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“Shall we meet Sharlan now?” Lanok asked Kang Chan.
Lanok and Kang Chan left the barrack and got in the Jeep that had been prepared for them.
The foreign legion members didn’t follow them. Rather, they walked toward the runway. The Jeep drove to and headed inside a huge concrete dome about a kilometer away. Its interior was empty except for the lights on the ceiling. It was big enough for Kang Chan to mistake it for an indoor soccer field.
The Jeep stopped at the innermost part of the dome, and Lanok and Kang Chan got out.
“Move the Jeep!”
An order was given from the speaker as soon as they did. Louis and another agent got on the Jeep and went outside the dome.
Whoosh.
A motor sound stopped, and the concrete wall opened.. Fascinated, Kang Chan looked closely. The elevator door had been camouflaged to look like a concrete wall.
Lanok got on the elevator first, and Kang Chan went in after him. When the elevator started to move, Kang Chan shook his head. It had no button, so people were operating the elevator while looking at the camera in the cockpit. This dome’s structure made it so that no one could go down to the basement without the help of the people inside the dome.
‘Ha, you’re fucked now, Sharlan.’
This building was so secure it made Kang Chan feel relieved.
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The elevator stopped about a minute later, and its doors finally opened. Soldiers carrying rifles were standing by in front of them.
“Please come this way.”
Following one of the soldiers, Lanok and Kang Chan walked for about fifty meters and passed through a thick iron door. After walking fifty more meters and passing one more iron door, they arrived at a large room.
Kang Chan didn’t want to stay here for a long time since the room’s air was murky. In the middle was a prison cell, and inside it was Sharlan.
Clank!
When a soldier opened the prison cell’s door, Lanok gestured to Kang Chan with his eyes to go in. Inside, he noticed that, although still alive, Sharlan had to depend on two machines to survive.
“Kang Chan.”
It looked like he didn’t have much time left.
Kang Chan walked to the left side of Sharlan’s bed. The upper part of the bed was slightly raised, making it easy for him to see the latter’s face.
“Your suit looks cool,” Sharlan commented.
“It better be. It’s expensive.”
Kang Chan looked at Sharlan while slightly twisting his head.
The fucker was trying to deceive them. It was clear he was figuring out the security of this place and waiting for the day that people would put their guard down.
“It would be good for you to practice hiding the look in your eyes, Sharlan,” Kang Chan commented.
The corner of Sharlan’s lips moved slightly. “Let’s do a deal.”
“I’m going to refuse.”
Meeting Heo Eun-Sil every day was a hundred times wiser than doing something foolish with this fucker.
“I’ve got a tempting offer.”
“I don’t even want to hear it. If that's all you have to say, then I'll get going now.”
“God of Blackfield.”
“Stop saying nonsense.”
“If you’re really the Kang Chan I know, then listen to me.”
Should I listen to him or just turn away?
“I was told that the Blackhead wasn’t perfect, and that was apparently the reason why the United Kingdom didn’t immediately do anything when you attacked me in South Korea. They knew I would betray them. However, they’re now making frantic attempts to take me. Why would that be the case?” Sharlan asked.
Someone was passing on information to this fucker.
“It’s not funny, Sharlan.”
“Why would they need me?” Sharlan grated on Kang Chan’s nerves with an expression that showed he found this funny.
“The United Kingdom probably didn’t buy the Blackhead to create a ring, did they?” Sharlan asked again.
It was evident that he was deliberately irritating Kang Chan after getting a clue about something.
“If you’re really Kang Chan of the foreign legion, and if something that had never happened before did, then it’s definitely related to the Blackhead.”
“Why are you rambling like this after saying that we should do a deal?” Kang Chan asked.
The fire in Sharlan's eyes burned stronger.
“Something big happened, enough to make you reincarnate into your current vessel. If the same thing happened to Dayeru, then that just serves as further proof of that. I’m also using you as an excuse to trade with the United Kingdom. I told them that if they can take me out of here, I’ll help them find the Blackhead. What do you think? If something that difficult to understand is underway, then why not make a deal with me?”
“Sharlan,” Kang Chan looked straight at him.“Go to hell.”
Sharlan smiled hideously as his bony face crumpled. Kang Chan felt as if he was seeing a human with only evil left. He left the prison without any lingering regrets, and a soldier immediately locked the door.
Kang Chan entered the room in silence, then turned around to walk right back out. It seemed like they couldn’t talk inside, considering Lanok didn’t say even a single word until they got in the elevator and went up. When the elevator door finally opened and they stepped out of the elevator, he breathed in extremely fresh air despite still being in the innermost part of the dome.
A Jeep came over a moment later, and both of them got on it.
***
The Jeep immediately headed to the runway. After the agents and foreign legion members boarded the plane, it immediately took off.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
When the signal that told people that the plane had reached the right altitude rang out, an agent brought over tea. Kang Chan lit up a cigarette and told Lanok everything that Sharlan had said.
“It definitely seems certain that what the United Kingdom and the United States are desperately trying to find is at least related to you,” Lanok commented afterward.
“It’s also clear that there’s a double agent that has access to Sharlan among us.”
Lanok nodded.
If we were going to do this, then wouldn’t it be better to kill Sharlan instead?
Seemingly reading Kang Chan’s expression, Lanok said, “There’s no need to rush too much. There are still things that we can learn from Sharlan.”
Changing Lanok's decision would be difficult.
