Chapter 1: The Mercenary with a Strange Past Life

August 23, 2019, 14:23.

The world-famous war corporation Chronos’s mercenary unit Black Mamba was heading from the Gardez area of Afghanistan toward the Pakistan border.

Black Mamba’s mission had been to rescue an Indian VIP who had been held by an Afghan terrorist organization and to recover a certain item.

And now, having completed the primary mission, they were escaping through the forest toward Bannu in Pakistan, where transport had been prepared, carrying the VIP and the item.

There were four members of Black Mamba deployed on this operation.

Along with the leader Jeffrey Harrison, the team members were Harry Lamb, Lewis, and Kang Inhyuk.

Each had different specialties, and they were comrades who had fought together for a long time.

They walked for a while, then stopped to take a short break.

“Rest for thirty minutes here. And Harry, you and I will do a perimeter sweep nearby. Lewis and KANG, take care of the VIP.”

Although the operation had been executed cleanly, they still could not afford to let their guard down.

Jeffrey and Harry set out on patrol in the meantime.

“Even if he’s a VIP, he’s been keeping his mouth shut the whole time — what are we supposed to ‘take care of’? We just need to watch him, right?”

Lewis complained cheerfully as he spoke to Kang Inhyuk.

Kang Inhyuk, on the other hand, merely wore a neutral expression and slowly scanned the surroundings.

“Hey∼! Are you even listening to me? Hey!”

Perhaps because of his indifferent reaction, Lewis waved his hand right in front of Kang Inhyuk’s face to attract his attention.

“Move your hand or I’ll break it like last time.”

Whish—!

At those words Lewis pulled his arm back and then started jabbering again.

“I can’t get broken again! Hah!”

Lewis, clowning around, took out a flat device from the front pocket of his jacket.

It was a device made for reading books on the go.

“What shall I read today∼∼∼!”

Stretching the end of his words, Lewis began flipping through the list.

“Inhyuk! You really don’t read? This is so good! Especially that ‘Homeless Swordmaster’ we read last time — it was awesome. If you ever think about reading, I highly recommend it!”

The genre Lewis was into was fantasy.

Oddly enough for a foreigner, he was completely absorbed in Korean-style fantasy novels.

Long before joining Black Mamba, Lewis had been a die-hard fan who lived for those fantasy novels.

He always carried novels with him before and after missions.

Kang Inhyuk, however, had no interest in such novels at all.

“Then you read it.”

“Why~! It’s so damn good! I bet a world like that really exists somewhere, right? I’d love to go there through reincarnation or dimensional travel like in the books!”

Kang Inhyuk brushed off the noisy voice and shifted his gaze into the forest.

‘A world like that in the novels… does exist, after all.’

The thought he mouthed inwardly was more serious than usual.

In fact, Kang Inhyuk possessed the memories of another existence besides his current self.

That existence had been Raion Canel. And Raion Canel was also himself.

‘Has it already been thirty-two years since I started living there? This forest is similar to that place.’

Raion Canel had lived in a world called the Phalon Continent, not on Earth.

The civilization there had been completely different. The Phalon Continent had been a fantasy world where swords and magic existed, like the novels Lewis read.

‘The memories from that place gave me no advantage here.’

Thoughts continued to follow one another.

Kang Inhyuk had been abandoned in front of an orphanage as a baby and raised there.

Moreover, the orphanage director was not exactly a sane person.

When a child reached the age to wander outside, they were made to beg, and whenever they didn’t obey they were beaten with fists and kicked.

Many children had quietly died without anyone knowing.

For young Kang Inhyuk, each day had been hell.

After taking the high school equivalency test against all odds and obtaining a diploma, he chose to become a professional soldier.

Even with memories from a past life, twenty-first-century South Korea offered him no practical advantage.

At least the military fed him, sheltered him, and paid him a wage — it was like heaven.

Because of the life he had lived, Kang Inhyuk’s heart had become colder and harder than most.

‘I thought I would only have happiness from now on.’

Just as things were starting to look up, Kang Inhyuk had been betrayed by his country.

During an overseas dispatch mission to rescue a VIP, the government’s position became unfavorable, and due to the desertion of unit members the matter had been handed over as a unilateral crime.

After that, Kang Inhyuk wandered the world until he was scouted by the war corporation Chronos.

His current state was the result of that.

He had left his wandering life behind and become a mercenary whom no one could easily trust.

Ssssh! Swish—!

At that moment, underbrush on the opposite side of the forest moved suspiciously.

