Chemistry - Chapter 109

15. Old Steel – Great Line(7)

「Mile 197」 – 24 Celsius degrees below zero, Atigun Pass

The reconnaissance plane, having soared over the mountain range, descended over the valley of the Brooks Range spread with glaciers.

While Jeong-woo, whose face had turned pale from the intense turbulence, Kaya continuously exclaiming in awe at the scenery below.

The reconnaissance plane gradually lowered its altitude over a flat glacier region.

Click, whirrr―

The skilled pilot safely landed the plane on the snow-covered ground.

After setting down the black case, Jeong-woo glanced around.

A landscape entirely blanketed in white beneath the towering peaks laden with perennial snow. Although picturesque, there was no time for admiration due to the pressing schedule.

They needed to quickly fly the drone around this vicinity for a 10-mile inspection before meeting Shin Seong-beom, who had been waiting approximately 4 miles away on the glacier.

“Good Luck.”

With a wave from Rust Guard’s three mountaineering experts, Jeong-woo and Kaya began heading north. They had heard that these experts had received specialized mountain training and were here for a two-day inspection.

『Mr. Han, start with these.』

Kaya said, handing Jeong-woo spikes for his shoes. After securing the drone case around his waist with a rope, he attached the spikes.

Though they could carry the items, Wolf had advised that pulling them like a sled would be much more convenient.

『Are you ready?』

Kaya, wearing silver goggles, looked back at Jeong-woo. To prevent corneal damage from sunlight reflection, he also wore goggles.

『I’m ready.』

『I’ll go ahead. Let me know if you have trouble breathing.』

With favorable weather conditions and almost no wind.

Jeong-woo earnestly hoped that the journey would conclude as Kaya had wished: a trip with barely enough time to experience the happiness it promised.

“Huff, huff.”

Walking for an hour on the icy surface reflecting warm light made Jeong-woo breathe heavily, sweat drenching him despite the cold.

When Jeong-woo attempted to unzip his winter gear, Kaya immediately raised a hand.

『If the inside frosts up, it’ll stick to your skin. Keep it zipped until it dries, even if it feels damp.』

Heeding the warning, Jeong-woo refrained from unzipping.

『Kaya, be honest here.』

『What’s up?』

『Where are we supposed to find happiness on this trek?』

In response to Jeong-woo’s somewhat frustrated question, Kaya smirked.

『Even after seeing such a beautiful landscape, you say that?』

『It loses its charm after staring at it for so long.』

Facing a landscape rarely touched by human presence, although it seemed like a difficult statement to make, Jeong-woo maintained a serious expression.

Kaya halted and asked.

『So what does Mr. Han consider happiness?』

『It’s simple. Buying things I want, eating delicious food, watching entertaining movies.』

『Do you know what most people want to do most before they die?』

『Travel, perhaps?』

With a smile that seemed to confirm the correct answer, Kaya spoke.

『You can do what you mentioned anytime.』

『Even so, indulging in this physical discomfort for a scenic view isn’t exactly my cup of tea.』

『Enough chatter; let’s keep going. We’re almost there.』

Upon reaching the end of a snowy hill, a steep valley embraced by a silvery pipeline came into view.

At 11 AM.

Jeong-woo, who had just finished a quick inspection of the northern 5-mile stretch with the drone, replaced its battery and turned his head towards Kaya.

『This will be over soon…』

She was filming this side with her action cam.

『But why do you keep focusing on me?』

『To capture the moment you find happiness.』

Whooosh―

The drone ascended and began moving southward along an oil pipeline.

Click.

-Mr. Jeong-woo, video transmission is proceeding as usual.

Through the radio, the voice of Shin Seong-beom, about 4 miles to the west, reached them. Jeong-woo, keeping an eye on the direction of the transmission, spoke to Kaya.

『Perhaps Mr. Shin’s face will be the key to finding that happiness.』

Shortly after, about 15 minutes after completing the southern reconnaissance, the drone began its return.

‘Quicker than expected.’

The journey here was challenging, but inspecting just 10 miles wasn’t overly difficult.

Jeong-woo finally found the leisure to admire the surroundings.

The pipeline extending like a roller coaster from one peak to another was breathtaking.

‘Impressive…’

Noticing Kaya’s action cam still pointed at him, Jeong-woo focused intently on the controls.

『It’s on autopilot; why are you so engrossed?』

『Preparing for any rare dangers. Remember the day it hit minus 40 degrees? If we lose this drone, our team is doomed.』

『So, no room for errors?』

『You’ve got it.』

After Kaya gave him a brief look implying he should focus on enjoying the trek, she began scanning the binoculars in the direction they were heading.

‘Alright, pride preserved.’

Just as he was feeling relaxed waiting for the drone’s automated return, the monitor screen on the controller suddenly went black.

“Huh?”

Surprised, Jeong-woo looked around, fearing a signal loss, but the drone had vanished into thin air.

Click.

-Mr. Jeong-woo! Do you hear me?

In response to Shin Seong-beom’s radio transmission, Jeong-woo also promptly replied.

“Deputy Shin, the drone disappeared.”

