When Taeho pressed a button on the control panel, the large screen on the left lit up brightly. Complex scientific data appeared clearly on the enormous display, fifteen meters wide and eight meters tall.
“This is the complete genetic sequence of the virus extracted from the blood of the first Brest patient, Professor Yamada Takeshi.”
On the screen, a DNA double helix twisted like a spiral ladder, rotating in three dimensions. Base sequences marked ATCG stretched on endlessly.
ATGCGTA···
TACGCAT···
Everyone in the auditorium held their breath and stared at the screen. Those who could not understand the complex genetic data could only sense that something grave was being revealed. The biologists and medical personnel, however, reacted differently.
“That sequence is far too elaborate. For a natural virus, it’s too systematic. It’s like a blueprint.”
The representative from Germany’s disease control agency whispered to a colleague.
Taeho operated the controls again.
“And now, please look at this.”
The screen on the right turned on. The same DNA helix structure appeared. Anyone with basic scientific knowledge could tell that it was identical to the one on the left.
“This is the genetic sequence of the ‘Cognitive Ability Enhancement Viral Vector’ that Global Pharmaco filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on October 15, 2025.”
The American representative shot to his feet, and gasps erupted simultaneously from the Chinese delegation’s seats.
“My God!”
“This is······.”
A change came over the Global Pharmaco VIP seats, which had been observing the situation from the sidelines.
Chairman Richard Wilson’s face twitched for an instant.
“Hm······.”
The aides seated beside him could hear the chairman’s low groan.
Taeho pointed his laser pointer alternately at the two screens.
“Let us compare the two sequences.”
The screen split, placing the two DNA sequences side by side. The computer began automatically comparing the base sequences.
ATGCGT······ Patient virus
ATGCGT······ Global Pharmaco patent
Matching sections began to appear in green, differing sections in red.
The screen was almost entirely dyed green.
The scientists in the auditorium were horrified.
When the computer analysis was complete, a huge number appeared at the center of the screen.
Taeho brought his mouth close to the microphone.
“The match rate is 99.97%.”
A suffocating silence engulfed the auditorium.
The WHO chief scientific adviser stood and spoke in a trembling voice.
“99.97%······.”
“The probability of such a match occurring in nature is astronomically low.”
The chair professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School added.
Taeho took the microphone again.
“To be precise, the probability of such a match occurring in nature is one in a trillion. Statistically, that means impossible.”
Chairman Wilson, seated in the Global Pharmaco VIP section, glared at Taeho with terrifying eyes.
He resolved to find out, down to the last detail, how that young upstart had obtained Global Pharmaco’s internal information.
A CNN reporter broadcast toward the camera in an excited voice.
“This is the greatest scandal in the history of the medical world!”
“Global Pharmaco has been caught red-handed!”
“This is the greatest scandal in medical history!”
BBC reporters and Al Jazeera reporters rushed to report as well.
The reactions of the representatives from each country changed dramatically.
The American representative, pale-faced, made an urgent report to Washington, and the German representative was already placing a direct call to the chancellor’s office in Berlin. The French representative was just as busy reporting to his government.
As if he had been waiting for this, the Chinese representative fiercely condemned it as “capitalist biochemical terrorism.”
The Indian representative stood and shouted.
“We have been the victims of experiments like this for decades!”
The representative of the African Union also exploded with anger.
“The atrocities of Western pharmaceutical companies have finally been exposed!”
The auditorium had now descended into utter chaos.
Taeho quietly watched the entire scene from the podium.
His expression said it was not over yet.
He operated the control panel again. Every gaze focused on him once more.
“There is more specific and definitive evidence.”
Taeho’s voice pierced through the auditorium. The commotion gradually died down.
The screen on the left changed to a new display. This time, it was not scientific data, but a document.
It was clearly an internal document, with Global Pharmaco’s official logo printed at the top. In red letters, it was marked “CONFIDENTIAL—LEVEL 5 CLEARANCE ONLY.”
The moment Chairman Wilson saw the document, his face turned pale.
‘There’s a traitor inside?’
Taeho began pointing at the document with his laser pointer.
“This is an internal memo from Global Pharmaco.”
When the title of the document was enlarged, the auditorium stirred once again.
Taeho continued reading.
“‘Level-4 containment breach occurred at the Prometheus Project virus storage facility. Due to an error by researcher J. Morrison, 0.5 ml of V-7 sample was exposed to the atmosphere.’”
He paused briefly and looked around the auditorium.
“The date of authorship is October 12 of this year. Exactly three days later, the first patient appeared at the Brest International Neuroscience Conference.”
A WHO epidemiological investigator added.
“The incubation period of the virus is exactly seventy-two hours. The temporal connection is perfect!”
At the back of the auditorium, in the press section, the clatter of reporters’ keyboards rang out noisily. Newsrooms around the world were already preparing breaking news reports.
A CNN reporter broadcast toward the camera in a low voice.
“We are witnessing a historic moment. If this is true, Global Pharmaco will be engulfed in an enormous crisis.”
Chairman Wilson sat in place like stone, his face terrifying.
CSO Logan said to Wilson,
“Richard, you have to deny it, even now. Claim the documents were fabricated!”
His hands were trembling violently, and cold sweat streamed down his forehead.
But Legal Director Collins shook her head coldly.
“It’s no use. Too much evidence has already come out. For now, don’t say anything.”
When Taeho finished presenting the evidence, WHO special investigation team leader Thompson walked up to the podium. His expression was solemn.
