Chemistry - Chapter 89

12. Dust Defenders(7)

On Monday morning, Jeong-woo left his house since dawn for a business trip to China. As the first meeting point was the airport, he boarded the subway line heading to the airport railway and checked the weather report for Beijing.

[It is expected that fine dust levels in Beijing will reach their maximum this month. Anticipating levels close to the recorded 500㎍/㎥ during the large-scale fireworks event for the Spring Festival, the Beijing authorities are urging caution for going outside… ]

‘I need to be well-prepared, don’t I?’

Based on information received from the equipment team, who left early yesterday for equipment setup, it was anticipated that the values would be much lower than usual due to holes in various makeshift buildings where the tests would be conducted.

Considering Mei’s condition, making it difficult for her to go outside, the probability of a challenging business trip was high.

Ding!

A message arrived, and Jeong-woo quickly checked. It was from Song Boyeong.

[I just finished working on the polymer. Jun Chai hasn’t anwsered me. Someone needs to take this.]

Since Jeong-woo had not yet boarded the airport railway, he promptly replied.

[Okay, I’ll stop by and pick it up.]

To win in the competition, especially against Dusf, every little effort counts.

Jeong-woo opened the door to the research building of the Basic Materials Center and was taken aback when he saw Song Boyeong lying motionless on the lab table like a corpse.

He approached and gently shook her shoulder.

“Hey, senior. Are you alive?”

“Uh…”

Jeong-woo, releasing his hand as only the tied-back hair swayed, spoke.

“Don’t get up, just tell me what I need to take.”

Song Boyeong, who seemed unable to open her eyes properly after working through the night, struggled to point to a compound box in the corner with her left hand, adorned with protective gloves. Then, she sprawled out on the table.

“So, you forced yourself until I arrived.”

Jeong-woo noticed a blanket near the equipment storage and brought it over, hoping Song Boyeong could get some rest before the morning brief. He covered her with the blanket.

“If you’re going to suffer like this, at least ask for help.”

“…I can’t, because while I appreciate your help, I’m secretly jealous that you’re the only one who gets to stand out.”

“Huh? You didn’t fell asleep again?”

“I need some time to pass out once I wake up.”

Song Boyeong, with her head slightly raised, looked at Jeong-woo with unfocused eyes. Jeong-woo couldn’t help but burst into laughter when he met her frog-like eyes after a long time.

“It seems like it’s still there if you look closely.”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s the double eyelids. Just try dieting a bit to reduce those swollen eyes.”

“Two nights with swollen eyes now… Ugh, what are you saying? Making fun of someone who stayed up all night?”

In the midst of Song Boyeong’s protest, she tried to open her eyes but failed, resulting in a face full of drowsiness.

Rubbing her head, Jeong-woo restrained his laughter, feeling a warmth that made him want to pat her gently.

“Let me know if you see results after applying it to the sensor. Senior Seung-ju keeps asking what you’re up to these days.”

“I will.”

Jeong-woo lifted the compound box. It appeared more substantial than expected, with no signs of the refinement process.

“You did well, senior.”

“Do well and come back.”

As Jeong-woo left, Song Boyeong collapsed while waving her hand. It seemed the time for her to faint had finally arrived. Jeong-woo chuckled and exited.

Descending to the lobby, Jeong-woo checked the shortest time to the airport using his phone.

‘The airport bus is at 6. Let’s take that.’

Arriving at the bus stop, Jeong-woo attempted to breathe in the dawn air but refrained, realizing the air was still dusty. Perhaps due to the spring drought, the fine dust levels in Seoul were quite high.

“Go away.”

Waving his hand, Jeong-woo tried to move the dust particles, but only some were diluted. The rest quickly returned along with the atmospheric circulation.

‘It’s already uncomfortable to wear a mask.’

Jeong-woo looked around. Confirming that no one was nearby, he took out a portable battery. He gathered the dust particles onto the battery.

Beyond the ionization level accompanied by the energy of the battery’s reactive energy, high-density free electrons, surpassing the electrostatic level, started a thunderstorm in the molecular world.

Dust particles with lightning were created one after another when exposed to the atmosphere. When scattering this, the fine dust particles, which had shown a lukewarm reaction earlier, adhered to the lightning particles and stuck all over the pillars at the bus stop.

Jeong-woo took a deep breath, satisfied with the clear air.

“Good job. Well done.”

The lightning particles, having fulfilled their role, sparked and disappeared.

