Ch.97Episode 5 – Journalist, Diplomat, Soldier, Spy

I feel dizzy. I think I might have a slight fever.

Through my hazy consciousness, I hear someone speaking. A deep, dignified voice.

“…Good work.”

My vision is blurry. Through cloudy eyes that seem covered in fog, the Executive Director is looking at me.

“How was your business trip? I heard the situation there was pretty bad.”

The sound of the TV news mingles with my response.

[At 9:00 local time, Russian media reported that a North Korean diplomat was found dead in the Nakhodka region. According to local sources, the North Korean diplomat was a third secretary…]

“Is that so?”

The Executive Director sinks into his chair. The old chair screams. Creeeeak.

“Damn it. I told them to oil this thing… Seriously, they can’t even replace the furniture properly when moving headquarters…”

The Executive Director spits out complaints in an irritated tone.

“Anyway, you’re sure there were no problems with this business trip? If there’s any gossip afterward like that time in, what was it, Hanoi, we’ll be in trouble.”

Well, I’m sure you handled everything properly.

“Do you have any plans now that you’re back from your trip?”

“I’m thinking of stopping by Mount Cheonggye before heading to my hometown.”

“Mount Cheonggye? …Ah. You’re going to see your father. Right. You should visit often. Such a filial son, you are.”

After those words, an awkward silence followed. The TV news sound blended with the silence, creating a strange atmosphere.

Ahem. With a loud throat-clearing, the TV sound disappeared, breaking the silence.

“How long until your promotion review? First round for Major.”

“About three years, I believe.”

“Is that so? Hmm… Your hometown was Chungcheong Province, wasn’t it?”

“My grandfather’s hometown was Chungcheong. I’m a native of Gyeonggi Province.”

“Really? Then… do me a favor on your way home.”

The Executive Director puts down the remote control and hands me a folder. It’s a registry. Cheongjin City in North Hamgyong Province, Rangrim County in Jagang Province, Sinuiju in North Pyongan Province…

“This is a list of North Korean defectors who passed through the Unification Center. You know that while defectors are officially managed by the Ministry of Unification, some are managed by Namdaemun and Sogyeok-dong, right? Same goes for our company.”

The Executive Director taps on a corner of the list.

“From here to here. Stop by on your way to vacation and check them out.”

“May I ask why?”

“Why are you asking something you already know the answer to?”

Click- The Executive Director lights a cigarette.

“Phoooo.”

The exhaled smoke fills the room.

“Have coffee with them. Talk, and if they need something, just give it to them. Most of the information is on the company server, so refer to that. If money can solve it, try that. Help them call their families through brokers, you know?”

“Will that really be effective?”

“What else can we do? It’s not like we can infiltrate across the DMZ or the NLL like back in ’88.”

The Executive Director turns his chair and waves his hand dismissively.

I gather the folder, salute, and leave the room.

As I turn the doorknob…

“Major.”

Through my muffled eardrums, someone calls me.

“Major!”

“Aaahhh!”

“Shit, you scared me!”

Episode 5 – Journalist, Diplomat, Soldier, Spy

Profanity greeted me the moment I opened my eyes. I was definitely with the Executive Director in the office before, but when I came to my senses, I found myself in a luxurious hotel room.

Wondering where I was, I tried to sit up to look around, but a stabbing pain surged through me.

“Argh…!”

“Stay still!”

“Ughhhh…!”

As I rolled around on the bed clutching my shoulder, the feeling of gauze against my knuckles reminded me why I was here.

First, I had guided Fabio Verati to a hotel room booked under my name to blackmail him.

I even set up surveillance equipment in the adjacent room to replay our conversation if things went south. Of course, that room was booked under a different name.

Second, while talking with Fabio Verati, someone broke into the room.

They were assailants using Kienese. Three in total. Five if you count the two who joined later.

Third, the assailants were armed with guns, and I engaged in a shootout with them.

I tried to take them all out before they could shoot, but their response was faster than expected, leading to a standoff. Though outnumbered, I managed to take them all down by using rune stones as improvised weapons.

Fourth, mage tower officials arrived at the hotel after receiving a fire report.

I sent Fabio Verati down first, retrieved the recording tape from the next room, and burned everything in my room to destroy evidence. Equipment I couldn’t retrieve was hidden in the plumbing compartment.

Fifth, I stopped by a pharmacy, bought a bunch of medical supplies, and returned to the hotel.

