Mining And Construction Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 48

48. The Hot Night in the Desert (3)

Song Chang-jun marveled quietly.

‘He’s playing them like a fiddle, managing those fierce Bedouins with such ease.’

Come to think of it, the way they addressed Taesu kept changing.

[We will revere you as the tribe’s eternal benefactor.]

That came from the Bedouins themselves.

From ‘you’ to ‘sir,’ then ‘guest’ and ‘honored guest,’ and now ‘benefactor.’

‘Could there be another instance where someone’s treatment changes so drastically in just a few hours?’

‘I’ve heard it’s incredibly difficult to be called a benefactor by the Bedouins. I even know that the first king of Saudi Arabia never received such a title.’

The Bedouins helped the first king establish the nation and remain a strong support base for the royal family.

They are powerful warriors cherished by the Saudi royal family and loyal royal guards.

And those Bedouins were expressing gratitude to Taesu.

‘He’s truly remarkable. His handling of things is on a different level from Samwon Construction. If we had sent this man here instead of Samwon Construction, this mess wouldn’t have happened in the first place.’

On one hand, he felt anticipation.

‘He’s taken on the Bedouins’ wells, waterways, and even road construction. How will he pull it off? It’s impossible for me.’

Taesu even said he could shorten the road construction period.

That made him even more curious.

‘The road construction is currently 30% complete, and there’s less than a year left. Even if we mobilize all that heavy equipment and start road construction tomorrow, it’ll be tight.’

He knows it’s realistically impossible.

But in his heart, he keeps having unrealistic expectations.

It was a first for Song Chang-jun as well.

‘For some reason, I feel like this man will accomplish it splendidly. It seems impossible by common sense, but I’m looking forward to how he’ll easily pull it off.’

He had clearly witnessed him negotiating with the Bedouins earlier.

‘I’ll support him with all my might. I’ll trust this man and go all the way.’

He skillfully brought together the Bedouins, who often engaged in petty squabbles due to long-standing grudges.

‘He’s forcibly shoving carrots in their mouths and, if necessary, whipping them mercilessly. No wonder they’re half out of their minds. They have to put out the fire that’s fallen on their feet right away.’ [A Korean idiom meaning to deal with an urgent problem immediately.]

Those who were pointing swords at each other were now putting their heads together to discuss construction in just a few hours.

They were unanimously discussing the future with a sense of unity.

They acknowledge each other and respect each other’s opinions.

Looking at them, he could only admire.

‘To promote reconciliation and work simultaneously with such a simple method.’

The man who confidently said he would blow away the seesaw’s fulcrum and safely land the two tribes was solving the problem so easily.

* * *

Taesu went to bed leisurely.

The Hakonen tribe clung to Taesu, who was about to leave, and wouldn’t let him go.

-Benefactor, please… Please finish the tribal council before you leave. Otherwise, our children will have to cross the desert tonight.

-Please stay here for just one night. If any problems arise, the hotel is too far to ask.

He couldn’t refuse the elders’ pleas, who looked like they were about to cry.

He reluctantly sent his group to the accommodation prepared with Song Chang-jun, and only Taesu remained in the tribe.

‘Was I too harsh? The whole tribe is on emergency alert because the deadline is quite tight.’

But he had borrowed a ship from Geumsan Shipping, so what could he do?

Wasn’t it Taesu who asked them to load some water on the ship going to Bahrain to load oil?

Jang Jun-yong of Geumsan showed goodwill and moved up the departure date.

He also had them sail at full speed so that Taesu could start construction quickly, arriving at the port a few days earlier.

‘I didn’t expect to use that this time.’

Taesu recalled the golden business card he had received in the past.

It was what Jang Jun-yong had given Taesu, thanking him for the molybdenum supply.

-If you bring this, he said he would grant you a favor.

Taesu sent Song Chang-jun with the golden business card.

In addition, he also included the business card of Kim Hwan, the chief of staff of Geumsan.

