Codename Anastasia Novel (End) - Chapter 32

“Alright. It’s all good. But why did you keep something this good hidden? Were you planning to pretend I’d never found out if I hadn’t discovered it first?”

“Just because we held hands for a moment doesn’t mean I’m sharing my business acumen.”

Zhenya scoffed, drawing a line in the sand as if to jeer. His next words sounded particularly acrid.

“Did you ever even consider me a colleague to begin with?”

There was nothing he could say to such an accusation. Zhenya’s guess was entirely correct. It was absurd to accuse him of betrayal or anything similar for not sharing advanced information, when he hadn’t considered him a colleague in the first place.

He was inherently perceptive. There was no way he wouldn’t have known Kwon Taekjoo didn’t trust him. Still, to point it out so blatantly. With the nail hit squarely, Kwon Taekjoo lost the momentum to push him further.

With a deflated expression, he handed back the phone. He was about to close the laptop, but Zhenya stopped his hand. Then, leaning in, he stared intently at the monitor. Zhenya’s head hovered near Kwon Taekjoo’s shoulder. He felt a nervous flutter, as if exposing his neck to a wild beast. He subtly turned his head. Zhenya let out a soft chuckle, confirming the perfectly copied files. Zhenya’s ticklish breath brushed against his neck, as always.

“Even if it’s temporary, we’re still colleagues, yet I got hacked. Am I completely unreliable?”

He mocked Kwon Taekjoo relentlessly. Zhenya’s naked gaze intently bored into his cheek, or perhaps his temple. Kwon Taekjoo neither bothered to make excuses nor apologize. He simply shut down the hacking program that had stubbornly run, and closed the laptop.

Zhenya’s protests continued.

“It hurts when you treat me coldly, you know?”

Oh, really?

There was a limit to bullshit, and “absurd” wasn’t even enough to describe it.

He gave up on reacting in any way. Now was the time to focus on work. Fortunately, he’d received information that the ‘SS-29’ problem had been resolved, so it seemed it was time to make a move. The problem was, he still hadn’t found a way to infiltrate the mansion.

“It looks like they’re about to swarm in. Wouldn’t it be easier to infiltrate before that?”

“Probably.”

Zhenya nodded indifferently.

“When would be good? Tonight? Tomorrow morning? Or maybe after resting a bit, around afternoon?”

Anyone would think they were planning a casual stroll. Feeling utterly exasperated, he pressed him.

“Why is everything so easy for you, you bastard? I told you there was no way in, anywhere I looked!”

“That’s because you only think about sneaking in like a rat. You could just walk right through the front door.”

He couldn’t even force a laugh. As if they’d say, “Welcome!” if he rang the doorbell.

“Easier said than done. How?”

“You can turn your plan against them.”

“Turn my plan… against them?”

“The hacking app you just checked out isn’t on the market yet. Not many people even believe such a thing exists. Most of the weapons traded in this industry are just hunks of metal specialized in hitting and breaking things. It’s time for a change in perception. Think about it. Like a virus, it stays with a specific carrier, then naturally and tracelessly spreads through that carrier, extracting all the infected person’s information in real time. Who wouldn’t be tempted by a product like that?”

So, was he suggesting they attempt a fake deal using that hacking app? Formally visit the mansion, posing as weapon dealers. It certainly had a chance of success. Just by looking at their maintenance of the ‘SS-29,’ the mansion’s owner would clearly be very interested in weapons.

“But what if they don’t react to our proposal? They must be busy preparing for guests by now.”

“That could be. But if we hint that it’s a program jointly developed by the US and Korea, they’ll at least want to take a look.”

“How can you be sure? They won’t easily believe us. Trust is crucial in arms dealing, isn’t it?”

“With me here, what’s the problem?” Zhenya boasted. “You seem to have forgotten again, but I’m a major player in this industry too. No one doubts the product I introduce.”

“You’re so confident, it almost feels as reassuring as an ant’s eyeball. Are you sure? The loss will be significant. You’d be revealing a product you had no intention of releasing.”

