Kwon Taek Joo's boat was parked at a corner of the dock. He did not encounter any obstacles even though he did not have a license because the boat had been previously registered for official purposes, and he did not need to go through any other procedures.
Kwon Taek Joo took his suitcase and went into a nearby warehouse. When he left there after a while, he had changed into a neat suit.
Kwon Taek Joo walked through the station where darkness fell. A taxi that he had called earlier was waiting for him when he walked out onto the main road. He got in the car and went to Busan station.
The departure announcement of the KTX train departing for Seoul rang out when Kwon Taek Joo just arrived at the station. He joined the group of people heading down to the station platform. An early train is waiting. Kwon Taek Joo went through the nearby door, checked the seat number and sat down. It was late at night so the train carriage was very quiet.
Drrrrr... drrr...
As soon as he sat down, the phone in his pocket rang. It is used for personal purposes outside of work. As expected, the person calling was his mother. Kwon Taek Joo cleared his throat and answered the phone as usual.
"Yes mom, I just got on the train. Cleaning up after the event is later than I thought so there's only the last train left. Even if the train isn't delayed, I won't be there until early tomorrow morning so Mom, just go take a nap."
Kwon Taek Joo answered as if reading a story by heart. The mother's series of questions began. When will it depart, when exactly will it arrive, how will Kwon Taek Joo get from the station to home, etc. Since his mother only sees her son once or twice a year, the times he comes home again are even more special. He could only end the call after promising her that he would go home immediately without stopping by anywhere else.
Kwon Taek Joo hung up the phone. The feeling of fatigue that I thought I had
forgotten came rushing back. He suddenly sighed. The train closed and started departing for Seoul. He leaned back with his head still wet and felt the vibration of the train.
An announcement of stops was made in the quiet train car. After the train driver's voice stopped at the last station 'Seoul, the light seemed to gradually dim.
Kwon Taek Joo's whole body sagged from the heat of the heater. His wet eyelids began to become dreamy. Eyelashes also seem heavier because of the sea salt. There are still 3 hours left before arriving. Should I get some sleep? The moment Kwon Taek Joo compromised with himself and was about to close his eyes.
Drrrrr... drrrrr...
A vibration sounded in his pocket. The phone he used to talk to his mother was still in his hand. So the bell ringing at this time is definitely for work purposes. Kwon Taek Joo tried to ignore it and tried to sleep, but the phone kept vibrating tirelessly. Obviously, they will definitely call until you receive the call. The noise made passengers in the same train car begin to feel uncomfortable.
"Ha.."
Kwon Taek Joo finally had to lift his body that was lying on his side and press the button to receive the call.
-Where are you now?
The person who suddenly asked the question was Chief Lim. As expected. If Yoon Jong Woo wasn't buried under the sea, he would have received reports on the results of his activities directly from him. But why did Chief Lim call back? Kwon Taek Joo never felt anything good came from receiving contact from him.
"Is something wrong?"
-I want to see you for a moment.
So why should I call? What's up?
The only thing Kwon Taek Joo could think about was the spy catching action that had just been completed. The incident should have been handled quietly, but there were many witnesses. An innocent citizen was also taken hostage, so high-ranking officials who received the report may have jumped up. In addition, the Coast Guard is also involved, so it will not be easy to handle everything. The reporters may have already sniffed out the incident, so it was not difficult to guess Chief Lim's persistent questions.
Even though he knew it would be useless. Kwon Taek Joo still tried to make excuses.
"That's really the best course of action this time. You know that."
-Alright. So come here and we'll talk a little.
Of course. If he hadn't given such orders, he wouldn't have been the great Chief Lim.
Before starting this campaign, Kwon Taek Joo reminded him been the great Chief Lim. many times that tomorrow was the birthday of the mother who couldn't sleep at night because she was worried about her only son.
So no matter what happens, Kwon Taek Joo has to go home. What did Chief Lim say at that time? Didn't he promise that even if the Second Korean War broke out, he would definitely return to his mother?
Kwon Taek Joo asked if he had forgotten and reminded him of the conversation at that time.
"Chief, have you forgotten? Tomorrow is my mother's birthday.
-I won't keep you for long.
There's no way to refuse anymore. Chief Lim is brazen and even stubborn. Kwon Taek Joo angrily ruffled his wet hair. He made his final argument while looking out at the rapidly passing scenery outside the train car window.
"But the train has already left, how can I get there?"
Right then.
