God of Blackfield

Montechelle, who had a moderate build, dragged an enemy’s corpse by the hair. Though usually gentle, his eyes were now filled with ferocity.

“I found him a bit farther away from where he was killed. Someone probably tried to carry him.”

Half of the middle-aged man’s neck had been blown off, and the remaining portion was hanging loosely on his shoulder.

Kang Chan stood in front of the cave, facing downward. To avoid a possible sniper shot, he stepped back two paces and slung his rifle over his shoulder. There was still some time left before dawn.

“Mazani! Check the wounded and call Éiric,” he ordered.

“Oui!”

Kang Chan was bleeding from his shoulder and waist. Just like their two severely injured men, most of the team also required urgent treatment. They also lost four men to a properly trained sniper and mortar fire.

While recalling the things that didn’t add up, he noticed reinforcements approaching in the distance.

Clang. Clang.

Éiric soon approached with two other soldiers, and Dayeru emerged from the cave. His eyes still hadn’t lost their intensity. Diving into the realm of death was never easy. Overcoming the fog of the mind and the numbing of the body to stab the enemy required unimaginable willpower.

Dayeru, who had overcome all that, was now staring at Kang Chan. Kang Chan looked at Dayeru’s waist and smirked.

Dayeru laughed. “Phuhuhu!”

Crazy bastard.

Kang Chan knew that Dayeru was laughing now, but once he got back to the base, the pain would hit him so hard it would make him groan involuntarily.

Soon, the reinforcements—the 10th unit—reached their position.

“We have two critically wounded. Bring them down,” Kang Chan ordered.

“Will do.”

The 10th unit quickly moved Smithen and the man that Kang Chan had carried from inside. After cooperating with the 10th unit for a while, Kang Chan saw more Foreign Legion soldiers closing in.

Clang. Clang.

Kang Chan, Mazani, Éiric, Dayeru, and two other soldiers moved out, and the Foreign Legion soldiers respectfully stepped aside, honoring the God of Blackfield and his team. After about twenty minutes of walking, they reached a truck.

“Got a smoke?” Kang Chan inquired.

The driver swiftly handed him a pack and a lighter. Kang Chan took a cigarette and gestured toward the soldiers.

Click! Fwoosh!

“Hoo.”

He smoked with the other soldiers, perhaps to erase the smell of blood and feel alive.

***

Miguel, the head of the DGSE’s Central African branch, rested his forehead on his left arm, which was propped on his desk. He couldn’t figure out what exactly went wrong, but the stubborn Asian captain’s unit had single-handedly dealt with almost all the enemies and even taken down Machzani. They had no choice but to give him another medal.

That unyielding Asian captain’s going to get another bargaining chip again.

“Hmph!”

After glancing at the report, Miguel sipped his iced tea and stared into the air, noticing that something was off.

‘Could Sharlan be deliberately pushing that man?’

It was too reckless. If that were the case, then how did the enemies know that the 11th unit would appear there and prepare snipers and mortars in advance?

Miguel had to submit a report soon, so he set aside his suspicions and began drafting the document.

***

Despite having wounds severe enough to warrant a forced evacuation, Dayeru, who had returned to Kilima, adamantly refused to be transferred.

“Captain!” Dayeru called.

Kang Chan responded to Dayeru’s request with a faint smile. Of the twelve who had been stationed at Kilima, only six remained. Since the unit needed new members, they couldn’t execute operations yet.

***

Sharlan visited the hospital where Smithen had been transferred. Bullets had torn and burst open his thigh and shin. The severe bleeding aside, he was fortunate compared to having bullets lodged in his bones.

“Grrr!”

“Stop whining or I’ll send you somewhere else,” Sharlan said firmly.

Smithen abruptly stopped groaning.

“Did you see any red light?”

“No, sir.”

“You were with Channy the entire time, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Do you think the light could have appeared while you were unconscious?”

Smithen briefly tilted his head. As if making an excuse, he replied, “When that bastard Dayeru threw me to the ground, I briefly regained consciousness, and then reinforcements arrived soon after.”

Smithen licked his dry lips, seemingly struggling to speak.

He continued, “If the light appeared after that, our reinforcements would have definitely seen it.”

