Chapter 291: Wouldn’t It Be Cool? (1)
Even though the French agents had left an entire hospital room empty for him, Kang Chan still spent the night in Seok Kang-Ho’s room.
It was strange. Due to the difference in time zones, it would have made sense for him to experience jet lag, but no matter where he was in the world, he would always wake up at the crack of dawn. Today was no different.
Maybe it was because of the good sleep he got during the trip, but he didn’t feel sleepy anymore. Hence, he stood up, went to the bathroom in the hallway, and washed his face.
Creak.
By the time he returned to the room, Seok Kang-Ho was already up too. Kang Chan could see his eyes now.
“How do you feel?” Kang Chan asked.
“Hungry,” Seok Kang-Ho replied.
“Fucking idiot.”
Seok Kang-Ho stretched his lips to what resembled a smile. As he did, Kang Chan realized that Seok Kang-Ho was starting to get wrinkles around his eyes and mouth.
“You don’t have any cigarettes?” Seok Kang-Ho asked.
“I already said I don’t!” Kang Chan exclaimed.
“You’re making me sad.”
“Just drink water instead.”
Kang Chan dipped three pieces of gauze in water and squeezed them over Seok Kang-Ho’s mouth. Until Seok Kang-Ho could raise his upper body, it would be best to use gauze to drink water. Otherwise, they would risk choking him.
“Can you raise the bed for me?” Seok Kang-Ho requested.
“Hang on.”
Kang Chan moved to where Seok Kang-Ho’s feet were and pressed a button.
Whirr.
“That’s good,” Seok Kang-Ho said.
Click.
With his upper body raised, Seok Kang-Ho turned to Kang Chan in a more comfortable position.
“How many are dead?” he asked.
“A little over half the men. Um Ji-Hwan is alive,” Kang Chan answered.
Seok Kang-Ho looked apologetic and angry.
Creak.
Just then, the medical staff, an interpreter, and a French agent entered the room. The interpreter would relay Seok Kang-Ho’s condition to the French agent, and the French agent would then deliver that to the medical staff.
After checking up on Seok Kang-Ho through that complicated process, the medical staff changed his IV drips and blood packs. They then added some injections to the medication before leaving with the interpreter.
Seok Kang-Ho’s eyelids grew heavier due to the new medication.
After a while, Kang Chan headed over to Cha Dong-Gyun’s room.
Creak.
When he opened the door, Kwak Cheol-Ho stood up from the chair next to Cha Dong-Gyun’s bed, then greeted him.
“It’s okay. Sit down.”
Kang Chan dragged over a chair to sit with them. As he did, they smelled greasy food and heard wheels rolling along. Breakfast was probably being distributed.
“Reinforcements will be coming from Seoul tonight,” Kang Chan stated.
Kwak Cheol-Ho glanced at Cha Dong-Gyun, then looked back at Kang Chan.
“Kwak Cheol-Ho, gather the men who can fight. Let me know who’s coming by lunchtime. Don’t let Daye find out about this,” Kang Chan instructed.
“Understood,” Kwak Cheol-Ho replied.
“I’m coming too,” Cha Dong-Gyun said with a frown as he forced himself up. His eyes blazed so fiercely that they looked as if they had been set on fire.
Kang Chan’s gaze shifted to the bandages on Cha Dong-Gyun’s stomach. If they were in combat, Kang Chan would definitely have handed him a gun, but now that Cha Dong-Gyun had received treatment, that would just make the pain even worse.
“Are you sure?” Kang Chan confirmed.
“Of course.”
However, Cha Dong-Gyun would just suffer from an entirely different kind of injury if Kang Chan ordered him to stay behind while the thoughts of his dead subordinates weighed down his heart.
Creak.
After a while, the interpreter opened the door.
“Here you are. What would you like to do about breakfast?” he asked Kang Chan.
“I’ll eat here,” Kang Chan said.
“Understood.”
While Kwak Cheol-Ho moved the table to the middle of the room, a French agent brought their food over.
