Chapter 221.1: Which Bastard Gave the Order? (1)
Seok Kang-Ho had just as much experience as Kang Chan in this field. Albeit not as much as the other two, Gérard was also familiar with scenes and situations like this.
As Kang Chan looked straight into the child’s eyes, Gérard and Seok Kang-Ho cautiously searched her for the bomb.
Meanwhile, a deafening silence fell over the desolate winter land. It was as if the gunfight they just had earlier never even occurred.
Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.
They could hear the sound of a clock ticking from her.
Kang Chan stared directly into the child’s eyes as he began to speak in a low, soft voice.
“Step back,” he quietly ordered all of his men.
The child’s thin, boney thumb was resting on a button that was larger than Kang Chan’s thumbnail. She wouldn’t even have to exert a large amount of force to press it. The device to set off the bomb was so sensitive that even the slightest movement could trigger it to detonate and explode.
“Three meters to our three o’clock,” Gérard calmly and quietly mentioned, pointing out the safest area to retreat should they find themselves in the worst-case scenario. With the rest of the soldiers, he carefully stepped back, making an effort not to scare the child.
Haah. Haah.
‘Don’t worry. I’ll get you out of this.’
This was the first time he had seen this child, and they spoke different languages. But in moments like this, Conveying their intentions through the looks in their eyes was enough for people to understand each other.
Kang Chan just had to be extremely careful not to provoke or scare her.
There was no way of knowing how much time was left, but in these cases, the gaze Kang Chan had on them and the way the soldiers carefully retreated stopped most children from being tempted to press the button.
‘It’ll be all right.’
As Kang Chan conveyed his intentions through his eyes, his heart suddenly began to beat louder.
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
Kang Chan didn’t know how much time was left on the clock, but he had never abandoned children who were crying and frozen in fear. He wasn’t about to start now.
He had no idea if this girl would become a kind mother like Yoo Hye-Sook, a charming young lady like Michelle, or a smart student like Kim Mi-Young, but he thought of that mystery as all the more reason to save her. She should at least have the chance to live a kind future.
“Daye,” Kang Chan prompted.
Seok Kang-Ho began to tell the girl in a quiet and soothing voice that they were going to remove the bomb and that she should stay calm.
‘Really?’
The child’s expression seemed to tell them she did not believe what he was saying.
They just had to make sure not to aggravate her. Children her age often accidentally pressed the button despite knowing it would trigger the bomb whenever they were surprised or roused.
‘I’ve done a lot of things like this in Africa, so let me come closer, okay?’
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
His heart wildly beat against his chest, warning him to give up on the child and get out of the area.
“Step back a little more,” Kang Chan ordered his men. As commanded, the soldiers retreated further even away from him and the girl.
Tick, tick, tick, tick.
Even though they were short on time, rushing toward the girl or doing anything to surprise her into pressing the button was still out of the question. No matter how painfully frustrating the situation was, he had to be patient and make his way to her as slowly as possible so she would understand that he meant her no harm.
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
No one can convince me to give up on this girl. How am I supposed to when she’s giving me that look?
Kang Chan slowly bent down to his knees, lowering his stance.
Clank.
He set his rifle down on the ground. Now, all he had to do was pull out the dagger strapped to his ankle and…
Du du du du du du.
An Apache helicopter came flying over from the opposite side of the hill, accompanied by the booming noises of its blades.
God damn it!
The child looked away from Kang Chan to glance at the Apache helicopter before turning back to him again. The child’s attention had been stolen from him.
It’s fine! It’s all going to be okay!
You motherfuckers! Hurry up and get the fuck away from here!
The thunderous whirring of the helicopter’s blades whipping through the air caused the child to burst into tears again.
Shut up and go back!
Peeeeew!
However, instead of leaving, the Apache helicopter fired a missile instead.
There isn’t a single enemy alive to fight back, you idiots! What’s the fucking point of the missile?
Baaaam!
An enormous explosion and flames immediately erupted on the other side of the hill.
“Aaaah!” the child screamed.
“No!” Kang Chan shouted.
Click. Swish! Boom!
Kang Chan slammed his body onto the sunken ground and covered his head with both hands.
Swoosh!
Tall columns of dust and debris fell on top of Kang Chan.
