SEOUL โ SPRING 2022
The scent of blooming cherry blossoms mixed with the sharp, clean odor of antiseptic. Je-Hoon lay on a specialized medical bed in a discreet private clinic in Hannam-dong, intravenous lines feeding a custom nano-cocktail directly into his bloodstream. Marco's voice was a calm, internalized hum.
๐ฝ๐ค๐๐ฎ ๐๐ฅ๐ฉ๐๐ข๐๐ฏ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ฉ๐ค๐๐ค๐ก: ๐๐๐๐จ๐ 2 ๐๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐. ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ข๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ช๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ: 3 ๐ข๐ค๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐จ. ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐จ: ๐๐ช๐จ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ง ๐ง๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ (๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ฉ๐ง๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ฎ), ๐๐๐ฃ๐จ๐๐ฉ๐ฎ-๐ค๐ฅ๐ฉ๐๐ข๐๐ฏ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ง๐ช๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ง๐, ๐๐ช๐ก๐ก ๐ฃ๐๐ช๐ง๐ค๐ข๐ช๐จ๐๐ช๐ก๐๐ง ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฃ๐๐๐ง๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ฏ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ. ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ฉ ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐: ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ค๐ง๐๐๐จ ๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ค๐ง (๐ช๐ฃ๐๐๐ง๐๐ค๐ซ๐๐ง ๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐๐๐ก๐). ๐๐๐ง๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ก ๐๐๐ช๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก ๐ช๐ฅ๐ก๐ค๐๐: ๐๐๐ง๐ฉ๐๐๐ก ๐๐ง๐ฉ๐จ (๐๐ง๐๐ซ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ช๐๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐, ๐ ๐ช-๐ ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ช ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฅ๐ก๐๐จ), ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ง๐ข๐จ ๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฎ, ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ก ๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐จ.
The process was not painless. It felt like his bones were being gently compressed and his muscles were being rewoven on a molecular level. But Marco managed the pain signals, converting them into data streams of progress.
This was the next logical upgrade. The financial and corporate wars were escalating. Min-jun's desperate suspicion at the wedding was a warningโthe conflict would not stay in boardrooms. Je-Hoon needed to be a weapon in every dimension.
Soo-jae knew he was undergoing "intensive physical training and security conditioning." She approved. The world they were moving in had shadows that sometimes required more than data to navigate.
---
THE OFFENSIVE: LEAK & SQUEEZE
While his body transformed, their financial offensive moved with clockwork precision. The leaked documents on Horizon Capital's Singapore fund irregularities were published by the Financial Times on a Monday morning, Asian market open.
The effect was instantaneous and catastrophic. Horizon's stock plunged 32% in the first hour of trading. Singaporean and Korean regulators announced joint investigations. The Jincheon Group, Horizon's primary backer, issued a terse statement of "full cooperation" while secretly scrambling to limit contagion.
Je-Hoon watched the carnage from his home office, Marco integrating real-time trading data, news feeds, and encrypted chatter from financial forums.
๐ผ๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ฎ๐จ๐: ๐๐ค๐ง๐๐ฏ๐ค๐ฃ'๐จ ๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ช๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐๐จ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐ค๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐. ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐จ ๐๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐. ๐๐ง๐ค๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ค๐ก๐ก๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ 72 ๐๐ค๐ช๐ง๐จ: 87%. ๐๐ช๐๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐ฃ-๐๐ช๐ฃ'๐จ ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐จ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก ๐ฅ๐ค๐ง๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ก๐๐ค ๐๐จ ๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ช๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐. ๐๐ ๐๐จ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฌ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐จ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐ญ๐๐ข๐๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ฎ โฉ9.2 ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ค๐ฃ.
Perfect.
Soo-jae called, her voice electric with controlled fury. "They're trying to throw Min-jun overboard. Making him the scapegoat for the 'rogue' Singapore fund."
