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Chapter 299: Hold Onto The Head (1)

Another explosion erupted from the oil rig, followed by a hot, fiery burst of flame and a belch of smoke.

“Are you planning to step up if something like this happens again?” Kang Chul-Gyu quietly asked.

Kang Chan glanced over, finding him looking ahead.

“The men’s eyes completely changed when they heard you were coming. To them, you’ve already become a line they can’t cross and a wall they can always rely on.”

What’s this old man suddenly talking about?

Kang Chul-Gyu gave Kang Chan an indecipherable smile.

“It was nice to see you treat the agent from the US like he was your subordinate and how you entered an enemy country and carried out their punishment with dignity. You’re the kind of leader I’ve always wanted to be.”

Kang Chan looked back ahead. Things were still a bit awkward between them.

“Take on bigger enemies. Don’t grow old like me, trapped in the forests of the DMZ all your life.”

“What if I lose the men I care about?”

Kang Chan had never even thought about that question, yet he blurted it out for some reason.

“I’ll fight the battles. At the very least, I’ll keep fighting at the level I did today for as long as I’m alive. Only if you’re okay with it, of course...”

Kang Chan couldn’t help but look back at Kang Chul-Gyu. Kang Chul-Gyu locked eyes with him this time.

“I’m curious. I don’t know what kind of person you are and why you treat me like this. Sometimes I think I understand, but sometimes I feel like I still don’t,” Kang Chul-Gyu said.

Pft.

Kang Chan chuckled. What could he even say to that?

Boom! Boom!

Two more hot, deafening explosions, likely the last ones, burst from the oil rig.

“There’s nothing better than watching fireworks!” Yang Dong-Sik exclaimed from the back.

Thinking of the wounded, they decided that it was time to head back. Kang Chan turned around, and Kang Chul-Gyu and the rest of the men followed suit.

***

Snap, snap, snap, snap, snap, snap! Click! Click! Snap, snap, snap! Snap, snap, snap, snap!

In a stark departure from the usual press conference, reporters, especially foreign ones, swarmed the podium, much to the Korean reporters’ surprise. As innumerable flashes continued to go off, Moon Jae-Hyun walked up to the podium, looked at the reporters, and turned to the teleprompter.

“Respectable citizens, I am President Moon Jae-Hyun.”

Snap, snap, snap, snap! Snap, snap, snap! Snap, snap, snap, snap, snap, snap!

“Before I begin my statement, I would like to make a few important announcements.”

The reporters quickly tapped away on the keyboards of their laptops, their recorders right next to them.

Usually, the full text of the speech was given to the reporters in advance. This time, however, for some reason, they were given not even an inkling of what the announcement could be about.

“First, I would like to inform you of our agreement with Japan. Following their demand, our government has approved the construction of the undersea tunnel. In return—”

Snap, snap, snap, snap, snap, snap, snap! Snap, snap, snap, snap! Snap, snap, snap, snap, snap, snap!

Moon Jae-Hyun paused, letting the noises from the flashes die down.

“In return, the Japanese government has promised to recognize Dokdo as part of our territory, mark the borders of the East Sea, acknowledge and apologize for the war of aggression, and make reparations accordingly. They will also purchase three hundred seventy-six trillion won of our national debt in the form of bonds and completely retire these shares.”

Snap, snap, snap, snap, snap! Snap, snap, snap, snap, snap, snap! Snap, snap, snap, snap, snap!

The murmurs of the reporters began to mix in with the flashes.

“We will also be collecting cargo fees from the aforementioned undersea tunnel, securing huge revenues for our nation. For that reason, South Korea will make education up to the collegiate level compulsory. Our government will pay for all expenses, including tuition, food, and uniforms. We will also pay for students who choose to pursue vocational courses instead of academic ones.”

The noises from the reporters were loud enough to be heard on TV.

“The government is also planning to pay for medical care for the four major serious diseases in the future.”

Reporters from other countries clung to their translators, checking the information again and again.

***

Standing at a bus terminal, a man in a business suit muttered, “Is that even possible?”

[Next is our agreement with Russia.]

“Russia?” the man repeated, staring at the TV in utter disbelief.

[South Korea has signed a joint development agreement for crude oil with Russia. This puts our nation on equal footing with other oil-producing nations and ensures a steady supply of cheap crude oil.]

“I should’ve bought stocks back then!” regretfully exclaimed the middle-aged man next to the man in a business suit.

[I would also like to announce our agreement with China.]

“Another one?!” both men exclaimed at the same time.

[China and South Korea have signed a trillion-dollar currency swap and agreed to closely cooperate in terms of economy and security. As a start, we’ve agreed that illegally fishing in our waters will be considered a grave crime of border violation. Our military has the right to immediately destroy any Chinese fishing boats committing that crime until illegal fishing has been eradicated.]

“No way!” the business suit-wearing man blankly stared at Moon Jae-Hyun’s face, which the camera flashes had rendered completely white.

Afterward, Moon Jae-Hyun announced that South Korea would be cooperating with France and England to establish a power plant for next-gen energy. France would also permanently return the cultural Korean properties currently in their possession.

This was followed by a statement that was characteristically different from the previous ones.

[We will strictly apply the Nationality Act to ensure that dual citizens do not receive unfair benefits. Moreover, individuals and legal entities that siphon off funds to foreign countries will be strictly tracked down. Economic crimes such as embezzlement and professional negligence, as well as the wealthy’s crimes that harm society, will also be punished according to the law.]

Although many of the reporters and viewers had already been rendered speechless, Moon Jae-Hyun still wasn’t done.

[to prevent honest citizens from suffering losses, we will also punish those who shirk their national defense and taxation duties.]

Moon Jae-Hyun looked up from the teleprompter and stared straight into the camera.

[I would like to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude to our unsung heroes. Silently, in places beyond the public’s awareness, they performed their duties so that we can make all these announcements today. I would like to thank our honorable citizens as well for always striving to do the best they can.]

Snap, snap, snap, snap, snap, snap! Snap, snap, snap, snap! Snap, snap, snap, snap, snap, snap, snap, snap!

Shouts from reporters eager to ask questions filled the room.

***

Contrary to the clamoring and noisy atmosphere that South Korea was experiencing due to the sudden onslaught of announcements, the seventh floor of the Central Hotel was quiet.

From the Athens Airport, the wounded were taken to the hospital. The others headed back to the hotel and immediately went to sleep.

Kang Chan was no exception, falling asleep not long after quickly briefing Kim Hyung-Jung on the situation. Knowing that the South Korean and French agents were taking turns guarding the hotel made him feel so relieved that he slept soundly.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had come back from an operation unscathed.

Buzz, buzz, buzz. Buzz, buzz, buzz. Buzz, buzz, buzz.

However, the phone wasn’t of any assistance to Kang Chan at all. He shook off his drowsiness and glanced at the screen.

Buzz, buzz, buzz. Buzz, buzz, buzz. Buzz, buzz, buzz.

The drawers under the table were acting like a speaker, amplifying the sound.

“Hello?”

- Hey, Cap. It’s Gérard.

The sleep lurking in the corners of Kang Chan’s eyes and head disappeared with a whoosh.

“What’s going on? Where are you?”

Kang Chan sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed.

- I was given paid leave.

“What?”

- I’m on vacation! I’m going to South Korea!

Kang Chan glanced at his phone and raised it back to his ear.

“What about Congo?”

- We’ve wrapped everything up nicely yesterday.

“Where are you now, then?”

- France, of course.

Kang Chan chuckled at the irony.

“I’m in Athens.”

- What?

Gérard couldn’t understand what Kang Chan was saying.

“I said I’m in Athens!”

- What? Why are you there? If I didn’t call you, I would have ended up alone in Korea.

“Yeah, yeah. Well, if you can come here, fly on over.”

- Alright. I’ll change my flight and let you know. This is going to be expensive.

The unexpected call had jolted Kang Chan awake, but he wasn’t mad at all. Having to wait for Gérard to get back to him if he could come, he ran his hands through his hair, opened the door, and headed outside.

He was wearing comfortable sweatpants and a cotton tee. The French and Korean agents in the hallway looked at him at the same time when he came out.

This was a relaxing hour.

