We Do Business In Full Auto [EN]: Chapter 34

Full Auto Business Chapter 034

Turtle Ship (2)

“What do you think?”

“I have no reason to refuse, but…”

Of course, there was no reason to refuse.

I haven’t been in business for long, but this is my first project worth over a billion. I was also a bit skeptical about handling that much money at once.

He immediately pulled out the contract from his briefcase.

He had already anticipated that I would accept and had prepared the contract in advance.

The contract stated:

The total exploration cost is 1.5 billion, with 500 million as a down payment. If the Turtle Ship is discovered, a success bonus of 1 billion will be awarded.

At this point, I couldn’t help but ask a question before signing.

“What makes you trust me enough to give me such a large sum of 500 million upfront? What if I just pretend to explore and then claim failure?”

“Hahaha. The Chairman and I don’t think that way.”

“Pardon?”

“We’ve already determined that you’re not the type of person who would do that. We’re giving you this money because we believe you won’t stop with a half-hearted investigation. You’re the kind of person who will explore relentlessly until all 500 million is exhausted.”

“Well…”

“Regardless of how you see yourself, that’s the judgment the Chairman and I have made.”

“I see.”

Since that’s the judgment they’ve made, there’s nothing I can do.

Swish, swish.

I finished signing.

Two copies of the contract were made on the spot, and we each took one.

“We’d like you to start within a week.”

“A week? That’s a bit late. I’d like to start right away, if possible.”

“This is a national project, so there are procedures that need to be followed. It takes about that much time to process them. Besides, you’ll need to prepare various things for the exploration, won’t you?”

“That’s true, but…”

I could see trust in Director Han Cheol-soo’s eyes.

Does that mean I’ve passed enough tests?

To be receiving help unexpectedly like this was a bit disconcerting, to be honest.

I may have skills, but there were limits. It involved using evil spirits, after all. Even if I was confident that it was more advanced than modern science, there were still impossible things.

After the contract was completed, Han Cheol-soo stood up.

“Of course, we might fail. What we’re relying on is historical evidence. General Won Gyun was defeated in that area, and we’re exploring the possibility that a Turtle Ship [a type of Korean warship] sank somewhere along his retreat route. So, we can’t be 100% certain that a Turtle Ship sank somewhere in the Gyeongsang Province sea. Do you understand what I mean?”

“Yes, Director.”

“One thing is certain: if you fail, the Yi Sun-sin Project [a project dedicated to finding artifacts related to the famous admiral] will be shelved forever.”

“You mean the government will give up?”

“We’ve been trying for decades. The fact that it hasn’t been found yet allows us to assume that the Turtle Ship may not have sunk. Private companies will also withdraw.”

“This is a heavy burden.”

“Turtle Ships are valuable not only militarily but also historically. Most Koreans consider Admiral Yi Sun-sin the greatest hero in history. If you fail, a page of that history will be erased.”

Until just now, he told me not to feel pressured and just explore, but now he’s putting an enormous amount of pressure on me.

A page of history could be in my hands?

How is that not putting pressure on me? It’s a fervent wish that I find it no matter what.

After finishing the contract, I came down from the company.

I couldn’t help but wonder.

“Director, may I ask you a question?”

“Hahaha. Of course. Ask anything. Even personal questions are fine.”

“Are you a patriot, Director?”

“A patriot…”

He looked up at the sky once.

How many people living in modern times can confidently call themselves patriots?

He shook his head.

“This era teaches us that money is more important than patriotism. They even brainwash us from a young age. But even if times change, the fact that we are Korean doesn’t change, does it? I think it would be meaningful to dedicate ourselves to our country at least once.”

“I see. I understand.”

He spoke indirectly, but it was a sufficient answer.

After parting ways with Lee Seo-kyung and Han Cheol-soo, I arrived at a nearby hotel.

It was called a hotel, but the room rate, including breakfast, was 60,000 won [approximately $45 USD] per night, and the interior facilities were at the level of a special room in a regular motel.

I had intended to stay in the cheapest place possible, but I realized that there was only a 10,000 won difference, so I indulged in the luxury of staying at a hotel.

Of course, the reason I chose the hotel was also because of the PC-optimized environment.

I had roughly heard the search area from Han Cheol-soo and Lee Seo-kyung. There were five areas where the sinking location was identified through historical research, and if it wasn’t found there, it could be expanded to eight areas.

When I searched the internet, the detailed retreat route wasn’t mentioned. It seems that the general public isn’t very interested in that part.

Let’s look at the circumstances of the Turtle Ship’s sinking.

The only naval battle lost in both the Imjin War [Japanese invasions of Korea, 1592-1598] and the Jeongyu War [second Japanese invasion of Korea in 1597].

People are enthusiastic about victories rather than defeats. Even when delving into history, they only know that the Battle of Chilcheollyang was the only defeat, and they don’t pay much attention to the route of retreat.

Unsurprisingly, the internet only stated that they retreated from Chilcheollyang to Hansando.

“We need to search a wide area from Tongyeong to Gajo Island.”

That’s the conclusion I came to.

In fact, the sea area along the route from Tongyeong Chuwonpo, which Director Han mentioned this time, to Geoje Jangmunpo, Guyeong, Gajo Island, and Hansando was quite vast. Moreover, even mountains and rivers change in 10 years, and this was an event that happened 400 years ago.

We must assume that the sea has changed to some extent during that time. How many typhoons have swept through the sea in the meantime?

Therefore, it was necessary to expand the scope.

I expanded the scope on the map that Han Cheol-soo gave me.

“It’s quite wide.”

It was a vast area of over 100 square kilometers.

That’s why they haven’t been able to find the Turtle Ship even after decades of effort.

The navy that was defeated in Chilcheollyang was only able to retreat to Hansando with 12 ships. In the midst of defeat and at a moment when their lives were at stake, they may not have properly remembered the route. Historical research reveals facts based on objective evidence, but it doesn’t combine the psychological state of the people at that time.

“Maybe this…”

Then I came up with a trick.

Even during the retreat, they were attacked a lot, so there must have been Joseon [ancient Korean kingdom] sailors who were buried at sea.

If there are soldiers who have become vengeful spirits because of their resentment towards the Japanese?

“It might be possible.”

Until now, I had only been thinking about a simple search. But the search area was too wide. So, I felt the need to investigate the facts objectively.

While searching historically verified locations, there is a need to find Joseon naval evil spirits who have been exiled to nearby islands for hundreds of years.

I saw hope.

Even when I thought I was just searching, I believed that if the Turtle Ship was really sunk, I would definitely be able to find it.

What if I find an evil spirit?

If that happens, I can shorten the time even more.

I turned off the computer and opened a can of beer.

Chuaaak!

The cool foam flowed, and I poured it straight into my mouth.

“Good. It’s been a week, so let’s spread the undead first.”

Of course, I’ll have to pretend to be exploring for camouflage. I had to leave a few photos of the exploration.

From the next morning, I moved busily.

I tried to finish the exploration in the shortest possible time. To do that, the current work had to be settled quickly.

The undead will be cleaning the tower as I have set it up. The government has given me plenty of time, so I just need to finish it within about a month.

And I prepared for the exploration.

To do that, spreading the undead is the priority.

From Daejeon to Ulsan, and then to Gwangju again.

By the time I arrived in Gwangju, it was already getting close to dinner time.

“Oh, I need two bodies.”

I don’t know if it will be possible if my level develops further and the undead can express their intentions more clearly.

What if they reach the point where they can speak, even if it’s clumsy, and drive?

Then I’ll be able to create a fake ID and have them run the business in my place. I don’t know when that will be.

I spread the undead in Gwangju and was about to get in the car.

I’m going back to Seoul today.

If I wake up early tomorrow morning and spread the undead only in Incheon Tower and Namsan Tower, it’s over. They’ll avoid people and go to work and leave work on their own. They’ll work to death during the day.

What if they have to deal with people?

I’ll have to avoid it somehow, and if that doesn’t work, I’ll have to remove the undead right away. And I’ll have to go up there myself.

I get in the car with this plan in mind.

Knock knock.

I was lost in thought when someone knocked on the window.

Jiiing.

It’s a middle-aged foreigner.

A handsome man who looks to be in his mid-50s. Do they call these people ‘handsome middle-aged men’ or ‘silver foxes’ these days?

“Long time no see, friend.”

“Aren’t you James Uncle?”

I was so surprised that my jaw almost dropped.

My wife’s uncle.

So, a man who is my wife’s uncle suddenly appeared.

I got out of the car and took his hand.

“It’s been so long!”

“Have you been well?”

Not everyone in my wife’s family was hostile to me. Some people opposed it, while others said that international marriage is no big deal in this day and age and that there is no reason to care about bloodlines.

If I had to pick the person who was most favorable to me, it would definitely be James Cotton.

But no matter how favorable James Cotton was to me, he couldn’t break what was forbidden in the family, and that’s how the relationship ended. Perhaps James Cotton was an adopted son of the family, so he couldn’t actively stop it.

He used to come to Korea often, and we would share a glass of soju [Korean distilled rice liquor] every time.

My head was complicated because of the Turtle Ship problem, but that was already resolved. I had made a plan and just needed to execute it.

“Shall we have a drink of soju after a long time?”

“I’d like that.”

We decided to head to a nearby food stall.

Tudduk. Tudududduk.

Winter rain is falling.

Not snow, but rain.

The weather seems to be getting warmer these days, but it was drizzling.

Jjoreureureuk.

The soju glass is filled.

Since my wife is British, of course I can speak English. In the first place, I mastered English by mobilizing all my brains in order to court my wife.

Except for a slightly clumsy pronunciation, my English is top-notch.

“Iyah, Uncle. I don’t know how long it’s been.”

“I’ve been thinking a lot about Lisa and you in my heart too. What’s the big deal about international marriage these days? They should accept you as family since you gave up your inheritance.”

He made a bitter expression.

A relationship that was cut off like that.

If he came all the way here, I thought it must be something unusual.

“I’m glad to see you, Uncle, but I’m worried. Has something happened to the Cotton family?”

“Hoo.”

He downed the soju.

Just by looking at the way he drinks soju, he was no different from any other Korean.

“Your aunt… I mean, your mother-in-law is now in critical condition.”