Chapter 365: Good work (2)

Chk.

“606, in position.”

Chk.

“DMZ team, in position.”

After listening to the comms, Kang Chan quickly looked to his sides.

His men were waiting for his signal, their hands gripping the balled-up ends of the ropes that they had tied to trees.

They had to descend the cliff in front of them with a single jump.

There was a difference in time between reaching the cave above and the cave below, so the team aiming for the bottom had to go first.

‘Ready?’

The men all nodded in response to Kang Chan’s gaze.

‘Yes, sir!’

Kang Chan pressed a button on his radio.

Chk.

“All units, stand by. The moment Rappel Team One goes down, fire the RPGs..”

Kang Chan took the coiled rope in his right hand and backpedaled to the edge of the cliff.

They couldn’t let the enemies see them yet.

Haah. Haah.

His nerves sharpened as the tension rose.

As always, everything seemingly slowed down.

There was no telling what could happen once they had started descending.

If the enemies had people with rifles guarding the entrance to the cave, he and his men would be plunging thirty meters to the ground under heavy fire.

Kang Chan’s eyes glinted as he looked left and right again.

Still, it had to be done.

Kang Chan looked Kang Myung-Gu straight in the eyes.

𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

‘I’ll leave it to you.’

‘Don’t worry, sir!’

“Team One, descend!”

Swish!

Team One, who had been assigned to the cave below, threw their ropes down the cliff and then jumped backward.

Peeeew! Peeeew! Peeeeew!

At the same time, they heard RPGs being fired. This was the first time in this operation that they found the whistles of those rocket launchers so welcoming.

“Team Two, descend!”

Swish! Swiiiish!

Starting with Kang Chan, the men threw their ropes back and dropped down.

Boom! Boooooom! Boom! Boom!

Loud explosions reverberated as they free-fell nearly thirty meters downward.

With a powerful kick against the wall, Kang Chan fell into the gap. He then pulled at the rappel at just the right moment.

Whoosh! Whooooosh!

Kang Chan aimed for the enemy, ignoring the wind whipping past his ears and piercing his eyes.

He couldn’t even squint. As he moved from light to dark, all he could see were the outlines.

As if pouncing toward him, the mouth of the cave seemingly closed in on Kang Chan.

Now, he could vaguely see their enemies’ silhouettes.

Kang Chan shot those who panicked out of the cave.

Pew! Thud! Pew! Thud!

Two of the enemies’ foreheads exploded, sending them stumbling backward.

Peew! Bang!

Gérard, who followed right after Kang Chan, fired two bullets as well, shooting the remaining enemies.

Click! Click!

In the corner, they found a desk, a chair, and a dead enemy on the floor, a gaping hole in his forehead. They also noticed a few books, guns, and water.

The two searched the cave with their rifles at the ready, but they didn’t find anything.

It was difficult to tell if any of the enemies here were part of the leadership.

Du du du! Pew! Peew! Pew! Peew! Du du du!

Behind enemy lines, a battle raged on.

Chk.

“Cave One secured.”

Chk.

“Cave Two secured.”

The radio calls came in succession.

Why is this so easy?

Kang Chan quickly pressed a button on his radio.

Chk.

“Secure any machine guns you can find in the caves. I want everyone else to assist the 606! Cover their descent from the caves, 606!”

Chk.

“Give us a minute!”

Du du du du du! Du du! Du du du du! Du du du!

Pew! Peew! Peew! Peew! Peew! Peew!

Gunshots jumbled together. Strangely, they sounded as if they were coming from far away.

Chk.

“Covering fire now! Go go go!” Jeong Won-Min shouted over the radio.

At that moment, Kang Chan turned to Gérard. “Gérard! I’m heading down!”

“Oui!”

Kang Chan then grabbed the rope and threw himself back again.

Swish! Thud! Whoosh!

He made sure to take a step on the face of the cliff before landing on the ground.

Click.

Right after, he turned around with his rifle pointed, finding Gérard at his side.

Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew!

Enemies were everywhere.

While Kang Chan and Gérard were knocking them down, Seok Kang-Ho, Choi Jong-Il, and the members of the counter-terrorism team reached the ground as well.

