He couldn't let that happen.
There was no way he could bet on another chance when there was no guarantee he'd even get one—and especially when he'd barely been approved for this mission in the first place.
"Support team, we're changing the plan. We need to secure the target now."
["G1, hold position. Repeat, hold in a secure location."]
"We don't have time for that,"
Kwon Taekjoo muttered irritably, slamming down on the accelerator.
He avoided the main road, where stray projectiles were still flying, and reversed into an alleyway.
All the pedestrians had already evacuated the area, so the streets were empty, but abandoned vehicles, motorcycles, baby strollers, and carts were scattered everywhere.
Even so, Kwon Taekjoo kept up his speed, maneuvering around the obstacles.
After confirming his target's movement, Kwon Taekjoo jerked the steering wheel, veering into a narrow side street.
His rearview mirrors folded back from the tight space between the buildings, but he just clenched his jaw and pressed down on the gas.
Finally, he emerged onto a wider road.
The brief relief from the open space was short-lived as he spotted a patrol car parked at the edge.
The officers inside looked startled by his sudden appearance, quickly drawing their weapons and aiming at him.
"You! Stop the vehicle!"
"Raise your hands and step out of the car! Don't try anything funny!"
Kwon Taekjoo complied, shutting off the engine and opening the door.
He stepped out slowly… or at least pretended to, before tossing a grenade toward them.
The officers, caught off guard, yelled in panic.
"It's a grenade!"
"Take cover!"
They threw themselves to the ground, bracing for an explosion.
But even after waiting a while, the detonation never came.
By the time they realized something was off, Kwon Taekjoo was speeding off into the distance.
Their delayed gunfire barely grazed the rear of his car.
How long had he been driving like this?
Finally, the order he'd been waiting for echoed through his communicator.
["G1, plan change approved."]
"Yes! Finally. Took them long enough."
As soon as approval came, a recommended route lit up on his map.
He followed the directions to catch up with his target.
Most of the roads were closed, so he had to wind through several alleyways.
Meanwhile, a few patrol cars, alerted by their colleagues, began tailing him.
They all blared their sirens, threatening to open fire if he didn't stop.
Kwon Taekjoo ignored the warnings, focusing on tracking his target.
The police, having issued their warning, opened fire.
A hail of bullets slammed into the back of his car, shattering the rear window.
Kwon Taekjoo ducked his head, keeping his foot on the accelerator.
With his limited visibility, he lost some control, scraping the car against the side
of a building.
His right side mirror snapped off completely, and the rear bumper began to drag behind him, hanging by one corner.
"So they want to put me to the test, huh?"
Even amid the relentless barrage, Kwon Taekjoo zoomed in on the map, evaluating the terrain nearby.
He was rapidly approaching a dead-end alley.
He needed to pull a U-turn on the narrow road before he reached that point, but that meant slowing down to a safer speed.
Instead of braking, he pressed harder on the gas, accelerating until he slammed down on the brakes, turning sharply left with expert steering.
The force of the maneuver made the
passenger side of the car collide with the wall, crushing it inward.
Naturally, his car was in far better shape than the police vehicles behind him.
They had been following closely and, without time to react, they crashed into the dead end at full speed.
One after another, more patrol cars piled up in a chain reaction, blocking the alley.
Kwon Taekjoo clenched his fist.
But it was still too early to feel relieved.
Above him, the sound of a rotating propeller grew louder.
A police helicopter had appeared.
"Suspect vehicle, stop immediately. If you don't comply, we will open fire."
"Would you stop if you were me?"
As Kwon Taekjoo ignored their orders and continued to speed ahead, they opened fire on him without hesitation.
Instantly, the roof of his car was riddled with deep bullet holes.
The windows shattered, and even the seats were torn apart, spilling their stuffing everywhere.
"Damn it. They really want me dead."
Kwon Taekjoo had no choice but to abandon his original route.
The alley he turned into to avoid the helicopter led straight to a bazaar.
He honked his horn repeatedly and barreled through the market.
Shouts erupted at his sudden appearance as people scrambled into their stalls.
The helicopter stopped firing and repositioned itself at the bazaar exit he would eventually take.
They were likely worried about precision due to the market's roof and wanted to avoid civilian casualties.
Navigating through the bazaar was like diving straight into the jaws of an alligator.
Kwon Taekjoo quickly scanned his map, honked his horn, and aimed straight for a particular stall.
At the same time, he threw a grenade through what was left of his shattered windshield.