-Confirmed. You see a flock of birds there? It made an emergency maneuver to avoid a collision.

Seeing Jeong-woo’s serious expression, Kaya approached.

『What happened?』

『The drone…』

-Usually, during such evasive maneuvers, it descends significantly, seemingly crashing. Only the last GPS coordinates remain; the transmission has cut off.

X901, which is worth a staggering 500 million won to Jeong-woo, has fallen somewhere in that mountain range.

-The coordinates are 68.183…

Jeong-woo relayed the coordinates he heard on the radio to Kaya. After examining the map, Kaya said.

『If it’s here, we can plan a recovery and detour tracking route. Time is tight; Mr. Han’s stamina might be an issue.』

『We have to do it.』

Given the situation, with the remaining schedule all messed up and the project potentially on the line, Jeong-woo had no choice but to brace himself for what lay ahead.

『It’s around here.』

Kaya pointed to the flat icy area below the valley.

Jeong-woo, panting heavily, scanned around trying to locate the drone.

‘Where is it, where?’

As Jeong-woo looked around frantically, he noticed the ion molecules used for ultra-low temperature batteries fluttering in the air. Following their trace, he soon discovered the drone lodged in the snowy field.

Hastily, Jeong-woo approached and retrieved the drone, then pressed the transmission button on the walkie-talkie.

“Deputy Shin, I found it.”

Click.

-Well done.

“I’ve inspected it; there seems to be damage to the battery connector.”

-As long as the propeller and motor are intact, repairs shouldn’t be difficult.

The drone seemed almost undamaged, likely because it crashed in a soft area.

‘Thankfully.’

Having walked non-stop for an hour and a half, Jeong-woo sat down next to the drone. Kaya approached him.

『Now that we’ve retrieved it, let’s eat. We need to refuel because we have about 5 miles to cover before we set up camp.』

1PM They had missed lunch due to the unexpected events.

Jeong-woo opened his bag, revealing biscuits, cereal, and a box of jerky. Kaya sat beside him, preparing for their meal.

『Five miles, you say?』

『I think it’ll make the trek more interesting.』

Kayah flashed a bright smile.

Navigating through the treacherous snowy terrain was exhausting. Just the thought of it wore Jeong-woo out, and he let out a sigh.

It was when he tore open a packet with a rustling sound to pull out some jerky that something suddenly popped up, piercing through the snow near where the drone was buried.

Startled, Jeong-woo quickly stood up. However, the emerging creature simply watched him intently without making a move.

“A fox?”

The fox, with fur whiter than snow and a plump tail waving lightly like a flag, took another step closer to Jeong-woo.

『Wow, it’s an Arctic fox.』

Kaya exclaimed, immediately fumbling to turn on the action cam.

Jeong-woo asked the Arctic fox, now within arm’s reach.

“Aren’t you afraid of people?”

Its round ears perked up. Seeing its gaze fixed on the jerky in his hand, Jeong-woo shook it curiously. The fox’s head followed the jerky’s movement from side to side.

“Well, I guess why not.”

It’s unlikely that an animal in the wild could be easily charmed by appearance alone. Given the snacks provided by Shin Seong-beom and the ample food they had, Jeong-woo tossed the jerky to the Arctic fox.

The fox leapt slightly, gracefully catching the palm-sized jerky. Wagging its tail in apparent delight, it bounded across the snowy field and soon disappeared downhill.

“Hey, at least say thank you!”

Thinking that he should at least get a thank-you for witnessing the creature’s lethal cuteness with its jet-black eyes, Jeong-woo said to Kaya.

『It seems the foxes around here lack manners. Not even a ‘thank you.’』

『Is it coming back?』

『Huh?』

Jeong-woo’s attention shifted back to Kaya, who was still recording with the action cam where the Arctic fox had disappeared.

Bounding back to a certain distance, the Arctic fox stopped, crouched down, and observed Jeong-woo intently.

『Why is it behaving like that?』

『Well, in seasons like this where food is scarce, they often follow predators like polar bears, so they can get leftover meat. Maybe they’re assessing if Mr. Han can be one of them.』

『Really?』

In response to Kaya’s speculation, Jeong-woo widened his shoulders and let out a forced cough, attempting to display the primal allure of a Korean man. However, he noticed that the creature’s gaze was fixed on the pouch it had pulled out.

It was the snack bag that Shin Seong-beom had given.

“Does it see me as an easy mark?”

The pouch was filled with chocolate pie and salty sausage. It was the kind of treats you can’t get in this neighborhood.

Taking one out and chewing on it, the creature stared at him with sparkling eyes. The pure and clear anticipation in its gaze reminded Jeong-woo of someone in Korea.

‘Come to think of it, doesn’t it resemble Yi-seol?’

A small and adorable figure with a white face. A cute creature with deer-like, no, fox-like pupils. As he continued to stare, Jeong-woo couldn’t resist tearing off a piece of sausage and tossing it to the Arctic fox.

Swiftly catching the sausage mid-air, the fox wagged its tail and disappeared below the hill.

