Fiery Sichuan and the Traitor Within
Spicy black bean ramen. Jjajangmyeon is a food enjoyed by people of all ages and genders. The problem is that everyone has different tastes. But by adding spicy chili powder and tangy vinegar to compensate, each person could enjoy it to their own liking. I planned to incorporate ingredients similar to that chili powder into Hansung Jjapaghetti.
"Chili powder on jjajangmyeon... Of course people sprinkle it on. But how does that relate to my question?"
"Yes. Because I wanted to show Hansung Jjapaghetti in more varied flavors to as many people as possible. Just like sprinkling chili powder on jjajangmyeon."
"...!"
It was a simple principle. Tired of one flavor? Just add another. At a jjajangmyeon restaurant, some would enjoy the original taste as is, while others would heap on the chili powder and eat it sweating buckets. Even my grandfather, who had been quietly listening, lowered his newspaper and looked at me. His face showed utter shock.
"The Hansung Jjapaghetti I created has a sweet and salty black bean soup as its core flavor. But people in our country mostly love spicy food. So I've felt we needed to add some spicy kick and fiery zest to this black bean ramen."
"Heh, I can't believe it. What in the world..."
I gave an easy-to-understand example.
"I read in a book a few days ago that in China's Sichuan province, spicy spices are famous for their unique fiery taste. If we incorporate that into Hansung Jjapaghetti, we could show the soldier uncles a bold, intense spiciness different from the original. Is that a bad idea?"
Minister Woo Jaeha closed his eyes, seemingly deep in thought. Soon, he nodded slowly.
"You're right. If one flavor gets boring, just add another. Why didn't I think of something so simple before?"
Great inventions always come from everyday life. People sometimes overlook that routine. Back when I worked as a ramen researcher, I discovered new ideas and flavor possibilities from the ordinary bowl people ate every day around the world. That's how various ramens came from my hands.
'And a few of them were massive hits.'
Among the ramens I developed, the most famous was Gukgukmyeon. In an era of rising prices and stagnant wages, it was the ramen I created so people could fill up cheaply. Compared to existing ramens, I loaded it with generous ingredients for a hearty meal. It sold like hotcakes.
I secretly glanced at my hands. Because of me, ramen history was changing bit by bit. Originally, Hansung Jjapaghetti was something N Company would develop first in 1984 as the black bean ramen. Some might call it unethical, but if Hansung Food fails, my family crumbles. If my family crumbles, my life crumbles.
'And I already told Grandfather I want to aim for world number one with him, not just domestic.'
In my previous life, I was a top-three ramen researcher in Korea. I've got pride. With ramen recipes like cheat keys already in my head, I couldn't let this chance slip.
"Sichuan."
"!"
Grandfather and Minister Woo Jaeha's pupils trembled like aspen leaves.
"The name of the next Hansung Jjapaghetti I'm making will include 'Sichuan'!"
There are many kinds of spiciness. Some sting the tip of your tongue sharply, others spread heat slowly down your throat, and some are so fiery they make you sweat but keep you coming back for more—an addictive kind.
To create an addictive spicy ramen, I met with Dr. Lee.
"So, you want Hansung Jjapaghetti with 'Sichuan' in the name, little miss?"
Dr. Lee must have earned a big raise for his contributions. The former rags-to-riches guy was humming cheerful tunes these days, saying every day felt like a dream. Hehe. All thanks to me.
"Yes. I'm thinking of using famous Sichuan mala."
"...Mala, you say?"
Mala is the representative spicy flavor of China's Sichuan region, popularized in the late Qing Dynasty around the mid-to-late 1800s. The issue was that Sichuan was a hot, humid basin. Food spoiled easily. So they needed sterilization and preservation through spices, recreating a numbing, spicy taste with huajiao and chili.
"Mala isn't just spicy. It's an addictive spiciness."
"Is that so? Mala... An ingredient I never would have thought of."
Of course. Mala tang wouldn't trend in Korea for decades yet. Of course, I kept that to myself.
"I'll get right on it. I'm really curious how it'll compare to S Company's spicy ramen that promotes itself as hot stuff."
"Yes. If we do well, we can steal all of S Company's market share. Worth a shot."
"Kukuku, this blade of revenge is piercing my heart."
"That's middle school syndrome, Dr. Lee."
"Pardon? Middle school syndrome? What's that mean?"
Ah... Slipped into an anachronism for a sec. I waved it off and changed the subject.
"Hehe~ Just mumbling to myself. Anyway, can you do it? Mala ramen isn't easy."
Dr. Lee thumped his chest.
"Leave it to me, little miss!"
Go Seoksu, section chief. Nicknamed Chief Go. Working in Hansung Food's Research Team 1, he'd been closely watching Dr. Lee's movements lately. For days, Dr. Lee had holed up in the lab without coming out, separately handling research logs like he was hiding something.
