Chapter 273 – Think Tank
“When Yoo Jin went on a business trip to Washington last time, I asked Monimoni if she’d like to try out as an SSM trainee. It seems like it’s time to seriously prepare for that offer.”
“…Monimoni?”
“It’s the nickname I gave her. Cute, right?”
Yoo Jin chuckled and playfully tapped Dice’s head with her tail.
After the Final Championship ended, the Partner Streamer Showdown was ongoing. Unlike Michael, Gambit, and Ink who left immediately after the match, Yoo Jin and Dice stayed in the lounge where the players were resting, watching the ongoing matches while waiting for Harmony.
Dice felt the unusual sensation from above her head and raised her hand to grab the tail, but with an ordinary human’s strength, handling the tail of an enhanced person was impossible. As soon as Yoo Jin exerted a little strength, Dice started being dragged along with the chair.
In response, Dice slapped Yoo Jin with enough force to make a sharp sound, and only then did Yoo Jin stop with a smile on her face.
Meanwhile, Yoo Jin asked another question.
“I can’t imagine Min Ah as a professional gamer. She used to drop her magazine on the floor even with behavior correction at first….”
“Who didn’t? I was similar at first. Yoo Jin, you were probably good from the start, so talking about it would be pointless.”
Dice, who had subtly placed her tail on her lap, began to knead it desperately, trying to change the subject. Her intentions were obvious, but Yoo Jin smiled again and let her play with the tail, allowing the conversation to flow back to its original topic.
The main topic was, of course, Harmony’s skills. Yoo Jin was curious about the conversations Dice and Min Ah had while she was away. She was interested in teaching but didn’t know exactly how skilled Min Ah was.
Dice added with a smile.
“Objectively speaking, she’s not particularly outstanding. If she applied as an offline trainee, she’d pass comfortably. But because of her gender, every team would likely support her wholeheartedly once she’s accepted….”
“…You didn’t need to go that far, but it seems like you’ve had a similar experience, Dice.”
“Of course. Even though Dark Zone offers equal opportunities for professional gamers regardless of gender, it still feels somewhat like a barren land for women….”
Though the conversation briefly strayed, Dice continued without issue.
“Anyway, to get back on track, judging by the objective metrics so far, that’s the situation. Min Ah, being a streamer originally, probably hasn’t prepared any portfolio, and her public activities end at Domination Mode TIER 1.”
“And in reality?”
“If you consider that she wins about three out of ten times when facing me head-on, sticking a trainee label on her might not make much sense….”
Yoo Jin wondered if that wasn’t a small number, but Dice let out a sarcastic laugh and added.
“If there’s a trainee who can win about 30% of the time against a first-team player in ten matches, they’d probably rank at the top of the second team or even be immediately included in the first team.”
“I see.”
“…Anyway, Yoo Jin wouldn’t be interested in this. You were known as a professional gamer’s nightmare since the preliminary ranks.”
Here we go again.
Yoo Jin smirked and told Dice to just play with the tail, making Dice go quiet instantly.
However, curiosity doesn’t fade easily, especially in areas of unknown but intriguing interest. Yoo Jin signaled with her eyes to continue the related discussion, and Dice, anticipating this, began to speak.
“So, if I were to give a specific evaluation…if Harmony had participated in the Asian preliminaries, she’d probably barely miss out. Unless you filled in her slightly lacking parts, Yoo Jin.”
“Since it’s not her main job, there’s no reason to.”
“That’s true.”
In short, if it were her main job, she might just barely make it onto a flight to New York.
Dice, who had been organizing her thoughts, let out a laugh of disbelief.
“There are countless ‘main job’ users with insufficient skills who can’t even qualify for the Asian preliminaries.”
“I’ll leave that to you. It seems I’ve done enough to nurture the next generation.”
“…Even if I try to stop you, it looks like you’ll definitely be out of the entry list next year, so Harmony will be recruited no matter what. We’re tasked with fostering the next generation who can achieve comparable feats with just four people this year….”
“Maybe I set the bar too high. But don’t worry, Logan won’t be here next year either.”
“That’s really reassuring.”
Even though not having Logan and Yoo Jin might lead to boredom, Dice felt a sudden urge to hit the snake, but she knew it wouldn’t cause any damage. Moreover, with matches scheduled for tomorrow and the day after, she didn’t want to witness a severe scene in the games.
Of course, she could still add as many words as she wanted.
“Yoo Jin, since hitting you wouldn’t hurt, can I really hit you just once?”
“Please spare me. It would hurt my heart. Even if I continue as a streamer, I’ll help as much as I can.”
“That’s barely a pass. After raising people’s expectations this high, you can’t just retire leisurely.”
Indeed, the pen was mightier than the sword.
Dice, having bombarded Yoo Jin with bone-chilling jokes by the truckload, soon refocused on the screen.
The match was approaching its end. Harmony, with an incredible kill count of eight, had entered the final safe zone. Though the real game was just beginning, neither of the two watching thought Harmony would be eliminated.
Naturally, their conversation also assumed Harmony’s victory as a given.
“It’s almost over. If what you said is true, this seems to be on the same track as the Final Championship….”
