Chapter 223.1: Am I Upset? (1)
Seok Kang-Ho was still smirking when Kang Chan received the text message that contained an address somewhere in Itaewon.
The first time they got a chance like this, Kang Chan wasted no time initiating the operation to kill Jang Kwang-Taek and avenge Choi Seong-Geon. It was no different now.
“That son of a bitch!” Kang Chan gleefully exclaimed.
“Phuhuhu,” Seok Kang-Ho sniggered.
They looked at each other as their eyes glinted.
Soon, the door slid open with a creak.
“I heard you two already ate lunch, but I thought I should ask if you want to eat lunch with us anyway…?” Kim Hyung-Jung paused midway into entering the room and quickly scanned their expressions. “Did something happen?”
He sat down at the table, his gaze alternating between Kang Chan and Seok Kang-Ho.
“We’ve found Wui Min-Gook,” Kang Chan explained.
“What?! Where? Where is he right now?” Kim Hyung-Jung asked furiously. The way he behaved made it seem like he was about to run over to wherever Wui Min-Gook was and shoot him in the forehead.
“Mr. Kang Chan! Where is Wui Min-Gook right now?” Kim Hyung-Jung frantically repeated.
Although Kim Hyung-Jung didn’t say or show it, he appeared to have been deeply troubled by this issue as well. Kang Chan thought they had to have someone keeping an eye on the whole situation, so he decided to tell Kim Hyung-Jung.
“Do you know a man named Kwak Do-Young?” Kang Chan asked.
“You mean Chairperson Huh Sang-Soo’s assistant?” Kim Hyung-Jung responded.
When Kang Chan nodded, Kim Hyung-Jung looked as if he suddenly understood everything.
“That man used to work with Cho Il-Kwon, the chief secretary of Yang Jin-Woo. The records showed that he hadn’t returned to the country yet, but we appear to have been mistaken,” Kim Hyung-Jung mused.
“This intel is from the DGSE, so it can be trusted,” Kang Chan said with assurance.
“In that case, he must have used a fake identity.”
“This is where he is. For now, let’s just keep an eye on him. Please make sure Wui Min-Gook doesn’t catch you,” Kang Chan said, showing Kim Hyung-Jung the address. “If possible, please only assign agents who have experience in the special forces to this task. Wui Min-Gook aside, this mission is going to be dangerous if some members of the North Korean special forces team are still alive and accompanying him.”
“Understood,” Kim Hyung-Jung replied with a nod.
“Can you report this directly to the Director and only assign agents that you can trust to it?”
“As the head of the counter-terrorism special forces, all of those should be within your authority.”
Kang Chan felt pleased. With Kim Hyung-Jung’s assistance, everything was neatly falling into place.
“Great! Now, let’s all drink a cup of coffee to celebrate,” Seok Kang-Ho suggested with a satisfied smile as he stood up from his seat.
“Stay right there, Mr. Seok. I’ll go and make some coffee,” Kim Hyung-Jung offered. He then quickly headed to the table. A moment later, he carried over two paper cups filled with coffee.
“Hm? You’re not having any, Manager Kim?” Kang Chan asked.
“I have to prioritize getting some of the agents to keep an eye over Wui Min-Gook,” Kim Hyung-Jung replied insistently.
Kang Chan supposed that was more important.
“I’ll be back in an hour.” Kim Hyung-Jung immediately left the room.
They talked about the task of killing someone as if it was nothing. They were even looking forward to it and were so excited about it that Kang Chan found it a bit ridiculous, but he concluded that it was okay to act like this since their target was Wui Min-Gook.
“If the men in Jeungpyeong find out about this, they’re all going to come running,” Seok Kang-Ho joked.
“Don’t say that out loud. You’re going to jinx it,” Kang Chan mischievously warned.
This was the first time in a long while that they got good news. As they relaxed and drank coffee, Kang Chan’s phone rang again.
“Hello?” he answered.
- Mr. Kang Chan, this is Yang Bum. Are you available to talk right now?
“I am. I’m sorry I didn’t give you a call first. Thank you so much for helping us during our most recent operation.”
- How are you doing?
“They say I can be discharged in three days.”
I’m getting a bad feeling about this.
Kang Chan glanced at Seok Kang-Ho as Yang Bum continued.
- If so, can I go to Korea and meet up with you around that time?
Kang Chan wasn’t expecting that question. However, since he had received something from him, it would only be proper to repay him, and while he was at it, he might as well do a good job.
“Sounds like a plan. Please inform me about the time once I’m out of the hospital,” Kang Chan responded.
- Thank you. I will contact you again once I have finalized my schedule.
