Chapter 90

No Death—no, Jang Bokdong—was a man who made his living as a mercenary abroad.

He started his life as a foreign mercenary the moment he was discharged as a non-commissioned officer from the Special Mission Unit. He’d begun simply because he didn’t know what else to do, but his rather outstanding combat sense elevated him to a fairly competent position within the company.

And so, as he entered his seventh year and turned thirty-three—

Just as he started thinking about retirement and what to do next, a mission came down.

“This is the last one. I’m begging you. They specifically asked for you—what was I supposed to do? I swear, after this is over, I won’t give you any more missions. I’ll let you quietly handle paperwork until you leave. For real. Oh! And I’ll throw in a bigger severance package. It’s because this is a really big one.”

Jang Bokdong needed money to start a new life after retirement, so at the mention of a larger severance package, he accepted it as his last mission and headed overseas.

The place he arrived at was a region in Iraq called Al-Quds—a barren land with a large factory site surrounded by desert.

“You are to eliminate the commander of the Iranian militia, the Qudus Army, ‘Makdu Habah’.”

Not protection or defense, but elimination.

And not just any target, but the assassination of a commander.

He understood why they called it his last mission, and why they’d offered to raise his severance pay.

‘I expected this to some extent, but they’re really going to work me to the bone until the very end.’

The mission was handed down the moment he stepped off the transport helicopter, before he could even unpack.

It was hellishly difficult.

Naturally, the team’s morale was low.

Everyone stayed silent as they unloaded their gear and checked their equipment for a regional patrol.

Whoosh—

The patrol, which began under a grim mood, was anything but smooth.

The heat and humidity were bad enough, but when the wind picked up, sandstorms rolled in, forcing them to halt. The swirling sand made it impossible to see even an inch ahead.

As a result, Jang Bokdong’s team—unable to confirm their position on a map or by any other means—began drifting slightly out of their reconnaissance sector.

“Huh? Where are we?”

“I think we took a wrong turn, sir.”

“It looks like a village. We’re 200 meters off from the sector.”

As the wind died down and their vision returned, a strange village and its people appeared before them.

Or rather, it was Jang Bokdong’s team of uninvited guests who had wandered in.

“Damn, they’ve got sharp features. So pretty. How come even the kids are pretty here?”

“You didn’t know Iraqi women are beautiful? They’re famous for it.”

“For the record, that was a boy, not a girl.”

“Wow, he’s a boy and his eyelashes are that long? Hey, little guy~ Come here. Uncle will give you a snack. It’s okay. Come on.”

Just as one of the team members beckoned the child over, trying to sound friendly—

Smack.

Jang Bokdong strode up and roughly slapped the man’s hand away.

Then he scowled fiercely at the approaching child.

Scurry.

The child immediately ran off.

The team member looked at Jang Bokdong with an uncomfortable expression.

“Mike.”

“Yes, Team Leader.”

“Here, even a child can be a terrorist.”

“Sir…?”

“Contact with the villagers is forbidden. This is the only time I’m stopping you. If you want to disappear so fast you won’t even know how you died, go ahead. I won’t stop you.”

Faced with Jang Bokdong’s utterly cold, razor-sharp demeanor—one that spared not even a child—the team members glanced at each other and nodded grimly.

The atmosphere, which had almost loosened for a moment, tightened again.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, sir.”

With the villagers watching them warily, they left the village behind and returned to their patrol sector, the mood even more rigid than before.

And so…

Two weeks passed.

As they patrolled different sectors and gathered information to advance the mission, the land’s layout and key points began to come into focus.

The intelligence they gathered firsthand was significant, but when combined with information from the U.S. military that commissioned the job, other mercenary companies dispatched to the area, and Jang Bokdong’s own company, the outline of the mission slowly began to take shape.

However, as time went on, there were downsides as well.

“I brought kimchi and ramen! Everyone, gather ’round!”

“Whoa~ How’d you get this?”

“You know I’m friendly with the kids in that village over there. A little guy named Akam told me where to get it, heh heh.”

“I never imagined we’d get kimchi here of all places. This is awesome.”

“We have to get the Team Leader! Go get him, quick.”

It was while they were compiling detailed information and choosing the right time and place.

Called by his team, Jang Bokdong emerged from the team leader’s office and was greeted by the scent of home for the first time in a long while.

As the meal began, everyone was initially on edge.