It exploded on impact, creating a small hole in the wall.
Cracks spread outward from the point
of impact. Gritting his teeth, he pressed the accelerator to the floor.
"Aaah!"
With a loud crash, his car slammed into the wall, which crumbled to the ground.
Debris scattered across the hood and roof of his car.
Both the front and top of the vehicle were
crushed and battered, looking worse than ever. It was almost miraculous that it was still running.
But by breaking through the wall, he had managed to shake off the helicopter, and Kwon Taekjoo had closed the gap between himself and his target.
He stared intently at the blinking marker on his navigation system as he continued speeding ahead.
Soon, he was right on his target's tail on an overpass.
He had practically caught up.
But just as he thought this, something unexpected threw him off.
His target suddenly veered down a ramp, making a sharp turn onto the road below the overpass.
Were they trying to shake him?
Whatever the reason, if he let them slip away now, he'd only end up farther behind—and who knew how long it would take to catch up again?
As Kwon Taekjoo debated his next move, his target passed directly underneath him, heading in the opposite direction.
"Calm down. Since when have you cared this much about your own safety?"
he muttered under his breath, chiding himself.
Then, he made a hard turn toward the side barrier and, with a fierce yell, slammed the accelerator as hard as he could.
His car crashed through the guardrail and plummeted nearly five stories.
With a deafening crash, the airbags deployed.
The impact jarred his entire body, but he didn't have time to process the pain.
He grabbed a knife from his ankle holster and sliced through the airbag, freeing his chest from the crushing pressure and allowing him to breathe properly.
"Ugh, damn it. At this rate, I really am going to die."
Kwon Taekjoo struggled to steady himself and checked his target's position again.
The blinking dot on the map was practically on top of his own.
It made sense… he'd crashed directly onto one of the armored vehicles from the special forces unit escorting his target from behind.
At the sound of the unexpected collision, snipers from the surrounding armored vehicles aimed directly at him.
Kwon Taekjoo ducked immediately, avoiding the hail of bullets, and
scrambled into the back seat.
There, he pulled out a rocket launcher he had stashed earlier and fired.
When the rocket exploded, two armored vehicles were launched into the air.
The vehicle carrying his target narrowly avoided crashing into the overturned vehicles, darting into a
nearby alley on the left.
The armored vehicle Kwon Taekjoo had landed on took off in pursuit, dragging him along with it.
The sharp turn caused his car to tilt violently, wedging itself between the wall and the armored vehicle.
Kwon Taekjoo was tossed around inside like a ragdoll from the force.
Sparks flew as his car continued to be dragged, screeching against the wall.
At any moment, the vehicle could go up in flames, or he could end up crushed along with it.
Either way, he needed to find a way out—fast.
Kwon Taekjoo crawled out of the rear window, smashing the side mirror of the armored vehicle.
After taking a moment to stabilize himself, he leapt onto the armored vehicle.
"Aaah!"
A second later, his own car was completely crushed, as if it were nothing but a tin can.
If he'd hesitated even a second longer, he would have died alongside it.
Without even a chance to catch his breath, Kwon Taekjoo clambered along the roof of the armored vehicle toward the driver's seat.
He fired several shots at the window, but the bulletproof glass held firm, cracking with white fractures under his relentless assault.
He slammed his rifle against the weakened glass, landing a powerful blow on the driver's head, who immediately fell unconscious as the vehicle veered sharply to the left.
"Mind giving me a lift?"
he muttered dryly, forcing his way into the driver's seat.
Gripping the wheel himself, he accelerated even faster, hot on the heels of the escaping vehicles.
Only two cars remained from the Russian delegation.
It wasn't clear if they'd split up for
protection after the terror attack or if these were the sole survivors.
Both vehicles were so battered that it was a miracle they were still moving.
It was hard to tell Park Jeong-ho's
current condition, but if he was already dead, Kwon Taekjoo needed at least to verify the body.
He slammed down on the gas, reaching top speed.
The other vehicles attempting to escape down the alley soon found themselves trapped in a dead end.
Kwon Taekjoo didn't slow down, ramming into the rear of the last vehicle.
He kept pushing forward, even slamming
into the one in front.
Crushed from both ends, the two cars were wedged between his armored
vehicle and the wall, unable to move an inch.
Their wheels spun uselessly against the ground.
When all movement had finally settled, Kwon Taekjoo got out of his car and headed toward the Russian delegation's vehicle.
