Perfect Mission Chapter 10 - Omen (1)

Chapter 10 – Omen (1)

 

“How did you know something was wrong with Yongjin?”

Suyeon, her face pale, blocked Junho’s path as he was about to leave school. Witnessing someone get stabbed and bleed profusely would shake anyone’s composure. Moreover, for a minor, especially a young woman, it would be a traumatic experience.

“Just a feeling.”

“Tell me more.”

“He was different than usual.”

“How was he different?”

Under different circumstances, he would have ignored her, but this wasn’t something he could brush off. Daeseong, surprised by Suyeon’s question, stared at Junho.

“They say people change when they’re about to die. Yongjin was like that. He was talking to people, making eye contact, and even smiling.”

“So? What’s wrong with that?”

“Right. If that was all, I would have just thought he was trying to endure the bullying for another year and graduate. But him constantly rubbing his shoulder was strange, and crucially, his eyes… it’s hard to explain. It was just a feeling.”

“Is that all?”

Suyeon’s trembling hand gripped Junho’s wrist, refusing to let go.

“After class ended, and the teacher left, he lowered his head and laughed to himself. And then he took something out of his bag, and it was a knife. Actually, I thought he was going to attack me. I froze, and I never imagined he’d go after Hyeonuk.”

Suyeon’s legs gave way, and she collapsed. Junho started to help her up but then withdrew his hand. He looked down at her and said,

“What you saw today won’t be easy to forget, but don’t dwell on it. It won’t do you any good. I’ll call you a taxi. Where do you live?”

“No, it’s okay. I can go alone.”

Suyeon, her face still etched with shock, managed to stand up and walk away.

Daeseong, worried, said,

“Shouldn’t you walk her home?”

“You can follow her if you’re so worried.”

“This guy’s colder than I thought.”

Junho shrugged.

“Am I? It’s not like this happened because of me, and she’s not the only one who’s traumatized. There’s no reason for me to look after her specifically.”

“Ooh~ The most beautiful girl in the school… well, maybe not the whole school, but the most beautiful girl in class 3-3 is nothing to you?”

“It’s not that she’s nothing, but…”

Junho adjusted his thick-rimmed glasses and continued dramatically,

“Women are a luxury I can’t afford.”

“…What is this? This disgusting development? Ugh, my eyes!”

“Heh, you wouldn’t understand my struggles.”

Daeseong stared at Junho, who walked away shaking his head, as if he were looking at a neighborhood idiot. Seeing an approaching bus, he started running.

 

***

 

His statement about women being a luxury wasn’t entirely a bluff. It wasn’t because of his studies, but because his current situation wasn’t conducive to leisurely flirting with a high school girl. Moreover, while Suyeon’s strange interest was somewhat flattering, he wasn’t deeply invested.

How could he be so indifferent to Ahn Suyeon, the most beautiful girl in class 3-3 (if not the whole school)?

Because a world-class spy always had women flocking to him and had to resist countless temptations. Being swayed by the mere curiosity of a high school girl who didn’t even know what love was would tarnish Gorilla’s reputation as an A-class agent.

So, back at his Yeouido officetel, his hideout, Junho quickly put Suyeon out of his mind and went about his usual routine.

One wall of the small officetel, a little over 10 pyeong, was filled with various clothes. Anyone seeing it would think he was a fashion enthusiast, but each item was unique, purchased from secondhand markets, online shops, and places like Dongmyo Market.

Some of the clothes emitted a musty odor up close. He kept those in a corner, covered with a breathable cloth. He couldn’t wash them; if he wore these clothes without a certain level of musty smell, it would be like announcing to the world, “I’m a spy!”

Various wigs hung on the opposite wall, and a dressing table held a selection of makeup.

Junho practiced applying makeup at least once a day and washed it off before going home. He wasn’t trying to cross-dress; he was practicing how to make his skin look darker, add wrinkles, or change his appearance with makeup.

Jo Gyeongcheol’s memories contained information about this, but nowadays, various makeup tutorials were readily available on YouTube, so he had no trouble learning on his own.

The windows were completely covered with black film to block out any light from outside. Even in a high-rise officetel in the city, it was surprisingly easy to see inside through the windows, and he was also taking precautions against snipers.

He had placed a desk against the window, setting up Jo Gyeongcheol’s laptop and printer. The information Jo Gyeongcheol possessed would be useful later, but not now, so he didn’t connect the laptop to the internet. If he needed internet access, he used his phone or the computer at home.

In the middle of the officetel, there was a space of about 3 pyeong where Junho practiced swordsmanship alone.

Jo Gyeongcheol was a former special forces soldier and had also been part of a private military company, so his combat abilities were exceptional. No, “exceptional” didn’t quite capture it; he was incredibly skilled.

