Chapter 6

#6. Seoryu Sera's Industry

March 28, 2012.

Dover, Delaware, United States.

"The next news item. A winner for the Mega Millions lottery, which had rolled over 17 times, has been announced. The jackpot is 363 million dollars. There is only one winner, and they claimed the prize anonymously in Delaware."

In the hotel, the news of our Mega Millions win from yesterday is given significant coverage.

It's understandable. After all, a Mega Millions that had rolled over 17 times produced a winner in their state.

"Can we do it again?"

Regret is evident on the boss's face as he watches the news.

Human greed knows no bounds, and we tend to repeat the same mistakes, don't we?

I feel once again that our boss is just a human, after all.

This is dangerous. This human is about to go off the rails. At such times, guiding them back on the right path is my job!

I will absolutely not tell him any other winning numbers!

I gave the boss a stern warning with confidence!

Wearing a cowgirl costume and brandishing a pair of revolvers in both hands, the boss seemed to understand.

My non-existent heart started to race at his words.

He's naturally lazy, so even after being discharged, he didn't engage in much activity.

I even suspected that he had given up and was just living a carefree life.

But now, it seems he had some plans.

SR. It feels like a new beginning. Before the regression, SR was the name of the small... no, no! The promising company that the boss and I ran.

We rode a spacecraft with nearly 100 months of installment payments left to explore the asteroid belt, establish a forward base, and mine resources.

SR was the embodiment of the frontier spirit!

Indeed, our boss. Despite his aloofness, he has such a sweet side?

But my thoughts were shattered by the boss's next words.

"What are you talking about? SR stands for the initials of my name, Seoryu."

[Whoa! What kind of mood-killer is this? It's Sera's SR!]

"Seoryu."

[Sera!]

"Seoryu."

[Seraaa!!]

"Seoryu, I said!"

Our argument lasted about an hour and ended without a clear winner.

If someone asks about the meaning of SR, the boss will say it's Seoryu, and I will say it's Sera, by a temporary agreement?

* * *

We extended our visa and purchased an empty office in Dover, Delaware, and set it as the address for SR Investment.

While sorting out various small tasks there, time passed, and it was already summer before we knew it. It was then that Sera and I were able to return to Korea.

Myeongdong, Seoul, South Korea.

A sweltering August day at a franchise café.

"Oppa, Gangnam Style~ Yeah~ Sexy Lady~."

As I opened the café door, an upbeat song greeted me.

It's "Gangnam Style," which will soon become a global hit.

"I'm here."

I shouted over the loud beat of Gangnam Style and the chatter of the crowded café.

"Oh, our Seoryu! You look so thin."

"Did the American food not agree with you?"

The parents, who had come to greet their second son, welcomed the customer who had just entered the café.

"Is the business going well?"

Before leaving for the U.S., I had set up the café, and I asked this instead of a greeting.

Since I had been making international calls regularly from the U.S., I didn't feel the need for a formal greeting.

"Can't you see? Look at all the people!"

In response to my question, my father replied while making drinks with the other part-time workers.

"It's great that we don't have to deliver anymore."

My mother, with a look of all her worries gone, took care of me amidst the busy work.

"I like it better here than delivering. I don't have to pay rent, and it feels like it's really our place. I love it!"

My father also chimed in from time to time.

We had rolled the prize money over and over during my military service, and after discharge, we flexed with the accumulated money.

Although we had grown the money, it wasn't enough to buy a building in Gangnam or Cheongdam. Instead, we paid off the parents' loans, closed the chicken restaurant, and opened a café.

The café was set up by purchasing a separate shop in Myeongdong, and it seemed to be doing well at first glance.

"It's busier, but it's less dangerous than frying chicken."

"Indeed, the service industry is more profitable."

The café was very busy, but it didn't seem too difficult for my parents, who had experienced all kinds of challenges in the chicken business.

I didn't really think about helping out. There were so many part-time workers, and my presence wouldn't be much help. My parents would also feel burdened and oppose it.