The KTX train that was operating smoothly suddenly stopped. Passengers who were listening to music or playing games on their phones all looked around in surprise and bewilderment.
The KTX train was stopped for a while in the tunnel. There were no announcements in the cabin, nor were any flight attendants passing by. It is not uncommon for KTX trains to be damaged and stopped. For that reason, no passenger seemed too uncomfortable. Those who stuck their heads out into the aisles wondering what was going on quickly lost interest and went to sleep.
That's right, this is not a big deal. Kwon Taek Joo wants to believe that. But unfortunate omens always appear like ghosts.
-Come down, hurry up.
Chief Lim skillfully gave instructions. Kwon Taek Joo was about to ask, "What's
wrong?" then an announcement came out from the speaker.
"Because there was a problem on the track, the train had to stop for a moment and will depart as soon as the problem is resolved. We hope for your understanding."
As soon as the problem is resolved. This means that if Kwon Taek Joo did not listen to the instructions, the train would not move like this.
-Are you planning on not getting off the train?
The gentle urging continued to sound. His voice was leisurely as if he was enjoying the current situation. Chief Lim's attitude makes Kwon Taek Joo not want to follow his orders anymore. He also didn't pay much attention to the other passengers. But as long as the train doesn't move, Kwon Taek Joo has no way to go home. He tilted his head in irritation. Kwon Taek Joo even hung up the phone. Manager Lim also did not call back, and of course there was no sign that the dormitory was leaving.
Kwon Taek Joo sat for a moment, then sighed and stood up. As he walked through the hallway and exited, the train door opened as if it had been waiting. He shook his head and went down the stairs and walked on the gravel road.
Kwon Taek Joo called while walking to the back of the train. As soon as he exited the tunnel, the stopped KTX started moving. That's when he heard a reply from the other end of the phone: "Hello". That's your mother. Her voice was deeper than before. She was definitely worried that her son, who had said he would definitely return, would use the excuse of urgent work to break his promise.
"Mom, it's me. There's a problem with the train so I'll be a little late. No, this time I'll definitely come back, just a little late"
He stopped for a moment and asked.
"So mom, don't light the candle but wait for me."
The place where Kwon Taek Joo arrived on a prepared helicopter was the National Intelligence Agency. An employee waiting at the helipad guided him to the office of Deputy Chief 1. He followed silently and thought the person he asked to see earlier was Chief Lim, but for some reason he wes taken to Deputy Chief 1's office and not the Chief's office.
The three Deputy Directors are the top executives of the National Intelligence Agency, each in charge of an independent job. Each Deputy Head is not allowed to participate in matters beyond his or her authority. There is an unwritten rule that departments, of which there are dozens, must obey their immediate superiors. So Kwon Taek Joo and Chief Lim, who were participating in espionage and intelligence activities under Deputy Chief 3, did not need to meet at Deputy Chief 1's office.
Is there something wrong here? While a series of questions were still repeating in Kwon Taek Joo's head, the employee knocked on the office door. Permission was soon given to go inside but it wasn't Chief Lim's voice. The employee personally opened the door to let him inside.
Kwon Taek Joo forgot to say hello and just looked at the Deputy Manager 1 sitting across from him. It was no surprise that Deputy Chief 1 was sitting in his office. But the current situation he faced was ironic, because Chief Lim, the person who called Kwon Taek Joo over, was also sitting next to him. He looked straight at Chief Lim as if waiting for an explanation. Chief Lim just smiled in confusion.
The atmosphere was unusual. Kwon Taek Joo glanced at Deputy Chief 1 and Chief Lim. As if trying to calm his wariness. Deputy Chief 1 spoke first with a gentle expression.
"I heard you just finished your mission in Busan, right?"
"Yes. I tried my best."
Kwon Taek Joo responded as soon as Deputy Head 1's words ended. Although there was some commotion, it is clear that Deputy Chief 1's reprimand of Kwon Taek Joo was an abuse of power. Deputy Chief 1 and Chief Lim looked at Kwon Taek Joo who was defending and then smiled strangely. This feeling is not very pleasant.
"That's not the reason I called you here, so there's no need to be so tense. Although there was more commotion than necessary during the operation, it was insignificant compared to the leak. State secret. Is that right, Chief Lim?"
The implicitly sarcastic way of speaking is typical of an old fox manager, Kwon Taek Joo did not dispel his suspicions and looked at Chief Lim. He just shook his head with a smiling face, so for Kwon Taek Joo, things only became more confusing. If it weren't for what happened in Busan, why would you summon me at this late hour? He thought all the time but couldn't come to any conclusions.
