The True Purpose of the Report on the Next-Generation Stealth Drone Development Project (3)
After parting ways with Jo Gwang-il, Mei Shin rode back to her apartment in a Mercedes sedan.
She lived in a luxury officetel in Gangnam’s Yeoksam-dong, and as soon as she got home, she called Sun Wei to report what had just happened.
“Anything suspicious?”
“Nothing that stood out.”
“Did he ask to see you again?”
“No. We didn’t make any plans. But we exchanged business cards, so I’m sure he’ll call.”
“Confident, aren’t you?”
“He seems to like women quite a bit.”
“We’ll see tomorrow.”
The call ended there.
Mei Shin frowned for a moment.
She kept thinking about the coldness in Sun Wei’s voice from the call a moment ago.
It had been two years since she started working in Korea, but her direct superior, Sun Wei, still did not trust her.
And she knew it.
This time, she swore, she would earn proper recognition.
Meanwhile, as soon as Jo Gwang-il left Mei Shin, he headed to an upscale sushi restaurant.
There, he took care of dinner alone.
Then he went to a high-end whiskey bar and had a drink.
He did not meet with Kang-hae separately.
There was no doubt he’d be followed.
And just as Jo Gwang-il had guessed, National Security Office personnel were trailing him.
They kept every one of his movements under close watch.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The National Security Office.
Seong Ha-yeong was waiting for Kang-hae.
After Jo Gwang-il and Mei Shin went their separate ways, Kang-hae followed Mei Shin.
Then, after confirming the address of her home, he returned to the National Security Office.
As soon as Seong Ha-yeong saw him, she took him to the analysis room.
“Here it is.”
Kang-hae showed her the screen of his phone.
It displayed the photo Jo Gwang-il had sent him.
It was the business card Mei Shin had handed over.
Seong Ha-yeong sat down in front of her laptop.
After running through several security checks, she accessed the data server shared by the NIS and the National Security Office.
That server contained a list of shell companies used by foreign intelligence services that had infiltrated South Korea, and the list was divided into several categories:
Interest.
Quasi-shell.
Shell company.
Deep infiltration.
Operational infiltration.
Threat.
But there was no company called Best Rich Investment anywhere on the list.
“It’s not here.”
“I see.”
“The woman who approached Jo Gwang-il. Do you think she’s Chinese?”
“We’ll need to watch her a little longer.”
“Without solid evidence, it’ll be a little hard to arrest her…….”
Seong Ha-yeong said this anxiously.
“I’ll need to ask the Director for help.”
“The Director?”
“Yes.”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The next day.
Best Rich Investment’s Korean branch on Teheran-ro in Gangnam, Seoul.
Mei Shin received a bouquet of flowers delivered to her desk.
They were from Jo Gwang-il.
She immediately called him.
“What are the flowers for?”
Her tone was gentle, unlike her words.
Of course, it was all an act.
Even over Mei Shin’s phone, Jo Gwang-il’s voice carried the same kind of performance.
“Do you know what the red tulip means?”
“What does it mean?”
“I’m a little embarrassed to say it myself.”
“Haha. I see. I’ll look it up.”
“Have a good day.”
“Thank you for the flowers.”
After ending the call, instead of looking up the meaning of the red tulip, Mei Shin took a wiretap detector out of her desk drawer.
She scanned the bouquet.
But the detector showed no reaction at all.
Only then did Mei Shin look up the flower’s meaning.
True love, a confession of love.
When she confirmed it, she let out a small snort of amusement before quickly suppressing it again.
She knew Sun Wei was watching her through the camera installed in her room.
Mei Shin took out her phone, sent Jo Gwang-il a text to thank him, and arranged to meet him for dinner.
That evening.
A French restaurant in Hannam-dong, Seoul.
Clink—
Jo Gwang-il and Mei Shin tapped their wine glasses together.
The food was excellent, and so was the wine.
As the atmosphere deepened, both of them gradually let their guard slip.
Of course, that was exactly what they intended.
After the meal, Jo Gwang-il suggested they move somewhere else and have a few more drinks, saying he wasn’t quite ready for the night to end.
“Sure.”
No sooner had Mei Shin agreed than Jo Gwang-il called a taxi.
The destination was the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
Mei Shin was slightly surprised, but she did not show it.
When they reached the bar in the Grand Hyatt lobby, the two of them ordered a bottle of wine and some cheese right away.
“Daniel.”
“Yes?”
