God of Blackfield

10:15 am.

It was now time for them to go out to the event location.

Badum-badum. Badum-badum.

Kang Chan’s instincts started to tell him that this was dangerous.

“The look in your eyes changed again. Is this how you immediately knew something dangerous was about to happen at the golf club as well?” Lanok asked.

“Yes. Back then, I felt something like this as well.”

“Mr. Kang Chan,” Lanok called with an intense look in his eyes. “We’ve done our best, so let’s now humbly accept the results, no matter how it turns out. That being said, I’m glad you’re with me as I head out to the event venue.”

Lanok lived with so much determination. Even though his wife was shot to death and his daughter had injured her leg, he lived on to participate in this kind of event all the time.

Kang Chan smirked, then breathed in loudly. “Let’s go. I met a great man today.”

“You must be talking about the chief officer of security.”

“Yes. With such a strong ally on our side, fighting our enemies will be worth it. We’re also very lucky to have you in events like this.”

Lanok smiled widely in response.

“Now!” Lanok stood up, and the agents and his assistant headed out to the waiting room.

“Let’s start our war,” Lanok said.

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“Let’s go.”

Europeans always had a cool way of saying those kinds of expressions.

Two agents opened the door and examined the hallway. Louis and Kang Chan went out of the room in order. Lanok followed behind them.

Badum-badum. Badum-badum.

Kang Chan’s nerves were on edge.

As Louis moved quickly according to Kang Chan’s glances, the different agents nervously inspected the hallway and the front of the elevator.

A member of the 606 was at the end of the hallway by the elevator.

They were on the fifth floor.

Ding.

The elevator opened. Louis got in first, then Kang Chan, then Lanok.

Someone pressed the button for the second floor. The door closed and the elevator, which was filled with a strangely nerve-wracking atmosphere, descended.

4… 3… 2… Ding.

When the door opened, an enormous amount of flash, the sounds of camera shutters, and blinding lights shone onto Lanok and Kang Chan.

***

[Finally, Lanok Belmonde Pardieu, the Ambassador of France, Founder of the Eurasian rail establishment, and first Operation Committee member has appeared for today’s historic announcement. Beside him is Kang Chan, the Shinmuk High School student who has been with Lanok since the start of this event. He does not seem dispirited at all, which is praiseworthy and something that we’re proud of. Everyone! This is one for the books. We’re honored to be able to broadcast the moment South Korea will confidently position itself as a key player in the world’s economy that will lead for the next several centuries.]

“Wow!” the kids exclaimed loud enough to shake the Shinmuk high school’s glass windows. Even the teachers looked flushed with excitement and had both of their hands tightly clasped in front of them because the announcer’s excited shout was instigating them.

***

The military band performed Arirang[1] with discipline at the same time Lanok entered. The representatives from each attending country all stood up and greeted Lanok and Kang Chan with applause.

Kang Chan quickly examined their surroundings, noticing the five security guards in charge of Lanok’s safety adjusting locations according to Lanok’s movements.

The second floor was spacious.

The distance that they walked after they stepped out of the elevator and went to the grand ballroom was long enough to be over twenty meters.

One, two, three, four, five.

Kang Chan instinctively measured the distance.

He could hear the sounds of his own breathing, which showed just how nervous he was.

The sounds of shutters and flashes kept bursting out from the cameras as they followed Lanok.

“Move!”

“Don’t push!”

“Those in the front—duck down a bit!”

The reporters who went up the foldable ladders and the reporters that blocked them grappled against each other. In between them, the agents paved the way for Kang Chan and Lanok.

The grand ballroom’s door was completely opened.

If it weren't for the two 10-meter walls on either side of the room, the entire second floor would have seemed like an open-space area.

Kang Chan’s eyes briefly met Seok Kang-Ho’s, who was standing at the wall on the right.

They immediately looked away from each other, but that short moment was enough for Kang Chan to read Seok Kang-Ho’s expression. He looked surprised by the look in Kang Chan’s eyes.

An agent guided Lanok to the seat at the front and center, then gestured to the seat next to it to Kang Chan.

Lanok turned from side to side with his hand raised in greeting and while smiling like a European mask to his heart's content.

In front of their table was a platform, and to the side of where Seok Kang-Ho was standing were a man and a woman who looked like the hosts. They were standing in front of the small podium and were quickly checking their scripts.

Badum-badum. Badum-badum.

Kang Chan's heart seemed to be yelling at him, ‘Get out. Get out of here. Please get out of this place.’

After quickly observing his surroundings, Kang Chan looked at Lanok.

I’ve already decided to join this battle anyway, so I might as well fight them with everything I’ve got.

