[System Message: The Heir is steadily strengthening his influence.Soon, he will obtain international power.]
[As expected of the Heir. The circumstances surrounding him have changed significantly since the beginning—has there been any sign of change in his character?]
[System Message: None at all. He continues to diligently decrypt the Akashic Records while expanding his forces.Based on current observations, his character is so upright that it is almost a cause for concern.]
[That is a relief. It seems there truly was a reason he was chosen as the Heir.Have there been any other notable developments?]
[System Message: …Earth is a truly beautiful planet.It reminds me of our homeland, which perished long ago after eons of time.]
[If it is the Heir, he will surely be able to protect that beautiful planet from crisis—unlike us, who were foolish… I would like to see it someday. Earth's scenery.]
[System Message: I will transmit a small amount of images and video via quantum entanglement communication.]
Six months passed.
During that time, the contract with Target was finalized,and soon, Luktic's products would be displayedin retail stores across the entire United States.
The vast land that had recently been nothing but foundation workwas now filled with massive factory buildings.
An industrial complex built on 100,000 pyeong of land.
The towering smokestacks rising from the enormous structurespierced the sky, releasing pale plumes of steam.
Compared to the tiny warehouse where we first started our business,or even the second 150-pyeong factory we had once built,this place existed on an entirely different scale.
This factory—boasting enough production capacityto satisfy all domestic demand in South Korea and more—had begun full operation just days ago.
Inside, production lines for Luktic Cream, Luktic Drink,and even the soon-to-be-approved hair-loss treatmentwere already fully installed.
Not long ago, the headquarters relocation was also completed.
The small warehouse that once served as our first officenow stood temporarily closed, holding nothing but memories of the past.
To operate a company that had grown exponentially,large-scale recruitment had taken place.
Before I even realized it,the number of Luktic employees—factory and office staff combined—had surpassed several thousand.
To be honest, it still didn't feel real.
It felt like just yesterdaythat I had been drowning in despair at home.
Like only yesterdaythat Dong-sik and I had started Luktic Creamin a tiny warehouse.
And yet, Luktic had grown this large.
After briefly touring the nonstop-operating factory,I returned to my new home in Seoul.
With our new headquarters now located in Jongno,I had secured a residence in Seoulto make commuting easier.
A modest apartment near Jongno.
For now, it was rented under the company's name.
But once Luktic went public,I would easily be able to purchase a homein Gangnam or one of the upscale neighborhoods north of the Han Riverwith my own money.
I wished my father would wake up soon.
I wanted him to see all of this in person.
I wondered what expression he would makewhen he learned that Shinjeon Chemical's industrial accident cover-uphad been exposed to the worldand that his son had achieved such success.
For that to happen,I needed to continue unlocking the knowledge of the Akashic Records.
If I could administer the next-stage Elixir to my father,his condition would surely improve even further.
After briefly preparing at home,I headed to the new headquarters.
The Vice Minister of the MFDSwas scheduled to come all the way from Chungcheongbuk-doto meet me in Seoul.
At the upper-right side of the ten-story office building,the large Luktic logo was prominently displayed.
Seeing this building—our headquarters—still filled me with emotion every time.
As I entered through the main doors,the employees in the lobby bowed to me in unison.
"Good morning, CEO."
"Yes, good morning.Let's give it our best today as well."
After returning their greetings,I took the elevator to the top floor.
A soft chime rang as the doors opened.
Stepping out,I walked to the elegant wooden door at the end of the corridorand entered the CEO's office.
Almost immediately, the intercom on my desk rang.
[CEO, the Vice Minister of the MFDS has arrived in the first-floor lobby.]
It was a message from the secretariat.
During the recent recruitment drive,several secretaries had been hired.
I had initially insistedthat I didn't yet need a personal secretary,but Director Kang Joo-tae firmly advised thatthe company had grown far too largefor the CEO to operate alone.
That was how the Executive Secretariat—an entire office dedicated to supporting me—came into existence.
It still felt a little surrealto have multiple people working solely to assist me,but I was doing my best to adapt.
I replied through the intercom.
"Understood.Please guide him here."
"Yes, CEO."
A short while later, the door opened,and a familiar high-ranking official entered.
The Vice Minister of the MFDS.
"CEO Hyun Si-woo, it's been a long time.We've spoken often over the phone,but it feels like it's been quite a whilesince we met in person."
"Vice Minister, welcome.That's certainly true. Haha.But for you to come all the way to Seoul personally…Could it be…?"
