The Conglomerate Family Became A Villain [EN]: Chapter 30

Reborn as a Conglomerate Villain – Episode 30 –

The Haven of Geniuses 03 –

***

Professor Eric Dempster.

As a mathematics professor at MIT, he received a special request before this early admission interview.

“Eric, I would like you to participate in this early admission interview.”

The boy who submitted the early admission application had applied to the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, not the Department of Mathematics.

So, he couldn’t help but hesitate.

“Thomas, what’s gotten into you…”

“You’ll understand when you see his resume.”

Professor Eric Dempster stroked his chin as he looked at the boy’s resume.

“I admit he’s an outstanding student. But this alone is a little…”

A little lacking.

That’s how he saw it.

“Chen will also participate.”

Won Chen.

He was a physics professor of Chinese descent. Like other famous university physics professors, he was known as a genius and came to MIT.

“Chen, you say?”

Professor Eric Dempster was surprised because Won Chen rarely came out of his lab.

‘What’s up with that genius?’

As he tilted his head, Professor Thomas Norn said.

“He’s very interested.”

“Interested?”

“Frankly, I want Eric to keep Chen in check.”

Professor Eric Dempster put his hands together.

“It sounds like you’re saying Chen is trying to get this boy accepted no matter what, so you want me to stop him.”

“Frankly, that’s right.”

Professor Thomas Norn came to Eric Dempster to increase the objectivity of the admission interview.

“Thomas, if Chen wants him that much, why not just accept him?”

If Professor Chen, who is called a genius, wants a student that much, he is likely to be an outstanding talent.

“Just accept him?”

“Isn’t MIT looking for talented people?”

“Eric.”

“Since Thomas is asking, I’ll go, but there’s no need to keep Chen in check…”

Professor Thomas Norn interrupted him.

“If the student had applied to the Department of Physics, I would have accepted him immediately. But he applied to our department, not Chen’s Department of Physics.”

He meant that since he would be teaching the student, he wanted to decide whether to accept or reject him himself.

“I understand. I’ll join you.”

Professor Eric Dempster, Professor Thomas Norn, and Professor Win Chen.

The student who would be interviewed by these three people was Jung Hyun-woo.

***

“Jung, what motivated you to apply to our school?”

It was a very basic question that every school asked. Some thought the question itself was unnecessary since people applied to get accepted, but many professors still asked students this question.

“Does one need a special motivation to apply to the world’s best university?”

Jung Hyun-woo asked back confidently.

Professor Dempster nodded at his words.

“You want to attend the world’s best university? Is that what you’re saying?”

“Yes, it is.”

It was an ordinary question and answer with nothing special.

“Let’s move on to the next question. Chen.”

Professor Win Chen was sitting to the left of Professor Dempster. He was the one who had most strongly recommended Jung Hyun-woo.

This time, Professor Chen asked Jung Hyun-woo.

“Jung, what do you want to learn at MIT?”

Jung Hyun-woo thought for a moment before answering.

“I want to do research with the world’s best talents.”

Not studying, but research.

Professor Norn sighed inwardly at Jung Hyun-woo’s answer.

‘Hoo, he’s saying there’s nothing to learn here.’

Help me with my research.

That’s how he interpreted Jung Hyun-woo’s answer.

“Jung, we don’t put students in the lab right away. You’ll have to learn something before you go to the lab.”

Professor Chen frowned at his words.

“Thomas.”

This question is mine.

However, Professor Norn did not budge.

“Chen, I’m speaking generally. I hope you don’t misunderstand.”

As expected, Professor Win Chen wanted Jung Hyun-woo very much. Professor Dempster thought there was a subtle tension between Professor Norn and Professor Chen.

‘A battle for dominance.’

He was brought in to mediate this conflict.

“Jung, I’ll ask again. What do you want to learn at MIT?”

Jung Hyun-woo realized that Professor Thomas Norn was not satisfied with his answer.

‘I’m getting ahead of myself.’

A student should act like a student.

He sighed briefly inwardly.

‘Hoo, should I answer normally?’

However, MIT was a university where the world’s geniuses gathered. He didn’t think he could get in with an ordinary answer.

