God of Blackfield

A black van soon stopped near Kang Chan, and the four agents inside propped two Barrett M82A3s on the van’s window.

The Barrett was about a hundred and fifty centimeters long. Its magazine had bullets that looked like cute little cannon balls. Bulletproof glass? Its bullets could go through bulletproof vests and even concrete walls.

Wui Min-Gook took a step back as he frantically held up the switch.

You didn’t expect us to do this, did you, Wui Min-Gook? You probably thought that our chivalrous spirit would force us to charge right in and get ourselves killed if you pretended to negotiate. You son of a bitch! I say this all the time, but I’ve handled things like this so many times back in Africa that I’ve grown bored of it.

There was a chance that Wui Min-Gook sincerely wanted to talk because he had other things planned. However, if they negotiated with that son of a bitch, they would be betraying Choi Seong-Geon, who was unjustly killed, and Lee Yoo-Seul’s father, who died holding back his screams and pain.

Wui Min-Gook slowly mouthed, “If. You. Let. Me. Go.”

Chk.

“We have Wui Min-Gook in our sights. We have a clear shot,” one of the agents inside the van reported.

“I’ll. Tell. You. Who. South. Korea’s. Spy. is,” Wui Min-Gook continued.

All of the soldiers who were watching the surveillance camera and those who came out of the van could clearly tell what Wui Min-Gook was saying.

Kang Chan slowly held up his left hand and brought it up to his lips.

Chk.

“I trust that you all know who General Choi Seong-Geon and Lee Yoo-Seul’s father is. As the head of the counter-terrorism team and the one in charge of this operation, I’m going to make sure Wui Min-Gook is killed no matter the sacrifices we have to make later,” Kang Chan said.

The soldiers quickly looked at Kang Chan. Wui Min-Gook looked as if he was thinking, ‘What is that crazy bastard saying?’

Chk.

“From this day forward, no matter how our enemy provokes us, the South Korean National Intelligence Service’s counter-terrorism team and our military’s special forces will always regard retaliation and revenge as our core policy,” Kang Chan continued.

Seok Kang-Ho grinned as he looked at the Barretts’ large muzzle.

Chk.

“We have finished evacuating everyone within a thirty-meter radius around the house,” Kim Hyung-Jung radioed in. He sounded as if he was in a hurry.

When Wui Min-Gook saw the look in Kang Chan’s eyes, he quickly mouthed, “I’ll. Call. One. Of. The. Spies. Here!”

“You’re too late, you son of a bitch!” Kang Chan yelled so loud that all of the agents nearby heard him.

Chk.

“All agents, prepare for an explosion. On my command, the Barretts are to destroy any possible entrances. Snipers, you are to open fire right after. Our goal is the death of the armed spy Wui Min-Gook,” Kang Chan ordered.

Whoosh!

As Wui Min-Gook ran away from the window…

Chk.

“Fire!” Kang Chan ordered.

Bam! Pow! Bam! Pow!

Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew!

The counter-terrorism team, which was on standby, simultaneously fired…

Bam! Pow! Bam! Pow! Bam! Pow! Bam! Pow!

The Barretts mercilessly broke the windows, the front door, and the door of the veranda on the second floor.

The walls around the perimeters of the house were so large and thick that the explosion from the C-4 would find it difficult to get past them. That was why explosions often splattered upward with these kinds of houses.

Bam! Pow! Bam! Pow!

Perhaps it was because they were in a quiet residential area, but the gunshots from the Barretts sounded like cannons being fired from far away.

Bam! Bam!

The moment the window frame on the second floor shattered…

GRUMBLE! Pow! Shatter!

… with a deafening roar, the house exploded, its fragments and wreckage shooting out in every direction.

Flop! Plop!

As if someone threw them backward, Kang Chan and Seok Kang-Ho were slammed to the ground.

Swoosh!

The cement powder, dirt, and various fragments struck them.

You son of a bitch! Make sure to send Jang Kwang-Taek my regards!

Kang Chan smirked as he tousled his hair.

***

“You have to cancel it!” Jung Tae-Seup—one of the assistant deputy directors of the National Intelligence Service—exclaimed. His eyes and cheeks were red. “He’s a high schooler. You said that’s okay, but he just turned the middle of Seoul into a battlefield against one of this case’s central figures even though the man intended to surrender. Even if this doesn’t stir up the foreign press, the world will still probably think South Korea is at war right now.”

Hwang Ki-Hyun just listened.

“You shouldn’t take this lightly. He had already done things like this many times. At the rate we’re going, we will soon have a war in our hands, Mr. Director! I’ve endured everything until now, even the fact that you classified a high schooler as a special agent, but this isn’t right. The military and the Capital Defense Command have also said that they can’t just stand back and watch anymore,” Jung Tae-Seup continued. He then sighed instead of adding more to his complaints because Hwang Ki-Hyun just continued to listen.

A moment of silence passed.

They had only installed three signal detectors and two low-frequency dispensers inside Hwang Ki-Hyun’s first meeting room to stop others from wiretapping. They didn’t have anything else.

“If you keep Assistant Deputy Director Kang Chan, then I’ll step down from my position. This is the last warning that the military will send to the National Intelligence Service,” Jung Tae-Seup said with spiteful eyes.