"Let's talk at home later. I'll visit tonight."

"Sure~ It's busy, so let's do it that way. Are you going to see Sejun now?"

"Of course."

I didn't want to stick around in the busy café, so I finished with a quick greeting and left.

* * *

I drove out of Seoul and arrived in Ilsan.

The prize money, which had grown over nearly two years, wasn't enough to buy a building in Gangnam, but it wasn't a small amount.

After paying off the loans, helping my brother move into an office apartment, and opening the café, there was still money left.

With the remaining money, I bought a small warehouse in Ilsan and asked my brother to manage it.

Creak, thud.

As I opened the warehouse door, it was filled with mining graphics cards.

"Oh, is it our boss, Seoryu?"

Hearing the door open, my brother, who had been managing the place while I was in the U.S., smiled and ran over.

"I heard you were arriving in Korea today, but you're already here? What about Mom and Dad?"

"I just stopped by to see them. Let's go for dinner together later tonight."

"Sure, I understand."

My brother had gained some weight since I last saw him.

Well, all he had to do was manage the warehouse as I had instructed.

The deeper aspects were controlled remotely by Sera.

In essence, it was a security job with a significantly higher salary, so it's no wonder he gained weight.

"Thanks for all your hard work, brother."

I sincerely thanked him as I looked around the warehouse.

My brother is active. This job is easy but can be boring in a way. It might be more suitable for him to help out at my parents' café.

But since I had no one else to trust, I had to ask for his help.

"Hard work? Where else can you find such a sweet part-time job? And I'm not the only one here; I have a few friends working with me."

"Ah, you said you hired a few friends?"

"Yeah! They're all good and hardworking."

"They must have worked hard too."

"Brother, work is about getting paid to do something you don't want to do. This job isn't fun, but it's much better than making 200,000 won a month by mindlessly pressing buttons in a factory. Both my friends and I are grateful to you."

Seeing my brother's genuine happiness, I felt relieved.

"For now, it will continue for a few years. At least until 2017."

I planned to mine until at least 2017. After that, it would be up to me whether to continue or not.

"Really? That's a relief."

My brother looked relieved at the prospect of continuing the job for a few years.

"But is this really profitable? Well, if you say so, since you're studying computer science at Seoul National University... but..."

He still had doubts about the mining operation.

"Why? How about giving some coins as a bonus? To you and your friends?"

"Ah, no, we prefer cash, boss. I don't really believe that this will turn into a lot of money later... just give us cash. If you give us coins as a bonus, we'll feel disappointed."

"Alright, I understand."

My brother's firm request for cash.

I didn't push further and promised a bonus.

After sending my brother off to rest, energized by the news of a generous bonus.

"We need to set up a company here too."

Alone, I muttered to myself, looking at the warehouse and the mining rigs.

Sera immediately responded to my words.

"SR Industry."

[Hmm?! You want to name the boss's company this?]

"Yep."

[Hmm...]

Sera showed a slightly reluctant reaction to naming the mining operation SR Industry.

Before the regression, SR Industry was a small but solid company.

It was a business entity consisting of a pioneering spacecraft, me as a 2.0 enhanced human, and Sera, a military-grade AI.

Sera seemed to feel a sense of rejection at the idea of naming a coin mining operation after such a company.

"Everything starts small."

I sweetly consoled Sera, who was pouting.

"Look at the starting points of the giant IT companies that now dominate the world. They all started in small shops."

Steve Jobs and Bill Gates started Apple and Microsoft in garages, Jeff Bezos's Amazon was initially an online bookstore, and Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook started in a college dorm.

Even major domestic corporations started with small mills or a couple of trucks.

In that sense, this warehouse with its mining operation is relatively large.

Sera finally agreed with my words.

But she didn't seem willing to let it go that easily.

"What?"

[The common trait of world-renowned business geniuses.]

Sera's tone seemed to be demanding something in return for her agreement.

"Huh?"

As always, when she talks like this, I get a bit scared.