Chapter 119: Arrest the Ship Immediately!

Major General Jeong Sanhak's headquarters.

When we reached the third floor, where the massive safe was located, Team Leader Lee Hyeonsol was already waiting for us with the door open.

Director Om Giyeon of the National Intelligence Service and I quickly walked over to the safe to inspect the drugs and everything else inside.

"Wow. That's impressive."

"Chief, what if we take the cash that's inside the safe?"

I was only human, after all. How could I not be tempted by that much money?

But if we took it, there was a very high chance it would create unforeseen complications. That was precisely why I had decided from the very beginning to take only the ten gold bars.

I needed to change the disappointed Team Leader Lee Hyeonsol's mind.

"Team Leader Lee, have you counted the cash inside the safe?"

"Four million five hundred thousand U.S. dollars and two million three hundred thousand yuan. Converted into won, that's roughly six and a half billion."

"I see. Do you know the current price of gold?"

"I checked before you arrived. About eight hundred thousand dollars per kilogram."

"Then this will make things easier to explain. One hundred kilograms of gold bars are worth around twelve billion won. If you had to choose only one—the cash or the gold bars—which would you take?"

"Obviously the gold bars. But I'm curious why we have to give up the cash."

"I'm sorry, but that money already has another owner."

After hearing Cha Jiham's firm answer, Team Leader Lee Hyeonsol decided to suppress his growing curiosity.

This man possessed absolute authority within Korea Investment.

There was no point rebelling simply because he disliked a decision. It would gain him nothing.

"I'll follow your orders, Chief."

"Good. By the way, where are the ten gold bars?"

"Just in case, I moved them to our residence."

"Then there's no problem. Close the safe."

At that moment, Security Team Leader Jeong Gwangseok hurried over and reported to NIS Director Om Giyeon.

"Director, CIA Director Griffin and FBI Director Nevers have arrived."

***

"Welcome."

Director Om Giyeon greeted Directors Griffin and Nevers on behalf of everyone present.

"Director Om, did you inspect the safe on the third floor?"

"Yes. I wanted to see what was inside."

"You really managed to obtain the combination?" Director Griffin asked with obvious disbelief.

Om Giyeon felt the need to erase his doubts once and for all.

"Director Griffin, what possible benefit would I gain from lying to you?"

"Ahem..."

Feeling awkward, Griffin merely coughed apologetically.

Om Giyeon shot him a displeased look before continuing.

"I'll explain how we obtained the combination, so let's all sit down."

Once everyone had taken their seats, Security Team Leader Jeong Gwangseok, who had been waiting nearby, served drinks to everyone present.

FBI Director Nevers appeared to be in a great hurry. He emptied his glass in a single gulp before turning to Om Giyeon.

"Director Om, go ahead."

"As you're already aware, Director Nevers, Executive Qin Hao met here yesterday afternoon with Deputy Director Jo Ilcheol of North Korea's Reconnaissance General Bureau. It's been confirmed that they drank together until late into the night."

"Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui is listed as missing, yet they still found time to sit around drinking?"

"As we later discovered, Executive Qin Hao had been in contact with Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui by phone."

"I see. Then where is Vice Chairman Chen now?"

"Yesterday afternoon he was in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. By now, he should already have arrived in China."

"...I see," Director Nevers replied, unable to hide the deep regret in his voice.

Although Director Om Giyeon knew the entire truth, he had to pretend otherwise.

"Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui's fate has already been decided, so there's no point dwelling on it."

"What do you mean?"

"If you listen carefully, you'll understand."

"Very well. Please continue."

"We completely abandoned our attempt to capture Deputy Director Jo Ilcheol's group and instead focused entirely on apprehending Executive Qin Hao."

In reality, Qin Hao had been captured at exactly the same time as Jo Ilcheol's group.

But Om Giyeon couldn't reveal the whole truth, so he spun a remarkably convincing story instead.

Whenever inconsistencies threatened to appear, Secretary Kang Inhan and I quietly smoothed them over.

"...Executive Qin Hao was sleeping soundly. We quietly removed him from the building."

"And you encountered no problems transporting him to the NIS safe house?"

"Our agents are professionals."

"Ah... That was a foolish question. My apologies."

Nevers immediately apologized after hearing Om Giyeon's icy response.

"It's fine. Now we come to the important part, so listen carefully. During Executive Qin Hao's interrogation, we learned something astonishing."

"What was it?"

"Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui imported narcotics directly from North Korea through a Hong Kong company called Golden Trading. Incidentally, the company belonged to him personally."

"What's so unusual about importing them directly?"

Keeping a completely expressionless face, Om Giyeon continued, as though he had expected exactly that question.

"Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui distributed those North Korean narcotics outside the Triad's normal channels."

"What exactly do you mean by 'outside the Triad's channels'?"

"He was building a personal faction in order to seize the position of Supreme Leader."

"So he was using North Korean narcotics to build both wealth and influence?"

"Exactly, Director Nevers. Knowing that Supreme Leader Gui Tao would never spare him if the truth came out, he hid the imported narcotics here."

Now Nevers finally understood everything.

Apparently Om Giyeon had interrogated Qin Hao and extracted the safe combination from him.

When he asked whether his assumption was correct, Om Giyeon nodded.

"You've grasped the essence of it."

"Then tell us exactly what you found inside the safe."

"Three hundred kilograms of narcotics, along with a large amount of U.S. dollars and yuan."