“Ladies and gentlemen, as the head of the WHO special investigation team, I will explain the full circumstances of this incident.”
When Thompson took the microphone, the auditorium fell silent.
“This is not a simple medical accident.”
A new video began playing on the right screen. It showed the patients at the time of the Brest conference.
Images appeared one after another: Professor Yamada in agony, Professor Müller collapsing unconscious, Dr. Davis convulsing.
“According to the WHO investigation, this is defined as biochemical terrorism against humanity.”
Thompson looked at Taeho and continued.
“And Dr. Kang Taeho has, with the emergence of a new virus, once again performed a miracle. He cured the virus they created before they could.”
The screen changed, showing the patients fully recovered.
Professor Yamada was smiling brightly and waving from his hospital bed. Professor Müller was conducting experiments in his laboratory again, and Dr. Davis was shown walking through a park with his daughter.
“The WHO officially approves Dr. Kang Taeho’s new treatment method. We also highly recognize his contributions to the advancement of human medicine.”
Clap, clap, clap!
Applause began to break out from all over the auditorium.
At first it was the WHO medical staff, and then even the representatives of health authorities from various countries rose to their feet and clapped.
They instinctively sensed that Global Pharmaco was now finished. The evidence that it had violated the taboo of experimenting on human beings was far too clear.
The applause grew louder and louder until it filled the auditorium like thunder.
Taeho quietly bowed from the podium.
Outside the auditorium, news of Global Pharmaco’s stock price collapse was already spreading.
Trading had been halted simultaneously on fifty exchanges around the world, and governments of each country had entered emergency meetings.
But Taeho had no interest in any of that. There was only one thought in his mind.
“Now I’ll be able to go home.”
“You’ve worked hard.”
Gihwan smiled brightly.
***
The Air France 777 aircraft was flying at an altitude of ten thousand meters. Seated in business class, Taeho and Gihwan were finally headed home.
Gihwan was gazing at the clouds outside the window when he suddenly turned his head and looked at Taeho.
“Director.”
“Yes?”
“There’s something I’m curious about.”
Taeho turned his seat and looked at Gihwan.
“What is it?”
“When you were giving your presentation. I understand the viral gene sequence analysis. That was something we verified in the lab.”
Gihwan paused for a moment and studied Taeho’s expression.
“But how did you get Global Pharmaco’s internal confidential document? You were with me the whole time.”
At Taeho’s peculiar expression, Gihwan tilted his head and recalled the time that had passed. He might look clumsy, but his memory was better than the average person’s.
“How did you know about an internal memo like, ‘Level-4 containment breach occurred at the Prometheus Project virus storage facility’? I never saw you contacting anyone from Global Pharmaco, and I doubt you hacked them.”
Taeho laughed and waved his hand.
“Hacking? Of course not. It wasn’t anything like that.”
“Then what was it? Are you connected to an intelligence agency? Somewhere like the CIA or the NIS?”
“Come on, that’s ridiculous. This isn’t a movie.”
Taeho answered with a bitter smile.
“Then how on earth?”
Like the scientist he was, Gihwan seemed determined not to back down until his curiosity was satisfied.
In truth, Taeho had obtained the information through Rema. The database of Project Asclepius now allowed far freer access to classified matters than before.
But he could not say that honestly, and he did not want to lie to Gihwan either.
After thinking for a moment, Taeho opened his mouth.
“Let’s just say I was lucky. Anyway, did you get Sophie’s contact information?”
At the mention of Sophie’s name, Gihwan’s face turned red all the way down to his neck.
“What?”
Flustered, Gihwan averted his gaze.
“You two seemed to be getting along quite well. Don’t tell me you didn’t even get her contact information.”
“Well······.”
“Sophie is quite a beauty, you know······.”
“Well, sh-she lives so far away.”
Gihwan began to stammer.
“What does distance matter these days? But didn’t you like Sophie too, Mr. Gihwan?”
“What? That’s, I, I mean······.”
Gihwan fidgeted like a puppy that needed to go.
Taeho smiled and said,
“Tell her to come visit Samcheok sometime. Say we have seafood and plenty of delicious things there too, and that we’ll treat her.”
“But it’s too, too long-distance······.”
Seeing him answer immediately, it was clear that Gihwan had thought about it as well. The fact that he had even considered inviting Sophie to Samcheok meant Gihwan also felt quite fond of her.
Taeho could be certain because he had watched Gihwan all this time. Gihwan had never shown this much interest in a woman before.
“The Samcheok Emergency Center will be built soon, and the Samcheok Research Institute will be expanded too. Won’t the pharmaceutical department need more personnel?”
“······.”
Gihwan stared at Taeho with his mouth open.
“All our researchers are more than capable of communicating in English, so is there really any need to go out of our way to find personnel only in Korea? I’m thinking of recruiting people from overseas from now on.”
“Ah, do you think Sophie would come? Ah, no, what I mean is······.”
Having blurted out his true feelings without thinking, Gihwan became flustered again.
Taeho patted Gihwan on the back and said,
“Well, wouldn’t that depend on what our deputy director does? They say the power of love crosses borders, after all.”
“Ah······.”
Gihwan’s eyes went unfocused.
He was clearly imagining Sophie coming to the Geumsan Research Institute and conducting research together with him.
Taeho left Gihwan to dream freely about the future. If a talent like Sophie really did come, he was prepared to hire her immediately.
At that moment, Rema’s voice sounded in Taeho’s ear.
—I will begin the reward process.