Chemistry - Chapter 107

15. Old Steel – Great Line(5)

「Mile 5」 – 32 degrees below zero, Deadhorse

Twelve hours later, it was time for the first official day of the event. Jeong-woo, who had woken up in a container accommodation near Deadhorse Airport, looked out the window as soon as he regained his senses.

The sunlight reflecting off the white plains was incredibly intense.

“Not a cloud in the sky. It must be warm.”

However, Seong-beom, who had been sleeping in the bed next to him, brutally shattered Jeong-woo’s expectations with some information.

“The morning temperature is minus 32 degrees.”

“Whoa.”

He felt like he might freeze to death with the news that it might be colder than yesterday.

After a quick shower, he stepped outside the accommodation. Among the dozens of vehicles lined up in the vast parking lot, he noticed a familiar bus.

“I didn’t expect the mobile research lab to come all the way here.”

“Director Yoon Jaegil pushed for it strongly. Especially if Jeong-woo utilizes it as intended, we can gather several useful chemical products for polar life.”

“His intentions are really clear.”

Seong-beom smiled at Jeong-woo’s muttering.

Upon entering the mobile research lab, he saw team members sitting for a meeting. As soon as Jeong-woo took his seat, Joo Hana, who had been monitoring the monitors, spoke up.

“Did everyone sleep well? In the initial stage, we’ll operate with four teams as planned. Be especially cautious during movement since most of it is snowy terrain.”

One drone team, two metal detection teams, one data collection and maintenance estimation team. The list of nine people and today’s expected moving points appeared on the monitor.

Wi Ji-seong, a member of Detection Team 1, pointed outside.

“Team Leader Joo, when I tried probing the ground earlier, it was frozen solid. I’m not sure if the detection rod will go in properly.”

Joo Hana turned her head towards Jeong-woo at his concern.

“At what temperature can we use the megaton de-icer?”

“Huh? Did you bring that too?”

To Jeong-woo’s surprise, Joo Hana nodded as if it was obvious.

Thinking about the chemical formula of the de-icer he made last winter, Jeong-woo asked her.

“The anti-freezing protein held by the mobile research lab is extracted from polar bacteria, right? The maximum temperature of that bacteria’s activity should be the limit.”

Joo Hana searched the database and answered.

“Minus 25 degrees.”

Upon hearing the news that it couldn’t be used in today’s weather, Wi Ji-seong was pondering whether to use a trenching tool. Jeong-woo suddenly remembered and suggested.

“You just need a hole big enough for the detection rod to go in, right? How about triggering an exothermic reaction that melts the decision altogether?”

“What do you mean?”

“Using chlorate compounds. Potassium, magnesium combined in the right proportions to rapidly induce a combustion reaction…”

As Jeong-woo explained, the eyes of all the team members widened. Doubting if they heard it wrong, Joo Hana asked.

“…Are you suggesting making a bomb?”

“No. To produce a meaningful flame reaction, you need to create an incendiary mixture by mixing napthenic acid and aluminum salt with petroleum. But you don’t need a hole diameter of 5m.”

Listening intently, Wi Ji-seong replied, “5 cm is enough.” Joo Hana, confident that it was Jeong-woo’s suggestion, allowed the use of compounds held by the mobile research lab.

“If it’s just enough to melt the ground, go ahead and make it.”

“Sure.”

After the arrangements for each team’s exploration zone were finalized, Joo Hana spoke up for the last time.

“As felt yesterday, we have lower visibility compared to other companies. Support from TAPS is also prioritized lower than the two other companies. However, if we demonstrate our capabilities here, I am confident their discrimination will turn into shame. It’s going to be cold, but let’s do our best.”

“Understood.”

“Let’s do it!”

“Fighting!”

The determined team members walked outside to prepare for the journey.

Jeong-woo opened the glass door and entered the makeshift laboratory. Wearing gloves on both hands and protective goggles, Wolf walked into the mobile research lab.

『Team Leader, should we set up the base camp near the [Second Pump Base]? Please radio so that we can return before sunset.』

『I’ll send the message.』

『Is there a long-distance team travel today?』

『Probably the drone team will go the farthest.』

『Really? If it’s a drone, it’s Mister Han, right? Where is he…』

At Joo Hana’s gesture, Wolf’s gaze turned towards the inside of the glass door.

『What’s he doing?』

『He’s making a flame compound to melt the ice on the ground.』

Wolf watched Jeong-woo with interest, his fist clenched.

