Chapter 414: I’ll Do My Best (1)

“Monsieur Kang!” Grafelt called in protest.

Click! Click, click! Click! Click!

Kang Chan’s men aimed their rifles back at Chapi’s agents. Despite the sudden escalation, though, Grafelt simply raised his hand to stop everyone, a clear display that he was still level-headed.

“Grafelt.”

Grafelt just glared at Kang Chan.

You wanna go? Let’s fucking go, then.

Creak.

Kang Chan slowly stood up.

Grafelt looked at Kang Chan with astonishment—his fierce eyes, as intense as the red sunset; his broad shoulders; the thick gauze on his nape; his black uniform, still stained from the battle of the previous day; and the flag on his forearm.

This was the same Kang Chan who had trained with him.

Of course, he was no pushover even then. However, if he were being honest, Andrei from Russia thought he could’ve had a chance back then.

Now... this was the first time in his life that Grafelt felt like he could see a light shining from behind someone.

Grafelt was from the Mossad and the Sayeret Matkal, the Israeli special forces. However, the current Kang Chan was exuding such an intimidating air that Grafelt had no choice but to hide the glint of defiance in his gaze.

“Grafelt.”

“Oui, Monsieur Kang.”

The bodyguards looked nervously back and forth between Kang Chan and Grafelt.

“Are you saying Israel finds it unjust that I’m going to invade it when it has tried to use North Korea to wage war against South Korea

twice

?”

Grafelt was left speechless.

“It doesn’t matter if this man was the head of the Mossad or the deputy prime minister of Israel. To me, he is no more than the bastard who tried to start a war on the Korean peninsula twice and hid Ziegfeld from me until the end.”

Deep down, Grafelt couldn’t help but agree.

Damn it!

That would be an admission of what Kang Chan had just said.

“I believe you have to be prepared to put your own life on the line if you want to kill someone. I’ll give two options. War or peace negotiations in Gaza?”

“That’s not for me to decide.”

“You have ten minutes. Your answer will determine whether I go to North Korea or stay here and lead my men to Israel.”

I can’t believe I’m feeling a sense of authority from this man that I have never even felt from Chapi, the head of the Mossad!

Was this really the same Kang Chan from their training? Grafelt had to wonder.

“If I go to North Korea and Ziegfeld is not there, Israel will be in a very uncomfortable position.”

Grafelt focused back on Kang Chan.

“Your ten minutes have already started.”

As if jolted awake, Grafelt quickly moved to a corner of the rooftop.

Click! Click! Click!

The muzzles of the rifles followed the agents’ every moment, keeping the atmosphere tense.

Turning around, Kang Chan found Robert standing at the entrance to the rooftop. As if coming out of a hypnotic trance, the man barked out instructions to two of his men.

Squelch. Squelch.

Two Green Berets lifted Chapi by his arms and legs. They then carried him to the rooftop entrance.

No matter how cocky anyone had been while alive, they would always be reduced to such a sorry state in death.

If he wanted to plunge the Korean peninsula into war, he should have been prepared to die or for war to come to Israel instead.

Kang Chan turned and stood with his arms on the rooftop wall. The sun had already disappeared into the distance, but there was still a lingering reddish glow on the ground due to the afterglow of the day.

Feeling a bit empty, he took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. He knew Seok Kang-Ho, Gérard, and Yoon Sang-Ki were holding rifles behind him. Normally, they would be aiming at their targets and smoking together.

However, this wasn’t a battle between soldiers. This was a battle between South Korea and Israel.

Whether he liked it or not, Kang Chan represented South Korea right now. He had to act as their leader and show the Israeli agents that he wasn’t someone to be reckoned with.

Click.

“

Hoo

.”

Kang Chan missed them all—Kang Dae-Kyung, Yoo Hye-Sook, Kim Mi-Young, Kim Tae-Jin, Kim Hyung-Jung, and the streets of South Korea.

He wanted to go to a rustic restaurant and eat pork cutlets with them all. He also craved the white rice with kimchi stew and egg rolls from the restaurant he had once gone to with Oh Gwang-Taek.

However, the deaths of Yoo-Seul’s father; Um Ji-Hwan, who left his mother behind; and Yang Dong-Sik kept grabbing him by the feet. The soldiers who had fallen in battle in Afghanistan, Africa, Libya, and the International Building served as the foundation that allowed them to fight another day here in Cuba.

They lost Yang Dong-Sik and over ten other men here, but they had no choice. They couldn’t give up now.

Who did those soldiers die for? Kang Chan? Bullshit.

It was for the people who gathered in front of the hospital with white chrysanthemums and candles when they heard that Kang Chan had been killed, for the little girl who stood with a sign that said, “Thank you for protecting Korea,” and for the flag and the name of South Korea...