Cha Dong-Gyun pulled up the bedside table and put what looked like baby food on it. Meanwhile, Kang Chan and Kwak Cheol-Ho were served plates of meat and bread.
“When will we execute the operation?” Kwak Cheol-Ho asked as he dipped his bread in the steak sauce.
“Let’s wait for our reinforcements before we decide. If they arrive tonight, they’d probably suffer from jet lag, so tomorrow night would probably be best,” Kang Chan replied.
“What’s our target?”
Chatting about this over bread and meat made it feel like they were on a picnic.
“While we’re at it, I’m sure a little noise is fine,” Kang Chan said with a grin.
Cha Dong-Gyun looked up from his soup.
“I heard there’s an oil rig on the outskirts of Al-Aziziyah. Wouldn’t it be cool if it exploded?”
Hearing that made Cha Dong-Gyun look satisfied.
***
The aircraft from South Korea landed at the Athens Airport ten minutes past seven local time.
Kang Chan and two French agents walked onto the tarmac and waited for the soldiers. It took another fifteen minutes for the plane to stop and the trap to be attached. During that time, two buses and an employee from Greece came to Kang Chan’s side.
They flew over in a small civilian aircraft and disguised themselves as tourists. However, when the doors opened and Oh Gwang-Taek stepped out, he still looked like a thief who had come to steal Greek artifacts despite the suit he was wearing.
Oh Gwang-Taek pursed his lips and walked down the stairs. He then showed his passport, which had a completely wrong name, to the Greek employee. Since the name wasn’t on records, this procedure was just for formalities. The National Intelligence Service could handle tasks like these.
Oh Gwang-Taek had lost a lot of weight even though he was already pretty lean. His eyes and body language reeked of the military.
Clunk. Clunk.
Oh Gwang-Taek and all the agents with him were each carrying a bag as big as they were. If anyone learned about what was in there, all the tourists in the airport would probably run away.
After getting his passport stamped, Oh Gwang-Taek headed over to Kang Chan.
“You son of a bitch,” Oh Gwang-Taek greeted with a big smile. When Kang Chan smirked back, he pulled him into a hug.
Kang Chan and Oh Gwang-Taek then watched the agents disembark. They nodded at Kang Chan in greeting before boarding the waiting bus straight away.
Seeing Choi Jong-Il get off the plane made Kang Chan smile. When Woo Hee-Seung and Lee Doo-Hee walked out after him, he couldn’t have felt more relieved.
Clunk, clunk.
Choi Jong-Il walked straight to Kang Chan.
“Thank you for calling me over,” Choi Jong-Il said.
Behind him, Woo Hee-Seung and Lee Doo-Hee bowed their heads slightly in greeting.
“Let’s talk later,” Kang Chan told him.
“Understood.”
The three went onto the bus.
Yoon Sang-Ki—yet another face that he was glad to see—also greeted him. His eyes glinting in anticipation, he gave Kang Chan a slight bow before hopping onto the bus.
Strangely, Kang Chan kept smiling uncontrollably.
The last person to get off the plane was Kang Chul-Gyu. He looked so healthy that Kang Chan couldn’t even remember how weak he used to be.
“You already knew Director Kang before all this, didn’t you?” Oh Gwang-Taek asked.
Kang Chan glanced at him only to find a nauseated Oh Gwang-Taek looking back at him.
“Why?” Kang Chan asked.
“You know why.”
Having never received military training before, Oh Gwang-Taek seemed quite impressed by the man. Kang Chan supposed not just anybody could go on a mission and get a nickname like that.
Clunk, clunk.
Kang Chul-Gyu merely glanced at Kang Chan before stepping on the bus. He didn’t seem to want to put any pressure on him. However, Kang Chan didn’t miss the happiness and gratitude that briefly flashed across his eyes.
“Let’s go,” Kang Chan said.
“Alright.”
Once Kang Chan and Oh Gwang-Taek also hopped on, the bus hit the road.
The National Intelligence Service provided them with rooms at the Central Hotel.
