God of Blackfield

“We’ll rush to the mound ahead on the count of three. I go first. Haller, you take the left; Forman, you’re on the right.”

“Oui.”

Kang Chan exhaled. At the same time, a shout and a commotion came from the enemies in front of them.

Swoosh!

Kang Chan rushed forward first.

Click!

He slung his rifle over his shoulder, took aim, and began opening fire.

Ratatatatatat! Bang! Bang!

Their enemies quickly retaliated.

The sand around Kang Chan bounced up like firecrackers as he ran.

Peew! Pew! Peew! Ratatatat! Ratatatat! Bang!

Haller and Forman ran close together. They fired back relentlessly, making it seem as though they were trying to make amends for their past mistakes.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Thud!

Kang Chan settled on the front of the mound first. Haller and Forman threw themselves at his flanks.

“Haah! Haah! Haah! Haah!”

Kang Chan looked back; he couldn’t see Reznov and the others anymore.

Upon checking on the men beside him, he quickly moved to the right. Forman was applying pressure to a gunshot wound on his stomach.

“Argh!”

It wasn’t just his stomach. He had been hit twice in his right chest as well. However, he seemed to be feeling more pain in the stomach.

“Kegh!”

The commotion at the dune ahead of them was still ongoing.

The enemy shouts that Kang Chan had heard earlier seemed to be a signal for their new reinforcements.

He didn’t have time to examine Forman right now. Kang Chan patted his head and climbed up the dune.

The enemies had crouched down and were approaching.

Click! Bang! Bang! Bang!

With every shot, Kang Chan took down a hostile on the horizon.

A fierce gunfight ensued.

“Haller! Take the enemies at the front!” Kang Chan commanded. He then turned the muzzle of his rifle to the right, aiming to eliminate the enemies moving toward where Reznov had run. �

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The silhouettes moving in the darkness dropped to the ground one by one. As if in retaliation, a tremendous barrage of enemy fire came flying at Kang Chan.

Bang! Ratatatat! Bang! Ratatatat! Ratatat! Bang!

Still, Kang Chan had likely done enough for Reznov to get out of the way safely.

He didn’t why the motherfuckers were going all out like this, but his men, Munbaki, and the cowardly bastard whom Kang Chan had almost beaten to death would at least get to go escape unscathed. That was all he could ask for.

Forman let out a long, stretched-out groan. “Aaargh…”

Kang Chan quickly glanced at him, finding Foreman grinning from ear to ear.

Bang! Ratatatat! Bang! Baaaang! Ratatatat!

Haller and the enemies exchanged shots.

“I’m not a cowardly bastard, Captain,” Forman said with difficulty.

“I know. I don’t leave missions like these to cowards,” Kang Chan replied.

“I really liked you, sir.”

Kang Chan smirked.

Still grinning, Forman’s head dropped to the sand. However, his eyes remained on his captain.

Thud.

“You were a brave soldier. I’m sorry I didn’t realize that earlier.”

Kang Chan closed Forman’s eyes with his right hand.

Banf! Ratatatat! Bang!

He had to help Haller now. The enemies were firing to stop Kang Chan and Haller from moving anywhere else.

“Haller!”

“Oui!”

“When I start firing, get to Reznov!”

Haller gazed at the bottom of the dune. He then looked at Kang Chan with red, bloodshot eyes.

“Go on ahead! I’ll get out when I can, so cover me then.”

“You should go first, Captain!” Haller protested.

Kang Chan slightly raised his head to check the enemy’s movements. They would probably break into a charge soon.

“I’m better than you both in shooting and running, so just leave. I don’t want to have to worry about you.”

“Captain!”

“Get ready!”

Click! Click!

While Kang Chan checked his magazine, Haller prepared his rifle.

“Haller.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Oui.”

“Survive. I’ll see you later!”

Kang Chan patted Haller on the head twice and then looked past the dune.

“Here we go!”

Click!

