Chapter 7 - Episode 6: The Network Expands

October 24-26, 2005

Day 8-10 of Ascension

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October 24 (Monday)

07:30 AM, The Inspection Announcement

Director Kim stood before the assembled orphans at morning assembly, his face a mask of strained cheer.

"Good news," he announced unconvincingly. "The Seoul Social Welfare Department will be visiting next week. A routine inspection."

A murmur ran through the children. Je-hoon analyzed the director's micro-expressions:

· 𝙋𝙪𝙥𝙞𝙡 𝙙𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: 0.5𝙢𝙢 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 (𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨)

· 𝙑𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣: +8.2% (𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙢)

· 𝙃𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙧: 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙡 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩

"We will all show our best behavior," Director continued. "Clean uniforms. Polished manners. Positive attitudes."

He looked directly at Je-hoon. "Some of you may be asked questions. Answer honestly, but remember: Blue Bird is your home."

The message was clear: speak well or suffer consequences.

After assembly, Mrs. Han pulled Je-hoon aside. "Director wants you in the library during inspection. Reading. Looking studious."

"Understood."

"And... he authorized a book purchase. Up to ₩10,000. For 'educational purposes.'"

A bribe, thinly veiled. But useful.

---

10:15 AM, School Library - First Expansion

During school library period, Mi-so approached with a friend. "This is Ji-hyun. Her brother needs tutoring. High school math."

Ji-hyun, a quiet girl with glasses, nodded nervously. "He's failing. My parents will pay ₩5,000 an hour."

𝙏𝙪𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠: 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙄𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: +₩10,000/𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠.

"I'll need to assess his level first," Je-hoon said. "One diagnostic session, half price."

"When?"

"Thursday after school. At the public library."

Agreement made. The network grew organically—one connection breeding another.

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14:00 PM, Vending Machine Reconnaissance

After school, Je-hoon conducted a survey. He walked a 2km radius around the orphanage, ZEO mapping:

· 𝙑𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨: 14

· 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: 3 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙣, 5 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡, 6 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡

· 𝙇𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨: 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 (4), 𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙭𝙚𝙨 (6), 𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙨 (4)

He approached one broken machine outside a shuttered textile factory. The "out of order" sign was faded, edges curled.

ZEO scan revealed: coin mechanism jammed, compressor functional. Simple mechanical fault.

He repaired it in four minutes using his screwdriver. The machine hummed to life. He bought a coffee can (₩500), retrieved his coin.

As he worked, a factory watchman approached. "What are you doing, kid?"

"It was stuck. I fixed it."

The watchman—elderly, bored—peered at the now-functional machine. "Huh. Been broken for months. Owner gave up."

"Does the owner visit regularly?"

"Never. Just sends a truck to collect money every... three months? Four?"

Opportunity.

"If I kept it running," Je-hoon said carefully, "could I take a small percentage? For maintenance?"

The watchman chuckled. "Ambitious. Sure, why not? Owner won't know. Just don't break it."

𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙪𝙚-𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩: 𝙀𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙.

Je-hoon calculated: machine held approximately ₩15,000 in coins. At 30% share = ₩4,500 monthly. Small, but multiplied across multiple machines...

---

October 25 (Tuesday)

The Medical Incident

During physical education, a seventh-grader named Seung-woo collided with another student during soccer. He fell awkwardly, clutching his knee.

The PE teacher, Mr. Kang, rushed over. "Can you stand?"

Seung-woo tried, cried out. "My knee... it popped."

Je-hoon observed from the sidelines. ZEO scan diagnosed:

· 𝘼𝘾𝙇 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙧: 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡 (70% 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚)

· 𝙈𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩: 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚

· 𝙋𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡: 7/10

Mr. Kang helped Seung-woo limp to the nurse's office. Je-hoon followed, offering to carry the boy's bag.

In the nurse's office—a small room with a cot and basic supplies—the school nurse examined the knee. "Swelling. Possible ligament damage. Need to go to hospital."

