Chapter 336: Messing With Me? (1)

One should always keep their promises. However, life wasn't always so straightforward. Sometimes, promises inevitably had to be broken, just like when Kang Chan saw Abibu looking his way as he extinguished his cigarette.

“That son of a bitch!” shouted Abibu.

Even with tears streaming down his face, Abibu clearly harbored resentment.

Twenty minutes? Just forget it ever happened!

Kang Chan immediately left the room. Kim Hyung-Jung hurriedly followed but didn't dare speak. He judged that he couldn’t interfere with Kang Chan's actions here.

Click.

Kang Chan opened the door and entered. He then immediately approached Abibu, who, along with his attendant, was already startled and chilled by their previous encounter.

Thump! Crash!

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

Where does this bastard get off looking so dissatisfied? Did you just block that? How dare you!

Abibu rolled on the floor and curled up with all his might, clutching his head and chest.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Kang Chan fiercely stomped on Abibu’s head, chest, and thighs.

“

Ugh

!

Ughh

!

Ughhh

!”

Tears ran down Abibu’s bloodied face. He could vividly feel pain and humiliation.

Crash. Bang!

Kang Chan grabbed his neck, lifted him, and slammed him against the wall.

“

Ugh

!

Ugh

!

Ugh

!”

Sometimes in life, one could simply have bad luck.

Blood splattered from Abibu’s nose as he gasped for air. Since his head was tilted backward, it unfortunately splashed onto Kang Chan’s cheek.

“Son of a bitch!” shouted Kang Chan.

As Kang Chan wiped the blood off with the back of his right hand, Abibu desperately shook his head.

His eyes seemed to be saying, “It’s not my fault!”

If only he hadn't killed Hwang Ki-Hyun or Song Chang-Wook! No, he shouldn’t have messed with our agents in Libya in the first place!

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

Kang Chan mercilessly gouged the corners of Abibu’s eyes with the heel of his right hand.

“

Ugh

!

Ugh

!

Ugh

!

Ugh

...!”

Abibu slumped, his head drooping powerlessly to one side.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

“Assistant Director!”

Kim Hyung-Jung rushed in. The two agents in suits clung to Kang Chan.

“Fucking bastard!” Kang Chan growled.

Only then did he stop the beating. Both his hands and the chest area of his shirt had been smeared with the blood from Abibu’s face.

“See you in twenty minutes! You have better pulled yourself together by then!” he warned the unconscious man.

Thud!

Upon being released from his grasp, Abibu collapsed onto the floor.

Kang Chan turned to the attendant, startling him and making him straighten up.

“Have them sit quietly in place until I return,” he ordered.

“Yes, sir,” the man answered with a nod.

Always the one giving orders, and always the one who lived off the sweet fruits under the one giving the orders—but now both just looked frightened.

These bastards born with silver spoons in their mouths lower the value of others even though they’ve never done anything substantial themselves!

Kang Chan left the room and returned to his original position. He wondered why he had come and gone like this.

The interpreter quickly stood up, offering tissues and wet wipes to Kang Chan. “Want me to wipe those for you?”

Kang Chan shook his head firmly. “Leave it.”

After a brief pause, he said, “That bastard definitely has information. It might even be about the nuclear warhead or those planning a war.”

Another agent walked over from the corner, a paper cup of instant coffee.

Kang Chan continued, "If I could have prevented the directors’ deaths by killing that bastard, I would have done it. Now, we’re in this fight that would determine whether a war breaks out or a nuclear bomb drops on South Korea.”

Kim Hyung-Jung clenched his teeth, causing his cheeks to twitch slightly.

"Sir, the war has already started. We can't shrink back just because we fear terrorist attacks, the eyes of those around us, or not knowing how many might die as a result."

The two agents swallowed dryly as they looked at Kang Chan.

An agent solemnly added, "We don't know how many of our agents will have to lay down their lives to stop this. I can't forget the blood that soaked the lobby floor last night.”

"Understood."

The atmosphere had become heavy.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

As if finding the ambiance too burdensome, Kang Chan's phone rang. Kim Tae-Jin was calling.

"Hello?"

- It's Kang Chul-Gyu.

Kang Chan glanced past the glass. He didn’t expect to hear from him.

- I just saw the broadcast. Is it okay to talk?

"Yes."

This was the first time Kang Chul-Gyu had initiated a call.

- If we have to retaliate or perform a dangerous operation because of this incident, I want you to send me and my people. I know you'll be able to handle it well yourself, but...

"Understood."

- Just to be clear, I’m not saying your agents are incompetent.

Is this man seriously concerned about others' feelings right now?

It seemed Kang Chul-Gyu was trying to overcome his own awkwardness to maintain good relationships.

"I’ll call if needed," Kang Chan said. After a beat, he added, “Thanks."

He heard a chuckle from the other end.

- Got it. I’ll hang up now.

The call was dropped shortly after.

What? Why did he laugh?

***

After the call, Kang Chul-Gyu handed the phone back to Kim Tae-Jin.

"How is he, sir?"

