Chemistry - Chapter 82

11. Spring Countryside Chronicles(6)

2:00 PM.

A team of four members from the 119 Search and Rescue unit, two police officers, and two hunters from the Wildlife Rescue Team set out to track the wild boar.

The KG Chemical team couldn’t start their soil sampling work right away, so they decided to find a local restaurant near the highway for a late lunch.

“What’s with the size of that boar? Did you see its teeth?”

As soon as they sat down, the five new recruits started discussing their encounter with the boar.

“When it tried to run toward Mi-so, I was really surprised.”

Yong-sik’s words made Pyo Yong-sik nod vigorously. Jin Mi-so, who had been quite shocked by the incident, still had her hand over her chest, trying to calm her racing heart.

Pyo Yong-sik turned his gaze to Song Boyeong, who was standing at the entrance of the restaurant.

“If it weren’t for senior Boyeong’s quick instructions, who knows what might have happened.”

“I was trembling too, but senior Boyeong remained calm.”

The eyes of the male new recruits were now fixed on Song Boyeong. Her face was radiant in the bright sunlight, and her eyes sparkled.

One of the new recruits murmured in admiration.

“Two beauties from the research lab. I’ve only heard about them in passing, but they are really at the top. Isn’t Senior Moon Chae-eun on the same level as Senior Boyeong? Working at the company must be a joy.”

The words “two beauties” caught Jin Mi-so’s attention, and she turned her head towards Boyeong. Although Jin Mi-so prided herself on both her skills and looks, she was strangely lacking in confidence today. She attributed this to her senior colleagues.

The restaurant door swung open, and Jeong-woo walked in. Song Boyeong welcomed him with a bright smile.

Yoo Seok-hoon watched the two of them and, speaking in a hushed tone, said.

“I’ve noticed it since you arrived. The atmosphere is really sweet. Are they dating?”

“I don’t think so.”

Jin Mi-so gave this answer but wasn’t entirely sure. Especially with Boyeong’s gaze. It felt like she was sending some kind of signal related to the unspoken dynamics between men and women.

“Have you all heard the rumors about Senior Jeong-woo?”

Pyo Yong-sik began sharing stories about Jeong-woo.

“He outshone the department heads during the planning assessment. The director saw it and ordered his transfer on the spot.”

“I heard he successfully completed a project last month.”

“At his age? Breaking through so many competitors to get here. There are some seniors who don’t seem like people.”

The conversations of the new recruits were a mixture of admiration and envy, and Jin Mi-so’s eyes sparkled even more as she listened.

“Did the elders approve?”

In response to Song Boyeong’s question, Jeong-woo nodded his head.

“Seriously, when grandmother gave a word of approval over the phone, they didn’t say anything else. It seems like men are men no matter their age.”

“Wow, that’s a relief. I was really worried.”

There were customers at the adjacent table, so Boyeong, sitting at the front table, asked.

“What about the black goat? Did it attack you, Jeong-woo?”

“Not at all. He seems to have clear criteria for choosing when to intervene. He regards anything as a threat to himself.”

“Then why did he charge at me earlier? Oh my. Perhaps because I’m too pretty?”

Seeing that she was making a joke, Jeong-woo understood Boyeong’s mood. In any case, she had faced danger, including the wild boar encounter, so Jeong-woo nodded in agreement.

“Let’s leave it at that.”

“Oh, my. My dear is known for his honesty.”

“I told you to stop that.”

In response to Jeong-woo’s irate reaction, Boyeong playfully held both his hands, smiling.

“Honey~”

“You didn’t even turn on your blinker while driving, and you keep barging in. I shouldn’t say this, but you’re a bit scary today, Senior.”

“Hehe.”

During their friendly conversation, the bibimbap was served. Seeing the bountiful dish filled with fresh spring greens, Jeong-woo thought it was amusing to see Hong-chil’s face, which was busy munching on the greens as if he had only just realized his hunger.

As they were finishing their meal, Jeong-woo checked the time and realized it was already past 2:00.

“Senior, how much measurement have you done?”

“I’ve completed about 30%.”

“Can you show me the map?”

Now that they had obtained permission from Choi Soon-jae to use most of the village land, they were pressed for time to complete the remaining 70% of the measurements. Their current situation was compounded by the fact that they couldn’t move immediately due to the wild boar.

Jeong-woo placed the map on one side of the dining table.

“I’ll handle the measurements from here to here.”

“You’re planning to cover half of it by yourself?”

Since he planned to use molecular vision instead of equipment, it was more convenient for him to work alone.

“Trust me. I’ll bring you accurate results without any errors.”

“I believe you. It’s just that I feel sorry for giving you such a task.”

“It’s my job anyway. So, treat me to a meal. Just the two of us.”

“Deal.”

Jeong-woo got up from his seat. Song Boyeong watched him with a smile on her lips, reminiscent of a newlywed wife watching her husband go to work.

Around 3 PM, after news spread that the Hongcheon County Mayor had arrived at the village hall, the experts successfully completed the capture of the wild boar.

It was now time to start the measurement work in earnest.

