Chapter 306: Because I Believed (1)

Oh Gwang-Taek and Kang Chan had lunch at Oh Gwang-Taek’s favorite baekban restaurant, which was quite shabby. As if he was her prodigal son returning home, the elderly owner kept serving them various side dishes.

"Try some of this too," she said, patting Oh Gwang-Taek on the back.

"Stop. I'm already full," Oh Gwang-Taek said.

"Is that really enough? Have another bowl.”

"I've already had two.”

Is he trying to play cute?

Kang Chan held back a laugh while drinking water. He missed Yoo Hye-Sook. Maybe that was why he could somewhat understand Oh Gwang-Taek's unusual sulkiness. For him, the elderly owner probably felt like a mother.

However, Kang Chan didn't want to watch any more of it.

"We should go," Kang Chan said.

"Alright."

Just as they were getting up, the elderly lady stuck her head out from the kitchen and tried to stop them.

"Where do you think you're going? Have a cup of coffee before you leave,” she said.

"We need to go. We're busy."

"Don't be so cold-hearted. You're upsetting me.”

"We really need to leave now."

Following Oh Gwang-Taek, the owner came out to the door.

"Come back inside. Why rush off today of all days? “You'll come back, won’t you? Make sure you eat on time."

Oh Gwang-Taek smiled, making him look like a son who often caused trouble.

"See you," he said.

Leaving the disappointed elderly lady behind, Oh Gwang-Taek headed back to the hotel. It was the time of day when the high sun shortened shadows.

"I’ll head to the hotel. You go tend to your business," said Oh Gwang-Taek.

"I won't feel at ease until I've seen you with Director Kang," Kang Chan replied.

"Hey! Have you forgotten who I am? I’m

the

Oh Gwang-Taek!"

"Alright, alright, I get it, you rascal.

The

Oh Gwang-Taek from Sinsa-dong! How about a coffee and a cigarette before we part ways, then? Also, don't forget to brush your teeth. "

Oh Gwang-Taek just laughed off the jab from Kang Chan. After having coffee in Oh Gwang-Taek's room, Kang Chan headed to Kang Chul-Gyu’s.

Ding-dong. Ding-dong.

"Who is it?"

Perhaps Kang Chul-Gyu only kept asking that to show that someone was inside.

Click.

The door opened, revealing Nam Il-Gyu, Yang Dong-Sik, and several other DMZ team members.

"I’m going. I have an appointment,” Kang Chan said.

Kang Chul-Gyu briefly nodded. That was all the acknowledgment that Oh Gwang-Taek received, too.

Kang Chan headed straight to the elevator and went downstairs. After walking through the lobby and out the entrance, a sedan pulled up in front of him without him having to call for it. He got into the back seat.

"Take me to the French Embassy,” he ordered, then asked, “Do you have a radio and an extra handgun?"

"Yes, sir. Would you like them now?"

"No. Give them to me when I come out of the Embassy."

Sleep-deprived, he found himself constantly yawning.

The world outside appeared as peaceful as always. Naturally, not all those in the passing cars and those walking by were happy. Some were surely struggling enough to wish for death. Nevertheless, Kang Chan still felt a sense of peace in the world that was distinctly at odds with his personal experiences.

It was as if he was holding onto the tail of a lion. He wished he could just say,

‘Just live well,’

and leave it at that. Unfortunately, his troubling sense of duty had linked him to the next-gen energy and Eurasian Rail projects, ensnaring him as tightly as the menacing glare from a predator in an African pit.

He arried at the French Embassy. Upon entering the parking lot, Louis, who looked hale and hearty, greeted Kang Chan. They nodded at each other and then went straight up to the second floor.

"Monsieur Kang."

"Ambassador."

Lanok, wearing a neat suit, welcomed Kang Chan with a pleased expression.

"Please have a seat."

Seemingly anticipating Kang Chan’s arrival, they had already prepared a teapot of black tea, two empty cups, cigars, cigarettes, and an ashtray on the table.

Clink.

The distinctive, bitter aroma of the black tea filled the air as Lanok poured them tea. He then met Kang Chan's eyes.

"What brings you here? You handled the operation in Libya quite impeccably, so it couldn’t be that."

Keeping his gaze fixed on Kang Chan, Lanok brought the teacup to his lips.

"Ambassador, the truth is..."

Kang Chan calmly recounted the attack on Suh Do-Seok, Oh Gwang-Taek's accidental encounter with Gérard, and the events that followed after they checked the CCTV footage yesterday.

"

Hmm

."

Lanok lit a cigar.

"Do you have any urgent appointments after this?"

"I’m free."

Lanok, cigar in hand, walked to the desk and pressed the intercom button.

- Yes, Ambassador.

That was definitely Anne’s voice.

"I need another hour. Please reschedule my appointments."

- Yes, sir.

