Chapter 89 – Coal Mine Accident (3)

“I am saying I will go inside the shaft!”

“Is this person in his right mind?! Are you crazy? Absolutely not! Where do you think you are going in? Are you dying to lose your life?”

Startled, the rescue chief waved his hands in horror.

But Kim Ji-hyuk’s gaze was too firm.

“Do I look like I am joking right now? Even at this very moment when I am bickering with you, Chief, the people inside are dying! I have no time to talk with you so leisurely!”

“Hmm, are you really going inside?”

“Yes. I am going in. No, I must go in!”

“Sigh, what a frustrating man. This is no different from suicide!”

“Is that why you and the members are hesitating, Chief? In the end, it sounds to me like you are giving up on the people inside.”

Kim Ji-hyuk glared sharply at Rescue Chief Hwang Eui-seong.

“Ah, fine. This is entirely the doctor’s choice. Do not blame me later!”

“That will not happen.”

“Good. Let us go.”

Rescue Chief Hwang Eui-seong crossed the line and entered the restricted area with Kim Ji-hyuk.

“Doctor, please read this.”

Rescue Chief Hwang Eui-seong handed Kim Ji-hyuk a booklet containing the rescue manual.

“Yes.”

“Since it is an urgent situation, I will speak briefly. Currently, the trapped miners are confirmed to be in the upward shaft, deep inside Shaft 3…”

Rescue Chief Hwang Eui-seong explained the location of the shaft, pointing at the layout map hanging on the rack with a baton.

“You go down about 110 meters on the gondola, move to the right at about 80 meters from the shaft entrance, and if you pass about 50 meters from there, you will reach the upward shaft of Shaft 3!”

“Please keep the explanation brief.”

Kim Ji-hyuk regretted wasting time.

“Ah, I understand. I suppose this much explanation is enough… First, we will tie a rope around you, Doctor, so if anything happens, pull it to send a signal. Then we will pull you up immediately!”

The rescue chief still wore an anxious look.

“Understood!”

It was right at that moment.

“Chief, I will also go inside the shaft with this gentleman!”

One of the rescue members raised his hand high.

“What? You are going in together? Yun Tae-ho! Are you out of your mind right now?”

“Yes. I am fully in my right mind! We cannot send the doctor in alone!”

“Is, is that true? Will you really be okay?”

“Yes. Of course I am fine. When even a civilian doctor shows such courage, how can I, a rescue member, just stand by and watch!”

Member Yun Tae-ho’s voice was resonant.

“Didn’t you get married last week?”

“Yes. That is correct!”

Member Yun Tae-ho answered energetically once again.

“Will it still be okay?”

“Yes. Even if I ask my bride, she will say I did the right thing!”

“Did you swallow a megaphone? I am not hard of hearing, so you can speak quietly!”

“Yes!”

“Sigh, you punk! A-alright. I brought this guy thinking he was smart, but he has a foolish side. Well, having someone like you around saves my face too! I grant permission!”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Member Yun Tae-ho smiled brightly and approached Kim Ji-hyuk.

“Doctor, let us go together! Both my father and grandfather earned their living from coal, so I know coal mines quite well. I will be of help!”

Member Yun Tae-ho looked energetic. He was the most trustworthy person among the few rescue members.

‘Going with this guy will definitely give a sense of stability!’

Kim Ji-hyuk had a look that showed he did not mind Yun Tae-ho’s proposal.

“Will you really be okay?”

“I may not look like much, but I am a rescue member. Besides, the coal mine is like my own backyard. It makes me a bit sad that you say that!”

*Hahaha—*

Member Yun Tae-ho’s hearty laugh was reassuring.

“Ah, yes! Then I will count on you.”

“Yes. I am ignorant about medical things, but I can certainly use my strength. Whatever you order me to do, I am confident I can do it well.”

“Thank you even just for saying so.”

“No need for thanks. Rather, I am more grateful!”

“Pardon?”

“Because of you, Doctor, I realized exactly what kind of job I do. I am ashamed of myself for momentarily forgetting my duty and hesitating. Doctor, thank you!”

Member Yun Tae-ho bowed deeply.

“…!”

“I want to be a husband my wife isn’t ashamed of. Even for the sake of our child who will be born in the future!”

“Yes! Good. Let us definitely rescue the people inside and escape safely!”

“Of course!”

Member Yun Tae-ho clenched both fists.

Having agreed, the two stood in front of the precarious and old gondola after receiving warnings from the rescue chief.

“You two, keep my words in mind from now on. The shaft entrance is extremely narrow. As the mine collapsed, the entrance will have become even narrower!”

“…”

“…”

*Gulp—*

Kim Ji-hyuk swallowed dry saliva. He had spoken confidently, but since he was also human, it was hard to shake off the wave of terror crashing over him.

“It is okay! We can do it, Doctor!”

It was Member Yun Tae-ho who instilled courage in Kim Ji-hyuk.

“First, the doctor will descend, and Member Yun will follow him! The doctor and Member Yun will be tied with a rope, and in case of an unexpected situation, either of you should pull the rope. Then I will definitely rescue you both!”

Seeing the two with such a strong sense of duty, the rescue chief’s heart seemed to be moved as well. Rescue Chief Hwang Eui-seong assured them with strength in his eyes.

“Thank you!”

“I sincerely urge you, do not overdo it if you face danger. Member Yun Tae-ho! Look after the doctor well!”