"Yes.Final approval has been grantedfor the Skin Regeneration Agent and Elixir.Their effectiveness in cancer treatment has been verified,and through the fast-track system,sales approval has been issued after passing only Phase 2."
At last—
Approval for the Skin Regeneration Agent and Elixir.
At last, the two medicines with terrifying healing powercould be released into the world.
"Thank you very much, Vice Minister.I know how much effort the MFDS put into this."
"Haha, it was only possiblebecause the President strongly supported it.And you mentioned that you would be applyingfor approval through modified new drug recognition, correct?"
"Yes. That's right.A drug manufactured by adding keratin and vitamin B12to the Skin Regeneration Agent."
"Hm…And what effect does this drug have?"
"It's a hair-loss treatment."
I showed him comparison photosof my scalp and that of a neighborhood manafter applying the hair-loss treatment,explaining its astonishing effectiveness.
"…Th-This… how is something like this even possible?"
"It was discovered while researching applicationsof the Skin Regeneration Agent.I was surprised myself."
The Vice Minister stared blankly at the materialsbefore looking back at me with trembling eyes.
"This is truly incredible…If what's written here is accurate,this will cause an unprecedented shock to the world…In terms of economic value,it may even surpass Elixir or the Skin Regeneration Agent."
"It is, after all, a medicine humanity has dreamed of for its entire history."
"Indeed… I myself…"
He trailed off.
Looking closely,it was obvious he too was suffering from hair loss.
Given the brutal workload and stressof rising to the position of vice ministerin a central government agency,it was hardly surprising.
For countless hardworking middle-aged men,hair loss was an unavoidable penalty of life.
Unfair, wasn't it?
To live diligently and honestly,only to be rewarded with hair loss.
Luktic's hair-loss treatmentwould soon correct this injustice of the world.
"Vice Minister,would you like to try our prototype?"
"…The prototype?B-But… would that really be all right?"
He hesitated.
After all, the number two officialof the very agency responsible for approving drugsusing an unapproved medicine himselfwas an ethical gray area.
"Oh—my apologies, Vice Minister.That was an inappropriate suggestion…"
After a brief silence,he spoke quietly.
"…CEO.Would it truly be acceptablefor me to try the prototype…?"
"Pardon?We would have no issue, but—"
"Then… please.I would like to try it."
With a slightly embarrassed expression,he bowed his headand asked for the prototype hair-loss treatment.
*
Along the vast and desolate western coast of the United States,a massive port complex stretched across the shoreline.
Port of Long Beach.
Located in California,it was America's primary gatewayfor trade with Asia.
Behind the port sprawled the great port city of Long Beach,a metropolis of three million peopleformed around this enormous harbor.
Howard—Head of Overseas Products Planningat U.S. distribution giant Target—stood watching cargo unloadedfrom ships that had crossed the Pacific.
"…Finally.Luktic's products are arriving."
He had flown over five hoursfrom Minnesota to California,despite both being in the same country.
Because of the three-hour time difference,he adjusted the hands of his wristwatch.
In the distance,massive containers were lifted one by oneby towering cranes.
They were products manufacturedat Luktic's newly completed mega-factory,shipped from Busan Port,and carried across the Pacific.
Howard recalled the wordsspoken by the planning director back at headquarters.
"Howard, I tried the samples you brought. They're extraordinary.I have no doubt this project will succeed.I've spent 25 years at Target,and I've never felt this strongly about a product before.This will work. I'm certain of it."
The memory gave Howard confidence.
This would succeed.
Hadn't he known thatfrom the very first momenthe tried Luktic Drink?
Soon, those containers would be loadedonto freight trains and trucks,transported to Target stores across America.
And there, on the shelves,they would meet American consumers.
"I never imagined the project would grow this large…but for some reason, my heart is pounding."
The samples Howard had brought back from Koreahad caused a massive stir within the company—to the point that even the Chairmanhad personally requested some.
The very next day,the Chairman summoned Howard,praised him highly for discovering such a company early,and ordered the project's scale to be expanded.
Originally, the plan had beento import a relatively small quantityand test sales at a limited number of stores.
But due to the Chairman's special directive,the first shipment alonewas enough to stock every Target store nationwide.
"…Whew."
Howard took a deep breath.
If this failed,his project could cost the companyhundreds of millions of dollars in losses.
"No.This will absolutely be a hit.Without question.Was there even a single employeewho tried Luktic's products and said anything negative?"
Reassuring himself,Howard gazed once more at the Port of Long Beach.
From the massive cargo ship,containers filled with Luktic's productscontinued to be unloaded without end.