Master Smith Under Ministry of National Defense

Master Smith Under Ministry of National Defense

162 – Mother-in-Law

After successfully negotiating the transition of Awakener clans worldwide to private ownership in a meeting held in a US military tent in the Grand Canyon, Myung-jun waited for the Shadow Hawk to return at the Liberator in the Pacific. Although he could have taken a transport plane provided by the US military, the Shadow Hawk’s route via the Liberator would get him back to Japan a few hours faster.

During his extended stay in the US, Myung-jun met with Soo-jeong and her mother, Director Lee Jung-hee. Besides President Biden’s request for assistance, Director Lee was also one of the individuals who had sent a plea for help to the Liberal Clan through Soo-jeong.

Despite his busy schedule, Myung-jun made time to meet Director Lee, as it would have been impolite to leave the US without meeting someone who was almost certainly his future mother-in-law.

“I apologize for the unsuitable setting for a formal meeting,” Director Lee said, sipping coffee in the military tent where the meeting had been held.

Soo-jeong, who was sitting across from her mother with her arm linked with Myung-jun’s, replied, “Well, our first meeting wasn’t much different. Myung-jun won’t mind. And honestly, you didn’t contact me just for a formal meeting, did you?”

“That’s true.”

Watching the two women converse in a mix of casual and business-like tones, Myung-jun sensed a unique dynamic between them. Despite spending a lot of time with Soo-jeong, he had never seen her have a personal phone call with her mother. In fact, Soo-jeong rarely communicated with her mother unless there was something specific to discuss, even on special occasions like holidays or birthdays.

This didn’t mean that Soo-jeong had a poor relationship with her mother. Both women simply found personal calls inefficient and chose not to make them. Yet, the atmosphere between them now was surprisingly warm and intimate, belying their usual lack of personal communication.

Their relationship was one of mutual respect and affection, without the need for frequent personal conversations—a unique dynamic that was hard to understand from an outsider’s perspective. At this moment, the two were engaged in what seemed like a verbal sparring match, trying to get what they needed from each other.

“Did you come all the way to the US to see me empty-handed? Usually, people bring gifts,” Director Lee teased.

“Most mothers prefer cash gifts,” Soo-jeong retorted.

“Ah, but I’m different from other mothers. I prefer something tangible.”

“Should I buy you a luxury handbag?”

“If that luxury handbag has the Liberal Clan logo on it, I’d be thrilled. Even more so if it contains a USB with the mainframe design for the Striker series.”

“Wow, aren’t you asking for too much? You know that design was specially given to the Japanese government in exchange for leasing land in Liberty City.”

“If it’s too burdensome to give it for free, I can buy it. How much do you want?”

“About 500 trillion dollars should do it.”

“No family discount?”

“That already includes the employee and family discounts.”

The playful yet serious exchange continued, highlighting the unique bond between Soo-jeong and her mother. Myung-jun watched with a smile, appreciating the rare moment of familial interaction amid the high-stakes discussions about the future of humanity’s gate strategy.

When her strategy of subtly demanding the Striker blueprints from her only daughter didn’t work, Director Lee Jung-hee decided to target someone who couldn’t outright refuse her request—her ‘future son-in-law.’

“Cha Seo-bang,” she called out.

Myung-jun, hearing the unfamiliar term for the first time, choked on his coffee and coughed. Wiping his mouth with a tissue, he responded, “Cha Seo-bang?”

“Well, you’re my future son-in-law, so I should call you that. Isn’t that how sons-in-law are addressed in Korea?”

“Should I call you Mother-in-law, then?”

“Just call me Mother. If you’re my daughter’s husband, you’re like a son to me.”

“I’ll call you whatever you prefer, Mother.”

“Oh, ho ho! It feels like I’ve gained an unexpected son! And such a tall and handsome one at that. So, Cha Seo-bang.”

“Yes, please go ahead.”

“I heard you announced in the meeting that you’d be releasing the blueprints for Striker weapons and add-ons. Is there anything for me?”

Myung-jun mimicked Soo-jeong’s earlier tone, “Should I buy you a luxury handbag?”

“Will it come with a USB containing the Striker blueprints?”

“Sorry, but that’s not possible.”

“Che. You’re too much for my only son-in-law.”

Myung-jun pondered. While he couldn’t give her the Striker blueprints, he felt he should offer some kind of gift. Seeing his thoughtful expression, Soo-jeong whispered in his ear.

‘You don’t have to worry too much. My mom is always like this.’

‘But I do want to give her something. I owe her a lot.’

‘Then do something for me instead. Don’t worry about her.’

“Hey, I can hear you. That’s too much,” Director Lee interjected.

Caught between the two women, Myung-jun couldn’t help but smile wryly. He then addressed Director Lee, who was playfully demanding a gift.

“I can’t give you the mainframe blueprints for the Striker, as they’re tied up in a contract with the Japanese government. But…”

“But?”

Myung-jun considered his options. Most of the items produced by the Liberal Clan incorporated Soo-jeong’s designs. He wanted to give a meaningful gift that showcased his own abilities, especially to Soo-jeong’s mother, who had always supported him. Finally, he made an offer that exceeded her expectations.

“If there’s a specific part you need, I can make it for you.”

“A specific part? What do you mean?”