At some point, the blood dripping from his forehead had reached the corner of his eye, tinting his vision—and his special lens—a deep red.
He wiped it away carelessly and first checked the vehicle at the rear.
All the passengers were slumped over.
Even the driver seemed to have lost consciousness from his severe bullet wounds.
Kwon Taekjoo carefully inspected each of their faces one by one.
His gaze soon fell upon a man collapsed in the back seat.
It was Bazim.
Clicking his tongue, he circled the vehicle and opened the rear door to check Bazim's pulse.
He was alive, but his heart was racing, pounding too fast.
The moment Kwon Taekjoo realized something was off, a cold gun barrel pressed against his chest.
Bazim's eyes snapped open.
Kwon Taekjoo raised his hands compliantly and took a step back.
Bazim cautiously stepped out of the car, keeping his aim steady.
Standing in front of him, Bazim tore off the broken synthetic mask covering Kwon Taekjoo's face.
A disbelieving laugh escaped his mouth.
"Hah, so it's you again? That Korean spy."
"Believe me, the feeling's mutual. Did you really think I'd grow fond of you just because we keep meeting?"
"As if you would... Were you behind the earlier terrorist attack?"
"Of course not. What could we possibly gain from something like that?"
"Then why are you here?"
"Hmm, I don't know. That's a pretty personal question, don't you think?"
Kwon Taekjoo replied indifferently.
Bazim immediately frowned at his bold response, pressing his gun firmly against his neck.
"You're always sticking your nose in my business."
"Do you think I want to? Maybe you should stop doing such horrible things first. Is arrogance a family trait?"
"You're awfully talkative for someone about to die."
Bazim tensed his finger on the trigger,
his lips curling into a smile.
"You've been a nuisance long enough. Goodbye."
Bazim's low laugh sounded strangely breathless.
Kwon Taekjoo noticed that Bazim's left side was soaked with blood.
It looked like a gunshot wound.
Judging by his disoriented eyes, Bazim was in poor condition, yet he stubbornly continued to threaten Kwon Taekjoo.
Suddenly, Kwon Taekjoo shifted his gaze beyond Bazim, causing him to hesitate for a split second.
Kwon Taekjoo seized the moment, slamming his hands upward.
Bazim pulled the trigger, firing a shot into the air.
In the same motion, Kwon Taekjoo twisted Bazim's arm behind him, caught the falling pistol, and fired in a specific direction.
A drone flying overhead behind Bazim burst into a violent explosion.
Kwon Taekjoo pulled Bazim close,
shielding him from the falling debris.
Kwon Taekjoo's ears rang from the explosion.
He shook his head, trying to dispel the
dizziness.
It seemed there were still some drones left from the previous terrorist attack.
Kwon Taekjoo needed to act quickly.
He grabbed the back of Bazim's jacket and tore it off.
"Let go of me! What are you...?"
"Look, I doubt that bastard would even mourn your pathetic death…"
He pressed the torn jacket against Bazim's wound to stem the bleeding, then unfastened Bazim's belt and wrapped it tightly to secure the makeshift bandage.
"...Ugh."
"But for once in your life, you should reap the benefits of having a brother who is actually worth it."
As soon as Kwon Taekjoo finished tending to Bazim's wound, he pushed him away.
"If you go back this way and head about 200 meters, you'll find Iranian authorities
patrolling. Go to them, identify yourself, and beg them to help you. If you want to."
"..."
"Of course, if you don't, you can always stay here and end up as another casualty of the terrorist attack. Doesn't look like you'll last much longer either way."
He nodded toward Bazim's blood-soaked pants before tossing the pistol back to him.
The magazine was empty, but it was still better than nothing.
Bazim gave Kwon Taekjoo a look of disbelief, as if he couldn't understand why he was sparing his life, then began to back away slowly.
Ever distrustful, he stayed on high alert for a long time.
Kwon Taekjoo watched him and then remarked,
"Hey, I hear sirens."
That was when Bazim finally hobbled away, heading in the direction he'd been shown.
Shaking his head, Kwon Taekjoo refocused on his true objective.
He approached the vehicle where Park Jeong-ho was supposed to be and pulled on the crushed, immobile door with all his strength until he finally managed to rip it off entirely.
Inside, Park Jeong-ho was curled up, clutching his head and trembling uncontrollably.
The driver and the other agents surrounding him were already dead.
"I'm here to escort you to safety, Dr. Park."