It was a relief that the child was small and their enemies only strapped a small bomb to her so it wouldn’t be as noticeable. Kang Chan didn’t want to imagine what would’ve happened otherwise.
Damn it! Damn it!
Gérard pulled himself up from the ground and angrily shouted into the radio to cease fire.
Even though the pilots of the helicopter were aware of the frequency of friendly forces, they still fired a missile without even saying a word to the ground troops first—and they only fired it at nothing but the enemy corpses, no less.
Kang Chan stood up and glared at the Apache.
Du du du du du du du!
With a swoosh of air, the Apache helicopter stood imposingly in front of Kang Chan with a sharp and threatening presence.
Do you think you can avoid an Igla too just because bullets won’t be able to get inside?
“Captain!” Gérard shouted through gritted teeth. At the same time, Seok Kang-Ho rapidly dashed over to grab Kang Chan.
“Keep a hold of your temper! We have to consider the French special forces, and we have to take care of our injured too! We should let them go for now,” Seok Kang-Ho dissuaded him.
Du du du du du du du!
Those motherfuckers. I’ve come across my fair share of bastards acting all high and mighty even though they were late, but those people are the first ones I’ve ever seen fire a missile at corpses.
They probably did it on purpose, too. If they were watching the broadcast, then there was no doubt that they had seen everything that Kang Chan had been up to.
The Apache helicopter continued to hover in the air, seemingly refusing to back down as it glared directly at Kang Chan.
You assholes! You’re going to painfully regret this someday.
“Captain! The injured are waiting in front of the abandoned houses with the trucks!” Gérard added.
Kang Chan looked at Seok Kang-Ho.
“Please! Let’s just go for now. We can just create an opportunity to get revenge next time. We can find out which son of a bitch gave the order and make them pay with their life,” Seok Kang-Ho continued to dissuade him.
When Kang Chan looked back at the helicopter, it was already turning away, the rumbling of its engines sounding different from before.
Seok Kang-Ho was right.
“Let’s go,” Kang Chan said darkly. Gritting his teeth, he finally turned around. As he did, his gaze landed on the spot where the girl was standing just a while ago. It had turned into a sunken pit.
Gérard, the French soldiers, Dayeru, and the bomb attack… everything made him feel as if he was back in Africa.
After descending from the hill, Kang Chan immediately headed to the truck. Three of the men with him rushed to their comrade, who had been the first to be taken out.
The one Kang Chan pushed to the passenger’s seat was still unconscious, and the first to be injured had his left knee blown off.
One of the soldiers drove the truck over, and they all proceeded to get in.
It was over. The gruesome and horrifying battle they were in had ended.
Vrooom. Rattle! Clunnk!
Standing on the back of the truck, Kang Chan turned to look at the hill one last time.
***
Upon arriving in Sanggar, the soldiers who had escaped earlier rushed to gather around them. The hostages were seated in a circle, heads put together.
“Did anyone else get injured or killed?” Kang Chan asked.
“We did not get into any further engagement with the enemy after we left the abandoned houses,” Kwak Cheol-Ho replied.
As Kang Chan spoke to Kwak Cheol-Ho, the medical team hurried over to treat the two injured French soldiers.
“Gérard! Got any cigarettes with you?” Kang Chan asked.
In response, Gérard took out cigarettes and a familiar Zippo lighter from his pocket.
“Let’s go find somewhere to sit down,” Kang Chan suggested.
They all headed to one of the three trucks in the open field, which were parked close to each other, forming an arc. Kang Chan leaned against its side, and the rest did the same.
Clunk. Swoosh!
“Hoo!” he exhaled, finally feeling as if he could breathe again.
Kang Chan had pulled his mask up from his neck just enough to reveal his mouth so he could smoke. He probably looked extremely strange, but it didn’t matter to him. It didn’t change the taste of the cigarette itself.
Gérard sat down very closely to him as he puffed on his cigarette. It was as if he didn’t want to part ways with him.
“Hoo. Right! The way you acted all fancy earlier was funny. I didn’t know you were from nobility,” Kang Chan said with a grin.
“You should have suspected it at least once with how cool I look,” Gérard smugly replied.
Kang Chan couldn’t help but find it unpleasant to see just the mouth moving on a half-masked face.
“Want another?”
Kang Chan accepted the cigarette and lit it up.
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