Chapter 103

Chapter 103Old Steel Great Line(1)

Clutching the newly updated passbook in his hands, happiness filled Jeong-woos face as he exited the neighborhood bank.

The total balance in his current account was approximately 27 million won. This sum included three months worth of salary, the first-round ad revenue from the video-sharing site, and the menu earnings from Hyeon-mins restaurant.

If I consider the year-end bonus piling up, debt settlement wont be a problem anymore.

He thought that his younger brother, could support himself through university without taking out a student loan. Even if he chose a costly major, Jeong-woo could fulfill his brothers desire for a romantic backpacking trip during his university days.

As this idea crossed his mind, a wicked smile appeared on Jeong-woos face.

Even when he turns fifty, hell still be cleaning my room, heh

While climbing the hill, his phone rang, and he answered it.

Ah, Soo-chan.

-Where should we meet? Its Friday night, we gotta go out!

Soo-chans lively voice resonated through the phone speaker.

Ill stop at my house, and Im heading to Moms store next. Come over there first.

-Ji-sook restaurant? Okay. Ill bring Laura along. Ive been craving your moms special bean paste stew lately.

Although they intended to treat themselves to a delicious meal on payday, if the craving called, why not? Jeong-woo wasnt particularly fussy about expensive meat.

Entering his house, Jeong-woo took off his suit and put on casual clothes.

Since the cold hadnt completely receded, he added another jumper before heading outside. He carefully placed his passbook with 25 million won and the seal in his inner pocket.

How long Ive been waiting for this day.

It was a monumental 100th day. Although he had always been overshadowed within the family hierarchy, today he could proudly declare himself as number one.

When he handed over this substantial sum to repay the mortgage, he anticipated how moved Hong Ji-sook would be. Jeong-woo swelled with expectation.

After about ten minutes of walking, Jeong-woo arrived in front of the restaurant located between his house and the market.

A one-story, worn-out brick building.

In business for about 15 years, the place may have shown signs of aging, but it was a local favorite with many regular taxi drivers and a constant stream of customers.

Jeong-woo stopped in his tracks under the faded sign that read Ji-sook restaurant.

I should tidy up the repair neatly. Maybe put in a new transparent glass door to show off Moms face for the 15th-anniversary celebration.

As he pondered the grand interior design for the restaurant with next months payday, he heard the familiar voice of the womens association president from inside.

Did you also use this restaurant as collateral?

I cant wait to hear it. Did your husband mention it?

No, what? That your eldest son got a good job, and is doing well?

Jeong-woo tilted his head.

The restaurant as collateral?

The conversation continued inside.

Oh, oh! Jeong-woos father is here.

Its not like that. Geum-hee, stop talking nonsense and go home after finishing the garlic. Isnt it time for your husband to return after finishing at the bank?

He looked at the books and hes worried about you paying a lot of interest. Whats the point of going in for five thousand won?

It was a conversation Jeong-woo couldnt stop listening to.

Meanwhile, an old-fashioned sedan approached the alley, its engine purring.

Jeong-woo, Im here!

Soo-chan, rolling down the car window, waved with a bright smile.

Wow, the smell of food. Ah, Im hungry.

By the table where the stew was boiling, Jeong-woo sat facing Soo-chan.

Mother, can I have one more bowl of rice, please? And could you add a bit more of broth and ham?

I think I gave you enough, but youre eating well.

Haha! Its been a while, and it tastes amazing.

Soo-chan happily devoured the stew, singing along to a tune. Jeong-woo looked at him with a bewildered expression.

Hey, why are you gulping down the stew like its soup? Isnt it too salty?

Of course its salty. The ham broth makes it savory and irresistible.

As Hong Ji-sook poured additional ingredients into the pot, Soo-chan raised both thumbs, saying, Its the best, Mom!

Half a bottle of soju quickly vanished alongside the stew.

Oh, right. Jeong-woo, did you see Eun-sil? How is she? Does she still likes you?

Are you drunk already? Dont be ridiculous, I just met a classmate.

Still, I envy you.

Jeong-woo clinked glasses with Soo-chan, watching Hong Ji-sook washing dishes in the kitchen.

If the debt has increased, why didnt she mention it?

As Soo-chan barged into the restaurant hungry, Jeong-woo missed the timing to confidently hand over the passbook.

Moreover, the words of Madam Im Geum-hee, the womens association president, kept lingering in his mind. As his thoughts became more complicated, the alcohol didnt taste like alcohol, and the heavily salted stew became bland.

Ugh.

When it was 9 PM, Hong Ji-sook, done with her business, approached the table. Seeing two empty soju bottles, she turned to Jeong-woo and said.

When youre done, clean up and put it in the sink. Stop drinking after the third bottle.

Got it.

Mother, thank you for the meal!

Sure, Soo-chan, feel free to enjoy and leave.

Watching Hong Ji-sook leave the room, Jeong-woo took out the passbook and seal from the jacket hanging on the chair.

Soo-chan, wait a moment.

Huh? What is it?

Jeong-woo, who had come out immediately, rushed to Hong Ji-sook.

