CODENAME: ANASTASIA

Late at night, Kwon Taek Joo quietly woke up. He carefully pedalled up the stairs and climbed down. Zhenya must have slept deeply and not moved. He stared at his face as a precaution, but the inside of his closed eyelids was just silence. His breathing was even and calm. Kwon Taek Joo only left the room after repeatedly confirming that Zhenya was asleep.

He lowered his footsteps and gingerly walked through the dark corridor. The first destination is the host's room. It was late so he tried knocking on the door. Sometimes there was a noise coming from inside the door, and the door quickly opened. The sleepy landlord suddenly poked his head out. He nodded and apologised.

"Sorry it's late, but can I make an international call?"

Kwon Taek Joo added the reason for dropping the phone into the toilet. Of course, it's different from the truth. He also added that today is the birthday of his single mother in Korea. Of course it's also a lie.

The landlord with an annoyed face reluctantly let Kwon Taek Joo into the room. He then handed over the phone and showed how to make an international call. He carefully explained how to calculate the fare before going out.

As soon as the door closed, Kwon Taek Joo lifted the headset. He rarely contacts the person he is trying to call right now. In strategy, he mainly uses radios and he uses SNS messages for other jobs. Because of that, Kwon Taek Joo struggled to remember the contact phone number.

After a long time, only a waiting signal sounded from the stethoscope. I don't know if I went to bed early but the other party didn't quickly receive the call. Finally, a voice notification came out that the customer could not answer the phone. Kwon Taek Joo doesn't give up and presses call back. The beep started again. Just when he thought he should give up, the voice he had been waiting for sounded.

"Allo?"

"Yoon Jong Woo."

"- Money... senior?"

He was immediately startled when he realised it was Kwon Taek Joo. 'What's wrong?' The stuttering voice had no sense of joy or nostalgia at all. On the contrary, it seems that if you knew it in advance, you would not have took the phone, and were scratching your head and plucking your hair.

"I have something to ask for."

"- Thank you...? Suddenly? Where are you now? Why is the phone number like this?"

"You don't need to know that, just listen carefully to what I say."

Kwon Taek Joo can't explain the details to Yoon Jong Woo. Even colleagues from the same organisation are strictly prohibited from disclosing combat content. That's why Yoon Jong Woo doesn't know where Kwon Taek Joo is and what he does. So he asked for it as discreetly as possible. It's called asking for help, but it's no different from a one-way directive.

"I sent a picture to your email, find out what he's doing."

"- Who is it?"

"You think I know but still call you? Hmm?"

"- Ah, that's right. Because he didn't know, he asked for help."

Yoon Jong Woo smiled wryly and awkwardly. A while ago Kwon Taek Joo sent a photo of Zhenya to his email. He said that the two of them happened to be travelling together and also came up with the direction of the investigation. If it's Yoon Jong Woo, he can not only find out the personal information of the person in the photo, but also the unofficial information.

Kwon Taek Joo looked around vigilantly and emphasised again.

"Quick to find out. I'll get in touch at the phone number I'm calling."

"- Did you change your phone?"

"What, there are some things that have happened."

The memory from the day his phone was lost until now flashed like a flash of light. Every moment is filled with despair. Kwon Taek Joo rubbed the back of his head, which had almost healed. Come to think of it, it's lucky that he's still alive. Now being able to talk to Yoon Jong Woo on the phone, he feels unreal at all.

Yoon Jong Woo hangs up and says he will find out as soon as possible. Except for his genius hacking skills, he is an extremely silly junior. It's a pity, every time he remembers the past, he realises that people are treacherous. The more ugly faces he saw, the better he realised it was better before anyway.

Kwon Taek Joo finished calling and walked out. As he walked along the hallway, there was light coming from the kitchen. The host's voice can be heard from time to time. It seems that he is chatting with a guest who has not yet slept. Kwon Taek Joo interrupted his sweet sleep so he wanted to stop by the kitchen for a while before returning to his room.

"Thanks. Thanks to you..."

He said hello and then unconsciously stopped. Because as soon as he entered the kitchen, a familiar back appeared before his eyes. Sure enough, Zegna turned to look at him. In front of him was a bottle of vodka and a glass. He must have stood here chatting with the landlord a while ago. Kwon Taek Joo felt nauseous, as if he had just done something he shouldn't have done.

