Chapter 283: The Nation Calls (1)

Three agents walked into the office, their hands full with numerous plastic bags. The scent of meat filled the office as the others pushed tables together.

“That seriously is a lot,” Seok Kang-Ho whispered.

“Weren't you the one who ordered three servings per person?” asked Kang Chan.

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Buzz Buzz Buzz—. Buzz Buzz Buzz—. Buzz Buzz Buzz—.

Kang Chan’s phone started ringing. The agents had already set chopsticks on the tables and poured drinks in mugs, but he decided to answer the call anyway.

Where’s this from?

The number was the same as the one that Anne always used when calling him from the DGSE. Perhaps it was a new employee trying to introduce themselves.

"Hello?" Kang Chan answered as Seok Kang-Ho handed him a pair of chopsticks.

- Hello, sir. I’m Hugo. I’m the new person assigned to help you.

It seemed his prediction was right.

“I look forward to working with you,” Kang Chan replied.

- It's an honor to work with you, Deputy Director-Generals. I called to submit an urgent report.

Hugo sounded like he was in a rush.

- The Korean agents in Libya are being pursued by the UIS. We have confirmed at least three casualties.

“Say that again,” Kang Chan ordered, his voice suddenly filled with shock.

Noticing Kang Chan's cold tone and serious expression, Seok Kang-Ho and the agents stopped what they were doing and focused their attention on him.

- A local informant has betrayed the agents, leading them into an ambush. They are being chased in Al-Aziziyah as we speak. We believe their next move has also been compromised.

Kang Chan walked over to the window. "What about the National Intelligence Service?"

- They seem to trust the report from the local informant that everyone arrived safely.

Kang Chan glanced behind him, finding Seok Kang-Ho staring at him with a serious expression.

"Hugo, does the Intelligence Bureau have agents on the scene?"

- Our closest operatives are twenty minutes away, sir.

"Is there any way to assist the agents?" Kang Chan inquired.

- We will have to send reinforcements first and then observe how things go. There are only a few UIS personnel.

Sending the French agents over could be no different from telling them to jump into a possibly fatal situation to save the Korean agents. Kang Chan lowered his gaze to the road below them, envisioning helpless agents dying. Sending the French agents into danger was not ideal, but he was certain that he would have made the same decision if the roles were reversed.

"Is there a procedure needed to dispatch the Intelligence Bureau agents?" asked Kang Chan.

- The Director-General’s approval is needed.

"How long will that take?" asked Kang Chan.

- You just need to send a text with the approval code.

"Get on it. Get back to me afterward."

- Understood.

After hanging up, Kang Chan slowly turned around.

"I just received a report that the agents we sent to Libya have been deceived by a local informant. Three of them have been killed.”

As if molten iron had just poured from the ceiling, heavy silence weighed down on the office.

He continued, "We're now trying to determine if we can send the French Intelligence Bureau’s agents over.”

"Captain!" called Seok Kang-Ho, his eyes glinting.

Buzz Buzz Buzz—. Buzz Buzz Buzz—. Buzz Buzz Buzz—.

The phone rang again. Kang Chan immediately answered it.

"Hello?"

- The Director-General has approved. Awaiting your orders, sir.

"Dispatch the agents. The mission is to rescue and protect the Korean National Intelligence Service agents in Libya for forty-eight hours. We will send support within that time. Inform us immediately once the code and rendezvous point have been determined."

- We will proceed and report back, sir.

"Will this be reported to the ambassador?"

- Yes, sir.

"Understood."

After hanging up, Kang Chan turned to the agents. "The French Intelligence Bureau agents will be dispatched.”

"Captain," called Seok Kang-Ho, his tone more somber than before. Kang Chan recalled the time he had asked Lanok to send him to Mongolia. Throughout their interaction, neither Kang Chan nor Seok Kang-Ho shied away from meeting each other's gaze.

Buzz Buzz Buzz—. Buzz Buzz Buzz—. Buzz Buzz Buzz—.

"Yes?" Kang Chan greeted.

