Free Web NovelThe mercenaries and the Zaslon soldiers formed a wide circle around the center of the training ground.
At the center, Igor and Arshavin had taken off their shirts and were loosening up their bodies.
“Boss.”
Manager Ma brought over a chair from somewhere and set it behind me.
“Thanks.”
“It’s nothing.”
With Manager Ma standing firmly behind me, the support felt reassuring. I gave a small smile and sat down.
“What do you think, Manager Ma? Who do you think will win?”
“I’m not sure. I know Igor’s skill roughly, but I don’t know anything about this Arshavin guy.”
“Really? Then what do you think of Igor’s skill?”
Whenever we came to Russia, Manager Ma often sparred with Igor.
So I wanted to hear what someone who had directly exchanged blows with him thought.
“If it’s Igor... he could go back on active duty right now and still be at the top.”
“Really?”
“He’s older, but he’s maintained his body extremely well.”
“Haha, hearing that makes it sound like Manager Ma must be an absolute monster if he still beats Igor.”
I teased lightly, but Manager Ma only gave an awkward, embarrassed smile.
“If Igor loses, things get complicated. For this operation, I need someone I can trust to be at the site. Even if Arshavin beats Igor, can we trust him? Obviously not.”
North Korea was full of variables. Add to that the mission of capturing its dictator alive.
I had no intention of killing Kim Jongil. Or rather—killing him would only make things messier.
Even if Jang Songthaek seized power afterward, chaos would inevitably continue.
North Korea was different from other nations. Their legitimacy rested on the Baekdu bloodline—Kim Ilsung to Kim Jongil.
That was how they maintained power.
To outsiders, they were merciless dictators, but to the North Korean people, they were leaders—kings.
Keeping Kim Jongil alive to serve as a symbolic figure would bring far more benefit than killing him and throwing the country into chaos.
Of course, if capture was impossible, killing might be necessary... but I hoped it wouldn’t come to that.
“Well, unlikely as it is, if Igor loses, then this time you’ll go in to settle it, Manager Ma. It’s been a while since you’ve been in the field, right?”
“...”
I said it jokingly, but I meant it. No matter who his opponent was, Manager Ma wouldn’t lose one-on-one.
I ended the conversation and looked forward.
“It’s starting.”
At that, Igor turned toward me and bowed, while Arshavin saluted.
Then the two men faced each other.
Arshavin spoke first, rolling his neck side to side.
“Igor, was it? I’ve heard your name.”
“Yeah? With how much you look down on us, I thought you’d pretend not to know.”
“Well... they said you were a legend among Spetsnaz.”
Igor gave a bitter smile.
“That’s an old story.”
A hint of nostalgia lingered in his tone. Arshavin curled his lips into a mocking smile.
“Exactly. That was the Soviet era. Now it’s Russia. Times have changed—legends should remain as legends. I’ll be taking over your reputation.”
“You think you can take it? You think you’re fit to represent this generation’s Spetsnaz?”
“I can’t imagine losing to anyone. The fact that he sent me on this important mission means I am already acknowledged.”
Igor, staring him down in silence, eventually smirked.
“Fine. Let’s test it, then. Let’s see what ‘this generation’s’ Spetsnaz is worth.”
“You’ll regret it.”
“Stop fighting with your mouth. The boss is waiting.”
At Igor’s words, Arshavin exaggeratedly sighed.
“How far you’ve fallen. A soldier who once served the nation now works for money. You sold your Russian pride for cash? That dishonors our Spetsnaz—”
Igor cut him off with a vicious growl.
“Listen, brat. You’re flapping your mouth about things you know nothing about. Don’t speak of things you don’t understand!”
“...”
“Honor? Loyalty to the nation? Pride as Spetsnaz? Did any of that feed us? The motherland didn’t give us anything. No one cared when we were starving! Our comrades wasted away on drugs in back alleys, dying like dogs! And you talk about pride?”
It was my first time seeing Igor this enraged. I realized I knew nothing about his past.
I had thought he was simply another ex-Soviet soldier who turned to mercenary work to survive.
I only remembered him once saying he would sell even his soul for money.
What had happened to drive a soldier like him into this world?
“I waited. Starving, I waited for the nation to call me back. But no one came. My family died of hunger. My comrades—those who fought beside me—died as drug-ridden corpses. ...There’s no point talking about it now. Enough. Let’s begin.” frёewebηovel.cѳm
Igor finished, shifting into position. His eyes gleamed with fury.
Arshavin swallowed nervously, then also took his stance without argument.
Their stances were nearly identical.
“That posture—that’s Systema, the Russian special forces martial art, right?”
Manager Ma nodded.
“Yes. The Russian military uses Systema and Sambo.”
“What do you think? To me the stance looks a little—”
Systema’s ready stance used relaxed muscles, giving it a loose, almost sloppy appearance.
But Manager Ma’s face was extremely serious.
“It looks unimpressive, but its lethality is top-tier. When combined with Sambo, it becomes even stronger.”
“I see.”
As the two men studied each other, Arshavin rushed in first.
