Chapter 242.1: It Takes More Than Just a Glance (1)
A gust of wind lashed out at the two men as they stepped out of the barracks, blowing dust and soil at them.
Kim Tae-Jin turned his head away to avoid being peppered. He then looked at Kang Chan, who was walking next to him. Kang Chan’s menacing gaze, shocking but brilliant judgment of situations, and outstanding combat skills... the first thing Kim Tae-Jin felt from those traits of his was a sense of security, assuring him that he could rely on Kang Chan. However, it was followed by a tense urgency telling him that a devastating battle was waiting for them up ahead, and it was evidenced by the glint in Kang Chan’s eyes.
“I’m going to go deliver this,” Kim Tae-Jin informed Kang Chan.
“Please do.”
Kim Tae-Jin picked up the satellite video receiver and headed to the mess hall., where he would pass it on to Oh Gwang-Taek and ask him to keep an eye out for anyone approaching the barracks.
Meanwhile, Kang Chan headed straight to the barracks where Kang Chul-Gyu was holding the base down, hearing two gunshots on the way to it. Based on the long echoes of the gunshots, he deduced that Kang Chul-Gyu was the one who fired them.
Swiiiiish! Swiiish!
As Kang Chan ran up the iron stairs, Kang Chul-Gyu and the agents turned toward him. Kang Chan looked at Kang Chul-Gyu first, who had kept the enemy snipers and the other hostiles from making any moves. Kang Chul-Gyu had protected their men as well as Kang Chan had expected.
However, due to how Kang Chul-Gyu looked, Kang Chan’s eyebrows furrowed as he turned his attention to their enemies. The wrinkles at the corners of the old man’s eyes, his haggard, hollow cheeks, and the traces of his painful life along the corners of his mouth and jawline kept flashing through Kang Chan’s mind.
This fucking idiot! You should’ve at least lived a good life after you pushed your son to death and made your wife commit suicide, you fucking asshole! Stupid shit!
Kang Chan was looking ahead when Kang Chul-Gyu suddenly dropped to his knees. He seemed to have been waiting for this moment.
Thud!
“Argh!”
Kang Chul-Gyu hunched over and leaned his head forward. The back of his head and his right arm, which was gripping his rifle, trembled violently. The agents quickly looked back and forth between Kang Chan and Kang Chul-Gyu, but they didn’t dare stand up first.
The enemies likely had a clear view of this scene as well. Hence, Kang Chan just gave Kang Chul-Gyu a brief glance before turning back around.
What the hell has he been doing all these years that deteriorated his health to this point?
Irritation surged through him before pity.
“Please...!”
Kang Chan groaned with frustration. He had no idea what the old man wanted.
Kang Chan just kept glancing at Kang Chul-Gyu. He felt sorry for him and was also annoyed with him, but he had to prioritize keeping an eye on the enemy.
“Just one day! Just one day...!” Kang Chul-Gyu cried desperately. Immediately after, blood began to drip from his nose.
Click! Baaang!
How dare that bastard raise his head?
The enemy sniper who tried to straighten up quickly ducked behind cover again, startled by Kang Chan’s shot.
Kang Chan couldn’t recall ever seeing Kang Chul-Gyu in such a state in the past. He did remember the old man suffering in pain, but he never trembled like this back then. He never had a nosebleed either.
It was the first time Kang Chan felt sorry for Kang Chul-Gyu and felt a sense of pity for him.
“Do you want some morphine?” Kang Chan asked.
“Kegh!” Kang Chul-Gyu groaned as he quickly shook his head.
Fuck it! Fine, then! Keep suffering!
In the middle of it all, Kang Chan heard someone coming up the stairs, and Kim Tae-Jin soon appeared. His eyes widened in surprise as he looked at Kang Chan and Kang Chul-Gyu.
“The enemy’s sniper has us in their sights. You should get down and move behind me, sir,” Kang Chan advised.
There was only a small space behind Kang Chan. It was right between the ledge, and it was just big enough for him to drop down in the blink of an eye. Nevertheless, Kim Tae-Jin quickly acted, grabbing Kang Chul-Gyu by the shoulders to look into his face.
“Sunbae-nim!” Kim Tae-Jin exclaimed.
“I’m fine! I’m fine...” Kang Chul-Gyu protested, raising his gaze as if he were waiting for this exact moment. His eyes were bloodshot, and blood was trickling down to his lips.
“Hup!” he sniffed as he wiped his nose with his sleeve, smearing blood across his cheek.
“You should head back down. Let’s get you some painkillers and morphine,” Kim Tae-Jin suggested.
“No, I can’t,” Kang Chul-Gyu refused, shaking his head.
“How about we go back inside just to get a bit of rest, then?”