“The future will be interconnected. At home, I could only imagine such a network in my head. But I heard that MIT has a vast network that can interact with many universities. I want to learn how to use it and grow it.”

The computer network was first conceived by Christopher Strachey of England in the 1950s.

The concept and demonstration of computer networks were studied throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

And in 1981, several universities in the United States were connected by packet-switched networks.

This was called Arpanet [Advanced Research Projects Agency Network, a precursor to the internet].

Arpanet was about to be converted to TCP/IP [Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol] packet transmission.

“You could only imagine it at home? Isn’t that inaccurate?”

As of 1982, PC communication using modems existed in the United States.

Jung Hyun-woo didn’t back down and went straight ahead.

“PC communication is a network, but it’s not *the* network I envision. I want to learn and research Arpanet at MIT.”

A boy who knows about the existence of Arpanet.

Professor Win Chen said to Professor Thomas Norn.

“He sees the potential of the network.”

“Chen?”

“Isn’t it our job to unlock that potential?”

The potential of the network.

In theory, it had infinite potential. But with current technology, its limitations were clear.

Professor Eric Dempster intervened between the two.

“He seems to have a clear vision.”

It was not a common sight for interviewers to debate about a student.

“Eric?”

Professor Eric Dempster turned his gaze to Jung Hyun-woo instead of responding to Professor Thomas Norn.

“Jung, I saw the recommendation letter you submitted.”

The recommendation letter Jung Hyun-woo submitted was written by Robert from Activision [a video game company].

He highly praised Jung Hyun-woo in the letter of recommendation.

“You mean Robert’s recommendation letter.”

Professor Eric Dempster nodded and continued.

“In addition to the submitted recommendation letter, five more recommendation letters have arrived.”

Professor Thomas Norn’s eyes widened at his words.

“Eric, what are you talking about? Five more recommendation letters have arrived?”

Professor Eric Dempster said.

“The admissions office sent them to me.”

“Why to Eric?”

“I think it’s because my name was at the top of the list for this applicant.”

Professor Win Chen was also surprised by the five recommendation letters.

“I have one too, so does that mean there are seven recommendation letters?”

The one who was most surprised by the number of recommendation letters was Jung Hyun-woo.

‘Seven recommendation letters? Who on earth sent them?’

Did Activision pull some strings?

Or the Hilton family?

Either way, seven was excessive.

Even for students with excellent grades, recommendation letters were usually prepared by their advisors, school principals, and recommending professors.

In special cases, one or two more recommendation letters might be attached, but it was rare to have seven recommendation letters like this.

“Eric, who sent that many recommendation letters?”

Professor Eric Dempster took out the first recommendation letter.

“The first recommendation letter is from Senator Fulton of New Mexico.”

A senator from New Mexico.

A recommendation letter from the political world.

Maybe for a military academy?

At MIT, a recommendation letter like that wouldn’t be enough to determine acceptance or rejection.

Of course, as a senator’s recommendation letter, it carried more weight than a general recommendation letter.

“Senator Fulton of New Mexico, you say?”

When Professor Norn raised his eyebrows, Professor Dempster briefly summarized the contents.

“He says he’s a diligent student, so please consider him favorably.”

It seemed like there was nothing particularly insightful.

Jung Hyun-woo thought.

‘The Hilton family pulled some strings here.’

To be exact, Andrew Hilton, that is, Sarah’s father, had a local senator write a recommendation letter for him.

‘I’m in their debt.’

He pondered Andrew Hilton’s words.

‘Please take care of my daughter.’ *Rather*, I’m the one who’s being taken care of.

Professor Eric Dempster continued.

“The second recommendation letter came from Wall Street.”

A recommendation letter from Wall Street.

The other two professors tilted their heads.

“From Wall Street?”

Maybe for Harvard?

A recommendation letter from Wall Street was unusual at MIT.

“The person who wrote the recommendation letter is Zach Fraser of Citigroup.”

Citigroup is one of the four largest banks in the United States, ranking between 1st and 4th depending on the era.

The same was true in 1982. Citibank was one of the most famous banks in the United States.

“What’s the content?”

“He says he has a deep understanding of the game industry, excellent analytical skills, and is expected to achieve great things in science and engineering.”