Mom.

Why did you come out? Its cold.

I forgot to give you this.

Jeong-woo handed the passbook to Hong Ji-sook, who looked puzzled.

Ive been saving this. To repay the loan for our house.

I thought it was an overdraft account. But why are you repaying the loan?

I used it.

Oh, never mind. If you have that kind of money, use it to repay your tuition first.

That one has a low interest rate, so its okay to keep paying. Here its just a couple hundred, not a big deal, around 25 million.

Hong Ji-sooks eyes widened at the amount. Jeong-woo forcibly placed the passbook in her hands.

Mom, Im going to play a significant role in the family this year. Dont hesitate to tell me if you have any difficulties.

This money

Shocked, Hong Ji-sook couldnt say anything for a moment. Jeong-woo calmly smiled and said.

I dont earn money like Dad in a weird way, so you dont need to refuse.

Take it back and pay the debt in your name first.Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com! Why do you argue so much? Jeong-chan is going to college next year. We should live well together until he settles down.

Hong Ji-sook stared at Jeong-woo for a moment without saying a word, then quietly placed the passbook on top of a stack of recycling boxes in front of the restaurant.

I can pay off the debt slowly. I may not be able to pay you or Chan, but Im not going to take your money. Ive been working my ass off at the restaurant for that.

Jeong-woo shaken asked about the conversation he overheard earlier.

Whats the five thousand won for? With this, you can repay it right away.

Dont interfere in adult matters. And I wont say it twice. Spend the money you earned.

Ignoring him, Hong Ji-sook walked away with quick steps.

Im an adult too!

Facing his resolute mother, Jeong-woo let out a deep sigh.

Ugh.

His gaze lingered on the passbook lying on the box.

He thought it would be enough, but now theres an additional five thousand won. If it were the year-end season, he could easily resolve it with commissions.

A vibration sound, about ten times louder than the hum of a refrigerator, echoed, and the digital thermometer on one side of the wall gradually began to drop.

The first survival rule in polar regions. Check the temperature at every moment with your eyes open. And prepare accordingly. Everyone, open your backpacks and equip the gear for minus 10 degrees. Execute.

Jeong-woo quickly opened his backpack inside the warehouse, where breath became visible.

The basics of cold weather are layering. One layer at a time, step by step. Now, prepare the Polartec synthetic fiber mid-layer and GORE-TEX jacket. Wear gloves, hat, and boots.

Since the clothes were neatly stacked, the order was not confusing. He put on a top that reached his neck and comfortable-looking pants.

After wearing gloves and pulling a fur hat down to cover his ears, the temperature gauge on the outer wall indicated -10.

Ugh, its cold.

Minus 10 degrees Celsius meant a temperature where shivering could persist even if wrapped in a padded jacket and a scarf. Jeong-woo felt his fingertips gradually becoming numb.

The temperature you feel now. Consider this a warm day in Alaska.

What?

Not only Jeong-woo but also the eyes of the teammates next to him widened in surprise. Team leader Joo Hana seemed not to have heard yet, as she was still struggling to put on snow boots.

Now, minus 20 degrees. Put on an outer layer and wrap your entire face with a hood.

The inside of the frozen warehouse started to get even colder. Jeong-woo quickly put on a parka and zipped it up. His lips trembled, and his body shivered periodically.

Now, most likely, youll experience temperatures like this the most. Those who have finished putting on their clothes, try moving around.

With several layers of clothes, his body felt sluggish. Jeong-woo swung his arms around, trying to shake off the chills.

After about a minute, Wolf, wearing a jacket, spoke to the others.

Have you adapted? If Alaska had only this temperature, the instructors wouldnt have met you. Now, minus 30 degrees. When the wind blows strongly or the weather is bad, this is the temperature that inevitably comes.

The digital thermometer displayed -30.

Wear another pair of mittens. Wear goggles for eye protection. If theres a part where you can directly feel the cold here, it means you havent buttoned up properly or the zipper isnt closed.

Jeong-woo, feeling like he would freeze in this world, shivered after finally putting on all the gear.

When you have no more equipment to put on. You may encounter minus 40 degrees. At that point, the only way to endure is to maintain your body temperature.

As the temperature gradually dropped towards minus 40 degrees, people sighed.

Breathing deeply at this temperature freezes even the lungs, so avoid it. Inhale lightly and exhale lightly. There! Refrain from making drastic movements to raise body temperature. If you collapse at minus 40 degrees, your bones will turn to dust.

Shin Seong-beom, who was doing jumping jacks, stopped abruptly.

Is this the deadly cold where you die if you doze off?

Jeong-woo also stopped waving his arms and looked at the others. They were all shaking as if they were about to die.

How many days in your life youll experience such cold? The colder it gets, the luckier you are, thinking positively and having the mindset to overcome. Now, lets finish it.

As if he was concluding, Jeong-woo thought the temperature would rise now. However, Wolf decisively shattered Jeong-woos expectation.

April in Alaska is relatively warm. The chance of experiencing temperatures below minus 40 is low. However, if you cant handle it properly when it comes, you could die. Thats why Ill continue training you every day until departure. Assistant!

