Chapter 176: A Change of Plans

That afternoon,

I got into the car together with Chief Secretary Kang Inhan, Team Leader Lee Hyeonsol, Team Leader Seo Donghun, and Saho to inspect Politburo member Liu Peiqi's villa.

Kang Inhan glanced at Saho, who was curled up asleep in my arms, before speaking.

“If I were in his position, I'd be too nervous to sleep. But Saho looks completely at ease.”

Wildcats are nocturnal animals, so they prefer to sleep during the day.

That was why Saho nodded off whenever he had the chance.

Even though he was asleep, however, his ears remained sharp, so I couldn't tell the truth out loud. If Saho got upset and stubbornly refused to carry out the operation, we'd have a very awkward situation on our hands.

I discreetly signaled Kang Inhan so the cat wouldn't become suspicious before replying,

“Saho has a strong sense of responsibility. He's just recovering his strength before the operation.”

“Ah, I see.”

Chief Secretary Kang nodded vigorously in agreement.

I chuckled before turning toward Lee Hyeonsol, who was driving.

“Team Leader Lee, have all of our personnel assigned to eliminate the hacker group entered the country?”

“The ones who came through Shenyang Airport arrived safely this morning. The people who entered through Dalian Airport are on their way here now.”

“Any problems entering the country?”

“I was curious myself, so I asked them. They said everything went perfectly smoothly.”

“That's good to hear. Who's currently watching Liu's villa?”

The villa belonging to Politburo member Liu Peiqi had previously been under surveillance by National Intelligence Service operatives.

However, they had another mission to carry out—the destruction of the kamikaze drone factory in Fengcheng.

That was why Cha Jiham asked the question.

“Our company's personnel have been handling surveillance since this morning.”

“I see. Anything unusual?”

“I've been checking in with them regularly. They say everything is normal.”

Bzzz.

At that moment, Kang Inhan's phone vibrated.

After checking the screen, he announced that Director Lee Menghong was calling and answered.

“Director Lee, go ahead.”

[We've just arrived safely at the safe house on the outskirts of Fengcheng.]

Kang Inhan immediately sensed something was wrong.

The drive from Dandong to Fengcheng normally took about an hour.

Director Lee Menghong and Delta Force's Alpha Team had departed for Fengcheng at eleven in the morning.

It was now half past two in the afternoon.

That meant the trip had taken them three and a half hours.

“Director Lee, why did it take so long?”

[Temporary checkpoints have been set up at every major intersection.]

“Temporary checkpoints?”

[I'm not completely certain, but it appears to be because of Commander Kwak Taesu.]

“I'm not sure I follow.”

[Anyone traveling from Dandong to Shenyang has to pass through Fengcheng.]

Only then did Chief Secretary Kang fully grasp the situation.

Shenyang was home to the consulates of numerous countries, including South Korea and the United States.

Since consulates enjoy extraterritorial protection, defectors often use them as places of refuge.

The Chinese authorities had likely concluded that Commander Kwak Taesu would attempt to reach one of the foreign consulates in Shenyang.

That was why they had established temporary checkpoints along every major route leading there.

He asked Lee Menghong whether he agreed with that assessment.

[I do, Chief Secretary Kang.]

“I understand. Did you reach the safe house without incident?”

[Yes. We identified the locations of every checkpoint and took alternate routes.]

“Ah, so that's why it took so long.”

[Exactly. Please inform Director Cha that it would be better to move the operation forward.]

Kang Inhan immediately understood what Lee Menghong was suggesting.

Cha Jiham had ordered him to destroy the kamikaze drone factory at midnight.

Once the mission was complete, the NIS operatives and Delta Force's Alpha Team were supposed to return to Dandong.

But now that checkpoints had been established along the road between Fengcheng and Dandong, the return trip would take far longer than usual.

That was why Lee Menghong wanted the operation to begin earlier.

“How long will it take you to complete the mission and return here?”

[Considering that it'll be nighttime, about four hours.]

“Understood. I'll discuss it with the Director and get back to you.”

[Understood. By the way, we successfully seized another ten kamikaze drones.]

The plan called for the NIS operatives and Delta Force to seize twenty kamikaze drones from the factory before destroying the facility itself.

They had taken the first ten yesterday.

Today they had successfully secured the remaining ten.

“Excellent work. I'll call you back shortly.”

Click.

After ending the call, Kang Inhan briefly summarized the conversation for me.

“...He's requesting that we move the operation forward.”

I'd ordered Lee Menghong to destroy the kamikaze drone factory at midnight.

But Commander Kwak Taesu's defection had thrown everything into chaos.

Hmm... This could create unexpected complications.

“Chief Secretary Kang, tell Director Lee to begin two hours earlier.”

“Yes, sir.”

Kang Inhan immediately called Lee Menghong, exchanged a few words with him, and hung up.

The moment he lowered his phone, Lee Hyeonsol, who was driving, spoke.

“Director, we'll reach Liu Peiqi's villa in five minutes.”

“Don't get too close. We don't want them becoming suspicious. Park somewhere suitable.”

Soon, Lee Hyeonsol parked the car some distance away from Liu Peiqi's villa.

After getting out, we pretended to take commemorative photos while secretly scouting the property.

Just as Lee Menghong had said, the villa occupied an ideal location atop a cliff, with the sea surrounding it on three sides.

Every approach to the estate was covered by guard towers and security posts.

As he carefully studied the villa, Kang Inhan spoke.

