God of Blackfield

Kang Chan didn’t know anything about the woman running toward him. All he knew was that she was barefoot, carrying a rifle, and charging up the hill in his direction.

He pointed forward with his index and middle fingers, then clenched his fist tightly. In response, the two soldiers to his right crouched down and moved lower down the hill.

They had already completed their mission by taking out the rebel leader, so they could just leave. However, if they left now, the remaining rebels and the armed woman would each go on to gather reinforcements. Then, the new groups would clash, and the survivors would continue the cycle of violence, doing even more horrific things to make money.

Only those who had lived a sheltered life would think that killing the rebel leader could stop such events. After all, the woman, who was acting as an informant, wouldn’t give up the benefits that she gained from her position. However, since she lacked the ability to become a rebel leader herself, she would instead call in someone more powerful. Only then could she secure her role as an informant.

Rustle, rustle, rustle.

Kang Chan could now hear the woman climbing up the hill. However, she stopped abruptly at the base.

Rustle! Thud!

Kang Chan scanned the huts around the area from which the woman had run. Someone in the rebel leader's house had to have shouted at her to run up the hill. If so, then someone was likely hiding in the huts down the hill, ready to fire as soon as the soldiers revealed themselves.

Such tactics might work in a battle between rebels, but they won’t work against us. These young ones clearly only know naughty strategies!

They had quietly dealt with the woman charging up the hill. However, a man shouted again, and a second woman soon made her way to the hill.

‘That’s how they want to play it, huh?’

Kang Chan glanced over at Reznov.

Thwip! Thud!

Startled by the dirt kicking up at her feet, the woman, immediately dashed into the nearby building.

These bastards!

Kang Chan quickly moved.

Rustle, rustle!

With the sniper in position, they wouldn’t be in any immediate danger if they descended the hill.

Even though it was a downhill slope, it was just about sixty meters. Kang Chan quickly reached the woman who had fallen unconscious. She was already tied up with a rope, and her mouth was taped shut, making resistance difficult. This was in accordance with a rule that Kang Chan’s unit followed: avoid killing women whenever possible.

Kang Chan directed the two soldiers to his flanks. They then started moving toward the hut in front of them.

With Kang Chan covering them, the soldier on the left pushed forward, and the one on the right followed. The two soldiers pressed themselves against the walls of the hut.

Huff, huff.

Kang Chan aimed his rifle as he advanced toward the same hut. The entrance was nothing more than a hole barely big enough for an adult to squeeze through. Peering inside, he only saw a dented pot and a wide wooden board. In huts with slightly better living conditions, he could also find a large basin and a broken plastic plate. �

Pressing himself against the side of the entrance, Kang Chan glanced at the two soldiers with him.

‘One, two!’

Clack!

“Aaaaaah!” a woman screamed. She was clutching a child to her chest.

Click! Click!

Kang Chan quickly scanned the corners of the hut but found nothing unusual.

A young boy with especially white eyes pouted as he looked at Kang Chan. He was about five years old; in another seven years, he’d be slinging an AK-47 over his shoulder and smoking cigarettes.

Kang Chan moved on to the next hut.

Why not just leave?

The DGSE believed that Kang Chan handled missions cleanly for France’s benefit, but he wasn’t concerned with such matters. All he thought about was that if they disappeared now, someone even more vicious would come and do unspeakable things to these people. By eliminating anyone associated with the rebels, they could at least ensure peace for about six months.

Click! Click!

The two soldiers moved quickly, and Kang Chan advanced to the second hut.

Huff, huff.

Kang Chan scanned his surroundings, narrowing his eyes slightly to adjust to the darkness inside the hut.

‘One, two!’

Clack!

Bang! Thud!

A man with a bullet through his forehead collapsed to the ground, his rifle clattering beside him.

I told you, it’s not going to work.Facing a well-trained and experienced soldier, especially a special forces one, ends differently from what you’d expect.

