CH47 | MCT

The Scorching Desert Night (2)

Song Chang-jun let out a small sigh of admiration.

‘He anticipated all of this… Incredible. No wonder the big shots pulled strings to back him. Not only is he meticulous in his preparations, but he doesn’t rush in recklessly. He’s experienced.’

A young man, yet he had solved the problem so effortlessly.

‘The Foreign Ministry and the Saudi royal family have been struggling with this for months, and he settles it like it’s nothing. He didn’t just tip the seesaw—he shattered the fulcrum entirely. Who would’ve thought ending the water crisis would also end the war?’

Astonishing.

The Foreign Ministry had been under intense pressure from the Saudi royal family for months.

That’s why Tae-soo’s skill felt even more remarkable.

‘Who even comes up with the idea of transporting water on an oil tanker? It must have been his idea, right?’

Water was more valuable than gold here.

And when it came to water, people would do anything.

‘Thanks to him, the ambassador is going to be puffing out his chest in front of the Saudi royals. Probably clearing his throat dramatically, too.’

His heart raced.

‘I need to report this to the Foreign Ministry immediately. Months of stress—gone in an instant.’

The banquet was set to take place in Harkonnen Village—all because of one simple request from Tae-soo:

"I want to see the site where the well will be built."

The village buzzed with excitement.

Women and elders happily carried trays of food.

[It’s been so long since we’ve had a feast this grand.]
[It’s all thanks to that guest. He brought all this food himself.]
[Not just that—he arrived on an enormous ship, carrying enough water to last us for months!]

Children, their bellies full for the first time in ages, ran around in high spirits, clutching food in their hands.

[I wish every day was like today.]
[The cookies with jam were the best!]
[You didn’t get any candy, did you? My mom gave me some~]

It was a joyous gathering.

Around the bonfires, people ate, laughed, and celebrated.

[More meat, anyone?]
[Over here! I need bread too! And some eggs and jam!]
[More soup, please! Oh, and some fruit and fish!]

The tribe’s poets and musicians played the oud (the ancestor of the lute) and the rabab (a violin-like instrument), reciting epic poems and singing songs.

The most beloved themes? War and love.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

Drums pounded as beautiful dancers moved in rhythm with the music.

Among them, one sword dancer stood out.

She was breathtakingly beautiful—so much so that every man watching was left speechless.

Her sensual curves, her intense gaze—it was impossible to look away.

For some reason, Tae-soo felt their eyes meeting—again and again.

"Must be my imagination."

The dancer, dressed in traditional attire, moved closer, her every step radiating allure.

It was a dance of courtship.

[Take this.]

A delicate fragrance lingered in the air.

Tae-soo absentmindedly took the ribbon the dancer offered him.

Immediately, whistles erupted from all around.

He looked around, bewildered.

[Why is everyone whistling?]

The chieftain let out a hearty laugh.

[It seems the dancer has taken a liking to you. By accepting her ribbon, you have accepted her feelings.]

Tae-soo froze, unsure of what to do with the ribbon now.

[Ah… I had no idea.]
[If you discard it now, the dancer will be deeply embarrassed. Just keep it with you. I will speak to her.]
[That would be best. Thank you.]

Tae-soo sat with the tribal leaders, enjoying the feast.

The chieftain leaned over and asked:

[That was a traditional desert dance. What did you think?]
[It was beautiful.]
[Wasn’t it? Absolutely stunning. And to think—you even received a ribbon from such a woman! Ha ha ha!]
[Are you going to keep teasing me?]

The Bedouin leaders roared with laughter, clearly enjoying themselves.

They, too, had filled their bellies for the first time in ages.

With both body and mind at ease, the conversation flowed effortlessly.

Tae-soo took the opportunity to steer the discussion toward the future.

[There’s a lot of work ahead. We should discuss what comes next.]

The leaders welcomed the topic with open arms.

After all, this was about the village’s well.