“One match on Wednesday, one on Thursday, and the final match on Friday. The only difference is the number of matches.”
“Our return to the dorm will be delayed by about an hour.”
“Of course.”
The two laughed quietly, but Dice spoke first.
“I mean it when I say we might take Harmony, so please work hard until then.”
“Of course.”
The match was nearing its conclusion.
It was the moment when the Final Championship entered its later stages.
Meanwhile,
“Is all this the area where pulse technology can be applied?”
“To be precise, it’s the current area where a downgraded version of the technology has been applied. With this level of versatility, it can easily penetrate markets that previously didn’t even feel the need for such technology.”
Surrounding detection technology for autonomous vehicles, inspection technology for import and export customs, and much more, and much more….
The executives of the think tank present there were more aware than anyone how technology developed for war could transform and impact society.
Six days.
It was an incredibly short time for something to change, but with a clear vision, drive, and world-class experts, the story was different.
And these hundreds of people, who could rise to the top with just their knowledge, experience, and skills in their specialized fields, mobilized all their connections and skills, even foregoing sleep.
The executives in charge of management secured operational funds through venture capital with some prior connections, while the engineering division downgraded and modified the
technology Yoo Jin provided, ran simulations to secure results, and used them to create a portfolio.
It was a hastily made portfolio and presentation, created in just over three days, and the venture capital reviewers who entered the think tank’s briefing room while Yoo Jin was navigating the virtual map looked at the screen half-doubtfully.
And then-
“Ha ha, this is crazy. My goodness….”
“Oh my God.”
“Is this really possible?”
They received rave reviews.
It was a natural outcome. Even though they were not as good as the think tank engineers, the three venture capital reviewers visiting the company were also veterans in their field.
So they could tell – the foundation of this company was different from companies trying to embellish unproven fantasies with plausible nonsense and flashy briefing files.
Beyond the impeccable theoretical solidity, there were numerous video materials that backed the precise numbers derived from meticulous calculations – of course, taken from Yoo Jin’s ICARUS Gear.
So they briefly closed their mouths and cautiously asked.
“We’re not looking at technology from a defense contractor whose confidentiality period has expired, are we?”
“Ha ha.”
Only a brief laugh came back, but those present had already been in deep communication with the think tank executives – who were placed in their positions by none other than the Secretary of Defense and other high-ranking officials.
In other words, even if the reviewers said so, there was no reason or way to delve into the origin of the technology. It was essentially a half-rigged game, but the difference was that the think tank’s hand was beyond imagination.
At that point, the brains of the three reviewers, who came to lightly estimate the scale of the investment based on the portfolio, started spinning like mad.
Those who had sifted through countless companies for over a decade instantly sensed that they had to seize this clear opportunity.
“Then, we will vacate the briefing room for a while. There are no eavesdropping devices or recorders, so feel free to discuss.”
Normally, they might have heard a joke asking how they could believe that, but they were too mentally drained for that.
The conversation ended much faster than the engineers and professional managers had anticipated. Just the fact that three people responsible for VC operations themselves had come out told the story, but what they confirmed in person was beyond that.
Within a year, VC and investors aiming to line up with the think tank would likely fill the lobby and Manhattan.
“What should we do?”
“The management here will leave it to reliable facilities. Given that both software and hardware are solidly built, the real issue is ‘which facility can best implement this technology?’ rather than ‘which place is more discreet?'”
“That’s right. The company’s operation method and ownership structure are a bit concerning, but the guarantor is reliable.”
Janet Harper.
The Iron Lady.
Though her term was nearing its end, she was still the U.S. Secretary of Defense with numerous pipelines, and countless reliable associates or partners she led had built the non-listed company, the think tank.
It was hard to believe the entire equity owner and technology provider of the think tank, known only by the codename E, but seeing the technology firsthand and the numerous people vouching for his credibility and future made it worth the risk.
Someone added with a small laugh.
“Just a few days after wrapping up the year’s performance and bonuses, there will be a significant investment listed on the financial statement from the start of the new year….”
“I believe the investment cost will be recovered by this time next year at the latest, possibly even sooner.”
“Or even faster. So, how much should we start the first investment with?”
“Let’s start with around thirty million. As we understand the branches spreading out, we’ll keep increasing. That should give them breathing room.”
Of course, the unit was in dollars.
The conversation continued about money, but their discussion was unreserved.
Failure wasn’t an option in their minds. The only issue was preparing for the flood of contracts that would come like a tidal wave, requiring personnel and facilities.
In essence, what they had to do was visit the think tank weekly or monthly to provide appropriate advice on expanding the company. One of them, already imagining a dollar-bright future, repeatedly sipped the drink placed in the briefing room.
After that, it was simple.
“Here’s to a good partnership.”
“Indeed.”
A firm handshake between several professional managers and the chief reviewer followed.
As they exited the building with light steps, someone smiled and sent a message somewhere.
And then-
-[ — : Secured sufficient initial investment from VC. Activating the think tank.]
“What are you doing, Yoo Jin?”
“Oh, just checking a message.”
Something… something was starting….
Yoo Jin thought that she should visit the think tank someday to see exactly what was happening, in the middle of a Wednesday evening.