Zhenya calmly asked as if he knew everything.

"Who are you calling?"

"Mom."

"…Ah ha."

Kwon Taek Joo thought he would tease him, but Zhenya's reaction was not very good. Did he realise something? It seems that it is better for you to leave before the atmosphere becomes more ambiguous. He hurriedly apologised and greeted the landlord and glanced at Zhenya.

"You're not sleeping?"

"A little more."

Zhenya shakes more than half of the remaining vodka. Fortunately, he didn't ask him to drink with him. As if saying 'he just drink alone', Kwon Taek Joo shrugged and left the kitchen. It seems that Zhenya's eyes are glued to his back, but Kwon Taek Joo just ignores it. He also tried to shake off the growing discomfort.

Kwon Taek Joo closed the door and climbed into the bunk bed. He pulled the blanket all the way to his neck and covered him. He thought a lot about this and that and then wondered if he would have a nervous breakdown if he continued like this. Starting tomorrow, his physical strength will be severely depleted. There is nothing better than a good night's sleep to improve your body. Kwon Taek Joo tries to force himself to sleep.

When Kwon Taek Joo's tossing and turning situation subsides, it is also the time when the surroundings become quieter. Snow fell outside the window again. Sometimes there is noise from the kitchen not far away. It annoyed him at first, but gradually that white noise was like a lullaby. His whole body became sluggish and his eyelids also drooped heavily. He lay facing the wall and slowly fell asleep.

Snow fell, piled up, was blown away by the wind, and then piled up again. A long time has passed like that. It's almost dawn and it looks like dawn will soon come out.

Suddenly, the door that had been tightly closed had been opened for a while. Zhenya walked in. He went straight to the bed after drinking the bottle of vodka alone, so it was also the right time to have a good night's sleep. But instead of going back to his bed, he reached out and grabbed the second floor railing.

Zhenya is very tall, so the nape of Kwon Taek Joo can be seen right away. His straight back kept lifting up and down as he breathed. He looked at that extremely peaceful scene for a while. In just a moment, but his blue eyes gave off a strange light.

"…"

Zhenya stood there and watched for a long time forgetting to blink his eyes, and only after watching bored enough did he bend over and lie down. The tension, which was stirred by Zhenya's movement, quickly calmed down. The room became as quiet as a sheet again.

Right after that.

"…"

Kwon Taek Joo's tightly closed eyelids were completely open. He looked at the dark wall in front of him and sank into thought for a long time.

"Can we go?"

Zhenya asked as he stood in the doorway. Kwon Taek Joo nodded instead of tying a tie. He was wearing a neat suit after a long time. Kwon Taek Joo usually only wears a shirt and vest outside, but today he pays more attention. It's been a long time since I buttoned my shirt to my neck. The tie tightened around the neck was stifling. He put on his vest and jacket in turn and buttoned it up, Zhenya approached behind him. He immediately put a fur coat on Kwon Taek Joo's shoulder while he was still looking at him curiously. Do you look too shabby to play a weapons broker?

The natural hairs gently wrapped around his skin. The shirt was heavier than he thought, making him feel like he was wearing an armour made of steel. Kwon Taek was enjoying the feeling of touching that fluffy fur when he suddenly looked in the mirror and was amazed. In his life, he has never been called small, but the image reflected in his mirror is like a teenage boy stealing his father's clothes. The width is a bit large but still acceptable, but the length is a problem. The hem of the jacket, which touched around Zhenya's ankle, was being dragged on the floor.

"This... I refuse."

He took off his fur coat and handed it over to Zhenya with a scowling expression. On the contrary, Zhenya looks victorious. Looking at his eyes curled as if mocking his, it was clear that he did it on intention. Naturally, you make such a ticklish act just to tease others?

Kwon Taek Joo glared at Zheya on his face and walked out of the guest house first. The landlord came to the door to see the two of them off.

Kwon Taek Joo was about to sit in the back seat but then moved to the front passenger seat. He is a guest of Zhenya, so there is no problem sitting on the side. But if Sergei Iljaevich was an old acquaintance of Zhenya, he would definitely be sceptical. Because that side will know that Zhenya is not a great person to take someone with him. Do not raise any doubts.

Zhenya quickly took the driver's seat. Kwon Taek Joo straightened his back without even knowing it. As long as Zhenya is within reach of him, his body will harden. Despite being together for many days, Kwon Taek Joo has never neglected to be vigilant.

