Chapter 155.2: Watch and Learn (2)

Kang Chan stretched his arm out to pick up a cigarette. As he was lighting it up, Anne came hobbling over to the desk.

Huh? What is she doing?

Once she approached the table, she began to pour him more tea like a respectable society lady. In her eyes, Kang Chan could see the faith she had in him.

‘It’ll all be fine in the end, so you don’t have to worry too much.’

‘Thank you.’

Anne turned back and returned to where she had been sitting. She probably just wanted to do something to express her gratitude toward him.

“May I make a call?” Xavier carefully asked when Kang Chan was exhaling the smoke of his cigarette.

“It’s too late, Xavier. Now that the operation has already started, it’s just going to be the men on our side getting sacrificed if you secretly deliver our strategy to the people you report back to. Let me get this straight. Like I said before, if something happens to Ambassador Lanok even after this operation, I will work with the UK if I have to if that means I can take revenge on the States. So you better hope to God that the ambassador will return safe and sound,” Kang Chan stated.

“Why are you still keeping me here, then?” Xavier asked, seemingly finding his situation unjust.

Kang Chan looked at Xavier in amusement.

“You were arrested by the NIS for spying and trying to sneak out South Korean military secrets,” Kang Chan informed him.

Xavier looked as if he couldn’t believe his ears.

“What? Did you think South Korea wouldn’t be able to touch an American spy? Ha, bullshit.”

“You don’t understand that having the ability to command special forces is nothing in the world of international politics.” Xavier was starting to sound frustrated.

“That might be true,” Kang Chan agreed, nodding as he spoke. “But you’re a spy who was trying to steal South Korean military intelligence. That fact won’t change regardless of what’s going on in the political scene.”

With his arms still laid on the table, Xavier looked to Raphael for backup.

“Did you think South Korea would continue to just take everyone’s terrorist attacks lying down? Did you think we won’t be able to arrest guys like you even if you steal the country’s military secrets? Don’t be an idiot, Xavier,” Kang Chan continued. He extinguished his cigarette on the ashtray and took a sip of his tea. Soon after, the phone began to ring again. Still glaring at Xavier, Kang Chan picked up the receiver.

-The Foreign Legion has departed. They will arrive in Osan in approximately twelve hours. Germany and Russia’s special forces have also left their countries. God of Blackfield, China has ordered emergency standby on their entire military. Will you still proceed?

Kang Chan smirked, his eyes still on Xavier.

“An important official from France was kidnapped. I don’t care if France decides they don’t want in on the action. But you should think about why Germany, Russia, and South Korea’s special forces are moving at my command. I’m a little disappointed with the DGSE today.”

-We were only relaying the possible dangers to you. Our special forces team has already left. I hope there aren’t any misunderstandings about our stance.

“Got it. Thanks,” Kang Chan replied in a lighter tone, then set down the receiver.

“Please let me make a call!” Xavier pleaded desperately.

“Shut up,” Kang Chan said firmly.

“War will break out at this rate! South Korea is going to go up in flames!” Xavier exclaimed.

Kang Chan tilted his head as he began to glower at Xavier. Xavier flinched.

“What? Go up in flames? Repeat what you just said, you son of a bitch,” Kang Chan growled. He suppressed the urge to shoot Xavier in the forehead with his gun when he got interrupted by his phone.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.?

It was probably for the better that he received a call at such timing.

“Hello?”

-Mr. Kang, the DGSE has contacted us and sent us all the necessary information, and the director has also given his approval. Our special forces will be joining the French team in Osan.?

“Thank you. I’ll do my best to make sure this is a success,” Kang Chan reassured him.

When he put his phone down, he felt as if everything was over now. There was no turning back, but this was not something he should retreat from in the first place. He decided to attack, so he simply proceeded with that decision. If he just kept making calculations and worrying about what could happen, he would have been left taking punches from the enemies. After all, no one would dare attack him if they thought he wasn’t worth the consequences to mess with.

Xavier looked flustered and shocked. This was probably how China and the United States were feeling right now. Nevertheless, the phone on Lanok’s desk still wasn’t ringing with any calls from the two countries. They were essentially threatening Kang Chan to let go of the agent who was trying to steal classified information and not meddle with China.

Those motherfuckers.?

They were holding out until the end in hopes that Kang Chan—no—that South Korea would surrender to them. The bullies in them probably wanted to argue and ask why he wasn’t taking their beating lying down.

***

“Mr. President! You have to accept the calls,” a man said. They were in a conference room illuminated by lights that were wrapped around the dome-shaped ceiling.

