-We have achieved some results from our collaboration with Hyunil Motors, but we can’t test them in Korea. How absurd is that?

As Kang Joon-gi, the CEO of Future Eye, complained, they were unable to test their self-driving cars in Korea.

Even Chairman Kang Bong-seok had a hard time dealing with the excessive regulations.

They had no choice but to go to the US to finish their tests.

Why did they have to face such problems?

“We are planning to solve them one by one. We have some preparations in progress.”

“You will do well, I’m sure. But I’m worried that you might be delayed by unnecessary things.”

“That won’t happen.”

“You know you can’t just go back and forth, right? Procedure is important, but sometimes you have to use your force and connections. You have to actively utilize the network and power you have.”

He meant that he should not retreat, but confront the obstacles head-on.

He felt his support and trust in his words.

Yoo-hyun nodded.

“I will keep that in mind. And I will do just that.”

“Hmm, then can I say one more thing?”

“I’m grateful for that.”

“If you overcome the regulations in Korea, you will face the sanctions from the US. Just like Huawei did.”

“I don’t intend to do anything illegal like Huawei.”

“Whether it’s illegal or not is not up to you. It depends on whether they like it or not.”

Yoo-hyun asked Paul Graham, who suddenly became serious.

“Who are they?”

“There are some forces that do arrogant and dirty things. One of them is someone you know. Carl Icahn.”

“The famous corporate raider?”

“He is known as that on the surface. But he is more than what you think. He is the kind of guy who…”

Paul Graham told him a long story about his clash with Carl Icahn.

It contained the realistic crisis that Yoo-hyun could face.

He came here to tell him this.

It felt that way because the content was very specific and vivid.

Yoo-hyun felt thankful and joked.

“Are you too worried about me?”

“I can’t help it. You look so precarious. And I have invested quite a lot of money in you.”

“You said you had a small stake.”

“Money is precious, no matter how much or little. Damn.”

He spat out his words with worry, but Yoo-hyun felt his affection.

Looking back, Paul Graham always cared for Yoo-hyun.

When he saved Han Sung through BCG, when he went to Texas to comfort Jeong Da-hye, when he established River and expanded overseas.

Paul Graham never hesitated to support Yoo-hyun under the name of investment.

Yoo-hyun was not alone in his success.

Without the reliable umbrella of Paul Graham, there would be no Yoo-hyun today.

Swish.

Yoo-hyun looked at his great mentor in life with sincere eyes.

“I will make that money grow several times more.”

“You better do that.”

“And… thank you very much.”

“Don’t make me feel ticklish.”

“Are you happy?”

Yoo-hyun teased him, and Paul Graham pointed at Yoo-hyun’s phone on the table.

“Hmm. Stop talking nonsense and answer the phone.”

“It’s my father. I’ll be back in a minute.”

“Take your time.”

Yoo-hyun got up from his seat and moved to the flower bed with his ringing phone.

He pressed the call button and heard his father’s voice from the other side.

-Yoo-hyun, I want to talk to you about Jae Hee’s wedding.

“Are you bringing that up again?”

-Yes. Listen to me. I think we should have a joint wedding…

After Lee Jang-woo’s proposal, his father was completely obsessed with his children’s weddings.

Yoo-hyun hadn’t even proposed to Jeong Da-hye yet, but he already wanted to set a date.

Yoo-hyun was listening half-heartedly when he heard a groan.

“Ugh!”

He turned his head and saw Paul Graham clutching his chest.

He suddenly collapsed.

“Paul!”

Yoo-hyun quickly hung up the phone and ran to him.

He shook Paul Graham, but there was no response.

He looked like he was having trouble breathing, and he knew it was a very dangerous situation.

He asked for help from the people around him and secured his airway as an emergency measure.

Should he wait for an ambulance here?

It seemed too urgent for that.

He quickly decided to carry him and run.

The students who were watching him understood his intention and ran ahead of him.

About 10 minutes later?

Yoo-hyun arrived at the emergency room of Se Yeon Medical Center, which was attached to the school.

He was soaked in sweat, but he had no time to care.

He laid Paul Graham on the bed that the students had prepared for him.

He quickly explained the situation to the doctor and pleaded with him.

“Please save him. Please.”

“Yes. I understand. Calm down.”

Calm down?

His heart was pounding and he couldn’t stay still.

He prayed and prayed.

Please let him open his eyes again.

But that day, Yoo-hyun’s wish was not granted.

The next day after Paul Graham collapsed.

His family and key executives of his company rushed to Korea.

Serena Lian, Paul Graham’s secretary who had a close relationship with Yoo-hyun, was also among them.

Buzzing.

The reporters formed a line in front of the hospital, hearing the news that a VIP of national importance had collapsed.

The hospital did not make an official announcement, but articles poured out.

And the news reached the US.

At that time, in a large building in Washington.

A man with a white beard that reached his chin, Carl Icahn, pushed a newspaper forward.

“It seems like I’m lucky. That annoying Paul guy collapsed on his own.”

