God of Blackfield

Oh Gwang-Taek’s reaction instantly drew everyone’s attention. Choi Jong-Il and Kwak Cheol-Ho, who were exchanging greetings with Gérard, also glanced at him.

“What is it?” Kang Chan asked.

“Well, the thing is…” Oh Gwang-Taek trailed off as he gazed at Kang Chan. He then looked back at Gérard with an uncharacteristically flustered expression. “You remember that camera footage that Do-Seok got? I think I remember seeing him there.”

When Kang Chan turned to Gérard, the latter gestured at Oh Gwang-Taek with his chin. “What’s up with him?”

Kang Chan first used a mix of Korean and French to introduce the two to each other.

“Oh Gwang-Taek, Gérard. Gérard, Oh Gwang-Taek.”

The two awkwardly shook hands.

“If he’s not him, it might make him feel offended, so we’ll go and talk about it. I’m going to be with him for the time being, so don’t worry,” Kang Chan told Oh Gwang-Taek.

“All right,” Oh Gwang-Taek replied. He glared sharply at Gérard with certainty that this was the person in the video.

“What is it?” Gérard asked, following Kang Chan to his room, turning his nose up in the air.

Then, Oh Gwang-Taek and Gérard met each other’s eyes. It was between one who held a heavy grudge and one who found the other’s attitude extremely offensive. It sounded like the “du du du du du, waah, waah, wah” sound from some Wild West cowboy movie was playing somewhere in the hallway.

“Gérard, come on,” Kang Chan urged him.

Gérard shook his head from side to side in disgust and walked after Kang Chan.

Click.

“What’s up with that gangster-looking punk?” Gérard growled the moment they stepped inside the room.

“Coffee?” Kang Chan offered.

“Got Korean ones?”

As if to shake off his displeasure, Gérard took off the bag hanging on his shoulders and tossed it at the wall behind the chairs.

“Have a smoke while you wait,” Kang Chan told him.

“I’ll come with you,” Gérard offered.

“Not a fucking chance. It’ll be so damn uncomfortable.”

Kang Chan would feel a hundred times more at ease bringing back coffee himself than watching Gérard and Oh Gwang-Taek glare at each other in a face-off.

However, just as he was about to leave, Kwak Cheol-Ho suddenly pushed the door open with his foot and came in with a mug in each hand.

“I’ve got coffee,” Kwak Cheol-Ho said.

“Krak!” Gérard exclaimed.

Kwak Cheol-Ho, who had gone through hellish battles with Gérard in Afghanistan and Africa, seemed worried that Gérard would be upset over what happened with Oh Gwang-Taek. Kwak Cheol-Ho’s eyes, smile, and even the bandage that extended from his shoulders to his left hand carrying the coffee showed how sorry he was.

“Thank you, Krak!” Gérard said in awkward Korean. The two chuckled over it.

These crazy assholes.

Kang Chan shook his head. Their eyes still showed hints of ferocity from the heat of the operation. They should be grateful that he was the one with them. Any normal person witnessing Kwak Cheol-Ho, who normally had a scary countenance, and Gérard, who had a knife scar on his cheek, smiling at each other evilly would probably shiver every time they saw instant coffee.

“Sit down,” Kang Chan said.

“I’ll be outside,” Kwak Cheol-Ho told him.

Kang Chan didn’t stop him from leaving. They were going to be speaking in French anyway.

Thud.

Gérard made himself comfortable on the other side of the table, then casually offered Kang Chan a smoke. They both lit their cigarette.

“Where’s Daye?” Gérard asked.

“Hoo. He’s in the Athens Hospital. You can go see him later,” Kang Chan responded.

“Was he badly hurt?”

“He barely got out alive.”

Gérard smirked.

“Being alive is good enough.”

Only those who had survived the thick of battle would give such a response.

While stubbing his cigarette out in the ashtray, he gestured in the direction he met Oh Gwang-Taek. “Anyway, what was wrong with that guy?”

Damn it.

It was a shitty story to tell, but if he didn’t, Gérard would feel unsettled and offended.

Kang Chan put out his cigarette.

“Remember when I told you I woke up and found myself in this body?” he began.

“How could I ever forget?”

“Well, back then, I met Sharlan and Smithen.”