With his mic still off, the assistant director continued, “South Korea’s future is on the line here. He’s just a student, sir, and yet the child has almost all the country’s authority in his hands. This will only result into bigger issues if you keep approving of this. Mr. President! Geographically speaking, it’s difficult for us to stay safe without the protection of China and the United States.”

Moon Jae-Hyun stared at his mic, remaining silent.

The fourth deputy chief of the NIS looked at the callers and carefully glanced at Moon Jae-Hyun.

“China and the United States are still requesting to speak to you, sir. This is already the United States’ third request.”

Moon Jae-Hyun turned to look at the fourth deputy chief. “They’re only going to tell us not to send our special forces if we answer, are they not?”

“Mr. President. He’s just a high-school kid. He’s bombarding China with all these special forces teams like how a child plays a game. If this results in a full-scale war, this isn’t something that can be solved by just turning off your computer,” the assistant director replied with a tinge of frustration.

Nevertheless, Moon Jae-Hyun continued to speak to the assistant director in an unaffected tone. “What are the chances this will result in war?”

"The Ministry of National Defense's simulation result is forty-seven to fifty-three, and the National Intelligence Service's simulation result is fifty-two to forty-eight."

As if on cue, everyone sighed quietly at the same time.

“You have to speak with them now, sir, even if it’s already too late. If the United States and China decides to ruin us, our country will collapse from its economic foundation.”

“They wouldn’t do that recklessly. South Korea is set to be a part of the Eurasian Rail, after all.”

“If Ambassador Lanok is already dead, we can’t guarantee the Eurasian Rail either.”

“Isn’t that all the more reason why we should work together to rescue Ambassador Lanok? Let’s keep an eye on the situation a little longer.”

The assistant director blatantly showed his displeasure at Moon Jae-Hyun’s response.

***

-Ludwig?

“Well, well, well. A call from Vasili? This situation is certainly interesting.”

Ludwig rubbed his tired eyes with his thumb and index finger. Despite the fatigue, he kept his guard up during the phone call that he had just received.

-Our new hero seems to be aggravated, hm? If I turn him down, he will begin to work with the UK, and if I do as he wants, the results will be quite something. What do you think?

“You’re making a complicated issue out of a simple matter. All China had to do was set Lanok free, but they are worsening the problem by staying silent instead. We’re not the aggravated ones here. That’s China, Vasili.”

Ludwig lifted his mug and sipped some of his coffee.

-China seemed to be trying to pressure the South Korean government into backing down.

Ludwig quickly put his mug back down and frowned.

“Vasili, don’t you already know what kind of person Kang Chan is and what Lanok means to him? If I were in China’s shoes, I would have quickly returned Lanok, apologized to Kang Chan and the South Korean government, and made reparations.”

-That would likely be the best way out, yes.?

“China has already launched three terrorist attacks in South Korea. If it were you, you would have already sought retribution, would you have not? The South Korea we used to know and the South Korea now is different. The synergy between Moon Jae-hyun and Kang Chan is fantastic. Anyone who treats them like they treated South Korea in the past will come to regret it just like how China and the United States are regretting it right now.”

With a deep sigh from Vasili, the call ended.

***

Ring. Ring. Ring.?

Kang Chan lifted the receiver.

-Mr. Kang Chan, the United States and China contacted me. They are asking me to mediate the situation. What would you like me to say?

It was Ludwig.

“My conditions are simple, Ludwig. For Ambassador Lanok’s safe return and for them to take responsibility for this incident through definite reparations.”

-Understood.?

As he set the phone down, he saw Anne and Raphael’s lips tremble nervously.

Ring. Ring. Ring.?

“Ello?”

-It’s Vasili. I understand China, but why is the United States acting like they’re freaking out?

“Vasili, I’m sure you know what it is that I want.”

-Sometime in the future, when you look back to this way, you will painstakingly regret it and get shivers down your back.

“I’ll worry about that later, Vasili. Perhaps after I get everything I want,” Kang Chan said, unbothered.

-You made a scene with your first appearance too. Seems like you’ve got a talent for making people focus and pay attention to you. I’ll contact you again.?

Kang Chan set the receiver down and looked at Seok Kang-Ho. All that was left to do now was wait.

Ring. Ring. Ring.?

The direct line began to ring again.

Damn it!?

Could these windbags not get enough chattering? The operation had barely started. Why did they have to call about so much?

Kang Chan lifted the receiver to his ear.

𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

“Ello?”

-Is this the God of Blackfield?

Kang Chan didn’t recognize the voice.