Chapter 152.2: Post-Operation Wrap-Up Procedure (1)
The streets already smelled of autumn. Kang Chan had been living a busy life filled with incidents and operations that were larger in scale than the ones he had been involved in back in Africa.
He was staring out the window in a daze when the cab stopped at his destination. After paying the taxi driver, he entered the building and went up to the fifth floor. Kim Hyung-Jung hobbled over and opened the door himself.
“Why are you opening doors in that condition?” Kang Chan sighed.
“You get used to moving with your injuries after a while,” Kim Hyung-Jung replied reassuringly.
Kang Chan followed him inside and was greeted by Seok Kang-Ho, who had stood up.
“Someone’s here early,” Kang Chan scoffed.
“We had jjamppong,” Seok Kang-Ho responded.
The table was covered in ashtrays, large ramen cups, and small paper cups that were clearly once filled with coffee. It seemed Seok Kang-Ho headed straight to this place after they parted ways at the hotel.
Click.?
As Kang Chan sat down, an employee brought over three more cups of coffee and left with the empty ones.
“You should be in bed, Mr. Kim,” Kang Chan urged.
“It’s fine—I can handle it. I plan on getting rid of the bed next week.”
“Did something good happen?” Kang Chan asked out of curiosity as he took a cigarette. He noticed Kim Hyung-Jung was all smiles.
“Yes. It’s the offer from Russia. They have always been so stubborn, but they finally got off their high horse. Moreover, aside from Russia’s president paying us a visit soon, we have also received an amazing proposal from Britain. With the French intelligence agency, we’ve begun to take steps toward collaboration from both sides,” Kim Hyung-Jung said enthusiastically.
None of what he just said were personally happy events for him. Was this that important for him to be endlessly smiling from ear to ear?
“It probably does not sound like much, Mr. Kang Chan, but the three things I just mentioned will make our nation’s reputation soar. Moreover, once the name of our special forces team spreads… Whew! As an agent of the NIS, I’ve always dreamed of this moment. Back then, other countries didn’t have to worry about the consequences as they fired at our agents in Europe and all around the globe. Now, they will have to take the South Korean special forces into consideration.”
Kim Hyung-Jung looked at Kang Chan and Seok Kang-Ho with a proud expression.
“Our special forces defeated the Russian Spetsnaz and Britain’s SBS in France without losing a single man. That has made France, Russia, and Britain take the initiative to extend peace offerings toward us. This means that in the future, other countries will have to worry about our country’s retaliation if they assassinate our agents. Honestly, I’m moved beyond words. I don’t know how to handle all the emotions I’m feeling right now,” Kim Hyung-Jung said in a gracious tone.
Kang Chan smiled at Kim Hyung-Jung, finding it interesting that a single operation could affect each country and its people so differently.
“Oh, right, Mr. Kim. Russia has apparently requested France to mediate its meeting with South Korea. I heard we can ask for certain things from there. Ambassador Lanok suggested requesting nuclear weapons, development rights to oil reserves, or something along those lines. What do you think?”
Kim Hyung-Jung stiffened so much that Kang Chan was taken aback.
“N-n-nuclear weapons?” Kim Hyung-Jung stuttered.
Did this man always have a stutter?
“Yes, sir.” Kang Chan nodded.
“Or d-development rights to oil?”
“Yes. The ambassador firmly told me to ask for at least that much.”
“From Russia?” Kim Hyung-Jung asked in disbelief.
Kang Chan nodded again. “He told me to accept their offer to adjust the fishing limit and to ask for one of the two options I just told you,”
Kim Hyung-Jung gulped. “Ambassador Lanok said that?”
Kang Chan and Seok Kang-Ho smiled. It felt as if they were reenacting a skit from a weekend comedy show.
“Mr. Kang Chan, you have no idea what your suggestion means to us. Getting our hands on nuclear weapons… Phew,” Kim Hyung-Jung exclaimed as he shook his head.
“Well, the worst thing they can say is no. You don’t have to become so frenzied over something that they probably won’t give anyway,” Kang Chan said lightheartedly.
“I see. Maybe that’s why the ambassador also suggested asking for development rights as well,” Kim Hyung-Jung mused.
“That makes sense. Ambassador Lanok definitely would have thought two steps ahead,” Kang Chan agreed.
“Haah! Russia has never given its rights to oil reserves to another country. Aside from when Japan used their international resources to protect their 49% of shares of a reserve, no country has successfully taken development rights from Russia.”
“So this is pretty important, I suppose,” Kang Chan said.
Kim Hyung-Jung chuckled. The understatement calmed him down.
“Our country will have unlimited access to crude oil without having to worry about staying on the good side of Middle Eastern countries. And the inflation in our country…” Kim Hyung-Jung trailed off in thought, staring into space as he tilted his head. “It will probably drop by at least thirty percent.”
“Whoa!” Seok Kang-Ho exclaimed. Even Kang Chan looked surprised.
‘I didn’t expect the ambassador’s suggestion to have such significant impacts.’
This was why knowledge was power.
Kim Hyung-Jung looked directly at Kang Chan. “Are you sure Ambassador Lanok really told you those things?”
“Yes, but I just told him to take care of things himself in response,” Kang Chan replied somewhat abashedly.
“What?” Kim Hyung-Jung exclaimed. His eyes widened. “Do you think it would be possible for you to ask if we can request things ourselves?”
“Probably. I don’t see why not.”
“Great. Please give me a moment. I have to report this immediately.”
“Sure.”
.
