God of Blackfield

Amid the firefight, Kang Chan sat and leaned against the empty base until things quieted down. He heard a few more gunshots afterward, but silence quickly returned.

Clank. Clank.

Meanwhile, Sharlan finally walked over. Kang Chan gazed up at him, finding him looking quite sharp-tempered.

“Enzo was already gone when we found him,” Sharlan said. He then offered a very old Zippo lighter to Kang Chan. “We’ll take care of the bodies. I’ve assigned someone to guide you back to base. You are to remain on standby until further instructions.”

Kang Chan stood up and accepted the lighter.

“You are to answer when you receive an order,” Sharlan said.

Kang Chan locked gazes with Sharlan, causing the latter to look very displeased.

“Answer me, Legionnaire.”

Legionnaire referred to recruits or rookies. To Sharlan, the title fit Kang Chan perfectly. Based on their ranks alone, Kang Chan should be answering and following his orders, yet Kang Chan merely stood his ground and glared.

“It would serve you well to control your emotions, Legionnaire,” Sharlan softly growled.

Clank. Clank.

Amid the rising tension, the other soldiers approached them. Four of them were carrying a black body bag that clearly had Enzo inside.

Kang Chan turned his attention away from Sharlan and looked at the black bag.

“Let’s go. Alouis,” Sharlan called.

“Oui.”

He turned to his subordinate. “Drop off this recruit at the base in Ndulele. Report back after.”

“Yes, sir.”

Although he had just growled at Kang Chan to answer him, Sharlan suddenly backed off for some reason.

Kang Chan found Sharlan’s behavior suspicious, but since he never intended to answer Sharlan, he couldn’t be bothered to waste time thinking about it.

Alouis turned to Kang Chan and jerked his head to the side, signaling him to move.

Clank. Clank.

In response, Kang Chan began to walk away. He didn’t want to stay in a place like this anyway.

He knew he still had many flaws. Although he could make excuses about this being his first operation and that he wasn’t expecting to engage in such a battle, it wouldn’t change the fact that he wasn’t strong enough today.

That was unforgivable.

If I had just been a little more skilled, a little more experienced in combat situations like this…

Clank. Clank.

Just you wait. I won’t ever lose anyone again.

Their transport was parked quite a distance away from the enemies’ base.

Kang Chan and Alouis walked in front of the group. Sharlan and the other soldiers followed them, carrying Enzo’s body.

They soon reached the hill that an RPG had hit the previous morning. It had a path that they could use to descend and multiple dips that were great for hiding men and even trucks.

After climbing over the hill, they walked down a winding slope until they reached their truck.

Kang Chan had only been in Africa for two days, yet he was already sick and tired of the view it had of the damn moon and stars. Unfortunately, just like his inability to rid himself of motherfuckers while he was alive, he couldn\'t get away from the military uniforms and weapons, the moons and the stars illuminating death, and the sun lazing around somewhere in the world until it was time to devour this continent’s darkness again.

What Kang Chan needed right now was to board the truck and get some rest. Afterward, he’d have to improve and gain experience.

At times like this, he often wished that he had someone next to him who would offer their hand and tell him that everything was okay—that even though his skills proved insufficient, he still did great considering it was his first operation. Unfortunately, he instead had a superior who glared at him and demanded that he respond immediately.

Kang Chan smirked.

Well, I wouldn\'t have come here if I had someone like that in Korea. Considering I couldn’t even find anyone like that in Korea, I’d be dumb to think I’d find such a person in this hell.

Kang Chan turned to look at Alouis, who nodded toward the truck.

There wasn\'t any need for words—he walked to the truck, got on the trunk bed, and sat on a bench on the side.

Alouis shook his head and got in the driver\'s seat.

Vroom!

Damn it! I couldn’t be happier to hear this truck’s engine and smell the acrid scent of the exhaust fumes.

Kang Chan took out a cigarette from his pocket and put it in his mouth. The truck then began to accelerate, the rattles making him shake. Winds blew past him as they sped forward.

Chk chk!

Damn it! The sound of the lighter that Sharlan gave me sounds cheerful as well.

Chkk! Chkkk!

Kang Chan lit the end of his cigarette as the flame wavered among the wind. After taking a drag, he exhaled a puff of smoke.

“Hooo.”

What an idiot. Why did Enzo insist on staying in that cave even though he knew doing that meant he’d never get to smoke again?

