Soon, perhaps because they had somehow reached an agreement, Brad Kim’s voice came over the radio first.
- Crackle. Dr. Choi, we don’t know how far the front line will spread, or in what direction.
“It’s quiet here.”
- Crackle. I’m telling you, that’s not the immediate issue. If you don’t return this time, no one knows when you’ll be able to move again.
“That’s good. There are a lot of people here who need long-term treatment.”
His mind was firmly made up, so his reply came with perfect ease.
It seemed the other side could not say the same.
He thought Brad Kim would scold him even more.
But this time, the radio transmission came from the PKO side.
It was not Squad Leader Sam’s voice.
- Crackle. This is Red Fox. Dr. Choi, respond. Over.
It was Colonel Clark’s voice.
“Hmm?”
Even Taesu was surprised by his transmission.
Kim Hyeokgwon, who had met him in Izambak, recognized the voice at once.
“Dun-dun. The boss has appeared over there.”
“Ah, the Colonel Clock I’ve only heard rumors about?”
“Not Clack, Clark. You need to hear the ‘rk’ sound.”
“What does it matter? It’s not like I’m going to see his face right now.”
“That’s true too. Colonel Clock, huh. Interesting interpretation.”
The conversation behind him was full of ease.
Since his mind was already made up, Taesu felt just as relaxed.
Crackle.
“Red Fox, though it’s over the radio, allow me to greet you. Are you well?”
- Crackle. Dr. Choi, I sincerely advise you to return. Over.
“I’m sorry.”
Taesu dismissed it with a single sentence.
This was war.
A war where one wrong move meant death.
What Taesu had just said was not something anyone but the stoutest-hearted could say.
Even as he said it, not a flicker crossed his expression.
What if Colonel Clark radioed back more forcefully?
“Come on in, then. Let’s see who wins.”
Taesu had steeled himself to resist.
Just then, Brad Kim’s voice came through the radio.
- Crackle. Red Fox, requesting wired communication.
- Crackle. Receiving you clearly.
Colonel Clark’s voice was indignant, but unexpectedly, he withdrew without resistance.
Taesu was looking on in puzzlement, unsure what was happening.
This time, Brad Kim called for him.
- Crackle. Dr. Choi, you’re listening, right?
“Yes. Brad.”
- Crackle. Think carefully before you answer. Are you really not going to return?
It was an extremely serious question.
Of course, Taesu answered without hesitation.
Crackle.
“Brad, I don’t want to say it twice.”
- Crackle. Understood. Then we’ll take it that your side will not be returning.
“Thank you, but that was sudden… Is Dr. Schmidt there, by any chance?”
- Crackle. No. The person I respect most contacted me during a short break in the middle of surgery.
Taesu knew very well who the doctor Brad Kim respected was.
James.
Taesu’s relaxed expression immediately grew calm.
It was because Taesu, too, could not be free when it came to that name.
If possible, he wanted to at least hear his voice.
But given James’s situation, he could not, and he forced down his regret.
As he had until now, Brad Kim’s voice continued.
- Crackle. No one knows when you’ll be able to return after this moment.
“I’m prepared for that.”
- Crackle. Then listen carefully. This is the Doctor’s message.
“Go ahead.”
- Crackle. If the opportunity presents itself this time as well, I’ll send you a gift… What gift is he talking about?
Brad Kim did not understand even as he relayed the message.
But Taesu knew exactly what that gift meant.
It referred to the helicopter supplies from the second ABC village.
Taesu adjusted his grip on the radio and spoke to Brad Kim.
Crackle.
“Brad, please tell him Christmas is not far off.”
- Crackle. He’s asking whether you’ve cried this year.
“Please tell him I don’t recall.”
- Crackle. Then he says to look forward to a wonderful present. Hah, what on earth are you two even talking about?
Brad Kim still seemed unable to make sense of it.
Before the radio even had time to fall silent, Colonel Clark’s voice came through.
