Chương 527: Chapter 527: Don’t Bow to Others
Mercenaries and Zaslon troops surrounded the central training camp in a protective circle.
In the center, Igor and Arshavin removed their jackets and began to warm up.
"Boss."
Manager Ma unexpectedly set a chair down behind me.
"Thank you."
"It's nothing special."
Feeling reassured by Manager Ma standing firm behind me, I smiled slightly and sat down.
"What do you think, Manager? Who do you think will win?"
"I can't say. I know a bit about Igor's skills, but I don't have the slightest clue about Arshavin's abilities."
"Really? How would you rate Igor's skills?"
Manager Ma had sparred with Igor every time he came to Russia.
So, I was eager to hear Manager Ma's thoughts based on his firsthand experience with Igor.
"If it's Igor… He'd probably be top-tier even if he returned to active duty right now."
"Is that so?"
"Despite his age, he seems to have taken good care of himself. His condition is at its peak."
"Haha, if even Igor could lose to you, I'd think you were some kind of monster."
I joked playfully to Manager Ma, who was being utterly serious. He merely offered a sheepish smile.
"If Igor loses, things might get complicated. I need someone I can trust to handle this mission personally. Even if Arshavin defeats Igor, can I really trust him? I think not."
North Korea is a place rife with uncertainties. On top of that, we need to capture its dictator.
I'm not planning to kill Kim Jong-il. No, to be precise, killing him would only complicate things further.
If Kim Jong-il dies, even if Jang Seong-taek seizes power, chaos would inevitably ensue.
Unlike other nations, North Korea has legitimized its rule through the bloodline of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, known as the Baekdu bloodline.
That's how they maintain their regime.
To us, he may be a ruthless dictator without a shred of compassion, but to the people of North Korea, he's a leader, a king.
It's far more beneficial to keep him alive and use him as a symbol than to kill him and invite turmoil.
Of course, if capturing him proves difficult, killing him would become necessary… but I hope it doesn't come to that.
"Though it's unlikely, if Igor ends up losing, you should step in and sort things out, Manager. It'd be good for you to get out in the field again after a while."
"…"
I joked, but I meant it. I didn't think Manager Ma would lose a one-on-one match against anyone.
Finishing my talk with Manager Ma, I focused ahead.
"Let's begin."
Igor turned toward me, bowing his head, while Arshavin saluted in my direction.
Finally, the two faced each other.
It was Arshavin who broke the silence first. He nodded his head side to side as he warmed up.
"So you're Igor? I've heard your name."
"Oh? I thought you would be oblivious, given how much you've been ignoring me."
"Well… They say you're a legend of the Spetsnaz."
Igor smirked at Arshavin's words.
"That's all ancient history now."
A hint of nostalgia lingered in Igor's reply, prompting Arshavin to smirk in disdain.
"Correct. Back then, it was the Soviet Union, and now it's Russia. Times have changed, so legends should remain as legends. I'll carry on your reputation myself."
"You think you can uphold that? Do you really think you represent the current generation of Spetsnaz?"
"I can't imagine losing to anyone. The fact that I'm here, sent by him for such an important mission, already means I'm acknowledged, doesn't it?"
Igor, who had been glaring at him silently, also broke into a smirk.
"Alright. Let's put that to the test. Let's see what the current Spetsnaz is made of."
"You'll regret this."
"No more talking; let's fight. The boss is waiting."
At Igor's words, Arshavin let out a dramatic sigh.
"How did it come to this? A soldier who once worked for the country is now fighting for money. Is it really possible to sell the pride of a Russian for mere money? Such actions tarnish our Spetsnaz honor…"
Igor interrupted Arshavin's tirade with a fierce growl.
"You ignorant little brat, you shouldn't speak without knowing the facts! Don't toss around those words recklessly!"
"…"
"Honor? Fidelity to the nation? The pride of being Spetsnaz? Does any of that put food on the table? Our homeland hasn't provided us with any reward. Not a soul has cared about us starving to death! So, just money?"
This was the first time I'd seen Igor so enraged. I also didn't know Igor's past well.
Till now, I thought he was just one of the mercenaries who had thrown himself into service after the Soviet Union fell apart.
Only the shadow of his words about being willing to sell his soul for money stuck in my mind.
What on earth had happened in his past that turned this soldier into a mercenary?
"I waited. I waited to be called back by my country while starving. But no one came looking for me. My family starved to death, while my comrades fell into drugs and died in dark alleys. What's the point of saying all this now? It's all in the past. Let's start already."
Igor stepped into position first. His eyes gleamed with rage.
Not wanting to rebut, Arshavin swallowed hard and took his stance.
The stances of the two facing each other were remarkably similar.
"That stance is part of the Systema, the Russian military's martial art, right?"
At my question, Manager Ma nodded.
"Yes. The Russian Army utilizes Systema and Sambo as their military martial arts."
"Manager, what's your take? To me, their stances seem…"
The basic stance of Systema requires relaxing the body, giving it a somewhat unsteady air.
However, Manager Ma's expression was utterly serious.
"It may look comical, but its lethality is top-notch. The combination of Systema and Sambo makes it even more powerful."
"Really?"
Just as they were assessing each other, Arshavin abruptly lunged forward.
His right fist swung, cutting through the air with weight. But Igor effortlessly deflected it with his left hand while countering at the same time.
