The Secret Investment Formula of a Chemical Genius - Chapter 156



Only Krnovel

Episode 156: The White House

-Are you okay, Professor Han?

“I only suffered minor bruises.”

– Even if there are no external injuries, there may be internal problems due to the shock wave. If you feel even the slightest abnormality in your body, go to the hospital without delay.

“Okay, Professor.”

After that, Professor Jennon Smith continued to spout off things that were either nagging or worrying.

Let’s hang up the phone.

Taekang came closer, grumbling as if he had been drenched in rain.

“Why? What else don’t you like?”

“Take a look at this.”

What the guy handed me was a medical bill.

“It came out pretty well.”

“Is this a good deal? They only applied disinfectant a few times and charged me $320?”

“I can’t help it. The hospital told me to do that.”

“Like the tip last time, how on earth is this country run?”

“It’s because our country has health insurance.”

“No, I saw in the video last time that they were intentionally charging more than the original price. So if you lie down in the hallway and say you’re full, they’ll give you about half the price.”

“So you’re really going to lie down?”

“There’s no way I can’t do it.”

A serious tone without even a hint of humor.

I barely managed to calm Taekang down and return to the hotel, saying that if I did something wrong, it could end up on an overseas topic.

* * *

– A train derailment in the quiet small town of Omaha released a total of 12 chemicals, including benzene, butylated acrylic acid, and ammonium nitrate, into the air, forcing the emergency evacuation of 4,532 residents living in the area. Authorities believe the cause of the accident was deformation due to overheating of the locomotive’s wheel bearings, and a more precise cause of the accident will be determined through a detailed examination.

I quietly watched the news on TV.

Accident caused by carelessness.

It’s the same even if you change to another channel.

I turned off the power and sank deep into the sofa.

Fortunately, there were no fatalities in this accident.

Considering the scale of the accident, it was nothing short of a miracle.

The person most seriously injured in this accident was the engineer who was operating the freight train.

Despite serious injuries, including several broken ribs, he carried out his duties until the end.

Thanks to that, people were able to be evacuated safely.

… … It wasn’t intentional.

If the driver intentionally caused the accident.

There’s no way they could have warned me that I was loaded with ammonium nitrate.

An incident that is attracting a lot of attention.

The authorities would not have investigated a case of this magnitude so perfunctorily.

No matter how you look at it, it’s an ‘accident’.

I took out the note from my pocket.

– The world never had you.

A phrase written on a piece of paper held by a man with gray hair in an old photo.

There are only two people in the world who know about this.

With the man who looks like me in the picture.

My father, who has now passed away and is no longer in this world.

While I was thinking about this and that.

Taekang, who had been out, came into the hotel room.

“What did you say?”

“It seems difficult, but you look like you’re busy dealing with the aftermath of the accident.”

“I guess so.”

I let out a long sigh.

Juan from Mexico.

I was wondering if I could ask the police if they could find the guy.

Omaha’s government offices are currently in a state of emergency.

I barely had the energy to worry about even one pickpocket.

There, I also have an appointment with the US President in a few days, so I can’t stay here until the chaos calms down.

“What about CCTV?”

The guy shook his head.

It’s a very small train station, but it’s still a train station.

I was wondering if I could get a picture of Juan or the Asian guy who allegedly ordered him to do it on CCTV.

There is only one CCTV that covers the inside of the station.

Even that was completely blown away by the explosion.

This is a headache.

Let’s recall the text on the note.

Suddenly, that thought occurred to me.

Some huge invisible current.

I feel like my existence is not being allowed.

A feeling of discomfort, as if one could never acknowledge the existence of ‘oneself’.

“Again, what are you worrying about that makes you look like an old man carrying all the worries in the world on his shoulders?”

Taekang took a sip of the canned beer he took out of the fridge and let out a “Wow!” sound.

“delicious?”

“What? This?”

The guy shook the can in his hand.

“Yes, that thing you’re holding in your hand.”

“of course.”

“Then give me one too.”

“… … !”

