Even if it hadn’t been now, the difference in manpower was enormous.
President Gu Seungheon drew in a deep breath and said,
“Hoo… We’ll have to be prepared to work through the night.”
“I was trying to think positively, but I’m starting to get a little irritated.”
Taesu sharply glared at the truck that had already grown distant far below.
President Gu Seungheon stopped him.
“There’s no need. There’s no turning back now.”
“President Gu.”
“But I did have this thought. If this place stabilizes, and they come back, I think I’ll probably turn them away.”
President Gu Seungheon spoke gently.
But it seemed that just because he was smiling, it didn’t mean he was truly smiling.
His clenched fist was trembling faintly, enough to make one think so.
It was clear that understanding their departure and a sense of betrayal were clashing inside his heart.
Taesu could only look at him.
What was certain was that the situation on their side was flowing in an even worse direction.
Then President Gu Seungheon said,
“Still, I don’t feel as though I’ve lived in vain.”
“Is there a reason?”
“Barun’s family said they would stay until the end.”
At those words, Taesu flinched.
“Barun is the one who…”
“Yes. The friend who closed his eyes yesterday. He was someone I’d sometimes go into town with to buy daily necessities and have a drink.”
“I see.”
Taesu answered heavily.
As if recalling Barun, President Gu Seungheon looked up at the sky and said,
“He was truly good-natured and innocent. After the meeting yesterday, I couldn’t bring myself to go home, so I went to see him again.”
“Yes.”
“I think I just sat in front of him and stared blankly.”
“You must have had many thoughts.”
Taesu spoke carefully, so as not to provoke him.
President Gu Seungheon looked back at Taesu and continued,
“When morning came, Himan came to see me. He said there were people leaving, so I told Barun’s family to leave with them.”
“But they said they would stay?”
“Yes. They said Barun was here, so where would they go?”
“There must be a way to take him with them.”
When Taesu spoke calmly, President Gu Seungheon nodded.
“I suggested that too, but they refused.”
“Why?”
“They asked what the point was of taking only his body. They said he would be staying somewhere here, where he had been happiest while alive.”
“That could be.”
Taesu answered in a low voice.
Even recalling those words seemed to make President Gu Seungheon both grateful and heartbroken.
Thump.
He struck his chest heavily and continued,
“They asked if we could bury him somewhere with a good view of the village and the tea fields.”
“That doesn’t seem like a matter of permission.”
“I said the same. I told them it was land everyone had built together, so they should do as they wished.”
“They must have been pleased.”
“Yes. They said they would take part in the tea leaf harvest too, and that they would return to their places quickly. I’m painfully grateful for that.”
Clench.
President Gu Seungheon gripped the hand resting on his chest tightly.
Taesu turned his head and took in the village and the tea fields in a wide sweep.
‘This tiny place really does have so many stories.’
The reasons to protect it were increasing more and more.
At first, it had felt like a burden, but not anymore.
If it was a place loved and cherished by everyone who remained, then it naturally deserved respect.
Taesu’s gaze was resolute.
It was then.
Beep.
The radio at his waist sounded.
‘Bred?’
Taesu thought of him reflexively and quickly took out the radio.
But an unexpected voice came through it.
—Beep. This is Beta, Baby. Respond.
—Beep. Baby receiving.
—Beep. The sparrow has left the cage. It has passed Delta Point Three and is heading toward Point Two. I repeat…
As the same message repeated, Taesu’s expression settled coldly.
This transmission was clearly from Squad Leader Sam and his squad members.
Baby was, of course, Squad Leader Sam, and judging by the voice, Beta seemed to be Corporal Guspia.
So that was why they hadn’t been seen since morning.
“When did they even take up position?”
“What are the soldiers talking about?”
President Gu Seungheon stepped close and asked.
Instead of answering, Taesu turned up the radio volume.
Soon the repeated message ended, and Squad Leader Sam’s voice came through.
—Beep. Received. Beta, withdraw from your current position as quickly as possible and return discreetly. Over.
—Beep. Beta receiving. End transmission.
The radio exchange ended cleanly.
Just as Taesu was about to explain the previous message to President Gu Seungheon, the radio sounded again.
—Beep. This is Alpha, transmitting to Baby.
—Beep. This is Baby. The pigeon has also left the cage. It appears to have been coordinated in advance with the sparrow. Over.
—Beep. Received clearly. Alpha, withdraw from your current position and return as well. Over.
—Beep. Received. Transmission complete.
This time, it was Sergeant Ryan’s voice.
Just as Taesu was about to explain, President Gu Seungheon spoke first.
“It seems both sides have moved.”
“Ah, you served in the military, didn’t you?”
“It was a long time ago, but my body still remembers.”
“It seems it was a good thing we didn’t move first. And please excuse me for a moment.”
After asking for his understanding, Taesu immediately pressed the radio.
Beep.
“This is Doctor Choi. Baby. Baby, please respond.”
—Beep. Baby receiving. Did you monitor that?
“Yes. I heard it very clearly. But shouldn’t we prepare to receive our guests on this end too?”
—Beep. Stand by at your current position.
The contents of the transmission suddenly changed.
Taesu and President Gu Seungheon understood the message at the same time and looked around.
From below the village, Squad Leader Sam was running up quickly.
The wait was brief.
Squad Leader Sam approached in one breath and spoke without panting once.
“Based on the squad members’ concealed positions, I think they’ll arrive in roughly five minutes.”
“What terribly rude guests.”
“I thought this might happen, so I had no choice but to begin the operation first.”
“Thank you. Thanks to you, it looks like we won’t have to make a fuss.”
When Taesu said that, President Gu Seungheon strongly agreed.
