Chapter 110.1

Chapter 110.1

After a flight lasting nearly three hours, they finally touched down in Sakhalin.

As soon as Seoryeong stepped off Blast SA’s private transport plane, she was met with a biting cold that cut through her like a blade.

The weather on the island, hovering around minus ten degrees Celsius, was so brutal it made her want to retreat.

Standing dazed in the biting winter wind, Seoryeong didn’t move until Lee Wooshin passed by and casually pulled the hood of her coat over her head.

“Oh, I reviewed the satellite data—”

He glanced at her while communicating with Channa. When Seoryeong flinched, he mouthed, What’s wrong? She avoided his gaze without reason and adjusted the military duffel bag slung over her shoulder.

As they walked, a beat-up jeep prepared to carry the team came into view. Ki Taemin was checking the firearms in the trunk, while Jin Hojae was crouched by a tire, shaking his head in frustration.

“I’m not even sure this thing will run properly.”

“You step back. Agent Han Seoryeong will ride in the passenger seat.”

Lee Wooshin slammed the trunk shut and climbed into the driver’s seat, prompting the others to board the vehicle.

Seoryeong hesitated briefly before the freezing weather forced her to open the passenger door. The rusty handle creaked loudly, and the seatbelt was so damaged it was unusable.

“Wait a second, Team Leader!”

Jin Hojae quickly climbed into the backseat, raising his voice.

“Team Leader, sitting next to a rookie is way too dangerous!”

His words echoed sharply, and the other team members stiffened in agreement.

Typically, when the team leader drove, the sniper, Ki Taemin, would sit beside him to provide cover. As the team’s most skilled marksman, Ki Taemin’s role was critical, especially since Deputy Leader Yoo Dawit needed to coordinate the other operatives in case of an emergency.

It was standard for Yoo Dawit and Jin Hojae to escort the rookie from front and back.

No matter how laid-back Lee Wooshin might seem outside of operations, everyone knew his composure sharpened to a razor edge during missions. Breaking protocol and disrupting the formation left the team confused.

“Team Leader, what if there’s an accident?” Jin Hojae’s gaze darted nervously between the driver’s and passenger’s seats. “One of you might not make it!”

Seoryeong flinched at his ominous words, her unease deepening. Sensing her anxious stare, Lee Wooshin clicked his tongue. With one arm, he shoved Jin Hojae’s head back into the seat and started the engine.

The roar of the engine vibrated through the seats, and when Lee Wooshin manipulated the manual gears, the rusty exhaust rattled noisily.

“Why are you worried when Agent Yoo Dawit is here?”

“Huh?”

“That’s what the armband is for, isn’t it?”

“…!”

Seoryeong furrowed her brows, glaring at him. His calm words, which seemed to assume that someone else would take the fall in a dangerous situation, grated on her nerves.

Despite undoubtedly noticing her pointed glare, Lee Wooshin silently sped across the open plains.

Am I a burden to him? Or does he think of me as one? Is that why he told me to stick by him? Seoryeong clenched her teeth, frustration simmering.

Jin Hojae grumbled as he leaned back, bumping against the car interior every time they hit a rough patch of road.

When Seoryeong turned to look out the window, endless fields stretched beyond the glass. For some reason, her heart had been racing since earlier, without any clear explanation.

Monitoring children at a monastery, huh.

Even as the bumpy ride jolted her body, she mentally processed every detail of the mission briefing.

The jeep sped recklessly over the unpaved road. Gravel crunched under the tires, and the faint smell of earth seeped through the half-closed windows.

Massive weeds blanketed the fields like a green horizon. Giant butterburs with umbrella-like leaves towered over a person’s height, creating dense clusters that could even shield someone from rain. Amidst these sprawling fields, a few Koreans occasionally appeared.

Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit Seoryeong. Despite her instinct to divert her attention, she found herself unable to look away from the scenery and said, “By the way, Senior, about what you were saying before—the story you left unfinished. You know, about that famous Russian prime minister’s family.”

The jeep jolted suddenly, as if it had hit a rock, sending it bouncing up and down. Lee Wooshin swiftly reached out to shield Seoryeong’s head with his palm, while the rest of the team, who weren’t as lucky, slammed their heads against the roof and swallowed curses.

For a fleeting moment, a hard expression flashed in Lee Wooshin’s eyes. Seoryeong gripped the worn handle tightly and continued, “You know, that prime minister who married a Korean woman?”

“Oh, right! That romance!” Jin Hojae exclaimed, his tone brightening, while Ki Taemin, assembling a few pistols, scoffed.

“Hey, stop feeding the rookie nonsense. If you’re going to tell it, at least tell it right. Romance, my ass.”

“Da*n it, what did I say—”

“Han Seoryeong, don’t let this idiot’s words fool you. That story is famous because it’s a tragedy.”

“A tragedy?”

“Yeah, Solzhenitsyn’s tragedy. They all died in an accident. The family line probably ended with them.”

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