Taekang’s mouth opened wide as if he was about to fall to the ground.

“What are you doing? Give me a can of beer.”

“Did something go wrong with your head because of the explosion?”

“I’m fine.”

The guy who approached me hesitantly held out something in his left hand to me.

“… …Relax your hands.”

“Oh, sorry. Sorry.”

I slowly drank the beer that I had barely managed to snatch from Taekang’s grasp.

A frown that I don’t realize is forming.

I barely managed to take a sip and placed the can on the table.

“It’s not that great, is it?”

“That’s right.”

I didn’t really like alcohol to begin with.

Because I don’t like the feeling of my whole self being clouded by alcohol.

“Then why are you doing something you don’t usually do? Just eat this like you usually do.”

Taekang grinned and handed me a carbonated drink.

“It’s delicious.”

“Still the same. That elementary school kid’s taste. Now tell me. What’s bothering you?”

“… … By the way, what if the world hates you?”

“The world hates you?”

“To put it a little more simply, it means that fate does not allow you.”

The guy who heard me tilted his head.

“what’s the matter?”

“No, what you just said made me feel like I’ve seen it somewhere… … .”

The guy who had been groaning and wrapping his head for a while clapped his hands!

“Ah! I remembered.”

“what?”

“I thought of a movie similar to what you said before.”

“Was there a movie like that?”

“Oh, the characters accidentally escape death, but in reality, it wasn’t like that. The fate of death keeps lingering around the main character and the characters, waiting for an opportunity to kill them as usual.”

I leaned toward the guy.

“So, how did it end?”

“asleep.”

“……what?”

“They’ll all die. Not a single one will be left behind.”

“… … .”

“You can never escape your predetermined fate. That’s the moral of the movie… … Ah! Wait a minute. Why are you suddenly like that? Put down that can in your hand! Ugh!”

* * *

“It was more fun than you thought?”

“… … .”

“You watched the movies I mentioned yesterday, from part 1 to part 4, back to back all night long without stopping.”

“Drive quietly and look ahead, sir.”

“Yes! I will take you safely to Washington DC, sir!”

I shook my head as I watched the guy talking playfully.

Repair work on the derailment that occurred at Omaha Station.

With the train out of the way for a while, we rented a car.

“I can’t remember how long it’s been since I’ve felt this cool.”

Taekang, who was driving the car, hummed.

A road that is wide open and free of obstructions.

A sight that is unimaginable in Korea.

Enjoy the wild breeze that tickles your cheeks.

The car continued straight ahead along the highway without any obstruction.

I ran like that for three whole days.

We were finally able to enter Washington DC.

* * *

“… … Are you really going to wear that?”

“Of course! It’s the White House. I told Hyejin that I had taken special care of this.”

The guy was wearing a black suit and stood in front of a full-length mirror, striking poses here and there.

“And you even brought this.”

Taekang put his sunglasses on his eyes.

“It’s night now. If you wear that, you won’t be able to see properly.”

“This kind of thing is originally done for style.”

“Don’t regret it later.”

“What are you talking about? Why should I regret it?”

After getting ready, we got into the car.

“Is that the Lincoln Memorial?”

“I guess so.”

The most respected president in American history.

The Lincoln Memorial, built in 1922 to commemorate Abraham Lincoln, who abolished slavery, was located on the west side of the National Mall.

“You see that statue of President Lincoln over there? He’s sitting on a chair.”

“maybe.”

“It’s a shame. If only we had more time.”

“I have to stay in Washington DC for the time being, so I guess we’ll have a chance to meet later.”

We passed the Lincoln Memorial, and finally the white building that is like a symbol of the world’s free world.

Approached the White House.

Strict security can be felt even outside the building.

As the distance grew closer, heavily armed security personnel approached with rifles.

“How did you find us?”

“I have an appointment with the President this evening.”

While the bodyguard was talking to someone with his hand on his ear, he was told to wait a moment.

Another bodyguard, accompanied by a military dog, went out to search the car.

“Could you please step out of the car for a moment?”

