Chapter 380: Don’t You Think We’ve Been Too Gentle (1)

Gérard's face was streaked with blood, and Kang Chan's right hand was a mess. Even their clothes were soaked red.

Screeeeech!

Medical staff rushed out of the entrance as soon as they arrived at the Bang Ji Hospital. With skillful precision, they transferred Gérard onto a medical bed and quickly wheeled him inside.

"Michelle! He'll need an interpreter. Stay with him," Kang Chan instructed.

“Got it, Channy.”

Since it was already evening and they had already taken control, there were no people around.

Kang Chan thanked Lee Doo-Hee. He then got out of the SUV and headed to the emergency room where Gérard had been taken. Yoo Hun-Woo, who was attending to Gérard, quickly ordered various tests. He then immediately approached Kang Chan.

"Why do you always have to be so reckless?" Yoo Hun-Woo chided.

“Don’t worry about me, I’m fiine. Just keep an eye on that bastard please,” Kang Chan said.

"We have to wait for the test results."

“Director!”

"Do you think I'll lose two people in one night? Just trust me and wait."

What is he talking about? Is he referring to Lanok or Anne?

Kang Chan looked up in surprise.

"Yang So-Mi passed away a little while ago. The French gentleman and his daughter are in surgery," Yoo Hun-Woo informed him gravely.

He disinfected the wound, layered oil emulsion gauze over it, and wrapped it in bandages. Kang Chan had never seen him look so serious.

“Mr. Kang Chan,” he weakly called as he secured the bandage with tape. "I don't know what happened, but please don't do this again. There's a difference between wanting to save lives desperately and destroying your own body."

If it were any other doctor, Kang Chan might have reacted angrily.

"Dr. Kim Ji-Hoon has brought in the Great Surgeon team. You probably don’t know this, but operations where Dr. Kim Ji-Hoon and Dr. Shin Hyun-Soo are performing surgery simulatenously have high success rates."

What is he trying to say?

“However, even those two can’t save everyone despite how skilled they are.”

Yoo Hun-Woo's eyes mirrored the look he had when he talked about his late brother.

“I’ll do my best, but let's not resort to such desperate measures.”

“Understood.”

Yoo Hun-Woo probably didn’t know how much Gérard meant to Kang Chan. Still, since Kang Chan could sense his sincerity, he had chosen to answer with respect.

He was sure that it was a tough night for both him and Yoo Hun-Woo. However, For Yang Dong-Sik—who had just lost his daughter—and Kang Chul-Gyu and Nam Il-Gyu, who had witnessed it all unfold, this night could only be described as brutal. To make matters worse, the reports stated that Yang So-Mi had severe signs of abuse.

Kang Chan exited the emergency room and headed to the parking lot. He then sat on the two-step staircase leading up to the entrance.

On his way, he couldn’t help but think that this place currently looked like a battlefield hospital. Armed soldiers and agents in suits were scattered both inside and outside the building, their numbers matching the hospital staff’s.

“Give me a cigarette.”

Seok Kang-Ho silently handed him a cigarette and lit it for him.

Click.

“

Hooo

.”

The smoke, illuminated by the hospital sign’s white light, stylishly vanished into the darkness.

Damn it!

He felt as if all the men he had killed had gathered to curse him today.

“Would you like some coffee?” Choi Jong-Il asked. He likely wanted Kang Chan to calm down, just like Yoo Hun-Woo.

Kang Chan nodded. He then took a drag on his cigarette.

“

Hooo

.”

As he exhaled, Choi Jong-Il handed him a paper cup.

Afterward, Woo Hee-Seung offered him a set of clothes. “We had this prepared for you, sir.”

“I'll change later. Leave it for now.”

Seok Kang-Ho sat down next to Kang Chan. He then stared at his cup of coffee, his gaze akin to that of a soldier ready for combat.

“Daye.”

“Cap.”

Choi Jong-Il and Woo Hee-Seung were looking at Kang Chan as well.

