Mercenary Black Mamba

"Are you not a Korean?" Jeong Pil-su asked.

"Are you attempting a call to patriotism with me?"

Mu Ssang looked at Jeong Pil-su with eyes full of disbelief. This was the limit of the ones that serve the regime, brainwashed by its "patriotic" propaganda.

They didn't have the power or will to strike down injustice. Outside Korea, they were the dumbest clowns. Inside Korea, they forced the people to become patriots without any compensation. They made a clique of the shameless which was praised by the press. They could not tell blind submission from patriotism. They were the parasites ruining the country.

"I am the king of Novatopia and a French citizen. Should I neglect Novatopia and Novatopians and reject France's offer of two billion dollars and benefit a Korean dictator? Can you just give your own hard-earned money to the Korean government? Have you ever donated to the poor and marginalized?"

Jeong Pil-su had no response to that.

"I don't care if you are here for your loyalty to the ANS or patriotism. Everyone has their own values and free will. Why do you force others to do something that you cannot do yourself?"

"Weren't you born and raised in Korea? Korea is your home country."

Jeong Pil-su persisted. It wasn't just because of Oparts that he was not sure if it really existed. Lee Dae-deok asked him to persuade Mu Ssang. The wavering regime would stabilize if they could convince Mu Ssang to cooperate with the ANS. His own future would be prosperous and the ANS would benefit from it too. Their future would be devoid of any obstacles like the Gyeongbu Expressway.

"Yes. The corrupt government hurt me and cast me out. Despite all that, I brought you here risking much danger because I pitied the current state of the country of my parents and where I was born and grew up. Oparts should be the least of your concern. Japan is eyeing Jeju and Dokdo. Listen to what I say carefully and send a coded message to Lee Dae-deok and Dr. Lee So-jin."

Mu Ssang briefly explained the dangers of Predators bred in Area 51, the schemes to occupy outlying islands using Predators, and the events that unfolded in Mambasa. As he talked, Jeong Pil-su and Kim Myung-jin's expressions hardened. It was unimaginable.

"That can't be! I cannot believe it. The United States is our blood alliance. Japan is petty but they have a constitution that bans war. They wouldn't attempt such a foolhardy scheme."

"You are but a frog in a well and a blind idiot. The dictator and his lackeys, the pro-America faction, and the pro-Japan faction are selling the country and the future of its people to fill their own pockets. All the while, the countries already ahead of us are foreseeing the next hundred years. The ANS must return to its origins, instead of doing the errands of the dictator, so that the country can function better. I saw Lee Dae-deok as someone who would undertake that task. But considering that he sent rookies like you for a task as important as this, I must have misjudged. What would you do if you were me?"

Mu Ssang wanted to toss the two men out in the jungle right that moment but exercised patience and continued to explain. He couldn't bring himself to love Korea but it was still his motherland.

"What would a henchman like me know? But you are criticizing an organization I'm in. It doesn't make me feel good. You have abandoned your country and are doing errands for the Westerners."

"What is he saying?" said Kim Myung-jin in his mind.

Kim Myung-jin wanted to tear apart the babbling jaws of Jeong Pil-su. What Mu Ssang said was righteous and sincere. Jeong Pil-su indeed was the rabid dog of the ANS. Their lives were in danger, yet his partner babbled.

Mu Ssang's eyes flashed. Blue light showered down upon them. A solidified murderous intent shook their very souls. A murderous intent could be solidified as in wuxia novels. Physically, it is a waveform where the intent to murder someone is condensed.

"Aargh!"

Jeong Pil-su screamed. His muscles convulsed and his breathing was blocked. It was an acute allergic reaction of the immune system to an unfamiliar, intense wavelength.

"I was out of my mind!"

He blamed his own mouth, trying to grasp at his fainting consciousness. His temper had caused him several inconveniences, yet it did it again.

"Hahaha!"

Mu Ssang smirked.

"Aargh!"