Kang Chan dragged his indoor slides on the ground as he headed for the conference room. He then poured two packets of instant coffee into a mug and started to walk back to his room.

“You could’ve just asked me to bring you coffee,” a Korean agent told him with a smile.

“You want a cup too?” Kang Chan offered goodnaturedly.

The agent chuckled. “No, sir.”

After mischievously grinning at each other, Kang Chan returned to his room. He closed the door behind him and opened the curtains.

Swish! Whoosh!

The intense sunlight blinded his eyes and chased away the darkness in the room.

Sitting at the table, Kang Chan took a sip of coffee and picked up a cigarette.

Click.

“Hoo!”

That punk is coming here for his vacation?

The mere thought of his arrival made Kang Chan smile.

Buzz, buzz, buzz. Buzz, buzz, buzz. Buzz, buzz, buzz.

The call he had been waiting for had finally arrived.

After checking the number, Kang Chan pressed the answer button.

“Allo?”

- It’s Gérard. I’ll be leaving in an hour.

“I’m at the Central Hotel in Athens.”

- Huh? You’re not picking me up from the airport?

Gérard chuckled with amusement at his own joke. His excitement radiated over the phone.

- I’ll be arriving in about six hours.

“All right. See you.”

Kang Chan hung up the phone and stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray.

White people really take every vacation they can get.

They could learn a thing or two from them about not giving up their vacations unless it was for special operations, though.

Anyway, he had heard good news, drank good coffee, and smoked a cigarette. He could now fall back to sleep again—

Knock, knock, knock.

“Who is it?”

As Kang Chan stood up, the door opened.

“I stopped by the conference room and heard you were just there too,” Oh Gwang-Taek remarked. His face was red, and his hair was sticking out in all directions and pushed down at the sides.

“Have a seat,” Kang Chan offered.

Oh Gwang-Taek sat down across from him.

“Ah, damn it! I left my coffee behind!”

“Give me that cup over there. I’ll give you a bit of mine. We can just make more later if we need to.”

Kang Chan poured some coffee into the cup that Oh Gwang-Taek held up. He then opened the windows halfway, allowing a refreshing breeze to rush in and cool them down.

“Want a cigarette?” Kang Chan offered despite already knowing what the answer would be.

Oh Gwang-Taek accepted the cigarette and put it in his mouth. He then picked up the lighter.

Click.

The two took turns lighting their cigarettes.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Kang Chan asked afterward.

“No,” Oh Gwang-Taek replied, brushing his hair back. “Honestly, I thought I led a pretty tough lifestyle, but I’m gonna need some time to accept everything that happened yesterday.”

Glancing at Kang Chan, he let out a weary chuckle.

“For fuck’s sake! This world is too scary to live in!” he exclaimed.

“Yeah, I know you’re so afraid,” Kang Chan sarcastically responded, shocking Oh Gwang-Taek.

“You’re a scary motherfucker! Where did you get all these monsters from? And you put me right in the middle of them?”

“Sorry about that,” Kang Chan apologized half-sincerely.

“Stop with the bullshit, punk!”

Oh Gwang-Taek seemed to be feeling a little more at ease, evidenced by his expression and voice becoming more relaxed.

“Staying in Mongolia for a bit made me think I had already seen everything, but the battle yesterday proved me otherwise. I could never have imagined such a fight. I feel a bit better now that I’m here with you, though.”

Kang Chan just silently listened. If Oh Gwang-Taek was in Mongolia, he probably would’ve confided in his close subordinates about this instead. In this place, however, Kang Chan was likely the only one he felt close enough to speak about his feelings.

“Hey! Does that mean this is how you\'ve been living all your life? Your life’s fucking sad too, huh.”

The more Oh Gwang-Taek cursed, the more his expression returned to normal, which was great and all, but he was also becoming equally louder. Kang Chan was beginning to worry that the people sleeping next door would hear him.

The two—no, Oh Gwang-Taek talked loudly for an hour or so.

Knock, knock, knock.

Choi Jong-Il walked in.

“You’re not eating, sir?” Choi Jong-Il asked.

“Hm? Weren’t you all going to sleep?” Kang Chan asked.

“Most people are already up.”

“Yeah? Let’s go eat, then.”

