Chapter 290: How About a Bombing Strike?

"How exactly?"

President Gonzalez was the first to speak, beating everyone else to it.

I decided that some precautions were necessary.

"This information is potentially too explosive, so I'm uncomfortable discussing it in front of everyone."

"Ah, I understand what you mean. Director Santiago, check the situation outside and come back."

"Yes, sir."

After giving a brief reply, Director Santiago rose from the sofa, opened the reception room door, and quickly stepped outside.

Quite some time later, he returned, sat back down on the sofa, and reported to President Gonzalez.

"Mr. President, I've taken every precaution. Not even a mouse will be able to slip through."

"Good work. But none of you are to disclose anything Managing Director Cha tells us either."

"We'll keep that in mind, Mr. President."

Everyone in the reception room answered loudly in unison.

President Gonzalez turned to me with a satisfied expression and asked,

"Managing Director Cha, then how exactly can we get three submarines for free?"

After briefly considering how best to proceed with the conversation, I answered President Gonzalez's question.

"President Gonzalez, are you familiar with the Chinese Triad?"

"How could I not be?"

"Since you know about it, this will be easier to explain. The Triad has one Supreme Chairman and two Vice Chairmen. One of those Vice Chairmen is Wei Chen, who's sitting right here..."

"What did you say?!"

President Gonzalez cut me off midway, genuinely stunned by what he had heard.

I understood perfectly how he felt.

The Philippines had suffered tremendous harm from the drugs supplied by the Triad.

If I didn't clear up his misunderstanding immediately, everything I was about to say could fall apart.

"How about hearing from Vice Chairman Wei about the current situation within the Triad?"

At those words, President Gonzalez turned a displeased gaze toward Vice Chairman Wei Chen.

As though he had expected this reaction, Vice Chairman Wei Chen began speaking calmly.

"Several years ago, Supreme Chairman Gui Tao named me his successor and withdrew from active affairs. However, Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui, who had been competing with me for the position of Supreme Chairman, refused to accept that decision."

"And what happened next?"

"He decided to seize power through a coup. But because he was weaker than I was, he couldn't afford to act rashly. He decided to use drugs as a means of expanding his influence and began supplying them on a massive scale to the United States, South Korea, the Philippines, and other countries."

"Managing Director Cha destroyed the Triad organizations that had infiltrated our country."

"With Managing Director Cha's help, our country also completely wiped out the Triad organizations and gangs distributing drugs."

NIS Director Om Giyeon and FBI Director Nevers each added a few words in support of Vice Chairman Wei Chen.

"I see. Vice Chairman Wei, continue."

"As soon as Managing Director Cha informed me that Vice Chairman Chen was preparing a coup, I immediately took action. But that bastard managed to flee to Mindanao with his key men."

"Could it be..."

President Gonzalez trailed off as though something had occurred to him.

Of course, Vice Chairman Wei Chen understood perfectly why he had hesitated.

"You're thinking exactly what happened, President Gonzalez. That bastard joined forces with Abu Sayyaf."

"So my suspicions were correct. Do you know why he joined Abu Sayyaf?"

"He supplied Abu Sayyaf with enormous quantities of drugs."

"That son of a bitch!"

President Gonzalez finally lost his composure and exploded in anger.

Understanding his state of mind, Vice Chairman Wei Chen continued without the slightest change in expression.

"Abu Sayyaf is flooding the entire Philippines with drugs to finance its terrorist activities."

"Phew, good grief!"

President Gonzalez let out a heavy sigh as he stared at the ceiling.

"I've already taken measures to prevent Vice Chairman Chen from supplying drugs to Abu Sayyaf. However, they're obtaining them from gangs in other countries."

"Of course they are."

Vice Chairman Wei Chen felt that things were going well.

The sharp edge had disappeared from President Gonzalez's voice.

That meant his hostility had subsided to some extent.

Now all that remained was to press forward and seize the high ground.

"The reason I came to the Philippines is to eliminate Vice Chairman Chen and his followers."

"Can you eliminate them?"

"FBI and CIA agents are monitoring their every move."

"Then there won't be any problems. I only hope that innocent citizens of our country won't be harmed."

"It's been confirmed that those bastards are hiding inside Abu Sayyaf's stronghold itself. So innocent Filipinos won't be harmed."

"I see. If you eliminate those bastards, our country won't raise any objections."

"Thank you for your permission. Now, please speak with Managing Director Cha."

Having secured President Gonzalez's consent, Vice Chairman Wei Chen stepped back, and I took over again.

"Managing Director Cha, what happened after Vice Chairman Chen fled to Mindanao?"

"He declared that he would take revenge on Vice Chairman Wei and began raising money."

"How?"

"He decided to import weapons from North Korea and supply them to Abu Sayyaf."

"What? Is that true?!"

The state religion of the Philippines was Catholicism.

However, the majority of Mindanao's population was Muslim.

Because of religious and other differences, they sought separation and independence.

But the Philippine government refused to grant their demands.

And now it turned out that Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui was supplying them with North Korean weapons to strengthen them.

That was why President Gonzalez was so alarmed.

I quickly spoke to ease his anxiety.

"As a test, Vice Chairman Chen supplied Abu Sayyaf with one container of weapons."

President Gonzalez glared fiercely at Santiago, Director of the National Bureau of Investigation.

Understanding what that gaze meant, Director Santiago lowered his head toward the floor.

After staring at him for some time, the president turned back to me.

