Chapter 144
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 144
Chapter Title: I Don't Mind Playing Along With Their Filthy Intentions (1)
Words aren't just spoken.
They can be conveyed through a look, and her trembling lips, unable to open while he was on the phone with William, said a great deal.
Kanghyeok gave a heavy nod as if to reassure her, then dropped his gaze to his phone.
It wasn't a video call.
Still, he looked away because it was difficult to meet Leila's eyes.
“When does the mission begin?”
(Three days from now. A plane will be heading your way.)
“A plane?”
(You'll transfer to a boat in the nearby sea to reach the destination. The mission begins once you arrive on the island.)
“An island?”
(Yes, it's a bit far.)
Kanghyeok looked at the proposal displayed on Leila’s phone.
It was a proposal that included the approved weapons and the location of the target point.
Using his thumb and index finger to zoom in on the screen, Kanghyeok narrowed his eyes as he confirmed the target location.
(It's Japan.)
Kanghyeok ran his tongue over his lips.
He could almost hear Gabriel’s voice in his head.
Japan.
The country where the bastards who supplied raw materials to Iron Mask were based.
And now, the location for this mission was also Japan.
Should he see this as a coincidence?
Or should he interpret it as being thrown into the den of the very people who destroyed the world, a deliberate attempt to eliminate him?
(To put it bluntly, it stinks to high heaven. There are too many suspicious parts. I've asked Olga to review the proposal, so if there are any issues, I plan to request a complete revision of the plan.)
William said, his tone meant to reassure Kanghyeok.
But neither his tone nor his intention was what Kanghyeok wanted.
“No. This is fine. Let’s proceed as planned.”
(…Are you sure about that?)
“Yes. I don’t mind playing along with their filthy intentions.”
*Thud.*
Unable to hold back, Leila shot up from her seat and stared fiercely at Kanghyeok, while William fell into a long silence.
But this was the right move.
He felt it had to be done.
Not every crisis leads to an opportunity.
And yet, this one clearly seemed to be a crisis—and an opportunity—that he absolutely had to seize.
‘If this place belongs to some of the bastards who destroyed the world, I’ll finally be getting closer to the truth.’
The closest he had ever gotten to them was when he raided Iron Mask’s warehouse.
There had been no clues to their identities.
But if this was their base, it was a completely different story.
“I’m going, no matter what. You don’t need to worry about anything else, just the follow-up measures.”
(Follow-up measures?)
“The deputy team leaders assigned to accompany me. They might attack me.”
(…Right.)
William was worried about that too.
Even if Kanghyeok was at a Team Leader level, he had only just been promoted.
William and Leila both judged that it would be difficult for him to handle two deputy team leaders in hostile territory.
“If a problem arises, I will handle it, but it might become a regulatory issue, so I’d appreciate it if you could take care of that part.”
But William and Leila were the only ones worried about that.
With a polite demeanor and a serious voice, Kanghyeok asked him to preemptively handle any potential trouble.
On the other end of the line, the corner of William’s mouth twitched into a faint smile.
‘So composed.’
It was hard to understand.
How was someone as young and with such a short career as Kanghyeok capable of this?
He was talking about striking down people from the same company.
Even if they might attack him, two deputy team leaders from the same company, both with considerable combat skills, could be coming for his life.
Yet, calmly accepting the situation and worrying about the aftermath was something impossible without extraordinary judgment and nerve.
(I’ll definitely take responsibility for that.)
“Thank you.”
(I’d like to stop you, but it doesn’t seem like you’d listen.)
“If you had, I was planning on heading to the destination myself.”
(Haha.)
*Look at this kid.*
A laugh that seemed to carry that thought flowed from the phone, slightly lightening the heavy air that had been pressing down on the living room.
“So there’s no need to worry about me. You don’t have to concern yourself with anything.”
He said it with his eyes on the phone, but his heart directed toward Leila.
It was meant for everyone, and William responded with a voice tinged with a faint sigh.
(How ironic.)
“What is?”
(It’s nothing.)
Reassuring him should have been William’s job.
With Kanghyeok taking on that role as well, William felt a mix of slight bewilderment and deep gratitude.
(*Click.*)
The sound of a lighter flicking on suggested William had put a cigar in his mouth.
(Hah! I’ll take care of everything on my end, no matter what.)
Kanghyeok said nothing, simply looking down at his phone with gratitude.
(So don’t worry about a thing and go wild. Go with the intent of landing a solid blow on those bastards.)
*We’re in this together, no matter what.*
That was the sentiment Kanghyeok clearly felt in William’s voice.
“Understood.”
(Prepare well for the next three days.)
“I’ll see you after the mission.”
Kanghyeok replied calmly and ended the call.
His tone was deliberately casual, as if this were just another ordinary assignment.
William was probably less worried now.
But the person standing right in front of him couldn't possibly react the same way William had over the phone.
“Are you really going?”
Looking at Leila’s hardened face and serious tone, Kanghyeok gave a bitter smile.
“You heard the whole call with William. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“But…”
Leila’s eyes wavered with anxiety.
“I wish you wouldn’t go.”
Her pleading voice felt like it was clinging to his heart.
“It’s too dangerous. It’s not a normal mission. Still, if you insist on going, I’ll go with you.”
He understood her feelings perfectly, but he couldn't accept her offer.
With the proposal already finalized, he couldn't request additional personnel, and there was no justification to bring Leila, who was now his secretary, not a supporter.
“I’ll be fine.”
“I can’t let you go alone.”
“No, I’m not alone.”
As Leila furrowed her brow in confusion, Kanghyeok reached for her phone.
“There are people who trust me and will lend me their strength.”
“…You’re lying.”
As far as Leila knew, no such people existed.
Some of the company’s executives were hostile toward him, and the employees, including herself, had no way to help him.
She could only conclude that Kanghyeok was lying to reassure her.
But Kanghyeok opened his mouth, his eyes filled with more conviction than she had ever seen.
“Trust me. They are people who will definitely help me.”
***
“I apologize, Director.”
Richard Hennessy’s office.
In a space large enough to fit two of his own offices, Gary Chang stood with his fists clenched at his thighs, his head bowed.
On a large display that filled one wall, the time, temperature, and humidity were shown, while lifelike fish swam about as if in a real aquarium.
Thanks to technology that allowed them to perceive the world outside the display, the virtual fish watched Gary Chang with curious eyes as Richard read the report Gary had submitted.
“Hmm.”
Richard propped his chin on his hand and turned a page of the report.
*Flip.*
The sound of the paper turning was as chilling as the blade of a guillotine falling on his neck, and Gary Chang pressed his lips together tightly. In the heavy silence, Richard read the next page.
“It’s long-winded, but the gist is that William found out. That’s all.”
“I have no excuse. I’m sorry.”
Gary Chang said, lips pressed tight as he braced for punishment, but Richard’s expression was unconcerned.
“It’s not a big deal. The worst that can happen is that Kanghyeok gets his hands on the proposal.”
“That’s what concerns me.”
Richard set the report down, the corner of his mouth lifting in a smirk as he put a cigarette to his lips.
“Why? Are you afraid the kid will back out of the mission? Or that he’ll post something on the company message board about it being suspicious?”
Gary Chang’s lips pursed and parted repeatedly with anxiety and fear before he spoke.
“I’m afraid our plan will be disrupted.”
“That won’t happen.”
Richard said coolly, placing a lighter on his desk.
Then he grabbed both corners of the report.
*Rip!*
Tearing the report in half, Richard began to burn it over an ashtray.
The flame from the lighter caught, and the paper quickly burned, spewing black smoke. The air purifier on the ceiling whirred as it sucked the smoke in.
“Get a grip, Team Leader. There’s nothing he can do.”
He might get the proposal through William.
So what?
A mere agent like Kanghyeok can’t refuse a mission that has the chairman’s approval.
He has no choice but to be deployed, and he has no choice but to meet a futile death on the chessboard Richard and Gary Chang have created.
The moment the chairman gave his approval, Kanghyeok’s fate was sealed.
“But if William secretly assigns additional personnel…”
Richard laughed as if the idea was ridiculous.
He knew there wasn’t a single combatant in this company who would help him.
***
*Knock, knock.*
It was late at night.
A time when countless stars were scattered across the clear, dark navy sky like drops of yellow paint.
At such an hour, there was a knock on the cathedral door, and Gabriel, who was on duty, was the first to hear it.
There was no reason for anyone to be knocking at this time.
Gabriel set down the scripture she was reading and picked up the candle from the table.
*Fwoosh!*
The flame flickered, spilling molten wax onto the candlestick, but Gabriel moved cautiously toward the door.
At the same time, her other hand slipped inside her habit and drew a small pistol.
“Who is it?”
Gabriel asked cautiously, standing before the door.
“Delivery.”
“It’s very late.”
*Click.*
As Gabriel released the safety, the deliveryman’s voice came through the door.
“The sender is Kanghyeok.”
“Kanghyeok? Ah!”
Remembering that Kanghyeok had sent a pistol for Yohan, Gabriel quickly engaged the safety and tucked the gun back into her habit.
She then opened the door to find a middle-aged man with a brown beret and a stylishly groomed mustache.
Dressed in a white shirt, black suspenders, and carrying a large bag, he greeted her by slightly tipping his hat.
As Gabriel gave an awkward greeting, her eyes fixed on him, the deliveryman took a small parcel from his bag.
The parcel had no address, only the name ‘Yohan’ written in cursive.
“Please make sure he receives this.”
“Ah, yes.”
She could tell from the weight that there was a pistol inside.
It felt strange.
She had never imagined there would be someone who delivered a pistol by parcel across international borders, despite the strict regulations on international mail.
“Are you from the same company as Kanghyeok?”
The deliveryman, who had been rummaging in his bag, turned his gaze to Gabriel and smiled with his eyes.
It seemed to be a signal not to ask any more questions, so Gabriel didn't.
“This parcel is for Gabriel and Sir Amos.”
The parcel the deliveryman handed her was much larger than Yohan’s.
*Rustle.*
It was light, with a soft texture.
Thinking, *could it be?*, Gabriel tried to check the shipping label, but like Yohan’s, it only had the recipients’ names.
As Gabriel started to tear open the parcel with her nail, the deliveryman stopped her.
“I’m not supposed to see what’s inside.”
“…Ah.”
“Have a good night. And please use our services again.”
The deliveryman zipped up his bag and got on a bicycle parked next to the cathedral door.
Watching the deliveryman disappear into the darkness with the sound of a rolling chain, Gabriel hurriedly began to open the parcel.
The wrapping on this parcel was different from the one for Yohan.
As if it had been sent by someone else.
‘Could it be… could it really be?’
Suppressing her pounding heart, Gabriel tore the package completely open, pulled out the contents, and unfolded them in the moonlight.
The items Kanghyeok had promised.
The garments he had agreed to provide for the Errant Priests.
Clothes that symbolized the bond between the people of the cathedral and Kanghyeok.
A nun’s habit, made of bulletproof material, swayed gently in the night breeze, held in Gabriel’s hands.