Park Jeong-ho flinched at the sudden sound of the Korean language, his body going rigid.
Slowly, he looked up to meet Kwon Taekjoo's calm gaze.
"You're not hurt anywhere, are you?"
"Were—were you sent from South Korea...?"
"Yes. I was that 'cockroach' in Vladivostok. We don't have time for formalities, so let's get moving for now. As for our transport…"
Kwon Taekjoo scanned the area and nodded toward an armored vehicle behind them.
"That one will do. Do you think you can move?"
Park Jeong-ho nodded slowly and took Kwon Taekjoo's hand.
For someone who had just endured a violent car chase, he didn't seem to have any major injuries.
"What the hell is going on?"
"We're still figuring it out. It seems there was a terrorist attack unrelated to our operation. We can talk it over as we make our escape."
"Ahh...!"
Park Jeong-ho yelped as he climbed into the armored vehicle, startled by the sight of bloodied, unconscious agents inside.
Unfazed, Kwon Taekjoo grabbed them by the collars and dragged them out of the vehicle before saying,
"You can get in now."
Park Jeong-ho looked unsettled by Kwon Taekjoo's indifference to human lives.
The nervous glances he shot at Kwon Taekjoo, even as he climbed into the passenger seat, revealed his uncertainty
about trusting him.
Kwon Taekjoo paid him no mind and quickly backed out of the alley.
"Due to an unexpected terrorist attack, our plans have changed. We haven't yet identified the main perpetrators, but we've decided it's safer for you to be evacuated now that everyone is caught up in the chaos. North Korea will likely assume you vanished in the terrorist attack."
"T-Then, what about my family?"
"North Korea will be too busy investigating the truth behind the recent terrorist attack, so surveillance on your family will actually be more relaxed than usual. For now, focus on one thing: you need to get back safely to reunite with your family. I'll take you to the South
Korean embassy as planned."
As Kwon Taekjoo put on the headset connected to his communicator, he warned,
"Hold on tight."
Live updates on ongoing skirmishes and restricted areas streamed directly into his communicator.
He sped down the road, skillfully avoiding danger zones.
However, before long, all routes were blocked.
Without sufficient firepower, Kwon Taekjoo couldn't risk a confrontation, especially with Park Jeong-ho at his side.
After a moment's deliberation, Kwon Taekjoo made a swift decision.
"Looks like going underground will be faster."
"What did you just say? Aaahhh!"
The armored vehicle, already speeding at a breakneck pace, hurtled toward the metro entrance.
Each step of the staircase sent the heavy vehicle bouncing violently from side to side.
It wouldn't be surprising if it ended up flipping over.
Park Jeong-ho gripped his seatbelt with both hands and shut his eyes, a low, terrified whimper escaping his lips.
Due to the terrorist attack, all metro operations had been suspended, and the station was completely empty.
Kwon Taekjoo sped across the length of the station, heading directly toward the farthest exit.
Workers attempting to block the exit scattered as the armored vehicle
climbed the stairs.
Police vehicles stationed nearby to prevent pedestrian access quickly turned on their sirens and pursued them.
When Kwon Taekjoo ignored their commands to stop, they opened fire without hesitation, riddling the vehicle with bullets.
"For god's sake, at this rate, they're going to catch us!"
"Hang on tight."
With every alley they tore through, more police vehicles joined the chase, responding to calls for backup.
Soon enough, even a helicopter was hovering above.
They were being cornered from all directions, even in the air—a true predicament.
In a swift move, Kwon Taekjoo jerked the wheel.
Amidst the spinning view, he spotted a
"No Entry" sign.
The road ahead was clearly too narrow for any car to pass, but he had no other
choice.
Extending his arm to shield Park Jeong-ho, he slammed his foot on the accelerator.
"Brace yourself—it's about to get rough."
"Aahhhh!"
The armored vehicle scraped against the buildings on either side, tearing off the side mirrors.
Since the road was just barely wide enough for a single car, the police vehicles had to follow them in a single file.
No matter how much they fired at Kwon Taekjoo from behind, the armor held firm.
And with the police so close, the helicopter above couldn't risk firing its machine gun.
The only problem was that if the other end of the road was blocked, they'd be like rats in a trap.
Just as he feared, more police cars appeared at the far end, responding to backup calls.
Right now, their only chance was to go underground.
Kwon Taekjoo scanned the street for an accessible manhole as police closed in from both sides.