Lanok stated his order plainly, not bothering to mask it as a favor. Kang Chan felt he was getting a glimpse into Lanok's task management methods.

"Do you have that video?"

"Yes."

Kang Chan set down his teacup and handed over a USB to Lanok.

Lanok pressed a few buttons on the remote. Soon, the video started playing on the wall-mounted TV. He intently watched as the screen filled with the image of a man in sunglasses, head slightly tilted.

Click.

Lanok hit a button, pulled out a yellow folder and a USB from a drawer, and passed them to Kang Chan.

"The DGSE has already investigated that case,” he said as his cigar emitted a thick smoke. "While you were fighting the Spetsnaz in France, we fired the two deputy directors who came up as suspects in the case."

"Did you find any evidence?"

"If we did, we would have dealt with them differently. The situation was too urgent to leave them be just to investigate their backers."

Lanok tapped off the ash from his cigar and gestured with his eyes toward the file he had handed over.

"You'll find that quite interesting to read," he said, maintaining a perfectly impassive expression.

Honestly, Kang Chan didn't want to read it. He didn't know what was inside, but he didn't want to get even more entangled in this. However, he couldn’t just avoid this situation either. Taking a deep breath, he silently flipped the yellow folder open.

'Gérard...'

On the first page, in the top left corner, was a palm-sized photo of Gérard.

Lanok continued, "That is a detailed report of the investigation we conducted on him when you issued an order to make him the commander of the Foreign Legion special forces."

Before turning to the next page, Kang Chan looked at Lanok.

"Gerard de Mermier, from a fallen noble family, grew up adopted under the name Gérard Gee."

Everything Lanok mentioned was exactly as written on the front page.

"His adoptive father, Sergey Gee, a former Spetsnaz operative before the Soviet Union fell, gave him the name Gérard Gee."

Of all the families out there, why did he have to get adopted into that one?

Kang Chan's mouth filled with saliva. He couldn't swallow it, though, since he didn't want to appear weak in front of Lanok.

"Vasili knew him. Don’t misunderstand, though. Any capable head of intelligence would know about him."

Kang Chan took a sip of his black tea.

"You'll find an interesting photo on the next page,” Lanok said.

Honestly, Kang Chan had no desire to turn the page. He felt like prying into Gérard's past was something he shouldn't do.

What should I do?

Avoiding it now would mean he would keep thinking about what lay beyond.

Flick.

Turning the page, on the top left corner, he found a close-up photo of an older man. Below it was a photo of a man lying on the sidewalk in front of a store.

A sigh involuntarily escaped from Kang Chan.

"Sergey Gee was stabbed to death while walking on the street. The next page shows Gérard’s adoptive mother and sister, each dying in separate traffic accidents."

Flick. Flick.

As Lanok had said, the photos on the next page showed the corpse of an unremarkable French woman beside a totaled compact car. The other was of a younger woman, likely her daughter, lying lifelessly on the road.

The summary of the case and the police officer in charge were also written on it. According to the report, the adoptive mother’s compact car collided with a truck, and the daughter was instantly killed by a motorcycle. It was all too strange. There had to be a reason for the deaths of these three people.

Flick.

Since he had already looked anyway, he decided to see this through. However, when he turned to the next page, he found himself unable to proceed. Right before his eyes was a photo of a young Gérard in embarrassingly flared pants, pitifully looking back at Kang Chan.

His academic record, grades, and personality were all noted as poor.

Flick.

The photos that followed seemingly documented Gérard’s growth. They showed him growing taller and, more importantly, his gaze changing to what it was now.

Flick.

Next was his application to join the Foreign Legion and records of his deployments, accomplishments, evaluations, and awards.

"He went missing for an entire year before he joined the Foreign Legion,” Lanok said as Kang Chan put the yellow folder back on the table. "He vanished so thoroughly that not even the DGSE could trace him before he abruptly surfaced to join the Foreign Legion."

Kang Chan picked up a cigarette from the table.

"Mr. Ambassador, I’d like to check if Gérard was in Africa when the CCTV caught the man with the sunglasses,” Kang Chan stated. "I also request the DGSE to investigate if the suspect really is his cousin—a person of pure Lemier lineage."

Click.

Kang Chan lit a cigarette. The sorrowful look in young Gérard's eyes from the photos lingered in his mind.

"

Hoo

!"

Tapping the ash into the ashtray, he looked at Lanok. He had to steel his resolve.

"I have a question, sir."

"Go for it. I’ll answer to the best of my abilities," Lanok answered.

"Why have you been keeping Sharlan in Loriam?"

"Although circumstantial, we have evidence that points to his collaboration with Ethan in smuggling out Blackhead."

Kang Chan already knew all of that.

"The pressing question is why Sharlan went to South Korea, especially with drugs in a Gong Te automobile. It could just be Ethan targeting me, but I believe Sharlan’s operations were linked to the Star of David."

