Ten days had passed since Kang Chan woke up.

During that time, a grand funeral was held, and the cremated remains were laid to rest at the Daejeon National Cemetery.

Click.

Yoo Hun-Woo Walked into a hospital room with an IV drip and five syringes. As soon as he entered, he looked at Kang Chan in disbelief.

Kang Chan had taken three bullets near his heart just a week ago, yet now, he was eating a sandwich with Seok Kang-Ho.

After Seok Kang-Ho twisted his neck, Gabriel was cremated in a coffin, had his bones finely ground, and was laid to rest at the Daejeon National Cemetery.

“Let’s clean your wounds first.”

Yoo Hun-Woo removed the bandages on Kang Chan’s chest. The sight made him shake his head in shock.

New flesh had formed, filling the holes left by the bullets.

After disinfecting and bandaging it, Yoo Hun-Woo exchanged the IV drip and stuck the syringe of drugs into it.

“What about the blood pack?”

“We have to inject the drugs first and wait two hours.”

“How’s Mother?”

“I’ll be honest. She’s on the brink of death. To make matters worse, she doesn’t have the will to live.”

Kang Chan wiped his mouth with a napkin.

“Please keep transfusing her my blood. All of this will be over in two weeks at most.”

“As you wish,” Yoo Hun-Woo replied with a look of frustration. Standing up from the chair, he added, “Dear Lord. I’m a doctor, yet I agreed to switch out a dead body! If this is discovered, I’m going to be a corpse dumper, aren’t I? I’ll also be the front man for public fraud of the South Korean citizens.”

As the one who treated Kang Chan and the last person to see him alive, Yoo Hun-Woo was inundated with interview requests from news channels, newspapers, and magazines. He was even asked by the government to give an interview to inspire patriotism.

“Mr. Kang Chan,” Yoo Hun-Woo said.

“Yes,” Kang Chan replied.

“I saw what you did in Afghanistan and the International Building on TV. While I was treating you, I found myself moved by your sense of duty. That’s why I joined this crazy project. To be honest, I still don’t understand why you’re doing this or why you’re willing to get shot for it,” Yoo Hun-Woo said with an uncharacteristically serious and heavy expression.

“Even so, leaving your mother like that is dangerous. I know you’re trying to protect Korea, and I know you’re worried about your mother more than anyone else, and the fact that you’re doing this must mean you’re dealing with something I can never imagine.”

Seok Kang-Ho quietly slipped away to get some coffee, likely because he found the atmosphere overwhelming.

“I hope you go see her before it’s too late. I think your father has reached his limit too.”

“Yes, sir.”

Yoo Hun-Woo told him he’d be back in two hours and left.

They decided to transfuse Kang Chan’s blood with Yoo Hye-Sook, who was bleeding uncontrollably, so the plan was to draw some of his blood today.

How could he ask if the sandwich was good? Seok Kang-Ho wanted to rip his mouth apart.

With how much Kang Chan cared about Yoo Hye-Sook, the sandwich was probably the last thing on his mind.

Seok Kang-Ho felt like he was going mad.

Kang Chan was in the basement, so he was only an elevator ride away from Kang Dae-Kyung and Yoo Hye-Sook. Seok Kang-Ho couldn’t even imagine how Kang Chan felt while listening to how his parents were doing from a place so close to them.

However, if Kang Chan stepped in front of Yoo Hye-Sook and something went wrong, everything would be ruined.

They could kiss a powerful South Korea and the plan to crush the Star of David goodbye, and they would go down in history as psychopaths who scammed the entire country.

For Kang Dae-Kyung and Yoo Hye-Sook too, wouldn’t a dead son be better than the main culprit behind a national scam? The current government and the NIS would have to bear that burden too.

Kang Chan ate voraciously. He would get up as quickly as he could and twist his enemies’ necks while their guards were down.

“Have some of this.” Seok Kang-Ho handed him a mug full of herbal medicine.

Kang Chan gulped it down without question, then handed the empty cup to Seok Kang-Ho.

