Ch.8383 Cold War

Corporate War.

It literally means a war between corporations.

However, it doesn’t refer to competition over the same consumer pool, but actual physical warfare.

A war where bullets fly, missiles drop, and tanks spew fire.

In this world where corporate power exceeds that of nations, this was more common than one might think.

Yet history had proven that even winning a corporate war often didn’t constitute a true victory, so companies generally tried to avoid them.

Therefore, corporations refrained from warfare unless it was absolutely necessary.

Instead, the concept of cold war emerged as an alternative.

Assassins instead of soldiers, slander instead of bombs, Black AI instead of tanks – a quiet war.

That was corporate cold war.

Cold wars were preferred by most corporations because they offered more benefits compared to actual warfare.

And according to Kathy on the phone, the pharmaceutical company that Amon and Sonia wanted to monitor was currently in a cold war with another pharmaceutical company.

[Recently, both companies developed a fat control drug, and coincidentally, they seem to have created it around the same time.]

After decades of company resources poured into development, their products overlapped.

Both sides claimed the other had stolen company secrets, but the truth remained unknown.

One thing was certain: the drugs made by both companies were identical in both efficacy and performance.

As if afflicted with a disease that would kill them without monopoly, the companies began operations to force the other side to abandon their patent rights.

At first, they bribed regulatory agencies like the FDA and filed lawsuits against each other.

As the fight dragged on, it became more extreme, eventually leading to a cold war.

[France seems to be the most critical point in the cold war right now. Whichever company gains the upper hand in France will have the initiative in this cold war.]

That’s why Miller Pharmaceuticals came up with the insane plan to spread a virus.

It was a triple benefit: undermining their competitor’s strength, expanding their business, and even making money from the vaccine.

They immediately put their plan into action.

To secretly develop a vaccine, they needed to conduct clinical trials quietly, so they decided to utilize human trafficking.

They were continuously supplied with test subjects through gangs involved in organ trafficking or human trafficking.

Then that gang ran into Amon, and in the midst of it all, the head of security went out on the pretext of deployment and ended up killed by Amon.

Kathy contacted them about this, which led to the current situation.

That was Kathy’s explanation.

Amon nodded.

Then, pointing to the attackers who were now corpses, he asked:

“So were these people sent by Miller? Because things got complicated because of me?”

[No. Miller Pharmaceuticals doesn’t particularly hold a grudge against you. Probably.]

“Probably?”

[I see the future, not read minds.]

“Fair enough.”

[But one thing is certain. These people weren’t sent by Miller Pharmaceuticals.]

As Kathy said, Miller Pharmaceuticals had no hard feelings toward Amon.

All roads lead to Rome, they figured, and with Kathy’s help, they could gain the upper hand in Paris.

To the company, the head of security was just one of many parts, and his death was merely an incident.

They didn’t care much if his sacrifice could help them gain an advantage in France.

“Companies really are cold-hearted.”

[Just so you know, I’ll never abandon you two, no matter what!]

Kathy said playfully, as if she’d been called out.

Naturally, Amon didn’t take it seriously either.

“It’s fine~ If I’m betrayed, I can just stage another coup.”

[Hey?!]

“You know what they say! Success makes it a revolution, failure makes it treason!”

[Hey! That’s grounds for purging!]

“Oh my~ I’m so sorry, miss~”

After appeasing Kathy, he returned to the topic.

These attackers weren’t sent by Miller Pharmaceuticals.

[They were sent by Nevil Pharmaceuticals.]

“The ones competing with Miller, right?”

[Yes.]

He could roughly grasp the situation.

“Did they think we sided with Miller?”

[Probably.]

Suddenly, Kathy’s company was helping Miller gain the upper hand in France, and from the perspective of someone unaware of Miller’s plotting, it could certainly appear that way.

Sonia, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.

“But was their intelligence gathering incomplete? Looking at how many people they sent after us.”

[I think it’s because their intelligence was perfect that they sent these kinds of people.]

No identifiable fighting style, and combat ability that wasn’t too valuable to cut loose.

[If their goal was ‘assault’ rather than ‘assassination,’ these would be the optimal personnel.]

If the company’s purpose was to hinder the two, this was a very rational choice.

Amon agreed.

“Indeed, without Kathy, it would have been impossible to identify them.”

There would have been enough circumstantial evidence.

They were too well-trained and tight-lipped to be mercenaries or gang members, and above all, they showed high loyalty.

That alone might have led to the inference that a corporation was behind it.

But that would have been the extent of it.

There are hundreds of companies in Paris alone, and identifying one among them would be impossible.

It would likely have ended with just a lingering sense of unease.

Fortunately, Amon and Sonia had Kathy, so they didn’t need to feel that unease.

Instead, it aroused their curiosity.

“Okay. I understand they were sent by Nevil Pharmaceuticals. But I’m curious about something.”

[…]

“Did you know Nevil would send people? Ah, I’m not interrogating you, so don’t feel pressured.”

It was pure curiosity.

What future had Kathy seen?

Kathy was silent for a moment.

Choosing her words carefully about how much to reveal, she spoke again.

