Free Web NovelWhen we arrived in Seoul, NIS agents were waiting for us.
“We’re relieved you all returned safely.”
Chairman Song Chanwoo of Daehyeon, the eldest of the delegation, spoke with them on behalf of the group.
“It felt like walking on thin ice.”
“You’ve gone through a lot. We’ll just need you to come with us and tell us what happened inside Pyongyang. It won’t take long.”
Neither the South Korean government, nor the United States, nor any other country knew the full situation in North Korea right now.
Of everyone here, I knew more about the internal mood of the North than anyone else. But today, I had no intention of following them.
“Everyone must be tired. Keep it short.”
“Yes, we’ll start by interviewing the chairmen. After that, we’ll speak with the others and then send you home.”
“Understood. Is everyone all right with that?”
Chairman Song Chanwoo nodded and looked around at the group.
“Chairman Song, please leave me out. I need to take Manager Ma to the hospital first.”
“That won’t do. Everyone must come. No exceptions.”
The NIS agent who had been speaking with Chairman Song turned to me.
I looked at him. His eyes carried the pride of being an NIS officer.
Normally, I might have let it go, but the timing wasn’t good.
“What’s your name?”
“Pardon?”
“I asked your name.”
“Why are you asking that?”
That must have been part of their basic training too. He refused to give his name to the end. I shook my head slightly.
Taking out my phone, I made a call. A familiar voice soon came through the receiver.
“Chief Secretary, this is Kim Muhyuk.”
― President Kim, I’m relieved you’re safe. I just received the report that the delegation has returned to Seoul.
“Yes, but there’s an NIS officer here.”
Skipping past his perfunctory greeting, I got straight to the point.
He understood right away and explained.
― Since there’s no information at all from inside Pyongyang, we sent someone to request reference interviews. We would appreciate your cooperation.
“I understand, but my secretary is injured. He needs the hospital, yet the man here says I can’t go.”
― Ah... Please tell me his name and rank.
Without covering the receiver, I deliberately raised my voice to the agent.
“State your name and rank.”
The agent’s face filled with embarrassment, but still he refused to answer.
With open irritation, I spoke into the phone.
“He’s not answering. I’ll put him on.”
― Yes, please do.
I held the phone out to the agent. Flustered, he looked between me and the phone, but I gestured again for him to take it.
Soon he did, and began speaking in a very different tone than he’d used with me—like he was bowing to someone right in front of him.
“Yes, yes. Understood. I’ll do as instructed.”
When the call ended, the agent handed the phone back to me.
― President Kim, you may go.
“Thank you. Tomorrow I’ll enter the Blue House and speak with the President directly.”
― We’ll be grateful if you do. I’ll confirm the schedule and get back to you.
Ending the call, I looked at the agent and smiled.
The pride had drained from his face, replaced by defeat.
“I can go now, yes?”
“Yes. My apologies. You may go.”
Well-trained, he quickly returned to a blank expression and bowed.
Turning, I addressed Chairman Song Chanwoo and Chairman Kim Byungwoo.
“I’ll go on ahead. Please endure a little longer, both of you. Let’s meet again soon.”
“Yes, President Kim. Until next time.”
I shook hands with Chairman Song first, then extended my hand to Chairman Kim.
“I’ll contact you in a few days.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll see you then.”
Just as we were finishing our farewells, Eva arrived with the guards.
Her face full of worry, she immediately looked me over.
“Boss! You’re not hurt, are you?”
“I’m fine. But the Chief Secretary is injured. Let’s go quickly.”
“What?”
Hearing that Manager Ma was hurt, Eva gasped and shouted to the men behind her.
“What are you doing? Support him, now!”
Her subordinates rushed over. Beneath their stern faces, concern showed in their voices.
“Sir, are you all right?”
Even while being helped, Manager Ma checked on me first. Seeing my expression, he gave a small nod.
“Don’t fuss. It’s nothing.”
“You take another car and go comfortably, sir. Eva, you come with me. We’ll head to Korea University Hospital.”
Our car quickly arrived at the hospital.
We admitted Manager Ma to the VIP ward, with detailed examinations scheduled for the next day.
Afterward, in the adjoining room, I spoke with Eva.
“What happened? I only caught the news that the North Korean army was moving. Why is the Chief Secretary shot?”
“Later, Eva. When Chairman Han arrives, I’ll explain it all. I’m too tired now.”
Not long after, Han Kyungyeong arrived from the Myeongdong office.
“Muhyuk, what on earth happened?”
His reaction was just like Eva’s. Once they were seated, I told them what had happened in Pyongyang.
“You nearly died, didn’t you? Sometimes you need to step back. You live like a man with no rear guard, and it worries me, Muhyuk.”
After hearing everything, Han Kyungyeong spoke with concern.
“You’ve got more and more people following you now. For dangerous things, don’t go yourself. Send others.”
His words, full of genuine worry, made me smile faintly.
“This time I had to do it myself. No one could have predicted a sudden coup. At least now I know Kim Jongil’s true nature. That’s something.”
The face Kim Jongil revealed in crisis was that of a mad dictator.
To join hands with him in business would mean collapse at any moment, based solely on his mood.
I could never walk the same path as such a man.
“Still... Boss, don’t push yourself too far. You have to survive first.”
“All right, Eva. Thank you for worrying.”
Knowing they were both genuinely concerned, I thanked them honestly.
“And because of this incident, everything planned jointly between North and South has been put on hold.”
“What?”
“Even Kim Hakgwon doesn’t know yet. I’ll tell him tomorrow. Pyongyang is about to run red with blood. Who lives and who dies—we’ll see.”
