Chapter 57

Chapter 57

Two hours later.

"Let's head back. Hold off on handing these bastards over to the NIS for now. We're going straight to Chinatown in Incheon. Bring weapons, just in case."

"Yes, sir."

Yi-hyeon left the abandoned factory and immediately set off for Chinatown. Speed was essential in situations like this. If they were even a little late, the higher-ups would have fled. They could hand over the bastard who'd been passing himself off as Anderson Chang to the NIS afterward.

Lee Seung-uk, who was driving, glanced at his ringing phone before turning toward Yi-hyeon.

"It's Team Leader Yu."

"That woman has already caught on? Answer it."

The moment Lee Seung-uk picked up, Yu Min-seon's furious shouting was loud enough for Yi-hyeon to hear.

"Hey! Lee Seung-uk! You went and carried out another operation without telling me, didn't you? Where are you right now?"

"What operation? I'm on my way back from dinner with the representative."

"Who the hell do you think you're fooling? I know everywhere you've been. You caused that incident at the Namsan hotel today, didn't you? Put Representative Song on."

Lee Seung-uk looked back at Yi-hyeon helplessly. To travel to Siheung, they had not only altered their appearances but also obtained another vehicle. Yet, as expected of the NIS, their movements had still fallen within its surveillance network.

Lee Seung-uk had always been somewhat intimidated by Yu Min-seon. Apart from their age difference, she often looked after him like an older sister. That was perhaps the only weakness of a man who had grown up practically orphaned. Yi-hyeon had noticed but pretended otherwise.

"Team Leader Yu."

"Representative Song! How could you make a move without telling me? Even the director knows about it now···."

"We're heading to Chinatown in Incheon. There's someone we need to capture there. We've finally worked our way up to someone around middle-management level. If you're interested, come join us."

At those words, Yu Min-seon's voice dropped.

"Chinatown? Hmm. So it really is that place··· But the Nonhyeon-dong team's meager weapons won't be enough over there. Well, it is a little early to move, but I'll report to the director and meet you there. Let me warn you again, those bastards are likely to be heavily armed. That location is supposedly occupied by members of a Chinese criminal society descended from the Triads, but we've determined that the MSS has established a foothold there."

In other words, the NIS had already uncovered some of what Yi-hyeon had extracted from Chang during his interrogation. Such was the power of an organization, apparently.

"Don't attack before our team joins you. We've already obtained the building's floor plans."

"Understood. We'll wait."

Yi-hyeon's group arrived near Chinatown and waited in their respective vehicles. Several members of the Nonhyeon-dong team got out and wandered around the vicinity, reconnoitering the area. It was something they did almost instinctively before an operation.

A short while later, Lee Seung-uk received another call and turned to Yi-hyeon.

"Sky Team has arrived."

Yi-hyeon nodded and opened his door. Lee Seung-uk notified Lee Myeong-hun as well, and all their personnel, including the Nonhyeon-dong team, dispersed and began approaching the target building. Counting Yi-hyeon, ten people had been mobilized tonight. Some carried pistols taken from Chang's group. Those bastards had thoughtfully brought suppressors along, too.

Once tonight was over, the people in Chinatown would realize something had happened to Chang. They would either go on high alert or disappear altogether.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the target building's second basement level.

Although it was technically the second basement, the building stood on such a steep slope that leaving the room, crossing the corridor, and climbing half a flight of stairs would bring someone out onto the alley below.

Most of those who had gathered previously were assembled there again, holding a meeting. Despite the late hour, people were moving through the corridors, lending the place an atmosphere of urgency.

"Still no contact with the execution team?"

The dark-faced man asked in his hoarse voice.

"Nothing yet. We can't track their cell phones either. When something like this happens···."

Something has gone wrong!

There was no other explanation for all four men losing contact simultaneously.

'Hmm. So I'll have to inform headquarters after all. To go to such lengths, only for the operation to fail···.'

His mind was in turmoil. Deep down, he had already concluded that the operation had failed.

Just then, the woman who had been sitting quietly spoke up.

"Team Leader Ke Sui, you said you'd planted someone inside S&K and that the infiltration was successful. Have you heard anything from that operative?"

