(AN: First chapter of the day)
In a formidable and austere military interrogation room, General Kim and Robert sat face to face.
This time, Robert was neither handcuffed nor chained as he had been the first time they met under these circumstances, but the atmosphere was not as relaxed as it had been then.
General Kim stared intently at Robert with a serious and reflective expression.
He had already watched the recording of his transformation, and like his two intelligence officers, he had no idea what had happened.
He watched it two, three, four times, but even so, he had no clue what the hell had happened to Robert.
Of course, it was evident that the boy's body had changed in such an inhuman and fantastic way, but that only generated more questions than answers.
"Robert, do you have any idea what happened to your body during your… transformation?" - asked the general, in a tone that mixed curiosity and concern.
Robert sighed - "Old man, I already told you, I honestly have no idea what happened to me" - he replied calmly - "All I remember is immense pain as if my body were being torn apart from the inside."
Robert's eyes did not avoid the General's, and although his face showed a mix of confusion and pain, there was no trace of falsehood in his gaze. His hands, resting on the table, neither trembled nor showed signs of nervousness.
General Kim meticulously analyzed every expression, every conscious and unconscious movement of Robert, searching for any hint of a lie or evasion.
His more than forty years of experience allowed him to detect subtle signs that betrayed someone who was not telling the truth.
"So" - said General Kim, in a calm but penetrating voice - "you only felt pain? Nothing else? No visions, no sounds, no sensation beyond the pain?"
Robert shook his head slowly - "Nothing else. It was like every cell in my body was burning, but there were no visions or strange sounds, just pure pain."
General Kim observed how Robert's eyes clouded slightly as he recalled the experience. He could see that Robert was not lying; the intensity of his account and the honesty in his tone were difficult to fake.
"And after the pain?" - continued the General, his voice now a bit softer, almost understanding - "Did you feel any change in your body, in your mind?"
Robert took a moment to reflect before answering. "Yes, after the pain I felt... a kind of energy, something different. I wouldn't know how to explain it. I felt stronger, and more aware of my surroundings. But I don't understand what caused all this"
The room remained silent, with the general's bodyguards in the corner watching without intervening. The hum of electronic equipment seemed to have faded in the tension of the moment.
General Kim nodded slowly, processing the information. He had not detected any signs of deception in Robert's responses. Nonetheless, his intuition told him otherwise.
The old soldier knew Robert was hiding something.
The general remembered every interaction with Robert, every word exchanged. The first time they saw each other, there had been something in Robert's eyes, something that told him this boy was not an ordinary civilian.
At that moment, he had chosen not to fully believe him, thinking that maybe Robert was just a young man with a defiant attitude. But now, after all he had seen and heard, he was sure that Robert had a much more complex past than he let on.
It wasn't just the way the boy had handled the recent situation, but also the depth of his knowledge about matters that a common civilian shouldn't know. He knew too much about military life and the criminal world, and his attitude was too mature and calculated for someone his age.
As he sat in the chair, mentally reviewing the events, General Kim couldn't help but feel a mix of distrust and admiration toward Robert.
There was something about the young man that inspired trust, despite the suspicions he had. It was a disconcerting paradox for a man so accustomed to reading people.
The general knew he had to be cautious. Trusting someone like Robert could be a risk, but it could also be the best decision he ever made. There was something in him, a kind of determination and conviction that the general couldn't ignore.
Perhaps it was that same quality that made the general feel an almost instinctive need to trust this kid, despite all the warning signs.
Finally, General Kim stood up, letting out a sigh. He knew he had to keep a close eye on Robert, but he also knew that, for now, he had to take a chance on him.
The purge of the army and gangs from society was a monumental task, and he needed someone like Robert, someone who could move in the shadows and face the dangers that lay ahead.
Finally, General Kim leaned back in his chair, letting out a slight sigh - "Robert, what you've been through is something beyond our current understanding. We will have to investigate further. For now... I will say that I believe you"
"Well, damn, it's not like it would matter if you believed me or not. In the end, I've already suffered something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, so I wouldn't care what else happened to me at this point"
General Kim watched in silence and said nothing, but in his mind, he somewhat agreed with Robert, as what he saw in that recording was something that could hardly be surpassed by any kind of torture he knew.
"Damn kid, since you arrived in this world, things have become problematic" - the old soldier placed the envelope he had given Robert when they met in his office on the table - "Now I will explain how we will start the plan to take down all those gangs in Seoul"
The texture of the envelope was rough, and the ink on the label indicated it contained classified information. Without waiting any longer, Robert broke the seal and slid the documents out of the envelope.
Inside, he found a collection of photographs, both old and new, of strange people, all with severe looks and unsettling contexts. There were photos of individuals in different situations, some in clandestine meetings, others in public places, some in luxury hotels or nightclubs, etc.
There were also several handwritten addresses on rough paper, each with precise coordinates leading to seemingly common but strategically important places.