Kang Chan gave a summary of what had happened since then. Making sure not to omit any details, he even covered how he met Lanok and all the incidents involving the Blackhead.

“You’re telling me all this on purpose,” Gérard said.

“What do you mean?”

“Since that thug can check the camera footage, you’re doing this to let me know you trust me, aren’t you?”

“Stop with the crazy talk, punk,” Kang Chan scoffed. Putting down his mug, he smirked at Gérard. “I don’t have the brain to do something so complicated. I believe in the people I’ve learned to trust. That’s all there is to it. I only told you all this so you won’t feel uncomfortable when you run into Oh Gwang-Taek later. There’s no other motive.”

Gérard grinned. “I don’t know anything about that.”

“I thought you wouldn’t. Even if you do, it’s fine. All that matters is whether or not you can be honest with me right now.”

It felt good to get that off his chest.

“A lot of things happened behind the curtains, huh,” Gérard mused.

“The enemy in front of us is still the biggest problem,” Kang Chan replied.

Gérard lifted his right hand and rubbed his cheek with his fingers, cupping his chin. “Hmm.”

“I’d like to check the camera footage now too. I want to know what it recorded that’s making that thug act up.”

“How long is your leave?”

“I’m taking the full twenty days.”

Kang Chan chuckled.

He’s taking a proper vacation, all right.

***

Before dinner, Kang Chan met with Oh Gwang-Taek in private and explained Gérard’s position.

“I heard what kind of person he is from Choi Jong-Il. Since you’re vouching for him this hard too, I’m sure he’s not that person now,” Oh Gwang-Taek remarked. He didn’t seem fully convinced, but his suspicion had at least been weakened a bit.

He added, “You know how white people all look a bit similar? The moment he walked in with the sunglasses, I thought it had to be him.”

“He’ll be coming with us to Seoul. We can go and see the camera footage and talk about what happened then,” Kang Chan suggested.

“Got it. Oh, man! What am I going to do if I’m wrong?” Oh Gwang-Taek groaned.

“Motherfucker. That’s why you should think before you speak,” Kang Chan rebuked.

“I just blurted that out because it was what ruined Do-Seok. Shit! This won’t do. If a man says it’s not him, it’s not him. Where is he? I need to go apologize to him myself or I won’t be able to rest. This isn’t how a man should act.”

When Oh Gwang-Taek started talking louder again, Kang Chan immediately guided him to the room where Gérard was waiting. Oh Gwang-Taek apologized, and Gérard willingly forgave him.

That puts an end to this Wild West movie!

After introducing Gérard to the others in the conference room, they all had dinner together. Kang Chan left ahead of them to give Kim Hyung-Jung a call. He needed to discuss the recent events in Seoul and wanted to make a few requests.

- I will inform the Director about this right after this call. Are you okay with departing in twelve hours?

“Yes. Please let me know when it’s ready. What about our wounded?”

- We’ll send a special flight for them.

“Gérard will be coming with us on the way back.”

- Got it. I will make arrangements.

After hanging up, Kang Chan felt as if he had just completed a huge school project. He left the room and met up with Gérard, who was waiting for him, to go to the hospital together.

Kang Chan changed into cotton pants, sneakers, a cotton shirt, and a comfortable outer layer. His outfit made him feel as if he was on vacation with Gérard.

“Can he talk?” Gérard asked.

“He’s probably eating ramyeon as we speak,” Kang Chan replied.

Gérard grinned and was about to say something. However, when he glanced at the driver’s seat, he decided against it. He seemed bothered by the DGSE agents’ presence.

“People probably have no idea about the world we live in,” Gérard muttered as he looked out the window.

Unlike Kang Chan, who had come out to the real world a few times, Gérard had never stopped wandering the battlefields. If it wasn’t for Kang Chan, he probably couldn’t have cared less about getting paid leave.

Kang Chan just grinned, finding it difficult to accept his sudden shabbiness in the light of the world. Every time he sat in a bar, feeling down in the dumps, someone had always tried to mess with him to impress his friends or show off to a girl he liked.

Those idiots lunging at him with such pathetic eyes always made him laugh. A broken arm was all it would take to make them cry and drool all over themselves.

The car slowed down to a stop in front of the hospital.

Click.

