Chemistry

15. Old Steel – Great Line(1)

Clutching the newly updated passbook in his hands, happiness filled Jeong-woo’s face as he exited the neighborhood bank.

The total balance in his current account was approximately 27 million won. This sum included three months’ worth of salary, the first-round ad revenue from the video-sharing site, and the menu earnings from Hyeon-min’s restaurant.

‘If I consider the year-end bonus piling up, debt settlement won’t be a problem anymore.’

He thought that his younger brother, could support himself through university without taking out a student loan. Even if he chose a costly major, Jeong-woo could fulfill his brother’s desire for a romantic backpacking trip during his university days.

As this idea crossed his mind, a wicked smile appeared on Jeong-woo’s face.

“Even when he turns fifty, he’ll still be cleaning my room, heh…”

While climbing the hill, his phone rang, and he answered it.

“Ah, Soo-chan.”

-Where should we meet? It’s Friday night, we gotta go out!

Soo-chan’s lively voice resonated through the phone speaker.

“I’ll stop at my house, and I’m heading to Mom’s store next. Come over there first.”

-Ji-sook restaurant? Okay. I’ll bring Laura along. I’ve been craving your mom’s special bean paste stew lately.

Although they intended to treat themselves to a delicious meal on payday, if the craving called, why not? Jeong-woo wasn’t particularly fussy about expensive meat.

Entering his house, Jeong-woo took off his suit and put on casual clothes.

Since the cold hadn’t completely receded, he added another jumper before heading outside. He carefully placed his passbook with 25 million won and the seal in his inner pocket.

‘How long I’ve been waiting for this day.’

It was a monumental 100th day. Although he had always been overshadowed within the family hierarchy, today he could proudly declare himself as number one.

When he handed over this substantial sum to repay the mortgage, he anticipated how moved Hong Ji-sook would be. Jeong-woo swelled with expectation.

After about ten minutes of walking, Jeong-woo arrived in front of the restaurant located between his house and the market.

A one-story, worn-out brick building.

In business for about 15 years, the place may have shown signs of aging, but it was a local favorite with many regular taxi drivers and a constant stream of customers.

Jeong-woo stopped in his tracks under the faded sign that read ‘Ji-sook restaurant.’

‘I should tidy up the repair neatly. Maybe put in a new transparent glass door to show off Mom’s face for the 15th-anniversary celebration.’

As he pondered the grand interior design for the restaurant with next month’s payday, he heard the familiar voice of the women’s association president from inside.

“Did you also use this restaurant as collateral?”

“I can’t wait to hear it. Did your husband mention it?”

“No, what? That your eldest son got a good job, and is doing well?”

Jeong-woo tilted his head.

‘The restaurant as collateral?’

The conversation continued inside.

“Oh, oh! Jeong-woo’s father is here.”

“It’s not like that. Geum-hee, stop talking nonsense and go home after finishing the garlic. Isn’t it time for your husband to return after finishing at the bank?”

“He looked at the books and he’s worried about you paying a lot of interest. What’s the point of going in for five thousand won?”

It was a conversation Jeong-woo couldn’t stop listening to.

Meanwhile, an old-fashioned sedan approached the alley, its engine purring.

“Jeong-woo, I’m here!”

Soo-chan, rolling down the car window, waved with a bright smile.

“Wow, the smell of food. Ah, I’m hungry.”

By the table where the stew was boiling, Jeong-woo sat facing Soo-chan.

“Mother, can I have one more bowl of rice, please? And could you add a bit more of broth and ham?”

“I think I gave you enough, but you’re eating well.”

“Haha! It’s been a while, and it tastes amazing.”

Soo-chan happily devoured the stew, singing along to a tune. Jeong-woo looked at him with a bewildered expression.

“Hey, why are you gulping down the stew like it’s soup? Isn’t it too salty?”

“Of course it’s salty. The ham broth makes it savory and irresistible.”

As Hong Ji-sook poured additional ingredients into the pot, Soo-chan raised both thumbs, saying, “It’s the best, Mom!”

