God of Blackfield

Kang Chan had never seen Heo Eun-Sil drop her gaze before today.

鈥淚鈥檒l stay out of preparing for the festival,鈥?Heo Eun-Sil accepted.

The moment he heard her response, he felt like he had made a mistake; after all, he didn鈥檛 have any authority over the festival or over her, to begin with.

Kang Chan always felt drained after meeting these two.

鈥淪ure, whatever,鈥?he replied.

Kang Chan walked away.

鈥淲here鈥檚 the hospital?鈥?/p>

However, Heo Eun-Sil stopped him again.

Kang Chan doubted that Heo Eun-Sil was asking so she could go and throw a fit in Shim Su-Jin鈥檚 room, not unless she didn鈥檛 fear for her life anymore. He figured an apology from Heo Eun-Sil couldn鈥檛 hurt Shim Su-Jin鈥檚 recovery.

鈥淏ang Ji Hospital.鈥?/p>

Listening to Heo Eun-Sil鈥檚 uneven breathing, he hoped for the first time that things would work out for this rude girl.

Go and beg for forgiveness. Ask for forgiveness every time you come across someone you hurt.

Kang Chan hoped she would have at least that much courage to face her past.

鈥淚鈥檒l tie up loose ends with Su-Jin first. If Su-Jin accepts my apology, promise me you鈥檒l help out with the festival,鈥?Heo Eun-Sil requested.

Why was she so intent on their club鈥檚 participation in the school festival? It wasn鈥檛 like she was getting paid for it.

Kang Chan smirked. As he did, the bell rang, marking the end of class.

He left the clubroom and walked over to where the senior classrooms were.

It was probably the break between the second and third periods now, but students were still dashing for the student store. A few students spotted Kang Chan and flinched before stopping in their tracks.

Those same students had avoided his gaze like the plague not too long ago. Now, however, they seemed to be wanting to start up a conversation with him as they stole glances at him. As they peeked at him, they couldn鈥檛 help but stare at the bandages on his left hand.

How adorable those little kids are.

Kang Chan moved past them and climbed up the stairs. The commotion instantly died down, and a wide path was made in front of him like before, but the atmosphere wasn鈥檛 as stiff as it used to be.

鈥淚t鈥檚 Kang Chan!鈥?one female student even whispered.

Having finally reached his classroom, he found the back door open because it was currently break time.

Kang Chan poked his head inside and looked for Kim Mi-Young. Students crowded around him and gazed up at him with fascinated eyes.

However, although the noise in the classroom suddenly quieted down, Kim Mi-Young didn鈥檛 look up from the textbook she was studying.

鈥淗ey, Snow White!鈥?/p>

Kim Mi-Young jumped in surprise before looking back. As she did, Kang Chan鈥檚 heart sank. She had lost so much weight that her cheeks were half the size they used to be.

She floundered up from her desk and ran over to Kang Chan.

鈥淲hy did you lose so much weight?鈥?/p>

鈥淒id you come to pick up your admission certificate?鈥?Kim Mi-Young asked.

鈥淒on鈥檛 try to change the subject. Are you not feeling well?鈥?he chided.

Kim Mi-Young grinned. Seeing her smile made him miss her light 鈥渉ehehe鈥?laughter.

鈥淚鈥檓 going to apply early to the Seoul National University. I鈥檒l attend school with you no matter what,鈥?Kim Mi-Young said firmly.

鈥淒o you still practice French?鈥?Kang Chan asked.

鈥淵up!鈥?she replied eagerly.

鈥淵ou hopeless girl!鈥?Kang Chan ruffled her hair. A few female students around them covered their mouths and shrieked.

Kim Mi-Young had grown up so fast. She had completely lost her baby fat and seemed like a real young lady now.

鈥淚 said I don鈥檛 like girls who are too thin, remember?鈥?/p>

鈥淭hen buy me a lot of yummy things once finals are over, okay?鈥?/p>

Kang Chan thought about having Kim Mi-Young take a break from her studies soon. It was a shame they were at school. He would鈥檝e patted her on the back if they were elsewhere.

Ding, ding.聽

The bell rang, signaling that classes were resuming.

Kim Mi-Young could neither let go of Kang Chan鈥檚 hand nor look away from his face. That was how much she liked him. Even so, she had delved into her studies without contacting him because she was determined to go to the same school as him.

鈥淚鈥檒l get going now. Text me when you have time, okay?鈥?/p>

鈥淥kay!鈥?Kim Mi-Young replied energetically.

Kang Chan felt more at ease after hearing her voice. He nodded and turned to leave the classroom as classes resumed.

***

Upon returning to their apartment, Kang Chan left his special admission certificate to the Seoul National University on the dining table. He then made some scrambled eggs for himself and changed out of his school uniform.

This was where things would really begin.

When you're just trying to make great content at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

He picked up the breastpin and thumbtack-shaped transmitter before leaving the complex.

Kang Chan took a taxi and headed straight for the embassy. When he arrived, an agent was already waiting for him to guide him inside.

鈥淢r. Kang Chan!鈥?Lanok greeted.

Lanok was the same as ever. However, Kang Chan thought he could catch the small differences in his facial expressions now.

As always, they sat across from each other at the table, and tea was served.