“To be honest, I was a little surprised when you suggested going to a hotel.”
“Was I too obvious?”
“A little……?”
“Hahaha.”
“You’re not telling me you booked a room too, are you?”
“Hahaha. I’m not that much of a lecher, you know.”
But even as he said that, the look in Jo Gwang-il’s eyes was thick and sticky with desire.
And Mei Shin did not look away.
Several stretches of silence passed between them.
Their heavy, hungry gazes tangled together in the air again and again.
After that, the two of them went upstairs to a room.
And naturally, they wound their bodies around each other.
When the game of adults was finally over, Mei Shin’s hands wandered over Jo Gwang-il’s body.
Then she noticed the scars scattered across him.
They were marks left by grueling training and real combat during his days with the Reconnaissance General Bureau.
Her fingertips traced them one by one.
And Jo Gwang-il knew that her touch was exploration disguised as desire.
“What happened here?”
Mei Shin asked as her fingers brushed the wound on his shoulder blade.
It was the scar left when Kang-hae drove a Chinese chef’s knife into him at the illegal casino in Macau.
“This? I ran into a bear in Vancouver.”
“A bear……?”
“Hahaha. Just kidding.”
“Then how did this scar happen?”
“Last year, I think. I rode a bike up in the mountains.”
“A bike? Isn’t that dangerous?”
“It is. That’s what makes it exciting. What about you?”
“About what?”
“Don’t you think danger makes things more thrilling?”
“Does it?”
“For some reason, I feel like you’re the type who enjoys it too.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Because you’re beautiful?”
“Hahaha.”
Mei Shin burst out laughing.
And inwardly, she thought he might be right.
After being recruited by the National Security Office, once she had left the Public Security Bureau behind, Mei Shin often found herself wondering why she kept doing this job.
The work was dangerous.
The pay was poor.
And she wasn’t even sure she loved the country of China all that much.
Maybe, she thought, she was simply addicted to the thrill.
“Rachel.”
“Yes?”
“What are you doing this Saturday?”
Jo Gwang-il asked her, sensing her thoughts had drifted.
“I don’t have anything special planned.”
“Then do you want to come see the most miserable people in the world?”
“Miserable people?”
“A friend of mine is getting married. Come with me.”
“You have friends in Korea?”
“Friend might be the wrong word. Business partner would be more accurate.”
At the words business partner, Mei Shin’s mind began to race.
She knew Jo Gwang-il worked for Argon Air Systems.
He might even meet military officials there.
“In Korea, don’t people usually only bring fiancés or fiancées to weddings?”
“But I’m Canadian, and you’re a foreigner with Singaporean and British citizenship.”
“Still.”
“……?”
“Do you really think people who get married are unhappy?”
“Compared to me, yes.”
“So Daniel doesn’t dream of marriage?”
“No. But if I were with a beautiful woman like you, I might change my mind.”
“…….”
The two of them said nothing and simply looked at each other.
Then they kissed again.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A wedding hall near Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province.
The wedding of the head of the Testing and Evaluation Division at the Defense Technology and Quality Institute was being held.
Jo Gwang-il attended the wedding with Mei Shin.
Then he walked over to the groom and offered his congratulations.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you for coming such a long way.”
The groom smiled warmly and extended his hand to Jo Gwang-il.
But Jo Gwang-il and the groom were meeting for the first time.
And all of this had been arranged at Ko Jeong-un’s request.
Ko Jeong-un had known the groom from his time in the military, and he had called him separately to ask him to act as though he knew Jo Gwang-il, who would be attending as a guest.
Back in his service days, the groom had been one of Ko Jeong-un’s subordinates, and he respected him more than anyone else.
He readily agreed to the request.
Then Ko Jeong-un, whom even the groom had not expected, showed up in person.
Those who recognized Ko Jeong-un approached him and exchanged greetings.
Ko Jeong-un greeted them in return.
That was when Jo Gwang-il called out to him.
“Oh, Uncle.”
When Mei Shin heard Jo Gwang-il call Ko Jeong-un Uncle, she was stunned.
She knew exactly who Ko Jeong-un was.
She knew not only Ko Jeong-un, but also the high-ranking figures at the presidential office and the current and former generals in the military.
“Oh, Daniel. You made it.”
Ko Jeong-un replied in English, playing along.
“You came too, Uncle.”
“How is life in Korea?”
“Well, thanks to your help, Uncle.”
“And the woman with you?”
