Empire of the Ring

The ice around the Arirang Wharf and around the sea route where freighters and naval vessels used was not thick because the icebreakers kept on breaking the ice. Except for those routes, the water was still frozen in the thickness of 50 centimeters, so even cars could drive on the ice safely.

During the weekends, the frozen waters were full of people of the autonomous state who came to enjoy ice fishing. From the holes all over the ice, trout that was about the size of an adult’s arm were fished. There was plenty of fish in the Ural River.

Serbians, who were not used to eating seafood, now grew fond of trout that Koryoins caught. Now they were enjoying trout dishes.

Youngho and Jong-il also joined ice fishing and were catching several trouts already.

“How can it be so cold? Let’s wrap up and go home.”

Since they had been sitting in one spot, it was hard to endure the cold.

“Where would you go? This is the true beginning from now on. Those fish will come to us when there are fewer people. The number we caught can’t even fill our stomach. Do you know how many mouths are there in our family?”

Youngho and his friends’ families from Zeynep Farm in Baku were visiting the autonomous state. As all men did not budge from the Arirang Autonomous State, the rest of the families came to visit them on the car ferry that went back and forth between Baku and Atyrau for transporting U.S. military supplies.

Although the friends spent the past two days serving their family by hunting wolves and babysitting, they were still sent to the river to catch fish for dinner. It was because Zeynep kept nagging knowing that the winter trout of the Ural River was the tastiest.

“I say this is enough for all.”

“You know how Zeynep is like. She likes any raw things and she’ll gulp them down. Now Jelyan is following her steps and she eats a lot of fish too. I need to feed them until they’re full, or else, Zeynep’s going to make another request. Man, she can be so annoying.”

Although Youngho made an excuse of Zeynep and Jelyan, he was catching more fish because he feared that fish would run out for drinking later.

The coldest time of the winter had passed already since it was early March but the coldness seemed to stay the same. Usually, it started to get warmer at the end of February as it turned to spring in Kazakhstan. When it became early May, the real spring would arrive where temperatures at night did not drop down below the freezing point.

A frozen waterway caught Youngho’s eyes as he returned home. The water would flow from spring to fall but the water would freeze up and cut out during the winter time. Given the situation, the Arirang Autonomous State was a place that could not survive without underground water. The amount of water would not be enough if the population grew in the future, so the state was focused on searching for new underground resources.

“I heard that precipitation was a lot lesser than last year since it didn’t snow a lot this year. I’m concerned about it. It’d be great if we can get a water bomb or something.”

“We still have a long while until the spring comes. The wet season has just begun.”

The wet season was about a month between February and March. Since the total precipitation was only about 200 millimeters a year, it was a very dry place.

“Isn’t there a way to draw in the river in the winter?”

“Why not. We can install an intake tower in the river and provide the water like tap water. The problem is that we need to bury water pipes but they’re quite pricey.”

“Hey! You should’ve told me that when we were building the waterway. Why are you telling it now?”

“Oh, come on. The waterway was necessary for farming. It was a mistake that we did not think of it being frozen during the winter.”

This was not a result of trial and error. It was the result of an insensitive construction that did not consider the natural environment. If the severe cold that could freeze the river and even the sea was taken into consideration, the waterway would have been insulated and covered from the open. It was lucky that the people had enough underground water resource for now.

“Phew. I don’t think covering the waterway is going to work in this cold.”

“Let’s leave it as is and when the spring comes, we should bury pipes to connect the river to the reservoir of the residential towns. We don’t know when the underground water would be exhausted.”

Youngho sighed but the cold and the deserted environment were not even surprising now. Arirang Autonomous State was a place where another problem arose when one was resolved. If one could survive in such a place, he could survive in any other place.

“If only trees and grass can grow, this summer will be much better. I should focus on improving the land this year.”

The reason for the severe weather condition in the semi-deserted land was that it lacked plants such as trees and grass. Because of that, the bare land was exposed and moisture was evaporated from it. This caused a huge temperature difference between the day and night. The high-pressure belt was formed due to the increase of solar energy reflectivity, which led to the bad cycle of not raining.

The only measure for the weather problem was to plant trees. If the poplars that people planted last year could grow as expected, they would block winds and evaporation, and daily temperature would decrease. If grass would grow in between the trees, it would be the cherry on top.

As Youngho was thinking about the potential change of the farm, he could not help to smirk.

“Man, this place is driving you insane. We should really visit the hospital when it opens.”