It was a perfectly reasonable statement, yet a brief silence followed.

“Why are you so insistent on staying under Channy? I could send you somewhere more comfortable.”

“I want to stay in the 11th unit.”

Sharlan’s sharp gaze, laced with poison-like suspicion, pierced through Smithen.

“Explain your reason.”

“He knows how to protect his men.”

Smithen didn’t notice the slight twitch in Sharlan’s eye.

“He assigns tasks according to each soldier's abilities. He stands at the forefront, and he blocks the danger ahead…” Seeing Sharlan’s piercing gaze, which gleamed with a chilling intensity, Smithen quickly changed his stance on the matter. “Above all, the 11th unit receives special treatment.”

***

The day after the operation ended, Kang Chan sat face-to-face with Sharlan.

“You will be getting five new members,” said Sharlan as he handed a file to Kang Chan. “Smithen’s injuries aren’t too severe, so he’ll be back soon.”

“Even so, don’t you think he’ll have trouble joining operations for a while?” Kang Chan argued.

“I’ll look into that again. For now, select four and notify me first.”

“Even with Smithen included, I still need to choose five, no?”

“I have a candidate in mind for one of them. I’ll inform you once it’s confirmed.”

“Understood.”

Kang Chan took the file and left Sharlan’s tent.

***

The week passed quietly. Aside from the injured soldiers’ faces being covered in black scabs and Dayeru groaning every time he moved his waist, nothing much happened. The tired ones would nap during the day and sleep at night, while the bored ones lounged lazily at the table in front of the tent, looking like the laziest people in the world.

Sharlan visited the gathering of the unit but soon shook his head in confusion and left. Korean, French, Arabic, and English were all being spoken in a bewildering mix. He couldn't make sense of the situation at all.

As the sun set, Kang Chan selected the soldiers who would join the unit. He never discussed such matters with the team since soldiers who had been part of the discussions tended to pay more attention to or disregard the newly assigned members.

Before dinner, Kang Chan visited Sharlan.

“I’m choosing these four,” he said, handing over the list.

Sharlan first glanced at the documents and then looked up at Kang Chan.

“This guy is clearly a French national. Why did you pick him over other more experienced soldiers?” asked Sharlan.

He pushed forward the document of the soldier with Monegasque nationality. French nationals often acquired Monegasque citizenship to enlist as common soldiers. Those who came this way tended to cause problems with their unusual stubbornness.

Kang Chan looked at the soldier’s photo in the document and chuckled. The reason he picked him was that the expression in his eyes was similar to Dayeru’s. How could he explain that?

Sharlan let out a low sigh when Kang Chan remained quiet.

“I can recall Smithen, right?” Sharlan inquired.

“If it doesn’t interfere with the next mission, I’ll do so. What about the remaining spot?”

“I've already selected someone,” Sharlan responded as he handed over a document.

It was a soldier who had joined the special forces team training right after completing the general training course, much like Dayeru.

“This one’s practically a rookie,” Kang Chan stated.

“His training results were so outstanding that he qualified for special forces team training. I thought he would be a good fit for the reputation of the 11th unit.”

Kang Chan had his doubts, but there was no reason to oppose it.

***

After Kang Chan left, Sharlan reviewed the documents again. Soldiers with excellent training results generally fell into two categories. Some, like Kang Chan, stood on their own, while others displayed loyalty to rank.

Looking at the photo of the well-groomed rookie, Sharlan smiled in satisfaction. Smithen was already on board. If he could properly mentor this untainted recruit through Smithen before he fell to Kang Chan’s influence, he would become a valuable asset too.

He’d have a smart and obedient soldier on his hands.

***

In 2007, Director Hwang Ki-Hyun of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service led President Moon Jae-Hyun and Prime Minister Go Gun-Woo to the agency’s underground briefing room.

In a world where even the departure of helicopters or the movement of bicycles at the Blue House could be detected by the United States, China, Russia, and Japan, there was no place in South Korea more secure from eavesdropping than this one.

“Ambassador Lanok is clearly the one holding the reins,” Hwang Ki-Hyun began his report the moment they sat down. “Based on the information gathered by our agents in Europe, it seems even the DGSE and Russia’s intelligence bureau hold Lanok in high regard.”

