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The plane roughly taxied through the runway and began to take off. After about five minutes, it had risen up into the sky and was maintaining its usual altitude.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
The warning sound went off again, then the door opened and two agents placed toast, baguettes, a teapot and cups, cigars and cigarettes, an ashtray, lighters, and more on top of the table. Lanok poured out the tea himself.
“Black tea has a special taste when it’s enjoyed during flight,” Lanok commented.
Since I've gone this far, might as well see where this will take me.
Kang Chan had a sip of the black tea and bit on a cigarette.
“Whoo,” Kang Chan relaxed.
After Lanok exhaled a couple of puffs of cigar smoke, he took out a neatly folded document from his jacket’s inner pocket and handed it over to Kang Chan.
“What’s this?” Kang Chan asked.
“That’s the reason why I stole your time today.”
Kang Chan unfolded the document that he had received.
Before anything else, the red writing on it that said décÚs (death) stood out, and his previous face that he had forgotten about immediately came into sight.
It felt like everything in the world had stopped for a moment.
“It’s the record of a person named Kang Chan from France. He died in a war. The commander at that time was Sharlan,” said Lanok.
Kang Chan liked that he didn’t have to force himself to explain the document.
“The members’ evaluation of the Kang Chan in that document is incredible. The enemies even called him the ‘God of Blackfield.’”
Lanok looked straight at Kang Chan, then started to speak as if he had come to a decision. “Are you that ‘God of Blackfield’?”
Kang Chan had always wished for this moment—one where people would understand him without having to subserviently explain his life. However, now that he had received the question that he had been looking forward to, he was unable to answer.
“One of the members here had fought alongside the Kang Chan of that time. Can you identify that person?” Lanok asked again.
Was this the reason why the fucker was standing there?
Kang Chan had no reason to hide his identity.
“Are you talking about GĂ©rard Gee? But how did you know?” Kang Chan asked.
When Kang Chan answered while smirking, Lanok inhaled deeply.
“I can’t believe this. I can’t believe something like this actually happened. This explains everything—your ability to speak French, your amazing capabilities, and the reason why you asked me to give you information on the battle in Africa last time. Still, this is unbelievable.”
If Lanok was this shocked, then how shocked would the person in question be?
Lanok took a sip of the black tea, seemingly trying to hide his expression.
“Can you tell me what happened at that time?” Lanok asked.
There was no reason for Kang Chan to not tell him, but Lanok had to satisfy his curiosity first.
“How about you tell me how you found out first?” Kang Chan extinguished the cigarette, and Lanok deeply inhaled the cigar.
After a moment of silence, Lanok answered, “We’re also confused. I think telling you Sharlan’s testimony first would be the right thing to do. He kept testifying that everything went wrong because of you and that you were the reincarnation of the God of Blackfield. We were also curious about how something like this happened because a mere high schooler was the only one to benefit from fighting against Sharlan, Smithen, and the Serpent Venimeux.”
That was true. Kang Chan sipped on his black tea, and Lanok exhaled deeply.
“The day after the golf club incident, there was a secret request from the United States for cooperation. They said that they’re looking for the Blackhead that disappeared in Africa, and they said that it’s most likely within a three hundred kilometer radius of the Korean Peninsula.”
“I was told that Sharlan sold that and bought the stocks of Gong Te?” Kang Chan asked.
“That’s all we know as well. However, the United States is doing its best in looking for the Blackhead, and I’m aware that they’re only doing that because it’s related to the United States’ safety. They’re searching for it so desperately that they’re even willing to wage war with the United Kingdom if necessary.”
In the end, Kang Chan just smirked. Things kept getting more and more out of hand as time went on. A war between the United States and the United Kingdom had even been mentioned. At this rate, they were soon going to have to fight with octopuses that came from Mars with filet knives.
“The United Kingdom is pulling out of the ‘Unicorn.’ They’re gritting their teeth while saying that they’re going to revive the British Empire’s honor, but the most urgent matter is to know why they’re doing that,” said Lanok.
Don’t these gentlemen get tired?
“Identifying why the United States is trying to attack the United Kingdom when they’re acting like that is also important.”
Lanok looked at Kang Chan, whose eyes were filled with fascination and was taking out a cigarette.
“The United States requested absurd cooperation. They said that the Blackhead might not be in the shape of a diamond, but rather is a strange phenomenon. When we heard that, we examined Sharlan’s testimonies one by one. Things added up while we were searching through the list of the deceased and we checked a familiar name that came up. The European Intelligence Bureau analyzed that the Blackhead could be a sort of energy that can mutate into a sort of life energy,” Lanok continued.
I’m the diamond?
When Kang Chan looked down at his body, Lanok burst out with laughter.
“The Blackhead that the United States is talking about clearly isn’t a diamond. We have to find out what they’re referring to from now on,” Lanok explained.
“Are you planning on taking me to a laboratory?”
“No, I'm not. I’m thinking of meeting Sharlan.”
Kang Chan needed an explanation.
“To be exact, it’s Sharlan that wants to meet you. He said that he’ll tell us why the United States and the United Kingdom are acting that way if we allow him to talk to you alone,” Lanok said.
In the end, Kang Chan’s job after flying for more than fifteen hours was to meet Sharlan. And he was apparently getting involved in a war between the United States and the United Kingdom.
“Do I have to meet Sharlan?” Kang Chan asked.
