The Shin Jaeguk Capture Operation (2)
「More importantly, did we get anything useful out of the ones we captured alive?」
Hyun asked the executives, including Kang Hoon and Taehyun.
「They said their goal was to kidnap President Shin to secure funds for rebuilding their forces.」
「They probably planned to use President Shin to manufacture and sell opium-based drugs.」
Hearing this, Hyun nodded and addressed the executives.
「So there was nothing particularly noteworthy that you heard?」
「Yes, sir. That’s correct.」
「Understood. Then we’ll end the meeting here.」
A short while later, once the Gangryonghoe executives had left the room, a Vietnamese male cleaner entered and began tidying up.
While cleaning, the cleaner glanced around, confirmed no one was watching, and peeled something from beneath the table.
But he failed to notice the gaze fixed intently upon him.
The cleaner slipped the object into his pocket, left the hotel, and handed it to a waiting man.
The man handed the Vietnamese cleaner two hundred-dollar bills. The cleaner grinned broadly and stuffed the cash into his pocket, completely unaware of what fate awaited him.
As the cleaner walked back toward the hotel, Jeonghan stepped into his path.
「What exactly did you just remove from the room where our company employees are staying?」
「Huh…? What are you talking about…?」
Jeonghan played a video he had recorded on his phone. The footage clearly showed the cleaner retrieving something from beneath the table in the room where the Gangryonghoe executives had been meeting.
「Let’s have a little chat. It won’t take long.」
One of the Gangryonghoe men moved behind the cleaner. When the cleaner tried to run, another stepped in front of him. The man glared and cracked his neck from side to side. The cleaner stumbled backward in terror, but it changed nothing about what was coming.
Meanwhile, the man who had received the device got into a nearby car and drove to an abandoned building deep in the jungle.
When he entered a certain room, Dou Yuan—who had been maintaining firearms with his subordinates—asked in Chinese.
「The bug?」
「I’ve recovered it.」
「Play it.」
The man sat down in front of Dou Yuan and activated the listening device. The voices of the Gangryonghoe executives flowed out.
Dou Yuan listened carefully, stroking his chin with his right hand as he muttered.
「Departure from Vung Tau at 3 a.m. the day after tomorrow…」
「Should we tell the men in Vung Tau to stand by?」
「Yes. Instruct them not to use firearms without explicit orders. Have them wait at every port the targets might use.」
「Understood.」
While the Jawolbang members were preparing to seize Shin Jaeguk, Jaehyuk and Jeonghan walked down the hotel corridor and arrived at Kang Taehyun’s room.
「Department Head Kang. This is Park Jaehyuk.」
Jaehyuk knocked lightly on the door. Taehyun’s voice came from inside.
「Did Employee Lee Jeonghan come with you?」
「Yes, sir.」
「Come in.」
Jaehyuk opened the door. Taehyun, seated on the bed, gestured to the chairs beside him.
「Sit here.」
Once they were seated, Taehyun spoke to the two men.
「You both know the day after tomorrow is President Shin’s departure date, right?」
「Yes, we’re aware.」
「We’ve been assigned to escort President Shin. It won’t just be the three of us—some men from our business operations here in Vietnam will be joining us.」
Kang Taehyun and the two of us escorting Shin Jaeguk? This could be the perfect opportunity to arrest him.
「I just heard from Employee Lee Jeonghan. Give me the details.」
「Understood.」
Jeonghan explained what he had done earlier.
「I caught the hotel cleaner retrieving a listening device from the room where the executives were meeting. After interrogating him, he admitted that Jawolbang had hired him to plant and later recover the bug.」
「Jawolbang?」
Taehyun shared his theory with Jaehyuk and Jeonghan.
「It seems the kidnapping of President Shin isn’t solely the work of Honglyeonbang remnants. I found it suspicious that those few remaining bastards would dare provoke Gangryonghoe. If Jawolbang is backing them, it makes a lot more sense.」
「Then the Jawolbang men who got the information from the cleaner might come after us.」
「It’s possible. That’s why I’m putting together an operation.」
Jaehyuk and Jeonghan listened closely as Taehyun laid out the plan.
「Got it? We’ll escort President Shin to the port in Vung Tau using this method. Once we reach Korea with him, we’ll move him to a safe location while avoiding the police.」
「Yes, understood.」
「That’s all for now. Head to the armory and pick up the weapons you’ll need for the mission. Go with something compact—short ARs or SMGs.」
「Understood.」
With that, Jaehyuk and Jeonghan left Taehyun’s room. As they walked down the corridor, Jeonghan confirmed no one from Gangryonghoe was around before asking Jaehyuk.
「Did you secure all the evidence of Shin Jaeguk’s involvement in Gangryonghoe’s drug business?」
「Every last piece. I’ll send it to the agency later.」
「Good. For now, let’s go get those guns.」
The two friends headed out of the hotel together.
The next day, just before dawn, Jaehyuk was in contact with the NIS agents.
「They’re departing from Vung Tau at 3 a.m. tomorrow?」
Agent Kim Wonjin, speaking through a Bluetooth earpiece, asked Jaehyuk. Behind him, Baek Dongjin repeatedly pulled and released the charging handle of his HK416 assault rifle, performing a weapons check.