At the same time, Kang Inhyuk and Lewis raised their muzzles and pointed in that direction.

“Who’s there!”

In any situation where a tracker could have led an enemy to them, the protocol was to issue a warning, then shoot if there was no answer.

But a familiar hand rose from the brush.

“It’s us.”

It was Jeffrey and Harry, who had gone out on patrol earlier.

Kang Inhyuk and Lewis immediately relaxed their posture and greeted them.

“Any problems?”

“I don’t think we picked up any pursuit. If we cross the border like this, there shouldn’t be any trouble.”

“That’s fortunate.”

“Let’s keep moving without stopping this time.”

Harry supported the opinion and checked the direction to the border.

“If we go another three kilometers southeast from here, that’s the border. We’ve prepared a vehicle there, so once we get on it the movement speed will be fast.”

“Good. Then let’s move.”

Jeffrey informed the VIP that they would be moving.

They all stood and resumed their march toward the border.

They had been traveling while sleeping outdoors for two days now.

Everyone’s fatigue had accumulated, but because the destination was close they could muster strength.

Black Mamba moved with the VIP in the center in a diamond formation.

That way they could respond no matter from which direction an enemy appeared.

They continued walking toward the border.

About an hour later they reached the Afghanistan–Pakistan border.

Harry stepped away briefly to locate the vehicle.

Not long after, Harry approached in the hidden vehicle.

But something was strange.

There were five people now, and once the item was loaded, only three people could fit in the vehicle.

“Boss! There’s not enough space—!”

Bang—!

At that moment Lewis was hit by a bullet and collapsed.

Harry, who had been in the driver’s seat, had fired the shot.

Naturally, Kang Inhyuk, who had stood beside Lewis, was startled and aimed his rifle at Harry.

But another pistol was trained on him from the side, forcing Kang Inhyuk to lower his rifle.

It was Jeffrey, the leader of Black Mamba, who had pointed the pistol at him.

“Boss… what is the meaning of this?”

“Can’t you understand even when you see it?”

“Are you planning to hand the VIP over to someone else?”

The VIP’s identity was Dr. Radesh, an Indian nuclear physicist.

He knew practical methods for manufacturing nuclear weapons, and at the Indian government’s request Chronos’s Black Mamba had undertaken the mission.

If the leader Jeffrey and Harry had betrayed them, their new destination would certainly be the new client.

“Would I do this if it were only my idea?”

At Jeffrey’s words, Kang Inhyuk’s gaze shifted to Dr. Radesh.

Though surprised by the sudden situation, the doctor did not look grave.

From that reaction alone, Kang Inhyuk could guess the situation.

“So the contractor has their own will, too. Is the client Russia? Israel? Or is it Pakistan here?”

All were possible.

Otherwise, it would have been difficult to have a vehicle prepared so conveniently right at the border like this.

“You may think whatever you like. You were going to die anyway. Ah! If you make even the slightest move I’ll send you off right away.”

Kang Inhyuk had barely moved a finger a moment before.

He practiced a close-quarters martial art called True Martial Art, optimized for hand-to-hand combat.

Because of that, Chronos had recognized Kang Inhyuk’s skills and had personally scouted him.

In close-quarters combat Kang Inhyuk was several levels above Jeffrey.

Jeffrey knew this better than anyone and watched Kang Inhyuk closely.

If the distance closed even a little, the advantage could be snatched at any moment.

“So you’re planning to kill the comrades you’ve worked with for five years and switch sides? Chronos won’t stand by quietly if you change the client.”

“That’s none of your concern.”

Swish…! Bang! Bang!

Bullets fired to the side.

Lewis, who had been barely moving his body, was hit for good this time.

“In the end…!”

The Lewis who had been cheerfully chattering just moments ago fell silent forever.

Kang Inhyuk had always thought Lewis was noisy, but still a good comrade in his own way.

Of course, he couldn’t help but feel enraged.

“I’m getting tired of this line of work anyway. Farewell, my friend. We’ll live happily ever after with the money from this last job.”

As soon as Jeffrey’s words ended, Harry’s finger began to move on the trigger of his rifle.

At that moment, Kang Inhyuk swiftly kicked a small stone at his feet.

Psssh!

The low-flying pebble brushed through the bushes.

Startled by the sudden sound, Harry and Jeffrey’s attention was momentarily diverted.

Kang Inhyuk seized the chance, dashing forward, wrapping his arm around Dr. Radesh’s neck, and spinning backward.

“Damn it!”

