Chapter 1486: Contributing (1) |
Clink!
After stepping inside a cafe, Yi Jong-Wuk quickly scanned its dimly lit interior. Rather unsurprisingly, it was deserted.
Then again, it was three o’clock in the morning. Finding customers in a dark cafe at this hour would’ve been even more strange.
What a terrible habit this is…
At least he was prepared to understand the mindset of calling someone for a meeting at this time of the day; the person who called Yi Jong-Wuk on the phone worked for the organization infamous for not caring about what time it was, after all.
However, he couldn’t understand why they had to meet in a closed-for-the-day cafe instead of some quiet office. This had to be the result of some weird fetish, no?
Click!
Yi Jong-Wuk heard the door getting locked behind him but didn’t bother to turn around and confirm who did it. He was already familiar with how events like this played out, anyway.
He used to do the same type of work not too long ago, after all.
A man leisurely appeared from behind the counter. Yi Jong-Wuk smirked wryly after confirming who it was.
“Congratulations on your promotion, sir.”
“Thanks. With how hectic everything’s been on our side, you must be the first person to congratulate me.”
Yi Jong-Wuk stared intently at the man standing before him.
That was… Bak Seong-Jo.
Depending on the viewpoint, one could say they were pretty well acquainted with one another or complete strangers. Why? Because Bak Seong-Jo used to be the NIS’s overseas operations task force “team leader” before getting promoted to deputy director of the organization.
In other words, he used to be Yi Jong-Wuk’s superior, one waaay above the latter in the hierarchy.
“Whatever happened, a promotion is still something to celebrate about, isn’t it? Deputy Director Bak.”
“Yes… It is. It should be celebrated. If only my predecessor didn’t get dishonorably transferred out of the office, that is.” Bak Seong-Jo grinned bitterly, then pointed to one of the tables. “Come. Take a seat.”
“Of course.”
Yi Jong-Wuk briefly nodded and settled down on the comfy-looking couch.
“You want something to drink, Jong-Wuk?”
“I know we’re in a cafe, but can we even order something at this hour, sir?”
“Yes, we can.”
“I see. Then I would like something sweet, sir. My glucose level has dropped to the pits lately.”
“Let’s do that, then.”
Bak Seong-Ju snapped his fingers, which triggered a minor commotion within the kitchen. With the noise of a coffee machine grinding the beans serving as the backdrop, Yi Jong-Wuk silently stared at Bak Seong-Jo.
Eventually, Yi Jong-Wuk broke the silence first. “What would you like to talk about, sir?”
“What’s the rush?”
“I figured you’d have a lot on your plate, sir.”
“Yes, I always do. Ironically, that means we don’t have to rush. Finishing early doesn’t equal free time for me, after all.”
Yi Jong-Wuk clamped his mouth shut again.
This icy silence continued for a while. Eventually, cups filled with coffee were placed before Yi Jong-Wuk and Bak Seong-Ju.
Yi Jong-Wuk couldn’t help but stare at the dark coffee with trepidation and suspicion.
Bak Seong-Ju chuckled slightly. “Don’t worry. We didn’t do something as childish as spiking your coffee with truth serum. Besides, I’m sure you’ve built up a high level of tolerance by now, anyway.”
“Sir, people improve drug efficacy all the time.”
“Yes, that’s also true, isn’t it? However, we don’t have any plans to drug you, so you can relax. Or do you want a different drink?”
Yi Jong-Wuk chuckled, then took a small sip of the coffee.
If they wanted to, drugging him wouldn’t even have taken a second. They could just hold him down and stab a syringe full of the stuff in his arm, after all.
“Now… Can you tell me why I’m here, sir?”
“Why, you say… You’ve always been a pragmatic person, haven’t you, Jong-Wuk?” Bak Seong-Ju shook his head slightly. “Any thoughts of coming back into the fold?”
“That was a joke, right? Sir?”
“I wish it was. But our situation isn’t forgiving enough for jokes right now. This… matter has cost us the director, two deputies, and the head of the department of planning and coordination, you see? They are all gone.”
