Chapter 225.2: Where Someone They Missed Used To Be (2)

‘Should I go see Mi-Young?’

Since it was vacation now, he could call her and…

Buzz, buzz, buzz. Buzz, buzz, buzz. Buzz, buzz, buzz.

Before he could finish his thought, his phone began to ring, seemingly reminding him that he didn’t have any time to fool around.

“Hello?” Kang Chan answered.

- This is Yang Bum speaking, Mr. Kang Chan. I heard you made plans to meet with Ambassador Lanok tomorrow. Would it be fine for me to join you?

These men moved around to different countries as casually as Kang Chan stopping by to visit Jeungpyeong.

“Sure, I don’t mind,” Kang Chan responded.

- Then I’ll drop by the embassy at twelve as well. See you then.

“Yes, see you,” Kang Chan replied.

Even though Kang Chan didn’t have any plans for today, the fact that Yang Bum was coming to South Korea made him feel as if his schedule had suddenly become too tight to make time for Mi-Young.

Nevertheless, that appointment wouldn’t be until tomorrow. He could meet up with Mi-Young now and have lunch before…

Buzz, buzz, buzz. Buzz, buzz, buzz. Buzz, buzz, buzz.

His phone began to vibrate furiously again. It seemed to be telling him that he would never see Mi-Young today.

It was Kim Hyung-Jung.

Kang Chan quickly answered the call.

“Hello?”

- Kwak Do-Young has made an appearance.

Kang Chan suddenly shot to attention.

“I’m on my way,” he said solemnly.

- Understood.

Lunch wasn’t the issue right now. Kang Chan hurriedly changed clothes and left the apartment.

He called Woo Hee-Seung first. As he came down to the complex, he then dialed Seok Kang-Ho’s number.

“Kwak Do-Young has apparently shown up. I’m going to head over in Hee-Seung’s car,” Kang Chan informed him.

- I’m at the office, but I’ll make my way there as soon as I can.

“Get off somewhere far away so he doesn’t notice you,” Kang Chan advised.

- Got it.

It took exactly fifteen minutes for Kang Chan to reach Itaewon from his home. As soon as they arrived, he got in the van where Kim Hyung-Jung was waiting. He had heard Kim Hyung-Jung had stayed inside the van for three days straight, which was made evident by how scratchy his face was.

“Is he still in his home?” Kang Chan asked.

𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

“Yes. He hasn’t shown any significant movement ever since he entered,” Kim Hyung-Jung answered.

There were a total of five monitors inside the van, each one showing various angles of Kwak Do-young’s house shot from above.

“What about the agents?” Kang Chan asked.

“The armed counter-terrorism team is waiting on standby. We have also deployed twenty additional undercover agents in the area,” Kim Hyung-Jung replied.

Kang Chan put on the radio that Kim Hyung-Jung handed him and holstered a gun to his waist.

While Kim Hyung-Jung was keeping a sharp eye on the monitors, the doors opened and Seok Kang-Ho popped inside.

Without even having to be given instructions, Seok Kang-Ho also put on the radio and attached a holster to his waist.

“Are you heading in?” Seok Kang-Ho asked.

Kang Chan looked at Kim Hyung-Jung with a questioning gaze.

“It’s not necessary to enter at the moment. If Kwak Do-Young comes out alone, we can tail him and check where he’s going before arresting him. That way, we’ll have the opportunity to also arrest anyone who is helping him,” Kim Hyung-Jung replied.

“That’s true. Thinking about it makes me wonder where that bastard has been before suddenly appearing here,” Seok Kang-Ho pondered.

“He may have been staying at a hotel,” Kim Hyung-Jung guessed.

While listening to the conversation between the two, Kang Chan glanced at the clock. It was thirty minutes past ten.

Should I just kick the doors down and go in?

The problem was that they had no idea if Wui Min-Gook was also in the house.

If they went in without a plan and only found Kwak Do-Young inside, they would essentially be sending a loud message to Wui Min-Gook to escape.

Under Kim Hyung-Jung’s instructions, the agent behind him brewed some instant coffee for them. The three took their time to drink it.

Damn it!

Kang Chan had rushed over after hearing that Kwak Do-Young had shown himself, but the fucking bastard now stayed holed up inside his home. For the next two hours, Kang Chan and Seok Kang-Ho could do nothing but sit in the van with their radios and guns.

“What do those punks have so much to talk about?” Seok Kang-Ho grumbled.

Meanwhile, Kang Chan slowly scanned the monitors. Kwak Do-Young’s house was a two-story Western-style house with a spacious yard. It seemed quite expensive.

“Manager Kim, whose name is that house under?” Kang Chan asked.

“It was rented six months ago on a one-year lease by someone named Kim Cheol-Ung. All of its rent was prepaid,” Kim Hyung-Jung answered.

“Who’s Kim Cheol-Ung?”

“It’s a pseudonym. The Kim Cheol-ung specified in the contract lives in Gayang-Dong, and he has absolutely nothing to do with this case,” Kim Hyung-Jung said.

Kang Chan nodded. After some time, he saw a large, bulky man walk out of the front door.

“That is Kwak Do-Young,” Kim Hyung-Jung informed Kang Chan and Seok Kang-Ho.

The moment Kim Hyung-Jung spoke, Kwak Do-Young glanced back inside the house and then turned to the door again.

There was definitely someone else inside.