No one could guess how far the fallout of this coup would spread.
History as I knew it had already twisted beyond recognition.
“If Jang Songthaek survives this purge, I plan to join hands with him.”
“Vice Director Jang Songthaek?”
I gave a small nod.
“What power does he have? North Korea is practically the Kim dynasty. Even as number two, he’s just a fly waiting to be swatted by Kim Jongil.”
“This time I felt it—resentment toward Kim Jongil is deep even inside North Korea. As much as we know. Like in Japan, Kim could be raised as a hollow king, while real power rests with politicians led by Jang Songthaek. That’s the picture I want to draw.”
Han Kyungyeong and Eva looked at each other, then carefully asked,
“Do you think that’s possible?”
“We’ll see. To carry out business with Russia, the rails between North and South must connect. But Kim Jongil can’t be trusted.”
It was Chairman Song Youngjoo’s wish, and it would be Putin’s talking point too, but the Eurasian continental railroad was also good for me.
If goods could travel overland through China and Russia, everything would be much easier.
“So we need to replace him with someone trustworthy, someone aligned with me.”
“If you’re determined, Eva and I will follow, but it’ll be tough. Without the U.S., China, and Russia, it’s impossible.”
Given the peninsula’s reality, nothing could proceed without their tacit approval. I had already factored that in, so I nodded lightly.
“And Japan will try to get involved too. Ignore them completely. Let’s all be clear on that.”
“Got it.”
“Okay, Boss!”
They knew that once I resolved to do something, I would make it happen. In the end, both gave positive answers.
“Eva, focus on Ilseong Group. Brother, you handle the oil. Once the Chief Secretary is discharged, we’ll finally take that vacation.”
They both nodded at once. Their faces showed they badly needed a break.
“I need rest too. You can both go now.”
“You’ll stay here?”
“Yes, I’ll spend the night here. Tomorrow, after the exam, I’ll head to the Blue House.”
After sending them off, I stayed with Manager Ma.
Back in the hospital room, I sat beside his raised bed.
“Are you truly all right?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Even though the thigh wound had been treated immediately, I worried since it was point-blank.
Would he have trouble walking? Would it worsen later?
He was hurt because of me. Reading the concern on my face, he smiled gently.
“When it comes to gunshot wounds, I’m more of an expert than the doctors here. Didn’t I show you before? The scars all over my body. And I survived them. A thigh wound is nothing.”
In Russia, he had shown me scars from his mercenary days, telling stories of surviving without treatment, always on the run.
He meant that since he’d lived through that, I shouldn’t worry now.
I gave a bitter smile.
“Still, let’s wait for tomorrow’s exam before deciding. And...”
I repeated to him what I had told Han Kyungyeong and Eva.
After listening, Manager Ma answered,
“If that is what you want, then do it. But if it’s only driven by revenge, then don’t.”
He feared I was acting recklessly out of vengeance.
Though some of that was true, this conclusion came from what I had just experienced.
I could never work with a man like Kim Jongil.
“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind. Now rest. I’ll sleep in the inner room.”
“You won’t return to Pyeongchang-dong?”
“I’ll stay here just tonight and go back tomorrow. I’ll be here until the exam.”
I lowered his bed before standing up.
“Sleep well, Boss.”
I returned his farewell and went inside.
I had too many thoughts, but forcing myself to think in this exhausted state only built more fatigue.
Letting out a long sigh, I got up, washed away the day in the bathroom, and lay down to sleep.
The next morning, tests began early.
Fortunately, the doctor’s opinion was that there would be no lasting effects.
“That’s a relief.”
“I told you not to worry.”
“Still, stay here for at least a week. Think of it as rest.”
“But...”
He hesitated, but I spoke firmly.
“Today, apart from the Blue House meeting, I have nothing else. Don’t worry. After this, I’ll visit Busan for a while.”
At that, he finally agreed.
“It’s time. I have to go to the Blue House now.”
“Go safely, Boss.”
I patted his shoulder lightly and left the hospital.
After about thirty minutes on the road, we passed through the Blue House gates.
“President Kim, I’m glad you’re safe.”
Those were Kim Hakgwon’s first words when we met in the conference room.
“Fortunately, nothing serious happened.”
“Good. Do you know anything? Others never even left their hotels. If you know something, please tell us.”
He pressed me as soon as we sat down, his face full of urgency.
“Yes, there was a coup.”
“That much I know. Otherwise the 2nd and 4th Corps wouldn’t have moved against us. But with all communications cut, even the U.S. doesn’t have clarity yet.”
I recalled what Captain Baek Cheolsu had said at the villa—that phone lines were severed and satellite attempts led to conflict.
“The coup was suppressed. From the moment they failed to secure Kim Jongil’s person, it was inevitable.”
“I’ve ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) heard that Kim Jongil is safe. He appeared in public last night.”
To prevent any corps from acting independently, he had to show he was alive. He unusually appeared in public very quickly.
“Yes, I evacuated with him to a secret bunker outside Pyongyang. After the coup was crushed, we returned, and I then led the delegation back to Seoul.”
“What? You were with Kim Jongil?”
When I nodded, Kim Hakgwon’s face went pale with shock. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
“Then Manager Ma’s gunshot wound—was that while protecting Kim Jongil?”
He already knew about the wound.
“No, it wasn’t.”
“Then how did he get shot?”
With the utmost seriousness, I replied,
“He was shot by Kim Jongil himself.”
Hearing that, Kim Hakgwon leapt to his feet.
