Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 611
Episode 611: Opening of Heaven – Enthronement, and Preceding (4)
After seeing Angelo’s expression, Henrik and his party looked at the expressions of the other monks.
As soon as the word ‘Challenge’ came out, their faces were shining brightly and their eyes showed strong will.
“Huh…”
“Friar Giovanni. “What on earth is that challenge record?”
Brother Giovanni answered Giovanni’s question.
“It is a compilation of the many challenges we encountered while conducting research at the Institute and Area 51. And when the difficult problems are solved, the records are posted in the response log. The wish of those working at the research center and Area 51 is to have their names listed in the challenge log and response log. Because that is a symbol of being one step ahead of others. “Because if you don’t get ahead of others, you won’t be able to find the difficult problem or the answer.”
“What is Area 51 again?”
“It can be seen as a battle under the direct control of the crown prince. But it’s not just a workshop. Things that were expressed only as numbers and letters in the laboratory become real for everyone to see once they enter Area 51. “The iron horses and steam engines that the nobles rode on were all made in Area 51.”
At Giovanni’s answer, Henrik’s group’s eyes glowed with greed.
“If I say I want to inspect the place, can I go in?”
Angelo shook his head at Giovanni’s question.
“Area 51 is a place where even North Korean officials cannot enter without a permit.”
Henrik and the others could not hide their disappointment at Angelo’s answer. But Giovanni, who could not give up easily, continued to ask questions.
“Then can I get the record of the challenge and the record of the response?”
“It’s impossible. When a new difficult problem is registered in the challenge log or response log, relevant information is posted on the bulletin board. All we can see is a list of challenges. If you look at the list and request an item of a difficult problem you want to study, the officials who manage the challenge log and response log will transcribe only that part and bring it to you. “There are very few people who have seen the original copies of Jeonjeonrok and Eungjeonrok.”
“Wouldn’t the Challenge Record be complete if we collected all those copied items?”
“Who requested what and what was copied is all recorded. “Such petty tricks don’t work.”
“Whoa~.”
Giovanni, frustrated by the continued negative answers, let out a long sigh.
Giovanni, who emptied his glass several times to soothe his stomach, asked Angelo again.
“Are you sure you won’t come back to Florence?”
“I already gave you the answer to that, right?”
“That’s right. Phew~.”
Giovanni sighed again at Angelo’s answer.
‘It might be possible if we borrow the power of the Vatican. But the moment they return, all kinds of wild cats will flock from everywhere. Even now, there are wildcats like that right next to me.’
Henry and Mehmet II, who were sitting right next to each other, were also looking at the monks with eyes full of greed.
And Mehmet II bared his teeth.
“Then let me make a proposition. If returning to Italy is a problem, how about coming to me? If there are any necessary facilities or personnel, I will provide all support. We need a research center and Area 51? I’ll build it just like that. If he wants wealth and women, he will give them all. You just have to do your research, just like you did here. There is only one condition I ask for. To break the law. Of course, I’m not saying you should give up your faith. Just take off your monkish skin. Since you’re not a monk, can’t you escape the shackles of missionary work? Then didn’t you break the promise you made to the prince of Joseon? “How is it?”
After hearing Mehmet II’s proposal, Henrik and Giovanni looked at Mehmed II with eyes full of surprise and worry.
They were surprised that such an unconventional offer was made in their presence and that the research center and Area 51 would be built as is, and they were worried that the monks might fall for the conditions.
“How is it?”
Angelo asked Mehmed II when he was waiting for him.
“Can you really support everything?”
“I promise in the name of Allah.”
“Can you give me 30 years?”
Mehmet II, who paused for a moment in response to Angelo’s question, nodded with a stern expression.
“30 years… I’ll wait for you.”
“No, I’m not talking about the next 30 years, but the past 30 years.”
“Are you kidding me now!”
Mehmet II shouted, but Angelo answered with a calm face.
“I heard that it has already been nearly 30 years since the Prince of Joseon established the research institute and Area 51. Could you please support all the knowledge and technology accumulated at the research institute and Area 51 during that time, as well as the scholars and artisans who studied it? As we sit here now, we only know part of what has accumulated. However, what you want from us is all that has been accumulated over that long period of time.”
“Ah…”
At Angelo’s answer, Mehmet II looked as if he had been struck. But he did not back down easily.
‘We must get our hands on them! Otherwise, we will continue to be taken to Joseon in the future!’
“Wouldn’t you get some results just by yourself? No, if necessary, I will give you all my support so that Koreans who can help you can also move together. Just say it! “If need be, I’ll even give you enough gold to fill the entire room I’m sitting in right now!”
“If you are a Korean who can help, you need the Joseon royal family or the first prince of Joseon. “He is the one who founded and led the research institute and Area 51, and almost 80% of the difficult problems in the list of challenges came from his comments.”
Mehmed II shook his head in response to Angelo’s answer.
“It’s a complete rejection. “What about the others?”
I asked the question with a faint hope that something might happen, but the expressions on the young monks’ faces were the same as Angelo’s.
Henry and his group, seeing the expressions on the monks’ faces, had to wave the white flag.
* * *
“I think you’ve taken care of everything, so I’ll leave.”
Soon after, the monks left Giru. The expressions on the faces of the monks leaving the garrison and Henry and his party who saw them off were not very good.