The car backed out of the guest house. Strong winds all night blew the snow away, wiping away all traces in the snow field. The wheel rolled over the ridge with no road leaving a long trail.

The mansion seemed far away when Kwon Taek Joo cycled in the face of the bitter cold, but now he had arrived soon. Zhenya parked a short distance from the main gate and glanced at Kwon Taek Joo probing whether he should enter or not. He took a deep breath and nodded.

"Let's go."

"Orderly."

Zhenya laughed and suddenly pressed the gas. The car soared through the entrance as if bouncing and then running straight to the main gate. The camera mounted on both sides of the thick iron gate is aiming at the car. While scrutinising the people in the car, the gun attached below also aimed at the temples of the two people. If you move in a hurry, each person's head will have a hole right away.

After a while, the camera returned to its original position and the iron door opened. An SUV visible through the door is slowly opening. It seems that someone came in person to welcome uninvited guests. Soon, the windows of the SUV simultaneously descended, and the guards with neat clothes poked the rifles outside. Kwon Taek Joo predicted that level of welcome, so he obediently raised his hand.

The security team confirmed that the two had no intention of resisting and nodded to signal to follow them. At the same time, the SUV was blocking the road opposite the two people's car slowly stepping back. Zhenya moved the car and proceeded to the distance from which the SUV had retreated. The car had just entered the main gate, the heavy iron gate was closed. The two were completely trapped inside. Kwon Taek Joo and Zhenya's eyes touched and quickly separated.

Unlike the appearance, the inside looks simpler, even rough. The small garden built in front of the building looks like a wasteland. It seems that the reason Kwon Taek Joo can't find a single piece of blue from the garden is not only because it's mid-winter now. Maybe Sergei Ilyavich is not interested in managing the building, or maybe his aesthetic taste is like that. Every part of the mansion is cracked and weathered, making it look like an ancient ruin.

The two were led to the front stairs of the building. The SUV stopped first, and armed people spilled out from the inside and surrounded his car. After that, they violently opened the driver's door and the passenger's door and pointed a gun at the two.

Zhenya and Kwon Taek Joo's eyes intersect again. One of the guards couldn't stand it anymore and pulled Kwon Taek Joo out. He was pushed into the body of the car and searched. All guns were confiscated, including the Colt he wore at the waist and the Glock 26 inside his jacket. He also had to hand over a small knife without knowing if it could be used to peel the fruit.

Zhenya cannot avoid the same thing. The man who was scrolling through every corner of his body repeatedly tilted his head as he searched the centre. Perhaps he was wondering if the thing inside was a part of the human body. The look was full of doubt that Zhenya was hiding something else under the guise of a penis. The shape looks vaguely like a gun. Zhenya smiled sarcastically at a puzzled expression as to whether to double-check it or not. Soon, his penis wiggled and swayed from side to side. The man cleared his throat and quickly retreated.

At that time, a chubby Russian man went down and followed his assistant. It was Sergei Ilyavich, a distant relative of Visarion, the powerful figure of the Bogdanov family. He was once a Duma MP, but his past glory has long faded. Sergei escaped into this place when he withdrew from politics after all the scandals and rumours. It is said that from there, he turned his interest from the world of power under the sun to the underworld.

*Duma: Russian parliament

The old mansion built on Siberian soil seems to represent his plight. Kwon Taek Joo seems to have understood why 'SS-29', which is being developed with a lot of effort, is hidden here. No one can suspect that the Bogdanov family, Russia's most powerful clan, entrusted such an important item to a distant relative in the suburbs.

Sergei Ilyavich stood with his arms crossed on the sceptre. Although he was very fat, his legs did not seem particularly inconvenient. So a staff with a large gem is no different from a piece of jewellery. He stopped between the stairs and looked down at Kwon Taek Joo. He also calmly faced him. The gaze tries to understand and the gaze tries to hide the tense conflict.

Sergei immediately gave a sly smile.

"How did you get here?"

"I have a good item so I want to show you."

It was Zhenya who answered the question. Sergei's eyes left Kwon Taek Joo and turned to him.

"Are they good?"

"Let's go inside first and slowly talk. I don't think this is a product that can be revealed indiscriminately in a place like this."

"Let's see, it's messy in the house right now..."