As Kang Chan stepped back out of the hut, he heard the distinct sound of a sniper rifle.

Boom! Thud!

Right after he heard someone fall, and he heard a voice over the radio, “It’s the tango hiding in the main building!”

Having done this kind of work together for so long, they now moved in sync with each other. Moreover, with the most troublesome target out of the way, today’s mission was going smoother than expected. Kang Chan raised his right hand and made a circular motion before pointing toward the central building.

Rustle, rustle!

The rest of his men began moving in to secure the building. Moments later, they had secured the central building in the village.

Now, they had to call out the remaining enemies. Kang Chan raised his hand and made two circular motions in the air.

“This is the God of Blackfield!” Reznov shouted from the hilltop. “If you surrender now, you won’t be harmed! I repeat, this is the God of Blackfield! Come out now, and you won’t be harmed!”

I shouldn’t bother counting the women who rush out.

Since they had captured the man hiding in the hut and killed the one in the main building right in front of them, there shouldn’t be much resistance left.

Screeech!

As Kang Chan focused on the hut in front of him, a man he had thought was a shaman emerged with his hands raised.

“This is your final warning! If anyone is found hiding a weapon during the search, they will be shot on sight!” Reznov added.

Click. Click. Click.

Starting with the woman who had hidden from Reznov’s shots, the rebels slowly emerged with their rifles held above their heads. With a nod from Kang Chan, four soldiers rushed forward.

“On your knees! Get down!”

They quickly confiscated the weapons and tossed them away. Afterward, they forced the men and women to kneel and held them at gunpoint.

Kang Chan glanced sideways and sighed quietly when he saw Smithen standing nearby. Somehow, this guy always managed to disappear during the critical parts of the mission and then reappear afterward, pretending to keep watch.

With the capture of the shaman, eleven armed individuals, and three additional women found hiding rifles in their huts, the situation was more or less under control. As Kang Chan smoked a cigarette, Reznov came down and confirmed the identity of the dead rebel leader.

“Target confirmed,” Reznov said.

“Prepare to move out,” Kang Chan ordered.

“Yes, sir.”

Now, all that was left was to escort the captured rebels out and hand them over to the DGSE.

“Hoo.”

Kang Chan was still holding his rifle and smoking when he heard a woman screaming and crying, followed by sudden silence.

Click, click.

The sound came from behind the central building. As Kang Chan walked around the building, he saw one of his men jump back in shock. Two women were kneeling with their hands tied behind their backs, while Smithen, who had been on top of one of the women, looked up at Kang Chan with a troubled expression.

“Captain! These women were hiding weapons. They’re going to die anyway, aren’t they?”

French was spoken in Congo. Although some of the more remote areas spoke dialects that were difficult to understand, most people could comprehend French. Hence, the woman beneath Smithen and the two kneeling with their faces toward the wall had undoubtedly understood the conversation. Kang Chan walked straight toward Smithen.

“Captain!”

Wham!

Kang Chan kicked Smithen in the face, sending him rolling off the woman. He then kicked him in the chest and side three times before giving him a moment to recover. As Smithen turned his head from side to side, the two women lowered their heads even further, and the woman he had pinned down knelt beside them on her own. Smithen slowly got up, adjusting his pants.

“Ugh.”

Once he was back on his feet, Kang Chan drove his right elbow into Smithen’s cheek.

Crack! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

These women would never let go of their guns now. They wouldn’t be able to give up the taste of power that they had experienced by acting as enforcers for the rebels.

If they attacked, there would be no choice but to kill them. Still, killing them in combat was completely different from committing an atrocity against unarmed prisoners.

Thud!

Kang Chan stomped down on Smithen's cheek with his boot.

“I’ve told you before, haven’t I? There’s a world of difference between a gunfight and crushing someone like this.”

“Grrrgh!”

Blood streamed from Smithen’s mouth as Kang Chan pressed his heavy boot against it even harder.

