GB 107

“Where’s the nearest hospital that can transport patients?” 

“At least 5 hours away.” 

Yoon Moo-hwa swallowed a low groan.

Emergency ambulance ships designed for surgery don’t enter these waters, which are beyond red, nearly black in danger level. That meant there was no option but to transfer the patient to this ship for treatment.

“Send a helicopter for emergency transport of the patient to be treated on the flagship. Afterward, we’ll try to transfer them to a hospital as we round the Cape of Good Hope and approach the continent.”

Following Yoon Moo-hwa’s orders, the navy helicopter pilot and co-pilot boarded, followed by Haero, who would provide emergency treatment during transport, and a team member from the SSU (Sea Rescue Unit).

By the time Haero boarded, preparations for takeoff were already complete. After securing his medical equipment, Haero put on his headset. He could hear communications with the bridge.

After receiving coordinates and waiting for takeoff permission, Yoon Moo-hwa’s voice followed. 

—Pay attention to weather conditions, and return safely no matter what.

Haero mumbled a response knowing Yoon Moo-hwa couldn’t hear. His reply—yes, I definitely will—was drowned out by the propeller noise, unheard even by the combat team members sitting directly beside him.

A helicopter is a highly conspicuous presence—both its noise and its position, easily visible to the naked eye depending on flying altitude. It was almost sunset now. Although they could monitor at night through the FLIR infrared camera, it was difficult to mask the noise. Moreover, using a Lynx helicopter—whose main purpose was submarine detection rather than attack—for transport meant heading near enemy territory, making this operation extremely dangerous.

Even after confirming multiple times that there was distance between their coordinates and where friendly ships were confronting enemy vessels, Haero felt anxious. Safety had to be secured for the patient to survive, yet the very time that took could cost the patient’s life.

White breath escaped between Haero’s lips. The air had grown intensely cold as their altitude increased.

—Rescue target vessel spotted. Descending.

Fortunately, they quickly located the ship sending distress signals through its searchlight.

It was a medium-sized fishing vessel, but it seemed somewhat damaged as only one searchlight was working, making it nearly impossible to identify objects in the surrounding darkness.

Since there was nowhere for the helicopter to land, they needed to descend and transport the patient directly. Haero adjusted his helmet securely and leaned forward. Cold wind rushed in furiously.

As they got closer to the ship, the water surface pushed outward in a circle. Haero leaned toward the sniper holding the port machine gun, and inadvertently glanced through the sight he was using.

“That… behind that fishing boat, there’s netting, but it doesn’t look like a fishing net. What is it?”

His nape was already covered in goosebumps from the cold sea wind, confusing Haero’s intuition.

Still, the net located where fishing nets should be gave Haero an eerie feeling, as if it were grabbing his neck. 

When Haero asked, the sniper answered, “It appears to be a net, sir. It’s difficult to confirm visually in the darkness, but the material seems different. I suspect it’s placed to prevent fast boats from approaching.”

Made of a more loosely woven material that easily tangles, it could stop a boat by ensnaring its propellers if it approached from the stern. In pirate-infested areas, even fishing vessels equipped with such defensive measures. Though there was nothing unusual about this explanation, Haero remained uneasy even after hearing it.

Meanwhile, the helicopter had lowered its altitude and was now close enough for descent.

Haero had also received rappel training. The rappel lines were deployed, and all combat personnel except the sniper descended.

It was extremely dark, making it difficult to see ahead. 

—You need to descend now! 

The pilot shouted.

Haero grabbed the rappel line and went straight down.

The wind shook his body roughly. Holding onto the wildly swinging rope, landing safely on a space that was incomparably smaller than land—even smaller than Yoon Moo-hwa’s ship—was extremely challenging. Yet Haero carefully maintained extraordinary concentration to minimize his body’s swaying.

And when the ship came close enough to see with the naked eye, Haero instinctively looked up at the bridge. There, he discovered an unbelievably familiar face.

“Cap…tain.”

Impossible. It couldn’t be. There was no way the Captain could be here.

He first looked into his island of origin when he was 17. But there was almost no information. Only after entering the naval academy and searching through case records did he finally discover traces of that time.

