Chemistry

15. Old Steel – Great Line(2)

Jeong-woo opened the small backpack labeled “Survival Kit” and pulled out the metal container at the top. Inside were various tools, including a flint, waterproof matches and a fishing line.

‘Feels like preparing for camping?’

While examining the contents of the metal container, Jeong-woo’s gaze lingered on a packet containing pills and powder. One was a chemical to purify water for drinking, the other for washing.

‘Ew. If I drink this, it’ll probably taste like swimming pool water.’

Still, familiarity with chemicals brought a slight sense of attachment amidst this unfamiliar training. Observing people inspecting the contents of their bags, Wolf spoke up.

『If you don’t know how to use any equipment, ask me or Kaya immediately.』

What caught the men’s attention was a multi-functional shovel made of carbon steel.

“This shovel looks American, right? Well designed.”

“It even has a saw blade.”

As most items were not significantly different from camping gear, they focused more on neatly arranging them in front of them than questioning their usage.

Wolf, satisfied with the people who seemed familiar with the equipment use, spoke again.

『Some of you might wonder: no lighter, just a flint? In a world where you can automatically mark your location on the map by turning on your mobile phone, why a compass? Unfortunately, more than half of the terrain you’ll pass through here is wilderness immune to the advantages of civilization. Moreover…』

When a profanity-laced expression like “crazy fucking cold” emerged, everyone fell silent for a moment.

『One more thing. When facing wildlife, the most useful equipment you can use is this.』

Wolf put a whistle in his mouth and blew it sharply.

『Animals like reindeer and wolves that move in herds are scared away by loud noises before approaching.』

After the explanation of the equipment was finished, Wolf turned his gaze to Kaya.

『Kaya, how do you deal with bears in Alaska?』

『Bear spray is the only means of defense.』

Kaya took out the spray from her hip pocket and showed it.

『On the nose and mouth precisely. Practice spraying it in an open space by yourself.』

Everyone picked a small bottle containing pepper extract from their belts. Joo Hana, looking at the label on the bottle, checked the information and asked when she saw that the range was only 3 meters.

『What if it only reaches the fur from a distance?』

『If you’ve angered a bear, wouldn’t you rather freeze to death than wish to be in a state where it attacks?』

Everyone flinched at this response. Wolf frowned, raising his hand.

『Kaya, can’t you be more serious?』

In response to Wolf’s serious look, Kaya, after reattaching the spray to her waist, spoke again.

『Bears don’t have the concept of confrontation. You have to avoid them at all costs. If you find footprints, feces, traces of fish, or a place where they’ve dug up the ground looking for small prey, immediately retreat.』

Kaya reached for her binoculars.

『Anticipating the territory of wildlife is the more important survival tool than any other.』

While everyone nodded at the concise explanation to gather observation equipment, Wolf had moved to stand in front of the fan.

『Attention!』

Everyone’s heads turned towards Wolf.

『The explanation of wearing cold-weather clothing and other equipment is now finished. From now on, we’ll move on to practical training to stimulate your survival instincts.』

Whirring—

Suddenly, the fan started running. With anxious looks, everyone turned to Wolf, and his voice echoed cruelly throughout the warehouse.

『The situation suddenly faced an onslaught of extreme cold. Endure for 30 minutes each. Start!』

The open door of the frozen warehouse slammed shut with a thud. As the cold air rushed in, the digital thermometer, which had approached 20 degrees Celsius, began to plummet in an instant.

The quickest to react was the blonde assistant instructor, Kaya. She shouted to everyone after putting on gloves.

『Never touch tools with bare hands! If your skin freezes, it will tear apart.』

A team member who was fiddling with a pocket knife was startled and quickly put it down.

Jeong-woo, although the temperature display on the wall had not yet dropped to below freezing, shivered and groaned.

‘That wind is brutal.’

There was a considerable disparity between the actual temperature and the perceived temperature.