Despite knowing it would cause their families unbearable pain, his men still didn’t hesitate to give their lives to their nation.

Kang Chan quietly sighed.

If he could create the strong South Korea that they so desperately hoped for, if it could fulfill the wishes of the dead soldiers and agents, he would become even more ruthless than he already was.

Even if he had to fight an invisible battle, no matter who stood in his way, he would do whatever it would take to emerge victorious.

“

Hoo

.”

Kang Chan blew out the smoke from his cigarette and slowly looked around the darkening sky and ground.

“Monsieur Kang.”

Kang Chan slowly turned around, finding Grafelt stiff-faced.

“In an hour, the prime minister will personally send Gaza a peace deal. He will also announce that Chapi died of a heart attack while traveling abroad.”

It was clear he still wanted something. Hence, Kang Chan just stared at him in silence.

“Israel wants a promise from you.”

“About what?”

“That you will not invade Israel in the future, no longer hold Israel responsible for Ziegfeld’s previous misdeeds, and allow us to establish diplomatic relations with China.”

“I can only promise you the second one.”

“It is enough for me if you promise to try your best.”

Kang Chan looked Grafelt in the eye.

All these bastards kept attaching strings and conditions.

“I have to go back with your word. Please think of it as your gift to me for becoming the new head of the Mossad.”

Understanding what Grafelt meant, Gérard’s cheek twitched. Robert looked back and forth between Kang Chan and Grafelt.

“Fine, since we’re no strangers, I’ll trust you just this once. I’ll do my best to fulfill your three conditions.”

“Thank you, Monsieur Kang.”

Grafelt’s gaze dropped to the floor where Chapi had fallen. He then turned back to Kang Chan.

“I’ll be off now.”

After Kang Chan nodded, Grafelt turned around, and the rest of the men followed him off the rooftop.

Click. Click. Click. Click.

Seok Kang-Ho, Gérard, and the other two lowered their rifles.

“Robert.”

“Oui, Monsieur Kang!”

For some reason, he seemed excited to be taking orders directly from Kang Chan.

“See if you can get a helicopter to where our plane is. If you can, we’ll leave in half an hour.”

“Oui!”

Robert immediately headed for the stairs.

“What’s he so happy about?” Seok Kang-Ho wondered.

Everyone followed Kang Chan’s lead and sat back down where they had been.

Gérard, who spoke French, naturally understood the situation. Hence, Kang Chan only had to explain what had happened to Seok Kang-Ho, Kwak Cheol-Ho, and Yoon Sang-Ki.

Seok Kang-Ho glared at Kwak Cheol-Ho’s feet, where Chapi had fallen earlier. “That motherfucker! He was talking total shit! If I knew, I would’ve shot him a few more times!”

As they were talking, Kang Chan’s phone rang.

“Allo?”

- Monsieur Kang, I don’t know how to thank you for fulfilling my wish so quickly.

Uzman’s soft voice sounded mixed with excitement.

Did they announce it already?

Kang Chan tilted his head.

- The Israeli Mossad has been in touch. They’re going to offer a peace agreement in an hour, and they want us to have a response ready!

“That’s great.”

- Thank you, Monsieur Kang! I am most happy to be able to save our children who are suffering there. God must have sent you to save those poor dying children.

Well, I guess not all Arabs are wicked.

Kang Chan thought of the girls he had failed to save in Afghanistan before. What if he had the power he had now back then?

“I believe those children reaped the seeds that you sowed. You said you expected someone to do that, didn’t you?”

- Monsieur Kang.

Uzman sounded as if he choked up.

- While I am still able to do something, I swear to God that I will always follow the order you’ll create.

“Thank you.”

- If you ever need something from me, don’t hesitate to call.

“Take care.”

The call ended with a pleasant chuckle. Feeling like he had checked another box, Kang Chan found himself in a good mood.

Just as he put his phone in his pocket, Robert reemerged into the dark rooftop.

Tat, tat.

“The helicopter is ready.”

“Thank you.”

Robert looked at Kang Chan with pride.

***

The South Korean base in Mongolia was a mix of bustle and chaos. Preparations were in full swing for the departure of two powerful men from Russia and China.

Vasili was still in the container with Yang Bum.

“I can’t believe he thought about killing the head of the Mossad. I guess I’m no match for Monsieur Kang now.”

“I’m more surprised that he is coming to China. It’s one thing that he found Ziegfeld, but I really didn’t think that he’d head straight for North Korea on his way back.”

“Whoever gets on his bad side dies,” Vasili spat out, causing Yang Bum to burst out laughing.

After a brief pause, Yang Bum worriedly asked, “Do you think Mr. Kang only has South Korea’s best interests in mind?”

