Black Corporation: Joseon

The experiments using large kites to float in the sky ended with confirming its possibility.

The researchers and craftsmen who took on this task entered deep analysis with the experimental results.

“Control is indeed the problem…”

“We need to find a way to control it while suspended.”

The researchers and craftsmen again entered experiments with models to solve the situation where it spun around and crashed immediately after rising.

Meanwhile, the team members researching based on the sky lantern concept were also producing some results. However, they hit a wall in the process of theorizing their experimental results.

“But you know… about trapping hot air to float. Why is it only possible with hot air?”

The researchers racked their brains to create the most plausible theory – from a Neo-Confucian perspective – for this most fundamental question.

Won created the most plausible theory in this process. The massive amount of education received in the royal family proved useful after all.

-The world’s energy divides into yin and yang, with hot air belonging to yang. Looking at yang’s characteristics, it is light (輕) and active (活), with a tendency to rise upward (上昇).

When such yang energy is gathered in one place, that energy exerts great force.

The researchers and craftsmen all nodded at Won’s theory.

“Brilliant!”

“We think there couldn’t be a more precise answer!”

“Is that so?”

Thus Won’s theory was made into a report and submitted to Jeong In-ji and Lee Chun.

“Hard to raise any objections. Don’t you think?”

“Indeed.”

Finally, Jeong In-ji and Lee Chun submitted this report to Hyang.

After thoroughly reading Won’s report, Hyang smacked his lips.

“There’s so much I want to point out, but the problem is there are no words to replace them with.”

Though there were words and knowledge that could be substituted if he wanted to, with Joseon’s current level of knowledge, they would more likely not understand.

“This part will only be possible when the level of knowledge rises higher… I might be called an alien if I’m not careful.”

Hiding his regret, Hyang stamped his approval.

***

After establishing appropriate theory, the team members soon entered model production.

Starting with sky lanterns used in temple events, the team members gradually increased the size until they created quite a large paper pouch and had to solve a new problem.

-How to connect the section carrying people or cargo with the pouch containing hot air?

The first suggestion was to rim the pouch with iron or bamboo hoops and connect the boarding area with ropes tied to these hoops.

However, this immediately revealed problems when experiments began. The pouch tore at the points where rivets were used to fix the hoops.

Finally, after various attempts, they adopted a method of wrapping the pouch in a net made of sturdy rope and connecting the pouch to the boarding area with the net’s ropes.

Through such trial and error, the model grew to half the size of the planned full-scale device.

“Put in the brazier!”

“Yes!”

A large brazier went under the platform where the device named ‘Flying Sphere’ was placed. The highest quality charcoal burned white-hot in the brazier.

“Work the bellows!”

Bellows installed on both sides of the platform moved to blow air into the brazier, and heated air and smoke entered the pouch through pipes connected to holes in the platform and boarding area.

A device similar to what the Montgolfier brothers would create was made almost 300 years early.

Thump! Crackle!

“It’s floating! It’s floating!”

As the hot air trapped in the pouch began creating definite buoyancy, it started twitching and rising bit by bit.

“Release the ropes!”

When the ropes tying the Flying Sphere to the platform were released, it floated up gently.

“It’s up~!”

“It’s up! It’s floating!”

Watching the Flying Sphere rise into the sky, the researchers and team members shouted and hugged each other.

***

“Huh? Huh?”

“Oh dear?”

The researchers who had been shouting and celebrating soon turned serious at what followed.

“It’s going higher than expected?”

“It is? Oh! It’s moving!”

Since they hadn’t expected it to rise so high and so quickly, they hadn’t installed any device to anchor the Flying Sphere. But now the Flying Sphere that had risen into the sky began drifting along with the wind, dancing gently.

“Chase it! Chase it!”

“Bring horses! Horses!”

“No time to bring them! To the stables!”

The team members who ran to the stables hurriedly mounted horses and burst out of Area 51’s gates.

“Catch it~”

“Stop right there~”

The team members weren’t the only ones in confusion. The people of Hanseong who had their attention caught by the Flying Sphere suddenly floating in the sky became obstacles, stopping in their tracks to stare at the sky.

Neigh!

“Make way!”

“Move! Move!”

“Oh my goodness!”

“Ack!”

As the team members galloped urgently to catch the gently floating Flying Sphere, startled citizens fell and rolled around, creating various accidents.

***

While such commotion occurred on the ground, the Flying Sphere slowly descended as the air inside the pouch cooled and lost buoyancy.

Splash!

The problem was that the Flying Sphere, having lost buoyancy, made a water landing rather than a ground landing.

The team members who stopped their horses by the Han River bank all cursed as they watched the Flying Sphere sink into the water.

“Damn it!”

“Son of a-!”

“Bring a boat!”

“Hey! Boatman!”

After various commotions, the team members returned to Area 51 with the Flying Sphere, completely soaked and ruined.

Greeting these team members were Jeong In-ji glaring as if to devour them and Won staring at the ground.

“Write and submit an incident report detailing every single thing about this incident from start to finish, right now!”

“…Yes.”

***

Though severely scolded by Jeong In-ji, the team members immediately regained their spirit.

