Chapter 170
Chapter 170
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 170
Chapter Title: How to Stop the Approaching Disaster (2)
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The process of incorporating SA Precision Instruments into the Ammunition Group proceeded without a hitch.
It was a company located in South Chungcheong Province, far from the Seoul headquarters, so even its sense of belonging had been tenuous from the start. In fact, some employees were actually looking forward to the merger, given the higher salaries at Ammunition Group.
On the flip side, the senior executives at Ammunition Group, who had to handle the acquisition, were racking their brains over it.
This was especially true for Secretary Room Chief Kim Won-cheol, who was practically the chairman's shadow clone.
“Whew, that startled me! Man... what kind of lab is this? Looks like a damn construction site.”
The old SA Precision Instruments—no, now in the process of being renamed Ammunition Precision Instruments.
In one corner of the factory's lab, amid a chaotic tangle of cables, something the size of a car was half-buried.
And next to it, researchers in exhausted states scurried about, feverishly working on a prototype.
Secretary Room Chief Kim Won-cheol shook his head as if to say there was no hope, then turned to President Michelle of Ammunition Electronics standing beside him.
“This is gonna kill us, seriously. President Michelle, how many days have these folks gone without clocking out?”
“With the chairman's special order hanging over us, who's talking about going home? At least the overtime pay is generous, so they're just powering through despite the exhaustion.”
“It's definitely not like our chairman to push such an insanely tight schedule...”
With a hint of concern on his face, Secretary Room Chief Kim Won-cheol continued his inspection.
As he slowly walked through the noisy lab assaulting his eardrums, he recalled his final conversation with the chairman who had sent him here.
‘Well, I'm off now. You can head out too, Secretary Room Chief Kim.’
‘Whoa, anyone overhearing that would think we're going to the same place. One's heading to Japan, the other's to some factory in the boonies.’
The young chairman, wearing sunglasses and waving his newly issued official passport, en route to Incheon Airport.
On his way to Japan, he paused thoughtfully before adding one more thing.
‘It's the same thing. If you look at it from a slightly longer perspective.’
‘What kinda cryptic, philosophical talk is that?’
‘Eh, something like that. Anyway... take care of it. I know it's a brutal timeline, but please make sure it gets done on schedule. Please.’
Unlike his usual self, the chairman had insisted on an obviously unreasonable deadline, even emphasizing it repeatedly. Clearly... there was something he couldn't easily put into words.
As that peculiar image lingered in his mind, Secretary Room Chief Kim Won-cheol scratched the back of his head like always and faithfully carried out his assignment.
“Tch, whatever. Best to just do what I'm told. Hold on... what's this?”
Drawing closer to the center, a prototype came into clear view.
It had an exposed engine and a protruding front end—the distinctive shape of an armored military vehicle familiar to Ammunition Group's lineup. Though... the outer casing wrapped around it looked unusually thick and bizarre.
“This thing... shouldn't be this massive in size normally. Right, President Seong?”
“That's right. We stripped off all the steel armor and packed it with lead of equivalent weight. The orders prioritized radiation shielding above all.”
President Seong Won-sik of Ammunition Infrastructure, who had come down here alongside Kim Won-cheol.
With armor that thick, he explained, even if radioactive material spewed out, it wouldn't interfere much with machine operation.
“What the hell? Planning a nuclear war with Japan or something? Korea doesn't even have nukes. This just looks like we're gonna get pummeled one-sidedly.”
“Um... Japan doesn't have nuclear weapons either, but...”
President Seong Won-sik added his timid afterthought just loud enough to be barely audible.
He let out an awkward cough, then leaned in to whisper carefully to the hawkish bald guy who sounded like he was advocating war with Japan.
“Ahem, does Secretary Room Chief Kim not know either? Why the chairman suddenly issued these orders.”
“No clue. Seriously, no idea. Normally I'd piece it together from hints without being told, but this decision... I got nothing. Anyway.”
Secretary Room Chief Kim Won-cheol furrowed his brow, looking equally pained by the same mystery.
Thud, thud. He approached the prototype armored vehicle with its robotic arm and lightly rapped it with his knuckles before speaking.
“It's a monster, alright. Whether by looks or that brick armor. Feels like something out of a robot anime.”
“We'll have the prototype ready within a week. He said to airlift it to Japan right after testing, so roughly speaking.”
President Seong Won-sik calculated, factoring in various schedules with his fingers.
He then named a date, oblivious to its historical significance in real events.
“March 11th. No later than the morning of the 12th for arrival.”
* * * *
“Chairman Han, first time in Japan, huh? Whew... looks like I gotta give you the full-course treatment this time.”
“Full course...?”
On the flight to Japan.
Professor Kim from Busan University, appointed as the head of the special envoy delegation, had deliberately taken the seat next to mine.
Was it to build connections with Ammunition Group? Or because he thought I had some oddly close ties to the president?
With his quintessential professor vibe, he wouldn't shut up—like he was giving a lecture.
“Full course ain't just a Busan thing, no sir! Stick with me, and Japan's full course too, ya hear?”
“Ah, yes...”
“Ever tried tonkotsu ramen, Chairman? Blows your mind, it does. Gaga yakisoba too—gotta sample that.”