Kang Chan picked up a cigarette, and Seok Kang-Ho lit it up for him with a lighter.
As they relaxed and smoked, Kim Hyung-Jung called someone to report their most recent conversation.
“Yes. I’m with Mr. Kang Chan right now. It’s difficult to verify the truth of the statements without confirmation from the French intelligence agency.”
Lanok wasn’t one to lie, but these people were horrible at believing others.
“Yes, I’m certain he said nuclear weapons and development rights to oil reserves,” Kim Hyung-Jung continued.
When Kim Hyung-Jung glanced at him, Kang Chan nodded back in confirmation.
“Yes, sir! I will be waiting on standby, then. Understood,” Kim Hyung-Jung said.
Putting the phone back down, Kim Hyung-Jung let out a long sigh.
“I’m suddenly filled with the sense of duty to improve the NIS’ abilities. Our agents abroad will most likely shout in joy today or tomorrow,” he added.
Kang Chan and Seok Kang-Ho exchanged looks and stayed silent.in silence. Kang Chan didn’t tell Kim Hyung-Jung about the news regarding Britain yet since he had not confirmed yet if it was true.
“Ah, right! Thank you for the Jeju trip. I got to have an amazing day with my parents because of you. It made me feel like I have finally done something for my mother, so I really appreciate it.”
Kim Hyung-Jung let out a laugh that sounded close to a sigh.
“With what we gained through this operation, lending you the entire hotel for a year still wouldn’t be enough to pay you back. We have to spend at least thirty billion won every year for three years to put our agents abroad in a better political position, yet all that we could do for you in return was a small trip. As an agent of the NIS, I cannot help but feel ashamed. I’m sorry.”
“I didn’t lead the operation hoping to get rewarded for my efforts. The main reason I got involved in this affair is to help Ambassador Lanok in the first place. I have already gotten everything I wanted when we left for the operation, so please don’t feel bad,” Kang Chan assured him.
Kim Hyung-Jung still looked to be regretting things.
They talked for a little while longer when Kim Hyung-Jung’s phone suddenly began to ring furiously. When it stopped, the bell to his office rang, and the landline on his desk started crying out too.
Kang Chan left the office with Seok Kang-Ho so Kim Hyung-Jung could take care of business.
“Let’s have dinner,” Kang Chan said once they were out, not wanting to head home yet. If he left Seok Kang-Ho alone, Seok Kang-Ho would just roam around because he had nothing else to do.
“Sounds good. Should we call that bastard Smithen too?” Seok Kang-Ho asked.
“Why?” Kang Chan asked in suspicion. Nothing good had ever come out of the two of them meeting.
“Gérard looked pretty lonely the last time we saw him. Considering I used to be like him, Smithen probably feels the same too. If it wasn’t for you, we’d be wandering around alone, unable to find a place to settle.”
Why does this bastard still seem to have something up his sleeve despite what he’s saying??
However, even in front of Kang Chan’s suspecting eyes, Seok Kang-Ho remained steadfast.
“That bastard has probably been feeling lonely, so let’s call him and have dinner together. The fact that he got captured before he could even fight back has been bugging me,” Seok Kang-Ho added.
“Alright.” Kang Chan finally conceded.
They didn’t know where they were going to eat yet, so Kang Chan dialed Smithen in the middle of the street.
-Hello? May I ask who this is?
Ha! The punk’s Korean had improved again. More importantly, his pronunciation had become so natural that it sounded as if someone else had picked up the phone.
“Smithen, it’s me.”
-Oh my goodness, Captain! It’s me, Smithen!
“Where are you?”
-Why, I just left the language school, of course!
This motherfucker! Maybe it was because he learned from women, but people would think he was a girl in her twenties trying to act cute if they heard him talk in Korean. If Kang Chan didn’t know Smithen any better, Smithen’s soft and giggly tone would have made him wonder if Smithen was gay.
“Do you want to have dinner with us?”
-Oh my! Unfortunately, I have a date today. Hmm! I have plans with my language schools until tomorrow, so how about the day after tomorrow, dear?
Kang Chan slowly exhaled the sigh that was building up in his chest.
“Got it. I don’t know what will come up then, so let’s just keep each other updated.”
As Kang Chan spoke, he heard someone ask “Who is it?” over the phone.
-That sounds absolutely perfect. Toodle-oo, Captain.
“Is he busy?” Seok Kang-Ho asked when Kang Chan hung up.
“He says he’s got plans with his language friends until tomorrow. It sounded like he was with a girl, too, so let’s just have dinner ourselves.”
“Ugh! That son of a bitch!” Seok Kang-Ho spat.
The two chuckled. So much for wanting to include a lonely guy in their plans.
“What do you want to eat?” Kang Chan asked.
“Let’s have beef ribs!” Seok Kang-Ho exclaimed.
That was a bit of a heavy meal, but if that was what Seok Kang-Ho wanted, Kang Chan saw no reason to refuse. The two soon headed to a famous rib restaurant nearby.
Upon entering and taking a seat, Seok Kang-Ho ordered, “Five portions of beef ribs, please.”
“Will there be more in your party, sir?” the waiter asked.
“No, it’s just us,” Seok Kang-Ho replied.
The middle-aged woman glanced at Seok Kang-Ho, then quickly went inside the kitchen.
“Want a glass of beer too?” Seok Kang-Ho asked Kang Chan.
“And a bottle of soju while you’re at it,” Kang Chan replied with a grin.
“Phuhuhu!” Seok Kang-Ho laughed in satisfaction.
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