20 minutes later.

Jeong-woo walked out carrying a container filled with white coin-shaped crystalline structures.

“Here.”

“Already done?”

Wi Ji-seong was surprised as he took the container.

“The facility is good.”

He answered like that, but he had obviously been simultaneously conducting a synthesis operation manipulating free electrons in the molecular world.

They were too busy examining the inside of the container, and dind’t notice the gradually diminishing red energy flickering in Jeong-woo’s eyes.

“How do we use it…”

Jeong-woo quickly explained as he took off his protective goggles.

“Place it where you want to make a hole, and when you strike it with flint, it will ignite on its own.”

“Is it that simple?”

In response to Wi Ji-seong’s skeptical reaction, Jeong-woo gave a confident expression as if to say there’s no need to say more.

“Really, Mr. Jeong-woo seems capable of making anything with just words.”

“Well, if it’s chemistry.”

Beside Jeong-woo, Wolf approached with a wry smile.

『Is Mr. Han from the EOD in the South Korean military?』

『Huh?』

Jeong-woo raised his head at Wolf’s mention of the explosive ordnance disposal unit.

『He was in the rifle corps and mainly did a lot of tinkering.』

『Surprising. If it’s a subject that involves making a miniature grenade in 20 minutes, anyone from any military would have been tempted. If you ever get involved in a war, be sure to transfer to the ordnance. It will be an excellent force.』

Praise emanating from Wolf, a survival instructor from the UK’s special forces SAS. Wi Ji-seong, who was shaking the container happily, froze in his arm movement.

8:30 AM.

The wind wasn’t blowing, so it wasn’t as cold as Jeong-woo had anticipated.

In a corner of the parking lot that could accommodate three soccer fields, Jeong-woo spotted a domestically produced 1-ton truck that seemed out of place in the mysterious atmosphere of the polar region.

“Was this also imported from Korea?”

“It’s cheaper to transport vehicles with charging generators from the local area than to rent them.”

The blue truck, which looked like it should be wished well for good farming this year, revealed a large box containing a generator and a drone when Seong-beom removed the winterized cover from the cargo bed.

“Even though it looks like this, we’ve also attached satellite communication equipment. You can make a direct call to Korea.”

Jeong-woo admired the imposing presence of the antenna, as thick as a plumbing pipe, above the modest telephone.

“I’ll start the engine.”

Seong-beom sat in the driver’s seat.

As Jeong-woo, who was loading a backpack into the cargo bed, saw another bag suddenly rise, he turned his head.

A blonde lady wearing silver ski goggles extended her hand.

『Kaya?』

『You’re going far from the base camp?』

『Ah… yes.』

『Wolf says it’s unlikely, but he wants me to go with him in case we run into wildlife.』

Mentioning Wolf, Kaya suddenly turned her head as if she had just remembered.

『Dad told me to get a grenade from Mr. Han. Is that a joke?』

Jeong-woo hesitated for a moment, then nodded. He had to explain to Wi Ji-seong earlier that it wasn’t that kind of bomb. Eventually, he felt relieved and left after demonstrating it outside.

“Mr. Jeong-woo, the heater is working really well. … Oh? Kaya, hi!”

Seong-beom, leaning out the driver’s side window, discovered Kaya and greeted her with a pleased smile. Kaya also waved back brightly in response to the greeting.

Jeong-woo pointed to the truck.

『This car has a bit smaller seating.』

『It’s small? It’s spacious. In Kathmandu, there are 12-seaters with 30 people riding. If you hang on the roof and go for 8 hours, this kind of car is heaven.』

Opening the passenger seat door and gracefully climbing into the middle seat, Kaya smiled brightly.

If you mentioned Kathmandu, is the capital of Nepal. Jeong-woo wondered how much wild experience the eighteen-year-old lady, who claimed to have been to Everest, had. Even if he didn’t know, it seemed clear that it was due to Wolf’s early education.

Vroom.

With a very familiar engine sound, the truck began to travel along the snow-covered road depicted like a canvas. The brown unpaved road on the snowy canvas looked very warm, bathed in sunlight.

「Mile 43」 – 33 degrees below zero, Arctic Tundra Zone

In all directions, a lone drone hovered in the vast land covered with snow and rocks.

While capturing the zigzagging silver pipeline, the drone’s camera lens caught a cowboy hat.

One person every 2 miles.

