Empire of the Ring

“Director Min. Do you think you can remodel yurts in a modern way?”

“What are you planning to use them for?”

“I’d like to start a nomadic life experience tourist business.”

“Are you going to install them in the newly formed grassland?”

“I think that’d be a perfect spot.”

“Then I think they should experience the real nomadic life.”

The authentic nomadic life experience would not appeal to people who were already adapted to convenient lifestyles. The inconvenience would quickly lose the target tourists.

“I can’t let them sleep on bare ground. We should at least have beds.”

“Well, that sounds interesting. I’ll think of a way to incorporate that without damaging the original form.”

When the coronation would be held, the Arirang Autonomous State would be on global news for a while through the avalanche of media coverage. To think about that, Youngho realized that the current hotel size would not be able to handle a huge number of broadcasting groups from all over the world.

“We need to build another hotel near the airfield.”

“…”

“The number of guest rooms we have is too small. I think we should at least have a hundred rooms. Could you start it as soon as possible?”

Director Min only blinked his eyes at Youngho’s sudden request. Although the state had been getting frequent foreign visitors lately, a hotel with 40 rooms was more than enough for now.

“Did you say a hundred rooms? Mr. Lee, the construction cost won’t be small.”

“That’s the minimum number of rooms, director Min. You would have to build a strong foundation and basic structure because we might have to expand the hotel in the future.”

It was not wise to build a huge hotel just to receive a temporary rush of guests for an event. Youngho only thought that the current hotel was too small that a new hotel was needed anyway in the future.

If the rooms were short, the car ferry could be moored at the wharf and used as an alternative lodging facility. The ship had a lot of rooms for guests since it had thirty two-people cabins, twenty four-people, and six-people cabins respectively, and a few large-group cabins as well.

The car ferry was not fully equipped like luxury cruise ships but it could be compared to regular cruise ships.

“I will finish the building before the coronation day. If the framework and windows can be completed by the late fall, we’d be able to do interior work during the winter.”

“You won’t need to rush it. We have an alternative measure, so please don’t worry about that.”

Just like Kim Chun, Nikolaevich Min was someone who would go through fire and water in order to achieve a goal, so Youngho had to draw the line for him ahead of time, or he would make workers work at night too.

“The residents of the state are now experienced workers and a building with a hundred rooms is not a piece of cake for them.”

“Please don’t mobilize the residents but hire expert laborers. They have a lot to do apart from this.”

Until now, all of the buildings were built with the help of the residents. They were experienced workers already. The reason that Youngho refused to use the residents for the hotel’s construction was that the hotel was not for them. He could not make them work for the commercial building. It was more so since the building was going to be built out of Youngho’s personal wish.

“There are hired laborers who are building the shipyard and it’ll take some time until they could be mobilized for the hotel construction. If residents are willing to earn some extra money, I’ll use them.”

“Okay, do as you want, director Min but please let it not interfere with the residents’ primary work.”

It seemed that the residents would somehow get pulled into the construction work since there were too many construction works that were happening now.

***

The work of building a shipyard near the river proceeded with ease.

It was not a difficult task to dig up the ground and making ferroconcrete walls shaped like a box, but the construction of sluice gate was an advanced level.

This was used for the occasions when there was a large vessel that needed to be fixed and when a ship was needed to be dragged on land in order to get repaired. If it was a small vessel, it could be carried by a crane.

“Il-kwon. Do we need to build a warehouse that big?”

“They said the mixer for glass fiber and reinforced plastics should be in the same room where vessel bodies are made.”

Il-kwon seemed to have studied a lot about shipbuilding. He was in charge of the shipyard now somehow. It might be the same in any organization but in Youngho’s organization, anyone who suggested a project first became in charge of that project until it was finished. Since there were not so many people in the leadership team, it happened frequently.

“I’m sure director Min will take care of it but the winds from the river are quite harsh that these kinds of buildings will get torn down easily.”

Youngho had to mention that since winds were scarier than earthquakes in Atyrau. Almaty, the largest city in the eastside of Kazakhstan suffered from a huge earthquake dozens of years ago. The whole city collapsed by the earthquake but thankfully the west side of the country near the Caspian coast was safe from earthquakes.

“So, with those materials, anything can be made?”

“Since the materials are sturdy and light, they don’t change when they’re once formed into something. They said that they could be molded into anything.”

Rather than buying a shipyard, Youngho had bought material technology. Light and sturdy fiber reinforced plastics, which could replace heavy and strong metals, could be made in any forms that it could be applied to daily living.

It could be used in bathtubs, water reservoir tanks, airplanes and cars, and even buildings. They did not rust and did not get caught in radars that they were perfect for military vessels.

Youngho was intrigued to buy the shipyard after hearing that the materials could be used in airplanes and vessels, and it was a great decision that everyone complimented him.