- The nearby Intelligence Bureau agents have been dispatched, sir.

"Thank you, Hugo. I want to find the person who issued the order for this operation, the one who’s commanding it, and those taking part in it Do we also need the Director-General's approval for this?"

- No, sir.

"Then let me know as soon as you receive any intel.”

- Understood, sir.

After hanging up, Kang Chan scrolled through his phone to make another call. Seok Kang-Ho just kept watching him, chopsticks in hand.

- Yes, Mr. Kang Chan.

"Manager, it's Kang Chan. Our agents in Libya have been deceived by a local informant. Three have already been killed, and the rest are being chased as we speak," Kang Chan explained.

- ...Excuse me? Please repeat what you just said.

Kang Chan repeated his report about the situation to Kim Hyung-Jung.

"Before I called, I dispatched French Intelligence Bureau agents in the area and requested them to protect our men for forty-eight hours until we can provide support," he finished.

- I'll report this to the Director immediately!

"Manager."

- Yes, Mr. Kang Chan!

Due to the situation, Kim Hyung-Jung responded quite quickly.

"Have twenty soldiers from Jeungpyeong and ten agents from the National Intelligence Service prepare for deployment. They will be under the command of..." Kang Chan paused for a moment as he turned his attention to his most trusted ally. "... Seok Kang-Ho.”

- Will they be deployed to Libya?

"Yes. The French Intelligence Bureau agents have already departed. We can't leave the Korean agents in their hands forever. I'll call Jeungpyeong now. Please focus on getting the Director's approval," Kang Chan said.

- I'll contact you as soon as I’m done.

After hanging up, Kang Chan turned to Seok Kang-Ho.

"You heard me. I need you to call Jeungpyeong and choose twenty soldiers."

"Thank you, Captain," said Seok Kang-Ho. He moved to the corner and took out his phone.

"Is it really okay for us to send agents over as well?" Choi Jong-Il asked.

"Our mission is to rescue agents currently being pursued. We might have to engage in urban combat to bring them back," Kang Chan answered.

Choi Jong-Il looked at Kang Chan in disbelief.

"Those agents put their trust in South Korea when they left. If we abandon them because we're afraid of war and the consequences that will follow, then eventually, no one will step forward.”

"There has never been a situation like this before," Choi Jong-Il said.

Kang Chan looked around. With a smirk, he declared, “As long as I am here, this will keep happening. We base our actions on thorough retribution. It does not matter how many times we fail. We will not stop until we get revenge. Just like we did in China, we will dramatically turn things around.”

A fiery passion had been ignited within him. Some agents clenched their jaws, while others' eyes blazed as if they had been set on fire.

"I've spoken with Dong-Gyun," Seok Kang-Ho said as he approached Kang Chan.

"Let's get lunch over with quickly. We have to leave," Kang Chan said.

"Understood.”

Damn it. I was hoping to enjoy this celebratory meal in comfort.

Given the atmosphere, their post-graduation lunch felt almost like a last supper.

Buzz Buzz Buzz—. Buzz Buzz Buzz—. Buzz Buzz Buzz—.

Kang Chan immediately picked up his phone.

- Mr. Kang Chan, the Director has given us his approval. Departure is at 5 PM from Seongnam.

"Thank you. I'll discuss the rest with you this evening.”

- Understood.

After hanging up, Kang Chan informed Seok Kang-Ho of the details.

“Daye,” Kang Chan called.

"Yes, sir!” Seok Kang-Ho quickly responded.

"This is a rescue mission, so don't push yourselves too hard. Focus on making it back alive. We’ll probably get a list of the main culprits behind this and the agents involved in this operation. We can use that to plan a proper retribution later.”

"Understood.”

After they were done eating, some of the agents cleared the tables. They had eaten more than expected.

"You go ahead. You’ll need to stop by home first," Kang Chan said.

"I’ll be back," Seok Kang-Ho replied. He left the office with six agents.

Is this the unease Lanok felt, watching them go but not feeling at peace with it? What would I have done if I hadn't heard about the important meeting about the power plant construction?