They had to keep quiet about where the kimchi came from, since Jang Bokdong hated any contact with the villagers.

But as they worried he might ask, one team member inevitably slipped.

“This guy is such a skirt-chaser.”

“Hahahahaha.”

“I mean, he’s even trying to find a pretty girl to date out here.”

As the team members laughed and chatted, Jang Bokdong inadvertently added a comment of his own.

“I doubt there are any pretty ones among the U.S. soldiers.”

“Ah! Not a U.S. soldier—she’s in that village over there. Her name’s Elina, and she’s really lovely! Great personality, too… why?”

The team member trailed off mid-sentence, stopping only when he felt the sharp glares from all around him.

The mood grew increasingly grave.

Finally realizing what he’d done, the man clapped a hand over his mouth, but it was already too late.

“You seem to go to the village often.”

“W-well, it’s not that…”

“You’re dating someone from that village?”

“Hey, Mike, he’s talking about you. Say something.”

Jang Bokdong’s cold gaze shifted to Mike.

Mike waved his hands dismissively.

“We’re not dating. I’ve just talked to her once.”

“I doubt you could have a conversation.”

“Well, I thought we wouldn’t be able to either, but it seems she’s the only one in that village who can speak English. So we talked a little…”

Knowing he was in the wrong, Mike’s voice trailed off.

The joy everyone felt at the scent of home—something they hadn’t had in ages—was short-lived.

In an instant, the air turned frigid, as if they were walking on thin ice.

The meal became so silent that not even the clink of chopsticks could be heard.

“So there’s someone who can hold a conversation…”

However, contrary to everyone’s fears, Jang Bokdong didn’t get angry. Instead, he looked lost in thought.

“That’s right! She’s good at English, and she said she’s lived in that village since she was born, so she knows the area really well!”

As expected of Mike—the skirt-chaser who’d gotten this far on wits alone—he didn’t miss the chance.

After staring at Mike with suspicion for a moment, Jang Bokdong asked,

“She’s lived here her whole life? Then she must know the Qudus Army well.”

“She probably does. Should I go find out?”

Had something occurred to him?

Jang Bokdong set down his chopsticks, stood up, and headed for his room.

As he went, he pointed at Mike and gave an order.

“After you finish eating, bring that person—Elina—here without anyone noticing. No one can know.”

“Yes! Understood!”

Delighted that he might avoid a reprimand, Mike answered loudly.

Then chopsticks resumed, along with the last scraps of conversation.

“She could’ve been my girlfriend. What a shame.”

“You should be glad you got off easy. We were almost in deep shit.”

“Phew~”

= = =

Late that night.

Elina was brought before Jang Bokdong.

Her terrified eyes were beautiful enough to stir protective instincts.

Just as he’d heard, she was undeniably a beauty that would make any man look twice, but Jang Bokdong’s gaze didn’t waver even slightly.

“I heard you can speak English. Is that correct?”

“Yes, th-that’s right.”

“They said you’re the only one in the village… You must be Commander Makdu Habah’s interpreter.”

“N-no! Of course not! I-it’s not me! I’ve never met him—I’ve never even seen him!”

“No need to play dumb. I came here knowing everything.”

While gathering information to refine the plan, he’d heard something from the U.S. military.

They had been communicating with the Qudus Army by exchanging video recordings, and despite speaking in English, the communication had been seamless.

However, after sending a spy into the Qudus Army, they confirmed there wasn’t a single English speaker within their ranks.

That meant someone in the only village inside the operation area was colluding with the Qudus Army.

And that person was almost certainly Elina—the only one who could speak English.

“Are you still going to play dumb?”

When he briefly explained his reasoning, the look in Elina’s eyes changed.

The life returned to her gentle eyes, which had been colored with fear, and soon they blazed like fire.

“I’m someone who wants to kill Makdu Habah!”

Her shout drew a surprised expression from him.

“Why are you so sure Makdu Habah doesn’t have an interpreter? Have you seen for yourself? Just because the U.S. military says so, does that make it true? I’m asking if you’ve done even a little investigation of your own.”

Jang Bokdong’s eyebrow twitched.

“My late mother used to say, when everything falls into place too perfectly, you should doubt it one more time.”

Listening quietly to Elina’s outburst, Jang Bokdong asked,

“For what reason did your mother pass away?”

Elina clenched both fists tightly.

