Chapter 263: Deliver My Words as They Are

Eternal secrets do not exist. As time passes, the truth is bound to surface.

However, the Kim Hak-gwon government has only released limited information regarding the events in North Korea to the citizens.

The incident involving Manager Ma being shot, along with the South-North economic cooperation efforts, remained undisclosed.

“Sigh…”

Grandma, who was watching the news, let out a deep sigh.

“Why?”

“I feel like it must be tough for the President too.”

The oblivious citizens cheered on the President as he valiantly carried on with the negotiations with North Korea. Among them was my Grandma.

“It’s a heavy responsibility for the leader of a nation. No matter how hard it gets, he has to endure it. That’s the weight of being President.”

“Well, we just have to support the President’s work, right? Mu-hyeok, are you almost done? Want some more soup?”

Seeing my empty bowl, Grandma stopped mid-sentence and stood up.

“No worries. I’ll get it for you.”

“Sit down. I’ll bring it myself.”

Grandma hesitated, awkwardly getting up before sitting back down.

She returned with more soup, a gentle smile on her face as she watched me eat.

“Wow? Did you get something on your face?”

I knew Grandma was watching me happily. Remembering how I had barely taken care of her lately made my words come out a bit rough.

Grandma just smiled, offering no further words.

As I prepared to get up after finishing my meal, Grandma asked.

“How about we go to the market together later? It’s been a while, and won’t you be going back soon? Let’s go before that.”

“The market? Is there something you want to buy?”

“I just thought it’d be nice to get some fresh air and take a little stroll. Is that a problem?”

I saw Grandma’s face turn gloomy as she watched me. I chuckled and replied.

It wasn’t a difficult request, but sometimes Grandma would hesitate, thinking I was too busy to go out with her.

“No, let’s go.”

With my nod of agreement, Grandma’s smile returned.

“Alright, go inside and rest. Just call for me when you’re ready to leave.”

I couldn’t help but smile at her joy as she busily cleaned the table.

With Grandma insisting I rest, I returned to my room. As soon as I entered, I turned on my phone that had been off for days.

‘Didn’t they say that the U.S., Russia, and China were looking for me?’

No matter how much I had cut off contact, I couldn’t stop my subordinates who were waiting outside from contacting me.

Yet, I didn’t want to be bothered during my rest, so I didn’t reach out despite receiving reports.

I slowly checked the messages on my phone. I had received messages from Eva, Han Gyeong-yeong, and even the U.S. Embassy.

After going through all received messages, I pressed the call button to make an international call.

The ringing tone played several times before Medvedev’s voice came through the receiver.

— Boss Kim. I’m relieved to hear you’re safe. When I heard about the coup in Pyongyang, I was worried when I knew you were there.

As soon as the call connected, Medvedev’s tone was filled with concern, but I responded to him a bit sharply.

“Of course, I’m fine. Thanks to you, I had quite the interesting experience.”

I knew my voice sounded tense, and he must have caught on.

— ······Is there something wrong?

His cautious question reminded me of what Kim Jong-il had told me.

‘We got a confession that the KGB is behind the recent reactionaries. Do you know anything about this, Mr. Kim?’

I couldn’t tell if Kim Jong-il was probing me or if he was speaking the truth.

For several days, I pondered only this matter. The more I thought about it, the more I suspected that at least Russia was aware of it.

The main actors behind this incident were mostly students from the Frunze Military Academy in Russia.

The Frunze Military Academy was the collective name for all military training institutions like the Moscow Military School and the Lenin Komsomol Military School.

In 1992, there was an incident where first-generation graduates of the Frunze Military Academy conspired a coup because they were dissatisfied with Kim Jong-il becoming the supreme leader.

In response, Kim Jong-il labeled those who had studied at Russian military academies as ungrateful and began his purges.

The Ministry of People’s Armed Forces, the General Political Bureau, the General Staff, and all divisions launched inspections of all Russian students.

Every single one was investigated without exception.