Their skills were nothing short of amazing.

With each pull of their triggers, heads burst into pieces and enemies fell into bizarre positions or were flung back.

It was a bit strange, though. Their enemies seemed to be running toward the line of fire.

Well, Kang Chan supposed it wasn’t too weird for their opponents to be running toward them. After all, they were in the middle of enemy territory. Still, it was unusual that they were rushing toward their muzzles like basic hostile NPCs in a video game. Their shock only made it even easier to take them down.

It didn’t matter, though. They were enemies. Hence, Kang Chan continued to shoot down the incoming enemies.

Just then, Yang Dong-Sik and the rest of the DMZ team revealed themselves like wolves attacking a flock of sheep.

Was that the reason why?

Kang Chan stopped firing and watched the situation unfold.

The counter-terrorism team and the 606, who had pointed their rifles at their allies, stopped themselves from pulling the trigger.

Rumble!

The enemies seemed to have been fleeing from the DMZ team. However, when they ran up the mountain, they were greeted by the 606. Surprised, they turned back around only to find Yang Dong-Sik waiting for them.

Yang Dong-Sik grabbed one of the surprised enemies by the hair.

“Allah!” the enemy cried out, terrified.

“You son of a bitch! Why do you look down on South Korea?! On our people?! Why are you targeting my incredible juniors?!”

Shing!

Yang Dong-Sik slit the enemy’s throat with his bayonet.

The skin opened, and blood spurted and gushed out.

Shing! Shing!

Yang Dong-Sik gritted his teeth. Eventually, the enemy’s head...

Meanwhile, the desperate cries and screams of the enemies that the DMZ team had captured echoed from all around them.

Should I stop this?

Kang Chan turned his head.

At that moment, Kang Chul-Gyu walked toward him, his rifle slung over his right shoulder.

Rustle, rustle.

Nam Il-Gyu and the rest of the DMZ team members followed right behind. They were dragging twelve captives through the ground.

The enemies had been completely surrounded. No matter where they ran off, Yang Dong-Sik and his team viciously chased them with bayonets and decapitated them.

Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew!

The enemies lifted their guns, but their heads were blown off before they could even shoot.

“These are the people that Dong-Sik mentioned were hiding underground. They look like they’re part of the leadership.”

Nam Il-Gyu grabbed one by the head and brought him forward.

His nose and jaw were already broken, and he had a bullet wound in his thigh.

Kang Chan nodded.

Kang Chul-Gyu turned his gaze.

Shing.

Nam Il-Gyu pulled out his bayonet from his shoulder.

“Allahu Akbar!”

Fwoosh.

Nam Il-Gyu’s bayonet dug into the enemy’s ear.

“

Kegh

!”

Shing! Jab!

Nam Il-Gy then stabbed him in the neck and decapitated him.

Shing! Shing!

Rustle, rustle.

They brought another captive forward.

When Kang Chan nodded, a similar scene ensued.

They had to do this ten more times.

Another was dragged forward. Looking at him, Kang Chan smirked.

It was Warab Amedi, the head of the Afghan UIS.

Kang Chan slowly approached him and looked him straight in the eye.

Fear had filled the man’s eyes, but like Abibu’s, they hid something cunning behind them—it seemed he was still waiting for the chance to bare his fangs and claws.

“Take a good look,” Kang Chan said in Korean, causing Nam Il-Gyu to glance at Kang Chul-Gyu. “We’re South Korean soldiers. This flag...”

Kang Chan raised his left arm.

“... is the Taegeukgi. Don’t forget it. If you ever cross paths with a soldier bearing this flag in the afterlife, this will happen to you again.”

When Kang Chan stood back up, Warab Amedi spewed out rapid Arabic.

“He wants to negotiate,” Seok Kang-Ho interpreted.

Pft.

Kang Chan raised his bayonet. He couldn’t let them be the only ones getting their hands dirty.

However, Kang Chul-Gyu stopped him.

“Let us be the only ones to sully our hands. We will soon vanish in history anyway. All we ask in return is that you and our juniors ensure that South Korea will never have to do these things.” He looked Kang Chan in the eye. “Create a world where your predecessors will never have to get their hands dirty.”