“Don’t you think we’ve been too gentle?”

“Seems like it.

Haha

.”

Seok Kang-Ho laughed with a cruel gleam in his eyes, clearly suppressing an imminent outburst of anger.

Kang Chan put out his cigarette in the paper cup and looked up.

“Call the interpreter and have them search enemy bases in Garnich, Luxembourg. Track Jibril’s location as well.”

“Yes, sir.”

Choi Jong-Il immediately took out his phone and got to work.

***

Three trucks with 40-foot containers drove down Route 54 in Kyzyl, Russia. Five 2.5-ton cargo trucks with tarp-covered beds were at the front and rear of the convoy.

Rumble! Clang. Clang!

The cab of one of the container trucks turned into a gently curved road, and the large container attached to it awkwardly followed the bend.

Thud. Thud.

Vasili’s eyes opened, and his face contorted in pain. The vibrations coursing through the container and his bed seemed to worsen his condition.

“Help me up,” he murmured.

Clink. Clink.

Two men in suits, rifles slung over their shoulders, followed his command. One adjusted Vasili’s pillow, and the other pulled a lever to raise the head of the bed.

Vasili had so many bandages wrapped around his upper body that he looked as if he was wearing a snug white shirt.

“Where are we?” he asked.

“We're on Route 54, heading from Kyzyl to Mongolia, sir.”

Vasili seemed to be at his wits' end.

“How long has it been?” he asked.

“About fourteen hours, sir.”

“Have you found that bug who was going around with Alexei?”

“Yes, sir. We have also discovered that Yuri Shevchenko orchestrated the attack.”

A corner of Vasili’s lips twitched. When the container’s vibrations hit him again, his unamused expression was quickly replaced with a frown.

“Where is Shevchenko now?”

“He’s transporting a missile.”

“A missile? Where to?”

“Coincidentally, he’s heading in the same direction as us. It seems their target is the South Korean base in Mongolia.”

“What about Alexei?”

“He’s keeping a low profile.”

Vasili nodded.

“Damn it. They plan to kill me and then use the weapons they got from Ivan to blow up South Korea’s base!”

The man responding to Vasili quickly gauged his reaction.

"Why did I have to wake up before Shevchenko could launch a missile at the South Korean base? Now I have no choice but to focus on playing a supporting role!"

Vasili turned to his subordinates. “Phone.”

One of his men quickly handed him a satellite phone.

“Ambassador Lanok and his daughter were shot in front of South Korea’s French Embassy and are currently undergoing surgery. Yang Bum is fleeing to Mongolia, and Vant has been killed in a car explosion. Ludwig was attacked as well, but he managed to survive because his son died in his place.”

“Ludwig’s son! That gluttonous idiot. Anyway, Lanok isn’t in a much better state, huh?”

Dialing the number with one hand, Vasili gritted his teeth as if trying to suppress a sudden surge of anger. His upper left lip twitched like a spasm.

“Alexei dared target me? Fucking cockroach!”

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

“As much as I want to see the South Korean base in Mongolia explode, I can't stand seeing that bastard satisfied. I will stop him myself.”

Tap.

Vasili pressed the call button with his thumb and brought the phone to his ear.

“What about Andrei?”

“We haven’t seen any movements yet, sir.”

The call was answered soon after.

“It’s Vasili.”

Mentioning his name made the other party reply quickly.

“Have the KGB in Moscow eliminate Alexei. Make it look like a heart attack. Once the announcement and funeral are over, prepare his eyes, tongue, and heart for my inspection.”

After listening to the response, Vasili said, “Wait.”

He then turned his gaze to the man in front of him.

“How many more men do we need to seize Shevchenko’s missile?”

“We have over two hundred men already in position. We can have it done as soon as you give the order.”

Vasili nodded, then brought the phone back to his ear.

“I’ll take care of that myself. Focus on eliminating every family member, relative, friend, neighbor, and anyone who has been in contact with the shooters in the last three months.”

