CH43 | MCT

Meeting the Bedouins (2)

Tae-soo turned his head, looking for Song Jin-gu.

Under the shade of a palm tree, Song Jin-gu was sprawled out, legs stretched, muttering curses nonstop.

"Is that the car Elder sent?"

"How the hell should I know?! This is my first time in the Middle East too!"

Song Jin-gu snapped irritably, then suddenly froze.

Realizing his mistake, he shot up from the ground and shouted,

"I’ll go check! Hold on a sec!"

He bolted toward the sun-scorched road, hurrying toward the approaching vehicle.

The jeep slowed to a stop as its driver spotted Song Jin-gu.

A muffled exchange followed.

Then, Song Jin-gu turned back toward them, raising both hands high to form a large circle.

"Looks like it’s the right one. Hold on."

"Huh? Oh—wait!"

As Tae-soo sprang to his feet, Song Chang-jun hastily followed.

"Uh, wait, what about the translation…?"

Meanwhile, Song Jin-gu was struggling to unload several large trunks from the jeep, grunting as he did.

"Elder said he got everything you asked for! Sent more than enough, so don’t worry about running out!"

Tae-soo turned to Song Chang-jun with a grin.

"Let’s load these into the car. That okay?"

"Of course. I’ll bring the truck over."

Vroom. Screech.

Without hesitation, Song Chang-jun pulled up a truck-style jeep.

People quickly transferred the cargo onto the vehicle.

"Everything’s loaded."

Tae-soo turned to the driver who had delivered the goods.

"Make sure the next vehicle arrives directly at the agreed location."

"Got it."

The man, sent by Jang Mal-dong, gave an "OK" sign with his fingers.

Song Chang-jun edged closer and asked in a hushed tone,

"What exactly is all this? Those trunks looked pretty big—and there were quite a few."

"Supplies for my meeting with the Bedouins. Shall we head out?"

"Are we going to the hotel?"

"No, there's somewhere else I need to stop by first."

"Ah, another appointment?"

Tae-soo smiled.

"Not exactly. But before starting construction, I need to check the site. That’s essential."

He then made a polite request.

"Please take me to the road Samwon Construction was building."

"Understood."

"The heavy equipment being delivered should also arrive there. Could you coordinate that as well?"

"Of course."

Song Chang-jun relayed the instructions to an accompanying Foreign Ministry staff member.

Then, gesturing toward the vehicle, he invited Tae-soo to get in.

"You seem to be in a hurry. I'll brief you on the situation while we drive."

"Sounds good. Thanks."

Tae-soo liked the way he handled things—efficient and to the point. It was no surprise he was the ambassador’s trusted aide.

Vroom.

As the car pulled away, Song Chang-jun began his report.

"First, the construction status. Less than 30% of the work has been completed. After a conflict broke out among the Bedouins, the Samwon Construction site turned into a battleground overnight. Construction has been halted for months since then."

There was something Tae-soo had to ask.

"Why did the fighting break out at the construction site of all places?"

"There are two possible reasons. The first is geographical. The road is being built on flat terrain with wide visibility. It also happens to be equidistant from two rival tribes."

In other words, the perfect battleground.

"And the second reason?"

"Territorial disputes among the desert tribes. They weren’t too pleased with Samwon Construction operating there. Clashes, big and small, kept occurring."

"Like what, for example?"

"They've refused to supply drinking water due to drought, demanded money for various reasons, and even picked fights with the workers."

Most of those were minor issues—things that could happen anywhere, even in Korea.

But one thing stood out: their refusal to provide drinking water.

That was precisely why Tae-soo had arranged for a tanker filled with water.

"Samwon Construction must have been in serious trouble."

"Completely overwhelmed. Construction progress slowed to a crawl, and workers kept deserting due to the lack of drinking water. When the fighting broke out, they all scattered without looking back."

Tae-soo could picture the scene without even being there.

"The desert tribes have been pushing Samwon Construction around. Their confidence needs to be broken at least once to keep things running smoothly."

He asked, "How did the Bedouins end up fighting?"

Song Chang-jun sighed.

"It all started with a severe drought."

"The nomadic population here is about 5% of the total. Most of them are semi-nomadic, meaning they’ve settled to some extent. Unlike in the past, they can’t just move around freely in search of water. Instead, they build villages around wells."

"So when the drought hit, their wells dried up?"

"Exactly. And something this extreme is rare—it’s an unprecedented drought."

That explained why Samwon Construction hadn’t accounted for such a crisis.

"With most small wells drying up, the fight erupted over the largest, deepest one."

"In the desert, water is life."

"The clashes led to heavy casualties. Eventually, it became a matter of pride—a battle for survival. At this point, it’s more of a prolonged feud than anything else."

It was common for conflicts rooted in practical needs to escalate into emotional, pride-driven wars.

"As the fighting dragged on, resources dwindled. Now, instead of guns and explosives, they’re resorting to melee weapons like swords and axes."

Tae-soo nodded.

"Do the tribes have any distinct characteristics?"

"Not particularly. The Harkonnen tribe has secured the contested well and is focusing on defense. Meanwhile, the Corrino tribe has taken control of a rocky area that gives them an advantage in raids. They rely on ambushes and hit-and-run tactics to steal supplies."

A tribe resorting to raids on a well—it was obvious why.

"The Corrino must be desperate for water."

"They’re surviving off a small spring in the rocky terrain, but it's barely enough. Their raids have been getting more frequent."

That explained why the two tribes had been locked in such an intense struggle.

"What are the main sources of income for each tribe?"

