Mining And Construction Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 5

Mining and Construction Tycoon – Episode 5 (5/230)

5. Molybdenum Mine, and Brothers (1)

After Tae-soo left, Song Jin-gu stroked his chin thoughtfully.

“Ears.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Dig into that guy’s background.”

“Are you talking about that stubborn crazy bastard?”

“Yeah, him. He insisted on that mine, even knowing it was a lost cause.”

Kang Tae-soo… there was something unusual about his eyes.

“I’m curious why he chose that mine.”

“What’s there to know? It’s just an abandoned mine worth 100,000 won.”

“Find out what he’s doing with the mine. Just do it.”

“Yes, sir.”

Song Jin-gu turned his eyes in the direction Kang Tae-soo and Ears had left.

‘Strangely, I want to keep a close eye on that guy.’

A guy who wildly stimulates the instincts of a loan shark.

Song Jin-gu vaguely felt a strong, intertwined fate with Kang Tae-soo.

* * *

On the way home, all three men were silent.

‘Was Tae-soo always this assertive?’

The father looked at his eldest son with a fresh perspective.

‘His back is so broad.’

A reliable back that stood in front of him against the loan shark.

A meticulous back that took care of the mine rights certificate even in a tense atmosphere.

A resolute back that turned away from Chun-sik like a knife.

‘Come to think of it, something seems to have changed.’

For some reason, Tae-soo’s posture is straighter than usual, he’s full of confidence, and his eyes are sharp.

Above all, he stood up to the loan sharks without backing down.

It wasn’t the usual naive eldest son.

‘He seems more mature today. Am I just imagining things?’

There were many things he wanted to ask Tae-soo, but he didn’t know what to say.

After all, it was his own fault for recklessly lending 100,000 won.

When they arrived home, the mother greeted them barefoot.

“Our Tae-soo is back! I’m so glad you came back safe. Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No. And don’t worry about the promissory note. I took care of everything.”

“That’s my eldest son! I’ve made hangover soup. Come and sit down and eat.”

Tae-soo quickly sat down at the low steel dining table.

‘How long has it been since I’ve had a meal like this? Home-cooked food. I can’t even remember.’

When was the last time he ate a home-cooked meal in peace?

Moreover, it was a meal prepared by his mother.

‘I didn’t know it would become a thing of the past, more than 40 years ago.’

Who knew that his parents would pass away so soon in just a few years.

When he was young, he preferred eating out to the meals his mother made.

He thought he would be able to receive meals prepared by his mother even when he was 80 or 90 years old.

“Han-soo, aren’t you hungry?”

Kang Han-soo, who was standing blankly, cleared his throat.

“Mother, Father is here too.”

“Who are you? Judging by your face, you look like the kind of terrible person who doesn’t care if his family is on the streets, but would give away all his wealth because he feels sorry for his friends.”

“Y-you······.”

The mother grabbed a handful of coarse salt, then stopped.

Because salt is expensive.

“Damn it, a poor woman can’t even sprinkle salt as she pleases. Oh, my fate.”

“Honey······.”

“Oh, honey? How dare you say such terrible things? I don’t know you, hmph.”

A cold wind blew from the mother as she turned away coldly.

On the other hand, she was all smiles towards her sons, as if nothing had happened.

“Tae-soo, let’s have a spoonful while it’s hot. If you don’t get rid of your hangover in time, your body will suffer. Is your stomach upset? Does your head hurt?”

“I’m fine.”

“Let’s eat. What are you doing starving until this hour when you haven’t even eaten breakfast?”

The mother’s eyes dripped with honey as she looked at her eldest son.

She even put a piece of radish kimchi on her son’s spoon.

Tae-soo stared blankly at the radish kimchi on his spoon.

‘To think this day would come again.’

Tae-soo used to hate it when his mother tried to put side dishes on his spoon.

Crunch, crunch.

Today, the corners of his mouth were hooked on his ears with a spoonful of his mother’s hangover soup and a piece of radish kimchi.

“It’s delicious.”

“Yes, our Tae-soo, eat a lot.”

The mother smiled benevolently and put another piece of radish kimchi on Tae-soo’s spoon.

This was so happy that it brought tears to his eyes.

“Tae-soo, did things go well?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, Mother, this.”

Thud.

Tae-soo put the mine rights certificate on the table.

The father sighed deeply.

It was because he felt heavy-hearted thinking about his friend who was crying because of the mine rights certificate he had brought as debt repayment.

“I brought this instead of the 100,000 won I borrowed.”

“What is this? Is it a land deed or something?”

Although the mother couldn’t read, she knew the value of documents and her eyes sparkled.

