she need to save to produce a prototype?
‘5 years? 10 years?’
With her future looking bleak, she hangs her head as usual and starts walking.
“Wow. You missed this Aerosmith concert?”
“Are you trying to say you wasted half your life?”
Startled!
She shrinks back and steps aside as people approach.
Pulling up her scarf, she heads toward the dormitory.
‘A part-time job I can do remotely…’
Thud!
“Kyaa!”
She falls after bumping into something.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
As people quickly approach and extend their hands, she reflexively pulls up her scarf.
“I-I’m fine!”
While waving her hands, she’s startled by how light her arms feel and looks around.
Seeing books and materials scattered on the ground, her face turns pale.
‘No!’
These precious treasures that mustn’t be soiled.
“W-wait, move your legs!”
“We should pick these up for you, right? Hey, what are you doing? Help pick them up!”
“Okay!”
The children pick up the books and materials and hand them to the woman.
“Th-thank you!”
Hastily receiving them, she dusts them off and checks the materials first for any tears or stains, her eyes trembling.
“Huh? Huh? Wh-where did it go?”
The most important thing is missing.
The notebook containing her research results and product blueprints.
Just as she was about to panic and look down again.
“Are you looking for this?”
“…Ah!”
That’s right. The brown cover with ‘Paula’ written on it.
It’s definitely her notebook.
“Thank you! Thank you! Well then! …Huh?”
As she grabs the notebook and tries to stand up, she looks at Johann, who grips the notebook firmly and won’t let go.
Johann smiles and taps the notebook.
“Can I invest in this?”
“…What?”
“This. Burn scar concealing stickers.”
She stares at Johann in bewilderment.
His friends do the same.
* * *
***
* * *
Clatter!
Professor Craig’s office.
Coffee is placed in front of Professor Richard.
“…”
The two drink their coffee in silence.
Professor Craig speaks first.
“What is that guy?”
“A genius who gave me advice at the mere age of 11.”
A genius who advised not just matching the music of that era, but adapting the entire surrounding environment to when the Alzheimer’s patient was young.
Thanks to this, research on ‘the impact of music on treating neurological diseases accompanied by cognitive function loss’ progressed dramatically.
No, even the research title changed.
To ‘The Impact of Music and Environment on Treating Neurological Diseases Accompanied by Cognitive Function Loss.’
“I guess it worked out.”
“No matter how simply you explain it, do you think an 11-year-old could distinguish between implicit and explicit memory? And those suggestions he just made…”
Those proposals were definitely not something a 16-year-old would say.
He wished he could stop running away from reality now.
“Phew.”
As Professor Craig’s gaze changed, Professor Richard hurriedly spoke up.
“Don’t be greedy. It’s mine.”
“That remains to be seen.”
Professor Richard’s eyebrows twitched as he twisted the corner of his mouth.
“Did I hit a sore spot?”
“…Tsk.”
Though the subject was omitted, Professor Craig understood and his face contorted.
Research on complete plastic decomposition using intestinal bacteria from mealworms.
The words and meaning sound grand.
However, it’s not research that would immediately generate money, there’s no guarantee when it will end, and the probability of failure is high.
Naturally, the budget can only be set tightly.
The budget was inevitably a sore spot for Professor Craig that would make him scream if poked.
Moreover, this research is currently just at the starting point.
‘Just like that audacious brat said.’
But admitting it in front of a colleague professor would hurt his pride.
“What about you? You can’t be free from budget constraints either, can you?”
Professor Richard, who still appears on broadcasts once a year due to lack of research funding.
“I discovered a new substance. I plan to announce it soon.”
“That means you’re just getting started.”
Meaning there’s only money-consuming work left ahead.
Since research by nature can’t be guaranteed until success is achieved, Professor Richard also can’t be free from budget constraints.
“This is why I hate people who know this field too well.”
“Hmph.”
The two glared at each other while drinking coffee.
“What are you going to do?”
“Do you think it’s possible?”
As Johann said, university research also receives external investment.
But there’s a prerequisite for this.
It must be a company or individual deeply connected to Stanford University.
Johann fails to meet that qualification from the start.
“Such an easy qualification.”
“Right.”
A very, very easy condition.
Both twisted their lips.
* * *
***
* * *
Whoosh!
A cafe with elegant interior where water spurts from a small fountain.
Johann bows his head toward Paula Diaz, who is hesitating.
“First, let me apologize. I’m sorry for looking at your notebook without permission.”
“…Yes.”
Paula Diaz swallows her displeasure.
If it weren’t for the offer to buy coffee, she would have turned around immediately.
“Then may I introduce myself?”
“…It’s okay. I know.”