Chk.

“Surveillance team, stand by.”

Chk.

“Team Two, move out.”

Chk.

“Team Three, move out.”

Immediately after, they radioed in two more orders from inside the van.

“We have two teams riding motorcycles, two more in sedans, and two other vehicles disguised as taxis. They are all on standby right now,” Kim Hyung-Jung declared.

Kang Chan kept his glare on the monitors as he listened to Kim Hyung-Jung.

Wui Min-Gook, that son of a bitch!

If that bastard didn’t cause trouble, Choi Seong-Geon would still be alive, which meant Lee Yoo-Seul’s father wouldn’t have died either.

Chk.

“This is Team One. He’s heading over Hannam Bridge.”

Chk.

“Team Three, take over. Team One, move ahead.”

Chk.

“Roger that. Team Three, moving out.”

The bottom-right monitor changed to a map of the area around Hannam Bridge. The call of the team tailing Kwak Do-Young was marked with arrows. This was a state-of-the-art method of following someone, but the graphics and the arrows seemed a bit primitive and old-fashioned.

Where the hell is this punk going?

Chk.

“He’s heading toward Nonhyeon-Dong. Team Two, take over.”

Chk.

“Copy. Team Two, moving out.”

Kang Chan felt frustrated for not being able to do anything but listen in. At the same time, he also felt even more nervous.

Chk.

“He’s dropped down at a hotel. Teams Five and Six, take over.”

Chk.

“This is Team Two. We copy.”

A short moment of silence fell and enveloped the van.

Chk.

“He’s checked into the hotel. Team One, attach tracking devices to his vehicle. Teams Five and Six, determine the route of his cargo.”

Chk.

“Copy.”

What? Is he really just checking into the hotel?

Kang Chan lifted his gaze to look at Kim Hyung-Jung when the radio crackled again.

Chk.

“Checked into Room 511. No unusual items other than the cargo.”

Kang Chan nodded. They already had enough information. There was no need to drag it out any longer.

“Manager Kim, can you block cell phone signals again like we did around Smithen’s house?” Kang Chan asked.

“Yes, that is possible,” Kim Hyung-Jung confirmed.

“Please activate the device for me,” Kang Chan asked again.

“Are you planning on heading inside?” Kim Hyung-Jung asked.

“Don’t you think confirming whether or not Wui Min-Gook is actually inside the house is our best course of action right now?” Kang Chan responded.

“Understood,” Kim Hyung-Jung replied as he consecutively pressed three switches in succession. “The moment I press this last button, all cell phone signals will be blocked within a three-kilometer radius. The counter-terrorism team and agents are on standby.”

Click.

Kang Chan then took out his gun, checked the safety, and pulled back the breechblock.

“I’ll stay behind,” Kim Hyung-Jung said. Someone had to be in command of the entire operation, after all.

Kang Chan nodded. He then stepped out of the van with Seok Kang-Ho.

The two agents waiting in front immediately headed to a nearby alley.

Chk.

“Block off traffic from the outside.”

Chk.

“Copy.” Kim Hyung-Jung’s command was immediately answered.

“Electricity interception, stand by.”

Chk.

“Copy.”

Chk.

“Snipers, stand by.”

Chk.

“Copy.”

As they walked down the empty alley, they continued to hear Kim Hyung-Jung’s orders on the radio followed by prompt responses.

“It’s that house,” one of the agents said, pointing at a house next to two buildings.

The wall was quite high, contrary to what Kang Chan had seen on the monitor.

“The counter-terrorism team is waiting on standby over there,” the agent added.

There were two black vans parked inside. Walking toward them, Kang Chan scrutinized the house. The alley had a curve, so the building wasn’t visible from the vehicles.

“Has the outer perimeter been blocked off?” Kang Chan confirmed.

“Yes, sir,” the agent replied.

“What about the houses next door?” Kang Chan asked.

“All four nearby houses are empty,” the agent responded.

How?

Noticing Kang Chan’s curious gaze, the agent quickly added, “The family in one of the houses won a free trip, and another had issues with their green card, so they left for the US. We received assistance from KOTRA for the other two houses.”

The details of the assistance they received weren’t important. All that mattered was whether Wui Min-Gook was truly in that damn house and what he was armed with.

Kang Chan glanced to the side. Seok Kang-Ho’s eyes were glinting as much as his.

He wasn’t getting any bad feelings from his gut yet, but if Wui Min-Gook had planted a bomb like in the factory and detonated it, it would be difficult to hope for the safety of the soldiers and the agents here. Considering Wui Min-Gook was hiding at a house of this level, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume that the bastard had installed a few surveillance cameras too.

“What’s the entry plan?”

“We plan to rappel down from the two houses next to it and simultaneously have another team climb over the wall,” the agent answered.

“What if he has a bomb installed in there?” Kang Chan questioned.

“We have no option but to suppress it as quickly as possible, but we do have another plan that involves a female agent,” the agent said.

A female agent?

Noticing Kang Chan’s expression again, the agent promptly added, “The house’s safety inspection for the city gas is already overdue. We can use the valve inspection as an excuse to infiltrate.”

Kang Chan shook his head.

Underestimating Wui Min-Gook or the North Korean special forces would only cost them many lives. Kang Chan let out a low sigh and glared at the building.

Son of a bitch!

The bastard was still making it hard for them to take him down.