Ko Jeong-un asked, glancing at Mei Shin.
“Ah, this one? How should I put it. My red tulip?”
“Tulip?”
“The red tulip’s flower meaning is true love.”
Jo Gwang-il said it with a smile.
Ko Jeong-un’s expression changed in a way that was hard to read, and then he patted Jo Gwang-il on the shoulder.
“Come in and sit down.”
Ko Jeong-un naturally led Jo Gwang-il toward the guest seats.
Of course, Mei Shin sat beside him.
Ko Jeong-un and Jo Gwang-il acted and spoke as if they were already acquainted, but like Jo Gwang-il and the groom, they were meeting for the first time.
This time, it had been Kang-hae’s idea.
To find out what the woman who had approached Jo Gwang-il was after, they needed to throw out a bigger lure.
Kang-hae had gone to see Ko Jeong-un and explained that a natural-looking encounter with Jo Gwang-il was necessary.
Ko Jeong-un then remembered the upcoming wedding of one of his former subordinates.
After the ceremony ended, Ko Jeong-un stood up without even eating.
“Aren’t you going to eat?”
“We’ll eat together next time.”
After saying that, Ko Jeong-un left the wedding hall.
Jo Gwang-il and Mei Shin cut into their steaks together.
“That man who just left—was he your uncle?” Mei Shin asked casually.
“Ah. Not really blood-related. You call someone Uncle when the relationship is hard to define, don’t you?”
Mei Shin had a great many things she wanted to ask.
But she swallowed the questions, worried they might raise unnecessary suspicion.
After dinner was over as well, Jo Gwang-il suggested taking her for a drive.
But Mei Shin politely refused, saying she was tired.
Jo Gwang-il showed no disappointment as he drove her home.
“Thanks for coming to the wedding with me today.”
“Not at all. Sorry I couldn’t take you out for that drive.”
“Then we’ll do it another time.”
“All right. Get home safely.”
“Rest well.”
Mei Shin got out of Jo Gwang-il’s car and went into the officetel building.
Instead of heading upstairs, however, she waited until his car disappeared.
Once it was gone, Mei Shin left the building and got into a taxi.
She was headed to Best Rich Investment’s Korean branch.
And Kang-hae, watching from outside Mei Shin’s home, followed the taxi after seeing her do the same.
He confirmed that she went up into the company building.
Knock knock.
“Come in.”
Sun Wei, who had been notified in advance, was waiting for Mei Shin.
“The National Security Office Director showed up at the wedding?”
“Yes.”
“What’s his relationship with that man?”
“They’re not blood relatives or family. But they seemed close.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“…….”
Sun Wei wore an expression of distrust, and Mei Shin did not like it.
“You know the National Security Office Director used to be the director of Military Intelligence before he became Director, right?”
“I know.”
“Anything suspicious?”
“According to Ko Jeong-un’s evaluation file, he was described as cold and curt, but the man I saw today felt more like a kindly neighborhood uncle.”
“…….”
Sun Wei fell into thought.
If they could recruit the National Security Office Director, it would be a major opportunity.
Recruitment didn’t simply mean persuading a target and extracting information from them.
Putting someone under management also counted as recruitment.
Just maintaining a good relationship with influential figures in Korea could prove useful for all sorts of future developments.
But there was one sticking point.
Ko Jeong-un had once been Director of Military Intelligence, and there was his reputation from his years in the service.
If they got too close to him, they might end up drawing suspicion instead.
“For now…….”
Sun Wei began, then stopped himself.
He thought it over again.
Mei Shin waited in silence for what he would say next.
“Try recruiting him as a managed asset.”
“Understood.”
That was Sun Wei’s conclusion.
The risk was high.
But he was the Director of the National Security Office.
They couldn’t afford to let an opportunity like this slip away.
“Oh, and Headquarters contacted us.”
“……?”
“They said 300,000 U.S. dollars had been deposited into Daniel Kim’s TD account.”
“Who sent it?”
“Argon Air Systems.”
“……!”
“Maybe this man Daniel Kim is a lobbyist or a broker.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
With that, Mei Shin left Sun Wei’s office.
At the same time, hackers in the Financial Analysis Room of NIS Counterintelligence Division 3 were examining accounts related to Argon Air Systems.
They discovered that Argon Air Systems had transferred 300,000 U.S. dollars to a person named Daniel Kim.
The report went up the chain immediately.
And it reached NIS Director Seo Seong-guk.