[Honored guest, you said the well construction would begin tomorrow?]
[That’s right. The sooner we start, the better. Heavy equipment will be brought in.]
[That is wonderful news. Thanks to you, we no longer have to fear drought. Ha ha ha!]

Their faces lit up with joy.

None of them had any idea what was coming next.

To them, a well was just a simple thing.

[To transport water from the tanker, we will also need to install a separate waterway. Of course, I will assist with that.]

A waterway, too?

The tribal leaders were ecstatic.

[That makes sense. There’s too much water for trucks alone to carry it all.]
[Ha! Imagine that! Too much water is our problem now. We are truly grateful.]
[Once we have all that water, we can last until the rainy season without worry! Ha ha ha!]

The mood was celebratory.

But Tae-soo brought up one last concern.

[We have the heavy equipment, but we are short on manpower.]

Of course.

The leaders simply laughed.

[That is no issue. We will help. This is our water—we must work for it.]
[Thanks to you, the fighting has stopped. We will mobilize our desert warriors as laborers.]
[The well, the waterway—it all benefits our village. We will do our part.]

Tae-soo finally felt relieved.

[That is excellent. If you are willing to help, I am truly grateful. In return, I will cover the cost of all heavy equipment and fuel.]

Of course, he had already squeezed every bit of machinery out of Han Cheong-ho.

This was the Middle East’s largest oil-producing country.

Oil prices were practically free.

Tae-soo felt relieved.

[We are grateful for your help, honored guest. We will also lend our hands to your work.]
[The well and the waterway are for our village. We should be the ones thanking you.]
[We all know how expensive it is to rent heavy machinery and pay for fuel. In return, we will help with your road construction—until it is fully completed.]

That was a generous offer.

‘The Bedouin warriors… they’re strong and tireless.’

These were desert warriors, a people known for their strength and endurance.

They could work from sunrise to sunset without exhaustion.

Even though they had never done this kind of labor before, Tae-soo had no doubt they would adapt quickly.

‘There aren’t enough Korean workers willing to come to the Middle East yet. For now, I’ll have to rely on local manpower.’

The Middle Eastern construction boom had not yet begun, making it difficult to recruit Korean laborers.

But in exchange, Tae-soo had found even stronger local workers.

‘They’re locals, so they won’t get sick from the climate or struggle with the water. This is perfect.’

What was heatstroke to a desert warrior? They laughed at such things.

What was stomach trouble from drinking bad water? To them, water was so scarce that even dirty water was a luxury.

Tae-soo wasn’t finished yet.

[But if the waterway is exposed, won’t other tribes steal the water? The drought has made everyone desperate.]

At his words, the leaders stiffened.

‘That’s right. Everyone is suffering from water shortages.’

The Bedouin weren’t the only ones fighting over water.

[Who would dare steal our water?!]
[This is the lifeblood of our people. We will defend it with our lives.]
[Our warriors will stand guard day and night to protect the supply.]

Tae-soo shook his head.

[It would be foolish to waste your valuable warriors on guarding a waterway. The drought will last for months. Will you really have them stand watch the entire time?]

The leaders sighed.

[Then what do we do?]
[We can’t just let our water be stolen.]
[People will be desperate enough to risk their lives for it.]

Tae-soo had planted the problem in their minds. Now, he would offer the solution.

[There’s another way to protect the waterway.]
[What way?]
[We cover it—seal it off completely so no one can easily dig it up.]

The leaders leaned forward in interest.

[Like what?]

[A road. If we lay down a concrete road over the waterway, no one will be able to steal the water. And your warriors won’t have to guard it.]

The leaders slapped their knees in approval.

[That’s a brilliant idea!]
[That would save us months of standing watch! A little extra effort for road construction is well worth it.]
[We actually needed roads anyway—to bring goods from the harbor. This kills two birds with one stone.]

They all nodded in agreement.

Tae-soo asked once more:

[If that is your decision, then I will also help with the road construction.]