Kang Chan had to admit it. This was the National Intelligence Service’s capacity right now.
Ten agents from the National Intelligence Service including Choi Jong-Il, ten soldiers from Jeungpyeong including Yoon Sang-Ki, and sixteen men from Mongolia including Kang Chul-Gyu and Oh Gwang-Taek.
The National Intelligence Service couldn't possibly keep the movements of a group this large a secret.
“It’s up the seventh floor,” a French agent said. Once everyone had stepped off the bus, he guided them to a freight elevator, which was located outside the emergency exit at the back.
Clunk, clunk, clunk.
Angular jaws, piercing eyes, muscular figures, and powerful gaits.
No matter how one looked at them, they didn’t look like tourists one bit. Hence, Kang Chan couldn’t help but be grateful for having access to another entrance.
When they reached the seventh floor, they found a French agent waiting for them. The doors at the sides of the hallway were open.
“Each room can accommodate two people. Dinner will be served in the conference room at the far end of the hallway in half an hour,” Kang Chan said, relaying the French agent’s explanation to Oh Gwang-Taek and Choi Jong-Il.
They spoke as little as possible and moved quietly. All that could be heard in the hallway were creaks and doors slamming shut.
“Deputy Director-General, the Director-General is waiting for you,” the French agent quietly informed Kang Chan while watching the men go into their rooms.
Kang Chan knew that the director would be paying attention, but he didn’t expect him to come here himself.
The agent led him into the innermost room. As he entered, Romain stood up from the table set beside the bed. Kang Chan noticed two disposable cups filled with coffee on the table.
“Monsieur Kang,” Romain greeted as he held his hand out. Contrary to how quiet he had been in front of Lanok, he now exuded an air of authority.
After a brief handshake, Kang Chan sat down opposite Romain.
“Strong coffee energizes you,” Romain said as he gestured to the coffee. “I used to be able to fly for twenty hours a day for a whole week, but now I need to rely on caffeine.”
When Kang Chan took a sip of his coffee, Romain did as well.
After wiping the drink’s residue off his lips, Romain called Kang Chan again. “Monsieur Kang.”
“Are you thinking of attacking the oil rig in Al-Aziziyah?” he asked.
Is there anything that these people don’t know?
Since Kang Chan had only said his plans out loud to Cha Dong-Gyun today, Romain was likely only speculating on the situation.
“That’s correct,” Kang Chan admitted.
“There’s one thing I’d like to ask you.”
“Go ahead, sir.”
“Does it not occur to you at all that you can die in this operation?” Romain asked.
Unable to tell the intentions hidden behind the question, Kang Chan did not respond.
Romain continued, “Let’s take the other countries out of the equation for a moment. Have you thought about how this might change the situation for France and South Korea?”
He showed no hesitation in voicing his concerns.
“If you die in this operation, Russia would not think twice about turning its head on the other countries, and South Korea will have to pay the price for standing up to Saudi Arabia and the United States.”
It was difficult to read Romain’s expression. Kang Chan couldn’t even tell if he was asking him all this out of concern or as a threat.
“It won’t end there. If you die after the construction of the power plant begins, South Korea will be forced to go to war.”
Kang Chan tilted his head, unable to understand what he meant.
“Let’s keep it simple. What would be the best way to get rid of a power plant and its researchers? The only thing the United States, Russia, and Saudi Arabia can agree on is war.”
At that moment, Kang Chan came to a realization. “Is that the reason the first facility is being built in South Korea? Because it will be easy to destroy if it fails? Because it’s adequate for war?”
Romain’s expression didn’t change, but the awkward silence that followed was answer enough.
Kang Chan pressed on. “Will you look for another country if I refuse now?”
“Your involvement has sped up the development of this new energy source by thirty years,” Romain answered.
“So you mean there won’t be any issues with the development even without me.”
“Even so, with you at the center, South Korea is apt for establishing the facility. If France were to announce the construction of our own plant, Russia would be the first to complain.”
Kang Chan smirked.
