Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 992

992. The Madman with Clear Eyes (17)

“Petroleum?”

As Hyang showed interest, the artisan who made the remark eagerly continued his explanation.

“Yes, petroleum would be good. With the firepower of petroleum, it could replace coal. It’s definitely possible.”

“Petroleum, huh…”

“Petroleum… Hmm…”

Upon hearing the word ‘petroleum,’ the artisans nodded.

* * *

Even in this era, both in the East and West, petroleum wasn’t an unfamiliar substance. The name ‘petroleum’ itself came from ‘Dream Pool Essays,’ written by Shen Kuo, a technical official during the Song Dynasty. Additionally, the pitch used on Noah’s Ark in the Bible was asphalt derived from petroleum.

Furthermore, there were records of refined products obtained through primitive distillation methods being used for heating in China and Japan. In the Middle East, its existence had been known since around the 9th century, widely used in the military and civilian sectors. The military used it as a flame weapon, while civilians used it as kerosene for lamps. The Baku region’s oil fields were famous as a source.

* * *

Petroleum was not an unfamiliar substance, but it wasn’t exactly a common one either. And Hyang pointed out the reason.

“Petroleum… It’s a good substance, but isn’t it difficult to obtain? In other words, it’s expensive. Ah, what’s your name?”

At Hyang’s question, the artisan prostrated himself and answered.

“I am Kang Chil-sung!”

“Alright, Artisan Kang Chil-sung, how will you solve this problem?”

Kang Chil-sung answered straightforwardly to Hyang’s question.

“Petroleum is not something easily found, but it’s not impossible to obtain. With a bit of time and money, it can be acquired.”

“How?”

“It can be found in the areas where the Northern and Northeastern forest zones meet, and it can be found in Shinji.”

“In Shinji?”

‘I’ve never heard of that.’

As Hyang expressed his doubt, Chil-sung answered in more detail.

“The news was delivered when the Supreme Emperor was in Italy. It was discovered near Mesika in southern Shinji.”

“I see.”

At Kang Chil-sung’s explanation, Hyang nodded as if he finally understood.

‘The Daqing oil field and the Texas oil field? Or the Mexican oil field?’

After listing the likely candidates, Hyang became curious and continued his questions.

“By the way, how did you find the petroleum?”

“It was found while digging a well. Therefore, it’s being treated as a nuisance.”

“Oh!”

‘Are we filming a movie?’

Hyang, who burst into laughter at Kang Chil-sung’s answer, quickly composed himself and assessed the situation.

‘It’s been discovered, but they don’t know the proper refining methods or how to use it, so it’s buried as it is. Then let’s solve this part first.’

Having grasped the situation, Hyang slyly began to cast bait.

“So, are you using that petroleum as fuel as it is?”

Chil-sung immediately answered Hyang’s question.

“No, if you use petroleum as it is, the smoke and soot are too severe. Kerosene distilled from petroleum is suitable.”

“Kerosene…”

Hyang trailed off, subtly observing the reactions around him. The artisans’ reactions to Chil-sung’s words were positive.

“Kerosene would be good.”

“Kerosene is fine.”

“I forgot about kerosene.”

Confirming that not only the artisans but also Da Vinci were showing positive reactions, Hyang inwardly cheered.

‘Here’s the excuse! Let’s pile on the MSG [a common Korean expression for adding extra flavor or exaggeration]!’

“Ahem! Ahem!”

Gathering the artisans’ attention with a light cough, Hyang slowly began to throw out the bait.

“You mentioned distilling petroleum, but is kerosene the only thing that comes out of distilling petroleum?”

“Kerosene and pitch come out.”

“Hmm… Leonardo, I have something to ask.”

“Yes.”

“When I was young, I played a prank out of curiosity. I mixed all the paints used by the artisans. Do you know what color came out?”

Da Vinci immediately answered Hyang’s question.

“It would be black. It wouldn’t be completely black, but a color close to black.”

“That’s right. Now! Why did I ask this question?”

“……”

Instantly, the surroundings became quiet. Da Vinci and the artisans all looked at Hyang with troubled faces.

‘Why are you suddenly giving us a Zen riddle?’

‘You should be doing that to people who have learned a lot, shouldn’t you?’

As they were grumbling inwardly, Artisan Kong opened his mouth with an uncertain expression.

“Perhaps… are you saying that kerosene and pitch are not all there is?”

“It’s highly likely. Looking at gold, silver, or even iron and copper, the raw ore is mixed with all sorts of things and needs to be refined, right? But only two? I can’t believe it.”

At Hyang’s explanation, Da Vinci and the artisans nodded with expressions of understanding. Then, they lowered their heads and frowned.

‘More work again!’

‘I was making a flying machine, and suddenly I’m making a new engine, and on top of that, petroleum distillation! Distillation, oh my!’

Perhaps sensing the artisans’ thoughts, Hyang continued with an encouraging speech.

“It may seem like it’s not related to the flying machine you’re trying to make, but it’s deeply related. If my guess is correct, wouldn’t we be able to obtain a better fuel than kerosene? And if we can get more out of distilling petroleum, wouldn’t petroleum be useful?”

