Jang Sungtaek stepped out of the Presidential Palace.
Before getting into the car, he stopped, turned his head slightly, and stared back.
His eyes trembled faintly as he looked up at the palace.
Damn it. That lunatic Kim Jongil is suspicious of . What do I do? If I stay like this, he’ll definitely tighten the noose around my neck...
His mind churned.
Kim Jongil had ordered him to identify whoever was connected to China—but the person closest to China was none other than Jang Sungtaek himself.
Kim Jongil wasn’t foolish enough to assign such an order to soone he suspected for no reason.
This was essentially a declaration: I’m watching your every move.
He was openly signaling that he didn’t trust Jang Sungtaek at all.
After a long mont, Jang Sungtaek tore his gaze away from the palace and got into the car.
“Take ho first.”
The only person who could now save him was Kim Muhyuk.
Thinking of the satellite phone and anti-bugging device Kim Muhyuk had given him, Jang Sungtaek headed ho.
The car began moving slowly.
Above, soone else was watching him.
“Cheolsu.”
“Yes, General.”
Baek Cheolsu, standing stiffly like a doll behind him, answered Kim Jongil’s call.
“I cannot trust my brother-in-law.”
“...Shall I eliminate him?”
“I still need him. One day he’ll have to die, but not now.”
“If you wish it, General, I am always prepared.”
“Haha! Yes, yes. Cheolsu, you’re the only one in all of Pyongyang I trust.”
Turning away from the window, Kim Jongil sat on the sofa and put a cigarette to his lips.
Baek Cheolsu lit it for him.
Kim Jongil drew in so deeply his cheeks hollowed, then spoke.
“Am I thinking wrongly, Cheolsu? Is possessing nuclear weapons not the right thing for our Republic?”
“No, sir. Your decisions have always been for the Republic.”
“But those bastard subordinates do not trust .”
“Any reactionary who defies the General must be killed. Give the order and I’ll take my n and arrest them all.”
Kim Jongil snuffed out his cigarette, shaking his head.
“Not yet. This ti, I must uproot everything. So you will personally observe Jang Sungtaek’s every move.”
“Yes, sir.”
Kim Jongil lit another cigarette.
Only his smoke drifted through the silent office.
* * *
When Hu Jintao returned, his face looked bright.
“We will accept your proposal, President Kim. Whatever happens in North Korea—if the United States does not intervene, neither will we.”
Thankfully, it seed his eting with Jiang Zemin had gone well.
“Excellent. Then please cast a vote in favor at the UN Security Council. As soon as I leave for Russia, I’ll finalize preparations for the pipeline construction.”
Smiling with satisfaction, Hu Jintao asked:
“By the way, when are you flying to Russia?”
“I plan to depart tomorrow morning.”
“Good. Keep tonight free. I will send soone for you. Just follow him.”
Sending soone? That was unexpected. I asked carefully:
“What is this concerning?”
“Nothing major. Soone wishes to et you.”
“Who?”
“You’ll know when you et him. Soone you know quite well.”
Soone I know? Wen Jiabao was here, so who else?
Thinking it over, one more na surfaced—but Zhou Yongkang had no reason to contact through Hu Jintao.
Well, I would know soon enough.
“...All right. I’ll return to finish preparations. I must also contact the U.S.”
“Very well. See you this evening.”
I bowed and left the office.
“Is everything finished, Boss? I’ll take you straight to the hotel.”
Standing at the door, Chief Ma asked. I nodded.
Back in the hotel room, I took my phone from Chief Ma and imdiately called Myungsoo.
― Yeah, Muhyuk.
“How’s the atmosphere in Washington?”
― No idea yet. I haven’t t any key figures. It’s nightti here.
“And Korea?”
― They’ve convened an ergency NSC eting at the Blue House. It seems it’s been going on for a while.
Of course. South Korea would be in chaos given North Korea’s sudden string of provocations.
“All right. China agreed to support the sanctions. North Korea will be isolated without issue. We’ll fra it as you leading the diplomatic negotiations. Spread that around.”
― Suddenly?! Ugh, the reporters are going to stalk again...
“It happened during your U.S. trip. If we present it as you persuading China and Russia yourself, it’s a massive political win.”
― ...Well, that’s true.
With the right narrative, the entire picture changes.
Even if sanctions would have passed anyway, this was the perfect chance to inflate Myungsoo’s weight in politics—and I would leverage it.