In the harsh cold, Rust Guard corrosion experts persevered, walking diligently to check if there were black puddles or wet ground. This scene was captured by the lens and transmitted to Jeong-woo’s view as he controlled the drone from outside, 5 miles away.

‘They must be checking diligently despite the hardships. It’s so cold.’

As the day progressed, Jeong-woo, who thought it would be less cold, found himself constantly shivering after the wind started blowing.

Seong-beom, who was standing next to the truck and answering a satellite phone call, spoke up.

“Mr. Jeong-woo! Team Leader is asking how much progress we’ll make today. Rust Guard covered 45 miles, and Baker Hughes covered 50 miles.”

“We can do about…”

The drone’s maximum range is 5 miles. The time it takes to fly the drone in both directions for precise filming at a specific point of the pipeline is 30 minutes. Calculating the vehicle travel time to the next point, it came out to be approximately 10 miles per hour.

“Maybe we can cover 70 miles.”

After finishing the report, Seong-beom, who put down the satellite phone, approached.

“Wow, it looks like this will be done in two weeks.”

“I don’t know yet. We also need to analyze the footage, and the mountainous region will be much slower.”

Since the Brooks Range, a formidable obstacle, was still holding out 140 miles ahead, Jeong-woo couldn’t easily estimate how long it would take.

“There are signs of deep wrinkles all over this section. Maybe rocks collided. We should select this as an urgent repair point.”

“Where?”

Since the drone had already passed that point, Seong-beom rolled back the recording screen.

“Oh, Deputy Shin. Wait a moment.”

While watching the recording laptop connected to the drone, Jeong-woo, who was supporting the pipeline with an H-shaped high-strength beam, noticed a peculiar mark.

‘Did something scratch this?’

As curiosity arose, the view expanded into the molecular world.

In the sharp gap of the split iron, marks resembling animal fur were visible. He even confirmed the cross-section of the fur, almost unaffected by the cold and wind. It was a very recent trace.

Although it was a mark that did not affect the corrosion of the pipeline, it seemed like something to check. Jeong-woo turned his head toward the roof of the truck.

『Kaya.』

In response to Jeong-woo’s call, Kaya, who was observing in all directions with binoculars, lowered her gaze.

『What?』

『Is there any wild animal in this area that could leave claw marks about 10cm on an iron pillar?』

『If it’s scratched enough to leave a mark on iron, you might suspect a polar bear.』

『Do they live in a place like this? Not floating on ice, but are they seals here?』

『If it’s a food issue, there are reindeer and Arctic hares, and in summer, they go further inland from the tundra.』

At the mention of the possibility of a polar bear appearing, Jeong-woo swallowed a groan.

『So, which direction is it?』

Jeong-woo called out the coordinates that the drone had passed. Kaya’s binoculars pointed in that direction.

‘Could we really meet one?’

If they were to come face to face, it wouldn’t disappear like the cola commercials where you sip it deliciously and vanish.

Jeong-woo, feeling around his waist, decided to check the bear spray just in case.

The drone, which had completed a 5-mile search, landed next to the truck.

While Seong-beom was replacing the battery, Jeong-woo approached Kaya.

『What do you see?』

『A bear.』

She answered so comfortably that Jeong-woo momentarily doubted his ears.

『Really?』

Kaya gestured for Jeong-woo to come up. Jeong-woo climbed onto the truck and raised his binoculars in the direction Kaya pointed.

He opened his mouth in surprise at the appearance of a bulky, 2.5-meter-long adult polar bear walking leisurely on the snowy ground.

『No need to be nervous. It hasn’t noticed us, and the distance is sufficient.』

『Even so…』

Jeong-woo thought of someone who had passed by with the drone and moved the binoculars. He spotted a cowboy hat near the 40-mile point of the pipeline.

『He seems quite close to that cowboy. Shouldn’t we tell him?』

『Do you have a way to contact him?』

『Well… Should I shout at least?』

Kaya laughed, thinking it was a joke.

『Chances of a single bear attacking a person are almost nonexistent. It will probably avoid us on its own.』

『What if it’s not alone?』

『There’s nothing as dangerous as a wild animal protecting its cubs. They won’t take any risks.』

Upon hearing this, Jeong-woo lowered the binoculars and squinted his eyes.

When he scanned with infrared vision, the unmistakable warmth of the polar bear was revealed in the all-white world. In Jeong-woo’s survey of the surroundings, a round space where warmth could be felt captured his attention.

