Chapter 320

Episode 320 A hero? New demon? (3)

After the 15-day vacation, the returning sailors concentrated on ship maintenance work.

“Hey~. “Do barnacles form like this after it’s been out for a few months?”

“Pull yourself together and do it right!”

“Yes, old!”

In response to the shouts from the military officers, the sailors rushed to the ship and began removing all kinds of foreign substances.

The ship that went all the way to Suez had a lot of maintenance needs to be done. Since every effort was made during the design process to increase maintenance efficiency, tasks requiring complex processes were rare.

However, it was inevitable that these tasks would be cumbersome and difficult. Eventually, the sailors and shipyard workers began humming the song without even realizing it.

“In the wind of the Nakdong River~.”

The sailor opened his mouth after hearing the tune of a song being hummed by a carpenter working next to him.

“Is this the first time you’ve heard the melody?”

“ah! This must have been your first time hearing it! It’s a tune that started in Hanseong a few months ago and has become popular. “It’s so well-organized yet melts in your mouth, and the taste is just perfect!”

“No, why are you looking for the Nakdong River in Hanseong?”

The carpenter responded to the sailor’s question with laughter.

“ha ha ha! “That’s another delicacy of this tune!”

* * *

While maintenance of ships was in full swing in the dry dock attached to Suyeong, the next schedule was being discussed at Suyeong command.

“Invincible will begin its northern exploration as soon as maintenance is completed. Here are the orders. Let Maeng Jin head to Cheonchukguk with Jin Chi.”

Gangnam-gil, who received the orders and instructions from Jejeolsa, immediately asked.

“So, will you continue to be in charge of the routes to and from the Heavenly Kingdom?”

“That’s not true. In the future, Challenger-class ships will continue to move on northern and southern routes.”

In Jeolsa’s answer, Gangnam-gil pointed out the problem.

“The sailors will not be able to get used to the route.”

Gangnam-gil’s criticism had a valid reason.

This was the first time that the Joseon navy sailed to the distant ocean. It was Simbo, a thief, that the naval forces who operated the ship with only one voyage hoped would get used to it.

Jeolsa nodded to Gangnam-gil’s point out, but explained why it was inevitable.

“What you say makes sense, but the Joseon navy still lacks men. Because of this, it is not possible to create a situation where only one route is familiar. “If necessary, we need to raise people who are comfortable working in both South and North.”

“That’s true, but you won’t get used to it in just one voyage.”

“Still, I can’t help it. “There is also the issue of equity.”

“Do you mean equity?”

When the priest mentioned equity, both Gang Nam-gil and Kim Sang-il looked somewhat familiar.

“Looking at your faces, you seem to have gained some insight, but you are not the only soldier who earned extra income through this voyage. If this happens frequently, dissatisfaction may arise among the soldiers. That is why the rotational position system has been established this time.”

The captains, including Gangnam-gil and Kim Sang-il, all nodded at Jeolsa’s point.

* * *

Luxurious people existed in Joseon as well. Lustrous men who heard rumors that the sailors who returned from Cheonchukguk had strange items approached them right away, and the sailors were able to make a decent amount of extra income.

And, it was natural that other sailors who saw this were envious.

A situation arose in which the sailors aboard the Panokseon and Jounseon in the coastal sea envied the crews aboard the Panokseon and sea emergency battleships traveling to and from Japan, and the sailors aboard the sea emergency battleships envied the sailors aboard the Challenger-class ships.

The military commanders, who were already struggling to prevent the movement of avoiding the naval forces by saying, ‘Sinryang Yeokcheon (body is a nobleman, but the job is a commoner’s work),’ immediately recognized the problem and considered a solution.

“At first, the people who persisted by saying they wouldn’t do it even when I told them to do it....”

The first reaction of senior commanders who were informed of the problem was complaint.

-You have to go out to sea, and the voyage period can be at least several months, or as long as several years.

When the Challenger-class battle line first appeared, the sailors who heard about the mission were all anxious. In the end, the higher-ups should have received support from the sailors by risking more pay.

However, after seeing the good extra income of the sailors who had visited Cheonchukguk, complaints arose.

“Isn’t that what people’s hearts are all about? “Let’s find the answer.”

“Still, the front and back are so different...”

“Wasn’t that the same for the captains?”

“Keueuung...”

“30%.”

“Up to 20% is possible.”

“write···.”

“Two and a half pennies! This is the maximum!”

“write···. good night. 20% 5p. Instead, we will add manpower as soon as possible.”

“yes.”

In this way, manpower was withdrawn from the research institute and assigned to the newly established military academy and administrative training center.

And, even after a year had passed, the scent continued to appeal.

‘If you just pass over, you’ll be buried! I have to do something like this to keep remembering!’

However, with the new year just around the corner, the intention was not to appeal, but to sincerely assert the need for additional manpower.

* * *

“great! In that case, our research center will directly recruit staff!”

Heo Jo and Kim Jeom both looked embarrassed at Hyang’s declaration.

“As the Crown Prince knows well, preparing for the civil service exam takes a lot of effort and money. However, I think it would be a waste to prepare separately.”

“That is correct what the Secretary General said. “Crown, I think we will be able to allocate more people starting from the year of the New Year, so how about waiting a little longer?”

When they went to Sejong, Hyang made a proposal to Sejong.

“If we could add more people with minimal cost and effort, would you allow it?”

“Can you do it?”

“there is.”

Sejong, intrigued by those words, nodded.

“Hehe. “Show your talent sometime.”

“I am devastated.”

* * *

After receiving permission from King Sejong, Hyang returned to the laboratory and called Jeong Cho and Jeong In-ji.

“...So, Your Majesty obtained permission.”

Jeongcho nodded at the explanation of the scent.

“It worked out better. “Considering that there was a lot of trouble in recruiting manpower from among those selected from the past.”

Jeong In-ji also nodded at Jeong Cho’s words.

Looking at the method of recruiting personnel so far, the method was to bring in those who had passed the state exam in the past and had good academic and industrial skills.

The problem was that since they had passed the state exam and had excellent grades in other areas, they had to compete tirelessly with other ministries.

Jeong In-ji, who was nodding at Jeong Cho’s words, asked Hyang.

“By the way, you said you would recruit talented people with minimal cost and effort. What will you do?”

Hyang answered simply.

“We will be distributing quite difficult math problems across the country. “We will bring in those who unravel it.”

“aha!”

“If you leave it to someone else, they will create the best problem!”

That’s how Sunji Lee was called.

“...So, Manager Lee Soon-ji, I want you to create a problem.”

“What level of difficulty can I adjust to?”

In response to Lee Sun-ji’s question, Hyang looked back at Jeong Cho and Jeong In-ji.

“I guess it would be appropriate to be in mourning?”

“Mourning is a bit excessive. “It seems like the level above and below is appropriate.”

“I also think top and bottom are appropriate.”

Hyang nodded to Jeong Cho and Jeong In-ji’s answers and looked back at Lee Soon-ji.

“Raise the difficulty level up and down, and make five problems in total. “How long will this be possible?”

“Give me five days.”

“That’s right.”