Naturally, the safe had also contained ten gold bars weighing ten kilograms each, but we had already agreed to keep those secret.

"And what do you intend to do with the narcotics and cash from the safe?"

Instead of answering, Om Giyeon turned toward me.

Immediately understanding the cue, I spoke.

"To completely cut off Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui's lifeline, both the narcotics and the money must be returned to the Triad."

"Ah... I see."

Director Nevers nodded as though he had read my thoughts.

Director Griffin, however, seemed less convinced.

"Chief Cha, isn't returning the narcotics alone enough to destroy Chen Zhihui?"

"We're returning the money as well because the Triad leadership might become suspicious."

"Suspicious? In what way?"

"Drugs and money always go hand in hand. If we return only the merchandise, rumors will inevitably spread that someone stole the proceeds along the way."

"Hmm. That makes sense."

"But the American government should compensate us for our efforts."

"And why should the United States do that?"

"Director Griffin, allow me to explain," Om Giyeon interrupted before I could answer.

"Go ahead."

"The North Korean-made assault rifles and ammunition found in the basement here were imported by Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui. He intended to use them during his coup."

"And how exactly does that obligate the United States to pay the NIS?"

"Directly? It doesn't. But Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui also imports and distributes North Korean weapons through that same company—Golden Trading."

"...Don't tell me..."

Director Griffin stopped mid-sentence as a realization struck him.

Having spent decades in intelligence, Om Giyeon immediately recognized the reaction.

"Vice Chairman Chen imported five forty-foot containers of weapons from North Korea. They are currently aboard the fifty-thousand-ton cargo ship Golden Mariner..."

"Wait a second!"

Unable to contain himself, Griffin rudely interrupted.

He immediately dialed a number and relayed the information.

"...The moment you confirm the Golden Mariner's coordinates, report to me immediately."

Click.

After ending the call, he turned apologetically toward Om Giyeon.

"I interrupted you because of the urgency. Please accept my official apology."

"When something is urgent, these things happen. I don't mind."

"Thank you very much. You're certain the Golden Mariner is carrying North Korean weapons?"

"Executive Qin Hao personally handled the North Korean weapons imports."

"So the information has been verified."

"I wouldn't say otherwise."

Bzzz. Bzzz.

At that moment, Director Griffin's phone vibrated.

Knowing exactly who was calling, he answered instantly.

"Have you confirmed it?"

"[Yes, Director. The Golden Mariner is currently sailing south through international waters, approximately one hundred fifty kilometers from Dokdo.]"

"Contact the Commander of U.S. Forces Japan. Request the immediate seizure of the Golden Mariner."

"[Could that create problems later?]"

"I'll take full responsibility. Just carry out my orders."

Click.

The moment Griffin ended the call, Director Nevers turned to Om Giyeon.

"Who owns the Golden Mariner?"

"It's registered to Eastern Shipping Company, a Hong Kong shipping firm."

"Hahahahaha!"

Suddenly, Director Nevers burst into booming laughter.

None of us understood what was so amusing.

Once he had calmed down, he continued.

"About a year ago, we received intelligence that Eastern Shipping was transporting North Korean weapons and narcotics. After spending enormous amounts of time and effort investigating, we finally found a lead. But we never managed to catch the containers full of weapons and drugs with our own eyes."

"Ah, I see."

"If we obtain undeniable evidence this time, we'll be able to destroy Eastern Shipping with a single blow."

That struck me as rather odd.

Nevers seemed to harbor unusually deep hostility toward the shipping company.

I had to ask why.

"The real owner of Eastern Shipping is Zhang Jinan, Deputy Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Chinese Communist Party. Incidentally, he's Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui's brother-in-law."

"I see."

"Chief Cha, judging by your reaction, you seem familiar with Deputy Secretary Zhang Jinan. Is that true?"

Zhang Jinan had personally traveled to our country to retrieve the arrested members of the Triad's Korean branch.

During the negotiations, he had behaved with such unbearable arrogance that I found him disgusting enough to place a curse on him.

As a result, he'd suffered severe injuries—losing eight front teeth and breaking his nose.

How could I possibly not remember someone after that?

"He came to our country together with Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui. That's when we met."

"Ah, that explains it."

"Director Nevers, why do you dislike Zhang Jinan so much?"

"He visited the United States a year ago. The way he carried himself was so arrogant it made me sick."

At that moment, Director Griffin joined the conversation, apparently curious himself.

"Chief Cha, I heard Deputy Secretary Zhang Jinan was seriously injured during his visit to South Korea. Would you mind telling us what actually happened?"

"In the middle of the negotiations, he suddenly stood up and went to the restroom. Some time later, he was found lying face-down on the floor..."

I recounted the entire incident exactly as it had happened.

"...In the end, the doctors diagnosed injuries requiring ten weeks of treatment."

"Isn't it rather strange to suffer injuries that severe simply by falling?"

I wonder how Director Griffin would react if I told him that pompous official smashed himself to pieces because of my curse.

"The official investigation concluded that he tripped over his own feet and tumbled."

"And he didn't try to blame the Korean government?"

"The entire incident was captured by surveillance cameras from beginning to end, so any attempt to create a diplomatic dispute died before it even began."

"That's fortunate."

"I agree. Now, I'd like to change the subject."

"We're listening."

"Once you seize the Golden Mariner and confirm it's carrying North Korean weapons, please remember to pay us the compensation we're owed for our efforts."

"Oh, come on. Of course we will. You have my word," Director Griffin replied enthusiastically.