Actually, Dad Was a Hero

Chapter 33: Conspiracy

The Captain, with a somewhat youthful face, kept clicking his tongue with a dubious expression as he repeatedly shone his flashlight on the Ghost Squad members and Jin Beom-Min.

It undoubtedly felt quite absurd to him. Those trying to pass through the road leading to North Korea were all heavily armed and wearing masks.

But the orders he received were clear, and the documents were perfectly in order.

“…Hmm, the documents are correct, but…”

However, the soldiers standing far behind him, guarding the checkpoint, seemed to have already figured out the identity of the Ghost Squad.

“H-Hey, Yoon-baem, aren’t those guys, those guys! Those!”

“Oh, yeah, yeah! Those from France!”

“Right? Right!”

“Wow, they really were our country’s special forces! I thought it was just a rumor.”

“Wow, awesome! Wow, if only I had my phone, I’d take a picture.”

“If you did that, you’d be going straight to military prison, not just the brig, you idiot.”

“But if we reported it to the broadcasting station, wouldn’t we get a big scoop?”

“You fool! You have to pretend you didn’t see things like this! This guy is such a screw-up.”

Their voices were low, almost inaudible, but Jin Beom-Min’s sensitive ears in the cargo bed clearly picked up their conversation.

‘Exposure of confidential information is also a matter of time…’

In a way, it was an unavoidable problem. It was impossible for Jin Beom-Min and the Ghost Squad to carry out operations in secrecy forever. With monsters suddenly appearing and having to be dispatched using various methods, witnesses were bound to appear.

Furthermore, this operation was hastily put together with cooperation from various sources, leaving many holes.

‘It’s fortunate that it’s the middle of the night…’

If it were daytime, they would have likely been witnessed by countless civilians on their way here. However, because it was late at night, they were able to choose roads with little traffic and somehow reach the vicinity of the Military Demarcation Line while minimizing exposure.

While Jin Beom-Min was lost in thought, the Captain managing the checkpoint seemed to have come to a conclusion and reluctantly opened his mouth.

“…Pass.”

Ogre, sitting in the driver’s seat, received the documents back and saluted playfully.

“Choo-heung.”

“C-Chung-sung!”

The Captain reflexively saluted at Ogre’s seasoned salute call that sounded like he had 20 years of experience.

Ogre grinned and stepped on the accelerator.

The straight road ahead was devoid of not only people but even streetlights.

It was only natural, as it was a road where neither cars nor people would travel unless it was a military vehicle.

[You guys are probably the first civilians to visit North Korea using that road.]

Lee Sang-Jun’s voice came through the communicator.

“Really?”

When Reaper asked, Lee Sang-Jun kindly replied.

[Those who attended the inter-Korean summit weren’t civilians, they were public officials. You guys aren’t soldiers either.]

“We’re not soldiers?”

“No. We’re not affiliated with the Ministry of National Defense.”

Sandman replied in a dry tone.

“Ah, right.”

“And we don’t get military pensions either.”

When Wraith added sarcastically, Sandman said in a comforting tone.

“Still, our salary is much higher than a soldier’s.”

“What good is that if you can’t even buy a car like this?”

Ogre grumbled.

“If you’re jealous, why don’t you go fight a monster with a sword?”

“If I were 10 years younger, I’d give it a shot.”

Imp, huddled in the cargo bed to avoid the wind, complained to Jin Beom-Min.

“It looks very comfortable in there. Back here, it feels like I’m going to freeze to death.”

“Huh? Ah, yes…”

Jin Beom-Min, who was lost in thought while looking at the night sky, was startled and answered.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Ah, I was looking at the moon.”

“The moon?”

“Yes. The more I look at it, the more fascinating it is. A moon that looks exactly like that rises in Jindar too.”

“Oh, that’s interesting. There’s a similar moon in another world.”

“That’s right. So whenever I see the moon, I always think of home.”

The two of them looked at the half-moon hanging white in the night sky for a while without speaking. Then, suddenly, Jin Beom-Min spoke again.

“Come to think of it, there are quite a few similarities. The people who live there are similar, the animals too… And honestly, the monsters are too similar to those that appear in Earth’s myths and novels, don’t you think?”

