章 22: Chapter 22: 2.1 – Twilight – Do you have abdominal muscles?
"Take good care of your mother. I trust you."
Dad always says that every time he leaves the house. For the boy Kwon Taek Joo, that greeting was strange. He didn't know why, but it wouldn't be surprising if Dad never came back. And in fact, his father's greeting every morning became his last.
His mother sobbed in front of his father's portrait. Kwon Taek Joo took a step back from that tragic cry. He was unconsciously scared. At that time, seeing the mother become a stranger shocked Kwon Taek Joo more than the despair of not seeing his father again.
His brother is different. Although he was not yet an adult, he was more determined than anyone there. As if prepared a long time ago, he was on a mission to take care of the family in a thoughtful way. It was he who comforted his mother and took care of the rice and water. After the funeral, he was also not shaken by the expectations, worries and responsibilities of those around him. He was an upright and upright man. For her mother, her brother is someone she can trust and rely on, and for her younger brother Kwon Taek Joo, he is a comfortable shade. Thanks to that, he never had to feel the absence of his father.
The interaction between the two brothers is also not much, partly due to the age difference of six, partly because his brother is often away from home because of work. The two are not particularly close but not strangers either. The two brothers live like that.
It is rare for two people to contact each other unless something special happens. So one day, Kwon Taek Joo was surprised when he received a phone call from his brother. He had a hunch that something was wrong, but his brother only called to inquire. Throughout the conversation, he didn't mention any special stories either.
"If you export this time, you probably won't be able to return for two months. Please take good care of your mother for me."
The last conversation was no different from normal, but Kwon Taek Joo still felt strangely uncomfortable that even he himself could not find the reason. It must be just a coincidence, because even a while later, there was no problem with his brother and family. Kwon Taek Joo quickly shook off the insecurity in his heart.
Accidents always happen suddenly without warning. It came as a shock only after he had relaxed his mind. That day too. A call came in late at night. Even though he heard clearly what the other person was saying, Kwon Taek Joo still couldn't believe it. He thought he was having a nightmare. He didn't know how he got to the informed location. Both mother and Kwon Taek Joo are not sober.
When the two arrived, there were a lot of people gathered there. They are military personnel, bereaved family members, reporters and even curious people. The memories afterwards are no longer clear. All Kwon Taek Joo can do is sit there in a daze in the chaos between despair, sadness and anger intertwined.
He took a nap while looking after the altar. Sleeping or waking up is not his will anymore. Between dreams, the figures of father and brother appear. The two repeated the same words as if they knew in advance what was going to happen. He was disgusted with those repetitive requests. He covered his ears and they started scolding him to answer quickly. Both take the form of the moment of death, an incomplete and haunting image.
When Kwon Taek Joo woke up in shock, his mother came to sit next to him. Contrary to concern, the mother fainted after seeing her brother's body still kept her usual demeanor. At least it seems to be. She clutched Kwon Taek Joo's hand when he had a nightmare and gently stroked his sweaty hair.
"Now I only look at you and live."
In the mother's tired eyes, a determination flashed by.
Kwon Taek Joo took a deep breath and opened his eyes. Thin eyelashes tremble in open vision. A constant vibration hit his head. So dizzy. The surface of the object that was in contact with his skin was both cold and hard, like a glass window. He slowly closed his eyes and opened them, the view outside the car window flashed quickly. The buildings are scattered, the cars are left on the side of the road, the trees are dense but bare, looking like a city made of snow.
Still on the train? No, he didn't feel the noise or vibrations characteristic of the wheels running on the railway at all. But he still moved despite his will. It's just that, Kwon Taek Joo doesn't remember switching to another means of transport halfway.
"Are you awake?"
When he was still trying to understand the situation, a familiar voice sounded. Kwon Taek Joo meets the man in the driver's seat through the rearview mirror. Just looking at the curled eyes can tell who he is. Who else, is Zhenya.
"How is this... Ugh!"
Kwon Taek Joo groaned because of the smouldering pain in the spine. He unconsciously put his hand on the back of his neck and felt a bandage there. The last memory vaguely appears.
He was attacked by a group of two while searching for the missing Hong Yeo Wook. Have you been unconscious since then? How long has it been, how did you get off the train, are you in the car and where are you going now? Kwon Taek Joo can't guess anything.
He stared at the rearview mirror as if looking for an explanation.
"A,lot has happened while you're sleeping."
