You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 184

I told Jin Hye-kyung that the phone connection was bad and ended the call.

“…….”

Then, I put down the data I was looking at on the table.

The research reports submitted in three stages, from the development of Antrozol, the predecessor of Antrozol Alpha, to the present.

The name of the research team leader, Yoo Min-hyuk, who was listed in the final report of Antrozol, the first research, and the interim report of Antrozol Alpha, the second research, does not appear in the final report of Antrozol Alpha, the third research.

Considering that his name was listed prominently at the beginning of the previous two reports, I assumed he was the research director.

If so, why isn’t his name in the final report?

Antrozol is a blockbuster product that allowed Myunghwa Pharmaceuticals to get listed on the stock market.

He was the initial developer of Antrozol, and he also discovered the actions of Afilatartilene and Lopetamine, which are the key components of Antrozol Alpha.

Why is Yoo Min-hyuk, who made such a significant contribution, missing from the final report of Antrozol Alpha?

All the other researchers are still listed, and Yoo Min-hyuk’s place is taken by an unfamiliar name, Yoon Soo-young.

Doesn’t something seem fishy?

I immediately picked up my cell phone.

-Yes, lawyer. What’s going on?

Kim Chan-young answered the phone in a lively voice, as if he hadn’t fallen asleep yet.

“Nothing’s going on. It’s about the data you gave me earlier.”

-Yes.

“I was looking at it, and something’s bothering me.”

-What is it?

“Do you have the data with you? I think we need to talk while looking at it.”

-I made a copy before giving it to you.

I didn’t necessarily need to see the data, but I was testing him.

As expected.

He doesn’t just want to be a data courier.

He must have made a copy to prepare for any possible situation or to figure out what might not be shared with him.

“Antrozol, Antrozol Alpha interim report, Antrozol Alpha final report. For convenience, let’s call them the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd reports.”

-Yes.

“The name of the researcher who seems to have been the head of research in the 1st and 2nd reports is not visible in the 3rd report. He’s been replaced by someone else.”

-……Uh, uh, that’s right. The person who disappeared is Yoo Min-hyuk, and the person who newly appeared is Yoon Soo-young. Right? Suspicious, isn’t it?

“Isn’t it?”

-Shall we find out why he left?

“Yes.”

-Okay. I’ll ask my uncle about it tomorrow morning.

I finished the conversation, which went smoothly, and hung up the phone.

I stretched and headed to the veranda.

I took out a cigarette and prepared to end the day.

I wonder what the result will be.

* * *

“Is Chan-young here?”

Two days later, Choi Jong-hyun, Jo Bong-joon, and Kim Chan-young gathered in the studio.

We had already shared our discoveries from the day before with the two of them, so we were waiting for the information that Kim Chan-young would bring.

“I’m sorry. I was late because it’s exam period now.”

“It’s exam period? Final exams?”

“Yes. But if I get through this week, it’s vacation.”

“Are you allowed to participate in this kind of thing during the exam period?”

“I wanted to do it. Don’t worry. I’ve been doing well on all the exams so far.”

Inside the bag that Kim Chan-young put down, there were indeed a lot of textbooks.

“I heard you’re the top student in the department. Wouldn’t it be a waste if you messed up this time?”

“Wow, Chan-young is the top student? You go to Myungwoon University? That’s amazing. There are only good students there.”

“Ah, lawyer. Why are you saying that? I’m embarrassed.”

Kim Chan-young scratched his cheek, seemingly embarrassed, and pushed the file holder in front of us.

“My uncle brought it home yesterday, but I was up all night at school, so I only got it today. I’m sorry.”

“No. I’m grateful just for you giving it to me like this.”

Kim Chan-young smiled at Choi Jong-hyun’s words and took out the contents of the L-shaped holder.

It was Yoo Min-hyuk’s personnel record.

“He quit? And it seems like he was in charge, as Cha suspected. It’s definitely strange.”

“Yes. The 3rd report came out in mid-2009, and he retired in March 2009. I think the research director was changed to Yoon Soo-young because of his retirement. He said he doesn’t know why he left.”

Antrozol Alpha entered clinical trials for FDA [Food and Drug Administration] approval in mid-2009.

It would have entered clinical trials as soon as the 3rd report came out, so that’s expected.

And 2009 is also the year when the Hyizolam study, which started in the United States in 2007, concluded.

Checking the data, as expected.

The final paper on Hyizolam was published in January 2009.

“Looking at the timing, this Yoo Min-hyuk… He was originally in charge of the Antrozol study, but he retired two months after the Hyizolam study results came out.”

Choi Jong-hyun summarized the situation.

“There’s a high possibility that this person also knows that the Hyizolam study was fabricated.”

“If so, we could use him as a witness.”

The reason for leaving the company was stated as personal reasons, but it is not known whether it was a forced resignation or a voluntary departure.

“Let’s call this contact number.”

“Ah, lawyer. Actually, I tried calling earlier. I just called to see if he was still using this number, but…….”

“But?”

“Someone else answered. And when I asked if it was Yoo Min-hyuk’s phone, he got angry, saying that he had been getting calls looking for Yoo Min-hyuk since last year.”

Judging from the fact that he has been getting calls since last year, he must have changed his phone number after leaving the company.

“Hmm. Did he disappear as if he were running away?”

“Maybe…… Oh?”

Choi Jong-hyun, who was tilting his head, pointed to his academic background.

“He’s a Seoul National University class of ’83? He’s my classmate. Of course, he’s in the College of Pharmacy, but.”