The dust particle, tangled with neutral particles and ions, was a kind of plasma. Since detecting wavelengths through ‘AF-5’, the utilization of dust particles through the energy in the battery continued to increase.

Building a clean system using ionization with a chemical energy of only 5000mAh, like today, was one of them.

‘I somewhat agree with Dr. Cheon’s words.’

In the midst of researching indoor air purification systems, Jeong-woo couldn’t help but feel that he possessed an extraordinary power.

Already transcending chemical common sense, he was working with people bound by that common sense.

Once immersed in this power, he could spend time alone in the lab without realizing how much time passed.

Putting the battery back into his pocket, Jeong-woo took another deep breath of fresh air.

‘But this is not my style.’

He didn’t want to dwell on how to use this magical chemistry in a grandiose way.

The special deodorant that Michèle obtained, the cooking combination that Hyun-min acquired, and the snow removal agent created on a day of heavy snowfall. Since the mysterious reactions of the molecular world were solved according to existing common sense, it was a coincidental result that emerged while trying to solve it.

Screech.

A sedan passing by the bus stop came to a halt in front of Jeong-woo. Since there was no one else around, Jeong-woo wondered if it was someone he knew and turned his gaze towards the car.

The window opened, and a short-haired woman directed her gaze at Jeong-woo.

『Mr. Han.』

『Team Leader Yu?』

『Get in. Put that compound box in the back.』

Jeong-woo loaded the compound box into the trunk and sat in the front passenger seat. Mei started driving towards Incheon International Airport.

『Were you at the company?』

『I had some things to check with the equipment team, I also had some luggage to take.』

『Why don’t you call for a pick-up?』

Mei looked at Jeong-woowith a gaze that seemed to say, “Is this all?” and then shifted her focus to driving.

Having already seen the boxes loaded in the trunk, Jeong-woo bit his tongue.

The project manager who silently did her best behind the scenes. She must have been doing that all along, but it became known after the incident on Friday.

Jeong-woo recalled the memorable words he heard along with Noh Jong-seon’s reproach.

‘They act as if there are no borders in research…’

The car had already entered the Incheon International Airport Expressway.

『By the way, Team Leader Yu, I met the CEO of Dusf at the environmental forum.』

『You must have heard unpleasant things.』

『I also know someone who boldly made a scouting proposal. But more than that, they seemed extremely confident. There seemed to be a reason they would never lose.』

『That’s…』

Mei’s expression suggested she knew the reason. However, she didn’t explain it in detail.

『As long as you do your best, there shouldn’t be a problem.』

Those words were the reply instead. Jeong-woo felt like she was telling a story to boost her own morale.

-Ladies and gentlemen, our plane will be landing shortly. Please return your seats to an upright position and put your tables….

Jeong-woo listened to the in-flight announcement and fastened his seatbelt. The air quality over Beijing, visible through the window, seemed more severe than he had anticipated.

‘I saw something like this in a… end-of-the-world movie.’

The thick layer of smog covering the sky, diffusing the sunlight dimly, created an eerie scene. Ha Won-il, sitting beside him, was also surprised by the sight.

“I didn’t expect it to be this bad. Jeong-woo, did you bring a mask?”

“Yes, my mother insisted and gave me one.”

Jeong-woo remembered the mask tucked in his bag as he sighed.

The plane touched down on the runway.

About 20 members of the Dust Project team boarded the escalator. Jeong-woo, who had been to a foreign country before, smoothly followed the signs and completed the immigration inspection.

Jiaolin Street, Fengtai District, Beijing.

A bus entered beyond the patternless gray wall and came to a stop in the parking area.

The destination of the group was the ‘China Filter Testing Institute,’ marked with the emblem of the international cooperation organization ILAC.

Jeong-woo, stepping off the bus, surveyed the landscape of the place where the bidding competition would take place.

Except for the three-story school-like building extending in a straight line in the center, temporary structures with gas tanks and ventilation facilities were scattered throughout the open space.

While unloading the luggage brought from the bus, Sindu-jin, the deputy from the equipment team who had come early yesterday, hurriedly approached.

『Team Leader Yu!』

Wearing a particulate mask, Mei turned her gaze to Deputy Shin.

『I mentioned yesterday that in addition to the issue with gaps in the building, the current power instability is preventing the damper from working smoothly.』

Though Jeong-woo was a layman when it came to machines, after studying the system for a few days, he knew what an adjustable damper was.

It was a key component of the automated purification system that finely adjusted the inflow and outflow of air.

‘The weather is uncertain, and now this.’