Detailed maps of these locations showed escape routes, secret entrances, and surveillance points, all meticulously marked with red annotations.
One of the documents was an extensive report with the header 'Classified - Eyes Only' in red letters. Robert opened it carefully and began to read.
The report contained details on undercover operations, intelligence on suspicious movements, and collected data on 'Gold Door' the corrupt military contractor that General Kim was determined to dismantle.
Each paragraph revealed more about the network of corruption and the illicit activities they were funding. There were names of high-ranking officials, dates of cryptocurrency transactions, and a web of complicity that stretched across multiple layers of government and the military.
Robert also found a list of priority targets, people who needed to be closely monitored or eliminated if necessary.
Some of the names on the list were familiar, but others were completely new to him, indicating that the operation was larger and more dangerous than he had imagined.
As he continued reviewing the documents, Robert saw detailed blueprints of a hotel, a nightclub, an office center, and a mansion in the heart of Gangnam.
They were marked as some of the main bases of 'Gold Door' with details about security, guard schedules, and access routes.
Robert looked up and met General Kim's gaze, who was watching him with a calculated expression.
"Hey, old man, your house is rotten" - Robert said with a sarcastic smile - "And I guess I'll be the one to clean up all this shit, right?"
General Kim, his face unchanging, held Robert's gaze. There was no trace of surprise or offense in his eyes, only a steely determination.
"I knew you'd say something like that, kid" - the General replied, his voice as cold and calculated as ever - "But yes, you're right, my house is corrupted to the core. However, that's a topic for another day. Now I want you to focus on the names of the companies listed in those documents"
"Among those many companies, two are still active. One is 'Gold Door,' which functions as a national arms corporation linked to the military. The other is called 'Vostok Systems,' a Russian arms company based in Vladivostok with whom we've also signed some contracts"
As the General spoke, Robert glanced through a set of documents he hadn't reviewed because they dealt with another topic and were written in a foreign language—Russian, to be exact.
Upon glancing at them, he saw they pertained to a company called 'Vostok Systems,' just as the General had mentioned. Alongside these documents was a small package wrapped in red cloth.
Upon opening it, he found two Russian passports.
One was an internal passport, a document equivalent to a national identity card used by Russian citizens within the country to identify themselves in various civil situations. The other was the international passport, used for traveling abroad.
"What… What does this mean?"
When he opened them, Robert was greatly surprised, as the person to whom these documents belonged was precisely him.
Robert was taken aback since the government had provided him with Korean identity documents and false Russian documents as part of his supposed paternal heritage.
"Robert Jovanovich, a 19-year-old man who is the heir to Rostov Systems, a Russian company in the international arms business. His father, the company's owner, recently passed away, and the son has emerged as the new heir" - General Kim smiled as he saw the look of surprise on Robert's face - "That will be your new identity"
"Wait, wait, what did you say?" - Robert was taken by surprise.
"Are you still affected by your transformation? I said that will be your new identity from now on" - General Kim replied calmly.
"I understood you... it just caught me off guard... damn you, old man, this completely changes what I had in mind"
Robert couldn't understand what the hell General Kim was thinking.
These documents weren't copies, they weren't fakes, they were real, original. This meant he had this Russian identity, which was in the Russian identification system.
He was supposed to keep his identity hidden from foreign entities, to remain isolated from any foreign powers seeking clues about the storm from a year ago.
But now, the old soldier handed him these passports and talked about a new identity. What the hell was he thinking?
Even if this had been done without raising the slightest suspicion, it would be very difficult not to leave traces. Someone too curious could discover it. It would only be good if this identity had been created years ago.
'Wait… a foreign arms sales company?... ah, I get it'
Suddenly, something clicked in Robert's mind, something from the past, from his first life, which allowed him to connect some dots and form a conjecture.
"Don't tell me… this is a shell company created by you, a company meant to receive and launder army funds or other accounts, used for emergencies, am I right?"
"Tch, you take the fun out of the surprise" - the old general muttered, not probing why Robert could reach this conclusion - "Yes, that is an identity created by us to funnel funds to a company that exists, but whose owner is just a fictional creation"
Robert's deduction came not from what he knew of this world but from what he remembered of his past life.
As a former elite assassin, Robert knew that various organizations in industrialized countries always operated with shell companies to extract more benefits under the table.
In his past life, he had been part of such companies when the Ruska sent him to infiltrate.
There was a time when he went to kill one of the major warlords operating in sub-Saharan Africa who was getting several arms sales contracts, and his competitors wanted to stop him.
But in the end, he only ended up chasing a ghost, as this warlord had been a creation of a Western government to control that area and gain the maximum profits possible.
The General leaned back lazily in his chair and looked at the ceiling.