Stunned, Kang Chan could only listen steadfastly.

These were the words of a legend of the South Korean special forces to the current commander, a senior to his junior, and... a father to his son.

Kang Chan had to admit it.

The current Kang Chul-Gyu was a legend, a senior of the special forces, and his father.

As Kang Chan nodded and took a step back, Nam Il-Gyu charged forward.

“From now on!”

Jab!

“

Aaah

!”

“Never look down!”

“

Kegh

!”

“On South Korea and the Taegeukgi!”

Jab! Shing! Shing!

Thud.

Death was fair to everyone.

Be they the Sunni, Shiite, or UIS, death would eventually come for them all.

Kang Chan didn’t understand why terrorists treated other peoples’ lives like they were worth nothing or how they could willingly die without any sympathy or justification for their actions.

Kang Chul-Gyu turned to the DMZ team. “Finish the rest at once.”

As ordered, the DMZ team simultaneously eliminated their captives.

Meanwhile, Nam Il-Gyu picked up the enemies’ heads from the ground.

“I’ll give them a tour around Seoul.”

Kang Chul-Gyu nodded. Kang Chan just remained silent.

“Even if any of them manage to get out of here alive, seeing a Korean soldier will fill them with fear moving forward. Those who are told about this incident will feel the same,” Kang Chul-Gyu said as he looked at the enemies curiously. “They’ve become nothing more than a bunch of misfits now that we have captured their leaders. Has the UIS always been like this? From what I’ve seen, they’re just a bunch of filthy bastards who are brutal to the weak or those in hiding but unconditionally lower their heads before the strong.”

Kang Chan gazed up. The battle seemed so strange that he couldn’t even laugh or cry.

Hundreds of enemies were running to and fro in the center of the circle as Yang Dong-Sik and his team attacked in between.

The UIS was certainly capable of terrible things.

Kang Chan had killed his fair share of enemies in tribal wars in Africa and battles with the Quds.

However, this was something else.

Still, despite the thoughts in his head, he couldn’t stop his men from killing the enemies.

Kang Chul-Gyu and the DMZ team had made this call. Moreover, this was their jurisdiction.

Above all, it was clear that they weren’t doing this because they liked it either.

As Kang Chul-Gyu had said, they were acting as the villains so the heroes could shine.

The DMZ team firing bullets that all the men here should be firing as well. However, theirs carried a different meaning.

Yang Dong-Sik grabbed another enemy and knocked him to the ground. The latter had clearly wet himself.

The next thing Kang Chan knew, Yang Dong-Sik had swung his bayonet against the enemy.

At that moment, they heard a helicopter approaching from the distance.

Du du du du du du du du.

Kang Chan glanced back.

Chk.

“Foreign Legion special forces team reporting for duty. Deputy Director-General, please respond.”

Chk.

“This is Kang Chan. We have already neutralized the situation. Just stand by to intercept rockets or missiles.”

“Understood.”

Afterward, Kang Chan told his men over the radio that the French Foreign Legion’s special forces had arrived.

Du du du du du du du.

Soon after, the helicopter finally came into view.

Dash!

Then, something flabbergasting happened again.

The UIS ran toward the helicopter, waving their arms.

“Are those people requesting help?” the pilot confirmed, also seemingly shocked.

“Yes. They’re hostiles.”

“Permission to open fire.”

“No need. Just avoid them and land.”

“Yes, sir.”

When the helicopter landed, Kang Chul-Gyu pressed a button on his radio.

“Drive the tangos to the center so they can’t escape. Finish them off.”

It didn’t take long for the enemies to be herded into the center. Their faces were now filled with terror.

The wind made the decapitated bodies strewn across the outskirts look even worse.

The Foreign Legion troops rushed out of the helicopter and stood before Kang Chan.

They seemed more pleased to see Gérard than Kang Chan, but Kang Chan wasn’t upset at all.

At times like this, it wouldn’t be bad to put Gérard in the spotlight.

A former special forces team commander favored by a deputy director-general? That didn’t sound too good.