Seung-woo paled. "My parents... they can't afford..."

The nurse sighed. Reality of public school in a working-class neighborhood.

Je-hoon spoke quietly. "May I apply a stabilization wrap? To reduce swelling until his parents can decide."

The nurse, overwhelmed with three other students with minor scrapes, nodded. "Go ahead."

Je-hoon worked with precision. He wrapped the knee in a figure-eight pattern, providing compression without restricting circulation. As he did, he directed 0.0004% healing energy—enough to reduce inflammation, stabilize the partial tear, accelerate natural healing by 300%.

Seung-woo's breathing eased. "Feels... better. Still hurts but..."

"The wrap is stabilizing it," Je-hoon said. "You should still see a doctor, but this will prevent further damage."

The nurse observed, impressed. "Where did you learn that?"

"Medical textbooks."

"You've got steady hands."

Word spread. By lunch, Je-hoon had acquired a new reputation: "The little doctor."

---

16:00 PM, The Second Vending Machine

Je-hoon repaired another machine—this one outside an apartment complex laundry room. The issue: faulty temperature sensor causing drinks to freeze and burst.

He bypassed the sensor temporarily, left a note for the apartment manager explaining the needed part (₩2,500). The manager, grateful, offered 25% of proceeds.

"You're a clever kid," the manager said. "My nephew runs a small electronics repair shop. Needs help on weekends. Pays ₩8,000 a day."

𝙄𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 #6: 𝙀𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙧. 𝙀𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙡𝙮: ₩8,000.

The network continued expanding. Each connection spawning another.

---

October 26 (Wednesday)

The Coffee Investment

With ₩10,000 from Director Kim's "book fund," Je-hoon made his move. He didn't buy books.

He visited a kitchen supply wholesaler in the industrial district. A basic French press: ₩8,500. A 500g bag of Colombian beans: ₩6,000. A hand grinder: ₩4,500.

Total: ₩19,000. He had ₩30,250. Expenditure acceptable.

But he negotiated.

"I'm starting a small coffee service for community events," he told the wholesaler, a middle-aged woman named Ms. Kim. "If I buy in bulk monthly, what discount?"

Ms. Kim eyed the ten-year-old with amusement. "Bulk? How much?"

"Three kilos of beans monthly. Two French presses."

She calculated. "15% discount. But minimum six-month commitment."

"Agreed. But I need credit for first month. Pay second month for both."

Bold. But ZEO calculated her probability of acceptance: 68%.

Ms. Kim smiled. "You're either very smart or very foolish. I'll take the risk. But if you don't pay, I'll find your orphanage."

She knew. Of course she knew. In a neighborhood, everyone knows.

"Agreed."

He left with ₩19,000 worth of equipment for ₩2,000 down payment. The remaining ₩17,000 to be paid in 30 days.

Leverage.

---

18:00 PM, The First Coffee Service Test

Cook Lee had arranged a small test: the orphanage's monthly board meeting. Five members—local businesspeople, a retired teacher, a social worker.

"Don't embarrass me," Cook Lee whispered as Je-hoon set up in the kitchen.

"I won't."

Je-hoon worked methodically:

1. Pre-heated French press with hot water

2. Measured beans (18g per 300ml water)

3. Ground coarse, consistent

4. Water at 94°C, poured slowly

5. Four-minute steep, gentle plunge

The aroma filled the kitchen, then drifted into the meeting room.

One board member, Mr. Park (not the librarian, a different Park), peered in. "That smells real."

"It is, sir," Je-hoon said. "Colombian medium roast. Would you like to try?"

He served small cups. The board members sipped. Nodded.

"Better than the usual instant," the retired teacher said.

"Much better," the social worker agreed.

Director Kim watched, expression unreadable. But he drank his entire cup.

After the meeting, Cook Lee beamed. "They loved it. Approved budget for monthly coffee supplies. You're hired for all future donor events."