After briefly listening again, Vasili continued, “Find and kill all of Shevchenko’s operatives and any Mafia members who helped move the weapon. Make sure our fallen KGB soldiers are rewarded as well.”

Vasili then ended the call without bothering to wait for a response.

“Send the troops in and have them bring me Shevchenko and the missile to the South Korean base in Mongolia.”

“Do you want Shevchenko alive?”

Vasili glared at the man.

“Understood,” the man swiftly answered and picked up a brick-sized radio.

As he relayed Vasili’s orders via radio, Vasili smacked his lips and glared at the phone.

“I can’t believe I narrowly escaped death just to end up defending a South Korean base! Fucking supporting role!”

Despite his anger, Vasili started dialing another number.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

***

Choi Jong-Il had just pressed the call button when Kang Chan's phone rang.

Did he dial the wrong number?

The perfect timing made Choi Jong-Il double-check the number he was calling. Upon learning that he didn’t make a mistake, Kang Chan answered the call.

“Hello?”

- It’s Vasili.

“What is it?”

Kang Chan heard Vasili let out a deep sigh.

- Shouldn’t you at least ask how I’m doing? The first thing I did after nearly dying was protect the Mongolian base, you know.

“Fine. How are you?”

- Should I just blow up the base?

Kang Chan chuckled. Despite their rough and harsh conversation, they both felt a sense of relief and camaraderie. Deep down, Kang Chan also felt somewhat reassured.

- Some insect named Shevchenko is transporting a missile he got from Ivan. I’ll bring him and the missile to the South Korean base in Mongolia.

“What do you need me to do?”

- Vodka.

“That’ll take a day or so. There’s soju there, so drink that until your Vodka arrives.”

- Soju? Ah! The one I had in Korea!

Did this bastard really get shot?

- How’s Lanok?

“He’s in surgery.”

- Even if I pray here for his death, I just know that man will survive this. Pass on my regards when he wakes up. Anyway, I’ll contact you once I arrive at the base. I’m bringing two hundred ex-KGB soldiers with me, so you can stop worrying about it.”

Kang Chan paused for a moment. With his signature smirk, he then said, “

Spasibo

[1].”

- That’s the most pleasant thing I’ve heard today.

The call ended right after.

“That was Vasili. He told me he’d be seizing a missile from some person named Shevchenko. He also told me to stop worrying about the base in Mongolia since he’d be bringing two hundred former KGB members over,” Kang Chan said.

Just as Kang Chan was about to light another cigarette, Kang Chul-Gyu, Nam Il-Gyu, and Yang Dong-Sik walked up to him.

“What time will we be leaving tomorrow?”

Yang So-Mi, whom Yang Dong-Sik had worried about so much, had passed away due to stomach cancer. To make matters worse, they had just found out that she had been abused. Hence, It was only natural that anger filled the eyes of the three men.

“Your flight to Mongolia has been indefinitely postponed. Russian forces are currently heading over to our base, so we’ll have to observe the situation for now.”

Kang Chul-Gyu looked at Kang Chan in disbelief. However, they didn’t even need to talk for him to know that Kang Chan wasn’t lying.

“I see. We’ll be going out for a bit, then,” said Kang Chul-Gyu said, looking directly into Kang Chan’s eyes.

“Do you need anything?”

Kang Chul-Gyu subtly shook his head.

Kang Chan turned to Yang Dong-Sik. “I have a request.”

“Let’s hear it,” Yang Dong-Sik replied hoarsely.

“Unfortunately, I need to stay here for some work. If you find the bastard who hurt and abandoned your daughter, please take care of him on my behalf.”

Yang Dong-Sik’s cheeks twitched, and tears welled up in his eyes.

Contrary, to his expectations, Kang Chan didn’t tell him to take the National Intelligence Service's stance into consideration or let the law handle this matter.

Caught off guard, he could only stare at Kang Chan in utter silence.

