The US military sealed off the factory where the explosion occurred. Chemical defense troops in hazmat suits were milling about the scene, even driving away the fire brigade that arrived to put out the blaze.
The Korean police officers and the leaders who arrived after hearing the news were all utterly bewildered, their faces pitiful, wanting to ask questions but afraid to.
Compared to his previous case in South Korea, Jack, now increasingly entangled with the military, was acting with far greater impunity.
The idea of a single phone call summoning a hundred thousand troops was a trope from a fantasy novel, but after he informed Rossi of the situation, a contact number was quickly sent to his phone.
Having witnessed the explosion on his way here, Jack dialed the number and reported the explosion at the suspected nerve agent production site. Less than 20 minutes later, this scene unfolded before his eyes. After
a brief conversation with a colonel, Jack returned to the group, his expression impassive. "The good news is that no trace of the finished nerve agent has been found."
"Just get to the bad news," Ma Xidao said, already feeling a sense of foreboding.
"The bad news is that we've discovered residues of several compounds suspected to be precursors to VX. Thankfully, Zhang Mingjun used explosives instead of filling the area with gasoline and setting it on fire. Many containers and used equipment were merely damaged."
Jiang Zhentai's face suddenly paled, and he spun around anxiously. "What should we do? How potent are nerve agents like VX? Should I tell my family to move to the countryside?"
Jack opened the door of the Saab, pulled out several boxes of first aid kit, and gave them instructions to reassure him.
"The FBI has dispatched a chemical weapons expert who will be here early tomorrow morning. He'll analyze the situation and tell us how long it will take for them to acquire a weapon-grade nerve agent.
On the bright side, since this is confirmed to be where Zhang Mingjun and his team were producing chemical weapons, they've been forced to relocate.
Rebuilding a professional chemical laboratory won't be quick, so we should have time."
Nerve agents like VX are certainly terrifying, but they're not without their advantages.
Compared to chlorine, phosgene, and muon gas, VX typically leaves no lasting effects, at least physiologically, as long as the right medicine is used and treated promptly. It's either life or death, simple and straightforward.
Of course, such words are a bit too diabolical to be used as comfort, but fortunately, besides Jack, there's someone more open-minded present.
"Since there's no need to worry about the danger for now, why don't we all go get some barbecue and a drink and talk it all out," Ma Xidao patted his pot belly and offered a timely suggestion.
Their hot pot dinner was only halfway through when it was interrupted. Since arriving in Yongin, they've been busy at the explosion site until now, and it seems almost dawn in two hours.
While the topic had been about the chemical weapons crisis, switching directly to barbecue seemed a bit outrageous, almost everyone felt a pang of hunger at the mere mention of it.
Besides, the crowd was too crowded, making it a difficult place to discuss matters. Besides Ma Xidao and Jiang Zhentai, Jack hadn't yet disclosed his intention to inform the South Koreans about the possible presence of nerve agents.
Perhaps it was fate, but Jack had just switched from a four-seater sedan to a full-size SUV, easily accommodating even the largest group.
An hour later, a group of five appeared at an outdoor table at a BBQ restaurant in Jiangnan District.
The tender pork belly sizzled on the iron plate. Jiang Zhentai opened the Yanghe liquor Jack had taken from the trunk, poured it for everyone, and sighed.
"Hey, I've never tasted such good Chinese baijiu in my life. Let's have a glass to disinfect."
Everyone, including Anna, who had been quiet, picked up their glasses and emptied them.
"Zheling, listen carefully," Jiang Zhentai placed the empty glass on the table. He realized his voice was a little too high, and quickly lowered it. Fortunately
, no one was around at that time. The owner had retreated back into the restaurant after serving the dishes and dozed off, so there was no need to worry about being overheard.
The open air can sometimes be much safer than a closed room. Even a few words would be drowned out by the noise from the restaurant's smoke exhaust and the cars on the overpass across the way.
"We're all gathered here for one thing: to prevent an emergency. Is that okay?"
Lin Zheling put down his empty glass and raised his hand to stop Jiang Zhentai from saying anything else. "Brother, I know what you mean. Let's be frank, right? But before that, could this dishonest FBI agent across from me please explain his intentions?"
Although Jack had never expected this guy to trust him, his attitude still irritated him.
"So many innocent lives have been lost, and you're still brooding over me pretending not to understand you?
My friend's foot hasn't healed yet. What do you think I'm doing here? A trip?"
Jack's words weren't meant to be accusatory, but the other person's reaction was quite satisfying.
After a long pause, Lin Zheling pulled a photo from his pocket and tossed it on the table.
"What's this?" Jiang Zhentai took the photo and saw it was a picture of Lin Zheling and Zhang Mingjun in their uniforms. The photo was slightly yellowed, indicating it must have been quite old.
"He used to be my friend, shoulder to shoulder, but not anymore,"
Lin Zheling explained to Jiang Zhentai, then looked at Jack. "Although Zhang Mingjun is a damned bastard, he is indeed from our country. I'm deeply sorry for the innocent people who died."
Jack waved his hand impatiently. "Tell us what we know. I've long guessed his true identity."
"You should also know that he completely lost control over three years ago." Lin Zheling hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.
Jack sneered, a half-smile on his face. Seeing his sincerity, some of the past that had been glossed over was fine to leave aside for now.
Although Lin Zheling, for well-known reasons, had omitted or blurred most of the details, it was generally confirmed that Zhang Mingjun had a deep-seated feud with someone who attended the meeting.
This important person happened to be the one who had assigned Lin Zheling to this mission.
(End of Chapter)