Chapter 347
Chapter 347
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Day of the Coup
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The day before the operation began, I ordered the facility manager in charge of the safehouse to prepare fugu soup.
“Fugu soup? Won’t that be too risky?”
“It’ll be fine. Everyone’s been working hard—they’ll love it made with premium ingredients.”
As I finalized preparations for the operation, I stayed hyper-alert to any movements from Yongseong’s side.
First, I called the security director.
“Tomorrow’s schedule won’t differ much from the usual. No VIPs from Yongseong will be joining separately.”
“I see.”
On the surface, everything looked smooth.
I instructed Park Heung-sik from the media operations room and Eom Ji-won from the major crimes unit to stand by at the safehouse tomorrow.
‘In the absolute worst case, the only one I can rely on is myself.’
I felt the cold steel of the Walther PPK in my hand.
This would be the end of Jang Dong-yoon.
“Goroshimatsu.”
I aimed the pistol at Jang Dong-yoon’s portrait.
The next day, I sprang into action.
In the morning, I visited Pyongyang Revolutionary Square to inspect the protest suppression site, then stopped by Capital Defense Command for a briefing from the capital defense commander.
Talk of deploying tanks had fizzled out along with the momentum from the Tanjeo and cult stories, so no one mentioned mobilizing armor.
Still, committing paratroopers showed they weren’t taking the protests lightly.
After lunch with the capital defense commander, I headed to the safehouse in the afternoon.
As soon as I arrived at the Daebang-dong safehouse, I asked the chef to show me the unprepared fugu.
“Oh, it’s right here.”
“Don’t dispose of the viscera separately later—boil it on the side instead.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s for something the agency will use later.”
“Ah, yes. Understood.”
Leaving the chef with a bewildered look, I headed to the safehouse office.
Only three people had offices here: Jang Dong-yoon, me, and the 2nd Bureau chief, who was in charge of the safehouse.
I summoned the key staff here.
Security Director Han Nam-dong and Protocol Director Ki Myung-su.
I started by lying to them.
“You all know how chaotic things are these days.”
“Of course.”
“Do you know what Yongseong’s been saying in this situation?”
I paused to choose my words, then dropped the bombshell.
“They said to just roll tanks over the protesters.”
“What?”
They couldn’t hide their shock.
“They even said since the Khmer Rouge killed about a million in Cambodia, what’s thirty thousand deaths to us?”
“Who the hell said something that insane?”
“The President did.”
Everyone was stunned.
Of course, it was all a lie I’d fabricated.
“If we let this slide, it won’t just be Pyongyang—the whole Republic is finished.”
I ramped up the sense of crisis to the max.
Complex emotions flickered across the two executives’ faces.
I pulled the Walther from my desk drawer.
And slammed it down on the desk with a thud.
“I plan to resolve today’s situation with this.”
“Director, even so...”
Before my subordinates could start weighing the odds, I steered their thoughts in the direction I wanted.
“The Joint Chiefs Chairman and the intelligence deputy director are coming to the safehouse today too. Who do you think invited them?”
Those few words made their eyes light up.
“Senior, Director—this is duty for the nation. If no one steps up, hundreds of thousands will die.”
I appealed to their sense of duty.
After a moment of silence, the executives gave their answer.
“We’ll join you in the coup, Director.”
“You two have chosen the right path for our country and people today.”
I told the security director that a silencer was in my car trunk.
“Director, arm the guards right before we move. You’ve got them under control here, right?”
“No problem.”
Next was the protocol director.
“Senior, make sure you’ve got the protocol staff locked down. If even one slips, we’re all dead.”
“Don’t worry. They’re like family.”
“Then just the two of you meet me in front of my office at 6:30 p.m.”
“Got it.”
I sent the two executives on their way.
The second hand on the clock ticked mercilessly fast.
3:30 p.m.
I called Eom Ji-won and Colonel Park Heung-sik to my office.
I gave them the same story and asked if they’d join the coup.
“We’ll follow you, Director.”
The favors I’d bestowed, the seemingly favorable odds.
All of it made their decisions easier.
“Then stand by, and once it’s done, you two handle body disposal.”
“Yes, sir.”
Two hours left.
I called in the 2nd Bureau chief, who’d been in his own office, and gave him an urgent task.
“It’s about our safehouse in Hanseong. A VIP might need it soon. Could you go check it out?”
“Of course.”
I sent the facility manager on an errand too.