鈥淗e鈥檚 scheduled to arrive at six in the evening on Friday. They requested for the exchange to happen at the airport so Vasili鈥檚 plane can fly straight to Japan afterward.鈥?/p>

鈥淚鈥檒l inform my colleagues about it,鈥?Kang Chan replied, finding no reason to say no to that request.

鈥淰asili said he wants to have dinner together. I鈥檓 not looking forward to dinner with that guy, but we have to listen to what he has to say, so I hope you take that into consideration as well.鈥?/p>

鈥淭hat鈥檚 fine,鈥?Kang Chan replied, then pulled out the breastpin and thumbtack-shaped transmitter from his inner pocket and laid them on the table.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e transmitters, I see,鈥?Lanok mused.

Damn it.

He hadn鈥檛 expected Lanok to be stumped by what they were, but he felt the enthusiasm in him being drained when Lanok guessed what they were so effortlessly.

鈥淎mbassador Lanok, if you keep one of these two transmitters on you, I鈥檒l be able to know where you are on my phone,鈥?Kang Chan said.

Lanok watched Kang Chan with a careful gaze.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know exactly what being friends with you means, Mr. Ambassador, but I also don鈥檛 know what I might do if I fail to protect you. I won鈥檛 be able to do anything if I鈥檓 not certain I can protect the people who are special to me,鈥?Kang Chan added.

A smile slowly drew on Lanok鈥檚 lips.

鈥淭here is nothing more dangerous than revealing my location in real-time to intelligence agents.鈥?/p>

I suppose so.聽

Kang Chan thought that made sense.

鈥淎re you getting bad feelings as you did last time?鈥?Lanok inquired.

鈥淣ot to that extent yet. However, I want to prepare as much as I can before anything happens.鈥?/p>

Lanok took a sip of his tea as if he was trying to mask his contemplative eyes.

He put his teacup back onto the saucer with a click, then looked back at Kang Chan as he rubbed his index finger and thumb together.

鈥淚鈥檒l connect a transmitter used by the DGSE to your phone, Mr. Kang Chan. However, I can block the transmissions whenever I want to. Moreover, should I find myself in a predicament that would require your assistance, I can use it to contact you immediately.鈥?/p>

It was a better transmitter than what Kang Chan had prepared for him. Kang Chan had no reason to refuse.

鈥淭hank you, Ambassador Lanok.鈥?/p>

鈥淚 should be the one thanking you. That aside, I鈥檓 certain there鈥檚 a reason why Vaisili insists on meeting you during his trip.鈥?/p>

鈥淏ased on what you said, it seems like you already have a guess about what that could be, Mr. Ambassador,鈥?Kang Chan conjectured.

Lanok made a curt nod at him.

鈥淭here are all kinds of messy intel going around right now. The problem is that your name keeps getting mentioned at the core of it all. The United States managed to find you with the results of the biopsy, the French government is attempting to naturalize you as one of our citizens, and Vasili himself wants to meet you. However, the reason behind all that hasn鈥檛 been exactly revealed yet.鈥?/p>

Kang Chan let out a deep sigh.

鈥淎mong the information that we鈥檙e constantly picking up, some are extremely absurd. That鈥檚 why I鈥檓 eager to see what Vasili would bring with his arrival,鈥?Lanok added.

鈥淚s Xavier still in South Korea?鈥?Kang Chan asked.

鈥淵es, he is. His original mission was to receive military intelligence from Huh Sang-Soo, but I鈥檓 assuming his aim now is to keep an eye on what you do, Mr. Kang Chan.鈥?/p>

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a little ridiculous,鈥?Kang Chan scoffed.

鈥淲ell, that鈥檚 information warfare for you. The moment the parties learn what it is that each other really wants, countless lives will be sacrificed. And the greater the profits that come with the intelligence, the more lives will be lost,鈥?Lanok explained.

That wasn鈥檛 just the case for information warfare.

The many mercenary lives that were sacrificed from participating in Africa鈥檚 civil wars were all a result of who could profit more as well.

鈥淭here are now two days left before Vasili arrives. We鈥檒l learn the reason behind all this then,鈥?Lanok declared.

鈥淚 see.鈥?/p>

鈥淲ill you be coming directly to the airport on Friday?鈥?/p>

鈥淚鈥檒l let you know about that tomorrow morning,鈥?Kang Chan replied.

Lanok smiled, wrapping up their talks of Vasili.

鈥淢r. Kang Chan, don鈥檛 turn down the offer if you鈥檙e designated as South Korea鈥檚 representative for the Eurasian Rail.鈥?/p>

鈥淚 heard you would be recommending my appointment for the position. Is that correct?鈥?/p>

鈥淚 received a request from the Korean government鈥檚 National Intelligence Service.鈥?/p>

Lanok lifted the teapot and poured them some more tea.

鈥淥f course, naturally, I said I would,鈥?Lanok said.

It was time to come to a decision now. Kang Chan looked Lanok directly in the eye.

鈥淎mbassador Lanok, do you think I can do a good job as South Korea鈥檚 representative?鈥?/p>

鈥淚 know you鈥檙e the best suited for that position, Mr. Kang Chan.鈥?/p>

鈥淏ut if I accept, I can say goodbye to being naturalized as a citizen of France.鈥?/p>

Lanok chuckled, amused, at what Kang Chan said.

鈥淎t least you won鈥檛 become an enemy of France,鈥?Lanok said with a smile, but for some reason, Kang Chan didn鈥檛 get the feeling that the ambassador was joking.