The Magician’s Memorial - Chapter 442



Only Krnovel

442. Utilization of regulation (2)

The gene scissors research team had a busy schedule for a week.

Visiting Sentryon, Artificial Intelligence Center, IIT, and Taewoo Group headquarters.

I guided researchers from Berkeley University and the Broad Institute to ensure that their paths never crossed for a week.

But not today.

The last stop on our itinerary was a visit to the Taewoo Group headquarters.

The schedules of the two research teams were intentionally arranged to overlap.

They met in the conference room and just looked at each other while maintaining a poker face as much as possible.

“It is an honor to welcome you all here.”

“It’s a little difficult. I don’t really want to sit with those people and listen to their stories.”

“We too!”

How many people are researching gene scissors technology?

In particular, there were even fewer people researching gene scissors in the United States, and the researchers at Berkeley University and the Broad Institute were not strangers to each other.

We may have conducted research together at one time.

These were people I had become acquainted with through academic conferences or various research projects.

But whatever their previous friendship, they were now deeply hurt by the lawsuit.

You’ll find out if you go through with the lawsuit.

Even if we are close friends or family.

If you get involved in a lawsuit, you will end up being hated more than the person who killed your parents.

“I have a suggestion for you. I think it would be a very good suggestion for all of you, so please listen to the end.”

“… … .”

“I’ll just sit there for ten more minutes. I don’t want to breathe the same air as those people any longer.”

Is this what it means when they say lasers come out of their eyes?

Professor Janis, who first announced the gene scissors technology, had a life-or-death glint in his eyes.

“Taewoo Group and Sentryan also recently went through a lawsuit with Robo Nordisk. We know better than anyone how difficult the process is, and we suffered greatly from various rumors and gossip.”

“That’s a different matter. Taewoo Group bought the patents and technology at a fair price, but those people have never exchanged contracts with us.”

“Just because you publish a paper on gene scissors technology doesn’t mean you’ll be granted a patent. You have to make it a technology that can actually be used in order to obtain a patent!”

The researchers seemed ready to grab me by the collar at any moment.

I quickly continued speaking before more harsh words could come out of their mouths.

“Everyone’s image has already been seriously damaged. Whoever wins will only end up with a bruising victory.”

“I can’t just sit still and let it be taken away from me.”

“A lawsuit is inevitable to get recognition for our research team’s achievements!”

The researchers wanted a victory, even if it meant only suffering.

For them, who had devoted their entire lives to research, research results were the measure of success.

“How about a way where everyone wins, rather than a victory that only hurts?”

“I don’t understand what you are telling me to do.”

“I will buy all the gene scissors technology patents from Taewoo Group. Including the technology owned by Berkeley University and the patents of the Broad Institute. They are currently divided into two places and fighting, but if all the technologies and patents are gathered in one place, wouldn’t it be easier to solve the problem?”

“… … .”

Everyone was silent.

It was an unexpected proposal, and one that Taewoo Group, with its strong capital base, could make.

“I believe that by advancing gene scissors technology, we can discover treatments that can save people suffering from rare and incurable diseases. To do that, I think we need a situation where you can all focus solely on research.”

“Can Taewoo Group make it happen? If we are to buy both the technology and the patents, we need to offer a price that satisfies the universities and research institutes.”

“How about $1 billion? I’m willing to buy the patents on the condition that each university and research institute donate $500 million to them.”

“Do you think it’s worth investing a billion dollars in gene scissors technology?”

The researchers couldn’t believe that they were investing 1 billion dollars.

But it was never a lot of money.

A billion dollars may seem like a lot since gene-editing technology has not yet been recognized for its value, but in just a few years, its value will be far greater than a billion dollars.

There was no reason to reveal that information.

I came up with a new excuse to convince them.

“Gene scissors technology alone may not be worth $1 billion. But if we combine it with the mRNA or DNA methods that Sentryon has been researching so far, and add artificial intelligence technology, we believe we can create a completely new medical revolution.”

“By the way, I heard that there is a problem with gene scissors patents in Korea as well. Have you discussed it with that company?”

“We are already in contact. If you join, we will work with that company as well.”

Korea University was also researching gene scissors technology.

At the planning director level, attempts at persuasion had already begun.

Since it was a company that received government subsidies, it would have been easy to have it join Sentryon if the government had also provided assistance.

“I just want to confirm one more thing. Are you planning to hire not only the gene scissors technology but also the entire research team?”

“Yes. We are looking to recruit all of you from Sentryon or Taewoo Group. We can promise you more than double your current salary, and we can also promise you the best benefits and unlimited research support. If you want, we can even create a professorship at IIT.”

There were a few researchers who seemed to be interested.

They were associate professors or researchers who had not yet been promoted to professor, and they showed great interest in the idea that they could be promoted to professor immediately.

But there were many more people who didn’t.