The news of the power issues, heard immediately upon arrival, cast a heavy mood on those moving the luggage. After scrutinizing her team members, Mei spoke to Deputy Shin.

『Limit the fan to the maximum speed, stabilize the power. Given the scale of the test site, the airflow from the fans we brought is sufficient even at low speeds.』

In response to this answer, Kim Tae-san asked.

『To effectively alleviate secondary pollutants infiltrating through gaps within the limited time, don’t we need strong wind from the fan?』

『Try solving that with the world’s best filter developed by KG Chemical’s researchers.』

At the words ‘world’s best,’ Kim Tae-san’s shoulders involuntarily lifted in response.

“It is the best. Team Leader Yu has a discerning eye. Haha.”

Jeong-woo couldn’t help but feel that Mei’s casual compliment surprisingly had an addictive quality.

Turning to the people around her, Mei raised her voice.

『There’s a saying that crisis is an opportunity. Let’s show how we overcome these disadvantages to our competitors and the bidding officials.』

Thanks to the composed team leader, the agitation among the team members subsided. Jeong-woo couldn’t deny it.

Having experienced difficulties firsthand, albeit only once as a team leader, Jeong-woo knew the power of a positive attitude, especially demonstrated by the first team member, Cho Seong-hwan.

『Let’s go!』

With a spirited shout, Jeong-woo, holding the box containing Mei’s acknowledged world’s best filter, took confident strides toward the test site.

‘Is this the place?’

At the entrance of this assembly of four square buildings reminiscent of massive refrigerators, English signs reading ‘Sealed Control Zone’ were prominently displayed.

Given that this building is where hazardous gases are injected, the universally recognized ‘Skull and Crossbones’ symbol was also visible.

“Oh, look at how old this is.”

Leak prevention tape clung to the part where large and small ventilation ducts were densely connected, covered in a layer of dust.

“Jeong-woo, it seems even the renowned German filter manufacturer can’t avoid this issue.”

Upon Ha Won-il’s finger-pointing, Jeong-woo’s gaze turned in that direction.

Burke’s equipment team was urgently reinforcing the ventilator with holes covered in duct tape. A string of German curses brushed Jeong-woo’s ears.

Next to them, Sumimoto Chemical’s equipment team was applying silicone to the holes. Even before the start, mental fatigue seemed to affect not only their team but other companies as well.

‘Huh?’

Surprisingly, the third building where the Dusf team was working looked clean.

“What’s that?”

“Jeong-woo, don’t be surprised.”

Following behind, Kim Tae-san, with an expression that suggested he expected this, spoke.

“We’ve been frequenting domestic filter testing institutes so we roughly know which ventilation ducts have good airflow. Here is Dusf’s home ground, and we can easily figure out the facility level of this testing institute. They probably replaced it in advance under the guise of sponsorship.”

“Then the difference is too noticeable.”

“Think of it as an away game.”

That’s probably why Sun Hui was so self-assured.

Looking at the last building, Jeong-woo couldn’t help but feel emotional as he watched the KG equipment team sweating profusely, soldering the seams with sheet metal in the gaps.

Our building looked the most run-down.

11:00 AM.

After the equipment team completed the basic maintenance, researchers from the four companies entered their respective areas to start the actual system configuration.

Ha Won-il, who was working on installing the half-curtain filters near the central ventilation system, looked at Jeong-woo with a worried expression.

“While everyone is working, Dusf’s team already scored big by slashing their bid price.”

“Team Leader Yu is well aware of that.”

“Still, I’m uneasy. Will today’s evaluation be conducted fairly?”

“I don’t know either.”

Jeong-woo recalled the information about the company that submitted the bid.

Jinma Group.

A massive distribution company with six buildings only in Beijing city. Among them, Jinma Department Store was rumored to be a famous shopping mall even on Wangfujing Street.

He hoped for an evaluation that considered everything rather than just opting for the lowest bid.

『Mister Han.』

During the final stages of installing the half-curtain filters, Jun Chai, a researcher from the sensor team, approached Jeong-woo.

『Where is the custom polymer Song Boyeong told me about?』

『Oh, that’s in the gap of the compound box.』

Jeong-woo’s gaze turned to the stack of boxes, which were quite messy due to the ongoing work.

『Now that the work is done, I’ll fetch it for you.』

As Jeong-woo was looking for the box Song Boyeong had handed him from the piled-up luggage near the entrance, people dressed in suits entered the building in a rush.

‘Huh?’

The middle-aged man in the lead had an expression that was far from benevolent. He glanced at Jeong-woo and asked coldly.