“Don’t you think these assholes are too quiet?”

“They’re probably nervous since they’ve lost contact with that Gabriel guy. Where’s the chip?”

Seok Kang-Ho turned around and picked up a palm-sized pad from the table.

“Ha! Those punks!”

They got it from Gabriel’s body. Initially, they thought it was a device to locate Gabriel, but after checking it a few times, they realized that it was tracking Gérard’s movements.”

Those creepy bastards!

They did all sorts of nasty things to Gérard.

An x-ray revealed a razor-thin chip at the junction of Gérard’s back and neck, which was immediately removed.

The pad was as amazing as the chip. Not only could they resize the map with one’s thumb and forefinger, but it was also so advanced that it showed everything—countries, regions, and even which building Gérard was in.

“This is…” Seok Kang-Ho adjusted the pad’s screen with his thick fingers. “Clermont Ferrand, France… Those motherfuckers are going to be hella confused.”

He broke into laughter.

“This will go to Germany, Spain, then Indonesia.

Haha

! The people who have to go through the airport CCTV footage are gonna have such sore eyes.”

I hope those motherfuckers’ eyes hurt!

“What about the preparations?”

Wiping the smile off his face, Seok Kang-Ho replied, “It’ll all be done before dinner. We’ll get the passport I asked Manager Kim in the evening. He’s been trying so hard to convince me not to go. Why don’t we at least let him know that you’re alive, Cap?”

Kang Chan shook his head.

“We have to endure for now. I’m going to leave through the evening flight later anyway, so I just need to be careful today.”

Seok Kang-Ho nodded heavily.

“What about Jibril or whatever his name is?”

“Gérard says he picked the perfect location. I’ve checked his itinerary for Dubai.”

“Take one more look just to be safe. Tell him to keep an eye on the National Cemetery too.”

“The Jeungpyeong special forces team are all over that place. Apparently, Dong-Gyun called General Park Chul-Su and told him he got a tip that the enemy is going to vandalize the cemetery. I didn’t know he could use his brains.”

Kang Chan grinned.

If Yoon Sang-Ki and the rest of the Jeungpyeong special forces team were in the area, then he had nothing to worry about. No matter what special forces team came, those men would reign over them, especially on home ground.

“What time is it?”

“Five minutes before two.”

They had two hours left to draw blood from Kang Chan, and five hours until his departure.

***

Kim Hyung-Jung’s face was half of what it used to be.

“How are the preparations going?”

“We’re done checking in with the local agents. We’ll do a final check in about an hour.’

In the Samseong-Dong office, Go Gun-Woo checked the passports, which were stamped with Arab photos. He was still not convinced.

Setting the passports to one side of the table, Go Gun-Woo looked at Kim Hyung-Jung with a weary expression.

“Do you think we can do this without the assistant director?”

“Even if we fail, it’ll end with the UIS infighting. They can complain all they want about the Korean agents in disguise, but they won’t be able to dispute it if we claim they’re wrongfully framing us.”

Worry was evident on Go Gun-Woo’s face.

“I wasn’t this concerned when the assistant director insisted we retaliate against our enemies, but for some reason, I feel worried now… Getting rid of Jibril is something the assistant director wanted, and it’s necessary for us too. However, the operation doesn’t have a high chance of success. And regardless of whether it succeeds or not, I still can’t help but think about the aftermath.”

“We’ve been communicating with the Russian and Chinese intelligence bureaus, most notably Vasili, who even called me personally to make sure I have what I need.”

Go Gun-Woo nodded.

Vasili’s active support was a big reason he approved the operation.

Russian President Alexei had died of a sudden heart attack. Hence, it was no exaggeration to say that Russia was now under Vasili’s thumb even though he was still at the South Korean base in Mongolia.

It was hard not to wonder if Russia was trying to take advantage of South Korea. However, it was impossible to back out now. If they hesitated, they could lose all of Kang Chan’s hard-won vested interests to the Russians.