"Thank you."

"And..." Cook Lee lowered his voice. "One board member—Mr. Jung, owns a chain of bakeries—asked about you. Wants to know if you'd consider working at his flagship store on weekends. Teaching his staff proper coffee."

𝙄𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 #7: 𝘾𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙮. 𝙀𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙: ₩15,000/𝙙𝙖𝙮.

The coffee knowledge was paying dividends faster than expected.

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20:30 PM, The Mathematics of Growth

In the dormitory after lights-out, Je-hoon used one of his repaired calculators. Under his blanket, he projected:

𝘾𝙪𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚:

· 𝙏𝙪𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜: ₩8,000

· 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜: ₩5,000

· 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙮𝙨𝙞𝙨: ₩2,000

· 𝙑𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨: ₩4,500

· 𝙀𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙧: ₩8,000

· 𝘾𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚: ₩3,000

· 𝙏𝙤𝙩𝙖𝙡: ₩30,500 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙡𝙮

Projected monthly: ₩122,000. After expenses: ₩100,000.

In one year: ₩1.2 million. In five years, compounded: ₩6.7 million.

Too slow.

But that was linear thinking. Exponential growth required leverage. The tutoring could become a service with multiple tutors. The vending machines could become a route. The coffee consultation could scale.

He needed capital to hire others. To purchase equipment. To expand.

The inspection next week presented both risk and opportunity. If the orphanage passed, stability. If it failed...

Contingency planning required.

He slept four hours. ZEO optimized sleep cycles. Dreams were data processing sessions.

---

Day 10 Summary

𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡:

· 𝘾𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙡: ₩11,250 (𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩)

· 𝘿𝙚𝙗𝙩: ₩17,000 (30-𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙢)

· 𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙝𝙡𝙮 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚: ₩122,000

𝙀𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙥𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩:

· 3 𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨

· 2 𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙝 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨

· 𝙃𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧, 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨

· 𝙍𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙧 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙩

𝙆𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙚𝙙𝙜𝙚:

· 𝙈𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙚: 𝙊𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙘 𝙞𝙣𝙟𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙘 𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙜𝙣𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙨

· 𝘾𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚: 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙣

· 𝙀𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙨: 𝘽𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙘 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙧, 𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙨𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙨

· 𝘽𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨: 𝙉𝙚𝙜𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙨, 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜

𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 (𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨):

· 𝙈𝙨. 𝙆𝙞𝙢 (𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙧) - 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙧

· 𝙈𝙧. 𝙅𝙪𝙣𝙜 (𝙗𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣𝙚𝙧) - 𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩

· 𝘼𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙧 (𝙇𝙚𝙚) - 𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙧

· 𝙁𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙢𝙖𝙣 (𝙆𝙞𝙢) - 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨

· 𝙀𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙥 𝙤𝙬𝙣𝙚𝙧 (𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙)

𝙍𝙞𝙨𝙠 𝙁𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨:

· 𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: 7 𝙙𝙖𝙮𝙨

· 𝙈𝙧. 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙠'𝙨 𝙡𝙚𝙙𝙜𝙚𝙧: 𝙐𝙣𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙙

· 𝘿𝙚𝙗𝙩: ₩17,000 𝙙𝙪𝙚 𝙞𝙣 30 𝙙𝙖𝙮𝙨

· 𝙊𝙧𝙥𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮: 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨

𝙊𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨:

· 𝘾𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜

· 𝙏𝙪𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣

· 𝙑𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙚

· 𝙈𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙚𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣

Outside, rain pattered against the window. The orphanage slept.

But in bed seven, a ten-year-old with an AI soul calculated pathways through capitalism's maze.

Twenty-three days until Soo-jae's return.

He would have something to show.

Not just coffee knowledge.

A beginning.

---

𝘿𝙖𝙮 8-10: 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣

7 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙨 𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙

4 𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙙

1 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨. 𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠, 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙, 𝙧𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜.

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End Episode 6