The murderous energy closing down on his body and mind vanished without a trace. Finally able to breathe, Jeong Pil-su came to his senses when he noticed Zulu and Sun Woo-hyun glaring at him. He blamed himself for acting up before the very angel of death himself.

"Jeong Pil-su, I thought you may have some value left in you. But you are indeed one of the flies clinging to the corrupt government organization. You touted yourself as the greatest patriot but you don't seem to be able to control your emotions even though you are an agent. That doesn't bode well."

Silence lingered in the environment.

Jeong Pil-su bowed, without being able to retort.

"I apologize, Wakil. Jeong is always like that. I apologize on his behalf. You must have contacted us in Korea after much consideration and you clearly still love your country. I am sorry that we bothered you with something that isn't confirmed."

Kim Myung-jin stood and bowed 90 degrees.

"It isn't something Mr. Kim should apologize for. I still have many grudges. It comes out on my words."

"Thank you for giving us valuable information. I am also employed by the same intelligence organization. I shall confirm the existence of Predators and gain information. There needs to be proof for us to be able to tell the higher-ups."

Unexpectedly, Kim Myung-jin led the initiative.

"I am not a nanny. I cannot let Koreans die in a faraway African jungle. But I still cannot protect you, either. I will ensure your safe return to Korea."

Mu Ssang smiled kindly. A hardship reveals someone's true value. Kim Myung-jin was of the good caliber, not Jeong Pil-su.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Wakil. I am sorry that I ran my mouth. But I'd like to continue the journey with you!" Jeong Pil-su yelled, raising his head.

He was embarrassed that he lost face in front of Kim Myung-jin. He could see Lee Dae-deok's face in his mind.

"You didn't understand what I said. You are but a liability here. I cannot afford any liabilities right now."

"I can take part in the journey."

"You have no experience here and your combat power is one-tenth of Sun Woo-hyun. What can you do in this messy battlefield where even Sun Woo-hyun cannot guarantee his own safety?"

"At any rate, we cannot go back. When we left Korea, we each left a will. Our lives are at your discretion now."

"Whoa!"

Mu Ssang was dumbstruck.

* * *

On the riverbank of the Aruwimi, flowing through a valley 1,500 meters away from Mavivi, a group wearing bulletproof suits and full-face helmets got off their rubber boat and grouped on the sand. It was the 15 CIRO agents who boated from their camp.

"The shadows are coming!" Fujimori muttered.

Shadowy figures appeared from within the woods. They made no noise whatsoever. It was the Sakura Brigade who had been tracking from the site where Helen's body was found.

"Forty apprentices, five monks, and 15 CIRO agents, all here," Sasaki, a newly appointed general, reported.

"Is Kuroda still there?" a low, steely voice asked.

"He will soon be here."

There was a moment of silence.

"He's here."

In the moonlit sky, a dark shadow appeared. The shadow glided through the air. A man with a bat-like membrane under his arms landed softly on the sand. He knelt as soon as he was on the ground.

"Sir, as you commanded, I only scouted from a distance. Currently, 56 individuals are suspected to be in their camp. Eight are guarding the outer perimeter and six are dining. The rest are sleeping."

"Their strength is weaker than I expected. What about the alarm system?"

"Mics and CCTVs are strewn 300 meters around."

"Thirty seconds would be sufficient for them to react to any ambush. What about heavy firearms?"

"Other than machine guns, there is nothing."

"What about the one that Master told us to check up on?"

"Due to the distance, I couldn't locate him. Iwane is on the watch."

"Great. We need some results at this point anyway. The one who killed Nobuyuki and the monk will be dealt with by me and 38. Use silencers and noiseless weapons. Sasaki!"

"Sir!"

"Neutralize the guards with 38 and Team 1. I will strike them from behind."

"Aye!"

"Fujimori, back us up from behind."

"I see."

"Let's go!"

Chui Do Shik was feeling confident. His students could obliterate common special ops agents easily. He could handle Mu Ssang. Even if 37 showed up, he would be able to catch it with the help of 38 and the monks.

* * *

"The Korean is too rude. I saved his life and he demands such a thing from you? I'd eviscerate him as soon as you order."