“The decision is entirely up to you, but if you’re planning to create an organization, at least make one that can keep you alive until the power plant is built and even long after that. Without you, South Korea will crash back to the 1950s.”
Kang Chan now knew that it was a threat, but it was hard to refute his words.
Romain looked down and pulled out some papers, which had been folded twice, from the pocket of his jacket. He then put them on the table.
“Consider this my way of expressing my gratitude for saving France from the earthquake. Moving forward, I may have to refuse your demands. After all, I have to devote all the power of the DGSE to protecting you and the High Commissioner.”
Kang Chan glanced at the document on the table. He didn’t expect the DGSE Director-General to give him papers folded so poorly.
“Those documents contain information and the location of the Sunni leader in Al-Aziziyah. There are approximately one hundred fifty people if you count his bodyguards,” Romain explained.
When Kang Chan raised his gaze, he found Romain looking as if he had decided on something.
“You have all the makings of a hero, especially your refusal to hide behind anyone’s back.”
Kang Chan met his words with a wry smile. Romain stood up, having already said everything he needed to.
“Monsieur Kang.”
Kang Chan also stood up and took the hand that Romain held out.
“I will support you as much as I can, but if France’s honor is harmed...”
Facing each other head-on, Romain smiled faintly, and Kang Chan smirked. Finding no need to finish his sentence, Romain instead told Kang Chan to take his time and left the room first.
Kang Chan didn’t get to figure out if Lanok ordered Romain to visit him today, but it was clear that the situation around him was becoming increasingly complex and tense.
He picked up the document on the table and checked its contents. The first page was blank, and the next was a schematic map of Al-Aziziyah marked with numbers all over. It was clear enough to him what the marks meant. When he flipped to the next page, he found names next to numbers in the upper left corner.
I knew it!
Mohammad Zrif
Under the name was a big picture of a bushy-bearded man. Below it was a description of his bodyguards and their equipment.
Kang Chan couldn’t move his eyes from the bottom section.
Kang Chan wished for an organization like this—one that could gather information about a target with such accuracy.
He needed stable power and a proper organization before the construction of the power plant began. Otherwise, South Korea would have no choice but to act meek before France, Russia, China, and the UK. Having to walk on eggshells around those four nations would defeat South Korea’s feat of escaping from the tight grip of the United States and Japan.
Kang Chan let out a quiet sigh and left the room.
The Korean team, dressed in black suits, walked down the hall to eat dinner. He recognized the agents, soldiers, and members of the Mongolian team.
Walking inside the conference room, they saw chairs around a large round table and about two dozen dishes set out buffet-style.
Click. Click.
The men must have talked about the two failed operations on the plane. Even if they didn’t, they were bound to at least have a gist about what happened. With the added tension of knowing they would leave for an operation soon, the room’s atmosphere was naturally heavy.
“Let’s go over there,” Oh Gwang-Taek—the only one wearing a happy face in the room—said with a bright smile. He looked like he could be from one of those PSAs on the back of the Seoul City buses about always being happy.
Click, click.
“Is it okay to talk here?” he asked, seemingly worried about someone eavesdropping on them.
Oh Gwang-Taek was the only one who had received military training from a cultist—no—as private lessons.
Kang Chan thought if someone was tapping into their conversation, their ears would hurt first, then they would get dizzy.
“Yes. This place should be safe,” Kang Chan replied.
The DGSE wasn’t so easy to get around.
Everyone nearby heard him.
“Hyung-nim, I never thought we’d get another chance to work for South Korea again,” someone said from the Mongolian team’s table, which was on the other side.
“I’ve already done as much as I can for the country,” Kang Chul-Gyu quietly stated. His resolve seemed different from the rest of the men’s. As all eyes turned to him, he continued, “I only fight for my dead son now. It doesn’t matter whether it’s Mongolia or Libya. If it’s what my dead son wants...”
Oh Gwang-Taek shuddered as he looked at Kang Chan. What the hell happened in Mongolia for this stubborn bastard to be so scared?
Kang Chul-Gyu had a talent for making people curious about him.
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