“

Hmm

.”

“I’m a bit worried about his rapid growth.”

A small gust of wind blossomed and quickly hurried to the other side of the container. Vasili glanced in the direction of the breeze for a moment.

“He knows how to protect his people. We have to believe he’s not the kind of man who’ll forget Lanok and the others who helped him.”

Yang Bum nodded. “I see.”

“If he changes, so will we. The smell of blood will be pungent for a while, but isn’t that how we’ve always created order in our world?”

Vasili grinned. Yang Bum smiled back.

“If you meet the main character, will you tell him to stop by Russia once?”

“I will.”

Vasili slowly took a deep breath, then said, “I never thought I’d ever meet a man who could find and corner the Star of David. On top of that, he even united the Arab world and killed the leader of the Mossad.”

“Somehow, I don’t think it’s because he wanted to. It’s just the way things naturally turn out,” Yang Bum replied.

“Damn it!” Vasili suddenly cursed. “I always thought I was going to be at the center of it all until Monsieur Kang appeared.

Hmph

! Now, I’m just Supporting Character Number Two.”

“Does that make me Number Three?”

“You’ll have to discuss that with Ludwig.”

Yang Bum laughed at the brazen answer, and Vasili laughed along with him.

Just then, a man with a gun approached them.

“We’re ready to go,” he gruffly said.

“Let’s head back—you to your world, and me to mine. I got to enjoy a moment of relaxation thanks to you.”

Vasili held out his hand, and Yang Bum shook it firmly.

***

Go Gun-Woo flipped through a stack of papers in a fast-moving van.

“We don’t know who will come. China has put pressure on them, and they’ve sent money before, so North Korea is receptive to an interview. However, they can muddy the waters with the wrong person,” Kim Hyung-Jung said, unable to hide his worries. “I have no doubt the assistant director won’t back down. That’s just who he is, but that is also our greatest concern.”

“Will it just be me and the assistant director?” Go Gun-Woo asked.

“We haven’t gotten the assistant director’s opinion on the matter yet, so I’ve only put you and the assistant director on the visitor list so far. Anyone else has been marked as ‘other.’”

“

Hmm

. This is not going to be easy.”

Smiling bitterly, Go Gun-Woo gazed out the window.

Kang Chan had made the request out of the blue. Hence, Go Gun-Woo couldn’t help but be surprised when he was told that Kang Chan would be traveling to China, and from there, directly to North Korea.

Moon Jae-Hyung, Go Gun-Woo, and Kim Hyung-Jung, who was in charge of the working-level tasks, couldn’t help but smile at Kang Chan’s tenacity.

The very same commander who had annihilated North Korea’s 8th Special Forces Regiment in Cuba was now going to North Korea.

“Manager Kim,” Go Gun-Woo called.

“Yes, sir,” Kim Hyung-Jung replied.

The vehicle began to turn toward the Seongnam Airport.

“In the unlikely event that the worst moment comes, and you have to choose someone...”

Go Gun-Woo looked up from his papers and straight at Kim Hyung-Jung.

“Save the assistant director using any means necessary.”

Kim Hyung-Jung couldn’t respond. If something happened in North Korea, how would he be able to go and save him?

However, Go Gun-Woo, who used to be an administrator in the past, had made the request himself. He was prepared for his own death if that was what it took to save Kang Chan. Hence, Kim Hyung-Jung couldn’t reply easily even though they could already see the Seongnam Airport from the van’s window.

***

A civilian airplane was waiting at the airport. They would have to board the flight unarmedIt would be a flight they went on with their weapons removed.

The empty seats were heartwrenching, but none of the soldiers showed it.

“

Phuhu

!”

There was always that guy who never really cared for that stuff. He was happy just for being given bread and an in-flight meal.

Kang Chan sat in the middle of first-class seats, talking on the phone with Lanok.

- I’ve given a few instructions to Yang Bum. Even so, it’s hard to guess North Korea’s reaction.

Lanok sounded worried.

- We don’t know what they’ll do if they think their regime is falling apart. I know you’ll be fine on your own, but don’t forget that your location is different from where it was twelve hours ago.

Kang Chan felt a bit shy due to Lanok’s concern, so he just listened.

- When you return, we should have dinner with Anne.

“Yes, High Commissioner.”

- Oh, my. That title is strange. I’m going to have to be the Korean ambassador again just for the title.

The call ended with laughter.

Putting the phone down on the table, Kang Chan turned his attention to the window.

Pft.

In the past, he thought Lanok was a ridiculously busy man due to how he traveled everywhere by airplane. However, that was exactly how he lived now.

This time, surely, he would get to end this once and for all.

Don’t you think so, Ziegfeld?