Sun Woo-hyun took out the Fang from the hilt. He had been exercising his patience, but the Korean was testing the limit of his patience.

"Lackey, there is someone else who deserves evisceration."

"Huh?"

A guard sounded the alarm. Sun Woo-hyun put on his night vision goggles and scanned the area in front of them.

"It's in the sky!"

Mu Ssang shot up his hand. Finger Wind shot across the night sky. Iwane, a monk hovering 200 meters above their base, was struck directly.

Iwane, with a hole punctured in his chest, dropped to the ground without being able to scream. His body dropped onto the clearing. He deserved such a fate after ignoring Kuroda's order to keep his distance.

"What was that?"

Jeong Pil-su jumped. He never expected a person to drop from the sky. Mu Ssang stared at the broken body. The Japanese had quite some unique supernatural skills.

"Jeong Pil-su, these are our real enemies."

Jeong Pil-su was at a loss for words. A flying man. A man who shot the man down. It was an unbelievable chain of events.

"Who are they?"

"Ninjas. They are already coming. The main group is coming from the B5 direction. And the group coming in from the F1 direction is a distraction."

"They will taste some fire."

Sun Woo-hyun tightened the straps of his backpack and inserted ammunition into his rifle.

"Zulu, sound the alarm. Non-combat agents should run to the bunker. Fabius agents should focus on internal defense. Others should defend the incoming group from B5. Don't chase anyone. Don't use any lights; instead, put on your night vision goggles."

Sun Woo-hyun smoothly dished out orders. Zulu put out the campfire and vanished without a sound. Figures submerged in darkness moved about in the base.

"South Koreans, run to the bunker."

Kim Myung-jin stood up without saying a word. He figured that the enemy was supernatural. He would only be a liability.

"I will fight too."

Jeong Pil-su refused to run away.

"You are on your own now!"

Sun Woo-hyun didn't ask twice. Mu Ssang turned on his headset.

"Besson, the enemy is a group of ninjas. Three of us should aim at one of them. There should be no gap between offense and defense."

"Aye. They are on our CCTVs. We will lure them in."

* * *

"They are unbelievably fast!" Besson said in his mind.

Besson understood what Mu Ssang meant. The night vision goggled provided a pretty fair field of view, but the figures quickly coming in and out of his field of view made him dizzy. He couldn't figure out how many people there were, let alone snipe any.

"Fire!"

Dozens of MP3s fired at once. The shadows, startled by the unexpected retaliation, hid in the woods.

"Fuck!"

Besson clucked his tongue. They lured the enemy within 100 meters and fired at once but could only take out two of them.

"Aargh!"

"Aargh!"

There were screams of hidden friendly agents. The intruders' counterattack was quick and lethal. The combat between 40 French special ops agents and six Sakura Brigade members began.

* * *

Mu Ssang scanned the battlefield with a telescope from the machine gun range behind the barracks and nodded. He was familiar with the shadowy figures' movements that spread like the strokes of a handheld fan. It was Dark Shadow Steps of the Higashi Honganji ninjas. The springy steps reminded him of a grasshopper's jump.

"Chui Do Shik's minions. Lackey, cover Zulu and the French agents. They will face the most dangerous one."

"Aye."

Sun Woo-hyun and Zulu disappeared. The shrill sound of the machine guns roared right by his ear. Jeong Pil-su showered the ground with bullets but the bullets went all amiss. The retaliatory bullets flew in. Jeong Pil-su ducked down.

"Don't be overconfident."

The MP5sd3 fired. The dark shadows fell one after the other. The ninjas were fast and insidious. As six fell down, others closed the distance.

"Melee combat? I'm gonna smell some blood after a long while."

Mu Ssang put his MP5 against his backpack and unsheathed his kukri. The moonlit blade seemed to undulate.

A blade struck without any words. The shadow of the blade couldn't follow its speed. It was a ninja-like, all-in strike. Mu Ssang evaded the blow and struck the air with his kukri. The ambusher was immediately beheaded.