Song Chang-jun, who was clearly a confidant of the ambassador, would surely handle the matter reliably.

‘I asked them to dock at the port for at least two months, but will they accept? If they refuse, I’ll have to find another way. I’ll have no choice but to build a large storage facility at the port.’

It’s not a construction that can be completed within fifteen days.

But if he hadn’t scared them like this, the laid-back Bedouins wouldn’t have actively stepped up.

‘I asked for a telegram, so I’ll get an answer soon.’

He had Song Chang-jun, who worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, send telegrams to two places.

One to Jang Jun-yong of Geumsan.

The other to the Saudi royal family.

‘It would be great if the Saudi royal family would step in as well.’

Taesu then recalled what had happened earlier.

The tribe leader, looking pale, pleaded with Taesu, saying they were holding a tribal council.

-There’s no way we can meet the construction deadline, benefactor.

-We can’t lose the water right in front of our eyes like this, benefactor.

-Is there any good way? Please tell us anything.

Taesu had no choice but to open his mouth.

-It’s a large amount of water that you can eat and still have plenty left over for several months. Take this opportunity to do a good deed.

-What do you mean? Who are you telling me to do a good deed for?

-I heard that the neighboring tribe is also in trouble because they don’t have water? Tell them to send people to help because you’ll give them water.

-To the neighboring tribe?

-If you distribute water as a daily wage, they’ll flock to you. Tell them to bring their leather bags, one bag of water each. They’ll love it.

-Ah, such a method! Very good.

With that, the Bedouins were turned upside down.

They were riding camels across the desert in the middle of the night to deliver the news.

They were tying letters to the feet of trained eagles and flying them.

They were telling them to run across the desert right away, saying they were sending it to a nearby tribe.

-We’re starting construction tomorrow at dawn. Wash your feet and go to bed early, forgetting about the banquet.

-Leave the children to the elderly and mobilize all the women. This is an emergency.

-We must complete the construction within fifteen days, no matter what. This is a matter of the tribe’s future.

When the time limit was set, the Bedouins reached a consensus at an incredible speed.

There was no room for trivial talk.

Whenever an opposing opinion came out, everyone would scold them mercilessly.

Inevitably, the two tribes decided to unite and finish this great construction within fifteen days, staking their lives together.

That was another reason why Taesu deliberately scared them.

-Benefactor, even if we put aside the well construction for now, what about the Corino tribe members to run the limestone mine and cement factory?

-They’ll live together in Hakonen village during the construction. Then we’ll reduce the security personnel to protect the village.

-Very good idea, benefactor. You are indeed amazing. The two tribes will join forces to create a very large well and water reservoir this time. We’ll fill it with water.

They don’t have good feelings for each other due to the long war.

They had temporarily reconciled because of the water, but they wouldn’t unite unless it was another urgent problem.

They couldn’t work with the switch of a time bomb of discord that could explode at any time turned on.

Suppressing internal strife with external strife has been a very good method since ancient times.

‘I’ve achieved all the goals of deliberately scaring them. So now it’s my turn to support them. I need to solve the remaining problems so that they can focus on the construction.’

As a result, it was already late at night.

‘I’m tired from moving and negotiating all day.’

Now Taesu turned off the lights and went to bed.

At that time, the tent entrance opened slightly with a rustling sound.

[Who is it?]

It was a slender shadow.

[Shh, if you speak so loudly, people will wake up.]

A woman speaking English in a very beautiful voice.

Judging by the fact that only the tribe’s leaders could speak English, she was a woman of considerable status.

[Why did you come to my tent at this hour?]

[After you took my string.]

[Ah…]

Now that he saw it, it was the dancer.

The young and beautiful woman who had captivated the men.

She laughs softly.

[I heard you said my dance was beautiful?]

[Yes, but I thought the tribe leader returned the string…]

The woman smiles and lifts the string.

[This?]

It’s a little different from before.

This time, it was a string tied with the woman’s clothes knot, lengthened.