He swung his right fist. It sliced the air with weight, but Igor lightly parried it with his left and countered.
Arshavin avoided Igor’s sharp kick by tilting his head.
That sparked a rapid exchange—nonstop offense and defense.
The first successful hit was Arshavin’s.
Igor lowered his guard for a moment to block a knee-strike aimed at his ribs.
Arshavin twisted his waist instantly and slammed an elbow into Igor’s jaw.
The Zaslon soldiers roared.
“Uwoooooh!!”
I frowned instinctively. Looked like it landed clean.
Would Igor even stay standing?
But Manager Ma quickly dispelled the worry.
“Igor turned his head at the moment of impact to reduce the shock. I don’t think that counts as a proper hit.”
“Really?”
His eye was sharp, as expected.
Riding momentum, Arshavin continued attacking, but Igor—though hit—defended flawlessly.
Then came ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) a flurry of movements too fast to follow.
Igor drove a right hook into Arshavin’s ribs.
Thunk!
A loud, solid impact. Arshavin winced but still swung a heavy punch toward Igor’s solar plexus.
But his motion was too big—too open. Igor wouldn’t miss that.
He caught Arshavin’s wrist, closed the distance instantly, and hammered his side mercilessly.
Arshavin tried to retreat to create space, but that only opened him further.
Once an ideal distance formed, Igor drove a punch straight into Arshavin’s solar plexus with a clean, sharp motion.
POW!
It wasn’t even a full-force strike—just a light push.
But it was enough.
A heavy sound followed, and Arshavin collapsed forward.
Silence fell.
After countless exchanges, Arshavin was knocked down in a single decisive blow.
“Uwooooh!!!”
“Igor! Igor!!”
But the silence didn’t last—soon the mercenaries erupted in cheers.
Igor, however, looked toward me with a hardened expression.
He was asking permission.
I understood immediately and nodded once.
He wanted Arshavin removed entirely from this mission.
With my approval, Igor grabbed Arshavin’s right arm and snapped it.
CRACK—
“Gaaahhh!!”
Arshavin woke screaming for a moment, then passed out again from the pain.
After confirming it, Igor straightened and glared at the Zaslon soldiers.
“From now on, erase the label ‘Zaslon’ from your minds. These mercenaries were once Spetsnaz as well. Which makes them your seniors. We are no different from you. The only difference is you serve Russia, and we work as mercenaries. That’s all.”
All eyes focused on Igor.
“One unit does not need two commanders. From this moment, you will obey my orders unconditionally. Otherwise, you will be eliminated immediately. Understood?”
The coldness in Igor’s voice and eyes made the Zaslon soldiers flinch.
When no answer came, Igor barked again.
“Understood!”
“Yes, understood!”
The Zaslon soldiers snapped to attention and shouted together.
This was only possible because it was Igor.
According to Arshavin, he had once been called a legend among Spetsnaz.
That explained why they accepted him so easily.
If Igor were not Russian—if he weren’t Spetsnaz—they never would’ve followed.
I got up and walked toward him.
Arshavin, conscious again, was struggling to his feet, clutching his broken arm.
“Arshavin. You are combat-incapable. Go back and get treatment.”
“But—”
“Already forgot? You follow my orders unconditionally. Last warning. Unless you’d prefer I break your neck instead of your arm, stop talking.”
“...”
Feeling humiliated, Arshavin said nothing and tried to stand.
I grabbed his jaw to stop him from looking away and forced him to meet my eyes.
“The other soldiers did nothing wrong. Even if they had, dealing with you alone is enough to wipe away that fault. And tell the one who gave you that filthy order this—if they try one more stunt, I won’t let it pass. Now go get treatment, Arshavin.”
I tapped his cheek twice with my fingers and smirked.
Arshavin compressed his lips in humiliation, glanced at his men, then turned away.
Thanks to Igor, things ended cleanly.
I walked up beside Igor and lightly patted his shoulder.
“Well done. I trusted you.”
“Thank you.” ƒreewebɳovel.com
“Oh, but when you took that hit to the jaw, I was surprised. Thought you might go down.”
“I’m sorry.”
Igor tried to bow, but I stopped him.
“That’s enough. You are the one who must command everyone here. Don’t bow your head to anyone in front of them.”
“But Boss...”
“That’s enough. Just succeed in this mission. That’s all I need. That’s the best thing you can do for me.”
Igor nodded solemnly. I smiled softly and looked around again.
Now the combination of disciplined soldiers and sharp mercenaries finally felt right.
“Manager Ma, bring out the food and alcohol we prepared.”
“Yes, Boss.”
He gave the order, and a subordinate quickly ran off.
“From this moment, everyone here is one unit. I don’t care what your affiliations used to be. I just want you all to succeed in this mission. Loyalty? Honor? Those are words you get to use only if the mission succeeds. For my sake, and for Russia’s sake—do your best.”
There was no reply, but I didn’t care. I simply waited for the food and drinks to be prepared.
“Let’s eat first. Get to know each other while we eat.”
I dropped down to sit on the dust-covered ground first.