As the cold set in, everyone focused on bundling up for warmth. In the terrifying fear of the temperature dropping rapidly, meticulously putting on layer after layer of insulation was by no means an easy task. Some team members, in their urgency, were putting on the heaviest parka first, discarding items like neck gaiters and mid-layers onto the floor.

The frigid chill, carried by the wind, swept through the warehouse. People screamed in pain at the bone-chilling cold.

‘Hats! Goggles!’

It wasn’t until the temperature reached around minus 5 degrees Celsius that Jeong-woo managed to put on sufficient cold-weather clothing.

Just as everyone sighed in relief, Joo Hana, who hadn’t finished putting on insulated pants, caught Jeong-woo’s attention.

‘Oh no.’

Since the two of them were only wearing mid-layers, Jeong-woo instinctively approached and grabbed Joo Hana’s arm.

“It’s going to be minus 10 degrees soon.”

Joo Hana shivered but expressed gratitude with her eyes.

Kaya turned to Jeong-woo and said.

『I’ll take care of her, so start getting dressed.』

『I’ve almost put everything on.』

『Buttons, strings. They’re not properly fastened.』

The wind, driven by the biting cold, penetrated the gaps around ankles and necks. Jeong-woo, despite the fact that the temperature display on the wall hadn’t dropped to below freezing, shivered and groaned at the chilling sensation.

“This wind is mercilessly cold!”

A team member, who had ignored the order and only put on an outer layer, screamed and took off the outer layer again.

At this point, with the internal temperature marking minus 7 degrees Celsius, not a single person was properly dressed in warm clothes.

Kaya, after successfully getting Joo Hana into pants, looked at Wolf.

『It won’t work.』

『I calculated that they wouldn’t be familiar with wearing equipment. If you think they’ve reached their limit while observing up close, let me know.』

Even Wolf, who had only put on a long-sleeved shirt, showed a disappointed expression. Kaya, glancing at the temperature gauge heading towards -10°C, shook her head.

『I guarantee you, these people will freeze to death in two minutes. Bringing weaklings who can’t even handle this temperature to Alaska makes no sense.』

At Kaya’s assertive tone, Joo Hana, whose movements were sluggish, shrank her neck.

Jeong-woo couldn’t help but marvel at the two survival experts who seemed completely unaffected by the cold, despite the temperature dropping to such extremes.

Despite their different professions and lifestyles, he found it fascinating that they could perceive the same temperature so differently.

‘She’s right. Even with this setup for enduring minus 30 degrees Celsius, I can’t bear it like this. Is there no way?’

Jeong-woo, whose gaze lingered on the square tin can with the lid open, focused all his attention on the molecular world that was expanding greatly. Perhaps due to the thought of freezing to death, countless reactive thoughts were racing through his mind.

“My ears! It feels like they’re falling off!”

“No sensation in my toes!”

Cries echoed from all directions. Contemplating, Jeong-woo grabbed the tin can in his hands.

Five minutes after the freezer was restarted.

Wearing just one jacket, Kaya noticed that Joo Hana’s lips were gradually turning blue, realizing that she had reached her limit.

Just as she was about to signal Wolf that they should end the unexpected training on the first day, warmth gently brushed against her cheek.

Turning her head with a curious look, Kaya’s gaze was captivated by a young man vigorously shaking a tin can.

Wondering what he was doing, she watched him. As the warmth that had touched her cheek turned into a warm breeze enveloping her entire face, Wolf, suspecting that the freezer had been turned off first, looked at the temperature gauge.

It recorded a normal descent, marking -15°C.

However, the more the young man shook the tin can, the more warm air seemed to be generated around him.

『…Hey, what’s that?』

『Oh, this?』

The young man mumbled in Korean, “Ah, it’s hot!” and then set down the scalding hot tin can.

『Hmm, maybe an emergency stove?』

『Why answer a question with another question?』

『Hold on a moment.』

The young man turned his head towards Joo Hana.