Half a bottle of soju quickly vanished alongside the stew.

“Oh, right. Jeong-woo, did you see Eun-sil? How is she? Does she still likes you?”

“Are you drunk already? Don’t be ridiculous, I just met a classmate.”

“Still, I envy you.”

Jeong-woo clinked glasses with Soo-chan, watching Hong Ji-sook washing dishes in the kitchen.

‘If the debt has increased, why didn’t she mention it?’

As Soo-chan barged into the restaurant hungry, Jeong-woo missed the timing to confidently hand over the passbook.

Moreover, the words of Madam Im Geum-hee, the women’s association president, kept lingering in his mind. As his thoughts became more complicated, the alcohol didn’t taste like alcohol, and the heavily salted stew became bland.

‘Ugh.’

When it was 9 PM, Hong Ji-sook, done with her business, approached the table. Seeing two empty soju bottles, she turned to Jeong-woo and said.

“When you’re done, clean up and put it in the sink. Stop drinking after the third bottle.”

“Got it.”

“Mother, thank you for the meal!”

“Sure, Soo-chan, feel free to enjoy and leave.”

Watching Hong Ji-sook leave the room, Jeong-woo took out the passbook and seal from the jacket hanging on the chair.

“Soo-chan, wait a moment.”

“Huh? What is it?”

Jeong-woo, who had come out immediately, rushed to Hong Ji-sook.

“Mom.”

“Why did you come out? It’s cold.”

“I forgot to give you this.”

Jeong-woo handed the passbook to Hong Ji-sook, who looked puzzled.

“I’ve been saving this. To repay the loan for our house.”

“I thought it was an overdraft account. But why are you repaying the loan?”

“I used it.”

“Oh, never mind. If you have that kind of money, use it to repay your tuition first.”

“That one has a low interest rate, so it’s okay to keep paying. Here it’s just a couple hundred, not a big deal, around 25 million.”

Hong Ji-sook’s eyes widened at the amount. Jeong-woo forcibly placed the passbook in her hands.

“Mom, I’m going to play a significant role in the family this year. Don’t hesitate to tell me if you have any difficulties.”

“This money…”

Shocked, Hong Ji-sook couldn’t say anything for a moment. Jeong-woo calmly smiled and said.

“I don’t earn money like Dad in a weird way, so you don’t need to refuse.”

“…Take it back and pay the debt in your name first.”

“Mom! Why do you argue so much? Jeong-chan is going to college next year. We should live well together until he settles down.”

Hong Ji-sook stared at Jeong-woo for a moment without saying a word, then quietly placed the passbook on top of a stack of recycling boxes in front of the restaurant.

“I can pay off the debt slowly. I may not be able to pay you or Chan, but I’m not going to take your money. I’ve been working my ass off at the restaurant for that.”

Jeong-woo shaken asked about the conversation he overheard earlier.

“What’s the five thousand won for? With this, you can repay it right away.”

“Don’t interfere in adult matters. And I won’t say it twice. Spend the money you earned.”

Ignoring him, Hong Ji-sook walked away with quick steps.

“I’m an adult too!”

Facing his resolute mother, Jeong-woo let out a deep sigh.

“Ugh.”

His gaze lingered on the passbook lying on the box.

He thought it would be enough, but now there’s an additional five thousand won. If it were the year-end season, he could easily resolve it with commissions.

Just the fact that Hong Ji-sook had decided to bear the debt alone from the beginning made Jeong-woo feel heavy-hearted.

‘What’s this burden she’s talking about? Every time she boils beef soup, she puts on a show saying it’s not free.’

Still, he felt proud to see a momentarily pride look in his mother’s eyes, acknowledging the fact that he had saved this amount.

“It’s just a little more. I can settle it by going to the bank and talking to Mr. Cho about an agreement.”

The days continued to April, alternating between coolness and a warm breeze.

Seated in Research Lab 1, Jeong-woo’s eyes widened as he listened to the new instructions regarding the assignment that came down from the director.

“They want me, even though it’s not a subsidiary but a competitor?”