『Why doesn’t it eat and carry them like that?』

『It could have a companion.』

『Well, it must be lonely living alone in a place like this.』

Jeong-woo checked with the infrared view if the creature had a nearby den.

‘Huh?’

About 50 meters ahead, under the hill.

In a space resembling a den, there was not only the creature with the sausage but another form as well.

However, it didn’t show the same skin temperature as the first one. It had a much colder hue, resembling ice chunks rather than the temperature inside the den.

‘It’s… dead?’

Another Arctic fox, this one not breathing like a snotty one. The one who had placed the sausage in front of him licked his face once, then went back out. He came running up to Jeong-woo, looking at him expectantly.

‘What…’

Jeong-woo unwrapped several sausages and placed them in front of the Arctic fox.

“You should have some. Your friend can’t eat.”

The Arctic fox that had bitten five sausages vanished.

When it didn’t reappear after a minute, Kaya turned off the action cam, disappointed.

『What did you say at the end?』

Considering there’s no need to mention taking care of a dead friend, Jeong-woo vaguely gestured.

『This is it. Let’s eat and survive.』

After finishing their meal, Jeong-woo tied the recovered drone with a rope and slung it over his back.

『Let’s go.』

Once Jeong-woo finished his preparations, Kaya approached him.

『Isn’t it heavy?』

『It’s fine.』

She too was burdened with various cold-weather gear, carrying something heavy on her back just like Jeong-woo. In front of an eighteen-year-old girl, he was showcasing rather poor stamina today.

Current time: 2PM

If Kaya’s words were accurate, they should see Shin Seong-beom and the truck by 6PM, provided they maintained a normal pace.

‘As expected. This special journey was the former, not the latter.’

Recalling the special hardships of their military days when they walked until nightfall, Jeong-woo clenched his teeth.

The two soon began moving westward.

It had been an indeterminate amount of time since they started walking.

Lost in thought, Jeong-woo was merely following Kaya’s footsteps when a faint, elusive presence caught his attention, repeatedly appearing and disappearing beside him.

‘Huh?’

Turning his head, he met the black eyes of an Arctic fox, which responded with a quizzical ‘Hmm?’

Jeong-woo lifted his goggles and blinked. When he looked again, the Arctic fox was still walking alongside him.

The creature would walk a few steps, glance at him, then walk a few more steps before looking back at him again.

“What’s up?”

At Jeong-woo’s muttering, Kaya turned her head.

『It seems to be following you, Mister Han.』

Kaya too seemed intrigued upon spotting the Arctic fox.

With a questioning gaze, Jeong-woo looked at the fox as if asking, ‘What are you doing here?’ The fox responded consistently with a nonchalant ‘Hmm?’

『Kaya, earlier you mentioned something about a predator, right?』

『Yes. Foxes have a tendency to follow such creatures.』

Jeong-woo waved his hand as if asking if the fox was expecting food to be given to a deceased friend.

“I get your situation, but I’m serious here. We need to descend before freezing to death.”

The fox circled around, seemingly following Jeong-woo’s hand gesture.

“Huh?”

The fox, which had been blinking, circled around once more and then brushed against Jeong-woo’s leg.

『Why is it doing this?』

『It’s showing affection to Mister Han.』

Jeong-woo looked down at the Arctic fox. There was no way this unique creature didn’t know that its friend had died.

He pondered that leaving all the food in front of its deceased friend might be its own way of saying goodbye.

“Don’t keep staring at me like that. It makes me nervous.”

The Arctic fox tilted its head, perhaps understanding Jeong-woo’s words, but responded with another ‘Hmm?’

Beep.

-Jeong-woo, can you hear me?

Hearing the radio sound, Jeong-woo instinctively reached for his hip.

“Yes, I can hear you.”

-There’s an update from the command center. Expect snowfall in some parts of the Brooks Range from 5PM. What’s the weather situation over there?

The Arctic fox looked curiously at the radio sound.

Jeong-woo turned to Kaya.

『Did you hear that they’re expecting snow?』

『Snow?』

Kaya’s gaze moved towards the fog-like clouds forming beyond the ridge.

『I didn’t realize that was a snow cloud.』

『What should we do?』

Beep.

-Mr. Jeong-woo. This is Wolf Instructor. I need Kaya.

At the sound, Jeong-woo held out his radio to Kaya.

-Kaya. Are you there?

『Yes, Dad.』

-If you think you can’t leave the mountain within 30 minutes, move to the temporary shelter Rust Guard is using. You’ll see it on your way down.

Kaya scanned the plains through her binoculars.

『I see it about 1.2 miles away.』

-I’ll notify Rust Guard. Let’s avoid the snow and think about our next steps.

Turning to Kaya after finishing the radio conversation, Jeong-woo asked.

『Is it too difficult to continue downhill?』

-It seems Mister Han has reached his limit. It’s a matter of physical endurance. We can’t maintain full speed for another two hours. It’s safer to rest and assess the situation before descending.

4:30PM.

The destination for the two abruptly changed to the temporary shelter. The Arctic fox seemed to have chosen its own destination, following Jeong-woo closely.