Zhenya winked again, his tone humming. Kwon Taek Joo just glared at the bastard who looked quite happy but didn't say anything else. He was so curious about what happened while he was unconscious that such teasing didn't bother him either.
But Zhenya still doesn't clearly resolve Kwon Taek Joo's suspicions.
"You don't remember anything, do you?"
"Not at all."
"Yes, that's good, but it's embarrassing to remember clearly."
"Don't go around and tell it properly."
"Well, I won't refuse if you want to embarrass yourself more. I went back to my room and didn't see you. The bathroom is empty. I waited for a few minutes, he didn't come back, couldn't contact him, it was so strange that I went to find him myself. And guess what, I'm lying in front of the toilet door."
"...Hong Yeo Wook suddenly disappeared so I went to find him and was attacked by them. Those two names seem to be the same group. Do you see their faces?"
"Let's see. Should I say I see it?"
"If you see it, you will see it, if you don't, you won't see it. 'What are you doing with vague answers?'"
"I should have taken the time to look closely. It's all crushed."
I don't understand why Kwon Taek Joo believes that Zhenya plays an important role in making things this way. He saw this partner's name with his own eyes before he collapsed. Expect any enthusiasm and sympathy from him. It's just that he found something interesting after a long time.
Kwon Taek Joo threw him a mocking look.
"It's a legitimate Defence, a legitimate Defence."
Zhenya explained in a characteristic superficial tone. Now Kwon Taek Joo no longer believes in his brazen justification.
"You must have identified their identities before handling them, right? Is it true that they were sent by Bogdanov?"
Kwon Taek Joo silently expected but Zhenya immediately confirmed that this was not the case. The answer then is even more unexpected.
"They're skinheads. You know, don't you? People who want to create a world just for white people."
"…What?"
"You were attacked by those people."
No way. Surely one name in that group is Hong Yeo Wook. It must be him, because even though he searched all the cabins, Kwon Taek Joo still didn't find him anywhere. And as soon as he confronted him, he attacked him without hesitation, so it was definitely because Hong Yeo Wook had found out that he was being followed. That black shirt even has the latest gun, so there's nothing more to doubt.
But is their true identity simply skinhead and Kwon Taek Joo himself was accidentally attacked by them there at the time? This is Russia, so it's not unreasonable. It's just that the time happened so random that it was suspicious.
Assuming Zhenya's words are completely true, there are still doubts. If Hong Yeo Wook wasn't one of those two, where would he have vaporised in the end? From the night before until the morning, the train did not stop for a moment. Kwon Taek Joo started looking for Hong Yeo Wook and looked around the train before arriving in Irkutsk. Hong Yeo Wook's only hiding place, who disappeared for a moment, could only be a locked toilet.
It's not the only strange thing either. While searching for Hong Yeo Wook, Kwon Taek Joo couldn't even find Zhenya. If Hong Yeo Wook and Zhenya have nothing to do with the gang that attacked him, where did the two of them end up in that time? Can one hide under the deck of a running train or hang on the ceiling of a waggon?
Kwon Taek Joo's eyes became sharper when he looked in the rearview mirror.
"Where were you then?"
"Are you suspicious of me? Or are you complaining that I wasn't there when you were beaten?"
"I searched the ship for Hong Yeo Wook. But neither he nor you can see anywhere."
"You searched the whole ship... Really? You've never appeared where I am."
"What do you mean?"
"I didn't go to the management room."
"Management department... what?"
Kwon Taek Joo was stunned for a moment as if stabbed into a weak spot. Of course he didn't go to the management room. Rather, he didn't suspect the place in the first place. Unless the manager is a woman, there seems to be no reason for Zhenya to stop by. But if he was really there, that explains why Kwon Taek Joo couldn't find him even though he searched the entire ship. But this does not mean that the doubts completely disappear.
"What are you going there for?"
"Unlike the others who just slept and forgot the task, I watched Hong Yeo Wook all night. That guy suddenly left halfway? Often at that time, he would read a book or do something else because the train had not yet arrived. I was a little sceptical, so I went to his train waggon and met the woman in charge there. I asked if she saw him, and she answered quickly. Hong Yeo Wook said he wanted to change the destination from Irkutsk to Moscow and asked how to meet the manager."
If you want to change the itinerary when travelling across the border, you can do so by meeting with the person in charge to handle it. This method is often used when you want to go beyond the original destination. But Hong Yeo Wook bought a ticket to Moscow in the first place. Even if there is a mistake, there is no reason to meet with the manager unless you want to extend the journey. All he had to do was get off the train at the desired location and get a refund for the rest of the journey there. The strangest thing is that while he has to keep his identity a secret, he is obsessed with refunding tickets that are not worth much.