The two got out of the vehicle, headed into the building, and took the elevator to the fifth floor.

Ding.

Stepping into the hallway, they were immediately greeted by the smell of cigarettes. Kang Chan walked straight to Seok Kang-Ho’s room and opened the door.

Creak.

Inside, they found the upper part of the bed raised. Leisurely leaning against it, Seok Kang-Ho exhaled two wisps of smoke through his nose.

“What are you doing?” Kang Chan asked, flabbergasted.

“Hey! Have you had dinner—huh? Gérard!” Seok Kang-Ho greeted Gérard with his most welcoming expression. “What’s this punk doing here?”

“He’s apparently on vacation,” Kang Chan answered.

“Vacation?”

“Yeah.”

It already felt noisy the moment the three of them sat down.

Seok Kang-Ho definitely looked like he was healing up quickly.

“It’s good to see you, Gérard,” Seok Kang-Ho said.

“He says it’s good to see you,” Kang Chan interpreted.

“How are you doing?” Gérard asked.

“He’s asking how you’re doing,” Kang Chan interpreted again.

These little motherfuckers!

The two of them snickered together seeing Kang Chan furrow his eyebrows.

This was new. The three of them were always in Africa or were holding guns when they sat together like this.

“We’re leaving for Seoul tomorrow,” Kang Chan said.

“Yeah? I’m coming with you,” Seok Kang-Ho insisted.

“They’re sending a special plane for the wounded,” Kang Chan told Seok Kang-Ho.

“Well, well, I’m not a part of the wounded anymore. Look.”

“What’s Daye saying?”

Kang Chan shook his head.

“I heard about the results of the operation. Dong-Gyun was acting all ominous and grave until the call came. You couldn’t imagine—”

“Oh, right!” Kang Chan quickly interjected to explain what happened between Gérard and Oh Gwang-Taek. He also informed him that he had told Gérard nearly everything.

“There’s no way this bastard would do that. He would hold a knife right to your face, not stab you in the back,” Seok Kang-Ho remarked.

“Yeah, and Gérard said he doesn’t know anything about it either.”

“Sounds about right. Oh Gwang-Taek’s eyes can’t be that dull, though. Dang. I really want to see that camera footage now.”

“We can just go take a look at it together.”

“That’s why I need to come with you!”

Seok Kang-Ho was definitely different from Oh Gwang-Taek. Even if Kang Chan changed the subject, he’d always get what he wanted.

The three spent about two hours chatting.

“So the only thing this guy has done on vacation is go to the hotel and this hospital?” Seok Kang-Ho asked.

Kang Chan glanced at Gérard.

“Have a drink with him. You’re not injured, which is perfect.”

“I guess.”

Kang Chan interpreted Seok Kang-Ho’s suggestion for Gérard and asked Gérard what he wanted to do.

“You said we’re leaving tomorrow, right? Let’s just get some rest today. When we get to Korea, let’s have some of that good food you always talk about,” Gérard said.

“All right.”

A bunch of DGSE agents would have to follow them if they were to stroll around Athens anyway.

After about thirty more minutes, Kang Chan stood up. Before he could leave, Seok Kang-Ho grabbed onto him and gave him a serious look.

“I want to come with you tomorrow, Cap.”

Although he could already sit up, eat ramyeon, and smoke, he still couldn’t even properly stand. If he got on the plane in his current condition, there would definitely be issues with his wounds.

“This won’t be my first time getting on a plane with severe injuries. Let me come with you,” Seok Kang-Ho pleaded.

Did this punk just read my thoughts through my eyes?

Assuming what was going on, Gérard pressed his lips together and simply watched Kang Chan.

“Son of a bitch!” Kang Chan swore.

Realizing why Seok Kang-Ho was smiling, Gérard smiled as well.

“Phuhuhu! See you tomorrow. Gérard! See you tomorrow!”

Kang Chan left the hospital room.

“Sir? When did you get here?” asked Cha Dong-Gyun. He had just walked out of his room with the army interpreter.

Gérard couldn’t be happier to see them. The interpreter greeted him as if he were meeting his older brother from back home. Kang Chan could guarantee that it wasn’t because he wanted to be promoted and head back to Africa, though.

Kang Chan headed toward the front of the hospital. First, he needed to learn more about what was going on in Korea. As soon as he pressed the call button, Kim Hyung-Jung immediately answered.