“Team leader, come over here. This heater will be warm for a while. Come here all if you’re cold!”

The young man started shouting something Kaya didn’t understand, calling people over. Drawn by the warmth that came into the cold, people gathered around the tin can.

“It feels like I’m alive.”

“Why is it so warm?”

Although the temperature had dropped to minus 20 degrees Celsius, most people around the tin can stood with expressions indicating that it was bearable. Kaya couldn’t help but alternate her gaze between the young man and the tin can.

With her hand reaching for the tin can, Kaya mumbled something and tapped the shoulder of the young man, who was murmuring something.

『Hey. I don’t remember including a stove in the survival kit. Besides, this isn’t the heat a portable heater can produce.』

『The passion for survival hidden inside seems to have squirmed its way out.』

The young man pointed at the boiling tin can and smiled. Puzzled and intrigued by this unconventional heater she had never seen before, Kaya asked again.

『What’s the principle behind this?』

Joo Hana, now with a completely relaxed expression, and the other team members, all wore equally curious expressions as they looked at the young man.

『Um… basically, you could say it’s a simple exothermic reaction. By mixing the sodium isocyanate found in the refined pill with the magnesium component in the matchstick, it’s rusting the inside of this tin can. It will react for about 30 minutes.』

Everyone, except Kaya, opened their mouths wide at this explanation.

“Burning by rusting? Wow. I’ve only heard rumors; this is truly innovative.”

“Come to think of it, didn’t Jeong-woo make that bomb fire extinguisher? He’s the MacGyver of the chemical world.”

Kaya looked at the young man with a bewildered expression as if to say, ‘What kind of conversation is this?’ Sensing that energy, the young man spoke.

『Well, to put it simply, I fed the box some heat-generating powder, shook it vigorously, and the tin can got angry, producing heat.』

『Is this a joke?』

『It’s chemistry.』

25 minutes after the freezer was restarted.

“It feels like a campfire in here.”

“Don’t say that. That girl has been giving Jeong-woo suspicious looks since earlier.”

“Are you this week?”

Jeong-woo, sitting amicably around the tin can, glanced at the people engaged in friendly conversation. Despite the cold wind blowing in the freezer at -30°C, it felt somehow cozy inside.

‘Since there’s something warm in front of us, the perceived temperature is not that bad.’

It was cold, but bearable.

“Even after looking at this multitool shovel, it’s still impressive.”

Wi Ji-seong, the eldest in the team from the equipment team, managed to endure the cold and, when he had some leisure, brought out the multitool shovel like a microphone. With a polished voice, he spoke.

“Ah, the duty officer has an announcement. Due to heavy rain, instead of individual maintenance, drainage work will be carried out. Bring the shovel and trench tools, assemble at the drainage site.”

“Ugh, terrible. It would be easier if it rained.”

At Shin Seong-beom’s sigh, Wi Ji-seong turned his head.

“Private Shin. Looks like you’re being assigned to water drainage duty.”

“Ugh, stop saying that. I already feel like I’m in a nightmare in the army, enduring the cold like this.”

As Shin Seong-beom grumbled, even Joo Hana, who didn’t know military life well, looked at him curiously. Wi Ji-seong, this time, turned his head towards Jeong-woo.

“Sergeant, do your job well. We’ll be relying on you for the long term, okay?”

“Oh, I’m a heavy sleeper in the morning. If there’s no roll call or drills, I’ll think about it.”

Jeong-woo exchanged jokes with Wi Ji-seong and, while everyone was engaged in conversation, he turned his head towards Kaya, who was sitting stiffly.

『We’re talking about the Korean military.』

『No need to translate.』

With a sharp response, Jeong-woo scratched his chin and spoke quietly.

『Whether it’s properly dressing in cold weather gear or using a specialized heating stove for cold weather, I see it as the same context, just in different fields.』

In a tone that seemed to console a child who knew nothing, Kaya was moved.