The cigarette tasted bad, perhaps because he was smoking alone.

***

Brrrr!

As the aircraft descended, Fabian slowly looked around him.

Any officer who had over ten years of experience in the Transportation Corps knew how to tell the futures of the soldiers in the aircraft just by looking at them, the cargo they had brought, and their destination.

Fabian could tell that the soldiers aboard were pawns that the DGSE were going to sacrifice for their plan. The fact that the DGSE was entrusting them to a recruit who had just gotten off his first battle only made that even more evident. Soon, they would be given orders that would essentially serve as their death warrants. Naturally, the new recruit waiting for them in Ndulele would die with them.

Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding.

The aircraft landed roughly, almost as if it was having a difficult time handling the weight of life.

***

Kang Chan slept soundly.

Alouis gave him plenty of water, cigarettes, and even C-rations, making Kang Chan suddenly feel like a millionaire.

The sun rose in the distance and examined him, seemingly asking him what the hell he was doing with himself. Under its glaring rays, Kang Chan headed to a table in the headquarters with a C-ration and three bottles of water.

Kang Chan wasn’t sure if it was Sharlan’s doing, but he liked how neatly they had cleaned up the bodies of the rebels he had killed.

After opening a bottle of water, he leaned down and poured it on his head. The water gushed down his short hair, cheeks, neck, and chest before falling to the ground. He used both hands to wash his face as well, making him feel a lot more refreshed. Once done, he sat at the table and looked around him.

The dark swarm of flies that had gathered around the blood stains on the ground told him exactly where the rebel forces had died last night.

Kang Chan opened another bottle of water and drank it. Afterward, he took his time eating breakfast.

He had some water again, then took out a cigarette.

His hair was now completely dry, but it had a more pungent odor than before he washed up. Was this normal?

Chk chk. Chkk!

Kang Chan lit up his cigarette, leaned back against the chair, and idled around.

Not only did they give him food, but they gave him guns, bullets, water, and cigarettes as well. He felt like he would be happy even if they told him to spend five years like this.

Should I get French citizenship next and happily travel abroad?

There was nothing he couldn\'t do in his imagination.

He would dress nicely and go on a trip with his French passport. Instead of a rifle, he would have a bag slung over his shoulder.

The plane he would board for his trip would sound completely different from all the aircraft that he had boarded so far.

BRRR!

It definitely wasn’t going to sound like that.

Swish!

Kang Chan looked up at the sky.

In the distance, he found an aircraft descending as if to say, “Did someone just say trip?”

What am I supposed to do? Should I yell at them in a cotton shirt like Enzo did?

He didn’t really have a reason to worry about things like that, though. They wouldn\'t entrust this place to a recruit who had just arrived two days ago.

Kang Chan watched the aircraft land and roughly decelerate on the runway, blowing a huge cloud of dust in the process.

“Fucking hell!” he exclaimed.

By the time the dust had densely settled on his hair, clothes, rifles, and the table, the aircraft had already turned to approach him.

Brrrr.

The rear cargo ramp opened, and soldiers walked out of the aircraft.

Clank. Clank. Clank. Clank.

Kang Chan looked at the third person to step out of the aircraft. His cleaner military uniform and pistol evidenced that he was the officer escorting the men.

There were a total of seventeen soldiers.

“Designate places for the soldiers to rest,” the officer told Kang Chan.

What’s he saying? Is he telling me to manage these recruits?

“Hey. I said designate a place for these men to rest.”

Kang Chan looked away from the officer.

“Choose any of the empty barracks over there. Roll up the fabric again before you use them,” Kang Chan instructed.

Clank. Clank.

The Caucasian, Black, and Asian soldiers headed to the barracks that Kang Chan had nodded at. While walking, they kept glancing at him in fascination.

The office threw documents onto the table. “This is your first special promotion. It’s four months faster than usual.”

The Transportation Corps that would return with the aircraft was busy loading things like water, C-rations, weapons, and medical supplies onto carts and then unloading them on the ground.

“That envelope contains a map of this place. You’re going to receive a new operation in two days. Until then, keep an eye on the radio. Good luck.”

The officer turned around and walked away. He didn’t demand Kang Chan to salute or respond to him. However, though he didn\'t say anything, Kang Chan could see discomfort in his eyes. It was as if he was talking to a dead man.

***

Summer of 2007.

Jeong Won-Min frowned at the soldiers standing before him. He slowly turned his head and focused on the soldier on the very left.