“I’m sorry,” Kang Chan added.

“None of this is your fault, Assistant Director...”

Yang Dong-Sik bowed his head to Kang Chan, then followed Kang Chul-Gyu and Nam Il-Gyu.

“Do you think he knows where his son-in-law is?”

“Doesn’t seem like it. The son-in-law’s a gambler, though, so he’ll probably go to someone who can help him first,” Seok Kang-Ho replied with a shrug.

Did he think of that on his own?

Though Kang Chan doubted it, there was no need to confirm it. Just as he was about to head back in to check on Gérard, his phone vibrated again.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

He quickly checked the caller ID. The number seemed to be a satellite phone’s.

“Hello?”

- It’s Yang Bum.

Kang Chan turned and looked at the dark sky between the buildings. Somewhere in that darkness, the sun was preparing to rise and bring a new day.

“Are you safe?”

- Thanks to the Black Wolf Unit, we are. Anyway, we’re heading to the South Korean base in Mongolia. I’m bringing about one hundred fifty people with us.

Three hundred fifty Russian and Chinese troops would soon fill the South Korean base. To top it all off, the Russians would be bringing a missile with them.

Kang Chan let out a cynical laugh.

“I just got off the phone with Vasili. He’s heading to the base with two hundred ex-KGB members.”

- We can start planning a counterattack once we’ve reached the base, then. How is the director?

“He’s still in surgery. We’re still waiting for the results.”

- Please send him my regards. I’ll contact you as soon as we arrive.

Yang Bum also seemed to believe that Lanok wouldn’t die. After relaying the conversation to Seok Kang-Ho, Kang Chan headed to the emergency room.

“The director is on the first floor,” a nurse explained.

Upon reaching the first floor, the first thing they noticed was Gérard lying on a portable hospital bed.

“Channy,” Michelle greeted called, worry evident in her expression.

Gérard was still unconscious, but his face had been cleaned, which Kang Chan found somewhat comforting. He also had IV packs and supplementary packs attached to his arm.

“Fortunately, the test results don’t indicate any immediate danger. For now, we’ll just have to monitor him,” Yoo Hun-Woo said. He then glanced at Kang Chan’s bandaged hand. “Will this patient be admitted?”

“Yes.”

Following his instructions, the staff transferred Gérard to a private room.

When Michelle hesitated, Kang Chan said, “It’s okay. Go and keep an eye on him.”

Michelle nodded. She then followed the nurses wheeling Gérard away.

“Let’s head to the operating room,” Yoo Hun-Woo said, guiding Kang Chan to the elevator. Seok Kang-Ho, Choi Jong-Il, and Woo Hee-Seung accompanied them to the third floor.

They all sat in chairs in front of the door that had a lit sign that said “Surgery In Progress.”

Soon, Kang Chan’s phone rang again. He pulled it out and answered the call.

“Hello?”

- It’s Sherman.

Sherman spoke in French. His voice was as deep as always.

- We’ll land at the Osan Air Base at five in the morning, Korean time. Ethan, Josh, and Romain are with me.

“I’ll meet you there.”

The call suddenly ended.

I should hold a meeting about phone etiquette for all these bastards.

“Choi Jong-Il, we need to be at the Osan Air Base by 5 AM.”

“Yes, sir.”

Choi Jong-Il walked to the end of the hallway and radioed in instructions.

Yoo Hun-Woo worriedly glanced at Kang Chan before turning his gaze to the operating room. The information that Gérard had risked his life to find, the troops gathering in Mongolia, and two of their enemies’ tails arriving at dawn all seemed like pieces of a puzzle falling into place.

It was as if they were getting one step closer to the enemy’s core. Now, all they had to do was wait in this dimly lit corridor until the surgery was done.

Drnnng.

Just then, the automatic doors of the operating room opened, and two doctors in blue surgical gowns and caps stepped out.

1. Spasibo means “thank you” in Russian. ☜