Johann Jefferson, the Wolf Boy covered in scars all over his body.
“You know me?”
“…Yeah.”
The SNS post that changed her life and thoughts five years ago.
Johann was the protagonist of that SNS post.
“Paula Diaz. 4th Grade Chemical Engineering major.”
“And a monster.”
At the voice that suddenly interrupted, Paula Diaz’s face turns pale.
She doesn’t turn her head but bows it deeply.
“Hey, monster. What are you doing here? Didn’t I tell you not to be seen? Hey, can’t you hear me?”
Three blonde white women wrapped in luxury brands from head to toe.
The pink accents remind one of something.
“A hometown friend of this monster? How nice that you came to meet something like this.”
“…Sigh. There are always empty-headed ones like these.”
Scrape!
Emily, Lucy, Joy, and the female friends press down on Johann and the men’s shoulders as they stand up.
When Johann and the men stand up, it’s definitely trouble.
The women look on mockingly from behind Emily.
“What, what?”
“Shut up and get lost. Unless you want to get beaten up.”
“You, you little girls dare to say that to us….”
“Want to get torn apart by those little girls? Should I scratch up your face along with those fakes?”
“What’s fake! Who said it’s fake!”
“Do you know how much this bag costs?”
Emily lifts up an orange Hermès Birkin bag.
“What about this outfit?”
A shirt with a small Prada logo.
Joy and Lucy also sneer as they lift up limited edition Louis Vuitton and Chanel bags.
Bags with signs of daily use, as if they’re real luxury items.
“What about these earrings?”
“….”
“Want to give me those? I’ll tear them right up. If they’re not fake, I’ll compensate double.”
“What, what are you saying! Annoying girls! Let’s go!”
Real rich people they wouldn’t dare to mess with.
The women fled with their tails between their legs, and Johann and the men applauded their female friends who were acting proud, saying ‘See? This is how you deal with women.’
Seeing this, Paula Diaz quickly got up.
“Well, then!”
“Me too!”
Johann stops Paula.
“I had scars.”
All over my body.
“Though they probably aren’t as much as yours, as much as the wounds your heart has suffered.”
Then he stares at Paula’s scarf.
Under that gaze, Paula grimaces and grips her scarf tightly with both hands.
Johann moves toward her as she shrinks back.
He takes her hands and tells her with his eyes that it’s okay.
Then he carefully unravels the scarf.
“Gasp!”
“Hmm.”
Screams burst out.
The terrible burn scar covering the left side of her neck is etched into everyone’s eyes.
Paula, who had come to her senses and was hurriedly wrapping her scarf, is surprised when she sees Johann’s eyes.
Eyes with no emotion seeping through whatsoever.
These are eyes I haven’t seen even once since getting these burns.
“Don’t I look… like a monster?”
“Hmm. It is a bit unsightly.”
But that’s all.
Nothing more, nothing less.
“Did the burns reach your shoulder?”
The scars continue along the trapezius muscle, extending under her clothes.
“…Up to the upper part of my arm.”
“It must have hurt a lot. How about now?”
“If I press it… it hurts a little.”
Drip!
Tears flow down from her as she presses her neck, indicating that pressing this much hurts.
At Johann’s calm question, the dark something that filled her chest becomes a little lighter.
Johann pulled her into an embrace.
“You’ve worked hard.”
For not giving up until now.
For trying to do something.
For trying to overcome it.
“Sob!”
She grabbed Johann’s clothes and cried silently, choking back sobs.
* * *
***
* * *
“I’m going to be a singer!”
Paula Diaz was a girl no different from any other girl.
A teenage girl who liked to dress up, sang along to singers on TV while shaking her hips, and sometimes got into trouble.
A girl who was happy chattering with friends in pajamas.
A girl who loved pitching tents in the backyard and roasting marshmallows.
That day was the same.
Camping day that happened once every two months.
They pitched a tent in the backyard and lit a campfire.
Under her parents’ protection, she roasted marshmallows with friends and danced to music.
The wind blowing a little stronger than usual didn’t interfere at all.
That day too, they played excitedly until they were exhausted and fell asleep.
Paula’s parents went into the house first and fell asleep.
Trusting only the fence that prevented anyone from entering the backyard without going through the house.
Without checking the embers.
‘It’s hot.’
What Paula saw when she woke up was the tent on fire.
“Kyah! Wake up! Quickly! Dad-! Mom-!”
She urgently woke her friends and called for her parents.
Fortunately, since there were two entrances, she came out through the opposite side.
In the howling strong wind, after confirming her friends were safe, only one thought came to Paula’s mind.
‘I have to save the tent!’
