Chapter 294: On a Different Level (2)

The solemn resolve that filled the airplane spilled out through the open door. The darkness, tepid wind, and distinct earthy smell of Libya greeted the soldiers and agents.

Kang Chan was the first to descend the ramp to the ground. CIA agent Kevin was waiting for him below.

"Hello, sir," greeted a Libyan man in his thirties as several trucks carrying huge piles of logs drove over to the plane. His Korean accent was tinged with Arabic.

He continued, "The logs are hollow inside. Your men can hide in them while I guide you to Tripoli."

When Kang Chan sharply looked at Kevin, the latter quickly identified the man. "He’s a CIA special agent.”

"Hurry up. We only have five hours,” Kang Chan urged.

Kevin glanced at the rifle slung over Kang Chan's right shoulder as he handed over three compact radios. The message behind the gesture was so clear that no words had to be said.

Chk.

"Kwak Cheol-Ho."

Kang Chan summoned Kwak Cheol-Ho through the radio attached to his helmet.

Click. Click. Click.

The soldiers descended the ramp.

"There's space hidden behind the trucks. Get in there,” he commanded, then turned to Kwak Cheol-Ho. “We can communicate using these radios but don’t forget that the CIA can intercept its frequency. Use it only when you really have to.”

As Kwak Cheol-Ho accepted the radio, the soldiers disappeared into the hollow logs.

Brrrrrrrrung!

As the engines roared to life, Kwak Cheol-Ho briefly nodded at Kang Chan before climbing into the back of the truck.

The trucks soon departed.

Brrrrrrung! Brrrrrrrrrung! Click! Brrrrrrung!

"DMZ team, move out," Kang Chan radioed.

Led by Kang Chul-Gyu, the DMZ team headed down to the ground. At the same time, two more trucks and a new guide approached Kang Chan.

"There's space for everyone behind the trucks,” Kang Chan quickly explained as he handed over a radio to Kang Chul-Gyu. "Keep in mind that the CIA can intercept this device. Use it only when necessary."

Kang Chul-Gyu nodded and took the radio as Oh Gwang-Taek and the DMZ team jumped into the two trucks. Next were the National Intelligence Service agents.

Much to his surprise, before Kang Chan could press the radio button, he heard Kang Chul-Gyu say, “Take care of yourself.”

Kang Chan turned his head toward Kang Chul-Gyu, but the latter had already walked away, blending into the darkness.

As Kang Chul-Gyu stealthily put his hands on the back of the truck, he turned back one last time. With a swift motion, he then vanished into the cargo bed.

That old man! Can’t he at least give me a chance to respond?

Brrrrrrung! Brrrrrrrrrung! Click! Brrrrrrung!

As the two trucks drove off, the last truck and guide took their place.

Chk.

"Choi Jong-Il, you’re up."

On Kang Chan’s command, the National Intelligence Service agents quickly made their way down the ramp.

"There's space at the back of the trucks. Climb up there."

The agents did as instructed.

The Arab guide, appearing to be in his thirties, introduced himself to Kang Chan.

"I'm Abdul."

"You are aware of the destination, right?" Kang Chan asked.

"Yes, I do,"Abdul affirmed.

"Good luck," Kevin said to Kang Chan.

Kang Chan gave Kevin one last glance. He then shook Kevin's hand before moving to the back of the truck.

Climbing into a truck isn’t something to fuss over!

Once Kang Chan had gotten in, Um Ji-Hwan pulled down the tarp above to hide them.

Brrrrrrung! Brrrrrrrrrung! Click! Brrrrrrung!

Facing each other on the cargo bed were long seats similar to the ones in military trucks. Unlike actual military trucks, however, the vehicle they were in had logs stacked around the exterior, forcing them to sit directly facing each other.

Brrrrrrung. Thud. Thud.

From the airport, the truck didn’t stop once. With an hour’s drive ahead of them, Kang Chan pulled out a map and photos from his pocket, deciding to scrutinize their final destination and target one more time.

Clunk!

The truck suddenly jolted, making all the agents inside sway.

***

Clunk! Thud!

"Hyung-nim,” Yoon Sang-Ki called Kwak Cheol-Ho, who was sitting across from him, as he steadied himself from all the shaking. "Did you see the seniors' eyes when they chanted our motto?"

Kwak Cheol-Ho nodded in reply.

"

Whew

! Why did I get so choked up back then..." Yoon Sang-Ki wondered.

"I never imagined we'd be working with the legend of the DMZ," the agent sitting next to Kwak Cheol-Ho chimed in.

"Some say that back in our seniors’ day, North Koreans would desert their outposts whenever the King of the DMZ headed out into battle. Those days were apparently their golden era."

Yoon Sang-Ki nodded. As if recalling what happened in the airplane, he replied, "

Ah

, to think such a person is prepared to die just to support us. I was seriously touched.”

***

Clunk!

The truck jerked violently, making the agents inside sway.

"This is completely different from our era," Kwon Yong-Hee muttered, regaining his balance.

Vrooom! Thud. Thud.

