Episode 23. Even a Line Coming Up from Below Is Still a Line 7.
Yang Gyeonghun and Hyeonu, guided by an employee, stood before the door to M Biotech’s CEO’s office.
The employee knocked and spoke toward the door.
“CEO, the people from Mancheon Mulsan are here.”
[Send them in.]
When they entered through the door the employee opened, CEO Yun Minyeon rose to greet them.
“Welcome. I’m Yun Minyeon.”
Yang Gyeonghun took the hand he offered.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Team Leader Yang Gyeonghun of Sales Team 9.”
“I’m Kim Hyeonu.”
“I just got a call saying the team in charge had changed and that you’d be contacting us, but I didn’t expect you to come right away like this.”
“Before the handover, we wanted to meet you as well and take a look around the company, so we came in a bit of a hurry.”
“I see. Please, have a seat. What would you like for tea?”
Yun Minyeon’s face went soft like melting wax, then soon changed into a writhing mass of light.
[Something about this feels unpleasant. Why are they suddenly changing teams? Do they know about my problem?]
With just that single inner thought, Hyeonu learned one of the two things he needed to find out here.
Namely, that what he had heard from the head of Sales Team 6 was true.
Inner thoughts did not speak the truth; they spoke what the person knew, so verification like this was necessary.
As expected, M Biotech was a game of hot potato.
The person at the very top of this hot potato was Executive Director Choe Jeonggeun.
Under his lead, this filthy hot-potato-style exit strategy was unfolding.
Hyeonu committed that fact clearly to memory, right there and then.
Executive Director Choe Jeonggeun, Sales Department 2 Head I Taehyeong, and Sales Team 6 Leader O Jaegwon.
They were a faction.
And that faction had touched him first.
He had not the slightest intention of quietly taking it.
At Yun Minyeon’s question about what they wanted to drink, Yang Gyeonghun answered.
“Just a glass of cold water, please.”
“Of course. One moment.”
He personally poured two glasses of cold water from the water purifier on one side and brought them over.
Yang Gyeonghun took a sip and said,
“The transfer of duties is being carried out so suddenly that we’re a little flustered as well. Given the circumstances, I don’t think it will be possible to fully understand everything and complete the handover, so we rushed over like this to confirm what absolutely needs to be confirmed.”
“And what would that be?”
[Surely it isn’t about my personal situation, is it? It can’t be. There are still a few more things I need to take care of before I get indicted.]
“Nothing else, really. We’d like to review the progress of the therapeutic drug development in a bit more detail.”
The corners of Yun Minyeon’s mouth lifted slightly.
“Of course you should review it.”
[Looks like there’s no need to be too wary. They seem to know nothing about me.]
“I heard the development name of the therapeutic agent is BCB-29. There aren’t any issues with development, are there?”
“There are no problems with development. It will be completed soon and give hope to dementia patients all over the world. I’m waiting with great anticipation myself. For everyone suffering from dementia.”
Hyeonu furrowed his brow, squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them.
Because he had heard the remaining piece of information he needed to find out.
His inner thought, spoken behind that relaxed and confident expression, was this.
[BCB-29? As if such a thing exists. It’s all a scheme to pull in money.]
Everything was a lie and a fraud.
It left him bitter and hollow.
Were all bio companies like this?
Drawing in an enormous amount of capital with the expectation that they would lay golden eggs, then using lies to line only their own pockets...
This man’s goal was solely to attract money and make a killing. Nothing more.
His goal from the start must have been to hold a huge sum of money and live comfortably for the rest of his life, even if it meant spending a few years in prison.
Now he knew the entire truth.
What remained was to inform Yang Gyeonghun of that truth.
Yang Gyeonghun spoke again.
“Hearing you speak with such confidence puts me at ease as well. Then would it be possible for us to see the experimental reports on BCB-29?”
“Of course we should show them to you. That’s what you came to confirm, after all.”
Even though he had been carrying out a fake new drug development, he showed not the slightest sign of being intimidated by the request to see the experimental reports.
[Heh heh, you think you’ll understand anything by looking? Go ahead and look all you want. It’ll be full of terms you don’t know.]
That inner thought was the reason for his confidence.
It was also why Hyeonu had said that visiting M Biotech would not mean much.
