Next to the building housing the lecture halls was a semiconductor research lab. Though it was described as “next to,” it was actually about 200 meters away—a testament to the vastness of Korea University’s campus.

Professor Park Hyo-San was likely in the semiconductor lab at the moment. With about 30 minutes left until the lecture began, Han Seo-Jin hesitated briefly.

“It’s probably better to deliver it in person.”

That would save time, after all. Having made up his mind, Han Seo-Jin drove toward the semiconductor lab.

“What brings you here?”

“I’m here to see Professor Park Hyo-San. I’m a student.”

“May I see your student ID?”

At the entrance of the lab, two security guards were stationed. It felt less like a university and more like a private research institute. After verifying his student ID and face, the guard returned it.

“Please wear this around your neck, and don’t approach restricted areas casually. You could cause unnecessary misunderstandings. Professor Park Hyo-San’s office is in Room P-33.”

“Thank you.”

Han Seo-Jin wandered around searching for Room P-33. Every noticeable door was inaccessible without an access card. CCTV cameras were monitoring entry points throughout the building. The level of security rivaled that of H Semiconductors.

Finally locating Room P-33, Han Seo-Jin rang the bell. Moments later, the door opened, revealing Professor Park Hyo-San, his hair disheveled.

“Student Han Seo-Jin? What brings you here? Isn’t class starting soon?”

“I came to submit my report.”

“Already?”

Professor Park gave him a meaningful look of surprise, as though he hadn’t expected the report submission so soon.

“You’re much faster than I expected. Come in.”

“Yes, Professor.”

The desk inside was cluttered with various papers, including research notes and equations scribbled on loose sheets.

After offering him a seat, Professor Park got straight to the point.

“The report?”

“Here it is.”

Politely handing over the report—a single page—Han Seo-Jin noticed Professor Park examining it with a surprised expression.

After a long silence, the professor finally raised his head.

“The answer is correct.”

“Yes.”

So, does that mean he was exempt from all Electromagnetics lectures this semester? Anticipation rising, Han Seo-Jin awaited his response.

“But there’s no basis for your solution.”

“Pardon?”

“The process of solving it. Haven’t you ever solved math problems before? Filling in the blanks with the solution process? If you just write the correct answer, I can’t tell if you genuinely solved it or not.”

“The solution process is there, though.”

“This? Just these five lines?”

Professor Park, incredulous, shook the report in his hand.

“I summarized it as neatly as I could.”

“You should’ve left some room for elaboration. This is too much pruning.”

Looking at him with an exasperated expression, Professor Park sighed before continuing.

“Alright, I’ll need to verify a few things. Let’s start with this A circuit design…”

Professor Park posed a series of questions. Each one was a challenging problem that undergraduate students would find difficult to answer. Of course, Han Seo-Jin answered without hesitation.

When faced with particularly difficult questions, he referred to his report. His Insight Eye combined the truths it revealed with the professor’s queries, allowing the answers to emerge naturally.

This remarkable ability to discern and apply truths proved astonishingly versatile.

The Q&A session lasted over two hours. Professor Park probed relentlessly, determined to uncover every detail of the reasoning behind the answers. He dug into any perceived gaps and demanded answers until he was satisfied. It felt akin to a high-pressure interview, but Han Seo-Jin responded flawlessly.

At last, Professor Park raised the white flag.

“…Good, you pass.”

“Does that mean I don’t need to attend Electromagnetics anymore?”

“Of course. Whether you attend or not is up to you. You can even sleep in class if you want. I’ll give you an A+ regardless.”

“Thank you.”

The two-hour grilling seemed to have drained Professor Park as well; his forehead was glistening with sweat.

“Student Han Seo-Jin, how did you find solving the problems?”

“Pardon?”

“The difficulty level. It wasn’t too hard, was it?”

“It wasn’t easy. I spent several sleepless nights struggling with it.”

“Are you aware that this is at a doctoral level? Yet you solved it in less than a week.”

“…”

Momentarily at a loss for words, Han Seo-Jin maintained a confident expression. So what, Professor? I’m already getting an A+. His demeanor seemed to silently assert this.

“As I suspected during your interview, you’re exceptional. It feels like a waste for you to spend time in an undergraduate program. By the way, when do you plan to submit the Logic Circuit and Semiconductor Device reports? Since Electromagnetics was the easiest, I assume those will take longer?”

“…”

The assumption left Han Seo-Jin briefly wondering what to do. But wasn’t it too late to back out now?

He opened his bag and retrieved another set of documents. Though not as condensed as the single-page Electromagnetics report, they were still remarkably concise.

Professor Park’s face reflected shock as he alternated glances between Han Seo-Jin and the report bundle.

“I’ve already completed the Logic Circuit and Semiconductor Device reports as well.”

“Let me see those!”

Practically snatching the reports, Professor Park began reviewing them. First, he examined the Logic Circuit report. Though summarized in under five pages, this time, he didn’t complain about a lack of process.

“While the explanations are sparse, the conclusions are flawless. Alright, you pass Logic Circuits as well. You’re exempt from attending classes and exams.”

“No questions this time?”

“The Electromagnetics report already proved you’re capable. I trust your work.”

“…Thank you.”

The word “trust” inexplicably made his face flush with heat.

Professor Park scrutinized the Semiconductor Device report next.

Unlike the other two reports, this time, Han Seo-Jin waited with a pounding heart, watching anxiously for the professor’s reaction.

‘How will it turn out?’

Electromagnetics and Logic Circuits were challenging but had predefined answers from the start.