“There’s no greater loss than not getting Anastasia.”

If he thought so, there was no reason to refuse. With all infiltration routes blocked, it was hard to find a better method.

Zhenya, a prominent figure in the arms smuggling market, introduces Kwon Taekjoo, a former agent from the Korean intelligence agency. Kwon Taekjoo then presents the hacking app, claiming it’s a joint Korean-American program. If they could pique the target’s interest, even a fortress-like mansion could be easily entered. Unexpected problems might arise inside, but it wouldn’t be too late to deal with them then.

“Sergei Ilyich Bogdanov. He’s the owner of the mansion. A distant relative of Vissarion.”

Zhenya showed him a photo of a middle-aged man. He seemed quite famous in Russia, famous enough to be found with an internet search.

“He’s deeply interested in weapons. Especially American-made ones; he goes absolutely wild for them.”

He must be a known weapons enthusiast. It was a good sign.

Late that night, he quietly got up. He carefully stepped down the ladder, trying not to wake Zhenya on the first floor. Zhenya seemed to be in a deep sleep, not moving at all. He peered intently at his face, just in case, but his closed eyelids remained perfectly still. His breathing was even and calm. Only after repeatedly confirming Zhenya was asleep did Kwon Taekjoo leave the room.

Lowering his footsteps, he passed through the dim corridor. The place he finally arrived at was the host’s room. Given the late hour, he tried knocking first. There was a faint rustle of movement inside, then the door quickly opened. The sleepy host peeked his head out. Kwon Taekjoo nodded his head, offering both a greeting and an apology.

“I apologize for the late hour. May I use the international phone?”

He added the excuse that he’d dropped his phone in the toilet. Of course, it wasn’t true. He even claimed that it was his single mother’s birthday in Korea today. That was also a lie.

The host, with a clearly annoyed expression, grudgingly let Kwon Taekjoo into the room. He then presented the phone and explained how to make international calls. After meticulously explaining how to calculate the charges, he left.

As soon as the door closed, he picked up the receiver. He hadn’t often contacted the person he was trying to call privately. During operations, he mainly used a walkie-talkie, and for other matters, he used social media messengers. Because of that, it took him a long time to recall the contact number.

For a while, only a long dial tone echoed from the receiver. Perhaps he’d fallen asleep early, as the other person didn’t pick up quickly. Finally, a voice message played, stating that the customer was unavailable. He didn’t give up and pressed redial. The dial tone began again. Just when he was starting to think he should give up, the voice he’d been waiting for came through.

“Hello?”

“Yoon Jongwoo.”

“S-Senior?”

Recognizing Kwon Taekjoo immediately, he was startled. His stammering voice as he asked, “What’s wrong?” carried no hint of joy or longing. Rather, he might have been tearing at his innocent hair, regretting having answered.

“I need a favor.”

“A favor…? Like this, so suddenly? Where are you right now? And why is your number like this?”

“That’s none of your business. Just listen to what I have to say.”

He couldn’t explain the details to Yoon Jongwoo. Even if they were colleagues in the same organization, divulging operational details was strictly forbidden. That was why Yoon Jongwoo didn’t know where Kwon Taekjoo was or what he was doing. So he asked, roundaboutly, as much as possible. In truth, it was less a request and more a unilateral order.

“I’ve sent a photo to your email, so find out what kind of person he is.”

“Who is it?”

“If I knew, would I have called you, huh?”

“Ah, right. You don’t know, so you’re asking me to find out.”

Yoon Jongwoo smiled awkwardly, flustered. A moment ago, he had sent Zhenya’s photo to his email. He hinted that they’d ended up together somehow and suggested a direction for the investigation. Yoon Jongwoo would be able to find out not only the profile of the person in the photo but also unofficial information.

Kwon Taekjoo looked around cautiously, emphasizing again.

“Find out quickly, okay? Contact me at the number I’m giving you now.”

“Did you change your phone?”

“Well, something happened.”