Hwang Ki-Hyun still didn’t say anything.

***

“Hahaha!” Lanok’s laughter filled his office. “The DIA’s second plan has failed!”

Anne couldn’t determine if he was shouting in delight or lamentation.

- The Deputy Director-General probably didn’t even know the DIA’s plot at all.

“That’s probably true! Still, I sincerely applaud his courage and determination. Anyway, we can use this as an opportunity for our country. Stop providing South Korea’s National Intelligence Service with top secret information.”

- Alright. What should we do to the Deputy Director-General?

“We’ll still provide all the information Monsieur Kang requires. Even if South Korea disregards him, the decision is his to make in the end. He simply is that kind of man.” Despite having just used a serious tone, he burst out laughing again. “Brandon must be having a torturous time.”

- We have obtained intel that the DIA, CIA, and even the FBI are gathering information about the Deputy Director-General again.

“Mobilize all lines of the Intelligence Bureau. Ensure the information that those organizations will gather will only further confuse them.”

- Alright.

Lanok put down the phone and smiled again. He seemed amused. “Vasili is probably in an uncomfortable position right now. I won’t wish for more if Monsieur Kang is able to work for France’s glory like this.”

Raphael carefully filled up Lanok’s cup with black tea.

***

“Things have taken an unusual turn,” Woo Hee-Seung quietly told Choi Jong-Il, who was sitting on a bench in the hospital’s park.

“The agents and soldiers in Jeungpyeong’s fully supporting the assistant deputy director seem to be factoring in on the other executives’ uneasiness,” Woo Hee-Seung continued.

“Got any cigarettes?” Choi Jong-Il held out his hand.

“Yeah.” Woo Hee-Seung held out his cigarette case and then took out his lighter.

Chk chk.

“Whoo!” The smoke that Choi Jong-Il exhaled was picked up by the winter wind and instantly disappeared.

“We just have to follow orders. We shouldn’t worry about what’s going on around us or who’s supporting whom,” Choi Jong-Il. After another puff, he threw it in the ashtray.

Woo Hee-Seung was about to say something but chose to stay quiet instead.

“Remember when the prosecution kicked up a fuss?” Choi Jong-Il asked.

“Yes.”

“What’s our duty?”

“To protect the assistant deputy director.”

“So do you really have time to focus on other things?”

Woo Hee-Seung’s expression seemed to say, ‘Oh shoot!’

“I’m getting discharged next week. Until then, take responsibility and protect the assistant deputy director. We just have to focus on our duty and on the commands that we are given,” Choi Jong-Il added. When Woo Hee-Seung smirked seemingly in satisfaction, he asked, “Got anything else for me?”

“Not really. I should go now. I left behind quite an important task.”

“Didn’t you say that you were off duty?”

“I haven’t been paying attention to things like that lately. This is a matter of life or death, after all. Anyway, I’ll get going.”

Choi Jong-Il smirked as watched Woo Hee-Seung stand up.

***

Pew! Pew! Pew!

The gunshots from the special forces team’s rifles consecutively rang out in the makeshift city.

Chk.

“Building One has been destroyed!” someone exclaimed.

Chk.

“Building Two has been destroyed as well!” another exclaimed.

Cha Dong-Gyun, who was sitting inside a jeep parked at the ramp, pressed the button on the stopwatch.

The adjutant tilted his head and checked the time. He then quickly wrote the time on the training log.

Chk.

“We’ll end the morning training here. Gather at the entrance,” Cha Dong-Gyun ordered.

The soldiers completed his command quite quickly.

“It took us sixteen minutes. Since he said that we’re world-class, our capabilities should be around that level. That means sixteen minutes is already on par with the other special forces. However, we need to be even better,” Cha Dong-Gyun said.

The fire in the soldiers’ eyes was blazing as strong as Cha Dong-Gyun’s.

“We should never forget what he said while he fought Wui Min-Gook in our stead. From now on, we will consider retaliation as our main objective. Anyone can back out of this if they’re tired and having a difficult time. No one, not even me, will sneer at or mock you. I understand why anyone would make that choice. After all, our goal now is much more strenuous and difficult!”

Cha Dong-Gyun gritted his teeth as he slowly looked at all the soldiers before him.

“That being said,” Cha Dong-Gyun exclaimed. “I’m going to risk my life for the day South Korea’s special forces become the world’s most powerful. That’s what General Choi Seong-Geon wanted, and it’s the best I can do to honor our fallen comrades!”

When Cha Dong-Gyun gritted his teeth again and took a deep breath, the adjutant glanced at his wounds to examine them. Cha Dong-Gyun hadn’t healed enough yet for him to be yelling.

“If anyone wants to back out, now’s the time!” Cha Dong-Gyun yelled.

“None of us do, sir!”

The low and husky reply echoed all over the makeshift city.

“Then from now on,” Cha Dong-Gyun yelled again. Blood started to seep out of the bandages wrapped around him. “We’re going to show General Choi Seong-Geon how determined we are!”

The adjutant turned his head away to hide the emotions suddenly overwhelming him.

With red eyes, the soldiers waited for Cha Dong-Gyun’s next command.

“What’s our motto?!”

“If I can protect the country with my blood, I am happy!”

The soldiers’ pained shouts filled the area.