“Captain! That’s enough!” Reznov, who had approached unnoticed, quietly urged.

As Kang Chan lifted his foot, Smithen groaned and curled up on the ground.

Click. Ssshh!

Kang Chan turned his attention to the three women.

“Tie them up and bring them along,” he ordered.

“Oui.”

The soldiers quickly hauled the women to their feet and led them away.

“Hoo.”

“Any medals left?” Reznov asked.

“No. I used them all up after my last leave.”

“What will you do with that, then?”

“He’ll probably get his pay docked, or he’ll be kicked out of the special forces.”

Reznov glanced at Smithen in disbelief.

“Captain, send him to the disciplinary committee or transfer him to another unit. He’s done this thrice already.”

Kang Chan smirked and looked back toward the hill that they had descended.

***

Miguel wiped his forehead as he stared at the solitary report on his desk. Having a special forces commander who could clean up troubled areas this efficiently was the only stroke of luck in his African intelligence career.

“Is there anyone among the captured rebels who could be useful?” he asked.

“It would be more effective to bring in someone new,” the soldier answered.

Miguel nodded. It was the little things that made a mission a success.

If they had only taken out the leader and returned, the Foreign Legion would have likely had to reoccupy the village and stay until a new leader was elected. With things handled this thoroughly, they could send in someone they trusted to temporarily control the entire tribe.

“Understood. Hand all the captives over to the Congolese government,” ordered Miguel.

“Yes, sir. Also…” the soldier hesitated.

Miguel looked up, finding his troubled expression.

“One of our men took a severe beating.”

“Again?”

Miguel rubbed his temples as the soldier quietly exited the room.

***

After a twelve-hour journey back to Kilima, Kang Chan immediately sought out Sharlan.

“I’ve already reported the operation to the DGSE. Just tell me why you beat Smithen.”

“He assaulted one of the captured women.”

Sharlan tilted his head, scrutinizing Kang Chan.

“Beating a soldier like that isn’t the best approach.”

“That’s why I’m planning to transfer Smithen elsewhere.”

“But if he goes somewhere else and starts running his mouth, that could cause you a lot of trouble, don’t you think? Wasn’t the rebel woman going to die anyway?”

“Anyone who does something like that in front of me will get the same treatment,” Kang Chan said.

Sharlan fell silent for a moment.

“I’ll cover this up for you, but I’ll allow the transfer of Smithen just this once.”

“Is there another mission?”

“It seems the Sunnites massacres have started. Two companies from the 13th Regiment and three special forces teams will likely be deployed, so follow my lead this time.”

“Yes, sir.”

Kang Chan rose and left the room. A short while later, Smithen, his face swollen and bruised, entered.

“Sit down.”

With half of his face puffed up, Smithen looked particularly sullen.

“Get a grip, Smithen. If you keep this up, even I won’t be able to protect you. The captain has already asked to have you transferred elsewhere.”

Smithen’s bloodshot eyes widened in shock.

“If you want, I can send you to a squad where your career will be respected. But don’t expect life there to be any easier than it is here.”

“I want to stay here.”

“You’re not going to contest the beating you received?”

“That’s… correct.”

Sharlan’s lips curled into a faint smile.

“Listen, if you can’t handle it, come to me quietly next time. There’s no shortage of hungry women around Kilima.”

Smithen’s eyes darted quickly as if calculating his options.

“There’s no need to overthink it. You’ll understand more when you move up in rank. You’ll find there are soldiers you feel more for. So, from now on, come to me quietly. Then you can go out and come back without a word.”

“Oui.”

“Go now. Make sure you don’t draw your commander’s ire for a while.”

“Oui.”

After Smithen left, Sharlan muttered to himself, “No women, no money. Does he really not want anything other than instant coffee and ramen?”

Thinking of Kang Chan’s unyielding demeanor, he sighed in disbelief.