CH33 : Safety!Safety!Safety!

Bang! Bang!

"Waaaaaaah!"

"Congratulations to the Southeast Asia Construction Inspection Team on Their Departure."

A banner hung at Pier 6 of Busan Port, and a crowd gathered.

It was the advance team heading to Vietnam, dressed up with the grand name of the Southeast Asia Construction Inspection Team.

It wasn't widely known that civilian engineers were being sent to Vietnam before any military personnel.

"Honey, be careful. You must come back safely."

"Don't worry. I'll come back with a lot of money. Take good care of the kids until then."

"Waaaah, Daddy."

"Why is a boy crying? Don't make your mom worry and take good care of your siblings. You're the man of the house when I'm not here. Understand?"

The familiar ironworks neighbor was saying goodbye to his family.

"Oppa, do you really have to go?"

"Don't be silly… Do we have parents? Do we have a house? If we keep living like this, we'll just be servants. Oppa is going to earn money for your wedding, so stop crying."

"I don't need that."

"Shush. Stop crying. Everyone's watching."

The young welder patted his even younger sister's head to comfort her.

"Are you really going to leave while His Excellency is abroad?"

Among those seeing me off was also the chief secretary.

If you came to see me off, just do that, don't question me.

"I have to leave today if I'm to go to Vietnam. Please convey my regards to His Excellency, and that I'll see him in a year."

Meeting the president would only mean more assignments.

Since it was the president's order to go to Vietnam, I should use that as an excuse to avoid him.

"If postponing is difficult, His Excellency wishes you good luck."

He must have calculated that I wouldn't wait.

Damn, as expected, he's not an easy opponent.

Still, wishing me luck, though I'm not a soldier, was a very military regime-like thought.

Well, it was a time when even government offices had slogans about fighting while working.

"Please take good care of the White Tiger Unit in Quy Nhon."

"..."

"I'll be sure to tell the president that you were very helpful when I see him in a year."

"Don't worry. I'll take care of it."

Ugh, he answered reluctantly because I threatened him.

The chief secretary didn't seem to get used to me acting without restraint towards him.

I didn't want to resort to threats involving the president, but it would be troublesome if the White Tiger Unit didn't come.

Even in a war zone, I needed something to rely on.

Even if they were soldiers, wouldn't Korean soldiers be more trustworthy than American ones?

Koreans might argue over small things, but when it came to a common goal, they banded together tightly.

"Take care."

"Hwang Sajangnim, please take good care of Daese Chemical."

I entrusted Daese Chemical to Hwang Hyesung Sajang while I was away. I also merged Hyesung Nylon with it.

Under the concept of in-kind investment, it was accepted as a subsidiary of Daese Chemical. We already considered going to the end together in our hearts, so despite the merger being a big deal, there were no objections.

"I'll do my best."

"Please create at least four more polymerization reactors while I'm away."

"I'm not a genius like Woo Sajangnim."

"No, Hwang Hyesung Sajangnim, you can do it."

For capable people, giving a clear goal was better than saying you believe in them.

If you repaired the front yard of the abandoned factory, you could make four more polymerization reactors. It would be tight to complete them in a year, but not impossible.

Aren't there over 200 veteran employees?

"I'll handle the pressure on Hwang Sajangnim. But really, can you do it alone? Do I really not need to go?"

"There you go again. Someone has to make the products in Korea and send them. I'll handle the sales outside."

I patted Lee Sam-bok's shoulder.

Once we got to Vietnam, there would be plenty of small business items. I would pick only the best and send them to Korea, and there was no one more suitable than Sam-bok to handle that.

Hooooonk. Hooooonk.

The ship's horn sounded long.

It was a signal to board the ship for departure.

"Mister Woo, stop saying goodbye and get on board."

Colonel Godell, who had received the order from General Van Flint, gestured at me from the deck.

With an expensive cigar in his mouth and that typical American condescending look.

He was different in style from the older Van Flint.

'Maybe meeting such a person is a stroke of luck.'

That thought came naturally.

The OBs said the level of American commanders dropped sharply after the Korean War.

Even during World War I and II, and up until the Korean War, graduating from West Point (the US Military Academy) was a family honor.

At the time, most of West Point's entrants were children of politicians, high-ranking generals, doctors, and lawyers.

But the Korean War completely changed that tradition. The Korean War broke out just five years after the end of World War II, so many who were commissioned as officers were dragged straight to the battlefield.