“Didn’t the College of Pharmacy used to be on the Yeongeon campus back then? Even if you were in the same class, it would have been a little difficult to interact with you because you were in the Department of Mass Communication.”

“No, I remember. It’s been quite a while since the College of Pharmacy moved to the Gwanak campus at that time. And a brother who was in the same club was in the College of Pharmacy class of ’83. I think I know him.”

“Oh, then can hyung [older brother/male friend] find out?”

“I have that hyung’s contact information. I’ll contact him.”

Choi Jong-hyun called someone he knew on the spot.

And after answering ‘yes’ several times with a serious face for a long time, he soon hung up the phone and shook his head.

“I was going to meet him a while ago, so I tried to contact him, but I can’t get in touch with him at all. Since early 2009.”

Looking at the timing in many ways, I think he deliberately went into hiding.

Changing the phone number after leaving the company is a common measure taken if you don’t want to be contacted by your former workplace, but cutting off contact with acquaintances…

“I think this person knows something.”

“Ah, Cha. I heard you talking about the National Intelligence Service back then, and you said you know a private detective agency? How about commissioning it there?”

Jo Bong-joon shrugged his shoulders as if he couldn’t help it.

“I have to.”

According to Tae-shik, it would be best to know the phone number and date of birth.

But if that’s not possible, it’s good to know the date of birth.

The date of birth is in the personnel record, so it’ll work out somehow.

“Is he a trustworthy friend?”

Choi Jong-hyun narrowed his eyes as if he were suspicious.

“Of course.”

In fact, I decided not to mention that the two of them used to go to the bathhouse together and scrub each other’s backs in their previous lives.

After parting ways with them, I headed straight to Tae-shik’s office.

Only after arriving in front of the office did I think that it might be a little late.

It’s already past 9 p.m.

I got off in front of the building and looked up at the window, and fortunately, the lights were on.

Ah, come to think of it, Tae-shik sent me a text message a while ago asking me to have a drink with him, but I was too lazy to reply.

I have a feeling he’s going to pick a fight with me as soon as we meet.

“Oh? Who is this? Isn’t this the lawyer who chews on my texts like gum and even blows bubbles?”

As expected.

As soon as I opened the office door, Tae-shik, who was sitting on the sofa, looked at me with his lips pouting.

Sang-gil and Hyung-shik, who were sitting next to him, jumped up and bowed to me.

“Have you come, lawyer?”

“Hey, you. Don’t say hello. Anyway, he only looks for me when he needs me. I heard you were drinking with the National Intelligence Service the other day? You drink with the National Intelligence Service, but you can’t drink with me?”

It seems like Tae-shik is sulking properly.

“We can drink next time.”

“Every time, next time, next time. Do you think I’ll believe you?”

“Are you my girlfriend? Why are you so angry because I didn’t reply to a text message? And when did I say let’s drink next time? I just said I didn’t want to.”

“……Oh, now that I think about it, that’s right.”

Tae-shik coughed awkwardly.

“So, what’s going on?”

Sang-gil quickly put a drink in front of me.

“Give us some space.”

I said, looking at Sang-gil and Hyung-shik.

The two of them seemed embarrassed by the unexpected words and glanced at Tae-shik.

Tae-shik waved his hand as if telling them to go out.

The two left, leaving only me and Tae-shik in the office.

“What’s going on that you’re so serious?”

“It’s nothing special.”

I came to commission the search for Yoo Min-hyuk, but there was another reason.

I took out the Vita 5000 box from the paper bag I had brought and put it in front of him.

“Why did you buy something like this again? I was feeling like I was running out of Bairamin, so it’s good timing. I should have one.”

Tae-shik smiled and opened the Vita 5000 box.

And soon, his eyes widened.

“……Heok? Heo-eo-eok?”

Tae-shik looked at the contents carefully and closed the box as if he had seen something terrible.

Then, after a while, he opened the box slightly again.

“T, this is money? If it’s money that goes into a big Vita 5000 box, it’ll be about 200 million won [approximately $150,000 USD]? W, w, why are you giving this to me now?”

“It’s so convenient that 50,000 won bills came out. In the past, I needed an apple box size to hold this much money.”

Tae-shik blinked.

“You remember I told you to liquidate bad deeds, right?”

“……Ah, yes. I don’t do bad things anymore. Really.”

“I know.”

“T, but why are you giving me this?”

“Now, expand the office a bit.”

Tae-shik swallowed hard.

“I didn’t know how much you would need, so I brought this much for now. Tell me if you need more.”

“…….”

“Hire some useful guys. Sort out the trustworthy guys and send out the guys you’re going to let go, and give the guys you’re going to keep a raise. Get a few cars. MOU [Memorandum of Understanding – a formal agreement] is like this.”

Giving money to a private detective agency in the form of an investment would not look good if it were revealed later.

Well, can’t we just turn a blind eye to this much?

“……I’ll take it as a sign to work hard, so thank you.”

Tae-shik said in a serious voice, unlike him.

“Then let’s move on to the business.”

“Did you have other business?”

“I need you to find someone. The contact number you’re using now, or the place you’re living now. Anywhere is fine. I just need to be able to meet him.”

I said, putting Yoo Min-hyuk’s personnel record in front of him.

Tae-shik glanced at the record and soon jumped up and shouted.

“I’ll do my best in the world!”

And he even bowed in half.

It may be difficult to find someone who is deliberately hiding, but he’ll be full of motivation because I gave him a lot of money.

“Okay.”

“And I’m really deeply moved. I didn’t know you trusted me this much. In that sense, I will serve you as my older brother from now on. Can I call you hyung?”

“No.”

“……Ah, yes.”