At least, before he thought of Go Hwigeun, a doctor of neuropsychiatry at Seoul National University Hospital.
“About that. We’ve brought along a technical advisory committee member to examine the experimental data. It would be all right for him to review it with us, wouldn’t it?”
“A technical advisory committee member?”
“Yes. Since the content is specialized, we thought there wouldn’t be much point in us looking over it ourselves.”
The corners of Yun Minyeon’s mouth rose again.
“Then by all means.”
[Huh. These bastards are thorough. What a nuisance... Well, fine. No expert will be able to figure it out anyway.]
He was confident there would be no problem even if an expert reviewed it?
That meant the false experimental reports were perfect to that extent.
Well, of course they would be.
He must have already deceived experts to receive that much investment money.
As Hyeonu thought this, Yang Gyeonghun’s voice reached his ears.
“Bring the doctor in.”
“Yes, Team Leader.”
* * *
Kim Byeongjun was standing in front of the rooftop railing, smoking a cigarette.
“Hoo...”
Thinking of Song Gaeun, who must be handling that whole mess on her own, made him feel sorry.
‘What can we do, Associate Song? For those of us scraping and crawling at the bottom, this is the best we can manage.’
He was thinking he should buy her a slice of cake later from the company store when his cell phone rang.
It was a call from Sales Team 6, which had already called him several times. He considered not looking, then checked.
It was Song Gaeun.
“Yeah, Associate Song.”
[We’re in trouble, Assistant Manager. Executive Director Choe Jeonggeun is looking for you.]
“Executive Director Choe Jeonggeun?”
“Yes. What should we do?”
Shit. This was the limit.
“Hoo... All right. I’ll be there now.”
* * *
When Hyeonu brought Go Hwigeun, who had been sitting in his car, into the CEO’s office, a man in a white coat had arrived at some point.
He seemed to be something like the head of the research lab.
Hyeonu introduced Go Hwigeun to Yun Minyeon.
“This is Dr. Go Hwigeun, a doctor of neuropsychiatry and one of our advisory committee members.”
He deliberately left out Seoul National University Hospital.
It might make them wary for no reason.
The head of the research lab tilted his head as if he had heard the name before, while Yun Minyeon showed no change in expression, as though he did not know him.
Go Hwigeun slowly examined the document handed to him by the head of the research lab, titled “BCB-29 Seventh Experimental Report.”
After looking over it for a long while, he finally raised his head.
“This is astonishing. To think you can attack beta-amyloid, the cause of dementia, this effectively.”
Yun Minyeon gave a nonchalant smile.
“Thank you for the praise.”
[Of course. We manipulated the data. Now get lost already. I’m busy as hell right now.]
“No. I can hardly believe you’ve developed such a groundbreaking new drug.”
“It’s thanks to Mancheon Mulsan’s generous support and the hard work of our researchers. Since you acknowledge it as well, Doctor, it seems all our hardship until now was not in vain.”
As Yun Minyeon bowed his head in thanks, Go Hwigeun shook his head from side to side.
“No, that’s not what I mean. I mean, quite literally, that I cannot believe it.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s not as if I’ve only made the mistake once or twice of taking the experimental reports bio companies showed me at face value.”
Yun Minyeon’s face flushed red, and he opened his mouth in a gruff voice.
“Are you saying I’m committing fraud?”
“Of course not. The reason I came here with these people is to verify whether the experimental report on BCB-29 is genuine. I’m merely telling you what I need to be cautious about. As you know, CEO Yun, there have been far too many such cases. Countless investors and experts have been fooled by falsified data. So how could I possibly verify anything recklessly after seeing just one experimental report? If I say the wrong thing, the company I’m advising could suffer a major investment loss.”
Hyunwoo smiled inwardly.
Go Hwigeun was doing far better than he had expected.
When he had gone to see him, this was what he had said as well.
“I don’t trust experimental reports handed over by bio companies. I might end up becoming the idiot who verifies manipulated data.”
“Then how would you be able to verify it properly?”
“You look at the source data. The original data before it was turned into an experimental report. Of course, they won’t want to show it to you.”
He would know if he saw the source data?
If it was false, they would absolutely refuse to show it.
Because the lie would be exposed.
“Then I’ll ask for the source data on the spot.”