Naturally, many young officers died, and even those who returned alive didn't receive appropriate rewards and honors, unlike in the definitive World War. This led to a cooling interest in West Point.

Therefore, the officers who entered during the Vietnam War were different.

They were not noblemen with middle names like Van Flint, nor did they have political connections.

In other words, if it was someone like Colonel Godell, just helping with promotions would be enough to handle him well.

"Take care. Be careful!"

"I will."

Hooooonk. Hooooonk.

"Take care! Honey."

"Stay healthy!"

"Waaaaaah."

The ship left the port, leaving behind a mix of regret, cheers, sobs, anxiety, and hope.

With such mixed emotions, my heart pounded too.

To think I would participate in the Vietnam War, which I had only heard about.

Was this how I would experience the Vietnam boom, where blood-stained money floated everywhere?

"Attention, Woo Sajangnim is here."

My father gathered the people.

Though we were leaving under the name of the Southeast Asia Construction Inspection Team, there wasn't even a proper ship to take us, so we were hitching a ride on an American tank landing ship, the LST.

We had loaded the ship's bottom, originally for tanks, with containers and made makeshift accommodations with planks in between.

"I'll keep it short. Let's endure just one year in Vietnam. As long as we don't die, we'll return as rich men."

"Waaaaaah!"

"Before starting the training, let's all shout together. Safety! Safety! Safety!"

"Safety! Safety! Safety!"

"We will become rich!"

"We will become rich!"

All 250 of us shouted with one heart.

As long as we stayed safe, we could become rich.

It was something that needed to be constantly drilled into the employees.

"Everyone, focus. I'll now tell you in advance what each team needs to do."

"Yes, Sajangnim."

I hung a blackboard on the container wall and explained what to do as soon as we arrived in Quy Nhon.

"There are many ways for us to make money, but the first one is as soon as we arrive…"

"Oooooh…"

As soon as I mentioned making money, everyone's eyes sparkled.

Even if we discussed our operations right next to them, no American cared.

Please, don't get hit by stray bullets.

Then, I'll definitely make you rich.

****

Hooooonk. Hooooonk.

About a week later?

The ship's horn sounded as we approached the coast.

"Land! It's land!"

"Waaaaaaaah!"

Not just us, but the American soldiers were also excited.

The sun was unbearably scorching, the sea breeze was sticky with humidity, and the shade was cool and chilly. The week on the ship was truly hell.

"Is this supposed to be a strategic point? Ridiculous. Who decided this? Those incompetent headquarters…"

Colonel Godell stood at the ship's edge, clicking his tongue.

Seeing him make such comments about Quy Nhon, which would soon become a hotspot, showed he was someone who needed everything handed to him.

"Shall we start unloading?"

"Do as you wish. Build temporary shelters as quickly as possible."

"Yes, Colonel."

Colonel Godell was a hard one to judge.

His eyes clearly saw Koreans as slaves, but his words weren't particularly aggressive.

Such people tended to bounce around like rugby balls if things went wrong. If handled well, they could become golden geese.

'Is Van Flint testing me?'

Why did Van Flint specifically assign such a person to Quy Nhon?

It was clear that he deliberately appointed Godell as the camp commander.

Someone who didn't even know that Quy Nhon was a strategic point wouldn't have volunteered. If Van Flint hadn't wielded influence behind the scenes, Godell would never have become the camp commander.

Thunk.

For a moment, the LST, true to its landing ship nature, rammed its front onto the beach and settled its hull on the sandbar.

Then, it opened wide to unload us.

"Everyone, disembark."

"Waaaaaah!"

We stepped on the ground, and the trucks followed us down.

How long had it been since I set foot on Quy Nhon soil?

I recalled briefly staying at Quy Nhon Resort for a plant project in my previous life.

A vast white beach and emerald waters had left an impression, but now, aside from the small sandy area, the surroundings were all jungle, with red flags marking requisitioned land.

It was a dangerous but undoubtedly opportunistic place.

"Zone A is for the Americans, Zone B is for the Korean workers. Unload the military tents first and set up the shelters."

"Yes, sir!"

Following the sergeant's instructions, the American soldiers moved efficiently.

The sergeant's order was to set up 20-person military tents as shelters.

It meant using tents as temporary shelters before building proper structures, but staying in tents would make us easy targets for mosquitoes, hindering work.