“That’s right. We should prepare to receive our guests immediately.”
“It would be best if everyone stayed in their homes as much as possible.”
“Of course. Then excuse me.”
Tap tap tap.
President Gu Seungheon ran off with a grim face.
The moment of the decisive confrontation was right before them, and he seemed tense.
There was no room to relax.
Taesu set aside his concern for him and picked up the radio again.
Then he spoke in Korean, the ultimate code that only certain people could understand.
Beep.
“It’s Taesu. Dr. Kim, where are you now?”
—Beep. I was on my way to the lodging.
“Then what about Dr. Jeong and Mr. Hyeokgwon?”
—Beep. We’re at the lodging. Why, are we getting ready to fight?
Jeong Minsu asked in a voice full of enthusiasm.
The transmission seemed to cut off suddenly, and then Kim Hyeokgwon’s voice came through.
—Beep. What about us?
“You three, please hoist the flag.”
—Beep. What are you talking about?
When Kim Hyeokgwon sounded puzzled, Taesu calmly explained.
“You’ll know if you open the front pocket of my field bag. I don’t think I’ll be able to stop by the house because I’m busy here.”
—Beep. Let’s do that, then. But I really don’t like what these bastards are doing.”
“I’ve got a lot of complaints piling up too. Anyway, I’ll leave it to you.”
With those words, Taesu lowered the radio.
Squad Leader Sam had heard everything, but was experiencing the feeling of not understanding a single thing.
“What was that about?”
“I told them to put up the NGO flag.”
“You brought one with you?”
“It has a surprisingly good amount of clout, so it’s useful from time to time. Heh.”
Taesu let out a low laugh.
There was a reason he wanted to raise the NGO flag high.
‘A doctor’s land.’
It was a method Taesu had used in Ijambak.
This time, he intended to make full use of the power held by the flag.
Not long after.
The NGO flag fluttered high over the village.
“Damn, it looks good.”
Taesu gave a faint smile.
Squad Leader Sam smiled the same way and said,
“It looks impressive when it’s put up like this.”
“That’s why we put it up.”
“But why didn’t you put it up earlier?”
“Sometimes, you need a dramatic effect. It’s telling them to understand very clearly where they’re coming right now.”
Taesu’s smile deepened.
Then Squad Leader Sam inferred one more thing and said,
“It also means we were watching their movements from this side.”
“That’s true. It really will be a dramatic effect.”
“Did you anticipate that too?”
“I didn’t have the mental capacity to think from that many angles. More importantly…”
Taesu trailed off as he looked at Squad Leader Sam.
Even out of uniform, his sharp eyes and atmosphere were far too soldierly.
If Taesu could feel it, the other side would notice one hundred percent.
That was what bothered him.
Reading Taesu’s puzzlement, Squad Leader Sam looked himself over and asked,
“Is something strange?”
“Yes. PKO can’t intervene, but the word ‘soldier’ is written across your forehead, Sam.”
“What if we pass it off as a bodyguard?”
He asked with a serious expression.
But it was far too one-dimensional an idea.
Taesu reminded him without hurting his feelings.
“Who provides bodyguards for the NGO?”
“Ah, the PKO.”
“As for the other squad members, we can tell them to avoid being seen, but you have to go in with us, don’t you?”
That was Taesu’s concern.
For President Gu Seungheon’s safety, Squad Leader Sam was absolutely necessary.
Squad Leader Sam came up with what he thought was a clever plan.
“Should I put on a beard?”
“No. No, wait, that would work.”
“Do you have an idea?”
As he tilted his head, Taesu opened the house-call bag he had been holding the whole time.
What he took out from inside was none other than a spare gown.
Flutter.
Taesu unfolded the gown, handed it to Squad Leader Sam, and said,
“Welcome to the world of doctors. Doctor Sam.”
“Is this all right?”
“There are plenty of surgeons with nasty faces, so it’s fine.”
Taesu stated the bare truth.
Doctor Oliver was like that, and Doctor Ozma didn’t exactly have the face of a pleasant person either.
Even without them, one would know just by taking a lap around an NGO medical camp.
Perhaps Squad Leader Sam had such experience, because he immediately agreed.
As he quickly put on the gown, he also slipped in a bit of backbiting.
Rustle.
“When I first got deployed, I went to the surgery department and was shocked because I thought it was a group of criminals.”
“Don’t say that anywhere else. They may look like that, but they all have gentle hearts.”
“I know very well. There’s a representative example right in front of me.”
Squad Leader Sam delivered a joke he had been saving.
Even though he had heard that soldiers were coming, he showed no sign of agitation.
As the leader of the PKO Special Combat Squad, that was only natural.
But Taesu was no less composed.
“My heart is tender, unlike how I look, so please handle me delicately from now on.”
“Haha. That was the wittiest joke in the world.”
“I’m serious.”
“Hahaha.”
Squad Leader Sam’s laughter grew louder.
Taesu felt that saying anything more would only put him at a disadvantage.
And it was not a time to keep laughing forever.
“Let’s go. Doctor Sam.”
“Yes, Doctor Choi.”
Snap.
The two men turned with disciplined precision at the same time.
The smiles that had filled their faces vanished as if they had been a lie.
Then, firing the same intense gazes that were almost frightening to meet, they headed toward the tea leaf storage warehouse.
Five minutes later.
The village was silent, to the point that no trace of people could be found.
The only place where people had gathered was in front of the tea leaf storage warehouse.
In front of the tea leaf storage warehouse stood Taesu, President Gu Seungheon, and Squad Leader Sam, disguised as a doctor.
And to the right stood an Indian military officer and three armed guards.
To the left stood the Pakistani soldiers, with the same number of men.