[Let me clarify that my ability is to read the threads of fate, not to memorize every future. You don’t memorize every verse in the Bible either, right? You just read the highlights.]

“I actually have memorized all of Saint’s Gospel. Want me to recite it?”

[…Generally speaking, people only read the highlights. And if something doesn’t directly affect me, I can only know it indirectly.]

“So you didn’t know?”

[I swear I didn’t.]

“This is surprisingly difficult.”

[As I always say, I’m not omnipotent.]

“But you’re still amazing. I rely on you too.”

Ahem

The sound of Kathy clearing her throat came through the earphone.

Reading the threads is in her blood, but weaving them into fabric is her skill.

“Then you just found out about the cold war too, right?”

[…]

“…Right?”

Kathy remained silent.

This time, Amon noticed that the silence had a different meaning.

“Well, I’m sure you have your plans.”

Amon accepted it and moved on.

But Kathy continued to be silent. As if waiting for someone to speak.

Eventually, as Sonia, who had been listening quietly, sharpened her gaze and moved her lips, Kathy gently closed her eyes.

As if she knew this was coming.

However Sonia had interpreted that silence, she asked Kathy in a slightly sharp voice.

“Was it necessary to keep this so secret?”

As someone who valued honesty in relationships, this was a major issue for her.

The subject of conversation suddenly shifted from Amon to Sonia.

“Kathy. Are you listening?”

[Sonya, I’m sorry.]

“…”

[I know that whatever I say won’t be a satisfactory answer for you. But in this position, sometimes I have to hide the truth.]

“I know. I understand.”

Though she said that, disappointment dripped from Sonia’s words.

For a moment, childhood memories flashed through her mind.

She had told many lies to Amon in the past.

She had hidden her wrongdoing of working with the Higgjen Group, who were targeting Divine Power holders, and trying to use them.

She had falsely applied for a field trip to the Higgjen Group to make the Vatican anxious.

Believing that the Vatican would offer a higher ransom.

As a result, things later spiraled out of control.

Of course, she later honestly told Amon about this and was forgiven.

But there was still something she couldn’t forgive.

The orphanage director’s…

Sonia pulled her sinking consciousness back up.

Anyway, she valued honesty.

Without it, relationships could deteriorate beyond repair.

This was why she felt disappointed with Kathy.

Because Sonia cherished Kathy, she had to emphasize honesty all the more.

She didn’t want to lose her at all.

Knowing Sonia’s sincerity, Kathy took her words seriously.

[Still, I can promise you two things. First, I may hide things from you, but I won’t lie to your faces. And as I said before, I will never abandon you.]

Amon, who had been listening quietly from the side, nodded.

Only then did Sonia realize she had been too sharp.

“I’m sorry. I think I was a bit sensitive after the battle.”

[I understand.]

Both Amon and Kathy sighed in relief.

The atmosphere lightened considerably.

Amon clapped his hands to change the mood.

“Well then. Back to our discussion. What should we do, Chairwoman?”

[I’m a Director.]

“Acting Chairwoman behind the scenes.”

[Keep that up and I’ll reveal your future embarrassing moments?]

“I’m sorry, Director.”

[That’s better. You should have said that from the start.]

“So what are we planning to do?”

[What else? We continue building our company branch.]

“No thoughts of revenge against Nevil Pharmaceuticals?”

[That’s why we’re establishing the Paris branch. We need a base on the ground whether we’re conducting sabotage or engaging in cold war. Besides, we’re not just dealing with Nevil.]

“…You’re going after Miller too?”

[Did you think we wouldn’t?]

“I thought you’d compromise?”

Through the earphone came the sound of Kathy snorting.

[Hmph. I told you, didn’t I? I’ll never abandon you two. That also means I won’t let anyone who messes with you get away with it.]

Miller had already made it onto Kathy’s grudge list.

First, selecting Amon and Sonia as test subjects in the clinic center incident.

Next, planning revenge against Amon through a gang.

And finally…

[Miller knew about today’s attack. Yet they remained silent to draw me into the cold war.]

Kathy recited the future that would follow.

[Probably by tomorrow morning, Miller will send someone and tell us the attackers were Nevil’s people. That way, we’ll naturally join the cold war.]

“Is that the future too?”

[This is analysis.]

The conclusion was that Miller had already accumulated enough grudges.

Kathy had no intention of letting either Miller or Nevil Pharmaceuticals off the hook.

While outwardly appearing to compromise with them, she was actually sharpening her knife behind their backs.

That was the method Kathy had learned from Amon.

[You have to make them feel safe before you can properly stab them in the back.]

“Director, you’re scary.”

[You taught me that.]

Eventually, they summarized the plan.

Priority 1:

Find the representative for Requetio’s water company.

2:

Use the established company to make the two pharmaceutical companies eat crow.

It was a very simple matter.

In the end, Amon and Sonia’s task remained unchanged.

Finding the representative.

[Well, things will get a bit tiring from today.]

“That’s fine.”

Amon smiled.

“We’ve been through worse.”

Sonia and Kathy smiled along with him.