Bunker Candidate Site (2)
"You're talking about the SMR, right?"
"Yes. The small modular reactor you promised. We need to get firm confirmation first that it can be built on this site."
"..."
Jason felt the world go dark before his eyes.
Why the hell did I promise that?
When he'd learned that the parasites' blue drug dispersal attack was imminent, he had to neutralize the prime minister and cabinet quietly and discreetly right away—and his forces were woefully short. The only means to sweep the prime minister's office under the radar had been none other than David Min. And David Min, knowing that full well, had pushed through his outrageous demand. The Secret Intelligence Agency had no choice but to accept.
That demand was the free construction of an SMR—a small modular reactor. Of course, the Secret Intelligence Agency couldn't shoulder the billions in costs alone; the government was set to cover it through a supplemental budget.
"Well, about that..."
"Why does your voice already sound so apologetic?"
"Hear me out. We're fully committed to building the SMR for you, and we're prepared to bear whatever the costs."
"But?"
"The problem is, there's no company in Australia right now that can build an SMR."
"..."
Are you messing with me right now? Cheol-woo's eyelid twitched.
So they'd promised it without even having the capability to build it?
As Cheol-woo opened his mouth to speak, Jason suddenly felt a chill run down his spine and hurriedly offered an excuse.
"Th-that's because we originally planned to bring in a U.S. company to do the construction. At the time, America wasn't at war yet. But now that the U.S. is in this state, there might be delays in the construction plan... That's what I wanted to tell you."
"So it's impossible for now? Meaning the bunker construction can't proceed without the SMR plan locked in?"
"Yes. Pretty much. But we don't have to just wait endlessly for the U.S. situation to improve. There is a way to expedite the construction plan..."
"What's that?"
"We're planning to send army troops to support the rebels in the States this time. If David Min joins them and helps liberate the California region, the SMR companies there could start construction right away... I'm just cautiously suggesting it..."
His brazen explanation trailed off toward the end.
So, if he wanted his SMR and bunker built sooner, he should go fight in America? Cheol-woo's face soured with dissatisfaction. It felt like they were holding the bunker hostage, which didn't sit well—but he couldn't entirely dismiss their side of things. They weren't delaying out of malice; it was circumstances beyond their control.
Still, after finally getting a chance to rest, being nudged back to the battlefield felt downright infuriating.
"Hold on. That's something I need to... discuss with my wife first."
"Of course. Take all the time you need. We can even adjust the deployment schedule to fit yours. We'll also grant significant equipment and operational authority."
Cheol-woo turned back with a troubled expression. But his gaze locked onto the shadowed corner where Yuri stood, hand on her sword hilt. Sweat beaded on her forehead.
What the hell is she doing?
"Sis, what're you up to?"
"Ch-Cheol-woo. L-look over here."
"What's wrong? Why?"
"C-come see this. Over there in the corner. That parasite...!"
"What?"
"Gah!? It's moving!"
Twitch-twitch—
As something monstrous stirred in the darkness, Yuri let out a bizarre shriek and leaped back. In a flash, she vaulted onto Cheol-woo, wrapping her legs around his waist in a clingy hug. Cheol-woo swiftly drew his pistol and aimed—then lowered it with an "ah."
"What the—it's just a spider."
"R-really? Spiders don't get that big!"
"We're in Australia. Everything here's huge."
"Haaah... You scared the shit outta me..."
Only then did Yuri slide down from Cheol-woo and pat her chest. She slices through people without batting an eye, but spiders freak her out? Cheol-woo's face twisted in disbelief. Lately, his sister's moral compass seemed seriously warped.
"Apparently, the companies that can build the small reactor are in the U.S., so things won't start until the situation there calms down. So, about that..."
"You wanna go to America?"
"It's not that I want to go. But if I help out, we could end the civil war faster and get the construction started sooner."
"Hmm..."
She said that, but her face lit up like she was thrilled. Yuri's resolve crumbled. No matter how she spun it, she couldn't deny Cheol-woo's talent for slaughter. And it meshed with his nature to some extent—he was just suppressing it now. But could you suppress it forever? It was as absurd as taming a wild tiger into a housecat.
"Then I'll come with you."
"What? Why would you come along?"
"Why? 'Cause you're going. Got a problem with that?"
"Hell yeah, I do. If you tag along to a warzone, I can't fight without worrying about you."
"Same here, kid. You're way weaker than me—how're you gonna survive without me? Pick one: We both go to America, or we both stay in Australia. You going alone? Not an option."
"..."
Telling a tiger by birth to munch grass and behave was nonsense. Let it roam, bite, fight, get hurt? Fine by her. But she needed to be right there to feel safe. If Cheol-woo was a tiger cub, so was she—no unreasonable demands.
"That's... sigh."
"What's it gonna be?"
"Fine. We'll go together. Could use your tankiness anyway."
"For real? No take-backs?"
Cheol-woo threw up his hands in surrender, and Yuri's face brightened instantly. There was no reason to refuse her company. She wasn't squeamish about killing, wasn't fragile, and in certain situations, her reflexes even outpaced his. If anything, she'd be an asset, not a liability. Now that he'd decided to bring her, he wondered why he hadn't thought of it sooner.
Australia might be a blue drug-free zone with parasites eradicated, but no one could guarantee total safety. Who knew what threats lurked? Leaving her here and crossing the ocean felt riskier than keeping her by his side in a warzone.
"We'll deploy to America. Both of us."
"I figured you'd say that. I'll send the schedule soon. You'll need to meet the team beforehand and get command protocols down. Shall we draw up the site purchase contract now?"
"Sure. Let's buy it. How much?"
"Well, it's 11 million Australian dollars."
11 million AUD? That was about 7 million USD, right on the edge of his budget. The 8 million from the Secret Intelligence Agency would vanish with extras, but whatever. Thanks to his national merit status, pensions would roll in next month—enough for living expenses, Mi-young's salary, and some savings. Plus, deployment pay would bring in another fortune.
"That's a bit over 10 million USD."
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
"When we selected this site, it fit your budget perfectly. But after the U.S. civil war broke out, exchange rates fluctuated wildly. Half your assets—4 million USD worth—have nearly halved in value..."
"..."
Jason awkwardly averted David Min's gaze and muttered. It wasn't intentional sabotage; exchange rates had tanked everything. He almost added that at least half in gold and AUD held value—but clamped his mouth shut. Murderous intent flickered in David Min's eyes.
Cheol-woo ground his teeth and turned to Yuri, who was tugging his sleeve from behind.
America again? This is your fault. He was sick of it.
"What? What? What'd he say?"
"We're short on cash."
"What kinda bullshit is that? Why show us a site we can't afford?"
"USD crashed."
"How bad? Oh..."
Yuri checked exchange rates on her phone, her face going slack. Once 1 AUD was 0.65 USD; now it nearly matched 1:1. How much did we lose in days? It didn't feel real; she gaped blankly.
"So if the USD surges back, we can buy it?"
"Yeah."
"Ends the civil war, USD rebounds?"
"Probably."
"Let's go wrap it up quick. America."
Fire lit in Yuri's eyes. One more reason to rush to America and end the war fast.