“Choi Chul-Han,” Jeong Won-Min called.

“Sir, yes, sir!”

“Hey.”

“Sir, yes, sir!”

It was already around 3 PM. The sun was heating the back of their heads.

“Our military has improved so much that our soldiers now speak formally and do all that bullshit. I don’t care about things like that, though. Do you know why?” Jeong Won-Min asked.

“Sir, yes, sir! I’ll do better!”

“Motherfucker! How are you going to do better when your enemies have killed all their hostages and your entire platoon?! You’re lucky we’re just training!”

“I’ll do better, sir!”

Even though Jeong Won-Min was spewing curses at him, Choi Chul-Han didn\'t falter. Instead, he continued to respond promptly and resolutely.

Jeong Won-Min looked away from Choi Chul-Han. His glinting eyes landed on someone else.

“Moon Jeong-Ho.”

“Sir, yes, sir!”

“Did you close your eyes when you jumped through a window to get into a building?”

“I didn’t, sir!”

“Why did you bump your head on the window frame, then, you stupid fucking idiot?”

“It won’t happen again, sir!”

“Hey, motherfucker! I couldn’t care less about your fucking promises! By the time you’ve delivered on it, your comrades and all the hostages will have already been killed!”

Jeong Won-Min, the 606 perfectionist, had more spite than usual today.

“It wouldn’t matter if your mistake only gets yourself killed, but it’s a whole other fucking matter if it also kills the men next to you and the hostages who believe in us! Can you promise not to let that happen, huh?!”

“I’ll do better, sir!” Moon Jeong-Ho yelled.

Jeong Won-Min glared at the soldiers standing in front of him.

“If you want to keep the taegukgi on your forearm, then don’t half-ass your training!” Jeong Won-Min growled. He then looked to his right, where a three-story cement building was located. “You have a minute and thirty seconds to secure the building, eliminate fifteen terrorists, and vacate the area. Understood?"

“Yes, sir!”

They didn’t yell like when they were at the training center. However, their spite and determination were evident in their response.

“We will begin in ten minutes,” Jeong Won-Min said.

Afterward, he quickly turned around and walked away as if he couldn’t bear the sight of the men.

“Atten-HUT! At ease!” Choi Chul-Han exclaimed. The men saluted Jeong Won-Min.

Clank. Clank.

Choi Chul-Han walked away first, and the soldiers followed him.

“Give me a cigarette.”

Choi Chul-Han plopped to the ground. As instructed, Moon Jeong-Ho handed him a cigarette and lit it for him.

“Is something wrong, sir?” Moon Jeong-Ho asked afterward.

Choi Chul-Han deeply exhaled cigarette smoke.

“Go and check the calendar. Since that man has a 28-day cycle, doesn’t that mean today’s the day his period is supposed to start?”

The soldiers who had been listening to their conversation gave a strained laugh. One coughed, the cigarette smoke likely getting caught in their throat.

“How long did we take?”

“A minute and forty-two seconds, sir.”

Choi Chul-Han nodded.

The soldiers were replacing the window that they had broken during the previous training sessions.

Inside the building, people were moving the mannequins that acted as terrorists and hostages.

“Focus. You all know as well as I do that he’s just acting like that because he has already lost men in combat before,” Choi Chul-Han said as he extinguished his cigarette. The other soldiers followed his example, then placed the butts in their cigarette packs.

The soldiers stood up. They then fixed their helmets and black military uniforms, which had Taegukgis on their left arms.

“Moon Jeong-Ho,” Choi Chul-Han called.

“Sir!” Moon Jeong-Ho quickly answered. Although they had just been joking with each other, Choi Chul-Han now sounded completely serious.

“Focus. If you bump your head on the window frame one more time, I’m going to smash that head of yours myself.”

“Yes, sir.”

Choi Chul-Han looked up at the mock building.

“We have a minute and thirty seconds. Twenty seconds to come down from the building, another twenty to enter it, ten to kill the terrorists, and forty seconds to escape with the hostages.”

The soldiers followed his gaze to look at the building.

“Forget about our successes until now—we already lost our qualifications with our mistakes today. But it also brought me back to my senses, so I’ll overlook us being reproached until now,” Choi Chul-Han said, then looked at the other soldiers. “Let’s get it right this time.”

As if instinctively forced to answer by the look in Choi Chul-Han’s eyes, the soldiers quietly answered, “Yes, sir.”