The Captain’s name was Dong In-hak, age 41 at the time, charged with human trafficking and child abduction, as well as numerous counts of violence and extortion.

The last Haero knew, he had received what amounted to a life sentence.

So there was no way he could be here.

“Something’s wrong. This is a trap. I need to go back.” But Haero’s feet had already touched the deck. He frantically looked up and shouted to the pilot. “It’s a trap!”

About 0.5 seconds before Haero’s shout, a wave generator modified from sonar activated from a hidden place on the ship. 

Haero staggered badly as a piercing ringing filled his ears.

Dizziness overwhelmed him as if a giant whale had struck the underside of the ship with its back. He stumbled forward and rolled. His shout certainly didn’t reach the helicopter, and even if he called again, they wouldn’t hear him. It was even questionable whether communication with the flagship would be possible.

Haero’s situation was too dire to fully grasp these facts.

After vomiting, he barely overcame the dizziness and raised his head. The seasickness had disappeared, but the ringing in his ears that replaced it caused a tremendous headache.

Despite this, Haero quickly looked around to find the team members who had descended before him. He spotted one of them standing next to the bridge. Or rather, he saw their silhouette.

They seemed injured. As trained, the connection hooks were already released before descent, but he couldn’t just leave them behind. Haero gritted his teeth and approached, then stopped.

Three silhouettes appeared next to his teammate. Haero bit his tongue as he realized this was meant to deceive the helicopter’s FLIR.

He barely held back a scream.

Those leaning there were no longer of this world.

The wet sound when his feet touched the deck wasn’t from waves.

Hearing footsteps approaching from behind, Haero immediately turned and struck away the arm reaching for him. But he couldn’t avoid the blunt weapon that flew in from the side.

It crushed Haero’s helmet.

“Helicopter! Helicopter!”

Haero shouted desperately, but his communication equipment, physically damaged after the sonically modified attack, was useless.

He ducked sharply to avoid arms lunging from behind and immediately extended his leg. With a powerful kick, he knocked down the person in front, then spun around to grab and tackle another attacker.

He needed to make large movements. Only then would they notice from above. Or perhaps they already had.

Someone removed his helmet. Though he struggled, when he knocked one away, another rushed in, pressing his neck with an arm. He extended his leg backward, but they must have been wearing protective gear as only his ankle stung.

There were so many people, it was hard to believe they’d been hiding. Or perhaps they only seemed numerous because of the darkness. Haero wasn’t special forces like SSU or UDT. He was outmatched for killing.

Blood flowed from his nose, his cheek swelled, and his breath was cut off. With his arms restrained and his neck pinned, he looked up to see a terrifying sight—the helicopter, having noticed the situation below, was trying to ascend after cutting the rappel lines, but they were pulling it down with ropes. The machine gun fired by the sniper had its limitations.

“If it crashes, do you think anyone will survive?” Haero mumbled through his swollen tongue, unsure when he had bitten it.

Then, with distinctly audible footsteps cutting through his confused mind, the Captain emerged from the shadows. The man who revealed himself had become much thinner since Haero had last seen him and had much more crazed eyes.

“You think we don’t have people who can handle one helicopter? Don’t worry. They’re not such pushovers.”

Haero smiled wryly as he watched the wildly shaking helicopter suddenly regain balance, cut the ropes, and recover its altitude.

“They seem pretty easy to me.”

“I don’t think so, Number 8. Watch carefully.”

At that moment, several objects fell from the helicopter.

Splash. An ominous, unpleasant, and terrible sound pierced through the propeller noise. Haero’s body instantly froze.

“…You came just for me, Captain?” Haero asked with an ice-cold face. 

He wasn’t dead yet. He had a purpose. Just like back then, when he had to earn his keep to eat.

The Captain approached slowly and grabbed Haero’s hair, jerking his head back. A groan involuntarily escaped. Then Captain Dong In-hak reached inside Haero’s collar, rummaged around, and pulled something out.

It was his identification tag.

“No. You’re just the bait.”

“……”

“To catch a big fish, you need the right bait.”