"He seems to be handling the situation well," said Kang Chul-Gyu.

"Is that what he said?"

Kang Chul-Gyu chuckled again, which seemed to explain everything. In the background, they could hear, equipment moving and a couple of curses.

"Let’s go,” he said.

"Would you like to take a look around?" Kim Tae-Jin asked.

Kang Chul-Gyu nodded.

Kim Tae-Jin left the barracks first. Kang Chul-Gyu sneaked into his room and opened the door of his wardrobe. A suit hung on the door, and shoes were placed inside.

Clatter. Clatter.

Yang Dong-Sik looked like a bandit roaming the wilderness.

Bypassing the foreman of the construction site, he had climbed to the very top without any safety gear. He then swung around, attaching 'asiba'[1] to 'dabble,'[2] using ‘Tarraegi’[3].

The foreman was horrified, but how could he stop Yang Dong-Sik?

“You fucking idiot! The assistant director is watching this construction with interest! If it gets delayed for even a day, I’ll kill all of you and throw you to the wolves!” Yang Dong-Sik shouted at the foreman.

Was it on the third day of construction? After dinner, the foreman, having complained about the working conditions and treatment, had the gall to declare a day off.

He had expected that construction work in this desolate place would be filled with the thrill of making some money on the side. After all, it should have been easy to overlook some materials not meeting regulations.

However, Kim Tae-Jin and Nam Il-gyu were so strict that the construction manager couldn’t dare act tough.

“Were you not aware of the weather out here, huh? Didn’t you take that into consideration when calculating your payment?! How can you call yourself a foreman when you can’t even handle construction?!” Yang Dong-Sik shouted.

His eyes gleaming, he drew the knife that he had slung over his shoulder.

Surprisingly, Kang Chul-Gyu simply crossed his arms and watched. If one couldn’t recognize what that meant, he wouldn’t be part of the DMZ team.

Creak. Creak. Creak.

One after another, members of the DMZ team began to rise from their seats.

“We’ve got a staff shortage! Our most crucial member, who’d be climbing to high places, is missing!” the foreman said, unaware that he had just made the most regrettable excuse he would ever make in his entire career in construction.

“Is that so? I’ll take care of it myself, then! How about that?”

The foreman hadn’t expected to be rushed like that.

The next day, the construction site turned into hell.

Through a process known as

'asiba,’

pipes up to ten meters long were connected to create stairs along the exterior walls of the factory building. Two lines of pipes were intertwined, and steel plates perforated with holes were used as steps, known as

'dabble.’

Yang Dong-Sik was like a monkey that had found water or, more accurately, scaffolding. He ran around the scaffolding, making the eleven-meter-high platform sway from a height feared by most people. If anyone grabbed the scaffolding to steady themselves, they immediately received a harsh scolding.

“You stupid motherfucking imbecile! Do you only have one arm, huh? If you use one arm like that, how are you supposed to work with the other?!” yelled Yang Dong-Sik.

Uniquely, Yang Dong-Sik had set up a ten-meter pipe on the outside of the scaffolding. The employees wondered what he was doing until they saw him sliding down its length like a firefighter during a rescue operation.

Who would dare slack off in this situation?

Kang Chul-Gyu stood beside Kim Tae-Jin, who was waiting at the site.

"You’re finally here."

The foreman approached Kang Chul-Gyu, whom he felt most comfortable around. After all, Kang Chul-Gyu had never raised his voice, and his eyes had never glinted around him.

‘Perhaps he’s also oppressed by these barbaric men.’

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Unbeknownst to him, he had simply misunderstood Kang Chul-Gyu’s silent observation.

“Managing them must be tough.”

Once the foreman’s words had been interpreted in Korean, Kang Chul-Gyu responded with a wry smile.

“Be careful when hiring people. You have no idea when men like them will cause you trouble.”

Kang Chul-Gyu only nodded this time.

Nam Il-Gyu was far away, and Kim Tae-Jin had always been a gentle person, so the foreman gradually felt more at ease. Hence, while looking at Yang Dong-Sik, who was hanging from a dangerous height, he chattered away.

“He might even talk back to you someday, Director Kang.”

Kang Chul-Gyu smirked. “If that ever happens, I can just cut off his head.”

The foreman coughed. He had never seen eyes as menacing as Kang Chul-Gyu’s.

***

If one had broken their promise once, they should at least have the will to keep the next one. Hence, Kang Chan now patiently observed through the glass.

Abibu’s attendant helped him to his seat and wiped his face with his sleeve. Even from across the glass, he looked pitiful.

His face was covered in small cuts that looked as if they had been done with a razor, and blood kept flowing from them. Moreover, his left eye was now swollen like a boiled egg. Tears, blood, and thick pus from it ran down his swollen cheek, making it hard to look at him.

His stylishly grown beard and hair played a significant role in making his appearance even more miserable. The wheezing and grimacing that accompanied his every breath suggested that his ribs might be cracked or broken. He also had swollen lips and a bent and broken nose.

The door soon opened, and Kang Chan entered. As if on cue, surprise enveloped the faces of the two people inside at the same time.