Practicing while recalling those memories, Junho improved rapidly. He felt that once he lost some weight, he would be able to reach Jo Gyeongcheol’s peak performance.

After four or five hours of practice at his hideout, Junho spent an hour doing squats at the gym and returned home.

The school was in chaos, but his mother seemed unaware, as her phone remained silent. If she had been a housewife instead of running a business, his phone would have been ringing off the hook.

“Are you trying to study or exercise?”

When he got home, his mother, still in her work clothes, greeted him. She seemed to have just returned as well.

“You know the mock exam is tomorrow, right? Please judge me based on my results.”

“Son~ Please don’t act confident. It makes me have expectations.”

“Please, I’m begging you. Have expectations this time.”

“What am I supposed to believe in, son? Be honest. Did you find some amazing cheating method?”

A very reasonable suspicion, coming from the mother of an A-class agent.

“I’m disappointed, Mom. You don’t trust your son?”

“Isn’t it strange that my son, who got a level 6 on the last mock exam, is suddenly brimming with confidence?”

“Who’s spreading rumors about my level 6?”

“Why? Did someone tell you you’re a level 6?”

“…Anyway, the old saying goes, ‘a scholar and a warrior in one.’ A healthy mind resides in a healthy body. So, don’t worry too much.”

“Well… it’s better than being stuck at home playing games all day.”

“Right? That’s what I’m saying.”

He chuckled self-deprecatingly, remembering how he used to throw his bag down and turn on the computer as soon as he got home from school. Of course, his mother made a face at his narcissistic laughter and went to prepare dinner.

After showering and having a late dinner with his mother, he brought up the incident at school preemptively, before she could worry.

“Mom, I saw something really shocking at school today.”

“Oh? What?”

“Actually…”

He explained what had happened, and, naturally, his mother was shocked and bombarded him with questions. But he didn’t give her any satisfying answers.

His mother spent a restless evening making calls and sending messages, while Junho went to his room and sat in front of his computer. Not to play games, but to watch the news.

[Stabbing Incident at Seoul High School Due to School Violence…]

[Jo, the perpetrator, arrested. Prosecutors to request an arrest warrant.]

The news article popped up immediately. It was only natural that it had become a big deal. Reporters would probably swarm the school tomorrow.

He worried about his face being plastered all over the news, but he then searched for another article.

[10-Car Pile-Up at Nongol Intersection in Seongdong-gu]

Fortunately, there was no news about the kidnapping of the elementary school student. There could be a news embargo due to the special circumstances, but he decided not to think about it. Even if there wasn’t, it wasn’t a situation he could interfere with.

He knew that if the elementary student was already in the hands of an agent, it would be nearly impossible to rescue him safely. He could only hope for the best.

“Oh well, I’m sure it went well.”

Exhausted, Junho put his phone on silent and closed his eyes, falling into a deep sleep.

 

***

 

Presidential suite, Paradise Hotel, Incheon.

A man sat on the sofa in the living room of the suite, where a single night cost tens of millions of won. With his neat hairstyle, impeccable attire, and thick eyebrows, he looked both young and not-so-young, making it difficult to guess his age.

The rather gentlemanly-looking man stared at the photo in his hand with a displeased expression.

“We cast the bait, but not only did we not catch the fish, we lost the bait as well. Sigh… it seems we were wrong from the beginning.”

Fluent Chinese. 

The photo in his hand was of Junho, in his urine-stained disguise, at the Seunghwawon crematorium.

“I apologize. We didn’t expect the Korean NIS to deploy so many agents… It seems Gorilla has completely joined forces with the NIS, with whom he had previous dealings. This alone proves he’s not the real Gorilla. The real one would never cooperate with them.”

Kneeling before him was a man with a shaved head and a cold-blooded look, who seemed capable of pulling a knife from his waistband at any moment. He was sweating profusely, afraid to even look up at the gentlemanly man.

“We made a mistake. A mistake…”

“But if we hadn’t killed Gorilla, the file would have fallen into Zaoyang’s hands.”

“But by killing him, the file disappeared, and I’ve been greatly humiliated within the organization. How are you going to take responsibility for this?”

He gulped and lowered his head further.

“I will atone with my life.”

“With your measly life?”

“…”

“Do you even know the value of the data Gorilla had? Do you think your life is worth tens of billions of yuan?”

“I apologize.”

The man was dissatisfied with everything that had happened in Korea. He just wanted to return to his homeland.

“I’m going back. By the time I return, you will either bring me the imposter claiming to be Gorilla, or you will bring me the file. One or the other. Unless you want to watch your wife and children being skinned alive in front of you.”

The shaved-headed man, knowing that it wasn’t an empty threat, trembled and bowed his head to the floor.

“I will… I will definitely do it.”

The gentlemanly man pressed his temples and turned his head. He was worried about how to smoothly resolve the situation back home.