Empire of the Ring

-We’re almost done, but we won’t be able to make it until August. It’s not like we are building a sailboat.

When Youngho asked Szechenyi in Denmark to complete the multi-purpose landing ship early, he complained.

“Why don’t you work around the clock?”

-The Labor union may protest. There are no large companies in Denmark that require overtime work. Labor allowance is not an issue, but people avoid working at night. Danish workers think it is more important to spend the evening with their family than money.

“Kazakh workers would work night shifts if they’re paid more. I’ll have to send some senior shipyard workers to work on it then.”

-We need to understand European workers who value home and quality of life. Please let the workers here finish up because the quality may be poor if workers change. You know there is a saying, ‘go around when you are more urgent.’

“Alright. I can’t help it then. Encourage them to hurry up instead.”

-Hyeong, what’s the rush for? If you have a nuclear submarine, you would be fine.

“India and China will soon have a conflict in the Indian Ocean. We have to intervene because we are India’s ally, but if we deploy a nuclear submarine, we’ll have the potential to go to war. A multi-purpose landing ship capable of operating attack helicopters is needed.

-No military alliance has to intervene in disputes outside the mainland.

“I’m just preparing for a rainy day.”

The Indian naval base on the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean was being used together, so there was a high chance that the Kazakh Navy would get caught up in the conflict. There were no facilities for the Kazakh navy yet, but the navy had been making frequent visits there.

-We’ll need a hospital ship if there’s a battle.

“Right. How far has the construction progressed?”

-The hospital ship can be launched in August. It’s now being equipped with various medical equipment. Because Zeynep continued to request different things, it is getting delayed.

“Do whatever Zeynep wants if you don’t want to hear a lecture later on. Looks like we’ve got a rough list of doctors for the hospital ship.”

-It’s getting delayed because the medical staff is asking for all kinds of facilities. They think of a hospital ship as a hotel.

“They have to work long hours as civilians, not soldiers. We have to understand that. I’m sure Zeynep had promised to offer all sorts of things.”

-Anyway, we’ll encourage workers to save as much time as possible.

“If they can shorten the period, they’ll get a special bonus. Wouldn’t Danish workers be greedy if there was a prize?”

-I think honor is more important than money for them, so it would be better for you to come and cheer them up.

“Wouldn’t it be better if Princess Isabella or the Queen of Denmark visited them?”

-Oh! You’re right. I don’t want to ask the Queen, so I’ll have to ask Isabella. I’ll have to rely on the workers’ chivalry spirit.

Youngho would restrict crude oil exports to China when the Pamir Plateau border issue was resolved.

China, which would have no choice but to bring in more crude oil from the Middle East, would try to create more bases in the Indian Ocean.

A clash with India, which was nervous about China’s advance into the Indian Ocean, was almost inevitable.

It was unlikely that there would be any immediate problems within this year, but considering the time it took for force integration and test operation, it should be hurried.

The reason for the hurried launch of the multi-purpose landing ship was not only because it could be equipped with attack helicopters but also with a 300-ton submarine built in the Royal Shipyard in the royal territory.

Some might say what kind of power a small diesel submarine could exert, but if unlucky, even the Aegis destroyer, called the shield of God, could be sunk by a humble submarine.

If a small diesel submarine appeared in the area where a multi-purpose landing ship was seen, the Chinese navy would be immensely pressured not knowing when and where a torpedo would fly in. Then the soldiers’ fatigue would be extreme.

***

Youngho, who finished talking to Szechenyi, called Zeynep to his office.

These days, Zeynep was taking nursing lessons at the Royal College, not studying to act as a professional nurse, but learning medical fundamentals to operate her hospital ship efficiently.

“Did you call me?”

“I just spoke to Szeechenyi, and he complained about the frequent design changes of the ship.”

“Dear! Why does he complain about a few more amenities? He told you about it? He’s such a little boy.”

“They finished up the interior, but because of your changes, it has to be torn apart again. It’s costing me double.”

“I asked for a nurse’s lounge in a place with a good view from the start, but he got rid of it to install a goalkeeper or something. I would’ve let it go if that was it, but what’s the point of having bedrooms that can keep platoon soldiers for days? I don’t know why we have to arm a hospital ship.”

Zeynep was pouring her complaint out like a shotgun.

“There should be a minimal defense system on the hospital ship. That’s nothing. I’m also thinking of deploying a frigate and a supply ship to escort the hospital ship.”

“Oh, my! The destroyer follows the hospital ship?”

“Yes, it’s all because of you, so don’t add a word.”

Hearing that it was all arranged for her safety, the ends of Zeynep’s mouth were raised. Her mood suddenly changed.

“Oh, my. How burdensome.”

“And the hospital ship will be traveling to the areas of conflict. Of course, you should have troops to guard the medical staff when you stay there. Nurses will love it if young soldiers work together with them on a hospital ship.”