『Where’s the team leader?』

It was clear from his tone that he was an official of the Jinma Group. Jeong-woo quickly turned his head to look for Mei. She was adjusting the sensors on the side of the vent.

『Team leader Yu!』

Mei, who turned her head, quickly approached. She politely bowed as she took off her mask.

『Representative Lungyun, welcome.』

『Hmm, they said the person in charge of the Korean company is Chinese, and it seems true.』

Representative Lungyun exuded an atmosphere of a Jinma Group representative as he extended his hand to receive the bid documents submitted by KG Chemical.

『If you look here, it says that among the participating companies, your sensors are the best, and the filters are one step higher in performance. Is the performance not overstated?』

Examining the documents, he questioned Mei as if scrutinizing.

『I’ve stated only the facts. One additional thing is that we are the only company among the competitors that possesses a patent for the interaction between the sensor and filter, the intelligent air purification system.』

『Why would a company with such a patent come from Korea?』

『I wanted to build the best air purification system, regardless of nationality or company affiliation.』

Lungyun, after briefly scanning Mei from top to bottom, began to explore the interior of the building. Mei followed him closely.

‘It was a pre-inspection.’

Jeong-woo realized as he picked up the compound box given by Song Boyeong. Moving towards where Jun Chai was waiting, he asked.

『Is the sensor team okay?』

Looking up from his laptop, Jun Chai turned his gaze.

『The performance is similar to the measurements in the laboratory.』

『Is that so? If the custom polymer works well, we can significantly reduce errors.』

Jun Chai smiled and nodded. As the only hopeful expectation today, Jeong-woo, too, put down the box with anticipation.

『I’ll help with the work too.』

With a clack, he unlocked the latch.

『Let’s quickly apply it and do a temporary test…』

Opening the lid and glancing at the contents inside, Jeong-woo froze before finishing his sentence.

Inside the box was a special item made of super-absorbent polymer, an essential item for women that unravels monthly.

“Why is this here…”

Research Center for Basic Materials Polymer Project Laboratory.

As soon as the morning work was finished, Song Boyeong rushed to Moon Hyojeong, her senior. And in a low voice, she asked.

“How was it?”

“Oh, that? It was quite good. Anything left? Let’s use it next month too.”

“Of course. Can you check the things on this list and use them? The samples are too small.”

Moon Hyojeong chuckled.

“You’re working hard too.”

“Hehe, I’ll bring the samples quickly. I’ve ordered a lot again.”

Walking around the lab, Song Boyeong headed towards a familiar-looking box in the corner.

“Boyeong.”

She stopped at the distant call of Oh Seung-ju.

“What’s in that box? Did someone experiment with compounds over the weekend?”

Nervously, Song Boyeong swallowed and replied.

“Yes. Everyone uses it, but they don’t clean up. I’ll take care of it, the youngest. I’ll clean it up!”

Naturally lifting the box and walking out, Song Boyeong left. Behind her, Oh Seung-ju quietly raised his hand.

“Stop.”

“Me? Is something wrong?”

“You’ve been acting strange lately. Doing combination experiments on your own without reporting. Isn’t that right?”

“N-No, it’s not like that.”

“After hanging with Jeong-woo have you lost your sense? Do one thing at a time. Your style is different from Jeong-woo’s.”

Flustered, Song Boyeong’s cheeks blushed even more. Naturally, Oh Seung-ju’s suspicion grew.

“Let me see.”

“What?”

“The thing you’re hugging tightly.”

At this remark, Song Boyeong’s expression turned to one of defeat as she turned away.

It’s still in the early stages of development. Since it’s not a project under research for this purpose, the current useless act is enough to get scolded.

‘It’s over.’

With a disappointed expression, Song Boyeong placed the box on the table.

Clank, she opened the lid. She lowered her head deeply in preparation for the scolding that her senior would surely give her.

“What is this? Why did you crystallize the polymer like this? If you’re going to do a combination experiment like this, report it to me. Have you seen me ignoring new perspectives?”

“What are you… huh?”

As Song Boyeong looked into the box, her eyes widened.

“This shouldn’t be here….”

Song Boyeong gasped, and her breath caught. The box had been turned upside down. Because of that, although the fact that she was secretly developing sanitary napkins with polymer components hadn’t been revealed, Jeong-woo’s side…

‘It’s overrrrr!’

After Oh Seung-ju left, she quickly dialed Jeong-woo’s number on her phone, but the call didn’t connect. It seemed like he hadn’t activated roaming for the short overseas business trip.