「That’s correct.」
「And you’re saying Jawolbang was the one behind the attempt to kidnap Shin Jaeguk using Honglyeonbang remnants?」
「Yes. That’s the information we obtained from the individual Jawolbang hired.」
「This is getting bigger than expected. Wasn’t Jawolbang allied with Gangryonghoe?」
「In this world, there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies.」
「Then Gangryonghoe might be preparing to stab Jawolbang in the back as well. Anyway, we’ll move at 3 a.m. tomorrow too. I’ll send an app to your phone, Inspector Park. Please install the location-tracking application.」
Wonjin moved to his computer and typed rapidly on the keyboard while continuing the call.
「We’ll use this app to track Shin Jaeguk.」
「Understood.」
Wonjin then changed the subject.
「By the way, did you see the message we sent yesterday?」
「You mean the order to eliminate any core female Gangryonghoe operative on sight?」
At that moment, Chunghwan held up a note for Wonjin. It read:
Cease requesting further cooperation from undercover assets.
Instead, instruct them to report any sightings immediately.
Wonjin nodded after reading it, then spoke to Jaehyuk.
「Yes. Upon second thought, it didn’t seem appropriate to ask for cooperation from the undercover personnel. However, we would greatly appreciate it if you could contact us the moment you spot her.」
「Yes, understood.」
After ending the call, Wonjin turned to Dongjin.
「Having the undercover agents’ cooperation would make things much smoother.」
「Do you really think Park Jaehyuk will maintain his current attitude even if he learns information about us from Jin Gayoung?」
Dongjin glared at Wonjin, who swallowed dryly and stiffened.
「There’s always the possibility. Are you certain that if Park Jaehyuk learns the truth about us, he won’t cooperate with them?」
「Couldn’t we just bribe him or threaten him when the time comes?」
「No matter where you go, there are always a few lunatics who don’t respond to such methods. Especially Park Jaehyuk. We only painted him as a corrupt cop who took bribes for his cover. In reality, his personality is much closer to that kind of lunatic.」
Wonjin fell silent.
「It means more people will know our weaknesses, and the number of people we have to eliminate could increase.」
Dongjin continued.
「It’s better to handle our business among ourselves and not drag in third parties to create unnecessary complications. Do you understand what I’m saying?」
「Yes, sir. I understand.」
3 a.m. the following day. In front of the hotel where the Gangryonghoe members were staying.
The Gangryonghoe men were preparing to transport Shin Jaeguk to Vung Tau. Jaehyuk, Jeonghan, and Taehyun were already armed and seated inside a van.
Around the hotel, Jawolbang operatives were also preparing to follow the vehicle carrying Shin Jaeguk.
「Has Shin Jaeguk come out yet?」
「Not yet.」
One of the men answered Dou Yuan’s question over the phone. He continued staring at the van parked in front of the hotel.
Then a man wearing a mask boarded the van. The Jawolbang members were thrown into confusion.
「What the—? What’s with that mask?」
「What the hell? We weren’t told about this!?」
When the operatives grew agitated, Dou Yuan asked them.
「What’s going on?」
「It’s not Shin Jaeguk. A masked man just got in.」
Did they put a mask on Shin Jaeguk and then put identical masks on men with similar builds to create confusion?
Dou Yuan immediately recognized it as a Gangryonghoe tactic meant to sow chaos and gave new orders.
「The masked man could be Shin Jaeguk. For now, only Team 1, follow the vehicle that’s leaving.」
「Only Team 1? What about the rest of us?」
「If I’m right, another van will arrive soon, and another masked man will get in. That one will either be the real Shin Jaeguk or another decoy.」
The Jawolbang members asked, clearly flustered.
「Did they know we were going to tail them and set up this plan on purpose??」
「It’s possible. Anyway, if that happens, Team 2 will follow the second vehicle. If the same thing occurs again, Team 3 will pursue.」
「Yes, understood.」
As the van carrying the masked figure departed, some of the Jawolbang men began tailing it.
A short while later, an identical van stopped at the same spot. Just as Dou Yuan had predicted, another masked man boarded.
「Team 2, move out.」
The Jawolbang operatives tailed the second van as well. Soon after, yet another van arrived and the same scene repeated. This time, Team 3 moved.
Those Gangryonghoe bastards… They actually used their heads.
Thinking this, Dou Yuan gave instructions to his remaining subordinates.
「We’ll head to Vung Tau first. There aren’t many smuggling routes operating today. We should be able to locate them quickly.」
「Yes!!」
Dou Yuan and his men gathered their weapons, got into their vehicles, and headed for Vung Tau.
Meanwhile, inside a certain building, the NIS agents who had been monitoring Jaehyuk and Jeonghan’s movements were also preparing to move to Vung Tau.
「Let’s move.」
Baek Dongjin, holding his HK416 assault rifle, gave the order. The agents nodded, picked up their own weapons, and boarded the vehicles.
The cars carrying the agents also set off toward Vung Tau. A battle to secure one man was drawing near.