Chief Lim did not stress Kwon Taek Joo any more. He put the tablet he was holding down on the table.
"What is it?"
"Let's see first."
Kwon Taek Joo shrugged and gently picked up the tablet. He nonchalantly flipped through the first page. The bored gaze scrolling through the news gradually accelerated. Kwon Taek Joo pulled down the screen. He held his breath and silently read the information on it and quickly turned to the next page. Chief Lim watched those movements for a moment then opened his mouth.
"This is special intelligence information recently obtained. This story has been rumored for a long time but this is the first time there is real evidence. As you have seen, the main content is North Korea and Russia began working together three years ago to develop the new weapon. The weapon boasts firepower that no other country in the world has ever had. It is said that once completed, the situation will change.
Global hegemony will also change. Its name is Anastasia. I don't know exactly whether that is the name of the weapon or the secret agreement between North Korea and Russia to produce weapons, or maybe even the name of the weapon's manufacturer. Right now we don't even know if this weapon has been completed or not."
It seems that Kwon Taek Joo understood what the combination of Deputy Manager 1 and Chief Lim meant. If North Korea and Russia worked together to create such unprecedented weapons of destruction, who will be in trouble? Without thinking too much, I knew it would be Korea and the United States.
"We need to know what that weapon is, because the lack of information causes an imbalance of power. If 'Anastasia' is not yet completed, and if possible, we should stop it before it appears."Presently."
"Can't we do something for the peace of the world and humanity? Stealing is not always bad if that small bad thing is to prevent a bigger bad thing."
Therefore, it is necessary to find out the identity of the weapons that North Korea and Russia have cooperated with.
This means that, if necessary, the blueprints and related secrets must be retrieved, and if this is not possible, they must be destroyed so that they have no chance of ever seeing the light of day. Who will do it? Kwon Taek Joo himself?
Since he started working as a special agent at the National Intelligence Agency, it was very normal for him to be sent on overseas operations. Rather, the days he spent abroad were more than the days he spent in Korea. For that reason, business travel directives are nothing new. But what is worth noting is that this mission was carried out in Russia.
That is a land that Kwon Taek Joo personally has never set foot on, let alone carry out a strategy.
But it's not like he's not qualified. Kwon Taek Joo has been trained in Chinese, Persian and Russian since joining the headquarters. Even if he had to move to Moscow immediately, he himself would have no difficulty speaking the language.
But that's all. The most important thing for Kwon Taek Joo was that he had no field experience in Russia. Is there anything more important to an agent than actual combat experience? This mission is no different than asking Kwon Taek Joo to jump into the middle of a battlefield without a gun. And he couldn't understand why this task was assigned to him.
Kwon Taek Joo rolled his eyes and looked at Chief Lim with a dissatisfied expression. He nodded as if he understood everything.
"Strictly speaking, you are not the right person for this action."
"Then you have to find someone qualified."
"Of course I found someone, and I sent them too."
"But?"
Chief Lim just scratched his eyebrows without continuing. Deputy Head 1 also smiled wryly. Kwon Taek Joo didn't know what the answer was because they couldn't spit out anymore.
"Probably not."
Chief Lim nodded again and spread the three photos on the table. The first photo is of someone's hand with 10 fingers amputated. His bloodless skin was swollen with water.
Another photo shows the body's forehead being covered with a white cloth with a pattern engraved in the middle of it. Kwon Taek Joo quickly realized it was a tattoo. Judging from the condition of the body's skin, it seemed that the tattoo had only been engraved not long before.
Finally, a neat ID photo. Based on a series of details, it can be assumed that this is the original shape of the body before being damaged. Kwon Taek Joo knows the person in the photo.
"Dominic Morgan. He was an elite agent sent to Russia by the US intelligence agency. He was found dead on the banks of the Nara River four days ago. At that time he was in charge. The only task was to find out the identity of 'Anastasia', and he was a very knowledgeable person in gathering Russian intelligence, but unfortunately, Russia treated him as an unknown death case, identity. Since he disguised himself with another identity to go to Russia, it's only natural. But I wonder if they really consider him an "anonymous" person."
"Because of that, Russia's surveillance has become stricter. what do you want me to do?"
"You understand what I'm saying. Anyway, let's not make this any more complicated. Since it involves North Korea, our country can also be called a litigant, right? So we can't just stand by and watch. That's right, you know Agent Morgan from the last joint Korean-American training course, right?"