Tonkotsu ramen and yakisoba.
Somehow... it felt like getting pitched pork bone soup and wheat noodles back home. The vibes of the dishes were similar in a way.
It felt awkward to keep giving one-word answers to the nonstop chatterer, so I asked Professor Kim about the purpose of this special envoy visit, tying it to his expertise.
“Um... Professor, one question. Aren't we here to protest over the Dokdo territorial rights? You seem oddly unconcerned.”
“Ah, Dokdo? That's all show, I tell ya, show! Heh heh heh.”
“Show?”
Professor Kim, the president's hometown buddy.
Munching on the in-flight peanuts with his beer, he began spilling diplomatic backstage gossip with a casual laugh.
“They're done for down there—approval ratings in the toilet, cabinet no-confidence vote looming, ruling party's government about to implode.”
“Ah. So, kinda like they need an external enemy right now?”
“Bingo. Think of it like our president occasionally mouthing off at other countries now and then.”
The recently soured Japan-Korea relations weren't on the brink of collapse—they were just theater. In a way, that was a relief.
To prevent the Fukushima nuclear plant meltdown during the earthquake this time, and to leverage that into breaking into Japan's nuclear market, it was better without obstacles in between.
A frosty atmosphere might block even initial contacts with folks from Tokyo Electric Power Company.
With that, I leaned back deeply into my airplane seat, my mind a bit more at ease, and replied.
“Hmm, it just seemed kinda tense at first. Anyway, if you're right, Professor, it'll go smoothly.”
“No worries, partner. The bigwigs all know the score. They know, so Chairman, just snap some pics, handle your economic stuff, and you're golden. Ha ha ha.”
Professor Kim pounded his chest confidently.
He lightly patted his protruding belly, all excited about indulging in a day or two of fine dining once things wrapped up nicely.
Yeah, that had been the vibe.
Right up until the first meeting after arrival, when we heard the bombshell from the Japanese Foreign Ministry's senior official.
“Our country strongly protests Korea's baseless claims surrounding Takeshima and hereby formally declares the expulsion of your ambassador to Japan.”
“Wh-what'd you say...? Exp-exp-expulsion, now?”
Hah, chaos from the get-go.
Professor Kim, the guy who'd sworn it would all go smoothly—what happened to that confidence? Now he looked like a bewildered rookie soldier.
This... was an absolute clusterfuck of a situation.
* * * *
“Attention! At ease!”
Japan, Tokyo Electric Power Company's Tohoku Regional Headquarters.
The Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant staff stood in rigid formation. Word that the headquarters president was visiting from Tokyo after ages had them dropping everything to pour max effort into the ceremony.
“Hey, Watanabe. This everyone on duty, right?”
“Yes... well, except essential ops personnel, yeah, all gathered.”
And Fukushima plant manager Watanabe Sugoi, thoroughly unimpressed by the spectacle.
Having devoted his life to nuclear energy, he always got headaches whenever this corporate politics crap cropped up.
A headquarters senior exec clicked his tongue at the sight of him.
“Tsk tsk tsk. No wonder you're exiled to the sticks.”
“I'm content enough with this life...”
“Come on, man. When the president shows, at least make nice and get your face remembered. Your oldest is heading to high school soon—gonna raise 'em in this backwater forever?”
Watanabe Sugoi shrugged. His eldest, who couldn't study to save his life, made it a non-issue anyway.
The real reason he didn't want HQ was the potbellied president visible through the central entrance's glass doors right now.
“Ugh! President's already here. Tense up, everyone—stick to practice. One, two, three!”
“Good day, President! Welcome to Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant!”
The chorus rang out in unison at the headquarters senior exec's cue.
The staff's perfect right-angle bows seemed to please him. Headquarters President Nakamura Kimocchi cleared his throat, his watch chain rattling.
“Basics are solid. Looks like morale training's paying off.”
“Aigoo, President. I checked everything in advance. This Watanabe fella here's managed things real well...”
“Stop.”
The headquarters senior exec, self-appointed human bidet. But despite the bootlicking, the president cut him off and addressed Watanabe directly.
“Watanabe, you're the plant chief here?”
“Yes, sir. I am, President.”
“Damn this seniority system... even a scrawny punk like you gets plant chief. Do good—eyes from above are watching.”
A stickler for principles and clueless about office politics, Plant Chief Watanabe.
The polar opposite, President Nakamura Kimocchi, had never liked him. So he tacked on a little extra.
“Stick to running the nuclear plant properly. Don't let accidents happen and kick shit upstairs—bury it yourselves.”
“President, per safety regs, even the tiniest glitch has to be reported to the Nuclear Commission...”
“Ugh, this guy... Watanabe!”
Cursing in front of the entire Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant staff, President Nakamura Kimocchi flew into a rage.
Pounding his chest in frustration, he jabbed a finger at Plant Chief Watanabe while adding his kicker.
Lacing it with his signature self-preservation philosophy, which he considered his life's compass.
“Self-preserve, damn it—self-preserve! Bury it so no noise ever surfaces! Keep crap from reaching upstairs and splashing back on the organization!”
And President Nakamura Kimocchi's life philosophy wouldn't last long.
Before the massive disaster tsunami soon to come, it was obvious it would shatter to pieces.