“Every time the phone rings, I see the president, and I remember that I am now the head of the NIS, I am reminded of how reliable the assistant director was.” Go Gun-Woo smiled painfully and stood up. “Let’s take the fight to them. We’ll protect what he left behind and finish what he started.”

“Yes, sir.”

Go Gun-Woo patted Kim Hyung-Jung on the shoulder and left the room.

***

“This is how you stick it on.” Michelle placed the mask on the face of a special makeup team member. “When you apply the glue, you just have to make sure it doesn’t stick out. Even if someone pulls on it, it won’t fall off unless your skin is also ripped off.”

Michelle pulled on the employee’s cheek after sticking the mask on.

“Ow!”

Michelle quickly let go and apologized.

“It’s a synthetic skin that’s used to treat burns, so it wicks away sweat, and with a little BB cream for makeup, you can’t tell the difference by sight or feel.”

Gérard gingerly touched the cheeks and chin of the other mask that Michelle handed him.

“The issue is making the glue last. Hot water and water vapor weaken its hold, so you don’t want to be in hot and humid areas.”

“What about places without water vapor?” Gérard asked. Michelle then interpreted it for the special effects team leader.

“It’s dangerous to have your face heat up. If you ever sweat profusely, like after an extreme workout, the glue will only hold for another ten to fifteen minutes,” Michelle said, relaying the special effects team leader’s response. “If you can’t avoid situations like that, then the best thing you can do is cool your face with ice. If you don’t have any, you’ll have to make do with cold water.”

With her explanation over, all preparations were now done.

Gérard stuffed several masks, glue, faux leather for hands, and makeup into his bag.

“How much longer do we have to stay here?”

“I don’t know. All this should be over in a couple of weeks.”

Even a fool could have guessed what was coming based on the rifles that Cha Dong-Gyun and Kwak Cheol-Ho were holding and Gérard’s murderous eyes and expression.

The fact that Gérard was carrying the skins of a Frenchman and an Arab made the mood even more sinister and predictable.

“Be careful,” Michelle worriedly said.

Gérard smiled at her, crinkling the scar on his cheek.

That was the first time he had smiled so genuinely.

Just as Gérard was about to walk away, Michelle called out to him.

“Gerry.”

Gérard turned around, and Michelle threw her arms around his neck.

“Come back safely.”

Gérard stood still awkwardly, the bag of masks in his hand.

“Michelle.”

Michelle let go of him and looked Gérard in the eye.

“When you come back, let’s go for a scooter ride and have a nice dinner,” he said.

Michelle looked at him curiously, as if asking what he meant. She then gave him a pleased look, realizing that his hypnosis had likely been broken.

Gérard turned around and stood before Cha Dong-Gyun. Their eyes met.

Cha Dong-Gyun grinned and raised his right hand in front of him like an arm wrestler. In response, Gérard dapped him up and bumped chests with him.

They were comrades who had fought together in France, Afghanistan, and Africa.

There had been moments when Cha Dong-Gyun resented Gérard for what he had done to Kang Chan, but once he realized his true intentions, all those negative emotions vanished.

“Krak!”

Gérard clasped hands and bumped chests with Kwak Cheol-Ho the same way.

After a final farewell, Gérard walked toward the office door. Woo Hee-Seung, who had been waiting for them, emotionally watched Cha Dong-Gyun and Kwak Cheol-Ho leave before walking out the door with them.

***

Yoo Hun-Woo continued to scold Kang Chan as he drew his blood.

“Mr. Kang Chan! Take a close look. It’s this medicine. You must apply this at least once a day, but if you have time, apply it more often. For the time being, keep your wounds bandaged as well. I prepared a generous batch for you here, so—”

“Got it, sir.”

“Don’t skip your medication, and no coffee for a while.”

Yoo Hun-Woo then gave Seok Kang-Ho a firm look.

“Alright, alright! He’s not a kid. No coffee! There!”

“I’ll leave it to you, Mr. Seok.”

Yoo Hun-Woo pulled the needle out of Kang Chan’s arms and then stuck a thumb-sized bandage over the needle, finishing all preparations. However, he couldn’t bring himself to leave the hospital room.