The dark-faced man addressed as Ke Sui shook his head.

"I contacted her again a little while ago. She said there was nothing unusual about Song Yi-hyeon's behavior today. He attended the event at the Namsan hotel and simply went home afterward."

The woman leaned back in her chair and remarked,

"I heard that operative is quite attractive. Couldn't she find a way to approach Song Yi-hyeon personally?"

There was a peculiar edge to her voice, and her words bordered on reprimanding the team leader. Nevertheless, he answered calmly.

"I've already instructed her to do that, but she insists she hasn't even been employed there for a month, so she isn't in a position to make such an approach. She also says that fellow never seems to leave any openings···."

The woman no longer bothered concealing her displeasure.

"Hmph! Then you sent a girl who hadn't been properly trained."

The room fell silent. The others glanced nervously between the woman and the team leader. Ke Sui fixed his subdued gaze on her and spoke.

"Mei, operations concerning Song Yi-hyeon in Korea fall entirely under my authority. I suggest you choose your words carefully."

His tone carried considerable weight, but the woman called Mei refused to back down.

"This isn't about whose authority the operation falls under. Don't you understand how much attention the important people at headquarters are paying to this mission? Do you think you'll be the only one held responsible if it fails? I was dispatched here as an overseer. I'll be summoned back and held accountable, too."

Mei's voice rose as though she had been suppressing her frustration for some time. She possessed the kind of beauty that would earn her the title of a peerless beauty in China, but with her eyebrows now drawn sharply upward, she was intimidating every man in the room, including the team leader himself.

Ke Sui, who had been listening with his arms crossed, picked up the porcelain cup on the table and drank some tea. It had already gone cold and tasted bitter.

"Mei, we'll wait a little longer. Once day breaks, I'll immediately report to headquarters and take the necessary measures. Until then, be patient."

Having said that, he closed his mouth. Mei watched him for a moment, then rose and left the room.

At that very moment, Yi-hyeon's group and the NIS Sky Team had approached the building and taken up their positions. The Nonhyeon-dong team had studied the architectural plans provided by Yu Min-seon and gained a general understanding of the building's layout. Of course, since the structure was several decades old, any unauthorized interior renovations could have left the actual layout quite different. But for now, they would have to make do.

"It'll be dawn soon. Let's go in."

Yi-hyeon spoke casually and started moving. Lee Seung-uk, following behind him, immediately contacted Yu Min-seon.

"We're going in now."

Then Lee Seung-uk broke into a run, vaulted onto the iron railing of a low wall, and sprang toward a second-floor window. Watching from behind, Yi-hyeon nodded. Seung-uk had chosen his infiltration point well. Entering through that window would allow him to reach the building's core quickly.

After surveying the entire building, Yi-hyeon strolled toward a rear entrance. The back door was a cheap aluminum affair fitted with frosted glass. Contrary to its flimsy appearance, however, it was securely locked.

Yi-hyeon lightly struck the glass with his gloved hand, shattered it, and reached inside to unlock the door. The breaking glass made a considerable racket, but he paid it no mind.

Once inside the dark corridor, Yi-hyeon began moving like a cat.

- There's nobody on the first floor. The second and third floors, and···.

'I already know that, Sion.'

- ······.

Perhaps offended by Yi-hyeon's arrogance, Sion fell silent after that.

Yi-hyeon spread his perception outward. Gradually, the entire building took shape in his mind like a transparent three-dimensional diagram. He sprang up to the second floor and opened a wooden door in the corner. There were two men inside.

As Yi-hyeon entered, a man rose from a low metal bed and asked a question. He was speaking Chinese, of course, but Yi-hyeon had no reason to answer.

"Who are you?"

Thud!

The man, still half asleep, had barely opened his mouth when Yi-hyeon struck him in the neck, knocking him unconscious.

Yi-hyeon then woke the other man, who had somehow slept through the commotion.

"Wake up."

"Huh? Who are···?"

"Speak Korean."

Grabbing the man by the collar and lifting him, Yi-hyeon asked quietly,

"Where's Ke Sui right now?"

"Th-that······."

The man's eyes darted around in the darkness. Yi-hyeon saw no reason to wait.

"You little rat."