Memories from the day his phone flew away until now flashed like a revolving lantern. Every moment had been life-or-death. He touched the back of his head, which had almost healed. Even thinking about it now, it was a miracle he was still alive. Talking to Yoon Jongwoo at this moment felt unreal.

Yoon Jongwoo said he would find out as quickly as possible and hung up. He was an incredibly clumsy junior, except for his prodigious hacking abilities. It was ironic that a day would come when he would miss and long for such a person; humans were truly so fickle. You only realize the past was better after witnessing something even more ugly and despicable.

After finishing the call, he went outside. Walking down the hallway, he saw a light emanating from the kitchen. He could occasionally hear the host’s voice. It seemed he was chatting with a guest who hadn’t managed to sleep. Having disturbed their sleep, he felt awkward just leaving, so he briefly stopped by the kitchen.

“Thank you. Thanks to…”

He inadvertently offered his thanks, then paused. A familiar back caught his eye as soon as he entered the kitchen. Sure enough, Zhenya glanced back. In front of him, a bottle of vodka and a glass were placed. It seemed he was the one who had been chatting intimately with the host just moments before. He felt a pang of guilt, as if he’d done something wrong.

Zhenya, as if he already knew, asked casually, “Who were you on the phone with?”

“My mother.”

“…Ah.”

He expected to be teased, but Zhenya’s reaction was unexpectedly dull. Had he noticed something? It seemed best to leave before the atmosphere became even more awkward. He quickly bid the host farewell, saying he had been a nuisance, then glanced at Zhenya.

“Not sleeping?”

“In a bit.”

Zhenya shook the vodka bottle, more than half full. Fortunately, he didn’t offer to share a drink. Kwon Taekjoo shrugged, as if saying “do as you please,” and left the kitchen. He felt Zhenya’s gaze piercing his back, but he just ignored it. He forced himself to shake off the persistent unease that kept sprouting.

He closed the door and climbed into the second-floor bed. He pulled the blanket up to his neck. His mind became crowded with thoughts. He wondered if he’d get a nervous breakdown at this rate. Starting tomorrow, he’d be expending a lot of physical energy too. There was nothing better than sleep to get his condition back up. He forced himself to try and sleep.

As Kwon Taekjoo’s tossing and turning subsided, the surroundings grew quiet. Outside the window, snow was falling again. Occasional sounds also drifted from the nearby kitchen. At first, they were quite distracting, but gradually, that white noise began to feel like a lullaby. His whole body felt languid, and his eyelids grew heavy. Lying facing the wall, he slowly drifted off to sleep.

Snow fell, accumulated, was blown by the wind, and accumulated again. A considerable amount of time passed like that. Dawn was almost breaking.

Suddenly, the door, which had been tightly shut, opened. It was Zhenya who entered. He walked straight to the bed. Having emptied an entire bottle of vodka by himself, it was a good situation for deep sleep. But instead of getting into his own bed, he reached out and gripped the railing of the second-floor bunk.

“……”

Being tall, Kwon Taekjoo’s back of the head was directly visible. His perfectly straight back gently swelled and fell with each breath. For a while, Zhenya watched this perfectly peaceful scene. For a fleeting moment, his blue eyes shimmered with a strange luster.

He stood there watching for a long time. He forgot to blink, and only after he had seen enough, did he bend down and lie in his bed. The air, which had been disturbed by Zhenya’s movements, quickly settled. The room became quiet again, dead silent.

Immediately after that.

“……”

Kwon Taekjoo’s tightly closed eyelids slowly lifted. Kwon Taekjoo stared at the dark wall, lost in thought for a long time.

“Shall we go?”

Zhenya asked, standing by the door. Kwon Taekjoo, in the middle of tying his tie, nodded. He was getting dressed in a suit for the first time in a while. He usually wore a semi-suit, but today he paid more attention. It had been truly a long time since he’d buttoned his shirt all the way up. The tie, tight around his neck, felt quite uncomfortable. As he put on his vest and jacket, buttoning them up, Zhenya approached him from behind. Kwon Taekjoo looked at him questioningly, and Zhenya abruptly draped his fur coat over his shoulders. Perhaps he looked too shabby for a guest?