These were people who were afraid of leaving the United States and settling down anew in Korea.

“If IIT were a university in the US, I would consider it, but it would be difficult to come all the way to Korea. Who would easily make the choice to leave their family behind?”

“I agree. So, for those who want to stay in the US, we plan to establish a research institute in the US. Taewoo Group already has many research institutes, including RND centers, in the US, and we plan to make one of them a center dedicated to gene scissors.”

“Is that okay?”

The further the distance, the more likely it is that communication problems will arise.

However, Taewoo Group had already conducted long-distance joint research several times.

We already had the world’s best video conferencing system in place.

“We will set up a system that will allow you to conduct remote video conferences. You will feel as if you are conducting research in a research lab right next door.”

“If we accept the offer, will the lawsuit be automatically dropped?”

“The lawsuit will be nullified. Of course, I understand that you want to be recognized for your achievements through the lawsuit, but it is a painful choice for everyone. So, how about competing fairly from now on? Taewoo Group promises full support.”

I looked at Professor Zenith and said.

She was at the center of the lawsuit, and much depended on her choice to first publish the gene-scissors paper.

“Please give me a moment to think about it.”

“Let me say one more thing. Whoever wins the legal battle, one side will have the dishonor of having their technology stolen, and the other side will have the dishonor of having their technology stolen. Instead of that dishonor, how about we both achieve the honor of conquering an incurable disease?”

Professor Zenith closed her eyes for a moment.

Her eyes were bloodshot, as if she had been thinking a lot in a short period of time.

“I will accept the offer. I just wanted to continue my research without thinking about anything.”

“We will also accept the offer. We want to stop the meaningless legal battle and work for the suffering patients.”

“I will send people to each university and research institute right now. I will make sure that all contracts are finalized within this month. Also, please give me a list of people who will come to Korea.”

He said to pull out the bull’s horn in one go.

I pushed ahead without any time to think.

They forced me to sign a contract so that the decision could not be reversed.

And he strongly recommended that researchers interested in professorships come to Korea.

This brings the genetic scissors dispute to a close.

Of course, there were still negotiations with Korea University, but since it was a matter within Korea, there were no major difficulties.

***

A few days later.

The planning director came to us with good news.

“We have finalized all contracts with Berkeley University and the Broad Institute. All rights to the gene scissors technology will be shared between Sentryon and Taewoo Group. And the dedicated gene scissors center will be available as early as this month.”

“Are the preparations for the researchers coming to Korea complete?”

“We have sent bodyguards to ensure your safe entry into Korea, and have completed all preparations, including a luxury apartment, house, and vehicle.”

The American gene scissors problem has been solved.

Now, all that remained was the technology patent held by Korea University.

“Are the discussions with Korea University going well?”

“The patent for the gene scissors technology belongs to Professor Jinwoo Kim, not to Korea University. Rather than persuading Korea University, we are trying to persuade Professor Jinwoo Kim personally.”

“I guess I’m not very convincing.”

“It seemed like he was trying to start a business using gene scissors technology.”

“Starting a business with government subsidies? The government won’t sit idly by, so that must have been a difficult decision.”

I also understood Professor Kim Jin-woo’s feelings.

Although the project was carried out with government subsidies, the share of the research results was his.

So, I must have chosen to start a business in order to get proper recognition.

“I will try to put pressure on him through Korea University and the research institute he was affiliated with.”

“No. I will meet him in person and try to persuade him. I can’t let a talented person get caught up in a lawsuit.”

We needed at least one more talented person.

I was especially eager to recruit him because he was a talent from Korea.

I decided to take action myself to recruit him.

“I got a call from someone who wanted to meet me right now. They need a lot of investment capital to start a business, so I think they want to get investment from the chairman.”

“I guess we can have dinner together. Please take me to Captain Kang’s restaurant.”

“I will send someone right now.”

I headed to Captain Kang’s restaurant first.

Professor Kim Jin-woo arrived at the annex around sunset.

It was Professor Kim Jin-woo, who had a strong scholarly air, and upon checking the detailed information, it was found that he possessed S-class research abilities.

Why did I only discover this guy now?

Since he was someone who possessed S-class abilities, he could never allow them to be taken away by someone else.

I will definitely recruit him to Taewoo Group or Sentryon.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Kim Min-jae from Taewoo Group.”

“It is truly an honor to meet you, Chairman.”

“Before we begin our full-scale conversation, would you mind taking a look at the materials I’ve prepared?”

I handed him the materials I had prepared.

This was a list of the illegal or fraudulent practices he had committed while conducting his research so far.

“Hey, how about this?”

Professor Kim Jin-woo is so surprised that he can’t close his mouth.

He never imagined that I would bring such information.

But I would do anything to recruit talent.

The person I absolutely wanted to recruit, even if it meant resorting to extreme methods, was Dr. Jinwoo Kim.