"Let them," Je-Hoon said, watching a live feed of protesters gathering outside Horizon's headquarters. "A disgraced, indebted Min-jun is more dangerous to us than a jailed one. He'll become a rabid dog with nothing left to lose. We need to handle him directly."
There was a pause on the line. "You're suggesting physical removal."
"I'm suggesting we contain the threat before he decides to act outside of finance. The optimization protocol I'm undergoing will be complete in three months. I'll handle it then."
Another, longer pause. "Be careful, Je-Hoon. Rabid dogs bite."
"I'm counting on it."
---
THE BODY: MONTH ONE
The first month was internal reconstruction. Je-Hoon's diet was strictly regulatedโhigh protein, specific micronutrients to support nano-assembly. His sleep was optimized to four hours of deep, regenerative rest monitored by Marco.
He looked the same in his suits, perhaps a bit more filled out in the shoulders. But underneath, his skeleton was becoming denser, his ligaments tougher. He began a daily regimen of isometric exercises and neural drills, where Marco would simulate combat scenarios directly into his motor cortex, building muscle memory for moves he'd never physically performed.
One evening, Soo-jae came to his home gymโa converted room in the penthouse with minimal equipment. She watched him move through a series of fluid, brutally efficient stretches that defied normal human flexibility.
"You move differently," she observed, leaning against the doorway. "Like a predator that's finally grown into its skin."
"It's part of the conditioning," he said, not stopping. "Efficiency of motion reduces profile and vulnerability."
She walked closer, her analytical gaze scanning him. "It's more than that. Your reaction time. When I entered, you knew it was me before the door opened. Your head turned a fraction of a second before the sound."
Je-Hoon paused. Her observation was too sharp. "Enhanced situational awareness. A trained skill."
"A trained skill that borders on precognition." She crossed her arms. "The probability variable we've been trackingโฆ it adjusted again. To 3.1%. It spiked when I watched you just now. My models indicate the increase correlates with observed demonstrations ofโฆ extreme competence beyond standard parameters."
He met her gaze, the air between them charged with unspoken calculations. She was piecing together a puzzle, and the picture was something neither of them had planned for.
"The clause is still a statistical outlier," he reminded her, deflecting.
"Outliers," she said softly, "have a way of becoming the new normal." She turned to leave, then glanced back. "Don't forget the charity dinner tomorrow. We have to play the happy couple for the cameras. Try to look less like a weapon and more like a husband."
---
THE PUBLIC FACE & THE PRIVATE WAR
The charity dinner was for a children's cancer fund. They smiled for the cameras, held hands, made a generous donation in their shared name. The narrative of the power couple in love was solidifying.
Across the room, sitting at the Jincheon table, was a hollow-eyed Park Min-jun. He was there as a "guest" of the heir, but his presence was a glaring symbol of disgrace. He drank heavily, his eyes burning with hatred every time they landed on Je-Hoon.
During the silent auction, Je-Hoon excused himself to the restroom. Min-jun followed.
The hallway was empty, soundproofed by thick carpet. Min-jun cornered him near the ornate elevators.
"You did this," Min-jun slurred, his breath reeking of whiskey. "You and your ice bitch. You think you've won? I'm not finished. I know what you are. I've been digging. A sudden, miraculous rise from nothing. Preternatural predictions. It's not genius. It's something else."
Je-Hoon stood perfectly still, Marco assessing the threat. [Subject Min-jun: Blood alcohol 0.18%. Adrenaline high. Hostility: maximum. Probability of attempted physical assault: 62% in next 30 seconds.]
"You're drunk, Min-jun. You should go home."
"I'm going to expose you!" Min-jun hissed, stepping closer. "I'll go to the press. I'll tell them Lee Je-Hoon is a fraud, a monster, a lab experiment gone wrong!"
[Assault initiating. Right hook, telegraphed.]
Time seemed to slow. Je-Hoon didn't think. His body moved with the new, ingrained efficiency. He slipped the wild punch with a minimal shift of his head, his left hand coming up to capture Min-jun's extended wrist. He applied pressure to a nerve cluster Marco highlighted in his vision.