The precious hideout of her and her friends.
The treasure that shared camping days with them.
She urgently turned on the water tap in the backyard to fill a bucket, approached the tent that had already burned more than half, and at that moment, a piece of tent fabric that was fluttering in the flames flew over and stuck to her neck.
“…Kyaaaaaaah!”
That accident turned her life into hell.
* * *
***
* * *
“It wasn’t just because of the scars.”
‘S-sorry.’
‘Let’s play next time.’
Friends who left so easily.
‘Hey, monster! They say you’re a monster!’
‘Don’t come near!’
People who so easily stabbed knives into her heart.
When her heart was dying like that, she discovered Johann’s SNS post like fate.
A boy whose whole body was covered with scars like herself.
A boy who lived with wolves in the wilderness.
Watching him play guitar and have fun as if scars were nothing at all, she was able to gain a little courage.
The courage to leave her room.
Not only herself, but many people in the community suffering from burn scars also gained courage.
After that, she took the GED (General Educational Development Test), entered Stanford University, and researched these scar-covering stickers by going through all kinds of papers and library books.
“It’s not that there aren’t similar types of stickers…”
“But their adhesive strength is either too strong or too weak.”
Too much stimulation for burned skin.
“Yes. That’s why I researched everything from adhesives to fibers.”
For four years, experimenting on her own body.
For people who would suffer from the same pain as herself.
To allow them to freely walk around outside, even if just for a moment.
Through such efforts, she finally reached the final stage.
“Sob!”
Emily and her female friends shed tears and embrace Paula. They pat her, saying she worked hard.
Paula, momentarily surprised, then smiles faintly and pats them back.
‘These are children with beautiful hearts.’
“Hmm. I can’t say this is the final stage yet.”
At Johann’s words as he looked at her research notes, everyone glares at him.
Their eyes are reproaching him for wanting to say such things in this situation.
“Feedback should be clear. You guys can see it too, right?”
“Really, you…”
Even though he’s her boyfriend, at times like this he really doesn’t seem like the same person.
Emily frowns as she looks at the research notes and makes a groaning sound.
“Ugh. You’re right.”
“Right.”
“Something important is missing.”
Joy and Lucy also nod their heads.
“Hmm. What I see is just that the customers are too limited.”
“Is this the only size available?”
Flash and Mason’s questions.
Paula answers urgently.
“I-I made it big so you could cut it to use since I don’t know the size of scars!”
“I see…”
“No. I understand that, but the problem with colors… ah, it’s written here.”
“Yes. I’m aware of that problem too.”
White, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Arab.
Not only skin color, but everyone has different skin tones.
If the skin tone is even slightly different, it shows immediately.
But to solve this, money is ultimately needed.
“I can handle that, so it doesn’t matter.”
“…Ah. Right. Johann, with your abilities, it would work.”
Hyperrealism’s Absolute Color Sense. He could definitely extract colors identical to human skin.
“…Then what? What’s the problem?”
“Flash said the right answer.”
“Huh?”
“That we limited the target users for this.”
Whatever the intention, this is business.
We need to sell even one more unit somehow, so does it make sense to limit our sales targets?
“…Ah!”
Emily claps her hands.
“I see. If it’s tape that matches skin tone exactly, it could cover tattoos too!”
People commonly think Americans consider tattoos fashionable, but this is greatly mistaken.
America also has poor perceptions of tattoos.
There are actually cases of broken engagements because of tattoos, and failing interviews is commonplace.
In modeling tests, having tattoos on your body means immediate elimination.
Despite many people regretting their momentary rebellion, the biggest reason they can’t erase them is the cost of tattoo removal.
We can target these people.
“Also, women struggling with blemishes on their arms or legs could be targets too.”
“Blemishes! That’s another one!”
Not just acne, but moles and sun-damaged skin too.
Things that are bothersome to cover with makeup would look like smooth skin just by applying this sticker.
It’s a low-irritation product with long-lasting durability, even with micro air holes so skin can breathe.
More than just competitive, it’s a product that has no choice but to succeed.
Johann looks at Paula, who’s gaping at the rapidly progressing conversation.
“So will you accept my investment? I’ll invest $500,000 as the first round.”
“…What?”
$500,000.
Paula froze completely.
That was the moment.
Bzzzz! Bzzzz!
“Ah, just a moment.”
It’s Professor Richard’s call.
‘This feels good?’
For some reason, he has an intuition that permission will be granted.
Johann twists his lips and answers the phone.
“Yes, Professor.”
-Accept the investment. However.
‘Hm?’
-The condition is that you must attend Stanford after graduation.
“…What?”
Johann froze just like Paula.
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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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