A den nestled in the snow. The thickness of the snow was finely adjusted, creating a space where the temperature was maintained close to 0 degrees. Inside that space were two bear cubs and their mother, emitting warmth, as they cuddled together.

『That guy was the father bear.』

『How do you know?』

Jeong-woo pointed with his finger toward the location of the den. Kaya, who received the binoculars, carefully examined the area around the den and exclaimed. Two bear cubs awkwardly walked out of the den.

『You said you’ve never been in the wild like this before.』

『I learned from you.』

Kaya glanced at Jeong-woo.

『I don’t remember teaching you anything?』

『I must be the student who learns one thing and knows ten, I guess.』

『Haha. You aren’t a humble student, I see.』

Jeong-woo took out a short-range communication radio with a maximum range of 3 miles from his waist.

『Wait a moment. First, let me give a warning.』

『Were we sharing a wireless channel with other companies?』

After smiling silently at Kaya’s question, Jeong-woo raised his hand over the radio’s battery. Although the distance was quite far, it was a flat terrain with no obstacles, making it possible to transmit ultrasound to some extent.

Jeong-woo, who had gathered a lot of dust particles in his hand, pretended to turn on the radio by opening his mouth.

『Aha. Rust Guard. Rust Guard, come in.』

Ultrasound radiated in a straight line. Far away, the cowboy hat looked around bewilderedly.

Checking the GPS and trudging through the snowy field, the two members of Detection Team 1 finally arrived at the marked location on the map, catching their breath.

“Oh, I’m dying.”

As Wi Ji-seong surveyed the surroundings, the gaze of a competitor’s employee standing nearby caught his attention.

“It looks like he’s here to check the pipeline too.”

Jae-sang turned his head.

“Rust Guard’s working method is like pure labor.”

“No need to complain. Do you know the average salary of those corrosion technicians? It’s 100,000 dollars.”

“Seriously?”

The two caught their breath and moved.

Standing on the ground where the signpost for the buried pipeline was slightly exposed in the snow, Wi Ji-seong, with a metal detector on his back, swept the ground and marked a spot.

“If it weren’t for Jeong-woo, we’d be digging the ground all day. That’s real manual labor.”

The buried pipeline couldn’t be precisely inspected with a drone. In such places, the Total Care Team uses a unique method, installing a probe to touch the pipe, passing current through it to measure the thickness and corrosion level.

Rust Guard’s employees were also digging the ground vigorously, probably to insert a thick iron rod for a similar task. As the sound of piercing the soil echoed, Wi Ji-seong, watching him struggling, clicked his tongue.

“It’s a lot of work.”

Wi Ji-seong placed a marker at the location indicated by Jeong-woo, indicating the special compound he had prepared, and ignited the flame with a flint.

Sizzle.

With the soft sound of burning, the white crystal, the size of a 500-won coin, created a hole and quickly began to penetrate the ground.

As they inserted the metal probe toward the hole, it went in smoothly.

Observing this, a Rust Guard employee muttered, “What the…” in astonishment. In just 30 seconds, he became fascinated, watching the two finish installing the probe.

On the evening of the first day of the inspection with external companies involved, the comprehensive situation room inside the Prudhoe Bay TAPS management office was bustling with radio communications coming from all directions.

Neogi, who entered the office and opened the door, turned his gaze towards David, the team leader of Baker Hughes, who was in a conversation with the radio as if he were fighting.

『The pressure sensor malfunctioned? You should have fixed it in advance! Send a maintenance vehicle to the Second Pump Station. Why is the pulse analysis so slow?』

When Neogi and David made eye contact, David smiled as if there was nothing to worry about.

Turning his head towards Raylan, Neogi had to nod. Raylan, who used to be quite talkative, was silent.

『What’s the matter?』

『Oh, Chief. It’s about…』

Raylan started with a bitter look on his face.

『We planned to inspect 45 miles, but we could only manage 38 miles because we couldn’t inspect the underground section properly. We didn’t expect the permafrost layer to be so hard. It seems like the inspection period will be longer than 12 days.』

Disappointed by the somewhat pessimistic reports echoing from various places, Neogi felt a sense of frustration and looked towards the final company.

Satellite communication network access, receiving only data, and a facial expressionless Joo Hana. It was impossible to tell whether things were going well or not.

One hour later.

It was time for each company’s report.

『We, Baker Hughes, have reviewed the data of the pipe’s inner wall for 50 miles. We detected around ten damaged areas and pulses.』

Analysis of potential corrosion elements appeared on the monitor.