It was certainly impossible to do everything. No matter how much effort he put into the Eurasian Rail, power plant construction, the Mongolian base, African deployment, retribution, and this rescue mission, Kang Chan could still feel the reality kicking in. He could not handle everything by himself.

"Would you like some coffee?" Choi Jong-Il offered.

"Sure," Kang Chan answered.

Perhaps it was because of the good ventilation or because the agents did a great job cleaning up, but the office no longer smelled of meat. Kang Chan turned to face the window from the left side of the table.

Click.

Glancing back, Kang Chan saw Choi Jong-Il cautiously putting a cup on the table, his expression apprehensive. Seeing him send Seok Kang-Ho off seemed to have made Choi Jong-Il feel sorry for him.

"Have a seat," Kang Chan ordered.

"Thank you, sir,” Choi Jong-Il said as he sat down. "I thought you would be going yourself.”

"I have an appointment about the power plant construction at the French embassy tomorrow. Considering they specifically mentioned that it’s important, canceling it wouldn't be right.”

"I see."

"The agents in Libya are being taken out one by one to obstruct the construction of the power plant. If I put crucial matters on hold and rush to Libya, wouldn't I be doing exactly what they want?"

"Yes, sir."

Kang Chan took a sip of his coffee.

"Does Mr. Seok speak Arabic well?" Choi Jong-Il asked.

"He's very proficient in it.”

Seok Kang-Ho was from Algeria. He was not just fluent in Arabic—it was his mother tongue.

Kang Chan knew he should be bursting with energy right now. However, the interviews with greedy individuals on the news, the National Intelligence Service's inadequate capabilities, and the constant need to liaise with the French Intelligence Bureau whenever an incident occurred were draining him. Perhaps this was the price he had to pay for having a huge ambition but not the ability to back it up.

He would rather stop getting involved in everything, even the next-gen energy, than let more innocent agents and soldiers die. Would their casualties decrease if he said he couldn't do it?

Smirking, he looked out the window and laughed. Stopping now would mean wondering what to say to those who had already fallen for their cause.

Being forced to send Seok Kang-Ho to Libya alone only further exhausted him.

***

Every time Han Jae-Guk moved, the magazines, bayonet, and pistol on him clicked and clanked. With a fiery gaze, he stopped in front of Cha Dong-Gyun, who was handing over documents to his deputy.

"What can I do for you, Lieutenant?" Cha Dong-Gyun asked.

"Why was I not selected for this operation, sir?" Han Jae-Guk argued.

"What?"

Ignoring Cha Dong-Gyun's gaze, Han Jae-Guk pressed on, "I admit I was lacking at first, but didn't you say I was ready now? Why am I still being left out?"

"This bastard!" Cha Dong-Gyun exclaimed.

"You can curse at me, sir, but please give me a clear reason why Lee Jae-Ho, my subordinate, has been chosen, yet I’m not," inquired Han Jae-Guk.

Cha Dong-Gyun shook his head as he sighed. "How can you be so much like Kwak Cheol-Ho in his early days?"

As he turned his head, Kwak Cheol-Ho quickly entered the barracks.

"Kwak Cheol-Ho!" Cha Dong-Gyun called.

“Sir!"

"Why is this bastard spouting nonsense?"

"Likely because this is his first time receiving a dispatch order, sir.”

With an incredulous expression, Cha Dong-Gyun leaned closer to Han Jae-Guk, who had been listening to their conversation.

"You didn’t look at the list of soldiers joining the operation before coming here, did you?”

"No, sir!" answered Han Jae-Guk.

Laughing, Cha Dong-Gyun raised his head. "Hey! Take this bastard away and get him ready!"

"Understood, sir!” Kwak Cheol-Ho turned to Han Jae-Guk. “Let's go.”

Being two years older, their relationship allowed them to have such casual conversations without feeling out of place.

“Lieutenants or higher are only notified separately when they are not deployed,” Kwak Cheol-Ho explained. Han Jae-Guk glanced back briefly before quickly turning his head.

