Chapter 238.1: Yes, It’s My Decision (1)

After finishing his coffee, Kang Chan asked an agent to bring him the satellite video receiver. The agent returned with the device in hand a moment later.

“Director Kim, if you turn this monitor on, it’ll give you a view of everything around the area,” Kang Chan explained as he connected the monitor to a portable battery. He then showed the men how to use it.

“This is incredible,” Kim Tae-Jin murmured in awe.

“

Whoa

! That shit’s so fucking cool!” Oh Gwang-Taek exclaimed.

Kim Tae-Jin and Oh Gwang-Taek had their own unique ways of expressing their amazement.

“But please keep in mind that the footage displayed on the screen is from one minute ago. A single minute in the same situation as the one we were in today would be enough to blow up this entire place,” Kang Chan warned.

“Wouldn’t zooming out enough to see anyone approaching from another minute away resolve that issue?” Kim Tae-Jin asked.

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

“That increases the chance of us missing anyone trying to approach us in disguise. Anyway, all I’m saying is that we should use it to our advantage, but it’s dangerous to just let our guard down and rely too much on this device,” Kang Chan answered.

“I suppose that’s true.” Kim Tae-Jin nodded in agreement.

Chk.

An announcement was made on the radio shortly after.

“Dinner is ready! Please proceed to the mess hall for your meals!”

Kang Chan, Kim Tae-Jin, Oh Gwang-Taek, and the agent with them left the barracks together. Night had not fallen yet, but it was already freezing. If it wasn’t so windy, they probably wouldn’t feel this cold.

The moment they walked into the dining hall, a wave of heat and the smell of delicious food rushed at them. The tables were occupied by just as many Mongolian border patrol soldiers as people from the South Korean team. They were taking up the seats, eating ravenously.

The table was already set with a few basic side dishes, and each person could go fill their trays with however much rice and soup they wanted.

Kang Chan filled his plate with rice and soup and then took a seat in an open area. The trays were covered in plastic, probably to conserve water instead of washing dishes every time. Kang Chan thought to himself that they went the whole nine yards to save as much water as they could.

Kang Chan honestly felt apprehensive about going to the dining hall because he could run into Kang Chul-Gyu, but he didn’t see him. But it wasn’t like he was going to ask where he was either.

Kim Tae-Jin and Oh Gwang-Taek sat down opposite where Kang Chan was sitting, and the agent sat next to them.

“Enjoy your meal, Hyung-nim.”

“You too.”

Oh Gwang-Taek’s subordinates came over and made a fuss of greeting him, but Oh Gwang-Taek was the only one who could tell them to stop doing that, so Kang Chan left it alone. He pretended not to notice and just focused on eating his dinner.

Maybe part of it was because he was starving since he had only eaten a single bowl of ramyeon for lunch, but the food was quite delicious. In fact, even if he wasn’t so hungry, it probably wouldn’t have been too bad.

“They’ll probably come at least one more time, don’t you think?” Kim Tae-Jin asked.

“I’m not sure either. I’m thinking of giving Russia a call in a bit, though,” Kang Chan replied.

“Do you know someone in the mafia?” Kim Tae-Jin asked curiously.

“I’m planning on asking the Russian intelligence bureau, but I’m not expecting them to give me a positive response.”

“I see,” Kim Tae-Jin mused.

Their conversation ended there, allowing them to focus on their food. It took them about fifteen minutes to finish their dinner. They gathered the leftovers from the side dishes and unwrapped the plastic from the trays to throw them out before leaving the dining hall.

The cold weather and the fierce wind made it difficult to even dream about having a smoke in front of the dining hall.

Will I ever get used to this?

Kang Chan shivered in dread on his way back to the barracks. Even in that short moment, he made sure to give his surroundings a quick scan. At this point, it had become something like a habit of his.

When he turned his head, he saw Kang Chul-Gyu standing on top of the barracks with his gun slung around his right arm. It was no wonder Kang Chan hadn’t seen him around. Kang Chul-Gyu had taken the first shift on guard duty.

“He stepped up and volunteered to do the first shift,” Kim Tae-Jin quickly explained, noticing where Kang Chan was looking.

From far away, darkness was beginning to fall.

