Chapter 337: Messing With Me? (2) |
Kang Chan crossed the room and wiped his hands. He then lit a cigarette.
Meanwhile, Kim Hyung-Jung answered his phone.
"What? Why are you only reporting this now?" he cried. He then checked on Kang Chan's reaction.
Lowering his voice, he said, "Yesterday? Didn't you know it would be hard to contact us yesterday? Okay. Keep this number reachable. What? How long?"
Kim Hyung-Jung swallowed a groan.
"Contact me as soon as you arrive. Make sure to thoroughly coordinate with the agents in the area!"
Abibu, who was on the other side of the glass, was now leaning against the wall. He looked too weary to even sit on a chair.
"Sir, your parents have just left for Europe," reported Kim Hyung-Jung.
Did he seriously just tell me that in this tense situation?
Kim Hyung-Jung added, "They have decided to take the trip all over Europe that they've been planning. Their phones are off, but you can contact them through Assistant Manager Kim's number.”
Kang Chan found it hard to say anything. He could have made a quick call to them but he hadn’t. He really couldn’t blame anyone for this but himself.
This is definitely my fault.
Kang Dae-Kyung had likely been harboring deep pain, and Yoo Hye-Sook had undoubtedly been holding back her tears...
Kang Chan was sorry. His heart ached. He could make the excuse that he hadn’t wanted to worry them or even the excuse that he had been too busy, but the fact he felt guilty and apologetic remained the same.
Waiting for me to come home without knowing exactly when that would be must have been so tough and painful. No wonder they suddenly went to Europe.
Kang Chan blamed himself for being negligent and complacent. He had almost lost the two of the people he cherished the most because of Abibu.
His eyes filled with murderous intent as he gazed at the bastard.
"I'm sorry. It seems they tried to call me yesterday, but I was so busy that I couldn't answer."
"Can we call them right now?" asked Kang Chan.
"Unfortunately, they're already boarding their flight. They’ll be reachable again in approximately two hours.”
"What about their security?"
"I heard Assistant Manager Kim and Agent Cha Min-Jeong left with them. They're supposed to get support from the agents in Europe, but I’ll be sure to double-check.”
Kang Chan extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray.
Seeing his intense glare, Kim Hyung-Jung apologized again. "I'm sorry.”
"It's not your fault,” Kang Chan replied, “I was the one who was negligent. Please make sure to double-check their itinerary and security."
"I will," Kim Hyung-Jung answered.
Kang Chan then looked past the glass. Just two more hits and Abibu would surely die.
Kim Hyung-Jung watched him with concern.
"Manager Kim," Kang Chan softly called. "There's something you need to know."
Kim Hyung-Jung and the agents with them focused on what he was about to say.
"I thought you knew, but from what I’ve seen, it seems I was wrong.”
"What is it?"
"Abibu is a member of the Saudi Arabian royal family."
"We already knew that.”
It had also been reported in the newspapers and broadcasts before they arrived.
"The Islamic society is unimaginably loyal to the royal family. Although Saudi Arabia will respect our announcement on the surface because we have solid evidence, if they learn that we've beaten Abibu up, not only the UIS but the entire Islamic extremist community would take it as an insult. If we're not careful, they might throw caution to the wind."
Kim Hyung-Jung looked at the interpreter. His flustered face seemed to be asking him, “Why didn't you tell me that?”
"He probably didn't think of that because he hasn't fought them himself,” Kang Chan answered in the interpreter’s stead. “Abibu’s initial warning wasn’t just talk. The UIS and the Islamic extremists now see South Korea and the counter-terrorism team as a common enemy to unite against."
Kim Hyung-Jung looked at Kang Chan. His expression was grim, but it harbored a faint hope.
'You didn’t beat him up without a plan, did you?'
However, based on how Kang Chan had been behaving so far, Kim Hyung-Jung realized that Kang Chan could have attacked Abibu out of impulse.
"Please make sure that what happened here doesn't leak out. Otherwise, our citizens abroad and embassies could become targets of terrorism."
