Chapter 198.2: Is There Anything Else You’re Hiding? (1)
Lanok took a few seconds to put the remainder of the baguette pieces into his mouth. If Kang Chan didn’t know how French people ate, he would’ve died from frustration.
“The subterranean shock device probably went out of control as soon as it was connected to the Blackhead. If left alone, it would have caused intense earthquakes to occur all over the United Kingdom, so they tried to use the two energy sources to stabilize it,” Lanok continued.
“But that didn’t help them regain control over it, so they turned to others for help?” Kang Chan asked.
Lanok nodded. “Introducing the two energies into the mix seemed to have magnified the Blackhead’s energy, which is the opposite of their goal to weaken it.”
“Does that mean Ethan was telling the truth when he said there’s still a risk of an earthquake taking place?” Kang Chan asked.
“According to the researchers and the magnitude of the seismic waves that will forcefully create an earthquake, the probability of the disaster being confined to the UK is quite high. However, we still have to wait for the simulation results of its impact on the tectonic plates before we can be certain,” Lanok responded.
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So that’s the reason Ethan acted so submissively!
Lanok still hadn’t given Kang Chan any solutions to the problem.
“After you visited the site, the device remained stable for quite some time before starting to vibrate again around morning last Thursday. Hence, our researchers think that stabilizing the device will provide us with enough time to remove the Blackhead, which should wrap everything up and prevent any earthquakes from happening.”
“Does that mean I’m going to have to face the machine like I did last time?” Kang Chan inquired.
“Considering it appeared to pose a risk to you, we can’t have you confront it unprepared. They have prepared an energy-blocking suit to sever the connection between you and the Blackhead. To be safe, they also made goggles that can detect the energy waves,” Lanok answered.
I’ll get to see the energy with my own eyes?
If so, then Kang Chan would soon get the opportunity to confirm if what he felt the last time he went was true or not.
Kang Chan’s expression made Lanok smile.
***
Kang Chan still couldn’t enjoy taking the plane once a week, which was nothing compared to what Lanok had to go through every day. To make things worse, each trip required nearly two hours of driving. His only solace was that the weather was clear and sunny. ‘
Once the plane had taken off, Kang Chan and Lanok talked about various topics.
“Have you heard the news that five agents from different countries will be joining you on Monday?” Lanok asked.
“Pierre told me,” Kang Chan replied.
Lanok briefly nodded in response.
“Those agents are most likely already aware of your reputation. I doubt you’ll run into any issues with them, but if you encounter any difficulties, you can request immediate assistance from Pierre.”
Since they still had a long way to go before reaching their destination, Kang Chan decided to finally ask something that had been on his mind for quite some time now.
“Mr. Ambassador, I heard France didn’t send an agent for the training because I was recommended. Wouldn’t that cause you any trouble?”
“Not at all. We don’t do this training program often, but it typically occurs once every five years, so France can just participate in the next one,” Lanok replied.
“Why didn’t France just send an agent this time too? I wouldn’t have cared either way.”
“Only agents recommended by the five participating countries can attend. Under normal circumstances, each country typically recommends its own agents, but I recommended you instead for this batch. Naturally, that means France can’t participate this time around,” Lanok replied.
Kang Chan was lost for words for a moment.
An agent can only attend if they were recommended?
So under normal circumstances, it would’ve been impossible for Kang Chan to receive this kind of training.
Lanok smiled. It was rare for him to show emotion.
“A while back, I asked you if you could help me if a talented French individual came forward after you gained power. Do you remember?” Lanok asked.
“Yes,” Kang Chan replied.
“France does not have any suitable candidates to take part in this training right now. Considering we lack talent at the moment, I decided to recommend you instead since I have no doubt that giving you this opportunity will greatly benefit France in the future. So you shouldn’t feel overly burdened,” Lanok reassured him.
What is it that Lanok really wants?
Seeing Lanok’s wide smile, which caused his eyes and the corners of his mouth to crinkle, Kang Chan couldn’t help but feel a bit apologetic.
“Monsieur Kang. Truth be told, Vasili, Ludwig, Vant, Yang Bum, and even I will have to step down from active duty in the intelligence bureaus in the next five to ten years. We couldn’t create a leader among us. However, I firmly believe that you can become the sole leader of the upcoming world of intelligence. When that time comes, I ask you to protect France and take care of the talents who come from France.”
Lanok had definitely taken off his mask now. Looking at him in the eyes, the only thing Kang Chan could do was nod.
Should I ask him or not?
Lanok smiled in amusement at Kang Chan.
“I’ve never seen you hesitate, Mr. Kang Chan,” he said.
