Mining And Construction Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 11

11. Moonlight in July

As night fell, the surroundings deepened into darkness.

Light spilled from the windows of the humble shacks in Moon Village.

Tae-soo smiled, a genuine, unconscious expression at the familiar sight.

“Mother, we’re here.”

His mother was the first to rush out, her face etched with worry that quickly dissolved into relief.

“Oh, my sons are here! You’ve worked so hard, you’ve suffered so much. Did everything go well?”

Tae-soo handed his mother a few bags of snacks he had bought on the way.

“Why did you buy these things?”

“I thought you might want something to eat when you’re hungry.”

“What money do you have to spare? You should buy something delicious for yourself with that money.”

“I have enough to buy snacks for my mother.”

His mother loved snacks like cookies and candies.

But she would always hold back, saying they were too expensive, a waste, and that she should save her money to feed her children something delicious.

The fact that he had never properly provided his mother with snacks had pained Tae-soo for a long time.

His mother opened the snack bags again, smiling brightly. A childlike joy lit up her face.

Why is she so happy over something so simple?

If I had known she would be this happy, I would have made sure she always had them.

“Are you hungry? Should I make some *pajeon* [savory pancakes] that Tae-soo likes?”

“Sounds good.”

“You like kimchi *pajeon*, right?”

His mouth watered involuntarily.

His mother’s cooking skills were legendary in the village.

It had been a full 40 years since he had tasted his mother’s kimchi *pajeon*.

“Should I make green onion *pajeon* for Han-soo too?”

“Sounds good.”

His mother bustled into the kitchen, already planning her culinary assault.

His father came out, a contented smile on his face as he looked at Tae-soo.

Tae-soo approached his father and handed him something.

It was five packs of Cheongja cigarettes. [A popular, though relatively inexpensive, brand of Korean cigarettes.]

His father’s mouth stretched from ear to ear.

“Oh, you shouldn’t have bought me any. Cheongja is expensive.”

“I wasn’t going to buy them for your health, but I was bothered by the fact that you always bummed them off your friends. Now you can share them.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it,” his father chuckled, already imagining the envious looks of his friends.

His father rummaged through his pockets and took out a half-smoked cigarette butt that he had been saving.

He hesitated for a long time, wondering whether to throw it away, then closed his eyes and tossed it away with a dramatic flourish.

“Let’s taste the cigarettes our son bought.”

“Father, do you smoke often?”

“No, this is all money,” he said, implying he only smoked when he could afford it.

“How much do you smoke?”

“Maybe one cigarette a day?”

When working manual labor, the workers would probably take a puff after meals.

Tae-soo could picture his father joining them, subtly enjoying their envious glances as he smoked.

“If I make a lot of money, I’ll buy you mild foreign cigarettes.”

“Foreign cigarettes? How expensive are those? No, Cheongja is expensive enough,” his father said, but his eyes twinkled with curiosity.

His father waved his hand, smacking his lips as he looked at the new pack of cigarettes.

Tae-soo lit his father’s cigarette for the first time.

The light of the match flickered over his father’s face, and it seemed like he was smiling brightly, a genuine, unguarded expression.

Soon, the harsh cigarette smoke spread white in the air.

“Was there anything in the mine?”

“Molybdenum. They say it’s a war mineral.”

“Not gold?”

His father’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Choon-shik cried so much about a gold mine being buried there.”

“There was no gold. He was scammed.”

“I see, I see.”

A complicated look appeared in his father’s eyes.

It was because he was reminded of Oh Choon-shik.

No matter what, he was a 40-year-old friend.

That guy was blinded by greed for a moment and made a big mistake.

“What are you planning to do now?”

“What else? Molybdenum came out, so I have to mine it and sell it.”

“That’s going to cost quite a bit of money.”

“The money problem will be solved soon.”

His father soon hung his head.

“Your parents are useless, unable to give you a penny. I’m sorry.”

“It’s a relief if you don’t have any debt. It’s okay.”

His father stared silently at his eldest son.

An indescribable sense of pride appeared on his lips.

“You’ve worked hard. You’ve suffered.”

Tae-soo felt like his fatigue was melting away at those words.

* * *

The door opened, and Kang Han-soo, who had washed up, came in.

Han-soo quickly spread out Tae-soo’s bedding.

Tae-soo was dumbfounded by the unexpected service.