“It’s a mine rights certificate. I’m going to visit the mine.”

* * *

Tae-soo took a refreshing shower and changed into new clothes.

He felt much better.

Spreading out the bedding in the room, it was like heaven.

‘I really came back to the past. Everything is just like it used to be.’

It had been so long since he had lived on the floor instead of a bed that Tae-soo kept laughing.

The cramped shanty room, the window with paper, the old pump-style faucet, and the small water tap in the yard.

It was all a nostalgic sight that he only hoped to see in his dreams.

‘But is there really molybdenum in the mine?’

He knew that Oh Chun-sik had made a fortune from the molybdenum mine and became a mining tycoon, but he couldn’t be sure if this was the molybdenum mine.

‘No, let’s trust my abilities. I smelled money as soon as I saw the mine rights certificate.’

Tae-soo closed his eyes.

‘It’s a shame there are no cars.’

In the 1970s, cars were a symbol of the wealthy.

It wasn’t until the 80s that the ‘My Car’ craze began to spread to the middle class.

‘It’s so inconvenient to have to 맞춰야 [match] to the few intercity bus times. I’ll have to wake up early tomorrow.’

He was thinking of using the Dongyang Express Bus Terminal in front of Seoul Station.

Maybe he should take the train.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt like he was wasting time on the road.

‘It would be nice to take the KTX [high-speed train] or a plane, but it’s a time when even the subway hasn’t opened yet.’

There’s nothing he can do.

He can’t just build it right away.

“Oh? It’s been a while.”

While looking for the light switch, he noticed the light.

There was a toy-like switch attached to the light string.

‘That’s right, it used to be like this. A switch on the light string. Using fluorescent lights or incandescent bulbs instead of LED lights.’

The door opened and Han-soo came in after taking a shower.

“Are you going to sleep already?”

“You should sleep early too. We’re leaving early tomorrow.”

Han-soo paused for a moment before opening his mouth.

“Why were you like that today?”

“Like what?”

“Uncle Chun-sik.”

“I should have beaten that bastard more thoroughly. Mother told me not to make him half-crippled, but she didn’t say anything about making him half-dead.”

Han-soo chuckled quietly.

“Where are you acting like a filial son?”

“I’m going to play the role of a filial son from today.”

“I heard it from Mom. You gave her 100,000 won? Where did you get 100,000 won?”

“I saved it little by little.”

“No way. I’ve never seen you save money. You just roughly throw your rice store salary at her to use for living expenses.”

“I saved some for marriage.”

Han-soo had a surprised expression on his face.

“You were thinking of getting married? But why······.”

“Why did I give her 100,000 won? Our family was about to be on the streets. I had to put out the immediate fire.”

“That’s not it-”

“It’s over, it’s already over. I guess it was fate.”

Tae-soo chuckled.

He understood what Han-soo meant.

To put it bluntly, Tae-soo’s dream wedding was naturally called off.

There was no way the wedding could proceed properly with him being chased by loan sharks.

Tae-soo married a woman introduced by Chairman Han Cheong-ho when he was over 30 years old.

‘But this time, I cut off the relationship myself.’

There are no regrets.

He didn’t want to rush into marriage since he had returned to the past.

Han-soo had a strange look on his face.

“Why are you suddenly acting like a different person? It’s not like you.”

“Why? Does your brother suddenly look cool?”

“······.”

Han-soo stared at Tae-soo for a long time.

Perhaps because he had an unusually keen sense, he seemed to feel a sense of unease.

‘The National Security Agency’s awl, Kang Han-soo.’

That was Han-soo’s nickname.

Because of his sharp and keen senses, like an awl.

Because he was considered the most promising talent in the National Security Agency, a hidden talent.

Because of his ability to pierce through anything he set his mind to.

Because of his venomous heart that stabs his target without looking back.

Han-soo was sharp and keen.

He was definitely not an easy guy to handle, but once he made up his mind, he was loyal without bending.

‘As expected, the hitman that all the chaebols [large family-owned conglomerates] once wanted. His eyes are definitely sharp?’

Han-soo said.

“You’re definitely different than usual. The clubbing, and standing up to the loan sharks.”

“My personality isn’t that good.”

“I wonder if your hooligan nature is any different, but well, I like it.”

For some reason, Han-soo smiled happily.

He was expressionless as usual, but it was subtly different.

“···It was refreshing.”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Tae-soo was bewildered.

Han-soo said, rubbing his wet hair with a towel.

“If you hadn’t hit that bastard Oh Chun-sik, I would have.”

“Ah.”

“I could stand you not being intimidated by the loan sharks.”