“…”
That level of clean-up qualified as a comprehensive obliteration of the higher-ups. Yi Jong-Wuk expected to see some level of reform, a purge in a way, to happen to the NIS’s brass at the very least, but to think the clean-up would be this ruthless!
“That’s not all, either. Half of the 2nd team got transferred to other lesser departments.”
Yi Jong-Wuk’s expression grew unreadable. The 2nd team, was it?
The “2nd team” was the moniker used internally by the NIS agents. Before joining the Assembly, Yi Jong-Wuk was a part of the NIS 1st team. Its mission was to handle overseas assignments.
During the… “Kim Myeong-Chan incident,” the NIS director worked with the 2nd team to assist Kim Myeong-Chan in his endeavor, so it didn’t take a genius to figure out that they would suffer some kind of retribution. However, to think the team would be gutted so thoroughly like that!
I’m not sure if this is supposed to be a reform or an act of revenge…
One thing was for sure, though; the “Code One” obviously viewed this matter as one of grave importance.
Bak Seong-Jo sighed. “Thanks to all the personnel changes, the NIS is not in a good shape right now. Reassigning people and filling up all the vacancy is making me burn the damn midnight oil every day, Jong-Wuk. Things are so hectic for us that I wouldn’t mind an extra helping hand or two right about now. Hell, I wouldn’t even care if the help came from a bloody kitten or something.”
“I’m sorry, sir, but I don’t think you’ll see me as an adorable little kitten anytime soon.”
“But you can certainly become a talented cat who can help us.”
Bak Seong-Jo helplessly shrugged.
“I don’t care about a cat being black or white as long as it’s good at catching mice. What I care about is having you back in the fold. You, who climbed to the position of the head of a department at a relatively young age through your abilities alone.”
A crooked smirk floated up on Yi Jong-Wuk’s face. “Yes, I agree that the color of a cat doesn’t matter. But cats are different from dogs in that, once thrown away, they want nothing to do with their former masters.”
“I don’t remember us throwing you away. I’d say it’s the opposite, actually.”
“You don’t have to chuck something outside the house to throw something away, sir. And no, I’m not here to argue semantics with you.”
“Look, Jong-Wuk,” said Bak Seong-Jo, his brow furrowing. “Our country needs you.”
Yi Jong-Wuk’s brows quivered at the mention of “country.”
There was a time in his life that the word “country” was used to justify everything he did. But now, he knew. He knew he could never go back to those days, no matter what he or anyone tried.
“Sir, do you mind if I tell you this epiphany I had?”
“Epiphany? Like what?”
“The NIS is not the country.”
“…”
Yi Jong-Wuk muttered cynically. “In fact… Neither is the administration. Nor is the President. None of those are the country, sir. Such things can’t represent our country at all.”
“Then, what? Are you going to tell me something as obvious as the country belonging to its people?”
“I’m not sure, sir. The answer to that question still eludes me to this day, you see? But I do know this one thing for sure, sir. Even if the NIS has the approval for whatever it’s doing, the agency’s actions don’t necessarily align with the national interest.”
“I didn’t think you would one day say that out loud, Jong-Wuk.”
“Sir, didn’t you know people could change?”
Yi Jong-Wuk stared icily at Bak Seong-Jo.
“People change because of their experiences. No matter what we try, I can never go back to that naïve youth you used to know, the one who was filled with undying patriotism. Because now I know how my patriotism back then got exploited, and who got disgustingly fat from the things I’ve done.”
Bak Seong-Jo flinched slightly at how cynical Yi Jong-Wuk sounded just then. That mini-rant clearly demonstrated the latter’s bitter disappointment toward the NIS, after all.
“Jong-Wuk, don’t forget that people make mistakes.”
“…”
“Will you keep making the same mistakes or learn from them and use them as the springboard for a better future? That is what’s important here.”
“Use them as a springboard, you say…” Yi Jong-Wuk chuckled helplessly, then shook his head. “I see. It still has got nothing to do with me now.”