Not minding what Jong-il was saying, Youngho was still happy to think about the green autonomous state.

“I’m going to plant millions of poplar this year.”

“Alright, man. I’ll help you this year.”

Seeing that his friend was determined, Jong-il gave in and promised to help him.

***

Long-waited group of people finally came to the Arirang Autonomous State.

They were the first medical team and their families for the new hospital. The first group consisted of five doctors and nine nurses. They informed the state that the second group and third group that would arrive in monthly intervals had seven more doctors and twenty-five people of nurses, pharmacists, and dental hygienists.

The medical team was a group of people who left their old life to come to a remote place in Kazakhstan. They must be dedicated people with a noble sense of duty. The residents welcomed the medical team joyfully the same way they welcomed Fatima, their Archduchess.

Dr. Kim Dong-sung and his team looked around the newly remodeled hospital with smiles on their faces.

“Mr. Lee. I’m impressed by how the facilities turned out.”

“Well, I had a lot of help.”

It was only possible because H Corporation had provided most of the medical devices in order to earn Youngho’s favor. The hospital was equipped with cutting-edge digital equipment and medical devices that it could be compared to any huge general hospital. The only things that the autonomous state prepared were ambulances, medical vehicles, and some disposable supplies.

***

People expected that the hospital would be full of patients once it was opened, but it was rather quiet, except for some serious patients. It was partly because not all of the departments were opened yet, but it was majorly because the residents tried to refrain from using the hospital. They did not want to crowd into the building and bother the doctors, especially when they survived without seeing doctors for years now.

They wanted to give time for the medical team to get used to living in Kazakhstan for now. The medical state here was so poor that many people would have to risk their lives for appendicitis. It was because doctors in Kazakhstan were paid the same as other laborers.

Since the public treated doctors’ job the same as other labors with a socialistic way of thinking, people did not try to study hard to become doctors, and the quality of medical services had been getting poorer day by day. Since doctors were rare in remote regions where nomads mostly lived, the survival rate of newborn babies was at the worst.

The next day, Youngho met up with Doctor Kim Dong-sung for a cup of tea.

“Mr. Lee. The number of medical personnel who decided to come here is very limited. So, I’d like to educate and train some people. Could you help me?”

Youngho was extremely glad to hear that. The elite group of doctors was going to teach young people in the state.

“What should I do to help? I’ll get you whatever you need.”

“It’d be great if you could gather teenagers who wish to become a doctor or a nurse. I can probably teach them in empty rooms in the hospital.”

“Would it be helpful if I build a medical education institution right next to the hospital? I’m suggesting because there might be many kids who’d volunteer.”

“The hospital facility is pretty big enough. The medical study can’t be done only with one’s will, but I’ll have to see the volunteers’ talents as well. I’d like to meet the volunteers ahead.”

“Very well, Dr. Kim. Please tell me or the commissioner if you need anything regarding the education from now on. The population of the state will continue to grow and I’m willing to expand the medical facilities as necessary.”

“Mr. Lee. Do you have any idea how much do medical tools and materials cost?”

Not knowing Youngho’s financial ability, Dr. Kim seemed to be concerned. Youngho thought that he should make sure that the doctor did not feel uncomfortable for asking support.

“Doctor. I don’t have the exact number of the state’s total output now but my net profit from last year was only a little over 160 million.”

“…”

From the hotel business, the share of oilfield, and wine profits, Youngho raised a net profit of 60 million dollars a year. Adding the two tons of gold bars that were produced from gold mines, Youngho’s calculation was not badly off.

Kim Dong-sung was dumbfounded to hear such a high number from Youngho’s mouth.

“Haven’t I told you that there was an alluvial gold mine near here?”

“A, Alluvial gold, did you say?”

“When the weather gets better, we should all go together. I’ll let all of you take what you collect from there. The alluvial gold is all over the place, and you’d be able to collect about two grams. The mine’s not really worth the effort, so they’re just being neglected now.”

The mine was going to be exhausted in several years if it was collected, so it was just left alone as a symbolic mine.

“Are you sure that we can collect the precious gold?”

“The residents of the state sometimes went there for fun but now everyone’s got tired of it.”

“Wow, man. I’m so excited to hear about the mine. Can I tell this to my medical team?”

“Of course. The only fun in this place is gardening and going on fishing for trouts in the river. When they get bored, they can surely go to the mine to collect gold.”

“We can fish trouts too?!”

Judging by his excitement, Youngho could tell that Dr. Kim was a fisher.

“Yup. The river’s half water and half fish.”