The White Galaxy
I learned Team Leader Kim's style while driving down to Jinhae. She was toughness personified.
"No, you fucking idiot, how could you forget that?"
"I'm sorry, Chairman."
"No, it's fine. Just relax."
After that, she didn't hold back.
"I asked you to get me an IBS, no, a submarine. A boat or yacht that can circle the coast once is enough, right?"
But somehow, it worked out.
"Okay, it's from Shinhyeon Shipyard."
"Chief Kim, get me the contact info for that Shinhyeon Shipyard."
As expected from Chief Kim in the intelligence field, she easily obtained the information. Avengers, huh?
Soon, Chief Kim gave me a phone number, and Team Leader Hwang asked the friends in front to be quiet.
"Hello? Is this Shinhyeon Shipyard?"
"I heard one of our ships is coming in, and our president wants to see the boat."
The voice was loud, maybe a sailor. He asked why we were bothering him.
"Yeah, I just got the call today too. By the way, when's the work date?"
"Yes, I'll contact you after reporting."
"It's the day after tomorrow."
"If the shipyard dock is raised the day after tomorrow, we can't enter the port. We have to pay money."
"If we just find the ship, the operation will be easier."
I wondered how they would find the ship. Surely not by floating around the open sea on a boat? Like old pirate ships?
"Chief Kim, please procure some drones with cameras. About four should be enough."
"Yes."
Good idea.
As we took the Namhae Expressway down, I saw the sign for the Jinhae Naval Command. We must be almost there.
"Chief Kim, tell the team members to gather near Shinhyeon Shipyard."
"Yes."
The sun was already setting over the mountains. At least the days were longer, which was fortunate.
Team Leader Hwang started taking notes on his phone using an app.
Chief Kim must have set the parking lot as the meeting place, as we entered a quiet parking lot that looked like a convention center.
Then Chief Kim went out and brought something back.
"Here, Chairman, take this."
She handed me a receiver.
'Communication check, communication check.'
'After personnel check, assign codenames and issue operation orders.'
'Has Car 1 arrived?'
They had brought six cars. Fourteen people.
'The Chairman is VIP, overall command is by Team Leader Hwang Geun-woo.'
"Command authority transferred. This is Team Leader Hwang Geun-woo. This is Command."
The moment codenames started appearing, the tension rose sharply.
'Cars 1 to 4, each receive one drone and move to the coordinates assigned via phone.'
'The remaining personnel from Cars 5 and 6, move to the location I designate and take over the boat.'
"Chairman, we seem to be short on personnel, so Chief Kim and I will have to go into the field."
"Yes, go ahead."
And we failed to locate the White Galaxy. The drones couldn't capture at night.
They ordered withdrawal, but planned to hold an operation meeting until dawn and search as soon as it got light.
If that's the case, how am I supposed to rest?
When I said I'd wait with them, they said resting would help more.
I'd have to compensate with a bonus later.
Cheol-min and I booked a motel near Shinhyeon Shipyard. To support if anything happened.
While Cheol-min went to park, I went to the counter to ask if there were rooms.
"Do you have two rooms?"
"Yes, are you here on business at Shinhyeon Shipyard?"
"Yes?"
"Oh, I thought you were with the group. They said they'd be here soon."
Then two men entered with Cheol-min.
"Those must be them."
"Here's the key."
"We reserved under the president."
"What's the name?"
"It should be under Shinhyeon Shipyard."
"How many nights?"
"One day? I thought we were just checking in the morning and going back up tomorrow?"
I didn't expect to be this lucky. To meet informants here.
"Since it's a regular client, we're collecting a month's worth for payment."
I took the keys for rooms 504 and 505 and went to the elevator.
I rode the elevator with the two men who received keys, and they got off at the 3rd floor.
When I held the door open with the open button, Cheol-min looked at me strangely.
"Come out right away, contact Manager Kim too, let's have a drink of soju and sleep."
"Yes."
We went up to the 5th floor, and I asked.
"Are you good at tailing?"
"Hyung, I'm a former hunter."
"I'm worried... but okay. The goal is to tail those two men who just got off and find out where the ship is."
"Yes."
"Let's go down right away."
Cheol-min and I waited outside the motel.
In less than 5 minutes, three men came down.
"Let's follow them."
We followed slowly, keeping 50 meters distance.
"Hyung, I can't hear them."
"Since they said they'd have a drink of soju, let's find out at the store."
As expected from coastal people, they went into a seafood stew restaurant.
We waited outside, and when the targets ordered food and opened a soju bottle cap, we went in.