“Hmm, that’s true.”

“It’s like… There’s something we don’t know. Between the two worlds.”

“Hmm…”

Imp shrugged and replied.

“I don’t know about that, but I do know for sure that I’m freezing to death right now.”

Jin Beom-Min chuckled and handed him the blanket he had draped over his shoulders.

“Oh? Aren’t you cold?”

“I can bear it.”

“Then, thanks.”

Imp didn’t refuse and received the blanket Jin Beom-Min offered, wrapping himself in two layers of blankets.

“Whew, that’s better.”

“I’m glad.”

“I think it’s because of my head.”

“What is?”

Imp tapped his helmet and said.

“Since I don’t have any hair, there’s no insulation.”

“Hahaha.”

“So take good care of it while you have it. You can’t get it back once it’s gone.”

“Haha, right.”

******

They were able to pass through the North Korean side of the Military Demarcation Line without any problems as well. Despite being a hastily prepared operation, the fact that it was proceeding smoothly meant that Lee Sang-Jun and those who helped him had prepared well.

The place they arrived at after driving for a long time through the night was a small building located somewhere in Hwanghae Province.

“Stop, stop!”

Three soldiers in North Korean military uniforms stopped the truck, aiming their rifles.

As the truck came to a halt, the three North Korean soldiers approached hesitantly.

Sandman slowly got out of the truck with his hands raised.

“Are you Jeong Byeong-Ryeol?”

Sandman asked, and the one with a relatively high-ranking insignia among the three North Korean soldiers stepped forward.

“I am Jeong Byeong-Ryeol. Let me see the documents.”

Sandman slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out a stack of documents. The two North Korean soldiers behind Jeong Byeong-Ryeol still had their guns aimed.

After receiving and flipping through the documents, Jeong Byeong-Ryeol nodded and gestured to the two soldiers. Only then did the soldiers relax and lower their guns.

“Nice to meet you. I am Jeong Byeong-Ryeol of the Ministry of People’s Armed Forces.”

“I am Sandman of the Ghost Squad.”

“Sandman? What kind of name is that?”

“It’s like a code name.”

“Ah, how grand.”

Jeong Byeong-Ryeol chuckled without hesitation and then gestured to his subordinates. The two subordinates hurriedly went inside the building and came out carrying two large containers. It was fuel to refill the truck.

“From here on, just follow us. We will handle any problems that may arise, so please don’t say anything. Do you understand?”

“Understood.”

“Then refuel.”

While Ogre refilled the truck’s fuel tank, the Ghost Squad members and Jin Beom-Min got out of the truck and stretched their stiff bodies.

“Whew, how many hours has it been without a rest stop?”

“Hey, at least you guys have the heater. It’s freezing to death back there.”

“Shall we switch places?”

“Yes, yes. My mouth will freeze at this rate.”

“How about you, Jin?”

“I’m fine.”

Jin Beom-Min, stepping onto the ground, looked around with wide eyes and added.

“By the way, this is North Korea. It doesn’t feel real.”

The Ghost Squad members, realizing where they were standing, looked around anew.

“Well, there’s nothing particularly different.”

Reaper muttered in disappointment, and Wraith replied as if it were obvious.

“It’s the same land, what do you expect?”

“Who doesn’t know that?”

Jin Beom-Min intervened between the two, who were bickering as always.

“There are no lights.”

“Oh? That’s right, come to think of it.”

Unlike South Korea, where city lights could be seen everywhere, no matter where they looked, there wasn’t even a proper streetlight in sight in North Korea.

“Ha, this is something. I never thought I’d see North Korea in my life.”

Reaper laughed in disbelief, and Wraith chimed in.

“I know, right. Now, somehow, being in North Korea feels more surreal than fighting monsters.”

“Monsters are real, and North Korea is unreal.”

“That’s strange.”

Ogre finished filling the fuel tank, loaded the remaining fuel container onto the cargo bed, and shouted.

“Let’s go!”

******

Knock, knock—

“Yes, come in.”

Noh Min-Gu, the 2nd Deputy Director of the NIS, opened the door and entered the room with a respectful demeanor.