“The companies under his protection will be shaken quite a bit.”

The man sitting across from him was Kevin Howard, a Republican representative in the House. As he nodded his head, Carl Iken, who leaned forward, spoke in a low voice.

“So, I’m going to move up the plan I told you about before.”

“The plan?”

“You know, Reverb. The bastards who keep trying to cross our territory. I’m going to finish them off.”

“Hmm, they’re a company that the White House is paying attention to, right? They’re forming a global alliance, and they’re a Korean company, so they won’t be easy to deal with.”

“That’s why I’m telling you now.”

“…”

“Let’s show them a good example this time. How I’m going to do it is…”

Kevin Howard swallowed his words as Carl Iken continued.

This was not a simple matter.

He was casually asking him to move the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Department of Justice, and the prosecutors of 51 states.

Carl Iken’s reckless gaze was directed at Kevin Howard.

“The US presidential election is not far away. Please make the right decision.”

“I got it… I’ll review it right away.”

“Good. Then I’ll make things easier for you in advance.”

Creak.

The world-famous corporate hunter and giant capitalist curled up one corner of his mouth.

Kevin Howard gulped down his saliva, knowing his viciousness better than anyone.

Paul Graham had not opened his eyes for three days since he collapsed.

His heart was beating, but he was still unconscious.

The hospital could not find a clear cause.

They only assumed that his angina, which he had surgery for in the past, had recurred.

They also added that his recent hectic schedule might have been the cause.

That’s why Yoo-hyun felt so sorry.

-If you’re busy, I can go to Korea. I have something to say there anyway.

‘If I had known this, I would have gone to the US.’

He didn’t pay enough attention because he was busy.

No, he took his support for granted.

He might have believed that the US would run smoothly with Paul Graham.

“Sigh.”

Yoo-hyun, who was blaming himself while looking out the window at the end of the hospital corridor, was approached by Serena Lian.

She, who had stayed up all night behind Paul Graham’s family yesterday, said.

“Steve, I’m going to go back now.”

“Without seeing him wake up?”

“Yes. I think Paul would tell me not to crowd around and do my job. I have to fill in his gap.”

Serena Lian was not a simple secretary.

She was one of the main executives of Y Combinator, and the person who knew Paul Graham’s direction the best.

She had a lot to worry about, as there were countless IT companies within Y Combinator’s fence.

Yoo-hyun nodded his head.

“I understand. I’ll see you off.”

“No. There’s a driver waiting in front of the hospital. Don’t worry about me.”

“Still…”

“There are reporters out there, and it’s not good to show your face unnecessarily.”

He saw the reporters buzzing below the window.

Yoo-hyun, who turned his eyes to the window for a moment, was called by Serena Lian.

“And Steve.”

“Yes. What is it?”

“It’s not your fault. Paul really wanted to go to Korea. He sang that he wanted to see the Korea that you changed.”

“…”

“So cheer up as usual. Paul will surely wake up.”

Serena Lian, who must have been hard herself, smiled kindly for Yoo-hyun.

He couldn’t frown in front of her.

Yoo-hyun forced a smile.

“Yes. I will.”

“That’s more like you, Steve. Then I’ll trust you and go.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of him.”

Serena Lian turned around after saying goodbye.

Click clack.

Yoo-hyun quietly watched her back as she walked away.

He owed her a lot too.

Beep.

His phone rang, breaking Yoo-hyun’s thoughts.

On the screen was the direct number of Albert Whale, the deputy director of the CIA.

What’s going on?

It was the first call he received since he decided to replace Huawei’s equipment.

He didn’t have a good feeling about it, since it was the time when Paul Graham collapsed.

Sure enough, a worried voice came from the other side of the receiver.

He asked as he listened quietly.

“China is pressuring the Korean government?”

-Yes. It seems like they have a plan to pressure Reverb through the Korean government.

“Is it because of the Huawei incident?”

-Unfortunately, that might be part of it. We also suspect that Alibaba’s joining the Reverb alliance had an impact.

The network was hacked the day Yoo-hyun visited Huawei’s headquarters.

It happened after he left the scene, and the attacker was not Yoo-hyun, but they knew in advance that he intended to infiltrate the network through Shin Sunghoo.

They must have doubted Yoo-hyun’s relationship with the CIA.

‘Besides, they might have had a grudge against Reverb from the start.’

Even if it wasn’t because of Alibaba’s joining the Reverb alliance, Yoo-hyun had excluded Huawei’s equipment from the beginning.

They wouldn’t have liked Yoo-hyun, who took the lead in replacing the communication equipment.

Leaving aside this background, there was something he didn’t understand.

“Why are they pressuring us now? They should have acted sooner if they were going to do that.”

-There’s something I need to tell you first.

“What is it?”

-The US is also making suspicious moves.

“Moves?”

-They seem to be going to sanction Reverb soon. I’ll let you know as soon as I find out how.

The timing of China’s pressure and the US’s sanctions coincided perfectly.