“Director, just how rich is this Liu to build himself a place like this?”

“His parents lived in extreme poverty.”

“You're saying he built this fortune through bribery?”

“I can't think of any other explanation.”

“Then why does President Xi Jinping tolerate corrupt officials like Liu?”

“I don't know all the details, but they're probably locked in a mutually beneficial relationship.”

“Hmm... That certainly sounds plausible.”

“Well then, shall we review the plan?”

After getting back into the car, I gently stroked Saho's head and spoke.

“You have three tasks. First, find the hidden secret passage at the base of the cliff.”

Saho nodded to show he understood.

I showed him the small bags containing ultra-compact, ultra-light timed bombs before continuing.

“Second, infiltrate the villa and plant these bombs. Can you do it?”

Originally, we had planned to plant the ultra-compact bombs one hour before the main operation.

But Commander Kwak Taesu's defection had thrown Dandong into chaos.

Since moving around at night had become far too dangerous, we decided to install them today instead.

Saho confidently nodded again.

“Team Leader Seo, did you explain exactly where the bombs need to be placed?”

“Yes. But since we're planting them earlier than planned, we have to consider the risk of unexpected complications.”

Seo Donghun was worried that the hackers or the North Korean Reconnaissance General Bureau operatives staying inside Liu Peiqi's villa might accidentally discover the explosives.

“Saho, you understand what'll happen if the enemy finds the bombs, don't you?”

The cat bared his fangs and let out a low growl.

To calm him down, I gently patted his back.

“I'm just being cautious. Don't be offended. Your final task is to record the hackers at work. But if you sense any danger, you can skip that part. That's perfectly fine.”

“...Meow?”

Saho tilted his head in confusion, as if asking,

Really? I can?

“Haven't I told you many times? Your life comes before anything else. You're a precious member of my family.”

A touching moment followed.

Apparently all of Saho's displeasure had disappeared.

He buried his head against my chest and rubbed affectionately against me.

Letting out a relieved sigh, I nodded toward Seo Donghun.

“Remember, Saho will have to run all the way to the villa.”

“Of course.”

After replying briefly, Seo Donghun secured a tiny surveillance camera to Saho's head.

He then fastened the bags containing the ultra-compact timed bombs around Saho's neck.

Naturally, he secured both the camera and the bags firmly so nothing would come loose while Saho was running.

As soon as Lee Hyeonsol lowered the window, Saho leaped out of the car.

Watching the cat race toward the villa, Lee Hyeonsol couldn't help asking,

“Director, everything will go smoothly... right?”

“Team Leader Lee, you saw what Saho was capable of in Macau.”

“I did. But this mission is much more dangerous.”

“Saho can handle any unexpected threat by himself.”

“I just hope there won't be any unexpected threats.”

Bzzz.

While the agonizing wait continued, the phone in my hand vibrated.

Looking at the screen, I saw Vice Chairman Wei Chen's name.

Knowing exactly why he was calling, I answered immediately.

“Vice Chairman Wei, have temporary checkpoints also been set up on the roads leading to Dalian?”

[How did Cha Jiham know that?]

“I received a report that Director Lee Menghong took three and a half hours to reach Fengcheng.”

[Ah, I see.]

“Did anything happen on your way to Dalian?”

[The trip took longer than usual, but otherwise everything went smoothly.]

“That's good enough. Taking into account the time required to withdraw from Fengcheng, I've moved the drone factory operation forward by two hours.”

[In that case, shouldn't we also move our own operation forward?]

I knew he'd ask that.

“The operation to reduce the naval base to ruins must proceed exactly on schedule.”

[May I ask why?]

“The moment the base is destroyed, the Chinese military will go into full alert.”

[That's only natural.]

“They'll use every available asset and search every inch of the sea to find the culprits. If that happens, it'll also affect the stealth submarine that's scheduled to evacuate from Dandong two hours later.”

[Ah... I understand what you're getting at.]

Changing the subject, I asked the question that mattered most.

“Vice Chairman Wei, were you able to obtain the four Chinese torpedoes?”

[Dalian falls under the Northern Fleet, whose headquarters are in Qingdao, Shandong Province. One of the Northern Fleet's senior generals is a member of our organization. He personally guaranteed that he'd obtain them.]

“Excellent. Then we'll proceed exactly according to plan.”

[I completely agree.]

“If anything unexpected happens, notify me immediately.”

[Of course.]

After discussing a few more details with Wei Chen, I ended the call.

The moment I did, Kang Inhan, who had been listening carefully the entire time, asked,

“Director, they got the four torpedoes?”

“A senior general in the Northern Fleet turned out to be a member of the Triad.”

“Ah... So that's why Wei Chen was so confident he could obtain them.”

“Exactly, Chief Secretary Kang.”

Just then, Seo Donghun, who had been watching the road from the front passenger seat, suddenly shouted,

“Director, look! Saho's coming back!”

“Excellent! Team Leader Lee, lower the window!”

“Yes, Director!”

Lee Hyeonsol immediately pressed the button.

A moment later, Saho leaped through the open window straight into my arms.

Judging by the fact that all of the equipment attached to him was gone, the operation had been a complete success.

As I gently stroked the exhausted, heavily panting cat's head, I quietly asked,

“Saho, did everything go well?”

Still catching his breath, Saho gave an affirmative nod.

And if Saho said yes, there was no reason to doubt him.

“Team Leader Lee, we're returning to the hotel.”