Suddenly stricken with realization, Kim Hyung-Jung replied, "Yes, sir.”
Fortunately, in this critical moment, when the UIS and Islamic extremists could target South Korea and its people, Kang Dae-Kyung and Yoo Hye-Sook had left for Europe.
Kim Hyung-Jung now fully understood why Abibu had been so confident and why Kang Chan's eyes had been so fierce. He also realized just how serious the events today and yesterday were.
Click.
As Kang Chan opened the door and stepped out, Kim Hyung-Jung quickly stood up.
Click.
Kang Chan entered the room where Abibu was. However, before he could beat him up again, the attendant clung to Kang Chan.
"I will answer whatever you ask to the best of my abilities."
Kang Chan silently observed Abibu, who was leaning against the wall, half unconscious and gasping for breath. Abibu couldn’t even consider resisting anymore. Once someone's will had been completely broken by violence, all they’d ever feel was fear.
The problem was Abibu's position.
If the attendant were in his position, terror would have filled him every time he saw Kang Chan. However, it was different for Abibu. If his mind cleared, the eyes watching him could compel him to stand up and fight even if it meant death.
Should I just kill him?
While Kang Chan was pondering what to do with Abibu, the attendant exclaimed, "Huuuuh! I'll tell you everything! Please! The prince has said that he would confess! He’ll answer anything you ask, so please...!"
Why is he crying? I haven’t even hit him once.
"Are you sure?" Kang Chan asked.
"Huh?"
"Bastard!"
"Y-yes! Yes! I’m sure!"
With the attendant startled, Kang Chan saw fear rise in the eyes of the flinching Abibu.
"Pass on exactly what I say," Kang Chan ordered.
"Yes, sir."
Kang Chan looked beyond the glass, telling their interpreter to make sure that the attendant was interpreting correctly.
"There’s something you two misunderstood," Kang Chan said.
The attendant poured out clear Arabic into Abibu's ear.
"I’m not doing this to get something out of you."
The attendant turned his head toward him in shock. Nevertheless, he still frantically spewed Arabic.
Meanwhile, Kang Chan, who had kept his gaze on Abibu’s eyes, noticed the outer edges of Abibu's eyes subtly twitch. A person who wholeheartedly believed that they had been defeated wouldn’t have reacted like that.
Kang Chan smirked, now determined to put a proper end to all this.
"Abibu, you bastard," he growled.
Fear immediately enveloped the attendant’s expression.
"You just wasted your last chance."
Whack! Thud!
Before Abibu’s attendant could even come up with an excuse, Kang Chan ferociously kicked his head.
Whack!
He then slammed Abibu’s head against the wall, causing him to fall sideways to the floor like a scarecrow.
Crack.
"Ugh..."
Right after, Kang Chan stepped on Abibu’s neck.
The bastard had calculated it all in the brief moment his attendant clung to him. Feeling his subordinate watching him, he remembered his inviolable pride, the authority and wealth that had protected him so far, and the force of UIS.
It was better to just kill him now that it had come to this.
Abibu flailed and struggled. Weakly, he held onto Kang Chan's ankle.
"Aaaah!"
At that moment, the previously foolish-looking attendant glared and charged toward Kang Chan.
What do you think you're doing, you fucking bastard?!
Whack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
However, Kang Chan just relentlessly stomped on him.
This baster, what a faithful servant of a treacherous country.
You’re just a ruthless loyalist who played his part well in eliminating key South Korean agents and personnel, Abibu! That doesn’t make you important and all of our people worthless!
The scent of the 606's blood is still fresh in my nose, and you fucking bastard was right there, issuing the orders! You even almost fooled me!
While Abibu was gasping for breath, Kang Chan mercilessly trampled the attendant, who was beside him.
If you're so envious of what we have, why don’t you offer a fair price for it instead of begging, bombing, and killing people just to force us to give it up?
Are South Korea and its agents, who carry out their missions wearing their uniform like they’re shrouds, that trivial to you?!
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
"Assistant Director!"
