Chapter 48: The Copse of the EU''s Web


    The news of the breakdown of the negotiations between the two sides spread slowly.


    The EU did not lift the sanctions, and the ck metal batteries produced by Autobattery failed to enter the EU.


    The German carpanies that had to stop their production lines screamed in agony.


    —We can’t afford any dys in the schedule. There are a hundred thousand customers waiting for their cars!


    Lobbyists were dispatched one after another, but the EU Commission did not budge.


    If they withdrew the sanctions here, they would undermine the credibility of all their administrative actions in the future.


    They also believed in solidarity for peace.


    They didn’t know it, but they could revise the space treaty as long as they pulled Russia in.


    The non-permanent members could be boiled or fried, and Korea would eventually sumb to the EU’s trade sanctions.


    The only thing they were worried about was Yu Ji-ha giving up on mining unoptenium.


    However, they judged that the four countries would not make such a choice.


    -ck metal is one thing, but superconductors are already out of his hands.


    -He might be able to withstand the pressure from the US and Russia. But what about Korea?


    -Even if he gives up everything, the US will take over Starfield. The talent and technology will remain even if thepany is dismantled.


    The n was perfect.


    All they had to do was coax Russia well.


    For that purpose, the de facto leader of China, who had upied Beijing, visited the Kremlin.


    Britain and France used their power as permanent members to convene a Security Council meeting.


    The agenda was solidarity for peace.


    —Unoptenium, a superconductor that exists on the moon, is amon property of humanity. It is not helpful for the peace and future of humanity that a singlepany mines it unterally.


    —Starfield pledged to distribute unoptenium fairly, but we don’t think their criteria are fair.


    —Therefore, we need to jointly manage the resources of outer space, including unoptenium. We want to put a revised space treaty proposal to a vote.


    —We agree.


    China was the first to cast a vote in favor.


    It was natural, since they were the ones who led this n behind the scenes.


    They were excluded not only from ck metal but also from superconductors.


    Of course, there was a possibility that things would go well if they formed a new government and entered into negotiations, since Yu Ji-ha left some room for maneuver.


    They would have to pay a hefty price for their diplomats’ rudeness and kidnapping, but China was a country that could afford it.


    But they had no intention of doing so.


    —It is unthinkable for a great nation to kneel before the people of a small country.


    —Let all the people unite and boycott the smallpany!


    Unfortunately, Si Group didn’t have much to sell to China.


    It was originally close to a domesticpany, and it didn’t have much rtionship with China unlike Japan.


    Si Electronics exported monitors andputers, but now that the group had grown so big, it was hardly noticeable.


    The boycott movement fizzled out in no time, and they resorted to moving the Security Council as ast resort.


    China and Britain, France, and Germany coincidentally hadmon interests.


    The US naturally exercised its veto power, and now only one country remained.


    Russia.


    -Russia promised to invest 500 billion rubles for 10 years.


    -Not only that, but they also gave up some of their share of unoptenium distribution to China.


    -They can’t refuse these terms.


    Russia tended to be aligned with China in the internationalmunity.


    It was because they had an image of being divided into blue team and red team, throwing veto powers at each other.


    Not only in image, but also in reality, Russia was closer to China than to Western countries.


    They might have some burden on China’s growing power, but they couldn’t help it with such a huge investment… That’s what everyone thought.


    But something unexpected happened.


    Yu Ji-ha hurriedly went to Moscow, and Russia weed him as a state guest.


    A grand wee ceremony was held, and Russia’s aerobatic team Russian Knights flew over the Kremlin.


    What was more shocking was that President Putin himself waited for Yu Ji-ha in front of the Kremlin Pce.


    There was no dy or rudeness at all.


    He shook hands with him with a smile and entered the Kremlin Pce. The world was stunned by this sight.


    Especially the countries that led this situation reacted incredulously.


    —Russia chose Yu Ji-ha?


    —This doesn’t make sense. There must be some mistake here.


    —China said they were treated politely. What is this? Exin it quickly.


    And Russia proudly exercised its veto power on the revised space treaty proposal.


    With this, the solidarity for peace was rejected.


    The EU’sst bastion copsed.


    —What will the EU do now? They’vepletely antagonized him. Can they handle this?


    —What big deal can they do? They might lose a bit in the distribution of superconductors.


    —They have to stop at a reasonable line if they don’t want topletely alienate the EU.


    —That’s true, but Yu Ji-ha is really amazing. He blocked the EU’s shameless attack.


    —He set up spider webs in two or threeyers, but what he caught was not an insect but a bird.


    —So now the bird will eat the spider?


    —No way… The EU is too big.


    The world watched Yu Ji-ha’s mouth.


    .


    .


    .


    Yu Ji-ha returned to Korea and received a report from Arma on the status of the group’s management.


    “We have voluntarily delisted all subsidiaries, with Si Heavy Industries being thest one. The only thing left is the US stake in Boston Dynamics.”


    “That stake can’t be helped. Good job.”