Arshavin swiftly evaded Igor's vicious kick by ducking.
From there, the exchanges grew frantic and relentless.
The first to score a hit was Arshavin.
Igor lowered his guard momentarily to block a knee aimed at his abdomen.
Seizing that brief opening, Arshavin twisted his body and struck Igor's jaw sharply with his elbow.
Cheers erupted from the Zaslon troops.
"Wow!!!"
I couldn't help but frown. It seemed Igor had taken a solid hit to the jaw.
I first worried if Igor could keep himself steady after that blow.
But my concern vanished in an instant with Manager Ma's words.
"Igor turned his head just before impact to minimize the shock. I'd say it's debatable if it counts as a solid hit."
"Is that so?"
Manager Ma's eyes were keen.
Arshavin, having seized the momentum, kept pushing his attack, but Igor remained unfazed, effortlessly defending against every strike.
Soon, their exchange became so rapid it was hard to track.
This time, Igor took aim at Arshavin's ribs with a powerful right hook.
Thud!
A loud impact resonated. Arshavin's face contorted in agony, but he retaliated, swinging at Igor's solar plexus.
However, the move was too wide, leaving a gaping opening. There was no way Igor would miss it.
Grabbing Arshavin's fist, Igor closed the distance, unleashing a flurry of strikes to Arshavin's side.
Arshavin tried to distance himself to defend, but that only resulted in wider openings.
Once the right distance was achieved, Igor darted in a lithe stance and struck at Arshavin's solar plexus.
Whump!
Though it was a light hit, it seemed to be a decisive one.
With a heavy thud, Arshavin fell forward.
A moment of silence followed.
After an extensive exchange, it was a single strike that had taken Arshavin down.
"Whoa!!!"
"Igor! Igor!!"
The silence was short-lived as cheers erupted from the mercenaries.
But Igor turned to me, his expression grave.
His gaze seemed to seek my approval. Understanding what he wanted, I nodded slightly.
Igor seemed to want to completely exclude Arshavin from this operation.
After receiving my permission, Igor grasped Arshavin's right arm and twisted it forcefully.
"Aaaah!!"
The semi-conscious Arshavin momentarily opened his eyes in agony before rolling them back into his head, fainting again.
With confirmation of this, Igor relaxed his stance and stood up. Glowering at the Zaslon troops, he declared.
"From now on, you will strip away the identity of Zaslon. Those gathered here were once Spetsnaz of Russia—your predecessors, to be precise. We are no different from you: the only distinction is that you belong to Russia, while we are merely mercenaries. Aside from that, we have no differences at all."
Everyone's attention turned to Igor.
"There's no need for two commanders in one unit. Effective immediately, you will obey my orders without question, or face immediate execution. Understood?"
The coldness in Igor's voice and his glare caused the Zaslon troops to flinch.
When the Zaslon troops were silent, Igor raised his voice again.
"Understood?"
"Yes, understood!"
The Zaslon troops stood at attention and responded loudly in unison.
This was only possible because it was Igor.
According to Arshavin, he was once referred to as a legend of Spetsnaz.
So they would likely accept and follow him without question.
If Igor weren't Russian, or if they weren't members of Spetsnaz, they likely would not have followed him.
I stood and walked over to Igor.
Just then, I noticed Arshavin stirring, clutching his broken arm, attempting to rise.
"Arshavin, you're unfit for battle. Go back and get that arm treated."
"B-but…"
"Did you forget? I commanded you to obey my orders unconditionally. Consider this your last warning: if you'd rather have your head than your arm, keep talking."
"…"
Perhaps feeling insulted, Arshavin chose to remain quiet and simply stood up.
I seized Arshavin's chin tightly, forcing him to meet my gaze.
"The other unit members have done nothing wrong. Even if they had, getting rid of you would wash away their sins. And let this be known to whoever issued you that despicable order: if you meddle again, I will not spare you. Now go get treated, Arshavin."
After I finished speaking, I playfully tapped Arshavin's cheek with my fingers, a smirk on my face.
Arshavin, looking pained, glanced around at his unit members before turning away.
Thanks to Igor, everything had gone smoothly. I approached Igor and lightly patted him on the shoulder.
"You did well. I had faith in you, Igor."
"Thank you."
"Oh, but I was surprised when you got hit in the jaw earlier. I thought for sure you'd take a dive."
"I'm sorry about that."
Igor attempted to bow, but I stopped him.
"That's fine. You're the one who must lead everyone here from now on. Don't bow to anyone else in front of them."
"But, Boss…"
"That's enough. Instead, ensure that this mission succeeds, without exception. Doing so would be the greatest favor you could grant me."
I offered a gentle smile to the resolute Igor, then turned to survey my surroundings once more.
The sight of well-organized soldiers coupled with sharp-witted mercenaries finally felt satisfying.
"Manager, have the liquor and food we brought served up."
"Yes, Boss."
Manager Ma instructed his subordinate, who quickly dashed off to fulfill the order.
"From now on, everyone gathered here is one body. Where you belong is irrelevant; what matters is that I want all of you to succeed in this operation. Loyalty? Honor? Those are just words to be uttered once the operation is deemed successful. I expect each of you to give your utmost for me and for Russia."
There was no response, but I wasn't concerned; I merely waited for the food and liquor we had brought to be prepared.
"Let's eat for now. We can get to know each other while we do."
I sat down on the dusty ground first.
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