Extra, Chapter 457: I’m Not Cowardly (1)

Kang Chan took Munbaki, the child, back to the village where he had left Smithen and the two men.

Even now, more people could be dying. It could have already reached numbers too high to ignore just because he chose to save a child.

However, the burned corpses made him steel his resolve. If it was this bad here, it would be no different wherever he ran next.

The Sunnis, for whatever reason, were out to destroy evidence. It would be far more wise to return with Munbaki than run for ten or twenty minutes just to see more burned corpses.

Rustle, rustle.

Just like his conflicted heart, the hem of Munbaki’s Islamic dress swayed as he walked.

After every three or four steps, Munbaki looked at Kang Chan as if to confirm if he was still there. Whenever he looked at Kang Chan, his gaze would flicker to the rifle Kang Chan held, the pistol at his waist, and the bayonet.

Kang Chan didn’t blame Munbaki for wanting revenge. Although Kang Chan had only ever lived in a world of bullies, he’d probably take up arms too if he lived in a world where Sunnis killed everyone around him.

Click, Click.

Upon returning to the village that they had come from, Haller and Forman greeted Kang Chan’s group with stiff faces and postures.

“All clear, sir.”

You’re not guarding sentry posts, you fucking idiots.

Instead of responding, Kang Chan just went inside.

Smithen frowned but forced himself up.

Seeing the bodies lying in a row to one side of the entrance, Munbaki hurried over to Kang Chan.

𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

“Set up a perimeter and take a break. Put extra men at the back.”

Reznov called for four more men and stationed them on the upper ground. Higher areas were more advantageous to stand watch from, after all.

Kang Chan looked around the village.

Click, click.

Just then, Haller approached Kang Chan.

“Captain, please give me another chance. I want to regain my honor.”

The desire to shake off his humiliation burned brightly in his eyes.

“Bring those two men back alive, then I’ll reconsider. Until then, if you say ‘honor’ with that snout of yours one more time, I’ll take back your weapons.”

Haller’s cheeks twitched as he dropped his gaze.

Son of a bitch!

Kang Chan smirked at Haller and Forman, who were standing hesitantly behind him.

These bastards were serious. If Kang Chan asked them to prove their sincerity, they would draw their bayonets and slice their palms. Now, at the very least, he believed that their blood was boiling with the desire to restore their honor.

Pft.

But that would all be gone when the bullets flew.

No matter how bravely one had fought in the past, once the fear of death took over their head, their body would forever stop listening to them.

“We were simply following orders, sir!”

“Haller.”

“Oui.”

“Let’s say Smithen did give the order, as you said. Then why didn’t you cover fire? Since when did we wait for commands to shoot in the middle of a battle?”

All the soldiers were listening to their conversation.

“As a gesture of appreciation for all the battles we’ve fought together until now, I’ll forgive you for what you just said and even pretend not to have heard it.”

Haller quickly examined Kang Chan’s expression.

“But if you dare spout that kind of bullshit in front of me again, you’ll be heading back in the same pathetic state as Smithen.”

Haller’s gaze dropped to the ground.

Having said what he needed to say, Kang Chan turned around toward the village with Munbaki. However, he only managed to take two steps before Haller called for him again.

“Captain.”

Kang Chan stopped.

This is what I get for holding back curses because of the kid.

Kang Chan turned around with a fierce glare. Contrary to his expectations, though, Haller confessed how he had felt.

“I’m sorry, sir. You’re right. Back then, I momentarily thought that I could survive, which delayed my response. Those few seconds of temptation turned me into a coward. I thought we were too far anyway and that we were only running toward our deaths.”

He looked flushed.

Click.

Haller pulled out his gun.

Reznov flinched and dashed forward but stepped back when Kang Chan glared at him.

“I, Frederico Haller of the 11th Special Forces Unit of the 13th Regiment, have betrayed the honor of the special forces!” Haller shouted with a crumpled expression as if reliving his own cowardice. “I will punish myself for the dishonor of not protecting my comrades.”