“I guess you can decide for yourself. Let me know once you’ve made up your mind.”

Jeong-woo sighed as he glanced through the document handed to him by Oh Seung-ju. Staring at the logo of Yujin Chemical at the top of the papers, thoughts of Yoon Jaegil, who had tried to recruit him, flashed in his mind.

‘He really doesn’t know how to give up.’

Flipping through the pages, Jeong-woo discovered that the project aimed to expand Yujin Chemical’s flagship Total Care System into the international market. He read about their entry into the competition among companies diagnosing and managing the world-famous oil transportation facility, the Alaska Trans-Alaska Pipeline.

‘Why me?’

Thinking he didn’t need to endure the trouble of paperwork, Jeong-woo placed the documents on the table. However, as if it had been waiting, his phone rang.

Seeing the representative number for Yujin Chemical, Jeong-woo frowned, walked out to the corridor, and answered the call.

-Mr. Jeong-woo, it’s Yoon Jaegil. I’m sorry to bother you this Monday morning. Did you happen to see the proposal?

“Yes. You’re going to provide Total Care for the oil pipeline, right?”

-I want to hear your opinion, Mr. Jeong-woo. I need to notify the pipeline service company of the list by 10 AM

Jeong-woo, who had been leaning towards rejecting, perked up at Yoon Jaegil’s following words.

-It’s abrupt, I understand. But your abilities are crucial for this job. You’ll need to go to a remote and challenging location, but you don’t need to worry about safety since we’ve assembled the best survival team. And there’s a danger allowance attached, payable at 500% of your monthly salary if the project succeeds, of course.

“Danger allowance?”

-Oh, yes. In our case, we guarantee 500% of your monthly salary for the same period. That’s if the project succeeds.

The words were like a flash of light.

“If I decide to participate, I’ll also…”

-Of course. We’ll guarantee 500% of your company salary, and even if it fails, we’ll still pay the dispatch allowance.

A chance to earn more money in a short period. Jeong-woo’s heart wavered. Just a little hardship, and he could soon see the satisfied expression on his mother’s face, a face that might take months to appear.

That was enough for Jeong-woo.

‘The director told me to do as I want, I just have to make my mind.’

-Mr. Jeong-woo, inspired by your work on the Han River Iron Bridge, we were able to push this project forward. Please don’t just think of it as a rival company’s work; consider it a chance for a Korean to be recognized in the global petroleum industry.

“I’ll do it.”

-…Pardon?”

“I said I’ll take on this project.”

On the other side of the phone, a relieved exhale was audible.

-You’ve made a wise decision. The departure is in seven days, but from 1 PM today, everyone involved will gather to receive advice from polar experts. Can you make it?

“As long as the company approves, no problem.”

A few hours later.

Jeong-woo stood in front of the address Yoon Jaegil had sent him, wearing a puzzled expression.

‘A first meeting in a warehouse?’

At the end of a narrow alley was the Incheon Terminal Logistics Complex. With occasional sightings of large trucks, scarce human presence, and unnecessarily wide roads, this place was the location of Yujin Chemical’s logistics warehouse.

Looking around to find the management office, Jeong-woo noticed a person swiftly passing by.

‘Hmm?’

Despite the chill in the air, a blonde woman in shorts was riding a longboard at the end of the alley. Her back view, gracefully pushing the board and smoothly making turns, was captivating.

As she made another turn, their eyes met, and she cheerfully greeted, “Hi~,” waving. Jeong-woo reflexively waved back.

She swiftly disappeared from his sight, leaving Jeong-woo bewildered.

‘What? Enjoying free time in a place like this?’

Though she seemed young, it was hard to guess her age since she was a foreigner. Since the place where the foreign woman appeared was inside the logistics warehouse, Jeong-woo entered with an even more curious expression.

Entering the open space, he walked a bit and saw frozen storage units with the Yujin Chemical logo and container-shaped offices. Finally spotting people, Jeong-woo hurriedly approached.

“Are you Mr. Han Jeong-woo?”

Joo Hana, the team leader, recognized Jeong-woo in front of the office and greeted him.