The natural fur softly enveloped his skin. Its weight was heavier than expected, as if he were wearing armor made of steel. Kwon Taekjoo, enjoying the feel of the fur, inadvertently glanced in the mirror and was horrified. He’d never been called small in his life, but his reflection in the mirror looked like a teenager who had stolen his father’s clothes. The width was a bit big, but tolerable; the length was the problem. The coat hem, which originally shimmered around Zhenya’s ankles, was dragging on the floor.

“This… I’ll decline.”

He took off the fur coat and handed it back to Zhenya. His face was clearly displeased. In contrast, Zhenya had a triumphant expression. Seeing his eyes curved in a scoff, it was clear he’d done it on purpose. To think he’d done something so ticklish for once, it was just a trick to tease him.

Kwon Taekjoo glared at Zhenya with disapproval, then led the way out of the guesthouse. The host came out to the door to see them off.

He was about to get in the back seat, but moved to the passenger seat instead. Kwon Taekjoo was a guest invited by Zhenya, so it didn’t matter if he sat in the back. However, if Sergei Ilyich knew Zhenya, he would undoubtedly be suspicious. He would know that Zhenya wasn’t the type to bring anyone else along. No hint of doubt should be left.

Zhenya soon took the driver’s seat. Kwon Taekjoo unconsciously straightened his back. Being within arm’s reach of Zhenya stiffened his body. They had been together for days, yet his guard refused to drop.

The car reversed, leaving the guesthouse. The wind that blew all night had scattered the snow, erasing all traces on the snowfield. The wagon wheels rolled over the pathless ridge, leaving a long track behind.

It had seemed so far when cycling against the bitter cold, but they arrived in front of the mansion in no time. Zhenya stopped the wagon just short of the main gate. He glanced at Kwon Taekjoo, as if asking for permission to enter directly. Kwon Taekjoo took a deep breath and nodded.

“Go.”

“As you command.”

Zhenya chuckled, then unexpectedly stomped on the accelerator. The car shot through the driveway and reached the main gate in an instant. Cameras mounted on both sides of the thick iron gate aimed at the wagon. While scanning the occupants of the car, the gun muzzles mounted below them aimed at the temples of the two men. One wrong move and a bullet would blow through their heads.

Soon, the cameras returned to their positions and the iron gate opened. Through the slowly widening gap, an SUV appeared. It seemed they had come out to personally greet the uninvited guests. Immediately, the windows of the SUV rolled down in unison, and guards in suits extended rifles out of them. He had expected that kind of welcome, so he readily raised his arms.

Confirming that the two had no intention of resisting, the guards motioned for them to follow. The SUV, which had been blocking their way face-to-face with the wagon, slowly reversed. Zhenya moved the wagon forward by the same distance the SUV had retreated. As the wagon fully entered the main gate, the heavy iron gate closed again. They were completely trapped. Kwon Taekjoo and Zhenya’s gazes met, then quickly dropped.

Contrary to its outward appearance, the interior was somewhat plain, even crude. The small garden in front of the building was nothing short of a wasteland. The absence of greenery didn’t seem to be solely due to it being mid-winter. Was Sergei Ilyich uninterested in building maintenance? Or perhaps he had an antique taste. Cracks and weathering were visible throughout the building, making it resemble an ancient ruin.

The two were led to the steps in front of the building. The SUV stopped first, and armed men poured out. They surrounded the wagon as if on cue. Then, they roughly opened the driver’s and passenger’s doors and immediately pointed their rifles.

Zhenya and Kwon Taekjoo’s eyes met again. One of the guards, unable to wait even that brief moment, dragged Kwon Taekjoo out. He was slammed against the car and subjected to a body search. His Colt from his waistband, and even the Glock 26 from inside his jacket, all firearms were confiscated. Even a small knife, only good for peeling fruit, had to be surrendered.