"President Sajangnim, please move the container trucks first."

"Yes, Sajangnim."

Although his name was Kim Chun-seok, I couldn't call my father by his name.

So, I started calling him President Sajangnim, and it stuck.

"Hook the latch to the first container."

"Yes, Sajangnim."

"All right, all right, slowly to the left, slowly."

I played the role of the main signalman, coordinating the crane and truck positions.

Unloading was simple.

Hook the corners of the container with the crane on the LST, load it onto the truck, and that was it.

"Move to Zone A. Place the container under the furthest visible flag."

"Yes, Sajangnim."

"Go, go!"

My father drove the truck, gently placing the container where I wanted it.

It was possible because we had modified the American dump trucks to our liking, making the containers fit nicely.

"These metal boxes are really convenient, huh?"

"Koreans call them containers."

"Unloading will be done in a day at this rate."

"Probably. It only took a day to load them at Busan Port."

"Really?"

The Americans just opened the container doors and took out the items. It might look like just a simple metal box, but unloading it was incredibly convenient.

"Stack the empty containers in Zone B."

"Yes, Sajangnim."

"Everyone, find your assigned container based on its number."

"Yes, Sajangnim."

I divided the team into groups of six, assigning each to a container.

It would be a hundred, a thousand times better than tents.

Once we built proper shelters, we could reuse the temporary structures as containers again. They were handy items.

"Cut down palm trees and use them as roofs. It'll keep things cool."

"Understood."

It was already around noon, so everyone moved diligently.

The employees cut down palm trees and used them as thatched roofs over the containers, just like building thatched roofs.

"Huh? What are those Koreans doing?"

"What's that? Was that hole a window?"

The Americans were surprised.

Instead of setting up military tents, we were placing empty containers and making them into shelters.

Even though it was a coastal area, the containers were well insulated, so they wouldn't get too humid, and with fans installed, we could sleep comfortably.

"Hey, did you prepare one for us too?"

Suddenly, Godell appeared from somewhere.

He seemed intrigued by what we were doing.

"Of course, Colonel Godell. Each container costs $1,000."

"What? $1,000? It's just a big metal box."

"If you want a flush toilet and a private shower, it's an additional $500 each."

I didn't bother responding to each of his comments and just stated the prices.

"What? Options?"

"Each fan option is $100, and air conditioning is $2,000."

"… Can air conditioning be installed?"

Colonel Godell's eyes widened.

Having stayed in an air-conditioned captain's cabin, he was likely irritated at the prospect of ground duty, but my words made his eyes light up.

"Installing an air conditioner is as easy as eating pizza. If you'd like, I can even create a command room in the command center so you can discuss operations with your officers and enjoy the beach view."

I proposed setting up a command center with a club for officers.

"Hey, we're here to build a supply base."

"There will be no problem in building the supply base. It's just a matter of connecting a few containers and cooling units, and it'll be done in a week. Isn't it the commander's ability to quickly establish an operational base?"

"You're right. The faster we can start operations, the better."

"Absolutely, Colonel."

"Fine. Build the command center and the commander's quarters with full options. Make sure the air conditioning is the best."

"Yes, Colonel. I'll handle the costs with the sergeants."

"Do that."

Easy money.

It cost about 30,000 won to make one container, but we were about to sell it for thousands of dollars.

The rumours about Vietnam being full of blind money were true.

"President Sajangnim, please move four containers to the A Zone beach. Leave the contents in the storage yard."

"Yes, Sajangnim."

"Everyone, hurry up. Time is money. Team 1, start ground levelling work. Team 2, mark the spots for the bulldozer with blue flags. Teams 5 through 9, move the rebar to the inner side of the storage yard. Teams 10 through 15, move the H-beams."

"Yes, Sajangnim."

"Teams 25 through 30, come here. We've already got work lined up."

"Are we building container homes already?"

"We need to build a fully-equipped command center. Let's earn some hefty bonuses."

"Wow!"

I had divided the 250 people into teams before departure.

Everyone clicked into gear.

"The rest, help with unloading. Time is money."

"Yes, Sajangnim."

"Shout it out. Safety! Safety! Safety!"

"Safety! Safety! Safety!"

The site was already bustling.

"What are those Koreans doing?"

"Whatever it is, they're really fast."

The Americans were astonished.

"We will become rich!"

"Waaaaaah!"

Let's make money!