- Kim Hyung-Jung speaking.

It would’ve made sense if he sounded tired, but he sounded quite strong and energetic.

“Manager Kim, I’d like the patients who can already move to come with me tomorrow,” Kang Chan said.

- You’ll be returning on a civilian flight. For as long as they can get to the airport, it wouldn’t be impossible. We will need to bring a medical team and some simple treatment supplies, though, so I’ll have to get back to you.

Ah, right. A medical team.

Since he was already taking Seok Kang-Ho with him, he was hoping to do the same for Cha Dong-Gyun and the other soldiers.

He let out a low sigh.

- The director approved what you mentioned to me earlier. We’ll take care of it as soon as you provide us with the list.

“Great. Thank you.”

All Kang Chan had to do now was figure out the transportation.

It would be easy if it was just Seok Kang-Ho since Kang Chan could just take care of him himself, but that would make him feel bad for the soldiers they would leave behind.

- I’ll find a medical team and call you back.

“Please do.”

One call to the DGSE would allow the staff of this hospital to come with them, but this wasn’t for an operation. Kang Chan didn’t want to ask for help just to move the wounded, especially since he was only taking the soldiers who wanted to come in the first place.

Still, he couldn’t just bring them all onto the plane without a plan like Seok Kang-Ho wanted. There was no guarantee their condition would remain stable.

A few minutes later, Gérard, Cha Dong-Gyun, and the army interpreter walked out together.

Like Seok Kang-Ho, Kang Chan suddenly felt bad for Gérard, who had done nothing so far in his vacation but visit their hotel and this hospital and snicker with scary-looking men.

Gérard glanced at Kang Chan as if to ask when they were leaving.

“Cha Dong-Gyun, Those who can already move may come with us to South Korea tomorrow. We still have to find a medical team, though, so I’ll let you know if this pushes through,” Kang Chan informed him.

“Yes, sir,” Cha Dong-Gyun responded.

While Cha Dong-Gyun saw them off, Kang Chan got into the elevator with Gérard.

“We’re going straight to the hotel,” Kang Chan said.

“I’d prefer that. We could always have a glass of wine with Krak and Choy at the hotel. If they’re not up for it, the two of us can just go to the hotel bar,” Gérard replied goodnaturedly.

“All right. Let’s do that.”

The elevator reached the first floor with a ding. One of the agents with them got off first.

As Kang Chan and Gérard walked out of the main entrance, the agent standing by its doors greeted them. Soon after, they got into a sedan.

***

The men felt as if they had just had the best naps of their lives.

Upon reaching the seventh floor, Kang Chan heard Oh Gwang-Taek talking loudly in the hallway. He passed by the conference room, finding Kang Chul-Gyu and nearly all of the men inside.

“I’m thinking of stopping by. What about you?” Kang Chan asked.

“I’ll go take a shower in the room across the hall,” Gérard replied.

“All right.”

After seeing him off, Kang Chan entered the conference room. He had something he needed to tell the men about.

“You’re back!” Oh Gwang-Taek greeted with a smile and a wave of his hand.

Kang Chan walked to one side of the room, poured himself some coffee in a mug, and then took a seat.

“I have an announcement to make,” he began.

The quiet conversations in the background instantly disappeared.

“We’ll be returning to Korea sometime tomorrow. Our departure has been finalized, but we don’t know yet if those in the hospital will get to come with us or take a special flight.”

Crunch.

Yang Dong-Sik, who had just bitten into a snack, carefully looked around him to see if anyone heard.

“One more thing.”

Kang Chan turned to Kang Chul-Gyu.

“If any member of the DMZ team wishes, you can join the National Intelligence Service’s counterterrorism team as special agents.”

Staring at Kang Chan, Kang Chul-Gyu tilted his head. A heavy silence filled the room.

“D-does that mean the country will be able to call upon our service again?” Kang Chul-Gyu asked in disbelief.

Kang Chan smirked. He wasn’t aware Kang Chul-Gyu could stutter.

“Yes,” he replied.

“We get to bear the flag again?”

“Don’t do anything that would ruin your family this time,” Kang Chan said.

Gritting his teeth, Kang Chul-Gyu glared at him.