"We've only known each other for about a month at most, to be exact. I happened to be assigned to room with him."
Everything is clear. Chief Lim grinned. He skillfully persuaded Kwon Taek Joo who was trying not to reveal any loopholes.
"That's why I chose you. Because emotions clouding reason can lead to undesirable things."
There are no other ways. Just as Kwon Taek Joo was about to angrily protest, a shaking sound suddenly rang out. It was Deputy Chief 1's phone. He said,
"Wait a minute, please understand." Then passed by Kwon Taek Joo and walked out. The door had just opened and then closed. Chief Lim gave the order as if he had been waiting for a long time.
"On behalf of Agent Morgan, go find Anastasia."
The gentleness from before was no longer there, replaced by a rather serious tone. Kwon Taek Joo stared at him without answering. Is this really the only way? There has to be someone more suitable for this action than Kwon Taek Joo. It's obvious that there aren't at least a few employees in the headquarters... Isn't there even just one person? He racked his brain, but no character appeared in his mind.
Chief Lim still looked calm as if nothing was so special. Yeah, it's no big deal. Only one elite agent was found dead overnight, that's all. Kwon Taek Joo was about to speak sarcastically but then remained silent.
He worked under the direction of Chief Lim immediately after joining the headquarters. Now the two had become close enough to joke around, but one way or another he was still the superior. When Chief Lim assigns a task, Kwon Taek Joo is forced to obey. There is no resistance or refusal here.
Chief Lim smiled with satisfaction at his resigned expression.
"I promise to provide full support. I will arrange the team members according to your wishes."
"It's more comfortable to act alone."
"It won't be easy this time. Will it? It will be very difficult."
"There's no need to put more people to death when you know that."
Kwon Taek Joo responded gently. Chief Lim smiled as if he knew he would say that. Immediately after that he produced a thick envelope containing documents. Kwon Taek Joo snatched it. The unsealed envelope.contained various documents and a fake passport. When he opened his passport, an unfamiliar face appeared.
"Hiro Sakamoto?"
"I heard that a contract to build an LNG facility was signed between a Japanese energy company and Gazprom, the Russian state-owned gas company. The expected profits alone are estimated to be in the tens of millions. Tens of trillions of won. For that reason, officials of energy companies, major banks responsible for cooperative lending, and international trading companies were invited to Russia to celebrate the signing of the contract between the two countries and visit the proposed construction site. Major officials including the prime ministers of the two countries and big men in the business world will all attend the event. I heard that an international trading company named 'Itochu' played a big role in signing this contract. Hiro Sakamoto is the officer in charge of the European region. His name is proudly on the list of those expected to visit Russia."
Will Kwon Taek Joo disguise himself as Hiro Sakamoto and infiltrate Russia? Not a bad plan. If it is true that North Korea and Russia are developing weapons, then very few people will be involved or know the secrets involved. They are in leading positions in Russia so it will not be easy to reach. But if it was Hiro Sakamoto, it would be a different story, because they would automatically meet without any effort.
Of course, that's only if his identity isn't revealed. Besides Hiro Sakamoto, many other officials were also invited. If any of them noticed that Hiro Sakamoto was different than usual, all their plans would be in vain. Although Kwon Taek Joo only imagined it for a moment, Agent Morgan's outcome still appeared in his mind.
Chief Lim reassured the confused Kwon Taek Joo.
"Relax. Unless another Hiro Sakamoto appears, there is no chance of your identity being exposed. Hiro Sakamoto is scheduled to leave the country the day before the delegation's visit. All But in reality, agents in Tokyo will help prevent him from leaving the country."
The headquarters' camouflage skills were good enough to fool even his mother, and it seemed like there was no need to worry about the Japanese being relatively shorter than him. Hiro Sakamoto's height is 180cm. Kwon Taek Joo is about 2 to 3 cm taller than him, but the average person wouldn't be able to tell the difference. If anyone gets suspicious, just tell them you're wearing insoles.
If it were normal, Kwon Taek Joo wouldn't have given it much thought. Unless he takes off his professional uniform, he has no right to refuse orders from his superiors. But he couldn't bring himself to agree easily. For some reason, Kwon Taek Joo felt an unrelenting sense of insecurity.
Because the Agent Morgan in charge of the mission is dead? It would be a lie to say it didn't affect him at all, but that wasn't the only reason. Kwon Taek Joo's instinct was to feel vaguely worried about something that hadn't even happened yet.
