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“Jeon Dae-Geuk’s nerves are on edge because there’s information that you’re being managed by France’s DGSE. He strongly believes that to develop as a country, we have to accept and raise the talented people that we find,” Kim Hyung-Jung said.
The carefree atmosphere calmed down to a certain degree.
“All of the foreign reporters are going to attend the event. There are going to be three lines of security. The security service will be in charge inside the grand ballroom, the National Intelligence Service’s specialized team outside it, and the 606 on its outskirts.”
The atmosphere changed when they went back to business.
“I’m going to support everyone from the outside. We designated Mr. Kang Chan to sit next to Ambassador Lanok in the guest seats, and Mr. Seok Kang-Ho will be near the back of the guest seats. Anyway, I’ll get going now. Let’s finish strong today, then have a drink.”
When Kim Hyung-Jung left the room, Kang Chan and Seok Kang-Ho took their weapons.
“How do you feel today?” Seok Kang-Ho asked.
“I’m not sure, but I do feel a bit uncomfortable. Anyway, stop asking me questions like that over and over again. I’m not a fortune teller.”
“I keep asking you because it hasn’t just been once or twice that we survived thanks to your gut feelings.”
Kang Chan strapped the bayonet to his right ankle, then wore the earphone of the walkie-talkie on his ear.
For some reason, he sighed loudly when he put on the jacket.
Everything would be over after this meeting.
The security was thorough. Jeon Dae-Geuk was in charge of it, and the 606 and specialized team were standing by at the event’s venue. Although this historic event was enormous since it would change the dynamics of the world’s economy, committing a terrorist attack here would be difficult.
Kang Chan saw Seok Kang-Ho taking weapons. It felt as if he was wearing clothes that didn’t suit him.
“I’ll see you later,” Kang Chan said.
“Yeah.”
Kang Chan left the room at around 9 am.
***
Lanok’s room was about three times bigger than Kang Chan’s.
Kang Chan heard that Lanok had nonstop interviews until late at night with the people in charge of the countries that stayed at the same hotel as him, but he didn’t look tired.
“Mr. Kang Chan, how are you?” Lanok asked.
“I don’t feel great today. What about you?”
“I feel the same way. It seems I need black tea and a cigar.”
As Lanok’s assistant prepared black tea for them on the table, Lanok bit on a cigar and lit it.
“There’s only the announcement left,” Lanok commented.
“That’s right, Mr. Ambassador.”
Kang Chan exhaled loudly as he put down the teacup he drank out of. He had so much trouble breathing that his chest started to tighten.
“Mr. Ambassador.”
“Yes, Mr. Kang Chan?” Lanok looked at Kang Chan, perplexed.
“I don’t have a good feeling about this. I don’t know about anyone else, but I think you’d believe me, so I thought I should tell you that. I hope you follow all my decisions at least for today even if it seems impractical.”
It was going to be difficult for Lanok to believe him, but Kang Chan thought at least Lanok should be aware of this.
“Alright,” Lanok answered after looking at Kang Chan for a moment. “Is that why your expression is different than usual, by any chance?”
“Did my eyes glint a bit?”
“I was starting to wonder if I’ve done anything to displease you,” Lanok answered while smiling like a European mask.
“This has happened before. I already had a bad feeling about what was about to happen before we got ambushed and before unexpected danger could even come close to us. Even if my guts aren’t always right, it doesn’t hurt to be more careful in moments like this.”
“That’s fascinating.”
This was also something that couldn’t be explained.
“Right—Mr. Ambassador, I was told that the President and the Prime Minister are planning to attend the event today, so…”
Kang Chan stopped. Lanok’s expression had changed.
Would Moon Jae-Hyun and Go Gun-Woo attending this event something that could surprise this sly fox this much?
“Mr. Kang Chan, did you just say that the President and the Prime Minister are attending?”
“Yes. I heard about it loud and clear. I was even asked to tell you that they’re asking you to make the President look good before the announcement today.”
“Whoo!” Lanok sighed loudly.
“What’s wrong, Mr. Ambassador?”
Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.
“Since I’m hosting this event, I requested yesterday for the Prime Minister to not attend the President’s dinner, and I’ve only invited the Prime Minister to the presentation today because of South Korea’s regulations.”
Kang Chan couldn’t understand what Lanok was saying.
“Mr. Kang Chan, the Eurasian rail will rock the world’s economy for the next hundreds of years. If France was left out of this plan, then I would have committed terrorist attacks even if it meant getting the Foreign Legion killed.”
Kim Hyung-Jung also said something similar.
“In South Korea, if the President suffers an accident, then the power will be transferred to the Prime Minister. If the Prime Minister fails to do their work, then the power will be transferred to the Minister of Economy and Finance,” Lanok added.
Kang Chan had never thought about things like that.
“Lee Min-Woo, the minister of South Korea’s Ministry of Economy and Finance was basically raised by Huh Ha-Soo, the chairman of the national assembly, and WooYang Jeon-Woo[1]. The current regime has handed over that position instead of approving the legislative bill because they lacked the number of seats.”