However, the Semiconductor Device assignment was different. According to Jung Ji-Won, even the international academic community was struggling with this issue, engaging in extensive research.

The newly discovered semiconductor material, Scoburianum.

While being hailed as the next-generation semiconductor material, it still faced unresolved issues in the thermal oxidation process. Jung Ji-Won had once remarked:

“If someone resolves this problem clearly, they’re guaranteed a Nobel Prize.”

The Nobel Prize—something even elementary school students are familiar with. Moreover, South Korea has never produced a Nobel Prize winner in the sciences. “Guaranteed Nobel Prize” wasn’t just an exaggeration; Han Seo-Jin understood the weight of that statement.

Professor Park Hyo-San, who had been poring over the report for some time, sighed with regret as he set it down.

“…What a pity.”

“Is it lacking significantly?”

“No, not at all. There are a few critical errors, but even producing a paper of this level in just a few days using only theoretical physics is incredible. You’re truly remarkable.”

Professor Park Hyo-San couldn’t hide his mixed emotions.

The quality of the paper was outstanding. The skills to determine the destination, set the direction, and navigate the ship to find the answer were all exceptional.

However, the destination itself wasn’t correct.

“It’s not the right answer. But the attempts and efforts you made to find it are excellent from a scientific methodology perspective.”

“So, does that mean…?”

“You pass. You don’t need to attend or take tests for Semiconductor Devices either. I’ll give you an A+ for all three subjects.”

“Thank you very much.”

It worked, as planned.

Han Seo-Jin smiled inwardly, though outwardly he expressed his gratitude with a polite demeanor.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t find the correct answer. The power of his Insight allowed him to achieve even the seemingly impossible.

However, he had intentionally planted critical flaws throughout the paper. This way, the direction would be distorted, preventing anyone from reaching the destination.

In fact, covering up these distortions and making them look natural required considerable effort. Fortunately, it seemed that Professor Park Hyo-San hadn’t caught onto the discrepancies.

‘Giving up a Nobel Prize just to get an A grade? No way. I’ll wait and publish it once I’ve built more credibility.’

For now, he would bide his time, lying low until he gained the strength to protect such a monumental achievement.

‘If someone figures it out and publishes it before me… well, it can’t be helped. I’ll just work on something else.’

Compared to the true potential of his Insight, this was nothing.

Han Seo-Jin was well aware that he still had a lot to learn.

Receiving a Nobel Prize, presenting groundbreaking theories, starting his own company—these things could all wait until he was mature enough to sustain such accomplishments.

“There’s plenty of time, and I’m in no rush.”

With this resolve, he reaffirmed his decision to wait and refine his abilities.

“Oh no! The lecture time is already over?”

Only then did Professor Park Hyo-San realize, flustered, that he had completely missed the Electromagnetics lecture while immersed in reviewing the reports for hours.

Han Seo-Jin was equally startled.

“W-What should we do? Because of me, the professor and the other students were inconvenienced.”

“It’s fine; I’ll make up the lecture later. Let me see, I don’t have any more lectures today anyway… Seo-Jin, do you have any other classes left?”

“This was my last class today as well.”

“Perfect. How about taking a tour of the research center together?”

“The research center?”

Han Seo-Jin’s interest was piqued. Come to think of it, he was curious. What kind of facilities did the research center attached to Korea University have?

“It’s not as grand as Kite University’s, but our school’s facilities are still impressive. If you have the time, why not take a look?”

“If you allow me, I’d be honored. As someone in the field, I’ve always wanted to see Korea University’s research facilities.”

“Well then, let’s go right now.”

Professor Park Hyo-San immediately got up from his seat.

The research center was far larger than it appeared from the outside. Its tight security rivaled that of private labs, and expensive equipment, even rarer than those found in H Semiconductors, was scattered throughout.

At one point, Han Seo-Jin marveled at a particular piece of cutting-edge equipment.

“That’s the KP031Z1 model. I didn’t know this model had been imported to Korea. I heard its price exceeds 800 billion won. Looks like our school has a lot of funding.”

“It’s expensive, but German-made products are the best. But how did you recognize this model?”

“…I am a developer at H Semiconductors, after all. This model was discussed extensively when the company considered adopting it. I learned about it back then.”

Though it was the power of his Insight that revealed the truth, he couldn’t state that outright and opted for a plausible excuse.

“But I see that this place doesn’t just house semiconductor-related equipment. There’s quite a bit of electronics-related equipment too.”

“A university isn’t a corporation. Its goal isn’t to manufacture high-performance semiconductors. While focusing solely on semiconductor engineering might be good for job prospects, it won’t lead you to the true roots. This is a place for academics, not profit-making. Don’t forget that.”

“Yes, Professor.”

When they entered a specific lab, several older students with haggard faces and weary eyes were engrossed in their computers. Upon noticing Professor Park Hyo-San, they were startled and quickly stood up.

“Oh, Professor. You’re here.”

“How’s the research going?”

Professor Park Hyo-San smiled warmly and then turned to Han Seo-Jin with pride.

“This is my lab, and these are the students I mentor. They’re all pursuing their doctoral degrees.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Seo-Jin, have a seat here.”

Professor Park Hyo-San gestured toward an empty desk chair.

The moment Han Seo-Jin looked at the chair, he felt a strange sensation and hesitated. For some reason, it gave off a bad vibe. Just in case, he activated his Insight to examine the chair.

As the Insight activated, the hidden truth about the chair surfaced.

[February 17, 2009. Purchased by Jung Ji-Won.]

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