During this process, Kim Sung-jin and his fellow coup conspirators must have felt the fury of this purge firsthand. While they wouldn’t have been punished for being innocent, they would have inevitably faced disadvantages in promotion.

Was their attempt at a military coup the result of accumulated grievances finally erupting?

Taking lessons from the failures of their seniors, they probably waited in silence, hoping not to repeat the same mistakes.

Even if they managed to secure Kim Jong-il’s person after a successful coup, seizing power wouldn’t be easy.

However, with Russia backing them, they could easily assume control, so it was possible that those with ties to them reached out to Russia during their studies.

While there’s also the possibility that China is behind the scenes, if they were aware of the coup, then Jang Seong-taek, the head of the pro-China faction, wouldn’t have been in the dark.

“Are you really asking me that because you don’t know?”

— Did I make a mistake with you, Boss Kim? No matter how much I think about it, I can’t pinpoint anything.

Medvedev’s voice was heavily subdued. Could he really be in the dark?

“On the day of the coup, you know I was with Chairman Kim, right? However, before we parted ways, I heard something odd. They said the KGB was behind the coup plotters. No, to be precise, it was the SVR since they’ve changed names.”

The KGB had been split into the FSB, handling domestic matters, and the SVR, which dealt with overseas affairs, under Yeltsin.

This was done to diminish the KGB’s influence, the strongest organization in Russia.

— What? Is that true?

“If Chairman Kim didn’t lie to me, then it must be the truth. I heard they confessed.”

— ······

Silence lingered for a while before I broke it.

“If the SVR is involved and you, President Putin, were aware and turned a blind eye during the coup, understand this: such actions could lead to my death. Kim Jong-il is already aware of my close relationship with Russia, especially with Putin. He might even suspect me. No, he probably does.”

A normal national leader wouldn’t kill someone merely based on suspicion.

But I could genuinely feel that Kim Jong-il, once drunk on power, might actually kill me this time.

He also knew that the U.S. wouldn’t fear war right now. Hence, he warned me by shooting Manager Ma.

If the coup occurred without any U.S. terrorism happening, and if it was revealed that Russia was involved, I would have been dead long ago.

“I’m very disappointed. If you knew and didn’t tell me that’s one thing. If you didn’t know, that would be a bigger problem.”

— I truly didn’t know, Boss Kim. Knowing you’re in Pyongyang, there’s no way we could have launched military actions without your knowledge.

Medvedev was fervently defending himself. I listened quietly to his rebuttals.

— If it reached President Putin, I may not know. But if, as you said, the SVR operated without the President’s knowledge, that would be a challenge to Putin.

“······Please convey to Putin that I’m genuinely disappointed.”

— Boss Kim.

“Didn’t I repay the debt from when you helped me attack Japan? You don’t think there are still outstanding debts, do you?”

I was grateful that they had mobilized the military to bring Eva back.

I considered it a debt and had given them what they wanted in return.

“I assumed I repaid it by quietly multiplying both Putin and Medvedev’s private slush funds. Or do you think otherwise?”

— No, that can’t be the case.

That was when Grandma opened the door.

She was about to call for me but noticed my stiff demeanor and hesitated, unsure whether to step in further.

I waved my hand lightly to signal it was okay and ended the call.

“Tell Putin to relay my words exactly as they are. And call me back again. I have important matters to attend to and must hang up now.”

Without waiting for Medvedev’s response, I ended the call immediately.

“Are you busy? If you’re busy, you don’t have to go. Just do your work.”

Grandma glanced my way again, observing me closely. Feeling bad for making her worry, I shook my head as I got up from the bed.

“I’m done. I’ll quickly change and go out.”

Grandma hesitated for a moment, then closed the door behind her as she left.

As I hurriedly changed my clothes, I opened the door to find Grandma hovering near.

She looked apologetic as she spoke in a weak voice.

“Are you really having to work because of me?”

“No, it’s not that. I’m done. But Grandma, you’re looking really pretty today! Are we going to the market?”

Grandma had dressed nicely, much more than her comfortable attire, even wearing the expensive dress I had bought her for special occasions.

“Well, I can’t go out looking shabby when taking my grandchild for a stroll after a long time.”

Hearing her words made me feel guilty. I realized I had neglected her too much.

I merely enjoyed my own comfort and had not spoken properly to her since coming down to Busan.

“In that case, let’s eat something as well while we’re at it.”

“Why? We can eat at home.”

“I really want to have sashimi after so long. Is Jang’s shop still there?”

“Where could that old man have gone? He’s been running his business for decades!”

“Right, let’s take a look around the market first and then go have a meal there.”

Even as I spoke, I could see Grandma’s expression brighten at the suggestion of dining out together.

As I stepped out of the house with her, Manager Ma’s subordinate approached us.

“Where are you going?”

“We’re going to look around the market, so just follow us without being a bother.”

“Understood.”

The subordinate nodded and stepped back. After confirming they were keeping their distance, we headed toward the market.

It took about ten minutes to walk to the traditional market, a place where Grandma had spent decades running her business to raise me.

Though she couldn’t afford her own shop and set up only a stall, no one in the market had ever complained about her.

When I entered Korea University, they celebrated as if it was their own child’s achievement.

Even though I had gained much since then, the warm memories I received from these people as a child were irreplaceable.

“Who’s that? Is it Kim Mu-hyeok?”

“Uncle, it’s been a while!”

The owner of the dried fish shop at the entrance welcomed me.

“Wow, you’ve become quite the handsome one since you went to Seoul!”

“Thank you! You still look the same!”

“What are you talking about? I’ve lost all my hair and it’s about time to rest. But what’s going on? Did you come to shop with your Grandma?”

Grandma chuckled at the shop owner’s jokes.

“Of course! I finally brought my grandchild out after a long time!”

“No wonder Grandma is showing off her grandchild. Hurry in, everyone will be glad to see you!”

“Boss Han, I hope you’re doing well!”

Nodding in agreement, Grandma led me into the market.

As we passed shop after shop, the uncles and aunts greeted us warmly.

Seeing familiar faces from my childhood relaxed my mind. Thanks to that, I easily chatted with the people who had known me since I was young.

“Mr. Sung, you’ve lost all your hair! You were once so full of it!”

“Hey, it’s been years since I last saw you, and still, you haven’t changed a bit!”

“Seriously, I remember you had such thick hair!”

“You rascal!”

Mr. Sung lifting a dry pollack in front of him made me chuckle.

“Mu-hyeok, come on. Mr. Sung is getting angry at you!”

Grandma interrupted us, sensing the awkwardness.

“No, he’s just joking around! Mu-hyeok was only teasing because he hasn’t seen me in a while.”

Mr. Sung laughed heartily so as not to make Grandma feel embarrassed, and finally, Grandma joined in the laughter.

“Grandma, you’re lucky. You have a grandchild like Mu-hyeok here. When will my child wake up and make something of himself? Mu-hyeok, can you give him a kick? He listens to you better!”

Mr. Sung, who had been laughing heartily, suddenly looked somewhat solemn as he spoke about his child.

“How old is Jong-hyuk this year?”

“He just turned twenty-three. I thought he’d come to his senses after his military service, but he’s still the same.”

“What’s he up to lately?”

“He’s probably just hanging out at some PC room or another, wasting time.”

“In that case, I should meet him!”

Mr. Sung’s face brightened with enthusiasm as I readily agreed.

“Can I meet him?”

“Sure, I’ll be heading to Seoul next week. Please call Grandma when it’s convenient for you and send him my way.”

“Thank you! I’ll tear down the legs of my chair to take him there.”

Just then, a loud crashing sound rang out from deep within the market.

Mr. Sung shook his head and clicked his tongue.

“Tsk tsk, that shop is causing trouble again.”

Grandma caught his mumbling.

“Is the rice cake shop’s son still acting up?”

“Grandma, people don’t change that much.”

As I listened to Grandma and Mr. Sung’s conversation, I turned my gaze towards where the loud noise came from.