Chapter 111
Chapter 111
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: A Calculated Trade
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“What do you mean by that…?”
Natasha stared at me, her eyes filled with confusion.
I’d expected as much.
Ignoring her, I stepped into the lab, and she followed behind me, her face tense.
“Oh! What brings you here without any notice?”
The lead Russian researcher spotted me and rushed over, making a fuss.
My gaze, however, was not on them, but on the propulsion system still undergoing combustion tests inside the wind tunnel.
A glance at the gauge showed the implemented speed had reached Mach 4.
“It seems the initial acceleration is still lacking.”
“That’s an unavoidable limitation of the dual-combustion ramjet engine. It’s only because of this engine that stable operation is even possible. With a standard scramjet, at low speeds…”
“I’m aware of that much.”
I cut off the researcher, who was arguing as if he’d been wronged, and looked back at Natasha.
After a long moment of just scowling, she finally spoke.
“What exactly did you mean by what you said earlier?”
I let out a dry laugh at her question.
Then, fixing my gaze back on the propulsion system being tested, I spoke as if in passing.
“The Pulse Detonation Engine. In other words, the technology that enables extreme initial acceleration. I need it now, so let’s stop this tug-of-war.”
I caught a glimpse of Natasha’s pupils trembling violently.
For someone who was merely an observer, her reaction to a statement she shouldn’t have understood was suspicious.
I took a step closer to her and continued.
“I’m aware that Russia has been separately researching a Pulse Detonation Engine to overcome the poor initial acceleration of the dual-mode engine. And that was a key part of our joint development plan. But the researchers haven't even started on that part yet, and that’s what I’m pointing out.”
“Such technical matters are for the researchers to handle. It’s a bit much to suddenly ask me to call President Putin and rush them….”
Natasha feigned ignorance.
But the moment I pulled a memory card from my pocket, her expression changed completely.
“What is that?”
“The heat-resistant composite material technology you desire so much. And the core of the ultra-precision guidance control system and its actuator.”
Natasha and the lead researcher instantly looked at each other.
When Natasha turned back to me, her expression was different as she asked again.
“Why the sudden change of heart? I thought you’d drag this out for at least another two years.”
That had, in fact, been the plan.
That amount of time would have been enough for me to completely grasp the fundamentals of Russia's missile propulsion technology.
But the situation had taken an unexpected turn, and now, it was a better choice to lay our hidden cards on the table rather than waste time in a stalemate.
“Let’s just say it was a necessary choice driven by need.”
*Ssk.*
As I answered, she pulled a phone from her pocket.
It was a rather clunky and sturdy-looking device.
She then made a call and spoke to someone in Russian for a while. The eyes of the Russian researchers listening in grew wider and wider.
*Tak!*
After the lengthy call ended, she stared intently at me.
*Seuk.*
Then, she suddenly reached into her bra and pulled out a memory card, waving it at me.
“Hmm…”
Pushing aside my surprise, I held out my hand.
She placed the memory card from her hand into mine, and with her other hand, she took the one I was holding.
*Hilkkeut.*
At her glance, the lead Russian researcher standing beside her quickly inserted it into his laptop.
Just as I opened the laptop I had brought to verify the data, she spoke.
“Please understand. I was under orders to protect it with my life until a firm deal was made with you, Chairman….”
Unsure what she meant, I looked at her, and she smiled, her face blushing.
Ah! So that’s what she meant. The reason she stored the data there of all places.
Well, for my part, her warm body heat…
“Stop! That’s enough.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s nothing. In any case, it seems there was another reason for you being dispatched to Korea after all.”
I deftly changed the subject and examined the contents of the memory card.
My eyes scanned the dizzying array of blueprints and material composition diagrams.
If nothing else, the chemical composition of the combustion material seemed to be exactly what I wanted.
“Yes, if not for that, there would have been no reason for me to be here, frankly. In any case, you don’t need to worry about the authenticity of the data. Our joint research isn’t over, so there’s no reason for us to deceive you, Chairman.”
She said this casually as I focused on the data.
When I looked up, our eyes met, and she said something unexpected.
“Did you know? Just before you arrived, Chairman, a call came from President Putin.”
“…”
“The content of that call was a prediction of this very situation.”
“He knew I would come?”
“If he hadn’t, a deal of this magnitude would never have been possible with just a single phone call.”
That part had seemed suspicious.
The reason I’d let it go was that Putin and I knew each other’s tendencies all too well.
Namely, that neither of us hesitated when it came to making a deal.
But for him to predict this situation meant he knew why I needed the Pulse Detonation Engine technology.
The problem was, reaching such a conclusion required a certain condition: experience.
Simply put, it meant they too had envisioned a ground-launched hypersonic interceptor system using that engine.
‘Well, with engine technology capable of such rapid acceleration, it’s a logical conclusion.’
“Hmm…”
Shaking off the thought, I refocused on the data.
After some time had passed, she spoke again, her tone casual.
“Oh, and during the call just now, President Putin asked me to be sure to pass this message on to you, Chairman.”
“…”
“While the Pulse Detonation Engine is the answer to overcoming the poor initial acceleration, it alone won’t be enough to achieve hypersonic speeds of Mach 12 or higher.”
“…”
“Actually, I agree. This engine can achieve extreme initial acceleration by using the combustion waves and powerful explosive shockwaves generated when a flammable mixture like hydrocarbons ignites, but it has issues with sustained thrust.”