We obediently followed the security guard’s instructions and got out of the car and underwent a simple body search.

“Your identity has been confirmed. Please come in.”

We followed the security detail into the White House.

“It’s going to be quite tough to infiltrate here.”

Taekang whispered softly in my ear in Korean.

… … What are you going to do by infiltrating here?

When I gave him a quick glare, he smiled awkwardly.

“Just like a habit, without me knowing.”

What the hell was this guy doing while he was in the military?

While I was clicking my tongue inwardly.

“Ms. Han Yu-jin?”

“Yes, I am Han Yu-jin. Who are you?”

“My name is Jeffrey, and I am a senior advisor to the White House Secretariat.”

I took the hand he extended to me.

“The President is waiting for Han Yu-jin in the Cabinet Room. Please follow me.”

Just as I was about to follow him.

“Bodyguard, please follow me.”

“Okay, wait a minute!”

The security guard who guided us here motioned for Taekang to follow him.

“Why are you doing that?”

“I am not a bodyguard!”

In strong denial.

The bodyguard quickly scanned Taekang from head to toe and then turned his head towards me as if he found it strange.

“Aren’t you really Han Yu-jin’s personal bodyguard?”

“Haha, of course. That’s right, Eugene.”

“… … .”

“… … Eugene?”

There was a brief incident, but our group followed Jeffrey’s instructions and moved to the West Wing, the western wing of the White House.

“I heard that the East Wing is usually open for tourists.”

“… … .”

“In particular, they said that they decorated the rooms with colors that matched their names, such as the Green Room, Blue Room, and Red Room.”

“… … .”

“How long are you going to be so upset?”

“Don’t tell me, traitor.”

“Traitor, that’s too harsh. I was just thinking about something else for a moment and that’s why I’m responding so late.”

“Don’t lie! I saw the conflict in your eyes!”

Senior Assistant Jeffrey, who was walking ahead, smiled faintly.

“I’m sorry, Vice President Lee Tae-kang. I don’t think I was able to contact the security guard properly.”

The guy waved Jeffrey’s apology away.

“No. It’s something that people do, so of course they can make mistakes. Unless you ‘intend’ to.”

“Who wears that for so long?”

He stared at me for a moment.

Taekang, whose mood quickly improved, smiled brightly.

I was amazed as I looked around the White House, which I had never seen before.

“Come on in.”

“thank you.”

The door to the cabinet room opens.

“welcome!”

An old man with white hair greeted us with a bright smile.

Larry Selden.

That old man who looks so good, like the old man next door.

A man who rose to the top by beating out his rivals in the jungle-like politics of Washington.

“My name is Han Yu-jin.”

“This is Lee Tae-kang!”

“Nice to meet you two, this way.”

The two of us sat across from him.

“I really wanted to see it, and now I get to see it like this.”

“It’s a new feeling for me to see the President, whom I only saw on TV every day.”

President Larry Selden chuckled.

“You wanted to meet me?”

“yes.”

“Why are you doing this?”

… … There is no such thing as a hundred-year-old snake.

Of course, that’s obvious.

An interview with the US President is unlikely to be arranged easily.

He, too, must know perfectly well why I came here today.

What a clever thing to do.

“I came to discuss issues related to CZTERA, which will be located in California’s San Joaquin Valley.”

“is it so?”

President Larry Selden looked blankly at Senior Advisor Jeffrey, as if he had no clue.

“What Han Yu-jin said is correct.”

“I’m sorry. Maybe it’s because you’re getting older, but you’re a bit forgetful. So what kind of ‘help’ do you need?”

The word help.

As if he came to see me because he felt sorry for me.

That magical way of speaking that definitely establishes our relationship with him.

I laughed softly.

“If I tell you, will you help me with anything?”

“Well, I guess I’ll have to hear the story.”

As a politician, he didn’t give any definitive answers and just took a step back.

Like a turtle hiding its head in its shell.

then…….

“I want a stake in the exchange.”

“… … !”

I have no choice but to knock on the shell.

Until the turtle pops its head out.

Very hard.