Fortunately, the back seat was empty. Cheol-min sat with his back to them, and I sat facing them.
"It's been a while since a 50,000-ton class."
"Right? I think it's been about 5 months for me too."
"If President Shinhyeon wasn't in a hurry for money, we would've gone to China, but we're lucky."
"If the price was a bit higher, we would've done it in China?"
"The manufacturing industry in this country is finished, finished. Let's have a drink."
Then they were busy complaining about the company, clients, bosses, etc.
After one bottle of soju went around and another came in, the information we wanted came out.
"Manager, it seems like we anchored too close to the fish farm today. The village head will be pissed, but it'll be okay, right?"
"If we drop anchor in the middle of the sea, we're still on the ship now."
"And the Okgye village head is my friend, so it's fine."
"I'll trust only the manager."
I opened my phone and searched where Okgye was. It was quite far from the shipyard.
If we had started from the shipyard, it would've been a big problem.
I immediately contacted Chief Kim and told her the operation area had been identified. Along with this lucky situation.
I asked if Team Leader Hwang was nearby, to let me know if there was more information.
And thanked her profusely.
Just as I was about to go back in to get more information, those people came out.
I went to Cheol-min and asked if he heard anything more, and he handed me his phone. He had sense.
The recording button was visible on the phone.
I received the file and sent it to Chief Kim.
After entering the lodging, I told Executive Director Ha about the current situation and went to sleep early.
They said the operation would start when it got light.
Strangely, I couldn't sleep. I lay on the bed staring blankly, just waiting for time to pass.
When I went out at the appointed time, Cheol-min seemed the same. He was exhausted.
Cheol-min and I checked out at 3 AM and went outside.
Maybe because it was a motel near the beach, the owner didn't think it strange even at 3 AM. Instead, he greeted us saying to work hard today too.
I told Chief Kim we were on the move, and after about 40 minutes, we arrived at Okgye Port, and radio sounds started coming through the receiver.
'This is Seagull 1, fish farm visible at 6 o'clock direction. No large ships nearby.'
'This is Command, no need to go further down. If you go further, it's not the Okgye Port area.'
'This is Seagull 1, will recover.'
'This is VIP, will join the operation.'
'This is Command, welcome. Will continue commanding.'
'Roger.'
'This is Seagull 4, ship discovered, name not visible.'
'This is Command, confirm the name.'
I hoped they would find the ship. We had to earn our keep.
'This is Seagull 4, White Galaxy confirmed.'
'Okay, this is Command, report location. Seagulls 1 to 3, withdraw and gather at point B.'
'This is Seagull 4, about 4KM from Okgye Port.'
'This is Command, continue observation. Report if personnel are found.'
'Roger.'
'This is Command, will explain the operation outline once more.'
'The infiltration team will monitor in case there are duty officers or deck workers. If discovered, permission to subdue is granted.'
'This is VIP, permission to shoot to kill if threatened.'
Our family's lives are more important.
'The recovery team enters after the infiltration team first, and after confirmation, proceeds with product recovery.'
'The expected quantity is 100KG, but if more, the infiltration team may need backup or make round trips. That's all.'
'Roger.'
At 4KM, it should be visible to the naked eye, but the sun wasn't fully up yet and the weather was cloudy, so it wasn't visible.
'This is Infiltration Team, arriving at loading confirmation, 3 minutes before.'
It seemed the same there. Discovering it only now at 3 minutes distance.
'This is Command, from now on, will change to codename Cobra 1.'
'This is Cobra 1, thorough prayer concealment, boarding.'
A report came up 5 minutes later.
'Wheelhouse clear, seems no duty officer.'
Whew, lucky.
'Recovery team, board.'
'This is Cobra 1, will support the recovery team.'
Our Team Leader Hwang, who was doing double duty, was puzzled, but thinking about it, we didn't have anyone who knew the ship's structure.
'Where are you, you bastards. Get your act together!'
I was startled. Must've been an accident. No, they probably couldn't find the direction.
After the report that they made contact, 5 minutes later, an urgent radio came.
'This is Cobra 2, situation change, situation change, traces found in the dining room.'
There were people.
'This is Cobra 1, don't panic. High possibility they're in the quarters.'
'Two people each on both ends of the quarters, report immediately when someone comes out.'
'Roger.'
'This is Cobra 2, vibration felt on the ship.'
'This is Cobra 1, closing the valve and discharging seawater.'
That wasn't in the operation plan.
Time wasn't passing. It felt like an hour had passed.
'Fuck... This is Cobra 1, wait a moment.'
"Chairman, there are too many."