In the case of the monks, it was an unpleasant situation because it was not a simple place of subordination, but a place of blatant appeasement, and Henrique and his party felt uncomfortable not only because of the monks’ strong wealth, but also because they felt like they had seen a glimpse of Joseon’s hidden power.
Upon returning from seeing the monks off, Henry emptied his glass and sighed.
“Whoa~. “I’m afraid they might be monks, so I’m being stubborn…”
Giovanni shook his head at Henrique’s words.
“There are some things that are tedious, but isn’t there a place where you can study comfortably like here?”
Henrik nodded at Giovanni’s point, and Mehmet II scratched his head.
“I hope you leave out Islam.”
Henrik and Giovanni snorted at Mehmet II’s words.
“joy! “Do you think we don’t have ears to hear?”
As Henry and Giovanni said, Islamic science during this period was in a state of great decline. In the early days of Islamic civilization, learning and science flourished as various cultures such as Persia, India, Greece and Rome mixed. However, as time passed and the Islamic monoculture became fixed, diversity and openness were lost, which led to a decline in academics and science.
Thanks to this, the level of science in Islamic countries is now low compared to Europe.
After exchanging blows with each other, Henrik and his group continued to complain while sharing drinks.
“Joseon’s current monopoly is not a good situation.”
“I agree. But there is no clear answer. “There is an answer…”
“There is an answer. “If we send overseas students…”
Henrik, who was referring to ‘international students,’ stopped talking and shook his head.
“That won’t work. “There will be an uproar from the Vatican right now.”
“It’s the same with Islam. The imams will be in an uproar…”
Mehmed II continued to complain, and the companions emptied their glasses one after another.
It was Giovanni who came to the conclusion.
“In the end, the only answer is to win this war.”
“Victory is the answer?”
“After we win the war and obtain a passage, we must lay a railroad or a waterway so that those fools can see the true colors of Joseon. So we must make them realize that they are in the same situation as the barbarians who encountered the Roman Empire. Only then can we block nonsense that says it is heresy or not.”
“I see…”
“I guess that’s the correct answer.”
They were three people who came to the conclusion that ‘victory is the only solution.’
* * *
Meanwhile, the conversation between the three men and the monks was relayed to King Sejong and Hyang through the translator’s eavesdropping.
“What do you think?”
In response to King Sejong’s question, the eyes and ears of the ministers focused on Hyang.
After thinking for a while, Hyang soon told Sejong her thoughts.
“If they win the war, we will have to accept international students.”
“International students?”
“yes.”
In response to Hyang’s answer, Hwang Hee asked carefully.
“If we do something wrong, the essence of the lab and Area 51 could escape.”
“Even if it’s not that high of a level, we have to share it to a certain extent.”
“What is the reason?”
In response to Sejong’s question, Hyang explained the reason.
“They are keenly aware that our country is ahead and are trying to catch up. But as things stand now, it’s a long way off. If this continues, it will bring about jealousy, and this jealousy will bring about hatred. “Since ancient times, there has been nothing more foolish than increasing the number of enemies in a country’s diplomacy, right?”
‘Like any country that claimed to be a great power in the 21st century.’
Sejong nodded at Hyang’s words, but did not forget to point out the problem.
“But no matter how much you stop it, the essence can escape.”
“I think that part needs to be adjusted appropriately. Because we need competition. “Intoxication leads to arrogance, and arrogance leads to pride, and pride leads to regression.”
“Are you intentionally trying to create competition? “Wouldn’t it be too dangerous?”
“There are already two competitors. Why? In that case, we need to create a situation where many people compete. If we do that, it is a good move because not only can we take a way to help each other, but it can also continue to stimulate us.”
‘If you do it wrong, you could end up in the Galapagos. That should be avoided.’
“Hmm….”
King Sejong was lost in thought at Hyang’s explanation, and Hwang Hee came forward and raised a counterargument.
“What the Crown Prince said is truly beautiful, but it is too idealistic. What the Crown Prince said now is not a story that will take place 10 to 20 years in the future, but a story that spans at least 100 to 200 years. “If our future generations do not know the Crown Prince’s intentions, they will suffer great disaster.”
Hyang responded firmly to Hwang Hee’s point.
“Of course it could be so. However, even if you are willing to take such risks, competition is essential. The cruelty of history is that if you do not look at your surroundings and constantly train yourself, your country will eventually fall. In this ruthless, winner-takes-all world, shouldn’t we do everything we can to ensure that Joseon, or the Korean Empire, survives? That way, you won’t hear people criticizing your ancestors later, right? Rather, we should say it this way. “There are officers and clerks there.”
“yes?”
Hyang, who had called the officers and masters, spoke at once.
“Write down exactly what I said. ‘We did our best for future generations. If you do something wrong, it’s not our fault because you’re stupid.’”
At Hyang’s unconventional words, the officers and Juseo all looked at King Sejong.
It was the duty of the magistrates and magistrates to record everything that was said here and there without leaving out a single word, but what Hyang said just now crossed the line.
King Sejong, who received silent questions from the officers and governors, answered with his hand on his forehead.
“Write it down as is.”
In accordance with King Sejong’s orders, the officials and state officials diligently made fun of Geumpil.