This was also Kang Chan’s first time seeing Lanok smile that way too.
“Mr. Ambassador, to be honest, I’ve always wondered about your status in the intelligence bureaus,” Kang Chan said.
Holding his teacup, Lanok chuckled out loud before replying, “I’ll answer that question for you once you’re done with your training. Consider it a part of our celebration of you formally becoming a part of the intelligence bureaus.”
“All right,” Kang Chan accepted with a grin. The two laughed together.
Kang Chan liked the smile that Lanok had on his face right now.
***
Ethan, who had come out to the airport to greet them, could not conceal the urgency in his expression. Lanok would never have let himself look so tense in front of others.
The three exchanged greetings before getting into the car. They didn’t really talk about anything important.
Kang Chan focused on the scenery outside as he took deep, slow breaths. He felt as if he was going to be facing an extremely powerful foe all by himself again.
What’s it gonna be like today?
Kang Chan waited for the moment they would be off the streets. After some time, the car exited onto the outer roads.
Thump. Thump.
Kang Chan’s heart was sending him the same warning as last time. He wished he had the goggles that allowed him to see the energy waves right now. He couldn’t be entirely sure, but from this distance, he already felt his connection to the Blackhead.
Should I have brought a machine gun with me?
Kang Chan grinned. He took another deep breath.
He had been told that he would be getting a suit that could sever the energy connection between them and goggles that could make the energy visible to the wearer. It should allow him to determine what exactly was the energy that was coming from the Blackhead.
The subterranean shock device was just a machine. It couldn’t ask Kang Chan for the energy back after forcing him to live in someone else’s life. Even if it was a god, it still wouldn’t be right.
This wasn’t his first time doing this anymore, so he felt a bit more relaxed. After about twenty minutes, the sedan finally reached its destination.
Click.
The moment the car doors opened, his heart began to beat even more loudly than before.
He could only see the rounded buildings, but his surroundings felt thick with heavy silence and nervousness.
“This way, please,” a researcher immediately said, guiding Lanok and Kang Chan into the last room on the right.
Once they were inside, a man with a white beard talked to them. His expression was quite grim.
“All the personnel inside the building have been evacuated. We also have people on standby in case of emergency,” he said.
He then looked at Ethan, a slight hint of hesitation evident on his face.
“If you have something else to say, please be quick about it,” Ethan said.
“Based on our analysis, even in the worst-case scenario, it is unlikely that an earthquake will occur.”
Lanok quickly turned to Ethan. He then frowned at the researcher.
“However, if our calculations are right, then failure to handle this properly will likely cause an explosion with enough power to rival the simultaneous detonation of twenty Tsar Bombas. An explosion that strong will render not only France but the entire Europe an uninhabitable environment,” the researcher continued.
Ethan stood firm against Lanok’s fierce glare.
“Why is your conclusion different from the report?” Lanok asked.
“We’ve received the duplicate blueprint of the primary machinery quite late, so we couldn't calculate the explosion of Blackhead itself,” the researcher answered.
“What can we do to stop it?”
“Other than attempting what I mentioned before, there is no other way,”
Lanok sighed as silence filled the room.
“How much time do we have left?” Lanok asked.
“Unfortunately, it is impossible to give an accurate answer to that question.”
“This is outrageous.” Lanok seemingly couldn’t bring himself to believe just how absurd their situation was.
“Fine, then,” Lanok said after a few moments. He then ordered, ” Hurry up and finish the preparations.”
The researchers quickly got to work.
Lanok turned to Kang Chan. “Do you know anything about Tsar Bombas?”
“I know it’s a nuclear weapon that Russia developed,” Kang Chan answered.
Ethan glanced at Kang Chan but swiftly looked away.
"It's known as one of the most powerful nuclear weapons ever developed. It has terrifying destructive power, a mushroom cloud that can reach a height of sixty kilometers, and can cause an explosion that can be seen from even a thousand kilometers away.”
This was the first time Kang Chan had heard of the weapon since his training in the Foreign Legion.
“I wish we were dealing with an earthquake now,” Kang Chan joked.
Lanok’s eyes were just as sharp as Kang Chan’s.
This doesn’t change anything, Mr. Ambassador. If I can be of assistance in finally dealing with the Blackhead, then I’d be willing to cooperate. We should put an end to this while we still can.”
“I leave it in your capable hands,” Lanok said, sounding quite stressed. Turning to Ethan, he asked, “Are you hiding anything else?”
“No, Lanok,” Ethan replied.
Lanok sighed. After a while, researchers came in holding something that looked like a spacesuit.
Thump. Thump.
Kang Chan felt as if he now knew the reason his heart was beating so fast.
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