“Wow, you’re even taking care of my bedding. Thank you.”

“Why are you thanking me for something like this? Other siblings live doing this much.”

I don’t know how other families live.

But I’m just grateful and happy now.

Tae-soo smiled.

“Then shall I lie down on the bedding that my brother spread out for me?”

Tae-soo flopped down on the bedding.

“Nice. Hehehe.”

“Is this something to be so happy about?”

“Of course, it’s good. Why wouldn’t I be happy when my brother has gone to the trouble for me? I wish you would do it every day.”

Tae-soo was smiling so brightly that he couldn’t even scold him properly.

Han-soo just chuckled.

“Han-soo, I want you to go around the entire mine area for a few days and find a place that meets the conditions I’m talking about.”

“Conditions?”

“First, it must have facilities to refine molybdenum.

Second, the management must be in bad shape.

Third, it must have a lot of skilled miners.”

Han-soo was puzzled.

“Why are you looking for a place like that? The money problem has been solved, so all that’s left is to mine and sell the molybdenum.”

“If it’s a failing mine, I’m going to take it over entirely. Let’s get rid of the annoying problems all at once.”

Tae-soo smiled, a predatory glint in his eyes.

“We have to prepare those things anyway, so it’ll be a jackpot if we take them over at a bargain price. Don’t you think?”

Han-soo thought hard.

If it meets the conditions Tae-soo is talking about, he can solve all the molybdenum facilities and miner problems at a bargain price.

‘Then it won’t even cost 20 million won? Furthermore, if we get the entire mine…’

It’s worth a try!

It’s a jackpot if we take it over!

“Okay. I’ll let my guys loose and search the mine.”

Han-soo nodded, his eyes gleaming with the thrill of the hunt.

“We’re starting from the bottom anyway, so it’s good to prepare everything at once.”

Han-soo is a fixer who runs several kids even while shining shoes in the market. [A “fixer” is someone who can get things done, often through unofficial or even illegal means.]

Information gathering is his specialty, and he’s quite resourceful.

Tae-soo trusted Han-soo implicitly.

“Okay. For the time being, Han-soo, you’ll have to take full charge of the mine. The money will come in after August 3rd. Use that money as a budget to look around.”

“What about you? Aren’t you coming with me?”

“I need to find a sales channel to sell the molybdenum.”

“You don’t mean Pohang? The one you asked me about in advance?”

“Yeah.”

He’s planning to go to Pohang first.

‘Park Tae-jong of Pohang Steel, an enemy of Han Cheong-ho of Cheongil Group.’

Also, a confidant of President Park Jeong-hwan.

He’s going to meet him. To sell molybdenum properly.

“I’m turning off the lights.”

This time, Tae-soo reached over and flicked the switch on the light cord.

As soon as the lights went out, Han-soo swung his pillow.

Pow pow pow.

“Oh? You’re dodging?”

“You’re pretty good too, hyung?”

Tonight, the brothers’ playful bickering began again in the dark.

* * *

He was just about to go to bed.

He heard someone calling from outside.

“Tae-soo!”

He went outside and saw Skinny smiling under the bright moonlight, holding a bottle of *makgeolli*. [A traditional Korean rice wine.]

That alcohol-loving guy hasn’t changed at all.

“What brings you here at this hour?”

“I can’t sleep because it’s hot, and I was thinking about alcohol.”

End of July.

It’s a time when sweat is pouring out even if you’re still.

Tae-soo also licked his lips, suddenly thirsty.

“The curfew has long passed.”

“It’s my house if I just cross a few walls, what’s the big deal?”

Skinny sat down on the porch.

He put his mouth to the spout of the kettle and drank deeply.

With a satisfied “Kyah-” sound, he handed the kettle over to Tae-soo.

Tae-soo also tilted the kettle and drank.

This yellow aluminum kettle was also a relic from a long time ago.

“How is it? Isn’t it great?”

“Kyah- It’s amazing. It’s really great. Whose *makgeolli* is this?”

“It’s the lady at the soup and rice restaurant in front.”

It’s the soup and rice restaurant where his mother does odd jobs.

That soup and rice restaurant lady is terrible at cooking.

“That lady is really something. Did she ask our mother to make *makgeolli* again? She uses her like a servant.”

“Your mother’s cooking skills are the best in this area. Thanks to you, only the soup and rice restaurant lady is having a good time.”