『Even if you say that, I still can’t understand the situation at all.』

『I don’t understand either, you’re just wearing a jacket in this temperature.』

『Well, because we’ve received special training…!』

Kaya raised her voice, but when everyone stared at her, she quickly shut her mouth.

『Today’s training ends here.』

When Wolf finally opened the door to the freezer, cheers erupted from the people.

『Remember that enduring adaptation training without skipping is the path to happiness in Alaska.』

“Yes, sir!”

“Thank you, sir!”

As people rushed outside in joy, Kaya walked in for the cleanup. Wolf chuckled as he noticed her particularly gloomy expression.

『Why does it seem like you’re not in a good mood?』

『You’ve seen the strange training we just had. If they can’t properly wear cold weather gear, there’s an increased risk of freezing for everyone.』

『Even so, there’s no reason to get angry. We provided survival tools and set the training conditions on our side, and they used them in their own advantage.』

『There’s something unsettling.』

Kaya, organizing her cold weather gear in her bag, grumbled.

『I felt like the moments when I had to endure training to survive in the polar region were being belittled one after another.』

『Kaya, I told you. Asians have a mysterious energy flowing within them.』

『Do you have to keep saying that?』

Wolf chuckled slightly and then lifted a bag in each hand and headed outside.

Kaya also picked up her bag and, while standing outside the freezer, encountered the young man.

『Oh? Can I help you?』

『It’s okay.』

The young man took the bag from Kaya with a grunt.

『What are you doing?』

At Kaya’s cold gaze, the young man smiled and said.

『Well, your way of speaking is exactly like my younger brother’s style. Even the age matches.』

『What are you talking about?』

『He says he doesn’t like it, but it all shows on his face.』

Kaya was slightly taken aback but then snorted.

『In the next training, you won’t be able to trick me like earlier.』

『It’s not a trick; it’s chemistry.』

The strange chemist who turned a freezer into a backyard camping ground in the extreme environment of Alaska.

Whether what he showed was an Eastern mystique as Wolf claimed or just a simple trick, Kaya vowed to confirm it thoroughly in the future.

That evening.

Jeong-woo was packing his belongings in the room.

For the intensive adaptation training, the entire Total Care Team would be staying together in accommodations near the warehouse. Jeong-woo also planned to leave early in the morning to participate in this.

‘Starting today, for a month. Since I chose this to earn money, I should work hard and succeed as much as possible.’

He planned to simply tell his mother that he was going abroad. Saying it was a business trip to a remote place with temperatures dropping below minus 40 degrees would be surprising.

“Oh, right. I have a promise.”

Jeong-woo took his phone in hand and dialed Yoon Yi-seol’s number.

The signal went through, and her lively voice immediately reached him.

-Mr. Jeong-woo at this hour? How did you know my radio schedule ended? It’s late, but want to go on a date?

“Uh… Ms. Yi-seol, about that.”

At Jeong-woo’s hesitating words, a sudden sigh came from the other end of the call.

-Something’s up this week. Well, you’re not going to say something like you are not able to do it, right?.

“Fortunately, it’s not that.”

-Phew.

“Not this week, but I’ll be on an overseas business trip for the entire month.”

A deep silence followed. Wondering if he had mixed in a joke unnecessarily, Jeong-woo swallowed hard.

“Ms. Yi-seol?”

-Are you making excuses because you don’t want to date?

“No, it’s not that… Well, our meeting wasn’t for a date but to go through the checklist, right?”

-That’s not the important part. It’s not really for a month, is it? Where are you going? If you clear some time in between like in Venice, even for a moment, won’t we be able to meet?

“I’m sorry.”

-There’s nothing for Mr. Jeong-woo to be sorry about. You won’t even like me because you won’t see me for a long time…

In Yoon Yi-seol’s lonely voice, her face vividly appeared in his imagination. Not knowing she would be this disappointed, Jeong-woo couldn’t continue the conversation.