“I can’t help but get angry when I see those guys.”

Do you know what I learned after being harassed by loan sharks day and night for 5 years?

If you show weakness in front of those bastards, they will cling to you more cruelly.

Then Han-soo muttered softly.

“Anyway······ It wasn’t like Kang Tae-soo, so it was pretty good.”

“Huh?”

“Go to sleep.”

Click.

Han-soo turned off the light.

“Cough! Kang Han-soo, did you just step on me on purpose?”

“It’s your imagination.”

I don’t think it’s my imagination?

You’re stomping on me like you’re putting out a cigarette?

Thump, thump!

“Hey, Kang Tae-soo, did you trip me on purpose?”

“It’s your imagination.”

I don’t think it’s my imagination?

It’s dark, but this level of power is definitely a tornado kick?

The sound of tumbling around in the dark could be heard.

* * *

July 21, 1972, 7:00 AM.

Sangdong Abandoned Mine, Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon-do.

“This is it.”

“You navigate even unfamiliar roads well. You really are the awl that can’t pierce anything.”

“Awl? Why are you calling me an awl all of a sudden?”

“There’s a reason.”

The abandoned mine was more eerie than an old haunted house.

Weeds grew profusely around it, and discarded tools were scattered.

The mine entrance was blocked with wooden planks.

And in the middle of the planks, a warning was written in bright red paint.

-出入禁止 (No Entry).

Han-soo sighed.

“This doesn’t look promising.”

The miner’s expression wasn’t good either.

Han-soo had searched the nearby mines and brought this miner.

He was exceptional at mineral exploration and identification, and unmatched in developing ore veins.

He was very famous in this field.

And above all, he was said to be a man of few words.

“If it’s a mine that’s been abandoned for this long, you might as well give up.”

“Is it that bad?”

“Why else would even the 쪽발이 [J 쪽발이 is a derogatory term for Japanese] bastards abandon it? If there was money to be made, would those ruthless guys have left it like this?”

“Well, you’re right.”

The expert’s words were like a guarantee.

Even to them, who were non-experts, it was a useless piece of junk.

‘So that’s why the mine rights certificate has been 돌고 돌던 [circulating] in gambling dens for over 15 years.’

Han-soo looked back at Tae-soo.

“The expert agrees. It’s a 100,000 won mine. If there was anything special, it wouldn’t have been sold so cheaply.”

But Tae-soo was humming a tune to himself, carefree.

The smell of money is coming all the way here, la la la.

“Han-soo, we haven’t even gone inside yet. Let’s check it out first before we talk.”

Tae-soo began to tear down the wooden planks blocking the mine entrance.

“Are you just going to give up? I’m going in because I don’t want to waste the time I’ve invested.”

“···Okay.”

Han-soo also helped to remove the planks.

“Why is a young man so stubborn? It doesn’t look like there’s anything special at a glance.”

“You have to earn the advance you were paid, right?”

“Ugh.”

Since Tae-soo was right, the miner had no choice but to join in.

Thump.

As the entrance was revealed, the miner shone a flashlight and led the way.

Tae-soo and Han-soo also followed the miner inside.

Traces of mining were left everywhere, and rails were laid on the floor.

The tunnel was deep and deep.

“The 쪽발이 [derogatory term for Japanese] bastards have completely plundered it.”

An abandoned mine that was owned by the Japanese during the Japanese colonial era and abandoned long ago.

It was abandoned because the reserves were small compared to the cost of mining and transporting.

He was prepared for this much.

“It seems like they’ve 캐서 [dug] everything and there’s not much left.”

“There’s always a reason why a mine becomes an abandoned mine.”

“I don’t think the mine owner should be saying that.”

“Why can’t the mine owner say that? It’s the truth.”

“Huh······.”

It doesn’t matter.

If the smell of money is 폴폴 [wafting], there must be something inside the mine.

“Let’s go deeper.”

“Why don’t we just stop here? We’ve come this far and there’s nothing.”

“The payment was in advance. No matter what, we go. Keep going straight ahead.”

“Huh······.”

Kang Han-soo knows now too.

That guy’s stubbornness is something else.

Will the miner be able to break the stubbornness that even the loan sharks couldn’t break?

“Let’s just go. It’ll be faster to go all the way and show him than to waste energy arguing.”

“Ugh.”

The miner had no choice but to go deeper.

‘The smell of money is getting stronger.’

It’s such a good smell that it’s making me dizzy.

The smell of money is 솔솔 [wafting gently]!

Tae-soo stopped in front of one wall and sniffed.

“I think we need to dig into the wall.”