Tae-soo handed the *makgeolli* kettle to Skinny.

Skinny happily accepted the kettle and muttered while drinking.

“Why suddenly? Like someone who’s lost their appetite. The *makgeolli* is really delicious.”

“It’s sweet on the tongue, but my heart is uneasy. Our mother’s hands were all calloused.”

“Oh, our Tae-soo has grown up. You have to succeed quickly and be filial.”

“I’m going to.”

“Oh, you’ve really decided?”

“Yeah.”

As they sat side by side on the porch, a hot wind blew from somewhere.

Tae-soo liked this time quite a bit.

“It’s nice to have a drink thanks to a friend.”

“Isn’t it? It’s a shame there’s no side dish.”

“My mother made *pajeon* earlier. There must be a few left.”

Tae-soo rummaged through the kitchen and brought out cold kimchi *pajeon* and green onion *pajeon*.

Skinny laughed heartily.

“Kyah- It sticks to my mouth! *Makgeolli* is still green onion *pajeon*!”

“Is it delicious?”

“Of course, whose skills are these! Wow- How is it delicious even when it’s cold? Your mother’s skills are recognized!”

Skinny, who raised his thumb in approval, hurriedly picked up the *pajeon*.

He looked so happy that Tae-soo felt happy too.

“You eat so much every day, why don’t you gain weight? You’re so skinny.”

“Are my brother’s muscles ordinary rock muscles? It’s hard work to maintain this physique.”

“What muscles? You’re just bones. I think the *pajeon* will be short, should I boil some ramen?”

“Ramen?”

Skinny’s eyes twinkled and he swallowed.

Then he shook his head firmly.

“No, *makgeolli* is still green onion *pajeon*. Ramen is a side dish for *soju*. [A clear, distilled Korean liquor.]”

“What kind of side dish is ramen? It’s a substitute for a meal.”

“Don’t say things you don’t know. Raw ramen is a side dish for beer.”

“That’s it. Eat the *pajeon*.”

Skinny and Tae-soo took turns holding a drinking party on the porch in the middle of summer.

“I heard you got a mine?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you really going to do it?”

“I have to.”

“It’s going to be hard. Are you okay?”

“Will you help me?”

“What ability do I have? No.”

One kettle of *makgeolli* was quickly emptied.

Skinny put his arm around Tae-soo’s shoulder.

“Shall we have another kettle of *makgeolli*?”

“Get lost, you drunkard.”

“There’s still a side dish left.”

“It’s late. Go home.”

Tae-soo got up from the porch first.

He cleared the plates and cleaned up the area.

Skinny stared only at the *makgeolli* kettle with eyes full of regret.

“Let’s just have one more kettle.”

“It’s perfect now.”

“Don’t I know your drinking capacity? Are you really going to do this? You don’t even deliver rice anymore, do you? You can sleep in as much as you want after drinking, right?”

“I have to wake up early tomorrow and go somewhere. I’m going to sell the molybdenum from the mine. Do you want to come with me? Then drink more.”

“Tsk, why would I go there? Okay, rest.”

Skinny, carrying an empty kettle, trudged out of the gate.

He’s just looking at the *makgeolli* kettle with slumped shoulders.

Tae-soo chuckled as he watched his friend’s familiar back.

‘It was nice when I worked with Skinny. There’s no one as trustworthy as that guy.’

“Skinny, do you want to go down to Pohang with me tomorrow?”

“No. Why would I go there?”

“*Soju* with natural sea bream in front of the beach, how about it? I don’t know if there’s *gwamegi*. [A type of half-dried herring or mackerel, a local specialty.]”

“Call!”

Look at that.

His eyes are shining when he talks about alcohol.

Carrying an empty *makgeolli* kettle, Skinny went home.

Tae-soo, sitting alone on the porch, quietly fiddled with a bundle of paper.

It was what he had asked Han-soo for in advance.

‘They say he’s a stinger from the National Intelligence Service, and he’s really born with the ability to dig into one guy and investigate his dirty laundry.’ [A “stinger” is a slang term for a highly skilled and ruthless intelligence operative.]

He had vaguely set the target and direction of the investigation for Han-soo, but he didn’t know he would do this much.

‘Then the bait to hook the president of Pohang Steel is also ready.’

Tae-soo was already looking forward to tomorrow.