If one had the ability to design, anything could be made with them.

The only harm in producing the materials was that the fiberglass was harmful to the human body. It could be resolved with strict management and wearing high-quality safety gears.

“Can they make a vessel without a warehouse?”

“Since it doesn’t rain here, I think they can make it in the open.”

“Tell them to make a small passenger boat or some canoes to test it out.”

There were only a few fishing boats on the surface of the wide river, and there were none for teenagers’ entertainment. Youngho thought that it would be great for them to have canoes or rowing boats to play with.

The Ural River was an amazing natural environment, and it would be a great opportunity for the towns’ young teenagers to enjoy that.

The residents of the autonomous state used sea routes or sky routes to communicate with the outside. All of the traded goods were, of course, transported by the river.

Although there was an industrial road connected to Atyrau, the road was in poor condition and there were too many dangerous risks. It was because there were many highwaymen. Kim Chun was also shot by robbers on the road once, so traveling on land was avoided, unless it was a special case. Also, there was no reason to use the land route since ships could transport more people at once.

The only problem now was that moving the car ferry in the 3,000-ton class for only a few people or little amount of freight was not efficient. So, the sometimes patrol boats were used to transport people.

So, Youngho planned to make a small vessel for this purpose. With 150 marine technicians, a small passenger boat would be made in an instant.

***

The consortium of Korean construction industry finally decided to invest in building highways in Kazakhstan.

Considering Kazakhstan’s economic status, toll fees were set at the minimum level but instead, the consortium agreed on receiving mineral resources from the Kazakhstan government to cover the construction fee. The government was also happy to pay the Korean consortium with their resources which they had plenty of.

The deal was made because of Youngho’s effort but Koryoins’ existence was a huge help in the process. If Koryoins did not live in Kazakhstan, the government would not have viewed Korean corporations as positively as now.

They were thrown out of the Maritime Province in the 1930s and forcefully placed in here but they contributed to the Kazakh society as they worked hard and set a good role model to others as they focused on educating their children. They also did not forget to appreciate the Kazakh government for receiving them and helped the society as their own if there were any difficulties. Without their history in Kazakhstan, today’s business would have never happened.

As the two parties of the highway construction project achieved what they wanted, related people of the project were all invited to the banquet held in the presidential palace.

After the president’s warm welcoming speech, Korean businessmen and government officials began to drink together. Although Kazakhstan had mimicked Islam, it was in name only and there were no officials who would refuse to drink. Especially because their winter was harsh, they drank vodka as if it was water.

Likewise, Korean construction businessmen were also heavy drinkers, that there were even some drunken people for only thirty minutes after the banquet had begun. Youngho and Jong-il also joined them and began to pour down drinks.

As Youngho was in the middle of drinking, President Nazarbayev sought him.

“Mr. President. Have you been looking for me?”

“You need to stop drinking with those men and start getting along with politicians. How long would you stay satisfied with the autonomous state only?”

The president was still trying to make Youngho a politician.

Sick of corrupted politicians, he wanted a new face in politics. He also wanted to attract more foreign investment to the country through Youngho.

“I’ve decided not to meddle with politics. I’m only going to come to the presidential palace as long as you’re here but I’ll stop coming when you retire.”

“You know, if you become a politician, you’ll be able to attract much more businesses than what you have now.”

“Well, I bet I’ll get many enemies at the same time. Instead of making enemies inside, I’m planning to go abroad.”

“You only wish to maintain the autonomous state and stay as a businessman in Kazakhstan.”

“Yes, sir. I think that’s for the best.”

“I understand. That’s a less stressful decision. Politics is a real sick business.”

“As a businessman, there’s a high possibility that I’ll be biased as a politician. I didn’t think that would be a good idea for the autonomous state as well.”

“Very well. I’m not going to try to persuade you anymore but please do tell me when you change your mind.”

“Thank you for your consideration, sir.”

Kim Chun would be heartbroken to hear this but no matter how hard he thought, becoming a politician was like running into a burning fire.

“Well, that’s too bad. I thought politics would be more fun if I had you around.”

“Instead, I will step right in if I can be of help for national defense.”

The president already knew that the autonomous state had begun to build a light vessel in cooperation with the Navy. Although it was only at a planning stage, the Kazakh’s Department of Defense was exuberated to hear that.

“Of course. If Kazakhstan goes down, it means that the autonomous state goes down too. But I’m still discouraged. It’s a waste that we can’t use someone like you.”

It seemed that the president would force a position to him.

Youngho hated to refuse since the president had asked him multiple times now. Since there was a lot of businesses that Youngho was involved right now, the president would maybe try again in the next several years.

The only way to stop him was to declare the Republic of Arirang next year. The prince consort of the Archduchess would not be able to get involved in Kazakhstan’s politics. He should make it official somehow.