“We're bound to find something if we examine the United States and the United Kingdom's following reactions,” he continued.
I knew it.
A sly fox like Lanok wouldn’t just call his friends to discuss something that wasn’t that important and travel from South Korea to France just to see Sharlan for five minutes. Today’s meeting and Kang Chan’s meeting with Sharlan was part of Lanok's plan to examine the reactions of the United Kingdom and the United States.
Fortunately, Kang Chan was on the same side as Lanok. Just thinking about having someone like Lanok as his enemy made the back of his head stiff.
“It’s best not to tell anyone else that we’re announcing the ‘Unicorn’ project for the time being. If word gets out that the announcement has been finalized, then terror beyond your imagination and international actions will unfold in public.”
“Understood, Mr. Ambassador.”
“South Korea’s current regime staying in power will also keep me safe. I’ll try my best to quicken the announcement,” Lanok stood up, then continued, “I’ll be going to my bedroom to rest for a moment.”
“Please do. I’ll stay here for a bit longer.”
Left alone, Kang Chan leaned back against the sofa. In the span of two days, he had gone from South Korea to France, then back to South Korea. After arriving in Osan and parting ways, it was difficult to even imagine where Lanok would be tomorrow. Kang Chan was certainly not jealous of his life. Fatigued, he napped for a moment on the sofa instead of the bed. He fell asleep instantly.
***
After sleeping for about an hour, Kang Chan woke up feeling much more refreshed.
He thought about bumming off mix coffee from GĂ©rard, who was outside, but changed his mind. Not talking to him anymore would be for the best since doing so made him want to talk to GĂ©rard about the past.
Sixteen hours after departure, the plane landed in Osan. By the time Kang Chan had gone down the ramp, GĂ©rard and the other members were already standing far apart from each other around the plane.
‘Tsk. It would’ve been great if I just said something before leaving.’
GĂ©rard didn’t know Kang Chan anyway. It was disappointing, but it was better than annoying him. Before Kang Chan got in the car, he looked around the runway. His eyes met GĂ©rard’s.
‘Live a wonderful life.’
That was the end.
There was no traffic on their way to Seoul.
“Aren’t you tired?” Lanok asked Kang Chan.
“I ate and slept well. You don’t look like someone who had just gotten off a long-distance flight, either.”
Actually, Lanok didn’t show signs that he was having difficulties.
“I sleep as much as possible during long flights. That makes the travel bearable. Anyway, are you free to have dinner with Anne next week?”
“Yes. My schedule's free, so just let me know about the time,” Kang Chan answered.
Since the highway was empty, the car sped up..
They got out of the Hannam Bridge[1], and Kang Chan parted ways with Lanok at the intersection in front of Kang Chan’s apartment. He then went into a specialty 24/7 coffee shop.
After Kang Chan ordered a cold drink, he sat on the terrace and called Kim Hyung-Jung first.
- Mr. Kang Chan!
Kum Hyung-Jung sounded very happy to hear from him.
“Where are you? I’m at the coffee shop in the intersection where we met last time.”
- I’m at the Yoo Bi-Corp office. Should I go to the coffee shop?
What should they do? What location would be better?
The specialty coffee shop was more comfortable for Kang Chan.
“This is going to be an inconvenience for you, but let’s meet up here.”
- I’ll head over there immediately.
Kang Chan hung up the phone and took another sip of the drink. It was almost 12 am, so he decided to meet and talk to Seok Kang-Ho tomorrow instead.
How much should Kang Chan tell them? Would Kim Hyung-Jung really keep his mouth shut if he told him about the ‘Unicorn’ project’s announcement being finalized? On the contrary, would it be okay if Kang Chan didn’t tell them about something this crucial after saying they were a team? He found this matter quite difficult.
Kang Chan had consumed half of his drink by the time Kim Hyung-Jung and Kim Tae-Jin had parked and walked to the terrace. The inner struggles that Kim Tae-Jin had gone through lingered on his face. There were things that Kang Chan knew, even though Kim Tae-Jin didn’t insist on telling him.
“I’m sorry. I should’ve paid more attention,” Kang Chan apologized.
“It isn't your fault, so stop apologizing,” Kim Tae-Jin responded as he shook Kang Chan’s hand. His eyes showed that he truly believed it wasn’t Kang Chan’s fault.
After saying a few more words to each other, Kim Hyung-Jung bought and brought over two drinks. The three of them then sat facing each other.
“I went to France with Lanok,” Kang Chan said.
“Within two days?” asked Kim Tae-Jin.
“Yes. I met Sharlan at the Loriam station in France, and it seems like he put the condition where he’ll help find the Blackhead because he wants to get out of that palce, in all respects.”
“What did he say?” Kim Tae-Jin asked again.
“I definitely did a fool’s errand.”
If Kang Chan didn’t bring up the fact that he had reincarnated here, then it would certainly sound like what he did was no different than doing a fool's errand.
“I’m dumbfounded,” Kim Tae-Jin commented.
“I also feel the same way.” Disappointment flashed across Kim Hyung-Jung’s eyes. “The mood doesn’t seem ordinary, in all respects.”
“I did see the news as I was traveling,” said Kang Chan.
Kim Hyung-Jung sighed deeply.
1. The Hannam Bridge is a girder bridge over the Han River in South Korea. It’s usually congested with traffic since it connects wards and districts with each other ☜