“In that case, if the C-4 was to explode here, then…?” Kang Chan asked.
“Until the next President is elected, Huh Ha-Soo and WooYang Jeon-Woo can operate the government however they want. I don’t know why the South Korean government acted so impulsively like this—my country’s DGSE has even secretly leaked information because of things like this.”
This was appalling.
“Since Huh Sa-Soo is the chairman of the National Assembly, he definitely would've put some kind of condition to force the President and the Prime Minister to attend. It’s probably along the lines of the opposition party keeping quiet and no longer asserting that the Director of the National Intelligence Service and the Prime Minister should be replaced. After all, they know how much the current President values his people,” Lanok continued.
There was something that Kang Chan didn’t understand. “Mr. Ambassador, if this goes wrong, then it would be difficult for Huh Ha-Soo and Yang Jin-Woo to survive. Can they really be desperate enough to put their lives on the line?”
“WuYang Jeon-Woo is an American citizen, and China and Japan wouldn’t abandon those two anyway. Taking that into consideration, it would be difficult for the South Korean government to find evidence. It’s the same as knowing that you commanded the operation in Mongolia but having no evidence to complain about it publicly.”
Looking slightly flustered, Lanok continued, “What would you do if you were in charge of stopping this meeting today no matter what? Would this meeting really proceed as planned if you handle it completely prepared to die?”
What would happen if that really was the case?
“We decided to hold this event here in South Korea because it’s difficult to get weapons here and its President and Prime Minister share the same goals. Go Gun-Woo would support the Eurasian rail even if the President dies.”
Kang Chan breathed out deeply, then held up a cigarette and lit it.
“Cancelling this event now will be difficult,” Lanok added while looking grim.
“Can I tell the security service or the National Intelligence Service about what you just told me?”
“It doesn’t matter., but it would be best to be as careful as possible before the meeting progresses.”
It was already 9:40 am.
Kang Chan immediately pressed the talk button on the walkie-talkie.
Chk.
“Mr. Kim Hyung-Jung, it’s Kang Chan.”
Kang Chan received a response the moment he extinguished his cigarette.
Chk.
“It’s Kim Hyung-Jung.”
Chk.
“Something urgent came up. It would be best to meet up as soon as we can. I’m in Ambassador Lanok’s room right now.”
Chk.
“I’m on my way. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
Chk.
“Please get here even faster. We need you here as soon as possible, even if that’s just a minute quicker.”
When Kim Hyung-Jung said that he understood, Kang Chan pressed the button on the walkie-talkie again.
Chk.
“Mr. Jeon Dae-Geuk, it’s Kang Chan. You’ve probably been listening to our conversation and already know what’s going on. Can I see you as well?”
Chk.
“Alright.”
Kang Chan put down the walkie-talkie’s microphone, which was attached to his sleeve.
“You can tell them to come into this room,” Lanok said.
***
Jeon Dae-Geuk and Kim Hyung-Jung formally greeted Lanok. Listening to Kang Chan’s explanation, their expressions hardened.
They seemed to have thought they shouldn't have any doubts because Lanok was sitting right there and because Kang Chan was adding his own opinions as he interpreted.
“Can the President and Prime Minister cancel their plan to attend?” Kang Chan asked in Korean.
“It would be difficult to cancel that for this kind of reason. Even the Ambassador is probably going to say that he’ll attend. It doesn’t matter what type of event it is. If people stop attending just because of the circumstances, there won’t be any events that VIPs can attend.”
Kang Chan passed on what Kim Hyung-Jung said, and Lanok said that he shared the same sentiments on that part.
“We’ll return to our posts for now and push back the reporters a bit more so we’ll have more space. Afterward, we’ll check if there’s no other way to stop the terror attack. It’s already past 10 am, so even if we do this, we’ll still be extremely short on time. Anyway, we’ll contact you about the rest of the matters through the walkie-talkie,” Kim Hyung-Jung said.
When Jeon Dae-Geuk and Kim Hyung-Jung left, Lanok looked at Kang Chan as if he was wearing a European mask.
“This alone is no different from stopping half of the terrorist attack, Mr. Kang Chan.”
When Kang Chan smirked, Lanok poured out more black tea for him.
“The dice have already been cast,” Lanok continued, “Since they got attacked in Mongolia, China will try their hardest to get revenge. We have to stop them.”
“Aren’t you afraid?” Kang Chan asked out of genuine curiosity.
“This is what our lives are like. A lot of people quit because they couldn’t overcome this fear and nervousness, but we won’t gain anything if we keep fearing death.” Lanok tightly pressed the half-smoked cigar on the ashtray. “Have you ever been afraid before heading into battle?”
“I haven’t thought about it.”
With a nod, Lanok said, “I’m heading into battle today, Mr. Kang Chan.”
All Kang Chan could do was nod in response.
1. Lanok continues to pronounce Yang Jin-Woo’s name incorrectly ☜