Kang Chan smirked, having strengthened his resolve.

***

“Oh my! What should I do? What should I do? Our president’s smile even appears in my dreams! A D.I. employee exclaimed.

The screen was showing Kang Chan, who was smiling.

The event would come to a close after the announcement at 11 am.

With the majority of people in front of the TV watching the announcement, the businesses in South Korea came to a halt. D.I. was no exception.

After canceling their morning shoot, all the employees, including Michelle and their accountant Choi Yoo-Jin watched TV.

[President Moon Jae-Hyun and Prime Minister Go Gun-Woo have decided to attend today’s event and are expected to arrive soon. If the President and our government are the ones leading the Eurasian rail, then we’re sure that the next generation like Kang Chan will raise up South Korea and put it at the top of the world. My fellow citizens! You are currently bearing witness to an event that will go down in South Korea’s history forever.]

***

[The President and the Prime Minister are making their entrance now.]

The male host spoke in Korean, while the female host quickly interpreted it in English and French.

Bam-ba-baba, bam-ba-baba, bam-ba-la-ba-ba.

The military band performed Arirang again as Moon Jae-Hyun and Go Gun-Woo went up the stairs.

As the foreign countries’ delegations all stood up and applauded, Kang Chan quickly examined their surroundings.

The scene was chaotic—filled with flashes, shutters, and voices of foreign reporters.

Jeon Dae-Geuk, who was also quickly looking over their surroundings, met Kang Chan’s eyes.

He looked nervous.

Jeon Dae-Geuk’s eyes were glinting, and he was so full of spite that it looked as if he would shoot anyone who’d block him immediately regardless of who they were.

Badum-badum. Badum-badum.

Kang Chan’s heart was beating so quickly that it made him feel as if he was running around his apartment complex like he always did during mornings.

Whoo. Whoo. Whoo. Whoo.

Kang Chan could hear his own breathing.

The sounds from the military band, cameras, reporters, and applause sounded so far away, and everything seemed to be flowing slowly.

Kang Chan was now in perfect combat mode. In this condition, he was confident he could defeat anyone he would run into.

Whoo. Whoo. Whoo. Whoo.

Kang Chan examined his surroundings again from left to right, then observed those who were close to him and then those far away. He looked at the hosts, the agents, and the person in charge from Europe, who was sitting at the very right.

He also looked at the platform again, the security guards in the grand ballroom, the reporters, and the National Intelligence Service agents positioned far away.

As Kang Chan looked at those nearby again, he noticed Lanok’s pinky finger slightly trembling.

Lanok was smiling as if he was wearing a mask and was looking at his surroundings with an arrogant gaze, but he couldn’t suppress his pinky finger from trembling.

Kang Chan remembered Lanok saying that he was going out to battle as well.

Moon Jae-Hyun and Go Gun-Woo reached their seats, which were to Lanok’s left.

Moon Jae-Hyun stood beside Lanok and shook hands with him, then unexpectedly held out his hand to Kang Chan as well.

Kang Chan politely shook hands with him.

***

[In front of the first operation committee member of the Eurasian rail, South Korea’s present and future are shaking hands with each other. This historic scene hints toward South Korea’s further development.]

Kang Dae-Kyung held Yoo Hye-Sook’s trembling hand tightly.

They didn’t know why, but Yoo Hye-Sook had a nightmare and started trembling the moment she sat in front of the TV. It only got worse whenever Kang Chan was shown on TV.

Kang Dae-Kyung reached around her shoulder and hugged her.

They didn’t go to work today.

Their phones were on silent mode, they closed the door to their apartment, and they even unplugged the power cord of their home phone.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. You should trust and watch Channy. He’s doing so well. Why are you so scared when it’s about to end in a few hours?” Kang Dae-Kyung asked.

“Honey, I’m trying not to be, but…” Yoo Hye-Sook, who looked pale from fright, tightly held Kang Dae-Kyung’s hand.

“Our Channy shouldn’t work at high places.”

Kang Dae-Kyung’s eyes were also trembling despite making a joke that sounded forced, but Yoo Hye-Sook didn’t notice.

“He’s going to do a good job. It’s okay. Everything is going to be okay,” Kang Dae-Kyung mumbled as if trying to reassure himself.

Would it be okay, though? As he kept repeating that it would be okay, Kang Dae-Kyung remembered the look in Kang Chan’s eyes when he begged him to be okay.

On TV, Kang Chan shook hands with Go Gun-Woo, then sat down.

1. Arirang, or 아리랑, is a Korean folk song sung in both North and South Korea. It represents the symbol of unity in the region divided by the Korean War. It is estimated to be over six hundred years old. ☜