I was already aware of that.
I had even planned a follow-up measure for it.
But why?
It was advice that could help avoid a potential pitfall in the development of a ground-launched interceptor system, so why would they offer it so easily?
“No need to look at me like that. I don’t know why he would reveal such crucial know-how so easily either. But was this a problem you were already aware of? Judging by your expression, it seems like it might be…”
“It was.”
I nodded firmly.
Her expression turned serious as she asked again.
“Then do you have a solution?”
The moment I heard that question, I understood Putin's true intention behind the advice.
They might have avoided the pitfall, but they lacked a solution for what came after.
In other words, a method to achieve speeds over Mach 12 after the initial extreme acceleration.
So, he had thrown out that critical piece of information to probe whether I might have a solution.
“Unfortunately, not yet.”
I said, feigning ignorance.
A flicker of suspicion crossed her face.
“Well, setting that aside, how do you know so much about rockets?”
“Ah! I actually have some experience working at a missile research institute myself.”
“…”
What an onion of a woman. The more layers I peel back, the less I know about her true identity.
I was about to turn away with a weary smile when her words stopped me again.
“This is just in case, but I hear North Korea’s interest in Jaewoo has grown quite a bit recently.”
“…”
*****
*Screech!*
A few days later, I headed to the missile development center, where Seong-ho was in charge.
I had already given him notice of my visit.
Seong-ho, who was waiting at the entrance, waved at me.
“What’s the occasion? You actually came out to greet me.”
“What occasion? I’m just the type to be polite about these things.”
Since no one else was around, his tone was as casual as ever.
As I smiled and looked around, he asked, looking puzzled.
“Why, is someone else coming?”
“Has Vice President Kim Young-gi not arrived yet?”
This was the first time he had been later than the scheduled time.
Just as I was about to call him, wondering if something had happened, I saw his car approaching in the distance.
“My apologies for being late. I was held up picking up some documents from the JCS….”
“The JCS?”
Seong-ho repeated the words.
Vice President Kim then handed the documents he was holding to him. Seong-ho looked at me with an expression that said, *what is this all about?*
“From now on, we’re going to independently develop a ground-launched hypersonic interceptor system.”
At my words, Seong-ho’s gaze dropped back to the documents.
Perhaps surprised by the sheer volume of the nearly 100-page file, his brow furrowed deeply.
“We have to develop this on our own?”
“Don’t worry too much. The engine technology needed for the initial acceleration was already developed to a near-complete state by the Russians.”
“Even so… without support personnel from the joint research institute, this is like starting from scratch.”
“I know. That’s why I’ve transferred some of our researchers who were stationed there back to this center, so don’t worry about that.”
Only then did he let out a sigh of relief.
Still, the reason his expression didn’t relax was undoubtedly the burden of the excessive workload.
Considering his plate was already full with the recently approved long-range air-to-air missile and supersonic anti-ship missile projects, it was understandable that his head felt like it was about to explode.
“Haaah…”
He finally let out a sigh and turned away.
Unable to curse out loud, he could only purse his lips. The sight seemed to amuse Vice President Kim Young-gi, who shook his head.
“Frankly, I’d be cursing too. I hear he’s already spending a full twelve hours a day on research, and you just dropped another bomb on him….”
“I know. That’s why I feel bad about it. But I’m also working sixteen hours a day.”
“Well, that’s…”
Vice President Kim swallowed the rest of his words.
*Tsk,* this makes me sound like some kind of slave-driving CEO.
As I was about to turn away with a displeased look, he quickly followed me.
“By the way, what’s the estimated development period for the hypersonic interceptor system?”
“Well, that depends on when the government establishes the Ballistic Missile Operations Control Center.”
“I suppose that’s true. But isn’t that an unexpected gain?”
“What is?”
“The establishment of the Ballistic Missile Operations Control Center. If it weren’t for this incident, they would have kept postponing it, wouldn’t they?”
I agreed with him on that point.
According to history, our military wasn't supposed to have that system until around 2022.
Given the necessity, that was far too late.
“Oh, and I heard from the JCS that they’ve approved a 25-millimeter caliber for the explosive rounds of the Korean Complex Rifle.”
*Meomchit.*
It was welcome news, and I stopped in my tracks.
Rummaging through his briefcase as if he had brought the documents, Vice President Kim soon handed me a file.
“So our proposal to adopt the Picatinny rail and to modularize the fragmentation round launch system and the fire-control system was also accepted.”
“Yes, and for your information, LIC also submitted a development plan for a 25-millimeter version.”
“Is that so?”
“Why do you look so pleased? Our competitor is starting under the same conditions as us.”
“I don’t know, I feel more relieved than worried. It means that no matter which company gets selected, at least we won’t be repeating past mistakes.”
“…”
Vice President Kim looked as though he didn’t understand what I meant.
As I smiled and started to turn away, he hastily stopped me again, as if he had more news to share.
“The Israeli Minister of Defense wants to discuss the HVP acquisition. He said he’ll call again tomorrow, and I think it would be best if you took the call yourself, Chairman.”
“Alright.”
I replied nonchalantly and opened my car door.
In that moment, the fact that it was the Israeli Minister of Defense flashed through my mind.
Naturally, my train of thought led to unmanned reconnaissance drones.
‘Hmm…’