As Kang Chul-Gyu lifted his gaze again, Kang Chan coldly issued an order. “Don’t distract the agents. Go down with the Director.”
In response, Kang Chul-Gyu stood up without any argument. He was well aware that in situations like this, contradicting Kang Chan and insisting on staying would bring them no good. Kang Chan was more capable than Kang Chul-Gyu anyway, which meant his presence here wasn’t needed.
Clunk, clunk.
Kang Chul-Gyu descended the stairs, albeit with a lot of difficulty. Kim Tae-Jin followed after him. They then headed to Kim Tae-Jin’s barracks.
Creak.
They entered as soon as the door opened. Kang Chul-Gyu sat down on the sofa, and Kim Tae-Jin put water from the kettle on the stove.
“Are you sure you don’t need to take any medication?” Kim Tae-Jin offered again.
“Taking pills makes me hallucinate. What would you do if I pulled the trigger in the wrong direction at this place?” Kang Chul-Gyu grimly asked.
“Have you always been like this?” Kim Tae-Jin asked, concern evident in his voice.
“No,” Kang Chul-Gyu replied as he grabbed a tissue and covered his nose with it. “I don’t know if it was the plane ride or the weather, but it suddenly got worse. I’m having bouts of pain more frequently and started getting a bad case of nosebleeds.”
When the water began to boil, Kim Tae-Jin prepared two cups of instant coffee. He poured the remaining water into a paper cup before heading over to the table.
“Here, drink this for now,” he said as he held out a cup. He then tore off a handful of toilet paper from a roll and soaked it with water. “Let’s wipe all that blood off you.”
Kang Chul-Gyu didn’t turn down the help. On the contrary, he slightly leaned over like a little child so Kim Tae-Jin could wipe his face more easily.
“Do you have any cigarettes?” Kang Chul-Gyu asked.
“There are probably some around here,” Kim Tae-Jin replied.
“Would you mind getting me one?”
“Will do, sir.”
As Kim Tae-Jin headed further inside to get some of the cigarettes that the agents had left, Kang Chul-Gyu took a sip of his coffee.
“Here you go,” Kim Tae-Jin said as he held out a cigarette and flicked the lighter on.
Click.
“Hoo,” Kang Chul-Gyu stared at the cigarette in his hand as he exhaled the smoke. “They’re most likely going to raid us tonight.”
“Kang Chan said the same thing,” Kim Tae-Jin replied.
“I knew he would make the same prediction.” Kang Chul-Gyu raised his cigarette to his mouth again. “Hoo, I have a favor to ask.”
“Go ahead, sir,” Kim Tae-Jin replied.
“No matter the outcome of our battle today, if you’re still alive, I want you to find my son’s remains and bury them beside my wife.”
“Why do you say that?” Kim Tae-Jin asked.
Kang Chul-Gyu’s lips curved into a smile. “No reason in particular. I just want to have a little peace of mind when I’m facing the enemy. And as you can see, I’m not in the best health either.”
Kim Tae-Jin let out a low sigh. “If I’m still alive by then, I’ll make sure to get it done. Since Kang Chan knows your son too, I doubt your request is impossible to do.”
“All right. Thank you,” Kang Chul-Gyu said, expressing his gratitude. He put his cigarette in his paper cup and then stood up.
“You should rest a bit more.”
“No, this is more than enough.”
Looking as if he had no other choice, Kim Tae-Jin followed after Kang Chul-Gyu. Considering the situation they were in, it was difficult to argue against him. Moreover, he still found it difficult to talk back to Kang Chul-Gyu.
They cut through the rough winds and dust. When they made it back to the barracks, they climbed up and found Kang Chan still in the same position where they left him.
Kang Chul-Gyu slung his rifle over his right arm and stood beside him.
“Director, we have to cut down the agents’ rotation to half-hour shifts. We should take turns eating as well,” Kang Chan said.
“We only have two agents per barrack. We don’t have enough manpower to do that,” Kim Tae-Jin responded.
“Well, we can start by letting the two agents here rest,” Kang Chan countered.
Kim Tae-Jin glanced at Kang Chul-Gyu, then nodded. “All right.”
Swish! Swiiiish!
As Kim Tae-Jin ordered, the agent who had his rifle at the ready and the agent manning the Mistral retreated. They had been out here in the freezing cold since after breakfast. Hence, they were grateful to get even just a thirty minutes’ worth of rest.
“You should rest with the agents too, Director Kim. The old man as well,” Kang Chan said.
“Got it,” Kim Tae-Jin replied. He knew that this wasn’t the time or place to refuse out of courtesy.
More importantly, their two monsters, Kang Chan and Kang Chul-Gyu, both predicted that they would have a raid on their hands later tonight. It would be wiser to give at least one of them the time to rest rather than to stall for time.
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