He hesitated and gave a rather obvious excuse. Zhenya encouraged in a confident tone.

"I'm sure you'll like it."

It's a voice that can seduce anyone who hears it. Is that why he calls himself a businessman? Kwon Taek Joo can feel confidence and strength, even the coldness of asserting that this is Sergei's only chance. His expression became a little more serious.

It's definitely a worry. Hong Yeo Wook is currently in the villa and 'SS-29' is also hidden in it. If he carelessly brings guests and the relevant confidential information is leaked or there is any trouble, his location will be in big trouble. But it seems that he also wants to give up without checking what Zhenya has brought.

Sergei smiled awkwardly and then looked at Zhenya and Kwon Taek Joo one after another and nodded decisively. When he turned around and went up the stairs, the guards also let go of the two. He stroked back the wrinkled clothes and chased Zhenya who was ahead. In the immediate future, it seems that the two of them have succeeded in stimulating Sergei's interest. A good start.

Soon, the two were led to Sergei's private reading room. Sergei, who was sitting at the top of the table, offered to shake hands first.

"Long time no see."

Zhenya nodded slightly and took his hand. Sergei glanced at Kwon Taek Joo as if looking for an explanation.

"He's from the Korean intelligence agency..."

"It's just a kind of mercenary."

Kwon Taek Joo stretched out his hand first. He did not hesitate to impersonate Head of Department Lim. He is living well in Korea, so it is impossible to be wrongly charged just because of this problem. This job is already quite hard and he should also endure a little, this is the price that Chief Lim has to pay when pushing Kwon Taek Joo into this strategy.

Sergei held Kwon Taek Joo's hand without hesitation.

"Hi. Nice to meet you."

On his fat finger, there was not a single empty place that was full of rings. If there is anyone in this world who has ever been upset because there are only ten fingers, it may be him. When Seigei let go of his hands that were tightly woven with him, I didn't know if it was a mistake, but his fingers seemed to gently touch the middle of his palm and then left. Kwon Taek Joo was suddenly startled. Zhenya must have watched them all, suddenly laughing quietly.

"We don't have much time, so let's get to the main point. What good item do you bring?"

Sergei asked with a serious face. Zhenya also began the prepared explanation.

"There are still not many people in the world, but there was a program that was co-created between South Korea and the United States about three months ago. These two countries soon realised the importance of information dominant, so they came up with a method of spying like the devil. With that program, there is no need to send elite agents directly to steal information or break the solid security network. Seriously, it's hacking but it never leaves a trace. You don't have to risk direct contact with the enemy. Just borrow a little of one of his acquaintances' communication equipment. When that acquaintance calls the other party, sends SNS messages, regular messages, emails, malicious code will be automatically transmitted. As a result, all information entering and leaving the opponent's phone is recorded in real time and the other party will never know that their information is being leaked. How is it? Isn't it very interesting?"

"Hmm? This story only appears in intelligence movies."

"It's a reality now."

Zhenya took out his cell phone. Sergei hesitated a little and quietly took it in his hand. The first thing he tried was Messages. When he looked through thousands of messages, his mother sometimes convulsed. It's a mysterious expression that seems to be both smiling and not smiling. How do people feel when they discover that a message that they only send to a specific person is in a third-party phone?

Sergei immediately put down his phone and rubbed his hands together.

"This is... so awkward."

"There is no need to answer right away. If you want, I can wait for you for a day."

So the incident will have to end in a day. Sergei looked at Zhenya with meaningful eyes and laughed loudly. But he still seemed worried, so he kept tapping on his forehead many times and then immersed himself in his thoughts. Sometimes, he rolled his eyes and looked at Zhenya and Kwon Taek Joo respectively. The product itself is very popular, but he seems to doubt why Zhenya brought himself such a good item.

Sergei hesitated for a long time and finally nodded.

"Okay. Think and decide. The price is not cheap either, but it is an attractive enough item that I don't want to miss it. Can you please stay in this shabby place during that time?"

People who are involved in 'SS-29' take at least a day to arrive. Sergei just needs to decide first. If he likes it, he will take the item, and if he hesitates, just kick the two of them out and it's done. All that needs to be careful is just not to let the existence of 'SS-29' be discovered.

In other words, in a day it is necessary to find out 'SS-29', before Sergei makes a decision.

Kwon Taek Joo smiled and accepted his offer.

"Of course."