"They don’t have anything you’d call a proper industry. They raise livestock for food, sell byproducts like cheese and liquor, and weave baskets or carpets to make a living."

"So, they’re poor tribes with little economic development."

Internally, Tae-soo was pleased.

"This might go even smoother than I thought. Given their financial situation, the Bedouin tribes will have a hard time refusing my proposal."

The overall circumstances were far more favorable than expected.

"That’s true for most semi-nomadic groups, but these two tribes are different. They send skilled warriors to work as mercenaries and bodyguards, bringing in money that way."

"Are you saying a handful of warriors support the entire tribe?"

Song Chang-jun nodded.

"Apparently, a significant number of desert warriors work as mercenaries. And those who stay behind are among the most formidable fighters in the country. The Saudi royal family, in particular, favors them."

"The Saudi royal family?"

"They value loyalty above all else. These warriors are not only highly skilled but also fiercely devoted. That’s why they often serve as elite royal guards."

Song Chang-jun let out a sigh.

"This explains why the Bedouins wield more influence than their small numbers would suggest. Even the Saudi royal family finds it difficult to ignore the requests of their elite guards."

Now it all made sense.

"So that's why the Saudi royal family unofficially issued a directive over something as minor as a delayed road project."

There were multiple layers to this situation:

To protect the reputation of the Saudi prince sponsoring Samwon Construction.

To prevent diplomatic friction caused by Samwon Construction getting caught in the Bedouin conflict.

To encourage outside intervention that could put an end to the fighting.

To honor the requests of the elite royal guards, many of whom came from these tribes.

With a deep rumble, the jeep came to a halt.

Screeech.

Before them lay an unfinished road, half-buried in the vast desert landscape.

"We’re here. This site has been abandoned for quite some time. Looks like the Bedouins took anything of value."

Tae-soo nodded as he stepped out of the vehicle.

From the military transport truck trailing behind them, several men climbed down.

Scanning their surroundings, one of them clicked his tongue.

"This is a mess."

"What a mess."

Everyone seemed to share the same sentiment.

Tae-soo glanced around and spoke.

"You said the Bedouin tribes are settled on either side of this road?"

"That rocky ridge over there belongs to the Corino tribe, and the other side is Harkonnen territory."

"How far apart are they?"

"Hmm... around two kilometers? I’m not exactly sure."

"So, not too far apart."

Tae-soo signaled for his men to unload the trunks from the vehicle. Then, he turned to Song Chang-jun.

"Secretary Song, I’m going to need your help with something."

"What do you need?"

"I’d like to prepare a large banner. Could you introduce me to someone fluent in the local script?"

"Actually, I have a decent grasp of the language myself."

That was reassuring.

"So you want something written in the local script?"

"Yes, and I want it to be bilingual—both in English and the local language."

Song Chang-jun frowned in confusion.

"What exactly are you planning to do?"

"Advertising."

"…What?"

Song Chang-jun tilted his head, completely puzzled.

"What are you trying to sell to the Bedouins? What kind of advertisement is this?"

Without answering, Tae-soo pulled out a notepad and pen from his pocket and quickly jotted something down.

Then, he tore out the page and handed it to Song Chang-jun.

• We are beginning well construction for the Bedouin tribes.

• Let’s build deep, expansive wells to end drought worries.

• We will install water channels so that every home can access water conveniently.

Road Construction Supervisor: Kang Tae-soo, Taeyang Construction, Republic of Korea

Song Chang-jun’s eyes widened.

"You're planning to build wells and water channels? Weren’t you sent here for road construction?"

"We did come here for road construction."

Tae-soo remained calm.

"But given the local circumstances, we can’t avoid building wells and water channels as well."

Song Chang-jun frowned in concern.

"Why take on such a time-consuming and costly project? The road construction deadline is already tight as it is."

"To speed up construction. This is the only way we can finish on time."

That didn’t make sense.

"Even if we focus solely on the road, meeting the deadline will be difficult."

Too much time had already been wasted by Samwon Construction.

"Which is exactly why this is necessary. We’re already pressed for time—we can’t afford to also deal with resistance from the Bedouins. We need their full cooperation."

That explanation only raised more questions.

Wouldn’t stirring things up in a conflict zone make them more likely to be attacked rather than just facing resistance?

"Can you explain further?"

"You’ll see soon enough. The Bedouins will come once they see this. For now, let’s focus on the work at hand."

Song Chang-jun nodded.

Writing a few words wasn’t exactly a difficult task.

"Will this fabric do?"

He gestured toward a large roll of white cloth—traditional desert fabric that had been prepared in advance.

Tae-soo examined it and nodded.

"It’s perfect."

"Alright then, let’s get this banner made."

The workers who had accompanied Tae-soo swiftly opened the trunk and took out the necessary materials—black paint, brushes, and poles for support.

They were quick and efficient, likely due to their background in sign-making before switching to contract work.

"This one’s done."

"Over here too."

In no time, the banner was ready, fluttering in the desert wind like a flag.

"Not bad at all."

"Looks quite convincing."

"Feels kind of strange, though."

Tae-soo turned back to Song Chang-jun.

"About the heavy equipment we sent ahead—how long will it take to get here?"

"The port isn’t too far. It shouldn’t take long."

"So, they’ll be arriving soon?"

"Most likely. I’ve already sent someone to confirm."

Good.

Tae-soo gave a satisfied nod.

Just then, a cloud of dust rose in the distance.

A group of riders was approaching fast.

"The Bedouins, I presume?"

"Looks like a scouting party."

The hardened desert warriors rode up with stern expressions, their eyes sharp and wary.

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