"Letting the gangs grow to increase the flow of illicit money into South Korea wasn't the only thing we did back then. Just like other Western governments, we also started creating international conglomerate shells with accounts in tax havens to launder all the illicit money we received from different sources, not just the funds diverted from the military budget"
Robert reclined lazily in his chair.
"Back then, we didn't just create companies under the Korean nationality, but we did it under owners of different nationalities, all of whom were, of course, ghosts created by us. After years, we started 'suiciding' several of these entrepreneurs to seize their acquired assets and inject that money into the country's economy, achieving a significant market recovery and enjoying the current national stability"
The door opened, and the bodyguard who had left earlier re-entered, approached the General, and handed him a small briefcase.
General Kim took the briefcase and responded with just a gesture before continuing to speak.
"That's why we only kept two shell companies. With 'Rostov Systems,' we negotiated arms in the black market of Eastern European or Southeast Asian countries, and then funneled that money through foreign accounts to 'Gold Door' for investments in cryptocurrencies and military contracts with ourselves"
"Hahaha… and here I thought you were too innocent to do these kinds of things, but I see you're just like the bad guys in the West" - Robert smiled ironically.
"Well, the world is what it is, we just have to adapt or die" - General Kim responded.
"So, let me see if I understand" - Robert adjusted in his chair - "You want me to pose as the heir of that Russian military group, and with that, I can start a company here in Korea. Meanwhile, and in secret, I am to take down the members of 'Gold Door,' which is currently one of the most important military contractors for your army, right?"
"Although it sounds a bit simple and crude, that's exactly how it is" - the veteran military man nodded calmly.
"Damn, what a mess" - Robert sighed - "I have a few questions regarding this plan."
"Ask your questions" - the General responded.
"First, why don't you clean your house personally? I'm not saying I won't do it, but it seems a bit unbelievable that you can't handle it. You have people like old Park Jincheol to do it, and perhaps many other fighters you can count on"
"Second, why do I have to take down an entire military company? Yes, it's a corrupt entity and all that, but you're practically making me the owner of another military company with which I can create a front company in Seoul"
"And third, how the hell does this relate to the mission of taking down the mafias and gangs in society?"
General Kim placed the briefcase that his bodyguard had brought him on the table and slid it over to Robert with a small tap - "Open it. This is something you need to see."
The young man felt curious, as it seemed the yellow envelope was not the only surprise today. Calmly, he opened the briefcase and saw more documents. There was also a high-end foreign cellphone, a small laptop, and several hard drives.
"That's the cellphone of Robert Jovanovich, the new owner of 'Rostov Systems' and the one who runs the black market of buying and selling arms. The hard drives contain all the information of the regular clients and the transactions" - the General spoke calmly - "I will answer the questions you just asked while you review the list of your now regular clients"
Robert looked with some amusement at the old military man's words, as he spoke about these things as if it were a market business. Nonetheless, he began to review everything calmly.
He turned on the laptop and connected one of the hard drives while also turning on the cell phone and checking the inbox. Although everything was in Russian, it posed no problem for him.
"First, I can indeed carry out the purge within the army, but I'm too involved in the internal structure, and any direct action on my part could alert all those involved, who might take measures to protect themselves. Those implicated within the army likely have spies and allies everywhere, making any direct action extremely dangerous and counterproductive"
"Luckily, you are someone who only knows my innermost circle. Even the spies from the other units were executed when you arrived. Since you are not directly tied to the army's structure, you can move more freely and with less suspicion. Besides, your knowledge and skills make you a valuable asset for an undercover operation of this magnitude"
Robert rolled his eyes upon hearing these words, making an effort not to scoff. He couldn't believe for a moment that this old veteran didn't have someone else in a secret place who could do this job.
"Now, the reason for taking down 'Gold Door' is because keeping it fully operational will generate more losses than gains. Today, it's a symbol and source of corruption, as well as an unchecked result of my actions driven by necessity. By eliminating it, I can truly gain control over the entire Korean army"
"Moreover, military intelligence indicates that 'Gold Door' might be supplying and supporting mafias for their clandestine exports abroad. Dismantling it would help sever those connections once and for all, preventing the Korean government from being linked to these activities, at least preventing such news from coming to light"
"That does seem like a good excuse"
Robert muttered while he remained focused on the data he had found within the hard drives. Even though he wasn't looking directly at the general, he was listening to everything being said, and this last point seemed less hypocritical than the previous answer.
As he was checking the inbox of his new phone, he saw something that made him go completely still. A message with an attached video showing things that, in theory, should not be shown to civilians.
"Old man… is this for real?" – Robert asked seriously.
General Kim nodded at the young man's question – "I wish it were a lie, but it seems to be true."
The message and the video that had been sent to the phone of the 'Rostov Systems' owner was an invitation to one of the southern islands for an auction of newly discovered exotic species in Korea.
However, what was being auctioned were the supernatural beasts that had appeared right after Robert arrived in this world!