Kang Chan and Oh Gwang-Taek walked to the conference room. So many people were already eating inside that nobody was probably asleep at this point. Oh Gwang-Taek’s loud voice earlier most likely woke up half of them.

After a moderate lunch, Oh Gwang-Taek headed back to his room with a much more relaxed expression. He looked like he would fall asleep as soon as he lay down on his bed.

Having returned to his room as well, Kang Chan sat down at the table. Choi Jong-Il and Kwak Cheol-Ho then came inside with cups of coffee in their hands.

Since Gérard would be arriving in a few hours, Kang Chan probably wouldn’t be able to get any more sleep.

His conversation with the two was worthwhile, at least. They told him about Moon Jae-Hyun’s announcements and the general response in detail. They had apparently heard all about it from the National Intelligence Service when Choi Jong-Il submitted a report regarding their situation.

“He announced all that at the same time?” Kang Chan asked in disbelief.

“Yes. We’re expecting a major audit and inspection of chaebols, high-ranking government officials, and the National Assembly soon.”

Kang Chan simply nodded. Moon Jae-Hyun and Hwang Ki-Hyun would undoubtedly go through with that.

Keep growing stronger!’

Kang Chan felt a bit glad.

South Korea becoming stronger would soon present ways for him to quietly remove himself from the equation. Once they had established the next-generation energy facility and the Eurasian Rail broke ground, he wouldn’t have to run around like this anymore. He might even be able to go on vacations with Seok Kang-Ho then.

“I heard Colonel Park has regained consciousness,” Kwak Cheol-Ho said, breaking Kang Chan out of his thoughts. “Colonel Park Chul-Su, I mean.”

That was truly good news. He still had some crazy things to think about, like how Sherman attempted to pull a fast one on him and who drove away in the truck during yesterday’s operation. However, he at least felt as if weights were slowly being lifted off his shoulders and back.

They continued to speak more until a brief pause in the conversation.

“Oh! Gérard will be here soon,” Kang Chan informed them.

The camaraderie between people was a powerful emotion. Even though Choi Jong-Il and Kwak Cheol-Ho seemed a bit awkward around each other, their faces lit up upon hearing the unexpected news.

The three men in sweatpants and cotton shirts chatted together for about three hours, during which they made coffee two more times and smoked a whole pack of cigarettes. While discussing the issue of recruiting more people into the Jeungpyeong special forces team, Kang Chan’s phone began to ring.

Buzz, buzz, buzz. Buzz, buzz, buzz. Buzz, buzz, buzz.

“Where are you?”

- I’m in the hotel lobby. Where should I go?

“Stay there. I’m on my way.”

Kang Chan put on a sweatshirt and some sneakers. Before he left the room, Choi Jong-Il and Kwak Cheol-Ho told him that they would be waiting in front of the emergency exits.

In the hallway, Kang Chan told a French agent that he needed to bring someone over from the lobby. The agent politely responded that it would be better for him to go instead to avoid the CCTVs catching Kang Chan’s face.

Kang Chan agreed. He then called Gérard to update him.

“Stay at the front.”

- Got it, Cap.

Not long after their phone call, Oh Gwang-Taek walked out of his, rubbing the drowsiness off his eyes. He must have been a tad noisy because they were speaking in front of the elevator.

“Hey. Did I wake you up?” Kang Chan greeted.

“What’s going on?”

“Someone from France just arrived. I’m waiting for him.”

Oh Gwang-Taek yawned so widely it was a wonder his mouth didn’t rip apart. As if insisting on seeing what kind of monster was coming this time, he remained standing next to Kang Chan.

Creak.

The emergency exit doors soon opened. Gérard, wearing sunglasses, walked into the hallway.

“Captain!” Gérard greeted.

“Took you long enough to get here!” Kang Chan joked.

He was glad to see him again. It was a little strange to see him wearing plain clothes and walking around in a place like this, though.

Gérard grabbed Kang Chan’s hand and mischievously bumped shoulders with him.

Afterward, he greeted Kwak Cheol-Ho and Choi Jong-Il. “Krak! Choy!”

“Huh...?”

Oh Gwang-Taek looked at Gérard, surprise written all over his face.