Hyang’s words stimulated the curiosity of Da Vinci and the artisans.

‘A better fuel?’

‘Coal is a good fuel, but it’s true that there are many obstacles.’

Realizing that Da Vinci and the artisans were slowly falling for it, Hyang threw the final bait.

“If, if, let’s say… If you find such a fuel, wouldn’t you be able to fly other flying machines properly?”

Instantly, the workshop became as hot as a volcano. The eyes of Da Vinci and the artisans began to shine like the sun. Representing these people, Artisan Kong answered Hyang.

“We will prepare as quickly as possible! What are you doing! Move!”

“Yes, sir!”

Watching the artisans rushing out, Hyang sighed softly and muttered.

“Hoo~. Throwing bait isn’t easy, but if I don’t do this, in the distant future, the ‘Lee Hyang is an alien’ theory will really come out.”

However, despite Hyang’s trick, one of the most talked about conspiracy theories in the future was ‘Lee Hyang was an alien!’

* * *

The artisans quickly began preparing for the ‘petroleum distillation experiment.’ All that preparation entailed was a soju [Korean distilled spirit] still and a thermometer.

Hyang, watching the scene of placing the soju still in an open space on one side of Area 51 – specifically, an open space where experiments using fire were permitted – and continuing other preparations, called out to Artisan Kong.

“Wouldn’t a soju still be insufficient?”

“Yes? So, I brought the largest soju still we could find, but?”

“No matter how I look at it, it seems too small. And to do the experiment properly, you have to keep filling the water bowl on top of that soju still with water, which is too cumbersome, isn’t it?”

Artisan Kong, looking at the soju still at Hyang’s point, nodded.

“That’s certainly true. It seems we’ll have to make an experimental soju still ourselves.”

At Artisan Kong’s answer, Hyang clenched his fist behind his back.

‘I caught him!’

However, after time passed and Hyang saw the super-sized soju still made by the artisans, he shook his head.

“That’s not it…”

What the artisans made was just a larger version of the existing soju still – especially the cooling water container.

“Are you not satisfied?”

At the question thrown by Artisan Kong, who was restless at Hyang’s expression, Hyang nodded.

“No matter how I look at it, it still seems too cumbersome. Especially, filling the water bowl at the very top seems too cumbersome. So, what I mean is…”

Stopping for a moment, Hyang took out paper from his sleeve.

“I have something I’ve conceived, take a look.”

At the words that Hyang drew it himself, all the artisans around, including Da Vinci, gathered. What Hyang drew was a pot still.

“Make the bottom part of the soju still like this, and instead of the top part, extend the pipe long. And wrap that pipe around this water tank, how about that?”

Artisan Kong immediately answered Hyang’s question.

“I will make it exactly like this right now! Hey, you guys!”

“Yes, sir!”

Watching the artisans rushing away once again, Hyang smiled with satisfaction.

“Petroleum distillation or whiskey distillation, it’s all the same.”

Hyang’s words were not wrong. In 19th century England, a continuous still was created to meet the rapidly increasing demand for whiskey, replacing the pot still. And the place that took that continuous still and used it effectively was the petroleum refining business.

“Ah, right! Come to think of it, there was a report that the production of multi-colored liquor was insufficient, so we need to make more soju stills? If that’s completed properly, we’ll have to place additional orders.”

* * *

As soon as the pot still was completed properly, Hyang directly led the artisans into the experiment. No, it wasn’t just the artisans who were mobilized. Starting with the alchemists, scholars in charge of the chemical part of the research institute were also dragged in to participate in the experiment.

“Now! Check the thermometer and the mouth of the distiller well in the water tank over there. Record the temperature the moment the first oil comes out of the mouth, and every time the temperature of the water in the tank rises, at regular intervals, wait, about 10 degrees would be appropriate, right? Every time the temperature of the water in the tank rises by 10 degrees…”

“Your Majesty! I am sorry to report, but I missed the recording! Please tell me again!”

“Tsk!”

The experiment began amidst such large and small confusion and commotion. It was the ‘first official’ experiment where the time, place, and who did the experiment were accurately recorded.

It was a monumental day that cynical environmentalists would later call ‘the first day of full-scale environmental destruction.’

* * *

After repeated experiments over several days, the artisans and scholars obtained several types of oils and by-products. Among the results, the most noticeable were gasoline and lubricating oil.

“If there’s a spark, it’ll catch fire right away, so it seems good to use for flying machines.”

“The characteristic of the oil that comes out at the highest temperature is that it’s difficult to ignite. In other words, it doesn’t catch fire at ordinary temperatures. This means it’s very good to use as a lubricant.”

Now, the artisans and scholars were finding good uses on their own before Hyang even mentioned them. And the Imperial Army, hearing the rumors of these results, began to move stealthily.

“If it’s oil, wouldn’t we be able to pack it in more tightly than coal?”

“I think it’s possible?”

“It seems very useful for the naval front?”

This was tempting information for the Imperial Army, which had been troubled by fuel supply and storage issues for some time. In particular, it was very good information in that they could use petroleum, which had been treated as a nuisance in the North and Shinji because it was useless except for pitch and kerosene.