- Crackle. This is Red Fox. Dr. Choi, I will respect your wishes. Over.
“Red Fox, thank you as always.”
- Crackle. We will look into support measures from this point on, but given the current situation, do not expect too much. Over.
“Please help the civilians who have been injured and abandoned in places more dangerous than here first. I’m asking you.”
Taesu made the request calmly and politely.
It was because he could hear Colonel Clark’s regret in his voice over the radio.
Whenever he stubbornly insisted like this, he felt sorry.
But there was no helping it.
Right now, they themselves—and their hearts—were here.
Just as they were about to end the radio exchange on that warm note…
Kim Hyeokgwon called Taesu from behind in a sharp voice.
“Dr. Choi, we don’t have much food left to hold out with.”
“What are you talking about? It’s only been a week since we got here.”
“If all we had to do was fill our own stomachs, we could feast all winter. But that’s not the case, is it?”
At Kim Hyeokgwon’s reminder, Taesu realized his oversight.
They were in a situation where they also had to take care of the villagers’ meals.
Taesu quickly turned his mind and asked,
“How long can we hold out with what we have now?”
“You think that can be calculated instantly?”
“The villagers…”
As Taesu tried to explain the calculation method, Kim Hyeokgwon cut him off in a blunt voice.
“You think I don’t know how many people there are?”
“Then calculate it quickly.”
“I’m telling you, just because I’m from a country known for being good with numbers doesn’t mean calculations pop out instantly.”
“Use that good head of yours for this.”
“Stop saying useless things. Let’s see…”
Kim Hyeokgwon snapped back, but immediately began calculating.
Meanwhile, Taesu looked around for someone he had briefly forgotten.
“Minsu, where did that bastard suddenly go?”
Flap.
“I’m here.”
“Where did you go in this situation?”
“I checked the remaining fuel.”
“That’s an extremely desirable sense of initiative. Top-notch awareness.”
Thump.
Taesu even stuck out his thumb and praised him enthusiastically.
Seeing that, the corners of Jeong Minsu’s mouth twitched.
“Ahem. I have to do something too…”
“So how much fuel do we have?”
“About a drum and a half.”
Jeong Minsu answered at once.
Just as Taesu was about to commit it to memory…
Kim Hyeokgwon must have finished calculating, because he spoke quickly.
“Fifteen days at most.”
“That’s all?”
“We were going to ask for additional supplies when we sent the blood samples this time.”
“They said they wouldn’t send anything unless we returned.”
When Taesu argued, Kim Hyeokgwon’s face crumpled deeply.
“Let’s bluff that we’re returning and ask for some food.”
“I’d like to do that too.”
“Then do it.”
“They’ll drag us back somehow.”
Taesu seemed to see it clearly before his eyes.
Kim Hyeokgwon must have pictured the same thing, because his expression hardened completely.
“Damn it. Then what do we do?”
“I calculated surgeries based on the remaining fuel. We can’t do many.”
Jeong Minsu added his voice to the shortage of supplies.
In truth, surgery required a great deal of electricity.
Fortunately, Taesu had performed many surgeries in far harsher environments.
So he immediately presented a solution.
“We can operate without electricity.”
“Hey, what about anesthesia?”
“IV anesthesia and sedatives.”
“Then…”
“Are you going to keep picking at it?”
Taesu asked coldly.
For an instant, Jeong Minsu flinched.
It was because he realized he was only repeating that things could not be done.
He changed that thought first.
“Hoo. You’re saying we can manage somehow?”
“Yes. We can.”
“Okay. Then fuel is something we’d be glad to get if we can, and if not, we leave it at that.”
Smack.
Jeong Minsu clenched his fist and struck it against his other palm.
It meant he would no longer oppose it and would search for another method instead.
Jeong Minsu was settled that way, but Kim Hyeokgwon was not.
“We have to eat and live if we’re going to perform surgery, don’t we?”