    With this, Si Group became Yu Ji-ha’s personal property.


    He no longer had to disclose his financial statements or care about the shareholders’ opinions.


    He could run hispany as he pleased, as long as he did not vite the currentw.


    Thanks to that, most of the funds that Arma made with coins were consumed, but that could be replenished.


    “That’s that, but it’s too noisy.”


    It wasn’t that it wasn’t, but the whole of Korea was turned upside down.


    The rtionship with the EU could be reset depending on his remarks, so it was natural.


    Especially the businessmunity, which couldn’t give up on the EU, was anxious that a bomb might not go off.


    “The US Secretary of State contacted me to visit Korea. Germany also has a minister-level visit nned. And President Jo Hyung-geun…”


    “Tell him he doesn’t have toe. I’ll have a press conference.”


    “I’ll prepare it.”


    Yu Ji-ha gathered his materials and headed to the press room.


    Almost a thousand reporters and bureaucrats gathered in front of the narrow Si Group headquarters.


    As the sound of shutters clicked incessantly, Yu Ji-ha raised his hand to stop them.


    “···The EU has imposed many sanctions on Si Group. But all their attempts have failed, and now the EU has no cards left.”


    “I want to impose my own sanctions on the EU, Britain, and China at this point. The matters I’m going to speak now are valid until my conditions are epted.”


    “You may or may not remember, but I said something after China’s kidnapping incident. There will be no negotiations with the current China until I die. Let me correct that. There will be no negotiations with China until I die.”


    A hollowugh spread among the Chinese reporters who attended the press conference.


    He was going to block everything from ck metal to artificial intelligence, ion thrusters, and unoptenium?


    This was tantamount to pushing China into a dead end alley.


    One reporter couldn’t stand it and stood up and shouted.


    “Don’t be arrogant as a dog of America! How long do you think your petty power willst?”


    He didn’t even need Yu Ji-ha to step in.


    As soon as he looked at him quietly, he was dragged away by people in suits.


    “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!”


    He probably wouldn’t be able to set foot on Korean soil again, let alone being deported forcibly.


    Yu Ji-ha dusted off his shoulders and said.


    “Even in this day and age, there are people who equate their country with themselves. How pitiful. Next, I will announce the sanctions against the EU and the UK.”


    “They did not lift the sanctions against me despite my ample warning to Commissioner Renne, and they even tried to take away my unobtanium.”


    “They im to put it under themon management of humanity, but that’s no different from saying that the powerful countries will manipte it as they please. Just like with nuclear weapons, we might have to follow the whims of the permanent members of the Security Council for nuclear fusion power.”


    “I cannot tolerate such tyranny. From this moment on, I will not supply ck metal or superconductors to the EU.”


    A murmur grew among the European journalists.


    It was absurd enough for an individual to sanction the EU, but the content was outrageous.


    Yu Ji-ha leaned his upper body on his cane.


    “Do you think the EU can sanction me, but I can’t? Is it because you’re too big for me?”


    Fortunately, the European journalists had more patience than the Chinese ones.


    He had clearly said that he would wait until his conditions were epted, so they just had to hear them out.


    “First, I demand the resignation of the entire EU Commission. Second, I demand the resignation of the bureaucrats from each country who led this incident. Third, the new EU Secretary-General must apologize to me personally and promise to prevent recurrence.”


    His words were like a storm, and the press conference hall became silent as if cold water had been poured over it.


    He continued calmly, regardless of whether they agreed or not.


    “Unless these three conditions are epted, ck metal and unobtanium will not go to Europe. I will take questions now.”


    Hundreds of journalists raised their hands at once.


    He pointed to a French journalist, who spoke in an excited tone.


    “Do you think the EU will ept the conditions you just proposed?”


    “That’s their choice. I’ve set the conditions, so they just have to treat me ordingly.”


    “ck metal and unobtanium are very important, of course. But the world doesn’t run on them alone, does it? Are you saying you want to make the EU yourplete enemy?”


    “You must have misunderstood me as being the aggressor. It was the EU that announced sanctions against me after being yed by China and tried to move the Security Council.”


    “I don’t know about anything else, but being yed by China is an exaggeration.”


    “There is a country that can prove it.”


    Snicker.


    The French journalist had a smile on his lips.


    “The EU won’t answer anything.”


    “Do you want to bet that they’ll call within an hour?”


    “…”


    What was he basing this on?


    ck metal and unobtanium were very important, but this was a matter of pride for the EU.


    If they surrendered here, they would be dragged around forever.


    No country wanted that.


    The faces of the European journalists hardened as Yu Ji-ha opened hisptop.


    “Let me introduce you. This is a next-generation inertial confinement fusion reactor. It detonates pellet fuel with ion beams, and is currently building a 50-megawatt fusion reactor for technology demonstration purposes.”


    Theptop screen showed the process of ion beams colliding with pellets and forming sma.


    The journalists were startled and jumped up.


    “Are you saying you’re going tomercialize ion beam fusion reactors?”


    “That’s something even the US hasn’t solved yet!”