"It's about rearranging world hegemony. If this succeeds, your position will change significantly."
Manager Lim skillfully encouraged determination, Kwon Taek Joo looked straight at him without saying a word. His eyes were straightforward and resolute. Chief Lim faced him with his signature smile. No words were spoken between the two for a long while.
Not long after, Kwon Taek Joo stuffed the prepared envelope into his jacket. He also added as if to clarify everything.
"I don't care about status or power. Those things have an unnecessarily fierce aspect."
"So why did you accept this combat action if you have no interest in it?"
"This is an order from a senior manager. Does a subordinate like me have the right to refuse?"
"Besides, that is there any other reason?"
"If I refuse this action, my career, which has always been 100% successful, will collapse."
"Anyway, of course it is."
"Can I go yet?"
"Oh, also, there's one thing to note."
"What's up?" Kwon Taek Joo asked with an annoyed look. Chief Lim's attitude has become rigid. His eyes quietly observed Kwon Taek Joo and seemed quite cautious. The voice that came out immediately after seemed to calm down a bit.
"Psikh Bogdanov."
"Psikh Bogdanov? His name... doesn't seem right?"
Kwon Taek Joo frowned and tilted his head. 'Bogdanov' is supposed to be a Russian surname, but 'Psikh' is not a human name no matter how you look at it. What parent would call their child 'crazy'?
Chief Lim explained as if Kwon Taek Joo hadn't heard wrong.
"People often call him that rather than his real name."
A name that is used more often by another person than that person's real name. Then that nickname can become the basis for evaluating the litigant. The fact that the Russian that Chief Lim mentioned was called "crazy man" Bogdanov instead of his real name meant that he was quite a famous name. Kwon Taek Joo doesn't know what kind of person he is even in this far away country he is called that.
"In Russia, this man is like 'nuclear"
"If 'nuclear' then nuclear means 'center of gravity?"
Kwon Taek Joo asked suspiciously. This is due to the ambiguity of the language. In addition to the meaning of 'core' or 'focus, 'core' also has a completely different meaning. But why would people compare a person to such a deadly weapon? He looked at Chief Lim wonderingly, he grinned again.
"That's right, it can be understood that way."
In any case, that meaning seems closer to 'nuclear' which refers to nuclear weapons. Kwon Taek Joo unconsciously frowned. After all, what kind of person is this who is called "crazy" more often than his real name, and even symbolizes nuclear bomb?
Thoughts on 'Psikh Bogdanov' raise another question. Why was he mentioned in the campaign whose purpose was to find 'Anastasia' this time?
"Did that person have anything to do with Morgan's death?"
"I'm not sure. There's no concrete evidence, although there's a lot of speculation. If you want to get close to Russia's big guys, you won't be able to avoid confronting this person. 'Nuclear'. It's not natural, it's 'nuclear'. So damage can happen, so even if both of you meet. Don't confront each other."
A burst of laughter rang out. The more warnings Kwon Taek Joo received, the more curious Kwon Taek Joo was about who that crazy person was.
At that moment, a knock on the door rang out. When Chief Lim agreed, the employee who guided Kwon Taek Joo here also walked in. In his hands was a large bouquet of flowers and a suitcase. He handed them over to Kwon Taek Joo then silently bowed and went out.
"I've prepared everything you need. To save time and money, you don't have to worry too much. Is that right? Especially after buying underwear two months ago, you have no transactions." I don't want to buy anything anymore so I took your preferences into consideration and replaced everything.
No need to thank me."
"You know the condition of my underwear better than I do, don't you?"
"There's only so much I can do. And bring flowers home. I remember you said today is mom's birthday, right?"
This man is so cunning.
Kwon Taek Joo swallowed back the words he couldn't spit out and replied gruffly.
"I won't tell Mom it's a gift from the Chief. If she finds out it was sent by a man who took your son away on his birthday then that will only put a damper on her mood." My mother's good day just got worse."
"Thank you for thinking about me."
Chief Lim smiled brazenly.
"Don't die!"
Kwon Taek Joo was about to turn around and leave when suddenly a request was made. He stopped for a moment and nodded absentmindedly.
He walked out into the deserted hallway. Kwon Taek Joo trudged towards the door. The sensor light turns on and off from behind each place he passes. The lights dimmed and darkness descended as if to swallow him.
"..."
He suddenly stopped walking and turned to look. The ceiling light finally turned off. Kwon Taek Joo's silhouette was buried in dense darkness.