Jeong-woo roughly packed his equipment and held a record sheet as he began to roam the village’s paddy fields.

Soil measurement involved tasks related to the cultivation of microorganisms mixed with customized fertilizers, starting with an assessment of heavy metal pollution and concluding with an examination of the nutrient availability.

With a hoe in hand, Jeong-woo dug into the soil, making notes of the measurements on the record sheet.

‘Boron deficiency is quite apparent here. The pH level is on the high side. Oh, and why are there so many earthworms here? It’s kind of creepy.’

Due to the different working speeds, the distance between Jeong-woo and Boyeong, who was working on the other side, continued to grow.

After recording for about an hour, Jeong-woo arrived at a certain greenhouse. He noticed that some farmers were having a discussion with representatives from other participating companies.

“Excuse me, I’d like to perform soil testing.”

Jeong-woo used his shovel to dig the soil inside the greenhouse and began to inspect it by eye. While doing so, he could hear voices from the other side of the greenhouse.

“This is a good way to promote gourd and vegetable rooting. It involves treating them with IAA and NAA growth hormones, and using 1% potassium permanganate solution for 24 hours…”

The farmers, who couldn’t understand anything, had perplexed expressions. The company representative had given his explanation without considering that the farmers were not able to follow, then handed them a booklet and left.

The two middle-aged men who received the booklet shook their heads.

“Goodness, what kind of farming is this?”

“You’re right. Do you think we can follow this complicated method?”

After completing the recording, Jeong-woo couldn’t help but approach them.

“That explanation just said that you have to get a shot before planting, like a shot to prevent disease.”

“You treat the disease once it occurs.”

“Because using the same medicine in the same way won’t be competitive, so that’s the method they choose.”

“Well, the village head says that we can all get rich after a year of hard work.”

“Oh, and also…”

Pointing to the soil inside the greenhouse, Jeong-woo continued.

“It seems like cucumbers and watermelons were grown here. They lack many nutrients. If they continue like this, they’ll be weak, and the plants will become vulnerable to diseases.”

“Why don’t you just apply fertilizers?”

Jeong-woo showed the man the number for the greenhouse and the soil analysis record.

“That’s why KG Chemicals is planning excellent custom fertilizers. Chairman Lee or Manager Choi Jae-woong will explain further, but you won’t need any other fertilizers. You’ll utilize microorganisms…”

As Jeong-woo was briefly advertising KG Chemical’s fertilizers, there was a commotion outside the greenhouse. Jeong-woo’s gaze turned in that direction.

‘Huh.’

The small wild boar that Hong-chil had been chasing was running across the field. Jeong-woo hadn’t heard any news of the mother wild boar being captured earlier. The wild boar was wandering around aimlessly, apparently without its mother.

They say the fox is king in the mountains where there are no tigers, and this boar must be half out of her mind.

‘Let’s finish the measurements quickly and get out of here. This village is a bit strange.’

Just before 5 PM, Jeong-woo finished the last land measurement marked on the map and arrived at the meeting point.

Beside KG Chemical’s van, there was Song Boyeong, a few new employees, and someone else. It was Choi Beom-ryong, the second son of the Choi family.

“Jeong-woo.”

Song Boyeong waved her hand and asked with her lips if he was done. Jeong-woo nodded in agreement, and then approached them.

Choi Beom-ryong bent at the waist.

“I’ll be relying on you for the next year.”

As he was leaving, Choi Beom-ryong exchanged nods with Jeong-woo.

Jeong-woo asked Boyeong.

“Why did you come here?”

“He wanted to thank you for helping convince his father. He gave this to you as well. It’s homemade doraji liquor.”

A bottle was visible in the van’s trunk. Jeong-woo put his equipment bag in the van.

“Shall we go? We need to hurry to arrive in Seoul before 8 PM.”

“Sure.”

As they loaded the remaining equipment, someone in a suit with many assistants walked down the opposite side of the rural road.

Song Boyeong tapped Jeong-woo’s shoulder and pointed down the road.

“It looks like it’s the Hongcheon County Mayor. Is he inspecting the area?”

Jeong-woo, in between the technology center chief who he had met earlier in the morning, was walking together. He noticed a man who gave off a politician’s vibe with his imposing appearance.

“We should go say hello. Let’s leave the rest to the new employees and wait here for a moment.”

As Boyeong spoke, they turned their gaze toward where the county mayor was approaching.

“Oh? Jeong-woo!”

Startled, she pointed at the field beside them.

“Look, it’s a wild boar…”

In response to Boyeong’s urgent voice, Jeong-woo turned his gaze and couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

In the middle of the field, two burly young men from the village had tied a rope around the neck of a wild boar and were dragging it around, whimpering.

The direction they were moving towards was where the county mayor was, and the officials on the road were also thrown into confusion.

“Oh, I’m going to have a dream about wild boars tonight.”

Song Boyeong shook her head. Even the new employees carrying equipment were wide-eyed, their attention fixed on the two young men wrestling with the wild boar.

‘Quite a variety here.’

With the urge to leave immediately, Jeong-woo watched as the two young men gradually lost strength.

‘I heard Hong-chil have broken its leg. He should be in a tight spot.’