“Before returning to Korea, visit China and Russia. Have formal etings. That makes it easier to control the dia story.”
― Got it.
Even exhausted, Myungsoo agreed without hesitation.
He knew now that the bigger he grew, the more helpful he beca to .
“Call if anything happens. Rest.”
― You too.
After ending the call, I put the warm phone down and sorted my thoughts.
Chief Ma placed a cold glass of water before .
“Are you all right, Boss?”
“Hm?”
“You don’t look well.”
“Oh.”
I must’ve been frowning without realizing. I laughed lightly.
“No, I’m fine. I was just thirsty—thank you.”
“Please don’t overwork yourself. This schedule is unusually demanding.”
“I’ll be fine. They say you should work hard while young. Once you’re old, you can’t travel like this even if you want to.”
I downed the cold water in a single gulp.
The chill cleared my head. I steadied my breath and picked up the phone again.
― Hello?
“Secretary Powell. It’s Kim Muhyuk.”
Even late at night, Powell answered imdiately.
― Charlie, what is it?
“Are you able to talk? I imagine the White House must be in chaos.”
― Don’t even ask. Cheney and the neocons are screaming for an imdiate decapitation strike on Kim Jongil. President Bush paused the eting, so I have a mont.
Powell sounded weary—just as I expected, the neocons were pushing hard.
“Then I’ll start with good news. Negotiations with China are complete.”
― Truly? The President will be very glad.
“Yes. But if the U.S. deploys troops or initiates a decapitation strike, China will enter North Korea. Until then, they’ll seal the border entirely. Not even an ant will cross. So stop the neocons. China conceded a lot. Push further and they will not back down.”
Powell exhaled heavily.
― The neocons are... extre...
“Then it becos a real war. China will move troops to the border today. If the U.S. acts, they will cross imdiately. And Russia won’t stay still either. The Korean Peninsula will beco a battlefield—and you know better than anyone how catastrophic that would be.”
Kim Jongil wasn’t stupid. If he sensed U.S. movent, he would attack South Korea imdiately.
Conventional weapons could be endured at great cost... but if he threw a nuclear weapon in desperation?
If a nuclear blast hit Seoul—millions dead, the land uninhabitable for decades.
Unacceptable.
“I kept my promise. I got China and Russia on board for sanctions, and I secured the border blockade the White House wanted. And now I’m supposed to watch my holand be turned into a warzone?”
― Charlie...
“If the U.S. moves without South Korea’s approval, I will not stand for it. You must stop them. Put your position on the line if necessary.”
Eating the neocons’ madness was impossible. I'd block it no matter what.
Powell said nothing, so I continued.
“I know all the dirty things the U.S. has done. I never spoke of them. But if things go against what I’ve fought for—no one will stop .”
― Charlie... are you threatening ?
“You know exactly what this is, Secretary. I am a man who does what he says. Turn the neocons around.”
Even if Arica wouldn’t collapse, exposing their atrocities could destroy the Bush administration’s moral legitimacy.
“I’m begging you, Secretary Powell. You are the last reasonable voice. If even you join the hardliners... it will be catastrophe.”
Silence.
At length, Powell spoke, voice low, almost trembling.
― Charlie... you give too much credit. What can I gain by fighting them now? I’m just a Secretary of State. I have no faction. No power. I was a soldier. Soldiers take orders.
That ant the White House was already leaning toward military action.
I felt air leave my lungs.
“Secretary...”
But Powell cut off.
― But because I was a soldier, I understand war better than any of them. I commanded troops. I know fear. And I do not want war. So... not for you, but for —for my conscience—I will stop military action against North Korea.
His voice hardened with resolve.
― I will persuade President Bush. Only he can make the final [N O V E L I G H T] decision.
“That is enough. Thank you, Secretary.”
― And Charlie... never threaten anyone else like that again. I don’t want to watch you beco an enemy of the United States.
His sincerity was palpable.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
― One last thing. China and Russia will truly support the sanctions and stay out of North Korea?
“Yes. No matter what happens—uprising, stroke, coup—as long as the U.S. does nothing, they will do nothing.”
― Good. Then I can persuade them. I have to go. The eting is resuming.
After exchanging farewells, the call ended.
Only then did I lower the phone.
A long breath escaped as I lay back.
Naturally, profanity burst out.
“Ha... what a fucking nightmare. Kim Jongil, you psychotic bastard.”
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