He halted the vehicle, quickly considering his options.
Was there really no way out?
Should he let himself get caught and look for a way to escape later?
But what about Park Jeong-ho?
While Kwon Taekjoo weighed his choices, the unmistakable roar of a motorcycle engine sounded in the distance.
He turned toward the noise to see a motorcycle speeding toward them on a path just wide enough for a bicycle, approaching from the passenger side.
The rider wore a helmet, making it impossible to see their face.
Instinctively, Kwon Taekjoo drew his gun, cautiously aiming at the approaching motorcycle.
But, for some reason, the rider didn't try to attack.
Instead, they made a hand signal to Kwon Taekjoo, whose eyes widened in response.
He instantly recognized the gesture—it was a distinctive hand signal he had learned long ago during his time in the specialized military unit, long before working for the NIS.
Earlier, when someone had taken out the sniper on the hotel rooftop, Kwon Taekjoo realized someone had been covering him.
At the time, he wondered if it was
Zhenya.
But now he considered that it was likely a Plan B agent sent by the NIS.
After all, if they had suggested directly that he work with a partner, he would have flatly refused.
The agent's assignment was probably to clear any obstacles to ensure the mission's success.
There was no doubt that Kwon Taekjoo himself was considered one of those "obstacles," as they still suspected he might betray them.
"They really don't trust me, do they?"
Kwon Taekjoo muttered to himself, turning his head away from Park Jeong-ho.
He then fired a burst of bullets into the passenger window.
The approaching agent shot simultaneously, shattering the glass into a spray of white shards.
Park Jeong-ho, who had no idea what was happening, clutched his head and screamed.
Kwon Taekjoo grabbed him by
the collar and issued a firm command.
"Dr. Park, listen carefully. You need to evacuate with that man over there."
"What? Who is he…?"
"He's an agent with us. He'll get you safely to the embassy."
"T-Then what about you?"
"I'll finish things up here and follow right after. We don't have time,"
Kwon Taekjoo said, unfastening Park Jeong-ho's seatbelt and giving him a firm push forward.
With a stunned expression, Park Jeong-ho slid through the narrow gap in the shattered window as the Plan B agent helped him out.
Meanwhile, police cars surrounding them rammed the armored vehicle from front and back, trying to pin down Kwon Taekjoo.
Above, the helicopter blared commands for surrender, firing warning shots.
Kwon Taekjoo swerved the vehicle toward the side road, clearing a path
for the motorcycle agent.
"Go!"
The agent helped Park Jeong-ho onto the motorcycle, equipped with a sidecar, and swiftly sped off down the side road.
Moments later, a storm of bullets struck Kwon Taekjoo's armored vehicle.
With the helicopter's machine gun, holes began tearing through the roof in rapid succession.
In some ways, this was Kwon Taekjoo's last real chance to escape.
But if he fled now, he couldn't guarantee Park Jeong-ho's safety.
He had to buy them more time.
This was the only way to make up for his past mistakes and complete the mission.
Only then could Zhenya be freed from the espionage charges.
"Ahhhh!"
After a fierce shout, he clenched his jaw.
The heavier the assault raining down on him, the more he forced his vehicle to block the road completely.
How long had he been holding out?
Suddenly, the helicopter's attack ceased.
When Kwon Taekjoo looked up, he saw several drones hovering near the helicopter, which was maneuvering frantically to avoid them.
The police below watched in alarm, concerned the drones might explode.
Kwon Taekjoo raised his rifle and shot the drones down one by one, hitting each with precision.
The damaged drones collided with the
helicopter, causing a massive explosion.
The rotor and fuselage of the helicopter disintegrated instantly, sending debris crashing down.
The surrounding police vehicles were caught in the wreckage, igniting one after another in a violent chain reaction of explosions.
Massive flames erupted down the alley, surging rapidly toward Kwon Taekjoo before he could even blink.
For a fraction of a second, memories of the past flooded his mind.
His family, once ordinary.
His father, who left for work one morning and never returned.
His brother, who left for the last time after asking Kwon Taekjoo to look after their mother.
His mother, always worrying over him.
The day he graduated high school, just like everyone else.
His first day of college.
The moment he joined the special forces during his military service.
The day he was recruited by the NIS.
And finally, his unexpected encounter with Zhenya on a mission he had
reluctantly accepted.
Moments later, a massive shockwave rocked the ground beneath him.
Kwon Taekjoo's vision quickly sank into darkness.