“Hohoho… Most of the nurses are single, so I’m sure they won’t hate it.”

“How’s your nursing study going?”

“It’s so much fun. I should have majored in it from the beginning.”

“I’m glad to hear that. I hope you stay on that path.”

“Hohoho… What if I win the Nobel Peace Prize for this? Shall we go to Somalia as the first pilot project?”

Youngho freaked out to hear the word Somalia.

Pirates roamed the sea and the land was still a mess due to the civil war.

“That’s never an option. Do you know what that place is like? Somalia is the place that the Doctors Without Borders gave up. If you’re going to try it out, go to Madagascar Island. Then I’ll give you full support.”

“Really? I just randomly said Somalia. Hehe…”

It seemed Youngho was caught in Zeynep’s trick.

Surprised by the word Somalia, he suggested Madagascar as an alternative, so now he should really send her there.

There was a Seychelles archipelago just above Madagascar, so sending her there was not too much of a burden.

“Our naval base will be established in the Seychelles, so you can do the volunteer work with peace of mind.”

“I heard about it. Then I’ll start the volunteer work from there.”

“That’s a good idea. The Seychelles government will love to hear about it.”

“Oh, I’m suddenly getting busy. The medical staff hasn’t filled in yet.”

“Don’t be forced to hire them from the outside. Look for applicants at the Royal General Hospital. We’ll even have a competition if we give them navigation allowances and special work bonuses.”

“Should I? I’ll have to ask the hospital director.”

***

The crew of the multi-purpose landing ship was already on a landing drill.

In the midst of this, the troops were stirred up by the mention of combat troops to board the hospital ship.

The 20,000-ton hospital ship had up to 300 beds of hospital rooms, all kinds of amenities, plus an environment of more than 100 nurses.

As most of the nurses were women, young soldiers were excited.

The competition was bound to be fierce because only one platoon had a chance.

Cho Chul-hwan was shaking his head over a special squad to be sent to a hospital ship.

“Man, they are lining up to volunteer to board the hospital ship.”

“They can take turns and get on board one platoon at a time.”

“They have to be on board for at least six months to get used to the ship, so they’re complaining that they will never get their turn.”

“Aren’t they mistaking a hospital ship for a cruise ship?”

“There’s nothing strange to think it’s a cruise ship. It’s like a flower bed.”

“Why are they making a fuss? There are so many pretty Kurdish girls in the royal territory.”

“I’m sure they’re tired of daily training at the royal territory.”

It was only natural that soldiers trained every day.

However, the training intensity of the Royal Bodyguards was different.

Recently, they were even undergoing parachute training, and they were being reborn as an asymmetrical force in name and reality.

A great stir was brewing when Zeynep recruited nurses to work on the hospital ship

If the soldiers were dreaming of playing in the flower bed, the unmarried nurses at the royal hospital were dreaming of traveling abroad.

Dr. Kim Dong-sung jokingly complained, saying that the hospital’s work was almost paralyzed.

“Princess Zeynep has made a fuss about getting on the hospital ship, and everyone wants to board it. I’m afraid that they won’t be able to focus on patients. We need to hurry up and close the recruitment.”

“I’m sorry to have made you worried. Don’t tell me it’s because of the high allowance.”

“They are already getting a good salary here. They support the idea of traveling abroad.”

“Did you tell them they’d be going to hotter and more dangerous places than here?”

“It’s still going abroad. When I said it’s an island on the continent of Africa, and it looks like they think it’s safari.”

“Hahaha…”

“By the way, I’m telling you this because I think you should know about it too, but there will be a conflict in the Indian Ocean soon. China and India are bound to bump into each other.”

“…”

“We plan to limit oil exports once the border issue in the Pamir Plateau is resolved. I’m saving oil resources for future generations. That means China has to increase its imports of Middle East crude oil, and eventually, India and China will have to fight for supremacy in the Indian Ocean.”

“Then Madagascar and Seychelles must be in danger, too.”

“The Arabian Sea and the Maldives would be dangerous, and the rest of the waters will have minimal impact.”

It was highly likely that the conflict would occur in the Gulf of Aden or the Arabian Sea as they were main routes for tankers.

As China was also building a naval base in Pakistan, chances were low that it would come to a distant ocean.

This was because the U.S. Navy was lurking in the Indian Ocean.

“There’s an Indian naval base on a Seychelle Island, but it’s not going to be affected?”

“Even if there were combat situations, it would happen at sea. So, it’d be great if you could let the medical staff know about the situation in the Indian Ocean.”

“Then I don’t think there will be any volunteers.”

“You should also let them know that we have a nuclear submarine. Unless they’re out of their minds, there won’t be any soldiers who will attack the hospital ship, and let them also know that there is also a frigate ship escorting the hospital ship.”

“You mean a destroyer?”

“We can guarantee the safety of the hospital ship because we’ve got enough force to defeat decent-sized enemies.”