If. A certain hunch flashed through Kwon Taek Joo's mind. He immediately stared at the rearview mirror. The gaze seems to be checking if your own speculation is correct. Zhenya nodded softly.
"That's right. I was in the management room. The contact of the Bogdanovs is the deputy manager."
Kwon Taek Joo feels like he has been stabbed in the back. Does it make sense to contact Hong Yeo Wook in the middle? He thought they would put a contact on the train. Of course, from the beginning, he also considered the possibility that the contact could disguise himself as an ordinary traveller. He also did not rule out the possibility that they could pretend to be flight attendants on board. But no matter how cunning he was, he could not expect that even public employees would be manipulated for their convenience. What a surprise.
People who are flying are faster than people who are running. The strength suddenly disappeared from Kwon Taek Joo's shoulders, which were hardening because of the tension of Kwon Taek Joo.
"Then how is he? Could you miss him again?"
"If so, that's it, if not, it's not.l
The situation is coming to a serious time, but everything is vague and unclear. Kwon Taek Joo lost all patience and got angry.
"Speak frankly."
"The conclusion is that Hong Yeo Wook did not come down in Irkutsk."
"So what?"
"After contacting the ticket inspector he took off on a prepared helicopter and vaporised from the travelling train."
"Is that okay?"
"There is nothing impossible if you spend half your life."
Certainly, it is not physically impossible. Kwon Taek Joo is just confused because it's something he never thought of.
Hong Yeo Wook used the reason to change the itinerary to go to the management room. The manager is the contact who promptly called the waiting helicopter. Adjusting the speed of the train so that Hong Yeo Wook can board the train safely will not be too difficult. At that time, the train was approaching Irkutsk, so no passengers suspected whether the train was travelling slower than usual. Including Kwon Taek Joo.
Hong Yeo Wook left by helicopter while the train continued to reach Irkutsk. Even if some pursuer lately found Hong Yeo Wook, he would have disappeared a long time ago. The person communicating on the train can also go back to Moscow as if nothing happened.
All of this happens when Kwon Taek Joo is wandering in the toilet area. His mood suddenly sagged. He used to think maybe he would miss Hong Yeo Wook, but it wasn't like this. But not always. It is impossible to let it all end in this disastrous way. With that frustrated mood, he spoke harshly to Zhenya.
"Are you just watching?"
"But how about it? Should I grab the helicopter in flight and pull it down?"
It sounds ridiculous, but somehow that seems to be possible with Zhenya. It's easy to imagine him taking a helicopter like taking a dragonfly. And it's hard to believe that this kid missed Hong Yeo Wook right in front of his eyes.
He is not the kind of person who let his targeted prey run away. Unless he deliberately releases it. At least it's Zhenya that Kwon Taek Joo knows up to this point. As if to confirm the thoughts in his mind, Zhenya admitted that he wanted to release Hong Yeo Wook.
"I thought there was no need to catch right away so I left him alone. There is no need to hit the grass snake."
"Why are you so confident?"
Zhenya took something and threw it at Kwon Taek Joo. He caught it and realised it was a location tracking device. A red dot is flashing on the coordinate side of the screen.
"What is this?"
"My confidence."
"Did you install a location tracker in Hong Yeo Wook?"
"But this shallow method will quickly lose its effectiveness."
"Why?"
"I fed him it."
"…Feeding?"
"I've been watching what he eats for the past few days. He only ate some bread. It seems that Russian food is not very good for Hong Yeo Wook's taste. When the surrounding Asians started enjoying Chinese instant noodles, he seemed to be quite interested. So I asked the woman to sell snacks for a job."
Did Zhenya put a tiny location tracking device in the instant noodles and sold it to Hong Yeo Wook? He's only eaten dry bread these days, so he must have craved soup. If that soup is spicy enough, it will be difficult to be wary. For a Korean like Kwon Taek Joo, this story is completely understandable.
He hated to admit but this time Zhenya was right. If Hong Yeo Wook is stopped by force, Bogdanov will also know the presence of Kwon Taek Joo. If so, the original plan may have to be changed to keep it a secret.
Instead, letting Hong Yeo Wook escape according to plan and chase him seems much more effective. The most important goal of this operation is to identify 'SS-29', not to obstruct Hong Yeo Wook's communication with Bogdanov.