“Geez, that guy! He seems to be in one hell of a rush,” Seok Kang-Ho grumbled. Their conversation was spoken in Korean, allowing him to get a grasp of what was going on.
“He said something about the borders and whatnot. I didn’t expect it to be something that he has to be so frantic about,” Kang Chan replied.
“I hope we’re not getting pulled into some regional war.”
“I’m sure we’re not. I doubt Russia and China will start shooting at each other. And even if they do, why would we get involved in their fight?” Kang Chan said with a reassuring grin.
“You do have a point.”
This was no different in Africa, After every battle or operation, they would sit around and chat about everything and anything.
***
“We have assigned agents from the counter-terrorism team to surround the house and ordered them to shadow anyone who enters and leaves,” Kim Hyung-Jung informed Kang Chan and Seok Kang-Ho.
Kim Hyung-Jung had returned exactly fifty-five minutes since he left. His eyes were glinting as sharply as Seok Kang-Ho’s now. When he arrived, Kang Chan told him about his conversation with Yang Bum.
“Have you heard any news about the soldiers?” Kang Chan asked next.
“One of the critically wounded has regained consciousness. The other three still have to be monitored. From what I heard, even the medical staff are surprised by how well they are holding up.”
Seok Kang-Ho glanced at Kang Chan. Kim Hyung-Jung wasn’t aware of the effects of the blood transfusion, so he just seemed to be thinking of it as a miracle.
After that, they all sat down and enjoyed their rest, listening to Kim Hyung-Jung talk about the response to this recent incident.
Creak.
The door soon opened again. Jeon Dae-Geuk and Kim Tae-Jin walked in.
Seeing these people is always a pleasure.
They exchanged greetings and sat down to chat about various things. Other than a nurse coming into the room in the middle of their conversation to administer another injection, nothing else happened.
“All right! We should go get something to eat. Dinner’s on me today,” Jeon Dae-Geuk announced.
It’s only five right now, though.
“I missed my lunch today. What’s the harm in eating a little earlier?” Jeon Dae-Geuk added.
“Section Chief, my father is supposed to come this evening. I’m just going to wait and have dinner with him, sir,” Kang Chan politely refused.
“I see,” Jeon Dae-Geuk said, turning to Seok Kang-Ho with regret.
“Well, since you’re paying, let’s go have some meat. We can eat in the room next door,” Seok Kang-Ho suggested.
“Meat? Should I bring some grilled beef over, Mr. Seok?” Jeon Dae-Geuk offered.
“That sounds fantastic!”
“Manager Kim, will you go outside and ask the staff if we can use the room next door?” Jeon Dae-Geuk requested.
“Understood, sir,” Kim Hyung-Jung replied.
Do these people think we’re here on a picnic or something?
Kim Hyung-Jung returned shortly after he left the room. “I’ve talked to them and made all the arrangements.”
“Thank you. Let’s head over to the other room when Kang Chan’s father arrives,” Jeon Dae-Geuk said.
Kang Chan chuckled. “You can go on ahead, sir. After all, you said you didn’t get to have lunch. My father isn’t expecting other people to be here anyway, so seeing you will just make him uncomfortable.”
He had to convince them two to three more times before they all stood up and followed Jeon Dae-Geuk to the room next door. If others saw them, some would probably think that Kang Chan was upset that they actually left, but he didn’t feel that way at all.
The National Intelligence Service, the DGSE, England, the United States of America, and China… Kang Chang felt as if everything around him was getting tangled up and turning into a complicated mess. He needed some time to organize his thoughts.
A rush of silence swept in and filled the room, seemingly finally being let out after being bottled up somewhere for quite some time.
The things Kang Chan had to attend to next didn’t require joining operations, which meant he wouldn’t be fighting with guns or swinging daggers anymore. Instead, he was faced with the issue of having to meet the leaders of every country’s intelligence bureau. He also had to prioritize expanding and improving the capabilities of the South Korean National Intelligence Service. This matter wasn’t similar to training a special forces team, though. He was not familiar with this field.
At the very least, they should reach the same level as France’s DGSE. That’s the only way for them to be of any help in the future if Lanok or Anne is in danger.
Kang Chan looked outside the window.
I should do things one at a time.
He smirked to himself when he suddenly recalled the crying young girl they found near the end of their operation in Afghanistan.
It was regrettable and pitiable. Even right now, countless kids like her were probably being killed or getting their noses and ears cut off just because they were girls or because they violated some religious beliefs.
Kang Chan wished for greater strength. At the very least, he wanted to be powerful enough to save those children.
Pft!
Human greed knew no bounds.