“Why has he come to our country? The position of French ambassador hardly suits his stature,” President Moon Jae-Hyun asked.

“Our best guess is that he’s avoiding the British intelligence bureau and the terrorist threats in the Arab world,” replied Hwang Ki-Hyun.

A heavy silence filled the underground meeting room.

“We absolutely cannot miss this opportunity,” President Moon Jae-Hyun said as he glanced at Prime Minister Go Gun-Woo. “It’s a rail that will run through Europe. Our country will be the starting point, attracting immense cargo volume. More importantly, it will allow us to prevent war.”

Prime Minister Go Geon-Woo listened in silence.

“I understand your concerns, Prime Minister, but whose name gets attached to this achievement is not what matters. Before long, powerful nations that need a war will find no place as appealing as the Korean Peninsula.”

“We need to consider the political implications more carefully. The initial costs could be astronomical, and we’ll also need to structure the organization. If there are no tangible results, all of this could backfire in the next election,” Go Gun-Woo advised.

Despite Go Gun-Woo’s counsel, Moon Jae-Hyun remained resolute.

“The Eurasian Rail is the only way to divert the massive influx of cargo from China to our country,” Moon Jae-Hyun replied to both Hwang Ki-Hyun and Go Gun-Woo. “Find a discreet channel to connect with Ambassador Lanok. My priority is the development of our nation and ensuring that our people can live without the threat of war.”

Go Gun-Woo glanced at Hwang Ki-Hyun, who remained expressionless.

“I’ve set aside any political ambitions. As the President of South Korea, I must put the country's progress and the happiness of its citizens first,” Moon Jae-Hyun declared with firm resolve, leaving Go Gun-Woo with no further objections.

“If the Ministry of Foreign Affairs gets involved, other countries’ intelligence bureaus might catch wind of it. The National Intelligence Service should find the discreet channel,” Moon Jae-Hyun added.

“We will do our best, but it won’t be easy,” Hwang Ki-Hyun responded with a serious expression.

“I understand, but we have to succeed in this mission. To that end, we absolutely need to find that channel,” Moon Jae-Hyun replied, his eyes shining with determination.

***

Clang. Clang.

Five soldiers approached Kang Chan’s table.

“You four already know how things work in the special forces, so I won’t say much. Éiric! Assign these men to their barracks,” Kang Chan ordered.

“Oui!” Éiric responded, pointing the recruits in the right direction.

“You. You’re new to this kind of unit, so observe and follow along for now. If it gets too tough, let me know right away, and I’ll arrange for a transfer,” Kang Chan instructed.

“The moment I heard the legend of the God of Blackfield, I have already decided to join the 11th unit,” the rookie replied unwaveringly.

His unblooded eagerness made Kang Chan feel as if he was listening to a freshly plucked chicken lying in a refrigerator—he got chills.

“It’s better to reserve judgment until after your first battle. Go and rest for now,” Kang Chan advised.

“Oui!” the rookie responded. He then turned with slightly more precise movements.

Just as Kang Chan chuckled, a loud noise erupted.

Crash! Bang! Thud! Thwack!

What’s going on?

Other than Kang Chan, there were only five seasoned members left, and Dayeru’s injured back made it difficult for him to fight. Kang Chan licked his lips as he moved toward the barracks.

‘Huh?’

He was honestly surprised.

Even with a bad back, Dayeru’s still getting a nosebleed?

“Stop!” Kang Chan commanded.

The new recruit whipped his head around at the order. Blood was streaming from a cut on the corner of his left eye and mouth. If this was that typical, arrogant French pride, Kang Chan had no intention of forgiving it.

“What the hell is this?”

Moreover, whatever the reason, when someone looked at him with those eyes, it immediately sparked his anger.

Dayeru, with his waist bandaged and soaked with blood, was panting heavily in front of him. Seeing Kang Chan’s gaze, the recruit gritted his teeth and half-lowered his eyes.

“What was your name again?” Kang Chan asked.

Perhaps it was the question that made the recruit quickly raise his eyes to meet Kang Chan’s.

“Gérard! Gérard Gee, sir,” he replied in defiance.