The two young men continued to struggle with the wild boar.

Jeong-woo thought he should help in some way and looked at the item that the young men were chewing on with their mouths.

Not long ago, he had briefly examined the plant root structure for fragrance extraction, so it could be analyzed for ingredients quite easily.

‘Wild jujube? Hm…’

With a strong desire to get to Seoul before 8 PM, Jeong-woo made up his mind.

As he opened the car trunk with a cheerful sound, Boyeong turned her head to look at him. She held a bottle of doraji liquor in her hand and squinted at Jeong-woo.

“What are you doing? Drinking in this situation?”

Jeong-woo took a sip of the doraji liquor and felt the warm sensation rising up his throat. With a grimace, he said.

“The woman I almost got engaged to today makes me so upset.”

“What are you talking about?”

Song Boyeong didn’t fully understand, but for some reason, she gave Jeong-woo a suspicious look.

“Pull harder! Pull more!”

“What did this rascal eat to become this strong!”

The young man who was struggling to pull the rope around the wild boar’s neck shouted as if he couldn’t bear it any longer.

“Let’s call for more people.”

“There are plenty over there. Hey! Come over here!”

“City folks won’t be of much help. They look pretty scared.”

Kwewaak―!

The wild boar went on a rampage and charged forward. The two young men couldn’t hold it back any longer and were dragged along.

“I can’t do this anymore. Let go, now.”

“Ugh. Damn it!”

Just as the two young men were about to give up, someone who had rushed across the field put their hand on the wild boar’s head.

“Calm down. If you act up, Hong-chil will come for you.”

That’s all they said, but the wild boar stopped moving and stood still. The two young men turned their heads in surprise.

“Good boy.”

The wild boar lowered its head as if its front legs had given out and soon fell to the side.

Jeong-woo sighed with relief after confirming that the effect had worked properly. The work involved changing the molecular structure of the grass the wild boar had eaten into a more potent anesthetic. It was similar to what he had attempted in Venice.

“What… what happened?”

“Why did it stop?”

The two young men had bewildered expressions as they looked at Jeong-woo.

Jeong-woo clapped his hands and said to the two young men.

“I think he realized that I’m friends with Hong-chil.”

“That’s…”

“what…”

The two young men couldn’t find words, and Jeong-woo pointed to the wild boar’s mouth.

“Do you see the grass fragments here? They look like wild jujube. You should report this.”

“Are you saying these scraps are wild jujube?”

“I have a good sense of smell. Have you heard of Chaffrin? I’ve worked with people who research fragrances for that.”

After loosely finishing his explanation, Jeong-woo turned his head in the direction where the county mayor was.

The Hongcheon County Mayor stood there, seemingly only now feeling the fear in this village.

‘Let’s greet him and leave this village quickly.’

It was like a suspenseful spring outing in the countryside, an eventful day coming to an end. The sunset painted the western sky as if celebrating the conclusion.

The next day.

As soon as Jeong-woo arrived at the company, he was surrounded by his senior colleagues from Research Lab 1.

“Are you dating Boyoung?”

“Me?”

Jeong-woo shook his head in response to Hong Ki-pyo’s unexpected question.

“Who’s saying that? Senior Boyoung?”

“No, it’s the interns.”

“Must be a misunderstanding.”

“It’s strange. I had a feeling you were dating Boyoung. She seemed to like you.”

As Hong Ki-pyo finished speaking, other seniors also nodded in agreement, as if they shared the same sentiment.

“No way.”

“You, who can’t pick up on these things, are quite frustrating.”

“Frustrating? No, I’m serious when it comes to sensitive matters like this.”

“You sound like a pure-hearted kid.”

Once the gathered seniors dispersed, Jeong-woo grinned mischievously and waited for Song Boyoung.

She regarded him as a rival and often teased him playfully. While he considered her a friend, he hadn’t thought of her as a romantic interest.

‘Well, why does it matter? This is my situation.’

Shortly before 9 AM, Song Boyoung, with slightly swollen eyes, entered Research Lab 1, greeting her colleagues.

“Good morning~”

Jeong-woo, after exchanging pleasantries with his seniors, suddenly spoke up.

“Senior, do you like me by any chance?”

Song Boyoung’s eyes, which were not clearly visible due to puffiness, suddenly sparkled.

“How could you… Th-that’s a misunderstanding. It’s because of Grandfather Choi Soon-jae yesterday.”

“Is that so?”

“Y-yes~”

Song Boyoung forced a smile as if nothing was amiss.

Jeong-woo accessed the company email on his laptop and said.

“I was almost in trouble because I can’t date for a while.”

“You can’t date?”

“Yeah, there’s something like that. I want to focus on work for the next year. It’s a noble and dignified resolution… or something.”

As Jeong-woo spoke, he recalled last week’s events in Venice.

Lips.

Yun Yiseol.

It wasn’t a deep connection. Still, shouldn’t he check this?

code: AF-5

case: Electromagnetic Inductive Network

research: Combining chemical energy within batteries with free electrons to utilize as an energy source for different wavelengths. Requires the use of water as a medium for smooth operation.