He released the man's collar and lightly gripped his shoulder. The man's face immediately contorted.

"Urgh!"

Less than ten seconds later, Yi-hyeon released his grip, and the man began talking frantically.

"The second floor! I mean, the second basement! The team leader usually holds meetings on the second basement level."

"Someone's holding a meeting down there at this hour?"

"Yes, agh! That's right. Something's happened, and the whole organization has been placed on emergency alert, urgh!"

Yi-hyeon tightened his grip momentarily and released it again. The man hurriedly continued.

"How many people are on the second basement level?"

"With the team leader and Overseer Mei, there should be seven or eight."

Mei? Yi-hyeon grew curious.

"Overseer Mei?"

"Y-yes. She's a woman who arrived from the mainland not long ago. That's all I know···."

"Understood."

He had learned approximately what he needed. Yi-hyeon pressed a point on the back of the man's neck, rendering him unconscious.

Leaving the room, Yi-hyeon made his way downstairs toward the basement. But the men inside weren't some ragtag street gang. Some were former Chinese special forces soldiers, while others were officers of the MSS. Once they realized they were under attack, they began mounting an organized counteroffensive.

Bang!

Bang!

"Damn it! So much for ending this quietly."

Yu Min-seon grimaced as she stood against a wall in the third-floor corridor. Judging by the gunshots, those weren't Glocks like the ones her agents carried. That meant the enemy was firing. Now that gunshots had rung out in the middle of the city, the situation had escalated.

"Ah, fuck it! Maybe this is for the best."

Muttering a curse, she broke into a run and shouted into her earpiece.

"Team B, hold your positions on the perimeter! Everyone in Team A except Sparrow and Pigeon, start searching the basement. There are only a few bastards upstairs, and we've already subdued most of them."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Confirmed."

Once several agents acknowledged the order, Yu Min-seon shouted again.

"Anyone who gets hurt fighting trash like this is going to answer to me!"

"Yes···."

"······."

Sky Team's agents seethed inwardly but held their tongues. Who got injured because they wanted to? Unfortunately, rank was rank.

Meanwhile, Yi-hyeon was already descending toward the second basement. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he spotted a man with a drawn pistol looking around nervously.

Snap!

Yi-hyeon launched himself forward like a released spring. The man had only just spotted him and begun raising his gun when Yi-hyeon planted a foot on his shoulder and ground downward. It looked less like a kick than someone massaging the shoulder with his foot, but the result was every bit as devastating as a direct blow.

"Hngh!"

Yi-hyeon caught the collapsing man with one hand and landed on the floor. He also caught the pistol slipping from the unconscious man's fingers.

Beretta 92F.

"These bastards use good guns, at least."

Just then, a door in the corner flew open, and several men rushed out.

Bang! Bang!

Two men.

Yi-hyeon ducked behind the corner of the corridor and muttered,

"Four more inside the room. And where's the last one?"

Bang! Bang!

The bastards kept shooting. Their marksmanship was remarkably precise, proof that they had received extensive training.

Yi-hyeon grabbed the waistband of the unconscious man at his feet and effortlessly lifted him with one hand.

Whoosh!

Then he charged toward the enemies seven or eight meters away.

Bang, bang!

Two shots. Fired through the gap beneath the armpit of the man he was using as a shield, the bullets dropped the two gunmen who had been shooting in the corridor.

Yi-hyeon walked slowly toward the room where the others were hiding. Through the open doorway, he could hear their ragged breathing. Apparently, the remaining men inside hadn't been carrying firearms.

"Hah!"

As Yi-hyeon stepped through the doorway, a man hiding behind the wall lunged at him with a short shout.

Thud!

Yi-hyeon tilted his head, avoiding the fist aimed at his temple. At the same moment, he delivered a light uppercut!

Behind the man slowly collapsing to the floor stood three others.

"Which one of you is Ke Sui?"

At Yi-hyeon's quiet question, Ke Sui ground his teeth inwardly. The sudden attack had thrown him into confusion, but now he understood.

These bastards belonged to Song Yi-hyeon's group.

Contact with Chang's group had been lost yesterday afternoon. Yet these men had launched their assault before dawn had even broken. It was far too fast.

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