Novel Bin Chapter 17: Unveiled Intentions
Chapter 17: Unveiled Intentions
“Sorry about this. There has been a slight change in the schedule. We will take some time to visit the Observation Pavilion.”
The businessmen grumbled inwardly as they heard the announcement.
Observation Pavilion? Wasn’t that a place for ordinary people to visit, not for battery-related adjustments?
They followed the secretary’s guidance and left Sangchunjae, but he remained seated.
On the opposite side, the President sat down with a perplexed expression on his face.
“I sent the Prime Minister away to hear Chairman Yu’s story. I hope it’s worth it.”
“I propose to apply Blackmetal batteries to submarines,” Chairman Yu said.
“Submarines… Secretary, how far has the construction of the Anchangho-class submarine progressed?” The President asked.
“The current Batch-III version of the research and development has been completed. Once the combat suitability is determined and approved by the Defense Committee, it will enter the construction phase,” the Secretary replied.
“Will GC’s lithium-ion batteries be used in them?”
“For now, that’s the plan.”
“I’ll replace all of them with Black Metal batteries. Of course, we need to estimate the costs.”
President Lee Hyun-seong’s eyes gleamed slightly.
“Black Metal batteries in submarines… I wonder how much longer the submergence time will increase.”
He needed to see the numbers to truly feel it.
Arma, who had memorized the numbers she was taught, quickly wrote them down on a note.
“As far as I know, the Anchangho-class submarines equipped with lithium-ion batteries can submerge for approximately 3 hours during a 20-knot operation,” she said.
The submergence time of a submarine was greatly influenced by its speed, and 20 knots was close to its maximum speed.
Of course, if the speed was reduced, it could stay submerged for more than dozens of hours, but this assumed the scenario where it needed to evade enemy surface ships after being detected.
“Hmm…”
The President and the Chief Secretary exchanged glances and nodded.
The specifications of submarines were naturally classified, but this information was something that military enthusiasts in the country could reasonably estimate.
“I can’t say for sure, but we can say it’s similar. So, if we install Blackmetal batteries, how much would that increase the duration?” The President asked.
“Considering the energy density and the hotel load of the submarine, we can say it would increase by approximately 3.5 times,” Arma answered.
“Then, more than 10 hours?”
At that level, it might not compare to nuclear-powered submarines, but among diesel-powered submarines, it was undoubtedly the best.
Even Japan’s Taigei-class submarines had a submergence time of only about 4 hours.
“Due to the characteristics of Blackmetal batteries, they have an advantage in terms of high voltage. Therefore, the actual speed would be even higher. Additionally, they are much lighter in weight, allowing for a greater battery capacity,” Chairman Yu explained.
The President asked urgently, “I heard that the charging time is also very short during the demonstration.”
“That’s correct. It takes about 1 hour for snorkeling in the lithium-ion system, but with the application of Blackmetal, it reduces to 1/5 of that time. It’s so stable that various safety equipment can be omitted, which is another advantage.”
As President Lee Hyun-seong listened to Chairman Yu listing the advantages, he felt something akin to shock.
This was not a simple matter.
The performance that far surpassed Japan’s next-generation submarines could potentially disrupt the delicate balance of naval power between the two countries.
It could also introduce unexpected variables in Australia’s ongoing project to introduce attack-class submarines.
Currently, South Korea had proposed the Anchangho-class Batch-III, but Australia’s response had been lukewarm.
However, if they were to propose the adoption of Blackmetal batteries and a corresponding new design…
Of course, nuclear-powered submarines were the best, but there were undoubtedly countries that were unable to adopt them due to various issues.
Australia was one of those countries, planning to invest up to $50 billion in the Attack-class submarine project.
If they could sneak a spoonful in there…
“Is this really possible?” The President asked.
“It depends on the President’s determination. If you’re satisfied with just one investigator, I will wholeheartedly assist you,” Chairman Yu said.
Although China’s influence had been gradually spreading within the country, Lee Hyun-seong was still the President, wielding immense power.
Whether or not to establish a committee ultimately depended on his decision.
The problem was whether he could withstand the pressure from the Prime Minister and those who supported him.
Their intentions would soon turn into attacks, coming through the window of public opinion.
…
In a short period of time, numerous worries flashed across the President’s face and disappeared.
He nodded his head.
“Alright. Let’s give it a try. But… receiving such an unexpected gift won’t be easy to reciprocate.”
“If you grant me one favor in the future, I will be satisfied with that.”
“Requesting the installation of Blackmetal batteries on submarines… that’s quite a big ask.”
“This country will not suffer any losses. And of course, it will be a great achievement for you as well.”
“Can I ask roughly which field it is related to?”
“It’s related to space development.”
Chairman Yu recalled his friend’s keen interest in space.