“So the hot air trapped in the pouch has stronger yang energy than expected and weakens faster than expected – that’s the problem.”

“Yes, sir. We must solve this issue. So…”

Won participated enthusiastically in the Flying Sphere’s development.

It was completely different from when he first came as head of Area 51 and the Research Institute.

“He’s got the hobby bug…”

As Hyang said, Won had become addicted to the sky and flight.

As improvement work progressed, the material for the hot air pouch changed from paper to silk.

“It’s lighter than paper and tough – the best material. Let’s use silk.”

“The budget is an issue.”

“Just trust me! I’m the Crown Prince’s son!”

And Hyang sighed upon receiving the bill.

“I have my own record of past offenses too… sigh~ Hey! Send someone to the Royal Treasury!”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Rather than being harassed by the Minister of Finance and Kim Jeom, Hyang decided to raid the royal coffers.

“Surely they won’t summon me to New Territory?”

***

With funds pocketed from raiding the royal coffers, Won and the team members built a large-scale Flying Sphere according to their initial dimensions.

The completed Flying Sphere had one difference from the initial plan – equipment to supply hot air to the hot air pouch was built in the boarding area.

With thin iron plates surrounding all sides to prevent sparks from flying out, a brazier was placed inside with installed bellows to continuously inject air, allowing the Flying Sphere to float for longer periods.

On the day of the first experiment, there was a small commotion at the test site.

“I’ll ride it myself!”

“Oh no, Your Highness! Absolutely not!”

“You are the Crown Prince’s son! It’s impossible!”

“Please restrain yourself!”

At Won’s insistence on riding himself, not only the team members but also Jeong In-ji and Lee Chun who came to observe had to step in to stop him.

“We’ve prepared a calf and dog for any contingencies! There’s no need for Your Highness to ride!”

Though even Man-bok stepped in to stop him, Won wouldn’t bend his stubbornness.

“This will be the first experiment in recorded history of humans rising into the sky by their own will! How can I give this glory to mere beasts! I absolutely won’t yield!”

As Won absolutely refused to back down, the story reached Seunghwadang.

“Time for me to step in.”

Hyang burst out of Seunghwadang as if he’d been waiting and headed to Area 51.

Seeing the tug-of-war still ongoing, Hyang made his decision on the spot.

“Move the test location.”

“What?”

“Move the test location to the Han River. According to the reports, the Flying Sphere doesn’t crash immediately when it loses hot air, so can’t we just jump from an appropriate height into the water?”

At Hyang’s words, Jeong In-ji asked worriedly:

“Will you truly allow the Crown Prince’s son’s decision?”

To Jeong In-ji’s question, Hyang briefly countered:

“Whose child is he?”

“…”

Jeong In-ji immediately closed his mouth at Hyang’s question.

He had personally seen and experienced Hyang’s eccentric behaviors, starting with voluntarily getting smallpox inoculation – things today’s young people wouldn’t even believe were true.

Though Hyang thus silenced Jeong In-ji, he had to face tremendous nagging from the Crown Princess.

***

As experiments resumed at the Han River, Hanseong residents who heard the news once again filled the riverbank.

With news of the Flying Sphere widely spread due to the previous commotion, even twice as many residents gathered compared to when they flew the kite.

Amid merchants’ cries calling for customers overflowing from all directions, preparations finished, and Won and Man-bok climbed into the basket.

“Is there need for you to ride too?”

“I handle the equipment better than Your Highness.”

At Man-bok’s answer, Won nodded and stepped aside.

“I’m counting on you.”

“Yes. Don’t worry.”

Answering thus, Man-bok muttered inwardly.

If the Crown Prince’s son gets even a scratch, it’s obvious I won’t be truly alive even if I live! I’ll take full responsibility from start to finish!

And the experiment ended successfully.

The Flying Sphere, filled with properly heated air, floated up into the sky, and those gathered at the riverbank immediately erupted in cheers.

“It’s up! It’s up!”

“It really flew!”

“Long live! Long live!”

Along with shouts of “It’s up!” and even “Long live!”, some old women rubbed their hands and prayed toward the floating Flying Sphere.

Thanks to ropes tied to the Flying Sphere’s basket, it didn’t drift away with the wind like last time, and thanks to Man-bok’s desperate control, the Flying Sphere that rose about 30 chang (about 90m) could land stably.

Thump!

When the Flying Sphere’s basket safely touched the sandy beach, waiting team members ran to secure it. Meanwhile, Won who jumped out of the basket ran excitedly to Hyang.

“Did you see? Your son rose into the sky!”

“Yes, well done. Well done.”

“I rose into the sky! Ahaha!”

Unable to contain his excitement, Won repeated the same words several times. And watching Won, Hyang smiled.

Was I like that too?

Meanwhile, it wasn’t only citizens who came to watch the experiment. All the court officials had come out too.

And among them, the movements of two groups became strange.

“Oh ho?”

“If we use that well…”

While military officials starting with Jo Mal-saeng smiled mysteriously with gleaming eyes, on the other side, Kim Jeom, the Minister of Finance, and finance officials glared at these military personnel.

“These guys again…”