Empire of the Ring

Youngho grinned as he checked the sugar content of his grapes. The grapes were not ripened yet but it seemed that they would reach their best sweetness level in fifteen days. Even now, they were not sour to eat but sweet. It was all because of the abnormal heat this year.

Due to the high heat level, the Azerbaijani government extended schools' summer break, so the reservoir on the farm was still full of kids playing in the water. Youngho opened the grape trees around the reservoir for the visitors so that they could pick the fruit freely. The trees that the kids touched turned ugly. It was because they did not pick the whole vine but picked grapes to eat. Every kid who came to the farm left with a full stomach. Some kids who had too much would have to use the bathroom for the entire night. To those kids, playing on Zeynep Farm would be a great memory of their childhoods, and they would naturally be the future customers of the Zeynep Farm wines.

Karajan gave birth to a boy five days earlier than her due date. Overjoyed, Jongil bragged about his son to anyone walking on the farm.

Sangchun's father made a golden string and hung it at the door of Jongil's house, then the farm family took a family photo in front of the house. Karajan's mom came to the farm to take care of the mother and the baby.

However, the busiest people on the farm were Fatima and Zeynep. Excited to have another baby, they popped up everywhere where the babies were. They seemed to babysit Insoo's baby in his house but they showed up out of nowhere when Jongil's baby needed to take a bath. They wonderfully loved to babysit.

Jongil's house was not too far apart from the management building, so Youngho's family could hear the baby's cry from inside. Then, Fatima and Zeynep hurriedly went over to the house to see what was going on. Youngho asked why they were so busy.

"Phew, oppa. It's because the baby is so cute. I feel thrilled when the baby grabs my finger."

Zeynep answered him and Fatima also added her answer.

"Well, just because. I feel calm when I see a baby."

Sangchun's father who overheard their conversation interrupted.

"It's because it's time for her, she wants to have a baby. Why don't you come up with some names now?"

Fatima blushed in embarrassment.

To celebrate the new lives born on the farm, the farm family threw a small party. Youngho invited the Charles farm's North Korean defector family, so that they could naturally get along with each other. Ilkwon's fiance's family still looked awkward and nervous around new people but they had gotten a lot more comfortable compared to the beginning.

The noticeable change was their appearance. They've gained some weight on their body and their eyes did not look insecure anymore. Most of all, they now replied to people when they were spoken to. It was a dramatic change since they never opened their mouth in the beginning because they were scared of being disadvantaged if they spoke wrongly.

It was great to see them restoring peace in mind due to their secured life on the Charles farm.

Kim Ilkwon's little sister, Kim Sungryung, would soon be in charge of accountancy as soon as the grape cultivation period ends. Now Youngho wanted to give another job to Ilkown since he thought that he would be a great contact person for the oil drillship. Ilkwon spoke Russian fluently, he could easily talk to the oil technicians.

Youngho needed to go to the oil exploration field once a week but these days it was even difficult for him to go there even for once in two weeks due to his busy schedule. He could not tell Sergey to get another person since he was the one who said he would be in charge. The employees would work harder when the owner was round, so Youngho wanted Ilkwon to be there as his replacement, since Ilkwon did a great job as a director of the Charles farm.

The workers in the exploration field of District six had not found any oil yet although they had been drilling for a while. In order to find out the cause, a director should closely investigate the field for days. Because the workers were drilling under the sea, it was difficult to check if they were doing the job properly. The workers could have been slacking off and had reported that they had drilled deep enough as instructed. Even if their report was false, there was nothing Youngho could do but to believe them. One thing that was obvious was that the workers working in the stratum of the field of District six should have found oil by now.

The workers did not care about the length of time, since they were getting paid as long as they were working. As the time passed, it was only the company that was losing money. That was why Kim Ilkwon was needed in District six to watch over the whole exploration process.

***

Eriksson contacted Youngho. He said that his agency was paying him a million dollars for the recent job in Chechnya.

"Mr. Lee, are you disappointed by the amount less than expected?"

"No, not at all. I'm embarrassed to receive this much because it's too much."

Youngho felt like he hit a jackpot but he did not show his excitement.

"If the terrorists attack the pipeline as they planned, you'll receive additional payment. Let's wait and see."

Youngho was not sure why they would be paying so much for selling such information that did not seem like a huge deal. He was also curious about who the buyer was.

"Then I can't take that money. I belong to an organization that is against terror attacks. It doesn't seem right for me to make money over this kind of matter."

"Our agency thinks highly of your abilities. Please give me your bank account information."

When Youngho checked his account the next day, a million dollars was surely transferred overnight. He wanted to share this to Jongil and Insoo but it was obvious that they would be asking the source of the large amount. He could not say that he had a deal with an information agency since his friends had no idea and he could not say it was from the CIA since the intelligence agency would not pay this much commission for a mission.

So, Youngho just told them that the American international corporation gave extra commission for saving its employee in Chechnya. Receiving the money, Jongil joked that Eriksson was bribing them since he offered a job after their retirement. Since the money equaled to a yearly salary, it was no wonder why Jongil was excited.

"Youngho, why don't we make a bodyguard company for the American international corporation? Man, this company is rich."