“Please don’t misunderstand, Mr. Kang Chan. The fact that you’re my friend hasn’t changed. That’s why I didn’t tell even my country about the information related to the God of Blackfield. If you don’t want to meet Sharlan, then let's just return after greeting my friends.”
What was this sly fox hiding? Based on Lanok’s expression, he seemed very relaxed.
“They’re the decision-makers for the ‘Unicorn.’ This meeting will be with the unofficial workplace relationships from each country, so it’ll be helpful to you in many ways.”
“It seems like you’re hiding something,” Kang Chan commented.
“There’s no way that’s true.”
Is Lanok hiding something?
“Now, then, Mr. Kang Chan, I’d like to hear an explanation of what happened—the process of how a person that died in Africa became a high schooler in South Korea.”
It had already been revealed. Kang Chan confessed the things that had happened until now, from the moment the operation in Africa started to his death and what happened after he was reincarnated in a different body. He disclosed everything, except for the fact that Seok Kang-Ho was Dayeru.
“That’s a really tall tale,” Lanok commented afterward.
“I haven’t completely adapted to everything that had happened yet either.”
After smacking his lips, Lanok looked into his watch with a strange expression.
“Would you like to watch TV since the flight is long? Or even a movie?” Lanok asked.
“I don’t really like watching TV.”
“I can’t believe the president of a drama production company doesn’t like watching TV. The investors would be very upset if they heard that.”
Lanok looked relaxed while pouring out more tea for Kang Chan.
“Bedrooms have been prepared beside this room. I’m going to use the room on the right, so you should rest for a bit in the room on the left if you’re tired,” Lanok stood up and went into the bedroom, seemingly for Kang Chan’s sake.
Theft is never good, try looking at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.
“I’ll first stay here for a bit longer.”
“Be comfortable and enjoy the plane.”
Lanok walked to the bedroom, leaving Kang Chan alone.
Kang Chan leaned back against the sofa and blankly looked at the wall. Should he meet Sharlan? It wasn’t like there was a need to kill a guy that was locked up in the basement of Loriam. Moreover, would there be a viable reason to live tiredly after carelessly butting into a war between the United States and the United Kingdom?
It clearly seemed like Lanok had something to gain out of this. Plus, he now knew Kang Chan’s original identity.
Kang Chan shook his head to get rid of his complicated thoughts. This was no different than meeting all the sly foxes of the world and being caught in the middle of them.
‘I’ll just slap all of them if they mess with me.’
When Kang Chan relaxed, GĂ©rard, who was outside, came across his mind.
By the time Kang Chan had run over to GĂ©rard, the latter had already gotten a cut on his cheek. They returned after Kang Chan recklessly saved him, and GĂ©rard stubbornly followed him around since then. Kang Chan also remembered how GĂ©rard acted during the operation in Mangala.
~
‘If you want to live, then don’t leave me.’
~
GĂ©rard really didn’t leave Kang Chan. When they rescued Seok Kang-Ho, GĂ©rard wiped away his thick tears with the back of his arm.
Buzz— Buzz—Buzz—. Buzz— Buzz—Buzz—. Buzz— Buzz—Buzz—.
As Kang Chan was smirking to himself, his phone rang.
“Mr. Manager.”
- Mr. Kang Chan. Can you talk right now?
Kim Hyung-Jung sounded somewhat unsettled.
“Yes. What’s going on?”
- A few things had just transpired. Japan has revealed a Swiss bank account and claimed that it’s the President’s slush fund, and they launched a large-scale report that there’s circumstantial evidence that a portion of that slush fund was handed over to North Korea by the Director of the National Intelligence Service.”
The President handed money to North Korea? Even though Kang Chan didn’t know anything about politics, he also thought it was something worth getting reproached.
- It was the preliminary work to connect the ‘Unicorn,’ which was done since we didn’t have an unofficial workplace relationship before you intervened. We haven’t sent them money after that.
Was this why they clung onto him that much, and why Go Gun-Woo liked the fact that he became Lanok’s friend so much it was as if he was having a heart attack?
“Is it a major problem?”
- The Director of the National Intelligence Service will step down. The problem is that if that happens, then our agents and I and the work we did to cover your case will all come up to the surface.
Kang Chan was about to get tired.
- Mr. Kang Chan.
“Go ahead.”
- Please ask Lanok for a favor to let you stay at the embassy in France temporarily. Our agents and I will take responsibility for the safety of your parents. If the director resigns, then it would be wise for you to go to France. We’ll also take action so that your parents can also go there in that situation.
“What about you?”
- I shouldn’t have any problems.
Tsk! Something was going on with him!
“Isn’t there another way?”
- We’re looking for ways from various angles. I don’t think there’ll be any special way right now, other than officially announcing the fact that South Korea is included in the ‘Unicorn’ plan.
“Understood. Please contact me again if there’s anything special going on.”
Kang Chan put down the phone, thinking that this was what Lanok had been going for. No wonder the decision-makers for the ‘Unicorn’ gathered at Loriam of all places. In the end, Kang Chan would still have to beg for the announcement of the ‘Unicorn’ even after he had met Sharlan, which was what Lanok desired.
‘Sharlan, you son of a bitch.’
You inserted me into a war between the United States and the United Kingdom. You’re the most unhelpful fucker in the world. I’m going to break your neck!