Pretending to be flustered, Hyunwoo asked Go Hwigeun.
“Then, how would we be able to verify it?”
“It’s simple. We just need to look at the source data on the PC.”
Hyunwoo asked Yun Minyeon.
“Would that be all right?”
“That won’t be possible. It’s the same for other companies as well. We can’t show our development know-how, our greatest asset.”
Go Hwigeun cut in.
“You don’t need to worry about that. We only need to look at the inhibition figures for beta-amyloid protein. It’s just a few numbers. A few numbers displayed on a computer can’t be some great know-how, can they?”
This time, Yang Gyeonghun asked Yun Minyeon, who was simply glaring at them with a stiff expression.
“We’d only be checking a few numbers. Is that not possible?”
“······No, it isn’t. We have a principle that laboratory data can never be disclosed externally.”
As expected, they refused to show the data.
Yang Gyeonghun’s gaze wavered.
His instincts told him to be suspicious, but he had no evidence with which to overturn the handover of duties.
After glancing once at Go Hwigeun and Hyunwoo, Yang Gyeonghun reluctantly opened his mouth.
“Understood. If that’s your principle, there’s nothing we can do. Then we’ll be going now.”
[In the end, we couldn’t find evidence. Still, this is a pretty decent result. Evidence or not, we’ve realized that bastard is a fraud.]
What Yang Gyeonghun had just thought to himself was the modest goal they had set after meeting and speaking with Dr. Go Hwigeun.
Even if they could not find evidence, they would at least learn the truth before returning.
Only then could they respond.
He seemed satisfied that they had achieved that modest goal.
But Hyunwoo was different.
After seeing the experimental report they had shown him, he had thought of a way to find evidence.
Holding up the experimental report, Hyunwoo asked Yun Minyeon.
“We can take this experimental report with us, right?”
“Sales Team 6 should already have that······. If you want to take it, go ahead.”
[Please, just take that and get the hell out already.]
Hyunwoo picked up the experimental report, put on a face as if he had just noticed something, and opened his mouth again.
“Oh! In the signature section of the experimental report, only the lab director’s signature is here. There’s no signature from the CEO······. Team Leader, is it all right to take it as is?”
“What?”
Yang Gyeonghun stared for a moment into Hyunwoo’s deep eyes as if asking what nonsense he was talking about, but soon the corners of his lips lifted faintly.
He had understood what Hyunwoo meant.
“You’re right. It seems it hasn’t been approved yet, CEO Yun.”
“It’s still internal material.”
“Then could you sign it now? If anything goes wrong, the responsibility would fall on the lab director, wouldn’t it?”
The lab director flinched, and Yun Minyeon was visibly flustered.
They had struck precisely at the weak point.
“I haven’t reviewed it thoroughly yet······. Please just take it for now, and I’ll send you the experimental report with my signature later.”
[Damn it, how am I supposed to sign this? If there’s a problem, I need to say I was deceived by the lab director too. That’s the plan······.]
Watching Yun Minyeon think such thoughts, Yang Gyeonghun gave a sardonic smile.
“Understood, CEO Yun. We’ll receive the final reviewed experimental report next time, and today we’ll take this one, signed only by the lab director, back with us and circulate it for internal review. Then, thank you for your time.”
They were about to turn around when a rigid voice rang out.
“You’ve already finished reviewing it. We discussed everything, too.”
It was something the lab director had said to Yun Minyeon.
And this was what he was thinking.
[You’re the one who told me to alter the data, CEO. Because of the investment issue. You said that was the only way the experimental expenses would be supported without a hitch.]
“What are you talking about? I haven’t yet······.”
“Are you really going to do this?”
[You son of a bitch, you’re trying to pin it all on me?]
“No, Director Park. I think there’s been a misunderstanding······.”
Director Park’s face twisted, and he snatched the experimental report from Hyunwoo’s hand.
Then he tore off the cover page bearing his signature and held it out again.
“This is not an experimental report I made. He made it.”
With that, he turned and left.
Bang!
At the sound of the door slamming shut irritably, the air settled heavily.
Yang Gyeonghun raised one corner of his mouth and spoke quietly.
“This is a manipulated experimental report, isn’t it?”
“······.”
“Isn’t it?”