Kim Hyung-Jung and the agents clung to Kang Chan desperately again. In response, Kang Chan took a step back. His two victims now lay sprawled in similar poses, barely breathing.
He was aware that if they just left them like this, the entire Republic of Korea could be put in danger. Hence, he took out his phone.
If it's a fight they want, I'll give them one, but I’ll do it my way.
As Kang Chan searched for a number, the labored breathing of the two men filled the room. Eventually, he pressed the call button.
- Hello?
"Director, this is Kang Chan. Is Director Kang with you?"
- Just a moment.
Sensing something odd in Kang Chan's voice, Kim Tae-Jin skipped the usual pleasantries and handed over the phone to Kang Chul-Gyu.
Meanwhile, Kim Hyung-Jung glanced around, and the corners of Abibu's eyes twitched again.
You bastard! Just you fucking wait!
- It's me.
"We might have to face the entire UIS soon. If we do, I plan to bring the fight to Mongolia," Kang Chan said.
- Hahaha!
In both his past and current lives, this was the first time he had heard Kang Chul-Gyu laugh out loud.
- We’ll prepare accordingly and wait for you!
Kang Chan exhaled softly, unable to make sense of his reaction.
Did Kang Chul-Gyu not fully understand because “UIS” was said in English? Did the idea of a full-scale war with the United Islamic State not spark any fear in him?
How strange—it seems there are no normal humans around me...
Suddenly, the call was cut off.
‘Who would hang up first if he and Vasili were on the phone?’ Kang Chan wondered.
Anyway, he felt at ease now.
Now, he only needed the intelligence bureaus of China, Russia, and Germany to spread rumors about him using his position against the Korean government’s opposition to kill the two bastards and then flee to Mongolia. The UIS would certainly prefer to rush to the scene in Mongolia than face a full-scale war with South Korea.
Alright! Now that it has come to this, I'll get a satisfying revenge for Director Hwang Ki-Hyun, Director Song Chang-Wook, and our fallen agents and soldiers.
Kang Chan shifted his gaze.
"Pistol."
The agent swallowed dryly and pulled the handgun from his waistband. The counter-terrorism team agents seemed to have been trained to follow orders without questions.
"Assistant Director!" Kim Hyung-Jung yelled. However, one look from Kang Chan was all it took to silence him.
Click!
Kang Chan cocked the gun.
Bewilderment flashed in Abibu's swollen eyes, making them look as if they had been slashed with a knife. He appeared to have finally grasped Kang Chan's character. Moreover, his instincts seemed to be telling him that the atmosphere right now was anything but ordinary.
He struggled to spit out Arabic.
It's too late, you bastard! And I don't know Arabic!
However, Abibu managed to utter a word that Kang Chan could understand.
"Afghanistan..."
Kang Chan’s ears deviously perked up.
Ha! This bastard!
He was really making him feel simple and childish.
The attendant groaned as he began to relay Abibu’s words. "The original plan started in Afghanistan. We were going to hold Koreans there and kill them one by one, but the hostages were rescued. It was absurd.”
"What does that have to do with this situation?" Kang Chan asked.
"Your agents in Libya found out about this."
Kang Chan and Kim Hyung-Jung were dumbfounded.
It was so astounding that they didn't even know what to ask or press into.
"It was Josh's operation. He informed us of every detail about the Koreans in Afghanistan while Ethan was unknowingly drawing attention by trying to kill Ambassador Lanok and the God of Blackfield."
These fuckers! Who do they think are they trying to kill?
This was ridiculous.
"We were planning to put a stop to the situation through the assassination of the agents in Libya, but it instead further escalated when you and your men came to Libya and retaliated. We had Romain's help then."
Kang Chan just openly laughed in response. Romain was also the one who had given him the intel about the UIS in Libya.
"I'm telling the truth,” Abibu said, seemingly thinking that Kang Chan didn't believe him.
Honestly, at this point, trust had gone out of the window.
He continued, "This terrorist attack was no different.”
"You must have received something in exchange for all this!” Kang Chan shouted. “I doubt you’re short on money, so what did they give you that was so valuable they got you making such a mess?"