“That’s the part we haven’t solved.”
Taesu answered vaguely, as no solution came to mind.
At that moment, the radio crackled.
- Crackle. Dr. Choi, is the transmission over? Did you already leave your post?
It was Brad Kim’s voice.
Taesu reached out to pick up the radio again.
At the same time…
Whoosh.
Kim Hyeokgwon’s hand was a beat faster than Taesu’s.
There was no time to wonder.
Kim Hyeokgwon pressed the radio button and called Brad Kim.
Crackle.
“Brad, this is Kim Hyeokgwon. I shoved Dr. Choi aside and grabbed the radio.”
- Crackle. Oh, you’ve finally achieved victory.
“We’ll talk about that later. You said your side can’t move for support purposes?”
- Crackle. That’s correct, but is something wrong?
Perhaps he had sensed something, because Brad Kim’s voice grew serious.
Kim Hyeokgwon got straight to the point without preamble.
Crackle.
“Then Brad, you know Raku’s cell phone number, right?”
- Crackle. Rajikumar? Ah.
That exclamation did not come only from the radio.
Taesu and Jeong Minsu also let out the same strong cry at the same time.
“That’s right.”
“We had him.”
As expected, when it came to crisis response and instant judgment, no one could match Kim Hyeokgwon’s mind.
But Kim Hyeokgwon was still in a hurry.
Crackle.
“So do you know it or not? If you don’t, I’ll tell you.”
- Crackle. No. I know it. I know it too.
“Have him load up supplies and come here.”
- Crackle. That won’t be possible. Our alert level here is red, so outsiders cannot enter.
“Tell him to procure them on his own. The purchase list is…”
In an instant, Kim Hyeokgwon named several items.
Food, fuel, winter clothing, and so on.
They were daily necessities.
The fact that he had thought of all that in this moment made him look truly remarkable.
There was no time even to admire it, as the radio exchange moved swiftly.
- Crackle. I’ve written it all down.
“We’ll pay cash up front here. Of course, we’ll bill it later.”
- Crackle. There wasn’t that kind of money there.
Brad Kim, who had visited before, said awkwardly.
Kim Hyeokgwon did not care and continued what he had to say.
Crackle.
“Tell him the delivery deadline is around one week, and for every day he’s late, we’ll slash the unit price.”
- Crackle. It’s wartime. Will that be all right?
“A merchant will do anything if there’s money in it. Tell him that, and then let’s meet alive.”
Having ended the transmission neatly, Kim Hyeokgwon set down the radio and moved back.
Clap, clap, clap.
Jeong Minsu greeted him with moved applause.
“You’re absolutely the best. I’m genuinely touched.”
“I’m not especially happy to hear that praise right now.”
“By the way, who’s paying that bill? You said it’d be a lump sum, too.”
Jeong Minsu asked with a curious expression.
Taesu felt the same.
Just then, the radio crackled, and a voice called for Taesu.
- Crackle. This is Red Fox Baby. Dr. Choi, respond.
“Go ahead.”
- Crackle. We are confirming your location through a twenty-four-hour GPS tracker.
“I will bear that firmly in mind and remember it well.”
Taesu dismissed it with those words.
At the same time, his eyes took in the GPS transmitter.
Thinking back on what Sergeant Ryan had said, it had been an order from Colonel Clark.
“Did he think even this far ahead?”
Looking at how the situation was unfolding, it did not seem like a baseless guess.
Soon, Taesu pressed the radio button again.
Crackle.
“I remember the advice I heard back then well.”
- Crackle. Then that’s enough. I look forward to the day we meet safely. Over. Transmission ended.
Squad Leader Sam ended the transmission first.
Then Brad Kim’s transmission came through.
- Crackle. I’ll start tracking down Raku first. Leave word often. No need to answer. Then, transmission over.
Crackle, crackle.
Only a rush of static filled the radio.