The leaders gasped in surprise.

[If you truly do that, we will consider you a lifelong benefactor of our tribe.]
[We are not people who forget kindness. If there is anything you need, just say the word.]

Laying down a road wasn’t as expensive as it seemed.

The coastal shores nearby were full of high-quality sand and gravel.

And now, the water issue was solved.

That left just one problem.

Cement.

[Helping with the road construction isn’t a problem for me. We have heavy machinery. However, to lay a concrete road, we need cement.]

That was a real problem.

The Bedouin leaders rubbed their temples, deep in thought.

[Where are we supposed to buy that much cement all at once?]
[Building a road requires a massive amount of cement. It won’t be cheap...]

Tae-soo raised a hand and pointed toward the Mo'adib limestone quarry.

[Fortunately, we have a limestone deposit right there.]

It was the very place where the Korino tribe had settled.

[I intend to develop the quarry into a limestone mine and build a cement factory.]

The Bedouin leaders gasped.

This was a proposal they had never even considered.

[You want to turn Mo'adib into a limestone mine?]
[A cement factory?]

Tae-soo nodded firmly.

[I own and operate limestone quarries and cement factories in Korea. I’ve brought experts with me.]

He gestured toward his team, who were enjoying their meal while watching the dancer’s performance.

[These are my people. Among them are mineral exploration specialists, quarry maintenance engineers, and cement production experts.]

Then, he spoke cautiously.

[I wish to complete the road by establishing a limestone mine and a cement factory. I hope for your understanding.]

Now, they understood his hesitation.

The tribal chief smiled warmly.

[You’re worried we’ll resent you for taking our land, aren’t you? But we understand. To build a road, cement is necessary. If we can obtain materials right here, we must take advantage of it.]

The leaders nodded in agreement.

[You are providing all the money, equipment, and expertise. That alone makes it your right.]
[If this is what you want, we fully support it.]

The chief then added:

[I will personally go to the government office and arrange for official documentation. The land will be granted in your name.]

Tae-soo shook his head.

[It can remain under the Bedouin name. I only ask for full access to the quarry and cement plant until the road is completed.]

The chief dismissed the concern.

[No, honored guest. Do not refuse. This is both your right and our wish.]

His expression turned solemn as he continued:

[I will ensure we secure approval from the Saudi royal family. Even if they oppose it, I will find a way to secure your rights for at least ten or twenty years. No matter what it takes, I will make this happen.]

Tae-soo bowed deeply.

[I sincerely thank you.]

But despite their generosity, guilt gnawed at him.

Finally, he spoke again, this time with hesitation.

[There is one more thing I must tell you.]

[What is it?]

This time, Tae-soo pointed toward the harbor.

[The oil tanker carrying water can only remain docked for two weeks. It must leave soon to deliver oil to Bahrain.]

The Bedouin leaders’ faces turned pale.

Urgency struck them like a thunderclap.

Tae-soo’s words hung in the air like a storm cloud.

[That means…?]

Tae-soo nodded gravely.

[Yes, it means we must hurry—urgently.]

His tone held deep regret.

[If we don’t act fast, the oil tanker filled with water will leave for Bahrain. That’s why I’m pushing to speed up the construction.]

Disaster loomed.

The Bedouin leaders felt their mouths run dry. Cold sweat trickled down their backs.

[So, in just two weeks, we must lay the aqueduct, build the road, dig the wells, and produce cement?]

[Can we do it? If we fail, that precious water will be gone forever.]

[No! We can’t let that water slip away.]

Thud!

The Bedouin leaders sprang to their feet, rushing toward their tribespeople.

[Emergency! This is an emergency! Stop the feast at once and listen to us!]
[Construction begins at dawn—everyone, prepare immediately!]

A sudden crisis had erupted.

Tae-soo absentmindedly ran his fingers over the golden business card in his pocket.

“It’s time to use this.”