Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 699

699. The Sixtieth Birthday (6)

Just as the Myeong Empire was mobilizing every method to extract technology, Europe was doing the same at Suez.

“Various mechanical devices using steam engines are arriving from the Empire. Let’s mobilize scholars to understand their structure and operating principles.”

The allied monarchs made this decision and dispatched scholars to Suez.

Although they were drafted, the professors’ expressions were not bad at all.

“A great opportunity!”

“We can finally examine them properly this time!”

The professors had their own calculations.

– The equipment they had seen directly from the Empire in the past, or through records, was quite large.

– Not only the size but also the weight must be considerable, given that the entire thing is made of steel.

– The Empire’s transport ships are certainly large, but it is impossible to carry those entire machines as they are. They will naturally be disassembled for transport.

– Since they were disassembled for transport, there will naturally be an assembly process on-site. If we observe carefully at this time, we can examine the engine structure and operating principles in more detail.

With these calculations in mind, the professors packed their bags without hesitation.

* * *

The professors, who arrived in Suez earlier than the scheduled arrival date of the Empire’s transport ships, examined the data surveyed by the railway construction team and waited for the arrival of the transport ships while looking at the site of the assembly hall they had prepared in advance.

“They’ve arrived!”

“Ships from the Flower Country [a common East Asian epithet for China, alluding to its rich cultural heritage] have arrived!”

At the shouts of people coming from the harbor, the professors, who had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the ships, rushed to the pier as if they were flying.

When they arrived at the pier, unloading from the Empire’s transport ships was in full swing.

“Huh?”

“Oh?”

The professors, who arrived at the pier, stopped as they watched the workers filling their vision.

“Why are they just watching here?”

This was because the workers, who would normally be clinging to the ships and unloading large and small cargo, were just watching in front of the ships.

“Why on earth…”

Unable to overcome their curiosity, the professors pushed through the workers and moved forward. The professors, who stepped to the very front, were speechless at the sight unfolding before their eyes.

Bwee! Bwee!

“Pull! Pull!”

“That’s right! That’s right!”

“Stop! Stop!”

The Empire’s people were unloading equipment from the transport ships, blowing loudly on whistles in their mouths and waving red signal flags in their hands.

In response to their hand signals and whistle sounds, a crane attached to the sailing ship was lowering small pieces of equipment – still boasting a size of about two carts.

The identity of these pieces of equipment was mobile cranes and tractors equipped with small steam engines.

* * *

What made not only the workers but also the professors speechless was the unloading and assembly process of the small cranes.

Even though they were small, they still had a size, so the main body and the arm to which the steel rope was attached were unloaded separately.

First, when the main body was unloaded, the technicians who had disembarked earlier skillfully combined the main body and the arm. Thanks to the crane attached to the ship grabbing and lifting the arm, the assembly of the main body and the arm proceeded smoothly.

Then, when the connection of the most important steel rope was completed, the technicians started the steam engine.

Chweek! Chweek! Choo-choo!

As the small crane, with its steam pressure properly raised and ready to move, moved aside, the main body of another small crane was lowered from the cargo ship.

This was happening simultaneously on two cargo ships docked at the pier. As the number of small cranes that could move properly increased, the speed of unloading became faster and faster.

In that way, when the unloading and operation of the small cranes were completed, the tractors were unloaded next.

The tractors, which had already been started inside the ship, moved to one side as soon as they were lowered to the ground, and then large carts that the tractors would pull and move were lowered.

By the time the unloading of the small cranes and tractors was completed, the sun was already about halfway down.

“That’s it for today!”

“Move the cranes and tractors to the temporary garage!”

According to the order of the foreman in charge of the work, the cranes and tractors moved to a tent set up on one side.

Meanwhile, the interpreter informed the gathered workers of the situation.

“There will be a lot of work to do from tomorrow, so come out early!”

The workers, responding to the interpreter’s shout, left the pier in groups of three or five.

* * *

After the work was finished, the professors went to the person in charge.

“I want to see the cranes and tractors.”

“You must have permission.”

The person in charge refused outright, but the professors clung to him persistently.

“Come on, don’t be like that, let us see them for a little bit!”

“We’ll only look for a little bit! Just a little bit!”

“I said it’s not allowed!”

At the refusal of the person in charge, one of the professors took out a heavy pouch from his pocket.

“Don’t be like that, take this and let us see them for a moment.”

At the sight of someone trying to bribe him, the person in charge’s face turned bright red, and he shouted.

“Is this person trying to send someone to the Record Office [a feared internal security/intelligence agency of the Myeong Empire]! Get out of here! Guards! Drag these people out!”

The professors, dragged out by the guards who came at the call of the person in charge, licked their lips.

“This was a really good opportunity…”

“It’s a pity, a pity.”

The professors, unable to hide their disappointment, soon turned their thoughts in a positive direction.

“The big equipment hasn’t been unloaded yet, has it? Let’s aim for that time.”

“That sounds good.”

The professors were determined to aim for the next opportunity.

Meanwhile, among the people in charge who had chased away the professors, there were various comments.

“Do you think they will give up?”