“Welcome.”

“Long time no see, Team Leader Joo.”

“Fortunately, you’ve decided to join the team. I’ve been hearing about your achievements from Director Yoon.”

Though the reason for joining was solely for money, Jeong-woo felt a slight pang in his chest. However, he was confident in his ability to handle the job.

Just like during the Han River Iron Bridge project, inspecting specific facilities and identifying corroded areas wasn’t that difficult.

Bowing his head to Joo Hana, Jeong-woo cheerfully said.

“I look forward to working with you.”

“Likewise.”

Unlike Jeong-woo, who was dressed in formal attire, Joo Hana was in sportswear. As most people inside the office were similarly casually dressed, Jeong-woo asked with a curious expression.

“But what exactly are we doing here?”

“We’ll be undergoing adaptation training.”

“Training?”

“Probably because the destination is near the Arctic. Ah, it’s time. Follow me.”

Joo Hana, pointing to her wristwatch, started walking towards the frozen storage. Jeong-woo followed her, realizing that there were nine members of the Total Care team. They also had a polar specialist responsible for safety.

“Are you Mr. Han Jeong-woo?”

Entering the frozen storage entrance, a man in his late twenties approached Jeong-woo.

“I’m Shin Seong-beom from the Mechanical Team.”

“Do you know me?”

“I do. During the iron bridge issue, Team Leader Joo kept talking about Mr. Han Jeong-woo. Haha.”

As Joo Hana glared, Shin Seong-beom laughed and excused himself.

“Everyone on the team knows Mr. Han Jeong-woo, so feel free to talk to us. Though you’re an outsider, know that your position is just below mine. You’re the assistant team leader.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

At 1 PM, all nine members of the Total Care team gathered inside the frozen storage.

Jeong-woo exchanged nods with them and quickly scanned their faces. Then, he surveyed the inside of the warehouse.

The wall was frozen with a pale frost, and in the center were nine large bags neatly lined up.

‘Is this some kind of cold adaptation training?’

If not, there would be no reason to conduct it in a frozen storage, so Jeong-woo was somewhat convinced.

The team members’ conversations reached Jeong-woo’s ears.

“I’m reminded of the severe cold weather.”

“Me too. The ground would freeze so hard that even with a shovel, it was tough to dig through. The squad leader would go crazy yelling at us to set up the tent quickly.”

Jeong-woo also had similar memories from his military life. It was painful at the time, but now it was just a topic for idle chatter over drinks.

Thunk.

The opposite door opened, and someone entered, causing all the banter to cease.

A foreigner in military-style attire with a black beret. Moreover, he was an enormous man, close to 190cm in height.

‘Wow, look at those muscles.’

His physique was so robust that it reminded him to Miles. With a body as solid as a rock, the imposing aura emanating from him made Jeong-woo instinctively stand upright and look at him.

Shouldering the bag he carried, the man placed it on the ground with a thud and looked around at the people.

“My name is Dwayne Stillwell. I’m your instructor. Just call me a wolf.”

The instructor named Wolf gestured towards the entrance he had come from, and with a creaking sound, both the front and back doors of the frozen storage were closed.

The inside became pitch black, and Wolf spoke.

『Before you, you have backpacks with cold weather gear. Each of you, take one and find your spot.』

Jeong-woo followed the others and stood in front of one backpack.

After confirming that the prepared individuals were ready, Wolf shouted towards the outside.

『Activate!』

A vibration sound, about ten times louder than the hum of a refrigerator, echoed, and the digital thermometer on one side of the wall gradually began to drop.

『The first survival rule in polar regions. Check the temperature at every moment with your eyes open. And prepare accordingly. Everyone, open your backpacks and equip the gear for minus 10 degrees. Execute.』

Jeong-woo quickly opened his backpack inside the warehouse, where breath became visible.

『The basics of cold weather are layering. One layer at a time, step by step. Now, prepare the Polartec synthetic fiber mid-layer and GORE-TEX jacket. Wear gloves, hat, and boots.』

Since the clothes were neatly stacked, the order was not confusing. He put on a top that reached his neck and comfortable-looking pants.