With Wolfs voice, the door of the frozen warehouse opened, and a person wrapped in a coat entered.

Jeong-woo widened his eyes at the sight of the large fan that the person brought. He had a sense of what kind of training it might be.

Nature never stays still. Learn the action rules with the assistant on how to deal with strong winds. Execute.

The fan started to operate.

As a biting wind swept through the frozen warehouse, the assistant gestured for the people to gather.

Stick together!

Amidst the lively voice of the assistant, Jeong-woo, freezing to death, turned his head. She wore silver ski goggles, making her appearance unrecognizable, but her voice was that of a young woman.

Preserve each others body temperature and minimize the area exposed to the biting wind.

Nine team members, plus the assistant. Ten people stood shoulder to shoulder.

Jeong-woo, feeling something might happen, instinctively raised his palm towards the fan.

Fighting the urge to send something towards it and turn it off, he felt the gaze of the assistant next to him, so he stopped.

In a snowstorm situation, enduring one minute in a safe area increases the chances of survival rather than moving recklessly.

After saying this, Wolf turned off the fan exactly one minute later.

When the wind stopped, Jeong-woo felt like he could survive even at minus 40 degrees.

As we return to the normal temperature, follow the assistants movements to loosen up your body.

The assistant stood in front of the people and began doing something like stretching. Even though it was freezing to the point of breath freezing, Wolf and the assistant showed no signs of sluggishness.

Following the assistants posture of stretching, except for Joo Hana, the rest let out small screams from their stiff joints.

The hazard pay wasnt for nothing.

This frozen warehouse training, experiencing the fear even before going to Alaska, wouldnt be taken lightly. The actual conditions might be worse than here.

The digital thermometer attached to the wall gradually started to rise.

When it reached 0 degrees, Jeong-woo felt his body warming up slightly. It felt like cold water friction. After experiencing minus 40 degrees, 0 degrees felt warm. However, Wolf didnt instruct them to take off their thick outerwear, so he stood still, waiting.

One team member unzipped his parka, feeling stuffy.

Dont do that.

The assistant shook her head towards the team member.

Right now, your skin is in below-freezing conditions, but your head is not freezing. Skin not adapted to rapid temperature changes is at risk of frostbite.

Jeong-woo couldnt help but be surprised by this explanation.

10 minutes later.

Wolf took off his outerwear and spoke.

Those who are sweating, now its time to take off your clothes.

Jeong-woo, feeling dampness on his back, was sure he had sweated and took off his outerwear.

Ugh, feels like I survived.

It wasnt a long experience. It was just about 30 minutes of experiencing temperature changes, but it felt quite exhausting. After putting down the heavy outerwear and taking off the mid-layer, it felt a bit more comfortable.

I should prepare separate cold protection measures for this, right?

The first thing that came to mind was hand warmers. They should last for about an hour in an emergency situation.

In the meantime, the assistant who stood in front of Jeong-woo also took off her outerwear and pulled down her ski goggles.

Huh?

Upon closer inspection, she was the foreigner with blonde hair who was riding a longboard earlier. With a body that caught everyones attention, she had a pretty face that looked quite Western. All the mens eyes were now focused on her.

I didnt introduce my friend.

Wolf pointed at the assistant.

This is Kaya Stillwell, the polar specialist who will guide you along. Shes eighteen. Dont underestimate her just because shes young. She has experience climbing the Everest.

Kaya, as she was called, nodded slightly toward the people.

Eighteen?

Jeong-woo couldnt believe that this young woman, who, in Korean age, was the same age as his younger brother Jeong-chan. Although he couldnt see her face, her overall physical development from height suggested she was a full-fledged adult.

Thats right. Considering it that way, that rascal is even worse.

After confirming that everyone had taken off their winter clothes, Wolf spoke.

The second danger youll encounter in Alaska is encounters with wildlife. Take a short break, and Ill teach you the basics of using equipment to drive them away.

Kaya, now in short sleeves, stood next to Wolf.

Will all of these weaklings freeze to death as soon as they arrive in Prudhoe?

Her gaze scanned the men who seemed to be sitting exhausted, and it lingered on Jeong-woo, who was alone in a suit.

It looks like he came straight from work.

All of them are office workers.

Ha. Theyre not planning group suicide, are they?

Choose your words carefully. Look, shes the team leader, so be careful.

Kaya, with her fists clenched, looked at Joo Hana, who was taking off her clothes while groaning, and asked.

Academy got tough, didnt it? I never thought they would organize a group of civilians to cross Alaska.

Wolf clapped his hands to signal the end of the break and responded.

Kaya, theres something mysterious about Asians. Once they adapt, theyll keep up just fine.

Looks like Dad is getting old, talking about superstitions.

To your eyes, the world must seem old. Take your seat. Were going to train with the tools.

After giving Kaya a pat on the back, Wolf spoke to the people.

Everyone, take out the equipment from your backpacks. Any military veterans here?

All the men raised their hands, and Wolf chuckled.

Thats why Korea is great.