Unable to contain her anger, tears finally streamed down her face.

“Makdu Habah!”

So furious she didn’t even think to wipe her tears, she screamed at the top of her lungs.

“That bastard—my mother!! My mother!!!”

Elina collapsed, bursting into bitter sobs.

The team members, unsure what to do, fidgeted and looked only at Jang Bokdong.

But even watching Elina like this, Jang Bokdong didn’t let go of his suspicious gaze.

“Team Leader.”

“Mike.”

He quietly called Mike over and whispered,

“Find out if a funeral was held, whether her mother really died, and why.”

“It doesn’t seem like she’s lying.”

“Don’t trust her yet.”

“Sir?”

“That woman keeps anxiously biting her right thumbnail.”

Mike’s eyes moved to Elina, sobbing her heart out.

“Have you ever seen someone crying with trembling hands bite only their right thumbnail?”

“You think she’s lying?”

Jang Bokdong’s gaze sharpened.

“We can’t rule out any possibility. Just as she said, the current situation points directly at her.”

“I know a few guys active around this time. I’ll go check it out.”

“I’ll watch her. Take everyone with you.”

“Yes, understood.”

As Mike started to leave with a serious expression, Jang Bokdong grabbed his shoulder.

“This could be the moment they’ve been waiting for. Be extra careful.”

“Yes, Team Leader.”

Nodding firmly, Mike took a few team members and ran out of the barracks.

Left alone with Elina, Jang Bokdong sat silently in a rocking chair and let her cry as he watched.

Along with her right thumbnail, which she kept picking at until it bled.

= = =

About ten minutes passed.

Elina, having composed herself somewhat, sniffled and stood up.

Click.

Jang Bokdong raised his pistol and warned her.

“Don’t move.”

“Can’t I even sit over there?”

Ignoring the warning, she started toward a nearby sofa.

Jang Bokdong rose halfway and aimed more precisely.

Sensing this was no idle threat, Elina immediately froze.

Then she glared at Jang Bokdong.

“Are you afraid I might have a weapon?”

“You never know. How would I know you don’t have a small, undetectable weapon? In a warzone?”

Elina’s scowl deepened as she held up her open palms.

“How could I possibly…”

Then she grabbed the hem of the thin cloth one-piece dress she was wearing.

The instant she moved, Jang Bokdong’s finger tightened on the trigger.

“Then see for yourself!”

A wave of flesh-colored skin.

The sight of Elina’s pale body—naked beneath her dress—momentarily froze Jang Bokdong’s mind.

Needless to say, her bare body left nowhere to hide anything.

There was no weapon.

‘Damn it.’

Flutter, flutter.

The white dress caught the air and fluttered back down.

A deep blush rose on Jang Bokdong’s face.

‘Of all the…’

In that brief moment—without even realizing it—Jang Bokdong had scanned Elina’s near-naked body from head to toe.

He’d seen it so clearly he could probably draw it from memory.

Plop.

“There. Satisfied?”

Even as she flopped onto the sofa, the wind caught her dress, exposing everything below her navel.

Though she was exposed for nearly a full second, Elina sat as if nothing had happened and glared at him.

“Are you careless? Or are you trying to pull something?”

“You’re the one who brought me here, you know?”

“Stay still and don’t move.”

“Ha! Men are all the same. A pack of wolves.”

“Ahem.”

Jang Bokdong was thirty-three—still vigorous, still full of life.

To be honest, she was flawless. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call her the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

He had seen her naked body.

And he was looking at her face right now.

How could his eyes not drift over her one more time?

“Fucking men…”

Tears began to fall from Elina’s eyes again.

Then, as if she suddenly couldn’t hold back her anger, she shot up and approached Jang Bokdong.

“Do it. This body’s just going to rot away anyway. What’s this body, what’s this purity.”

“Stop. If you come any closer, I’ll fire.”

“Just kill me. I’d rather die like this.”

The pistol was aimed precisely at her head.

Even so, Elina kept approaching with empty eyes.

The muzzle pressed against her forehead.

And she spoke.

“Kill me.”

Drip. Drip.

Her tears fell onto Jang Bokdong’s chest.

“I said, kill me!!”

Then she suddenly balled her fist and punched Jang Bokdong in the face.

As if that wasn’t enough, she grabbed his index finger—resting on the trigger—and began to squeeze.

“Kill me!!!!”