“Not at all. Didn’t you see those people’s eyes just now? They were almost crazy.”

“This is worrying.”

As one of the people in charge muttered in a worried voice, another colleague comforted him.

“Didn’t we expect that it would be revealed to some extent anyway? All we have to do is delay the timing as much as possible. And even if they see it, do you think they can figure it out properly? Didn’t we already prepare that level of defense?”

“That’s true.”

The people in charge nodded with somewhat relieved faces.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the place where those in charge of operating and maintaining the equipment gathered, a serious conversation was continuing.

“What’s with this sand…”

“I didn’t believe the saying that there’s sand everywhere, but we have to dig it up from the beach to use it…. Hooo~.”

The technicians, nodding their heads at the sigh-filled complaint.

One of the biggest challenges in this construction was the sand that goes into making hoejuk (lime mortar) [a traditional building material similar to concrete].

The sand that was abundantly spread out in that desert was completely useless for construction. This was because the particles were too small to be blown away by the wind.

Therefore, in order to carry out proper construction, they had to dig up and use the sand on the beaches.

The problem was the salt content in that sand. The biggest enemy of hoejuk was salt.

Thanks to this, the first thing to be built when construction started was a clean water production facility. The fresh water in and around the Suez area contained a lot of lime, which was not good for steam engines.

Therefore, the facility for producing fresh water to be used for steam engines and desalination was built first.

“The problem with that damn sand isn’t just that. We’re going to need more mookseok powder [graphite powder] and castor oil than expected.”

The Empire made various equipment using steam engines. Lubricants were essential for the parts made of all kinds of metals, including steel, to move smoothly.

The first thing used as a lubricant for this purpose was mookseok (graphite). Finely ground graphite powder was perfect for use as a lubricant and was resistant to high temperatures.

Thanks to this, mookseok was widely used as a lubricant in all places where machines were needed.

However, mookseok also had the problem of being vulnerable to moisture.

Therefore, castor oil was introduced to solve this problem.

Castor oil was an excellent lubricant. It was resistant to high temperatures and did not solidify even at low temperatures. It did not dry out quickly even when exposed to air, and it did not deteriorate.

Thanks to these characteristics, castor oil became the optimal lubricant for use in places with a lot of moisture – the best example being the sea.

As castor oil became popular, farmers seized the opportunity to earn unexpected extra income.

They started growing castor beans in between farming to increase their income.

And, mookseok powder and castor oil were also works with Hyang’s seasoning [a reference to Hyang’s knowledge and influence in various technological and agricultural advancements].

* * *

One of the biggest topics in the 21st century was eco-friendliness.

“Lubricating oil made by refining crude oil is not eco-friendly. Then what did they use as a lubricant before refined lubricating oil came out?”

Hyang, whose curiosity had flared up, searched the internet as well as books in the library.

“Let’s see… as expected, animal fat. In particular, whale oil was used a lot. But, from an eco-friendly or animal protection perspective, this is out. The same goes for things like pig oil.”

As Hyang dug into the data and engaged in her otaku [intense fandom] activities, she soon found a good answer.

“Graphite and castor oil… hooh…”

And, after reincarnating, when the lubricant problem arose, she presented the solution of graphite and castor oil.

And, Sejong, the ministers, and the artisans all nodded.

“As expected!”

* * *

As the people in charge of managing the heavy equipment had worried, the professors moved persistently.

And that persistence was soon rewarded.

In order to assemble the core heavy equipment of the construction, a large assembly facility was needed.

And, for this purpose, the Empire built a large structure near the pier.

Thick and strong steel pillars and beams were erected, and steel tracks passed between them. And, large and strong pulleys and thick iron chains were hung on the tracks.

The parts of the heavy equipment that were unloaded from the ship and carried on tractors were assembled in this facility.

Since it was a fairly large site, there were gaps here and there, and the professors got the opportunity to dig into those gaps and examine the inside of the heavy equipment.

“These damn things!”

However, the professors who were actually examining the parts could only utter curses.

This was because the parts that made up the heavy equipment were all in the form of semi-assembled box parts – modules.

If you put the necessary parts boxes in the designated location and connect them using power transmission parts or connecting parts, you immediately get a finished product.

In order to see the inside that they really wanted to see, they had to use specially made tools. And, the entry and exit of those tools were managed most strictly.

The number of items taken out and the number of items recovered had to match exactly, and the identity of the person who took them out and the serial number engraved on the tool were recorded each time.

In response, the professors tried to use bribes again, but the people in charge refused adamantly, from the bottom-level technicians to the upper-level executives.

“If we get caught taking bribes here, the basic penalty is confiscation of all our assets, and regardless of social status, we have to be buried alive in the Record Office, are you crazy!”

The notoriety of the Record Office was already well known to everyone in the Empire.

In the end, the professors had to grind their teeth and spit out curses.

“Who the hell came up with that cunning trick!”

“Who made the Record Office! My god, they’re refusing bribes because they’re afraid of the Record Office!”

At the same time, Hyang, who was in Gyeongbokgung Palace [the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty], twitched her ears and muttered.

“Ugh, my ears are itching! Who is cursing me so much?”