Soo-jeong, understanding his intention, smiled and explained to her mother, “He means if you need a part that’s physically impossible to create, Myung-jun will make it for you. For example, if you need a part that’s thirty times stronger than titanium but as light as plastic, he’ll make it and give it to you.”

Director Lee was astonished by Soo-jeong’s explanation. If what Myung-jun said was true, she could complete numerous pieces of equipment that had been abandoned due to the lack of suitable materials. She stood up abruptly, her face filled with excitement.

“What are the material properties? How many can you make? Is there a limit on the quantity?”

Myung-jun smiled, appreciating her enthusiasm. “There are no limits on the material properties. As for quantity, I can make as many as you need, within reason.”

Director Lee’s eyes sparkled with possibilities. “Then I have a list of parts I’ve been unable to create due to material limitations. If you can make those, it would be invaluable.”

“Consider it done,” Myung-jun replied confidently.

The meeting ended on a high note, with Director Lee eagerly planning the parts she needed. Myung-jun’s offer not only strengthened his bond with Soo-jeong’s mother but also showcased his unique capabilities, further solidifying his role in the ongoing efforts to tackle the gate crisis.

“While I can create most desired properties, there are limitations. For example, it’s impossible to enhance both flammability and non-flammability simultaneously, as they are opposing traits. Similarly, making something both extremely hard and flexible is not feasible.”

“So, you can’t enhance opposing properties at the same time? Understood. What are the limits?”

“The limits depend on the original properties of the material. For instance, increasing the elasticity of a rubber band is easy, but giving that property to glass is extremely difficult.”

“So, it’s easier to modify the properties of an item that already has the desired attributes. Got it. What are the limits?”

“The enhancement limits also vary based on the material’s original properties. For example, enhancing titanium by ten times is relatively easy, but the difficulty increases exponentially beyond that. Considering my current abilities, I can enhance the strength of titanium up to about fifty times. It’s possible to go beyond that, but the efficiency drops drastically.”

“Hmm… So, you’re saying not to ask for parts with unrealistic specifications? Okay. How many can you make? As you know, a single piece of Striker equipment contains thousands of components, and having just one won’t suffice.”

“I’ll make as many as needed to create one piece of equipment.”

“One?”

“As you mentioned, a single piece of equipment contains thousands of components. Among them, there will be dozens that cannot be made with existing materials.”

Myung-jun added a condition: the requested parts would be provided only in quantities sufficient to create one piece of equipment, and the design plans for the equipment must be submitted beforehand. This was to prevent anyone from gathering critical parts from multiple pieces of equipment and claiming they were for a single item.

Director Lee pouted, realizing that Myung-jun had anticipated and blocked the very trick she had considered. However, she also knew that even with this condition, the offer was an incredibly generous gift. Smiling, she looked at Soo-jeong.

“What a waste. If my boyfriend had such abilities, I would have proposed immediately.”

“Sorry, but I’ve already claimed him, so give up.”

“Should I quit DARPA and join the Liberal Clan?”

“You’re always welcome if you join under me.”

“I’ll consider it if the US government collapses.”

Director Lee laughed heartily, then suddenly turned serious and addressed Myung-jun.

“Given the current situation, that seems quite likely.”

“Why do you think so?” Myung-jun asked, matching her serious tone.

Director Lee shared her suspicions, which she had not even reported to the President, keeping them to herself until now.

“The appearance of gates, the actions of the Liberal Clan, the overflows in Brazil and the Pacific, the increasing speed and frequency of gate grade rises, and the sudden adjustment of gate difficulty—all these factors combined lead to one conclusion: someone is toying with Earth.”

Myung-jun and Soo-jeong remained silent, but their expressions confirmed Director Lee’s suspicions. She realized that her daughter and her boyfriend were aiming to confront this mysterious ‘someone’ to save humanity.

In a voice barely audible outside the tent, Director Lee spoke to the two.

“From here on, you don’t need to answer. I’ll keep this to myself. Just shake your head if my assumptions or your information are incorrect. If the question is too difficult to answer, blink twice.”

Director Lee spoke, watching Myung-jun intently. It was less of a question and more of her organizing her thoughts aloud.

“The existence of beings and abilities that completely disregard the physical laws of our universe suggests that these powers likely come from outside our universe. Somewhere unknown to us, there must be transcendent beings sending these monsters to Earth. The ‘Awakening abilities’ humans use might also be powers borrowed from an outer universe.”

Her hypothesis was straightforward. A god-like entity, beyond human comprehension, was breaching the walls between universes and sending otherworldly beings to Earth. This entity was observing humanity’s response to these threats, much like watching a game character grow.

Myung-jun listened without moving, as her deductions were mostly accurate. There was no need to shake his head. However, her final question forced him to blink.

Her sharp question hit the core of the current situation, touching on the still-secret D-DAY.

“I believe that in the not-too-distant future, there will be a massive explosion of gates beyond humanity’s ability to handle. It will be like the climax of a game, where all the Awakeners must unite to face a colossal world event. And I think you two already know that day isn’t far off.”

Seeing Myung-jun blink, indicating he couldn’t answer, Director Lee sighed deeply. She then spoke to her daughter and her boyfriend, who were preparing to face this immense threat.

“Ah… It always seems to go towards the worst-case scenario. You two do what you believe is right. I’ll make my own preparations.”