“Gérard! Set up a perimeter with the Foreign Legion and get to the chopper. Tell them to jam the satellites on central comm. Check up on the Jeungpyeong special forces team too.”

“Understood, sir.”

Once Gérard had relayed Kang Chan’s orders, the Foreign Legion special forces commander quickly barked some instructions. The two then headed to the helicopter together.

Chk.

“606! Head to the center.”

Chk.

“Copy. Moving in.”

Chk.

“Any counter-terrorism team members still in the caves, retreat.”

Chk.

“Yes, sir.”

The sun was now directly above their heads.

Kang Chan suddenly felt thirsty.

“Is there any water left?”

As one of the soldiers brought him a plastic pack, Kang Chan felt a gaze on him.

Although doing these things still felt awkward, Kang Chan handed the pack to Kang Chul-Gyu so he could drink first.

Pft.

Kang Chul-Gyu looked at him as if he could read his mind.

“I’m going to rest over there with my men. Can you get us some cigarettes?”

That wasn’t too hard.

Kang Chan had Gérard fetch him some cigarettes. Gérard came back with two packs, which Kang Chan then gave to Kang Chul-Gyu along with a lighter.

“I’ll be back in ten minutes,” Kang Chul-Gyu said. He then headed into the forest with his team members.

Kang Chan felt a tug in his heart. It felt like a foreshadowing of the DMZ team stepping to the side to make way for their juniors.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t like he could join them for a smoke.

“??Gérard! Ask for three more packs and bring them here!”

At that moment, Seok Kang-Ho dashed over and offered Kang Chan one. “Here.”

“Hey! You know how bitter their cigarettes are here! Let’s smoke the ones Gérard brings first.”

Once Gérard had come back with cigarettes, Kang Chan and the whole crew lit one each.

Click. Click.

“

Hoo

!” Kang Chan exhaled, leaning against the cliff. “Sit down and get some rest.”

Since the Foreign Legion’s special forces team was standing guard for them, the men could comfortably sit down and relax around Kang Chan.

“They said they’ll send in our transport soon. I’ve also received word that the Jeungpyeong special forces team has killed all the Quds. Krak and one of the soldiers are injured.”

Seeing Kang Chan’s expression, Gérard quickly continued, “They were both shot in the leg, but the Russian and German teams have given them first aid. They’re out of harm’s way.”

Gérard sat next to Kang Chan, took out a cigarette, and put it in his mouth.

Click.

“

Hoo

—

cough

! The cigarette tastes like...”

“Why did you smoke that anyway?”

Gérard looked for a different cigarette. Just then, a French soldier dashed over with an elated expression and handed him one.

“It’s an honor to meet you.”

Gérard raised his gaze. He didn’t recognize the soldier.

“I’m Sarmone, Commander. I heard of your legendary tales and did my best to join the special forces.”

He offered the cigarette politely.

Gérard glanced at Kang Chan and lit the cigarette.

You’re the one in the spotlight right now. Bask in it.

Pretending not to notice, Kang Chan blew out a long stream of smoke.

This long battle was almost over. The French special forces team should be more than capable of handling the rest of the operation themselves.

With that realization, his wounds, which had been plugged with rolled-up bandages, began to throb.

***

Kim Hyung-Jung burst into Go Gun-Woo’s office.

“We’ve received a report that the operation is almost over. We’ve killed all twelve of the enemy’s top officers. We lost six of our men, and eight more are wounded.”

Go Gun-Woo looked at Kim Hyung-Jung with a puzzled expression.

Normally, in cases like these, one would say assassinated, not killed. Hearing about their casualties bothered him more than such trivialities, though, so he didn’t question it.

“I’ll report to the president. Tell Air Force Operations Command to order our fighters back.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Please make sure to give our returning pilots the right treatment and our fallen the proper honor.”

“Yes, Director Go.”

As if remembering something, Go Gun-Woo stood up and looked at Kim Hyung-Jung.

“Oh, and...”

Kim Hyung-Jung raised his gaze, waiting for him to speak.

“Thank you for your hard work on this operation, Mr. Kim,” Go Gun-Woo said with an awkward expression. He then quickly left the office.