Haller slid under Kang Chan and moved to the edge of the sandy mound.

Why aren’t these fuckers raising their heads?

Kang Chan glanced back at Haller.

“Waaaaah!”

At that moment, enemies sprang up from all over the dune in front of them. They charged through the dark desert, leaving the sky on the horizon behind.

Ratatatat! Ratatatat! Ratatat!

“Run!”

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

With each pull of the trigger, a dark silhouette fell to the ground. However, there were too many of them.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Kang Chan took down the enemies in the direction Haller would run first. He couldn’t do much to the enemies that were coming for him for as long as Haller wasn’t safe yet.

At that moment, Haller suddenly climbed to the edge of the dune and suddenly began letting his rifle loose.

“You son of a bitch!”

“Go, Captain! You’ll have to take my dead body to get me out of here!”

Bang! Ratatatat! Bang! Ratatatat!

Kang Chan couldn’t say anything to him.

#Illustration 005

Bang! Bang! Bang! Ratatat! Bang!

Kang Chan shot the enemies charging at him in the forehead.

“Reloading!” Kang Chan shouted and lowered his stance. He quickly changed magazines and returned fire once more.

The enemies outnumbered them far too much. With only ten meters between them, Kang Chan felt as though he would meet his end here.

As if nail to the coffin, he heard a sniper rifle go off.

Bang! Bang! Thud! Bang! Thud!

However, he quickly realized that it was coming from the direction that his men had escaped to.

“Reznov! You crazy bastard!”

“Get out of there! Now!”

Reznov and two of his men kept up a steady stream of fire, buying Kang Chan and Haller some time.

“Haller! Run! Now!”

As Haller followed his order, Kang Chan jumped up and shot the foreheads of those who had rushed toward him.

Bang! Ratatatat! Bang! Bang!

“Captain! Run!”

Reznov’s shouts seemed to shatter the darkness. Nevertheless, Kang Chan knew it wasn’t time for him to run yet.

He needed Haller to get to safety first and help disperse the enemy fire. Only then would his route be covered.

Ratatatat! Bang! Bang!

“Captain!” Haller finally shouted.

Click! Click! Click! Click!

Kang Chan lowered his stance as much as possible and hauled ass to the right of the village. Gritting his teeth, he then threw himself toward his men.

The soldiers consecutively provided cover fire to stop the enemy’s offensive.

“Get back!”

Kang Chan braced himself against the right wall and raised his rifle.

Ratatatat! Ratatat! Ratatatatat! Ratatatat!

The enemies were rushing and shooting at them like madmen, making it hard to get a good shot. Nevertheless, as the dirt wall was patterned with bullet holes, Kang Chan and his men returned fire.

Bang! Bang! Ratatatat!

Amid the gunfight, they heard helicopters approaching from behind them.

It would be more probable for monkeys to run toward them with AKs than for Sunni insurgents to mobilize helicopters in Africa.

“Get back! Secure the helicopter!” Kang Chan commanded.

Bang! Baaang! Ratatatat! Ratatat!

One of his men quickly ran backward.

Bang! Bang!

“Reznov! Go!”

“Oui!” Reznov replied loudly. Just as he stepped away, his throat and chest exploded.

Kang Chan grabbed him and pulled him back with no hesitation. He had to do it quickly because Haller was taking on the enemy alone.

“Kegh! Agh! Aaarggh!”

Every time Reznov tried to say something, blood bubbled up from his throat and mouth.

“Krrgh!”

Coughing up blood, his bloodshot eyes turned to Kang Chan.

“Krrgh…”

Not long after, his head fell to the ground like Forman’s.

Thud.

“Haah. Haah.”

Kang Chan felt strangely out of breath. It was as if he had just run all the way here. The rest of the world seemed to have rushed off into the distance as well, leaving only Reznov and Kang Chan behind.

“Cap…tain!”