"That young man is remarkable. He has probably surpassed what our sunbae-nim has achieved at his peak, perhaps even more.”Casting a puzzled glance at Kang Chul-Gyu, he added, "I’ve never seen you smile like that before, sunbae-nim.”

"Perhaps he's happy to be on a mission with us," suggested the soldier next to Kwon Yong-Hee.

The others began to join the conversation as well.

"That man? In Mongolia and again recently, he stopped an American stop dead in his tracks.”

"Right? Back in our day, American scoldings intimidated us more than our ancestors' curses.”

"Our juniors chanting their motto stirred my heart. Knowing there are people out there who want to harm our juniors makes me want to take the fight to them."

"Wasn't protecting them our duty in the DMZ? I was so mad when I heard that we lost half of such promising juniors. It was so painful to see them fight so bravely.”

***

Entering his office, Moon Jae-Hyun sat down at his desk. Go Gun-Woo followed closely behind him.

"I've finalized the agreement."

"Is that so? Shall we take a short break and discuss this further, then?"

With Go Gun-Woo in tow, Moon Jae-Hyun shrugged off his weariness and led the way. They proceeded to a small meeting room connected to the office.

Once they were seated, a secretary served them two elegant cups of omija tea[1].

"With this, we've completed all the necessary agreements, haven’t we?"

"Yes, sir," Moon Jae-Hyun affirmed, smiling.

"I’m honestly impressed that Japan will sign the agreement before it's even finalized."

"It shows their trust in the assistant director's capabilities and perhaps also means that they've come across some crucial information."

"What about Russia?"

"After your announcement, Russia decided to issue an official government statement. As for France and China, we've already secured the basic agreements with them through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this morning."

Reaching for his teacup, Moon Jae-hyun said, "

Haa

! This makes me feel like a heartless father, trading away his child for my own benefit.”

"Are you worried about the assistant director?" Go Gun-Woo asked.

Moon Jae-Hyun sighed sharply, letting the sigh speak for him.

After a brief silence, he softly added, "South Korea has gained a lot in return for Mr. Kang’s sacrifices. Today's agreement is for our country, for our people. I get that. Still, thinking of him, our agents, and our soldiers out there in the field makes it feel almost sinful to even drink water."

He sighed deeply once more. Go Gun-Woo just remained silent.

"What about the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Defense, and the Prosecutor's Office?" Moon Jae-Hyun asked.

"The opposition is formidable," Go Gun-Woo replied.

Moon Jae-Hyun nodded in understanding.

"If the assistant director doesn't return safely, it'll be challenging for me, the Prime Minister, and the director to hold our positions."

"Why do you exclude Section Chief Jeon?"

"

Ah

! Of course," Moon Jae-Hyun chuckled softly. "I have no regrets, but for South Korea's future, I hope Mr. Kang comes back safely."

"He will return," Go Gun-Woo stated firmly. “I have no doubt about it.”

***

Kim Hyung-Jung took one last look around the six-story luxury villa in Hannam-dong. Designed as a duplex, it could accommodate three households and came equipped with an underground parking lot and a 70-pyeong[2] garden. From the living room, one could enjoy an excellent view of the Han River.

However, the villa's prime advantage was that it was located on the foot of a high hill, shielding it completely from view. Beyond the hill, it stood as the tallest structure. The rooftop was not only cleverly camouflaged but also housed two 30mm machine guns and two Igla missiles, ready to defend against most helicopter attacks.

Twenty agents occupied the first and third floors. Needless to say, it was also outfitted with state-of-the-art CCTV and security systems.

"

Hoo

."

Kim Hyung-Jung, standing in the living room on the third floor, gazed down at the Han River in contemplation.

They had a sniper positioned on the rooftop, looking out for any missile launchers in apartments or buildings across the Han River, and binoculars on the third-floor living room, subjecting the opposite shore under constant surveillance. If, for some reason, hostiles decided to ignore all these precautionary measures and still rain down bullets on them from across the Han River, the bulletproof glass in the living room would act as their last line of defense.

Now, there was only one thing left to do.

***

Screech!

After more than forty minutes on the road, the truck abruptly stopped. Kang Chan gestured toward the rear curtain of the truck with his index and middle fingers.

Um Ji-Hwan and Lee Doo-Hee quickly aimed their rifles at the entrance. The other agents prepared to spring into action as well.

They were navigating through the night, with some distance left to cover and no immediate threat of an enemy attack. Nevertheless, Kang Chan remained vigilant.

Tap, tap.

At that moment, someone tapped the truck twice from the driver's seat, putting them on combat alert.

Whoosh. Whoosh.

Kang Chan's gaze sharpened as he slowly made his way to the entrance of the cargo bed.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

Despite the noises coming from the truck’s engine, they could still hear the distinct footsteps on the earth.

"Noider[3]?" one man, armed with an AK-47, shouted toward the driver's seat while another advanced toward the rear.

Clank! Thud. Thud.

Choi Jong-Il quickly glanced at Kang Chan for instructions.

Swoosh.

Kang Chan deftly drew the knife strapped to his right ankle, strategically positioning himself at the right rear of the truck.