After wearing gloves and pulling a fur hat down to cover his ears, the temperature gauge on the outer wall indicated ‘-10℃’.

‘Ugh, it’s cold.’

Minus 10 degrees Celsius meant a temperature where shivering could persist even if wrapped in a padded jacket and a scarf. Jeong-woo felt his fingertips gradually becoming numb.

『The temperature you feel now. Consider this a warm day in Alaska.』

“What?”

Not only Jeong-woo but also the eyes of the teammates next to him widened in surprise. Team leader Joo Hana seemed not to have heard yet, as she was still struggling to put on snow boots.

『Now, minus 20 degrees. Put on an outer layer and wrap your entire face with a hood.』

The inside of the frozen warehouse started to get even colder. Jeong-woo quickly put on a parka and zipped it up. His lips trembled, and his body shivered periodically.

『Now, most likely, you’ll experience temperatures like this the most. Those who have finished putting on their clothes, try moving around.』

With several layers of clothes, his body felt sluggish. Jeong-woo swung his arms around, trying to shake off the chills.

After about a minute, Wolf, wearing a jacket, spoke to the others.

『Have you adapted? If Alaska had only this temperature, the instructors wouldn’t have met you. Now, minus 30 degrees. When the wind blows strongly or the weather is bad, this is the temperature that inevitably comes.』

The digital thermometer displayed ‘-30℃’.

『Wear another pair of mittens. Wear goggles for eye protection. If there’s a part where you can directly feel the cold here, it means you haven’t buttoned up properly or the zipper isn’t closed.』

Jeong-woo, feeling like he would freeze in this world, shivered after finally putting on all the gear.

『When you have no more equipment to put on. You may encounter minus 40 degrees. At that point, the only way to endure is to maintain your body temperature.』

As the temperature gradually dropped towards minus 40 degrees, people sighed.

『Breathing deeply at this temperature freezes even the lungs, so avoid it. Inhale lightly and exhale lightly. There! Refrain from making drastic movements to raise body temperature. If you collapse at minus 40 degrees, your bones will turn to dust.』

Shin Seong-beom, who was doing jumping jacks, stopped abruptly.

‘Is this the deadly cold where you die if you doze off?’

Jeong-woo also stopped waving his arms and looked at the others. They were all shaking as if they were about to die.

『How many days in your life you’ll experience such cold? The colder it gets, the luckier you are, thinking positively and having the mindset to overcome. Now, let’s finish it.』

As if he was concluding, Jeong-woo thought the temperature would rise now. However, Wolf decisively shattered Jeong-woo’s expectation.

『April in Alaska is relatively warm. The chance of experiencing temperatures below minus 40 is low. However, if you can’t handle it properly when it comes, you could die. That’s why I’ll continue training you every day until departure. Assistant!』

With Wolf’s voice, the door of the frozen warehouse opened, and a person wrapped in a coat entered.

Jeong-woo widened his eyes at the sight of the large fan that the person brought. He had a sense of what kind of training it might be.

『Nature never stays still. Learn the action rules with the assistant on how to deal with strong winds. Execute.』

The fan started to operate.

As a biting wind swept through the frozen warehouse, the assistant gestured for the people to gather.

『Stick together!』

Amidst the lively voice of the assistant, Jeong-woo, freezing to death, turned his head. She wore silver ski goggles, making her appearance unrecognizable, but her voice was that of a young woman.

『Preserve each other’s body temperature and minimize the area exposed to the biting wind.』

Nine team members, plus the assistant. Ten people stood shoulder to shoulder.

Jeong-woo, feeling something might happen, instinctively raised his palm towards the fan.

Fighting the urge to send something towards it and turn it off, he felt the gaze of the assistant next to him, so he stopped.

『In a snowstorm situation, enduring one minute in a safe area increases the chances of survival rather than moving recklessly.』

After saying this, Wolf turned off the fan exactly one minute later.

When the wind stopped, Jeong-woo felt like he could survive even at minus 40 degrees.