Click.

He pulled the breechblock of his gun.

For men whose lifelong dream was to join the special forces and jump into battles to the death, the most humiliating insult was probably hearing that they sold the lives of their comrades to save themselves.

“Haller,” Kang Chan said.

Haller, who was aiming his gun at his temples, looked at Kang Chan with bloodshot, emotional eyes.

“Oui.”

The soldiers’ gazes alternated between Kang Chan and Haller.

“Can you take the forefront at the next battle?”

“Oui!”

Kang Chan glared at him ferociously. Instead of backing down, Haller showed determination with his expression.

A gust of sand blew between them as they crouched in the corner of the village.

“I’ll be watching during the next battle,” Kang Chan replied. He then turned around with a hand on Munbaki’s shoulder, who was clinging to his waist.

“

Merci beaucoup, Capitaine

!” Haller shouted.

Click, click.

Munbaki looked up at Kang Chan, but he didn’t say anything.

The village had a narrow entrance, but it widened inward. Kang Chan and Munbaki went to the innermost part. They then sat down and leaned against a wall.

“If possible, we’ll rest for a while and then return. Don’t worry too much. I’ll talk to the DGSE and see if there’s a way for you to be sent to France.”

Munbaki just blinked.

“In the meantime, you’ll stay with me.”

Munbaki looked at Kang Chan as if asking why, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask.

Click, click.

“Captain, dinner,” Reznov called as he approached with three C-rations, handing one each to Kang Chan and Mubaki.

“Let’s eat,” Kang Chan said.

At that moment, Reznov, whom Kang Chan had thought would leave, plopped down between them.

“What?” Kang Chan asked,

“I brought three, sir. One of them is mine.”

“You weren’t giving two to Munbaki?”

“I’ll get him another if he wants more.”

Seeing Reznov holding out his hand with a smug look on his face, Munbaki smiled for the first time.

Rustle, rustle. Crunch!

It was time for the bloody sun of Agadez to move over the dunes, dragging the miserable day with it. The Agadez sunset stained hands, cheeks, and everything in sight, seemingly painting them red.

They were halfway through the C-rations when one of the soldiers stationed at the upper caves shouted at them.

“Captain! Men dressed in Islamic garb!”

Swish! Swoosh!

Kang Chan darted up, and Reznov followed.

Munbaki, who had a biscuit in his hand, looked at Kang Chan as if was about to cry.

“Reznov! Take the kid further up!”

Munbaki shook his head.

Up ahead, military boots hit the ground, and their weapons clanked.

Kang Chan quickly lowered his stance and looked Munbaki straight in the eye.

“I need your help now. Go up there with Reznov. Please. That’s the only way I can face them.”

Munbaki swallowed hard and hugged Kang Chan, who had knelt down.

An inexplicable emotion was caught in Kang Chan’s throat. After stepping back, Munbaki walked toward Reznov.

“Get up there!” Kang Chan ordered again.

Reznov was a sniper. Naturally, he had the advantage when he was higher up.

He ran toward the cave above, and Kang Chan quickly headed to the entrance.

Fortunately, the entrance was narrow.

As he ran, a soldier leaning against the wall pointed ahead.

Fuck!

About fifty enemies were approaching them.

Click! Click!

Kang Chan checked his magazine and then looked at the crypt where Reznov was supposed to be. Afterward, he looked at the rest of his men.

At the same time, Smithen approached him while applying pressure on his shoulder. “Captain. Please give me another chance.”

“Go back.”

Kang Chan sounded more gentle than usual, but the fire in his eyes showed he wouldn’t have trouble pulling the trigger if Smithen insisted.

Smithen’s shoulders drooped as if he’d been shot in the forehead. He returned to his original position without complaints.

Amid the fluttering turbans and dresses were men with rifles dangling from their hips.

Chk.