Bak Seong-Jo sighed softly. “Then… How about this?”
Yi Jong-Wuk narrowed his eyes ever so slightly. Because the true purpose of this meeting was about to reveal itself now.
“I won’t keep pushing you to return to the NIS. However, isn’t it still possible for you to help us every now and then?”
“Me? Help you?”
“Yes, you.”
“How can I do that when I’m not even an NIS agent anymore?”
“Of course you can help us. Don’t sell yourself short like that. After all, aren’t you now employed by an organization we’re most curious about?”
Yi Jong-Wuk’s eyes narrowed even more. “You mean… the Martial Assembly?”
Click…
Bak Seong-Ju mouthed a cigarette and lit it up with a lighter. While lazily puffing away, he quietly addressed Yi Jong-Wuk.
“I don’t want you to misunderstand us.”
“…”
“We are emphatically not trying to extract information and use it against the Assembly in a hostile manner. Besides, we still haven’t regained our strength to take on a gamble like that, anyway.”
In other words, the NIS would have taken that gamble if it still had the power? Yi Jong-Wuk groaned softly.
“Look, Jong-Wuk. The Americans have begun pressuring us. They plan to increase the number of American troops stationed in the country and want us to select a suitable location for a new base. You know what’s funny about that so-called request? Maybe it’s nothing but a coincidence, but they want the location to be somewhere close to the Martial Assembly’s HQ.”
“…”
“From what I’ve heard, Assembly Master Kang Jin-Ho and a few core Assembly executives have visited America not too long ago, haven’t they?”
“Yes, they did.”
Yi Jong-Wuk replied truthfully, since it wasn’t much of a secret, anyway.
“Isn’t that funny? As soon as Assembly Master Kang visits America, the American government starts making this strange demand of us. And what’s driving us up the wall is that… we have no goddamn idea what kind of deal the Americans have made with Kang Jin-Ho. It’s obvious by now that the Americans aren’t interested in sharing information with us, and that has completely isolated us.”
Yi Jong-Wuk silently nodded while listening.
“With things like this, we can’t do our job effectively, Jong-Wuk.”
“I see. However, don’t you think you’re getting your just deserts?”
“Just deserts?”
“Yes,” Yi Jong-Wuk replied disinterestedly. “I’ve submitted several reports to the higher-ups, warning them not to antagonize the Martial Assembly. But the NIS leadership ultimately ignored my warnings and tried to fight the Assembly. Look at what happened in the end.”
“I was not part of that fiasco,” said Bak Seong-Ju.
“Please. Don’t try to shift all the blame to your predecessor. If you wanted to make your argument convincing, you should have quit the NIS as well. The successors must shoulder the failures of their predecessors, sir. Or have you already forgotten that?”
Bak Seong-Jo sighed deeply, a hint of discomfort now clearly visible on his face. Although he didn’t want to admit it, Yi Jong-Wuk was right about that.
“…That’s why we’re trying to fix the situation somehow, aren’t we?”
“Is that why you’re trying to extract information through an insider?”
“Look, Jong-Wuk.”
“Sir, have you considered what would happen to me if the Assembly finds out about this?”
“You already know the answer to that, Jong-Wuk,” Bak Seong-Jo replied quietly. “You know that’s what it’s like in our line of work. And that’s the expected outcome in a matter like this. Our work constantly demands us to take bold risks and make noble sacrifices.”
“…”
“That’s why I’m asking you for a big favor here, Jong-Wuk. I promise you, we will make it worthwhile. Enough to shock you, even.”
Yi Jong-Wuk silently gulped the coffee down in one go, despite the size of the glass cup. After finishing his drink, he noisily put the cup down and got up.
“I’ll be on my way now, sir.”
“Wait, Jong-Wuk!”
“Sir, please don’t contact me ever again. If you do, I’ll have no choice but to report everything, including tonight’s discussion, to the Assembly’s higher-ups.”