Thud. Thud.

Through a narrow gap in the logs, they saw the distinctive Islamic attire of an enemy, complete with a bandolier across their chest, a turban, and an AK-47 in hand.

Kang Chan gave Choi Jong-Il a composed thumbs-up, then swiftly flipped his hand, pointing his thumb downward in a silent command.

Whoosh. Whoosh.

He then raised both hands to shoulder height.

Whoosh!

As the curtain was swiftly drawn back, Kang Chan decisively stretched out his left arm.

Clutch! Swoosh!

Covering the enemy's mouth and nose with his hand, Kang Chan immediately thrust his knife into the nape.

Gurgle.

Meanwhile, Choi Jong-Il and Woo Hee-Seung descended and kept watch by the truck's rear.

Fizz! Fizz!

Right after two sparks flew, they heard an enemy hit the ground. Led by Kang Chan, the agents disembarked as Choi Jong-Il and Woo Hee-Seung vigilantly secured the front of the truck.

Experience was certainly invaluable. Choi Jong-Il, Woo Hee-Seung, and Lee Doo-Hee, with their rich history of operations across Switzerland, China, and Africa, exchanged meaningful glances, seamlessly coordinating their moves without verbal communication.

Caught off-guard, the guide looked noticeably flustered.

"There used to be no guards here."

"Pull out a map."

The guide took a map from his pocket and pointed to their current location.

"We're around this area. It’s all downhill from here. Follow this road for about twenty minutes and we should reach a building with a broadcasting tower.'"

They had been racing along a mountain road on the outskirts of Al-Azizia.

Setting up a perimeter here meant that the enemy had prepared for them. They might have even seen the flashes from the rifle earlier.

"Head back, Abdul. We'll take it from here,” Kang Chan stated firmly.

"Contact us on channel 2 of the radio Kevin gave you. I'll stay as close as possible."

As Kang Chan nodded, Lee Doo-Hee and another agent dragged their enemies’ corpses off the road.

Choi Jong-Il, Woo Hee-Seung, and Lee Doo-Hee certainly worked seamlessly together.

Vrooom! Vrooom!

Skillfully maneuvering, the truck rocked back and forth a few times as it changed direction, then made its way back along the path it had come.

"Our enemies seem to have prepared for our arrival." Kang Chan gathered the agents and spread out a map. "Drill that hill in the back into your minds. That's point Alpha. The hill on the right here on the map will be Beta. Regroup at these two points if we ever have to retreat from the engagement. "

Kang Chan then turned his head toward the right side of the road.

"From here on out, we'll be racing along this ridge," he ordered.

In the distance, the lights of a truck flickered as it approached.

"The sight of light from a rifle means we're under surveillance. Stay vigilant. Woo Hee-Seung, I want you in the center. Choi Jong-Il, cover our six. We should reach our destination in twenty minutes,” Kang Chan finished.

"Let's make our seniors proud," Choi Jong-Il declared to the agents, his gaze intense and unwavering.

***

Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Thud! Thud!

With each pull of the trigger, Kang Chul-Gyu sent an enemy to the ground, their head snapped back. As if a barricade at the entrance of Al-Azizia had burst open, enemies poured out in unimaginable numbers.

"Take three and go around to that building!"

"Yes, sir!" Kwon Yong-Hee responded through gritted teeth.

Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh.

As if on cue, Kwon Yong-Hee and three others unsheathed the knives on their shoulders.

Fwoosh! Crack! Fwoosh! Crack! Fwoosh! Crack!

As if engaging in mere target practice, Kang Chul-Gyu easily shot enemy after enemy in the head. In response, enemy fire concentrated on him.

"Now!"

Along with that command, he raised his upper body and sent out a hail of bullets.

Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Tuduk! Tuduk! Tuduk!

Following his lead, the agents also rose and opened fire. The scene mirrored how they fought in the DMZ. Under their comrades’ cover fire, an agent, wielding a knife, would plunge into enemy lines, decapitating foes in his path.

Tududuuk! Crack!

Soon, one of the DMZ members fell backward.

Tuduk! Pffft! Tuduk! Crack! Tuduk! Pffft!

The enemy's counterfire came all at once.

Crouched behind a low wall, Kang Chul-Gyu cradled his subordinate, finding a bullet wound on his chest. Blood spurted from his nose and mouth.

"Sunbae-nim..." the soldier, with blood-soaked teeth, called. His condition suggested he wouldn't return home. "Our precious juniors... What if... they're under attack..."

"We’ll go to their aid as soon as we've cleared this area, so fight hard,” Kang Chul-Gyu urged.

The soldier painfully smiled as his head slowly fell limp. “Thank you for always saving me... Please look after... the juniors...”

Crunch

.

With the soldier’s head now resting on his right arm, Kang Chul-Gyu looked up into the dark Libyan sky.

1. Omija tea is a traditional Korean herbal tea made from the dried berries of the Schisandra chinensis plant ☜

2. A pyeong is a traditional Korean unit of area and floorspace, equivalent to 36 square Korean feet ☜

3. ?? ????, What is this ☜