    Yu Ji-ha put his finger on his lips.


    “I’m confident that Sr Fusion can reach a levelparable tomercial power generation within two years. By the way, let me tell you that there is no tritium in this pellet. There is helium-3, but there’s plenty of that on the moon.”


    It was a series of shocks.


    What Yu Ji-ha had just saidpletely shook the foundation of decades of fusion research.


    Now the journalists started talking without even asking for permission.


    “How is that possible?”


    “Doesn’t that mean tokamak fusion ispletely obsolete?”


    “ITER said it would take 10 or 15 years, but you’re saying two years?”


    Yu Ji-ha took out his phone from his pocket.


    “I’ll only tell one country about the details of this incident on a firste-first-served basis. That country will not be subject to my previous conditions and will also be allowed to participate in fusion research. Only one country.”


    His eyes turned to the French journalist who had spoken earlier.


    “Do you think they’ll call or not?”


    “…”


    Was it a bluff or a fact?


    ck metal and unobtanium were very important, but this could destroy the EU as it was.


    If the truth came out, the other EU countries would rise up.


    So this phone call could put the EU on the brink of copse.


    The journalists were tense as if they had entered a battlefield.


    They wondered who would make the call.


    ―Would it be the UK, who intervened in this incident even though they weren’t in the EU?


    ―Would it be Germany, who had to produce electric cars and was pragmatic?


    ―Would it be France, who was close to China but had a strong pride?


    Finally, the speakerphone turned on and a stiff-ented English voice came out.


    It was English, but the speaker’s origin could not be hidden.


    ―Germany betrayed them!


    The eyes of the British and French journalists turned fierce, while the German journalists looked straight ahead with sullen faces.


    They knew who the speaker was.


    Perhaps in their hearts, the next chancellor had been decided.


    Meanwhile, the speakerphone began to reveal the details of the incident.


    ―It started with China. China could not give up ck metal and unobtanium, so they lobbied through various embassies.


    “Can you tell us which countries they lobbied?”


    There was silence, but it wasn’t long.


    If they decided to be traitors, they had to be thorough.


    ―The UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the Nethends. The first three countries yed a leading role, and thest three countries tacitly supported them by standing by.


    “Who came up with the idea of offering me the Nobel Prize in Physics?”


    They offered him the Nobel Prize in Physics?


    The journalists were bewildered.


    Even if the situation was resolved peacefully, the EU would have to ept the damage to its image.


    ―The Nethends proposed it.


    “I see. You’ve been very busy behind the scenes. What did China promise you?”


    ―I can’t tell you the exact details, but it’s at least 3 billion euros for each country. And they also promised unconditional support for whatever the EU proposes.


    The reporters were no longer excited, but rather deted.


    They had been yed by China.


    “Let me ask you onest thing before I end the call. Unity for peace… what exactly does that mean?”


    ―Unity for peace is a way to force a resolution on the Security Council agenda. It can be passed if four of the permanent members and five of the non-permanent members, as well as two-thirds of the member states, agree on it.


    “Ah… so that’s why Russia was important. The US would oppose it anyway.”


    ―We thought we could persuade the rest. They would all prefer the permanent members to manage it rather than a privatepany.


    “Should I praise you for this… I thought unity for peace was a means to deploy UN peacekeeping forces to war-torn countries.”


    ―It’s all about how you justify it. Nuclear fusion can easily be linked to peace.


    Only then did people realize what was going on.


    The spider that was the EU had spun a web of double and tripleyers to trap insects.


    But what got caught in the web was not an ordinary insect, but a bird.


    Now the web waspletely broken, and the spider was in danger of being eaten.


    Yu Jiha’s calmlyforted him.


    “You made a great choice. As promised, Germany will be treated as before the sanctions and will also participate in the ion beam fusion research.”


    ―Thank you.


    “Let’s discuss the details when you visit Korea. Thank you.”


    The next chancellor of Germany was confirmed.


    As soon as the call ended, Yu Jiha smashed his phone.


    He would not take any more calls.


    The reporters were terrified by his sudden hardening face.


    The statements that would pour out from now on would be a flood that would sweep away the EU.


    Yu Jiha closed hisptop and said.


    “I hope you heard everything well. I wee objections, but if you can’t provide valid evidence, the conditions will get harsher. And if you don’t meet the conditions, there will be no negotiations. I’ll wait for good news.”


    Would negotiations even begin?


    The bureaucrats who led each country might agree, but the executivemittee was the core of the EU.


    Unless the EU copsed, they would never ept such conditions.


    When his secretary escorted him out, curses began to spill out in the press room.


    “This is why we shouldn’t trust those Nazis!”


    “What do those snail-eaters know?”


    “Bravo! You’ve perfectly divided us! Who’s going to take responsibility now?”


    “Will you shut up? Why did you interfere when you’re not even part of the EU?”


    Britain and France, and Germany had gotten along well recently, but they had a long history of stabbing each other in the back.


    That old conflict was reignited. div>