Min-jun gasped, pain flaring, his aggression turning to shock. Je-Hoon leaned in, his voice a cold whisper. "Listen carefully. You are bankrupt. You are disgraced. You are a tool that has broken in your master's hand. If you speak one word about me, to anyone, I will not ruin you financially. I will have you committed to a psychiatric ward on such a convincing array of evidence that you will never see daylight again. Your obsession will be your diagnosis. Do you understand?"
He released the pressure. Min-jun stumbled back, clutching his wrist, his face a mask of terror and realization. The man before him was not just a clever financier. He was something utterly cold and controlled.
"Stay in the shadows, Min-jun," Je-Hoon said, straightening his jacket. "It's where broken things belong."
He walked back to the dinner, leaving Min-jun slumped against the wall, his threat extinguished, his spirit broken.
---
MONTHS TWO & THREE: THE WEAPON FORGED
The final two months of optimization were intense. Je-Hoon's body fat dropped to a razor-sharp 8%. His muscles were not bulky, but dense, corded like steel cables. He could run a sub-five-minute mile, do one-armed pull-ups with ease, and his reaction speed was now measured in hundredths of a second.
The knowledge uploads were seamless. He spent nights in VR simulations run by Marco, mastering firearm disassembly and marksmanship in virtual ranges, sparring with AI opponents programmed with the styles of elite combatants.
He was becoming the perfect hybrid: a world-class analyst in a special forces operator's body.
Soo-jae noticed, of course. The subtle changes in the way he carried himself, the absolute stillness he could adopt, the way his eyes now missed nothing. The "probability variable" in her personal models continued its steady, baffling climb. It was at 5.7%.
One night, after a strategy session that ran late, they shared a nightcap in her side of the penthouse. The city was quiet below.
"The Horizon collapse is complete," she said, swirling her whiskey. "Jincheon has absorbed the remains at a fire-sale price. They're wounded, but not dead."
"Min-jun?" Je-Hoon asked.
"Disappeared. Left the country, we think. To Thailand or Vietnam. He's a non-factor now."
"Good."
She looked at him, her gaze lingering. "Thisโฆ transformation of yours. It's almost complete, isn't it?"
"It is."
"Why?" The question was simple, profound. "You already had the mind. Why the body? We have security teams for physical threats."
"Because the mind is housed in the body," he said. "And I will not allow my greatest asset to be vulnerable to the simplest form of attack. Because men like Min-jun, and the ones above him, ultimately respect only one language: force. I intend to be fluent."
She was silent for a long moment, then nodded, accepting his calculus. "The gala next month. The annual Oh Group shareholder event. It will be our first major appearance as the new leadership duo. My uncles will be watching, waiting for a crack. Jincheon will be watching, looking for weakness."
"We'll give them none."
She finished her drink and stood. "No. We'll give them a show of strength they won't forget." She walked to the connecting door, then stopped. "The variable is at 5.7%, Je-Hoon. My models can't explain the steady increase. It defies my initial parameters."
He looked at her, this brilliant, formidable woman who was his wife in every way but the one that mattered. "Maybe your initial parameters were wrong."
A slow, genuine smile touched her lipsโthe first unguarded one he thought he'd ever seen. "Maybe they were. Good night, husband."
"Good night, wife."
The door closed. Je-Hoon remained, feeling the new power humming in his veins, the tactical knowledge resting in his mind, and the unsettling, undeniable warmth spreading from a place the nano-machines couldn't optimize.
The takedown of Horizon was complete.
The forging of his new self was complete.
And the most complex calculation of allโthe one involving the woman on the other side of the doorโwas just beginning.
---
[End of Episode 14]
[Status: Body Optimization (3-month) Complete. Physical/Special Ops Capability Achieved.]
[Key Development: Horizon Capital Destroyed. Min-jun Neutralized (Exiled).]
['Sunset Clause' Probability: 5.7% and rising.]
[Next Episode: The Shareholder Gala]