Jung Hyun-woo heard the contents of the recommendation letter sent by Citibank and thought of one person.

‘This is Peter’s recommendation letter.’

Peter Lynch of Magellan Fund [a successful mutual fund].

He asked Zach Fraser of Citigroup, who was more famous than himself, for a recommendation letter.

‘Who are the other three then?’

Professor Eric Dempster held up the third recommendation letter.

“This is a recommendation letter sent by Sam Green.”

The other two professors tilted their heads.

“Who is that?”

“Is he an academic?”

Sam Green.

Jung Hyun-woo had never heard of the name either.

“Sam Green is a Medal of Honor recipient.”

Medal of Honor.

The most prestigious medal in the U.S. military.

A medal approved by Congress and awarded by the President.

A medal that more people received posthumously than those who received it alive.

The respect that Americans show for the Medal of Honor could be seen just by visiting an airport.

If the fact that a Medal of Honor recipient arrives at the airport is known, the airport announces the fact through the in-house broadcast, and an official comes out to greet him in person.

This welcome continued even after boarding the plane, with the captain announcing the boarding of the Medal of Honor recipient, and if the first-class seat was empty, it was naturally given to him, and even if it was full, there was a 99% chance that one of the first-class passengers would give up his seat.

“A Medal of Honor…”

In the United States, a veteran’s recommendation had a great effect. Moreover, if it was a veteran who had won the Medal of Honor, his recommendation could never be ignored.

“Hmm.”

It was a recommendation letter that had to be considered without even looking at the contents.

“Sam Green said that Charlie [referring to Jung Hyun-woo, using the military phonetic alphabet] is from Korea, an ally of the United States, is an excellent student from Korea, and hopes that MIT will make a great decision considering the friendship with the allied country. For reference, Sam Green received the Medal of Honor in the Korean War.”

A Korean War veteran.

A person with a special relationship with Korea.

Jung Hyun-woo couldn’t figure out who had pulled the strings.

‘Is it Andrew Hilton? Or John Hilton? Surely the Daewoon Group didn’t move?’

It was a recommendation letter that he couldn’t even guess which side it was from.

This third recommendation letter alone was incredibly impressive.

“Now, the fourth recommendation letter.”

Professor Eric Dempster was unfolding the recommendation letter as if taking a treasure from a magic jar.

Whose recommendation letter would it be this time?

The eyes of the other two professors were filled with curiosity.

“Don’t be surprised.”

At Professor Eric Dempster’s words, Jung Hyun-woo and the three others were ready to be surprised.

‘Who on earth will be named?’

Will the name of the President of the United States come out?

He wouldn’t be surprised unless it was something like that.

‘If it’s really a recommendation letter from the President of the United States, I can say I’ve made it.’

What Korean international student would receive a recommendation from the President of the United States?

Soon, Professor Eric Dempster said, holding the fourth recommendation letter in his hand.

“The fourth recommendation letter is from Richard.”

Richard.

Jung Hyun-woo tilted his head.

‘He’s not a famous person at all.’

Moreover, the fact that Professor Eric Dempster said only his first name, not his full name, meant that he was an acquaintance of his.

‘Is he an MIT professor?’

A recommendation from an MIT professor.

It was possible enough. But it wasn’t something to be surprised about.

‘Could it be that Richard’s personality is eccentric?’

If he received a recommendation from a professor who never gave recommendations, that would also be meaningful in its own way.

Jung Hyun-woo was thinking about these possibilities. Professors Thomas Norn and Win Chen were genuinely surprised.

“Richard wrote it?”

“Goodness.”

Jung Hyun-woo tilted his head.

‘Who is Richard anyway?’

Professor Eric Dempster asked Jung Hyun-woo.

“Does Jung know Professor Richard Phillips Feynman?”

Jung Hyun-woo was shocked at his question.

‘Richard Phillips Feynman, you say?’

The pioneer of the quantum computer.

One of the first to propose nanomachines.

A member of the Manhattan Project [the WWII project that developed the first nuclear weapons].

One of the winners of the 1965 Nobel Prize in Physics.

He was considered one of the most influential scientists in the United States.

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