Abibu shuddered.
Is this bastard still messing with me?
Kang Chan aimed the gun at Abibu's head.
In response, Abibu uttered another word that Kang Chan could understand, expanding his hope for a life extension.
"Blackhead!"
What timing.
"They promised to build a next-generation power plant in Saudi Arabia using Blackhead. Construction has already begun."
"What about the attack in Mongolia?"
"We needed samples of denadite and cetinium. Given how tightly they control things over there, we expected that with such a huge force, we would at least obtain few."
Kang Chan sighed. “Haaa.”
He suddenly desperately wanted a cigarette.
"Got a cigarette?"
Kim Hyung-Jung searched his pockets and then looked at the glass. It seemed he had left them inside.
"Please… If word gets out that I caved in and gave you all that information, neither the DGSE nor the British intelligence bureau will let us live,” Abibu uttered in Arabic, his voice fading. “If the public learns that I was involved in a terrorist attack, I'll also lose my place in the line of succession to the throne. I’ll keep quiet about this and even announce that your government has moved to a safe location for my protection. That should leave the UIS with no justification to attack South Korea.”
This dying man sure is talkative!
Click.
The door opened, and the interpreter came in with cigarettes and a lighter.
Kang Chan looked at him, his gaze seemingly asking “Did the bastard interpret everything correctly?”
The interpreter nodded briefly.
Click.
"Hoo."
Thud.
Kang Chan pulled a chair over and sat down.
"You haven’t told me why you had to kill two of our directors yet.”
The agents' reactions were so sharp that they could almost be felt on the skin.
"I don't know. Romain just requested to have it done," Abibu replied.
"Ah, it's troublesome to end up like this at the last moment."
"Can't… breathe…"
Abibu did look like he couldn't hold on much longer.
Should I just kill him?
Kang Chan pondered for a moment. He had heard far more than he wanted to, and the deal Abibu had offered was tempting. However, he still had to avenge those that this bastard had killed.
While smoking, he glared at the two men.
It wasn't his decision to make.
Considering this could potentially affect all of South Korea, its government naturally should be the one to decide Abibu’s fate.
"Get the medical team to treat him," Kang Chan said.
"Call the medical team!" Kim Hyung-Jung shouted toward the glass.
It was like some kind of magic glass. Asked for cigarettes, and cigarettes came; called for a medical team, and they appeared.
Kang Chan exhaled a long puff of smoke. “Hooo.”
Romain, that motherfucker. All this mess was just to build another next-generation energy facility, huh? They even sent the ambassador back to France for this.
The medical team briefly hesitated when they saw the scene. After greeting the people inside with a nod, they rushed to Abibu and his attendant’s aid.
Thud.
Kang Chan slowly stood up and left the room. As he did, the armed agent standing by the door caught his attention.
Curious about what the agent, whom he had never spoken to before, was thinking, he stopped and fixed his gaze on him. The agent now looked startled.
"Are your parents still alive?"
"Yes, sir."
"Is your relationship with them okay?"
Although the agent seemed puzzled, he still firmly answered, “Yes, sir.”
"If you knew you were going to die in the next operation, would you still volunteer?"
"My answer would never change, sir. I would go," replied the agent.
Kang Chan smirked. "Don't give me a textbook answer. What about your parents, who are waiting for you at home? Have you never thought about how sad and troubled they would be?"
"Assistant Director,” Kim Hyung-Jung called.
Kang Chan glanced at Kim Hyung-Jung and then looked back at the agent. In that short period, the agent’s eyes had reddened.
"The day the director’s security was breached, I was supposed to be the one on duty. Instead, I lost a senior who had agreed to swap shifts with me because it was my mother's sixtieth birthday. The Taegeukgi on my left arm has felt too heavy ever since. I’ve never missed a single standby since that day! Please let me join the counter-terrorism team’s operations.”
Kang Chan sighed softly as he left the room. Of all the people to ask, he just had to choose an agent with such a heavy story!