The moment Abibu was about to say something...

Thump! Crash!

Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!

All his attendant could do was burst into pitiful cries.

***

Assistant Manager Kim brought the phone.

“The head of Gong Te’s South Korean branch is calling. He called the office, and they gave him my number. Would you like to speak with him?”

Kang Dae-Kyung looked at Yoo Hye-Sook before saying, “Sure. Thank you.”

He then took the phone and brought it to his ears.

“Hello?”

- Director! It’s Smithen.

“Mr. Branch Manager. My phone is off right now. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

- Where are you now? I was hoping we could have a brief meeting.

“Right now?”

- Yes, I really hope to see you soon.

His Korean was now quite fluent, but he was still pronouncing the words a bit too fast.

“What’s the matter? I’ve already informed you about the company handover. I’ve notified the headquarters too...”

- I was just feeling a bit upset and thought we should have dinner.

Kang Dae-Kyung glanced at Yoo Hye-Sook.

It was too late for breakfast and too early for lunch.

"Branch Manager, my wife and I are departing for Europe today. We've just arrived at the airport and finished ticketing, so let's have dinner when I return."

- W-what?

"Sorry, it's just that we've been so busy with life that we've never had the chance to go abroad together before..."

- Where to? Where are you headed?

Kang Dae-Kyung tilted his head.

This was a bit excessive. Normally, Kang Dae-Kyung would have mentioned the destination. However, after seeing Assistant Manager Kim and Cha Min-Jeong, the warning that they had given him came clearly to mind.

‘Never reveal your destination to anyone other than your son.’

"We plan to tour various places in Europe, so we haven't set a specific destination. I'll call you as soon as I get back."

Kang Dae-Kyung ended the call.

"What's the matter?"

"Well, he said he was upset and suggested having dinner, but he sounded like he was in a rush."

After getting his phone back from Kang Dae-Kyung, Assistant Manager Kim glanced at Cha Min-Jeong.

"Did he ask about your destination?"

"Yes, he did."

Assistant Manager Kim looked over at Yoo Hye-Sook and then forced a smile. Knowing full well that she was easily frightened, he didn’t want to cause her any unnecessary anxiety.

"To think he wants to meet you even though you’ve already left the company. He really admires you, doesn’t he, director?” Cha Min-Jyeong commented.

"It would be strange if I said yes,” Kang Dae-Kyung replied, making everyone burst into laughter.

"Shouldn’t we contact Channy before we go?" Yoo Hye-Sook asked.

"It's fine." Kang Dae-Kyung stretched out his arm and gently patted Yoo Hye-Sook's back. "I always told you not to worry about home affairs when I was busy with national duties, didn’t I? Let’s just have Assistant Manager Kim contact us as we planned. You understand, right?"

"Of course," Yoo Hye-Sook responded energetically.

***

Click.

When Kang Chan entered the room again, Abibu and his attendants’ reactions showed subtle differences. Abibu now looked as if he had lost his soul.

"He’s got something to say!" his attendant quickly said.

"What?" Kang Chan replied.

"W-what?"

"Are you bastards messing with me?"

The attendant turned his head toward Abibu.

Thump! Crash!

"

Ugh

!

Ughh

!

Ughhh

!"

Crack! Thump! Crack! Crack! Crack!

When Kang Chan started beating Abibu up again, the attendant burst into pitiful cries.

Kim Hyung-Jung and the agents just watched in silence.

Kang Chan was the assistant director of the National Intelligence Service. Despite his young age, a word from him could motivate agents to risk their lives. The same applied to the Jeungpyeong special forces team, the 606's Special Operations Unit, and the 35th Brigade.

Moreover, the moment he called, Seok Kang-Ho, Gérard, and even Kang Chul-Gyu and the rest of the DMZ team would come to his aid.

That same man now relentlessly beat up Abibu, who was already covered in blood.

This wasn't just about avenging Hwang Ki-Hyun, Song Chang-Wook, the agents, and his team members anymore. Kim Hyung-Jung and the agents vividly felt that Kang Chan was doing his best to prevent a war from happening and a nuclear missile from dropping right on top of their nation.

With a simple motion, Kang Chan could easily snap Abibu's neck. His skills in close-quarters combat meant he could easily kill his target with a flick of his wrist or a kick.

Why would he bother doing this with twenty-minute intervals? He could have just ordered Seok Kang-Ho, Gérard, the agents, or the special forces soldiers to do it for him. If he had done that, all he would have had to do was sit back and enjoy the spectacle with a cup of coffee and a cigarette.

Thump! Thump! Crack! Crack! Crack!

Isn't this wrong?

"Assistant director!"

Kim Hyung-Jung and the agents clung to Kang Chan again.

Is he trying to kill him in the most painful and cruel way possible?

For now, Kim Hyung-Jung focused on pulling Kang Chan away.

1. Often referred to as scaffolding in English ☜

2. This term doesn't have a direct translation but generally refers to a type of fastening or binding used in construction ☜

3. A colloquial term for a pulley or a similar mechanism used to lift or move construction materials. ☜