'What the heck? What's he hiding?'
Pacing the quiet office like a dog desperate to poop, he recalled a certain rumor.
[The Hansung family's only daughter saved our Hansung Food!]
Ridiculous nonsense. No matter the chaebol blood, at that age, she'd be lucky to handle chopsticks properly. For such a kid to save a Hansung Group subsidiary? Impossible in reality.
'Lies. Just a ploy to distract by parading the Hansung daughter.'
The current ramen market resembled the Warring States period. After S Company's success, companies jumped in like bamboo shoots after rain. Countless firms clashed fiercely with their secret weapons for domestic market share. Hansung Food was one of them.
Go Seoksu caught Dr. Lee emerging from the lab while gauging the mood.
"Dr. Lee!"
"Oh? Chief Go?"
"Haha, I'm on the same Research Team 1, but you're so focused solo—feels kinda excluding, you know?"
"Ah! Sorry, this is a direct request from little miss Seoyeon. Can't just show it to anyone."
Pfft! Go Seoksu's lip curled slyly. Not just treating him like an idiot, but using a kid as an excuse.
'Pathetic, the way they think.'
"Haha! I see. Still, it's disappointing. Hasn't it been seven years since we worked together?"
"True, now that you mention it."
"Not that it's anything else, but what research has you skipping home for days? Just tell me. Curiosity's killing my work. Haha!"
"Ah, that's simple."
"Simple?"
"Yes. I'm taking little miss Seoyeon's request and developing a new ramen."
"...!"
Go Seoksu's eyes widened hugely. How long since they developed ramen, and already another? Hansung Jjapaghetti was selling like crazy after S Company's Sanmi Ramen. Domestically, it claimed second place. People said first was just around the corner.
Yet here was something incomprehensible: ignoring a hit to develop a new one.
He was shocked by Dr. Lee's answer. This was way beyond a single research team's scope.
"R-right. I've got urgent business suddenly..."
Chief Go suddenly remembered urgent business and hurried off. Dr. Lee tilted his head watching him go.
"Did he eat something bad for breakfast?"
Meanwhile, Jang Sehun, business division head at N Company's Nongwon, eyed a man entering the tea house.
"Chief Go Seoksu, over here."
"Whoa, Division Head Jang came personally?"
"Important matter—had to. Got the info I wanted?"
"Yes. Wrote down what I know."
"Mm, let me see."
Jang Sehun slowly read the report Chief Go brought. Soon, he slammed it down! His mood soured.
"Hansung Food developing a new item? Barely a year since Hansung Jjapaghetti launched?"
"Yes. Straight from the lead developer."
"That'd be Dr. Lee, right?"
"Correct."
"Heh, insane. You think I'd believe an engineer doing ramen research?"
But Jang had to believe, doubts aside. Publicly, Dr. Lee was known as Hansung Jjapaghetti's developer. Originally, Jang had approached Dr. Lee first before Chairman Han Seongcheol. But Dr. Lee rejected Jang and went to Han.
"It's true. Don't know what ramen, but Dr. Lee's fully committed. Something's up."
"I see. Can't disbelieve when you say it yourself..."
Double agent. Go Seoksu's true identity.
Hansung Group was a top Korean conglomerate. When such a giant entered food, Nongwon naturally trembled. So Jang planted Go Seoksu as a spy in Hansung Food. Promised him a position, even director, if he delivered.
"Got it. Dig as much as you can; meet again in a few days."
For Jang, it was like fire on his feet.
Hansung Jjapaghetti. It was Nongwon's secret project. Stolen by Hansung. Thus, Jang was convinced of a mole inside Nongwon.
"Yes. Same place in a week."
"Good. Tough work, Chief Go."
"Hahaha, for you, Division Head, my life wouldn't be too much."
As Go Seoksu left the tea house, Jang glared coldly at the report.
'New ramen, huh...'
Soon, he tore it to shreds.
"Dr. Lee."
"Yes, little miss."
"Just curious— is there a Chief Go Seoksu at Hansung Food?"
"Ah, Chief Go? Why him?"
"Something like that. Hehe~"
I inwardly cheered at the news of Hansung Food's top culprit for doom. All from reading Grandfather's autobiography in my past life.
Originally, Hansung Food failed with imported Japanese ramen. They prepared a second despite that, thanks to the Hansung name, but a certain bastard sank it before launch. That was Chief Go Seoksu. Precisely, Nongwon's double agent.
For my happy life, I needed to eliminate that Go-whatever fast.
"Dr. Lee."
"Yes?"
"Shall we make a decoy product?"
"...Decoy?"
An eye for an eye. If they wanted to use us, I'd use them too. Show a fake product to send the rivals on a wild goose chase.
"Dr. Lee, wanna make super spicy ramen with me? Like, roughly Scoville 17,000?"