"Managing Director Cha, what happened after that?"

"Abu Sayyaf's leader, Carlos, decided to purchase five additional containers of North Korean weapons."

Without concealing anything, I explained to President Gonzalez and the others how the U.S. military in Japan had intercepted the Golden Mariner, the cargo ship carrying North Korean weapons.

Naturally, whenever my explanation lacked details, Director Griffin and the others filled in what was necessary.

"...To make up for his mistake, Vice Chairman Chen offered to import twenty containers of North Korean weapons for Carlos."

"That son of a bitch!"

President Gonzalez finally cursed outright.

I had expected that reaction, so I calmly continued without paying it any attention.

"Vice Chairman Wei will explain what happened next."

Vice Chairman Wei Chen immediately understood Cha Jiham's intention.

He had handed the conversation over to him in order to raise his standing in President Gonzalez's eyes.

Giving me a grateful look, he began speaking calmly.

"We were cleaning up Vice Chairman Chen's remaining followers in China when we received information that one of his closest confidants, a man named Sheng Kou, was in Dalian. We decided to capture Sheng Kou alive..."

Vice Chairman Wei Chen gave President Gonzalez and the others a detailed account of everything from Sheng Kou's capture to the sinking of the container ship Silver Crystal.

However, he didn't reveal that the Silver Crystal had been attacked by Delta Force.

As a result, it sounded as though the Triad itself had sunk the container ship.

President Gonzalez raised his thumb and praised him.

"Thanks to you, Vice Chairman Wei, our country avoided an enormous crisis."

"Ha-ha. You're embarrassing me."

"It seems modesty is in your blood, Vice Chairman Wei."

"I'm simply grateful for such high praise. Um, President Gonzalez, I have a favor to ask."

"Go ahead. What is it?"

"The Silver Crystal belonged to Eastern Shipping. And Eastern Shipping is owned by Zhang Jinan, Deputy Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and one of Xi Jinping's closest confidants. Incidentally, he's also Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui's elder brother-in-law."

In other words, he was asking him to keep everything secret.

President Gonzalez placed his index finger against his lips and said,

"I've already erased it from my memory."

"I sincerely appreciate that. I have nothing more to add. Managing Director Cha will explain how you can obtain three submarines for free."

Having performed his assigned role perfectly, Vice Chairman Wei Chen naturally stepped aside, and I took his place.

"After losing the North Korean weapons, Carlos lodged an extremely harsh complaint with Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui."

"I would have done the same in his position."

"To calm his anger, Vice Chairman Chen offered to supply him with missiles."

"Missiles?!"

Defense Minister Fernando was the first to shout, genuinely stunned by the news.

"That's right. Vice Chairman Chen believed that if the missiles were transported aboard a cargo ship, they might be intercepted, so he decided to use submarines instead."

"Then those three submarines were sent by North Korea?"

"That's exactly right, Minister Fernando."

"Just how many missiles is that bastard Carlos buying if they had to use three entire submarines?"

"They're carrying sixty missiles along with their launchers."

"That's an enormous quantity. Managing Director Cha, how did you obtain such highly classified information?"

I deliberately turned toward Jo Ilcheol, Deputy Director of North Korea's Reconnaissance General Bureau.

As though reading my thoughts, he immediately answered Defense Minister Fernando's question.

"I still have many loyal subordinates in North Korea."

"Ah, now I understand."

At that moment, Director Santiago joined the conversation with a question of his own.

"Deputy Director Jo, as far as I know, North Korean submarines are little more than scrap metal. Can submarines with such poor performance really make it all the way to Mindanao?"

"With the help of Russian specialists, North Korea has substantially upgraded its existing submarines."

"I see. And when will the North Korean submarines arrive near Mindanao?"

"They're expected to arrive Thursday evening."

Director Santiago couldn't help but think that they were in serious trouble.

And no wonder, since there were only about fifty-five hours left until Thursday evening.

"Oh, dear! This is bad."

I needed to dispel Director Santiago's concerns.

"Director Santiago, the North Korean submarines won't be able to deliver the missiles to Abu Sayyaf."

"Do you have grounds for saying that?"

"Our country's newest submarines and American submarines are covertly tracking the North Korean submarines. In the worst-case scenario, we plan to sink them."

"Phew... What a relief."

Director Santiago rubbed his chest with his right hand and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now I'll explain how we can intercept the North Korean submarines."

"Please, tell us!"

Burning with impatience, Defense Minister Fernando leaned forward, urging me to continue.

"According to information obtained by Deputy Director Jo Ilcheol, the North Korean submarines have run out of fuel. If they want to return to North Korea, they absolutely have to refuel."

"I see. Go on."

"To prevent the North Korean submarines from refueling..."

At that moment, chills ran through Defense Minister Fernando's entire body.

Because if Cha Jiham's meticulously devised plan went off without a hitch, capturing all three submarines would be effortless.

As he shook his head in amazement at Cha Jiham's foresight and meticulous calculations, the explanation drew to a close.

"...To capture the submarines, we'll need the active cooperation of the Philippine government."

"How can our country help?"

"Government forces must take control of the ports on Mindanao so the submarines can't refuel. In addition, you need to prevent Vice Chairman Chen or Abu Sayyaf from taking possession of the missiles."

"The first part is easy enough, but I'm not confident about the second."

I had anticipated that possibility and prepared both Plan A and Plan B in advance.

"How about launching a bombing strike on Abu Sayyaf's stronghold using kamikaze drones?"