“What’s wrong?”

“Strangely, I feel uneasy. Should I follow you?”

Kang Chan and Seok Kang-Ho chuckled. Embarrassed, Yoo Hun-Woo laughed with them.

“Be careful, please.”

“I will.”

“Come to the hospital as soon as you get back.”

“Yes, sir.”

Yoo Hun-Woo didn’t know where they were going or what they were going to do. However, he could feel that Kang Chan was about to do something difficult.

“We really have to get going.”

“Please take care of my mother.”

“I’ll do my best. Don’t take too long.”

Yoo Hun-Woo left the hospital room with a wistful look on his face.

“He’s more affectionate than he looks,” Seok Kang-Ho mumbled. He then brought over a mug filled with herbal medicine.

“Hurry and drink it.”

“Where’d you get this?”

“Why do you care?”

Why’s he avoiding the question?

Kang Chan glared at Seok Kang-Ho with his mouth on the mug.

“It’s said to be the best medicine for women to replenish their blood after giving birth. Choi Jong-Il rush-ordered it, so have as much as you can.”

Damn it! I’ll produce more blood even without it!

Nevertheless, Kang Chan still finished the medicine.

“They say it’s also good for the uterus, but I think we don’t have that, so it doesn’t really matter… does it?” Seok Kang-Ho quietly muttered under his breath.

Fucking bastard! You could have just kept that to yourself!

Kang Chan, who was still lying on the bed, glared at Seok Kang-Ho. Soon, the door opened, and Gérard and Woo Hee-Seung walked in.

Gérard pulled out a bunch of masks and lined them up. They were all different sizes, but Seok Kang-Ho’s mask was instantly recognizable.

Once Choi Jong-Il had also entered the room, they wore their respective masks and listened to the instructions.

“I’ve got your passports. We’ll be picking up the weapons from our agents in Dubai.”

Now, only that final step stood between them and the operation.

Gérard put a thick layer of glue on the mask that copied Gabriel’s facial features. He then wiped Kang Chan’s face with a damp, warm towel, then dried it with another towel.

Afterward, he put the mask on Kang Chan starting from his nose. He pushed out the air bubbles, securing the mask to his face. Strangely enough, it didn’t have the thickness or feel of a mask.

“Huh!” Seok Kang-Ho exclaimed, seeing Kang Chan blink.

“You just need to wear the lenses to finish the look.”

“Hand them over.”

Kang Chan took the lenses from Gérard and put them on.

“Whoa!” Seok Kang-Ho exclaimed again.

Gérard held a mirror in front of Kang Chan, who laughed at the absurdity of it all.

“Let’s practice laughing first. You look weird laughing like that with a French face.”

“That’s true.”

While Kang Chan touched his cheeks, Choi Jong-Il put on the mask of an Arab man.

Watching the process felt different, but Kang Chan still laughed in disbelief and admiration afterward.

Seok Kang-Ho, Woo Hee-Seung, and Lee Doo-Hee disguised themselves as Arab men as well, completing their disguise.

Kang Chan thought it would be easy, but it took longer than he thought.

“Here’s your passport.”

How could they make the flesh on the hands seem so real too?

An Arab spoke Korean fluently and handed out the passports.

Everything was finally ready.

While Kang Chan got out of bed and changed, Seok Kang-Ho, Choi Jong-Il, Woo Hee-Seung, and Lee Doo-Hee put on clothes that Arab people generally wore.

Damn it!

They had to do all kinds of things just because of those motherfuckers.

Kang Chan slowly looked around the room and took a deep breath.

Their final battle was about to begin.

Having put up with so much shit already, Kang Chan was determined to end this once and for all. He would make sure no one would ever come at him again.

Jibril, the yellow-eyed bastard, and the Star of David—why couldn’t they just quietly live their own lives? Why did they have to mess with South Korea and its people?

I guess you didn’t know any better, but it’s too late now.

South Korea had the God of Blackfield now!