Kim Gil-Ho, the Director of the NIS, was sitting in the main seat of the plush black leather sofa, and Yoon Pil-Ju, the 1st Deputy Director, was sitting next to him in a demure posture.

“Sit down.”

“Yes.”

As Noh Min-Gu took his seat, silence fell over the room for a moment. Kim Gil-Ho coughed briefly and then slowly began to speak.

“How is the operation going?”

There was only one operation underway at this time. Noh Min-Gu carefully swallowed his tea and replied.

“There haven’t been any problems so far.”

“No problems… Hmm, that’s the problem.”

“Yes? What do you…?”

This time, 1st Deputy Director Yoon Pil-Ju stepped in.

“The problem is that the 4th Deputy Director is overstepping his boundaries and overseeing the entire operation, Deputy Director Noh.”

Noh Min-Gu blinked in confusion and asked back.

“But, the monsters…”

“Even if monsters are involved, that’s no excuse. If the 4th Deputy Director takes over overseas affairs and North Korean affairs, what are we supposed to do?”

“Well… You’re right, but…”

“If things continue like this, no matter how hard we work, all the credit will go to that Lee Sang-Jun.”

“But we can’t handle the monster response, can we? We don’t have experts like Jin…”

“Ahem.”

Kim Gil-Ho coughed again. It was a sign that he had something to say. Noh Min-Gu quickly shut his mouth and assumed a listening posture.

“The point is this. That Lee Sang-Jun is getting too cocky. No matter how capable he is, there’s an order to things in this world, isn’t there?”

“You’re absolutely right.”

Yoon Pil-Ju chimed in with a servile attitude. Noh Min-Gu wondered what was going on, but he had no choice but to nod his head, observing the situation.

“If this operation is successfully completed, it will probably become difficult for us to control him. Moreover, he has connections with Shim Jung-Min, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, so that’s saying something.”

“Yes, yes…”

“So, here’s the thing…”

Kim Gil-Ho licked his lips and subtly hinted in a clandestine tone.

“Don’t you have someone in your northern line who might be dissatisfied with this operation…?”

“Y-Yes? What do you…?”

“Someone who wouldn’t be happy about handling things secretly with the help of the South. A conservative, so to speak, wouldn’t there be someone like that?”

“Yes… Well, there is someone…”

Since the 2nd Deputy Director’s office handled North Korean intelligence, they had informants all over North Korea. Some were passive informants, while others were active collaborators, almost spies.

However, their identities and detailed information were top secrets that even the 2nd Deputy Director could only access with a top-secret clearance.

“Yes, what if one of them, let’s say… expressed a little dissatisfaction.”

“…Dissatisfaction?”

When Noh Min-Gu couldn’t quite grasp the meaning of Kim Gil-Ho’s roundabout words, Yoon Pil-Ju stepped in, as if frustrated.

“We can’t just stand by and watch Lee Sang-Jun rise to success like this, can we?”

Finally realizing their true intentions, Noh Min-Gu shook his head in shock.

“B-But…! If this operation fails, it will be a huge blow to the nation! Moreover, if we lose the only force capable of responding to monsters…!”

“Hey, Deputy Director Noh! Don’t go too far.”

“Y-Yes?”

Kim Gil-Ho continued in a firm tone.

“Of course, this operation must not fail. That’s not what I meant. However…”

“However…?”

“After the operation is successfully completed… Let’s say, some collateral damage could occur.”

“C-Collateral damage?”

“Yes. Well, the troops, excluding Jin, could get hurt, or they could even die in an unfortunate accident. That’s something that always happens, isn’t it?”

Noh Min-Gu was speechless and could only stare at Kim Gil-Ho. However, his eyes held firm resolve and a command.

“I trust you understand what I mean.”

With Kim Gil-Ho’s words, Yoon Pil-Ju added pressure as if pushing him from behind.

“Think carefully about whether you want to be on the same boat as Lee Sang-Jun or with us. In any case, the decision is yours.”

Clack—!

The sound of Kim Gil-Ho putting down his teacup was like the sound of a gavel announcing a verdict.