It felt like the strings of a *jeogori* [traditional Korean jacket].

‘Good smell.’

The good scent he smelled earlier wafts subtly.

She comes closer to Taesu and whispers softly.

[Even if you didn’t know at first, you know what this means this time, right?]

She held out the string to Taesu again.

Her bulging chest caught his eye.

Taesu looked down at the string and asked.

[If someone sent you to attend to me, you can just go back.]

[Do I look like I came against my will?]

She slightly lets her hair down.

Long, abundant hair cascades down.

[It’s my first time sneaking into a man’s bed.]

She giggled softly.

Sitting on Taesu’s thigh, she gazes at Taesu deeply.

[I like smart men. Most of the desert warriors are simple.]

She puts her hand on Taesu’s cheek.

[I liked the way you looked at me. That’s why I gave you the string.]

She comes closer and closer.

They’re so close that their noses almost touch.

[Isn’t one night enough reason?]

She steals Taesu’s lips first.

[The night is short. Thanks to someone, I have to go out to construction at dawn.]

Taesu looked into her eyes and said.

[Won’t you regret it?]

She puts the string in Taesu’s hand.

[I would regret it if you didn’t take my string.]

She takes Taesu’s hand and pulls the string.

The knot comes undone, and her clothes slip off.

Surprisingly, that was all she was wearing.

Taesu wrapped his arms around her waist.

[Then I’ll have to make sure you don’t regret coming this far.]

* * *

It was when the royal family’s dawn meeting held at the Saudi palace was coming to an end.

Unlike usual, the Saudi king was looking down at a short piece of paper with an interesting face.

It was a few telegrams that had arrived overnight.

The Saudi king had everyone check the telegrams.

Everyone was reading the telegrams with puzzled expressions.

[It’s strange. Weren’t those two tribes fighting to the death until a few days ago? The royal family mediated so much, but they suddenly changed their minds.]

The royal chief of staff bowed his head.

[Upon confirmation, it has been reported that not only the two tribes but also Bedouins from all over the desert have gathered and started construction. It’s a large-scale construction involving heavy equipment.]

Come to think of it, they said they were doing well, waterways, and even road construction.

[Large-scale construction? Isn’t it just village construction?]

[No. It is said that they are constructing from the port to the villages of the two tribes.]

The Saudi king’s eyes widened.

[Is it that much? Then isn’t it a large-scale construction that’s difficult for a single village to handle?]

[It seems to be a major waterworks project, as the name suggests.]

[The drought is so severe that the two tribes have decided to work together to plan for the future. Well done!]

He was pleased.

He was very pleased that the Saudi people had rolled up their sleeves to overcome the drought instead of fighting.

[Now that the people have taken the initiative to start construction, the country cannot but support it. Hey, Minister of Economy and Finance, Minister of Construction.]

[Yes, Your Majesty.]

[Draw up a budget for waterway and road construction. The state will have to support the expenses.]

[How much support do you expect?]

[First, calculate the total amount needed for the construction. Estimate the amount that can be supported by the national treasury right away and help as much as possible. Hurry.]

[I understand.]

This time, he looked at the Minister of Industry.

[Find out all the oil tanks and water tanks that can be given out right now. Be prepared to support them if necessary. This request must have come in because it’s an urgent matter.]

[I’ll find out right away.]

[Call in experts related to water purification to support them.]

[I understand.]

Next was the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

[Find out who owns the tanker docked at the port and try to delay the docking period. They say it’s water to overcome the drought. It’s a good idea to buy the tanker altogether.]

[I understand.]

They were already short of tankers.

If they bought the tanker, all problems, from the docking period to the water problem, would be solved easily.

The Saudi king rose from his seat.

[The dawn meeting is over. Everyone, go back and start working!]

The small ball that Taesu launched reached the Saudi royal family.

Of course, the ball also reached Jang Jun-yong, chairman of Geumsan Group in Korea.