The rescue chief approached Member Yun Tae-ho and said in a low voice.

“Yes. I will enter with the doctor, rescue the people inside safely, and come out!”

“I am reminding you once more out of concern, Doctor! If a problem arises, you must come out immediately.”

Perhaps still anxious, Rescue Chief Hwang Eui-seong made the two promise firmly.

“Yes!”

“Doctor, also take this inside.”

The rescue chief handed his own transceiver to Kim Ji-hyuk.

“Isn’t this a transceiver?”

“Member Yun is carrying one too, but I am giving this to you just in case. It shouldn’t happen, but if by any chance you get isolated, radio us immediately. We will go to rescue you somehow!”

Hwang Eui-seong placed the transceiver in Kim Ji-hyuk’s hand.

“Yes. Thank you!”

“Now, Member Yun! Let us start the rescue operation!”

“Yes, Chief!”

*Clatter, clatter—*

The old manual gondola was slowly descending.

Thus, the rescue operation of the two began.

‘This won’t snap midway, right?’

First, Kim Ji-hyuk descended, entrusting his body to the precarious gondola cable, and Member Yun Tae-ho followed right behind him.

Kim Ji-hyuk and Yun Tae-ho descended in turn, hanging from the rattling gondola.

*Jolt—*

“Whoa, that scared me!”

When the gondola shook once on the way down, Kim Ji-hyuk gasped in surprise and grabbed the handle.

* * *

Near Moeundong, Munseon-gun.

Mirae Construction, bridge pier construction site.

“Manager Kim, did you hear the news?”

Mirae Construction CEO Jeong Sang-yeong asked site supervisor Kim Do-gyeong.

“Yes. I heard an accident happened at Moeundong Coal Mine.”

“Hmm… Isn’t the Okdong Mining Office a large-scale coal mine? The damage must be immense.”

“I suppose so. I hope there are few casualties.”

“Could there be victims among our employees’ families?”

Since Moeundong was just a stone’s throw away, President Jeong Sang-yeong thought there might be victims among the families of the employees.

“I am not sure. Since no contact has reached our side yet, fortunately, it seems there are no victi…”

It was right at that moment.

“Pr-president!”

An employee ran panting into the construction site.

“Chief Park, what is the matter?”

“Pr-president! News just arrived that Mr. Jang’s twin sons are trapped inside the collapsed shaft!”

“What?!”

Startled, Jeong Sang-yeong raised his voice.

“Yes. Jang Mun-seok…”

“I know him. Driver Jang! You mean Driver Jang’s sons are trapped in the shaft?”

“Yes, sir. Wh-what should we do?”

“What do you mean what? We must go to rescue them right now!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Jeong Sang-yeong stepped forward to rescue them.

“President! What are you talking about right now? How can we perform a rescue?”

“No! I was already thinking that we should go help. The rescue equipment there will be poor. The crane we have will be of great help!”

“No, you cannot! The construction schedule is already delayed, and raw material prices have soared, making it impossible to balance the budget! Isn’t that why we borrowed money by putting up your house and the auto repair shop as collateral? If we fail to meet the construction deadline in this situation… we might go bankrupt!”

Site supervisor Kim Do-gyeong opposed desperately.

“Then what about our employee’s family? And what about the people trapped in the shaft, despairing?”

“Well… anyway, don’t you know that if we take the crane, we won’t be able to carry out the construction?”

“People come first. Money can be earned again, but once a person is lost, they do not return. I do not want to do business that way. So, halt the construction for now, put all available personnel onto trucks, and send them to the accident scene! I will follow shortly.”

Jeong Sang-yeong seemed to have already made up his mind firmly.

“President! Could you please reconsider? This construction is a project on which our company’s survival depends. We must absolutely not fail…”

“No! In my dictionary, there may be trials, but there is no failure! Even if we cannot complete the construction, I must go. I have a duty to take care of my people!”

Kim Do-gyeong’s persuasion did not work at all.

“A-alright. I will make preparations.”

Knowing well that Jeong Sang-yeong would never bend his stubbornness once he made up his mind, Kim Do-gyeong could not persuade him any further.

“Time is of the essence in rescue operations! Move as quickly as possible. Ah! And contact the US military base in Munseon. They should have a water pump truck. It is an essential vehicle, so make sure to secure it. Colonel James should be able to help.”

“Hmm, understood!”

Thus, President Jeong Sang-yeong resolved to set aside his own work and assist in the rescue operation.

* * *

Inside the shaft.

The two descended about 100 meters on the rattling gondola.

“Phew, thank goodness!”

As soon as Kim Ji-hyuk stepped off the gondola, he let out a sigh of relief.

Pitch darkness with nothing visible!

The acrid smell of toxic gas irritated the tip of his nose.

Furthermore, water had risen to about the waist of an adult male before they knew it.

Relying on the light of the flashlight attached to the forehead of the gas mask he was wearing, Kim Ji-hyuk took cautious steps.

A moment later.

[Doctor, are you safe? Water has already risen a lot!]

Member Yun Tae-ho, who arrived in the shaft slightly later, radioed Kim Ji-hyuk.

“Yes. I am fine, over!”

[If you go about 80 meters from there, an upward fork will appear! Go there and wait. I will join you, over!]

“Yes. I will do that. Over!”

Having finished the radio call, Kim Ji-hyuk focused intensely and moved forward bit by bit.