Since hospital records could be dangerous in any way, I performed emergency treatment on my own. Removing bullets, applying burn ointment, taking antibiotics, getting IV fluids…

I did all the emergency treatment I could and contacted everyone I could reach. Clevins, Military Intelligence, Defense Attaché’s Office, Unit 73 staff, Pippin and Jake.

As my thoughts reached that point, I suddenly remembered what Jake had said to me.

“What happened? You said you were going to meet Agent 51!”

“I got shot…!”

“What?!”

“I got shot, you idiot…!”

After rolling around on the bed for a while, I finally gathered my wits and examined my wounds. Fortunately, it seemed the wounds hadn’t reopened as the bleeding had stopped.

Still, the pain remained the same, so I swallowed a painkiller from the bedside table, which helped calm me down a bit.

I sat on the bed waiting for the medicine to take effect and looked at Pippin and Jake.

“Why are you here?”

Pippin answered my question.

“You said you were shot!”

“How did you know that?”

“You texted us!”

Did I?

Thinking about it, I vaguely remember sending texts to Pippin and Jake. I can’t recall clearly, but it’s somewhat coming back to me.

Memory loss?

While I was seriously wondering if I was already suffering from dementia, Jake started opening an envelope.

“Weren’t you supposed to meet Agent 51 today? Why did you come back shot?”

“I don’t know. Intelligence must have leaked.”

“What?”

Pippin and Jake were shocked at the mention of leaked intelligence.

“Intelligence leaked?”

“Who? Why? Where?”

“You didn’t fight with the Mage Tower security, did you?”

“My head’s ringing, so talk slowly, guys.”

I sat Pippin and Jake down and began explaining.

I skipped the moment I first met Fabio Verati and started from when I encountered the assailants inside the hotel.

There wasn’t much to tell, really. Today’s events could be summarized as: assailants raided the safe house, we had a brief standoff, I killed them all, and escaped before the police arrived.

The story was simple and concise.

However, the implications were anything but simple.

“Imperial Army? Reconnaissance Command…?”

“I don’t know either. I’m not even sure if they were Imperial Army. It’s just the circumstances that suggest it.”

“Has your identity been compromised?”

“I don’t think so. …Probably.”

First, where did the assailants who raided the room come from?

“You must have checked the bodies, right?”

“I didn’t have time to collect biometric data. Teeth, appearance, ears, fingerprints, everything.”

“…So those bodies are in police hands now?”

“I suppose so.”

“…Can this be resolved with diplomatic immunity?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

Second, how will the Mage Tower’s police and counterintelligence agencies respond?

“…What should we do?”

Third, what should we do now?

“……”

“……”

“……”

There was too much to think about, and everyone seemed to buffer.

It was impossible to predict which direction things would go.

The higher-ups might cancel the operation for safety reasons, send investigators to find problems and suspend operations, or the Mage Tower might designate me as persona non grata and expel me.

Perhaps the security police might come knocking tomorrow, or assassins seeking revenge for their dead comrades might come after me.

I have no idea what will happen.

“You should report this first…”

“I did.”

“Then what do we do now?”

“What else? We wait for instructions. Tell the staff to be careful for now.”

I took out a thermometer from the envelope Jake was holding and checked my temperature. Infection would be serious. I had taken antibiotics, but since I wasn’t treated by a priest, infection could happen at any time.

“Temperature… normal. What time is it now?”

“10:37 PM. Are you really okay?”

“How could I be okay after being shot? I can move without problems. Just need to be careful, I think.”

Pippin nodded.

“Just rest for now. I’ll clean up here and contact the staff.”

“Don’t use the emergency contact network, use the regular one. This isn’t big enough for the emergency network.”

“What? This isn’t an emergency situation?”

I shrugged and opened a bottle of water. Just as I was about to gulp it down, something odd occurred to me, and I pulled the bottle away from my lips.

“Hey. How did you get in here anyway? It should have been locked.”

Jake, who was organizing the medical supplies, answered.

“It was open.”

“…The door wasn’t locked?”

“No. Did you forget to lock it?”

Jake answered briefly and continued tidying up the room with Pippin.

I pondered his words, tilting my head.

“…Maybe?”

I must have forgotten to lock it in the confusion.

-Ring ring.

The phone rang. It was the hotel phone.

Wondering if it was a call from another room, I picked up the receiver with my uninjured hand.

“Hello?”

-‘This is the Information Analysis Office from the delegation, Major. Can you come to the front of the hotel now?’