“Reznov! Check if they have RPGs!” Kang Chan radioed.

Chk.

“They only have personal weapons.”

Kang Chan looked at the enemies and tilted his head. They were far too relaxed for someone being chased.

If so, then they were either here to kill all the remaining survivors of this village or learned that the Sultan’s artifact was here.

Kang Chan’s annoyance surged.

Shit!

Was Africa an antique shop or something? First it was the Eye of Ndulele, and now it was the Sultan’s artifact.

About seventy meters away, the enemies began to hide in the sand dunes, though they kept their eyes on the special forces soldiers.

As the sun set, the dunes’ shadows—as deep as the approaching darkness—began to stretch across the blood-red land.

Kang Chan smirked as he watched the group of enemies.

Based on their movements, someone was clearly commanding them. They soon created a long line, proving the fact.

Look at you.

Kang Chan tilted his head again. They also seemed to be moving as though they knew that his unit had occupied the village.

Chk.

“Reznov, search for their commander. It has to be someone with military experience. Kill anyone who looks suspicious based on how they’re dressed, their gestures, or even the way they move their heads.”

Chk.

“Oui.”

Kang Chan pressed the push-to-talk button again.

Chk.

“The enemies know we’re a special forces team, and it looks like they’ll be coming in after dark. If we hide in the sand, our guns won’t be effective.”

The red glow of the sunset was fading into the darkness.

“If they don’t charge in immediately, it means their commander has a plan. Even so, we’ll take them all down and go home together after.”

The men sighed. Some things they got used to, some things they didn’t. Standing across from enemies like this was one of the latter.

The darkness grew a little thicker.

Come. We’re going to fight anyway.

The Sunni forces and a few mercenaries couldn’t be too tough to deal with. However, at that moment, Kang Chan’s heart suddenly began to race and beat loudly.

Thump, thump.

Huh? What am I missing? With an entrance like this, it should be hard for enemies to come from behind.

The darkness enveloped the dunes and the enemies deeper and deeper.

Thump, thump.

What? What is it?

Kang Chan looked sharply from one end of the long line of enemies to the other. A thought then flashed in his mind.

Damn it! So this was why they didn’t bring RPGs!

Gritting his teeth, Kang Chan pressed the push-to-talk button again.

“Reznov, I want all of your men down there to descend as quietly as they can! Make sure they don’t get spotted!” he growled.

The men looked up, but they didn’t notice any changes.

Three minutes later, Reznov, Munbaki, and four other men descended from the caves above.

Kang Chan held out his hand to stop them in their tracks. He then pointed at Reznov and then at his eyes.

Rustle, rustle.

Reznov approached him cautiously.

“They seem to have us surrounded. They’re probably waiting for reinforcements,” Kang Chan remarked.

Reznov looked in the direction of the enemy.

“I’ll charge in and buy us some time. You lead the men out. Take the child with you too.”

“Captain! Send someone else! I’ll stay!”

“The most unhelpful person in close combat is a sniper. Cut the crap and get ready!”

Thump, thump.

There was no time.

“Reznov!”

Seeing Kang Chan’s eyes, Reznov gritted his teeth and turned around.

Someone had to stay behind and help. About two men.

It was a difficult mission to survive from.

Kang Chan watched Reznov and then turned to the three men beside him.

“Captain! You promised to put me up front,” Haller exclaimed with a firm expression. “Forman and I will stay behind with you.”

The eyes of the man right in front of him showed that he was prepared to face death. Few would ever show such a gaze in their lifetime.

They spoke with their eyes.

‘It’s a difficult mission.’

‘Please leave it to me.’

How did Smithen manage to persuade guys like these?

Kang Chan nodded at Reznov.

“Captain?”

“Get going already! If more troops come, we’ll all die here!”

Reznov glared at Haller and Forman in frustration and stepped back.

Kang Chan sighed quietly and surveyed the enemies.

If he looked at Munbaki right now, he felt as if he would stall for time.