Now the Daebang-dong safehouse’s ANGI executives were mostly my direct subordinates.
4:30 p.m.
I called in Section Chief Oh and gave him a simple task.
“Double-check the hospital list for body storage and the routes.”
“Understood.”
One hour left.
I pondered how to handle the one executive still unaligned.
The director’s aide-de-camp.
Why hadn’t I recruited such a key figure for a coup? Because there hadn’t been time while cozying up in the director’s seat.
And swapping him out openly for one of mine would only fuel Jang Dong-yoon’s suspicions.
I’d used that to my advantage, keeping Colonel Lee Dae-won as a shield to deflect Jang’s doubts.
“See? I’m clean enough to keep an untrustworthy guy right beside me.”
As long as Lee Dae-won was in place, Jang’s side wouldn’t suspect me of plotting anything.
After all, what could a guy who hadn’t even secured the closest aide pull off?
I’d used Colonel Lee Dae-won as my shield right up to this day.
But his usefulness was at an end.
No point leaving a risky witness who could testify about the situation when I was taking out Jang anyway.
After some thought, I came up with a plan.
‘I’ll feed him the fugu viscera too, then finish him with a bullet.’
To make my scenario convincing, we needed casualties on our side too.
I summoned Colonel Lee Dae-won.
“You called, Director?”
He had no inkling I was about to eliminate him.
“Your duties today can wait until after we leave, so go rest in the lounge and grab some food.”
“Yes, sir.”
Lee Dae-won bowed politely.
I picked up the phone again.
“Get me security detail.”
“Security detail here, Director.”
“Don’t stay right outside today—go eat at the Hamheung cold noodle place nearby and take a break. The aide will call if anything comes up.”
“Yes, Director.”
I’d cleared out the security detail too.
I checked the second hand.
5:30 p.m.
A car appeared, black crow with three legs on both sides flapping alongside the Taegukgi.
Only one person in this country used the three-legged crow emblem.
President Jang Dong-yoon.
I stood at attention with the executives and bowed toward the presidential entourage.
At a glance, there were 32 security officers.
More than the safehouse guards.
Some wore body armor too.
As I eyed the security officers, Chief Chae approached.
“Director Bae. You’re here early.”
“Yes. Had some work, so I hurried.”
A lot of them, but we had our secret weapon: the fugu.
Once we got past the security, nothing else stood in the way.
The only VIPs with the president were his chief of staff and security chief.
I followed the presidential group to Room 5.
The room for events varied by date and guest count when the president visited.
It was a security measure for emergencies.
Of course, it was useless if an insider was dead set on assassination.
Entering Room 5, I saw the women the protocol director had lined up.
All young college students, stunning beauties.
As we sat, they naturally took seats beside us.
One sat next to me too.
Her fresh young scent was soon overpowered by the president’s heavy whiskey breath.
“Director Bae.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“Let’s have a drink first.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
I took the glass from the president.
As the liquor made a few rounds, the mood heated up.
The president, in high spirits, had one of the girls sing.
It wasn’t a moment for conversation.
I quickly checked my watch and stood.
“Director Bae, what’s up?”
Presidential Chief of Staff Lee Dong-chae looked puzzled.
“Just heading to the bathroom.”
Lee Dong-chae looked awkward.
I left Room 5 and went to Room 9 in the back, where a safehouse staffer guided me to Joint Chiefs Chairman Marshal Lee Seung-chan and Intelligence Deputy Director Shin Seung-hee.
“Sorry about this, Chairman. His Excellency suddenly summoned me.”
“Oh? Then let’s reschedule.”
“No, no. I’ll get his okay and be right back. In the meantime, Deputy Director Shin here will look after you. He knows the state of affairs better than I do. Deputy Director, please take good care of the chairman.”
“Don’t worry, Director. I’ve got it.”
“Good.”
I left them there and rushed back to the safehouse office.
The security and protocol directors waited out front.
I grabbed the pistol from the office, then faced them with a resolute expression.
“You’re prepared, right?”
“Of course, Director.”
“The moment the shot rings out, we move.”
The security was several times the usual, but our odds were good.
With the element of surprise, it was winnable.
“Oh, Senior.”
“Yes, Director.”
“Tell the chef to add the separately boiled fugu viscera to the security officers’ meal.”
“Understood.”
I finished my orders and glanced toward Room 5.
Now it was time to decide life and death, victory and defeat.