Startled, Jeffrey re-aimed his gun, but Kang Inhyuk had already positioned Dr. Radesh in front of him, shielding all his vital points.

Even at close range, any careless move could injure Dr. Radesh, forcing Jeffrey and Harry to tense up.

“If you want the doctor alive, lower your guns first. I could kill him barehanded if I wished.”

Gulp!

Because Kang Inhyuk spoke in English, Dr. Radesh could understand every word.

“P-Please! Spare me! I beg you!”

Dr. Radesh, who had been silent until now, pleaded desperately.

“I’m sorry, but I have no choice if I want to live. So! What will you do?”

“You think this will change anything?”

Jeffrey furrowed his brow deeply.

His plan, which had been nearly perfect, now risked being ruined by Kang Inhyuk.

“Maybe it won’t change much. But doesn’t that apply to your plan too, boss?”

“Listen! Why not join us instead? Over there, someone of your skill would be handsomely rewarded.”

He tried to coax him, but Kang Inhyuk had no intention of siding with them.

“Sorry, but I’d rather not get stabbed in the back again.”

Crack!

In that instant, Kang Inhyuk grabbed one of Dr. Radesh’s fingers and broke it cleanly.

“AAAGHHHH!”

Dr. Radesh thrashed wildly, but his neck was tightly held — he couldn’t move freely.

“KANG! Are you really going to do this?!”

“Make your choice. Next will be his elbow.”

“Kh…! Fine! Fine!”

With a growl, Jeffrey began lowering his gun. Harry followed suit.

But just then, a sound came from Dr. Radesh’s large duralumin case in the back seat.

Beeeep! Beep! Beeeep! Beep!

It was a warning tone of some kind.

“What’s that?”

“N-No! It can’t be!”

Dr. Radesh’s face went pale as he stared at the case.

“What’s going on?”

When Kang Inhyuk asked, the trembling voice of the doctor replied.

“W-We have to open it and check immediately.”

Dr. Radesh sounded genuinely terrified.

Sensing something ominous, Kang Inhyuk ordered Jeffrey and Harry to move aside, then approached the car with the doctor.

“Open it. Now.”

Enduring the pain from his broken finger, Dr. Radesh unlocked the duralumin case.

Inside was something that unmistakably resembled a bomb.

At the center, an LCD screen glowed red as the timer began counting down.

[00:02:34]

[00:02:33]

[00:02:32]

[00:02:31]

Less than three minutes remained.

“Don’t tell me… that’s a bomb?”

“Y-Yes, it is.”

Kang Inhyuk had never imagined that the precious cargo Dr. Radesh had been guarding was actually a bomb.

But judging from their reactions, Jeffrey and Harry already knew.

“Boss! You knew about this?!”

“Yes… but why the hell is it active? Hey! That was the package meant to be delivered to your government, wasn’t it?!”

Jeffrey seemed genuinely confused and shouted at Dr. Radesh.

“I don’t know! But now that I think about it, they must’ve suspected our plan. They must’ve rigged it to get rid of me — and you!”

“Then why is it only activating now?”

The duralumin case had been with them for days.

There had been plenty of time for it to go off earlier.

But it had only activated shortly after crossing the border.

“It must have a GPS trigger — designed to arm after we crossed the border and a certain time had passed.”

“Then what kind of bomb is it? Can it be defused?”

The timer kept ticking down.

[00:01:30]

[00:01:29]

[00:01:28]

“It’s impossible! And this isn’t an ordinary bomb — it’s a compact antimatter bomb!”

In other words — a nuclear bomb.

“Damn it…!”

Even if they abandoned the case and fled in the vehicle, escaping the blast radius would be impossible.

Overwhelmed by the absurdity of it all, Jeffrey and Harry collapsed to the ground.

Dr. Radesh, too, sank down helplessly.

Then Kang Inhyuk muttered quietly.

“S-So in the end, this place was hell too… And even in hell, the ending’s a mess.”

[00:00:21]

[00:00:20]

[00:00:19]

Kang Inhyuk also slumped beside the car, releasing a deep sigh.

“Never thought I’d miss home at a time like this. If I could return… to that place that doesn’t even exist here — the Phalon Continent…”

[00:00:05]

[00:00:04]

[00:00:03]

[00:00:02]

[00:00:01]

[00:00:00]

Beeeeeeeeeeep—!

As the cold mechanical tone rang out, the bomb inside the duralumin case detonated.

A massive mushroom cloud rose high into the sky from that spot.

A tremendous shockwave spread in every direction, leaving nothing behind.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep