Mercenary Black Mamba

"Haha! These will be perfect tributes for the Yasukuni and Kushida shrines."

Mu Ssang tried to stifle his cackling without much success. The local tear gas bombs were so foul, they incapacitated even the hard-ass Kim Geuk-do, just when he was about to rip his face off. It would certainly be a sight to behold if he were to throw a few of these apple bombs at Japanese politicians while they are making offerings at the temple.

They say courage and stupidity are often one and the same. Tear gas bombs may be common in protests, but not in residential buildings. Once again, this is a grim testament to the fact that the military views its citizens like mere pawns. Eungsimje is a private home registered as a French cultural institute. What would happen if word got out that the police actually raided it with tear gas?

It would make international news.

The bald officer will probably have to deliver a personal apology. The careers and lives of all the detectives and police officers involved in this operation will definitely come to a halt. Mu Ssang couldn't care less for the higher-ups, but he didn't want to watch the police having to sacrifice needlessly, especially those who had nothing to do with this. He may not be able to personally offer these poor, overworked souls a bowl of warm oden soup, but at the very least, he will not want to get them into trouble .

Mu Ssang raised both of his hands, and the atmosphere started to shift. He was using his telekinesis powers to compress the putrid smoke. The still-spinning tear gas canister slowly floated up.

"Go!"

The canister flew away, past the fence toward where Mu Ssang was pointing at, leaving a white trail of smoke in the air, like a comet's tail. Once he got rid of the canister, Mu Ssang placed his palm on Kim Geuk-do's back. The Resonance Wave was a high-energy wave that employs physical force to manipulate both particles' and waves' properties of matter. The photoelectric force of high-energy waves has the power to separate foreign substances.

The Resonance Wave disassembled the CS particles that were stuck to his body tissues. Kim Geuk-do felt a refreshing wind that smelled of pine trees pass through his lungs. The immense pain he felt earlier was gone without a trace. Kim Geuk-do looked at Mu Ssang with empty eyes, still shocked beyond belief. His master was definitely not human. He was the god among gods, with whom none of Japan's millions of lesser gods could even compare with. His heart swelled with gratitude.

About a dozen more orange cans were thrown over the fence, bringing in smoke with them.

The police used four types of tear gas bombs: KM25 (Apple bombs), Multi-targeted bombs (Bull bombs), pepper fog, and SY44 (Direct targeted bombs).

"They must be crazy."

The SY44 was a dangerous item, shot out of a launcher like a rocket, and could be lethal on impact. His telekinetic powers takes time to be invoked and couldn't be used on multiple targets. Mu Ssang moved like drops of rain, as black lines appeared and vanished into thin air. One by one, the bombs were kicked over the fence back where they came from.

"Awesome!"

Kim Geuk-do exclaimed in Japanese without realizing it. It was like seeing a human fly swatter in action. Fortunately, none of those vile tear gas cans made it to their side. Mu Ssang managed deflect even the remaining bombs that flew in afterwards. They heard the bombs go off one after another beyond the fence. A now-familiar putrid smoke filled the area.

"Aargh."

"Fuck! What is this!"

There were cries of panic. The police squad was wiped out by the tear gas. When it came down to it, the police were still humans after all. They tossed their equipment aside and scattered like ants in the rain. The scene was littered with launchers, batons, and shields.

"Kim Yang-su, you son of a bitch! Who the hell is in there? You said it was just one Japanese man!"

The commander shouted at the top of his lungs. He has been called to hundreds of protests before, but never had he ever imagined such a thing to happen. Sure, sometimes, there have been some determined individual who would bravely pick up a bomb or two, and managed to throw them back. But not even a ghost can be able to reflect every single one of the bombs.

"That, that is, sir..."

Kim Yang-su was at a loss for words. He himself had no idea what just happened. He felt the pain growing in his sore mouth after getting smacked across the cheek.

"You shithead. You said that it was just some nobody and a few women. So what now, is that house filled with North Korean spies or something? You did this on purpose to screw me over, didn't you, you piece of shit."

The commander went into a frenzy.

"Fuck. What would I know?"

Kim Yang-su kept sighing. It felt like he was having a nightmare. They wouldn't be able to bring the suspect in at this rate unless they get the counterterrorism squad involved.

"Chief, the warrant's been postponed."

Detective Ha said, with the walkie-talkie in hand. Kim Yang-su frowned. They just had to kick him again while he was already down. Warrants that concern public safety are almost always approved. The reason why he went ahead with this operation is that he was confident that he can get the warrant as promised. Now things have definitely become more complicated. He can't figure out who this guy really is.

"Fuck, why? If it had been turned down, so be it. But what's the meaning of postponing it?"

"It's the command center. For you, sir."

Detective Ha gave him his walkie-talkie. Kim Yang-su's face crinkled further as he listened.

"Ordered with four years' probation for attempted rape… don't know the details? So why would the French embassy be involved? So what! The British consul vouched for him? Understood. Over and out."

Kim Yang-su turned the walkie-talkie off and glared at the dark red front gates, still standing tall. Everything he had done since dawn, and with just a few old pieces of dumpling in his stomach, all of that for naught. He was infuriated. Fucking hell. Who was this son of a bitch?

Hysterically, he threw the walkie-talkie and huffed out.

"Hey, Chief Kim. Got your panties in a bunch? What did they say?"

The commander asked.

"This fucker has a history. He got four years probation for attempted rape when he was still in high school."

"A bad egg he is! Let's report it to the higher-ups and get our boys armed up."

The commander cut him off and scrambled about.

"Looks like Foreign Affairs had the warrant postponed. They said they needed to check some details."

"Check? He's a threat to public security and is caught red-handed. What do they need to check for?"

The riot police leader wondered. Once someone was deemed a threat to public security, the police would request a warrant, but will go about arresting them even before the warrant was issued.

"The Foreign Affairs records say that he entered Korea with a French passport named Sbard Gulbeig."

"Sbard Gulbeig? That's hard to pronounce. An international criminal entering Korea with a fake passport?"

"It is not so. When he left the country in 1981, Councilor Hamilton vouched for him. A British consul wouldn't vouch for a young felon unless he is crazy."

"So who is he?"

The squad leader seemed irritated.

"They don't know. They are inquiring with the French embassy but there was no answer."

That was no surprise. Black Mamba is France's tactical weapon. Only the ambassador and the first-class generals knew of his identity. The ambassador wouldn't divulge such confidential information without his country's orders or Black Mamba's permission.

"Then we can beat him up. He made the police lose face. We will send in armed riot police."

"The Foreign Affairs is contacting the Korean embassy in Paris and Interpol as we speak."

Kim Yang-su mumbled. The squad head ranked higher than him but as a police sergeant, he was still the leader at the scene. When the responsibility fell to him, he couldn't make a rash decision.

"The Foreign Affairs are just a bunch of Rolex thieves. Since we have a yes from the higher-ups, let's proceed with the arrest. Thirty-two of my boys are locked up in there!"

The squad head was insistent about the use of armed forces. Kim Yang-su's face looked grim. From his 20 years of experience as a detective, the current situation was triggering a warning siren in his head. The real risk is not that the viability of it. The real obstacle was the uncertainty itself.

"Let's see. Since we need to rescue the hostages, let's try negotiating with them first."

Kim Yang-su wedged his face between the small creak in the middle of the door and the doorframe, and shouted.

"Bak Mu Ssang, let's talk."

"You were just launching tear gas cans into a morally upright citizen's home moments ago. I suggest you continue with that."

A cynical response came back.

'I'd rather die than deal with this asshole!'

Kim Yang-su pounded his chest. His new year's horoscope prediction did not look positive. And now, he ran into this - the worst asshole in his entire career. If he continued to deal with him, he felt like his lifespan would significantly reduce.

"Hey, let's talk this out. We know you cannot keep doing this too."

"It's not like we are close friends anyway. Your warrant must have been rejected."

'Is he a psychic?'

Kim Yang-su, evidently flinched.

"Let's talk."

Kim Yang-su practically begged.

"Yeah, talking is better than fighting."

With a sudden change of heart, Mu Ssang opened the small door. Kim Yang-su stepped in, bracing for the worst.

"Huh?"

Kim Yang-su's eyes widened. He had expected there to be dozens of people helping Mu Ssang. But it was just Bak Mu Ssang himself giving off a murderous vibe at a distance. Who knocked out the riot policemen lying down on the ground by the front gate? Who deflected the dozens of tear gas canisters? Could this house really be haunted?

"Show me the warrant!"

Mu Ssang held out his open hand.

"What about them?"

"You should be concerned with your own safety first. Do I seem like a psychopath murderer who would massacre dozens of innocent boys?"

Mu Ssang glared at Kim Yang-su.

"You asshole. Why are you talking to me informally? The grains of rice I have left over must be more than the bowls of rice you've eaten your entire life."

Kim Yang-su, finding himself with no retort, tried to intimidate the young man with his seniority instead.

"Look at you talk. Do the policemen usually leave food uneaten? You need to watch the way you talk first. You are a policeman, a guardian of the people, yet you talk like a common thug."

Mu Ssang, already disgruntled, couldn't pretend to talk nicely either.

"Ugh!"

Kim Yang-su grasped the back of his neck to rein in his rising blood pressure. He was going to be 50 soon and here was, arguing with a twenty-something. He felt sorry for himself. But this man couldn't be subdued with force or words. If he lose his temper right here, it will be a loss for him. He emptied his mind.

Listening to the ongoing argument, the five young women came out from inside the house.

"Mu Ssang, slap him before kicking him out."

"Thug police, out!"

"You talk as ugly as you look."

In Korea during the 1980s, the police and students were like sworn enemies. The women folk definitely weren't going to talk to him nicely. Kim Yang-su felt dizzy amidst of the women's yelling.

"Have you eaten today? Mu Ssang needs to eat."

At the high school student's words, Kim Yang-su covered his head with his hands. No one is normal in this household, not even the young schoolgirls. What Kim Yang-su had no idea of is how important meals were for the people who lived in Eungsim-je.

"Who are you? You are a felon and yet you could go overseas with a British consul's sponsorship. You even returned with a French passport. Who are you really?"

'Fuck!'

They must have discovered his entry record when he returned to Korea after Operation Sahel. He felt sympathy for them. Had they inquired further, they would have found out that this place is actually registered as a French cultural institute. Seems like the police are fumbling around. Mu Ssang laughed lightly.

"You did your homework. I am a French national."

Kim Yang-su looked as if he had just been hit by a 25-ton freight truck.

"You are out of your mind!"

"Hey, I know who I am. I don't need you to tell me."

"These people are driving me mad!"

Kim Yang-su wanted to shove his revolver into the man's blabbing mouth. But of course, once he pulled out his gun, the asshole's fist would smash his head before he could even pull the trigger. That's why he was trying to negotiate with him despite his aversion to the situation.

"Why is Consul Hamilton involved?"

"I have friends around the world. Anyway, how do you think your wife and children will manage?"

"Why do you worry about my wife and kids?"

"I know you need to work for a certain number of years in order to be eligible for pension. If you act up now, you'll be let go even before you become eligible. If you choose to ignore protocol now and abuse your power, I shall do the same. So should we continue? Or will you apologize and be cordial?"

"..."

The warning sirens in his head were suddenly amplified. No one in Korea ever dared to treat the police like this. Maybe this guy he had strong connections all over the country.

"Fuck. I'm sorry! I did bad. Are you happy?"

Kim Yang-su felt like wrenching apart his own jaws. A detective sergeant apologizing to a suspect! It felt like had put the entire police history to shame.

"That sounded like swearing more than an apology."

Mu Ssang drawled as he squinted at the policeman.

"We need to go to the station first. You must know nothing can be resolved here."

"Show me your ID! To my eyes, you look like a thug and not a police officer."

Mu Ssang held out his hand.

"He's driving me crazy."

The asshole must be a pest in his past life. Kim Yang-su tried to calm himself down and showed him his ID card.

"Are we in a rush to somewhere? You didn't even give me time to examine it."

Kim Yang-su gave up his ID to him. The more he talked to this man, the closer he is to losing it and pulling out his revolver. That should be the end of him, with blood gushing out of his smashed head.

"Here! Examined it all you want!"

Kim Yang-su tossed his wallet to the man.

"Whoa. You were quite handsome not so long ago. The police work must be wearing you down."

'It's because of assholes like you!'

Kim Yang-su cried internally, unable to voice out his retort. Mu Ssang tossed his wallet back and walked towards the main house.

"Where are you going?"

"Hey, like I said earlier, I haven't eaten yet. If you haven't as well, you can join us."

"Ugh. I'm going mad."

Kim Yang-su clawed at his chest. He lamented to the heavens for creating such a difficult human being. He blamed his own luck for running into this guy.

"Please try to understand. If I skip a meal, you will not hear the end of it from my sister. To be honest, I'm more afraid of my sister's nagging, than all the riot police squads combined."

"Yeah. Do as you want."

Kim Yang-su gave up and just plopped down to the ground.