He remembered having passionate debates about the existence of the ninth planet with a renowned astronomer when they were young.
If it was about that, it was not only not a bad idea, but also highly recommended.
The Korean space industry was in dire straits, falling to the bottom.
“Let’s discuss it later, including this submarine project…” The President said.
At that time, the experts from each military branch would gather for heated discussions.
“Let me know when you’re ready.”
“Oh, by the way, how will the battery allocation be managed? Our military is also expecting something.”
“We’ll handle the distribution without revealing any details,” Chairman Yu said.
A smile appeared at the corner of the President’s mouth.
Anyway, the government couldn’t micromanage every aspect of the business.
However, there was a need for minimal coordination to prevent conflicts of interest.
Now that the world’s attention would be focused on Korea, engaging in petty fights would not look good.
“Well then, let’s take our time to discuss…”
As the President left, one of the secretaries approached Yu Ji-ha and handed him a note.
“Read it and put it away for reference later.”
“Thank you.”
Curious, he quickly glanced at its contents.
It contained information about the movements of various countries, such as the docking of Japan’s 6th Escort Flotilla near Fukuoka and the activities of Russia and India.
However, the real danger lay in the well-known Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.
Although not yet widely reported, Chinese and Southeast Asian warships were gathering, creating a potentially explosive situation.
Were the U.S. Navy fleets sailing from Guam heading there to join the fray?
“Soon, something will happen, for sure,” Yu Ji-ha said.
[I have recorded it]
Arma replied.
He tore the note into small pieces.
Now it was time to have the boring meetings with the entrepreneurs.
…
The anticipated premise of having a boring meeting went off track.
The gathering of entrepreneurs in a separate space was discussing the allocation of battery supply, considering it a given.
In fact, one CEO made the following statement:
“It seems quite challenging to compete with such a supranational enterprise like Silla Energy. What if we form a consortium?”
“If that’s the case, we are willing to contribute funds. However, the ownership stake must be clear.”
Upon hearing those words, Chairman Yu was dumbfounded and asked:
“Who mentioned forming a consortium?”
People responded cunningly:
“That’s the current public opinion.”
“The political and media sectors are placing high expectations on this battery project. It will serve as a cornerstone for Korea’s prosperity.”
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Without even sitting in the chair, Chairman Yu addressed the people.
“What does public opinion matter… Isn’t it considered public opinion if we contact the media and ask them to write articles? If you have intention of forming a consortium, bring a proper proposal.”
“Chairman Yu, this is not about running a business alone in South Korea.”
“Just because something is good doesn’t mean you can act like a dictator. It will be problematic.”
“We will review the proposals from the two companies you just mentioned last. That will be all.”
“Chairman Yu!”
“Our conversation is not over yet?”
Whether they were flustered or silent, Chairman Yu gave a reassuring glance to CEO Shin Young-jun, who maintained his composure.
He and I had made a promise with his father, and he intended to keep it.
Exiting as planned and getting into the car, the secretary approached me.
“It seems things didn’t go well. The President asks you not to push too hard, even though he’s cornered.”
“I’ll consider it.”
The car left the Blue House and drove down the road.
Out of the blue, I asked Arma, my aide:
“What do you think of President Lee Hyun-seong?”
[At the moment, he is deemed someone who can be helpful to you, Master.]
“We’ve thrown the bait with the submarine deal. Let’s see how he reacts.”
There was a real deal behind the scenes, but there was no need to bring it up as part of the initial negotiations.
Setting that aside, it was about time to make a move…
He openly approached the Prime Minister with a proposal, and there was no way the factions supporting him would remain idle.
He wanted to know who Prime Minister Park Hyun-gu was connected to, so he released a decoy.
Just as the vehicle was about to cross the Han River, two distant sedans appeared.
“Why are all these trailing cars black?”
[Well… it seems the National Intelligence Service agents got caught up in a traffic accident and lost track of us.]
“Looks like they’re really trying. Drive to a quiet place.”
The Windrunner veered into the complex area of Noryangjin.
“Now.”
Following my signal, the optical camouflage system activated.
The entire vehicle shimmered like a mirror and seamlessly blended with the surroundings.
In this state, the Windrunner could be touched, but it was impossible to notice with the naked eye.
The two trailing vehicles passed by without detecting their presence.
“EMP.”
As the directional EMP emitter installed beneath the vehicle emitted a flash, the leading black sedan came to a halt.
Some of its ECU circuits had been fried.
“Audio amplification.”
Now, seated in their respective positions, we could overhear the conversation among them.
“Why did this happen all of a sudden?”
“The engine shut off. I’ve been trying to start it again, but it won’t work.”
“Try again properly! And contact the car ahead.”
The man with short hair, who seemed to be the leader, made a phone call to someone.
The moment the call connected, Arma reported.
[We found him. It’s Zhang Jiaojun, a director at the NCC Group. He looks like an actress funded by China who was cast in Hollywood.]
How did she end up looking like that?
He focused on the conversation between Zhang Jiaojun and the others.
And they reached a conclusion.
“We need to eliminate Park Hyun-gu.”
There were no true friends.
Chairman Yu had made the decision to spare no means or methods in order to achieve the reconstruction of the United Human Alliance and the eradication of the Plague.
However, it didn’t necessarily mean that it had to involve murder.
There were times when softer methods, like what Shin Hayun had used when going to the United States, could be employed.
But in the case of Prime Minister Park Hyun-gu, most avenues were blocked.
He held a position that was too high and had considerable influence.
Moreover, there was no valid justification to bring him down.
Arma thoroughly investigated his activities and personal information, but there was no significant financial gain to be found.
[Despite being in politics for a long time, he remains relatively clean. It appears he only exchanges advice with the NCC Group without any financial ties. His relationships with women are also clean] she said.
In that case, it could be said that his driving force was his belief.
He believed that Korea should adapt to China, which would soon exert influence over Korea and extend beyond East Asia into the Pacific.
[It’s possible that he considers himself a patriot. He often made statements questioning what the problem was with China’s rise, stating that it’s not a recent development and that it will soon extend beyond East Asia] she added.
Prime Minister Park Hyun-gu was the one who chose China over the United States.
Of course, Chairman Yu didn’t want to pass judgment on the correctness of his beliefs.
The problem was that he posed an obstruction.
“Just leaving him alone will lead to regrets in the future.”
Prime Minister Park Hyun-gu was pushing for the establishment of a committee on his own and was inciting public opinion within the party, stating that he would expose Chairman Yu.
Such tendencies were also evident in his conversation with NCC Group’s Zhang Jiaojun.
—That guy is a dangerous individual who undermines Sino-Korean friendship. Keep a close watch on him, as nobody knows what he might do with Black Metal in the future.
—Oh, are you afraid of sending data to China? The United States, which had imposed restrictions on missile ranges until 2021, isn’t worried?
—We, Korea, have always aimed at China. We’ve been on the wrong path for the past 80 years, so now we should return to our roots, shouldn’t we?
“I won’t forget your loyalty, sir.
“Indeed, he must be eliminated.”
However, killing the Prime Minister wouldn’t be the end of it. Who guaranteed that another Park Hyun-gu wouldn’t emerge?
Arma speculated about that possibility.
[If he is killed, there is a high possibility that the President will appoint a neutral figure.]
“Why? Isn’t Korea already falling into China’s sphere of influence?”
[That may be true in politics and business, but the general public holds significant anti-China sentiment. The two countries have built various relationships over a millennium, but recently, China has begun pressuring Korea as it pursues hegemony. They have even attempted to plunder our culture.]
“At least the President is mindful of public opinion. In that case, it’s settled.”
And thus, the decision was made for the death of Prime Minister Park Hyun-gu.
For this mission, Arma introduced a new type of drone.
[It’s an Insect Drone. Its operating time is up to three hours at most, and it’s relatively large in size, but there’s almost no risk of being detected.]
A small fly flew in and perched on Chairman Yu’s shoulder, displaying a hologram.
If one scrutinized this little creature with a magnifying glass, one might notice something strange.
However, not many people paid attention to flies.
At most, they would bother them enough to spray some insecticide or wave their hand a few times.
[With this Insect Drone, you can administer a toxic substance to the body. The toxin decomposes after death, so it cannot be detected] she said.
“What kind of toxin is it?” Chairman Yu asked.
[It’s synthetic tetradotoxin H. Within 30 minutes of administration, respiratory muscles will be paralyzed, and after one hour, cardiac muscles will stop] she said.
It was contradictory for someone who came to save humanity to be trying to kill humans.
In the case of Prime Minister Park Hyun-gu, there were no scandals or criminal acts that could be found.
He simply differed from Chairman Yu and walked a different path, albeit one that had crossed paths with him now.
“I have no personal feelings about this. But I believe that the future I dream of is better than the one you dream of,” Chairman Yu said.
Arma was well aware of China’s actions and racial oppression against neighboring countries through her network.
Although she couldn’t resolve them immediately, she wouldn’t let them go unattended for long.
Having approved the death of Prime Minister Park Hyun-gu, Chairman Yu proceeded with the plan.
“The Ford ejection system has been repaired. I will deploy the reconnaissance Ford.”
Two days later, a small Ford was ejected from the sunken Settler in the East Sea.
This Ford crossed the Korean Peninsula without being detected by radar and dispersed the Insect Drones over the airspace above the Prime Minister’s official residence in Samcheong-dong.
An Insect Drone infiltrated the Prime Minister’s bedroom, but no one noticed its presence.
…