Clap, Clap.

His magazine, bayonet, and pistol seemed to be making sounds of joy now.

"

Phew

!"

The preparations were all complete. They would hold the briefing on the plane with Seok Kang-Ho, their leader.

"The men have completely changed, sir," Cha Dong-Gyun’s deputy said, a file in his hand. "I didn’t expect them to be so relaxed an hour before departure."

"What about the French interpreter?" inquired Cha Dong-Gyun.

"He's been chain-smoking for a while now.”

Cha Dong-Gyun laughed in response. The deputy couldn’t help but chuckle as well.

"Are you sure your body can handle it?" the deputy asked.

"The country needs us. What would General Choi say if he heard us complaining about these wounds?" Cha Dong-Gyun responded.

His words reminded the deputy of Choi Seong-Geon's younger days.

***

Just like before, Kang Chan found himself meeting Michelle again in a state of unease.

"Your mood seems off again!" Michelle complained.

The staff greeted Kang Chan warmly as he entered Michelle's office and sat down.

"I'm sorry for always being like this when we meet," Kang Chan replied.

Michelle smiled. "Isn't that because you don't see the need to hide your feelings from me? I actually appreciate that about you, Channy.”

Her hair cascaded in waves over her shoulders. Her large blue eyes, unnaturally long eyelashes, and pronounced nose bridge caught his attention.

Most French women tended to grow heavier and adopt what was colloquially known as the 'witch's style,' composed of a hooked nose and sagging cheeks, as they aged. However, Michelle, perhaps due to her Asian heritage, had a slightly different facial structure. It made her shine even more.

"Here!" she exclaimed as she put cigarettes and a lighter on the table. She then walked over to her desk and pressed a button.

Whoooosh.

A cool breeze wafted in, making the air seem refreshingly clear.

Click.

Kang Chan lit his cigarette and the one that Michelle had put between her lips.

"Congratulations on your graduation," she said.

"My mother told you?"

"Of course. I even prepared a gift.”

Kang Chan smirked awkwardly as Michelle pointed at her forehead with her right index finger.

This girl never changes.

"Is It even really that important?" Kang Chan inquired.

"Even if it isn’t, is there a reason to avoid it?" Michelle responded.

Ha! Why would she even bring it up?

Amused, Michelle tilted her head and gazed at Kang Chan again. "Why are you in such a mood today?"

"Just feeling a bit overwhelmed with work.”

Michelle nodded and leaned back. She was dressed in a white shirt and dark suit. The top three buttons were left undone, revealing almost half of her chest.

"When I saw you at the Eurasian conference, you looked like you would never back down from anything.”

Kang Chan took a sip of his drink, not knowing how to reply.

"It’s the people, not the work, that are troubling you, isn't it?" Michelle asked, seemingly gazing right into his heart.

"Maybe?" he replied, sounding almost like a sigh, as he set down his glass.

The wind from outside and the way Michelle understood him made breathing a little easier. It was already past two in the afternoon. In three hours, Seok Kang-Ho, the agents, and the Jeungpyeong special forces team would depart.

Buzz Buzz Buzz—. Buzz Buzz Buzz—. Buzz Buzz Buzz—.

Kang Chan’s phone began to ring. Although Michelle understood French, he had no time to delay.

"Hello?"

- It's Hugo. We've secured nineteen Korean agents and are waiting at the rendezvous point. The situation is dire.

"Understood. What about the French agents’ casualties?"

Michelle looked shocked hearing him, but Kang Chan couldn’t avoid asking that question.

- Seven have been killed.

Kang Chan gazed out the window.

Surviving a confrontation against the UIS was unlikely. Those bastards would use a khanjar to slit their enemies’ throats at the first opportunity.

"Would it be safe to send me a text?"

- We have secured this line from eavesdropping or wiretapping.

"Then send me the location through this line. No matter the time, make sure you contact me if there's any development.”

- Understood.

After hanging up, Kang Chan let out a soft sigh. His eyes were glinting, making it difficult for him to look at Michelle.