Lanok extinguished his cigar in the ashtray. He then continued, “More importantly, Ethan couldn't have deceived me with such actions. That leaves us with Josh, the deputy director of the British intelligence bureau."

"Does that justify keeping Sharlan alive?" asked Kang Chan.

Lanok's eyes glinted with light amusement.

"Eliminating Sharlan would mean one less concern for the Star of David. By keeping him alive, he continues to be a potential wildcard, unpredictable in whether he would spill secrets."

Kang Chan exhaled softly.

They lead such complex lives.

Unfortunately, whether he liked it or not, these sticky situations clung to him like tape.

"First off, it would be wise to identify the man in the footage," Lanok suggested.

𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Has the DGSE thoroughly investigated how Sharlan ended up in Incheon and whose help he had, sir?"

"In complex situations, it's often smart to return to the basics. The nations connected to your question include China, North Korea, the UK, France, and Korea. That’s why we have to prioritize identifying the man in the video."

What else is there? This is like peeling an onion, layer by layer, with the fear that there may be nothing at the core. No, if this was an onion, I would have just cut it in half.

Lanok refilled Kang Chan's cup.

"Where’s Gérard?"

"He went out for lunch."

"The only reason I appointed Gérard as the commander of the special forces team despite his year-long gap..." Lanok looked at Kang Chan, showing a hint of emotion for the first time today. “... was because I trust you and your judgment.”

Could there be any words more comforting in a moment like this?

The turmoil and complexity within Kang Chan instantly calmed down.

"Now, Mr. Kang Chan, you have another urgent matter to attend to."

Lanok gave Kang Chan a reassuring smile.

***

After enjoying bulgogi at a spacious Korean restaurant in Apgujeong-dong, Gérard and Michelle headed to a quaint café next to the adjacent park. Located on the basement level, they had to descend a staircase to reach it. Since its entrance was below the building, patrons were allowed to smoke at the tables near the staircase.

"What would you like to drink?" asked Michelle.

" Do they sell instant coffee here?"

"No, they don’t.”

"I see. Regular coffee it is."

Gérard wearily leaned back in his chair and pulled a cigarette from his pocket. A waiter soon approached them and put an ashtray and water on their table. They then took their order before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Did you like the food?"

"It was fine."

As Gérard put the cigarette to his lips, Michelle also pulled out her own from her bag.

Click. Flick. Flick.

Gérard tried to light his cigarette with his Zippo lighter, but it wouldn't catch.

Click.

Michelle sparked her lighter and extended it toward Gérard.

"

Hoo

."

They were exhaling smoke when the waiter brought their coffee.

"I’m not one to judge, but it’s not right to outright dismiss the kindness of others," said Michelle.

Gérard glanced at her sideways.

She continued, "And stop giving people that look! That smirk of yours needs to go too.”

Gérard chuckled, wiggling the scar on his cheek.

"If you don’t like something, just say so. Don’t go making faces. It puts the person who treated you in an awkward position."

"The food was fine. Tasty, even."

Click.

Gérard took a sip of his coffee, then set the cup down.

"If the captain entrusted you to look after me, that means he has some level of trust in you..."

Michelle firmly fixed her gaze on Gérard when Kang Chan was mentioned.

"I didn't come to Korea for these clothes or fancy food. I wanted to be with the captain, to experience his world, which was free of guns and death—" Gérard abruptly stopped, realizing what he was about to say.

"I've seen Channy troubled because he couldn't protect someone. I don't know the details, but is that what he does?" Michelle said.

Gérard sighed. "He shows his distress over things like that in front of you?"

"He had such a sorrowful expression back then. When I asked, that’s what he told me."

Gérard laughed, seemingly deflated. "Let's drop this depressing topic."

Instead of responding, Michelle just quietly sipped her coffee.

After a while, she asked, "Anything else you'd like to see or eat?"

"Bulgogi was enough. Let’s head back to the hotel after this,” Gérard replied.

Michelle finished the rest of her coffee in silence.

"I'll go pay."

"I'll pay for it."

"No, let me cover this,” Michelle insisted. She then went inside to settle the bill.

When she returned, they climbed up the stairs and entered the narrow alley that led to their parking spot.

Vroom.

As they were walking, a loud engine sound broke the silence.

Swish!

Gérard yanked Michelle back, immediately positioning himself in front of her.

Crash! Bang! Wham!

Vroom!

A scooter toppled to one side of the road, its engine blaring, with noodles and soups from its delivery scattered all over. People gathered around. The scooter driver lay face down, bloodied, seemingly dead.

"What was that...?" Michelle trailed off, taken aback by the intensity of Gérard's glare.

Hoping to calm Gérard, Michelle forced herself to speak. "Are you okay?"

Gérard turned to her, his expression one of someone struggling to make sense of the situation. Suddenly, his eyes became so pitiful that he looked as if he was about to cry.