『As we return to the normal temperature, follow the assistant’s movements to loosen up your body.』

The assistant stood in front of the people and began doing something like stretching. Even though it was freezing to the point of breath freezing, Wolf and the assistant showed no signs of sluggishness.

Following the assistant’s posture of stretching, except for Joo Hana, the rest let out small screams from their stiff joints.

‘The hazard pay wasn’t for nothing.’

This frozen warehouse training, experiencing the fear even before going to Alaska, wouldn’t be taken lightly. The actual conditions might be worse than here.

The digital thermometer attached to the wall gradually started to rise.

When it reached 0 degrees, Jeong-woo felt his body warming up slightly. It felt like cold water friction. After experiencing minus 40 degrees, 0 degrees felt warm. However, Wolf didn’t instruct them to take off their thick outerwear, so he stood still, waiting.

One team member unzipped his parka, feeling stuffy.

『Don’t do that.』

The assistant shook her head towards the team member.

『Right now, your skin is in below-freezing conditions, but your head is not freezing. Skin not adapted to rapid temperature changes is at risk of frostbite.』

Jeong-woo couldn’t help but be surprised by this explanation.

10 minutes later.

Wolf took off his outerwear and spoke.

『Those who are sweating, now it’s time to take off your clothes.』

Jeong-woo, feeling dampness on his back, was sure he had sweated and took off his outerwear.

“Ugh, feels like I survived.”

It wasn’t a long experience. It was just about 30 minutes of experiencing temperature changes, but it felt quite exhausting. After putting down the heavy outerwear and taking off the mid-layer, it felt a bit more comfortable.

‘I should prepare separate cold protection measures for this, right?’

The first thing that came to mind was hand warmers. They should last for about an hour in an emergency situation.

In the meantime, the assistant who stood in front of Jeong-woo also took off her outerwear and pulled down her ski goggles.

‘Huh?’

Upon closer inspection, she was the foreigner with blonde hair who was riding a longboard earlier. With a body that caught everyone’s attention, she had a pretty face that looked quite Western. All the men’s eyes were now focused on her.

『I didn’t introduce my friend.』

Wolf pointed at the assistant.

『This is Kaya Stillwell, the polar specialist who will guide you along. She’s eighteen. Don’t underestimate her just because she’s young. She has experience climbing the Everest.』

Kaya, as she was called, nodded slightly toward the people.

‘Eighteen?’

Jeong-woo couldn’t believe that this young woman, who, in Korean age, was the same age as his younger brother Jeong-chan. Although he couldn’t see her face, her overall physical development from height suggested she was a full-fledged adult.

‘That’s right. Considering it that way, that rascal is even worse.’

After confirming that everyone had taken off their winter clothes, Wolf spoke.

『The second danger you’ll encounter in Alaska is encounters with wildlife. Take a short break, and I’ll teach you the basics of using equipment to drive them away.』

Kaya, now in short sleeves, stood next to Wolf.

『Will all of these weaklings freeze to death as soon as they arrive in Prudhoe?』

Her gaze scanned the men who seemed to be sitting exhausted, and it lingered on Jeong-woo, who was alone in a suit.

『It looks like he came straight from work.』

『All of them are office workers.』

『Ha. They’re not planning group suicide, are they?』

『Choose your words carefully. Look, she’s the team leader, so be careful.』

Kaya, with her fists clenched, looked at Joo Hana, who was taking off her clothes while groaning, and asked.

『Academy got tough, didn’t it? I never thought they would organize a group of civilians to cross Alaska.』

Wolf clapped his hands to signal the end of the break and responded.

『Kaya, there’s something mysterious about Asians. Once they adapt, they’ll keep up just fine.』

『Looks like Dad is getting old, talking about superstitions.』

『To your eyes, the world must seem old. Take your seat. We’re going to train with the tools.』

After giving Kaya a pat on the back, Wolf spoke to the people.

『Everyone, take out the equipment from your backpacks. Any military veterans here?』

All the men raised their hands, and Wolf chuckled.

『That’s why Korea is great.』