『Rust Guard found 20 aged areas. But only up to 38 miles. The pipes around 16 miles, where the thickness is reduced, seemed particularly dangerous.』

With a short search distance, Raylan, who discovered many scratches and cracks through manual magnetic field measurements, reported. David chuckled and said mockingly.

『If you inspect like that, will it take about three months?』

『You need substance in the inspection. Trusting machines alone won’t find any corrosion.』

As the two argued, Joo Hana displayed data on the monitor.

『This is the inspection report from Yujin Chemical. We inspected 85 miles today, and there are a total of 102 points where maintenance is required. We marked 40 points that require urgent repairs separately. Depressions and wrinkled areas on the inner wall of the pipe, welding defects, abnormal curvature, small holes, partial corrosion, etc.』

Joo Hana’s voice, spewing out like a waterfall, left David and Raylan dumbfounded.

85 miles.

Considering it was too long a distance to inspect in just one day, the accuracy of the report could be doubted. However, as the dangerous elements found by Baker Hughes and Rust Guard were all included in Yujin Chemical’s report without missing a single one, the two couldn’t raise any objections.

Fast, flawless, and more precise measurements.

The team leaders of the two companies, who had not paid much attention to Yujin Chemical, could only look at the petite Asian woman with atonished eyes at this moment.

『…That’s all. Tomorrow, due to more underground sections, we have scheduled the inspection area up to the Third Pump Station.』

Neogi manipulated the keyboard himself, scrolling through the report several times with a satisfied expression.

『Really excellent. Total Care, was it? I only knew it as a bridge management specialist, but I didn’t expect this level.』

『Whether it’s a pipeline or a bridge, rust appears wherever oxidation occurs.』

Joo Hana confirmed the satisfied face of the management supervisor and added calmly.

『In the TAPS transportation team, if you could support us with snowmobiles, the operation would be smoother.』

『Snowmobiles? Of course, we’ll provide support. I’ll even give you two personal snowmobiles. Ah, Team Leader Raylan.』

『Yes?』

『Please return the two snowmobiles in your team.』

Raylan’s expression darkened significantly when the support equipment was taken away because they couldn’t handle the work as well as Yujin Chemical. David laughed with a smug look, and Neogi turned his gaze towards him.

『Starting from tomorrow, the maintenance vehicle will be used jointly with Yujin Chemical.』

『What… Why would they need electronic equipment over there?』

『This team analyzed 70 miles through drone reconnaissance today. They even found traces left by polar bears.』

At this, Raylan laughed loudly and said.

『That’s right. Mr. Han, was it? The person doing drone reconnaissance warned our line walkers to avoid polar bears.』

Neogi confirmed the schedule for the next day and said.

『You don’t need to inspect separately where Yujin Chemical has completed the check. Baker Hughes and Rust Guard will proceed from 85 miles onwards.』

Since he couldn’t confidently inspect more thoroughly than the Korean team, the team leaders of both companies kept their mouths shut.

Afterward, Neogi repeatedly questioned only Joo Hana and then left the management office. That concluded all the evening briefings.

While tidying up to return to the lodging, Raylan approached Joo Hana.

『Um… Team Leader Joo Hana.』

『What’s wrong?』

Joo Hana sent a somewhat cautious glance at Raylan, who spoke politely. Scratching his beard, Raylan glanced around at Joo Hana and cautiously continued.

『It’s about the underground tunnel exploration. That thing your team is using, the flame-emitting device. Can you tell me where to get it? Line walkers are making a fuss, asking for support.』

『That requires the developer’s permission.』

『The developer…』

『Han Jeong-woo.』

At the mention of a familiar name, Raylan snapped his fingers.

『Oh, the drone? Was that thing made by a developer in your team? If so, we’ll officially purchase it as a collaborative partner.』

Joo Hana, dressed in a Hanbok and wearing goggles, spoke while carefully considering her words.

『There seems to be a misunderstanding about Mr. Han. Strictly speaking, he participated as an external personnel with Corrosion Detection Consultant qualifications. Let me explain.』

『External? Why would a corrosion specialist like Yujin Chemical bring a consultant…?』

Raylan looked at Joo Hana with a gaze of incomprehension. Joo Hana opened the management office door and said.

『It’s strange not to collaborate. After all, someone with such exceptional chemical intuition is rare in the world.』

The door closed, and she disappeared.

Not only Raylan but also David, who was listening to the conversation, became intrigued about who Han Jeong-woo was.