“President Oh and his men aren’t used to standing guard yet, so we agreed to have the agents take turns for security for now,” Kim Tae-Jin informed Kang Chan.

“You can add me in too,” Kang Chan said.

“That’s not really necessary,” Kim Tae-Jin refused worriedly.

“Even if we start the guard duty now, we’re going to need twelve people for twelve hours. Considering we’re up against people who are already so violent with their attacks even though this is just our first day, I don’t mind standing guard until everyone gets used to it,” Kang Chan responded.

“All right, then. I’ll take you up on that offer,” Kim Tae-Jin accepted.

While Kang Chan and Kim Tae-Jin spoke, they all entered the barracks. Carrying his gun, Joo Chul-Bum followed them inside. Five men were sitting on the sofa in total.

Kang Chan thought he should get his next business over with since he had already brought it up. It was a bit awkward, but he decided to call Vasili anyway.

He brought over his phone, looked for Vasili’s number in his contacts, then pressed the call button. The dial tone rang two times before he heard Vasili’s voice over the line.

- I heard you just wrapped up a noisy welcome greeting.

“You just know everything, don’t you?” Kang Chan shot back.

- I’m sure you didn’t make this call to crack jokes like that. I’m busy with my next appointment, so get to what you want to say already.

This little motherfucker.

Kang Chan thought of the prospect of having to stick close to Kang Chul-Gyu and forced himself to keep his head.

“Vasili, I don’t want to be uncomfortable staying here or be on awkward terms with you. I hope you can keep the mafia away from us,” Kang Chan said.

- There seems to be a misunderstanding.

Kim Tae-Jin and Oh Gwang-Taek just watched Kang Chan as he spoke on the phone. Meanwhile, Vasili continued to talk to him in a rude tone.

- The mafia over there is different from the ones in Moscow. While it is true that we coveted the denadite, we don’t want it so bad that we are willing to fight a newly emerging hero.

At the very least, he didn’t sound as if he was lying.

- All the men that we commissioned to handle our business over there have already withdrawn. The mafia who visited you today is the local mafia in that region. If you want to have them taken care of, I would have to send troops for it. If that’s what you wish, we can have a separate discussion about that.

Was Vasili really speaking the truth? Kang Chan turned to Oh Gwang-Taek for a moment.

Nah.

Oh Gwang-Taek was the gangster who had taken over all of Gangnam in Korea, but it was unlikely for even him to know how the Russian mafia system worked.

“Then that means I don’t have to worry about doing something wrong to you if I clean this area up,” Kang Chan remarked.

-

Huhuhu

.

There was nothing special about their conversation, yet Vasili still laughed as if his pride was hurt.

- You’ll be going up against the most brutal of the Russian mafia. Because of the environment over there, the only thing they have to rely on is the minerals. Let me give you one piece of advice. I do acknowledge your capabilities, but you should not expect the rest of your men to fare as well as you did today once you leave for Africa. We received intelligence that former Spetsnaz mafia members are heading over there.

Kang Chan sighed quietly, making sure that it wouldn’t be heard over the phone.

If the mafia was truly sending in former Spetsnaz members, then the agents with him would inevitably find themselves in the face of challenging opponents.

- I can lend you a hand if you wish, but for me to do that, our military will have to be stationed there.

“I see. Thanks for the help, Vasili,” Kang Chan replied.

- Whew!

Vasili sighed for reasons that were beyond Kang Chan’s understanding.

- Fight back enough to show your strength, but negotiate if possible. The commander of the border patrol troops, Bhat, can most certainly mediate for you. Offering him a certain amount per year will be mutually beneficial.

“Vasili,” Kang Chan said.

Vasili stayed silent even though Kang Chan called his name.

“Thanks.”

-

Hmph

!

The call was disconnected after a loud snort. Kang Chan thought that the punk had to learn some things about manners on the phone.

Kang Chan put his phone down and informed Kim Tae-Jin and Oh Gwang-Taek about his conversation with Vasili.

“That’s not a bad idea,” Kim Tae-Jin responded first.

“You’re saying I, Oh Gwang-Taek, have to pay other people off?” Oh Gwang-Taek grumbled.

A moment of silence dawned upon them as they had difficulties making a decision.