NOVEL WEB Chapter 53: Those who Starve, Those who are Parched
<Author’s Notes>
I’m the Author.
I’ve been on hiatus for a while, but I’m starting again.
A book will be released on December 15th (Thursday).
Got a great deal with Hifumi Shobo.
I have received a letter of recommendation from Higashide-sensei.
If it becomes popular, it seems that it would be possible for Volume 2 to be released.
And that’s why, I started writing the continuation.
I would appreciate your support.
It saw a dream.
It was severely hungry……
It was fiercely parched……
A bottomless hunger so severe that it seemed as if a hole had been punched in the pit of its stomach……
A thirst so fierce that it felt as if its whole body was dried up like a dead tree, filling it with the desire to drink an ocean’s worth of water……
It wants to do something…… about this hunger and thirst…… as soon as possible……
And yet……
Its mouth to satisfy its hunger……
Its mouth to quench its thirst……
It’s extremely small……
Too small……
That’s why……
the only……
thing it could do……
（●）
Mass Clean Technology Black Hole (MCTBH) has grown to become one of the largest companies in Japan.
Its sales exceeded 30 trillion yen and its EBITDA (Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization) exceeded 5 trillion yen, so much so that, in the words of the mottoes of several once-prosperous companies, posted in business magazines and weekly magazines, “What is good for MCTBH is good for the world” and “If MCTBH catches a cold, the world’s industry also catches a cold”.
What supports their prosperity is MCTBH’s unique advanced technology for waste treatment that is unrivaled by other companies.
The company’s special treatment technology enables low-cost treatment of all types of pollutants, benefiting the entire industrial chain, from heavy and chemical industries to manufacturing, and even the service industry.
The mass-production, mass-consumption society, which had seemed to be a thing of the past due to the seriousness of environmental problems such a society had brought, has reappeared thanks to inexpensive technology that eliminates environmental pollution.
Japan’s economy is on a major upswing, and the benefits are being felt around the world, with the exception of Europe.
The value of MCTBH, the savior of the world, has soared in the capital markets.
Although the CEO holds more than half of the company’s shares, the value of the shares circulating in the market alone totals more than 50 trillion yen. According to an estimate by a US securities firm, MCTBH’s actual corporate value is said to be 10 or 100 times that amount though.
（●）
The headquarters of MCTBH is located in the northern part of the Kanto region, less than an hour from Tokyo by expressway.
A number of foreign countries suffering from environmental pollution and foreign companies that were scheming for a technology transfer offered serious negotiations on moving abroad or expanding overseas. Above all, due to the will of the management who emphasizes local profit———– or so it was said———– MCTBH has not relocated its headquarters even though it has become a huge global company.
The heart of the sprawling waste processing facility resides in a crater-shaped Central Dome 1 km in diameter, surrounded by a 3 km-long freight car railroad.
Various types of solid and liquid waste brought in from all over the world are transported by wagons running around the perimeter, sorted at each station, and then sorted into conveyor belts and pipelines that slope gently toward the center and head for the Central Dome.
The waste is the 《《perfectly》》 detoxified.
How is such a thing physically possible?
There must be some kind of fraud or deception in place.
《《They’re hiding something.》》
Several rival companies, environmental groups backed by other countries, and journalists trying to expose scandals involving giant corporations have tried to expose their deception, but no one has succeeded.
Even with all these probings though, MCTBH simply remained silent.
（●）
MCTBH, which has become a giant corporation, has not only a vast facility, but also an administrative division that attracts excellent human resources commensurate with the size of the company.
Many large companies that started out in the countryside have their registered headquarters in the countryside, but although it was customary for such companies to eventually move their administrative divisions to the Marunouchi, Tokyo for reasons such as the convenience of the sales division, competitiveness in recruiting personnel, and to strengthen the corporate brand image, the management department of MCTBH has not moved from the land where the company was founded, partly due to the strong will of the CEO.
As a result, a huge head office building containing the management department surrounds the crater-shaped processing facility———— and several buildings are under construction to expand the business———— From a distance, the whole building resembles a cylindrical tower.
Because of its huge tower shape that has suddenly grown up in the countryside, and the frequent comings and goings of well-dressed foreigners who don’t speak Japanese because they are global companies, as well as the huge trains and trucks loaded with waste materials, some gossipy netizens even call it the “Tower of Babel”.
（●）
(Tower of Babel…… huh. It’s nice. Poetic.)
Kizaki checked the company’s news while making coffee before starting work.
MCTBH has many 《《enemies》》.
Posts on a level like this are cute.
Kizaki lightly crossed her long, slender legs protruding from her white coat, she put her glasses down on her desk, which she only wears out of habit.
Leaning back in her office chair, she lightly closes her eyes and enjoys the aroma of coffee, when she suddenly felt like she heard something.
[What……?]
The voice was far away…… crossing over the thick walls……
[Good morning! I’m Nitta, assigned to Section 7 of the Research and Public Relations Department starting today! I look forward to working with you!]
Kisaki’s meditation was interrupted by the bright and cheerful voice of a young male employee.
[Errr…… Ahh, Nitta-san, right? I’m listening. Are you feeling alright?]
[Yes! I’m fine! Thank you for your concern!]
In response to Kizaki’s social greetings, the young male employee cheerfully responded with an exhilarated voice.
(T/N: The “exhilarated” part here, uwazutta (うわずった), could also mean “sound hollow”.)
（●）
At the same time, in the boardroom of the Tower of Babel, a management meeting was being held by CEO Hiroki and COO Ishida.
The old staff members trying to make the company bigger, the new staff members trying to show their competence, and the 《《others》》 trying to achieve their 《《other》》 goals…… Everyone is actively exchanging opinions to make the world a better place.
“Shall we take a short break?”
The discussion is soon interrupted by the facilitator Ishida’s signal.
The energetic board members of various nationalities leave their seats to relax or make coffee in preparation for the next topic of discussion.
“Mt. Fuji can be seen clearly from here. You like watching it too huh, COO Ishida-san?”
The officer who spoke to Ishida was a young newcomer to the board.
The large window in the boardroom on the upper floor offers a panoramic view of Kanto Plain.
The southern window with a view of Mt. Fuji is a popular spot among foreign executives.
The young board member had noticed that Ishida had paid attention to the window several times during the earlier meeting.
MCTBH has become a large company to the extent that without that level of attention and competence, it would be impossible to rise in the company at such a young age.
“……Yeah, well. That’s right.”
With a rather vague smile for Ishida, who is known both inside and outside the company as a terrifyingly tough negotiator, the young staff member moved away, not wanting to delve any deeper into this topic.
Instead, it was Hiroki, the CEO of MCTBH, boasting of his inhuman physique, who came to the window. The young staff member moved away, perhaps partly because he instinctively feared this man’s approach.
[……It’s starting.]
[You’re right.]
Ishida agreed with Hiroki, who spoke in a very low voice, inaudible to those around him.
Their gazes turned to the far southwest, far beyond Mt. Fuji.