"I'd make a company if I had more rings and leather shoes but don't you think it's too dangerous to work with them without the relics?"

"Hey, if we contact junior comrades to come here, I'm sure they won't need any power of the relics. Most of them work in personal bodyguard companies in Korea, they're underpaid as well. Don't you think they'd like it here a hundred times more than working in Korea?"

Jongil's idea was brilliant.

Since the members of the U.D.T, a Korean Navy Special Forces unit, were all managed by U.D.T. Union, they could easily find twenty to thirty comrades from there.

"How many do you think would speak English?"

"Man, we can just pick fast learners with a swift body. We didn't speak English fluently when we first came here, don't you remember?"

Jongil was right. Because the job was physically oriented, it was more important for new recruits to have a fast body rather than to have great language skills. The language would naturally come in time.

"Youngho, you'll need security guards for the warehouse complex in Vladivostok. We can create positions for our junior comrades too instead of hiring strangers."

Jongil had just suggested the key hint for the security business. Once they started the business, there would have more than enough jobs to do. If their company consisted of human weapons trained in the Korean Navy's Special Forces, they would soon be a unique and reliable security company.

"Jongil, can you go to Sevan tomorrow and ask about the process of establishing a security service company?"

"I knew you'd take my idea. Jeez, why am I so smart these days?"

Jongil was complimenting himself.

"Man, I've got to admit. You are better than me sometimes."

Because of Eriksson, Jongil could come up with an idea of establishing a security service company. Youngho was excited about the idea since he could help his UDT comrades from Korea. Even though they were harshly trained, high-skilled resources, they were only paid thirty million to forty million won a year and had to work day and night for security companies in Korea. If Youngho offered sixty million won of annual income and provided them with lodging and meals, they would love to come to Baku. Not to mention, they would receive special commissions according to the level of danger for each security service request.

Youngho could not help to smile since he would be able to help his comrades. There would be a lot of jobs to do for the security company. As of now, guards were needed for the oil drillship at the exploration field and the storage warehouse complex would need security guards soon once the business is open too. Youngho could use a few for Zeynep Farm and the Charles farm. Also, Baku's wealthy people would also be attracted to the security service company consisting of guards from Korean Special Forces.

Jongil came back from meeting Sevan was exuberated.

"Sevan said it's an outstanding idea and he's going to introduce potential customers to us. I've got to call the U.D.T. Union* right away."

"Jongil, give Chulhwan and Sangtaek a heads up too. They might feel bad if they hear it from other comrades. It'd be great if they can work for us too."

"Okay, I will. I didn't like them working in a clothing store like a girl anyway. Why don't we call all of their families here?"

"No way. You think their wives will want to come? Well, if they'd work for us, we can make a branch in Yerevan or Tbilisi for them."

"Ha! We might be able to reunite as a team again."

"You've got to certainly make calls to the smart ones first. You know we won't be able to guard for the American international corporation by ourselves as CIA agents. We need some guards for the business."

"Alright. I know two juniors in the UDT unit and if I can get a hold of them, tons of other guys will follow them."

The permission of establishment of the security service company was issued quickly since it was processed in the Main Police Department. Cha Insoo became the representation of the company. Youngho opened the new company's office in the downtown of Baku, nearby the Chunho Merchant's office. After several email exchanges with the U.D.T. Union in Korea, Youngho received more than a hundred applications. He realized that they had made things bigger.

Previously, Youngho and the gang had agreed on hiring only ten guards for the beginning but there were too many good talents that they ended up hiring twenty recruits. After days of picking and choosing good applicants, they now had thirty left for an interview. Youngho, Jongil, and Insoo were now sitting in front of laptops, all dressed in suits. It was the day for the remote video interview. Although Insoo could go to Korea to interview the applicants, they decided to do the remote interview since Jongil insisted that they have to pick people whom they unanimously agreed on.

"My junior comrades! I'm just going to say it comfortably since we're all from the same unit. I'm not trying to be rude, so please understand."

All of the junior comrades gathered in the U.D.T. Union office in Korea replied to Youngho.

"Yes, sir!"

"Great. First, I'm going to interview Kim Hyungseok. Please come forward."

The video interview lasted almost three hours. Some applicants made everybody laugh with their wits, everyone was different and unique.

They were young men only aged about twenty-five to twenty-seven. They could feel the young comrades' energy and liveliness. They were all nervous but excited about working in their seniors' security company overseas.

Among the thirty who had been chosen for the interview, they had to pick only twenty. Since all of the applicants were great resources, the friends announced that they would be hiring the ones who were not hired today when the company hires additional recruits. Although not everyone was hired today, they were tentatively all hired. Youngho loved them so much that he wanted to hire all of them once the company gets bigger.

When the interview was over, the friends heard their junior comrades shouting from the office in the U.D.T. office through their speakers. Although they were young and enthusiastic, they were having a hard time finding jobs for themselves in the highly competitive Korean society.

*U.D.T. Union- A group consists of former members of 'Underwater Demolition Team' of Korean Navy Special Forces unit. Youngho, Jongil, Insoo, Chulhwan, and Sangtaek belonged to the group when they were Navy soldiers in Korea.