Zhenya suddenly said 'One day is enough'. This also means that the time allowed is only one day. When Hong Yeo Wook digests all the food, the navigation device also becomes meaningless. Kwon Taek Joo only hopes that Hong Yeo Wook will meet 'SS-29' before that time.
The target continues to move southeast. The sign outside the window said it was the direction to Lake Baikal. Kwon Taek Joo doesn't know if it's a real destination or if they're trying to change the route again. Anyway, fortunately, the gap between him and Hong Yeo Wook is gradually narrowing.
The car carrying two people drove through a large field. There is no human being on the road, let alone a passing car. Is it because your head is temporarily anaemic? Although he was not in such a situation, he suddenly felt dizzy.
On both sides of the road, dense cypress trees are clearly visible. The still scene is even more deserted because the snow covers the dry branches. No matter where Kwon Taek Joo looks, he can only see a picture of pure white snow and trees.
As soon as it leaves the cypress forest, an endless snow field opens. The snow piled up so that the boundary of the road was also unclear. The surrounding space was wide open but made his heart confused. Kwon Taek Joo felt a sense of despair, as if he would never be able to go anywhere.
He constantly rolled his eyes looking for traces of life. Not long after, he saw a flock of sheep. Their coat is particularly long and shaggy because they live in cold regions. Bungalows are occasionally encountered with sloping roofs that help withstand large amounts of snow.
The car drove non-stop through the vast snow field, Kwon Taek Joo began to feel the reality. The two are now in the middle of Siberia.
"Is your head okay? I pinned it back."
Zhenya suddenly asked. Kwon Taek Joo looked in the rearview mirror, so the two people's eyes immediately touched. He unconsciously touched the bandage on his head.
I don't know what hit him anymore, but the impact was so strong that he wouldn't be surprised if his skull broke. But there was almost no blood on the ice. Kwon Taek Joo is not sure but it seems that the stitches are pretty good. The worrying thing is who sutured this wound?
Must be a doctor. Of course it must be a doctor. Isn't there a medical staff on that long train? He may have been taken to the hospital as soon as he arrived in Irkutsk. The more rationalised he was, the clearer the feeling of insecurity.
"Who?"
"That's me."
The answer he was worried about sounded. The thought of being completely unconscious and in Zhenya's hands made him feel ashamed in vain. Kwon Taek Joo can imagine his face when squeezing the needle. No wonder he asked about others for no reason.
After that, Zhenya continued to pour out stories that were not even asked. What was the condition of Kwon Taek Joo's scalp at the time of discovery, how much blood was shed, the characteristics of the weapon hitting his head, the feeling of using a needle to press the raw meat, etc. Every time he said that the pain he had to suppress seemed to come back to life. Kwon Taek Joo has to quickly change the subject somehow.
"Instead, did you say bye to Louise properly?"
"Who?"
"Who else? The French girl is getting married. Aren't you very satisfied with her?"
"Me?"
Zhenya showed a silly expression. He even pointed at himself with his index finger. Why did he suddenly turn his face like that?
"You said you wouldn't sleep twice with the same person. But you've slept with her three times."
I don't know why Kwon Taek Joo himself has to explain those things too. The expression of discontent was evident on his face. Zhenya looked in the rearview mirror and laughed. The tone muttered something extremely soft.
"To be honest, that girl is your taste."
"What?"
"You said you like women with big and chubby breasts. 'You must be satisfied with that size?'"
So, is luring Louise purely for that? Because she fits the ideal type that Kwon Taek Joo himself talked about?
The past things suddenly flashed like a flash of light. On the last night on the cross-border train, he was so lured by Zhenya and Louise that he got lost. The image of Zhenya laughing as he sprayed semen on other people's faces was still alive in his mind.
Kwon Taek Joo immediately lowered the back seat window. A ruthless wind blew through the open window. His hair, bandages on his head and collar fluttered. In the midst of all that, he looked up at the distant sky and vented the anger that was about to explode. He closed his eyes once and slowly opened them, a fighting spirit never seen before burning in his eyes.
"I've never really seen it because you hide it so well. Do you have abs?"
Kwon Taek Joo bit his molars, as if he was squeezing every word. Zhenya suddenly glanced at the rearview mirror.
"So suddenly?"
"When this work is over I will personally chop it."
The declaration of war against evil continues to resound. Zhenya was silent for a while and then laughed. The rest is serious but he doesn't see it as a threat at all. It took a long time for him to stop laughing and pull up the back window.
"I'm looking forward to it."
The corner of his mouth was still drawn into a curve.
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