“Jong-Wuk, you…”
“I’m now a member of the Martial Assembly. If the NIS turns into the Assembly’s enemy again, I will unhesitantly use all the information I have and bring down the agency.”
Bak Seong-Jo tightly clenched his fist. “It seems you’ve been corrupted, as well.”
“Maybe that’s true,” Yi Jong-Wuk replied cynically. “There was a time when I believed making sacrifices meant something. Something noble. If I could sacrifice myself for the good of the country, then I would have nothing to ask for. However, that’s no longer me. Even if I sacrifice myself now, who would recognize what I have done?”
“Hoping to be recognized while making a sacrifice isn’t a real sacrifice, Jong-Wuk.”
“Yes, that is so. And that’s why I can’t work with the NIS anymore.”
Yi Jong-Wuk didn’t care if others insulted him and criticized him for becoming shallow and materialistic. Because he swore never to uphold this twisted ideal ever again for the rest of his life.
Kim Myeong-Chan had clearly shown him what the outcome of doing so would look like, after all!
“Sir. Have you spoken to the former Prime Minister Kim Myeong-Chan yet?”
“…”
Yi Jong-Wuk nodded at the silent Bak Seong-Jo. “I shouldn’t have asked. That’s not how the agency operates, after all.”
It wasn’t as if Yi Jong-Wuk was in favor of everything the Assembly did. However, at the very least, the Assembly didn’t throw its family members away.
To think I’d care about the sense of belonging…!
What a laughable notion that was, now that he was in this position. Rather than getting thrown away by the group he thought he belonged to, Yi Jong-Wuk would rather be a loner in a group that treated him right.
“Sir. Let’s hope this will be our final meeting.”
When Yi Jong-Wuk unhesitantly headed to the exit, Bak Seong-Jo shot up to his feet.
“Wait, Jong-Wuk! Yi Jong-Wuk! Wait!”
Unfortunately for him, though, Yi Jong-Wuk didn’t even pretend to listen and exited the cafe.
“Tsk!”
Bak Seong-Jo loudly tutted while sitting back down.
One of his subordinates approached and asked, “What should we do, sir?”
“Let him be. He won’t last long against us, anyway. Keep pressuring him, and he will eventually cooperate with us.”
“But he seemed adamant, sir?”
“This isn’t our first rodeo, is it? Softening stubborn people until they see the light is as easy as taking candy from a baby to us, anyway.”
Bak Seong-Jo began recalling the list of Yi Jong-Wuk’s acquaintances. Who should he go after first?
Just as his thoughts reached that far…
Clink!
The door chime went off again. Bak Seong-Ju quickly turned his head to look, wondering if Yi Jong-Wuk had a change of heart and came back. However, when he confirmed who it was, his expression stiffened like a stone.
The “intruder” was someone Bak Seong-Ju recognized. Despite the familiarity, though, this would be his first time meeting this individual face-to-face.
The intruder smirked. “Do you want me to thank you for looking after our newest employee or something?”
Bak Seong-Ju’s lips trembled in shock. That was Lee Hyeon-Su!
The de facto second-in-command of the Martial Assembly was waltzing inside as if he owned this cafe!
“H-how?”
“Don’t worry, Yi Jong-Wuk didn’t rat you out, okay? But did you really think I’d trust that guy so soon? And not keep him under surveillance? If so, hooooo, boy. You’ve underestimated rather gravely, haven’t you?”
Lee Hyeon-Su smirked deeply.
“That kinda pisses me off quite a bit, you know that? So, mind telling me what’s going on here? Maybe you didn’t get a proper handover of duties from our newest senior manager?”
Bak Seong-Jo desperately racked his brain for an excuse.
“T-there’s been some kind of misunder…”
“Shut your trap.”
“…”
A villainous smirk spread on Lee Hyeon-Su’s face.
“Since you don’t seem to know, I better teach you, eh? What happens if you stupidly try to scheme against us, that is.”
Bak Seong-Jo squeezed his eyes shut. He realized he had made a fatal error of underestimating the Martial Assembly.