Kang Chan heard Haller call out in the distance. He felt like clinging to the enemy to give him a little more time to mourn Reznov’s death, but if he didn’t pull himself together now, Haller would die too.

Haah, haah.

Soon, he began hearing his breathing again. The distant world slowly came closer and played as slowly as its approach.

Click! Click!

Kang Chan turned around and aimed.

Bang! Thud! Bang! Thud! Bang! Thud!

Reznov! It was an honor to meet and fight alongside you.

Bang! Thud! Bang! Bang!

But right now, I have to protect Haller and the others.

I’m sorry for leaving you alone like this.

Kang Chan’s shots had become frighteningly accurate.

The enemies’ foreheads exploded as they went down like dominoes. As if they had realized that they couldn’t keep going at this rate, they all ducked behind a nearby dune.

Ratatatatatat!

Chk!

“Captain! Now!” a soldier radioed in.

“Haller!” Kang Chan called.

Swoosh! Click! Clank!

Haller charged, and Kang Chan followed him.

Ratatatatatat!

The helicopter was about fifty meters away from them.

After narrowing the distance to twenty meters, Kang Chan turned around. He went down on his left knee and aimed at where the enemies would likely come.

“Captain!”

“Go! Get on first!”

Whoosh!

As Kang Chan expected, the enemies appeared over the right wall.

Bang! Thud! Bang! Thud! Bang! Thud! Bang! Thud!

The enemies pressed themselves against the wall, daring not to run out.

Ratatatatat! Ratatatatat!

Instead, they fired back with their bodies behind the wall, which dropped their accuracy to a non-threatening degree.

“Captain! Let’s go!”

Swoosh! Click! Click!

Kang Chan ran toward the helicopter.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Haller, who had one foot in the helicopter, and the soldiers inside opened fire one after another.

Click!

Kang Chan jumped into the helicopter, and Haller immediately turned around and put his other foot inside the helicopter.

As they boarded, a sniper gunshot echoed.

Haller’s neck exploded, his blood splattering onto Kang Chan’s face.

Ratatatatatat!

As the helicopter jerked and took off, Kang Chan’s men and the enemies traded blows relentlessly.

Ratatatatat!

Eventually, the tilted helicopter went over the ridge, ending the gunfight. When the helicopter settled into position, Kang Chan pulled Haller’s body inside, which he had been holding onto tightly.

Du du du du du du du!

***

Men rushed out as the helicopter descended to the base.

Haller’s body was passed down first, and Kang Chan followed.

Click, clank.

No one spoke. They just got out silently and stared blankly.

Munbaki fidgeted in front of Kang Chan, who was covered in Haller’s blood.

“Munbaki, as you can see, I’m a mess right now. Go with the soldiers and rest. I’ll come by after I wash up.”

Kang Chan turned and gave one of the soldiers an order to make a place for Munbaki to rest and protect him.

“Oui.”

The soldier who replied nodded at Munbaki. Kang Chan forced a smile at Munbaki, who was staring at him as though he didn’t want to go.

‘It’s okay. Go.’

The blood in Kang Chan’s eyes dyed the world red. Its scent drifted into his nostrils.

Kang Chan could handle being covered in blood as long as it was the enemy’s. However, this redness and smell were the last traces of his fallen soldiers.

It was painful.

Kang Chan slowly raised his gaze.

“Anyone got a cigarette?”

A few soldiers frantically dug through their pockets. Soon, one brought a cigarette over.

Kang Chan held out his hand, which was sticky with blood. The soldier lit it for him instead.

Click. Hiss.

Fwoosh.

The flickering light of the cigarette illuminated Kang Chan in all his red glory.

“Hoo.”

Kang Chan smoked next to the helicopter.

Everyone, from the helicopter pilot to the soldiers surrounding him, stared at him with mixed expressions.

“Hoo!”

Kang Chan spat out a cloud of white smoke into the night. Despite having entered his blood-red body, it remained as white as snow.

“Fuck!” Kang Chan swore in Korean.